The Dead Saint Speaking to Saints and Sinners Living, Treatise 3 · Royalty 16
Sixteenth Royalty. 16. Faith is an Heart-chearing-Grace.
16. Royalty. Faith is an Heart-chearing Grace.Faith is ſuch a Grace as doth chear and comfort the ſoul with unexpreſſible Conſolations: It is ſuch a Grace as makes an inlet of all the Conſolations of God into the Soul.
Faith brings a report to the Soul, that God is his God, Chriſt is his Chriſt: that his Name is written in the Book of Life: his ſins are pardoned: his ſoul ſhall bee ſaved. And ſuch news as this muſt needs fill the ſoul with unexpreſſible Conſolations, with joyes unſpeakable and full of glory.
All other joyes are but mad, and diſorderly joyes. They are carnal, not ſpiritual; outward, not inward joyes; they are but painted, not true Joyes, imaginary, not real Joyes, unſatisfying, not tull Joyes; inconſtant, not ſtable Joyes. The beſt, falſe Raptures; Anabaptiſtical Illuſions: not true Joyes.
But this Joy. The Joy of Faith, it is grounded joy; it is
1. A ſpiritual Joy, for the Nature of it.
2. A Hearty Joy, for the Nature of it.
3. A Satisfying Joy, for the fulneſs of it.
4. A Conſtant Permanent Joy, for the duration of it. — My Joy ſhall no man take from you.
Alas! what are all other joyes to the Joy of Faith? The leaſt morſel of this Joy, is worth all the full meals of worldly delights. The leaſt gleaning of this Joy, is worth the whole Harveſt of carnal mirth. The leaſt drop of this, is worth an Ocean of any other. There is more moiſture in one drop of this, than in a flood of temporal, and carnal delights.
True Joy grows upon the ſtock of Faith. Where there is no Faith, there is no true Joy. Faith is the Root, and Joy is the Fruit. It is call'd, The Joy of Beleevers: Beleevers are the Subjects of it; and a Joy in Beleeving: Beleeving is the Root of it, Rom. 5.1.2.— Being juſtified by Faith, wee have Peace with God, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: by whom alſo through Faith wee have acceſs into this Grace wherein wee ſtand, rejoycing under the hope of the Glory of God, Rom. 15.13. — The God of Hope fill you with all Joy and Peace in Beleeving. Where there's Faith, there's Joy.
If Faith of Evidence, Ubi Fiducia, ibi Laetitia.there Joy doth naturally reſult and ariſe from it: If but Faith of Adherence, there Joy is hid and ſecret, though it doth not appear. The ſeed of Joy is hid as yet under the Clods of Faith; but in time it will break forth and appear. Joy is there though it bee not ſeen.
There may bee a divorce between Faith and actual rejoycing for a time; but there can bee no divorce between Faith, and the Matter, and Ground of Rejoycing: not between Faith and the Affection of Joy. — My Joy ſhall none take from you.
Thus you ſee Faith is an Heart-chearing-Grace. It fills the ſoul with ſuch a Joy, as nothing is able to bereave the ſoul thereof. It is not Loſſes, Croſſes, Poverty, Sickneſs, Priſons, Perſecutions, which are able to take away this Joy of Faith.
1. Faith will inable a man to rejoyce in Bonds, to rejoyce in Tribulations and Sufferings for Chriſt, as the Apoſtle ſaith — As Sufferings abound, the Conſolations ſhall ſuperabound. As if all the floods of Conſolation did iſſue from the ſpring of Sufferings.
2. It will inable a man to rejoyce in ſickneſſe. Faith will bee our beſt Cordial, and let in ſuch a beam of Gods love into the Soul, as will chear and comfort the heart in this condition: warm and inlighten it: not only inlighten, but warm the heart in this condition.
3. It will inable a man to Rejoyce in Poverty, in Calamity, in Famine. You ſee Habakkuks confidence, Hab. 3.17, 18. — Although the Figtree do not bloſſome, nor ſhall there bee fruit in the Vines; though the labour of the Olive ſhall fail, and the field ſhall yeeld no meat: though the ſheep bee cut off from the Fold, and there bee no Bullock in the stall; yet I will rejoyce in the Lord: I will joy in the God of my Salvation.
Though the waters of Calamity ſhould riſe ſo high as to drown up all his comforts: yet hee could rejoyce in God.
In the abſence of all worldly comforts, Faith can let in ſprings of Conſolation from God, to rejoyce the Soul. If God, if Chriſt, if Glory can rejoyce the heart, Faith will not want matter of Joy in the ſaddeſt condition. It is an Heart-chearing Grace. Faith will preſent to man Soul-rejoycing-grounds. There are theſe five grounds of Rejoycing.
1. Our Election. Hence Chriſt ſaith,— Rejoyce that your Names are written in the Book of Life.
2. Our Redemption.
3. Our Juſtification.
4. Our Sanctification.
5. The Promiſes and Hopes of Glorification.
And Faith preſents all theſe grounds of rejoycing. It makes a diſcovery to the ſoul, that wee are Gods choſen, ſuch as hee hath elected; that wee are his Redeemed ones, ſuch as hee hath purchaſed, that wee are his Juſtified ones, ſuch as hee hath pardoned: that wee are his holy ones, ſuch as hee hath ſanctified: and ſhall bee hereafther glorified.
And; when ſuch a report is made to the ſoul, from Heaven; when Faith hath been in Heaven, and brings this news down to the ſoul; how can it bee but the Soul muſt rejoyce, and bee filled with all Conſolations?
Object. But alas! you will ſay, Who are more ſad? who are more diſconſolate than Beleevers are? And therefore, how is Faith an Heart-chearing-Grace?
Anſ. 1. Beleevers may rejoyce, and thou not diſcern it.
It is a Joy which is not known but by experience. Hence the Apoſtle ſaith, — It is a Joy that paſſeth all underſtanding. None know it, but they who feel it. — A ſtranger doth not intermeddle with this Joy. As they cannot feel it, ſo they cannot ſee it: and therefore are no Competent Judges, whether Gods people are joyfull, or whether they bee ſorrowfull.
2. But to anſwer further. You ſay, Beleevers are ſad and diſconſolate people.
1. All Beleevers are not ſo. They are ſuch as are 1. Under ſome preſent croſs and affliction. Gods hand is gone out againſt them; though for good. — For all things work together for good to them that love God, and are choſen according to his purpoſe. But I ſay, ſome preſent evil is upon them; and this may ſadden the ſpirits of the beſt for a time, though this may bee their infirmity.
Paul had learned in all eſtates therein to bee content; and if to bee content, then to rejoyce, unleſs it were Contentation by force; ſure not well pleaſing to God.
If indeed their comfort did lye in the preſence and injoyment of theſe outward things, then no marvel, if in the abſence of them, they were caſt down. I ſay, If the floods of their comfort were maintained by ſuch ſprings as theſe, then no marvel, if theſe being taken away, they bee bereave of their Joy.
But ſeeing theſe things are too ſhort either to breed, or feed: either to beget, or fuel a Chriſtians Joy: why ſhould the deprival of them ſo much affect the heart, as to take away their Joy?
Have you not ſtill the ground of Joy? you have loſt your goods, but not your God. You are deprived of your Comforts, not of your Chriſt. And therefore except you do make Gods of the Creature, prize them too highly in your Judgement, ingage your hearts and affections too much to them: why ſhould your Joy bee taken away?
You ſee Paul had learned in all eſtates to bee content, and the Prophet Habakkuk before mentioned: and why not you?
2. Such they are, as for the preſent are under ſome ſad and ſore Temptation, combate with Satan, and for the preſent their ſpirits are ſadned, and caſt down.
3. Such as are in deſerted conditions; God having withdrawn himſelf, and hid his face from the Soul. Than which there is no ſadder condition in the World, when not a Star, but the Sun it ſelf is rent from the Sky; when not a ſingle Comfort, but the univerſal Comfort ſeems to bee gone. This may ſadden the ſpirit of Gods people for a time.
All Jobs croſſes did not ſo much affect him as this. The loſs of his Goods, of his Poſſeſſion, of his Children came not ſo neer him, as the apprehenſion of the loſs of his God. Hee could lift up his head under all the other: but here hee was ready to ſink.
Such a Condition Gods people may bee in, which may cauſe ſadneſs of ſpirit, as was David, Heman, Hezekiah, and others.
2. So ſecondly for thoſe of Gods people, that are thus ſad and diſconſolate; it is not as they are Beleevers, but as they are Doubters. Their Trouble ariſeth from Doubting, not from Beleeving. It is not Faith, but the want of Faith, which is the cauſe of their uncomfortable walking.
If Gods people would live more out of themſelves, and more in Christ: if they would live more the Life of Faith, and leſs the Life of Senſe: if they would live more in the Heaven of Promiſe, they would not bee ſo much caſt down. The more truſt, the leſs Trouble.
Faith would bring Chriſt into the Soul; and there is chear enough with Chriſt.
Faith would bring Heaven into the ſoul, and there is Comfort enough in Heaven.
Faith would open a way for the Love of God to enter, and that would thruſt out all other grievances.
But I will not go about to excuſe uncomfortable walking with God. Why ſhould I give indulgence to mens Paſsions. Gods people are to bee exceedingly blamed for their unchearful walking with God.
They are the ſhame of a good God, and give occaſion to men to think hee is an hard and rigid Maſter.
They wrong a good Cauſe, and diſcourage the hearts of others from entring into the wayes of God.
Sure I am, There is no Condition, that Gods people can bee in, but they have alwayes ground, and cauſe of Rejoycing.
Either, A Rebus exhibitis, from things beſtowed,
Or, A Rebus promiſſis, from things promiſed.
Either, From things in hand, and poſſeſsion,
Or, From things in hope, and promiſe.
And therefore how blame-worthy are they, who diſquiet themſelves with needleſs perplexities? and lay the burden of ſorrow on themſelves, which God doth not?
Let us examine the grounds of theſe ſorrows, and arraign them before the Bar of right Reaſon. What is it that troubles thee?
1. Is it thy former ſins? why ſhould theſe trouble thee? God hath pardoned them. And wilt thou bring the old guilt upon thy conſcience again, which God hath cleared and pardoned? wilt thou binde, when God hath looſed? condemn, when hee hath abſolved?
2. Is it thy preſent Corruption? God hath promiſed to ſubdue it.—Sin ſhall have no more dominion over you. Hee hath promiſed to purge, to purifie: Hee came with Refiners fire, and Fullers ſope, Mal. 3.3.
3. Is it thy Imperfections? That there is ſo much formality, ſo little power? ſo much coldneſs, ſo little heat, &c? why God hath promiſed to paſs by infirmities, to hide and cover imperfections.
4. Is it, becauſe thou art in ſome preſent Afflictions? why, hee hath promiſed, that All things ſhall work together for good to them that love God, and are choſen according to his purpoſe.
5. Is it, becauſe thou art under ſome preſent Temptations? why St. James ſaith — Count it exceeding joy, great joy, when yee fall into diverſe temptations.
There is matter of Joy as well as of Sorrow, if by Faith thou wouldeſt but ſee what God aims at.
1. It may bee, for trial of Grace; as in Abrahams and Jobs caſe; whoſe temptation was of purpoſe to try and juſtifie his Graces.
2. It may bee, For exerciſe of Grace, of Faith, of Patience, &c.
3. It may bee, for diſcovery of ſin, nay for deſtruction of ſin.
4. It may bee, to make us more humble, as Paul: more prayerful, &c.
6. Is it becauſe thou art under ſome preſent Deſertion? Yet if by Faith thou look upon the firmneſs of the Promiſe, the ſtability of the Covenant; in the abſence of ſenſe, thou ſhalt finde matter of Comfort.
Thus you ſee David did, Pſal. 77.10. Hee was in a great Deſertion; hee cryes and prayes: Hee prayes and cryes: Hee renews his former evidences and experiences; yet gets hee no comfort. At laſt, By Faith hee looks upon the truth of Gods Promiſe, and the ſtability of the Covenant. And then his ſoul revived. I remembred the dayes of old, the years of ancient times. I called to minde my ſongs in the night; I communed with my own heart; my ſoul made diligent ſearch. Will the Lord abſent himſelf for ever, &c? And I ſaid, this is my infirmity. Yet I will remember the years of the right hand of the moſt High, &c.
Do but in this ſad condition, behold theſe dealings of God, as the waies of a Father to thee; which are alwaies of Love, of Mercy and Truth, to them that keep his Covenant and his Teſtament.
Whether Gods end bee for Chaſtiſement, as it was in David; Or for Tryal, as it was in Job; Or whether it bee for Prevention, as it was in Paul; leſt hee ſhould bee puffed up; yet all is in love, and therefore cauſe of rejoycing.
So that there is no condition ſo ſad, but Gods people have ſtill cauſe of rejoycing in it. Thou canſt think of nothing, if thou bee a Beleever, that can miniſter juſt cauſe of trouble to thee. And therefore why art thou ſo caſt down?
If there were more Truſt, there would bee leſs Trouble. I dare bee bold to ſay, that all the troubles, all the diſquiets of Gods people do ariſe from want of Faith. Were there more Faith, there would bee more Comfort. And therefore as David phyſicked his ſoul, when it was caſt down and diſcouraged — Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul? and why art thou diſquieted within mee? Truſt in God: So let us exerciſe our Truſt, and all our Troubles will vaniſh, all our diſquiets will diſ-appear and bee gone.
Let Faith come in, and diſcover the Promiſes of God, made to thee in this thy ſad condition.
Hee hath promiſed it ſhall not bee too great, 1 Cor. 10.18. There hath no temptation taken you but what is humane: and God is faithful, and will not ſuffer you to bee tempted above what yee are able; but will with the temptation give an iſſue, that you may bee able to bear it. Hee hath promiſed it ſhall not bee too long, Rom. 16.20. — The God of Peace ſhall tread Satan under you feet ſhortly. — Hee will not contend for ever. Hee hath promiſed to deliver us, when in the day of trouble wee call upon him. Pſal. 50.