2 COR. 13. 5.
WE come to the second Doctrine, which though implied only, yet is of necessary use. The Apostle pressing them to try, whether they be in Christ, and in faith or no, doth thereby suppose, that there are such signs and symptomes of this state and condition, that a man diligently attending thereunto by the help of Gods Spirit, may come to be assured that he is in such a state, for whereas Becanus the Papist would argue against Assurance from the Text, That the Corinthians were uncertain of their spiritual estate, otherwise it had been a vain thing and absurd to exhort a man to examine himself about that of which he is certain; The answer is easie, That although they might de facto not have assurance, yet the Apostle his urging this upon them doth evidently suppose it possible, and not only so, but their duty to have it. Although none do hold such a certainty in this life, as the Saints in Heaven have, which excludeth all weaknesses; Therefore the certainty Gods people do reach unto hath its degrees, and doth admit of changes.
The Doctrine,
Observ. 2. There are such characters and signs of the state of grace laid down in Scripture, that a godly man by the faithfull application of them to himself, being thereunto guided and inabled by the Spirit of God, may be assured that he is in such a state.
In the Doctrine there are three main particulars must be spoken unto and opened: 1. Assurance and Certainty: 2. The Signs and Marks of Grace: 3. The work of Gods Spirit in this; and much excellent practical matter will flow from every one of these fountains; and marvel not if I be large ere this subject be fully finished, for it is a subject of the greatest concernment that may be, and if men be willing to spend so much time and cost in evidencing their Titles and Proprieties in Land or earthly Goods, how diligent should we be about heavenly!
I shall therefore first speak to the matter of Assurance or Certainty; and for1 this take notice of these particulars,
First, A Certainty or Assurance may be had of a thing divers waies, as There is a certainty of sense, such as Thomas desired to have by putting his fingers into Christs wounds; and this Philosophers say is infallible about its proper object, if there be no defect or impediment in the sensitive faculty.
Again, There is a certainty of Science or Knowledge, and that is either of first principles which are assented unto by all, without any discourse or debate at all, or else of such conclusions as are deduced from those principles.
Lastly, There is a certainty arising from the Authority of those who do declare or witnesse such things; for the testimony of him whom I believe to be the supream truth and infallible about such or such things, doth beget a firm and sure perswasion that they are true; now this Authority is two-fold, either Humane; and as the men who witnesse are for number few or lesse, or for quality more or lesse worthy of credit, so more or lesse is that Certainty; and this breeds an humane faith, or moral certainty only (now it is much to be feared that the greatest part of Protestants even in matters of Religion, have no more then this humane faith, believing upon no higher a motive then humane tradition, or the authority of man,) or else it is Divine, from Gods authority and revelation, and this begets an undoubted assent, which cannot be over-mastered by any contrary temptation. Hence it is that this certainty of faith is above all certainty of sense or reason, because the ground of it is more firm and immutable; and although the nature of things believed be far above our understandings (as in the doctrine of the Trinity and incarnation of Christ) yet the testimony of them is clear and evident, so that the certainty of faith may not be called obscure, as Papists term it, but clear and evident; for that is true which Aquinas saith, No man believeth that which he doth not see to be credible, and therefore in every thing believed there is evidentia credibilitatis, a clearness and evidence of the grounds why I do believe, though there be not alwaies evidentia rei, a clearness of the thing assented to; now if you ask, To what kinde of certainty is that reduced, which the people of God have about their being in Christ, and in the state of grace; I answer it is a mixt or compounded certainty, partly a certainty of faith, and partly of sense and in experience, which sense is spiritual, and wrought by the Spirit of God in us, so that it doth farre transcend probable conjectures and moral perswasions arising in us, because of such bodily affections or dispositions of joy and grief, which we sometimes finde in our selves, and hypocrites also are many times made partakers thereof.