[4] The fourth proposition is this, // this way of trying our spiri- tual estates by holy and gracious qualifications, were not both laiuful and useful, then certainly the Holy Sioirit luould never have prescribed it, nor never have pressed men so earnestly upon it, as we find he has done in the blessed Scripture. Take a taste : 2 Cor. xiii. 5, ' Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith ; prove your own selves.' The precept is doubled, to teach us to redouble our diligence in this most needful but much neglected duty of self-examination.^ The final trial of our eternal estates doth immediately and solely belong to the court of heaven, but the disquisitive part belongs to us. Here are two em- phatical words in the Greek : first, crw^a^sr?, ' examine yourselves.' The word in the general signifies to take an experimental knowledge of anything, that is either uncertain, unknown, or hidden. Most men are great strangers to God, to Christ, to Scripture, and to themselves ; and therefore saith the apostle, ' Examine yourselves.' Now, if there were not sure marks and infallible signs whereby men may certainly know what their present estate is, and how it is like to go with them in another world, the redoubled command of the apostle would be in vain. The second Greek word is 6o/c///.a^£7-£, 'prove yourselves.' The original word signifies a severe and diligent inquisition into ourselves, so as to have a full experience of what is in us. Doubtless the apostle would never call again and again upon us, to try and examine ourselves whether we be in the faith, if it were not lawful to come to the know- ledge of our faith, or of our being in the state of faithful Christians, in a discm'sive way, arguing from the effect to the cause. So in that 2 Peter i. 10, ' Wherefore the rather, brethren, give all diligence to make your calling and election sure.' The Greek word hio fiaXXov, ddsK(p6i, avovbdaccrs, translated * give diligence,' is very emphatical. It signifies to do a thing, not in an overly, lazy, careless Ava}^, but to do a thing with industry, vigilancy, and unweariedness of spirit. Now, it is granted on all hands, that election cannot be made more sure in respect ' Ps. iv. 4. Vide Chrysostom on the words. Gal. vi. 3, 4 ; 1 Tim. vi. 17-19.
47^ A CABINET OF JEWELS. [ChAP. V.
of God or itself, but only in respect of us, that we may be more persuaded of it. Election cannot be made more sure than it is already, for those whom God hath elected shall be certainly glorified ; but we must make it sure on our parts ; that is, we must labour to have a real bottom and grounded assurance that we are elected by God in his eternal decree, to obtain life and glory by Jesus Christ, E,om. viii. 29, 30. There is a double certainty: (1.) There is certitudo objecti, a certainty of the object; so our election is sure with God, for with him both it and all things are unchangeable. (2.) There is certitudo subjecti, the certainty of the subject; and so we must make our election sure to ourselves in our own hearts and consciences. Now, the means whereby we are to come to this assurance, is by adding grace to grace, and by causing those several graces to abound in us. This is the way of ways to make all sure to us. Now, by these scriptures it is most evident that we stand engaged to make our election sure by holy signs and marks. But,
[5.] The fifth proposition is this. That other ijrecious saints that are now triumphing in gloy^y, havei^leaded their interest in God's love, and their hopes of a better life, from graces inherent} I will only point at some of those scriptures among many others, that clearly speak out this truth : the first epistle of John ; James ii. 17, seq.; Job xxiii. 10— 12; and the whole 31st chapter of Job; Ps. cxix. 6 ; Isa. xxxviii. 2, 3 ; Neh. i. ], seq., and xiii. 14, &c. Now, all these scriptures do evidently prove, that the precious servants of the Lord did take their graces for precious signs and testimonies of God's love, of their interest in Christ, and thereby received much comfort, peace, and satisfaction. And truly, to deny the fruit growing upon the tree to be an evidence that the tree is alive, is to me as unreasonable as it is absurd. Certainly, it is one thing to judge by our graces, and another thing to trust in our graces, to make a saviour of our graces. There is a great deal of difference betwixt declaring and deserving Christians. They may doubtless look to their graces as evidences of their part in Christ and salvation, — and the clearer and stronger they are, the greater will be their comfort and assurance, — but not as causes. No man advanced free grace like Paul ; no man debased his own righteousness like Paul — he counted it but dung and dross, Philip, iii. 6-9 ; and no man exalted the righteousness of Christ like Paul, and yet by this way of signs he gathered much comfort and assurance : 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8, ' I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith : henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.' How plainly, how fully doth he here conclude his right to the crown of life, from his fighting a good fight, his finishing his course, in a way of grace and holiness, and his keeping the faith. By this great instance you may clearly see, that a Christian may greatly exalt Christ, lift up free grace, tread upon his own right- eousness, as to justification, and at the very same time take comfort in his graces, and in his gracious actings. So in that 2 Cor. i. 12, ' Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of a good conscience, that in godly sin- cerity we have had our conversation in the world.^ His joy was
' Grace, in the working of it, is often compared to life. Now, look as natural life is discerned by the actions thereof, as by so many signs, so also is supernatural life.
'^ Kaux*ici; is boasting ; they boasted in the testimony of their consciences. Oh the quiet and tranquillity that arises from the testimony of [;i] man's sincerity, both in heart and life.
Chap. V.] a cabinet of jewels. 475