A Golden Chain, To the reader 4
To the Christian Reader.
GOod Reader it is a thing to be considered, that a man may seeme both vntounto himselfe and to the Church of God to be a true professour of the Gospel, and yet indeede be none. All professors that be of this sort, are excellently described, Luk. 8. vers. 13. in thes… words. And they which are vponupon the stony groūd are they, which when they shal heare, receiue the word with ioy: but hauing no roote, beleeue for a time, & in the time of temptation goe away. Where are to be noted three things. First, their faith, in that they are said to beleeue for a season. Secondly the fruits of that faith, in that they are said to receiue the word preached with ioy. Thirdly, their vnsoundnesse in that they are compared to stony ground, and in the time of temptation goe away.
Concerning their faith, wheras the spirit of God saith, that they doe beleeue these things are to be considered. First, that they hauehave the knowledge of the word of God. Secondly, that they both can and doe g…ue assent vntounto the word of God, that it is most true. Thirdly, in more speciall manner they giuegive assent vntounto the couenant of grace made in Christ, that it is most certaine and sure: and they are perswaded in a general and confused manner, that God will verifie the same couenant in the members of his Church. This is all their faith: which indeede proceedeth from the holy Ghost, but yet it is not sufficient to make them sound Professors. For albeit they doe generally beleeue Gods promises, yet herein they deceiue themselues, that they neuer applie and appropriate the same promises to their own soules. An example of this faith we hauehave, Ioh. 2.24. where it is said, that when our Sauiour Christ came to Ierusalem at the feast of Easter, manie beleeued in his name, and yet hee would not commit himselfe vntounto them, because he knewe them all, and what was in them.
To come to the second thing: those professors which are indued with thus much grace, as to beleeue in Christ in a confused maner, goe yet further: for this their faith, though it be not sufficient to saluation yet it sheweth it selfe by certaine fruites which it bringeth forth: for as a tree or a branch of a tree that hath no deepe rooting, but either is couered with a few moules, or els lieth in the water, at the season of the yeare bringeth forth leaues and blossomes, and some fruite too, and that for one or two, or moe yeares: so one that is an hearer of the word, may receiue the word: and the worde as seed, by this generall faith may bee somewhat rooted in his heart and setled for a season, and may bring foorth some fruites in his life peraduenture very faire in his owne and other mens eies: yet indeede neither sound, nor lasting, nor substantiall. What these fruites are, it may be gathered forth of these wordes, where it is said, that they receiue the word with ioy, when they heare it: for here may be gathered. First, that they doe willingly subiect themselues to the ministerie of the word. Secondly, that they are as forward as any, and as ioyfull in frequenting sermons. Thirdly, that they reuerence the Ministers whome they so ioyfully heare. Lastly, they condemne them of impietie, which will not be hearers, or be negligent hearers of the word.
Now, of these and such like fru…ts, this may be added: though they are not sound, yet they are void of that grosse kind of hypocrisie. For the mindes of those Professors are in part enlightened, and their hearts are indued with such a faith,Marke, that there is a true faith, wrought by the holy Ghost, very like sauing faith, yet not sauing faith. as may bring forth these fruits for a time: and therefore herein they …issemble not that faith which they hauehave not: but rather shew that which they hauehave. Adde hereunto, that a man beeing in this estate, may deceiue himselfe; and the most godly in the world, which hauehave the greatest gifts of discerning, how they and their brethren stand before the Lord: like as the figtree with greene leaues deceiued our Sauiour Christ as he was man: for when in his hunger he came vntounto it to hauehave had some fruit he found none.
If this be so, it may be then required, how these vnsound professours differ from true professours. I answer, in this they differ, that they hauehave not sound hearts to cleaue vntounto Christ Iesus for euer. Which appeareth in that they are compared to stonie ground. Now, stonie groundes mingled with some earth are commonly hot, and therefore hauehave as it were some alacritie and hastinesse in them, and the corne as soone as it is cast into this ground, it sprouteth out very speedily, but yet the stones will not suffer the corne to be rooted deepely beneath, and therefore when sommer commeth the blade of the corne withereth with rootes and all. So it is with these professours: they hauehave in their hearts some good motions of the holy Ghost, to that which is good: they hauehave a kind of zeale to Gods word, they hauehave a liking to good things, and they are as forwards as any other for a time, and they doe beleeue. But these good motions and graces are not lasting, but like the flame and flashing of straw and stubble: neither are they sufficient to saluation.
With the true professours it is farre otherwise: for they hauehave vpright and honest hearts before the Lord, Luk. 8. 15. And they hauehave faith which worketh by louelove. Gal. 5.6. And that Christian man which loueth God, whatsoeuer shall befall, yea though it were a thousand deaths, yet his heart can neuer be seuered from the Lord and from his Sauiour Christ: as the spouse speaketh vntounto Christ of her owne louelove, Cant. 8.6. Set me as a seale on thy heart, as a signet vponupon thy arme: for louelove is as strong as death: iealousie is as cruell as the graue; the coales thereof are fierie coales and a vehement flame. Much water cannot quench louelove, neither can the flouds drowne it: if a man should giuegive all the substance of his house for louelove, they would greatly contemne it.
Wherefore (good Reader) seeing there is such a similitude and affinitie betweene the temporarie professor of the Gospell, and the true professor of the same: it is the dutie of eueryevery Christian to trie and examine himselfe whether he be in the faith or not. 2. Cor. 13.5. And whereas it is an hard thing for a man to search out his own heart, we are to pray vntounto God that he would giuegive vsus his spirit to discerne betweene that which is good and euill in vsus. Now when a man hath found out the estate of his heart by searching it, he is further to obserue and keepe it with all diligence. Prou. 4. 23. that when the houre of death, or the day of triall shall come, he may stand sure and not be deceiued of his hope.
And for this purpose I hauehave described the most of these small treatises which follow, to minister vntounto thee some helpe in this examining and obseruing of thine own heart. Read them and accept of them, and by the blessing of God they shall not be vnprofitable vntounto thee. And if they shall any whit helpe thee, helpe me also with thy prayer. 1595.
FINIS.