VII. Use 3.—Persuading all men to try their title to this rest; and directing them how to try, that
CHAP. VII
The Third Use: persuading all Men to try their Title to this Rest; and directing them how to try, that they may know.
SECT. I. I now proceed to the third use which we shall raise hence; and because it is of very great importance to thy soul, I entreat thee to read it the more diligently, and weigh it the more seriously.
Is there such a glorious rest so near at hand; and shall none enjoy it but the people of God? What mean the most of the world, then, to live so contentedly without assurance of their interest in this rest, and to neglect the trying of their title to it, when the Lord hath so fully opened the blessedness of that kingdom, which none but a little flock of obedient believers shall possess, and so fully expressed those torments which all the rest of the world must eternally suffer? A man would think now, that they that believe this to be certainly true, should never be at any quiet in themselves till they knew which of these must be their own state, and were fully assured that they were heirs of the kingdom. Most men that I meet with, say, they believe this word of God to be true; how then can they sit still in such an utter uncertainty? One would think they should run up and down from minister to minister, inquiring, 'How shall I know whether I shall live in heaven or in hell?' And that they should even think themselves half in hell, till they were sure to escape it, and to be possessed of rest. Lord, what a wonderful, strange madness is this, that men, who look daily when sickness summons them, and death calls them away, and know they must presently enter upon unchangeable joy or pain, should yet live as uncertain what should be their doom, as if they had never heard of any such state: yea, and live as quietly and as merrily in this uncertainty as if all were made sure, and nothing ailed them, and there were no danger! Are these men alive or dead? Are they waking, or are they asleep? What do they think on? Where are their hearts? If they have but a weighty suit at
law, how careful are they to know whether it will go for them or against them! If they were to be tried for their lives at an earthly judicature, how careful would they be to know whether they should be saved or condemned, especially if their care might surely save them! If they be dangerously sick, they will inquire of the physician,
'What think you, sir; shall I escape, or no?' But for the business of their salvation, they are content to be uncertain. If you ask most men a reason of their hopes to be saved, they will say, 'It is because God is merciful, and Christ died for sinners; and the like general reasons, which any man in the world may give as well as they: but put them to prove their special interest in Christ, and the special saving mercy of God, and they can say nothing to the purpose at all; or, at least, nothing out of their hearts and experience, but only out of their reading or invention. Men are desirous to know all things, save God and themselves: they will travel over sea and land to know the situation of countries, and customs of the world: they will go to schools and universities, and turn over multitudes of books, and read and study from year to year, to know the creatures, and to be expert in the sciences: they will go apprentice seven years to learn a trade, which they may live by here; and yet they never read the book of conscience, nor study the state of their own souls, that they may make sure of living for ever. If God should ask them for their souls, as he did Cain for his brother Abel, they could return but such an answer as he did. If God or man should say to them, 'What case is thy soul in, man? Is it regenerate, and sanctified, and pardoned, or not?
Is it in a state of life, or a state of death?' He would be ready to say, 'I know not; am I my soul's keeper? I hope well, I trust God with my soul, and trouble not myself with any such thoughts; I shall speed as well as other men do, and so I will put it to the venture; I thank God I never made any doubt of my salvation.' Answ. Thou hast the more cause to doubt a great deal, because thou never didst doubt; and yet more because thou hast been so careless in thy confidence. What do these expressions discover, but a wilful neglect of thy own salvation?
As a shipmaster that should let his vessel alone, and mind other matters, and say 'I will venture it among the rocks, and sands, and gulfs, and waves, and winds; I will never trouble myself to know
whether it shall come safe to the harbour; I will trust God with it; it will speed as well as other men's vessels do.' Indeed, as well as other men's that are as careless and idle, but not so well as other men's that are diligent and watchful. What horrible abuse of God is this, for men to pretend that they trust God with their souls only to cloak their own wilful negligence! If thou didst truly trust God, thou wouldst also be ruled by him, and trust him in that way which he hath appointed thee, and upon those terms on which he hath promised thee help. He requires thee to give all diligence, to make thy calling and election sure, and so to trust him. (2 Pet. 1:10.) He hath lined thee out a way in Scripture, by which thou mayest come to be sure; and charged thee to search and try thyself, till thou certainly know. Were he not a foolish traveller that would hold on his way when he doth not know whether it be right or wrong, and say, 'I hope
I am right; I will not doubt of it; I will go on, and trust God?' Art not thou guilty of this folly in thy travels to eternity? Not considering that a little serious inquiry and trial, whether thy way be right, might save thee a great deal of labour which thou bestowest in vain, and must undo again, or else thou wilt miss of salvation, and undo thyself. If thou shouldst see a man in despair, or that were certain to be damned for ever when he is dead, wouldst thou not look upon such a man as a pitiful object? Why, thou that livest in wilful uncertainty, and dost not know whether thou shalt be saved or not, art in the next condition to such a person; for aught thou knowest to the contrary, thy case hereafter may be as bad as his. I know not what thou thinkest of thy own state: but, for my part, did I not know what a desperate, blind, dead piece a carnal heart is, I should wonder how thou doest to forget thy misery, and to keep off continual terrors from thy heart; and especially in these cases following:
1. I wonder how thou canst either think or speak of the dreadful God, without exceeding terror and astonishment, as long as thou art uncertain whether he be thy father or thy enemy, and knowest not but all his attributes may be employed against thee. If his saints must rejoice before him with trembling, and serve him in fear; if they that are sure to receive the immoveable kingdom, must yet serve God
"with reverence and godly fear, because "he is a consuming fire;" how then should the remembrance of him be terrible to them that know not but this fire may for ever consume them!
2. How dost thou think, without trembling, upon Jesus Christ, when thou knowest not whether his blood hath purged thy soul, or not; and whether he will condemn thee, or acquit thee in judgment; nor whether he be set for thy rising, or for thy fall; (Luke 2:34;) nor whether he be the corner stone and foundation of thy happiness, or a stone of stumbling to break thee, and grind thee to powder? (Matt.
21:24.) Methinks thou shouldst still be in that tune, as Job 31:23, "Destruction from God is a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I cannot endure."
3. How canst thou open the Bible, and read a chapter, or hear a chapter read, but it should terrify thee? Methinks every leaf should be to thee as Belshazzar's writing upon the wall, except only that which draws thee to try and reform. (Dan. 5:5, 6.) If thou read the promises, thou knowest not whether ever they shall be fulfilled to thee, because thou art uncertain of thy performance of the condition.
If thou read the threatenings, for any thing thou knowest, thou dost read thy own sentence. I do not wonder if thou art an enemy to plain preaching; and if thou say of it, and of the minister and Scripture itself, as Ahab of the prophet, "I hate him, for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." (1 Kings 22:8.)
4. I wonder how thou canst, without terror, approach God in prayer, or any duty. When thou callest him thy father, thou knowest not whether thou speak true or false. When thou needest him in thy sickness, or other extremity, thou knowest not whether thou hast a friend to go to, or an enemy. When thou receivest the sacrament, thou knowest not whether thou takest thy blessing or thy bane. And who would wilfully live such a life as this?
5. What comfort canst thou find in any thing which thou possessest?
Methinks, friends, and honours, and houses, and lands, should do
thee little good, till thou know that thou hast the love of God withal, and shalt have rest with him when thou leavest these. Offer to a prisoner, before he know his sentence, either music, or clothes, or lands, or preferment, and what cares he for any of these, till he know how he shall escape for his life? and then he will look after these comforts of life, and not before: for he knows if he must die the next day it will be small comfort to die rich or honourable. Methinks it should be so with thee, till thou know thine eternal state. Dost not thou, as Ezek. 12:18, "eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy drink with trembling and carefulness;" and say, 'Alas! though I have these to refresh my body now, yet I know not what I shall have hereafter?'
Even when thou liest down to take thy rest, methinks the uncertainty of thy salvation should keep thee waking, or amaze thee in thy dreams, and trouble thy sleep; and thou shouldst say, as Job in a smaller distress than thine, "When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint; then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions." (Job 7:13, 14.)
6. Doth it not grieve thee to see the people of God so comfortable, when thou hast none thyself; and to think of the glory which they shall inherit, when thou hast no assurance thyself of ever enjoying it?
7. What shift dost thou make to think of thy dying hour? Thou knowest it is near, and there is no avoiding it, nor any medicine found out that can prevent it. Thou knowest it is the "king of terrors,"
(Job 18:14,) and the very inlet to thine unchangeable state. The godly that have some assurance of their future welfare, have yet much ado to submit to it willingly, and find that to die comfortably is a very difficult work. How then canst thou think of it without astonishment, who hast got no assurance of the rest to come? If thou shouldst die this day, and "who knows what a day may bring forth," (Prov. 27:1,) thou dost not know whether thou shalt go straight to heaven or to hell: and canst thou be merry till thou art got out of this dangerous state? Methinks that in Deut. 28:25–27 should be the looking-glass of thy heart.
8. What shift dost thou make to preserve thy heart from horror, when thou rememberest the great judgment day, and the everlasting flames? Dost thou not tremble as Felix, when thou hearest of it; (Acts
24:25;) and as the elders of the town trembled when Samuel came in, saying, "Comest thou peaceably?" (1 Sam. 16:4.) So methinks thou shouldst do when the minister comes into the pulpit; and thy heart, whenever thou meditatest of that day, should meditate terror, (Isa.
33:18,) and thou shouldst even be a terror to thyself, and all thy friends. (Jer. 20:4.) If the keepers trembled and became as dead men, when they did but see the angels, (Matt. 28:3, 4,) how canst thou think of living in hell with devils till thou hast got some sound assurance that thou shalt escape it? Or, if thou seldom think of these things, the wonder is as great, what shift thou makest to keep those thoughts from thy heart, and to live so quietly in so doleful a state?
Thy bed is very soft, or thy heart is very hard, if thou canst sleep soundly in this uncertain case.
I have showed thee the danger, let me next proceed to show thee the remedy.
If this general uncertainty of the world about their salvation, were constrained or remediless, then must it be borne as other unavoidable miseries, and it were unmeet either to reprove them for it, or dissuade them from it; but, alas! the common cause is wilfulness and negligence. Men will not be persuaded to use the remedy, though it be easy, and at hand, prescribed to them by God himself, and all necessary helps thereunto provided for them. The great means to conquer this uncertainty, is self-examination, or the serious and diligent trying of a man's heart and state, by the rule of Scripture. The Scripture tells us plainly who shall be saved, and who shall not: so that if men would but first search the word, to find out who are these men that shall have rest, and what are their properties by which they may be known; and then next search carefully their own hearts, till they find whether they are those men or not, how could they choose but to come to some certainty? But, alas! either men understand not the nature and use of this duty, or else they will
not be at the pains to try. Go through a congregation of a thousand men, and how few of them shall you meet with, that ever bestowed one hour in all their lives in a close examination of their title to heaven! Ask thy own conscience, reader, when was the time, and where was the place, that ever thou solemnly tookest thy heart to task, as in the sight of God, and examinedst it by scripture interrogatories, whether it be born again and renewed, or not; whether it be holy, or not; whether it be set most on God, or on creatures; on heaven, or on earth; and didst follow on this examination till thou hadst discovered thy condition, and so passed sentence on thyself accordingly.
But because this is a work of so high concernment, and so commonly neglected, and men's souls do so much languish everywhere under this neglect, I will, therefore, though it be digressive, 1. Show you that it is possible, by trying, to come to a certainty; 2. Show the hinderances that keep men from trying, and from assurance; 3. I will lay down some motives to persuade you to it; 4. I will give you some directions how you should perform it; 5. And lastly, I will lay you down some marks out of Scripture, by which you may try, and so come to an infallible certainty, whether you are the people of God, for whom this rest remaineth, or not. And to prepare the way to these, I will, a little, first open to you, what examination is, and what that certainty is, which we may expect to attain to.
Sect. II. This self-examination is, an inquiry into the course of our lives, but more especially, into the inward acts of our souls, and trying of their sincerity by the word of God, and accordingly judging of our real and relative estate.
So that examination containeth several acts: 1. There must be the trial of the physical truth, or sincerity of our acts; that is, an inquiry after the very being of them; as whether there be such an act as belief, or desire, or love to God within us or not: this must be discovered by conscience, and the internal sense of the soul; whereby
it is able to feel and perceive its own acts, and to know whether they be real or counterfeit.
2. The next is, the trial of the moral truth, or sincerity of acts; whether they are such as agree with the rule and the nature of their objects. This is a discursive work of reason, comparing our acts with the rule; it implieth the former knowledge of the being of our acts, and it implieth the knowledge of Scripture in the point in question, and also the belief of the truth of Scripture. This moral, spiritual truth of our acts, is another thing, far different from the natural or physical truth; as far as a man's being differeth from his honesty.
One man loveth his wife under the notion of a harlot, or only to satisfy his lust; another loveth his wife with a true, conjugal affection: the former is true, physical love, or true in point of being; but the latter only is true, moral love. The like may be said in regard of all the acts of the soul. There is a believing, loving, trusting, fearing, rejoicing, all true in point of being, and not counterfeit; which yet are all false in point of morality and right being, and so no gracious acts at all.
3. The third thing being contained in the work of self-examination, is the judging or concluding of our real estate; that is, of the habitual temper or disposition of our hearts, by the quality of their acts; whether they are such acts as prove a habit of holiness, or only some slight disposition; or whether they are only, by some accident, enticed or enforced, and prove neither habit nor disposition. The, like, also of our evil acts. Now, the acts which prove a habit must be,
1. Free and cheerful; not constrained, or such as we had rather not do if we could help it. 2. Frequent; if there be opportunity. 3. Thorough and serious: where note also, that the trial of the soul's disposition by those acts, which make after the end, as desire, love, &c., to God,
Christ, heaven, is always more necessary and more certain, than the trial of its disposition to the means only.
4. The last act in this examination, is to conclude or judge of our relative estate, from the former judgment of our acts and habits. As if
we find sincere acts, we may conclude that we have the habits; so from both, we may conclude of our relation. So that our relations, or habits, are neither of them felt or known immediately, but must be gathered from the knowledge of our acts, which may be felt; as for example: 1. I inquire, whether I believe in Christ, or love God? 2. If I find that I do, then I inquire next, whether I do it sincerely, according to the rule and the nature of the object? 3. If I find that I do so, then I conclude that I am regenerate or sanctified. 4. And from both these, I conclude that I am pardoned, reconciled, justified, and adopted into sonship, and title to the inheritance. All this is done in a way of reasoning, thus:
1. He that believes in spiritual sincerity, or he that loves God in spiritual sincerity, is a regenerate man: but I do so believe and love; therefore, I am regenerate.
2. He that believes in sincerity, or he that is regenerate, for the conclusion will follow upon either, is also pardoned, justified, and adopted: but I do so believe, or I am regenerate; therefore, I am justified, &c.
Sect. III. Thus you see what examination is. Now let us see what this certainty or assurance is; and indeed it is nothing else but the knowledge of the fore-mentioned conclusions, that we are sanctified, justified, shall be glorified, as they arise from the premises in the work of examination.
So that here you may observe, how immediately this assurance followeth the conclusion in examination, and so, how necessary examination is to the obtaining of assurance, and how conducible thereunto.
Also, that we are not speaking of the certainty of the object, or of the thing itself considered, but of the certainty of the subject, or of the thing to our knowledge.
Also you may observe, that before we can come to this certainty of the conclusion, That we are justified, and shall be glorified, there must be a certainty of the premises. And in respect of the major proposition, He that believeth sincerely, shall be justified and saved; there is requisite in us, 1. A certainty of knowledge; that such a proposition is written in Scripture. 2. A certainty of assent or faith; that this Scripture is the word of God, and true. Also, in respect of the minor proposition, But I do sincerely believe, or love, &c., there is requisite, 1. A certainty of the truth of our faith in point of being; 2.
And a certainty of its truth in point of morality, or congruence with the rule, or its right being. And then followeth the assurance, which is the certainty that the conclusion, Therefore I am justified, &c. followeth necessarily upon the former premises.
Here also you must carefully distinguish betwixt the several degrees of assurance. All assurance is not of the highest degree. It differs in strength, according to the different degrees of apprehension, in all the fore-mentioned points of certainty which are necessary thereunto. He that can truly raise the foresaid conclusion, that he is justified, &c., from the premises, hath some degree of assurance, though he do it with much weakness, and staggering, and doubting.
The weakness of our assurance in any one point of the premises, will accordingly weaken our assurance in the conclusion.
Some, when they speak of certainty of salvation, do mean only such a certainty as excludeth all doubting, and think nothing else can be called certainty, but this high degree. Perhaps some papists mean this, when they deny a certainty. Some also maintain, that Saint
Paul's plerophory, or full assurance, is the highest degree of assurance, and that some Christians do in this life attain to it. But Paul calls it full assurance, in comparison of lower degrees, and not because it is perfect. For if assurance be perfect, then all our certainty of knowledge, faith and sense in the premises, must be perfect: and if some grace be perfect, why not all? And so we turn
Novatians, Catharists, Perfectionists. Perhaps in some, their certainty may be so great that it may overcome all sensible doubting,
or sensible stirrings of unbelief, by reason of the sweet and powerful acts and effects of that certainty: and yet it doth not overcome all unbelief and uncertainty, so as to expel or nullify them; but a certain measure of them remaineth still. Even, as when you would heat cold water by the mixture of hot, you may pour in the hot so long till no coldness is felt, and yet the water may be far from the highest degree of heat. So faith may suppress the sensible stirrings of unbelief, and certainty prevail against all the trouble of uncertainty, and yet be far from the highest degree.
So that by this which is said, you may answer the question, What certainty is to be attained in this life; and what certainty it is that we press men to labour for and expect?
Furthermore; you must be sure to distinguish betwixt assurance itself, and the joy, and strength, and other sweet effects which follow assurance, or which immediately accompany it.
It is possible that there may be assurance, and yet no comfort, or little. There are many unskilful, but self-conceited disputers of late, better to manage a club than an argument, who tell us, 'that it must be the Spirit that must assure us of salvation, and not our marks and evidences of grace; that our comfort must not be taken from any thing in ourselves; that our justification must be immediately believed, and not proved by our signs of sanctification, &c. Of these in order. 1. It is as wise a question to ask, 'Whether our assurance come from the Spirit, or our evidence, or our faith,' &c., as to ask,
'Whether it be our meat, or our stomach, our teeth, or our hands, that feed us; or whether it be our eye-sight, or the sun-light, by which we see things?' They are distinct causes, all necessary to the producing of the same effect.
So that, by what hath been said, you may discern that the Spirit, and knowledge, and faith, and Scripture, and inward holiness and reason, and inward sense of conscience, have all several parts, and necessary uses in producing our assurance; which I will show you distinctly.
1. To the Spirit belong these particulars. 1. He hath indicted those Scriptures which contain the promise of our pardon and salvation. 2.
He giveth us the habit or power of believing. 3. He helpeth us also to believe actually, that the word is true, and to receive Christ and the privileges offered in the promise. 4. He worketh in us those graces, and exciteth those gracious acts with us, which are the evidences or marks of our interest to pardon and life: he helpeth us to perform those acts which God hath made to be the condition of pardon and glory. 5. He helpeth us to feel and discover these acts in ourselves. 6.
He helpeth us to compare them with the rule, and finding out their qualifications, to judge of their sincerity and acceptation with God. 7.
He helpeth our reason to conclude rightly of our state from our acts.
He enliveneth and heighteneth our apprehension in these particulars, that our assurance may accordingly be strong and lively.
8. He exciteth our joy, and filleth with comfort (when he pleaseth) upon this assurance. None of all these could we perform well of ourselves.
2. The part which the Scripture hath in this work, is, 1. It affordeth us the major proposition, that whosoever believeth sincerely shall be saved." 2. It is the rule by which our acts must be tried, that we may judge of their moral truth.
3. The part that knowledge hath in it, is to know that the foresaid proposition is written in Scripture.
4. The work of faith is to believe the truth of that Scripture, and to be the matter of one of our chief evidences.
5. Our holiness, and true faith, as they are marks and evidences, are the very medium of our argument, from which we conclude.
6. Our conscience and internal sense do acquaint us with both the being and qualifications of our inward acts, which are this medium, and which are called marks.
7. Our reason, or discourse, is necessary to form the argument, and raise the conclusion from the premises; and to compare our acts with the rule, and judge of the sincerity, &c.
So that you see our assurance is not an effect of any one single cause alone. And so neither merely of faith, by signs, nor by the Spirit.
From all this you may gather, 1. What the seal of the Spirit is, to wit, the works or fruits of the Spirit in us. 2. What the testimony of the Spirit is, (for if it be not some of the fore-mentioned acts, I yet know it not). 3. What the testimony of conscience is.
And, if I be not mistaken, the testimony of the Spirit, and the testimony of conscience, are two concurrent testimonies, or causes, to produce one and the same effect, and to afford the premises to the same conclusion, and then to raise our joy thereupon; so that they may well be said to witness together. Not one laying down the entire conclusion of itself, "that we are the children of God;" and then the other attesting the same entirely again of itself: but as concurrent causes to the same numerical conclusion.
But this with submission to better judgments and further search.
By this also you may see, that the common distinction of certainty of adherence, and certainty of evidence, must be taken with a grain or two of salt. For there is no certainty without evidence, any more than there is a conclusion without a medium. A small degree of certainty hath some small glimpse of evidence. Indeed, 1. The assent to the truth of a promise: 2. And the acceptation of Christ offered with his benefits, are both before and without any sight or consideration of evidence, and are themselves our best evidence, being that faith which is the condition of our justification; but before any man can, in the least assurance, conclude that he is the child of God, and justified, he must have some assurance of that mark or evidence. For who can conclude absolutely that he will receive the thing contained in a conditional promise, till he know that he hath performed the
condition? For those that say, 'There is no condition of the new covenant,' I think them not worthy a word of confutation.
And for their assertion, "that we are bound immediately to believe that we are justified, and in special favour with God;" it is such as no man of competent knowledge in the Scripture, and belief of its truth, can once imagine. For if every man must believe this, then most must believe a lie, for they shall never be justified, yea, all must at first believe a lie; for they are not justified till they believe; and the believing that they are justified, is not the faith that justifieth them. If only some men must believe this, how should it be known who they be? The truth is, that we are justified, is not properly to be believed at all; for nothing is to be believed which is not written: but it is nowhere written that you or I am justified: only one of these premises is written, from whence we may draw the conclusion, that we are justified, if so be that our own hearts do afford us the other of the premises. So that our actual justification is not a matter of mere faith, but a conclusion from faith and conscience together. If God have nowhere promised to any man justification immediately, without condition, then no man can believe it: but God hath nowhere promised it absolutely; therefore, &c. Nor hath he declared to any man, that is not first a believer, that he loveth him with any more than a common love; therefore, no more can be believed but a common love to any such. For the eternal love and election are manifest to no man before he is a believer.
Sect. IV. 2. Having thus showed you what examination is, and what assurance is, I come to the second thing promised, to show you, that such an infallible certainty of salvation may be attained, and ought to be laboured for, though a perfect certainty cannot here be attained: and that examination is the means to attain it. In which I shall be the briefer, because many writers against the papists on this point, have said enough already. Yet somewhat I will say: 1. Because it is the common conceit of the ignorant vulgar, that an infallible certainty cannot be attained. 2. And many have taught and printed that it is only the testimony of the Spirit that ean assure us; and that this
proving our justification by our sanctification, and searching after marks and signs in ourselves for the procuring of assurance, is a dangerous and deceitful way. Thus we have the papists, the antinomians, and the ignorant vulgar, conspiring against this doctrine of assurance and examination. Which I maintain against them by these arguments.
1. Scripture tells us we may know, and that the saints before us have known their justification, and future salvation. (2 Cor. 5:1; Rom.
8:36; John 21:15; 1 John 5:19, 4:14, 3:14–24, and 2:3–5; Rom. 8:14, 19, 36; Eph. 3:12.) I refer you to the places for brevity.
2. If we may be certain of the premises, then may we also be certain of the undeniable conclusion of them. But here we may be certain of both the premises. For, 1. "That whosoever believeth in Christ shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life," is the voice of the Gospel; and therefore that we may be sure of; that we are such believers, may be known by conscience and internal sense. I know all the question is this, whether the moral truth, or sincerity of our faith, and other graces, can be known thus or not? And that it may, I prove thus:
1. From the natural use of this conscience, and internal sense, which is to acquaint us not only with the being, but the qualifications of the acts of our souls. All voluntary motions are sensible, and though the heart is so deceitful, that no man can certainly know the heart of another, and with much difficulty clearly know his own; yet, by diligent observation and examination, known they may be; for though our inward sense and conscience may be depraved, yet not extirpated, or quite extinguished.
2. The commands of believing, repenting, &c., were in vain, especially as the condition of the covenant, if we could not know whether we perform them or not.
3. The Scripture would never make such a wide difference between the godly and the wicked, the children of God and the children of the
devil, and set forth the happiness of the one and the misery of the other so largely, and make this difference to run through all the veins of its doctrine, if a man cannot know which of these two estates he is in.
4. Much less would the Holy Ghost bid us "give all diligence to make our calling and election sure, if it could not be done." (2 Pet. 1:10.)
And that this is not meant of objective certainty, but of the subjective, appeareth in this; that the apostle mentioneth not salvation, or any thing to come, but calling and election, which to believers were objectively certain before, as being both past.
5. And to what purpose should we be so earnestly urged to examine, and prove, and try ourselves, whether we be in the faith, and whether
Christ be in us, or we be reprobates? (1 Cor. 11:28, and 2 Cor. 13:5.) Why should we search for that which cannot be found?
6. How can we obey those precepts which require us to rejoice always? (1 Thess. 5:16:) To call God our Father: (Luke 11:2:) To live in his praises: (Ps. 49:1–5:) And to long for Christ's coming: (Rev.
22:17, 20; 1 Thess. 1:10:) and to comfort ourselves with the mention of it: (1 Thess. 4:18): which are all the consequents of assurance.
Who can do any of these heartily, that is not in some measure sure that he is the child of God?
7. There are some duties that either the saints only, or chiefly, are commanded to perform; and how shall that be done, if we cannot know that we are saints? (Ps. 144:5, 132:9, 30:4, 31:23, &c.)
Thus I have proved that a certainty may be attained; an infallible, though not a perfect certainty: such as excludeth deceit, though it excludeth not all degrees of doubting. If Bellarmine, by his conjectural certainty, do mean this infallible though imperfect certainty, (as I doubt he doth not,) then I would not much contend with him: and I acknowledge that it is not properly a certainty of mere faith, but mixed.
Sect. V. 3. The third thing that I promised, is, to show you what are the hinderances which keep men from examination and assurance. I shall, 1. Show what hinders them from trying. And, 2. What hindereth them from knowing, when they do try, that so when you see the impediments, you may avoid them.
And, 1. We cannot doubt but Satan will do his part, to hinder us from such a necessary duty as this: if all the power he hath can do it, or all the means and instruments which he can raise up, he will be sure above all duties to keep you off from this. He is loth the godly should have that joy, and assurance, and advantage, against corruption, which the faithful performance of self-examination would procure them. And for the ungodly, he knows, if they should once fall close to this examining task, they would find out his deceits, and their own danger, and so be very likely to escape him; if they did but faithfully perform this duty, he were likely to lose most of the subjects of his kingdom. How could he get so many millions to hell willingly, if they knew they went thither? And how could they choose but know, if they did thoroughly try, having such a clear light, and sure rule in the Scripture, to discover it? If the beast did know that he is going to the slaughter, he would not be driven so easily to it, but would strive for his life before he comes to die, as well as he doth at the time of his death. If Balaam had seen as much of the danger as his ass, instead of his driving on so furiously, he would have been as loth to proceed as he. If the Syrians had known whither they were going, as well as Elisha did, they would have stopped before they found themselves in the hands of their enemies. (2 Kings 6:19, 20.) So, if sinners did but know whither they were hasting, they would stop before they are engulfed in damnation. If every swearer, drunkard, whoremonger, lover of the world, or unregenerate person whatsoever, did certainly know that the way he is in, will never bring him to heaven, and that if he die in it, he shall undoubtedly perish, Satan could never get him to proceed so resolvedly. Alas! he would then think every day a year till he were out of the danger; and whether he were eating, drinking, working, or whatever he were doing, the thoughts of his danger would be still in his mind, and this voice would be still in his ears,
"Except thou repent and be converted, thou shalt surely perish." The devil knows well enough, that if he cannot keep men from trying their states, and knowing their misery, he shall hardly be able to keep them from repentance and salvation. And, therefore, he deals with them as Jael with Sisera; she gives him fair words, and food, and layeth him to sleep, and covereth his face, and then she comes upon him softly, and strikes the nail into his temples. (Judges 4:19.) And as the Philistines with Sampson, who first put out his eyes, and then made him grind in their mills. (Judges 16:21.) If the pit be not covered, who but the blind will fall into it? If the snare be not hid, the bird will escape it: Satan knows how to angle for souls better than to show them the hook or line, and to fright them away with a noise, or with his own appearance.
Therefore, he labours to keep them from a searching ministry; or to keep the minister from helping them to search; or to take off the edge of the word, that it may not pierce and divide; or to turn away their thoughts, or to possess them with prejudice. Satan is acquainted with all the preparations and studies of the minister; he knows when he hath provided a searching sermon, fitted to the state and necessity of a hearer; and therefore he will keep him away that day, if it be possible, above all, or else cast him asleep, or steal away the word by the cares and talk of the world, or some way prevent its operation, and the sinner's obedience.
This is the first hinderance.
Sect. VI. Wicked men also are great impediments to poor sinners when they should examine and discover their estates. 1. Their examples hinder much. When an ignorant sinner seeth all his friends and neighbours do as he doth, and live quietly in the same state with himself; yea, the rich and learned as well as others, this is an exceeding great temptation to him to proceed in his security. 2. Also, the merry company, and pleasant discourse of these men, doth take away the thoughts of his spiritual state, and doth make the understanding drunk with their sensual delight: so that if the Spirit
had before put into them any jealousy of themselves, or any purpose to try themselves, this jovial company doth soon quench them all. 3.
Also, their continual discourse of nothing but matters of the world, doth damp all these purposes for self-trying, and make them forgotten. 4. Their railings also, and scorning at godly persons, is a very great impediment to multitudes of souls, and possesseth them with such a prejudice and dislike of the way to heaven, that they settle resolvedly in the way that they are in. 5. Also, their constant persuasions, allurements, threats, &c., hinder much. God doth scarcely ever open the eyes of a poor sinner, to see that all is nought with him, and his way is wrong, but presently there is a multitude of Satan's apostles ready to flatter him, and daub, and deceive, and settle him again in the quiet possession of his former master. 'What,' say they, 'do you make a doubt of your salvation, who have lived so well, and done nobody harm, and been beloved of all? God is merciful: and if such as you shall not be saved, God help a great many: what do you think is become of all your forefathers: and what will become of all your friends and neighbours that live as you do: will they all be damned; shall none be saved, think you, but a few strict precisians? Come, come, if ye hearken to these books or preachers, they will drive you to despair shortly, or drive you out of your wits: they must have something to say: they would have all like themselves: are not all men sinners; and did not Christ die to save sinners? Never trouble your head with these thoughts, but believe and you shall do well.'t Thus do they follow the soul that is escaping from Satan, with restless cries, till they have brought him back: oh, how many thousands have such charms kept asleep in deceit and security, till death and hell have awakened and better informed them! The Lord calls to the sinner, and tells him, "The gate is strait, the way is narrow, and few find it: try and examine whether thou be in the faith or no: give all diligence to make sure in time." (Luke
13:24; 2 Cor. 13:5; 2 Pet. 1:10.) And the world cries out clean contrary, never doubt, never trouble yourselves with these thoughts:
I entreat the sinner that is in this strait, to consider, that it is Christ, and not their fathers, or mothers, or neighbours, or friends, that must judge them at last; and if Christ condemn them, these cannot
save them: and therefore common reason may tell them, that it is not from the words of ignorant men, but from the word of God, that they must fetch their comforts and hopes of salvation. When Ahab would inquire among the multitudes of flattering prophets, it was his death.
They can flatter men into the snare, but they cannot tell how to bring them out. Oh, take the counsel of the Holy Ghost, "Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience: be not ye therefore partakers with them;" (Ephes. 5:6, 7;) and, "Save yourselves from this untoward generation." (Acts 2:40.) 3. But the greatest hinderances are in men's own hearts.
Sect. VII. 1. Some are so ignorant that they know not what selfexamination is, nor what a minister means when he persuadeth them to try themselves; or they know not that there is any necessity of it; but think every man is bound to believe that God is his Father, and that his sins are pardoned, whether it be true or false; and that it were a great fault to make any question of it; or, they do not think that assurance can be attained; or, that there is any such great difference betwixt one man and another; but that we are all
Christians, and therefore need not to trouble ourselves any further; or, at least, they know not wherein the difference lies, nor how to set upon the searching of their hearts, nor to find out its secret motions, and to judge accordingly. They have as gross conceits of that regeneration, which they must search for, as Nicodemus had. (John
3:5.) And when they should try whether the Spirit be in them, they are like those that "knew not whether there were a Holy Ghost to be received or no." (Acts 19:2.) 2. Some are such infidels that they will not believe that ever God will make such a difference betwixt men in the life to come, and therefore will not search themselves whether they differ here: though judgment and resurrection be in their creed, yet they are not in their faith.
3. Some are so dead-hearted, that they perceive not how nearly it doth concern them; let us say what we can to them, they lay it not to heart, but give us the hearing, and there is an end.
4. Some are so possessed with self-love and pride, that they will not so much as suspect any such danger to themselves. Like a proud tradesman, who scorns the motion when his friends desire him to cast up his books, because they are afraid he will break. As some fond parents, that have an over-weening conceit of their own children, and therefore will not believe or hear any evil of them. Such a fond self-love doth hinder men from suspecting and trying their states.
5. Some are so guilty that they dare not try. They are so fearful that they shall find their states unsound, that they dare not search into them: and yet they dare venture them to a more dreadful trial.
6. Some are far in love with their sin, and so far in dislike with the way of God, that they dare not fall on the trial of their ways, lest they be forced from the course which they love to that which they loathe.
7. Some are so resolved already never to change their present state, that they neglect examination as a useless thing. Before they will turn so precise, and seek a new way, when they have lived so long, and gone so far, they will put their eternal state to the venture, come of it what will. And when a man is fully resolved to hold on his way, and not to turn back, be it right or wrong, to what end should he inquire whether he be right or not?
8. Most men are so taken up with their worldly affairs, and are so busy in driving the trade of providing for the flesh, that they cannot set themselves to the trying of their title to heaven. They have another kind of happiness in their eye, which they are pursuing, which will not suffer them to make sure of heaven.
9. Most men are so clogged with a laziness and slothfulness of spirit, that they will not be persuaded to be at the pains of an hour's examination of their own hearts. It requireth some labour and
diligence to accomplish it thoroughly, and they will rather venture all than set about it.
10. But the common and dangerous impediment is that false faith and hope, commonly called presumption, which bears up the hearts of the most of the world, and so keeps them from suspecting their danger.
Thus you see what abundance of difficulties must be overcome before a man can closely set upon the examining of his heart. I do but name them for brevity sake.
And if a man do break through all these impediments, and set upon the duty, yet assurance is not presently attained. Of those few who do inquire after marks and means of assurance, and bestow some pains to learn the difference between the sound Christian and the unsound, and look often into their own hearts; yet divers are deceived, and do miscarry, especially through these following causes:
1. There is such a confusion and darkness in the soul of man, especially of an unregenerate man, that he can scarcely tell what he doeth, or what is in him. As one can hardly find any thing in an house where nothing keeps his place, but all is cast on a heap together: so is it in the heart where all things are in disorder, especially when darkness is added to this disorder: so that the heart is like an obscure cave or dungeon, where there is but a little crevice of light, and a man must rather grope than see. No wonder if men mistake in searching such a heart, and so miscarry in judging of their estate.
2. And the rather, because most men do accustom themselves to be strangers at home, and are little taken up with observing the temper and motions of their own hearts. All their studies are employed without them, and they are nowhere less acquainted than in their own breasts.
3. Besides, many come to the work with forestalling conclusions: they are resolved what to judge before they try: they use the duty but to strengthen their present conceits of themselves, and not to find out the truth of their condition, like a bribed judge, who examines each party as if he would judge uprightly, when he is resolved which way the cause shall go beforehand. Or, as perverse disputers, who argue only to maintain their present opinions rather than to try those opinions whether they are right or wrong. Just so do men examine their hearts.
4. Also, men are partial in their own cause. They are ready to think their great sins small, and their small sins to be none; their gifts of nature to be the work of grace, and their gifts of common grace to be the special grace of the saints. They are straightway ready to say, "All these have I kept from my youth; and I am rich and increased," &c.
(Matt. 19:20; Rev. 3:17.) The first common excellency that they meet with in themselves, doth so dazzle their eyes, that they are presently satisfied that all is well, and look no further.
5. Besides, most men do search but by the halves. If it will not easily and quickly be done, they are discouraged, and leave off. Few set to it, and follow it, as beseems them in a work of such moment. He must give all diligence that means to make sure.
6. Also, men try themselves by false marks and rules, not knowing wherein the truth of Christianity doth consist; some looking beyond, and some short of the scripture standard.
7. Moreover, there is so great likeness between the lowest degree of special grace, and the highest degree of common grace, that it is no wonder if the unskilful be mistaken. It is a great question, whether the main difference between special grace and common be not rather gradual than specifical. If it should be so, as some think, then the discovery will be much more difficult. However, to discern by what principle our affections are moved, and to what ends, and with what sincerity, is not very easy; there being so many wrong ends and