Chapter 21. The Believer's Objections answered.
"Lord Jesus, you have said—Those who come to you, you will never cast out!"
2. Let me turn myself to the people of God, such as upon a serious scrutiny with their own hearts, have solid grounds to think that they have faith, and being in the faith, are engrafted into Christ. Read over your charter, "All things are yours!" Things present and to come! You are the heir on which God has settled all these glorious privileges. "Give wine," says Solomon, "to those who are of heavy hearts." But while I am going to pour in this wine of consolation, methinks I hear the Christian sadly disputing against himself, that he has no right to this charter.
Chapter 21.
The Believer's Objections Answered.
There are three great objections which he makes.
Objection. 1. "Alas!" says he, "I cannot tell whether I have faith or not."
Answer. Have you no faith? How did you come to see that? A blind man cannot see. You cannot see the lack of grace—but by the light of grace.
Question. "But surely, if I had faith I would be able to discern it?"
Answer 1. You may have faith, and not know it. A man may sometimes seek for that, which he has in his hand. Mary was with Christ, she saw him, she spoke with him—yet her eyes were blurred,
that she did not know it was Christ. The child lives in the womb—yet does not know that it lives.
Answer 2. Faith often lies hidden in the heart, and we see it not, for lack of search. The fire lies hidden in the embers—but blow aside the ashes, and it is discernable. Faith may be hidden under fears, or temptations; but blow away the ashes! You prize faith. If had you a thousand jewels lying by, you would part with all of them—for this jewel of faith! No man can prize grace—but he who has it. You desire faith; the true desire of faith, is faith. You mourn for lack of faith; dispute not—but believe! What are these tears—but the seeds of faith.
Objection. 2. "But my faith is weak. The hand of faith so trembles, that I fear it will hardly lay hold upon Christ."
Answer. There are seven things which I shall say in reply to this.
1. A little faith is faith; as a sparkle of fire is fire. Though the pearl of faith be little—yet if it be a true pearl, it shines in God's eyes. This little grace is the seed of God, and it shall never die—but live as a sparkle in the main sea.
2. A weak faith will entitle us to Christ, just as well as a stronger faith. "To those who have obtained like precious faith," 2
Pet. 1:1. Not but that there are degrees of faith—as faith sanctifies, so all faith is not alike, one is more than another. But as faith justifies, so faith is alike precious. The weakest faith justifies, just as well as the faith of the most eminent saint! A weak hand is able to receive great alms. For a man to doubt of his grace because it is weak, is to rely upon his grace, rather than upon Christ.
3. The promise is not made to strong faith—but to true faith. The promise does not say, Whoever has a faith which can move mountains, or which can stop the mouths of lions—shall be saved; but whoever believes—be his faith ever so small. The promise is made to true faith, and for the most part to weak faith. What is a
grain of mustard seed, what is a bruised reed—but the emblems of a weak faith? Yet the promise is made to these: "A bruised reed he will not break." The words are a figure of speech, where the lesser is put for the greater. He will not break, that is, he will bind it up! Though
Christ chides a weak faith—yet that it may not be discouraged, he makes a promise to it. Hierome observes upon the beatitudes, there are many of the promises made to weak grace; Matt. 5:3, "Blessed are the poor in spirit"; "blessed are those who mourn," verse 4,
"blessed are those who hunger," verse 5.
4. A weak faith may be fruitful. Weakest things may multiply most. The vine is a weak plant, it must be borne up and underpropped—but it is fruitful; it is made in scripture the emblem of fruitfulness. The thief on the cross, when he was newly converted, had but a weak faith; but how many precious clusters grew upon that vine! Luke 23:40. He chides his fellow-thief, "Do you not fear God?"
He falls to self-judging, "we indeed suffer justly." He makes a heavenly prayer, and believes in Christ when he says, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom!" Here was a young plant—but very fruitful. Weak Christians often are most fruitful in affections. How strong is the first love to Christ, which is after the first planting of faith!
5. A Christian may mistake, and think he is weak in faith, because he is weak in assurance. But faith may be strongest— when assurance is weakest. Assurance is rather the fruit of faith. The woman of Canaan was weak in assurance—but was strong in faith.
Christ gives her three repulses—but her faith stands the shock. She pursues Christ with a holy obstinacy of faith, insomuch that Christ sets a trophy of honor upon her faith, "O woman, great is your faith!"
It may be a strong faith, though it does not see the print of the nails!
It is a heroic faith which can swim against wind and tide, and believe against hope. Christ sets the crown upon the head of faith—not of assurance! John 20:29, "Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed."
6. God has most care of weak believers. The mother tends the weak child the most. "God will gather the lambs with his arms, and carry them in his bosom." The Lord has a great care of his weak tribes: when Israel marched towards Canaan, the tribes were divided into several companies or brigades: now it is observable, all the weak tribes were not put together, lest they should discourage one another, and so have fainted in their march. But God puts a strong tribe with two weak tribes; as Issachar, Zebulun, two weak tribes, and Judah a victorious tribe. Therefore he gives the lion in his standard. Surely this was not without a mystery, to show what care God has of his weak children! Christ the lion of the tribe of Judah shall be joined to them.
7. Weak faith is a growing faith. It is resembled by the grain of mustard-seed, which, of all seeds, is the least. But when it is fullgrown, it is the "greatest among herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches." Faith must have a growing time. The seed springs up by degrees, first the blade, and then the ear; and then the full corn in the ear. The strongest faith had once been weak. The faith that has been renowned in the world, was once in its infancy. Grace is like the waters of the sanctuary, which rose higher and higher. Wait on the ordinances, these are the breasts to nourish faith. Do not be discouraged at your weak faith; though it be now in the blossom and bud, it will come to the full flower.
Objection. 3. "But," says a child of God, "I fear I am not elected!"
Answer. What! a believer—and not elected? Who told you that you were not elected? Have you seen your name in the black book of reprobation? Even the angels cannot unclasp this book—and will you meddle with it? Which is our duty to study, God's secret will, or his revealed will? It is a sin for any man to say he is a reprobate—as that which keeps him in sin, must needs be a sin. This opinion keeps him in sin, it cuts the sinews of endeavor. Who will take pains for heaven
—who gives himself up for lost? O believer, be of good comfort, you need not look into the book of God's decree—but look into the book
of your heart, see what is written there! He who finds the Bible copied out into his heart—his nature transformed, the bias of his will changed, the signature and engravings of the Holy Spirit upon him—this man does not look like a reprobate!
When you see the fruits of the earth spring up, you conclude the sun has been there! It is hard to climb up into election. But if we find the fruits of holiness springing up in our hearts—we may conclude the Sun of Righteousness has risen there, 2 Thes. 2:13. "God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit." By our sanctification we must calculate our election. Indeed,
God in saving us, begins at the highest link of the chain, election; but we must begin at the lowest link of the chain, sanctification, and so ascend higher.
Therefore laying aside all disputes, let me pour in of the wine of consolation. You who are a believer, (and though you will not affirm it—yet you cannot deny it without sin) let me do two things, show you your happiness, then your duty.
1. Behold your happiness! All the things which you have heard of, present and to come—are your portion and privilege! What shall I say to you? All my expressions fall short! When I speak of things to come, I know not how to express myself but by a deep silence and astonishment. O the magnitude and magnificence of the saints' glory! The ascent to it is so high, that it is too high for any man's thoughts to climb! The most sublime spirit, would here be too low and insipid. How happy are you, O believer! If God himself can make you blessed, you shall be so! If being invested with Christ's robes, enameled with his beauty, replenished with his love—if all the dimensions of glory will make you blessed, you shall be so! O the infinite superlative happiness of a believer! All things to come are his!
What! To have a partnership with the angels, those blessed spirits!
Nay, to speak with reverence, to have a partnership with God