Two Books, Treatise 1 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Though Faith he ſmall, yet it makes us the Sons of God.
III. LAſtly: Though we beleeve never ſo little, yet if we beleeve, we ſhall receive this Dignity to become the Sons of God. There is a receiving in the leaſt degree of Faith. That is that which the Text holds. This term [to Receive] notes as little action (as I ſaid in the beginning) as can be. Only it notes as being in ſubjection, a being continent, or a veſſel to put ſomthing into it. As Gold and Jewels may be wrapt up, and put into a filthy clout or rag: So may this Grace of Faith into an heart that is exceedingly corrupted and defiled. Again, you know you uſe to ſay, That the Receiver of ſtoln goods, is not the principal offender; he is only one that doth con…eal and preſerve that which the other hath gotten. Such a kind of thing is Faith; he that doth receive is not the principal Agent. As the Wax doth receive the impreſſion of the Seal, and yet the Wax doth no more than either Clay, or Earth, or any baſe Mettal (as Lead would do) only a compliance there is with the Seal.
And let mead further. As Receiving notes little action in that reſpect: So a narrow mouthed Bottle takes in but by little and little. As the ſtone upon which the Rain falls is hard, and but a little wrought upon and filled by it: things that are hard, are ſoftened by little and little. As the hard and ſtony Earth is ſoftened by the little Rain that falls long upon it. So now ſuppoſe a little Faith, and this gotten the hardlieſt, and come the ſloweſt by, that poſſibly can be; to be as weak as can be in your ſpirits, and to be as dull as is imaginable: yet notwithſtanding this ſhall receive a bleſſing from God: even thoſe great bleſſings in the Text, not only to be a Son of God, but to have ſuch dealings from God as becomes a Child; and God deals in this like unto himſelf, according to the courſe which he took in charging us with the guilt of the firſt Adam. For as we are conceived in ſin; that is, as ſoon as ever we are conceived, as Job ſaith, but curdled, and a ſpan long, we are accurſed, ſo ſoon is the guilt of Adams ſin imputed. So the very embrie, and the leaſt thing of Faith, is that which God will bleſs. The firſt conceptions of Faith are bleſſed, as the firſt conceptions of a man are accurſed becauſe of the Fall. So ſoon as ever we receive Chriſt, ſo ſoon is the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt the Second Adam imputed and paſſed over unto us. He will not quench the ſmoaking Flax, nor break the bruiſed Reed, Matth. 12.20. There is great difference between flax and wood. Flax is but a blaze when it is light, and laſts not long. And ſo it notes ſuch a kind of Faith that is ſoon up, and ſoon down, exceeding tender and delicate, ſoon diſcouraged and diſmayed. A Faith that is working by fits only, and not ſuch a Faith as is of a conſtant motion. The ſmoaking of flax is leſs than the burning of it. The ſmoak may be conceived to be ſuch as either is offenlive unto the eye: And ſo there is a kind of beleeving, or I may rather call it, of unbeleeving, which is extreamly offenſive unto God, as ſmoak is unto the eye: When we are alwaies unſatisfied; when doubts beget doubts: when God anſwers one objection, and we take it up again: and we over and over again with things that have no reaſon in them, nor are fit to be ſpoken. But ſuppoſe it to be ſmoaking flax.
Or, In regard of its weakneſs, which ſhall come into a flame afterwards, which is capable of further encreaſe, as the ſmoak goes before the flame: yet the Lord will not quench it. What is that? he will cheriſh and nouriſh it: For the Negative includes the Affirmative. In John 6.37. He that comes to me, I will in no wiſe caſt out; that is, I will entertain him.
And as he will not quench the ſmoaking Flax, ſo he will not break the bruiſed Reed. Though Faith be as a Reed, a very weak thing of it ſelf; though it be bruiſed, and when it is bruiſed it will run into a mans hand, as you know the Scripture uſeth that ſimilitude concerning Pharoah. Many waies do we pierce the heart of the Lord, and grieve him with our Unbelief. We beleeve after ſuch a way, as it troubles him to ſee us. Though we be as a broken Reed that cannot ſupport, or be leaned upon. So though thy Faith be ſuch as is neither pleaſing to thy ſelf, nor unto God, and cannot carry thee through any Duty in Praying or Hearing, or other Ordinance; but as a man that leans upon a broken ſtaff, doth fall: So in every Duty, Thou prayeſt thy ſelf into anguiſh of ſpirit; and heareſt thy ſelf into troubles. Now although thou haſt ſuch a Faith as this, yet God will not forſake it, but cheriſh it, and not break it, but bind it, and fit it for Spiritual uſe. Suppoſe a man doth by his doubts and cavils againſt God, offend him, as a Reed doth that runs into the hand; yet ſaith the Text, he will not break it that is, he will ſtrengthen it. For that is an uſual figure in the Scripture, when the Text ſaith, He will not do a thing, to mean that he will do the contrary unto it. As, thoſe that come unto me, I will in no wiſe caſt out, but I will entertain, and ſup with them, and make them glad with my preſence. In James 2.26. the Apoſtle tels you, That that Faith that will ſave a man, is ſuch a Faith as hath a ſpirit with it: Even as the Body without the Spirit is dead, ſo is Faith without Works. That which I bring it for is this; That if there be but the leaſt Spirit or breathing in Faith, it is that which will ſave: I ſay, if there be but the leaſt breathing in Faith, it will ſave. As men that are exceeding tender and careful of the lives of thoſe that are ſick, when they ſeem to be as if they were gone and dead; they will lay a glaſs to their mouths, and if there be but the leaſt breath or ſmoak come upon the Glaſs, they will apply all manner of things that may recover them out of the ſwoun wherin they are. So is it with God. When thou thinkeſt thy ſelf to be gone, and thoſe about thee think thou art gone, and thou thinkeſt thou canſt never recover thy ſelf to any confidence of hope again, yet God wil hold a glaſs to thy mouth, and if there be but the leaſt breathing towards Jeſus Chriſt, it ſhall paſs with him as well as the noble Faith of Abraham did when he could part with his Child at the Command of the Lord, which is the meaning of the Apoſtle in that place.
Here is refreſhing and ſtrengthning unto that poor Soul that cannot go to Jeſus Chriſt, but crawl as I may ſo ſpeak: That liveth like a man in the Sea, and ſees the Banks, and ſaith, Oh that I were there, but knows not how to ſtrike a ſtroak to ſwim thither: or if he doth, his ſtroak is too weak to withſtand the Current, and the ſtrong ſtream of Temptation, and Doubts, and Fears that he meets withal. Thou thinkeſt thou ſhalt have nothing, becauſe thou canſt do nothing: Thou canſt not beleeve firmly, thou canſt not lay on any hand but that which is trembling on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Thou canſt not look with any eye, but that which is weak and feeble. Now know, that God looks not for much from thee, but he intends much unto thee. He hath given thee this Grace of Faith, not becauſe it ſhould do great matters in thee, but for thee. It is only to take thee by the hand, and if it can bring thee and Jeſus Chriſt together, it hath done enough for thee, and as much as can be deſired, and as it is appointed unto. All the reſt of its acts are for thy comfort: but this is for thy Salvation.