THE TOUCHSTONE OF SAVING FAITH

Besides, it may appear, that there is a deceit even in the soul’s own assurance; this may be only a flighty passion, a fond imagination, or a dangerous delusion; the assurance of faith. It is therefore highly necessary, that this persuasion itself should be examined into, and brought to the test of sacred scripture. While, on the contrary, those who have not any clear assurance at all, may be proved from the Divine word to be true believers. There may be such fears mixed with our hope, such unbelief with our faith, or the act of faith may be in itself so weak, that it may be impossible, from these experiences themselves, to prove our interest. Yea, we may be so dark in our minds, or so very jealous of our own hearts, as to make us afraid to draw the happy conclusion in our favor. And what must we do in these cases? Surely we may and ought to recur to marks and signs, according to the apostle’s direction, 2 Cor. 13:5. Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith; while he at the same time insinuates the most substantial evidence for it, namely, that Christ is in us, except we be reprobates. And if we pay any regard to the present experience of believers, we shall often find, that a soul has fled to Christ at first in the dark; not having received any clear consolation, till afterwards the fruits of faith in the heart and life have been discovered; and this discovery by the word and Spirit of God, has been the first introduction of a comfortable and settled hope.

I will therefore endeavour now to put you and myself into a proper and clear way to know whether our faith be saving, amidst all the weakness and doubts that may attend it, by producing a few satisfactory marks and evidences. And may the Lord enable all that peruse these lines, and who are in doubt, to put the questions home to themselves, that may be proposed! There is a great variety of marks and signs of this grace laid down in the word of God, and judiciously opened and applied by divines; such as an aversion to sin, the Spirit of prayer, conquest over the world, and the like, which are all good and solid marks, if rightly understood. But the only thing that can determine whether our hatred of sin, or contempt of the world, or love to God, etc. flows from faith, and is evidential of it, is an inquiry into the principles and motives of these experiences. I shall therefore aim to put the questions as close as I can, to search into the very springs of our conduct.

I must take it for granted of every one who has true faith, that to him (1) himself is vile, (2) the gospel is precious, (3) sin is hateful, (4) holiness is desirable, (5) Christ is honorable, (6) God’s children are amiable. He is no true Christian that cannot set his seal to these things: for if a person is proud of himself, slights the gospel, makes a mock at sin, is not concerned to be conscientious in duty, despises Christ, or dislikes the people of God as such, he can have no apparent pretensions to this holy and spiritual grace. But still it is not enough for us to apprehend that we have the above marks; because there is a sort of humility, hatred of sin, love to Christ and holiness, that does not flow from faith; and there may be an appearance of all these things from legal principles. Wherefore, under each of these heads, I must put the questions double: Whether it is so with you, and why is it so?

1. Are you vile and base in your own sight? This I apprehend is mentioned as a characteristic of a true saint in Psalm 15:4. We read it thus, in whose eyes a vile person is contemned: I rather choose to render it, Who is vile and despised in his own eyes. This every true Christian is before God, because he sees so much of the meanness and corruption of his nature, and of the majesty and purity of God. But it is to be apprehended, that some persons may answer this character, who have been only under a legal work, not knowing any thing experimentally of faith in Christ. I must therefore ask farther, What is it that makes you thus appear low and contemptible in your own eyes? You may see enough of yourself, your sin, and your misery, to discourage you and drive you to despair, and yet have a legal pride at the bottom of all this seeming humility; and this may keep you from Christ, by making you unwilling to go to him, till you can purify yourselves to prepare yourself for him. But if your humility is promoted by, and founded upon, a view of the freeness of grace in Jesus Christ, so as you see, that if you are saved, it must be by free, powerful, preventing grace; and the sight of grace as absolutely free, melts your soul, subdues your pride, and shames your unbelief; this is a good mark that you have seen Christ, and believed on him. Or thus, if you are humbled and ashamed in yourself, not only because you have broken the law, but likewise because you have been so unbelieving as to the grace of the gospel; because you have no more trusted in Christ, loved him no more, and have sought him with no more eagerness and delight: I say, if such things as these make you low, vile, and abominable in your own sight, it is a happy evidence, that you have had something of the gospel engraven upon your heart.

2. Is the gospel precious to you? This is another thing that is universally true of all believers; who as new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby, 1 Pet. 2:2. But it is certain, that persons may be fond of the gospel, may be zealous for its doctrines, and plead its cause without having ever felt the saving power of it upon their hearts. Ask yourselves therefore another question: Why is it that the gospel is precious to you? What are the peculiar doctrines of it, that you are most acquainted with; and why do you lay such a stress upon them? For instance, the atonement of Christ, the imputation of his righteousness, and the divinity of his person. Cannot you bear to part with these truths, because you see and feel that in them is contained all your salvation, all your desire, and all your hope? Can you say for yourself, that if these doctrines are uncertain, all your comfort and expectation is removed, and the very foundations destroyed? If your value for these truths arises from an inward conviction that you must be lost without them, and from such a regard to the honour of Christ, that you cannot bear to have him so degraded and dethroned; this is a blessed sign that your regard for the gospel flows from, and is evidential of a saving belief of it.

(To be continued)

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