[4.] To dissemble in anything maketh our sincerity in the main ques- tionable ; the man that contents himself with words in charity will con- tent himself with a cold dead assent in point of faith, and a cold pro- fession instead of thorough obedience ; with the talk of virtue and godliness when he hath it not. A fruitless love and a cold assent that produce no obedience are near akin, and both are little worth. Many would not dissemble with God, but do they love men, not in word or tongue only, but in deed and in truth ?
SERMON XXIV.
And hereby ive know that toe are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. — 1 John iii. 19.
The words contain a motive to quicken us to love the brethren, not in word or tongue only, but in deed and in truth. The motive is taken from the fruit and benefit, which is — (1.) Propounded ; (2.) Amplified. First, Propounded, ' Hereby we know that we are of the truth.' To be of the truth hath a double notion in scripture.
1. To profess the true religion : John xviii. 37, ' Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice ; ' that is, owneth the true religion ; he rightly understands and believes the truth of the gospel.
2. To be sinceie and true in that religion, and to live accordingly. There are some christians that are only so in show and semblance, or count themselves christians, but are not ; but these are truly born of God, and such as they profess themselves to be, ' disciples indeed,' John viii. 31 ; sincere, and not hypocrites.
Secondly, Amplified, 'And shall assure our hearts before him.' Where —
1. The effect and fruit of knowing that we are of the truth ; we ' shall assure our hearts.'
2. The strength of this confidence, '^Before him,'
1. For the effect itself, ' persuade our hearts ; ' so the margin and other translations. By confidence in God we shall quiet and still our consciences ; so that the notion here is, we shall have our hearts secure and confident. A soul conscious of sin raiseth doubts and fears, that when our qualification is evident, we are perfect as to the conscience, Heb. ix. 9. The word is so taken elsewhere : Mat. xxviii, 14, ' We will persuade him, and secure you;' that is, pacify the governor, and keep you from punishment. So here it signifieth to render our hearts peaceable and quiet.
2. The strength of this confidence, ' Before him.' We are said to be before him three ways —
VeR. 19.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN 111. 155
[1.] In our ordinary conversation: Gen. xvii. 1, 'Walk before me, and be thou upright.' In this sense it signifieth our walking before him in a holy peace and security, by being good and doing good ; for this is the evidence whereby we assure ourselves that we are the true children of God : Mat. v. 45, ' That ye may be children of your Father which is in heaven.'
[2.] When we come before him in prayer and other holy duties : ver, 21, 22, 'We have confidence towards God, and whatsoever we ask in his name shall be given us/ Which signifieth a confidence in our prayer to him.
[3.] We come before him at the day of judgment ; when we stand before his tribunal, our hope will not leave us ashamed. We are not afraid of being convinced of any hypocrisy, or not observing or break- ing the conditions of the new covenant : 1 John ii. 28, 'That we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him ; ' 1 John iv. 17, ' That we may have boldness in the day of judgment.' So that hereby appeareth the strength of that confidence which we have by the exercise of a holy charity, or love to God and his people ; and though the thoughts of the just and holy God stirreth up all our fears, yet we may walk comfortably with him, and draw nigh to him in holy duties with more cheerfulness, and finally appear before him with boldness in the day of our accounts.
Doct. That graces really and soundly exercised breed in us assurance of our good condition before God.
The point will be made good by these considerations. 1. That none are in a good condition but those who are adopted and taken into God's family, and made heirs of eternal life and happi- ness. Our minds cannot be quieted by anything but a persuasion that God loveth us as his children ; this is the whole business of the context : ver. 1, 2, and 9, 10, ' Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God ! Beloved, now are we the sons of God ; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be : but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Whosoever is born of God sinneth not, for his seed remaineth in him ; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil : whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that hateth his brother.' Get that persuasion, and all the controversy between God and us is at an end. And the reason is clear ; lie that taketh God for a judge can never be soundly satisfied and live in peace ; but he that taketh God for a Father needeth not fear to come into his presence. There is no safety but in God's family, and no security there but by being God's children. The great business of the Spirit with our consciences is to clear up this to us : Rom. viii. 15, 2G, ' For we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but we have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities ; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought ; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered ; ' Gal. iv. 6, ' And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father ; ' Eph. i. 13, 14, ' Iq whom ye