Thereupon it is used in all Paul's epistles as a compelling argument, as elect, and by the mercies of God do this ; moving them to all spiritual duties from the love of God in Christ. And, dearly beloved, you are dearly beloved ; the love that Christ bears you cost him dear indeed ; it is a strong enforcement. Saint Peter's argument to this effect is veiy strong : ' You are not bought with silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ are we redeemed from our vain conversation,' 1 Peter i. 18. You * ' Treasure,' not ' pearl,' a repeated slip of Sibbes's. — G.
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600, tlion, I give you but a t;istc of it, wlial Btrong motives here are to livo a holy life, and all fetchctl from particular assurance ; because Christ loved mo, and gave himself for me. Hereupon, by the way, we may have a strong argument against the papists, who hold we cannot have particular assurance, for that which is brought as an argument to stir up to holy duties must bo known of us. The arguments in this case which serve to persuade must be known. We do not persuade another to a duty by those arguments he is ignorant of. Here he speaks to Christians, as taking it for granted that they knew they wore elected of God, and dearly beloved in Christ. That which is an argument stirring up to duty must be known better than the duty, because therefore this is an argument that stirs us up to ail kind of duties whatsoever ; therefore we may be assured. But here a question may be asked,
Quest. Doth not a holy life and holy actions sometimes proceed from a soul not fully assured ? Then what shall we think of those good works that proceed from a Christian without strong assurance ? If all obedience in doing and suffering, that is pleasing, comes from faith and assurance, then what shall we think of such works as proceed not from it ? If you ask man}^ a good Christian, what assurance have you that Christ hath given himself for you ? they will perhaps stagger at it ; for a humble broken- hearted Christian is subject to speak worse of himself than there is cause, though he be diligent in good works. What shall we think of such works then, when therewith they are not assured of Christ's love in particular ?
Ans. I answer, There can no holy life proceed but from faith ; from the fii'st act of it. There must be that ; but sometimes we know not our faith, because the reflect act is hindered ; we know not we believe when we believe. There may holy duties proceed from a man when he knows not his grace and estate : in which time let him but examine himself, why doth he duties, whether out of love to God or no ? Yes. Can he endure God to be evil spoken of ? No. Will he allow himself in any known sin ? No. In this case, though he dares not say he is assured, jj-et the things he doth are from some love and desire of glorifying God. Christians do not know their estates often in such cases. They do work from a secret persuasion of God's love, though they know it not. He hath that he thinks he hath not, he works from that he thinks he doth not work from. He works from love to God, when he thinks he doth not, because he thinks he hath not so much as he would have : he works from grace, when he thinks he hath none. A child lives when it knows not that it doth live ; a child when it draws nourishment from the mother's breast, doth not know it lives itself, but the lookers on do, because they see the actions of life : so a Christian doth not know that he lives the live of grace, when the lookers on do, because they see spiritual hunger in him, and attending upon the means. Now he himself doth not see it, because of some spiritual covetousness, temptation, or desertion which is upon him. Yet that is a true and gracious action, which issues from a soul that discovers faith, however itself cannot be assured of its estate, there being for the time a suspension of it, through ignorance or other causes ; but certainly in such there is faith in the first act of obedience, and some assurance, where there are actions of spiritual life, though they have not that they covet to have.
The best way is to labour for both, for assurance and for the act itself; for howsoever those who have the act only perform good obedience, yet it is not so large, so thorough, so cheerful as it would otherwise be. We ought to desire both that God would give us a spiiit of faith, and discover
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himself unto us, that our sins are pardoned, and that we are accepted to life, to give us strong assurance, that so we may be more plentiful in the work of the Lord. There is no Christian who hath a good heart but he will labour for the second as well as the first ; he will labour to make his calling and election sure by all means, that God may have more glory, and smell a more sweet sacrifice from him, and that he may have more com- fort in this world. Howsoever without assurance much good may be done, yet not so much as when there is full assurance, for then the soul is carried amain* in obedience to God ; doing and sufiering is nothing then.