Another means to be used diligently for the promoting the life of faith, is, examination of our state and ways, according to the word of God; whether we be, at present, in a state of sin and wrath, or of grace and salvation; that, if we be in a state of sin we may know our sickness, and come to the great physician, while it is called to-day; and, if we be in a state of grace, we may know that we are of the truth, and assure our hearts before God, with the greater confidence, by the testimony of a good concience, 1 John 3:19, 21: that so our hearts may be more strongly comforted by faith, and established in every good work; and that, if our ways be evil, we may turn from them to the Lord our God, through Christ; “without whom none cometh to the Father,” Lam. 3:40; John 14:6. But your great care, in this work of self-examination, must be, to perform it in such a manner, that it may not hinder and destroy the life of faith, as it doth in many, instead of promoting it. Therefore, beware, lest you trust upon your self-examination rather than upon Christ; as some do, that think they have made their peace with God, merely because they have examined themselves upon their sick-bed, or before receiving the Lord’s supper, though they have found themselves stark naught, and do not depend on Christ, to make them better, but on their own deceitful purposes and resolutions. Think not that you must begin this work with doubting, whether God will extend mercy to you, and save you; and that you must leave this a question wholly under debate, until you have found out how to resolve it by self-examination. This is a common and very pernicious error in the the very foundation of this work, which is hereby laid in the great sin of unbelief; which, as soon as it prevaileth, doth, by its great influence, dash and obscure all inward gracious qualifications, of peace, hope, joy, love to God and his people, before they be at all tried, whether they can give any good evidence of their salvation. And it makes people willing to think their own qualifications better than they are, lest they should fall into an utter despair of their salvation; and thus it wholly marreth the good work of self-examination, and maketh it destructive to, our souls; for “to them that are defiled and unbelieving, there is nothing pure,” Titus 1:15. You should rather begin the work with much assurance of faith, that though you may at present find your heart never so wicked and reprobate, (as many of God’s choicest servants have found) yet the door of mercy is open for you, and that God will certainly save you forever, if you put your trust in his grace through Christ.

Walter Marshall | The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification (1692), Direction XIII.

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Post authored by:

• Christopher Smith

  

  Christopher Smith is originally from Bellevue, Nebraska. A graduate of Westminster Seminary California (M.Div 2019; MA (Historical Theology) 2020). He is associate pastor of Phoenix URC in the United Reformed Churches of North America. He is currently pursuing a ThM in systematic theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary.

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