A Grain of Mustard Seed, Conclusion 3 – Conclusion 5
III. Conclusion.
A constant and earnest desire to be reconciled to God, to beleeue, and to repent, if it be in a touched heart, is in acceptation with God, as reconciliation, faith, repentance it selfe.
The Exposition.
LVst or desire is two folde, naturall, & supernaturall. Naturall is that whose beginnings and obiect is in nature, that is, which ariseth of the naturall will of man, and affecteth such things as are thought to be good according to the light of nature. And this kind of desire hath his degrees, yet so as they are all limited within the compasse of nature. Some desire riches, honours, pleasures, some learning & knowledge, because it is the light and perfection of the minde: some go further & seeke after the vertues of iustice, temperāce, liberality, &c. and thus many heathen men hauehave excelled. Some againe desire true happinesse, as Balaam did, who wished to die the death of the righteous: because it is the propertie of nature to seeke the preseruation of it selfe But here nature staies it selfe: for where the mind reueales not, the will affects not. Supernaturall desires, are such as both for their beginning and obiect, are aboue nature. For their beginning is from the holy Ghost; and the obiect or matter about which they are cōuersant, are things diuine and spirituall which concerne the kingdome of heauen: and of this kinde are the desires of which I speake in this place. Againe, that we may not be deceiued in our desires, but may the better discerne thē from flittering and fleeting motions, I adde three restraints. First of all, the desire of reconciliation, the desire to beleeue, or the desire to repent &c. must be constant and hauehave continuance, otherwise it may iustly be suspected. Secōdly, it must be earnest & serious, though not alwaies, yet at somtimes, that we may be able to say, with Dauid, My soule desireth after thee, O Lord, as the thirsty land. And, as the hart braieth after the riuers of water, so panteth my soule after thee O God, my soule thirsteth for God, euen the liuing God. Thirdly, it must be in a touched heart; for when a man is touched in conscience, the heart is cast downe, and (as much as it can) it withdrawes it selfe frō God. For this cause, if then there be any spirituall motions whereby the heart is lift vp vntounto God they are without doubt from the spirit of God. Thus then I auouch, that the desire of reconciliation with God in Christ, is reconciliation it selfe: the desire to beleeue, is faith indeede: & the desire to repent, repentance it selfe. But marke how. A desire to be reconciled, is not reconciliation in nature, (for the desire is one thing, & reconciliation is another) but in Gods acceptation: for if we being touched throughly for our sins, do desire to hauehave them pardoned, and to bee at one with god, God accepts vsus as reconciled. Againe, desire to beleeue, it is not faith in nature, but onelyonly in Gods acceptation, God accepting the will for the deede. That this doctrine is the will and word of God, it appeares by these reasons. First of all, God hath annexed a promise of blessednes, & of life euerlasting, to the desire of grace. Mat. 5. Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, for they shall bee satisfied Ioh. 7. 38. If any man thirst, let him come to mee and drinke. Reuel. 2. 1. I will giuegive vntounto him which is a thirst, of the well of the water of life freely. Now what is this to thirst? properly it is, when wee are in a drought or drines, and want drinke to refresh vsus, & desire it. And therefore by all resemblance, they are saide to thirst after righteousnes, that want it, and would faine hauehave it: And they thirst after christ that feele themselues out of Christ, and desire, yea long after the blood of Christ, that they might be refreshed with it in their consciences. Here then we see, that the desire of mercy, in the want of mercy, is the obtaining of merciemercy: and the desire to beleeue, in the want of faith, is faith. Marke then: though as yet thou want firme and liuely grace, yet art thou not altogether voide of grace, if thou canst vnfainedly desire it, thy desire is the seede, conception, or bud of that which thou wantest. Now is the springtime of the ingrafted word or the immortall seede cast into the furrowes of thy heart: waite but a while, vsing the good meanes to this ende appointed, and thou shalt see the leaues, blossomes, & fruit will shortly follow after. Secōdly, the desire of any good thing is accepted of God, as the liuely inuocation of his holy name, Psal. 10. God heareth the desire of the poore. Psal. 145. He will fulfill the desire of him that feareth him. When Moses said nothing, but onelyonly desired in heart the helpe and protection of God at the redde sea, the Lord said vntounto him, Why criest thou vntounto me? Exod. 14. 15. And when wee know not to pray as wee ought, Paul saith, that the spirit maketh request by the inward groanes of the heart, Rom. 8. 26. Hence I gather, that when a man in his weaknesse praies with sighes and groanes, for the gift of liuely faith, the want whereof hee findes in himselfe, his very praier on this manner made, is as truly in acceptation with God, as a praier made in liuely faith. And here it is further to be considered, that Paul calls these groanes vnspeakable, and why? Of most interpreters they are thought to be vnspeakable, by reason of their greatnesse, and this I will not denie: it seemes neuerthelesse that they are so tearmed by reason of their weakenesse, for they are commonly small, weake, and confused in the hearts of Gods children when they are distressed: and the words following seeme to import thus much: for when it had beene said that Gods spirit in vsus makes request with grones not to be vttered: some man might happily reply and say, if we cannot discerne and vtter these grones in our selues what are we the better? Paul addes therfore, that although we know not, yet God a searcher of all things hidden in the heart, knowes the minde and meaning of the spirit. And thus the wordes yet further afoard a comfortable instruction to the children of God, namely, that beeing in distresse, whether in life or death, if by grace we can but sigh or sob vntounto God, though it be weake and feeble like the faint pulse in the time of death; we, or the spirit of God in vsus, doe indeede make request vntounto God that shall bee heard, yea, (as the words are) wee doe more then make request: and though we do not alwaies see what Gods spirit makes vsus to sigh after, yet god doeth. To the testimonie of Scripture, I adde the testimonies of godly and learned men, not to prooue the doctrine in hand; but to shew a consent, and to prooue thus much, that the thing which I auouch, is no priuate phantasie of any man Easily (saith Ambrose of God) is he reconciled, Lib. 7. in Luc. c. 66.aSi impensè rogatur. on Psal. 36.if he be instantly intreated. Augustine saith, Let thy desire be before him, and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly: for thy desire is thy praier, and if thy desire be continuall, thy praier is continuall. Hee addes further in the same place, that the desire is a continuall voice, and the cry of the heart, and the inward inuocation of God, which may be made without intermission, Againe, To desire the helpe of grace is the beginning of grace. Againe,bExposit. Epist. Iohn, tract. 4. cap. …. The whole life of a good Christian, is an holy will and desire. And that which thou desirest, thou seest not: but by desiring, art (as it were) inlarged and made capable, that whē it shall come which thou shalt see, thou maist bee filled. Basil saith,Hom. of humilitie. OnelyOnly thou must will, and God will come of his owne accord. cSup. Cant. Ser. 84.Bernard saith, what, is not desire a voice? Yea a very strong voice. God heareth the desire of the poore: and a continuall desire, though wee speake nothing, it is a voice continued. dTom. 4. pag. 124.Luther saith, Christ is then truely omnipotent, and then truly raignes in vsus, when wee are so weake that wee can scarce giuegive any groane. For Paul saith, that one such groane is a strong crie in the cares of God, filling both heauen & earth.eIb. fol. 156 Againe, Very fewe know, how weake and small faith and hope is, vnderunder the crosse, and in temptation. For it appeares, then to bee as smoking flaxe, which a good blast of winde would praesently put out: but such as beleeue in these combates, and terrours against hope, vnderunder hope, that is, opposing themselues by faith in the promise of Christ, against the feeling of sinne, and the wrath of God, doe finde afterward that this litle sparke of faith (as it appeares to reason, which hardly perceiueth it) is peraduenture as the whole element of fire which filleth all heauen and swalloweth vp all terrours and sinnes. fLib. fol. 300Againe, the more wee finde our vnworthinesse, and the lesse wee finde the promises to belong vntounto vsus, the more must wee desire them, beeing assured that this desire doth greatly please God, who desireth and willeth that his grace should bee earnestly desired. This doeth faith, which iudgeth it a pretious thing, and therefore greatly hungreth and thirsteth after it, and so obtaines it. For God is delighted to fill the hungrie with good things, & to send the rich emptie away. gResp. ad Acta Colloq. Monpel.Theodore Beza saith, If thou finde not thine heart inwardly touched, pray that it may bee touched: for then must thou know that this desire is a pledge of the fathers will to thee, hLocor. com. par. 1.Kē nitius saith: When I hauehave a good desire, though it do scarcely shew it selfe in some little and slender sigh, I must be assured that the spirit of God is present: and worketh his good worke. iCatechis.Vrsinus saith, Faith in the most holy men in this life is imperfect and weake. Yet neuerthelesse, whosoeuer fecles in his heart an earnest desire, and a striuing against his naturall doubtings, both can and must assure himselfe that he is indued with true faith. Againe, Wicked men doe not desire the grace of the holy spirit, whereby they may resist sinne. And therefore they are iustly depriued of it: for hee that earnestly desireth the holy Ghost hath it alreadie: because this desire of the spirit cannot be but from the spirit: as it is saide, Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, for they shall bee satisfied.lEpistle to Carelesse. Bradford saith, Thy sins are vndoubtedly pardoned, &c. for God hath giuen thee a penitent and beleeuing heart: that is, an heart which desireth to repent and beleeue: for such an one is taken of him (he accepting the will for thee deede) for a penitent and beleeuing heart indeede. mBooke of the markes of Gods children.Taffine saith, Our faith may be so small and weake as it doth not yet bring forth fruits, that may bee liuely felt of vsus, but if they which feele themselues in such estate, desire to hauehave these feelings [namely, of Gods fauour and louelove] if they aske them at Gods hands by praier: this desire and praier are testimonies that the spirit of God is in them, and that they hauehave faith alreadie: for, is such a desire, a fruit of the flesh, or of the spirit? it is of the holy spirit, who bringeth it forth onelyonly in such as hee dwells in, &c. Then these holy desires and praiers being the motions of the holy Ghost in vsus, are testimonies of our faith, although they seeme to vsus small and weake. As the woman that feeleth the moouing of a childe in her body, though very weake, assureth her selfe that shee hath conceiued, and that shee goeth with a liue child, so if wee hauehave these motions, these holy affections, and desires beforementioned, let vsus not doubt but that wee hauehave the holy Ghost (who is the author of them) dwelling in vsus, and consequently that we hauehave also faith. Again he saith, 1. If thou hast begun to hate and she sinne, 2. If thou feelest that thou art displeased at thine infirmities, and corruptions: 3. If hauing offended God thou feelest a griefe, and a sorrow for it: 4. If thou desire to abstaine: 5. If thou auoidest the occasion: 6. If thou trauailest to doe thy endeauour: 7. If thou praiest to God to giuegive thee grace: all these holy affections, proceeding from none other then from the spirit of God, ought to be so many pledges, and testimonies that he is in thee. (n) Masterknockes saith, Albeit your paines sometimes be so horrible that you finde no release nor comfort, neither in spirit nor bodie, yet if they heart can onelyonly sob vntounto God, despaire not, you shall obtaine your hearts desire. And destitute you are not of faith: for at such a time as the flesh, naturall reason, the law of God, the present torment, the diuell at one doe crie, God is angrie, and therefore there is neither helpe nor remedie to be hoped for at his hāds: at such time, Isay, to sob vntounto God, is the demonstration of the secret seede of God, which is hidden in Gods elect children: and that onelyonly sob is vntounto God a more acceptable sacrifice, then without this crosse, to giuegive our bodies to be burnt euen for the truthes sake. More testimonies might be alleadged, but these shall suffice.
Against this point of dotrine it may be alleadged, that if desire to beleeue in our weakenesse be faith indeede; then some are iustified and may be saued wanting a liuely apprehension and full perswasion of Gods merciemercy in Christ. Ans. Iustifying faith in regard of his nature is alwaies one and the same, and the essentiall propertie thereof, is, to apprehend Christ with his benefites, and to assure the very cōscience thereof. And therefore without some apprehension and assurance, there can bee no iustification or Saluation in them that for age are able to beleeue. Yet there bee certaine degrees and measures of true faith. There is a strong faith, which causeth a full apprehension and perswasion of Gods merciemercy in Christ. This measure of faith the Lord vouchsafed Abraham, Dauid, Paul, the Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs of God. It were a blessed thing if all beleeuers might attaine to this height of liuely faith, to say with Paul, I am perswaded, that neither life, nor death, nor any thing else, shal bee able to separate vsus from the louelove of God in Christ: but all cannot; therfore there is another degree of faith lower then the former, and yet true faith, called a litle or weake faith, and it also hath a power to apprehend and applie the promise of saluation, but as yet by reason of weaknes, it is infolded (as it were) and wrapt vp in the heart, as the leafe and blossome in the bud. For such persons as hauehave this weake faith, can say indeede, that they beleeue their sinnes to be pardonable, and that seriously in their hearts they desire to hauehave them pardoned: but as yet they can not say, that they are without all doubt pordoned. And yet the merciemercy of God is not wā ting vntounto them. For in that they doe, and can desire, and indeauour to apprehēd, they doe indeed apprehend; God accepting the desire to doe the thing, for the thing done, This which I say will the better appeare, if the groundes thereof be considered. Faith doth not iustifie in respect of it selfe, because it is an action or vertue: or because it is strong, liuely, and perfect: but in respect of the obiect thereof, namely Christ crucified, whom faith apprehendeth as he is set forth vntounto vsus in the word and Sacraments. It is Christ that is the author, and matter of our iustice, and it is he that applieth the same vntounto vsus: as for faith in vsus, it is but an Instrument to apprehend & receiue that which Christ for his part offereth and giueth. Therefore, if faith erre not in his proper obiect, but follow the promise of God, though it doe but weakely apprehend, or at the least, cause a man onelyonly to Endeauour and Desire to apprehend, it is true faith, and iustifieth. Though our apprehension be necessarie, yet our saluation stands rather in this, that God apprehends vsus for his owne, then that we apprehend him for ours. Phi. 3. v. 12. And rather in this, that we are knowne of him, then that we know him. Gal. 4. 9.
Out of this conclusion springs an other not to be omitted, that God accepts the endeauour of the whole man to obey, for perfect obedience it selfe.
THat is, if men endeauour to please God in all things, God will not iudge their doings by the rigour of his law: but will accept their litle and weake endeauour, to do that which they can do by his grace, as if they had perfectly fulfilled the lawe. But heere remember I put this caueat; that this indeeuour must bee in and by the whole man; the very minde, conscience, will, and affections doing that which they can in their kindes: and thus the endeauour to obey which is a fruit of the spirit, shall bee distinguished from ciuil righteousnesse, which may bee in heathen men, and is onelyonly in the outward, and not in the inward man. The trueth of this conclusion appeares by that which the Prophet Malachi saith, that God will spare thē that feare him, as a father spares his childe: who accepts the thing done, as well done, if the child shew his good will to please his father, and to doe what he can.
IV. Conclusion.
To see and feele in our selues the want of any grace pertaining to saluation, and to be grieued therefore, is the grace it selfe.
The Exposition.
VNderstand this conclusion as the former, namely that griefe of the hart for the want of any grace necessarie to saluation, is as much with god as the grace it selfe. Whē beeing in distresse, we cannot pray as we ought God accepts the very groanes, sobs, and sighes of the perplexed heart, as the praier it selfe. Rom. 8. 26. When we are grieued, because we cannot be grieued for our sinnes, it is a degree & measure of godly sorrow before God.Com. 4. l. 1. ad Simpli. in fine. Augustine saith well: Sometimes our praier is lukewarme, or rather cold and almost no praier: nay sometime it is altogether no praier at all, and yet we cannot with griefe perceiue this in our selues: for if we can but grieue because we cannot pray, we now pray indeede. Hierom saith,Lib. 1. contra. Pelagianos. Then we are iust when we doe acknowledge our selues to be sinners: Againe, this is the true wisedome of man, to know himselfe to be imperfect: And (that I may so speake) the perfection of all iust men in the flesh is imperfect: Augustine again saith That the vertue which is nowe in a iust man is thus farre forth perfect, that vntounto the perfection thereof, there belongs a true acknowledgement and an humble confession of the imperfection thereof. A broken and contrite heart after an offence, is as much with God, as if there had bin no offence at al. And therefore so soone as Dauid after his grieuous fall, in heauinesse of heart confessed his sinne, saying in effect but thus much: I hauehave sinned, the Prophet in the name of the Lord pronounceth the pardon of his sinne in heauen, and that presently.
V. Conclusion.
He that hath begunne to subiect himselfe to Christ and his word, though as yet hee bee ignorant in most points of religion, yet if he hauehave a care to increase in knowledge, and to practise that which he knoweth, he is accepted of God as a true beleeuer.
The Exposition.
SVndry persons by the Euangelists are said to beleeue, which had onelyonly seene the miracles of Christ, and as yet had made no further proceedings, but to acknowledge Christ to be the Messias; and to submit themselues to him & his doctrine, which afterward should be taught. On this maner the woman of Samaria belieued, and many of the Samaritans vponupon her report: and a certaine ruler, by reason of a miracle wrought vponupon his sonne, is said to beleeue, and all his houshold. Ioh. 4. 42. 52. When our Sauiour Christ commended the faith of the Apostles, terming it a rocke, against which the gates of hell should not preuaile, it was not the plentifull knowledge of the doctrine of saluation: for they were ignorant of many articles of faith, as namely of the death, resurrection, ascention, and kingdome of Christ: but because they beleeued him to be the sonne of God, & the sauiour of mankinde, and they had withall resolued themselues to cleaue vntounto him, and the blessed doctrine of saluation which hee taught, though as yet they were ignorant in many points. The holy Ghost commendeth the faith of Rahab when shee receiued the spies. Now this her faith was indeed but a seed and beginning of liuely faith: for then shee had onelyonly heard of the miracles done in Egypt, and of the deliuerance of the Israelites, and was thereupon smitten with feare, and had conceiued a resolution with her selfe, to ioyne her selfe to the Israelites, and to worship the true God. Now these and the like, are tearmed beleeuers, upon iust cause: for though they bee ignorant as yet, yet their ignorance shall bee no continuing or lasting ignorance: and they hauehave excellent seedes of grace, namely a purpose of hart to cleaue to Christ, and a care to profit in the doctrine of saluation, whereof they hauehave some litle knowledge.