A Cabinet of Choice Jewels, Chapter 1 · Maxim 9 – Maxim 10
The Ninth Maxim or Conſideration.
NInthly, Conſider this, That in divers men there are divers degrees of Aſſurance, and in one and the ſame gracious Soul, there are different degrees of Aſſurance at divers times, but there is in no man at any time in this life, perfection of degrees, for our underſtanding and knowledg in this Life is imperfect, both as to the faculty and its acts, 1 Cor. 13.12. For now we ſee through a glaſs darkly (Gr. in a Riddle) but then face to face: Now I know in part, but then ſhall I know even *As, is not a note of equality, but likeneſs, ſo that the ſenſe may be this, look as God knoweth me after a manner agreeable to his infinite excellency, ſo ſhall I know God according to my capacity, not obſcurely, but perfectly, as it were face to face.as alſo I am known. A clear diſtinct, immediate, full and perfect knowledg of God is deſirable on earth, but we ſhall never attain to it till we come to Heaven, this Well is deep, and for the moſt part we want a Bucket to draw withal, the beſt of men can better tell what God is not, than what he is; the moſt acute and judicious in Divine knowledg, have and muſt acknowledg their ignorance, witneſs that great Apoſtle Paul, who learned his Divinity among the Angels, and had the Holy Ghoſt for his immediate Tutor, yet he confeſſes that he knew but in part; certainly there is no man under heaven that hath ſuch a perfect, compleat and full aſſurance of his Salvation (in an ordinary way) as that one degree cannot be added to the former; Neither is there any repugnancy in aſſerting an infallible aſſurance, and denying a perfect aſſurance, for I infallibly know that there is a God, and that this God is holy juſt and true, and yet I have no perfect knowledg of a Deity, nor of the holineſs juſtice and truth of God, for in this life the moſt knowing man knows but in part: Dear friends, in the Church of Chriſt there are Believers of ſeveral growths, there are Fathers, young men, Children and Babes, 1 John 1.13, 14. 1 Pet. 2.2. And as in moſt families there are commonly more Children and Babes than grown men; ſo in the Church of Chriſt there are commonly more weak ſtaggering doubting Chriſtians than there are ſtrong ones, grown up to a full aſſurance. Some think, that as ſoon as they be aſſured, they muſt needs be void of all fears, and filled with all joy in believing; but this is a real miſtake, for glorious and raviſhing joy is a ſeparable accident from Aſſurance, nor yet doth Aſſurance exclude all doubts and fears, but only ſuch doubts and fears as ariſeth from infidelity and reigning hypocriſy. But,
The Tenth Maxim or Conſideration.
TEnthly, Conſider we have no ground from Scripture to expect that God ſhould either by a Voice from Heaven, or by ſending an Angel from about his Throne, or by any glorious apparitions or ſtrong impreſſions, or by any extraordinary way of Revelations, aſſure us that we do believe, or that our Grace is true, or that our intereſt in God and Chriſt is certain, or that our pardon is ſealed in Heaven, or that we are in a juſtified ſtate, and that we ſhall be at laſt undoubtedly ſaved, O no! But we are to uſe all thoſe bleſſed helps and means that are appointed by God, and common to all Believers, for the obtaining of a particular Aſſurance that we are Believers, and that our ſtate is good, and that we have a ſpecial propriety in Chriſt, and in all the fundamental good that comes by him. Mark, he that will receive no eſtabliſhment, no comfort, no peace, no aſſurance, except it be adminiſtred by the hand of an Angel, and witneſſed to by ſome Voice from Heaven, &c. will certainly live and dye without eſtabliſhment, comfort, peace, or aſſurance. Gregory tells us of a Religious Lady of the Empreſſes Bed-Chamber,Vide Gregorii Epiſtolae á Lapide in 8. ad Rom. v. 16. whoſe name was Gregoria, that being much troubled about her Salvation, did write unto him, That ſhe ſhould never ceaſe importuning of him, till he had ſent her word that he had received a Revelation from Heaven that her ſins were pardoned and that ſhe was ſaved. To whom he returned this Anſwer, That it was a hard, and altogether a uſeleſs matter which ſhe required of him; It was difficult for him to obtain, as being unworthy to have the ſecret Counſels of God to be imparted to him, and it was as unprofitable for her to know; and that firſt, becauſe ſuch a Revelation might make her too ſecure; and ſecondly, becauſe it was impoſſible for him to demonſtrate and make known unto her or any other, the truth and infallibility of the Revelation which he had received, to be from God, ſo that ſhould ſhe afterwards call into queſtion the truth of it, as well ſhe might, her troubles and doubtings concerning her Salvation would have been as great as they were before. O therefore let all Believers that would have ſure eſtabliſhment, ſound comfort, laſting Peace, and true and ſweet aſſurance of the love of God, and of their intereſt in Chriſt, &c. take heed of flying unto Revelations, Viſions or Voices from Heaven to aſſure them of their Salvation, and of the love of God, and of their intereſt in Chriſt, &c. If you who are advantaged to conſult H ſtory, pleaſe to do it, you will find upon Record, that where one hath been miſtaken about ſearching his own heart, and trying his wayes, and obſerving the frame and temper of his own ſpirit, many hundreds have been eternally deceived and deluded by Voices, Viſions, Apparitions, Revelations,2 Theſ. 2.9, 10, 11, 12. and ſtrange impulſes and ſtrong impreſſions, eſpecially among the Romaniſts; and within theſe few years, have not many hundreds in this Nation fallen under the ſame woful deluſions, who are all for crying up a Light within, and a Chriſt within, &c. And this you are ſeriouſly and Conſcientiouſly to obſerve in oppoſition to the Pap…ſts, who boldly and ſtoutly affirm, That aſſurance of a mans Salvation can be had by no other means than by extraordinary Revelation: Witneſs the Councel of Trent, who have long ſince ſaid, That if any man ſay that he knoweth he ſhall certainly perſevere, or infallibly be aſſured of his Election, except he have this by ſpecial Revelation, let him be Anathema. Without all peradventure God will one day croſs and curſe ſuch a wicked Councel that curſeth, that Anathematizeth his people for aſſerting and maintaining that that may certainly be obtained in this life, as I have ſufficiently proved by ten Arguments in my Treatiſe called Heaven on Earth, from page 1. to page 26. I think there is a great truth in that confeſſion of Faith that ſaith, that infallible Aſſurance doth not ſo belong to the eſſence of Faith,1 John 5.13. Iſa. 50.10. Mark 9 24. 1 Cor. 2.12. 1 John 4.13, 14. Heb. 6.11, 12. Epheſ. 3.17, 18, 19. 2 Pet. 1.10. but that a true Believer may wait long, and confl…ct with many difficulties before he be partaker of it; yea, being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God, he may without any extraordinary revelation, in the right uſe of ordinary means, attain thereunto; and therefore 'tis the duty of every one to give all diligence to make his Calling and Election ſure. But,