Sacred Therapy, Book 2 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
Wherein the converts doubting of his being in the state of grace, so oft as he doth not feel the sense of his reconciliation with God, is examined and answered.
SO…e true converts are, who indeed are indued with the saving graces of faith, hope and charity, and give evident proof of the in-dwelling of the holy Spirit in them, and do rejoyce now and then in God their Saviour, when his love to them is shed abroad in their heart, but when a cloud cometh over their eyes, and they do not feel the warm beams of the Sun of righteousnesse shining in their soul as they before have felt, they are assaulted with doubting if any saving grace be in them at all, and do entertain these tentations ofttimes, so far as to suspect and expresse in words, that there is no solid faith in themselves, no lively hope, no christian charity, no mortification of sin, no purity of heart, and such like; if when they are thus tempted and tossed they lay hold on Christ, as in their first conversion, and find the sensible comfort of the holy Spirit by the word of the Gospel applyed unto them, then all is well, their doubting is overcome for the time, they rejoyce and praise God: But if the Lord shall delay, for his own wise ends, to renew their sensible consolations, and to renew the earnest-penny of their inheritance, forthwith they begin to doubt again, and to hearken to Sathans suggestions, and to suspect that their former feelings were but temporary, and not the special operations of the holy Spirit, and at length break forth in many sad complaints. And, in a word, they do not maintain the work of saving grace in themselves longer then the sun shine of spiritual felt consolations abideth with them. And albeit their exercise be no wayes so hard as was the Prophets, Psal. 77. yet they fall out in the same complaint which the Prophet expresseth, ver. 7, 8, 9. Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies.
2. For clearing of this case, two diseases may be perceived in the afflicted which is here described. The one is this, the afflicted setteth himself to live rather by sense then by faith, and doth put his faith on work of set purpose that he may obtain or recover consolation shortly; but if his desire be not shortly granted, he maketh not use of the formerly felt consolations to strengthen his own …aith when consolation is withdrawn: The other sicknesse is this, the afflicted doth not take up the nature of saving graces, nor perceive the beauty thereof, except in the sun-shine of sensible divine approbation thereof, he doth not take up the right definition or description of saving graces: for, saith is to him nothing, if it be not a full perswasion; except he can pour forth tears alwayes, he thinks he doth not repent; except he find a joyfull expectation of Christs coming in glory, he thinks his hope not lively; and so of charity and patience, temperance, righteousnesse and holinesse, if he do not find them in some eminent measur as they may near…by stand before the law, the afflicted of whom we are now speaking, thinketh he hath nothing of saving grace in him. We grant, that this sicknesse is very rare▪ and few they are that are troubled with it; yet where it appeareth, it must be speedily cured, but with great circumspection cured; for the earnest desire he hath of feeling the sweet sense of the joy of the holy Ghost, must not be disallowed, but commended to him, and he taught to cry as it is said, Cant. 2. 5. Stay me with flaggons, comfort me with aples, for I am sick of love, yet with holy submission unto Gods will for time, maner and measure. 2. He is also to be commended, that in his trouble he goeth to God in Christ, not altogether without faith which he putteth forth in active exercise thereof by confession of sin, by supplication and otherwayes; but here is he to be reproved, that while he is actually exercising faith, love, hope, &c. he reckoneth all he doeth to be nothing, no faith, no hope, &c. because it is not in such a measure as he would. 3. He is to be commended, that he doth aime at the highest degrees of faith, love, hope, patience, mortification of sin, and practice of holinesse, and all commanded vertues; but here he faileth, that he counteth all as nought, when consolation and sensible approbation of what he hath is not felt; for here he despiseth the day of small things, and unthankfully mis-regardeth the lower degrees of these saving graces, which notwithstanding are bought to the redeemed by the same price wherewith the highest degrees are bought, to wit, with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
3. Wherefore let the afflicted consider, first, that the will of God revealed, requireth of us, that we walk by faith, and under the sense of our sinfulnesse and afflictions whatsoever, hold fast the covenant of grace in Christ Jesus, and by adhering unto him hold up our heart▪ and entertain spiritual life in us. Secondly, let him consider, that this way of living by faith and dependence on the word of Gods grace, doth please the Lord well; for, without faith it is impossible to please him; and thus living by faith in him, doth give more glory of truth, grace, mercy and constancy unto God then when we suspend the glorifying of him, till we find the sense of consolation from him: for if we believe in God, only because we find the consolations of his Spirit, our faith in that case is weak, and leaneth more upon the pledge and sensible evidence of his truth bestowed upon us, then upon his promise without a pledge: for, no man will refuse to give credit to a man upon a pawn, but God is worthy to be credited upon his word without a pawn, yea, when his dispensation seemeth contrary to his promise. Thirdly, let him consider, that the Lord useth to give sensible consolations not only to help our faith, in the time of consolation, but also to help our faith when the consolations are withdrawn from us, and we are put to hard exercise: wherein it is our duty to glorifie our God for his truth and grace, whereof we have sometime had confirmations by felt consolation, and patiently to wait till he restore unto us the joy of his Spirit: for if in the want of sensible consolation we shall put aspersions upon the Lords work and graces bestowed upon us, and call them in question, we shall be found in so doing more carefull of self-satisfaction then to do the duties which God requireth of us. Fourthly, let the afflicted learn so to describe and define every saving grace of faith, repentance, hope, love and mortification of sin, as the description may take in the meanest measure of those graces; for, it is hard to say, that there is no sound faith where there is not a full perswasion; for the hungry looking of a trembling sinner unto Christ, must not be excluded from being an act of faith; it is hard to restrain the exercise of repentance to the sheding of tears, for many other signs of repentance may be found where these are seldom, such as is the hatred of sin striving against all tentations unto it, and flying from all occasions which may insnare the believer in Christ in trespasses. Fifthly, let the afflicted distinguish between faith and sense of joy, both are Gods gifts, but the grounds of faith whereupon we are commanded to rest our selves should be rested on constantly, whatsoever dispensation of joy or grief we shall meet with: and this is our perpetual duty, but sense is at Gods free dispensation to give and withdraw and restore at his pleasure, and is a movable benefit, which, the Lord, as his wisdom seeth expedient for our good, doth give and continue, withdraw and restore, diminish or augment. And therefore the afflicted is bound by duty still to believe and rejoyce in believing. And to have the joy of sense also he may lawfully study, but ought not to suffer his faith to be weakened by the want of it, as the Prophet doth teach us, Ps. 42. 11. and, 43. 5. and, 88. Last of all, let the afflicted be posed upon his conscience if he dare condemn his flying to Christ in the sense of his sins as no act of faith, or if he dar deny his hunger after renewed consolation, and beholding of God with joy as reconciled in Christ, to be an act of love to God and of communion with him? Therefore, let him confesse with the Psalmist, Ps. 77. 10. This my doubting is my infirmity, I will remember the years of the right hand of the Lord.