Joy in Tribulation, Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI. That it is everie Christians dutie to labour for this assurance.
AS now it is sufficiently cleared, that the faithfull by the ordinary revelation of the holy Ghost in the Word, may grow up by faith, to an infallible assurance of Gods gracious purpose to justifie, and glorifie them; so will it as plainely appeare, that it is their duty to labour for this growth, and to give their soules no rest, till they finde this blessed estate sealed up, and throughly setled upon them: which will be manifested unto us, first, by many testimonies; secondly, by some reason taken from the Word. Thus our Saviour chargeth us,Luk… 12.23 Feare not, little Flocke, for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdome. Where our gracious Lord laying downe that ground (namely) the certaine purpose, and promise of God fully decreeing, nay, delighting to give us the crowne of glory, thence raiseth up this command, and teacheth how to expect it, even without feare.
The like is that in the Heb. 10. 19.23. where the Apostle premising that boldnesse of faith, whereby wee may enter into the holiest by the bloud of Christ, builds up this confidence of faith by this exhortation: Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, Heb. 10.1and giveth a strong reason,1 The. 5.24 For he is faithfull that hath promised: Who will also doe it. Very obvious, and frequent are such places condemning this wavering, and distrust of Gods gracious purpose toward us, and commanding us with assurance of faith to lay hold of these promises.
Adde to these that vehement, and evident exhortation of the Apostle;2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith… Prove your owne selves: Know you not your owne selves, how that Iesus Christ is in you, except you be reprobates? Where …irst hee taketh it as granted, that Christians may by examination know themselves, whether Christ dwel in them: secondly, he earnestly exciteth them to make triall, & proofe of this their estate.
Beyond all exception, and cavill, is that charge of the Spirit:2 Pet. 1.10. Wherefore the rather, Brethren, give all diligence to make your calling, and ele…tion sure. But here also some difficulty is objected. For although wee now finde our selves in a good estate, and have firme assurance of our present happinesse, yet how should wee bee certaine so to continue unto the end? without which perseverance there can bee no salvation. True is it, that the sense and feeling of this our blessed estate in the sense of Gods favour, may bee withdrawne for a time: but where faith is, it faileth not; where the life of grace is planted, it dyeth not: You have not chosen mee, but I have chosen you, and ordained that you should goe and bring forth fruit, and your fruit should remaine: Ioh. 15.16Upon which words heare Saint Augustine determining,De correp. et grat. c 12 (not as if his testimonie could adde any thing unto Christ, but that we may know what was the common beleefe of the Church at that time, and may bee armed against Popish errour,) When Christ (saith he) hath affirmed, I have ordained that you bring forth fruit, and that your fruit remaine, who dares say, Perhaps it shall not remaine?
How unanswerable is that testimony of David: The righteous shall flourish like a Palme, Psal. 92. 12…13,14.(now the Palme never loseth his leafe, or fruit;Plin.) Those that be planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the Courts of the house of our God: They shall still bring forth more fruit in their age; they shall be fat and flourishing. As full is that of his Son Salomon; Pro. 4.18.The path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
And this floweth not from any thing in man, either of nature or grace, but from that covenant, and faithfulnes of God, who seeing the first Adam could not stand in the covenant of workes (Doe this and live) hath renued with the faithfull, in the second Adam, a covenant of grace, in which he hath undertaken to worke all our workes for us:Esa. 26.12. First, that he will never depart from us, but delight in us to doe us good: Secondly, that he will put such a feare, of himselfe, into our hearts, that wee shall never depart from him. And what else is this (saith Augustine) but such, De bono perseveran. c. 2.and so great shall be my feare, which I shal put into their hearts, that they shal with perseverance keepe close unto me.
And fully to confirme and setle thy soule in assurance of thy perseverance, and infallible attaining that purchased possession; 1. Remember that not onelyonly God hath wrought that eternall mansion for thee, but also wrought thee for it, 2 Cor. 5.1.5. 2. Build on that promise, that he that hath begotten thee to that incorruptible inheritance, not onelyonly reserves it in heaven for thee, but preserves, and keeps thee by his power unto this salvation.1 Pet. …3… 4,5.
But further Papists reply; This is a doctrine that opens a wide gate to all sinful liberty, & utterly loosneth the bond of feare, and care to please God.
For Answer; First, how doth, or can this estate in Gods covenant loosen, or slacke that bond of gracious feare, when it is apparent that this everlasting covenant bindes our hearts fast unto God in this feare? Secondly, is there nothing to be feared in God, but his condemning Justice? Oh how fearf…ll (to his children) are his rods and scourges? how very fearefull? Nay, his very frowne, his threatning word so ful of terrour, that it shakes the heart of the faithfull: they tremble, they melt at it.Esa… 66.2. When I heard, (saith Habakkuk) my bellie trembled, Hab. 3. 16.my lips quivered at the voice: Rottennesse entred into my bones, and I trembled in my selfe, that I might rest in the day of trouble.
Sure I am (and no…e so impudent who dare deny it) that when our blessed Saviour and his faithfull members, Paul, Peter, &c. had this heavenly assurance fully acquieting their soules, it was so far from cooling their zeale, and slackning their fervent diligence to please God, and ply his worke, that nothing more furthered their holy ambition to be serviceable & acceptable unto him.
In the next place, let us confirme this truth by a reason, or two: 1. It will be confessed that a Christian ought to labour for such an estate, wherein he should continually rejoyce in the Lord, bee ever praising, and blessing his name, and have strong consolation: For it is the command of God to delight our selves in the Lord, Psal. 39.4…to rejoyce evermore, 1 The. 5. …6alwaies to rejoice in the Lord, Phil. 4…4.doubled upon us, to stirre up our soules to blesse the Lord, even in the sense of pardon and forgivenesse;Psal. 104. 1,…,3. in everie thing to be thankefull: 1 The. 5.18he hath given with his promise, his oath also,Heb. 6.17. 18. (that wee might have strong consolation) but without this certainty of faith, & assurance of our happinesse, & the eternall favor of God, we cannot attaine such an estate, in which we can from the heart rejoyce in him, ever praise him, and enjoy solid cōfort from him: For what sound joy can that soule find in Christ, who thus hangs between heaven & hell, and hath no assurance whether the Lord will come to him as a Judge to condemne, or as a Savior to free & acquit him? How can a man bee heartily thankefull to God for Christ, and blesse him for such a gift, when he is altogether in doubt whether he hath any portion in his meditation? how can he poure out his soule in blessing the Lord Jesus for his love, and fruits of it, when he is uncertaine whether he shall be built upon,Mat. …1.…4 or dasht against this rocke? What strong consolation can arise from a wavering opinion, or flickering hope, whether the Lord hath appointed us unto glory with himselfe, or torment with the divell?
Secondly, that which God offereth us in his Word, confirms by oath, conveies by his seales, and (above all the rest) unchangeably assureth by his Spirit (as a very pledge, and ea…nest unto this end) that estate not onelyonly is firme, and irrevocable, but) ought with all laborious endevor and vehement contention be sought and made fast and sure upon us: Now it is most apparent, that by all these meanes the Lord offereth the assurance of salvation to the faithfull: and offereth them to this very end, that they might bee stablished in the assurance of his gracious purpose; (as even in earthly covenants, w…itings, oathes, …eales, pawnes are given for no other purpose but to confirme the intent of the giver, and the state of the receiver. Be this then throughly setled in us,… Pet. 1.10 that we ought to give all diligence to make our election and calling sure.