Sacred Therapy, Book 3 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Concerning such converts as lean unto the props of carnal confidence and please themselves in this condition.
OFt-times it comes to passe, that true converts, while they conceive that they trust in Christ only, are found to lean too much on their own worth and strength, and graces bestowed on them. In which condition, by so much as they are well pleased with themselves, they do in so far displease God, and do provoke him to jealousie, and they who are most overtaken with this sicknesse are most senslesse of it, and are most malcontent, that any man should suspect them, to be in an evil condition; yea, and they conceive, that no man is able to convince them of self-confidence, and here they lye over till God bring them to tryall, wherein their mistake is made clear unto them. Their tryall ordinarily cometh by some affliction, by some powerfull tentation, and by some degree of felt de…ertion: for, this sicknesse, as it is contracted by prosperity, So it is fostered, and hid by prosperity, till the prop of their carnal confidence be shaken by unexpected adversity. Of which purpose, that we may speak the more clearly, we shall point forth two sorts of this carnal confidence, and shall shew the difference of those two sorts, by the difference of these two pillars whereupon carnall confidence is upholden. The one is the common benefits, which God doth ordinarily bestow on good and bad, renewed and unrenewed persons. The other is, some observable measure of the operations and fruits of the holy Spirit.
As for confidence in the common benefits of God, sometimes true converts fall too much in love with earthly and temporal benefits, do seek too much after them, embrace them greedily when they obtain them, rejoice too much while they injoy them, fear too much to loss them, and mean time do not perceive the excesse of their affection about them; and if they be charged as in any measure guilty in this case, they will not acknowledge their fault, but go about to purge themselves of this sort of failing, saying, we know our duty, that if riches increase we should not set our heart thereon, that we should not love too much our own children, parents, parties, friends and comfortable relations, that we should not delight too much in prosperity nor glory in the common gifts and enduments of the mind, wherein ungoldy men may excell, and go far above us; that we should not affect too much the favour of men, or esteem too much of being honoured of men. They will also readily confesse, that they are not far from the danger of being drunk with prosperity, and falling into the sleep of carnal security, and leaning too much weight on this weak pillar of creature-confidence: But for time by-past they are ready to averr, they have been very cautious, lest they should fall in this fault, and for time to come, that they hope to watch against all snares of this sort, and so they think all is well; but when it doth please God in his wise dispensation to change their outward condition, and to turn their externall prosperity in adversity; when God takes away the comfortable benefits which he had bestowed on them, and brings upon them some sad calamity, incontinent they are in the dumps, and sit down astonished, they begin to call Gods love in question whereof they boasted before. Thus their faith discovereth its weaknesse, and the mixture of carnal confidence with their faith doth clearly appear, which before did lurk as drosse doth in the gold or silver before it be purified, which doth give the masse a greater bulk without greater worth or price. This infirmity and mistake the Psalmist did observe in himself, Psal. 30. 6, 7. In my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved; thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled. This infirmity of the convert, and his mistake, shall be yet more manifest, if we shall compare the confidence of the convert in the promises of God for food and rayment so long as God giveth riches, with their confidence when their means do fail and poverty cometh on. The promises of God remain the same in the having and wanting of riches, but there is a great ods between their confidence to be furnished when they have riches and their confidence when means do fail, which confidence now, is very feeble. Wherefrom doth this change come let us see? Certainly it cometh from the removing of the carnal props of their confidence: for when upon the failing of these props and pillars, faith in the promise doth stagger, it is a sure evidence, that they have leaned too much weight on the means, who mis-believe when the means do fail.
3. For curing of this sort of carnal confidence, and leaning too much on temporal benefits, let the convert thus mistaken, after his experience felt, that he hath been carnally confident, not be discouraged, as if his confidence, which he seemed to have placed on God, were altogether vain, and in no degree spiritual: but let him, first, be humbled before God, and submit himself to the Lords rod; let him acknowledge the wisdom, justice and mercy of God, who hath removed this prop of carnal confidence, and reduced him from going astray to depend more on God then he hath done. 2. Let him strengthen his faith in Christ, according to the renor of the covenant of Grace, and that so much the more as he finds his own unrighteousnesse, in following and relying on creature-comforts to have been great. 3. Let him set his affections upon things spiritual, which are above the earth, and to be found in Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of the Father, Col. 3. 1. 23. and to loose his estimation and affection from these things that are on earth. 4. Because this sicknesse is not well observed, except in the time of adversity, let the afflicted person approv… himself in the point of sincerity of adherence unto God, by his trusting in God now, when he wanteth means and creature-comforts, as Iob did, who in this condition blessed God for the giving of the benefits, and blessed God at the removing of them from him, Iob. 1. 21. For, by so doing, he shall learn both to have and want, and in every condition to be content, as the Apostle was taught, Phil, 4. 12. and this is for the first sort of carnal confidence.
The other sort of carnal confidence, is that which too much leaneth to some apparent measure of the operation and fruits of the holy Spirit, observed by the convert in himself: and this sicknesse may be taken up and perceived chiefly by comparison of the converts stronger confidence of the love of God toward him, so long as he can find evidenc… signes of his regeneration, and work of the holy Spirit … himself, with …is weaker confidence of the love of God toward him under the cloud of descrtion, or under some powerfull temptation, when these evident signes of his conversion are darkened, or do not appear so clearly unto himself as they did …. In which case, his confidence is greatly weakned, and his faith not a little shaken with doubting. In both the one and the other condition, the c…venant of Grace standeth fixed, and the promises of the Gospel remain the same, and the convert still adhereth to the covenant and claimeth interest in Christ, more or lesse confident. Whence cometh then this difference between his former confidence which was strong, and his weaker confidence now in the change of his case, being brought low? Certainly it proceedeth from the smiting of the pillar whereupon his former confidence was too much fixed: for, whensoever the mist is cleared up, and he findeth the livelynesse of the work of grace in himself, his confidence convalesceth, and returns to it's former strength, as it seemeth to him; and when his graces are darkened, he falleth in a languishing weaknesse of faith.
This sicknesse is so frequently incident to the Saints, that few shall be found who are not again and again overtaken in it: for, how few are they who are not much more confident when they find a heart freely poured forth in prayer, when they injoy the peace of God in their heart, when the love of God is shed abroad in their heart, when they find the consolations of the holy Spirit, when they observe the …ruits of the holy Spirit in themselves, when the candle of the Lord shineth in their soul, and the tokens of Gods savour toward them are manifest; and on the other hand, when they find their spiritual condition changed, when darknesse falleth on their spirit, when they find themselves unfit for worship and unable to do service, but most of all, when they perceive tokens of fatherly wrath against them super-added unto the foresaid evils; in this case, who is he, that beside the inevitable perturbation of mind incident to those who are strongest in faith, doth not find a diminution of his former confidence, and a conflict with temptations, fears, doubts and difficulties? which diminution and abating of his confidence in his tryals and inward exercises, doth evidently prove, that in his best condition he hath laid too much weight upon on the mutable disposition of his soul, and hath not so stucken to the Word of Gods grace through Jesus as became him.
2. That this sicknesse may be the more easily cleared and cured, it is expedient to answer some questions, which being discussed, may inform and edifie the afflicted.
Question 1.
THe first question which the afflicted may propound, is this, Seing the signes of Gods favour, manifested in the bestowing and continuing of common benefits and gifts outward and inward, do certainly serve to confirm a mans faith in God, is it not very reasonable to say, that the signes of Gods wrath, manifested in the removing of those benefits, do certainly serve to debilitat and weaken a mans faith?
Ans. 1. Signs of Gods favour, and signs of Gods wrath, are not inconsistent, because God can carry love and favour to a man, and be angry at him also for the present ill disposition wherein he is; for, love and fatherly wrath, are not opposit and inconsistent, but love and hatred are inconsistent. 2. Let it be granted, that any signes whatsoever of Gods favour, may be made use of by the convert for strengthening of his faith; yet it must not be granted, that the taking away of those signes of favour, should be made use of for weakening of a mans faith: For, many things may encourage a man to do his duty, which being removed, must not discourage him, or justly hinder him to do his duty. 3. There is a great difference between the man, who never found any other sign of Gods favour beside prosperity in common benefits, and the man who, beside common benefits, hath felt a work of grace upon his spirit, bringing him unto the sense of sin, and chasing him to Christ, and making him to take on his yoke. The first sort of men, can neither from the having nor wanting, or removal of common benefits, conclude eh is loved or hated, for so are we taught, Eccles. 9. 1, 2, No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before him, all things come alike to all, &c. But a man of this sort hath reason to judge, that the sending on him adversity, and wakening of him out of a fl…shly and deadly security, doth speak more of Gods favour to him, then his prosperity did. And this other sort of men, who have felt a work of special grace on their hearts, may make use both of their prosperity and adversity for confirmation of their faith. 4. Put case that a convert, chased unto Christ in the sense of his sin, and resolved to bear Christs yoke upon him, shall find common benefits taken back from him in fatherly wrath; yet must he not yield to the weakening of his faith, but rather yet more humble himself, in the sense of his sins which have stirred up wrath against him; and flye in to Christ, and lay hold more closely upon his grace because God, being offended, is not pacified nor pleased, save only by flying in t… Jesus Christ.
Quest. II.
Q. But what will you say unto them, whose confidence is weakened whether they will or not, whensoever they apprehend God angry against them, and especially when they feel that God, being provoked justly, removeth gifts and benefits comfortable from them?
Ans. It is not to be doubted, that the confidence of many true converts is shaken and weakened in this case: but the question is, what shall be said unto them? We answer, that they must acknowledge, that they have leaned too much upon these carnal props, the failing whereof maketh them to fall. 2. Let them be humbled yet more because of such sins as have provoked God to change his dispensation toward them, 3. Let them lean more upon the only rock of free grace in Jesus Christ offered in the Gospel, for the comfort and relief of all those, who, in the sense of sin and unworthinesse, in the sense of their ill deserving, and of any measure of apparent fatherly wrath, that hereafter, however it fair with them, they may rely upon Jesus Christ, who is the only foundation to build our selves upon, and whose grace is sufficient to help and uphold them, who have their recourse unto him in every condition, whether it be adversity or prosperity.
Quest. III.
Q. ALbeit common benefits are not sufficient evidences of Gods favour, yet new obedience of faith and fruits of the spirit, are sure signes of Gods special favour bestowed only on the Elect: Seing then, as these signes when they are present, serve much for the strengthening of faith, so also when they are amissing, have as great force of reason to debilitat faith, yea seing faith without fruits is dead, may it not be concluded where no fruits are, no faith is?
Ans. If the question be of the universal want of all fruits of faith, such as is to be found in all unrenewed men, whose fruit cannot be good so long as the tree is evil, whose seeming service cannot be acceptable, so long as they remain unreconciled to God through Christ, let the question be yielded unto. But we are speaking of the true convert, in whom there is a missing of the measure of formerly felt fruits, and that in the time present, wherein by some temptation or tryal, their faith is sifted and winnowed. And here indeed there is a vast difference between them that were never humbled in the sense of their sins, nor led for relief from sin and misery unto Jesus Christ, and the true convert, who hath renounced the works of darknesse, and hath fled unto Christ and consecrated himself to his service, and who is set upon a new course of life, hath brought forth new fruits of repentance, faith, love and hope, and hath felt consolation in this course; and now under exercise of conscience, looketh upon himself as barren ground, doth lament his impotency to bring forth good fruits, and while he is under this exercise, liveth in a sad condition, blamelesse and free of scandal-giving: great ods between this man, and a man yet in nature. We grant in the unrenewed man, who is a stranger to the life of grace and true godlinesse, the sentence holds, No fruits no faith; but as for the convert, who hath had comfort in Christ, and brought forth good fruits in some measure, he must not reason from his present dead condition, felt and lamented barrennesse, to the denying of true faith in Christ, or to the weakening of his saith, or marring his confidence further, then to acknowledge he hath leaned too much on his formerly felt fruits, and hath not grounded himself wholly on Christ, and the rock of free grace in him, but may and should maintain his faith in Christ against his discouragment, that he may be inabled to bring forth more ripe and aboundant fruits.
Quest. IV.
Q. BUt what shall be said to humbled converts, who looking to the holy Law of God, and finding no fruits, such as should be, do passe sentence in the time of tentation, upon all their works, as unworthy of the name of the fruits of the Spirit, and then do dispute against their own faith by the Apostles words, Iam. 2. 20. faith without works, is dead?
Ans. If the conscience do pronounce according to the truth as the mater is indeed, it cannot be denied but faith without works is dead; and God is greater then the conscience and knoweth all things: But when the conscience is misled by a tentation powerfully pressed in by Sathan, in the time of some sad affliction, and appearance of Gods displeasure, the testimony of the conscience is not a sufficient proof to infer so hard a conclusion: for, it cometh to passe oft-times, that the convert, who liveth blamelesly, and entertaineth the love and purpose of well-doing in his heart, followeth the exercises of religion constantly, is not negligent in his calling, and is ready upon occasion offered to let forth the fruits of love to his neighbour, for all this sometimes walketh in darknesse, and under desertion, seeth no light, as Isaiah, 50. 10. In this case it may be, he set all his works at nought, as no wayes answerable to the Lords Law. I see nothing (saith he) but sin in me, I see no fruit of true faith in me, I feel no operation of the holy Spirit in me, save the work of convincing me of sin and unrighteousnesse. In this case we must not give credit to the afflicted, but convince him rather of his error, and in special of his leaning too much weight on his works before this sad exercise fell upon him; for, when a convert maintaineth his faith in Christ, only so oft, and so long as he findeth in himself the fruits of new obedience, but when he hath new experience of the power of the body of death, and findeth the course of good behaviour, and bringing forth good fruits to be interrupted in himself, incontinent he resiles from his confidence, such a man certainly giveth evidence, that he hath relyed too much on his former felt righteousnesse an himself: for he doth as if he durst not for sin approach unto Christ, and so he falleth in Peters case, who looking on his own sinfulnesse and the brightnesse of Christs Godhead shining in a recent miracle, cryeth out, Luke, 5. 8. depart from me, O Lord, I am a sinfull man: for, Peter in this case did forget Christs mediatory office, and that he stood so much the more need of Christs drawing near to him, as he was a man convinced of sinfulnesse. Another answer we give to this question, the afflicted person must not think, that he wants altogether the fruits of faith, albeit he find them to be short of the perfection which the Law doth require, albeit he find not the fruits whensoever he would exact them, albeit he find them not in that measure as he hath found them before: For as trees are not to be esteemed dead, or barren, which bring forth fruits in due season, albeit they bear not fruit in winter, So faith is not to be esteemed dead, which, as occasion is offered, bringeth forth the fruit, at one time, of mercy, at another time, of justice and equity, at another time, the evidence of zeal, at another time, of love, and other vertues, albeit when occasion or opportunity offereth not, it doth not exercise such and such vertues: yea, albeit sometimes when occasion calleth for the evidencing of such and such gracious vertues, the convert be somtime found in-laking or short of doing duty, or guilty of doing contrary to duty, faith must not be counted dead for all that: Because it may come to passe, that faith may be so wounded, and fall sick and languish, and fall in a swound, that it cannot bring forth fruits till it be recovered of its sicknesse, as we may see in Ionah, David and Peter, whose faith fainted, but failed not altogether: It is true, they suspected they were cut off, and gone when they were in hard exercise, but after that they did look up to the mercy of God in Christ, draw near unto him, and did shew themselves alive in the Lord, and to be in the state of grace. Last of all we answer, that the regrate of the humbled soul of its barrennesse and short-coming of bringing forth fruits as it would, is no small evidence of life and sense in the inward man: And of such a disposition it may be said, as it is written, Cant. 2. 13. The figtree putteth forth its green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell: For he that is fled to Christ, and laments his barrennesse, is a lover of doing good works, and of bringing forth the fruits of the Gospel.
Quest. V.
Q. BUt how can a man maintain his faith in Christ, who after examination findeth no evidence at all of his conversion, and that all his former life hath been spent in the unfruitfull course of corrupt nature; and the mater is so indeed, he hath lived after the course of this world, a stranger to the life of God and grace?
Ans. Let such a mans examination and sentence of himself stand, being according to the truth: but this sentence of himself, must not hinder him from believing in Christ or from flying to him for refuge, for remission of sin, for reconciliation, and furniture of grace to bring forth better fruits then he hath brought forth before; he hath proven against himself, that in time bygone he hath no… been a regenerat man, hath not been a believer in Christ, but he hath not cut off himself from flying to Christ and believing in him for time to come: for, he must put di…ference between these two questions, whether I have been of the number of sincere believers in Christ heretofore? and whether I must now …lye to Christ for time to come, that I may be found herea…ter, and henceforth a true convert believing in Christ? His former want of good fruits altogether, doth prove him not to have been a believer in Christ for time by-past, which is the first question; and the same want of all good fruits heretofore, doth answer the other question for his present duty, and in time to come, to wit, that now except he will perish, he must flye to Christ and believe in him. In proving of this assertion, that I have heretofore for such a space of time been a true convert, I must bring forth the evidence of my faith by my works, as the Apostle Iames appointeth, shew me thy faith by thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. But in proving this other assertion, to wit, I must now flye to Christ while the offer is made to me of reconciliation, left I perish; it will suffice to produce, first, my want of good fruits, and next the commandment of the Gospel, charging me to flye to Christ for refuge in time, le…t I perish: And so a man must maintain the way of believing in Christ Jesus for time to come, whether he find he hath been a … or a barren branch in time by-gone, or not.
Quest. VI.
Q. SEing the Apostle (2 Pet. 1. 10.) commands us to make our calling and election sure by well-doing how can it be called carnal confidence which in part doth lean upon good works? For, seing assurance and certainty of our effectual calling is not attained unto, but by reasoning from our good works, that we are called effectually, and are elected, how do not our works support the assurance of faith concerning our calling and election, and so may be leaned unto?
Ans. A man may make use of his good works for confirmation of his faith, and yet not lean his confidence upon his works, but upon the grace of God, who hath called him of his free grace, and made him imbrace the offer of his free grace, and given unto him both to will and to do of his free grace, and made him to be Gods workman-ship, created of Gods free grace unto good works, wherein he hath made him to walk. Thus grace is by Gods word and working cleared up to the believer to rest upon, without laying too much weight upon the mans work: but if a man lay hold on Christ and his free grace, only then, when he observeth in himself such and such fruits of faith, and looseth or slacketh his grips of Christ when he feels deadnesse and indisposition to good works, justly we may call this a carnal confidence in his works: for when he ought, with Paul, Rom. 7. 24, 25. so much the more to flye in to Christ and his righteousnesse, as he findeth the body of death powerfull in him, and in-born sin strong to hinder his obedience, he doth contrary wayes abate of his confidence, languish and decay in his faith, and look like a departer from Christ, we must say, he putteth carnal confidence in his own works.
Quest. VII.
Q. BUt seing it is impossible to perswade me of the truth and sincerity of saving faith in me, except I do observe in me, and can bring forth my good works to prove the reality of faith in me; how is it possible that I should not lean weight on my good works, seing the proof of my faith is by my works, which proof if I have not, I am at a stand, I cannot prove my self to have been a true believer in Christ, I cannot perswade my self that I have been and am a true believer in Christ?
Ans. 1. The observation of the fruits of faith in me is not the only proof of my believing in Christ; for, the very act of imbracing the offer of reconciliation made to me in the Gospel, and flying unto Christ for a refuge, when I am chased by the Law, by the conscience, and felt wrath pursuing me for sin, may be clear to me by its own light and scriptural evidence, albeit (it being possibly the very instant of my conversion) I cannot produce any fruits or evidences of my conversion past; or else what shall be said of malefactors on the scaffold presently to be put to death, and possibly not wakened in conscience before, not fled to Christ before? What shall be said of sick persons near unto death, who being self-condemned, do betake themselves in their last agony unto the grace of God in Christ offered to self-condemned sinners in the Gospel? 2. I must put difference between a reason to prove that I have believed, and a reason why I may and must now believe. The reason to prove that I have believed, is from the effect to prove the cause thereof, to wit, faith to be in me: but the reason why I may now, and must believe, is from the cause to infer the effect that should be in me: the cause of believing in Christ, is Gods command to self-condemned sinners; which command I must now obey left I perish, and so if I find fruits, I prove I have believed, because I feel the love of God shed abroad in my heart, and that I love God who hath freely loved me; and here I reason from the effect, to prove that the cause of this fruit, to wit, sa…ing faith, hath preceeded and is gone before. Again I prove that I should believe, because the offer of the Gospel and of free grace in Christs, made to all self-condemned persons, renouncing confidence in their own worth or works, is made to me, with a command to believe in the Son of God, Christ Jesus; for which cause, I may and ought to cast my self upon his grace, who justifieth the ungodly, flying to him, without the works of the Law. 3. I must put difference between my having fruits of faith in me, and my observing and finding these fruits in me: for, a true convert may have both faith and fruits; and for the time, being under tryal and temptation, may be so darkened, that he can see nothing in himself but sin, and apparent wrath pursuing him for sin, as may be seen in Ionah in the belly of the fish, Ionah 2. 4. and, David, Ps. 51 9, 10. 4. I must put difference between my perswasion, that I have been and am a true convert and a sincere believer, and my perswasion, that I have right, reason and good warrand to believe in Christ in my lowest condition: howsoever then I find my self emptied of all signes of saving grace in me for the time, yet my perswasion, that I should in this sad condition flye to Christ and believe in him, doth serve to make me consent heartily unto the offer of the covenant of grace in Christ, doth serve to make way for my justification, and looseth all doubts and objections of Sathan tempting me to mis-believe, and to run away from Christ and the offered mercy in him. 5. And last of all, I must put difference between making use of good fruits brought forth by me, for confirmation of my faith, and my putting confidence in, or laying weight on, these good fruits: for, many true converts do here fail, and do not mark the mistakes; for when they find love to God and his Saints, with fear and holy reverence, and such other like signes of grace in their hearts, and outward fruits thereof in their life, then they do believe in Christ and rejoice in him: but when at another time, they find hardnesse of heart, profanity and perversenesse of a wicked nature in themselves, they are like to quite their interest in the covenant of Grace, and to stand aloof from Christ like strangers, when they should most be humbled and creep in to him for remission of sin, a…d hiding of their nakednesse by his imputed righteousnesse. And what is this in effect else, then in the first place to lean on their works and holy disposition, as if there were merit in them, and then after in the next place to believe in Christ who hath furnished them those fruits? whereas they should, in the sense of their sin and unworthinesse, first, flye to Christ, and firmly adhere to him by faith, that out of his fulnesse they may receive grace for grace, according as we are taught to do by Christ himself, Ioh. 15. 5. He that abideth in me, and l in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me, you can do nothing.