When We Feel Our Faith Is Weak (2)

(4) Let us make conscience not to yield to any base doubts, fears, objections of Satan, and our own hearts. When we find any work of grace, deny not the work of God, lest we grieve the Spirit of God. Some melancholy Christians, though every man may see the work of God in them, yet yield so slavishly to the misgivings of their hearts that they conclude they have no faith. What dishonour this is to God and his Spirit. This is a great bondage which Satan brings the soul into. In such cases hearken not to what fear says, or Satan says, or what the world says, but hearken to what truth itself says.
(5) When we have found any work of grace, and see that our faith is true, we ought to comfort ourselves, and to maintain our comfort by all means. Every grace is but faith exercised. If any grace be found, as love to the brethren, hope of life everlasting, or the like, there is faith. For the root and branches be together, though the root is not always discerned. For when a man is in Christ, and by Christ an heir of heaven, and a child of God, what in the world can befall him, that should deject overmuch, and cast him down? Has he not all in God, and in Christ, and in the promise? Christians have two sides, one to heaven-ward and God-ward that is full of glory, certain and immoveable. Another towards the world that is oftentimes full of disgrace, and dejection, that is moveable; sometimes better, sometimes worse. Let us look to grace and to the comforts that belong to that grace, to the promises, the best side; and not to be carried away with the darkness of the other. We must not be so malignant as to look all upon one side of a Christian, and that the worser part. If we be Christians, let us live by faith, look to the best side; look upwards and forwards to that which is eternal.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
Sibbes's Last Two Sermons: Second Sermon, Works, vol. 7, pp. 353-54
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