6. But waving the consideration of whatever he has or has not experienced in time past; by the present marks may we easily distinguish a child of God, from a presumptuous self-deceiver. The scriptures describe that joy in the Lord which accompanies the witness of his Spirit, as an humble joy, a joy that abases to the dust; that makes a pardoned sinner cry out, “I am vile! What am I or my father’s house?――Now mine eye seeth thee, I abhor myself in dust and ashes?” And wherever lowliness is, there is meekness, patience, gentleness, long-suffering. There is a soft yielding spirit; a mildness and sweetness; a tenderness of soul which words cannot express. But do these fruits attend that _supposed_ testimony of the Spirit, in a presumptuous man? Just the reverse. The more confident he is of the favour of God, the more is he lifted up. The more does he exalt himself; the more haughty and assuming is his whole behaviour. The stronger witness he imagines himself to have, the more overbearing is he to all around him; the more incapable of receiving any reproof, the more impatient of contradiction. Instead of being more meek, and gentle, and teachable, more _swift to hear, and slow to speak_, he is more slow to hear and swift to speak, more unready to learn of any one; more fiery and vehement in his temper, and eager in his conversation. Yea, perhaps, there will sometimes appear a kind of fierceness, in his air, his manner of speaking, his whole deportment, as if he were just going to take the matter out of God’s hands, and himself to _devour the adversaries_.
7. * Once more. The scriptures teach, _this is the love of God_ (the sure mark thereof) _that we keep his commandments_, _1 John_ v. 3. And our Lord himself saith, _he that keepeth my commandments, he it is that loveth me_, _John_ xiv. 21. Love rejoices to obey; to do in every point, whatever is acceptable to the Beloved. A true lover of God hastens to do his will on earth as it is done in heaven. But is this the character of the presumptuous pretender to the love of God? Nay, but his love gives him a liberty to disobey, to break, not to keep, the commandments of God. Perhaps when he was in fear of the wrath of God, he did labour to do his will. But now looking on himself as _not under the law_, he thinks he is no longer obliged to observe it. He is therefore less zealous of good works, less careful to abstain from evil; less watchful over his own heart, less jealous over his tongue. He is less earnest to deny himself, and to take up his cross daily. In a word, the whole form of his life is changed, since he has fancied himself to be at _liberty_. He is no longer _exercising himself unto godliness; wrestling not_ only _with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers, enduring hardships, agonizing to enter in at the strait gate_. No; he has found an easier way to heaven; a broad, smooth, flowry path; in which he can say to his soul, “Soul, take thy ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” It follows with undeniable evidence, that he has not the true testimony of his own spirit. He cannot be conscious of having those marks which he hath not; that lowliness, meekness, and obedience. Nor yet can the Spirit of the God of truth bear witness to a lie; or testify that he is a child of God, when he is manifestly a child of the devil.
8. Discover thyself, thou poor self-deceiver! Thou who art confident of being a child of God, thou who sayest, “I have the witness in myself,” and therefore defiest all thy enemies. Thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting; even in the balance of the sanctuary. The word of the Lord hath tried thy soul, and proved thee to be reprobate silver. Thou art not lowly of heart. Therefore thou hast not received the Spirit of Jesus unto this day. Thou art not gentle and meek; therefore thy joy is nothing worth: it is not joy in the Lord. Thou dost not keep his commandments; therefore thou lovest him not, neither art thou partaker of the Holy Ghost. It is consequently, as certain and as evident, as the oracles of God can make it, his Spirit doth not bear witness with thy Spirit, that thou art a child of God. O cry unto him that the scales may fall off thine eyes, that thou mayst know thyself as thou art known; that thou mayst receive the sentence of death in thyself, till thou hear the voice that raises the dead, saying, “Be of good cheer: thy sins are forgiven; thy faith hath made thee whole.”