The Christians Daily Walk in Holy Security and Peace, Treatise · Chapter 16 · Section 8
SECTION 8. A removall of ſundry doubts in particular, about falling from Grace.
NOtwitſtſtanding all thatFeares of falling away quite, becauſe men doubt they have onelyonly a forme of godlineſſe, Removed. hath beene ſaid, touching certaintie of perſerverance in grace, after that a man is indeed in ſtate of grace; many will doubt they ſhall fal away, for they feare that all their Religion hath been but in Hypocriſie, and in forme onelyonly, but not in power; now ſuch may fall away, as hath beene ſaid.
If it were true, that all which you have done were in Hypocriſie, then untill you repent of your Hypocriſie, and be upright, you may juſtly feare as much; yet you muſt not deſperately conclude, that you ſhall fall away from your profeſſion; but be you quickned and ſtirred up by this feare to abandon Hypocriſie, and to ſerve the LORD in ſinceritis; and hereby make your calling and election ſure, that you may not fall, and then you have Gods word for it, that aPſal. 15. 1 2. 5.you ſhall not fall.
Many thinke that they are Hypocrites, which yet are ſincere; wherefore try whether you be an Hypocrite or upright, by the ſignes of uprightneſſe before delivered, Chapter 12. Sect. 1.
OnelyOnly, for the preſent, noteNote. this; When was it knowne, that an Hypocrite did ſo ſee his hypocriſie, as to have it a burden to him, and to be weary of it, and to confeſſe it, and bewaile it, & to aske forgiveneſſe thereof hartily of God; and above all things to labour to be upright? If you finde yourſelves thus diſpoſed againſt Hypocriſie, and for uprightneſſe, although I would have you humbled for the remainder of hypocriſie, which you feele to be in you; yet chiefly I would have you to be thankfull to God, and to take comfort in this that you feele it, & diſlike it: thank God therfore for your uprightnes, comfort your ſelves in it, and cheriſh and nouriſh it in you, and feare not.
Moreover, conſider this, How can it juſtly bee conceived that hee ſhould be an Hypocrite, that from an inward principle, from the inward motions of his owne heart, ſhall, with a ſetled and deliberate will, out of love to God and goodneſſe chiefly, and out of hatred of ſin, reſolve, to his power, to abſtaine from all ſinne, and to doe whatſoever he ſhall know to bee his duty, and withall prayeth heartily unto God for grace to that end, truly endevouring the ſame, having a carefull eye, not onelyonly to the matter of what he doth, but to the manner and truth of it, being truly grieved when he faileth in either? You being ſuch a one, how dare you at once offer wrong to your ſelfe, and to Gods grace in you, by judging your ſelfe to be an Hypocrite?
Others object, that they areDoubts, through being already fallen backe, removed. already fallen farre backe from what they were; They doe not feele ſo much zeale and fervencie of affection to goodneſſe, nor againſt wickedneſſe; nor yet doe they now feele thoſe comforts and cleare apprehenſions of GODS favour towards them, as they did in their firſt Converſion.
It may be that you are fallenAnſw. back, and have loſt your firſt love, whence all which you have objected will follow; but may it not befall a particular childe of GOD to have loſt his firſt love, as well as a bRev. 2. 4.whole Church, the Church of Epheſus? You could not for that conclude that Epheſus was no Church, neither can you hence conclude, that you are none of Gods children, or that you ſhall not hold out unto the end. But if it be ſo, be willing to ſee your ſinne, and to be humbled and repent heartily of it; follow the Counſell of Chriſt, cRev. 2 5.Remember whence you are fallen, repent, and doe your firſt workes, (and certainely *Pſ. 73. 24 Pſa. 89. 30. 32.Gods childe ſhall have grace to repent) then you dRev. 2. 11enduring to the end ſhall not bee hurt of the ſecond death, notwithſtanding that ſinne of yours in loſing your firſt love.
But it may, and it oft dothReaſons why many think they have leſſe grace now than at firſt, but miſtake. happen, that a true child of God doth in his owne feeling thinke he hath leſſe grace now, than at firſt, when yet it is not ſo; The reaſons of his miſtake may bee theſe.
At the firſt, a truly regenerate man doth not ſee ſo much as afterward hee doth. At firſt you had indeed the light of the Sunne, but as at the firſt ſpring and dawning of the day, whereby you ſaw your greater enormities, and reformed many things, yea, (as you thought) all: but now ſince, the Sunne being riſen higher towards the perfect day, ſhining more clearely, it commeth to paſſe, that in theſe beames of the Sunne (as when it ſhineth into an houſe) you may ſee many motes, and very many things amiſſe in your heart and life, which were not diſcovered, nor diſcerned before; you muſt not ſay you had leſſe ſinne then, becauſe you ſaw it not, or more ſinne now, becauſe you ſee more. For as the eye of your minde, ſeeth every day more clearely, and as your hearts grow every day more holy; ſo will ſin appeare unto you every day more and more, for your conſtant humiliation, and daily reformation. For a Chriſtian, if he goe not backeward, ſeeth in his latter time more clearely a far off, what is yet before him to be done, and with what an high degree of affection hee ought to ſerve God, & to what an height of perfection he ought to raiſe his thoughts in his holy ayme, which in the infancie of his Chriſtianitie hee could not ſee; Hence his errour; Even as it is uſuall for a novice in the V…iverſitie, when hee hath read over a few Syſtemes, and Epitomes of the Arts, to conceit better of himſelfe for Scholarſhip, than when hee hath more profound knowledge in thoſe Arts afterwards, for then he ſeeth knottie difficulties, which his weake knowledge, being not able to pry into, paſſed over with preſumption of knowing all.
Secondly, Good deſires and feelings of comforts are ſudden, ſtrange, and new at firſt, which ſuddenneſſe, ſtrangeneſſe, and newneſſe of change out of ſtate of corruption and death, into the ſtate of grace & life, is more ſenſible, and leaveth behinde it a deeper impreſſion, than can poſſibly be made after ſuch time that a man is accuſtomed to it: or that can be added by the increaſe of the ſame grace. A man that commeth out of a cloſe, darke, and ſtinking Dungeon, is more ſenſible of the benefit of a ſweet aire, of light, and libertie the firſt weeke, than he is ſeven yeares after he hath enjoyed all theſe to the full. Let a meane man be raiſed ſuddenly, and undeſervedly unto the eſtate and glory of a King, he will be more feeling of the change, and will be more taken and exalted in his conceit with the glory of his ſtate for the firſt weeke or monethmonth, than at ten yeares end, whē he is accuſtomed to the heart and ſtate of a King, yea more, than if at ten yeares end, he happen to have the acceſſion of another Kingdome unto him, and though double power and glory bee conferred on him.
Thirdly, GOD for ſpecial cauſes doth tender his Scholars, when they firſt enter into Chriſts Schoole; In like manner doth he de…dle and deale with his Babes in CHRIST, before they can goe alone.
Doe not wiſe Schoole-maſters (the better to enter and encourage their young and fearefull Scholars) ſhew more outward expreſſions of affection & kindneſſe towards them, and forbeareth to exerciſe Schoole-diſcipline on them, the f…iſt weeke that they come to Schoole, yea, it may bee, ſhew more countenance and familiarity towards them their firſt weeke, then ever after, untill the time that they ſend them to the Vniverſitie? And hath not a young chilae more attendance, and fewer falls in his, or her infancie, while it is carried in the arms, or led in the hands of his father or mother, then when it goeth alone? But when it goeth alone, it receiveth many a fall, and many a knocke; yet this doth not argue leſſe love in the parents, or leſſe ſtrength in the child now, then when it was but one or two yeares old.
Fourthly, Albeit Gods trees ePſa. 92. 14planted in his Courts, alwayes ſhould, and uſually doe, in their age, beare more and better fruit, then they did or could doe in their youth; yet theſe, through a falſe apprehenſion of things, may judge thēſelves to be more barren in their age, then they were in their youth. It may be, you feele not in you that vigour, heat, and abilitie to performe good duties now in age, as you did in your younger dayes; But may not this ariſe from naturall defects, as from want of memorie, want of quickneſſe of wit, and from want of naturall heate and vigour of your ſpirits, all which are excellent hand-maids to grace. You may obſerve this in thoſe elder people, that ſtudie to approve themſelves to God untill their age, and in their age, they have theſe naturall defects recompenced with other better and more laſting fruit, as with more ſtaydneſſe, and ſoundneſſe of Iudgement, more humility, more patience, and more *Ioh. 2. 12, 13experience, where with their gray hayrs are crowned, they continuing in the way of righteouſneſſe; LookePro. 16. 31 for theſe, and looke to approve your ſelves in theſe in your age, and theſe will prove more beneficiall to you, than your freſh feelings, and your ſenſibly-felt zeale in your younger times.
There are yet others (it may be the ſame) when they obſerve that many who are of longer ſtanding than themſelves, who have had much more knowledge,Feares of falling quite away becauſe others are already fallen, removed. and have made a further progreſſe in the practice of godlineſſe than they, are yet fallen fear fully into ſome groſſe ſinne, or ſinnes; yea, ſome of them are departed from the faith, & have embraced with f2 Tim. 4. 10.Demas this preſent World, either in the luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eye, or pride of life; They are ſome of them fallen to Popery, or to ſome other falſe Religion; Wherefore they feare that they ſhall fall away alſo, and that their hearts will deceive them in the end.
That the falls of others ſhouldAnſw. make all that doe ſtand g1 Cor 10 12to take …eede leſt they fall, is according …o the expreſſe will of God. It is … high point of wiſedome for …ou to obſerve and doe it. Like…iſe to feare ſo much as to quicken you to watchfulneſſe and …ayer, is an holy and commendable feare: But to feare your totall or finall falling away, onelyonly becauſe ſome that have made profeſſion of the ſame Religion are fallen, is without ground.
For it may bee, thoſe which you ſee to be fallen away, never had any other than a forme of godlineſſe, and never had more than the common graces & gifts of the Spirit. For if they be quite fallen from the faith, it is becauſe h1 Ioh. 2. 19they were never ſoundly of the faith. Moreover, grant that ſome of them which are …n had ſaving grace; may they not with Pſal. 51.David, and kEccleſiaſtSalomon recover their fals? This you ſhould hope and pray for, rather than by occaſion of their falls, to trouble your ſelfe with falſe and fruitleſſe feare.
Laſt of all, ſome yet feareFeares of falling away in time of perſecution removed. that if perſecution ſhould come becauſe of the Word and the Religion which they doe profeſſe, that they ſhould never hold out, but ſhould fall away.
Doe you thus feare? Then buckle cloſe unto you the lEpheſ. 6. 11. 13. 14.compleat Anſw.armour with the girdle of ſinceritie, exerciſe your ſelves before-hand at your ſpirituall weapons; make and keepe your peace with GOD, under whom at ſuch times you muſt ſhelter your ſelves, & by whoſe power it is that you muſt ſtand in that evill day. But know, that a child of GOD need not feare perſecution with ſuch diſcouragefull and ſuch deſperate feare, neither ſhould you; for this will but give advantage to your enemies of all ſorts, and will make your …andsfeeble, & your hearts faint. Raiſe up your ſpirits, and chaſe way your feare thus. Conſider he goodneſſe of your cauſe. ConſiderHow to be kept from daſtardly feare in time of perſecution. the wiſedome, …valour, and proweſſe of him that hath already …edeemed you with his bloud, who hath already led captivitie …aptive, who is your Champion, and hath engaged himſelfe for you, not to leave you, untill he hath brought you to glorie; I meane Chriſt Ieſus, who is Lord of heaſts, under whoſe Banner you fight in your whole Christian warfare. Conſider likewiſe, the faithfulneſſe of Gods promiſe, made to all his Children concerning his preſence, and helpe in time of perſecution, commanding them not to take thought thereabout, having promiſed to give them a mLuk. 21. 14, 15.mouth and wiſedome, which all their adverſaries ſhall not be able to reſiſt. And ſuppoſe that you have, or at leaſt feele that you have but little ſtrength, yet conſider (if it bee cheriſhed & thankfully acknowledged) what this will doe; it will cauſe you to keepe *Rev. 3. 8. 10Gods word, and that you ſhall not deny Christs name: and it hath a promiſe of being kept from the houre of temptation that ſhall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth, you ſhall be kept at leaſt from the hurt of the temptation. Conſider laſt of all, the bleſſed experience, which the holy Martyrs have had of GODS love and helpe (according to his promiſe) in their greateſt perſecutions, and fiery trialls. Obſerve the wiſedome and courage of thoſe who in their owne nature were but ſimple and fearefull. Reade the Booke of Martyrs next unto the Scriptures for this purpoſe, and through GODS grace, though you were naturally as feareful as Hares, you, when you ſhall bee called to it, ſhall be as couragious as Lyons.
It is not hard for you to knowHow to know in time of peace to hold out in perſecution. now, whether you ſhal be able in time of perſecution to ſtand faſt and not fall away. If you now in the peace of the Gospell can deny your ſelves in your luſts, in love to God, and for Conſcience ſake towards him, and can rather part with them, than with the ſincere following of CHRIST, then you ſhall be able, and you will deny your ſelves in the matter of your life, if you be put to it in time of perſecution, rather than deny CHRIST. For this firſt is as difficult as the latter; and the ſame love to GOD, and Conſcience of duty which doth now uphold you, and beare you through the one, will then rather uphold, and beare you thorow the other. For in times of triall and ſuffering for his name, you may looke for his more ſpeciall aſſiſtance.
Wherefore I doe wiſh all that are troubled with falſe feares, to reſt ſatisfied in theſe anſwers to their doubts, and I would have them give over calling their Election, Gods love, their Iuſtification, their Sanctification, or their finall perſeverance into queſtion: but rather fill your ſelves with hope and aſſurance of GODS favour, (I ſpeake ſtill to burdned Conſciences) comforting your ſelves therein, abounding in thankeſgiving to GOD for what you have, rather than repining in your ſelves for what you want.
Yet I know there are ſome (asDoubts, taken from deceitfulneſſe of heart, removed. if they were made all of doubting) will object, my heart is deceitfull, I doubt all is not, I doubt all will not be well with mee.
If your heart bee deceitfull, Anſw.Why then doe you beleeve it, when it caſteth in theſe doubts, And why doe you truſt to it more than unto the evidence of the Word, and Iudgement of Gods faithful Miniſters, who by the Word give moſt ſatisfying reſolutions to your doubts? which alſo doth miniſter unto you matter of aſſured hope andDoubts, from preſent fainting, removed. comfort.
Another will ſay, I doe even faint in my troubles, and in my feares, and I am ready to give over all, what ſhall I doe? What would you have me to doe?
Your caſe is not ſingular, manyAnſw. other have beene, and are in this caſe; It is no otherwiſe with you, than it was with the Pſalmiſt and Ionah; Doe as they in that their fainting did; Firſt, give not over, but remember God, call upon him, give him no reſt. Secondly, trust on him, and *Pſal. 27. 23, 24.wait untill you have comfort: That holy man of GOD ſaid, nPſal. 73. 26.My fleſh and my heart faileth, but GOD is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever. Likewiſe oIona. 2. 4. 7Ionah, … ſaid I am …ast out of thy ſight, yet I will looke againe toward thine holy Temple. And againe, when my ſoule fainted within mee, I remembred the Lord, and my prayer came up unto thee, into thine holy Temple, that is as if he had ſaid unto God, I prayed unto thee in the name of Chriſt, and thou didſt heare me. When you walke in the darkeneſſe of affliction, and inward diſcomfort, Hee, to whom God gave the tongue of the learned, to ſpeake a word in due ſeaſon to him that is wearie, giveth you counſell, (and whoſe wil you in this ſtate of yours follow, if not his) his counſel is this ſaying, pIſa▪ 50. 4. 10Who is among you that feare the Lord, and obey the voyce of his ſervant, that walketh in darkeneſſe and hath no light? Let him truſt in the name of the Lord, Pſal. 27. 23 24.and ſtay upon his God. Marke it, He that feareth and obeyeth, yet may bee in darkeneſſe and have no light; what darkneſſe is this, but that ſpoken of, verſ. 4. viz. an afflicted wearie ſoule, without light of comfort? And men, thus diſtreſſed, muſt truſt in the Lord, and ſtay on their God.
Yet theſe poore ſoules (who,Reply. We do not our part, therefore God is not tied to …. whether they ſhould be ſharply reproved, or pitied more, is hard to ſay; I am ſure they deſerve both) will yet object ſtrongly. It is true, they that feare God and obey him, may truſt in the Lord, and ſtay upon God. And he hath made moſt rich promiſes to thē that know him, that doe▪ feare and obey him. See, here is promiſe with condition (ſaith one) I muſt feare the Lord, I muſt obey him, I know God will doe his part, if I could doe mine, but theſe I doe not, what warrant then, or ground have I to looke for comfort, or any thing at Gods hand, for his promiſes belong not to me?
I know well that with thisAnſw. doubt the Devill doth much perplexe the afflicted ſoules of many of Gods dearest children, and by it keepeth off all the remedies which Gods Word can afford, ſo that they cannot faſten and doe them good. For the propoſitions of the Word are eaſily aſſented unto; but all the matter lyeth in the application of them to the wound. It is ſtill put off page missing and keepe his Commandements: there he promiſeth with Condition: here he abſolutely promiſeth thoſe on whom hee intendeth to beſtow theſe bleſſings, that he will put his feare in their heart, that they may be capable of them: And, which is more, to the end that men might repent, beleeve, and live godly, which is the Condition to which the promiſe of forgiveneſſe and Salvation is made, God declareth that he hath raiſed Chriſt and exalted Act. 5. 30. 31him to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give this faith and repentance, that their ſinnes may be forgiven, and their ſoules ſaved by him. I pray conſider well whether al theſe promiſes of this ſort be not made abſolutely on GODS part, and without any Condition on mans part. Wherefore, whereas God hath made many excellent promiſes of free and great rewards; as, to heare the prayers, and to fulfill the deſire of them that feare him, and to give life and glory to them that beleeve & obey him, and that do hold faſt the confidence, and the rejoycing to the end; you ſee that here are promiſes of the firſt ſort made with a kinde of Condition: But that GOD will give his people both to will and to doe theſe things required in the condition, he hath abſolutely promiſed, as hath beene clearely proved.
If you yet reply and ſay, are notReply. theſe latter promiſes made under condition of our well uſing the outward meanes thereof, ſuch as hearing of the Word, prayer, &c.
GOD indeede commandethAnſw. theſe meanes to be uſed; and, if we performe them aright, God will not faile to bleſſe the good uſe of theſe meanes; but this well uſing them is not in our owne power, neither is it a Condition for which God is neceſſarily bound to give Faith, and to plant his feare in our harts, any otherwiſe than by his promiſe; but it is a Condition by which he hath ordained ordinarily to give theſe graces to al which in the uſe of them ſhall waite upon him for them. For both the giving of his word, and the giving us minds to heare the Word, and the opening of the heart to attend, and the convincing and alluring the heart to obey; hang all upon thoſe abſolute promiſes. uIſa. 54. 13They ſhall be all taught of God, and the reſt before mentioned.
Wherefore, let none of yearesCaution. thinke that without hearing, praying, and the right uſing of Gods ordinances, they ſhall ever have faith, and the feare of God wrought in them, or ſhall ever come to Heaven. For wee are commanded to pray, heare, &c. and that in Faith, or elſe we can never Heb. 4. 2. Iam 1. 7.looke to receive any thing of the LORD. And doing what lieth in manspower in the right uſing the meanes of Saluation is of great conſequence, although it be not a ſufficient cauſe to move GOD neceſſarily to give grace; For I am perſwaded that the beſt ſhould have more grace, if they would doe what in them lay continually, to make good uſe of the outward meanes of grace; and the worſt ſhould be guilty of leſſe ſinne, if they would doe what in them lay to profit by the good uſe of the ſaid meanes. And the neglect or abuſing of the Pſal. 81. 11 12 Mat. 21. 43means, is ſufficient cauſe why God ſhould not onelyonly withhold grace, but condemn men for refuſing it.
But ſome will yet ſay, let all which hath beene ſaid be granted,Feares riſing from want of ſuch graces as God hath promiſed abſolutely, removed. I finde that God hath not fulfilled theſe his abſolute promiſes to me, for I doe not yet feare God and obey. How can I hope? How can I chooſe but feare my eſtate?
Let this for the time be granted, that God hath not planted his feare in your heart, &c. as yet; May hee not doe it hereafter? Sith hee hath made unto you ſuch excellent promiſes, to fulfil them without condition on your part, but that you ſhould onelyonly uſe the meanes, and waite. Will you not give him leave to fulfill them in his owne time? And will you not waite, and be glad if they may be fulfilled at any time? Times and ſeaſons of Gods communicating his graces, are reſerved to be at his owne diſpoſing, not at ours. It ſhould be your care onelyonly to be preſent at GODS Ordinances, and when you reade or heare the Word or will of God, to indevour to beleeve and obey it: As when hee ſaith; Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy GOD with all thy heart. Thou ſhalt beleeve in the name of the Lord thy God, and truſt in his Name. Thou ſhalt obey the voyce of the Lord thy God, and ſerve him, and ſuch like. Attend to the Word heedfully, and becauſe this Word is infallibly true, and excellently good, bring your thoughts and heart to beleeve, and to approve it, and ſay within your ſelves, theſe are true, theſe are good, this I ought to doe, this I would beleeve, and doe; Lord helpe mee, and I will doe it, aPſa. 119. 5O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy ſtatutes. In ſuch like agitations, and reaſonings of the reaſonable ſoule, it pleaſeth GOD to give his grace both to will, and to doe his Commandements.
But, ſecondly, doe not ſay, that you have not faith, and the feare of God, and love to him, all which God of his free grace promiſed (as you heard) to you abſolutely, which graces are indeed the conditions fore-going the reward promiſed; when as in truth you have them. For what kinde of duties be theſe, thinke you? Are they Legall, which require perfect, exact, and full degrees of faith, feare, and love? Or are they not Evangelicall? Such as doe require truth in all theſe, and doe not exact ful perfection in degrees. If you have deſire, & if you can deſire to feare him (which is the ſcantling of the feare of Gods people, asbNeh. 1. 11 Nehemiah calleth it) ſo if you cMar. 9. 24deſire to beleeve, and dIſa. 1. 19.will to obey, in the inmoſt longing of your ſoul, according to the meaſure and ſtrength of grace in you, this according to the Tenour of the bleſſed Gospell of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, is true and acceptable through Chriſt, for whoſe ſake GOD doth e1 Cor. 8. 12.accept the will for the deede, in all ſuch caſes wherein there is truth of will and endevour, but not power to doe.
Furthermore, if you thinke that it is your well doing that muſt make you acceptable to God, you are in a proud, and dangerous errour. Indeede God will not accept of you, if you doe not indevour to doe his will; but you muſt propound to your ſelfe another end, than to be accepted for your well-doing: You muſt doe your dutie to ſhew your obedience to God, and to ſhew your thankfulnes, that God hath pleaſed, and doth pleaſe to accept you in his Sonne Chriſt; and that it is your deſire to be accepted through him.
But I would have you which are preſſed with the load of your ſinnes, looke neerely, judiciouſly, and impartially into your ſelfe, it may be, you have more faith, feare of God, and obedience then you are aware of, or then you will be knowne of. Can you grieve, and doth it trouble you that you have ſo little faith, ſo little feare of GOD, and that you doe ſhew ſo little obedience? and is it your deſire and indevor to have more, and to doe as well as you can, though you cannot doe ſo well as you ſhould? then you have much faith, feare, and …bedience. For to grieve for little …aith, feare, and obedience, is an …videntſigne of much faith, feare, …nd obedience. For whence is …his trouble and griefe, but from Gods ſaving graces? And to …rieve for little, ſheweth that you …ong for and would have much.
Let this ſuffice to be a full anſwer to the principall doubts, whereof fearefull hearts will …ake no anſwer. Never yeeld to your feares, waite on God ſtill …or reſolution of your doubts in …is beſt time: For it is not man that can; but it is gPſal▪ 85. 8God that both …an and will ſpeake peace to his people, not onelyonly outward, but inward peace.
In the meane time, though you can have no feeling comfort in any of GODS promiſes, yet conſider God in the Lord, and that Chriſt is Lord of all, you are his creature, you owe to him all obedience, wherefore, you will, as much as you can, keepe your ſelfe from iniquity, and you will ſtrive to doe his will, let him do with you as hee pleaſeth, yea, though he kill you, or though he give you no comfort till death, you will truſt in him, and will obey him, and it is your deſire to reſt and hope in him as in your Redeemer, then whether you know that God is yours or no, I am ſure he knoweth you to be his; this is an argument of ſtrong faith. And you are upon a ſure ground, The foundation of God remaineth ſure: The Lord knoweth his, and who be they? Even all that profeſſing his name h2 Tim 2. 19.depart from iniquitie. And whoſoever in his heart would, he, in truth, doth depart from iniquity.
Something remaineth yet toTroubles, through want of peace of Sanctification, removed. Anſw. be anſwered. Many ſay, that, doe what they can, they are aſſaulted ſtill ſo thicke with temptations that they cannot have one houres quiet.
What of that? Doth this hinder your peace with God, that the Devill, the World, and your lusts (Gods ſworne enemies) are not at peace with you? So long as you have peace of Sanctification in this degree, that the faculties of ſoule and body doe not mutinie one againſt the other; but hold a good correſpondencie in joyning together againſt their fleſhly luſts, which fight againſt the ſoule, you are in good caſe; I meane, when the Vnderstanding, Conſcience, Will, and Affections are all willing to doe their part againſt ſinne their common enemy: Not but that you ſhall find a ſenſible warring & oppoſition in all theſe, while you live here, even when you have moſt peace in this kinde, but how? The unſanctified part of the underſtanding is againſt the ſanctified part of the underſtanding, and unſanctified will, againſt the ſanctified will, and ſo in all other faculties of the ſoule, fleſh in everyGal. 5. 17. part luſteth againſt ſpirit in every part, & ſpirit in every part luſteth againſt fleſh in every part. For as every ſanctified part hath the ſpirit, ſo it hath likewiſe the remaines of the fleſh fighting one againſt the other. Now if that your faculties and powers be ruled all by one ſpirit, you have a good agreement, and good peace within you, notwithſtāding that the fleſh doth ſo violently warre againſt this ſpirit; For this warring of ſinne in your members, againſt the ſpirit, & the warring of the ſpirit againſt ſinne, argueth clearely that you have peace with God, and this warre continued, will in time beget perfect peace.
But let no man ever looke to have peace of ſanctification perfect in this life; For the beſt are k1 Cor. 13 9ſanctified but in part; Wherefore let no man profeſſing Chriſ… think, that he ſhal be freed from temptations and aſſaults, riſin… from within, or comming from without, ſo long as he liveth in this world. Are not Chriſtians called to be Souldiers? Wherefore wee muſt arme our ſelves that we may ſtand by the power of Gods might, and l1 Cor. 16 13.quit our ſelves like men againſt the aſſaults of our ſpirituall enemies.
Is it any other than the a1 Cor. 10 13.common caſe of all Gods Children? Was not Chriſt himſelfe tēpted, that he might bHeb. 2. 18▪ſuccor thoſe that are tempted? Have you not a promiſe not to bee tempted above that you are c1 Cor 10 13.able? It is but reſiſting and enduring a d1 Pet. 5. 10. Heb. 10. 37while, yet a little while. Is there any temptation out of which God will not give a good iſſue? Hath not Chriſt eLuk. 22, 32. Ioh. 17. …5. 20.prayed that your faith faile not?
Let us therefore keepe peace in our ſelves, that the whole man may be at agreement, and let us keepe peace one with another, fighting againſt the common enemy. And the mRom. 16 20God of peace ſhall tread Satan, and all enemies under-foot ſhortly, and then nRom. 8. 37through Chriſt you ſhall be more than Conquerours, you ſhall not onelyonly hold what you have kept from loſing but ſhall poſſeſſe all that Chriſt hath wonne for you. And the more battels you have fought, and in them through Christ have overcome, the greater triumph you ſhall have in glory.
Now as a ſurpluſſage to all that hath beene ſaid againſt groundleſſe feares, which deprive pooreHow, notwithſtanding all a mans cauſes of fears hee may know the peace of God belongeth to him. ſoules of heavenly comfort; If any yet cannot be ſatisfied, but feare ſtill that GOD is not at peace with them, I will propound a few Queſtions, to which if any ſoule can anſwer affirmatively, he may be aſſured of Gods peace and love, and of his owne Salvation, whatſoever his feares or feelings may happen for to be.
1. How ſtand you affected toQueſt. ſinne? Are you afraid to offend God thereby? Is it ſo that you dare not wittingly ſinne? Is it your griefe and burden that you cannot abſtaine from ſinne, nor get out of it ſo ſoone as you would, when you are fallen into it?
2. How ſtand you affected towards holineſſe, and goodneſſe, and unto the power of godlineſſe? Is it your heartie deſire to know Gods will, that you may doe it? Doe you deſire to feare him, and pleaſe him in all things? And is it your griefe and trouble when you faile in well-doing? And is it any joy to you to doe well in any true meaſure?
3. Thirdly, How ſtand you affected to the Church and Religion of God? Are you glad when things goe well in the Church, though it goe ill with you in your owne particular? And are you grieved when things goe ill in the Church, when it may happen to be with you, as it was with good oNeh. 1. 4.Nehemiah, or p1 Sam. 4. 20. 21.Ichabod… mother, that all things goe very well, or at leaſt tolerably well, for your owne particular?
4. Fourthly; How ſtand you affected to men? Is it ſo that you cannot delight in wicked men, becauſe of their wickedneſſe, but qPſal. 15. 4diſlike them? Whereas otherwiſe their parts and conditions are ſuch, that you could muchPſal. 16. 4. deſire their company. Doe you r1 Ioh. 3. 14. Pſal. 16. 3.love thoſe that feare the Lord, and that delight in goodneſſe, therefore becauſe you thinke they are good, and are beloved of God?
5. Fifthly; Can you endure to have your ſoule ript up, and your beloved ſinne ſmitten at, and let out by a ſearching Miniſtery, approving that Miniſtery, and liking that Miniſter the rather? And doe you with sPſa. 141. 5David deſire that the righteous ſhould reproove you? And would you have an tPro. 25. 12▪obedient eare to a wiſe Reprover?
6. Laſtly; Though you cannot alwayes have that feeling proofe of your good eſtate, which is the certainty of Evidence? Nay ſay, you have it but ſeldome, or it may be, you can ſcarce tell whether you have it at all; Doe you yet reſolve, or is it your deſire, and will you, as you are able, reſolve to cleave to God, and hang upon Chriſt, and upon Gods mercifull promiſes made to you in him, ſeeking ſalvation in Chriſt by faith, and by none other, nor by any other meanes?
If you can anſwer, yea, to all, or to any one of theſe, you may aſſure your ſelves that you are in Gods favor, and in ſtate of grace. What though you cannot feele in your ſelves that you have this ſo ſure as you would by a full certaintie of Evidence (but it is your fault that you have it not ſo) yet you have it ſure by the beſt certainety, namely, by a true certainety of Ad…erence, and cleaving unto God? For when you are reſolved not to ſinne wittingly, and allowedly againſt GOD, and not to depart from him whatſoever become of you; and it is your longing deſire to pleaſe him. When (I ſay) you ſtand thus reſolved, and thus affected as hath beene ſaid, then certainely God and you are knit together by an inſeparable bond: When you hate what God hateth, and love what God loveth, and will what God willeth; are not God and you at one, and at peace? Are you not neerely and firmely linked one to another? What though this bond be ſome what ſecret and unſeene to your ſelves? yet it is certaine, God knoweth you to be actually his, and will for this, owne you, when you ſeeme to doubt of it; and will alwayes uPſa. 73. 23hold you by your right hand, whether you feele it or no. But why ſhould you thinke that you are without Evidence, when you cannot but feele that in truth you cleave thus to GOD, and ſtand thus affected to him, from hence if you were not wanting to your ſelves, you might gaine a moſt peaceable and ioyous aſſurance, that you are in Gods favour, and ſhall be ſaved. Thus much of removing of impediments to true peace.