The Humbled Sinner, Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. The improvement of faith to a full aſſurance.
I Will yet advance on to one Uſe more; Since faith in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is the only way to be ſaved; therefore not only to labour for that faith, but to exalt that faith, my meaning is to improve this faith alſo, yet further …o ſtrength and comfort.
Divines obſerve a double act of faith.
One of adherence, by which it cleaves unto Chriſt, and relies upon him alone for righteouſneſſe, pardon of ſin, grace and ſalvation.
Another is of evidence, by which it cleares unto the ſoule its intereſt in Chriſt, and his righteouſneſſe and merits.
In the former, the ſoul renounceth all other corner ſtones, all other rocks of ſalvation, and truſts only upon the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, accepts of him as the only Lord, and relies on him as the only Saviour, caſting or rolling its heavenly and eternal ſafeties into his bleſſed armes.
In the latter, the ſoul feels it ſelf reciprocally embraced by Chriſt; I have accepted of him to be my Lord, and he ſaith, I am thy King.
I have relyed on him to be my Saviour, and he ſaith, I am thy ſalvation; For pardon of ſinnes, and he ſaith unto me, Be of good cheer, thy ſins are forgiven thee.
Now to this part of faith do I deſire to mount the ſoul of a true beleever, viz. not only to apprehend Chriſt, but to know himſelf to be apprehended by him; not only to beleeve, but to know him whom he hath beleeved. To riſe thus far by faith to an aſſurance, that Chriſt is my Chriſt; my Redeemer liveth, who gave himſelf for me; My Lord, and my God, that he is my righteouſneſſe, my redemption, my propitiation.
For the better ſettling and exciting of you in this particular, I will briefly touch at theſe things.
1. What the aſſurance of faith is.
2. It may be had.
3. It ſhould be had.
4. The Arguments to ſtir us up to labour for it (that is) to know our riches, and to know our poſſeſſions.
5. The means to get it.
SECT. I.
Queſt. 1. WHat the aſſurance of faith is.
Sol. It is a victorious concluſion againſt the ſtrength of doubts, whereby the minde of a beleeving perſon is aſcertained and perſwaded, and upon good ground ſettled, concerning his perſonal intereſt in Chriſt and his benefits.
For the better opening of this deſcription, be pleaſed to obſerve theſe ſubſequent propoſitions.
1. That the aſſurance of faith, it is the concluſion of an evangelical ſyllogiſme: The ſyllogiſme is this, Whoſoever repents and beleeves in Chriſt, Chriſt with his benefits are his, and he is Chriſts; but I do truly repent and beleeve in Chriſt, therefore Chriſt and his benefits are mine, and I am his.
In this Syllogiſme there are three propoſitions.
The firſt is, a Propoſition of moſt infallible certainty, it being expreſly the voice of Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, and of it the minde hath no doubt, but fully aſſents unto it as a principle of Divine truth, viz. That he who repents and beleeves in Chriſt, is his, and he is Chriſts. And of this the minde of a beleever may be abundantly perſwaded without queſt…onings, and doubts, for as much as it is a part of the Word of God, to whoſe abſolute truth it doth plentifully ſubſcribe.
The ſecond is a propoſition, carrying with it the direct act of faith, in which the beleeving ſoul doth accept of Chriſt, or receive him, and truſt upon him, by vertue of which there ariſeth a moſt real and true union 'twixt Chriſt and the beleever.
The third and the laſt, which is the concluſion or inference drawn from both the former, comprehends in it the formal aſſurance of a beleeving heart, that therefore Chriſt is mine and I am his.
That he who beleeves in Chriſt, hath Chriſt, and ſhall be ſaved; this is not yet that ſubjective aſſurance of juſtifying faith, for as much as many an hypocrite may beleeve that truth, and yet have no perſonal intereſt in Chriſt.
Againe, that I do beleeve in Chriſt, neither is this eſſentially aſſurance, for as much as to beleeve is one thing, and to be aſſured is another thing; many a good heart may accept of Chriſt upon all his termes, and articles of peace and life, and may caſt and repoſe it ſelf on him as the only rock and hope of the ſoul, and yet it may be ſo farre from aſſurance, (even at that time when it doth ſo earneſtly cleave unto Chriſt) that inſtead of aſſurance, it may be both toſſed and prevailed upon by doubtings, ſuſpitions, and feares, concerning its particular and perſonal propriety in Chriſt and in his merits.
But the laſt of the propoſitions, I am Christs, and Christ is mine, this is formal aſſurance: for this concludes the diſpute of the heart, and hath in it particular and perſonal evidence.
2. It is a victorious concluſion againſt the ſtrength of doubting: you know that in the minde of man, there are three kinds of working about an object comprehending goodneſſe and truth.
One they call peremptory aſſenting, and peremptory diſſentings, in which the minde doth yeild plainly, or elſe refuſeth to ſubſcribe, and grant the matter propoſed to be true and good.
Another they call doubtings, which are the wavering acts of of the minde, wherein it doth not abſolutely grant or deny, it doth not abſolutely conclude, that ſo it is, nor abſolutely, that ſo it is not; yet rather enclines (for want of further evidence in the ſoul) that it is not ſo, then that it is ſo.
The third they call evidence or aſſurance, which is ſuch a work of the minde, wherein, againſt all doubtings and ſuſpitions, the minde ſees clearly the thing to be ſo, or not to be ſo: And thus is it here in the aſſurance of faith, it hath ſuch a light, the minde hath that it is able to riſe beyond, and againſt doubtings, and to convince the ſoul againſt all ſuſpitions, that Chriſt indeed is mine, and I am his.
Where, by the way obſerve thus much; that aſſurance doth preſuppoſe ſome doubtings, for if the mind of a believer had not doubtings about its perſonall intereſt, it could not well be ſaid to be now aſſured. Doubtings did verily, and do, and may work in a believing ſoul; yea, but am I ſure that Chriſt is mine, is it certain that my ſins are pardoned? I truſt they are, but I fear they are not.
Now aſſurance comes and conquers theſe workings, and clears all the doubting arguments, and convinceth the minde, that of a truth Chriſt is mine, and my ſins are pardoned.
There are two degrees of doubtings.
One conſiſts in the queſtioning of our beleeving proprieties, is Chriſt mine, is his righteouſneſſe mine, &c?
Another exceeds this, and conſiſts in dominion, when the ſoul is ſuppreſt by the ſtrength of theſe doubtings, to ſide with it, and ſtill to hang in ſuſpenſe.
Now this latter degree (eſpecially) is aſſurance oppoſite unto; namely, it conquers our doubtings, anſwers our arguments, cleares it unto the ſoul againſt the many ſuſpitions which did ariſe, that Chriſt doth indeed owne it, that he is the Saviour thereof, and therefore I call it a victorious concluſion.
3. Aſſurance of faith, it is an aſcertaining or perſwading act, and that is proper and inſeparable from aſſurance; therefore is it ſo expreſſed in Rom. 8. 38. I am perſwaded that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, ver. 39. Nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other creature ſhall be able to ſeparate us from the love of God which is in Chriſt Ieſus our Lord. Yea, and it is expreſſed by a word of perſonal certainty, 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed: In knowledge there is alwayes a certainty, for that is one of the maine differences 'twixt it and opinion, that the one leaves the minde uncertain and wavering, and the other determinates the minde with certainty, and infallibility.
Whiles the minde remaines like a paire of indifferent ſcales, which bend this way and that way; or like a boat in the river, now floating up, and then ſinking down; now reeling to this ſide, by and by to that ſide; it cannot be ſaid to be aſſured, perhaps Chriſt is mine, perhaps I am his; this is a plaine uncertainty, for the minde is not perſwaded. But in the aſſurance of faith, the minde is like a ſcale that weighs down, it is perſwaded, and aſcertained, there is a prevalent evidence of the thing. Not only in abſolute tearmes, that Chriſt belongs to a believer, but in reflexive tearmes, that Chriſt belongs to me, he gave himſelf for me, and he is my redeemer, and this particular, or perſonal perſwaſion is aſſurance.
4. Aſſurance is not all kinds of perſwaſion or aſcertaining, there are two kindes of aſſurance or perſwaſion of the minde touching a mans perſonall 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 him about the acts, and degrees of the ſame: doth the true believer believe in Chriſt? ſo thinks the Hypocrite, that he doth too: Hath the true believer a perſwaſion of his perſonall propriety in Chriſt, which cleares the minde of doubting? ſo hath the Hypocrite too, a moſt exalted confidence an iron faith that would never bend, nor bow by doubtings. It may be with him as with a poore man in a dreame; what the rich man hath by propriety, and in poſſeſſion, even that ſame thing may the pooreſt man have in a dreaming fancy, and imagination.
But then ask the Hypocrite; by what grounds art thou thus confidently perſwaded; what did encline thy mind hereto, what promiſe haſt thou found that Chriſt is, and will be his, whoſe heart was never humbled for ſin, whoſe heart ſtill retains the love of ſin? Now, as the man who being demanded how he came without his wedding garment, he is ſpeechleſſe.
The fool (ſaith Solomon Prov. 14. 16.) rageth and is confident, and ſo the preſumptuous perſon, He ſinneth, and yet is perſwaded he walketh in his ſinnes, and yet is aſſured.
I pray you remember that the aſſurance of faith is no ſuch abſolute and boyſtrous ſetling of the minde, that Chriſt is mine however, though I be never ſo ignorant and wicked, and though I live never ſo wretchedly and profanely; yet Chriſt is mine, and God is my mercifull Father, and my ſinnes are pardoned: O no, this is a Diabolical aſſurance, it is no Evangelical aſſurance.
Another is grounded, and divinely rational, and it alwayes followes ſound repentance and faith: That aſſurance which goes before theſe, is falſe; abſolutely I am bound to repent and to believe, but I cannot be aſſured, but in a conditionall order: If I ſhould be aſſured that Chriſt were mine before, before I did believe, this were a lie: foraſmuch as Chriſt is not mine, untill I do by faith accept of him, and if I ſhould be aſſured that my ſins were pardoned before I did repent, I did in this delude mine own heart, foraſmuch as ſin is not pardoned, unleſſe it be repented of. No, but I muſt repent of my ſins, I muſt accept of Jeſus Chriſt offered unto me in the Goſpel, to be my Lord and Saviour, and now I labour to be aſſured, now I come to be perſwaded, having ſubſcribed to all the propoſitions, and articles of the Goſpel, that now Chriſt is mine, and I do by the Word convince my ſoul that ſo it muſt be. For thus I argue with my ſoul, whoſoever repents, and believes, and endeavors to walk in Chriſt, aſſuredly Chriſt is his, and he is Chriſts; but I do this, Ergo, Chriſt is mine.
I cannot make ſo ſhort a cut as the preſumptuous perſon doth, Chriſt died for ſinners, therefore for me; God is merciful, therefore my ſins are pardoned without any more ado. O no, there is an orderly progreſſe in true aſſurance. It doth not (ſaltum facere) ſtride over to extreames; As if a man ſhould ſee a Leaſe drawn, and preſently concludes the houſes are mine, the lands are mine; No, but he muſt hear, and underſtand, and weigh things, and ſubſcribe, and ſeal to the conditions, and then he may ſafely and boldly ſay that they are his. So muſt the ſoul hearken to the tenor of the Goſpel, underſtand both the precious offer, and the peculiar conditions of Chriſt; then he muſt conſent unto them, and accept of Chriſt to be Lord and Saviour, and reſolve to forſake every ſin, and to yield up his heart and life to the obedience of Chriſt▪ and earneſtly ſeek the Lord by his Spirit, to perſwade him of his particular intereſt in Chriſt, and look up ſtedfaſtly, and waite upon the Lord in the uſe of the ordinances, and other conſecrated meanes; Thus is the aſſurance of faith wrought in the ſoul, and upon theſe grounds doth it ſettle the mind.
5. Laſtly, Aſſurance of faith (concerning which we ſpeake) directs man, even to a perſonal evidence of his particular intereſts in Chriſt and his benefits.
There is you know a double evidence.
One is real, and reſpects the thing, or object to be believed;
Another is perſonal, and reſpects the ſtate of him who doth believe;
Now aſſurance of faith, conſiſts in the determining of the minde, about the particular goodneſſe of that thing, which it aſſents unto in the general as moſt true, viz. That Jeſus Chriſt is my Lord, and my God, that he is ſalvation for me; it opens the eyes as it were to ſee, what Chriſt is to me, and what he hath done for me, and what he will do to me.
And thus briefly have you had a ſhort expl…cation of the nature of this aſſurance: a moſt heavenly thing it is, and only believers have it, though all reach not yet unto it; I now proceed to another enquiry.
SECT. II.
Queſt. 2. VVHether ſuch an aſſurance of faith may be had?
Sol. The Papiſts will not hear of it by any meanes, (ſome of them) unleſſe in an extraordinary way: They conceive that faith is notable to raiſe the minde beyond a moral hope, and conjecture, and many lewd and lazy Proteſtants ſhake hands with them in that opinion. But I will cleare it unto you, that every believer may come to this aſſurance: It is a poſſible thing, I dare not ſay that every believer de facto is aſſured, yet he may be aſſured of his particular intereſt, and this I will evidence eaſily.
1. The believing ſoul is not uncapable of perſwaſion: They ſay that faith doth not deſtroy, but elevate the underſtanding; and that ſame is a truth, for it doth new temper the underſtanding, and the will, but not overthrow their ſubſtantial natures and abilities. Now this is undeniable, that the power of reflexion is natural to the underſtanding: It is ſuch a faculty which is able to look upon its own actings, and its own ſtate; yea, and perſwaſion by way of certainty, the underſtanding is capable of it; foraſmuch as it is by knowledge, and ſenſe, and experience made moſt aſſuredly certain, about many objects and concluſions;
Now becauſe faith doth not deſtory, but elevate the minde, it may by faith come to a perſwaſion and reflexion.
2. Againe, to urge things (as yet) in a rational way; Faith can ſee as ſtrong reaſon, and argument to perſwade and ſettle the minde, and aſſure it, as the Phyloſopher can to raiſe the minde to a certainty of his concluſions; The mindes perſwaſion depending naturally upon ſtrong evidence and the power of argument;
Now faith can bring as ſtrong arguments to convince and perſwade the minde: for its arguments depend upon two ſtrong teſtimonies, One of the infallible Word of God, the other on the voice of a renewed conſcience; Ergo,
3. God would not promiſe that to a believer in this life, which is impoſſible for the believer to riſe unto: Foraſmuch as promiſes are of things as future, they are the undertaking of good things, which ſhall come to paſſe, and be performed, now every future thing is a poſſible thing, that which ſhall be, we may co…fidently affirme of it that it may be; But this perſonal evidence or aſſurance, it is a thing which God hath promiſed, Ezek. 34. 30. They ſhall know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the houſe of Iſrael are my people, Hoſ. 2. 19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever, yea, I will, &c. Verſe 23. I will ſay unto them, thou art my people, and they ſhall ſay, thou art our God.
4. I ſpare to adde the ſtrength of the divine Spirit in its reflections on the ſoule, as alſo that perſwaſive vertue in a renued conſcience; and the many experiences in many Chriſtians who have attained un… …his aſſurance; all which doth clearly evidence that it is a thing poſſible: That which the Spirit is able to force in a beleeving ſoul; that which many a beleeving ſoul hath attained unto; that ſame is a poſſible thing, but, &c. Ergo.
SECT. III.
Queſt. 3. VVHither every Beleever ſhould ſtrive to the aſſurance of faith?
Sol. I will premiſe onelyonly a thing or two.
One is, that ſome duties concerne all men at all times, and immediately, as to repent and to beleeve.
Other duties concern ſome men, and thoſe in an order and mediately: As to be aſſured of a mans particular intereſt in Chriſt, it is not an immediate duty, it doth not concern a man meerly, as an abſolute ſinner: for a man who is unconverted and yet unbeleeving is not bound to be perſwaded that he is Chriſts, and Chriſt is his, unleſſe we will ſay, that he is bound to be perſwaded of a lie; no, but he muſt firſt be a beleever, he muſt accept of Jeſus Chriſt upon his own termes, and being a beleever, I ſay, he is bound to labour for particular aſſurance: Not to let the real intereſt of Chriſt in him, and of his ſoul in Chriſt, to hang hovering and in diſpute, but to determine them by particular and perſonal evidence.
Againe, premiſe this, it is one thing to ſpeed de facto what every beleever hath, and it is another thing to ſpeak de jure, what every beleever ſhould have: It is true, that every one who hath Chriſt, cannot be yet aſſured, and ſay, that Chriſt is mine, but then, as Chriſt is really his (as certainly he is thine, as thy husband is thy husband) ſo the Chriſtian is obliged to aſſure his heart thereof.
Which I ſhall eaſily clear by Argument.
1. We are bound to draw neer unto God in the full aſſurance of faith, Heb. 10. 22. Which is, … conceive, in a cleare perſwaſion that we ſhall not faile, but enjoy the good which he promiſeth; now this cannot be, unleſſe a man be aſſured and perſwaded that God is his God, and Chriſt is his Chriſt: for as much as perſwaſion of audience doth always ariſe from a preſuppoſed perſ…aſion of perſonal and mutual intereſt; I cannot by faith be perſwaded that God wil give ſuch a good thing, or ſuch, unleſs I am firſt perſwaded, that he is my God, that God is my God, or Chriſt is my Chriſt; It is a fundamental perſwaſion, upon which all others are built; for this gives life and ſettlement to my doubting ſoul; I many times doubt, but ſhall I have this thing which I ask? yes, ſayes the beleeving heart? but how are you aſſured of it? I reply, becauſe God is my God, he hath given himſelf unto me, Ergo he will give this, but how know you that God is your God? Upon good ground; why; ſaith the beleeving ſoul, of that I am abundantly perſwaded, I doubt it not, hereupon the ſoul raiſeth it ſelf to that other aſſurance, of acceptance and audience, why; then I will nor doubt of this, I will be confident that then the Lord will heare, for he is my God; and David goes this way very often.
2. We are bound (all our dayes) to give God thanks for his greateſt mercies, now I think that the beſtowing of Chriſt upon the ſoule is as great a mercy as ever poore ſinners had.
Obj. It is ſo, but what of this?
Sol. But we cannot give God hearty thanks whiles we are doubtful of our particular intereſt in Chriſt: Can'ſt thou go unto the Lord, and ſay? O Lord, I bleſſe thee from my ſoul for all the mercies which thou haſt conferred on me; health I have, and I know it, for which I do thank thee; riches I have, and friends, and this I know too, and for them I thank thee too; I thank thee alſo exceedingly from the bottome of my ſoul, for that thou haſt given thy own Sonne to me, Jeſus Chriſt, but truly, I know not whether thou haſt given him to me, or no: I thank thee exceedingly for the pardon of my vile ſinnes in this blood, but verily I am not ſure of this, I rather think they are not pardoned. Nay, this will not runne ſmooth, and the reaſon is, becauſe ſo much particular evidence as God gives a man of his perſonal intereſt in himſelf, or Chriſt, or his merits, ſo much (and no greater) thankfulneſſe will the ſoul be brought unto.
SECT. IV.
Queſt. 4. WHat Arguments to move beleevers to labour for the aſſurance of faith?
Sol. There are many.
1. As he ſaid to Job, Do the conſolations of God ſeem ſmall unto thee? That I ſay here, doth aſſurance ſeeme a ſmall thing unto thee?
Conſider (ſeriouſly) the matters and things about which this aſſurance is converſant, and thou ſhalt finde them of the greateſt conſequence in the world.
What doeſt thou think of Jeſus Chriſt for a ſinner? Can there be a more excellent good then Chriſt? I count all things but droſſe and dung for the excellency of Chriſt, ſaid Paul, Phil. 3. or can there be a more neceſſary good for thee then Chriſt? Tell me in ſad thoughts, that if thou hadſt all the pleaſures of the world, and all the honours ours of the world, and all the riches of the world, and yet waſt Chriſt…eſſe, that is, thou hadſt no portion in Chriſt; why; what avails all this as long as thou art Chriſtleſs? as Abraham ſaid, ſeeing I am childleſſe? In whom is God reconciled unto thee, but in Chriſt? and how wilt thou ſtand before God, if thou have not Chriſt? by whom canſt thou get ſalvation, but by Chriſt? and why then wilt not thou force thy ſoul to give all diligence to make thy part in Chriſt ſure to thy ſoul, that thou mayeſt come in all caſes to that of Job, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and with Paul, He loved me and gave himſelf for me.
Again, what doeſt thou think of the pardon of ſinnes? verily the time was once, even then when thy ſpirit did roare all the night, and thou foundeſt no quiet in the day, when thy moyſture was turned into the drought of Summer, and thy ſoul was diſquieted within thee; I ſay in that time thou couldeſt with many teares break out, and ſay, with David, Bleſſed is he whoſe tranſgreſſion is forgiven, and whoſe ſinne is covered. Pſal 32. 1, 2.Bleſſed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity. O what wouldeſt thou have given to have beleeved, that thy ſinnes ſhould be pardoned? thou couldeſt then diſcover death in ſo unpardoned a ſtate and life, then in a diſcharged and abſolved condition. Why I pray you, is pardon of ſinne ſo precious a thing? and is the aſſured knowledge thereof a ſmall thing? Is it not enough to have the pardon paſſe, not onelyonly the ſeale of the King, but the eye alſo of the malefactor?
Yea, yet further, what think you of eternal life? what is it? O, I cannot reach it by thoughts, much leſſe by words; Life! no ſuch thing on the earth as it; eternal life, what thing in heaven more then it? To ſee my God, my Chriſt, to be gloriouſly united to them, to be filled with the perfections of holineſſe, brightneſſe of glory, to know him as we are known, to love him in the tranſcendency of love; I know not what I ſay; for I ſpeak of eternal life: O! if the the glimpſe of divine favour here be the admiration of our ſoules, the perfection of our joyes, the heaven on earth! tell me, what is the fulneſſe of his favour? what is the full evidence of his favour? what is the everlaſting evidence of his favour? Now, eternal life is all this, all this; alas I have ſaid nothing of it yet; Eye hath not ſeen, ear hath not heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man what God hath, &c.
And is not this a matter to be determined and aſcertained to our ſouls? what, to let eternal life hang in ſuſpenſe; verily, though until we do mount and riſe to the aſſurance of faith, we leave (for our part, though the thing may be ſure in it ſelfe) even this alſo, our eternal life as a thing doubtful. Thou wile not hold the leaſt quillet of thy land, upon unevident and unſure term, yet wilt thou? &c.
2. Aſſurance will marvellouſly ſettle and quiet the ſoul. David expreſſeth ſo much, Pſal. 4. 6. Lord, life thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Ver. 7. Thou hast put gladneſſe in my heart, more then in the time that their corn and wine increaſed. Ver. 8. I will lay me down and ſleep. The ſhip at anchor is ſafe, but in a calme it is quiet; faith makes our ſtate ſure, and aſſurance peaceful.
Two effects he there delivers of this bleſſed aſſurance; one is a tranſcendent joy, and another is a compleat peace: It glads the heart, and it pacifies the heart: It is moſt true, that faith in its vital act (of acceptation) intitles us to both. Every beleever hath cauſe of great joy, & ſweet peace; but it is faith in this eminent act (of aſſurance) which repleniſheth the ſoul with actual joy, and actual comfort; For now the beleever ſees and knows his happineſſe; He hath a Chriſt and knows it; he hath pardon of ſinne, and knows it; he ſtands in favour of God, and knows it: that which held up his ſoule, is now opened; all the cauſes of his comfort ſhine, as it were, and clearly diſcover themſelves in a way of well grounded propriety. As David ſaid concerning his enemies, Pſalme 27. 1. The Lord is my light, and my ſalvation, whom ſhall I fear? The Lord is the ſtrength of my life, of whom ſhall I be afraid? So the aſſured ſoule in this caſe can exult, God is my God, Chriſt is my Chriſt, they have pardoned my ſinnes, accepted of my perſon, what ſhould trouble me? what ſhould diſquiet me? my ſoule doth now rejoyce in God my Saviour. Who ſhall lay any thing to the the charge of Gods Elect? it is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? It is Chriſt that died, Romans 8. 34. Sinne, that is pardoned; Juſtice, that is ſatisfied; my ſoul, that is reconciled; my perſon, that is juſtified; my prayers, they are anſwered; my heart, that is pacified, for God is mine, and Chriſt is mine, and I am his. Before I am aſſured, I ſee my ſinnes, look up to Chriſt, and adventure my ſoule on him for pardon, I truſt on him, yet I may feare; but when I am aſſured, I ſee my ſinnes look up to Chriſt, and my ſoule is quiet and rejoyceth. As it was with the Iſraelites, when they were Neere the red ſea, they looked back on their enemies, and looked up to God, but yet they were exceedingly afraid: Afterwards, when they had paſt through the read ſea, and ſtood upon the ſhore, they looked back upon the ſame enemies, but now as drowned, and then their ſighes were turned into joyes, and their feares into peace: They exceedingly rejoyed. Why; in aſſurance, though we look upon the ſame ſinnes, yet not in the ſame manner: Now we look upon them as drowned enemies; as iniquities caſt into the depths of the ſea, as pardoned iniquities: Now, though ſin doth grieve the ſoule, yet ſinne pardoned doth quiet and rejoyce the ſoul.
3. Aſſurance doth arme the heart againſt future temptations.
There are two ſorts of temptations, againſt both which the aſſurance of faith doth arme the beleever.
1. To ſinne: Though aſſurance be a kinde of heaven upon earth, yet in this doth the beatifical viſion differ from a beleeving aſſurance, that the one leaves no ſinne at all, but the other is a day of great comfort to a beleeving ſinner; yet even an aſſured perſon hath yet much of a ſinning nature remaining in him.
Nevertheleſſe, though aſſurance doth not wholly caſt off feare, yet it doth exceedingly keep off ſinne: A beleeving perſon ſhall not eaſily ſinne whiles he is reading his pardon, and looking his Chriſt in the face. How can I do this great wickedneſſe and ſinne againſt God? If the meere reſpect of a God was ſo prevalent with Joſeph; O how much more powerful is the propriety in a God? How can I do this great wickedneſſe and ſinne againſt my God? Should ſuch a man as I flee, ſaid Nehemiah! ſo the aſſured Chriſtian, ſhould ſuch a man as I ſinne!
Nay, remember it: Sinne is never more odious to the heart, then when the heart is moſt aſſured: The great and rich mercy of God in Chriſt, it is the principal bane of a temptation: The man who formerly would have ſtept out againſt the threats of juſtice, having now obtained mercy, trembles at the very thoughts of ſinning.
2 To deſpaire, it is poſſible for an aſſured perſon to ſinne, and then this is probable, (and more then …o) that new ſinnings will quickly cloud ol… aſſurance: Though a beleever looſeth not his life, yet …e may looſe his health; and though he hath a Father …, y…t by ſinning he looſeth the ſight of that Father; … exceedingly humbled and repents, …d … cannot read his former Evidences, he … caſt off for ever, and ſhall be remembred … y…t an ancient aſſurance well grounded …, and preſerve the ſoul againſt deſpair… …; …hat God will not caſt off the ſoul, Jer. … hath app…ed of old unto me, ſaying, I … an everlaſt…ng love, therefore with lo…ng … thee. Ver. 4. Againe, I will build thee, and thou ſhalt be built. So Pſal. 8…. 30. … his children forſ…ke my Law and walk not in my judgments. Ver. 31. If they break my ſtatute… and keep not my commandments. Ver. 32. Then will I viſit their tranſgreſſion with the red, and their iniquities with ſt…ipes. Ver. 33. Nevertheleſſe my loving kindneſſe will I not utte…ly take from him, nor ſuffer my faithfulneſſe to faile. V…r. 34. My Covenant will I not break, &c. Sure mercies of David, Iſaiah 55. 3. So for Chriſt, Ioh 13. 1. Having loved his own, he loved them to the end.
4. Aſſurance by faith ſweetens all other bleſſing to us: Job ſpeaking of many outward mercies, in …s children, in his plenty, his honours, Job 29. 5. 67. and ver. 3. he recounts one which ſhadowed all of them, (his candle ſhin…d upon my head.) A… if the evidence of Gods favou… were like the light which gives life, and beau…y to all the colours in the roome, and without which all our bleſſings lay dead and dark. O what an enlivening matter is this to all that I enjoy! and God is my God too and Chri…t is my Chriſt too, and my ſins are pardoned? too here is a dear and loving husband; yea, and God is my God too; here are te…der and obſerving children; yea, and Chriſt is my Chriſt too; here is plenty of food, and raiment, and friends; yea, and my ſins are pardoned too. But the want of this may check all our bleſſings, and is able to marre the very comfort of our comforts, I am exceeding rich; yea, but I cannot yet ſay that God is my God; I am greatly honoured by man; yea, but I cannot yet ſay that Chriſt is my Redeemer; I have health and marrow in my bones, and want not for any outward mercy; yea, but I cannot yet ſay that my ſinnes are pardoned; for ought I know that may yet ſtand upon record, which may loſe my ſoul for ever.
5. Nay, again, it is able to ſweeten all our croſſes; a croſſe is more or leſſe heavy, (to the Chriſtian) by how much the more or the leſſe God appeares to the ſoul; The Diſciples may even in a ſtorme rejoyce, if Chriſt be in the Ship.
It was an excellent ſpeech, that of Job 29. 3. By his light I walked through darkneſſe; and David anſwers him in, Pſal. 23. 4. Though I walk through the valley of the ſhadow of death, I will fear no evill, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy ſtaffe they comfort me; How triumphant is Paul, and beyond both himſelf and all croſſes, and all becauſe of his aſſurance, and perſwaſion? Rom. 8. 35. Who ſhall ſeparate us from the love of Chriſt? ſhall tribulation, or diſtreſſe, or perſecution, or famine, or nakedneſſe, or perill, or ſword. Ver. 37? Nay in all theſe things we are more then conquerers through him that loved us. Ver. 38. For I am perſwaded that neither Life, nor Death, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come. Ver. 39. Nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other creature ſhall be able to ſeparate us from the love of God which is in Chriſt Ieſus our Lord. Can more be ſaid? need we to adde; See him againe in Romans 5. 2. We rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God.
Objection. Who would not, may ſome reply? in ſo great a good.
Sol. 3. And not only ſo, but we glory in tribulation alſo; and who can do this but he who hath ſome meaſure of aſſurance.
Indeed faith can make the ſoul to ſubmit in a croſſe but it is aſſurance which makes the ſoul to rejoyce and to triumph.
What the Apoſtle ſpake of death, that is true of all afflictions, the ſting of them is finne: where the conſcience is wounded, and the ſight of heaven is darkned, there the croſſe is heavy and bitter; A man hath a burden on his ſhoulders, and a burden on his conſcience, and yet a burden that he cannot ſee any to ſmile on him, and comfort him;
But now when the ſpirit of a man is ſound, and the evidence of faith is cleare, when a man feeles all to be right within, all to be peace abroad, that all ſtands faire 'twixt him and his God; Nay, and he can ſee God as his God, the ſtrength of this aſſurance, doth not onelyonly allay a burden, but raiſeth the heart exceedingly above it: yet God is good to Iſrael, and though I ſee the Olive to faile, and the Fields not to yield, and the flocks to be cut off, yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my Salvation. The Lord God is my ſtrength, Hab. 2. 17, 18.
Sixthly, it makes all kinds of duty to flow and to riſe, I wil inſtance briefly in ſome.
1. In the Active.
2. In the Paſſive.
1. Active.
1. Praiſe and thankfulneſſe, Pſal. 103. 1. Bleſſe the Lord, O my ſoul and all that is within me bleſſe his holy Name. Ver. 2. Bleſſe the Lord, O my ſoul, and forget not all his benefits. Verſe 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities: Nay, he is at it againe, Pſal. 116. 12. What ſhall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me; I will take up the cup of ſalvation, &c. O the evidence and apprehenſion of ſo great a mercy and ſalvation! it fills every vain of the heart, &c. Muſick is higheſt and ſweeteſt in the faireſt weather. He who diſputes his mercy can hardly bleſs for it.
Now I ſee much forgiven, and therefore I bleſſe much: What! and all this forgiven to me, and ſo freely, and ſo fully alſo, ſo many tranſgreſſions, yet to cover all, yet to be reconciled; yet to put down the gracious pardon before mine eyes.
2. Prayers: There are two properties in theſe, which will ſurely ariſe out of aſſurance.
One is confidence and boldneſſe: A man will come boldly to the throne of grace who is once aſſured by faith: Now that of John comes in indeed, 1 John 5. 14. This is the confidence that we have i… him, that if we ask any thing according to his Will, he heareth us: Chriſt (I remember) teacheth his Diſciples, (and in them all Beleevers) to pray for many excellent things, both for ſoul and for body, but then he preferred, he ſet this in the front, Our Father, as if he had clearly ſuggeſted this unto us, that the aſſurance of God as our Father, is that which gives unto the heart a ſtrong confidence in all petitions; why; who will not come freely and confidently to a Father, to his Father, to his reconciled Father?
Another is quickneſſe and life in the affections, Pſal. 63. 1.
O God, thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee. Obſerve it, I will ſeek thee, there is now diligence; early will I ſeek thee, there is quickneſſe of affection: and why I will ſeek thee early? becauſe O God, thou art my God.
3. Ordinances: Now a man will flie to them, as the Do…es to the windows (it is the Prophet Iſaiah's expreſſion;) A man hath an heart to bow the knee when he knows that my God will help him: A man hath an heart to heare the Word; when he knows my God will teach him to profit and will ſpeak peace unto him: A man will with cheerfulneſſe addreſſe himſelf to the Sacrament, when he knowes this is the blood which was ſhed for the rem…ſſion of his ſinnes, and his ſalvation is there ſealed. The Apoſtle hath an apt paſſage in 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes deſire the ſincere milk of the Word, and ſurely that is with much delight, and with much earneſtneſſe, (for ſo do babes deſire the milk of the breaſts) But what might ſtirre up this. Ver. 3. If ſo be that you have taſted that the Lord is gracious? a taſte of God, of God as gracious, yea, this is it which whets the appetite, this ſets on the heart to the ordinances indeed.
4. All obedience, actuating the whole kinds of duty.
Why, aſſurance in the ſoule makes all duty both cheerful, and ſtedfaſt, Pſalme 26. 3. Thy loving kindneſs is before mine eyes (therefore) have I walked in thy truth.
Why is duty to good hearts ſometimes ſo weary-ſome, ſo ſlack, ſo troubleſome? verily, faith is weak, doubts are ſtrong, feares are many; could they once ſee God to be their God, Chriſt to be their Lord and Saviour; ſinnes pardoned in his blood, and all this to them. Now even the lame would walk, and the weary would runne, the heart would ſet upon obedience with all its ſtrength, and all its care.
2. The like may be ſaid for paſſive obedience: aſſurance enables it exceedingly: The love of Christ conſtraineth us, ſaid Paul, 2 Corinth. 5. I remember the Apoſtle hath a notable paſſage, Romans 5. 7. For a good man ſome will even dare to die: That is for a bountiful man; a man of eminent and ſingular good to preſerve him, for his ſake, a private man would lay down his life: If the goodneſſe and kindneſſe of a man hath ſometimes ſuch a force with us, what influence then hath the goodneſſe of a God upon a beleeving heart: the kindneſſe, the blood of a Chriſt upon a beleeving and an aſſured heart? Who would not ſuffer reproach for Chriſt, who ſuffered death for him? who would not kiſs the ſt…ke to bring him honour who ſh…d his blood to get his pardon, and to crown him with ete…nal glory? Beleeve it, aſſurance will make thy life more fruitful, and thy heart more ſuffering. Faith will make holy duties to be no harden and aſſurance will make it a delight: Faith will make a man to bear the C…oſſe; …nd aſſurance will make a man to triumph under it: We are more then conquerours, ſaid perſwaded Paul.
Seventhly, Aſſurance of faith, it is a bathing ſpring to all our graces: Shall I inſtance in ſome?
1. The mourning heart doth much depend upon the aſſured minde: No man ever did, or ever ſhall take God by the hand, as reconciled to him, or look on Chriſt as redeeming him, or read his pardon with aſſurance, but his heart ſhall be full of joy, and his eyes full of teares. They ſhall look on him whom they have pierced, and ſhall mourne as a man mournes for his only childe, Zach. 12. 10. There is nothing ſoftens the heart ſo well as faith, and which melts it ſo much as aſſurance. The powers of the greateſt kindneſſe, and moſt gracious love, do open the fountain of godly ſorrow within the ſoul.
2. Love kindles in the heart upon aſſurance. To whom much is forgiven, the ſame will love much, ſaid Chriſt, Luke. 7. 47. We love him becauſe he loved us firſt, ſaid John. The love of God to us is the cauſe of our love to him againe, and againe, and the more that love is cleared to us, the more is our love rekindled to him; goodneſſe is a cauſe of love, here it is; bountifulneſſe is a cauſe of love, here it is; knowledge of both a ſpecial provocation of love, in aſſurance here it is.
What a thing is this! that God ſhould give his Covenant to me, his Sonne to me, his Mercies to me, his loving kindneſſe to me, his glory in heaven unto me! I love a man who defends my Name, I love a man who gives me a book, I love a man who gives me my ranſom, I louelove a man who gives me a meales meat; Ah! poore things in compariſon: how do I then infinitely exceed in love to my God, who I know hath pardoned, hath juſtified, hath accepted, will ſave me for ever?
More might be ſaid of all particular graces whatſoever.
8. Aſſurance by faith doth but eaſe us of the world, and mounts the ſoul above it.
1. It eaſeth us of the world: How can he walk with cares, who is indeed perſwaded that God is his Father,; he that gave him Chriſt will give him all other things freely: God will not ſtand for a little earth, who hath bountifully given a whole heaven; and he will ſurely finde me food and rayment for my body, who found mercy and the blood of his own Sonne for my ſoul.
2. Nay it mounts us above the world; they do obſerve that theſe lower things grow little and leſſe, by how much the higher a man is ſeated: If a man could be elevated to one of the celſtial orbes, the whole world would ſeeme but a narrow ſpot of ground unto him. In one point this is moſt true, the neerer God draws unto the ſoule, the more nothing doth this world appeare.
O the bleſſed favour of God! the evidences of our union with Chriſt! This is like the light of the Sunne, which puts out the light of ten thouſand candles: Thou wouldeſt never complaine of too little in the world, if thou haddeſt ſo much as made up a true aſſurance of heaven.
9. Laſtly, Aſſurance will breed comfort in life and confidence in death.
Object. Why! are Gods people afraid many times to die? they cannot ſay with Chriſt, I will go to my Father.
They have the bond, but ſee not the ſeale: They are not aſſured of Reconciliation, of pardon, of ſalvation.
But if they could with Simeon, Take Chriſt into their armes; if once they could be aſſured, Now letteſt thou thy ſervant depart in peace, for mine eyes have ſeen thy ſalvation.
He who by aſſurance looks Chriſt in the face, may with cheerful confidence look death in the face: I have a deſire to depart and to be with Chriſt, ſaid Paul, Phil. 1. 23. How ſo verſe 21. For to me to live is Chriſt, and to die is gaine: But how knows he that? 2 Tim. 1. 12. For I know whom I have beleeved, and I am perſwaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him againſt that day. So, 2 Cor. 5. 1. For we know that if our earthly houſe of this Tabernacle were diſſolved, we have a building of God, an houſe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
SECT. V.
Queſt. 1. NOw I come to the laſt inquiry, by what means the ſoule m…y get up to this aſſurance?
Sol. I ſhall only … be ſuch rules as reach a beleeving perſon. There…o…e … ▪
1. If thou be a b…eever and wouldeſt be aſſured, then preſerve the ſenſe of thy own natural wretchedneſſe, and of the darkneſe of thy ſouls ſtate without aſſurance. Chriſt came to Mary when ſhee was weeping; and the Great God looks down upon th… broken Spirit. The higheſt mountaine hath the firſt ſight of the Sunne, but the loweſt Chriſtian hath the firſt ſight of God. When the people of God were mourning, then ſaith God, Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, and ſay unto them your ſins are pardoned.
You ſhall finde this, That the truely ſenſible heart hath Note.three properties in it, which envite the Lord much to gratifie it with aſſurance, viz.
One that is very humble.
Another that is much in the prizing of Gods love and mercy.
And a third, that it is exceeding thirſty after a good look from God, after ſome taſte of Chriſt, and God will ſatisfie all theſe.
2. Be no ſtrangers to the Ordinances: you ſhall finde this, that the ripening of faith belongs to them as well as the ſeeds of it.
The word you know is the ſoule of faith, it was that which did incline the heart to yeild, which did make it to accept of Chriſt, and it is that alſo which can make us to know our poſſeſſions: 1 John 15. 13. Theſe things have I written vntounto you that beleeve on the Name of the Sonne of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life. So 1 John 1. 4 Theſe things we write unto you that your jo… may be full. More plainly: In whom, after you heard the Word of truth, ye beleeved, in whom alſo, after that ye beleeved, ye were ſealed with that holy Spirit of promiſe, Epheſians 1. 13.
For, look as the Word hath promiſes which draw the ſoul to Chriſt, ſo it hath promiſes to clear the ſoul in its intereſt in Chriſt, to anſwer all doubts and feares, and to anſwer the feare about acceptance, ſo it removes doubts which ſtrive againſt evidence and propriety.
The Sacrament, you know, it is the Seal of righteouſneſſe which is by faith, Rom. 4. 11. Look, as a Seale doth diſtinguiſh, and confirme, and ſettle the minde, ſo is the Sacrament ordained to ſatisfie, and perſwade the heart of a beleever. God appointed this Ordinance, as for other ends, ſo for this, That the matter might be out of doubt, out of controverſie, that Chriſt is ours, and ſinne is pardoned in his blood.
3. Be much in prayer: If a man would gaine aſſurance, he muſt be much in prayers, to perſwade and aſſure the heart: David found marvellous loving kindneſſe, but then he cried in ſupplications, Pſalme 31. 21, 22.
Thou muſt pray earneſtly for mercy, earneſtly for pardon, and moſt earneſtly for Chriſt.
And thou muſt uſe diligence. Remember this, that in all thy endeavours for aſſurance, thou muſt uſe diligence, a cold hearing, a cold reading, a cold praying will not bring the ſoul to it: No, you muſt be moſt diligent and fervent in them, and ſo, &c.
4 Again, with all theſe there muſt be joyned ſtrong upright care to pleaſe God.
This know, that ſinne ſeparates, but uprightneſſe gathers God and the ſoule together. To him that ordereth his converſation aright, I will ſhew the ſalvation of the Lord, Pſalme 50. 23.
Why? Light is ſown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart, Pſal. 97. 11. See that of the Prophet, Iſa. 64. 5. Thou meeteſt him that rejoyceth and worketh righteouſneſs, thoſe that remember thee in thy wayes. Unevenneſſe of heart or way, it is a flaw, and it is that which cuts us off after many prayers, it renews our doubtings again, and we are as far to ſeek as at the firſt, but if the heart be plaine, if it be ſincerely ſet for God, deſirous to pleaſe him in all things, this a compendious way of aſſurance: the Word falls in directly to ſettle and confirme ſuch a ſoul: The ſteps of the Words direct us to the ſight of our God.
5. Laſtly, you muſt be much in the exerciſe of faith. There be two parts of it which you muſt improve. One is, you muſt against all ſenſe and feeling, and againſt all the contradict…ons of reaſon and unbelief, caſt the ſoul on God in Chriſt, and reſt on him to be your God, and on Chriſt to be your Lord and Saviour, and that your ſins ſhall be pardoned.
Then you muſt wait, you muſt not limit God, but ſeek ſtill, I will hearken, ſaid David, what God the Lord will ſpeak, for he will ſpeak peace to his Saints, Pſalme 85. 8. See Iſa. 64 4. Since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the eare, neither hath the eye ſeen, O God beſides thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for Him. The Lord will wait that he may be gracious: bleſſed are they that wait for him, Iſa. 30. 18. ſo Iſa. 25. 9. It ſhall be ſaid in that day, Lo this is our God, we have waited for him, &c. This is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoyce in his ſalvation. For Pſal. 147. 11. The Lord taketh pleaſure in them that fear him, in thoſe that hope in his mercy.
So that this is the ſumme of all, walk with all uprightneſſe, and with an humble, penitent, and believing ſoul, caſt your ſins upon God in Chriſt, truſting in him alone for the favour of God, pardon of ſinnes, and eternal ſalvation, and wait upon God for all this in the uſe of the means, and conſtant diligency in prayer; you ſhall at length have your hearts deſire, you ſhall hear from God thus much, I am thy ſalvation; and from Chriſt as much: Be of good cheer, thy ſinnes are forgiven thee.
FINIS.