The Right Method for a Settled Peace of Conscience, Direction 12
DIRECTION XII.
12. The next Rule for your Direction for the right ſetling of your Peace is this. You muſt know, that Aſſurance of Juſtification, Adoption, and right to Salvation cannot be gathered from the ſmalleſt degree of Saving Grace.
HEre I muſt ſay ſomething for explaining my meaning to you. 2. And then give you my Reaſons of this Aſſertion.
1. Underſtand that I ſpeak of Gods ordinary working by means, not denying but God may by a voice from Heaven, or an Angel, or other ſupernatural Revelation, beſtow Aſſurance on whom he pleaſeth. But I hope all wiſe Chriſtians will take heed of expecting this, or of truſting too much to ſeeming Revelations, unleſs they could prove that God uſeth to conferre Aſſurance in this way; which I think, they cannot.
2. By the ſmalleſt degree of Grace, I mean, of Faith, Love, Obedience and thoſe ſaving Graces whoſe acts are the condition of our Salvation, and which in the fore-expreſſed Marks I laid down to you. Do not therefore ſo farre miſtake me, as to think that I ſpeak of a ſmall meaſure of thoſe common Gifts which are ſeparable from true Sanctification: ſuch as are extenſive Knowledge, Memory, Ability of Utterance in Preaching, Repeating, Exhorting or Praying; An ornate, plauſible winning deportment before men, ſuch as is commonly called Good breeding or Manners; An affected humble, complementall familiarity and condeſcenſion, to creep into mens eſtimation and affections, and ſteal their hearts, &c. Many a one that is ſtrong in ſaving Grace, is weak in all theſe, and other the like.
Now for my Reaſons.
1. I conceive that it is not poſſible for any Miniſter punctually to ſet down a diſcernable difference between the leaſt meaſure of True ſaving Grace, and the higheſt degree of common Grace; and to ſay, Juſt here it is that they part, or by this you may diſcern them. I do but ſay, I think ſo, becauſe other men may know farre more then I do: But I will ſay it as certain, that I am not able to do it, for my own part. This much I can tell, that the leaſt degree of Grace that is ſaving doth determine the ſoul for God and Chriſt, againſt the world and fleſh that ſtand as Competitors; and ſo where Chriſts intereſt prevaileth in the leaſt meaſure, there is the leaſt meaſure of ſaving Grace: As when you are weighing two things in the balance, and at laſt make it ſo near evenweight, that one end is turned and no more: ſo when you are conſidering whether to be for Chriſt or for the fleſh and the world, and your Will is but even a very little Determined to Chriſt, and preferreth him; this is the leaſt meaſure of ſaving Grace. But then how a poor ſoul ſhould diſcern this prevalent choice and determination of it ſelf, is all the Queſtion. For there is nothing more eaſie and common then for men to think verily, that they preferre Chriſt above the creature, as long as no temptation doth aſſault them, nor ſenſual objects ſtand up in any coſiderable ſtrength to entice them: Nay wicked men do truly, oft times, purpoſe to obey Chriſt before the fleſh, and to take him for their Lord, meerly in the general, when they do not know or conſider the quality of his Laws; that they are ſo ſtrict and ſpiritual and contrary to the fleſh, and hazardous to their worldly hopes and ſeeming-happineſs: But when it comes to particulars, and God ſaith, Now deny thy ſelf, and thy friend, and thy goods, and thy life for my ſake, alas, it was never his Reſolution to do it; nor will he be perſwaded to it. But he that ſaid to God who ſends him to labour in his Vineyard, I go Sir, when he comes to finde the unpleaſingneſs of the Work, he goes not, or never ſets a hand to it. So that it is evident that it is no true ſaving Reſolution or Willingneſs, which prevaileth not for actual Obedience. Now here comes in the unreſolvable Doubt, What is the leaſt Meaſure of Obedience that will prove a man truly Willing and Reſolved, or to have truly Accepted of Chriſt for his Lord? This obedience lieth in Performing what is commanded, and Avoiding what is forbidden. Now it is too certain that every true Believer is guilty of a frequent neglect of Duty, yea of known Duty: We know we ſhould Love God more abundantly, and Delight in him, and Meditate more on him, and Pray more oft and earneſtly then we do, and inſtruct our Families more diligently, and ſpeak againſt ſin more boldly, and admoniſh our neighbours more faithfully, with many the like: The good that we would do we do not, Rom. 7.19. Nay the fleſh ſo ſtriveth againſt the Spirit, that we cannot do the good we would. Gal. 5.17. Nay many a true Chriſtian in time of temptation hath been drawn to omit ſecret prayer, or family duties almoſt wholly for a certain ſpace of time: yea and perhaps to be ſo corrupted in his judgement for a time, as to think he doth well in it, as alſo in forbearing praiſing God by Pſalmes, Receiving the Sacraments, and Communicating with the Church, hearing the Word publikely, &c. (for what duty almoſt is not denied of late?) and perhaps may not only omit Relieving the poor for a time, but excuſe it. Now what man can punctually determine juſt how often a true Chriſtian may be guilty of any ſuch omiſſion? and juſt how long he may continue it? and what the duties be which he may poſſibly ſo omit, and what not?
So alſo in ſins of Commiſſion: Alas, what ſins did Noah, Lot, David, Solomon, Aſa, Peter, &c. commit? If we ſhould ſay as the Papiſts and Arminians, that theſe being mortal ſins, do for the time, till Repentance reſtore him, caſt a true Chriſtian out of Gods favour into a ſtate of Damnation; then what man breathing is able to enumerate thoſe Mortal ſins? and tell us which be ſo Damning, and which not? Nay if he could ſay, Drunkenneſs is one, and Gluttony another; Who can ſet the punctual ſtint, and ſay, Juſt ſo many bits a man muſt eat before he be a Glutton: or Juſt ſo much he muſt drink before he be a Drunkard? or by ſuch a ſigne the turning point may be certainly known? We may have ſignes by which he may be tried at the Barre of Man; but theſe are none of them taken from that ſmalleſt degree, which ſpecifieth and denominates the ſinne before God. If we avoid the foreſaid opinion, that one ſuch ſin doth bring us into the ſtate of Damnation, yet is the difficulty never the leſs: For it is certain, that he that commits ſin is of the Devil, 1 Joh. 3.8. and there are ſpots which are not the ſpots of Gods children: and all true faith will mortifie the world to us and us to it, Gal. 6.14. and he that is in Chriſt hath crucified the fleſh with the affections and luſts thereof, Gal. 5.24. and that if we live after the fleſh we ſhall die. Rom. 8.13. and his ſervants we are to whom we obey, whether of ſin unto death, or of obedience unto Righteouſneſs, Rom. 6.16. and if we delight in iniquity or regard it God will not hear our prayers, Pſal. 66.18. and that he that nameth the name of Chriſt muſt depart from iniquity, 1 Tim. 2.19. and that God will judge all men according to their works, and bid the workers of iniquity depart from him, Mat. ….23. Now can any man on earth tell us juſt how great or how often ſinning will ſtand with true Grace, and how much will not? who can finde thoſe punctual bounds in the Word of God? I conclude therefore, that no Miniſter, or at leaſt, none who is no wiſer then I am, can give a true diſcernable difference between the worſt of Saints and the beſt of the unſanctified, or the weakeſt degree of true Grace, and the higheſt of common Grace; and ſo to help ſuch weak Chriſtians to true Aſſurance of their ſalvation.
2. But as this is impoſſible to be declared by the Teachers, ſo much more is it impoſſible to be diſcerned by the perſons themſelves (yea though it could poſſibly be declared to him:) and that for theſe Reaſons.
1. From the nature of the thing. Small things are hardly diſcerned. A little is next to none. 2. From the great darkneſs of mans underſtanding, and his unacquaintedneſs with himſelf (both the nature, faculties and motions of his ſoul naturally conſidered, and the moral ſtate, diſpoſitions and motions of it;) and is it likely that ſo blinde an eye can diſcern the ſmalleſt thing, and that in ſo ſtrange and dark a place? every purblind man cannot ſee an atome, or a pin, eſpecially in the dark. 3. The heart is deceitfull above all things as well as dark; full of ſeemings▪ counterfeits and falſe pretences: And a childe in Grace is not able to diſcover its juglings, and underſtand a book where almoſt every word is aequivocall or myſterious. 4. The heart is moſt confuſed, as well as dark and deceitfull: It is like a houſe or ſhop of tools, where all things are thrown together on a heap, and nothing keeps its own place: There are ſuch multiplicity of cogitations, phantaſies and paſſions, and ſuch irregular thronging in of them, and ſuch a confuſed reception and operation of objects and conceptions, that it is a wonderfull difficult thing for the beſt Chriſtian to diſcern clearly the bent and actions, and ſo the ſtate of his own ſo…. For in ſuch a crowd of cogitations and paſſions, we are like men in a Fair or crowd of people, where a confuſed noiſe may be heard, but you cannot well perceive what any of them ſay, except either ſome one neer you, that ſpeaks much lowder then all the reſt, or elſe except you ſingle out ſome one from the reſt, and go cloſe to him to confer with him of purpoſe. Our Intellect and Paſſions are like the lakes of water in the common roades, where the frequent paſſage of Horſes doth ſo muddy it, that you can ſee nothing in it, eſpecially that is neer the bottom; when in pure untroubled waters you may ſee a ſmall thing. In ſuch a confuſion and tumult as is uſually in mens ſouls, for a poor weak Chriſtian to ſeek for the diſcovery of his ſincerity, is according to the proverb, to ſeek for a needle in a bottle of hay. 5. Beſides all this, the corrupt heart of man, is ſo exceeding backward to the work of ſelf-examination, and the uſe of other means by which the ſoul ſhould be familiarly acquainted with it ſelf, that in a caſe of ſuch difficulty, it will hardly ever overcome them, if it were a thing that might be done. In the beſt, a great deal of reſolvedneſs, diligence and unwearied conſtancy in ſearching into the ſtate of the ſoul, is neceſſary to the attainment of a ſetled Aſſurance and Peace: How much more in them that have ſo ſmall and almoſt undiſcernable a meaſure of Grace to diſcover. 6. Yet further, The Conceptions, Apprehenſions, and conſequently the ſenſible motions of the Will, and eſpecially the Paſſions, are all naturally exceeding mutable: And while the mobile, agile ſpirits are any way the Inſtruments, it will be ſo: eſpecially where the Impreſſion which is made in the underſtanding is ſo ſmall and weak. Naturally mans minde and will is exceeding mutable, turned into an hundred ſhapes in a few daies, according as objects are preſented to us, and the temperature of the body diſpoſeth, helps or hinders the minde. Let us hear one man reaſon the Caſe; and we think he makes all as clear as the Light: Let us hear another ſolve all his Arguments, and diſpute for the contrary, and then we ſee that our Apprehenſions were abuſed. Let us hear him Reply and confute all again, and confirm his Cauſe, and then we think him in the right again. Nothing more changeable then the conceivings and minde of man, till he be throughly Reſolved and Habituated. Now in this Caſe, how ſhall thoſe that have but little Grace be able to diſcern it? It will not keep the minde from fluctuating. If they ſeem Reſolved for obedience to Chriſt to day, to morrow they are ſo ſhaken by ſome enticing object, and force of the ſame temptation, that their Reſolution is undiſcernable; nay actually they prefer ſin at that time before obedience: It is impoſſible then but the ſoul ſhould ſtagger and be at a loſs; for it will judge of it ſelf as it findes it ſelf: and it cannot diſcern the Habitual Prevalency of Chriſts Intereſt when they feel the Actual Prevalency of the fleſhes Intereſt. For the Act is the only diſcoverer of the Habit: And if Peter himſelf ſhould then have fallen to the examination of his heart, Whether he Preferred Chriſt before his Life, at the ſame time when he was denying and forſwearing Chriſt to ſave his Life, do you think he could have diſcerned it? and yet even then Chriſts Intereſt was greateſt in him Habitually. If David ſhould have gone to ſearch, whether he preferred obedience to God before his fleſhly pleaſure, when he was committing Adultery; or before his credit, when he was plotting the death of Ʋriah, what diſcovery do you think he would have made? 7. Add to all theſe, that as theſe ſeverall diſtempers, were they but in the ſame meaſure in a weak Chriſtian as they are in the beſt or in moſt, would yet make the ſmalleſt meaſure of Grace undiſcernable (if we might ſuppoſe the ſmalleſt Grace to be conſiſtent with ſuch a frame;) ſo it is certain that whoever he be that hath the leaſt meaſure of Grace to diſcover in himſelf, he hath proportionably the leaſt meaſure of abilities and helps to diſcover it, and the greateſt meaſure of all the forementioned hinderances: He that hath but a very little Repentance, Faith, Love and Obedience (ſincere,) when he goeth to finde it out, he hath in the ſame meaſure, a Darker Underſtanding to diſcern it, then others have; and a greater ſtrangeneſs and diſacquaintance with himſelf; and more deceitfulneſs in his heart; and a greater confuſion and hurlyburly in his thoughts and Affections, and all more out of order and to ſeek: Alſo he hath a greater backwardneſs to the work of ſelf-examination, and can hardly get his heart to it, and more hardly, to do it throughly and ſearch to the quick, and moſt hardly to hold on againſt all withdrawing temptations, till he have made a clearer diſcovery: And laſtly, his ſoul is more mutable then ſtronger Chriſtians are, and therefore when croſs Actings are ſo frequent, he cannot diſcern the ſmalleſt prevailing Habit. If (when you are weighing Gold) the ſcales be turned but with one grain, every little jogge, or winde, or unſteadfaſt holding will actually lift up the heavier end, and its preponderation is with great wavering and mobility. 8. Yet further, Conſider, thoſe that have leaſt Grace have moſt ſin, habitual and actual; and they are ſo frequent in tranſgreſſing, that their failings are ſtill in their eye: and thereby the prevalency of Chriſts intereſt is made more doubtfull and obſcure: For when he asketh his own conſcience, Do I will or love moſt the world and my fleſhly delights, or Chriſt and his wayes? preſently conſcience remembreth him, at ſuch a time, and ſuch a time thou didſt chooſe thy fleſhly pleaſures, profits or credit, and refuſe obedience: and it is ſo oft, and ſo foully, that the ſoul is utterly at a loſs, and cannot diſcern the Habitual prevalent bent and Reſolution of the Will. 9. Beſides, Conſcience is a Judge in mans ſoul, and will be Accuſing and condemning men ſo far as they are guilty: now they that make work for the moſt frequent and terrible Accuſations of Conſcience that will ſtand with true Grace, are unlikely to have Aſſurance. For Aſſurance quiets the ſoul and eaſeth it; and a galled Conſcience works the contrary way. They that keep open the wound, and daily fret off the skin more, and are ſtill grating on the galled part, are unlikely to have Aſſurance. 10. Again, Theſe weakeſt Chriſtians being leaſt in Duty and moſt in ſinning (of any in whom ſin reigneth not) they are conſequently moſt in provoking and diſpleaſing God. And they that do ſo, ſhall finde that God will ſhew them his diſpleaſure, and will diſpleaſe them again. They muſt not look to enjoy Aſſurance, or ſee the Pleaſed face of God, till they are more carefull to pleaſe him, and are more ſparing and ſeldom in offending him. As Gods univerſal Juſtice in Governing the world, will make as great a difference between the ſincerely Obedient and Diſobedient, as there is between Heaven and Hell; ſo God… Paternal Juſtice in Governing his family, will make as wide a difference between the more Obedient children and the leſs Obedient, as is between his dreadfull frowns, and his joyous reviving ſmiles; or between his ſmarting Rod, or his encouraging Rewards. 11. If God ſhould give Aſſurance and Peace to the ſinning and leaſt obedient believers, he ſhould not fit his providential diſpoſals to their good. It is not that which their ſtate requires, nor would it tend to their Cure any more then a healing Plaiſter to a ſore that is rotten in the bottom, or a Cordial to the removall of a cacochymy, or the purging out of corrupt redundant humours. They are ſo inclined to the Lethargy of ſecurity, that they have need of continual pinching, ſtriking or loud calling-on, to keep them waking: (ſtill remember, that by this weak Chriſtian, I mean not every doubting diſtreſſed ſoul, that is weak in their own apprehenſion, and little in their own eyes, and poor in ſpirit: but I mean thoſe that have the leaſt meaſure of ſincere Love to Chriſt, and deſire after him, and tenderneſs of conſcience, and care to pleaſe God, and the greateſt meaſure of ſecurity, worldlineſs, pride, fleſh-pleaſing, and boldneſs in ſinning, which is conſiſtent with ſincerity in the faith.) I believe there is no father or mother that hath children to govern, but they know by experience, that …here is a neceſſity of frowns and rods for the more diſobedient; and that rewards and ſmiles are no cure for ſtubbornneſs or contempt. 12. Laſtly, Do but well conſider, what a ſola…ciſme in Government it would be, and what deſperate inconveniences it would have brought into the world, if God ſhould but have ſet ſuch a punctual landmark between his Kingdom and the Kingdom of Satan, as we are ready to dream of: If God ſhould have ſaid in his Word, juſt ſo oft a man may be drunk, or may murder, or commit adultery, or ſteal, or forſwear himſelf, and yet be a true Chriſtian and be ſaved! Or juſt ſo far a man may go in neglecting duty to God and man, and in cheriſhing his fleſh, hiding his ſin, &c. and yet be a true Believer and be ſaved. This would 1. Embolden men in ſinning, and make them think, I may yet venture, for I ſtand on ſafe ground: 2. And it would hinder Repentance: Indeed it would be the way to rob God of his honour; and multiply provocations againſt him, and keep his children in diſobedience, and hinder their growth in holineſs, and cauſe a deformity in Chriſts body, and a ſhame to his Religion and ſacred name. As for thoſe that ſay, Aſſurance never encourageth men in ſin, but tends to deſtroy it. I anſwer, It is true of Gods Aſſurance, ſeaſonably given to thoſe that are fit for it, and uſed by them accordingly: But if God ſhould have told all the world, juſt how far they may ſin, and yet be certain of ſalvation, this would have bred Aſſurance in thoſe that were unfit for it, and it would have been but the putting of new wine into old crackt bottles, or a new piece into an old garment, that would break them, or make worſe the rent. I muſt therefore freely tell theſe objectors (I am ſorry that ſo many of my old acquaintance now harp ſo much on this Antinomian ſtring) that ignorance or error hath ſo blinded them, that they have forgotten, or know not 1. What an imperfect piece the beſt is in this life, much more the worſt true Chriſtian. 2. Nor what a ſubtil Devil we have to tempt us. 3. Nor what an active thing corruption is, and what advantage it will take on unſeaſonable Aſſurance. 4. Nor what the nature of Grace and Sanctification is; and how much of it lies in a godly jealouſie of our ſelves and apprehenſion of our danger, and that the fear of God is the beginning of wiſedom, See Heb. 4.1. Nay 5. They have forgotten what a man is, and how inſeparable from his nature is the Principle of ſelf-preſervation, and how neceſſary the apprehenſion of danger and the fear of evil to himſelf, is to the avoiding of that evil, and ſo to his preſervation. 8. Yea if they knew but what a Commonwealth or a family is, they would know that fear of evil, and deſire of ſelf-preſervation, is the very motive to Aſſociations, and the groundwork of all Laws and Government, and a great part of the life of all Obedience.
And thus I have fully proved to you, That the ſmalleſt meaſure of Grace, cannot help men to Aſſurance, in Gods ordinary way.
Perhaps you will ſay, What comfort is there in this to a poor weak Chriſtian? This is rather the way to put him quite out of heart and hope. I anſwer. No ſuch matter: I ſhall ſhew you the uſes of this obſervation in the following Directions. In the mean time I will ſay but this, The expectations of unſeaſonable Aſſurance and out of Gods way, is a very great cauſe of keeping many in languiſhing and diſtreſs, and of cauſing others to turn Antinomians, and ſnatch at comforts, which God never gave them, and to feign and frame an Aſſurance of their own making, or build upon the deluſions of the great Deceiver▪ tranſforming himſelf into an Angel of Light.