Use of Exhortation.
I. Believe it and be persuaded of this truth, that you have a Re- deemer living with God in the heavens.
1. This is a matter of mere faith, and therefore it must be soundly believed before it can have any efficacy upon us. Some points of faith are mixed, partly evident by natural reason, partly by divine revela- tion : as that there is a God ; it is matter of sensible experience, Rom. i. 20, and a matter of faith also ; ' whosoever comes to God must be- lieve that God is.' Nature helpeth forward the entertainment of the.se things, but redemption by Christ is a matter of pure and mere faith, and is received by believing God's testimony, 2 Thes. i. 10. There is no improving these points till we soundly believe them.
2. Becau.se we often think we believe these general truths when in- deed we do not believe them at all, or not with such a degree of assent as we imagine. Our Lord, when he speaks of these truths: John xi. 2G, ' He that believeth in me shall live though he die ; be- lievest thou this?' John xvi. 31, 'Do ye now believe?' We con- ceit our faitli to be much stronger than indeed it is about the main articles of faith.
3. Becau.se among them that profess themselves Christians, there are monstrous defects in their faith. Naturally we look U])on the gospel as a well-devised fable, 2 Peter i. 16 ; and many that dare not speak it out, yet do but speak of Christ in jest and for fashion sake, 1 am sin-e most live as if there were no such matter, and the many impostures and cheats of Christendom, and the divisions and scandals
Job XIX. 25.] the twelfth sermon. 303
amongst us, have weakened the faitli of many, that were it not for shame they would turn professed infidels. There could not he such boldness in sinning, such coldness in spiritual and heavenly things, such neglect of Christ and heaven, if men were true and sound be- lievers. Others content themselves with a negative sense ; they do not question or contradict these articles of faith, because they do not con- sider them, but take up the common opinion, hand over head, and were never assaulted with temptations to the contrary ; they do not doubt of it, say they ; but are they rooted and grounded in the faith ? Col. i. 23. Their not doubting comes from their non-attention. Others have a speculative assent ; there is a certainty of evidence and a certainty of adherence. The former consisteth in the conviction of the mind, the latter in the bent of the will and affections. An object rightly propounded extorteth the former from the understanding, not expecting the consent of the will ; the latter followeth imperium et consenaum voluntatis. The former arises from the evidence of the thing; the latter from the consideration of the worth, weight, and greatness of it: 1 Tim. i. 15, * This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.' Tiiey must not only be apprehended by us as true, but seriously con- sidered as the highest and most important things, so as that we may adhere to them with all our hearts. It is such a belief of the gospel as produces a firm and cordial adherence, otherwise it will not serve the end and purpose of the gospel, which requireth us to crucify our lusts, sacrifice our interests, and perform those things which are un- pleasing to nature upon the hopes it oifereth to us, and with confi- dence and joyfulness to wait upon God for his salvation, in the midst of all pressures and afilictions. If your adherence were more firm, you would find your comfort more lively, fresh, and constant, your obe- dience more uniform, you would not be so shaken with temptations and assaults, and the incursion of worldly cares and sorrows. In great temptations the children of God see the need of a firm and cordial assent to the main gospel truths, Heb. vi. 1, 2. Nay, in ordinary practices, in every prayer you make to God, Heb. x. 22, 'Let us draw nigh to God with a true heart, in full assurance of faith ;' 1 Tim. ii. 8, ' I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting.'
4. Endeavour to arrive at the highest degree of assent. Faith is or should be strongly persuaded of what it believeth. It is an evidence, not a conjecture ; not a surmise, but a firm assurance. We should cer- tainly know what we believe : ' We know thou art a teacher sent from God,' John iii. 2 ; • We know, and are sure, that thou art Christ, the Son of the living God,' John vi. 69 ; 2 Cor. v 1, ' We know that we have a building of God ; ' 1 John iii. 2, ' We know that we shall see him as he is ; ' 1 Cor. xv. 58, ' Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.' Invisible things revealed by God should be certainly known, because God hath told us such clear, firm apprehensions become us. Faith is not a bare conjecture, but a certain knowledc^e ; not we think, we hope well, but we know, is the language of faith. It is not a bare possibility we go upon, nor a probable opinion, but a