CHAPTER XVIII: How to Apply the Evidences of Forgiveness of Sin
should feed upon it, and 'tis as needful as the bread you eat. But there is one thing more, that is very meet to annex to all that hath been said for; without that, I am afraid there are many to whom the consolation of this Text and Point belongs to, will go away with little comfort, because they know not how to apply them; and that is to give some rules how to make use of these signs, and be able to apply them; and by the same rules you may come to know any other notes of Trial concerning your spiritual Estate, and to make use of them in any other particular whatsoever.
CHAPTER XVIII:
How to Apply the Evidences of Forgiveness of Sin It is a matter of great concernment to us, to try whether our sins are forgiven; for in times of danger our hearts are ready to sink; but the Evidence of this, that our sins are forgiven will hold up our hearts in the midst of the greatest dangers whatsoever; if Heaven and Earth should meet together, if I have assurance of this, for so it follows after David had pronouncit him blessed whose sins were forgiven, Vers. 6. Surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him ; there may be floods of great waters: but he that hath his sins forgiven, God shall preserve him and compass him about with songs of deliverance ; but they that have their sins compass them about, shall have horror and terror to compass them about; but says David, having assurance his sins were pardoned, Thou art my hiding place, and thou shalt compass me about ; therefore if your hearts close with those Evidences given, you may have comfort in the great water-floods, God will be a hiding place unto you ; it concerns very much to labor to put this out of doubt, and not to put it off to a sick-bed, or death-bed time of
examination; but now to those Evidences there is another thing, which is of great concernment in this Point, and that is to give some rules how to make use of those or all other Evidences that shall be given at any time for trial of any: Especially for the trial of our states in point of Justification or Sanctification, but they will be helpful to the use of any other Evidences whatsoever.
First is this (that you may be able to apply those rules of Trial and Evidences given) though you cannot find them all, yet if you find but any one of them, you may receive comfort from that, though you feel not the rest ; you may be assured that the rest are there: Many a soul, many times hears Evidences of the happy condition in point of pardon of sin; and it may be, there is one, two, or three, that they can catch hold on; but there are some others they cannot take hold of them: if thou findest but one of them in thy heart, though thou canst not feel or see the other, yet God doth see the other to be there within, though they be not made so sensible to you; and therefore soul take hold of that which you can see or feel, and be assured the other are there, though they are not seen; if thou canst take hold of one linck of a chain, and all the other be fastened to it, thou mayest be able to draw the whole chain unto thee; for by taking hold of one link thou takest hold of the whole, though thou touchest not the other; so in the work of God's graces, they are as a link united to one another, and if you can lay hold of one link you may be assured of the other, although you see them not; it is with many in this point as it is with some ignorant man, the Physician tells him, he must take such a thing that must have these and these ingredients in it; and when the Apothecary has mingled all, it may be but one of these things can be seen in the color and outward appearance; perhaps someone syrup may take up all the color in the outward part; and when it is brought to him, says he, I must have so many Ingredients in it, and I see but one; I, but though you see but one, yet there may be the efficacy of all in it, though but one give the color; so it is with the graces of God's
Spirit, though at the present someone appears, yet there may be the efficacy and power of them all in the soul, though there appear but one; perhaps it is in this case, as among many ingredients you can
see and taste but one, yet there may be the power of twenty there, though neither seen nor tasted; so it is with the work of God in the soul, sometimes it may be, that there is but one grace to be seen, tasted, or felt, and yet where that one is, there are all the other; so that, that is one rule, when you look for Evidences and Signs, if you can find but one in your souls, all are there; as it is in sin, where one sin hath Dominion over the soul, though the others be not seen, yet we are to know, that other sins have dominion over the soul too; though some men live under the slavery of one sin more than another, as one man under the power of Covetousness, another under the power of Ambition, or any other sin; this man may be thought to be under the power of but one sin, but the truth is, he is a slave to all sin, every natural man that is out of Christ, is under the power of every sin, he is a slave to the Devil in every sin; but by reason of the constitution of his body, and for some outward respects, he may refrain from some particular sins that do not so well suit with him, whereas if it would serve for his own ends and purposes, he could as well commit any sin as that one; this is a certain truth, Whosoever makes not Conscience of every sin, he makes Conscience of none ; though he refrain from the practice of some others, it is not out of Conscience, but for by-ends; therefore he that is under the power of one sin, is under the power of every sin:
Many think all men are sinners, and for their parts they have but a few; such a sin I cannot leave, but I am free from all others; Dost thou keep from all sin but one? God will find thee under the power of every sin, and God will charge thee at the Tribunal as under the power of all sin; so now on the contrary, God's people are mightily troubled that they cannot find the work of God's graces in all of them; such an one they find, but they want it in another, because it is not so evidently stirring as the other; but as the truth is certain on one side, of the wicked; so it's true on the other side of the godly; that where there is one sin there is every sin; so where there is one grace, there is all grace; there is the power of godliness in every grace where there's one grace; that is the first rule to help us in making use of the Evidences before given.
The Second rule is this, When ever we have found any one Evidence, upon serious examination, in the presence of God, and now it appears not positively to the contrary at the present, but thou art merely dubious of those things that heretofore thou hast felt, because thou dost not feel them now, in this case we may and should have recourse to what God has wrought heretofore, and build upon the former workings of God's Spirit upon us; true it is, when we come to give Evidences in our Ministry of those that have grace, we may meet at such a time with them as that they have sense of nothing, and in such a condition as that they are not able to know their own hearts, nor feel any workings upon them: Now, if it be merely from want of sense, and that the contrary positive evil appear not, but only the want of feeling of what thou hadst and felt heretofore; thou art to have recourse to the days of old, as David often speaks that he would remember the days of old ; it may be you will say, some
Hypocrites have thought they have been in this condition, they have had many slashes, and yet they have proved naught, how can we have recourse to what was before when God did work upon me, I can indeed remember when God did draw my heart, and then I thought I could have closed with any Evidence out of the Word, I felt such workings in my heart, but I might do all that and yet all be but in hypocrisy. I answer, that certainly the bare want of sense is not ground enough for me to think that all was in hypocrisy; for this, consider, if I groan under it as under an affliction, and would fain feel those former manifestations I had formerly, and that I can take little comfort in my present case, and that my soul is continually longing and panting after the workings of God's grace that I heretofore had; if this be so, and that there is nothing to the contrary, thou fallest not off to sin, or to the world to satisfy thy soul in sinful ways, and that thy heart is yet panting after God; if it be thus with thee, thou mayest take the comfort of what thou hadst before, and feed upon it as Provision laid up before hand for thy soul, as if thou hadst it present. But Hypocrites that fall off from the visitations of God's Spirit, they fall not off only to a want of sense of those former movings and workings of the Spirit, but their hearts come to be satisfied with something else, and they take up with some other
contentments; and 'tis not a want of feeling only, of what they had heretofore, but their hearts run out from God into other ways of sin and wickedness, so it is with Hypocrites, but thou hast this testimony, that it is not so with thee, that although thou dost want the present sense of the work of God upon thee, yet thy heart longs after God, and thou art unsatisfied in this condition, and 'tis the greatest affliction that ever befell thee, and there is nothing else that thou lets thy heart run out unto, but thou art longing to get thy heart into that blessed frame that thou wast in heretofore; then certainly peace be unto thee ; thou art to look back upon what thou hast had heretofore, and wait upon God for his return again, for he will come, and thy soul shall rejoice again in him; As that Martyr
Mr. Glover, a little before he suffered, the Spirit of God seemed to leave him, and he was in extreme darkness, and had no feeling of any
Evidence of God's love to him, yet he was to die the next day, and all his Evidences were lost in his own apprehension, yet his friends told him, that God would appear, and desired him to give them some sign, if God did come unto him; that night he was in darkness, and until the Officers came to carry him to the Stake, he had yet no sense or evidence of God's love, but when he was tied to the Stake, he cried out, He is come, He is come: so that you must not argue, because you have no present sense, that therefore you have no evidence of your good condition; but if you have had it heretofore, you may build upon it that your state is good, although you have no present sense; that is the second rule.
The third rule is this, To help you how to make use of signs, when you would put yourselves on trial, you must take heed you do not cast your Estates for the trial of yourselves on times of temptations ; judge not of your estates by what you find and feel in times of temptation, for they are very unfit times to determine your condition upon a trial then, as when temptations are exceeding strong, and horror and fear comes into the soul; and perhaps some hear may know what I mean, when I speak of horror and fear coming in strongly upon them, then it is a time that you had rather need to call upon God, and fall down upon your knees to Prayer, then to look to
the trial and examination of yourselves at that time: It is with many in this case as it hath been with some that have been struck with horror of death before the Judge, and have had the Book given them to read, though they have been good Scholars, and able to read before, yet when the horror of death hath been so upon them they have not been able to read one word; and so it is with many of God's children in times of strong temptations, they are not able to read their Evidences; as Children when their eyes are blear'd and blinded, give them the Book and they cannot read thereon: so when your hearts are under great temptations and afflictions, this is not a time of trial; then by the way, if it be not for a godly man, much less for a wicked man: many wicked men put it off to the day of death, and never so much as put themselves to trial till horror of Conscience or fears of death put them upon it; it is an ill time for God's people to try themselves then: Suppose you would weigh Gold, you will not do it in a storm or wind; the trial of our estate is like the weighing of gold; for we are to weigh ourselves by the balance of the Sanctuary, that we may know whether we shall be weight when God comes to weigh us; for every soul must be weighed, and woe be to those to whom God shall say as he did to Belshazzar, when the hand-writing appeared upon the wall, it was so terrible to him, that his knees smote one against another ; But what was that? Thou art weighed in the balance, and art found too light: such a hand will many find one day:
Poor soul that thoughtest thyself in a good condition, and that thy sins were pardoned; thou art weighed in the balance, and art found too light; therefore it concerns you now to weigh yourselves in the balance of the Sanctuary: when you weigh gold, you must not hold the Scales in the midst of wind, storms, and tempest that hurries the balance up and down; but it must be in such a place that you may hold them steadily that nothing may stir them; for in the wind the lighter may be blown down, and the heaviest uppermost; but if you hold them in a still place, you may try to a grain: so the Soul of man is like the Scales in the wind, in a time of temptation thou wilt have enough to come in to turn the balance, lift it up, and make thee seem too light; and therefore when you would weigh your condition, do it when your hearts are composed, and you are yourselves; when your
hearts are quiet, then lay your souls to the balance: many weigh their hearts in a time when trouble and affliction is upon their spirits, but they cannot do it, all they do then is nothing; there are but two things then to be done, either to open your condition to some or other that may help you; or else fall down upon your knees in Prayer to God, to get help from him to support you under, and deliver you from the temptations that are upon you: but then 'tis no time for a man or woman to try themselves, in times of strong temptations, when it may be said, a man or woman then is scarce themselves.
The fourth Rule for trial of your Estates is this, That when you find the Word on your side in anything, never let go your hold of the Word, when you are persuaded the Word speaks well of your side in such or such a thing, never do anything against it; as we must not receive any comfort but by the Word, so we must not reject any comforts but by the Word; some may say, I find something in the Word that makes for me, but I am afraid I am not thus and thus qualified; but do you find anything in the Word that gives you ground to think so? we must rest upon the Word both ways, as we must not receive anything to build our comforts on, but it must be from the Word; so we must not receive anything to trouble us but it must be from the Word; it must be the Word must wound men; for the Consciences of men and women are under the power of no creature, but the Word: Now as there is no power in any creature in the world to raise a dejected soul, and to comfort a troubled
Conscience truly but the Word; So the people of God are to know, that they are so above the power of all other things, that nothing in the World should trouble them but the Word only: as they should account it a weak vain thing to rest in the opinion of others for the comfort of their souls, that are in a good condition by what they find out of the Word; so they should account it a vain thing to rest on their own conceits in time of trouble, or in the saying of others, besides what they have out of the Word; the soul says, I am afraid my state is not good; But O my soul, is there anything in the Word that says thus; that they that are thus and thus are not pardoned: As I must not conclude I am pardoned, but must bring something out of
the Word that says it, so I must not conclude my state is bad without the Word, say so too; but I find many distempers and many wanderings in my soul; give me leave to ask you this; where doth
God's Word say that such a man that hath a great many wandering thoughts is not justified? where does the Word of God say that a heart that is under the remainder of some corruptions, and the soul labors under them as much as under any burden in the world; where does the Word say that that soul is not justified? many people in the case of trouble of Conscience, although they have some evidences and good ground out of the Word for them, yet will have many fears and doubts because of the remainder of such and such corruptions in them; but now the ground of their doubts is their own fears, and nothing out of the Word; and so when any speaks and applies the Word unto them, they cannot say but it is suitable to their condition, and that God hath shewn mercy unto them; but so soon as you are gone the fears and suggestions of their own hearts prevail against them, to take away all their comforts more than all the applications of the Word prevailed to uphold & continue their comforts; it is just with many that are gracious in the case of fears and doubts, as it is with the wicked in regard of their hopes, a wicked man hath the Word against him, that he is not in a good condition, but his own self-love and conscience encourage him to presume that he is in a good estate; now he regards his own opinion and conceit, and presumes upon that, that his estate is good more than on whatsoever is said unto him out of the Word that it is not so: so the people of God, although they are in a good estate, yet their own fears so damps their hearts that makes them question that it is not so, but the ground of it is their own fears, as the ground of the wicked in thinking their estate is good is from their own opinions; so the People of God many times from their own conceit and opinions, rather than from the Word, think their estate is bad: Take this
Rule, As you must receive no comfort but out of the Word; so you must not receive any trouble but from the Word ; when you receive trouble any other ways, you do not consider that God has laid your estates so high that all your troubles depend on nothing but the Word; and therefore answer all with Scripture, when the Devil casts
temptations before thee, bid him prove that thy estate is not good from the Word, I have this out of the Word to prove it is so, and thou hast nothing to the contrary: in other things you will not be baffled, as in your Evidences for your Estates; suppose a man come and lay claim unto it, although you cannot perhaps make out your title clear, yet you will bid him prove the contrary, and show what grounds he hath to lay claim to it; 'tis not the clamours and talking of other men that will make you quit your hold, or satisfy you that it was never rightly yours: But let the Devil come and clamour against your souls, and you are ready to join with him, and say, it is so indeed, I am an hypocrite, and I have no true grace nor spiritual life, my soul is under the curse of the Law and dominion of Sin still: how unworthy do you carry it to the blessed Spirit of God, and all the grace and goodness of God that has been manifested and made known unto you concerning the pardon of your sins? How unbefitting is it that on every clamour of Satan, and stirring of corruptions in your own hearts, that you should raze the foundation of all your comforts by calling all the work of God presently into question: Many a poor creature, that finds by Evidences out of the Word that their estate is good, they go away cheerful, but if the next day there be any stirrings of corruption, they let go all, and raze the foundation of all their comforts: walk not so unworthy of the grace of God, depend upon the Word, as for your troubles, so for your comforts; as you are not comforted with anything but from what the Word of God speaks to you, so be discouraged with nothing, but where you find the Word of God against you.
The fifth Rule is this, When at any time you are put to seek your Evidences, and cannot find them, the best way is rather to renew than to spend time in finding of the old ; as suppose any man or woman be searching out such Evidences for Salvation which they had before, and cannot find them; it may be they are poring upon their own hearts for such and such workings as they have had heretofore, and cannot find them, and so are ready to conclude that all is naught, and lie down as people disconsolate, because their condition is not good, they cannot find such Evidences as heretofore they had; now in
this case, the best way is, if I cannot find my Evidences, or the use of them I had before, to renew them, the time I spend in seeking and discouraging of my heart, if I spent it in actings and workings of my heart after God, for the renewing of my Evidences, perhaps I might have renewed them in that time; as in matters between men and women in this world, they have Evidences that would clear the matters in differences; but perhaps they cannot find them, or they are grown so old that they cannot read them, and they spend a great deal of time about them, whereas possibly, did they go to the Court of Roles, they might have them renewed with less charge and time; so it is with the soul, when it cannot find such and such Evidences, it spends a great deal of time, and sits down in discouragement and disquietness of heart, when as perhaps in less time thou mightest have renewed them; as thus, suppose thou art looking after this
Evidence of thy Calling, for God calls whom he justifies; Now thou art looking after thy call, and thou art troubled that thou dost not remember how God did work upon thy heart then, or heretofore, and a great deal of time is spent; cannot you find how 'twas with you then? No, then fall upon this course, listen to what voice of God thou hearest now in thy heart; say to thy soul, Do not I now find the work of God in me; do not I find him now drawing of my heart out of the world unto himself, and does not my heart listen unto this call? for the call of God is not only at first conversion, but God is always calling and drawing the heart from the world unto himself; if thou canst not make use of the work of God heretofore, make use of his present work upon thee: Again, those whom God justifies, they enter into Covenant with God; for it was by way of Covenant (as I told you) they give up themselves to God in an everlasting Covenant: But when did I come into Covenant with God? I am afraid I am not the man or woman in Covenant with God, I cannot remember any such work; perhaps thy heart sinks down within thee, because thou canst not clear up this work of entering into Covenant with God heretofore:
Now the time that thou spendest in seeking after this work, spend it in entering now into Covenant with God at this present time; it will be no hindrance to thee that thou canst not find what was heretofore, if now at this present thou canst surrender up thyself to God in an
everlasting Covenant, this is enough, do it: Now if you can find your hearts, now come in, and yield up yourselves into Covenant with God, you may have the comfort of this Evidence as fully as if you clearly remembered all the former transactions, and the work of God upon you in your first entering into Covenant with God: Again, those that had their sins pardoned, I told you, were brought into the Kingdom of Christ; but you will say, I cannot remember how I was translated; Take now upon you the Scepter of Jesus Christ ; many trouble themselves, saying, I never found such humiliations and troubles for sin as you speak of, or as others have found; How is it now with your souls? Do you find sin now a burden to your souls? Is it not the greatest affliction? If you were put to your choice, had you not rather suffer anything in the world than sin against God; and not only out of Convictions of Conscience, but because you find a frame of spirit in your hearts suitable thereunto? for an Hypocrite he may have Convictions of Conscience, but the frame of his spirit is not suited thereunto: in you there is a frame of spirit suitable to the convictions of Conscience within you, though you cannot remember you have had such sorrows and troubles in convictions for sin, as others have had, while they were under the spirit of bondage, yet you may be comforted by the present frame of spirit that you have; and so in the like cases, if you cannot find your old Evidences, fall to work to renew your Evidences, and do not spend time in lying down under the discouragements of your own hearts.
The sixth Rule is this, When you examine yourselves to find out your Evidences, carry this thought along with you, that you have to deal with God in the Covenant of grace: and this will be of marvelous use unto you; perhaps to some these are very dry things, and they see but little in them, and scarce know what they be; but I hope there be many others that have knowledge of an eternal state to be between God and their souls; I hope I speak things will be very precious to them; yea, I say unto many of you; for while I am in this argument, I am speaking to such as have had the fear of God fallen upon their hearts, and they have made it the great business of their lives, above all things in this world, to know how terms are between God and
their souls, to know how it stands with them for their everlasting estates; I know abundance of people scarce ever call these things in question, to whom these Rules will be of little or no use at all; but if I speak to some, or any one troubled soul to help and direct them, though I do no good to others I shall think my time well spent; wherefore then in your examinations ever carry this with you, that you have to deal with God in the Covenant of grace, and not in a Covenant of works: Certainly, that many are so troubled in their
Consciences about their eternal estates, it is on this ground, because they look upon God in the way of the Covenant of works; if they find any corruptions stirring and breaking forth, and temptations strong upon them, they think presently all is naught, and that God will never accept of them; What is the reason? If we had to deal with God in a Covenant of works, the least stirring of corruption, it is enough to cast the soul down into eternal horror; as Adam, though he had never so much goodness before by the Image of God upon him, yet one sin eternally cast him, if there had not come in a Covenant of grace: Now, though people will acknowledge there is a Covenant of grace, yet upon the stirring of their corruption, they carry it as that it serves for no other use than if they had to deal with God in a Covenant of works, and as if there were no Covenant of grace at all:
Now, what a dishonor is this to the riches of God's goodness in the Covenant of grace, that tells us, We are not to be judged for our eternal estate by the Covenant of works; and tells us, that he that must be our Judge for our eternal condition, is our Advocate with the Father: and tells us also, that God accepts of the uprightness and the sincerity of the heart, and that the want of perfection shall never damn thy soul: He that stands before the Lord to make atonement, and to be our Advocate to plead with the Father for us; he it is that must be the Judge of our eternal estate; and therefore when I set myself before the Lord, I consider that I have to deal with him in a Covenant of grace: Suppose I find and feel such and such corruptions and weaknesses in me; Is it not possible that my estate is happy by the Covenant of grace? Collect yourselves, and say, Why do I determine of my everlasting condition? Have I to deal with God in the Covenant of grace, and cannot these imperfections stand with it?
Why do I make such conclusions that my state is naught, because of the stirrings of such and such corruptions? The doubts and fears of most Christians arise from hence, because they have not a clear understanding of the difference between the Covenant of grace and the Covenant of works; there is nothing in the world would so satisfy the Consciences of men and women, so as a clear understanding of the Covenant of grace and the Covenant of works: Many people cry out of the Preachers, that they disquiet and trouble the hearts of people by their Preaching; the truth is, no Preachers occasion so much the trouble and perplexity of Consciences, as those that preach
Morality and merely the way of duty, and never come to make them see clearly the difference between the Covenant of grace and the Covenant of works; and I appeal unto you, who are they that most quiet and settle your Consciences, and satisfy your spirits; Are they not those Preachers that open the difference between the Covenant of grace and the Covenant of works? Certainly those Preachers that show you what the Covenant of grace is, are the only men that quiet and satisfy Conscience; and 'tis a truth, that nothing can do it but that: You that are Christians, how should you then labor to get a further insight into the Covenant of grace; and instead of other
Discourses less useful, let this be the subject of your discourse, the difference of the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace, or the blessings of this Covenant; and that this is the Covenant that we must depend upon, notwithstanding our weaknesses: And now I am speaking of this Covenant, that weakness may stand with the Covenant of grace, many that have carnal hearts may be ready to abuse it; take notice how dear the comforts of your souls cost God, and God will have his Ministers to comfort you, though the revealing of such things will endanger many a man's soul: God is content to hazard the damnation of other men to comfort you; for certainly those things that we speak for your comfort will be the damnation of many others: Think thus, O Lord must the comforts of my soul cost so dear, and that for my comfort many souls are hazarded, who by taking occasion to sin, abuse that grace that is reached forth to me, and so are like eternally to perish: O then, what need had I to make good use of this grace that comes to me with the hazard of the souls
of so many others? If a man should bring some precious Balsom to apply to a wound, and tell him there is not one drop of it but cost a thousand pound at least, would not this be highly prized? Now, when we come and show you anything that may comfort your hearts and satisfy your souls, we must reveal such things, that not only cost much, but the least dram of Gospel-comforts cost that which was of infinite worth, and 'tis valuable two ways: first, every drop of the Balsom of the Gospel cost the blood of Christ; but besides this, the very revealing of it must cost the damnation of many souls, and yet God is content to venture that that you may be comforted: We in the Name of God come and preach the grace of the Gospel, and we think many will be hardened by it, and grow more secure, and abuse God's mercy; but then we satisfy ourselves with this, that the comforting of any broken troubled soul is so precious in the eyes of Jesus Christ, that he is content to venture the hardening of many other souls; if they will be hardened let them be hardened, Christ is content to venture it; and hereby we see how precious these comforts are; therefore you had need to prize them, and not cast them off: as suppose a Captain for the saving of the lives of two or three men should venture the lives of a thousand men merely to save the lives of two or three, were not these men's lives very precious to him? so Jesus Christ he ventures the hardening of the hearts of many for the comforting of a few; therefore it shows your comforts are precious things, you should not easily put them off, for they cost dear.
The seventh Rule in applying Evidences is this, That when you cannot see the work of faith reaching to Assurance, yet labor to put forth the work of faith of Adherence ; there may be much of the workings of the faith of adherence, where there cannot be the faith of assurance; that is certain, there may be true faith adhering to Christ for the pardon of sin where the soul hath no certain assurance of it:
Many poor creatures are crying out, and saying, if I had faith of assurance, and a full persuasion my sins were pardoned, I could be comforted; but because they have not attained to a full persuasion and assurance, they think they have no grace at all; but there may be faith in the pardon of sin, where there is not a reflect act of the soul,
whereby I come to know it hath faith, and that its sins are pardoned, 1. Joh. Chap. 2.3. he shows there that there may be knowledge, and yet not know they do know; Hereby we know that we do know him, if we keep his Commandments, hereby we know that we do know him: now knowing of Christ, and knowing that we do know him, is not all one; there is a knowing, and a knowing that we do know him; so there is a believing and a knowing we do believe: there may be a true work of grace, that I may know Christ, and know him to salvation, and yet not know that I do know him, that is, by a reflect act of faith, a knowing that I do know him; so then, where there is not a faith of assurance there may be a faith of adherence; that is, when the soul sticks to Christ, and can give itself unto, and venture itself upon Christ for pardon of sin, life and Salvation; that is faith of adherence: suppose in seeking my Evidences (many of them being taken from the effects and fruits of faith) I cannot find them, and so cannot put forth a reflect act of the soul, which is faith of assurance, yet I may at that time have a faith of adherence; thou mayest feel thy heart stick to Christ, and thou mayest venture thy soul on Christ; that faith will save thee, though you have not a faith of assurance; that is, though you cannot find such Evidences whereby you may draw up such a conclusion, or make up such a judgment that you are pardoned; yet if you have a faith of adherence, that you can stick to Christ, and venture your souls on him for life and Salvation, and all that is good; that faith will save you; and therefore upon examination of your Evidences, when you cannot get up to such acts of faith as assurance is, live then by a faith of adherence, stick to Christ, say, here I will resolve to live and die, venture on the grace of God in Christ: Now for the soul to do this, it is a mighty work of faith; for if you can venture your souls on Christ, you will venture your Estates on Christ, your Names on Christ, and all that you have on Christ; and therefore remember, if you have not a faith of assurance, then venture yourselves on Christ by a faith of adherence, and comfort will come in that way, Eighthly, If at any time you feel comforts from Evidences flow in upon your souls, and that you are able to apply the comforts to
yourselves, that the Lord hath spoken to you by such and such signs of a pardoned sinner, take heed you do not rest much upon Evidences ; but then at that very time, think with yourselves, though now I have comforts, I may loose them, and God may call me to another condition; God never granted these helps unto me for my
Savior's that I should rest upon them, they are but bladders to help me to swim, and God may take away these, and call me to live upon the mere actings of faith, and not at all on sense, thats certain he may do it, for when we bring these Signs and Evidences of grace, as they come from faith, and are effects and fruits of it, they are but as bladders to help young swimmers that cannot swim without them, and learn them to swim; but those that have got the Art, though the bladders be taken away, they can swim; but take them away from the others, and they will sink; so that these Evidences are for young and weak Christians that cannot live on primary acts of faith, which a strong Christian can do, when all other things are taken away; and therefore when we feel the comfort of any signs depend not on this, the Lord may take them away; and because he delights in the mere actings of faith, that is the reason why God withdraws himself from the souls of his people, that they shall not have the use of Signs and Evidences as they had before, because he would teach them to live on the more necessary acts of faith; God loves the voice of Job, though he kill me, yet will I trust in him ; I will venture my soul upon him, whatever becomes of me; when theres nothing else to rest on but God, then to live by actings of faith merely on him, he delights much in this; and therefore take heed you do not rest so much on signs, as if all your comforts were lost and you undone, when you cannot have such use of them as you have had heretofore.
Ninthly, when you have at any time lost the use of signs, do not determine that all is gone, and that you shall never have the use of them more ; this is that that mightily hinders many poor Christians that are in trouble of Conscience, because they cannot find the evidence of the pardon of their sins, and that God accepts of them in what they do; what do they do presently? they yield to the horrible sentence of damnation against themselves: God's Spirit, say they is
now gone, and he will return no more; he will never come anymore unto me: take heed you do not fasten on any such kind of thoughts as those are, to determine of your own estates, or that God's Spirit will not come again: but do you humble your souls before the Lord, and wait upon him.
Tenthly, When at any time all Signs and Evidences fail you, and you are ready to determine that all is gone, yet even then keep up good thoughts of God ; As the Spouse in the Canticles when her Beloved was gone, yet she prized him, and said He is the chiefest of ten thousands in Cant. 5. when she was asked; What is thy beloved? says she, he is thus, and thus, & then concludes, He is altogether lovely ; and this was at such a time as he was gone, yet she retained good thoughts of him; so 'tis a good sign for any soul, that when trouble of conscience is upon them, or any other trouble, that they retain good thoughts of God and Christ and the ways of God, when the soul says, whatever become of me, though I perish forever, yet God is good, his
Word, his ways are good, his Gospel, and the Covenant in his Son is good; and whatever troubles are upon me, yet God is righteous; and though God justify not me, yet I will justify God; if there be any soul that cannot find his Evidences, or any of those signs before spoken of, you may make use of this; if you cannot find any other, do what thou canst to justify God; thou art afraid that God will not justify thee, do thou justify him ; sometimes it is with many men, as with some wretched servant that has dealt falsely with his Master, and may be all the while he can make any advantage of his Master for his own ends, he will speak well of him, but if his Master turn him out of doors for his wickedness, then he rails on him; 'tis ordinary for bad servants to do so when they are turned away for their wickedness; and so it is with many, when all goes well with them, then they like well of the ways of God; but if they come to such a condition as that they think that God will cast them away indeed, and that they are like to perish, then they begin to have hard thoughts of God, and by degrees they speak against God and his ways; take heed of this, although you want the Evidences of his love and mercy, yet retain in your hearts good thoughts of God and of his ways, and this will be a