The Marrow of the Oracles of God, Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII.
The tryall of a godly man by his Faith.
FAith is the next thing to bee tryed in a child of God. And in as much as there are diuers Why wee should try out faith.kindes of faith, and experience shewes in many that giuegive no signes of repentance, that they will not bee beaten from a confident presumption that Christ dyed for them, euen for them in particular: it stands vsus in hand to try our perswasion by true rules of Scripture, that so, if it will abide the trial of the touchstone, we may lay it vp as a hid treasure and a wonderfull grace of God; and if otherwise, wee may repent vsus of presumption, as a deceiueable sinne.
But before I open the signes of this sinne, the Reader must be admonished of three things.
First, that I intend not by these The drift is to sh…w how faith may bee proued, not how it may b…e bred.signes to shew how faith may be bred or begotten in vsus, but how faith may be proued and declared to be in vsus. For it is the promises of God in the Scripture that breed faith: nor can humane reason beleeue such great things from God for any thing that is in vsus, but onelyonly because wee see the Word of God assuring such happinesse vntounto such as lay hold vponupon them. So that, that which breeds faith, is the reuelation of Gods promises, by his Word and Spirit. Yet notwithstanding the assurance of faith is much increased and confirmed by the sight of those signes of the truth of our faith, and other graces of God in vsus.
Secondly, that I stand not precisely A second c…ueat.vponupon the order of these graces of God in vsus, nor determine that question, which graces are wrought first in the heart of a man: but that which I hauehave specially aimed at in the order of setting them downe; is to begin at those that either first appeare in a Christian, or are easiest (as I conceiue) to bee discerned in him.
Thirdly, that I intend especially The… note by way of preface.the tryall of such Christians as agree in this, that they are perswaded that Christ died for them; that so the true Christian may see reason to comfort himselfe, that his perswasion is no presumption, as is the perswasion of the most. It is true, that diuers of the signes of faith here to be handled, will shew faith in the weakest Christian; though he will not yet be brought to acknowledge any perswasion. For this perswasion may bee secretly wrought vponupon the heart: as it is when it relieth vponupon the merits of Christ onelyonly for saluation, though the iudgement of the Christian be not resolued against his doubts.
The question then is, how a Christian may trie his perswasiō of Gods mercy, and his interest of Christs mer…ts, whether it be right or no.
For answer hereunto, I say, The true f…ith.that the true Christian doth proue his faith and petswasion to bee right, by these signes following.
First, His faith or perswasion was wrought by the hearing of 1. Was wrought by the Word preached.the Word preached: And therefore thou must first aske thy selfe, how thou commest by thy perswasion. For if thou say, thou wast alwayes so perswaded, or didst attaine it by meere naturall meanes or helpes, thou are deceiued. For, faith is first wrought by the Holy Ghost, in the preaching of the Gospel, as it is most cleare by the words of the Apostle, How shall they beleeue in him of whom they hauehave not heard? and how shall they heare without a Preacher? Romans 10. 14. And whereas it may bee, that many Christians hauehave not obserued the workings of their faith, and hauehave forgotten the time of their conuersion, & hauehave not iudgement to discerne how the Lord by the ministery of his seruants did change their hearts, and leade them to Christ: therefore when this first signe cannot comfort, they must try themselues by the rest that follow.
Secondly, Hee hath an high estimation of Iesus Christ. For 2. Esteems Christ aboue all things.the man that hath true Faith, accounts all things most base in comparison of the knowledge of Christ, and the louelove of God in him. He had rather be sure of Christ, then to gaine the whole world. Christ is more precious then all the world: Yea, is the onelyonly thing in request in the desires of the Christian. Now Christ is precious onelyonly to them that beleeue, 1 Peter 2. 6. and by this signe Paul knew that he was growne farre beyond himselfe in his former life, and beyond all the Pharises in the world, Phil. 3. 9.
Thirdly, Hee readily receiues 3. Receiues the testimony of Gods Ministers before all the world.the testimony of Gods Ministers speaking out of the Word, and stickes to it against all the contradictions of the World. The Apostle Paul, 2 Thess. 1. 10. shewes, that this signe will bee pleaded and acknowledged in the day of Christ: Christ, saith hee, will be made admirable in them that beleeue.
Now some may say, But how shall wee know that wee doe beleeue?
Why, saith hee, you are true beleeuers, because yee receiued our testimonie; and this shall bee to your praise in that day.
Fourthly, Hee cannot abide 4 Casts out by pocrisie.counterfetting and hypocrisie. If it bee a right perswasion, it is a faith vnfained: Vnfained, I say, as in other respects, so in effect, because it cannot abide fainting, but with speciall hatred purgeth out hypocrisie, which the perswasion of hypocrits neuer doth, 2 Tim. 1. 5.
Fifthly, This perswasion is 5. Will abide triall.permanent: it will endure triall, it will hold out in the euill day; it inclines the heart to cleaue to Iesus Christ, euen in the fire of tribulation, in the midst of manifold afflictions, and disgraces, and temptations. It is like the Gold in the Fornace that perisheth not: nor will it barely hold out; but a Christian by his faith comforts and supports himselfe in affliction, so as his faith becomes to him both a brest-plate and an helmet: whereas the best faith, that is not the faith of Gods Elect, will proue but drosse, if it be cast into the Fornace of temptation, further then it is supported by carnall meanes and helpes, 1 Peter 1. 6, 7. 2 Tim. 1. 12. 1 Thess. 5. 8. Epho. 6. Luke 8. 13.
Sixthly, Hee will beleeue all 6. It beleeues all things.things, I say, all things that he apprehēdeth to be required, threatned, or promised in the word. To beleeue some things only, may be in any other kind of faith, especially when they are such things as stand with their own reasons, or wils, or affections, or the common opinion of other men: But this is the glory of a liuely iustifying faith, it will giuegive glory to God in all things. What can God speake, it can beleeue, so soone as it knowes it is spoken of God, though it bee neuer so contrarie to the iudgement of flesh and blood, Acts 24. 14.
Seuenthly, Hee will not make 7 Will not make hast.haste. This was the signe giuen in the Prophet Esayes time: He that beleeueth will not make haste. He had prophesied of hard times to fall vponupon all the people: now this would shew amongst them, who were true beleeuers. For those that trusted in God, would not make haste to vse ill meanes to helpe themselues; they would stay their hearts in …est and quietnesse, and they would stay their feet too from running to Aegypt or to Ashur, which God had forbidden, Esay. 28. 16.
If faith be right, and thy perswasion a sound perswasion, and well grounded, there are ioyned with it these things following.
Eighthly, His perswasion is 8. Is accompanied with a pure conscience.ioyned with a good and pure conscience; a conscience, I say, that makes him carefull to auoid sinne, and doe good duties, and to serue God in sinceritie, whereas the perswasion that is in wicked men, is not accompanied with a good conscience, they doe not make conscience of their wayes. Now this is a cleare rule of difference, 1 Tim. 1. 5, 19. and 3. 9. Hebr. 10. 22.
Ninthly, He hath a spirit of discerning. There is a great deale 9. And a spirit of discerning.of light comes into the heart with faith. A man cannot beleeue, and bee ignorant still. The Christian that is endued with faith from aboue, is endued with wisedome from aboue: so as he can conceiue of the things of God that concerne saluation, which the naturall man perceiueth not. Though he may want still in many knoledges, yet he hath skill in some measure to learne how to be saued. The doctrine of saluation hee can now vnderstand, which is taught in the ministery of the Word; and hee now can make some good vse of reading the Scriptures, that before discerned little or nothing in them. The veile that lyeth vponupon the hearts of all flesh, is now taken from his eyes; yea the very entrance into Gods Word giueth light to the simplest beleeuer. He that was stupid and vnteachable before, doth now heare as the learned, with an holy kind of in-sight and iudgement, 2 Tim. 3. 15. Psalme 119. 130. Prou. 1. 4, 8. and 9. 4, 5.
Tenthly, Hee hath a witnesse 10. And the witnesse of the Spirit of adoptiō.within himselfe, He that beleeueth, hath a witnesse in himselfe, 1 Iohn 5. 10. For hee hath the Spirit of adoptiō to certifie him infallibly of Gods louelove to him, and that he is the child of God, Rom. 8. 15, 16. & thus the beleeuers are said to be sealed by the Spirit of promise, Eph. 1. 13, 14. God leaues a pawne, a pledge with eueryevery Christian that shall bee saued, to be as the earnest of his saluation, and this pledge and earnest is Gods spirit. And the Spirit testifies to the beleeuer, partly by reuealing vntounto him the certainty and truth of Gods promises in his Word; and partly by printing vponupon his heart these sauing graces, which distinguish him from all others; and partly by powring vponupon him the ioyes, which are called the ioyes of the Holy Ghost, in the vse of Gods Ordinances, as the inward ratification of the assurance of Gods louelove and goodnesse to the beleeuer. Of which after.
Lastly, Faith may be discerned 11. Beareth those fruits following.by many things it worketh, which are the fruits of it: and by the fruits of Faith, wee may know faith it selfe. Faith is like the roote of a tree, that lyeth vnderunder the ground, and cannot be seene without much digging; but by the fruit the tree beareth, wee may know what kinde of roote it hath, and of what sort it is. Now the fruites of faith are these that follow, and such like, as,
1. LoueLove to God and the godly: 1. LoueLovefor faith worketh by louelove, Gallat. 5. 6.
2. Cleannesse of the thoughts 2. Purity of heart.and affections. For faith purifieth the heart. It maketh a man striue after inward purity, as well as outward: to get a cleane heart, as well as cleane hands. It worketh humiliation for inward sins as well as outward, Act. 15. 9. and driues a man to seeke pardon in the Name of Christ, for all sorts of inward perturbations and secret euils.
3. Victorie ouer the World. Faith 3. Victory ouer the World.ouer commeth the world, 1 Iohn 5. 4, 5. and so it doth, when it maketh a man so rest vponupon God, and his truth and promise, as if he be put to it, to deny the respect of his owne credit, or profit, or pleasures, or the displeasure of carnall friends, or his hopes in matters of this world; resting satisfied with the expectation of the treasures and pleasures of a better world, yeelding himselfe ouer to be guided by Christ, and his truth, vntounto the death, Psalme 18. 14. Hee liues by his faith, Gal. 2. 20.
4. Humilitie. For a true faith excludes boasting of our owne labours, 4 Humilitygifts, or praises; and makes vsus able, out of the sense of our owne vilenesse, to acknowledge all the glorie to Gods free grace and loune in Iesus Christ, Rom. 3▪ 27. Gal. 3. 22.
The confession and profession of the truth. Faith will make a 5 Confession.man speake in defence of the truth: I hauehave beleeued, therefore hauehave spoken, saith Dauid, Psalme 116: which the Apostles plead to proue their faith also, 2 Cor. 4. 13, 14.
6 The putting on of righteousnesse, 6 Application of Christs righteousnesse.which is not by the workes of the Law done by vsus. The application of, and relying vponupon the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ, is the proper and onelyonly worke of true faith, Rom. 10.
7 It opens a spring of graces 7 A very spring of grace.in the heart of a true Christian: he that is a true beleeuer, is qualified with sundry heauenly gifts which were not in him by nature; which gifts do daily discouer themselues in his heart, flowing from thence, as if there were a spring of liuing water in his belly. Sanctification of the Spirit and faith of the truth, be inseparable, Iohn 7. 38. 2 Thess. 2. 13.