Gospel Truth Stated and Vindicated, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Of the way to attain Assurance.
TRUTH. THe ordinary way whereby a Man attaineth a well-grounded Assurance, is not by immediate objective Revelation; or an inward Voice saying, Thy Sins are forgiven thee: But when the Believer is examining his Heart and Life by the Word, the holy Spirit enlightens the Mind there to discern Faith, and Love, and such other Qualifications which the Gospel declareth to be infallible Signs of Regeneration: And he adds such power to the Testimony of Conscience, for the Truth and In-being of these Graces, as begets in the Soul a joyful sense of its reconciled State; and some comfortable freedom from those Fears which accompany a doubting Christian; and according to the Evidence of these Graces, Assurance is ordinarily strong or weak.
ERROUR: Assurance is not attained by the Evidence of Scripture-Marks or Signs of Grace, or by the Spirits discovering to us that he hath wrought in our Hearts any holy Qualifications: But Assurance comes only by an inward Voice of the Spirit, saying, Thy Sins are forgiven thee; and our believing thereupon that our Sins are forgiven.
Proved that this is Doctor Crisp's Opinion.
P. 491. Would you know that the Lord hath laid your Iniquities on Christ; you must know it thus: 1. Is there a Voice behind thee, or within thee, saying particularly to thee in thy self, Thy Sins are forgiven thee? Dost thou see this Voice agree with the Word of Grace? that is, Dost thou see it held out to most vile and wretched Creatures as thou canst be; and upon this Revelation of the Mind of the Lord by his Spirit, according to that Word, doth the Lord give thee to receive that Testimony of the Spirit, to sit down with it, as satisfied that upon this thou makest full reckoning, thou hast propriety in this particularly to thy self? If thou dost receive that Testimony according to that Word, here is thy Evidence, Thou hast thy Propriety and Portion in this. On this Point the Doctor spends much time. Serm. 15. is to prove, That Love to the Brethren, Universal Obedience, Sincerity, and Singleness of Heart, and all other inherent Qualifications, are not Signs by which we should judge our state. Serm. 16. he calls the Revealing Evidence of the Spirit, and endeavours to prove this Immediate Revelation. P. 473. he puts this Objection, We will not deny but it is the Voice of the Spirit will satisfie the Case: But suppose I hear such a Voice? &c. Here is the doubt; If the Word it self did bear witness to this particular Voice of the Spirit, then could I be satisfied this were the Voice of the Spirit of God that speaks; but if the Word do not bear witness to this Voice, &c. I dare not trust it. He Answers; This Voice is always according to the Word. But, P. 475. he tells us; The Word according to which the Spirit of the Lord speaks, when he speaks Peace to his People, is the Word of Grace: And that Word of Grace, is no more but this; God was in Christ, reconciling the World unto himself, not imputing their Trespasses unto them: This is the Word of Grace, according to which it speaks, reconciling the World to himself; even the World, when Men are no otherwise but merely Men of the World.
Reader, Thou seest that the Spirit's Voice according to the Word, is no more than according to the general Account, That Christ came to save Sinners: And so if any Sinner have this inward Voice, that Voice is according to the Word, whether he be a regenerate Person or no.
The Doctor in this Page, and Page 476. shews, That if this Voice be according to this general Rule, we must not try it by any thing else, or question it. And adds, As for Example; There is the Voice of the Word of Grace, we are justified freely by his Grace; and there is this Voice in the Spirit of Man, telling him according to this word, That his Sins are forgiven him. How shall I know (saith he) that this Voice is the Voice of the Spirit of God? For Answer, let me ask but this Question; Is there any thing in the world of better credit than the Spirit himself? And, P. 474. Beware that you make not the credit of the Voice of the Spirit to depend upon the Word.
Obj. But he seems to allow Faith to give Assurance. But I Ans. he tells us, p. 491. Not as a Revealing Evidence, nor as an effecting Evidence; but it is a Receiving Evidence; or it is an Evidence, as it doth receive that Testimony which the Spirit holds out, &c. Faith doth take possession of that which the Spirit reveals and manifests to a Person, &c. It clears the Title to us▪ though good in it self before, &c. And, P. 493. Faith is the Echo of the Heart, to the Voice of the Spirit. The Doctor's meaning is, That Faith doth not evidence our Pardon, as it is a Grace wrought in the Soul by the Spirit, or as a holy Qualification; but only as it doth assent to, and rest in this inward Voice.
Obj. But he seems to own that Sanctification is some Evidence? A. He tells us how, P. 482. viz. When the Testimony of the Spirit is received by Faith, and the Soul sits down satisfied with that Testimony of the Lord; then also the gifts of God's Spirit do bear witness together with the Spirit of the Lord, and the Faith of a Believer. You see there must be Assurance first, and then these do witness after; not to guide our Hopes, but over and above. See P. 100. There's no better way to know your Portion in Christ, than on the general tender of the Gospel, to conclude absolutely he is yours.
Wherein the difference is not.
1. It is not: Whether the Spirit witnesseth by his miraculous Operations to Christ, and the Gospel; which is a Truth, and the meaning of many of the Texts which the Doctor produceth. 2. Nor, Whether the Spirit, as a Worker of Grace in the Heart, be an Earnest of Glory, and Witness to our State. 3. Nor, Whether the Spirit witnesseth by and with the Conscience, in the Manifestation of our Graces for Assurance. 4. Nor, Whether the Spirit of God may, in some extraordinary Cases, give an immediate Testimony by a Voice or some equivalent Impressions. But then there is the Truth of Grace in the Heart, though it was doubted before; and nothing utterly inconsistent with true Grace, either is in the Heart, nor then appeareth to the Conscience. All these I affirm.
The real Difference.
1. Whether none attain Assurance but by the inward Voice of the Spirit pronouncing the actual Forgiveness of their Sins, without manifesting their true Grace and Sanctification. This the Doctor affirms, and I deny. 2. Whether the usual way of attaining Assurance, is by the Conscience upon trial discerning and concluding, through the help of the Spirit, that a Man hath those Graces or Signs which describe a Man blessed and pardoned, according to the Gospel. This I affirm, and the Doctor denies.
The Truth confirmed.
1. This is the way which God appoints to attain Assurance. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves, whether you be in the Faith; prove your own selves; know ye not that Christ is in you, except you be Reprobates? Here we are to try: What's our great Enquiry to be about? Are we in the Faith? which may respect Faith inherent, or the Doctrine of Faith professed. He concludes, they must inferr Christ is in them, except they had vile Hearts; or were Men, as to the frame of their Hearts, unapproved by God. For so foreign imports, 2 Pet. 1. 10. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure. How was this to be done? By adding Grace to Grace; abounding therein, and carefully looking that these things be in you. See from ver. 5. to 11.
2. This is the way whereby the Scripture-Saints were assured: They concluded their Justification by Sanctification; and a State of Peace by the Truth of Grace. 1 Joh. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. Ver. 9. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. How was this? See Ver. 18. Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed, and in truth: and hereby we know, &c. Thus David, Paul, and other Saints, concluded the safety of their state.
3. Conscience is bound to condemn every Man in whom the contrary to these Graces do appear; yea, where it's evident that they are wholly wanting. It's otherwise a seared Conscience, 2 Tim. 4. 2. It is not the Candle of the Lord in Man. Now there can be no Assurance where the Conscience condemns; as the Apostle argueth, 1 Joh. 3. 19, 20, 21.
4. The Spirit witnesseth with our Spirit, foreign, Rom. 8. 16. It doth not witness before our Spirit doth witness: It is not a separate Testimony from our Spirits, but it concurs with our Spirit as its Instrument: Our Spirits witness in the light of the Spirit; as 1 Cor. 9. 1. My Conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost.
5. A Testimony of the Spirit giving an Evidence of Pardon, without any Evidence of Grace, is not according to the Word of Grace; for the Word of Grace never declareth any Sinners are pardoned, but believing, penitent Sinners. It is not as mere Sinners the Word pardoneth; for it flatly condemneth, and leaves Guilt on all impenitent Unbelievers; as I have proved, chap. 8. 12. Therefore if there should be a Voice, a true Voice of God carrying it's own Evidence, saying, Thy Sins are forgiven; it doth at the same time, and by the same Voice, witness to the truth of our Grace; because he forgives no other, according to the Word of the Gospel. And if the Spirit should say to an impenitent Soul, Thou art pardoned, while such; it is no Promise in the Gospel, nor according to it; but a new Promise, and not to be tried by the VVord; and the Writers thereof having had more of the Spirit, than any now can pretend to, it's dangerous to rest on that Voice which will not bear the Tryal by the VVord, &c.
6. To have the ordinary way of Assurance to be as it's stated by the opposite Errour, hath very dangerous Consequences. Most Saints must quit their Hopes and Assurance; for they never had this Voice, though they have greater stamps of the Spirit, than any I ever knew pretend to this: It makes all Examination useless and vain: It overturneth one of the great Uses God hath assigned to the work of his Grace on the Heart: It makes Assurance impossible without this miraculous Voice; which can hardly carry its Evidence to a Soul that hath no Grace at all: It's a way too far Enthusiastick to be allowed in so stated a Case: It gives the Devil a great advantage against Sinners to live in Sin; and against honest People, if once they find cause to question this Voice: Yea, it sets up the Spirit against it self, if any can boast of Assurance by this Voice, when their State is justly challengeable by the Gospel, as wanting all sight of Gospel-Marks.
TESTIMONIES.
The Assembly, in Confes. ch. 18. a. 2. say, It's an Infallible Assurance of Faith, founded upon the Divine Truth of the Promises of Salvation, the inward Evidences of those Graces unto which these Promises are made; the Testimony of the Spirit of Adoption witnessing with our Spirits, that we are the Children of God. And, a. 3. they tell us, A Believer being enabled by the Spirit, may, without extraordinary Revelation, in the right use of ordinary Means, attain thereunto: And therefore it is the Duty of every one, to give all diligence to make his Calling and Election sure, that thereby his heart may be enlarged in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost, &c. as say the Cong. Elders, chap. 18. a. 3. See a. 4. Both shew how Assurance may be revived from the Graces in the Heart.
The Synod of New-England oft confute the contrary Errour; which it seems was one that sadly troubled them. Errour 44. No create… Work can be a manifest Sign of God's Love. Errour 47. The Seal of the Spirit is limited only to the immediate witness of the Spirit; nor doth ever witness to any Work of Grace, or Conclusion by a Syllogism. Errour 67. A Man cannot evidence his Justification by his Sanctification, but he must needs build upon his Sanctification, and trust to it. Errour 72. It's a Souldamning Errour, to make Sanctification an Evidence of Justification. Errour 77. Sanctification is so far from evidencing a good State, th… it darkens it rather; and a Man may more clearly see Christ when he seeth no Sanctification, than when he doth: The darker my Sanctification is, the brighter is my Justification. The Synod shew at large how each of these are contrary to the Scriptures: And one … the evil Speeches they confute, p. 19. I may know I am Christ's: Not because I do crucif… the Lusts of the Flesh, but believe in Christ that crucified my Lusts for me. See Errour 63, 69.
The Grounds of the Doctor's Mistake.
Because the Spirit of God is a Comforter; therefore he cannot comfort us, by helping us to see the VVork of his Grace, in order to Joy in his Blessings. Because the Spirit was to convince the World of Christ's Righteousness, as what alone could procure Life; therefore he tells Men that they have an Interest in it, without shewing them any change on their Hearts. Because he was to take of Christ's Fulness, and shew it to his Disciples; therefore he immediately speaks peace to the hearts of such as are, or at least appear his resolved Enemies. Because by the Spirit of Adoption, we cry, Abba, Father; therefore we need not find any love to God, to know that we are his Children. Because the Spirit witnesseth with our Spirits, that we are the Children of God; therefore he witnesseth alone, without so much as revealing to our Spirits, that we have the temper of Children: Whereas there are many great Effects of the Spirit manifest on the Souls of them to whom the Apostle speaks, Rom. 8. 11, 12, 14, 15, 16. And the design of the place, is more to express our Dignity, and free Access to God, under a Gospel-state, than mere Assurance of Forgiveness. Because a Natural Man cannot perceive the Riches of the Promise, and the Spirit enableth a Spiritual Man, by his Teachings, to perceive the nature of them; therefore by an immediate Voice he discovers to the Natural Man his Propriety in them, even while he is and appears Natural. Because there is Imperfection in the Graces of a Saint; therefore he cannot see the Sincerity of them by the help of the Spirit, without an immediate Voice.