Precious Faith Considered, Chapter 4

Precious Faith Considered · Chapter 4

p. 79CHAP. IV.

Of the third and laſt thing in Faith, an holy thorough dependant Self-reſignation to the terms of the Goſpel; What it is, to whom and to what it is made, and for what purpoſes: with the adjuncts and properties of it.

THE third and laſt thing in Precious Faith, is a dependant yielding or reſignation of the ſoul unto Jeſus Chriſt the Mediator, and through him unto God, according to his word. This is the vital and eſſential act of faith, as faith is the condition of the Goſpel. Touching it, I ſhall firſt explain what this reſignation is; and then offer my reaſons, why the vitality and eſſential nature of Faith doth conſiſt therein.

Firſt, I muſt explain what this reſignation is in general: It is no other then a ſurrender of the ſoul to God according to theterms of the Covenant. God hath chalked out in the word a method of ſalvation, and man reſigns up his ſoul to God in his own way. God ſays to man, if ever thou art ſaved p. 80it muſt be through the Mediator Jeſus Chriſt, his blood muſt waſh out thy ſins, his righteouſneſs muſt anſwer the Law for thee. Content, ſaith the ſoul, I reſign up my ſelf to the Mediator, I lean my ſelf upon his blood and righteouſneſs for pardon and acceptance with thee. Among Anſelms interrogatories to be propoſed unto men lying, in extremis at the point of death, one which the Miniſter offers to the ſick man is, doeſt thou believe that thou canſt not be ſaved but by Chriſts death, unto which when the ſick man anſwers, yea, I ſo believe, the Miniſter is appointed to ſpeak to him thus, Age, dum ſupereſt in te anima, in hâc ſolâ morte ſiduciam tuam conſtitue, in nullâ aliâ re ſiduciam babe, buic morti te totum committe, bâc ſolâ te totum contege, totum immiſee, totum involve; Whileſt there is any breath in thee, place all thy conſidence in his death, and in nothing elſe, commit thy whole ſelf to it, cover and intermingle, and involve thy whole ſelf in it; this conference I have ſet down, becauſe it doth emphatically expreſs this act of reſignation. God ſays further, my Chriſt muſt not, cannot, be divided, if he ſave thee as a Prieſt, he muſt teach thee as a Prophet, and rule over thee as a King, for I have made him all theſe. Content, ſaith the ſoul, his blood is not, cannot be ſpiritleſs; I give up my ſelf to his holy ſpirit to be taught and ruled: I deſire to ſay with Baldaſſar the German Divine, Veniat, veniat verbum Domini, & ſubmittemus illi, ſexcenta ſi nobis eſſent colla; Let the word of the Lord Chriſt come, let it come teaching and ruling, and I deſire to ſubmit to it, even ſix hundred p. 81necks, if he had ſo many. God ſays further, my Chriſt is a crucified one, and you cannot, muſt not divide him from the croſs. No ſaith the ſoul, I will take him croſs and all. I would fain ſay as the noble Ignatius, veniant crux, ignis, oſſium confractiones, modò Chriſtum habeam, let the croſs, and the fire, and the broken bones come, ſo I may but have Chriſt, I hope nothing ſhall ſeparate me from his love. God ſays again, through this Chriſt thou muſt in all thy wants caſt thy ſelf upon me for a ſupply. I cannot (ſaith the ſoul) bear up my own weight in this reſpect, I would fain lay all upon thee; my guilt upon thy mercy, my unworthineſs upon thy free-grace, my folly upon thy wiſdom, and my weakneſs upon thy almighty power; if thou doeſt not help me, the barn-floor and wine-preſs of the creature cannot do it; if thou fail me, I am confounded and expect to be miſerable. Moreover ſays God, in all thy addreſſes unto me, thou muſt look to thy warrant, and ſee whether Scripture will bear thee out in it or not. The Scripture (ſaith the ſoul) is the Great Charter, above ſealed by infinite veracity, and below by faith; this, this is the ſacred rule I deſire to go by in all my reſignations: After ſome ſuch manner as this doth the believing ſoul ſurrender up it ſelf. But for the more clear opening of this reſignation, I ſhall conſider three things.

Firſt, Unto whom or what this reſignation is made?

Secondly, For what things or purpoſes it is made?

p. 82Thirdly, What are the Adjuncts and properties thereof?

Firſt, Ʋnto whom or what this reſignation is made? I anſwer, it is made unto Jeſus Chriſt the Mediator, unto God the whole ſacred Trinity, and unto the Word: unto Chriſt as the Mediator and grand medium of ſalvation; unto God as the Center and ultimate object of Faith; and unto the Word, as the warrant, rule, and way, in, by, and according to which faith muſt proceed.

Firſt, This reſignation is made to Chriſt as the Mediator and grand medium of ſalvation. I begin with this firſt, becauſe Faith cannot go to God immediately, but to the Mediator firſt, and ſo to God. Thus the Scripture ſaith, through him we have acceſs to the Father, Eph. 2.18. by him we come unto God, Heb. 7.25. and which is more expreſs, by him we believe in God, 1 Pet. 1.21. If we will go to our heavenly Father, we muſt firſt put on our elder brothers robes, we muſt cloath our faith and reſignation in the reſignations of Chriſt, and ſo appear before God; we muſt put our faith into the hand of a Mediator, and from thence it will aſcend up before the divine Majeſty. Take away the Mediator, and God is a conſuming ſire, no ſaith, no prayer, can approach unto him: If the cloud of incenſe do not cover the Mercy-ſeat, Aaron will dye before it, Lev. 16.13. unleſs the Mediators merits had been as a cloud of incenſe about God, the ſinner, though in the loweſt poſture of reſignation, muſt have died before the Father of mercies. Firſt then, there is a reſignation unto Chriſt as the Mediator and p. 83grand medium of ſalvation: For the underſtanding whereof, two things are conſiderable.

Firſt, That Jeſus Chriſt is by Gods ordination ſealed to be a Mediator. There is one Mediator between God and man, the man Chriſt Jeſus, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 2.5. Chriſt, as God-man, ſtood up between an offended God, and offending man, and acts as a Mediator in all his offices: As a Prieſt he acts with God to pacifie his wrath, and purchaſe grace and glory for men; and as a Prophet and a King he acts with men, to declare unto them the Will of God, and rule over them by his ſpirit and word; Thus the livine daysman lays his hand upon both, God above, and man below, to bring them together in a mutual reconciliation.

Secondly, That this reſignation to Chriſt as Mediator, is in a way congruous to all his offices: Look as God above ſealed him to be a Mediator by his ordination, ſo man below ſeals as it were the counter-part by his reſignation: The believer yields up himſelf to Chriſt as a Prieſt, by a recumbency on his merits and ſweet-ſmelling ſacrifice. This in Scripture is called, ſaith in his blood, Rom. 3.25. he yields up himſelf to Chriſt as a Prophet, by an humble teachableneſs; this is called, a hearing of the Prophet, Act. 3.22. and he yields up himſelf to Chriſt as a King, by an holy ſubjection; and this is called, receiving Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, Col. 2.6. Thus this reſignation, as a key to the wards of the lock, ſuits and hits Chriſt in every office. What is merit in Chriſt, is fiducialneſs in faith; What is inſtruction in p. 84Chriſt, is docibleneſs in faith; What is royalty in Chriſt, is obedientialneſs in faith.

Secondly, This reſignation is made unto God, even the whole ſacred Trinity, as the center and ultimate object of faith, I ſay, the whole ſacred Trinity. For though Chriſt, as God-man, the Mediator, be only the grand medium, by and through which faith makes its approaches to God, yet Chriſt as God is not the ultimate object of faith; I ſay, the whole ſacred Trinity, as the center and ultimate object of faith: For nothing is or can be the formal reaſon or terminating object of faith, but the Deity or divine nature only; whoſe infinit excellency and perfection doth naturally merit the ſame; whoſe infallible truth, rich mercy, matchleſs power, and unſearchable wiſdom, calls for faith to come and repoſe in its boſom; there and there only can it ultimately reſt and keep Sabbath: this the Scripture expreſſes emphatically by truſting in Jehovah, the rock of ages, and center of faith. Thus then it is, faith firſt goes to Chriſt the Mediator, and then in and through him it advances unto God. The Apoſtle is expreſs in it, who by him do believe in God, that raiſed him up from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God, 1 Pet. 1.21. Faith in Chriſts blood, is ſaith in the way, the new and living way, conſecrated through the vail of his fleſh; but faith in God, is faith in the ultimate end and center. Moreover, that faith may arrive at him, he comes as it were out of his unapproachable light, and manifeſts himſelf in Attributes; he lets down his veracity, grace, wiſdom, p. 85power, holineſs, and ſoveraignty, as ſo many beams of his glory for our faith to lean upon, and as it were to climb up by unto himſelf. They that know thy name will truſt in thee, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 9.10. the knowledge of Attributes is a ſtaff to our weak faith in its walk to him.

Thirdly, This reſignation is made unto the werd as the warrant, rule, and way, in, by, and according to which faith doth proceed. Theſe things are written, that you might believe, Joh. 20.31. As for the choice bleſſings which faith waits for from God and Chriſt, the promiſes are the warrant. As for the obediential ſubjection to God and Chriſt, the commands are the rule. As for the teachings of the Spirit, the whole word is the way, in which believers looks for the ſame. If faith look up, the word is the perſpective; if it work, the word is the line and plummet; if it conſult, here's the oracle; if it weigh things, here's the ballance: Faith is never warrantleſs. There is tranſgreſſing without cauſe, but never believing. Faith reſigns to the Mediator, and through him to God, but the commiſſion for both is in the word.

Thus far of the firſt thing, unto whom or what this reſignation is made. But to go on.

Secondly, For what things or purpoſes is it made? I anſwer, It is made for very great things and ends. In opening of which, I ſhall to each of them accommodate the former diſtinction of reſignation, as to the Mediator, as to God, and as to the Word. That the nature of this reſignation may the more fully appear, the precious things and ends for which it is made, are as followeth.

p. 86Firſt, The ſoul is reſigned to be inſtructed in all the ways of God. And this reſignation, that I may keep to the prae-appointed method, is made

Firſt, To Jeſus Chriſt the Mediator, and as to him, firſt faith Diſciples the ſoul to him, and then yields it up to him to be taught.

Firſt, It Diſciples the ſoul to Chriſt; before faith a man is as a Wolf or a Lion for brutiſh untractableneſs; but after it, a little child may lead him, even the leaſt truth in the word, and he will not break from it: his ear is opened, and his mind in a readineſs for inſtruction. Now this Faith doth two ways.

Firſt, It doth it by revealing the excellency of Chriſt as a Prophet. Oh! ſays faith, this is the only Rabbie, the Angel of Gods face, the wonderful counſeliar, lying in his boſome and knowing all his ſecrets; his mouth is moſt ſweet, he ſpeaks hony-combs of grace, and breaths beams of light, and utters ſparkles of glory; nothing but myſteries and rectitudes and words of eternal life ever came from him, and (to make theſe come home to thee) he is an inward Eccleſiaſtes, one who can unlock thy ſecrets, and come into the midſt of thee, and there expreſs himſelf in words of life and power, and all the while his Majeſty ſhall not ſwallow thee up. He ſpeaks through an humane nature and vail of fleſh, in rare condeſcenſion and compaſſion towards thy weakneſs. Whileſt faith is in the high praiſes of this great Prophet, the heart cannot chuſe but be upon the wheels ready to run to him, and ſay, ſpeak Lord, for thy ſervant heareth.

p. 87Secondly, It doth it by humbling and ſoftning the heart. Before faith a man is in the ruff of pride, and there's no ſpeaking to him; his heart is as a ſtone or Adamant, and beats off holy truths: but after it, the man becomes as a little child, and Chriſt may ſay any thing to him, his ſtony heart is turned into fleſh, and ſo made ready for God to be manifeſted in it. Faith doth ſo meeken the heart, that it will ſit down at Chriſts feet, and hear him, even in his hardeſt Lectures. Let Chriſt talk of racks, and bloody perſecutions for the Goſpel, and the believer will be ready to get up the croſs on his back. Let Chriſt preach of high and tranſcendent myſteries, ſuch as reaſon cannot fathom, and the believer will ſubſcribe in ſilence, what ever reaſon mutter againſt it.

Secondly, Faith having diſcipled the ſoul, yields it up to Chriſt to be taught: And becauſe now he doth not teach in perſon, as once in the days of his fleſh, faith yields up the ſoul to him to be taught by his ſpirit. The diſcipled believer loves to ſtand as Adam, in the wind of the day, in the gales of the holy ſpirit. And this will appear in two-things.

Firſt, Faith waits upon the Spirit in the Means, and when the ſpirit comes in holy motions, it welcomes him into the ſoul. Faith waits upon the Spirit in the Means, there it cries out, as Eliſha at Jordan, where is the God of Elijah? here's the mantle, but where's the God? here are the Scriptures, but where's the Spirit that endited them, to make holy impreſſions and ſeal divine p. 88truths upon the heart? here are the ordinances, but oh! for the moving of the waters, awake O North wind, and come thou South, blow upon the garden that the ſpices may flow out. And when the ſpirit comes in holy motions, faith opens the everlaſting doors, and welcoms him in, as Laban did Abrahams ſervant, come in thou bleſſed of the Lord; ſtand not only without in the Scripture-letter, come in, thou that comeſt in the name of the Lord. Take the throne of my heart, and bid the world go down and ſit at thy footſtool. Take the keys of the ſoul, and unlock every faculty, ſet up thy lamps in every dark corner, and diſcover the accurſed things there: Speak, O heavenly Rabbi, ſpeak in words of life and power, and ſhew me the path of life and righteouſneſs.

Secondly, Faith is very chary and loth to loſe the teaching ſpirit. Like the Spouſe in the Canticles, it holds him and and will not let him go, Cant. 3.4. This is to the believer as the apple of his eye, he would not have a duſt of earth fall into to leſt it grieve and weep out ſome of the holy light, and as the fire in the Temple, it muſt not go out, if there be but a live coal or ſingle ſpark it muſt be brown up into a flame. Holy motions are very precious to the believer, as it were beams of heaven, better in Faiths account then the great Sun which quickens the animal world; and like ſo many good Angels ſent from God to give the ſoul a viſit: rather then theſe ſhould be violated and abuſed, faith will offer all its worldly comforts, as Lot his daughters, to be defloured. p. 89If the holy ſpirit depart, faith writes ſcabbed upon all other things, and the believer becomes as a dead man, unable to breath in prayer, or walk in holineſs, or live or have a being in the ſpiritual world. The Sun is down, and it is night with him; the dew is off, and his fleece dry; the gales are wanting, and he is at a ſtand in his voyage to heaven. Thus faith yields up the ſoul to be taught by the ſpirit.

Secondly, In and through Chriſt the Mediator, faith yields up the ſoul to God to be taught by the ſpirit. I ſay, in and through Chriſt the Mediator: Without a Mediator God will not ſpeak to a ſinful creature, unleſs out of the fire, in words of wrath, like thoſe at the laſt day, Go, thou curſed one. If he ſpeak and commune with us in words of peace and ſalvation, it muſt be from the mercy-ſeat, that is, through Chriſt, who is called Gods foreign or propitiatory, Rom. 3.25. Hence Chriſt is called the wiſdom of God, becauſe through him that wiſdom doth manifeſt it ſelf; and as God ſpeaks, ſo faith hears and reſigns, both are in and through the Mediator. I ſay, in and through the Mediator, faith yields up the ſoul to God to be taught by the ſpirit, the very ſame teaching ſpirit; as it was procured by the Mediator, ſo it is given out by God. Therefore faith, for the teaching thereof, reſigns up the ſoul as to the Mediator the procurer, ſo to God the donor of it: And in this reſignation faith climbs up to him by that noble Attribute of his infinite wiſdom. Are there tranſcendent myſteries in Scripture? Faith will reſign and cry out p. 90with Zophar, Oh! that God would ſpeak and ſhew me the ſecrets of wiſdom. Whileſt the Scripture is in its hands, it ſighs and looks up for the key to unlock and ſhew forth this and that truth in its ſpiritual glory, or at leaſt in ſome ſuch beams of it as it is capable of; the Original Languages will not ſerve its turn, without the Original Author; nor the Learned Commentators, without the great Interpreter: that only wiſe God who endited the Scripture, can illuſtrate the heart; and whileſt the believer reads the one, he waits for the other. Is there a practical caſe dubious and perplexed, like an intricate Labyrinth or way-leſs wilderneſs? and when the believer goes about to put all circumſtances into the ballance, doth he tremble and demurr like Origen at the Idol-incenſe, and cannot be ſatisfied? In ſuch a caſe Faith runs, and Eſra-like hangs upon God for a right way; the All-wiſe can make a way in the wilderneſs, and guide thee with his eye, ſaith Faith: one caſt or glance from his wiſdom will diſintricate thy doubts, and make thy way plain before thee. Doth the outward world grow ſtormy and tempeſtuous? is the sky of the times overclouded with troubles and dangers? faith ſtands in the poſture of Jehoſhaphat, we know not what to do, but our eyes are upon thee, 2 Chron. 20.12. we know not, but thou knoweſt how to deliver; there is nothing but confuſion below, but all is clear and ſerene in thy wiſe counſels; there is no one way or method of deliverance in our reaſon, but there are inſinite millions of ways and methods with thee. Such a p. 91faith as this made Luther in the troubles of the Church cry out, That it was far otherwiſe concluded in heaven, then at Norimberg; and in the blackeſt tempeſt inſpirits the believer to do, as the Mariners in the Acts, caſt anchor, and wiſh for the day, roll himſelf on the wiſe God, and wait for the dawning of comfort from him.

Thirdly, Faith yields up the ſoul for inſtruction unto the word. And here are three things conſiderable.

Firſt, Faith reſigns to the word, as a warrant for both the former reſignations. If you ask a believer why he preſumes ſo far, as to go to Chriſt and God for the teachings of the ſpirit, his anſwer will be this; I find in the word divers promiſes, that we ſhall be taught of God, that the ſpirit ſhall lead us into all truth, that there is an holy annointing dropping from Chriſt, which teacheth all things. And all theſe promiſes are very true, the counterpanes of Gods heart, and exactly congruous to the grace there; God ſpeaks in them, and without complement he ſpeaks as he means, therefore I reſign up my ſoul unto Chriſt and God for inſtruction; teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I have believed thy commandements, ſaith David, Pſal. 119.66. where by commandements, ſome Divines underſtand all the word, including in it Promiſes as well as Commands: however the believer hath a warrant to pray, teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I have believed thy promiſes of inſtruction.

Secondly, Faith reſigns to the word, as a rich mine and treaſury of knowledge, there are pretious p. 92ous myſteries, ſuch as have the divine wiſdom flowing in them. Them Hungarians have a tradition, that their golden Crown dropt down from heaven; to be ſure the myſteries in Scripture did ſo, they are pure Revelations, come down from God to be as golden Crowns on the head of Faith. The window of the Ark was (as ſome Rabbins ſay) a pretious ſtone, which gave light to all the creatures; and indeed the Original, which we tranſlate window, Gen. 6.16. imports a ſplendor or clear light. Underſtanding is our window, but the Scripture myſteries make it a window of pearl. Humane learning is but painted glaſs, but theſe make windows of agates, ſuch as are in the taught of God, Iſa. 54.12, 13. Theſe are riches of underſtanding, pearls and intellectual rubies, fit to be laid up in the very middle and Center of the heart. There the holy precepts and precious promiſes, beauties of holineſs and glories of grace lye open to the embraces of Faith. There the inviſible God, whoſe dwelling is in light unapproachable, and whoſe pure glory our eyes cannot look on, may be ſeen in the reflex, in the Scripture image and condeſcenſion. In a word, ſo rich are the veins of knowledge there, that faith, as a day-labourer, is ever digging therein, to draw out a ſtock of holy underſtanding from it.

Thirdly, Faith reſigns to the word, as the only way in which a man may be taught of God: All men are ambitïous of ſo grand a priviledge. The very Gentiles in the puddle of their filthy Idolatries, thought themſelves taught of God in p. 93their Oracles. The Mahometans think themſelves more ſure of it in their Alcoran, at which (ſay they) the devils themſelves rejoyced, and turned to God; no queſtion they rejoyed at ſuch a bundle of lies and blaſphemies, but that they turned to God is a wild deluſion. The Jews boaſt themſelves no leſs in their Oral Law, which (ſay they) God delivered over to Moſes, and Moſes to Joſhua, and Joſhua to the Elders, and they to the Prophets, and they to the Sanhedrim, and they at laſt to writing in the Talmud; calling it, lux illa magna, that great light, which yet is but a dark labyrinth of errors and horrible falſities. The Papiſts run to their traditions and unwritten verities as Divine, and ſo bring in a load of fopperies and vain ſuperſtitions. The Enthuſiaſts cry up the ſpirit in an extra-ſcriptural way, and ſo turn aſide from the main principles of Religion. In ſuch falſe ways do men loſe themſelves and the Divine teaching, whileſt the believer knows where to ſind it, even in the Scriptures; in reading them, he ſits at Chriſts feet, and every where looks for Maſchil, inſtruction from God. In them is the Oracle, the Ʋrim and Thummim, by which God anſwers him; here he opens his heart, and ſpreads abroad all his ſails to take in the gales of the holy ſpirit, and be filled in all the will of God, Col. 4.12. foreign, filled with it as the ſails are with the wind; Whileſt the Eunuch was reading the Prophet Eſaias, the ſpirit joined Philip to his chariot, Act. 8.29. Whileſt the believer hath his being in the Scriptures, the ſpirit joyns himſelf to his heart, and p. 94by the infuſion of holy light, makes him go on rejoycing in the way of knowledge. Here and only here doth he wait to be taught of God; ſuch is and, ſince the ſealing up of the Canon, ever hath been, the way of knowledge. And what of extraordinary diſpenſation hath been ſince, hath either directly turned men to their Bibles,Confeſſ. l. 8. c. 12. Melch. Adam in vità Zuinglii. as the voice to St. Auſtin, tolle, lege, tolle, lege, pointing him to the Scripture; or elſe hath quoted or ratified ſome Scripture-truth. Thus when it was objected to Zuinglius, that the word [eſt] in Scripture-parables may be taken for [ſignificat] but not in verbis coenae, in the Sacramental phraſes, and his thoughts were buſie about it, an anſwer was ſuggeſted to him in a dream, a monitor foreign telling him, Quin ignare, reſpondes ei, quod in Exodo legitur, eſt enim phaſe, hoc eſt, tranſitus Domini, in which there is nothing extra-ſcriptural, but a Scripture-inſtance given for that which before was a Scripture-truth; the Scripture is the only place where we can look for Divine teaching. To conclude, that of the Father is remarkable, qui ſacrâ non utitur Scripturâ, ſed aſcendit aliunde, non conceſſâ viâ, fur eſt, he that goes not into knowledge by Scripture, is a thief, the believer keeps the divine road.

Thus far of the firſt thing, reſignation for inſtruction in the ways of God.

Secondly, Faith reſigns up the ſoul to be pardoned and juſtiſied before God; unto juſtification and pardon there are three things prae-required.

p. 95Firſt, An act of free grace in God. All men are naturally ſinners, and as ſuch, Gods holineſs cannot but hate them, Gods juſtice cannot but puniſh them; wherefore free-grace ſtepped in and found out a way, how God, who cannot juſtifie the ungodlineſs, might yet juſtifie the ungodly, Rom. 4.5. and that in a way of compliance both with his holineſs and juſtice; with his holineſs, providing a perfect righteouſneſs; and with his juſtice, providing a perfect ſatisfaction for them in a ſurety: hence the Apoſtle ſaith, we are juſtified freely by his grace, Rom. 3.24. Freely, by his grace; he uſes two words, the more plainly and emphatically to decipher out to us the pure fountain of love and grace, out of which pardon and juſtification iſſue forth to poor ſinners.

Secondly, There muſt be a perfect righteouſneſs fully anſwering the holy Law. God cannot deny himſelf, he cannot deny his holineſs, ſo as to juſtifie us without a righteouſneſs, therefore there muſt be one; he cannot deny his truth, ſo as to account that a righteouſneſs which is none, therefore it muſt be perfect, fully anſwering the Law; all-fair without any ſpot in it, all-pure without any mixture in it, all-perfect without and defect in it, ſuch a thing as is not to be found in any meer man. The Jews (as it ſeems by Joſephus) thought a meer outward righteouſneſs enough; but alaſs, what is this without a pure heart? The Popiſh Doctors look upon inherent graces as our very righteouſneſs in juſtification: indeed theſe (becauſe the denomination p. 96is à meliore parte) denominate men righteous, but they are but inchoate and imperfect, and therefore are ſhort of that perfect and abſolute righteouſneſs requiſite to juſtification. They denominate men righteous, but they do it but in their own weak degree, and not in full proportion to the holy Law; a gracious man is not all grace, there is fleſh as well as ſpirit, droſs as well as gold, water as well as wine in him; his mind is not all Light his will is not all love, his affections are not all harmony; what of grace he hath is but in part, and if this be his righteouſneſs, he can be juſtified but in part, or rather not at all. Neither can our good works, no not thoſe which flow from grace, ever be our righteouſneſs in juſtification. Thoſe are good as they flow from the pure fountain of the ſpirit, but as they proceed from us (in whom there is much of the old Adara) they ſmell of the cask and ſoil in the channel, and contract a great deal of droſs from the indwelling ſin: Hence they are ſo far from juſtifying us, that they themſelves need a juſtification. Hence holy Nehemiah prays that his good works may be remembred, with a ſpare me O Lord, according to the greatneſs of thy mercy, Neh, 13.22. Neither will it ſuffice to juſtification, if our good works are more then our evil. The Papiſts fable that Henry the ſecond Emperour was weighed in the ballance, to ſee whether he were worthy of heaven or hell; his good works were put into one ſcale, his evil into the other, and theſe were like to out weigh and ſink him to hell, but that St. Lawrence put p. 97in the Chalice by the Emperour given him, and ſo made the ſcale of good works preponderate. O vain tale! nothing weighs with God in the point of juſtification but a compleat rightcouſneſs, and that can no where be found but in Chriſt alone; he and he only fulfilled all righteouſneſs, and therefore he is called by the Apoſtle foreign, the end of the Law for righteouſneſs to the believer, Rom. 10.4. the Law hath its total ſum and perfect compleature in him.

Thirdly, There muſt be an expiation of ſin, or elſe there can be no juſtification. The very Gentiles themſelves, ſtung with the conſcience of ſin and vengeance, had their expiatory and luſtratory Sacrifices. The antient lews, being Gods people, had their offerings and ſacrifices for ſin, to make an Atonement according to the Levitical Law. The latter Jews, though they reject the ſacrifice of the Meſſiah; yet that they might not be wholly without an expiation, offer a cock for ſin, becauſe the word [Gebher] in Hebrew ſignifies a man, and in the Talmud a cock; hence they ſay, Gebher, that is, the man ſinneth, and Gebher, that is, the cock ſuffereth. If the Prophet Iſaias in the 53. chapter, had uſed the word (Gebher) the Rabbins (ſaith a Learned man) would have turned the man into a cock; but there it is not Gebher, but Iſh, a man of ſorrows: But theſe expiations not availing, God hath provided an expiation in the death of his ſon. Without ſhedding of blood there is no remiſſion, ſaith the Apoſtle, Heb. 9.22. and becauſe creature-blood could not do it, the blood of God was ſhed to redeem us p. 98from ſin; Jeſus Chriſt, who is God-man, offered up himſelf through the eternal ſpirit, to purge our conſciences from dead works: he paid the utmoſt farthing to Divine juſtice, and hath left nothing at all to pay for the believing finner. The Gentile ſacrifices were no expiations at all, being indeed ſacrifices to devils and not to God; nay, in their own account they did not expiate in all caſes. Hence when the Emperor Conſtantine was haunted with the innocent blood he had ſhed, the Gentile Flamius could tell him of no expiation. But the blood of Chriſt is a true and univerſal expiation, cleanſing from ſin and all ſin, 1 Joh. 1.7. The Levitical ſacrifices, though of Divine Inſtitution, were but types and ſhadows, making nothing perfect. But a crucified Chriſt is the ſum and ſubſtance of them, really atoning what thoſe did but typically. The Rabbinical cock is a ſtrange vanity, in which we may ſtand and wonder at the Jewiſh blindneſs; but what their vain Gebher could not do, that our Iſh the man of ſorrows, upon whom all our iniquities met, hath done indeed: he was wounded for our iniquities, his ſoul was an offering for ſin, his life a …nſom for many, his blood was ſhed for the remiſſion of ſins, he paid that he never took, he made … through the blood of his croſs; in him God is … and reconciled.

Theſe things being premiſed, I ſay the ſoul by Faith doth reſign up it ſelf for pardon and juſtification. And, that I may obſerve my firſt method, this reſignation is made

p. 99Firſt, To Jeſus Chriſt the Mediator. The believer, conſcious to his own ſpiritual poverty, doth as the poor man in the Pſalm, commit himſelf, or as the Original is, leave himſelf on the Lord, Pſal. 10.14. In ſtead of a perfect righteouſneſs, he hath raggs of weakneſs and imperfection, but he leaves himſelf upon the perfect righteouſneſs of Chriſt, as a thing fully anſwering every jot and tittle of the Law. Indeed ſome great Rabbies cry out upon imputative righteouſneſs as a thing impoſſible, calling it putative, a meer imagination, Luthers ſpectrum, the pleaſing dream of ſimple Chriſtians; but in ſober ſadneſs the dream is on their own ſide. If imputative righteouſneſs be impoſſible, how can we ſtand before the righteous Law, dooming and curſing the leaſt defect or non-continuance in all things? Imputative righteouſneſs is impoſſiblé, and inherent is imperfect, and how can we ſtand? if we ſtand, the righteouſneſs of God muſt be upon us, Rom. 3.22. Chriſt muſt be the end of the Law for righteouſneſs unto us, Rom. 10.4. and how can this be without an imputation? Again, if imputed righteouſneſs be impoſſible, what is imputed ſin? If that be ſo too, how was Chriſt made ſin, or an offering for it? to what purpoſe was his blood and ſufferings? what becomes of redemption, & all the train of bleſſings waiting thereon? what to thoſe Maſters of Reaſon is but a fancy, a ſpectrum or dream, that to the believer is the very thing he would be found in before God, Phil. 3.9. Apollodorus offer'd Socrates a pretious garment to dye in. Imputed p. 100righteouſneſs is the bleſſed robe which the believer would live, and dye, and riſe in, unto the judgment-ſeat at the laſt day. Upon this he will venture his ſoul, againſt all the demands of perfect obedience in the Law. Moreover, inſtead of ſatisfying Juſtice for his debts, he hath juſt nothing of his own to pay, but he leaves himſelf upon the blood and rich merits of Chriſt; his ſins are maſſie burdens, too weighty for all the Angels in heaven to ſtand under, but he unloads all upon the Lamb of God, who bore away the ſin of the world: his debts to God amount to a vaſt ſum, but he ventures upon the great ſurety, who paid the utmoſt farthing, and had a total diſcharge in his reſurrection, and now is in heaven to ſee the ſcores croſſed in Gods book, and the bonds of guilt cancelled and thrown down into conſcience. If the avenging Law purſue him, he ſlies to Chriſt as a City of refuge, and there hides himſelf in the clefts of the rock, in the bleeding wounds of his Redeemer: here is faiths anchorhold, here he ventures his ſoul againſt all the curſes of the Law. Deny himſelf to be a ſinner, that he cannot, for his conſcience is a thouſand witneſſes: oppoſe the curſing Law, that he dares not, for it is backed by an infinite juſtice; but he ventures all upon the merit and ſatisfaction of Chriſt: though in the night of deſertion he may lye in a piteous condition, as the Levites Concubine, forced, and as it were dead with legal terrors; yet ſtill his hand like hers, will be upon the threſhold, upon Chriſt the door of ſalvation, till free-grace dawn and break in upon him: p. 101without this reſignation the ſoul can have no peace. Gardiner himſelf, being ready to dye, was willing to hear of a juſtification in the blood of Chriſt, nothing elſe could expiate the guilt of ſin.

Secondly, In and through the Mediator, this reſignation is made unto God; It is God that juſtifieth. God as ſupream Law-giver; the believer wraps up himſelf in the blood and righteouſneſs of Chriſt, and ſo yields up himſelf unto God to be pardoned and juſtified. And in this reſignation, the great attribute he leans on, is Gods grace: God is gracious, nay he hath riches of grace, ſuch as no unworthineſs of ours can exhauſt; he hath glory of grace, ſuch as no ſinfulneſs can eclipſe; he can abundantly pardon, or as it is in the Original, multiply to pardon, Iſa. 55. 7. His grace can multiply pardons, as his power can creatures. Here is the beautiful gate, where the believer lies for an alms of pardoning mercy: here he ventures himſelf upon God, ſpeaking like Benhadads ſervants, I hear that the God of heaven is a merciful God, I will put on my ropes and ſack-cloth, and away to him, it may be I may catch a word of grace from him, and live for ever; or arguing like the poor Lepers, if I ſit here in my ſins, I dye eternally; if it go unto the world, there is a famine of gace, let me fall into the arms of a good God, if he kill me, I thall bat dye, but if he ſave me, I ſhall live for ever; after ſuch a manner doth he caſt himſelf upon mercy. This act of faith is very precious, it touches God as it were in his bowels, and ſets p. 102them a ſounding and melting into diſtillations of ſavour. As ſoon as the prodigal ſon returned and caſt himſelf on his fathers mercy, his father runs and kiſſes him; and the ring, and the beſt robe, and the ſatted calf, are all little enough for him, Luke 15. And as it is very pretious, ſo it is very ſafe. De Juſif…. l. 5. c. 7.Beliarmtne himſelf, after many diſputations about juſtification doth yet conclude, tutiſſ. mum eſt, …duciam totam in ſolâ Dei miſericordiâ & benignitate reponere, it is moſt ſafe to put all our confidence in the ſole mercy and bounty of God.

Thirdly, This reſignation is made to the Word, as the warrant for both the former reſignations. Ask a believer why he reſigns to Jeſus Chriſt for pardon and juſtification, his anſwer will be, I find in the word that Chriſt hath fulſilled all righteouſneſs, hore our iniquities, made an end of ſin, and reconciled us to God by his croſs, therefore I reſign to him. Ask him again, why he reſigns to God for it, his anſwer will be, I find in the word that God is decy phered in bleſſed titles, as gracious, merciful, abundant in goodneſs, and ready to forgive; and that the grace in his heart ſlows down to us in promiſes of pardon, blotting out iniquity, and caſting ſin behind his back into the depth of the ſea, therefore I reſign. Parley with him further, and he will tell you, that over and beſides Gods infallible word, he hath his oath. As to Chriſt the atoning Prieſt, God hath ſworn, thou art a Prieſt for ever, Pſal. 110.4. And as to his own grace and favour, he hath ſworn, I have no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, but that the p. 103wicked turn from his way and live, Ezek. 33.11. and in ſwearing, God foreign interpoſes himſelf, as the word is, Heb. 6.17. pawns his life and eſſence upon it, to make the thing wholly irrepealable and immutable, and thereby to raiſe up ſtrong and invincible conſolation in us, and therefore I reſign.

Thus far of the ſecond thing, reſignation for pardon and juſtification.

Thirdly, Faith reſigns up the ſoul to be ſanctified. Sanctification ſtands in two things, mortification of ſin, and vivification of the ſoul, and for both theſe faith yields up the ſoul. And to obſerve the promiſed order;

Firſt, This reſignation is made to Jeſus Chriſt the Mediator. And firſt touching Mortification, the believer yields his ſoul to Chriſt in a threeſold reſpect.

Firſt, He yields up his ſoul to Chriſt as the grand ſamplar of mortification. What Chriſt ſuffered in his pure fleſh by way of expiation, that muſt we ſuffer in our corrupt fleſh by way of mortification. His body was nailed to the croſs till the ſoul ſeparated from it; & the body of ſin muſt be ſo nailed, till the ſoul, the will, and love, and delight of ſin depart. He was free in laying down his life and blood, and ſo muſt we be in laying down the life and blood of the old Adam: 'Tis true, the fleſh relucts and ſays, as Chriſts humane nature, Oh! let this cup. paſs from me, but the ſpirit is willing, and cries out, Father, thy w…ll be done, even in the death of my darling luſts. Chriſt died a violent death, and ſin muſt not dy… p. 102duplicate page p. 103duplicate page p. 104a natural one. If it dye alone or of it ſelf, it is no ſacrifice, it muſt be cropt in the flower, and ſtabbed at the heart, and dye of its wounds; the violence done to God and Chriſt and the Spirit muſt be upon it, till it give up the ghoſt. Chriſt died a tormenting death, in pains and agonies, and we muſt dye ſo to ſin, we muſt ſuffer in the fleſh, 1 Pet. 4.1. bleeding under ſin, and being ſorrowful to the death of it. Chriſt died a lingring death, and ſo doth ſin, it doth not dye all at once, but languiſhes by little and little; the believer dies daily to ſin. The Coloſſians were dead C…l. 3.3. and yet ſaith the Apoſtle, mortiſie your members, v. 8. Mortification muſt be upon mortification, becauſe ſin is long a dying: the genius of faith is, to have ſin crucified as Chriſt was, following his ſteps, as much as may be.

Secondly, He yields up his ſoul to Chriſt as the meritorious cauſe of mortification. Chriſts death merited ſins; hence faith glories in the croſs of Chriſt, as in that whereby the world is crucified to the believer, and he to the world, Gal. 6.14. there it would hang up every luſt as an accurſed thing. Faith lies at the bleeding wounds of Chriſt, watching for the breathings of that ſpirit, which can mortiſie the deeds of the body, waiting for that mind of Chriſt which can make us ſuffer in the fieſh, that we may ceaſe from ſin. Chriſt was crucified, and the believer would have the old man crucified together, he would dye with him as the graft doth with the ſtock. There is a Popiſh fable, that the angry Adriatick Sea p. 105was becalmed by one of the nails of Chriſts croſs caſt into it; the moral is true: the troubled ſea of luſt in our heart cannot be ſubdued but by the application of Chriſt death; the winds and waves there obey no other voice but that of Chriſt crucified, he yields up his ſoul to Chriſt as the royal worker of mortification. When he ſees his luſts as ſo many rebels riſing up in arrns, he flies to his ſoveraign Chriſt for a power to ſubdue them: the high things and ſtrong holds appearing in his underſtanding, make him cry out, Treaſon, Treaſon, the Jebuſite is in the tower of David; the fleſhly wiſdom hath got into the underſtanding, O thou wiſdom of God captivate and caſt it down. The Pagan luſts and Gentile-wills ſhewing themſelves in the heart, force him to break forth like the Pſalmiſt, O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance, thy temple they have deſiled, caſt them out O thou mighty Saviour, that my ſoul may be a ſanctuary for thy ſelf. When the battel is ſet before and behind, corruptions ſurrounding and encompaſſing him, his eyes are upon his Lord ſitting above at the right hand of power, till his enemies be made his footſtool.

And as the believer yields up his foul to Chriſt for mortification of ſin, ſo alſo for viviſication of the ſoul. And this in the very ſame reſpects.

Firſt, He yields up his ſoul to Chriſt as the grand pattern of viviſication; the parallel is the Apoſtles own, Like as Chriſt was raiſed up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even ſo we alſo p. 106ſhould walk in newneſs of life, Rom. 6.4. Look what was done in the fleſh of Chriſt in his corporeal reſurrection, that is done in the ſpirits of Chriſtians in the ſpiritual reſurrection: there the ſtone was rolled away from the ſepulchre, here from the heart; there the fleſh of Chriſt was raiſed up by an Almighty power, called by the Apoſtle, the glory of the Father; here the ſoul of the believer is raiſed up by the ſame power, as appears Eph. 1.19, 20. there after the corporceal reſurrection, Chriſt appeared in humane lineaments; here after the ſpiritual reſurrection, the Chriſtian appears in divine graces: the genius of faith is to aſſimilate the Chriſtian to Chriſt riſen.

Secondly, He yields up his ſoul to Chriſt as the meritorious cauſe of viviſication. Chriſt merited all graces for us, ſaith doth not dare to go immediately to God, no not for holineſs it ſelf, but it goes and ſucks at the breaſts of Chriſts humanity, well knowing that all graces are from the ſpirit, and the way of the ſpirit is by the blood, as Tagmon Archbiſhop of Magdenburg took the laſt breath of his dying Maſter Wolfgang by applying mouth to mouth; ſo faith applies its mouth as it were to the wounds of a dying Chriſt, from thence to receive the ſpirit of all grace; that love, joy, peace, long-ſuffering, gentleneſs, goodneſs, meekneſs, temperance, as ſo many rivers of living water, may flow in the heart, to make glad the habitation of God therein, that the holy ſpirit may be as it were the ſoul of the ſoul, breathing in the believers prayers, p. 107and ſhining on his Bible, and melting in his charity, and impowering in his infirmity, and honey-dropping in his converſes, and being a Shechinah, a preſence and a glory in all his ways.

Thirdly, He yields up his ſoul to Chriſt as the Royal Donor of all quickning graces. Chriſt as a Prieſt merited all graces, but as a King he gives them out unto us, him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance, Act. 5.31. and ſo to give all other graces. A melting heart is but a word of power from him at Gods right hand, an heavenly heart but a touch from him ſitting in heaven, every piece of holineſs is a beam of glory from him; meekneſs, and mercy, and obedience, and patience, are as ſo many pearls dropping from his crown; all the ſheddings of the holy ſpirit ſlow from him who is exalted above, he aſcended up that he might fill all things, Eph. 4.10. that is, all the ſpiritual world of believers with grace. Faith therefore looks up for the ſweet illapſes of the ſpirit, and waits for graces as ſo many golden apples dropping down from that tree of life which ſtands in the upper Paradiſe of God.

Secondly, In and through the Mediator this reſignation is made unto God, it is God that ſanctiſieth. God as the ſupream fountain of grace; and in this reſignation faith climbs up to him partly by the Attribute of free-grace, caſt thy burden upon the Lord, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 55. 22. or as the Original imports, omnia donabilia p. 108tua, all that thou wouldeſt have given thee, whatever thy want be, mortifying grace, or quickning grace, faith hath an art to caſt and unload all upon free-grace: there being a famine of grace in lapſed nature, faith brings out the empty veſſel, the ſoul void of ſelf-worthineſs, and ſets it under one ordinance or other, waiting upon God till he rain down righteouſneſs upon the ſoul. This is the rain of liberalities, as the Original is, Pſal. 68.9. this faith waits for without money or price of its own, becauſe God is love, and grace free, and partly by the Attribute of Almighty power: ſin is ſtrong, but not infinitely; the Almighty, who ſubdues all things to himſelf, can eaſily ſubdue it. The heart is a dead womb, and not able to teem out the leaſt particle of grace, but the Almighty can quicken the dead, and raiſe up a divine ſeed therein. The fingers which made an Heaven and an Earth, can make a new heart and a new ſpirit: Faith takes hold on the power of God, for the working ſanctification in the heart.

Thirdly, This reſignation is made to the word, and that upon a double account. It is made to the word as the warrant of both the former reſignations, and made to the word as the engine in Gods hand for the working of ſanctification; it is made to the word as the warrant of both the former reſignations. The word is full of promiſes of mortifying and quickning grace, and theſe promiſes ſtream out to us from the pure fountain of free-grace, through the bleeding wounds of the Mediator, and are all Yea and p. 109Amen. Hence faith reſigns to God and Chriſt for all ſanctifying grace. It is alſo made to the word as the engine in Gods hand for the working of ſanctification. The word is a mighty weapon, able through Gods power to caſt down the heights and ſtrong holds of ſin; and an immortal ſeed, able through Gods grace to quicken the heart, and ſpring up into the new-creature. Faith therefore reſigns to it, that the heart may be ſanctified through the truth.

Thus far of the third thing, reſignation for ſanctification.

Fourthly, Faith reſigns up the ſoul to be ruled as to its actings, I ſay, as to its actings. That I may clearly diſtinguiſh it from the but now mentioned ſanctification, which conſiſts in inward principles of grace. And ſtill to preſs in my old ſteps.

Firſt, This reſignation is made to Jeſus Chriſt the Mediator. Faith tranſlates the ſoul into the kingdom of Chriſt, and loves to live no where elſe; the world in its eyes is but a houſe of bondage, but it loves to live in Chriſts dominions. Where holineſs is, there's the King of Saints, where meekneſs and patience, there's the throne of the Lamb; where righteouſneſs, there's his Scepter; where Gods will prevaileth, there he ſits in Power and Majeſty; at the laſt day ſenſe will diſcover this great King Jeſus coming in the clouds, in power and glory. But faith ſees him here coming in ſtate in every holy command, and riding as it were on the wings of the wind in every motion of the holy ſpirit. The poſture p. 110of faith herein is like that of the Iſraelies, when the pillar of cloud and fire went before them, then they journied, otherwiſe they ſtaid in their place; when the ſpirit and word of Chriſt goes before the believer, faith follows after, elſe it will not ſtir a foot out of its place; it is really in the believers heart, to be ruled by Chriſt in all things. Take him in holy ordinances, theſe, ſaith faith, are the throne of Chriſt here below, in theſe he fits at the right hand of power; here the believer waits to ſee the power and the glory, as the man with the withered hand, in ſtretching it forth, waited for a power to reſtore it, and as the blind man in his going and waſhing in Siloam, waited for a power to recover his ſight: ſo the believer in every ordinance waits for the power of Chriſt, if he break the rocky heart, & melt it into the divine will, the believer cries out the Lord reigneth; here is the day of power indeed. Take him in the works of his calling, and there he is ruled by Chriſt; one would think the ſervant were only toiling and drudging in his ſervile employments, but if he be a believer, he is ſerving the Lord Chriſt, Col. 3.24. and by a divine praerogative above other mens, his deeds are wrought in God: ſuch was the poſture of pious Muſculus in the town-ditch, as well as in the Pulpit. Faith is ſuch an engine as brings down the kingdom of Chriſt (though not of this world) into the meaneſt trades, the believer acting therein, as Peter let down his net, at the command of Chriſt, and therein, as in his calling, abiding with God, which is more then the unbeliever p. 111doth under divine ordinances: nay, take him even in natural actions, the believer (when himſelf) cats, and drinks, and ſees, and hears, and ſpeaks, and ſleeps, and wakes, and walks after another rate then other men, doing all under the Law of Chriſt; that's a knife at his throat, a covering to his eyes, a ſtopper to his cars, a bridle on his lips, when he ſleepeth, that keeps him, when he waketh, that talks with him, when he walketh, that leads him; the kingdom of heaven, which is not meat or drink or any ſuch thing, is by faith brought down into all theſe. The genius of faith is to be ruled by Chriſt in all things.

Secondly, This reſignation in and through the Mediator, is made to God, I ſay, in and through the Mediator; becauſe without him, we can expect to be ruled by God in no other way then by the iron rod of his power and juſtice, daſhing us in pieces to all eternity; but in and through him, the believer may and doth yield up himſelf to God to be ruled. And here he makes uſe of two Attributes, Gods ſoveraignty, and Gods holineſs; God is the ſupream Lord, and muſt be obeyed; he is the holy one, and muſt be ſanctified in each command: the beams of his majeſty and holineſs ſparkle out, and theſe faith takes in to melt the heart into a compliance with the divine will. Plato being asked by one of his Scholars, how long his precepts were to be obeyed, anſwered, Donec in terris apparuerit ſacratior aliquis, qui ſontem veritatis aperiat, the believer deſires to be ruled by God, becauſe an higher and holier cannot come.

p. 112Thirdly, This reſignation is made to the word. Ask a believer how he knows himſelf to be where he would be, in the dominions of God and Chriſt, his anſwer will be, I know it by the command in the word, and in the command his faith eyes two things, the truth of the command and the ſoveraignty; his faith eyes the truth of it, the command is true, as coming from God himſelf, and being the very counterpane of the holineſs in his heart; This is the will of God even your ſanctification, ſaith St. Paul, 1 Theſs. 4.3. Gods will is in himſelf, but the command is the counterpane of it, thy word is true from the beginning, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 109.160. or as the Original is, the head of thy word is truth, the body of the command in Scripture anſwers to the head of it in the holy will of God. Faith looks on the command as iſſuing out of the very heart of God, and exactly agreeing thereunto, and upon this account reſign to it, as to the good and acceptable will of God. Again, his faith eyes the ſoveraignty of it; naturally we would be Gods to our ſelves, and ſet up our wills as ſupream, and therefore we make war upon God and his Law: But when faith comes, God is God, and the Law a royal Law, and all the commands in Power and Majeſty, by them (ſaith David) is thy ſorvant warned, or as it is in the Hebrew, illuſtrated, Pſal. 19.11. the command to the believer is, as if a light ſhone from heaven, and a voice came from the excellent glory, ſaying, Do this or that. Gods will rides in triumph, and mans falls to the earth, as not able to ſtand before the Lord: p. 113The voice of a ſuperior, if perceived, puts an awe upon the inferior nature, ſo doth the voice of man upon beaſts, ſo doth the voice of Angels upon men, and (which is the greateſt awe becauſe from the higheſt nature) ſo doth the voice of God upon the believer. After this manner doth faith yield up the ſoul to the command, and in it to God and Chriſt.

Thus far of the fourth thing, reſignation for a holy government.

Fifthly, Faith reſigns up the ſoul for the gracious, reward of eternal life. And here to keep the old Method.

Firſt, This reſignation is made to Jeſus Chriſt the Mediator. Faith cannot be ſatisfied with earth, that's but the Paradiſe of ſenſe; no, nor with preſent graces, theſe are but the pawns and earneſt-pennies of eternal life, faith aſpires after heaven. Oh! let me go over, and ſee the good Land, where the Mountains are all ſpices, the Rivers pleaſures, the Mountains are all ſpices, the Rivers pleaſures, the Air pure holineſs, the Eternal light God himſelf, ſaith faith, and for a title thereunto, faith yields up the ſoul to Chriſt, who as a Prieſt hath merited heaven for us, and as a King is able to give it out to us. The Plebeian (ſaith Epictetus) looks for his gain from things without; the Philoſopher looks for it from himſelf; but (which is a ſtrain higher) the Believer looks for his reward from Chriſt. Evagrius the Philoſopher gave (as the ſtory goes) three hundred pounds to Syneſius for the poor, to be repaid him by Chriſt in another world: the believer doth all at the ſame rate, hears, and p. 114reads, and prays, and gives alms, and all to be paid in another world. Worldly men wonder at his hot purſuits after grace and holineſs, but he knows what theſe will go for in another world; that's the reaſon he follows hard after them, but in the purſuit ſtill his eyes are upon Chriſt as the great purchaſor and pay-maſter.

Secondly, This reſignation in and through the Mediator is made to God. It is he that glorifieth, eternal life is Gods gift, our heavenly Fathers meer pleaſure; faith therefore yields up the ſoul to him for it, and herein it climbs up to him by his free-grace, the pure river of life flows out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, Rev. 22.1. out of the regnant grace of God and merit of Chriſt as out of a fountain, the believer expects no eternal life but what iſſues out from thence. Thus the Reverend Soknius on his death bed expreſſed himſelf, Pendeo totus à Dei miſerieordiâ, I wholly depend on Gods mercy.

Thirdly, This reſignation is made to the Word. There is the promiſe of eternal life extant, and there the way to eternal life is chalked out, there is the promiſe of eternal life mapped out, a mercy above all the ſphear of nature: Hence the antient believers were as pilgrims here, Heb. 11.13. as if the world were too little for them, they were altogether for the heavenly country, which faith ſees at a diſtance in the promiſe: There alſo the way to eternal life is chalked out, the world paſſes away, but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever, 1 Joh. 2.17. Riches and pleaſures are but the way of time, but holineſs and p. 115righteouſneſs are the way everlaſting, Pſal. 139.24. the good acts may paſs, but their record is in heaven; the good men muſt dye, but the holineſs ſhall never ſee corruption; the repentant tears which fall to the earth, are bottled with God; the charity which ſeems loſt as bread caſt on the waters, will come to hand again. Polycrates, when he caſt his ring into the ſea, little thought to have met it again in his fiſh; but the believer doing good works, expects to meet them again in another world, ſowing to the ſpirit, he looks for a crop in eternal life. Dorcas may leave her coats and garments behind her, but the charity will follow her into another world; the commandement is eternal life, ſaith our Saviour, Joh. 12.50. the very way to it. The believer obeying, may in ſome ſenſe ſay as dying Pollio, jam ingredior in vitam aeternam, now I am entring into eternal life, into that which will ſurvive the world and live in glory. Faith reſigns to the word, not only as it is the charter of eternal life in the promiſe, but as it is the director to it in the command.

Thus far of the ſecond thing, for what things and purpoſes this reſignation is made. But to proceed to the third thing.

Thirdly, What are the Adjuncts and Properties of this reſignation? Ʋnto which I ſhall anſwer in the following particulars.

Firſt, This reſignation is made in the way of God. Believers wait upon God for very great things: Since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither p. 116hath the eye ſeen, O God, beſides theſe, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him, ſaith the Prophet, Iſa. 64.4. But where do they wait for theſe great things, where but in Gods own way? Thus it follows, thoſe that remember thee in thy ways, v. 5. Look in what way or method God gives out a mercy, in the ſame way or method doth faith wait to receive it. Would a man have a pardon, faith waits for it in Gods way; free-grace as immenſe a ſea as it is in God, doth not flow out every way upon ſinners, but through the bleeding wounds of Chriſt. We are juſtified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jeſus Chriſt, ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 3.24. Mark, free-grace iſſues out through redemption, and in that way faith waits for it: Thus St. Peter, We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt we ſhall be ſaved, Act. 15.11. he calls the grace of God the grace of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as being merited by him. The believer waits for pardoning mercy, but it muſt be the mercy of David, coming through the Meſſiah the true David. Whether God might not per potentiam ſuam abſolutam, remit ſin without a ſatiſfaction, is a queſtion may be ſpared; Gods will is declared, the Scripture is definitive, there is no other name given among men, but the name of Jeſus, no other remiſſion but through his blood: the glory of the Lord, that is, his free-grace, comes into the Temple of the Church by the way of the Eaſt, Ezek. 43.2. that is, through Jeſus Chriſt, who is foreign, the Eaſt, Luk. 1.78. towards which the true believer bows down p. 117himſelf for all grace. The Socinians grace, ſuch as is ſuppoſed to iſſue forth without the ſatisfaction of Chriſt, is not indeed the grace of God, but a fancy, an Idol of their own heart, He that abideth not in the doctrine of Chriſt, hath not God, ſaith S. John, 2 Joh. v. 9. therefore ſuch an one muſt not be received, or ſaluted with God ſpeed, v. 10. Let the Socinian, who abides not in the doctrine of a redeeming and ſatisfying Chriſt, cry up free-grace, and that (as he thinks) in the pureſt and higheſt ſtrains, without all money and price, even without that of the Mediator. After all this he hath not God or free-grace in the right notion of it, the true believer dares not entertain ſuch a grace, or ſay foreign to it, leſt he ſhould bleſs an Idol, and rejoyce in a thing of nought; ſuch a grace is a meer ſtranger to Scripture, and therefore faith, whoſe skill is only in that Dialect, cannot own it, though humane reaſon ſpeak never ſo fair for it. Again, would a believer have mortification? he would have it in Gods way, he ſeeks it not Macedonius-like, by ſtanding in a ditch all the day, nor as the Paleſtine-monks, by lying as dead unburied men on the earth, nor with the Papiſts, by Pilgrimages and outward pennances, nor with the Flageliantes, in their ſcourging and bloody whipping their own bodies. No, this is not Gods way, in all this Pageantry of mortification, they are at hoſtility with nature rather then with ſin, and in ſhooting all their arrows at the body, they miſs the mark, the chief ſeat of ſin in the heart: Neſciunt ſuperſtitioſi (ſaith a Learned man) Deum amare immutationem p. 118cordium, non dilaniationem corporum, ſuperſtitious men know not that God loves changing of hearts rather then renting of bodies: the true believer ſeeks mortification in and by Jeſus Chriſt, our old man is crucified with him, Rom. 6.6. As long as we are in the old Adam, ſin will be lively, but as ſoon as we are in Chriſt the wiſdom and power of God, ſin, which is the weakneſs and folly of man, dies in us. The believer ſeeks after the ſpirit of Chriſt, as after that which can lay our luſts a ſteep in godly ſorrow, and nail them to the croſs of Chriſt, and let out their vital blood, even the inward love thereof. Moreover, a believer would have inſtruction and teaching, but he would have it in Gods way. The Papiſts ſay, that Images are Lay-mens books, and whileſt the Bible is to the unlearned a ſealed letter, theſe are Letters Patents, open to all men, he that runs may read God as it were in great Capital letters. Gregory the Great, though he condemned their adoration, yet he allowed their preſence in Churches, tanquam eſſent memoracula & rudium literae; but alas! can the dumb Idol ſpeak? or if it could, can a teacher of lies inſtruct? may that be our memorial which hath made many forget God? Did God ever licence the printing of ſuch Lay-mens books? and if it have not his Imprimatur by an inſtitution, how can we expect his benediction? ſurely this is none of Gods way; faith ſaith, the image of God is in the word, and the only crucifix in the Goſpel. The Enthuſiaſts would be taught in an immediate and extraordinary way, but the believer p. 119goes to the word, there is the School where he would be taught of God, there are the gates and door-poſts where he would hear wiſdom ſpeak.

Secondly, This reſignation is made to its entice object, and not by piece-meal. As to God the ultimate object, the believer would not pick and chuſe among his Attributes, but is for them all, he would not have a God all of grace, but ſuch as he is, an holy one and a juſt, who will be ſanctified even in our approaches to touch his golden Scepter. The believer, whileſt he caſts himſelf upon Gods grace, would be aſſimulated to his holineſs, when he catches hold on mercy, withall he trembles at divine juſtice, as he waits for the ſmilings of Gods face, ſo he walks as in his preſence; all places to the believer are Bethels and Peniels, full of God, and too dreadful to ſin in. If any man go about by his faith to ſingle out grace from among the other Attributes, and ſuck that honicomb of infinite ſweetneſs by it ſelf alone, he doth not believe but preſume, like thoſe in the Prophet, The heads thereof judge for reward, and the Prieſts thereof teach for hire, and the Prophets thereof divine for money, yet will they lean upon the Lord, Mic. 3.11. O vain preſumption! for them ſtanding upon ſuch unholy ground, to lean upon the Lord, is an utter impoſſibility. A traitor who ſtrikes off his Soveraigns Crown, or with Hacket ſtabs at his image, doth not, cannot, at that time caſt himſelf on his Grace or Royal favour: A ſinner, whileſt by his ſinful rebellions he ſtrikes at the Soveraignty or p. 120ſtabs at the holineſs of God, doth not, cannot, lean upon his free-grace. St. John hath determined the caſe, If we ſay that we have fellowſhip with him, and walk in darkneſs, we lye, and do not the truth, 1 Joh. 1.6. Let ſuch an one cry up free-grace, free-grace, never ſo much, he doth but truſt in a lye, there is no ſuch grace as he dreams of, none but what comes from the holy one as the giver of it, none but what teaches the receiver a leſſon of holineſs. Again, as to Jeſus Chriſt the Mediator, the believer is for All Chriſt, not only for him as a meriting and atoning Prieſt, but for him as a teaching Prophet, and ruling Lord alſo. Whileſt he wraps up himſelf in the pure robes of Chriſts righteouſneſs, at the ſame inſtant his ear is open to diſcipline, and his heart unfolds the everlaſting doors to let in the King of glory; he puts the Crown upon his head, and ſets him upon the throne of the heart, ſinging bleſſing, honour, power, glory, to the Lamb for ever. That Chriſt who is in glory in heaven at the right hand of Majeſty, comes to be in glory in the heart by the reſignations of faith. Thus he himſelf faith, the ſpirit ſhall glorifie me, Joh. 16.14. that is, by working faith in the heart, as the Father glorifies him above, ſo the ſpirit, and under that faith, glorifie him below. If any man go about by his faith to pick out the merits and righteouſneſs of Chriſt for ſalvation, without a reſpect to his teaching and ruling offices, he mangles and tears in pieces Chriſt, as much as in him lieth, renting of Jeſus from Chriſt, nay and Jeſus in twain, whom he admits only to ſave him from the p. 121guilt of ſin and not from the power and love of it, ſeparating the blood of his Saviour from the water, and his merits from the ſpirit, which are and ever muſt be in conjunction; ſuch an half and divided Chriſt as this is, is not the Chriſt of God, but a Chriſt of his own fancy, one that will ſave him in his ſins, and juſtifie him in his ungodlineſs; he that believes in ſuch a Chriſt, doth at once miſerably cheat his own ſoul, and as much as in him lieth, profanely trample on the blood of Chriſt, as if it were ſhed on purpoſe that ſinful men might have the reins laid down on their necks to riot in their curſed luſts with all impunity. Moreover, as to the word of God, the believer is for all of it, he is not only for cordials, and pots of Manna, and diſtillations of grace in the promiſes, but for precepts alſo, his meat and his drink is to do the will of his Father in heaven; whileſt his eyes are on the Land of promiſe, his feet are in the Land of uprightneſs. Antinomians boaſt themſelves to be above the Law, and as free as if they were in heaven, and that their ſins are but ſeeming ſins, ſins to ſenſe and to the world outwardly, but no ſins to faith and before God who ſeeth no ſin in them. But alaſs! theſe are but ſwelling words of vanity, to be above the Law is Antichriſt-like to be above God himſelf, whoſe Majeſty and holineſs break forth in it; and if ſins be but ſeeming ſins, the Law is but a ſeeming Law, and God (whoſe authority and ſanctity ſhine forth in it) is but a ſeeming God: Promiſes and Precepts run together in the Scripture, and muſt be taken together into the heart p. 122by faith. Promiſes are effluxes out of Gods grace, and faith takes them in by recumbency; Precepts are effluxes out of Gods holineſs, and faith takes them in by obediential ſubjection, both muſt continue and be owned by faith, as long as there are grace and holineſs in God. The true believer neither with the Antinomian picks out the promiſes from the precepts, nor yet with the Hypocrite doth he pick out only ſuch commands as do not croſs his beloved luſts, as the Papiſts have razed out the ſecond Commandement in ſome of their Catechiſms, becauſe of their outward images, ſo the Hypocrite razes out the diſpleaſing Commandements in his practice, becauſe of the Idol-luſts in his heart; but the true believer, as David, is for all the wills of God, without any ſalvoes, becauſe without any indulged luſts.

Thirdly, This reſignation is made purely upon a Scriptural warrant. There may be hay and ſtubble in the believer, but there is none in his faith; which, ſo far as it is faith, ſtands only upon holy ground. All faiths aſſents ſtand upon Scripture-propoſitions, all its affiances upon Scripture-promiſes, and all its obedience upon Scripture-precepts: What Balaam ſaid by an over-ruling providence, that ſaith the believer by the inſtinct of faith, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord to do leſs or more, Num. 22.18. he would not as to doctrinals be wiſe above what is written, nor as to worſhip be religious above what is written, nor as to mercies and comforts be an expectant above what is written. He would not as to p. 123doctrinals be wiſe above what is written: when the Lutherans and Papiſts met at Ratisbon, the Papiſts would firſt diſpute about the Canon of Faith, the Lutherans replyed, that the Scriptures were the only rule, at which the Papiſts cried out, that it was very unequal to tye them to one kind of weapon only, but faith is content with Scriptural doctrines only. There is one Mediator in Scripture, and faith dares not multiply them; there is one Scripture purgatory in Chriſts blood, and faith will not invent another; there is one propitiatory ſacrifice offered up once for all upon the Croſs, and faith will not ſeek after any more. All the points in Popery are but ſo many additions to the word, and upon that account inſignificant to faith. The firſt error in the firſt ſin was an addition to the word, the woman ſaying, ye ſhall not touch it, Gen. 3.3. whereas Gods word only was, ye ſhall not eat of it, Gen. 2.17. and the firſt and primordial error which hath uſhered in all the Romiſh doctrines into the Church, hath been the very ſame thing; and becauſe they are additions, faith cannot own them, no not faith in a Papiſt: opinion may own them, but faith cannot, for it is but the ſouls Eccho to the voice of God in Scripture, and where there is no voice, there can be no return; humane doctrines found not at all to faith, Scripture is all. Biſhop Fiſher a little before his ſuffering lighting on that one ſweet paſſage, this is life eternal to know thee and Jeſus Chriſt, Joh. 17.3. brake out into theſe words, here's learning enough for me: the believer, who hath the whole Scripture before him, may p. 124well ſay, here's doctrine enough for me, faith will not turn vagrant and lye about at humane doors for doctrines, there is enough in the word. Again, the believer would not as to worſhip be religious above what is written; that of the Schoolmen, cultus eſt à naturâ, modus à lege, virtus à gratiâ, worſhip is from nature, the manner from the Law, the power from grace, is very excellent. The very light of nature ſaith, God is to be worſhipped, but faith goes to the word for the manner, and to free-grace for the power. God in the ſecond Commandement forbids graven Images, not as falſe objects of worſhip, which are forbidden in the firſt Commadement, but as falſe means and manner of worſhip, and under graven Images, as being the chiefeſt and groffeſt kind of falſe worſhip. God doth forbid all other falſe worſhip humanely deviſed, ſuch as theſe were: hence true faith looks on all humanely deviſed worſhips as ſo many graven Images, a kind of Teraphim, expreſſing, though not as they did, an humane ſhape, yet an humane deviſe and invention, things void of God, without inſtitution and without benediction. That of the Prophet, who hath required this at your hand, Iſa. 1.12. falls like thunder on all the imagery of humane inventions, daſhing them to pieces in a moment. Quintinus the Libertine, being preſent at a ſolemn Maſs with a Cardinal, boaſted that he ſaw the glory of God. I ſuppoſe according to his looſe principles of being under no outward Law, he would have ſaid as much if he had been among Pagans at their Idolatrous worſhip; but p. 125the true believer looks for that glory only in the Sanctuary of Divine Inſtitutions, there and there only God records his Name, and commands the bleſſing, even life for evermore. Moreover the believer as to mercies and comforts would not be an expectant above what is written. 'Tis ſaid of Moſes that he died according to the word of the Lord, Deut. 38.5. or (as the Original may be read) he died upon the mouth of the Lord; the believer loves to live and dye upon Gods mouth in the promiſes, there watching for the ſweet words of grace dropping from him: he walks among the Promiſes, as the Phyſitian among his herbs, and by a divine inſtinct knows this is good for ſuch a condition, and that for another; and when he comes to that promiſe, I will be thy God, he ſaith, this is the univerſal Medicine, and good for all things, as infinite a ſea as Gods grace is, as vaſt a treaſure as Chriſts merits, the believer cannot tell how to climb up to theſe, unleſs he have ſomewhat of a promiſe to ſet his faith upon; if there be but an half-promiſe, faith will aſcend up by it: when God ſaith, ſeek righteouſneſs, ſeek meekneſs, it may be you ſhall be hid in the day of the Lords anger, Zeph. 2.3. faith will hang upon a may be, but where there is nothing at all of a promiſe, faith does not, cannot tell how to approach for the unpromiſed thing. The Perfectioniſts fay, that ſinleſs perfection is attainable in this life; Joſeph is yet alive, perfection of life, figured by Joſeph, may be found, ſo thinks a Learned Doctor, My yoke is eaſie, ſaid Chriſt, and from thence Bellarmine concludes, Legem Dei poſſibilem p. 126eſſe renatis imo & facilem obſervatu; but alaſs theſe are but dreams and not acts of faith. Its true, the believer groaning under the burden of ſin, wiſhes nothing more then ſinleſs perfection, he works, he walks, he prays, he weeps, he runs, he ſtrives, but after all he may not believe ſinleſs perfection attainable here; not but that the grace of God in Chriſt is ſufficient to effect it, but there is no channel for ſuch a grace to run in, no promiſe in all the word to bottom ſuch a perſuaſion upon: there is a promiſe for the ſubduing of iniquity, but not for the annihilating it, a promiſe that ſin ſhall not reign in us, but none that it ſhall not be; therefore the believer would not ſeek for that in himſelf, which is only found in Chriſt, nor for that on earth which is reſerved for heaven; that mercy or comfort which is not let down in the promiſe, faith doth not expect or look for. Trubern a German Divine on his deathbed, ſeeking comfort, ſpake thus, textum, textum volo, let me have the text, the text, well knowing that comfort ſtreams out in the promiſes; the believer is ever for one promiſe or other, to give advantage to his faith in its aſcenſion to God for mercy and comfort.

Fourthly, This reſignation is a voluntary act. It hath been diſputed between Romaniſts and Proteſtants, where the ſeat of faith is, whether in the Ʋnderſtanding only, or in the Will alſo; the Apoſtle clearly determines it, with the heart man believeth, Rom. 10.10. the heart includeth both faculties, ad eſſe fidei virtutis concurrit actus p. 127rationis ſimul & voluntatis, quod benè innuit Apoſtolus in ipſâ notifieatione fidei, cum dicit fidem eſſe ſubſtantiam rerum ſperandarum, argumentum non apparentium, tangens quod eſt in eâ cognitionis, & quod eſt aſſectionis, ſaith Bonaventure, the aſſent of faith is in the Underſtanding, but the reſignation is in the Will, credere eſt conſentire, conſenſio autem volentis eſt, ſaith St. Auſtin. We read in Scripture of faith unfeigned, and ſincerity is in the Will, of the obedience of faith, and obedience is in the Will, of leaning, rolling, reſting, caſting our ſelves upon God, and all theſe are in the Will; all the reſignations which the believer makes, are acts of his Will; if he reſign to the Promiſes, and through them to the meriting Mediator, and through him to the free-grace of God, this recumbency or fiducialneſs is in his Will; if he reſign to the commands, and through them to the kingdom of the Mediator, and through him to the holineſs of God, this obediential frame is in his Will; if he reſign for inſtruction to the Word, and through it to the great Prophet, and through him to the wiſdom of God; this docibleneſs, this tender holy fleſh is in his Will; he would have ſalvation coming in a way of grace, and grace flowing through the Mediator Jeſus Chriſt, and Jeſus Chriſt for a teacher and ruler as well as for a Saviour, and all this is his choice. 'Tis not a meer velleity or effluvium of a light deſire, like that of Balaam, let me dye the death of the righteous, but an act of his Will; 'tis not a mood or hot ſit of p. 128devotion, ſuch as falls on men under warming and awakening ordinances, but a deliberate act, 'tis not a conſtraint or piece of ſervility, ſuch as men uſually have in ſick and dying hours, when they are rolling off from this world, and upon the brink of eternity, with a proſpect of heaven and hell before them, but it is a true and a free-will, cordially and freely offering up the ſoul to the terms and methods of ſalvation in the Goſpel.

Fifthly, This reſignation is made in Humility. The believer, like his father Abraham, is called to Gods foot, there to lye in the loweſt poſture of a ſinful creature, in an humble docibleneſs he lyes at the foot of Gods wiſdom, waiting as they that watch for the morning, till the holy irradiations make the day dawn, and the day-ſtar ariſe in the heart; in an obediential frame he lyes at the foot of Gods holineſs, crying out like Paul ſtruck down to the earth, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? and in a fiducial recumbency he lies at the foot of Gods grace, as a forlorn beggar, full of fores and extremities, waiting if free-grace will take him in, and, like the good Samaritane, bind up his wounds, pouring in the oyl and wine of mercy into his heart. The men among the Iſraelites could not enter into the Land of promiſe, but the little ones did ſo, the myſtery is the Chriſtians, though the hiſtory be theirs: the men among us, ſuch as can few ſig-leaves together and cloath themſelves, ſuch as can feed themſelves at home, and keep houſe upon their own reaſon, ſuch p. 129as are Lords of their own actions, coming and going ad placitum, theſe do not believe, nor enter into the promiſes of the Goſpel, but the little ones, who cannot dreſs themſelves, but as free-grace ſwadles and wraps them up in Chriſts righteouſneſs, nor feed themſelves, unleſs free-grace pluck out the breaſt and milk out inſtruction, nor rule themſelves, or go alone, but as free-grace takes them by the hand and leads them in holy ways, theſe are they that believe and enter into reſt: hence our Saviour ſaith, Except ye become as little children, ye ſhall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, Mat. 18.3. The proud man will not ſuffer grace to reign in or over him, but the believer is as a little child ruleable by all the will of God, humbly ſubmitting to all the methods of ſalvation in the Goſpel.

To ſhut up this diſcourſe about the Adjuncts of faith, I ſhall only add a caution or two. When I ſay that all true believers do thus reſign, I mean not that all have the ſame formal notions or expreſſions, but the ſame faith and reſignation for the ſubſtance of it; the root of the matter is in the weakeſt of them, though not the ſame verdure of notions or expreſſions, the ſubſtance or holy ſeed of true reſignation may be latent in a bruiſed reed or ſmoaking flax, in a poor ſpirit, or the pulſe of a deſire, I have read of a Noble perſon in Spain, who being, as was ſuppoſed, abſolutely dead,Melch Adanum … Veſal… was diffected, and upon the opening of his breaſt, they found to their great amazement his heart p. 130beating; ſome weak believers may ſeem totally dead, in whom yet before God, to whom all things are naked and open, as in an Anatomy, there is found a vital pulſe of faith ſecretly working. God (ſaith a Reverend Divine) brings not ſcales to weigh, but a touch-ſtone to try our graces. If there be but the leaſt dram of gold, but the leaſt ſmoke or weik in the ſocket (as the expreſſion is Matth. 12.20.) God accepts it; neither do I mean that this reſignation is acted perpetually, but with many ſad pauſes and interruptions, which happen partly by the blaſts of Satans temptations, making the believer walk like Peter upon the water, now a good ſtep, and then ready to ſink when the wind grows boiſterous, till his faith buoy him up again, with a Lord, ſave me, partly by the allurements and entanglements of the world, which are to him as the ſtone and the ſtring were to Anſelms bird, now up in aſcenſions of ſoul to God and Chriſt, and then down again to the earth and earthly things, and partly from the indwelling ſin which make him live, as his Saviour did on earth, a meer conflicting life, Chriſt endured the contradiction of ſinners, and he the contradiction of ſins; the indwelling corruption makes his ſoul, like a palſey hand with contrary motions, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief, whileſt faith moves forward, unbelief draws back; after he hath in a princely manner wreſtled with God, he goes off Jacob-like halting in one infirmity or other.