and chearful it puts the best interpretation upon whatever is spoken and if there be but an half-promisse or a word hinted that may be for encouragement the lover is apt 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 found 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
doth it distract deaden and harden the heart in al duties How lean poor and barren in Grace and gracious fruits are many Believers by reason of their prevalent Unbelief Doth it not also take off the Beautie Lustre and Sweetnesse of Mercies received or 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 fetters 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
that Christ God-man was capable of weeping is evident by the like passion elsewhere as at his friend Lazarus's grave John 11. 35. and on the crosse or in the garden as Hebr. 5. 7. But yet the raritie of this or any other passionate emotion in Christ argues some stupendous and strange ground or occasion thereof Certainly nothing ordinary came from Christ his commun words and actions were not ordinary much lesse may we conceive his tears which so rarely dropt from him to be of an ordinary tincture and origine No they were the Tears of God and therefore must have much of Divinitie in them both as to their Rise Mater End Occasion c. They were wise judicious Tears not foolish as ours usually are They were spontaneous and free not forced and strained as ours oft are They were not sullen and pettish tears as ours but meek the tears of the Lamb of God They were not selfish and private tears but generous and public for National sin and miserie These Tears were spiritual not carnal regular not inordinate they had not so much of passion as of compassion and commiseration in them Our tender-hearted Lord seems to forget his own Passion which was near whiles his bowels rolled with Compassions towards an impenitent ingrateful Citie They are the tears of an affectionate Physician bleeding over the wounds of his self-murdering Patient of a gracious generous Prince bewailing the wilful Rebellion of his dying Subjects In short these Tears are very Amorous precious and efficacious inviting weary and heavy-laden sinners to accept of rest forewarning the obstinate and impenitent of their danger instructing the ignorant and weak in their dutie of believing on him encouraging the scrupulous and douting soul to come unto him and finally interceding for such as belonged to the Election of Grace though at present enemies to him Such were the noble Qualities and Divine efficaces of these sacred tears as it wil appear by what follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over it or for it or by reason of it which connotes or hints to us the Aggravation or Weight of the impulsive cause what it was that excited or drew forth this sacred passion namely Jerusalems present sin and coming miserie As for her sin it lay chiefly in this Our blessed Lord being ordained and commissionated by God the Father to gather in the lost sheep of the house of Israel nothing was more deeply fixed in his heart than the execution of this his commission and office Now drawing near to Jerusalem and having a view of it in his eye it could not but melt and break his heart to consider that she who was the sacred Seat of the Covenant wherein the Divine Majestie had so long resided with many significant Symbols and tokens of his presence I say that she should reject her Lord and Husband after so many importunate wooings invitations and offers made of the things that did belong unto her peace As for her approching Miserie that also was mater of sad lamentation and that in many regards 1. That henceforward al the great things of her peace should be as a sealed book hid from her eyes 2. That she who was the Beautie and Glorie of al Nations should within a few years lie buried in her own ruines 3. That which is the worst of al al her plagues and jugements were sealed and subscribed by Divine wrath and Vengeance Oh! this was sad indeed that al her Woes must stand sealed with the Mediators black curse No wonder then that her crowned King and Mediator who was a borne Jew and Minister of the Covenant doth here by virtue of his place and office and also by reason of his near Alliance to Jerusalem deplore and lament over her sinful forlorne state Thus much for the explication of the Lamentation it self Before we procede to the mater of Christs Lamentation mentioned in the following words we shal make some brief Reflexions on Observations from and Useful Improvements of the words explicated CHAP. II. The most solemne profession without sinceritie wil not satisfie Christ FRom the contexture of this v. 41. with the precedent discourse by comparing Christ's posture towards them with their posture towards him we may Observe That the most solemne profession of Honor and Subjection unto Christ wil not satisfie him without real Affection and Performance These awakened convinced Jews welcome Christ with the highest profession of Joy and the most solemne Rites due to him as their Messias v. 37 38. where it is said The whole multitude of the Disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for al the mightie works that they had seen saying blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord peace in Heaven and glorie in the highest If we compare this acclamation with the same mentioned John 12. 12 13. We shal find many considerable circumstances which confirme our observation For 1 it is said John 12. 12 13. that the Multitude of Disciples which sung Hosannas to Christ came from Jerusalem to meet him which argues they were but a mixt multitude who being struck with a sense of his mightie workes could not but recognise him as their crowned King and Savior albeit many of them as 't is most likely within a few days crie with as loud a voice Crucifie crucisie him 2 It s said John 12. 13. that these awakened Jews took branches of palme-trees in their hands which was a Symbol of their joy as Luke 19. 37. Oh! how much were they overjoyed to see their long waited for Messias Thence it follows 3 and they cried Hosanna i. e. Save now as Psal 118. 25. blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord. This last clause is taken from Ps 118. 26. and is apparently a solemne Rite or Ceremonie used for the inaugurating of their promissed Messias Thus we see what solemne acclamations of joy Titles of Honor and profession of subjection they give to Christ as their Messias But doth al this satisfie Christ Doth he fully acquiesce in these visible Apparances of their professed obedience to him No surely notwithstanding al their seeming joy in him yet he weeps over the most of them with the rest of their brethren as those in whom he fulwel saw by the omniscient eye of his Divinitie there was not any one dram of saving faith or love towards him Hence it is apparent that Pretentons of Honor Love and Friendship to Christ satisfie not him without real Intentions of the same Verbal Profession and superficial transient Affection signifie nothing in Christs account without a deliberate resolute complete ponderous deep and inviolable Bent of wil towards him Christs omniscient eye pierceth thorow our very Natures and is more intimate to us than the most intimate part of our selves and therefore albeit we may delude others yea our selves also with the vizard and masque of an hypocritic Profession yet we cannot delude Christ He sees
us Are not al the Promisses appendant to this Temple May we imagine that the holy and faithful God wil quit the place of his Residence and glorious rest May we not then groundedly assure our selves that our faithful Lord wil conserve and maintain his own Temple and People that worship him therein Thus they trusted in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord c. Some refer the last word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These to the works of the Jews relating to the externe worship of God and so they render the Temple in the Genitive Case These are the works of the Temple of Jehovah As if they had said What doest thou reprehend O Prophet in our works or Why doest thou cal in question the most constant promisses of God We are so greatly confirmed concerning al these things which thou allegest against us as of nothing more For are not these our works of Jehovah's Temple commanded by his Law As for the Promisses are they not appendant to this Temple And thence are they not as firme and constant towards us as the Temple is firme This Temple is Gods resting place for ever Psal 132. 14. Wherefore we are most confident that the faithful God wil for his own Temple sake conserve our Countrie and we his worshipers Which ever way we take the words it comes much to one and clearly discovers to us the fond presumtions and foolish self-flatteries of this people grounded on their commun Church-privileges And therefore this holy Prophet puts this their groundlesse presumtion as a main ingredient into his Lamentations over the Ruines of Jerusalem So Lament 2. 14. Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee and they have not discovered thine iniquitie to turne away thy captivitie but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment Jerusalem's false prophets soothed her up in groundlesse presumtions of peace and quietude which proved the cause of her captivitie That which we read causes of Banishment is in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expulsions or banishments i. e they have proposed to thee such glavering Doctrines and presumtuous persuasions of good times as have been the cause of thy ruine and banishment where the effect being put for the efficient cause or action it gives us the true rise of their Captivitie namely those fond presumtions and false persuasions of peace which their false prophets had infused into their hearts This the Prophet sadly laments And was it not thus also in our blessed Lords days Is not this one chief ingredient of his Lamentation over Jerusalem that she did not know in that her day the things which did belong unto her peace What doth that import Surely in part thus much she flattered herself into a fools paradise of being Abrahams seed and thence under the Messias's Wing and this her self-flatterie was the greatest obstacle and bar to her closing with him the true Savior and alone foundation of her peace Thus much also our Lord declares John 8. 39 44. where he endeavors to beat them out of their fond presumtion and groundlesse persuasion of being Abrahams seed whereas indeed they were as he tels them v. 44. Children of the Devil and near to ruine And certainly this is mater of sad lamentation to see persons or churches lift up to Heaven in their own presumtuous conceits and yet dropping down to Hel in realitie such violent presumtions if not cured by medicinal Grace bring inevitable ruine to the most flourishing Churches So Rev. 3. 17 18. Because thou saiest I am rich c. 3. Another Church-sin which was a great moral cause of Jerusalems ruine is spiritual Pride This indeed is a proper Church-sin arising out of Church-privileges or other spiritual excellences vouchsafed by Christ Thus it was with Jerusalem in the days of old which God promiseth to cure Zeph. 3. 11. I wil take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride and thou shalt no more be haughtie because of my holy mountain It seems there were a people who did much pride themselves and grew very haughtie by reason of the holy Mountain which was a visible Symbol or token of Gods presence ay but God promiseth in evangelic days to cure this tumor and Tympanie As it is with single persons so with whole Churches there are some sins of infirmitie which God connives at and wil passe over upon a general Repentance but this sin of spiritual pride is of such a deep tincture malignitie and antipathie against God as that if it be not timely repented of and turned from 't wil prove the Gangrene and bane of the most flourishing Churches There is no sin so opposite to our receiving Grace from Christ as spiritual pride Oh! What a burden is this to Christ that they who are nothing have nothing can do nothing of themselves should be proud of what they have received from him As they who are most abased in themselves are most exalted by God and nearest to him so they who most exalt themselves are most abased by and estranged from God Luke 18. 14. For every one that exalteth himself shal be abased and he that humbleth himself shal be exalted Pride it is the cancer of parts the moth of privileges the rust of comforts the poison of duties the sting of crosses the reproche of Professors None so much favored and enriched with grace and comfort by Christ as humble souls and Churches but he resisteth the proud Jam. 4. 6. and Psal 138. 6. God knoweth the proud afar off i. e God knows him as an enemie and loves not to come near him God has an old grudge against spiritual pride as one of his most ancient inveterate enemies borne in Heaven in the bosome of Angels and therefore resists it most Wel therefore might our Lord weep over this sin as a cause of Jerusalems ruine 4. Another Sin which morally hastened Jerusalems ruine was her carnal Securitie This seems evidently comprised in Christs following Bil of Indictment v. 42. If thou hadst known i. e considered Our gracious Lord makes loud and solemne Proclamations of peace but Jerusalem was fast asleep Again he threatens vengeance and wrath but she has no ears to hear At last flames of divine wrath break forth upon her but al this while she awakes not ' til scorched and burned to ashes So that the great sin Christ bewails is her securitie Ah! what a cursed sin is securitie This desperate securitie of Jerusalem our Lord also foretels Luke 17. 26 30. And as it was in the days of Noah so shal it be also in the days of the son of man they did eat drink c. Here Christ foretels what wretched securitie should seize on carnal professors at the coming of the Son of man whereby we may understand not only his final coming to jugement but also his coming to judge Jerusalem which was but a
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 inviolable adherence of the soul to Christ So Act. 11. 23. Barnabas exhorts them with ful purpose of heart to cleave unto the Lord. Faith is a mighty adhesive and tenacious Grace it adheres to Christ as the Needle to the Loadstone yea it follows hard after Christ though he may seem to run from the soul yea to turne against it as an enemie Thus Psal 63. 8. My soul followeth hard after thee Christ had deserted him but he could not desert or leave Christ his soul cleaves fast to Christ albeit Christ seems to shake off his soul for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and so it is rendred by some My soul adheres to thee Such is the temper of Faith But now Unbelief is alwaies drawing back from Christ Though it may under a storme shelter it self under Christs wing and give him some forced reception yet it soon has enough of Christ and therefore cares not how soon it be rid of him when its turne is served This backsliding temper of Unbelief is wel expressed Hebr. 3. 12. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God An unbelieving heart is a backsliding heart Unbelief is one of the greatest cowards in the world every shadow of danger makes it draw back from Christ Whereas true faith is ful of Masculine undaunted courage it can follow Christ through a sea of bloud yea it dares not let go its confidence in Christ though he seem to shake the soul over the flames of Hel or drag it through the lake of fire The weakest believer at his greatest straits keeps his Reversion of Christ Though Christs Divine Suavities and spiritual consolations forsake him yet he doth not totally forsake Christ nor yet his dutie He may fal into sin and fal backward unto backsliding yet he dares not lie in his fals His soul is rooted in Christ and the Covenant and therefore never dies The spirit of Christ abides in him and that causeth him to abide in Christ radically and habitually even under the most severe Winter of Tentation So it followes ver 14. For we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred here Confidence signifies in its primary notion a firme basis or foundation a subsistence and substance Faith gives a firme foundation subsistence and stabilitie to the soul so that it keeps stedfast in adhering unto Christ even in the most unstedfast times But now Unbelief has no foundation and therefore no subsistence It is stable in nothing but Instabilitie Oh! how fluctuating staggering unstedfast is the unbelieving heart even in the most stedfast times How apt is it to draw back from Christ on the least apparence of difficultie Unbelievers do as the Philistines 2 Sam. 5. 21. forsake their God when their God forsakes them And this drawing back is so essential and natural to Unbelief as that they are reciprocally used one for the other So Heb. 10. 38. Now the just shal live by faith but if any man draw back i. e believes not in or adheres not to me Thus again ver 39. But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the soul Where drawing back is opposed to believing and so expressive of Unbelief its most natural genius and disposition which is to draw back from Christ Now this drawing back of Unbelief has a double Object 1. God in Christ the supreme end and object of faith and 2. Divine Institutions and Appointments which are the Means in and by which Faith adheres to God in Christ This later seems chiefly though not exclusively intended in this place as it appears by the whole scope of the precedent discourse wherein the Author gives the Hebrews a strict Admonition To beware how they did forsake the assembling of themselves together as the manner of some was to avoid persecution v. 25 c. So that to draw back from the Institutions and Ordinances of Christ is here as it may justly be interpreted a drawing back from Christ And this is grounded on a great Maxime in Nature which teacheth us That he who forsakes the means forsakes the end For he that firmely wils and adheres to an end doth also firmely wil and adhere to the means which have an intimate and essential connexion therewith Yea the more difficult the means we undertake for Christ are the firmer is our adherence to him as our End Whence it is evident that so far as any soul forsakes the Institutions and Ordinances of Christ so far he forsakes Christ Withdrawment from the means of Grace appointed by Christ is a withdrawment from himself and herein much of the spirit of Unbelief discovers itself and its maligne influences This was the great iniquitie of the unbelieving Israelites as we find them characterised Hos 11. 7. And my people are bent to back-sliding from me Their backsliding lay chiefly in forsaking the Institutions and Appointments of God and giving up themselves to Idolatrie and superstitious Worship This also was their sin in the Wildernesse as it appears Psal 78. 37. For their heart was not right with me neither were they stedfast in his Covenant Albeit they had engaged themselves to Christ by a solemne League and Covenant yet what a crooked perverse lying heart was there in them How unstedfast were they in his Covenant how did they play off and on fast and loose to and fro up and down with Christ Such is the nature of Unbelief whereas our blessed Lord instructs us Luke 9. 62. That no man having put his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the Kingdome of God i. e He that doth not persevere in adhering to Christ never truely believed on him A temporary faith is no better than real Unbelief That faith was never real which is not lasting 4. Another branch of Unbelief consists in Diffidence and Distrust as it is opposed to the Recumbence of faith Faith is the most passive Grace it can do or suffer nothing without Christ and therefore its force and strength consists in Recumbence on Christ Faith never knows better days than when it goes most out of it self and rests on Christ Hence we find the Nature of Faith oft described by its Recumbence So Psal 37. 5. Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shal bring it to passe Commit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e Devolve or Rol thy way i. e thine Affairs thy cares from thy self or thine own heart upon thy Lord. So Psal 22. 8. He trusted
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 and tempests of legal fear doth unbelief raise in the soul whereby it is indisposed and hindered from any effectual endeavors and preparations for that day And oh how commun is this piece of Infidelitie Did not our great Lord foretel that it should be the main sin of these last days Luke 18. 8. Yea is it not foretold Mat. 25. 4. That the wise Virgins as wel as the foolish should in these last days be overtaken with spiritual slumber and removing far from them the coming of their Lord But oh what a dead sleep are the foolish Virgins under who mind not at al the coming of Christ And whence comes the Sensualitie and Luxurie of secure sinners but from this great piece of Infidelitie in not waiting for Christs coming as Mat. 24. 36-39 What makes many knowing Professors so formal dead-hearted loitering and lazy in al the great duties and services of Christianitie but their not expecting this great day Fiducial expectation of Christs coming makes Christians active and vigorous in al gracious exercices as we find it exemplified in Paul 2 Cor. 5. 9. Phil. 3. 12 13. Again whence springeth the excesse of unlawful passions and the prevalence of domineering lusts but from unbelief as to Christs second coming Lively apprehensions and expectations of this glorious day are most efficacious to kil lusts and remove tentations as 2 Pet. 3. 10 11. How comes it to passe that men are so carelesse and regardlesse of a good conscience but from want of such lively expectations of Christs coming What made Paul so exact in keeping a good conscience but his faith in eying this great day as Act. 24. 15 16 How little do men mind affect or do any thing as they ought so long as they put far from them the coming of their Lord Doth not the peace comfort grace strength beautie and flourishing of a Christian depend on this piece of faith Doth it not argue a desperate hard unbelieving heart not to regard this day Do not such Professors as neglect this piece of Faith live below their principles and profession So much for the nature of Infidelitie CHAP. VIII Doctrinal Corollaries deduced from the precedent Idea's and Notions of Infidelitie HAving dispatcht the formal Idea or Nature of Vnbelief before we passe on to the remaining Questions it wil be not a little Vseful that we make some Improvements of what hath been laid down both by Corollaries and more practic Vses As for Corollaries various great truths may be deduced from the precedent Explication of Infidelitie As 1. That awakened Sinners may procede very far in Assent and Consent to the things that belong unto their peace and yet remain Infidels or Vnbelievers This Corollarie doth naturally flow from the former description of Unbelief and we need go no further for the exemplification hereof than those unbelieving Jews over whom our Lord here weeps and laments Alas how far did many of these awakened Jews procede in their Assent and Consent to Christ as their long-waited-for Messias Do they not immediately before v. 37 38. solemnely recognise him as their crowned King Oh! what joyous Hosanna's and Psalmes of Praise do they sing unto him as John 12. 13 14 15. which refers hereto And doth not this argue a great conviction in their consciences as also some faint and languid inclination in their wils towards him And yet Lo our blessed Lord weeps over them as those who knew not the things that did belong unto their peace Oh! What a soul-astonishing consideration is this to consider how far many poor awakend sinners have gone in owning Christ and yet at last have been disowned by him How many self-deluding souls assent to Christ in their jugements and yet consent to lust in their hearts If we make some brief reflexion on the forementioned particulars of faith what a strange concurrence shal we find to make good this Corollarie 1. Did not the unbelieving Jews of old as a world of false Professors now assent unto the Scriptures as the Oracles of God wherein al the good things of their peace were loged and yet never arrived unto a real particular fixed evangelic prevalent and vigorous credence thereof How many assent to the things which belong to their peace in notion but yet dissent in heart and practice Do not too many assent to the pleasing and sweet offers of the Gospel but yet dissent from the displeasing and self-crucifying duties thereof Oh! how far have many convinced Sinners gone in Attention to and Reception of the things of their peace What great and amazing Conceptions have they had thereof Yea how much have they approved of things most excellent Yea what strong legal assent have they yielded unto the terrors of the Law Yea have not some been as it were ravisht with joy in their contemplations of approching glories Yea and have not these convictions wrought their hearts to a great mesure of alienation and aversion from sensible goods as also closing with the good things that belong to their peace And yet al this while what strangers have they been to a saving assent to the things that belong to their peace Have they not given a mere natural human Assent to supernatural Divine truths It s true they have received the Word of God but was it not as the word of men as clothed with some human Autoritie or excellence Oh! how many have their consciences awakened by the Word who yet never subject their Consciences to it How many receive the word of Faith and yet mixe not faith with the word they receive Alas what a dismal contemplation is it to consider how far many awakened Professors have gone in a professed and partial assent to the things that belong to their peace and yet al the while really dissented from them 2. May not also convinced sinners procede very far in their Consent to the good things that belong unto their peace and yet remain Infidels Did not many of these unbelieving Jews whom our Lord here weeps over approve of and consent to him as their crowned King and Messias and yet how soon do they spit in his face and bid defiance to him Is it not said John 2. 23 24. that many believed in the name of Jesus whom yet he did not believe or confide in They commit themselves to him but he dares not commit himself to them knowing them to be rotten-hearted Alas how many seem willing to take Christ hereafter provided they may for the present solace themselves some while in their lusts And do not al such demurs delays and Wils for hereafter argue a present Nil or unwillingnesse to embrace Christ as Luke 9. 59 61 Yea are not
be indulgent to others but is he not very severe against himself Is not every one nearer to Christ than he in his own apprehensions Oh! what self-accusations and self-condemnations doth he or ought he to passe on himself every day And are not 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 itself 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 true 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 Load-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 latitude 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 sin 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 very defects and neglects serve for the promoting of some spiritual good
of Eternitie Had we eternitie in our eye and heart how would the view thereof darken the glorie of this lower world Did Believers eye much their home how vigilant active and vigorous would they be in their way thither Life and death are the same thing 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 whole 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
It is indeed very difficult to gain a true solid divine Faith but oh how easie is it to take up with a seeming faith which yet shal look as much like saving faith as may be Oh! how securely doth Infidelitie lurke in many poor souls under the vizard of Faith Doth not commun faith oft look so demurely as that you can very hardly discerne its difference from saving Are not the most of Professors too soon satisfied in their own faith Do not multitudes of awakened sinners lay their consciences asleep or amuse themselves with the apparences of faith Is not every Unbeliever yea Believer also a mysterie to himself How much then are we al concerned to make a narrow scrutinie into our hearts and to examine whether our Faith be of the right kind Oh! What a foolish and dangerous thing is it for any to deceive themselves with false Images and Apparences of Faith Is not the least error here fundamental Alas What a poor felicitie is it to steal silently to hel in a fond persuasion of being Believers when as our faith hath no foundation but in our own sick dreaming Phantasies Of what use wil a Forme of Faith without the Power of it be unlesse to sinke us deeper into Hel To have a Notion of Faith and yet to live under the practice of Unbelief what wil this serve for but to concele and fortifie hypocrisie and al manner of spiritual lusts in the heart Doth not this then further oblige us to examine strictly what we are as to Faith and Infidelitie Again if after al this men wil not examine and use the means to discover their state are not such willingly deceived And if men are willingly deceived in this particular do not they willingly perish And oh What a sting wil this be to torment wilful Unbelievers in Hel that they were so willing and took so much pains to deceive themselves with a mere semblance and shadow of faith but were no way willing and took no pains to examine their hearts thereby to undeceive themselves and lay a foundation for saving Faith Wil not this make the Evangelic Unbelievers Hel seven times hotter than al other Hels that he took so much pains to deceive and ruine his soul but was not willing to take a little pains to undeceive and save his soul Oh! What cruel self-murder is this Doth it not then nearly and greatly concerne us al to make a very curious examen and strict research into our hearts touching our faith whether it be saving or only commun O that Professors would put such Questions as these unto their Consciences and never desist til they have brought the whole to some good issue It s true I have a Notion and Forme of faith but have I indeed the real Power and Virtue of Faith Am I not rather under the Dominion and Prevalence of Infidelitie I assent to some words of God that are agreable but do I not dissent from some other which disagree with and crosse my lusts I do receive the word of faith but have I Faith mixed with the word I receive Mine awakened Conscience attendes to the joyful sound of the Gospel but doth not my lustful heart attend as much to allurements of lust The Peace of the Gospel is pleasing to my wounded Conscience but are not the duties of the Gospel displeasing to my rebellious heart My mind hath some estime for the good things of my peace but has it not as great estime for the good things of this world Have I a right valuation of those things I hope for Mine assent to Evangelic truths and Mysteries seems firme and strong ay but doth it leave suitable impressions on mine heart Is it vigorous affective and active Doth it kil my lust and give life unto my soul Moreover O my soul thou seemest to have a good liking to Jesus the Savior ay but hast thou as good a mind to Christ i. e as anointed by the Father to be King over thy lusts person and goods Art thou brought over to a voluntarie free cordial complete and fixed closure with him as offered in the Gospel Canst thou take a whole Christ with thy whole heart and that for ever Doest thou give Christ that place in the Intention and Bent of thy Wil which belongs to him Hath his Lave and Grace the Soverain dominion over thy Wil And is thy wil bended to a correspondence with his Divine Wil Canst thou be content to be nothing that Christ may be althings to thee Is his Glorie thy last and utmost end And is it thy joy to see althings to suit with his end though they may crosse thine own private ends Wil nothing but Christ content thee Art thou restlesse ' til thou attainest to the enjoyment of him Is this the grand motive of thy seeking after Christ that thy good is laid up in Him and not in thy self And art thou wholly for Christ as he is wholly for thee Doest thou adhere to Him with a plenitude of Wil as the Iron to the Loadstone Canst thou do much for and yet trust in nothing but Christ Art thou obsequious and obedient to the Spirits dictates as to thy supreme Conductor and Director And when thou comest short of honoring Christ by Obedience doest thou honor Him by humble acknowlegement and Dependence Canst thou wait on and adhere to Christ in his Ordinances albeit thou feelest no sensible impartments of comfort peace and quickening These or such like questions which take in the spirit and life of Faith thou shouldest frequently put to thy soul and never desist from urging of them ' til thou hast brought the question to this Conclusion Whether thou art a true Believer or not If thou desirest more expresse rules to examine thy state by then take those mentioned in the foregoing Chapter Corollarie 2. touching the Differences between saving Faith and commun Whereby thou mayest with the concurrence of Divine illumination arrive to a wel-grounded persuasion Whether thy faith be only commun or saving 4. This also affordes mater of exhortation unto al to abjure and abandon Infidelitie as the worst enemie in the world yea worse than Satan or Hel itself Can there be a worse enemie than that which deprives us of our chiefest good And is not this the grand design of Infidelitie Yea doth it not put a bar to al Mercie but open the dore to al Sin and Miserie How sottish and foolish doth it make Sinners What a dul lazy remisse loitering spirit doth it breed in Men Yea how negligent slow-hearted and backward to whatever is good are Believers themselves so far as Unbelief prevails on them Luk. 24. 23 O! how doth it slug mens spirits in whatever good they are about What a clog is it to the soul in al its spiritual Exercices How doth it crampe and dispirit the Affections those feet of the Soul What stubbornesse rebellion and obstinace doth it infuse into the Wil How much
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 the mesure of bitter and sweet of good and evil What more efficacious to draw forth every Grace in its exercice than Faith Unbelief is the spring of spiritual sloath and lazinesse but oh how vigorous and active is Faith There is no Grace or Dutie but it is made easy by Faith How easy is the worke of Humiliation made by Faith What makes divine Love more spriteful and vigorous than Faith Yea is not the whole of Christianitie contained in the bowels of Faith Is there any Grace required to the Divine life which Faith cannot supplie us with Yea Faith is so good a Chymist as that it can extract riches out of povertie strength out of weaknesse glorie out of shame peace out of trouble Grace out of sin life out of death something out of nothing Oh! how miraculous are the virtues of Faith It makes a man able to do althings an yet it makes him see he is nothing and can do nothing It makes a man content with any thing that God gives and yet unsatisfied ' til he can enjoy althings in their fountain Again If we consider Faith in its parallel Antithesis or opposition to Infidelitie we shal then see more fully the excellent qualities of it as also the mischievous Influences of Infidelitie 1. Faith breeds jealousie of our selves but confidence in God it reckons it cannot believe God too much nor self too little But oh What self-confidence jelousie of God doth Infidelitie produce How much doth it trust self and thence how little can it trust in God What mutual Influences and Reciprocations are there between self-confidences and jelousies of God 2 Faith keepeth the heart close to God his Word and Ordinances and so keepeth God close to the heart It follows Christ in ways of Dependence Adherence Subjection Submission and Conformitie and so Christ follows it in ways of gracious Communications Consolations Manifestations and Communion But is it thus with Unbelief Doth it not depart from God his Word and Ways And thence doth not God depart from the Unbeliever 3. Faith prepares for quickens in and sweetens every Dutie It sets Prayer on foot Meditation on the wing and drawes forth the Attention and Intention of the Soul in hearing and reading of the Word But oh How doth Infidelitie hinder deaden and embitter the Soul in al gracious exercices How doth it clip the wings of Meditation stifle and choke the breathings of Prayer c 4. Faith fixeth and establisheth the heart by knitting of it to Christ who is an immutable Rock But oh What a mutable variable inconstant thing is Infidelitie How doth it make the heart to stagger and reel by dividing and taking it off from God Isai 7. 9 5. Faith makes a livelyhood out of Divine Promisses Engagements Relations and Influences It sucks sweetnesse out of Promisses and so is nourished by them It feeds on Divine Relations and Influences and so finds a livelihood in the greatest famine of spiritual injoyments It is long-handed and reacheth to Heaven for supplies when al means below fail But oh how short-handed is Infidelitie It 's true it has a long hand to reach forth to the Creature yea sometimes to Hel but it has no hand to reach after Christ or his Promisse how doth it suffer the poor hungry soul to starve amidst al evangelic Promisses and Dainties Whereas Faith takes the Soul by the hand and leades it from one Promisse to another from one Attribute to another and so suckes gracious Influences from al as it need requires 6. Faith conquers the whole Soul to God and thence althings else are conquered to the Soul It subjects the heart to Christ and so makes althings subject to it But Infidelitie captivates the heart to lust and thence it becomes captivated to every thing else Oh! What a vassal is the unbeliever to every base lust Yea to himself 7. Faith fortifies the Soul against al the Blandissements Allurements and eye-pleasing Delights of this lower world It blasteth al the fair promisses of created good by out-bidding of them But alas how soon is Unbelief entangled and overcome by every inveiglement and snare of sinful pleasures It can fortifie the heart against nothing but the convictions and good motions of the Spirit Faith is the shield of the new creature to repel al the poisoned darts of the World and Satan but Infidelitie is the shield of the old man to repel al the Convictions of the Spirit darted into the Sinners Conscience 8. Faith prepares the heart for and preserveth it under every difficultie frown and afflictive crosse It prepares for the worst times yet hopes for and expects the best It takes out the sting and poison of every crosse and infuseth into it a medicinal healing virtue But can Infidelitie do such marvels doth it not unfit us for every difficultie and then betray us into the hands of it Faith never leaves us at a losse it clotheth the mind with a divine light whereby it is inabled to see and passe thorough al dangers But oh How doth Unbelief darken the eye of the Soul and so create black visions of carnal fear and heart-rending troubles Difficulties and distresses are the element of Faith but how unable is Infidelitie to live or breath in such a sharpe Air 9. Faith opens the dore to promissed Mercies and Deliverances It keeps the condition of the Promisse and so keeps the soul under the blessing of the Promisse But is this in the power of Infidelitie Doth it not rather put a bar to promissed Mercies as Num. 20. 12. Heb. 3. 19 Yea doth it not open a dore to al the threats and curses of the Law Yea doth it not bind the Unbeliever fast under a sentence of condemnation as John 3.36 Whereas Faith on the contrary stops the mouth of al legal Threats and Curses and locks the soul fast under a state of Salvation John 6. 47. 10. Faith improves Mercies received and so makes way for more It giveth God the honor of his Mercies and man a sanctified and comfortable use of them But can Infidelitie thus improve Mercies Doth it not rather by its murmurs and misimprovments destroy former Mercies and so hinder future Was not this the temper of the unbelieving Jews in the Wildernesse as we find it described Psal 78. 11 40 Oh! how doth Unbelief rob God of al the Glorie and so man of al the comfort and right use of Mercies received How unthankeful how discontented is the Unbeliever under Mercies received and thence unfit to receive more Whereas the Believer is content under the want of Mercies and thence fit to receive them He can trust God with his soul and al other Mercies and thence God