Additions to the Saints Everlasting Rest, Section 17
§ 17 SECT. XVII.
6. LAstly, having thus given you my judgement in this great Point, I will give you some hint of the necessity of it, and the danger of mistaking in this case.
And, 1. I am certain that the Ignorance of this Point hath occasioned the delusion of Multitudes of men: Even common prophane men (much more those that are not farre from the Kingdom of God) when they hear, that it is not the Quantity or Measure of Grace, that we must try by, but the Quality; and that the least seed or spark is saving as well as the greatest Degree, they are presently confident of the soundness of their estates. Alas, how many have I known thus deceived? when they have heard that the least true Desire is accepted with God for the Deed: They knew that they had Desires that were not counterfeit, and therefore doubted not but God did accept them; when in the mean time their Desires to Pleasure, and Profits, and Honour was so much stronger, that it overcame their weak Desires after God and Goodness, and made them live in the daily practice of gross sin: And they knew not that the sincerity of their Desire did lie in the prevailing Degree. God doth indeed Accept the Will for the Deed, and the best are fain to cry out with Paul, To Will is present with me, but to Do I finde not (in regard of those higher parts of spiritual Duty, and in the avoiding of divers Infirmities and Passions:) But then it is only the Prevailing bent, and Act of the Will which is thus accepted.
So have, I know, multitudes been deceived by their small Degree of Love to the Godly, hearing that the least was a certain sign of Grace, and knowing themselves to Love them without counterfeiting, who yet have since been carried to be their constant Persecutours, and shed their bloud. The like I may say of other Marks. And doth it not concern people then to be better grounded in this?
2. And doubtless the mistake of this hath caused many a sincere Christian to take up their Comforts on deceitful grounds, which accordingly prove deceitful Comforts, and leave them oft in a sorrowful case (though not in a damnable) when they come to make use of them. Satan knows how to shake such ill-grounded Comforts; and he usually doth it in a mans greatest agonies, letting them stand till then, that he may have advantage by their fall for our greater terrour. When he can put a poor Christian to a loss many times that hath the soundest Evidences, what may he doby those that either have none but unsound ones, or know them not at least?
3. Moreover the Ignorance of this Truth hath caused some Ministers to wrong the Holy God, and abuse poor souls, and misapply the Promises; Absolving those whom God condemneth: by mistaking the meaning of that saying, That the least Degree is saving as well as the greatest: which is true only of the least prevailing Degree; but not of the greatest that is overmastered by the Prevalency of its contrary.
4. And to my knowledge this hath been no small hinderance to many to keep them from fruitfulness and growth in Grace. They have been more securely contented with their low degree: whereas if they had known that their very sincerity lieth in the Prevalency of the Degree, they would have looked more after it. For them that say, that Assurance will make men strive for Increase: I answered before: *I unfeignedly acknowledge with the Synod of Dort (Act. de Art. 5. Thes. 12. p. 260) that to those Christians that God judgeth fit t… enjoy Assurance, it is no in-let to security or licentiousness, but a great exciter of their Graces. But I think it would be farre otherwise to those that are unfit to enjoy and use it: that is, to the lower and worser sort of sincere Christians.If there were no contrary corruption in strength in us, then I confess it would be as they say.
5. And lastly, The Ignorance of this hath been no small cause of keeping the Godly in low Degrees of Assurance and comfort, by keeping them from the right way of attaining them. If they had considered, that, both the saving sincerity of their Graces lieth in the Prevailing Degree, and also that the higher Degree they attain, the clearer and more unquestionable will be their Evidence, and consequently, the easier and more infallible will be their Assurance; this would have taught them, to have spent those thoughts and hours in labouring after growth in Grace, which they spent in enquiring after the lowest Degree which may stand with sincerity, and in seeking for that in themselves which was almost undiscernable.
To Conclude: This Doctrine is exceeding comfortable to the poor soul that groans, and mourns, and longs for Christ; and knows, that though he be not what he should and would be, yet he would be what he should be; and had rather have Christ then all the world. God hath the Prevailing Degree of this mans Will, Desire and Love.
And as necessary is this Doctrine for Caution to all, that as they love their souls, they take heed, how they Try and Judge of their condition, by the bare nature of any Dispositions or Actions, without regard to the Prevalency of Degree.
I advise all Christians therefore in the Fear of God, as ever they would have Assurance and Comforts that will not deceive them, that they make it the main work of their lives to Grow in Grace, to strengthen and advance Christs Interest in their souls, and to weaken and get down the Interest of the flesh. And take heed of those pestilent Principles of Presumption, which would deceive you by the bare name and specious title of Free Grace; which make Christ as Justifier only to be the object of Justifying Faith, and not Christ as your Head, or Husband, or King: which tell you, That you have Fulfilled the Law, and satisfied it fully in Christ; and so need no more then to get the sence of Pardon, or shew your thankfulness: which tell you, That if you do but Believe, that you are Pardoned, and shall be saved, it shall be so indeed; as if this were the Faith that must Justifie and Save you. Deceivers may perswade you, That Christ hath done all, and left you nothing to do for your Justification or Salvation. But you may easily see from what I have said, That to Mortifie the Flesh, to Overcome Satan and the World, and to this End, to stand alwaies armed upon our Watch, and Valiantly, and Patiently to fight it out, is a matter of more concernment both to our Assurance and Salvation then many do confider. Indeed it is so great a part of our very Baptismal Vow, and Covenant of Christianity, that he that performeth it not, is yet no more then a nominal Christian, whatsoever his Parts and Profession may be: and therefore that Christ whom they trusted in, and whose Free Grace they boasted of, will Profess to these Professours, I n…ver knew you: Depart from me ye that Work iniquity Mat. 7. 23. The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal: The Lord knoweth who are his: But let him that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity; or else he shall never finde himself among the sealed, 2 Tim. 2. 19. Know you not, that to whom you yield your selves servants to Obey, his servants you are to whom ye obey; whether of SINƲNTO DEATH, or of OBEDIENCE ƲNTO RIGHTEOƲSNES? Rom. 6. 16. Not every one that Seeketh, or Runneth, or Fighteth (much less that Presumptuously Believeth and Trusteth) but he that OVERCOMETH shall have the hidden Manna, the whi…e Stone, the New Name, the White Raiment, and Power ove… the Nations; He shall eat of the Tree of Life in the midst of Gods Paradise, and shall not be hurt of the second death: He shall be confessed by Christ before his Father, and the Angels; Yea he will make him a Pillar in the Temple of God, and he shall goe out no more: He will write on him the Name of his God, and the Name of the City of his God, [New Hierusalem] which cometh down out of Heaven from his God; and his New Name. Yea he will grant him to sit with him in his Throne, as himself OVERCAME, and is set down with his Father in his Throne. He that hath an Ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches, Revel. 2. 7, 11, 17, 26. & 3. 5. 12. 21, 22.
FINIS.
End of the text · Richard Baxter, Additions to the Saints Everlasting Rest (1651)