by Anthony Burgess
"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith." - 2 Cor. 13:5
The differences between carnal presumption and godly assurance have been declared at length. Let us now consider the proper means to overthrow those strongholds into which the carnally confident man retreats, and what way may be taken to undeceive such a one and set him in the path of salvation.
And in the first place, this may be laid down as a most certain truth: there are none more indisposed to receive Christ, none who have greater obstacles in their way, than the falsely persuaded Christian. Christ told the Pharisees that "the publicans and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you" (Matthew 21:31). Ille morbus vix est sanabilis, qui sanitatem imitatur, saith one—"That disease is hardly curable which mimics health." The task must indeed be great to remove such a one from his false security, because two things must be done: first, to expose the false righteousness in which he trusts, and second, to set before him the true righteousness in which alone he may be assured. As the philosopher who was to teach a man infected with false opinions required a double fee, because his work was double—dedocere, to unteach, and docere, to teach—so is this the difficulty in dealing with those who rest in a vain confidence.
This was the great labor of the prophets of God, and Christ Himself, who had the tongue of the learned (Isaiah 50:4), preached many parables to make the full man hungry and the rich man empty in himself. What the heretic is in matters of doctrine, the carnal presumer is in matters of practice and conversation. And just as the heretic is seldom reclaimed because of his obstinate resistance to correction, so is the carnally confident man rarely humbled, because of the deep-rooted self-love that cleaves to him.
But if anything is able to overrule and conquer him, the following remedies are likely to do it.
First, a powerful and soul-searching ministry—one that penetrates and exposes the hidden things of the heart—may cause him to come to a true knowledge of himself. The ministry of the Word is like the sun in the firmament, from whose light nothing is hidden. Thus, the prophets and the apostles were called lights in their generation. What conviction the Jews might have had concerning their self-righteousness and hypocrisy, had they not willfully shut their eyes against the light! The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). By this is meant all kinds of opposition. Just as the woman of Samaria testified that Christ had told her all things that ever she did (John 4:29), so may many say after hearing a sermon that lays open all the vileness and inward filthiness, all the poverty and wretchedness within them.
A second remedy is a clear and searching exposition of the Law in all its purity and strictness. What an excellent course did our Savior take in Matthew 5 to make His hearers afraid of themselves, revealing more sin in them than they ever perceived! He makes the Law so spiritual, so penetrating into the very motions and lusts of the soul, that they who admired their own righteousness must now acknowledge themselves as foul as an Ethiopian in God's sight. You bless yourself because of your outward morality and your freedom from gross sins, but no dunghill is fuller of snakes and worms than your heart is of vile lusts. Thus, Romans 7 describes Paul, who, as good as he once thought himself, when he looked into the mirror of God's holy Law, found so many blemishes in himself that he lost all confidence in his own righteousness. Hence, men who would maintain their self-righteousness narrow the sense of the Law, as if it were not so strict as it truly is—just as the elephant stirs up the water with its feet so that it may not see its own deformity.
The third remedy is a discovery of the fullness and necessity of Christ. If Christ be as necessary as Scripture declares, and if His righteousness must be all in all, then by that very truth, all that we possess in ourselves is nothing but sin and weakness. If Christ is set forth to us as a Savior, Physician, and Redeemer, then surely we are sick, in bondage, and utterly undone in ourselves. Why then, O vain man, do you boast in your own sufficiency? Why are you so strongly persuaded of your own worth? If it is as you think, why is there need of Christ? Was He incarnate? Did He suffer in vain? If a single star could give sufficient light to the world and dispel all darkness, what need would there be for the sun? If the stream has enough to refresh, what need is there of the ocean? Would you then come to see yourself as poor and miserable? Consider in what glory, riches, fullness, and absolute necessity the Scripture sets forth Christ, and then you will quickly abhor yourself.
A fourth remedy is outward and grievous afflictions accompanying the Word. When God thunders in a man’s ears and heart by His Word, and when He also outwardly scourges and afflicts him, he is often driven to abandon his lofty imaginations. Just as we deal with madmen who have delusions of their own greatness—casting them into dungeons and treating them harshly to bring them to a right mind—so does God, when He would strip a man of all carnal presumption and bring him to reject all high thoughts of himself. He lays heavy burdens upon him and thrusts many thorns into his side. How much better would it be for many men to be kept by God in darkness and distress of spirit than to be set, as it were, always upon the pinnacle of the temple! Be therefore awakened out of thy security. Fear lest thou hast lived many years in a mere dream of holiness and an imaginary interest in Christ.
Fifthly, the examples of those who seemed to make great progress in religion—who had high thoughts of themselves, yet whose end was dreadful and terrible—should serve as a special warning against false presumption. How should that passage strike us with fear: "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift... if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance" (Hebrews 6:4-6). Some had illumination and even a savor of the goodness of God and His Word, yet lacked the things that accompany salvation. Likewise, consider the foolish virgins, who were bold and confident in their preparation for the Bridegroom—yet how woefully were they deceived! Examine these examples again and again. Lest their case be yours, tremble lest the time come when you shall cry for oil because yours is spent, and there is none to supply you. Christ, by many parables, teaches us how prone all men are to this self-deception.
Sixthly, let the presumptuous man consider how prone he is to mistake in other things, and therefore fear lest he do so in this matter of greatest concernment. Every man is full of blindness, ignorance, and self-deception. How often is he misled in natural and moral matters? How much more in spiritual truths? And how much more in the workings of his own heart, wherein self-love guides him? If a natural man does not perceive many things in nature, how can he perceive the things of God? As Christ said, "If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?" (John 3:12). If even the godly man, in whom guile and hypocrisy are in great measure removed, still cries out, "Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults" (Psalm 19:12), how much more is this true of one who is wholly leavened with hypocrisy? If David had unknown pride and corruption in his heart, how much more has a Pharisee or an unregenerate man?
It is a good saying of Ames: Praesumentes sunt eo magis desperati, quo minus sunt desperantes—"Presumers are in a more desperate condition, the less they fear their own presumption."
The next question shall be: What ought a man to do who has the truth of grace in him, yet does not know it? Though God has wrought supernatural cures upon his soul, he does not believe that any such mercy has been bestowed upon him. And just as the assurance of the truth of grace in the soul brings with it a complication (or joining together) of the assurance of election, justification, perseverance, and glorification, so when the soul is in darkness concerning the former, it is likewise ignorant of the latter. Now, though carnal men know nothing of the sorrow of such an estate, David’s psalms speak of the heaviness of such a condition, describing it with the most dreadful imagery. He compares it to broken bones—not just one, but all his bones broken. What intolerable pain must that be? Christ, who lacked the light of God's favor in His agony—though no bodily bone of His was broken—was full of these broken bones of the soul.
First, let him consider whether some unreformed sin, in which he knowingly lives, does not eclipse all his certainty. David’s adultery drove the spirit of gladness and joy from his soul. Oh, that is a cursed joy and confidence which is not expelled by the commission of known, gross sin! How can there be assurance and peace in believing that grace is in thee, when thou manifestest such works of the flesh and of Satan? Is it any wonder, then, that men who make a profession of religion yet live loosely—falling now and then into grievous sin—should often have a hell upon their consciences and frequent terrors in their souls? Just as vapors gathered in the bowels of the earth cannot but produce an earthquake, so sin, when it gathers in the heart, will at some time or other produce an heartquake. That passage in Ephesians 4—"Grieve not the Spirit of God"—supposes that sin does indeed grieve Him, and how just it is, then, that God’s Spirit should in turn grieve us!
Secondly, even if no grievous sin has created such a great gulf between him and assurance that he can neither reach it nor it him, yet a negligent and careless use of the means of grace will greatly weaken a man’s certainty. You have heard the Scripture say, "Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure" (2 Peter 1:10). Without constant diligence, this assurance cannot be obtained; for though sincere and zealous endeavors after godliness are not the cause of assurance, they are the sign and testimony of God’s love. And without them, there can be no comfort at all. Fervent and gracious performances of holy duties are the oil without which this lamp will not shine. When the apostle exhorts us to prayer—"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God"—he immediately adds, "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7). It is therefore unworthy for a man to speak of doubting, to complain of the loss of God's favor, and to lament that he has no assurance, when all his duties and spiritual exercises are careless and barren.
Thirdly, if yet thou hast no assurance, then know that it is a free and sovereign privilege, which God bestows when and where He pleases. We have already briefly stated, and shall later show more fully, that it is the Spirit of adoption who works in the soul a filial affection, enabling it to cry, "Abba, Father." It is the Spirit of God who seals us (Ephesians 1:13). Therefore, assurance does not flow from the workings of grace in us by a natural and necessary consequence, but from the immediate dispensation of God's love. Hence, in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, God is called the God of all comfort, who comforts us. For God does not, as a Christian friend or minister may, simply offer comfort externally and provide arguments of consolation (though these are useful), but He also inwardly turns and changes the heart to receive it. That same power of God in converting grace, which is called by the fathers vorticordium (the turning of the heart), is seen also in the work of consolation. By this, God teaches us that assurance is not a flower that grows naturally in the garden of our hearts.
Fourthly, if grace is truly in thee, yet thou art unaware of it, is it not with thee as it was with Hagar, who had a fountain of water beside her, yet did not see it (Genesis 21:19)? Still, do not cease from the constant exercise of thy graces. You are bound to love God, trust in Him, and perform all duties, even if your heart should never feel God’s love toward you. Though the assurance of God's favor is like coals of fire poured upon the soul to melt it, yet we are bound to spiritual obedience even if God withholds this encouragement. "To him that overcometh will I give a white stone, and the hidden manna" (Revelation 2:17). The privilege of assurance is given to those who have long walked with God, been much exercised in His ways, and endured much for Him. Not that God does not sometimes reveal the love of His espousals to new converts, for they are most tender and need it, being oppressed with guilt and the burden of sin. As Aristotle observed, nature has implanted in parents a special instinct to be most tender toward their youngest children, because they are least able to care for themselves. So does God, in His condescending love, often grant to young converts those sweet experiences of His favor which they may not yet have strength to seek for themselves.
The third question is: Why does God, when He has wrought grace in us, not immediately enable us to believe it and perceive it in our souls?
David, though the prophet assured him that his sin was taken away, yet in Psalm 51—how importunately and earnestly does he pray for pardon and joy! This implies that, though God outwardly declared his forgiveness, He did not by His almighty power immediately and effectually persuade him of it. The question becomes even greater when we consider that this assurance would be like wings and legs in a man’s service to God, inflaming him with greater zeal to promote God’s glory. Moreover, God seems to lose much of His honor and praise when His people lack assurance, for how can the soul rejoice and give thanks for a mercy it does not perceive itself to have received? In this way, not knowing our pardon and not having it are practically the same, in terms of our thankfulness. Yet, for all these considerations, how frequently does God keep His own people in darkness! How often are they ready, with Zion, to say, "The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me!" (Isaiah 49:14).
Yet, despite these difficulties, there are several wise and good reasons why God, though He has put grace in our souls, may delay to publish it in our consciences.
First, God delays giving assurance so that we may taste and see how bitter sin is. The longer guilt and its consequences lie upon our souls, the greater cause we have to bewail and abhor our sin. If grace—or the assurance of it—were within our own power, to be had whenever we desired, how slight and superficial would our thoughts be concerning sin! David’s long time under the guilt of murder and adultery worked in him a greater hatred and detestation of those sins. And though some may regard it as a servile and low disposition to fear sin because of its bitterness, rather than purely from the love of God and delight in Him, yet this is the reality even for the most refined and reformed of godly men. Therefore, be content under these dark desertions. Though thou dost not perceive how it is with thee, yet God’s purpose is good—to keep thee low and weary of sin.
Secondly, God does this to keep us humble. When we perceive God’s work in our hearts, we are often prone to pride, to thinking that we are raised up above others, that we know and experience more of God than others do. To kill these worms of pride within us, God hides His face, making us see nothing but sin and weakness in ourselves. Then, our whole life appears to us as it did to Anselm—"aut peccatum, aut sterilitas"—either sin or barrenness. When thou seest nothing but sin round about thee, then thou canst lie before the throne of God, like Lazarus at the rich man’s gate, full of sores. Chrysologus described Lazarus as having "tot clamantia ora, quot vulnera"—as many mouths crying for help as he had wounds. So too wilt thou have as many mouths begging for mercy as thou hast sins and infirmities. It is said that Moses’ face shone so brightly that the Israelites could not behold it, yet Moses himself knew it not (Exodus 34:29). How excellent it is when others admire the graces of God in thee, while thou art blind to them in thyself! Gregory well said, "Nescire sciendo, et sciendo nescire"—by knowing, not to know; and by not knowing, to know the graces of God in oneself.
Thirdly, God withholds assurance so that, when we obtain it, we may prize it more highly and guard it more carefully. The Church in the Song of Solomon, after she had slighted her Bridegroom’s love, sought earnestly to regain it—but at great cost (Song of Solomon 5:6-7). Seneca observed, "Sol nisi cum deficit spectatorem non habet"—"The sun is not admired unless it is eclipsed." In the same way, men do not highly esteem the favor and love of God unless they have known the loss of it. Just as temporal mercies are often more prized by their absence than by their possession (carendo magis quam habendo), so also is it with spiritual blessings. Dost thou pray, and again pray, for assurance, yet still not obtain it? Then consider that this delay may be to increase thy appetite, so that when thou dost receive it, thou mayest bless God all the more for it.
Fourthly, God does this so that thou mayest demonstrate true obedience and give greater honor to Him. To trust in God by faith, when thou hast no sensible testimonies of His love, is the purest and highest act of obedience. Such faith of adherence did Christ exercise in His agony on the cross, when He cried, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). A man may desire assurance for the peace and ease it brings to his soul, but to depend upon God in spiritual desertions is to give all glory to God and none to oneself. Such faith is a kind of spiritual martyrdom. The way of assurance brings more comfort to thee, but the way of believing without assurance gives more glory to God. When Abraham did not stagger in his faith, though Sarah’s womb was barren, he gave glory to God (Romans 4:19-20). No less is thy act of faith when thou overlookest all thy own sense, feeling, and temptations, and still trustest in God for acceptance. To walk by assurance is, in a way, to walk by sense, and it shows the weakness of a childlike faith that cannot be quiet unless in its mother’s bosom.
Fifthly, God withholds the sense of pardon that thou mayest become an experienced Christian, able to comfort others in distress. This was true even of Christ Himself, who was tempted concerning the wrath of God so that He might have sympathy and fellow-feeling with those who are so afflicted (Hebrews 2:18; 4:15). Paul likewise declares that God comforts us in tribulation, that we may comfort others in the same condition (2 Corinthians 1:4). He that has never been tempted concerning the pardon of sin wonders at those who are so afflicted, and therefore is altogether unfit to apply spiritual remedies. Carnal and natural men despise such soul-wrestlings, calling them madness and distraction, and advise those afflicted to seek diversion in merry company, feasting, or entertainment, thinking these carnal plasters will heal a spiritual wound. In Job 33:23-24, Elihu describes a man chastened for sin, who utterly refuses all comfort, and declares that it is a great mercy to have a messenger who can declare to him his uprightness. Elihu calls such a messenger "one of a thousand"—so rare is such a comforter. Therefore, make good use of such temptations. God may be preparing thee to be a Joseph to thy brethren, one who, having endured the darkness, may be a guide to others in distress.
Let this serve as a warning to raze the foundations of all carnal presumers.
This sin is common and damns thousands. It has even been said that presumption is more grievous than despair, for while the despairing man is weary of himself, abhors his own estate, and would, if he could, admit better counsel, the presumer is pleased with himself and will not listen to any warnings. Oh, how fearfully art thou deluded, how terribly will thy expectations be frustrated, when thou seest nothing but hell and confusion, instead of the joy and comfort thou didst promise thyself! The foolish virgins in Matthew 25 only discovered their undone condition when it was too late. Fear, therefore, lest thou also be plunged into such extremity.
The nearer a man is to the haven, the more lamentable his shipwreck.
The Church lamented, "We looked for peace, but behold trouble!" (Jeremiah 8:15). Do not wait until the door is shut to find that thy assurance was but a shadow and thy confidence mere vanity.