can give any ground of Faith Would the Papists but as freely censure the errors of their former Writers as we do the errors of ours soon would all the controversies about Assurance come to an end but that being an happiness rather to be wished then hoped for let all less judicious Christians satisfie themselves to know 1. It is the receiving of Christ that gives us a right to be the sons of God 2. That he who receives Christ shall be by God owned as a son whether he know himself to have received Christ or no. The promises run clear Whosoever believeth in Christ shall not perish but have eternal life Joh. 3. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Blessed are those those that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be satisfied Matth. 5. The condition of these promises being fulfilled the promises themselves must be fulfilled else God should be unfaithful and deny himself For shall the too hard thoughts the too humble conceit of a man concerning himself wake void the faith of God God forbid scarcely among ingenuous men doth any one fare the worse for an excess of modesty and can the Father of Mercies shut a good man out of Heaven because that conscious to himself of daily weaknesses and manifold passions warting within him and frequently prevailing he cannot be firmly perswaded of his own goodness 3. That it is the office of the Spirit to make us to know the things that are freely given us of God 4. That as he is ready to witness to carnal persons that their ways are ways of sin and wrath and that they are the men who except they become new creatures are marked out for damnation so he is ready to witness to those who are spiritually minded the truth of their graces and by that their interest in the promises of Justification Adoption Glorification 5. That our work lieth in making our selves which yet we cannot do but by the almighty power of the same Spirit fit and meet to receive this testimony of the Spirit which meetness we shall then come to if 1. We well inform our selves about the terms of the Covenant of grace 2. Have frequent serious abiding thoughts about the fulness and freeness of its promises 3. Giving all diligence add to faith vertue and to vertue knowledg and to knowledg temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity 4. By reflex acts often compare the frame of our heart and course of our lives with the rule 5. Watch and pray that we may be free from that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pride and prejudice which make us though so sharp-sighted as to see a mote in our brothers eyes yet so blind as not to see a beam in our own eyes That thou mayest Christian Reader have some small help in all these matters was the end aimed at in making the following Treatise thus publick The Authors name could not make it more acceptable and is therefore concealed but his prayers are that it may be effectual to beget in all those into whose hands it shall fall 1. A tender care not to grieve the Spirit of promise by which they who believe are sealed up to the day of Redemption 2. A cordial respect to all those upon whom the Spirit of the Lord is and who are by the Lord anointed to Preach good tidings to the meek and sent to bind up the broken hearted to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness Jan. 25. 1664. Farewell The Printer to the Reader THough great care hath been used in publishing these Papers yet by reason of an ill-written Copy and the Authors absence some faults have escaped There is in some Pages a change of Persons which though it might be defended yet was not by the Author intended Those few Errata's that can be thought to disturb the sense thus amend PAg. 26. lin 15. r. Praeposition p. 28. l. 26. r. also that He. p. 30. l. 23. r. loose p. 32. l. 17. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 35. l. 21. r. are the enticing p. 36. l. 7. r. more glorious p. 44. l. 28. r. yet is He. p. 86. l. 13. r. speaks but to p. 88. l. 10. r. did not they sometimes p. 152. l. 25. r. till he feel p. 157. l. 9. r. and not heard of Ephes 4.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption THese words are by some conceived to contain an absolute Independent counsel but the Greek Scholia's suppose them to be brought in as an argument to enforce the immediately preceding dehortation Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth as if the Apostle had said If you think it a small matter to allow your selves in such speeches as have no tendency to edification as are no way fit to minister grace unto the hearers If you have no respect to your own souls nor to the souls of others which must needs be offended by such unprofitable communication yet you will have some regard for the Spirit of God who is himself holy and the author of all holiness and he being as he is grieved by all unprofitable discourse you will account your selves ingaged to abstain therefrom If we receive this connexion as why may we not sith it offers no violence to the context and is backed with so good authority then may we observe in the Text 1. A reason by which the Ephesians are taken off from idle words lest they should grieve the spirit 2. A description of this Spirit from his Nature Office Grieve not the holy spirit of God The form of speech seems to be borrowed from the Old Testament Isa 63.10 They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them But notwithstanding we have found out a parallel place yet must we still inquire Quest 1. How the Spirit can be said to be grieved for seeing he is God and so infinitely perfect how can we conceive him capable of grief which is not onely a passion but also of all passions the meanest and lowest as arising from the sense of some present evil which we cannot master And this objection is the more considerable because of the emphaticalness of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saith Aretius complectitur omnis generis dolores and is therefore used to set out that anguish and sadness of mind which our blessed Saviour did feel in the Garden Math. 26.37 But all this notwithstanding we may give a very fair account of the phrase for 1. There are who by the spirit of God do understand the renewed part of man and indeed it is not unusual in Scripture for God to call his own work by his own name now the renewed
by his Comment on the Revelations He was much troubled about that place Rev. 13.5 Where it is said that the Beast had power to continue forty two months after much prayer he had though not a voice yet an impression so strong that a voice from heaven could scarce have made him more confident that he must count these months by Sabbaths as Daniels weeks are counted by Sabbaths he did so by the help of some Merchants and found the years to be Two hundred ninety four just the time of the ten first persecutions Doubtless therefore saith he that was the time of the Beast But who follows him in this who almost though he cannot confirm his own interpretation doth not think himself able to overthrow this 4. The most ordinary and safe way of coming to Assurance is that I before mentioned The discursive way in which a Believer from the fruits and effects of grace inferrs he hath the habit and from the habit concludes his justification and adoption This is proved 1. Because as it is a way least subject to delusion so is it also most suited to a rational creature whose way of acting is by discourse and argumentation If any Probleme be propounded to the Understanding which is not of it self known and evident the Understanding naturally falls to finding out some middle term or argument by which it may prove that the Predicate doth or doth not agree to the Subject let any man whatever try and he 'l find he cannot do otherwise And how little would be the difference betwixt a man and a beast if a man should assent to a thing unknown through an instinct and impression and should to one who asks him a reason of his perswasion be able to return nothing in answer but this I am perswaded because I am perswaded 2. We must also make Christ to have put himself to a very unnecessary expence in inspiring holy men to give unto us so many descriptions of Grace so many characters by which the power of Godlinesse may be known from the form if we were not to come to the knowledge of our grace by making practical Syllogismes before mentioned 3. Nor should we so often and so earnestly be called on to try and examine our selves whether we be in the faith if we were not to come to the knowledge of our faith in a discursive way arguing from the Effect to the Cause Nor can we give a better reason why our good works are called fruits then this Because as the Tree is known by its Fruits for a good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit nor a bad tree good fruits so the Heart by what proceeds from it is known whether it be good or evil 4. We find the Saints in Scripture coming to their Assurance this way Our rejoycing is this the testimony of a good conscience that in godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1.12 His joy was founded on the testimony of his Conscience but from what did his Conscience testifie from his sincere conversation 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse How plainly doth he here conclude his right to the Crown of Life from his having fulfilled the terms of the Covenant of Grace Nay in Scripture we do find that men are exhorted to do good works that by them they may ascertain themselves of their Calling Election Salvation 2 Pet. 1.10 Give diligence to make your calling and election sure by good works so it is in all the Latine copies so in some Greek copies not in those that our English Translators followed which is the reason why they are not in the English Bibles not as the Rhemists do slander us because we do not like them for as Dr. Fulke well replies the circumstance of the place doth of necessity require that good works be understood though they be not expressed in the Text. And the Rich 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. are exhorted not to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God to do good to be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate to what end that they might lay up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come and lay hold of eternal life The least that can hence be inferred is that good works are a foundation of evidence or if any one dislike the term foundation and shall choose rather with Petit to translate a Bill of contract a Bond or Obligation it comes much to the same for thence it will be easie to inferr That he who is rich in good works receives and layes up an Obligation from God that this mercy of his shall have it's recompence of reward 5. What need we go further then the experience of Christians Do not all find that their Assurance is higher or lower according as they can more or less discern the fruits of holiness When they are dead lumpish doth not Hope then fail or flag And if any after back-sliding be as confident of his estate as ever he was before such back-sliding do we not think that mans Faith was Presumption Now of this that hath been said concerning the way of attaining Assurance several good Uses may be made I. It confutes those who condemn all use of Signs and Marks asserting that we are presently to believe that God loves us with a special love The late times among many other sad effects produced or brought abroad sundry who in their printed Pamphlets did make it a sin to doubt or once to enquire whether we be in Christ saying that we do never find that any in the course of Christ's or his Disciples preaching that did ask the question Whether they believed or whether their faith were sincere But what if none did ask that question then must none ask it now Are all the various conditions of troubled souls set down in particular examples in the New Testament If any one had then doubted of the sincerity of his graces could he unless some one had been present that had the gift of discerning spirits have been cured of his doubts any other way then by examining himself by marks and signs But doubtless there were then some who did doubt or else the Apostle saw they had reason to doubt for when he exhorts 1 Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himself and Gal. 6.4 Let every man prove his own work none can rationally think his meaning was Let a man take it for granted that his state is good and force himself into a perswasion that his work is acceptable to God he that should so do would neither have rejoycing in himself alone nor in another But this evil spirit of Antinomianisme is pretty well blessed be God laid and I will not dispute against it lest I should raise it again onely I judge it not unmeet to answer one Objection Object It may
seem that to take any evidence from our graces is to receive humane witness to the things of God which is incongruous Answ I understand not but we may receive an humane testimony to witness the things of God though the last resolution of Divine Faith must be into Divine Veracity But we need not enter into that dispute for the answer of this objection for our graces are not wrought in us by our own power but by the power of God and if they were yet they are only the means by which our condition is known to us the efficient cause of this knowledg is the Spirit illustrating our graces and making them visible and enabling us to conclude from them II. Here 's terror to all those wicked persons who perswade themselves that they are the Children of God though they have in them none of the marks of the children of God I know we are apt to be deceived by others and much more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to use St. James his word Jam. 1.22 to deceive to put a fallacy on our selves Yet a man would wonder how they who pretend to reason should be able so to impose on themselves or where they found the premises from which they inferre that conclusion that they are the children of God Doth the Scripture any where say that they who walk not after the Spirit but after the flesh shall live or that drunkards and swearers shall inherit the Kingdome of God if the Scripture say not this but the clean contrary how come they then to promise themselves peace Are they still to learn that God is not such a one as themselves or that they must be judged not according to the proverbs that pass for current among men but according to the law of liberty Sith this law doth every where condemn them how is it that their own Consciences do not condemn them also Is it not onely because they do torture and wrest the Scriptures and so to bring them down to their own humor and fancies But do they not do this to their own destruction must not the great day of necessity shake bring down this house which hath no foundation but their own imaginations exalting themselves against the knowledg of God Let all such if they be not as perfectly void of common sense and reason as they be of Divine Faith but consider these Scriptures Gal. 6.7 8. Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reaps for he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God Or if they will not hearken to the stiller voice of the Gospel let them yet hearken to the thunder of the Law Deut. 29.18 19 20 21. Lest there should be a root among you that beareth gall and worm wood and it come to passe when he heareth the words of this curse that he blesse himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk after the imagination of my heart to add drunkennesse to thirst the Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this Book shall light on him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven and the Lord shall separate him for evil III. Let all that fear God be perswaded to make use of this way of getting Assurance and not think to get it by I know not what Enthusiastical injections or by going up and down with complaints against themselves but look for it in this way of trial and examination Let not any one say that the Writing of God is so blurred and blotted that he cannot tell what to make of it the Waters so mudded that he despairs of ever seeing his face in them for 1. If some signs be not visible others may and they will suffice to lead thee to the conclusion that thou art in the Bond of the Covenant if thou canst not take comfort in some Qualifications yet there are others that will afford If thou canst not find Faith yet canst thou not deny but thou fearest God and tremblest at his Word why these are marks of a child of God Isa 50.10 Isa 66.2 and so is a desire to fear God Neh. 1.11 onely be sure it be an earnest unwearied industrious desire 2. But if any man be under such sad dark temptations as that he can see no light at all if he be confusion all over such a one I advise not to examine examination at such a time is not a duty but serves onely to breed further fears and uncertainties In such a case let a man put forth the first act of Faith cast himself on God commit himself to him in well doing he hath a command so to do therefore he need not fear it will be an act of presumption he hath a promise if he do so that he shall be safe let him therefore so do and in continuance so to do he shall if by any way come to find that he hath laid hold on the Covenant and that his condition before though it was not comfortable was safe and known to God though not to himself Quest 4. What 's the reason why the children of God do want Assurance or how comes it to passe that all who have grace do not presently know themselves to have it Answ This is not one Question but two and therefore without distinction no one thing can be replied to it The word Reason all one with cause may either refer to the meritorious or final cause either the meaning of the Question is what are the gracious Intendments and Purposes of God in permitting his Children to want Assurance or what are the ways by which they do sinfully procure unto themselves the want of Assurance Of these I will speak distinctly though I take it they are but rarely separated God doth not usually let his servants be under darkness but for sin and he would not permit them to fall into sin but that he hath an intent to make those very falls and the punishments he inflicts because of them subservient to his glory and their good Quest 1. Therefore enquire we why the Father of Lights suffers the Children of light to walk in darkness why he sets the seal and impression of the Spirit so obscurely upon them that they do not know themselves to be sealed with it to the day of redemption especially seeing he doth hereby lose a very great tribute of praise and glory For how can they praise God for this though incomparable gift if they know not themselves to have received it How can they rejoyce in the hope of
them all over again and pass again every day through the same intolerable pangs as long as I live to be assured of my part in Christ Jesus A very Hypocrite in some tempest of terror might say as much but when this is become the frame of heart to will the blood of Christ absolutely it is not long usually ere God sprinkles us with it Here many may see whence it is that they spend the most of their days in grievings and groans namely because they will not rise up to the terms and conditions of comfort Would they confess their transgressions unto the Lord he would forgive the iniquity of their sin But if they will keep silence let them not wonder if their bones wax old through roaring all the day long if Gods hand lie heavy on them day and night till their moisture be turned into the drought of summer Would they ply their hearts with stirring thoughts then they would revive but if they be so lazy as never to commune with their hearts no wonder that they remain benummed Would they be humble God would give them more grace but if they suffer their proud thoughts to exalt themselves against the knowledg of Christ no wonder God sets himself against them The terms of the Covenant are made so low that God cannot in honour stoop lower if any one cannot bring himself to close with them let him not think that God will find out new ways to satisfie his longing follies and lazy desires V. He that would regain his lost Assurance must be sure to pray hard Profane wits make themselves merry with us because commonly in all our Directions we bring in Prayer for one They may as well laugh at Feast-makers who in all their entertainments furnish their tables with Bread and Salt or with Physicians who make Aloes an ingredient in almost every Pill Some duties are more peculiarly suted to some one kind of trouble but Prayer sanctifies and sweetens all Jam. 5. Is any man afflicted let him pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any man suffer evil of what kind soever he will find it useful to betake himself to Prayer especially in soul-distresses and desertions Prayer must needs be advantagious because it seemeth to be one main end God aimeth at in withdrawing himself to make his people more fervent and frequent in Prayer Hos 5.15 I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early I will return to my place I will as it were shut my self up in Heaven as if I regarded them not till they seek my face that is my favour in their affliction they will seek me early betimes with all speed with care and vigour also at such a rate as men are wont to do things in the morning Hence we shall observe That the adopted children of God have when under desertion intended their prayers David did so Psal 30.6 7 8. Psal 77.1 2. So did Heman Psal 88.1 2 9. yea of the natural Son it is said That being in an agony he prayed more earnestly Luk. 22.44 that agony made him more to express his earnestness then at other times And when all other means have been used without success Prayer hath presently effected the cure so that man in Gerson that studied against Atheisme and could never get the better of it at last prayed that God would help him in it and he was clean rid of all his horrid temptations this way and was as really perswaded of the truth of unseen things as of the chair he sat in And many no doubt now alive have found by their own blessed experience that when the most rational arguments have not cured their distrustfull thoughts Prayer hath done it speedily they have kneeled down with the spirit of heaviness but did rise up cloathed with the garment of praise Object I should have hopes that God had not cast me off did he vouchsafe to receive a prayer from me but this is that which heightneth all my miseries that When I spread forth my hands he hideth his eyes from me yea when I make many prayers he doth not hear Answ This is a sad case indeed but no other then what many of the dearest servants of God have complained of The Spouse so complains Cant. 5.5 I sought him but I could not find him I called him but he gave me no answer So doth the Church Lam. 3.44 Thou hast covered thy self with a cloud that our prayers should not pass through But perhaps this was some faint Prayer Nay it was a most vehement Prayer When I cry and shout he shutteth out my prayer vers 8. And before these David Psal 22.1 2. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me why are thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring O my God I cry in the day time but thou hearest not and in the night-season and am not silent And before him Job ch 30. v. 20. I cry unto thee and thou doest not hear me I stand up and thou regardest me not We must to avoid the dint of this temptation know that it is our duty to pray alway and not to faint and what the fruit of that will be our Saviour hath told us in a whole Parable Luk. 18. The repulses God either gives or seemeth to give unto our Prayers should onely intend our devotion and make Faith to gather up its strength Therefore we shall observe in Scriptures that it hath not been unusual for Christians to plead and expostulate with God in case of desertion and not answering prayer Why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring Psal 22.1 and Psal 80.4 O Lord God of Hosts how long wiit thou be angry against the prayer of thy people Many places there be of the same strain and import which pleas and arguings because they do sometimes arise from that holy becoming boldness which is purchased for Saints by the Blood of Christ Ephes 3.12 Heb. 10.29 but do also sometimes arise from a sinfull sauciness made up of discontent and unbelief therefore I shall to compleat this last Direction shew when a deserted person is in a fit frame thus to plead with God and also what are the Topicks from which Faith may argue A man cannot believingly plead and expostulate with God for not answering his Prayers till he be meet to receive that mercy he prayeth for Whilest iniquity is regarded God will easily answer our pleadings and make us ashamed of our expostulations Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest not Wherefore have we afflicted our souls and thou takest no knowledge Isai 58.3 God easily counterpleadeth vers 4. Behold ye fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse Your fasts end in and are seconded with vexatious suits and brawls Vid. Gatak in locum you misuse your servants and deal hardly with your debtors not