loves Christ diligently endeavours to amend his life is ordained to eternal life I love Christ and endeavour diligently to amend my life therefore I am ordained to eternal life Is the Major here true or false if it be true then it is their error to say that love to Christ is not proper to the elect if it be false what becomes of the conclusion inferred from it If it be said which is all they can say that if aman can feel in his heart a sense of Gods love he may thence infer a conditional certainty of his election viz If he shall persevere in his love that is no more then what the non-Elect may have Suppose we one of them to know that he is a believer yet cannot he thence infer that he is elected or shall persevere to eternal life because he neither thinks true faith to be proper to Gods elect nor to have any promise of certain perseverance made to it to say that none of these brethren are true believers is the highest uncharitableness for what Scripture is it saith that it is essential to Christianity to be rightly informed concerning the connexion of faith with election or where is this doctrine so clearly revealed in the word as that all must needs be supposed to be wilfully blind who will not see and acknowledge it 3. This perswasion is in order of Nature after Faith therefore the nature of Faith cannot lie in it The Antecedent is presently proved because I must first be in the favour of God which I cannot be but by Faith ' ere I can know or be perswaded that I am in the favour of God for a proposition is alway in order of nature true before it is known to be true as every mans reason doth tell him And this order as it hath its foundation in reason so also in Scripture 1 John 5.13 These things have I written to you that believe in the name of the Son of God that ye may know ye have eternal life Bellarmine saw this and therefore inferrs that according to the opinion commonly received among Reformed Divines in his time men are justified before they do believe and methinks the learned Chamier doth not like himself when he goes about to untie this knot for he saith that Faith doth if not in order of time yet of nature follow justification a saying contrary to the whole current of Scripture 4. If Faith did consist in this perswasion it would follow that some who do hear the Gospel either were not bound to believe or were bound to believe a lie That any who hear the Gospel should not be bound to believe cannot be for then unbelief would be no sin to them and if no sin then could it not deserve condemnation when as we know from Scripture that it is the condemning sin And that some if obliged to believe that either they are elected or justified would be bound to believe a lie is as plain for certainly among those that hear the Gospel some are not chosen nor pardoned But what is more absurd then that any man should be bound to believe a lie can any thing be the object of faith but what is true or any thing the object of Divine Faith but what is so true that it cannot be false More need not be said against this error But it will be asked whether though the nature of Faith do not consist in this assurance yet it be not that which every believer doth some time or other find or whether any Child of God do so walk in darkness as that the light of Gods countenance is never lifted up on him no not before his death This I shall endeavour to answer by the following conclusions 1. No question as the Sun after it hath for all the day been hid in the clouds doth sometimes shew it self and that gloriously just before it sets so the Faith of a Christian after it hath for the greatest part of his life been clouded with doubts and fears doth near unto his death sometimes so manifest it self by some lively acts as that he can no longer doubt of its sincerity but cries out my Lord my Saviour In that little experience I have had in the world I have known sundry who have all their life been subject to fears and filled every Minister and Christian of their acquaintance with dreadful complaints against themselves who yet when they have been on their death-beds or have apprehended themselves so to be have triumphed over death in the Apostles language O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15. They that are in the least conversant in our English Martyrology cannot but know how usual it was with God to seal up his love to his servants just when he called them out to set their own seals to his truth so high was their assurance that you would have thought that they had heard the Musick of the Coelestial Choire when they heard the ratling of the chains with which they were to be tied to the stake When Mr. Robert Glover was condemned to die and was now at a point to be delivered out of the world it so happened that two or three days before his heart being lumpish and destitute of all true consolation he felt in himself no aptness but rather an heaviness I all along use Mr. Fox his own words and dulness of Spirit fall of much discomfort to bear the bitter cross of Martyrdom whereupon fearing in himself lest the Lord had utterly withdrawn his wonted favour from him he made his moan to a Minister complaining how earnestly he had prayed day and night and yet could receive no motion nor sense of comfort from God but so soon as he came to the sight of the stake he was so mightily replenished with Gods holy comfort and heavenly joys that he cryed out clapping his hands Austin that was the name of the Minister to whom he had complained He is come he is come The Apostles that did alway beare about in their bodies the dying of our Lord Jesus that were alway delivered unto death for Jesus sake had also the life of Christ made so manifest in them that though they were troubled on every side yet they were not distressed did so constantly and assuredly know that he which raised up Jesus would raise them up also by Jesus and that their light afflâ—ctions which were but for a moment wrought for them a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory that they did not faint but rather waxed more bold by their bonds The same truth might also be compassed about with a cloud of witnesses of such as did die a natural death But that work is done to our hands by Melchior Adam and others who have delivered to us the story of the life and death of men famous in their generations for piety and learning Yea so usual is it with Christs Disciples to have their inward man renewed day by day
another world and look not on Death as an inlet to Eternity the instance of these monsters therefore notwithstanding I say onely the in some degree assured Christian can chearfully look the Prince of Terrors in the face onely he can triumph over this last Enemy Not onely the sinners in Sion are afraid fearfulness doth not onely surprize the hypocrite but also the sincere Christian in so far as he doth not know himself to be such With what shiverings must they needs enter into the chambers of darknesse who do not know but that they may lead them into outer darknesse How unwillingly must the Soul needs leave its old companion the Body whilest it is uncertain whether it shall stand or fall when it comes to give an account of all it hath done in the body But now he that is come to a certainty about his estate he can not onely not be afraid of death but also desire it and sweetly please himself in the Fore-thoughts of it yea though it be not a natural but a violent death Read the Book of Martyrs and you will think that our Witnesses to the Truth did even complement with their Torments and lie down in the devouring flames as merrily as if they had been beds of Down Or read the Scriptures and you will find St. Paul 2 Tim. 4. 6 7 8. exulting in the thoughts of his approaching violent dissolution I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give to me and not to me onely but unto all that love his appearing At another time indeed we find him in a strait not knowing what to desire whether to abide in the flesh or to be dissolved Phil. 1.23 but whence did this dispute arise not because death would not be to him more desireable and welcome and gainfull but because his abiding in the flesh would be more profitable and serviceable to the Church When he looked no further then himself then he groaned being burdened desiring to be cloathed upon with his house from Heaven knowing that if the earthly house of his tabernacle were dissolved he had a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 II. Onely the assured Christian can despise the world and joyfully endure the losse of his goods He onely that knows himself to be cloathed with the Sun can trample the Moon under his feet He onely on whom God hath lift up the light of his countenance takes no care for corn and wine hath no anxious thoughts what he shall eat what he shall drink or wherewithal he shall be cloathed True indeed such is the vanity of all things here below such the transcendent excellencies of the glory of the other world that if a man had but a possibility of attaining these he were mad if he did not readily forsake those and doubtless the Soul when it heareth of the Jewel of great price doth adventure all to buy it before it hath any certainty that it shall ever actually have and enjoy it I but yet seeing we do naturally preferr one Bird in the hand before twenty in the bush seeing sublunary things have the advantage though not of splendor and magnitude yet of naturalness and nearness of operation we should be in great danger to take up our portion in this world did not Faith give substance to the things hoped for and evidence to the things not seen did not also the Spirit seal up unto us our interest in and title to the things hoped for and unseen Those who have Faith and know not themselves to have it do make a shift to crucifie the flesh with its lusts and to overcome the world but it is somewhat an hard shift much ado they have to keep themselves from envying the prosperity of the wicked ready they are ever and anon to cry out In vain have we washed our hands in innocence and walked mournfully all the day long ready to have questionings and disputings whether they had not done as wisely to have trucked with the World for such an happiness as it can afford But Faith in its vigour Faith seen and felt easily keeps under all such carnal arguings and so satisfies a man in the choice that he hath made as that he is jealous and suspicious lest the World should gain too much on his heart and in the abundance of all things rejoyceth as if he rejoyced not and in the loss of all things weepeth as of he wept not the assured Christian after he hath bought is as if he possessed not 1 Cor. 7 30. and when he hath nothing as if he possessed all things 2 Cor. 6.10 Heb. 10.34 Ye had compassion of me in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and enduring substance He doth not say they know barely that there was in Heaven a better and enduring substance but that they themselves had in Heaven a better and more enduring substance that that eternal inheritance was reserved for them and that Christ had entred upon it as their fore-runner a word which it had been presumption for us to use if the Scripture had not used it Heb. 6.20 and if our Saviour himself had not told his Disciples that he went afore-hand to prepare a place for them Joh. 14.2 But how did the Hebrews know that they had this better and enduring substance They knew it within themselves that is to find that they had a title to the more enduring substance they needed not to look any further then themselves 1 Joh. 5.10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witnesse in himself the witness of what of eternal life which is in the Son vers 11. He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me Hath Everlasting life Joh. 5.24 and Joh. 6.54 Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life The first-fruits of the Spirit do assure him of the whole crop Hath the Spirit made known to me such things as flesh and blood cannot reveal and is the belief of these things so rooted in my heart as that I do make them my portion and my treasure as that I do heartily pursue after them even to the renouncing of carnal pleasures then sure there is in heaven an inheritance incorruptible reserved for me Every man that is Christs hath the Spirit in him and this Spirit is the earnest thrice is he so called 2 Cor. 1.22 2 Cor. 5.5 Ephes 1.13 the Greek word used in all those three places and no where else in all the New Testament is as all acknowledge of an Hebrew extraction and with the Hebrews is a word of promise and engagement in bargains but yet is well translated in the
when their outward man perisheth that the Psalmist speaks indefinitely mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Psal 37.37 II. Sometimes it falls out quite otherwaies those who in their life time have had much enjoyment of the sense of Gods love and through it have comforted themselves and others have yet died with little if any assurance or actual comfort this God suffers for many holy wise ends and purposes as 1. To quicken others up to the greater preparation When death is at a distance we are apt to think it is but an easie thing to die But when we shall see that the approaches of death have startled and grievously affrighted those whom we ever judged to excel us in grace we must needs if not fast asleep begin to look about us and to consider whether we with our weak imperfect graces are able to meet with that Prince of terrors and the more importunately to pray for and depend upon some strength greater then our own 2. God may permit it judicially for the hardning of prophane Worldlings and carnallists who seeing some of their loose companions to go out of the world like lambs to have no bands in their death Psal 73. to depart quiet peaceable confident void of impatience despair or fear and others who have made greater profession of Godliness and endeavoured after greater exactness die under many troublesome disquieting thoughts presently conclude that all which conscientious Ministers press upon their followers is but unnecessary sowerness and melancholy simplicity God counts not himself any way engaged to remove such stones at which he foresees such self-deluding sots will stumble and fall and never rise more rather he may seem on purpose to order it so that they who will get no good by his Servants life shall receive no benefit by their death 3. As a punishment to his Servants for their declinings and fallings from their first love a sin big enough to provoke him to remove his Candlestick from a whole Church Rev. 2.4 5. much more not to let his candle shine on the tabernacle of some one single Christian how eminent soever As love perfects its self so fear is cast out 1 Joh. 4.18 but as love weakeneth or declineth so fear returns and tormenteth Unto which three reasons we may add 4. Such is the nature of some diseases that they do cloud the Phansie and muffle the understanding and if so it is no wonder that the best of men do make false judgment of themselves and flie away from death as if Christ had never overcome it No wonder that a mind discomposed with bodily distempers recoils at the sight of eternity rather it is a wonder that a believer when he is most himself can think of that condition without astonishment so amazing is the contemplation of it to those who are accustomed to measure all actions and perfections by time 5. The Devil at such a time will be sure to stir up and make use of all his malice and subtilty 'T is said of the natural Serpent non nisi moriens in longum producitur 't is never at its full length till it be dying The old Serpent never so much shews himself in his full dimensions as when a Christian is dying when he is just on the borders of the heavenly Canaan he will then if he he cannot trip up yet bruise his heels that he may enter in halting and uncomfortable as he would not be tormented before his time so nor would he that a Christian should rejoyce before his time hence he casts a mist before his eyes that he may not see his interest in that place of bliss unto which he is hastning apace when his time of tempting is but short then usually he comes with the greatest fury III. I think it is rarely seen that any understanding Christian walking closely with God doth run out the whole course of his life without some assurance of the love of God 'T is not likely that any one should for months and years be joined to the Lord and made one spirit with him and the Lord not let him know that he loveth him in Gods ordinary way of working the spirit of bondage doth but make way for the Spirit of adoption But yet IIII. 'T is not impossible that a Christian should live in ignorance of his own estate all his days I do not find in my best search of Scripture that God hath any where promised that every true Faith shall bud and blossom in assurance or that he who is a Believer shall some time or other know himself so to be and if God hath made no promise to work assurance some time or other in every one whom he converts nothing there can be concluded to the contrary from reason for arguing rationally why may not he who wants it one year want it ten or he that wants it ten want it all the years that he spends in the flesh If any one will contradict us in this it behoves him to shew us any thing essential to a Christian which may not in some sort be in the want of assurance Obj. This leads to laziness and idleness for if men may be in the favour of God and have a title to happiness and not know so much they will not care though they live and die in ignorance of their condition Answ 1. If such a Doctrine were delivered in another matter no such use would be made of it If I should say that bread and water were as much as is necessary to keep life and soul together would men thereupon resolve to take no care or have any thoughts for any provision beyond bread and water why should Christians then when they hear that the being of Godliness may be kept up without assurance take up there 2. 'T is a sin to want assurance We should as well have peace in our own Consciences as peace with God nor are our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience till we have so I know active desertion or Gods withdrawing of his shining manifestation is not our sin even Jesus Christ himself who though he was made sin yet knew no sin was deserted which made him to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me When he so cried out we may well conceive and most sober Divines do conceive he was under the want of the influence of actual vision and of the actual joy and comfort of union nor will I deny but that God may withdraw out of Soveraignty or for the meer trial and exercise of our graces but whether ever he did so is more then I know or should he now do so it would be but for a season if for any long time we want Assurance 't is through weakness of Faith or through spiritual sloth or some other as sinfull distemper He that bids us work out our salvation and make our calling and election sure would not let us be at