The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant, Religious treatise · Part 1 · Chapter 7 · Section 9
SECT. IX.
2. Queſt. I Shall now proceed to a ſecond Queſtion, viz. Whether any man can Whether any man can know that his particular ſalvation was intended in the death of Chriſt;attain to the knowledge or certainty of the particular intentions of Chriſts death in the benefits of it unto himſelf? (i. e.) whether any man can certainly know that God intended his particular ſalvation in the giving of Chriſt, and that Chriſt died for him, and made peace for him, and purchaſed remiſſion of his ſins, and eternal ſalvation for his ſoul?
Anſwered. Sol. For the reſolving of this Scruple, be pleaſed to conſider a few places.
1. There is a difference 'twixt a general aſſent, and 'twixt a particular knowledge and Application: It is one thing to know and acknowledge this general Truth (that Chriſt came into the world to ſave ſinners, and that whoſoever believes ſhall beſaved, and that whoſoever repents ſhall have his ſins pardoned) and it is another thing by faith to know that Chriſt died for me, that his blood was ſhed for the remiſſion of my ſins, that I am reconciled by his death, and that I ſhall be ſaved by his life; to ſay of Chriſt, as Paul once did, he loved me, and gave himſelf for me, Gal. 2. 20.
The queſtion is not propounded about that general knowledge and aſſent of faith, whether a perſon may certainly know that truth that Chriſt died for ſinners, and will ſave all that believe; but about a particular knowledge of that truth, as in relation and application unto this or that perſon, &c.
2. There is a certainty as the Papiſts do diſtinguiſh, and with whom we principally contend in this Controverſie, of hope which depends upon probable grounds; and there is a certainty of faith which depends upon ſure and undeceiving grounds.
The queſtion is not whether a perſon may attain only unto ſome good hope and probable conjecture that Chriſt died for him, that his ſins are pardoned, that he ſhall be ſaved; in which conjecture he may yet be deceived; but whether he may attain unto a certainty of faith upon grounds proper to believers, and to them who ſhall be ſaved.
3. We muſt diſtinguiſh 'twixt ſeeming believers who reſt in common Notions of Chriſt, and in a viſible profeſſion only: and 'twixt real and ſound Believers, whoſe hearts and ſouls God hath touched, and perſwaded, and drawn to Chriſt, and they are effectually brought into union and communion with Chriſt.
I ſpeak not of the former, who yet are very apt to deceive themſelves with an extream (but ungrounded) confidence that Chriſt died for them; but only of real and ſound believers who are indeed married unto Chriſt, and are branches of A believer may know by a certainty of faith that Chriſt died for him.the Vine, and members of the Body.
So that now the ſumme of the Anſwer is this, That a truely believing perſon may know with a certainty of Faith, not only that Chriſt died for ſinners, but alſo for him, and for his ſinnes, and for his ſalvation; though he doth not as yet certainly know this, yet he may know this; though he doth not alwayes, at all times (under temptations and falls, and conflicts, and deſertions) know this, yet he may attain unto this certain knowledge, which I ſuppoſe will be made out by Scripture and good Arguments.
1 Joh. 5. 10 He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witneſſe in himſelf. ver. Proved by Scripture.11. And this is the Record that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son: ver. 12. He that hath the Son, hath life: ver. 13. Theſe things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God, that ye may kn…w that ye have eternal life. Rom. 4. 23. Now it was not written for his ſake alone, that it was imputed to him: ver. 24. But for us alſo to whom it ſhall be imputed if we believe on him that raiſed up Jeſus our Lord from the dead: ver. 25. who was delivered for our offences, and was raiſed for our juſtification. Gal. 2. 20. Who loved me, and gave himſelf for me. 1 Joh. 2. 1. We have an Adv…cate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the Righteous, ver. 2. And he is the Propitiation for our ſins. ver. 12. Your ſins are forgiven you for his Name ſake. Rev. 1. 5. Ʋnto him that hath loved us, and waſhed us from our ſins in his own blood. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Of him are ye in Chriſt Jeſus, who of God is made unto us Wiſdom, Righteouſneſſe, Sanctification, and Redemption. Cant. 6. 3. I am my Beloveds, and my Beloved is mine.
Beſides theſe Scriptures, let us conſider of ſome Arguments depending upon Scripture, which do prove that a perſon may certainly know that God intended Arguments from Scripture.Chriſt for him, and that Chriſt dyed for him, &c.
1. If a particular perſon may certainly know that he doth truely believe in Chriſt, then he may certainly know that Chriſt died to ſave him (for the Scripture ſaith, Joh. 3. 16. Whoſoever believes in him, ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting life. And Joh. 10. 27. My ſheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and (ver. 28.) … give unto them eternal life, and they ſhall never periſh, neither ſhall any pluck them out of my hand.) But a particular perſon may certainly know that he doth truely believe in Chriſt; Ergo. Heb. 10. 39. We are not of them that draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the ſaving of the ſoule. 2 Cor. 4. 13. We having the ſame Spirit of Faith according as it is written, I believed, and …herefore have I ſpoken, we alſo believe, and therefore ſpeak. 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed. Job 19. 25. I know that my Redeemer liveth.
It is to me a ſtrange thing that any ſhould think it impoſſible for a man that hath faith, to know that he hath it; why ſhould we think it impoſſible for Lazarus being raiſed to life, now to know that he hath life? or for the blind to whom Chriſt gave ſight, confidently to ſay as he in Joh. 9. 25. One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, I now ſee. So for a man who was formerly dead in ſins, but now is raiſed by the Faith of the operation of God; (Col. 2, 12.) to ſay with Paul, I live by the faith of the Son of God, Gal. 2. 20. and who was formerly ignorant of the beauties of Chriſt, ſo that no comelin…ſs appeared in him; but now his eyes are opened, and he looks on Chriſt as the chiefeſt of ten thouſand, and as altogether lovely and deſirable; May not this man ſay, I know I do believe; when the Apoſtle hath ſaid unto you that believe he is precious? 1 Pet. 2. 7.
Again, the Apoſtle ſaith in Rom. 5. 1. Being juſtified by faith, we have peace with God: Can faith let in this peace into our hearts, and yet we be uncertain whether we have that faith? And the ſame Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have received the Spirit which is of God▪ that we might know the things which are freely given us of God: Surely faith is one of the chiefeſt things that are freely given unto us of God: It is the gift of God, Epheſ. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. &c.
2. The proper and real end of ſelf Examination, is (at leaſt) a poſſibil…ty of knowledge; Nay, the proper ſcope of it is certain knowledge: For becauſe as we are doubtful, therefore we examine and try; ſo we therefore examine, try, and prove, that thereupon we may come to acknowledge a certainty. Nay ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your ſelves whether you be in the faith, prove your own ſelves; know you not your own ſelves that Chriſt is you, except you be reprobates?
Object. The Apoſtle doth only put them upon a tryal, whether Chriſt be in them yea or no.
Sol. 'Tis true, that is the work which he puts them upon. But
1. I demand, Is that work feaſable or not? is it poſſible for them to come unto that knowledge of Chriſts being in them (upon that rryal) or is it not? if it be not poſſible, then he earneſtly preſſeth them to a fruitleſſe duty, and ſuccesſleſs labour; If it be poſſible, that they might upon the trial come to know that Chriſt is in them, then the thing is granted.
2. I thus argue, They who may come (upon trial) to know that Chriſt is in them, may certainly know that Chr…ſt died for them, to ſave them: My reaſon is this, That Jeſus Chriſt is in none but in them for whom he died, and whom he will ſave; Col. 1. 27. Chriſt is in you the hope of glory. 1 Joh. 5. 12. He that hath the Son, hath life: and he that hath not the Son, hath not life. If therefore one may know that Chriſt is in him of a truth, then he may know that Chriſt died for him in particular for his ſalvation.
Thirdly, If Believers may attain to joy and rejoycing in the death of Chriſt, yea unto a triumphing in it, then they may certainly know that Chriſt died for them, and hath purchaſed Reconciliation, Remiſſion, and ſalvation for them: The conſequence I prove thus, There are three things neceſſarily concurring to cauſe Spiritual joy and rejoycing, viz. 1 A delightful rejoycing Object. 2. An application of that Object to the deſire of the ſoul. 1. A knowledge of that application: Gerſon. Park. 2. Comp. de Dilectatione. p. 161.and indeed without that knowledge that ſuch an Object is ours, or is for us, there never will be actual rejoycing, but if it be impoſſible, then diſpair; and if it be doubtful, then fear, &c. But believers may attain to joy and rejoycing in Chriſt, Phil. 3. 3. and that upon the account of his beneficial dying for them, Rom. 5. 11. And not only ſo, but we alſo joy in God through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom we have now received the Atonement.
Fourthly, I will add but one other Argument, and that is is this, We are bound to love Jeſus Chriſt who died for us and abundantly to thank and bleſſe God for our Redemption, and Reconciliation, and Remiſſion, and Salvation by Chriſt; this I ſuppoſe no man will deny; but we can neither do the one nor the other, if we cannot attain unto a certainty that Chriſt died for us.
1. Love of Chriſt depends upon the knowledge of his love to us; It is not with this ſpiritual love, as it is with natural love, where you may love a perſon although you know not his love unto you; but our ſpiritual love neceſſarily ariſeth from the application and knowledge of a precedent love unto us; we love him, q. becauſe he loved us firſt, 1 Joh. 4. 19 you muſt be able to ſee and know the love of Chriſt to you, before you can be able to raiſe or return love to him; and therefore do we love Chriſt, becauſe his love is manifeſted unto us. Now if this love of Chriſt to us (which he ſhewed in dying for us; Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend, Joh. 15. 13.) be perpetually hid from us, that we can never attain the certain knowledge thereof (but muſt only gueſs at it, perhaps Chriſt loved us to dye for us, perhaps he did not) how can our hearts poſſibly be raiſed to a ſolid fixed intenſive reciprocal love of him!
2. In like manner, how can our thankfulneſs be indeed rightly returned unto God for giving of Chriſt for us to reconcile and ſave us? for according to your knowledge in this caſe, will be your thankfulneſs; can you ever thank, and bleſs and praiſe God for Chriſt and his death, and the benefits thereof to you, whiles you know not that they belong to you? O Lord! I bleſs thee for that exceeding love of thine in giving Chriſt to redeem my ſoul, to make my peace, to diſcharge my ſins, to ſave my ſoul, &c. But truly I know not whether this be ſo or no, I am utterly uncertain whether Chriſt dyed for me, or whether himſelf, or any benefit by him and his death, doth indeed concern me or belong unto me, &c.