The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 2 · Chapter 47
CHAP. XLVII. Other tentations concerning faith anſwered.
§. Sect. 1 ANd thus may we anſwere Sathans tentations,Sathans tentation concerning the certainty and conſtancie of faith anſweved. which hee groundeth vponupon the ſmall quantitie and weakeneſſe of our faith: beſides which he ſuggeſteth diuers others, as firſt that true iuſtifying faith is a firme, certaine and conſtant perſwaſion, whereas ours if wee hauehave any at all is weake and feeble, inſtable, inconſtant and wauering, and that it is not onelyonly continually aſſaulted but alſo often foiled and ouercome with doubting and infidelitie, and therefore that it is but a ſhadow of faith, and not true faith indeed. The which tentation wee may eaſily anſwere if wee but remember that which already hath beene deliuered; namely that the beſt cannot attaine in this life vntounto ſuch perfection of faith as is quite freed from all infirmities and corruption, that there is diuers degrees of true iuſtifying faith, ſome weaker, ſome ſtronger, ſome in greater, and ſome in ſmaller quantitie, ſome like ſmooking flaxe, and a graine of muſtard ſeed, & ſome like a bright burning flame which giueth light, and the liuely heat of true comfort to thoſe who are indued therewith, and of as high growth as the greateſt tree in the garden, and yet all true faith and ſufſicient for ſaluation. That ſo long as wee continue in this life our knowledge is but imperfect and vayled with much darkneſſe and ignorance, for we know but in parte, as euen the apoſtle ſpeaketh in his owne perſon,1. Cor. 13.12. 1. Cor. 13.12. And therefore our aſſent and perſwaſion muſt needs be imperfect, and but in part, and often aſſaulted with much doubting: that howſoeuer faith and doubting are oppoſed in their owne nature, yet notwithſtanding they may be together in the ſame ſubiect in reſpect of diuers partes. For wee are partly fleſh and partly ſpirit, and theſe two with their ſeuerall fruits do continually fight and ſtriue one againſt the other, and ſometimes the fleſh, ſometimes the ſpirit with their ſeuerall fruits get the vpper hand, in the meane time both retaining their owne nature and properties, howſoeuer they doe not ſo euidently appeare nor ſo powerfully worke their ſeuerall actions, when the aduerſe part preuaileth, and hath put them to the foile; for example, faith which is a fruite of the ſpirit, is continually aſſaulted by doubting, which is a fruite of the fleſh, and proceedeth from the roote of infidelitie, and ſometime faith preuaileth and ſometime it receiueth the foyle, but yet at the ſame time howſoeuer wee cannot ſenſibly diſcerne it, nor the actions thereof, yet it retaines it owne nature and properties, neyther is it depriued of his firmeneſſe, conſtancie and certainty howſoeuer they be for a time couered & hid out of our ſight, like the fire vnderunder the aſhes, or the Sunne vnderunder a cloud, as before I hauehave ſaid.
Though therefore we finde in vsus much inconſtancie and doubting, yet let not Sathan perſwade vsus that theſe are of the nature and properties of our faith, and that therefore our faith is not true but temporarie falſe and counterfaite, for this inconſtancie and doubting, proceedeth not from faith and from the ſpirituall and regenerate part, but from the fleſh and the part vnregenerate; and therefore howſoeuer it is aſſaulted, and ſometimes foyled by them, yet in it owne nature it is true certaine and conſtant.
§. Sect. 2 Secondly,Sathans tentation groū ded on the ſtrong faith of ſome of Gods children anſwered. he will ſuggeſt that the Saints mentioned in the Scriptures, had moſt certaine & ſtrong faith & in exceeding great meaſure, that they brought forth cōtinually moſt notable fruits thereof, & were not ſubiect to ſuch infirmities and doubting as wee feele in our ſelues. To which we are to anſwere, that this tentation is full of vntruth, and hath no ſound part in it: for firſt we are to aſſure our ſelues that they fell into manifold doubtings and were ſubiect vntounto innumerable infirmities and corruptions, which are not ſpecified in the booke of God: neither was it fitte or expedient that it ſhould be a regiſter of all humane infirmities, and of their manifold falls, but onelyonly that ſome ſhould bee recorded for our warning, that wee might more warily watch ouer our ſelues, leaſt wee ſhould fall into the like ſinnes, and for our comfort alſo when wee are fallen, in that our caſe is common with Gods deareſt children; in which reſpect the Scriptures is not wanting Looke vponupon Abraham the father of the faithfull whoſe faith was ſo ſtrong that he aboue hope beleeued vnderunder hope, and you ſhall ſee that his faith notwithſtanding was ſometimes ſhaken with diffidence and doubting, as when diſtruſting Gods gratious promiſſes made vntounto him, and not reſting vponupon his almighty power, he was content to take vntounto him Hagar his maide and commit ſinne with her, that ſo by his owne deuiſe he might make good Gods promiſſe and obtaine the bleſſed ſeed, as though God could not perfourme that which he had ſpoken, vnleſſe he helped him by ſuch vnlawfull meanes. So where was the ſtrength and conſtancie of Moyſes faith when hee diſhonoured God before the people in not beleeuing his word, & by ſhewing his impatiencie. Numb. 20.10.11. where was the ſtrength and conſtancie of Dauids faith,num. 20.10 11. when he complaineth that he was forſaken, that God had fayled in his promiſſes, that he had forgotten to be mercifull and had ſhut vp his tender mercies in diſpleaſure? Pſal. 22.1. and 77.8.9. Or of Iobs faith when he curſed the day of his birth and accounted God his enemy,Pſal. 22.1. and 77.8.9. who had ſet him vp as a marke againſt which he ſhot poiſoned arrowes? or of Ieremy when he likewiſe wiſhed that he had neuer bene borne and bewraieth great impatiency.Iere. 20. Ier. 20. Or of Ionas when he rebelled againſt Gods commaundement and fled from his preſence, or when after his miraculous deliuerie, he murmured and vttered impatient ſpeeches euen againſt God himſelf for the loſſe of a poore gourd which kept him from the heate of the ſunne; and when the Lord mercifully and mildly reproued him ſaying, doeſt thou well to be angry for the gourd, he ſtubbornely anſwered: I doe well to bee angry vntounto the death.Ion. 4.9. Ion. 4.9. Or of the Apoſtles themſelues when they fled away and forſooke their Lord and maiſter Ieſus Chriſt for feare of worldly puniſhment, and when after his death they would not beleeue the women reporting that hee was riſen againe, vntill their owne eyes had ſeene them? Laſtly, though it be euident that diuers of the Saints mentioned in the Scriptures had a farre greater meaſure of faith, and brought foorth much more plentiful fruits then we can diſcerne in our ſelues, yet this is no good reaſon to prooue that our weaker & ſmaller faith is no faith, or vneffectuall for our ſaluation, for this is an abſurd conſequence, the Moone giueth much leſſe light then the Sunne, therefore it giueth no light at all, one hand is farre greater then another, therefore the leſſer is not a true hand, this man excelleth another in the vſe of reaſon, and therefore the other is vnreaſonable, becauſe the diuers degrees in the quantitie of things doe not take away the truth of their being and exiſtence ſo long as they be of the ſame nature and qualitie. Beſides as the holy ghoſt hath ſet downe examples of moſt ſtrong faith in ſome of Gods ſeruants, ſo hath he made mention of ſome who hauehave had but weake and little faith, to the end that we ſhould ſo labour to attaine vntounto the higheſt degree as that in the meane time we be not vtterly diſcouraged with the loweſt; for example as he hath remembred the faith of Abraham who beleeued aboue hope vnderunder hope, ſo hee hath not forgotten his weake faith who cried I beleeue, Lord help thou mine vnbeliefe; as he hath mentioned the faith of Iob who grew to this reſolution: Though hee kill me yet will I truſt in him, ſo he hath expreſſed alſo the faith of Nicodemus, in knowledge weake and ſimple, and in practiſe and profeſſion cowardly and fearefull, as hee hath ſet downe the ſtrong faith of Paul, who grew to this fulneſſe of perſwaſion that nothing ſhould be able to ſeparate him from the louelove of God in Ieſus Chriſt, ſo he hath not left out the little & weak ſaith of Thomas who would not beleeue further then hee ſawe and felt. Yea the Lord in his word hath reuealed vntounto vsus the diuers degrees of faith in the ſame men in reſpect of diuers times;That the ſcriptures ſet forth vntounto vsus the diuers degrees of faith in the ſame beleeuer at one time like a graine of muſtard ſeede, at another time like a great tree, at one time like a little ſmoke, and ſoone after burſting out into a great flame, now like a weake reed wauering and declyning with the ſmalleſt blaſt of any tryall, and within a while like an immoueable rocke which beateth backe huge billowes and euen a whole ſea of violent tentations; in a word it ſetteth out to our vew as it were portrayed in a freſh and liue picture the diuers ages of a chriſtian as he is in his conception and preparation to grace, and as he is in his new birth and firſt conuerſion, as he is a babe, and as he groweth from his infancie to greater age and ſtrength, till hee come to ripe yeares and to be a ſtrong man in Chriſt. Beſides it ſheweth vntounto vsus his diuers relapſes through ſinne the ſickneſſe of the ſoule, and how oftentimes the ſpiritual growth is hindred, and the ſtrength of Gods graces abated and much weakned by the cotidian ague of our corruptions and Sathans tentations, and alſo after theſe fitts bee driuen away by vertue of Gods ſpirit, how we receiue a greater increaſe of grace and meaſure of ſtrength, whereby we grow more in chriſtianitie and godlineſſe in a yeere then we did in two before. All which is ſet downe to this end that we ſhould not make our infancie our foreign and full growth, but labour to increaſe in grace till we become of babes ſtrong men in Chriſt; as alſo that finding our ſelues as weake as little infants wee bee not vtterly diſcouraged, for if we ſucke the breſts of our ſpirituall mother the true church, and receiue from her the milke and ſtronger meate of the word and ſacraments, wee ſhall aſſuredly growe vp from grace to grace, and ſtrength to ſtrength, till of babes wee become ſtrong men in Ieſus Chriſt, and that though wee hauehave many great ſickneſs of the ſoule, and relapſes into ſinne whereby our ſpirituall growth for a time is hindred, and our ſtrength in Gods graces much abated, yet if we often feed vponupon the comfortable foode of Gods worde and vſe this ſpirituall phyſick preſcribed by God himſelfe we ſhall not only againe recouer our former ſtrength and health, but alſo find a great increaſe of Gods graces in vsus.
§. Sect. 3 Laſtly, Sathan will ſuggeſt that though our faith be true,That Sathan cannot preuaile againſt the weakeſt faith. yet it is ſo exceeding ſmall and weake, that with the violence of his tētations and huge maſſe of our own corruptions it will eaſily be ouerthrown and turned into infidelitie. To which we are to anſwere, that though hereby our faith may be ſhrewdly ſhaken yet it can neuer be ouerturned, though it may be couered with the aſhes of our corruptions, yet it can neuer be vtterly quenched; though through our gretuous foyles and falls in the cōbate of tentations, it may be as it were brought into a traunce, ſo as we cannot ſenſibly diſcerne any action, motion or life of faith, yet the habite and grace it ſelfe, after it is once giuen of God is neuer taken away, neither is it poſſible that it ſhould be quite deſtroied by all the power of hell.
And this may appeare by diuers reaſons; firſt becauſe faith is not of our ſelues but the free gift of God, as it is Ephe. 2.8.Eph. 2.8. And whatſoeuer ſanctifyng and ſauing grace the Lord giueth that he neuer taketh vtterly away; for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh.Rom. 11.29. Rom. 11.29.
Secondly, whoſoeuer truely beleeueth, he is truely knit and vnited vntounto the body of Chriſt and is made partaker of his holy ſpirit which as it begetteth and beginneth all the ſanctifying and ſauing graces in vsus, ſo alſo it nouriſheth, ſtrengtheneth and confirmeth them ſo as they can neuer vtterly faile, for whatſoeuer good worke he beginneth that will hee alſo perfect and accompliſh.Phil. 1.26. Phil. 1.6.
Thirdly, whoſoeuer truely beleeueth he is truely iuſtified, and whoſoeuer is iuſtified is elected called and ſhalbe glorified, for theſe inſeparably goe together.Rom. 8.30. Rom. 8.30. and conſequently he that hath true faith whereby he is iuſtified cannot fall away, ſeeing his iuſtification is as certaine as the eternall decree of Gods election.
§. Sect. 4 Laſtly,That God both can and will vphould the weakeſt beleeuer. God both can and will ſtrengthen and confirme all thoſe who are weake in faith, till they attaine vntounto the end of their faith euen the ſaluation of their ſoules, and therefore it is impoſſible that they which once truely beleeue ſhould fall away and be cōdemned. Concerning Gods power no man can make any queſtion ſeeing it is omnipotent and almighty, and for his will he hath fully reuealed it both by his word and workes, namely that he will not take away that grace which he hath once giuen, but rather increaſe it till it bee perfected and accompliſhed.Eſa. 66.13. Gods louelove compared to the louelove of a tēder mother. For the firſt the Lord ſaith that hee will comfort his Church and people, as the woman comforteth her child, Eſa. 66.13. now wee know that the mother doth not abandon her child, nor depriue him of that comfort which ſhe can giuegive him becauſe he is ſicke and weake, but rather the ſicker and weaker he is, the more is her care and diligence in releiuing him in his diſtreſſe; when hee is not able to diſgeſt ſtrong meate ſhe prouideth for him cōfortable foode of light diſgeſtion, when he is ſo weake that he cannot goe ſhe carieth him in her armes or otherwiſe ſupporteth him, when he is ſo ſicke that he faleth downe to the ground in a ſwoune, ſhee rayſeth him vp & neuer reſteth till ſhee hath recouered life in him, is this louelove in a naturall mother? then ſurely much more ſhall we finde in our heauenly father,Eſa. 49.15. for though a mother may forget the fruit of her womb, yet wil the Lord neuer forget vsus, as he hath promiſed. Eſa. 49.15. And therefore the greater our weakeneſſe is in grace, and the more greiuous our ſickneſſe is through ſinne, and the noiſome humors of our corruptions the more carefully will hee watch ouer vsus, with the eye of his prouidence, and ſupport vsus with his almighty power in our greateſt weakeneſſe, the more tenderly will he pitie vsus, and in louing compaſſion will prouide for vsus, ſuch comfortable food as wilbe fit to nouriſh vsus and repaire our decaied ſtrength, when we cannot goe he will with his almighty hand vphould vsus, and when we fall into a dead traunce he will not reſt till he hath againe reuiued and quickened vsus with his holy ſpirite. Moreouer our Sauiour hath ſaide,Math. 12.20 that hee will not breake the bruiſed reed nor quench the ſmoking flaxe. Matth. 12.20. but he will ſupport our weakeneſſe with his almighty power, ſo that though with the reed we be borne downe to the ground, with the boyſterous blaſtes of Sathans tentations, yet we ſhalbe raiſed vp againe,Pſal. 37.24. according to that Pſal. 37.24. Though hee fall he ſhall not be caſt off, for the Lord putteth vnderunder his hand, and he will blow vponupon vsus with the breath of his holy ſpirit, till he turne our ſmall ſmoke to a great flame which ſhall neuer bee quenched by all the malice of our ſpirituall enemies. So Matth. 13.12. our Sauiour Chriſt hath promiſſed,Math. 13.12 that whoſoeuer hath, to him it ſhal be giuen and he ſhall hauehave aboundance. Neither doth he limit or define any quantitie leſſe or more but indefinitely promiſſeth aboundant increaſe euen vntounto the leaſt, ſo farre is he from taking away that which he hath once beſtowed. And whereas wee through our weakeneſſe and fraileneſſe are eaſily caſt downe and fall away, and therefore hauehave good cauſe if we ſhould onelyonly looke vponupon our infirmities to doubt and deſpaire of perſeuerance, yet in reſpect of Gods omnipotent power, watchfull prouidence, and promiſſed aſſiſtance wee may confirme our ſelues in faith, hope, and certaine aſſurance of continuing vntounto the end; for the Lord vpholdeth all that are falling, and lifteth vp thoſe who are already downe, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh, Pſal. 145.14.Pſal. 145.14 the power of God is manifeſted in our weakeneſſe,2. Cor. 12.9. his riches in our beggerlineſſe, his mercy and goodneſſe in our fraileneſſe, and manifold corruptions, and with his holy ſpirit hee helpeth our infirmities, as it is Rom. 8.26.Ro. 8.26. Wee hauehave not an high priest which cannot bee touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all things tempted in like ſort yet without ſinne▪ and therfore he is able ſufficiently to hauehave compaſſion on them that are ignorant and out of the way, becauſe that hee alſo was compaſſed with our infirmities, and the apoſtle reaſoneth.Heb. 4.15. & 5.2. Heb. 4.15. and 5.2
§. Sect. 5 Secondly it appeareth manifeſtly by Gods workes,The formen point illuſtrated by examples. adminiſtration, and practiſe, that he wil not depriue any of that ſanctifying grace which he hath once beſtowed, though the meaſure thereof be neuer ſo ſmall; neither can we obſerue either by our reading the whole booke of God or by our owne experience that any man hauing receiued the leaſt graine of true faith hath vtterly beene depriued of it, and reiected of God. Euen the diſciples themſelues when they were reprooued for their little faith, were by him ſtrengthened and confirmed, ſo that all the power of hell could not preuaile againſt it, and though Sathan indeauoured to ſift them as wheate, yet Chriſts interceſſion was more mightie to defend them, then the diuell to deſtroye them, and his interceſſion a ſtronger propp to vphould them, then the waight of Sathans tentations to ouerthrow and bring them to ruine; ſo he who cryed out I beleeue Lord helpe thou my vnbeliefe, though his faith was weak yet it periſhed not, but rather receiued a greater increaſe. Yea he reiected not Thomas in his wilfull doubting and obſtinate incredulitie, but offered all occaſions of confirming his weake faith, and neuer ceaſed till hee had fully aſſured him of his reſurrection. In a word all the ſaintes of God at one time or other hauehave had experience of this mercy, power, and goodneſſe of God in ſupporting their weakneſſe, vphoulding them in their great infirmities, and in rayſing them when they were fallen to the ground; and to this end our Sauiour was annointed by Gods ſpirite vntounto the office of his mediation, that hee ſhould preach the goſpell vntounto the poore, heale the broken harted, that he ſhould preach deliuerance vntounto captiues, and recouerie of ſight to the blind, and ſet at libertie them that are bruſed. Luk. 4.18.Luk. 4.18. To this ende hee had familiar ſociety with the fraile and weake, with thoſe who had little faith, that he might increaſe it, and no faith, that he might begett it, with publicanes and ſinners and men full of infirmities; to this purpoſe he calleth ſuch as thirſt and hunger feeling their owne emptineſſe of grace, and earneſtly deſiring to bee filled and ſatisfied, and ſuch alſo as labour and are heauie laden with the vnſupportable waight of their corruptions promiſing that hee will eaſe them, laſtly to this end he hath ordayned the miniſterie of the worde and adminiſtration of the ſacraments, not only to beget faith where it is not, but to nouriſh and increaſe it where it is weake and feeble, and therefore though our faith be neuer ſo weake and ſmall let not Sathan perſwade vsus that therefore it ſhall bee ouerthrowne and turned into infidelitie, for the Lord hath aſſured vsus both by his gratious promiſes in his word and alſo by the performance thereof in his works from the beginning to this day, that where hee hath giuen the leaſt meaſure of faith or any other ſanctifying grace, there he will alſo increaſe, ſtrengthen, and confirme it, and where he hath begunne any good worke there hee will finiſh and perfect it, notwithſtanding our fraile weakneſſe, and the forcible violence of all our ſpirituall enemies.