and strong immediatly after a desertion In desertions ordinarily it is none or but weake p. 217 2. Ordinarily it is very high when his Saints are in greatest distresses call'd to suffer Martyrdome c. p. 218 219 3d. Concl. Thou mayest have had and again have a true assurance and full perswasion though thou for the present hast none at all p. 219 220 SERM. XIII CHAP. XIII HOw to comfort that soule that conceives it hath not true faith because it doth not feele Gods strength carrying it out to those duties and acts of grace which it ought to act A distinction of feeling It may be 1. Of Peace 221 2. Of Strength Ib. Something spoken by way of consolation to poor souls under this scruple of spirit 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 c. 1. Consid Not-feeling doth not argue a not-being p. 223 2d Consid The truth of Gods love to us is not so easily to be discerned in the very acting and working of God as in the effect of such acts and operations p. 235 236 237 3d. Consid Feeling at the best is but a deceivable or a disputable evidence p. 237 238 4. Consid No Christian feeles strength alwayes alike nor hath cause to doe it p. 239 That of God to the soule which is not seen is alwayes alike That which is seen not so Ib. Causes why God is not felt alwayes alike in the soule p. 240 1. Cause His soft goings sometimes in the cause Ib. 2. To trie whether a Christian can stand alone upon the true legges of faith without the woodden legs of sense Ib. 3. The soule may be benummed and have lost its feeling Ib. 5. Consid Gods strength may then be seen in thee when it is not seene or felt by thee p. 241 242 6. Consid It is no argument to warrant thee not to believe because thou dost not feele God carrying thee out by his armes of strength in such a manner to spirituall duties and to the acts of spirituall and saving graces as thou desirest and perhaps expectest p. 242 243 We must believe for strength as well any thing else p. 243 This diâ—â—ers from the Arminian Doctrine of free-will Ib. 5 Directions teaching Christians what to doe under this Affliction p. 244 1. Direct Find out the cause and remove it Ib. 2. Causes may be 1. Gods will Ib. Then submitting removes it Ib. 2. Thy own temper Ib. Under temptations 2. Some known sins 3. Thy expectations may be too high Ib 4. Thy wilfulnesse may be the cause These causes must be removed 1. Faith 2. Loving Expectations 3. Repentance c. 2. Direct Wait forfeeling p. 244 3 Direct Learn to live without bread on Gods Word p. 245. 4. Direct Learn to acknowledge Gods little finger Ib. 5. Direct Act contrary to thy mind Sick men must eat against their stomack p. 245 5 Reasons of Master Rutherfords why we ought to performe duties under an indisposition even against our mind p. 245 246 SERM. XIV CHAP. XIV HOw to know whether our doubtings be such as may consist with true faith in a gracious soule 5 Particulars in which the doubtings of believers differ from the doubtings of Unbelievers and Reprobates p. 248 249 250 251 1. They differ in the Principle unbeliefe is not the Principle of doubting in the Believer but Infirmity p. 249 250 251 The exposition of that place Rom. 4. 19 20. p. 250 251 252 2. They differ in the occasion from whence they arise p. 253 Severall occasions of doubting in Gods people different from the occasion of Unbelievers doubtings p. 253 254 3. They differ in the Object The Object of the Christians doubting is something in himselfe The Object of the Unbelievers doubting is ordinarily something in God p. 254 255 The Reasons of it p. 255 256 257 4. They differ in their duration and continuance p. 257 258 5 Notes concerning believers doubtings p. 259 260 261 1. They are most and strongest in the morning p. 258 2. They may be in the day time p. 259 3. If they be they are fewer and weaker The reasons of it p. 259 260 4. They are transient clouds that passe and return not p. 260 5. They have none but they conquer in fine p. 261 5. They differ in their Effects p. 262 263 The effect of Unbelievers doubting is a forsaking and declination from God p. 261 262 They commonly produce in Gods servants these five effects 1. A complaining unto God p. 263 2. A craving satisfaction from God p. 264 3. A striving against them Ib. 4. A waiting for God Ib. 5. A closer walking with and adhering unto God p. 264 265 LUKE 17. 5. And the Apostles said unto him Lord increase our faith WHen the Jaylor fell down at the Apostles feet Acts 16. 30. and said What shall I do to be saved The Apostle answers Beleeve in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shall be saved When Ruler feared Christ saith Be not afraid onely beleeve Mar. 5. 36. When the poor man came for mercy for his son Mark 9. 32. Christs tells him If he could beleeve all things were possible to him When we pray if we can but beleeve we shall receive we shall surely not fail Many glorious things are spoken of this mother of graces that faith seems to be the whole duty of man Demosthenes was askt how many things were necessary for an Orator he answers three First action secondly action thirdly action meaning action was more than all And when a certain Prince askt a great Commander what was necessary for War He answers him three things money money money meaning that that is the ligaments and nerves of War And truely if any should ask me what is the unum necessarium the one thing necessary for a Christian I would say faith if he should ask me again I would say faith if the third time still I should say beleeve To the first pray for â—aith to the second use faith to the third grow and increase in faith Faith and beleeving is the whole duty of a Christian in a safe sence for it supposeth humiliation and it commandeth newnesse of life Preparatory qualifications are but faiths harbingers to prepare a room for faith and the works of sanctification are but faiths retinue fed from Faiths table and accordingly maintained as Faith is more or lesse strong and able to maintain them This hath made the Devil more beleaguer the castle of Faith then all the other petty holds comparatively that christian maintaineth against him That as the King of Aram 1 King 22. 31. said to his thirty and two Captains over his chariots Fight neither with small or great save onely against the King of Israel so the Devil seems to make it his great designe to fight and to have given it as his sole or chiefest injunction to the Captains of his Chariots to all his forces and all his instruments to fight neither with small nor great but onely against the King of graces
there is a waking heart though there be no waking eye the soule as well as the body in sleep is bereaved of sense wait but till the morning and the soule will confesse it seeth and hath recovered its senses again Thus for thy comfort know Christian that thou couldst not justly expect to feele alwayes alike for first God doth not dispense alwayes alike and secondly if he did dispense alwayes alike yet a benummed ashy winter-sleepy soule hath not that beauty â—or that sense which a lively healthy well-tempered clear-spring-awakened soule hath Fifthly consider That Gods strength may be then seen in thee when it is not seen and felt by thee The gracious soule is not alwayes nay is very seldome a competent Judge of it self the high Christian may often have a very low yea too low an opinion of himselfe the Christian is his own worst construing Book and especially too at some times if Paul may be judge of himself sometimes he is the least of Saints and the chiefest of sinners and unworthy to bee called an Apostle If David may be judge of himselfe Psal 22 v. 6. He is a worm and no man yea the very reproach of men So if many Christians may be judges of themselves Alas they cannot pray they cannot love God they cannot beleeve they feel nothing of the rength of God carrying them out when if standers by may be judges there is a great deale of the strength of God manifested in their hearts and carriages of their lives and God is gloriously discovered in carrying out their hearts so gloriously and sweetly and firmely for him as he doth take a true Christian and this is a sure rule that God and Gods people have far better opinions of him then he hath of himselfe now this may comfort thee when other better and more experienced Christians by thy own confession then thy self can see more in thee then thou canst feele the body in a dead swound feels no life in it selfe but all its vitall motions and functions are hindred now therefore at such a time others in the roome are Iudges of its life or death they by observing the warmth of the body the motions of the pulse or applying a glasse to the mouth of the swounding person do perceive life in the man that to his owne sense and perhaps to the sense of some others is a dead carkasse Sixthly and lastly consider that it is no Argument to warrant thee not to beleeve because thou doest not feele God carrying thee out by his armes of strength in such a manner to spirituall duties and the acts of spirituall and saving graces as thou desirest or perhaps expectest the reason of this is plain because it is my duty as well to beleeve for strength as for any thing else Sure I am Gods promises are as much for strength to act grace as for any thing else and the promises of God are the object of my Faith it is my duty to beleeve the promises I will strengthen thee saith God I will help thee and uphold thee with the hand of my righteousnesse thou sayest this cannot I believe Why because God doth not strengthen me and help me carry out my heart in an act of Faith Thus thou beggest the question the question is not whither thou oughtest to believe when thou feelest God carrying thee on to believing c. But whither thou oughtest not to believe that God will strengthen thee and carry thee out to acts of believing and loving c. But some may say What doth this differ from Free-will doctrine Can I believe unlesse God doth strengthen me to believe Why doe you call upon a man to lay hold when he complaineth that he wants hands or upon a man to walk when he tells you he cannot find that he hath any legs Mistake not Christian God hath said I will strengthen thee I will help thee and uphold thee with the hand of my righteousnesse Now I say it is thy duty to believe this promise of strength help and I confesse that it is not in thy power to believe this promise but God must strengthen thee and help thee before thou canst believe this promise that he will strengthen thee and help thee but yet I doe not call upon one that hath no hands to lay hold nor upon one that hath no legs to walk but upon one that saith he doth not feele his legs I call upon him to walk and I call upon one that doth not know and feele that hee hath hands to lay hold c. And this is sense and warrantable Divinity Faith is not sensible and visible to a Christian in the habit but only in the acts I call to thee to shew forth the habit of faith Now it shall not excuse thee from this duty that thou canst not feele thou hast any habite of Faith the habite of this pretious grace is invisible Thus have I given thee some considerations which duly weighed and considered may comfort thy soule under this perplexity I have only one thing more to doe and that is to speak a word or two of direction to such soules to shew them what to doe that they may be comforted in which I will be briefe First then by way of direction Finde out the cause and remove it the causes may bee various I cannot name them all but the great and ordinary causes may be first Gods will secondly thy own temper 1. Gods will he will not please perhaps to lead thee with so strong an arm at one time as at another hee will try how thou wilt live by faith sense is bread he will have thee not to live by bread only but by every word that commeth out of the mouth of God Now sence and feeling that is bread if this be the cause as it was in Peter thou must not dispute but submit to it 2. The cause may be in thy self it may be thou art under some violent temptations of Sathan or under the clouds and darknesses of some sinnes or corruptions or thy expectation of feeling or sense may be too high or thou mayest be wilfull and not feel when thou mayest These causes must bee removed by faith repentance endeavour obedience c. Hath sin benummed thee be humbled for this sinne and thou shalt feele Art thou in desertion believe and hope and thou shalt feele again It is a known maxime Take away the cause and the effect will cease But Secondly Wait for feeling this is is a part of thy duty in relation to this want especially caused by Gods will Is 40. 31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength like the Eagle Psal 27. 14. Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord wait with faith and hope and patience Thirdly Learn to live upon Gods Word Man shall not live by bread only but upon every Word that commeth out of the mouth of
promises made to us for sufficiency for this life Ser. X. 17. Whether a beleever may not hang tremblingly upon the promises and yet hang truly upon them what things may cause a trembling faith in the soule sometimes 18. Whether a Christian may not truly beleeve and yet not be able at all times fully and truly to appropriate the promises of Jesus Christ to himselfe in particular 19. Whether the true beleever may apply particular promises 20. Whether the true beleever at sometimes may not be unable to apply temporall promises when and why 21. Whether a true beleever at sometimes may not be unable particularly to apply spirituall promises if they be conditionall 22. Whether the true beleever at sometimes may not be unable to apply spirituall promises though absolute Ser. XI 23. What things must be wrought in that soule that by a particular application of faith layes hold upon any promise 24. Whether and how a Christian may and ought to apply all the promises so as to bring them as salves to his particular sores 25. Whether Conditionall promises suppose that I must fulfill the conditions before I apply them Ser. XII 26. Whether a Christian may not have saving faith yet no assurance 27. Whether and how perswasion comes into justifying faith and is necessary to every true faith 28. Whether a Christian may conclude he hath had faith of assurance or hath if it be weake and inconstant in degrees * 29. Whether assurance when lost may be recovered againe Ser. XIII 30. Whether it be a sufficient ground for me to conclude I have no faith if I thinke I doe not feele the strength of God carrying me out to those duties which I should doe and graces which I should act 31. Whether any Christian feeles strength alwayes alike and what causes there may be of his not feeling Gods strength alwayes alike acting in his soule 32. What a Christian ought to doe when he doth not feele the strength of God enlivening him and inabling him to act spirituall duties Ser. XIV 33. Whether and how a Christian may know whether those doubts which arise in his soule be such as a true beleever hath or no better then such as unbeleevers and reprobates have 34. Whether the principle of doubting in the beleever be unbeliefe or infirmity An Index of the Contents of the following Treatise SERM. I. CHAP. I. THe Coherence of the Text division of it and 8. Doctrines raised from it p. 1 2 3 4 The Doctrine insisted upon viz. That as the best of Christians have weaknesse and imperfection in their faith so it is their nature and duty to be sensible of it and to labour and strive against it p. 4 The Doctrine proved in its 3. branches by Scripture p. 5 3 Reasons of the first branch why Christians have weaknesses Ib. 1. Because the state of Mortality is imperfect Ib. 2. Christians condition here is inconstant Ib. 3. Corruptions renew daily Ib. 3. Reasons of the 2. branch Why the true Beleever will be sensible of his weaknesses Because 1. He is alwayes laying his heart to his eye p. 6 2. He is alwayes laying the square to his heart Ib. 3. He is not self-opinionated Ib. 3 Reasons of the 3. branch Why the Christian will strive against his weaknesses 1. Because the spirit works in him p. 7 2. Because he levels his arrowes at perfection Ib. 3. He knowes the more he hath of faith the more he hath of Christ Ib. Uses 1. To comfort weake Christians p. 8 2. To exhort all to labour to increase their faith p. 9 1 Direction to remove those things which hinder faith p. 9 10 1. Scruples and doubts hinder faith 2. Notes of a weake faith p. 10 What we must doe to remove scruples that hinder faith p. 11 What are the causes why many conceive they ought not to beleeve Ib. 1. Cause The too irregular eying of preparatory qualifications they thinke they are not enough humbled Ib. The question disputed Whether faith goes before repentance or repentance before faith p. 12 13 14 15 c. The termes opened and the question rightly stated p. 12 13 Six things granted to them that hold the Negative and the question againe rightly stated p. 14 The Affirmative proved by 3 Arguments by Scripture and experience p. 15 16 17 18 7. Objections answered and the truth vindicated p. 19 20 21 22 23 24 An answer to the Objections of the Jailor and Lydia's examples Master Shepheards answer to those examples p. 24 25 SERM. II. CHAP. II. HOw to comfort the soule under that trouble I am not enough humbled The complaint p. 26 Something spoken by way of premise p. 27 28 29 Severall considerations to comfort the soule under this trouble p. 29 30 1. Though God hath called for humiliation yet he hath not set a measure p. 29 2. No man is able to set a measure p. 30 6 Notes concerning Gods various dealings in humbling soules Ib. What soules God ordinarily humbles deeply and yet how various his dealings with them are p. 30 31 32 3. Consid If the end be wrought we need not trouble our selves about the meanes p 33 2 Ends of Humiliation To make sinne bitter and loathsome p. 33 34 To put the soule in a capacity of beleeving p. 35 5 Notes of Doctor Sibbs to know when humiliation is sufficient 34 A 3d end of humiliation is to inhance the price of Christ in the soul p. 36 4. Consid Thou mayest misjudge thy humiliation Ib. 3. Notes concerning the measuring of it p. 36 37 38 1. We must measure length and breadth as well as depth p. 37 2. We must measure inside more then outside Ib. 3. We must give an allowance for the time to come p. 38 5. Consid Humiliation is not a ground of Faith p. 41 Nor Acceptation p. 39 40 There may be a spice of Popery in a desire of deep humiliation p. 39 40 2. Directions to Christians under this temptation p. 43 44 45 1. By the Nature of God In his Covenant p. 43 44 45 In his Christ in his dispensatiōs of grace p. 46 In his promises Ib. Consider to what maner of sinners God hath dispensed out his grace Ib. 2 Things to be gathered from the Holy-Ghosts various expression of the worke of humiliation in the Saints p. 47 3 Notes concerning the promises p. 48 49 1. The promises require no more of us then they engage God for to us 2. No promises are made to the measure of humiliation but to the thing p. 49 3. Gods originall promises of first Grace and humiliation are absolute not conditionall p. 49 2. Direction By the nature of humiliation p. 50 The Nature of humiliation may be considered in its 1. Originall Ib. 2. Manner of working Ib. 3. End Ib. 3. Direct Labour after more humiliation p. 51. Want of humiliation is the cause of so many hypocrites p. 51 Meanes to get our hearts more humbled p. 52 3. Meanes given by
19. 11. By the judgement of the Lord David was made circumspect And Thirdly if we consider that the Christian is not self-opinionated He cares not for false glasses and is more apt to behold his graces in a diminishing then a multiplying glasse the sincere Christian concerning himself is as ready to miscall a mountain a mole-hill as the hypocrite is to misjudge every mole-hill a mountain almost as ready to miscall his good evill as the other to nickname his evill good And for the third Branch of the Doctrine That as it is the duty of Christians to be sensible and groan under the defect of Faith so it is their duty and they will not stand still but strive and pray for an increase of it Much reason might be given for that too As First From the nature of the spirit of God that worketh and dwelleth in them Faith is the spirits work 1 Cor. 12. 9. Flesh and blood never revealed it Now the spirit is a quickning spirit 1 Pet. 3. 18. It is life Rom. 8. 10. Now where there is a principle of life there will be growth It is a working spirit that phrase we have often The spirit which worketh in you c. Now the spirits work is not to undo what it hath done but to work further and more Secondly If we consider The end of the Christian in the acting of all his graces Phil. 3. 13. The Apostle expresseth it fully Perfection is his butt he knows he must draw his bow with all his strength and his arrow to the head if he means to reach the butt and he shall not hit it neither The Christians voice is Heb. 6. 1. Let us go unto perfection It is the hypocrite sets himself bounds in Religion and sayes hither will I go and no further And to adde no more Thirdly The Christian knows that the more he hath of Faith the more he hath of Christ he knows that there is a depth of sweetnesse in Christ that can never be â—adomed something more to be understood when he understands as much as he can of him when the soul hath as much as its narrow hand can grasp of him whole Christ is too big to be enclosed in mortall arms Now the soul knows that Faith is the hand must squeeze that essence of sweetnesse the arm that must claspe him and he knows that the longer his arm of Faith is the more he shall graspe of him though he shall never be able to comprehend immeasurable Christ Eph. 3. 16 17 18. This makes him alwayes complain of his dwarfishnesse that his hand of Faith is not big enough and his arm of Faith is not long enough he cannot get in so much of Christ into his soul as he would do this makes him pray for an increase of Faith and so often complain of the shortnesse of his arm he cannot beleeve as he would This makes him say with our Apostle here Lord increase my Faith I come now to the application and here is matter of Consolation and Exhortation For all Christians 1. Cons especially those that are most sensible of the weaknesse of their Faith There have been and are more dwarfs besides thee Christian Perfection is a white was never hit the best archers come an handfull short It is indeed the mark at which every one ought to levell his arrows but all the souls of Christians like the arrows of Ionathan have flown some over into glory some short some on this hand some on that none hath hit the mark Be of good comfort Christian weak Faith is Faith little ones are true children of the Father that casts none away that comes though creeping to him Heaven hath room for babes as well as men A childe may pull the latch of heavens door and go in and be welcome to the knee of the King of Glory to the bosome of him Isai 40. 11. Who feeds his flock like a shepheard and carries the lambs in his bosome Jesus Christ hath his arms full of tender sucking lambs or at least that were so upon the earth The youngest Christian if he be an heir is of age to take up his land in heaven nonage is no bar The Garden of God hath more slips then old stocks in it now indeed they are become stocks but here they were but tender slips while Christ took them up out of the land of grace and transplanted them But Secondly Eâ—hor Is it so that the best of Christians have but a weak Faith in comparison of that perfection we ought to aspire to and that it is the duty of Christians to be sensible of it and pray and strive against it Let us all then look upon it as our duty Let us pray Lord increase our Faith Let us strive after that we shall never attain to even perfection Heb. 6. 1. Now here many directions might be given The first I will give shall be to remove those things which hinder the growth of it as scruples cavillings c. From hence shall I take my rise for a subject which with the blessing of God I do intend for some time to insist upon to satisfie the souls of some poor Christians in those scruples which may perplex them touching this grace of Faith The removing of which will not a little conduce to the increasing of this grace in their souls I will begin with the first And here though I spend many Sermons I trust I shall not be tedious having intended to make it my work in these Lectures to satisfie doubting Christians in cases of conscience and to begin with those which concern this radical grace at which the Devill bends so much of his force and malice Therefore wouldest thou grow in Faith Direct 1. remove those scruples which hinder the beginning and progresse of Faith in thy soul There are two notes of a weak Faith in a gracious soul 1. A sence of no Faith 2. A fear of a false Faith First A sence of no Faith Many a soul doth beleeve that perswades it self it neither doth nor ought to beleeve you shall often meet with Christians and especially in the beginning of their conversion that will cry out O they cannot beleeve nay what have they to do to beleeve Faith were but a presumption in their soul if they could hatch it up Or if not so Secondly Yet you cannot make them think that they do beleeve no Faith and they are strangers c. Now as it is in the diseases of the body the cure is scarce wrought untill the cause be first discovered and removed so it is likewise in the troubles and disquietments of the soul we shall scarce be able to remove them out of the souls way unlesse we first finde how they came there and if we can but truely understand the cause we shall easily remove the effect In generall we must know these complaints are to be understood concerning the Acts of Faith I dare not or cannot or do
64. 6. good for nothing in his service c. Doctor Preston gives these directions vol. 4. 1. Labour to see the greatnesse of thy sin 2. To see the inability to help thy self For the first he propounds this 1. Fix your thoughts upon some great sin 2. Think of the number of thy sins 3. Make past sins present think of youth sins c. 4. Be not willing to exiâ—nuate or excuse any sin 5. Make sorrow abide upon your hearts 2. Consider the inability to help thy self 1. Think of Gods greatnesse and strictnesse 2. Of thy weaknesse and sinfulnesse And in another place he gives these directions 1. Every day search thy heart for the sins thou hast committed that day 2. Study the Scriptures they will discover your vile hearts more to you 3. Keep your hearts and wayes upright that is the way to keep them from haâ—dning 4. Bediligent in your calling 5. Remember times and sins past 6. Distinguish betwixt grace in thee and thy self of thy self Many other directions have been and may be given I will reduce all to these two or three heads 1. Consider the nature of thy sin 2. Consider the mercy of thy God 3. Run unto God Now these may be branched out into severall particulars 1. Consider sins in the filthinesse of them 2. In the greatnesse of them 3. In the multitude of them 4. In the aggravations of them 5. In the effects of them 6. In the dangerous consequence and guilt of them 2. Consider the mercy of God 1. That hath spared thee from hell so long 2. That yet will pardon thee 3. That yet will give thee heaven and glory 3. But when thou hast done all what thou canst this way these are but poor helps the surest way is to Fly to God by prayer and intreat him to work his own work So the Church Hos 14. 2. Here thou mayest plead with God First His promises Zach. 12. 10. Ezek. 11. 19 20. Secondly Thine own inability to do any thing towards this work though thou hast tried much and after all this rest upon God to such doubting Christians Now there are divers other things which lye in the souls way in relation to this also some of which I will speak something to being such as are more ordinary and as I my self have met with from some Christians either arising from their too curious inquisition into Gods hidden decrees or too much poring upon their own unworthinesse For the first of these I shall speak something to it at this time Cap. 3. How such Christians may be satisfied and comforted as think they have no warrant to beleeve because they conceive they are not elected or do not know whether they be elected or no. ALas saith a poor Christian why do you tell me of beleeving Sure I am none can be saved that is not elected I can see no ground to make me think that God hath chosen me to life before the foundations of the world nay I am confident God hath not elected me but past me over in his eternall decree Now to this trouble of spirit I will speak something first by way of promise secondly by way of consolation and direction First By way of promise It is an ill way of curing such a wound by breaking truths head to make a plaister as the Arminians Papists and Antinomians do Let me therefore first shew you what the truth is and then shew you with what considerations in a consistancy with the truth a Christian so unwarrantably by this scruple stopt in its way of beleeving may be set a going again and there will be left an even-path upon the road of truth for a troubled spirit to goe on in its way of beleeving and that both steadily and nimbly Know therefore First It is a truth That from all eternity God made choice of a particular and determinate number of persons to save them and none other nor can any be saved but those who were so elected and whosoever are so elected shall not fall away This is the truth of God which must stand firm against whosoever they be that either say there is no election or an election at random as the Arminians hold or a slippery one that is alterable as Papists hold or that it is made in time c. Secondly It is a truth That God never elected any because he foresaw they would beleeve and repent and walk holily but because he hath elected them therefore they beleeve and repent c. Thirdly It is a truth That those that are thus from all eternity elected may come to knew and particularly and fully and assuredly to know they are so elected and chosen of God Nay fourthly It is a truth That it is the duty of every Christian to strive to make his calling and election sure to labour to know that his name is written in the book of life It is that which the Apostle Peter calls for at Christians hands Nay fiftly It is a truth That there are but a very few elected and whosoever is elected shall beleeve and more then are elected neither can nor shall beleeve Many are called and few are chosen and those that are ordained to the end are ordained to the means they are created to good works These are those propositions which I desired to premise and those which the Devil and his instruments abuse to the unwarrantable perplexing of poor souls These are all the truths of God which do and shall remain true though all the world be found liars but what of all this I know none of these premises that will warrant such a conclusion as this Then I have no ground to beleeve except I knew that I were one of those few whose names God hath written in his book of eternity The Papist and Arminian and Libertines now take another course to cure the perplexed spirit and make no bones of it to stay a truth to heal a conscience To this end they have devised such charms to hang about the necks of sick souls as these are There is no such matter as any decree of election or God elects us for foreseen works and if there be an election it is not particular but the decree is entered thus at randome in the Court rolls of eternity All that beleeve shall be saved without a particular entrance of the number or names as if God had not said I know thee by name and if there be any elected they stand upon slippery ground Elected names may be blotted out or added in as if Gods book were more blotted then a Mercers shop-book Or if there be any elected yet it is impossible to know that I am elected nor can I have any assurance of my mansion-house in glory till I have taken possession of it But this is to bruise the head for a plaister for the heel On the contrary another generation maintain election to be the object of Faith and ignorantly maintain Faith to be the eye
ch 19. 6. 7. The journey was great which he had to go the frequent Stories of the Martyrs make this good when the Lord cald them to their great service at the stake he prepared them for their double work with double comforts ravishing their soules with glory and so often that God makes many of his deare Saints live upon short commons all their life time when he brings them to the hard work of dying he gives them a glimpse of glory This is a note of a pretious Divine Rutherford Tryal of faith who gives experiences of it and it is especially when they die strong torturing deaths for alwayes it is not seen it may be they have had all comforts before and may die in conflicts God will try how they can walk in the strength of what they have had or if they have had no bread till then God will hardly call them to die without giving them a crust yet as he sweetly sayeth God walks in liberty here and will not have us to limit the breathings of the holy Ghost to jump with the hour of our dying for we may make an idol of a begun heaven as if it were more excellent then Christ By this you see in stead of much might bee said that assurances may bee weaker and stronger yet true and this will be further made good by my last Conclusion which I will but touch And that is this Concl. 3. Thou mayest have had and againe have a true assurance and full perswasion and for the present have none at all I have spoken so much to this before that I shall need adde very little It is necessary to constitute the true direct act of Faith that it be a continued act and that soule never did truly rely at all that ever since it began to rely ceased to rely but for a reflex act it may be wanting even in the soule that hath had it and may have it againe if God will please to turne his face towards it nay I will question whither ever that Christian had true assurance or no that hath had it as he pretends without any intermission for so long as there remaines a Devill to tempt or a flesh to allure to sin there will be sometimes wants of full assurance yea if there were none of them both I would make it a great question whither the wise God would ever keep such a despensation of his love in a full Sun-shine to any soule though loved never so dearely I am afraid though we have much talk of Faith of assurance now adayes in the world if the Lord should come to sift the hearts of his poor creatures he would scarce finde the mustard-seed Faith of adherence 1. Overpowring temptations 2. Overgrowing corruptions 3. Naturall distempers of Melancholy 4. Divine desertions shall hinder assurance and make the act to cease and judge you then what soule it is probable shall have it an incessant constant act But I have done with this last thing and now I have shewed you what doubts and weaknesses may consist with every act of Faith in a truly gracious soule Now I should shew you from what principle these doubts arise and how they differ from the doubts of unbelieving desparing wretches The Thirtheenth SERMON LUKE 17. v. 5. Lord increase our faith CHAP. XIII How to comfort that soule that thinks it hath not true Faith because it doth not feele God strengthning it to those acts of Grace which it ought to act I Will take leave here apprehending it a seasonable place to bring it in to speak something to one scruple of conscience which doth often perplex many a good Christian and that is want of feeling of Gods love c. Ah! saith many a poore soule did I but indeed know that God and Christ were my Redeemer and portion then I think I should not need be muâ—h intreated to cast away this sadnesse and dejection of spirit but I cannot feele any such thing And this makes a Christian think that it neither doth nor may believe Now there is a double feeling for the want of which many good soules often complaine and upon the want of which they raise to themselves conclusions against believing For want of a distinction I will presume for once to coyne one There is a feeling of peace and a feeling of strength 1. The feeling of peace is when a poor Christian apprehends God appeased to its soule and feels him saying I am thy God the God of thy salvation this is that perswasion which is that highest reflex act of Faith of which I spake the last time and shewed you what degrees and abatements it might meet with in a true Believer Now this a true Christian may want though he doth feel Gods spirit carrying him on to acts of mortification and vivification c. Of this I shall not speak having spoken the last time how farre it may be wanted weakened or abated or discontinued even in Gods true and dear children 2. But there is another feeling which for distinction sake I call a feeling of strength when a Christian though he doth not feele Gods peace sealed up and assured unto his soule yet he cannot deny but hee feels his soul carryed out by God unto duties to love him to desire him to delight in him c. Now this latter feeling ought to satisfie the soul when though God doth not please as yet to apply the promise to his soule yet he feels God enabling him to apply himselfe to the promise when he feels God changing and renewing his heart and affections c. But here is that which many poore Christians want and complaine for the want of they will confesse that could they but feel God strengthening them against their corruptions and carrying out their hearts in acts of love and desire towards him c they would quiet themselves and bee very thankfull to him if he would but give them so much of the morsels of Free-grace as would keep spirituall life in them and keep their hearts from dying for want of mouth-fuls although God would not yet please to let them sit down at the banquetting table of assurance and eat of the sweet meats of that peace which passeth all understanding If God would please to give them but such sips of his flaggons as might stay them though they wanted such dishes of apples as to comfort them it would suffice but alas this they want and how can they believe c. Now all that I shall speak to a Christian in this perplexity I will reduce to these two heads 1. Something by way of Consolation And 2. Something by way of direction First By way of Consolation I should propound these few things as considerations which may tend through the blessing of God to the comforting of such souls in such streights Consid 1. That not feeling doth not argue a not being A thing may be though it be not felt it is no Logick to