A Little Cabinet, Section 30 – Section 31
Of aſſurance of Salvation.
1. THE nature of it.
2. Whether it be attainable in this life.
3. Of the ſeveral ſorts and degrees of aſſurance.
4. Of the trials of aſſurance, how it may be known.
5. To labour and endeavour for it is our duty.
6. Of the benefits of it, and arguments to perſwade us to endeavour to gain it, which are five.
1. The want of it doth hinder thankfulneſs.
2. Aſſurance will ſettle a ſoul upon Chriſt.
3. Aſſurance doth ſweeten all other bleſſings to us.
4. Aſſurance doth put us upon our duty, be it what it will.
5. Aſſurance doth eaſe us of the world, and mounts the Soul above it.
7. Of the Springs of Aſſurance.
8. Of the impediments of aſſurance.
9. Of the evil of doubting or want of Aſſurance.
10. Many think they have Aſſurance and have it not.
11. Many reaſons wherefore the Lord doth not give Aſſurance ſpeedily.
12. Very hard to recover aſſurance if once loſt.
Of the nature of Aſſurance, what it is.
ASSurance is a certain ſweet motion of the ſoul ſteadily reſting upon the mercy of God, through the merits of Chriſt, with an unſhaken expectation of all that is promiſed; this aſſurance in Scripture hath ſeveral denominations, which I ſhall ſpeak to under the next head.
Or aſſurance is a victorious concluſion againſt the ſtrength of doubting, whereby the mind of a believer is certained and perſwaded, and upon good grounds ſetled concerning his perſonal intereſt in Chriſt and all his benefits.
Aſſurance conquers our doubtings, anſwers our arguments, clears our evidences unto the ſoul, againſt the many ſuſpitions which did ariſe, that Chriſt doth indeed own it, that he is the Saviour thereof, &c.
This aſſurance is called ſometimes full aſſurance of underſtanding, Col. 2. 2.
Sometimes called full aſſurance of hope, Heb. 6. 11, 12, 19.
Sometimes full aſſurance of Faith, Heb. 10. 22▪
So that faith and hope do contribute their influence to the making up of full aſſurance, ſometimes this is called boldneſs, Heb. 4. 16. Importing an undanted, yet humble and dutifull looking God in the face; ſometimes full aſſurance when faith acts ſtrongly without ſtaggering through unbelief.
Whether Aſſurance be attainable in this life.
1 John 5. 13. THeſe things have I written unto you, that ye way know that ye have eternal life, Heb. 6. 18. God hath given us his Oath, his word, his ſeal, that our conſolation may be ſtrong, and that our ſalvation may be ſure.
2 Cor. 5. 1, 2. We know that if our earthly houſe of this tabernacle were diſſolved, we have a building, an houſe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Solomons Song. 2. 16. My beloved is mine and I am his, I am his by purchaſe, and I am his by conqueſt, I am his by donation, and I am his by election, and I am his by Covenant, and I am his by marriage: Iſa. 63. 16. doubtleſs thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Iſrael acknowledge us not, thou O Lord art our Father and our redeemer, Rom. 8. 38. Paul ſaith that nothing could ſeparate him from the love oſ Chriſt, 2 Pet. 1. 10. Give diligence to make your calling and election ſure: therefore we ſee it is attainable, and our duty to make it ſure, &c.
Of the ſeveral ſorts of Aſſurance.
THere are degrees of aſſurance, ſome more weak, ſome more ſtrong; there is an aſſurance, and a full aſſurance. God in his word doth exhort Chriſtians to ſtrive after aſſurance, yea full aſſurance, yea the riches of full aſſurance; and no doubt, that not only Paul but many a good Chriſtian can ſay ſometime or other, I am verily perſwaded that Chriſt loved me, and gave himſelf for me.
Aſſurance hath many denominations in the Scriptures, according to its degrees; ſometimes it is called a perſwaſion, Rom. 8. 38. Sometimes boldneſs, Eph. 3. 12. In whom we have boldneſs, which doth import an undanted (yet humble and dutiful) looking God in the face.
Sometimes it is called full aſſurance, Rom. 4. 2. That is, when faith doth act ſtrongly, without ſtaggering through unbelief.
This is called ſometimes full aſſurance of underſtanding, Col. 2. 2.
Sometimes full aſſurance of hope, Heb. 6. 11, 18, 19.
And ſometimes full aſſurance of Faith, Heb. 10. 22.
For Knowledge, Faith and Hope do all contribute their influence to the making up of full aſſurance, many Chriſtians have ſome degree of aſſurance, who think they have not, and many have no aſſurance at all, who yet pretend thereto moſt of all.
Of the trials of aſſurance.
AS Surance may be brought to the teſt, and tried by, 1. The qualification of the Subject aſſured. 2. Or by the grounds or caſes of aſſurance. 3. Or by the fruits and effects of it; we are not to let the reall intereſt of Chriſt to hang hovering and in diſpute, but to determine them by particular and perſonal evidence.
1. True aſſurance doth ſupport and comfort the heart in deepeſt tribulation, as we may ſee in Job and Paul.
2. True aſſurance doth make a man of a Godlike diſpoſition, eaſie to be intreated, ready to forgive, abundant in goodneſs; it makes a man ſtudy the good of others, wherein he may ſtrengthen the feeble, and comfort the dejected, and inrich the impoveriſhed, and recover the ſeduced, and inlarge the ſtreightned, and build up the waſted.
3. True aſſurance puts the ſoul a work upon ſelfpurifying, 1 John 3. 2, 3.
4. True aſſurance doth make the ſoul incomparably to prize communion with God and Jeſus Chriſt Can▪ 2. 6, 7, 16, 17. Compared with Cant. 3. 1. to the 6.
5. True aſſurance doth engage thoſe that have it to ſerve and honour God, Joſh. 1. 15. God aſſured Joſhua that he would neverleave him, nor forſake him: Joſhua upon this reſolves that he and his houſe would ſerve the Lord, &c.
To make out after, and endeavour for aſſurance, is our duty.
WE are bound to draw near unto God in the full aſſurance of Faith, Heb. 10. 22. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election ſure: but ſo fooliſh are we, that whilſt with much care and labour we go about to make thoſe things certain which are moſt uncertain, we make thoſe things uncertain, which might be made certain, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine you ſelves, whether ye be in the faith, prove your ſelves, &c.
Conſider farther, that although the enjoyment of aſſurance makes moſt for our conſolation, yet the living upon Chriſt purely in the want of aſſurance, makes moſt for his exaltation; he is happy with Thomas that believeth upon ſeeing and handling, but thrice happy are thoſe that believe when they do nor ſee, John 20. 29.
Faith can make a ſoul ſubmit in a croſs, but it is aſſurance which makes the ſoul to rejoyce and triumph.
Of the benefits of aſſurance, and many arguments to perſw…de us to make out after it.
1. THE want of it doth hinder thankfulneſs;
2. Aſſurance will ſettle a ſoul upon Chriſt.
3. Aſſurance will ſweeten all other bleſſings to us.
4. Aſſurance will put us upon all kind of duty.
5. Aſſurance will eaſe a man of the world, and mount the ſoul above it.
1. The want of it doth hinder thankfulneſs.
We cannot give God hearty thanks, whilſt we are doubtfull of our particular intereſt in Chriſt; this man cannot thank the Lord from his own Soul, for giving his Son Jeſus Chriſt, ſeeing he doth doubt of his intereſt in him; he cannot thank God for pardon of ſin, ſeeing he doth doubt whether they be pardoned or no, ſee Pſal. 103. 1, 2, 3.
2. Aſſurance will ſettle a ſoul upon Chriſt, and cauſe him to lie down and ſleep in ſafety; there be two effects of this bleſſed aſſurance, one is joy, the other is peace; it glads the heart, and it pacifies the heart.
3. Aſſurance will ſweeten all other bleſſings to us: we ſhall ſee them handed forth to us in love, here is ſaith the ſoul plenty of food and …ayment, and friends, and God is my God too: my ſins are pardoned too, but the want of this may check all our mercies.
4. Aſſurance will put us upon all kind of duty, viz. What ſhall I render to the Lord for all his mercies? I will either do, or ſuffer, or any thing for him that hath done ſo much for me.
5. Aſſurance will mount the ſoul above the world, and make the ſoul to live out of its ſelf, in the Spirit, upon Chriſt, unto God, above the world, under Ordinances, looking to election behind, and perfection before. O the bleſſed favour of God, the evidences of our Union with Chriſt: this is like the light of the Sun, which puts out the light of ten thouſand candles; thoſe that have ſo much as to make up aſſurance for heaven, will never complain of too little on the earth: theſe things conſidered, doth lay before us two things. 1. The benefits of aſſurance. Secondly, it doth beſpeak the reader, if he have it not, to labour for it.
Of the ſprings of aſſurance, or means by which it is attained.
THE work we have to do is two-fold. Firſt, get title to Gods love. Secondly, get aſſurance that thou haſt a title; the firſt is done by action, the ſecond is done by examination. He that would get aſſurance, muſt not cut off any of the pipes of conveyance, neither make uſe of them ſluggiſhly. A ſluggiſh ſpirit, is alwayes a lazy ſpirit: he that will find rich minerals, muſt dig deep: he that will be rich, muſt be diligent and ſweat for it: he that will taſte the kernel, muſt crack the ſhell: he that will have the marrow, muſt break the bone: he that will wear the garland, muſt run the race: He that will ride in triumph, muſt get the victory; a lazy Chriſtian ſhall alwaies want four things: comfort and content, confidence and aſſurance, Heb. 6. 11. and we deſire that every one would ſhew the ſame diligence to the full aſſurance of Faith. O how can we look ſo many ſweet promiſes in the face, and harbour ſo many miſgivings in our hearts? Firſt, take one promiſe, and charge that upon the heart, and if the heart be ſtubborn and will not yield, then take another, if that will not do, then take another, and lay that home upon the heart, and never leave or ceaſe this work, till thou haſt made thy calling and election ſure; and make as much conſcience of theſe commands that requires thee to get aſſurance, as you do of thoſe commands that requires thee to pray, read and hear; aſſurance is heavenly wages that God gives not no loyterers: though no man doth merit aſſurance by obedience, yet God uſually crowns obedience with aſſurance, Joh. 14. 21, 22, 23.
1. Diligently improve thoſe notable aſſuring Ordinances, the Word, Lords Supper, and Praye r, to help on all the former directions.
1. The word was therefore written, 1 John 5. 13. That believers might know they have eternal life, let it therefore dwell in you richly, Col. 3. 16.
2. The Lords Supper ſeals up remiſſion of ſins, therefore be at the Lords table frequently, but be ſure to partake of it worthily.
3. Prayer, that not only ſpreads open a mans heart, but pierceth the heavens, creeps into the boſom of God, and ſometimes furniſheth the doubting ſpirit with aſſurance in the very exerciſe of it.
2. Spring of aſſurance cheriſheth and improveth all your graces but eſpecially aſſuring graces, knowledge, Faith, and hope; by knowledge we diſcern our ſelves, by Faith we appropriate to our ſelves, and by hope we patiently wait for full enjoyment.
3. Quench not, grieve not the Spirit of God, for that ſpirit is ſent to aſſure us, moſt convincingly, clearly and ſatisfactorily.
4. Go on from faith to faith, add one grace to another, ſo ſhall an entrance be adminiſtred to thee abundantly into the everlaſting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. See and well conſider this portion of Scripture, 2 Pet. 1. from ver. 5. to ver. 12.
Of the impediments of aſſurance.
1. THE firſt impediment of aſſurance that I ſhall name, is this, our meaſuring of the merey and bowels of God, by the narrow ſcantling of our dark underſtanding.
2. Another is our making ſenſe, reaſon and feeling the ſole judge of our ſpiritual condition.
3. Another impediment of aſſurance is, our retaining ſo many deſpairing thoughts, not conſidering that deſpair is one of the worſt ſins, viz. It is a diſhenour to God, and a reproach to Chriſt, a reſiſting of the Spirit of Grace, and a murderer of the ſoul, a belying of God, a denying of Chriſt, and a crowning of Satan, and a proclaiming the Devil conqueror; J…das did ſin more by deſpairing then by betraying of Chriſt.
4. Another impediment of aſſurance is, our not reading and believing theſe and the like precious promiſes, Num. 14. 19, 20. Exod. 34. 6, 7. Mich. 7. 18, 19. Iſa. 30. 18, 19. Pſalm. 38. 34. to the 40. Pſal. 103. to the 13. Jer. 3. 1. to 12. Luk. 15. 20. to 24. 1 Tim. 1. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.
5. Another impediment of aſſurance is our living in the neglect of ſome of Gods Ordinances, when we wait on God in ſome of his wayes, but not in all, viz. Some will wait upon God, in hearing the word of life, and yet neglecting the breaking the bread of life: ſometimes God will give aſſurance in one Ordinance, and deny it in another, that we may ſeek his face in all, 1 Cor. 28. 8.
6. Our dallying with ſin; he that doth lye down in ſin muſt live in fear, there is no aſſurance for us, unleſs we offer up our Iſaac, and part with our Benjamin, pull out our right eye, and cut off our right hand, &c.
The evil of doubting, or want of aſſurance.
WE cannot in any one thing more gratifie Satan, and wrong our own ſouls, then to live in a ſtate of doubting; we wrong our ſelves in point of comfort and content, and in point of peace, and in point of boldneſs; a man that lives without aſſurance, leaves his ſoul open to many blows and knocks, frowns and wounds, from God, from the world, from carnal friends, and from Satan: beſides, if we live and dye in unbelief, John 3. 18. He that believeth not, is condemned already: by the Law, and the Goſpel, and by your own conſcience; all theſe have paſſed the ſentence of condemnation upon that ſtate already: the ſin of unbelief is a great ſin, and it is our ſin to give way to it. We nouriſh a ſnake in our boſom, that will ſting us to death; to doubt and to deſpair of mercy, is to make the God of truth a lyar, 1 John 5. 10. Doubting makes the countenance ſad, and the hands to hang down, and the knees feeble, and the heart full of fears and trembling; beſides, the time of doubting is a barren time, there is no praying nor praiſing, nor growing, nor any vigorous acting. Surely, this ſtate comes not from God, he bids us make our calling and election ſure; neither doth it come from Chriſt, he ſpeaks and gives peace to his flock, they come not from the holy Spirit of God, for he is the great and moſt ſweet comforter, revealing and applying the love of God unto the ſoul; conſider theſe Scriptures, Mat. 14. 31. O thou of little faith, wherefore didſt thou doubt? Luk. 12. 29. Neither be ye of doubtful minds, 1 Theſ. 2. 8. I will that men pray every where, lifting up pure hands without wrath, and doubting. But whilſt we live in the want of aſſurance, we live in a ſtate of doubting.
Many think they have aſſurance, and have not.
LET us conſider, that there is a great deal of counterfeit knowledge, and counterfeit faith, and counterfeit love, and counterfeit repentance: ſo there is a great deal of counterfeit aſſurance in the world; many there be that talk high, and look big, and bear it out bravely, whereas when their aſſurance comes to be weighed in the ballance, and brought to the teſt, it will be found too light; when it cometh to withſtand temptation, it is found too weak, and when it ſhould put the ſoul upon Divine action, it is found to be but a lazy preſumption; ſo we are apt to think our ſins to be no ſins, when indeed they be many, and that they are but ſmal, when indeed they are great, and that we have grace, when we have none, and that our grace is true, when it is counterfeit, and that our condition is not ſo bad as others, when it is worſe: ſo we are apt to lay claim to God, to Chriſt, and the promiſes, and priviledges, and all the glory of another world, when we are in the ſight of God, poor, and blind, and miſerable, and naked, being Chriſtleſs, and graceleſs, and truthleſs, and ſo think our ſelves to be ſomething, when we are nothing according to this Scripture, Gal. 6. 3.
Aſſurance is not all kind of perſwaſion, there are two kinds of aſſurance or perſwaſion of the mind touching a mans perſonal intereſt in Chriſt, one is imaginary and deluding, for as the heart of a man may deceive it ſelf, about the habit of Faith, or any other grace, ſo it may delude a man about the acts and degrees of the ſame; doth the true believer believe in Chriſt? ſo thinks the hypocrite that he doth too: hath a true believer a perſwaſion of his intereſt in Chriſt? ſo hath the hypocrite to a moſt exalted confidence, an Iron faith that will never doubt nor bow; it is juſt with him as with a poor man in a dream, what the rich man hath by propriety, that ſame thing may the pooreſt man have in a dream, fancy or imagination.
Many reaſons wherefore the Lord doth not give aſſurance ſpeedily.
1. BEcauſe aſſurance is meat for ſtrong men, babes are not able to bear it, and digeſt it.
2. He doth not give it ſpeedily, becauſe we are apt to ſeek it more for our ſelves, then we do for his honour; as the Sun doth, as it were, put out the light of the Moon, ſtars, fire and candle. So the glory of God muſt put out all other ends; the ſervant that minds his wages more then his work, muſt not wonder if his maſter be ſlack in paying him; and ſure it is, that he that is moſt mindfull of Gods honour, God will be moſt mindfull of his comfort.
3. Another reaſon why he doth not ſpeedily give in aſſurance is, that when they have it they may the more highly prize it, and the more carefully keep it, and the more wiſely improve it, and the more affectionately and effectually bleſs God for it; none ſets ſuch a prize upon light, as he that hath lain a long time in darkneſs.
4. That we might live purely upon Chriſt, we are apt to reſt upon every thing below Chriſt, viz. to reſt upon creatures, to reſt upon gifts or graces, duties and Divine manifeſtations, or celeſtial conſolations, and to reſt upon gracious evidences: now the Lord to cure his people of theſe diſtempers, many times leaves his children of light to walk in darkneſs; but let us conſider, that although the enjoyment of aſſurance doth make moſt for our comfort, as we have ſaid before: yet the living purely upon Chriſt in the want of aſſurance, doth make moſt for his glory; no Chriſtian to him that in the want of viſibles, can live upon an inviſible God.
5. The Lord moſt times will have his people make a conſtant progreſs in holineſs before he gives them this happineſs of aſſurance, for aſſurance in a ſenſe is the daughter of holineſs.
Very hard to recover aſſurance, if one loſt.
LET us conſider the wonderful difficulty of recovering aſſurance if once loſt. Oh the ſighs, the groans, the complaints, the tears, the heartrentings, the ſoul-bleeding▪ the gaining of aſſurance at firſt coſt very dear, but the regaining of it will put us to more pains and charge. Of the two it is caſier to keep aſſurance when we have it, then to recover it when we have loſt it: as it is eaſier to keep the houſe in reparations, then to raiſe it up when it is fallen; a man may eaſier make a ſeeing eye blind, then a blind eye to ſee; a man may eaſily put an Inſtrument out of tune, but not ſo ſoon put it in again: a man is eaſily born down the ſtream, but cannot ſo eaſily ſwim up the ſtream. It is better to be kept from the loſing of aſſurance, then to be cured; as it is better to be kept from a diſeaſe, then to be cured of a diſeaſe. Oh what is the ſtate of a poor Chriſtian that hath loſt his aſſurance! it will coſt him more grief, ſorrow, heart-breaking, and ſoul-bleeding, before conſcience will be▪ quieted, divine juſtice ſatiſfied, and comfort, and joy reſtored, evidences cleared, and pardon in the court of conſcience ſealed. David found this to be very hard, which made him cry out, O ſpare me a little, that I may recover my ſtrength, create a clean heart, renew a right ſpirit, reſtore unto me the joy of thy ſalvation, Pſal. 51. 7. to 12.
We loſe our aſſurance by backſliding, unbelief, luke-warmneſs, formality, &c. and yet cannot be recovered until we remember from whence we are fallen; and repent we cannot, until we look upon him whom we have peirced, and ſee Gods delightful affections, and tender mercies before ſet us, in ſweet working, and ſoul-raviſhing, and heart-melting expreſſions: a relapſe in diſeaſes is more dangerous then the firſt ſickneſs was, Job 5. 14. 2▪ Pet. 2. 22. Mat. 12 43.
Of the difference between the Law and the Goſpel; and of the ſeveral ſorts of Laws.
AS the Law requireth obedience, ſo the Goſpel directeth us how to perform it, 1 Tim. 1. 9, 10, 11. The Law commands us to worſhip God as our Creator, the Goſpel commandeth us to worſhip him in Chriſt, as our Saviour; the Law like Pharaoh requires brick, but allows no ſtraw, the Goſpel both allows ſtrength and ſupplies, Rom. 10. 5, 6, 8.
But yet as the Law ſaveth us not without the Goſpel, ſo the Goſpel ſaveth us not without the Law, which directeth us in our duty both to God and man, Deut. 5. 32.
At the giving of the Law the mountain burned, the trumpet ſounded, the people fled, and Moſes trembled, and all this to teach us that we ſhould be very careful to perform obedience to the ſame.
Object. What was the Ceremonial Law?
Anſw. It was that which did preſcribe orders for direction in rites of outward worſhip, only ſhadowing the grace of the Goſpel. Heb. 10. 1.
But the ſubſtance of this▪ Law being come, thoſe ſhadows are utterly aboliſhed, by the death of Chriſt, and therefore the uſe of them now would be a kind of denyal of his death.
Queſt. What was the Judicial Law?
Anſw. That wherein God appointed a form of civil government of the Common-wealth. Now this Law is not utterly revoked and aboliſhed by Chriſt, for he came not to over-turn any good government.
Queſt. What is the Moral Law?
Anſw. That which commandeth perfection of godlineſs and righteouſneſs, and directeth us in our duties both to God and man, Deut. 5. 32, 12. 32.
Queſt. Are not we delivered from this Law by the means of Chriſt?
Anſw. From the burden of the Law, exacting in our own perſons perfect obedience, and from the curſe of the Law, due unto diſobedience, we are delivered by Chriſt, Gal. 3. 10, 11, 12, 13. but from the commandment as a rule of life, we are not freed, Jam. 2. 8.
For the Law doth lay a charge upon all the powers of the ſoul, viz. Firſt, it doth charge the underſtanding to know every duty, even all the will of God; it chargeth the judgement to diſcern between good and evil; it chargeth the memory to retain it; it chargeth the will to chuſe the better, and to leave the worſe; it chargeth the affections to love thoſe things that are lovely, and to hate things that are uncomely.