The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 2 · Chapter 44
CHAP. XLIIII. How the weake Christian is to comfort himſelfe, when he is depriued of the ſenſe of faith, and ſenſibly feeleth the contrary corruptions.
§. Sect. 1 BVt thou wilt ſay how is it poſſible that my ſoule ſhould receyue any comfort,That the Chriſtian in the want of preſent ſenſe, muſt comfort himſelfe with his former feeling. or that I ſhould preſerue my ſelfe from falling into vtter deſperation, ſeeing I cannot feele in me any good thing, nor diſcerne any ſparke of grace? what hope remaineth when as I plainely diſcerne in ſteed of faith, doubting and infidelitie, in ſtead of the louelove of God, hatred and rebellion, in ſtead of zeale, coldneſſe and drowſie dulneſſe, and in ſtead of all ſanctifying graces, nothing els but a heauy maſſe of filthy corruptions? I anſwere that when thou haſt no comfort in thy preſent ſenſe, and feeling then thou muſt call to thy remembrance the times paſt, in which thou haſt by faith apprehended Gods louelove, mercy, and goodneſſe towards thee, and brought foorth the fruits of thy faith in the workes of holineſſe, appertaining to Gods ſeruice and the workes of Chriſtian righteouſneſſe belonging to our brethren, for we may aſſure our ſelues that if euer wee hauehave truly diſcerned theſe graces of Gods ſpirit, by the fruits of ſanctification in vsus, they are not taken from vsus, for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance,Rom. 11.29. as it is Rom. 11.29 And where he hath begunne a good worke their he will finiſh it and bring it to perfection. As the Apoſtle ſpeaketh Phil. 1.6.Phil. 1.6. Wee know that the woman being with childe feeleth no life nor motion of the child diuers moneths together, after the time of her conception, and after that ſhe hath felt it ſtirre and moue oftentimes, there is an intermiſſion wherein ſhe feeleth not the motion there of a good ſpace together, and yet notwithſtanding becauſe informer times ſhe hath felt it, ſhe is perſwaded that a liue child is in her, and cō fortably hopeth to hauehave happy trauaile. And thus it fareth with Gods children oftentimes, after that by the ſeed of the word faith is begotten and conceiued in them, they feele no life, motion, nor vndoubted ſignes thereof a long while, and after that they hauehave the remiſſion of their ſinnes and are reconciled vntounto God, they hauehave not the feeling and ſenſe of pardon and reconciliation diuers moneths, yea ſometimes many yeares together which the Lord in his wiſedome and mercy doth that he may moue them hereby vntounto more ſerious repentance, and earneſtly to hunger after a greater meaſure of faith, carefully vſing the meanes ordained for this purpoſe, and that they may more eſteeme and be more thankefull for his inualuable benefits after that they hauehave full aſſurance of them. And after they hauehave a feeling of faith and other ſpirituall graces by their motions and fruits, ofttimes againe they are depriued of it, either becauſe they hauehave wounded their conſciences by falling into ſome knowne ſinne, or for that it pleaſeth the Lord to excerciſe their faith and manifeſt his power in their weakeneſſe, moouing them hereby to denie themſelues and to reſt wholy vponupon him, yeelding vntounto him the whole glorie and praiſe of their ſaluation. What therefore is to bee done in ſuch a caſe? Surely they are not vtterly to bee diſcouraged nor to ſuffer themſelues to ſinke into the gulfe of deſperation; but as the ſenſe and feeling of their ſtate ought to humble them vnderunder Gods hand, and to mooue them to enter into a due examination of themſelues, and to a ſerious repentance for their ſinnes, ſo they muſt take comfort vntounto themſelues, and prop vp their declining faith by calling to mind former times wherein the Lord hath ſhewed his mercifull and gratious countenance vntounto them, and wherein they in token of thankefulneſſe hauehave glorified God, by their holineſſe and righteouſneſſe of life. An example whereof wee hauehave in the Prophet Dauid, Pſal. 77. who being grieuouſly afflicted, could not receaue in his ſoule any true comfort,Pſal. 77. for howſoeuer hee did thinke vponupon the Lord yet hee was ſtill troubled, and though hee prayed vntounto him yet his ſpirit was full of anguiſh. What help… did he then find in this his preſent diſtreſſe? He telleth vsus in the firſt verſe: Then (ſaith he) I conſidered the dayes of old, and the yeares of ancient time; I called to remembrance my ſong in the night, namely his ſongs of thankſgiuing, whereby he had praiſed God for his great benefits, and verſ. 11. I remembred the workes of the Lord, certainely I remembred thy wonders of old. Iob. 31.So the holy man Iob apprehending and conceyuing of God as of his enemie, in reſpect of his preſent ſenſe and feeling, and being mooued by his friends to doubt of his graces, which he had receiued and to condemne himſelfe for an hypocrite, comforteth himſelfe and ſtrengtheneth his faith in the middeſt of al theſe grieuous tentations, by calling to his remembrance his fruits of faith and workes of ſanctification, which he had diſcerned in himſelfe in former times, as appeareth Chap. 31. Whoſe example if the children of God in like diſtreſſe will follow, how miſerable ſoeuer they are in their preſent ſenſe and feeling, yet they may receaue vntounto themſelues comfort, becauſe Gods gifts and calling are without repentance.
§. Sect. 2 But here Sathan will further obiect that we are not only without all ſenſe and feeling of faith,That true faith reſteth not in our ſēſe and feeling. but alſo that we doe ſenſibly feele the heauie burthen of Gods wrath, and plainely diſcerne his frowning and angrie countenance againſt vsus, and therfore howſoeuer thoſe children of God who are in his louelove and fauoure may hauehave ſome faith in them although it doe not alwaies ſo ſenſibly appeare, yet it is impoſſibly that we ſhould hauehave any ſparke thereof ſeeing wee hauehave not any ſenſe of Gods louelove and fauour; nay doe ſenſibly perceaue the cleane contrary; to which wee are to anſweare that faith doth not relie it ſelfe vponupon our ſence and feeling; for as the apoſtle ſaith faith is the ground of things (not preſently inioyed but) which are hoped for, and the euidence or demonſtration of things (not which are ſubiect to the ſenſes and ſenſibly diſcerned but) which are not ſeene, Heb. 11.1.Heb. 11. I and we beleeue that ſuch ioyes are prepared for vsus as neither eye hath ſeene, nor eare hath heard, nor the heart of man conceiued as it is 1. Cor. 2.9. and it is a kind of infidelitie to beleeue onelyonly thoſe things which are ſubiect vntounto our ſenſes and vnderſtandings;1. Cor. 2.9. and therefore when Thomas would not beleeue that Chriſt was riſen before it was made manifeſt to his ſenſes hee is reproued for infidelitie, bee not (ſaith hee) faithleſſe but faithfull. So that when our ſenſe and feeling ceaſe their faith beginneth his chiefe worke; & the moſt excellent faith ſheweth it ſelfe moſt clearely when wee hauehave no ſenſe and feeling, or when we diſcerne and feele the plaine contrarie; for it is an eaſie matter to be ſtrong in faith when God ſheweth himſelfe gratious and mercifull; but when he appeareth vntounto vsus like an angrie iudge, when as his wrath flameth out againſt vsus, then to behold his louelove through the vizard of anger, to apprehend by faith his merciemercy and goodneſſe towards vsus, when our ſenſes apprehend nothing but his wrath and diſpleaſure,Iob. 13.15. to growe to Iobs reſolution in the middeſt of our bitter agonies and greiuous afflictions, though hee kill me yet will I trust in him, and when we hauehave receaued many repulſes and bitter ſnubs yet with the Cananitiſh woman to continue our ſuite,Mat. 15. argueth ſuch a faith as is hardly found no not in Iſraell. Our want of ſenſe therefore of Gods louelove and fauour doth not argue want of faith, for our faith is not grounded vppon our ſenſe and feeling, but vppon Gods gratious promiſes, immutable goodneſſe, and infallible truth, and if euer we hauehave taſted of Gods louelove and merciemercy, whatſoeuer wee apprehend in our preſent ſenſe and feeling, faith concludeth that we are ſtill in his louelove and fauour, for he is without change or ſhadow of change as the apoſtle ſpeaketh, Iam. 1.17. and whom he loueth to the ende hee loueth them, Iam. 1.17.as our Sauiour hath taught vsus. Ioh. 13.1.Ioh. 13.1.
Though then our ſenſe of Gods louelove fayle yet may our faith continue ſtrong, as appeareth plainely in the example of Iob, who though he conceiued of God in his ſenſe and feeling that he had hiddē his face frō him & took him for his enemy, though he ſeemed to write bitter things againſt him and made him to poſſeſſe the ſinnes of his youth, yet by a liuely faith he ſtill reſted and relied vponupon him, proteſting that though he ſhould ſlay him yet hee would truſt in him. as appeareth Iob. 13.15.Iob 13.15. Yea our Sauiour Chriſt himſelfe who could not ſinne through infidelitie, in reſpect of his preſent ſenſe and feeling complayneth that God had forſaken him.
§. Sect. 3 That we are rather to beleeue Gods word then our owne ſenſe and feeling.If therefore Sathan goe about to perſwade vsus that we are without faith becauſe we preſently apprehend not Gods louelove nor feele the ſweete taſt of his goodneſſe wee are to anſweare that wee are not to build our aſſurance vppon our owne ſenſe and feeling, but vponupon Gods vnchangable goodneſſe and gratious promiſſes made vntounto vsus in Chriſt Ieſus; and if at any time our ſenſe and feeling tell vsus one thing (namely that God hath withdrawne his louelove from vsus and will neuer againe looke gratiouſly vponupon vsus) and the word of God aſſure vsus of another thing (to witt that God will neuer forſake vsus, but continue his louelove towards vsus vntounto the end) wee are not to giuegive credit vntounto our owne feeling but vntounto Gods worde; for otherwiſe what doe wee els but preferre our oft deceyuinge ſenſe before Gods infallible truth, and imagine that wee can better diſcerne and iudge of our eſtate then God himſelfe? but the worde of God telleth vsus that if wee turne vntounto the Lorde by vnfained repentance ſorrowing for our ſinnes paſt, hating our preſent corruptions, and deſiring and indeauouring to mortifie the fleſh and the luſts thereof and to ſerue the Lord in holineſſe and newneſſe of life; and if we beleeue in Ieſus Chriſt reſting vponupon him for our ſaluation; or though preſently we feele not this faith and repentance yet if euer in former time wee hauehave diſcerned it in vsus, that then we are receiued into Gods louelove and fauour and therefore ſhall hauehave his louelove continued vntounto vsus vntounto the end, be made partakers of his gratious promiſes & heires of euerlaſting life; for the promiſes of the goſpell are not reſtrayned to thoſe who feele their faith, but to thoſe that hauehave faith, not to thoſe who feele that they doe beleeue, but vntounto thoſe who doe beleeue.
§. Sect. 4 That concluſions grounded vponupon our ſenſe are often falſe.Neither is the not feeling of Gods louelove and fauour a good argument to proue that wee are out of his louelove and fauour, or the apprehenſion of his wrath and anger in our ſenſe and feeling a ſound reaſon to perſwade vsus that wee are ſubiect to his wrathfull diſpleaſure; ſeeing the being of a thing, and the ſenſible diſcerning of the thing to be, are diuers, and therefore howſoeuer at ſometimes they concurre, yet oftentimes they are ſeuered and diſioyned: ſo that the concluſion which is inferred negatiuely from the ſenſes, to proue the not being of their obiect is not onelyonly commonly falſe, but alſo oftentimes abſurd and ridiculous; for example ſometimes we ſee not the beames of the ſunne, as in the night ſeaſon, or whē it is couered with ſome thicke blacke cloud, but ſhal we herehence cōclude that the ſunne ſhineth not, nor wil euer againe appeare vntounto vsus? So the bright beames of Gods louelove and fauour are ſometimes hidden from vsus in the night of tentations, and ſo ſhadowed with the cloud of our grieuous ſinnes that we cannot ſenſibly diſcerne them, but ſhall wee hence inferre that there is no grace and mercy to be found with God, or that he will neuer againe make them ſhine vponupon vsus? The one is as abſurd as the other, and both groſly falſe. So ſometimes the Sunne is eclipſed by the interpoſition of the Moone, ſo as we cannot diſcerne his light or very dimly, but if any man ſhould conclude from hence that it were quite taken away, or that we were depriued vtterly of his life-preſeruing influence, the experience of two or three howers would ſhew the ſottiſh weakeneſſe of his ſenſible argumēt, and ſo in like manner Gods fauour and louelove are ſometimes ſo ecclipſed with the interpoſition of ſome great afflictions, that wee cannot diſcerne them for a time or but very dimly, but if we ſhall inferre hereof that they are quite taken from vsus, and that they caſt forth no comfortable influence on vsus, our preſent preſeruation from being ſwallowed vp into vtter deſtruction, and the ſpeedy returne of woonted ioy and conſolation, by the apprehenſion of Gods louelove and goodneſſe towards vsus, will euidently ſhew that this argument taken from the ſenſes is void of reaſon.
§. Sect. 5 That Gods deareſt children hauehave not at all times ſenſibly diſcerned Gods louelove, and the graces of his ſpirit in thē.Laſtly, it appeareth by the examples of Gods children from time to time, that though they hauehave bene indued with a great meaſure of faith, and in a high degree of fauour and louelove with almighty God, yet ſometimes in their owne ſenſe they hauehave found in them, in ſtead of faith nothing but doubting, diffidence and infidelitie, and for Gods louelove and fauour, they hauehave apprehended nothing in their preſent feeling, but the wrathfull anger of God, and his greeuous diſpleaſure. Looke vponupon the holy man Iob who by Gods owne teſtimonie was the iuſteſt man vponupon earth, and highly in Gods louelove and fauour, and you ſhal find that ſometimes he ſheweth in his grieuous afflictions no ſigne of faith, but groſſe doubting and in outward apparance vtter deſpaire of Gods mercy and louelove, for he curſeth the day of his natiuitie, and wiſheth that he had neuer beene borne, he complaineth that God was his enemy, and had made him as a marke whereat hee ſhot venimed arrowes, that Gods terrors did fight againſt him, and that hee did hide his louing countenance from him. So the Prophet Dauid a man according to Gods owne hart ſheweth plainely that ſometime he hath no ſenſe and feeling of the graces of Gods ſpirit in him,Pſal. 51.10. as when he deſireth the Lord to create in him a cleane hart and to renew a right ſpirit within him, to reſtore him to the ioy of his ſaluatiō & to ſtabliſh him with his free ſpirit; & ſometimes he apprehendeth in his preſent ſenſe & feeling, in ſtead of Gods louelove and fauour, nothing but his wrath and diſpleaſure, and therefore complaineth as one reiected and forſaken of God. So Pſal. 22.1. My God, my God, why hast thou forſaken mee, Pſal. 22.1. & 77.7. & 88.14.and art ſo farre from my health, and from the words of my roaring. 2. O my God I crie by day but thou heareſt not and in the night and hauehave no audience. And Pſal. 77.7. he thus complaineth, will the Lord abſent himſelfe for euer? and will he ſhew no more fauour? 8. Is his mercy cleane gone for euer? doth his promiſſe faile for euermore? 9. hath God forgotten to be merfull? hath he ſhut vp his tender mercies in diſpleaſure? 10. And I ſaid this is my death, &c. So Pſal. 88.14. Lord why doeſt thou reiect my ſoule and hideſt thy face from me? 15. I am afflicted and at the point of death, from my youth I ſuffer thy terrors doubting of my life. 16. Thine indignations goe ouer me and thy feare hath cut me off. The Prophet Ieremy likewiſe being grieuouſly afflicted in body and mind,Ier. 20.14.15. was for a time depriued of the ſenſe of Gods louelove and fauour, apprehending nothing but preſent miſerie, and in ſtead of faith, affiance in God, peace of conſcience, and other ſanctifying graces, he bewraieth his doubting, diffidence and impatiencie, curſing the day of his birth, and euen the man that brought firſt newes hereof to his father, and wiſhing that his mother had bene his graue, or her wōbe a perpetuall conception. As appeareth Ierem. 20.14.15. &c. The like may be ſaid of the Apoſtle Peter, for where I pray you was the ſenſe & feeling of his faith, affiance in God, zeale of his glorie, louelove, feare, and other ſanctifying graces, when as he ſhamefully denied his maiſter, yea forſwore him with bitter curſing? and yet wee muſt eyther graunt that Peter at this time was indued with a liuely faith, or els that the prayer of our Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt was not effectuall, for hee had praied for him that his faith might not faile, as appeareth Luk. 22.32.Luke 22.32. But what ſhould I inſiſt in the examples of theſe the ſeruants of God, ſeeing the alone example of Chriſt himſelfe is ſufficient to cleare this point, for though hee were the onelyonly begotten and beſt beloued Sonne of his heauenly father yet in his owne ſenſe and feeling, hee apprehended nothing but Gods wrath and grieuous diſpleaſure, and lamentably complaineth as a man abandoned and caſt out of all louelove and fauour: My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken mee, which words ſhewe both Chriſts affiance in God and his preſent apprehenſion in his ſenſe and feeling, for in reſpect of his affiance and truſt in God hee calleth him ſtill his God, in reſpect of his ſenſe and feeling hee complaineth that he is forſaken. Whereby it is manifeſt that a man may be dearely beloued of God, and yet for a time apprehend nothing but his wrath and diſpleaſure, that hee may hauehave faith and affiance in God, yet at the ſame time be depriued of all ſenſe and feeling of his louelove and fauour. And therefore when wee are excerciſed in the combate of tentations, let not ſathan perſwade vsus that we are vtterly depriued of the louelove & fauour of God, becauſe through the violence of his tentations and greeuouſneſſe of our afflictions we do not apprehend it, nor that we are deſtitute of faith and all other ſpirituall graces becauſe we doe not ſenſibly diſcerne them in our feeling, for this hath beene the ſtate of the deare children of God from the beginning of the world and ſhall bee to the ende thereof.