Remains, Class 1 · Part 2
II. Of their Faith towards God.
THE ſecond Principle of the beginning of Chriſt, which he calls M…k (and yet a foundation too) is faith towards God. The Object is God, the Act is Faith, the manner and power of its working i… towards, and but towards, God: and how happily our tranſlation hath uſed this word in this caſe and place, may the better appear, that this word foreign) is ſcarce uſed again (in relation to Faith) in all the Scripture, with an accuſative caſe, and it denotes a tendency, and is therefore very well Engliſhed, Faith towards God; and ſo this prepoſition (foreign) is uſed, Luke 10.9. The Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you, or hath appreach'd towards you, 'tis at hand; ſo this Faith is an app…oach, a coming towards God: it hath not a tained its perfection and termination, but is in motion and tendency; theſe Babes, I ſpeak of the loweſt and weakeſt of Babes, cannot b… ſo properly ſaid to have cloſed, as to be cloſing with God; they are nigh and at hand, they are not ſo much ſaid to be come, as to be coming; it notes a gradual, and but a gradual attainment; 'tis not a compleat and perfect act, but a begun and reaching Act; vet ſuch as ſhall be compleated in its time, and is accepted for the preſent: for 'tis ſaid, Joh. 6.37. He that is coming to me (ſo the Greek) I will in no wiſe caſt out.
The Object of this Faith (you ſee) is God, viz. the Father, not in oppoſition to, yet in di…ction from the Son; for theſe Judaizing Chriſtians, who were generally Babes, kept to the Old Teſtament Spirit, which was a Faith towards God, not without a reſpect to the Meſſiah; for as the Father and the Son act in the Soul (no man coming unto the Father but by the Son, nor any man coming to the Son, unleſs the Father draw him) ſo the Soul acts towards the Father and the Son, but yet moſtly to the Father, as looking on him to be the perſon moſtly offended, and with whom it ſtands in moſt need of reconciliatior, and therefore makes its principal addreſs to the Father, yet by Chriſt, or for the Lords ſake, as Daniel ſpeaks, chap. 9.17. And upon this account the diſtinction is (and better known to grown Saints) that Repentance is towards God, and Faith towards our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Acts 20.21. or (foreign) unto God and unto Chriſt, as the words are. But the Babes being in great part ignorant of the union between the Father and the Son, in this work of grace to Salvation, as 'tis hinted to Philip, &c. Joh. 14.8.—11. and not conſidering that they are to honour the Son as they honour the Father, Joh. 5.23. they uſually let their Faith and its motions to be moſt towards God, without ſuch diſtinct conſiderations of Chriſt, as united to and in conjunction with the Father, as the Object of Faith.
The ſoul being awakened (as I have formerly toucht) and made ſenſible that it hath diſpleaſed God by ſin, and wrong'd it ſelf, and that therefore it is unworthy to be accepted, and welcomed upon its own account, and withal that (being without, ſtrength and righteouſneſs) it is unable to make its peace with God, and that if its peace be not made, it is undone, it makes addreſſes to him, upon a kind of common Faith that he is merciful, yet (if a Jewiſh Babe as of old) under the notion of a God that muſt be attoned by Sacrifices, (the types of Chriſt) and if a Gentile converted Babe, then in the name of Chriſt, though too much without the notion of him as the Lord our righteouſneſs (for they are unskilful in that word) or being ſound in him having the righteouſneſs which is by Faith, and ſo to rejoyce in Chriſt J…ſus and to have no confidence in the fleſh, either their birth priviledges, or own graces and duties and actual righteouſneſs, ſuch as 'tis: but they make toward him as well as they can. And therefore by the way, that act of Faith, which we call reliance, adherence, and recumbency, cannot be the firſt ſaving act that Babes put forth (which yet they afterward do) but being convinced by the teachings of God, Joh. 6.45. concerning themſelves (what was ſaid newly) and that unleſs they believe in Chriſt Jeſus they cannot be ſaved; and concerning Chriſt Jeſus that there is Salvation to be had by him and no other, Acts 4.12. and that he came into the world to ſave ſinners, 1 Tim. 1.15. and that whoſoever believeth in him ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting Life, Joh. 3.16. I ſay, being thus convinced, they do in ſome meaſure receive this report and witneſs of God (made in and by the Goſpel) and conſequently in like meaſure receive Chriſt Jeſus, and alſo come unto him; for by theſe two words (receiving and coming) is the firſt workings of Faith moſt uſually expreſt, Joh. 1.12, 13. with Joh. 6.35, 37, 44, 45, 47. compared. This is the beginning of their Faith, and (from this receiving, coming or addreſſing grows up in time reliance upon and truſting in him, though without an aſſurance that Chriſt is theirs and they are his) this I ſay, is ſaving Faith.
Seeing therefore the work of grace is (as experience generally ſhews) a confuſed thing (a kind of Chaos) at firſt, and many things are jumbled together without diſtinct conſiderations, and they go puddering on in a dark way; I ſhall therefore indeavour to ſhew the ſeveral workings of it, which it may be theſe ſouls will be better able to aſſent to, hearing it from others, and calling to mind what they have obſerved, than they will be able (otherwiſe) to diſcover and declare it themſelves.
We ſee there are two perſons that this Faith of Babes hath to do with, viz. God and Chriſt, though God eſpecially and in the firſt place; now how it acts towards God and then towards Chriſt I ſhall indeavour to make plain and evident: and 1. How this their Faith acts towards God, viz. thus: 1. That God is and is a rewarder of them that ſeek him out; for as without this 'tis impoſſible to pleaſe God, ſo to come to God in a ſeeking and addreſſing way, Heb. 11.6. There is a Faith called coming, and there is a Faith preceding this coming, which is a believing that God is (for none would look after a non-entity or that which is not, or is not believed to be) and a believing that he is a rewarder of them that ſeek him; that they ſhall not ſeek in vain, if they ſeek in truth; now the Babe believes this in general, though it cannot yet ſee its coming and ſeeking to be ſuch as ſhall be welcom and rewarded. As was the caſe of the woman of Canaan, and the Prodigal at firſt. 2. Babes believe this (as to God) that he can turn them, and ſave them if he pleaſe; and this believing his power (though not his will, as grown Saints do) is owned and accepted with great reſpect. When Ephraim was bemoaning himſelf, he ſaies, Turn thou me, and I ſhall be turned; and God preſently ſaies, Ephraim is my dear Son, a pleaſant child. I will ſurely have mercy on him, ſaith the Lord. Jer. 31.18,—20. So the Prodigal believed that his Father could (though he had ſpent all) yet ſet him up again, and that he might be a new-made-man. The Babe ſpeaks like the Leper, Lord if thou wilt, thou canſt make me clean, and it proved ſo. Yet believes there is grace and bread enough in Gods houſe; if he have but will, he hath power enough to pardon: the Queſtion is not about his power but about his Will. Yet throughout the Scripture this is owned and accepted. We read of one poor man that came to Chriſt diſtruſting his power, but Chriſt-puts him on believing that before he would do any thing for him; and when he did that, Chriſt did what he came for, Mark 9.22. &c. 3. Babes look further, even to the promiſes of God, they find many invitations and promiſes alſo, and they have recourſe to theſe, but do not ſo much mind Chriſt, in whom all the promiſes of God are, yea and Amen, ſo that they do as 'twere reſt upon the Ark, but do not come into it: whereas grown Saints, ſee Chriſt Jeſus as the foundation and fulneſs of every promiſe, and do not take up with the Cabinet without the Jewel, or with the Field, without the Pearl hid in it. The Promiſes indeed are incouraging means to Faith, but are not the Reſt of the ſoul: Forgiveneſs of ſins is not from the promiſe without Faith in Chriſt, Acts 26.18. nor eternal life it ſelf, 2 Tim. 1.1. nor righteouſneſs, Phil. 3. Of this alſo the Babes have a general notion, and ſo they make toward Chriſt, not with full ſails, but with a ſide-wind as 'twere; and this I am now to ſhew, how
2. The Faith of Babes acts toward Chriſt Jeſus. And that 1. As the Son of the living God, to whom the Father hath given and committed all things, and this is one of the things which is revealed unto Babes, as is clear by comparing Mat. 16.16, 17. with Mat. 11.25, 27. When Peter confeſt Chriſt to be the Son of the living God, our Saviour calls him bleſſed, and tells him that not fleſh and blood but his Father had revealed it to him: and in the other place bleſſeth his Father who had hid this (as other things) from the wiſe and prudent, but had revealed them unto Babes. 2. Babes believe that God ſent his Son into the world to ſave ſinners; and 'tis a degree of Faith that Jeſus Chriſt accepts, and commends, Joh. 17.8. Chriſt tells his Father of it by way of commendation, that his Diſciples (as yet but Babes) had believed that he had ſent him, viz. to be the Meſſiah to reſtore and redeem Iſrael, which though ſome of them underſtod (for a while) but carnally, yet they had it ſeems now a better notion of it, and in Joh. 16.27. he tells them that his Father loved them, becauſe they loved him and believed that he came out from God, viz. to repair the world. And though they have not yet ſuch diſtinct notions of the Prieſt-hood of Chriſt, of his becoming ſin for them that they might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him (both which are by imputation) yet this general Faith carries them towards Chriſt Jeſus: this aſſent leads them to an addreſſing Faith, as appears in theſe following diſcoveries of it.
1. This Faith which they have (as to both God and Chriſt) puts it ſelf forth in purpoſes and reſolutions to go to God, though it be but on a probability or poſſibility (ſuch as that of the Lepers, 2 Kings 7.) uncertain hope is preferred before certain danger and death: No ſooner did the Prodigal believe that in his Fathers houſe there was bread enough, but (on this very account, though he knew not how he ſhould ſpeed) he would venture to go, rather than periſh with hunger: and this was firſt in a purpoſe, I will ariſe go, &c. Well, ſaith the ſoul, I ſee this, if I live in my ſins I muſt die, (ſin and death keep company) but there is mercy with the Lord, he can forgive me, if it ſo pleaſe him; and 'tis a faithful ſaying and northy to be received that Jeſus Chriſt came into the world to … ſave ſinners; and though I cannot ſay God will be merciful to me, yet I will ariſe and go, I will adventure, and ſee what he will do with my poor Soul. And truely God takes this kindly (as 'twas ſaid of David about building the Temple, that 'twas in his heart to ariſe and go:) theſe firſt motions are very acceptable to God.
2. The Faith of Babes (toward God and Chriſt) puts it ſelf forth in Prayers; this Babe not only breaths but cries: as 'tis ſaid of Paul, Behold be prayeth, Acts 9.11. This Faith goes with a petition in its mouth, as the Prodigal did, I will not only ariſe and go, but I will ſay too, I will confeſs my ſin, beg pardon, and withal a place in the houſe, though but that of a Servant. So the poor Publican, (yet afar off, as the Prodigal was) Lord be merciful to me a ſinner; and this much upon the general account of mercy (for hitherto (ſaith Chriſt of his Babes) ye have askt little or nothing in my name) and he went home juſtified, Luke 18. So that God pickt out Faith there, for by Faith (not by Prayer or Repentance) are we juſtified. This Faith puts purpoſes into Prayers, and Prayers into practice, for the Prodigal aroſe and came; and was welcom.
3. Therefore this Faith puts it ſelf in obedience, and in ſubmitting to ordinances, as Baptiſm, &c. as ſoon as any were new-born, I ſpeak de adultis, did believe in Chriſt, they were initiated by Baptiſm into the myſteries of Chriſtian Religion; and ſubmiſſion to this was (as to men) a proof of their Faith: and that this was the conſtant courſe appears not only by inſtances, but the Apoſtles conjoyning the doctrine of Faith with that of Baptiſms, &c. Thus by degrees doth the Faith of Babes creep and go towards God and Chriſt. But there are yet ſome more inward things, which theſe ſouls (ſome of them, for they are not acted all alike) do find in themſelves, though they can hardly expreſs them diſtinctly, or tell what to make of them. As,
1. If there be, (for they (ſome of them) are full of its and doubtings, fearing that thee is no work, or that they are but Hypocrites) but ſay they, if there be any true work in us, and wrought by us, 'tis of God; we are wholly beholden to him for it. We cannot juſtifie and warrant our Repentance and Faith for ſound and good; but if there be any ſuch thing, 'tis wrought by God himſelf, for we are not ſufficient of our ſelves to think one good thought, in us there dwelleth no good thing. If we are accepted, ſurely 'tis of grace in the beloved: From their Prayers for mercy I conclude that they attribute all to mercy, and ſay, Thanks be to God through Jeſus Chriſt, as Paul did, Rom. 7. 'Tis, ſaith the poor Soul, 'tis the Lords mercy that I am not in Hell, and if ever I go to Heaven, I will admire grace and mercy.
2. There is this alſo in them, that they have a great value for Chriſt Jeſus, though they cannot ſay that he is theirs, or that they are his: they think him the chiefeſt of ten thouſand, and worthy to be beloved and believed in, though they have not attained him, ſo a to lie in his boſome, as John did and many others do. If they had ten thouſand worlds, they would give it for him (for as yet they are for buying and purchaſing, more than for believing) if he would but ſmile upon them, and kiſs them with the kiſſes of his mouth, oh how would they love him! Higher Chriſtians are rich in experiences, but theſe are rich only in wiſhes, deſires and breathings. They ſo long after him, that they would be content to be (though but as hired Servants) any thing, in any condition, if he will but receive them; yea, if they may but gather the crumbs that fall under his Table, though they ſhould not have the childrens bread beſtowed upon them. If he would but let them know that they ſhall come to Canaan at laſt, or but open a door of hope for for them, they would willingly go through the Wilderneſs and the Valley of Achor too, and lay their mouth in the duſt, if there may be but hope. If they may not have a full meal of joy in the Holy Ghoſt, nor rejoyce with joy unſpeakable and full of glory, yet they will be thankful for ſome crumbs of comfort, and good hope through grace.
3. If theſe longings of theirs may not be ſatisfied, yet this they have fixed and rooted in them, that they would walk in this darkneſs and pain all their daies, rather than go back again to their old condition of living in ſin. They will rather wait and beg at his doors to the death, rather than dwell in the tents or the moſt pleaſant courts of wickedneſs. They will rather be Gods hired ſervants, than the Devils children, and live with the Swine of this world, that wallow in the mire and filth of ſin and iniquity, as you may read in the returning Prodigal. No, no, they will not go back to Drunkenneſs and uncleanneſs, to impenitency and hardneſs of heart; but if they muſt periſh, they will periſh repenting and praying, &c. if they muſt ſtarve, be it ſo; at Gods door they will lie and beg, come of them what will: they will not go any whese elſe for Salvation. Though he kill them, they will truſt in him, and rely upon him.
4. Beſides all this, you will find that theſe Babes will confeſs, that now and then they have ſome ſecret ſoul-ſupporting in-comes, but ſay they, We know not what to make of them, nor whence they come, for they quickly depart again, and our fears return upon us notwithſtanding. Sometime a word hath come and ſaluted them, but it paſſed by and went away. They will tell you, that they had ſuch a (bath col) whiſper in their Souls, my grace is ſufficient for thee, or I have prayed that thy Faith fail not, &c. whence it came or whither it went they cannot tell, but alas this they can tell, that it vaniſhed like an Eccho. The Diſciples had many a ſupport at times, yet ever and anon were carking, fearing and doubting again, like (foreign) them of little Faith: So theſe poor Souls, though they have now and then a ſecret cordial given them, yet it doth but keep them alive, they are hungry, weak and faint ſtill. Many ſuch things as theſe are with them, and they are (to a grown and knowing Saint, who hath gone through them) very promiſing things concerning the future well-being of theſe Babes, though they themſelves ſcarce gather hope or not more from them. Thus have I ſhewn how the Faith of Babes doth act, and after what manner they, ſome of them, the loweſt and weakeſt Babes, eat this ſecond portion of Milk, Faith towards God: before I ſhew the reſt, I think it neceſſary to ſay ſomething (as to this) by way of
Application.
1. To ſuch as are not Babes and have not Faith towards God.
2. To ſuch as are Babes and have Faith towards God.
1. TO ſuch as are not Babes, and have not Faith towards God; Without breach of Charity it may be feared that there are yet more than many, who though they profeſs Faith, do not believe; The bleating of the Sheep, and lowing of the Oxen (to ſpeak in Samuels language to Saul) their living in ſins doth witneſs againſt them. Surely he muſt be very prodigal of his Faith, and have a Creed very large and contradictory to that of the Apoſtles, who can believe unſanctified perſons to be Believers, when the very natural operation and effect of Faith is ſanctification, Act. 26.18. to ſuch therefore would I ſpeak in Chriſt his own words, Repent and believe the Goſpel; take in therefore this Milk of the Word, that you may live and grow thereby.
Conſider I beſeech thee, 1. That not believing is an Argument of thy not being yet convinced of the ſinfulneſs of ſin, that thou art not yet awakened out of that dead ſleep, not come to thy ſelf; for then undoubtedly thou wouldſt reſolve with the Prodigal to ariſe and go by Faith towards God, and confeſs thy ſin, and beg as the Publican, Lord be merciful to me a ſinner. If thou canſt ſin and ſleep in ſin, if thou canſt lie contentedly in a periſhing and damnable condition, and not cry out for Salvation, ſurely thou art in a moſt dangerous caſe, notwithſtanding thy name of Chriſtian; for what will it avail thee to have a name to live and yet be dead? If thou tell me thou haſt repented from dead works, I can Anſwer thee it cannot be ſo while thou art dead in ſins and walkeſt in them (for they are dead in ſin, who live in it) Epheſ. 2.1, 2, 3. But beſide, if that were true that thou hadſt repented, yet know this, that righteouſneſs is not by Repentance but by Faith; ſo that if thou repent and do no believe, though thou be not far from the Kingdom of Heaven, yet thou art never the near, for the one thing neceſſary is wanting; and though thou ſeem too good to go to Hell, yet thou art not good enough to go to Heaven.
2. Conſider this too that thou haſt had and long had the means of Faith, viz. the Preaching and Hearing of the Goſpel by which Faith comes: now what a ſad thing is it to hear of Faith and not feel it, to be a hearer and not a Believer? Have ye not heard? yes the Goſſpel hath ſounded loud and long in your ears. 'Tis ſad when the Goſpel comes to thee, and thou doſt not come to God! when it comes in word and not in power! it had been better for thee thou hadſt never heard, than to have heard and not believe. Better thou hadſt never known the way of righteouſneſs, than knowing it not to walk in it. 'Twill be more eaſie for Turks than for thee, according as 'twill for Sodom and Gomorrab in the day of Judgement than for Capernaum, as our Saviour ſpeaks, Matth. 11. Theſe things are ſaid (as the Goſpel is written) that you may believe that Jeſus is the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his Name, Joh. 20.31. And truly if you believe not the Goſpel, neither would you believe if one ſhould come from the dead: the more means of Faith, the greater condemnation if men do not believe, and greater means than that of Gods appointing there can be none. And then,
3. Conſider this, that Chriſt may take his Goſpel and be gone, & then the things of thy peace may be hid from thine eyes, thou maiſt die in thy ſins and be damned for ever: to day therefore, while 'tis called to day (now or never, i. e. now or it may never be) hear his voice who calls thee to repent and believe the Goſpel that thou maiſt be ſaved; which if thou do not, the ſame Goſpel ſaith, He that believeth not ſhall be damned. Canſt have patience to think of going to Hell? if not, believe. It were better thou hadſt never been born, than to die without being new-born: 'tis ſad to be dead in ſins, but to die in ſins, Oh who but them in Hell can tell how ſad it is! Hear therefore and believe that thy ſoul may live.
2. I am now to addreſs my ſelf to the Babes, eſpecially ſuch of them as lie under deſpondencies of Spirit; and to you I ſay as before, 1. Deſpiſe not the day of ſmall things: who knows to how great a tree this grain of Muſtard-ſeed may grow? how great a fire this little ſpark may kindle? To how tail a ſtature a poor Babe may grow? though thou canſt eat but Milk, thou maiſt grow thereby. Thou haſt got down one portion of Milk more already, and art not only one that repenteſt from dead works, but haſt Faith alſo towards God. Though thou have no Wine, to make thine heart glad, nor oyl to make thy face to ſhine, nor bread to ſtrengthen thine heart, yet bleſs God that thou art alive and haſt milk to eat. For,
1. Conſider that thou art gone farther than thou art aware of, thou art nearer Heaven than thou thinkeſt for, in having Faith towards God: though thou be a great way off, yet thou art within thy Fathers ken and view, as 'tis ſaid concerning the Prodigal while he was yet afar off (but a coming, but beginning to come) his Father ſaw him, had compaſſion of him, &c. the Father ſaw him before he ſaw the Father, and though he were but coming, yet 'tis ſaid he was come; he aroſe and came, i. e. was a coming, for as yet he was afar off, and yet 'tis ſaid he aroſe and came; his coming was lookt on as if he were come; as Abraham is ſaid to offer his Son in that he did purpoſe and was about to do it, ſo the Prodigal and the Babe is ſaid to be come, though as yet but coming towards God. It's ſomething to be on thy legs, that thy journey is begun (dimidium facti qui bene coepit habet) thou art on thy way, and thy Father ſees it and hath compaſſion on thee, and as to Chriſt Jeſus, he will never caſt thee off, no by no means, ſee John 6.37,—39.
2. If thou never go further than to be a Babe all thy daies, (ſuppoſe that) yet thou art gone far enough to be ſaved: by Faith we are ſaved, as ſafe as if we were ſaved. There is a bleſſing for this Faith, as before, Matth. 16.17. and Juſtification for this Faith, as before, Luke 18.14. and God loves ſuch Believers, as before from John 16.27. 'Tis not a little remarkable, that bleſſedneſs is annexed to the loweſt as well as to the higheſt Form in the School of Chriſt, as in the Beatitudes, Mat. 5. and to theſe Hebrew Babes the Apoſtle ſaith, I hope better things of you (than of ſome that had been inlightened, &c.) and things that accompany or contain ſalvation (though you be but Babes) Heb. 6.9, 10. Salvation is not annexed to degrees (as ſuch) but to truth of grace (as ſuch) in the loweſt degree, John 6.37. him that is but coming.
3. As weak as thy Faith is, the gates of Hell ſhall not prevail againſt it, thou ſhalt be kept through this Faiſh by the power of God unto Salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5. This poor Soul is apt to ſcruple and ſay, Alas, my Faith is but ſmall (if any) and I fear what will become of me in an hour of temptation, my ſtrength is ſo ſmall that I ſhall faint in the day of affliction. But the Lord ſaith to thee, Fear not, for though thou have but a little ſtrength, yet becauſe thou doſt not deny his name, God will keep thee from the hour of temptation, or from the temptation of the hour, as it may be read, Rev. 3.8,—10. Though Saul purſue thee and hunt thee, yet the houſe of Saul ſhall grow weaker and weaker, and the houſe of David ſhall grow ſtronger and ſtronger, and the weak ſhall be as David, who notwithſtanding his fear did not periſh by the hand of Saul. Though thy enemies be ſtrong and thy grace weak, yet thy weak grace ſhall be too ſtrong for thy ſtrongeſt enemies: Though the Sons of Zerviah be ſtrong, and in thine eyes too ſtrong for thee, yet ſhalt thou die in peace. Maugre all the malice and power of Satan, the gates of Hell ſhall not prevail againſt thee, as Chriſt promiſed Peter, who believed as thou doſt, that Chriſt is the Son of the living God: nor did it fail when Satan ſiſted him, for though he denied that he knew the man, he yet ſtill believed that Chriſt was the Son of God, which was the Faith that Chriſt prayed might not fail. Let the rain deſcend, the floods come, and the winds blow and beat (all together) upon thee, yet thy houſe ſhall ſtand, for 'tis founded (like Mount Sion) on a rock that cannot be moved, Matth. 7.24, 25. Indeed if thy Faith alone were to buckle with Satan, 'twere impar congreſſus an unequal match, but thou art kept by the power of God, and the Prayer of Chriſt, ſo that there is more power for thee, than there is againſt thee, though it be all the power of Hell.
4. Theſe experiences which thou haſt at preſent are ſuch as none but a true Saint ever had or can have; the moſt exquiſite hypocrite that ever was, never attained to what thou haſt, viz. to be new-born and to be a Babe in Chriſt. To which of the Saints wilt thou turn? ask them one by one whether ever any that caſt themſelves upon the grace of God in Chriſt Jeſus (as thou doſt) did ever periſh, or that their hope was aſhamed? No, no, the hypocrites hope ſhall periſh, though he have gained a great name and repute, but thine ſhall not, though thou be but poor in Iſrael, and one of the leaſt of many thouſands. If thou canſt but Seal to the workings of Faith (before ſpoken of) and I know thou canſt if in Chriſt Jeſus, though but a Babe in him, I then ſay, 'tis more than the exacteſt, moſt ſtudied and poliſht hypocrite ever did or can attain to. An hypocrite may be gilded over, but thou art Gold; he may be enlightened, but thou art light in the Lord; he may grow up as the graſs, but thou as a tree planted and rooted in Chriſt Jeſus; he may ſeem to be, but thou art a Chriſtian: what ever may be counterfeited, the new-birth cannot be counterfeited. When the conceitedly rich Laediceans ſhall be found poor, thou who art as Smyrna, poor in thine own eyes, wilt be owned for rich by God himſelf, Rev. 2.9. Bleſſed are the poor in ſpirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven, Matth. 5.3. 'twas the firſt bleſſing that ever Chriſt pronounced with his mouth, that we read of, and 'twas ſpoken of ſuch as thou art.
5. What ever thou think of it, yet 'tis a joy to good men and Miniſters as 'twas to John (the bridegrooms friend) that thou and ſuch as thou do hear the bridegrooms voice, and … him, J…h. 3.26, 30. Yea our Saviour rejoyned in Spirit and thanked his Father too, … ſuch things were revealed to Babes, Luke 10.21. yea there is joy in Heaven at the return of the Prodigal, though he were but newly come home, juſt alive, juſt found and no more, yet behold what joy there is at his coming, Luke 15. the joy is not delayed and put off till he be grown up, but there's a feaſt for his birth-day, and joy that the man-child was born. His Fathers heart leapt for joy, when as yet he had not the robe, not the ring put on, which followed afterward. Do not then reckon that ſmall, which God makes ſo much of.
6. Thou wanteſt but the knowledge of thy happineſs to make thee almoſt as happy as Angels: Thou art a Son, and if thou didſt but know it, 'twere to be almoſt in Heaven. In Chriſt thou doſt live, move, and haſt thy being, and if thou didſt but know this, what a well-being wouldſt thou have? Paul in Gal. 4.9. ſpeaking of Babes, ſaies they are rather known of God than know God: Indeed, what God is now a doing they know not, but they ſhall know hereafter, as Chriſt told Peter, Joh. 13 7. and when thou ſhalt come to know as thou art known, thou wilt be filled with admirations and raptures; in the mean time wait with patience: yet ſo, as,
2. Remember to preſs forward, that thou maiſt apprehend that for which thou art apprehended of Chriſt Jeſus, Phil. 3.12. Seeing thou art in the way, keep on and mend thy pace; be not ſloathful (ſaith the Apoſtle to the Hebrew Babes) but followers of them (whoſe converſation is in Heaven, Phil. 3.17, and 20.) Who through Faith and Patience inherit the promiſes, Heb. 6.12. Grow in grace, not only by adding new acts of the ſame, and ſo perſevering to the end, but add Faith to Faith, for the righteouſneſs of God is revealed from Faith to Faith, Rom. 1.17. Go on then from a Faith of addreſs to a Faith of reliance, and ſo on to the full aſſurance of Faith and Hope, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks to his Babes to do, Heb. 6.11. Ye believe in God believe in me alſo, ſaith our Saviour to his, J…h. 14 1. If thou wilt grow in grace it muſt be by growing in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, as Peter tells his new-born B…bes, 2 Pet. 3.18. 'tis by being skillful in the Word of righteouſneſs, and having thy ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern between not only good and evil, but good and better. Pitch on Chriſt more immediately and perfectly, and not only through the intervention and mediation of thine own graces: let not his attendants be ſo much in thine eye as the King of Glory himſelf; in thy graces thou maiſt ſee ſomething of him by reflection, but in him thou wilt ſee perfect beauty, righteouſneſs and ſtrength.
Till thou come to this (or if thou ſhouldſt never come to it) know for thy comfort, that 'tis no ſmall thing to be known of God and accepted of him: God expreſſeth the priviledges of the old Iſrael by this, You have I known above all people: Gods knowledge is not like ours; we know this and that man, and he is little the better for it, it makes no alteration in him, but Gods knowledge is operative and efficacious: 'twas Gods conſolation, that though he could not know the way of God, yet God knew the way that he took, and when God had throughly tryed him, he ſhould come out like Gold, ſee Job 23.9, 10. This world is thy Furnace and Purgatory, and though thou know not what God is a doing, yet he knows that he is now purifying thee from thy droſs, that thou maiſt be the pure and fine Gold. Yea though thou lie down in the duſt of the grave in this ſtate, yet he will raiſe thee up in glory, and when thou awakeſt thou ſhalt be filled with his Image. If in the mean time thou know not what to do, let thine eyes be to him, who is never at a loſs nor out of his way, but is ſtill carrying on his work to perfection, though it be in the dark to thee.