world of sin,' ver. 9, 'and of righteousness,' ver. 10. And this is as necessary an antecedent to faith as any of the former. Without this, the soul convinced of sin is more like to go to the gallows with Judas, or fall on the sword of the law, as the jailer attempted to do on his when lie thought his condition despe- rate, than think of coming to Christ. Who will go to his door, that hath not wherewithal to relieve him ?
The third and last facidty to be dealt with, is the will ; and on this, for the pi'oduction of faith, the Sjiirit puts forth an act of renovation, whereby he doth sweetly, but powerfully, incline the will, which before was rebellious and refractory, to accept of Christ, and make a free, deliberate choice of him, for his Lord and Saviour. I say a free choice, not cudgelled into him with apprehensions of wrath, as one may run under an enemy's penthouse in a storm, whose door he would have passed by in fair weather, and never have looked that way. Speak, soul, dost jilease thyself, in choosing Christ? dost go to Christ, not only for safety, but delight? So the spouse, ' I sat under his shadow with great delight,' Cant. ii. 3. I say a deliberate choice, wherein the soul well weighs the terms Christ is offered on, and when it hath considered all seriously, likes them, and closcth with him. Like Ruth, who when Naomi spake the worst she could to discourage her, yet liked her mother's company too well to lose it for those troubles that attended her. Speak, soul, hath the Spirit of God thus put his golden key into the lock of thy will, to open the everlasting door of thy heart to let Christ the King of glory in ? Hath he not only opened the eye of thy understanding, as he awaked Peter asleep in prison, and caused the chains of senselessness and stupidity to fall off thy conscience, but also opened the iron gate of thy will to let thee out of the prison of impeni- tency, where even now thou wert fast bolted in ; yea, brought thee to knock at heaven's door for entertainment, as Peter did at the house of Mary, where the church was met? Be of good comfort; thou mayest know assuredly, that God hath sent not his angel, but his own Spirit, and hath delivered thee out of the hand of sin, Satan, and justice. We proceed to the trial of our faith from the properties of true faith ; and we shall content ourselves with three.
CHAPTER V.
WHERE OUR FAITH IS PUT UPON TRIAL BY ITS OBEDIENCE, WITH SOME PARTICULAR CHARACTERS THAT FAITh's OBEDIENCE IS STAMPED WITH.
First, This choice, excellent faith, it is obediential faith ; that is, true faith on the promise, woi'ks obedience to the command. Abraham is famous for his obedience; no command, how difficult soever, came amiss to him. He is an obedient servant, indeed, that when he doth but hear his master knock with his foot, leaves all, and runs presently to know his master's will and pleasure. Such a servant had God in Abraham : ' Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot?' Isa. xli. 2. But what was the spring thai set Abraham's obedience a-going? see for this, Heb. xi. 8 : ' By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place, which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out,' &c. As it is impossible to please God without faith, so it is impossible not to desire to please God with faith. It may well go for an idle faith that hath hands, but doth not work : feet, but doth not walk in the statutes of God. No sooner had Christ cured the woman in the gospel of her fevei", but it is said, ' she rose and ministered unto them,' Matt. viii. L5. Thus, the believing soul stands up and ministers unto Christ, in gratitude and obedience. Faith is not lazy, it inclines not the soul to sleep, but work ; it sends the creature not to bed, there to sleep away his time in ease and sloth, but into the field. The night of ignorance and unbelief, that was the creature's sleeping time ; but when the Sun of righteousness ariseth, and it is day in the soul, then the creature riseth andgoeth forth to his labour. The first words that break out of faith's lips are those of Saul, in his hour of conversion: ' Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' Acts ix. 6. Faith turns the Jordan, and alters the whole course of a man. ' We were,' saith the apostle, ' foolish and disobedient,' Tit. iii. 3 ; ' but after the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared,' ver. 4, then the case was altered, as it follows. And therefore take your foul fingers off the promise, and pretend
ABOVE ALL, TAKING THE SHIELD OF FAITH. 4,47