Chapter XVII: Part 17

Now that we may be able to determine whether our want of assurance proceeds from some natural cause or bodily distemper, we must enquire; whether, before this, we have endeavoured to walk in all good conscience in the sight of God? to hate every false way, and make religion the great business of life, so that we cannot assign any reigning sin as the cause of our present desponding frame? And also, whether we have been diligent in performing the duty of self-examination, and have been sensible that we stood in need of the Spirit’s witness with ours, in order to our arriving to a comfortable persuasion that we are in a state of grace? And if, as the result of these enquiries, we cannot see any cause leading to this dejection of spirit, but the unavoidable infirmities, which we are daily liable to, then we may probably conclude, that it arises from a distemper of body. And, in order to our determining this matter, we must farther inquire; whether some afflictive providence has not had an influence upon us, to bring us into a melancholy temper? and whether this does not appear in what relates to our secular, as well as our spiritual concerns? and if this be the case, though it be very afflictive, it is not attended with that guilt as it would be, had it been occasioned by some presumptuous sin; and there are other medicines to be used when it arises from this cause, besides those which are of a spiritual nature, that are contained in the gospel; but what they are, it is not our business, in this place, to determine.

(2.) There are many sins which are the occasion of a person’s being destitute of assurance. As all the troubles of life are brought upon us by sin; so are all our doubts and fears, arising from the want of a comfortable sense of, or interest in, the love of God. It pleases God, in the method of his providence, thus to deal with his people, that he may humble them for presumptuous sins; more especially those that are committed against light and conviction of conscience, that he may bring to remembrance their sins of omission, or neglect to exercise those graces in which the life of faith consists, that hereby they may feel the effect of their stupidity, indifferency, and carnal security, or their engaging in religious duties, in their own strength, without dependence on the Spirit and grace of God, or a due sense of their inability to perform any duty in a right way. Or, sometimes, as has been before observed, they want assurance, because they do not examine themselves, which is God’s ordinance for the attaining this privilege; or, if they do, they neglect to give that glory to the Holy Spirit which is due to him, by depending on his enlightening influence, whereby they may arrive to a comfortable persuasion of their interest in Christ.

(3.) Assurance is oftentimes weakened and intermitted through manifold temptations. Satan is very active in this matter, and shews his enmity against the interest of Christ in the souls of his people, as much as lies in his power, with this intent, that though it is impossible for him to ruin the soul, by rooting out that grace that is implanted in it; yet he may disturb its peace, and weaken its assurance, and, if not prevented, hurry it into despair. In this case the general design of his temptations is to represent God as a sin-revenging Judge, a consuming fire, and to present to our view, the threatenings whereby his wrath is revealed against sinners; and to endeavour to set aside the promises of the gospel, from which alone relief may be had.

Moreover, he puts us upon considering sin, not only as heinously aggravated, (which may, for the most part be done with justice) but also as altogether unpardonable; and, at the same time pretends to insinuate to us that we are not elected, or that Christ did not die for us; and therefore, what he has done and suffered will not redound to our advantage. Now there is apparently the hand of Satan in this matter; inasmuch as he attempts, by false methods of reasoning, to persuade us that we are not in a state of grace, or that God is an enemy to us; and therefore our condition is desperate; in which he uses the arts of the old serpent, that he may deceive us by drawing conclusions against ourselves from false premises, _e. g._ because we daily experience the internal workings of corrupt nature, which inclines us to many sins, both of omission and commission; therefore there is no room for us to expect mercy and forgiveness from God. And from our barrenness and unprofitableness under the means of grace, our improvements not being proportioned to the obligations we have been laid under. Or because we have had great reason to charge ourselves with many declensions and backslidings, which afford matter for deep humiliation, and should put us upon sincere repentance, he endeavours to persuade us that we are altogether destitute of special grace. And whenever we are unprepared or indisposed for the right performance of holy duties, and our affections are not suitably raised, but grow stupid, remiss, and careless therein; he puts us upon concluding that it is a vain thing for us to draw nigh to God, and that he has utterly rejected, both our persons and services. Or, if we are not favoured with immediate returns of prayer, and sensible communion with God therein; he tempts us to infer, that we shall never obtain the blessing we are pressing after; and therefore we may as well lay aside this duty, and say, why should I wait on the Lord any longer? And if by this method he cannot discourage us from engaging in holy duties, he sometimes injects blasphemous thoughts or unbecoming conceptions of the divine Majesty, which fills the soul with the greatest grief and uneasiness, that hereby he might give us occasion to conclude that we sin in persisting therein; and by all these temptations he endeavours to plunge us into the depths of despair.

As to what concerns the purpose of God relating to the event of things: when we are led to determine that we are not elected, this is alleged without sufficient ground, and therein he deceives us, by pursuing the same false methods of reasoning, and puts us upon presuming to enter into those secret things which do not belong to us, because we deserve to be cast off by him for our sins, instead of giving diligence to make our calling and election sure. It is one thing not to be able to conclude that we are elected; and another thing to say that we are not so: the former of these is the consequence of our present doubts and desponding apprehensions concerning our state; the latter is plainly a temptation of Satan: this we are often subject to, when we have lost that assurance of our interest in Christ that we once enjoyed,

(4.) A believer’s want of assurance is, for the most part, attended with, and arises from divine desertion; not that we are to suppose that God will cast off his people, whom he has foreknown, effectually called and preserved hitherto, so as to forsake them utterly; for that is inconsistent with his everlasting love, and the promises of the covenant of grace, which respect their salvation. But that which we understand by divine desertions, is God’s withdrawing his comforting presence, and withholding the witness of his Spirit to the work of grace in the soul, from whence arises those doubts and fears which attend the want thereof; as God says to his people, _For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee_, Isa. liv. 7. In this respect they are destitute of God’s comforting presence; though at the same time they may be favoured with his supporting presence, and those powerful influences which are necessary to maintain the work of grace; which, at present, appears to be very weak and languishing.

And this leads us to consider the last thing mentioned in this answer, _viz._ That though they are thus described, they are not left without such a presence and support of the Spirit of God, as keeps them from sinking into utter despair. This observation ought to be explained and considered, with certain limitations, lest while on the one hand, we assert that which affords matter of encouragement to believers, when they have some degree of hope, we should, on the other hand, throw discouragements in the way of others, who will be apt to imagine, when they are ready to sink into despair, that this is wholly inconsistent with any direct act of faith. I dare not say that no believer was ever so far deserted as to be left to despair of his interest in Christ: inasmuch as scripture and daily experience give us instances of some, whose conversation in many respects discovers them to have had the truth of grace; whom God has been pleased for wise ends, to leave to the terror of their own thoughts, and they have remained for some time, in the depths of despair; and others have gone out of the world under a cloud, concerning whom there has been ground to hope their state was safe. Therefore it is somewhat difficult to determine what is meant in this answer, by a believer’s being kept from sinking into utter despair: if the meaning is, that they have the supports of the Spirit of God, so as to be kept from relapsing into a state of unregeneracy, in their despairing condition, that may be easily accounted for; or, if we are to understand by it, that believers are not generally given up to the greatest degree of despair; especially such as is inconsistent with the exercise of any grace, that is not to be denied. But I would rather say, that though a believer may have despairing apprehensions concerning his state, and the guilt of sin lie upon him like a great weight, so as to depress his spirits, yet he shall not sink into endless misery; for though darkness may continue for a night, light and joy shall come in the morning; and accordingly we may consider,

[1.] That though there are many who are far from having assurance, yet they are at some times, favoured with a small glimmering of hope, which keeps them from utter despair.

[2.] If they are in deep despair, yet they are not so far left as not to desire grace, though they conclude themselves to be destitute of it, or not to lament the loss of those comforts, and their being unable to exercise those graces which once they thought themselves possessed of.

[3.] A believer, when in a despairing way, is notwithstanding enabled, by a direct act of faith, to give up himself to Christ, though he cannot see his interest in him, and so, long for those experiences and comforts which he once enjoyed; and when he is at the worst, he can say with Job, _Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him_, Job xiii. 15.

[4.] In this case a person has generally such a degree of the presence of God, as that he is enabled to justify him in all his dealings with him, and lay the blame of all the troubles that he is under, on himself; and this is attended with shame and confusion of face, self-abhorrence, and godly sorrow.

[5.] Despairing believers have, notwithstanding, such a presence of God with them, as keeps them from abandoning his interest, or running, with sinners, into all excess of riot, which would give occasion to others to conclude that they never had the truth of grace.

From what has been said concerning true believers being destitute of assurance, and yet having some degree of the presence of God with them at the same time, we may infer,

_1st_, That this is not inconsistent with what has been said concerning a believer’s perseverance in grace; yet it must be considered with this limitation, that though the truth of grace shall not be lost, yet the comforts and evidences thereof may, and often are.

_2dly_, This should put us upon circumspect walking and watchfulness against presumptuous sins, which, as has been before observed, are often the occasion of the loss of assurance; and also on the exercise of a faith of reliance on Christ, for the maintaining the acts of grace, as well as restoring the comforts thereof.

_3dly_, This should instruct believers what to do when destitute of this privilege of assurance. We have observed that this is attended with divine desertion, which is generally occasioned by sins committed. Therefore let us say with Job, _Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me_, chap. x. 2. let me know what are those secret sins by which I have provoked thee to leave me destitute of thy comforting presence; enable me to be affected with, humbled for, and unfeignedly repent of them; and exercise that faith in Christ which may be a means of my recovering that hope or assurance which I am, at present, destitute of.

_4thly_, What has been said concerning a believer’s being destitute of assurance, should put us upon sympathizing with those who are in a despairing way, and using endeavours to administer comfort to them, rather than censure them, or conclude them to be in an unregenerate state; as Job’s friends did him, because the hand of God had touched him, and he was destitute of his comforting presence.

_5thly_, From what has been said concerning that degree of the presence of God which believers enjoy, which has a tendency to keep them from utter despair, at least, from sinking into perdition, how disconsolate soever their case may be at present; we may be induced to admire the goodness and faithfulness of God in his dealings with his people, who will not lay more on them than he will enable them to bear; though they are comfortless and hopeless, yet they shall not be destroyed; and, in the end, they shall be satisfied with God’s loving kindness; and when the clouds are all dispersed, they shall have a bright and glorious day in his immediate presence, where _there is fulness of joy_, and at his _right hand_ where _there are pleasures for evermore_, Psal. xvi. 11.

Footnote 107:

_The word_ αδοκιμοι, _though it be sometimes used to signify such as
are rejected as objects of God’s hatred, as in Heb._ vi. 8. _and
consequently is inconsistent with the character of believers; yet, in
other places it may be taken according to the grammatical construction
thereof, as opposed to_ δοκιμοι; _which signifies persons approved_, 2
Tim. ii. 15. _and so it signifies a person whose conduct is
blame-worthy, or whose actions are not to be approved of; and this may
be applied to some who are not altogether destitute of faith_, _though
they are not able to vindicate themselves in all respects as
blameless. That the apostle uses the word in this sense here, seems
probable from the application he makes of it to himself; it is said,
ver. 3._ Ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, δοκιμην ζητειτε;
_and verse 6. he says_, I trust that ye shall know that we are not
reprobates; _so we render the words_ ελπιζω δε οτι γνωσεθε oτι hμεις
ουκ εσμεν αδοκιμοι; _but it would be more agreeable to what is said in
verse 4. if we should render them, I trust that ye shall know that we
are not disapproved, or that ye shall find a proof of Christ speaking
in us: and in verse 7. he farther says_, I pray to God, not that we
should appear approved. ουχ iνα hμεις δοκιμοι φανωμεν, _that is, I am
not so much concerned about your finding a proof of Christ speaking in
us_; but that ye should do that which is honest, _q. d._ _I am more
concerned for you than myself, though we be as reprobates_, hμεις δε
wς αδοκιμοι ωμεν _that is, whether you think we have a proof of
Christ’s speaking in us or no, or his approving us in the course of
our ministry, my great concern is, that you may be approved; so that
it is plain the apostle uses the word_ αδοκιμοι, _as signifying
disapproved; and therefore as it is applied to those he speaks of in
verse 5. the meaning is this; you seek to know whether we are approved
of God as ministers; therefore I would advise you to examine
yourselves, whether you be in the faith, and to prove your ownselves:
and if you know not yourselves, you are in this respect blame-worthy,
or to be disapproved; especially because you seem to have been
negligent as to the duty of self-examination. Whether he who is
diligent in the exercise of this duty, and yet cannot apprehend that
he is in a state of grace, be, in this respect to be disapproved or
no, it is certain, that he who is a stranger to himself, because of
the neglect hereof, is disapproved._

Footnote 108:

Vide Bellamy’s Works, 3 Vol. p. 81-83.

Quest. LXXXII.

QUEST. LXXXII. _What is the communion in glory, which the members of
the invisible church have with Christ?_

ANSW. The communion in glory, which the members of the invisible
church have with Christ, is, in this life, immediately after death;
and at last perfected at the resurrection and day of judgment.

After having considered believers, or the members of the invisible church, as enjoying this privilege of union with Christ, and, as the immediate consequence hereof, communion with him. It has been farther observed, that this communion with him, is either in grace, or glory. Their communion with him in grace consists in their partaking of the virtue of his mediation, in their justification, adoption, and sanctification; which have been particularly considered, together with other graces and comforts that accompany or flow from them. We are now led to speak concerning the communion which they have with him in glory; which contains the highest privilege they are capable of receiving; consisting in his giving them some right discoveries of the glory which they behold and enjoy by faith, in this life, and also of that which shall be immediate, and, in some respects, complete, after death; and, at the resurrection and day of judgment, be brought, in all respects, to the utmost degree of perfection; when their joy, as well as their happiness, shall be full, and continued throughout all the ages of eternity. These are the subjects insisted on in several following answers, which remain to be considered in this first part of the Catechism.

Quest. LXXXIII.

QUEST. LXXXIII. _What is the communion in glory, with Christ, which
the members of the invisible church enjoy in this life?_

ANSW. The members of the invisible church have communicated to them
in this life, the first-fruits of glory with Christ, as they are
members of him their head, and so, in him, are interested in that
glory which he is fully possessed of; and as an earnest thereof,
enjoy the sense of God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy
Ghost, and hope of glory; as, on the contrary, the sense of God’s
revenging wrath, horror of conscience, and a fearful expectation of
judgment, are, to the wicked, the beginning of their torments which
they shall endure after death.

There are two sorts of persons mentioned in this answer, namely, the righteous and the wicked, and the different condition of each of them considered,

I. With respect to the righteous, who are here styled the members of the invisible church. There are several invaluable privileges which they are made partakers of in this life, in which they are said to have a degree of communion in glory with Christ; particularly as they enjoy the first-fruits or earnest of that glory which they shall have with him hereafter: And that,

1. As they are members of him, their head; and accordingly may be said, in some respects, to be interested in that glory which he is fully possessed of.

2. As they have a comfortable sense of his love to them, attended with peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, and an hope of glory.

II. We have an account, on the other hand, of the dreadful condition of impenitent sinners, when God sets their iniquities in order before them; which is represented in a very moving way. Thus they are said to be filled with a sense of God’s revenging wrath, horror of conscience, and a fearful expectation of judgment; which is considered as the beginning of those torments which they shall endure after death.

I. There are several invaluable privileges which the righteous enjoy in this life, that are styled the first-fruits or earnest of glory. Though Christ has reserved the fulness of glory for his people hereafter, when he brings them to heaven; yet there are some small degrees thereof, which they enjoy in their way to it. The _crown of righteousness_, as the apostle speaks, is _laid up for them, which the righteous Judge shall give them at that day_, 2 Tim. iv. 8. to wit, when we shall come to judgment; then their joy shall be full; they shall be satisfied in his likeness, and made compleatly blessed: Nevertheless there are some prelibations, or foretastes, which they have hereof, for their support and encouragement, while they are in this imperfect state. For the understanding of this it may be premised,

1. That we are not to suppose that the present enjoyments which believers experience in the highest degree, do fully come up to those that are reserved for them. There is a great difference as to the degree thereof. As a child that is newly born has something in common with what he shall have when arrived at a state of manhood; but there are several degrees, and other circumstances, in which he falls short of it: or, as a few drops are of the same nature with the whole collection of water in the ocean; yet there is a very small proportion between one and the other: so the brightest discovery of the glory of God, which we are capable of enjoying in this world; or the comfortable foretastes that believers have of heaven, fall very much short of that which they shall be possessed of, when they are received into it. And there are very great allays, and many things that tend to interrupt and abate their happiness, agreeably to the imperfection of this present state. Whatever grace they are enabled to act, though in an uncommon degree, is attended with a mixture of corruption; and as their graces are imperfect, so are the comforts that arise from thence, which are interwoven with many things very afflictive; so that they are not what they shall be, but are travelling through this wilderness to a better country, and exposed to many evils in their way thither.

2. All believers do not enjoy these delights and pleasures that some are favoured with in their way to heaven; the comforts, as well as the graces, of the Holy Spirit, are bestowed in a way of sovereignty, to some more, and to others less: Some have reason to say with the apostle, _Thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ_, 2 Cor. ii. 14. others are filled with doubts concerning their interest in him, and go mourning after him all the day; and if they have, at some times a small glimpse of his glory, by which they conclude themselves to be, as it were, in the suburbs of heaven, they soon lose it, and find themselves to be in the valley of the shadow of death, as the disciples, when they were with Christ at his transfiguration, which was an emblem of the heavenly blessedness, when his _face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light_; which occasioned them to say, _it is good for us to be here_; before they had done speaking, or had time to reflect on their present enjoyment they were deprived of it when _the cloud overshadowed them_, Matt. xvii. 2,-5. so the believer is not to expect uninterrupted communion with God, or perfect fruition with him here. However, that which we are at present to consider, is that degree thereof which some enjoy; which is here called the first-fruits and earnest of glory. The scripture sets it forth under both these expressions.

(1.) They are said to receive the first-fruits thereof; or as the apostle styles it, _The first-fruits of the Spirit_, Rom. viii. 23. that is, the graces and comforts of the Holy Ghost, which are the first-fruits of that blessedness, that they are said to wait for; which is called _the adoption_, viz. those privileges which God’s children shall be made partakers of; or, _the glorious liberty_ which they shall hereafter enjoy. This is styled, the _first-fruits_, as alluding to the cluster of grapes, which they who were sent to spy out the land of Canaan, were ordered to bring to the Israelites in the wilderness, that hereby they might be encouraged in their expectation of the great plenty that was to be enjoyed when they were brought to it. Or, it has reference to the feast of ingathering, before the harvest, when they were to bring the sheaf which was first to be cut down, and _wave it before the Lord_, Lev. xxiii. 10, 11. compared with Deut. xxvi. 10, 11. with thankfulness and joy, in expectation of the full harvest, which would be the reward of the industry and labour of the husbandman. Thus believers are given not only to expect, but to rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

(2.) This is also called an earnest of glory. Thus believers are said to be _sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of their inheritance_, Eph. i. 13, 14. and elsewhere it is said, _God hath given us the earnest of his Spirit_, 2 Cor. i. 5. An earnest is a small sum, given in part of payment; whereby they who receive it, are encouraged hereafter to expect the whole: So a believer may conclude, that as sure as he now enjoys those spiritual privileges that accompany salvation, he shall not fail of that glory which they are an earnest of. In this respect God is pleased to give his people a wonderful instance of his condescending love, that they may hereby be led to know what the happiness of the heavenly state is, in a greater degree than can be learned from all the descriptions that are given of it, by those who are destitute of this privilege. Heaven is the port to which every believer is bound, the reward of all those labours and difficulties which he sustains in his way to it; and to quicken him to the greater diligence in pursuing after it, it is necessary that he should have his thoughts, meditation, and conversation there. The reason why God is pleased to give his people some foretastes thereof, is, that they may love and long for Christ’s appearing, when they shall reap the full harvest of glory. Now this earnest, prelibation, or first-fruits of the heavenly blessedness which believers enjoy in this life, is considered in this answer.

[1.] As it is included in that glory which Christ is possessed of as their head and Mediator.

[2.] As they have those graces wrought in them, and comforts flowing from thence, which bear some small resemblance to what they shall hereafter be made partakers of.

[1.] Christ’s being possessed of the heavenly blessedness, as the head of his people, is an earnest of their salvation. For the understanding of which, let it be considered, that our Lord Jesus sustained this character, not only in what he suffered for them, that he might redeem them from the curse of the law; but in the glory which he was afterwards advanced to: _Thus it is said, that he is risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept_, 1 Cor. xv. 20. and accordingly they are said to be _risen with him_, Col. iii. 1. as respecting that communion which they have with him herein; and when, after this, he ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, his people are said _to sit together in heavenly places in him_, Eph. ii. 6. not that we are to suppose that they are made partakers of any branch of his mediatorial glory, or joined with him in the work which he there performs, as their exalted head: But his being considered as their representative, appearing in the presence of God for them, is a foundation of their hope that they shall be brought hither at last; and therefore, when he is about to depart out of this world, he gave an intimation to his people, whom he left behind him in it, that he went _to prepare a place for them_, John xiv. 3. and assures them, that _because he lives they shall live also_, ver. 19.

[2.] The graces and comforts of the Holy Spirit, which believers are made partakers of, may also be said to be a pledge and earnest of eternal life. Heaven is a state in which grace is brought to perfection, which, at present, is only begun in the soul: nevertheless, the beginning thereof affords ground of hope that it shall be compleated. As a curious artist, when he draws the first lines of a picture, does not design to leave it unfinished; or he that lays the foundation of a building, determines to carry it on gradually, till he has laid the top-stone of it; so the work of grace, when begun by the Spirit, is a ground of hope that it shall not be left unfinished. As God would never have brought his people out of Egypt with an high hand and an outstretched arm, and divided the red sea before them, if he had not designed to bring them into the promised land; so we may conclude, that when God has magnified his grace in delivering his people from the dominion of darkness, and translating them into the kingdom of his dear Son; when he has helped them hitherto, and given them a fair and beautiful prospect of the good land to which they are going, he will not leave his work imperfect, nor suffer them to fall and perish in the way to it. Christ, in believers, is said to be _the hope of glory_, Col. i. 27. and the joy which they have in believing, is said not only to be _unspeakable_, but _full of glory_, 1 Pet. i. 8. that is, it bears a small resemblance to that joy which they shall be filled with, when brought to glory, and therefore may well be styled the earnest or first-fruits of it.

Now, that this may farther appear, let it be considered, that the happiness of heaven consists in the immediate vision and fruition of God, where the saints behold his face in light and glory[109], and enjoy all those comfortable fruits and effects that arise from thence, which tend to make them compleatly happy. Thus it is said, _They shall see him as he is_, 1 John iii. 2. and they are said to _enter into the joy of their Lord_, Matt. xxv. 21. Believers, it is true, are not in all respects, said to be partakers of this blessedness here; and their highest enjoyments bear but a very small proportion to it: Yet, when we speak of some as having the foretastes of it, we must consider, that there is something in the lively exercise of faith, and the joy that arises from it, when believers have attained the full assurance of the love of God, and have those sensible manifestations of his comfortable presence with them, that bears some small resemblance to a life of glory.

That which in some respects resembles the beatific vision, is a sight of God’s reconciled face, and of their interest in all the blessings of the covenant of grace, by faith. It is true, the views which they have of the glory of God here, are not immediate, but at a distance; and therefore they are said to _behold_, _as in a glass, the glory of the Lord_, 2 Cor. iii. 18. Thus we see things at a distance, as through a perspective glass, which enlarges the object[110], and brings it, as it were, near to the eye, though in reality, it be at a great distance from it; and so gives us a clear discerning of that which could otherwise hardly be discovered: So faith gives us clearer views of this glory than we could have any other way. Hereby we are said _to see him that is invisible_, Heb. xi. 27. Thus, when God bade Moses go up to the top of Pisgah, and strengthened his sight, he took a view of the whole land of Canaan, though without this he could only have beheld a small part thereof: So when God not only gives an eye of faith, but strengthens it in proportion to the views he designs it shall take of the heavenly state, that lies at so great a distance, the soul is enabled to see it, and herein has a faint emblem of the beatific vision.

Moreover, as heaven is a state, in which the saints have the perfect fruition of those blessings which tend to make them compleatly happy; the view which a believer is enabled, by faith, to take of his interest in Christ, and the glory he shall be made partaker of with him, is sometimes attended with such an extasy of joy and triumph, as is a kind of anticipation of that glory which he is not yet fully possessed of. Such an one is like an heir who wants but a few days of being of age; who does not look upon his estate with that distant view which he before did, but with the satisfaction and pleasure that arises from his being ready to enter into the possession of it; or like one who after a long and tedious voyage, is within sight of his harbour, which he cannot but behold with a pleasure, which very much resembles that which he shall have when he enters into it; this is more than a bare hope of heaven; it is a full assurance, attended with a kind of sensation of those joys which are inexpressible, which render the believer a wonder to himself, and afford the most convincing proof to others, that there is something real and substantial in the heavenly glory, whereof God is pleased to favour some of his people with the prelibations. That some have enjoyed such-like manifestations of the divine love to them, and been filled with those raptures of joy, accompanying that assurance which they have had of their salvation, is evident from the experience which they have had of it in some extraordinary and memorable occurrences in life; and others at the approach of death.

Of this there are multitudes of instances transmitted to us in history: I shall content myself with a brief extract of some passages which we meet with in the life and death of some who appear to have had as comfortable a foretaste of the joys of heaven, as it is possible for any one to have in this world. And the first that I shall mention is that eminently learned and pious Dr. Rivet; who, in his last sickness seemed to be in the very suburbs of heaven, signifying to all about him, what intimate communion he had with God, and fore-views of the heavenly state; his assurance of being admitted into it; and how earnestly he longed to be there: and, in the very close of life, one who stood by him could not forbear expressing himself to this purpose; I cannot but think that he is now enjoying the vision of God, which gave him occasion to signify that it was so, as well as he was able to express himself, which account, and much more to the same purpose, is not only mentioned by the author of his last hours, but is taken notice of in a public funeral oration, occasioned by his death.[111]

And what a very worthy writer observes,[112] concerning that excellent servant of Christ, Mr. Rutherford, who recites some of his last words to this purpose, is very remarkable, who says, “I shall shine, I shall see him as he is, and all the fair company with him, and shall have my large share. It is no easy thing to be a Christian; but as for me, I have got the victory; and Christ is holding forth his arms to embrace me. I have had my fears and faintings, as another sinful man, to be carried through creditably; but as sure as ever he spake to me in his word, his Spirit witnessed to my heart, saying, Fear not; he had accepted my suffering, and the outgate should not be matter of prayer, but of praise.” And a little before his death, after some fainting, he said, “Now I feel, I believe, I enjoy, I rejoice, I feed on manna, I have angels’ food, my eyes shall see my Redeemer; I know that he shall stand, at the latter day, on the earth, and I shall be caught up in the clouds to meet him in the air. I sleep in Christ; and when I awake I shall be satisfied with his likeness; O for arms to embrace him!” And to one speaking concerning his painfulness in the ministry, he cried out, “I disdain all; the port I would be in at, is redemption and forgiveness of sins through his blood.” And thus, full of the Spirit; yea, as it were overcome with sensible enjoyment, he breathes out his soul, his last words being these; “Glory, glory dwelleth in Emmanuel’s land.”

To this I may add the account given of that great man Dr. Goodwin, in some memoirs of his life, composed out of his own papers published by his son,[113] who intimates that he rejoiced in the thoughts that he was dying, and going to have a full and uninterrupted communion with God; “I am going, said he, to the three Persons with whom I have had communion; they have taken me, I did not take them; I shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye; all my lusts and corruptions I shall be rid of, which I could not be here; those croaking toads will fall off in a moment.” And mentioning those great examples of faith, Heb. xi. said he, “All these died in faith. I could not have imagined I should ever had such a measure of faith in this hour; no, I could never have imagined it. My bow abides in strength. Is Christ divided? No, I have the whole of his righteousness; I am found in him, not in my own righteousness, which is of the law; but in the righteousness which is of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Christ cannot love me better than he doth; I think I cannot love Christ better than I do; I am swallowed up in God:” and then he says, “Now shall I ever be with the Lord.” With this assurance of faith, and fulness of joy his soul left this world, and went to see and enjoy the reality of that blessed state of glory.

There is also an account, in the life and death of Mr. John Janeway, of the great assurance and joy which he had in his last sickness, in which he expresses himself to this purpose; “I am, through mercy, quite above the fears of death, and am going unto him whom I love above life. O that I could let you know what I now feel! O that I could shew you what I see! O that I could express the thousandth part of that sweetness which now I find in Christ! you would all then think it worth the while to make it your business to be religious. O my dear friends, you little think what a Christ is worth upon a death-bed! I would not, for a world, nay, for millions of worlds, be now without Christ and a pardon. O the glory! the unspeakable glory that I behold! My heart is full, my heart is full; Christ smiles and I cannot choose but smile. Can you find in your heart to stop me, who am now going to the complete and eternal enjoyment of Christ? Would you keep me from my crown? The arms of my blessed Saviour are open to embrace me; the angels stand ready to carry my soul into his bosom. O did you but see what I see, you would all cry out with me, How long dear Lord, come Lord Jesus, come quickly? Or why are his chariot-wheels so long a coming?” Much more to the same purpose may be found in the life of that excellent man, which is exceedingly affecting.

And there is another who does not come short of him in his death-bed triumphs;[114] who says concerning himself, “Death is not terrible, it is unstinged; the curse of the fiery law is done away: I bless his name I found him; I am taken up in blessing him; I am dying rejoicing in the Lord; I long to be in the promised land; I wait for thy salvation; how long! Come sweet Lord Jesus, take me by the hand; I wait for thy salvation, as the watchman watcheth for the morning; I am weary with delays; I faint for thy salvation: Why are his chariot-wheels so long a coming? What means he to stay so long? I am like to faint with delays.” After that he said, “O Sirs, I could not believe that I could have born, and born cheerfully this rod so long: This is a miracle, pain without pain. And this is not a fancy of a man disordered in his brain, but of one lying in full composure: O blessed be God that ever I was born; O if I were where he is! And yet, for all this, God’s withdrawing from me would make me as weak as water: all this I enjoy, though it be a miracle upon miracle, would not make me stand without new supply from God; the thing I rejoice in is, that God is altogether full; and that in the Mediator Christ Jesus, there is all the fulness of the Godhead, and it will never run out. I am wonderfully helped beyond the power of nature, though my body be sufficiently teazed, yet my spirit is untouched.” Much more to this purpose we have in the latter part of his life, which I shall close with one thing that is very remarkable. When he was apprehensive that he was very near his death, he said, “When I fall so low that I am not able to speak, I’ll shew you a sign of triumph, when I am near glory, if I be able;” which accordingly he did, by lifting up his hands, and clapping them together, when he was speechless, and in the agonies of death.

Many more instances might have been given to illustrate this argument, whereby it will evidently appear, that God is pleased, sometimes, to deal familiarly with men, by giving them extraordinary manifestations of his presence, before he brings them into the immediate enjoyment of himself in heaven; which may be well called an earnest or prelibation thereof.[115] And it may serve as a farther illustration of an argument before insisted on,[116] to prove that assurance of God’s love is attainable in this life, from the various instances of those who have been favoured with it. This assurance, as it may be observed, is accompanied with the lively acts of faith, by which it appears to be well grounded; so that, as the apostle says, _The God of hope_ is pleased to _fill them with all joy and peace in believing_; whereby they _abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost_, Rom. xv. 13. in which respect it may be said, to use the prophet’s words, that _they joy before thee, according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil_, Isa. ix. 3. This is like the appearing of the morning-star, which ushers in a bright and glorious day, and gives a full discovery to themselves and others, that there is much of heaven enjoyed in the way to it, by those whom God delights to honour. Thus concerning the communion in glory, which the members of the invisible church sometimes enjoy in this life; which leads us to consider,

II. The miserable condition of the wicked in this life, when God is provoked, as a sin-revenging Judge, to fill them with a sense of his wrath; from whence arises horror of conscience, and a fearful expectation of judgment; which is the beginning of those torments which they shall endure after death, as it is observed in the latter part of this answer. We have many instances in scripture, of the punishment of sin in this world, in whom God is said _to reprove and set_ their iniquities _in order before their eyes_, Psal. l. 21. which fills them with horror of conscience,[117] and leaves them in utter despair. They who once thought themselves in a prosperous condition, concerning whom it is said, _Their eyes stand out with fatness, they have more than heart could wish_, Psal. lxxiii. 7. yet their end was terrible, when it appears that they were _set in slippery places_, being _cast down into destruction, brought into desolation as in a moment, and utterly consumed with terrors_, ver. 18, 19.

We have a sad instance of this in Cain, after he had slain his brother, and fell under the curse of God, whereby he was sentenced to be a fugitive and vagabond in the earth. He separated himself indeed from the presence of the Lord, and the place in which he was worshipped; but could not fly from the terrors of his own thoughts, or get any relief under the uneasiness of a guilty conscience; which made him fear that he should be slain by the hand of every one that met him; and complain, _My punishment is greater than I can bear_, Gen. iv. 13.

And some understand that expression of Lamech in the same sense, when he says, _I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. If Cain shall be avenged seven-fold, truly Lamech seventy and seven-fold_, Gen. iv. 23, 24. The wrath of God was also denounced against Pashur; as it is said, the _Lord hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magor-missabib; for thus saith the Lord, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends_, Jer. xx. 3, 4.

And Judas, after he had betrayed our Saviour, was filled with the terrors of an accusing conscience, which forced him to confess, not as a believing penitent, but a despairing criminal; _I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood_; after which it is said, _He departed, and went and hanged himself_, Matt, xxvii. 4, 5. Nothing is more terrible than this remorse of conscience, which renders sinners inexpressibly miserable. This is a punishment inflicted on those who sin wilfully, presumptuously, and obstinately against the checks of conscience and rebukes of providence, and various warnings to the contrary, who treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath; who are _contentious, and do not obey the truth_; that is, they are so far from obeying it, that they persecute and oppose it; and, on the other hand, _obey unrighteousness_: to these belong, as the apostle says, _indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish_, Rom. ii. 5, 8, 9. This not only waits for them, as _laid up in store, and sealed up among God’s treasures, to whom vengeance belongeth_, Deut. xxxii. 34, 35. but they are made to taste the bitterness of that cup, which shall afterwards be poured forth without mixture. In this world _their eyes shall see their destruction, and_ afterwards _they shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty_, Job xxi. 20. This is a most affecting subject; how awful a thing is it to see a person surrounded with miseries, and, at the same time, shut up in darkness, and left destitute of hope! With what horror and anguish was the soul of Saul filled, when he uttered that doleful complaint; _I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me_, 1 Sam. xxviii. 15. much more for a person to apprehend himself fallen into the hands of the living God, who is a consuming fire; and having nothing left but the fearful expectation of future judgment, and an abyss of woes that will ensue hereupon. These are the evils that some endure in this life; which is no less terrible to them than the comfortable foretastes of the love of God are joyful to the saints.

From the different view of the end of the wicked, and the righteous, many useful instructions may be learned.

1. When we consider the wicked as distressed with the afflicting sense of what they feel, and with the dread of that wrath which they would fain flee from, but cannot, we may infer,

(1.) That a state of unregeneracy, whatever advantages may attend it, as to the outward blessings of common providence, is a very sad and deplorable condition, far from being the object of choice to those who duly consider the consequences hereof. The present amusements that arise from the enjoyment of sensual pleasures, from whence the sinner concludes himself to be happy, is the most miserable instance of self-deceit, and will appear to be so, if we consider the end thereof, or that _the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment_, Job xx. 5. and after that, nothing shall remain but what wounds his spirit, and makes his misery intolerable.

(2.) When we meet with instances of persons sunk in the depths of despair, and tormenting themselves with the fore views of hell and destruction, let this be a warning to others to flee from the wrath to come. I would not be peremptory in passing a judgment on the state of those who apprehend themselves to be irretrievably lost, and feel those terrors in their consciences which no tongue can express. A person can hardly read the account of the despair of poor Spira, soon after the reformation; and how much his sentiments concerning himself, resembled the punishment of sin in hell, without trembling: he was, indeed, a sad instance, of the wrath of God breaking in upon conscience; and is set up as a monument to warn others, to take heed of apostacy; and in this, and suchlike instances, we have a convincing proof of the reality of a future state of misery; or, that the punishment of sin in hell is not an ungrounded fancy: nevertheless, it is not for us to enter into those secrets which belong not to us, or to reckon him among the damned in another world, because he reckoned himself among them in this. And as for any others that we may see in the like circumstances, we are not so much to pass a judgment concerning their future state, as to infer the desperate estate of sinners, when left of God, and to bless him that it is not our case. And on the other hand, let not unregenerate sinners think that they are safe, merely because their consciences are quiet, or rather stupid, since that false peace, which they have, is no better than _the hope of the hypocrite_, which _shall perish_, and be _cut off_; and his _trust shall be as a spider’s web_, if he continue in his present condition.

From what has been said concerning the happiness of the righteous, in the enjoyment they have of the first fruits of the heavenly glory, we may learn,

(1.) That this may afford farther conviction to us, that there is a state of complete blessedness reserved for the saints in another world; since, besides the arguments we have to prove this taken from scripture, we have others founded in experience, so far as it is possible for any to attain to the joys of heaven before they come there. Though the instances we have here given thereof are uncommon, yet this inference from them is just, and may afford matter of conviction to those who are wholly taken up with earthly things, and have no taste of, nor delight in things spiritual, that religion has its own rewards attending it, and consequently that a believer is the only happy man in the world.