VOL. VI. 38
594 AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM cxxx. [Ver.4.
Rule II.
If you are doiibtful concerning your state and condition, do not expect an extraordinary determination of it by an immediate tes- timony of the Spirit of God. I do grant that God doth sometimes, by this means, bring in peace and satisfaction nnto the soul. He gives his own Spirit immediately " to bear witness with ours that we are the children of God," both upon the account of regeneration and adoption. He doth so ; but, as far as we can obsei've, in a way of sovereignty, when and to whom he pleaseth. Besides, that men may content and satisfy themselves with his ordinary teachings, consola- tions, and communications of his grace, he hath left the nature of that peculiar testimony of the Spirit very dark and difficult to be found out, few agi'eeing wherein it doth consist or what is the nature of it. No one man's experience is a rule unto others, and an undue apprehension of it is a matter of great danger. Yet it is certain that humble souls in extraordinary cases may have recourse unto it witli benefit and relief thereby. This, then, you may desire, you may pray for, but not with such a frame of sj)irit as to refuse that other satisfaction which in the ways of truth and peace you may find. This is the putting of the hand into the side of Christ; but " blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
Rule III.
If you have at any time formerly received any especial or imme- diate pledge or testimony of God, given unto your soids as unto their sincerity, and consequently their regeneration, labour to re- cover it, and to revive a sense of it upon your spirits now in your darkness and trouble. I am persuaded there are but few believers, Ijut that God doth, at one time or other, in one duty or other, enter- ing into or coming out of one temptation or another, give some sin- gidar testimony unto their own souls and consciences concerning their sincerity and his acceptance of them. Sometimes he doth this in a duty, wherein he hath enabled the soul to make so near an approach unto him as that it hath been warmed, enlivened, sweet- ened, satisfied with the presence, the gracious presence, of God, and which God hath made unto him as a token of his uprightness; — sometimes, when a man is entering into any great temptation, trial, difficult or dangerous duty, that death itself is feared in it, God comes in, by one means or other, by a secret intimation of his love, which he
Ver.4.] EULES FORJUDGING AS TO INHERENT GRACE. 595
gives liim to take along with him for his furniture and provision in his way, and thereby testifies to him his sincerity; and this serves, like the food of Elijah, for forty days in a wilderness condition; — • sometimes he is pleased to shine immediately into the soul in the midst of its darkness and sorrow; wherew^ith it is surprised, as not looking for any such expression of kindness, and is thereby relieved against its own pressing self-condemnation ; — and sometimes the Lord is pleased to give these tokens of love unto the soul as its refresh- ment, when it is coming off from the storm of temptations where- with it has been tossed. And many other times and seasons there are wherein God is pleased to give unto believers some especial tes- timony in their consciences unto their own integrity. But now these are all wrought by a transient operation of the Spirit, exciting and enabling the heart unto a spiritual, sensible apprehension and receiv- ing of God's expressing kindness towards it. These things abide not in their sense and in their power which they have upon our affec- tions, but immediately pass away. They are, therefore, to be trea- sured up in the mind and judgment, to be improved and made use of by faith, as occasion shall require. But we are apt to lose them. Most know no other use of them but whilst they feel them; yea, tlurough ignorance in our duty to improve them, they prove like a sudden light brought into a dark place and again removed, which seems to increase, and really aggravates, our sense of the darkness. The true use of them is, to lay them up and ponder them in our hearts, that they may be supportments and testimonies unto us in a time of need. Have you, then, who are now in the dark as to your state or condition, whether you are regenerate or no, ever received any such refreshing and cheering testimony from God given unto your integrity, and your acceptance with him thereujoon? Call it over again, and make use of it against those discouragements which arise from your present darkness in this matter, and which keep you off from sharing in the consolation tendered unto you in this word of ffrace.
Rule IV.
A due spiritual consideration of the causes and effects of regene- ration is the ordinary way and means icherehy the soids of believers come to he satisfied concerning that work of God in them and upon them. The principle or causes of this work are, the Spirit and the Avord. He that is born again, " is born of the Spirit," John iii. 6 ; and of the word, " Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth,"