The Saints Everlasting Rest, Treatise 3 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Containing an Exhortation and Motives to Examine.
SECT. I.
HAving thus discoverd the Impediments to Examination,§. 1. I would presently proceed to direct you to the performance of it, but that I am ye… jealous whether I have fully prevailed with you wills; and whether you are indeed Resolved to set upon the Duty. I have found by long experience as well as from Scripture, That the main difficulty lieth in bringing men to be willing, and to set themselves in good earnest to the searching of their hearts.
Many love to hear and read of Marks and signs by which they may Try; but few will be brought to spend an hour in using them when they have them. They think they should have their Doubts resolved as soon as they do but hear a minister name some of these Signes▪ and if that would do the work, then Assurance would be more common: But when they are informed that the work lies most upon their own hands, and what pains it must cost them to search their hearts faithfully, then they give up and will go no further.
This is not only the case of the ungodly, who commonly perish through this neglect; but multitudes of the godly themselves are like Idle Beggars, who will rather make a practice of begging and bewailing their misery, then they will set themselves to labour painfully for their relief: So do many spend days and years in sad complaints and doubtings, that will not be brought to spend a few hours in Examination. I intreat all these persons, what condition soever they are of, to consider the weight of these following Arguments, which I have propounded in hope to perswade them to this duty.
SECT. II.
§. 2. Motive 1.1. TO be deceived about your Title to Heaven, is exceeding easie; and not to be deceived, is exceeding difficult. This I make manifest to you thus.
Mat. 7.22.26.27, &c. Prov. 14.12. Luk. 13.25, 26 Luk. 18.21, 11 Rev. 3.17. So Ananias and Saphira ▪ The rich man in Luk. 16. &c.1. Multitudes that never suspected any falshood in their hearts, have yet proved unsound in the day of Tryal; and they that never feared any danger toward them, have perished for ever: Yea many that have been confident of their integrity and safety. I shall adjoyn the proofes of what I say, in the Margin for brevity sake. How many poor souls are now in Hell, that little thought of comming thither? and that were wont to despise their counsel that bid them Try and make sure? And to say, They made no doubt of their Salvation?
2. Yea, and many that have excelled in worldly wisdom, yet have been befooled in this great business: and they that had wit to deceive their neighbours,Ahitophel, Gehezi, Ananias and Saphira. Pharisees, Jesuites, &c. Rom. 1.22. were yet deceived by Satan and their own hearts. Yea, men of strongest head-pieces, and profoundest learning, who knew much of the secrets of Nature, of the courses of the Planets, and motions of the Spheres, have yet been utterly mistaken in their own hearts.
3. Yea, Those that have lived in the clear light of the Gospel, and heard the difference between the Righteous and the Wicked plainly laid open, and many a Mark for Tryal laid down, and and many a Sermon pressing them to Examine, and directing them how to do it,Judas and the Jews that heard Christ. yet even these have been, and dayly are deceived.
4. Yea, those that have had a whole life's time to make sure in, and have been told over and over that they had their lives for no other end, but to provide for Everlasting Rest, and make sure of it, have yet been deceived, and have wasted that life-time in forgetful security.
5. Yea, those that have Preached against the negligence of others, and pressed them to Try themselves, and shewed them the danger of being mistaken,Mat 7.22. Rom. 2.21. 1 Cor. 9.27. have yet proved mistaken themselves.
And is it not then time for us to rifle our hearts, and search them to the very quick?
SECT. III.
2. TO be mistaken in this great Point is also very Common,§. 3. Motive 2. as well as easie: So common that it is the case of most in the world. In the old world we find of none that were in any fear of Judgement: and yet how few persons were not deceived? So in Sodom: So among the Jews: And I would it were not so in England! Gal. 6.3, 4, 7. Mat. 7.21.Almost all men amongst us do verily look to be saved: You shall scarce speak with one of a thousand that doth not: And yet Christ telleth us, That few find the strait gate and narrow way that leads to Life. Do but reckon up the several sorts of men that are mistaken in thinking they have title to Heaven,Ephes. 4▪ 18. Hosea 4.6. Isai. 27.11. 2 Cor. 4.3. Rev. 2.6, 20. as the Scripture doth enumera…e them, and what a multitude will they prove! 1. All that are ignorant of the Fundamentals of Religion. 2. All Heretick, who maintain false doctrines against the Foundation, or against the necessary means of Life. 3. All that live in the practice of gross sin. Titus 2 19. 1 Cor. 6.9. & 15.50. Eph. 5.4, 5, 6. Psal. 66.18. Jam 4 4, 5. Heb. 12.14. John 3.3. 2 Tim. 3.5. James 1.22. Mark 13.5, 6. Matth. 10.37. John 12 25.4. Or that love and regard the smallest sin. 5. All that harden themselves against frequent reproof. Prov. 29.1. 6. All that minde the Flesh more then the Spirit. Rom. 8.6.7.13. Or the world more then God. Phil. 3.18, 19. 1 John 2.15.16. 7. All that do as the most do. Luk. 13.23, 24, 25. 1 John 5.19. 8. All that are deriders at the Godly, and discourage others from the way of God by their reproaches. Pro. 1.22. &c. 3.34. & 19.29. 9. All that are unholy: And that never were Regenerate and born anew. 10. All that have not their very hearts set upon Heaven. Mat. 6.21. 11. All that have a Form of Godliness without the Power. 12. And all that love either parents, or wife, or children, or house, or lands, or life, more then Christ. Luk. 14.26. Every on of these that thinketh he hath any Title to Heaven, is as surely mistaken as the Scripture is true.
And if such multitudes are deceived, should not we search the more diligently, lest we should be deceived as well as they?
SECT. IV.
§. 4.3. NOthing more dangerous then to be thus mistaken. The Consequents of it are lamentable and desperate. If the Godly be mistaken in judging their state to be worse then it is, the consequents of this mistake will be very sad: But if the ungodly be mistaken, the Danger and Mischief that followeth is unspeakable.
1. It will exceedingly confirm them in the service of Satan, and fasten them in their present way of death. They will never seek to be recovered, as long as they think their present state may serve. As the Prophet saith, Isa. 44.20. A deceived heart will turn them aside, that they cannot deliver their own soul, nor say, Is there not a lye in my right hand?
2. It will take away the efficacy of means that should do them good: Nay, it will turn the best means to their hardening and ruine. If a man mistake his bodily disease, and think it to be clean contrary to what it is, will he not apply contrary remedies which will increase it? So when a Christian should apply the Promises, his mistake will cause him to apply the threatenings: and when an ungodly man should apply the Threatenings, and Terrors of the Lord, this mistake of his estate will make him apply the promises: And there is no greater strengthener of sin, and destroyer of the soul, then Scripture misapplyed. Wordly delights, and the deceiving words of sinners, may harden men most desperately in an unsafe way: But Scripture misapplied, will do it far more effectually and dangerously.
3. It will keep a man from compassionating his own soul. Though he be a sad object of pity to every understanding man that beholdeth him, yet will he not be able to pity himself, because he knoweth not his own misery. As I have seen a Physician lament the case of his Patient when he hath discerned his certain death in some small beginning, when the Patient himself feared nothing, because he knew not the mortal nature of his disease. So doth many a Minister or godly Christian lament the case of a carnal wretch, who is so far from lamenting it himself,Acts 7.54. that he scorns their pity, and biddeth them be sorry for themselves,Acts 22.22. they shall not answer for him; and taketh them for his enemies because they tell him the truth of his danger. As a man that seeth a beast going to the slaughter doth pity the poor creature, when it cannot pity it self because it little thinketh that death is so neer: So is it with these poor siners: and all long of this mistaking their Spiritual state. Is it not a pitiful sight to see a man laughing himself, when his understanding friends stand weeping for his misery? Paul mentioneth the voluptuous men of his time and the worldlings with weeping:Phil. 3.17, 18. but we never read of their weeping for themselves▪ Christ standeth weeping over Jerusalem, Luke 19.when they know not of any evil that was towards them, nor give him any thanks for his pity or his tears.
4. It is in a case of greatest moment, and therefore mistaking must needs be most dangerous. If it were in making an ill bargain, yet we might repair our loss in the next:Turpe est in re Militari dicere, Non putarem. Scipio was wont to say, It was an unseemly absurd thing in Military cases to say, I had not thought, or I was not aware; The matter being of so great concernment, every danger should be thought of, that you may be aware. Sure in this weighty case, where our everlasting Salvation or Damnation is in Question, and to be determined, every mistake is insufferable and inexcusable which might have been prevented by any cost or pains. Therefore men will chuse the most able Lawyers and Physicians, because the mistakes of one may lose them their Estates, and the mistakes of the other may lose them their lives: But mistakes about their Souls are of a higher nature.
5. If you should continue your mistakes till death, there will be no time after to correct them for your recovery. Mistake now, and you are undone for ever. Men think to see a man dye quietly or comfortably, is to see him dye happily: But if his comfort proceed from this mistake of his condition, it is the most unhappy case and pittiful sight in the world. To live mistaken in such a case is lamentable, but to dye mistaken is desperate.
Seeing then that the case is so dangerous, what wise man would not follow the search of his heart both night and day till he were assured of his safety?
SECT. V.
§. 5.4. COnsider how small the labour of this duty is in comparison of the sorrow which followeth its neglect. A few hours or days work, if it be closely followed and with good direction, may do much to resolve the Question. There is no such trouble in searching our hearts, nor any such danger as may deter men from it▪ what harm can it do to you to Try or to know? It will take up no very long time: Or if it did, yet you have your time given you for that end. One hour so spent will comfort you more then many otherwise. If you cannot have while to make sure of heaven, how can you have while to eat, or drink, or live? You can endure to follow your callings at Plow, and Cart, and Shop, to toil and sweat from day to day, and year to year in the hardest labours: And cannot you endure to spend a little time in inquiring what shall be your everlasting state? What a deal of sorrow and after-complaining might this small labour prevent? How many miles travel besides the vexation may a Traveller save by inquiring of the way? Why what a sad case are you in, while you live in such uncertainty? You can have no true comfort in any thing you see, or hear, or possess. You are not sure to be an hour out of Hell. And if you come thither you will do nothing but bewail the folly of this neglect. No excuse will then pervert Justice, or quiet your Conscience. If you say, I little thought of this day and place; God and Conscience may reply, why did'st thou not think of it? Wast thou not warned? Had'st thou not time? Therefore must thou perish because thou wouldest not think of it. As the Commander answered his Souldier in Plutarch, when he said, non volens erravi, I erred against my will; he beat him and replied, non volens poenas dato, Thou shalt be punished also against thy will.
SECT. VI.
5. THou canst scarce do Satan a greater pleasure,§. 6. nor thy self a greater injury. It is the main scope of the Devil in all his Temptations to deceive thee, and keep the ignorant of thy danger till thou feel the everlasting flames upon thy soul: And wilt thou joyn with him to deceive thy self? If it were not by this deceiving thee, he could not destroy thee: And if thou do this for him, thou dost the greatest part of his work, and art the chief destroyer and Devil to thy self. And hath he deserved so well of thee, and thy self so ill, that thou shouldst assist him in such a design as thy damnation? To deceive another is a grievous sin, and such as perhaps thou wouldst scorn to be charged with: And yet thou thinkest it nothing to deceive thy self. Saith Solomon, As a mad man who casteth fire-brands, arrows and death; So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, Pro. 26.18, 19.and saith, Am not I in sport? Surely then he that maketh but a sport, or a matter of nothing to deceive his own soul, may well be thought a mad man, casting fire-brands and death at himself. If any man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself, saith Paul, Gal. 6.3. Certainly among all the multitudes that perish, this is the commonest cause of their undoing; that they would not be brought to Try their state in time. And is it not pity to think that so many thousands are merrily travelling to destruction and do not know it, and all for want of this diligent search?
SECT. VII.
6. THE time is neer when God will search you:§. 7. And that will be another kind of Tryal then this. If it be but in this life by the fiery tryal of affliction, it will make you wish again and again, that you had spared God that work and your selves the sorrow; and that you had Tryed and Judged your selves,1 Cor. 11.30, 31. that so you might have escaped the Tryal and Judgment of God. He will Examine you then as officers do offenders, with a word and a blow: and as they would have done by Paul, Acts 22.14Examine him by scourging. It was a terrible voyce to Adam when God calls to him, Adam, where art thou? Qu…d profuerit … si sociis & c…cumstantibus s…am innocentiam prohaverit, c…m cum Jud…x cr…minis convic…u… t…neat? … nos s…mper ad Christi … si…amus; ei nos probimu…; & op ram demus ut nos ipsos pertentemu… penetume ut aliis, sic nobis impunamu…. Cartrit. Harmon. vol. 2, pag. 231.hast thou eaten, &c? and to Cain when God asketh him, Where is thy brother? To have demanded this of himself had been easier. Men think God mindeth their state and ways no more then they do their own. They consider not in their hearts (saith the Lord, Hos. 7.2.) that I remember all their wickedness; now their own doings have beset them about, they are before my face. Oh what a happy preparation would it be to that last and great Tryal, if men had but throughly Tryed themselves, and made sure work before-hand? When a man doth but soberly and believing think of that day, especially when he shall see the Judgment set, what a Joyful preparation is it, if he can truly say, I know the sentence shall pass on my side; I have Examined my self by the same Law of Christ which now must Judg me, and I have …ound that I am quit from all my guilt, and am a Justified person in Law already. Oh, Sirs; if you knew but the comfort of such a preparation, you would fall close to the work of Self-Examining yet before you slept.
SECT. VIII.
§. 8.7. LAstly, I desire thee to Consider, What would be the sweet effects of this Examining. If thou be upright and Godly, it will lead thee straight toward Assurance of Gods Love: If thou be not, though it will trouble thee at the present, yet doth it tend to thy happiness, and will lead thee to Assurance of that happiness at length.
1. The very Knowledg it self is naturally desireable. Every man would fain know things to come; especially concerning themselves: If there were a book written which would tell every man his destiny, what shall befall him to his last breath, how desirous would people be to procure it and read it? How did Nebuchadnezzars thoughts run on things that after should come to pass? and he worshipped Daniel, Dan. 2.29, 46, 4….and offered oblations to him, because he foretold them. When Christ had told his Disciples, that one of them should betray him, how desirous are they to know who it was? though it were a matter of sorrow?Mat. 26. Mat. 24. How busily do they enquire when Christs Predictions should come to pass, and what were the Signs of his coming? With what gladness doth the Samaritan woman run into the City,John 4.29. saying, Come and see a man that hath told me all that ever I did; though he told her of her faults? When Ahaziah lay sick, how desirous was he to know whether he should live or dye?2 Kings 1 2 Daniel is called a man greatly beloved, therefore God would reveal to him things that long after must come to pass.Dan. 9.23. & 10.11, 19. And is it so desireable a thing to hear Prophecies, and to know what shall befall us hereafter? and is it not then most especially desireable to know what shall befall our Souls? and what place and state we must be in for ever? Why this you may know, if you will but faithfully Try.
2. But the Comforts of that Certainty of Salvation which this Tryal doth conduce toward, are yet far greater: If ever God bestow this blessing of Assurance on thee, thou wilt account thy self the happiest man on earth, and feel that it is not a Notional or empty mercy. For 1. What sweet thoughts wilt thou have of God? All that Greatness, and Jealousie, and Justice which is the terror of others, will be matter of encouragement and Joy to thee: As the son of a King doth rejoyce in his fathers Magnificence and Power, which is the awe of Subjects, and terror of Rebels. When the thunder doth roar, and the lightening flash, and the earth quake, and the signs of dreadful omnipotency do appear, thou canst say, All this is the effect of my Fathers power.
2. How sweet may every thought of Christ, and the blood that he hath shed, and the benefits he hath procured, be unto thee who hast got this Assurance? Then will the Name of a Saviour be a sweet Name; and the thoughts of his gentle and loving nature, and of the gracious design which he hath carried on for our Salvation, will be pleasing thoughts: Then will it do thee good to view his wounds by the eye of faith, and to put thy finger, as it were, into his side, when thou canst call him as Thomas did, My Lord, and my God!
3. Every passage also in the Word will then afford thee Comfort: How sweet will be the Promises when thou art sure they are thine own? The Gospel will then be Glad Tydings indeed. The very threatnings will occasion thy Comfort to remember that thou hast escaped them. Then thou wilt cry out with David, Oh how I love thy Law! It is sweeter then honey; More precious then gold, &c. And as Luther, That thou wilt not take all the world for one leaf of the Bible. When thou wast in thy sin, this Book was to thee as Micaiah to Ahab; It never spoke Good of thee, but Evil; and therefore no wonder if then thou didst hate it: But now it is the charter of thy Everlasting Rest, how welcom will it be to thee? and how beautiful the very feet of those that bring it?Rom, 10.15.
4. What boldness and comfort then mayst thou have in prayer? When thou canst say, Our Father, in full Assurance; and knowest that thou art welcom and accepted through Christ, and that thou hast a promise to be heard when ever thou askest, and knowest that God is readier to grant thy requests then thou to move them; With what comfortable boldness mayst thou then approach the Throne of Grace?Heb. 10.22 19 Especially when the case is weighty, and thy necessity great, this Assurance in prayer will be a sweet priviledg indeed: A despairing Soul that feeleth the weight of Sin and Wrath, especially at a dying hour, would give a large price to be partaker of this Priviledg, and to be sure that he might have Pardon and Life for the asking for.
5. This Assurance will give the Sacrament a sweet relish to thy Soul, and make it a refreshing feast indeed.
6. It will multiply the sweetness of every mercy thou receivest, when thou art sure that all proceeds from Love, and are the beginnings and earnest of Everlasting Mercies: Thou wilt then have more comfort in a morsel of bread, then the world hath in the greatest abundance of all things.
7. How comfortably then mayst thou undergo all Afflictions? When thou knowest that he meaneth thee no hurt in it, but hath promised that All shall work together for thy Good;Rom. 8.28. Heb 12.6, 7. Psal. 75.76. when thou art sure that he chasteneth thee, because he loveth thee, and scourgeth thee, because thou art a Son whom he will receive, and that out of very faithfulness he doth afflict thee, What a support must this be to thy heart? and how will it abate the bitterness of the Cup? Even the Son of God himself doth seem to take comfort from this Assurance, when he was in a manner forsaken for our sins; and therefore he cries out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And even the Prodigal under his guilt and misery doth take some Comfort in remembring that he hath a Father.
8. This Assurance will sweeten to thee the fore-thoughts of death, and make thy heart glad to fore-think of that entrance into Joy;Num 23.10. when a man that is uncertain whither he is going, must needs dye with horror.
9. It will sweeten also thy fore-thoughts of Judgment, when thou art sure that it will be the day of thy absolution and Coronation.
10. Yea the very thoughts of the flames of Hell will administer matter of Consolation to thee, when thou canst certainly conclude thou art saved from them.
11. The fore-thoughts of Heaven also will be more incomparably delightful, when thou art certain that it is the place of thine Everlasting abode.
12. It will make thee exceeding lively and strong in the Work of the Lord: With what courage wilt thou run, when thou knowest thou shalt have the prize? and fight, when thou knowest thou shalt conquer?1 Cor. 15.58. It will make thee always abound in the work of the Lord, when thou knowest that thy labour is not in vain.
13. It will also make thee more profitable to others. Thou wilt be a most chearful encourager of them from thine own experience. Thou wilt be able to refresh the weary, and to strengthen the weak, and speak a word of Comfort in season to the troubled Soul: Whereas now without Assurance, in stead of comforting others, thou wilt rather have need of support thy self: So that others are losers by thy Uncertainty as well as thy self.
14. Assurance will put life into all thy Affections or Graces. 1. It will help thee to Repent and melt over thy sins, when thou knowest how dearly God did Love thee whom thou hast abused. 2. It will enflame thy Soul with Love to God, when thou once knowest thy near Relation to him,Psal. 116.1. & 18.1, 2. and how tenderly he is affected toward thee. 3. It will quicken thy desires after him, when thou art once sure of thy Interest in him. 4. It is the most excellent Fountain of Continual Rejoycing,1 Thes 4.17, 18 Hab. ….17, 18, 19. 5. It will confirm thy Trust and Confidence in God in the greatest straits, Psal. 89.26. and 46.1, 2, 3, &c. 6. It will fill thy heart with Thankfulness. 7. It will raise thee in the high delightful work of Praise.Psal. 118.28. Isai 25.1. 8. It will be the most excellent help to a Heavenly Mind. 9. It will exceedingly tend to thy Perseverance in all this. He that is sure of the Crown will hold on to the End, when others will be tired and give up through discouragement.
All these sweet effects of Assurance would make thy Life a kind of Heaven on Earth. Seeing then that Examination of our states is the way to this Assurance, and the Means without which God doth not usually bestow it, doth it not Concern us to fall close to this Searching Work?
SECT. IX.
§. 9.I Would not have bestowed this time and labour in urging you with all these fore-going Considerations, but that I know how backward man is to this duty. And though I am certain that these Motives have weight of Reason in them, yet experience of mens unreasonableness in things of this Nature, doth make me Jealous, lest you should lay by the Book when you have read all this, as if you had done, and never set your selves to the practise of the duty. Reader, Thou seest the Case in hand is of greatest moment: It is to know, Whether thou shalt Everlastingly live in Heaven or Hell? If thou hast lived hitherto in dark uncertainty, it is a pitiful case: but if thou wilfully continue so, thy Madness is unexpressible: And is it not wilfully, when a through Tryal might help thee to be Resolved, and thou wilt not be perswaded to be at so much pains? What sayst thou now? Art thou fully resolved to fall upon the Work? Shall all this labour that I have bestowed in perswading thee be lost, or no? If thou wilt not obey, I would thou hadst never read these lines, that they might not have aggravated thy guilt, and silenced thee in Judgment. I here put this special Request to thee in behalf of thy Soul; nay I lay this charge upon thee in the Name of the Lord, That thou defer no longer, but take the next opportunity that thou canst have, and take thy Heart to task in good earnest, and think with thy self, Is it so Easie, so Common, and so Dangerous to be Mistaken? Are there so many wrong ways? Is the heart so guil…ful? Why then do I not search into every corner? and ply this work till I know my state? Must I so shortly undergo the Tryal at the Bar of Christ? And do I not presently fall on Trying my self? Why what a case were I in if I should then miscarry? May I know by a little diligent Enquiry now? and do I stick at the labour? And here set thy self to the duty.— Object. But it may be thou wilt say, I know not how to do it. Ans. That is the next Work that I come to, to give thee Directions herein: but, alas, it will be in Vain if thou be not resolved to practise them. Wilt thou therefore before thou goest any further here promise before the Lord, to set thy self (to thy power) upon the speedy performing of the duty according to these Directions which I shall lay down from the Word? I demand nothing unreasonable or impossible of thee: It is but That thou wouldst presently bestow a few hours time, to know what shall become of thee for ever. If a neighbor, or common friend, desire but an hours time of thee, in conference, or in labour, or any thing that thou mayst help them in, thou wouldst not sure deny it: How much less shouldst thou deny this to thy self in so great a Case? I pray thee take this request from me, as if upon my knees in the Name of Christ I did prefer it to thee: And I will betake me upon my knees to Christ again, to beg that he will perswade thy heart to the Duty: And in hope that thou wilt practise them, I will here give thee some Directions.