Some excellent pastoral direction is given in the following excerpt by master Jeremiah Burroughs, concerning the illegitimacy of despairing when one has no sense of evidences of being in Christ (The Saints Treasury, pp. 81-83):
Many Christians goe on in a doubting way, meerly because they think they must have evidences of their faith, by some effects that follow their faith; and till then they can have no comfort; tis true, where true faith is, there wil be fruits and effects of it: but certainly if you could learne this mystery of the Gospel, to finde an evidence in faith it self, you would sooner come to comfort; And it is a safer way a great deal: as thus, if you have doubts about your condition, and feare your sinnes are not pardoned; and that you have no interest in Christ, the way to be freed from these doubts and feares; is by renewing the act of faith it self, by presenting to your souls the riches of the grace of God in the Lord Jesus; and by viewing the glory of that, see if it will not draw out your souls to believe. And if upon this your hearts stirre not for the present, set these things before your souls againe, and turne not from renewing the acts of faith, to pore upon your corruptions, and then say, you can see no interest that you have in Christ: but look upward againe and againe, and by the very viewing of them, a vertue will come in, to draw the heart to believe.
As by presenting the law, there is an efficacy to terrifie and afright: so by presenting the glorious things of the Gospel, there is an efficacy to draw out faith: And then you are to renew the very primitive work of faith; that is to close with Christ, and to cast your selves upon the freenesse of the grace of God in Christ; and though you finde in your hearts such and such corruptions, and are ready to say, shall such a one as I am, so polluted and defiled, cast my self upon the grace of God in Christ? yet lay hold upon Christ, and you have as much reason to doe it from thence, as from any thing; and therefore this must be thy course to renew this primitive act of thy faith again and again. I but yet my doubts and feares remaine: but if thou wouldest have an evidence, to it againe & again a thousand times over, and at last there will be an evidence of the act of faith it self.
But you will say, this may be presumption to cast ones self upon the free grace of God in Christ. I answer, this is no presumption, because the very act it self gives thee a right to all that is in God and Christ. Now presumption is when a man takes that which he hath no right to: and if a man doe that to which he hath no right before, yet if that he doth give him a right, it is no presumption. But you will say, this is a licentious way, & gives liberty. O do not wrong faith, when thou (though thou canst see no reason for it) in the want of sight and sense canst venture thy selfe upon the riches of the grace of God in Christ, it is the most glorious work that thou canst possibly doe in this world: shouldst thou be able to live to overcome all thy corruptions, and to doe the greatest service imaginable, it could not be so glorious a work as this. And it is the most difficult thing in the world; and therefore no doctrine of liberty; that soul that can goe through all the difficulties of faith, that can overcome its infinite guilt, and the terrours of the law, and notwithstanding all that comes between God and it, can venture upon the free grace of God in Christ, may overcome all the difficulties in the world. Many other things might have been in urging of this, as now, though we are in the dark, and sight and sense, and all is gone; yet exercise faith, and if thou wouldest study to magnifie God as a Christian, this is the onely way.
There is a notable instance of credit that Alexander gave to his Physitian, and the example of the trust he put in him did mightily honour him before all his Nobles: Alexander being sick, one sends to him and adviseth him to take heed of Philip his Physitian, for that one had feed him to poyson him; his Physitian brings him the potion, and Alexander gives him the letter, and drinkes the potion presently, intimating that he would not believe what was reported of him: and this was a mighty honour done to his Physitian, and so when thou hast no evidence in thy selfe, yea when thou hast many temptations that speak ill of the free grace of God in Christ, and that tell thee Christ hath left thee and forsaken thee; and that it would never be thus and thus with thee if Christ intended any good to thee; and when temptations are in their greatest heat, and speak the worst of Christ; Now to venture thy soul upon Christ, Christ will take it as the greatest honour thou art capable of doing to him: and it is the readiest way to advance the riches of his grace and mercy. And be afraid of unbeliefe, as well as of presumption; be afraid least thou shouldest not magnifie the riches of the grace of God in Christ, which is his great designe amongst the children of men.
As by presenting the law, there is an efficacy to terrifie and afright: so by presenting the glorious things of the Gospel, there is an efficacy to draw out faith: And then you are to renew the very primitive work of faith; that is to close with Christ, and to cast your selves upon the freenesse of the grace of God in Christ; and though you finde in your hearts such and such corruptions, and are ready to say, shall such a one as I am, so polluted and defiled, cast my self upon the grace of God in Christ? yet lay hold upon Christ, and you have as much reason to doe it from thence, as from any thing; and therefore this must be thy course to renew this primitive act of thy faith again and again. I but yet my doubts and feares remaine: but if thou wouldest have an evidence, to it againe & again a thousand times over, and at last there will be an evidence of the act of faith it self.
But you will say, this may be presumption to cast ones self upon the free grace of God in Christ. I answer, this is no presumption, because the very act it self gives thee a right to all that is in God and Christ. Now presumption is when a man takes that which he hath no right to: and if a man doe that to which he hath no right before, yet if that he doth give him a right, it is no presumption. But you will say, this is a licentious way, & gives liberty. O do not wrong faith, when thou (though thou canst see no reason for it) in the want of sight and sense canst venture thy selfe upon the riches of the grace of God in Christ, it is the most glorious work that thou canst possibly doe in this world: shouldst thou be able to live to overcome all thy corruptions, and to doe the greatest service imaginable, it could not be so glorious a work as this. And it is the most difficult thing in the world; and therefore no doctrine of liberty; that soul that can goe through all the difficulties of faith, that can overcome its infinite guilt, and the terrours of the law, and notwithstanding all that comes between God and it, can venture upon the free grace of God in Christ, may overcome all the difficulties in the world. Many other things might have been in urging of this, as now, though we are in the dark, and sight and sense, and all is gone; yet exercise faith, and if thou wouldest study to magnifie God as a Christian, this is the onely way.
There is a notable instance of credit that Alexander gave to his Physitian, and the example of the trust he put in him did mightily honour him before all his Nobles: Alexander being sick, one sends to him and adviseth him to take heed of Philip his Physitian, for that one had feed him to poyson him; his Physitian brings him the potion, and Alexander gives him the letter, and drinkes the potion presently, intimating that he would not believe what was reported of him: and this was a mighty honour done to his Physitian, and so when thou hast no evidence in thy selfe, yea when thou hast many temptations that speak ill of the free grace of God in Christ, and that tell thee Christ hath left thee and forsaken thee; and that it would never be thus and thus with thee if Christ intended any good to thee; and when temptations are in their greatest heat, and speak the worst of Christ; Now to venture thy soul upon Christ, Christ will take it as the greatest honour thou art capable of doing to him: and it is the readiest way to advance the riches of his grace and mercy. And be afraid of unbeliefe, as well as of presumption; be afraid least thou shouldest not magnifie the riches of the grace of God in Christ, which is his great designe amongst the children of men.
