A Cordial for a Fainting Soul, Sermon 14
The Fourteenth SERMON.
LUKE 17. v. 5.
Lord, increaſe our faith.
YOu may remember my deſign is to direct you to ſuch meanes as may encreaſe your Faith. The firſt which I propounded, was, To remove ſuch ſcruples as hinder the progreſſe of our ſouls in the work of believing; the ſoule conceiting either that it ought not to believe, or elſe that it doth not believe: The latter ſort of which (as I have ſhewed you) ariſeth either from an ignorant miſtake of the nature and act and degrees of faith, or from a miſ-judging of the effects of faith: Where a miſtake of the nature and acts of faith is the cauſe; by way of ſatisfaction, I propounded to your conſideration theſe two things.
1. That there are divers acts of faith, every of which is not neceſſary to Juſtification.
2. That faith is of ſo good a nature, that it will conſiſt in the ſoule with many doubtings and weakneſſes.
I have ſhewed you how true faith will and may conſiſt with many doubtings, and with what weakneſſes it may conſiſt in reſpect of knowledge, aſſent, reliance, and aſſurance; to ſumme up this buſineſſe fully, I have only by way of concluſion to diſcover to you in what the doubtings which may be in Gods deareſt Saints, differ from the doubtings of unbelievers and reprobates. This is my work at this time. Alas! (ſaith a poore ſoule) but I am afraid that my doubting is not ſuch a doubting as is incident to the Saints of God, but ſuch as Devils and reprobates have; doubting of deſpaire, not oppoſite only but contradictory to faith &c. How ſhall I know whither my doubts bee ſuch as may conſist with faith in a gracious ſoule yea or no &c?
CHAP. XIV.
How to know whither our doubtings be ſuch as may conſiſt with true faith in a gracious ſoule.
IN regard of this, it will bee neceſſary that I ſhould difference doubts, and ſhew you wherein the Chriſtian may be comforted, being aſſured his doubts are not ſuch as are inconſiſtent with true faith; for thy comfort therefore, know that there is a vaſte difference betwixt the doubts of Gods people and the doubts of reprobates, apparent in theſe five particulars.
Firſt, they differ in their ground and principle from which they ariſe. The principle from which the doubts ariſe, which are in the Saints of God, is infirmity, Rom. 4. 19. 20. The Apoſtle ſayes, Abraham ſtaggered not at the Promiſe of God through unbeliefe, but was ſtrong in faith, giving glory to God. He doubted not through infidelity, (ſaith Mr Ball) but he doubted of infirmity, when he took Hagar to his bed, for the raiſing of him a ſeed, Gen. 16. v. 2. 3. and God (Gen. 15. v. 4.) had directly promiſed him an Heire; yea, ſo many children, that the Starres of heaven ſhould be a leſſer number; yea, did he not doubt Gen. 17. 17. when the Lord had promiſed him a ſonne? hee laughed and ſaid in his heart, ſhall a child be born to him that is an hundred years old? and ſhall Sarah that is ninty yeares old beare? I know St Auſtine ſayes, Abrahams laughing was riſus exultantis, non deriſio diffidentis, the laughing of one that rejoyced, and not the ſcorning of one that diſtruſted; but (with all due reverence to that learned and pious man) I doe not think that he hath fully ſolved the knot. I doe not think it was a mocking of diſtruſt, nor yet that it was a bare laughter of rejoycing. I humbly conceive there was an exulting, but yet mixt with a little doubting or diſputing; he rejoyced conſidering the faithfulneſſe of the word, but yet his ſence (through infirmity) quarrelled with his faith about it. In the joy of his heart, he ſaid as Mary upon the like tidings, Luk. 1. v, 38. Behold the ſervant of the Lord, let it bee now unto me according to thy word; and yet through infirmity, he ſaid, How can theſe things be? and therefore in the very next words, v. 18. he ſayes unto God, O that Iſhmael might live before thee: which words, as they plainely expreſſe Abrahams good will, and wiſhing to Iſhmael; yet (under correction to better judgements) I conceive alſo from a comparing of the words before and immediatly after, that they intimate a kinde of doubting of Gods fulfilling his word: As if Abraham ſhould have ſaid, Lord! I am overjoyed, and know not how to believe this glorious word; I truſt God will be as good as his word, but yet (to make ſure) Oh that Iſhmael might live before thee! This (I conceive) wee may ſee is intimated partly by comparing the words with the former; God had juſt then promiſed him a Sonne by Sarah, verſ. 16. and upon it he uttereth this ſpeech; ſecondly, by comparing the words with thoſe that immediatly follow, as Gods reply upon that deſire of Abraham, v. 18. And God ſaid, Sarah thy wife ſhall beare thee a ſonne indeed, and thou ſhalt call his name Iſaac; As if God ſhould have ſaid, Art thou diſputing Abraham? Indeed, my words ſhall come to paſſe, I am not in jeſt with thee; nay more (to confirme thee) thou ſhalt call his name Iſaac. God addeth two things in his reply to confirm Abrahams faith. 1. The word indeed, 2. He particularizeth his Sonne by name, which he ſhould have. So that it is plain he doubted, yet (ſaith the Apoſtle) he ſtaggered not through unbeliefe: unbelief was not the predominant principle, for he did believe it; but infirmity was the principle from whence his doubting flowed. Let us a little conſider the words of the Apoſtle,foreign, &c. and they will fully open this particular, Rom. 4. 20. He ſtaggered not at the promiſe of God through unbeliefe, but was ſtrong in faith giving glory to God.
1. He ſtaggered not at the promiſe, did not quarrell at the truth of Gods word, that he believed was true and faithfull; his doubt was from himſelf; he was a hundred years old, and his wife ninty; indeed, it is ſaid, v. 19. That he did not conſider his own body now dead. I conceive it is to be underſtood in fine, he did not ſo conſider it as to let it conquer his faith in the promiſe.
2. He ſtaggered not at the promiſe through unbeliefe: That was not the principle, a totall unbeliefe; it was weakneſſe for the preſent, not unbeliefe.
Thirdly it was not ſuch a donbting, but hee gave glory to God, in reſting upon his word as a true and faithfull word, and waiting upon him for the accompliſhment. Poſſibly there may be ſome thing in that diſtinction which ſome of the Schoole-men make betwixt diſceptatio and dubitatio to our purpoſe; Abraham did a little too much diſpute with his ſenſe upon this, and ſaid to his fleſh a little too loud, How can theſe things be? otherwiſe he would never have gone in unto Hagar his maid: his ſenſe of weakeneſſe ſaid, what ſhall I thinke? ſhall this come to paſſe? it is out of the courſe of nature: but he did not doubt of unbelief. I conceive doubting doth argue a more ſettledneſſe of thought in the negative, then a meer diſputing doth; when a man is almoſt confident of a thing, yet hath ſome ſcruples againſt it. I might further add, that the word in the verſe tranſlated unbeliefe, is by Criticks noted, to ſignifie rather a perfidiouſneſſe and rebelling againſt, and falling away from God, then a bare not believing of his promiſes fully for the preſent; and therefore the Schole-men make a great diſtinction betwixt incredulity and infidelity. Abraham was for the preſent incredulus, but not infidelis: he did not doubt with ſuch a doubting as is the doubting of an Infidell, that beleeved not the word of God, but was for the preſent incredulous in reſpect of his …nfirmity; now on the contrary, the Reprobates doubting proceedes meerely from a root of unbeliefe, he beleeves not that the God that hath promiſed is faithfull and juſt to performe, but ſecretly denieth God in his heart, and doth not indeed ſo much diſceptare or dubitare, as apertè negare, not ſo much diſpute or doubt, as openly and plainly deny Gods truth in his word. Now examine thy doubtings by this marke▪ from whence are they? do they ariſe from unbeleef, or from infirmity? as for example, ſuppoſe that promiſe, Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will eaſe you; concerning this thou doubteſt now, whether this promiſe belongs to thy ſoule, or may be applied by thy particular ſoule yea or no, and thou thinkeſt he that doubts this is damned. But peace (Chriſtian;) whence ſprings this thinkeſt thou? The promiſe is this in ſubſtance, that Christ will eaſe thoſe weary and heavy-laden ſoules that come unto him; doeſt thou not now beleeve this? yes; but thou doeſt not beleeve the promiſe doth belong to thee: and why? Oh! thou art not weary and heavy-laden: thou art not in this [foreign] one that doubts about the Promiſe of God, but one that diſputes his owne baſeneſſe: and in regard of that doeſt not ſo fully beleeve. Thou wilt ſay, Ah! I know that that word is a word of truth, whoſe matter is truth, and whoſe Author is truth, but I doubt whether the truth of that word doth belong to me: and this is the truth of thy heart, which doth not doubt of the truth of the promiſe to thoſe to whom it doth belong, but of thy intereſt in it. I ſay this doubting may be in the deareſt Saint of God; the unbeleever he doubts the truth of the promiſe, he will not plainly ſay ſo with his mouth, but in his heart he altogether denies God, and denies his word. So that thou …eeſt here is a great difference betwixt the one and the other, in reſpect of the Principle from which the doubtings of each ſpring.
Secondly, there is a great difference betwixt their doubtings, in reſpect of the occaſion upon which they ſpring in eithers ſoule. The occaſion in the Saints of God, may be various.
1. Sathans temptations. Sathan is alwayes deſiring to winnow us like wheate: if …e hath the fanning of us, it is no wonder if our hearts be ſhaken with doubting; hence often what the child of God hath firmely and ſted faſtly believed a great while, al upon the ſuddain he doubts: ſuch a ſudden doubting now contrary directly to the former temper of our mind, is moſt like to be a temptation of Sathan, when it is I ſay ſudden and contrary to a firme Faith precedent and ſubſequent.
2. When thou doubtest only in reſpect of thy ſelfe, that Sathan cannot prevaile with thee, ſo much as to have a diſhonourable thought of God, or Ieſus Chriſt, or the promiſes of the Goſpel. Sometimes the occaſion of thy doubtings is thy preſent ſenſe of thy unworthineſſe: either thou haſt been a great ſinner, or ſince repentance thou haſt been a backſlider, or thou findeſt a continued dulnes and deadneſſe and indiſpoſition of ſpirit. Sometimes again the occaſion of thy doubting may be a divine deſertion: God hath left thee in the dark, and now thou crieſt where is my God become? ſometimes the occaſion again of thy doubting may bee a totall abſence of ſence, when God takes away ſenſe altogether, and oppreſſeth thee with a preſent danger. This was Peters caſe Matth. 14. 28. he was ſinking, overwhelmed with a preſent danger. Theſe are now the occaſions with many more ſuch like, which make the child of God doubt; and take him at another time, when Sathan doth not batter him, when the ſenſe of his unworthyneſſe doth not terrifie him, when God hath not withdrawn himſelfe from his ſoule, when hee is not oppreſt with a floud of danger ſuddenly overwhelming him, the man doubteth not at all. But now the reprobates doubts are occaſioned by deſpairing thoughts; God ſayes to him as Ier. 2. 25. Withhold thy foot from being unſhod, and thy threat from thirſt; but thou ſaidſt there is no hope; the caſe is deſperate with me; and there is good reaſon for his deſpairing: for at that ſame time that he ſayes There is no hope, he alſo ſayes, no: For I have loved strangers, and after them will I go; I have loved my ſinnes, and lived in them, yea, and I will love and live in them; and for ſuch wretches they truly ſay There is no hope. Here's a great difference betwixt the Beleever and the Reprobate in doubting; the Reprobates hope is cut off from before the Lord, their hope is as the giving up of the ghoſt, as Iob ſpeakes Iob 11. v. 20. Now the Saint of God though hee doubts, yet hee doubts not without abundance of hope: hee hath a ſtrong and lively hope for that concerning which he doubteth. The Lord ſayes to the wicked, Returne you now every one from his evill way and make your wayes and your doings good (the bleſſing upon it is not expreſt:) And they, There is no hope, and what then? Wee will walke after our owne devices, and we will every one do after the imagination of his evill heart. Now the Beleever although he be ready to dye with doubting, yet he hopes Pro. 14. 32. The righteous hath hope in his death; So that the occaſion of the wicked wretches doubting, is either an atheiſticall ignorance, or a plain deſpair of mercy. They ſay there is no hope; and hence it is that terrors make the wretches afraid; and this is eaſily ſeen: for if deſpaire be their principle or occaſion, they will reſolve to damne themſelves to purpoſe, and ſay with the Iewes Wee will walk after our own wayes &c. ſeeing there is no hope as we conceive that God will doe us good, we will reſolve to do him as much miſchiefe as we can; this is the ſecond note. Now Chriſtian examine thy doubtings by it: doeſt thou think there is no hope, and therefore doubteſt whether the promiſe belongs to thee or no? or hath Sathan been buſie with thy ſoule by his temptations? or hath God withdrawn his comfortable preſence a little? or art thou under the ſenſe of a preſent ſad danger? and have theſe occaſioned thy preſent doubting? Thus the beſt Saints of God may doubt.
Thirdly, thou mayeſt diſtinguiſh thy doubting by the object about which thou doubtest; examine the object of thy doubting.
1. Something in God is ordinarily the object of the wickeds doubt, but the object of the Beleevers doubting is ordinarily ſomething in himſelfe, ſomething below the Creator. The Beleever hath ordinarily high thoughts of God and Jeſus Chriſt: his low baſe thoughts are of himſelf▪ he lookes upon God as a God mighty in his power of mercy, free of his loving heart to poor creatures: but he ſayes, Lord I am unworthy that thou ſhouldſt come under my roofe, therefore I doubt whether thou wilt or no; will the Lord, pardon one that hath refuſed pardon, denyed him, ſlidden back from him? the Beleever ſayes not, God cannot ſave me, nor yet God will not ſave me, but I will not bee ſaved. Ah! Sir, it is my baſe heart is my damnation, I cannot goe to Ieſus Christ. Ah! I cannot beleeve, therefore I am full of doubts: hee doubts of his own goodneſſe, not of Gods, he hath all this while high admiring thoughts of the free grace of a ſinne-pardoning Saviour. Now the wicked wretch he ſayes God is not mercifull enough; God doth but juggle with ſinners, his Goſpell cals all ſinners, his election book ſayes he will call but ſome: I doubt whether I be one of thoſe that am called but not choſen; thus the wretch layes all the fault upon God, Chriſt never dyed for me &c. God will never ſave me &c. ſtill the the wretch makes the mole in Gods eye, and forgets the beame which is in his owne eye; the power of God, the free will and grace of God, upon theſe is all the blame laid, and concerning theſe he doubts. The reaſon of this difference is very plaine.
Firſt, becauſe it is naturall to every carnall wretch to exalt himſelfe, no fault muſt be in themſelves: no, they pray, they faſt, they are good Churchmen, they read, &c. they beleeve as well as any in the Country where they live, they tythe mint and anniſe; now therefore if God will not ſave them, it is not becauſe of their blindneſſe and ſin, for are they blinde? like the Papiſt, if he miſſeth Heaven, it ſhall not be becauſe he doth not merrit it, but meerely becauſe God will not giuegive it him; like thoſe Matth. 7. 24. Lord, wee have prayed in thy name, and we have propheſied in thy name, and in thy name we have caſt out Devills, therefore open to us. Naturall unbeleeving wretches build Caſtle… in the ayre, have high opinions of their owne doings, they never doubt their owne worthineſſe, but Gods willingneſſe. It is not a doubting of humility▪ Lord, who am I &c. Lord, I am not worthy that thou ſhouldſt come under my roofe; but it is a doubting of Gods willingneſſe.
Secondly, It is not a doubting of Gods willingneſſe, bottomed upon a deep and horrid ſenſe of their own unworthineſſe, but a doubt of Gods willingneſſe, yet ſuppoſing their owne worthineſſe. The beſt child of God may ſometimes have ſo low apprehenſions of himſelfe, and his own vileneſſe and unworthineſſe, that he may ſeeme a little to doubt of Gods willingneſſe, or at leaſt diſpute: he may (diſceptare, if not dubitare) ſay, will God be mercifull to ſuch a wretch as I am? though hee hath a good meaſure of confidence and perſwaſion in the interim that he will, not underſtanding that even in this there is a ſecret diſhonouring of God, and ſlandering of the Charter of free grace.
Secondly, now on the contrary, the childe of God makes ſomething in himſelfe the object of his doubting, in regard of the exceeding low thoughts of himſelfe, and preſent underſtanding of infinite love; he looks upon himſelfe all filthy and polluted, a monſter of ſinning, a …it object for wrath; upon all his righteouſneſſe as a menſtruous cloth and a filthyrag, and cries out, what is thy ſervant? a dead dog, that my Lord ſhould make this promiſe to me; no, ſurely it is to ſome elſe that is not of ſo unclean an heart, that hath not ſo baſe an heart as I have; though yet I ſay here is a miſunderſtanding of infinite love: for Chriſt came not to call the Righteous, but …inners to repentance; hee that comes as a buyer of free grace, muſt carry his money where it is to be ſold; here it is to be had, but not to be ſold: Chriſt hath a Granary of free grace, but all money ſhall be returned againe in the ſacks mouth: it ſhall never be ſaid that the deſerts of a creature made the King of free grace rich. Thus thou mayeſt by a third marke, difference the doubts of thy beleeving ſoule from the doubts of carnall unbeleeving wretches.
Fourthly, Thou mayeſt difference them in their duration and continuance. It is truth, the beſt Saints of God ſometimes doubt, but they do not alwayes doubt: they have theiitwilights, but they have their noondayes too. Hence you ſhall often heare the children of God complain of the inconſtancy of their ſpirits; at ſometimes their ſpirits are as cleare as fountaine-water, not ſoiled with the leaſt mud of doubting: ſometimes again there is nothing of clearneſſe ſcarce in them: ſometimes not a cloud in their ſoules: ſometimes they are full of clouds; and as it is ordinarily with the clouds of heaven, one paſſeth and another commeth, none returneth, but paſſeth and vaniſheth; ſo it is ordinarily with the poor ſoule that with its true Faith hath a mixture of doubting. Give me leave to commend unto you four or five Notes, which in my little experience I have obſerved concerning the doubts of beleeving ſoules.
Firſt, ordinarily, they are moſt in the morning, In the beginning of their converſion; it is a country obſervation that the greateſt darkeneſſe is juſt about break of the day; the greateſt doubt of a Chriſtian is juſt about the breaking out of the day of grace in their hearts, when the Son of righteouſneſſe is comming forth gloriouſly, darkneſſe is his uſher; it is an ordinary note. It is Gregories note in his comment on the 33. chap. of Iob, … quidem quiſque &c. every Chriſtian (ſaith he) in the beginning of his converſion hath abundance of ſweet conſolation, but preſently ſuffers hard labour &c. It is then the Devill one while perſwades his ſins are not ſo great to need ſo much repentance, and by and by againe that they are too great to be pardoned; one while he would oile them up to preſume, another while hurle them downe to deſpaire; one while they doubt whether they bee elected or no, another while whether they bee ſufficiently humbled or no: then they feare their ſinnes are too great to bee pardoned: anon they think they have ſinned the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt &c. experience makes this good; and beſides the Devill knowes that yet a little while and they will be too ſtrong for him &c.
Secondly, It is poſsible that when their day is come they may have ſome clouds too: You know that the faireſt day may have a cloud, and an Ecclipſe may cauſe a darkneſſe at brighteſt noone. So the children of God after they have got beyond their rugged way, and be paſt the threſhold, may be thickned through the remaining vapours of corruption in the heart of the Chriſtian; it may bee ecclipſed, through the withdrawing of the favour of God from it, by the interpoſition of the Devill; this is poſſible. The experience of David, and Peter and all the Saints of God in this life proves it; who lives the life of grace and doubts not?
But thirdly, Thoſe in the Chriſtians day, are weaker and fewer then thoſe of his morning, ordinarily.
1. The darkneſſe occaſioned by a tranſient cloud, or by an ecclipſe, is ſeldome ſo much as that which is at the day-breaking; when the Chriſtian hath got over his firſt feares and ſorrowes. I dare not acquit him for ever. No, no, the dayes will not come (before eternity be our portion) when all teares ſhall bee wiped from the Saints eyes, and they ſhall not hunger nor thirſt any more. But this I dare ſay, they ſhall never meet with ſo many clouds interrupting their light againe; their worſt and hardeſt work is over, although all their work bee not over; they ſhall never have ſo many thornes in their fleſh, though they may have a pricking of thornes afterward.
2. No nor ſhall they be ſo ſtrong: The reaſon of this is plaine, The weakneſſe of grace is the ſtrength of doubting, and the ſtrength of corruption is the ſinewes of doubting; now the Chriſtian hath got more ſtrength of grace, and corruption hath been overcome in many a battell, and though the child of God hath not cleane rooted it out, yet hee hath routed it in many a ſet battell, weakned the ſtrength of it; therefore it is, that though the Saint meets with feares and doubts, and they thruſt out their ſtrength againſt him, yet he hath not ſo hard work. For
1. He is grown in knowledge: Ignorance was a great cauſe.
2. He is grown in grace: Want of faith was a great cauſe.
3. He is grown in experience: He begins to know the wiles and ſtratagems of the Devill now; thence it is that thou ſhall ſeldome ſee a Chriſtian ſo long tugging under a doubt or temptation, when once his firſt hard work is over, as he was with ſome of his firſt doubts.
A fourth note that I have obſerved concerning believers doubts, is this, Thoſe that once paſſe, ſeldome returne. If a Chriſtian hath once doubted his faith upon a conceit he is not enough humbled, or that he is not elected, or that he hath ſinned the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt &c. Let him (I ſay) but once have got over, and you ſhall ſeldome ſee him ſtumble upon the ſame ſtone; poſſibly, till the wound be fully cured, there may bee breakings out againe. It may be afterwards he may doubt his condition; but if he doth, it ſhall be upon another ſcore, ſomething elſe that he hath found out to quarrell with his own ſoule upon: His enemies are like the Egyptians, thoſe doubts his enemies, which he ſees this day, hee ſhall ſee no more from hence forth even for ever: or if they ſee them afarre off, they ſhall flee at firſt ſight, they ſhall ſee them as conquered captives, that their ſight is but as a Generals over-looking the field, when he hath ſlaine the Enemy; he will tell you Sathans objections, but he will ſhew you the bullet that kild him; hee cryes out, O doubts where are your ſtings? O hell! where is your Victory? Thus they are like the clouds of the heaven, which paſſe and vaniſh and return not again, but like priſoners in fetters to doe homage to their Conquerour.
Fifthly, This I have obſerved, That believers have no doubts but they conquer at laſt: Doubts are but pieces of corruption guilded a little; the doubt is chaffie, though it be ten to one but there is a kernell of wheat in the eare darkned from our eye by the intervening of the chaffe. Now God never conquered a Saints heart, to let any fierce corruption (though the moſt fair-lookt limb of hell) rule over it. God gives doubts leave to try their skill, but upon this condition, that they ſhall be content to be trodden under foot: God hath ſaid to Sathan after much intreaty, Behold, all his comfort and peace and quiet, (and yet that but for a moment, a little moment neither) is in thy power; only upon himſelf [his life and being] thou ſhalt not put forth thy hand. Thou ſhalt (ſaith God) if thou wilt, be a combatant, but he ſhall be the conquerour. There is ſcarce a child of God but hath his heart full of enſigns, conquered colours of his enemy hanging up there. Now Chriſtians, by this you ſhall know whither your doubts bee ſuch as are conſiſtent with ſaving faith in your ſoules: have not you gotten the day over ſome of your doubts, concerning which you can ſay, The God of peace hath already trodden Sathan under your feet? and doe …ot you fight againſt your preſent doubts, with great hopes that ſhortly you ſhall tread upon the necks of theſe too? have you not found that Sathan hath put his ſtrongeſt cavalry in the front, and moſt aſſaulted you in the morning of your converſion unto God? have not you found that thoſe doubts which you have ſince met with are fewer and weaker then thoſe of the firſt ſort? doth not Sathan begin to draw his bow as if hee wanted ſtrength, and his arm were now grown feeble, and he began to quit the field? hath he not done his worſt think you? have not you found that the clouds that have paſt are vaniſhed? doe you finde your conquered enemies revive? or are they not rather ſlain before you? their not returning as it proceeds from Sathans policy, that will not rally his beaten forces againe for feare of a ſecond rout, ſo it alſo proceeds from the encreaſe of knowledge and grace in your ſoules. Theſe are notes that may aſſure you your doubtings are not the doubtings of carnall deſpairing wretches; their doubts return ſtill, they are at the ſame ſtumble, God will not ſave us, he cannot ſave us. Let us doe what we will, yet ſay they, there is no hope. But I haſten to a concluſion.
Fifthly and laſtly, therefore, you may difference your doubtings from the doubtings of unbelieving wretches by the effects: Let us ſee a little what the effects of doubtings are, both in unbelieving wretches, and alſo in the ſervants of God.
Queſt. What are the Effects of thoſe doubtings which are in unbelieving wretches?
Anſw. A going away from God; they ſay, It is in vain to ſerve Lord, in vaine to pray more or heare more, in vaine to wait upon God. This evill is of the Lord (ſaid that wretch,) Why ſhould I wait for him any longer? So theſe ſay, our damnation is of the Lord, why ſhould we pray to him any longer? Why ſhould we mourn any more? There is no hope: No, Come! let us eat and drink, for to morrow we ſhall dye. Mark this, in that 18th of Ier. 11. 12. And they ſaid there is no hope: What then? Wee will walk after our own deviſes, and we will every one doe the imagination of his own heart: Here's the effect, that the doubting of unbelievers works in their hearts; a wilfull, deſperate departing from God, and reſolving to walk contrary unto him. But now, on the other ſide:
Quest. What Effects doth doubting, work in the the hearts of believers?
Anſ. I conceive that the doubtings of the Saints of God produce theſe foure or five contrary Effects in the hearts of them that feare God.
Firſt, A complaining unto God: The believer runs to God and ſayes, Ah Lord! I know not what to do? but my eyes are towards thee: Ah Lord! I know not what to anſwer: Lord! doe thou anſwer for me: I have a baſe heart, cloudy; Lord cleare it! yea, and he complaines of himſelfe, he ſayes with Iob, Iob 10. v. 1. I will leave my complaint upon my ſelfe. The unbelieving wretch, he complaines indeed, but he leaves his complaints upon God.
A ſecond Effect that the believers doubts work in his heart, is, a begging mercy of God: Lord help (ſaith he) my eyes are to thee: Lord, ſatisfie my poore doubting ſoule; Thus did Iob, and David conſtantly. The unbeliever never carries the burthen of his ſpirit to Jeſus Chriſt that he might have eaſe: The believer never keeps his burthen upon his own ſhoulders till it break his back: The unbeliever ſayes, there is no hope; his dead heart hath no principle of life in it in the world to carry it out to God, but he ſincks like lead in the mighty waters.
A third Effect that the believers doubts work in his heart, is, a ſtriving and ſtruggling againſt them: He ſtrives thus to make his calling and election ſure, he looks out for ſtrength, ſearches the Word of God to ſatisfie him in his ſcruples, enform him in his miſtakes, to deliver him from his feares, and comfort him in his ſadneſſes and dejections of ſpirit, he enquires at the mouth of Gods Miniſters, he goes about the City and ſtreets and broad places, enquiring, ſaw yee him whom my ſoule loveth? If hee meeteth with the watch-men, hee enquires of them, Cant. 3. 4. He doth not look upon it as his duty to ſit ſtill as dead. On the contrary, the other ſtrives not; he ſayes, There is no help: To what purpoſe is ſtriving then?
A fourth Effect that the doubts of the believer produce, is, a waiting for God; his ſight is cloudy, yet hee waits; I will ſtay ſaith he, and ſee if God will not ſatisfie my ſoule in this difficulty: The other ſayes, as he, 2 King. 6. 33. This evill is of the Lord, why ſhould I wait for him any longer? The Saint ſayes: Yes, Iſ. 8. 17. I will wait upon him that hides his face from the houſe of Iacob. I will wait upon him that yet covereth me with a cloud, and makes darkneſſe to be round about me; hee ſtands at Gods doore yet, crying, craving, waiting, till the Lord comes into his ſoule.
A fifth Effect (which ſhall be the laſt I will name) which doubting produceth in the believing ſoule, is, a walking with God: What ſayes the doubting believer, Well, though I doe not know whither I am enough humbled, yet I am weary, I will goe to Chriſt for eaſe; though I doe not know whither I be choſen of God or no, yet I will chuſe God to be my God. I will not depart from him though he kills me, I will walk as neare as I can, according to the rule of his word; though I be full of feares, I will not ſtart from his precepts; though thou killeſt me, yet I will truſt in thee. The wicked doth contrary, as you heard before, from Ier. 18. 11, 18.
And now Chriſtians, try your ſelves by this note; what effects doe your doubtings work in your hearts? You doubt ſometimes (poſſibly) whither you belong to God or no; doe you then reſolve to make ſure of it by a wilfull departure from God, and a rebellion againſt God? or doe you at this time complaine to God, cry unto him, to lift up the light of his countenance upon you, ſtrive againſt your doubts, wait for Gods Revelations of his love? and at this inſtant in the midſt of all your ſad doubts, walk cloſely with God according to the rule of his word? Canſt thou ſay, Though I have been afflicted very much, yet have I not departed from thy judgments: Bee of good comfort (Chriſtian) God ſhall wipe theſe teares from thy eyes. And the God of Peace ſhall bruiſe Sathan under your feet ſhortly, Rom. 16. 20.
And now I have done with ſuch doubts and ſcruples as may ariſe in gracious ſoules, concerning the nature and acts and degrees of Juſtifying Faith.
To God only wiſe be glory through Ieſus Chriſt for ever, Amen, Rom. 16. 27.
FINIS.
READER, The Author deſires the charity of thy heart for the whole, and of thy Pen for the mending theſe following Errata's of the Preſſe.
IN the Epiſtle to the Reader, read he doth not ſay ſalibus &c. page 1. read when the Ruler feared, p. 56. for promiſe read premiſe, p. 62. for recreated, read revealed, p. 68. for Thou ſaith, read Thou ſayeſt, mend the ſame …ault, p. 69. p. 138. for redence read credence, p. 142. for this is thy tempter, read this is temper, p. 189 for as ſay they read alas! ſay they, p. 196. read the promiſes have ſuch an influence, in ſtead of have made ſuch, p. 206. for tracing me, read tearing me, p. 218. for God comes in with ſighes, read God comes in with ſignes, p. 235. for thou ſayeſt, read thou ſeeſt, p. 254. for and they, read and they ſay, p. 258. for Son read Sun. ibid. for perſwades his ſins, read perſwades him his ſins▪
If there be any more, they are ſuch literall miſtakes as thine eye will eaſily correct.