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
prodigious curse of this one dismal saying O! then dread every saying of Christ It follows If Hence observe 1. That Christ is very real serious and pathetic in al his offers of Grace unto sinners Every word of the Gospel is but a chariot that conveighs Christs heart to Sinners If ever he be in good earnest it is in his evangelic Invitations His Bowels are never more warme and rolling his affections never more bleeding than in inviting and drawing Sinners to himself Oh! how low doth Christ stoop unto what mean termes doth he condescend to win his enemies to be reconciled to him How studious and industrious is he to remove al Heart-cavils against the offers of his Grace Doth he ever break with us before we break with him 2. This Particle If as explicated gives us yet this further Observation That nothing doth more deeply provoke Christs indignation against sinners than the wilful rejection of his Gospel Grace and Person For this Particle If as was noted implies not only commiseration but also Indignation and Exprobation Christ by this abrupt manner of speech doth sorely upbraid Jerusalem with her contumacious contemt of himself and his evangelic offers of Grace Now to upbraid another is to lode him with reproches disgraceful and biting words thereby to aggravate his ingratitude and the foulnesse of his fact as also to manifest what a just ressentiment and sense we have of the injuries done to us by the person upbraided So that Christs upbraiding Jerusalem with her wilful impenitence and unbelief argueth his deep ressentiment thereof and just indignation against her for it Thus Christ upbraids his own Disciples with their unbelief Mark 16. 14. which argues that the least degree of unbelief is greatly ressented by and sorely offensive to Christ But of this hereafter in the Aggravations of unbelief Thou hadst known Hence note 1. That sanctified Notions are the root of saving Faith and the divine life To speak a little what sanctified Notions import and then what connexion they have with saving faith and the divine life These sanctified Notions are a divine Light of life John 8. 12. an unction from the holy One 1 John 2. 20. proceding originally from the Father of light and life Joh. 6. 45. whereby Believers know things as they ought 1 Cor. 8. 2. For the Spirit of God impressing a Divine Glorie on Supernatural objects it openeth the same to the mind and also openeth the mind to receive the same and thence implanteth a supernatural Instinct a divine Sagacitie and intuitive light whereby the soul not only sees spiritual objects but also has a particular experimental tast and feeling sense thereof which kils beloved idols and lusts turnes the Bent of the heart towards Christ and proves the dore to communion with God in Christ and the Divine life And oh how clear and distinct how deep and solid how sweet and delicious how efficacious and active yea transformative are these sanctified Notions which lie wrapt up in the Light of Life What a mighty conformitie has the renewed mind clothed with these Divine notions to al Divine truths How is al the glorie of this lower world eclipsed and al carnal delights made to lose their relish hereby What Satisfaction in God what fervent Affections towards Christ what bigorous vigorous Exercices of Grace doth this Light of life worke in believers But it hath a more peculiar soverain influence on faith and al its vitals Inward spiritual deep feeling affective and practic Notions of God in Christ have an huge soverain influence on faith so the Psalmist assures us Psal 9. 10. And they that know thy Name wil put their trust in thee A clear distinct particular stedfast divine operative knowlege of Christ breeds Confidence in Recumbence on and Adherence to him None are more tenacious and resolute in adhering unto Christ than such as are baptised with his Spirit and Light of Life Yea according to the Quantitie and Qualitie of our light such wil be the Quantitie and Qualitie of our faith If our light be Spiritual Divine and Saving such wil our faith be Again if our light be not only spiritual for the kind but also intense prevalent and strong as to degree then wil our faith be also mightie intense prevalent and efficacious such an individuous yea essential connexion is there betwixt saving knowlege and divine faith Hence 2. Observe That Ignorance is the original and most pregnant parent of Vnbelief The Papists tel us That Ignorance is the mother of Devotion And it holds true as to their own Devotion which is but Superstition and Wil-worship For Ignorance is both the Mother and Nurse of al Idolatrie and Superstition and so by consequence also of Unbelief and therefore it is no wonder that the Papists require only an ignorant credulous implicite faith of their Devoti For such a blind faith suits best with their blind Devotion and Superstition But surely such an Implicite blind faith wil not suffice a Christian yea is it not the worst kind of Unbelief To believe only as the Church believes without a right understanding of the objects we believe what is it but to believe nothing as we ought He that pins his Faith on the Churches sleeve without ever considering what he believes what doth he but at once part with and bid Adieu to his Faith Religion Reason yea and his Humanitie too as we may shew hereafter Such are the malignant Influences and Qualities of a blind ignorant Implicite Faith Even thou i. e. Thou Jerusalem who hast been the Seat of the Divine presence dignified with such splendid marques of Divine Favor and adorned with such rich discoveries of evangelic Grace c. Hence observe 1. That as to externe marques of Divine favor and benediction the richest that a People or Church can be made partaker of is to be made the seat of Gods gracious Presence and Evangelic Administrations Out of Heaven there may not be expected a greater externe privilege than this for a people to be espoused by God as his visible Church the place of his Gracious Residence and Evangelic Administrations This was Jerusalems privilege she was Christs first bride the Covenant of Grace was first loged in her bosome Christ was her first crowned King and Lawgiver The Oracles of God were first laid down in pawn with her Her Land and Citie was adopted by Christ as Symbols of his Church Her Temple was a Type of Christs Natural bodie wherein he dwelt by visible tokens of Glorie and Grace Her Males bore somewhat of Christ in their flesh Yea Christ himself was borne of Judaic flesh and bloud Jerusalem had the first tenders of Gospel Grace Christ long waited for and as Minister of the Covenant endeavored after her conversion Such were her privileges But in this pathetic Expression even Thou there lies couched not only an intimation of Jerusalems Privileges but also an Exprobation of her sin and
now after that ye have known God or rather are known of God how turne ye again to the weak and beggerly elements whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage How turne ye again What doth he mean by this Were the Galatians ever under the legal ceremonies here stiled beggerly elements as ver 10 No The Galatians were never before under those Judaic ceremonies only they are said to turne again unto them because they affected a similitude or ressemblance to the Jews herein Oh! how fain would they Symbolise or agree with the Jews and so mingle something of the Law with Christ So it follows whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye desire or ye greedily covet ye greatly wish and long to be under the Law oh how much do you desire what strong wishes have you to join the Law with Christ the like ver 21. Tel me ye that desire to be under the the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e ye who are so hungry and greedy after the law This was the temper of many Judaising Galatians they would fain compound the Law with Christ they could not rest satisfied in Christ alone as the mater of their justification but must needs join the law with him which Paul tels them Gal. 5. 2 3. Was to make Christ of none effect For he that rests not in Christ alone as the mater of his justification trusts not at al in him So also in point of happinesse he that doth not acquiesce in Christ alone as the object of his rest and satisfaction doth not really believe in him whence saith Christ Luke 14. 26. If any come to me and hate not his father c. i. e if he be not satisfied in me as the fountain of his life he hath no share in me For to hate here is to love lesse Christ doth not injoin his Disciples simply absolutely to hate Parents c. No that were sin But he means comparitively i. e whoever doth not love Parents Wife c. lesse than me cannot be my Disciple So ver 33. Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not al that he hath he cannot be my Disciple What doth Christ mean by this Doth he expect that when we turne Christians we bid Adieu to al outward comforts No surely This command of Christ doth not so much respect the Act as the Affection we are not commanded to cast away al but to love Christ above al. 6. Again Vnbelief is ful of murmurs Disobedience and Reluctance against the soverain Wil of God Faith is the most obsequious obedient and dutiful Grace Oh! how ful of Resignation and Submission is the believing Wil so far as it is believing When Christ enters into any soul he expects that every proud imagination every high thought stoop unto him That the whole soul bow before him and adore his soverain wil and pleasure Thus Job 1. 20. Then Job arose This notes his speed courage and resolution in complying with the divine Wil. And rent his mantle and shaved his head these were Symbols or tokens of great sorrow and humiliation under the hand of God Faith doth not destroy natural affections but it regulates and spiritualiseth them When the hand of God is on us our hand should be on our hearts in order to a deep sense and humiliation under Gods visitation Then it follows and fel down upon the ground and worshipped The Hebrew words do both signifie a bowing to the ground Because in their worship they usually fel to the ground or bowed their head knee or whole bodie therefore the same word among the Hebrews signifies both to bow and to worship What then doth Jobs falling to the ground and worshipping import 1. A sense of Gods hand in this visitation 2. An Adoration of or bowing before the Divine wil as most righteous 3. A satisfaction in the present issues of the divine Wil. In short it implies a melting or dissolving of his Wil into the Divine wil as most holy and best Hence v. 21. it s said That in al this Job sinned not nor charged God follishly i. e Jobs faith brought his wil to correspond with the Divine wil. O! What a sweet harmonie was here But this unbelief cannot endure Oh! what risings of heart are there against the Truths Grace Wil Waies and Crosse of Christ How doth unbelief strugle and fret against the supreme pleasure of Christ Hence the same word in the Greek signifies both Unbelief and Disobedience as John 3. 36. He that believeth not the Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies also He that is not obedient to the Son Al faith carries something of obedience in it or a subjection of the mind and wil to the Word and Grace of Christ whence Unbelievers are stiled Ephes 2. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children of disobedience or unpersuasible untractable children such as cannot bring their hearts to bow and stoop to divine Truths Grace and Commands And indeed much of the nature of Infidelitie is lively exprest by this notion of Disobedience Thus the Israelites unbelief is set forth to us Act. 7. 39. To whom our fathers would not obey but thrust him from them and in their hearts turned back again to Egypt How did they disobey Christ and thrust him from them Was it not chiefly by their murmurs and Unbelief So in like manner we find unbelief set forth by fretting against God which is an high degree of Disobedience Psal 37. 1. Fret not thy self because of evil doers Fret not thy self or be not angrie chide not Unbelief is very prone to be angrie yea to chide God because of the prosperitie of wicked men whereto is opposed vers 3. Trust in the Lord c. This trusting in God is opposite to that fretful spirit v. 1. The like Antithesis or opposition we find ver 7. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently fret not thy self because of him that prospereth in his way Rest in the Lord Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be silent unto the Lord Don't let one murmur or impatient word drop out of thy mouth but wait patiently or expect with much silence and patience relief from the Lord beware how thou doest fret and repine against his Soverain pleasure So that a fretful murmuring spirit is quite opposite to that silence and obedience which faith implies What is faith but a free and chearful resignation of al concernes to God with a complete subjection to his Soverain Wil Grace and Spirit for the accomplishment of al Faith subjugates and captivates our wisdome to divine Wisdome our consciences to the divine Law our whole heart and life to the divine Wil either preceptive or providential A Believer as such lives no longer than he lives in the divine Wil and Grace and no thing is so fit a subject for such a Divine life as a broken heart and what so effectually breaks
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
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
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-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
conspectâ— removentur Gerhard g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignorantia inexcusabili quia lucemoblaram i mo ingestam fastidiose respuis Grot. Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 3. Doct. 4. Doct. 5. Psal 9. 10. Doct. 6. Even thou h Si vel tu quae singulari privilegio in toto orbe praecellis si tu inquam quae eoeleste es in rerris sacrarium cognosceres Calv. Doct. 7 Doct. 8. Doct. 9. Doct. 10. Doct. 11. Doct. 12. Doct. 13. Doct. 14. Doct. 15. Doct. 16. Doct. 17. Doct. 18. Doct. The Nature of Unbelief What the things that belong to our peace are The first part of Unbelief in respect Joh. 5. 39. Disbeliefe of the Gospel or Covenant of Grace The Covenant of Grace contains 1. Maters of Grace Unbelief questions the Realitie of the offers of Grace Rom. 10. 10 16. Unbelief questions the freedom of the Covenant Unbelief strikes at the Universalitie of the Covenants offers Unbelief limits the Riches of Grace Rom. 5. 20 Unbelief questions the certainty of the Covenant 2 Sam. 23. 5. Unbelief as to Providence Mat. 6. 30 31 32. f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebraeis etiam vocantur hi qui cùm in praesens habeant satis futuri inâ—er â—itudinecruciantur Grot. Luke 12. 22-29 Aristotle Pliny Aelian Unbelief as to future Glorie Heb. 11. 1. The formal Object of Unbelief 1 Thess 2. 13. The several gradations of Dissent from the sacred Notions of our peace 1. Rejection of Divine truths 2. Not to attend to sacred Notions 3. Not to yield an explicite assent to Divine Truths 4. Not to give a supernatural Assent Luk. 24. 45 5. Not to give a deep Assent 6. Not to yield a real Assent Rom. 2. 17 18 19 20. k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecum 7. Not to give a spiritual Assent 1 Cor. 2. 14. 8. A general confused Assent Joh. 5. 39. Metaphor A canum sagacitate sumta c. Strigel 9. To suspend our Assent Rom. 4. 19. ver 20. ver 21. Joh. 10. 24 l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic est quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 12. 29 Suspensum tenere Grot. Luk. 12. 29 m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graecis non eum modò declarat qui positus est in sublimi sed eriam eum cujus animus velut 10. An inevident obscure Assent n Veritates fidei sunt evidenter credibâ—les Aquin 2 Pet 1 9. 11. A legal Assent Heb. 4. 2. 12. Forced Assent Act. 2. 41. Act. 17. 11 Psal 119. 16. 13. Not to retain the things of our peace n Jo. 5. 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Johanni est insigi Grot. Psal 119. 11. Luk. 11. 28 14. Low estime Joh. 7. 28. 15. A barren Assent Jam. 2. 26. Psal 119. 11. 1. The simple Objects of Unbelief Unbelief refuseth 1. God 1. His Being 2. His Attributes Wisdome Faithfulnes Soveraintie Mercie Justice Omnipotence 3. Providence Ordinances 2. Unbelief rejects Christ 3. Unbelief refuseth Heaven The Acts of Unbelief 1. Rejection of Christ This Rejection of Christ Implies 1. Open opposition Dislikes of Christ Mat. 11. 6. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat propriè tigillum in instrumentis quibus capiuntur Lupi aut Vulpes aut Mures Hesychius expressè inquit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commentarius Aristophanis inquit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt curva ligna in decipulis Strigel in Rom. 11. 9. Heart cavils against offers of Grace Luk. 20. 5. 4. Not approving the reports of Christ Luk. 7. 29. o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rectè vertitur rejicere id enim optimè opponitur v. 30. 5. Delays as to a thorow closure with Christ Luk. 9. 59. The Wils defective Reeption of Christ The Defects of Unbelief as to its object in receiving 1. A false Christ 1. A compound Christ Christ compounded wirh the world Mat. 19. 20 21 22. Supra modum tristis Est enim composita dictio ex Adverbio intendendi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod semper per Paroxytonum est Et significat admodum excellenter valde nimis Schmidius in Mat. 26. 38. Christ compounded with lust Christ compounded with spiritual Idols 2. A divided Christ p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e. ut Dominum Grot. Joh. 1. 11. q Lâ—râ— impatiens The Deâ—ects of Unbelief as to the respects under which Christ is received 1. As to Motives 2. As to the Grandeur of Christ 3. When Christ is not received as offered The Defects of Unbelief as to the subject of its Reception 1. A rotten deceitful Heart 2. A languid faint Wil. Jer. 3. 10. A terrified forced Wil. Psa 68. 34. Luk. 19. 6. 3. The Wils Defects as to adherence unto Christ r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 10. 20. 〈…〉 Psal 63. 8. Heb 3. 12. Heb. 3. 14. Heb. 10. 38 39. Hos 7. 11. Psal 78. 37 4 Diffidence and Distrust Psal 37. 5. Cant. 8. 5. Luk 11. 41. 5. Dissatisfaction Phil. 3 3. Gal. 4. 9. t Vocula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non rem eandem sed similem respicit Idem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glass Gram. Sacr. u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e qui ultrò perindè appetitis velle aliquando pro cupidè optare Glass Gram. Sacr. Luk. 14. 26 33. x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est minus amare Grot. 6. The Disobedience of Unbelief Job 1. 20. Joh. 3. 36. w Qui inabsequiens est filio Grot. Psal 37. 1. ver 7. 7. Nonapplication of the Grace of Christ 8. Putting far off Christs second coming Ephes 1. 13 14. Corollaries Corol. 1. Almost-believers may procede far and yet continue Infidels 1 As to Assent 2. As to Consent Corol. 2. The difference betwixt saving faith and commun 1. As to knowlege 2. As to selfdenial 3. As to a legal and evangelic spirit 4. As to turning the Bent of the Wil to Christ 5. As to purifying from sin 6. As to transformation into the image of Christ and conformation to his life and Laws 7. As to the use of means 8. As to the foundation 9. As to end and rule 10. As to Gods faithfulnes Corol. 3. No middle twixt faith and unbelief Corol. 4. 4. Saving faith rare but commun faith cheap Corol. 5. Believers have much of Unbelief in them Corol. 6. Infidelitie the greatest sin Corol. 7. God justified in his severe procedure against Vnbelievers Vse 1. Of Advice to studie the Nature and Influence of Infidelitie Studie the Causes of Infidelitie 1 Spiritual darknesse 2. Carnal Reason 3. Carnal Securitie 4. Self-love 5. Spiritual Pride 6. Short-spiritednes Lastly Beloved lusts Vse 2. Of lamentation and humiliation for the prevalence of Infidelitie Vse 3. Of examination whether thy faith be saving or only commun Heart examens by way of Soliloquie Vse 4. Of Exhortation to deal with Infidelitie as our worst enemie Vse 5. To pursue after Faith as the most excellent powerful Grace Faiths efficace The effects of Faith 1. Self-denial 2. The elevation of reason 3. The fortifying of the Wil and Affections 4. Union with Christ 5. Sanctification 6. Adherence to Christ 7. Peace and Communion with God in Christ 8. The exercise of Grace 8. Al Spiritual goods The opposition betwixt faith and Unbelief