this: How doth the saving grace of God discover itself when it is in the heart of man? TALKATIVE'S FALSE TALK. I perceive, then, that our talk must be about the power of things. Well, it is a very good question, and I shall be willing to answer you; and take my answer in brief thus: First, where the grace of God is in the heart, it causeth there a great outcry against sin. Secondly, FAITH. Nay, hold; let us consider of one at once. I think you should rather say, It shows itself by inclining the soul to abhor its sin. TALK. Why, what difference is there between crying out against, and abhorring of sin? TO CRY OUT AGAINST FAITH. Oh! a great deal. A man may cry out against sin, of policy; but he cannot abhor it but by virtue of a godly antipathy against it. I have heard many cry out against sin in the pulpit, who yet can abide it well enough in the heart, house, and conversation. Joseph's mistress cried out with a loud voice, as if she had been very holy; but she would willingly, notwithstanding that, have committed uncleanness with him." Some cry out against sin, even as the mother cries out against her child in her lap, when she calls it slut and naughty girl, and then falls to hugging and kissing it. TALK. You lie at the catch, I perceive. FAITH. No, not I, I am only for setting things right. But what is the second thing whereby you would prove a discovery of a work of grace in the heart? TALK. Great knowledge of gospel mysteries. FAITH. This sign should have been first: but, first or last, it is also false; for knowledge, great GREAT KNOWLEDGE NO SIGN OF GRACE. knowledge, may be obtained in the myste n Gen. xxxix. 11-15. ries of the gospel, and yet no work of grace in the soul." Yea, if a man have all knowledge, he may yet be nothing, and so, consequently, be no child of God. When Christ said, "Do ye know all these things? and the disciples had answered, Yes, he added, "Blessed are ye, if ye do them." He doth not lay the blessing in the knowing of them, but in the doing KNOWLEDGE AND KNOWLEDGE. of them. For there is a knowledge that is not attended with doing: "he that knoweth his master's will, and doeth it not." A man may know like an angel, and yet be no Christian: therefore your sign of it is not true. Indeed, to know is a thing that pleaseth talkers and boasters; but to do, is that which pleaseth God. Not that the heart can be good without knowledge, for without that the heart is naught. There is, therefore, knowledge and knowledge knowledge that resteth in the bare speculation of things, and knowledge that is accompanied with the grace TRUE KNOWLEDGE ATTENDED WITH ENDEAVOURS. of faith and love, which puts a man upon doing even the will of God from the heart: the first of these will serve the talker; but without the other, the true Christian is not content. "Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart."P TALK. You lie at the catch again; this is not for edification.* FAITH. Well, if you please, propound another sign how this work of grace discovereth itself where it is. TALK. Not I; for I see we shall not agree. FAITH. Well, if you will not, will you give me leave to do it? Ay, but it certainly is for self-examination and soul-direction. Better so, than to be edified in false hopes and soul-deceivings. Q TALK. You may use your liberty. FAITH. A work of grace in the soul discovereth itself, either to him that hath it, or to standers-by. ONE GOOD SIGN OF GRACE. To him that hath it, thus: It gives him conviction of sin, especially of the defilement of his nature, and the sin of unbelief, for the sake of which he is sure to be damned, if he findeth not mercy at God's hand, by faith in Jesus Christ. This sight and sense of things worketh in him sorrow and shame for sin; he findeth, moreover, revealed in him the Saviour of the world, and the absolute necessity of closing with him for life; at the which he findeth hungerings and thirstings after him; to which hungerings, &c. the promise is made. Now, according to the strength or weakness of his faith in his Saviour, so is his joy and peace, so is his love to holiness, so are bis desires to know him more, and also to serve him in this world. But though, I say, it discovereth itself thus unto him, yet it is but seldom that he is able to conclude that this is a work of grace; because his corruptions now, and his abused reason, make his mind to misjudge in this matter: therefore in him that hath this work there is required a very sound judgment, before he can with steadiness conclude that this is a work of grace. To others it is thus discovered: First, By an experimental confession of his faith in Christ. Secondly, By a life answerable to that confession; to wit, a life of holiness; heart-holiness, familyholiness, (if he hath a family,) and by conversationholiness in the world; which in the general teacheth him inwardly to abhor his sin, and himself for that, in secret; to suppress it in his family, and to promote q Mark xvi. 16. John xvi. 8, 9. Rom. vii. 24. r Psalm xxxviii. 18. Jer. xxxi. 19. Matt. v. 6. Acts iv. 12. Gal. i. 15, 16. Rev. xxx. 6 holiness in the world: not by talk only, as an hypocrite or talkative person may do, but by a practical subjection in faith and love to the power of the word."* And now, sir, as to this brief description of the work of also the discovery of it, if you have aught to object, object; if not, then give me leave to propound to you a second question. grace, and ANOTHER GOOD SIGN OF GRACE. TALK. Nay, my part is not now to object, but to hear let me, therefore, have your second question. FAITH. It is this: Do you experience this first part of the description of it? and doth your life and conversation testify the same? Or, standeth your religion in word or tongue, and not in deed and truth? Pray, if you incline to answer me in this, say no more than you know the God above will say Amen to; and also nothing but what your conscience can justify you in: "for not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth." Besides, to say I am thus and thus, when my conversation and all my neighbours tell me I lie, is great wickedness.† TALK. Then Talkative at first began to blush; but, recovering himself, thus he replied: You come now to experience, to conscience, and God; and to appeal to s Psalm 1. 23. Ezek. xx. 43, 44. Matt. v. 8. John xiv. 15. Rom. x. 9, 10. Phil. iii. 17-20. This, and this only, is what will evidence that we are the real disciples of Christ, honour his name and his truths, and recommend his religion in the world. Without this power of godliness, we have only a name to live, while we are dead to the power of the gospel. Examine yourselves: look to your ways. + Blessed, faithful dealing! O that it were more practised in the world and in the church! How then would vain talkers be detected in the one, and driven out of the other! TALKATIVE NOT PLEASED WITH TION. him for justification of what is spoken. This kind of discourse I did not expect; nor am I disposed to give an answer to such questions: because I count not myself bound thereto, unless you take upon you to be a catechiser; and though you should so do, yet I may refuse to make you my judge. But, I pray, will you tell me why you ask me such questions ?* THE REASON WHY FAITHFUL PUT TO HIM THAT QUESTION. DEALING WITH TALKATIVE. FAITH. Because I saw you forward to talk, and because I knew not that you had aught else but notion. Besides, to tell you all the truth, I have heard of you, that you are a man whose religion lies in talk, and that your conversation gives this your mouth-profession the lie. FAITHFUL'S PLAIN They say you are a spot among Christians ; and that religion fareth the worse for your ungodly conversation; that some have already stumbled at your wicked ways, and that more are in danger of being destroyed thereby; your religion and an alehouse, and covetousness, and uncleanness, and swearing, and lying, and vain company-keeping, &c. will stand together. The proverb is true of you which is said of a whore, to wit, that "She is a shame to all women;" so are you a shame to all professors. TALK. Since you are so ready to take up reports, and to judge so rashly as you do, I cannot but conclude you are some peevish or TALKATIVE FLINGS AWAY FROM FAITHFUL. Heart-searching, soul-examining, and close-questioning of the conduct of life, will not do with talkative professors. Ring a peal on the doctrines of grace, and many will chime in with you; but speak closely how grace operates upon the heart, and influences the life to follow Christ in self-denying obedience, they cannot bear it; they are offended with you, and will turn away from you, and call you legal. |