Chapter III: Marks and evidences of true faith.
Marks and evidences of true faith.
Nom. But, I pray you, sir, are there not other things besides these, that he says he finds in himself, that a man may look upon as evidences of his believing, or, as you call them, as grounds to believe that he has believed?
Evan. Yea, indeed, there are divers other effects of faith, which if a man have in him truly, he may look upon them as evidences that he hath truly believed; and I will name three of them unto you:
Whereof the first is, when a man truly loves the word of God, and makes a right use of it; and this a man does, First, when he hungers and thirsts after the word, as after the food of his soul, desiring it at all times, even as he does his "appointed [347] food," (Job 23:12). Secondly, when he desires and delights to exercise himself therein day and night, that is, constantly, (Psa 1:2). Thirdly, when he receives the word of God as the word of God, and not as the word of man, (1 Thess 2:13); setting his heart, in the time of hearing or reading it, as in God's presence: and being affected with it, as if the Lord himself should speak unto him being most affected with that ministry, or that portion of God's word, which shows him his sins, and searches out his most secret corruptions; denying his own reason and affections: yea, and his profits and pleasures, in anything when the Lord shall require it of him. Fourthly, This a man does, when he makes the word of God to be his chief comfort in the time of his afflictions; finding it, at that time, to be the main stay and solace of his heart, (Psa 119:49,50).
The second evidence is, when a man truly loves the children of God, (1 John 5:1); that is, all godly and religious persons, above all other sorts of men; and that is, when he loves them not for carnal respects, but for the graces of God which he sees in them, (2 John 1:2, 3 John 1). And when he delights in their society and company, and makes them his only companions, (Psa 119:63), and when his well-doing [to his power] extends itself to them, (Psa 16:3). In being pitiful and tender-hearted towards them, and in gladly receiving of them, and communicating to their necessities with a ready mind, (Phile 7, 1 John 3:17). And when he has not the glorious faith of Christ in "respect of persons," (James 2:1,2), but can make himself equal to them of the lower sort, (Rom 12;16); and when he loves them at all times, even when they are in adversity, as poverty, disgrace, sickness, or otherwise in misery.
The third evidence is, when a man can truly love his enemies, (Matt 6:14). And that he does, when he can pray heartily for them, and forgive them their particular trespasses against him; being more grieved for that they have sinned against God than for that they have wronged him; and when he can forbear them, and yet could be revenged of them, either by bringing shame and misery upon them, (1 Peter 3:9, Rom 12:14); and when he strives to overcome their evil with goodness, being willing to help them, and relieve them in their misery, and do them any good in soul or body; and, lastly, when he can freely and willingly acknowledge his enemy's just praise, even as if he were his dearest friend.