Joy in Tribulation, Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIIII. Proofe of Scriptures testifying in the faithfull a possibilitie to assure their salvation by ordinarie meanes.
FOr the evidence of this truth, consider that discourse of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 2. 9,10,11,12 verses … a place much wrested by Papists, and grosly abused; but as all the words of Wisedome, (Pro. 8. 9.) plaine to him that will understand. Thus you shal finde the Apostle affirme: 1. That no eye hath seene, eare heard, or ever entered into the thought of man those things which God hath prepared for his chosen: 2. God hath revealed even these things unto us by his Spirit; for, because no man can know the minde of man, save the spirit of the man which is in him, and those to whom hee unfolds himselfe in evident expressions, much lesse can anie man know the things of God, but the Spirit of God, and they to whom that Spirit reveales thē, therfore (because our dull understandings cannot pierce into the secrets of God) the Lord hath given us his Spirit, to this very purpose, that we might know the things which are given us of God. Observe hence, that God doth not only preordaine his children unto glory, such as eye hath not seene, &c. but by a second gift of his Spirit manifesteth this his decree unto them; which blessed Spirit openeth their eyes to discerne this grace bestowed, not on othe…s onelyonly, but themselves.
To this testimony in the next place, adjoyne that also in the Rom. 8. 15,16,17. which will both cleare, and much confirme the former; You have not received the spirit of bondage to feare againe, but you have received th Spirit of adoption, whereby wee cry Abba Father. The Spirit himselfe beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God, and if children, then heires; heires of God, and joynt heires with Christ. Where marke a double grace, and gift of God: 1. That dignity, and unspeakeable honor of being children, and heires to himselfe, and joynt heires with Christ, which is conferred on all the faithfull, not onelyonly Apostle, and others of eminent gifts, and place in the Church, but commonly on all those true Beleevers at Rome. 2. That Spirit of bondage (cau…ing feare) is cast our, and the Spirit of adoption (even the Spirit of God) is given them… but to what end? even to witnes unto th…ir consciences, that they are sonnes, and heires of God, and joynt heirs with Christ… Now this is such a witnesse, as neither can deceive, or be deceived; and this Testimony of the Apostle so cleare, that even the great Cardinall (the late Champion of Rome) hath no shift for any defence, which every childs eye will not easily pierce through:
Take a third from 2 Cor. 5. 1. Wee k…ow if this earthlie house of our Tabernacle were dissolved, wee have a building of God, not made with hands, but eternall i… the heavens: For in this wee groane, earnestly desiring to bee cloothed upon with our house, which is from heaven. And in the 9 ver. the Spirit gives us this reason; For wee walke by faith, not …y sight; where as the Apostle speaketh generally of the faithfull, so also he mentioneth no conjecture, no ghesse or flickering earthly hope, but a plaine evident knowledge, full of heavenly confidence, even groaning in desire of dissolution, that so they may bee cloathed upon.
And how commeth this knowledge? by some extraordinary revelation? no; walking by faith, not by sight and sense.
Lastly, not to be (as were very easie) too copious in a matter often cleared, see that testimony of another Apostle, 1 Iohn .3. 1, 2. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that wee should be called the sonnes of God, &c. Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are wee the sonnes of God, and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be, but wee know when hee shall appeare, wee shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Carefully attend the Apostle. Hee magnifies the wonderfull love of God, and calleth us out with joy and admiration to take view of it, especially in two effects: 1. The glorious dignity to which he preferreth us; namely, To be his children: 2. The manifestation of this our happy estate, not indeed to the world (which thinketh us the most abject of creatures) but to our owne consciences, so that we now perceive our selves to be children, and though yet wee know not the parcels, and particulars of that excellent estate, untill wee come to enjoy it, yet so much already we know, (not ghesse) that when Christ appeareth, wee shall appeare with him in glorie, and be like unto him, by that beatificall vision of God, seeing him face to face.
Adde onelyonly to this a further confirmation from the mouth of the same Spirit, by the hand of the same Penman; 1 Ioh. 4. 16. And wee have knowne and beleeved the love that God hath to us. Knit it to the former, and how strongly will it binde up our hearts in this point of faith? Behold (saith he) and admire the fatherly love of God to us poore abjects in the world; hee hath made us children, despised indeed by worldly men, but by himselfe so magnified, that when Christ appeares, wee shall also appeare with him in glorie, and be eternally happy in beholding his face: This love hee hath testified, this Testimonie wee have knowne, and attained this knowledge by faith. To which very end I have wrote this whole Epistle, That you may know you have eternall life: See 1 Ioh. 5.13.