The Spirit of Bondage and Adoption, Treatise 2 · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII. A Caſe, how to know a falſe Scripture Aſſurance from a true.
THeſe things being premiſed, I come directly to anſwer the main Queſtion in both its parts.
Queſt. 1. How may a man know a falſe Aſſurance gathered by a mans own heart, with the concurrence of Satan, from that which comes from the Spirit of God?
An. (1) Regular Aſſurance, from the teſtimony of the Spirit, is an heart-purifying Aſſurance. 1 John 3. 2, 3. We know (ſaith the Apoſtle) that when he ſhall appear, we ſhall be like him; i. e. in glory (for of that he ſpeaks) his glory ſhall reflect its image upon us, as the Sun doth upon a glaſſe or the water, for we ſhall ſee him as he is: A bleſſed hope this. But what kind of people are we to be on this ſide glory, who have this aſſured hope of being ſo glorious hereafter? It followes ver. 3 He that hath this hope purifieth himſelf as he is pure, foreign, (a Metaphor taken from the legal purifications of the Jewes, wherein as ſoon as legal uncleanneſs was contracted, they waſhed their bodies, and their garments, and veſſels, that they might be ſure nothing they had to do withal, might defile them again) he is ever waſhing himſelf from ſin, and watching againſt it, and takes all poſſible care to keep himſelf unſpotted of this preſent world, James 1. 23. Hates the very garment ſpotted with the fleſh, Jude 23. (alluding again to the Levitical Law, in which the very cloaths of a Leper, one that had an Iſſue, a menſtruous woman, were unclean) he doth not only avoid the ſins themſelves, but the very garments of them, not only all beſmeared with the fleſh, but garments ſpotted by the fleſh. In heaven, where enjoyment is greateſt, purity is ſo too. The grace of God when it appears to us as a grace bringing ſalvation, teacheth us to deny all ungodlineſſe and worldly luſts, and to live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in the preſent world, Tit. 2. 12.
It teacheth all men ſo Doctrinally, in the publication of it, (no Doctrine in the world ſuch an enemy to looſeneſſe as the Doctrine of the Goſpel) but it teacheth the Saints to do ſo powerfully and deſpoſitively, it inclines and enables them to it.
(2) Regular Aſſurance in not only a heart-purifying, but an heart ſanctifying Aſſurance. Holyneſſe (in the nature of it) is the Dedication of a mans ſelf, and all that he is to the honour, glory, and ſervice of God alone. So God is infinitely holy, becauſe he is in all things moſt entirely and inſeparably addited to his own glory; (which (becauſe he is the moſt excellent Being,) he may not only lawfully do, but he muſt naturally and neceſſarily do) and therein conſiſts the perfection of his nature: as the perfection of every being conſiſts in the end to which it is; ſo Gods perfection lies in this, that he is to himſelf, ſeeing he hath no nobler end to which his affections and actions can be referred: wherefore if God could deny himſelf ſo far, as to prefer any thing elſe above himſelf for a moment, he muſt needs ſin, and ceaſe to be happy for that time, becauſe he would be ſo much removed from his end, which is his happineſſe. And of the ſame nature is holineſſe in a Saint, an entire devoting of himſelf, and all to God, Now a Saint aſſured of Gods love, muſt needs bee holy, becauſe knowing the infinite excellency of God in his own light, he cannot but conclude him the moſt worthy of all love, and ſervice, and ſo be taken up in contemplating and converſing with him, and acting for him, which is holineſſe; and ſo far as he at any time lets God fall low in his eye, ſo far he chargeth himſelf with unholineſſe. This we find the Saints frequently promiſe upon ſuch diſcoveries, Pſal. 23. ult. Pſal. 116. 11, 12, 13. Indeed this is that which (as it comes from us, and proceeds from the conſideration of Gods goodneſſe to us) is called thankfulneſſe; as it reſpects his own excellencies, it is called praiſing and glorifying him. Whence alſo take this Note by the way, The more thankful, the more holy. Thankfulneſſe and holyneſſe are the ſame things underſtood in a different conception.
Now how large praiſes doth God get every where in the Scriptures from his people under the light of ſuch Aſſurance! How many ſuch whole Pſalmes did David pen under ſuch Diſcoveries of Gods countenance!
But falſe Aſſurance, begotten by the colluſion of Satan with our hearts, lets men more looſe from holineſſe, remits a mans love to, and zeal for God. A man that was diligent in Duties and Ordinances (the exerciſes of holineſs, in which there is a peculiar Sequeſtration of the ſoul to God) begins to grow remiſs and careleſs, he that was contriving and plotting for Gods glory and honour, now can ſpare the buſying of his brains that way any more, and begins to open ſhop and ſet up for himſelf, which is a ſign that his former activity was but ſelfiſh, intended meerly as a bribe to God for the light of his countenance and peace of conſcience, and therefore when that ſeems to be attained (in any how, as we ſay) God hears no more, or very little more from him.
(3) Falſe Aſſurance makes careleſſe and ſecure, true Aſſurance makes watchful, and ſolicitous how to keep it. A man that hath recovered true Aſſurance, he knowes the worth of it, and how many enemies he hath that watch all opportunities to rob him of it, and he is perpetually fortiſying againſt them. Whereas to another it is not ſo precious but that he is exceeding apt to adventure it upon every ſlight occaſion; Light come, and light go, we uſe to ſay. His deſigne is only to ſatisfie his conſcience, and when it hath done the preſent turn, he looks no more after it. A man will not care to manure or improve Lands to which he hath but a crackt Title. Tenderneſſe of conſcience 1 Pet. 1. 17, 18, 1 Pet. 2. 16attends true Aſſurance; one that hath it indeed, takes no more latitude then before, he preſumes not upon it to embolden him to make the moſt of his liberty which he hath by Chriſt. Falſe Aſſurance lets a man more looſe to ſuſpicious practices, it may be ſinful ones preſumingly. 2 Pet. 2. 19 compared with ver. 1.
(4) Falſe Aſſurance is attended with a great eagerneſs after the things of the preſent world. And this is the ground of dangerous Apoſtaſies to divers perſons, after they have been thus aſſured, the world & worldly principles get an intire poſſeſſion of them, and therefore the joy which they have, is not ſo ſtrong as to fortifie them againſt a time of trial, when their outward enjoyments are endangered. See in the caſe of the ſtony ground, Matth. 13. 20. This is clearly affirmed in 2 Pet. 2. 14. They ſpeak great ſwelling words of vanity; great joyes and aſſurances they ſpeak of, they profeſſe the Lord Jeſus hath bought them, ver. 1. and 18. yet they have an heart exerciſed with covetous practiſes, ver. 14. foreign; train'd up in all the Paleſtrae the fencings and wreſtlings of a worldly mind, (that Metaphor is taken from ſuch as contend for victory, who are trained up to all thoſe Arts by which they may foyle an Adverſary; or from a School wherin the Students are trained up in an Art or Science) theſe men are moſt profound, ſubtil worldlings, Maſters of that Art, can make the beſt advantage of their worldly enjoyments, are able to lay moſt men upon their backs in thoſe conteſts; and they have all excuſes and evaſions at hand, by which they may juſtifie their foreign, (which word we render [covetous practices,] but it is covetouſneſſes; i. e. all ſorts of ſcraping and penurious ways to advance their worldly eſtate, by heck or by crook, as we uſe to ſay.) Self ſeeking and covetouſneſs (let men make what pretences they will) is a ſure evidence of a falſe profeſſion, and falſe evidences of ſalvation. But true Aſſurance of Gods love is a mighty means of bringing the ſoul off from ſelf and the world. How liberal Jacob was to his Brother, Gen. 33. 11. Nay, take my preſent, Brother, for I have [All] Heb.
I have told you above, that faith of Aſſurance yeelds the ſtrongeſt Arguments to contempt of the world. What need hath he to make much of a few periſhing enjoyments, that is aſſured after a ſhort term of life, to enjoy an Inheritance that fadeth not away? What need he care for an houſe made of clay, to provide ſo much to keep it in repair, that hath intereſt in one without hands, eternal in the heavens?
5 Falſe Aſſurance is a principle that will not bear a man out in time of trial. Thence ſo many braving ſpirits faint in a day of tryal, Mat. 13. 20. Thus it comes to paſſe that perſons that have taſtes of the powers of the world to come, (which taſtes I conceive may include the joyes and comforts that ariſe from pretended Aſſurance) may and do fall away, Heb. 6. 5, 6.
Thence in times of Error ſuch perſons are quickly brought to deny the Lord, that they pretend to believe hath bought them, 2 Pet. 2. 1.
But true Aſſurance will bear the trials of perſecutions, and falſe Doctrines. As for Perſecutions, ſee Heb. 10. 34. 2 Tim. 4. 6, 7, 8 & 1. 12.
And as for the trial of falſe Doctrines, undoubtedly, ſeeing Aſſurance is founded upon truth, ſuch as truly enjoy it, will preſerve Truth as its foundation
Not as if a ſoul that hath had true Aſſurance Caution.may not fall fouly in a day of temptation; but he doth not ſo contrive, plot, and lay out for wayes of eſcape as other men do; doth not invent evaſions and diſtinctions to juſtifie unjuſtifiable defections, and complyances. An aſſured man does his Duty, and if a croſs meet him in his way, he ſteps not out of his way to avoid it (except poſſibly the violence of a ſudden temptation make him yeeld a little to a preſent ſtorm, which infirmity yet he allows not in himſelf, but quickly recovers out of it with taking ſhame and confuſion to himſelf) but is prepared (in the conſtant frame and ſtanding diſpoſition of his ſpirit) not to chuſe ſin before affliction. The Apoſtle Pauls temper is ſuch a temper, Acts 21. 13.
(6) Falſe Aſſurance makes the ſoul light, and vain, and frothy, carrys it out into notions Tit. 3. 9 2. Tim. 6 3, 4and ſpeculations. They that have no better fare to entertain their own hearts and others ears withal, 'tis no wonder if they lay out the ſtrength of their time and ſpirits upon chaffy diſputes. And the reaſon is this, falſe Aſſurance is founded on ſome miſtake or other: for (as I have ſhewed) if there be an error in the concluſion, it muſt be grounded on ſome falſhood in the premiſſes. Some Scripture miſ-interpreted, or ſome heterodox opinion or other founds it; & becauſe there is a chain that links errors together, and one cannot maintain it ſelf without company, rather then men will have their main copy-hold touched, or that error weakned which founds their Aſſurance, they care not in what diſputes they engage, to ſecure the main chance. This I am confident is the foundation of the Antinomian diſputes generally; and it were eaſie to ſhew how it comes about. Mens own falſe experiences lay the firſt ſtone in an erroneous frame, and then the Word muſt be interpreted ſo, as it wil ſute thoſe experiences (whereas men ſhould bring their experiences to the Word, and not the Word to their experiences) and then one miſ-interpretation drawes on another, and thus they multiply into vaine janglings and unneceſſary diſputes.
But true Aſſurance is a ſerious, ſolid thing, & brings along with it a general, experimental knowledg of all neceſſary truth, which once learned out of the Word, it ſeals unto, and ſo it confirms a man in a practical, ſavoury acquaintance with it; whence ſuch a ſonl is full of the hidden treaſures of divine truths ſavingly digeſted, and is to ſeek for nothing but freedom of ſpirit from heterogeneous imployments, and a little ſerious affective preparation of heart to ruminate upon them, to diſpoſe him to make a conſtant feaſt upon thoſe dainties in his own private retirements, and to communicate liberally of the ſame fare to others. Thence there is nothing more grates his ears or afflicts his ſpirit, then to have the ſtrength and fervor of his zeal drawn out into Controverſies, ſeeing he can tell how to ſpend his time, and that better.
As a ſtudied Scholer, that by long ſtudy and experience hath digeſted all manner of learning, and can upon all occaſions make profitable uſe of it, will think his time loſt to hear a company of freſh men maintain a Diſpute about Grammatical and Logical trifles. But a young raw headed fantaſtical Novice, that hath gotten a little flaſhy learning in his brain, looks upon them as matters of weight and moment, and thinks himſelf the braveſt fellow in the world, when he can wrangle out ſuch an inconſiderable Diſpute.
(7) And laſtly, True Aſſurance is a conſtant ſpring of humility & lowlineſs of mind, it being impoſſible that ſo intimate a converſe with God, and the light of his countenance, ſhould not reflect low thoughts upon a mans ſelf, concerning himſelf, ſuch a man cannot but ſay, Lord what am I that thou haſt brought me hitherto? what? for ſuch a peeviſh unbebelieving, impatient ſoul as mine, that have tempted thee by abundance of murmurings, and other ſinful provocations even in the wilderneſſe, and at the red ſea, to be notwithſtanding, ſo carryed in thine armes, and cheered with thy ſmiles, and enjoy the comforts of thy Spirit? O what am I, vile wretch, that God ſhould deal thus with me? Falſe Aſſurance (on the other ſide) makes proud, boaſting, ſelfconceited, &c.