A Cabinet of Choice Jewels, Chapter 1 · Maxim 16
The Sixteenth Maxim or Conſideration.
SIxteenthly, Conſider, If you cannot, if you dare not ſay that you have grace,Mark 4.26, 27, 28. yet do not ſay that you have no Grace, for the being of Grace in the ſoul is one thing, and the ſeeing of Grace in the Soul is another thing. A man may have Grace, and yet not know that he has Grace, he may have a ſeed of God in him, and yet not ſee it;1 Joh. 5.13. he may believe, and yet not believe that he does believe; the child lives before it knows that it lives. If you cannot ſay that your Graces are true, yet do not ſay they are counterfeit, leſt you bear falſe witneſs againſt the real work of the Spirit in you. There are none ſo apt to queſtion the truth of their Grace as thoſe are that are truly gracious; though Satan cannot hinder the holy Spirit from working true grace in the Soul,1 John 4.4. Pſal. 77. yet he will do all he can to fill the Soul with fears and doubts and jealouſies about the truth of that grace that the holy Spirit has wrought in it. When did you ever know the Devil to tempt an Hypocrite to believe that his Graces were not true, and that certainly he had not the root of the matter in him; if you cannot ſay that you have an intereſt in Chriſt, yet do not ſay that you have no intereſt in Chriſt, for a man may have an intereſt in Chriſt, and yet not ſee his intereſt in Chriſt, not know his intereſt in Chriſt; there are many precious Chriſtians that walk in darkneſs, who yet have an intereſt in that Jeſus that is all Light, Life,Iſa. 50.10. and love; if you cannot ſay that your pardon is ſealed in the Court of your own Conſcience, yet do not ſay that tis not ſealed in the Court of Heaven, for many a Chriſtian has his pardon ſealed in the Court of Heaven,Pſal. 51. before tis ſealed in the Court of his own Conſcience. A Pardon ſealed in the Court of Conſcience,Rev. 2.17. is that new name and white ſtone which God does not give to every one at firſt Converſion; God will take his own time to Seal up every Chriſtians Pardon in his boſome. If you cannot ſay that your name is written in the Book of life, yet do not ſay that tis not written in the Book of life; the Diſciples names were firſt written in Heaven before Chriſt bid them rejoyce,Luke 10.20. becauſe their names were written in Heaven. A man may have his name written in Heaven, and yet it may be a long while before God may tell him that his name is written in Heaven. I you cannot ſay that the precious Promiſes are yours, yet do not ſay that they are childrens Bread, and ſuch dainties that your Soul ſhall never taſt of; tis not every precious Chriſtian that has an intereſt in the Promiſes,Pſal. 77. Pſal. 88. 1 Pet. 1.4. that can run and read his intereſt in the Promiſes. If you cannot ſay that the heavenly inheritance is yours, yet do not ſay that tis not yours, do not ſay it ſhall never be yours. A Chriſtian may have a good title to the heavenly inheritance, and yet not be able to make good his title, to clear up his title; as a child in the arms or in the Cradle, may be heir to a Crown, a Kingdom, and yet he is not able to make good his title. If you cannot ſay that you have Aſſurance, yet do not ſay that you ſhall never have Aſſurance, for a man may want Aſſurance one year, and have it the next; one MonethMonth, and have it another;Luke 19.1-10. Acts 16.29-35. Rom. 11.33. one week, and have it another; one day, and have it another; yea, one hour, and have it another. If you cannot ſay that you ſhall certainly go to Heaven, yet do not ſay that you ſhall undoubtedly go to Hell, for who made you one of the Privy Counſellors of Heaven, who acquainted you with the ſecret decrees of God, &c. Now were this Rule but throughly minded, and conſcientiouſly practiſed, O how well would it go with many tempted, troubled, bewildered, and clouded Chriſtians! O how would Satan be diſappointed, and poor ſouls quieted, compoſed, and refreſhed. But,