The Whole Duty of a Christian, Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIV.
§. 1. ONelyOnly it remains that you look your selves in this Glasse, and …ry your selves by this touchstone, for though others may give a shrewd ghesse, yet the Mother knowes best whether the Child be like the Father or no; and the signs of Salvation are to be sought in our selves, as the cause in Iesus Christ; our Justification is to be proved by the fruits of our Sanctification, and though faith alone justifieth, yet justifying faith is never alone, but ever accompanied with spiritual graces, the beauties of the soul, and good works the beauty of graces; yea, they are as inseparable as the root and the sap, the Sun and its light; and as Fire may be discerned by heat, and life by motion, so a mans faith may be discerned by the fruits of it. Nor can any one be deceived except he desires to deceive himself, for every particular man is either the Child of God, or the Child of the Devil, as Chrysostome hath it, for there is not a mean betwixt them; and there be more differences between the Children of God, and the Children of the Devil, then there are between Men and Beasts, whereof I have named not a few; for whatsoever you may find the one (herein set forth) to speak, think, or do, the other does the contrary; and to have the true Character of an unbeliever you need but read this Chracter of a true Believer backward, understand all by the rule of contraries and be satisfied; I speak this to Naturians onelyonly, for the regenerate man knowes the one to be so by what he is, and the other by what he hath been; neither is there one of all these signes or characters but each experienced Christian finds it in some degree written in his heart, as his conscience can bear me witnesse. And would you know whether you belong to Christ? This will inform you, you will (by help from above) endeavour to bring into captivity every thought and thing to the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. 10. 5. 1 Joh. 2. 4▪ but so have not you in the least so long as you love not, or any way oppose the people of God; for the very first part of conversion is, to love them that love God, 1 Ioh. 3. 10. yea in reason, if the Image of God by faith were repaired in thee, thou couldest not but be delighted with those that are like thy self. And what saith S. Iohn, He that pretends interest in God, or Christ, and keepeth not his Commandements, is a lyar, and the truth is not in him, 1 Ioh. 2. 4. and in the third Chapter and eighth Verse he affirms plainly, That all wilful Sinners are the Devils servants. And indeed, let men flatter themselves, or pretend what they will, it cannot be denyed but the fruit tells best the name of the Tree; the conversation above all shewes who carries the bridle of the will, whether God or Satan: and did not men purposely shut their eyes, and stop their ears, and harden their own hearts, least they should see, and hear, and so be converted, as our Saviour himself speaks, Metth. 13. 15. they could not but know that the whole Bible beats upon this: It is Saint Pauls everlasting rule, Rom. 6. 16. Ye are his servants to whom ye obey. And Saint Peters infallible Doctrine, 2 Pet. 2. 19. Of whom a man is overcome, unto him he is in bondage. And Saint Iohns, In this are the Children of God known, and the Children of the Devil; whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God, but of the Devil, 1 Ioh. 3. 8, 10. And after this manner does our Saviour reason with the Iewes, Ioh. 8. 33, to 48. See then whose Commands ye do, Gods, or Satans; if Satans, then saith Saint Iohn, Let no man deceive you through vain words, for he onelyonly that doth righteousnesse is righteous, and he that doth unrighteousnesse is of the devil, 1 Ioh. 3. 7, 8. wherefore if thou art a common Drunkard, or a continual Swearer, or an usual companion of Harlots, or an accustomary Deceiver, or a frequent …landerer of thy Neighbour, or an open and common Sabbath-breaker, or canst thou boast of thy sin and mischief, or defend it? If thou makest no conscience of Praying in thy Family; if thou callest evil good, and good evil; if thou hatest thy Brother for doing that which is good, as Cain did Abel; if Ismael-like thou mockest, or Cham-like thou scoffest at the religious, or usest bitter jests against them, though it be under the notion of Round-heads, Puritanes, Sectaries, Black-coats, or the like; if thou raisest slanders of them, or furtherest them being raised; if thou dost rejoyce at the secret infirmities of the godly, or open scandals of Hypocrites; if thou dost carp and fret against the Word, refusing to heart it, or withstandest the preaching of it; if being a Minister thou disgracest or r…vilest the godly in thy preaching, so making sad the hearts of the righteous, or justifi…st the wicked, so strengthening them in their evil courses by preaching unto them peace: if thou hast a base esteem of Gods people and their wayes, and thinkest the worse of a man for scrupling small matters; if thou makest Religion a cloak for villany, if thou dost borrow, or run in debt without care to pay again; if thou delightest in cruelty, if thou takest no care to provide for thine own Family; if thou hadst rather the wicked should bear rule then the godly: if thou art an enemy to reformation, if thou hadst rather disobey God then displease great ones: if thou desirest peace without any respect to truth; if thou dost allow thy self in the practice of any known grosse sin, if thou takest liberty to sin because God is merciful, and forbears to execute judgment speedily; if thou dost not believe all things to be ordered by Gods providence, and in particular acknowledge him in all thou either receivest or sufferest; if thou murmurest when thou wantest any thing, without ever thinking of the many things thou hast beyond thy desert; if thou canst hear God blasphemed and dishonoured, without being moved thereat; if the scandalous lives of Professors, or the multitude of Heresies that are daily broached make thee think, and speak evil of the way of truth; if thou didst never see thy self out of measure sinful, as being many wayes guilty of the breach of every of the Commandements in particular, and so in a lost condition, utterly despairing of all help in thy self, acknowledging that thou hast deserved all the plagues of this life, and of that which is to come; if thou art not as well troubled for original guilt, for sins of omission, for the evil which cleaves to thy best works, and for thy very thoughts, as for thy actual and manifest evil deeds; if thou hast made vowes, and promised amendment when the rod was on thy bac…, but never cared to perform the same when thou wert released; if thou art not industrious after the means of grace; if thou lovest not to hear Christ, voyce; if thou findest not the Word more quick, and powerfull, and sweet, and efficacious then any other writings; if it; and the Spirit going along with it hath not brought thee out of darknesse into marvellous light, in comparison of thy former darknesse; if thou art ignorant of the principles of Religion in the midst of so much light and means, and canst not yeeld a reason of the hope that is in thee; if thou dost not find a manifest change in thy judgment, affections, and actions from what they were by nature; if the old man hath not changed with the new man; worldly wisdome with heavenly wisdom, carnal love for spiritual love, servile fear for Christian and filial fear, idle thoughts for holy thoughts, vain words for holy and wholsome words, fleshly works for works of righteousnesse, &c. as if thou wert cast into a new mould, even hating what thou formerly lovedst, and loving what thou formerly hatedst; if thou art not ashamed of thy former conversation; if thou hast not been often and grievously assaulted with fears and doubtings, and often in combate between the flesh and the Spirit, the Spirit getting the better; if thou dost not more fear the want of grace then confide in what thou hast; if thou are not jealous lest thy heart should deceive thee; yea, if thou art not hated of the world, and evil spoken of for well doing, thou art the Devils servant, and not as yet one of that small number whom Christ hath chosen out of the world to believe in his name; for these, or any one of these signs sufficiently brand thee for a wicked man.