Sacred Therapy, Book 3 · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
Concerning the converts looking upon the sight of his faith, as if it were the failing of his faith.
SIncere faith in Christ is the special grace of God, given to the elect only; which grace, the more we do exercise it, the more we please God: for, without faith it is impossible to please him, Heb. 11. 6. This saving grace the Lord taketh pleasure to put it unto tryall and exercise, that thereby he may train it on, and foster and increase it, and bring it forth to light, both for his own glory and for the commendation of his children, as is told us, 1. Pet. 1. 7. In which exercise, the true convert is oft-times much mistaken, and doth mis-construe his condition. The reasons are, 1: the faith of young converts is very imperfect, knowledge is many wayes darkened, and the application of promises is very weak. 2. When Sathan by his tentations obscures the truth, which should strengthen faith, the convert finding himself in the mist, may be at a stand, till his sight be cleared up and he freed from the tentation. 3. The sincere convert, in the conscience of his own imperfection, and consideration of the deceitfulnesse of the heart, is wary and suspicious, that he may be easily deceived, and take historical or temporal faith for true saving faith, and so doth readily lay hold on Sathans suggestions against the sincerity of his …aith. 4. In the conflict, which his faith oft-times hath with mis-belief, strengthened by Sathans tentations, he finds himself now and then foiled by yielding unto the suggestion of Sathan; as Davids experience teacheth may befall both the elder and younger souldiers, Ps. …6. 11. I said in my haste, all men are lyars, meaning Samuel and other Prophets, who promised to David in Gods name he should be King. 5. In the fight of faith, some infirmity is alwayes manifested, and the convert is forced to acknowledge, that his faith is not so strong as he supposed it to be before the fight, whereupon he is ready to suspect his fight in faith to be a fainting and decaying in faith. 6. Sometime the convert by giving way to sin, doth grieve the holy Spirit, and provoke him to withdraw his comfortable testimony, which he gave in former time to the convert, which bringeth him into suspicion of the sincerity of his faith, which seemed to himself sound and unfained before.
2. This case is both troublesome to the convert and dangerous; for, till it be cured, it groweth like a rageing feaver, and sets upon the vital power of justifying faith, and at least hindereth the exercise thereof not a little.
For remedy whereof, let the afflicted convert put difference between an infirm faith, and felt infirmity in faith fighting: for, albeit the convert, in the conflict of faith against tentations to mis-belief, do feel infirmity, yet is not his faith to be accounted infirm simply, because whatsoever infirmity he feels in his fight, yet his fighting against tentations proveth his faith to be so much the stronger, as he resisteth mis-belief and cleaveth closer to Christ.
2. Let him consider, that the Lord suffereth his child to be exercised with tentations, of set purpose to humble him, and empty him of all confidence in his own wisdom, righteousnesse and strength, that he may gather strength in his fighting, by Scripture, holden up to God in prayer, and so wax valiant in fight, as believers have been helped before, Heb. 11. 34.
3. Let the convert put difference between faith and a setled perswasion: for, setled and full perswasion excludes all dubitation for the time, But saving faith may may be where doubting is and unbelief is felt; as the father of the possessed child in his prayer to Christ maketh manifest, Lord, I believe, saith he, help my unbelief.
4. Let him put difference between dubitation suggested, and faith striving to overcome dubitation: for, dubitation bewrayeth infirmity of faith, but striving against dubitation, doth evidence life and vigour in faith to be present, and is acceptable service to God.
5. Let him put difference between the doubting of the truth of the promise and the weak griping of it; for he that doubts of the truth of the promise, is, (Iam. 1. 6, 7.) like a wave of the sea, and can expect nothing, But he that layes hold on the promise, with a trembling hand, and striveth to hold it fast against doubting, may expect to obtain.
6. Let him put difference between his suspicion of the failing of his faith and the right judging of it: for, in the mean time of his fighting and fear of failing, he goeth on in exercise of faith, fearing to succumb, yet resolute not to depart from Christ: In the love and estimation of whose grace, he goeth on and groweth, longing for the victory and for a nearer felt fellowship with him; which if he did observe and consider, his judgement should be rectified.
Last of all, let him put difference between a hasty apprehension of the failing of his faith, and a fixed opinion that his faith is but fancy: for, a strong souldier may be surprized on a suddain (as David, Ps. 31. 22. and Ps. 116. 11. and Ionah, 2. 3, 4. do furnish instances) who shortly after did gather their courage and entered the lists afresh, and became victorious against their tentations unto misbelief.
Therefore let the wrestler be of good courage; for, nothing can prove the sincerity of his faith more then his wrestling against distrust, and his looking towards Christ through all the clouds which hinder his sight, and his sorrowing for his unbelief, for his weak holding grip of the covenant of grace, and for his inability to glorifie the truth of the Gospel, and rich grace of God offered in Christ: Especially when he considereth, that the Spirit of Christ commendeth the exercise of faith, with variety of temptations, for a mater of great joy, Iam. 1. 2, 3.