A tryall of faith by the touch-stone of the Gospel, the word of faith. Whereby Christians may discerne whether or no, they have a saving faith. First preached in the parish church of St Nic. Col. Abby London, by William Chibald pastor there; and now published for the further benefit of that his congregation, and all other that confesse with their mouth the Lord Iesus, and with their heart beleeve on him vnto salvation.

2. OBIECTION answered.

It is inconvenient for Christians to try their [§. 2] faith, because it makes them doubt, whe∣ther or no they haue a saving faith. And it implies, that they can never tell when they have it: for if they knew that they had it, why should they examine themselves a∣bout it?

I answere: 1. Seeing I have already proved, that God commands Christi∣ans to try their faith: therefore must they not be affrighted from obedience therunto, by any scarcrows of supposed inconveniencie: so that the reason can be of no force, to disswade us from the practice of this tryall, though such an inconvenience might bee likely to fall therein.

2. More directly and plainely I say, that no such inconvenience (as is pre∣tended) can of it selfe fall, upon the tri∣all of our faith, because it could not fall upon the Corinthians tryall of their faith; to which Paul exhorted them, whereof we have heard before. If it would have falne thereon, surely Saint Paul by the wisedome of the Spirit which he had, could have discerned it; and if he had discerned it, hee would never have exhorted them to the tryall of their faith: for he knew wel enough, that those that have a saving faith in∣deed, doe know they have it: and hee himselfe (speaking of himselfe as a be∣leever in Christ) saith of himselfe; I know whom I have trusted, and therfore would Paul by no meanes teach those that had a saving faith indeed, to doubt whether they had it or no; and to bee perswaded that they can never tell when they had it. Indeed every one that is a Christian by name and profes∣sion hath not a saving faith; every one that hath a beleefe of the Gospell, hath not faith in Christ; neither doth every one in his heart beleeve in Christ, that thinkes and sayes he doth; For all are not Israel, that are of Israel, neither shal every

one that saith, Lord, Lord, enter into the kingdome of heaven: and therfore though those Christians that are so, but by name and profession, and that have a beleefe of the Gospels verity, and doe but presume they have a saving faith, may by tryall come to doubt, whether ever they had a saving faith or no; yea to know certainly they neuer had it: yet will it not follow, that hee who hath a saving faith indeed, (for of such a one is the obiection to be understood, else it is to no purpose) can come by the tryall of it, to doubt whether ever he had it or no: for he shall thereby rather come to know he certainly had it; wit∣nesse the Apostle, who after he had ex∣horted the Corinthians to try their faith, saith in the next words, Know yee not your selves? intimating, that by this tryall, they could not choose but finde, and know they were in the faith.

So that as long as rhe fault is not in the tryall it selfe, but in the person that tryes his faith, namely, that he hath not that which he thought he had: there∣fore need not true Christians that have this faith indeed, be disheartened from this tryall, upon a supposition of this inconvenience.

Neither in truth need those Christi∣ans that have not a saving faith, for that reason feare to examine themselves concerning it, because the doubting whether or no, they have faith; and the knowledge that they have not this faith, wherof they try themselves, that may come to them by their tryall, shall be no inconvenience to them, but ra∣ther a benefit and conveniencie; be∣cause knowing the want of it, and fee∣ling the danger of that want, they may thereby be moved to seeke for it, in the use of the meanes, and to obtaine it.

That which I have said of the unlike∣lihood that any such inconvenience shal ensue upon the tryal of the faith of true Christians, namely, that they shall not come thereby to doubt they had it not, or not to know they ever had it, shall be amplified by a familiar comparison.

There is a piece of Land, unto which two men lay claime, the one hath a true title by Law, as appeares by his ancient Deeds, and Evidences; and the other thinkes he hath a good title, be∣cause hee is in possession, or because some bodie hath told him so: if the ti∣tle of the land bee called in question to be tryed before the Iudge of Assise, and

to bee determined whose it is of right, and by Law: it may come to passe upon tryall and iudgement, that hee who thought hee had a good Title (but had it not in deede) may easily come to doubt of the Title hee thought he had; yea, certainly to know that it was starke naught: and therefore no marvell if hee bee loth to have his Title questioned: but it cannot fall out upon tryall and iudgement, that hee, who had trve right thereunto by his Deeds and Evidences, should come to doubt whether his claime were good: for hee shall rather thereby come to know and bee assured that it was good in deed.

In like manner there is a heavenly inheritance, to which all that are in the Church doe lay claime; some thinke they have a good title to it, because by name they are Christians, by profession they are Beleevers, and by Baptism they are members of the Church; because they haue a beliefe of the Gospell, they have been at the Lords Table, and are in possession of a presumption at least of salvation: And there bee other, that by the evidence of the Word & Spirit doe know, that they are sons, & heires with

Christ, namely, by the witnesse of the Spirit, in their Adoption; and by the worke of the Spirit in their Regenerati∣on. If each of these try their title to Hea∣ven; it may come to passe upon the try∣all, that he who had but a beliefe of the Gospell, and therevpon presumed hee had a saving Faith, and interest to Hea∣ven, may not onely come to doubt whe∣ther ever hee had a saving faith or no; but also come certainly to know hee ne∣ver had it, nor never had any iust cause to perswade himselfe of salvation, and therefore no marvell if such a one bee loth to try his faith. Whereas on the o∣ther side, hee that had a saving faith in∣deed, cannot bee brought by that tryall, to doubt whether his faith were a sa∣ving Faith indeed or not; but rather certainly to know he had it; and there∣fore no marvell if he be willing and rea∣dy to try his faith. So that notwithstan∣ding this colourable pretence all Chri∣stians have reason to try their faith, those that thinke they have it, but have it not indeed; to the end they may know they have it not, and so labour to get it: and those that have it, to the end they may more certainly know they have it, and so labor more to strengthen it, & to

take more comfort in it. And so I passe on to the third and last kinde of obiecti∣ons, taken from an unabilitie, or impos∣sibilitie that Christians can euer be able to try their Faith: and they are two. Whereof the first is this.

Notes

• 2. Cor. 13.5.
• 1. Ioh. 5.20.
• 2. Tim. 1.12.
• Rom. 9.6.
• Matth. 7.22.
• 2. Cor. 13.5.
• Simil.