Mans Active Obedience, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
Of the third difference, which is in the difference of their aſſurance to be ſaued: wherein is entreated of, the want of feeling of true faith, or of the former or preſent comfort therof.
Queſtion.
YOu hauing ſhewed thus much difference to bee between the apprehenſion of Chriſt by a counterfait beleeuer, and of one that is ſound in the faith; goe on in like manner to ſhew what difference there is (if there bee any) betweene the aſſurance and perſwaſion, that the one hath of being ſaued by Chriſt, vponupon his ſo apprehending of him; and the aſſurance of the other?
A. The difference betweene them in this, is no leſſeDifference of aſſurance. then was found to bee in the other. The difference betweene miſ-beleeuers, and the true faithfull that are called the Iſrael of God, in the point of their aſſurance, and comfortable perſwaſion of their being ſaued by Chriſt Ieſus (they both bearing the venture of the liues of their ſoules, in the paſſage that they hauehave through the wild ſea of this world, in hope of their ſafe arriuall and landing at that happie port of all ſafety in Gods kingdome and heauenly Canaan in the end), is not vnlike to the difference that was betweene the Iſraelites and Egyptians for their paſſing thorongh the red ſea; both of them ventured and went into the ſea; the one got well thorough, the other came ſhort home; the one had Gods word for their warrant, they therefore were ſaued, and gained the port and land which they ventured for; the other were blinded with pride and preſumption, and ventured without all warrant from God, as being found rather fighters againſt God in diſobeying his word: and therefore they miſcarried all, and were drowned in the middeſt of the ſea, and ſunke to the bottome as a ſtone.
True beleeuers are perſwaded of Gods mercies in Chriſt, that they ſhall neuer periſh, but hauehave euerlaſting life; their faith and hope they hauehave in God doth neuer faile them, for it is grounded vponupon the truth of Gods promiſe, and the rocke Chriſt Ieſus. They eſcape therefore in all dangers, and happily are ſaued in the end; for the iuſt ſhall liue by his faith.Heb. 2. 4.
Misbeleeuers and hypocrites they alſo are bold and confident in their perſwaſion; it may more iuſtly bee ſaid, in their proud preſuming; for they are but as the fooles, that beleeue eueryevery thing: they beleeue they cannotProu. 14. 15. tell what, they hauing nothing to ground their perſwaſion vponupon; they hauehave neither word nor writing from God, to ſhew why they ſhould ſo beleeue: their is neither bill nor ſcroll, nor any tittle in the Bible, if it bee rightly vnderſtood, that doth make for them, and yet they fluſh themſelues as though all were theirs; they flatter themſelues, and beguile their owne hearts with miſapplying promiſes out of Gods word. They are ignorant, and yet moſt confident: according to that, Who ſo bold as blind Bayard: they feare nothing, they defie the diuell; they hauehave (they ſay) a ſtrong faith, and are ſure to bee ſaued: they neuer doubted of their ſaluation in all their life, neither would they doubt for all the world. Which boldneſſe of theirs, being rather blindneſſe, then good boldneſſe, commeth not through the abundance of faith beleeuing more ſtrongly then others doe, the promiſes which God hath made them, but through abundance of folly, making promiſes ro themſelues, where God neuer made any; and reckoning to receiue that, which God neuer minded to giuegive; ſo building without a foundation, and beleeuing without any word ſpoken or promiſe that was euer giuen; the Lord ſending them ſtrong deluſions, that they ſhould beleeue a lie, and ſo goe on in their dangerous ſecurity, that they may ſtumble and fall, and riſe no more.
They both ſeeme to bee aſſured, and to ſtand perſwaded, that they ſhall be ſaued by God in the end, but vponupon farre differing grounds. The ground of the ones perſwaſion is found onelyonly to be in himſelfe, and to bee laid vponupon himſelfe alone, and his owne conceit, and may bee rather ſaid to be the aſſurance of man ſo perſwading himſelfe, then any certaintie of the thing, whereof he is perſwaded that euer it ſhall ſo fall out, as he doth make reckoning. The ground of the others perſwaſion is laid out of himſelfe, euen vponupon God and the truth of his promiſe, as knowing 2. Tim. 1. 12.whom he hath beleeued, and may rather be ſaid to ſtand more in the certaintie and infallibilitie of the thing promiſed, then in the ſtrength of the mans aſſured beleeuing and ſtanding perſwaded that it ſhall be ſo performed that doth beleeue it.
The ground of the perſwaſion of an hypocrite, and ſuch as is vnſound in the faith, is laid onelyonly within himſelfe, for out of himſelfe he findeth nothing to beare vp ſuch a confident boaſting withall, but it is onelyonly reſting in his owne boſome, and all the weight of his building hath no ſurer ground to be ſet vponupon, then are the imaginations, thoughts, and conceits of his owne heart alone; which is deceitfull aboue all things, and ſo falſe and vnſound, as none is able to know the hollowneſſe that is therein. And therefore a ground (for any to thinke it poſſible euer to lay a ſteady, and ſure foundation therein, or ſet a ſtrong building vponupon the ſame, which he deſireth to ſee remaine firme, and vnmoueable for himſelfe to dwell ſafe in), that is more moueable, then is either ſea or wind, where all is ſeene to flow and blow away; as well may a man reckon vponupon building Caſtles in the aire, and walled Cities vponupon the rowling and ragged ſeaes, ſafely to inhabite in, as ſure perſwaſions that a man may truſt too, and not be deceiued in, and vponupon the vaine imaginations, conceits and affections of his ſeducing and ſeduced heart; which are ſo vnſtaid, and ſo vnſetled, that the affections are not vnfitly ſaid to bee the very waues and ſtormes of mens ſoules, that toſſe and turmoile them vpſide downe. And otherwiſe beſide their owne conceites and imaginations of their owne hearts, that makes them thus peremptorie, and thus bold in preſuming, there is nothing at all in the world, that can elſe warrantably aſſure them, that they ſhall euer hauehave that ſaluation, which they ſo much doe reckon vp. For that in it ſelfe is ſo farre from being certaine vntounto them, as there is a certaintie of the cleane contrarie; and they may be ſure, when they ſhall once come to make triall, they ſhall find it cleane otherwiſe to fall out, then they looked for; they may bee bold and build vponupon it, there is no peace at all from God for ſuch Iſai. 57. 21.euer to receiue in, nor ſaluation at his hands for them to hauehave; though at the laſt, when it ſhall bee too late, they ſhould as earneſtly craue it, and ſeeke for it by their crying vntounto him, as euer did Eſau ſeeke his fathers bleſſing, when he came too late, and then he could find no place of repentance with him, though he ſought it with teares: for theHeb. 12. 17. Lord hath aſſigned another manner of eſtate and condition to hypocrites and vnbeleeuers, and declared in his word ſo great a condemnation to abide them in the pit of deſtruction, as he thinketh it threatning great enough vntounto other kind of ſinners to tell them, they ſhall hauehave their Mat. 24. 51.portion with vnbeleeuers, and with hypocrites. For them then to perſwade themſelues they ſhall be ſaued, contrary to all that which the Lord doth otherwiſe plainely ſet downe in his word; and when they heare the words of his ſo great a curſe, to promiſe to themſelues for all that, that they ſhall hauehave peace; it is not onelyonly to delude their owneDeut. 29. 19. 20 hearts with lying and falſe conceits, but to ſet God the more againſt them, that he may neuer be mercifull vntounto them, but cauſe his wrath more fiercely, and more furiouſly to ſmoake out againſt them. This is not the boldneſſe of good aſſurance, and of a warrantable perſwaſion, that hath Gods word to relie vponupon; but the blindneſſe of a moſt damnable pride, and preſuming againſt all that God himſelf hath ſpoken, when (as though they had made Iſai. 28. 15.a couenant with death, and were at an agreement with hell, that they ſhould neuer take any hold of them) they doe not onelyonly promiſe to themſelues ſafetie and deliuerance from periſhing, but high aduancement in glorie, and life eternall in Gods kingdome: as if when the King hath proclaimed them al to be traytors, that were conſpirators in the late Gun powder-treaſon, and that ſo many as can be prooued to hauehave been of that conſpiracie, are as traytors to be hanged, drawne and quartered; if ſome principall traitor of them all, hauing to this day ſcaped, ſhould now be apprehended and attached for his treaſon, and being to bee carried vp to the Court, that it might bee knowne what ſhould be done with him; he all this while ſhould beare himſelfe as bold, as the beſt ſubiect in the kingdome, in ſuch ſort, as none can make him beleeue, there is any danger towards him; but hee ſtill promiſeth to himſelfe, that comming once at the Court, he ſhall not onelyonly eſcape puniſhment, and be freed from all manner of blame and rebuke, but bee lifted vp to much higher aduancement, and made ſome great Duke or Lord in the and: eueryevery one would thinke, that ſome ſpirit of frenſie or madneſſe had ſtrongly poſſeſſed ſuch a man. So are theſe men ſtrangely bewitched, & inchaunted by the diuell, to take for ſure truths thoſe things, which are but Satans meere deluſions; and when the beſt is made of them, no better then are waking mens dreames.
The foundation whereupon a true beleeuing Chriſtian doth build his aſſurance and perſwaſion that he hath, of being ſaued in the end, is that which the Apoſtle calleth, the foundation of God; and therefore a moſt ſtrong and2. Tim. 2. 19. ſure foundation, hauing this ſeale, the Lord knoweth who are his; the knowledge of God being perpetuall and vnchangeable: for whom the Lord knowes once, he neuer afterIſai. 49. 15. doth forget. and this is the moſt firme, ſteady, and immoueable foundation, that any poſſibly can build vponupon;Zach. 6. 1. ſtrong as thoſe mountaines of braſſe, which Zacharie maketh mention of, to beare vp all that is ſet vponupon the ſame, which makes it impoſſible, that a true beleeuer ſhould euer periſh. It is not the ſtrength of his faith (though he do truely beleeue, as looking thereby alwaies to hold the comfort which hee now hath) that workes vp this aſſurance; but the faithfulneſſe of him, whom this faith doth relie vponupon; which is ſuch, as though wee cannot beleeue,2. Tim. 2. 13. Tit. 1. 2. yet he abideth faithfull, and cannot denie himſelfe, for hee is God that cannot lie. The comfortable and confident perſwaſion of a true beleeuing Chriſtian, for his obtaining of ſaluation through Chriſt Ieſus, ſtandeth more in that hee knoweth whō hee doth beleeue to receiue ſaluation from (as that which he hath purchaſed, and that which he hath promiſed, and which he is both able and faithfull to performe), then in knowing that he doth beleeue, and what he lookes for to receiue by his beleeuing, which is to bee ſaued by his faith. His aſſurance is more in the aſſurance of the thing beleeued, through the ſteadfaſtnes of him that hath promiſed the ſame, then in his own ſteadfaſtnes, that he alwaies ſhal ſo beleeue, or in the ſteadfaſtnes of his faith by which he doth beleeue, that it neuer more ſhall be ouertaken with any feare or doubting. For our faith mayPſal. 118. 13. be dangerouſly aſſailed, and thruſt ſoare at, that it might fall: it may be ſhaken, but Gods promiſe is vnfaileable, and the truth of his Word, as a rocke that cannot be moued nor ſhaken, whatſoeuer be the ſurges that beate againſt the ſame. His aſſurance is more, in that hee knowes Phil. 3. 12.Chriſt comprehends him, who will neuer let goe his hold, becauſe he is ſtronger then all, that none can pull any outIoh. 10 28. 29. Ioh. 6. 39. of his hand; and becauſe he is moſt faithfull to anſwer that truſt he is put in by his father, whoſe will it is, that of all that he hath giuen him, he muſt not looſe one: then in the knowledge that he hath, that he doth apprehend Chriſt, and doth lay hold vponupon him by his beleeuing; for he may let goe his hold, and let ſlip that hand-faſting which he holds him by; at leaſt in regard of his owne feeling, it may bee gone: for feeling may faile a true beleeuer, and then there is no other helpe, but for hope to hold faſt, and ſtill to ſtand perſwaded, that though we cannot apprehend him, yet he doth ſtill comprehend vsus; who as he was yeſterday, Heb. 13. 8. Mal. 3. 6. Ioh. 13. 1.is euen ſo to day, and will be the ſame for euermore; for hee is the Lord, and changeth not: therefore was it that the ſons of Iacob were not conſumed; and therefore it is, that whō he once hath loued, to the end he will louelove them ſtil: this we are to remember, and to fetch comfort from the ſame; yea, to hope alſo, yt howſoeuer our feeling may be forthe preſent, yet our ſelues ſhal find it to be otherwiſe afterward again.
Q. You are light vponupon a point that many good Chriſtians are much troubled about, who for want of feeling the comfort they hauehave had, feare they are quite giuen ouer, and for ſaken of God. I pray you therefore let me be bold to interrupt your other ſpeech a little, and to craue of you, that you would ſpeake your mind ſomewhat in this matter, what you would thinke were fitteſt to be done by ſuch, or to be conceiued of the eſtate of ſuch a Chriſtian that cannot hauehave ſuch feeling of his faith, and ſtanding in the fauour of God after the manner as before ſometime he hath had?
A. Such are to labour by iudgement, to conuince and controle their abuſed ſenſe and feeling, who ſometimesWant of feeling. to their owne ſenſe and feeling, may thinke God to hauehave forſaken them; Chriſt Ieſus to hauehave quite left them, and to be departed and gone from them; when as yet he is ſtill where he was, and as touching his fauour and his louelove, vnalterable, remaining ſtill the ſame towards them that he was; the alteration being found onelyonly to bee in themſelues, by reaſon of the ſtrong tentations that are vponupon them. Men are therefore not to meaſure their eſtate by ſenſe and feeling: for many times in naturall things, reaſon is able to controle our ſenſe, as if I being in a ſhip that is driuen with a faire wind and tide, doe ſaile by a Tower or Caſtle ſtanding vponupon a banke, when I looke vponupon the Tower, as the ſhip doth ſwiftly paſſe by, my ſenſe of ſeeing thinketh that the Tower goeth away, while I my ſelfe ſtand ſtill in the ſhip: but my iudgement and vnderſtanding telleth me, that it is otherwiſe in truth, and that the Tower ſtandeth ſtill and moueth not, but it is I and the ſhip that doe goe away from it, though to my ſenſe of ſeeing it ſeemes otherwiſe to be. In like manner as touching, feeling, a man that hath but raging paine in one tooth, or hath but a fellon on the vttermoſt ioynt of his finger, or the paine of the goute onelyonly in his toe; though all his body ſhould be ſound and in good health beſides, he feeleth more the paine of that one little member of his tooth, or of his toe, then the ſound health of his whole body beſide, though the health of the whole body be much more, then is the paine of that one member. In like manner doth it many times fall out with good Chriſtians, if they be indued and inriched with neuer ſo many good graces of Gods Spirit, hauing true faith, and ioyned therewith vertue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godlineſſe, brotherly kindneſſe, charitie, hope, humility meekeneſſe, repentance, and the reſt that are linkes of that golden chaine, wherewith the vertues are chained and linked one to another, if it ſhould happen not to be well with them in any one of the ſaid graces (according as theſe ſeueral graces of the mind, as well as the ſeuerall members of the body, may bee put out of their right frame, and hauehave diſtemper and diſeaſe bred in them, and brought vponupon them), though in the meane while it were neuer ſo well with them in all the reſt, yet is it found vſuall for them more to feele the diſquiet of the diſtemper, and hurt of ſome one of theſe graces ſo out of frame, then to feele the content and comfort of the abiding in good eſtate of all the reſt beſide; and to bee more grieued with the diſeaſe that is growne vponupon that one, then ioyed with the health that doth ſtil remaine in all the other. As if a good man being ſore prouoked and ſet vponupon of the ſudden, ſhould be ſo much diſtempered, and put out of all patience, as he ſhould breake forth to much fury and rage in his haſtie anger (which is no better then a ſhort madneſſe), and being come to his right mind againe, his fit being once ouer (for all that while beſide himſelfe), he ſhould then bethinke himſelfe what he had done: ſo would he bee out of conceit with himſelfe, he would be ſo caſt downe in his owne eyes, ſo ſmitten in heart, ſo pricked in conſcience, ſo wounded in his ſoule with griefe for his ſinne, he would crie out and complaine for being thus ouerſeene, as that the diſtemper of that one grace of patience, and the weakenes thereof, which could then beare no more, would more bee felt of him with griefe, and work him greater woe, and diſquiet him much more, then he ſhould feele comfort, or hauehave contentment in the good eſtate which all the reſt did abide in beſide, and yet that one ſlip of his for a time is not ſo blameworthie, as is commendable the ordinary courſe of goodneſſe, conſtantly held on in the well-vſing and practiſing of other his graces: wherein much ſoundneſſe is found ſtil to be remaining.
And as among the members and parts of the body, ſome are more neceſſarie then are others, and ſo more hardly can be ſpared; ſome are more dangerous to take hurt in, or for any diſeaſe to breed vponupon them, becauſe they are the vitall parts of the body, ſuch as is the heart, the liuer and the braine, which if they ſhould be periſhed, the life it ſelfe would be loſt: when ſuch parts are affected, men are found to be more troubled about the hearts of ſuch, and the diſeaſes bred vponupon them, then vponupon any other ther the partes of their bodies beſides, they are moſt ſuſpitious and doubtfull of the recouering of them aboue, that they are of all the reſt, euer fearing leſt thoſe hurts ſhould not be well healed, or thoſe diſeaſes ſoundly cured and recpiered againe. As if one ſhould hauehave among other the outward parts and members of his body, his right hand ſo maimed, as it ſhould be in daunger to bee quite cut off, and ſo loſt; and of all the inward parts ſhould hauehave a diſeaſe breeding in him, that ſhould dangerouſly affect the heart, which being a moſt vitall part, euen the very fountaine and ſeate of life, that doth ſend forth the vitall ſpirits, and life it ſelfe to the other parts, if that ſhould be periſhed, then the very life it ſelfe would vetterly be loſt.
Much after this manner is it found to be with good Chriſtians, in reſpect of the differing graces of Gods Spirit, which they hauehave receiued from God, though all verie vſefull for the Chriſtian life, yet ſome are more abſolutely needfull, as being vntounto the ſoule, not onelyonly the hand by which it worketh: but as the heart which is the very receptacle and ſeate of life, by which it liueth, which if they ſhould miſcarry, all would be loſt, ſuch as is faith, and louelove and repentance vntounto life. If theſe ſhould receiue any dangerous hurt, or fall into any deadly diſeaſe, whereof they ſhould not be againe well recouered, there muſt needs follow the vtter ruine of ſuch a Chriſtian. When therefore their faith is mightily aſſailed, and by the ſtrength of tentation ſorely ſhaken: when their repentance is challenged not to be ſound, and ſuch as it ought; Oh, then how ſolicitous is a carefull Chriſtian, about the hauing of theſe well cured and recouered againe? how feareful and doubtfull is he, leſt theſe ſhould faile him, and neuer be holpen? how doth hee enquire after the beſt Phyſitians, to heare the beſt counſell that in this caſe may be giuen? yea, if a whole Colledge of Phyſitians ſhould all meete together to conferre about his diſeaſe, they all would ſcarce bee able to giuegive him ſatisfying that his diſeaſe were curable, and might well bee holpen; he would doubt, that all the Balme in the Lords Gilead would not ſuffice to make for him a remedy, that ſhould bee ſoueraigue and ſauing enough; nor that all they together, ſhould hauehave ſufficient skill how to apply it, ſo as hee might hauehave good recouerie thereby. Yea, if it once grow ill with them in their faith and repentance, and that theſe graces are ſmitten at, ſtrooken, and wounded by ſome ſoare and dangerous tentation, then in ſtead of complaining of the weakeneſſe and hurt of their faith and repentance, they fall to entertaine a conceit into their mindes, which troubleth them worſe then did all the reſt; namely, that they hauehave no faith at all, that they hauehave no true repentance, nor euer yet had. But I would demand, if they had not ſome remainder of the life of theſe graces of faith and repentance, by which they feele the wounds and hurts, that theſe affected members and parts of the inner man hauehave receiued? how come they to make complaint in particular, about their faith and repentance, that it is not well with them? Can a man that hath his leggs cut off, ſo hauing no legs, be affected with the aching, or painefull dolour of the wounds and hurts which are in his legs? he may complaine of paines in other partes, but griefes in his leggs he can neither feele nor complaine of, for he hath none at all to be pained in. But if a man hauing indeed a leg that is now hurt and wounded, then were it meere ſolly and madneſſe for him to complaine and ſay, that he hath no leg, becauſe his leg is ſo maimed and hurt, for that proueth that he hath a leg, in that he complaineth, all his paine is in his leg, and complaines not of his arme, nor of his head, which both may be well for all that.
Q. True: but may not a man complaine he hath no legs at all, if his legs indeed be once cut off?
A. But I demand againe: Can a man in like mannerOf feeling. complaine that hee hath no heart at all, if his heart bee plucked out? We know that then he is but a dead man: for the heart is the moſt vitall part of the body, and the very ſeate of life, which being principally in it, the life it ſelfe by it is communicated to all the reſt: deſtroy therefore and pluck out the heart, and then tell me what life will be remaining in that body for it to complaine it hath no heart? Faith is as vitall a part for the life of the ſoule, as the heart is for the life of the body: for it is the only organe and receptacle of all the life of the ſoule, that it receiueth from Chriſt the onelyonly fountaine of true life, and by it that ſpirituall life which is receiued from Chriſt is communicated to eueryevery power and part of the ſoule beſide. It is the very ſoule of our ſoule: for wee liue by faith, wee walke and worke by it, and not by ſight: the life of faith is that which doth animate all other vertues beſide that are in vsus. Plucke this faith away and deſtroy faith which is the life of the ſoule, and then what life will there be remaining in that ſoule, for a man to feele by it that he hath no faith? or to complaine of the weakneſſe and wants of his faith? for then he ſhould be as a dead man that ſhould hauehave no feeling in him; as vnbeleevers and wicked perſons are ſaid to be dead, euen while they liue; 1. Tim. 5. 6. Iude 12.yea twice dead and pluckt vp by the rootes, and are paſt feeling, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh. Nay, the complaining by weake Chriſtians about their faith for the weakneſſe thereof, or for the want of their faith, argueth the preſence and being in life of their faith, by which they hauehave ſuch feeling and make ſuch complaining; as one complaining that he feeleth paine at his heart, that doth argue that he hath a heart, and that his heart is in life which maketh him ſo to complaine.
Theſe are not vnlike vntounto that melancholike perſon,Treatiſe of Me lacholy▪ pa. 215 who being ouer borne and ouerſet with that dangerous humour of melancholy, complained he had no head, nor could not poſſibly be otherwiſe perſwaded, then by that courſe which that prudent Phyſition Phylotimus did take with him when he cauſed to be made a cap of lead very waightie and heauie, and the ſame to be put vponupon his head, that feeling the weight thereof vponupon his head, hee might be brought to conceiue otherwiſe, and be perſwaded that hee had a head. And as they are not much vnlike that melancholike for kinde of diſeaſe, who was deluded with melancholie conceits, to thinke that he wanted that which indeed hee had; ſo doe I thinke the like kinde of remedie in this caſe not vnfit to be vſed for their cure, which was vſed for his. I would therefore lay vponupon theſe weake Chriſtians no other burthen, but the weight of their owne burthen, of holy ſorrow and griefe and doubtfull deſpaire for their wanting of faith (as themſelues doe deeme), which is ſo weightie, as they are like to ſinke vnderunder it, & wholly to be broken down with the load thereof, yet that being laid vponupon the head of their faith, they may bee asked whether they feele any ſuch burthen, and are preſſed vnderunder the heauie weight of the ſame? which if they do, let them neuer make doubt more but that they hauehave faith, and their faith hath both head and hart too, that hath life in it, which moueth that ſenſe, and cauſeth that feeling, and worketh that holie griefe and ſorrow ſo to complaine, the whole ſoule being quickened thereby throughout, and all the graces of Gods ſpirit that are therein. There is no life of ſpirituall graces otherwiſe to be had, then as the ſame be deriued from Chriſt, who is our life and the fountaine thereof: there is no paſſage for this life to flow into our ſoules, but as by faith the ſame be let in, which only is the inſtrument of the vnion that is betweene Chriſt and vsus, and the proper hand to receiue all grace from him: the very receptacle, and (as I may ſay) the ciſterne to hold the grace it hath receiued from him as out of the fountaine, and ſo to diſtribute it to all the reſt of the graces that are in that ſoule wherein it is ſeated.
If therefore there be any liuely feeling of our want of faith and mourning for our want; if we complaine of the want of faith, feeling it to be a burthen vntounto vsus that is too heauie for vsus to beare: if wee ſigh and groane vnderunder that burthen, with earneſt longings and daily prayers to be eaſed, and with ſuch deſires of obtaining that which we want, as willingly we neglect no meanes that we can know, is to be vſed for our better comming by it: doubtleſſe there is the preſence of holy grace (for ſuch a true deſire of grace in the want of grace is grace it ſelfe) and there is the euidence of the life of grace manifeſtly to be ſeene. Now that life of grace cannot otherwiſe be had but as from faith, and by meanes thereof it be receiued, which drawing life from Chriſt, and taking it from him doth repleniſh the whole ſoule therewith, and quickneth eueryevery grace with the ſame that is found therein. So that ſuch a liuely feeling of the want of faith, and complaining of that want, with deſire of hauing that want ſupplied, doe no other in truth but argue the preſence of liuely faith, howſoeuer it be not felt.
Faith as well may be preſent in the ſoule, though it be not felt, and though hauing it we be not for a time priuieFeeling. to our ſo hauing of it, as Chriſt himſelfe may be preſent with a true Chriſtian, when yet being ſtrongly ſet vponupon by ſome ſore tentation, hee may thinke himſelfe for the time, wholly to be giuen ouer and to be quite forſaken. Chriſt, once receiued by a beleeuing Chriſtian to dwell in his heart by faith, may be and doubtleſſe (according to his promiſe) will be with his to the end of the world, ſtillMatth. 28. remaining and abiding with eueryevery ſuch a beleeuing chriſtian, dwelling in that heart which once receiued him, though ſo cloſely keeping himſelfe hidden, that the ſame Chriſtian may for a time ſeeke him, as much ſorrowing for not finding of him, as euer did Mary his mother ſorrowfully Luke 2. 4. 8.ſeeke him when he was miſſing, and hunt as much after him with as longing a deſire to light vponupon him, as euer did the Spouſe (when ſhe was moſt ſicke of louelove)Cantic. 5. 8. long for and looke after her welbeloued, and yet with her for a good time neuer find nor light vponupon him, when all the while he is (though very ſecretly, yet moſt certainly) remaining with them and abiding in them. For the Lord knoweth how to bee preſent with his children, and yet they themſelues ſhall not be aware of his ſo being: as Iacob ſpake of Gods preſence with him at Bethel, God (ſaith he) was here, and I was not aware. The Lord can tell (ſaith one of the ancient Fathers) how to be wholly eueryevery Auguſt. epiſt. 3. ad Voluſianum.where, and yet contained in no one place; he knoweth how to come to one, by not leauing that place from whence hee ſo came; he knoweth how to goe away againe, and not to leaue him from whom he is ſo gone. And againe, ſpeaking of the marueilous manner of Chriſt his being borne of a woman, ſhe being yet a virgine, and ſo of his comming into the houſe, the doores yet being ſhut, ſaith further, If a reaſon of this could be found, it ſhould not be wonderfull; if an example of the like it ſhould not be ſingular. We muſt know (ſaith he) and beleeue, God can doe ſome things which wee can neuer finde out the manner and the way by which they are ſo done. And in ſuch things, the greateſt reaſon of the doing of them is, the only power and might of him by whom they are done. There are two waies after which the Lord may be ſaid to be with his children, while they remaine in this world: one, which may bee perceiued and well may bee felt: another, which is ſecret and cannot bee knowne but by the euent and effect, as they by proofe finde themſelues to hauehave been ſuſtained and vpheld in all their greateſt troubles, though they know not how, and could not then perceiue by whom; but it was the Lord that ſuſtained them with the one hand, while hee was putting them downe with the other.
After ſuch a manner may faith be knowne to bee preſent in the heart, when yet it cannot ſenſibly bee felt: namely, as it may be followed, diſcouered, and found out by the working. It is well worth the obſeruing, that it is promiſed in the Goſpell, that whoſoeuer beleeueth ſhallIohn 4. 16. neuer periſh, but hauehave life euerlaſting. Now it is to bee marked, that it is not ſaid, Who ſo hath the comfort of beleeuing, and the feeling of his faith, and ſo knoweth vn…oubtedly that he hath true faith; he, and he onelyonly is the …an that ſhall be ſaued: but he that indeede beleeueth, that is, he whom God (who onelyonly knoweth the hearts of all, and knoweth them better then wee know them our ſelues) knoweth that hee doth truly, though neuer ſo weakely, beleeue; and who hath faith in Gods account, though it be not ſo in his owne, though he hauehave not the feeling of his faith, nor the comfort of his owne beleeuing, nor can no more apprehend how the Lord can in any fauour be preſent with him, then could Gideon conceiue how that could be ſo which the Angell ſpake vntountoIudg. 6. 12. 13. him, telling him that the Lord was with him (they being in the meane while oppreſſed by the hands of the Midianites), yet that man is vndoubtedly in the ſtate of ſaluation, ſuch a one can neuer periſh in the end. For there may be as bleſſed a beleeuing, without ſome kind of ſeeing and feeling: as was Thomas his beleeuing bleſſed, when once he had ſeene his Sauiour preſent with his eyes, and ſenſibly had felt him, and laid hold vponupon him with his hand: witneſſe that which our Sauiour Chriſt anſwered vntounto Thomas, vponupon that occaſion; Thou haſt ſeene andIoh. 20. 29. haſt beleeued; bleſſed are they hauehave not ſeene, and yet hauehave beleeued.
And thus much for the interpretation of that my ſpeech I was in hand with, for ſhewing how the aſſurance of a true beleeuing Chriſtian, is more in the aſſurance of the thing beleeued, then in the perſon that doth beleeue: and ſo much for anſwere inaway of ſome ſatiſfaction to your requeſt, who deſired to heare ſome thing ſpoken touching that point, of a Chriſtians not feeling the comfort he hath had, and of his not feeling that hee hath faith at all, nor any comfort of his preſent true beleeuing.