Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 1 · Sermon 9
SERMON IX.
Shewing the Lawfulneſs and Duty of proceeding by way of Signs, and proving that inherent gracious Qualifications within a man evidence his Justification.
2 COR. 13. 5.
Examine your ſelves, prove your own ſelves, &c.
WE have laid down ſeveral Propoſitions tending to the clearer Diſcovery of this truth about Signs or Marks of Grace. I now come to ſhew The Lawfulneſſe, yea the Duty both of Ministers and People to proceed by this method. For although my proper work is onelyonly to ſpeak of the fruits of Grace, as they evidence a principle of Sanctification within, yet I ſhall in this graſp alſo that other Queſtion Of evidencing our Juſtification by inherent gracious Inherent gracious Qualifications within us evidence our Juſtification.Qualifications within us, this latter being expreſly written and preached againſt; ſo that by this means godly Chriſtians are plunged into ſeveral intanglements of conſcience, and know not how to come out. I ſhall therefore (God aſſiſting) bring Arguments to confirm us in this Duty: onelyonly let us firſt underſtand, What the true practical Caſe and Queſtion is. And firſt the Queſtion is not, Whether a The Queſtion ſtated.Chriſtian in his firſt act of Faith, whereby he cloſeth with Chriſt, applieth him, and is engraffed in him, ought to ſee inherent Qualifications in him, by way of Signs and Evidences? for this is not poſſible: we muſt firſt by faith be implanted in Chriſt, before there can be any fruits demonſtrating this our inſition in him. The Apoſtle John, 1 John 2. 5. maketh the obſervation of Gods Commandments a ſign that we are in Chriſt, therefore we are in Chriſt before by faith; and thus in all the Promiſes, where a Chriſtian loaden with ſin is invited to Chriſt, there is not required a Knowledge or Certainty of what condition he is in, Whether his graces be true or no, but only out of the ſenſe and feeling of his own unworthineſs to apprehend Chriſt It is therefore a falſhood to preach thus, Thou maieſt not relie upon Chriſt for Juſtification, till thou haſt certainty and evidence in thy heart, whether grace be truly in thee or no? for the Scripture makes them bleſſed that hunger and thirst, that mourn, and cals thoſe that are burdened, and they ſhall have eaſe, although they may not have certainty of the work of grace at that time. This therefore is diligently to be attended unto, becauſe it cannot be denied but at this Rocke many a tender Chriſtian ſplits himſelf.
Nor ſecondly is the Queſtion, Whether a godly man in ſad temptations, having no light at all, ſhould then make ſearch for the motions and workings of grace in his ſoul? for that would breed further fears and uncertainties. The ſoul in temptations being like the muddied water, where nothing can be clearly repreſented, and as in the night the imagination is prone to repreſent nothing but objects of fear and terrors; ſo is the heart apt to do in thoſe deſolations: Hence David in ſuch exigences cals upon his ſoul to truſt in God, and to wait on him as the only remedy. And indeed in ſuch caſes, the proper duty of a godly man is to throw himſelf boldly upon the promiſe, and as Peter ventured to go upon the waters, when Chriſt called him; ſo becauſe of the Promiſe and gracious invitations, to go unto God, and relie upon him, in which ſenſe Job ſaid, Though he kill me, yet will I truſt in him.
Thirdly, The Doubt is not, Whether a godly man ſhould look for perfect Signs, ſuch as will fully riſe up to the obligation and perfection of the Law? for it is plain ſuch Signs can never be found. Therefore it is but an odious miſtake, when an Antinomian *Dr Criſpe in his Sermon of inherent Qualifications.argueth againſt univerſal Obedience as a ſign, becauſe no man can perform ſuch, or if it ſhould be limited to purpoſe of heart, yet none hath ſuch a conſtant purpoſe, becauſe of many corrupt ſuggeſtions and concuſſions within by luſts; for none do urge ſuch Signs, and therefore the leaſt grace diſcovered in the ſoul, that is ſincere and upright, though it be not grace to ſatisfie the deſire of a Chriſtian, yet it ought to be a ſign ſure enough to confirm his judgement of his intereſt in Chriſt.
Fourthly, The caſe is not, Whether inherent Qualifications of grace, be evidences of themſelves without the luſtre of Gods Spirit? For all ſay, this certainty ariſeth efficiently from the Spirit of God; Therefore Epheſ. 1. ſealing is attributed to the Spirit of God; ſo that we muſt not oppoſe a godly life, or graces to the Spirit of God, but conjoyn them together; even as in the certainty we have about the Scripture, we do not oppoſe thoſe Argumenta inſita, imbred arguments that prove the Divinity of the Scripture, ſuch as the ſtyle, majeſty, purity, &c. to the Spirit of God: but we ſay, Gods Spirit doth perſwade in, and by thoſe Arguments; ſo it is here, Gods Spirit doth ſeal unto us our intereſt in Chriſt by thoſe graces which are wrought in us.
Fifthly, The ſcruple is not, Whether theſe works of Gods Spirit in us, be to be reſted on as cauſes or merits of our Justification? This is ſuch Phariſaical Popery as is juſtly to be deteſted, we ſay not that a Chriſtian finding ſuch graces in him, ſhould build the comfort of his Juſtification upon them, or reſt on them in ſtead of Chriſt, but he is to make uſe of theſe, as Signs of Chriſts dwelling in him, whereby as from an effect of Gods love he may rejoyce in, and be thankfull unto God.
Sixthly, I will not draw in that diſpute neither, Whether this certainty Gods Spirit works in the godly, in and through the graces of Sanctification, be the only witneſſing and ſealing that is? or, Whether there be not an immediate teſtimony of Gods Spirit to the ſoul, either before or without thoſe gracious fruits of holineſſe? For my part, I think the former kinde of witneſſing, viz. by fruits of holineſs, the only ſafe and ſure way, and which the Scripture doth for the moſt part commend. Theſe things promiſed, I bring the grounds of this Duty, to proceed to certainty of Juſtification and regeneration, by the fruits of holineſſe iſſuing therefrom.
The firſt ſort of Arguments ſhall be from thoſe places of Scripture, which are deſcriptive Argum. 1.and characteriſtical of true grace from counterfeit; For therefore are thoſe differences ſo diligently preſſed, that every man may take heed, and diſcern the one from the other: Matth. 13. how copious is our Saviour in that Parable to give exact differences between the ſeveral grounds that received the ſeed, that is, the ſeveral workings upon mens hearts by the preaching of the Word, wherein ſome go very farre beyond others, yet only the good and honeſt heart was indeed accepted. Now upon this our Saviour ſaith, He that hath ears to hear let him hear, as if he ſhould ſay, This matter doth deeply concern you, Examine your ſelves in what rank you are, how farre the word of God hath prevailed over you. If therefore the auditor could not have told when he was good ground, and when thorny, ſuch deſcriptions had been to no purpoſe; ſo John 10. 4, 5. there you have a deſcription of Chriſts ſheep, They hear his voice, a ſtranger they will not follow, but flee from him; where it is good to obſerve, that as in other places it is made a mark of grace to take heed of ſin, and to love holineſſe; ſo here it is made a ſign of Chriſts ſheep, to take heed of errors and falſe teachers; They are afraid of falſe doctrines, as well as wicked waies: Oh how neceſſary is this ſign of grace to be preſſed in theſe times, to a people afraid of being led aſide from the true faith by any deceitfull pretexts whatſoever. Col. 3. 12. there you have a catalogue of ſeveral graces, which flow from Election; Put on (as the elect of God) bowels of mercies, &c. and generally whereſoever you finde deſcriptions of the properties of godlineſs, there ought we to parallel our lives with thoſe precedents, and ſee whether we expreſs them or no.
A ſecond ſort is From exhortatory places, where we are commanded to make Argum. 2.this ſearch, Whether grace be truly in us or no? Now if ſuch a trial were not lawfull and uſefull, who dare ſay, the holy Spirit would preſcribe it? The Text I am upon, how clear is it, Examine, prove your ſelves, whether ye be in the Faith? Now if any one ſhould reply againſt the Apoſtle, This is ſuch a duty it cannot be done, its derogatory to Chriſt, it will make us reſt in our ſelves: how unſufferable had ſuch gain-ſaying been, Gal. 6. 4. But let every man prove his own work, &c. where you have the duty of examining and ſearching the works we do, in the nature, ground, and intentions of them; and this is commanded as a remedy againſt arrogancy and pride, as appeareth verſ. 3. and this is alſo commended from the profitable effect thereof; he ſhall have rejoycing in himſelf alone, that is, his excellency ſhall not be apprehended by comparing himſelf with others that are worſe, or becauſe he is reputed godly in the judgement of others, but his comfort will be from within: and obſerve, in ſome ſenſe a rejoycing in a mans ſelf is lawfull, viz. as it is accompanied with a thankfull acknowledgment of the grace of God beſtowed on a man. But if we ſpeak in reſpect of Juſtification, then all matter of rejoycing or boaſting is excluded. In 1 Pet. 1. 10. you have a text that putteth this duty out of all queſtion, Wherefore the rather brethren, give all diligence to make your calling and election ſure; You will all grant election cannot be made more ſure in reſpect of God or it ſelf, but only in reſpect of us, that we may be more perſwaded of it. And how is that? he ſhewed in the verſes before, by adding grace to grace, and cauſing thoſe things to abound in them. This was the way to make all ſure, ſo that to proceed by way of Signes and Marks, is plainly enjoyned out of Scripture.
A third rank is From thoſe places of Scripture which by way of example and inſtance, Argum. 3.do prove, that the godly took their graces for ſigns and testimonies of Gods love, and thereby received much comfort; Yea, urged theſe, as an argument in praier for mercy, not by way of merit or cauſality, but as the effects of Gods grace, and ſo a further engagement for God to perfect his own work, 2 King. 20. 3. Hezekiah after he had laboured in a further Reformation, then any ever did before him, being the true Hercules that purged the Augaean ſtable, is ſtricken with a mortal diſeaſe from God, and now in what exigencies is he plunged! a great Army againſt him, no viſible ſucceſſour in his Throne, all his Reformation is like to goe backwards! In the midſt of all this darkneſſe ſee with what he ſupports himſelf, Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before thee with an upright and perfect heart, &c. Thus he uſed his graces for a ſign to confirm. The like did Nehemiah, Chap. 13. ſeveral times, eſpecially ſee his expreſſion verſ. 14. Remember me, O my God, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the houſe of my God. This place proveth no Popery, as if Nehemiah thought his good deeds perfect, and ſo a cauſe of mercy, for mark his expreſſion verſ. 22. Remember me, O my God, and ſpare me according to the greatneſſe of thy mercy. Thoſe good deeds needed mercy and pardon, yea greatneſs of mercy; As it goeth not ſo high to eſtabliſh perfection or merit of works, yet it doth fully confirm this truth, That a godly man may take comfort from his graces as ſigns and teſtimonies of Gods love to him. And whereas Grotius upon that paſſage of Hezekiahs maketh ſuch a narration of graces by the godly, peculiar only to the Old Teſtament; it is like many other of his notions, falſe and rotten; for Paul who was a continuall Trumpet of the grace of God, who counted all his own righteouſneſſe dung and droſſe to ſet up Chriſt, yet he proceedeth alſo by way of ſigns, 2 Tim. 4. 5. I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, hence forth is laid up for me a crown of glory; 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this, the teſtimony of our conſcience, that in godly ſincerity, we have had our converſation in the world, &c. So that by this of Paul, you may ſee, that a Chriſtian may at the ſame time exalt Chriſt and his grace, going out of his own righteouſneſſe for Juſtification, yet take comfort alſo from it. The Hiſtory of Job doth alſo abundantly confirm this truth, for when in the opinion of others God had caſt him off as an hypocrite, yet he would not part with the comfort of his integrity till death. In this caſe Job had no immediate conſolations from God, The arrows of the Almighty ſtuck deep in him, he poſſeſſed the ſins of his youth, and there was nothing which did ſtay him, but the comfort of his upright heart; ſo that a godly mans ſenſe and feeling of Gods grace within him, is a great bulwark in time of temptations: Neither is that of the Papiſts able to weaken this Aſſertion, when they ſay, Theſe experimental ſuavities which are felt in religious duties, do only beget a conjectural knowledge not an aſſurance of faith, becauſe the object thereof is not revealed in Scripture; for it may well be granted that this ſenſe of believing is not an act of faith, and that a man doth not properly believe he doth believe, but inwardly perceiveth and feeleth he doth believe, and ſo love God, &c. Yet this ſenſe is not fallacious, becauſe it is from a ſupernaturall principle within.
A fourth rank ſhall be From thoſe comparative expreſſions the Scripture uſeth, when it ſpeaks of Grace. Thus they are called fruits, Luk. 3. 8. Gal. 6. 2 Cor. 9. 10. Argum. 4.Now our Saviour laieth down an undeniable Maxim, Matth. 12. 33. The tree is known by its fruit, a good tree by its good fruit: Hence a good heart is alſo called a good treaſury from whence good things flow; now although trees becauſe without reaſon and ſenſe, know not themſelves by their fruit, but others only do: yet the children of God are by their good fruit both known to themſelves and others, yea more to themſelves then others, Becauſe no man knoweth the things of a man, ſave the spirit of a man: Grace alſo in the workings thereof is often compared to life, Gal. 2. 22. Now as a natural life is diſcerned by the actions thereof, as by ſo many ſigns, ſo alſo is ſupernatural life: but as in ſome diſeaſes the party affected perceiveth not any life; ſo neither do the godly in ſome ſad temptations.
The fifth rank of Arguments may be From all thoſe promiſſory places of Scripture, which speak comfort and encouragement to thoſe that have ſuch and ſuch exerciſes of Argum. 5.grace: now theſe Promiſes would afford no comfort at all, if a Chriſtian could not by way of ſigns gather when he had them. The Scripture in ſeveral places attributes Bleſſedneſſe to him that feareth alwayes, To him that keeps the Law of God, To him that is undefiled therein, To him that endureth perſecution for a good cauſe, To him that is pure and me…k in spirit. Now what encouragement could any godly man have, if he could not have this practical ſyllogiſme, The Scripture makes him that feareth, believeth, &c. Bleſſed: but I am ſuch an one that doth fear, believe, &c. therefore I am bleſſed; now although the major of this Propoſition be Scripture, yet the Aſſumption is from experience, a godly man being aſſiſted therein by the holy Ghoſt, and therefore the concluſion is undeniable.
Sixthly, Another rank of Arguments may be From all thoſe places of Scripture that are indicative, or eſtenſive of this truth; And for this, let us take John in his Argum. 6.firſt Epiſtle, who is moſt expreſſe in this way, as if he would on purpoſe deſtroy the contrary errour, 1 John 2. 3, 4, 5, Hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments, &c. The Apoſtle compareth our imperfect or hypocritical knowledge with a true knowledge of Chriſt. The true knowledge is operative, and bringeth obedience: The hypocrites knowledge is light only, and no heat at all. Now the Apoſtle laieth down two Propoſitions, firſt, That where there is a true knowledge of Chriſt, there is an obſervation of his Commandments; Secondly, That by this obſervation of his Law, we may know that our knowledge is good. To the ſame purpoſe alſo he ſpeaketh in the two following verſes; firſt, For our faith, that it muſt not only be carried to Chriſt as a propitiation for ſinne, but alſo to him as an example whom we are to imitate, he ought to walk as Chriſt walked, and by this imitation of Chriſt (ſaith the Apoſtle) we know we are in him, where obſerve two things; Firſt, That by ſaith we come to be implanted in Chriſt. Secondly, That we diſcover this our being in him by an holy walking; None therefore that plead for Sanctification as an evidence of Juſtification, make our graces to be thoſe things that put us into Chriſt, and by which we are juſtified; but theſe are teſtimonies and witneſſes to declare the truth of our real being in Chriſt. Proceed we to the third Chapter, verſ. 10. In this the children of God, and the children of the devil are manifeſt, foreign in this, that relateth to the axioms going before, He that is born of God ſinneth not, which is thus to be underſtood, viz. He ſinneth not, from ſuch a full and habitual purpoſe of will, ſo as that his ſin extinguiſheth the ſeed of grace within him; now howſoever this manifeſtation of the children of God and of the devil to others be but conjectural, yet to the godly man, whoſe heart by regeneration is cured in part of that innate guile which cleaveth to it, it is clear without any deceit. At v. 13. the Apoſtle exhorteth the godly not to wonder, if the world hate them; and to amplifie their conſolation herein he addeth v. 14. We know we are tranſlated from death to life, becauſe we love the brethren. This is the great ſign of godlineſs, to love another godly man, becauſe he is godly, and the more any is godly, the more to love him: as on the other ſide, to hate another becauſe his waies are good, and thine evil (which is too ordinary) is a demonſtration thou art of the devil; now this love of our brethren is not a cauſe of our tranſlation from death to life, for the very word [tranſlated] ſuppoſeth it a grace of God from without us, but it is a ſign only. Now although a Papiſt loveth a Papiſt, a Jew a Jew, thinking them more godly, when they are deceived therein, yet that doth not hinder a true godly man from loving another that is godly, and he have ſolid comfort therein: but more of this hereafter. The Apoſtle having made love of the brethren a ſign, he further explicates what this love is, not a complemental feigned love, but real and operative, for love is like fire, Si non operatur, non eſt, if it do not work it is an argument it is not at all, whereupon he maketh this again a ſign, by that expreſſion peculiar to the Apoſtle, hereby we know that we are of the truth, and ſhall aſſure our hearts before him, perſwade our hearts, as it is in the Greek, which implieth, That though the heart be full of doubts and unbelief, yet the diſcovery of ſuch grace within us, is able to ſatisfie our hearts, hereupon verſ. 10. he ſaith, If our hearts condemn us not, we have confidence towards God: Now here are two doubts; firſt, Whoſe heart doth not condemn him of much pride, vanity, neglect, &c. therefore none can have confidence: But the Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſuch a condemning, as is for total and reigning hypocriſie, not for partiall corruption which is in the moſt godly. A ſecond doubt may be of thoſe who perſecute the truth and the people of God, as the Jews and Paul did, whoſe hearts did not condemn them, but rather they thought they did God good ſervice; but the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of Chriſtians endued with the true Doctrine and Knowledge of Chriſt out of his Word, and as for ſuch, if their hearts reprove them not for hypocriſie, they have boldneſs with God. This Apoſtle is very frequent in urging the fruits of godlineſs by way of ſigns; but theſe may ſuffice to confirme the Doctrine.
The laſt Argument to prove this method by way of ſigns, may be thus urged, If Argum. 7.a Chriſtian may not gather the grace of Juſtification and Sanctification, by the fruits thereof, it would be for one of theſe grounds, either firſt the impoſſibility of it, as the Papiſts urge, it would not be poſſible for a man to know when grace is in him: but that is falſe, for howſoever a mans heart is naturally deceitfull, yet when regenerated, God takes away that guile in it, and ſo farre as it is ſpiritual it is ſincere and cannot lie; Or ſecondly, This would be uſeleſſe, having Aſſurance by Gods Spirit, what needs evidences by inherent graces; This is to light a candle when the Sunne ſhineth; but the teſtimony of the Spirit, and the evidence of graces make up one compleat witneſſe, and therefore are not to be diſ-joyned, much leſſe oppoſed, as is further to be cleared. Thirdly, It may be thought prejudiciall, and that two waies, either to Chriſt and his righteouſneſs, as if the comfort from theſe would take us from relying wholly upon Chriſt; but we told you Paul, who did ſo omnifie and exalt Chriſt and his righteouſneſſe, yet took comfort from his graces wrought in him; or elſe it may be thought the diſcovery of grace in us may make us proud and ſecure; but neither will this follow, becauſe hereby the gracious heart is ſtirred up to more thankfulneſs, watchfulneſs, leaſt we loſe ſuch a treaſure, and to fruitfulneſs.
Let the Uſe be to try our ſelves by this way of marks and ſignes which the Scripture giveth, and certainly there was never a time, wherein marks of grace may be more urged then now: how many place Religion in Opinions, in Diſputations, in Revelations! and the true power of Godlineſſe and Mortification is altogether neglected; This made the Apoſtle James in his Epiſtle, and Paul frequently in his to ſpeak againſt the Gnoſticks, a ſect riſen up in their time, that planted Religion in Knowledge, and arrogated that to themſelves only, for which reaſon the Apoſtles ſo much preſſed a godly and holy life: Therefore that thou maieſt not deceive thy own ſelf, ſtudy the Scripture-characters of grace, it may be all thoſe ſignes by which thou comforteſt thy ſelf, ſuch as abilities in duties, great enlargements, maintaining a different Church-government from others, are not in Scripture any marks of holineſſe, eſpecially conſider it's the property of Chriſts ſheep, not to hear ſtrangers, to flie from errours. Certainly our Saviour Joh. 15. deſcribing the branches that are in him, takes no notice of their leaves, their bloſſoms, but their fruit: Oh be afraid leſt Chriſts coming to thee be like that of his to the fig-tree, he ſaw leaves on it, but no fruit; whereupon he pronounced that curſe, Never fruit grow on thee more: So Chriſt finde opinions, diſputations, many abilities and outward duties, but no true holineſſe, and therefore he curſe thee, ſaying, Never fruit grow on thee, Shoot forth into leaves and branches, but never bear fruit. It is to be feared many live with ſuch a viſible curſe upon them; Holineſs of life muſt bejoined to the abilities of the head, Quae bona opera Chriſtianus facit, tot aureos annulos in digitos miſerit, As many good and holy actions thou doſt, ſo many rings thou haſt upon thy hand; Theſe adorn thee more then gold or ſilver.