Milk for Babes, Questions · Question 27 – Question 28
27. Q. How muſt this faith be wrought in thee?
A. The Holy Ghoſt muſt work it in my heart, by the preaching of the Goſpel.
In this thou ſaiſt right alſo. Faith is one of the fruits of the ſpirit: Gal. 5.22.and it was the Lord, Act. 16.14.who opened the heart of Lydia, and made her attend to the preaching of Paul, Joh. 6.44.and drawes us unto Chriſt: and that he doth it by the preaching of the Goſpell, may appear to thee in what Paul ſaith to the Romans, and to the Galathians. Rom. 10.14, 15.To the firſt he ſaith, they cannot beleeve in him of whom they have not heard; and they cannot hear without a preacher, and they cannot preach (now) unleſſe they be ſent to preach the glad tydings of good things. Gal. 3.2. Act. 11.14.To the ſecond he ſaith, that they received the ſpirit of the hearing of faith. Hence Peter tels that God gave him a Commiſſion to tell Cornelius words (that is, to preach the Goſpel) whereby he and his wife ſhould be ſaved. It is not man that can work in thy heart, were he as an Angel from heaven. He may tell thee the whole hiſtory of the Goſpel, and all the promiſes of ſalvation by Chriſt, and thou wilt be never the nearer to powerfull believing. But if the holy Ghoſt bring home the word of Chriſt to the ſoul, he will write it there, Heb. 8.and ſo ſeal it home, that he will make an impreſſion of faith upon thy ſoul. And in truth, it muſt be the holy Ghoſt, that muſt do it. For Faith is an infinite comfort againſt an infinite horrour of ſinne. Nothing ſhould deeper wound thee then ſinne: and thy ſins (in reſpect of thy ſelf) are infinite in guilt, and number. Who can comfort againſt this but an infinite God who can rebuke thy unbeleeving heart? Beſides, will it not ſeem contrary to thy reaſon, that thou ſhouldeſt be made wiſe by another mans wiſdome; righteous, 1 Cor. 1.30by another mans righteouſneſſe; holy, by another mans ſanctification; and perſevering by another mans full redemption? But let the holy Ghoſt bring the Word to thy heart, and convince thee that Chriſt was thy ſurety, and ſo, one perſon with thee, doing, and ſuffering in thy room, and for thee, then wilt thou beleeve that Chriſt is not another perſon, but one with thee, and ſo his riches are thine. Agaiu, thou ſaiſt, that the Holy Ghoſt works faith in thy heart: Rō. 10.10.for with the heart man beleeveth unto righteouſneſſe. This muſt put a difference betwixt the faith in the head; and faith in the heart. Wicked men and devils have the faith in the head, where they know and aſſent to the truth of the Goſpel: and they are ſaid to tremble, Jam. 2.becauſe they have no ſhare, and part in it. But good people onelyonly have faith in the heart, whereby they ſavingly reſt upon Chriſt, as a wife upon an husband, for protection, proviſion, and pleading their cauſe even to their perfection, in the body of Chriſt.
Vſe. Therefore (my childe) depend not upon thy own ſtrength, nor upon the wiſdome of fleſh and bloud, for the attaining of this faith: neither think it an eaſie worke, as they do that lay the weight of their ſalvation upon an eaſie poſſibility of believing at their latter end: but ſubmit thy ſelf to the holy Ghoſt, Eph. 3.who onelyonly can ſtrengthen thee in the inner man, and work Jeſus Chriſt to dwell in thy heart by faith. This will argue a goodneſſe in thy ſoul, if, when thou comeſt to hear the Goſpel preached, and ſo often as thou doeſt it, then pray to God, for Chriſts ſake, that the ſpirit of God may accompany the word, according to his covenant; Eſa. 59.21.to work faith in thy heart, that Chriſt may be one with thee, and thou with Chriſt. And, becauſe thou maiſt have a faith in the head, by connexion; and not a faith of the heart, by true converſion unto Jeſus Chriſt, pray alſo, that by the word, thou maiſt not onelyonly ſubmit to the truth of the Goſpel, but receive it into thy ſoul ſo, as thou maiſt be changed into the image of Chriſt thy huſband, and be called a true Chriſtian. I remember, I have read of one in the primitive Church, who being examined what he was? he anſwered, a Chriſtian. What is thy name? he anſwered, Chriſtian. What is thy profeſſion? he anſwered, Chriſtian. What life leadeſt thou? he anſwered, Chriſtian. What are thy thoughts, words, and deeds? he ſtill anſwered, Chriſtian. He had ſo digeſted Chriſt into his ſoul by faith, that he could ſpeak nothing but Chriſtian. So let it be with thee. This can faith do, and it is wonderfull in our eyes. Tell me next,
28. Q. How is this faith confirmed and made ſtronger in thee?
A. By hearing the ſame Goſpel preached, and uſing the ſacraments.
Here thou knoweſt the means, which confirm thy faith: and truly, there is not a readier way to do it under God. The Theſſalonians heard the Goſpel preached unto them, 1 Theſ. 3.20 2 Theſ. 1.3. Prov. 4.18.and though at firſt, there was ſomething lacking in their faith; yet as they heard the Goſpel, their faith grew exceedingly; as juſt men, their path was as the ſhining light which ſhined more, and more, unto the perfect day. And for the ſacraments, it cannot ſeem ſtrange that they ſhould confirm thy faith. For if I make a promiſe unto thee that I will give thee ten, twenty, thirty, forty pounds; if thou think me to be in earneſt, and to be able, and willing to give it unto thee, the oftener I promiſe it, the more thou wilt beleeve it: but if I ſet my hand, and ſeal to it, then thou art ſure of it; and maiſt ſue me for it. Such is the caſe betwixt God and thy ſoul. He promiſes to give thee ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt if thou beleeveſt. The oftener thi promiſe repeated, the more thou beleeveſt. But when God hath ſet it under his hand, and ſeal, in the word of God and ſacraments, now thou haſt cauſe to beleeve it more, and maiſt humbly ſue him for it at the throne of Grace.
Vſe. Therefore (my childe) remember this. Thou wilt preſſe after aſſurances, and confirmations in every thing for thy body, and eſtate, why not for thy ſoul? Thou would'ſt be ſure of houſes, lands, portion, and health: do what thou canſt to be ſure of ſalvation by Chriſt. And, becauſe this is the way, to hear the Goſpel often, that the word of grace may dwell richly in thee; Col. 3.and to receive the ſacraments; as thou loveſt the comfort of thy ſoul, neglect them not. Hear in ſeaſon, and hear out of ſeaſon, and as oft as thou canſt, ply the ſeals of Gods love that thy faith may be encreaſed. If thou ſtill doubteſt whether yet thou ſhalt be ſaved or no, God loves the importunity of his children. Go to the throne of Grace, and implead God. Bleſſed God, haſt not thou promiſed, that if I beleeve in Chriſt I ſhall be ſaved? Haſt not thou ſent thy Ambaſſadours to tender this promiſe again? Haſt thou not ſet thy hand, and ſeal to it in the word, and ſacraments. Haſt thou not made my heart go out of it ſelf to reſt upon thy bleſſed ſonne onelyonly? Oh why do I languiſh in doubting deſpairs? Why do I begin to ſink for want of hold on my Saviour? How long, Lord, how long! Let the light of thy countenance ſhine upon me, and I ſhall have peace.
Thus I have cleared to thee the means to beget, and encreaſe faith: and becauſe the Sacraments are one; therefore tell me,