Chapter 42. Of the 2nd Assault: on Faith.
A GOLDEN CHAIN
Chapter 42. Of the 2nd Assault: on Faith.
The second assault concerns faith.
The temptation is an illusion which the devil casts into the hearts of godly men, as when he says, You are not of the number of the elect; you are not justified; you have no faith; you must certainly be condemned for your sins. Mat 4.3, Then the tempter came to him and said, If you are the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
Helps which the devil abuses for strengthening such illusions, are these:
I. Adversity, such as dangers, losses, persecutions, jealousy, grievous offences, etc. Psa 73.12-13, Lo, these are the wicked, yet they always prosper, and increase in riches. Certainly I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence. Job 13.23-25, How many are my iniquities and sins? Show me my rebellion and my sin. Why do You hide your face, and take me for your enemy? Will You break a leaf driven to and fro, and will You pursue the dry stubble?
II. Remembrance of past sins. Job 13.26, For you write bitter things against me, and make me possess the iniquities of my youth.
III. A feeling of death, even already at hand.
Resistance is made by a true faith, applying Christ with all His merits particularly, in this manner. I assuredly believe that I shall not be condemned, but that I am elected, and justified in Christ, and without any doubt that all my sins are pardoned. Isa 53.11, He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant shall justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. Rom 8.38-39,
For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor
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any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The preservative in temptation, is not to behold faith, but the object of faith, which is Christ. Phi
3.12-14, Not as though I had already attained to it, nor were already perfect; but I follow, that I may comprehend that for whose sake also I am comprehended by Christ Jesus. One thing I do, I forget that which is behind, and endeavour to that which is before; and follow hard toward the mark, for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Joh 3.14-15,
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that he who believes in him, etc.
The falling is doubtfulness, and distrust of our election, and of God's mercy. Psa 77.6-8, I called to remembrance my song in the night. I communed with my own heart, and my spirit searched diligently. Will the Lord absent Himself forever? And will He show no more favor? Is His mercy clean gone forever? Does His promise fail forevermore? So David himself says, Psa
22.1, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me, and are so far from my health, and from the words of my roaring?
The remedy is double.
First, the operation of the Holy Spirit stirring up faith and increasing it. Phi 1.6, I am persuaded of this same thing, that He who has begun this good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Luk
17.5, And the Apostles said to the Lord, Increase our faith.
The second is a holy meditation, which is manifold:
I. That it is the commandment of God that we should believe in Christ. 1Joh 3.23, This is then His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son
Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He commanded.
II. That the Evangelical promises are indefinite, and exclude no man, unless perhaps any man excludes himself. Isa 55.1, Ho, everyone that thirsts, come to the
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waters, and you who have no silver, come, buy and eat; come I say, buy wine and milk without silver and without money.
Mat 11.28, Come to me, all you who are weary and laden, and I will ease you. Joh 3.15, That whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Also the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, severally apply to everyone indefinite promises, and therefore are very effectual to enforce particular assurance or plerophoria [full assurance] of forgiveness of sins.
III. That doubtfulness and despair are most grievous sins.
IV. That contrary to hope, men must with Abraham, believe under hope. Rom 4.18, Which Abraham above hope, believed under hope, that he would be the father of many nations; according to what was spoken to him,
'So shall your Seed be.'
V. That the mercy of God, and the merit of Christ's obedience, being both God and man, are infinite. Isa
54.10, For the mountains shall remove, and the hills shall fall down; but My mercy shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace fall away, says the Lord, who has compassion on you. Psa 103.11, For as high as the heaven is above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him. 1Joh 2.1-2, My babes, these things I write to you, that you do not sin; and if any man sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just.
And he is the reconciliation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. Psa 130.7, Let
Israel wait on the Lord, for the Lord is mercy, and with Him is great redemption.
VI. That God measures the obedience due to Him, by the affection and desire to obey, rather than by the act and performance of it. Rom 8.5, For those who are after the flesh, favour the things of the flesh; but those who are after the spirit, the things of the spirit. Verse 7,
Because the wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God;
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for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. Rom 7.20-22, Now, if I do what I would not, it is no longer I that do it, but the sin that dwells in me. I find then by the Law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the Law of God, concerning the inner man. Mal 3.17, I will spare them, as a man spares his son who reveres him.
VII. When one sin is forgiven, all the rest are remitted also, for remission being given once, without any prescription of time, it is given forever. Rom 11.29,
For the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance. Act 10.43, To him all the Prophets also gave witness, that through His name, all who believe in him, shall receive remission of sins.
VIII. That grace and faith are not taken away by falls of infirmity, but are thereby declared and made manifest. Rom 5.20, Moreover, the law entered there, that the offence should abound; nevertheless, when sin abounded, there grace abounded much more. 2Cor
12.7-9, And lest I be exalted out of measure, etc., there was given to me a prick in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me. For this thing I sought the Lord three times, that it might depart from me. He said, My grace is sufficient for you.
IX. That all the works of God are by contrary means.
2Cor 12.9, My power is made perfect through weakness.