* This made one cry out, Quid restat 0 peccator, nisi ut in tota vila tua deplores tolan vitam tuam. Oh ! what then remains but in our whole life to lament the sins of our whole life.
' Heb. iii. 13, Sin hath its original from a deceitful subtle serpent, and is the ground of all the deceit in the world, and is the great cozener of souls.
* Yea, peccatum tst Deicidium, sin is a killin": of God.
* Chrislus opera nostra non lam actibus quam finibua pensat. — Zanchius. The glory of God must consume all other ends, as the sun puts out the light of the fire.
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assurance, that they may feed upon that sweet honeycomb, more [than] to fill their Lord and master's hive with thanks and praise.
That servant that minds his wages more than his work, must not wonder if his master be slack in paying; no more should he that minds comfort more than obedience, that minds assurance more than divine honour, wonder that God delays the giving in of assurance, though it be sought with many prayers and tears. He that is most tender of God's honour, shall find by experience that God is most mindful of his comfort. God will not see that soul sit long in sackcloth and ashes, that makes it his business to set him up upon his throne. He that minds God's glory more than his own good, shall quickly find that God will even obscure his own glory to do him good. If we are not wanting to God's glory, he will not long be wanting to our joy.^
(5.) A fifth reason why God denies assurance to his children, is, That when they have it, they may the more highly prize it, the more care- fully keep it, the more wisely im^prove it,and themoreaffectionatelyand effectually bless God for it. None sets such a price upon light, as he that hath lain long in a dungeon of darkness ; so none sets such a price upon assurance, as those children of light that have walked most in spiritual darkness.^ Ah 1 how sweet was the light to Jonah, that had been in the belly of hell, Jonah ii. 2 ; so is assurance to those that, through slavish fears and unbelief, 'have made their beds in hell,' as the psalmist speaks, Pa. cxxxix. 8. Gold that is far fetched, and dearly bought, is most esteemed ; so that assurance that costs the soul most pains and patience, most waiting and weeping, most striving and wrestling, is most highly valued, and most wisely improved/ As, by the want of temporals, God teaches his people the better to prize them, and improve them when they enjoy them ; so by the want of spirituals, God teaches his people the better to prize them, and improve them when they enjoy them. Ah ! how sweet was Canaan to those that had been long in the wilderness ! How precious was the gold and ear-rings to Israel, that had been long in Egypt, and the gifts and jewels to the Jews that had been long in Babylon ! So is assurance to those precious souls that have been long without it, but at last come to enjoy it, Num. xiv. 33, 34 ; Exod. xi. ; Ezra i.
After the Trojans had been wandering a long time in the Mediter- ranean Sea, as soon as they espied land, they cried out with exulting joy, 'Italy, Italy ;' so when poor souls shall come to enjoy assurance, who have been long tossed up and down in a sea of sorrow and trouble, how will they with joy cry out. Assurance, assurance, assurance !*
(6.) The sixth reason why God denies assurance to his dearest ones, at least for a time, is. That they be kept humble and low in their own eyes ; as the enjoyment of mercy glads us, so the want of mercy humbles us.^ David's heart was never more low, than when he had a crown only in hope, but not in hand. No sooner was the crown set upon his head,
^ It was a notable saying of Nazianzen, Let me, says he, be cast into tbe sea, let me lose my peace rather than the name of Christ should suffer ; so tender was he of the honour and glory of Christ. » Life without light is but a lifeless life, Micah vii. 8, 9,
' Socrates prized the king's countenance above his coin, his good looks above his gold ; so do saints prize assurance above all worldly enjoyments.
* The longer I stay for the empire, said the emperor's son, the greater it will be ; so th^ longer a saint stays foe assurance, the greater at last it will be. [Italy : Cf. ^neid iii. 521, &c.— G.]
' Humility is conservatrix virlutum, saith one. [Bernard, sub Humililate.—Q.']
334! HEAVEN ON EARTH. [ROM. VIII. 32-^4.
but his blood rises with his outward good, and in the pride of his heart he says, ' I shall never be removed,' Ps. xxx. 6.
Hezekiah was a holy man, yet he swells big under mercy.^ No sooner doth God lift up his house higher than others, but he lifts up his heart in pride higher than others. When Grod had made him high in honours, riches, victories, ay, and in spiritual experiences, then his heart flies high, and he forgets God, and forgets himself, and forgets that all his mercies were from free mercy, that aU his mercies were but borrowed mercies. Surely, it is better to want any mercy than an humble heart, it is better to have no mercy than want an humble heart.* A little, little mercy, with an humble heart, is far better than the greatest mercies with a proud heart. I had rather have Paul's coat with his humble heart, than Hezekiah's lifted-up heart with his treasures and royal robes. Well, Christians, remember this, God hath two strings to his bow ; if your hearts will not lie humble and low under the sense of sin and misery, he will make them lie low under the want of some de- sired mercy. The want of assurance tends to bow and humble the soul, as the enjoyment of assurance doth to raise and rejoice the soul ; and therefore do not wonder Avhy precious souls are so long without assurance,, why Christ's chariot, assurance, is so long a-coming. Judges v. 28.'