[3.] There is a seeking of Christ, as the spouse sought her be- loved. Cant. iii. 1-3. This is usually expressed by coming, which is one of the lowest degrees of faith, whilst the soul is in the way, and in the pursuit of Christ, but hath not fully closed with him : John vi. 35, ' He that cometh to me shall never hunger ; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.' He that is coming — qui se dat m viam, so Beza — shall never hunger nor thirst. It is like the poor prodigal returning to his father. Though Christ and the soul be not as yet brought to close together, yet the souls of believers will adventure upon Christ ; yea, though they are not so comfortably persuaded of accep- tance with him ; as said the king of the Ninevites, Jonah iii. 9, ' Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger ? ' So Joel ii. 13, 14, ' Turn unto the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and re- penteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him ? ' There is encouragement, a cable- rope cast out to save a sinking soul ; though they cannot so comfort- ably apply Christ to their case, they are resolved to seek him.
[4.] The soul resteth upon him ; there is a receiving of Christ : John i. 12, ' To as many as received him ; ' Avhicli notetli a higher de- gree than coming to him. It implieth an apprehension, and particular application of the promises for our use ; as when the prodigal and the father were fallen upon each other's necks, and joined together in
438 A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [IsA. LIII. 11.
mutual embraces. It is the welcoming of Christ into the soul, the clasping him about with the arms of faith ; as old Simeon took the child in his arms and said, ' Mine eyes have seen thy salvation/ And so the faith of the patriarchs is described : Heb. xi. 13, they ' embraced the promises.' Tlie word is acnraaa^evoi, they hugged and embraced promises. I conceive it hinteth the practice of the patriarchs, who upon every new hint of Christ went and worshipped; which was a testimony of the joy of their faith and their cleaving to Christ in the promise. And when faith is once come to this, it is no longer a seed hidden in the earth, but it springeth up in all the happy effects and fruits of it. Therefore tlie next thing I shall speak to is the eflfects of a justifying faith.
Secondly, The effects of faith ; there are many. I shall name those which I conceive to be most essential and proper ; and they are of tuo sorts : —
1. Such as concern faith itself.
2. Other gracious constitutions of spirit.
1. For those that concern faith itself, and they are two : —
[1.] It is always renewing its own acts. God doth not delight in dead and useless habits. It is not faith that will profit us, but the exercise of it. God delighteth in tlie work of faith, that we should ' with joy draw water out of the wells of salvation,' Isa. xii. 3 ; that we should not only have faith, but act it — that is, as we should make Christ ours, so we should possess ourselves of all that he hath, and that we should maintain our lives out of the supplies of his grace: Gal. ii. 20, ' I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me,' — that we should not only have Christ, but live in him. The perfection of graces is in their acting : James ii. 22, ' By works was faith made perfect ;' that is, strengthened and increased ; as the right arm groweth stronger and full of spirits by frequent action.
[2.] It aimeth at the increase of itself. Therefore a weak faith may grow into assurance. The first thing faith struggleth against is doubts and fears : Mark ix. 24, ' Lord, I believe, help thou my un- belief.' Graces are much tried by this opposition against the con- trary inclinations of spirit. Graces in pretence do not exasperate op- l)osite propensions ; and therefore tlie soul enjoyeth a great deal of quiet and calmness under shows. False graces do not aim at growth, and so exclude care ; and do not exasperate doubts, and so exclude fear. There is not such a struggling with the relics and remainders of unbelief. The children of God believe that they may believe : 1 John V. 13, ' These things have 1 wiitten unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of tlie Son of God.' They would grow up into greater measures. David checketh distrusts : Ps. xlii. 5, 'Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul? and why art thou dis- quieted within me ? Hope thou in God.'
Gracious hearts are troubled at their evil imaginations. Others are drawing back, till God hath no pleasure in thcni, lieb. x. 38.