A cordiall for a fainting soule, or, Some essayes for the satisfaction of wounded spirits labouring under severall burthens in which severall cases of conscience most ordinary to Christians, especially in the beginning of their conversion, are resolved : being the summe of fourteen sermons, delivered in so many lectures in a private chappell belonging to Chappell-Field-House in Norwich : with a table annexed, conteining the severall cases of conscience which in the following treatise are spoken to directly or collaterally / preached and now published ... by John Collings.

The Seventh SERMON. (Book 7)

LUKE 17. v. 5.

Lord, increase our faith.

YOu may remember that I have told you, that in order to the increasing of faith, we must labour to remove those blocks and scruples which hinder the progresse of faith in the Soule: And to this end I have spent severall houres in satisfying poor souls in those scruples which often lye in faiths way in a gracious soule. I have done with such as are pre∣vious to faith, and make the soul think it dare not, and ought not to beleeve.

The last day having set the soule so farre on of its way, that it is convinced it ought to beleeve, but complaines That it doth not, it cannot beleeve; I came to search out the cause of such complaints, which I shewed was ordinarily either,

First, a mistake of the nature and acts of faith, or,

Secondly, a misjudging it self from the effects of faith. I began with the first, and propounded to such Christians these two considerations:

First, That faith hath divers acts, and the highest was not necessary to a justifying faith.

Secondly, That Faith is of so good a nature, that it will consist with many doubtings and weaknesses, and yet retaine its truth: For the first of these, I shewed you the last day what were the severall acts of true faith, and what act was necessary to justification, and what act was not necessary: I shall repeat no∣thing of what I then said, but go on.

CHAP. 7.

How to satisfie such poor Christians as think they doe not truly beleeve, because they have many doubtings and weaknesses.

ALas!* 1.1 (saith a poor Christian) I am confident my faith is not true, but false; I am so full of doubt∣ings and feares, and every act which I should think an act of faith is so weak, &c.

To this Complaint now I shall apply my second consideration, viz. That true faith is of so good a nature that it will (keeping its truth) consist with much weaknesse in the severall acts, and dwell in a soule where many doubts are.

This is my Thesis: Now concerning this▪ di∣vers have treated so largly, that I shall be very brief, and rather repeat what they say, following them, then lead you a worse way of my own.* 1.2 I finde Mr. Sedgwick (who hath made it his work in his Book called, The doubting Christian, to handle this very point, and hath done it fully) laying down foure or five conclusions by way of premise; for the right understanding of this point, I shall name them to you.

First, It is without question, that all Doubtings are ••infull, they are the smoakings of our corruptions, they are begotten of sinne, the depravation of our originall light, with which God in innocencie en∣lightned Adam, that is the cause, and they hinder grace, and hinder us in our duty, &c.

Secondly, They be no part of faith; in that a man doth beleeve, he doth not doubt; Faith and Doubting may dwell under the same roofe, but they marry not, nor mingle any bloods together, they are not at all of a family. Faith is of the family of Heaven, Doubtings are of the family of Hell; they are inmates, but have little acquaintance one with another, none at all with one anothers na∣tures; they are two things, though in one soule.

Thirdly, They cannot consist at the same instant with the act of faith,* 1.3 for it is impossible that Faith should formally doubt; the beleever while he beleeveth, and in what he beleeveth, doth not doubt; I cannot at the same time lay my hand upon the Rock, and not lay my hand upon it, &c. But,

Fourthly,* 1.4 (saith he) Actuall doubtings may be in a soule who hath habituall faith; for as he saith, they are not opposed as life and death, but as cold and heat; water may have some cold, and some heat in it at the same time,* 1.5 as life and sicknesse (saith Mr. Rutherford) sicknesse is neighbour with life.

Nay fifthly, I may say more I thinke, Faith and Doubting may be at the same time in the soul, though not in the same thing; I cannot beleeve this truth, and yet doubt the same; but I may beleeve this, and doubt some other•• Yea,

Sixthly, There is no beleever lives, but hath had, or

hath doubtings. Abraham, Gen. 15. 2, 3. David, Psal. ••16. 11. See more, p. 17, 18, 19. ib. The mor∣ning dawning of light, may be light, though there be some darknesse mixed with it.

Now to prove this position, that Faith may con∣sist with Doubtings;* 1.6 I can say no more then pre∣cious Mr. Rutherford hath said, p. 27. who proveth it by these five Arguments.

First, because Faith and Doubtings are not con∣tradictories, as life and death, which mutually deny and expell one another; but opposites, as sick∣nesse and health in the same body, may be succes∣sively.

Secondly, Because Christ, when he rebuked doubting, yet supposed faith, and acknowledged faith, though a little faith in his Disciples, Mat. 14. 31.

Thirdly, Because the Disciples prayed, Lord, in∣crease our faith, what needed that? they had been at Ela, at the highest pitch and note of faith, if they had been above all doubtings.

Fourthly, Because Christ prayed for Peter, that when Satan winnowed him, his faith might not fail; it could not faile, if every true faith were above all doubtings.

Fifthly and lastly, from the various condition of the Saints of God here, sometimes they have a full Moon, ••non no Moon-light at all, but a dark Eclipse.

I might adde the constant experience of Gods Saints. Who lives, and doth not thus sinne against God? I appeale to the best experiences of Gods earthly Saints. These things I thought good to

premise, for the right understanding, and for the proving of this conclusion.

Now I will not enter into so large a field, as to shew you all the Doubts that Christians may have. Mr. Sedgwick hath done a great deale in this work in the Book before quoted; but thus much I will doe.

First, I will shew you what doubts and weaknesses and imper••ections may consist with true Faith in a gracious soule, in relation to the severall acts of it.

Secondly, I will shew you the differences be∣twixt those Doubts which often arise in (and are consistent with Faith in) a gracious soul, and those which are damning dispairing doubts of Repro∣bates: And first of the first of these.

CHAP. 8.

What Doubtings and weaknesses, in respect of know∣ledge, may consist with true Faith in a gracious soule, and how to satisfie the soule in this trouble.

THough some dispute knowledge to be a•• act of Faith, yet we say, that it is required to the lowest and meanest act of Faith (which is assent) rather then an act of Faith of it self; yet in regard many Christians that strive and labour after know∣ledge (having wanted those meanes that others have had, either in regard of hearing the Word, or in regard of education) have not attained to what they desire, walk yet troubled about their condi∣tion, in respect of their ignorance, and because of this are ready to deny the grace of God in the work

of true Faith in their soules: Give me leave a little to speak something by way of satisfaction to such poor souls; you shall heare them complain in this manner.

Complaint. Alas! I beleeve? I have not yet stept the first step of a Christian. I have not so much as a know∣ledge of Gods Word, I am a poor ignorant soule, I know not halfe the mysterious doctrines of salvation; can such an ignorant wretch as I be a beleever? Besides for what I know I am ready to deny it; sometimes I think this is the word and truth of God; sometimes again I think it is not; I fully beleeve nothing, I know nothing, I cannot read, nor understand when I heare; many things in Scripture I know not; and for what I know I know nothing as ••ought to know it.

Here's the complaint; now satisfaction.

Now to speak a word or two by way of com∣fort and stay to the soule, that labours under this trouble.

For thy knowing nothing as thou oughtest to know (as thou complainest) it is happy for thy soule, (if thou speakest from thy heart,) that God hath wrought thy heart into so low an opinion of thy self. See what the Apostle speaketh, 1 Cor. 8. 2. And if any man think that hee knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know it. But now for thy reall ignorance that thou so much complainest of, I shall propound a few considerations, which wil shew thee how much ignorance may consist with true faith in the soule, and then conclude all with a caution or two.

For the first,

First, consider, Thou mayest be ignorant in many

points of Religion which are fundamentall in some sense, and yet have faith, true faith; I think, when we speak of fundamentals, we ought to distinguish; some fundamentalls are absolutely necessary, our salvation stands upon them as; to beleeve, That Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, that he be∣came man, a Iesus, a full Savior, that he dyed for us that we might live; that there is no salvation in any other but in him, and that in him there is a fulnesse of salva∣tion, &c. These now are those pillars upon which our salvation stands, and the knowledge of which is alwayes supposed to true justifying faith; none can be ignorant in these, and beleeve; For how shall they beleeve in him, of whom they have not heard (which was the Apostles question?) but now there are other do∣ctrines which are ordinarily called fundamentalls, because they are such as Christians learn, even in the beginning of their conversion, such as are first taught, and laid for a foundation to build other truths upon; the doctrine of the imposition of hands, resurrection of the dead, &c. are reckoned up by the Apostle for fundamentalls, Heb. 6. 1, 2. Now for these it is very possible that a Christian may be ignorant of them, and yet have a true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; The Doctrine of the Trinity of the persons, viz. That in the Deity there are three distinct manners of being, three distinct sub∣sistences, distinguished each from other by their severall properties; This is without question a fundamen∣tall point of the second sort, such as is usually taught Christians as a piece of the foundation of Religion; yet I do verily beleeve that a Christian may beleeve, and be in the state of grace, and yet not

be instructed fully, but be ignorant in this. Suppose a Minister should go preach to Heathens, and preach what need men in naturall condition have of Jesus Christ, what a wofull condition they are in without him, what a readinesse there is in Christ to save them: and upon this presse faith; doe you think it is not possible, that some soule may be startled, and run out of it self, and rest truly up∣on Christ, and yet not be for the present so well in∣structed, as to give you an account of the Trinity of persons? And yet without question it is a truth and a fundamentall truth too, Acts 19. v. 2. Paul came to Ephesus, and found certain men that were Disciples, v. 1. He asks them if they had received the Holy Ghost; they ingenuously confest, that they were so farre from receiving the gifts of the Holy Ghost, that they had not so much as heard whether there was an Holy Ghost or no: I know most of ex∣positors construe it of the gifts of the holy Ghost; but for my part I cannot subscribe to their opini∣on, but think the latter clause hath more then the former, and that there is an emphasis in their an∣swer; and so Ioh. 20. v. 9. we find the Disciples of Christ ignorant in the point of Christs Resurre∣ction from the dead, and Christ chides his Disci∣ples for their ignorance in this point,* 1.7 Luk. 24. v. 5. The very Apostles were ignorant in the point of Christs Kingdome, and rule, and dreamt of Christs restoring the temporall Kingdome to Israel, Act. 1. v. 6. This is the case of many a poor Christian; it may be it cannot read, or it hath not lived where there hath been any faithfull powerfull soule-en∣lightning preaching; but when Gods time comes,

he brings the soule to heare, and it doth possibly heare of its poor, naturall, undone condition, and that there is none other name by which the Chri∣stian may be saved, but onely the Name of Jesus: yet this now being the work of Gods Spirit, the spi∣rit carries on its own work, and creates faith in the soule, brings the soule to trust and rely on Iesus Christ. There may be divers fundamentall points that the soule all this while hath not heard a word concerning; as how many yeare sometimes doth a Minister preach, and not directly meddle with the Doctrine of the Trinity, &c? How many weeks, and not preach the Doctrine of the Resurrection? But here is now the condition of such a Christian, after the Spirit of God hath enlightned him, and con∣vinced him, &c. the poor soule (that regarded not instruction before) now begins perhaps to learn to read, pray; now he heareth the Word more, en∣quireth concerning God more, &c. and every day discovers more truth then other, to which the soul by nature was blinded; then begins Satans work; the soule reflects upon it self, and begins to say, now, Wo is me! I have my work still to begin! I have made my self beleeve I have been a beleever so long; and alas! I have been a poor, blind, ignorant wretch, blind to the truths of Iesus Christ, &c. how could I beleeve while I knew so little? Yes Christian, thou mayest be a Scholler, though thou beest but in thy Acci∣dence; there are some truths which are the Creden∣da ad salutem, the very foundation upon which salvation standeth; Now true faith is not consist∣ent without these▪ I cannot rest upon Christ, and Christ onely for salvation, and yet not know that

there is a Christ, nor what this Christ is, how pro∣portionate a Saviour for me; without question, the knowledge of the Doctrine of faith in Iesus Christ the Son of God, and the Saviour of man, what he is, what he hath done, what need we have of him; what a fulnesse there is in him; what a sufficiencie of salvation for every soule that belee∣veth, &c. is so much knowledge as is absolutely necessary, and without which no soule can be sa∣ved; yet this must not be understood without some caution, as I shall shew you anon; for though it be truth, such a blind soule may be enlightned so far, as truely to beleeve; yet if so, it will deny no truth, but labour and thirst after the knowledge of every truth: A man may be a Grecian, and yet not know every word in the Greek tongue, no not every Radix: Beleevers shall not bee saved by their Book.

Secondly, A Beleever may be ignorant in many cir∣cumstanciall points of Religion, and yet be a true Be∣leever; this is clear from many examples in Scrip∣ture. Peter himself did not know he might eat those birds and beasts,* 1.8 which to the Iewes were unclean. The beleeving Romanes did not know their liberty in point of holy-dayes,* 1.9 and eating of meats first offered to Idolls,* 1.10 which maketh the Apostle take a great deale of paines for setting Rules to strong Christians how to carry themselves in relation to their weak brethren,* 1.11 whose consciences were stum∣bled at their eating; both in the 24. Chap. of his Epistle to the Romanes, and also in his Epistle to the Corinthians, he harps upon the same string a∣gain. The Churches of Galatia and Colosse were

ignorant about the point of Christian liberty. The indulgent Master will not throw away the childs Exercise for want of a Comma: Christ rejects not the Christians Faith because it is not fringed with a knowledge in every circumstantiall in Religion: I call no truth circumstantiall (as by a slighting and neglective terme) for it is a beame of God; but as comparatively, though they be truths to be known, embraced, loved, practised, yet they touch not the vitals of salvation, as I may say: They are not necessary to be known [ad esse] to make a true beleever.

Thirdly, a Christian may be ignorant in the History of the Bible, and yet have true justifying faith. Every Scholler is not a Chronologer, nor an Historian, no more is every beleever; I may know what Christ was, though I know not what Moses and Aa∣ron were; I may know which way Christ took, to bring my soule out of darknesse into marvellous light, though I do not know which way Moses took to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt; I may know there is but one King of Kings, though I do not know how many Kings there were of Israel and Iudah. The Disciples did not know all the Pro∣phets had spoken, Luk. 24. 25.

Fourthly, a Christian may be a true beleever, and yet not know the meaning of many places in Scripture. God would never have appointed expounders of the Law, if every Christian, qua Christian, were to have been a generall Commentator. That Well is deep, and every one hath not a Bucket to draw. There are that tell us, that ••e Spirit reveales the meaning of Scripture to the beleever, and would

thence evince, that whoso hath the Spirit, must needs bee fit to unty every knot, and unriddle eve∣ry mystery of Scripture; but every one that hath the Spirit, hath not the Spirit of prophesie: For those Scriptures which it is necessary in point of salvati∣on every beleever should know, every beleever un∣derstands the nature of them: God hath made the water shallow, that the Lambs may wade; but for those places through which the beleevers passages do not lie to Heaven, in which the Elephants may swim, God doth not require that every Lambe should sound those depths.

Fifthly, A Christian may be so farre ignorant in the fundamentalls, as that he cannot make them out, and yet be a true beleever; he may be ignorant in the parti∣culars, by which the generals are demonstrated; as for example, he may know that Christ dyed for him, and rest upon the merits of his death for eter∣nall life, and so truly beleeve, and yet not be able to make this out, by reason of his ignorance, how Christ being God, should be capable of death; how the humane and divine Nature were conjoyn∣ed; hee may know that Christ satisfied by his active obedience for his actuall sinne, and yet not perfectly understand how Christ being man should be free from sinne, being conceived by the Holy Ghost. The boyes Exercise may be true Latin, though he cannot pierce every word. The Disci∣ples were beleevers, yet were ignorant concerning the Resurrection, yea, concerning Christs uni∣on with the Father,* 1.12 Ioh. 14. 4, 5, 6. The know∣ledge may bee cleare to them in the generall, though through their infirmity and ignorance they

be not able to cleare it up in the severall parti∣culars.

Lastly, They may bee so farre ignorant in the sub∣stantialls of Religion, as that they cannot dispute them: The faculty of beleeving, and the art of dis∣puting are two things: I may know and beleeve that which I cannot maintaine upon dispute: It is a knowne speech of that female Martyr, I cannot dispute, but I can dye for Christ; if she had not beleeved, she would not have dyed; she could maintain her faith with her blood, which shee could not maintaine with her tongue: As every Scholler, so every beleever is not a disputant: It is good Logick in Divinity, for the Christian to hold the conclusion, though he knowes not what to say to the Sophisters premises: But lest now some should thinke and say, that I have laid Hea∣ven a little too wide open; I must limit what I have said with two Cautions. To satisfie the poore doubting Christian in point of ignorance, I have laid downe the truth in these Conclusions, and shewed you how farre it is possible that a man may bee ignorant, and yet a true Belee∣ver; But,

First, It must bee provided hee bee not content with this ignorance, but useth the meanes to in∣crease knowledge, searcheth the Scripture, and heares the Word; that this ignorance pro∣ceeds meerly out of infirmity, not of wilfulnesse; otherwise this knowledge will not bee sufficient. It is given as the character of unbeleevers,* 1.13 2 Pet. 3. That they were willingly ignorant; Wee have an High-Priest who can have compassion on the igno∣rant,

and on them that are out of the way, for as much as hee also was compassed about with infirmity.* 1.14 But for the wilfully ignorant, the High-Priest was to offer no Sacrifice▪ Know therefore Chri∣stian, that thou canst have no comfort that thou beleevest though thou beest ignorant, unlesse (ap∣pealing to thine owne heart) thou canst say, I have done what I can to dispell these mists of ig∣norance, and learne the whole truth of God. Christ Jesus will take the blind man by the hand,* 1.15 if he beseecheth him to touch him, provided hee be willing to receive his sight; And as hee did not cast off the blinde man that at first saw men walking like Trees: So hee will not cast off the Christian that at his first illumination sees di∣vine truths like Trees, not clearely, distinctly, and fully; but as he dealt with that blinde man, hee left him not there, but hee put his hands againe upon him, and made him see every man clearly: So if thou belongest to Christ, hee will put his hands againe upon thee, and make thee see every portion of his divine truth more clearely; hee will make thy dawning twilight be growing up to a mid-day of knowledge.* 1.16 Therefore Saint Peter layes it as his necessary injunction upon Beleevers, That they should grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. That's the first Caution.

Secondly, this gnorance may bee consistent with true Faith in thee, provided thou dost not deny the truth that thou dost not know; Thou mayest have faith, though thou dost not know what the Tri∣nity is, or how it is; but if thou denyest the Tri∣nity,

I make a question of thy truth of faith, or possibility of salvation: Ignorance of some truths, is not damnable, but the denyall of every truth (when revea••ed) is damnable; want of a cleare knowldge is not damnable; but denyall of the truth because thou canst not clearely make it out, is damnable. Speak not evill of what thou knowest not, but wait untill, and pray that God would re∣veale it unto thee,* 1.17 1 Tim. 5. 8. He hath denyed the Faith, and is worse then an infidell. There was a great difference betwixt the Disciples that had not yet learnt, and the Sadduces that denyed the Re∣surrection; I never yet learnt or read, that any of the latter were beleevers; the Disciple had not yet known the Father, nor yet the son well, Ioh. 14. 7, 8, 9.* 1.18 But the Apostle sayes, He is Antichrist that denyeth the Father and the Sonne. Ignorance of truth will be borne with, but denyall of truth shall not. Take heed of denying the truths thou dost not know. Thus I have shewed you how true Faith may consist with doubtings concerning the point of knowledge, which though it be not properly called an act of faith, yet it is supposed in the lowest act; and to satisfie you, I have shewed you what igno∣rance may be consistent with true Faith, and what not; and with what Cau••ions a Christian may bee comforted concerning his faith, notwithstanding his ignorance in some truths, and some things not unnecessary to be known.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Complaint.
• * 1.2

  Sedgwicks dou∣bting Christi∣an.
• * 1.3

  Ib. p. 16.
• * 1.4

  Christ dying. p. 27.
• * 1.5

  Rutherford.
• * 1.6

  Christ dying.
• * 1.7

  The Disciples were ignorant concerning the Father, Ioh. 14. 8. Lord shew us the Fa∣ther, and it suf∣ficeth us.
• * 1.8

  Acts 11.
• * 1.9

  Rom. 14.
• * 1.10

  Gal. 4.
• * 1.11

  Gal. 5.
• * 1.12

  Luk. 24. 25.
• * 1.13

  2 Pet. 3. 5.
• * 1.14

  Heb. 5. 2.
• * 1.15

  Mar. 8. 23, 24, 25.
• * 1.16

  •• Pet▪ 3. 18.
• * 1.17

  1 Tim. 5. 8.
• * 1.18

  Io. 14 7, 8, 9.