The Use and Practice of Faith, Uses · Application 3
Ʋſe III. Of Examination. Ʋſe 3Examination.
Uſe of Examination and Trial:
Firſt, Of Perſons.
Secondly, Of Doctrines and Religions.
1. Of Perſons, whether we are Juſt,1. For trial of Perſons. and in a ſtate of Life, of Spiritual Life, or no? for then we have Faith. For the Juſt lives by his Faith. There is no other Life, there is no other Righteouſneſs to be attained unto, but that which is by Faith: Even as David alſo deſcribeth the bleſſedneſs of the man unto whom God imputeth the Righteouſneſs of Faith without Works, Rom. 4 6. Well then, that we may know whether we have Life or no, or whether we have Righteouſneſs or no, the main Quaere will be, Whether we have Faith, or no? And this is worthy the enquiring after, and worth the trying. The more precious any thing is in the true nature and quality of it, the more exact we uſe to be in the trial of it, leſt we ſhould be cozened with that which is falſe and counterfeit, in ſtead of that which is right and good. We do not uſe to be ſo exact in the trial of things of leſſer moment, but marvellous exact and accurate in the trial of Gold and Precious Stones; and that which makes us ſo accurate in the trial of them, is, becauſe they are ſo precious. Now Faith in the Scripture, is called precious Faith: Now, for what is it precious, but for the rarity and excellency of it? and ſo the trial of Faith is called Precious Trial, whether it be tried by the Word of God, or whether it be tried by the Works of God in the Furnace of affliction, it is a precious trial, 1 Pet 1.7. At this time we ſhall endevour to try it by the Word of God, which is the Touchſtone of Faith: And this Trial, if well applied, may be very precious to us, and of ſingular uſe. For in caſe upon trial we finde (through Mercy) we have true Faith, we ſhall have great cauſe to be thankful, to rejoyce in the God of our Salvation. But in caſe we finde we have not Faith, as we ſhall have great cauſe to be humbled, ſo as great cauſe to ſeek God in the uſe of means for this excellent grace of Faith: for it is our very Life. The Juſt ſhall live by his Faith.
Marks of true Faith from feigned.But how ſhall we know, whether we have Faith or no? For as there is Faith unfeigned. 1 Tim. 1.5. ſo there is feigned and counterfeit Faith alſo.
Queſt. How ſhall we know the one from the other?
It loves to be cried.Anſ. 1. Firſt, to be ſure this is one remarkable note of Diſtinction, That Faith which is true, loves to be tried; that which is falſe, cannot endure to come to the Trial. In this caſe, it is juſt as it is betwixt a True man and a Thief: The true man, if he chance to be ſuſpected, he loves to come to the Trial, that he may clear himſelf; but the Thief declines it all that he may, becauſe he knows himſelf guilty. A man that hath falſe and counterfeit Faith, he loves to take all for granted that he doth believe, he cannot endure to put himſelf to further trouble; he doth not like theſe Uſes of Trial and Examination: Like a man that is falſe upon his Accounts, he cannot endure his Books ſhould be examined; but he that hath true faith, he deſires nothing more than the through Trial of his faith: O he would not for all the world be miſtaken in a matter of ſo great concernment; and therefore he likes that Miniſtery beſt, that is moſt ſearching. And when the Miniſtery hath done all it can do, ſuch a Soul goes to God by Prayer, and ſaith, Lord, give me grace impartially to apply the ſearching Word; I have heard this day, nay do thou thy ſelf ſearch me, O Lord, examine me, and prove me, try my reins and my heart, Pſal. 26.2. And that's the firſt Diſcovery of true Faith and true Grace; It loves to be tried.
But how ſhall it be tried?
2. It is tried both by the Cauſe and by the Effect, 2. It is known by the Cauſe.which are the beſt means to come to the knowledge of any thing.
Firſt, by the cauſe Inſtrumental. It is wrought by the Word, Rom. 10.17. Faith cometh by hearing: Though other means may help to Faith, (The converſation of the Wife) 1 Pet. 3.1. (And the Samaritans believ'd, becauſe of the Woman, Joh. 4.42.) Yet, the Word of God is the onelyonly ground of Faith.
And this Word works in the whole man.
1. It works in the Ʋnderſtanding a clear ſight of our Miſery by Nature, and of the Remedy in Chriſt dying for ſinners.
2. It works in the Affection a godly ſorrow to Repentance, and a longing deſire after Chriſt, Act. 2.37. They were pricked in their hearts, and ſaid, Men and Brethren, what ſhall we do to be ſaved?
3. It works upon the Will a cloſing with the Promiſe, and Chriſt in the Promiſe, (ſuppoſe, 1 Pet. 2.6. or Joh. 1.12, &c.) grounding upon his willingneſs to receive all ſuch as come to him, upon his ability alſo, and faithfulneſs to make his Word good. It receives whole Chriſt (Prophet, Prieſt, and King) into the whole man.
Secondly, it is tried by the Fruits and Effects, And by the Effects.which are,
1. A high prizing of the Word, which is the Inſtrument of Faith: 1 Pet. 2.2. As new born babes deſire the ſincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby: If ye have taſted that the Lord is gracious. An Unbeliever doth not ſo prize the Word, he can ſet a humane Teſtimony Cheek by Jaw with the Word of God.
2. A high prizing of Chriſt, who is the Object of Faith, 1 Pet. 2.7. Unto you that believe he is precious, eſpecially the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt is very precious. All other things, Perſons and Performances, are vile in compariſon, Phil. 3.8. An Unbeliever cannot thus prize Chriſt, but ſays, We ſee no form or comelineſs in him, that we ſhould deſire him, Iſa 53.2.
Effect 3.3. A high prizing of the Image and likeneſs of Chriſt, the inſeparable Concomitant of Faith. The Viſion of Chriſt by Faith, works a ſtrong deſire of Transformation into the likeneſs of Chriſt. It is the height of ſuch a Souls ambition, to have the Image of the Lord Jeſus ſtampt upon it, both in inward impreſſions of Grace upon the heart, (to be humble and meek as he was) and in outward expreſſions of Holineſs and Righteouſneſs in their converſation, Pſal. 17. laſt. When I awake, ſaith David, I ſhall be ſatisfied with thy likeneſs. We are now indeed the Sons of God, ſaith S. John; but it doth not yet appear what we ſhall be: but we know that when he ſhall appear, we ſhall be like him, for we ſhall ſee him as he is, 1 Joh. 3.2. As if they ſhould ſay, We eſteem this our very Heaven and Happineſs, to be made like to Chriſt. A formal Profeſſor may deſire to be ſaved by Chriſt, but he doth not ſeriouſly deſire to be made like to Chriſt: So a real Believer loves Gods Image in others, 1 Joh. 5.1.
4. Other effects and fruits of Faith: You have in the fruits of the Spirit ſet down,Gal. 5.22. Gal. 5.22. The fruit of the Spirit is love, with peace, long-ſuffering, &c. And though Faith it ſelf be a fruit of the Spirit, yet thoſe other Graces coupled with it, are alſo fruits of Faith in order of working.
As for Example:
1. When a Soul is once Reconciled to God by Faith, it cannot chuſe but love him: Faith worketh by Love. So far as we have any ſaving light from the Spirit, we do alſo receive heat from the Spirit: He ſhall baptize you with the Holy Ghoſt and with fire. Why ſo? becauſe the Holy Ghoſt is like fire, comes with heat, as well as with light: Nay, of the two, the heat of our love to God, is more ſenſible than the light of our Reconcilement. Many a Soul that is much in the dark concerning Juſtification, yet cannot but confeſs they love God; yea, ſhould God hide his face from them, yet they cannot chuſe but love him, for his Holineſs, Truth, Goodneſs, Juſtice, and ſuch other Perfections. And indeed the ſoundeſt way to comfort a weak Believer, is, Firſt to convince them of their love to God: For upon the manifeſtation of love, in due time, follows Joy: That's the ſecond fruit of the Spirit and of Faith.
2. Joy: for the proof of our love to God, doth moſt infallibly prove his love to us; 1 Joh. 4.9. We love him, becauſe he firſt loved us. And ſo far as Gods love is cleared to us, we muſt needs rejoyce, Luk. 1.47. My Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour: So that our Joy in God is weaker or ſtronger, not as Gods love to us is weaker or ſtronger, but as the Manifeſtation of it is weaker or ſtronger: And what we ſay of Joy, we may alſo ſay of Peace, which is the third fruit of the Spirit and of Faith.
3. Peace: for being juſtified by Faith, we have peace with God through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, Rom. 5.1. But this Joy and Peace doth not always immediately follow upon believing, but (as the Sun riſing follows the dawning of the day) ſome good diſtance after. However, ſo ſoon as ever we believe we have the ground-work and ſeed of Peace, Pſal. 97.11. Light is ſown for the righteous, and joyful gladneſs for the upright in heart.
4. A fourth fruit is long-ſuffering, not onelyonly in regard of Men, but in reſpect of God himſelf: when God carries himſelf as if he were an enemy to us, yet we will be friends with him, we will make the beſt conſtructions of Gods Corrections,Iſa. 8.17. and we will wait for the manifeſtation of his love, who hideth his face from the houſe of Jacob. As Jacob himſelf waited many a year, and endured much hardſhip for the love which he did bear to Rachel: So will a believing Soul be content to wait with long-ſuffering for the love he bears to Jeſus Chriſt: whereas an unbeliever flings away in a chafe, and ſays, What ſhould I wait for the Lord any longer, ſeeing this evil is of the Lord, 2 King. 6.33.
More Evidences of true Faith.Many other evidences there are, to diſtinguiſh true faith from that which is counterfeit: I will name but three.
The firſt is in regard of evil Actions.
The ſecond in regard of good Actions.
The third in reſpect of both.
1. In point of ſins.1. For evil and ſinful Actions: Though it is poſſible a Believer may fall into ſuch, through the violence of Temptation; yet this is the property of true Faith, it never gives quiet poſſeſſion to ſin long together. This is part of the good fight of Faith, 1 Tim. 6.12. though it may be foiled by the fleſh, yet it is never ſo overcome, but there is a riſing again, and a luſting of the Spirit againſt the fleſh, Gal 5.17. David and Peter, and other of Gods Saints, were miſerably foiled for the preſent, but yet they roſe again by a renewed act of Repentance and Faith; and ſoon after recovered their former ſtrength: Whereas an Unbeliever, though he may ſometimes have ſome ſtrivings and ſtruglings in his natural Conſcience; yet at laſt he gives quiet poſſeſſion to Sin and Satan, being reſolved to put himſelf to no further trouble: Luk. 11.21. When a ſtrong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: An unbelievers peace is his reſt in ſin, Prov. 4.16. But a believers peace is his reſt in Chriſt, Pſal. 116.11. and not in ſin, Pſal. 77.4. & 19 laſt. Job 8.34. Rom. 6.20. He never gives quiet poſſeſſion long together, he will not do the leaſt evil, that good may come of it; nor omit the leaſt good, for fear evil ſhould come of it.
2. In point of good actions.2. For good Actions. A believer (ſo far as he is himſelf) he does all he doth in the ſtrength of Chriſt: Therefore the very firſt act of Faith, is called a laying hold on Gods ſtrength, Iſa. 27.5. Let him take hold of my ſtrength, that he may make peace with me, and he ſhall make peace with me. An Unbeliever, while he ſins againſt God, lifts up his ſtrength againſt God, and like a ſi…ly Briar and Thorn, he fights againſt a conſuming fire. Or if he chance to perform ſome good Duties, yet he doth all in his own ſtrength, as he doth all to his own ends: All is done in the ſtrength of his own parts and preparation: for he perceives not that he is weak, and poor, and blinde, and miſerable, and naked. But a Believer, as he lives upon God, ſo he does all he does in the ſtrength of God: I ſay, ſo far as he is himſelf, he does ſo. And if at any time, or in any duty, he be overtaken with ſelf-confidence, to relie upon the Mountain of his created ſtrength, or created Grace, he is never well, till he hath deeply humbled himſelf for it, as David did, Pſal. 30.6. And therefore, I ſay, a Believer, ſo far as he is himſelf, does all he doth in the ſtrength of God. If he be to preach, if he be to pray, whatever he be to do, he dares venture upon nothing in his own ſtrength, leſt God ſhould blaſt his endevours in ſtead of bleſſing them [2 Cor. 3.5. Not that we are ſufficient of our ſelves to think any thing as of our ſelves, but our ſufficiency is of God] Phil. 4.13. I can do all things (ſaith the Apoſtle) through Chriſt that ſtrengthneth me: yea, bear all things in the ſtrength of Chriſt, but nothing in his own ſtrength. This is an infallible ſymptome of the Life of Faith, Pſal. 84.5. Bleſſed is the man whoſe ſtrength is in thee.
3. The third and laſt Evidence, hath reſpect to both: 3. In point of both.for whether a Believer be to reſiſt that which is evil, or to perform that which is good, as he goes out in Gods ſtrength: ſo he goes to God by Prayer in both reſpects; for prayer is a calling in of the ſtrength of God: and a believing creature is ever a praying creature, unleſs under Tentation; and therefore, true Prayer is called the Prayer of Faith: and indeed, Prayer is one of the firſt evidences of Faith; I do not mean, the Gift of Prayer, whereby we can expreſs our ſelves in good words. But the Spirit of Prayer and Supplications, whereby we expreſs our ſelves in good and child-like affections. No ſooner hath a man Faith, but together with his Faith, he receives the Spirit of Adoption, whereby he cries Abba Father, Rom. 8.15. therefore as the ſame Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 10.14. How ſhall they call on him, in whom they have not beleeved, (they are but poor formal Prayers, without Faith) So we may ſay on the other ſide, How ſhall they not call on him, on whom they have believed [2 Cor. 4 13. We having the ſame Spirit of faith (according as it is written, I believe, therefore have I spoken) we alſo believe, and therefore we ſpeak] none of Gods children are born tongue-ty'd: I am ſure, not ſo hard tyed, but there will be inward ſighs and groans, and wreſtlings with God, when there are no outward expreſſions at all. The Spirit of Faith is ever attended with a Spirit of Prayer and Supplication. And this is the laſt Evidence, by which we may judge of unfeigned Faith, from that which is feigned and counterfeit.
Branch II. Of Examination.
Living by faith is the touchſtone to try all Doctrines and Religions, whether they be true or falſe.And as this ſerves for the Trial of Perſons, ſo alſo of Doctrines and Religions. That Religion which teacheth us to live by Faith, and to lay hold on the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, who was made ſin for us, that we through him might be made the righteouſneſs of God to life Eternal; that is undoubtedly the true Religion. But that Religion which ſlanders the Life of Faith, as if it were abſurd to be juſtified by the Righteouſneſs of another; That which teacheth we have no Original Sin remaining in us, but that all is waſh'd away in Baptiſm, contrary to that of the Apoſtle, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death! That which teacheth inherent Righteouſneſs neceſſary to Juſtification; and that it is poſſible alſo, a man may ſo fulfil the Law of God, as to Merit at Gods hand, yea, that he is able not onelyonly to do what the Law requires, but to over-do, even to do ſo much, as to spare of his oyl for others. This is a Doctrine and Religion, ſavouring of horrible Pride and Preſumption, and therefore falſe. But that which teacheth us to go out of our ſelves, and to give the Glory of Salvation to Free-grace, and ſo to live by Faith; this is true, and there is no unrighteouſneſs in it.
Now in caſe we finde upon ſearch, That we do believe, we have infinite cauſe to be thankful. In caſe we finde we believe not, we have as great cauſe to be humbled, and to ſeek out for Faith.