Sermon 10

(2 Peter 1:10) Therefore the rather, Brethren, Give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure.

The doctrine I am yet upon, drawn from these words is this, that Christians ought to put forth a great deal of diligence to make this sure to their souls, that they are effectually called by Jesus Christ. In the prosecution of which I have handled many particulars, I now come in the close of this point to make a particular use of all that has been said, and so pass on to that other branch, to make your election sure. And the use I shall speak of, shall only be a use of exhortation, and direction. My exhortation shall be directed to two sorts of men. First, to them that do enjoy and are assured of their effectual calling; who are called, and are assured they are so. Secondly, to them that have sometime enjoyed this assurance, but now have lost or eclipsed the comfortable feeling of their assurance. Into these two heads I shall branch my discourse.

And first, the exhortation or counsel I am to give, is to them that are assured of their effectual calling; that have done the work the Apostle here enjoins them; that have made sure their vocation, and by unquestionable evidence can say so. And these I would advise to three particular duties.

First, you should be directed rightly to use your assurance.

Secondly, carefully to preserve your assurance.

Thirdly, daily to improve your assurance. This is the threefold task that lies upon you, that enjoy this rich jewel of assurance.

First, you are to take care, that you rightly use and manage your assurance. A thing hardly gotten, if it be not well managed, a man may enjoy it in a way of loss to himself. To use assurance well is the great art of a Christian. And here (that I might speak distinctly to this direction) I shall lay down eight particulars, as concomitants, or gracious qualifications, which must accompany you in a condition of assurance.

First, you must use and manage your assurance with humility, in case you use it well. Assured Christians must be humble Christians. The more high you are in comforts, the more low you should be in spirit. You know the fullest ears of corn hang down their head lowest, when light and flashy darnel that has nothing of worth in it, lifts up its head on high. Assured Christians, they are like your full and ripe ears of corn; the more full they are of this fruit of the Spirit, assurance, the more low do they, and should they hang down their heads. It is your empty barrels make a noise, when your full vessels though you strike them, will not sound. It is those Christians that are most empty of faith, and most empty of assurance, that make most noise, and are most proud of their gifts and graces; when your assured Christians they are like vessels full of the best liquor; that make the least noise. The fuller God has filled you with this comfort, the more you should shine forth in humility. As Paul when he says, Christ loved him, and gave himself for him; when he was most full of comforts, he was most filled with humility, and said, I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me.

Secondly, you must manage your assurance with a high valuation of the comforts of God in you. A man that has received a benefit, if he does not value it, it is a provocation to the man that gave it, either to repent of his gift, or take it away. David when he had assurance, mark how he values it (Psalm 63:3): Your loving kindness is better than life. He valued the comforts of his God, and the shinings of God's countenance better than life. And (Psalm 4:6): Lift you up the light of your countenance upon me, and that shall more glad me, than when my corn and wine and oil increases. David would more value the comforts of God's Spirit, than any other comfort in the world. Assured Christians, that use assurance rightly, they must put a high valuation and worth upon it. And the reason is, because you will not then easily part with your assurance for a base and beggarly lust, and for a fruitless sin, if once you know the value and worth of it.

Thirdly, your assurance must make you live with a weaned heart from the comforts of this world (2 Corinthians 4:18, compared with chapter 5:1). The Apostle tells you, We do not look after the things that are seen, that are temporal. What made the Apostle not to look after worldly things? He gives the reason: For when this house of ours is dissolved, we have a dwelling with God, eternal in the heavens. As if he should say, That's the reason we do not look after the world as worldly men do. For we know that when we leave this world, we have a heaven to go to. The assurance of the blessedness of their future being, did make them undervalue the world, as a thing not worthy the glance of the eye. Persons that have assurance, can say as Philip said to Christ (John 14:8): Show us, says Philip, the Father, and it suffices us. Thus says a gracious heart, O sweet Jesus, show us but your favor. Assure but my soul, that your Father is a reconciled Father to me in yourself, that he is my Father as well as your Father. Show me but the Father, and it suffices me. Though I have little or nothing in the world, this shall suffice me. Gracious hearts, that live in the enjoyment of assurance, they ought to live with a weaned heart from the comforts of this world. Men that have tasted honey or some other sweet morsel, they do distaste all other things, though of themselves very pleasant. So men that have tasted of this honey of God's love, and the sweetness of this grace of assurance, it will make them distaste and disrelish all the things of this world, though of themselves pleasant and good. If a man look on the sun it dazzles his eyes, that he cannot discern colors about him. So he that beholds the light of God's countenance, will not look upon the things here below. I may allude to that place (Luke 5:39): No man, says Christ, having drunk old wine, straightway desires new; for he says, The old is better. His meaning is this, No man that has had a taste of Jesus Christ, and has had communion and fellowship with Jesus Christ, and lain under the Ministry of Jesus Christ, no man that has drunk of this old wine, will say new is better. To have other comforts, and other pleasures, is better — no man will say this, says Christ. And so he compares his Ministry, and his doctrine, and the comfort God's people have thereby, to old wine. Beloved, so I say, men that have drunk drafts of this wine of consolation, and men that are settledly assured, and have had a taste that the Lord is gracious, no man will now say, that the world is better, and the comforts below better. No, the assurance of God's love should wean a man's heart from all the comforts of the world. As old Jacob said, when he saw his son Joseph in his old age, after he had made many a prayer, and shed many a tear: O Joseph my son is yet alive, I have enough. As was the carriage of Jacob to Joseph, the same should be the carriage of a Christian towards Christ. If he can say, My Joseph, my Jesus is alive in my heart, I having him have enough. This comfort should ravish his spirit. Paul when he was rapt up into the third heaven, was so transported that he knew not whether he was in the body or no. So are the people of God ravished with heavenly consolations, that they mind not these earthly things. It is a speech that Bernard has, That to whoever Jesus Christ once becomes sweet, that he can taste the sweetness of his love, and the sweetness of his mercy, the very sweetness in Christ's love will embitter the world to him.

Fourthly, you are to manage and use your assurance with tenderness of conscience against sin. Assured Christians should be tender-conscienced Christians. In Psalm 85:8, God will speak peace to his people; but mark the duty: they must not turn again to folly. They must not run again into sin, they must be tender of sin, and then God will speak peace to his people. Sin (as I once told you) will be like wind in the bowels of the earth. Philosophers say, earthquakes and ruptures are occasioned by wind got into the bowels and caverns of the earth, which having no place for vent, it overturns mountains and buildings. Beloved, sin in the heart will do the like. It will make the heart quake and tremble if it be there. It will prove the grave of your comforts, and the resurrection of your fears. Therefore Christians that are assured, they must take heed of sin. If they would keep their comforts, they must keep their hearts that sin get not into their consciences. Beloved, they that are assured Christians, they know how difficultly they did attain this assurance, and they know how sweetly they enjoy this assurance, and that will make them very tender, that they do not lose a thing so hardly gotten and sweetly enjoyed for a trivial lust. [reconstructed: that you lose not your former evidences, and revive former terrors].

Fifthly, assurance must be managed with patience in bearing any outward affliction that you may meet with in the world. Assured Christians must be patient Christians (Hebrews 10:34). They suffered joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing that they had in heaven a better and more enduring substance; and that made the saints of God scorn all the losses they met with in the world. Suppose a man is at sea, and has precious jewels and pearls aboard with him; if the man can be but sure he shall save his own life, and save his jewels, though he lose the casket, though he lose the box, that will not much trouble him. You that are sure of heaven can never lose that pearl, your soul; you may lose the shell, your life; you may lose the casket, but you shall never lose the jewel — and shall that trouble you? If you are an assured Christian, be sure whatever storm of temptation blows upon you, you shall only lose the box, never lose the pearl. This therefore should make assured Christians to be patient Christians, whatever they shall undergo here in the world. I have read a story in Fox's Acts and Monuments, of a woman, who when she came to be tried for her religion before Bonner, that bloody bishop; he threatened her, he would take away her husband from her; says she, Christ is my husband; I will take away your child: Christ, says she, is better to me than ten sons; I will strip you, says he, of all your outward comforts: indeed but Christ is mine, and you cannot strip me of him, says she. The thoughts of this bore up the woman's heart — spoil her of all, and take away all, yet Christ was hers, and they could not take him away. O beloved, when your soul lives in the assurance of God's love, and of your calling to grace and glory, this shall make you wonderful patient to endure whatever you should meet with here below. It was the speech of that famous servant of God, holy Bradford, when a company of his fellow-prisoners were that morning to go to be burnt, says Bradford, O my fellow-sufferers, be cheerful, for though we are all of us to have a bitter breakfast, yet truly we shall have a cheerful dinner. Here you see how assured Christians, their comforts in God did so transport their hearts, that it made them overlook, and with patience bear all afflictions they were to meet with. You have a remarkable phrase (Isaiah 33:24): The inhabitants of Zion shall not say, I am sick, the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity. A strange passage; he does not say they were not sick, but the text says they should not say so. And what is the reason — why should the people forget their sorrows, and forget their pains? This should make them so: the Lord had forgiven them their iniquities. The sense of pardon took away the sense of pain. And beloved, Christians should walk thus to show that trouble should not daunt them, and afflictions never startle them; you that are assured Christians should be patient Christians under all sufferings. And take this for a rule, that God takes impatience more unkindly at assured Christians' hands than at the hands of any men in the world besides, because if God give you assurance, he has given you a seal in your own breast that all shall work for your good — and will you be impatient? He has given you a seal in your own breast that heaven shall make amends for all — and will you be angry? God will take this more unkindly at them than any.

Sixthly, assurance should be managed with endeared love to Jesus Christ. Assured Christians should be Christ-loving Christians. When Christ told Mary Magdalen, your sins which are many are forgiven you — when she had assurance her sins were pardoned, what says Christ? Much was forgiven her, therefore she loved much: because she was sensible much was forgiven her, she would show forth much love to Jesus Christ. And the reason is, because it was Christ's love that brought those Christians into a state of salvation, and his love likewise that gave them assurance of their own calling, and this should endear their hearts to Jesus Christ.

Seventhly, assurance should be managed with abundance of compassion towards those Christians that are tempted and troubled by Satan. Assured Christians should be compassionate Christians. If God has given you assurance of his love, you should carry compassionate hearts towards your brethren, who remain behind in great distress and perplexity, that lie tossed and troubled by temptations. When a ship is brought safe to the haven, if they have any compassion, when they see another ship in the main ocean struggling for life in the midst of the waters, they will pity them. You that have got assurance are come to a safe harbor; but your tempted brethren are tossed upon the waves and tempests of temptation — you should now have compassionate hearts towards tempted Christians. (2 Corinthians 1:4) The Apostle tells us, the Lord has comforted us in all our tribulation, that we might comfort others with the same comforts with which we ourselves are comforted of God. It was the work and task of the Apostle, and them with him, that they having comforts and assurance from God, they would labor to comfort others, and bear up others, and establish others, that they might rejoice and receive the same comforts with themselves. Hence you read (1 Peter 3:8-9): Be pitiful, be compassionate to your brethren, love as brethren. Now upon what ground does the Apostle press this compassion? Read verse 9: Knowing, says he, that as you are called to this, that you should inherit a blessing. As if he should say, upon this ground I urge you to be compassionate, because you are called to inherit a blessing — that is, you know and are assured that you are a blessed people and shall be a saved people, therefore have compassion on your brethren, who are tempted and troubled, that you might bring them to the same level of comfort you are brought to.

Eighthly, assurance should be managed with cheerfulness of heart: assured Christians should be cheerful Christians. We read Nehemiah 2:1-2, that Nehemiah all the while he was before the face of the King, and in the presence of the King, the text says, Nehemiah for a long time was not sad: the King's presence did so cheer up Nehemiah's heart. Now to this I would allude: if the presence and face of King Artaxerxes did make Nehemiah, that for a long time he was not sad before him, oh how much more should the face of God, and the presence of God in a man's soul, and the favor of God towards a man — how much more should this keep you from being sad in God's presence, from a lumpish and melancholy and sad spirit? You are in the presence of a King, in the favor of God, and this should keep you from being sad and heavy. None in the world have greater grounds of joy than those that live in a constant assurance of the love of God towards them. It is for condemned men, that are condemned to the gallows, to hang down their heads and wring their hands; but let the pardoned people of the Lord rejoice. The man that is condemned, he hangs down his head; but the man that comes pardoned from the bar, with what a cheerful countenance will that man come? You are all a people pardoned by your God, you may well be a rejoicing people. I remember a passage I have read in Doctor Hall's Works, in his Meditations upon the Creatures, speaking of a little bird called Robin Redbreast, that when he was in his study, came chirping at the window, and leaping upon his book, and singing a great while together; upon this sight he breaks out into this contemplation. O this little silly bird, that does not know where to pick up the next crum, that does not know where to pitch and rest itself for the next night, yet behold, how cheerfully does this bird sing, when man, and a Christian man that knows God to be his Father, that has not only crumbs of outward blessings, but whole morsels of inward comfort, and can drink drafts of inward consolation — Christians, that have a God, and a heaven, that have Christ and glory, yet they cannot be merry, as a poor bird can be. And truly it is a good meditation. Many times people that are called by Jesus Christ, and have ground and assurance of their everlasting happiness by him, yet they cannot be so merry as a poor bird will be. Birds in the morning will be chirping and singing, [reconstructed: lying at the leaves], when a Christian is sad and mourning, and [reconstructed: wallowing] in discontents, and it becomes not a Christian. Assured Christians, they should be cheerful Christians.

Ninthly, assured Christians, they should be thankful Christians. For one to give a man a promise, it is worth thanks, but when a man shall not only give, but assure that promise, that he will make it good — that is more thanks-worthy. Beloved, if God had only promised you a heaven, and had given no assurance, it was thanks-worthy; but when God shall give you his broad seal, that shall seal you up to the day of redemption, and when God shall give you an assurance in your own breast you shall go to heaven, and go to God, this should much more make you in your spirit bless your God. It is a speech of the prophet David, "My soul, bless the Lord for his marvelous loving kindness." You have kindness, and you have marvelous loving kindness; my soul, bless God for this. David would not keep back God's praises, seeing God would not keep back David's comforts. In heaven we shall break forth into admiration, because we have good things in possession; here we should break forth into thanksgiving, because we have them in expectation. And thus I have done with the first part of my direction to you that are assured Christians — you should labor first rightly to use your assurance.

Secondly, all you that are assured Christians, you are to be directed carefully to keep and preserve your assurance. There is no less skill, says the Poet, to be put forth in keeping virtue, than in getting of it. It is said of Hannibal, he was a skilful soldier to get victories, but he had no skill to keep them, when gotten: it may be said so of us, Christians can get assurance, but they have not the skill to keep it when they have got it. This therefore I am now to press, that you would be careful to preserve your assurance. And here in speaking of this, I shall lay down two particulars: that in case you would keep your assurance, there are some things you must do; and some things you must avoid and take heed of.

First, there are some things you must do, and those I shall comprise under two or three heads.

First, in case you would keep assurance, you are to keep close in communion with your God, in the exercise of the duty of godliness. The more you keep grace, the more you will keep your comforts. And here that I may branch out this direction, I shall comprise these duties under four heads, and show you from Scripture, that keeping close to God in the use of four duties, will be a ready way to keep your assurance in you.

As first, keep close to God in the duty of prayer (John 16:24). Ask, says Christ, and your joy shall be full. Ask, that your joy may be full; implying that if you keep close to God in the duty of prayer, after assurance, your spirits shall be complete and full.

Secondly, keep close to God, in the duty of reading the Word often. By often reading the Word you will often meet with promises and supports for your comfort. That is the reason men lessen in comforts, because men do not frequently read the Word; you cannot read a chapter, but you will find there a prop for faith, and a prop for assurance. Keeping constant to the Word — and that is the way to keep your assurance (1 John 5:13). "These things have I written to you that believe, that you might know that you have eternal life." These things have I written, not only that you have life, but that you might know it. By reading the writings of John, John tells them they might the better know they should live for ever, and everlastingly be saved. Keep close to God in reading his written Word, and this will be of great use, because there are promises scattered throughout the veins of Scripture. Not a Scripture almost you can read, but there is a promise or support for your faith one way or other.

Thirdly, keep close to God in a constant and conscientious hearing of his Word, and this is a great means to get assurance. Luke 1:76: "You shall be called the Prophet of the Highest, for you shall go before the face of the Lord, to prepare his way; that is, you shall go to prepare the people's hearts that they may receive Jesus Christ that followed after." This is spoken of John Baptist. And what was the effect of hearing John preach? To give knowledge of salvation to his people, for the remission of their sins; not only to give them salvation, but to give them knowledge and assurance of this salvation. O live under the ministry, and under John Baptist's ministry, that preaches repentance and humiliation, and that is the ministry that will give most assurance of your salvation.

Fourthly, keep in communion with God, in a daily trying and examining your own hearts. Galatians 6:4: "If any man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself; but let every man prove his own works, and then he shall have rejoicing in himself." That is, let a man examine himself, and prove his heart, and this will be a means to work joy in the heart, that they shall have comfort and joy in themselves in the assurance of their happiness. Beloved, what's the reason you do not keep assurance? The reason is, you keep not close to God in a way of communion in these duties of holiness, you keep not to God in a way of prayer, and reading, and examining your hearts, and proving your comforts, and your own estate, and that's the reason you are no more full, and no more firm.

Secondly, if you would keep your comforts, keep your conscience clear from harboring the guilt of sin. Job 11:14-15: "If iniquity be in your hands, put it far away; if sin be in your conduct, away with it." Let not sin be in your heart, nor in your house, then shall you lift up your face to God without spot, you shall be steadfast before him, and not fear. This will balance your spirit, and keep your heart from fear, and keep you in a steadfast assurance, if you keep your conscience clear.

Thirdly, if you would keep assurance, gather and heap together all the experiences you have had of God in your heart in times past. I called to remembrance the days of old (Psalm 77:7). Call to remembrance all the experiences you have had of God, and had of Christ, and of your own grace, and the fruits of God's Spirit in your own soul, and this will wonderfully keep up your assurance. Romans 5:4: The Apostle tells us, experience works hope. The more experimental you are, and the more you gather experience together, the more you strengthen hope, and the more hope is strengthened, the more assurance is gained. These are the particulars you must practice, in case you would preserve in your breasts this assurance of your effectual calling.

Secondly, there are some things you are to avoid and take heed of, in case you would perpetuate assurance in your hearts, and those I shall comprise under six heads.

First, take heed you do not wallow in, and give yourselves to sensual joy and pleasure. There is nothing in the world that will more eat out spiritual joy and that effectual assurance in your hearts, than giving yourselves too much to carnal joy and sensual pleasure, which takes away the heart. The more your joy runs in that channel after sensual pleasure, the less it runs towards God, and the comforts that are above; godly sorrow is the seed-plot of spiritual joy.

Secondly, the evil of earthly-mindedness — take heed of that, if ever you would keep your comforts. There is nothing in the world that will more blast your comforts, than an earthly mind to be still poring upon the things of the world. What the philosophers say of the eclipse of the sun, that it is occasioned by the intervening of the moon between the sun and our sight, is true in this case. The moon is an emblem of the world. If the world get between Christ the Sun of righteousness and our sight, it will darken our sight of Jesus Christ, and bring eclipses upon our comforts and graces. Those men that dig deep into the bowels of the earth, they are oftentimes choked and stifled by damps that come from the earth. So it is with Christians — those that will be ever poring and digging about the things of this world, it is a thousand to one if from worldly things a damp does not arise to smother their comforts, and quench their graces; the world pierces with sorrow, therefore it must needs damp your joys. A candle, though it may shine to the view of all, yet put it but under ground, and though there be not a puff of wind, the very damps will stifle the light of the flame. Beloved, though you shine like candles in your comforts, yet bring them but under the earth, and a clod of earth will stifle your candle, will damp your comforts. There is nothing that lays a Christian under more loss in his assurance than worldly-mindedness.

Thirdly, avoid remissness in religious duties. If you slack in duties, you will slack in comforts; less duties and less comforts go together. If a man does let loose the tackle of his ship, and let slack the sails, that ship cannot go with so swift a motion; especially if wind and tide be against it, the ship must needs go backward. Believers that are assured Christians, they are like a ship under sail; you go against wind and tide, against nature, and against corruption, against temptation and the devil and all. Now if you let slack your sails, and grow remiss in duties, you will quickly slack in your comforts; whatever weakens your graces, and straitens your duties, will impair your assurances, and eclipse your comforts. Therefore take heed of remissness in a way of duties; oh, do not do less work, when you have most encouragement.

Fourthly, take heed of spiritual pride. If once you begin to admire yourselves, then you lose yourselves. If once you are proud of your graces, it is a provocation to make God take away your comforts, and to make you lose your graces; I mean, lose them, not in the very being, but in the comfort and exercise of them; pride is the great murderer of a Christian's comforts.

Fifthly, take heed of grieving the Spirit of God; grieve not the Holy Spirit, says the Apostle, whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption. The Spirit of God is a sealing Spirit; O grieve not this Spirit. The Spirit deals with us, as we deal with it; if we grieve the Spirit of God, God will grieve you, and your spirits shall be grieved, so that you shall not keep the joys of the Lord in your breast in the assurance of his love and favor to you. You read (Isaiah 63:10): they grieved his Spirit, so he was turned to be their enemy, and fought against them. Beloved, though God may be your friend, yet he will frown upon you as an enemy, and seem to fight against you too, in case you grieve his Spirit; if you grieve God's Spirit, God will grieve your [reconstructed: spirit], and when your spirit is grieved, you must needs lose your comforts.

Sixthly, take heed of the sin of hypocrisy, false grace will breed a false joy. False hearts must needs have false comforts. You will never keep true comforts, if you have an unsound heart. The upright in heart they shall shout upon their beds for joy; they shall do it, but hypocrites shall not. Take heed therefore of this evil, and you are in a way to preserve your assurance.