SEeing opportunity serues vs thus fitly ( my Christian friend ) to conferre a while together , and seeing there is no conference so comfortable or profitable as that which is about the affaires of Gods Kingdome , and our owne saluation , and that the counsell of the Holy Ghost is ; that a a 1 Pet. 4.11 . if any speake , hee should speake as the words of God , and b b Eph. 4.29 . that such communication should proceed out of our mouthes , as is good for the vse of edifying : giue me leaue therefore to propound a question to you about these matters .

Sir , I like the motion passing well , and indeed there is too little of this good practise in these daies ; christian communication growes too much out of vse , which shewes the want & scarsitie of grace ; for there is the like correspondence between the heart and tongue , that is betweene the bell and clapper : if the bell be stirred , the clapper cannot lye still : and if the heart bee moued with delight in spirituall things , the tongue cannot chuse but talke thereof : and where the tongue yeelds no other but an earthie sound , there you may be sure to finde no other but an earthly heart , no pure good metall , no heauenly grace to bee found in the heart : Now therefore let mee heare the question , and according to my poore measure of knowledge , I will bee ready to shape an answere .

Ought not euery one while he liues in this world , to know as a thing certaine , whether hee shall be saued , and so be translated out of this earthly tabernacle , into the heauenly paradice , whensoeuer hee shall be called away by death ?

Yes vndoubtedly ; which I prooue thus , c c Mar. 16.16 . Hee that beleeueth ( saith our Sauiour ) shall bee saued , but he that beleeueth not , shall bee damned : This must euery one know as an vndoubted truth ; and withall he is bound to know whether hee beleeueth , according to that charge of the Apostle : d d 2 Corin. 13.5 : Examine your selues whether you bee in the Faith : know you not that Christ is in you , except you bee reprobates ? Heerevpon it will follow , that euery one must know whether hee shall be saued ; and therefore such as put their soules to a venture , cannot be saued , for as much as they take not the right course , appointed by God thereto ; namely , to prooue whether they be in the faith , and Christ in them . And further , whom the Lord intendeth to bestow heauen vpon , hee sets his e e 2 Cor. 1.21 . seale and marke vpon them , whereby he claims them for his owne , and he bestowes loue-tokens on them , which are the sauing graces of his holy spirit , whereof he is very charie , setting great store by them , so that hee will not bestow them on cast-awaies , but onely on his dearely beloued ones ; which markes and loue-tokens , as they are very precious , so as many as receiue them ( though they doubt ) they need not doubt but that they shall bee saued , for God is not variable in his loue : but he that hath not these signes in him , whereby he may know that he shall be saued , shall ( if he die in that comfortles state ) be sure to haue his portion with deuills , g g Reu. 21.8 . in the burning lake , for euer after death .

If the case stand so , I thinke it lies euery one vpon , not to dallie with their owne soules , as men doe now adaies , but to deale soundly , and consider sincerely with themselus , whether they haue receiued these golden markes , and loue-tokens of God , or whether they still retaine the blacke brand of the Deuill which they were borne with , the which so long as they retaine on them , the Prince of darknesse ownes them ; but if they can get it h h 1 Cor. 6.11 . washed out by the bloud of Christ , and Gods marks set vpon them , then hath the Deuill no more right or claime vnto them ; for the Lord from that time forward , euen for euer , doth take them for his owne peculiar ones : But what say you now of those that mourne after God , in the anguish of their soules , longing for the assurance of his fauour , and labouring to get this knowledge of their saluation , but yet cannot finde it in themselues ?

This I say , or rather Christ himselfe , i i Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that ( so ) mourne , for they shall bee comforted ; and though they now sorrow , yet their k k Ioh. 16.20 . sorrow shall bee turned into ioy : nay , great cause of reioycing haue they , that they can thus mourne : neyther is it possible for such to bee without some sure signes wherby they may know that they shall be saued ; for euen this their practice ( they being thus l l Cant. 2.5 . sicke of loue ) longing and labouring after Christ , is a sure signe to them , though they should haue no other : but indeed this cannot goe alone .

Because they are eyther new-borne babes in Christ , and therefore being as infants though they bee aliue , yet haue not as yet vnderstanding to know that they are aliue , which notwithstanding others of riper age discerne in them , and they also by experience and growth in grace shal afterwards perceiue in themselues ; or else they are distempered with some strong fit of temptation , wherby they are so astonied and benummed , that they haue not m m Psal. 77.7 8. a feeling of that which otherwise they might perceiue in their soules : like as one halfe frozen , & almost stiffe with cold , feeles no warmth at all in himselfe , and yet there is some in him ; for else there could be no life or breath remaining in him : Or lastly , such they are as haue taken a surfet of sinne , wherby they haue beene ouercome ; thus while they are soul-sick , their spirituall senses are corrupted , so as they cannot now n n Psal. 88.14 . see the lightsome countenance of Gods fauour shining on them so clearely , nor o o Ps. 51.8.12 . heare the Lord speakeing vnto them , nor taste how good the Lord is to their soules in speciall , nor relish religious exercises so sauourlie , nor feele heauenly comforts so sensibly , as otherwise they might . And yet this surfet they shall out-grow in time , by vsing themselues to a good diet of Christian practise , and by the helpe of the Physicke of Gods word rightly applied , which holpe the Prophet Dauid in the like case , being distempered , Psal 73.17 . neither is it maruell though such doe iudge amisse of themselues , for the present ; seeing wee know that sicke folkes are not competent or meet iudges of themselues : for they sometimes feele nothing but paine or sicknesse , whereas others know , that there is in them more health then sicknesse , or at least some health .

Now then to come to your selfe ( for it is the part of euery wise man , to be best acquainted with his own estate . ) Let mee a little examine your Euidences : haue you some good assurance that you shall bee saued ?

Yes , I praise God , else how could I haue any comfort ? else my very meat should be turned into gall , & teares should bee my drinke ; well might my eyes refuse all rest , and my soule all comfort , knowing none other , but that I should p p Iob. 18.14 . goe to the king of feare , into a Land darke as darknesse it selfe : And sure I am , that the q q Mark . 8 36. whole World , with the r r Eccles. 2.11 . best of all earthly things , cannot affoord true , sound , and substantiall comfort , to the quieting of the conscience , & reioycing of the heart .

How doe you know that you shall bee saued ?

First , by that mother-grace , from whence all other sauing graces flow , namely true iustifying faith , a sparke of this pious faith , I find is kindled in me , whereupon this I build ; GOD hath promised , The first signe of saluation taken out of Iohn 3.36 . that hee which beleeueth shall be saued : Now then seeing I belieue ( that is , am truly perswaded that Christ is my Sauiour , that hee died for my sinnes , and fulfilled the Law , to procure mee perfect righteousnes ) therefore I know I shall be saued .

It is nothing to say you beleeue , but let mee heare if you can proue it ? how know you that yours is true faith , and not meere mocke-faith , which is so rife in the world ?

And what then , did you rest quiet in the sight of this your wofull miserie ?

Thus you haue shewed mee well how you came by faith , and I see you haue come honestly by it ; whereby it appeares that it is not like Iacobs venison too quicklie found to bee of the right kinde , nor like Ionahs gourd , too suddenlie sprung to continue long , but like the z z 2 Sam. 23.15 , 16. water of Bethlehem , much longed for , & hardly obtained ; now shew mee further how you vse it : since you got it , what fruites doth it bring forth , whereby you may know more easily whether it be true , and a a 1 Tim. 1.5 . Faith vnfained ?

As fire may bee discerned by heat , 6 Notes of true faith . and life by motion , so may my faith by the fruites thereof : For first , it enableth me to b b Eph. 6.16 . quench the fierie darts of that euil one , to resist ( not without some comfortable victories ) the suggestions of Sathan wherwith he buffets me ; and more particularly , that same temptation of doubting whether the promises of God belong to me or no : for that I am not ouercome of this doubting , and sunke vnder it , but struggle and wrestle with it , and with vnbeliefe , that is by the power of faith . Secondly , it makes mee earnestly desire to bee more and more reconciled to God , that is , more fullie assured of his fauour , that I am at peace with him , and hee well pleased with mee ; to whom by nature I was an vtter enemy ; it makes mee crie , c c Ps. 106.4 remember mee O Lord with the fauour of thy people , d d Ps. 84.5 . release thy anger toward mee turne thy fac vnto mee , e e Ps. 31.16 cause thy face to shine vnto thy seruant , and saue mee through thy mercy . Thirdly , my faith makes mee labour to please God , though it bee with displeasing my selfe , and to doe the will of God , yea euen in those things which crosse my owne will , as it caused Abraham to f f Gen. 22.10 . offer his dearely beloued Isaac , though otherwise it would haue gone ful sore against his heart ; and heereby Enoch was g g Heb. 11.5 reported of , that had had pleased God . Fourthly , by it my heart is in some measure purified from noysome lusts and affections ; as secret pride , selfe-loue , hypocrisie , carnal confidence , wrath malice , and the like , in that they are distastfull , yea loathsome to mee , so that the spirit within me fighteth against the flesh , that is , grace resisteth and subdueth corruption . Fiftly , it makes me long after Christ , to tast more fully of his sweetnesse and to bee h h Can. 1.2 kissed with the kisses of his mouth , that is , to haue a greater measure of heauenly graces , and greater and more liuely tokens of his loue , communicated to mee , whom and whose loue I do preferre aboue the whole world , euen in my hart . Lastly , my faith brings forth in mee the sweet fruit of heauenly spirituall ioy ; for , i i 1 Pet. 1.8 . beleeuing in him whome wee haue not seene ( that is Christ the Lord ) wee reioyce with ioy vnspeakable , and ful of glory ; which is therefore called the ioy k k Phil. 1.25 . of faith , because it proceeds from thence : Thus my faith is l l Gal. 5.6 . a working faith , and by these fruits and the like , I know it is not a vaine fancy , and vngrounded imagination , but a sound and well-grounded perswasion , whereby I am ingraffed into Christ : for to beleeue , is * * Extra nos ire , & in Christum transire . to go out of our selues , and to goe into Christ .

If these things bee so , I am not able to obiect any thing against your faith , nay , all the diuels of hell shall neuer be able to ouerthrow it : But by what other signe doe you know that you shall be saued ?

Well may my conuersion plead seniority for the second place , it being of the same age with faith : for there is no sooner true faith wrought in the heart , but instantly there is a new Conuert made , and a sinner become the sonne of Abraham , and well may there then be ioy in heauen for a sinner that is conuerted . So then there is an effectual calling and conuersion wrought in mee ; for the Lord of his vnspeakeable goodnesse hath deliuered mee out of the power of darknesse , and translated mee into the kingdom of his deare son , that is , hee hath brought mee out of the miserable estate of nature wherein I was borne , into the happy estate of grace , wherein I now stand : The second signe of saluation taken out of Rom. 8.30 . this calling is a sure signe that one is ordained to euerlasting life ; for , whom the Lord hath called , those hee hath also glorified : therefore heereby I am comfortably assured of my saluation .

Our Sauiour tels vs , m m Mat. 22.14 . that there are many called , but few chosen : how then can this bee a signe vnto you ?

There is a two-fold calling of a Christian : an outward , and an inward ; the Lord calls outwardly all those to whom the Gospell is preached ; for such he requires to come to him by beleeuing and repenting , that they might be saued , but many such refuse thus to come vnto him , and therefore are not effectually called : like as if you should call a man that is in a dead sleep , who hears you not , & therefore lies snorting still ; it may be truly said , he was not called vp , because hee did not awaken and come vnto you : so the outward calling by the voyce of the Gospel alone , is not sufficient to saluation , therefore the Lord calls his elect inwardly also by his spirit , and this is that whereof I speake .

But how know you that you are thus inwardly & effectually called and conuerted ?

1. 2 Notes of effectual calling . By the ecchoing backe , and secret answering of my heart vnto the voyce and call of God ; for the Lord saith , n n Ps. 27.8 . Seeke thou my face , my heart answereth , thy face , O Lord , will I seeke : o o Math. 11.28 . Come vnto mee ( saith he ) all yee that are weary and heauy loden , and I will ease you : and p p Ioh. 8.37 if any man thirst , let him come vnto mee and drinke ; my heart answereth ; O Lord , it is the desire of my soule to come vnto thee , oh that I could come , oh how shall I come , helpe mee that I may come , draw mee and I will runne after thee ; seeing my hart doth thus inwardly answere his call , it is a certaine signe that I heare him call : which I could not vnlesse hee did call , inwardly and effectually .

Secondly , the Lord hath wrought in mee a wonderfull and supernaturall change , so that I am contrary to that I was by nature ( * * Non noua substantia creatura , sed labefacta reparatur . as touching the quality and disposition of my soule ) now louing that good which then I hated , and hating now that euill which before I loued ; therefore I am a new creature , and liue a spirituall life , yea Christ liueth in mee : for by the power of the spirit flowing into mee from Christ my head , I liue vnto God , not vnto my selfe ; and I would not bee againe in the condition wherein I was before , for all the worlds good , but tremble to thinke vpon it , accounting it as the suburbs and mouth of hell .

I doe verily belieue you , for they which haue thus seen and tasted of hell in their consciences , will take heed how they come neere it again so long as they liue : herein is that verified , the burnt childe dreads the fire . But name vnto mee a third signe of your saluation .

Me thinkes I see Iustification offering it selfe , and comming forth hand in hand with conuersion , as beeing the daughters of one mother Faith , & two sisters born at one birth , hand-fasted by the holy Ghost , Rom. 8.30 . neuer to bee seuered : The third signe of saluation taken out of Rom. 8.30 . so then I am iustified , that is , I am accepted of God perfectly righteous through Christ , this signe neuer failes , for whom God iustified , them he also glorified .

How can you proue , that you are thus iustified ?

1. Because it is the daughter of that noble parent , Faith , which faith beeing in mee , I am thereby onely iustified , * * Iustification is the daughter of the true mother Faith , not of works , the false mother ; for shee saith , let it be diuided betweene Christ & our selues . and not by workes , ( vnlesse it bee to declare me iust before men ) for I cannot bee so popishly fond as to thinke that men must licke themselues whole with their owne righteousnesse .

2. Whereas iustification consists in two things ; the remission of our sins for Christs passion sake , and the imputation of his perfect righteousnesse to vs , I haue some proofe of both : for first I know that God doth pardon and forgiue mee all my sinnes , for I doe heartily confesse them to him , with a detestation of them : and if we confesse our sinnes , hee is faithfull , and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes , as q q Ioh. 1.9 . saith the Apostle . Secondly , I know that God doth reckon Christs righteousnes vnto mee , as verily as if I had personally performed it my selfe , this I know by my peace of conscience ; for they which are thus r r Rom. 5.1 . iustified by faith , haue peace toward God , and they only : thus am I one of those f f Reu. 7.14 . that haue washed their long robes , and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe .

Indeede if the conscience be truely pacified , it is euident that you are partaker of Christs perfect righteousnesse : for what else can giue the Conscience true peace ; and not the drunken peace of hypocrites ?

1. Because it hath followed grieuous trouble and vnquietnesse in my conscience , as a calm followes after a storme : for such as neuer were afflicted in minde , and distressed in conscience , neuer had true peace . 2 My peace of conscience 3 Notes of true peace of conscience . makes mee carefull to keepe a good conscience ( as it made the Apostle ) t t Hebr. 13.18 . desiring to liue honestly , and to haue u u 2 Cor. 1.12 . my conuersation in godly purenesse . 3. This true peace makes my Conscience not afraid to view it self : whereas the euill conscience is like the Elephant , which being guilty of his deformity , cannot abide to looke on his owne face in the water , but seekes muddy chanells , and fowle puddles .

Let mee heare you name some other signe , from whence you gather assurance of your saluation .

Mine Adoption is a sign hereof : for wheras I was by nature a base-born of Satan ; & no child so like his father as I was like him , the Lord of his free grace & fauour hath adopted me his childe , to traine mee vp vnto eternall life , that I may inherit with his own Son Iesus ; by meanes whereof I haue right also * * 1. Cor. 3.22.23 . to the creatures heere in this world , as being my fathers goods ; and the miseries of this life x x Rom. 8.28 . become mercies to me , and the glorious y y Heb. 1.14 Angells , become attenders on mee : O high fauours , O rich mercy , O instimable dignity , to bee the childe of God! Thus I trust I am one of the number of Gods children . The fourth signe of saluation taken out of Rom. 8.17 . Now none of them can possibly be depriued of an euerlasting inheritance , for if we be children , then are wee also heyres of God , & ioyntheyrs with Christ . Seeing then I am one of them , I know I shall inherit together with them yea with Christ .

It is a common thing with men , yea with lewd and gracelesse persons , to say they are the children of God , as the wicked Iewes , z z Ioh. 8.41 44. said to our Sauiour , but hee tels them , they ar of their father the Deuill : how know you then that you are a true childe of God ?

1. Because I am regenerate ; that is , borne againe ; a a Ioh. 1.13 5 Notes of a true child of God . not of bloud , as by a second naturall generation , nor of the will of the flesh , as by any naturall strength or action , nor of the will of man , as by any mans endeuour or operation , but of God , born of the spirit , b b Ioh. 3.5 . as water through spirituall c c T it 3.5 washing and ablution , being begotten by the incorruptible seed of his word : they which are thus begotten and borne of God , must needs be his children : & that I am thus borne of the spirit , and so become a new creature , I haue shewed before , in that I am conuerted . Secondly , looke what naturall affections are in a childe toward his father , such spirituall affections are in mee towards God : if he frowne , I mourne ; if he threaten , I tremble ; if he smite , I stoop ; if he smile , I am right glad ; if hee speake comfortablie , I reioyce hartily : I delight in nothing so much as the fauour of God , feare nothing so much as the losse of it : hauing found it , oh how faine would I keepe it : hauing lost it , I cannot be at quiet till I recouer it : I can be content to want all things so I haue it , and can finde contentment in nothing if I want it , my heauenly fathers fauour is more to mee then all the world . Thirdly , I know my adoption , by the spirit of adoption which is within mee , and casts out of me daily more and more the d d Rom. 8.15 . spirit of bondage , a terrifying & tormenting conscience : and it makes me with some comfortable confidence , and a true heart , vnfainedly to call vpon God , and to cal him my Father without either flattery or dissembling . Fourthly , e e Rom. 8.14 . As many as are led by the spirit of God , they are the sons of God : by his holy spirit am I led , and willinglie doe I submit my selfe , and vnfainedly desire to bee wholly gouerned thereby , I desire not to follow the blinde guide , carnall reason , nor the deceitfull guide , my own corrupt heart , but I set the Lord alwaies before mee , as a guide to direct mee in all things by that rule , whereby hee leades into al truth , euen his holie word : it is my delight to say with the Prophet Dauid , f f Ps. 25.5 . Leade mee in thy truth O Lord , and teach mee , for thou art the God of my saluation . Fiftly , whereas all the children of God do resemble him their father , ( for howsoeuer a man may haue a childe nothing like him , yet God hath neuer a childe , but is in some measure like him ) hereby I also know that I am his childe , because I doe in some sort resemble him my heauenly Father . As hee is g g 1 Pet. 1.15 . holy h h Luk. 6.36 . mercifull , good , i i Ma. 5.48 perfect ; so doe I endeuour to conforme vnto him , hauing his blessed image imprinted in mee , and being renewed vnto that k k Ge. 1.26 likenesse , wherein the Lord created man in the beginning ; abhorring to bee of the number of them , who though they professe themselues to bee Gods children , yet are as Nabal , so prophane and wicked , that a man cannot speake vnto them ; and surely , blasphemie it were to thinke that there is any likenesse betweene God and them , he such a pure spirit , and they such impure swine .

Proceed vnto some other signe of your saluation .

The Lord will bestow an euerlasting inheritance vpon all them that are sanctified ; The fift signe of saluation taken out of Act. 20.32 . such a one am I , the Lord hath sanctified mee by his holy spirit , that is , hath made mee holy , whereas I was before , most vile , filthy , & vnclean , wholly sinfull : Neither yet am I now quite and cleane freed from all sinne , or perfectly holy ; for alas , l l Ro. 7.23 . I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde , and bringing me into captiuity of the law of sinne : but I am freed from the bondage and dominion of sinne . And looke as in the twi-light or day-breake , some little glimmering light there is ouer-sprea●ing the skie , yet mixed with much darknesse : euen so there is in mee the admixture of sinne , and much corruption , accompanying the light of sanctifying grace , in euery part of me ; yet this is my comfort , That the day-starre is risen , and the morning-light now shineth in mee ; and as for high-noone , perfection of holinesse , I wait for it , and looke to enioy it in the highest heauen : for the m m Pr. 4.18 . path of the iust is as the shining light , that shineth more & more vnto the perfect day .

There are not a few , who though they can talke of sanctification , a●● notwithstanding very prophane , yea leaprous persons , hauing the vncleane issues of sin , like plague-sores running on them , going vp and downe with the leapers , crie in their mouth n n Leui. 13.45 . vncleane , vncleane , therefore how know you that you are truely sanctified ?

If I could not shew a difference between my selfe and such vncleane beasts , Proofe of sanctification , by the parts thereof . I should bee sorry : thus then I prooue the Truth of my sanctification : whereas it consists in two things , namely , mortification & quickening , I haue some proofe of both ; for the first , o o Rom. 8.13 . I mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit : wherein I imitate the skilfull Chirurgion , Mortification . who being to cut off some incureable member , first mortifieth it , that so it beeing made insensible , may be cut off more easily , and with lesse paine to the patient . And this course I take in mortifying my sinnes : First , I labour by searching to finde them out : Secondly , to finde my selfe weary of them , and willing to be rid of them , considering what infinite hurt they doe mee . Thirdly , I fetch power from the death of Christ , beleeuing that he died to p p 1 Iohn 3.5.8 . kill sinne in all that are his , and therefore that it is impossible for them to liue vnto sinne , or sinne to rule in them . 4. * * The death of Christ as a salue applied to the sore by faith , leaueth a print like it selfe in the soul , a spirituall death , or dying vnto sinne . I apply this power of Christs death , as a strong corrasiue , to this proud flesh of mine , to the wounding and killing of the sinne that is in mee : and thus I apply it ; 1. Seeing that my sinnes put Christ to death , I am resolued , as the auenger of bloud , to follow the law vpon them , to get a scriptum est , a Writ for them , to doe by them , as they did by him , euen to pursue them vnto death , which put my elder brother and Sauiour vnto death . Secondly , seeing I beleeue , that Christ died for mee , to kill sinne in me , I see I neither must nor can q q Rom. 6.2.6 . suffer sinne to liue , and raigne in me ; for fhat were to make the death of Christ of none effect , vnto mee : Thus then though sinne bee in mee , yet it hath receiued the deadly wound , by the death of Christ , neuer after to recouer againe , but lyes as r r 2 Sam. 1.6.9 . Saul thrust thorow with his speare ; though life bee still abiding in it , it is gasping , and strugling , languishing and dying , and shall at last bee vtterly extinct in death . s s Ro. 7.25 . I thanke God therefore through Iesus Christ our Lord .