Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 1 · Sermon 1
SERMON I.
How neceſſary and advantagious the Aſsurance of our being in the ſtate of Grace is.
2 COR. 13. 5.
Examine your ſelves whether ye be in the faith, prove your own ſelves, &c.
THe Church of Corinth, though it was a Garden immediatly planted by the Apoſtles, yet quickly was filled with noiſome weeds, whereupon the Apoſtle threatens it with ſevere Diſcipline, if they repent not; Eccleſiaſtical Diſcipline being in the Church, as the Sword is in the Commonwealth. The Corinthians diſtaſte this ſeverity, and queſtion his Apoſtolical power and authority: Love to mens luſts, and a deſire of ſecurity in them, rather then any ſolid Arguments, make men queſtion the Jus Divinum of Chriſts inſtitutions. The Apoſtle proveth his Calling by that ſpiritual ſucceſs and powerfull efficacy which his Word had among them, and therefore inſtead of proving and examining him, he commands them to try their own ſelves. This very Argument may the faithfull Miniſters of God in England uſe againſt many who now condemn their Calling.
In the words you have a Duty enjoyned. 2. The object matter of it, Which is illuſtrated from an abſurd conſequent, if this duty be neglected.
The Duty is ſet home in two emphatical words foreign, Examine your ſelves, and foreign, Prove your ſelves. The former word doth in the general ſignifie to take an experimental knowledge of any thing that is either uncertain, unknown or hidden. Hence that knowledge which we have by general arguments and abſtracted reaſons, cannot be called foreign an experimental knowledge. Now becauſe, beſides the bare knowledge, there may be alſo a good end or bad propounded in examination, therefore in an ill ſenſe the word is applied to the devil and his inſtruments, and in a good ſenſe to God, and here in the Text to our ſelves. It is further to be obſerved, that theſe words do imply that men are great ſtrangers to themſelves, and that ſo much ſelf-love doth blinde them, that they know not themſelves. Again, Theſe words alſo imply that there are certain Marks and Signs, whereby a man may come certainly to know what he is, duplicate page duplicate page otherwiſe this command would be in vain. To the ſame purpoſe is the word alſo foreign implieth a ſevere and diligent inquiſition into our ſelves, ſo as to have a full experience of what is in us; hence Rom. 5. 5. foreign is uſed for experience.
In the next place you have the object matter, Whether ye be in the faith. He doth not here ſpeak of Fides quae creditur, the Doctrine of faith; but the ſaving grace of faith, as appeareth by the other particular, Know ye not that Chriſt is in you? The Apoſtle ſaith, Ye in the faith, rather then faith in you, to ſhew the large extent of faith, that we are Subjects who do not contain it wholly; as he uſeth contrary phraſes to be in ſinne, and in the fleſh rather then ſinne, and fleſh to be in us; ſo ſome obſerve that, Enter thou into thy Maſters joy, not thy Maſters joy into thee; though that ſeem to be a fancy, and the true meaning is, Enter into the place of thy Maſters joy, for ſo foreign is uſed in Eſther. The Popiſh Commentators to elude this place when brought by the Orthodox, to prove, That a man may be certain of true grace in him, do anſwer, That the Apoſtle ſpeaks not here of the ſaving works of the Spirit, but the miraculous works; This is made an Argument that they were the Apoſtles of the true Meſſias, becauſe of the miracles wrought among them. And Gal. 3. 5. the Apoſtle proveth the true Doctrine of Chriſt to be among them, becauſe of miracles done to them; we may adde alſo Math. 11. 5. when Iohns Diſciples come to know, Whether he were the true Chriſt, Jeſus returneth this anſwer, The blinde receive their ſight, the lame walk, &c. As if he ſhould have ſaid, Theſe wonderfull works demonſtrate me to be the Meſſias. Now though it ſhould be granted, that this were part of the meaning, when the Apoſtle cals them to an experimental proof of his Apoſtleſhip among them, yet this cannot be all, becauſe Chriſt is not ſaid to dwell in us, according to the Scripture phraſe, or to be in us by a meer miraculous faith only.
The conſequent abſurdity is in thoſe words, Unleſſe ye be reprobates. Piſcator takes reprobates here as oppoſed to thoſe that are predeſtinated; but I preferre Baza's judgement, who underſtands it of a corrupt and unſound minde, thus, They might eaſily diſcover the work of Chriſt to be in them, or among them, unleſſe their underſtandings were in part depraved; for that he doth not ſuppoſe a totall unſoundneſſe in them, appeareth by the Greek, foreign, where foreign doth mitigate the ſpeech; therefore it is rendred by ſome, Unleſſe in ſomething you be unſound. That a reprobate minde is a corrupted minde, appeareth 2 Tim. 3. 8. Men of corrupt minde, reprobate concerning the faith, and Tit. 1. 16. Although we do not take reprobates here as oppoſed to predeſtinated, yet I ſee not why we may not well tranſlate it Reprobates, not as taking it for ſuch who are out of hope of ſalvation; but as the Scripture cals Reprobate ſilver, Jer. 6. 30. which hath no worth or fitneſſe in it for trade. Though the Apoſtle writeth here to the whole Church, yet the duty is to be obſerved reſpectively by every believer; Neither is that true of Eſtius, who to avoid the orthodox Arguments for Aſſurance of grace, ſaith, It may be eaſilier known, Chriſt is in ſuch a Church or Congregation, then in the heart of a particular believer: for the Text ſpeaks not of Chriſts being in his Doctrine and Ordinances among them, which indeed is eaſily diſcerned; but of his ſpiritual inhabitation by ſanctifying grace in them.
It is a duty of ſpecial concernment for the people of God to be aſſured of ſuch a true Obſerv. 1.and ſaving work of grace in them, as thereby they ſhall be differenced from unſound hypocrites.
There are certain Notes and Sign… of grace, whereby a man may diſcern what he is.Obſerv. 2.
A Practical and Experimental knowledge of Grace doth farre tranſcend a meer Notional and Theoretical: There is a great difference between him that hath heard Honey is ſweet, and him that hath taſted it. It is a rule among the Hebrews, That Verba notitiae, quandoque ſignificaut affectum & effectum. Words of knowledge do ſometimes ſignifie the affections in the heart, and the effects thereof in life, how well were it if they did always ſo ſignifie among Chriſtians. In former times Chriſtians did much labour after an experimental knowledge, now they luxuriate into a meer brain-knowledge; howſoever in phyſick we call that man by way of contempt an Emperick, who goeth by experience only, and hath no knowledge of the nature of things, yet to be an Emperick in Chriſtianity may have a good ſenſe. In legendis libris non quaeramus ſcientiam, ſed ſaporem, ſaid Bernard, In reading books let us not ſo much look for ſcience, as a ſavourineſs of the truth upon our hearts. Now when the Apoſtle commands us to prove and try our ſelves, it is to endeavour to feel that in actu ſecundo, as they ſay, in actual working, which we perſwade our ſelves is in us actu primo, or habitually. As for example, Every man thinketh he is a believer, he is regenerated; To prove or try our ſelves, is to apply thoſe notes and marks which the Scripture makes of ſuch, and thereby to have an experimental feeling of the actual exerciſe of theſe things. The Scripture Phil. 1. 9. cals this foreign ſenſe or feeling, where the Apoſtle diſtinguiſheth it from foreign; knowledge and judgement, making it to be the inward ſavoury ſenſe and feeling of divine things upon their hearts.
Now that this practical experimental work of grace in our ſelves, whereby we are able to diſcern what is true, and what is imperfect and counterfeit, is very neceſſary, will be made manifeſt from ſeveral grounds. As
Firſt, Our Saviour did in his Sermons much preſſe this point upon his hearers. If Reaſon 1.that be true which the Heathen ſaid, Quando ſapiens loquitur, aulaea animi aperit, when a wiſe man ſpeaks he openeth the rich treaſures and wardrobe as it were of his minde; This is much more true of Chriſt, in whom are the treaſures of wiſdom. And of all practical points in Divinity our Saviour is moſt frequently on this, That which is conceived his firſt Parable, Matth. 13. it is mainly to ſhew the difference of true grace from that which is like it only, and as being a matter of great concernment; it is ſaid Luke 8. 8. after the Parable was ended, Jeſus cried, He that hath ears to hear let him hear. Now that crying is never attributed unto Chriſts ſpeech, but when his affections were very earneſt, and the matter of great importance. It is alſo to be conſidered that this he ſpeaks to a multitude that thronged after him with great attention, yet to ſuch he declareth, That few have a good and honeſt heart to receive the Word. When therefore our Saviour himſelf ſhall thus preach, that you may in the uſe of the Ordinances finde much alteration made in your ſelves, you may have joy, faith, ſome kinde of reformation, and yet not be the good and right ſoil: what a provocation ſhould this be to us never to leave, till we be truly qualified: Our Saviour alſo ſpends another Parable to this purpoſe, Matth. 25. of the ten Virgins, where all are Virgins, that is, ſuch who had preſerved themſelves from the Idolatries and groſſe vices of the world; They both had lamps, they both go with confidence to meet the Bridegroom, and there is no differencing of one from the other, till the Bridegroom come: ſo that by this Parable it ſhould ſeem, that a Profeſſour having no more then a falſe imperfect or counterfeit work of grace, may live and die with a great deal of comfort and confidence, as if his condition were exceeding good, and not finde it otherwiſe till it be too late.
Again Matth. 7. 24, 25, 26, By two kinde of builders, one upon the ſand, the other upon the rock; What is repreſented, but two kinde of believers, one that hath the outward profeſſion and way of Chriſtianity, and he is alſo truly rooted upon Chriſt; but there is another who builds upon the ſand, who diggeth not deep enough; and this is the greateſt part of Chriſtians: thy faith, thy repentance, thy joy are not deep enough, now mark the conſequence, The fall thereof was great. Thy damnation will be ſo much the more terrible, when all thy religious duties, all thy external profeſſion ſhall fall to the ground. And it is a fall by way of rending, as the word ſignifieth, Oh how wofull to be rent from God, and thoſe duties which thou truſtedſt in. Therefore our Saviour at ver. 22. ſaith, Many will call to him at that day, Have not we propheſied in thy Name, eat and drunk in thy preſence? that is, offered Sacrifices and received Sacraments? but for all that Chriſt knoweth them not. By all this you ſee, how neceſſary it is we be not deceived about the work of grace, and that we ought to have both our eyes in our head, leaſt we take an whole ſpirituall eſtate in counterfeit coyn.
This experimental knowledge is of conſequence, becauſe of the eaſineſſe and proneneſſe in us to mistake. What Auſtin ſaid of the Doctrine of the Trinity, in nihilo Reaſon 2.facilius & periculoſius erratur, in nothing is the errour more eaſie and more dangerous; the ſame is applicable to this matter; for the words of examining and proving do imply the deceitfulneſs of our heart, that there are many falſe ſhapes and forms upon it. Hence are thoſe phraſes of ſearching our hearts and communing with our hearts; all which argue the difficulty of being fully acquainted with what is in it. The Papiſts indeed preſſe this too farre, as if therefore none could ever tell when they did truly love God, or had a ſincere heart; but the falſneſſe of this is in time to be ſhewed, only there is much truth in this, that there is ſo much ſelf-love and carnal confidence in us, that we eaſily perſwade our ſelvs that we are indeed ſuch as we ought to be. Ask every man one after another, who is not confident that he is regenerated, that he hath an intereſt in Chriſt, that his heart is good? and why are they ſo? but becauſe they do not faithfullycompare the notes and characters of true grace, and diligently apply them to their own ſelvs. The Jews and Phariſees could never be beaten out of thoſe vain hopes and carnal confidences. Hence the Apoſtle uſeth an emphatical word of a Jew, Rom. 2. 17. Thou reſteſt in the law, foreign, Thou art ſecure in the law, as in ſome admirable priviledge and ſignal teſtimony of Gods love; That which Chriſt promiſed, viz. Rest to their ſouls, they found in the law, ſo that no load of ſinne could burden them, becauſe they had reſt here. As it is thus of a Jew, ſo we may ſay of a Chriſtian, he reſteth in the Doctrine of the Goſpel, and the outward uſe of Ordinances, not feeling the weight of ſinne. Inſomuch that it were farre better to ſee people pray with fear, and eat their bread with trembling and aſtoniſhment, leſt they have gone no farther yet then hypocrites, then to be ſo carnally and falſly perſwaded of their good condition as they are. How many are indeed but Glow-worms, or white rotten trees, of baſe materials, though ſome ſhining there be in their converſation! Therefore this Text might be faſtned upon the gates of the whole world, upon every door, every poſt, Examine, prove your ſelves.
Thirdly, It is very dangerous to miſcarry in this matter. Oh the confuſion that fell upon the fooliſh Virgins when their want of oil was diſcovered. How wary Reaſon 3.are you to take clipt ſilver, or counterfeit coyn? but it is great danger to take counterfeit Repentance for true Repentance, counterfeit Faith for true Faith. If that praying, profeſſing of thine, be not good and ſound, thou art undone for ever. When the Apoſtle, Heb. 6. had reckoned up ſeveral particulars, which many among us do not attain unto, They were enlightned, they taſted of the good word of God, they were partakers of the holy Ghoſt, yet, ſaith he, I hope better things of you, and things that accompany ſalvation. What thunder and lightnings is here? better things then illumination, then participation of the holy things, better things then taſting of the good word of God? what, are not theſe things that do accompany ſalvation? May we not cry out with the Diſciples in another caſe, This is an hard ſaying, who then can be ſaved? Yet ſo it is, we Miniſters of Gods word may ſay, Except your righteouſneſs exceed that of outward profeſſion, of repeating of Sermons, of Family-duties, of common works of Gods Spirit, which are in temporary believers, you can never enter into the kingdom of heaven; and therefore we hope and pray for better things of you, even ſuch as will ſurely accompany ſalvation.
Fourthly, This practical diſcerning is of conſequence, becauſe of the difficulty to Reaſon 4.finde out the true differences between true grace and its counterfeit. It is hard doctrinally to lay down the bounds, wherein they differ, inſomuch that ſome Divines make the work of grace in the temporary believer to differ from that of the regenerated perſon, gradually only, not ſpecifically, but that is falſe. If then it be thus hard by way of Doctrine to ſet the bounds, how much more is it difficult for Chriſtians in their practice to mark out the right way? The hypocrite feels a joy, feels a ſorrow, feeleth a ſweetneſs in the Ordinances, and ſo doth the godly, but to ſhew how one is ſure he is not deceived, and the other is, this is hard, though indeed they do differ as much as one in a dream, or madneſs, that is really perſwaded of, and affected with ſuch great advantages, doth from him that is truly awake, and knoweth he is not in a dream. Therefore the words to try and prove, do ſuppoſe that a man muſt have knowledge of the rule: and the characters which do deſcribe ſuch a grace, he muſt alſo have skilfulneſs in managing by way of application theſe notes to himſelf, and this muſt be done out of a temptation, with much attending and perſevering thereunto. For as in doctrinal controverſies, that is the great Queſtion, Which is the true Church, and that which doth not erre? as alſo, What are the eſſential marks that do conſtitute a Church? So in practicals, This is the great doubt, What is the truth of grace? Whether I be the man that have it? And what are the notes to decipher it? And as for the former Queſtion, we would fain have ſome viſible infallible Judge to determine it that there might be no more diſpute: So here, we would deſire ſuch a peculiar revelation from heaven that ſhould by name ſay unto us, we are thoſe Chriſtians in whom are no guile.
Fifthly, It is of concernment, becauſe of the manifold advantages that will Reaſon 5. Advantages of this experimental knowledge of our ſelves. I.come to us, when we have attained to ſuch an experimentall knowledge of our ſelves. As
Firſt, We ſhall account all our former knowledge of divine things, and all our parts though never ſo admirable, to have been but like a tinkling cymbal. When thou comeſt to have this inward feeling of holy things upon thy heart, thou wilt bewail all thy duties, and conferences, and religious performances done by thee, as a Parrat that had no underſtanding of theſe things. If a man reade in a book, or ſee in a map ſuch and ſuch countreys, he hath indeed ſome confuſed knowledge, but if he travel himſelf into thoſe countreys, and ſee the Towns and buildings, he will ſay his former apprehenſion of them was but lame to what he hath now, or as the Queen of Sheba, who had heard rumours of Solomons wiſdom, when ſhe came to have an experimental knowledge of it, then ſhe was aſtoniſhed, and ſaid, All that ſhe had heard was nothing to that which ſhe ſaw; So it is in matter of grace, if God work theſe ſavoury inward experiments in thee, thou wilt be aſtoniſhed to ſee the difference between thy ſelf now and once; all that thou haſt heard, read or preached, is nothing to that thou feeleſt; But how is it to be feared, that many have ſeen godlineſs but in the Map only, they never had experience of the thing it ſelf. How many are there that talk of converſion or repentance, as men do of bringing forth a childe, who never had the experience of the throbs and pains that then are endured. Paul, what a long time did he live in a road of religious duties, but when he came to have an experimental work upon him, he died, whereas he was alive before, that is, he became ſenſible of the damnable and dangerous eſtate he was in, whereas he had great confidence of his good life and ſalvation before. And thus it is with every man that hath gotten experimental knowledge; Alas (ſaith he) I was alive once, I thought my ſelf ſome body, when I could pray, write Sermons, diſpute ſo underſtandingly, but now I ſee I did not know what that faith was, or godlineſs was, that I did argue ſo much about, I never knew any thing of God, or of his gracious works till now, will that ſoul ſay.
Secondly, Where there is this experimental knowledge, that mans heart is as it II.were the Bibles counterpane. The Scripture is the original, and his heart is the copy of it, he can read over the Promiſes, the Threatnings, and can ſay, Probatum eſt. David in his Pſalms, Paul in his Epiſtles, ſpeak that mans heart, feel that mans temptations, make that mans objections. Hence you have an excellent expreſſion, John 3. 33. He that receiveth his teſtimony, ſetteth to his ſeal, that God is true. The Scripture ſpeaketh of Gods ſealing to us, and our ſealing to him. In this place it is a Metaphor from their civil contracts which were confirmed and ſolemnly declared to be good by ſeals, Jer. 32. 10. So he that doth indeed receive the teſtimony of the Scripture, he doth ſolemnly declare by his life and converſation, that God is true; Therefore all thoſe who in the general ſay, they believe, yet ſhew not a practical converſation accordingly, they ſet not their ſeal that God is true.
Thirdly, Where this is, it will powerfully dead the heart to all humane excellencies; III.That as in man the Philoſophers ſay, the vegetative and ſenſitive life is ſwallowed up in the rational; ſo in a Chriſtian his natural and animal life is in great meaſure turned to his ſupernatural life. In the thorny ground there did the corn and thorns come up together, but where the life of grace is in the practical exerciſe of it, all ſuch ſuckers will be cut off. It is not head-notions, but heart-feelings that will exclude immoderacy of affections to other things. A man that a long while taſted of the wine of brain-knowledge, when he comes to taſte of this experimental knowledge, he will ſay The new is beſt. Hence Gal. 2. 20. Paul denieth he liveth, but Chriſt liveth in him. Omnis vita eſt propter delectationem, All life is for delight. Till therefore thou canſt take delight and experimental ſweetneſs in holy things, thy tongue indeed may be often about good things, but thy heart can never be in them. Love of the world may ſtand with the former kinde of knowledge, but not with the later. Ariſtotle obſerveth, that dogs cannot hunt where the ſent of ſweet flowers is, becauſe that diverteth the ſmell; ſo neither can we runne after Chriſt in the ſweetneſs of his ointments, when the ſmell of worldly delights and earthly refreſhments do interpoſe.