Second. We may hence infer, that no degree of speculative knowledge of things of religion, is any certain sign of saving grace.
The devil, before his fall, was among those bright and glorious angels of heaven, which are represented as morning stars, and flames of fire, that excel in strength and wisdom. And though he be now become sinful, yet his sin has not abolished the faculties of the angelic nature; as when man fell, he did not lose the faculties of the human nature.
Sin destroys spiritual principles, but not the natural faculties.
'Tis true, sin, when in full dominion, entirely prevents the exercise of the natural faculties, in holy and spiritual understanding; and lays many impediments in the way of their proper exercise in other respects: it lays the natural faculty of reason under great disadvantages, by the many and strong prejudices, which the mind is brought under the power of: and in fallen men, the faculties of the soul, are, doubtless, greatly impeded in their exercise, through that great weakness and disorder of the corporeal organ, which it is strictly united to; which is the consequence of sin. But there seems to be nothing in the nature of sin, or moral corruption, that has any tendency to destroy the natural capacity; or even to diminish it, properly speaking.
If sin were of such a nature, as necessarily to have that tendency and effect; then it might be expected, that wicked men, in a future state, where they are given up entirely to the unrestrained exercise of their corruptions and lusts, and sin is, in all respects, brought to its greatest perfection in them, would have the capacity of their souls greatly diminished: which we have no reason to suppose; but rather, on the contrary, that their capacities are greatly enlarged, and that their actual knowledge is vastly increased; and that even with respect to the divine being, and the things of religion, and the great concerns of the immortal souls of men; and that, with regard to these things, the eyes of wicked men are opened; and they, in some respects, emerge out of darkness into clear light, when they go into another world.
The greatness of the abilities of the devils may be argued from the representation in Ephesians 6:12, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers," etc. The same may also be argued, from what the Scripture says of Satan's subtilty (Genesis 3:1, 2 Corinthians 11:3, Acts 13:10).
And as the devil has a faculty of understanding of large capacity, so he is capable of a great speculative knowledge, of the things of God, and the invisible and eternal world, as well as other things; and must needs, actually, have a great understanding of these things; as these are the things which have always been chiefly in his view; and as his circumstances, from his first existence, have been such as have tended chiefly to engage him to attend to these things.
Before his fall, he was one of those angels, who continually beheld the face of the Father, which is in heaven. And sin has no tendency to destroy the memory: and therefore, has no tendency to blot out of it, any speculative knowledge that was formerly there.
As the devil's subtilty, shows his great capacity; so the way in which his subtilty is exercised and manifested; which is principally in his artful management, with respect to things of religion; his exceeding subtil representations, insinuations, reasonings, and temptations, concerning these things, demonstrates his great actual understanding of them.
As in order to the being a very artful disputant in any science, though it be only to confound and deceive such as are conversant in the science; a person had need to have a great and extensive acquaintance with the things, which pertain to that science.5
Thus the devil has, undoubtedly a great degree of speculative knowledge in divinity; having been, as it were, educated in the best divinity school in the universe, viz. the heaven of heavens.
He must needs have such an extensive and accurate knowledge, concerning the nature and attributes of God, as we, worms of the dust, in our present state, are not capable of.
And he must have a far more extensive knowledge of the works of God; as of the work of creation in particular; for he was a spectator of the creation of this visible world: he was one of those morning stars that we read of, Job 38:4–7, who sang together, and of those sons of God, that shouted for joy, when God "laid the foundations of the earth, and laid the measures thereof, and stretched the line upon it."
And so he must have a very great knowledge of God's works of providence: he has been a spectator of the series of these works from the beginning: he has seen how God has governed the world in all ages: he has seen the whole train of God's wonderful successive dispensations of providence towards his church, from generation to generation. And he has not been an indifferent spectator; but the great opposition, which there has been between God and him, in the whole course of those dispensations; has necessarily, greatly engaged his attention, in the strictest observation of them.
He must have a great degree of knowledge, concerning Jesus Christ, as the Savior of men; and the nature and method of the work of redemption, and the wonderful wisdom of God in this contrivance.
'Tis that work of God, wherein, above all others, God has acted in opposition to him; and in which he has chiefly set himself in opposition to God.
'Tis with relation to this affair, that that mighty warfare has been maintained, which has been carried on between Michael and his angels, and the devil and his angels, through all ages, from the beginning of the world; and especially, since Christ appeared in the world.
The devil has had enough to engage his attention, to the steps of divine wisdom in this work; for 'tis to that wisdom he has opposed his subtilty: and he has seen, and found, to his great disappointment, and unspeakable torment; how divine wisdom, as exercised in that work, has baffled and confounded his devices.
He has a great knowledge of the things of another world; for the things of that world, are in his immediate view. He has a great knowledge of heaven; for he has been an inhabitant of that world of glory: and he has a great knowledge of hell, and the nature of its misery; for he is the first inhabitant of hell; and above all the other inhabitants, has experience of its torment, and has felt them constantly, for more than fifty-seven hundred years.6
He must have a great knowledge of the holy Scriptures; for 'tis evident, he is not hindered from knowing what is written there, by the use he made of the words of Scripture, in his temptation of our Savior. And if he can know, he has much opportunity to know, and must needs have a disposition to know, with the greatest exactness; that he may, to greater effect, pervert7 and wrest the Scripture, and prevent such an effect of the word of God on the hearts of men, as shall tend to overthrow his kingdom.
He must have a great knowledge of the nature of mankind, their capacity, their dispositions, and the corruptions of their hearts; for he has had long and great observation and experience.
The heart of man is what he has had chiefly to do with, in his subtil devices, mighty efforts, restless and indefatigable operations and exertions of himself, from the beginning of the world. And 'tis evident, that he has a great speculative knowledge of the nature of experimental religion, by his being able to imitate it so artfully, and in such a manner, as to transform himself into an angel of light.
Therefore it is manifest, from my text and doctrine, that no degree of speculative knowledge of things of religion, is any certain sign of true piety.
Whatever clear notions a man may have of the attributes of God, and doctrine of the trinity; the nature of the two covenants, the economy of the persons of the trinity, and the part which each person has in the affair of man's redemption; if he can discourse never so excellently of the offices of Christ, and the way of salvation by him, and the admirable methods of divine wisdom; and the harmony of the various attributes of God in that way; if he can talk never so clearly and exactly of the method of the justification of a sinner, and of the nature of conversion, and the operations of the Spirit of God, in applying the redemption of Christ; giving good distinctions, happily solving difficulties, and answering objections; in a manner tending greatly to the enlightening the ignorant, to the edification of the church of God, and the conviction of gainsayers; and the great increase of light in the world: if he has more knowledge of this sort than hundreds of true saints, of an ordinary education, and most divines; yet all is no certain evidence of any degree of saving grace in the heart.
'Tis true, the Scripture often speaks of knowledge of divine things, as what is peculiar to true saints; as in John 17:3, "This is eternal life, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent." Matthew 12:27, "No man knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him."
Psalms 9:10, "They that know thy name, will put their trust in thee." Philippians 3:8, "I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord."
But then, we must understand it of a different kind of knowledge, from that speculative understanding, which the devil has to so great a degree. It will also be allowed, that the spiritual saving knowledge of God, and divine things, greatly promotes speculative knowledge; as it engages the mind in its search into things of this kind, and much assists to a distinct understanding of them; so that, other things being equal, they that have spiritual knowledge, are much more likely than others, to have a good doctrinal acquaintance with things of religion; but yet, such acquaintance may be no distinguishing characteristic of true saints.
Third. It may also be inferred from what has been observed, that for persons merely to yield a speculative assent to the doctrines of religion as true, is no certain evidence of a state of grace. My text tells us, that the devils "believe," and as they believe that there is one God, so they believe the truth of the doctrines of religion in general.
The devil is orthodox in his faith; he believes the true scheme of doctrine; he is no Deist, Socinian, Arian, Pelagian, or Antinomian; the articles of his faith are all sound, and what he is thoroughly established in.
Therefore, for a person to believe the doctrines of Christianity, merely from the influence of things speculative, or from the force of arguments, as discerned only by speculation, is no evidence of grace.
Though 'tis probably a very rare thing, for unregenerate men, to have a strong persuasion of the truth of the doctrines of religion, especially, such of 'em as are very mysterious, and much above the comprehension of reason: yet8 'tis manifest, that we have no warrant to determine, that it can never be so, or to look upon such a persuasion, as an infallible evidence of grace; and that no person can safely determine his state to be good from such an evidence.
Yea,9 if he, not only himself, seems to be very confident of the truth of Christianity and its doctrines, but is able to argue most strongly for the proof of them; yet in this, he goes nothing beyond the devil; who, doubtless, has a great knowledge of the rational arguments, by which the truth of the Christian religion, and its several principles are evinced.
And therefore, when the Scripture speaks of "believing that Jesus is the Son of God," as a sure evidence of grace, as in 1 John 5:1, and other places, it must be understood, not of a mere speculative assent, but of another kind and manner of believing, which is called the faith of God's elect (Titus 1:1).
There is a spiritual conviction of the truth, which is, a believing with the whole heart, peculiar to true saints; of which I would speak particularly by and by.
Fourth. It may be inferred, from the doctrine which has been insisted on, that 'tis no certain sign, that persons are savingly converted; that they have been subjects of very great distress and terrors of mind, through apprehensions of God's wrath, and fears of damnation.
That the devils are the subjects of great terrors, through apprehensions of God's wrath, and fears of future effects of it, is implied in my text; which speaks not only of their believing, but trembling. It must be no small degree of terror, which should make those principalities and powers, those mighty, proud and sturdy beings, to tremble.
There are many terrors, that some persons, who are concerned for their salvation, are the subjects of, which are not from any proper awakenings of conscience, or apprehensions of truth; but from melancholy, or frightful impressions on their imagination; or some groundless apprehensions, and the delusions, and false suggestions of Satan.
But if they have had never so great, and long-continued terrors, from real awakenings, and convictions of truth, and views of things as they are; this is no more than what is in the devils, and will be in all wicked men, in another world.
However stupid and senseless most ungodly men are now, all will be effectually awakened at last: there will [be] no such thing as slumbering in hell. There are many that cannot be awakened by the most solemn warnings, and awful threatenings of the Word of God; the most alarming discourses from the pulpit, and the most awakening and awful providences; but all will be thoroughly awakened, by the sound of the last trumpet, and the appearance of Christ to judgment; and all sorts will then be filled with most amazing terrors, from apprehensions of truth, and seeing things as they be; when "the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men" (such as were the most lofty and stout-hearted, most ready to treat the things of religion with contempt) "shall hide themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains; and say to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him, that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" (Revelation 6:15–17).
Therefore, if persons have first been awakened, and then afterwards have had comfort and joy, 'tis no certain sign, that their comforts are of the right kind, that they were preceded by very great terrors.
Fifth. It may be further inferred from the doctrine, that no work of the law on men's hearts, in conviction of guilt, and just desert of punishment, is a sure argument, that a person has been savingly converted.
Not only, are no awakenings and terrors, any certain evidence of this, but no mere legal work whatsoever; though carried to the utmost extent that it can be; nothing wherein there is no grace or spiritual light, but only the mere conviction of natural conscience, and those acts and operations of the mind, which are the result of this; and so are, as it were, merely forced by the clear light of conscience, without the concurrence of the heart and inclination with that light: I say these things are no certain sign of the saving grace of God, or that a person was ever savingly converted.
The evidence of this, from my text and doctrine, is demonstrative; because the devils are the subjects of these things; and all wicked men that shall finally perish, will be the subjects of the same.
Natural conscience is not extinguished in the damned in hell; but on the contrary, remains, and is there in its greatest strength, and is brought to its most perfect exercise; most fully to do its proper office, as God's vicegerent in the soul, to condemn those rebels against the King of heaven and earth, and manifest God's just wrath and vengeance, and by that means to torment them; and be as a never-dying worm within them.
Wretched men find means in this world, to blind the eyes, and stop the mouth of this vicegerent of a sin-revenging God; but they shall not be able to do it always.
In another world, the eyes and mouth of conscience will be fully opened.
God will hereafter make wicked men to see and know these things, which now they industriously hide their eyes from; Isaiah 26:10–11, "Let favor be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness he will deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord. Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea the fire of thine enemies shall devour them."
We have this expression often annexed to God's threatenings of wrath to his enemies; "And they shall know, that I am in the Lord": this shall be accomplished by their woeful experience, and clear light in their consciences, whereby they shall be made to know, whether they will or not; how great and terrible, holy and righteous a God Jehovah is; whose authority they have despised: and they shall know, that he is righteous and holy in their destruction.
This all the ungodly will be convinced of, at the day of judgment, by the bringing to light all their wickedness of heart and practice; and setting all their sins, with all their aggravations, in order, not only in the view of others, even of the whole world, but in the view of their own consciences.
This is threatened, Psalms 50:21, "These things hast thou done, and I kept silence: thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself. But I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes." Compare this with the Psalms 50:1–4: the end of the day of judgment, is not to find out what is just, as it is with human judgments, but 'tis to manifest what is just; to make known God's justice in the judgment which he will execute, to men's own consciences, and to the world.
And therefore, that day is called "the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God" (Romans 2:5). Now sinners often cavil against the justice of God's dispensations, and particularly, the justice of the punishment, which God threatens for their sins; excusing themselves, and condemning God: but when God comes to manifest their wickedness in the light of that day, and to call them to an account, they will be speechless; Matthew 22:11–12, "And when the king came to see the guests, he saw there, a man which had not on a wedding garment. And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless."
When the King of heaven and earth comes to judgment, their consciences will be so perfectly enlightened and convinced, by the all-searching light, they shall then stand in; that their mouths will be effectually stopped, as to all excuses for themselves, all pleading of their own righteousness, to excuse or justify them; and all objections against the justice of their Judge; that their conscience will condemn them only, and not God.
Therefore, it follows from the doctrine, that it can be no certain sign of grace, that persons have had great convictions of sin; have had their sins of life, with their aggravations remarkably set before them, so as greatly to affect and terrify them; and withal, have had a great sight of the wickedness of their hearts, and been convinced of the greatness of the sin of unbelief, and of the unexcusableness and heinousness1 of their most secret spiritual iniquities; and have been brought to be convinced of the utter insufficiency of their own righteousness; and to despair of being recommended to God by it; have been as much brought off from their own righteousness, as ever any are, under a mere legal humiliation; have been convinced that they are wholly without excuse before God, and deserve damnation; and that God would be just, in executing the threatened punishment upon them, though it be so dreadful.
All these things, will be in all the ungodly at the day of judgment, when they shall stand with devils, at the left hand, and shall be doomed as accursed, to everlasting fire, with them.
Indeed there will be no submission in them. Their conscience will be fully2 convinced, that God is just in their condemnation; but yet their wills will not be bowed to God's justice. There will be no acquiescence of mind, in that divine attribute; no yielding of the soul to God's sovereignty, but the highest degree of enmity and opposition. A true submission of the heart and will, to the justice and sovereignty of God, is therefore allowed to be something peculiar to true converts, being something which the devils and damned souls are, and ever will be far from; and which a mere work of the law, and convictions of conscience, however great and clear, will never bring men to.
When sinners are the subjects of great convictions of conscience, and a remarkable work of the law; 'tis only a transacting the business of the day of judgment, in the conscience beforehand: God sits enthroned in the conscience, as at the last day, he will sit enthroned in the clouds of heaven; the sinner is arraigned, as it were, at God's bar; and God appears in his awful greatness, as a just and holy, sin-hating and sin-revenging God, as he will then.
The sinner's iniquities are brought to light; his sins set in order before him; the hidden things of darkness, and the counsels of the heart are made manifest; as it will be then: many witnesses do, as it were, rise up against the sinner under convictions of conscience; as they will against the wicked, at the day of judgment: and the books are opened, particularly the book of God's strict and holy law, is opened in the conscience, and its rules applied for the condemnation of the sinner; which is the book that will be opened at the day of judgment, as the grand rule of judgment, to all such wicked men as have lived under it: and the sentence of the law is pronounced against the sinner; and the justice of the sentence made manifest; as it will be at the day of judgment.
The conviction of a sinner at the day of judgment, will be a work of the law, as well as the conviction of conscience in this world: and the work of the law (if the work be merely legal) be sure, is never carried further in the consciences of sinners now, than it will be at that day, when its work will be perfect, in thoroughly stopping the sinner's mouth. Romans 3:19, "Now we know, that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." Every mouth shall be stopped by the law, either now or hereafter; and all the world shall become sensibly guilty before God; guilty of death, deserving of damnation.
And therefore, if sinners have been the subjects of a great work of the law, and have thus become guilty, and their mouths have been stopped; it is no certain sign that ever they have been converted.
Indeed the want of a thorough sense of guilt, and desert of punishment, and conviction of the justice of God, in threatening damnation, is a good negative sign; 'tis a sign that a person never was converted, and truly brought, with the whole soul, to embrace Christ as a Savior from this punishment: for 'tis easily demonstrable, that there is no such thing as entirely and cordially accepting an offer from God, of a Savior, from a punishment that he threatens, which we think we don't deserve.
But the having such a conviction, is no certain sign, that persons have true faith, or have ever truly received Christ as their Savior. And if persons have great comfort, joy, and confidence, suddenly let into their minds, after great convictions, of such a kind as has been mentioned; 'tis no infallible evidence that their comforts are built on a good foundation.
'Tis manifest, therefore, that too much stress has been laid by many persons, on a great work of the law, preceding their comforts: who seem not only to have looked on such a work of the law, as necessary to precede faith, but also to have esteemed it as the chief evidence of the truth and genuineness of succeeding faith and comforts.
By this means it is to be feared, very many have been deceived, and established in a false hope.
And what is to be seen in the event of things, in multitudes of instances, confirms this. It may be safely allowed, not to be so unusual3 for great convictions of conscience, to prove abortive, and fail of a good issue, as for lesser convictions; and that more generally, when the Spirit of God proceeds so far with sinners, in the work of the law, as to give 'em a great sight of their hearts, and of the heinousness of their spiritual iniquities; and to convince 'em that they are without excuse; and that all their righteousness can do nothing to merit God's favors; but that they lie justly exposed to God's eternal vengeance without mercy; a work of saving conversion follows.
But we can have no warrant to say, it is universally so, or to lay it down as an infallible rule, that when convictions of conscience have gone thus far, saving faith, and repentance will surely follow. If any should think they have ground for such a determination, because they can't conceive what end God should have, in carrying a work of conviction to such a length, and so preparing the heart for faith; and after all, never giving saving faith to the soul; I desire it may be considered, where will be the end of our doubts and difficulties, if we think ourselves sufficient to determine, so positively and particularly concerning God's ends and designs in what he does.
It may be asked such an objector, what is God's end in giving a sinner any degree of the strivings of his Spirit, and conviction of conscience; when he afterwards suffers it to come to nothing, and to prove in vain? If he may give some degree that may finally be in vain; who shall set the bounds, and say how great the degree shall be?
Who can, on sure grounds, determine, that when a sinner has so much of that conviction, which the devils and damned in hell have; true faith and eternal salvation, will be the certain consequence?
This we may certainly determine, that, if the Apostle's argument in the text be good, not anything whatsoever, that the devils have, is certainly connected with such a consequence. Seeing sinners, while such, are capable of the most perfect convictions, and will have them at the day of judgment, and in hell; who shall say, that God never shall cause reprobates to anticipate the future judgment and damnation in that respect?
And if he does so, who shall say to him, what doest thou? Or call him to account concerning his ends in so doing. Not but that many possible wise ends might be thought of, and mentioned, if it were needful, or I had now room for it.
The Spirit of God, is often quenched, by the exercise of the wickedness of men's hearts, after he has gone far in a work of conviction; so that their convictions never have a good issue. And who can say that sinners, by the exercise of their opposition and enmity against God (which is not at all mortified by the greatest legal convictions, neither in the damned in hell, nor sinners on earth), may not provoke God to take his Spirit from them, even after he has proceeded the greatest length in a work of conviction?
Who can say, that God never is provoked to destroy some, after he has brought 'em, as it were, through the wilderness, even to the edge of the land of rest? As he slew some of the Israelites, even in the plains of Moab.
And let it be considered, where is our warrant in Scripture, to make use of any legal convictions, or any method or order of successive events in a work of the law; and consequent comforts, as a sure sign of regeneration. The Scripture is abundant, in expressly mentioning evidences of grace, and of a state of favor with God, and characteristics of the true saints: but where do we ever find such things as these, amongst those evidences? Or where do we find any other signs insisted on, besides grace itself, its nature, exercises and fruits?
These were the evidences that Job relied upon; these were the things that the Psalmist everywhere insists upon, as evidences of his sincerity: and particularly in the one hundred nineteenth psalm, from the beginning to the end.
These were the signs that Hezekiah trusted to in his sickness.
These were the characteristics given of those that are truly happy, by our Savior, in the beginning of his Sermon in the Mount.
These are the things that Christ mentions, as the true evidences of being his real disciples, in his last, and dying discourse to his disciples, in the John 14-16; and in his intercessory prayer, chapter seventeen.
These are the things which the apostle Paul often speaks of, as evidences of his sincerity, and sure title to a crown of glory.
And these are the things he often mentions to others, in his Epistles, as the proper evidences of real Christianity; a justified state, and a title to glory.
He insists on the "fruits of the spirit; love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance," as the proper evidences of being Christ's, and "living in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22–25). 'Tis that charity, or divine love, "which is pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full of mercy," etc. that he insists on, as the most essential evidence of true godliness; without which, all other things are nothing.
Such are the signs which the apostle James insists on, as the proper evidence, of a truly wise and good man: James 3:17, "The wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."
And such are the signs of true Christianity, which the apostle John insists on, throughout his Epistles.
And we never have anywhere in the Bible, from the beginning to the end of it, any other signs of godliness given, than such as these. If persons have such things as these apparently in them, it ought to be determined, that they are truly converted, without its being insisted, that it be first known, what steps or method the Spirit of God took, to introduce these things into the soul; which oftentimes, is altogether untraceable.
All the works of God, are, in some respects, unsearchable: but the Scripture, often represents the works of the Spirit of God, as peculiarly so; Isaiah 40:13, "Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counselor, hath taught him?" Ecclesiastes 11:5, "As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit; nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child; so thou knowest not the works of God, who maketh all." John 3:8, "The wind bloweth where it listeth; and thou hearest the sound thereof; but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit."
Sixth. It follows from my text and doctrine, that it is no certain sign of grace, that persons have earnest desires and longings after salvation.
The devils, doubtless, long for deliverance from the misery they suffer,
