EVIDENCE FOR HEAVEN CONTAINING Infallible Signs and reall Demonstrations of our Union with Christ and Assurance of Salvation With an Appendix of laying down certain Rules to be observed for preserving our Assurance once Obtained Published by Ed. Calamy B. D. and Pastor of the Church at Aldermanbury London PHIL. 2.12 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling 2 PET. 1.10 Give Diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 COR. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates LONDON Printed for Simon Miller at the Staâ— in Pauls Church-yard toward the West end 1657. AN EPISTLE TO THE READER THere are two things which ought to be the chief aim of all those who desire to live holily and dye happily The one is to get an interest in Christ the other to get an assurance of their interest in him The first of these is absolutely necessary to Salvation The second is absolutely necessary though not to our Salvation yet to our Consolation Without the first we cannot dye happily Without the second we cannot dye comfortably It must not be denied but that a man may have true Grace and yet want the Assurance of it he may be a Child of Light in darknesse he may have the direct act of Faith and yet want the reflect act he may have the Sanctifying work of the Spirit and yet want the witnessing work Though no man can have the witnessing work who hath not the Sanctifying yet a man may have the sanctifying and yet want the witnessing work of the Spirit Ioseph may be alive and yet his Father Iacob may think him dead true grace may be in us and yet we may not only not know it but beleeve the contrary This condition though it be sad yet it is not damnable For as a wicked man is never the nearer Heaven because he presumptuously conceits he is in the way to Heaven no more is a Child of God the nearer Hell because he thinks he is in the way to Hell Christ was not therefore a Gardiner because Mary thought so neither was Ioseph therefore dead because Iacob imagined him to be dead He that beleevs shall be saved whether he knows it or knows it not he that walks in Heavens way shall certainly at last come to Heaven though he thinks himself out of the way Notwithstanding all this though the Grace of Assurance be not simply and absolutely necessary yet it is a most precious jewell without which we can neither â—e comforted while we live nor willing to part with life It is a Heaven upon earth a Heaven before we come to Heaven The Prelibation and Pregustation of Heaven It is the hidden Manna Abraham's bosome the joy of the Lord and the peace of God which passeth all understanding It is to be laboured after with all labour And therefore the Apostle perswads us to give diligence to make our calling and election sure The subject of this ensuing Treatise is to direct and teach us how to get an infallible assurance of salvation Here are severall Marks and Characters propounded of a man in Christ the work is very weighty and of great concernment for whosoever undertakes to lay down marks of a Child of God must be carefull of two things 1. That he doth not propound evidences of Grace which are proper only to eminent Christians as belonging to all true Christians least herein he makes sad the hearts of those whom God would not have made sad 2. That he doth not mention such Characters of a true Child of God which may be found in an Hypocrite least he makes glad the hearts of those whom God would not have made glad The Author of this book hath brought very many marks of a true justifying faith of a distinguishing Love of God of of repentance unto life and of a new Creature c. Now though thou canst not apply all of them as thy portion yet if thou canst apply many of them and sincerely labourest to be capable of applying the rest thou art in a happy condition There are two wayes by which a man may come to know his interest in Christ. The one is by the witnesse of his own spirit The other by the witnesse of Gods Spirit There are some who say there is but one witnesse the witnesse of Gods Spirit This I grant is the chief witnesse but I conceive that the Scripture doth also hold forth the witnesse of a mans own spirit as well as of Gods Spirit Rom. 8.16 It is not said the Spirit witnesseth to our spirits but with our spirits that we are the Sons of God Wherenote that a mans own spirit is a co-witnesse This witnesse of a mans own spirit is nothing else but the testimony of an illightened andrenewed conscience reflecting upon its grace and assuring the soul that it is in Christ c. Of this way of assurance the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 1.12 1 Iohn 2.3 1 Iohn 3.21 Heb. 13.18 Act. 24.16 When a mans conscience bears him witnesse upon Scripture grounds that he doth beleeve and repent and that he is a new Creature this is instead of a thousand witnesses and it is a continuall feast in the worst of times But now because the voice of conscience is sometimes so low a voice as that the spirit of a man cannot heare it especially when it is disturbed and distracted with the voice of sin accusing and condemning him and because the voice of conscience is sometimes uncertain so as the soul knoweth not what the verdict of it is And because also the eye of conscience is sometimes blind through ignorance and cannot see the garces it hath and is ready to beare false witnesse against it self and to say it is not justified when it is Or if not blind yet it is many times dimme and cannot see the happy condition it is in And sometimes it is infested with melancholly which makes it look upon its own condition with black spectacles And because the graces of Gods Spirit in his Children are sometimes so small and little or at least so blotted and blurred that conscience cannot read the graces God hath given it Hence it is that God out of his great goodnesse hath afforded us another witnesse besides the testimony of conscience which is the witnesse of his own Spirit witnessing with our spirits that we are the Sons of God This indeed is the great and the infallible witnesse therefore it is compared to a Seal whereby we are sealed to the day of Redemption and to an earnest and it is called the comforter and the Spirit of adoption by which we are enabled to cry Abba father Of both these witnesses this Treatise speaks to very good purpose One thing more I must add which will unto many seem very wonderfull and almost incredible The Author of this Book is a Gentlewoman belonging
by the holy Spirit of God his chief work is within doors his principall care desire and endeavour is to approve his heart unto God and so walk that he may be accepted of him and glorifie him Then again civill Holiness springs from morall principles good education and the like but saving Holiness springs from love love to God is the root out of which it springs as the Apostle shews Eph. 1.4 The soul that is thus sealed by the Spirit of God his Holiness springs from love to God The love of Christ constraineth him thereunto The soul that is thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God dares not sunder what God hath coupled together to wit Holiness towards God and Righteousness towards men a man truly regenerate is carefull of both witness Paul Act. 24.16 He makes conscience of all sinne and of all duty he warrs against all sinne and hath râ—spect unto all Gods Commandments The soul thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God is one in whom sinne dwelleth as a Rebell and ruleth as a Tyrant only He is one that is of all men the most sensible of and affected with carnallity in himself I am carnall saith he sold under sinne Rom. 7. He is one that serves the Lord with all humility of mind Act. 20.19 The more holy and the more righteous a soul sealed by the holy Spirit of God is the more humble he is Christ and Paul were notable examples of this He that is thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God is a world-overcoming creature a flesh-overcoming creature and a Devil overcoming creature He is more than a Conquerour over all these through Christ that hath loved him and sealed him by his Spirit He is one that is a new Creature and of this something hath been already spoken in this Treatise to which I refer the Reader for a farther discovery of a regenerate person In fine He that is thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God is one that holds on his way and grows in grace I joyn these together so doth Iob The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Job 17.9 This seal of the holy Spirit of God hath this priveledge above and beyond all other seales the impression which it makes remaineth and increaseth This seal of Demonstration if once truly stamped by the Spirit of God on a soul abideth there the impression never weares out This annointing abideth as Iohn speakes 1 Ioh. 2.27 Truth of grace in the heart and it abideth there and the heart abideth in the truth When God gives a man truth of grace he gives it him to have and to hold for ever the soul thus sealed beares in it the marks of the Lord Jesus unto the death and most eminently after death in glory This seal of the holy Spirit of God is lasting and everlasting True regeneration seales a man to the day of redemption but this it could not do were it not a lasting substance This may suffice to discerne the reality of this seal of Demonstration by to wit true regeneration and to distinguish it from that counterfeit set by Satan I do not intend an innumeration of the qualifications and appearances of a regenerate person here but only endeavour to discry him and distinguish between him and one but seemingly regenerate and therefore strik◠〈◊〉 and proceed to the other seal of the holy Spirit of God to wit the seal of Confirmation mentioned before and for this purpose shall pitch upon Rom. 8.16 Spirits witness with our spirits Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God THis is the last but not the least evidence that a child of God hath in this life for Heaveâ—s eternity of this I â—ay say as David said of 〈◊〉 sword There is none like that give it me There is no testimony to that of the Spirit of God witnessing with our spirits to satisfie conscience to resolve all doubts remove all scruples and end all controversies about our eternall estate When the Spirit of God beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God to wit by grace and adoption the soul then enjoys heaven upon earth and hath meat to eat that the world knoweth not of It is sealed unto the day of redemption indeed with a seal of Confirmation and it knoweth that it is so The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God Hence it is evident That no mans own spirit can truly assâ—re him of the love of God towards him nor â— his adoption unless the Spirit of God concur and bear witness with his spirit no more than a mans own Deed or Seal can assure him of what is delegated or assigned unto him by another Neither is it the Spirit of God alone simply and singly considered that doth this but it is the Spirit of God concurring with our spirits the Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that doth assure us of the love of God and our adoption When the Spirit of God by a speciall work of his upon our soules convinces them of the speciall love of God towards us of our Justification and Sanctification and we by faith assent thereunto then doth the Spirit bear witness with our spirit according to the meaning of this Text as I conceive then is the soul sealed unto the day of redemption with a seal of Confirmation And this is that seal which I am now to speak of and that which this Text points at This may be called Gods privy seal sealing a soul unto the day of redemption Of this seal the Apostle speakes Ephâ—s 1.13 In whom after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise c. Before I speak of the appearances of this seal of the Spirit of God I shall here note two or three things This seal of Confirmation God sets upon some of his people but this he doth not set upon all his people the Spirit of God doth â—hus bear witness with our spirits in some of Gods children but it doth not thus bear witness with our spirits in all Gods children Neither doth it thus bear witness at all times in those in whom it doth at some the Scriptures afford frequent examples of this 2. This testimony or witness of the Spirit of God in whomsoever it is proceedeth from and dependeth on free grace and is a token of royall favour to whomsoever it is granted it is Christs golden Scepter held up to the soul. 3. This seal or testimony of the holy Spirit of God though it be the ratifier of our Redemption and Salvation in our hearts yet it is not the meritorious cause of it neither is it absolutely necessary unto salvation 4. This seal of the holy Spirit of God on whomsoever it is set is an earnest and but an earnest of that inheritance which he shall one day be
double There is a death to the guilt of sinne And a death to the power reign and dominion of sinne Death to the guilt of sinne is a perfect fredome from all sinne by the death of Christ for our sinne thus all in whom Christ lives are dead to sinne totally We are dead to the guilt of sinne by the body of Christ who died for us The death of our dear Saviour hath purchased and perfected this death for us The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all sinne 1 Joh. 1.7 From all sinne past present and to come He that is thus dead is freed from sinne as the Apostle speaks Rom. 6.7 Redeemed from all iniqâ—ity Tit. 2.14 And this is the great priveledge of all those in whom Christ lives of all the true memberâ— of Jesus Christ Christ undertakes for them as Iudah did for Benjamin I will be sâ—rety for him of my hand shale thou require him if I bring him not unto thee and set him before thee then let me bear the blame for ever said Iudah to his father Gen. 43.9 Thus Christ undertakes for all his members for all his elect so as they may and ought to turn all charges brought against them over to Christ all inditements from God or Satan or conscience abused by Satan over to Christ their surety Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect saith the Apostle it is God that justifieth who is he tâ—at condemneth c. So may he that is thus dead to the guilt of sinne say What sinne is it that can condemne me that can bâ—ing in an inâ—ictment against me it is Christ that died it is Christ that died for me and by his death perfected this death for me I am now compleat in him in this respâ—ct who is it or whâ—t is it then that can lay any thing unto my chaâ—ge that can seperate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus Sin my worst enemy cannot do it for I am totally dead to the guilt of it by vertue of my Union with Christ Is Châ—ist be in yâ—u the boâ—y is dead because of sinne perfectly â—ead to the guilt of sinne Though Justâ—fication acquits a sinner from all sinne in Gods determination yet is not his pâ—râ—â—n formally granted nor actually put in exâ—â—uâ—iâ—n unâ—â—ll sued out and the trâ—bute of acâ—uâ—ll Repentance for kâ—own sinne is â—aid except in some cases viz. in case of the want of tâ—e use of 〈◊〉 as in children and disâ—â—â—cted persons in whom conscience cannot do its â—â—ffice beâ—â—usâ— of debility in the underâ—â—anding Thiâ— with submission to a better juâ—gement I humbly conceive to be according to tâ—uth and noâ—e it to vindicate my sâ—lâ— and cauâ—ion the Reader concerning that Antinomiâ—â— Tenet about Justification so common in these daies Thus is a true believer perfectly dead to the guilt of sinne by the death of Christ for his sinne But to the power dominion and being of sinne no child of Adam is totally dead in this life no not the best of the children of God but dying daily therefore saith the Apostle I die daily c. If any man thinks himself freed from sinne or perfectly dead to sinne in this sence He deceives himself and the truth is not in him 1 Joh. 1.8 For totally dead to sinne in this sence was never any sonne of man in this life but he that was the Sonne of God to wit Jesus Christ. Totally dead to the power and being of sinne is not he that is totally dead to the guilt of sinne untill this earthly house be quite pulled down and death that last debt and wages of sinne to the godly paid then and never till then is he in whom Christ lives totally freed from the power and being of sinne By the mercy of God death which was to man the wages and punishment of sinne is made unto all true believers the end of sinne the worker of death to wit sinne doth perish by its own workes sinne is slain and abolished by death Totall death to the power and being of finne is one great part of the privative gain which death brings to all that are in Christ to all that die in the Lord death the devorcer of soul and body brings perfect death to the power and being of sinne the enemy and burden of soul and body Perfectly dead to the power and being of sinne is no man here this death belongs to that other world But truly dead to the power and reign of sinne are all those here in whom Christ lives and this is that death which this Text points at If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne c. All in the state of nature are dead in sinne All in a state of grace are dead to sinne according to the meaning of this Text dead to sinne in a Gospel sence Death to the power and reign of finne is one part of the renovation of our natures consisting in that which the Scripture calls mortification by vertue of which the love of sinne and delight in sinne which is indeed the life of sinne is destroyed At this death the Apostle points Rom. 6 2. How shall we that are dead to sinne live any longer therein As if he had said How shall we that are dead to the guilt of sinne take pleasure in the filth of sinne or wallow in any sinne with delight It is impossible for death to the guilt of sin alwayes produceth death to the power and dominion of sinne If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne Is Christ be in you as a Iustifier he is in you as a Sanctifier also The body is dead because of sinne Christ and sinne may dwell in the same subject at the same time yea Christ may live where sinne doth dwell Christ liveth in me sinne dwelleth in me saith the Apostle but Christ and sinne cannot both live and reign together in the same subject at the same time Caesar and Pompey might better have lived and reigned togeher than Christ and sinne where either of these lives it reigns and both cannot reign together If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne This body to wit sinne whilest alive rules and reignes as a Husband as a Lord and Master and is obeyed freely and willingly with the consent of the whole will so much that phrase of the Apostle To whom ye yeeld your selves servants to obey doth imply But when Christ once espouseth a soul unto himself he divests this Lord of his power He puts this Husband to death and assumes all the rule and domination to himself And the soul thus espoused yeelds to obey him as her sovereign Lord and sole Commander We have no king but Caesar said the Iews So saith the soul dead to sinne I have no King but Christ I yeeld my self willingly to no other Therefore saith the Apostle If Christ be in you the body is
Answ. It is for inward fins as well as outward Note Luk. 1. Note It makes the soul to justifie God in all his dealings as appears by Neh. 9.33 Lam. 1.18 Luk. 23.41 Luk. 15.19 Ezek. 16. Note Eze. 6.9 Ps. 51.4 Hos. 14 2. Ps. 25.18 Psa. 39 8. Psa 51.2 9. Note Note Psal. 4.6 Cant. 1.2 Psal. 4.7 Psa. 63.1 Psa 42.1 Paul mourned for his sin after he was justified from his sinne This is fruit fit and but fit for real Repenâ—ance Pro. 28.13 2 Chron. 7.14 Isai. 1.16 17. Act. 3.19 Ezek. 14.6.18.30 2 Cor. 7.10 Ier. 24.7 1 Kin. 8.48 * Gal. 2.20 Love the Lord thy God and walk ever in his wayes are joyned together Deu. 19.9 Note Deut. 30.2 Act. 3.22 Thus did Zacharias and Elizabeth obey God Luk. 1.6 Psal. 119.6 a Ps. 119.72 b Iob. 23.12 c Act. 20.23 24. d Deut. 19.9 Deut. 5.29 Iohn 8.31 e Ruth 1.16 f 2 King 2. g 2 Sam. 2. ver 19. to the 24. Note 2 Cor. 8.12 Eph. 3.8 He trembleâ—h at the Word when it is rightly applied yea sometimes when it is wrongfully applied by Satan Conscience or Mâ—n Dâ—n 2.10 He thinks not the better of himself for what he doth or for what Gâ—d doth by him Ruth 1.21 Lam. 1.13 Luk 23 40 41. Rom. 7.24 Heb. 10.14 * 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 When sin is sentenced to death and dying then is it dead in Gods account and in Scripture phrase Note Gal. 2.20 Rom. 7.17 Rom. 6.16 The evill which I would not v. 19. Note Note Caution A Creature universally wed The appâ—arances of a new Creaâ—ure A new Creature doth not allow himself in any one known sin nor in omitâ—ing any known duty He is one that doth not follow after sinâ— but after grace * To clense himself from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit 1 Ioh. 5.4 a Numb 14.24 b 1 King 14 8. c Ruth 1.16 d 2 Kinâ— 2. e 2 Sam. 2. veâ— 19 to the 24. Jesus Christ formed in thee the first demonstration of thy new Creation 1 Sam. 28.14 13. The new man is renewed in knowledg Col. 3.10 Renewing light ishumble and humbling Iob 24.5 6. 1 Col. 1.6 Persons savingly inlightened walk as Children of light Eph. 5.8 2 Cor. 3.18 Note A new heart the second demonstration of a new Creature Note Note The newness of the heart consisteth not in the substance of it but in the quality of it when the heart is made new the substance is not altered but the quality isaltered A renewed heart is in Scripture called a new heart Job 19.28 Such as the heart is such is the man A new heart is in Scripture called by divers names and set forth by divers properties some of which I will here speak of as God shall inable me Note Note Note Note A heart wherein there is no guile reigning Prov. 16.17 Psal. 19.12 13. An uprightheart goes not after any known sâ—n but pâ—â—ys and fights against all sinne Ps. 101.3 Conscienciousin private duties as well as exact in publique duties An upright heart makes a man studious and carefull to walk uprightly Psa. 29. â— Psa. 63.1 Ps. 53. â—6 Hab 2.4 Ps. 125.4 This it doth because God delightsin uprightness more then in any other qualification Iob 13.23 Iob 16.19 Iob 13.6 Uprightnesse if once in the heart will never out Iob 27.10 Iob 15.33 Iob 18.16 Mat. 13.5 6. Iob 23.11 12. Hence it is that the Scripture calls for renovation in Spirit in professors of religion Eph. 4.23 The third demonstration of a new Creature is living in Christ and bringing forth fruit in him Col. 1.10 This he finds by experience 1 Sam. 13.8 Note Luk. 6.45 A new Creature is â—ne that doth not commit sin This is his fourâ—h demonstration Therefore an unregenerate person is said to be the servant of sin A regenerate person is not a servant of sin but a captive to the law of sin He that is born of God doth not commit that sin unto death the sin against the Holy Ghost This body of death is worse to a new Creature and this is his fifth demonstration Iob 3 21. A new Creature minds the things of the Spirit and is led by the Spirit this is his sixt Demonstration Psal. 4.6 Ps. 63.3 Cant. 1.2 Note When a man may be said to be led by the Spirit Note Note Nor at all times alike Note And according as the burdens which he goes under beheavior or lighter Note A new Creature is one joyned to the Lord Jesâ—s Christ and one Spirit with him This is his sevenâ—h demonstration A regeâ—ative and sensitive sâ—ul is comprehended under a rationall so is a joyning to Christ under a being in Christ. Ioh. 7.18 Spiâ—iâ—uall Pâ—iâ—stâ— Col. 2.12 Note Note Job 19.28 His goverment is spirituall yet external and internall Mat. 26.41 Mark 6.34 Mat. 9.36 Mat. 15.32 Mat. 14.14.27 Isai. 42.3 Luke 23.34 Act. 10.38 Heb. 5.7 Luk. 22.44 Prov. 8.30 Note Thus from providences 1 Cor. 11.32 To them that love God Cant. 1.5 6. Gâ—n 32. Mic. 7.9 Thus did Pauls bonds operate in him Phil. 1.23 Heb. 12.11 Note Pâ—al 89.30 31 32. Gospell-doctrine Gospell-Discipline Gospell-Conversation Note 1 Pet. 2.21 23. Divine patience What a Ja. 1.2 b Mat. 5.12 c Lu. 6.23 Divine joy What Hab. 2.17 18. d Mar. 8.38 e 1 Pet. â— 16 f 2 Tim. 1.8 g 1 Pet. 3.14 h Mat 10.26.28 31. Rev. 2. â—0 i Cant. 1.9 Note Christian courage k 1 Tim. 1.2 Rom. 1.16 l Dan. 3.18 Thus did the three Children we read of in Daniel declare their courage Rom 2.7 m Rev. 2.10 n Mat. 24.13 Perseverance Notâ— o 1 Pet. 2.19 I think it not fit here to define Conscience and therefore will pass by that Note This Christ inâ—â—â—nated to Peter Joh. 13 8. and plainly told Nicodemus Joh. 3.5 * Viz. In case of Ignorance Temptation Desertion Such a seal was set upon those mentioned Phil. 4.3 whose names the Apostle judged were in the Book of Life The saving graces of the Spirit are called The earnest of the Spirit 2 Cor. 5.5 Hates fin for its evil nature and because God hates it Eph. 4.23 Saving Holiness springs from divine principles He is still fighâ—ing against these and at last overcomes them all Note Note Joh. 16.13 14 15. Note All Gods adopted Children have Hannah's portion love speciall love but all of them have not Beâ—jamin's double portion to wit love and the assurance of it This is a choice favour a high priviledg He hath the spirit ofprayer though not the gift of prayer Note Note Sound assurance makes the soul to triumph over death the king of terrors as appears in Paul Rom. 8.38 39. 1 Cor. 15.55 Note Some singular doing or suffering for God or from God by means of sin or Satans or men * Prov. 14.26 a Follow the counsel that Moses gave to Israel Deut. 4.9 Take bred to thy self and keep thy soul with all diligence c. Negative Rules b Ps 85 8. Sin not away thiâ— blessinâ— give not râ—ines to any lust keep thy self from the accused 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 3.17 Remember that God never gave any man any qualification how glorious soever to the end he should glory in it Gods People may often say of their pride as Iephâ—â—â—â— did of 〈◊〉 daughter Alas my priâ—e thou hast brought me very low Walk according to the ruls of the Scripture * 2 Col. 2. Labour to grow in grace daily Mat. 25. Pray that the Spirit of God may still bear witnesse with thy spirit of Gods Love towards them