The Sure Mercies of David, Treatise · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
2. HOW a poor doubting ſoul may aſſure to it ſelf theſe Covenant-mercies? many good ſouls may have an intereſt in theſe, yet not be aſſured of their intereſt, which yet is of great conſequence and concernment, though not to the being, yet to the well-being of a Chriſtian; therefore we are commanded to give diligence to make our calling and election ſure, 2 Pet. 1.10. Vit. A…et. in lo….not in reſpect of God ſay Interpreters, with whom all things are firm and undoubted, but in reſpect of others, ſay ſome, that thoſe with whom we live may ſee the Tree is good, becauſe the fruits are good; but I rather take it that we muſt labour to clear theſe up to our own ſouls, that we may have ſome real well-grounded aſſurance thereof in our hearts, and both theſe are mercies included in the Goſpel-covenant; only take notice that calling is before election, and there we muſt begin, and ſo aſcend from the work of Grace in our hearts to the workings of Grace in Gods heart, for our love is a reflection of his love to us: Grace is a fruit of Election: this then is a weighty caſe of Conſcience; ſuppoſe a gracious ſoul be dark and doubtful about his ſtate, and is full of queſtionings and diſputings whether theſe ſure mercies of the Covenant do belong to him; what muſt ſuch a ſoul do that it may be aſſured of its intereſt therein, See this point handled ſolidly in a Treat. called, A Believers duty towards the Spirit, &c. …on Epheſ 4 30. Read 6. Direct. pag. 158. to 183. See Baxt. 32 Directions.and that indeed they are ſure to him? Now for anſwering this Queſtion, I ſhall propound theſe Directions:
1. Study the Precepts, Promiſes, and Preſidents in the Scriptures, be diligent in reading the Word of God: Oh of what uſe would this be; there you may find what God commands, how Saints have obeyed, by what means they have cleared up their integrity and intereſt in Chriſt; here you may find what are the conditions of the Covenant, and upon what terms the mercies thereof may be enjoyed, and what are the infallible Characters of ſuch as have received benefit thereby; here you may find Chriſt the main and choiceſt mercy of the Covenant; yea, for this end was the Scripture written, that we might have comfort in God, and by conſequence alſo, aſſurance of our intereſt in him, Rom. 15.4. for this cauſe did both Chriſt ſpeak, Joh. 15.11.1 Joh. 1.4.and John write Divine truths that are upon record, that his joy might be in us, yea that our joy might be full: an expreſs Text you have in 1 Joh. 5.13. theſe things have I written unto you, that believe in the name of the Son of God, that ye may know ye have eternal life: the more you ſtudy the Scriptures, the more clearly you may read your names in the Book of Life: your hearts, if ſincere, will eccho to the word you read, becauſe the Law of God is written in your hearts therefore read and ſtudy this bleſſed Book; theſe words are Charters of your heavenly inheritance; food for your hungry appetites, glaſſes in which you may diſcern the face of your ſouls. Oh Chriſtians, neglect not the Scriptures, look up for a right underſtanding, and due application of every paſſage therein, and then comfort your ſelves, and one another with theſe words, 1 Theſ. 4. ult.
2. Attend upon a quickning Miniſtry, here the terms of the Goſpel are propounded; the mercies of the Covenant are diſplayed, true believers diſcovered and characterized; here you may meet with a Barnabas as well as with a Boanerges; yea, it may be the hand that wounded may heal you: God uſually makes the fruit of the lips to be peace, Iſa. 57.19.and many times ſends ſome choice Interpreter to declare unto a man his righteouſneſs, and clear up his integrity: Job 33.23.and therefore is it that God directs all ſuch as walk in darkneſs to obey the voice of his ſervants, Iſa. 50 10.or rather gives this as their character that they do ſo; Iſa 40.1, 2.2 Cor. 1.4.and God gives Miniſters a charge to comfort his people, and lays up comforts in their Breaſts to this end that they may comfort ſuch as are caſt down; Oh the reviving words, you may hear in the Miniſtry of the Word? here you may hear doubts reſolved, caſes of Conſcience propounded, anſwered, and hearts opened, anatomized; here the ſpirit of God is often conveyed which ſeals up the believing ſoul to the day of redemption: Iſa. 59.21. Gal. 3.2, 3. Mat. 28.…0.the preſence of God accompanies his inſtitution; ſo that what the Miniſter declares in the name and by the Authority of Chriſt, Iſa. 44 26. Mat. 18.18.according to the word he will ratifie, back, and confirm it in Heaven: and how many drooping heirs of promiſe hath God erected, ſatisfied, encouraged about their title to Covenant-mercies by this Ordinance? Oh the advantage that many have got thereby; therefore wait on God in this Ordinance; Oh look not upon it as weak and beggarly Elements as ſome ignorantly and blaſphemouſly call all Ordinances: make them not a matter of Ceremony and Formality, but prepare for them and uſe them conſcientiouſly, and you ſhall ſee the ſweet effect thereof.
3. Improve the ſeals of the Covenant, both Baptiſm and the Lords Supper; Rom 4.11.Circumciſion is called the ſeal of the righteouſneſs of faith, becauſe that ſweet Evangelical priviledge, or marrow of the Goſpel-covenant is ſignified, ſealed and exhibited in that Ordinance; Oh Chriſtians, underſtand and improve that ſweet Ordinance of Baptiſm, it would be a ſpring of ſweetneſs and ſatisfaction to your doubting, fainting ſpirits: 1 Cor. 10.16. c. 11.24.and then for the Lords Supper; herein Chriſts Body and Blood are particularly applyed to us, to become our own, yea, verily and really, (though not corporally, but ſpiritually) exhibited to every worthy receiver, and hence reſulteth ſpiritual joy, ſolace and ſatisfaction, as in the Paſſeover in Hezekiahs days, 2 Chron. 30.21, 26.they kept the feaſt with gladneſs and there was joy in Jeruſalem. But be ſure you examine your ſelves, prepare your hearts, excite your Graces, underſtand the Covenant, apply theſe bleſſed myſteries to your own ſouls, open your hearts by Meditation that the King of glory may come in, ſtir up your ſouls to draw near to God, and he will draw near to you; Gal. 3.1.you'l ſee Chriſt Crucified before you; you'l enjoy a bleſſed feaſt of fat things, that will nouriſh and comfort your pining ſouls; here you'l feel pleaſant Apples and ſweet flagons of the Wine of his ſpecial love to ſtay you up and ſupport your hearts in the day of your affliction, and ſad deſertion; and if you cannot enjoy that refreſhing Ordinance, yet reflect upon your former enjoyments, and meditate upon your Crucified Redeemer, and repreſent his bruiſed body and effuſed blood to your ſelves, and in due time you'l cry out with Thomas, my Lord and my God.
4. Ply the Throne of Grace in Prayer; ſay as David, Pſal. 35.3. O Lord, ſay unto my ſoul, I am thy ſalvation: Iſa. 56.7.God hath promiſed to make his people joyful in the houſe (or duty) of Prayer; Saints have found by experience the ſweet and ſatisfying fruit of a ſerious wreſtling with God; thus David, Pſal. 31.16. make thy face to ſhine upon thy ſervant, and ver. 21. he breaks out in thankfulneſs for an anſwer, Bleſſed be the Lord, for he hath ſhewed me his marvellous kindneſs in a ſtrong City. Yea, Chriſt himſelf commands us to ask that we may receive that our joy may be full, Joh. 16.24. and is not a clear evidence of our intereſt in the Covenant, and the mercies of it worth asking? therefore plead with God; tell him thou preferreſt Covenant-mercies above worldly enjoyments; and that thou wouldſt rather have theſe mercies made ſure to thee than to have a leaſe of thy life; for his loving-kindneſs is better than life: Pſal. 63.3.tell him the joy of the Lord is thy ſtrength, and how much it will tend to thy furtherance in his ſervice if he will lift up the light of his Countenance on thy ſoul: tell him he hath granted comfortable aſſurance to many ſouls, and thou needeſt it as well as they; thou art an humble ſuitor at the Gates of mercy, and art reſolved not to let him go, except he bleſs thee: yet once again, tell him, it is no more then he hath promiſed in his word, and Chriſt hath purchaſed by his blood; and therefore it is no arrogancy for thee to crave or expect, and when thou haſt been pleading, conclude with that poor man, Mark 9 24. Mat. 9.29.Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief, and he will ſay, according to thy faith be it unto thee.
5. Walk cloſe with God, as that is one of the mercies of the Covenant, ſo 'tis an evidence of our intereſt in the Covenant, and 'tis a notable means of obtaining and maintaining aſſurance, Pſal. 50.23. to him …hat ordereth his converſation aright will I …hew the ſalvation of God: cloſe-walkers have many choice diſcoveries; Pſal. 119.165.Oh the peace …hat ſuch have as keep Gods commandments! Oh the ſweet refreſhment which reſults from a lively obedience! the work of righteouſneſs is peace, the effect of righteouſneſs is quietneſs and aſſurance for ever, Iſa. 32.17. Pſal. 25 14. Mat. 4.2. Joh. 14.15, 16. v. 21.if you keep conſtantly in the …ear of God, he will diſcover to you the ſecrets of his Covenant, he will cauſe the Sun of righteouſneſs to ariſe upon you; if you keep his Commandments, you ſhall have a comforter, and he will manifeſt himſelf to you. But if you grow careleſs, and remiſs in your walking, and ſtep aſide to any groſs ſin, no wonder if you have little aſſurance of theſe Covenant-mercies; for theſe do ſeparate betwixt you and your God, you and comfort; this obſcured Davids intereſt in God, and his unſuitable Acts coſt him many a tear, and ſad thoughts of heart, which made him cry out of broken bones, and bitterly groan out his ſad complaints for the want of the joy of Gods ſalvation: yea, for one act of ſloth and ſecurity, the Church loſt the ſweet ſenſe of divine love, Cant. 5.26. Oh take heed of ſin, it is like a filthy vapour riſing out of the ſoul, that cauſeth a miſt, and a thick miſt between God and us, as will keep the light of his countenance from ſhining upon us, it begets jealouſies, ſuſpicio… and uncomfortable fears in the ſoul whether God be ours or no, and therefore take heed of ſin and walk humbly wit… God.
6. Be much in ſelf-obſervation: ſom… have an intereſt in the Covenant, but know it not for want of ſelf-diſcovery; therefore it were a good work to conſider bo… your hearts and ways; indeed the heart … deceitful, but you ſhould take the candle … the Word in the hand of Conſcience, an… deal impartially with your hearts; ſeek into the obſcure corners thereof, and it's poſſible in ſome nook or other you'l find a Covenant-mercy; canſt thou not ſay as Peter i… ſincerity, Joh 21 17. Iſa. 38.3.thou knoweſt that I love thee? o… with Hezekiah, that you have walkt before God in uprighteneſs; doſt thou not find i… thy heart a care to pleaſe God fear to offen… him, deſire to enjoy him, hatred of ſin, love t… the ſaints, poverty of ſpirit, deſpiſing th… World, and low thoughts of thy beſt duty well now a ſound ſearch, and clear diſcovery of the frame of your ſpirits will be … notable way to aſſure to your ſelves you… intereſt in theſe Covenant-mercies, and ſ… proving your ſelves, Gal. 6.4. Prov. 14.14.your rejoycing and ſatisfaction ſhall be from your ſelves: if thou canſt but find one ſaving Grace in thy heart in truth, thou maiſt gather ſome evidence thence, and Gods Children have taken comfort in their ſincere love to the Brethren when they have have ſcarce diſcerned any other grace, and ſo have aſſured their hearts before God that they were of …he truth, ſee 1 John 3.18, 19. there's ne…er a good work done, if it be right for principle, rule, and end, but it will help us …o a diſcovery of our ſtate, that our work …s wrought in God, Joh. 3.21. therefore …et's be willing to come to the light, and try our hearts and acts; ſo may we attain aſſurance of our intereſt.
7. Reflect upon, and recollect your former experiences, this was Davids uſual method, …o aſſure his heart of the truth of Grace, Pſal. 77.6. Pſal. 143.5, 6. Job 23.11, 12.and his intereſt in God, Pſal. 77.10. I will remember the years of the right hand of the moſt high; days of old; his ſongs in the night; this courſe took Job and many other ſaints, and the Apoſtle bids the believing Hebrews call to remembrance the former days, in which after they were illuminated, they endured a great fight of afflictions, Heb. 10.32. and this was in order to the recovery of Gods ſmiles, and the ſence of his love: you'l ſay; what am I better for remembring what goodneſs was in me in time paſt, which I am now fallen from, and have loſt? I anſwer, much, every way, chiefly, becauſe theſe mercies of the Covenant are ſure mercies, and though they may be obſcured, yet never aboliſhed, where God loves once, he loves to the end, Joh. 13.1. Job 19.28. 1 Pet. 1.23.the bud and bloſſom of comfort may be nipt, but the root of the matter and incorruptible ſeed remains in the heart; a man in a ſwoun hath life though poſſibly 'tis not diſcernable to himſelf or others; grace may be hid, yet alive, as the ſap returns into the root in Winter; want of comfortable ſenſe and feeling is not a loſs of Grace, in this caſe ſearch your records, and ſee if you cannot find ſome manifeſtations of God to your ſouls in former times: I have heard of a godly Woman, who was wont to write down how God dealt with her heart, and time, place, manner of her communion with God; a time of deſtruction came, the comforts and counſels of Miniſters, friends were in vain … a good man gets her Book, ſhews it under her own hand, which ſhe could no… deny, clears the immutable love of God, plyes her with it, drives the nail home and thereby ſhe recovered her aſſurance thus may you, therefore recollect experiences.
8. Strengthen every grace; the greate… any thing is, the more is is diſcernable little Grace is not ſo ſoon diſcovered a… much Grace; a greater meaſure of th… Graces of the ſpirit carryes a beauty and luſtre along with it, and hath a ſelf-evidencing teſtimony of the ſouls ſincerity Chriſtians, do you add to your faith, vertue, knowledge, temperance, patience Godlineſs, brotherly-kindneſs, charity; fo… if theſe things be in you and abound, yo… ſhall both be fruitful, and they will help you to clear up your calling and election, 2 Pet. 1.5-10. theſe reſemble the ſoul to God, and the more God-like a Chrſtian grows, the more clear will he be in point of ſtate; Saints of the greateſt magnitude are uſually more free from doubtings, whiles ſincere, (yet weak believers) are much peſtered with jealouſies and miſgivings; the more you get of theſe ſure mercies into your hearts, the more ſure you are of your intereſt in them; the faſter hold you have of God, the ſurer you'l be, you have indeed hold of him; every ſtep towards Zion will add new ſtrength, ſtability and ſatisfaction to the holy Pilgrim: encreaſe Repentance, and you increaſe aſſurance of the remiſſion of ſins, increaſe faith, and that brings on aſſurance of faith; ſtrengthen hope, and you ſettle your Anchor; grow in love to God and his way, courage and zeal for God, humility and ſelf-denyal, and hereby ſhall you clear up your own ſouls and others, that theſe mercies of the Covenant belong to you, for ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, the Lord make you to increaſe and abound in love— to the end he may ſtabliſh your hearts unblameable in holineſs before God, 1 Theſ. 3.12, 13. if you have more Grace, you may probably have more comfort.
9. Lay the ſtreſs of your ſouls upon free-grace, the more you mix any conceits of your own righteouſneſs, the more you'l ſtagger, and be diſconſolate, let free-grace be your foundation, and build upon nothing in your ſelves, for your beſt graces, duties, excellencies are imperfect and can afford you little ſolid ſatisfaction. Let Jeſus Chriſt be all in all to you, be you nothing at all in your ſelves. Oh God loves to ſee a poor trembling ſoul deſpairing o… any thing in it ſelf, accounting the World as loſs and droſs, flying into the out-ſtretched arms of free-grace, caſting it ſelf down a… his feet, and reſolving to venture all upon an all-ſufficient Saviour, and though at preſent it walk in darkneſs, yet it will caſ… Anchor in the dark, Iſa. 50.10.and truſt in the name of the Lord; you ſhall ſee in due time the miſts ſhall be diſpelled, and the ſouls ſtate cleared, and the troubled heart fully ſatisfied … thus David made account to recover the light of Gods countenance, See Pſal. 33.20, 22.and baniſh diſquieting thoughts, even by truſting in God Pſal. 45.5, 12. mercy will anſwer all your doubts and ſcruples; mercy will ſuit your neceſſity, mercy will revive and rejoyce troubled ſpirits; therefore, poor doubting ſoul, though thou canſt find no goodneſs in thy ſelf, therefore lookeſt on thy ſelf as utterly unworthy, yea, uncapable of intereſt in Covenant-mercies, yet hope in Gods mercy; let no mud of thy duties mix with the pure ſtream of free, undeſerved mercy and as that will carry thy ſoul apace to the Ocean of glory; ſo it will bring many ſweet refreſhing ſtreams of joy and peace into thy heart: we have inſtances of many in the word that judged themſelves moſt unworthy of good, as in themſelves, yet expected and received, Mat. 8.8.15.27.both mercy and aſſurance thereof for mercies ſake; as Centurion, Woman of Canaan, and others, becauſe as mercy is free, ſo theſe Covenant-mercies are purchaſed and enſured by Jeſus Chriſt, the Mediator of the Covenant, and therefore though there be no goodneſs in the poor ſoul, to procure theſe mercies, yet there is enough in their ſurety, and as their ſins are made over to him, ſo what good is in Chriſt, is made over to the believing ſoul; 1 Cor. 1.30. here is the marrow of the Goſpel. Yea farther, the leſs goodneſs an humbled ſinner finds in himſelf, the greater evidence hath he that theſe mercies belong to him, Iſa. 55.1. Mat. 5.3. Rom. 4.5.becauſe he finds even ſuch very perſons invited and received: yea humility, ſelf-denyal and poverty of ſpirit are mercies of the Covenant, and do evidence intereſt.
10. Be much in the duties of thankfulneſs and chearfulneſs, give God praiſe, and God will give you more grounds of praiſe, bury not his mercies in the grave of forgetfulneſs, eſpecially bleſs him for Covenant-mercies: Alas, ſaith the ſoul, if I were ſure I had an intereſt in theſe Covenant-mercies, then I could ſing to Gods praiſe, and be very thankful; but how can I praiſe God for that which I queſtion whether it belong to me, yea or no: I Anſwer, thou muſt bleſs God that there are ſuch mercies in ſtore for poor ſinners, and that any poor ſouls have obtained an intereſt therein, and are carryed to Heaven thereby, bleſs God that you are under a call and capacity to enjoy theſe Covenant-mercies, that God hath not excluded, but included you in the univerſal tender of it; yea, conſider if you have not cauſe to bleſs God that he hath been dealing with your hearts in ſuch a manner as he is wont to do with ſuch ſouls as he brings into Covenant with himſelf; hath he not humbled, broken, brought your ſouls off your own bottoms; let you ſee a vanity in the World, the excellency and neceſſity of Chriſt? cauſed longings and pantings in your ſouls after theſe mercies? and doth not all this deſerve your thankfulneſs? but know further, that thankfulneſs for what you have is a moſt effectual way to clear up your title and to beget aſſurance, praiſe raiſeth the ſouls faculties to an high pitch of joy and comfort; it is like David's harp to baniſh away the evil ſpirit of diſquietneſs or diſcouragement: your praiſe ſhould wait for God, Pſal. 65.1. Iſa. 30.18.and you'l find God waiting to be gracious to you; uſually a thankful heart is a chearful heart: you may ſing your ſelves out of your ſorrows, as David did frequently: he made a ſong of theſe mercies of the Covenant, even then when he could find little comfort in, or benefit by, theſe Covenant-mercies in many regards: See Pſal. 89.1. with ver. 38. ad finem: thus do you, Chriſtians, ſing your ſelves into this bleſſed ſleep, and ſoul tranquility: 'tis the fault of doubting ſouls, that they pore all upon their ſins, and forget their mercies, they think they can never be ſufficiently bathed in the tears of repentance, and torment their hearts with doubtful thoughts, but conſider not that a thankful commemoration of mercies is as well their duty as mourning and humiliation; yea, 'tis a ſweet, heart-chearing, God-pleaſing duty; therefore let Chriſtians be much in this duty as a means of aſſurance: I ſhall add a word or two to all of us to preſs after a particular aſſurance of our intereſt in theſe mercies of the Covenant.
1. Chriſtians may be aſſured of their intereſt; we are commanded to make it ſure, many good ſouls have arrived to a Plerophory or full aſſurance; 2 Pet. 1.10.experience proves the truth of this, Joh. 16.24. Eph. 1.13. Rom. 15 4. 'Tis promiſed. See Iſa. 60.16. Saints have attained to it. Job. 19.25. Pſal. 63.1. Gal. 2.20. 1 Joh. 3.14. 5.19. Cant. 2.16. Iſa. 45.24, 25.God himſelf hath promiſed joy and comfort to ſuch as ask it, 'tis the great office of the ſpirit to ſeal up ſouls to the day of redemption; Yea the Scriptures were written to promote our comfort and aſſurance, ſeals of the Covenant inſtituted Ordinances and Miniſters appointed for this very end? and ſhall we ſlight this infinite Condeſcention of God who is ſo forward to help us? ſhall we uſe no means or endeavours to enſure theſe mercies to our ſouls? Oh ingrateful wretches! if it were a thing unattainable, we might be daunted; but how many gracious ſouls do we ſee … hear of, that do walk in the light of Gods Countenance, and triumph over all oppoſition in the ſenſe of Gods love! and one great Reaſon why many of us are ſo full of doubts is our neglect of Gods appointed means for the obtaining of aſſurance, for if it be attainable in the uſe of ordinary means, we ſin exceedingly againſt God and our own ſouls in neglecting thoſe means of aſſurance.
2. You cannot evidence your truth of grace, or title to Covenant-mercies unleſs you uſe Gods appointed means to obtain aſſurance; it's an ill ſign of a graceleſs heart to nouriſh doubtings and diſtruſts, and then to come in with ſuch pleas as theſe; true faith is accompanied with doubtings, he that doubts not, doth not believe; a doubting faith is a good faith; let me have doubts and fears, I dare not be too confident, leſt I preſume. But I muſt tell thee ſoul, a doubting faith is but a weak faith, and a Chriſtian ought to be ſtrong in faith, Rom. 4.20.and make a progreſs to a full degree and proficiency in grace and endeavour to arrive to a plerophory, and full aſſurance, for this is the nature of grace to be preſſing after perfection, Rom. 1.17.and go from faith to faith, even from a faith of adherence to a faith of evidence and aſſurance; yea let ſuch know this that ſlight means of aſſurance, you live in a conſtant neglect of a known duty, in diſobedience to a flat command, Heb. 6.11. and we deſire that every one of you do ſhew the ſame diligence to the full aſſurance of hope unto the end, q. d. if your faith and hope be of the right ſtamp, as it may ſeem to be, it will be working off all doubtings, anxious thoughts and diſtruſting fears, and move to a further degree of confidence and aſſurance: elſe you may ſuſpect the truth of it.
3. You cannot aſſure your ſelves of creature enjoyments a day to an end, nor yet of immunity from croſſes, and if you have not aſſurance of theſe ſure mercies, what have you to bear up your hearts in an evil day? we little know what ſhaking times may come, that may pluck from you whatever you account dear; and if you have not ſomething above, oh the ſad confuſions that will ſeize upon you! but aſſurance of an intereſt in the God of Heaven, and the good things of the Covenant will be a guard to free your hearts from thoſe numerous Armies of tormenting fears that will beſet you; this will be a cordial to drive away ſick and ſwooning qualmes from your troubled ſpirits; aſſurance of Gods love will fortifie your hearts againſt the fierce aſſaults of men and devils, Pſal. 27.1. the Lord is my light and ſalvation, whom ſhall I fear? Exod. 12.23. Ezek. 9.6.deſtroying Angels ſhall not come near any perſons that are ſprinkled with Chriſts blood, and have the mourners mark, a day of danger, horrour, confuſion may overtake us in the Nation, in which we may be ſtript naked of all our enjoyments, ſurely then aſſurance of our intereſt in the beſt riches in the World will ſtand us in ſtead, and when all things elſe fail theſe will abide with us. But,
4. Conſider the great advantages of aſſurance, I can but name them. 1. It will aſſure us that we ſhall want nothing that's good for us, if he have given us Chriſt, then will he give us all good things, Rom. 8.32. 2. It gives a ſweet reliſh to every comfort of life, delight in Gods great goodneſs, Neh. 9.25.3. It will ſweeten the bittereſt cup of affliction, Mat. 9.2. 4. It gives boldneſs to the Throne of Grace, Heb. 10.22. foreign, i. e. with a liberty to ſay what we liſt, if according to his will, and he will hear us. 5. Aſſurance helps the ſoul to deſpiſe the World; he that knows he is cloathed with the Sun can trample the Moon under his feet, 1 Pet. 4.14, 16.ſee Heb. 10.34.6. It ſtrengthens againſt the cenſures and reproaches of men, no matter what men ſay when God acquits, Rom. 8.33, 34. our Conſcience tells us we are not the men we are repreſented to be. 7. It ſweetens the reading of the Word, and receiving of the Sacraments, theſe promiſes, ſeals, blood of the Covenant are mine; precepts, threatnings, all things his, 1 Cor. 3.21, 22.8. It enlargeth the ſoul in praiſe and thankſgiving; hence thoſe Hallelujahs in Heaven; the more aſſurance, the more thankfulneſs, Pſal. 103.1, 2, 3. 9. It commendeth Religion to others, makes Gods ways lovely, Oh taſte and ſee, come and I will ſhew you what he what he hath done for my ſoul, ingageth many, Pſal. 142.7.10. It helpeth on repentance, makes Godly ſorrow more kindly, Evangelical; a love-look from Chriſt melts Peters heart; this Sun diſſolves frozen ſouls, Ezek. 16.63.11. It engageth a ſoul againſt ſin; appearances of God are cords of love, which are ſtrongeſt to an ingenuous ſpirit, Rom. 6.1, 2.12. Aſſurance animates our performances, and obedience; is any thing too much to do for God? yea, my God deſerves all I am, have, his command's are not grievous, 1 Joh. 3.5.13. It deadens the heart to needleſs diſputes and Controverſies, it ſettles the heart in the truth, and fortifies it againſt the ſubtilties of ſeducing ſpirits, for Gods Law is in their hearts, Heb. 13.9.14. It repreſenteth the glory of Heaven, is ſome bleſſed embleme of a ſouls bathing it ſelf in theſe Rivers of pleaſure that are at Gods right hand, divine embraces, a corner of Heaven, a Piſgah-ſight of Canaan. 15. It ſweeteneth the King of terrours, and plucks out the ſting of death; ſo that a gracious ſoul aſſured of Gods love can triumph with Paul over this conquered enemy, 1 Cor. 15.55. and indeed none but an aſſured Chriſtian can look death in the face without horrour and amazement: ruffling gallants may be prodigal of their lives, who are far from any capacity of obtaining aſſurance, but thoſe are liker Bruits than men, that are guided by ſence, not by reaſon, and conſider not that their ſouls are immortal, and that they are entring into Eternity at death, but theſe have drowned themſelves in ſenſuality, and conſider not what they do, but 'tis only the Chriſtian that's upon good grounds aſſured of his good eſtate, that can in cold blood adventure upon death, yea be willing to dye, yea deſire to be diſſolved and be with Chriſt.
I have but hinted at theſe things, becauſe 'tis an ordinary ſubject wherein many have done worthily to promote endeavours to obtain aſſurance.
Sirs, what ſay you to theſe things? is not aſſurance of intereſt in Covenant-mercies worth labouring for? can you let theſe things lye without clearing your title? doth not the new creature breathe after it? doth not a rational ſoul deſire it? do not all wicked men catch after a certainty, and frame to themſelves ſome kind of certainty? do not worldlings take care to ſecure their Lands, Goods, Eſtates? ſhall they require Bonds, Seals, Oaths, Sureties, and yet account all this too little, and ſhall we account any thing too much to ſecure theſe ſweet mercies whithout which we are undone for ever? Oh let nothing hinder your endeavours this way; let no objections make you delay or be diſcouraged; let not Satan deter you, or the Worlds conceits make you ſlight it as unattainable, nor a ſlothful unbelieving heart obſtruct your diligence in this great and weighty caſe; who would live at ſuch uncertainties as the moſt do? who would have his life to hang in doubt in a meer conjecture? eſpecially when it is in this great caſe of Conſcience, whether the ſoul muſt live in Heaven or Hell? but moſt of all conſidering that our very lives are ſo uncertain that the next moment we may ſtep into Eternity; the God of Heaven awake the Saints of God who have indeed an intereſt in theſe mercies to uſe all means to know they have an intereſt therein, that they may know they are of the truth, and aſſure their hearts before him, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 1 Joh. 3.19.