Believers Evidences for Eternal Life, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Evidences or Signes that we are of the Truth; And of the number of Gods own People.
I.
HAving an Unction from the Holy one, teaching us all things. They went out I.from us, but they were not of us:—But ye have an Unction from the Holy one, and ye shall know all things.—The Anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you, 1 John 2. 19, 20, 27. For clearing this Evidence, consider herein: 1. How the Apostle brands some for their Hypocrisie, discovering it selfe in their Apostasy. They fell away, viz to Antichristian Doctr. v. 18. Went out from us: therefore they were not of us; no more then chaffe mingled with the wheate, is wheate; when the fanne comes, the chaffe flies away. 2. How the Apostle commends those to whom he wrote, opposing them to these Hypocriticall Apostates, as having the Anointing of the Spirit from Christ abiding in them, and teaching them all things. These then having this Unction from the Holy one teaching them all things, are of the number of Gods people: inasmuch as they here stand opposed to them that were not of Gods people, though once they lived among them.
Now in this Evidence further observe, 1. The Distinctive character, An Unction, viz. The Holy Spirit. This the gladning oyle wherewith Christ was anointed above all his fellowes, Kings, Priests, Prophets, Members, Psal. 45. 7. with Acts 4. 27. & 10. 38. his fellowes then had some of this anointing, Iohn 1. 14, 16. 2. The Fountain whence this Unction flowes to them, viz. from the Holy-one, i. e. Christ. An allusion (thinkes *Calvin, Comment, in loc,Calvin) to the Sanctuary, whence the oyle was fetched to anoint the Priests. And Daniel describes Christs coming to be the proper time for anointing the most Holy, Dan. 9. 24. 3. The Receptacle of this unction from Christ in whom it should abide; ye have an unction.—4. The effect of this unction upon them, Teaching them all things, viz. All things necessary to salvation. If now we have this unction from Christ, teaching us all things, we are of the people of God.
Signes that we have the Unction of the Spirit from Christ, teaching us all things.
1. When this unction the Spirit teacheth us with a Scripturr-knowlede, not with Enthusiasmes; or orher by-wayes. Thus he taughr David, Ps. 119. 99, 104. Thus Timothy, 2 Tim. 3. 14, 15. Hence, called the Spirit of Truth, because he acts upon us, by and according to Scripture-Truth, Iohn 14. 17.
2. The Spirits teaching is cleare and certaine in necessaries to salvation, Prov. 22. 20, 21. Ioh. 6. 69. 1 Cor. 2. 15.
3. The Spirits teaching is of a Growing nature. The more he instructs us, the more we desire to be instructed of him, Prov. 1. 5. & 15. 14. & 18. 15. David though he knew so much, yet wonderously thirsted to know more, Ps. 119. 27, 73, 125, 144.
4. The Spirits teaching meekens and humbles a mans Spirit, Iam. 3. 13. Psal. 25. 9. for it manifests still more and more ignorance and sinne, Eph. 5. 13. Carnall knowledge swels, puffes up, 1 Cor. 8. 1.
5. The Spirits teaching floats not onelyonly in the Head, but kindly soaks into the Heart, and forcibly works upon the Affections, Josh. 23. 14. Psal. 34. 8. stirring up the heart to trust, love, joy, &c. in spirituals, Ps. 9. 10. 1 Ioh. 4. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 8.
6. The Spirits teaching is, Practical. Brings not only to knowing, but to doing. It is very effective, alters and changes a man wonderfully; and diverts his course from sinne, to sanctitie. See Ephes. 4. 20, 21, 22, 23, &c. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Iob. 28. 28. Psal. 119. 104. Prov. 15. 21. Psal. 111. 10. Iam. 3. 17. Ier. 22. 16.
7. The Spirits teaching makes men come to Christ, and believe in him, Joh. 6. 44, 45. Make it evident thou comest to Christ, believest in him, thou art taught most effectually.
Finally, The true teaching of Gods Spirit wonderfully strengthens and preserves against temptations and snares, Prov. 24. 5. See Prov. 2. 10, 11. compared with vers. 12. 15, 16.
Search, and consider; hath this Teaching Unction thus illuminated and instructed thee? doubtlesse thou art of the number of Gods Church taught of God.
II.
The Testimony of an upright Heart, or II.Conscience touching our reall and true love of the Brethren. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but indeed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemne us. God is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemne us not, then have we confidence towards God, 1 John 3 18, 19, 20, 21. Here are, 1. An exhortation to reall and true Brotherly love, ver. 18. 2. A Demonstration hereby that we are of the Truth, viz. Borne of God, who is Truth; or, Having the truth of God in us, ver. 19 3. The Confirmation of this Evidence; By the testimony of our conscience concerning it, in the sight of God, and shall assure our hearts before him, verse 19. This is further streng…hened by arguing from the double act of a well-guided conscience, viz. (1) Accusing, If conscience condemne us for not lo…ing the brethren truly, or for any other thing, much more will God condemne us, ver. 20. (2.) Excusing, If Conscience cleare us, we have confidence towards God, viz. that we are of the Truth.
The Testimony of our heart and Conscience for us, or against us, is most Comforting, or corroding. How was Iudas tortured with an accusing conscience! Matth. 27. 3, 4, 5. How was Paul in deepest tryalls supported with an excusing conscience? 2 Cor. 1. 12. The Heathen could say, *—Hic murus aheneus esto, Nil conscire sibi, nullâ pallescere culpa. Horat. lib: 1. Epist. 1▪A cleare conscience is as a wall of Brasse. The Proverb saith, A good conscience is a continuall feast. With this Augustine comforted himselfe against Secundinus the Manichee, who aspersed him, saying, *Senti de Augustino quicquid libet, sola me in … Dei conscient… non accus…t. Aug. con…a S… cundinum Man ch. lib. c. 1.Think thou of Augustine what thou pleasest, so conscience only accuse me not in the sight of God. Canst thou now in thy conscience oppeale to God about thy love of the brethren, as sometimes Peter about his love of Christ, Lord, thou knowest all things, thou art greater then my conscience, thou knowest that indeed and in truth I love thy children? Hereby thou mayest know that thy selfe art of the truth.
Signes of true brotherly love, see in chap. 2. Sign. VII. p 168, to 173.
III.
Finally, Perseverance with the faithfull III.in Christ and in the truth. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: But they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us, 1 John 2. 19. He speakes of Ebion, Cerinthus, and such like Anti-Christian Hereticks, who apostatizing from Christ and his truth, departed from the Church. They were once in the Church, but never truly of the Church, for then they would have persevered. Their Apostasy therefore evidenced their Hypocrisie. Whereas contrariwise, Perseverance is a sure Argument of our Sincerity, and that we are indeed anointed with the Spirit of truth. The anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you; and ye need not that any man teach you: But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie: And even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him, 1 John 2. 27. In which words as the Apostle testifies, that they shall persevere in Christ, that are truly taught by the anointing, which is truth and no lie: So he declares, that they were never of the true number of Gods people, that through heresie and schisme depart from the Communion of the Church and the Faithfull; As Iude intimates, These be they who separate themselves, sensuall, having not the Spirit, Jude vers. 19. False rotten Professors will thus Apostatize, but true sound members will persevere in the truth with the faithful, for Reasons *Seep 133, &c.formerly alledged.
Dost thou now backslide and separate through heresie or schisme, from communion with the true Church of Christ? How canst thou think thy selfe to be of the true number of Gods people? Notably Cyprian, *Quisquis ab Ecclesiâ segregatus adul teraejungitur, à promissis Ecclesiaesegre gatur. Ne… perveniet ad Christi praemia, qui relinquit Ecclesiam Christi. Al…enus est, profanus est, hostisest. Habere jam non potest Deum Pat…em, qui Ecclesiam non h…betmatrem. Si potuit evadere quisquam qui extra arcam Noe fuit; & qui extra Ecclesiam foris fuerit, eva…it. D. Cyprian. de unitate Ecclesiae. lib. Sect. 5.Whosoever separated from the Church, is joyned to an adultorous Church, is separated from the promises of the Church. Nor shall he come to the rewards of Christ, that leaves the Church of Christ. He is an Alien, he is profane, he is an enemy. He cannot have God for his Father, that hath not the Church for his Mother. If any could escape, that was without Noah's Arke: then may be escape that is without the Church. And afterwards he addes; *Nemo existimet, bonos de Ecclesia posse disce▪ dere. Triticum non rapit ventus; Nec arborem solida radice fundatamprocella subvertit. …nanes paleae tempestate jactantur, invalidae arbores turbinis incursione evertuntur. Hos execratur & percutit Joannes Apostolus dicens, Ex nobis exierunt, &c. 1 John 2. 19. Hinc Haereses & factae sunt frequenter, & fiunt, dum perversa mens non habet pacem, cum perfidia discordans non tenet unitatem. Cyprian. De unitat. Eccles. lib. Sect. 8. 9.Let no man think that the good can depart from the Church. Wind blowes not away the wheat; nor doth the tempest subvert the well-rooted Tree, vaine chaffe is blown away with the winde, invalid trees are torne up with the whirlewinde. These John the Apostle execrates and smites, saying, They went out of us, &c. Hence heresies have often been, and are, whilest a perverse minde hath not peace, whilest a discording perfidiousnesse holds not Unity.