tu quae singulari privilegio in toto orbe praecellis si tu inquam quae eâ—eleste es in terris sacrarium cognosceres Calv. Doct. 7â— Doct. 8. Doct. 9. Doct. 10. Doct. 11. Doct. 12. Doct. 13. Doct. 14. Doct. 15. Doct. 16. Doct. 17. Doct. 18. Doct. The Nature of Unbelief What the things that belong to our peacâ— are The first part of Vnbelief in respect of its object is Not to assent to the Word of God Joh. 5. 39. Disbeliefe of the Gospel or Covenant of Grace The Covenant of Grace contains 1. Maters of Grace Unbelief questions the Realitie of the offers of Grace Rom. 10. 10 16. Unbelief questions the freedom of the Covenaâ—t Unbelief strikes at the Universalitie of the Covenants offers Unbelief limits the Riches of Grace Rom. 5. 20. Unbelief questions the certainty of the Covenant 2 Sam. 23. 5. Unbelief as to Providence Mat. 6 30 31 32. f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebraeis etiam vocantur hi qui cùm in praesens habeant sat is futuri in ertitudinecruciantur Grot. Luke 12. 22 29. A istotle Pliny Aelian Unbelief as to future Glorie Heb. 11. 1. The formal Object of Unbelief 1 Thess 2. 13. The several gradations of Dissent from the sacred Notions of our peace 1. Rejection of Divine truths 2. Not to attend to sacred Notions 3. Not to yield an explicite assent to Divine Truths 4. Not to give a supernatural Assent Luk. 24. 45 5. Not to give a deep Assent 6. Not to yield a real Assent Rom. 2. 17 18 19 20. k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oâ—cum 7. Not to give a spiritual Assent 1 Cor. 2. 14. 8. A general confused Assent Joh. 5. 39. Metaphor A canum sagacitate sumta c. Strigel 9. To suspend our Assent Rom. 4. 19. ver 20. ver 21. Joh. 10. 24 l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic est quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 12. 29 Suspensum tenere Grot. Luk. 12. 29 m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graecis non cum modò declarat qui positus est in sublimi sed etiam cum cujus animus veluâ— inaâ—re suspensus modò huc modò illuc inclinat Beza 10. An iâ—evident obscure Assent n Veritates fidei sunt evidenter credibiles Aquin. 2 Pet. 1. 9. 11. A legal Assent Heb. 4. 2. 12. Forced Assent Act. 2. 41. Act. 17. 11 Psal 119. 16. 13. Not to retain the things of our peace n Jo. 5. 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Johanni est infigi Grot. Psal 119. 11. Luk. 11. 28 14. Low estime Joh. 7. 28. 15. A barren Assent Jam. 2. 26. Psal 119. 11. 1. The simple Objects of Unbelief Unbelief refuseth 1. God 1. His Being 2. His Attributes Wisdome Faithfulnes Soveraintie Mercie Justice Omnipotence 3. Providence Ordinances 2. Unbelief rejects Christ 3. Unbelief refuseth Heaven The Acts of Unbelief 1. Rejection of Christ This Rejection of Christ Implies 1. Open opposition Dislikes of Christ Mat. 11. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat propriè tigillum in instrumentis quibus capiuntur Lupi aut Vulpes aut Muâ—es Hesychius expressè inquit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commentarius Aristophanis inquit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt curva ligna in decipulis Strigel in Rom. 11. 9. Heart cavils against offers of Grace Luk. 20. 5. 4. Not approving the reports of Christ Luk. 7. 29. o. v. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recâ—è vertitur rejicere id enim optimè opponitur verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est approbare Iaudare Groâ— 5. Delays as to a thorow closure with Christ Luk. 9. 59. The Wils defective Reception of Christ The Defects of Unbelief as to its object in receiving 1. A false Christ 1. A compound Christ Christ compounded wiâ—h the world Mat. 19. 20 21 22. Supâ— dum tristis Est enim composita dictio ex Adverbio intendendi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod semper per Paroxytonum est Et significat admodum excellenter valde nimis Schmidius in Mat. 26. 38. Christ compounded with lust Christ compounded with spiritual Idols 2. A divided Christ Joh. 1. 11. p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e. ut Dominum Grot. q Lori impatiens The Dâ—â—cts of Unbelief as to the respects under which Christ is received 1. As 〈◊〉 Motives 2. As to the Grandeur of Christ 3. When Christ is not recâ—â—ved as offered The Defects of Unbelief as to the subject of its Reception 1. A rotten deceitful Heart 2. A languid faint Wil. Jer. 3. 10. A terrified forced Wil. Psa 68. 34. Luk. 19. 6. 3. The Wils Defects as to adherence unto Christ r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 10. 20. Psal 63. 8. Heb. 3. 12. Heb. 3. 14. Heb. 10. 38 39. Hos 7. 11. Psal 78. 37 4. Diffidence and Disâ—rest Psal 37. 5. Cant. 8. 5. Luk 11. 41. 5. Dissatisfaction Phil. 3 3. Gal. 4. 9. t Vocula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non â—â—m eandem sed similem voâ—picit Idem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glass Gram. Sacr. u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e qui ultro perindè appetitis velle aliquando pro cupidè optare Glass Gâ—am Sacr. Luk. 14. 26 33. x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est minus amare Grot. 6. The Disobedience of Unbelief Job 1. 20. Joh. 3. 36. w Qui inobsequiens est filio Grot. Psal 37. 1. ver 7. 7. Nonapplication of the Grace of Christ 8. Putting far off Christs second coming Ephes 1. 13 14. Corollaries Corol. 1. Almost-believers may procede far and yet continue Infidels 1 As to Assent 2. As to Consent Coroâ—â— The 〈…〉 twiâ—t saving faith and commâ—â— 1. As to knowlege 2. As to selfdenial 3. As to a legal and evangelic spirit 4. As to turning the Bent of the Wil to Christ 5. As to purifying from sin 6. As to transformation into the image of Christ and conformation to his life and Laws 7. As to the use of means 8. As to the foundation 9. As to end and rule 10. As to Gods faithfulnes Corol. 3. No middle twixt faith and unbelief Corol. 4. 4. Saving faith rare but commun faith cheap Corol. 5. Believers have much of Unbelief in them Corol. 6. Infidelitie the greatest sin Corol. 7. God justified in his severe procedure against Vnbelievers Vse 1. Of Advice to studie the Nature and Influence of Infidelitie Studie the Causes of Infidelitie 1 Spiritual darknesse 2. Carnal Reason 3. Carnal Securitie 4. Self-love 5. Spiritual Pride 6. Short-spiritednes Lastly Beloved lusts Vse 2. Of lamentation and humiliation for the prevalence of Infidelitie Vse 3. Of examination whether thy faith be saving or only commun Heart examens by way of Solilâ—quie Vse 4. Of Exhortation to deal with Infidelitie as our worst enemie Vse 5. To pursue after Faith as the most excellent powerful Grace Faiths efficace 〈…〉 2. The elevation of reason 3. The fortifying of the Wil and Affections 4. Union with Christ 5. Sanctification 6. Adherence to Christ 7. Peace and Communion with God in Christ 8. The exercise of Grace 8. Al Spiritual goods The opposition betwixt faith and Unbelief
their own sins For he that mournes for his own sins as he ought mourns chiefly for the dishonor that comes to God thereby Now if this be the principal Motive of our mourning for sin then we shal mourn for the dishonor that comes to God by other mens sins as wel as by our own But the bottome-reason why some Professors mourne for their own sins and not for other mens sins is self-love they think their own sins wil draw jugements on themselves and therefore they mourne for them thereby to avert Gods wrath from themselves Whereas true godly sorrow is chiefly afflicted for the offence given to God It is grieved not so much because self as because Christ is grieved Certainly a soul truely humbled for his own sins wil also be humbled for and mourn over National sins and jugements How much then are we concerned to imitate our great Lord in this his Lamentation Do not his tears accuse and condemne our impenitent secure and hard hearts He weeps for other mens sins but alas how little do we weep for our own May not Christs tears fil us with soul-confusion and shame to consider how much we are strangers to such Christian Lamentations over sinful and ruinous England Has not this been the practice of Saints in al ages to lament over the Sins and Ruines of their Church or State Was not this the temper of Lots spirit Is it not said He was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked 2 Pet. 2. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oppressed as with a burden or dispirited and weakned as with a tedious sicknes as the word imports so v. 8. Vexed his righteous soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he cruciated or tormented his soul as upon a rack such was his grief and anguish for their sins And was not this likewise the gracious posture of Davids spirit Psal 119. 53 136 158 Oh! what Lamentations did the good Prophets of old make over Jerusalems first captivitie and her sin which was the cause thereof Again has not God made many gracious promisses to such as mourne over the sins of the places they live in as Ezech. 9. 4 It s true peradventure they may not be exemted from commun calamities ay but doth not God sanctifie and sweeten al unto them But to speak a little of the Qualification of our Lamentation We are to imitate as much as may be the Qualities or manner of Christs weeping Were Christs tears Rational Spiritual and voluntarie Such should ours also be Was Christs Lamentation generous and public did he seem to forget his own private sufferings whiles he bewailed Jerusalem's Oh! how ambitious should we be of the like pure sorrow Were his tears Pathetic and Sympathetic Did every tear flow from a broken bleeding heart How much then should we affect such Tears Again were his tears so efficacious so influential What a shame is it then for us that our Lamentations are so barren and fruitlesse Alas how far short do our Lamentations come of Christs Do not we grieve more for the evils we our selves suffer than for the sin we or others commit Sense of pain or losse afflicts us but how little are we afflicted with the sense of guilt and sin We mourn over the Ruines of a burnt Citie or impoverished Nation but how little do we mourn over our sin and the wrath of a sin-revenging God which were the causes of those Ruines Lastly Christs Lamentation doth administer to us a serious Caution against al those sins which may draw down jugements on a Citie State or Church Is not this the great end and designe of al Divine Lamentations to obviate and prevent the like Sins and Ruines Was not this one main end why Christ here breaks forth into so sad a passion of weeping over Jerusalem thereby to lay in a Caveat for us that we run not into the like Sins and Ruines O then let us keep our spirits and lives at the greatest distance that may be from these or suchlike church-Church-sins which bring with them such stupendous inevitable Church-ruines Reformation is the supreme end of al sacred Lamentation and albeit National jugements may surprise us as wel as others yet if we can keep our selves from National and Church sins which are the causes of such jugements they wil in the issue prove no jugements but perfumed mercies to us What ever burdens lie on our backs if sin lie not on our spirits they wil be very tolerable easy burdens to us BOOK II. A. General Consideration of the Text Luke 19. 42. With a particular Resolution of that first Question What it is not to know the things that belong unto our peace Or Wherein the Nature of Unbelief consists CHAP. I. The Explication of Luke 19. 42. HAving given some general account of Christs Lamentation both as to its Mater and Forme we now procede to a more exact consideration of the chief particulars thereof contained in v. 42. Saying if thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes These words carrie in them an extreme Pathos or moving Affection every word is Pathetic and Emphatic Christs heart seems so ful of bleeding pitie as if he wanted words to give it vent every expression is so broken as though his heart were quite broken to pieces Yea doth he not seem to drop a tear between every word to speak and weep to drop a word and then a tear So ful of Affection and Commiseration is every expression as it wil appear by each particular Saying Christ doth not only weep but speaks he mingles words very emphatic with tears which addes much efficace and weight to his Lamentation If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some understand the the first Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aitiologic or Causal and so they suppose it to discover to us the cause of Christs weeping But others upon more grounded reasons make the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be redundant and expletive according to the Greek Indiome and Luke's wounted Pleonasme wherein it usually stands as a note of Asseveration and so serves for a Mimesis For they are wont to premit it before a sentence which being spoken by some one is recited whence it is no more than an Enarrative and Expletive Particle Neither doth the Syriac version impede this construction for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is not Causal but a note of Exclamation As for that next Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred If it is variously explicated Some conceive there is no defect in this discourse of Christ and thence they expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an Optative sense by Vtinam Would to God thou hadst known So they make it to be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because 1. This is not improper or unusual in the Greek 2. The Syriac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illu is also Optative
these his self-jelousies and self-jugements a great spring of his faith in Christ 1 Cor. 11. 31 3. The commun faith of Vnbelievers ariseth from a legal Spirit of Bondage but the saving faith of Believers from an evangelic Spirit of Adoption And oh what a vast difference is there between commun faith and saving in this regard A legal faith arising from a spirit of Bondage may worke dreadful terrors but never solid peace of conscience It brings men under a legal Covenant but cannot keep men stedfast therein Psal 78. 8 10 37 57. It workes in men legal preparations for Christ but it cannot worke a thorow conversion to him It divorceth the heart in part from sin but marries it to the Law not to Christ It plows up the fallow ground but cannot sow the seed of Grace It makes a deep wound in Conscience but cannot heal it It may drive men into despair but it cannot of it self drive to Christ It may restrain from sin and constrain to dutie but it gives no strength for or love to dutie It may kil but it cannot make alive It may rend but it cannot melt the heart It may make sin bitter but it cannot make Christ sweet It may be an Advocate for the Law but not for Christ Such is the commun faith of Unbelievers But now the evangelic faith of Believers arising from a Spirit of Adoption doth not only kil but also make alive in the bloud of Christ It doth not only divorce the heart from sin self and the Law but also espouseth it to Christ It improves al legal preparations in order to an evangelic closure with Christ It workes godly sorrow for sin not only that it may be pardoned but because it is pardoned It is not only compelled to dutie by legal motives but also allured thereto by evangelic persuasives It doth much for Christ and yet rests on nothing but Christ It workes not only evangelic Actions but also evangelic Principles and Dispositions It urgeth the Law much but on Evangelic grounds and designes It destroies not Moralitie but perfects it It frees men not from dutie but in and for dutie Such are the different postures of a legal and evangelic Faith 4. Saving faith turnes the main Bent of the Wil towards Christ and al other good things that belong unto its peace but commun faith affords Christ and al those good things only some imperfect desires The â—rue Believer makes a free and complete Acceptation of Christ and Resignation of al unto him He takes the whole of Christ and gives Christ the whole of his heart He goes to Christ with a plenitude or fulnesse of wil and receives from Christ a plenitude of Grace John 1. 16. He is so amorous of the good things that belong unto his peace that he can part with althings for them yea his wil is carried with a violent propension towards them as the Iron to the Lâ—ad-stone But is it thus with the Unbeliever Doth he not ever adde something to Christ or take something from Christ Alas what is his commun faith but a mere faint velleitie a languid imperfect desire after the good things that belong unto his peace How unable is he to go to Christ with a plenitude of wil How little is he allured or ravished with the incomparable Beauties of Christ perhaps he has some good liking to the good things of his peace but oh what a violent lust has he after other things He may have some evanid or dying wishes after the divine life but oh what a peremtorie obstinate wil has he towards present goods Every smal tentation makes him let go Christ but oh how tenacious how strong is his holdfast of the creature An Unbeliever is the greatest Monstre in the world he hath two hearts an heart for God and an heart for the world Psal 12. 2. and yet when any difficulty approcheth he hath no heart at al Such a coward is he so far from true faith A true believer the more difficult his worke tentations are the stronger is his Adherence to Christ and al the good things of his peace yea though Christ may seem willing to part with al Interest in him yea to turne against him as an enemie yet oh how unwilling is he to part with his interest in Christ or to do any thing unworthy of that friendship he professeth to Christ But is it thus with the commun faith of the Unbeliever Alas on what easy termes can he part with al claim to Christ How unsteadfast is he in al his covenants with Christ How little can he resigne up himself wholly to Christ or receive whole Christ as offered in the Gospel In times of soul-troubles he seems willing to elect Christ but in times of competition between Christ and lust how soon doth he prefer lust before Christ What are al his good wishes towards the things of his peace but broken half-desires Doth he not at the same time when he layes hold on Christ secretly also catch at the world or some beloved lust How unable is he to wil and nil the same things to be constant to his own election of Christ and reprobation of sin Though he sometimes looked towards Christ yet how little doth he follow that look What a latitudâ— and libertie doth he leave for idols in his heart and thence how little room for Christ So little is his wil fortified and armed with Resolution in adherence unto Christ 5. The true Believers saving faith is a purifier from sin Act. 15. 9. But the Vnbelievers commun faith is a Protector and Promotor of Sin And oh what a vast distance is here betwixt saving and commun faith How impossible is it that the unbelievers heart which is the spouse of sin should be married to Christ Wil Christs jelousie which is so severe admit any Corrival or equal lover into his conjugal bed the heart Must not his royal love have a throne al alone in the heart Is it not then impossible that sin in its dominion should dwel in the same heart with Christ Yet lo is not this the grand designe of the unbelievers commun faith to reconcile Christ and sin two opposite Lords How oft doth commun faith go to Christ for life that so the sinner may live more securely in siâ— The Believers very fals into sin are as managed by faith a sanctified means to purge out sin But oh the Unbelievers partial departure from sin and closure with Christ is as improved by his commun faith and lust made a blind and engine for the protection concelement and improvement of sin Saving Faith makes the Believers verâ—â—efects and neglects serve for the promoting of some spiritual good 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 sâ—s 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 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
99. 1. Vnbelief as to the Scriptures in general 100. 2. Vnbelief as to the Gospel 104. 1. As to maters of Grace 105. 1. The Realitie of Evangelic offers 106. 2. The freedome of the Covenant 107. 3. The Vniversalitie of its offers 108. 4. The Riches of Grace in the Covenant 109. 5. The Immutabilitie of the Covenant 111. 2. Vnbelief as to maters of Providence 112-115 3. Vnbelief as to future Glorie ibid. The formal object of Vnbelief 117. Chap. 4. Vnbelief as opposed to the Assent of Faith 119. 1. Rejection of Divine Truths 120. 2. Non-Attention to sacred Notions ibid. 3. Implicite Assent is Vnbelief 121. 4. When Assent is not supernatural 123. 5. When Assent is only superficial 125. 6. When Assent is not real 126. 7. When Assent is not Spiritual 128. 8. A general confused Assent 129. 9. A suspense douting Assent 130-133 10. An inevident obscure Assent 133. 11. A legal Assent 134. 12. A forced Assent 135. 13. A fluctuating Assent 138. 14. An undervaluing Assent 140. 15. A barren Assent 141. Chap. 5. The real Objects of Infidelitie 142. Infidelitie strikes at 1. God himself 143. 2. His Divine Attributes Soveraintie c. 144. 3. Divine Providences 4. Ordinances ib. Vnbelief rejects Christ 145. Vnbelief rejects Heaven 146. The Acts of Vnbelief 1. Rejection of Chirst 147. 1. By open opposition of him 148. 2. By Dislikes of him 149. 3. By heart-Cavils against him 150. 4. By not approving the reports of Christ 151. 5. By Delays as to a closure with him 153. Chap. 6. The Wils defective reception of Christ 156. 1. As to the Object 1. in receiving a false Christ 158. 1. A compound Christ Ibid. 2. A Divided Christ 160. 2. The true Christ under false respects 163. 1. In regard of Motives Ibid. 2. In regard of Christs Grandeur 164. 3. When Christ is not received as offered 165. 2. The Defects of the subject 1. When the Wil is rotten 166. 2. When the Wil is languid and faint 167. 3. When the Wil is only terrified 169. Ch. 7. 3. Vnbelief as opposed to Adherence 174. 4. Diffidence and Distrust Pag. 178. 5. Dissatisfaction of heart 182. 6. The Disobedience of Vnbelief 185. 7. Non-application of Christs Grace 189. 8. Putting far off Christs coming 190. Chap. 8. Doctrinal Corollaries Cor. 1. Almost-Believers may procede very far and yet remain Infidels 195. 1. How far as to Assent 196. 2. How far as to Consent 197. Cor. 2. There is a boundlesse difference betwixt Saving Faith and Commun As to 199. 1. Knowlege 200. 2. Self-denial 201. 3. A legal and evangelic spirit 202. 4. The Bent of the wil towards Christ 204. 5. Purifying the heart from Sin 206. 6. Transformation of the heart into the Image of Christ 207. 7. The use of means 208. 8. The Foundation 209. 9. The End and Rule Ibid. 10. Gods Faithfulnesse ibid. Cor. 3. No middle 'twixt Faith Vnbelief ib. Cor. 4. Saving Faith most rare but Commun faith most cheap 211. Cor. 5. Believers have much Unbeief 214. Cor. 6. Unbelief is the greatest Sin 217. Cor. 7. This justifies God in his greatest severitie against Unbelievers 221. Chap. 9. Practic Vses Vse 1. Studie the Mysterie of Infidelitie 224. Studie the Causes of Infidelitie 227. 1. Spiritual darknesse 2. Carnal reason 228. 3. Carnal Securitie 4. Self-love ibid. 5. Spiritual Pride 6. Short-spiritednesse 229. 7. Beloved lusts Ibid. Use 2. Of Lamentation and Humiliation for the prevalence of Infidelitie 230. Motives to humble our selves for Vnbelief 232. Use 3. Of Examination whether our Faith be saving or only commun also how far we fal under Infidelitie 233. Heart-examens by way of Soliloquie 236. Use 4. Of Exhortation to deal with Infidelite as our worst enemie 238. Use 5. Pursue after Faith as the most excellent and useful Grace 245. The excellent effects of Faith 246. The opposite Qualities of Faith and Vnbelief 249 Scriptures Explicated Chap. Ver. Page Genesis 4. 7. 19. Deuteronomie 10. 20. 174. 32. 34 45. 38. 2 Samuel 23. 5. 111. 2 Chronicles 28. 22. 37. Job 1. 20. 185. Psalmes 37. 1 7. 187. 37. 5. 179. 63. 8. 175. 78. 34. 171. 78. 37. 178. 119. 11. 139. 119. 16. 138. Esaias 2. 10. 32. 30. 13. 22. 〈◊〉 25. 30. Chap. Ver. Page Jeremie 3. 10. 169. 7. 4. 25. 8. 14 15. 32. 31. 32. 61. Lamentations 1. 9. 30. 1. 15. 41. 2. 1. 42. 2. 14. 26. 4. 16. 42. Hosea 4. 16. 161. 11. 7. 178. Matthew 6. 30 31 32. 113. 11. 6. 149. 19. 20 21 22. 159. Luke 7. 29 30. 152. 11. 41. 182. 12. 22-29 114. 12. 29. 132 14. 26 33. 185. Luke 19. 6. 171. 19. 41. 3 c. 19. 42. 76 c. 19. 44. 44. 20. 5. 151. 24. 45. 124. John 1. 11. 61 161. 3. 36. 286. 5. 38. 139. 5. 39. 129. 7. 28. 141. 10. 24. 132. 12. 12 13. 10. Acts. 2. 41. 135. 17. 11. 137. Romans 2. 17-20 126. 4. 19 20 21. 131. 5. 20. 110. 10. 15 16. 106. 1 Corinthians 2. 14. 128. Galatians 4. 9 21. 184. Ephesians 1. 13 14. 191. Philippians 3. 3. 183. 1 Thessalonians 2. 13. 117. Hebrews 3. 12 14. 175 176. 4. 2. 135. 11. 1. 116. 12. 38 39. 177. James 2. 26. 142. 2 Peter 1. 9. 130. ERRATA PAge 11. l. 5. read pretensions P. 12. running title r. without P. 23. l. 2. for ying r. lying P. 37. l. 28. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 62. l. ◠after his own put a Colon. P. 78. l. 7. r. particle P. 85. l. 21. for thenc r. thence P. 111. l. 21. r. whereon P. 144. l. 18. after under adde the. P. 178. l. 18. for me r. him P. 179. l. 11. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 191. l. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 16. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 192. l. 2. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 193. l. 1. for has leaning read hastening The Anatomie of Infidelitie BOOK I. A general account of Christ's Lamentation over Jerusalem Luke 19. 41. And when he was come near he beheld the citie and wept over it CHAP. I. An Explication of the Text Luke 19. 41. AS Israels Temporal Benedictions were Symbolic Images or Types of Spiritual blessings promissed to the believing seed of Abraham so her Temporal Jugements were also Symbols or Typi◠Shadows of Spiritual Jugements threatned to and inflicted on Evangelic Unbelievers And to confirme this 't is worth our observation that most if not al of those expressions in Scripture whereby the place of eternal punishment is represented relate and allude to some places or stories remarquable for Gods exemplary vengeance executed on sinners under the old Testament Yea the last Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus here foretold and lamented by our Lord is by a learned Author stiled a Map af Hel. The Contemplation whereof is that which inclines me to pitch on this Scripture as the seat of our ensuing Discourse touching the Nature Aggravations and Punishment of Vnbelief And I
into captivitie before the enemie Oh! here lies the sting of al Israels sufferings that the multitude of her transgressions drew them on her This was that which most deeply wounded and pierced the heart of this holy man So v. 8. Jerusalem hath grievously sinned therefore she is removed as an unclean loathsome thing al that honored her dâ—spise her because they have seen her nakednes i. e her lewdnes and abominations yea she sigheth and turneth backward v. 9. Her filthines is in her skirts c. The like v. 14. 18. and Chap. 2. 14. Thus our blessed Lord here in his Lamentation the first thing he has in his eye and that which did most deeply pierce and wound his heart was Jerusalems sin He saw her to be a cage of al unclean birds a sink of al manner of abominations which would unavoidably involve her in ruine this makes his heart to bleed and his eyes to gush forth with salt tears over her And this is the genuine Character of a true Christian heart to mourne more for the Evil of doing than for the evil of suffering and for the latter only as the fruit and effect of the former A Cain or Judas can lament and groan under the strokes of the rod but a Peter or a Christian mournes under the offense that procured those strokes without dout an hard-hearted Jew could not but lament to see Jerusalem sacked and the Temple in flames about his ears ay but 't was the Christian only that mourned kindly for the sins of Jerusalem which were the fuel of those prodigious flames of Divine wrath To lament over the Ruines of a renowned Citie or Church is facile because natural to an ingenuous affectionate spirit but to bleed over and bewail those sins which were the cause of those Ruines none can in any mesure of evangelic sinceritie performe but Christ and such as are animated and influenced by his Spirit But we procede to particulars to explicate what those church-Church-Sins are which exposed Jerusalem and so by a paritie of reason wil expose any other professing Citie or People to Church-ruines and therefore ought to be mater of Lamentation CHAP. V. A particular enumeration of Jerusalems Sins which were the moral causes of her Ruine and so a chief mater of our Lords Lamentation 1. THe first great Church-sin which our blessed Lord here laments as the moral cause of Jerusalem's Church-ruine is her Vnbelief or Rejection of the things that did belong unto her peace This indeed is a prodigious Church-wasting Sin that which ever cost Israel very dear even from her infant-state Israel had signal tokens of Christs conduct care and providence in the Wildernes yet what passions of discontent what disingenuous murmurs what fits of Unbelief doth she ever and anon on the least approche of danger fal into How doth her spirit sink and despond under the least difficultie This is evident from Num. 13. 30 33. and 14. 1 14 c. For which al that generation save Caleb and Jesua who were of another spirit perished in the Wildernes Thus also before their Babylonian Captivitie the great Sin the Israelites were guiltie of and that which opened the dore to al their following Miserie was their Vnbelief or contemt of Gods word So Isa 30. 8. Now go write it before them in a Table and note it in a Book that it may be for the time to come for lver and ever v. 9. That this is a Rebellious people ying Children that wil not hear the Law of the Lord. Now wherein lay this their Rebellion Why chiefly in their Unbelief or despising of Gods word as v. 12. Because ye despise this word and trust in oppression c. Here lies their main sin and what follows v. 13. Therefore this iniquitie shal be as a breach ready to fal swelling out in an high wal whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant i. e. exceding exceding suddenly for these two Synonymous Adverbs joined together are very emphatic and argue that this their ruine should be extreme sudden as also great Great Unbelief brings great and swift ruine to the most glorious Churches if Repentance follow not When Christ comes with Offers and Acts of Grace towards his Church then for her to despise his word turne her back on al his gracious offers Yea trample on them this exposeth the most flourishing Churches to sudden and inevitable Destruction This God threatens Israel withal in her first Churh-constitution Lev. 26. 14 15 16 c. this also we find threatned and executed on her in her last Church-destruction Mat. 23. 37 38. This therefore is the first and as we may phrase it the original sin of Jerusalem which our blessed Lord here bewails as the womb of al her miserie Oh! what a world of miserie hath Unbelief brought on many flourishing Churches When a professing people reject the Gospel of Christ is it not just with Christ to reject them What a Hel of plagues both spiritual and temporal doth a despised Gospel bring on Professors how oft doth Christ cut off his own covenant-people from promissed and expected mercies for their unbelief what sore jugements doth unbelief expose men unto Whence sprang that deluge of confusion and Barbarisme which drowned the Easterne Churches but from their contemt of the Gospel Yea had not the floud of Antichristianisme which has so long overwhelmed these Westerne Churches its rise from this envenimed spring of Unbelief this is evident from 2 Thes 2. 10. Because they received not the love of the truth c. And 't was a prophetic persuasion of a great divine That God would shortly take away peace from the whole World for despising the peace of the Gospel This Conclusion we no way dout but to make good That al the great plagues and jugements of God upon the professing World or Churches have been for the contemt of his Word by unbelief For albeit other sins have had their share yet this of Unbelief has been the main spring of al Church-ruines But this wil be the subject of our following discourse 2. Another prodigious Church-wasting sin which Jerusalem was notoriously guilty of is groundlesse Presumtions and self-flatterie Self-flatterie wherever it is predominant brings self-ruine A mere forme of godlines without the power is a grosse delusion which carries millions of souls to destruction in a golden dream A fond presumtion of being a true Church or member of Christ is the greatest delusion This was ever the great sin of Jerusalem in her declining state and that which exposed her to great ruines calamities Thus before the Babylonian Captivitie Jer. 7. 4. Trust ye not in lying words saying the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these As if Jerusalem had said Alas why doest thou threaten us with Captivitie and ruine Have we not the Temple of God amongst us And are we not upon this account his federate people
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
to one that daily expects the coming of his Lord But oh How apt are Believers themselves to put far from them that great day Were not the the wise Virgins overtaken with fits of slumber aswel as the foolish Again how little can the most of Believers acquiesce and rest satisfied in Christ as the alone spring and mater of their life Do they not sometimes conceit that there is some grace or other good to be found out of Christ And are they not hereby oft inveigled to wander from Christ Ought not the heart to be where the treasure is And is not the Believers treasure in Christ How then comes it to passe that he is so little satisfied in Christ but for want of faith in him Moreover how short-spirited and impatient are many Believers What confined and narrow hearts have they under the crosse Do not the length and weight of their burdens oft make them extreme short-spirited as Exod. 6. 9. for shortnesse of Spirit So Num. 21. 4. its said They were short-spirited because of the way i. e the length of their sufferings shortned their spirits they could not in patience possesse their souls and many of them were true Believers for the main Oh! how soon do such short-spirited Believers despond and sink under their burdens What faintings under duties are they obnoxious unto How straitned are their spirits as to present or expected mercies What murmurs and discontents have they against the Yoke and Crosse of Christ Yea how dissolute soft and feeble are they in resistance of Tentations How timorous and faint-hearted at the approche of difficulties Whence procede Believers black and dismal Imaginations under Desertions but from their Unbelief Is is not hence also that they are so humorous and il-minded towards Christ so apt to raise black lies and slanders of him Do not their unbelieving hearts change Christ into another Christ by covering his face with a masque of hatred and displeasure Oh! How much are the sinews of many poor believing souls shrunk how much are their spirits cramped and dispirited by Unbelief specially in cases of soul-trouble or tentation So great is the prevalence of Unbelief in many sound Believers 6. Hence we may further collect That Vnbelief is a sin of the first Magnitude a great mysterie of Iniquitie the greatest Monster that ever was This naturally flows from the former Idea and explication of Unbelief For if the character and nature of Unbelief be so comprehensive if it seize so much on the vitals of the soul then certainly it must needs have a very maligne and venimous influence on al sin yea it must contain in it the malignitie and poison of al sin Oh! What a prodigious Sin is Unbelief What Abysses and depths of iniquitie are there in the bowels of it We have seen how it infuseth itself into the wholeâ— soul and dispirits al the faculties thereof Oh! what darknesses and mists doth it infuse into the mind How foolish and sottish doth it make sinners What grand mistakes and prejudices doth it breed touching al the good things of our peace How stupid and senselesse doth it make conscience What a world of securitie and false peace doth it produce What made the old world so secure before the Deluge came and swept them al away but their Unbelief How comes it to passe that both wise and foolish Virgins slumber before the coming of the Bridegroom but from their Unbelief What makes sinners so stout-hearted and opposite to the righteousnesse of Christ but their Infidelitie Isai 46. 12 How comes it to passe that Sinners are so inflexible as to al Chrsts gracious offers but flexible towards sin and its allurements What is it that fortifies the heart so much in its adherence to Idols and false objects of trust What makes mens wils so rebellions against Christ yea destroyeth obedience in the principal root thereof Are not al these the fruits of Unbelief Oh! What a lazy slothful remisse and softnatured thing is Unbelief as to al that is good And yet how vigorous and active is it in and for the production of al sin Yea is not Unbelief virtually al sin Doth it not breed preserve foment incourage actuate and spirit al sin Whence procede the great errors of mens minds hearts and lives but from Infidelitie How comes it to passe that sinners are so hasty in snatching at present goods but so slow-hearted and backward in closing with the good things of their peace Surely it is from Unbelief Whence spring mens confusions and distractions of heart in times of trouble but from their Unbelief Whence also springs al that formalitie and deadnesse in duties but from Unbelief Is not this also the cause of mens hypocrisie both in heart and life Oh! what a world of irregular and exorbitant passions doth Unbelief worke in mens hearts What makes the sensual world so tenacious in adhering to sensible good but their Unbelief as to good things hoped for May not then every sin deservedly cal Unbelief father Is not this sin of Infidelitie to be found at the end of every sin Whence spring the main exorbitances and distempers of mens hearts and lives but from Infidelitie Men discourse variously what was the first sin by which Adam fel but have we not much reason to believe that Unbelief was Adams first sin which opened the dore to al sin and miserie For had not Adam disbelieved the Word of God which threatned him in the day that he did eat of the forbidden fruit he should die he had not believed Satan And as Unbelief at first opened the dore to al sin so doth it not stil hearten and improve al sin Yea is it not the prodigious womb of al sin Yea has it not more of sin than any or al other sins It s true scandalous sins have more of Infamie but has not Infidelitie more of obliquitie and guilt in it Is not that the greatest sin which is against the greatest Laws and Obligations And is not Infidelitie against the greatest Obligations that ever were even a Covenant of Grace which makes such free such ful such rich such suitable such general such importunate such heart-satisfying offers of Grace And can there be a greater law than the Mediators evangelic law which is composed of such sweet alluring precepts and promisses and yet lo how doth Unbelief oppose the royal Law of Christ Oh! what a world of rebellion lies wrapt up in the bowels of Infidelitie How doth it scorne reject yea spurne at bowels of evangelic Love and Grace Yea is it not extremely opposite to al the principles of obedience Is there not also abundance of Idolatrie in Infidelitie Can there be a worse Idol than self idolised And doth not every Unbeliever idolise his own carnal wisdome his proud wil his commun gifts his self-sufficience his legal Righteousnesses and seeming good duties Is not the Unbelievers self-dependence the worst piece of Idolatrie Doth not every Unbeliever by depending on
those to be under the power of Unbelief who were never truly sensible of the power of it Is not Infidelitie as it has been shown the greatest sin and therefore ought to have the greatest sense What is the main and first worke of the Spirit of Bondage but to convince the unbelieving world of their unbelief as John 16. 9 And can men be convinced of it unlesse they studie and observe the nature and workings of it Why is it that the most of men do account Infidelitie so smal a sin but because they never inquired into its black ugly Nature and Aggravations How comes it to passe that many take part with their Unbelief but because they are not sensible what a mischievous pernicious thing it is Alas Did men studie and believe what an hainous sin Infidelitie is how would they abominate and loath it What speed would they make to be rid of it Yea why is it that Believers themselves are so much under the prevalence of Unbelief but because they have not that sense of its indwelling and prevalence which they ought to have Did Believers meditate much of and mourne under the evils of an unbelieving heart surely they would not be so much troubled with it as they are Oh! What a rare thing is it for Believers to have a quick sense of Unbelief What better argument and marque can we have of a sound Believer than a daily sense of and humiliation for Unbelief Yea is it not a good signe of much growth in Faith and other Graces to be inwardly acquainted with and troubled for the remains of Infidelitie dwelling in us Do not the best and most improved Christians usually complain most of this sin Oh! What an invisible slie and subtile sin is Infidelitie How long doth it lie lurking in the soul before it be observed Doth it not like some cunning Politicians animate and encourage every sin yet concele itself in al its actings Doth it not then greatly concerne al both Believers and Unbelievers to studie wel the Nature Causes and maligne Influences of Unbelief Oh! how much of Infidelitie might we find in every sin were we but wel-skilled in the nature and workings of it But alas what Mysteries and Riddles are Unbelievers to themselves How unacquainted are they with the spiritual cunning and subtile turnings and windings of their unbelieving hearts Is it not then the great concerne of al to be greatly intent on the studie of and inquisition into the Nature Operations and Effects of Unbelief But above althings we should much contemplate and inquire into the Causes of Infidelitie Is not he the wisest Philosopher who contemplates and understands best the causes of things And do not men account him the most able Physician who gives the best conjecture at the Causes of a Disease So in like manner may we not repute him among the most understanding Believers who is best skilled in discerning the Causes of Unbelief Surely althings are best known in and by their Causes O then if thou wilt understand the black nature of Infidelitie studie and inquire narrowly into its Causes Inquire into that Soverain venimous black darknesse which dwels in Conscience and makes al the good things of thy peace to disappear Oh! What a Veil doth this thick spiritual darknesse draw on al the excellences of Christ How doth it stain al the Beautie and Glorie of Evangelic offers made to the unbelieving Soul Oh! what an efficacious influence hath the darknesse of Conscience on the darknesse of Infidelitie Studie also how much carnal reason doth promote Infidelitie What more contrary to Faith than carnal reason When men endeavor to mesure the Promisses or Providences the Words or Workes of God by carnal wisdome what black jealousies and suspicions of Gods love care and faithfulnesse procede thence How is the Unbelievers heart filled with black ugly prejudices against Christ and al the offers of his Grace The lesse of carnal reason there is mixed with Faith the more pure it is Again observe how much carnal Securitie doth foment and promote thine unbelief Is not a secure Conscience ever an unbelieving Conscience When men consider not the things that belong to their peace how can they understand or believe them What made the old World so much disbelieve the approching Deluge of Gods wrath but their wretched securitie It s true Unbelief is oft the cause of carnal securitie but is it not also as oft the effect of it Is not the Securitie of the wise and foolish Virgins made a cause of their Infidelitie Matthew 25. 5 Is not faith maintained by an inward tender feeling sense and Unbelief by the want of such a sense Further take notice how much self-love doth feed and nourish thine Unbelief What self-dependence and self-secking it workes in thee How soft-natured and faint-hearted as to Dutie but stout-hearted and resolute against Christ and al his gracious invitations it makes thee Oh! Studie how much self-love fortifies thy heart against al the good things of thy peace but exposeth and layes it open to al the tentations of Sin and Satan Consider also how much Spiritual Pride contributes to thine Infidelitie Oh! how craftie and cunning is the pride of Infidelitie and how much are the Unbelievers bands strengthened hereby Meditate also on thy short-spiritednesse and its venimous influence on thine unbelief How contracted and narrow is the Unbelievers heart And how much is his unbelief promoted hereby A confined short straitned spirit is alwaies pusillanimous feeble and unbelieving as Exod. 6. 9. Lastly Examine if there be not some base darling lust lurking at the bottome of thy wil which secretly feeds and fortifies thine unbelief Oh! what large provision doth any beloved lust make for Infidelitie How much is its Throne maintained by it What stout arguments do darling lusts urge against Christ and al his gracious offers These with some other are the principal causes and most bitter roots of Infidelitie the observation and discoverie of which wil be of great use for the subduing of this sin But the more ful Inquisition into the Causes of Infidelitie wil be the entire Subject of the second part of our Discourse touching Unbelief 2. Another practic Improvement we may make of this Doctrine is by way of sad Lamentation and Humiliation for the prevalence of Infidelitie in the world even among Professors Is the Idea or visage of Unbelief so black and ugly Are its Influences so venimous and contagious How then comes it to passe that this knowing world is enamored and fallen in love with it Could any sober mind imagine that a thing so deformed and pernicious should seem so amiable and desirable in the eyes of men Was it ever known that the Leper was amorous of his Scabs or the Begger in love with his Rags or the Prisoner with his Fetters or the wounded Person with his bleeding Wounds How then comes it to passe that the
expected Oh! how bitter are many sweet Mercies when mixed with Infidelitie Yea doth it not turne al Mercies into Curses to those who are under the complete dominion of it as Rom. 11. 9 And how many choise Mercies are Believers deprived of by reason of their Unbelief Whence spring their groundlesse troubles of Consciences their misjugements and mistakes about their state their heart-faintings sinking discouragements and despondences under Desertion their hard and scandalous thoughts of Christ his Heart and Dispensations towards them but from their Infidelitie Oh! What a sting doth it put into al afflictions How burdensome and irkesome is the Crosse of Christ to the unbelieving heart How sweet and easy is the bitter heavy Crosse so far as Faith prevails But oh What a troublesome vexatious neighbor is Infidelitie How doth it torment the heart and cause it to pine away and consume to nothing even under groundlesse expectations and needlesse fears of trouble May it not become a true Proverb Much Infidelitie and much Sorrow How do afflictions pinch and gal unbelieving spirits How unable are such to see any good in afflictions What need have afflicted persons of Faith Again how soon doth Infidelitie betray us into the hands of every Tentation Faith hath Omnipotence engaged for its assistance but oh what a poor impotent thing is Unbelief How unable is it to to conflict with smal Tentations Satan is oft the father but is not Unbelief the mother of al Tentations What made Adam and Eve yield to Satan's tentation but their Infidelitie Was not this also that which made Judas betray Peter denie and the Jews crucifie the Lord of Glorie It s true when the Tentation is asleep the unrighteous man is righteous the unclean person is chaste the passionate man is meek the invidious man is kind the avaricious man is liberal the unfaithful man is faithful but oh when the tentation is awakened how soon doth Unbelief betray the heart into the hands of these or the like corruptions Thinke not thy self secure from the prevalence of any Tentation so long as thou art under the prevalence of Infidelitie Alas how soon is Tentation fired by Unbelief but oh How is the believing soul that by faith adheres to Christ strongly fortified and armed against the most violent Tentations Moreover how are the main breaches of our lives maintained and improved by Infidelitie What departures from God what turnings aside from or remisnesses in Duties are Unbelievers exposed unto Doth not Unbelief cut the Sinews and Nerves of al evangelic Obedience Doth it not let out the vital spirits heart-bloud of al good Inclination and affections Is not the very root and seminal virtue of good Intentions withered and blasted hereby How much beneath the least evangelic dutie is the unbelieving soul How doth Unbelief poison many good Inclinations Oh! what a venimous maligne thing is Unbelief How doth it infuse a malignitie and poison into al the parts of the Soul Is not the spirit of the mind the most noble part of the soul envelopped or wrapt up in contagious black darknesse by it Are not al the faculties of the soul spoiled of their vigor beautie harmonie order and exercices by Unbelief Oh! What a bloudy hard-hearted soul-murdering sin is it How doth it compel the Sinner to embrew his hands in his own bloud to sheath a sword in his own bowels by a wilful rejection of Evangelic offers How welcontented is it to see the Unbelievers sentence of condemnation subscribed and sealed with the Mediators dreadful curse John 3. 18 What flames of vengeance what treasures of wrath doth Infidelitie treasure up against the day of wrath Rom. 2. 5. 2 Thes 1. 7 8 9 How patient is it whiles Satan claps on the chains and â—etters of spiritual slumber and hardnesse of heart on the Sinners legs How willing is it to see the poor Unbeliever famished and starved amidst the rich and sumtuous feasts of evangelic Grace and Mercie Has not Christ made a plentiful and costly feast for Sinners And is he not extreme free and cordial in his Invitations How then comes it to passe that Sinners come not to it when invited Why is it not Unbelief that keeps them back and that as it were by hairs namely some poor and foolish excuses Mat. 22. 1-6 Oh! how studious and ready is Infidelitie to shift it self of Christ and al the good things of its peace offered to it What silly excuses and pretences doth it make to put off Christ and his evangelic offers What little reason or cause have Unbelievers to object against Christs gracious offers Are not Christs armes open to receive them when they come Yea Doth he not day by day cal upon and importune them to come unto him Prov. 1. 20-25 Did he ever refuse or look strangely on any that came unto him Yea is he not more willing to receive Sinners than they are to come unto him or are the flames of Hel more elegible than the joys of Heaven Is the Vassalage of Satan more desirable than the Libertie of the Sons of God Is there so much Beautie in Sin as to make men desire it before the Beauties of Holinesse Are the Remorses and Stings of the worme of Conscience more agreable and pleasing than peace of Conscience and the smiles of Divine Love If not how comes it to passe that Sinners choose the evil and refuse the good offered to them Oh! is not Infidelitie the cause of al this miserie Is not Christ's hand and heart open towards Sinners but are not their hearts shut against him by Unbelief Is there any thing in Christ or his evangelic offers that keeps men from believing O then What an irrational sottish perverse cruel sin is Unbelief What a world of miserie doth it bring on Sinners How justly doth Christ pronounce a sentence of death against them who wilfully reject his offers and means of life Alas how is it possible that Salvation itself should save such so long as they wilfully spurne at the offers of Salvation Is there any sin that doth more directly oppose Salvation by Christ than Unbelief Christ comes by his Evangelic offers of Grace to draw the Unbelievers heart unto him but oh how doth he draw back Yea how doth his unbelief oppose Christ as He comes clothed with Grace Love and Pitie And can Unbelievers expect that Christ should passe by such affronts and indignities without severe punishments Doth any thing more provoke Christ than to have his bowels and compassions towards Sinners spurned at Cannot he put up any injuries better than this Is not Unbelief the most cruel and bloudie enemie in the world in that it takes away not only the active power of doing good 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 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