The Spirit of Bondage and Adoption, Treatise 2 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII A Caſe concerning Abſolute Promiſes, and general offers of the the Goſpel, and conditional Promiſes, in reference to the Spirits Evidence.
BUt here ariſeth another Queſtion.
Queſt. Doth the Spirit in its mediate teſtimony witneſs from abſolute Promiſes, or from Conditional Promiſes? From general Offers or ſpecial Marks.
Anſ. By Abſolute Promiſes I here underſtand ſuch as ſuppoſe no preceding grace infuſed into, and acted in us to the fulfilling of them, as the Promiſes of the firſt grace, and of the price and purchaſe of it, the bloud of Chriſt, &c. which ſuppoſe no gracious condition at all in us required to the performance of them. If (at leaſt) theſe may in a tolerable ſenſe be called Promiſes.
By Conditional Promiſes, I meane thoſe which expreſſe ſuch and ſuch qualifications in us as diſpoſing us to receive the benefit of ſuch a Promiſe: as when Chriſt is promiſed John 3. 16 Matth. 5. 4 John 14. 21▪to believers, comfort to them that mourne, acquaintance with God to them that keep his Commandments, &c. By general offers I mean ſuch Promiſes in Scripture as tender Chriſt to every one, excluding none: by ſpecial Marks, ſuch characters in Scripture as diſcover who they be that have received him.
Next I ſhall diſtinguiſh between a ſupporting teſtimony of the Spirit, and an aſſuring teſtimony of the Spirit.
1 The ſupporting teſtimony of the Spirit is ſuch a witneſſe in a mans heart, as in a grievous plunge of temptation, keeps him from ſinking, a plank in a deſperate ſhipwrack that ſaves him from drowning. And it is ordinarily the laſt refuge of a ſoul: when Satan hath quite conquered Aſſurance, then the Spirit acts that ſoul by a faith of relyance wherein he doth petere principium, in a good ſenſe, acts faith, as at firſt in Juſtification. Well (ſaith the ſoul) if I am no Believer, if I am no lover of God, if I be a Formaliſt, an hypocrite; yet there is faith, repentance, love, ſincerity for me in Chriſt, and God offers it freely and unconditionately, I will ſtay my ſelf upon thoſe Promiſes or gracious declarations.
Thus Abſolute Promiſes may be and are the ground of the Spirits ſupporting teſtimony.
2 But ſecondly, There is an aſſuring teſtimony of the Spirit, that that a Chriſtian lives by in calm and clear times, and trades by; that whereby we are ſaid, to know that God dwells in us and we in him, 1 John 4. 13. Therein the Holy Ghoſt is ſaid to come in the Goſpel in much Aſſurance. 1 Theſſ. 1. 5. foreign, with a full ſail of peace and ſpiritual ſatisfaction; ſo that not only all doubtings are removed, but all the grounds on which a man doubts are ſatisfied. There is as much difference between theſe two acts of the Spirit, as there is between ſuch a plea as diverts a judgment againſt a man at preſent, and that wherein by an evident deed or writing, it is certainly determined on his ſide.
And ſo we may diſtinguiſh Comfort and Aſſurance, and Comfort and Peace. For though Comfort alwayes follow Aſſurance, ſo that there can be no aſſurance but it muſt comfort, yet where ever there is comfort, it followes not there muſt be Aſſurance. For there may be comfort in a leſſe evil compared with a greater; and a poor ſoul may take comfort in this, that although he be not ſure he is included in the Promiſe, yet he is not excluded; but Aſſurance preſuppoſeth an actual perſwaſion, that a man hath a ſhare in the Promiſe. A man may be comforted with this, that although it is bad with him now, yet it may be better; but Aſſurance ſuppoſeth a ſenſe of his good condition at preſent.
Now to apply this diſtinction to the anſwer of the Queſtion propounded, I am not ſatisfied that any man can draw Aſſurance, as it is thus diſtinguiſhed from ſupport and comfort, from an Abſolute Promiſe, becauſe an Abſolute Promiſe is no legal plea for me in particular, as to my preſent Title to God though it be for my future hopes of ſuch a Title. And my ground is this, That which all are called upon to believe, and which is offered to all alike, cannot be a grounded plea to put a diſtinction between me and others. but particular Aſſurance puts a ſpecial Mark of diſtinction between me and others; and abſolute Promiſes are offered to all alike; and therefore Aſſurance cannot flow from an Abſolute Promiſe. Nay let me add, it is the conſtant guiſe of Preſumption to plead Abſolute Promiſes in point of Evidence, as the Promiſe of giving Chriſt to dye for ſinners, and therefore they are confident he is theirs as well as others. All that Gods Saints draw from hence is a comfortable ground of applying themſelves to Chriſt, with conſtancy and perſeverance, becauſe the Spirit teſtifies to them, that they are capable of the mercy that is held forth in ſuch Promiſes, if they ſo adhere to them, and leave not to urge God with them. And the caſe is the ſame with general offers: Gods general Offers and abſolute Promiſes are of the ſame nature in this caſe. Both may ſupport, comfort a man for the preſent, but are no evidences for the future.
As a Prince proclaimeth an Act of Grace, an Act of Pardon and Oblivion to Traitors, and invites in general terms all perſons to come and receive it upon ſuch and ſuch conditions; among the reſt, one that apprehends himſelf more guilty then all others, doubts whether it ſhall reach to him or no, he comes into ſuch a Market and hears the Proclamation to all Traitors &c. whatſoever; hereby is the man ſo far quieted and ſupported with this newes; Now (ſaith he) I hear I am not excluded, I am not unpardonable. But now if this man go no farther, but a while after come to tryal of Law for his Treaſons, and he thinks to plead the general Proclamation and the mercy of the Prince, extending it ſelfe to all Malefactors, will this ſerve for a Legal evidence to a Jury, that he is a pardoned man? Will it not be asked, Sir, What Evidence have you, that you laid down your Arms and accepted this pardon? Here now is required another kind of teſtimony.
So here: God proclaims mercy in Chriſt to the greateſt ſinners, and this he declares to proceed from his vaſt and unſpeakable love, and therupon invites all ſinners to come and accept of it, for he is a God merciful and gracious, abounding in mercy and truth, and Exod. 34. 6.will abundantly pardon returning ſinners. Now a poor ſoul doubts, whether he be included in this offer. Doubt it not, ſaith the Spirit, in a Sermon or other Ordinance; be of good cheer, man, the pardon offered concerns all. Now if a man reſt here, and believe hereupon that he is pardoned, becauſe in Gods abſolute and unconditioned invitation he is not excluded; when conſcience is awake, it will ſay, But might not Judas and Cain, &c. plead as much as that? How can you make it appear that you have accepted that pardon by Faith? Here need Marks and conditional Promiſes.
I may plead abſolute Promiſes, and general offers to God in Prayer, but I cannot plead them before God in Court. God ſaith I will give you a new heart; I will powre out the ſpirit of grace and ſupplication: and ſo in Zech 12. 10general offers, Let whoever will, come and drink of the water of life freely. I may go to Apoc. 12. 17God on theſe Promiſes and Offers, and ſay, Lord give me a new heart, Lord give me Chriſt. But if I ſtand before the Court of Conſcience and plead theſe in way of Evidence, That I have a new heart, that I have Chriſt, I muſt not prove it by Gods promiſing theſe bleſſings in general to me with all others, but by the Evidences of my acceptance of theſe Offers, and Gods fulfilling of theſe Promiſes. I muſt be able to ſay here, Lord thou haſt made ſuch offers, and my heart hath accepted them. Thou haſt tendred Chriſt unto me, and I have taken him upon thine own terms; Thou haſt promiſed a new heart, and I bleſſe thy name I find my heart renewed. Are not theſe the badges and proper cognizances of thy children and ſervants? May I not conclude a ſaving intereſt in thee, who have received ſuch ſaving mercies and bounties from thee? Thus have I ſhowen you, that (although general offers, and abſolute Promiſes may ſupport, and (in a ſort, comfort, yet) conditional promiſes alone properly aſſure.