Use 1. To inform us, that the grounds of a well-tempered assurance are clear and positive: 'Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.' Foolish presumption costs nothing ; like mushrooms, it groweth up in a night, or as Jonah's gourd; we did not labour for it ; it cometh upon them they know not how or why. The less such men exercise themselves to godliness, the more confident; but exercise would discover their unsoundness ; a peace that groweth upon us we know not how, and is better kept by negligence than dili- gence, is not right : ' Hereby we know, and this is my rejoicing, the
VeR. 20,] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. 165
testimony of my conscience.' Premature persuasions are very rife ; how comest thou by it so soon, my sou ?
2. That to languish after comforts, and neglect duty, is a foolish course ; many bestow their time in foolish complaints, better be hard at work ; complaining will not bring it to you so soon as active diligence. Oh, that we were sure of heaven and happiness ! Oh, that we knew what shall become of us to all eternity ! Lazy wishes will do no good, up and be doing ; it will not come by a cold velleity, a slight prayer, a customary sigh, or a faint and lazy pursuit, but by an inde- fatigable diligence, and unwearied watchfulness.
3. It informeth us that not only trying of grace, but exercising of grace, is necessary to our comfort and peace. Many are taken up in trying and inquiring whether they have saving grace or no, whilst they neglect the exercise of grace in a self-denying way. I would not dis- courage self-reflection. Oh, that we could gain the world more to this ! but this I must say, that doing good to the household of faith, and to all as we find occasion, is a more evident and explicit way ; and that in general it is a more excellent spirit to consider what we must be, to lie under the conscience of that, than to consider what we are and what we have been. Working will discover it sooner than bare trying, duty rather than comfort.
4. That the popish doctrine is false, that asserts that it is impossible to have the certainty of salvation : ' Hereby we know we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.'
Use 2. To exhort us, if we would live in a holy security and peace, let us not only be good, but do good ; let us not only love God, but his people, not only ' in word and tongue, but in deed and in truth,' &c.
SERMON XXV.
For if our hearts condemn vs, God is greater than our hearts, and knoioeih all things. — 1 John iii, 20.
The apostle had spoken in the former verse of assuring our hearts before him ; now we cannot assure our hearts before God, against all fears of his wrath, or persuade ourselves that we are his children, if we be conscious to ourselves of any insincerity, or unworthy dealing in point of love to God or men ; much dependeth upon the testimony and verdict of conscience, either as to our condemnation or absolution and acquitment. He beginneth with the condemning conscience in the text, and then showeth the privilege of an absolving conscience, ver. 21. The voice of conscience is the voice of God ; if our hearts con- demn or acquit, so will God for the most part. We are now upon the condemning act of conscience ; if our hearts condemn us, God will much more. By the heart is meant conscience ; as 1 Sam. xxiv. 5, 'David's heart smote him,' that is, his conscience; so Job when he would not quit his claim of being an upright man, chap xxvii. 6, saith,
1G6 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. XXV.
' My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.' The heart hath a reproaching, a condemning power, and j iidgeth against a man when he is not right with God. In short, heart-smitings and heart-reproach- ings are nothing else but checks of conscience. ' If our hearts condemn us,' &c.
In the words take notice of a comparison between the judgment of God and the judgment of conscience; they agree and disagree in many things.
1. They agree in that both are privy to all our actions : there is a secret spy within us, that observeth all that we speak, or think, or do : * The spirit of a man within him knoweth the things of a man,' 1 Cor. ii. 11. So doth God know all things: Heb. iv. 12, 'For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.' And where the matter requireth it, they both condemn ; conscience condemneth the sinner, or the partial obedience of hypocrites; so doth God, he ratifieth the sentence.
2. They disagree or differ in two things — (1.) Greatness; (2.) Knowledge.
[1.] Greatness. ' God is greater than our hearts.' The same expres- sion is used. Job xxxiii. 12, ' God is greater than man ; ' it is a reason of submission to God's providence. God judge th more exactly of things than we do ; his authority is greater. God is the supreme judge, con- science is but his deputy. God's sentence is decisive, whence there is no appeal : 1 Cor. iv. 4, ' For I know nothing by myself, yet I am not hereby justified ; but he that judgeth me is the Lord.' The cause must be reviewed and judged in a higher court. Greater in point of purity and holiness ; we have but a drop of indignation against sin, God an ocean. His displacency against sin is greater : Hab. i. 13, ' He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity ; ' Isa. iii. 8, ' Their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory.' Greater in point of power ; conscience leaveth an impression suitable to the evi- dence it giveth : Pro v. xviii. 13, ' The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, but a wounded spirit who can bear ? ' But it is a dreadful thing to be condemned of God, who hath such power to execute his sentence : Heb. x. 31, ' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.'