Heaven on Earth, Discourse · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Containing Anſwers to ſeveral ſpecial Questions about Aſſurance.
BUt me thinks I hear ſome precious Souls, ſaying, Sir, Queſt. 1 we have, after much praying, weeping and waiting, gained this Pearl of price, Aſſurance: But, O how ſhall we do to ſtrengthen it? How ſhall we do to keep it? Satan will labor to weaken our Aſſurance, and to rob us of this Jewel, that is more worth than a world; what means muſt we uſe to ſtrengthen our Aſſurance, and to ſecure it? &c.
Now to this Queſtion, I ſhall give theſe following Anſwers.
Firſt, If you would have your Aſſurance ſtrengthned and maintained, then keep cloſe to Soul-ſtrengthningThe old Rule was Hoc age. ways, be ſerious and ſincere, be diligent and conſtant in the uſe of thoſe means and ways wherein you firſt gained Aſſurance, as Prayer, the Word, breaking of Bread, Communion of Saints, &c. A conſcionable and cordialA cool ſpirit is always a loſing ſpirit, the doing heart, the diligent heart, turns the ſpark into a flame, the mite into a million, &c. uſe of holy and heavenly means is bleſſed, not onelyonly with a preſervation of Aſſurance, but likewiſe with an addition and increaſe of it. The ways of God, and his goings in the Sanctuary, have wrought wonders upon thee, when thou waſt dead, how much more will they work upon thee, and for thee, now thou art (by Grace made) alive? He that will not apply himſelf to Gods ſtrengthning methods, will quickly finde his Aſſurance weakned, if not wholly waſted. He that thinks himſelf too good for Ordinances, will quickly grow weak in his Aſſurance. The choiceſt Prophets, and higheſt Apoſtles (if I may ſo ſpeak) that had attained to the fulleſt Aſſurance, kept cloſe to the ways and precious inſtitutions of Chriſt. Verily, thoſe that pretend to live above Ordinances, and yet live below them, never knew by experience, what a mercy it was to have a wel-grounded Aſſurance, or elſe they have loſt that bleſſed Aſſurance that once they had, &c.
Secondly, If you would ſtrengthen and maintain your Aſſurance, then dwell much upon your Spiritual and Eternal Priviledges, viz. Your Adoption,Holy and heavenly priviledges, are the food by which Aſſurance is cheriſhed and maintained. Juſtification, Reconciliation, &c. 1 Pet. 2. 9. This you will finde by experience will mightily tend to the ſtrengthning and maintaining of your Aſſurance. He that neglects this Rule, will quickly finde his Sun to ſet in a cloud, his Harp to be turned into mourning, and his Organ into the voiceJob 30. ult. of them that weep.
Thirdly, If you would ſtrengthen and maintain your Aſſurance, then look that your hearts and thoughts run more out to Chriſt… then to Aſſurance, to the Sun then to the Beams, to the Fountain then to the Stream, to the Root then to the Branch, to the Cauſe then to the Effect. Aſſurance is ſweet,Cant. 1. 13. but Chriſt is more ſweet. Aſſurance is lovely, but Chriſt is altogether lovely.Cant. 5. 16. Prov 3. 15. Aſſurance is precious, but Chriſt is moſt precious. Though Aſſurance be a flower that yeelds much comfort and delight, yet it is but a flower. Though Aſſurance be a precious Box, yet it is but a Box. Though Aſſurance be a Ring of Gold, yet it is but a Ring of Gold. And what is the flower to the Root, what is the Box to the Oyntment, what is the Ring to the Pearl? No more is Aſſurance to Chriſt; therefore let thy eye, and heart, firſt, moſt, and laſt, be fixt upon Chriſt, then will Aſſurance bed and board with thee, otherwiſe thou wilt quickly finde thy Summer to be turned into Winter.
Fourthly, If you would ſtrengthen and maintain your Aſſurance, then look that your hearts are more taken up with Chriſt, then with your Graces. Though Grace be a glorious Creature,Chriſt is the pot of Manna, the Cruſe of Oyl, the bortomleſs Ocean, the moſt ſparkling Diamond in the Ring of glory, &c. yet it is but a Creature; therefore let Grace have your eye, but be ſure that Chriſt have your heart. Chriſt will not allow your very Graces to be corrivals with him. He that mindes his Graces more then Chriſt, or that ſets his Graces upon the Throne with Chriſt, will quickly finde what it is to loſe the face and favor of Chriſt. Your Grace are but Chriſts Servants and Handmaids, you may look upon them, but you muſt not match with them.When Darius ſent to Alexander, that he would be willing to divide the Kingdom, no ſaith Alexander, there is but one Sun in the Firmament, and there can be but one King in a Kingdom: So ſaith Chriſt, &c. It is a reproach to Chriſt, that thoſe that have married the Maſter, ſhould at the ſame time match with the Servant. The Queen may look upon her gliſtering Courtiers, but ſhe muſt live upon the King; the Wife may take pleaſure in her lovely Babes, but ſhe muſt live upon her Husband, and be moſt obſervant of her Husband: So gracious ſouls may look upon their Graces, but they muſt live upon King Jeſus; they may take pleaſure in their Graces, but they muſt live upon Chriſt, and be moſt obſervant of Chriſt. This is the way to keep Chriſt and Aſſurance, and he that walks contrary to this rule, will ſoon find the loſſe of both. Chriſt will be Alexander or Nemo, he will be all in all, or he will be nothing at all. Though his Coat…oh. 19. 23. was once divided, yet he will never ſuffer his Crowne to be divided. HisIſa. 42. 8. glory he will give to none.
Fifthly, If you would have yourWe have, ſaith Cyprian, no ſuch notions as many Philoſophers have, but we are Philoſophers in our deeds, we do not ſpeak great things, but we do great things in our lives. Aſſurance ſtrengthened and maintained, then labor to improve your Aſſurance, improve it to the ſtrengthening of you againſt temptations, to the fencing of you againſt corruptions, to the raiſing of your reſolutions, to the inflaming of your affections, to the bettering of your converſations. Aſſurance is a pearl of price, he that will keep it, muſt improve it. The ready way to maintain our natural ſtrength, and to increaſe it, is to improve it: So the ready way to maintain our Aſſurance, and to increaſe it, is to improve it. Aſſurance is one of the choiceſt and chiefeſt talents that ever God intruſted man with, and he that doth not improve it and imploy it, will quickly loſe it, &c. God will not ſuffer ſoMatth. 25. 28. golden a talent to gather ruſt. Win gold and wear gold, improve gold and keep gold; win Aſſurance and wear Aſſurance, improve Aſſurance and keep Aſſurance. Dionyſius the elder, being adviſed of one that had hidden great ſtore of money, commands him upon pain of death to bring it to him; which he did, but not all; But with the remainder he went and dwelt in another Countrey, where he bought an Inheri…ance, and fel upon ſome imployment; which when Dionyſius heard, he ſent him his money againe, which he had taken from him, ſaying, Now thou knoweſt how to uſe riches, take that I had from thee. I ſhall leave you to make the application.
Sixthly, If you would have your Aſſurance ſtrengthened and maintained, then walke humbly with your God.Mich. 6. 8. God makes the humble mans heart his houſe to dwell in, Iſa. 57. 15. Thus ſaith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity, whoſe name is holy, I dwel in foreign low of ſpirit foreign to quicken or make to live the ſpirit of humble ones. Iſa. 41. 10.the high and holy place; with him alſo that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the ſpirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. The higheſt heavens, and the loweſt hearts, are the habitations wherein the holy one delights to dwel. Now this phraſe, I will dwel with the humble, takes in ſeveral things. 1. It includes Gods overlooking the humble. 2. It takes in Gods aſſiſting and ſtrengthning of the humble. 3. It takes in Gods protection, I will dwel with the humble, that is, IJob 22. 29. will protect him and ſecure him. 4: It takes in Gods ſympathizing with the humble. 5. It takes in Gods applyingIſa. 63. 9. Iſa. 57. 18. all ſuitable good to the humble. 6. It takes in Gods ruling and over-ruling the heart and the affections of the humble. 7. It takes in Gods teaching andPſa. 10. 17. Pſal. 25. 9. learning of the humble. But 8. and laſtly, it includes and takes in a clearer, a fuller, and a larger manifeſtation and communication of God to humble ſouls; ah ſaith God, I will dwell with the humble, that is, I will more richly, more abundantly, and more gloriouſly manifeſt and make knowne my grace and glory, my goodneſſe and ſweetneſſe, my loving kindneſſe and tenderneſſe to humble ſouls. Now tell me humble ſoules, will not Gods dwelling thus with you contribute very much to the ſtrengthning and maintaining of your Aſſurance? Jam. 4. 6. But he giveth more grace, wherefore he ſaith, God reſiſteth the proud (or as the Greekforeign. word emphatically ſignifies, he ſets himſelf in battle array againſt the proud) but giveth grace to the humble. Humility is both a grace, and a veſſell to receive grace. God poures in grace into the humble ſouls, as men poure liquor into an empty veſſel. And verily, the more grace you have, the more will your Aſſurance be ſtrengthned and maintained. Well, remember this, the humble mans mercies are the ſweeteſt mercies, the greateſt mercies, the moſt growing and thriving mercies, the moſt bleſſed and ſanctified mercies, & the moſt laſting and abiding mercies. Therefore as you would have your Aſſurance ſtrengthned and maintained, walk humbly with your God; I ſay again, walk humbly, walk humbly with your God, and you ſhal wear the crown of Aſſurance to your grave.
Seventhly, If you would keep and maintain your Aſſurance, then take heed and watch againſt thoſe very particular ſins by which other Saints have loſt their Aſſurance. Take heed of carnall confidence and ſecurity. David Pſal. 30. 6, 7.loſt his Aſſurance by not guarding his heart againſt thoſe evils. Again, take heed of a light, ſlight, careleſs, and negligent ſpirit in holy and ſpirituall things. The Spouſe in the Canticles loſt her Aſſurance, and her ſweet communion with Chriſt, by her ſlightneſs of ſpirit. Again, take heed of a ſtoutCant. 5 2, 3, 6. compared. and unyeelding ſpirit under the afflicting hand of God, this made God hide his face from them, Iſa. 57. 17. In a word, take heed of taſting of forbidden fruit, remembring what Adam loſt by a taſte.
Eighthly, If you would maintain and keep your Aſſurance, then freequentlyA man may eaſier make a ſeeing eie blind, then a blind eye to ſee; a man may ſoon put an inſtrument out of tune, but not ſo ſoon put it in again; A man is eaſily born down the ſtream, but cannot ſwim ſo eaſily up the ſtream. &c. and ſeriouſly conſider of the wonderfull difficulty of recovering Aſſurance when it is loſt; Oh the ſighs, the groans, the complaints, the prayers, the tears, the heart-renting, the ſoul-bleeding that the recovery of thy loſt Aſſurance will coſt. The gaming of Aſſurance at firſt coſt thee dear, but the regaining of it (if thou ſhouldeſt be ſo unhappy as to loſe it) will put thee to more pains and charge. Of the two it is eaſier to keep Aſſurance now thou haſt it, then to recover it when thou haſt loſt it. It is eaſier to keep the houſe in reparations, then when it is fallen to build it up.
Ninethly and laſtly, conſider ſolemnly the ſad and wofull evils and inconveniencies that will certainly followHow can the bird flye without wings, and the wheeles go without oyle, and the workman worke without hands, and the painter paint without eies? &c. upon the loſs of your Aſſurance, I will only touch upon a few.
1 None of the precious things of Chriſt will be ſo ſweet to thee as formerly they have been.
2 You will neither be ſo fervent in duty, nor ſo frequent in duty, nor ſo abundant in duty, nor ſo ſpirituall in duty, nor ſo lively in duty, nor ſo cheerful in duty, as formerly you have been.
3. Afflictions will ſooner ſink you, temptations will ſooner overcome you, oppoſitions will ſooner diſcourage you.
4. Your mercies will be bitter, your life a burden, and death a terror to you; you will be weary of living, and yet afraid of dying, &c.
Now the ſecond Queſtion is this, Suppoſe Queſt. 2 Souls have not been ſo careful to keep and maintain their Aſſurance, as they ſhould have been, but upon one account or another have loſt that bleſſed Aſſurance that once they had; how may ſuch ſad Souls be ſupported and kept from fainting, ſinking, and languiſhing under the loſs of Aſſurance?
To this Queſtion I ſhall give theſe following Anſwers.
Firſt, Souls that have loſt that ſweet Support 1 Aſſurance that once they had, may be ſupported and kept from fainting and ſinking, by conſidering, that though they have loſt their Aſſurance, yet they have not not loſt their Son-ſhip;Rom. 8. 15, 16, 17. for once ſons and always ſons: You are ſons, though dejected ſons; you are ſons, though comfortleſs ſons; you are ſons, though mourning ſons,Pſal. 89. 30, 31, 32, 33, 34. John 13. 3. Jere. 31. 3. Once children, and always children; once heirs, and always heirs; once beloved, and always beloved; once happy, and always happy. 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although my houſe be not ſo with God; yet he hath made with me an Everlaſting Covenant, ordered in all things, and ſure: For this is all my Salvation, and all my deſire, although he make it not to grow. Well, ſayes David, though neither my ſelf, nor my houſe, have been ſo exact and perfect in our walkings before God as we ſhould, but we have broken our Covenants with him, and dealt unworthily by him, and turned our backs upon him, yet he hath made with me an Everlaſting Covenant, he hath engaged himſelf in an Everlaſting Covenant, that he will be my Father, and that I ſhall be his Son. And this is my Salvation, and an Everlaſting Ground of Conſolation, and Supportation to my Soul.
The ſecond Support is this, Conſider, Support 2 that though your Comfort, Joy, and Peace, doth depend much upon your Aſſurance, yet your Eternal Happineſs and Bleſſedneſs doth not depend upon your Aſſurance; if it did, you might be happy and miſerable in a day, I, in an hour: Your Happineſs lies in your Union with God, in your Communion with God, in your Intereſt in God, and not in your ſeeing and knowing: Your Intereſt, your Joy, and Comfort, lies in your ſeeing and knowing your Intereſt in God, but your Everlaſting Happineſs lies in your being intereſted in God. The welfare and happineſs of the childe lies in the intereſt that he hath in his Father, but the joy and comfort of the childe lies in his ſeeing, in his knowing of his intereſt in his Father: It is ſo between the Lord and Believers. Pſal. 144. 15. Happy be the people that be in ſuch a caſe, yea, happy is that people whoſe God is the Nemo aliorum ſenſu miſer eſt, ſed ſuo. Sal. de Gub. Dei, …. 1. A godly mans happineſs or miſery is not to be judged by the worlds ſenſe or feeling, but his own.Lord. Among the Philoſophers there were Two hundred and eighty Opinions concerning Happineſs, ſome affirming Happineſs to lie in one thing, ſome in another. Ah, but by the Spirit and Word we are taught, that Happineſs lies in our oneneſs with God, in our nearneſs and dearneſs to God, and in our conformity to God, &c. Mark, theTo make up happineſs, theſe things muſt concur: Firſt, it muſt be a convenient good, a ſuitable good to our natures; Secondly, it muſt be an excellent good, a good that hath worth and excellency in it; Thirdly, it muſt be a ſufficient good, a few ſcrapings of gold will not make a man rich, &c. Fourthly, it muſt be a permanent good, it is permanency that ſ…ts the greateſt price, and hath the greateſt influence into our happineſs and felicity. Scripture pronounces him happy, whoſe hope is in God, though he want Aſſurance, Pſal. 146. 5. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whoſe hope is in the Lord his God. Again, he is happy that truſteth in the Lord, though for the preſent he want Aſſurance, Prov. 16. 20. And who ſo truſteth in the Lord, happy is he. Again, he is happy that feareth the Lord, that hath ſet up God as the object of his fear, though he want Aſſurance of the love of God, Prov. 28. 14. Happy is the man that feareth always; That fears to offend, that fears to diſobey, that fears to rebel, &c. Again, he is happy that believes in Chriſt, that reſts and ſtayes upon Chriſt, as the Scriptures every where teſtifie, though he may want Aſſurance.
Happineſs lies not in any tranſient act of the Spirit, as Aſſurance is, but in the more permanent and laſting acts of the Spirit. The Philoſopher could ſay, That he was never a happy man, that might afterwards become miſerable. If a mans Eternal Happineſs did lie in the Aſſurance of his Happineſs, then might a man be crowned with Xerxes's Steerſman in the Morning, and be beheaded with him in the Evening of the ſame day.
But this is the Believers Bleſſedneſs, That his condition is always good, though he doth not alwayes ſee it to be good; that his ſtate is always ſafe, though it be not alwayes comfortable.
The third Support to keep thoſe Support 3 precious Souls from fainting and ſinking, that have loſt that ſweet Aſſurance that once they had, is, to conſider, that though their loſs be the greateſt and ſaddeſt loſs that could befal them, yet it is a recoverable loſs, it is a loſs that may be recovered, as the Scriptures in the Margent do clearlyPſal. 71 20, 21. & 42. 5, 7, 8, Iſa. 54 7, 8. Micah 7. 18, 19 Cant. 3. 4. Pſal. 84. 11, &c. Glover and many others, yea, a cloud of witneſſes might be found to teſtifie this truth. evidence. And doth not this age, as well as former, furniſh us with many inſtances of this kinde? Doubtleſs, many there are among the precious Sons and Daughters of Zion, that have loſt this Pearl of price, and after waiting, weeping, and wreſtling, have found it again; therefore be not diſcouraged, O ſighing, loſing Souls. In the loſs of emporals, it is a great ſupport to mens ſpirits, that their loſs may be made up, and why ſhould it not be ſo in ſpirituals alſo?
The fourth Support to keep their Support 4 hearts from ſinking and breaking, that have loſt that ſweet Aſſurance that once they had, is, ſeriouſly to conſider, that your loſs is no greater, nor no ſadder, then what the nobleſt and the choiceſt Saints have ſuſtained, as you may ſee by comparing the ScripturesPſal. 30. 6, 7. & 51. 12. Job 23. 8, 9. Iſa. 8. 17. in the Margent together. Thoſe that were once the Worthies of this world, and are now triumphing in that other World among the Princes of glory, have loſt that ſweet Aſſurance and ſenſe of Divine love and favor, that once they enjoyed; therefore let not your ſpirits faint and fail. In temporalActs 16. trials, it is a comfort and a ſupport to have companions with us, and why ſhould it not much more be ſo in ſpirituals?
The fifth Support to bear up their Support 5 ſpirits, that have loſt that ſweet Aſſurance that once they had, is, for them to remember, and ſeriouſly minde, that though they have loſt Aſſurance, yet they have not loſt the bleſſed breathings, and ſweet influences of the SpiritCant. 3. & 5. Micah 7. 7, 8, 9. compared. Iſa. 8. 17. Iſa. 50. 10. upon them; witneſs their love to Chriſt, their longing after Chriſt, their fear of offending Chriſt, their care to pleaſe Chriſt, their high eſteem of Chriſt, and their mourning for the diſhonors, that by themſelves or others are done to Chriſt, &c. A man may enjoy the warmth, heat, and influence of the Sun, when he hath loſt the ſight of the Sun: David had loſt his Aſſurance, he had loſt the ſight of the Sun, and yet he enjoyed the warmth and influences of it upon his heart, as is evident in the One and fiftieth Pſalm.
Though thy Sun, O Chriſtian, be ſet in a cloud, yet it will riſe again, and in the interim, thou haſt and doſt enjoy the warmth and influences of the Sun; therefore ſorrow not, mourn not, as one without hope. Thoſe warm influences that the Sun of Righteouſneſs hath now upon thy heart, are infallible evidences, that he will ſhinePſal. 42. 5, 7, 8, 11. forth, and ſmile upon thee, as in the days of old; therefore let thy Bowe ſtill abide in ſtrength.
The ſixth Support to keep their Support 6 hearts from fainting and ſinking, that have loſt that ſweet Aſſurance that once they had, is, ſeriouſly to conſider, that it will be but as a day, but as a ſhort day, before the loſs of thy Aſſurance ſhall be made up, with a more clear, full, perfect, and compleat enjoyment of God; ere long, O mourning Soul, thy Sun ſhall riſe and never ſet, thy joy and comfort ſhall be alwaysIſa. 57. 18, 19, 20. freſh and green, God ſhall comfort thee on every ſide, it ſhall be night with thee no more, thou ſhalt be always in the boſom of God. Pſal. 71. 20, 21. Thou which haſt ſhewed me great and ſore troubles, ſhalt quicken me again; and ſhalt bring me up again from the depths of the Earth. Thou ſhalt increaſe my greatneſs, and comfort me on every ſide. The day is at hand, O perplexed Soul▪ when thou ſhalt have ſmiles without frowns, light without darkneſs, day without night, wine without water, ſweet without bitter, and joy without ſorrow.
The year of Jubile is at hand, thouLevit 25. Pſal. 126. 5. Iſa. 35. 2. now ſoweſt in tears, thou ſhalt ſhortly reap in joy, yea, Everlaſting joy ſhall be upon thy head, and ſorrow, and ſighing ſhall flee away, therefore faint not.
The third Queſtion is this, viz. Queſt. 3 What means muſt Souls uſe to recover Aſſurance, when it is loſt?
I ſhall give a few ſhort Anſwers to this Queſtion, and ſo draw to a cloze.
Firſt, If thou wouldſt recover Aſſurance,Auſtin ſaith, Humanum eſt peccare, diabolicum perſeverare, & Angelicum reſurgere, It is a humane thing to fall into ſin, a deviliſh to perſevere therein, and an Angelical or ſupernatural to riſe from it. then thou muſt labor diligently to finde out that ſin, that Achan, that hath robbed thee of thy Wedg of Gold, of thy Aſſurance; ſurely it is not for infirmities, but enormities, that God hath put out thy candle, and cauſed thy Sun to ſet at Noon; ſurely, thou haſt been feeding (I ſay not taſting) of forbidden fruit, that God hath ſtript thee of thy robes, and taken the crown from off thy head, and turned thee out of Paradiſe. But this is not all.
Therefore in the ſecond place, weepReve. 2. 4, 5. When ancient Rome was Heatheniſh, if the Malefactor brought to be whipped ſell upon his knees at his feet whom he had offended, it was held as a ſin if he ſuffered him to be whipt. much, mourn much, over the Achan, over thoſe wickedneſſes that have turned thy day into night, thy rejoycing into ſighing, &c. David doth thus in that One and fiftieth Pſalm, and God takes him up from his knees, and reſtores to him the joy of his Salvation. Though God be diſpleaſed with your ſins, yet he is wel-pleaſed with your tears. The promiſe is, that he will revive the ſpirit of the contrite, Iſa. 51. 15. It is ſaid of Adam, that he turned his face towards the Garden of Eden, and from his heart lamented his fall: Ah loſing Souls, turn your faces towards Heaven, and from your hearts lament your fall, lament your loſs; nothing puts God to it, like penitent tears. No ſooner doth Ephraim weep over his ſins,Jere 31. 18, 19, 20. It is an excellent expreſſion of Baſil, It grieves, it irks, it is tedi… is to our moſt munificient, great, glorious King, If we ask any thing little of him, he would have us ask great things of him. but the bowels of God are ſtirring towards him, and God cannot hold but he muſt proclaim to the world, that mourning Ephraim, bemoaning Ephraim, is his dear ſon, his pleaſant childe, and that he will ſurely have mercy on him, or, as the Hebrew hath it (Rahhem arahhamenu) I will having mercy, have mercy on him, or, I will abundantly have mercy on him. When our hearts are ſet to weep over our ſins, God will ſo act in ways of love towards us, that it ſhall not be long night with our Souls. God will never ſuffer them to be drowned in ſorrow, that are ſet upon drowning their ſins in penitential tears. The Jews have a ſaying, That ſince the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, the door of Prayers hath been ſhut; but the door of tears wasPſal. 39. 12. Job 16. 20. Mark 9. 24, 25, &c. never ſhut, ſaith one. God hath by promiſe engaged himſelf, That thoſe that ſow in tears, ſhall reap in joy, Pſal. 126. 5. The tears of the Saints have ſuch a kinde of omnipotency in them, that God himſelf cannot withſtand them. 2 Kings 20. 5. I have ſeen thy tears, behold, I will heal thee; on the third day thou ſhalt go up unto the Houſe of the Lord.
Thirdly, If you would recover Aſſurance, then ſit not down diſcouraged, but be up and doing. Remember what a Pearl of price thou haſtRevel. 2. 4, 5. As a man that hath been recovered formerly out of ſuch or ſuch a diſeaſe, if he be relapſed, he will to the ſame means again, he will apply the ſame remedies again; This did once do me good, I will try it again. loſt, and repent and do thy firſt works; fall cloſe to the good old work of Believing, Meditating, Examining, Praying, Hearing, Mourning, &c. Begin the world again, and ſet afreſh upon thoſe very ways, by which at firſt thou didſt get Aſſurance; fall upon family Duties, apply thy ſelf to publick Ordinances, be much in cloſe… Services, ſtir up every gift that is in thee, ſtir up every grace that is in thee, ſtir up all the life that is in thee, and never leave blowing till thou haſt blowed thy little ſpark into a flame; never leave turning thy penny, till thou haſt turned thy penny into a pound; never leave improving thy mite, till thy mite be turned into a million. God will be found in the uſe of means, and he will reſtore our loſt mercies in the uſe of means, Pſal. 22. 26. But this is not all.
Therefore in the fourth place, wait patiently upon the Lord; David did ſo, and at length the Lord brought himPſal. 40. 1, 2, 3. out of a horrible pit, or out of a pit of noiſe and confuſion, and ſet his feet upon a rock, and establiſhed his goings, and put a new Song of praiſe into his mouth. God never hath, nor never will faile the waiting Soul; though God loves to try the patience of his Children, yet he doth not love to tire out the patience of his Children,Iſa. 57. 16, 18, 19 therefore he will not contend for ever, neither will he be alwaies wroth, leſt the ſpirits of his people ſhould faile. Aſſurance is a Jewel worth waiting for, it is a Pearl that God gives to none but ſuch as have waited long at mercies door; It is a Crown that every one muſt win (by patient waiting) before he can wear. God doth not think the greateſt Mercies too good for waiting Souls, though he knows the leaſt Mercy is too good for impatient Soules. The Breaſts of the Promiſes lie fair and open to waiting Soules, Iſa. 30. 18. & 64. 4. & 49. 23. The waiting ſoule ſhall have any thing of God, but the froward and impatient ſoule gets nothing of God but frowns, and blowes, and wounds, and broken bones. Sad ſouls ſhould do well to make that text their boſome companion, Joh. 14. 18. I will not leave foreign.you comfortleſs (or Orphans) I will come to you. And that Text, Heb. 10. 36, 37. For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the Promiſe: for yet a little, little while (as it is in the Greek) and he that ſhall come will come, and will not tarry.
Fifthly and laſtly, If you would recover Aſſurance, then take heed of refuſing Comforts when God brings them to your door, take heed of throwing Goſpel-Cordialls againſt the wall. This was Aſaphs ſin, My Pſal. 77. 2. Ambroſe ſaith, If I would offer thee gold to day, thou wouldeſt not ſay I will come tomorrow: And wilt thou lightly and ſlightly put God off when he offers peace and comfort to thy ſoul? &c.ſoule refuſed to be comforted. God comes and offers love to the ſoul, and the ſoule refuſes it; God comes and ſpreads the Promiſes of Conſolation before the Soul, and the Soul refuſes to look upon them; God comes and makes tenders of the riches of grace, and the ſoule refuſes to accept of them. Sometimes the hand, the man that brings the Cordiall is not liked, and therefore men refuſe it. Well, remember this, when gold is offered men care not how great or how baſe he is that offers it; neither ſhould we care by whom the Cordials and conſolations of the Goſpel are offered to us, whether they are offered by the hand of Iſaiah a Prophet of the blood royall, as ſome think, or by Amos from amongſt the Heardſmen of Tekoa. If the Sweet-meats of Heaven are ſet before thee, it is thy wiſdom and thy duty to taſte of them, and to feed upon them, without ſtumbling at the hand that preſents them.
Now for a cloze I ſhall make a few ſhort uſes of what hath been ſaid, and ſo conclude.
Firſt, You that have Aſſurance, be Uſe 1 thankful for it; it is a Jewel more worth then Heaven, therefore be thankful. Aſſurance is a mercy nobly deſcended, it is from above. Man isJam. 1. 17. Plato was very thankful, that God made him a man, and not a woman, a Grecian, and not a Barbarian, a Scholar to Socrates, and not to any other Philoſopher. O what cauſe then have you to be thankful for Aſſurance? not born with it in his heart, as he is with a tongue in his mouth. Aſſurance is a peculiar mercy, it is a flower of Paradiſe that God ſticks onelyonly in his childrens boſoms. Aſſurance is a mercy, ſweetning mercy, it is a mercy that puts the Garland upon all our mercies. Aſſurance makes every bitter ſweet, and every ſweet more ſweet; he enjoyes little, that wants it, he wants nothing that enjoyes it; therefore be you thankful that have, and do finde the ſweetneſs of it. If Philip rejoyced that Alexander was born in the dayes of Ariſtotle, How much more cauſe have you to rejoyce, upon whoſe heads the Lord hath put the Crown of Aſſurance, a crown of more worth and weight, then all Princes crowns in the world?
Secondly, If God hath given you Uſe 2 Pſal. 37. 1, 7, 8. Prov. 23. 17.Aſſurance, then do not envy the outward felicity and happineſs of the men of the world. Ah laſs, what are Mountains of Duſt, to Mountains of Gold? what are the Stones of the Street, to Rocks of Pearl? what are Crowns of Thorns, to Crowns of Gold? &c. No more are all the treaſures, honors, pleaſures, and favors of this world, to Aſſurance. The envious man hath ſo many tortures, as the enviedSocrates wiſhed that envious men had more eyes, and more ears then others, that they might be more tormented then others, by beholding others happineſs. hath praiſers; it is the Juſtice of Envy, to kill and torment the envious. The men of the world, are real objects of pitty, but not of envy; who envies the Priſoner at the Bar? who envies the Malefactor that is going to Execution? who envies the dead man that is going to his grave? God hath done more for thee by giving thee Aſſurance, then if he had given thee all the world, yea, Ten thouſand worlds. When the Spaniſh Ambaſſador boaſted that his Maſter was King of ſuch a place, and of ſuch a place, and of ſuch a place, &c. The French Ambaſſador anſwered, My Maſter is King of France, K. or France, K. of France, ſignifying thereby, that France was as much, or more worth, then all the Kingdoms under the power of the King of Spain. Ah Chriſtians, when the men of the world ſhall cry out, O their riches, O their honors, O their preferments, &c. You may well cry out, O Aſſurance, Aſſurance, Aſſurance, there being more real worth and glory in that, then is to be found in all the wealth and glory of the world; therefore do not envy the outward proſperity and felicity of worldly men, &c.
Thirdly, If God hath given you Uſe 3 Aſſurance, then give no way to ſlaviſh fears; fear not the ſcorn and reproaches of men: Fear not wants, God willSaul had but five pence to give the Seer, the Seer after much good chear gives him freely the Kingdom, 1 Sam. 9. 8. & 10. 1. So God deals with his. not deny him a cruſt, to whom he hath given a Chriſt; he will not deny him a crumb, upon whom he hath beſtowed a Crown; he will not deny him a leſs mercy, upon whom he hath beſtowed Aſſurance, which is the Prince of mercies. Fear not death, for why ſhouldſt thou fear death, that haſt Aſſurance of a better life? &c.
Fourthly, If God hath given you a Uſe 4 wel-grounded Aſſurance of your Everlaſting Happineſs and Bleſſedneſs, then queſtion his love no more: God doth not love to have his love at every turn called in queſtion by thoſe that he hath once aſſured of his love; He doth expect, that as no ſin of ours dothPſal. 89. 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35. Jere. 31. 3. make any ſubſtantial alteration in his affections to us; ſo none, no not his ſharpeſt diſpenſations, ſhould make any alteration in our thoughts and affections towards him.
Fifthly and laſtly, If God hath given Uſe 5 Eccleſ. 9. 8. Revel. 3. 4. Matth. 5. 16. Vive ut vivas▪ Live that thou mayeſt live. Live in ſuch ſort, ſaith Periander King of Corinth, that thou mayeſt have honor by thy life, and that after thy death, men may account thee happy.you Aſſurance, then live holily, live angelically, keep your garments pure and white, walk with an even foot, be ſhining lights. Your Happineſs here is your Holineſs, and in Heaven your higheſt Happineſs will be your perfect Holineſs; Holineſs differs nothing from Happineſs, but in name; Holineſs is Happineſs in the bud, and Happineſs is Holineſs at the full; Happineſs is nothing but the quinteſſence of Holineſs; The more holy any man is, the more the Lord loves him, John 14. 21, 23. Auguſtine doth excellently obſerve in his Tract on John the firſt and the 14. That God loved the humanity of Chriſt, more then any man, becauſe he was Grace and Truth, then any man. The Philoſopher could ſay, That God was but an empty name, without vertue; ſo are all our profeſſions, without Holineſs: Holineſs is the very marrow and quinteſſence ofIlle non eſt bonus qui non vnlt eſſe melior. The looſe walking of many Chriſtians was (as Salvian complains) made by the Pagans the reproach of Chriſt himſelf, ſaying, If Chriſt had taught holy doctrine, ſurely his followers had led better lives. all Religion: Holineſs is God ſtamped and printed upon the Soul; it is Chriſt formed in the Heart; it is our Light, our Life, our Beauty, our Glory, our Joy, our Crown, our Heaven, our All. The holy Soul is happy in Life, and bleſſed in Death, and ſhall be tranſcendently glorious in the Morning of the Reſurrection, when Chriſt ſhall ſay, Lo, here am I, and my holy Ones, who are my Joy; Lo, here am I, and my holy Ones, who are my Crown; and therefore upon the Heads of theſe holy Ones, will I ſet an Immortal Crown. Even ſo Amen Lord Jeſus.
FINIS.
Imprimatur
Joſeph Caryl.
ERRATA.
PAge 7. Margent adde can be, p. 37. Marg. r. foreign. ib. r. foreign p. 41. Marg. r. opera, p. 56. l. 4. adde a, p. 60. l. 13. r. done, p. 67. l. 5. adde a, l. 11. r. preparations, pag. 80. l. 28. r. let, p. 103. Marg. r. crux, p. 110. l. 12. r. cheared, p. 113. l. 25. dele of, p. 115. l. 3. adde the, p. 117. l. 21. r. renewing, p. 135. r. foreign, ib. r. foreign, p. 138. Marg. r. foreign p. 144. l 5. r. liveleſs, p. 152. l. 22. r. foiling, p. 159. r. infinite, p. 162. l. 2. dele the, p. 164. l. 2. adde that, p. 184. l. 20. r. doubled, p. 186. l. 18. dele a, p. 230. l 4. r. ſpittle, p. 258. l. 22. r. daring, p. 275. Marg. r. affectibus, p. 276. Marg. r. foreign, pag. 279. l. 28. r. means, p. 304. l. 15. r. him, p. 318. Marg r. foreign p 334 l. 11. r. coveting, p. 344. Marg. r. foreign, p. 363. Marg. r. mediatum, p. 404. l. 21. add aſ, p. 436. l. 5. r. if.
There is another Book lately publiſhed by Mr. Thomas Brooks, entituled, Pretious Remedies againſt Satans Devices, or Salve for Believers and Unbelievers ſores, being a Companion for thoſe that are in Chriſt, or out of Chriſt; that ſlight or neglect Ordinances, under a pretence of living above them; that are growing in Spirituals, or decaying; that are tempted, or deſerted, &c. Sold by John Hancock, at the entring into Popes-head Alley.
End of the text · Thomas Brooks, Heaven on Earth (1654)