Great and Precious Promises, Sermon 8
SERMON VIII.
2 Cor. 13.5.
Examine your ſelves, whether ye be in the faith? prove your own ſelves, know ye not your own ſelves, how that Jeſus Chriſt is in you, except ye be reprobates?
THere are two great ballances into which men do weight themſelves; there are ſome that weight themſelves in the ballance of deceit, who …hink that in all their labours there is no ini…ui…y to be found, yet God who is the weigher …f the ſpirit, when he ſhall weigh them, will …grave this upon their forehead, Thou art …eighed in the ballance, and are found light: … but there are many who approve themſelves, whom Chriſt ſhall never appro… There are many that call God Father, … he will not call Children, and many th… Chriſt Husband, whom he will not call … 2. There are ſome who weigh themſelve in the ballance of the Sanctuary, who … ſo lide and moſt ſpiritual grounds do … this concluſion, I am my beloveds, and … deſire is towards me, who can with boldn… and confidence look Chriſt in the face, … ſay thou art mine, and with much ſpiri… confidence, take him in their arms, and … out, he ſhall be eternally mine: and … there is not a more pleaſant life than to … taking him every day in our arms, and to … crying out, am I not made up in him, am I no… made up in him.
Before I come to the words, there … three great and moſt ſoul concerning errou… amongſt the Chriſtians of theſe dayes, th… we deſire ye may conſider. 1. There … many that are more deſirous to know wh… they are, then what they ſhould do; th… are ſome are more taken up to know wh… ther they be juſtified and ſanctified, then … be indeed juſtified and ſanctified; and the… are more deſirous to know if they be … Chriſt, then indeed to be in him: and therefore we finde many who do ſpend a gre… deal more time diſputing that queſtion; … ther am I in Chriſt or not, then they do … uſing of theſe means by which real un… and communion with him may be attain… But oh, will ye once ſtudy more to be in … and that ſhall be the ſhorteſt way to … to the knowledge of your being in him. Th… ſecond great errour is, that ſome are more deſirous to know what they ſhould do, the… they are deſirous to do what they know … Are there not many of us that have this queſtion, Wherewith ſhall I come before the Lord, and yet we do not know his Commandement is with us; that we ſhould do juſtly, love mercy, and walk humbly with …. A… third errour is, that we are more in talking of Chriſt, then in believing in him, or cloſing with him: Some of us think to win to hea…n by diſcourſes, if we can talk of Chriſt, …e think all is without debate or controverſie; but alas, there are many who were ſweet talkers of Chriſt, that are curſing Him this day in hell. And I would only ſay this by the way, if there be any of you that have win to any ſoul perſwaſion of your intereſt in Chriſt, I intreat you if you can put the concluſion upon record, that in ſuch a day of ſuch a Month, and ſuch a Year of God, you then did win to cry out, I am my beloveds, and he is mine: It ſeemeth to have been Davids practice, Pſal. 16.2. O my ſoul thou haſt ſaid unto the Lord, thou art my Lord; and it was Jeremiahs practice, Lam. 3.24. The Lord is my portion ſaith my ſoul, I ſay, ye ſhould even mark that concluſion as they did, that when tentations come, and begin… to aſſault you, ye may look to your record that ye have ſet down, and be aſhamed to miſbelieve. It is true, that for a little while our aſſurance at beſt will be but ebbing and flowing, but I hope ere long, we ſhall be above the reach of miſbelief, and above … …ch of fears, I hope ere long, we ſhall … no more, we ſhall be jealous no more … we ſhall queſtion our intereſt no more … …hen all our diſputings and queſtionings ſhall …e ſweetly drowned in that infinit ocean of …ernal delight and fruition of God. O … …ectants of heaven, expectants of heaven, are …e not …king after this day, are ye not look…ng after it: I know not what we do here, … we be not walking forward every day: he i… upon his way; O to ſee him, we will even …and and wonder at him: I hope the day i… …oming when we ſhall never loſe our grips of Chriſt any more, he is coming, he is coming … …nd I think if Chriſt would give a Paſſe, we would long to go hence: O what ſtreets are theſe that are there, is there any here who is …roaning for heaven, be of good comfort, I …ope ere long he ſhall come, he ſhall come …nd waſh all tears from our eyes.
Now at the laſt occaſion, when we ſpake …pon theſe words, we …old you that there, …as five or ſix things which we intended to …onſider in them. The firſt was, that ſuch … thing as a diſtinct and well grounded per…aſion of our intereſt in Chriſt was artain…ble; and of this we have already ſpoken. The ſecond thing is, That concerning thing …oble and excellent thing aſſurance, there… …re many miſtakes among the people of… …d, and to make this evident, it is clear firſt … this Text, from that ſerious and acorate… …arch in this matter, which the Apoſtl… …tteth theſe people unto, as we cleared unto you from the force of the words; and his doubling of theſe exhortations, T…y your own ſelves, prove your own ſelv…. 2. From the many commands which the Lord hath left upon record that we ſhould not be miſtaken concerning our aſſurance, 1 Cor. 3.18. Let no man deceive himſelf, Gal. 6.3. If a man think himſelf to be ſomething, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himſelf, and therefore doth the Apoſtle adde, Let every one prove his own work, and verſ. 7. Be not deceived. 3. The point is clear from this, that we find in Scripture many who have been miſtaken moſt dreadfully in the matter of their aſſurance, Hoſ. 8. Iſrael cryeth out, my God we know thee, and yet Iſrael was in a great miſtake, for in the words following. verſ. 3. Iſrael had cut off the thing that was good, and Prov. 30. verſ 12. we find there, A generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not waſhed from their iniquities. 4. It is clear from this, that it is a great deſign of Satan the great deceiver, that we might be miſtaken about that noble and weighty point of our Aſſurance of being in Chriſt: Is there not a power given unto him from Chriſt to deceive the Nations; I may ſay, that in no point doth he more prevail to deceive us then in this: if profanity kill its thouſands, deluſion kills ten thouſands, & this deluſion its twenty thouſands. Laſtly, Doth not this prove how much a Chriſtian may be miſtaken in the matter of his Aſſurance, even that name which is given to our hearts, Jer. 17. ver. 9. It is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, and who can know it; no doubt this may ſhow … (though there were no more) how … our hearts are to deceive us, making us … entertain a deluſion in ſtead of truth, and i… brace a ſhadow in ſtead of ſubſtance.
The next thing that we have to ſpeak … you upon this point, is to ſhow you whe… theſe miſtakes do lye, and what are the… falſe grounds by which ſo many do decei… their own ſouls in this matter; and her… there are two ſorts of perſons whom we muſt inform. 1. There be ſome who upon moſ… unwarrantable grounds do conclude that their intereſt in Chriſt is ſure, when indee… it is not. 2. There be ſome (upon the othe… hand) who from ſad miſtakes of themſelved, and the Lords dealing towards them, … that they have an intereſt, when indeed they have. The firſt ſort are the worſt, and in the moſt dangerous condition, and they build upon theſe ſix falſe foundations, which we beſeech them to conſider.
The firſt is, their ſuppoſed ſenſible e… joyments, ſome Chriſtians in theſe times eſp… cially do meet with ſome flaſhes of light and joy which they have not been (it may be) acquainted with before, or at leaſt, not … ſuch a meaſure, or in ſuch a ſenſible mann… and upon this they preſently cry forth, … beloved is mine, and I am his. I ſhall no… diſpute with ſuch about the reality of theſe enjoyments, or how they came to know tha… theſe are ſuch as proceed from a ſaving wo… of the Spirit of Grace, but waving th… …, give me leave to ſay this much of … enjoyments and ſenſible manifeſtations (as to the point in hand) they may be ſometime a good ſupporter to underprop a Chriſtians aſſurance when it tottereth, but never a good foundation whereon he may lay the firſt ſtone of that building: and therefore, he is the wiſer Chriſtian who firſt tryeth the reality of his intereſt in Chriſt by other bleſſed fruits of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe before he truſt the reality of ſenſible enjoyments, how ſweet or comfortable ſoever they may ſeem to be. 2. Some build their aſſurance upon the number and bulk of their duties, without confidering the frame of their ſpirit, and the principle from which they flow, they uſe prayer, and reading, and conference, they wait upon Ordinances, and are alwayes there where the means is thought to be moſt powerful; and upon this they take up themſelves in their own arms, bleſſing themſelves as that poor man, Luk. 18. I fast twiſe a week, I pay tithes of all that I poſſeſſe: But alas, they do not conſider that they do but build their houſe upon the ſand, which the firſt blaſt of a temptation will overturn, becauſe not only all our duties when weighed in the ballance, may be found light, but when put to the trial may be found empty, dead, and lifeleſſe things, wherein the Lord's ſoul can have no pleaſure. 3. Some are miſtaken in the matter of their aſſurance, by judging themſelves by the Law, not knowing or not regarding the ſpiritual meaning thereof: Paul was a gallant man (in his own apprehenſion) when he was without the Law, that is, when he knew … the ſpiritual meaning of the Law, he though… himſelf the moſt eminent Saint in all his Nation, and as he ſheweth us, Phil. 3. he could compare with any of them, but when th… Lord opened his eyes, we ſee, he put himſelf laſt in the roll of Saints, and firſt in the roll of ſinners, Rom. 7. He was alive without th… Law, that is, thought himſelf living and reigning above his ſins; but when the commandement came, that is, when it came to … knowledge, and he ſaw the ſpirituality of it, ſin revived, and he died, then he ſaw how that he had triumphed before the victory … he then ſaw all his ſins alive, and, as it wer… riſen from the dead, and himſelf a dead ma…, loſt and undone in the eſtate he was in. O how many are there amongſt us in Pauls firſt condition, alive without the Law: O how many deſtroy themſelves with this, they think there is not a ſin forbidden in all th… Law of God but onelyonly Ten, but alas, th… fool, thou erreſt in this, not knowing the Scriptures; ſhould thou not judge thy ſelf by th… ſpiritual extent of the meaning of the Law and that divine commentary which th… Apoſtle James hath ſet forth upon it, where in he ſheweth thee, That if thou be gui… of the breach of one point, thou art guilty of … and by that infallible expoſition which Chri… himſelf the bleſſed Law giver hath ſet dow… Mat. 6. whereby he diſcovereth adultery the heart and in the eye. O atheiſt, th… muſt take up the Ten Commands, and … ſcribe guilty to them all: And let me … you this, if ye will ſubſcribe the Law to Chriſt, He will ſubſcribe the Goſpel to you; if thou wilt ſincerely ſay, I am guilty. He will as ſincerely ſay, I have pardoned; Soncy daughter, be of good courage, thy fins are forgiven thee.
Fourthly, Some build their aſſurance upon the apprehenſion of their hatred of ſome particular ſin, that albeit it was ſometimes as their right hand, or their eve, yet now they can pluck it out, or cut it off: But O! will thou but conſider, ſome ſin may be made weak, and the ſoul (though not upon a right principle) brought to hate it, and to cry unto it, get you hence, and yet the intereſt of Satan may be ſtrong in the heart.
The fifth miſtake is of many who judge themſelves, becauſe they go a greater length then the former, and are kept free from a… groſſe outbreaking ſin; how many are there who go ſleeping down to hell with this? … am no drunkard, no adulterer, no murderes, no thief nor whore; this long have I lived in the town, and they were never born that can ſay, I wronged them: and ſo they adventure their ſoul upon this, they never committed any groſſe ſin. But I beſeech you be not deceived, remember how that wretched man did ſpeed, Luk. 18.11. I am no extortioner, nor adulterer, nor even as this publican, &c. poor creature that he was, Chriſt giveth not a teſtimonial to every one who take it for themſelves; and I muſt tell ſome of you, that there may be deſperate atheiſts without God, and without Chriſt in the world, and yet be free of groſſe out bre… ing ſins: I do not think, but many of the who crucified the Lord of Glory, wer… keeped from other groſſe ſins: What knoweſt thou O man that there is more favour ſhewed to thee, in that thou art keeped fro… ſome groſſe ſins, when yet thou haſt a di… perately wi…ked heart, then is ſhewed to the devil, when ſome links of his chain are … ken in, and reſtraining power, keeping … in from his ourmoſt bounds. God will ſometimes reſtrain a hypocrite, or a heathen, a… it was ſaid of Abimelech, and God reſtraine… him: there may be a cord put upon thy jaws, when thou art far from having th… power of conquering grace. It may be alſo that all that abſtaining from outward outbreakings, proceedeth but from outward diſadvantages, and not from any fear of God, or reſpect to him, yea, not ſo much as from the fear of any eternal puniſhment: Are there not many amongſt us. I believe it, there are many, that take away ſhame, and Church cenſure, or civil puniſhment, and other inconveniences of that ſort, and ſet a thouſand hells before them, they would not bekeeped back from one ſin, but would take their hazard of them all: Yea, is it not wa… of tentation, and nothing elſe that hindereth many from groſſe out-breakings; if Satan would come but with a kindled match there wanteth no more to ſet tongue and hands and all on fire of hell, O wretched ſoul, do but aſk thy ſelf how often thou … rempted Satan, when he would not tem… thee, and how often thou haſt followed a tentation when it fled from thee; yea, when the Lord hath hedged up thy wayes that thou could not overtake thy lovers, how many a long look haſt thou ſent after them, and what luſtings of thy ſpirit within; and do ye think that heart ſins are nothing, although thou had no out breakings what were the matter of that; if thou had not a tongue thou would break the third command, and curſe God in thy heart, if thou had not an eye, thou could commit adultery in thy heart; if thou had not a hand, thou might commit murder in thy heart. O therefore build not thy aſſurance upon this, that thou haſt made clean the outſide of the platter, when yet all filthineſſe is within.
The ſixth falſe foundation upon which … am ſure too many build their aſſurance, is, their gifts and parts, and eſpecially upon theſe two, the gift of prayer, and the gift of knowledge; but believe it, it is not much to be a Chriſtian in tongue, but it is much to be a Chriſtian in heart; know ye not that this will caſt out many, We have propheſied in thy Name, and in thy name caſt out devils. No doubt, theſe had been excellent ſlouriſhers, and if the tongue would have done it, they had been highly advanced; but yet ye ſee theſe men meet with a depart from me, I know you not. Ah, think upon it, he is not the beſt Chriſtian that is the beſt Orator. Religion that is pure and undefiled, conſiſteth more in the aff…ction, then in the tongue, and more in practice, then in Profeſſion; I beſeech you, when you caſt up your … whences of aſſurance, conſider how we… have done, and not how well ye … ſpoken.
The ſeventh falſe ground whereby … do misjudge themſelves, is, their ſuppo… peace of conſcience: O ſaith one, my … ſcience doth not charge me with any th… I thank God I have a quiet mind, and noth… trouble me; but ah, poor wretch, will … tell me, may not the ſtrong man be with and therefore all is at peace; a dumb con… ence, and a ſeared conſcience, is a dreadplague. Knoweſt thou not that many … I ſhall have peace, though I walk in the … gination of my own heart, and becauſe … ſay ſo, the Lord ſhall not ſpare them, … the curſes in His Book ſhall ly upon them.
The eighth falſe ground, is, the appro… tion of other Chriſtians, ſo that if they … the approbation of ſome ſuch exerciſed C… ſtians, or if they have the approbation ſuch a Miniſter, that is the way to ſile all their diſputings. O curred be the p… ſon that putteth his truſt in men who … liars; O man or woman, let me aſſure … this, if ye had a teſtimoniall to preſen… Chriſt, ſubſcribed with all the hands of … ry Chriſtian that ever ye were acquai… with, this will be enough for Chriſt to re… you and it both, I know you not, and there depart from me. There is an emphaſis in … word, I know you not, as if he had ſaid, … not much though all others know you, know you not.
The ninth falſe ground, is, their diligent obſerving all the Ordinances, their going to Preachings, and their going to Commanions, and running to and fro, pretending this end, that knowledge may be increaſed; but know it, there are many that have ſitten down at a Table with Chriſt here, that ſhall never ſit down at the higher Table with him hereafter: Are there not many that ſhall ſay unto Chriſt in the great day, Have we not eaten and drunken in thy preſence, unto whom Chriſt ſhall ſay, depart from me, I know you not.
The tenth falſe foundation, which is the ſtrong deluſion of Atheiſts, of which no doubt there are many here to day: is the building of their eternal happineſſe upon this, I never met with a croſſe, I never knew what it was to have a ſad day; but to thee I ſhall only ſay, It may be thou never had a joyfull day, neither in all thy ſinfull pleaſures under the Sun; but let me tell thee, it is had divinity to conclude, therefore I am in the way to heaven: It may be it were better reaſoning, (and though I will not ſay it, yet it cometh nearer truth) I had never a croſſe, therefore I am going on in the way to hell: O will thou but conſider, what if He be heaping coals upon thy head, and fatting thee to the day of ſlaughter? What if this word be your portion? Eat, drink, and be merry while you are here, for to morrow thou muſt eternally die. What are all your pleaſures? and what are all your honours: and what are all your poſſeſſions? What are they muſt bring us back to Chriſt, and Chriſt, ſend us back to the Law, and deliver us … to it, not to the condemning power … as before, but the directing and gu… power of it as a rule of holineſſe; ſo th… Chriſtians whole life muſt be a ſweet and … ſtant travelling between Chriſt and the … when thou haſt broke the Law, flie … Chriſt to take away thy guilt, and when … haſt cloſed with Chriſt, come ru… out again in his ſtrength to perform … Law.
The fourth miſtake, is, that Chriſtian judge of their eſtate by the meaſure of th… graces, more nor by the ſincerity of the ſome Chriſtians, if they finde not love in ſ… a degree, and if they finde not repentance ſuch a degree, immediately they begin… raze the foundations, and do call their … joyments deluſions, and their faith preſu… tion, and their mortification hypocriſie; … I muſt ſay this to thee, we ſhould not o… weigh our graces in the ballance, but try … alſo by the touch ſtone, for the ſmalleſt … of gold is gold, and the leaſt degree of f… i… alike precious faith, with that the Apo… themſelves had.
The fifth ground of miſtakes among C… ſtians is this. That they compare themſelve more unto the Saints, then they judge … themſelves by the Word. O ſaith one, … were like David. I would believe, but I … not like David, nor Job, nor Hezeki… and therefore there is none of the Saines … …hich I ſhould go, and if I ſhould call, there … none to anſwer, and why then ſhould I …lieve; I would onelyonly ſay to thee whoſe …jection that is, it is even Davids objecti…n, Pſal. 22.5, 6. Our fathers truſted in thee; … they were excellent men; But what a …an am I, A worme, and not a man, and yet …e was put from that objection: and I would …y this, Are ye below him: In what? I …ope ye are not below David in neceſſity: …ow though ye be below him in grace, if ye …e not below him in neceſſity, ye have ſo …uch the more right to believe; for as we …id before, neceſſity giveth you a right, and …he more neceſſity, the greater right to be…eve.
The ſixth ground is, That Chriſtians judge of their eſtate by Chriſts part of the Cove…ant, and not by their own, rather examin…g themſelves by what Chriſt hath promiſed … do for them, then by what is left to them …o do, which thing if it were headed, would …ut a cloſe to many of our miſtakes and diſ…utings.
Having now laid out ſome miſtakes upon …ther hand, the next we would do, is to …opoſe ſome conſiderations to preſſe you … guard againſt theſe miſtakes, eſpecially …e firſt.
And the firſt conſideration is, That miſ…kes about ones intereſt in Chriſt, and aſſu…ce, is a moſt univerſal and popular evil; is nor one of a city, nor two of a family, …t many are miſtaken in their intereſt in duplicate page duplicate page Chriſt: that word, Prov. 30.12. The… a generation that are pure in their own … and yet is not cleanſed from their iniquity is not one or two that are under this miſt… but it is a generation: And I ſuppoſe, th… are many of us, we are of this tribe and … neration, Matth. 7.22. He ſaith, many that day ſhall ſay unto me, Lord, Lord, … have we not propheſied, and yet he ſhall … unto them, I know you not: Since it is univerſal a miſtake, I intreat you be m… in the ſearch of your ſelves, ſearch your … ſelves: Certainly I think, if there were … within this Church one that were under … miſtake, it ſhould put us all to this, Ma… is it I, Maſter is it I; but how much m… ſince there is a generation of miſtakers, ſhou… it not be our exerciſe every day to cry o… is it I.
The ſecond conſideration is, That as … is a moſt univerſal, ſo alſo it is a moſt i… coverable miſtake; if ye miſtake about th… your being in Chriſt, there is no making … of that miſtake; if once ye paſſe the bord… of Time with this lie in your right hand, … am in Chriſt, there is no hope of recover eternity will cut off acceſſe to make up th… miſtake: I intreat you go not down to yo… grave with this, I am in Chriſt, when … Chriſt may ſay, I know you not: I belie… it, if ye could have a teſtimonial ſubſcrib… by the hands of all the moſt eminent a… tender Chriſtians that ye have known, … ye are indeed a Saint, and if all the Miniſt… …hat ever you ſpoke to ſhould praiſe you in …he gate, and declare you to be a ſon & daughter of Abraham; yet when you ſhall bring up …our teſtimoniall to Heaven, and the Father …hall read it, and ſhall aſk you where is my Sons Name, if that be nor there, it will certainly be rejected, and caſt over the bar.
Thirdly, It is a ſoul deſtroying deluſion, this miſtake about ones intereſt in Chriſt, is the very ruine of their immortal …oul, according to that word, Iſa. 44.20. … deceived heart hath led him aſide, and what …s the fruits of it, ſo that he cannot deliver his ſoul, and by conſequence it may be ſaid, that they deſtroy their ſoul: I believe it, there …re many that go to hell in a chariot of de…uſion; we know ſome Chriſt guideth to Heaven by the gates of hell, and letteth them …ot ſee life till they be in ſight of hell; but … is true alſo, there are others whom the …evil guideth to hell, by the very borders of Heaven, he maketh them believe they are welling in the gate of Heaven all their days, …nd yet at laſt they are thruſt down to theſe abitations that are prepared for the devil and is angels.
Fourthly, If once a perſon be miſtaken …bout their intereſt in Chriſt, they will have …heſe three notable diſadvantanges attending …pon them. 1. As long as he is under this …iſtake, he is without all reach of profiting …y the Ordinances, for when he heareth reaching, he will apply promiſes, when … ſhould apply threatenings, and upon the other hand, apply threatnings wh… ſhould apply promiſes, and ſo that … ſhould be his medicine, becometh poiſ… him. 2. As long as he is under this miſ… it maketh him that he cannot pity not … compaſſion upon himſelf, that though … the moſt ſuitable object of compaſſion, … he knows not what it is to weep over own ruine. 3 Readily all his graces are deluſions, all his good motions are but fl… and all his mortification counterfeit, and his tenderneſſe is but the mother of ſtupid and therefore guard againſt miſtakes a… your intereſt in Chriſt I intreat you.
Fifthly, Conſider that miſtakes ab… … intereſt, is a moſt abiding and conſt… …, believe it, if once we miſtake… this, it is one to a hundred if ever we … right again: this is clear, Jer. 8 5. … hold faſt deceit, they keep it with both … hands: And Iſa. 44.20. There is a lie in … right hand, that is, they hold the lie … they keep it with all their power; I … if once one be miſtaken concerning their tereſt in Chriſt, it is hard to put them … it, yea, deluſion it is ſuch an abiding th… …hat we find Chriſt ſpeaketh of it, as … would wait upon one before the judg… ſeat of Chriſt, and as if ſome would … quite their hope of heaven, till Chriſt … …nounce that word, Depart from me, I know not, deluſion may carry us over the bo… of Time, and lead us in to Eternity.
Sixthly, There is much counterfe… …igion that is in thoſe dayes; their is a painted …ith, there is a painted love, there is a pain…ed mortification, and there is a painted tenderneſſe; ſome they love ſhaddows and piſtures, and yet they do not love the very ſhaddow of Chriſt, and are there nor … who think they are imbracing Chriſt, and yet … imbracing a deluſion and a fancy.
That which thirdly we would ſpeak to from this point, is, to give you ſome evidences by which ye may know if the aſſurance ye have of your being in Chriſt, be right or no: Believe it, there are many that draw that concluſion, I am in Chriſt, which the devil and their own deceitfull heart hath drawn, and Chriſt never gave conſent to it; And I ſhall propoſe theſe ſeven or eighth evidences of real aſſurance, by which ye may diſcern.
Firſt, A real aſſurance is a purifying and ſanctifying aſſurance: this is clear, 1 Joh. … 3. Every man that hath this hope in him, that is, perſwaded of this that he ſhall come …o heaven, He will purifie himſelf, as he is …ure: And 2 Cor. 7.1. Having therefore theſe promiſes, dearly beloved, let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſse of the fleſh, and of the ſpirit. O! When a Chriſtian getteth Chriſt in his arms, he cannot but cry forth, What have I to do any more with idole: Wh… he hath once gotten Chriſt in his arms, he will anſwer every tentation that he meeteth with this, I am not mine own, I am bought with a price, I cannot now diſpoſe of my ſelf: and if your aſſurance of going to … ven be not a purifying aſſurance, be perſ… ed of it, it is but the devils pillow ſowe… der your arm holes: Is it poſſible a p… can be aſſured of heaven, and not ſtudy lineſſe, can ſuch a delufion as this o… take you.
Secondly, A real aſſurance putteth … Chriſtian to a preſſing and earneſt pur… after communion and fellowſhip with G… it is poſſible for one to be aſſured, and … to be ſaying, he is ſick of love: this is c… Song 2.16, 17. My beloved is mine, and I … his; and immediately followeth, Turn th… O my beloved, and be like a roe, or a young h… upon the mountains of Bether: And it is cle… Song. 7.10, 11. I am my beloveds, and … deſire is towards me: and what follower upon that, She cometh and inviteth Chr… O come down with me to the fields, let … lodge in the villages. O when gave … Chriſt ſuch an invitation as this, O precio… Chriſt, let us lodge in the villages, and … down to the ſecret places of the field: a… Pſal. 63.1. My God, there is his aſſurance and immediately followeth upon that, Ea… will I ſeek thee, my ſoul thirſteth after th… as in a dry parched land where no water … There is a preſſing deſire after communi… But I would aſk you, Are there not m… here who have the hope of heaven (to th… apprehenſion) and yet the deſire of c… munion with Chriſt was never with th… I deſire to ſay to thee, (be who thou … Be not deceived, God is not mocked, that which thou ſoweſt, thou ſhall alſo reap. I think there are ſome of us, we would let Chriſt leave in heaven many dayes without giving him one viſit, if He would let us alone: But O if we were within ſight of our intereſt in Chriſt, how often would this be our complaint when he were abſent, They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him; or my idol hath carried me away from Him, and I know not where to find Him.
Thirdly, Aſſurance of our being in Chriſt, will put us to the exerciſe of praiſe; believe it, I think this is one of the moſt ſearching evidences of aſſurance: There are ſome Chriſtians they will be convinced for the neglect of duty of prayer, but for the neglect of the duty of praiſe, they never have one conviction; and I tell you the reaſon of it, prayer is a ſelfiſh grace, (ſo to ſpeak) but praiſe is a denying grace, prayer ſecketh, but praiſe giveth, Exod. 15.2. He is my God, I will prepare him an habitation, and he is my fathers God, I will exalt him. Pſal. 118.28. He is my God, I will praiſe him, he is my God, I will exalt him: What needeth David theſe repetitions, might not one ſerve? No ſaith he, I would even ſpend my dayes in this, My God, my God, there is much of heaven in that word, My God, and love committeth many ſweet hatoligies: Now I ſay to thee, was thou ever put to the heart exerciſe of praiſe, by this aſſurance that thou haſt this is an evidence indeed, but ala…, ma… of us cannot ſay it.
Fourthly, A perſon that liveth wi… ſight of his intereſt, Chriſt is matchleſſe … him, as is clear, Song 2.3. I ſate down … his ſhadow, there is faith and aſſurance of … and what accompanieth that, As the a… tree among the trees of the wood, ſo is my … loved among the ſons: Chriſt hath no… … match, ſaith the Spouſe, in his ſweetneſſ… his power, his beauty; and his uſefulneſſe … above all.
Fifthly, Real aſſurance is a humbli… thing, the aſſurance of a Chriſtian make … him to ſit low in the duſt: Was not Jac… low in his own eyes, when he cryed out, … am leſſe then the leaſt of all thy mercies; Wha… … was not David low in his own eyes, wh… he …ke that word, What am I, and what … …hers houſe, that thou haſt brought me …; and was not Paul a low man in … own eyes, Eph. 3.8.16. I am leſſe then th… leaſt of all thy Saints, and when he cry… out, I am the chief of ſinners: The aſſuranc… that is real, it will make a Chriſtian to … down in the duſt, and cry out, Wo is me, … am a man of polluted lips.
Sixthly, Real aſſurance will put him … take much pleaſure and delight in the go… about of duties: that word, Pſal. 40 … …y God, ſaith he, that is his aſſurance, … …ently he ſubjoyneth, I delight to do …, O Lord, this he ſpeaketh of himſelf, … off, and likewiſe as a type of Ch… Pſal. 119.115. Depart from me evil do…rs, …or I will keep the commandements of my God; I believe it, the love of Chriſt when it is much in exerciſe, it will conſtrain us to our …uty: and therefore this proud tranſpor… ing aſſurance in theſe dayes, that ſetteth men above all duties and Ordinances, and make … them count the Goſpel as well as the Law … beggerly rudiments, and cry out to their … …ours, Stand aback, for I am holier then them, muſt needs be a deluſion.
Laſtly, There are theſe three … of a real aſſurance, it is a begotten …rance, … is a living aſſurance, and it is a conſtraining aſſurance. The firſt two properties of … are ſet down in that, 1 Pet. 1.2. He hath begotten us to a lively hope; Who begat that aſſurance in thee? I ſuppoſe ſome have aſſurance, and it was begotten without travel; but if Chriſt be not the father of thy aſſurance, it will evaniſh and paſſe away. And, ſecondly, it muſt be a living aſſurance, ſome hearts are dead as a ſtone, and yet they ſay they have the hope of heaven. And, thirdly, … muſt be a conſtraining aſſurance, it will …ut the Chriſtian to do what he commands, …ea, if it were the moſt pleaſant Iſaac that we have, if he commandeth us to ſacrifice it, we would put a knife to the throat of it, and …e willing to offer it up.
Now after all theſe evidences, I deſire … …ve a report from you concerning your …ate; What think ye of your ſelves, are … Chriſt, or no; I ſuppoſe, if Chriſt … come here to day, and put us all to the … but theſe that are in Chriſt, we would … a thin aſſembly: I confeſſe, I wonder, … that word doth not make us to walk … ſadneſſe, Many are called, but few are choſ… Now I aſk this queſtion at you all, as in … fight of God, and as ye will one day anſ… unto him that will be your Judge; W… think ye of your ſelves? Is there none … that can give a preſent poſitive anſwer … this, Are ye in Christ: I ſuppoſe this, if were to go round them that are here, … aſk, are ye in Chriſt, are ye, and ye in Chri… O! I doubt much if there ſhould be m… negative anſwers within the doors, we have ſo ſtrong a faith ſome of us, that ſince … were born, we never doubted of it; But … think (without commending doubting) … may ſay, the faith that thou never doubte… of, is too like a deluſion, and the faith tha… thou never took pains to keep, and yet i… keeped it ſelf, that is too like a deluſion, th… faith that never knew what it was to put the… to real ſeeking of Chriſt, is too like a deluſio… But let me cloſe with this, be your eſta… what it will, ſearch and come away; I thi… that is one of the moſt Goſpel invitations th… is in all the Scripture. Lam. 3.34. Let us ſea… and try our wayes, and turn again unto th… Lord: When thou haſt ſearched, come away for I tell thee this there will be nothing th… will commend thee to Chriſt ſo much as neceſity, and I hope there is none of you, but … have enough of this, and know it, if ye … not come to Chriſt, he will compell you to come, but it ſhall not be for your advantage to ſtay away, till ye be compelled. O perſons that are out of Chriſt, Come away; O perſons that are in Chriſt, Come away; we muſt preach that word, Come away, unto you, as long as ye are here, till ye come and be fixed as a pillar in the houſe of God, and go no more out, O ſtudy to be near him: O Chriſtian didſt thou ever think upon this, and ſay with thy ſelf, O when ſhall I have immediate imbraces of bleſſed Chriſt? When ſhall there be nothing between my heart and Him? till then, we never get Chriſt near enough, there is alway ſomething between Him and us, till we be above the Clouds: O theſe immediate ſoul infoldings and imbracings of Chriſt: Are ye never ſending a meſſenger to heaven, deſiring a paſſe to go away that ye may enjoy them, and are ye not longing for the day, when the waters of Jordan ſhall divide themſelves, and the ranſomed of the Lord ſhall paſſe thorow▪ Now let us ſing praiſes to our King, ſing praiſes, for he hath gone up with a ſhout, and ſhall come again, ſing praiſes to our King, ſing praiſes.