[3.] It is received and believed by faith. This is often told us in the Scripture : 1 Peter i, 18, ' In whom believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory ;' and Rom. xv. 13, ' The God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing.' We cannot be affected with the great things Christ hath done and purchased for us till we believe them. There is in faith three things — assent, consent, and affiance.
(1.) Assent, or a firm and certain belief of the truth of the gospel concerning Christ as the only sufficient Saviour, by whom alone God will give us the pardon of sins and eternal life : John iv. 42, ' We have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world ;' and John vi. Gl), ' We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.' When we are verily persuaded of this, as we are of anything that appcareth true to us, this stirrcth up joy. Others have but a hearsay knowledge, not a believing assent. Surely Clnist is a delectable object; what hindereth, then, but that we rejoice in him ? Nothing but want of faith ; for if this be true, we so necessitous, and he so all-sufficient a remedy, why are we not so affected with these things as the worth of them doth
^ That is, ' predominaut.' — Ed,
Phil. III. 3.] the true circumcision. 41
deserve ? Nothing can be rationally said but that we are not soundly persuaded of the trutli of it.
(2.) A consent. This grace is dispensed by a covenant which bindeth mutually, assureth us of happiness, and requireth duty from us. Therefore an unfeigned consent, or a readiness to fulfil those terms expressed in the promise, is required of us, or a resolution to repent and obey the gospel. Christ hath offices and relations that imply our comfort, and other offices and relations which imply our duty ; or rather, the same do both. He is our teacher and king, as well as our priest ; and we must submit to be ruled and taught by him, as well as depend upon the merit of his sacrifice and inter- cession : Heb. v, 9, ' And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him.' And they are so taught the truth that is in Jesus, that they put off the old man, and put on the. new, Eph. iv. 20, 21. True believers must be scholars, daily learning somewhat from Christ; yea, his priesthood implieth duty, dependence, humble addresses ; a broken-hearted coming to God by him ; as his kingship and prophetical office implieth privi- lege also. His defending and teaching us by his Spirit.
(3.) There is affiance, which is a reposing of our hearts, or a rely- ing upon God promising remission of sins and eternal life for Christ's sake alone— that he will be as good as his word, while we diligently use the means ordained to this end, Rom. ii. 7. And this confidence hath an influence upon this joy, Heb. iii. 6, or a delightful sense of our Redeemer's grace.
[4.] It is imj^roved hij meditation ; for the greatest things do not work unless we think of them, and work them into our hearts. The natural way of operation is, that objects stir up thoughts, and thoughts stir up affections : Ps. civ. 34, ' My meditation of him shall be sweet ; I will be glad in the Lord.' The more frequent and serious thoughts we have of the love of God in Christ, and the more deep and pon- derous they are, the more do they blow up this holy fire into a flame. Now, for this end Avas the Lord's Supper instituted, where the whole gospel is applied and sealed to us, that this delight might be afresh acted and stirred in us at the Lord's Table, while our minds are taken up in considering Christ the great apostle and high priest of our con- fession, Heb. iii. 1. Surely it should not be an idle and fruitless contemplation ; it should stir up love, and what stirreth up love stirreth up delight. I come now to the last part of the description.
[5.] The particular affection caused by this sense is mentioned : We delight in the grace of the Redeemer more than in all other things lohatsoever.
Where— (1.) Take notice of the affection itself.
Then— (2.) The degree of it.
(1.) The affection itself, which is delight, or a well-pleasedness of mind, in the grace that is brought to us by the knowledge of Chrisi. This enlargeth the heart, and filleth it with a sweetness and content- ment ; and the vent of it is praise, for the heart being enlarged, can- not hold and contain itself : Ps. ix. 14, ' I will show forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Sion ; I will rejoice in thy salva- tion.' Joy cannot be kept within doors; it will break out in all
42 A DESCRIPTION OF [PhIL. III. 3.
suitiible ways of expression. The heart dotli first rejoice, and then the tongue doth overtlow. The heart is filled with joy, and then the tongue witii thanksgiving, So Ps. xxxv. 9, ' My soul shall be joyful in the Lord ; it shall rejoice in his salvation,' Nothing disposeth the heart to j^raise so mucli as tliis holy joy. There is no true thanks- giving if this be not at the bottom of it,