pleasure of but there is further a sweet smell or fragrancy in them which the sight intermeddles not with and there must be another sense of Smelling to enjoy the pleasure thereof So neither can we enjoy the pleasure of Wine without the sense of Tasting or of Musick without the sense of Hearing So likewise if a man do not understand any thing of Learning or have no Genius thereto he cannot take any pleasure in reading Books or in Academical Exercises which are better than Wine and Musick to others So if a man be not sanctified or renewed after the Image of God tho he would dispense with his Sin and admit him to Heaven he would say of it as of the Service of God what a weariness is it Mal. 1.13 he might be content to be there to be kept out of Hell as here he might be content to be in a place where there is a Sermon to be sheltred from a storm It was to no purpose for Barzillaâ— to go to David's Court when nature was so decayed in him that he could not enjoy any of the pleasures of it 2 Sam. 19.35 If it be said this doth not infer any necessity of Holiness here in this life for God can in a moment at death fit us for Heaven which is easily done when we lay down this body which is both a clog and a temptation to the Soul not only as it influences the Soul but as most of our sins are in order to provide for the body or to fulfil the lusts of the flesh I answer There is a necessity of Holiness here partly as there is such an inseparable connexion betwixt that and Faith which works by love and is dead without works this purifies the heart overcomes the world Gal. 5.6 Jam. 2.24 Acts 15.9 1 John 5.4 Heb. 11. Isa 43.21 Titus 2.14 Luk. 1.74 75. and the Apostle spends an whole chapter in setting forth the virtue of it Besides it is the pleasure of God to form a people for himself that they may in this world shew forth his praise and hath redeemed us to be a peculiar people to himself that we may serve him in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life He would have our light shine so before men that they seeing our good works may glorify our father which is in Heaven so that we do hereby keep up his Honour and a Remembrance of him in the world We have hereby likewise some prelibations or foretastes of future Glory which as I have already said we are not capable of without Holiness Numb 13.23 God would have some of the fruits of the Land of Canaan brought to the people in the Wilderness that seeing what goodly fruit it was they might be the more encouraged to go to possess it notwithstanding the difficulties and dangers that they were to encounter with and there is nothing that doth more raise our thoughts of future Glory than the earnest that we have of it here which we can no more understand without Holiness than we can the sweetness and virtue of Wine by hearsay without tasting We have hereby likewise a more lively sense of the Goodness of God to us in delivering us from the sinful state wherein we are by nature than we could have if we were perfected at once at death If a man be suddenly surpriz'd with an Apoplexy and immediately at once recovered from it he hath not such a sense of the Mercy that he hath received therein as one that is recovered by degrees from a Fever or some other Disease wherein he hath felt much of pain sickness weakness and hath not only known what it was to be revived by Cordials to be helped by Friends to to be eased by rest in his bed but after his recovery he can reflect with pleasure upon his former condition when it is past and more prize his present Ease and Health So those who have with the Apostle groaned under a body of sin and death will not only reflect with pleasure upon the supplies of God's Grace which they have had to strengthen them in their Spiritual conflict and to fortify them against temptations but will afterwards with more thankfulness acknowledge the goodness of God in giving them the victory through our Lord Jesus and bringing them into a state of perfection where they shall be freed from all annoyance of sin and temptations which they could never have so well understood had it not been for the experience which they had in that middle state wherein they found such a conflict while they were under cure and recovering by degrees So that it is a great mistake in any to think that holiness is not necessary if we may be justified without it or that justification is our great priviledge and holiness a burden imposed upon us which we must be content to submit to in consideration of so great a favour as the pardon of our sins Holiness is rather our honor and happiness Rom. 6.22 1 Thes 1.10 Acts 3.26 the prest of fruit of our being the servants of God here and Christ doth not only save us from our sins in delivering us from the wrath to come but by blessing us in turning us from our iniquities Thus have I briefly touched several things which more Learned men have treated of with more clearness and acurateness but I have not written to supply the defects of others or to add to what they have done but considering that this small Treatise might fall into the hands of some to whom it may not happen to read larger and more learned Books I have adventured to write something which I hope may be of some use to them for the right understanding of the important truths therein handled desiring my Readers candidly to interpret what hath been well intended and to bear with that weakness which I am as ready to own as any can be to charge upon me FINIS
their Souls on Christ for Salvation tho it should be as they imagine that Christ may cast them out than convince them that he will not cast them out Yet we stand by it as a certain truth that those that come to him weary and heavy laden shall find rest to their Souls Acts 10.43 and that whoever believes on him shall receive remission of sins And that in confidence of this promise of God that cannot lie Tit. 1.2 a Sinner may draw nigh to him with full assurance of Faith And in this confidence many are filled with all joy and peace in believing Rom. 15.13 even in this first direct act of Faith But it is observed That as we have sometimes seen a clear Morning without any Cloud overcast and grow Dark and Gloomy so we have seen Clouds to darken the clearest and brightest Comforts of Christians And we make various Conjectures at the reason of it Sometimes thinking that as God under the Law did so far indulge new-married persons as to exempt them from any business for the first year which might occasion their absence from each other till their Affections were firmly setled and till they were well cemented together Deut. 24.5 so God is pleased to indulge such as are newly betrothed to him till their Affections be fixed or knit but afterwards tho he may retain the same kindness to them yet he doth not make them fare deliciously every day Sometimes we are ready to think that they have left their first love and so God hath withdrawn the sense of his Love from them and several other reasons may be supposed thereof but I question not but the chief reason is because they do as I said at first flee to Christ for refuge in confidence of the Invitation and Promise of the Gospel and this confidence doth for some time abide with them but as those that fled from the wrath to come were to bring forth fruits meet for repentance Matth. 3.8 so those that have by Faith fled to Christ for refuge are to bring forth fruits meet for Faith or such as may be suitable to Faith in Jesus Christ And having a fresh and lively sense of the Love of Christ 2 Cor. 5.14 they think this should constrain them so as they should for the future not live to themselves but to him that died for them And that they should be such manner of Persons in all Holy Conversation and Godliness 2 Pet. 3.11 as that for the future they think they shall live more like Angels than Men and that their conversation shall be in heaven Phil. 3.20 But we find our selves to fall far short of what we propounded to our selves and that there is a law in our members warring and rebelling Rom. 7.23 against the law of our minds so that we cannot do what we would and we now begin to reflect on our Faith and to consider that there is a dead faith that profits not James 2.18 c. that there is a temporary Faith through which a man may for a time receive the word with joy Matth. 13.21 Luke 8.13 Gal. 5.6 but afterwards fall away in time of Temptation And it is a faith which works by love which avails in Christ And now Doubts and Fears begin to arise in our hearts lest we should deceive our selves And those that require Assurance in the direct Act of Faith and that we should renew such Acts of Faith tho we are sollicited by Doubts yet acknowledg that Assurance will not continue without the tryal of our Faith by the inseparable Properties of a true Saving Faith and that we must examine the fruits of our Faith and try whether we can shew our Faith by our Works that we may be sure not to be deceived in our Judgment concerning it Now this doth well agree with what the Scripture teaches concerning Assurance where the Apostle speaks of giving all diligence that is the greatest diligence to make our calling and election sure He doth not mean 2 Peter 1.10 that this should be the immediate matter of our Care and Diligence but having exhorted them in the first Verse to give all diligence to add one Grace to another and one degree of Grace to another that they might not be barren or unfruitful in the Knowledge of Jesus Christ in this Verse he enforces the same Exhortation they should the rather give diligence to make their calling and election sure that is to the end that they might hereby make them sure our calling first and thereby our Election Tho the Thunder be before the Lightning yet the Lightning gives notice of the Thunder So tho our Election be from before the foundation of the world Eph. 1.4 yet we have first notice of it by our Calling I know some do interpret that place otherwise than Protestants do ordinarily interpret it because supposing the word which is rendred to make sure is rather to make firm than to make evident And looking upon Election as conditional or suspended on something to be performed by us they reckon that it becomes absolute and so sure to us upon our diligence But as we are not chosen if we be holy Eph 1.4 but that we may be holy so the word here used doth not only signify making a thing firm Heb. 9.17 Mark 16.20 Heb. 2.3 4. but evident or giving evidence of the truth of it And whereas they say our calling is a thing so evident there needs no such diligence for the making of that sure I answer If our Calling were nothing but making us Christians by outward Profession it might be easily known but this is not the Calling that will prove our Election Matth. 20.16 For there are but few chosen of those that are thus called But there is another Calling spoken of in Scripture which is termed Effectual Calling because men hearken to that Calling and come in at it and this is inseparable from Predestination Justification Rom. 8.20 and Glorification And it requires much diligence to know this So if we would have full assurance of Hope or a confidence of future Glory it must be by diligence and following those who through faith and patience have inherited the promises Heb. 6.11 12. For those words in the close of the Verse may either be referred to our shewing the same diligence or to the words the full assurance of Hope we must persevere in our diligence if we would maintain the assurance of our Hope We do not say as the Papists at least in their sense that Faith is necessary to the beginning of our Justification but Works to the continuance of it for they suppose that they that are once justified may cease so to be and fall again under Condemnation But we may justly say That tho the beginning of our Assurance be from Faith in the direct act of it yet the continuance of it must be from Works for we
in order to our believing which may commend us to Christ for his acceptance It is said a mans gift makes room for him Prov. 18.16 and brings him before great Men by means thereof he hath free access to great Men and finds favour with them But we can bring neither price nor present to Christ Isaiah 61.10 Cant. 8.10 nor come to him as a Bride adorned with Jewels that we may be in his eyes as one that finds favour we must rather come to Christ that we may buy of him Gold tried in the fire Rev. 3.18 Isaiah 55.1 that we may be rich and white raiment to cover our nakedness and eye-salve to anoint our eyes and we must buy this without money and without price It is as they speak the antecedent put for the consequent Judg. 2.14 Psalm 44.12 as God is said to sell his people when he delivers them into the hands of their Enemies tho he sell them for nought because in selling there is a delivering of what is sold into the hands of the Buyer So we are said to buy when we make a thing our own or get it into our own hands Ezek. 16. Tho the Prophet speaks chiefly of the mean Condition of the Jews when God took them to be his peculiar people and advanced them to such greatness yet that was a Representation of the State and Condition wherein God finds Sinners when he chuses them out of the World and sets than apart for himself Our righteousness is but as filthy rags Isaiah 64.6 These do not reach to cover a man's Nakedness but it is seen through them and if they be filthy rags they rather make a person more loathsome than become an Ornament to him so far as they do reach So our best Works or Duties reach but a little way they extend but to a small part of our lives and so far as they do reach they are polluted and defiled with sin We must not come with our own righteousness to Christ but we must be married to Christ that we may bring forth fruit to God Rom. 7.4 And if any say we are married to Christ by faith and so must receive that Grace whereby we believe before we are married to him I answer It is in this case as it happens in some Marriages If a mean person marry one that is much above her tho she be entitled by Marriage to what is her Husband 's if she hath not wherewithal to bear the Charge of the Marriage or to come to him as Rebecca did to Isaac she must take on trust what will defray this Charge on the Credit she hath by such a designed Marriage or be furnished with what is necessary from him So tho we are entitled to the benefits of Christ by our believing on him yet it is given to us to believe on him for his sake Phil 1.29 through whom we receive the first Grace as well as all the rest 2. There is nothing required in us to make the Grace of God to become effectual He doth not as those that make choice of such as nature hath qualified or fitted for improvement to great employments or take the advantage of any good humour which he finds men in that may dispose them to Eternal Life as some interpret the words of the Evangelist which in our Translation were ordained to eternal life Acts 13.48 Nebuchadnezzar when he would take some of the Children of the Captivity to train up for his Service chose such as were well-favoured or fightly and such as were skilful in all wisdom and cunning in knowledge and understanding science and such as had ability Daniel 1.4 But God doth not seek out such for his Service He makes the heart of the rash to understand knowledg and the tongue of the stammerers to speak plainly Isaiah 32.4 The Carpenter indeed must look out such Wood as is naturally fitted for his use he cannot make a crooked piece straight by bending or make a knotty piece cleave But a Founder can take any piece of Metal of what size or form soever or however rusty or batter'd and cast it into what Mold or Form he pleases So God can of stones raise up children to Abraham Matth. 3.9 And as he shews the freeness and riches of his Mercy in chusing the worst of Sinners so he shews the power of his Grace in making a thorough change in those in whom he finds the most deep-rooted Prejudices against the Gospel He turned Paul when he was in his full Carreer towards Hell while he was breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Church Acts 9.1 and verily thought he ought to do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth and 26.9 Gal. 1.23 24. so that they glorified God in him when they saw such a wonderful change wrought in him But tho there be nothing in us which may oblige God to bestow his Grace on us or facilitate his Work in our Conversion or drawing us to Christ yet as Faith is our Act there is something required in order thereto that we may believe with all our heart Acts 8.37 or freely and willingly take hold on God's Covenant Prov. 27.7 Matth. 7.6 Matth. 11.28 Revel 22.17 The full stomach loathes the hony comb and swine will tread pearls under their feet Therefore only those that are weary and heavy laden and those that thirst are invited to come to Christ because none but such will come John asks the Pharisees and Sadduces Matth. 3.7 Who had warned them to flee from the wrath to come whereby he doth not I suppose mean the wrath that was to come upon that nation by the Romans but the damnation of Hell Luke 21.23 Matth. 23.33 1 Thes 1.10 as our Saviour elsewhere calls it Tâ—â—s is the wrath to come which Jesus deliverâ—â—â— from The Sadduces did not believe that there was any Future state and consequently any wrath to come The Pharisees trusted in themselves that they were righteous and so could not apprehend any danger of the wrath to come Therefore he seems to question their sincerity in the profession which they made and requires them to bring forth fruit meet for repentance and not to ground their hopes upon their Descent from Abraham As men are to give a reason of the hope that is in them 1 Peter 3.15 so they should have some reason for their believing or coming to God by Jesus Christ I shall take the liberty here to refer to what hath been said by a Grave Sober man on this Subject he being a person that none will suspect of going too far on this hand Mr. Walter Marshal in the Gospel Mystery of Sanctification p. 207 c. In the Instructions that he gives to prevent the defects that we are most liable to in the first Act of Faith he tells us 1. We must believe with a full perswasion that we are Children
First To believe in God or on God and Christ for both these Expressions are frequently used in the New Testament as any one in reading may easily observe is so to believe God or Christ as to trust in him to rely on him to stay our selves on him Isa 26.4 Phil. 2.19 24. 2· Chron. 13.18.16.7 Isa 50 10. to roll our selves on him as Dr. Hammond expresses it in his Practical Catechism Lib. 1. Sect. 3. and before him our Translators of the Bible in the Margent of Psal 22.8 To believe we know in its most proper signification is to assent to any thing upon the Authority of him that speaks it Therefore he that believes not makes God a Lyar That is accounts him such by Interpretation or deals with him as if he were so 1 John 5.10 Whereas on the contrary he that doth believe him or receive his Testimony sets to his Seal that is owns and acknowledges that he is true John 3.33 But this is such a Faith as wicked men may have and not that saving Faith which the Scripture so often speaks of but that is a fiducial resting upon him for the accomplishment of what he hath promised in the way and upon the terms whereon he hath promised it and no otherwise For that would be an unwarrantable presumption not properly a believing in him he having not promised such things on any other terms Now for the further clearing of this we may observe that there are Words not only in Scripture but in Heathen Authors many Instances of which I could give you which they call pregnant words which include or comprise some other word in them As where it is said all the People trembled after Saeul as you see in the Margent the Hebrew word signifies 1 Sam 13.7 which our Translators well render They followed him trembling So Joab and Abiathar helped after Adonijah That is following after Adonijah 1 King 1.7 helped him So to wonder after the Beast is to follow him wondering Rev. 13.3 So God heard David from the horns of the Unicorns Which doth not imply that God was there when he heard him as he is said to hear from Heaven his dwelling-place but to hear him so as to save him from the danger wherein he was which is set forth by that Metaphor as in the foregoing words by the Lions Mouth Psal 22.21 Heb. 5.7 As Christ was heard from his Fear or that which he was afraid of Neither do we need to render it as it is in the Margent for his piety For the word doth not only signify a religious Awe or fear of Reverence but a fear of danger as is evident from Acts 23.10 In like manner God loved the Soul of Hezekiah from the Pit of Corruption That is as our Translators render it in love to his Soul delivered it from the Pit of Corruption Isa 38.17 Acts 8.22 So to repent from wickedness as the Greek words imply is so to repent of it as to turn from it or depart from it and to be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ is to be corrupted so as to depart from it 2 Cor. 11.3 I know some Learned men observing how the prepositions both in the Hebrew and Greek are redundant or superfluous that is signify nothing in many places They conclude that to believe in God or Christ signifies no more but to believe them I answer that tho' we must suppose improprieties of speech defects or redundancies where the nature of the thing in hand doth necessarily require it yet there is no reason why we should so do when the matter in hand doth not require it but rather that we should take in such words or make use of them It is further to be observed that some words signify a complex act made up of many particular acts For example to Nurse a Child tho' it signify in the strictest sense to nourish or feed it by giving it meat or milk yet in the larger and most ordinary sense it is to take care of it in all that is necessary to be done to it So a Shepherd in most languages hath his name from feeding his Flock but there is more belongs to it than giving them Food or leâ—ding them into green Pastures Psal 23.2 1 Pet. 5.2 Or if we understand thereby Spiritual Pastors that are to feed the Flock of God This signifies not only feeding them with the Doctrine of the word as 1 Cor 3.2 And as some understand feeding with knowledge and understanding not of the manner but the matter of feeding Jer. 3.15 but it comprehends the whole duty of a Shepherd strengthening the diseased healing the sick binding up that which is broken bringing again that which is driven away seeking that which is lost Ezek. 34.4 Gathering the Lambs with his arms carrying them in this bosom gently leading those that are with young So tho Faith in its most strict and proper sense be an Assent to the Truth Isa 40.11 yet it comprehends many other Acts in it when we speak of a justifying or saving Faith I may further add That there are some words in Scripture which are not to be understood their in strict and precise Sense but presupposing some other things and comprehending such things as should or may be presumed to accompany or follow them For example Justification is sometimes ascribed to the knowledge of Christ as it is said by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many and therefore doth the Apostle so magnify the knowledge of him Phil 3.8 accounting all things but loss for the excellency thereof Isa 53.11 But it is not a bare knowledge of him that is of such value and excellency but of his Work and Office what he is and for what he was sent into the World which doth suppose what our own estate is and of what use he is to us and such a knowledge of him as puts us upon making use of him for the end for which he was given to mankind and came into the World then do we truly know him as we know that we know God when we keep his commands 1 Joh. 2.3 Tit. 1.16 Otherwise we do but profess to know him when in works we deny him When Josiah judged the cause of the poor and the needy and did Judgment and Justice this was to know God Jer. 22.15.16 Joh. 20.31 Acts 8.37 1 Joh. 5.1 Mark 1.24 Thus Salvation sometimes seems to be suspended upon our believing that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God But this faith will not save if it go no further For the Devils believe this as well as that there is but one God But as there must be such a knowledge of him supposed as I have before spoken of so it must be such a belief as brings us to him or makes us come to him Joh. 6.35 37. Isa 45.24 as having both righteousness and strength in him
This is believing with all the heart when we do gladly and willingly apply our selves to him for Grace and Salvation For thus to seek to God Heb. 11.6 or to Christ is to come to him That which is called coming to God is in the same verse expounded diligently to seek him so they say Jer. 2.31 We are Lords we will come no more unto thee Psal 10.4 Joh. 1.12 The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God So we must receive Jesus Christ that is accept of him for our Saviour submit our selves to his way and method of Salvation saying with Paul Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts. 9.6 Gal. 5.6 So our Faith must work by love his readiness and willingness to save us at the price of his own Blood 1 Joh. 4.19 must make us love him who loved us first And this love will constrain us while we judg that he dying for us when we were dead we should no more live to our selves but to him that died for us 2 Gor. 5.14.15 and is risen again I will endeavour to make this more plain by a similitude There may be some Physician in the Country whom we may reckon our selves happy that we ever knew or heard of Tho' there are many that know of such a person and perhaps live near him yet do not regard him because he is nothing to them while they find themselves well and see no need of him But we were sick of a dangerous disease which we never heard that any were cured of till this Physician came amongst us but hearing that he cured all that he took in hand that would follow his directions that he was so obliging that he turned away none that came to him that he expected neither see nor present from the poor that had nothing to give but cured them Gratis we chose him for our Physician applied our selves to him followed his Directions and find already such a change and alteration in our selves and so good success that we resolve to stick to him and follow his directions looking for perfect cure in time from him This is our case Jesus Christ is come into the World to save sinners many know this but are never the better for it because they not finding themselves sick think they need not the Physician Mat. 9.12 Rom. 10.14 and so never apply themselves to him But we knowing the miserable condition wherein we were think our selves happy that ever we heard tidings of him for how should we believe on him of whom we have not heard But we looked upon it as worthy of all acceptation That Christ came into the World to save sinners Hereupon we applied our selves to him 1 Tim. 1.13 tho' we had neither price nor present to find acceptance with him yet did we not seek his favour that we might continue in Sin but that he would save us from our Sins and bless us in turning us from our iniquities Thus we see that Faith Mat. 1.21 Acts 3.26 or that saving act whereby we are justified and saved is neither a bare notional knowledge nor a barren dead Faith but such a belief of the Gospel as doth suppose our miserable estate by nature as brings us to Jesus Christ as our only Saviour not only for pardon of sin so as we may avoid the wrath to come but for entire and compleat Salvation Rom. 6.14 so as iniquity may not have dominion over us but that we may be freed from the bondage of it and so redeemed from it as to be a peculiar people to God zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 I shall have occasion to add something afterwards which may more fully clear up this point and so shall at present proceed to the second thing which I propounded to speak of viz. Why we are to believe in Christ as well as in God First If we consider Christ as God of the same Essence with the Father Joh. 5.23 Joh. 10.30 so we are to honour the Son as we honour the Father for so he and the Father are one But if we consider him as Mediator so we are to believe in him as the immediate object of our Faith and by him to believe in God 1 Pet. 1.23 Joh. 17.3 As the knowledge of Christ must be superadded to the knowledge of God for obtaining Eternal Life so Faith in Christ must be joined with our Faith in God We must come to God by him Heb. 7.25 None can come to the Son but by the Father that is Joh 6.44 Joh 14.6 by his grace drawing them But none can come to the Father but by the Son That is they must have access to the Father through his mediation As the Tyrians made Blastus their Friend when they came to desire Peace of Herod Acts 12.20 So if we would have Peace with God we must have access to him by Jesus Christ it is he that must bring us to God Rom. 5.2 Eph 2.18 1 Pet. 3.18 Ephes 1.6 We must first by Faith come to Christ and he must introduce us to God that we may find acceptance with him The Jews were so terrified at the giving of the Law that they were afraid of having to do any more immediately with God and therefore desired that Moses might come betwixt God and them Exod. 20.19 Now as the Athenians had an obscure notion of an unknown God but the Apostle declared to them him whom they ignorantly worshipped Acts 17.23 so here the Jews had some Conviction of the necessity of a Mediator and they pitched on Moses as the fittest person for it that they could think of But God answered to the ground of their desire Deut. 18.15 c. Ephes 3.20 and promises them a Mediator which they could never have thought of that was fit for that Office doing for them above what they could ask or think As God doth doth many times in answering the Prayers of his people grant the thing which they desire but not in such a way or by such means as they might think of but by some more proper way or means which his wisdom finds out But further before the Incarnation of Christ they were to believe in the Messiah to come but now that he was come and had given sufficient proof that he was the promised Messiah by doing these works which never any man did they were to determine their Faith on him in particular Joh. 15.22 Joh. 8.24 or dye in their Sins But he doth likewise press this upon them because he foresaw what discouragements they were like to meet with and how likely their Faith was to be shaken in this particular 1 Cor. 1.23 A crucified Christ was a stumbling-block to the Jews and to the Greeks foolishness The Jews thought that the Messiah when he came should abide for ever John 12.34 therefore his Disciples when they saw his
hands of Christians by teaching that perfection is not necessary to Salvation nor attainable in this Life because Chistians generally concern themselves more to endeavour after Assurance than after Perfection both as it is more attainable and more necessary to the comfort of their Lives As for the profession of the People of God in Scripture it is not universally true of them for as we meet with instances of many triumphing in the assurance of the love of God and the hope of future glory so we do of some under doubts and terrors and as Moses wished in another case that all the Lord's People were Prophets so I wish that all the Lord's People had Assurance yea I hope that if he call them to like sufferings he will give them like Assurance as his People had under theirs formerly it being his ordinary way to proportion their Consolations to their Sufferings 2 Cor. 1.5 Yea we ordinarliy teach not only that Assurance is attainable without extraordinary Revelation but that it is the Duty as well as the Interest of Christians to endeavour after it Having premised thus much briefly I will now proceed to enquire how far Faith is attended with Assurance and how it may be sometimes without it I will not say there is a direct Act of Faith and a reflex Act I think not the terms so proper but I own what they call the direct Act of Faith is the most proper Act of it and that when a man hath believed or doth believe he may reflect upon it and say with him Mark 6.24 I believe and thence he may infer his Interest in the promise of Salvation and so have Assurance which some call Assurance of Faith and we may call it so as it is inferr'd from our Faith rather than as it is an act of Faith The Scripture speaks of a full assurance of understanding Col. 2.2 which is a clear and certain knowledge of Truths Of a full assurance of hope Heb. 6.11 Heb. 10.22 that is a certain expectation of Salvation Of a full assurance of faith Now. the Assurance which we are now speaking of is indeed rather the Assurance of Hope than the Assurance of Faith tho it is indeed grounded on the Assurance of Faith wherewith we should draw nigh to God not only in particular Acts of Worship but in our first access to him in Conversion as the Prodigal first returned to his Father's House and when he was received into it made his particular Addresses to his Father as he had occasion And this full Assurance is not only such as that of Abraham That what God had promised Rom. 4.21 he was able also to perform Nor as that of Sarah That judged him faithful that had promised Heb. 11.11 So as he will certainly make good his promise according to the true Tenor thereof whether we believe or no he cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2.12 Rom. 3.3 And if some do not believe their unbelief shall not make the faith of God without effect It shall be fulfilled to others that do believe But there is a further Assurance of Faith even in the first direct Act thereof whereby we do apply the Grace of God to our selves in particular which is not a believing that our Sins are already pardoned or that they shall be pardoned upon our believing that they are so but that they shall be pardoned upon our believing that is upon our addressing our selves to God by Jesus Christ upon our coming to him or casting our selves upon God's free Grace in Christ This is that boldness and access with confidence which we have by the faith of him Ephes 3.12 Heb. 10.19 that boldness which we have to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus Boldly adventuring our selves on God's free Grace in Jesus Christ for Salvation fleeing for refuge to lay hold on the hope that is set before us Heb. 6.18 in the encouragement of the gracious invitation of the Gospel to all those that are weary and heavy laden Matth. 11.28 Rev. 22.18 John 6.37 to those that shall desire really the Water of Life and the promise made to such And in confidence of the gracious promise made to all that come to Jesus Christ that he will in no wise cast them out And tho it is true Ministers in their preaching do often make use of the example of the Lepers that sate at the gate of Samaria 2 Kings 7.3 4. who resolved to go into the Host of the Syrians as the most likely way to save their lives because there was no other course that they could take wherein there was any hopes of it for if they went into the City they should dye there if they continued where they were they should dye So that if there were the least probability of saving their Lives by going to the Syrians this being the only way which did afford them any hopes it was the wisest course they could take So in this case there being Salvation in no other Acts 4.12 Mark 16.16 John 3.18 and Unbelievers being under Condemnation If there were but the least probability of finding mercy through him it would be the safest course that Sinners could take They would certainly perish if they should not believe in Christ and they can but perish if they betake themselves to him But all this is spoken not to discourage the hopes or weaken the confidence of such as flee to Christ for refuge as if it were doubtful whether Christ would shew them mercy or receive them to favour but to meet with the Scruples of Doubting Christians that fear that Christ may reject them tho we do not grant that it may be so while we have his promise that he will not do it Yet suppose such a thing possible it is acknowledged by all that we should take the safest way so that if there were only a possibility much more if there be a probability of Salvation by Christ and no possibility thereof any other way it is certainly the best way for us to betake our selves to him It is in this case as if a Physician should come to a sick Person and tell him his Condition is very dangerous and there is but one Remedy that will save his Life but if he will make use of that he doth not doubt of his recovery The sick Person is apprehensive enough of his danger but he hath not much confidence in this Remedy but doubts whether it will cure him or no. His fears may be such and his Melancholly prevail so far that the Physician can hardly hope to free him from his fears at present but may think it an unanswerable Argument to perswade him to use such a Remedy that if he do not use it there is no way but Death but if he do use it he may live So when Christians are under Temptation and the Power of Melancholly we may more easily prevail with them to venture
shall have too much ground to suspect that our Faith is not an unfeign'd Faith 1 Tim. 1.5 2 Tim. 1 5. Tit. 1.1 or the Faith of Gods elect if it do not work by love It is further evident That Assurance must be maintained by Reflection or Self-Examination because the Apostle makes that to be the scope of his Epistle That those who believe on the name of the Son of God may know that they have eternal life 1 John 5.13 and may still believe or be confirmed in their Faith If any doubt what those things are that he refers to doubtless they are not the things immediately going before but the Epistle in general In several places of which he shews what doth evidence a state of Salvation and what is inconsistent therewith as Ch. 1.6 7. Ch. 2.3 15. Ch. 3.14 Ch. 5.1 4. Now after all this some are unsatisfied with this way of attaining Assurance or rather maintaining it as being neither satisfactory nor necessary and it seems to found our Assurance and Comfort on something in our selves For this last Objection to dispatch it in few words As fruit tho it grow from the Root yet grows upon the Branches so tho all our Hope and Comfort be originally from the Grace of God yet this manifesting it self in its effects we may comfort our selves in what God hath wrought in our selves as well as rejoice in behalf of others when we see them walking in truth 2 John 4. or see in them those things that accompany Salvation Heb. 6.9 or have Salvation following on them And if any say this may suffice for a Judgment of Charity which is all that is required of us in reference to others but it is not sufficient to that judgment of certainty which we should have concerning our selves This will receive an answer from what I have to say upon the two other exceptions Now whereas it is said that this way of self-examination leaves Christians at great uncertainty about their Spiritual Estate and the evidences that are usually given for satisfying them are not so convincing but Christians are perplexed still with fears and doubts I answer That we should not go to Ministers either in hearing or reading or conferring as Naaman went to the Prophet to be cured of his Leprosie expecting that he should do it with a word of his mouth and a stroke of his hand 2 King 5.11 We cannot expect that they should presently resolve us about our Spiritual condition but there is much diligence to be used by our selves as there is in all things of any worth which are difficult As this deserves our diligence so it requires our diligence not only for the tryal of our Grace but for the exercise of it It is observed by some that Christians in our days have not ordinarily that Assurance which others have had in former times and I doubt the observation may be true but I think it proceeds not so much from any error about the nature of Faith as from decay in Grace and that manifest declining that there is in the practice of Religion and it is no wonder that professors of Religion are such strangers to Assurance and Spiritual Comfort while there is such a manifest difference betwixt the Christians of these days and of former times and I desire that the words of one suspected by none to derogate from the Grace of God or the operations of his Spirit in reference to man's Salvation may be diligently heeded It is saith he impossible that many professors whom we see and converse withal should have any solid peace with God It is a fruit that will not grow on an earthly selfish frame of mind and conversation God forbid but that our utmost diligence and continued endeavours to thrive in every Grace should be required thereunto Now in this case I neither think it so easy a matter as some do to attain Assurance nor such an impossibility as others do Some Learned Men think that Assurance doth generally accompany saving Faith because they suppose the Soul must needs know its own acts and so must necessarily know when it believes and when it repents and consequently infer its own Justification But tho it be easy to know our own acts considered Physically or Naturally that is when we put forth such an act in general as when we believe or repent or know God yet it is another thing to know our own acts morally considered or as they ought to be qualified in order to such ends as they are appointed to There may be a Faith which is but temporary Mat. 13.21 or for a season there may be a repentance like that of Nineveh which may avail to the preventing of temporal Judgments but not to Salvation There may be such a knowledge whereby we do not know things as we ought to know them 1 Cor. 8.2 Tit. 1.16 so we may only profess that we know God But we must know that we know him 1 Jo. 2.3 Jer. 22.16 by our Obedience as the fruit or effect thereof so it requires search and self-examination 2 Cor. 13.5 to know whether we are in the Faith or in the state of true believers But on the other hand some suppose it impossible to attain Assurance by reflecting upon any thing in our selves as an evidence of God's special Grace or favour towards us and that they may wholly disable Christians for inferring any Assurance from any thing in themselves they deny both propositions from whence they should draw their conclusion For example we say that those who love the brethren are passed from Death to Life 1 Jo. 3.14 By reflecting upon our selves we add further that we love the brethren thence we conclude that we are passed from death to life Now these men with whom we have now to do deny both the Propositions that is they deny we know that we our selves are passed from death to life by our love to the brethren making this to be rather a ground of a judgment of Charity concerning others than a judgment of certainty concerning our selves for we may surely make a better judgment of our own love to the brethren than of the love of others only they think a judgment of Charity may suffice towards others but we are now speaking of Assurance of our own love but in this argument they insist on the second Proposition denying absolutely that we can know our own love to the brethren or at least that Christians can ordinarily know it there being so many properties of it which it is hardly possible for any Christian to find in himself 1 Cor. 13.4 c. but further we must know them to be brethren they say otherwise Papists or any sort of persons love those of their own way looking upon them as brethren Yea we see such Divisions and Animosities and mutual Exacerbations among Christians as it seems impossible either to attain to a judgment of Charity
working of fancy but it must be imputed to God's immediate support putting Gladness into their hearts Ps 4.7 shedding abroad his love in their hearts by the Holy Ghost given to them Rom. 5 5. But to suppose this to be God's ordinay way of dealing with his People and to allow them no Assurance but what God gives them in such an immediate way would leave many humble serious Christians that dare not boast of what God hath not wrought in them under perpetual doubts and fears And because many are ready to think that what the Scripture speaks about the witness of the Spirit the seal of the Spirit and the earnest of the Spirit do imply some immediate way of the Spirit communicating himself to Christians I will endeavour to shew you what may be the true and proper import of such Expressions As for that the Spirit 's witnessing with our spirits or to our spirits that we are the Children of God Rom. 8.16 supposing what I before said about his immediate Comforts in extraordinary Tryals and Temptations which seems to be the state of Christians at that time the Spirit may ordinarily be said to witness with our spirit or to our spirit 1st With our spirit and for the clearing of this we must consider that whatever is written in Scripture is the Testimony of the Spirit he doth therein testify 1 Pet. 1.11 and it is said particularly that the Holy Ghost is a witness to us of the perfection of Christ's Sacrafice and this he is in the Scripture Heb. 10.15 or what he hath there testified as is evident from the words following Now it no where saith in Scripture that this or that person is the Son of God our Names may be written in Heaven but not in the Scripture so it is said to testify of Christ but not by Name but describing him by his works which verse 36. are said to testify of him or to bear witness that his Father had sent him Joh. 3.39 these put together the testimony of the Scripture and his own works did witness that he was the Messiah Thus the Spirit of God witnesses in general who are the Sons of God giving Characters whereby they may be known as walking after the Spirit loving the Brethren c. This we know by the Spirit of God speaking in the word but that we do these things we know by our own spirits which we must appeal to and examine about it this being the Candle of the Lord which searches the hidden parts of the belly Prov. 20.27 2 Cor. 1.12 that is our most secret thoughts and the witness thereof is the testimony of our Consciences therefore if we would have the witness of the Spirit we must see in the Scripture what that witnesses about those that shall be saved and then consult our own spirits and if we find those things in our selves that do accompany Salvation the Conclusion follows that we shall be saved But further it may be said to witness to or with our spirits as it witnesses in its effects which the Spirit it self may be properly said to do things are said to witness in Scripture when they are a real proof of any thing as the rust of Silver and Gold witnesseth against the owners So mens wickedness saith or testifies Jam. 5.3 Psal 36.1 that they have no fear of God before their Eyes So persons are said to testify or bear witness by their Works as the Holy Ghost is a witness of Christ's Exaltation by the Miracles which he wrought Act. 5.32 and God did bear the Apostles witness both with signs and wonders and divers gifts of the Holy Ghost Heb. 2.4 and thus the Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we are the Children of God Ezek. 36.27 by that filial frame or Spirit of Adoption which he puts in us And by bringing forth in us the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 1.16 she reveals his Son in us We knowing that he abides in us 1 Jo. 3.24 by the Spirit which he hath given us I will now proceed to speak of the sealing of the Spirit and I desire this may be observed that whenever the Scripture speaks thereof it doth not speak of the Covenant or of our Salvation being sealed to us but of our being sealed 2 Cor. 1.22 Eph. 1.13.4.30 Now we must know that a Seal is not a Natural but an Instituted Sign and it being a particular mark belonging to some person it signifies his ratifying or confirming any thing that it is applied to And Seals were used in three Cases 1st For the confirming of Writings being an Evidence of a man's consent to what he hath set his Seal to Esth 3 12. Jer. 32.10 Dan. 6.17 2dly It is for keeping a thing sure as the Lyons Den and Christ's Sepulchre not by force Wax is not proper for that but for securing it so as none can meddle with it but it will be known 3dly It was used for marking things that they might be known to whom they did belong and to distinguish them from other mens and they did not only mark things or Goods but Persons We read in Heathen Authors as Plutarch in Nicias that they did sometimes mark their Captives or Servants in the Forehead And hence probably the Scripture speaks so oft of Marking and Sealing the Servants of God Ezek. 9.4 Rev. 7.3 4.9.4 Rev. 13.16 Ps 4.3 so the Beast is said to mark those that did enjoy any privileges under him Thus when God doth set apart any for himself as David expresses it he seals them or marks them for his own And as the Emperors had not only their Superscription but their Image impressed on their Coin Matth. 22.20 Col. 3.10 so God impresses his own Image on his People or renews them after his own Image And if it be said That they were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise after they believed as if it were not the Impression of the Image of God upon us at our first Conversion but some work of the Spirit afterwards I answer Those that make this sealing to be the confirming or assuring our Justification and Salvation to us suppose it is done at our first believing in the direct Act of Faith So if they make this Objection let them Answer it themselves I add that this is not an Act finished in a moment as a Seal may be set upon Wax but a Progressive Work and the Impression is made clear and deeper by degrees We being changed into his image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.18 And lastly The Greeks take much liberty in the change of their Tenses and there is the same Tense used here which is used where it is said Mark 16.16 he that believes shall be saved I will now add something briefly about the earnest of the Spirit which the Scripture speaks sometimes of 2 Cor. 1.22 Chap. 5.5 Eph. 1.14 By the
therefore he will shew his displeasure against it But it is so likewise in Spiritual blessings we read of great things ascribed to Faith Acts 15.9 as purifying the heart overcoming the World quenching all the fiery darts of the wicked 1 Jo. 5.4 Eph. 6.17 Now it doth not all these things in a moral way as Moses overcame by looking to the recompence of the reward but we are thereby strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Heb. 11.26 Ephes 6.10 2 Tim 2.1 1 Peter 1.5 Col. 1.11 or in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and we are kept by the power of God through Faith to Salvation It is the Divine Power that keeps us and we are strengthned thereby or according thereto and not only morally by his word as men may strengthen each other Job 43.4 Ezek. 13.22 but it is Faith that takes in this aid or assistance of Grace or the supplies of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.9 which are communicated from him to the several Members of his Mystical Body as the Spirits are from the Head in the Natural Body and as Christ dwells in the heart by faith Ephes 3.17 so we derive Spiritual Life and Virtue from him in the daily Exercise of Faith he leaving those usually to themselves that trust to their own strength as Youth and Young men are ready to do when those that wait on the Lord and look to him for supplies of Grace shall surmount all difficulties and persevere in well-doing without weariness or fainting Isaiah 40.30 31. Psalm 27.14 He will strengthen the heart of those that wait on him and give Grace to such humble Souls as distrusting themselves rely upon him for strength and assistance CHAP. IX THere is yet one way more whereby Faith becomes such an effectual Remedy against Touble and that is as we thereby have a view or prospect of the other World or of the Future state We thereby look to the things that are not seen which are eternal And if any shall say 2 Cor. 4.18 the word there used doth not imply that he saw them or had a view of them but only that he made them his scope or aim I answer The word sometimes signifies to mark or observe as well as to consider or have respect to Rom. 16.17 Phil. 3.17 Heb. 11.27 And we do in a sort see the things which we aim at Moses is said to endure as seeing him that is visible which implies not the manner of his enduring but the ground of it not as if he had seen him that is invisible but because he saw him that is invisible or like one that saw the invisible God John 1.14 So as the glory of the only begotten Son of God is a glory becoming such an one And if it be said there is a Contradiction in the terms to see him that is Invisible I answer It is an Elegancy used frequently in Scriptures where a word in the same place is taken in different senses as to believe in hope Rom. 4.18 1 Tim. 5.6 against hope And she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she lives She lives Naturally but is dead Spiritually So God is invisible to our bodily Eyes but we see him by faith which is the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 And if it be further objected that Faith and Sight are opposed in Scripture as We walk by faith and not by sight And in whom 2 Cor. 5.7 1 Pet. 1.8 tho now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory For this latter place distinguish of seeing as before and the sense is plain and for the former place Faith is there opposed either to the Vision of God which we shall have in the Future state or to present sense implying that we should govern our lives not by Sense or what we see but by what we belive or hereafter hope for And the Apostle when he would set forth the virtue of Faith and of what excellent use it is to support Christians under Trials and Sufferings he grounds it upon this Heb. 11.1 that it is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen It gives as it were a real and present subsistence to things that are yet but future and so hoped for and giveth us as full satisfaction concerning those things which we do not see as if we saw them clearly before our eyes And these two things make that which is future to affect us more and work more effectually upon us We say indeed among men that seeing is believing And they have Proverbial Speeches in other Nations like this of our own There is so much deceit and falshood to be found among men that persons will hardly believe till they see or have sufficient ground for it and so will not venture much on uncertain hopes But when we have to do with God that cannot lie believing is seeing that is when we have his Word to ground our Faith upon we are as sure as if we saw with our eyes or as if things were proved to us by a Mathematical Demonstration that is by such clear evidence as nothing can be objected against But tho we look upon things as certain they do not much affect us if we look upon them as at a great distance of time therefore wicked men relieve themselves against the fear of future Evils by looking upon them as at a great distance Ezek. 12.27 Amos 6.3 or putting far away the evil day We are likewise encouraged to patience by the near approach of the recompense of reward because he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10.37 James 5.8 9. Luke 21.28 The coming of the Lord draws nigh The judge stands before the door And our Saviour bids his Disciples lift up their heads when their redemption draws nigh If persons were going to some places and tired with the tediousness of their Journey and discouraged with the Difficulties and Dangers that they meet with in their way questioning whether they should find the way to it or hold out till they come at it should come to the top of an Hill and before they are aware see the place that they are going to a little before them what Courage and Life would it presently put into them As Columbus that first discovered the West Indies when his men were ready to Mutiny having been wearied with a Voyage of Sixty days over the Ocean he perceiving the Clouds to look clearer concluded that they were not far from Land and so promised them to return if they did not within three days discover Land which they did before the end of the third day So if we could get a sight of the other World as Moses did of the Land of Cannan on the top of Pisgah Deut. 3.27 What Vigour and Life would it add to us when we
that we must find out the certainty and sincerity of our Faith and Obedience by Self-examination before we can have a well-grounded Assurance that we are in a state of Grace and Salvation already and that such an Assurance belongs to the reflect Act of Faith and is not of the Essence of that Faith whereby we are justified and saved But if by believing we mean coming to God by Jesus Christ Psal 119.60 1 John 3.23 Esther 2.12 we should make haste and not delay to keep this command as well as others We are not to think that as the Queens of Persia were to be prepared Six months with oyl of myrrh and six months with sweet odours and other things before they might be admitted to the King so we must continue such a time under Humiliation and so long under Contrition before we may presume to come to Christ For tho it is true we should count the cost of being his Disciples Luke 14.28 Matth. 13.21 for want of which many as it is in the Parable of the Sower are forward to hear the word with joy and believe for a time but afterwards fall away yet it is not necessary that we suspend our believing till we have throughly weighed every thing It is not in this case as in ordinary Marriages where Persons should inform themselves well of every particular before they engage because when once engaged it will be too late to repent or to make a better choice But it is herein as if a Person had one propounded to her that she must Marry or be undone and one who they know will put her upon nothing or require nothing of her which she can justly except against in whom there is nothing that she can dislike there can be no danger or inconvenience in finishing such a Match without further delay So if there were any other Name whereby we could be saved if Christ did put us upon any thing or require any thing of us which Heaven will not countervail or if he would not have us yet come to him we might defer our believing And tho something is to be done as I have said to make us willing to come to Christ yet there is no long time required for the Soul to continue in a State of Preparation the whole Work hath been done at once Acts 2. Acts 9. Acts 16. Vol. 2. 148. as we see in those that were converted at Peter's Sermons in Paul in the Jaylor As Mr. Charnock doth ingeniously illustrate it The preparation of the Subject is necessary but this preparation may be at the same time with the conveyance of the Divine Nature As a warm Seal may both prepare the hard Wax and convey the Image to it by one and the same touch CHAP. XI I Will finish all with a few words about the Necessity of Holiness both for the allaying of those heats that are amongst some about it and for preventing or removing the Prejudices of Men against it There is no need of distinguishing betwixt the Necessity of Holiness or Obedience to the beginning of our Justification and to the Continuation of it among those that according to the Doctrine of the Church of England believe the Perseverance of the Saints and that there is no Intercision of Justification But there is a Necessity of Holiness in those that are justified for tho we may be justified at first by such a Faith as is only in tendency to obedience but wants time and opportunity to put it self forth yet where Faith is unfeigned and only such Faith justifies it will as there is occasion and opportunity work by love so Gal. 5.6 1 Cor. 6.11 Heb. 12.14 that whom God doth justify in the name of Christ he doth also sanctify by his spirit therefore without holiness none shall see God Yet we are not to think that Holiness is required on the same account with Faith much less in co-ordination with the righteousness of Christ I doubt it is a piece of ordinary Christian's Divinity that the righteousness of Christ serves only as grains of allowance to make our righteousness currant where it is too light But as Christ hath no sharers in his Mediation so neither is there any thing needful to be added to his satisfaction but we are acquitted only upon the account thereof and whatever we do serves not for so much as grains of allowance to make his satisfaction currant with God for us But yet it is necessary upon other accounts not only because God will insist on it as a thing condecent to his Holiness who is of purer eyes than to behold evil Heb. 1.13 but there is a natural necessity of it as a means to our chief end which is to glorify God and enjoy him As when Nebuchadnezzar chose some of the Captivity to serve under him Dan. 1.3 c. he would not only have them well-favoured and fed with the King's Meat and Wine that they might appear sightly before the King but had such chosen as had good Natural Abilities and had them taught the Learning and Language of the Caldeans that they might be fit to do him Service So God doth not only delight in Holiness but indeed without that we are not fit to serve him we are naturally reprobate to every good work Tit. 1.16 and we must be God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to those good Works which he hath before ordained that we should walk in them But it is likewise necessary that we may enjoy that happiness which he hath prepared for us He brings in the Highways and Hedges Luke 14.23 the meanest and most unworthy to partake of his Glory But if a King should invite those that are Sick and that of some loathsome Disease to eat at his Table if he would of his Bounty and Goodness dispense with the smell and loathsomeness of their Disease it would be no favour to them in the Condition wherein they are to sit at the King's Table while their Sickness makes them nauseate every thing there and the smell of Meat to be offensive to them But it would be a favour indeed to be first recovered from their Disease that they might not be ashamed to appear in such a place and that they might be able to relish their Meat and Drink This is our case as we are unfit to appear before God in the state wherein we are to whom our inner-man is as naked and open as our outward-man is to men like our selves So we are alogether uncapable of that Comfort and Happiness which is to be found in the Presence of God or of the foretasts of it which he gives his People in this Life Whatever Excellency there is in any thing we must have a Sense or Faculty correspondent therewith or else we cannot understand or enjoy any thing of it There is a Beauty in a Rose and in other Flowers which those that have their sight may enjoy the