the world that sooner deceives us or so much abuses us as our own hearts they are not to be consulted with nor trusted to without the Word but tried by it therefore search the Scriptures and search thy self If we go to the Creatuâ—e for assurance and go from Creature to Creature for it as the Bee goes from flower to flower the Creatures may all reply in the language of Job and say it is not in me neither is it to be found in me it cannot be gotten for gold neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof Honour may say it is not in me neither is it to be found in me and riches may say it is not in me neither is it to be found in me gifts may say it is not in me and learning may say it is not in me neither is it to be found in me and thus may all the Creatures reply But where then is assurance to be found and where is the place thereof seeing it is hid from the eyes â—f the most and kept close from many of Gods Iewels The world sayes we have heard of the fame thereof but know not what it is Gods People say we thirst after it but know not where to find it Thou that thus complainest go to the word and it will tell thee in the Word and in the wildernesse assurance is usually found go thou to the Word to seek it follow the counsell of Christ thou that longâ—st after assurance but knowest not where to find it Go thy wayes forth by the footsteps of the flock and feed thy kids beside thâ— sheepherds tents Frequent the Word preached read the Word Printed Seek for Evidencâ— in grace and not in gifts in renewing grace not in morall grace seek it in the narâ—ow way These are the paths wherein the flock of Christ have gone before us and which they have trodden out unto us follow their foot steps if thou wouldest attain assurance go not in untroden paths to seek it it is a pearl that is not to be found in every place seek it therefore where it is to be found This is the first branch of the second Rule 2. The second is this He that would get assurance must seek it as it is to be sought after He must seek it according to the Scripture directory that is diligently orderly humbly perseveringly First He must seek it diligently Give diligence to make your calling and election sure saith the Text He that would get assurance must seek it diligently and industriously he must seek it as Solomon teaches us to seek wisdoms and understanding seek for it as for silver and search for it as for hid treasure It is treasure which lies hid and lies deep in the Bowels is the Scripture and he that will obtain it must dive deep for it and dive with his eyes open as the Indians are said to do for pearl he must labour for it industriously as labourers do in silver-mines Secondly He must seek it orderly he must follow the vein He must not begin where God begins but where God ends he must not begin at the root to fiâ—d the branch but by the branch discry the roote my meaning is he must not begin with Gods decree in predestination which is the root of salvation But with regeneration and justification which are branches issuing out of this root other wayes he may destroy the tree ere he is aware I mean himself and all hope of Heaven and salvation as I have known some do and fall into utter desperation The truth is he that will not beleeve untill he read God's decree in Heaven must never look for any assurance of Heaven here nor fruition of it hereafter If you will not beleeve you shall not be established saith the Text He that will reach to Heaven by Jacobs Ladder must begin at the lowest step this is the Scripture way to get assurance Christs directory prescribes it when Iesus Christ would instruct Nicodemus about his spirituall and eternall estate he did not send him to Heaven to read the records of the celestiall court but sent him to read himself over to search his own heart and life to consider whether he were regenerate and born again whether he were ingrafted into Christ and made a new Creature yea or nay Christ directs him to the effect to find out the cause not to the cause to find out the effect which teaches us that he that would get some good Evidence of the Love of God and his own salvation must begin at home with the workings of God in and upon himself he must consider what work the Spirit of God hath done in him what sight of sinne what sense of sinne what sorrow for sinne what lâ—athing and forsaking of sinne he hath wrought in him what grace or desire of grace or prizing of grace the Spirit of God hath wrought in him The Father himself Loveth you saith Christ. But how shall that appeare Why the next words tell us Ye have loved me and beleeved c. The Father himself loved you because ye have loved mâ— and beleeved that I came out from God It is as if Christ had said your faith to me working by love to me demonstrates it for Christ doth not here make our Faith or our love the cause of Gods love to us but the discoverer of it And the Apostle tells us That whom God did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne and ver 30. saith that whom he did predestinate them he also called to wit inwardly and effectually according to his purpose by giving them saving grace and whom he thus calleth them he also justifieth and whom he justifieth them he also glorifieth And here the Apostle followeth the example of his Lord and Master leading us to the cause by the effects and to the end by the meanes hence it is evident That he that would get assurance of his Election must seek it in the workings of God in and upon himself he must consider how his justification iâ— evidenced by his sanctification and his election by both Sanctification is Gods work in us justification is Gods work upon us both together are certain pledges of his good will towards us In the third place He that would seek assurance as it is to be sought after must seek it humbly with feare and trembling the Scripture calls upon us so to do Work out your own salvation with feare and trembling a seeker of assurance must seek humbly upon his knees and he must seek tremblingly with a holy feare and jealousie least he should mistake and miscarry for though it be possible for a Child of God to know his estate yet it is very difficult Fourthly He must seek perseveringly he must never give over asking untill he receive never give over seeking untill he find what he seeketh He must follow the example of the Spouse seeking
it is true and reall the work is begun within in the heart and spirit that is made new first although perfectâ—d last words and actions which are but the effects of these causes appear before them and give demonstration of them but these as the cause must needs preceed the effect A man by a common work of the Spirit of God on him may be made another man then formerly he was and yet not be a new Creature He may have another heart then formerly he had and yet not have a new heart He may be qualified with moral grace in a high degree and inabled to do much for God and yet not be a new Creature as appears in Saul and Iudas when God brought Saul to the Kingdom of Israel according to Samuels propâ—esie The Spirit of the Lord came upon him and â—e became another man and the Text saies God gave him another heart 1 Sam. 10. ver 6 9. A heâ—rt other wayes qualified then formerly And Saul was valiant and prosperous in his enterprises against the Philistins and gifted for ruling yet Saul never was a new Creature he never had a new heart Iudas when called to the Apostleship by Christ was by the Spirit of Chrift gifted for the work whereunto Christ called him he was made another man then he was before yet was he not made a new Creature he never had a new heart He was gifted for the Church but not for his own salvation There is a vast difference between being made another man and being made a new man as these instances declare Neither Saul nor Iudas ever were new Creatures nor ever had a new heart nor any renewing grace wrought by the Spirit of God in them A new heart is proper and peculiar to a new Creature fit and but fit to give the appearance of a new Creature The Creature therefore is to be accounted new only as it can derive newnes from within newnes from the heart and spirit all without may be new all the apparel new and yet the person old that weares it so all without may be new in appearance profession words and actions all new and yet the Creature old still the newness of the Creature consists chiefly in the renovation of the inward man I say chiefly not only A new Creature is one all glorious within one that hath the root of the matter within him as Iob speaks to wit integrity in his inward parts a new heart and spirit He therefore that will judg aright of his own spiritual estate must needs begin where God begins at the heart and spirit he must confider whether he have a new heart or not Quest. But you will say What is a new heart And how may I discern whether I have a new heart yea or nay Ans. A new heart considered according to its formality is a heart wherein Christ is formed a heart indued with renewing grace and acted by it a heart made one with the Lord a heart wherein Christ is resident and president And it may be discerned by divers appearances Take this discription of a new heart in which expression you like best it comes all to one it is not my work nor purpose to speak of the terms of this description therefore I passe from it to the appearances of a new heart 1. A new heart is a heart washed from wickednesse this is intimated by the Language of the Lord to Ierusalem Jer. 4 14. O Ierusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse that thou maist be saved c. Quest. But you will say How shall I know whether my heart be washed from wickedness or not Ans. I will mention only one Character of a heart washed from wickednesse which is this In a heart washed from wickedness vain thoughts do not lodg as welcome guests and if not vain thoughts then much lesse wicked thoughts this is plainly hinted in this Text wash thy heart from wickedness that thou maist be saved how long shall vain thoughts lodg within thee it is as if the Lord had said Thy willing lodging of vain thoughts within thee plainly demonstrates thy heart is not washed from wickednesse for were thy heart washed from wickednesse vain thoughts would not nay they could not lodg within thee as welcom guests Vain thoughts may and oftentimes do arise in the best and most holy man or woman alive but they do not lodg with such a person as welcome guests Object But may some say I cannot from this conclude that my heart is washed from wickedness but rather that it is not washed from wickedness for I find that vain thoughts do not only arise in me but lodg with me abide with me long and many times with delight I do not only think vain thoughts but many times bid them welcome Ans. This know that every one whose heart is washed from wickednesse beares the Image of a double person he beares the Image of a person washed and of a person unwashed of the old man and of the new and so farre forth as he is washed and clensed he doth decline and hate vain thoughts but so farre forth as unwashed and unregenerate they are welcome and pleasing to him The heart that is washed from wickednesse is not perfectly but imperctfely washed hence it comes to pass that there is in it both a detesting of and a delighting in the same thing at the same time vain thoughts lodg not with the regenerate part of the man as welcome guests whatever they may do with the unregenerate part Vain thoughts as Satans souldiers may quarter upon a man whose heart is washed from wickednesse will he nill he but they are not welcome guests but wearysome guests to him so farre forth as washed Whosoever therefore can find that he doth truly hate and decline vain thoughts ought not hence to conclude that his heart is not washed from wickednesse nor that he hath not a new heart but rather to conclude with the Apostle Rom. 7.17 It is no more I that do it but sinne that dwelleth in me it is no more I as washed and sanctified that welcome these guests but it is sin that dwelleth in me that doth it 2. Secondly Another appearance of a new heart is purity a new heart is a pure and simple heart That which is in Ezekiel called a new heart is by Christ called a pure heart Mat. 5.8 and a blessed heart which plainly declares that a new heart is a pure heart A pure heart is of all other the most sensible of its impurity it still finds more impurity then purity in its self and therefore goes to Christ for more cleansing stills to the Blood of Christ to the Spirit of Christ to the Ordinances of Christ with the desire and language of David Create in me a cleane heart O Lord and puts that promise in suit Ezek. 36.25 A pure heart will not mix with any impure thing but is still purging it out it is like
forth to God in supplication and thanksgiving this is evident by Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.15 26. The soul thus sealed by the Spirit of God longs after and delights in approaches to God and God approaches to it in all his holy Ordinances Let me see his countenance let me hear his voice saith the soul thus sealed for sweet is his countenance and his voice pleasant it delights to meditate on and walk with its God it doth not leave off duty but performs it more conscionably and spiritually In the fift place sound assurance produces fruitfullness the soul that is by the Spirit of God assured of the grace and favour of God towards it is usuâ—lly the fruâ—tfullest in righteousness as is evâ—dent by the language of the Apostle Col. 1.6 After the Colossians knew the grace of God in truth they were more fruitfull in righteousness than ever Sound assurance of the love of God produces care and industry in the work and wayes of God as is evident by the language of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.1 8. We know we are confident saith he of himself and other Believers and what follows Therefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him ver 9. These mens assurance produced not carelesness and sloth but care and industry and it is the property of good assurance so to do This condemns that Popish Tenet That assurance of salvation is the destroyer of all piety and charity And it condemns that assurance that is fruitless or careless In the sixt place Sound assurance produces joy 1 Pet. 1.8 Faith of evidence and joy are inseperably united they are Twins born at once and if assurance die joy dies with it In whomsoever the Spirit of God is a Spirit of Confirmation he is a Spirit of Consolation the soul that is assured of the love of God towards it cannot but rejoyce in it spiritual Consolation doth not spring so naturally from any thing as it doth out of the witness of the Spirit joy may be I mean some kind of joy where assurance is wanting but assurance never goes without joy spirituall joy There is a generation as Solomon tels us which in the midst of laughter their heart is sad and there is a generation which in the midst of sadnesse their heart rejoyceth And those which are thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God are they such is the power of sound assurance that it will make I mean instrumentally the heart to joy whilst the outward man sorrows it will fill the heart with joy unspeakable and full of glory whilst the outward man is filled with shame and contempt yea sound assurance is for the most part then strongest and shews it self with most vigor and light somenesse within when the greatest damp of outward discomforts lye upon the person and the world most frowns upon him or persecutes him for his frowardnesse and faithfulnesse in the cause of God When Paul and Silas had much cause to sigh for their usage amongst men they then sang and rejoyced Act. 16.25 When the Apostles did suffer shame for Christ then did they most rejoyce Act. 5.41 When the People of God were spoiled of their goods and spoiled in their persons then did they rejoyce and whence sprang their joy in this disconsolate condition but from their assurance They took joyfully the spoiling of their goods knowing that they had in Heaven a better and induring substance Heb. 10.34 Assurance of Gods favour produceth joy according to its measure and degree assurance of hope produceth joy assurance of faith produceth more joy The riches of the full assurance of understanding most of all The joy that springs from assurance is a heart strengthening joy a life lenghtening joy and a joy that no man can take from us it is a soul inlarging a shame despising a God-glorifying a world-overcoming and a sin-overcoming grace In the seventh place Sound assurance produceth humility this seal of confirmation when set by the Spirit of God doth work the soul to more humility of mind then usually is in others The Apostle Paul is a notable instance hereof he was thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God when he said I am perswaded that neither Death nor Lfe Angels Principalities nor Powers nor any other thing shall be able to separate me from the Love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord and then did be serve the Lord with all humility of mind and with many tears as himself saith Act 20.19 Sound assurance is heart-humbling heart-molifying Sound assurance leaves not the soul without a holy jelousie of it self nor without a Christian watch This is evident in the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.38 39. compared with 1 Cor. 9.26 27. I am perswaded saith he that neither Deaâ—h nor Life nor any other Creature shall be able to separate me from the Love of God c. Yet was he not hereby taken off from but rather incited to a holy jealousie of and watchfulnesse over himself and all his wayes as appears by the forecited place Sound assurance and holy jealousie may well stand together and he whose assurance is void of holy jealousie and watchfulnesse hath great cause to be jealous of his assurance Sound assurance is not the destroyer but the Nurse of holy jealousie and watchfulnesse Neither is holy jealousie an enemy to but a preserver of sound assurance In the ninth place Sound assurance works the heart to more contempt of the world and the things of the world then others usually attain to and it doth mightily quicken and spur forward the soul to more holinesse hatred of sinne and zeal and courage in the cause of God Moses and Paul are pregnant examples of this of the effects of this seal in Moses we may read in Heb. 11. v. 24 25 26 27. Exod. 32.31 32 and in Paul Phil. 3. v. 7 to 15. Act. 20. v. 19 to 25. In the tenth place Sound assurance will bide the trial and it is willing to be tried it shuns not the light but comes to the light that its reality might be made manifest Sound assurance is not usually injoyed long without some buffetings of Satan the soul that is tâ—us sealed by the Spirit of God hath uâ—ually some thorne in the flesh some messenger or other of Satans to exercise it and humble it thus it was with the Apostle Paul when thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God as appears by 2 Cor. 12.7 and thus it is with other of the Children of God who are thus sealed by the Spirit of God as each mans experience will witnesse to this I set a probatum est Sound assurance of the Love of God makes the soul long for the full fruition of it this seal of the holy Spirit of God moves the soul nothing more to desire to be dissolved to be with God how long Lord saith this soul come Lord Iesus come quickly I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ
long description of a new Creature to seven particulars and speak of them particularly what God hath been pleased to impart unto me that if ever God in his providence should any wayes bring this Manuscript to publique view it may be helpful to some poor souls this way First A new Creature is one in whom Iesus Christ the new man is formed to wit truly formed the truth of this is evident by the language of the Apostle Gal. 4.19 My little Children saith he of whom I travell in birth again untill Christ he formed in you c. which words do clearly and strongly prove That when Christ is formed in the Creature the Creature is then new and not before it is then a new Creature and not till then it is then born again born of God and new indeed Regeneration may well be called a forming of Christ in us for it formes Christ in the understanding in the will in the affections in the conscience in all the faculties of the soul in all the parts and members of the body in the whole man in the whole life and conversation Here note two or three things First That God forms Christ in the whole man where he forms him truly God forms Christ in the whole man by conforming the whole man to Christ. 2. When every faculty of the soul is in its scope and bent for Christ then is Christ formed in the soul when every facultie of the soul and member of the body is bent for Christ then is Christ formed in the whole man 3. When a mans will desire aim and indeavour is to square his whole life by the Word of God as his rule then is Christ formed in his Conversation then is he a new Creature in Gods account who measures man more by his will and affection then his action as appears by 2 Cor. 8.12 compared with Prov. 23.26 Wouldest thou then know whether thou art a new Creature yea or nay consider then whether Christ be formed in thee â—o wit truly formed yea or nay ask thy soul the question that Saul asked the wiâ—ch What form is he of said he What sawest â—hou so do thou ask thy soul What form art thou of O my soul Whose image dost thou beare Christ's or Satans If Christ's truly though weakly this argues thy state good thy Creation â—tw this demonstrates thee a Creature new a new Creature Then again say as he What seest thou What seest thou O my soul in thy self What light what darknesse if nothing but darknesse what darknesse is it affected darknesse or afflicting darknesse if afflicting darknesse this speaks the Creature new If thou descriest light in thy understanding Consider then how it operates how it regulates how it transforms 1. Consider how that light which thou hast be it more or lesse doth operate whether it puffeth up or casteth down thy soul whether it lifteth up thy soul in praise or in pride whether it give glory to God or self renewing light is humbling God glorifying the more Iob saw of God the more he abhorred himself the more a new Creature knows God and himself the more he loaths himself and admires his God and desires to advance him Consider what affection sutable to its notion that light which thou hast produceth in thee what love to God and the things of God what love to man for God what hatred of sinne what joy in the Lord what desire to injoy the Lord in all and above all things what comfortable hope of increase of grace and glory what trust in God and desire to do for God and be with God it generates in thee Consider what power of godlinesse thy light produceth in thee what self-discovery what self-denyall it hath begotten in thee especially touching thy predominate sinne what contempt of the world in the good and evill of it what conscience of sinne of duty and the manner of it what conjunction of duties of the second Table with the duties of the first Table what contentation with thy state what watchfulnesse over thy heart and all the out-goings of it what willingnesse to take Christ with the Cross what desire and indeavour to help others what hunger and thirst after all those means which God hath appointed for the increase of it and all grace in us what fruitfullness in righteousness c. Saving illumination produceth fruitfulnesse Secondly Consider how that light which thou hast doth regulate and reform thee consider how it regulates thy judgment thy will and affections how it reforms thy life and all thy actions and conforms them to the Word and Will of Christ Consider what death to sinne what life to righteousnesse it produceth in thee what through reformation it hath begotten in thee renewing light is reforming light universally reforming inwardly reforming and perseveringly reforming Thirdly Consider how that light which thou hast transforms thee Consider what transformation it makes in thee Renewing light is transforming light Light from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ transforms into the Image of Christ Christ truly formed in the understanding speaks the man transformed by the renewing of his mind as is evident by the Language of the Apostle Rom. 12.2 Be you transformed by the renewing of your mind c. Consider how that light which thou hast elevateth and raiseth thy soul from Earth to Heaven and if thou findest that the light that is in thy understanding do thus operate thus regulate and thus transform truly though weakly be it more or lesse know it lively demonstrates Christ formed in thy understanding thy light renewing light and thee a Creature new Of Christ formed in the other faculties of the soul to wit Will and Affection and in life and conversation more shall be spoken in due place For the present note this As Christ the new Man is more or lesse formed in the Creature so the Creature is more or lesse new When Christ shall be perfectly formed in the Creaâ—ure then and never till then the Creature shall be perfectly new according to degrees Thus far of the first appearance of a new Creature he is one in whose understanding Christ is formed 2. The second appearance of a new Creature which I mean to insist on is this He is one that hath a new heart this conclusion I deduct from the Language of the Lord Ezek. 36.26 where the Lord speaking of making the Creature new begins at the heart A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you saith the Lord c. Satan doth his best works without but God and Nature do their first works within Nature begins its work within as Philosophers and Anatomists conceive In natural generation the heart lives and brain parts which have in them the begining of motion are the first in being though not the first in appearing nor the first perfected say they So in spiritual generation to wit regeneration where