provoke you to get a well-grounded assurance, is, solemnly to consider, That many are now dropped into hell that have formerly presumed of their going to heaven : as those that came bouncing at heaven- gate, crying out, ' Lord, Lord, open to us, for we have prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name have done many wonderful works ;' and yet that direful and dreadful sentence is passed upon them, ' Depart from me, ye workers of iniquities,' Mat. vii. 22, 26, 27/
The foolish virgins were in a golden dream that they were as happy as the best, and yet, when they were awakened, they found the bride- groom entered into his glory, and the door of mercy shut against them. Mat. XXV. 10-12.^ Men are naturally prone to flatter themselves that their sins are not sins, when indeed they be ; and that they are but small sins, when they are great and grievous, Isa. xl. 27, Deut. xxix. 19; and they are apt to flatter themselves that they have grace when they have none ; and that their grace is true, when it is but counterfeit ; and that their condition is not so bad as others, when it is worse ; and, with Agag, that the bitterness of death is past, when God hath his sword in his hand ready to execute the vengeance written.^
I have read of a madman at Athens that laid claim to every rich ship that came into the harbour, whenas he was poor, and had no part in any. Ah ! this age is full of such mad souls, that lay claim to God and Christ, and the promises and gospel privileges, and all the glory of another world, when they are poor, and blind, and miserable, and wretched, and naked, when they are Christless and graceless, &c. Ah, Christians ! doth it not therefore stand you much upon to labour for a well-grounded assurance, that so you may not miscarry to all eternity, but may at last be found worthy to receive a crown of glory and to enter into your Master's joy, which is a joy too great and too glorious to enter into you, and therefore you must enter into it. Mat. xxv. 21, 23. (2.) The second motive to provoke Christians to get a well-grounded assurance is this, consider. That there he a great many soul-flatterers, soul-deceivers, and soul-cheaters in the world. The devil hath put his angelical robes upon many of his chief factors,* that they may the more easily and the more effectually deceive and delude the souls of men. This age affords many sad testimonies of this.^ Ah ! v/hat mul- titudes be there, that to some blear eyes appear as angels of light, and yet in their principles and practices are but servants to the prince of darkness, labouring with all their might to make proselytes for hell. Mat. xxiii. 15, and to draw men to those wild notions, opinions, and conceits that will leave them short of heaven, yea, bring them down to the hottest, darkest, and lowest place in hell, if God do not by a miracle prevent it. Therefore you had need look about you, and see that you get a well-grounded assurance, and suffer not Satan to put a cheat upon your immortal souls. Christ hath foretold us, ' That in the last days there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, that shall say, Lo,
' So, few in the old world feared an eternal miscarriage.
* So were the Jews that cried out, ' The temple of the Lord ! the temple of the Lord !'
3 Prov. XXX. 12 ; Rev. iii. 17, 18 ; Micah iii. 11. I judge as in this world, so in hell : the most self-flattering souls will be the most miserable souls. ^ ' Agents.' — G.
^ Leo the emperor used to say, Occulti inimici pessimi, a close enemy is far worse than an open.
Rom. VIII. 32-34.] heaven on eaeth. 399
here is Christ, and lo, there is Christ/ Mat. xxiv. 23, 24. And verily this scripture is this day fulfilled in your ears. Ah, how many blas- phemous wretches have there been in these days, that have asserted themselves to be the very Christ ! And it is to me no little miracle, that the very earth hath not opened her mouth and swallowed up such monsters, such firebrands of helL
The apostle tells you of some that * lie in wait to deceive, by such sleights' as cheaters and false gamesters use at dice ; he tells you of cunning crafty men that do diligently watch all advantages to work, draw, and win weak and unstable souls to those opinions, principles, and practices, that tend to droAvn them in everlasting perdition.' Satan's disciples and agents are notable method-mongers [/Ji'Sdodeix crXav?]?], they have a method of deceiving, they are doctors in all the arts of cozenage, and they will leave no means unattempted whereby they may draw men to buUd upon hay and stubble, upon this opinion and that notion, &c., that so men and their works may bum for ever to- gether, 1 Cor. iii. 15.
It is reported of king Canutus, that he promised to make him the highest man in England, who should kill king Edmund Ironside, his co-rival; which, when one had performed, and expected his rewarc^, he commanded him to be hung on the highest tower in London. So Satan and his factors, they promise poor souls that such and such opinions, and notions, &c., will thus and thus advantage them, and ad- vance them; but in the close, poor souls shaU find the promised crown turned into a halter, the promised comfort turned into a torment, the promised glory turned into ignominy, the promised exaltation turned into desolation, the promised heaven turned into a hell. This age is full of soul-flatterers, of soul-undoers, who, like evil chirurgeons, skin over the wound, but kill the patient. Flattery undid Ahab, and Herod, and Nero, and Alexander.^
Those flatterers that told Dionysius, that his spittle was as sweet as honey, undid him ; and those flatterers that told Cassar, that his freckles in his face were like the stars in the firmament, ruined him. And ah! how many joung and old in these days have been lost and un- done by those soul flatterers, that lie in wait to ensnare and deceive the souls of men.' Oh that this very consideration might be set home by the hand of the Spirit, with that life and power upon your souls, as effectually to stir and provoke you to get a well-grounded assurance of your happiness and blessedness, that so you may stand fast, like the house built upon the rock, in the midst of all tempests and storms, that nothing may unsettle you, nor disquiet you, and that none may take away your crown, Mat. vii. 24, 25, Rev. iii. 11.
(3.) The third motive to stir you up to get a well-grounded assurance is this, consider, That a weU-grouTided assurance of your happiness and blessedness will ea^e you, and free you of a threefold burden. It will free you,
1. From a burden of cares.
^ Eph. iv. 14. Kujiiix siojnifies cogging with a die, *aiav^yi».
* Valerian's word waa, Non acerba sed blanda, not bitter, but flattering words, do all the mischief. This many have found true by woful experience.