to its Real object so Consent We shal begin with the first namely What it is not to Assent to the Notional maters or things that belong to our peace Now this dissent from the things that belong unto our peace implies sundrie Gradations or Ascents which tend much to the Explication of Vnbelief 1. Not to know or assent to the sacred Notions of our peace is to reject them This was the case of Jerusalem she rejects al Christs gracious offers of peace she wil not so much as lend an ear to them Thus also it was with those obstinate Unbelievers mentioned Prov. 1. 30. They would none of my Counsel they despised al my Reproof To reject the counsel of Christ and to despise his Reproof is the height of Dissent and Disbelief So Jerem. 8. 9. Lo they have rejected the Word of the Lord and what wisdome is in them The Rejection of Gods Word is the highest degree of Ignorance and Unbelief The like Hos 4. 6. Because thou hast rejected knowlege I wil also reject thee This Rejection of the Word of God is a kind of total Infidelitie yea such a Dissent as implies an aversion in the mind from the sacred Notions of its peace Wherefore it denotes the dregs of Unbelief and a mind principled with enmitie against divine Truths For Truth is the most beautiful thing that is and of al Truths Divine are the fairest Now then to reject such argues a mind very much debauched and distempered by sin 2. Not to know the sacred Notions of our peace is not to give diligent Attention to them Many Evangelic Unbelievers dare not openly reject the things that belong to their peace but yet they do not attend with diligence unto them The first step of saving Faith is diligently to attend to the Reports of the Gospel to bow the ear to divine Truths as Pro. 5. 1. My Son attend unto my wisdome and bow thine ear to my understanding This Attention and bowing the ear to Divine Truths is the first step to the obedience of Faith Whence by Consequence not to attend or listen with diligence to the Reports of the Gospel takes in much of Unbelief This also was the case of many unbelieving Jews they did not attend to Christs Evangelic offers of peace Thus Psal 81. 13. O that my people had hearkened unto me c. i. e given diligent Attention to my Word Attention is the Contention of the soul to understand and that which drawes it forth is the admirable Greatnes Sweetnes and Suitablenes of Reports Unbelievers want an inward sense of the wonderful greatnesse suavitie and fitnesse of Evangelic gladtidings and therefore no wonder that they attend not to them 3. Men know not the things that belong to their peace when they yield not a discrete explicite Assent thereto True saving Faith implies an expresse judicious Assent it carries with it the highest and purest Reason yea the flour and Elixir of Reason What more rational than to assent to the First supreme Truth Truth it self Surely Believers are no fools they know who it is they believe and for what So Paul 2. Tim. 1. 12. I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him Paul was not ashamed of his sufferings because he knew whom he had believed he did not content himself with a Popish implicite faith but understood wel the object and reasons of his Faith Alas what is implicite Faith but implicite Unbelief Can he that understands not the Propositions he assents to rationally believe the same Is this to believe to understand nothing of what we believe Doth not this implicite faith destroy the very formal Nature of true faith What! may we suppose that Divine faith consists in ignorance If we pin our Faith only on the Churches sleeve without ever understanding what we believe is not our faith worse than that of Devils who know what they believe and therefore tremble Yea doth not this Implicite faith strip us not only of our Christianitie but also of our Humanitie For is not every rational Being so far a Debtor to truth as to examine wel the reasons and grounds of his Assent Yea doth not this implicite Popish faith carrie in it much of Atheisme and Blasphemie For to believe only as the Church believes without examining the Articles or Motives of our faith what is it but to make the Church our infallible God and our selves but mere Brutes divested of reason So that can there be any thing more destructive to the Notion and Nature of true faith than such an Implicite faith And yet alas how commun is it among a great number of Christians How many are there who pretend to be Believers and yet understand little or nothing of the main Articles or grounds of their faith It stands on sacred Record as a noble character of the Bereans Act. 17. 11. That they searched the Scriptures daily whether these things were so Hence surely we may conclude that an implicite faith is no better than virtual Unbelief 4. Not to know the things that belong unto our peace is not to give a supernatural Divine Assent to them The things that belong unto our peace are supernatural and divine and therefore they cannot be truely apprehended by a Natural Human Assent To yield a natural human Assent to things Supernatural and Divine is no better than real Dissent Now men yield not a supernatural Divine Assent to the things that belong to their peace 1. When the Principal Grounds Formal Reasons and proper Motives of their Assent are only natural and human i e when mens assent is grounded only on some human Autoritie or Argument Al faith is by so much the more firme by how much the more firme and infallible the Autoritie of him that reports the mater is If the Autoritie be only human the Assent can be but human and so fallible the Assent to the Conclusion being founded on the strength of the Premisses as the edifice is on the foundation Now the strength of a Testimonie consists in the Autoritie of him that testifies For such as the principal ground and Foundation of the Assent is such wil the Assent be and if there be any defect or imperfection in the Foundation of our Assent the same wil diffuse it self throughout the whole If Church-tradition or human Argument be the only or main ground of our Assent it can never be supernatural and divine as before 2. Men yield not a supernatural Divine Assent to the Gospel when the productive Principle or Efficient of their Assent is not Supernatural and Divine i. e when their Assent is not infused by the Spirit of God A natural Facultie can never of itself produce a supernatural Assent And the reason is most evident even from the commun nature of al Assent which requires some A'dequation or Agreament betwixt the Object and the Facultie
prodigious curse of this one dismal saying O! then dread every saying of Christ It follows If Hence observe 1. That Christ is very real serious and pathetic in al his offers of Grace unto sinners Every word of the Gospel is but a chariot that conveighs Christs heart to Sinners If ever he be in good earnest it is in his evangelic Invitations His Bowels are never more warme and rolling his affections never more bleeding than in inviting and drawing Sinners to himself Oh! how low doth Christ stoop unto what mean termes doth he condescend to win his enemies to be reconciled to him How studious and industrious is he to remove al Heart-cavils against the offers of his Grace Doth he ever break with us before we break with him 2. This Particle If as explicated gives us yet this further Observation That nothing doth more deeply provoke Christs indignation against sinners than the wilful rejection of his Gospel Grace and Person For this Particle If as was noted implies not only commiseration but also Indignation and Exprobation Christ by this abrupt manner of speech doth sorely upbraid Jerusalem with her contumacious contemt of himself and his evangelic offers of Grace Now to upbraid another is to lode him with reproches disgraceful and biting words thereby to aggravate his ingratitude and the foulnesse of his fact as also to manifest what a just ressentiment and sense we have of the injuries done to us by the person upbraided So that Christs upbraiding Jerusalem with her wilful impenitence and unbelief argueth his deep ressentiment thereof and just indignation against her for it Thus Christ upbraids his own Disciples with their unbelief Mark 16. 14. which argues that the least degree of unbelief is greatly ressented by and sorely offensive to Christ But of this hereafter in the Aggravations of unbelief Thou hadst known Hence note 1. That sanctified Notions are the root of saving Faith and the divine life To speak a little what sanctified Notions import and then what connexion they have with saving faith and the divine life These sanctified Notions are a divine Light of life John 8. 12. an unction from the holy One 1 John 2. 20. proceding originally from the Father of light and life Joh. 6. 45. whereby Believers know things as they ought 1 Cor. 8. 2. For the Spirit of God impressing a Divine Glorie on Supernatural objects it openeth the same to the mind and also openeth the mind to receive the same and thence implanteth a supernatural Instinct a divine Sagacitie and intuitive light whereby the soul not only sees spiritual objects but also has a particular experimental tast and feeling sense thereof which kils beloved idols and lusts turnes the Bent of the heart towards Christ and proves the dore to communion with God in Christ and the Divine life And oh how clear and distinct how deep and solid how sweet and delicious how efficacious and active yea transformative are these sanctified Notions which lie wrapt up in the Light of Life What a mighty conformitie has the renewed mind clothed with these Divine notions to al Divine truths How is al the glorie of this lower world eclipsed and al carnal delights made to lose their relish hereby What Satisfaction in God what fervent Affections towards Christ what bigorous vigorous Exercices of Grace doth this Light of life worke in believers But it hath a more peculiar soverain influence on faith and al its vitals Inward spiritual deep feeling affective and practic Notions of God in Christ have an huge soverain influence on faith so the Psalmist assures us Psal 9. 10. And they that know thy Name wil put their trust in thee A clear distinct particular stedfast divine operative knowlege of Christ breeds Confidence in Recumbence on and Adherence to him None are more tenacious and resolute in adhering unto Christ than such as are baptised with his Spirit and Light of Life Yea according to the Quantitie and Qualitie of our light such wil be the Quantitie and Qualitie of our faith If our light be Spiritual Divine and Saving such wil our faith be Again if our light be not only spiritual for the kind but also intense prevalent and strong as to degree then wil our faith be also mightie intense prevalent and efficacious such an individuous yea essential connexion is there betwixt saving knowlege and divine faith Hence 2. Observe That Ignorance is the original and most pregnant parent of Vnbelief The Papists tel us That Ignorance is the mother of Devotion And it holds true as to their own Devotion which is but Superstition and Wil-worship For Ignorance is both the Mother and Nurse of al Idolatrie and Superstition and so by consequence also of Unbelief and therefore it is no wonder that the Papists require only an ignorant credulous implicite faith of their Devoti For such a blind faith suits best with their blind Devotion and Superstition But surely such an Implicite blind faith wil not suffice a Christian yea is it not the worst kind of Unbelief To believe only as the Church believes without a right understanding of the objects we believe what is it but to believe nothing as we ought He that pins his Faith on the Churches sleeve without ever considering what he believes what doth he but at once part with and bid Adieu to his Faith Religion Reason yea and his Humanitie too as we may shew hereafter Such are the malignant Influences and Qualities of a blind ignorant Implicite Faith Even thou i. e. Thou Jerusalem who hast been the Seat of the Divine presence dignified with such splendid marques of Divine Favor and adorned with such rich discoveries of evangelic Grace c. Hence observe 1. That as to externe marques of Divine favor and benediction the richest that a People or Church can be made partaker of is to be made the seat of Gods gracious Presence and Evangelic Administrations Out of Heaven there may not be expected a greater externe privilege than this for a people to be espoused by God as his visible Church the place of his Gracious Residence and Evangelic Administrations This was Jerusalems privilege she was Christs first bride the Covenant of Grace was first loged in her bosome Christ was her first crowned King and Lawgiver The Oracles of God were first laid down in pawn with her Her Land and Citie was adopted by Christ as Symbols of his Church Her Temple was a Type of Christs Natural bodie wherein he dwelt by visible tokens of Glorie and Grace Her Males bore somewhat of Christ in their flesh Yea Christ himself was borne of Judaic flesh and bloud Jerusalem had the first tenders of Gospel Grace Christ long waited for and as Minister of the Covenant endeavored after her conversion Such were her privileges But in this pathetic Expression even Thou there lies couched not only an intimation of Jerusalems Privileges but also an Exprobation of her sin and
and seek not what ye shal eat or what ye shal drink neither be ye of doutful minds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let not your Minds hang as Meteors in the Air ful of suspense about future supplies be not of an anxious thoughtful Mind Let not your thoughts be distracted and as it were racked with carking cares The word signifies such an Anxietie as fluctuates 'twixt hope and fear Such is the suspicious anxious temper of Unbelief as to Providential maters of the Covenant 3. The last branch of the Covenant concernes maters of coming Glorie wherein also Unbelief may be said Not to know the things that belong unto our peace The chief concernes of our peace are those invisible Glories of the other world Al our present spiritual Suavities and Delices are but dreams in comparison of that formal Beatitude in the Beatific Vision of God face to face Alas how far short is our present vision of God in Evangelic Shadows and Reports of that immediate Intuition of God as he is 1 Joh. 3. 2 3 Whence the main worke of a Believer here is to live by faith in the daily contemplation and expectation of that approching Glorie For the more we eye our home the more industrious lively and pressing wil we be in our journey thither Faith maketh things absent present So Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the substance of things hoped for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which gives a substantial Essence an actual Existence a solid Basis or Foundation the First-fruits yea a real presence to those Good things hoped for of the other world So much is wrapped up in that Notion Then it follows The Evidence of things not seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Argument the Demonstration the Meridian Light the legal conviction the spiritual eye whereby invisible Glories are made Visible Such is the miraculous efficace of faith as to approching Glorie such a clear real fixed fight of Heaven has it here on earth Ay but now Unbelief draws a veil on al these invisible Glories and makes them to disappear what fantastic dreams what carnal and grosse Notions what base and unworthy thoughts has it of future rest How studious is Unbelief to obliterate and rase out the Idea of Eternitie fixed in the heart How apt is it yea industrious to remove far from conscience the second coming of Christ and ensuing Jugement How fain would it build Mansions here and take up with something short of God Oh! how little doth Unbelief regard those Mansions of Glorie which Christ is preparing John 14. 1 2 How seldome or never doth it take a view with Moses on mount Pisgah of the celestial Canaan the new Jerusalem where is the Lambs Throne Yea what low cheap undervaluing thoughts hath Unbelief of that promissed Land Thus it is said of the unbelieving Jews Psal 106. 24. Yea they despised the pleasant Land or the Land of desire and believed not his word This pleasant land Canaan was a type of Heaven and in despising it they despised Heaven and al this lay wrapt up in the bowels of their Unbelief They did not yield a real supernatural firme certain practic Assent to the word of promisse touching Canaan and therefore they despised it and not only that but also the celestial Canaan which made God swear in his wrath against them that they should not enter in Heb. 3. 11. So much for the Material Notions both general and particular which Unbelief is ignorant of 2. I shal treat a little of the formal Object of Faith and how far Unbelief is defective therein The formal Object of Faith as it comes under the Notion of Assent is the Divine Veracitie or Autoritie of God appendent to his Word For look as in the Workes of God there are certain Divine Characters Ideas Impresses or Notices of Gods Wisdome Power and Goodnesse which a spiritual heart contemplates and admires so likewise in the Words of God there are certain Stampes and Ideas of the Veracitie and Autoritie of God which the Believer contemplates and assents unto as the formal object of his faith Thus 1 Thes 2. 13. Because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God Not as the word of men As here notes a Reduplication i. e the formal reason proper motive or principal ground of their assent to Gods Word was not any Human Autoritie but the Divine Autoritie or Veracitie of God And here lies the main specific essential Difference betwixt divine and human faith Divine faith receives the Word of God as the Word of God under that Reduplication i. e as it is clothed with Divine Autoritie but human faith receives the Word of God as the word of men i e as clothed with some human Autoritie Church-Tradition or the like commun Motives Now this human faith as to the Word of God is no other than real unbelief For he that believeth the Word of God only as commended to him by the Church doth really disbelieve the same It is not the Objects believed but the formal Reason of our belief that distinguisheth a Divine from a human faith He that assents to divine Truths merely on human Grounds or Reasons can have but an human faith which is real unbelief as he that assents to natural Truths reveled in the Word of God as reveled and clothed with Divine Autoritie has a Divine faith So that albeit the mind assentes to the whole Word of God yet if the principal ground or formal reason of its assent be not Divine Autoritie its Faith is but real Unbelief And here lies a main plague of Unbelievers its possible they do assent to the whole Word of God ay but yet they see not those sacred Characters those Divine stampes of Gods Autoritie and Truth which are appendent to his Word the chief ground of their belief is only some human Tradition or Autoritie Such was the Faith of those Samaritans John 4. 40. who believed merely for the saying of the woman c. whereas afterward ver 41. Many more believed because of his own word This is a Divine faith there was a sound of Heaven in Christs own voice a little Image or Stampe of Divine Majestie which the believing Samaritans could discerne O! Remember this If the Autoritie of God be not the chief bottome of your Assent your faith is but Vnbelief So much for the Notional object both Material and Formal of Unbelief CHAP. IV. An Explication of Unbelief as it opposeth or is defective in the first Act of faith namely Assent to the good things that belong to our peace WE now procede to the Act of Unbelief comprised in that Notion If thou hadst known This knowlege must be commensurate to or as large as its Object which as we have shewn is either Notional or Real As it refers to its Notional object so its termed Assent as
reason why God delivered the Law on Mount Sinai in such a terrible manner that so thereby men might behold as by a magnifying Glasse the proper Dimensions and Merits of their sins Ay but what was Gods end in making Sin thus to abound why that follows But when sin abounded Grace did much more abound Here saith Paul lay Gods bottome-designe in permitting sin thus to abound that thereby Grace might superabound yea that at that very time when sin so much abounded Grace might superabound at that very time when we appeared to be so great enemies to Christ he might appear to be so great a friend to us Thus Mercie in God is more merciful than sin in us can be sinful And oh what a foundation and encouragement for faith is here But alas how doth Unbelief spurne at and despise at least limit these Richesse of Grace 5. Unbelief cals in question the Immutabilitie Certaintie and Fidelitie of the Covenat David gives us an excellent character of the Covenant and its Immutabilitie 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in althings and sure For this is al my salvation and al my desire although he make it not to grow Notwithstanding al Davids care for the settlement of his familie on the Throne yet he foresaw by a spirit of prophesie how fragile and instable his Throne was only herein he solaceth himself that the Covenant wherein his faith and main hopes were bottomed was most stable and sure and oh how doth this amidst al his prophetic fears touching the instable and tottering state of his familie revive and chear up his spirits For this is al my salvation and al my desire Let althings else sink or swim it maters not so long as the Covenant is sure and inviolable Hence Covenant-Grace is stiled the sure mercies of David The blessed God has obliged himself by Covenant confirmed by Oath and Sacrifice which are the most essential ties and therefore he cannot but be true and faithful to his word otherwise he were not true to himself And yet lo how jelous how suspicious how captious is Unbelief touching the certaintie of the Covenant Men are ready to confide in those who are sufficient and faithful specially if they have their Bond But yet Unbelievers dare not trust the Faithful Alsufficient God albeit they have his Bond or Covenant and that confirmed by oath So much for the Grace of the Covenant 2. The Covenant of Grace is furnished with Promisses not only of Grace but also of Providence which Unbelief is very apt to cavil at The Covenant of Grace is the Believers Charter not only for Spirituals but also for Temporals it extends to the very hairs of their heads the most inconsiderable things Surely they can want nothing who have Alsufficience engaged for their supplie It s true Means sometimes fail Ay but cannot doth not their wise Father feed them without means when he sees it necessary And are not such supplies by so much the more pure and sweet by how much the more immediate they are The lesse there is of the creature is there not the more of God in al our provisions Doth not our omnipotent God oft bring the greatest Triumphs out of the greatest extremites It 's true He doth not alwaies keep his people from the crosse ay but doth he not always keep them under the crosse Have not the most black and seemingly confused Providences an admirable beautie and harmonious order in them Did ever Believer need any thing but what he could better need than have Are not those Needs blessed that secure us from sin and make way for greater mercies Are not al Gods Providences spirited by mysterious wisdome and paternal love Is it not then the Believers Wisdome and Interest to suffer his Father to be wise for him How comes it to passe then that Believers themselves should be so unbelieving as to Gods paternal providence towards them Oh! what a mysterie of iniquitie is there in Unbelief as to this particular This Christ much cautions his Disciples against and upbraids them with very oft and that with sharp Rebukes So Mat. 6. 30. Wherefore if God so clothe the grasse of the field which to day is and to morrow is cast into the oven shal he not much more clothe you O ye of little faith As if he had said Doth God clothe the grasse of the field which is so fading with so much beautie and glorie And wil he not much more clothe you O ye short-spirited ones That which we render O ye of little faith is expressed by the Hebrews in such termes as import the anxious cruciating vexatious cares of such who though they have enough for the present are stil ful of inquietude and distrust about future supplies Whence he addes v. 31. Wherefore take no thought saying what shal we eat c. i. e be not anxiously solicitous or incredulously thoughtful about these viatics or necessaries of life And why v. 32. For after al these things do the Gentiles seek As if he had said Is it not a shame that you who are my Disciples should be as unbelieving as anxiously inquisitive about these things as the poor Gentiles who know nothing of my Covenant Thence follows another Argument or branch of the former For your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of al these things i. e Alas Why do you concerne your selves so much about these poor things Have you not a Father in Heaven who is mindful of and provident for you Doth he not wel understand al your needs And is he not engaged by Covenant to supplie you with al necessaries And hath he not promissed in this very case Psal 111. 5. To give meat to them that fear him and to be ever mindful of his Covenant Why then wil you not believe We find the like character of Unbelief as to the Providence of God Luke 12. 22. Take no thought for your life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give not way to anxious distracting distrustful thoughts about the necessaries of life And then our blessed Lord gives the reason of this his Admonition v. 24. Consider the Ravens c. Luke makes a special mention of the Ravens because God has a particular providence and care of the young Ravens as both Job and the Psalmist observe The Hebrews have many observations about Gods care of the young Ravens The Philosophers also note how the young Ravens are neglected by their parents Hence Christ argues a minori How much more are ye better than fouls i. e surely if he be so much concerned for fouls how much more wil he concerne himself for you his Children Then he addes another Argument against Unbelief v. 25 26. And which of you with taking thought can adde to his stature one cubit c. Other Arguments are urged v. 27 28. Then he concludes v. 29.
Now what proportion is there betwixt a natural mind and supernatural Truths Are not Divine Mysteries above the reach of a human Understanding unlesse the Spirit of God come and clothe it with a divine Light Is not the natural mind shut against supernatural objects until Christ by his Spirit open the same Thence it is said Luke 24. 45. Then opened he their Vnderstanding that they might understannd the Scriptures They had some habitual Light before but Christ now extendes and stretcheth their minds to a more ful comprehension of the promisses To every degree of saving light there is required a fresh Influence and Assistance of the Spirit It s said He opened their Vnderstandings Men may open supernatural Truths and Promisses to our minds but none can open our minds to take in supernatural Truths save the Spirit of Christ such therefore as are not illuminated by the Spirit cannot know the things that belong to their peace The Believer hath a Divine light a supernatural instinct whereby he understands and assents to the voice of Christ in the Gospel John 10. 27. My sheep hear my voice just as the simple Lamb by a natural instinct discerneth the voice of her Dam from the rest in the flock 5. Men know not the things that belong to their Peace when the Truths and Promisses of the Gospel take not deep root in their hearts Our Assent ought to be commensurate or proportionable to its Object great and weighty Truths must have a rooted and deep Assent A superficial indeliberate Assent to the great things of the Gospel is but interpretative Dissent This was the great defect of the High-way and stonie ground Mat. 13. 19 20 21. The seed sowen by the way-side was lost assoon as received But the word sowen in stonie hearts was received with some joy i. e the Novitie and greatnesse of the things offered made some superficial Impression on their hearts but yet there wanting a depth of earth an hot day of persecution soon blasted al. There is no Assent stable and firme but what is deep and rooted Thus much our blessed Lord assures us in his Parable of the sandy foundation Mat. 7. 26. whereas the sound Believer who digs deep into the heart and builds his assent on rooted welgrounded Principles though windy stormy tentations beat against it yea albeit he hath a thousand objections against what he believes yet his assent is firme and stedfast because the bottome-Principles on which it is grounded remain firme A superficial precipitated and rash assent is very staggering and mutable when men judge according to the apparences of things without solid deliberation and deep inquisition into the grounds and reasons they never arrive to a fixed Assent Thence saith Christ Joh. 7. 24. Judge not according to the apparence but judge righteous jugement A superficial assent is soon turned into dissent 6. Such as yield not a Real but only Notional Assent to evangelic Truths and Promisses know not the things that belong to their peace For things may then only be said to be truely known when they are received as offered Now the things offered in the Gospel are practic or things referring to practice Thence to yield only a notional assent to them is really to dissent Many of these unbelieving Jews whom Christ condemnes in our text had a very great Forme of knowlege or Notional assent to the things that belonged to their peace as 't is evident from Rom. 2. 17 18 19 20. Behold thou art called a Jew and restest in the law and makest thy boast of God and knowest his wil and approvest the things that are more excellent being instructed out of the law c. i e Thou art an accurate Critic in the law thou canst exactly distinguish between things clean and unclean and then he sums up al in one expression ver 20. Which hast the forme of knowlege and of the truth in the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifies an Artificial Image Scheme Figure or Picture of knowlege and it s opposed to a substantial solid real knowlege which is stiled Prov. 2. 7. Sound wisdome or Essential knowlege These unbelieving Jews had a notional Idea an artificial Scheme a curious picture of knowlege but they wanted the real substantial essential contemplation of those things that belonged to their peace Now as there is a vast difference between the contemplation of things in pictures or shadowes and the contemplation of them in their own proper substances So here the Unbeliever that views the things of his peace only in Pictures Systemes or Notions comes far short of the Believer who views the same Intuitively as they lie wrapt up in Evangelic promisses Faith is described Hebr. 11. 1. The substance of things hoped for i. e it hath a real substantial contemplation of things hoped for as if they were actually present before the eyes and then it follows The evidence of things not seen The invisible things of celestial Canaan become visible to an eye of faith whence it is apparent that he who has only a notional knowlege of the things that belong to his peace is really ignorant of them Mere Speculative Assent to things practic is no better than real dissent For our Assent is then only true when it is agreable to its object formally considered The things of our peace are most substantial and real but the Unbeliever assents not to them as such he sees them only in Words Notions and Imaginations and therefore counts them but mere conceits fine-spun Notions and curious Pictures His forme of knowlege is but real Ignorance 7. Men know not the things that belong to their peace when their Assent to them is Carnal not Spiritual The things that belong to our peace are most spiritual they admit not the least commixture of what is carnal and therefore a carnal mind never truely assents to them Things Spiritual cannot be apprehended by any but a spiritual facultie Carnal assent to things spiritual is real dissent How can he assent truely to any sacred Truth who understands nothing truely of that he assents unto Thus the Apostle argues strongly 1 Cor. 2. 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnes to him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1. By this Natural or Animal man we must understand every irregenerate man who has not his mind imbued with saving Faith 2. Of this man its said he receiveth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s a Metaphor assumed from narrow-mouth'd vessels which cannot take in things too big for them The things of the Spirit of God which are the same with the things of our peace are too big for Animal Natural Minds Yea 3. He addes Neither can be know them there is a moral Impossibilitie that he should know them and why that followes 4. because they are spiritually discerned As if he had said
Christ and this indeed is the most fundamental and vital Act of Unbelief that which our Lord doth most directly strike at in this his doleful Lamentation over Jerusalem If thou hadst known the things that belong to thy peace i. e If thou hadst embraced and received me thy King and Mediator of peace oh then how happie hadst thou been But alas alas thou hast rejected me thine alone Messias and therefore Lo al the the things of thy peace are hid from thine eyes And that this not knowing the things that belonged to her peace connotes Jerusalems Rejection of Christ is further evident if we consider the Hebraic Idiome that lies wrapt up in this notion For it s a commun rule among the Hebrews That words of sense or knowlege implie Affection so that not to know is not to elect or embrace the things belonging to our peace Whence it s very manifest that the Rejection of Christ is the main thing which our blessed Lord intends in this his black character of Jerusalems Unbelief But seing this Rejection of Christ is a comprehensive large notion which admits a great latitude of degrees we shal as the Lord inables us distinctly explicate its particulars 1. The bea rt rejects Christ when it openly opposeth him and al the wooings of his grace This was the case of the unbelieving Jews for the most part Our blessed Lord comes with offers of Grace and Peace But oh how is he fleighted how much is he contemned what opposition is made against him by the most and chiefest of them Thus much our Lord himself complains of under the Parable of an Householder who planted a vineyard c. Mat. 21. 33 c. whence he concludes v. 42. The stone which the builders rejected the same is become the head of the corner This is the Lords doing and it is marveilous in our eyes Oh! what a Marvel is this that the very Builders the Elders and Rulers of the people should reject their Messias the chief corner-stone of their Salvation The like Mark 8. 31. And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected of the Elders and of the chief Priests and Scribes What the Elders reject him the chief Priests and Scribes oppose him Oh! what a prodigious piece of Unbelief is this And is this the sin of unbelieving Jews only Are there not multitudes who would fain be estimed good Christians and yet thus oppose and resist Christ to his very face What shal we think of the sensual Professor who rolleth himself in the delices of Egypt and cannot part with a lust for Christ Where may we place the sleepy Christian who logeth his head in the bosome of the Times and sleepeth sweetly on the bed of carnal securitie without the least attention to the loud and repeted knocks and cries of Christ And may not also many terrified awakened sinners be reckoned among the opposers of Christ even such who though they see their sin and miserie yet flie from Christ as from an enemie and choose rather to take refuge in their own carnal confidences than accept of Christ as their Mediator May not al these and many more seeming Christians be justly reputed Opposers Rejectors of Christ 2. Such may be said to reject Christ who albeit they do not openly oppose him yet maintain secret soul-disgusts and heart-dislikes of Christ Faith lies much in a wel-inclined Affection or affectionate Inclination towards Christ it supposeth a good liking or pious propension towards Christ For while the sinner looks upon Christ as an enemie or as a severe austere Lord he minds not going to him Unbelief is very apt to take offense at Christ it is il-minded towards him and therefore on every trifling occasion offended at him This was likewise the temper of the Unbelieving Jews whence saith Christ Mat. 11. 6. And blessed is he whosoever shal not be offended in me The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to set a gin trap or snare to put an obstacle or impediment in mens way that so they may not procede on Some derive the word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to halt and so a scandal signifies originally a sharpe stake or stone that makes men to halt others derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a crooked piece of wood whereof they made gins or snares to catch wild beasts whence a scandal naturally signifies a gin or snare The word scandal sometimes also signifies a stone or block in the way at which men are apt to stumble and fal and thence in the old Testament it is taken for a Fal and so sometimes for Sin as Judg. 8. 27. where it is rendred a Snare The meaning seems this Blessed is he whose conscience shal not be scandalised at me whose mind shal not be possessed with black scandalous thoughts of me by which the heart stumbles and fals into many snares and gins Oh! what lies and scandals doth the unbeliving heart raise of Christ Thus Unbelief fils the heart with disgusts and offenses against Christ which are as so many gins or snares as so many sharpe stones or bars to keep the heart from Christ Faith breeds a good liking to Christ and therefore it puts a good sense a candid interpretation on al that is spoken by Christ But oh what a world of offenses and scandals against Christ are there in this unbelieving heart how proneisit to quarrel with Christ What is this but to reject Christ 3. Such as do allow themselves in secret Heart-cavils and Disputes against the offers of Grace made by Christ do interpretatively reject him Some poor awakened sinners there are who peradventure have not any deep disgusts and dislikes against Christ yet they studie what they can to raise objections against the tenders of life made by Christ It s strange to consider how the hearts of some lie at catch and studie how they may evade the offers of Grace Thus it was with the unbelieving Jews whose cavils for the most part arose not so much from any desire of satisfaction as from the bitter root of inveterate prejudices against Christ So Luke 20. 5. And they reasoned with themselves saying if we shal say from heaven he wil say Why then believe ye him not The chief Priests and Scribes are here brought to a great Dilemma They must either disown John to be a true Prophet or they must own Christ for their Messias Now they reason with themselves how they may evade this forcible Argument And is it not thus with a great number of awakened sinners When Christ comes with a close conviction and makes them see their necessitie of believing on him Oh! what secret Cavils and Disputes are there against Christ How artificial and witty is Unbelief to shift off Christ and al his tenders of life What stout Logic has every unbelieving heart against believing in Christ What is this but to
reject Christ 4. The wil may be said at least virtually to reject Christ when it doth not justifie or approve those Reports that are made of Christ by the ministerie of the word or in conscience This is a more refined degree of rejecting Christ very commun among many great Professors Some convinced Sinners are not so disingenuous as to be alwaies cavilling at Christ yet they do not approve the Reports made of Christ as they ought They have no considerable objections against evangelic offers and yet the heart is unwilling to entertain them They are unwilling to grant what they can hardly denie This Christ cals being slow of heart to believe Luke 24. 25. O fools and slow of heart to believe al that the Prophets have spoken This is the first part of faith in the wil to justifie recognise or approve that Assent which is wrought in the jugement touching Christ And when Christ has obtained the Wils approbation and consent he soon gains its affiance or confidence As a carnal heart that approves of the offers of sin is soon overcome by it So an awakened heart when once it comes to approve the offers of Christ and the Assent made thereto by the mind how soon is it induced to yield its consent to Christ But oh here lies the root of Unbelief the wil doth not fully approve and allow of what the mind is oft forced to assent unto This was also the condition of many unbelieving Jews So Luk. 7. 29. And al the people that heard him and the publicans justified God being baptised with the Baptisme of John The commun people and publicans are said to justifie God i. e they approved of what reports were made touching Christ though its likely many of them did it but with a temporary faith But then it followes ver 30. But the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves being not baptised of him How did the Pharisees and Lawyers reject the counsel of God Why it was by not justifying or approving what God reported touch verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est approbare laudare Groting Christ So that when the wil doth not justifie approve or commend what God in his word or by the dictates of conscience doth report touching Christ it may be said to reject the counsels of God and Christ As the wil by approving the Assent of the jugement turnes it into Consent so by disapproving the same it declares its rejection thereof This holds true both in maters of Sin and Grace 5. The Heart may be justly said to reject Christ when it admits of demurs and delayes as to a complete closure with him This is a more subtile and refined degree of Unbelief Some there are who seem to justifie and approve the Reports made of Christ and their own Assent thereto they have nothing to object against Christ they seem wel-satisfied in the offers he makes But yet al this while there is a secret dilatorie procrastinating delaying spirit in them they would fain close with Christ but not as yet they have a wil for hereafter but not for a present choice of Christ they cannot as yet bid Adieu to their beloved lusts a little slumber a little sleep more they must have in the lap of their Delilahs This was the case of some tardy Disciples of Christ among the Jews as Luke 9. 59. And he said unto another follow me but he said Lord suffer me first to go and bury my father He hath nothing to object against Christ but seems abundantly satisfied in Christs offers only he desires to be excused for a while til he had buried his Father Again ver 61. And another also said Lord I wil follow thee but let me first go bid them farewel which are at home at my house Thus awakened sinners put off Christ as Felix did Paul with delays If Christ wil but wait a while their leisure wel and good they are then content to espouse him for their Lord but at present they have no leisure because they have no heart to close with Christ Yea is there not much of this dilatorie humor in many wounded souls who conceit they are not yet humbled enough and therefore not meet to go to Christ Whereas indeed there is no such way to get an humble spirit as to come to Christ for it Certainly al such delays argue much unwillingnes to believe A Wil for hereafter only is a present Nil An election for the future is no better than a present Reprobation If you consent only for hereafter you at present reject Christ So long as you defer to do what you know you ought to do so long you wil not do it Yea what are these delays to embrace Christ but a more slie rejection of him May not Christ justly estime your delay to embrace him a refusal of him Are not such put offs a kind of denial When Christ wooes thee long by many sweet Inspirations both of Word and Spirit for thee to stifle al these good motions by continued delayes doth not this argue a mightie unwilling heart to believe Hast thou the least shadow of Reason for thy delays to believe Thou saiest thou wantest Grace ay but mayest thou not by believing receive Grace for Grace Is not Grace both in being and degrees the effect of Faith in Christ Do not thy sins greaten much by delays to believe Are not thy debts to Justice multiplied by not believing The longer thou forbearest to believe wil not thy heart be the more averse and backward to believe Peradventure thou conceitest Christ wil not receive thee if thou comest to him ay but whence springs this prejudicate conceit but from the unwillingnes of thine own heart to receive Christ Has not Christ declared himself to be more willing to receive thee than thou canst be to come unto him as 't is evident from the Parable of the Prodigal Luke 16. 22-28 Are not al thine objections against believing presently but the forgeries and figments of thine unwilling heart Remember there is as great hazard in thy loitering delays as in down-right rejection of Christ For albeit thy delays may be painted over with some apparent colours of humilitie and fears lest thy faith would be presumtion yet Christ is as effectually opposed and excluded thereby as by manifest opposition Thou hadst as good say it in down right termes thou wilt have none of Christ as thus put him off time after time with dilatorie answers Though the Acts differ in degrees yet the Principle and root is the same in one and t'other namely an unwilling heart and this Christ sees ful wel and therefore thy demurs suspense and seeming caution or delay to believe greatly provokes Christ and is by him interpreted no better than a flat refusal of him Al the relief thou hast is this thou hopest to embrace Christ hereafter when thou art more humble and fit for him But
how is he humbled for and by his very sins and negligences But the commun faith of an Unbeliever makes his best duties and performances serve to promote spiritual sins How do al his Covenants and Resolutions against some grosser visible sins serve only to hide strengthen and foment secret invisible lusts as spiritual pride carnal confidence Hos 7. 16 Or at best doth he not make use of al his covenants against sin only as a balsame to heal the wounds of his conscience not as poison to kil the lusts of his heart Such is the curse and plague of commun faith 6. Saving faith transformes the heart into the Image of Christ and thence makes the Believer conforme to his Life and Laws but commun faith workes neither Saving Faith brings the heart near to Christ and so stampes the Image of Christ upon the heart It cannot make men Christ but yet it makes them like unto him and that not only in one particular excellence but in al It changeth the last end and disposition of the wil and thence the whole soul and life It infuseth a divine plenitude or fulnesse of Grace into the soul answerable to that fulnesse of sin that was there before And as Christ is one with his Father by personal union so Believers are one with Christ by faith Hence much of the life of Christ appears in their lives The love and spirit of Christ prevails with them to live the life of Christ and conforme to his Laws And oh what a sweet harmonie and conformitie so far as Faith and Grace prevails is there between the Spirit and Life of Christ and their spirits and life How much do their hearts and lives answer to the primitive Patterne of puritie in the heart and life of Christ But can the Unbelievers commun faith worke such rare effects It s true sometimes his Actions are changed but are not his vital Principles and Dispositions unchanged He may sometimes conforme to the Laws of Christ in appearance but doth he not stil hate them at heart Whereas the Believer whiles he breakes the law of Christ in Action he conformes to it in Affection and desire as Roman 7. 22. The Unbelievers commun faith may lead him to please Christ in shew but is it not al to please himself in truth Doth he not wholly live on self as his spring and to self as his last end Oh! how impossible is it for him to live by faith on Christ and to Christ which is the Believers life 7. Saving faith makes Believers diligent in the use of means and yet keeps them from trusting in them commun faith makes Vnbelievers negligent in the use of means and yet to trust in them Oh! how industrious is Faith in the use of means as if there were no Christ to trust unto And yet doth not faith trust wholly in Christ as if there were no means to be used Yea doth it not trust Christ as much in the fulnesse of means as in the want of them But oh how much doth unbelief trust in means though it be very negligent in the use of them 8. Saving Faith is alwaies bottomed on a Promisse and by it workes up the heart to God But commun faith is alwaies bottomed either on false persuasions or self-sufficiences and by them turnes the heart from God 9. Saving Faith walkes in Gods ways by a strait rule to a strait end But commun faith is always stepping out of Gods way its rule and end both are crooked True Faith looks both to its end and rule it wil not do good that evil or evil that good may follow But commun faith wil do both 10. Lastly Saving Faith values an half-promisse yea a mere peradventure from God more than the best promisse the creature can make but commun faith depends more on the rotten and false promisses of its own heart or of the creature than on al the promisses of God 3. Hence we may further infer That there is no medium or middle between true Faith and Infidelitie Commun faith is but real Unbelief He that is not a sound Believer is a real Infidel He that receives not Christ on his own termes rejects him Not to trust in Christ with al the heart is not to trust him at al in truth A forced election of Christ is a real reprobation of him A mere human or notional or general or confused or instable or inefficacious Assent to Christ is real Dissent Not to rest in Christ alone as our Mediator is not at al to confide in him He that cannot part with al for Christ wil soon part with Christ for any thing If faith purifies not the heart from sin and fortifies it against tentation it deserves not the name of faith Acts 15. 9. If Faith gives not a substantial being to things not in being it doth nothing Heb. 11. 1. If you can believe nothing but what you have reason and evidence for from the things themselves you believe nothing as you ought for though reason may assist faith as an instrument yet it destroyes faith as a principal ground or argument because faith is of things inevident Heb. 11. 1. Faith takes nothing for its formal reason or principal ground but increated Autoritie and therefore it is not the mere evidence of reason but the testimonie of God that makes men believers And if so then oh what a world of that which passeth for faith among men wil one day appear to be real Unbelief What may we judge of those who hang up Christ in their phantasies as pictures in an house but yet never really adhere to or recumb on him Is not this mere fancie rather than faith What shal we conclude of the presumtuous believer who presumes God wil shape his mercie according to his humor Is not his faith mere Unbelief Yea can there be a more cursed piece of Unbelief than a fond groundlesse presumtion that we do believe Again what shal we say of the dead-borne sleepy faith of secure Sinners who lay their head in Satans bosome and sleep securely on the pillow of his rotten peace Is not this a piece of Unbelief which Devils and damned Spirits are not guiltie of For they believe and tremble at the apprehensions of their approching jugement And oh how soon wil these their sweet sleeps end in dreadful hellish awakenings Again may we not judge the same of legal faith which sets up the Law in the room of Christ or at least yokes the Law and Christ together Do not such by joining the Law with Christ disjoin their hearts from Christ Rom. 7. 1-4 Is it not as bad a piece of Unbelief to set up the Law instead of Christ as to set up lust instead of the law Yea is there not much of Idolatrie in such a legal faith for do not such as depend on their own legal performances for life make themselves their God and Christ Oh! how oft doth such a legal
but also the passive power of receiving good when offered Is not this the language of Infidelitie Lord I need not I desire not thy Grace keep it to thy self I have wherewith of mine own to supplie my needs I can make a shift with mine own righteousnesse to clothe my nakednesse with the balsame of mine own good workes to heal my wounds c. And as Infidelitie thus puts a bar to al Grace and Mercie So also doth it not open the dore to al the jugements of God Are not the most severe Plagues of God entailed on Infidelitie Doth not this sin provoke God to curse mens blessings Doth it not also cut us off from many promissed Mercies Yea how severely hath God punished this sin in his own people Was not Moses an holy man deprived of entring into Canaan for one act of unbelief Oh! how deep doth Gods wrath sinke into the unbelievers soul How many flourishing Churches have been deprived of the Gospel and means of Grace for their Infidelitie Or suppose that God continues some means of Grace yet doth not Unbelief turne them into means of hardening When men wil not believe the Gospel how oft doth Christ leave such to a spirit of error to believe lies Yea doth not Infidelitie continued in oft cause Christ to give up such to their own lusts which break forth sometimes into scandalous sins Yea how oft doth Christ deliver up impenitent obstinate Unbelievers to a spirit of slumber judicial hardnesse and al manner of Divine vengeance Are these the effects of Infidelitie Is there so much sin and self-murder wrapt up in its bowels and are there so many Curses and Plagues both temporal spiritual and eternal entailed on it May we not then without any injustice conclude that Unbelief is the worst enemie we have in the world Doth not our Infidelitie give us more pain and trouble than al other enemies Oh! then how should we with fire and sword persecute Unbelief as our most mortal enemie Can we be too severe against such a deadly enemie Is not al pitie and compassion that we shew towards Unbelief the greatest crueltie that may be to our own souls Why should we then cease our Indignation and Revenge against Unbelief ' til we have let out its heart-bloud Remember the more you pitie spare it the more cruel you are to your selves 5. This also layes an essential and strong obligation on al both Believers and Vnbelievers to put an high value on Faith and to pursue after it as their supreme Interest and Concerne Surely if Infidelitie be so prodigious and pernicious a Sin then by a paritie of reason Faith most be the most useful and excellent Grace Contraries much illustrate and set off each other And oh how doth the black deformed nature and venimous qualities of Infidelitie set off the Beauties and excellent qualities of Faith What a strange and miraculous power and efficace has Faith How doth it make things absent present the invisible glories of the coming world visible as the visible glories of this world invisible and disapparent Yea doth not faith appropriate to itself the whole of Gods Alsufficience and Omnipotence and so may in a sober humble sense be said to be in some sort alsufficient and omnipotent For al that is in God Faith by a strange magnetic virtue can applie to it self and thence it can do althings so far as it has a Promisse to bottome on Doth not the great God make himself a debtor to such as trust in Him How doth Faith rend a man from himself without violence or pain What more effectual to break al our Idols and Images of jelousie than saving Faith How doth it make al the beautie of the Creature to fade away as a Sun-burned Flower Doth it not also dismount the Believer and make him walke on foot in al manner of self-abasement How soon doth the bottome of al sensible good fal out when Faith comes into the Soul and takes the Chair What doth more elevate and refine reason than saving Faith Have not those that believe most the deepest and soundest reasons Who is the wiser man The Believer that adheres to the First truth and chiefest good or the Unbeliever who rejects the same and adheres to Idols of time How doth Faith corroborate and fortifie the Wil in what is good by uniting of it to Christ and the Divine wil What a sweet harmonie and order doth it inspire into the Affections How doth it make the Believer to fear God under smiles love him under frowns hope in him under difficulties wait for his returne under desertions Yea when our affections are under the greatest disorder and confusion doth not Faith oft draw peace and order out of it Is not Faith both food and physic Doth it not as wel feed Grace as purge out sin Whence springeth the Christians union with Christ but from Faith Could Christ and Sinners ever come together unlesse Faith did unite them Can things contrarie be united but by some efficacious bond of Union Was it ever known that there was a mariage between the living and the dead How then comes it to passe that the dead Sinner is espoused to a living Christ Is not this happy match the alone miraculous effect of Faith wrought by the Spirit of God And hence doth not Faith make God thine as surely as thou art thine own And Faith having united the person to Christ doth it not thence by Grace derived from him purifie the nature also Acts 15. 9 And doth not Faith hence worke a miraculous change in the whole disposition of the soul and conversation And as the member is naturally subject to the head so doth not Faith subject the whole soul to Christ Whence also doth not the Believer entirely give up himself to Christ as Christ gives up himself to the Believer Oh! how doth the believing Soul follow after and adhere to Christ by ineffable groans and acts of Faith though Christ may sometimes seem to depart from him How inquisitive is Faith to understand al the virtues of Christ and to receive from him Grace for Grace What a violence is it to Faith to live act breath speak and walke out of Christ What is it that keeps the heart as a chast Virgin for Christ but Faith Hence also Faith gives the soul solid peace in and with God and oh How satisfying is this peace which Faith gives What child-like confidence and boldnesse ensues hereon And thence how much is the soul satiated in communion with Christ so far as Faith prevails What solaces and delicious suavities doth the believing Soul at times receive from Christ What an active application is there on Christs part towards the Believer and passive application on the Believers part towards Christ How much is Faith delighted in trading with Heaven and Christ Is not this the main businesse of Faith to enjoy Christ to live and die in