Christs Tears for Jerusalems Unbelief, Book 2 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. An Explication of Unbelief, as it oppoſeth, or is defective in the firſt Act of faith, namely Aſſent to the good things that belong to our peace.
WE now procede to the Act of Unbelief, compriſed in that Notion, If thou hadſt known. This knowlege muſt be commenſurate to, or as large as its Object; which (as we have ſhewn) is either Notional, or Real: The ſeveral gradations of Diſſent from the ſacred Notions of our peace.As it refers to its Notional object, ſo its termed Aſſent; as to its Real object, ſo Conſent. We ſhal begin with the firſt; namely, What it is not to Aſſent to the Notional maters, or things, that belong to our peace? Now this diſſent from the things that belong unto our peace, implies ſundrie Gradations, or Aſcents; which tend much to the Explication of Ʋnbelief.
1. Not to know, or aſſent to the ſacred Notions 1. Rejection of Divine truths.of our peace, is to reject them. This was the caſe of Jeruſalem; ſhe rejects al Chriſts gracious offers of peace: ſhe wil not ſo much as lend an ear to them. Thus alſo it was with thoſe obſtinate Unbelievers, mentioned Prov. 1. 30. They would none of my Counſel: they deſpiſed al my Reproof. To reject the counſel of Chriſt, and to deſpiſe his Reproof, is the height of Diſſent, and Disbelief: So Jerem. 8. 9. Lo, they have rejected the Word of the Lord, and what wiſdome is in them? The Rejection of Gods Word is the higheſt degree of Ignorance and Unbelief. The like Hoſ. 4. 6. Becauſe thou haſt rejected knowlege, I wil alſo reject thee. This Rejection of the Word of God, is a kind of total Infidelitie; yea, ſuch a Diſſent, as implies an averſion in the mind from the ſacred Notions of its peace: Wherefore it denotes the dregs of Unbelief; and a mind principled with enmitie againſt divine Truths. For Truth is the moſt beautiful thing that is: and of al Truths, Divine are the faireſt. Now then to reject ſuch, argues a mind very much debauched and diſtempered by ſin.
2. Not to know the ſacred Notions of our 2. Not to attend to ſacred Notions.peace, is not to give diligent Attention to them. Many Evangelic Unbelievers dare not openly reject the things that belong to their peace; but yet they do not attend with diligence unto them. The firſt ſtep of ſaving Faith is diligently to attend to the Reports of the Goſpel; to bow the ear to divine Truths, as Pro. 5. 1. My Son attend unto my wiſdome, and bow thine ear to my underſtanding. This Attention, and bowing the ear to Divine Truths, is the firſt ſtep to the obedience of Faith. Whence, by Conſequence, not to attend, or liſten with diligence to the Reports of the Goſpel, takes in much of Unbelief. This alſo was the caſe of many unbelieving Jews, they did not attend to Chriſts Evangelic offers of peace. Thus Pſal. 81. 13. O that my people had hearkened unto me, &c. i. e, given diligent Attention to my Word. Attention is the Contention of the ſoul to underſtand: and that which drawes it forth, is the admirable Greatnes, Sweetnes, and Suitablenes of Reports: Unbelievers want an inward ſenſe of the wonderful greatneſſe, ſuavitie, and fitneſſe of Evangelic gladtidings, and therefore no wonder that they attend not to them.
3. Men know not the things that belong to 3. Not to yield an explicite aſſent to Divine Truths.their peace, when they yield not a diſcrete, explicite Aſſent thereto. True ſaving Faith implies an expreſſe, judicious Aſſent: it carries with it the higheſt, and pureſt Reaſon; yea, the flour, and Elixir of Reaſon. What more rational, than to aſſent to the Firſt, ſupreme Truth, Truth it ſelf? Surely, Believers are no fools: they know who it is they believe, and for what: So Paul 2. Tim. 1. 12. I am not aſhamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am perſuaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him. Paul was not aſhamed of his ſufferings, becauſe he knew whom he had believed: he did not content himſelf with a Popiſh implicite faith; but underſtood wel the object, and reaſons of his Faith. Alas! what is implicite Faith, but implicite Unbelief? Can he that underſtands not the Propoſitions he aſſents to, rationally believe the ſame? Is this to believe, to underſtand nothing of what we believe? Doth not this implicite faith deſtroy the very formal Nature of true faith? What! may we ſuppoſe, that Divine faith conſiſts in ignorance? If we pin our Faith only on the Churches ſleeve, without ever underſtanding what we believe, is not our faith worſe than that of Devils, who know what they believe, and therefore tremble? Yea, doth not this Implicite faith ſtrip us, not only of our Chriſtianitie, but alſo of our Humanitie? For, is not every rational Being ſo far a Debtor to truth, as to examine wel the reaſons and grounds of his Aſſent? Yea, doth not this implicite Popiſh faith carrie in it much of Atheiſme, and Blaſphemie? For, to believe only as the Church believes, without examining the Articles, or Motives of our faith, what is it but to make the Church our infallible God, and our ſelves but mere Brutes, diveſted of reaſon? So that can there be any thing more deſtructive to the Notion, and Nature of true faith, than ſuch an Implicite faith? And yet, alas! how commun is it among a great number of Chriſtians? How many are there who pretend to be Believers, and yet underſtand little, or nothing of the main Articles, or grounds of their faith? It ſtands on ſacred Record, as a noble character of the Bereans, Act. 17. 11. That they ſearched the Scriptures daily, whether theſe things were ſo. Hence ſurely we may conclude, that an implicite faith is no better than virtual Unbelief.
4. Not to know the things that belong unto 4. Not to give a ſupernatural Aſſent,our peace, is, not to give a ſupernatural, Divine Aſſent to them. The things that belong unto our peace, are ſupernatural and divine; and therefore they cannot be truely apprehended by a Natural, Human Aſſent. To yield a natural, human Aſſent to things Supernatural and Divine, is no better than real Diſſent. Now men yield not a ſupernatural Divine Aſſent to the things that belong to their peace. (1.) When the Principal Grounds, Formal Reaſons, and proper Motives of their Aſſent are only natural and human, i, e, when mens aſſent is grounded only on ſome human Autoritie, or Argument. Al faith is by ſo much the more firme, by how much the more firme and infallible the Autoritie of him that reports the mater is: If the Autoritie be only human, the Aſſent can be but human, and ſo fallible; the Aſſent to the Concluſion being founded on the ſtrength of the Premiſſes, as the edifice is on the foundation: Now the ſtrength of a Teſtimonie conſiſts in the Autoritie of him that teſtifies: For ſuch as the principal ground and Foundation of the Aſſent is, ſuch wil the Aſſent be: and if there be any defect, or imperfection in the Foundation of our Aſſent, the ſame wil diffuſe it ſelf throughout the whole: If Church-tradition, or human Argument be the only, or main ground of our Aſſent, it can never be ſupernatural and divine, as before. (2.) Men yield not a ſupernatural Divine Aſſent to the Goſpel, when the productive Principle, or Efficient of their Aſſent is not Supernatural and Divine, i.e, when their Aſſent is not infuſed by the Spirit of God. A natural Facultie can never, of itſelf, produce a ſupernatural Aſſent. And the reaſon is moſt evident, even from the commun nature of al Aſſent; which requires ſome A'dequation or Agreament betwixt the Object, and the Facultie: Now what proportion is there betwixt a natural mind, and ſupernatural Truths.? Are not Divine Myſteries above the reach of a human Underſtanding, unleſſe the Spirit of God come and clothe it with a divine Light? Is not the natural mind ſhut againſt ſupernatural objects, until Chriſt, by his Spirit open the ſame? Thence it is ſaid, Luke 24. 45. Then opened he their Ʋnderſtanding, that they might Luk. 24. 45underſtannd the Scriptures. They had ſome habitual Light before; but Chriſt now extendes and ſtretcheth their minds to a more ful comprehenſion of the promiſſes: To every degree of ſaving light, there is required a freſh Influence, and Aſſiſtance of the Spirit. Its ſaid, He opened their Ʋnderſtandings: Men may open ſupernatural Truths, and Promiſſes to our minds; but none can open our minds to take in ſupernatural Truths, ſave the Spirit of Chriſt: ſuch therefore as are not illuminated by the Spirit cannot know the things that belong to their peace. The Believer hath a Divine light, a ſupernatural inſtinct, whereby he underſtands, and aſſents to the voice of Chriſt in the Goſpel; John 10. 27. My ſheep hear my voice: juſt as the ſimple Lamb, by a natural inſtinct, diſcerneth the voice of her Dam from the reſt in the flock.
5. Men know not the things that belong 5. Not to give a deep Aſſent.to their Peace, when the Truths and Promiſſes of the Goſpel take not deep root in their hearts. Our Aſſent ought to be commenſurate, or proportionable to its Object: great and weighty Truths, muſt have a rooted and deep Aſſent: A ſuperficial, indeliberate Aſſent to the great things of the Goſpel, is but interpretative Diſſent. This was the great defect of the Highway, and ſtonie ground, Mat. 13. 19, 20, 21. The ſeed ſowen by the way-ſide, was loſt aſſoon as received: But the word ſowen in ſtonie hearts, was received with ſome joy, i.e, the Novitie, and greatneſſe of the things offered, made ſome ſuperficial Impreſſion on their hearts; but yet there wanting a depth of earth, an hot day of perſecution, ſoon blaſted al. There is no Aſſent ſtable and firme, but what is deep and rooted. Thus much our bleſſed Lord aſſures us, in his Parable of the ſandy foundation, Mat. 7. 26. whereas the ſound Believer, who digs deep into the heart, and builds his aſſent on rooted, welgrounded Principles, though windy, ſtormy tentations beat againſt it; yea, albeit he hath a thouſand objections againſt what he believes, yet his aſſent is firme and ſtedfaſt; becauſe the bottome-Principles on which it is grounded remain firme. A ſuperficial, precipitated, and raſh aſſent is very ſtaggering and mutable: when men judge according to the apparences of things, without ſolid deliberation, and deep inquiſition into the grounds and reaſons, they never arrive to a fixed Aſſent. Thence ſaith Chriſt, Joh. 7. 24. Judge not according to the apparence, but judge righteous jugement. A ſuperficial aſſent is ſoon turned into diſſent.
6. Such as yield not a Real, but only Notional Aſſent to evangelic Truths and Promiſſes, 6. Not to yield a real Aſſent.know not the things that belong to their peace. For things may then only be ſaid to be truely known, when they are received as offered: Now the things offered in the Goſpel are practic, or things referring to practice: Thence to yield only a notional aſſent to them, is really to diſſent. Many of theſe unbelieving Jews, whom Chriſt condemnes in our text, had a very great Forme of knowlege, or Notional aſſent to the things that belonged to their peace, as 'tis evident from Rom. 2. 17, 18, Rom. 2. 17, 18, 19, 20.19, 20. Behold thou art called a Jew, and reſteſt in the law, and makeſt thy boaſt of God, and knoweſt his wil, and approveſt the things that are more excellent, being inſtructed out of the law, &c. i, e, Thou art an accurate Critic in the law, thou canſt exactly diſtinguiſh between things clean and unclean: and then he ſums up al in one expreſſion, ver. 20. Which haſt the forme of knowlege, and of the truth in the law. foreign here ſignifies kforeign. Oecum.an Artificial Image, Scheme, Figure, or Picture of knowlege; and its oppoſed to a ſubſtantial, ſolid, real knowlege; which is ſtiled, Prov. 2. 7. Sound wiſdome, or Eſſential knowlege. Theſe unbelieving Jews had a notional Idea, an artificial Scheme, a curious picture of knowlege; but they wanted the real, ſubſtantial, eſſential contemplation of thoſe things, that belonged to their peace. Now as there is a vaſt difference between the contemplation of things in pictures, or ſhadowes; and the contemplation of them in their own proper ſubſtances: So here, the Unbeliever that views the things of his peace only in Pictures, Syſtemes, or Notions, comes far ſhort of the Believer, who views the ſame Intuitively, as they lie wrapt up in Evangelic promiſſes. Faith is deſcribed Hebr. 11. 1. The ſubſtance of things hoped for, i. e, it hath a real, ſubſtantial contemplation of things hoped for, as if they were actually preſent, before the eyes: and then it follows, The evidence of things not ſeen; The inviſible things of celeſtial Canaan become viſible to an eye of faith: whence it is apparent that he who has only a notional knowlege of the things that belong to his peace, is really ignorant of them. Mere Speculative Aſſent to things practic, is no better than real diſſent: For our Aſſent is then only true, when it is agreable to its object, formally conſidered. The things of our peace are moſt ſubſtantial and real; but the Unbeliever aſſents not to them as ſuch: he ſees them only in Words, Notions, and Imaginations; and therefore counts them but mere conceits, fine-ſpun Notions, and curious Pictures: His forme of knowlege is but real Ignorance.
7. Men know not the things that belong to 7. Not to give a ſpiritual Aſſent.their peace, when their Aſſent to them is Carnal, not Spiritual. The things that belong to our peace are moſt ſpiritual; they admit not the leaſt commixture of what is carnal; and therefore a carnal mind never truely aſſents to them. Things Spiritual cannot be apprehended by any but a ſpiritual facultie: Carnal aſſent to things ſpiritual, is real diſſent. How can he aſſent truely to any ſacred Truth, who underſtands nothing truely of that he aſſents unto? Thus the Apoſtle argues ſtrongly, 1 Cor. 2. 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are 1 Cor. 2. 14.fooliſhnes to him: neither can he know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned. (1.) By this Natural, or Animal man, we muſt underſtand every irregenerate man, who has not his mind imbued with ſaving Faith. (2.) Of this man its ſaid, he receiveth not; foreign: its a Metaphor aſſumed from narrowmouth'd veſſels, which cannot take in things too big for them: The things of the Spirit of God (which are the ſame with the things of our peace) are too big for Animal, Natural Minds. Yea, (3.) He addes, Neither can be know them: there is a moral Impoſſibilitie that he ſhould know them: and why? that followes (4.) becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned: As if he had ſaid; Alas! how is it poſſible that he ſhould know them? What proportion is there betwixt ſpiritual Objects, and a carnal Subject? Muſt not every viſive facultie have ſome agreament with the object viſible? And is there any agreament betwixt a carnal mind, and things ſpiritual? Is not every thing that is received, received according to the nature of the Recipient? Doth not then the carnal heart receive things ſpiritual carnally; as on the contrary, the ſpiritual heart things carnal ſpiritually? Thence ſaith Chriſt to the unbelieving Jews, Joh. 8. 15. Ye judge after the fleſh, i.e, ye judge of me, and of my Goſpel, only in a carnal manner, by carnal Reaſon, and therefore no wonder ye believe not in me.
8. Such as content themſelves with a general 8. A general confuſed Aſſent.confuſed Aſſent to evangelic Truths and Promiſſes, know not the things that belong to their peace. The more particular, and diſtinct our knowlege is, the more certain it is: General Notions are more confuſed and fallacious: a particular Diſſent may wel ſtand with general Aſſent. Therefore he that has ſome general confuſed Notions of the things that belong to his peace, lies under a particular ignorance of the ſame. This was the caſe of theſe unbelieving Jews; they had ſome general notices of the Meſſias; ſome rude confuſed Ideas of Heaven and God; but alas! How imperfect, how groſſe, how inſignificant were their Notions? Hence our bleſſed Lord exhorts them, that they would, in order to the procurement of a true ſaving Joh. 5. 39. Metaphor. A canum ſagacitate ſumta, &c. Strigel.faith, Search the Scriptures, John 5. 39. foreign. Its a Metaphor drawn from the ſagacitie of Dogs; which with their noſes cloſely follow, and ſearch into the ſent of their prey. Theſe unbelieving Jews had much general confuſed knowlege of the Scriptures: ay, but they wanted this Divine ſagacitie, to inquire and ſearch into them, as Dogs do into the ſent of their prey: they could not ſent the things that belonged to their peace, becauſe they made not a narrow ſcrutinie, a particular, diſtinct, exact inquiſition into evangelic Truths, and Myſteries. As if Chriſt had ſaid: Ah friends! You pretend to believe Moſes and the Prophets: You conceit your life lies wrapt up in them: But how comes it to paſſe then, that you believe not in me? Do not al the Scriptures teſtifie of me? Oh! here lies your ſin, you wil not ſearch into the Scriptures: you content your ſelves with ſome general confuſed Notions; without any particular, diſtinct Inquiſition into the things that belong to your peace.
9. Men know not the things that belong to 9. To ſuſpend our Aſſent.their peace, when they ſuſpend their Aſſent, or yield to any prevalent dout, touching the truth of them. I ſhal not diſpute, what meſure or degree of certaintie is eſſential to true ſaving Faith; but that it cannot conſiſt in a mere opinion, or probable conjecture, without ſome degree of certitude, I think, is moſt certain from the current of Scripture. This is evident by the character Paul gives of Abrahams faith, Rom. 4. 19. Being not weak in-faith, i. e, his Rom. 4. 19.mind did not hang in ſuſpenſe, or under ſome prevalent dout, touching the truth of the promiſſe. This is illuſtrated by another notion, ver. 20. He ſtaggered not at the promiſſe through ver. 20.unbelief. foreign here ſignifies to heſitate, or remain under varietie of anxious douts and opinions: his mind was fully perſuaded of the truth of the promiſſe, as it is expreſſed v. 21. being fully perſuaded, foreign: ver. 21.its a Metaphor borrowed from Navigation: as ſails are filled with a good wind; ſo his mind was filled with a fulneſſe of aſſent, to the truth of the promiſſe: there was no room for any ſuſpenſe, or prevalent dout. And this indeed ſeems eſſential to al true ſaving Faith, that there be a prevalent certitude, or certain perſuaſion touching the truth of the object; albeit many ſincere Believers may be altogether uncertain touching their Title to, or Intereſt in the Object. My meaning is this: There ought to be a plenitude, or fulneſſe of Aſſent to the Truth of the Promiſſe; albeit there may be wanting, in many Believers, an aſſurance of their intereſt in the things promiſſed. Now this certaintie of Divine aſſent ariſeth partly from the certitude of the object, but more immediately from the Demonſtration of the Spirit, elevating, or raiſing the mind unto this certain perſuaſion, touching the truth of the promiſſe. And herein true ſaving Faith is differenced from that which is commun and human: The Unbeliever may yield ſome feeble, ſtaggering, inſtable Aſſent, to the good things that belong unto his peace; but ſtil he hangs in ſuſpenſe; his douts are greater than his faith. Its true, the true Believer hath oft great douts touching the Promiſſes; but yet his douts are not ſo much of the truth of the Promiſſes, as of his intereſt in them; or, whether his apprehenſions of them be true: whereas Unbelievers dout of the truth of the Promiſſes, albeit they may be preſumtuouſly confident of their Intereſt in them. Thus it was with the unbelieving Jews, Joh. 10. 24. How long doeſt thou make us to Joh. 10. 24dout? or, lforeign hic eſt quod foreign, Luc. 12. 29 Suſpenſum tenere. Grot.how long doeſt thou keep our ſouls in ſuſpenſe? They hung, as it were, 'twixt Heaven and Hel; under much ſuſpenſe, whether thoſe things Chriſt preached were true or falſe: They did not totally diſſent, and yet they could not fully aſſent to Chriſt. Thus they hung in ſuſpenſe: for ſuſpenſe is a middle, twixt Aſſent and Diſſent: Though as to Divine Aſſent, every ſuch prevalent ſuſpenſe, or dout touching the truth of the promiſſe is real unbelief: he that aſſents not fully, doth really diſſent. Therefore Chriſt addes, v. 25. I told you, and you believed not: they ſeem to lay the blame on Chriſt, the darknes of his Revelation; but he reſolves al into their unbelieving hearts. The like character of unbelief we find, Luke 12. 29.. Neither be ye of doutful Luk. 12. 29minds. mforeign, Graecis non eum modò declarat qui poſitus eſt in ſublimi, ſed eriam eum cujus animus velutforeign, in its primary Notation ſignifies to be carried up aloft in the Air, as Meteors, Clouds, or Birds; which wanting a firme foundation, are toſſed to and fro with every blaſt. So it ſignifies the ſame with foreign, to wander; or with foreign in a…re ſuſpenſus, modò huc modò illuc inclinat. Beza. foreign, John 10. 24. to lift up the mind, or keep it in ſuſpenſe. Hence alſo it is uſed to ſignifie an anxious ſuſpenſe, heſitation or dout, touching the truth of things. This is the condition of many awakened ſinners, they arrive at ſome anxious ſuſpenſe or doutfulnes of mind, and that is al: They hang in the air of commun conviction, between Heaven and Hel; for a little while til the prevalence of luſt make them fal down again on the earth; where they lie buried in the aſhes of their own convictions and profeſſion: They dare not, they cannot yield a ful, and prevalent aſſent to the Goſpel of Chriſt: al that they attain unto, is a mere opinion, a ſuſpenſive faint Aſſent. Thus every unbeliever hangs, as a Meteor in the Air, under prevalent ſuſpenſe, and heſitation, touching the truth of the promiſſes. Thence Mark 11. 23. We find douting in heart, and believing oppoſed. They that yield only an opinionative, doutful Aſſent to the things of their peace, do really diſſent: a ſuſpenſive faith is no faith in Gods eſtime.
10. To yield only a cloudy, inevident, obſcure 10. An inevident obſcure Aſſent.Aſſent to the things that belong unto our peace, is not to know them. Divine Faith carries with it not only Certaintie, but alſo Evidence: Thus Hebr. 11. 1. Faith is the evidence of things not ſeen. Evidence implies a ful, clear, manifeſt apprehenſion of things preſent: among which ſuch are moſt evident, as are moſt viſible: Thence the Sun is moſt evident, becauſe moſt viſible. Its true, the objects of Faith are altogether abſent, inevident, and inviſible, as to Senſe or Reaſon; whence they are ſtiled, Things not ſeen: ay, but yet they are preſent, evident, and viſible to an eye of faith. So the Scholes determine, nVeritates fidei ſunt evidenter credib…les. AquinThat the truths of Faith are evidently credible. On! what a manifeſt, clear, intuitive viſion doth Faith afford? But the Unbeliever ſees nothing evidently and clearly: he has only obſcure, miſty, dark notions of the things that belong unto his peace: So 2 Pet. 1. 9. And cannot ſee far off: Like one 2 Pet 1 9.that is purblind, or in a miſt. The Unbeliever has no evident conviction, or diſcoverie of the great things of the other world: he ſees only things next to him, Objects of ſenſe or reaſon; and therefore he knows not the things that belong to his peace. Some thinke the Original foreign is uſed to repreſent the image of a falſe faith, under the Similitude of a blind man, who moving his eye-lids, may take in ſome confuſed obſcure ſhadow of light; which yet is altogether unuſeful, and inſructuous.
11. Such as receive the things that belong to 11. A legal Aſſent.their peace with a legal Aſſent only, may be juſtly ſaid not to know the ſame. The main things that belong to our peace are evangelic; and therefore ſuch muſt our Aſſent be, if right. To receive evangelic Truths only, with a legal faith, is really to disbelieve the ſame. Many convinced ſinners, yield a very ſtrong aſſent to al the terrors of the law: This, and that, and t'other threat, belongs to me, ſaith the poor Sinner: I am he, to whom this ſentence of the Law, and that curſe doth appertain, &c. Its ſtrange to conſider, how far awakened ſinners may procede, in ſuch a legal aſſent to Lawthreats, and yet never attain to an Evangelic faith. This ſeems to be the caſe of thoſe unbelieving Jews, mentioned Hebr. 4. 2. But the Heb. 4. 2.Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. foreign, not being incorporated: it ſeems to be a terme borrowed from meats; which being received into the ſtomach, and mingling with that acid ferment, or juice, which is loged there, are by the aſſiſtance thereof digeſted, and ſo turned into good nutriment, bloud, and ſpirits: juſt ſo the Word of God, being received into an honeſt heart, and incorporated with an evangelic faith, doth nouriſh and ſtrengthen the Believer. Ay, but now theſe unbelieving Jews wanting this acid juice of evangelic faith, the word received profited them not. They yielded a legal aſſent to the threats of the Law; but yet, being void of an evangelic aſſent to the promiſſes of the Goſpel, they received no profit from the Word preached. Legal aſſent to the threats of the Law, if it procede no further, uſually ends in greater unbelief, and ſecuritie.
12. Such alſo may be ſaid not to know the 12. Forced Aſſent.things that belong to their peace, who yield only an involuntarie, forced Aſſent thereto. This follows on the former; For a legal Aſſent is only forced, and ſtrained; whereas an evangelic Aſſent is affectionate and free: whence it is made a character of thoſe primitive Believers, Act. 2. 41. Then they that gladly received Act. 2. 41.his Word. What word doth he here mean? The word of promiſſe, v. 39. For the promiſſe is to you, and your children, &c. Its ſaid v. 37. They were pricked in their heart, &c. i, e, They were wounded with the ſenſe of their ſin, in crucifying the Lord of Glorie: and having now the promiſſe of life and pardon preached to them; O! how gladly do they receive this word? What welcome News is this? How are they overjoyed at ſuch glad tidings of Salvation? What content, what ſatiſfaction, what pleaſure do they take in this Evangelic word of life? How greedily do they receive, or aſſent to it, even as a voluptuous man receives his food, or a condemned malefactor his pardon? So much the word foreign, gladly, doth import. Again, As many as gladly received the word: Here is a reſtrictive and diſtinctive note: For gladly here doth confine and reſtrain the ſincere reception of the word, to theſe here ſpecified, in diſtinction from the reſt of the Auditors; of whom alſo many received the word, but not gladly: So that this note ſeems to be characteriſtic, and deſcriptive of true ſaving Aſſent, which hath joy and gladneſſe mixed with it: They receive the word, and they receive it gladly: they aſſent to it, and they aſſent chearfully; they would not for a world but aſſent to it. As the eye ſees the Sun, and ſees it gladly; the ear hears Muſic, and gladly hears it: So faith aſſenteth to the Word of God, and aſſents with gladneſſe: Though there be much obſcuritie, and ſeeming contrarietie to carnal reaſon, in ſome parts of Gods word; yet, ſo far as it appears to be the word of God, faith willingly aſſens to it: the mind is captivated to divine Teſtimonie. Though perhaps the poor Believer cannot rationally diſcourſe, or reaſon touching the truths he aſſents to; yet he hath a divine Inſtinct, a ſpiritual Sagacitie, an interne Senſe, whereby he taſts Divine words; and ſo can diſtinguiſh them from al human words, though ſugared over with never ſo much ſpiritual Rhetoric. Thus he receives the word gladly. So alſo foreign, ſignifies ſuch a reception as an Hoſt gives his Gueſt, or a man his intimate friend. Al which fully demonſtrates, with what an affectionate Aſſent they received the Word of life. The like is mentioned of the Bereans, Act. 17. 11. Theſe were more noble Act. 17. 11than thoſe in Theſſalonica, in that they received the word with al readineſſe of mind, foreign, i. e, with an affectionate chearful Aſſent. Indeed al true ſaving faith connotes a pious inclination in the ſoul: For the things that belong unto our peace being purely dependent on the Teſtimonie of God; if there be not a pious affection in the heart towards God, the ſinner wil never aſſent to, & cloſe with the promiſſes, and offers of life made to it. Affection to any perſon, makes us very credulous, or apt to receive his report: Love makes our Aſſent quick 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, Pſal. 119. 16.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 13. Not to retain the things of our peace.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. foreign, nJo. 5. 38. foreign, Johanni eſt inſigi Grot.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 Pſal. 119. 11.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. Luk. 11. 28Hence 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. foreign, 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, 14. Low 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 Joh. 7. 28.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 15. A barren Aſſent.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 Jam. 2. 26.as the bodie without the ſpirit is dead; ſo faith without works, is dead alſo. Though works are not the cauſe, which gives life to faith; yet they are neceſſary products, which argue life in faith. A living faith is ful of vital ſpirits and operations: he that wants theſe, has only a dead corps of faith, or the name of a Believer. David gives us a better account of his faith, Pſal. 119. 11. Thy word have I hid Pſal. 119. 11.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.