And there is a spiritual knowledge of spiritual things, the teach- ing of the anointing, as it is called, 1 Johnii. 27. i. e. the effect and fruit of the Spirit's sanctifying work upon our souls, when the ex- perience of a man's own heart informs and teach eth his under- standing, when by feeling the workings of grace in our own souls, we come to understand its nature ; this is spiritual knowledge. Now, a little of this knowledge is a better evidence of a man's in- terest in Christ, than the most raised and excellent degree of natu- ral knowledge : As the philosopher truly observes ; Prcestat pau- cula de meliori scientia degustasse, quam de ignobilori multa : One dram of knowledge of the best and most excellent things, is better than much knowledge of common things. So it is here, a little spi- ritual knowledge of Jesus Christ, that hath life and savour in it, is more than all the natural, sapless knowledge of the unregenerate, which leaves the heart dead, carnal, and barren : it is not the quan- tity, but the kind, not the measure, but the savour : If you know so much of the evil of sin, as renders it the most bitter and burden- some thing in the world to you, and so much of the necessity and excellency of Christ, as renders him the most sweet and desirable thing in the world to you, though you may be defective in many degrees of knowledge, yet this is enough to prove yours to be the fruit of the Spirit : you may have a sanctified heart, though you have an irregular or weak head : many that knew more than you are in hell: and some that once knew as little as you, are now in heaven : In absoluto etjacili stat ceternitas : God hath not prepared heaven only for clear and subtle heads. A little sanctified and effectual knowledge of Christ's person, offices, suitableness, and necessity, may bring thee thither, when others, with all their cu- rious speculations and notions, may perish for ever.
Obj. 2. But you tell me, that assent to the truths of the gospel is necessarily included in saving faith, which, though it be not the justifying and saving act, yet it is pre-supposed and required to it. Now I have many staggerings and doubtings about the certainty and reality of these things ; many horrid atheistical thoughts,
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which shake the assenting act of faith in the very foundation, and hence I douht I do not believe.
Sol. There may be, and often is, a true and sincere assent found in the soul, that is assaulted with violent atheistical suggestions from Satan ; and thereupon questions the truth of it. And this is a very clear evidence of the reality of our assent, that whatever doubts, or contrary suggestions there be, yet we dare not in our practice contradict or slight those truths or duties which we are tempted to disbelieve, ex. gr. We are assaulted with atheistical thoughts, and tempted to slight and cast off all fears of sin, and practice of religious duties, yet when it comes to the point of prac- tice, we dare not commit a known sin, the awe of God is upon us ; we dare not omit a known duty, the tie of conscience is found strong enough to hold it close to it : in this case, it is plain we do really assent, when we think we do not. A man thinks he doth not love his child, yet carefully provides for him in health, and is full of griefs and fears about him in sickness : why now, so long as I see all fatherly duties performed, and affections to his child's welfare manifested, let him say what he will as to the want of love to him, whilst I see this, he must excuse me if I do not believe him, when he saith he hath no love for him. Just so is it in this case, a man saith I do not assent to the being, necessity, or excel- lency of Jesus Christ ; yet, in the mean time, his soul is filled with cares and fears about securing his interest in him, he is found pant- ing and thirsting for him with vehement desires, there is nothing in all the world would give him such joy, as to be well assured of an interest in him ; while it is thus with any man, let him say or think what he will of his assent, it is manifest by this he doth truly and heartily assent, and there can be no better proof of it than these real effects produced by it.
Secondly, But if these, and other objections were never so fully answered for the clearing of the assumption, yet it often falls out, that believers are afraid to draw the conclusion; and that fear partly arises from,
First, The weighty importance of this matter.
Secondly, The sense of the deceitfulness of their own hearts.
First, The conclusion is of infinite importance to them, it is the everlasting happiness of their souls, than which nothing is, or can be of greater weight upon their spirits : things in which we are most deeply concerned, are not lightly and hastily received by us : it seems so great and so good, that we are still apt (if there be any Toom for it) to suspect the truth and certainty thereof, as never being sure enough.
Thus when the women that were the first messengers and wit- nesses of Christ's resurrection, Luke xxiv. 10, 11. came and told
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the disciples those wonderful and comfortable tidings, it is said, " That their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they be- " lieved them not." They thought it was too good to be true ; too great to be hastily received ; so it is in this case.
Secondly , The sense they have of the deceitfulness of their own hearts, and the daily workings of hypocrisy there, makes them afraid to conclude in so great a point as this is.
They know that very many daily cozen and cheat themselves in this matter ; they know also that their own hearts are full of false- ness and deceit ; they find them so in their daily observations of them ; and what if they should prove so in this ? Why then they are lost for ever ! They also know there is not the like danger in their fears and jealousies, that would be in their vain confidences and presumptions ; by the one, they are only deprived of their pi sent comfort, but by the other, they would be ruined for ever : and therefore chuse rather to dwell with their own fears (though they be uncomfortable companions) than run the danger of so great a mistake, which would be infinitely more fatal. And this being the common case of most Christians, it follows that there must be many more believers in the world than do think, or dare conclude themselves to be such.
Inf. 4 If the light receiving of Jesus Christ, be true, saving, and justifying faith, then those that have the least, and hzcest degree and measure of saving faith, have cause for ever to admire the bounty and riches of the grace of God to them therein.