The Life of Faith, Part 2 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. The reſt of the Directions for ſtrengthening our Faith.
I Shall be more brief in the reſt of the Directions, for the increaſe of Faith: and they are theſe.
Direct. 2. Compare the Chriſtian Religion with all other in the world: And ſeeing it is certain that ſome way or other God hath revealed, to guide man in his duty, unto his end, and it is no other; you will ſee that it muſt needs be this.
1. The way of the Heatheniſh Idolaters cannot be it: The principles and the effects of their Religion, may eaſily ſatisfie you of this. The only true God would not command Idolatry, nor befriend ſuch ignorance, errour and wickedneſs as doth conſtitute their Religion, and are produced by it, as its genuine fruits.
2. The way of Judaiſm cannot be it: For it doth but lead us up to Chriſtianity, and bear witneſs to Chriſt, and of it ſelf, is evidently inſufficient; its multitude of ceremonies being but the pictures and alphabet of that truth which Jeſus Chriſt hath brought to light, and which hath evidence, which to us is more convincing, than that of the Jewiſh Law,
3. The Mahometane deluſion is ſo groſs, that it ſeemeth vain to ſay any more againſt it, than it ſaith it ſelf; unleſs it be to thoſe who are bred up in ſuch darkneſs, as to hear of nothing elſe, and never to ſee the Sun which ſhineth on the Chriſtian world; and withall are under the terrour of the ſword, which is the ſtrongeſt reaſon of that barbarous Sect.
4. And to think that the Atheiſme of Infidels is the way, (who hold only the five Articles of the Ʋnity of God, the duty of obedience, the immortality of the ſoul, the life of retributior, and the neceſſity of Repentance) is but to go againſt the light. For 1. It is a denyal of that abundant evidence of the truth of the Chriſtian Faith, which cannot by any ſound reaſon be confuted. 2. It is evidently too narrow for mans neceſſities, and leaveth our miſery without a ſufficient remedy. 3. Its incluſions and excluſions are contradictory: It aſſerteth the neceſſity of Obedience and Repentance, and yet excludeth the neceſſary means (the revealed Light, and Love, and Power) by which both Obedience and Repentance muſt be had. It excludeth Chriſt and his Spirit, and yet requireth that which none but Chriſt and his Spirit can effect. 4. It propoſeth a way as the only Religion, which few ever went from the beginning (as to the excluſions.) As if that were Gods only way to Heaven, which ſcarce any viſible ſocieties of men, can be proved to have practiſed to this day.
Which of all theſe Religions have the moſt wiſe, and holy, and heavenly, and mortified, and righteous, and ſober perſons to profeſs it: and the greateſt numbers of ſuch? If you will judge of the medicine by the effects, and take him for the beſt Phyſician, who doth the greateſt cures upon the ſouls, you will ſoon conclude that Chriſt is the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh to the Father but by him, John 14.6.
Direct. 3. Think how impoſſible it is that any but God ſhould be the Author of the Chriſtian Religion.
1. No good man could be guilty of ſo horrid a crime as to forge a volume of deluſions, and put Gods Name to it; to cheat the world ſo blaſphemouſly and hypocritically, and to draw them into a life of trouble to promote it. Much leſs could ſo great a number of good men do this, as the ſucceſs of ſuch a cheat (were it poſſible) would require. There is no man that can believe it to be a deceit, but muſt needs believe, as we do of Mahomet, that the Author was one of the worſt men that ever lived in the world.
2. No bad man could lay ſo excellent a deſign, and frame a Doctrine and Law ſo holy, ſo ſelf denying, ſo merciful, ſo juſt, ſo ſpiritual, ſo heavenly, and ſo concordant in it ſelf▪ nor carry on ſo high and divine an undertaking for ſo divine and excellent an end: No bad man could ſo univerſally condemn all badneſs, and preſcribe ſuch powerful remedies againſt it, and ſo effectually cure and conquer it in ſo conſiderable a part of the world.
3. If it be below any good man, to be guilty of ſuch a forgery as aforeſaid, we can much leſs ſuſpect that any good Angel could be guilty of it.
4. And if no bad man could do ſo much good, we can much leſs imagine that any Devil or bad ſpirit could be the author of it. The Devil who is the worſt in evil, could never ſo much contradict his nature, and overthrow his own Kingdom, and ſay ſo much evil of himſelf, and do ſo much againſt himſelf, and do ſo much for the ſanctifying and ſaving of the world: He that doth ſo much to draw men to ſin and miſery, would never do ſo much to deſtroy their ſin. And we plainly feel within our ſelves, that the ſpirit or party which draweth us to ſin, doth reſiſt the Spirit which draweth us to believe and obey the Goſpel; and that theſe two maintain a war within us.
5. And if you ſhould ſay, that the good which is in Chriſtianity, is cauſed by God, and the evil of it by the Father of ſin, I anſwer, either it is true or falſe: If it be true, it is ſo good, that the Devil can never poſſibly be a contributor to it: Nay, it cannot then be ſuſpected juſtly of any evil. But if it be falſe, it is then ſo bad, that God cannot be any otherwiſe the Author of it, than as he is the Author of any common natural Verity which it may take in and abuſe; or as his general concourſe extendeth to the whole Creation. But it is ſomewhat in Chriſtianity, which it hath more than other Religions have, which muſt make it more pure, and more powerful and ſucceſsful, than any other Religions have been. Therefore it muſt be more than common natural truths: even the contexture of thoſe natural truths, with the ſupernatural revelations of it, and the addition of a ſpirit of power, and light, and love, to procure the ſucceſs. And God cannot be the Author of any ſuch contexture, or additions, if it be falſe.
6. If it be ſaid, that men that had ſome good, and ſome bad in them, did contrive it (ſuch as thoſe Fanaticks, or Enthuſiaſts, who have pious notions and words, with pride and ſelf-exalting minds) I anſwer, The good is ſo great which is found in Chriſtianity, that it is not poſſible that a bad man ▪ much leſs an extreamly bad man, could be the Author of it▪ And the wickedneſs of the plot would be ſo great if it were falſe, that it is not poſſible that any but an extreamly bad man could be guilty of it: Much leſs that a multitude ſhould be ſound at once ſo extreamly good as to promote it, even with their greateſt labour and ſuffering, and alſo ſo extreamly bad as to joyn together in the plot to cheat the world, in a matter of ſuch high importance. Such exceeding good and evil, cannot conſiſt in any one perſon, much leſs in ſo many as muſt do ſuch a thing. And if ſuch a heated brain ſick perſon as Hacket, Nailer, David, George, or John of Leyden, ſhould cry up themſelves upon prophetical and pious pretences, their madneſs hath ſtill appeared, in the mixture of their impious doctrines and practices: And if any would and could be ſo wicked, God never would or did aſſiſt them, by an age of numerous open miracles, nor lend them his Omnipotency to deceive the world; but left them to the ſhame of their proud attempts, and made their folly known to all.
Direct. 4. Study all the Evidences of the Chriſtian Verity, till their ſenſe, and weight, and order, be throughly digeſted, underſtood and remembred by you; and be as plain and familiar to you, as the leſſon which you have moſt thoroughly learned.
It is not once or twice reading, or hearing, or thinking on ſuch a great and difficult matter, that will make it your own, for the ſtabliſhing of your faith. He that will underſtand the art of a Sea-man, a Souldier, a Muſician, a Phyſician, &c. ſo as to practiſe it; muſt ſtudy it hard, and underſtand it clearly, and comprehenſively, and have all the whole frame of it printed on his mind; and not only here and there a ſcrap. Faith is a practical knowledge: We muſt have the heart and life directed and commanded by it: We muſt live by it, both in the intention of our end, and in the choice and uſe of all the means: Whileſt the Goſpel, and the Reaſons of our Religion, are ſtrange to people, like a leſſon but half learned, who can expect that they ſhould be ſettled againſt all temptations which aſſault their faith, and able to confute the tempter? We lay together the proofs of our Religion, and you read them twice or thrice, and then think that if after that you have any doubting, the fault is in the want of evidence, and not in your want of underſtanding: But the life of faith muſt coſt you more labour than ſo; ſtudy it till you clearly underſtand it, and remember the whole method of the evidence together, and have it all as at your fingers ends, and then you may have a confirmed faith to live by.
Direct. 5. When you know what are the ſoreſt temptations to unbelief, get all thoſe ſpecial arguments and proviſions into your minds, which are neceſſary againſt thoſe particular temptations. And do not ſtrengthen your own temptations by your imprudent entertaining them.
Here are th…ee things which I would eſpecially adviſe you to …gainſt temptations to unbelief. 1. Enter not into the debate of ſo great a buſineſs when you are uncapable of it: Eſpecially 1. When your minds are taken up with worldly buſineſs, or other thoughts have carryed them away, let not Satan then ſurprize you, and ſay, Come now and queſtion thy Religion: You could not reſolve a queſtion in Philoſophy, nor caſt up any long account, on ſuch a ſudden, with an unprepared mind. When the Evidences of your faith are out of mind, ſtay till you can have leiſure to ſet your ſelves to the buſineſs, with that ſtudiouſneſs, and thoſe helps, which ſo great a matter doth require. 2. When ſickneſs or melancholy doth weaken your underſtandings, you are then unfit for ſuch a work. You would not in ſuch a caſe diſpute for your lives with a cunning ſophiſter upon any difficult queſtion whatſoever: And will you in ſuch a caſe diſpute with the Devil, when your ſalvation may lye upon it?
2. When your faith is once ſettled, ſuffer not the Devil to call you to diſpute it over again at his command. Do it not when his ſuggeſtions urge you at his pleaſure; but when God maketh it your duty, and at his pleaſure: Elſe your very diſputing with Satan, will be ſome degree of yielding to him, and gratifying him. And he will one time or other take you at the advantage, and aſſault you when you are without your arms.
3 Mark what it is that Atheiſts and Infidels moſt object againſt Chriſtianity; but eſpecially mark what it is which Satan maketh moſt uſe of, againſt your ſelves, to ſhake your faith: And there let your ſtudies be principally bent; that you may have particular armour to defend you againſt particular aſſaults: And get ſuch light by communication with wiſer and more experienced men, as may furniſh you for that uſe; that no objection may be-made againſt your faith, which you are not alwaies ready to anſwer. This is the true ſenſe of 1 Pet. 3.15. Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready alwaies to give an anſwer to every man that asketh you a reaſon of the hope that is in you, with meekneſs and fear.
Direct. 6. Mark well thoſe works of God in the world, which are the plain fulfilling of his Word.
God doth not make ſuch notable difference by his Judgements, as ſhall prevent the great diſcoveries at the laſt, and make his Aſſize and final Judgement to be unneceſſary, by doing the ſame work before the time. But yet his Providences do own, and bear witneſs to his Word: and he leaveth not the world without ſome preſent ſenſible teſtimonies of his ſoveraign government, to convince them, and reſtrain them.
1. Mark how the ſtate of the ſinful world agreeth to Gods deſcription of it, and how maliciouſly Godlineſs is every where oppoſed by them, and how notably God ſtill caſteth ſhame upon ſinners; ſo that even in their proſperity and rage they are pittied and contemned in the eyes of all that are wiſe and ſober, and in the next generation their names do rot, Pſal. 15.3, 4. Prov. 10.7. And it is wonderful to obſerve, that ſin in the general and abſtract, is ſtill ſpoken of by all as an odious thing, even by them that will be damned rather than they will leave it: And that Vertue and Godlineſs, Charity and Juſtice are ſtill praiſed in the world, even by them that abhor and perſecute it.
2. And it is very obſervable, how moſt of the great changes of the world are made? By how ſmall, contemptible and unthought of mean…? Eſpecially where the intereſt of the Goſpel is moſt concerned! The inſtance of the Reformation in Luther's time, and many others nearer to our daies, would ſhew us much of the conjunction of Gods works with his Word, if they were particularly and wiſely opened.
3. The many prodigies, or extraordinary events, which have fallen out at ſeveral times, would be found to be of uſe this way, if wiſely conſidered. A great number have fallen out among us of late years, of real certainty, and of a conſiderable uſefulneſs: But the crafty enemy (who uſeth moſt to wrong Chriſt and his Cauſe, by his moſt paſſionate, injudicious followers) prevailed with ſome over-forward Miniſter of this ſtrein, to publiſh them in many volumes, with the mixture of ſo many falſhoods, and miſtaken circumſtances, as turned them to the advantage of the Devil and ungodlineſs, and made the very mention of Prodigies to become a ſcorn.
4. The ſtrange deliverances of many of Gods ſervants in the greateſt dangers, by the moſt unlikely means, is a great encouragement to faith: And there are a great number of Chriſtians that have experience of ſuch: The very manner of our preſervations is often ſuch as forceth us to ſay, It is the hand of God.
5. The notable anſwer, and grant of prayers, (of which many Chriſtians have convincing experience) is alſo a great confirmation to our faith, (of which I have before ſpoken.)
6. The three ſenſible evidences formerly mentioned, compared with the Scriptures, may much perſwade us of its truth: I mean 1. Apparitions; 2. Witches; 3. Satanical poſſeſſions or diſeaſes, which plainly declare the operation of Satan in them; of all which I could give you manifold and proved inſtances. Theſe, and many other inſtances of Gods providence, are great means to help us to believe his Word (though we muſt not with Fanatical perſons, put firſt our own interpretation upon Gods works, and then expound his Word by them; but uſe his works as the fulfilling of his Word, and expound his Providences by his Precepts, and his Promiſes and Threats.
Direct. 7. Mark well Gods inward works of Government upon the ſoul; and you ſhall find it very agreeable to the Goſpel.
There is a very great evidence of a certain Kingdom of God within us: And as he is himſelf a Spirit, ſo it is with the Spirit that he doth moſt apparently converſe, in the work of his moral Government in the world. 1. There you ſhall find a Law of duty, or an inward conviction of much of that obedience which you owe to God. 2. There you ſhall find an inward mover, ſtriving with you to draw you to perform this duty. 3. There you ſhall find the inward ſuggeſtions of an enemy, labouring to draw you away from this duty, and to make a godly life ſeem grievous to you; and alſo to draw you to all the ſins which Chriſt forbiddeth. 4. There you ſhall find an inward conviction, that God is your Judge, and that he will call you to account for your wilful violations of the Laws of Chriſt.
5. There you ſhall find an inward ſentence paſt upon you, according as you do good or evil.
6. And there you may find the ſoreſt Judgements of God inflicted, which any ſhort of Hell endure. You may there find how God for ſin doth firſt afflict the ſoul that is not quite forſaken, with troubles and affrightments, and ſome of the feeling of his diſpleaſure. And where that is long deſpiſed, and men ſin on ſtill, he uſeth to with hold his gracious motions, and leave the ſinner dull and ſenſeleſs, ſo that he can ſin with ſinful remorſe, having no heart or life to any thing that is ſpiritually good: And if yet the ſinner think not of his condition, to repent, he is uſually ſo far forſaken as to be given up to the power of his moſt bruitiſh luſt; and to glory impudently in his ſhame, and to hate and perſecute the ſervants of Chriſt, who would recover him; till he hath filled up the meaſure of his ſin, and wrath be come upon him to the uttermoſt, Epheſ. 4.18, 19. 1 Theſ. 2.15, 16. being abominable, and diſobedient, and to every good work reprobate, Titus 1.15, 16. Beſides the leſſer penal withdrawings of the Spirit, which Gods own ſervants find in themſelves, after ſome ſins or neglects of grace.
7. And there alſo you may find the Rewards of Love and faithful duty; by many taſtes of Gods acceptance, and many comforts of his Spirit, and by his owning the ſoul, and giving out larger aſſiſtance of his Spirit, and peace of conſcience, and entertainment in prayer, and all approaches of the ſoul to God, and ſweeter forecaſts of life eternal. In a word, if we did but note Gods dreadful Judgements on the ſouls of the ungodly in this age, as well as we have noted our plagues and flames; and if Gods ſervants kept as exact obſervations of their inward rewards and puniſhments, and that in particulars, as ſuited to their particular ſins and duties; you will ſee that Chriſt is King indeed, and that there is a real Government according to his Goſpel, kept up in the conſciences or ſouls of men (though not ſo obſervable as the rewards and puniſhments at the laſt day.)
Direct. 8. Dwell not too much on ſenſual objects, and let them not come too near your hearts.
Three things I here perſwade you carefully to avoid: 1. That you keep your hearts at a meet diſtance from all things in this world; that they grow not too ſweet to you, nor too great in your eſteem: 2. That you gratifie not ſenſe it ſelf too much; and live not in the pleaſing of your taſte or luſt: 3. That you ſuffer not your imaginations to run out greedily after things ſenſitive, nor make them the too frequent objects of your thoughts.
You may ask perhaps, what is all this to our faith? why, the life of faith is exerciſed upon things that are not ſeen: And if you live upon the things that are ſeen, and impriſon your ſoul in the fetters of your concupiſcence, and fill your fancies with things of another nature, how can you be acquainted with the life of faith? Can a bird flye that hath a ſtone tyed to her foot? Can you have a mind full of luſt, and of God at once? Or can that mind that is uſed to theſe inordinate ſenſualities, be fit to relliſh the things that are ſpiritual? And can it be a lover of earth, and fleſhly pleaſures, and alſo a Believer and lover of Heaven?
Direct. 9. Ʋſe your ſelves much to think and ſpeak of Heaven, and the inviſible things of Faith?
Speaking of Heaven is needful both to expreſs your thoughts, and to actuate and preſerve them. And the often thoughts of Heaven, will make the mind familiar there: And familiarity will aſſiſt and encourage faith: For it will much acquaint us with thoſe reaſons and inducements of faith, which a few ſtrange and diſtant thoughts will never reach to. As he that converſeth much with a learned, wiſe, or godly man, will eaſilier believe that he is learned, wiſe, or godly, than he that is a ſtranger to him, and only now and then ſeeth him afar off: So he that thinketh ſo frequently of God and Heaven, till his mind hath contracted a humble acquaintance and familiarity, muſt needs believe the truth of all that excellency which before he doubted of. For doubting is the effect of ignorance: And he that knoweth moſt here, believeth beſt. Falſhood and evil cannot bear the light; but the more you think of them, and know them, the more they are detected and aſhamed: But truth and goodneſs love the light; and the better you are acquainted with them, the more will your belief and love be increaſed.
Direct. 10. Live not in the guilt of wilful ſin: For that will many waies hinder your belief.
1. It will breed fear and horrour in your minds, and make you wiſh that it were not true, that there is a day of Judgement, and a Hell for the ungodly, and ſuch a God, ſuch a Chriſt, and ſuch a life to come, as the Goſpel doth deſcribe: And when you take it for your intereſt to be an unbeliever, you will hearken with deſire to all that the Devil and Infidels can ſay: And you will the more eaſily make your ſelves believe that the Goſpel is not true, by how much the more you deſire that it ſhould not be true. 2. And you will forfeit the grace which ſhould help you to believe; both by your wilfull ſin, and by your unwillingneſs to believe: For who can expect that Chriſt ſhould give his grace to them, who wilfully deſpiſe him, and abuſe it: Or that he ſhould make men believe, who had rather not believe? Indeed he may poſſibly do both theſe, but theſe are not the way, nor is it a thing which we can expect. 3. And this guilt, and fear, and unwillingneſs together, will all keep down your thoughts from Heaven; ſo that ſeldom thinking of it, will increaſe your unbelief: and they will make you unfit to ſee the evidences of truth in the Goſpel, when you do think of them, or hear them: For he that would not k…w cannot learn. Ob…y therefore according to the knowledge which you have, if ever you would have more, and would not be given up to the blindneſs of Infidelity.
Direct. 11. Truſt not only to your underſtandings, and think not that ſtudy is all which is neceſſary to faith: But remember that faith is the gift of God, and therefore pray as well as ſtudy.
Prov. 3.5. Truſt in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not to thy own underſtanding. It is a precept as neceſſary in this point as in any. In all things God abhorreth the proud, and looketh at them afar off, as with diſowning and diſdain: But in no caſe more, than when a blind ungodly ſinner ſhall ſo overvalue his own underſtanding, as to think that if there be evidence of truth in the myſtery of faith, he is able preſently to diſcern it, before or without any heavenly illumination, to cure his dark diſtempered mind. Remember that as the Sun is ſeen only by his own light; ſo is God our Creatour and Redeemer. Faith is the gift of God, as well as Repentance, Epheſ. 2.8. 2 Tim. 2.25, 26. Apply your ſelves therefore to God by earneſt prayer for it. As he, Mark 9.24. Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief. And as the Diſciples, Luke 17.5. Increaſe our faith. A humble ſoul that waiteth on God in fervent prayer, and yet neglecteth not to ſtudy and ſearch for truth, is much liker to become a confirmed Believer, than ungodly Students, who truſt and ſeek no further than to their Books, and their perverted minds. For as God will be ſought to for his grace; ſo thoſe that draw near him, do draw near unto the Light; and therefore are like as children of Light to be delivered from the power of darkneſs: For in his light we ſhall ſee the light that muſt acquaint us with him.
Direct. 12. Laſtly, What meaſure of Light ſoever God vouchſafeth you, labour to turn it all into Love; and make it your ſerious care and buſineſs to know God, that you may love him, and to love God ſo far as you know him.
For he that deſireth ſatisfaction in his doubts, to no better end, than to pleaſe his mind by knowing, and to free it from the diſquiet of uncertainty, hath an end ſo low in all his ſtudies, that he cannot expect that God and his grace ſhould be called down, to ſerve ſuch a low and baſe deſign. That faith which is not employed in beholding the love of God in the face of Chriſt, on purpoſe to increaſe and exerciſe our love, is not indeed the true Chriſtian Faith, but a dead opinion. And he that hath never ſo weak a faith, and uſeth it to this end, to know Gods amiableneſs, and to love him, doth take the moſt certain way for the confirmation of his faith. For Love is the cloſeſt adherence of the ſoul to God, and therefore will ſet it in the cleareſt light, and will teach it by the ſweet convincing way of experience and ſpiritual taſte. Believing alone is like the knowledge of our meat by ſeeing it: And Love is as the knowledge of our meat by eating and digeſting it. And he that hath taſted that it is ſweet, hath a ſtronger kind of perſwaſion that it is ſweet, than he that only ſeeth it; and will much more tenaciouſly hold his apprehenſion: It is more poſſible to diſpute him out of his belief, who only ſeeth, than him that alſo taſteth and concocteth. A Parent and child will not ſo eaſily believe any falſe reports of one another, as ſtrangers or enemies will; becauſe Love is a powerful reſiſter of ſuch hard conceits. And though this be deluſory and blinding partiality, where Love is guided by miſtake; yet when a ſound underſtanding leadeth it, and Love hath choſen the trueſt object, it is the naturally perfective motion of the ſoul.
And Love keepeth us under the fulleſt influences of Gods Love; and therefore in the reception of that grace which will increaſe our faith: For Love is that act which the ancient Doctors were wont to call, the principle of merit, or firſt meritorious act of the ſoul; and which we call, the principle of rewardable acts. God beginneth and loveth us firſt, partly with a Love of complacency, only as his creatures, and alſo as in eſſe cognito, he foreſeeth how amiable his grace will make us; and partly with a Love of benevolence, intending to give us that grace which ſhall make us really the objects of his further Love: And having received this grace, it cauſeth us to love God: And when we love God, we are really the objects of his complacential Love; and when we perceive this, it ſtill increaſeth our Love: And thus the mutual Love of God and Man, is the true perpetual motion, which hath an everlaſting cauſe, and therefore muſt have an everlaſting duration. And ſo the faith which hath once kindled Love, even ſincere Love to God in Chriſt, hath taken rooting in the heart, and lyeth deeper than the head, and will hold faſt, and increaſe as Love increaſeth.
And this is the true reaſon of the ſtedfaſtneſs and happineſs of many weak unlearned Chriſtians, who have not the diſtinct conceptions and reaſonings of learned men; and yet becauſe their Faith is turned into Love, their Love doth help to confirm their Faith: And as they love more heartily; ſo they believe more ſtedfaſtly, and perſeveringly, than many who can ſay more for their faith. And ſo much for the ſtrengthening of your faith.