Great Precious Promises, Sermon 8
SERMON VIII.
… Cor. 13.5.
Examine your selves, whether ye be in the faith? prove your own selves, know ye not your own selves, how that Iesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
THere are two great ballances into which men do weight themselves; there are some that weight themselves in the ballance of deceit, who …ink that in all their labours there is no ini…uity to be found, yet God who is the weigher … the spirit, when he shall weigh them will …grave this upon their forehead, Thou art …eighed in the ballance, and are found light: but there are many who approve themselves, whom Christ shall never approve▪ There are many that call God Father, whom he will not call Children, and many that call Christ Husband, whom he will not call Spouse. 2. There are some who weigh themselves in the ballance of the Sanctuary, who upon solide and most spiritual grounds do draw this conclusion, I am my beloveds and his desire is towards me, who can with boldness and confidence look Christ in the face, and say, thou art mine, and with much spiritual confidence, take him in their arms, and cry out, he shall bee eternally mine: and sure there is not a more pleasant life than to be taking him every day in our arms, and to be crying out, Am I not made up in him, am I not made up in him,
Before I come to the words, there are three great and most soul-concerning errour… amongst the Christians of these dayes, that we desire ye may consider. 1. There are many that are more desirous to know what they are, then what they should do; there are some are more taken up to know whether they be justified and sanctified, then to be indeed justified and sanctified; and they are more desirous to know if they be in Christ, then indeed to be in him: and therefore we finde many who do spend a great deal more time disputing that question, Whether am I in Christ or not, then they do i… using of these means by which real union and communion with him may be attained: But oh, will ye once study more to be in him, and that shall be the shortest way to attain to the knowledge of your being in him. The second great errour is, that some are more desirous to know what they should do, then they are desirous to do what they know; Are there not many of us that have this question, Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and yet we do not know his Commandment is with us; and that wee should do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. A third errour is, that we are more in talking of Christ, than in believing in him, or closing with him: Some of us think to win to heaven by discourses, if we can talk of Christ, wee think all is without debate or controversie; but alas, there are many who were sweet talkers of Christ, that are cursing him this day in Hell. And I would only say this by the way, if there be any of you that have win to any soul perswasion of your interest in Christ, I intreat you if you can put the conclusion upon record, that in such a day of such a Month, and such a Year of God, you did then win to cry out, I am my beloveds and he is mine: It seemeth to have been Davids practice, Psal. 16.2. O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord; and it was Ierimiahs practice, Lam. 3.24. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, I say, yee should even mark that conclusion as they did, that when tentations come, and begin to assault you, ye may look to your record that yee have set down, and bee ashamed to misbelieve. It is true, that for a little while our assurance at best will be but ebbing and flowing, but I hope ere long, we shall bee above the reach of misbelief, and above the reach of fears, I hope ere long, we shall dispute no more, we shall be jealous no more, and we shall question our interest no more, when all our disputings and questionings shal be sweetly drowned in that infinit ocean of eternal delight and fruition of God. O expectants of heaven, expectants of heaven, are ye not looking after this day, are ye not looking after it: I know not what we do here, if we be not walking forward every day: he is upon his way; O to see him, we will even stand and wonder at him: I hope the day is coming when we shall never lose our grips of Christ any more, he is coming, he is coming; and I think if▪ Christ would give a Passe, we would long to go hence: O what streets are these that are there, is there any here who is groaning for heaven, be of good comfort, I hope ere long he shall come, he shall come and wash all tears from our eyes.
Now at the last occasion, when we spake upon these words, we told you that there was five or six things which we intended to consider in them. The first was, that such a thing as a distinct and well grounded perswasion of our interest in Christ was attainable; and of this we have already spoken. The second thing is, That concerning this noble and excellent thing assurance, there are many mistakes among the people of God, and to make this evident, is is clear first in this Text, from that serious and acurate search in this matter, which the Apostle putteth these people unto, as we cleared unto you from the force of the words, and his doubling of these exhortations, Try your own selves, prove your own selves. 2. From the many commands which the Lord hath left upon record that we should not be mistaken concerning our assurance, 1 Cor. 3.18. Let no man deceive himself, Gal. 6.3. If a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself, and therefore doth the Apostle adde, Let every one prove his own work, and verse 7. Be not deceived. 3. The point is clear from this, that we find in Scripture many who have been mistaken most dreadfully in the matter of their assurance, Hos. 8. Israel cryeth out, my God we know thee, and yet Israel was in a great mistake, for in the words following, verse 3. Israel had cut off the thing that was good, and Prov. 30. verse 12. we finde there, A generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their iniquities. 4. It is clear from this, that it is a great design of Satan the great deceiver, that we might be mistaken about that noble and weighty point of our Assurance of being in Christ: Is there not a power given unto him from Christ to deceive the Nations; I may say, that in no point doth he more prevail to deceive us then in this: If profanity kill its thousands, delusion kills ten thousands, & this delusion its twenty thousands. Lastly, Doth not this prove how much a Christian may be mistaken in the matter of his Assurance, even that came which is given to our hearts, Ier. 17. vers. 9. It is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, and who can know it; no doubt this may show us (though there were no more) how ready our hearts are to deceive us, making us to entertain a delusion in stead of truth, and imbrace a shadow in stead of substance.
The next thing that wee have to speak to you upon this point, is to show you where these mistakes do lye, and what are these false grounds by which so many do deceive their own souls in this matter; and here there are two sorts of persons whom we must inform. 1. There be some who upon most unwarrantable grounds do conclude that their interest in Christ is sure, when indeed it is not. 2. There be some (upon the other hand) who from sad mistakes of themselves, and the Lords dealing towards them, deny that they have an interest, when indeed they have. The first sort are the worst, and in the most dangerous condition, and they build upon these six false foundations, which wee beseech them to consider.
The first is▪ their supposed sensible enjoyments, some Christians in these times especially do meet with some flashes of light and joy which they have not been (it may bee) acquainted with before, or at least, not i… such a measure, or in such a sensible manner, and upon this they presently cry forth, My beloved is mine, and I am his. I shall not dispute with such about the reality of these enjoyments, or how they came to know that these are such as proceed from a saving work of the Spirit of Grace, but waving that debate, give me leave to say this much of all enjo…ments and sensible manifestions (as in the point in hand) they may bee sometime a good supporter to underprop a Christians assurance when i… …, but never a good foundation whereon he may lay the first stone of that building: and therefore, …ee is the wiser-Christian who first tryeth the reality of his interest in Christ by other blessed fruits of righteousnesse and holinesse before he …ust the reality of sensible enjoyments, how sweet or comfortable soever they may seem to be. 2. Some build their assurance upon the number and bulk of their duties, without considering the frame of their spirit, and the principle from which they flow, they use prayer, and reading, and conference, they wait upon Ordinances, and are alwayes there where the means is thought to bee▪ most powerfull▪ and upon this they take up themselves in their own arms, blessing themselves as that poor man, Luke 18. I fast twise a week, I pay tithes of all that I possesse: But alas, they do not consider that they▪ do but build their house upon the sand, which the first blast of a temptation will overturn, because not only all our duties when weighed in the ballance, may be found light, but when put to the tryal may be found empty, dead, and lifelesse things, wherein the LORDS soul can have no pleasure. 3▪ Some are mistaken in the matter of their assurance, by judging themselves by the law, not knowing or not regarding the spiritual meaning thereof: Paul was a gallant man (in his own apprehension) when hee was without the Law, that i… ▪ when he knew not the spiritual meaning of the Law, he thought himself the most eminent … in all his N… tion, and as he sheweth us, Phil▪ …. he could compare with any of them, but when the Lord opened his eyes, we see, he put himself last in the roll of Saints, and first in the roll of sinners, Rom. 7. He was alive without the Law, that is, thought himself living and reigning above his sinnes; but when the commandement came, that is, when it came to his knowledge, and he saw the spirituality of it, sin revived, and he died, then hee saw how that hee had triumphed before the victory, he then saw all his sins alive, and, as it were, risen from the dead, and himself a dead man, lost and undone in the estate hee was in. O how many are there amongst us in Pauls first condition, alive without the Law: O how many destroy themselves with this, they think there is not a sin forbidden in all the Law of God but onelyonly Ten, but alas, thou fool thou errest in this, not knowing the Scriptures; should thou not judge thy self by that spiritual extent of the meaning of the Law, and that divine commentary which the Apostle Iames hath set forth upon it, wherein hee sheweth thee, That if thou bee guilty of the breach of one point, thou art guilty of all; and by that infallible exposition which Christ himself the blessed Law giver hath set down, Mat. 6. whereby hee discovereth adultery in the heart and in the eye. O atheist, thou must take up the Ten Commands, and subscribe guilty to them all: And let mee tell you this, if yee will subscribe the Law to Christ, He will subscribe the Gospel to you; if thou wilt sincerely say, I am guilty, Hee will as sincerely say, I have pardoned; Son or daughter, be of good courage, thy sins are forgiven thee.
Fourthly, Some build their assurance upon the apprehension of their hatred of some particular sin, that albeit it was sometimes as their right hand, or their eye, yet now they can pluck it out, or cut it off: But O! will thou but consider, some sin may be made weak, and the soul (though not upon a right principle) brought to hate it, and to cry unto it, get you hence, and yet the interest of Satan may be strong in the heart.
The fifth mistake is of many who judge themselves, because they go a greater length then the former, and are kept free from all grosse outbreaking sin; how many are there who go sleeping down to hell with this? I am no drunkard, no adulterer, no murderer, no thief nor whore; this long have I lived in the town, and they were never born that can say, I wronged them: and so they adventure their soul upon this, they never committed any grosse sin. But I beseech you bee not deceived, remember how that wretched man did speed, Luke 18.11. I am no extortioner, nor adulterer, nor even as this publican, &c. poor creature that hee was, Christ giveth not a testimonial to every one who take it for themselves; and I must tell some of you, that there may bee desperate atheists without God, and without Christ in the world, and yet be free of grosse outbreaking sins: I do not think, but many of these who crucified the Lord of Glory, were keeped from other grosse sins, What knowest thou O man that there is more favour shewed to thee, in that thou art keeped from some grosse sinnes, when yet thou hast a desperately wicked heart, then is shewed to the devil, when some links of his chai… are taken in, and restraining power, keeping him i… from his outmost bounds. God will sometimes restrain a hypocrite, or a heathen, as it was said of Abimelech, and God restrained him ▪ there may be a cord put upon thy jaws, when thou art far from having the power of conquering grace. It may be also that all that abstaining from outward outbreakings, proceedeth but from outward disadvantages, and not from any fear of God, or respect to him, yea, not so much as from the fear of any eternal punishment: Are the…e not many amongst us. I believe it, there are many, that take away shame, and Church ce…su…e, or civil punishment, and other inconveniences of that sort, and set a thousand hells before them, they would not be keeped back from one sinne, but would take their hazard of them all: Yea, is it not want of tentation, and nothing else that hindereth many from grosse out-breakings? If Satan would come but with a kindled match, there wanteth no more to set tongue and hands and all on fire of hell, O wretched soul, do but ask thy self how often thou hast tempted Satan, when he would not tempt thee, and how often thou hast followed a tentation when it fled from thee; yea, when the Lord hath hedged up thy wayes that thou could not overtake thy lovers, how many a long look hast thou sent after them, and what lustings of thy spirit within; and do ye think that heart sins are nothing, although thou had no out-breakings what were the matter of that; if thou had not a tongue thou would break the third command, and curse God in thy heart, if thou had not an eye, thou could commit adultery in thy heart; if thou had not a hand, thou might commit murder in thy heart. O therefore build not thy assurance upon this, that thou hast made clean the outside of the platter, when yet all filthinesse it within.
The sixth false foundation upon which I am sure too many build thir assurance▪ is their gifts and pa…s, and especially upon these two, the gift of prayer, and the gift of knowledge; but believe it, it is not much to be a Christian in tongue, but it is much to be a Christian in heart; know ye not that this will cast out many, We have prophesied in thy Name, and in thy name cast out devils. No doubt, these had been excellent flourishers, and if the tongue would have done it, they had been highly advanced; but yet yee see these men meet with a depart from mee … know you not. Ah, think upon it, he is not the best Christian that is the best Orator, Religion that is pure and undefiled, consisteth more in the affection, the… in the tongue, and more in practice, then in profession: I beseech you, when you cast up your evidences of assurance, consider how well yee have done, and not how well yee have spoken.
The seventh false ground whereby many do misjudge themselves, is, their supposed peace of conscience: O saith one, my conscience doth not charge mee with any thing, I thank God I have a quiet mind, and nothing trouble me; but a…, poor wretch, will thou tell me, may not the strong man be within, and therefore all is at peace; a dumb conscience, and a s…ared conscience, is a dreadfull plague. Knowest thou not that many say, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of my own heart, and because they say so, the Lord shall not spare them, but all the curses in his Book shall ly upon them.
The eighth false ground, is, the approbation of other Christians, so that if they have the approbation of some such exercised Christians, or if they have the approbation of such a Minister, that is the way to silence all their disputings. O cursed bee the person that putteth his trust in men who are liars; O man or woman, let me assure you this, if yee had a testimoniall to present to Christ, subscribed with all the hands of every Christian that ever yee we…e acquainted …th, this will be enough for Christ to reject you, and it both, I know you not, and therefore depart from me. There is an emphasis in that word, I know you not, as if he had said, it is not much though all others know you, If I know you not.
The ninth false ground, is, their diligent observing all the Ordinances, their going to Preachings, and their going to Communions, and running to and fro, pretending this …, that knowledge may be increased; but know it, there are many that have sitten down at a Table with Christ here, that shall never sit down at the higher Table with him hereafter: Are there not many that shall say unto Christ in the great Day, Have we not …aten and drunken in thy presen…e, unto whom Christ shall say, Depart from me, I know you not.
The tenth false foundation, which is the strong delusion of Atheists▪ of which no doubt there are many here to day: is the building of their eternall happinesse upon this, I … with a crosse, I never knew what it was to have a sad day; but to thee I shall onelyonly say, it may be thou never had a joyful day, neither in all …hy sinful pleasures under the Sun; but let me tell thee, it is …ad Divinitie to conclude, therefore I am in the way to Heaven: It may be it were better reasoning▪ (and though I will not say it, yet it cometh nearer truth) I had never a crosse, therefore I am going on in the way to Hell: O wilt thou but consider, what if Hee be heaping coals upon thy head, and fatting thee to the day of slaughter? What if this word be your portion? Eat, drink, and bee merrie while you are here, for to morrow thou must …ternally die. What are all your pleasures? and what are all your honours: and what are all your possessions? What are they all? Are there not a bone cast unto a …? the Lord valueth them not, What if they be the fa…ting of you to the day of slaughter?
Now as to these who deny they have any interest in Christ, when indeed they have, they commonly deceive themselves, and … their own spirits upon some of these … the like mistakes. 1. Some judge of their estate by their present frame and conditions, so that if they be in an evil frame, they begin and … the foundations; and to such I would onelyonly say, That every change of condition doth not speak a change of estate; … childe of God may be in much darknesse, and under much deadnesse▪ and ye… a childe of God still▪ Psal. …. It was … evil … be as a beast before God, and … then …e keepeth grips▪ and holdeth him by the right hand▪ Iob was often in a very ill …, and yet holdeth fast his integrity▪ and why then should thou upon that account cast away thine.
2. Christians judge their estate by dispensations, they think every change of dispensations, speaketh a change of estate, and if Christ do not smile alwayes, we know not what it is to keep up the faith of our interest; and indeed this is a great fault among Christians, that when they cannot read love in the beautifull face of Christ, they think it is not in his heart. What though he change his dispensation, doth that speak forth a change of thy estate. Christ cannot change his voice to us, but we think he changeth his heart, Christ he cannot speak to us in the whirle-wind; but we cry out, Why art thou become unto me as an enemy? Oh, shall precious Christ be thus mistaken.
The third ground of mistake about our interest in Christ, is, that we judge of our estate by what we are in our selves, and not by what wee are in Christ. When a Christian beginneth to judge and search himself, he can finde nothing in himself; but what is the matter of doubting, and therefore thinks it high presumption to think himself a Believer: But O fool, can thou not look to Christ, and cry out, though in my self I be nothing, yet in him I am all: O if Christians knew to judge of themselves be what they are in Christ, and not be what they are in themselves, that with one eye they might look to themselves, and cry out, I am undone, and with another look to Christ, and cry out, There is hope in Israel concerning me, that with one eye they might look to themselves, and blush, and with another eye they might look unto Christ, and hope, that with one eye they might look to themselves, and weep, and with another eye they might look to Christ and rejoyce. O Christian will thou judge alway of thy self, be what thou art in Christ, and not be what thou art in thy self; yea, I would say this to thee by the way, when thou mee…est with tentations that put thee to dispute thy interest, do but send them to Christ to get an answer, and say, O precious Christ, answer this tentation, for this is Christs way with the soul, the Law must bring us back to Christ, and Christ must …en… us back to the Law, and deliver us over to it, not to the condemning power of it as before, but the directing and guiding power of it as a rule of holinesse; so that a Christians whole life must be a sweet and constant travelling between Christ and the Law: when thou hast broke the Law, flie unto Christ to take away thy guilt, and when thou hast closed with Christ, come running out again in his strength to perform the Law.
The fourth mistake is, that Christians judge of their estate by the measure of their graces, more nor by the sincerity of them; some Christians, if they finde not love in such a degree, and if they finde not repentance in such a degree, immediately they begin and raze the foundations, and do call their enjoyments delusions, and their faith presumption, and their mortification hypocrisie; but I must say this to thee, we should not onelyonly weigh our graces in the ballance, but try them also by the touch-stone, for the smallest piece of gold is gold, and the least degree of faith, is alike precious faith, with that the Apostles themselves had.
The fifth ground of mistakes among Christians is this, That they compare themselves more unto the Saints, then they judge of themselves by the Word. O saith one, if I were like David, I would believe, but I am not like David, nor Iob, nor Hezekiah: and therefore there is none of the Saints to which I should go, and if I should call, there is none to answer, and why then should I believe: I would onelyonly say to thee whose objection that is, it is even Davids objection, Psal. 22.5, 6. Our fathers trusted in thee; O they were excellent men; But what a man am I? A worme, and not a man, and yet, he was put from that objection: and I would say this, Are yee below him: In what? I hope yee are not below David in necessity: Now though ye be below him in grace, if ye be not below him in necessity, yee have so much the more right to believe; for as wee said before, necessity giveth you a right, and the more necessity, the greater right to believe.
The sixth ground is, That Christians judge of their estate by Christs part of the Covenant, and not by their own, rather examining themselves by what Christ hath promised to do for them, then by what is left to them to do, which thing if it were headed, would put a close to many of our mistakes and disputings.
Having now laid out some mistakes upon either hand, the next wee would do, i… to propose some considerations to presse you to guard against these mistakes, especially the first.
And the first consideration is, That mistakes about one interest in Christ, and assurance, is a most universal and popular evil; it is not one of a …y, nor two of a family, but many are mistaken in their interest in Christ: that word, Prov. 30.12. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not cleansed from their iniquity, it is not one or two that are under this mistake, but it is a generation: And I suppose, there are many of us, we are of this tribe and generation, Matth. 7.22. Hee saith, many in that day shall say unto mee, Lord, Lord, and have wee not prophesied, and yet hee shall say unto them, I know you not: Since it is so universal a mistake, I intreat you be much in the search of your selves, search your own selves: Certainly I think, if there were but within this Church one that were under this mistake, it should put us all to this, Master is it I, Master is it I; but how much mo… since there is a generation of mistakers, should it not be our exercise every day to cry out, is it I.
The second consideration is, That as it is a most universal, so also it is a most irrecoverable mistake; if ye mistake about this your being in Christ, there is no making up of that mistake; if once yee passe the borders of Time with this lie in your right hand, I am in Christ, there is no hope of recovery, eternity will cut off accesse to make up that mistake: I intreat you go not down to your grave with this, I am in Christ, when yet Christ may say, I know you not: I believe it, if ye could have a testimonial subscribed by the hands of all the most eminent and tender Christians that ye have known, that yee are indeed a Saint, a…d if all the Ministers that ever you spoke to should praise you in the gate, and declare you to be a son and daughter of Abraham; yet when you shall bring up your testimoniall to Hevean, and the Father shall read it, and shall ask you where is my Sons Name, if that be not there, it will certainly be rejected, and cast over the bar.
Thirdly, It is a soul destroying delusion, this mistake about ones interest in Christ, is the very ruine of their immortal soul, according to that word, Isa. 44.20. A deceived heart hath led them aside, and what is the fruits of it, so that he cannot deliver his soul, and by consequence it may be said, that they destroy their soul; I believe it, there are many that go to hell in a chariot of delusion; we know some Christ guideth to Heaven by the gates of hell, and letteth them not see life till they be in sight of hell; but it is true also; there are others whom the devil guideth to hell, by the very borders of Heaven, he maketh them believe they are dwelling in the gate of Heaven all their dayes, and yet at last they are thrust down to these habitations that are prepared for the devil and his angels.
Fourthly, If once a person be mistaken about their interest in Christ, they will have these three notable disadvantages attending upon them. 1. As long as he is under this mistake, he is without all reach of profiting by the Ordinances, for when he heareth preaching, he will apply promises, when he should apply threatnings, and upon the other hand, apply threatnings when he… should apply promises, and so that which should be his medicine, becometh poison to him. 2. As long as he is under this mistake, it maketh him that he cannot pity nor have compassion upon himself, that though he be the most suitable object of compassion, yet he knows not what it is to weep over his own ruine. 3. Readily all his graces are but delusions, all his good motions are but flashes, and all his mortification counterfeit, and all his tendernesse is but the mother of stupidity, and therefore guard against mistakes about your interest in Christ I intreat you.
Fifthly, Consider, that mistakes about ones interest, is a most abiding and constant mistake, believe it, if once we mistake in this, it is one to a hundred if ever wee come right again: this is clear, Ier. 8.5. They hold fast deceit, they keep it with both their hands: And, Isa. 44.20. Their is a lie in their right hand, that is, they hold the lie and they keep it with all their power; I say, if once one be mistaken concerning their interest in Christ, it is hard to put them from it, yea, delusion it is such an abiding thing, that we find Christ speaketh of it, as if it would wait upon one before the judgement seat of Christ, and as if some would never quite their hope of heaven, till Christ pronounce that word, Depart from me, I know you not, delusion may carry us over the borders of Time, and lead us in to Eternity.
Sixthly, There is much counterfeit Religion that is in those dayes, their is a painted faith, there is a painted love, there is a painted mortification, and there is a painted tendernesse; some they love shaddows and pictures, and yet they do not love the very shaddow of Christ, and are there not many who think they are imbracing Christ, and yet are imbracing a delusion and a fancy.
That which thirdly wee would speak to from this poi…, is, to give you some evidences by which yee may know if the assurance ye have of your being in Christ, be right or no: Believe it, there are many that draw that conclusion, I am in Christ, which the devil and their own deceitfull heart hath drawn, and Christ never gave consent to it: And I shall propose these seven or eighth evidences of real assurance, by which ye may discern.
First, A real assurance is a purifying and sanctifying assurance: this is clear, 1 Ioh. 3.3. Every man that hath this hope in him, that is, perswaded of this that he shall come to heaven, He will purifie himself, as he is pure: And 2 Cor. 7.1. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh, and of the spirit. O! When a Christian getteth Christ in his arms, hee cannot but cry forth, What have I to do any more with idols: When he hath once gotten Christ in his arms, he will answer every tentation that he meeteth with this, I am not mine own, I am bought with a price, I cannot now dispose of my self: and if your assurance of going to heaven be not a purifying assurance; be perswaded of it, it is but the devils pillow sowed under your arm holes: is it possible a person can be assured of heaven, and not study holinesse, can such a delusion at this overtake you.
Secondly, A real assurance putteth the Christian to a pressing and earnest pursuit after communion and fellowship with God: is it possible for one to be assured, and not to …e saying, he is sick of love: this is clear Song 2.16, 17. My beloved is mine, and I am his; and immediately▪ followeth, Turn thee, O my beloved, and be like a roe, or a young har… upon the mountains of Bether: And it is clear, Song 7.10, 11. I am my beloveds, and his desire is towards me: and what followeth upon that, She cometh and inviteth Christ, O come down with me to the fields, let us lodge in the villages. O when gave ye Christ such an invitation as this, O precious Christ, let us lodge in the villages, and go down to the secret places of the field: and Psal. 63.1. My God, there is his assurance; and immediately followeth upon that, Early will I seek thee, my soul thirsteth after thee as in a dry parched land where no water is. There is a pressing desire after communion. But I would ask you, Are there not many here who have the hope of heaven (to their apprehension) and yet the desire of communion with Christ was never with them: I desire to say to thee, (be who thou will) Be not deceived, God is not mocked, that which thou sowest, thou shall also reap. I think there are some of us, we would let Christ live in Heaven many dayes without giving him one visit, if He would let us alone: But O if we were within sight of our interest in Christ, how often would this be our complaint when he were absent, They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him; or my idol hath carried me away from Him, and I know not where to find Him.
Thirdly, Assurance of our being in Christ, will put us to the exercise of praise; believe it, I think this is one of the most searching evidences of assurance: There are some Christians they will be convinced for the neglect of the duty of prayer, but for the neglect of the duty of praise, they never have one conviction; and I tell you the reason of it, prayer is a selfish grace, (so to speak) but praise it is a denying grace, prayer seeketh, but praise giveth, Exod. 15.2. He is my God, I will prepare him an habitation, and he is my fathers God, I will exalt him, Psal. 118.28. He is my God, I will praise him, he is my God, I will exalt him: What needeth David these repetitions, might not one serve? No saith he, I would even spend my dayes in this, My God, my God, there is much of heaven in that word, My God, and love committeth many sweet batoligies: Now I say to thee, was thou ever put to the heart exercise of praise, by this assurance that thou hast, this is an evidence indeed, but alas, many of us cannot say it.
Fourthly, A person that liveth within sight of his interest, Christ is match…esse unto him, as is clear, Song. 2.3. I sat down under his shaddow, there is faith and assurance of it, and what accompanieth that, As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons: Christ hath not a match, saith the Spouse, in his sweetnesse, his power, his beauty; and his usefulnesse is above all.
Fifthly, Real assurance is a humbling thing, the assurance of a Christian maketh him to sit low in the dust: Was not Iacob low in his own eyes, when he cryed out, I am lesse then the least of all thy mercies; What? was not David low in his own eyes, when he spake that word, What am I, and what is my fathers house, that thou hast brought me hitherto; and was not Paul a low man in his own eyes, Ephes. 3.8.16. I am lesse then the least of all thy Saints, and when he cryed out, I am the cheif of sinners: The assurance that is real, it will make a Christian to sit down in the dust, and cry out, Wo is me, I'am a man of polluted lips.
Sixthly, Real assurance will put him to take much pleasure and delight in the going about of duties: that word, Psal. 40.8. My God, saith he, that is his assurance, and presently he subjoyneth, I delight to do thy will, O Lord, this he speaketh of himself, as himself, and likewise as a type of Christ, Psal. 119.115. Depart from me evil doers, for I will keep the commandements of my God; I believe it, the love of Christ when it is much in exercise, it will constrain us to our duty: and therefore this proud transporting assurance in these dayes, that setteth men above all duties and Ordinances, and maketh them count the Gospel as well as the Law, but beggerly rudiments ▪ and cry out to their neighbours, Stand aback, for I am holier then thou, must needs be a delusion.
Lastly, There are these three properties of a real assurance, it is a begotten assurance, it is a living assurance, and it is a constraining assurance. The first two properties of it are set down in that, 1 Pet. 1.2. He hath begotten us to a lively hope; Who begat that assurance in thee? I suppose some have assurance, and it was begotten without travel; but if Christ be not the father of thy assurance, it will evanish and passe away. And, secondly, it must be a living assurance, some hearts are dead as a stone, and yet they say they have the hope of heaven. And thirdly, it must be a constraining assurance, it will put the Christian to do what he commands, yea, if it were the most pleasant Isaac that we have, if he commandeth us to sacrifice it, we would put a knife to the throat of it, and be willing to offer it up.
Now after all these evidences, I desire to have a report from you concerning your estate; What think ye of your selves, are ye in Christ, or no; I suppose, if Christ should come here to day, and put us all to the door but these that are in Christ, wee would have a thin assembly: I confesse, I wonder, that that word doth not make us to walk with sadnesse, Many are called, but few are chosen: Now I ask this question at you all, as in the sight of God, and as ye will one day answer unto him that will be your Judge; What think ye of your selves? Is there none here that can give a present positive answer to this, Are ye in Christ: I suppose this, if I were to go round them that are here, and ask, are ye in Christ, are ye, and ye in Christ, O! I doubt much if there should be many negative answers within the doors, we have so strong a faith some of us, that since we were born, we never doubted of it; But I think (without commending doubting) I may say, the faith that thou never doubted of, is too like a delusion, and the faith that thou never took pains to keep, and yet it keeped it self, that is too like a delusion, the faith that never knew what it was to put thee to real seeking of Christ, is too like a delusion. But let me close with this, be your estate what it will, search and come away; I think that is one of the most Gospel invitations that is in all the Scripture, Lam. 3.34. Let us search and try our wayes, and turn again unto the Lord: When thou hast searched, come away, for I tell thee this, there will be nothing that will commend thee to Christ so much as necessity, and I hope there is none of you, but ye have enough of this, and know it, if ye will not come to Christ, hee will compell you to come, but it shall not be for your advan…age to stay away, till ye be compelled. O persons that are out of Christ, Come away; O persons that are in Christ, Come away; we must preach that word, Come away, unto you, as long as ye are here, till ye come and be fixed as a pillar in the house of God, and go no more ou…, O study to be near him: O Christian didst thou ever think upon this, and say with thy self, O when shall I have immediate imbraces of blessed Christ: When shall there be nothing between my heart and Him? till then▪ we never get Christ near enough, there is alway something between Him and us, till we be above the clouds: O these immediate soul infoldings and imbracings of Christ: Are ye never sending a messenger to heaven, desiring a passe to go away that ye may enjoy them, and are ye not longing for the day, when the waters of Iordan shall divide themselves, and the ransomed of the Lord shall passe thorow: Now let us sing praises to our King, sing praises, for he hath gone up with a shout, and shall come again, sing praises to our King, sing praises.