A Cordial for a Fainting Soul, Sermon 7
The Seventh SERMON.
LUKE 17. v. 5.
Lord, increaſe our faith.
YOu may remember that I have told you, that in order to the increaſing of faith, we muſt labour to remove thoſe blocks and ſcruples which hinder the progreſſe of faith in the Soule: And to this end I have ſpent ſeverall houres in ſatisfying poor ſouls in thoſe ſcruples which often lye in faiths way in a gracious ſoule. I have done with ſuch as are previous to faith, and make the ſoul think it dare not, and ought not to beleeve.
The laſt day having ſet the ſoule ſo farre on of its way, that it is convinced it ought to beleeve, but complaines That it doth not, it cannot beleeve; I came to ſearch out the cauſe of ſuch complaints, which I ſhewed was ordinarily either,
Firſt, a miſtake of the nature and acts of faith, or,
Secondly, a misjudging it ſelf from the effects of faith. I began with the firſt, and propounded to ſuch Chriſtians theſe two conſiderations:
Firſt, That faith hath divers acts, and the higheſt was not neceſſary to a juſtifying faith.
Secondly, That Faith is of ſo good a nature, that it will conſiſt with many doubtings and weakneſſes, and yet retaine its truth: For the firſt of theſe, I ſhewed you the laſt day what were the ſeverall acts of true faith, and what act was neceſſary to juſtification, and what act was not neceſſary: I ſhall repeat nothing of what I then ſaid, but go on.
CHAP. 7.
How to ſatisfie ſuch poor Chriſtians as think they doe not truly beleeve, becauſe they have many doubtings and weakneſſes.
ALas!Complaint. (ſaith a poor Chriſtian) I am confident my faith is not true, but falſe; I am ſo full of doubtings and feares, and every act which I ſhould think an act of faith is ſo weak, &c.
To this Complaint now I ſhall apply my ſecond conſideration, viz. That true faith is of ſo good a nature that it will (keeping its truth) conſiſt with much weakneſſe in the ſeverall acts, and dwell in a ſoule where many doubts are.
This is my Theſis: Now concerning this▪ divers have treated ſo largly, that I ſhall be very brief, and rather repeat what they ſay, following them, then lead you a worſe way of my own.Sedgwicks doubting Chriſtian. I finde Mr. Sedgwick (who hath made it his work in his Book called, The doubting Christian, to handle this very point, and hath done it fully) laying down foure or five concluſions by way of premiſe; for the right underſtanding of this point, I ſhall name them to you.
Firſt, It is without queſtion, that all Doubtings are …infull, they are the ſmoakings of our corruptions, they are begotten of ſinne, the depravation of our originall light, with which God in innocencie enlightned Adam, that is the cauſe, and they hinder grace, and hinder us in our duty, &c.
Secondly, They be no part of faith; in that a man doth beleeve, he doth not doubt; Faith and Doubting may dwell under the ſame roofe, but they marry not, nor mingle any bloods together, they are not at all of a family. Faith is of the family of Heaven, Doubtings are of the family of Hell; they are inmates, but have little acquaintance one with another, none at all with one anothers natures; they are two things, though in one ſoule.
Thirdly, They cannot conſist at the ſame inſtant with the act of faith, Ib. p. 16.for it is impoſsible that Faith ſhould formally doubt; the beleever while he beleeveth, and in what he beleeveth, doth not doubt; I cannot at the ſame time lay my hand upon the Rock, and not lay my hand upon it, &c. But,
Fourthly,Chriſt dying. p. 27. (ſaith he) Actuall doubtings may be in a ſoule who hath habituall faith; for as he ſaith, they are not oppoſed as life and death, but as cold and heat; water may have ſome cold, and ſome heat in it at the ſame time,Rutherford. as life and ſickneſſe (ſaith Mr. Rutherford) ſickneſſe is neighbour with life.
Nay fifthly, I may ſay more I thinke, Faith and Doubting may be at the ſame time in the ſoul, though not in the ſame thing; I cannot beleeve this truth, and yet doubt the ſame; but I may beleeve this, and doubt ſome other… Yea,
Sixthly, There is no beleever lives, but hath had, or hath doubtings. Abraham, Gen. 15. 2, 3. David, Pſal. …16. 11. See more, p. 17, 18, 19. ib. The morning dawning of light, may be light, though there be ſome darkneſſe mixed with it.
Now to prove this poſition, that Faith may conſiſt with Doubtings;Chriſt dying. I can ſay no more then precious Mr. Rutherford hath ſaid, p. 27. who proveth it by theſe five Arguments.
Firſt, becauſe Faith and Doubtings are not contradictories, as life and death, which mutually deny and expell one another; but oppoſites, as ſickneſſe and health in the ſame body, may be ſucceſſively.
Secondly, Becauſe Chriſt, when he rebuked doubting, yet ſuppoſed faith, and acknowledged faith, though a little faith in his Diſciples, Mat. 14. 31.
Thirdly, Becauſe the Diſciples prayed, Lord, increaſe our faith, what needed that? they had been at Ela, at the higheſt pitch and note of faith, if they had been above all doubtings.
Fourthly, Becauſe Chriſt prayed for Peter, that when Satan winnowed him, his faith might not fail; it could not faile, if every true faith were above all doubtings.
Fifthly and laſtly, from the various condition of the Saints of God here, ſometimes they have a full Moon, …non no Moon-light at all, but a dark Eclipſe.
I might adde the conſtant experience of Gods Saints. Who lives, and doth not thus ſinne againſt God? I appeale to the beſt experiences of Gods earthly Saints. Theſe things I thought good to premiſe, for the right underſtanding, and for the proving of this concluſion.
Now I will not enter into ſo large a field, as to ſhew you all the Doubts that Chriſtians may have. Mr. Sedgwick hath done a great deale in this work in the Book before quoted; but thus much I will doe.
Firſt, I will ſhew you what doubts and weakneſſes and imper…ections may conſiſt with true Faith in a gracious ſoule, in relation to the ſeverall acts of it.
Secondly, I will ſhew you the differences betwixt thoſe Doubts which often ariſe in (and are conſiſtent with Faith in) a gracious ſoul, and thoſe which are damning diſpairing doubts of Reprobates: And firſt of the firſt of theſe.
CHAP. 8.
What Doubtings and weakneſſes, in reſpect of knowledge, may conſiſt with true Faith in a gracious ſoule, and how to ſatisfie the ſoule in this trouble.
THough ſome diſpute knowledge to be a… act of Faith, yet we ſay, that it is required to the loweſt and meaneſt act of Faith (which is aſſent) rather then an act of Faith of it ſelf; yet in regard many Chriſtians that ſtrive and labour after knowledge (having wanted thoſe meanes that others have had, either in regard of hearing the Word, or in regard of education) have not attained to what they deſire, walk yet troubled about their condition, in reſpect of their ignorance, and becauſe of this are ready to deny the grace of God in the work of true Faith in their ſoules: Give me leave a little to ſpeak ſomething by way of ſatisfaction to ſuch poor ſouls; you ſhall heare them complain in this manner.
Complaint. Alas! I beleeve? I have not yet ſtept the firſt ſtep of a Christian. I have not ſo much as a knowledge of Gods Word, I am a poor ignorant ſoule, I know not halfe the mysterious doctrines of ſalvation; can ſuch an ignorant wretch as I be a beleever? Beſides for what I know I am ready to deny it; ſometimes I think this is the word and truth of God; ſometimes again I think it is not; I fully beleeve nothing, I know nothing, I cannot read, nor underſtand when I heare; many things in Scripture I know not; and for what I know I know nothing as …ought to know it.
Here's the complaint; now ſatisfaction.
Now to ſpeak a word or two by way of comfort and ſtay to the ſoule, that labours under this trouble.
For thy knowing nothing as thou oughteſt to know (as thou complaineſt) it is happy for thy ſoule, (if thou ſpeakeſt from thy heart,) that God hath wrought thy heart into ſo low an opinion of thy ſelf. See what the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, 1 Cor. 8. 2. And if any man think that hee knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know it. But now for thy reall ignorance that thou ſo much complaineſt of, I ſhall propound a few conſiderations, which wil ſhew thee how much ignorance may conſiſt with true faith in the ſoule, and then conclude all with a caution or two.
For the firſt,
Firſt, conſider, Thou mayeſt be ignorant in many points of Religion which are fundamentall in ſome ſenſe, and yet have faith, true faith; I think, when we ſpeak of fundamentals, we ought to diſtinguiſh; ſome fundamentalls are abſolutely neceſſary, our ſalvation ſtands upon them as; to beleeve, That Ieſus Chriſt came into the world to ſave ſinners, that he became man, a Ieſus, a full Savior, that he dyed for us that we might live; that there is no ſalvation in any other but in him, and that in him there is a fulneſſe of ſalvation, &c. Theſe now are thoſe pillars upon which our ſalvation ſtands, and the knowledge of which is alwayes ſuppoſed to true juſtifying faith; none can be ignorant in theſe, and beleeve; For how ſhall they beleeve in him, of whom they have not heard (which was the Apoſtles queſtion?) but now there are other doctrines which are ordinarily called fundamentalls, becauſe they are ſuch as Chriſtians learn, even in the beginning of their converſion, ſuch as are firſt taught, and laid for a foundation to build other truths upon; the doctrine of the impoſition of hands, reſurrection of the dead, &c. are reckoned up by the Apoſtle for fundamentalls, Heb. 6. 1, 2. Now for theſe it is very poſſible that a Chriſtian may be ignorant of them, and yet have a true faith in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; The Doctrine of the Trinity of the perſons, viz. That in the Deity there are three diſtinct manners of being, three diſtinct ſubſiſtences, diſtinguiſhed each from other by their ſeverall properties; This is without queſtion a fundamentall point of the ſecond ſort, ſuch as is uſually taught Chriſtians as a piece of the foundation of Religion; yet I do verily beleeve that a Chriſtian may beleeve, and be in the ſtate of grace, and yet not be inſtructed fully, but be ignorant in this. Suppoſe a Miniſter ſhould go preach to Heathens, and preach what need men in naturall condition have of Jeſus Chriſt, what a wofull condition they are in without him, what a readineſſe there is in Chriſt to ſave them: and upon this preſſe faith; doe you think it is not poſſible, that ſome ſoule may be ſtartled, and run out of it ſelf, and reſt truly upon Chriſt, and yet not be for the preſent ſo well inſtructed, as to give you an account of the Trinity of perſons? And yet without queſtion it is a truth and a fundamentall truth too, Acts 19. v. 2. Paul came to Epheſus, and found certain men that were Diſciples, v. 1. He asks them if they had received the Holy Ghoſt; they ingenuouſly confeſt, that they were ſo farre from receiving the gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, that they had not ſo much as heard whether there was an Holy Ghoſt or no: I know moſt of expoſitors conſtrue it of the gifts of the holy Ghoſt; but for my part I cannot ſubſcribe to their opinion, but think the latter clauſe hath more then the former, and that there is an emphaſis in their anſwer; and ſo Ioh. 20. v. 9. we find the Diſciples of Chriſt ignorant in the point of Chriſts Reſurrection from the dead, and Chriſt chides his Diſciples for their ignorance in this point,The Diſciples were ignorant concerning the Father, Ioh. 14. 8. Lord ſhew us the Father, and it ſufficeth us. Luk. 24. v. 5. The very Apoſtles were ignorant in the point of Chriſts Kingdome, and rule, and dreamt of Chriſts reſtoring the temporall Kingdome to Iſrael, Act. 1. v. 6. This is the caſe of many a poor Chriſtian; it may be it cannot read, or it hath not lived where there hath been any faithfull powerfull ſoule-enlightning preaching; but when Gods time comes, he brings the ſoule to heare, and it doth poſſibly heare of its poor, naturall, undone condition, and that there is none other name by which the Chriſtian may be ſaved, but onelyonly the Name of Jeſus: yet this now being the work of Gods Spirit, the ſpirit carries on its own work, and creates faith in the ſoule, brings the ſoule to truſt and rely on Ieſus Chriſt. There may be divers fundamentall points that the ſoule all this while hath not heard a word concerning; as how many yeare ſometimes doth a Miniſter preach, and not directly meddle with the Doctrine of the Trinity, &c? How many weeks, and not preach the Doctrine of the Reſurrection? But here is now the condition of ſuch a Chriſtian, after the Spirit of God hath enlightned him, and convinced him, &c. the poor ſoule (that regarded not inſtruction before) now begins perhaps to learn to read, pray; now he heareth the Word more, enquireth concerning God more, &c. and every day diſcovers more truth then other, to which the ſoul by nature was blinded; then begins Satans work; the ſoule reflects upon it ſelf, and begins to ſay, now, Wo is me! I have my work ſtill to begin! I have made my ſelf beleeve I have been a beleever ſo long; and alas! I have been a poor, blind, ignorant wretch, blind to the truths of Ieſus Chriſt, &c. how could I beleeve while I knew ſo little? Yes Chriſtian, thou mayeſt be a Scholler, though thou beeſt but in thy Accidence; there are ſome truths which are the Credenda ad ſalutem, the very foundation upon which ſalvation ſtandeth; Now true faith is not conſiſtent without theſe▪ I cannot reſt upon Chriſt, and Chriſt onelyonly for ſalvation, and yet not know that there is a Chriſt, nor what this Chriſt is, how proportionate a Saviour for me; without queſtion, the knowledge of the Doctrine of faith in Ieſus Chriſt the Son of God, and the Saviour of man, what he is, what he hath done, what need we have of him; what a fulneſſe there is in him; what a ſufficiencie of ſalvation for every ſoule that beleeveth, &c. is ſo much knowledge as is abſolutely neceſſary, and without which no ſoule can be ſaved; yet this muſt not be underſtood without ſome caution, as I ſhall ſhew you anon; for though it be truth, ſuch a blind ſoule may be enlightned ſo far, as truely to beleeve; yet if ſo, it will deny no truth, but labour and thirſt after the knowledge of every truth: A man may be a Grecian, and yet not know every word in the Greek tongue, no not every Radix: Beleevers ſhall not bee ſaved by their Book.
Secondly, A Beleever may be ignorant in many circumſtanciall points of Religion, and yet be a true Beleever; this is clear from many examples in Scripture. Peter himſelf did not know he might eat thoſe birds and beaſts,Acts 11. which to the Iewes were unclean. The beleeving Romanes did not know their liberty in point of holy-dayes,Rom. 14. and eating of meats firſt offered to Idolls,Gal. 4. which maketh the Apoſtle take a great deale of paines for ſetting Rules to ſtrong Chriſtians how to carry themſelves in relation to their weak brethren,Gal. 5. whoſe conſciences were ſtumbled at their eating; both in the 24. Chap. of his Epiſtle to the Romanes, and alſo in his Epiſtle to the Corinthians, he harps upon the ſame ſtring again. The Churches of Galatia and Coloſſe were ignorant about the point of Chriſtian liberty. The indulgent Maſter will not throw away the childs Exerciſe for want of a Comma: Chriſt rejects not the Chriſtians Faith becauſe it is not fringed with a knowledge in every circumſtantiall in Religion: I call no truth circumſtantiall (as by a ſlighting and neglective terme) for it is a beame of God; but as comparatively, though they be truths to be known, embraced, loved, practiſed, yet they touch not the vitals of ſalvation, as I may ſay: They are not neceſſary to be known [ad eſſe] to make a true beleever.
Thirdly, a Chriſtian may be ignorant in the Hiſtory of the Bible, and yet have true juſtifying faith. Every Scholler is not a Chronologer, nor an Hiſtorian, no more is every beleever; I may know what Chriſt was, though I know not what Moſes and Aaron were; I may know which way Chriſt took, to bring my ſoule out of darkneſſe into marvellous light, though I do not know which way Moſes took to bring the children of Iſrael out of Egypt; I may know there is but one King of Kings, though I do not know how many Kings there were of Iſrael and Iudah. The Diſciples did not know all the Prophets had ſpoken, Luk. 24. 25.
Fourthly, a Chriſtian may be a true beleever, and yet not know the meaning of many places in Scripture. God would never have appointed expounders of the Law, if every Chriſtian, qua Chriſtian, were to have been a generall Commentator. That Well is deep, and every one hath not a Bucket to draw. There are that tell us, that …e Spirit reveales the meaning of Scripture to the beleever, and would thence evince, that whoſo hath the Spirit, muſt needs bee fit to unty every knot, and unriddle every myſtery of Scripture; but every one that hath the Spirit, hath not the Spirit of propheſie: For thoſe Scriptures which it is neceſſary in point of ſalvation every beleever ſhould know, every beleever underſtands the nature of them: God hath made the water ſhallow, that the Lambs may wade; but for thoſe places through which the beleevers paſſages do not lie to Heaven, in which the Elephants may ſwim, God doth not require that every Lambe ſhould ſound thoſe depths.
Fifthly, A Chriſtian may be ſo farre ignorant in the fundamentalls, as that he cannot make them out, and yet be a true beleever; he may be ignorant in the particulars, by which the generals are demonſtrated; as for example, he may know that Chriſt dyed for him, and reſt upon the merits of his death for eternall life, and ſo truly beleeve, and yet not be able to make this out, by reaſon of his ignorance, how Chriſt being God, ſhould be capable of death; how the humane and divine Nature were conjoyned; hee may know that Chriſt ſatisfied by his active obedience for his actuall ſinne, and yet not perfectly underſtand how Chriſt being man ſhould be free from ſinne, being conceived by the Holy Ghoſt. The boyes Exerciſe may be true Latin, though he cannot pierce every word. The Diſciples were beleevers, yet were ignorant concerning the Reſurrection, yea, concerning Chriſts union with the Father,Luk. 24. 25. Ioh. 14. 4, 5, 6. The knowledge may bee cleare to them in the generall, though through their infirmity and ignorance they be not able to cleare it up in the ſeverall particulars.
Laſtly, They may bee ſo farre ignorant in the ſubſtantialls of Religion, as that they cannot diſpute them: The faculty of beleeving, and the art of diſputing are two things: I may know and beleeve that which I cannot maintaine upon diſpute: It is a knowne ſpeech of that female Martyr, I cannot diſpute, but I can dye for Chriſt; if ſhe had not beleeved, ſhe would not have dyed; ſhe could maintain her faith with her blood, which ſhee could not maintaine with her tongue: As every Scholler, ſo every beleever is not a diſputant: It is good Logick in Divinity, for the Chriſtian to hold the concluſion, though he knowes not what to ſay to the Sophiſters premiſes: But leſt now ſome ſhould thinke and ſay, that I have laid Heaven a little too wide open; I muſt limit what I have ſaid with two Cautions. To ſatisfie the poore doubting Chriſtian in point of ignorance, I have laid downe the truth in theſe Concluſions, and ſhewed you how farre it is poſſible that a man may bee ignorant, and yet a true Beleever; But,
Firſt, It muſt bee provided hee bee not content with this ignorance, but uſeth the meanes to increaſe knowledge, ſearcheth the Scripture, and heares the Word; that this ignorance proceeds meerly out of infirmity, not of wilfulneſſe; otherwiſe this knowledge will not bee ſufficient. It is given as the character of unbeleevers,2 Pet. 3. 5. 2 Pet. 3. That they were willingly ignorant; Wee have an High-Prieſt who can have compaſsion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way, for as much as hee alſo was compaſſed about with infirmity. Heb. 5. 2.But for the wilfully ignorant, the High-Prieſt was to offer no Sacrifice▪ Know therefore Chriſtian, that thou canſt have no comfort that thou beleeveſt though thou beeſt ignorant, unleſſe (appealing to thine owne heart) thou canſt ſay, I have done what I can to diſpell theſe miſts of ignorance, and learne the whole truth of God. Chriſt Jeſus will take the blind man by the hand,Mar. 8. 23, 24, 25. if he beſeecheth him to touch him, provided hee be willing to receive his ſight; And as hee did not caſt off the blinde man that at firſt ſaw men walking like Trees: So hee will not caſt off the Chriſtian that at his firſt illumination ſees divine truths like Trees, not clearely, diſtinctly, and fully; but as he dealt with that blinde man, hee left him not there, but hee put his hands againe upon him, and made him ſee every man clearly: So if thou belongeſt to Chriſt, hee will put his hands againe upon thee, and make thee ſee every portion of his divine truth more clearely; hee will make thy dawning twilight be growing up to a mid-day of knowledge.… Pet▪ 3. 18. Therefore Saint Peter layes it as his neceſſary injunction upon Beleevers, That they ſhould grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Ieſus Chriſt. That's the firſt Caution.
Secondly, this gnorance may bee conſiſtent with true Faith in thee, provided thou doſt not deny the truth that thou doſt not know; Thou mayeſt have faith, though thou doſt not know what the Trinity is, or how it is; but if thou denyeſt the Trinity, I make a queſtion of thy truth of faith, or poſſibility of ſalvation: Ignorance of ſome truths, is not damnable, but the denyall of every truth (when revea…ed) is damnable; want of a cleare knowldge is not damnable; but denyall of the truth becauſe thou canſt not clearely make it out, is damnable. Speak not evill of what thou knoweſt not, but wait untill, and pray that God would reveale it unto thee,1 Tim. 5. 8. 1 Tim. 5. 8. He hath denyed the Faith, and is worſe then an infidell. There was a great difference betwixt the Diſciples that had not yet learnt, and the Sadduces that denyed the Reſurrection; I never yet learnt or read, that any of the latter were beleevers; the Diſciple had not yet known the Father, nor yet the ſon well, Ioh. 14. 7, 8, 9.Io. 14 7, 8, 9. But the Apoſtle ſayes, He is Antichriſt that denyeth the Father and the Sonne. Ignorance of truth will be borne with, but denyall of truth ſhall not. Take heed of denying the truths thou doſt not know. Thus I have ſhewed you how true Faith may conſiſt with doubtings concerning the point of knowledge, which though it be not properly called an act of faith, yet it is ſuppoſed in the loweſt act; and to ſatisfie you, I have ſhewed you what ignorance may be conſiſtent with true Faith, and what not; and with what Cau…ions a Chriſtian may bee comforted concerning his faith, notwithſtanding his ignorance in ſome truths, and ſome things not unneceſſary to be known.