hunt or inquire into the Scriptures as dogs hunt after wild beasts but oh this the unbelieving Jews were strangers to and therefore no wonder if they were strangers to al the things that did belong to their peace The Scriptures are the Oracles of God the Glasse wherein his glorious perfections shine neither can there the least ray of true Religion shine on lapsed man but what is reflected from this celestial Miroir of the Divine wil. The Splendâ—r of Divine Majestie is but as an inexplicable Labyrinth unlesse we are conducted thereinto by this thread of sacred Scriptures God is nothing to us but what he testifies of himself God is nothing saith Tyndal but his Law and his promisses i. e That which he biddeth thee to do and believe and hope and to imagine any other thing of God is grosse and damnable Idolatrie The Sacred Word is the Spirits Schole in which he teacheth al the things that belong to our peace so that we may be contentedly ignorant of what is not here taught Hence it is apparent that one main and fundamental part of Unbelief consists in not yielding a real firme distinct certain affectionate deep and practic Assent to the sacred Scriptures And oh what an Epidemic Universal sin is this even in the professing world How many are there among the croud of knowing Professors who never gave an explicite actual chearful spiritual and stedfast Assent to the Word of God and its sacred Autoritie Are not the most of Professors extreme partial in their credence or belief of the divine Scriptures Do not they pick and choose what may correspend most with their Lusts or carnal Interests This word that pleaseth them they can believe but that word which disgusts them they cannot assent unto Do not many in their prosperitie disbelieve the Threats and in their Adversitie the Promisses And what is this but not to know the things that belong to their peace For he that doth disbelieve any one part of Scripture may he not be justly reputed to disbelieve the whole Is not the Reason and Autoritie of a part the same with the Reason and Autoritie of the whole word Wherefore doth not he who rejects a part also reject the Autoritie of the whole It s true al Scriptures are not alike Fundamental or equally necessary to salvation yet may we not justly conclude that al are equally necessary to be believed if we consider their origine and Autoritie as they are al inspired by the Spirit of God and clothed with Indelible Characters of Divine Majestie O then how many knowing Professors are in this point guiltie of not knowing the things that belong to their peace How few are there that yield a rooted welgrounded operative Assent to the whole Word of God who have an ear to hear wherever and whenever God hath a mouth to speak O that Professors would seriously ruminate on this That so far as they disbelieve the Truth Certaintie and Autoritie of any one word of God so far they disbelieve or know not the things that belong to their peace And whence is it that many Professors are so averse from assenting to the whole Word of God Is it not from the prevalence of some lust in their hearts which turnes them strongly another way They disbelieve some Scriptures and why Is it not because they lie not level with their lusts Oh! what a deep Mysterie of Iniquitie is this disbelief of the Scriptures as loged in some carnal hearts What malignant and venimous effusions doth it transmit into their lives Is it not the great Stratageme and plot of Satan to dispirit and weaken mens Assent to the sacred Scriptures And doth he not hereby create in many sincere Believers much unbelief concerning the things that belong to their peace May not the most of our tentations be resolved into some disbeliefe of the Scriptures And on the contrary hath not a real fixed supernatural and saving Assent to the Sacred Scriptures a mighty soverain efficacious Influence on al our Graces and Duties Doth not the vigor strength beautie and improvement of al Grace depend on our belief of the Scriptures O that men would then look wel hereto 2. We procede now to the Particular notional Maters or Things belonging to our peace which Unbelief rejects and those are the Gospel or Covenant of Grace with al the branches thereof The Gospel is Grace's office the shop where the sinner may find both food and physic The Covenant of Grace is faiths Magna Charta the Epistle of Christ writ with his own bloud the Cabinet wherein al our Jewels of Grace and Peace are laid up by Christ yea the words of life wherein Christs heart lies wrapt up and is conveighed unto sinners The Promisses of the Gospel are the Element in which Faith lives and moves they are the Air which Faith sucks in and breaths forth they are the food on which Faith feeds There is no diet so natural so delicious so restaurative so corroborative or strengthening so nutritive so satisfying as the promisses spirited by Free Grace Faith relisheth no food like this Faith never reposeth herself so securely never sleeps so sweetly as when she doth lean her head on the bosome of some promisse If she hath but a promisse to cast Anchor on she can ride confidently in the greatest stormes and laugh at al the proud waves that beat against her Now this being the temper and spirit of Faith hence it necessarily follows That not to assent to the Gospel or Covenant of Grace and the Promisses which lie wrapt up therein takes in much of the vital spirit of Unbelief This wil be more evident if we consider the chief material parts of the Covenant of Grace and the evil aspect which Unbelief casts thereon The Covenant of Grace contains in it 1. Maters of Grace 2. Maters of Providence 3. Maters of coming Glorie Now in al these regards Unbelief may be said Not to know the things that bolong to our peace 1. The Covenant of Grace contains in it Maters of Grace The Law tels us what we are by Nature but the Gospel tels us what we are or may be by Grace The Law discovers to us our sin and miserie but the Gospel discovers our remedie and so opens a dore to Faith Yea the Gospel doth not only declare to us the Objects and Maters we are to believe but also furnisheth us with many gracious encouragements and incentives to believe yea further the Gospel doth not only afford us maters and motives of Faith but also it becomes a sanctified Instrument in the hand of the Spirit to conveigh Faith and al other Graces to us For it is an infallible Maxime in Theologiâ— that Evangelic Promisses of Grace on such or such conditions without Grace to performe those conditions are as little available to beget faith as the law is Thus we see how ful of gracious Maters Motives and Offers the Covenant of Grace is But
subjection to the foot of God Such was Abrahams faith Isai 41. 2. Called him to his foot Faith yields up it self to Christ to be acted as he pleaseth to do or suffer as he thinks fit it leaves the soul with Christ to be wrought upon as he seems good So Paul Act. 9. 6. Lord what wilt thou have me to do Paul makes Christ master of his wil and al he is content to be wholly influenced by Christs Soverain wil and Spirit Whence faith is compared to a Mariage-covenant whereby the wife gives over and resignes al right to her husband So the Believer gives up himself to Christ that he may be his Hence the more resistance there is against the Wil and Grace of Christ the more Unbelief An unbelieving wil is an inflexible wil its mighty stiffe and hard Unbelievers are extreme covetuous and greedy of their own wils to part with their wils is death to them 7. Infidelitie or Vnbelief implies also an unwillingnes to appropriate or applie the Promisses and Grace of Christ for the sinners benefit Faith is a mighty appropriating applicative Grace although it be very silent patient and submissive as to mesures degrees seasons and the manner of receiving Grace yet it is very ready to applie al Promisses or intimations of Grace given it Yea if it has but a general promisse yet it can make particular application of it to the soul yea sometimes though it has but an Item an half-promisse or nod from Christ yet it can applie and improve it for the sinners encouragement As by the acts of Adherence and Recumbence the soul goes forth to Christ so by this appropriating applicative act of faith it sucks in and applies to itself the Grace of Christ according to its several needs and indigences Is the poor sinner laden and pinched with the guilt of sin O then how doth faith applie thereto a Plaister of Christs bloud Doth some powerful lust or tentation assault the soul then faith goeth to Christ for fortifying corroborating Grace Is the Believer called to any difficult piece of service either active or passive for Christ then Faith applies to itself the Divine assistance and direction of Christs Spirit Thus it receiveth out of Christs fulnesse Grace for Grace Joh. 1. 16. But now unbelief is altogether unacquainted with this Divine Art of appropriating and applying the Grace of Christ It doth want not only legs or an active power to go to Christ but also hands or a passive power to receive from Christ Oh! what a prodigiously proud begger is Unbelief in that it scornes to receive an Almes from Christ What! not receive Grace when offered Doth Christ offer an Act of Indemnitie unto sinners and wil not they receive it at his hands Oh! what a proud bloudy sin is Unbelief Alas many convinced sinners think it too much Presumtion and Arrogance for them to appropriate and applie the Grace of Christ to themselves They think it better becomes them to applie nothing but wrath and condemnation to themselves So modest and humble do they seem to be But oh what a world of pride doth there lie at the bottome of this seeming Modestie and Humilitie Is it not rank pride for sinners to refuse that Grace which is freely offered When Christ comes to pour in Grace freely into the soul then to refuse that Grace because we have no monie to purchase it what egregious pride is this 8. The last act of Infidelitie or Unbelief is A diffident removing or putting far from the soul the second coming of Christ and al the great things of Eternitie which ensue thereon Faith has such a miraculous efficace as that it can make things absent present things invisible visible Heb. 11. 1. It gives a prelibation and foretast of approching Glories Ephes 1. 13 14. Here Paul tels them That after they believed they were sealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a Translation borrowed from Seals by the impression or stampe whereof we distinguish things true from false things authentic from uncertain The stampe of a Seal impressed on an Instrument renders it indubitable and unquestionable The Jews had the externe seal of Circumcision and the Grecians were sealed with the marque of their Idols ay but saith Paul Ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Article here is treble which carries in it a great Emphase and demonstrates some extraordinary work of the holy Spirit It seems to refer to the great Promisse of the Spirit Luke 24. 49. as elsewhere But what is meant by this seal of the Spirit I know some understand it of the Seal of Assurance whereby they were assured of their eternal possession and we need not altogether exclude this sense yet I humbly conceive that this Seal is primarily to be understood of the Stampe or Impresse of Grace at first Regeneration which is communicated to al Believers whence it is said they were sealed with that Holy Spirit i. e the Spirit of Sanctification Now this Impresse or stampe of the Spirit of Sanctification after their first believing is said to be ver 14. the earnest of our inheritance c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the general signifies al that which is given for the confirmation of a promisse and particularly among the Phenicians whence the Grecians seem to have derived the word it notes earnest-money So that the sense is this Ye who have believed have received the earnest of the Spirit of Grace whereby you have hopes and expectation of glory Hence Faith has the Bridegrooms coming fixed on its eye the sound of the last Trumpe ever ringing in its ear Ay but Unbelief removes al these far from the soul it says in the language of those secure sinners 2 Pet. 3. 4. Where is the promisse of his coming do not althings continue as they were Unbelief is possest with a kind of sleeping Devil it dreams of nothing but building Tabernacles here What a stranger is it to eternitie and the concernes thereof If the secure sinner be now and then a little awakened and startled at the apprehensions of future jugement how restlesse is Unbelief til it has got the soul asleep again How are the eyes shut and the wil bolted against al foresight and expectations of Christs second coming Oh! what a torment is it to the Unbeliever to lie under awakened apprehensions expectations of and approches towards future jugement What would he give if eternitie were buried in oblivion There is nothing in the world that the Unbelievers heart is more alienated from and averse to than the second coming of Christ Faith breeds a great expectation of longing for and has leaning unto that great day But oh how doth Unbelief endeavor to choke and stifle al awakened apprehensions thereof And if the spirit of Bondage worke any lively sense and convictions of that terrible day what dreadful stormes
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 promisse 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 faith or carnal confidence end in black despair Were it not easie to shew if opportunitie served how al the false or commun faiths in the world are indeed but real Infidelitie colored over with a tincture of faith O then what a world of Infidels
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 Vnbelieveâ—s 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 â—end 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 him What is it that gives the soul an abode in Christ and Christ in the soul but Faith as John 15. 5 Oh! What strong desires and thirsts after Christ doth Faith worke in the soul Doth it not make the absence and presence of Christ
to applie it to himself and improve it Thus every word of God is an infallible oracle to such as have a pious affection for him Thus David describes his faith by his delight in the statutes of God Psal 119. 16. I wil delight my self in thy statutes The original imports to behold with delight or to contemplate with pleasure Oh! What satisfaction did Davids faith find in the Statutes of God But oh how melodious and sweet was the joyful sound of the Gospel to Davids faith If the Law be so delightful to a Believer because he sees therein as in a Glasse al the spots of his soul Oh! how delightsome then is the Gospel to him which discovers the face of God and Christ to him yea and transformes his heart into the same glorious Image Hence it appears that if our Assent to the Reports of the Gospel be not affectionate and chearful it is not saving The Devils believe and tremble but because they do not gladly assent therefore their faith is not saving So essential is an affectionate inclination to divine Assent Whence it naturally follows that such as afford only a forced assent to evangelic Truths do really dissent from them such an intimate connexion is there between Divine Assent and pious Affection 13. Not to know the things that belong unto our peace is not to retain the same when once received This also is a consequent of the former For things forced are not durable when our Assent is only compelled by legal convictions it lasts no longer than that compulsion which gave foundation to it whereas an affectionate Assent is very adhesive it sticks fast unto its object every thing delights to adhere to what it likes If the heart be chearfully inclined towards God it wil delight in its assent unto his word But when our Assent is grounded only on legal Threats and forced convictions how soon doth it wear off and die away This was the case of many unbelieving Jews they had now and then some stounding convictions such as produced in them a great Assent to the words of Christ Oh! What Attention what Reverence and Respect do they give to Christs word But alas how soon is their Assent turned into Dissent Thus John 5. 38. And ye have not his word abiding in you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to abide signifies with John to dwel or take up its fixed habitation The Word of God now and then sound some place in their minds as v. 35. ay but it did not inhabit there it loged there but as a Traveller in an Inne for a night only There are many Professors who entertain the glad tidings of the Gospel for a season but they retain them not Whereas David saith Psal 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee There seems to be an elegant Metaphor in the word hid drawen from those who having found a choise Treasure they hide it thereby to secure it Thus David hid Gods word in his heart Whence Christ pronounceth a blessing on those that hear his word and keep it Luk. 11. 28. Hence that exhortation Hebr. 2. 1. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that we have heard lest at any time we should let them slip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e let them slide away as water through a Mil which never returnes more He that lets evangelic Truths slide away out of his heart cannot be said to know the things that belong unto his peace Al true Divine Assent is permanent and lasting he that ever dissents from never yet truely assented to Evangelic Notions of peace We find this Divine Retention of Gods word wel expressed by Moses in his exposition of the Law Deut. 6. 6 7 8 9. 14. Such as have not a transcendent estime or great and sublime thoughts of the things that belong to their peace may also be said not to know them For an object or thing is then only known truely when its worth and value is in some mesure known He that has only poor unworthy base thoughts of great things may be said not to know them The efficace vigor and strength of every Assent ariseth from the right valuation of the object For the minds adherence unto truth is more or lesse prevalent according to the apprehension it has of their value unto several truths equally apprehended the minds assent or adherence is not equal but greater or lesse according to the estime it has of their worth Thus the prevalence vigor and efficace of our assent and adherence to supernatural Truths doth naturally arise from the apprehension we have of their value and thence a true assent to divine Notions and Promisses alwaies carries admiration in its bowels he that doth entertain the great Mysteries of the Gospel with a cheap mean estime only doth really disestime the same An undervaluing low assent to divine Truths is real dissent Certainly such know not Christ who estime him not as the Worlds wonder This Christ Ironicly upbraids the unbelieving Jews with John 7. 28. Ye both know me and know whence I am c. He speaks Ironicly in replie to the Jews reprocheful speech v. 27. Howbeit we know this man whence he is c. As if he had said You neither know me nor yet the Messias as you pretend for if you knew me and whence I am you would highly estime me as your Messias sent by God c. Lastly They know not the things that belong to their peace who give only a sterile dead unactive assent to them True Divine Assent is ful of Life Virtue and Activitie A barren dead faith is real Unbelief the end of saving knowlege is Practice Unprofitable knowlege is one of the worst kinds of Ignorance Al sacred Sciences are Affective and Effective That Assent which doth not kil sin wil never give life to the sinner Divine Assent leaves suitable Impresses and sacred Stampes on the Heart Doth thine Assent to the things That belong to thy peace fil thy soul with Admiration of and Love unto them Is there an agreament twixt thine heart and the things thou believest Thou saiest thou assentest to the Truths of the Gospel ay but doth not thine heart dissent from the Duties of the Gospel and is not this a strong argument that thy faith is but a dead Assent So Jam. 2. 26. For as the bodie without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also Though works are not the cause which gives life to faith yet they are necessary products which argue life in faith A living faith is ful of vital spirits and operations he that wants these has only a dead corps of faith or the name of a Believer David gives us a better account of his faith Psal 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart and why so that I might not sin against thee
Do they not come to Christ only as a wounded person to his Chirurgeon for a Plaister to heal conscience They receive Christ but is it not only as a Bankrupt entertains a rich Suretie to pay their debts to the Law Surely such involuntary constrained Receptions of Christ if they do not end in a more chearful Election are but more modest Refusals of him Involuntarie election is a degree of real Reprobation Albeit every Election hath something of the wil in it yet that may be termed an involuntary forced election when the Wil might it with securitie use its own freedome would not elect what it now closeth with And oh how many terrified souls do with such an involuntarie forced Wil receive Christ They see no beautie or worth in Christ only they make use of him to serve a turne to quench the flames of Divine wrath in conscience and when that is done they lay him aside again as an uselesse servant What is such an unwilling choice of Christ but a more courtly rejection of him Do not such forced consents passe for real dissents among more civil persons Such as entertain Christ in ther extremities and perplexities of conscience with such an involuntary Wil how soon do they lay him aside when the storme is over Was not this the very case of the unbelieving Jews even from their infant-state in the Wildernes So Psal 78. 34. When he stew them then they sought him and they returned and inquired early after God When God awakened their consciences by terrible jugements Oh! how early do they inquire after their Messias what chearful Reception do they seem to give unto him Ay but this was but a terrified affrightned wil they did but flatter him with good words their heart was not right as it follows ver 36 37. A forced wil is but a false lying wil it is no real Wil but Nil When there is nothing on the Wil but more compulsive terrors it never gives a fiducial reception to Christ Til the wil be in faith it 's never saving Convictions of sin seconded by legal Terrors may compel some to believe but if there follow not a Spirit of Adoption and libertie that faith proves only legal and temporary We find a good character of evangelic faith in Zacheus's reception of Christ Luke 19. 6. And he made haste and came down and received him joyfully His wil was in his faith he received Christ and would not for a world but receive him He believed and would not but believe His heart was in the work it was his joy and delight to entertain Christ not only in his house but in his heart also But is it thus with al that pretend to receive Christ Are there not many who receive Christ under dolors and rackings of conscience who yet have no liking to him yea who would gladly shift themselves of him were their troubles of conscience once wel over Do not the hearts of such secretly draw back from Christ yea entertain an inveterate old grudge against him while they seem willing to draw near to him and make use of him in their extremitie Have not such soon enough of Christ are they not soon weary of him and therefore turne him off again assoon as he hath served their turne Do they not secretly wish that they might be saved by their own doings rather than by believing in Christ It s true they in a sort receive Christ but how is it Is it not as a wounded captive receives his enemie with fair words to save his life whiles yet he hates him in his heart and is grieved that he should need his enemies favor Surely this is not to receive Christ gladly For to such it is a burden to be beholding to Christ for Salvation They had rather be saved any other way than by Christ Oh how glad would they be if God would but accept of their own goods works instead of Christs merits whereas a true Believer would to choose be saved by Christs merits rather than by his own he is abundantly satisfied in Christ and the way of Salvation by him his wil doth electively hug and embrace Christ as his best friend Thus Zacheus received Christ joyfully It s true many sincere Believers at first whiles under a Spirit of Bondage have only a terrified affrightned wil yea after they have received a Spirit of Adoption and Christ by saving Faith how much of an unwilling heart do they find mixed with their faith What legal selfish regards have they oft towards Christ Ay but this is the distemper and therefore the burden of their souls They are never better pleased than when their wils are most chearful spiritual and forward in closing with Christ How greatly do they approve of and delight in the way of salvation by Christ What contentement and pleasure do they take in believing How much rather had they have their Grace peace and comfort in Christs keeping than in their own But is it thus with Unbelievers such as receive Christ only with a terrified legal Wil Is it not a burden to them that they should be driven to such streights as that none but Christ can relieve them Is there not a secret displeasure and dislike against Christ even while they are forced by reason of their extremities to make use of him Would they not be glad to be eased of Christ were their consciences eased of their trouble Such is the temper of a terrified wil. And so much for the Unbelievers defective Reception of Christ CHAP. VII Unbelief explicated as to its Defects in Adherence to Recumbence on Satisfaction in Obedience to Application of and Waiting for Christ 3. HAving explicated the Nature of Unbelief from its defective Reception of Christ we now procede to those defects which attend the Consequents of such a Reception And we shal begin with the Wils Adherence to Christ which seems to be an immediate consequent of the foregoing Reception of Christ Adherence is an essential branch of Faith and that which naturally follows upon al reception of Christ So that he who doth not firmely yea inviolably adhere to Christ may be justly said never to have received him aright Faith is defined a firme rooted Dispositon or Habit Moses in his Exhortation to the unbelieving Israelites adviseth them to cleave unto God Deut. 10. 20. The Original in its primarie notion signifies a conjugal adherence such as is between Man and Wife as Genesis 2. 24. and so it denotes here that conjugal adherence which the soul ought to maintain towards Christ as its husband which Paul also expresseth by the similitude of Mariage Ephes 5. 25 32. and 1 Cor. 6. 17. by cleaving to the Lord. This conjugal adherence of the Believer to Christ is wel illustrated by Ruths cleaving to her Mother Ruth 1. 14 16. The like Job 41. 17. They are joined one to another they stick together that they cannot be sundred Such ought to be the
legal ceremonies here stiled beggerly elements as ver 10 No The Galatians were never before under those Judaic ceremonies only they are said to turne again unto them because they affected a similitude or ressemblance to the Jews herein Oh! how fain would they Symbolise or agree with the Jews and so mingle something of the Law with Christ So it follows whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye desire or ye greedily covet ye greatly wish and long to be under the Law oh how much do you desire what strong wishes have you to join the Law with Christ the like ver 21. Tel me ye that desire to be under the the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e ye who are so hungry and greedy after the law This was the temper of many Judaising Galatians they would fain compound the Law with Christ they could not rest satisfied in Christ alone as the mater of their justification but must needs join the law with him which Paul tels them Gal. 5. 2 3. Was to make Christ of none effect For he that rests not in Christ alone as the mater of his justification trusts not at al in him So also in point of happinesse he that doth not acquiesce in Christ alone as the object of his rest and satisfaction doth not really believe in him whence saith Christ Luke 14. 26. If any come to me and hate not his father c. i. e if he be not satisfied in me as the fountain of his life he hath no share in me For to hate here is to love lesse Christ doth not injoin his Disciples simply absolutely to hate Parents c. No that were sin But he means comparitively i. e whoever doth not love Parents Wife c. lesse than me cannot be my Disciple So ver 33. Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not al that he hath he cannot be my Disciple What doth Christ mean by this Doth he expect that when we turne Christians we bid Adieu to al outward comforts No surely This command of Christ doth not so much respect the Act as the Affection we are not commanded to cast away al but to love Christ above al. 6. Again Vnbelief is ful of murmurs Disobedience and Reluctance against the soverain Wil of God Faith is the most obsequious obedient and dutiful Grace Oh! how ful of Resignation and Submission is the believing Wil so far as it is believing When Christ enters into any soul he expects that every proud imagination every high thought stoop unto him That the whole soul bow before him and adore his soverain wil and pleasure Thus Job 1. 20. Then Job arose This notes his speed courage and resolution in complying with the divine Wil. And rent his mantle and shaved his head these were Symbols or tokens of great sorrow and humiliation under the hand of God Faith doth not destroy natural affections but it regulates and spiritualiseth them When the hand of God is on us our hand should be on our hearts in order to a deep sense and humiliation under Gods visitation Then it follows and fel down upon the ground and worshipped The Hebrew words do both signifie a bowing to the ground Because in their worship they usually fel to the ground or bowed their head knee or whole bodie therefore the same word among the Hebrews signifies both to â—ow and to worship What then doth Jobs falling to the ground and worshipping import 1. A sense of Gods hand in this visitation 2. An Adoration of or bowing before the Divine wil as most righteous 3. A satisfaction in the present issues of the divine Wil. In short it implies a melting or dissolving of his Wil into the Divine wil as most holy and best Hence v. 21. it s said That in al this Job sinned not nor charged God foolishly i. e Jobs faith brought his wil to correspond with the Divine wil. O! What a sweet harmonie was here But this unbelief cannot endure Oh! what risings of heart are there against the Truths Grace Wil Waies and Crosse of Christ How doth unbelief strugle and fret against the supreme pleasure of Christ Hence the same word in the Greek signifies both Unbelief and Disobedience as John 3. 36. He that believeth not the Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies also He that is not obedient to the Son Al faith carries something of obedience in it or a subjection of the mind and wil to the Word and Grace of Christ whence Unbelievers are stiled Ephes 2. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children of disobedience or unpersuasible untractable children such as cannot bring their hearts to bow and stoop to divine Truths Grace and Commands And indeed much of the nature of Infidelitie is lively exprest by this notion of Disobedience Thus the Israelites unbelief is set forth to us Act. 7. 39. To whom our fathers would not obey but thrust him from them and in their hearts turned back again to Egypt How did they disobey Christ and thrust him from them Was it not chiefly by their murmurs and Unbelief So in like manner we find unbelief set forth by fretting against God which is an high degree of Disobedience Psal 37. 1. Fret not thy self because of evil doers Fret not thy self or be not angrie chide not Unbelief is very prone to be angrie yea to chide God because of the prosperitie of wicked men whereto is opposed vers 3. Trust in the Lord c. This trusting in God is opposite to that fretful spirit v. 1. The like Antithesis or opposition we find ver 7. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently fret not thy self because of him that prospereth in his way Rest in the Lord Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be silent unto the Lord Don't let one murmur or impatient word drop out of thy mouth but wait patiently or expect with much silence and patience relief from the Lord beware how thou doest fret and repine against his Soverain pleasure So that a fretful murmuring spirit is quite opposite to that silence and obedience which faith implies What is faith but a free and chearful resignation of al concernes to God with a complete subjection to his Soverain Wil Grace and Spirit for the accomplishment of al Faith subjugates and captivates our wisdome to divine Wisdome our consciences to the divine Law our whole heart and life to the divine Wil either preceptive or providential A Believer as such lives no longer than he lives in the divine Wil and Grace and no thing is so fit a subject for such a Divine life as a broken heart and what so effectually breaks the heart as faith in Christ Oh! what meeknesse is there in faith How silent is it How flexible to the Divine Wil Certainly the lower the wil lies in subjection and submission to God the higher faith riseth The highest faith is that which lies lowest in
masque of an hypocritic Profession yet we cannot delude Christ He sees that the first principle of such feigned profession is but some commun Illumination or languid Affection He knows who they are that crie him up in profession and yet despise or crie him down in heart and prevalent Affection He considers that such mens forced subjection to him procedes only from legal principles and therefore wil ere long degenerate into secret if not open Rebellion against him He sees such mens light is a burden to them their faith lies level with the Interest of self their starcht holinesse is but an artificial Pharisaic sanctitie or at best but some light touches or superficial Impresses of the Spirit of Grace In brief Christ has as Isai 11. 3. a quick sent to distinguish betwixt commun illuminations and the saving light of life between legal Humiliation and evangelic Repentance betwixt painted watered holinesse and sincere Grace and therefore many Almost-Christians who passe for Sheep in their own and the worlds eyes are but altogether Swine in Christs eye Hence we may learne Vse 1 That awakened sinners may procede very far in the owning of Christ and yet be disowned by him They may as these poor souls here embrace him with much seeming joy submit to him as their King with much pretended chearfulnes crie Hosanna i. e. save now with much seeming Faith and Dependence on him as their Savior and yet al this while Christ not own them as his loyal Subjects This also teacheth us Vse 2 That there is a vast difference between mans jugement and Christs Alas how many are justified by us as also in their own consciences and yet condemned by Christ As on the contrarie how many are condemned by the World and peradventure by their own Consciences as Hypocrites who yet are justified by Christ This further instructs us Vse 3 That a christians main worke is to approve himself to Christ It maters not who condemnes if Christ justifies who curseth if he blesseth who kils if he makes alive who troubles if he speak peace As Christ doth curse the Blessings so also he doth blesse the Curses of the wicked when unjustly pronounced against the Godly Wherefore Christians should mind more how they may approve themselves to Christ than what may commend them to the world This also admonisheth us Vse 4 mostly to intend and look wel to Heart-work For 't is the sinceritie of the heart only that commends us unto Christ Externe formes and Apparences of pietie commend us to the Church but unlesse there be an inward Power and Realitie of Grace in the Heart al our visible formes do but render us more slie cunning Hypocrites and so more loathsome abominable in the eye of Christ Lastly this discovers to us the desperate curse and plague that abides on self-deluding sinners Vse 5 Such as extol Christ in profession but yet continue enemies to him in Affection such as go forth with their Palme-branches of seeming joy to welcome Christ and yet secretly in their hearts crucifie him such as sing Hosanna's to him as their crowned King and yet reserve the Bent of their hearts as a throne for some base lust Certainly such Almost-Christians are no better than Almost-Devils the whitenesse of their fair but false pretences of honor to Christ doth but aggravate the blacknes of of their sin in rejecting of him the masque of their profession serves but to concele a rotten heart Their seeming Godlines serves but more effectually to oppose that which is such in truth CHAP. III. Previous and general Observations from the Text. WE now procede to the bodie of our Text and therein the first thing that occurs is the circumstance of place wherein our blessed Lord made this his doleful Lamentation over Jerusalem contained in that expression And when he was come near Whence observe That the approche of any afflictive or miserable object draws forth grief pitie from a christian gracious spirit What is grief but the emotion or rolling of the bowels at the presence of some grievous object and the nearer the object is to us either by Natural Civil or Religious bonds the greater wil our grief be at the approche thereof Jerusalem was allied to Christ by the most intimate and essential bonds both of Nature and Religion he was borne of a Jewish Womb educated in the Jewish Land the crowned King of Jerusalem which was a federate Citie allied to him by al manner of Civil and Religious obligations and therefore approaching near it his bowels melt and turne within him to think that this Citie so near and dear unto him should not understand or embrace the things that appertain to her peace but on the contrarie be at this very very time meditating and contriving his death and her own ruine But this wil come under further consideration in what follows We passe on to the Act of Christ which ushered in and opened the dore to this his sad Lamentation He beheld Hence observe 1. That the Lord of Glorie did so far condescend to sinners as to clothe himself with human Nature and Organs thereby the more feelingly to commiserate and pitie them And oh What an infinite Ocean of condescendent grace is here What unparalled Dimensions of eternal Love and Mercie are there in the bowels of this tenderhearted Redemer What Was he indeed content to assume a mans heart to bleed over sinners a mans tongue to plead with and persuade sinners to be happie a mans eyes to water his exhortations with tears yea a mans soul and bodie to die for sinners O! what wonders of superlative love and condescendent pitie are here Who would ever question the affectionate regard of such a compassionate Redemer How comes it to passe that the blessed Lord should borrow human eyes to behold and pitie sinners and yet they want an eye of faith to behold their Savior O! what monstrous ingratitude is this that the King of Sion should stand gazing on sinners ' til his heart dissolve into tears and yet they stand amusing themselves with Idols of clay and never mind the gracious Regards of their Lord Fie fie on such blind Idol-lovers 2. From this Act He beheld we may further observe That Christs eye affects his heart his sight moves his compassions There are no sterile jejune or barren speculations in Christs eye but al his contemplations are warme and heart-melting they break forth into Affection and end in Operation Christs eye is not dul or sleepy but vigilant and watchful He watcheth over sinners when they sleep over him He beholds them with an eye of pitie and compassion when they behold him with an eye of bloud and revenge He casts a wist eye of sympathie and lamentation towards Jerusalem whiles she is looking and considering how she may pul out his eyes and heart O! what a compassionate eye is this Hence follows the object of Christs contemplation and that is THE
yet the more fully to anatomise the Bowels of Unbelief as to Maters of Grace offered in the Covenant we shal a little though but cursorily touch on those offers of Grace which the Covenant makes with their Proprieties 1. The offers of Grace made in the Gospel or Covenant of Grace are very Real and Cordial There is never a line no nor a word of the Gospel but it carries Christs heart wrapt up in it Every promisse is a love-letter sent by Christ to assure the sinner how affectionate his heart is set towards him There is not an expression that drops from the mouth of Christ but is ful of bleeding Affection Every promisse gives the sinner a good Law right to Grace provided that he accept of it when offered If Christ be real in any thing he is so in the offers of Grace to sinners But now Unbelief looks on al these offers of Grace as mere Romances Fables or fine-spun stories This was the case of the unbelieving Jews as Paul assures us Rom. 10. 15. How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Oh! what good News is here who would not chearfully assent to such glad tidings of peace Is there any so sotish as to refuse such good things Yes addes Paul v. 16. But they have not al obeyed the Gospel For Esaias saith Lord who hath believed our report As if he had said True we preach the great truths of Gospel-peace unto sinners but alas how few have obeyed or assented to the truth of the Gospel Do not the most of men look on these things as too good news to be true Where is the man that really assents to the Realitie of these Glad-tidings May we not then justly crie out with Esaias Who hath believed our Report Thus Unbelief cals in question the Realitie of Evangelic offers of Grace 2. The offers of Grace in the Gospel are very Gratuitous and Free and this draws on Faith freely to close therewith For faith being a federal Instrument influenced and acted by the Covenant the more it apprehends the freedome of the Covenant the more freely it wil embrace the same Now the Covenant instructs Faith fully in this point It teacheth us that the Grace of the Covenant expects no foundation in us no Condignitie no Congruitie no moral Capacitie or Condition in us but what itself intends to confer The Covenant informes us that Free-grace is moved by nothing without it self that it gives because it wil give or because it hath given That the poorer we are the more willing he is to inrich us the nakeder we are the more ready Christ is to clothe us Yea the Covenant assures us that Christ intends much good for them who intend no good to him nor yet to themselves yea to such as intend evil to him and to their own souls even for such rebellious souls he intends gifts and Grace as Psal 68. 18. Thou hast received gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwel among them Now this freedome of the Covenant and the Grace of God offered therein gives a mighty foundation and encouragement to build upon For the great obstacle and bar to Faith is this that we are not fit for Christ This is one of Unbeliefs greatest pleas against closing with the good things of the Covenant What may poor I presume to believe I who am so unworthy I who have so long spurned at Christ and al the things that belong to my peace I who have so oft broken with Christ plaid fast and loose with him What may I presume that Christ wil have any regard to me poor sinful backsliding rebellious me Oh! how can this be What a presumtion would it be in me to cast an eye towards Christ and the good things that belong unto my peace Thus Unbelief opposeth or at least demurs at the freedome of the Covenant and its Grace 3. Another proprietie of the Covenant is the Vniversalitie of its gracious offers Though the Covenant of Grace be as to its interne Spirit Mind and Dispensation particular definite and absolute yet as to its externe offers and Dispensation it runs in conditional indefinite and universal termes inviting al that wil to come in It sets no bars or rails about the throne of Grace but gives free Admission to al that wil come for mercie Rev. 22. 17. The Covenant excludes none but such as exclude themselves by Unbelief and why should sinners exclude themselves before God excludes them But alas this is the il-humor of Unbelief because it cannot see the sinners Name in particular written on the Covenant therefore it questions al the grounds of Faith Oh! saith the unbelieving sinner here are rich offers indeed but alas I what am I the better for al this May such a wretch as I come to Christ to be embraced in his sacred armes What I who am in such a nastie pickle so polluted with sin Oh! I may not I cannot believe that such an hainous sinner as I shal find Christs armes open to receive me Thus Unbelief questionsthe Vniversalitie of Christs offer and puts a bar to its own mercies whereas the Gospel puts none but saies John 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come to me and drink and Rev. 22. 17. Whoever wil c. There lies no Restriction or bar on the Covenants part al the Restriction and bar is in mens wils Wilful Unbelief is the only bar 4. Unbelief sets limits to the Plenitude and Richesse of Grace held forth in the Covenant We find the Richesse of Grace in the Covenant expressed under the Symbol of a sumtuous feast Mat. 22. 4. Tel them which are bidden Behold I have prepared my dinner my oxen and my fatlings are killed and althings are ready come unto the mariage Here we see what a bountiful Lord sinners have to deal with how much his infinite Grace excedes al our sins Now what reception is given to such a magnificent rich Treat That follows v. 5. But they made light of it and went their way one to his farme and another to his merchandise c. Oh! what moâ—strous unbelief and ingratitude is here O! what infinite Treasures of Grace are there wrapt up in the Covenant How much do those Treasures of mercie and goodnesse loged in the heart of Christ excede al the treasures of sin loged in the hearts of poor sinful we Is Christ such a liberal Savior for sinners And shal they be ashamed or afraid to beg at the dore of such a liberal Savior Was not this the very end why God gave the Law That Sin might appear exceding sinful to the intent that Grace might appear exceding gracious Ro. 7. 13 So Ro. 5. 20â— Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound As if he had said This is the very 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-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 suchâ— 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 viatiâ—s 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. and seek not what ye shal eat or what ye shal drink neither be
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 jugemenâ— 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 o 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 touching 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 oh what a poor shift is this Tel me mayest thou not be in Hel before this hereafter come or Wil not thine unwilling heart be more fortified against Christ by delays canst thou ever hope to be better or more humble but by believing