Aptitude and Facultie to preach glad tidings of Salvation unto Jerusalem Yea the Jews just before this Lamentation Luke 19. 38. recognise him as Mediator and supreme Minister of the Covenant This toucheth him to the quick to consider that he who was their alone Mediator and had with so much Fidelitie and Affection preached the everlasting Gospel to Jerusalem yea was by some of them solemnely avouched to be their Crowned King should yet be rejected by them together with al the great things that did belong to their peace Christ tels us that it was his meat and drink to performe his office as Mediator namely to gather in the lost sheep of Israel Therefore when he considers their contumacious obstinacie and rejection of him Oh! how doth this wound his heart What a doleful contemplation was this unto him Thus as he was Jerusalems supreme Minister he doth by virtue of his office deplore its wilful impenitence and approching Ruine Alas what an heart-bleeding consideration is it to a faithful Gospel-Minister after al his indefatigable and unwearied labors with his stock to see them persist in open defiance against God to the ruine of their souls And may we imagine that our tender-hearted Lord who was Jerusalem's chief Bishop or Minister and had preached so long with so much affection to her should not be deeply afflicted at the consideration of her wilful unbelief and ensuing miserie Surely the consideration of this his Office and Relation added much weight to his Lamentation Would it not grieve a tender-hearted Physician to see his Patient to spil his Physic which alone can cure him and so run into desperate courses which wil unavoidably bring death to him Just so it was here Christ was the good Samaritan Jerusalem's most affectionate Physician and therefore it could not but prick him to the heart to see her wilfully rejecting al the good things that belonged to her peace and health to run her self into inevitable ruine 5. Christs natural Relation to Jerusalem as he was a borne Jew and so her elder brother added many ingredients to this his sad Lamentation Our blessed Lord was borne of a Judaic Mother he had a Judaic heart loged within him Judaic bloud running in his veins Judaic bowels and compassions and therefore no wonder that he weeps over his impenitent brethren who were on the brink of ruine But so much may suffice for the Motives which induced our Lord thus to weep over Jerusalem CHAP. IX Doctrinal Corollaries and practic uses drawn from this Christ's Lamentation over Jerusalem HAving gone thorow the explication of the Proposition we come now to the Improvement thereof and that first by Doctrinal Inferences 1. Doth Christ weep over the Sins and Ruines of impenitent Jerusalem Hence then Infer That Christs Affections are Relative his sorrow stands in relation to the sinners miserie as also his joy to the sinners good Al Christs Affections whiles on earth were very generous and public he discovered little or nothing of private Interest and Passion Al his Affections Actions and Passions were relative Yea the whole of Christ as Mediator is Relative He espoused human Nature not for himself but for sinners He lived not for himself but for his people He died not for himself but for sinners Thus here he wept not for himself but for Jerusalem 2. This also discovers to us The Heroic and pure strain or temperament of Christs Affections Doth he indeed shed tears over Jerusalem who is now meditating how she may shed his bloud Has he so much pitie and bleeding compassion for her who hath so little pitie and compassion for herselfe Oh! what incomparable generous Affections are here What an unparalled sweet humor is there loged in the heart of this great Emmanuel Who could ever have imagined that human Nature had been capable of such pure and desinteressed Affections had we not so real an experiment thereof in this Soverain Messias 3. Hence likewise we may collect How really and chearfully willing Christ is to save sinners Certainly he that makes such bitter Lamentation over the foreseen Ruines of Jerusalem must needs have a very cordial and unfeigned wil and desire of her salvation This we find expressed to the life Mat. 23. 37. O Jerusalem Jerusalem How oft would I have gathered thy children together even as an hen gathers her chickens under her wings and ye would not What a pathetic expostulation is here which carries in it notices of vehement Affections Oh! how willing is Christ to give unto sinners the things that belong unto their peace Yea is he not more willing to to bestow great things than smal Doth not his willingnesse to give infinitely excede the sinners willingnesse to receive Is not Christ more glad to receive poor and weary souls than they are to come unto him May sinners come too soon to Christ or before they are welcome Has Christ set any bars or rails about his Throne of Grace May not whoever wil come and drink freely and deeply of this living fountain Is not every thing about Christ mighty drawing alluring and inviting How drawing and encouraging is his Gospel What alluring and inviting Arguments are there in his bloud and passion Has not Christ removed al groundlesse cavils and objections which foolish sinners are apt to make against coming to him for life Doth not Jerusalem first break with him before he breaks with her And when that unhappy breach is made doth not his weeping over her sufficiently argue how fain he would be reconciled to her how much 't would please him to see her but cast half an eye towards him how much his heart would leap within him to behold her in the Prodigals posture returning towards him Did Christ ever cease to make tenders of Grace to her ' til she ceased to accept or desire the tenders of his Grace Yea is not Christs forwardnesse to give beyond the Sinners forwardnesse to receive Did Christ ever refuse to give til sinners refused to aske what they wanted Oh! how oft doth Christs kindnesse overcome the Sinners unkindnesse Did he not frequently expresse great love and pitie when he had the greatest cause to expresse severe wrath Oh! what infinite pleasure and satisfaction doth Christ take in his gracious effusions and communications to sinners Doth he not thinke himself sufficiently paid for what Grace he hath given forth if he may but obtain the souls desires after more How industrious is he in seeking sinners when they have lost themselves Oh! what a sad consideration is it that Christ should be so boundlesse and large in his offers and we so narrow in our receivings 4. Christs weeping over Jerusalem instructs us further What a dreadful sin it is to reject Christ and al other concernes of our peace Christs gracious invitations unto long waitings for and at last tears over Jerusalem do greatly aggravate her impenitence and unbelief towards him For the lower Christ condescends
that the first principle of such feigned profession is but some commun Illumination or languid Affection He knows who they are that crie him up in profession and yet despise or crie him down in heart and prevalent Affection He considers that such mens forced subjection to him procedes only from legal principles and therefore wil ere long degenerate into secret if not open Rebellion against him He sees such mens light is a burden to them their faith lies level with the Interest of self their starcht holinesse is but an artificial Pharisaic sanctitie or at best but some light touches or superficial Impresses of the Spirit of Grace In brief Christ has as Isai 11. 3. a quick sent to distinguish betwixt commun illuminations and the saving light of life between legal Humiliation and evangelic Repentance betwixt painted watered holinesse and sincere Grace and therefore many Almost-Christians who passe for Sheep in their own and the worlds eyes are but altogether Swine in Christs eye Hence we may learne That awakened sinners may procede very far in the owning of Christ and yet bedisowned by him They may as these poor souls here embrace him with much seeming joy submit to him as their King with much pretended chearfulnes crie Hosanna i. e. save now with much seeming Faith and Dependence on him as their Savior and yet al this while Christ not own them as his loyal Subjects This also teacheth us That there is a vast difference between mans jugement and Christs Alas how many are justified by us as also in their own consciences and yet condemned by Christ As on the contrarie how many are condemned by the World and peradventure by their own Consciences as Hypocrites who yet are justified by Christ This further instructs us That a christians main worke is to approve himself to Christ It maters not who condemnes if Christ justifies who curseth if he blesseth who kils if he makes alive who troubles if he speak peace As Christ doth curse the Blessings so also he doth blesse the Curses of the wicked when unjustly pronounced against the Godly Wherefore Christians should mind more how they may approve themselves to Christ than what may commend them to the world This also admonisheth us mostly to intend and look wel to Heart-work For 't is the sinceritie of the heart only that commends us unto Christ Externe formes and Apparences of pietie commend us to the Church but unlesse there be an inward Power and Realitie of Grace in the Heart al our visible formes do but render us more slie cunning Hypocrites and so more loathsome abominable in the eye of Christ Lastly this discovers to us the desperate curse and plague that abides on self-deluding sinners Such as extol Christ in profession but yet continue enemies to him in Affection such as go forth with their Palme-branches of seeming joy to welcome Christ and yet secretly in their hearts crucifie him such as sing Hosanna's to him as their crowned King and yet reserve the Bent of their hearts as a throne for some base lust Certainly such Almost-Christians are no better than Almost-Devils the whitenesse of their fair but false pretences of honor to Christ doth but aggravate the blacknes of of their sin in rejecting of him the masque of their profession serves but to concele a rotten heart Their seeming Godlines serves but more effectually to oppose that which is such in truth CHAP. III. Previous and general Observations from the Text. WE now procede to the bodie of our Text and therein the first thing that occurs is the circumstance of place wherein our blessed Lord made this his doleful Lamentation over Jerusalem contained in that expression And when he was come near Whence observe That the approche of any afflictive or miserable object draws forth grief pitie from a christian gracious spirit What is grief but the emotion or rolling of the bowels at the presence of some grievous object and the nearer the object is to us either by Natural Civil or Religious bonds the greater wil our grief be at the approche thereof Jerusalem was allied to Christ by the most intimate and essential bonds both of Nature and Religion he was borne of a Jewish Womb educated in the Jewish Land the crowned King of Jerusalem which was a federate Citie allied to him by al manner of Civil and Religious obligations and therefore approching near it his bowels melt and turne within him to think that this Citie so near and dear unto him should not understand or embrace the things that appertain to her peace but on the contrarie be at this very very time meditating and contriving his death and her own ruine But this wil come under further consideration in what follows We passe on to the Act of Christ which ushered in and opened the dore to this his sad Lamentation He beheld Hence observe 1. That the Lord of Glorie did so far condescend to sinners as to clothe himself with human Nature and Organs thereby the more feelingly to commiserate and pitie them And oh What an infinite Ocean of condescendent grace is here What unparalled Dimensions of eternal Love and Mercie are there in the bowels of this tenderhearted Redemer What Was he indeed content to assume a mans heart to bleed over sinners a mans tongue to plead with and persuade sinners to be happie a mans eyes to water his exhortations with tears yea a mans soul and bodie to die for sinners O! what wonders of superlative love and condescendent pitie are here Who would ever question the affectionate regard of such a compassionate Redemer How comes it to passe that the blessed Lord should borrow human eyes to behold and pitie sinners and yet they want an eye of faith to behold their Savior O! what monstrous ingratitude is this that the King of Sion should stand gazing on sinners ' til his heart dissolve into tears and yet they stand amusing themselves with Idols of clay and never mind the gracious Regards of their Lord Fie fie on such blind Idol-lovers 2. From this Act He beheld we may further observe That Christs eye affects his heart his sight moves his compassions There are no sterile jejune or barren speculations in Christs eye but al his contemplations are warme and heart-melting they break forth into Affection and end in Operation Christs eye is not dul or sleepy but vigilant and watchful He watcheth over sinners when they sleep over him He beholds them with an eye of pitie and compassion when they behold him with an eye of bloud and revenge He casts a wist eye of sympathie and lamentation towards Jerusalem whiles she is looking and considering how she may pul out his eyes and heart O! what a compassionate eye is this Hence follows the object of Christs contemplation and that is THE Citie i. e. The Citie which was so nearly related and yet so vastly opposite to him The Citie which
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-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-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 Idiome and Luke's wonted 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 3. In this sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is also used by the Lxx. for 17 Jos
Believer David gives us a better account of his faith Psal 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart and why so that I might not sin against thee He gave a deep firme practic Assent to Divine truths such as kept him from sin So much for the first part of Unbelief as opposite to the assent of faith CHAP. V. The Explication of Unbelief in reference to its Real Objects and its first main Act consisting in the Wils rejection of Christ HAving finisht the Notional Objects and Acts of Unbelief it remains that we procede to the Explcation of its simple real Objects and the Acts which answer thereto 1. As for the simple real Objects of Unbelief they wil as before be best explicated by considering what are the simple and real Objects of Faith For Unbelief being but a privation of faith it has one and the same object therewith Now the simple real Objects of Faith regard either our Present or Future state As to our present state the object of Faith is either Remote and Vltimate or Next and Immediate The Remote and Vltimate object of Faith is the Deitie or Divine Essence The Next and Immediate object of Faith is Christ God-man and Mediator betwixt God and Men. The object of Faith as to our future state is approching Glorie Heaven or al those good things hoped for Heb. 11. 1. According to this distribution of the real Objects of Faith we may with facilitie determine what are the objects of Unbelief or what are those Simple Real things that belong to our peace which Unbelief refuseth Of these we shal treat but very concisely because they wil again fal under consideration when we come to the Aggravations of Vnbelief 1. Unbelief is a Rejection of God his Divine Essence Attributes Providence Workes Ordinances and Glorie which are al great Ingredients of our Peace Unbelief strikes at the Deitie or Divine Being which is the alone ultimate foundation of al saving Faith Heb. 11. 6. Oh! what a world of practic if not speculative Atheisme lies wrapt up in the womb of Unbelief Again how are al the divine Attributes struck at by Unbelief Doth not Unbelief reject the Wisdome of God by preferring carnal wisdome before it Luk. 7. 30 Is not the Fidelitie and Veracitie of God oppugned by Unbelief in that it receives not his Testimonie and so makes him a Liar 1 Joh. 5. 10 11 How much is the Soveraintie of God opposed by Unbelief in that it cannot because it wil not submit either to his secret or reveled wil How doth Unbelief quarrel at and murmur against the soverain pleasure of God both Preceptive and Providential It can neither yield Active obedience to the former nor Passive to the later It can do but little and suffer lesse for God Again Doth not Unbelief offer much violence to the Love Mercie and Compassions of God Is not Mercie clothed with the rough garment of Severitie Is not the ugly vizard of Hatred and Revenge put on the beautiful face of Divine Love Doth not Divine Benignitie or Bountie fal under censure of illiberalitie when Unbelief sets in the chair Further Is not Divine Justice impleaded or masqued with the face of Injustice by Unbelief Doth it not put light for darknes and darknes for light good for evil and evil for good Is not the Righteous God accused as one that justifies the wicked and condemnes the Innocent Moreover how doth Unbelief narrow Divine Omnipotence yea look upon it as mere Impotence and weaknes Doth not Infidelitie also prescribe bounds to Gods Omnipresence Exodus 17. 2-7 Is not Gods Omniscience also blinded by it Isai 40. 25 So also for al Gods works of Providence how doth Unbelief draw a Veil on the most glorious of them Lastly as for al Divine Ordinances and Institutions are they not dispirited and made ineffectual by Unbelief Is not prayer no prayer Hearing the Word no hearing are not Sacraments no Sacraments to the Unbeliever 2. Unbelief refuseth Christ the next immediate object of faith and the great Mediator of our peace Oh! what a large heart has Christ to give but how narrow-hearted is the Unbeliever in receiving the things that belong to his peace Is not Christ the great Ordinance of God constituted designed and adapted to be the Mediator between God and man And yet Lo how doth Unbelief sleight him yea slander him reproche him plunder him grieve him provoke him and crucifie him day by day Is not Christ extreme liberal towards Sinners Doth he not meet them half way yea prevent them in the offers of Grace And yet oh how backward is Unbelief how unwilling to come to him for life What Distances Shinesses and estrangements from Christ doth it continually delight in Doth not Infidelitie attemt to turne the whole of Christs Mediatorie office into a mere shadow or Romance What rare experiments hath Christ given of the efficace of his bloud the energie and power of his grace to redeme sinners and yet how doth unbelief question and cavil at al What wonders are there in Christs love to sinners how omnipotent and invincible is it What sweet charmes to conquer hearts has it and yet how doth Unbelief cover al with the masque of hatred and crueltie Oh! what incomparable beauties are there in Christs person how amiable and lovely was he even in his lowest condition in the Womb Manger and on the Crosse Do not al the lines of Gods grace and our duty meet in Christ as Mediator how inglorious are the most excellent things in the world if compared with Christs glorious perfections and yet lo how doth Infidelitie disgrace and reproche Christ What low mean scandalous yea cruel thoughts has it of him 3. Unbelief rejects not only God and Christ and the Holy Spirit but also approching Glorie and al those good things hoped for of the other world Oh! what grosse and carnal conceptions has Unbelief of al those invisible and coming Glories How doth it turne al the great and glorious enjoyments of Heaven into mere insignificant Fancies Notions Fables and Sick-dreams Yea doth not Unbelief despise and contemne those rich delices of future Glorie Are not the sensual enjoyments of the flesh the pleasures of Egypt preferred before the ravishing delights of the celestial Canaan Do not sensible goods weigh down the invisible weight of Glorie in the Unbelievers heart But thus much for the real objects of Unbelief of which more largely hereafter Sect. 2. We now procede to the several Acts of Unbelief in relation to these real Objects which may be also distinguished according to the several acts of Faith whereof they are Privatives The first and general act of Faith in relation to Christ its next and most immediate object is Consent Election or Reception of him as tendred in the Gospel And opposite hereto the first and great act of Unbelief is Reprobation or Rejection of
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
how is he humbled for and by his very sins and negligences But the commun faith of an Unbeliever makes his best duties and performances serve to promote spiritual sins How do al his Covenants and Resolutions against some grosser visible sins serve only to hide strengthen and foment secret invisible lusts as spiritual pride carnal confidence Hos 7. 16 Or at best doth he not make use of al his covenants against sin only as a balsame to heal the wounds of his conscience not as poison to kil the lusts of his heart Such is the curse and plague of commun faith 6. Saving faith transformes the heart into the Image of Christ and thence makes the Believer conforme to his Life and Laws but commun faith workes neither Saving Faith brings the heart near to Christ and so stampes the Image of Christ upon the heart It cannot make men Christ but yet it makes them like unto him and that not only in one particular excellence but in al It changeth the last end and disposition of the wil and thence the whole soul and life It infuseth a divine plenitude or fulnesse of Grace into the soul answerable to that fulnesse of sin that was there before And as Christ is one with his Father by personal union so Believers are one with Christ by faith Hence much of the life of Christ appears in their lives The love and spirit of Christ prevails with them to live the life of Christ and conforme to his Laws And oh what a sweet harmonie and conformitie so far as Faith and Grace prevails is there between the Spirit and Life of Christ and their spirits and life How much do their hearts and lives answer to the primitive Patterne of puritie in the heart and life of Christ But can the Unbelievers commun faith worke such rare effects It s true sometimes his Actions are changed but are not his vital Principles and Dispositions unchanged He may sometimes conforme to the Laws of Christ in appearance but doth he not stil hate them at heart Whereas the Believer whiles he breakes the law of Christ in Action he conformes to it in Affection and desire as Roman 7. 22. The Unbelievers commun faith may lead him to please Christ in shew but is it not al to please himself in truth Doth he not wholly live on self as his spring and to self as his last end Oh! how impossible is it for him to live by faith on Christ and to Christ which is the Believers life 7. Saving faith makes Believers diligent in the use of means and yet keeps them from trusting in them commun faith makes Vnbelievers negligent in the use of means and yet to trust in them Oh! how industrious is Faith in the use of means as if there were no Christ to trust unto And yet doth not faith trust wholly in Christ as if there were no means to be used Yea doth it not trust Christ as much in the fulnesse of means as in the want of them But oh how much doth unbelief trust in means though it be very negligent in the use of them 8. Saving Faith is alwaies bottomed on a Promisse and by it workes up the heart to God But commun faith is alwaies bottomed either on false persuasions or self-sufficiences and by them turnes the heart from God 9. Saving Faith walkes in Gods ways by a strait rule to a strait end But commun faith is always stepping out of Gods way its rule and end both are crooked True Faith looks both to its end and rule it wil not do good that evil or evil that good may follow But commun faith wil do both 10. Lastly Saving Faith values an half-promisse yea a mere peradventure from God more than the best promisse the creature can make but commun faith depends more on the rotten and false promisses of its own heart or of the creature than on al the promisses of God 3. Hence we may further infer That there is no medium or middle between true Faith and Infidelitie Commun faith is but real Unbelief He that is not a sound Believer is a real Infidel He that receives not Christ on his own termes rejects him Not to trust in Christ with al the heart is not to trust him at al in truth A forced election of Christ is a real reprobation of him A mere human or notional or general or confused or instable or inefficacious Assent to Christ is real Dissent Not to rest in Christ alone as our Mediator is not at al to confide in him He that cannot part with al for Christ wil soon part with Christ for any thing If faith purifies not the heart from sin and fortifies it against tentation it deserves not the name of faith Acts 15. 9. If Faith gives not a substantial being to things not in being it doth nothing Heb. 11. 1. If you can believe nothing but what you have reason and evidence for from the things themselves you believe nothing as you ought for though reason may assist faith as an instrument yet it destroyes faith as a principal ground or argument because faith is of things inevident Heb. 11. 1. Faith takes nothing for its formal reason or principal ground but increated Autoritie and therefore it is not the mere evidence of reason but the testimonie of God that makes men believers And if so then oh what a world of that which passeth for faith among men wil one day appear to be real Unbelief What may we judge of those who hang up Christ in their phantasies as pictures in an house but yet never really adhere to or recumb on him Is not this mere fancie rather than faith What shal we conclude of the presumtuous believer who presumes God wil shape his mercie according to his humor Is not his faith mere Unbelief Yea can there be a more cursed piece of Unbelief than a fond groundlesse presumtion that we do believe Again what shal we say of the dead-borne sleepy faith of secure Sinners who lay their head in Satans bosome and sleep securely on the pillow of his rotten peace Is not this a piece of Unbelief which Devils and damned Spirits are not guiltie of For they believe and tremble at the apprehensions of their approching jugement And oh how soon wil these their sweet sleeps end in dreadful hellish awakenings Again may we not judge the same of legal faith which sets up the Law in the room of Christ or at least yokes the Law and Christ together Do not such by joining the Law with Christ disjoin their hearts from Christ Rom. 7. 1-4 Is it not as bad a piece of Unbelief to set up the Law instead of Christ as to set up lust instead of the law Yea is there not much of Idolatrie in such a legal faith for do not such as depend on their own legal performances for life make themselves their God and Christ Oh! how oft doth such a legal
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 himself as his first principle and last end make himself his God Again is there not an Hel of Blasphemie in Infidelitie Doth not every Unbeliever by his secret or open murmurs against God raise many black lies and scandals on God Yea what are the Unbelievers discontents against God but in the Scriptures account a cursing of God as Job 1. 11 22 Lastly is there not a world of Atheisme in al Infidelitie Doth not Unbelief at one stroke take away the Scriptures God and Christ and al the good things of our peace As the Unbeliever doth by his self-dependence deifie himself so doth he not also by the same undeifie the true God Thus we see what a prodigious monstrous sin Unbelief is 7. This Notion of Infidelitie as before explicated Justifies God in his most severe procedures against al Vnbelievers Alas what blame may be laid upon the holy God for hiding the things of his peace from the Unbelievers eyes when as he wilfully shuts his eyes against them Has the Unbeliever any thing to object against Christ for not healing his wounded soul seing he wilfully rejects the Medicinal Grace and Bloud of Christ which are the only remedies for his healing If sinners wil justifie their unbelief which is so much condemned by God is it not just with God to condemne them for it So long as Unbelievers despise gospel-Gospel-love and Mercie is it not just that Gospel-vengeance take hold of them What more equitable than that such perish in their sins who resist al the sweet attractives and allurements of Grace by which Christ endeavors to draw them out of sin and miserie Doth not Infidelitie dispirit and make void al Ordinances and means of Salvation Who then can be blamed but the Unbeliever for his own damnation Is not Infidelitie the highest Treason against Heaven Can then any punishment be too severe for it Doth not Unbelief as has been intimated darken al the glorious Attributes of God Is not the wisdome of God estimed mere folie by it Doth it not rebel against the Soveraintie of God by placing the sinners wil above it Doth it not make the Faithfulnesse of God unfaithful Yea give the lie to it by questioning the truth of his Promisses 1 John 5. 10 Oh! how warme how large how tender how rolling are the Bowels of Free-grace towards sinners But doth not Unbelief spurne at those bowels by shutting the heart against them Is not the Omnipotence of God limited yea counted mere Impotence by Infidelitie Isai 40. 27 28 29 How doth it likewise trample on the patience and forbearance of God Is it not then most righteous that the great God who is thus injured and abused by Infidelitie should revenge his own quarrel thereon Again how doth Infidelitie slander reproche and undermine Christ the great Mediator of Life and Salvation Is not Christ the greatest Institute and Ordinance of God Is he not appointed by God as the alone Savior of Mankind And yet lo how do Unbelievers reproche and oppose him Is not Christ greatly undervalued when his gracious offers are rejected Can we abuse Christ more than by opposing the good things offered by him Is it not a bloudy crime to meet Christ's Grace with resistance Oh! what an Hel of Iniquity lies in this sin of Unbelief in that it is a despising of Christ's bleeding drawing Love Is any sin a greater burden and pain to Christ than Infidelitie Is he not hereby wearied Esa 7. 13 Yea is not Christ greatly mocqued and slandered by Unbelief Yea doth not Infidelitie rob Christ of al his Mediatorie Offices and Perfections Yea is it not the sorest Crucifixion of Christ Did not Judas the Jews and Pilate pierce Christ more sorely by their Unbelief than by their acts of betraying and condemning him Now if Infidelitie be so injurious to Christ is it not just with him to vindicate such injuries Yea indeed What are al the Unbelievers jugements and torments but such as he electively and voluntarily draws upon himself Are any Evangelic Unbelievers damned but such as wilfully elect Death before Life Do not al they that reject Christ electively embrace Death Prov. 8. 36 And has the Unbeliever any reason to complain against God for condemning of him seing he is unwilling to be saved Is not this the main that Christ expects from evangelic Unbelievers that they willingly accept Grace offered to them And if they wil not who is to be blamed but their own perverse stubborne wils Do not they deservedly perish who wilfully perish If sinners wil be so cruel so bloudy-minded as to murder their own souls by unbelief they must blame none but themselves for their ruine the righteous God is sufficiently vindicated from any imputation against him Oh! how wil this silence and seal up the lips of Unbelievers unto al eternitie that Grace and Life was offered to them but they voluntarily chose death before life What pleas can such have why they should not be damned seing they wilfully rush into ways that lead to damnation CHAP. IX Practic Uses 1. Studie the Mysterie and Causes of Infidelitie 2. Lament over the prevalence of it 3. Examine how far it prevails 4. Abjure it as the worst Hel. 5. Pursue Faith as the highest Interest and Spring of the Divine Life WE now procede to a more close and practic Application of these general Notions of Infidelitie And the first Vse we shal make of this Doctrine is by way of general Advice unto al both Believers and Unbelievers to studie much the black nature and venimous Influences of Infidelitie Certainly if Sinners were but wel acquainted with that Mysterie of Iniquitie that is wrapt up in the bowels of Infidelitie and how pernicious this sin is to their souls were it possible that they could please themselves in it as they do Alas Can we imagine that Unbelievers would sit down so quietly under the chains fetters of their unbelief were they but in a serious manner apprehensive of it But ah here lies the great damning sin and miserie of the Unbelieving World men are not deeply and feelingly sensible of the burden and stings of an unbelieving heart How few are there who observe and mourn under the secret veins of Infidelitie that loge in their hearts Where is that soul that lamentes day by day his want of a particular supernatural spiritual distinct certain firme evangelic ful prevalent affective effective and transformative Assent to the good things that belong to his peace Do not many great Professors seem to assent to the Mysteries of the Gospel but yet really dissent from or at least not live up to them Have not many the name of Believers who yet never felt the virtue 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 Christian world is so much amorous of and delighted in Infidelitie which is the worst leprosie povertie deformitie and miserie that the Soul partakes of Yea how comes it to passe that Believers themselves have such reliques and remains of Unbelief in them and that in such days as these are wherein Evangelic Light Love and Grace so much abound Hath not our blessed Lord taken al the courses and means that may be to cure men of their Infidelitie As to the encouragements and motives to believe doth he not shew himself as kind as kind may be Has he not given al manner of warrants yea commands for men to believe Doth not the Covenant of Grace give as good law-right as may be for al that wil to come and embrace the good things that belong to their peace Are not the offers of the Covenant general free abundant and most affectionate Is not Christ more willing to save than sinners are to be saved As to means what can God do more than he has in saying Here is my Son my Spirit my Gospel and al the good things of My peace take al and welcome And are not the termes on which al these good things are offered most easie to any that is but really willing to be happy Yea are not the means vouchsafed by God to cure our Infidelitie in these lightsome days much greater than in former days whence then is it that men continue in their Infidelitie and that with so much delight Has Christ condescended so low in the offers of his Grace and do sinners still persist in their rejecting or not improving such rich and gracious offers Oh! What mater of sad contemplation and Lamentation is here How ought every eye to weep apart and every heart to bleed apart for personal domestic Ecclesiastic and National Infidelitie Alas how true too true is that prediction of our Omniscient Lord touching these last days Luke 18. 8. Neverthelesse when the Son of Man cometh shal he find faith on the earth Who knows how near this coming of the Son of Man may be May we not conjecture that some great coming of the Son of Man cannot be far off because faith is so much departed from the earth Was there ever since the coming of our Lord in the flesh more light and yet more Atheisme in the world Is not the disbelief of the main Articles of our faith the only faith and belief that is to be found among some Are not al the great fundamentals and vitals of faith struck at by some who would count it an high affront to be judged Unbelievers Yea to come nearer home have we not cause to fear that many who passe for shining Believers wil one day appear to be rotten-hearted Unbelievers Yea to leave others to their supreme Judge have we not al cause to lay our hands on our hearts and condemne our selves of much Infidelitie If thou art not sensible of much Unbelief indwelling in thee is it not a sad Symtome that thou hast nothing or at best but very little of true Faith in thy heart May we not safely say That he never truely mourned for any sin who never mourned for Infidelitie which is at the end of every Sin Oh! what lamentable ruines has Unbelief brought on many flourishing Churches And may we expect to be exemted from the like strokes of Divine justice unlesse we lament and mourn over our Unbelief which deserves the same Take these Motives to provoke thine heart to a deep Lamentation and Humiliation for thine own and other mens unbelief 1 Unbelief is as has been said the greatest Sin and therefore ought to worke in us the greatest sense and humiliation 2 If thine heart be not deeply humbled for thine Unbelief thou wilt soon be overcome by it 3 The more thy soul is melted under the sense of Unbelief the more evangelic and spiritual it is What better marque is there of a spiritual yea of a believing heart than a deep sense of and humiliation for Unbelief It is a great proof of our Faith yea of an eminence in Faith to mourne greatly under Unbelief 4 A little unbelief in Believers is much worse than much unbelief in others because Believers have greater Obligations Encouragements Assistances and Means to believe 5 Not to be humbled for the Unbelief of others whether Churches or State is to partake with them in their sin and so to expose our selves to their approching jugements at least temporal 3. This lays a deep and essential obligation on al to examine accurately how far they fal under the Guilt and Power of Infidelitie If the Nature of Unbelief be such as hath been described then surely it concernes al to examine how far it prevails in them Doth not the great Ressemblance that there is between saving Faith and commun oblige al to trie of what stampe and make their faith is Alas how much commun Assent is there which passeth for saving What a great verisimilitude or likenesse is there between the notional Assent of Unbelievers and real Assent of true Believers Do not many knowing Professors seem to receive the Word of God as the Word of God who yet indeed receive it only as the word of men Have not many contemplative Professors sublime and raised Apprehensions of spiritual Mysteries and yet al the while their assent to them is but carnal and natural Do not some seem deeply convinced of and confirmed in evangelic reports who yet yield but a legal staggering assent thereto Doth not the vigor and strength of many mens assent arise from some transient worke of the Spirit of Bondage rather than from a deep apprehension and valuation of Evangelic objects which they assent unto Again how easy is it for men to be mistasten in their Consent to the good things of their peace Do not many seem very forward in electing of Christ who yet retain secret reserves for some beloved Idol Are not too many from the force of legal convictions compelled to close with Christ who yet secretly hate him at heart How many adhere to Christ in Profession and yet adhere to the world or lust in Affection Are there not many who seem to recumb and lean on Christ for life but yet really recumb and lean upon self Oh! what a world of convinced sinners take up with a spurious or commun faith instead of saving How dreadfully do millions of Unbelievers delude themselves with a sick dream and shadow of commun faith Alas what an easie mater is it for Professors in these knowing times to mistake commun faith for saving to deceive themselves and and others with a forme or picture of faith and yet to remain under the real power of Unbelief
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
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