A61663:10
The trial of assurance set forth in a sermon preached at Boston upon a lecture day July 7th. 1698 / by Solomon Stoddard ...The tryal of assurance set forth in a sermon preached at Boston upon a lecture day July 7th. 1698 / by Solomon Stoddard ...
printed by B. Green, 1698
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The Trial of sincerity is a great and weight work. Ministers had need be careful in giv•• Rules of Trial; and People had need be care•• in applying Rules of Trial: the Doctrine […] propounded to prevent mistakes in this mat•• Godly men are described in the Scripture to […] men, that walk in the law of the Lord; men […] walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit: but […] is impossible for any man to evidence his since•• from hence; unless he certainly knows that […] has performed some act or acts of saving Gra•• A man may have a probable knowledge of […] sincerity, though he do not certainly know […] he has performed any act of saving Grace: […] this is all that he can attain to by his walk […] ⟨p. 4⟩[…] do not know that he has performed any one […] of saving Grace. There be many acts of ••ing Grace; as to believe in Christ, to love ••d and Christ, to hate sin, to make the Glory […] God one's end: and if a man don't certainly ••ow any such thing by himself: he will never •••able from his walk to prove himself to be ••aint. If a thing shine like fire in the night, […] you cannot know it to be fire from thence; ••ess you see in it some property of fire. If a •••ng acts as if it had life, yet you cannot know […] thence, that it has life, unless you know •••e action to be a Vital action. You cannot ••ow that a man do's miracles, unless you know •••e one action to be miraculous: So here.
The Tryal of sincerity is a great and weight work. Ministers had need be careful in giv•• Rules of Tryal; and People had need be care•• in applying Rules of Tryal: the Doctrine 〈…〉 propounded to prevent mistakes in this mat•• Godly men are described in the Scripture to 〈…〉 men, that walk in the law of the Lord; men 〈…〉 walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit: but 〈…〉 is impossible for any man to evidence his since•• from hence; unless he certainly knows that 〈…〉 has performed some act or acts of saving Gra•• A man may have a probable knowledge of 〈…〉 sincerity, though he do not certainly know 〈…〉 he has performed any act of saving Grace: 〈…〉 this is all that he can attain to by his walk 〈…〉 ⟨p. 4⟩〈…〉 do not know that he has performed any one 〈…〉 of saving Grace. There be many acts of ••ing Grace; as to believe in Christ, to love ••d and Christ, to hate sin, to make the Glory 〈…〉 God one's end: and if a man don't certainly ••ow any such thing by himself: he will never •••able from his walk to prove himself to be ••aint. If a thing shine like fire in the night, 〈…〉 you cannot know it to be fire from thence; ••ess you see in it some property of fire. If a •••ng acts as if it had life, yet you cannot know 〈…〉 thence, that it has life, unless you know •••e action to be a Vital action. You cannot ••ow that a man do's miracles, unless you know e one action to be miraculous: So here.
In order to the clearing of this, I shall first •••mise three things.
1. They that walk in a way of holiness are ••cere: all that walk in a way of obedience are […] right. Walking in Gods ways is the Character […] a Saint Psal. 119.1. Blessed are the undefiled in […] way, who walk in the law of the Lord. An holy […] is a certain sign of a holy heart. A life of obedience shows a principal of Grace: they that live ••ife of humility, love and faith are real Saints; ••y are such indeed as they do profess themselves […] be: though they have many infirmities and corruptions, yet they are sincere Saints. An holy life •••ore than any Hypocrite can attain unto: he ⟨p. 5⟩may counterfeit Holiness and have the image […] it; but falls utterly short of an holy life: an ho•• life is a life of sincerity and flows from a principle of sincerity: other principles may make a ma•• live a moral and religious life: Prudence, Pri••• and slavish fear may produce much out ward co••• formity, and many inward affections: but on•• a principle of Grace can enable a man to live […] holy life: all that live holily are regenerate me•• Eph. 2.10. Created in Christ Jesus unto good wor•• 2. They that walk in a way of unholiness a•• not sincere: they that lead an unholy life a•• not upright: a principle of Grace will keep […] man from ways of sin.
Depart from me, all ye workers of ••iquity. 3. Many men seem to themselves to walk in a ••ay of Holiness, yet don't certainly know that ••er they did perform an act of saving grace; ••ough all that make an high profession don't ••em to themselves to lead an holy life, yet a••ndance of them do: they are conscientious of […] their ways, have many religious affections; •••urn for sin, rejoice in Sabbaths, are thank••• for mercies; are afflicted under the Tokens […] Gods Anger, are desirous of the Conversion […] others: it seems to them, that they live in ••ne degree as Saints of old did: they think they ••lk holily, yet many of these persons don't cer•••nly know that ever they did perform one act […] saving grace, several of them never did per••m one act of saving grace, therefore they can••• know that they have: and some that have ••e it, are in the dark about it; they are under ••bts and uncertainties about it: the Question […] Whether such persons can know from their ••lk, that they are sincere. This the Doctrine ••s deny, and it may thus be cleared up.
Depart from me, all ye workers of ••iquity. 3. Many men seem to themselves to walk in a ••ay of Holiness, yet don't certainly know that ••er they did perform an act of saving grace; ••ough all that make an high profession don't ••em to themselves to lead an holy life, yet andance of them do: they are consciencious of their ways, have many religious affections; urn for sin, rejoyce in Sabbaths, are thank for mercies; are afflicted under the Tokens Gods Anger, are desirous of the Conversion others: it seems to them, that they live in ne degree as Saints of old did: they think they lk holily, yet many of these persons don't cernly know that ever they did perform one act saving grace, several of them never did perm one act of saving grace, therefore they can know that they have: and some that have e it, are in the dark about it; they are under bts and uncertainties about it: the Question Whether such persons can know from their lk, that they are sincere. This the Doctrine s deny, and it may thus be cleared up.
Argument 1. It is the acting of Grace tha• makes and shows the Walk to be holy: it is no•• the orderliness of mens walk that shows it to be•• holy; nor the affectionateness of mens hearts i••• Religion, that shows their walk to be holy; no•• the long continuance of good carriages, nor […] good behaviour in a day of temptation; nor […] savoury spirit; these things may all be, yet the […] walk not be holy: if there be the acting of love […] faith and repentance, then the walk is holy: bu•• all that men do is done in hypocrisy, if there b•• not the acting of grace: if there be no grace i•• their prayers, in their fastings, in their discourses, all is in hypocrisy: conscientiousness don't prove their walk to be sincere: the young man in the Gospel was conscientious: Mat. 19.20. all these things have I done from my youth. Zeal don't prove it, a man may be zealous, yet not upright: Rom. 10.2. they be the actings of grace that make and show the walk to be holy; if it be not a life of faith and love, it is not a holy life: Gal. 2.20. the life that I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God: therefore he that don't know that he has performed an act of grace, can't know that he has an holy walk: he that don't know that he has that which is the life of an holy walk, and essential to it, can't know that his walk is holy.
Argument 1. It is the acting of Grace tha• makes and shews the Walk to be holy: it is no•• the orderliness of mens walk that shews it to be•• holy; nor the affectionateness of mens hearts i••• Religion, that shews their walk to be holy; no•• the long continuance of good carriages, nor good behaviour in a day of temptation; nor savoury spirit; these things may all be, yet the walk not be holy: if there be the acting of love faith and repentance, then the walk is holy: bu all that men do is done in hypocrisy, if there b not the acting of grace: if there be no grace i their prayers, in their fastings, in their discourses, all is in hypocrisy: conscienciousness don't prove their walk to be sincere: the young man in the Gospel was conscientious:
2. It is harder to know an holy walk than one act of grace: it is harder for any man to discern ⟨p. 8⟩that he leads an holy life, then that he performs a gracious act: for an holy life does consist of many gracious actions; and it is harder to discern that a man has done many, then that he has done one: it is harder to find out many profitable herbs in the field than one; harder to discern many trains of Wheat among the Chaff, than one: it is harder to find many Evidences of a good Estate than one; to the discerning of many acts of trace, there is required more observation and examination, then to the discerning of one act of grace; if it be difficult to find one, it will be more difficult to find two, ten, an hundred: therefore he that don't know that he has performed one act of grace, does not know that he leads an holy life. I may allude to that, Jer. 12.5. if thou hast run with the foot men and they have wearied thee, how wilt thou contend with horses.
3. If the holiness of mens actions can't be discerned severally, it can't be discerned in conjunction: if a man looks upon his actions severally, and cannot say that this or that or any one was an holy action; he cannot say concerning any action, that it was an act of saving faith, or saving love; how can he when he looks upon his carriages together, say they are holy, if there be no one action that he can say is sincere; how can he say that his walk is sincere: if a man sees an heap of corn, how can he say, it is an heap of wheat, when he does not know, that there is one grain ⟨p. 9⟩of wheat there: the sincerity of his walk depends upon the sincerity of particular actions; and if that be hidden from him, how can he say his walk is sincere: if for ought he knows every prayer and duty be done in hypocrisy; then for ought he knows, his whole life is a life of hypocrisy: if he can instance in no action that is certainly otherwise, it may be so for ought that he knows; if he can't answer to this question. Joh. 21.17. Lovest thou me? or to that, Joh. 9.35. dost thou believe on the Son of God? or some such like; he cannot tell that he lives an holy life: therefore such a man can't prove his sincerity from his walk. No walk can be evidential, but what is made up of acts of grace; therefore if he sees none, he can have no evidence from his walk.
4. If there be no act of grace, there is no sincerity; therefore if he sees no act of grace, he sees no sincerity; when there is no act of grace, there is no principle of grace: though a man walk in print, yet there is no sincerity; many carry themselves very fairly, but if there be no grace, there is no uprightness in them, Joh. 5.42. I know you, that you have not the love of God in you; it is all counterfeit walk: they are like men upon the Stage, that personate other kind of men; so these men walk like Saints, and talk like Saints; but if there be no act of grace, they are no Saints, they want that which does constitute a Saint, therefore if a man do not know any act of grace ⟨p. 10⟩in himself, he can't know himself to be a Saint, though he walk like an Angel.
5. The multiplication of such acts as are common to Saints and hypocrites, don't show him to are sincere; prayer is common to Saints and hypocrites. Psal. 78.34. When he slew them, then they taught him, they returned and enquired early after God; therefore if a man do this a thousand times, it don't prove him to be a Saint; so morality is common to Saints and hypocrites. Mat. 19.20. and if a man carries morally, twenty years together, it don't show him to be a Saint; so zeal, so delight in Sabbaths; if an hypocrite may do these things, then the multiplication of them, and walking in such a way is no evidence; that which is common, let it be multiplied never so often, don't become saving: multiply cyphers, and they make no number: therefore there can be no evidence of a good estate from a mans walk, unless he knew some act of grace; if he can't discern some act of saving grace, he must be at a loss about his sincerity.
5. The multiplication of such acts as are common to Saints and hypocrites, don't shew him to are sincere; prayer is common to Saints and hypocrites. Psal. 78.34. When he slew them, then they tought him, they returned and enquired early after God; therefore if a man do this a thousand times, it don't prove him to be a Saint; so morality is common to Saints and hypocrites. Mat. 19.20. and if a man carries morally, twenty years together, it don't shew him to be a Saint; so zeal, so delight in Sabbaths; if an hypocrite may do these things, then the multiplication of them, and walking in such a way is no evidence; that which is common, let it be multiplied never so often, don't become saving: multiply cyphers, and they make no number: therefore there can be no evidence of a good estate from a mans walk, unless he knew some act of grace; if he can't discern some act of saving grace, he must be at a loss about his sincerity.
See the reason why many Professors are unsatisfied about their sincerity; though they have a pretty good conversation, are conscientious, affectionate, zealous, yet they are full of fears, they are often perplexed, and don't know what to ⟨p. 11⟩make of themselves; it seems to them that their walk is pretty much according to rule, but they do not know that ever they did perform any act of saving grace; they can't answer to such questions, Lovest thou me? Joh. 21.17. Or dost th•• believe on the Son of God? Joh. 9.35. this does create a deal of perplexity to them; and they are afraid what will become of themselves, after al• their profession. And there are three sorts o• them.
1. Some Professors never did see any act o• grace in themselves; they never had any: and therefore could not see any: they have had affection, but no love; sorrow, but not godly sorrow encouragement, but no faith. There be many Professors that are utterly destitute of gracious carriages, they have the resemblance of them, bu• they never had any exercise of grace; they are spiritually dead, and never did perform any act o• spiritual life; thus it was with Saul, Doeg, Ahithophel, Judas and Demas, they were only the picture• of Saints, and imitated the actions of Spiritual Life, but did not perform them; an evil tree can't bring forth good fruit, men can't gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles: Mat. 7.16, 18 they can't see acts of grace: men cannot see that which is not. 2. Some Professors never did certainly know that they have performed any act of saving grace they have discovered the workings of grace some ⟨p. 12⟩times in themselves, but not so plainly, as to be able to speak roundly up to it, as Peter did, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee? Joh. 21.17. they understand that there is a great deal that does resemble grace, that is not grace; and so they doubt whether it be of the right kind: they know that there is a temporary faith, Luk. 8.13. some believe for a time, and then fall away; and there may be strong desires and delight, where there is no sincere love; here may be great pangs of affection, without any uprightness, and the acts of grace were not so clear, as some others do speak of, hence they are not fully satisfied; as when one sees a man at a great distance, he is at some loss whether it be a man. 3. Some have certainly seen the workings of grace, but through temptations since, they have lost the certainty of that knowledge; at the time they knew they did believe in Christ, and that they loved God, and could say as David, Psalm 116.1. I love the Lord; and as,
besides, they find a dead heart, corruption strong, and have had no such plain working ⟨p. 13⟩of Grace a pretty while, accordingly they are full of fears whether they are not mistaken: they say, if there were no deceit in it, how comes it to be so and so with me?
Others cannot be certain of a mans sincerity from his Conversation: if others see men carry well, they presently say, they are good men […] but they don't know it from thence; there i• indeed ground enough for Charity; but not for Assurance: for whatever mens Conversation be if they don't see the actings of Grace, they can not be assured that the man is a Godly man. It is not good to depend upon the judgment o• others, for they do not know, whether a man be sincere or not. All the external acts of Charity, Piety, Justice and Sobriety, may be performed by a man that has no Grace; Prudence and Conscience may produce them all: and one that has no Grace may carry as well in the eye of the world, as he that has it. Peter does but suppose Silvanus to be faithful. 1 Pet. 5.12.
Others cannot be certain of a mans sincerity from his Conversation: if others see men carry well, they presently say, they are good men 〈…〉 but they don't know it from thence; there i• indeed ground enough for Charity; but not for Assurance: for whatever mens Conversation be if they don't see the actings of Grace, they can not be assured that the man is a Godly man. It is not good to depend upon the judgment o• others, for they do not know, whether a man be sincere or not. All the external acts of Charity, Piety, Justice and Sobriety, may be performed by a man that has no Grace; Prudence and Conscience may produce them all: and one that has no Grace may carry as well in the eye of the world, as he that has it. Peter does but suppose Silvanus to be faithful. 1 Pet. 5.12.
1. They that walk in a way of holiness are ••cere: all that walk in a way of obedience are 〈…〉 right. Walking in Gods ways is the Character 〈…〉 a Saint Psal. 119.1. Blessed are the undefiled in 〈…〉 way, who walk in the law of the Lord. An holy 〈…〉 is a certain sign of a holy heart. A life of obedience shows a principal of Grace: they that live ••ife of humility, love and faith are real Saints; ••y are such indeed as they do profess themselves 〈…〉 be: though they have many infirmities and corruptions, yet they are sincere Saints. An holy life •••ore than any Hypocrite can attain unto: he ⟨p. 5⟩may counterfeit Holiness and have the image 〈…〉 it; but falls utterly short of an holy life: an ho•• life is a life of sincerity and flows from a principle of sincerity: other principles may make a ma•• live a moral and religious life: Prudence, Pri••• and slavish fear may produce much out ward co••• formity, and many inward affections: but on•• a principle of Grace can inable a man to live 〈…〉 holy life: all that live holily are regenerate me•• Eph. 2.10. Created in Christ Jesus unto good wor•• 2. They that walk in a way of unholiness a•• not sincere: they that lead an unholy life a•• not upright: a principle of Grace will keep 〈…〉 man from ways of sin. 1 Joh. 3.9. He that 〈…〉 born of God, doth not commit sin, for his seed remain•• in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of Go••• he has so much fear that he can't live a life 〈…〉 sin, he hates sin so that he cannot live a life 〈…〉 sin: Some that are sincere have a less degree of sincerity than others; but the least degree 〈…〉 sincerity will preserve a man from an unholy li•• Psal. 18.23. I was also upright before him and I k••• my self from mine iniquity. An unholy life she 〈…〉 the reigning power of sin. Joh. 8.34. He that co••• mitteth sin, is the servant of sin. They that are se•• ing any Lust are not serving of the Lord: if m••• make great pretensions of sincerity, yet lead unh••• lives, there is no sincerity in them: if they ha••• great affections and hopes, yet they have no ••• cerity; ⟨p. 6⟩they profess one thing and practise another. If men serve their Pride or their Coveteousness, or their Voluptuousness, they are not sincere, ••ey are utterly destitute of a principle of Grace: 〈…〉 they have shews of Grace, yet they are but Hy••crites, and will be damned at the last day. Luke 13.27.
1. Some Professors never did see any act o• grace in themselves; they never had any: and therefore could not see any: they have had affection, but no love; sorrow, but not godly sorrow encouragement, but no faith. There be many Professors that are utterly destitute of gracious carriages, they have the resemblance of them, bu• they never had any exercise of grace; they are spiritually dead, and never did perform any act o• spiritual life; thus it was with Saul, Doeg, Achitophel, Judas and Demas, they were only the picture• of Saints, and imitated the actions of Spiritual Life, but did not perform them; an evil tree can't bring forth good fruit, men can't gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles: Mat. 7.16, 18 they can't see acts of grace: men cannot see that which is not. 2. Some Professors never did certainly know that they have performed any act of saving grace they have discovered the workings of grace some ⟨p. 12⟩times in themselves, but not so plainly, as to be able to speak roundly up to it, as Peter did, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee? Joh. 21.17. they understand that there is a great deal that does resemble grace, that is not grace; and so they doubt whether it be of the right kind: they know that there is a temporary faith, Luk. 8.13. some believe for a time, and then fall away; and there may be strong desires and delight, where there is no sincere love; here may be great pangs of affection, without any uprightness, and the acts of grace were not so clear, as some others do speak of, hence they are not fully satisfied; as when one sees a man at a great distance, he is at some loss whether it be a man. 3. Some have certainly seen the workings of grace, but through temptations since, they have lost the certainty of that knowledge; at the time they knew they did believe in Christ, and that they loved God, and could say as David, Psalm 116.1. I love the Lord; and as, Psal. 46.1. The Lord is my strength and refuge: but afterwards they have not so full and clear a remembrance of it: and God brings them into affliction, and unbelief prevails, and now they are suspicious that they were mistaken; besides, God don't hear their prayers, they have sought him many a time for such & such a mercy, and he has denied them at last:
