2 COR. 13. 5.
WE have laid down several Propositions tending to the clearer Discovery of this truth about Signs or Marks of Grace. I now come to shew The Lawfulnesse, yea the Duty both of Ministers and People to proceed by this method. For although my proper work is onely to speak of the fruits of Grace, as they evidence a principle of Sanctification within, yet I shall in this grasp also that other Question Of evidencing our Justification by inherent gracious1 Qualifications within us, this latter being expresly written and preached against; so that by this means godly Christians are plunged into several intanglements of conscience, and know not how to come out. I shall therefore (God assisting) bring Arguments to confirm us in this Duty: onely let us first understand, What the true practical Case and Question is. And first the Question is not, Whether a2 Christian in his first act of Faith, whereby he closeth with Christ, applieth him, and is engraffed in him, ought to see inherent Qualifications in him, by way of Signs and Evidences? for this is not possible: we must first by faith be implanted in Christ, before there can be any fruits demonstrating this our insition in him. The Apostle John, 1 John 2. 5. maketh the observation of Gods Commandments a sign that we are in Christ, therefore we are in Christ before by faith; and thus in all the Promises, where a Christian loaden with sin is invited to Christ, there is not required a Knowledge or Certainty of what condition he is in, Whether his graces be true or no, but only out of the sense and feeling of his own unworthiness to apprehend Christ It is therefore a falshood to preach thus, Thou maiest not relie upon Christ for Justification, till thou hast certainty and evidence in thy heart, whether grace be truly in thee or no? for the Scripture makes them blessed that hunger and thirst, that mourn, and cals those that are burdened, and they shall have ease, although they may not have certainty of the work of grace at that time. This therefore is diligently to be attended unto, because it cannot be denied but at this Rocke many a tender Christian splits himself.
Nor secondly is the Question, Whether a godly man in sad temptations, having no light at all, should then make search for the motions and workings of grace in his soul? for that would breed further fears and uncertainties. The soul in temptations being like the muddied water, where nothing can be clearly represented, and as in the night the imagination is prone to represent nothing but objects of fear and terrors; so is the heart apt to do in those desolations: Hence David in such exigences cals upon his soul to trust in God, and to wait on him as the only remedy. And indeed in such cases, the proper duty of a godly man is to throw himself boldly upon the promise, and as Peter ventured to go upon the waters, when Christ called him; so because of the Promise and gracious invitations, to go unto God, and relie upon him, in which sense Job said, Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him.
Thirdly, The Doubt is not, Whether a godly man should look for perfect Signs, such as will fully rise up to the obligation and perfection of the Law? for it is plain such Signs can never be found. Therefore it is but an odious mistake, when an Antinomian3 argueth against universal Obedience as a sign, because no man can perform such, or if it should be limited to purpose of heart, yet none hath such a constant purpose, because of many corrupt suggestions and concussions within by lusts; for none do urge such Signs, and therefore the least grace discovered in the soul, that is sincere and upright, though it be not grace to satisfie the desire of a Christian, yet it ought to be a sign sure enough to confirm his judgement of his interest in Christ.
Fourthly, The case is not, Whether inherent Qualifications of grace, be evidences of themselves without the lustre of Gods Spirit? For all say, this certainty ariseth efficiently from the Spirit of God; Therefore Ephes. 1. sealing is attributed to the Spirit of God; so that we must not oppose a godly life, or graces to the Spirit of God, but conjoyn them together; even as in the certainty we have about the Scripture, we do not oppose those Argumenta insita, imbred arguments that prove the Divinity of the Scripture, such as the style, majesty, purity, &c. to the Spirit of God: but we say, Gods Spirit doth perswade in, and by those Arguments; so it is here, Gods Spirit doth seal unto us our interest in Christ by those graces which are wrought in us.