is an assent a yielding in thy soul to the word of God an agreement to the truth of it Exod. 14. 31. Israel beleeved the Lord and his servant Moses viz. gave credence and assent agreed that it was just and good and true that the Lord spake and relied upon the authority of him that spake it So by this act of Faith doth the beleever when he hears the word of God revealed concerning his salvation he closeth with it as suppose that Ioh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever beleeves in him should not perish but have everlasting life Or that of the Apostle There is no other name under heaven whereby a man may be saved but the name of Iesus or that again This a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners Faith now doth not onely know this but closeth with God in these truths And so concerning the promises of salvation when God sayes Though your sins were as scarlet I will make them as snow though they were as crimson yet they shall be white as wooll Faiths work now is to perswade the soul to an assent to and credence of the truth of this good word of God yea and it is not every assent that is an act of Faith neither First It must be a stedfast assent The beleever doth as verily beleeve the promise of God as that he doth live he sayes in his heart and with his whole heart First The word that tells me this is the world of an ever-living and unchangeable God and it is undoubtedly his Word Secondly It is the word of a true and faithfull God The Apostle calls Gods Word The word of truth And it is the word of truth either materially the matter of it is truth or objectively the object of it is truth It hath the God of truth for the Author It is whole truth for the matter And this the beleever gives full and stedfast credit unto Secondly Yea and he gives credit to every truth that the word of God holds out to him as truth Faith quickens the soul to thirst after full discoveries of truth and quickens the soul to receive every beam of the light of truth that shines into it The Hebrews say That there is not the least tittle of the law upon which great mountains do not depend The beleever saith there 's not the least jot in the word of God upon which great mountains of truth do not depend not any leaf but the God of truth is wrapt up in I remember that it was Gods command in the 28. cha of Deut. That when the severall curses were read all the people should say Amen and that not to this or that curse but at the denuntiation of every curse all the people said Amen I do not reade the like command when the blessings were pronounced yet without question their assent was required to them as well as the other But our hearts are ready enough to say Amen to blessings and promises but we would not say Amen to threatnings and curses Now the beleever gives assent and credence to the word of God V. Balls Treat of Faith 1. p. even there where it seemeth most to strike at his own interest and happinesse he beleeves all things that are written in the law and the Prophets Acts 24. 14. Yea and he gives thirdly a clear assent to the word of God and every portion of it He is not like him that saith Amen to any thing he will give his assent to every piece of the word of God and yet not a blinde assent to any piece of it but every truth that he assents unto shines into his soul with a light as clear as the suns at high-noon-day As Christ told the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. 22. You worship you know not what but we know what we worship The discourse had been very high about very great mysteries Christ had told her of a strange gift he would give her Living water v. 10. That should have a strange quality even a quality to quench thirst for ever v. 14. She gave some assent to this the water pleased her tast but it was but a blinde assent for she dreamed of such a water as might satisfie her bodily thirst that she might no more come thither to draw And v. 20. When she made a confession of her Faith to Jesus Christ that it was just of the same length bredth of her fathers not an inch longer nor shorter a Faith of the same last with most now a dayes Christ told her that in the dayes to come there should be a strange kinde of worshipping the Father Neither at Ierusalem nor yet in that mountain Ye worship saith he you know not what but we know what we worship Many assent this day to the word of God They assent to it that there is a Christ come into the world to save sinners c. None will deny this but it is in their brains but as a dark notion or else they have received it as a tradition of their fathers Our forefathers religion is a great plea in these dayes The Samaritans they worshipped they gave a kinde of a blinde credence and assent to some things that were truths in the word But alas they worshipped they knew not what they had no clear distinct knowledge of those truths that they made an orall profession of and with their mouths did pretend assent to So wicked and profane men now a dayes give a kinde of an assent to the word of God and to the Doctrine of Jesus Christ but it is far from the meanest and lowest act of true Faith When they hear or have received it from tradition that Christ was born of a Virgin or that Christ though eternall God yet was also perfect man that he died for sinners c. The wretches will tell you they beleeve these things But alas they assent not to them as clear distinct truths made out evidently and convincingly to their souls they say they professe they worship they know not what They understand not these things The natural man receiveth not the things of God for they are foolishnesse unto him 1 Cor. 2. 14. nor can he know them for they are spiritually discerned He gives his blinde assent and perhaps will set his hand to them but he doth but set his hand to a blank if he does Nor can it be otherwise for the carnall man hath nothing but the bucket of carnall reason to draw with out of the unfadomable depth of the mysteries of salvation and while he hath nothing else thus reason disputes and cannot but dispute in his soul If Christ be God How could he be born or dye reason cannot answer these questions therefore they seem dark to the poor blinde wretch and though he professes he gives credence to the word of God in these particulars Yet his assent
of the soul reading its name written in Gods book from all eternity an apprehension of our particular election c. But as these do unwarrantably wound tender consciences so the other are bad chirurgions to heal such wounds If I mistake not we shall finde cordials enough to refresh such swooning spirits without buying them at so dear a rate as the â—ale of a dram of pretious truth Therefore leaving these premises to be held and maintained as the sure pillars of eternall truth I come in the next place to propound some considerations that may comfort and satisfie poor souls thus unwarrantably troubling themselves salva veritate Dei the head of truth yet remaining without a wound or scar That is my next work and to that end consider First Thou sayest If I knew I were one of those that God had elected then indeed I had some ground in order to my salvation to relye upon the promises but unlesse I be elected such reliance will be rather a fond and unwarrantable presumption then a warranted and well-grounded Faith First Consider Christian That Faith is not an apprehension of particular election but an application of generall promises Thou art mistaken without any ground in the object of true Faith Christ calleth upon all to whom the Lord Jesus Christ is preached Isai 55. 1. 2. in his Gospel 1 Ioh. 7. to beleeve He every one that thirsteth come and buy Iohn was sent to bear witnesse of the truth Ioh. 6. 29. that all men through him might beleeve Joh. 6. 29. Christ layeth it as a duty upon all the people That they should beleeve on him whom God had sent Now can we imagine that the meaning of Christ was that they should beleeve that all of their names from eternity were in the Court-rolls of eternity The Gospel obligeth all that hear it to beleeve but doth the Gospel lay an obligation upon any to beleeve a lye Faiths object is the promises of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ It is Faiths work in the soul not to close with the decree of God and to bosome that but to close with the promises and imbrace them It is Faiths work to eye Christ in a particular apprehension through the prospective of a promise not to eye Christ as the souls faviour through the mystery of Gods predeterminate purposes Heb. 10. 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering Hebr. 10. 23 well but upon what grounds the next words tell us For he is faithfull that hath promised the sure word not the sure decree of God is the object of our justifying Faith Now where hath God left thee such a line of promise as this Thou shalt be elected to glory or I will elect thee to glory God hath said I will pardon I will heal I will ease you and these words God calls thee to rest upon as sure and faithfull words God hath said He that beleeveth on the son Joh. 2. 36. hath everlasting life but he hath never said He that beleeveth in my decree hath everlasting life Indeed if our election were that which were to be the first thing to be beleeved it were something to scruple a Christian and it would be enquired into how we should know that we are elect for it is necessary that we have some certainty of knowledge of that which is to be beleeved that it should be evident to us but there is no such matter The promises of the Lord Jesus Christ are our object which not being particular but generall make our way smooth As for example we have a promise Ioh. 3. 16. Joh. 3. 16. Whosoever beleeves in him shall not perish but have eternall life This promise now it is thy work to beleeve viz. that beleeving in him I shall not perish but have everlasting life Doest thou say how shall I know this promise is made to me what ground hast thou for that question when as in the promise there is no restriction Whosoever beleeves The writing runs To all persons to whom these presents comes what should they do beleeve in the Lord Iesus rest and relye upon the Lord Jesus Christ for eternall life The generall promise is by thee particularly to be applyed Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden saith Christ and I will ease you This is now thy duty to come unto Christ but sayest thou I cannot come I do not know I am elected Christian does Christ say Come unto me all you that are elected and I will ease you No he saith Come unto me all you that are weary Mat. 5. 29. Suppose a man had an intention to give to such a particular number of persons such a quantity of money and were resolved with himself to give to none other but those yet should make a Proclamation that whosoever came to him acknowledging their poverty Simile he would relieve in the mean while secretly with himself determining ☜ not to give a penny to any but those whose names he had in his book and who should come and knowing that none of the rest would come but be too proud to come and take it were it warrant enough for any to refuse coming upon this score I hear he hath made a book and though he makes a generall offer yet he will give but to a few persons and for my part I do not think I am one of them If he wil send me word I am one of those whose name is in his book I care not though I go It is thy case Christian apply it in secret wilt thou not beleeve and go to Christ because thou doest not know thou art particularly elected fear lest for this cause salvation be denyed thee But so much for the first Secondly Consider That thy election cannot be known to thee till thou doest beleeve Papists say It cannot at all 〈◊〉 known assuredly to thee till thou comest to see thy name in heaven thy self but that is false but this is truth that till thou doest beleeve thou canst never know whether thou beest elected or no. The eternall decrees of God are only demonstrable to us a posteriori from the effects who hath ascended up unto heaven at any time to search the records of eternity First Ioh. 6. 46. All that is recreated of God is by the Son Ioh. 6. 46. No man hath seen the father save he which is of God he hath seen the father Nor can any thing be known of the father Mat. 11. 27. but by the Son Mat. 11. 27. Now where hath the Son revealed the fathers secret decrees any where when there was but a question concerning the time of those great things mentioned Mat. 24. 36. Mat. 24. 36. ver 1. Christ tells them ver 36. Of that day and hour knoweth no man no nor the Angels nor the Son Mark 13. 32. but the father onely Whether the Son as man did not know Gods
secrets so far or whether according to Aquinas ideo dicitur nescire quia nos scire non faciet he therefore be said not to know because he will not suffer us to know I shall not dispute either of both will serve our turn Gods particular decree of election is a secret lockt up in the bosome of him who is the auncient of days of which either Christ himself as man was ignorant or concerning which to be sure he was so secret as neâ—er to reveal his fathers thoughts he was indeed as God the Privy-counsellor of eternity but a secret keeper of his fathers thoughts and counsels as well as an obedient Son to his commands in revealing his fathers will Christ indeed tells his Disciples Ioh. 15. 26. He had chosen them but it was though not because they beleeved that he chose them yet after that he had called them and they were come to him and had walked constantly and obediently with him that he told them so Christ hath not revealed particular election to any before Faith Secondly Nor ever will be Will Christ think you ever reveal the secrets of eternity to those that actually are his utter enemies Election is one of Gods secrets it is the roll wherein the eternall covenant betwixt this or that particular soul and the King of eternall glory is written and inrolled Now the Scripture indeed saith Psal 25. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his covenant But hath the Scripture ever said the secrets of the Lord are with unbeleeving damned wretches for he that beleeveth not is damned already no when the soul is once called and beleeves on the Lord Jesus Christ then God in his due time reveals the secrets of eternity to such a soul and puts it on spectacles to reade the particular covenant that he hath made entred and enrolled in the court of heaven which is written in small and invisible characters and cannot be read but with enlightned eyes guided by the eternall spirit Besides Thirdly Consider the phrase of Scripture how it doth reveal to us our particular election Peter calls to them to Strive to make their calling and election sure First your calling then your election 1 Ioh. 2. 5. and 3. 6 10. 1 Joh. 2. 5. It is the constant language of Scripture 3 Ch. v. 6. 10. and the sense of all the Apostles that by our Faith and fruits of our sanctification which are the consequents and attendants upon Faith We must know whether we be in God or no whether we be the sons of God or no our particular election must be known to us by the effects doest thou therefore stick at this I must know that I am elected otherwise I cannot beleeve thou cuttest off the means by which thou shouldst attain to thy end Thy end is to know thy election Now the means by which thou shouldst attain to this particular knowledge and assurance must be Faith and the fruits of it This thou casts off a thing so absurd that thou wouldst condemne it in any worldly matter Thirdly 3 Con. Consider thou hast no ground for thee to thinke thou art not elected unlesse it be thy unbeleefe God hath made open Proclamation Whosoever beleeveth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Whosoever commeth unto me I will in no wise turne him away Let all come and I will ease you Suppose a King should make a Proclamation concerning some Malefactors Let every one that will come to me and beg his pardon and he shall have it Though he hath a secret reservation of thoughts in his bosome to pardon none but such and such because he is confident the rest will be too proud and stout to come yet upon what justifiable ground shall any Malefactor think the King intends not to pardon him before he comes to him and humbly begs his pardon Shall he stand and at a distance say Let the King send me a particular pardon and then I will come for it and thank him but till I am sure he intendeth to give it I will never take the pains to go Upon what grounds shall such a malefactor think the King intends not to give him his life hath he not good cause to think his stoutnesse is the clearest and proximate cause God saith come beleeve and you shall live Thou saith now no I do not think I shall live let me know that and then I will beleeve what ground hast thou to think thou shalt not have the end but because thou wilt not use the means Suppose a man lay very sick his Physicians should prescribe him such and such means ☜ in order to his recovery no not he he remembers His time is in Gods hand and he cannot passe it he is sure he will see first whether God will let him live or no and if God will send him a lease of his life then he will use means Suppose now such a man should dye what might any think the cause why he dyed so soon What the period that God had set to his dayes or his own refusing the means to sustain his life But this will be further enlarged in a fifth consideration Fifthly Consider but this That all those whom God hath elected he hath not onely elected to the end but to the means Gods eternall decree of election is not entred thus in the Court-book Be it ordained that such or such a person shall live eternally But be it ordained That such or such a person shall in time be called and beleeve the Gospel and walk holily like one of my children and after receive the crown of glory We were predestinated That we should be to the praise of his glory Eph. 1. 12. and 2. 10. For we are his workmanship created in Iesus Christ unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them God hath ordained the means as well as the end and you must first know by your calling and beleeving that you are elected to them before you can know you are elected to eternall life the same God that hath made it a decree of eternity this and that man shall be saved hath also made it a decree that this or that man should beleeve Beleeving that I am elected and one chosen of God to eternall life is a piece of sense not of justifying Faith saith learned and pious Rutherford and it is a piece of sense too to think I beleeve as I have at large heretofore shewed but it is an higher thing to beleeve and be fully perswaded that I shall infallibly be saved then to think I truely beleeve it is a step higher the demonstration is plain because no Christian can think that he shall be undoubtly saved unlesse he thinks first that he doth truely and savingly beleeve Now therefore thy first work must be to get a sense of Faith to beleeve that thou beleevest for thou wilt never
know that God hath ordained thee to life unlesse thou first know that he hath ordained thee to beleeve 1 Thes 5. 9. For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Iesus Christ that is by beleeving in the Lord Jesus Christ Therefore we are said to be elected in Christ that is to obtain salvation in Christ and by beleeving in Christ which is the true sense of that place what ever Arminians wrest it for But I passe on to a sixth Sixthly Consider That by standing at this scruple thou doest not onely sinfully and unwarrantably and endiessely perplex thy self and hinder thine own souls peace but also thou callest in question gods wisdom and slanderest his charters of free grace First Thou callest in question Gods wisdom 1. God in his wisdom hath thought it fit that his particular election of any soul to eternall life should be concealed from it till it hath beleeved to let Faith go before sense thou sayest no but it is better for me to know I am elected and then I have ground of beleeving God saith beleeve and then thou shalt see and this is the way of his wisdom with souls thou sayest no let me see and then I will beleeve God saith trust me I will be faithfull thou saist no I will not trust thee a jot further then I can see thee 2. God in his wisdom hath thought it a sufficient ground for a soul to beleeve in him and trust to him that in the promulgation of his Gospel he hath shut none out of heaven that have not shut out themselves Thou saist no I will know whether God hath shut me out before God shall know whether I will shut out my self or no God judgeth it most fit that the sinner should speak first and tell him whether he will accept of his grace tendred or no thou saist no but I will know first whether God that hath made his large tenders of grace will make good what he tenders nay thou standest upon Gods seal as if thou durst not trust his word God sends thee his proclamation and causeâ—h it to be proclamed in thine ears thou saist This is not enough let me have his broad-seal Secondly Nay herein Thou slanderest his charters of free-grace Those say Whosoever beleeveth shall live thou saist in effect no for if I be not elected nay if I do not know I am elected I can have no ground to beleeve what doest thou but slander the charter of free-grace as invalid and insufficient and good for nothing and is it fitting that the creature should thus deal with the Creator Seventhly If thou wilt but beleeve nothing that is in Gods decree shall or can hinder thee of salvation The whole Gospel runs in this language Ioh. 3. 16 36. and 6. 40 47. and 11. 25. Whosoever beleeves in him shall not perish but have everlasting life He that beleeveth on the Son hath everlasting life Lay thy damnation Christian to Gods charge if beleeving thou perishest O Israel saith God thy damnation is of thy self Never fear it Christian God will wash his hands and clear his word to of thy blood or any sinners in the world The righteous Judge of the whole earth will do no unrighteous action neither shall any falshood proceed out of his lips He is not as man that he should lye Thou shalt never nor shall any damned creature ever say if the thred of Gods word had not broke I had not faln into this pit Thy damnation shall be of thy self not of him nor for any fail of his faithfulnesse Lastly Consider Heaven and glory are not so inconsiderable things but they are worth adventuring for if thou hadst but a possibility of obtaining them though thou hadst no certainty Thou saith except I were sure God had elected me to what purpose should I beleeve unlesse I be pre-ordained to salvation it is impossible I should be saved Christian hast thou so cheap and low thoughts of heaven and glory a vain student that hath but heard of such a thing as a Philosophers stone which they say hath a vertue in it to turn other metals into gold he hath but heard that there is such a thing to be found out or perhaps doth but fancy such a thing findable with the expence of much time and study and money he upon this conceit lays out a great deal of his estate expends a great deal of time thinks no time too much to spend no money too much to be expended to try a conclusion he hath no certain confidence perhaps of such a things possibility however no certainty that he hath found out the very way of finding it perhaps he hath many discouragements from divers that have spent their estates busied their brains lost abundance of time and yet never could finde it yet he goes on carried on with a strong fancy hoping not to fail Queen Esther when she went into the King had no certainty of finding favour yea she wanted not some disheartnings in regard of a custome in the Court of Persia that none should come in to the King till they were called and yet more she had not been called of thirty dayes an extraordinary time Yet see her resolution her businesse was extraordinary many lives depended upon her venturing her life she puts on a gallant resolution to go in and saith If I perish I perish and God blessed her enterprize and she obtained the holding out of the golden Scepter and the answer of her desire Thou saith I am not sure I am elected I say yet beleeve Thou art or mayest be sure if thou doest beleeve thou shalt live thou hast the word of God for it It is but the expence of a little time in praying hearing fasting c. Never was their one experience of one that beleeved and was damned to dishearten thee God calls thee to it if thou doest not not the lives of others but thy own soul is in danger of perishing God hath promised the golden Scepter Heaven and Christ are worth venturing more for then thou canst adventure Go in resolve to rest upon Christ do it truely and my soul for thine if thou perishest Thus I have shortly indeavoured to speak something how little soever and in how much weaknesse soever to poor souls pleading this bar to Faith Consider of it you see this still remains the great work of a Christian to obey Gods revealed Law not to search into his secret will Hear O man what God hath required of thee Beleeve and be saved make not blocks in thine own way Art thou weary and heavy laden come unto him that saith Come unto me all you that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you Ah! but wilt thou say I am a poor vild unworthy wretch what have I to do to rest my impure hands upon a pure Christ But for this I shall God willing speak something the next time SERM. IV. LUKE 17. 5.
in times of apparant danger to rely Ib. Because dangers are obvious to sense The object of faith is out of sight p. 168 Promises where the flesh is concerned where sense failes are harder to be relied on then promises meerly relating to the soule p. 167 168 2. The soule may have more cause to feare Gods fulfilling of promises for this life then it hath or can have to feare the fulfilling of promises for eternall life p. 169 The reason of it p. 169 170 SERM. X. 6. COnsid A Christian may hang tremblingly on the promises and yet truly p. 171 Severall causes of a believers trembling sometimes p. 173 174 c. 1. Cause The deep apprehension of their misery proceeding p. 173 2. Cause The holds that have already deceived the soule p. 174 3. Cause The distance of the promise to sense and the generality of them p. 175 176 4. Cause Desertions p. 177 Whence ariseth trembling in desertion viz. from the sense of sin occasioning this desertion Ib. 2. Cause Why the Believer trembles in desertion is because the very essence of desertions is the withdrawing of the shinings of Gods love which onely can keep the soule from trembling p. 177 178 179 7. Consid Thou mayest truly rely upon Christ and the promises and yet not be able at all times fully and truly to appropriate and peculiarise them to thy selfe p. 180 Severall distinctions of promises and times to be observed for the clearing up the consideration p. 181 182 183 184 2. Distinctions of promises instanced in Temporall Spirituall Absolute Conditionall p. 180 181 1. Temporall promises made to particular Persons and Kingdomes must not be appropriated they are canceld bonds p. 184 2. We may truly appropriate Spirituall promises though we cannot for the present particularly apply temporal bodily promises p. 185 186 What promises are absolute what conditionall p. 181 182 A Distinction of times must be observed there is a difference betwixt the Saints Winter and Summer p. 183 What are the soules Winter and Summer 〈…〉 Ib. The truth of the consideration in certain conclusions 1. Particular promises must not be expected to be peculiarised our name is not in the bonds p. 184 2. At sometimes possibly we may not be able to appropriate temporall promises Ib. Certain such times exprest p. 184 185. 1. A time of extreme want and penury 2. In the darke day of desertion 3. In a misty day of Melancholy 4. In a black day of bodily afflictions 5. It doth not argue a nullity of true faith in spirituall promises not to be able to believe with a speciall faith the promises for this life at any time p. 185 3. Conc. For those that are conditionall promises in darke times the soule may not be able clearly and fully to apply them rest upon them and peculiarly apply them and yet at the same time truly dwell and rest upon them p. 186 4. Conc. In darke times the truly believing soule though it can give no reason for it may not be able to apply the most absolute peculiar promises as its peculiar portion p. 187 This must be cleared by considering what is required for a soule to be able to rest upon any promise as its peculiar portion p. 188 189 SERM. XI A Progresse in the former subject Three things requisite to be found in that soule that peculiariseth any promise so as to say this is my portion p. 189 1. There must be a clear understanding of the promise Ib. 2. A clear understanding of our own condition Ib. 3. A mighty and particular working of God upon the soule Ib. A misunderstanding of the person to whom the promise is made or of the matter of the promise may be a cause of thy non application p. 190 2. Rules for the understanding of the promises in order to our particular application of them p. 192 1. Generall promises are to be particularly applied and particular promises are to be generally applied p. 192 This rule enlarged in 3 branches and opened p. 192 193 2. Rule Whatsoever promises thou findest in the word of God made to any particular Church or People for spirituall and soule mercies we may still apply to the present Church though not the same and any member therof p. 193 3. Things to confirme this 1. God is immutable p. 194 2. The promises were made to them not as such and such people but as Gods people Ib. 3. The promises were made to Christ and the covenant of which they are branches were made to him and his heires p. 195 Many reasons of Master S. Rutherford to prove that the promises and the covenant was originally made to Christ personall not Christ mysticall p. 195 196 Master Rutherfords Distinction of a Covenant and Promises made to Christ some to him alone some part to him and his p. 196 197 What they are in their distinction p. 197 A 3d. rule for the understanding of the promises Conditionall promises require not that we should fulfill the conditions required p. 197 198 199 The 2d thing required to make the soule particularly apply the promises viz. A cleare understanding in the soule of its own condition p. 200 201 The 3d thing required to make the soule particularly apply the promises is a constant wonderfull working of the power of God upon the soule p. 202 This may be sometimes more sometimes lesse p 202 203 SERM. XII CHAP. XII COncerning those weaknesses that may in a gracious soule accompany the bighest act of faith viz. Assurance and how to satisfie the soule that scruples its faith because it cannot be assured at all or if at all yet weakly and inconstantly Severall Conclusions to comfort the soule under troubles of this nature 206 207 208 209 1. Conc. Thou mayest have a true and certain faith and such a one as will richly save thee and yet have no assurance of thy salvation p. 206 Various Opinions concerning Assurance p. 206 207 How farre perswasion comes into justifying faith p. 206 207 208 The 2 former distinctions concerning perswasion repeated and enlarged Ib. Master Burges his 3 Reasons why our sins are not actually and formally pardoned from eternity but onely when we believe p. 209 A fourth reason added to his p. 209 The 4 formerly mentioned conclusions concerning perswasion againe repeated and demonstrated p. 210 211 2. Other Conclusions concerning assurance added and proved p. 211 212 1. That it is false that the Papists say no particular assurance can be procured or ought to be looked after 2. It is as false that Antinomians say that there is no true faith without a fulnesse of perswasion Faith without Assurance may be 1. Saving 2. Strong 3. It may be certain p. 212 213 It is certain in respect of the 1 Object p. 214 2 Event p. 215 2d Concl. Thy assurance may be true though weak and inconstant in degrees p 215 216 What times ordinarily assurance is most strong p. 217 1. Ordinarily it is very high
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
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
Lord increase our Faith I Am discovering to you upon what grounds many Christians think they have no warrant to beleeve and rest upon Jesus Christ and labouring to satisfie such poor Christians in such cases and under such perplexities of spirit I have shewed you already two usuall causes First A too irregular eying of preparatory qualifications thinking that they are not humbled enough Or secondly A too unwarrantable prying into Gods secrets conceiving they are not elected and upon this score utterly refusing to obey that great Gospel command Beleeve to both these I have spoke something already to the latter the last day I am intended by the blessing of God and as he shall inable me to speak something this day to a third cause commonly alledged by Christians why they conceive they ought not to beleeve viz. Because of their own unworthinesse in respect of the greatnesse and multitude of their sins that have stained and possibly do yet pollute their soul Alas saith a poor soul would you have me lay hold on Iesus Christ what with my filthy hands what can such a rotten sinner that hath been so auncient in sin can I think you have warrant wheâ— I have given the Devill my youth to beleeve Iesus Christ will take the fag end of my life No no call to the young person to beleeve that is not yet withered and rotten with sin call to those that have lived honestly and civilly not to such profane wretches as I have been Now to answer this cavill Let me bend my discourse at this time and propound certain considerations which duly weighed may comfort a soul under this trouble and put it upon its work and duty of beleeving and convince it that it is its duty Cap. 4. How to satisfie a poor soul doubting whether it may beleeve or no because of its many and great sins past or its continuing corruptions and so deemeth it self unworthy FIrst of all consider Gods grace is enough for thee This scruple of thy spirit ariseth from scant streightned thoughts of rich incomprehensible grace Be convinced therefore that there is a fulnesse enough in the ocean of infinite grace to swallow up thy soul however loaded with a burthen of sin observe but how the Scripture setteth out infinite love take one place for all Eph. 3. 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith that you being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the bredth and length and depth and heigth and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that you might be filled with the fulnesse of God Mark how the Apostle expresseth free grace by all dimensions are thy sins in the heighth there is an heighth of love are they in the depth there is a depth of love are they long broad are they all yet there is mercy enough in this Christ for such is his love that it passeth knowledge are they a mountain why who art thou O great mountain before Zerubbabell thou shalt be made a plain do thy sins cry up to heaven his mercies are above the heavens are thy sins more in number then the haires of thy head his mercies are more in number then the sand which lieth on the sea shore Now this is easie to be conceived if we do but conceive and know that the mercies of God are infinite God is an infinite God and every mercy of his is as inconceivable as himself is His love passeth all understanding saith the Apostle have no low thoughts Christian of the heighth of free grace which reacheth up to the heavens yea and above the heavens Is the filthy garments of thy wickednesse of a larger extent thinkest thou then the long white robe of his righteousnesse Who was made for thee righteousnesse wisdom sanctification and redemption Is the fountain set open for Iudah and Ierusalem for sin and for uncleannes so shallow that thou canst not bath in it Mistake not Christian it is a bath of capacity to hold all filthy souls be their uncleannesse what it will if they will but come and wash and be clean those that have the rottenest wounds the filâ—hiest sores the most unsound â—arkasses may fetch balm from Gilead enough to heal their wounds When Christ was upon the earth the Evangelist tells us Matth. 4. 24. They brought unto him all sick people that were sick of divers diseases and torments and those which were possessed with devils and he healed them When vertue went out from Christ to heal the poor woman 〈◊〉 â—ouched the hemme of his garment it went 〈◊〉 â—im as light goeth out of the sun that there is 〈◊〉 for what goeth out Christ never had any vertue went out of him so as by such emission he lost any How many Saints think you since old Abrahâ—m who was the father of the faithfull to this day have touched the hemme of his garment vertue went out and healed every one and yet his garments are all oily with mercy and grace still How many drops of blood have thirsty Saints had from Davids time to this hour and yet the fountain of cleansing blood hath not a drop lesse in it Grace in Christ is like the heat of the fire or light of the sun take how much you will of either you shall not rob either narrow not the breadth of incomprehensible love when thou hast measured for beleevers ten thousand yards there shall not be a nail lesse on the piece of free-grace The sea though a thing infinite will hardly be measured out by quills much lesse shall the unfadomable ocean of infinite love be measured by drops for the washing poor souls from the stains and filth of their sins The boy could tell the father he would have done emptying the sea into an hole with a spoon before he should have opened the Doctrine of the Trinity And sooner shalt thou get all the light out of the body of the sun and hear out of the fire then put Jesus Christ to pant for his breath of free-grace Oh that sinners had but as willing leggs as he hath capacious arms we see hands are washed every day and have been these thousands of years now how long can we think it would yet be should we get the dirtiest hands we could make before all the seas rivers fountains and streams in the world would be exhausted yea though they should wash seven times a day infinitely sooner Christian then the fountain of free-grace shall be exhausted with all the buckets that come to draw the water of life from it Seest thou a steeple as Pauls in London or the like of a very great heighth seest thou the highest mountain that seems to have married the clouds and sit in their lap Suppose now that mountain or steeple in the deepest place of the ocean how much wouldst thou see on it nay were another on the top of that there would not be a spier of grasse nor a
do many truths there are that I cannot assent unto and those which I doe assent to sometimes me thinks I do assent to them and sometimes again no and when I am at the best my assent is so misty and dark that I almost assent to I know not what Now I shall shew thee how much weaknesse and doubting in relation to this act of faith may yet be consistent with true justifying saith in thee I shall shew it for thy direction and establishment in these particulars First of all A Christian that is a true beleever may think that he doth not assent unto the Word of God when indeed he doth It is a known maxime in Divinity That faith may be true without sense of faith True Faith is one thing and sense of faith is another and as it is with the other acts of faith so it is with this also As a man may cheat himselfe that he doth assent and consequently truely beleeve though all the world may see that he doth nothing lesse by his irregular walking contrary to his professed assent So it is as true that a Christian may truly assent unto the truth of God though he conceits he doth not assent wee are ordinarily ill Judges of the acts of our mind because they are secret and occult acts which traffique between the soule and Heaven in an invisible way and therefore the truth or falshood of these acts is ordinarily discerned by the outward acts of our body as if I hear a man professing that his soule doth assent and close with that portion of Gods Word 1 Cor. 6. 9. Neither fornicators nor idolators nor adulterers nor effeminate persons nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor theeves nor covetous persons nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God yet at the same time see he lives in them very sinnes he shall pardon me if I do think that he doth not assent and whatsoever his tongue speaks yet his heart doth not close with it as a truth of Jesus Christ So on the contrary if I heare a true Christian complaining that he cannot get his heart to close with the Word of God and what ever the world thinks hee doth not assent to the truth yet if I see this man fearing to sin against God and trembling at the threatning Word of God and walking as even as he can set his feet according to the directive part of Gods Word that as David he makes the Word of God a light unto his feet and a lanthorn unto his paths Let them think what they will they shall give me leave to think that they doe assent unto and close with the Word of God Take a proof of it Ionas 3. v. 5. Ionas there had preached against Nineveh Ion. 3. v. 4. yet 40 dayes and Nineveh shall be destroyed v. 5. So the people of Nineveh beleeved God that is gave a full assent and â—redence to the Word of God were perswaded that that which Ionah spake to them in the Name of the Lord was true But how shall we know that the Holy Ghost tells us it was evident by the effects they proclaimed a fast and put on sack-cloth from the greatest of them to the least it was manifest by their actions in relation to this Sermon studying and labouring what they could to pacifie the wrath of God before the 40. dayes were come about that they did verily think it was a word of truth that Ionas spake to them and that they were perswaded and from this assertion of the Holy Ghost we may certainly conclude that when we see men living and acting according to the Word of God and squaring their lives by the compasse of it they do beleeve that is assent unto it as a word of truth whether they will confesse so much or no As when we see a man build houses purchase lands give great portions to his children keep a great house we may conclude he is rich though he goes as if he were not worth a groat and though he will tell you he is not worth a groat The heart is the seat of assent and the throne of faith confession is not essentiall nor sense materiall to it Sense of faith is comfortable but truth and sincere reality of faith is that which is necessary Confession of faith with our lips brings glory to God externally but it is the reality of faith in the heart which brings glory to God internally It is he that doth assent that doth the will of God not he alwayes that saith he doth it or thinks he doth it Mat. 21. 28. We have a parable propounded by Christ to his Disciples it was of a man that had two sonnes and hee came to first and said Son go work to day in my Vineyard he answered and said he would not but yet hee repented and went And he came to the second and said likewise and he answered and said I go Sir and went not whether of the twain saith Christ did the will of his Father They said unto him The first To apply it God sayes unto all men Beleeve and close with and be perswaded of my truth One sayes I do beleeve and assent but his irregular life is such that all the world â—ees he gives his tongue the lye Another sayes Lord I doe not assent to and beleeve it yet he dares not swerve a foot from it Which of these do you think does the will of Christ Surely the latter though he will not say nor think that he doth it but suffers his tongue to give his heart the lye indeed sense and perswasion of faith is that which we ought to strive after to be perswaded that we do close with the truth of Christ but yet many a one doth that which he doth not know he doth the Christian is his own worst Judge and doth and will do more a great deale for God then he will speak of But I hasten to the second Secondly A true beleever may sometimes doubt whether the Word of God be the Word of God or no or indeed may be tempted to do it rather then do it this is that which troubles many a gracious Christian Alas they do not beleeve the Word of God they are troubled with many Atheisticall and blasphemous thoughts that they cannot tell what to think whether the Word be the Word of God or onely as Atheists dreame a modell of Scripture drawn by some to keep mens consciences in awe c. and this makes them conclude Tush I cheat my own soule to think I have faith when I question even the principles of Christianity c. and shake the foundation with one shake and yet at the very same time they live close to the rule of it and it hath a strict and severe command over their consciences Now this I say is rather a temptation to doubt of the truth of Gods Word in their soules then a reall and positive doubt The Devill
is very busie in such manner of temptations yea even Christ himselfe shall not be without them Mat. 4. 6. he had set Christ upon the pinacle of the Temple and bid him cast himself down for it is written he shall give his Angels charge c. in which words I conceive as the Devill tempted Christ in an unwarrantable way to rest upon the promise so he also tempted him to doubt of the truth of the Scripture As if he should have said If the Scripture be true and you beleeve it try a little throw thy self down thou hast a promise to catch thee Psal 91. 11. Throw thy self down and thou shalt see now how true the Scriptures are c. So the Devill deales with Christians often sets upon them to deny the Scriptures and puts such thoughts into their hearts c. which are but temptations and argue not a nullity of their assent to the Scriptures but an assault made upon their faith by Satan But may a Christian say If I could know this it were something how shall I know whether such thoughts be the spawn of unbeleefe and proceeding from an internall cause my own infidels heart or whether they be as you say meerly the temptations of Satan and assaults upon my faith I shall labour to tell thee briefly First They are ordinarily but Disputations and Queries not determinations Thou oftentimes hast Quaeries in thy soule What should I think are the Scriptures the Word of God or no They have strange things in them one would wonder they should be the Word of Truth thou never commest positively to determine in thy soule Tush they are not the Word of God God gives Satan leave to play the Opponent sometimes to see what a Respondent the Beleever can be but hee alwayes keeps the office of the Moderator to himselfe when they never go beyond a dispute in thy heart that thou dost not determine in thy heart the contrary nor declare with thy lips nor practice with thy life the contrary it is a sign they are but temptations though they argue weaknesse and thou oughtest to bee troubled and humbled for them if they were children of thy owne begetting thou wouldst nourish them better Secondly If they be onely temptations thou findest a striving against them Tell me Christian when thou hast such an Atheisticall thought laid at the doore of thy heart that the Scriptures are not the truth of God what dost thou do with it what dost thou take it and suckle it and rock it and nurse it as thy owne childe Dost thou please thy self with such thoughts and labour to coine arguments to maintaine and hug them This is a note of a base heart Or art thou impatient of it but presently cryest out Ah Lord what a base heart have I And dost thou labour to beat such thoughts out of thy heart and pray against them and never listen to any argument Satan would bring to tempt thee to the beleefe of it I beleeve this is thy tempter and know if it be thou mayest have such thoughts and doubts and yet be a true beleever Thirdly If it be not reall unbeliefe but a meere temptation to unbeliefe thy thoughts will not be long Iames 4. 7. Resist the Devill and he will flee from you The Devill if he be left to stand upon his own legs is as very a coward as lives he will come and tempt a beleever to deny the Scriptures to be the word of truth the beleever findes these filthy thoughts cast into his heart he considers Arguments to resist this temptation cryes and prayes and sayes I beleeve Lord help my unbeleefe Away goes Satan presently will answer never an Argument but yeeld the field and the beleevers heart is fixed presently I mark this in 4. Matth. we read there of three weapons the Devill took up at Christ v. 3. Hee tempteth him to distrust Gods providence Christ resists this v. 4. The Devill hath done with this not a word more to say well he flyes to another v. 5. tempts him to presume unwarrantably upon Gods providence and to deny the truth of the Scriptures Christ resists this v. 7. The Devill durst not reply but leaves this too well he betakes himselfe to another v. 8. Christ resists this v. 10. Satan hath not a word to say but the coward quits the field packs up and gets himselfe away v. 13. Try thy thoughts are they dwelling thoughts or transient if they abide not they are Satans that carries bag and baggage with them when he leaves thee Fourthly Thou mayst know if they be temptations by thy life thou art sometime ready to think that the Scriptures are not the word of truth thou canst not assent to them but at this very time durst thou live contrary to the rule of the Scripture Darest thou now go and be drunk and be unclean for what now should keep thee in awe Darest thou then 't is unbeleefe But at this very time if thou durst not but live according to that Word of Truth which yet thou art in doubt whether it be the Word of truth or no say what thou wilt thou dost assent unto it and Satan would but fool thee of thy faith Thus you have heard how a Christian may doubt or rather be tempted to doubt sometimes whether the Scriptures be the Word of Truth or no and yet have and give a true and firm assent unto it as the Word of Truth and you have heard me giving some notes how a Christian may know whether such thoughts proceed from a principle of unbeleef and dissenting to the Word of Truth or from the temptations of Satan I come to the third Conclusion which is this Thirdly A Christian may be a true beleever and yet not fully assent to some particular truth in the Word of God There are many pieces of Gods Truth in Gods Word The Word is the word of an eternal wisdom and of a depth too deep for us that have but narrow capacities and finite buckets to finde the bottom of it Now I conceive it is not essentiall to a true beleefe and assent that I should assent to every thing in the Word of God nay which of us doe doe it The causes of this may be these 1. Ignorance I shewed you before when I handled that point that there may be a great deal of ignorance consist with true faith ignorance in point of Doctrine and ignorance in circumstantialls ignorance in divers things which are not of absolute necessity to salvation Now I conceive that assent doth alwayes imply knowledge How shall they beleeve on him of whom they have not heard was the Apostles question Now I conceive assenting to a particular truth as the truth of God doth nor consist in a bare negation but hath something positive in it I conceive that I cannot bee said to Assent to all things from which I doe not dissent but if I assent I doe fulâ—y agree and close with something
and notwithstanding all this truly and really rely and rest Now these kinds of misgivings may arise from severall causes God may please for his ends to keep the soule in darknesse to keep it humble and to keep it in a strict way of adherence c. But I shall rather meddle with the subordinate and instrumentall causes and assigne three or foure causes The first may be blindnesse and ignorance there may be yea is a great deale of darknesse in the soule there was a thick darknesse surprized Adams understanding when he fell and this still clouds all the children of Adam we are not able to discerne or judge of the nature of the internall acts of the minde we cannot come to a certaine knowledge of them as they are in themselves but as I said before must judge them by the effects the soule doth not understand what affiance is and this makes her question whether she doth rely or no and not think she doth being never ready to think well of her selfe A second cause may be the Devils temptations such winds will make strong houses shake sometimes It is Satans great designe to keep the soule from beleeving and if he cannot keep the edifice of Faith from being built in the soule yet he will keep it if possible from standing sure Luke 22. 31. Simon Simon saith Christ Satan hath desired to winnow thee like wheat the word signifies to shake up and downe as in a fan wheat is used the kernells scarce ever lie still Satan is almost alwayes shaking the Christian by the shoulders he desires to winnow them and as with Iob because he had no power over his life he executed his power to the utmost upon the comforts of his life So he deals with the soule because he hath no power over the life of Faith therefore he will execute his power to the utmost over the soul that it may never come to have the comfortable sense of Faith and no wonder if when he brings his rammes to batter the poor mud wall of a Christian shakes especially considering how smooth an Orator he is to perswade and how subtill a Sophister he is to prove Even as it is as easie with a good Logician to make a poor simple creature beleeve so as he cannot deny that the Sun doth not shine so it is an easie thing with the Devill to perswade the soule that it doth not rest and rely when indeed it doth especially if we consider Thirdly What a misgiving nature and suspicious frame there is ordinarily in the hearts of Beleevers They are alwayes fearing and suspecting lest they should not doe their duty they know that in many things all sinne and they are afraid lest they should cozen and deceive themselves now when Satan takes a flint and a steele and falls a striking and he meets with such a box of ready dry'd tinder no wonder if hee quickly strikes fire Besides A fourth cause may be melancholy cloudy vapours that for the present the soule is darkned with and can see nothing with a cleare sight but is like a man in a phrenzie And a fifth cause may be a Christians wilfulnesse when the Christian will take no evidence of his faith by the effects of it The best evidence that we either have or can have of the truth of our faith and of our justification is the effects of Faith now if it comes to this that the soule will not take any evidence of the truth of the act of Faith but onely under the Broad Seale of Heaven the apprehension and assurance and full perswasion of it the soule may live without comfort a great while if with Thomas it must see the wounds and holes Now here 's many a good soules condition he questions the truth of his Faith we come to him and tell him could there be such an hungring and thirsting after the Word that thy eare is unsatisfied with hearing unlesse thou didst beleeve this was the word of God and rest upon it as the Word of truth Could there be such a care to please Christ and a feare of offending him to be found in thy whole life and conversation if thou didst not rely upon him for salvation Could there be such a willingnesse to part with all thy estate for Christ and rather then thou wouldst deny him or not enjoy him in his Ordinances if thou didst not rely upon God as thy portion No the soule will not look upon this as a sufficient evidence but cryes out All this an Hypocrite may doe sanctification is imperfect mine is hypocrisie No would God seale it to me then I would beleeve it Now where this is found the soule may for a long time sit in darknesse and see no light yea it may be go down to the grave in its owne thoughts like Erasmus hanging betwixt Heaven and Hell But I proceed Fourthly Thou mayst not at all times trust with alike confidence and yet at all times truly trust The truth of trust and affiance is one thing the degrees of it another the truth of Faith never grows more or lesse the degrees of Faith do as the least drop of water is water so the least dram of faith is faith as much as the highest degree of it This the experience of every Christian will tell you sometimes they will say I think if the Devill had hold of me I could trust God for Heaven Though hee kills me saith Iob yet I will trust in him that was not Iobs temper alwayes and yet without question Iob did alwayes beleeve Paul was not in the same temper Rom. 7. that he was Rom. 8. 38. Peters crying Master save me or else I perish did argue his faith was under water more then his head Davids temper Psal 27. 1 2 3. was not the same with his temper 1 Sam. 27. 1. In the first he would not bee afraid of an Host encamping round about no though the Host consisted of ten thousand Psal 3. 6. But in that place 1 Sam. 27. 1. tells us hee was afraid of one Saul and that after many experiences So a poor Christian is ready to think O I do not truly trust and rely upon God c. Sometimes I think if I had not a bit of bread nor a drop of water yet I would not feare my faith should be like that Hab. 3. 17. Another time my heart is so farre from it that though I have for the present enough yet my base heart can hardly keep from covetousnesse sometimes I think that if God would take me away in a massacre I should not yeeld my blood with a repining word another time I so doubt of my interest in Christ that I should not know how to dye upon my bed but am crying Lord take me not away with the wicked Christian thus thou mayest be David Psal 3. would not be afraid of his soules going out of his body if ten thousand swords were ready to cut out a passage for
his soule out of his body Another time hee cryes O spare a little give me space that I may recover strength before I go from hence and be no more and again Take me not away with the wicked One while David is troubled to see the wicked flourish like a green Bay tree and himselfe like a withered tree without a leafe another time hee is not troubled at it but can as well trust God when he sends to Nabal for almes as when he sits at his Kingly Table and yet his faith was alwayes true Faith may be interrupted that the pulse of it cannot alwayes beat alike and yet while there is life the pulse of Faith beates though by reason of some sicknesse in the soule the pulse may beat more faintly and deadly then at other times Corruptions though they are never wholly the Christians Masters yet they may be their Masters sometimes more then others the minde may be more clouded with earthly thoughts the tide of passions may bee higher and the stream of Lusts greater the body may be sometimes sick and lesse active and yet living So the soule may be sick and Faith act more weakly then at other times yet Faith may be alive Fifthly Thou mayest not so fully and equally rely upon some promises as upon other and yet truly rely upon all It is a truth that the true beleever closeth with every promise but it is also true that the best Beleever findes a great deal of difficulty more for his soule to close with and rely upon some particular promises then upon others and a beleever shall finde if he be put to it that it is harder to rely upon God for his promises for this life then for his promises for eternall life God hath made promises for this life Earth is made over by Indenture to the Saints as well as Heaven Mat. 6. 32. God hath made promises of protection in times of danger of sufficiencie in time of peuury now a Christian will finde it harder if he be put to it for want of bread to rely upon Gods feeding promises then upon his promises for eternall life O it is hard for a poor creature to trust God for bread and water Hence comes distrusting and distracting care hence covetousnesse and earthlymindednesse in Gods own people And if a Christian be surrounded with swords and be in the midst of dangers it is a hard thing now confidently and without feare to rely upon Gods shield and buckler and trust himselfe within the Castle of his providence I am confident when David manifested such an evident distrust of Gods promise for protection of him 1 Sam. 27. 1. he did not at all distrust God for saving of him we read not a word of such a distrust Now I conceive the reason of it may be two-fold First Because here the flesh is sensible and concerned in it Dangers are obvious to sense The eye sees swords and trembles it sees present dangers but it sees not that speedy reliefe which the promises hold out it must be the spiritually enlightned eye of the soul must see that Elisha's man could see the mountain about Elisha full of charrets and horses but it was onely Elisha himselfe that could see the power of God assisting and defending Elisha was faine to pray before his man could have the scales fall from his eyes to see that Now for beleeving those promises where flesh and sense have a share and a present share the soule will finde it hard for though the flesh will never help the soule in relying and resting upon any promise yet it will hinder the soul very much and very often I appeal to any of you whether you have not found it an easier thing to rely upon a promise for salvation and strengthning and quickning grace which meerely concerns the soule then when you have been in some bodily straights you have found it to rely upon the promises for succour and support and deliverance As take a married man that hath a minde to the warres possibly the man is a very valiant and couragious man and values his life at as cheap a rate as any but his wife cryes and keeps a stirre that if hee were single though the designe were the same and the danger the same yet hee findes it ten times more hard then if hee were to goe a single man So the soule married to the body is ten times more troubled to close with a promise and venture into thickets of a danger by the bawlings and fearings of the flesh then it would be if it were to act single in statu separato or then it doth when it acts clearly for it self There is also a second reason may be given of this viz. Because wo may have more cause to feare Gods fulfilling his promises for this life and for temporall mercies in this life then it hath or can have to feare his promises for spirituall mercies and for eternall life The soule that findes an heart changed and walkes with God can give no reason why it should not beleeve Gods spirituall promises I meane the promises for spirituall mercies and his promises for eternall life What reason canst thou give why thou shouldest not beleeve Gods promises for pardon of sinnes What because thou art a backslider The promise is made to such Hos 14. 4. Is it because thou hast an hard heart the promise is made to such Ezek. 11. 19 20. But now come and ask the soule when dangers are at hand and the soul is ready to mistrust Gods protecting promises here the soule will tell you Alas I have been a backsliding creature and though the sins and backslidings of Gods people be no sufficient reason to warrant the soules distrust for salvation yet there is a great pretence of reason that the soul hath from hence why it should a little fear Gods wonted dispensations of temporall mercies to it for this is a sure rule that although when God hath elected and justified any he hath made a sure promise they shall never again be cast out of his eternall favour and love yet for their sins he will let them know his anger by withdrawing his temporal dispensations of love and mercy in relation to which are the promises of protection and temporall mercies given to chasten them with the rods of men and with the stripes of the children of men 1 Sam. 7. 14 15. See an experience of this in in David when he had backsliden so far as to commit those two great sins of Murder and Adultery 2 Sam. 12. David testified his repentance and Nathan said to him the Lord hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not dye v. 13. but the sword should never depart from his house v. 10. his wives should be given to be defloured by his Neighbour v. 11. The childe should die v. 15. Now though that David could not reasonably because of this backsliding distrust Gods promise for the pardon of his backsliding yet
of the water of life freely with many such more not as if man could fulfill these conditions in the soule and prepare his owne heart No we abhorre that Popish doctrine though some falsly charge us with it But because Christ wil fulfill them before he bestowes those higher degrees of mercy and favour upon them he will make the soul hunger and thirst before hee will let it know it shall live Is 55 1. and give it power to come unto him Mat. 11. 9. hee will make the soule weary and heavie laden with sin before he will give the soule power to rely upon him comfortably for salvation â—zek 11. 19. He will take away the heart of stone out of the soule and give it an heart of flesh before he will give it power to walk in his statutes and keep his ordinances and do them before he will let it know that he is its God and that it is Gods chosen vessell And thus I have shewed you the distinction of promises and what we shall conclude from hence for our purpose I will shew you by and by when I have done with the distinction of times which I come to The Soule hath its winter and summer 2 Distinction its cloudy and black dayes and its lightsome and glaring dayes First it hath its lightsome summer Sun shine dayes when it is not conscious 1. Of any great sinne committed against knowledge such as Tertullian calls Peccata devorantia salutem Sinnes that swallow up heaven and salvation in the soule 2. When it hath no naturall distempers of body no cloudy melancholy vapours for the soule being to act through the body doth something suffer by it and as it is with a man that looks at the reflection of his face in a glasse if there be a wetnesse or dust upon the glasse he cannot see clearly So the soule if there be a mist or dust of melancholy oppresses the body the soule cannot see and act clearly Or 3. When the body is not under some harsh affliction for the soule sympathiâ—eth with the body and in its acting through the organs of it shewes the affection that it hath with the bodies sufferings and so also there are black and dark dayes for as it is summer time with the soule and day-light when it is not sad and darkned with desertion and when the body is not oppressed with melancholly or affliction or persecution So on the contrary it is winter and a dark time with the soule when the soule hath sinned some great sinne for which the soule looks up trembling to God and looks upon him as an angry revengefull God or when the body is heavy and oppressed with melancholy vapours stopping the passages of the soule or under heavy and grievous affliction that it is born down even to a back-breaking under them even as it is with a fountaine that runs through Conduit-pipes of lead c. or wood into any house if the fountaine be dirty and muddy in it self dirty water comes into the house or if the Conduit-pipes through which it passeth be dirty and tainted the water bringeth the pollution and tang of bitternesse c. that was in the pipe into the house otherwise if both the fountaine be cleare and sweet and the Conduit-pipes be not stopped nor tainted nor dirty then 〈◊〉 water runs sweetly into the place to which the Pipes lead it So it is with the soule that is the fountaine that runs into acts but through the Conduit-pipes of the body if the pipes be stopt or oppressed or muddy or cleare such is the actings of the soule And thus I have shewed you the distinctions both of times and promises now I shall conclude the truth of this proposition in some four or five Conclusions First of all Particular promises must not be expected to be peculiarized we may not expect that those promises which were made to the people of the Jewes in particular should be made good to us because they had promises to be delivered out of Babylon and Egypt at such a prefixt time it were madnesse in us to beleeve that the Church of God should be now delivered just after 70. years or 400. years and so likewise what promises were made to any particular persons amongst the Jewes as for any now to apply that promise made to Hezekiah I will adde to thy life 15. years I think we have a rule here in Land That if an inheritance be intailed by name it cannot be translated to any other these promises were entail'd by name these thou canst not nay oughtst not to apply they are not a portion by thy father design'd for thee Secondly It may possibly be that in some times thou mayest not be able to appropriate the temporall promises that God hath made to his children amongst which thou art included 1. In the darke time of want and penury to beleeve for bread to eate when I see none like to come O it is hard feeding upon Scripture leaves I shewed you this the last day 't is nothing to doe it or at least to think we doe it in times of prosperity Habakuks faith Hab. 3. 17. was an hard faith though it were a strong and precious one 2. In the dark time of desertions It is hard as I shall shew you by and by to apply those promises that are of neerest concernment to our salvation much more those which are at so remote a distance 3. In a time when melancholy dark cloudy vapours of the body cast a wist before the soules eye and will not give it leave to act clearly 4. In a time when the soule hath sinned thou mayest not fully rely and be so confident as before To peculiarize these promises I shewed you the ground of this before because though God hath promised that his Saints shall never eternally fall out of his favour yet he hath and will punish his Saints for sinne with the substraction of temporall favors as I shewed you before in the case of David and I take that to be an old Antinomian errour instead of a new truth That God doth not with temporall afflictions correctively punish his best servants for sin Lastly It doth not argue a nullity of faith and true saving faith at any time not to be able to appropriate outward temporall promises for although it is our duty to rely and depend upon all the promises yet if wee through infirmity be not able to rely upon these I conceive it doth not null the verity of our faith salvation being not the thing promised in these Thirdly For those that are conditionall promises in dark times the soule may not be able clearly and fully to apply them rest upon them and particularly apply them and yet at the same time truly dwell and rest upon them What spirituall promises are made conditionally in Scripture I have shewed you before now it may possibly be that even these though of great concernment to the soule
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