The tenth letter of Mr. Hardcastle

These for my dear friends, the members and auditors of the congregation meeting in Broadmead.

Dearly Beloved, - When I think upon that passage, John 6:. 28, 29, I do conclude, that seeing a great part of a Christian’s business lies in believing. His principal care should be that he do this work right; to miss it in point of faith, is to miss it in point of salvation. Many think they have faith that have it not; and some think they do not believe at all, upon whom has bestowed this gift; the former [is] very dangerous, the latter very uncomfortable. Pity it is, that any should be deceived with a false presumption, and go securely to hell; and not much less, that others should not know the good that God has done for them, and so go despairingly to heaven; and, in the meantime, God loses the glory, and they miss the comfort of His free justifying grace.

I shall, through the Lord’s help, endeavour to offer something with respect to both cases, as opportunity shall serve. And first, I shall take notice of the former sort, who make full account they are believers, and thereupon good Christians, are not. And for the quickening and stirring up of your attention unto, and attendance upon, this so important a concern, let me premise a few things.

First premise. There may be a devotion, a course of duty, a religious worshipping, and some good measure of circumspection in walking, which may be an enemy to faith, and to the righteousness of faith, which is bottomed upon the old covenant, and grows up out of some good remainders of ruined nature, helped by gospel light and common grace.

Second premise. There may be soundness in the doctrines and principles of faith, and a long, glorious, uncontradicted profession, and where there is not a dram of saving faith.

Third premise. They that upon the hearing of such words and doctrine as this, are not willing to examine themselves upon this great point, it is to be feared that they have not been possessors of this faith of God’s elect.

Fourth premise. There is a counterfeit faith, which passes among most for a true faith; which is very like true faith, and hardly discernable from it; which is not that precious faith the apostle speaks of, 2 Pet. 1: 1. Such a resemblance there is, that it is by others, who have true faith, judged to be right; and those that have it do confidently conclude it to be unfeigned, 1 Tim. 1: 5.

Having premised these things, I shall offer some differencing characters between a true and a false faith: the touchstones of faith.

True faith is the gift of God: a seeming faith may be acquired and obtained, by a diligent improvement of nature, and good education, and converse. When I call it the gift of God, it does imply:

1. The freeness of it. The soul looks upon itself as wholly beholden to God: is much possessed with admiring and amazing thoughts about it. This is a gift that is better than all the world. An emperor would be glad of it; it would be better to him than his empire. And that God should bestow it on me, and pass by so many others that I know have it not, as surely as I know I have it, [even] such a gift, to such a weak wretched creature, as the world cannot give nor take away. Now a seeming faith causes no such admiring thoughts; a thing easily attainable, procured by human endeavor; - nothing above what nature can do in it, with such helps as those have that live under the light of the gospel.

2. The strangeness and wonderfulness of it. What comes from God immediately, is wonderful, as being that which is above nature, and not coming in common course. When God sent a saving light into thy soul, and opened thy blind understanding, and overruled thy will and affections, did it not cause wonderment in thee? Didst thou not wonder what new sights and discoveries were made to thee of thyself and every thing else? What new lord, lawgiver, and controller was come into thy soul to make a change of all things, and must not be contradicted?

3. The powerfulness and absoluteness of it. What comes from God hath power and strength. The proud waves of an ignorant, worldly, proud, superstitious, and stubborn heart, that could strongly plead prescription, possession, universal custom and countenance, must presently come under the obedience of these new manifestations, and those go directly contrary to formerly received tenets and practices. All the world could not have ever persuaded thee to such a turn and change, without this glorious and almighty power. See Eph 1: 19, 20, and often meditate upon it. This faith removes mountains of corruption, and causes a smooth, even, submissive frame of spirit: - bids this lust go and depart, and it is gone; and to that grace, come and be active in the soul, and it comes. Before, pride ruled: now, humility and a yielding frame of spirit has got the place; before, passionateness: now, meekness; before, sottishness, and senselessness about the things of God: now, seriousness, solicitousness, and diligent inquiry after God, and His word, and ways, and people, a savoriness of spirit, and disrelishing the former husks of the world which were fed upon; before, covetousness reigned: now, heavenliness, and meditations and discourses about the world to come, an everlasting kingdom, the Master’s joy, being ever with the Lord. Now the soul comes to know the sense and savor of such texts as these: - 2 Cor. 4: 6, John 6: 35, 49, 50-59, Gal 2: 20, and 3: 13, 14, 26, Eph. 2: 13, (read the chapter at leisure) Eph. 4: 20-24, Eph. 5: 8-11, Col. 1: 12-14, Thess. 2: 13, and many more.

4. There is implied the tendency of it. That faith which is the gift of God leads unto God. The soul breathes after a more intimate, single, full, and close communion with God: is never better pleased, than when it has most immediately to do with God. But a counterfeit faith is best pleased with profession, privileges, a fair show in the flesh, the external part of worship, with some additions of worldly accommodations; and loves not to have conscience lie so directly under the eye of God, and open to the word of God; loves not to be searched and tried, lest the reserved iniquity should be produced, as this true faith does, which speaks of this wise: - Lord, I love to be near thee, and with thee, though thou art still letting me see my errors, and reproving me for my infirmities; let me see thee, and hear thee chiding, rather than want thy company; I do not desire to hide any the least thing from thee; Lord, thou knowest my very heart, thou knowest I would discover the worst of myself unto thee, and I would do my best for thee; and my chief desire is to be ever with thee, freed from this body of death that I carry about with me, and is the greatest burden I have in this world, because I cannot have that clear and full communion with thee, who art a holy God, till I be freed from corruption, and have my heart and nature fully sanctified: which I do as earnestly desire as ever I did the pardon of my sins, when thou showed me the guilt of them, and my obligation thereby to eternal condemnation; let there not be a spot left in me, and let me see thy face.

            “Ah! My dear God, though I am clean forgot,
            Let me love thee, if I love thee not.”

This is the first discriminating note, between an unfeigned and a false faith. I will not at present burden your memories with any more. If the Lord bless these few hints, I shall be encouraged by the help of your prayers, and the supplies of divine influence and the Spirit of Jesus, to inquire a little further into the matter, which is of such close consideration: and I hope the Lord will help. I shall conclude with that prayer of the apostle, in 2 Thess. ii. 16, 17; and remain,

Yours in the faith, fellowship, and testimony of our Lord Jesus,

                                                                                 Thos. Hardcastle

From my prison, in my house,
8th month 15th day, 1675.