As in the creation he made all out of nothing, order out of confusion ; so in the work of the new creation, in the new creature, he doth so likewise ; therefore be not dismayed.
Remember this rule likewise, that in the covenant of grace God requires truth, and not measure. Thou art not under the law, but under the covenant of grace. A little fire is true fire as well as the whole clement of fii'e. A drop of water is water as well as the whole ocean. So if it be true faith, true grief for sins, true hatred of them, true desire of the favour of God, and to grow better ; truth is respected in the covenant of grace, and not any set measm-e.
What saith the covenant of grace ? * He that believes and repents shall be saved,' Mark xvi. 16, not he that hath a strong faith, or he that hath perfect repentance. So St Paul saith, as we shall see after, ' This is our rejoicing, that in simplicity and sincerity we have had our conversation among you,' 2 Cor. i. 12. He doth not say, that our conversation hath been perfect. So if we would have joy in the testimony of conscience, we must not abridge ourselves of joy, because we have not a perfect measure of grace ; but rejoice that God hath wrought any measure of grace in such unclean and polluted hearts as ours are. For the least measure of grace is a pledge of perfection in the world to come.
' This is our rejoicing, the testimoivj of our conscience,' dc. Hence we may gather clearly, that
Obs. A man niai/ knoiv his own estate in grace, * See note, p. 169.— G.
222 COMMENTARY ON
I gather it from the place thus, ' Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our coiisciencc, thiit in simpHcity,' &c.
Where there is joy, and the ground of joy, there is a knowledge of the estate ; but a Christian liatli glorying, and a ground of gk)rying in himself, and he knows it. lie hath that in him that witnesseth that estate. He hath the witness of conscience ; therefore he may know and he assured of it. If this testimony were not a true testimony, it were something. But all men naturally have a conscience ; and a Christian hath a sanctified conscience. And where that is, there is a true testimony, and true joy from that testimony. Therefore he may be assured of his salvation, and have true joy and comfort, a heaven upon earth before he come to heaven itself.
If conscience tcstifv of itself, and from witnessing give cause of joy, much more the Spirit of God coming into the conscience, ' The Spirit bears witness with our spirits.' If our spirit and conscience bear witness to us of our conversation in simplicity and sincerity, and from thence of our estate in grace, much more by the witness of two. ' By the witness of two or three everything shall be confirmed,' Matt, xviii. 16 ; but our spirits, and conscience, and the Spirit of God, which every child of God hath, witnesseth that we are the children of God, Rom. viii. 14, et alibi. ' The Spirit witnesseth with our spirits that we are the sons of God.' Therefore a Christian may know his estate in grace.
The spirit of a man knows himself, and the Spirit of God knows him likewise, and it knows what is in the heart of God ; and when these two meet, the Spirit of God that knows the secrets of God, and that knows our secrets, and our spirit that knows our heart likewise, what should hinder but that we may know our own estate ? It is the nature of conscience, as I told you, to reflect upon itself and upon the person in whom it is, to know what is known by it, and to judge, and condemn, and execute itself, by inward fear and terror, in ill ; and in good, by comfort and joy in a man's self. It is the property that the soul hath above all creatures, to return and recoil upon itself. If this be natural to man, much more to the spirit of a man. For if a man know what is in himself naturally, his own wit, and understanding, which is alway with him, bred up with him, much more he knows by his spirit the things that are adventitious, that come from without him, that is the work of gi-ace.
If a man, by a reflect knowledge, know what naturally is in him, in w^hat part he hath it, and how he exerciseth it ; if he know and remember what he hath done, and the manner of it, whether well or ill ; then he may know the work of the Spirit that comes from without him, that works a change iB him.
We say of light, that it discovers itself and all other things ; so the soul it is lightsome, and therefore Imows itself and laiows other Ihings.
The Spirit of God is much more lightsome. Where it is it discovers itself, and lighteneth the soul. It discovereth the party in whom it is. As the apostle saith, 1 Cor. ii. 12. ' We have the Spirit, whereby we know the things that we receive of God.' It not only worketh in us, but it teacheth us what it hath wrought. Therefore a Christian knows that he is in the state of grace, he knows his virtues, and his disposi- tion ; except it be in the time of temptation, and upon those grounds named before.