be advanced above all the World in our Affection so will he be preferred in our account and estimation Indeed how can we love him above all if we do not prize him above all 3. If Christ be precious to us then certainly we cannot endure to see or hear Christ vilified and dishonoured It will grieve us at Heart to see this Pearl trodden under Foot We could be more content to be vilified for him than to see him contemned How would it move us to hear and see a special Friend whom we most highly esteem reproached and abused As Jonathan was grieved for David because his Father had done him shame 1 Sam. 20.34 That Christ is generally so lightly esteemed yea so much dishonoured in the World and that many of ours make light of him this will be very greivous to us if indeed Christ be precious to us And as Jonathan took David's part there we shall be ready to plead for Christ We would not have him despised of any if we can help it We would be commending him to others and especially to ours 4. If Christ be precious in our account we shall be restless and unsatisfied till we have in some good measure cleared up our Interest and propriety in him As the Apostle Phil. 3.8 I count all things but loss for the excellency of the Knowledg of Christ Jesus my Lord. One that sees how precious Christ is cannot but earnestly desire to know further that he is his Jesus and his Lord. A Believer who sees his All bound up in Christ lose Christ and lose all how will he pray search use diligence to have his Interest in Christ evidenced and made sure As if a Man's title to House and Land and all he had in the World be in question he would not rest till he had got his title cleared 2. Saving Faith is Sanctifying Act. 26.18 Sanctified by Faith Act. 15.9 Purifying their Hearts by Faith No Salvation without Sanctification 2 Thes 2.13 God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth Saving-Faith and Sanctification are linked together The one necessarily inferreth and draweth on the other Rolloc in loc pag. 295. Spiritus nos Sanctificans emanat quasi ex Christi sanguine fide apprehenso nobisque applicato Faith is nor only a part of Sanctification as it is a Grace and as other Graces are but as some call it a mother-Mother-Grace and a root-Root-Grace from whence other Graces spring it is introductive of Sanctification and of other habitual Saving Grace As upon our first believing in Christ and accepting of him we are thereby interested in him and united to him not only to be justified by his merit but also to be sanctified by his Spirit As we are said to receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith Gal. 3.14 And Eph. 1.13 In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise Indeed it is by the special influx or operation of the Spirit that a Man puts forth the Act of Faith at first and upon this the Spirit is further given to dwell in him or a principle of Grace renewing sanctifying habits are wrought in him seated in his Soul still disposing and inclining unto gracious Acts to a life of Holiness and Obedience Christ is said to dwell in the Heart by Faith Eph. 3.17 He dwelleth in us by his Spirit And it is Faith that letteth in Christ and the Holy Spirit into the Heart to dwell there Thus Faith ushereth in the Spirit of Sanctification And so if any Man be in Christ by Faith he is a new Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 Compare Gal. 5.6 with 6.15 In the former you have Faith in the latter a new Creature Thou art not a true Believer if thou art not a new Creature And as we enter into a state of Sanctification by Faith So by Faith we make progress in it As the Life which the Apostle lived after he came in to Christ was by the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 He was still drawing vertue from Christ and receiving of his fulness even Grace for Grace As Faith hath respect to the several parts of the Word not only Doctrines and Promises but Commands and Threatnings too So it hath an influence on all other Graces and hath an hand in all acts of Obedience that a Believer performs as we see in Heb. 11. Therefore if you would know whether you have saving-Saving-Faith enquire seriously whether you are Sanctified by Faith And to give you some help here 1. Where Sanctifying Faith is there is not only an outward but an inward change sanctifying-Sanctifying-Grace is properly and immediately seated in the Soul as its Subject and the Soul is really changed by it though not as to its substance yet as to its qualities The Heart is new-moulded There are new dispositions inclinations and affections in the Soul It acteth from a new Principle and aimeth at other ends The Body is not changed by Grace either in substance or quality immediately but being under the government of a Soul that is sanctified and being a part of one that is by Grace truly resolved for God and his Service it will certainly be engaged and used for God too according to Rom. 6.19 Indeed such cannot be sanctified who are not so much as outwardly reformed Such as were known to be common Swearers Sabbath-breakers Drunkards c. and are so still one may pronounce them Vnclean Vnclean 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified To be sanctified and to live and continue in gross known Sin are estates directly opposite Yet there may be an outward reformation without true Sanctification Sanctification connotates a change of Heart and Life both Not a bare abstinence from the outward act of Sin but a mortifying of it and a dying to it Not a leaving it in practise only but a forsaking it in affection too That the Heart which was set upon its Lusts is now turned and set against them it now loaths what it was formerly in love with Now is thy heart purified Jer. 4.14 O Jerusalem wash thine Heart from wickedness that thou mayst be saved It is not enough to have hands washed but our Hearts must be cleansed if we would be saved Psal 24.3 4. Who shall ascend into the Hill of the Lord He that hath clean hands and a pure Heart What is it to live free from gross Sins to be no Extortioner Oppressor Swearer Drunkard Adulterer c. but to be like a whited Sepulchre which appears beautiful outward but within is full of all uncleanness as the Pharisees that outwardly appeared righteous unto Men but within were full of Hypocrisy and Iniquity What is it for one to change his Life and Course while his Heart and Mind is not changed Though he that was given to Stealing should steal no more and he that was given to Lying Cursing Swearing
THE Christian Temper OR A DISCOURSE concerning the Nature and Properties of the Graces of Sanctification Written for Help in Self-Examination and Holy Living By JOHN BARRET M. A. LONDON Printed for Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Pauls Church-yard and Samuel Richards Bookseller in Nottingham 1678. THE Epistle Dedicatory To the Honoured Mris ANNE CHARLTON of S. in the County of D. Much Honoured I Present You with this ensuing Treatise as an Acknowledgment of my special Obligation to You heartily wishing it may be of as good use to you as it is offered with good will I know you will not expect flattering Titles from me and hope you would blush to read or hear your own Praises And I may not cross intention so as when I am putting you upon the trial of your Humility and Self-denial among other Graces withal to tempt you to the contrary Vices and Corruptions Our good old Friend Mr. Rich. Whitchurch for whose sound and profitable Labours you and I have cause to bless God I hope or else I am sure we have great cause to blame our selves He had much satisfaction a little before his Death in the love he had to Uses of Examination the delight he took in reading or hearing them well handled And for a Christian to delight in frequent and serious Self-examination is the way to a more full and profitable Self-acquaintance and to a comfortable Assurance You have seen some Changes in your outward condition Have you not sometimes met with great Trials here O how good how comfortable to have your Spiritual Estate secured and settled How would this prepare one for any Changes in this World even for that great Change by Death Methinks the uncertainty of all outward Enjoyments that we are not sure of enjoying Estates or the dearest Friends and Relations or Health or Life one day more should be a prevalent motive to excite and quicken us to make sure of better things than natural and Worldly comforts those better things that accompany Salvation The best things may be made most sure And what comfort would this yield when there is such a terrible shaking of Nations to see our Interest in that Kingdom that cannot be shaken Now may these following Pages bring good Tidings to your Soul may I herein be an helper of your Joy this would also rejoice my Heart even mine who am Your Servant in Christ J. B. A PREMONITION TO THE READER THis Portraiture of the New Creature I have here drawn and set before thee though not drawn at full length this Description of the Spiritual Man by several Scripture-Caracters as parts of him as by the Eye of Knowledg the Face of Repentance turning from Sin to God the Hand of Faith the Heart of Love and the like may serve as a Looking-Glass wherein beholding thy own Face thou mayest come to know thy self better both what manner of Person thou art and oughtest to be so it may serve as a Touchstone whereby true Grace may be discerned from that which is counterfeit Now if thy cause both concerning Estate and Life all thou hadst in the World was trying wouldst thou not attend diligently and with fear and trembling wait for the issue and narrowly observe whether the Verdict and Sentence was for or against thee And does it not as much concern thee to be very serious and observant about the trial of thy Spiritual and Everlasting State Here I would borrow a weighty saying of Mr. Glanvil's Meer Speculative mistakes about Opinions do no great hurt but error in the Marks and Measures of Religion is Deadly Indeed if upon trial thou findest thy self in a Graceless state at present yet thou shouldest not thereupon conclude thy case desperate So long as the time of God's Patience is not expired the Long-suffering of the Lord is for our Salvation while the day of Grace lasteth while the Lord affords any means continues to make any offer of Grace to thee thou art yet in a possibility of obtaining Saving-Grace notwithstanding thy former rejecting and resisting of his Grace That as yet thy condition is not altogether hopeless but rather there is more hope of thy coming on to Saving-Grace when thou art made truly sensible of the want of it Or if upon Trial thou findest some Grace in thee but very low and weak almost not to be discerned if it be but in the bud or but as smoaking Flax thy Faith but as a grain of Mustard-Seed thy Love thy Zeal but as a spark c. whether thy weakness be like that of a Child a new-born Infant or like that of a sick Man one that has lost his strength by some Disease prevailing on him how should it humble thee that thou hast so little Grace How should it quicken thee to labour after more And especially if thou hast declined if thou hast lost thy first Love thy former liveliness and tenderness Oh Repent and do thy first Works Now stir up the Grace of God in thee blow up that little spark that is almost buried under an heap of Ashes Now strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die Delayes would expose thee to further deadness and decayes Or if thou canst discover Grace in lively and kindly exercise in thy Soul if thou seest it in growth and vigour O how may this heighten thy Joy in the Lord even raise thee to a life of Joy Praise and Thankfulness But there are two or three things I would lay down here by way of caution to prevent Souls mis-judging themselves 1. Let none conclude themselves in a state of Grace because they are in a good mood sometimes Even such as Pharaoh Ahab Herod Felix c. were in a good mood sometimes Learn to distinguish betwixt a good Mood and a Gracious Frame We are in God's account which is the true account what we are most ordinarily and habitually I mean in respect of prevailing habits There is no reason that God should take Sinners at best in an unusual fit 2. Let not any poor trembling Hearts who are ever forward to suspect and conclude the worst of themselves judg of themselves and the frame of their Spirits by what they may seem in a Paroxism of Temptation The best upon Earth are not at all times alike Even eminent Saints have sometimes bewrayed weakness and imperfection in those very Graces wherein they were most eminent As Abraham who was strong in Faith yet sometimes staggered through distrust Meek Moses is once noted upon a great provocation to have spoken unadvisedly with his Lips And patient Job was once heard to curse the day of his birth But as God takes not Sinners at best so neither will he take his own Children at worst 3. Though all ought to be pressing after full Perfection in Grace and Holiness yet let none look for it here And though we should have an holy emulation and desire to overtake and if it might be to excel the most eminent
should no more Lye or Curse or Swear and he that was given to Tipling and Drinking should no more be intemperate this will not prove a Man Sanctified You may be civilized and yet not sanctified For a Man to argue thus I am not guilty of open profaneness therefore I am a Saints is no better arguing than to reason thus I have not the Plague or Leprosy therefore I am a Sound Man But who knoweth not that a Man may be Sick of diverse other Diseases who is free from these And may not one die of a Feaver or Consumption though he have not the Plague 2. If we are sanctified by Faith there is not only a negative but a positive change wrought in us One that is Sanctified hath put off the old Man and put on the new He may say by the Grace of God I am not what I was sometimes and by the Grace of God I am what I am He is not now what he was before he is now what he was not before Once he was Proud Self-conceited but now humble self-abhorring Once very vain and it may be profane but now strict and serious Once altogether selfish but now self-denying Once he was at least in his Heart an Enemy to the Power of Godliness and perhaps a scoffer at Holiness but now a lover and follower of what before he had so great a Prejudice and Antipathy against Once he was very backward to Religious Duties to the strict observation of the Sabbath to the reading of the Word to Family-Prayer and secret Prayer c. but now his delight is in Holy Duties and he could not live without them Once his Heart was wholly set upon Sin and the World but now in a good measure weaned from the World now resolved and set against Sin now set upon God and Christ set upon Holiness and Heaven and heavenly things 3. If we are sanctified by Faith then there is a thorow change wrought in us As the Apostle prayeth 1 Thes 5.23 The very God of Peace sanctify you wholly your whole Spirit and Soul and Body 2 Cor. 5.17 If any Man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are past away behold all things are become new Behold q. d. this is a thing to be well observed Sanctifying grace makes a great change indeed Mark it Behold all things are become new The new Creature hath a new Heart a new Tongue a new Life The new Creature walks by a new Rule is for new Designs new Employment new Company new Delights Sanctification is a renewing of the whole Man As in our natural state corruption overspreads the whole Man for which reason it may be called the old Man So if we are sanctified Grace makes a change on the whole Man for which cause it may be called the new Man though it makes not a perfect change here in this Life The new Creature is renewed in every part though he be renewed but in part while here He has a perfection of Parts though not of Degrees As a Child hath all the Parts of a Man though not aâ— Mans Proportion As when Day breaketh the whole Air is immediately enlightned though not in that degree as when the Sun is up and shineth in its Strength As Fire quickly enters all the Pores of the Iron put into it though it is not presently red hot Sanctifying Grace worketh upon the Judgment Will Affections upon the whole Soul all its Powers and Faculties And hence ariseth a main difference betwixt the Conflicts of the Regenerate and those Contests which are in the Unregenerate There is oft a great Contest in an Unregenerate Man betwixt his Conscience convinced and awakened and his corrupt Will and vile Affections Conscience calleth him one way while his Will and Affections draw him a contrary way But in the Regenerate there is warring in the same Faculties As all the Faculties are renewed though but imperfectly Hence as the Twins Jacob and Esau strove in Rebeckah's Womb so there is Flesh and Spirit the remainders of Corruption and a Principle of Grace striving in every Faculty Not only an enlightned Conscience against Sin but the habitual bent of the Will and Affections against it too The renewed part of the Will and Affections or to speak more properly that new gracious quality in the Will and Affections against the Unregenerate part or what remains of the old Man in them And though that better Principle is sometimes born down through the impetuousness of Temptation c. yet hence it is that a Regenerate Man sinneth not with full Will and Consent as he did before he was Regenerate Again Sanctifying Grace maketh a thorow change turning the Soul from all Sin to hate every false way So that no Iniquity is regarded in the Heart One that is Sanctified is for cleansing himself from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit Again It makes a thorow change inclining the Soul to Obedience unto the Will of God in all things To have a respect to all God's Commands An holy Rule and an holy Heart do well agree As the Apostle saith Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inner Man 4. If we are Sanctified by Faith we are for making progress in Holiness till we come to Perfection As we may see natural things growing up to Perfection in their kind the Seed growing up to a flourishing Plant the Set growing to a Tree the Child growing till he becomes a Man So Sanctifying Grace is of a growing nature And though all that are Sanctified are not of the same pitch and stature in Grace yet all are endeavouring and breathing after Perfection The least Saint would be perfectly Holy and the highest Saint cannot but see great imperfection in himself and so is grieved that he is no more Holy Such never think they have Grace enough while they may have more But as for such as cry up a mean in Religion and conceit they need be no better than they are and desire to be no better they that like to stand at a stay are not right Certainly there is no good Man but desires to be better than he is 3. Mors fidei est separatio charitatis Bern. True Saving-Faith worketh by Love Gal. 5.6 It worketh it begets Love and it works by Love Indeed Faith and Love are two most active Principles that will set the Soul on work How doth Faith beget Love Why thus As it perswades the Soul of the love of God to us miserable lost sinners in giving his Son his only begotten Son and the love of Christ in giving himself for us for our Redemption As it perswades the Soul of the rich and free Grace of God in offering his Son and of Jesus Christ in offering himself to us together with the greatest benefits we can think of or desire to make us for ever happy That such things should be done for and offered unto such undeserving and illdeserving Creatures that Christ
1. I say how dark are such a ones apprehensions of the Sun compared with ours who enjoy its Light Spiritual Minds are for such an experimental Knowledg of God and Jesus Christ Yea they are for an appropriating Knowledg The more they know of God the more earnestly they desire and endeavour to discover their special propriety in God They cannot be satisfyed till they know him to be their God The more they know of Jesus Christ the more they long to know that he is their Jesus and their Lord. 2. Spiritual Minds are for knowing more of themselves There can be no Sound Knowledg without Self-Knowledg Nil prosunt lecta nec intellecta nisi teipsum legas intelligas Let a Man Read Study Understand never-so-much all his Knowledg is vain and unprofitable without an application of it to himself Job 5.27 Hear and know thou it for thy good In the Hebrew it is know thou for thy self or with thy self Many hear as for others are more ready to apply the Word to others than to themselves Such are not likely to get good by what they hear are no better for what they know The Word is compared to a Glass And it concerneth every one to look his Face in this Glass Yea it is not enough to look with a sudden Glance and so away again but we must continue therein to know what manner of Persons we are and ought to be Jam. 1.23 24 25. And Spiritual Minds are for Self-Acquaintance Spiritual Knowledg will put Souls upon and help in examining and proving themselves that they may know themselves 3. Spiritual Minds would know all the Counsel of God so far as concerneth them and especially they are for knowing what most nearly concerneth them Knowledg without Wisdom as one says is usually curious Dr. Manton on Jam. 3.13 p. 384. and censorious Sound Minds would be acquainted with the Word of God pro or con They are ready to receive it whether it make for them or against them And so The Ear that heareth the reproof of Life abideth among the Wise He that heareth reproof getteth Vnderstanding Prov. 15.31 32. See also Prov. 19.25 What a strict charge did Eli lay on Samuel not to hide any thing from him that the Lord had told him 1 Sam. 3.17 And when he was told of the evil determined against his House he did not fret and fume but said It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good So Hezekiah 2 King 20.19 But how few that would like to hear of their Sins or are willing to hear of the Judgments God has denounced against them in his Word Such Knowledg is too painful for the most They had rather sleep on in their Sins than be so disquieted God's Messengers are accounted their Enemies and Tormentors when they tell them the Truth Alas we can meet with but few in comparison that are for right things that will endure sharp reproof though needful to set them Sound But few that would have their Sores touch'd But a Sound Mind would hear and know the worst of it self It is the Prayer of such a one Make me to know my Transgression and my Sin What I see not teach thou me and wherein I have done Iniquity I would do so no more Search me O God and prove me and see if there be any way of Wickedness in me and lead me in the Way Everlasting Such would know their Sins to be humbled for them and to turn from them So likewise Sound Minds would know more of their Duty to discharge it These would be more knowing not only in matters of Faith but as well in matters of Practice Prov. 10.8 The Wise in Heart will receive Commandments The Wisdom of the Prudent is to understand his way In the point of his Duty here he would not be to seek Such have little time to spend have little Heart to spend time about such Notions though true that have little or no influence on the Heart and Life Others study those things most that do least concern them And are taken up with by-matters neglecting the main But wholsom words and the Doctrine of Godliness agree best with Sound Minds As the Psalmist says Psal 119.104 Through thy Precepts I get Vnderstanding And prayeth ver 27. Make me to understand the way of thy Precepts And again ver 73. Give me Vnderstanding that I may learn thy Commandments As John's hearers came and asked What shall we do What shall we do Luk. 3.10 12 14. Serious Minds make little account of that Knowledg which hath no influence on is not reducible to practice Now the Lord grant that we may be filled with the Knowledg of his will in all Wisdom and Spiritual Vnderstanding that we may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work and encreasing in the Knowledg of God HEB. 10.39 But of them that believe to the Saving of the Soul SAving Faith is omnium virtutum radix Fundamentum as the Foundation in the Spiritual Building as the root of other Graces What Glorious things are spoken of Faith in Scripture Where is the Christian that will not acknowledg that doth not in some measure understand the usefulness excellency and the necessity of Faith A Christian could not live without it nor can he perish with it But the Question is How Saving-Faith may be known And wherein it is differenced from other Faith that is not Saving Indeed there is an Historical or Dogmatical Faith and there is a practical Faith there is a dead Faith and a living Faith there is a temporary Faith and a grounded and permanent Faith there is a counterfeit Faith and unfeigned Faith It ought to be our great care that we take not Leah for Rachel that we take not up with a Fancy instead of Faith Here first I shall shew what it is not 1. True Faith is not a blind implicite Assent to one knows not what Not a believing as the Church believes I grant as there is a general Repentance and humiliation so a general Faith As there is an Humiliation for unknown Sins when a Man is humbled and heartily grieved to think that he is more vile and sinful than he sees himself to be and to think that he is guilty of a multitude of Sins more than he is able to find out and discover in his Heart and Life whereby he is disposed to a particular Repentance for any of those unknown Sins as he cometh to a knowledg of them so there is a general and implicite Faith or Assent to Divine Truths contained in God's Word such as one hath not yet attained to the knowledg of when a Man believeth that whatsoever God saith in his Word is most certainly true and would yeild his Assent readily to any Truth which at present he has no knowledg of as soon as he sees the Scripture for it But this general implicite Faith and credence of the Word of God is
wrought and working in me Therefore this perswasion that I shall be saved cannot be the first Act of Faith If it be a perswasion grounded on the Word true Faith is presupposed to go before And the Apostle hath barred Mens expectation of special immediate Revelation here Rom. 10.17 where he concludeth that Faith cometh by hearing of the Word of God 4. Many have this confident perswasion that their Sins are pardoned that they shall be saved who have not true justifying Saving-Faith and therefore surely this cannot be the proper formal Act of true justifying Saving-Faith Many Hypocrites and meer out-side Professors yea many a wicked Man hath this perswasion How hard a thing is it to take down Sinners confidence Mr. Baxter We have need as one says to lay all our Batteries against this Bulwark of Presumption How many that will say they hope to be saved by Christ yea they never doubted of their Salvation in all their Lives They can argue that Christ died to Save Sinners and they are Sinners therefore he died to Save them If this be Faith the case of many a Presumer is not so dangerous but very happy 5. Many have true Faith and are justified and in a State of Salvation yet have not this perswasion that their Sins are pardoned dare not conclude that they are in God's Favour and such as shall be saved Therefore this cannot be the formal Act of Faith Faith could not be without its formal Act. If you make this the formal Act of Faith then you must say there is no true Believer but hath it Then there is no true Believer that walketh in Darkness But certainly a Soul may trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God while yet he walketh in Darkness and can see no Light Isa 50.10 Is it not the condition of many a dear Child of God to be in great doubts and full of fears about their Spiritual and Eternal Estate Should we not condemn the Generation of his Children many yea the greatest part of them as Children that have no Faith if we define Faith to be a believing that our Sins are pardoned and that we shall be saved Many a holy humble Christian goes on drooping even to his dying day and it is well if he come to this comfortable conclusion at last As one giveth this as part of the Character of a Christian H. Palmer Paradoxes p. 64. §. 73. He thinks sometimes God hath no Mercy for him and yet resolves to die in the pursuit of it And to tell poor troubled afflicted Consciences that they cannot have Faith who do not believe their Sins are pardoned is not the way to comfort them but to set them more on the Rack This would make the Hearts of many sad even such as God would not have made sad 6. Such a particular perswasion that my Sins are pardoned c. if it be sound and well-grounded is Knowledg and not Faith As the Apostle John hath it I think some nine or ten times Hereby we know Observe well 1 Joh. 5.13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have Eternal Life and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of God Where he clearly distinguisheth believing on the Name of the Son of God from their knowing that they had Eternal Life or that they should be saved What follows that ye might believe on the Name of the Son of God is not spoken of the first Act or beginning of Faith but of continuance and progress in it And it is plain that this particular perswasion of which I am speaking if it be sound and have any good bottom depends on two several Propositions one of which is laid down in Scripture as this Proposition He that believeth shall be saved The other is of a Man 's own Conscience or from the knowledg a Man has of himself But I believe From whence this Conclusion follows therefore I shall be saved So that it is not an Act of Faith properly but a rational Conclusion presupposing these two things 1. That all true Believers shall be saved 2. That I know my self to be a true Believer Now can that be a right description of Saving-Faith which necessarily presupposeth a Man to have Saving-Faith before and to know that he hath it Thus I have indeavoured to remove these unsound and false Notions of Faith Now I come to shew what it is Indeed you may meet with diverse sound descriptions of Faith something differing in words that yet agree in the thing I would not be one of those that make differences where there are none or make differences wider than they are With the Learned Placeus Faith is tenax atque efficax persuasio veritatis eorum Thes Salmur Par. 1. p. 32. §. 36. c. An holding and effectual perswasion of the truth of those things which are revealed to us in the Word of God and particularly of the Gospel-Promise of Remission and Salvation by Christ And as he addeth it is so in the Vnderstanding that it affects and determines the Will Le Blanc that Judicious Writer describes it to be Thes Theol. in Folio p. 210. §. 89. Assensum firmum practicum atque fiducialem adhibitum omnibus c. A firm practical and fiducial Assent given unto all things which are revealed of God but especially to the Promises of the Gospel In the late Confession of Faith this account is given of Saving Faith Chap. 14. §. 2. By this Faith a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word for the Authority of God himself speaking therein and acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth yeilding obedience to the Commands trembling at the Threatnings and embracing the Promises of God for this Life and that which is to come But the principal Acts of saving-Saving-Faith are accepting receiving and resting upon Christ alone for Justification Sanctification and Eternal Life by vertue of the Covenant of Grace In the shorter Catechism Faith in Jesus Christ is a Saving Grace whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for Salvation as he is offered to us in the Gospel Notwithstanding a difference in Expression yet here is an agreement in sense That I run not out too far I shall only note something of the Object of Faith and of the Acts of Faith The Object of Faith is thus distinguished There is the general and common or according to others the full and adaequate Object of Faith and that is the whole Word of God the Word of Truth so Faith assenteth to the whole Word of God as true Again there is the special Object of Faith and that is the Word of Promise so Faith consenteth to the terms or condition of the Promise and in this way relyeth on God and Christ for performance The Promise of Remission and Salvation by Christ Faith takes special
willing and desirous of Christ and his Grace that he would have them above all things that may stand in competition above all the pleasures or advantages of Sin and the World Yea he would have Christ though he was to beg with him to suffer with him He is willing to deny himself for Christ And so 4. He consents resolvedly and firmly Before Faith a Man is at shall I shall I He may sometimes have a sudden motion towards Christ but the Flesh and the World soon draw him quite another way But Faith quite turns the Scale Temporary Believers have some mind towards Jesus Christ they are a little in love with him by fits but their Minds soon change especially when they are threatned with persecution they are wont to take offence at the Cross and draw back they go not thorow with him But the true Believer is married unto Christ hath taken him for better for worse for richer for poorer to Love Honour and Obey him even until Death As the Apostle Phil. 3.8 For whom I have suffered the loss of all things Have suffered but did he not hereupon repent his bargain O no! he had as high an esteem of Christ as much affection for Christ as ever After all his Losses after his Sufferings for Christ he was still of the same Mind I have suffered the loss of all things for him says he and as it follows I do count them but dung that I may win Christ But you may ask here Who can tell whether he shall hold out or no Have not some gone a great way and yet fallen off again Answ 1. However this note is of use so far as to discover the unsoundness of their Faith who fall away As they that draw back are opposed to them that believe Such did never truly believe were never truly resolved for Christ Had they taken Christ without any sinful reserve they would have stuck to him A Believer falleth sometimes yet does not fall away He falleth forward not backward Still his Heart is towards Christ and his settled habitual prevailing resolution for Christ and so he riseth from his falls And therefore 2. If indeed we cleave to Christ with full purpose of Heart we may thence conclude that we shall keep to him Then we shall be kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 And shall not be tempted above that we are able 1 Cor. 10.13 Having God's Promise here we should rest upon and not distrust his Power or Faithfulness Indeed to run ordinarily and wilfully upon Temptations is a thing contrary to Grace contrary to such an habitual resolution for Christ A Sound and Holy resolution to stick to Christ armeth the Soul and sets it on its watch against Temptations that would draw it from Christ and which is more sets the Soul under a Promise of a gracious Divine Protection Now let us see whether we thus consent unto Christ and to the terms on which Salvation is offered in and with him Do we consent entirely not partially seriously and deliberately heartily and willingly firmly and resolvedly So I come to a third Act of Faith which is 3. Affiance Faith is a firm Assent it is a practical Assent such as draws the will to consent and it is a fiducial Assent Of this I am next to speak The word Fiducia or Trust is oft used by Divines for confidence and full perswasion which is separable from true Faith But it may also be taken for resting or relying on God and Jesus Christ and being so taken it is an Act of Faith ordinarily put forth and however always included in Faith as to the habit of it A Believer resolves to venture and cast himself upon Christ how much soever he be in doubt of the event and issue As it was with Job Chap. 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him This Affiance relyance and recumbency upon Christ seemeth to be pointed at in the phrases of believing in and believing on him Which some would have translated trust in or trust on him As v. g. Joh. 14.1 Ye do trust or Do ye trust in God or on God trust also in me or on me As the word trust or hope is used Mat. 12.21 In his Name shall the Gentiles * That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for to Trust or Confide even in Exotick Authors Melancthon hath gathered many Instances to prove it In Loc. Com. de vocab Fidei Apud Chemnit loc Theol. par 2. p. 256. Vide etiam Chemnit Ib. p. 262. trust And Eph. 1.12 who first trusted in Christ Believing and Trusting are used as equivolent Psal 78.22 Because they believed not in God and trusted not in his Salvation Psal 2.12 Blessed are all they that put their trust in him qui se recipiunt ad eum that betake themselves to him The word properly signifies protectionis causâ aliquò confugere as Mollier to flee some whither for Protection As Chickens in danger run to the Hen. Christo mirè congruit verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hic enim congregat Filios suos instar gallinae Mat. 23.37 Hic est umbraculum nostrum Isa 25.4 Riv. in Pol. Synop. There is another word used Psal 22.8 He roled or let him roll himself his concerns his burthen on the Lord. Which is rendred He trusted in God Mat. 27.43 And Cant. 8.5 The Faith of the Spouse is expressed by her leaning or recumbing upon her Beloved Vid. I. de Dieu vel M. Pol. Synop. Faith is a relying and staying on the Lord. 2 Chron. 16.7 Isa 50.10 Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Et innitatur c. Tanquam fulcro Calv. Muscul in M. Pol. Synop. nè labatur omnem curam in illum velut pondus importabile conjiciendo Faith is a looking to the Lord Isa 45.22 Psal 123.2 Like the Israelites looking up to the Brazen Serpent Joh. 3.14 15. Faith is a committing our Souls with all that is dear unto us unto Christ to keep 2 Tim. 1.12 A depositing our greatest Concerns with him The believing Soul casts it self upon Christ ventures its All with him And no doubt but they that give us this description or they that put this into the definition of Faith scil that it is A resting upon Christ alone for Salvation no doubt I say but they were aware of that great errour and mistake formerly so common making Faith a full perswasion of the Heart c. As if Assurance was of the very nature and essence of Faith And so was that French Divine before cited that describes it Jo. Mestrezar to be A penitent Sinner's fleeing for succour to the Mercy of God in Christ Indeed it was very needful to correct that errour which both gave the Papists such advantage against us and gave such a wound to weak Believers who would conclude they had not Faith because they had not a full
the Beloved and only begotten Son of God should die for us Sinners for Enemies to reconcile us to God and not only offer us a Pardon written in his Blood but a Kingdom an heavenly Inheritance purchased by his Blood how admirably taking are such expressions of Divine Grace and Love Shall not such love constrain us 1 Joh. 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our Sins And ver 16. with ver 19. We have known and believed the love that God hath to us We love him because he first loved us Suppose a condemned Traitor that could have expected nothing but the stroke of Justice and a shameful Death should yet have a Pardon offered him under his Princes Hand and Seal with a Promise of the greatest Dignity and Promotion in the Court and Kingdom that a Subject was capable of if he would heartily acknowledg his offence and faithfully promise Loyalty for the future how would his Heart melt as overcome of such kindness and Clemency But we may well say here Is this the manner of Man O Lord God Is there any parallel to be found or thought of to the love of God and Jesus Christ towards poor lost Sinners When David had spared Saul's Life 1 Sam. 26. how it wrought upon him Is this thy Voice my Son David I will no more do thee harm because my Soul was precious in thine Eyes this day But Faith will give us to see that our Souls were much more precious in the sight of Christ who gave himself a ransome for them Again As Faith shews the Soul the wonderful and matchless love of God and Christ to Sinners so likewise it presents God in Christ to the Soul as the most desirable Object in all the World and the most worthy of Mans Love By Faith Moses indured as seeing him who is invisible and by Faith Souls fall in love 1 Pet. 1.8 A sight of God and Christ by Faith will work love to him Faith discovers the greatest amiableness to be in him And thus indeed there is some degree of love in the very first act of Faith as saving It is impossible to conceive that a Man should accept of Christ without a desire of him without affecting and embracing him as a most sutable Good Though the Act of Assent be before the Love of Desire yet this Love ever goes along with the Act of Consent and Acceptance As one sayes We do not accept Mr. Baxter or marry Christ first and only love after but lovingly accept him When we give up our selves to God and Jesus Christ to be saved by him in his appointed way surely we have a liking of him to whom we give up and make over our selves We must needs prefer him in our Judgment and Will in our desire and choice before all other Therefore our Faith is not Saving if it worketh not love yea if it doth not cause us to love God and Jesus Christ above all so that we could forsake all for God and Christ And the predominant love of God and Holiness as Mr. Cathol Theol. Book 1. Part. 2. §. 17. p. 91. B. hath it is the very Heart of the new Creature And as Christ as Mediator is the summary means and way to the Father to bring Man home to his Creator So Faith in Christ is a mediating Grace to work in us the love of God And then Faith worketh by Love Indeed when this Love is kindled in the Heart it is a most powerful a leading and commanding Affection it will work upon all the Affections Then there will be grief and sorrow for having offended God there will be fear of displeasing him an hatred of what is offensive to him a desire to please and enjoy him delight in his Service and in ways of communion with him So Love will put a Man upon Action This would make us active for God to promote his Honour and Interest And his Commands would not be grievous to us Yea this would make us ready not only to do but also to suffer for him This would help us to hold out in a way of Obedience and patient Suffering If we love the Lord we shall cleave to him with full purpose of Heart But of the Grace of Love see more afterwards 4. True Faith overcometh the World 1 Joh. 5.4 5. This is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith Who is he that overcōmeth the World but he that believeth Faith is a victorious Grace and every true Believer is a Conqueror He is a greater Conqueror then Alexander the Great He obtaineth a better Victory a more gainful and glorious Conquest of the World It is true that Believers do not here obtain a full and absolute Conquest of the World And where Faith is but low and weak this Victory is less discernable But as the more a Christian is raised above the World the more doth the Truth and soundness of his Faith appear so while a Man is at the Worlds command and plainly captiv'd by it he may know that his Faith is not sound and saving That Faith will never bring a Man to Heaven that cannot raise him any degree above the * Nee sane mirum videri potest si nequaquam vincit quae nec vivit quidem Bern. World 1. True Faith will overcome a smilling flattering enticing World The World indeed as it is God's Creature is to be loved and used for him But as Man's Corruption hath made an Idol of the World as it is that wherein Men commonly place their Happiness as it is set in Competition with God and Christ or set in Opposition thus it is to be despised renounced and crucified Thus the World is an Enemy indeed an Enemy that we did vow and covenant against in our Baptism when we were solemnly listed into Christ's service It is a deadly Enemy if we do not overcome it it most certainly overcometh us and a we shall fall and perish by and with the World The Apostle hath told us plainly That their End is Destruction whose God is their Belly and who mind earthly things Phil. 3.9 And such as are Lovers of Pleasures more than Lovers of God have no more than an empty Form of Godliness denying the Power thereof 2 Tim. 3.4 5. When Man fell from God he fell to the Creature he fell down to the World and he cannot return to God without being loosened from the Creature and raised above the World While a Man rests in the World he stayeth at a broken Cistern he neglects and forsakes God the Fountain of living Waters And how can ye believe which receive Honour one of another and seek not the Honour that cometh from God only Joh. 5.44 So such cannot be sound Believers that are more for the World's favour than for the favour of God Such cannot be sound Believers that are more for carnal Pleasures than for
Life REpentance is not a more common than necessary Subject It is part of the Foundation of Christianity Heb. 6.1 And without true Repentance Mens hopes of Salvation are built on the Sand. I do not say that any Man is saved for his Repentance yet speaking of the Adult we must say that none are or can be saved without it Except ye repent ye shall perish Luk. 13.3 5. Repent and be Converted that your Sins may be blotted out Act. 3.19 without Repentance no Pardon no Remission and consequently no Salvation But what is this Repentance unto Life And how may it be known In the late Confession of Faith chap. 15. a good and full account is given of it viz. By it a Sinner out of the sight and sense not only of the danger but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his Sins as contrary to the Holy Nature and Righteous Law of God and upon the apprehension of his Mercy in Christ to such as are penitent so grieves for and hates his Sins as to turn from them all unto God purposing and endeavouring to walk with him in all the wayes of his Commandments The Subject of Repentance is a Sinner Mat. 9.13 I am not come to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance In Paradise while Man retained his Innocency which indeed was but a while he had no need of Repentance In Heaven the Saints are made Perfect in Holiness and so have no more occasion for Repentance The Subject of Repentance is a Sinner Yea a Sinner of some hopes In Hell a place full of Sin as ever it can hold there is no hope of obtaining Pardon or finding Mercy and so no place for Repentance Hell that is full of Despair has no place for Repentance Only upon Earth as there is no Man that liveth and sinneth not and as God hath graciously promised pardon to all that truely Repent here is both an engagement upon Sinners and encouragement for Sinners to Repent Some go further and make the Subject of Repentance a believing Sinner Supposing that Faith in order of Nature goes before Repentance As I conceive the principle or habit of Faith and of Repentance and other Graces are infused together But by the special help and operation of God's Spirit the Soul is first inabled to put forth a gracious act in consenting to the terms of Gods Covenant actually closing with and accepting of Christ as he is there offered upon which the Spirit of Grace is given to dwell in the Heart gracious habits are implanted in the Soul as a new nature inclining it to such acts Which I could wish added to what I have written in a former Treatise scil of the Covenants p. 224 225. Now though the general assenting Act of Faith must necessarily be supposed to go before Repentance as it is in the Will Cathol Theol. lib. 1. par 2. p. 84. as Mr. B. noteth yet a Man cannot truly accept of Christ as a perfect Saviour without a sense and feeling of the burthen of his Sins and being humbled under it nor can he accept of Christ as Lord and King without a resolution and hearty purpose of turning from all Sin unto the Lord. That in the very first act of Faith as saving there is Repentance also included Repentance may be thus distinguished 1. It is either initial or continued Initial Repentance at a Man's first Confession Continued that which follows through the course of ones Life afterwards 2. There is an habitual and virtual Repentance a Disposition or Inclination to mourn for and turn from all our Sins as we come to have our Sins discovered to us And actual formal Repentance actually grieving at loathing resolving and striving against the Sins we have found out and are convinced of 3. There is an ordinary Repentance daily practised for daily ordinary failings and a special extraordinary Repentance exercised upon some foul Fall sad Declining or Backsliding as in David's and in Peter's case Renewed Repentance as some call it in regard of some sad Interruption before Yet these Distinctions do not imply various kinds of Repentance but only different degrees There are two main essential constitutive Parts of true Repentance viz. Humiliation and Reformation or Contrition and Conversion A mourning for Sin after a godly sort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a turning from Sin unto God Now first Of godly Sorrow for Sin The Hebrew Word nacham and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latine * Poenitet me quod poena tener me Poenitet est idem quod â—edet vel piget Poenitet all shew Repentance to have Grief and Sorrow in it A Man that grieves not for what he hath done amiss repents not Yea there is no right forsaking of Sin without an hearty Sorrow for it There is a Rending of the Heart for Sin before it is rent from Sin Quest But how shall a Man know whether his Sorrow for Sin be right 1. Right Sorrow for Sin is upon right Grounds As the Lord says Hos 7.14 They have not cried unto me when they howled upon their Beds And Zech. 7.5 Did ye at all fast unto me even unto me So there are many that cry out of their Sins are troubled about their Sins that yet do not sorrow after a godly sort but have respect only to themselves Many are troubled for Sin not as contrary to God but only as mischievous or injurious to themselves not as it dishonoureth God but as it brings shame and disgrace upon themselves not as it displeaseth God but as it subjecteth them to his Wrath and Curse not as God is offended by it but as they are like to suffer for it Many only respect the Shame or Punishment felt or feared Now that Humiliation which comes only from Pride cannot be sound Humiliation And that Sorrow which is meerly from self-respect cannot be godly Sorrow Hard-hearted Pharaoh would sometimes confess his Sin under the sence of an heavy Plague so wicked Ahab could humble himself under the fear of Judgment threatned while far enough from true Repentance And as there is a Principle of self-love planted in all Men the wickedst Man on Earth would not be miserable for ever is not willing to be damned And so when a Sinners Conscience is awakened that he sees himself obnoxious to God's everlasting Wrath and to the torments of Hell for ever no wonder if he be full of horror Nature only without the least dram of Grace would teach one under such terrors to cry out with Judas Oh! I have sinned Thus a Sinner under Convictions may have stronger passionate Workings of Grief than gracious Souls have ordinarily The Passion of Grief may be very much stirred when yet there is no godly Sorrow Though I grant it is lawful to be troubled for Sin as it is against our selves But if we are troubled for Sin only as against our selves not as against God such Trouble is privatively sinful Godly Sorrow is not
odious One that hath true Grace sees himself to be more vile by Sin than all the Afflictions in the World could make him 2. There is a greater dislike of and displicence against Sin in the Will It 's possible that a Man might dye with less pain than he must indure in some cases to preserve his Life and yet he would chuse to submit to great pain rather than to the most easy Death A Womans travelling Pangs may be more grievous to sense than the Pangs of Death would be yet ordinarily Women would chuse to endure the former rather than the latter Thus a gracious Soul had rather any Affliction should befal him here than to be left under the Power of Sin And he is so grieved for his Sins past that he could wish he had been sick in his Bed taken up with pains at that time he was taken up with the pleasures of Sin He would submit to any Affliction and acknowledg God's Faithfulness in afflicting him may he find this Fruit of it even the taking away of Sin He would kiss the Rod that whippeth Folly out of his Heart 3. One that is truly gracious is often grieved that he has been apt to exceed in his grief for and under his Afflictions and that he hath grieved no more for Sin that here he falleth short He repenteth of his immoderate worldly Sorrow revoketh what he hath done is heartily sorry that any of his Sighs and Tears should run waste or have been mispent when he hath spent too few on his Sins Thus by an after-Act he would substract and deduct from his worldly Sorrow and make what addition he can to his Sorrow for Sin It is a real grief and burthen to his Spirit that Sin hath not been a greater grief and burthen to him Which one calleth a Reflexive Grief Besides a direct grief for Sin there is also in a gracious Heart a reflexive grief as it is oft sad to think how far short it falleth in mourning for Sin as it ought And thus immoderate worldly Sorrow is oft an occasion of the increase of godly Sorrow a sinful dejection under some outward cross is an occasion of deeper Humiliation for Sin A gracious Soul upon a serious reflection and review of it self is ashamed of his being so cast down under worldly troubles and that he is no more humbled under all his Sins 4. One that is truly gracious may be more moved at some great Affliction for a fit but his Sorrow for Sin is deeper rooted and of longer continuance It is true that commonly as Mr. Greenham said When Affliction lieth heavy Sin lieth light But the greatest worldly troubles do not affect the Heart of one that is gracious at such a distance as his Sins will do In a little time he gets over that perturbation of Spirit raised by an Affliction while his trouble for Sin still remaineth He can think of many an Affliction past and bless the Lord for his Faithfulness in the same As grievous as they were for the present yet he sees he could not well have been without them But he is oft renewing his Sorrow for old Sins When he may be grown old yet he oft calls to mind the Iniquities of his Youth with shame and grief Quest 3. Whether can one mourn and grieve too much for Sin Answ 1. As grief is seated in the rational Faculties so it is hard for any one to exceed As it implieth a sense or apprehension of the evil and vileness of Sin One can hardly think worse of Sin than it deserves unless he conceit erroneously that God suffers dammage in his very Being and essential Glory and perfection by it whereas it is not in the Power of all the Sinners in the World to hurt him in the least Job 35.6 8. He is over all God Blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 Or unless a Man should think his Sins so great that the Satisfaction and Merits of Christ could not expiate them or that the free Grace of God could not pardon them * Tanta est autem benignitas Omnipotentiae Omnipotentia benignitatis in Deo ut nihil sit quod nolit aut non possit relaxare converso Fulgent Epist 7. But otherwise not derogating from the Honour of God and Jesus Christ I know not how we can have too bad thoughts of Sin As it is against an infinite Majesty against the Will of God against his declarative Glory which shineth forth in his most wise and righteous Laws and should be held forth by all his Creatures especially by Man a reasonable Creature thus there is more intrinsick evil and vileness in Sin than our narrow Capacities can fully conceive And as Grief for Sin imports the Will 's dislike of it it is not possible that we should be too averse from Sin that we should hate Sin too much or be too much displeased at it 2. But as Grief is in the sensitive part and as it is expressed outwardly by Sighs Groans and Tears it may be too much Though indeed there are very few that erre on this hand But what the Apostle writes to the Corinthians concerning the incestuous Person 2 Cor. 2.7 that upon his repentance they should comfort him lest perhaps he should be swallowed up of overmuch Sorrow is observable here as it implieth that even Sorrow for Sin may be overmuch 3. The Passion of Grief is required to be exercised about Sin not meerly for it self but in order to a further end As ver 9. to imbitter Sin to us to endear Christ to us to make us more willing to part with Sin and to close with and accept of Jesus Christ And therefore that Sorrow which reacheth not the End how great soever it may seem is not enough 4. There are other and higher Duties that Christians are also called unto And Duties must be so managed that one may not clash and interfere with and exclude and justle out another They ought to be so carried on as one may not obstruct and hinder but further on and promote another Now a Life of Faith in Christ and a Life in the Love and joyful Praises of God is that which indeed all Christians should desire to live and study and endeavour by all means to attain unto And our Sorrow for Sin should be a Preparative to Joy and Delight in the Lord and should be an Help to close and comfortable walking with God And for a Christian to be wholly taken up in poring on his Sins and mourning over them neglecting the exercise of Faith and the drawing out of his Heart to God and Jesus Christ in love and thankfulness is a very great practical Error which must needs keep his Soul low in Grace as well as in Comfort 5. That Sorrow which is without Hope which casts the Soul into * Qualecunque sit ergo peccatum a Deo quidem potest remitti converso sed ille sibi remitti non sinit qui des
not the Love of God in them Alas shall not such be judged out of their own Mouths Even these to whom our Saviour here speaketh were the People of God in Profession and would have spoken him as fair as we can do With their Mouths they shewed him much Love whereas it was not found in their Hearts As he that knew what was in Man and whose Judgment is ever according to Truth pronounceth of them But I know you that ye have not the Love of God in you And when you have the Notes of true Love to God plainly laid down then you may know and judg whether the Love of God be in you or no. To be loved of God is the Creature 's highest Felicity and to love God is its highest Duty yea it is the Sum and Abridgment of the whole Duty of Man The Love of God is as the Heart and Soul of Religion It is a necessary Principle of all sound Obedience And the most specious Acts that any Man can possibly perform though one should give all his Goods to feed the poor or give his Body to be burned are not acceptable unto God without it It is the Rule and Measure as it were of other Graces Charitas est virtus virtutum reliquae virtutes sine charitate Figuram habere possunt Veritatem habere non possunt Lud. Carthus in Psal 47.12 Sorrow for Sin is not kindly if it proceed not from the Love of God and tend not to promote our walking with him in holy Love No tears are desirable as * Mr. Baxt. Christian Directory p. 147. §. 21. one says but those that tend to clear the Eyes from the filth of Sin that they may see the better the Loveliness of God Absque hoc timor poenam habet honor non habet gratiam Servilis est timor quandiu ab amore non manumittitur qui de amore non venit honor non honor sed adulatio est Bern. in Cant. Serm. 83. And Fear degenerates when it is not joyned with Love when it begets hard and black thoughts of God when it drives not the Soul to God but rather from him All Grace in the kindly exercise thereof tends to cherish and increase this of Love The Love of God is as the Queen Regent on whom the whole Train of other Graces must attend whom they must serve Faith and Hope are eminent Graces yet the Apostle gives the preheminence to Charity or Love 1 Cor. 13.13 Now abideth Faith Hope Charity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love but the greatest of these is Charity Where some Copies instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest of all is Charity And Charity first and most properly agrees to that Love we ow to God who ought to be summè charus dear to us above all other The account that is commonly given why Love hath the preheminence of Faith and Hope is because of its everlasting duration Faith and Hope abide here but Love abideth in Heaven where Faith is swallowed up in Vision and Hope in Fruition And yet note further that it is not simply for its duration that it excelleth but because of its excelling Nature it is to endure The moral Image of God true Holiness eminently consists in Love And Faith and Hope though necessary Graces here while we are in statu viatorum yet they cannot properly be exercised by those who are Comprehensores in the actual enjoyment of full and compleat happiness whereas Love is not only necessary in the way to Happiness but in the full fruition of it Yea it is a main part of our happiness And without perfect Love we could not be perfectly happy There is no perfect enjoying of God without perfect Love to him and perfect delight in him And as Christ as Mediator is the principal means of bringing us to God so Faith is a means to beget and increase the Love of God in us True Faith worketh this way And this is the end and principal scope of the Commandment 1 Tim. 1.5 Whereby it sufficiently appeareth that it is a matter of so great concern that every one ought seriously and strictly to inquire whether he hath the love of God in him or no Now the Love of God in short is an intense willing of God More plainly it is the disposition or motion of the Will the rational appetite renewed and rectified by the Holy Spirit whereby the Soul cleaveth to God is united to him and fixed on him as the chiefest Good Or thus It is a being well pleased with God above all things in the World with a desire to please him in all things The most proper principal and formal act of Love is a complacency or wel-pleasedness with the Object loved So the Love of God if it be right is the highest complacency of the Soul a being most taken with God as the most transcendent as an Universal and Infinite Good And hence though the Love of God and the Love of Christ be inseparable yet they must be distinguished The Love of Christ as Mediator is the Love of the principal means to our ultimate end as he is the new and living way by whom we must come to God but Love is terminated upon God as our very ultimate end that we look no further Now to the Question How we may know whether we have the Love of God in us or no Answ 1. Sound Love to God is founded in a sound Knowledg of God Ignoti nulla cupido There may be some knowledg of God where there is no true Love to him but there cannot be Love to God where there is no knowledg of him But the eyes of the understanding being truly enlightened with the knowledg of God by this means the heart comes to be affected Ex aspectu nascitur amor We read Psal 9.10 They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee So they that know his Name aright will set their love on him And therefore Psal 91.14 Because he hath set his love upon me and because he hath known my Name are used promiscuously And so the Apostle praveth Phil. 1.9 that their love may abound in knowledg As the Saints the more they know God the more they love him As in Heaven where they have the clearest sight of Gods excellencies and fullest manifestation of his Love there they have perfect Love to him are as full of love to God as their Souls can hold The Love of God is founded in Knowledg And there is especially a knowledg of these two things viz. of his Love to Man and of his loveliness that makes the soul in love with him How great is his Goodness and how great is his Beauty to enamour us 1. There is a knowledg of the Love of God especially of his Love in Christ A knowledg of God in Christ and so a love to God in Christ As we read of love in Christ Jesus 2 Tim.
you rather err on the hand of Charity in making his faults less than they are than make them greater And would you not grieve so much for the wrong an enemy does you as for the wrong he does his own soul Would you not have so deep a sense of the greatest trespasses against you as of his transgressions against God as Psal 119.139 Then indeed it is to be hoped notwithstanding sometimes your passion is too much moved on a suddain yet that in cool blood you do love your Enemy 3. The love of God will incline one especially to love the Godly And every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him 1 Joh. 5.1 If we love God we cannot but love the Children of God for their Fathers sake There is no living Christian but is a loving Christian 1 Joh. 3.14 But here many deceive themselves and others Some only pretend love to the Godly to purchase others love and gain more esteem of others As Dyonisius maintained Philosophers not that he did much esteem or admire them but because he hoped to be esteemed for them Some love them from meer self respects As those they have been and further may be beholden unto as having received kindness from such and being convinced of their love and good-will towards them as having a dependance on such or being tied to them by natural bonds They that are not without natural affection will love their own Some love them for other common worldly respects As some of them are Men of Wisdom and Prudence able to advise in difficult and weighty matters or learned Men c. But first If our love to the Godly be sound such as will prove and evidence the love of God to be in us then we love them for their godliness Do we see a beauty in Holiness Are we so taken with it that we cannot but love those in whom we see it cannot but highly esteem such as the excellent ones in the Earth Do we love the Children of God eo nomine because they are his Children because they resemble their Father bear his Image As the Cynick Philosopher could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laert. l. 6. in Diog. p. 397. that good Men were images of God Are we taken with them for what of God or of a divine Nature we see in them As we are pleased with the Pictures of those whom we love and honour As on the contrary if we should see a Man expressing an hatred and contempt of anothers Picture scratching and tearing it soiling bespattering and defacing it we would conclude that he hated the Person much more whom the Picture did represent Do we love the Godly as such Mat. 10.41 42. He that receiveth a righteous Man in the name of a righteous Man shall receive a righteous Mans reward He that gives a cup of cold Water only to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple shall in no wise lose his reward In the name of a righteous Man and in the name of a Disciple that is as such upon that very account and not for any lower by-respects The Apostle had a great love to Timothy he thought on him daily he had him daily in his best thoughts and what was it that drew out his heart so towards him calling to mind says he the unfeigned faith that is in thee 2 Tim. 1. 3 4 5. Do we love the Godly for their Godliness in its full latitude for the whole of it and not for some parts only We may love them in part as godly or love some parts of Godliness without any true love to God and without loving them for his sake As many a natural Man is convinced and will confess that the Godly are better than they As Saul to David Thou art more righteous than I. So several parts of Godliness are lovely even in the eyes of a natural Man Plain-heartedness upright-dealing in ones Calling faithfulness in matters of trust peaceableness charitableness things which Godliness teacheth are commendable and amiable even our enemies themselves being judges And as godliness teacheth the best discharge of Relative duties so far a natural Man may love it in relations As it teacheth the Wife a chaste conversation coupled with fear thus a carnal Husband may love it in his Wife As it teacheth the Child to honour his Parents to carry reverently and dutifully towards them ungodly Parents may so far like it in a Child and love such a Child the better for it As it puts a Servant upon diligence care and faithfulness in his Masters business that he serveth not with eye-service but in singleness of heart so far a bad Master may love a good Servant While Godliness in the full latitude of it and taking in all its essential and integral parts is not pleasing but distasteful unto such Where it crosseth their corrupt Wills Affections and their carnal Interests and Designs where it reproveth and condemneth them for their sinful omissions or commissions where it galleth them they cannot away with it or be so well pleased with others where they see it 2. And if we love the Children of God aright for the Grace of God appearing in them for their Godliness then we love all that appear to be such we have a special love to all that are godly so far as we can judge So the Colossians had a love to all Saints Col. 1.4 So Philemon Phil. v. 5. So the Apostle Peter enjoyneth to love the Brotherhood the whole Fraternity all that were of the houshold of Faith 1 Pet. 2.17 To love all parts of Godliness all Grace as was said before and to love all Saints would be good evidence of the soundness and sincerity of our love But partiality here would bewray unsoundness and hypocrisy Surely that is a partial love if we love some while we despise and lightly esteem others who yet give as good proof of their godliness Some are ready to Saint all that are of their own Party and to un-Saint any that differ from them though the difference be not in any fundamental and essential point of Faith and Godliness and though perhaps the errour and mistake be in themselves Do not such love for an Opinion or for some self-respect rather than for real Godliness who look but shily on carry strange towards any though sound in all points necessary to Salvation and strict and conscientious in their lives yea though eminent in Godliness that are not of their Opinion Such have not learnt to love Saints as Saints and to love all Saints Suppose such as differ from them to be but weak in the Faith yet Christ would not have his little ones despised 3. And if we love the Children of God for God and Godliness sake then the more holy and the more like to God any are the more we shall love them and be taken with them the more our hearts will be knit to them as Jonathan's Soul was knit to
Servants may take comfort in Hezekiah though a King found no such Cordial in the World He could take comfort in this even when sick unto death when he had received the Sentence of Death Isa 38.1 3. And this was their rejoyceing who had little in the World to take comfort in 2 Cor. 1.12 when they were as sorrowful and having nothing yet they would not have parted with the joy of their Sincerity for all the World God is so pleased with Sincerity that where he sees it he is ready to overlook Infirmities As true Gold has its grains of allowance Heb. 8.10 12. And all the paths of the Lord are Mercy and Truth to such as walk before him in Truth and Sincerity He will be a Sun and Shield to such and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84.11 They shall have his favour and countenance here His Countenance doth behold the Vpright Psal 11.7 They have his most gracious and benign Aspect And they shall be taken into and enjoy his Glorious Presence hereafter Whereas an Hypocrite shall not come before him the Vpright shall dwel in his presence Psal 140.13 Who shall dwel in God's holy Hill The Psalmist tells you Psal 24.3 4. He that hath clean hands and a pure heart Psal 15.1 2. Such as walk uprightly Thus indeed the end of the perfect and upright Man shall be peace perfect peace and endless happiness But there is a twofold Integrity or Uprightness There is a Natural or Moral Integrity and there is a Spiritual Integrity 1. There is a Natural or moral Integrity which is the effect of common restraining Grace As God gives the Consciences of some natural Men that power and quickness that in many particular actions they are seen to carry well following the dictates of their Consciences Thus they are kept from gross Sins and shew forth many commendable Vertues and that not out of Cunning but of Conscience Their Consciences will not suffer them to do otherwise As Joseph's Brethren said We are true Men we are no Spies So many natural Men are true to their Principles Many of the Heathen of whom we read in their Writers were just honest plain-dealers would speak as they thought and what ever they lost or suffered would not break their words they were homines quadrati Square-men and such indeed as quite shame and will condemn many that are called Christians who having banished or seared Conscience live in those sins that many an honest Heathen would have chosen to die rather than commit And the Lord himself gives testimony to the Integrity of Abimelech so far that if he had known Sarah to have been another Man's Wife he would not have taken her to his House Gen. 20.6 Yea I know thou didst this in the Integrity of thy heart Yet we have no ground to suppose that Abimelech at that time was a Saint a truly Upright Man 2. There is a Spiritual Integrity which is the effect of special renewing Grace The effect of God's writing his Laws in the heart When being renewed in the spirit of our mind we put on the new Man which after God is created in Righteousness and Holiness of Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Eph. 4.23 24. When not only a Man's Conscience but his Will also is for that which is right not only in some particular actions but in his general course When a Man intirely without reserve resignes and gives up himself to God heartily resolved for God and ordinarily acting for him with respect to his Will and to his Honour and Glory in what he does Thus Integrity includes both being Vpright in heart and being of upright Conversation Psal 11.2 with 37.14 They that are upright in heart will be of upright conversation will walk uprightly and none can be of upright conversation none can walk uprightly without an upright heart This uprightness is perfect for kind though but imperfect as to degree As a Child has all the parts of a Man though not in that full proportion as a Man hath but is growing toward it But that Integrity which may be found in a natural Man is but an imperfect Embrio or a False-Conception Sincerity and Uprightness to speak properly is not a particular distinct Grace but a necessary mode of all true Grace It is the right mode of every Grace and of every good Work too So we read of the Sincerity of Love 2 Cor. 8.8 of Love unfeigned 2 Cor. 6.6 And of Faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 Sincerity in a Christians Graces is as a Golden-twist in a Bracelet or Neck-lace of Pearls it goes thorow every Grace or as the Veins in the Body that run thorow all the Parts and Members Yea Sincerity is as the Soul of Religion without Sincerity we can have no more than a form of Godliness like a dead Carcass Now to shew how Sincerity and Uprightness may be known O that I might be a welcom Messenger to some to shew some their Uprightness who cannot rest but long to be satisfied in this Point 1. The Upright Man though simple plain is not stolid Though there is an holy simplicity joyned with Sincerity 2 Cor. 1.12 yet a brutish stolidity gross ignorance and integrity are utterly inconsistent Pro. 19.2 3. That the Soul be without Knowledg is not good In our old Translation thus For without Knowledg the mind is not good The foolishness of Man perverts his way Indeed ignorance is both Mother and Nurse of Impiety but no friend to Integrity Prov. 2.13 Walking in the wayes of darkness is opposed to keeping the paths of Vprightness As the Simple and such as err are put together Ezek. 45.20 Pro. 1.22 How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity There is a simplicity that is no vertue It is the Man of understanding that walketh uprightly Pro. 15.21 Not the fool Pro. 19.1 He is perverse Some rest in their good meanings and boast of their good and honest hearts while they have no care to know what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God such are not upright 2. The Upright Man is for knowing the whole Will and Counsel of God He is willing to hear of his duty to learn his whole duty He would not stop his ear against any Message that comes from God The single eye sees best Mat. 6.22 It would not shut out any light that comes from above from the Father of Lights The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate Sincerity some would have taken from the Eagles trying of her young holding them forth to the full view of the Sun who as they say rejects those as spurious and not her genuine brood which cannot with open eye behold the Sun or as most take it the word is translated from Wares that are right good that one is not afraid to shew and bring forth into the light of the Sun When Men hate the Light and will not come into the
approach to God Thus his Prayers proceed not from feigned Lips Psal 17.1 So he praiseth God with uprightness of heart Psal 119.7 The Hypocrite thinks it enough to draw nigh to God with his Mouth and to honour him with the Lips Mark 7.6 Well hath Isaiah prophesied of you Hypocrites as it is written This People honoureth me with their Lips but their Heart is far frem me The Hypocrite contents himself with a form of Godliness with meer Bodily Exercise The upright Man is a true Worshipper one that worshippeth God in Spirit and in Truth John 4.23 Phil. 3.3 The upright Man takes not up with any outward Form but laboureth for an inward frame sutable to the Worship he performs 2 Chron. 29.34 The Levites were more upright in heart to sanctifie themselves than the Priests The upright Man looks not only to the matter of Duty but to the manner also how it is to be done 2. The upright Man is not one prest to God's Service but a Volunteer in his Service To serve God with a perfect heart and willing mind go together 1 Chron. 28.9 As we read of the People 1 Chron. 29.9 Then the People rejoyced for that they offered willingly because with a perfect heart they offered willingly As of David ver 17. As for me in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies Simplicity is oft used for Freeness or Liberality The simple and sincere heart is a free heart It is free in God's Service and accounts his service perfect Freedom The Hypocrite sets to Duty as a Task and Burden he is glad when a duty is over The upright Man's heart is in these ways Holy Duties that are means of special Communion with God are his best Meal-times Job 23.12 I esteemed the words of his Mouth more than my necessary Food Such would not know how to live without the Word without Prayer c. The World could not hire them to lay Duties aside by all it has to proffer True the upright Man finds not at all times the like chearfulness in God's Service But the spirit is willing when the flesh is weak Or if his Spirit be sometimes straightned 't is his burden when it is so And he prays to be established with a free spirit When he finds any listlessness unto and weariness in God's Service it is a thing he is weary of He has little joy in any thing while he cannot take delight in God and his Wayes 3. The upright Man has a special respect unto God in Duties He looks most at God's Approbation Having a respect to every known Duty and having respect to God in all are great signs of Uprightness To look straight forward Prov. 4.25 the Hypocrite looks asquint He has not a right intention of serving honouring and pleasing God in what he does The Upright looks most at God The Hypocrite looks most at Men. He does all to be seen of Men Mat. 6.5 23.5 The Hypocrite would think all his labour lost if he have not Man's applause or approbation He loves the praise of Men more than the praise of God like those John 12.45 The Upright little regard Man's commendation or censure either As it was a small thing with the Apostle to be judged of Mans judgment but he would account all lost indeed without God's Approbation and Acceptance He would not that his praise should be of Men but of God He more dreads than courts Man's applause Or if he finds himself sometimes tickled and taken with it in cool blood he abhors himself for it But if he may know that God has accepted his Work the Lord's Well done good and faithful servant would do him good at heart 4. The upright Man is for secret Duties He makes conscience of them delights in them The Lord shall see his Nathaniel's under the Fig-tree in their private Walks in their Closets He sees them oft retiring themselves The Hypocrite who is only for making a shew cares not for secret Duties which Men can take no notice of If Conscience will not let him alone without doing something here yet he has no love to them he is very slighty in them 5. The upright Man is not only for Duties that are in fashion and credit among Men but those that may expose him to Scorn or Persecution As Daniel would hold on Praying and giving Thanks to God when it was likely to cost him his Life Dan. 6.10 The upright Man studies the Point of his Duty more than his own safety 13. The upright Man is an humble Man Such as walk uprightly also walk humbly Mic. 6.8 Though Vprightness and Perfection are oft made all one in Scripture yet the Upright have only a perfection of Parts here but as to Degrees they still find great imperfection in themselves that humbles them As the Apostle Phil. 3.12 Not as though I were already perfect The more Gracious the more Humble As the highest Stars seem least None are so sensible of the least sinful warping or stepping awry it troubles none so much as those whose greatest care is to walk Uprightly There is a Generation that are pure in their own Eyes and yet are not washed from their Filthiness Prov. 30.12 Behold his Soul which is lifted up is not upright in him Hab. 2.4 Hypocrites as a sound Divine says is but the off-spring of Pride Mr. Bax. 14. The upright Man is one that walks by Faith walks in the Name of the Lord Zech. 10.12 We can walk and stand upright no longer than we are strengthened by him And it is Faith that fetcheth in strength from him Cant. 8.5 Who is this that cometh up from the Wilderness leaning upon her Beloved Upright Souls see a necessity of the Grace and Assistance of Christ and so lean and depend on him 15. The upright Man is steady and even in his Course But Hypocrisie is a cause of unsteadiness of inconstancy Psal 78.8 A Generation that set not their heart aright and whose spirit was not stedfast with God And ver 37. Their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant The Hypocrite is good only by fits He is in a good Mood sometimes but it is soon over This will not prove one upright to take a right step or two But we must be upright in the Way and upright in our general Course Psal 106.3 Blessed are they that keep Judgment and be that doth Righteousness at all times At all times when alone as well as while in company with the Good at home and abroad On our own Days as well as on the Lord's Day In Prosperity and Adversity Not only when Righteousness is applauded and encouraged but when it meets with the severest checks and greatest rubs The upright though they may sometimes stumble in the way or step aside through Frailty yet they do not wickedly depart from it through falseness of Heart and base
That Joy which is born down with any Affliction that comes is not like the Joy of the Spirit which is called strong Consolation Heb. 6.18 15. Spiritual Joy is not swelling But is accompanied with an humble frame of Spirit Heart-humbling Grace is a necessary preparative unto and a necessary preservative of Heart-raising and elevating Joys Isa 29.19 The meek or humble shall encrease their Joy in the Lord and the poor among Men shall rejoyce in the holy One of Israel Such as are lifted up in themselves are not so fit for Comfort as for a Casting down And one way or other they shall have a Casting down If not in Mercy and by Grace then by force and in fury When a Child of God is growing proud of his Comforts and Enlargements he is in the ready way to lose them As I may say Humility is the Save-all and Prolonger and Pride the Extinguisher If you can keep your Joy and Pride together it is more than a Child of God can do 16. Spiritual Joy is not intoxicating but a sober serious thing joyned with an holy Fear Care and Watchfulness Psal 2.11 Rejoyce with trembling When Daniel heard from God that he was a Man greatly beloved yet he stood trembling Dan. 10.11 That is not right rejoycing in the Lord which excludes Reverence towards him And when he speaks Peace yet he expects better carriage of his People than that they should grow secure and careless He expects that they should have a care not to return again to Folly Psal 85.8 Where he says Be of good chear thy Sins are forgiven thee He withal says Sin no more stand in in awe and sin not Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption And by sinning presumptuously the Lord would be provoked to hide his Face again to write bitter things against us Thus new storms of Trouble would be raised 17. Spiritual Joy would not put one upon a contemptuous carriage towards others But rather make him full of Charity and pity towards those that want and are strangers to what he enjoys Though a stranger doth not intermeddle with his Joy Prov. 14.10 yet he cannot but desire that others were partakers of the like Psal 51.12 13. Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation Then will I teach Transgressors thy Wayes I shall encourage Sinners to come in by thy merciful dealing with me who have been so great a Sinner As Christ chargeth Peter when he was converted and restored to strengthen his Brethren Luke 22.32 And the Apostle Paul lays this down as one end the Father of Mercies hath in comforting us that we may be able to comfort them which are in any Trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God 2 Cor. 1.4 And if we have not a tender pity towards poor troubled Spirits and such as have broken Bones if we have no Wine and Oyl to pour into wounded Consciences if we are not at all concerned for others under Spiritual Troubles we may justly fear our Joy is not right 18. Spiritual Joy will set Souls more on longing after the Joys of Heaven That Joy which comes from Heaven will be raising the Heart up towards Heaven Souls that have tasted that the Lord is Gracious will thirst after more and long for the fulness of Joy in his Presence will breath after the full Enjoyment of God in Glory 2 Cor. 5.5 8. God hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit Therefore We are willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord. If we have found any consolation in Christ beholding him through the Lattices how shall we desire to see the King in his Beauty and to see him Face to Face Spiritual Joy will make Souls more spiritually-minded will very much take off the affections from things on the Earth and set them upon things Above A BRIEF REHEARSAL 2 COR. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith prove your own selves TO write the same things here shall not be grievous to me if for you it may be safe and profitable To try and examine your selves whether you are in a state of Grace you cannot deny to be your Duty And to direct and assist you therein is the principal design of this Treatise Now of the things which we have spoken this is the Sum. 1. What Knowledg have you And of what kind 1. Have you more than a natural Knowledg of God 2. More than a notional Knowledg Are you come to a discerning of Spiritual things and to a Spiritual discerning of them Have you other thoughts of Sin and other thoughts of God and Christ and Holiness and Heaven than formerly you had 3. How come you by your Knowledg Whether in an humble diligent waiting on God in the use of the means he hath appointed 4. Have you not a bare Knowledg but are you also come to the acknowledgment of the Truth Not only a Verbal but a Real acknowledgment To know the certainty of those things wherein you have been instructed 5. Does your Knowledg reach your Hearts Has it a powerful influence on your Wills Are you not only resolved in your Judgments but also in your Choice 6. Is your Knowledg not only informing but reforming and renewing 7. Is your Knowledg humbling Or does it puff up 8. Is it nourishing as Food and Fuel to Grace and Spiritual Affections 9. Is it Fructifying Is it reduced to Practice 10. Is it Communicative 11. Is it growing And especially are you thriving 1. In the sound and experimental Knowledg of God and Christ 2. And getting more inward acquaintance with your own selves and the state of your own Souls 3. And in learning more of your own Duty and of the Counsel of God concerning you 2. Try your Faith And what can you say to those three principal acts of Faith scil Assent Consent and Affiance 1. How do you assent to Divine Truth 1. Do you assent Impartially 2. Do you assent freely Do you yield willingly to Divine Truth as it is discovered to you 3. Do you assent really Have you more than an half-perswasion of the Truth 4. Have you an holding Assent to the Truth 5. Is it a Practical Assent Does it draw on Consent 2. How do you consent to God's Terms 1. Do you consent entirely not partially 2. Do you consent deliberately 3. Do you consent heartily unfeignedly 4. Do you consent firmly and resolvedly 3. What trust and affiance have you in God and Christ I ask not what Assurance you have Yet is your Dependence on God in Christ And 1. Is it such as is accompanied with Self-distrust and Self-despair 2. And with an hearty acceptance of Christ and sincere subjection to him 3. And with a dependence on the Lord for Temporal Mercies and Deliverance as he sees fit for you Further Do those Scripture-notes given of Faith agree to you 1. Is Christ precious to you