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Lecture CXXII. On Psalme 51.7. Iuly 7. 1629.
NOw for the signes of true assurance, it is necessary that every one of us should hearken unto them and examine diligently by them whether his assurance be sound or no, whether God have purged him with hysope and sprinkled the bloud of Christ upon his heart, and assured him it is his, or whe∣ther he hath only done it himselfe, or Satan hath done it for him.
Two things there be that may assure you of the necessity of this.
[ 1] First, That there be many whom Satan and their owne foolish heart have extreamely deluded in this point. Many very wicked men are strongly per∣swaded Christ is theirs, God is their God. Baalam could call God his God, Numb. 27.18. I cannot goe beyond the word of the Lord my God, saith he. And of Israel the Lord saith, Hos. 8.1, 2, 3. that even then when they had transgres∣sed his covenant, and trespassed against his law, when they had cast off the thing that is good, yet even then Israel would cry unto him, my God, wee know thee. Yea the lewdest men are usually more strongly perswaded of this, make lesse doubt, have lesse feare of this, then the best of Gods servants are wont to have. The wise man (saith Solomon, Pro. 14.16. that is, the godly man) feareth, but the foole (the profane and ungracious man) is confident, maketh no doubt of his salvation at all. Yea it is certaine many notorious sinners live and die in this strong perswasion. One dieth (saith Iob 21.23.) in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet; no trouble of mind, no scruple or doubt of this matter, ever entreth into his heart no not upon his death bed. And can any of you thinke that the assurance that such men have is of God? These men seeme to be pur∣ged with hysope, to have Christs bloud sprinkled upon their hearts and applyed unto them, but by what hand, by what spirit was it done? Certainely not by the hand and spirit of God, God will speake peace to his people and to his Saints, saith the Prophet, Psal. 85.8. He never spake peace to such men as these are, he never gave them assurance of his favour.
[ 2] Secondly, That such a kind of assurance as is false and is not of Gods wor∣king, will do a man no good at all, but much hurt many waies. It were farre better for a man to live in continuall doubt of his salvation, though that breed feare and terrours in his heart, then to have the confidence and peace of these men. I will give you three reasons of it. For
[ 1] First, The man that is subject to these continuall doubts and feares is there∣by kept in awe and restrained from many sinnes that otherwise he were in dan∣ger to fall into; Whereas the man that is so full of this false confidence, and peace walketh licentiously and runneth like the horse that hath the bridle on his neck whither he listeth, feareth no sinne. The wise man feareth (saith Solomon, Pro. 14.16.) and departeth from evill, his feares restraine him from sinne; but the foole rageth and is confident, the more confident he is, the more outragiously he sinneth.
[ 2] Secondly, The man that is subject to continuall doubts and feares, is there∣by stirred up to a diligent use of the meanes, whereby hee may come to true assurance and peace; the meanes of grace are sweet unto him; Whereas the man that is most full of false assurance and confidence careth least for the meanes of grace, nay he loatheth and despiseth them. The full soule (saith Solomon, Pro. 27.7.) loatheth an hony combe (the sweetest the best meanes of grace) but to the hungry soule every bittter thing is sweet, the meanest, the cour∣sest ministery is sweet to that man.
[ 3] Thirdly and lastly, These doubts and feares use to end in peace and sound assurance, Yea proportionable to the measure of doubts and feares men are