The Joy of Faith, Treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 2
CHAP II. Various Expreſſions in Scripture, ſetting forth the Nature of FAITH.
THe beginning and carrying on of the work of Faith in the heart is ſet forth in holy Scripture by many pertinent and ſweet expreſſions, which tend to enlighten and comfort the ſouls of dark, drooping and weak believers: and helping them to diſcern the inherence of this grace in their hearts. Metaphors, Parables and All…geries many times teach us, when direct Precepts will not do the work. Ʋpon ſome whereof I ſhall endeavour to treat in this Chapter, and preſent them as a climax or a Jacobs Ladder, whereby to ſcale the Palaces of eternal joy.
1. In the firſt place,Rev. 24.6. & 22.17. We find this grace ſet forth by thirſting and hungring after Chriſt and his righteouſneſs: which are ſtrong and vehement appetitions after ſupply of proper food and moiſture to refreſh the Spirits, and to preſerve natural vigo…. Which if not timely ſatisfied produce pantings, faintneſs, ſwoundings,Pſal. 42.1. and at laſt convulſive motions, the very harbingers of death. Thus did holy David pant after God, as the hunted Hart, having lickt up a fiery Serpent, pants after the water-brooks. Pſal. 27.13.And at other times he had totally fainted, had not Faith fed his hope with a ſeeing of God in the land of the living. The promiſes of mercy are made to ſuch thirſtings and ſtrong deſires after God.Iſai. 55.1, 2. & 26.8, 9, 12. Pſal. 97 12. The deſire of our ſoul (ſayes the Church) is to thy Name, and at the remembrance of thine holineſs do we rejoyce. Again, with my ſoul have I deſired thee in the night, when others are folded in the arms of the deepeſt ſleep, I am muſing with deep meditation, and am ſtill awake with thee. Then follows that holy confidence dropt in from heaven: Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us, for thou alſo haſt wrought all our works in us, whence it follows, that when the breathings of the ſoul are inſpired by God, th…n his ordinance of peace ſhall iſſue from the throne of grace.
Beſides, The thirſt of the ſoul through defect of the dewes of Zion, ſometimes proves ſo extream, that it falls into a flaming Fever: and lies toſſing, and tumbling, and feeling after cool places,Song. 2.4. but finds no reſt, till it comes to the chambers of Chriſt; and then with holy longings and bitter ejaculations cries out: My heart and my fleſh faileth, Oh when ſhall I come and appear before him? when ſhall I ſee bis face, enjoy his love, and reſt in his boſom? This is a ſure act of Faith when the ſoul priſes Chriſt above all; delights in none but him as the incomparable object of his ſouls ſatisfaction: if it take any comfort in ſublunary things; tis but in ordine ad Chriſtum in ſubordination to him, and in order to his glory. The ſoul doth anhelare, breath and thirſt more after him than all the pleaſures and treaſures of Egypt, the Gums of Arabia, the Spices of India, the Diamonds of Golcondah, or the peculiar riches of Princes: nay than the fragrant Rivers of Balſam in heaven it ſelf, beſides him, as the holy Pſalmiſt flames it out: Whom have I in heaven but thee, and whom in earth in compariſon with thee.Pſal. 73.25.
2. Sometimes Faith is repreſented by looking up to Chriſt with a ſtedfaſt eye, and an earnful countenance, till all the viſive ſpirits paſs the optick nerve and land in his boſom. All the bowels of the Soul are wrackt and torn with convulſive motions and iliack paſſions, the heart faint and ſick, with many a ſwounding fit: the vital moiſture having ſpent it ſelf at the eyes,Pſal. 38 10. Lam 2.11. is almoſt blind with the ſaltneſs of her tears, and ready to give up the ghoſt in deep ſighs and profound palpitations of heart;…ong 1▪ 7. has only a few minutes, wherein to cry out [O thou whom my ſoul loveth, hungers, longs and pants after: and being now ſet down under a Palm in the vally of tears and terrors, ſinks down and yet looks towards him, when flying away like a young Hart upon the Mountains of Lebanon, and leaving it in a deſolate caſe, forlorn, and expoſed to the mercy of Tigres and young Leopards. Yet the Soul cries out, as long as breath and life remains will I look to the place, where thine honour dwells, as the only one of my ſoul, my Lord and Maker, who haſt commanded me to look towards thee and be ſaved. Thy Word ſays Behold me, behold me, Iſai. 17.7. & 45.22.and my heart in obedience replies, Thus will I ſpend my dayes and end my life.
This Looking to Chriſt is ſometimes ſhadowed by the ſtung Iſraelites looking up to the brazen Serpent.Joh. 3.14. In imitation whereof tis thought the Gentiles compoſed their Taliſmanical figures, whereof the Learned often treat. But letting them paſs, let us call to mind that Iſrael after their many murmurs in the Wilderneſs, and refractary deportments toward the Rock of ages, felt at length the dreadful wrath of God in ſending upon them thoſe Alati Serpentes the fiery flying Serpents of Arabia. Plin. Epiyhan.thoſe angry venomous creatures; which having once faſtened their needle teeth, and dropt their yellow poyſon into the wound, the ſtung perſons (tanquam a dipſade percuſſi) were painted as ſaid of ſome with various ſpots of the colour of Serpents, and ſwelld immenſely, died with an inſatiable thirſt, as in the deadly Calenture at Sea. But ſuch as lookt up to the copper Serpent made at Punon, Ph…nn…ſia metal la in Arabiaand ſet on a Pole, preſently received cure, as if the fleſh of the adder had been laid to the wounds, to extract the malignant venom. Had they lookt any whither elſe but to this type of our Saviour, all was in vain. Had their eye been upon Moſes in the moral Law, or on Aaron in the ceremonial obſervances, it would have performed no cure: it was Chriſt alone, who overcame the great Serpent of the bottomleſs pit, and was lifted up on the croſs, for this bleſſed view of Faith.
3. This work of Faith is ſet forth by coming to Chriſt at his call,Mat. 11.28. according to that ſweet invitation of his: [Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, &c.] For the burden of ſin, the Law, Gods wrath, hell and eternity lie very heavy upon conſcience, and will prove unſupportable, unleſs eaſed by his boſom. When the ſoul is ready to ſtarve, pines away, and lockes black with famine:John 6.35. then to hear that bleſſed voice, [Whoſo cometh to me, ſhall never hunger, and he that believeth on me ſhall never thirſt] Where our holy Lord himſelf explains coming by believing: pedibus fidei, with the fe…t of faith and affections,44, 45, 46, we come to him for ſalvation; and ſo 'tis uſed in the neighbour verſes.Pſal. 63.8. Sometimes 'tis expreſt by the ſouls following hard after God, (hebr, cleaving) that is, following ſo cloſely, as if it held him by the garment, and drag'd after him. In the times of fear and deſertion, it runs after God,Song 1.…, 4. Bern being allured and drawn by the perfumed ointments of his name, the rich odours of the promiſes, as powerful attractives to needy and diſtreſſed perſons: othertimes this work is exhibited by the flying of guilty perſons in old time to the city of refuge. Thus David points at God as his refuge and high rock to fly to and be ſafe. Of ancient times, tis reported that the gat…s of theſe cities ſtood continually open, that all the ways were made plain and even: that every ſtumbling block was removed, and the paſſages maintained with accurate care above all the high-ways in Canaan, Iſa. 57.14.and ſome of the cities might be ſ…ated in plains, as Bezer was; that difficult aſcent might not retard the ſpeed of the fl…er: that ſo the ſoul guilty of bloody crimes,Deut. 4: 43. Numb. 35: 12 might ſcape the dreadful avenger, that holy Law of God, and having retired to the city of Chriſt, might there continue ſo long as this Eternal High-prieſt after the order of Melchizedeck, ſhall continue in being, and that's according to the Law of an endleſs life for evermore.H…h 7.6.28.
4: This acting of Faith is ſhadowed forth by our receiving of Chriſt, and therefore muſt be an act of the will and affections; when being ſenſible and convinced of his being the moſt adequate good for the ſoul, ſtretches forth its hand like a ragged indigent beggar, after a bag of gold, when frankly held to him by ſome munificent prince: or as a drooping, ſinking, languiſhing patient holds out his cup for a phyſitians cordial. For to as many as will receive him, he gives out the right and priviledge of adoption to a glorious inheritance above the ſtarry heavens.John 1.12. Col. 2 6. John 17.24. Rev. 3.21.
O Bleſſed Saviour, wilt thou give thy heaven, thy glory, thy joy, thy crown, thy throne (by myſtical union) to as many as do but accept of this motion of mercy?grot. de jure, &c. Will acceptation bring us into acquiſition and a juſt perception of all the territories of this vaſt, immenſe and eternal patrimony? Who would not open his arms, his heart, the penetralia cordis, the moſt intimate chambers of his ſoul, according to all thy tenders in all thine offices, and to all thy bleſſed purpoſes, and cry out with vehement and ardent moans? Are not the doors wide open: come bright morning ſtar, come Lord Jeſus, come quickly! True!Prov. 22 16. Son. ….5 Faith indeed is but the hand, that turns the lock of the ſouls cloſet, to entertain her bleſſed Lord: But 'tis the ſpirit of Chriſt who lays his powerful hand upon the hand of Faith; elſe would continue ſhut and never open: But this inſtrument of inſtruments (as the Philoſopher calls the hand) acts and works in the power of that great efficient, the ſpirit of God, and is co-operative in him, with him and by him, Yea, the ſpirit hath a co-eſſential communion with Chriſt himſelf, who ſtands at the door and knocks by the call of his Miniſters, and leaves ſweet ſmelling myrrh dropping upon the handles of the lock: which like the famed oil of Lunaria, (beare with the compariſon) will eat throrow all, and make the iron bolts to fly in ſunder. O then my ſoul, ſince the Lord of glory is come to theſe everlaſting gates, take heed of a third knock: leſt he take unkindly, depart and leave thee in the dark night of deſertion.
5. Another medium to ſet forth the actings of Faith, is laying hold of him and his moſt bleſſed covenant. This is called,Iſa. 56.4.27 5. Iſa. 27.5.56.2, 6. taking hold of Gods ſtrength, that is, the ark of his ſtrength: that ſo we may make peace with him that dwells between the Cherubims. The fame with laying hold on Gods righteouſneſs and ſalvation, in flying to the horns of the Altar of propitiation, viz. the brazen by blood, and the golden by incenſe.Levlt. 19.30: Iſa 56, 6.58.13. It is further deciphered by loving the name of the Lord (Jehovah, wherein is everlaſting ſtrength) and in keeping the Sabbath from being polluted, which is a ſpecial part of Gods covenant, and a true token of a gracious and godly man, in this his laying hold of God. Nay, we find, that the Lord complains of the church, that few or none did lay hands on him, a kind of holy violence in fervent prayers and Faith, mixt with ardent deſires, and coming to him with earneſt reſolves to hang upon him, as Mary did on Chriſt at his reſurrection. The Lord knew the ſoul of Mary would be clinging upon him, and therefore with a gracious requital, manifeſts himſelf to her, and ſends her with an errand of love to his Diſciples: There is a ſort of holy violence, and gracious impudence to be uſed in thoſe caſes, as Chryſoſtome expreſſes it of the woman of Canaan, that would have no denyal. When we ſeek the kingdom of God,Mat. 11.12. we muſt ſeek it with vehemence, and take it by violence. We are commanded to lay hold on eternal I…ſe, in alluſion to the ſwift courſes at the Olympick, ſtadium in Greece; 1 Tim. 6, 12.who coming near the prize or garland: ſtretcht out the hands and leapt up with ſome violence to take hold of the crown of victory.1 Tim: 6.12. Heb: 6:18: So the Apoſtle exhorts us lay hold on the hope that is ſet before us: as Jacob held the Angel faſt and would not let him go before he was bleſt: Yea, the Spouſe in the ſong, having found whom her ſoul loved,Song 3.4. held him cloſe, and let him go no more.
6. In the ſixth place, When we are now come to him, and have laid hold of his ſtrength, and are ſweetly ſolaced with his favour: then begin we to relie,Prov. 325: leane and reſt upon him with ſome holy confidence. For leaning and truſting are in Solomons language terms equivalent. A poſture this is of great ſweetneſs, and ſatiates the ſoul, that it ſeeks no further. All ſublunary relations and enjoyments leaves a windy emptineſs in the ſoul, but here's [Jacobs enough] which indeed contains [all things] and ſo indeed ſhould be tranſlated.Jer: 33 11. Song 8.5. Such high contentment of ſpirit fills the ſoul in her walking out of the wilderneſs towards Canaan leaning upon her Beloved. The ſame poſture we find the beloved diſciple in,John 21:20 Pſal 37.5. & 22.8. leaning upon the boſom of our bleſſed Lord: Thus are we encouraged in our ſtreights to rowl our ſelves and our affairs upon the Almighty; revolve te & tua: Ʋſher Divin p. 161. Lond. 1677.To the ſame purpoſe, that holy man Biſhop Ʋſher is much pleaſed with the term of the ſouls hanging upon Chriſt for life and ſalvation, when he is ſetting out the nature of Faith:Iſai. 10.20. Sometimes the Scripture uſeth the expreſſion of the ſouls ſtaying it ſelf upon the Lord, the Holy One of Iſrael: in alluſion to the ſupport of a ſtaff, imployed by weak or aged perſons, to preſerve from ſtumbling and falling. Accordingly they find a holy reſt and repoſe of ſpirit, with a ſweet recollection from the trembling of heart, and quivering limbs, by an happy ſettlement in his arms. Yea, when the feet have been ſwelled and bliſtred with rambling up and down in a weary and thirſty land:Dan: 8:4: here they find the ſhadow of a high rock, with pleaſant chryſtal ſtreams powring out of its cavernes, to revive the faint, and recal their flying ſpirits.
But now lets ſearch what are the great ends of the ſouls recumbency, innitency, reſting, and quiet repoſing it ſelf on this bleſſed Lord in the Arh…retum ſacrum, or paradiſe of his love; why, certainly ſuch things that aſſwage its vehement thirſt, quell and ſubdue its fears, compoſe its trem blings, and allure its confidences, and are no other than theſe following, viz. Remiſſion of all ſin, Juſtification by free grace, peace of conſcience, when ſprinkled with the blood of atonement: adoption into Sonſhip, heirſhip, and all the priviledges and liberties of the children of God, Sanctification to mortifie the power and dominion of ſin, and to quicken our graces and duties, to ſupport us againſt, and under all fiery tentations: to eularge and fortifie our ſpirits under dificult ſervices, and to perſevere to the end;Phil. 1.6, 1… that at laſt we may attain the redemption of our bodies from the duſt, and the reſurrection to glory. But theſe reſort more properly under the tenth and laſt chapter, and therefore here I forbear.
7. The next place ſets forth Faith by our cleaving to the Lord with full purpoſe of heart.A…s 11 23. Iſai. 28.16: When the ſoul is glewed by an holy love to the mercies and goodneſs of God, it will then foreign ſtedfaſtly abide with him. It makes not haſte out of the mountains of Zion as if full of bogs and quakemires,Deut. 10.20, Joſh. 2….8. 1 Cor. 1.17 2 Cor. 11 2 but as being ſetled on the ſtrong and lofty rock of ages. This cloſing of the ſoul with God, is often ſet down in Scripture by that truſt and aſſiance which a true believer hath in God, adhering on cleaving to God is a term alſo which ſometimes attends upon conjugal relation, wherby true and faithful perſons, having the yoke of that union lined with the ſoft velvet of love,1 Cor. 6.17. become one, as in perſon by the law, ſo much more in ſpirit and delight To the ſame purpoſe the Apoſtle affirms, that true believers being united to Chriſt by a true and lively faith, become one ſpirit with the Lord, and long daily to be more ſully eſpouſed by larger affections, of the unction of Chriſts ſpirit in order to the ſolemnity of that glorious marriage-day of the Lamb.Rom. 7.4. Rev: 19:7: Phil: 3:20: And this is true faith indeed, when perſons long for the appearance of Chriſt in glory.
8. Next follows that term of embracing of Chriſt; as the Saints of old being firſt perſwaded of the truth and goodneſs of the promiſes,Heb: 1…:13: then at length embraced them utriſpue ulnis with all affection, and what are the promiſes but the precious fine linnen, wherein Chriſt our ſacrifice was involved after his death at his funeral: which is the principal object of our ſaith, even Chriſt in his ſufferings. This act of embracing, notes our ardent affection to him, delight in him, and heavenly communion begun betwixt Chriſt and the heart of a believer: Love is Faiths Agent and factor: Faith worketh by love, a true lover of Chriſt is certainly a true believer in him, and this love increaſes by faith, and faith by love. For the ſoul determines it; The more I know of his Excellencies, the more I believe in him:Rom. 5.4, 5 and I love him more, becauſe I have the experience of Chriſts love to me. In this very ſtate of the valley, there is a mixing of hearts and ſpirits, but in heaven the ſoul is ſwallowed up in his love for ever.
9. In the ninth place a Believer arrives at this reverent freedom with the Lord, in all its ſtreights and dificulties, to caſt its cares and burdens upon him, being both commanded and encouraged by him to do it: Whenever I am afraid ſaith David, Pſal. 56.3.He truſt in thee. If the heart ſafely truſt in a friend,Prov. 31 11. there follows a mutual unvailing and diſcloſing of the moſt ſecret and boſome counſels.Pſal. 71.3. Jer 20.12: Pſal: 142:2: So does the ſoul pour out its ſorrows, and open its whole cauſe before God. Three things make a friend or relation deſirable: power to protect, wiſdom to adviſe and love to comfort and mingle joys & ſorrows together. All theſe are eminently and tranſcendently found in heaven. There's a heart large enough to entertain thy moans:Jam: 1…; wiſe enough to guide thee in the dark turns of Providence, and ſo good as not to upbraid thee, and can command Legions of Angels at a beck for protection.… Pet. 5:7. Let us therefore caſt our care upon him, for he careth for us, and 'tis worth notice, what the Apoſtle terms thy care, the Pſalmiſt terms thy burden, promiſing that the Lord will ſuſtain thee; to ſhew that foreign dividing cares,Pſal. 55.22. heart-rending cares, are great burdens. But divine ſuſtentation and ſupport of the ſoul in trouble, plainly ſhews, that God takes a fatherly care of thee, and will not ſuffer thee finally to be moved, as Davids ſong in the end of that Pſalm, ſince thou art a righteous man, and haſt caſt all thy ſoul-battering cares upon Gods promiſe: which are but ſo many tentations to try thy faith and truſt in him.
Beſides, this truſt is expreſt by caſting anchor within the vail.Heb: 6:19: When the ſhip of the ſoul being turned up-ſide down as to the world, though too near the earth in this bodily eſtate, yet in ſpirit ſails above the firmament, and makes all its ſails upward ſtill,Rev: 11.19: and if any ſtorm ariſes, it then rides at Anchor upon the Ark in heaven, within the vail, beyond the ſtarry Canopy, as upon the rock of life, the Lord Chriſt himſelf.
10 In the tenth and laſt place, faith acts by Reſignation, giving up all its comforts into his heavenly hand▪ when a true believer both living and dying commends his ſpirit into his divine manutenency, during this frail life in all the mighty turns, circles or helixes of providence, full of intricate meanders and mazes paſt finding out, is led by a hand coming down from heaven: So that all ends well with a Saint: his ſtormy dayes do always end in a ſun-ſhine evening. He gives up himſelf to the guidance of his counſel, and as to death, both for time, place, way and method, yields up all to his ſafe conduct, and yet ſometimes breaths out with a moſt humble and reverent motion (his ſoul ſtill lying in the duſt of ſubmiſſion before him) to grant him an foreign, or an eaſy departure out of this life; if it may be his holy pleaſure, and ſtill quietly hoping and waiting for his ſalvation. Thus Jacob in the Old Teſtament, in the midſt of his laſt languiſhments cries out, I have waited for that Salvation O Lord:gen. 59.18. Luke 2.30 23, 46. and good old Simeon in the New: Let thy Servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have ſeen, and mine arms embraced my Saviour and thy Salvation This did our moſt bleſſed Lord, Father into thy hands, I commend my ſpirit; and ſo did bleſſed Stephen, Lord Jeſus receive my ſpirit; teſtifying to the Deity of Chriſt,Acts 7.59. the immortality of his ſoul, and the reſurrection of his body in the ſame prayer of reſignation.
There may be found in Scripture ſome other paſſages, exhibiting the nature of Faith and Truſt, as fixing the heart, chooſing of Chriſt, waiting for his coming, and expecting the bleſſed day, much to the ſame effect: but to cut off prolixity,Pſal. 108 1. Luke 10. ult. I ſhal rather convert the former ten particulars with the like into ſome ſpiritual Soliloquies: ſince all of them exhibit ſome excellent benefits flowing from Chriſt, alluring the ſoul to him, as by the ſmell of thoſe precious ointments, wherewith he was affuſed and inaugurated into all his offices by the Holy Ghoſt, which was ſignified by the inunction of the Aaronieal Prieſthood of old in type, by a choice compoſition of myrrhe (or Benzoin) cinamon, ſweet calamus, caſſia lignea,Exod. 30.24. and oil-olive. So was our holy Lord conſe crated a Prieſt for ever over the houſe of God.Pſal. 45.7.
Let us now breathe out our warm deſires and flowing hopes in ſome few Ejaculations (as to all the ten particulars) into his own boſom.
The Soliloquies.
1 O Bleſſed Lord, I am ſcorchd and burnt up with the ſenſe of thy wrath: the thunders of thy Law amaze my ſoul, Death and Eternity make my bexes to quake, Pſal. 22.15.119.13.I am dryed like a pot-ſheard or as a bottle in ſmoke. Vox faucibus haeret: my tongue is ready to cleave to the roof of my mouth. But I come to thee as a gracious Saviour, inviting, calling, promiſing to help me in thoſe fainting agonies. I thirſt after thee, as the fountain of Siloam, and more than David after the water of Bethlehem.
2. I faint, and my ſoul quivers upon my pale lips, nay is upon the wing to take flight into etern…ty. I look up for ſome reviving ſmiles from the light of thy countenance: Do thou look down O bleſſed Lord with one beam of mercy, and it cures me for ever; ſpeak Lord, for my ſoul waits to hear that peace which is the fruit of thy lips,Pſal. 45.2. and that grace which was poured out into them. O let me not faint nor ſink into the duſt of death, and periſh for ever. For I have choſen to exhale my ſoul into thy boſom, and dye at thy feet.
Theſe are the ſweet ardours of Faith.
3. Now then ſince I am come to thee, O my bleſſed Saviour, and that with my whole ſoul, and come at the call of thy Word and Spirit. For I heard thy voice in the woods of the wilderneſs, and am returned to lie down at thy foot: ſhall the hungry go emty away from the feaſt of ſuch a Solomon. Thou didſt invite me by thy Miniſters in many a choice calling Sermon and I made no excuſe,Luke 1.53. Prov: 9.3. though too much delay (ſo ſpeaks my ſorow) yet the feet of thoſe, who brought the glad tidings of thy love were to me more beautiful and enamouring than the ruddy morning.
4. Moreover O ſearcher of Reins, thou knoweſt that I am inwardly willing to receive thee upon all the terms in thy holy Goſpel, ſignified by thy heavenly call, ſince then my bended will inclines its bowing head towards thy boſom, and my whole ſoul cries after thee, ſince my hands are ſtretcht out towards thy holy place, and my parched mouth wide open to receive that Nectar of heaven, the waters of life: O fail not …he expectation of the needy that commits his ſoul to thee & be not ſilent to my cries, Pſal. 40.2.that aſcend out of the deep and dark pit, and from the horrible clay.
5. Thou haſt O Saviour full of bowels given ſtrength to my feet, and reſtored the nerves and ſinews that hung ſhriveld about my anckle bones: as thou didſt to the cripple at the Temple-gate: ſo deal with me thy Lazarus, thats ſpiritually lame and full of fores,Acts 3.7. yet limps towards the throne of grace, the Temple of mercy. Strengthen my hands O Lord, that I may as firmly take hold of thy love, as I am freely come to thee for thy Salvation.
6. Yea moſt bleſſed Saviour, I begin to be encouraged by the warm beams of thy love, and feel ſome vertue flowing from thee, to invigorate all the muſcles and tendons of my affections, and whatever incites and inſpirits the motive faculty of my ſoul: ſo that I now moſt humbly and reverently beg leave and permiſſion to lean upon thee, and to lay my ſoul down by thee, and in thy boſome to repoſe, as far as thou ſhalt graciouſly pleaſe to admit me into thy communion, for ſuccor, ſu…port, and comfort.
7. O ſtay me with flaggons, for I am faint, by the ſtrong and over coming beams of divine love, and yet reſolved in thy ſtrength to cleave to the arm of thy power,1 Cor. 6.17. and by the unction of thy ſpirit to be united into one ſpirit with the Lord.
8. And to embrace thy love, that everlaſting love, which ſprang from thee in thine electing mercy and pity before the world began,
9. And am now become more ſolicitous by thine aid and help, to caſt all my cares upon thee, then ever I was anxious and diſtreſſed as to events, while thoſe preſſures cauſed my foul to groan out to heaven.
10. I am now determined by thy power, to breathe out my ſoul at laſt only into thy compaſſionate boſome,Col. 1.11. to be kept to the day of Redemption, and being ſtrengthned with all might by thy glorious power, humbly reſolve to wait with all patience, in the freſh actings of Faith, till I ſee thy face in the joyful morning of the reſurrection.
The ſoul having in theſe few panting Soliloquies, poured forth its breakings of heart before God, deſires yet further to be reſolved in one queſtion, to help its joy and therewith I ſhall conclude this chapter.
Queſt. How may I diſcern the truth and integrity of theſe breathings of the ſoul to be the true actings of Faith.
Anſw. I anſwer, labour to feel the pulſe of thy ſoul, as once a Greek Phyſitian touching the arterial pulſe of a young Prince of Macedon, knew whether his heart w…nt. So may we aſſuredly know, where our treaſure is ſeated, and where our love is planted: if we find our hearts to be where Chriſt is ſet down, even at the right-hand of God.
But lets reply a little more diſtinctly.Col. 3: 1, 2.
1. Conſider, where thy ſoul doth moſt acquiſce, where doſt thou feel thy ſoul at moſt reſt and quiet. He that bids his ſoul take eaſe in a fat barn, was but a groſs fool,Luke 12.18. and he that puts his hope or truſt in a clod of yellow clay, bows down to a dumb Idol, that cannot profit. But if as David (when dying) we have all our hope and ſalvation in the covenant of a living God,2 Sam. 23. eſtabliſht to us in all things and ſure. If thou repoſe thy weary ſpirits in the boſome of Chriſt, and findeſt thy lingring wearineſs to wear away in the warm bath of his Love, and reſigneſt thy ſelf into his tuition, and under the canopy of heaven, and exerciſing thy ſelf in applying precious promiſes ſuitable to thy captive ſtate by the rivers of Babylon, and patiently waiteſt for his bright and bleſſed appearance and Kingdom.
This is true Faith.
2. Where is the ſolace and delight of thy ſoul? Is it in things and perſons of Chriſts delight: The things of the ſpirit, and the excellent perſons upon earth:Rom. 8.5. Pſal. 16.3, Rom. 5, 1. is thy ſoul at reſt, and under holy quiet; becauſe in ſome meaſure ſatisfied, that thou art at peace with God. This will breed true joy, for peace is the alma parens, the happy Mother of joy. Whereas contention and grief quarrel in the yoke together. Now when the ſtorms of Gods wrath are calmed by the ſprinkling of Chriſts precious blood upon the Mercy-Seat, there will gradually follow joy unſpeakable and ſull of glory. And where this peace is, there's true Faith be ſure.
3. By the ſouls continuance in the daily actings of faithful recumbency, whereby the habit is fortified. Yet always remember to add thereto a continuance in welldoing. Stedfaſt Chriſtians are perſerverers. The Stony-ground brought forth ſp…e…ily,Rom. 2.7. and that with joy at the firſt hearing: it was but flaſhy and endured not, having no firm root, the rock lying too near under it: but the good ground brought forth fruit with patience, Luk. 8.15.continuing under winters froſt, and ſummers he at, till the joyful day of harveſt. This is true Faith Indeed, and commended by our Lord himſelf.