Mans Active Obedience, Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
The manner of knowledge of Christ, with the perſwaſion that is neceſſary to faith.
Queſtion.
WHat manner of knowledge is that, which is neceſſary for vsus to hauehave of Chriſt Ieſus, that ſo we may the better beleeue in him?
A. Not a confuſed or a generall knowledgeKnowledge of Chriſt. of Chriſt alone; not a bare ſpeculatiue knowledge of him, and of the myſterie of ſaluation by him, which is the beſt knowledge that the moſt hauehave of Chriſt; which is yet but idle and vnfruitfull, and auailethMat. 7. 21. Luk. 6. 46. nothing to ſaluation. But a cleare and diſtinct knowledge of the myſterie of ſaluation in Chriſt Ieſus, as the ſame is reuealed in the Goſpell; whereby we may know aſſuredly that it is he, and hee onelyonly, whom the Father hath ſealed & ſent into the world, that the world by him might be ſaued: who (being fore-ordained to this great1. Pet. 1. 20. and bleſſed worke of mans redemption and ſauing the world, before the very foundation of the world it ſelfe was laid, and promiſed to the Fathers, as God ſpake by the mouth of his holy Prophets, which hauehave been ſinceLuk. 1. 70. the world began) was ſent of God; when the fulneſſe of time was come; though being his owne Sonne, to becomeGalath. 4. 4. alſo the Sonne of man, and to be made of a woman. And as concerning the fleſh, to deſcend of the Fathers; though from all eternity in himſelfe, he is God ouer all, bleſſedRom. 9. 5. for euer. A perſon truly that hath no peere; moſt admirable and wonderfull, who is the only Phoenix in the world, that hath no fellow: euen as the worke was great and difficult; yea very admirable, and wholly impoſſible by any other euer to hauehave been effected, about which hee was to bee employed: which was, the redeeming of the world, and reconciling of man to God. This will better appeare, if we conſider, firſt, that God himſelfe was the partie that was wronged; man was the partie that had offended: God was to be ſatisfied; man ſtood in need to be ſaued: neceſſary it was that there ſhould come ſatiſfaction to God for man; that man being ſaued, Gods iuſtice might not be loſt. Now the infinite Maieſty of God being wronged, there could bee no ſatisfaction made ſufficient, by any that were but finite: none therefore could thus ſatisfie but God, as none ought to ſatisfie but man. For which cauſe our Sauiour Chriſt Ieſus was the onelyonly meete perſon, that was to be imployed about this worke, which vntounto all others was wholly impoſſible: who being God, became alſo man, and tooke our nature vponupon him; that as he was man he might offer the ſacrifice; and as he was God he might make it precious, and conferre worthineſſe and dignitie vntounto it, that it might eueryevery way be ſufficient: that ſo by that one ſacrifice Heb. 9. 26. 28.of himſelfe once offered (that being a ſacrifice of a ſweet ſmelling ſauour vntounto God), he might ſatisfie GodEpheſ. 5. 2. Heb. 5. 9. for man, and become the authour of eternall ſaluation to all them that will obey him.
Secondly, and as wee are to know, that in perſon hee was right wonderfull, and in worke no leſſe powerfull; yea moſt ſingular, moſt glorious and excellent: ſo are we to know that the offices were moſt high and honourable, vntounto which he was aſſigned; and which he bare vponupon him for the accompliſhment of the ſame: as being annointed of God to thoſe offices of greateſt dignitie and reſpect, both before God and man, of being our high Prieſt, King, and Prophet; by whom we might be reconciled vntounto God, deliuered from the hands of our enemies, ruled by his lawes, guided by his teaching, and ſhewed the path and way of life, that ſo in the end we might bee ſaued byPſal. 16. 11. him. A high Prieſt indeed, but made, not after the law of a carnall commandement, in a policy that was periſhable,Heb. 7. 16. but after the power of an endleſſe life, in the promiſe of a dignity that ſhould bee euerlaſting. A King of greateſtApoc. 1. 5. and 17. 14. Heb. 12. 27. 28. 1. Tim. 1. 17. Luk. 1. 33. Maieſty and glory, but not ſuch a one as euer may bee depoſed or put out of his throne; not ſuch a one whoſe kingdome can euer bee ſhaken; but who is a King euerlaſting and immortall, and of whoſe kingdome and gouernment there ſhall neuer bee end. A Prophet mighty indeed, and in word; doing ſuch workes as no otherLuk. 24. 19. Ioh. 15. 24. Ioh. 7. 46. man did; and ſpeaking ſuch words as neuer man ſpake: who was annointed to that holy function, as well as others; but yet with the oyle of gladneſſe aboue all his fellowes. Who receiued not the Spirit by meaſure asPſal. 45. 7. doe others; for it pleaſed the Father, that in him all fulneſſe ſhould dwell, of whoſe fulneſſe we hauehave all receiued, Ioh. 3. 34. Coloſ. 1. 19. Ioh. 1. 16. Mat. 17. 5. Iſa. 42. 4.euen grace for grace: him are we willed to heare, and the Iſles are to wait for his law. Now we are to pray without ceaſing, that the God of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, the Father of glory, would giuegive vntounto vsus the Spirit of wiſedome and reuelation in the true knowledge of him, making daily more and more manifeſt this great myſterie of Christ, Epheſ. 1. 17.which in other ages was not made knowne to the ſonnesEpheſ. 3. 5. of men, as it is now reuealed by the Spirit, that wee may after this manner both know and acknowledge him.
Q. Beſide the true knowledge of Chriſt, in the deſcription you made of faith, you ſaid there muſt be a laying hold of Chriſt, with a perſwaſion that God will be fauourable to vsus, in and through him?
A. Indeed that laying hold of Chriſt is moſt neceſſaryTo lay held on Chriſt. to be ioyned with our knowledge, and in no caſe may be wanting: for therein is the maine difference found to be, conſiſting betweene true iuſtifying and ſauing faith, 2. Pet. 1. 1. Tit. 1. 1.which is called precious faith, or the faith of Gods elect; from ſuch a faith as men may hauehave, and yet periſh with it: which is very vnſound, and but temporary, when it is at the beſt, either falſe or faigned, or but the faith of the hiſtory, to beleeue that which the Goſpell ſetteth downe touching Chriſt Ieſus the Sauiour of mankind: which is the common faith, and (as I may ſay) eueryevery bodies faith: yea no better then the diuels faith; for they beleeue all this, and yet ſhall neuer bee ſaued; they get no comfortIam. 2. 19. by it, but are made to tremble, and to be more tormented for it.
This laying hold of Chriſt, that we may reſt vponupon him to make him our owne, and to get our part of ſaluation out of him, is the chiefeſt worke about which true iuſtifying and ſauing faith is to be occupied, and moſt buſily to be employed: which is no other then a placing of our affiance, and repoſing our whole truſt and confidence in Chriſt for ſaluation. We firſt knowing and apprehending him to be giuen vsus of God, to the end that weIoh. 3. 16. ſo beleeuing in him, ſhould neuer periſh but be ſaued by him. Theſe two we muſt hauehave to be ioyned together, for the making vp of that faith that muſt ſaue vsus, to know Chriſt, and to beleeue, that is, to lay hold of, and apply to our comfort, that which we know of Chriſt, as relying and reſting vponupon the ſame. Wee beleeue and know (ſaithIoh. 6. 69. Peter to our Sauiour, that thou art Chriſt the Sonne of the liuing God: we are with the Spouſe in the Canticles, firſt to ſeeke the knowledge of Chriſt, to ſeeke his acquaintance,Cant. 1. 27. and more familiarly to know him daily: and therefore to entreate him, as doth ſhee, that hee will ſhew himſelfe vntounto vsus, According as elſewhere hee doth promiſe himſelfe, that he will ſo doe to all that doe loueloveIoh. 14. 21. him. And when wee hauehave once found him, wee are, with her, to lay ſure hold of him, and not to let him goe, till weeCanti…. 3. 1. 4. hauehave brought him to the beſt roomes and chambers of our hearts, there to hauehave him reſident, and euermore dwelling in our hearts by faith. Chriſt by his death andEpheſ. 3. 17. ſuffering hath prepared medecine to cure our deadly diſeaſe: he hath giuen his fleſh to be broken, and his blood to be ſhead, to make a plaiſter and a bath to heale and to ſupple the ſtiffe and ſtarke wounds of our ſoules, which hauehave been made by our ſinnes. Medicines will doe no good if they bee not applied: plaiſters will heale no wounds, if they be not taken hold on by the hand, and laid vponupon the ſores. So is it with all that Chriſt hath done for vsus, if it be not laid hold vponupon and applied by vsus for our owne benefit.
There is indeed a different laying hold of Chriſt, according to the differing degrees of faith, that are found to be among them that doe beleeue: according to the free diſpenſation of this grace giuen out vntounto eueryevery one by him that is the authour and finiſher of the faith of all theHeb. 12. 1. elect of God; who beſt knoweth what is the meeteſt and fitteſt portion for eueryevery one to receiue. To ſome is giuen a greater, to ſome a leſſer meaſure of it: ſome there bee that are ſtrong, others that are but weake in faith: as ſome1. Cor. 3. 1. are but babes in Chriſt, when others are come nearer to the meaſure of the fulneſſe of Chriſt: and yet all true beleeuers;Epheſ 4. 13. Faith, though it be not perfect, ſo it be true: though it bee feeble like a young borne babe, and that ſore diſeaſed too, is ſufficient for ſaluation. Faith doth not ſaue becauſe it is a perfect vertue, but becauſe it apprehends a perfect obiect.hauing faith in the truth of it alike, though not in the meaſure and degree of the ſtrength of it alike; and therefore all ſhall vndoubtedly, and moſt aſſuredly in the end be ſaued alike; for the leaſt meaſure of ſauing faith doth giuegive title to men to all the mercifull promiſes of God: the weakeſt ſhall as certainly and as ſoone bee ſaued as the ſtrongeſt; becauſe it is not by the meaſure, but by the manner and kind of faith (it being precious faith, and faith not fained) whereby men are ſaued. Yea more, becauſe men are not ſaued by faith at all (otherwiſe then after a figuratiue manner of ſpeaking), but by the obiect of faith, and that which faith layeth hold vponupon, which is Chriſt Ieſus alone, in whom our life and ſaluation1. Ioh. 5. 11. Coloſ. 3. 4. is wholly abiding. Now Chriſt (who is our life) may be laid hold vpō, according to the differing ſtrength that is in the hands of them that doe apprehend him. Thoſe that are younglings and babes in Chriſt, cannot lay ſo ſtrong hold of Chriſt, as thoſe that are ancient, and men growne in Chriſt; but though they hold him not ſo ſtrongly, yet may they hold him as truly as doe the other. A child that eateth the meate which is put into the hand that holdeth that meate, holdeth it as truly, and is nouriſhed by it as ſoundly, and as certainly, as a ſtrong man or a Gyant that doth the like: though there is great difference for the ſtrong manner of holding of that which both doe eate, and are in like manner nouriſhed by.
Q. But what is to be done of them, who as touching their owne feeling ſeeme to hauehave no manner of ſtrength to lay any hold of Chriſt, yet indeed doe: onelyonly they know that hee is the alone Sauiour of mankind, and doe deſire that they (with others) might hauehave part in that ſaluation which he hath purchaſed?
A. If they cannot with Simeon, take Chriſt in their armes, and as Mary did in her wombe; yet they conceiueHow feeling of faith may be attained. him in their hearts, vntill Chriſt be formed in them (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh); there to hold him, as dwelling in theirLuk. 2. 28. Luk. 1. 31. Galath. 4. 19. Epheſ. 3. 17. Mat. 11. 12. hearts by faith.
Secondly, if they cannot as violent perſons preſſe ſtrongly vponupon him; and as thoſe that will hauehave no nay, but be ſaued in ſpight of the diuels teeth, offer violence vntounto Chriſt, by plucking him vntounto them, and pulling life and ſaluation with a ſtrong hand out of him. If they cannot as ſtrong men, ſet faſt hand vponupon him, and take a full gripe of him: as did Paul by his full perſwaſion: and Abraham, Rom. 8. 38.the father of the faithfull, a growne man in the ſtrength of his faith: who ſtaggered not at the promiſe ofRom. 4. 20. 21. God through vnbeleefe; but was ſtrong in faith, and ſo gaue glory to God. Yet let them, with the poore baſhful woman in the Goſpell, that was ſicke of the diſeaſe of aMat. 9. 20. bloody iſſue, who durſt not for ſhame come before him; come yet creeping behind him, and ſee if by any meanes poſſible they may get vntounto him, ſtretching out their hand, though it be a weake and ſhaking hand; and (as I may ſay) a ſhort hand, ſo as they hauehave much adoe to reach vntounto Chriſt.
Thirdly, and though they cannot take hold of Chriſt, yet if in any ſort they can ioyne themſelues vntounto him, ſo as they can but truly touch him: ſuch is his vertue, and ſo full of grace is he, that the leaſt touch of him will draw life and vertue out of him to ſaue their ſoules. If theyLuk. 8. 46. feare to preſſe to him, and cannot come to touch him; yet let them ſee if they can at the leaſt touch priuily the hem of his garment: let them goe to his ordinances, his Word, and his Sacraments; they are his couering, and (as I may ſay) a kind of garment, vnderunder which he is hidden, and in which he may be found; that by thoſe ordinances of his, and out of them they may draw vertue from him; and feele the powerfull operation of his Spirit therby working ſuch grace in their hearts, as may cauſe them more ſtedfaſtly to beleeue, and to hauehave (at the length) much ioy and peace in their ſo beleeuing. Let them take hold of the skirt of ſome Iew, going to ſome worthy ſeruantZach. 8. 23. of Chriſt, and holy man, in whom Chriſt his vertue doth ſhine out; that hee may carrie them, and by his prayers commend them to a mercifull Lord: for by ſuch (many times) the Lord putteth forth his power, and giueth helpe to others. The ſeruant was made to liue for the faith of the maſter, who was the Centurion; and theLuk. 7. 9. 10. Matth. 9. 2. poore palſie-man holpen, when Chriſt ſaw the faith of them that brought him.
If they cannot for weakneſſe come to touch Chriſt, yet as the young children were brought vntounto Chriſt; ſoMark. 10. 13. 16 let them as babes in Chriſt Ieſus, bee brought vntounto him, that he may touch them: if he doe but put his hands vponupon them, he wil vndoubtedly bleſſe them: if they cannot feele in their hearts with comfort, that they apprehend him, yet let them deſire to bee comprehended of him: thence ſhall they be ſure to fetch comfort for their ſure ſtay: for therein eſpecially ſtandeth all their ſafety. If they can neither vſe their hands to touch him and lay hold vponupon him themſelues, nor their feet to come vntounto him, though creeping as vponupon hands and feet together; but are forced to he ſtill as poore creeples, ſo maimed and broken euen from the wombe, by the fall they tooke in Adams firſt tranſgreſſion, as all the ioynts of their ſoules are vtterly looſened; and all the powers and parts of mind and of members are ſtrucken ſo quite out of frame, as they can neither ſtirre hand nor foot to helpe themſelues any way herein, nor can be holpen by any other to bee thus brought vntounto him: yet as Peter and Iohn willed the poore creeple (lying at the beautifull gate of the Temple) to looke vponupon them (when he deſired to receiue ſomeAct. 3. 4. comfort from them); ſo let them looke vntounto Chriſt, and fixe their eyes wholly and onelyonly vponupon him (in whoſe name, and by whoſe onelyonly power, that poore creeple was made ſtrong, and had perfect ſoundneſſe giuen vntounto him in the ſight of all men); let them ſo caſt their eye vponupon Chriſt, and looke vntounto him, and to none but to him, to bee holpen and ſaued by him (though it were but with a ſquint eye, that hath much weakeneſſe and lameneſſe in it, as well as the other parts that are all out of frame), and this ſhall fetch helpe and procure healing and ſafety to be beſtowed vponupon them. We know, that but the looking vponupon the braſen ſerpent in the wilderneſſe by the wounded Iſraelite,Numb. 21. 9. though he could not come at him to touch him, was enough for his curing. And wee may perceiue how much ſuch a caſting of an eye and looking after Christ, doth affect that our bleſſed Sauiour, and wo…e vponupon him, by that which hee ſpeaketh to the Spouſe in the Canticles: Thou haſt rauiſhed my hart, my ſiſter, my Spouſe; Cantic. 4. 9.thou haſt rauiſhed my heart with one of thine eyes. We knowEnery true beleeuer hath two eyes; one, the Eagle-eye of faith, whereby he ſeeth him that is inuiſible, and maketh preſent that which is not ſcene: another, the eye of hope, whereby he wiſhly looketh for what ſaith beleeueth. there is nothing that will more, or ſooner moue a tender-hearted mother to beſtirre her ſelfe to helpe her child in the weakeneſſe thereof; then when it is ſo much decaied in ſtrength, as it can neither ſtiree hand to reach vntounto her, nor vtter voyce to ſpeake to be holpen by her, but alwaies looketh wiſhfully vponupon her, and followes her with the eye which way ſoeuer ſhe goeth. This was the courſe that Iehoſhaphat tooke, when he was ouer-matched of his enemies, hauing no power to with-ſtand them, neither knowing what to doe, hee cried vntounto the Lord, and ſaid, there is no might in vsus to ſtand againſt this great multitude, neither know we what to doe, onelyonly our eyes 2. Chron. 20. 12 Pſal. 121. 1. & 123. 1. 2.are vntounto thee, O Lord! Thus did the ſeruants of God lift vp their eyes vntounto the hilles, from whence their helpe did come; profeſſing that their eyes ſhould waite vponupon the Lord, till he had mercy vponupon them, euen as the eyes of the ſeruants did looke to the hands of their maſters. And no more then this doth the Lord himſelfe require from all the ends of the earth, that they might be ſaued by him,Iſai. 45. 22. then that they doe looke vntounto him. This looking vponupon Chriſt, is a kind of laying hold vponupon him, and of vniting our ſelues vntounto him. We know the eye can as well apprehend and faſten hold vponupon the obiect that it ſeeth, as the eare can doe vponupon the Word that it heareth, or the hand lay hold vponupon the thing that it toucheth. When a word is ſpoken to the eare, the eare catcheth hold vponupon the ſound that is vttered; and at the ſame time the mind apprehendeth that which is meant thereby, and ſo both the eare and the mind doe lay hold of one and the ſame ſpeech at one inſtant together. In like manner, when any thing is looked vponupon by the eye, the obiect that is looked vponupon, is in the eye that doth ſee it; and at the ſame time in the mind and vnderſtanding, that doth diſcerne that which is ſeene; and ſo the ſame obiect is both in the eye, and in the mind at one and the ſame inſtant apprehended together; the eye by looking on a thing, becommeth one with it after a manner: to looke then to Chriſt, is after a fort to lay hold of him; and ſuch a kind of looking to him, as cauſeth a diſtreſſed ſoule in greateſt extremities to looke for helpe from him alone, doth ſo affect him, as it doth rauiſh his heart, and in a manner ouercome him (faith being the beautiful eye of the Church, that woundeth the heart of Chriſt with louelove to the ſame). Therefore doth Chriſt himſelfe will the Spouſe to turne her eyes vponupon him (as Tremelius doth reade it); which if ſhe ſhallCantic. 6. 2. doe, ſhe ſhall euen lift him vp with great ioy and gladneſſeafter Tremelius reading. to ſee her, ſo to beleeue in him, and to depend vponupon him. Now who would not bee glad to caſt vp ſuch an eye to the Lord, as he might be thus delighted withall?
If this alſo ſeemeth to be more, then well can be performed by them, they being in their owne conceiuing, as thoſe that are paſt all hope of recouerie, and as men that are alreadie dead; yet ſeeing there is no name vnderunder heauen Acts 4. 12.that is giuen, nor any other meanes in the whole World beſide to be vſed, by which any can be ſaued, but only by the name of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt our Sauiour. Let them (as knowing there is no other for them to reſt vponupon for ſaluation, but vponupon him, & him alone) by ſome meanes or other, get themſelues to be rowled & caſt vponupon him; and let them not feare, but that as the dead man that was cast into the Sepulcher of Eliſha, ſo ſoone as hee touched the2. King. 13. 21. bones of the Prophet, he was made to ſtand vponupon his feet, and to liue againe; ſo ſuch being caſt vponupon Chriſt, though they were dead, yet ſhould they ſurely liue (there beingIohn 11. 25. infinitely more vertue in Chriſt that was crucified, then euer was in the bones of the Prophet that was dead, to reuiue and cauſe to liue againe all that are caſt vponupon him, as ſeeking ſo to hauehave life from him).
Laſtly, if they bee able no manner of way to doe any thing to helpe themſelues, and further their owne ſaluation, but onelyonly deſire to bee holpen, and deſire that they might be ſaued by Chriſt Ieſus; let them make of that deſire, keeping it, and nouriſhing it, and comforting themſelues yet in this, that God hath giuen them a deſiring heart, to hunger, thirſt, and long after the ſaluation that is in Chriſt Ieſus. He that giueth them ſo to deſire, will alſo in due time giuegive them to hauehave the thing ſo deſired; onelyonly let them waite for Chriſt his helping hand, vſing the beſt meanes that poſſibly they can, and let them keepe themſelues within the compaſſe of Chriſt his walk where he vſeth to come; louing and reſorting to the habitation Pſal. 26. 8.of his houſe, and the place where his honour dwelleth, that he may ſee them there. And they ſhall find by good experience in the end, that as our Sauiour going by the Poole of Betheſda, ſaw that impotent man, who had an infirmitie 38 yeeres, and hearing him complaine of his vnableneſſeIoh. 5. 5. 6. 7. 8. to helpe himſelfe, and that there was no other that would helpe to put him into the Poole, but while he was a comming, ſome other was more ready to ſtep in before him; our Sauiour hauing compaſſion, put no other taske vponupon him, but onelyonly to deſire to be made whole, asking him if hee would bee made whole; and ſo preſently reſtored him to his deſired ſtrength againe, willing him to take vp his bed and walke: So doubtleſſe theſe weaklings in faith, that can do no more for themſelues through their great infirmitie, then deſire to bee holpen, and to hauehave ſaluation from him; our bleſſed, louing, and moſt mercifull Sauiour (who will not breake a bruiſed reede, nor Matth. 12. 20.quench the flaxe that ſmoaketh) beholding their great diſtreſſe, and lamentable plight that they are in, will be moued in pitie to relieue them. And knowing, that they are able to doe no more in the matter of beleeuing in him for their ſaluation, then to deſire they could beleeue better, and depend more vponupon him, that they might be ſaued, wil accept of ſuch a deſire, in ſtead of the deed it ſelfe; and as vndoubtedly ſaue them with ſuch an earneſt and true deſire of beleeuing better, as they ſhal euer be ſaued that beleeue beſt of all.
Q. In the deſcription of faith which you made at the firſt, beſide the true knowledge of Chriſt, and laying hold of him, you ioyned therewith a comfortable perſwaſion alſo of the fauour and louelove of God towards vsus, in and through him. Doe you take it, that this comfortable perſwaſion of Gods fauour towards vsus, as it is felt and perceiued by vsus, doth alwaies accompany true and ſauing faith in Chriſt, and that it is ſo neceſſary to the eſſence and being of faith, as without it true faith cannot at all conſiſt?
A. Not ſo; but I take ſuch a ſetled perſwaſion ofPerſwaſion of Gods fauour. Gods vnalterable louelove towards vsus in and through Chriſt Ieſus, to be neceſſary rather to the well-being of faith, and euen to the finiſhing and perfecting of it, when it is growne to the greateſt ſtrength and perfection, that it can come vntounto in this life, then to the being of faith at all: for to a higher pitch or degree of greater perfection, faith cannot grow nor riſe vp vntounto, ſo long as wee hauehave any being in this life (euen then when it hath made the beſt proceedings, and proſpered moſt happily, increaſing with the increaſings of God, and hath runne through all the degrees that are ſet vntounto faith in this life, till the beſt and higheſt be attained vntounto), then for faith to ſettle the heart in a cleare, full, and vndoubted perſwaſion of Gods louelove and fauour towards vsus in Chriſt Ieſus; to bee ſo ſure and vnchangeable, as nothing ſhall euer be able to ſeparate vsusRom. 8. 38. from the ſame againe; like to that of the Apoſtles: but that true faith may hauehave exiſtence, and being in the heart of a good Chriſtian, where ſuch an vndoubted and comfortable perſwaſion, is either very ſeldome, or peraduenture neuer at all felt by the true beleeuer (eſpecially in ſuch a degree of cleareneſſe and vndoubtedneſſe of aſſurance, as had the Apoſtle) may appeare; firſt, if we conſider the firſt beginnings of faith, with what great feebleneſſe and imbecillitie it hath his being in vsus, when it is new begotten, and (as I may ſay) firſt bred and borne, lying in the ſwathing cloutes vnderunder as great weakeneſſe, and with as little feeling and apprehending of the operation of GodCo…oſſ 2. 12. in giuing it ſelfe being, as doth the infant that is new borne, either know or apprehend the time or the meanes, in and by which it came to be firſt brought forth into the world; though being once borne, and endued with all the powers and faculties of the mind, and made in euerie part proportionable with all the members of the body (howſoeuer it cannot well vſe either), it is euen at the very firſt as abſolutely and perfectly a true man, as euer it ſhal be afterward, when it can put the vnderſtanding that is in the mind to the greateſt vſe and worke, with the members of the body to the beſt purpoſe that it euer ſhall be able. So is it with the faith of Gods elect, that is onceIude 3. giuen to the Saints, it is as true faith at the firſt, and as truly exiſting and being, after it is once begotten by the working of Gods Spirit, and thereby planted and put into the hart of a Chriſtian (though in neuer ſo great weakneſſe), as euer it is, or ſhall bee, when it is growne to the greateſt ſtrength it euer can attaine vntounto; or bee of the moſt effectual and mightieſt operation and working that it poſſibly can be of.
Again, if we conſider faith how it may be aſſailed (euen after it hath bin once ſoundly wrought in vsus, and planted in our hearts) by the ſtrength of tentation, and the forcibleLuke 22. 31. working of Satan, who deſireth to hauehave vsus, that he may winnow and ſift vsus as wheat; daily experience maketh manifeſt the truth of this, that ſo may a mans faith be ſhaken, and al feeling of comfort be made wholly to faile him; that he who once with great ioy did apprehend the louelove and fauour of God towards him in Chriſt Ieſus, may be as far from ſuch feeling and comfortable perſwaſion (either ſo farre as others can iudge, or himſelfe can any way apprehend) as euer was Peter from that worthie confeſſion of Chriſt, and of the faith hee had in him, which hee once made profeſſion of, and which was ſo greatly approouedMatth. 16. 16. 17. 18. and applauded by our Sauiour himſelfe; when afterwards he did moſt vnfaithfully, cowardly, and daſtardly denie him, and falſely forſweare him; yea, curſe and banne himſelfeMatth. 26. 70. 72. 74. if euer he knew him. And yet (through the vnchangeableneſſe of Gods purpoſe and grace, whoſe waies are euer mercy and truth to ſuch as feare him, and his workes without repentance, neuer to be called backe againe; who neuer can denie himſelfe, though we may be vnfaithfull,2. Tim. 2. 13. and hardly can beleeue) the faith of ſuch a Chriſtian, howſoeuer ſoarely it may bee ſhaken, by the force and ſtrength of tentation; ſo as vnbeliefe may ſeeme to hauehave gotten the vpper hand, and feeling to be quite loſt, that hauing wholly let goe the hold thereof: yet is it no more deſtroyed from hauing any further being, nor can bee more made finally to faile him, in whom it was euer ſoundly wrought at all, then did the faith of Peter vtterly faile; which was ſo vpheld by the promiſe and prayer of Luke 22. 32.Chriſt our Sauiour, as it was not poſſible for all the gates of hell to preuaile againſt the ſame, though they ſifted itMatth. 16. 18. neuer ſo, & winnowed it to the ful. This comfortable perſwaſion then in the heart of a beleeuing Chriſtian, which accompanieth the true knowledge and laying hold of Chriſt, and riſeth and floweth from them both, it is not ſo much felt and perceiued at the firſt being and beginning of faith, as after ſome time of continuance; when faith by daily growing, hath attained to ſome good meaſure of ſtrength, it then is found to manifeſt it ſelfe, to the much quieting of the heart, in the which it is ſo felt. This is but the comfortable progreſſe and growing of faith, the proceeding of it on (as I may ſay) from faith to faith (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh.) And as in a word was noted beforeRom. 1. 17. 1. Pet. 1. 21. out of that which is ſet downe by Peter, from the faith that we hauehave by beleeuing in Chriſt, to come to beleeue in God, and to hauehave faith and hope in him, reckoning vponupon all fauour and mercy from him.