A Taste of the Truth, Part 2
Objections answered whereby people are either kept from, or hindred in beleeving.
BUt you may object and say as you are one that have never beleeved aright in your thinking to this day.
Object. 1 If I be not elected I cannot beleeve, But I fear I am not ordained unto eternall life; and therefore I fear I cannot attain the faith of Gods elect by any means I have used, doe, or may use.
Answ. 1 First, You have no warrant from the wordto fear that you are not elected, therefore you ought not to fear it.
Answ. 2 Secondly, Election is a secret thing belonging unto God, (o)Deut 29.29.therefore you ought not to meddle with it, but to look to the revealed will of God, namely that all that beleeve in Christ shall not perish, (p)Ioh. 3.16. Ioh. 6.29.and unto your main duty therein required, which is, that you should beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart.
Answ. 3 Thirdly, The will of God about election was no more known unto the Saints before they beleeved, then it is now unto you: For the will of God is no more revealed for ones election then anothers; But those that have formerly beleeved, were not hindered from beleeving by their not knowing the will of God about their election, therefore you ought not thereby to be kept from beleeving; being election is not revealed in the word to the end to hinder you or any from beleeving; For that were against Gods goodnes and mercy revealed.
Answ. 4 Fourthly, The ordinary way to know thatyou are elected is to beleeve, therefore endeavour to beleeve that you may knew that you are ordained to erernall life by your beleeving (q)Act. 13.48..
Object. 2 I fear the day of grace is past, in that the means of grace doth me little or no good, and in that I grow old: So as that I am afraid it is too late to begin to beleeve.
Answ. 1 First, Your being afraid that the day of grace is past, is an evidence unto you (if your fears make you now willing to yeeld unto mercy, and to obey Christ and the Gospel) that the day of grace is not past but present.(r)Phil. 2.13.
Answ. 2 Secondly, Your sensiblenesse of your sin of not profiting by the means of grace, is a gracious work of the spirit, if it make you inquire after salvation; (s)Ioh. 16.8, 9, 10. with Act. 2.37.Therefore you may rather conclude by it that the day of grace is present, then past.
Answ. 3 Thirdly, Though you wax old, and though you have not solemnly looked after faith unto this day: yet you may savingly beleeve in this your last age, as they did who were but called to beleeve at the eleventh hour. (t)Mat. 20.6.That God that gave saving faith unto the thief on the crosse at the last hour, (u)Luk. 23.40, to 44.can give saving faith unto you in your last age; Therefore be incouraged to endeavour to beleeve, and leave the successe of your endeavours unto God; It is possible to beleeve the pardon of seventy years sins in one moment: This I say, not that you might delay your beleeving, and so presume and sin that grace might abound: But that you might hasten to beleeve, and so despair, doubt, and sin no more least a worse thing befall you.
Object. 3 I cannot think nor beleeve that God will be mercifull unto me a sinner, because I never read nor heard that ever such a great and grievou sinner was pardoned and saved as I am and have been; If you knew my own and my other mens sins, and all the aggravations of them as I doe, you would say as I think that I have a thousand times more cause to say my sins are too great to be pardoned then Cain had.
Answ. 1 First, God may have thoughts of mercy towards you though you can neither for the present imagine it, nor beleeve it.(x)Isa. 55.8, 9.
Answ. 2 Secondly, If you knew what manner ofsinners God hath pardoned through free mercy in Christ: as Adam that caused you and all the world to sin; (y)Rom. 5.12Manasses that caused all Israel to sinne; Mary Magdalen, Paul, the wicked Corinthians, &c (a)2 Cor. 6.9 10, 11.You would not say that God never pardoned such a vile sinner as you are.
Answ. 3 Thirdly, Suppose you doe not know of any that ever was pardoned that was so vile as you are: yet you may be pardoned, Mat. 12 31.For the promise is that all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, Heb. 6.1, to 7but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost, and you have not blasphemed unpardonably if you be afraid of it; Besides put all your sins together they are but finite in that they are but the sins of a creature that were committed in time, and Gods mercies and Christs merits are infinite; (a)Ps. 103.11, 12. Isa. 55.8, 9.you may as well think your sins are too few, as too many to be pardoned.
Answ. 4 Fourthly, Suppose you have ten thousandtimes more cause to despair then Cain had: yet you ought not to say or think your sins are too great to be pardoned; Heb. 3.19.For put all your sins into one, your unbelief expressed on that wise is greater then them all; Therefore be advised to endeavour to beleeve, least you die in your sins for not beleeving; (b)Ioh. 8.24.And be incouraged to beleeve by the greatnes of your sins; for your sins should drive you unto, and not keep you from Christ; 1 Tim. 1.15.the greater your sins are and have been, the greater your faith should be; Ps. 25.11.The more sinfull you are and have been, the more need you have to beleeve, and the more you beleeve the more you will magnifie the free grace and mercy of God.(c)Rom. 4 20
Object. 4 I am not humbled enough for my sins, nor troubled enough about them, neither doe I repent for my sins as I ought, and therefore I neither may nor ought to beleeve.
Answ. If you be so convinced of, and humbled for or under sin as that you loath your self for sin, and doe see your self lost by reason of sin, and so as that you see an absolute need of Christ to save you notwithstadding any means you have used, doe, or may use to save your self: And if you be so troubled about your sins, and doe so repent of them as that you are weary of them, and willing to come to Christ for pardon of them, and power against them: Then you are humbled as much for your sins, and troubled as much about them, and doe repent as much for them as Christ would have you before your first beleeving, (d)Mat. 8 11 11.28.and the first thing you ought to doe in this condition is to beleeve in Jesus Christ.(e)Act. 16.30, 31.
Object. 5 I doe not know whether I am bidden to beleeve or no, For Christ died not for all, and If I be one of them, if I should beleeve that Christ died for me, I should beleeve a lie.
Answ. 1 First, What God saith in his word, that you are bidden to beleeve: But God saith that whosoever beleeves shall be saved, therefore you are bound to beleeve it.(f)1 Tim. 3.16. Ioh. 3.16.
Answ. 2 Secondly, Although Christ did not die for all, (g)Ioh. 10.15.yet you have no warrant from the word to conclude that Christ did not die for you, therefore you ought not to suppose or imagine it so as to be kept from beleeving by your supposall of it.(g)Ioh. 3.16.
Answ. 3 Thirdly, Although all men are not commanded to beleeve that Christ died for them: yet you and every one to whom the Gospel is revealed are commanded to beleeve on the name of Christ for life and salvation; (h)1 Ioh. 3.23and if Christ did die for you you will at one time or another beleeve it, and so you will beleeve a truth and not a lie: And if Christ did not die for you, you cannot beleeve it, though you endeavour it, and so you cannot beleeve a lie: Neverthelesse you are bound in conscience to endeavour to beleeve that you may be saved, and to beleeve that you shall have life and salvation by Christ if you doe beleeve in Christ(i)Ioh. 3.16.
How should I beleeve whenas there is never a promise in all the volumes of the Scriptures that belongs unto me.
Answ. 1 First, The promises of eternall life belong properly unto Christ; For God said (k)Ps. 89.19.as it were unto Christ from eternity, I have loved a remnant of mankinde with an everlasting love, I know they will sin and corrupt themselves and so become enemies unto me, and liable unto eternall death: Now thou art a mighty person able to doe what I require of thee for them: If thou wilt take upon thee their nature and sins, and undertake to satisfie my justice and the law, and take away that hatred that is in them towards me & my law, and make them a beleeving holy people, Then I will pardon them and adopt them in thee for my sons and daughters, and make them coheirs with thee of an incorruptible crown of lift. (l)Tit. 1.2. 2 Tim. 1.1.Then said Christ (m)Heb. 10.7, 9.Loe I come to doe thy will O God, and did as it were strike hands with God (I beleeve there was such a like covenant made between God and Christ from eternity, (n)Heb. 7.22though I know not how to expresse it) to take upon him the nature and sins of man, and to doe and suffer for him whatsoever God required of him; So as that the promise of pardon, acceptation and life, belongs primarily unto Christ in the behalf of the elect.(o)Tit. 1.2.
Secondly, The promises belong unto them that beleeve in Christ, and that are one with Christ by a reall spirituall union.(p)2 Cor. 1.21.
Thirdly, The absolute promises, or the generall declarations of Gods good will unto mankinde expressed in, Ioh. 3.16. and in Rom. 10 8, 9. belongs as much unto you as unto any of mankinde.
Fourthly, Though the promises doe not belong unto you while you are in the state of unbelief: Yet they will belong unto you as soon as you do beleeve, and you may beleeve in Christ though there be no particular promise that as yet doth belong unto you: (q)Isa. 55.1. Matth. 11.28.being our first beleeving is as it were the closing of our souls with Christ in a word or promise, whereby the promises of life and salvation doe belong unto us; Therefore endeavour to beleeve in Christ that the promises may belong unto you though for the present they doe not belong unto you; Faith intitles us unto Christ and gives us an actuall interest in him: And Christ intitles us unto the promises and gives us a propriety unto them.
Object. 7 The Gospel terrifies me as much as the law, for I must beleeve or perish, and I am as unable to beleeve as to keep the law.
Answ. What the Gospel or the covenant of grace reguires, that it gives: it requires faith, repentance, new obedience, and the like, and it gives the same unto the elect of God: (r)Ezek. 36.25, to 28. Rom. 1.16, 17. with Eph. 1.13The law indeed saith Do this and live, and doe it not, and thou shalt die the death, and it gives no power to doe what it calls for: (s)Rom. 8.3.But the Gospel saith Beleeve and live, and enables the soul to beleeve; So as that you have no just cause to be terrified by the Gospel at all, For the Gospel threatens death and damnation to those that doe not beleeve, not to terrifie you or any that here of it, but to take you off from unbelief: (t)Rom. 11.20, to 23.Even as it promises life to them that beleeve, to incourage you and every one that hear thereof, to endeavour to beleeve; (u)Ioh. 3.16.Besides you are not to look upon faith as a work of your own, as if you were to beleeve of your self or your own strength or else to perish: But you are to look up unto Christ who is the author and finisher of our faith for power to beleeve; (x)Heb. 12.1, 2.Though you cannot beleeve, yet Christ can give you to beleeve, therefore be perswaded to endeavour to beleeve.
Object. 8 I am afraid if I should now come unto Christ, that Christ would refuse me in that I am and have been an enemie unto him, and in that I have refused to come unto Christ when he hath called me.
Answ. 1 First, Jesus Christ that died for sinners when they were enemies, (y)Rom. 5.8.will not refuse sinners that come unto him, though they be enemies, if they come with a resolution to be so no more (z)Ioh. 6.37..
Secondly, Jesus Christ that calls and invites sinners unto him by his spirit in his word, doth not onelyonly call once and away, but stands and knocks at the doors of their hearts to see if at any time they will hear and obey him; (a)Rev. 3.20. Cant. 5.2.So as that if you doe but now after so long a time come unto Christ, he will in no wife refuse you; you have the word and promise of Christ for it, which is security enough to satisfie your self; (b)Ioh. 6.37.Christ is more willing and forward to save sinners, then sinners are to come unto him to be saved.(c)Luk. 15.20. Mat. 23.37.
Object. 9 How should I beleeve whenas I know not what it is to beleeve, nor what God requires of me when he saith Beleeve in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
Answ. 1 First, When God requires you to beleeve he would have you (to speak properly) not onelyonly to put forth the acts of your understanding, that is, to know and understand that there is no salvation to be had but onelyonly by Christ, and to approve of Christ, and salvation by him as a necessary sutable good for you: (d)Act. 4.12. Mat. 13.44, to 47.But also he would have you to put forth the elective act of your will, that is to chuse to be saved by Christ and no other way; (e)Ioh. 5.40. Mat. 23.37.And when God opens your understanding to know Christ to be the Son of God, and that salvation is to be had by him alone, and inclines your will to receive Christ for your King, Priest, and Prophet, and, for to be all in all to pardon, sanctifie, and save you: Then God opens a door of faith unto you; (f)Mat. 16.16, 17. Phil. 2.13.And as you put forth the acts of your understanding and will time after time in the like manner as before mentioned, then you may be said to renew your faith.
Secondly, Look what kinde of naturall acts your eye puts forth when you look of one thing you dislike for to behold another thing that is pleasing unto the eye: your hand when you let go a staffe that would fail you to lay hold upon another that may stand you in stead: your foot when you go from a sandy place that is ready to sink under you unto a rock or sure place where you may safely stand: your stomack or appetite when it loaths one kinde of meat, and hungers and thirsts after another: yea, and tasts, and relishes it: your soul and the powers or faculties thereof when you trust your friend with, or for any thing: as your Lawyer with your estate, your Physitian with your body or the like; Look I say, and seriously consider betwixt God and your own soul what kinde of naturall acts you put forth with the parts of your body and the faculties of your soul in the particulars aforesaid: And the like spirituall acts God would have your soul to put forth when he requires you to beleeve; As for example, He would have you to look off your self, and your own services, and to look up unto Christ as the onelyonly necessary, sufficient Saviour of souls: (g)Isa 45.22. Zach. 12.10. Act. 4.12.He would have you to let go your own opinions, tears, humiliations, repentances, and righteousnesses as if you could be justified by them and to lay hold upon, or to receive Christ alone for pardon and salvation: (h)Io. 1 12. 1 Tim. 6.12.He would have you to go from your own waies, and off your own bottoms, and to come to Christ as to a sure rock and foundation for to bottom, lean, and rest your soul upon: (i)1 Cor. 3 11. Mat. 11.28. Isa. 10.20. Psal. 22.8.He would have you to loath and abhorre your own righteousnesse, (k)Isa 64.6. Phil. 3.8.and to hunger and thirst after the righteousnes of Christ, yea, and to fee… upon his flesh and bloud by faith: (l)Mat. 5.6. Ioh 6.53. to 57.He woul… have you to trust none (I mean neither you… self, nor men nor Ministers of grace (l)Psal. 146.3, 4, 5. Isa 26.4.bu… Christ alone with, and for the salvation o… your soul; (m)2 Tim. 1.12. 1 Pet. 4.19. with Act. 4.12. Ps 22.8 Psal. 10.14. Prov. 3.5.And indeed when God inclines and enables your soul to put forth such-like spirituall acts, Then he gives you to beleeve: (n)Eph 2.1, 4, 5, 8And when God perswades you to renew those acts over and over, then he gives you to renew your faith; Therefore do not stumble at the figurative improper expressions of Scripture that set forth the spirituall acts of faith by the naturall acts of the body and minde, as of seeing, apprehending, receiving, coming, trusting, and the like: (o)Ioh 6.40. Phil. 3 12. Ioh. 1.12. Mat. 11.28.But be thankfull unto God for them; For some know by them that they beleeve, that know not well by proper expressions what it is to beleeve.
Thirdly, You may beleeve though you doe not well know what it is to beleeve; For faith is more known by experience then by expression; (p)1 Io. 5.10.None know experientially what it is to beleeve but they that doe beleeve; (q)2 Tim. 1.12. Rev. 2 17.Therefore endeavour to beleeve that you may know by experience what it is to beleeve.
Object. 10 Though I desire and endeavour to beleeve, and know now in some measure what it is to beleeve: yet I cannot beleeve.
Answ. 1 First, If you be so convinced of sin as to abhorre and condemn your self for it, and so as to see your self absolutely lost by reason of it: And if you be so convinced of righteousnes as to see Christ to be able to save you, and so as to be willing to be governed and sanctified by Christ as well as justified and saved by him: Then you doe, in my judgement, already beleeve, (r)Ioh 6.8, to 11. Phil. 2.13.and I speak it unto you as one that looks to give an account of my judgement herein unto Jesus Christ.
Secondly, Suppose you cannot beleeve, and that you have an evil unbeleeving hard heart within you as you mistrust your self to have: yet you have no ground to despair, and to cease to desire and endeavour to beleeve; For if you be in unbelief you are but in the same condition that beleevers were in before they did beleeve, and that God that took away their stony unbeleeving hearts from them, and that gave them beleeving hearts, can doe the like for you; (s)Ezek. 36.26, 27. Gen. 18.14. Mat. 19.26.Therefore wait humbly and patiently on the Lord, desiring and endeavouring to beleeve untill God give to beleeve, and to know that you do beleeve; The least degree of saving faith is worth seventy years waiting for.
Objections answered whereby weak Christians do suspect the truth of their faith, and whereby they are kept from persevering in the faith.The second sott of objections answered.
Object. 1 BUt you may object and say, I cannot deny but I have been so convinced of sin, as to see an absolute need of a Saviour: Of righteousnesse, as to see Christ to be fully willing and able to save sinners: of the necessity of faith, so as to see it impossible to please God without faith; And God (if I know my heart) hath given me to undervalue all things in comparison of Christ: To hunger and thirst after Christ: To purpose in my heart to trust in Christ, and to cleave unto him: To make my request unto him in Christs name, by praier and supplication with thanksgiving: To be so affected with his love in Christ, as to desire and endeavour out of love and thankfulnes to serve him in holines and righteousnes all my daies: Yet these works have been wrought in me outwardly by such means, to wit by the history of the Scriptures and my own reasonings upon the same, and for such ends, namely more immediately for my own salvation then for Gods glory: as that I fear they are but delusions of Satan, and deceits of my own heart, and that I have not attained the faith of Gods elect unto this day.
Answ. Some of the Disciples of Christ that had faith and a work of true grace wrought in them, did think and fear that the appearing of Christ unto them had been a delusion, (t)Luk. 24.37, to 40.and were tempted to suspect their faith, and to cast away their confidence after they had attained faith unfained. (u)Luk 22.32. 1 Th. 3.5.As Satan endeavours to make those think that they doe beleeve that doe but presume: So endeavours to make those think that doe beleeve, that they do but presume; (x)1 Pet. 5 8.so as that if the works of grace afore mentioned have been inwardly wrought in your heart by Gods Spirit though they were outwardly wrought by the means and for the ends aforesaid: Then you ought not thereby either to fear that they are delusions of Satan, or deceits of your own heart (being they are both above, (y)Iam. 1.17.and contrary thereunto, (z)Luk 22 31 32. 1 Pet. 5.8.) Or to question the truth of your faith; For the work of Gods grace is in, upon, and by a rationall creature, and in a rationall way; God gives the soul to know inwardly by his Spirit, and outwardly by the history of the Scripture that all have sinned, (a)Rom. 3.23.5.18.and that condemnation is come upon all, (…) and so to reason it self to be a sinner liable unto condemnation; He gives the soul to know that God so loved the world, that he gave his onelyonly begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have eternall life, (b)Ioh. 3.16.and so to reason a possibility of its salvation: He gives the soul to know that without faith it is impossible to please him, that he that beleeves shall be saved, that he that beleeves not, is condemned already, (c)Heh, 11.6. Ioh. 3.18.and so causeth it to reason it self to beleeve by thinking of the necessity, and benefit of faith, and of the dangers and disadvantages of unbelief, or the like: He gives the soul to know that all things are but dung and losse in comparison of Christ, (d)Mat. 13.46. Phil. 3.8.and so causes it in a rationall way to prize Christ, to trust in him, and to cleave unto him: He gives the soul to know that sinners may come boldly unto the throne of grace through Christ, (e)Heb. 4.16.and so to reason that then it may have accesse unto him through Christ: He gives the soul to know that he is glorified in the salvation of souls, and that they give glory unto him that beleeve and live so as becomes the Gospel, (f)Ioh. 15.8. Rom. 4.20.and so to reason that it seeks Gods glory in seeking its own salvation, and so it comes to passe that it seeks its salvation more immediately then Gods glory; What Saints can say (I challenge the whole world of Christians) that they have alwaies sought Gods glory more then their own salvation? Happy are those self-seeking souls that seek Gods glory in their salvation!
Object. 2 I am not sanctified, for corruption remaineth in me, warreth against me, and oftentimes overcomes me; so as that I am afraid I have not a justifying faith, in that I have not a sanctifying faith.
Answ. The people of God both in the old and new Testament that were true beleevers were in part unsanctified, (g)Isa. 64.6. Ioh. 17.18, to 21.and had remainders of sin and corruption in them that warred against them, and that did at times overcome them; (h)Rom. 7.15 to 25. 1 Pet 2.11.So as that whatever your corruptions are and have been, if you doe not allow of them, but strive against them by complaining humbly unto God of them in your praiers, and by acting and exercising faith on Jesus Christ for that end that you might have victory over them: Then you have no just ground to suspect the truth of your justifying faith by reason of the remainders of sin and corruption, or want of sanctification; (i)Rom 7.15, 24, 25. Ioh. 17.19.It is not corruption but grace that discovers corruptions or sinfull workings and warreth against them.(k)Gal 5.17.
Object. 3 I have sinned so often both presumptuously and secretly since I first begun to endeavour to beleeve, as that I cannot but doubt whether I doe truly beleeve or no.
Answ. The Saints of God both before and since the coming of Christ were overtaken after their first beleeving in many grosse and grievous sins, (l)Gen. 9.21. 1 King. 11.3, 4, to 11. 2 Sam 12.7, to 13. Luk. 22.56, to 62.both against the light of nature, and the Scriptures; (m)1 Cor. 5.1.yea against their knowledge and resolution of better obedience; (n)Mat. 26.33, 35.So at that whatsoever your sins are and have been since your first beleeving, and how often soever you have sinned them over and over, though seventy times seven in a day: Yet if God give you ordinarily to order your life according unto his word, and in some measure to eschew all evil, and all appearances of evil, and to renew your faith and repentance as your sins are renewed: Then you ought not thereby to be scrupulous about the truth of your faith; (o)Gal. 6.16. 1 Thes. 5.22. Luk. 22 62. Rom. 7 24, 25.If one beleever be to forgive another upon repentance seventy times seven in a day; (p)Mat. 18.21. with Luk. 17.4.How oft then will God forgive a beleeving penitent in a day? Even so oft as he sinneth, and saith I have sinned and it profits me not.(q)Iob 33.27, 28.
Object. 4 Though I desire to perform every duty (if I know my heart) that I know God requires of me: yet my heart is so unheavenly and indisposed unto holy duties, and I am so formall, hypocriticall, negligent, rash, irreverent, secure, cold and unspirituall in the duties of Gods worship both in publike and in private; as that I think if I had true faith it would not be thus with me, and that God will never accept of such like performances.
Answ. Some of the people of God both in the old and new Testament that had true faith were both indisposed unto holy duties, (r)Psal. 129.25, 37.40.and negligent and secure in them; (s)Mat. 16.40, 43, 45.Yea in many things in the duties of Gods worship they did offend all; (t)Lev. 5.15. Isa. 64.6. Iam 3.2.And I am perswaded all the Saints of God on this side heaven doe sometimes finde the like indispositions of heart unto, and distempers of soul in holy duties as you have even now complained of; So as that if you doe not wittingly and willingly allow of them, nor rest securely in them, but dislike them, and call upon God to quicken you; and to help you against them, and to give you a better heart, more affections, zeal, and fervency to serve him withall: And after that perform holy duties as well as you can, and look for acceptance of your performances onelyonly through Jesus Christ: Then you have no just cause either to think your faith is not right, or that your performances are not acceptable unto God in Jesus Christ by reason of your indispositions unto, or want of affection, zeal, sincerity or the like in holy duties; (u)Rom. 7.15 16, 17. Ps. 119.25, 37. 1 Prov. 23.26. 2 Pet 2.5.A beleeving sincere humbe heart, is not alwaies in a lively, holy; zealous, spirituall temper; (x)Rom. 7.19, 24.They are heavenly-minded, and in some measure disposed unto holy duties that give up their hearts unto God when they draw nigh unto him in the duties of his worship, to be put, and kept in a heavenly frame; (y)Prov. 23.26.When a beleeving soul saith, I would O Lord, but I cannot serve thee as I ought: Then God saith I will accept of what thou wouldest doe for well done in and through my beloved Son in whom (with thee) I am well pleased.(z)Mat. 3.17.
Object. 5 I am so ignorant, forgetfull, and unprofitable under the means of grace as that I fear my faith is not right.
Answ. Some of the Disciples of Christ that were accounted beleevers by Christ himself were so ignorant, forgetfull, and unprofitable under the Ministery of Christ, as that they neither knew, remembred, learned, nor beleeved such things as were necessary to be known and beleeved unto salvation; (a)Luk. 24.1. to 53. Mat. 16.7, to 13. Heb. 5.12, 13. Heb. 5.9.Therefore if you so profit by the means of grace as to be convinced of your unprofitablenesse for time past, and so as to use the means of grace for the present that you might profit thereby for time to come, Then you ought not to doubt of your faith by reason of your unprofitablenesse under the means of grace; (b)Ioh 16 8, 9, with Luk. 17, 8. Prov. 8.35, 36. Heb 5.12.6, 7, 8, 9.If God should say unto his people, have you learned, beleeved, and practised something out of every part of my word you have read, or heard read, opened, preached, and repeated at any time? He would thereby either make them speechlesse, or humble acknowledgers of their unprofitablenesse; They truly profit by the means of grace, that thereby learn Christ, belief in him, and obedience unto him.(c)Heb. 4.2. Ephes. 4.19, to 25.
Object. 6 I doe not grow in grace, nor go from faith to faith, neither do I bring forth much fruit, therefore I fear I have no faith, and that I am no true Disciple of Christ.
Answ. The Disciples of Christ that had faith did not immediately after their first beleeving, go from faith unto faith, (d)Luk. 24.25 Ioh. 15.1, to 5nor sensibly grow in grace and bear fruit, being they are compared unto branches in a vine which may grow and not bear fruit, nor be discerned to grow: which may grow and bear fruit, and yet come short of others in growth and fruitfulnesse: which may grow and bear fruit and yet not unto expectation and means; So as that if (as you are a babe, or new born babe in Christ) you desire the sincere milk of the Gospel that you may grow and bear fruit thereby: If (as you are a middle aged Christian) you can discern that you have grown for time past in the knowledge of Christ, and in your desires after him, and that you have brought forth any fruit at all, and endeavour for the present to abide in Christ that you might grow and bear fruit for time to come: If (as you are in the last age of Christianity) you grow in the purposes of your heart to cleave unto Christ, that you might bear much fruit, though you decay in your body, parts, common gifts, and in the exercise of speciall grace: Then you doe causelessely question your faith about your not growing in grace, and not bearing of much fruit, (e)1 Pet. 2.2. Iam. 2.25. Ioh 8.31 15.5, 8.whether you be a childe, a young man, or a father in Christ; (f)1 Ioh. 2.12 to 16.If you be in Christ and do abide in him by faith then you do grow in grace though you know it not; If you grow in grace then you are ingrafted into Christ, and you will bear fruit in due time: branches out of the vine doe not grow; If you have grown in grace though for the present you rather decay then increase in grace, yet let not your heart be troubled within you: old-aged Christians may be twise children in Christ.
Object. 7 I am so afflicted with poverty, sorrow, sicknes, pains, aches, losse of friends, goods, good name, and many moe such like crosses and calamities: as that I am doubtfull whether I be the childe of God by faith or no.
Answ. Those whom Christ calls brethren, and whom the Apostle Paul saith the world was not worthy of, and therefore they were the children of God by faith, were hated, reviled, persecuted, imprisoned, cruelly dealt withall, (g)Heb, 11.36, to 40.and so poor as that they had neither house to cover their heads, not beds to lye in, (h)Heb. 11.38nor apparell to cover their nakednesse, nor wherewithall to eat and drink: (i)Matth. 25.34, to 46.Yea they were sick, and lived as miserable sad a life, and died as lamentable cruell a death as poor creatures of mankinde could doe; (k)Heb. 11.37.So as that whatsoever your afflictions are or have been, if your heart be drawn neerer unto God by them, or kept closer unto God in them, or any way made be…ter by them: Then you doe without cause suspect your adoption and faith by reason of your afflictions; (l)Heb. 12.6, 7, 8, 11, 12.There is no outward misery in life or death that ever any of mankinde met withall, but an elect beleeving childe of God may meet with the like: (m)Eccl. 9.2.onelyonly here is the difference, as all things work together for the eternall good of beleevers: (n)1 Cor. 2.9.So all things work together for the just condemnation of unbeleevers; (n)Iude 4.Those afflictions are out of love and in mercy, and doe as it were seal up unto you your adoption that give you an occasion to say It is good for me that I have been afflicted.(o)Ps. 119.71 Heb. 12.8.
Object. 8 I have so little joy in beleeving, and my soul is so filled with the terrors of God, and my heart is so troubled within me, as that I conceive if I did truly beleeve in Christ I should not be left thus comfortlesse as I am.
Answ. Some both old and new Testament beleevers had the terrours of the Almighty so upon them, and the light of Gods countenance so hid from them, (p)Ps. 88.3. to 18. Iob. 19.11. Isa. 45 15. Iob 23.8, 9. Cant. 5 6.and their hearts so troubled within them, (q)Ioh. 14.1.as that they had little, or no joy in their beleeving; (r)Ps. 51.11, 12. Ioh. 14.1, 16, 17, 18.So as that if you endeavour when God hides himself from you and leaves you comfortlesse to finde out the causes of, and reasons why God leaves you, and lets in his wrath upon you, and (having found them out) endeavour the removeall of them: And, if in the mean while you fear God, and do what you can in the use of all means to glorifie God by trusting in his mercy, and in his Christ for the salvation of your soul whatever be the issue of it: Then you ought not in any wise to think or imagine that you do not truly beleeve by reason of the terrors of God upon you, or want of joy in beleeving; (s)Ps. 88.11. to 16. Iob 34.31, 32 Isa. 50.10.They truly beleeve that can say when the terrours of the Almighty are upon them, I am O Lord, thy creature, if thou doest fight against me as an enemie thou maiest soon kill me, and though thou slay me, yet will I trust in thee; (t)Iob 13, 15.They shall be saved that beleeve though they have no comfort in beleeving: (u)Ioh. 3.16, 36.But God will not long withhold his face from those, whose hearts cleave unto him; (x)Isa. 54.7.8.Can a father alwaies withhold his countenance and favour from that childe that saith unto him, Father, I confesse I have offended you so as that I am no more worthy to be called your childe: yet I purpose to doe so no more; I beseech you pardon me and be not alwaies angry with me? As a father pittieth his children: so the Lord pittieth them that fear him.(y)Ps. 103.13.
Object. 9 I do not live by faith upon the promises, for I fear death, and that I shall want the things of this life before death, and that I shall at one time or another dishonour God by falling away and so perish for ever: Therefore I fear that I have no lively faith.
Answ. The Disciples of Christ that had a lively faith though but a little of it, did not live by faith without distrustfull cares and fears, either for this life, or the things thereof, (z)Mat 6.28, to 34. Mat. 10.28.neither did they trust Christ in his promises without doubting and trouble of heart, either for his spirit here, or for heaven hereafter; (a)Ioh. 14.1, 2, 26.So as that if there be but a little of a new-beleeving heart in you that opposes the old, fearfull, evil unbeleeving-heart, and that saith unto it, God is faithfull in his promise, therefore I shall never perish, nor lack any thing in this life that is good for me: And if you side with the better part of your heart, and humbly complain of the worse part of it unto God that is able to take it away, and doe resolve in the strength of Christ that it shall be your care and endeavour while you live to trust in the Lord for everlasting life, though you cannot live upon his promises (as you ought) for temporall life, and the things thereunto belonging: Then you ought not to question the livelines of your faith by reason of your not living by faith; (b)Rom. 4.18, 24, 25. Rom. 7.15.19, 24. Iob 13.15.A Saint of God may trust Christ for eternall, and yet not allwaies and in all respects, for temporall life; (c)Mat. 14.30They beleeve and live by faith, and shall be blessed for ever that trust in the Lord for their souls, and for their eternall well-being in the world to come, though they cannot live upon God by faith without all doubting and distrustfull cares and fears for their bodies, and for their temporall and spirituall well being in this world.
Object. 10 I neither have nor ever had assurance of faith, therefore I am doubtfull whether I have any true faith or no.
Answ. Some of Gods people in the new Testament that did truely beleeve on the name of the Son of God, did neither know that they did beleeve, nor that they should have eternall life upon beleeving; (d)1 Ioh. 5.13. Mark. 9.24. Luk. 24.25.Therefore if God have given you so to know and acknowledge Christ to be the Son of the living God as to beleeve on his name, and so as to desire to trust in him, and to rest and rely upon him alone for salvation: Then you ought not to suspect your faith of adherence for want of full assurance of faith, (e)Mat. 16.17 Mat. 5.6. Ioh. 3.16.God knows how little knowledge of Christ, and how little faith in Christ will save a soul! This I know that they are blessed that beleeve without sence and feeling as well as those that beleeve with full assurance of faith; (f)Ioh. 20.29Assurance (to speak properly) is not the act but the effect of beleeving, and the testimony of Gods Spirit in beleevers telling them that they doe beleeve; (g)Rom. 8.16 1 Cor. 2.12, 1 Ioh. 5.10.They are blessed that truly beleeve in Christ though they neither know it in their life nor at their death that they doe beleeve; (h)Ps. 2.12. Rom. 4.6, to 13.We enjoy Christ by faith, and not by feeling. But as God hath formerly given beleevers to know the things that were freely given them of God: (i)1 Cor. 2.12.So you may comfortably conceive that God will give you in due time (if he hath given you to beleeve) to know that you doe beleeve; Least any carelesse Christians, wicked Protestants, and temporary professors should presume upon my answers unto the later sort of objections: Caution.Therefore I would have all to know that I apprehend and conceive the second sort of objections to be the doubts of those that have such a like work of grace begun and continued in them as is mentioned in the first objection.