Directions for a Godly Life, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. The Examination of our Faith.
THe Examination of our Faith, is that wherevnto S. Paul exhorteth the Corinthians, ſaying, examine your ſelues, whether you bee in the Faith or not. 2. Cor. 13.5. The neceſſity whereof appeareth euen from this, that without Faith wee cannot pleaſe God in any thing wee doe. Heb. 11.26. much leſſe in this weighty buſineſſe: yea Faith is ſo neceſſary, that without it wee doe receiue nothing at all, when wee doe receiue; for although with our bodily hands wee receiue the Bread & Wine; yet if we hauehave not Faith, wee want a hand to receiue the Body and Blood of CHRIST, and the comfort which thence ariſeth vntounto our Soules: for how can wee be perſwaded in our conſciences, that our receiuing is acceptable vntounto God, and that the merits of Chriſt Ieſus belong vntounto vsus without Faith? it is impoſsible that wee ſhoūld receiue any more comfort than what wee beleeue; and therefore our Sauiour CHRIST ſayth; hee that beleeueth on mee, ſhall neuer thirſt. Ioh. 6.35: therein implying, that hee which doth not beleeue in him, ſhall euer thirſt: yea, which is fearefull; he which beleeueth not, ſhall bee damned. Mar. 16.16.
Now that Faith which is here required of vsus, muſt not be only a generall faith, whereby wee beleeue that the Word of God is true, and that God is a juſt Iudge; (for this the Divells themſelues beleeue and tremble at it; and well they may, conſidering what is due to them; eternall condemnation) but wee muſt goe on further to a more ſpeciall kinde of Fayth; and (which they cannot doe) apply the merites of CHRIST, and the promiſes of GOD made therein, vntounto our Soules and Conſciences; ſaying with Iob, chap. 19. v. 25. I know that my Redeemer liueth: I know, by the knowledge of Faith; or I beleeue; and not only the Redeemer of Man, but My Redeemer liueth.
Of which that wee may the more fully perſwade our ſelues, wee muſt beleeue; firſt concerning our ſelues, that we are not able, of our ſelues, to do any thing that is acceptable & pleaſing in the ſight or God; for we hauehave nothing but what we hauehave receiued of God, as S. Paul teſtifieth, whether good gift, or ability of doing good.
2. Concerning the meanes of our Saluation, wee muſt beleeue, that the merites of CHRIST'S Death and Paſſion are alone ſufficient for our Redemption, without any merits at all, or ſatiſfaction of ours.
3. Concerning GOD, wee ought to beleeue, that, if wee truly repent vsus of our life paſt, conſtantly purpoſing to lead a new life hereafter, and ſincerely vſe thoſe good meanes, which hee ſhall affoord vsus, hee will then bee mercifull vntounto vsus in accepting our indeavours through the merits of Chriſt Ieſus.
4. Concerning the Sacrament, wee ought to beleeue; that it is a meanes, ordained of God, to exhibite vntounto vsus Chriſt Ieſus with his merits, & a ſeale to confirme our Faith. If, vponupon conſideration of theſe particulars, we can be thus perſwaded of our owne inſufficiency and unworthineſſe, & that yet notwithſtanding vponupon our ſincere humiliation & obedience, God will bee mercifull vntounto vsus; if we can not only ſay in generall that God is a mercifull Father, and that Chriſt died for the redemption of Man; but eueryevery one of vsus in particular thus apply vntounto himſelfe; I beleeue that God is my mercifull Father, and that Chriſt Ieſus died to redeeme me as well as any other; all which I ſhall hauehave plainely confirmed vntounto mee in the receiuing of this Sacrament; wherein (I truſt) God will in mercy accept mee for Chriſt's merits, though of my ſelfe I be vnworthy: if (I ſay) wee can finde that wee are not hypocritically, but ſincerely; not verbally, but hartily, thus perſwaded; then may wee, hauing thus made peace with GOD by our Faith and Repentance, boldly approach vntounto the Lord's Table.