A Dead Faith Anatomized, Application 1
USE. I.
Try your selves whether your faith be a Dead faith, or no: I suppose you to have faith, to be believers, and to have hopes that your condition, God ward, is Good; and it may be you say you will trust in Christ, and whatever come of it, you will do so; and for all the World, I would not willingly stagger the hopes, and make sad the heart of the meanest of those that are indeed true Believers in Christ Jesus. Nevertheless (these times abounding with such as be but formal Professors) let us search and try the matter, and not lightly pass it over. And Consider,
Trial. 1. It may be your trust in him ariseth from one, or all of these things: and so it is with many, and if so, with you? your faith is a Dead faith; and what ever else you be, you are yet in your sins. (1) Perhaps it ariseth from ignorance of your selves, and of sin, and of God &c. It will one day appear, that the very bottom and foundation or some mens faith, the Corner stone of it is laid in, and springs from ignorance of themselves, and of sin; and from secret, unseen, but a real Contempt of God, whom they seem to fear, and pretend to trust in: they trust in him, so did they, Mic. 3. 11. Not because they knew him, but rather because they knew him not. Oh! consider it, you say you trust in Christ, but it may be you never saw your selves yet, nor the Plague of your own hearts. The Commandment never came, & sin never revived, as he speaks, Rom. 7. 9. It may be you never saw the evil of sin. You neither know God, nor have seen your ignorance of God. Now while a man is thus without a thorow Conviction, it may be a thing of no great difficulty for him, to trust in Christ; as he thinks: but when he comes to see himself, and the Law, his faith and trust will vanish; and he must begin again upon a new bottom: and now it appears that his former trust and faith, was nothing, but Presumption, rashness, folly, delusion: all which had its foundation laid, in a destructive, ruining ignorance of himself, and of that, holy, holy dreadful Majesty with whom we have to do, & who will by no means clear the guilty. (2) Perhaps it ariseth only from an Historical, notional knowledge, of the way of the Gospel. It may be you have read, and heard much of this way, and seemed to fall in with it, and there you rest, but know nothing of the power of it, of the difficulties that be in it. See 1 Cor. 4. 20. The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 1 Thes. 1. 5. Our Gospel came, not in word only, but in power. The Law must come in power to kill us, that we may Live unto God, Gal. 2. 19. And so must the Gospel come in power too, or else we shall have no saving benefit by it. In power. (1) To overcome the heart, that we may submit to it: for the heart is ever full of opposition to the way of the Gospel; and that upon diverse accounts. 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. Pulling down strong holds, casting down imaginations, or reasonings, and every high thing that exalts it self, &c. (2) To affect the heart much; it is an affecting thing, when the Gospel comes in power, An excellent, and wonderful thing is in the way of the Gospel: in it self it is so, and to all that have a right understanding of it. Phil. 3. 8. Also it is powerful in melting the heart for, and turning of it from sin. Tit. 2. 11, 12. (2) Perhaps your faith is a cover of, and a pillow for Spiritual sloth; and then it is surely a Dead faith. Sometimes persons being unsound, they are lazy and slothful; they will not watch, and war, and work, as they ought; they secretly mentain a Truce with their lusts, they will not be at pains to purge themselves, and to mortify their lusts; which yet they must do, or dy in them, and for them. Rom. 8. 13. Well, what rest can they have in that way, and how can they be quiet? Answ. They trust in Christ, as they say, and will venture themselves there, and this quiets them. Oh! Adulterous Generation! Do you make Christ a Pillow for sloth, a Patron of sin? It is no better: will ye fight against him with his own Weapons? Cry, Hail Master, and betray him? he knows how to discover, and to deal with such well enough; and will do it in due time; he will discover the guile and treachery of their own hearts to themselves, and to all the world. Ponder that place, 1 John 3. 3. He that hath this hope (which springs from a lively faith) purifies himself. But he that sits down in sloth, and loves his sin, hath a Dead faith. I say not, he that Complains of Spiritual slothfulness in himself: for what almost do many Godly ones complain of more? and they account that it is never better with them, then when they can get some power against it. How often doth the Psalmist beg, and pray, Quicken me: And see Psal. 119. 32. When thou shalt enlarge my heart, &c.
Trial 2. If your Faith be not a Dead Faith, it will have fruits: even such as we read of. Rom. 6. 2. Fruits unto holiness: I shall instance in three things. (1.) Repentance. (2.) Mortification. (3) Vivification. Now these are great points, and to open fully any one of them, requires a treatise by it self. I mention them only by way of trial, to discover whether our Faith be a Dead Faith or not. And therefore must pass over them briefly.
Fruit 1. One fruit is Repentance; and this makes way for, and unto holiness of heart and lite. Acts 11. 18. it is therefore called Repentance unto Life. Repentance (if it be true) and Faith go together. Mark 1. 15. Repent ye, and beeieve, &c. there is a Repentance preparatory, and antecedaneous unto Faith: and there is a Repentance that is a consequent, and a fruit of it. Now 'tis this Repentance of which I am to speak; and I shall consider these few things only, in speaking to which yet I may take in, some of those things …, which are preparatory to, tho' chiefly I shall speak of those things which follow Faith: the design of the whole is, to discover to us what our Faith is, whether a Dead Faith or not. (1.) A sight of sin. (2.) A sorrow for sin. And (3) A shame, or self-abasement for it. (4.) The main, or principal spring and rise of that sorrow or shame, viz. some Gospel consideration, something seen of Christ, and of the Gospel.
1. There must be a sight of sin: until a man sees sin, he will never, he can never repent of it: and he must see it aright, e're he can repent of it aright: and to that end there must be an enlightning, and an opening of the eyes: a turning from darkness unto light, which is a main work, and fruit of the Ministry of the Word. Acts 26. 18. Mans natural state, is a state of darkness, blindness, ignorance, though he know it not, yet so it is: now when God will do good to any, He calleth them out of darkness into his marvellous light: but that which I shew is, that when God will do good to any, by giving them Repentance unto life, he gives them a sight of sin: till they see it, they will not repent of it; and when they do see it, they will repent of it, and turn from it.
Obj. But don't all men own themselves to be Sinners, and most men own themselves to be great Sinners too; what is this sight of sin, of which you speak?
Answ. There are (among the rest) these three things in it, which I shall observe from that seventh of the Romans, where Paul sheweth how it was with him, when God came to do him good. (1.) Such a sight as came from the coming of the Commandment, verse 9. the Commandment came. How? Why, it came with light, and was set on with power upon his heart: there is no thorow knowledge of our selves, and of sin, without this. verse 7. I had not known sin, but by the Law: i. e. by its coming thus: for otherwise he knew the Law before, and Sin too; and thought he knew all that he had need to know: this is therefore to be considered; you say, you know, and see sin, but I ask, how did you come to see it? did the Commandment ever come with light, and power? hath the Word ever been a powerful, enlightning word unto your Souls? Psal. 19. 8. yea, hath there been such a sight, as could never have been obtained, by all reading, hearing studying, and use of means, without this work of which we speak? (2) Such a sight as comes from the reviving of sin: sin revived saith Paul: the Commandment came, and sin revived: what is that? Answ. See verse 8. Without the Law, sin was dead: the Sin before that seemed to be dead, was now irritated, now it revives, it appears to be alive, and shews it self. You may understand it thus; I will open it in three things only, and briefly.
1. There be all sorts of sin, there is every lust in the heart of every man: there is a mighty Host, and Army of Sins, and Lusts in the heart; and hence the heart is said to be full of evil. Eccles. 9. 3. and hence when he had a sight of himself in such renewed convictions as God saw meet to give him, he saw his Sins to be innumberable, even more than the hairs of his head: Psal. 40. 12. and so Paul, Rom. 7 8. saw in himself all manner of concupiscence; and it is frequent with persons under convictions, to say that they find in themselves all manner of sin: but that which I say is, what-ever they see, every sin is there really, and they shall know it too, e're the Lord have done with them, if he mean to make thorow work with them.
2. All these particular Lusts that be in the heart, do not always actually stir or work; they are like to Enemies that Ly Entrenched, all ready, upon the Watch word, or Alarm given, to shew themselves, and to make a fierce assault, as occasion may be; whereas many of them Ly still, and stir not at all, or but little, of a long time together: much so it is here, in this case. All men are by nature, what any one is; Unclean, Drunkards, Murderers, and the like; all these, and all other sins are in them, they Ly Encamped, and Entrenched in the heart, all ready when a Temptation shall come, and restraints be removed, which are many, and various, and of which, I cannot now speak in particular; they will surely shew themselves, as much as any other sins, which do stir, and work in the heart or life. Hazael will shew himself to be a Dog, though at present he himself cannot think it. 2 King. 8. 13.
3. When the Commandment comes, there is as it were a great Alarm given to Corruption, and hence there is a great stir in the Soul, as it were a rally, and up rising of Corruptions; and hence Paul saith, that when the Commandment came, it wrought in him: i. e. it did irritate, and stir up in him, all manner of Concupiscence, or Corruption. Sin was now, (if I may so express it) all up in Arms; when the Commandment came, it fell upon sin in good earnest to destroy it, and to root it out; and hence sin, did (as it were) stand up for its Life: it shewed it self, its strength, its rage unto the utmost; before this the Commandment did nothing to the purpose, it made no vigorous on set upon the Soul; the most it did, was to bring the Soul to some Outward Conformity to the Law, which Sin within might the more easily dispence with, because it might still live, and reign in the Soul, notwithstanding that: but when indeed the Commandment comes, the case is otherwise; sin perceives it self to be in real danger, its very life and being is sorely struck at; and hence it will stir, work and shew it self, even all that it can. Alas, what do many persons think of Sin! will it dy easily, and quietly leave its station, will it do nothing? and speak never a word for its life? are our Lusts such tame and seeble things? Oh! no Paul found it otherwise; and so shall any one that shall indeed put the matter upon tryal: yea after Conversion, tho' sin, and formality may tollerably agree together; yet where-ever th… Power of Godliness, is in any good measure, there ensueth a sore war with Sin; and the more there is of the Power of Godliness, the more sore an… close will the Combate and Conflict be: who complains more, than that great Christian. Rom. 7. 23, 24. and in the foregoing verses? and why doth he thus complain? was it because he was weaker, and had less Grace? No, it was just the contrary. In a word, let us be sincere, and in good earnest with our Lusts, to destroy them, and we shall then have a very humbling, abasing experience of their strength and power in us: while in the mean while Formality may pass along in the world, and thorow all our religious performances much more quietly.
3. It must be a killing sight of sin. See Rom. 7. 9, 10, 11, 13. Sin revived, and I dyed—I found to be unto death—and by it slew me-working death in me. Here is a heap of expressions, all of them shewing the same thing in general; we must consider therefore the more deeply what may be the meaning of them. This then I say, this sight must be a killing sight, such as will slay a man: It slew me. When Paul saw himself full of all manner of Concupiscence; and when he saw sin appearing in its own colours; it had no vizard on, it did but look like it self; it did appear sin, verse 13. he immediately falleth down dead at the sight of it; it wrought death in him, it slew him. And note here, it is a great thing to dy, and it is more terrible still to be slain. Now to open this a little, this dying, killing, slaying, hath these things in it, besides what else might be named.
1. it takes away from a person the life which once he thought he had, and in which he trusted; every man naturally thinks himself to be alive, though indeed he be dead in sins. Rom. 7. 9. I was alive once; i. e. in his own conceit: so are many: and they trust in this life, they lean, and live upon it, it is their confidence, and their rejoycing, they account it gain, as he speaks, Phil. 3. 7. and this many do, whatever they think, pretend, or profess to the contrary: now this Life is taken away, when a person comes to see himself, and his sin aright. Consider then these things, know you what this meaneth to have this life taken away? else you be alive still, as Paul before Conversion was: that is, in conce it alive, but dead indeed; and on some accounts in a worse condition, then many of those, who are yet far from Christ: you must dy, you must be slain, that so you may be quickened, and may Live unto God. Gal. 2. 19. mark what he saith,—I am dead▪that I might live.▪q d. It was needful that I should dy, that I might live: a man without this may indeed live unto himself, but not unto God, how religious, soever he may be, or seem to be.
2. It leaves a man without the least ability, or hope to help himself: he saith, he findeth, and feeleth that he hath no ability to help himself, no more than a dead man hath: and he hath no hope in that matter; we say, as long as there is life, there is hope; but when a man is once dead, there is no hope: so it is here, while a man is alive in himself, he hath many self-righteous hopes; but when the Commandment comes, and sin revives, and he dyes, all these hopes are gone; and truly persons do not easily come to say there is no hope. Isa. 57. 10. Men indeed do easily own themselves, many times, to be wholly helpless in themselves, but when they come indeed to feel, and find it so, it is grievous, it is a killing thing to them, and cannot be otherwise; but I shall not enlarge in this point, yet a word of it; wherefore I say,
3. It is a terrible thing unto the Soul to come unto this, as we have formerly, and but now also hinted; and that for these reasons. (1.) The Soul is now under the deepest sense of Soul concerns, & highly engaged to seek for help; he cannot make a light thing of perishing, as many do, and as perhaps himself once long did; no, it is now unto him, as indeed it is in it self: a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Heb. 10. 31. he cannot bear the thoughts of perishing for ever: he lies under a deep sense of a necessity of having help; he hath no rest because of sin, and his iniquities are an heavy burden, too heavy for him. Psal. 38. 3, 4. the Spirit is wounded, and he cannot bear it; a sense of wrath lyes on him, so that now he can no more rest, and sleep as in dayes past. (2.) All that he hath built, and leaned upon, now faileth him: he would have done what they endeavoured. Rom 10 3. viz. have established his own righteousness. There is not one man among all Adams Posterity, that is not naturally very strongly inclined this way; but he sees now that he cannot do it; he cannot make his own way stand; he labours in vain; and instead of growing better, he complains that all is worse and worse, and therefore now knows not what to do, nor what course to take, nor which way to turn himself. Act. 2. 37. and then (3) He sees no other way of help as yet: the right way he knows not. Isa. 59. 8. and as yet there is no judgment in his goings: all his own wayes fail him; and hence he must needs be distressed; and a thorow sight of sin doth not come off lightly with any; though some have more grievous, and sorer travel than others have Oh! consider these things, it may be, you have not taken the first step towards Repentance, you have not had a thorow sight of sin: if so, the rest is wanting, and your Faith, but a Dead Faith.
2. Another thing in this Repentance, which is a fruit of a lively Faith, is Sorrow for Sin; the Scripture abundantly makes mention of this; and often sets it forth in very high Expressions. See Ezek. 7 16. Where true Repentance is, there is a Mourning for sin.—All of them mourning, every one for his iniquity: and Zech 12. 10. They shall mourn, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitter ness. 2. Cor. 7. 9. Yee sorrowed unto Repentance.
3. Another thing in this Repentance is Shame, and Abasement of Soul for Sin. See Rom. 6. 21.—Those things whereof yee are now ashamed. When God gives Repentance to a Person, he is ashamed of his former wayes and courses; whether he walked in a way of grosser sinning, or in a way of Pharisaism, and self righteousness, as Paul once did, trusting in a blameless Life, as he calls it, Phil. 3. 6. When his eyes are opened, he will be ashamed of himself, his sin & folly, shewing it self, in his former wayes and courses. And of this sorrow and shame I shall say these things briefly; a little to open, and enlighten the things we are upon, as we go along. (1.) This sorrow and abasement arises from an enlightning to shew a man more of sin, than once he saw in himself; and to shew him the evil that is in sin. First there must be an enlightning, Act. 26. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light. There must then be an enlightning, as also we have already hinted: and they have nothing of this enlightning, that know nothing of their own blindness and darkness, who never saw, felt and mourned under that: And this enlightning is to shew a man more of himself, that once he did see: for this is certain, persons though they live under the light of the Gospel, yet they don't know how bad and vile they be, until God open their eyes, and cause them to know their abominations; which is usually by the work of the Ministry, Ezek. 16. 2. The Spirit working with the word; otherwise all is nothing: or the most that a person will attain, is an Historical knowledge of himself, and of his own vileness; and his Faith and Repentance will be answerable. Also the evil of sin (as we said) must be seen: sin must be seen in another manner, and look with another face, than once it …id: it must appear sin, which it doth but to a …w, and become exceeding sinful. Rom. 7. 13. And …hen a man will be ashamed and mourn, and not else. (2.) This sorrow and mourning hath alwayes a great mixture of hardness and pride of heart with it: for in nothing are we perfect in this life; and what is there almost that a humbled Soul complains of more, and desires to get rid of more, than of an hard, and a proud heart; and so much of this is sometimes seen, and felt, that a person fears there is nothing else. See Isa. 63. 17. This is certainly one part of a Christians work, and his Warfare is within his own heart, with the pride, hardness, unbrokenness, and other distempers thereof. Some Professors indeed find no hard work with their own hearts, they think they have all things, and have need of nothing; but these are indeed miserable, wretched, blind and naked, Rev. 3. 17. They indeed Pray for many things, but not from a sight and sense of their wants: they are only empty words, which they speak and the lord abhors their best Prayers. (3.) This sorrow and abasement is a growing thing: if other Graces grow, this doth; and as this groweth so do all other: if a person don't grow in Humiliation and Repentance, he groweth not at all, so as indeed to increase with the increase of God. Now this growth in some, indeed is very little; as some men, so some Christians are very low in stature: and there are Winter seasons in many Christians lives, in which they grow but little, or not at all: yet in their general course they do grow. Joh. 15. 2. He purgeth them that they may bring forth more fruit. Now consider this; some say, they have Repented of sin; and hence sit down, as if all the difficulty were over, and they had no more to do: but if their work be right, it must continue, increase and grow. If your Repentance be all over, and done, it was never yet well begun: Alas you have deceived your selves: think of it, while time lasteth.
4. The main spring of this sorrow and abasement, is some Gospel Consideration: something of Christ, and the Grace of God in him. Tit. 2. 11, 12. What is that which effectually teacheth a person to deny his sin, and to repent of it? Truly nothing so much as this: viz. the Grace of God appearing. There be other things, but this is the main. See Ezek. 16. two last verses. Consider then what influences, and motives you are under? is it things Legal or Evangelical? is it Law or Gospel that chiefly moves you? you will say, how shall I know that? Answ.
(1.) Hath the light of the glorious Gospel. ever been made to shine in unto your hearts? To some it is hid. See 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4, 6. But God shines into the hearts of some to give light. Hath he ever shined into thy heart? Hath the light of the Gospel been unto thee, the most glorious light?
(2.) Do Gospel Considerations influence, and work on your hearts? it may be you can sometimes fear: but doth the Love of Christ ever constrain you. 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15. If you do live at all a Spiritual Life, you Live to him that dyed for you, and his Love constrains you: and indeed whatever we do in Religion, if it be not a fruit of Faith, and of Love; (for faith works by Love, Gal. 5. 6.) all is nothing; and whatever, and how much soever it be, the Lord accepts it not with any good will.
Now here is a Knot that should be untied, as we go along lest we leave matters too dark. viz. Some think they have Love to Christ, when indeed they have none: and some fear they have none, when indeed they have much, at least some. A word of each.
1. Some think they have much Love to Christ, but they have none in truth: or no true Love. for as we read of true holiness: or holiness of truth. Eph. 4. 24. So there is a true Love; and a Love that is not of truth; and the Love which many have to Christ is no better than that which they had of old, who one while Cryed, Hosanna to the Son of David; and alterward, Crucify him, Crucify him, away with him: or that of the young man that came running to Christ, with much zeal, and by and by, he turns his back on him; he went away sorrowful. So it is with many, they seem to have much Love for a season, but in time it withers, as Joh. 5. 35. The reason is, they never know Christ, nor themselves neither, not thorowly: and hence it is with them, as with the stony ground. Matth. 13. 5, 20, 21. There wanted deepness of earth: thorowness of Conviction; and hence though the word were received with joy, yet all dureth but for a while; he hath no root in himself: no inward principle of Spiritual life & love; only the natural affections are raised, by the power of Convictions, and turned (in some sort) another way than formerly; but there being no Sanctifying change, in time, all turns again to the old Channel: or else a person contents himself with common love, and affections, instead of that which is Spiritual, and flows from a Sanctifying change in the Soul.
2. There are some that have much Love, or at least true Love to Christ, that fear that they have none at all. Obj. How can this be? if a man have true Love, he may know it, one would think. Answ. No, not alwayes: we can neither discern Christs Love to us, nor our Love to him, unless the Spirit of God, discover the same unto us. 1 Cor. 2. 12. We are said to receive the Spirit, that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God. So also those things that are freely wrought in us, will be all clouded & in darkness, unless the Spirit do enlighten our minds, and discover them unto us. See Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self bears witness with our Spirit. Our Spirit will, it can witness nothing to us, for our comfort, unless the Spirit of God joyn & witness together therewith: if this Spirit as to this work of it, be withdrawn (as many times it is) we are all in darkness, and have no light, though we fear God and obey him; there is no light sufficient to discover that to us, which indeed is in us. A persons love to Christ is always seen, and discerned by Christ, but not always by himself, yet we should seek to find it out in our selves: and therefore as we pass along in our work, consider only these two things in this place.
1. Have you seen Christ? if you have, you cannot but Love, and believe in him: and so e' contra. Seen him? how is that? Answ. Not with bodily eyes: for when he was on earth, many saw him so, and perished for ever: and to see him now with out bodily eyes, would be like to confound us, rather than profit us; however it is not to be expected by us. Not by hear-say, and report only: for so all see him under the Gospel: but have you seen him, by a work of the Spirit revealing Christ in you? Gal. 1. 15, 16. When it pleased God to reveal his Son in me, or to me. Christ is never seen, or known by any, how much soever they hear of him, till God reveal him. Now, if you have seen him, there is at least a latent, rooted Love to, and belief in him, which shall never utterly fail, but in due time appear, and at last be found unto Salvation. And if you have seen him, you have seen your Spiritual ignorance of him; and that ignorance that yet remains, is among your chief complaints.
2. If you Love him, you will Love those that are his 1 Joh. 3. 14. And on this account, for that of him, that is in them: and he that doth not Love the people of God, doth not Love God himself 1 Joh. 4. 20. If we Love him,l we shall Love them that are his, because they are his: and they are one, as God and Christ are one. John 17. 11, 21. 22.
2. The second fruit to be considered of (by way of tryal) is Mortification of sin, or the purifying of the Soul from it, which is a fruit of faith. Acts 15. 9. Purifying their hearts by faith. The heart is never purified; and sin is never mortified, until faith come: and that always doth something this way, unless it be a Dead faith. Sin may be as it were stunned, and knockt on the head, by Convictions, and legal terrors, but is never mortified, until faith come, and then something is done indeed.
Now, having mentioned this, as one thing to try our selves by, we must clear and open the point, and endeavour to free it, ere we leave it, from whatsoever might cloud and darken it: And the difficulty is to shew the difference between the effects of Legal terrors, and Common Convictions in restraining sin, and that of Faith in mortifying sin: and the difference between that effect which that faith which is yet indeed but a Dead faith may have upon sin, and that which a Lively faith hath in mortifying of sin.
And first we shall consider the difference that is between Legal Terrors restraining Sin; and that of Faith in mortifying it. And here I premise this one thing: viz. that particular Lusts, by Legal Terrors, and common convictions, are many times, as it were benummed, in a swound, when not at all mortifyed; and here many deceive themselves; they find no present disposition, or inclination to their former lusts, but some aversation from them, and hence they think they are throughly reformed, and mortified, when as there is no such thing; they have only changed their way of sinning; as he that was a gross Sinner perhaps, is now a formal Professor, a self-righteous Sinner: Sin in him now runs out in another channel; he is as much a Sinner as ever, tho' in another way, and he sees it not.
Now when sin is only stunned and benummed with Legal Terrors, and forced as it were to pull in its head, and to shrink back into the deep, & dark corners of the heart, and so to find another vent, a more secret, and undiscovered passage. Then,
1. A mans life in Religion is mercenary; all his Obedience is Legal, and Servile; not filial: such a persons Obedience is but an endeavouring to pay the debt of Satisfaction for Sin which he ows to God, and to pacify his anger, which he hopes to do, by a better walking then formerly; and though such persons do not profess so, yet really it is so, with them. And hence one of these things following, may be said of them: either (1) They deceive themselves in thinking all is well with them, when it is not. (2) They find that they cannot make their peace with God, and so return again to folly; or else (3) Spend their time in a wearyish formality, and so perish for ever at last.—(1) Some think they have paid their debt, by their repentings, and reformings, and other good works; and hence their minds are at rest, in some measure; but there comes an after reckoning at death, when it appears that their coin is not current: & what they trust to will not be accepted; the Lord abhors all that they have offered to him for payment; and hence they are cast into Hell, where they are for ever tormented; for they can never pay the debt. (2) Some find that by all they do, they cannot make their peace with God; they are still running into arrearages: still God is provoked by them dayly; and hence complain that their labour is in vain, that they serve an hard master. Mat 25. 24. that gathers where he had not sowen; that requires obedience, but gives not strength answerable; and hence grow discouraged, and like the Israelites of old, finding the difficulties of the Wilderness, would return into Egypt again: so these forsake the Lord, and his Service, and return to their old wayes again, or some other as bad: as the dog to his vomit. 2 Pet. 2. ult. (3) Some wear out their time in a heartless, uncomfortable, and unprofitable attendance to the duties of Religion; they do hope, and fear much according as be the wainings or increase of their own righteousness, or legal performances: for the way of peace they have not known; and there is no judgment in their goings.
But now the true believer, his obedience is filial: he goes to work, but not to pay his debt: for he hath seen that done already by another, or knows that if ever it be done, it must be by another; and hence the main spring of his obediebce, is Love to God, and his great Redeemer; his faith works by love. Gal. 5. 6. it will work, or set a man on work; but how? by love. 2 Cor. 5. 14. The love of Christ constrains us, saith the Apostle. This Faith then doth not set a man on work, to pay old debts, or new, which no man can do any thing of, either more or less: though many attempt it daily, who yet perhaps understand not what they do, and so undo themselves, but see not how, until it be too late.
2. Then a mans hope and comfort is not like that of a true believers: What is the legal mans hope? Answ. That God will not cast him into Hell, hen he dyes. What is his comfort in this world? Answ. His comfort is partly that hope, and partly somew lust, or creature-comfort, that he feeds upon, and commits Spiritual Adul tery with every day, continually. What do these hopes stand on? What are they built on? Answ. His own Obedience and something in himself; and hence as he find things there, better or worse as he reckons, so his hopes are higher, or lower, they ebb or flow accordingly, as we have but now intimated. Well, how is it with the true believer, what are his hopes? Answ. That God is at peace with him throuh his Son, Christ Jesus: and also that he shall see, and enjoy him for ever, of which Inheritance he hath some earnest here; and hence hopes, and sometimes perhaps longs also for the full possession. Phil. 1. 23. Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better, than any thing, than all, than every thing that ius here in this World to be had Obj. But do all true believers find in themselves, this desire to be with Christ? Answ. No, unless it be at times? In some, the love of this World prevails, and that sadly, and that for a long time; one would hardly think, that there were any Grace in them: Others are almost always under clouds and darkness. Isa. 50. 10. they walk in darkness, and have no light; and hence dying is terrible unto them: but they have all that principle in them, which (if the actings of it were not one way or other obstructed in them) would shew it self in such hopes and desires, as we have mentioned. But what is the true believers comfort here in this World, for the present, so far as he is, and acts like a believer, like himself? Answ. One main thing in which is lies, is this: viz. in what he can get and enjoy of God here: hence let his hopes stand never so fast, he can mourn for his want of getting more of God here; that he can find so little of him in his Ordinances, and Duties of his Worship: if the Lord be much, or long absent, he will lament after him; if he cannot see, as he hath seen in his Sanctuary; yea though he do dwell in his house, yet if there he cannot behold his beauty, he will complain, Cant 5. 6. my Beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone,—my Soul failed when, &c. the Legallist mourns not if his hopes will bu… stand: for his comfort lies in that, and in an Adulterous Communion with Creature comforts, and the vanities of this World: And if you ask, what the believers hope is built on? Answ. Christ, and Free Grace is the foundation of it. Col. 1. 27 Christ in you the hope of glory. 2 Thes. 2. penult. Good hope through grace. 1 Tim. 1. 1. Jesus Christ which is our hope. Nothing so hard, nothing so sweet, as to live on the free, rich Grace of God in Christ Jesus only; and nothing so pleasing unto God, as that we should do so; and hereby he hath more glory by us, then if we could present him a perfect Obedience of our own.
3 When sin is only benummed, &c. whatever convictions there have been, yet the Commandment never so came, as to make sin revive, and so as to work in a man, all manner of Concupisence, so as to make a man feel sin, in its strength▪ and dominion in him: for this would bring him to despair in himself, and spoil all his own righteousness, and self righteous hopes; and prepare him to seek a remedy, not in himself, but out o… himself, in the Grace of God in Christ Jesus when discovered to him; and unto unprepared ones, it is not wont to be discovered. Luk. 3. 5. Every vally shall be filled, and every mountain, and hill shall be brought low;—and then, All flesh shall see the Salvation of God. It is through the Law that we are dead unto the Law. And the Law is our School master to bring us unto Christ. Gal. 2. 19. & 3. 24. we then must come under a work of the Law, that we may be prepared, for the light of the Gospel; its shining into our hearts, which many wanting, whatever they profess, the Gospel is hid unto them; it shines not. 2 Cor. 4. 3. not as to the hear say of it, but as to the power, and saving efficacy of it.
The next thing to be spoken to is this, viz. the difference between that effect which that faith, which is indeed but a Dead faith may have upon sin, and that which a Lively faith hath in mortifying of sin: for there is in some a work; not only meerly legal, or rather, in that degree legal: for some legallists are more gross than others: but together with it, there is a Faith, though indeed, but a Dead faith, and even this faith hath in them, some effects on sin, to restrain it, though it never mortify it. Thus, I conceive it was with them, Psal. 78. 34, 35, 36. They sought him; and they returned, & enquired early after God: and not only so; but they remembred that God was their rock, and the high God, their Redeemer. What then is, and how may we discover the difference? In true faith there is Love; so in that which is yet but A Dead faith, there is A Love too, though not such a Love, as is in the former: we must then see, if we can make the difference, or shew it, in some few things at least.
1. Where this true love, or lively faith is, which purifies the heart, and engageth the Soul in mortifying of sin, there is an hatred to All sin. Psa. 119. 104 I hate every false way. In others there may be a falling out, with a sin, a quarrel with it for a season; as true Lovers may have their fallings out: but here is a real, and a rooted Hatred. Now it must needs be a great work whereby, & a great change wherein a person is brought to Hate that which he once Loved above all other things. To Hate those things which once he delighted in, and which were to him as a Right Eye, or a Right Hand; yea as his very self. Math. 16. 24. Let him deny himself. How impossible is this to every man, and how far is he from it, until a great work, and change be wrought in him? he may think he can do it, and doth do it, but if eer the matter come indeed to tryal, he will find himself as far from it, as unable to do it, as a dead man from raising himself out of the Grave, and doing the works of the living. It is God only, by his mighty power, that can give life unto the Spiritually dead. Eph. 2. 1. 5. When ye were dead in sins. And where this hatred is, there are these things. (1.) A sensible mixture of Love to that which a man hates: so that he loves what he hates, and bates What he loves, and abhors himself for that love he finds unto sin. Rom. 7. 15. What I hate that do I. And he not only did it, but there was also some love to it: for his hatred of sin was not perfect, though sincere. Phil. 3. 12. Not already perfect: no, not in any one point; he was yet carnal and sold under sin, as to the unregenerate part, vere 14. though as to the inward man, it was otherwise, as verse 22. As long as we have sin in us, we shall have some love to it: those then that think they have no love to sin, in them, do deceive themselves; they do not know themselves; and it is to be feared, that they have no true hatred. (2.) A making out, in the use of means after, an utter abolition, and rooting out of sin: so that nothing will give the heart full rest, or content, while any thing of sin still remaineth. Outward comforts, inward affections, and enlargements, and assistances in duties, and such like are things in which many unfound ones rest. But he that Hateth all sin, will never rest, until it is All gone: yea the more help he hath against sin, and the more it dyes in him, he more he is set against it still: whereas it is contrary with others, that take up their stand, and make their rest in Reformation, without Mortification.
2. This true, lively faith, which makes a person to seek to Mortify his sin; it sets him on work, as Gal. 5. 6. He will up, and be doing. That he may mortify his lust; he must work, Phil. 2. 12. And not only so, but it teaches him, as to work, so to look beyond all his own works, and doings and to own himself to be a poor Nothing else it is but (as I may call it) a legal faith. Pau… did much, and so did Apollos too, yet neither of them were any thing, 1 Cor. 3. 5, 6, 7. So in this case, for a person to do much, and yet after all to say, I am nothing, as he did, 2 Cor. 12. 11. is a Mystery, which faith only teaches; and few know what it is, to be diligent in doing, and to rely only, on the power & grace of God in Christ for supply of all wants. We may have a general notion of this, but a lively sense and feeling of it, is both bitter and sweet, and an effect of a Lively faith only.
Now it is true that an unsound Professor may do many things, as Herod did, Mark 6. 20. he may abound with Religious performances, as they Isa. 1. 11. had multitude of sacrifices, yet to no purpose: the Lord saith that he was full of them: So they Isa. 58. 2. Sought him daily. Yet there is this difference also, besides what hath been said. (1.) Such as be unsound ones, usually rest in the External performance of dutis; and much farther from that they never go. But true faith teaches a man to look chiefly where God looks chiefly, viz. to the manner of performance, to the sincerity and uprightness of the heart in all duties. And hence what complaints do true believers many times make of Hypocrisy, and by ends in duties, of self seekings, and the like, which they cannot wholly lay aside & free themselves from? Something of this nature no doubt he found which brought forth that cry, Psal. 119. 80. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes, that I be not ashamed. A true Christians great work in all his religious Services, is with his own heart, that in all he may approve himself unto God. (2.) Unsound ones do seek, and rest in themselves in all they do. Zech. 7. 5, 6. They did fast, and mourn &c. but saith God, did ye at all do it unto me, even unto me? they did aall for themselves. A sound believer hath respect to God, and the pleasing of him, and finds rest in this. Psal. 19. ult. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord my strength, and my Redeemer. q. d. if God accept me, if I may please him, it is well, it is enough; he hath been good to me, my Redeemer, and if I may but please him, that is the great thing that I seek. Here, understand aright.
1. There is no man that can deny himself, so as not to seek himself more than he should: self will be rising up, but grace will snub and rebuke it, and say to it, get hence! and would have no more to do with it; as they said of their Idols. Hos. 14. 8. Self is the great Idol which almost all men, worship and serve.
2. No man is bound not to ahve any Eye to himself at all, in what he doth. Heb. 11. 26. yet a gracious respect to God, should and doth influence every gracious Soul, in what he doth, in his Service. And many there be, I doubt not, that if called to it, would deny themselves, so as to forsake all for Christ, yea, to dy in his cause, however they have jealous, and low thoughts of themselves; and so it is with many that hold on in a steady way of obedience, attending conscientiously to all the ordinances of God, and known duties of his Worship; what they do, is in some measure from their good respect, and love to God, and his wayes, who yet cannot say it of themselves, and not from servile fear only. And that appears thus. (1) If it were from servile fear only, they would in time grow weary, of Gods wayes, as many do. Mal. 1. 13. & Isa. 43. 22. it is true, there is often some, yea much servile fear in a Child of God, and there is also a weariness in Spiritual work; but then how is this complained of? do not they loath themselves for it? are not they weary of that weariness? and God makes good that promise unto them. Isa. 40. ult. the meaning is, not that they shall find no weariness, or faintings at all, who wait on God, but that it shall not prevail so, but that as in the beginning of the verse, they shall renew their strength, and go on still. 2 Cor. 4. 1.—we faint not: but hold out still: so here; but as verse 16. they don't faint, because the inner man is renewed day by day. Yet David complained that his Soul fainted for Gods Salvation. Psal. 119. 81. (2) If it were only from servile fear, a Form of Godliness would content them, they would not still be making after, and prizing the Power of Godliness, in their own hearts, and lives, and in others too: yea, the Power of Godliness would be a thing unknown to them; as it is unto many: and there be these things in it. See Phil. 3. 13, 14. (1) A forgetting the things that are behind, contrary to a resting in present attainments, as they did, Rev. 3. 17. who had enough, and need of nothing: as a man that runs in a race, he minds not what is behind him: and when a man forgets the things that are behind him, he sees a need to be doing still, and is desirous of getting more still, as well as of getting some at first: for what profit is it, to set out in a Race, if a person do not hold out, and go on in it? (2) A clear conviction of a persons imperfections, and a sight of things yet before him, which are precious in his eyes; as more strength, and diligence in duties; more conformity unto the will of God; a further rest, and a fuller contentment, and satisfaction in God, as a mans portion. Psal. 16. 5. these are things before a man, and precious in his eyes, if the Power of Godliness be in him: Hence (3.) There is a reaching after these things: a pressing on towards them: a person doth not only use means, but in them he seeks after these things: if the question be as to them of old, Joh. 1. 28. Whom seek ye? the answer will be as before; more of God, and more of Christ, &c. these are the things which they so much seek; to whom it may be said, as to them, in Mat. 28. 5. fear not, ye seek Jesus; and that they so did, appears in those sad complaints which tehy made, when Ordinances are, or seem to be, empty things to them; and him whom they seek, they do not there find. Oh! consider it; you attend means, but what seek ye? is it to pacify Conscience, and to satisfy Convictions only, and to patch up a self-righteous peace only; or is it Jesus that you seek, and more of him? Let your peace be, according as you find in these things.
3. The third Fruit mentioned by way of Tryal; (for it is an Use of Tryal that we are upon) is Vivification, or a living, or a being alive unto God, as it is called. Rom. 6. 11. Gal. 2. 19. Now seeing there is such a thing as living unto God, or being alive unto God, and that it is, where-ever true Faith is, as appears from the last named place, verses 19, 20. compared together; it concerns us to consider, whether we have any thing of this Living to God, or no. Let us then consider a few things, as briefly as we can, out of this last named Text, which may help us to discover whether we be alive to God, or not.
1. A man must be dead unto the Law, before he can be alive unto God: he that is alive unto the Law, is alive unto himself, as Paul once was. Rom. 7. 9. and indeed such an one lives unto himself, while he seems most of all to e alive unto God; and the Lord abhors even the best, that is to be found with such a man: well then; a man must be dead unto the Law, be-fore he can, I say, can live unto God. Now this is a great thing, and it is a great work of God, to bring a person to it: viz. to be dead unto the Law, none but he that made Heaven and Earth, can do it: for consider,
1. Every man naturally is alive unto the Law, as Paul saith he once was; and to take away life is a great thing, and makes a very great change, in what sense soever you understand it: it is great in respect of the change, that is made; and in respect of the reluctancy and opposition that is made against it: indeed there is a difference, some die more easily than others do. Now I say, that every man naturally, is alive unto the Law: i. e. he seeks life by the Law, as they did. Rom. 9. penult. many times persons don't know that they do thus; they may profess, and protest against it, and yet do it; and it is surely so with persons, when they have only a doctrinal knowledge of the way of the Gospel, but never saw any need of, or never came under a powerful work of the Spirit, to convince them of righteousness, as well as of sin: there is as much need of the one, as of the other: for if there be any difference (as I think there is, on divers accounts) we are more easily convinced of sin, then of the way of the Gospel: for we naturally know something of he Law, but of the Gospel, we know nothing by nature: and all the whole body of death in us, opposes it, unto the utmost; there is nothing in us, but as it is under the management and influence of Corruption, opposes the way of the Gospel, not only much, but unto the utmost, or as much as can be: it is far easier to convince a man, that he is a Sinner, and deserves to dy; than convince him, that he may be Saved by Faith in Christ Jesus: yet how many know nothing of the Plague of their own hearts in this matter!
2. He that is Dead unto the Law, hath experienced his own inability to perform, or keep the Law. It is not persons having heard, or having been told, that will suffice thorowly to convince them, of their inability to keep the Law: for they will not throughly believe it, until they have tryed it, and have an Experimental knowledge of it. This we see by constant Experience; & it may be otherwise evidenced also: though persons have Lived all their dayes under the Gospel, and have had a good Education, and have gathered much head knowledge, yet when Convictions, and awakenings come upon them, the first thing that they do, is to seek Righteousness, as it were by the works of the Law. Some indeed have a notion, and also some experience, of their own inability to keep the Law; but yet for want of a thorow awakening, and thro' the prevailings of a Spirit of slothfulness, and averseness unto Spiritual work, they never make thorow tryal and so never come to a thorow sight of themselves, and of their own Nothingness: they say Oh! they can do nothing of themselves! and that they find it so too: but it is no otherwise with them, than with a slothful Servant, that lifts a little at a heavy burden, and crys out, thyat he cannot stir, or move it, whereas he never put forth hi… strength, to try what he can do; a cudgil or whip would make him do more, a great deal. So it is here, small awakenings, bring forth small endeavours, and leave persons alive unto the Law still. Consider this then, it may be thy Convictions of thy own nothingness are but what the slothful Servant hath; if so, thou must go to work again: and get thee to thy old fears and terrours, which were smothered, by one means or other, and dyed away too soon. There be many that dy in the birth; many whose Convictions issue in formality, refined self righteousness, and self deceiving.
3. He that is dead unto the Law, is convinced of the evil and folly of seeking righteousness by it. He hath been made to see the pride and folly of his own heart in that matter, and is ashamed of it. Persons must be ashamed of their own wayes, before they will come to God way. You that say, you never sought righteousness, as it were by works of the Law, you always knew better than to do so; you may do well to consider deeply whether you do not deceive your selves. And this know for certain, that whatsoever your Religion, progress, & attainments therein be; you don't live to God, and your faith is but a Dead faith, if you be not Dead unto the Law; all you have (if it be much) will be found at last to be, no better, no other, than a fine spun thred of Pharisaism, and self delusion; and after all you have done, a fearful perdition, will be the issue.
2. He that lives unto God, lives a Life of faith; or, the life that he now lives is by the faith of the Son of God, as he speaks, Gal. 2. 20. Not a Dead faith; but that of the Son of God. And where this faith comes and prevailes in the Soul.
1. It doth as it were Annihilate the Creature 2 Cor. 12. 11. It Empties a man, it (as it were) takes him off his own legs: it makes a man, in his highest attainments, to be nothing in his own eyes. So, in that second of Gal. I live, yet not I. This is a Mystery, I, and yet not I. Before faith comes, or before a man is humbled, he is A Great Something, in his own eyes, though indeed worse than Nothing. Rev. 3. 17. But when faith comes, he is both a real something, and a great nothing. And this, as I said, is a great Mystery; a piece of unintelligible nonsense to a carnal heart. 2 Cor. 3. 5. E're faith comes a mans felf sufficiency is gone, and all his sufficiency is of God; he hath no sufficiency in himself, no, no not so much as to think a good thought.
And in this Annihilation of the Creature, there are these things to be considered, besides what else might be named.
1. A disappointment of Expectation, as to the way of liveing a Life of Religion. First, a man thinks he hath something of himself, and he will not easily think otherwise; and then he expects to have something given to him, whereby he may set up again, and live upon himself; but when the matter comes to tryal, he finds that he must live upon another; and live (as we say) from hand to mouth: Yesterdayes Assistance, will not help him for this dayes work. He that could do all things Yesterday, can do nothing this day, unless he have Assistance from the same hand, which is Arbitrary, given or taken or denyed, as he pleaseth from whom it is. And hence often arise great discouragements. A person saith, I thought ere now, I should have been able to do more, than, I find, I can: I am still vile, still a poor wretched Creature; I can do nothing, perform no duty, as I ought: yea the Children of God, are oft left to themselves, that they may know themselves, and where their dependance is. See 2 Chron. 32. 31. And in a Christians ordinary course, wonted Assistance may now and then be withdrawn, on the same account.
2. An Abasement of Soul: A person is brought to be poor in Spirit: he hath a low esteem of himself. Eph. 3. 8. is exceeding vile in his own eyes. Job 40. 4. Faith indeed purifies the heart, but it also opens a persons eyes, so that he sees something of the sin that still dwells in them; and great Faith, and a little sight of that, will hardly consist together: sometimes, where true faith is, there is a great mixture of presumption, which makes faith seem to be much more, and greater than indeed it is.
3. An Inward Contest, or Strife in the Soul respecting this Nothingness and Abasement; the unregenerate part reluctates, and opposes, this way of abasement; the now man closes with it, as the best way, as an excellent way. Phil. 3. 8. the knowledge of Christ, and the way of the Gospel, hath an Excellency in it. And the knowledge of our selves, Christ, and of our own Nothingness go together: He that Exalteth Christ must debase himself; he that prizeth Christ, must deny and abhor himself: Self exalting, and Christ exalting, are inconsistent, in the power thereof.
Now consider this; you that can easily exalt, and magnify Christ (as you think) verily you have cause to fear that you never knew what it was: you are utter strangers to a Life of Faith, Which though it be sweet, and precious, yet by reason of Corruption, and through Temptation, it is usually very difficult, especially at times.
2. This Faith carries out the Soul unto God, and that in these three respects. (1.) As looking to Him for all it wants. (2) In acknowledging him, in All it hath. (3.) In uniting the heart to God in Love.
1. In Looking to Him for all it wants: Faith leads the Soul to Wisdoms Gates, to the posts of her door, and there it stands and knocks, and waits, as Prov. 8. 34. the heart will be stealing out, and turning aside to other doors, but when this is seen, the Soul rebukes it self for it, and is ashamed of its own folly. Now is it thus with you? whither go you for help? perhaps you you will say, I go to God alone? but do not you turn aside elsewhere sometimes: if you say no: you do not know your own hearts: and it is as if you should say, you have no unbelief, no self righteousness working, and prevailing in you; and who shall believe you in that? this sin, if any, dwells in you, and will carry you Captive, sometimes: But I say, Faith carries the Soul out of it self, unto God, in Christ Jesus, for supply of wants; and therefore in this respect it doth two things. (1.) It shews the Soul its own emptiness. (2.) Christs fullness, or all sufficiency.
1. The Soul is made to see its own emptiness, and nothingness: It may be you will say, this you have seen, and do see this: but I say, consider, whether it be so indeed, or not: have you ever seen a need of Almighty Power to make you see it, to cause you to see it. Ezek. 16. 2. have you seen the enmity and opposition of your hearts against this sight of your selves: Doctrinal Knowledge of Spiritual Things, is more easy, but Experimental Knowledge, and clear convictions, affect mens hearts, and break them to pieces; and there is much in the heart to oppose, and withstand the same.
2. The Soul is shewen, or made to see the Sufficiency of Christ Jesus: it could never see it, or believe it, if it were not shewen, by a powerful work of the Spirit: yea, the heart of man makes strong opposition against the way of the Gospel, it hates the knowledge thereof. Prov. 1. 29. and the secret language and voice of the heart is, as Job 21. 14. we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes. It is true, there is in the heart an enmity against God, and all of God; all his Wayes and Laws, and people; but especially against Christ, and a saving knowledge of him: and hence I say, there must be a mighty work of the Spirit, to shew Christ, and his fitness, and sufficiency to Save Lost Sinners; and it is a glorious fight when see. Joh. 1. 14. We beheld his glory, the glory, &c. consider it then, hast thou ever seen the Glory of Jesus Christ? you have heard of him, read of him, spoke of him; but hath he been revealed to you, and have you seen him? Joh. 6. 40. you must see him, not with bodily eyes, for that would confound you: and God must shew him, else you cannot see him: and if you see him not, you cannot believe in him: Hence if the Gospel be hid (which sets him forth) it is to suh as be lost 2 Cor. 4. 3. and hence in verse sixth, God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. Here mark; it is God that gives this light; it is he that shines in our hearts; and there must be an Almighty Power put forth, else to us the Gospel will be hid. He must command the Light, &c. else the God of this World will blind us, so as that, the Light of the Gospel of the glory of God (for so I read the words) shall not shine unto us, or in our hearts: in darkness we be by nature, and so abide, until he do powerfully call us into his marvellous light.
2. In acknowledging him in all it hath: as the Soul receives all from God, by Faith: so Faith leads it, to acknowledge him in all it hath; as he said; I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me; and again, else-where, he saith, he could do all things through Christ strengthening him: Still whatever he did, he ascribes all to Christ: so he, Psal. 144. 1, 2, 3. The Lord my strength, who teacheth my hands to war,—my goodness, &c. mark, how he ascribes all to God. Now this the believing Soul doth in some measure, and desires to do it more fully: it is a pleasure to a Believer to be doing for Christ, and when he hath done all, to be setting the Crown still upon the head of Christ; I, yet not I but Christ; it is the voice and language of Faith. Indeed to acknowledge Christ in all a person hath, or doth, in words only, is easy; but really and sensibly to do it, is difficult, and much averseness is in the heart of a man against it. Consider then, how you find it, do you acknowledg Christ in all? do you find it a hard thing so to do? do you bewail the contrary, and beg help against it? if you think it an easy thing, you know not what it is?
3. In uniting the heart to God by love: Faith and Love alwayes go together; they cannot be separated. 1 Tim. 1. 14. he that believes, he also …oves: as soon as a man hath a sight of Christ, he falls in love with him: he is altogether lovely: …s soon as the Grace of God that brings Salvation, doth appear unto the Soul, it doth unite the …eart unto him, by love. Eph. 6. 23. Peace be unto the brethren, and love with faith; he means an increase of love, and faith: and puts them together, because they are never separated; and hence he curseth all that don't Love the Lord Jesus.
Now, (as we go along) because that many a gracious Soul may be at a loss, and unable to find their love to Christ, and thereupon be discouraged; we shall mention some things, in which, it usually discovers it self, and may sometimes be found, when persons cannot look directly on it, and find, and feel those sensible workings of it in their Souls, which at some other times perhaps they can; and therefore tho… they have it, they can't discern it.
1. In a desire of fellowship, and communion with him in his ordinances, as Cant. 1. 1. Let him kiss me with &c. his Love is better than wine—this was a sign, and an evidence of Love in them, and so was that in verse fourth, Draw me &c. so here when the Soul desires Christ in his Ordinances, and breaths after, or accounts precious, the discoveries and manifestations of Christ unto the Soul, in hi… Ordinances, this is better than wine; when though many will say, who will shew us any good; yet the Soul joyns with them that say, Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us, Psal. 4. 6. And it is not Ordinances, and duties that will satisfy the Soul, but Christ in them; this is an evidence of Love. Cant. 3. 1. I sought him whom my sou… loveth: that seeking sheweth love. You then tha… wait on, and attend to these and those Ordinances, and duties of Gods Worship, what, or whom seek yee? is it, the Lord Jesus Christ? or is it some what else? if it be him you seek; it is from a likeance of, and a love to him.
2. This love appears sometimes, in that they are so deeply sensible of it, when they see any wrong offered unto the Lord, his name, wayes, …eople, or institutions, Psal. 69. 9. And that this …s from Love to God, and his wayes, appears in …hat they are so ready to Condemn themselves, …s well as others: they are grieved at the evil wayes of others, Psal. 119. 158. But they judge …hemselves as chief of sinners, abhor and loth them…elves, especially at times. Job 42. 6.
3. In their following after God, in all the …ayes that he hath appointed, Cant. 31. I sought HIM whom my soul loveth. I sought Him and …hat by night too, on her bed: this was an evi…ence of Love. So when the Soul seeks God, …ot only in Publick duties, but also, where no eye …f man sees; and it is the Lord himself that is here sought; this is an evidence of much love …ometimes. I say not when much pains in duties … taken; for that may come from other causes, …ut when also CHRIST is sought for in them: …sal. 63. 8. His soul followed hard after God. …lothfulness in duties argues little, or no love; but when God is sought, and that diligently too, it is …n evidence of love: especially when not his favour only, but his holiness is sought for, to be partakers of that. Heb. 12. 10.