The Trial of Assurance, Sermon
THE TRYAL OF Aſſurance, Set forth in a SERMON Preached at Boston upon a Lecture day July 7th. 1698.
By Solomon Stoddard, Paſtor of the Church in Northampton.
2 Pet. 1.10.
Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election ſure.
BOSTON in NEW-ENGLAND, Printed by B. Green, and J. Allen. Sold …
The TRYAL of Aſſurance.
John 21.17.
— Simon ſon of Jonas, loveſt thou Me?
THE falls of the People of God … darken their ſincerity: they are as … Cloud covering their uprightneſs: th… do make their ſincerity queſtionab… unto others: ſome that take notice of their fa… are ready to ſuſpect, and others are ready to de… their ſincerity; ſtanders by are apt to impu… their falls to their Hypocriſy and the reignin… power of ſin; as if they had now prove… themſelves to be Hypocrites. They are read… to ſay of them, as David ſaid of Doeg, Lo th… is the man that made not God his trust. And th… …s make their ſincerity queſtionable to them…ves: if they have ſeen ſomething of upright…ſs in themſelves before, now they fear, they …re miſtaken: they think if there had been …y Grace, that would have preſerved them …m falling: their falls wound their Conſciences …d diſturb their Peace. They think if God …d loved them, he would not have ſuffered …m to fall into ſuch ſin: it ſeems to them … be the fruit of Gods hatred: they are apt … think that their ſins have turned away the …rt of God from them, and that he cannot …ight in them: they think moreover that if …y had loved God, they could not have been …wn to ſin ſo againſt him. Satan is, wont to … prove their falls unto their diſcouragement; …d raiſes ſuch miſts, that day is turned into night … to them. Upon this occaſion Chriſt puts this …eſtion to Peter: the Diſciples might be unſa…fyed with him, becauſe of his fall; and he …ight be diſſatisfyed with himſelf: but hereby …hriſt is leading of him into the Examination … his own ſincerity. You may conceive Chriſts …eaning thus: Peter you have made a Profeſſion many years: but in the time of my affliction, …ou ſhamefully denied me; you formerly profeſſed …at you would dye with me, before you would …ny me, but as ſoon as the Temptation came; …u preſently denyed me: and as if it were …t enough to do it once, you did it a ſecond and a third time: and as if plain denying … not been enough, you did it with Curſing … Swearing: is there any love in your heart u… me? you ſhewed ſome affection but now, … throwing your ſelf into the Sea, but is it … love? have I your heart? am I the object … your love? you profeſſed more love than other Diſciples; but do you indeed love me?
DOCTRINE. If a man do's not certainly know, that he performed one act of Saving Grace, he can be certain of his Sincerity from his Walk.
The Tryal of ſincerity is a great and weight work. Miniſters had need be careful in giv… Rules of Tryal; and People had need be care… in applying Rules of Tryal: the Doctrine … propounded to prevent miſtakes in this mat… Godly men are deſcribed in the Scripture to … men, that walk in the law of the Lord; men … walk not after the fleſh but after the Spirit: but … is impoſſible for any man to evidence his ſince… from hence; unleſs he certainly knows that … has performed ſome act or acts of ſaving Gra… A man may have a probable knowledge of … ſincerity, though he do not certainly know … he has performed any act of ſaving Grace: … this is all that he can attain to by his walk … … do not know that he has performed any one … of ſaving Grace. There be many acts of …ing Grace; as to believe in Chriſt, to love …d and Chriſt, to hate ſin, to make the Glory … God one's end: and if a man don't certainly …ow any ſuch thing by himſelf: he will never …able from his walk to prove himſelf to be …aint. If a thing ſhine like fire in the night, … you cannot know it to be fire from thence; …eſs you ſee in it ſome property of fire. If a …ng acts as if it had life, yet you cannot know … thence, that it has life, unleſs you know …e action to be a Vital action. You cannot …ow that a man do's miracles, unleſs you know …e one action to be miraculous: So here.
In order to the clearing of this, I ſhall firſt …miſe three things.
1. They that walk in a way of holineſs are …cere: all that walk in a way of obedience are … right. Walking in Gods ways is the Character … a Saint Pſal. 119.1. Bleſſed are the undefiled in … way, who walk in the law of the Lord. An holy … is a certain ſign of a holy heart. A life of obedience ſhows a principal of Grace: they that live …ife of humility, love and faith are real Saints; …y are ſuch indeed as they do profeſs themſelves … be: though they have many infirmities and corruptions, yet they are ſincere Saints. An holy life …ore than any Hypocrite can attain unto: he may counterfeit Holineſs and have the image … it; but falls utterly ſhort of an holy life: an ho… life is a life of ſincerity and flows from a principle of ſincerity: other principles may make a ma… live a moral and religious life: Prudence, Pri… and ſlaviſh fear may produce much out ward co… formity, and many inward affections: but on… a principle of Grace can inable a man to live … holy life: all that live holily are regenerate me… Eph. 2.10. Created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good wor…
2. They that walk in a way of unholineſs a… not ſincere: they that lead an unholy life a… not upright: a principle of Grace will keep … man from ways of ſin. 1 Joh. 3.9. He that … born of God, doth not commit ſin, for his ſeed remain… in him, and he cannot ſin, becauſe he is born of Go… he has ſo much fear that he can't live a life … ſin, he hates ſin ſo that he cannot live a life … ſin: Some that are ſincere have a leſs degree of ſincerity than others; but the leaſt degree … ſincerity will preſerve a man from an unholy li… Pſal. 18.23. I was alſo upright before him and I k… my ſelf from mine iniquity. An unholy life ſhe … the reigning power of ſin. Joh. 8.34. He that co… mitteth ſin, is the ſervant of ſin. They that are ſe… ing any Luſt are not ſerving of the Lord: if m… make great pretenſions of ſincerity, yet lead unh… lives, there is no ſincerity in them: if they ha… great affections and hopes, yet they have no … cerity; they profeſs one thing and practiſe another. If men ſerve their Pride or their Coveteouſneſs, or their Voluptuouſneſs, they are not ſincere, …ey are utterly deſtitute of a principle of Grace: … they have ſhews of Grace, yet they are but Hy…crites, and will be damned at the laſt day. Luke 13.27. Depart from me, all ye workers of …iquity.
3. Many men ſeem to themſelves to walk in a …ay of Holineſs, yet don't certainly know that …er they did perform an act of ſaving grace; …ough all that make an high profeſſion don't …em to themſelves to lead an holy life, yet a…ndance of them do: they are conſciencious of … their ways, have many religious affections; …urn for ſin, rejoyce in Sabbaths, are thank… for mercies; are afflicted under the Tokens … Gods Anger, are deſirous of the Converſion … others: it ſeems to them, that they live in …ne degree as Saints of old did: they think they …lk holily, yet many of theſe perſons don't cer…nly know that ever they did perform one act … ſaving grace, ſeveral of them never did per…m one act of ſaving grace, therefore they can… know that they have: and ſome that have …e it, are in the dark about it; they are under …bts and uncertainties about it: the Queſtion … Whether ſuch perſons can know from their …lk, that they are ſincere. This the Doctrine …s deny, and it may thus be cleared up.
Argument 1. It is the acting of Grace tha… makes and ſhews the Walk to be holy: it is no… the orderlineſs of mens walk that ſhews it to be… holy; nor the affectionateneſs of mens hearts i… Religion, that ſhews their walk to be holy; no… the long continuance of good carriages, nor … good behaviour in a day of temptation; nor … ſavoury ſpirit; theſe things may all be, yet the … walk not be holy: if there be the acting of love … faith and repentance, then the walk is holy: bu… all that men do is done in hypocriſy, if there b… not the acting of grace: if there be no grace i… their prayers, in their faſtings, in their diſcourſes, all is in hypocriſy: conſcienciouſneſs don't prove their walk to be ſincere: the young man in the Goſpel was conſcientious: Mat. 19.20. all theſe things have I done from my youth. Zeal don't prove it, a man may be zealous, yet not upright: Rom. 10.2. they be the actings of grace that make and ſhew the walk to be holy; if it be not a life of faith and love, it is not a holy life: Gal. 2.20. the life that I live in the fleſh, I live by the faith of the Son of God: therefore he that don't know that he has performed an act of grace, can't know that he has an holy walk: he that don't know that he has that which is the life of an holy walk, and eſſential to it, can't know that his walk is holy.
2. It is harder to know an holy walk than one act of grace: it is harder for any man to diſcern that he leads an holy life, then that he performs a gracious act: for an holy life does conſiſt of many gracious actions; and it is harder to diſcern that a man has done many, then that he has done one: it is harder to find out many profitable herbs in the field than one; harder to diſcern many trains of Wheat among the Chaff, than one: it is harder to find many Evidences of a good Eſtate than one; to the diſcerning of many acts of trace, there is required more obſervation and examination, then to the diſcerning of one act of grace; if it be difficult to find one, it will be more difficult to find two, ten, an hundred: therefore he that don't know that he has performed one act of grace, does not know that he leads an holy life. I may allude to that, Jer. 12.5. if thou haſt run with the foot men and they have wearied thee, how wilt thou contend with horſes.
3. If the holineſs of mens actions can't be diſcerned ſeverally, it can't be diſcerned in conjunction: if a man looks upon his actions ſeverally, and cannot ſay that this or that or any one was an holy action; he cannot ſay concerning any action, that it was an act of ſaving faith, or ſaving love; how can he when he looks upon his carriages together, ſay they are holy, if there be no one action that he can ſay is ſincere; how can he ſay that his walk is ſincere: if a man ſees an heap of corn, how can he ſay, it is an heap of wheat, when he does not know, that there is one grain of wheat there: the ſincerity of his walk depends upon the ſincerity of particular actions; and if that be hidden from him, how can he ſay his walk is ſincere: if for ought he knows every prayer and duty be done in hypocriſy; then for ought he knows, his whole life is a life of hypocriſy: if he can inſtance in no action that is certainly otherwiſe, it may be ſo for ought that he knows; if he can't anſwer to this queſtion. Joh. 21.17. Loveſt thou me? or to that, Joh. 9.35. dost thou believe on the Son of God? or ſome ſuch like; he cannot tell that he lives an holy life: therefore ſuch a man can't prove his ſincerity from his walk. No walk can be evidential, but what is made up of acts of grace; therefore if he ſees none, he can have no evidence from his walk.
4. If there be no act of grace, there is no ſincerity; therefore if he ſees no act of grace, he ſees no ſincerity; when there is no act of grace, there is no principle of grace: though a man walk in print, yet there is no ſincerity; many carry themſelves very fairly, but if there be no grace, there is no uprightneſs in them, Joh. 5.42. I know you, that you have not the love of God in you; it is all counterfeit walk: they are like men upon the Stage, that perſonate other kind of men; ſo theſe men walk like Saints, and talk like Saints; but if there be no act of grace, they are no Saints, they want that which does conſtitute a Saint, therefore if a man do not know any act of grace in himſelf, he can't know himſelf to be a Saint, though he walk like an Angel.
5. The multiplication of ſuch acts as are common to Saints and hypocrites, don't ſhew him to are ſincere; prayer is common to Saints and hypocrites. Pſal. 78.34. When he ſlew them, then they tought him, they returned and enquired early after God; therefore if a man do this a thouſand times, it don't prove him to be a Saint; ſo morality is common to Saints and hypocrites. Mat. 19.20. and if a man carries morally, twenty years together, it don't ſhew him to be a Saint; ſo zeal, ſo delight in Sabbaths; if an hypocrite may do theſe things, then the multiplication of them, and walking in ſuch a way is no evidence; that which is common, let it be multiplied never ſo often, don't become ſaving: multiply cyphers, and they make no number: therefore there can be no evidence of a good eſtate from a mans walk, unleſs he knew ſome act of grace; if he can't diſcern ſome act of ſaving grace, he muſt be at a loſs about his ſincerity.
USE I.
See the reaſon why many Profeſſors are unſatisfied about their ſincerity; though they have a pretty good converſation, are conſcientious, affectionate, zealous, yet they are full of fears, they are often perplexed, and don't know what to make of themſelves; it ſeems to them that their walk is pretty much according to rule, but they do not know that ever they did perform any act of ſaving grace; they can't anſwer to ſuch queſtions, Loveſt thou me? Joh. 21.17. Or doſt th… believe on the Son of God? Joh. 9.35. this does create a deal of perplexity to them; and they are afraid what will become of themſelves, after al… their profeſſion. And there are three ſorts o… them.
1. Some Profeſſors never did ſee any act o… grace in themſelves; they never had any: and therefore could not ſee any: they have had affection, but no love; ſorrow, but not godly ſorrow encouragement, but no faith. There be many Profeſſors that are utterly deſtitute of gracious carriages, they have the reſemblance of them, bu… they never had any exerciſe of grace; they are ſpiritually dead, and never did perform any act o… ſpiritual life; thus it was with Saul, Doeg, Achitophel, Judas and Demas, they were only the picture… of Saints, and imitated the actions of Spiritual Life, but did not perform them; an evil tree can't bring forth good fruit, men can't gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thiſtles: Mat. 7.16, 18 they can't ſee acts of grace: men cannot ſee that which is not.
2. Some Profeſſors never did certainly know that they have performed any act of ſaving grace they have diſcovered the workings of grace ſome times in themſelves, but not ſo plainly, as to be able to ſpeak roundly up to it, as Peter did, Lord, thou knoweſt all things; thou knoweſt that I love thee? Joh. 21.17. they underſtand that there is a great deal that does reſemble grace, that is not grace; and ſo they doubt whether it be of the right kind: they know that there is a temporary faith, Luk. 8.13. ſome believe for a time, and then fall away; and there may be ſtrong deſires and delight, where there is no ſincere love; here may be great pangs of affection, without any uprightneſs, and the acts of grace were not ſo clear, as ſome others do ſpeak of, hence they are not fully ſatisfied; as when one ſees a man at a great diſtance, he is at ſome loſs whether it be a man.
3. Some have certainly ſeen the workings of grace, but through temptations ſince, they have loſt the certainty of that knowledge; at the time they knew they did believe in Chriſt, and that they loved God, and could ſay as David, Pſalm 116.1. I love the Lord; and as, Pſal. 46.1. The Lord is my ſtrength and refuge: but afterwards they have not ſo full and clear a remembrance of it: and God brings them into affliction, and unbelief prevails, and now they are ſuſpicious that they were miſtaken; beſides, God don't hear their prayers, they have ſought him many a time for ſuch & ſuch a mercy, and he has denied them at laſt: beſides, they find a dead heart, corruption ſtrong, and have had no ſuch plain working of Grace a pretty while, accordingly they are full of fears whether they are not miſtaken: they ſay, if there were no deceit in it, how comes it to be ſo and ſo with me?
USE. II.
Others cannot be certain of a mans ſincerity from his Converſation: if others ſee men carry well, they preſently ſay, they are good men … but they don't know it from thence; there i… indeed ground enough for Charity; but not for Aſſurance: for whatever mens Converſation be if they don't ſee the actings of Grace, they can not be aſſured that the man is a Godly man. It is not good to depend upon the judgment o… others, for they do not know, whether a man be ſincere or not. All the external acts of Charity, Piety, Juſtice and Sobriety, may be performed by a man that has no Grace; Prudence and Conſcience may produce them all: and one that has no Grace may carry as well in the eye of the world, as he that has it. Peter does but ſuppoſe Silvanus to be faithful. 1 Pet. 5.12.
Conſider 1. The inward actings of Grace are inviſible to others. A man may look into his own heart, and ſee the actings and workings that are there; but he can't look into the hearts of others; men can't tell what actings there be …n their underſtandings and wills: men can't …ee when they act, nor what they act, nor what they act upon; nor how they act: men can't …ell whether they chuſe or refuſe. Jer. 17.9. The heart is deceitful above all things, who can know it?
2. Men cannot by words or actions make the actings of grace ſo viſible to others, that they can diſtinguiſh them: if a man talke graciouſly and walk graciouſly, he can't make another certain that he does ſo: another that ſees the external action, can't certainly diſtinguiſh it from a formal action; if he ſatisfy another, yet he can't aſſure another, that it is … gracious action: a man may ſpeak like an Angel, yet not have charity; he may give all his goods to feed the poor; and his body to be buried, and yet not have charity, 1 Cor. 3.1, 2, 13.
USE III.
Of Warning, That you be not confident of your ſincerity from your walk, without the certain knowledge that you have performed any act of ſaving grace: ſome men will be confident that they are in a good eſtate, though they do not know that ever they believed in Chriſt, or have exerciſed any true love to God: all that they have to ſay for themſelves is, that they have a conſciencious ca… to do their duty, and are many times affected i… a religious way, and hope, they do truſt in Chri… and make the glory of God their end; and the find affection to the people of God: but this yo… may be ſure of, you can't conclude your ſincerit… from your walk, unleſs you know that you hav… performed ſome act or acts of ſaving grace: … you do know that, then you have reaſon to conclude your walk to be holy: where there is on act of ſaving grace, there will be more: there … the principle, but without this you cannot conclude it.
Conſider 1. If you be ſincere, this confidence … meer flattery; good men ſometimes think the are good upon ſuch foundations as will not hold as becauſe God does the things that they hav… prayed for; becauſe he ſmiles upon then in his Providence; becauſe others think they ar… Saints: ſo this is one way of flattery: if you be up… right, yet you can't tell it from your walk, if you do not know that you exerciſe grace: for ought any thing that you know, your life is a life o… hypocriſy: men may do all that you know you do, and yet be hypocrites; your walk can't be evidential to you, if you do not ſee the acts o… grace, your confidence is preſumption; men muſt go upon a ſure bottom, 2 Cor. 13.5. Examin… your ſelves, prove your own ſelves; & this flattering & …eep that you are fallen into does you much hurt: his makes you neglect a good confidence, and …xpoſes you to live a careleſs life, without any …eat matter of the life of religion.
2. If you be not ſincere, it may prove your …hine; ſome men that take notice of their con…cientiouſneſs do conclude themſelves godly, …hen they are ungodly: and fall ſhort of a principle of grace: they are deſtitute of faith and …ve, Joh. 5.42. I know you, that you have not the …ve of God in you: but becauſe they imagine that …hey are ſincere, they reſt in their preſent attainments, Joh. 9.41. becauſe you ſay we ſee, therefore …our ſin remaineth: when they are ſtirred up to …et ſincerity, they hope they have it already, they …ope others will take the warning, and that their children will hearken, but they think themſelves …re out of danger: counſels and warnings are …oſt upon them, they bleſs themſelves in their preſent eſtate, they think their diſeaſe is cured, and ſo give over the uſe of means; they think …hey are provided for Eternity, and ſo they are …t reſt: they are under ſome endeavours to get …nore knowledge and more grace, but not to be Converted: hence this work is neglected; when once they have taken up ſuch a conceit that they …re godly, they have got their deaths wound, if …nercy do not prevent: they live careleſly, and when they come to dye, they will be ſhut out of the Kingdom of God: there will be no roo… for them in heaven, Mat. 25.12. Depart from in… I know you not. Iſa. 50.11. all you that kindle a fi… and compaſs your ſelves about with ſparks; walk … the light of your fire, and in the ſparks which you ha… kindled, this ſhall ye have of mine hand, ye ſhall down in ſorrow.
USE IV.
Of Direction: To Saints how to get the knowledge of your ſincerity; by getting ſuch viſib… actings of grace, that you may know them ce… tainly to be the acts of ſaving grace: it is a gre… exerciſe to ſome Saints, whether they be ſince… Saints, they labour in it for many years; and o… Miniſter gives ſigns, and they try themſelves … them, and another gives ſigns, and they try themſelves by them; and ſometimes they think th… ſee the ſigns of Saints, and ſometimes the ſign of hypocrites: and they don't know what … make of themſelves: the beſt way is to get ſu… exerciſe of grace, that you may know it to … grace; don't let grace lie in a withering condi… on: let it flouriſh, that it may act viſibly: th… you may certainly know it: your walk witho… this, will never clear up your good condition.
Conſider. 1. There is good uſe of ſign provided they be true ſigns warranted by …ght interpretation of the Scripture; though …any ſigns that men give are very fallible: it if the ſigns be good, there is very good …e to be made of them; though a man may …k ſigns of ſigns endleſsly; yet they are of …od advantage to beget a probable knowledge … a mans good eſtate; many perſons are in…uraged and ſupported by them. 1 Joh. 3.14. …ereby we know that we are paſſed from death … life, becauſe we love the brethren: and they …e a further confirmation to thoſe that have …d Aſſurances of their ſincerity: when they …d Scripture ſigns falling in with thoſe evidences, which they have formerly received, they …e further eſtabliſhed thereby.
2. But the viſible actings of Grace will …isfy all ſorts of Chriſtians. We may diſtinguiſh Chriſtians into two ſorts; ſome are perſons … great underſtanding and knowledge, they …ve a deep inſight into thoſe ways of deceit …d hypocriſy that the heart is ſubject to: …d they are apt to be puzled with queſtions …d doubts, that fly over the heads of others; …ey are afraid of ſuch deceits as other men …n't ſuſpect: but when they have plain viſible …rkings of Grace, that they know to be Grace, …is fully ſatisfyes them: Thou knoweſt that I …e thee. Joh. 21.17. Others are weak and ignorant and can't give many ſigns of true Grace, nor diſtinctly take them up, when they are laid down: yet when they plainly ſee the viſible actings of ſaving Grace, the thing is pu… beyond queſtion. A weak woman is as we… ſatisfyed that ſhe loves her child as the wiſef… man in the land, though ſhe can't make a larg… diſcourſe upon it, nor prove it by infallible ſign… becauſe ſhe ſeels her love: ſo it is in this caſe.
3. Though the viſible actings of Grace may be counterfeited, yet they that have them, may know that they have them. There is nothing but may be counterfeited, men may counterfeit themſelves to be great men and holy men: Gol… and Silver, and Jewels may be counterfeited So theſe viſible actings of Grace; men may have very ſtrong affections; where there is no love or godly ſorrow. Matt. 8.19. Maſter I will follow thee whither ſoever thou goest. 1 Sam. 24. 16. Saul lift up his voice and wept. Men may ſay Hoſanna to day, and Crucify to morrow Yet thoſe that have the viſible acting of Grace know it. He that dreams thinks he is awake, but he that is awake, knows he is awake: though there be counterfeits, yet the …ible actings may be known at the time.
4. If men have ſuch viſible actings of Grace but now and then, they will be of great uſe to them as long as they live: though they may be after that Expoſed to great Temptations, yet theſe actings of Grace that they have …een, will be ſtay to them: they will wor… an abiding hope in the heart; they will often have occaſion to call to mind the years of the right hand of the moſt high, and their Song in the night. If a man ſhould live many year after, he will not forget this. Pſal. 63.2. That I may ſee thy power and glory, ſo as I have ſeen thee in the Sanctuary. If he has great Temptations from deadneſs and from Gods with drawings; this will come to mind, and ſo he will have hope: and the more ſuch acts are repeated, the more advantage he is under to have a ſettled Aſſurance of his ſincerity.
FINIS.
End of the text · Solomon Stoddard, The Trial of Assurance (1698)