[4t7i.] There is presumption, or a snatching at the promises, without considering the terms. There is no man that hath a conscience, and some loose persuasion of the truths of the gospel, but he apprehends it to be a good word, suitable to the necessities and desires of a guilty and indigent creature ; but it hath no prevailing efficacy to purge the heart and subdue him to God : Micah lii. 11, * Yet they will lean upon th« Lord and say, Is not the Lord among us ? none evil shall come upon us.' The leaning of a carnal presumer, and the leaning of a broken heart, differ, as the leaning of a drunkard that is not able to go alone, and the leaning of a wounded man that is ready to faint. Now a man that in compassion would lend his arm to one wounded, and whose life is dropping out by degrees, would not lend his arm to a reeling drunkard that is defiled with his own vomit ; so the claims of mercy that a bold sinner maketh to the grace of God in Christ are rejected, when the dependence of a broken-hearted creature is justified. We have a comfortable promise: Ps. 1. 15, 'Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee ; ' but a guard is set about it, that no disobedient wretch should gather its sweet fruit : vers. 16, 17, ' But unto the wicked, God saith, Wliat hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant into thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee ? ' The like you have in Ps. Ixviii. 19, 20, 'Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with his benefits, even the God of our salvation, Selah, He that is our God is the God of salvation, and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death.' We can never speak enough of the mercy of God to poor broken-hearted sinners ; it is here twice repeated ; but bold and daring sinners, that continue in their rebellion and enmity against God, have no share in it, nor can they lay claim to it; ver. 21, * But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the haiiy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses.' Christians that live loosely, as pagans, they shall not find grace to be a sanctuary to them. It was Origen's answer to Celsus, who said that Christianity was a sanctuary for wicked profligate persons, — No ! saith he, it is not a sanctuary for them, but an hospital to cure them.
2d What is the true faith that must be mingled with the word ?
[1st.] It is a lively faith, or assent to the doctrine of God. The scripture speaketh of a dead faith ; James ii. 20 ; and a lively faith,
VOL. XV. L
1 62 THE LIFE OF FAITH.
and of a lively hope : 1 Peter i. 3, ' Who hath begotten us again unto a lively hope ; ' sucli as quickens them to the use of all due means to attain what they believe and hope for: Acts xxiv. 14-16, 'But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets : and have hope towards God, which they themselves also allow ; that there shall be a resur- rection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men.' A drowsy inattentive assent prevaileth noth- ing, but such as hath life and affection in it. To many faith is no more than non-denial, or a negative assent ; they do not contradict the truth, but it doth not affect the heart, and excite them to pur- sue and look after the things represented to them. Faith is acted and exercised about wliat »we hear, as about matters wherein we are deeply concerned. It is not enough to have faith, but it must be exercised and put forth — such a faith as engrafteth the word into us : James i. 21, ' Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.' It is not only pleased with the notions as matter of opinion, but receiveth and layeth up the word as the seed of life , yea, changeth the disposition of the soul into the nature of the word : Rom. vi. 17, ' But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin ; but ye have obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine which was delivered to you,' et? ov irapeZoOrjTe tvttov hLha')(fi<i, into which form of doctrine ye were delivered ; its lively character is enstaraped upon us .
2 Peter i. 4, ' Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature.' What effect hath the word upon the soul, to transform us into the image of God ?
[2d] It is an applicative faith. We do not only believe God's word and all things contained therein, to be a truth, but we believe it as a truth that concerneth us in particular, and thereupon apply it to our- selves. Meat will feed, if it be eaten ; water will quench tiiirst, if we drink it, and receive it into our bodies ; yet if we neither eat the one, nor drink the other, we may perish for hunger and thirst. So the applying and urging the heart with the word preached doth profit us : Job V. 27, ' Hear it, and know thou it for thy good ; ' and Rom. viii. 31, * What shall we then say to these things? ' and Heb. ii. 3, ' How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation ? '