A. 5. True faith will trust God without a pawn. Though a Christian be cut short in provisions, the fig-tree doth not blossom, yet he will trust in God. Tides famem non 'formidat. Faith fears not famine. God hath given us his promise as his bond, Ps. xxxvii. 3., " Verily thou shalt be fed." Faith puts this bond in suit ; God will ra- ther work a miracle, than his promise shall fail. He hath cause to suspect his faith, who saith, he trusts God for the greater, but dares not trust him for the lesser ; he trusts God for salv.ition, but dares not trust him for a livelihood.
A. 6. True faith is prolifical, it brings forth fruit ; faith hath Rachel's beauty, and Leah's fruitfulness. Fides pinguescit operi- bus, LuTiiEii. Faith is full of good works. Faith believes as if it did not work, and it works as if it did not believe; faith is the spouse -like grace which marries Christ, and good works are thechildren which faith hears. By having such a faith we may know the kingdom of God is ^nthin us ; grace is cer- tainly in our hearts.
2d. We may know the kingdom of grace is come into our hearts, by having the no- ble grace of love ; faith and love are the two poles on which all religion turns. Cant, i. 4., " The upright love thee." True love is to love God out of choice ; love turns the soul into a seraphim ; it makes it burn in a flame of affection ; love is the truest touch- stone of sincerity; love is the queen of the graces, it commands the whole soul, 2 Cor
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OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
V. 4. If our love to God be genuine and real, we let liim have tlie supremacy; we set liini in tlie higlicst room of our soul ; we give liim the purest of our love, Cant. A'iii. 2., " I would cause tliee to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegra- nate." If the spouse had any thing better tlian another, — a cup more juicy and spic- ed,— Christ should drink of tliat ; we give the creature the milk of our love, but God the cream. In short, if we love God aright, we love his laws ; we love his picture drawn in the saints by the pencil of the Holy Ghost ; we love his ])rcsence in his ordi- nances. Sleidan saith that the protestants in France had a church which they called paradise ; as if they thought themselves in paradise while thoy had God's presence in his sanctuary. The soul that loves God, loves his appearing, 2 Tim. iv. 8. It will be a glorious appearing to the saints, when their union with Christ shall be complete, then their joy shall be full. The bride longs- for the marriage-day. " The Spirit and the bride say. Come : even so come. Lord Je- sus," Rev. xxii. 17. By this sacred love we may know the kingdom of God is with- in us.
3a'. We may know the kingdom of grace is come into our hearts by spiritualizing the duties of religion, 1 Pet. ii. 5., " Ye are an holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacri- fices." Spiritualizing duty consists in three things :
1. Fixedness of mind.
2. Fervency of devotion.
3. Uprightness of aim.
1. Fixedness of mind Then we spiri- tualize duty, when our minds are fixed on God, 1 Cor. vii. 35., " That you may at- tend on the Lord without distraction." Though impertinent thoughts sometimes come into the heart in duty, yet they are not allowed, Ps. cxix. 13.; they come as unwelcome guests, which are no sooner 6j)ied l)ut they are turned out.
2. Fervency of devotion. Rom. xii. 11., '• Fervent in sj>irit, serving the Lord." *Tis a metaphor alludes to water that seethes and boils over ; so the affections boil over, the eyes melt in tears, the heart flows in holy ejaculations. We not only bring our offering to God, but our hearts.
3. Uprightness of aim. An heart that is upright hath three ends in duty: L That he may grow more like God. As Moses on the Mount had some of God's glory reflect- ed on him, " his face sinned " 2. That he may have more communion with God, 1 John i. 3., " Our fellowship is with the Father." 3. That he may bring more glo- ry to God, 1 Pet. iv. il. Phil. i. 20., " That Christ shall be magnified." Since- rity aims at God in all ; though we shoot short, yet we take a right aim ; this is a sure evidence of grace, the spiritualizing duty. The s])irits of wine are best, so is the spiritual part of duty. A little spiri- tual ness in duty is better than all the gild- ings of the temj)le, or outward pompous worship, which doth so dazzle carnal eves.
Ath. We may know the kingdom of grace is come into us, by antipathy and o])posi- tion against every known sin, Ps. cxix. 104. " I hate every false way." Hatred is a- gainst the whole kind ; hatred is implaca- ble ; anger may be reconciled, hatred can- not. A gracious soul not only forsakes sin (as a man forsakes his country never to re- turn to it more) but hates sin. As there is an antipathy between the crocodile and the scorpion, so if the kingdom of God be within us, we not only hate sin for hell, but Ave hate it as hell, as being contrary to God's holiness and our happiness.