Sacred Therapy, Book 2 · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
Wherein is solved the doubt of the true convert, whether he be indeed converted, arising from this, that he knoweth no child of God so hardly exercised as he is.
SOme converts are, who by the light of the Law of God are brought to the acknowledgment of their sin and misery, and by the doctrine of the Gospel are brought to seek their relief in Christ, and have taken on his yoke and submitted themselves to his discipline, and yet fall in question, whether they be converted, because they do find such inequality in their conversation, and such changes in their condition, and variety of tentations, as they can find no example of the like in Scripture; and where it pleaseth them to be free with their Pastor or confident Christian friend, do fall out in questions, if ever they have read in Scripture any like unto them, in such and such particulars as they please to condescend upon; and if their Pastor or Christian friend shall give them some example in the Scripture, of Gods children so exercised, they are ready to find such differences between the case of the godly in Scripture, and their case, as they cannot receive satisfaction. And if possibly it be told them, that their ca…e is not singular, but such as hath befallen sundry of their Christian acquaintance in this present age, yet they cannot receive satisfaction for all this, but still do insist, that their case is not like to any of the godly. Whereupon they foster the suspicion of their not being converted.
2. This ground of judging of mens conversion by the maner of Gods exercising of them, so as other converted Saints have been exercised before them, and of judging the man to be unregenerat, who is otherwayes exercised then they know any convert to have been exercised, did deceive the friends of Iob, who in Iobs face avowed this their error, Iob, 5. 1. Call now, say they, if their be any that will answer thee, and unto which of the Saints wilt thou turn? that is, name any example of any upright man who hath been dealt with by God as thou art? and what Saint or holy man can thou name, to whom thou can compare thy self and say, such a man hath suffered such things as I do?
This doubt doth arise from this error and mistake; the afflicted doth without ground suppose, that expresse examples of every particular case of the Saints is set down in Scripture. It is true, there are examples of many cases which may befall the godly; but it is not to be expected that we sh…ll find examples of every particular exercise of mind, wherein the Saints may fall: For as the Evangehst saith, if all particulars were written, the world could not hold or make use thereof. It is sufficient that the Scripture hath set down rules whereun…o the Saints should labour to conform themselves, and that it hath opened up the causes and remedies of all spiritual diseases, and hath given so many examples as may clear the rule. It is also a mistake to make the experience of the most exercised souldier a rule for every Saints exercises, or to think that any man can know the variety of cases which befall the Saints: for, there are many whose cases are not revealed to any, but laid open unto God only, by prayer, and are helped by faith in Christ.
3. Wherefore the afflicted must walk by rules set down in Scripture, whether he find the practices thereof in Scripture or not. Now this is the rule, that whatsoever evil condition we fall into, whatsoever tentation, whatsoever pollution hath defiled our consciences, we must humble our selves before God, and flye unto Christ for remission of the guil…inesse, for washing away the filthinesse thereof, for breaking down the power of corruption, and pulling out the roots thereof; withall praising and thanking Christ, who hath discovered unto us these evils and hath made them our affliction, and not suffered them to break forth to the scandal of others. And whatsoever calamity or temporal misery we shall fall into, the Scripture hath given order unto us, humbly to submit our selves to Gods dispensation, and to make a good construction of Gods love and wisdom in exercising us so: for, by this rule Iob did walk, defending his faith in Christ, his living and loving Redeemer, against Sathans temptations, and his friends uncharitable wrangling disputations, when the question was about his state, whether he had ever been converted or not, whether he was a wicked hypocrit or not? and by so doing, he over-came the temptation whereof we are now speaking.
And let not the afflicted lay it for a ground that by his hearing of the exercise of another, like unto his condition, he can be cured: because no example of the exercise of another can be found so quadrant unto his condition, as he could thereby take satisfaction. For, as in comparing of mens faces one with another, (such is the incomprehensible variety of the riches of Gods wisdom in framing them) some difference and dissimilitude will be found betwixt face and face; So, in comparing of the cases of the Saints, none of them can be found in all things so like one to another, but some dissimilitude shall be found between them. Wherefore, the afflicted shall do well, in every condition, to draw near God, and pour out his heart before him at all times: for, God is a refuge for us in all cases, Ps. 62. 8.