2. These graces restrain and subdue those corrupt inclinations which
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are yet in the heart, and would be a great impediment to us if they be not more and more overcome ; such as ungodliness and worldly lusts, atheism, or a denial of God's being, and unbelief or distrust of his pro- mises. Worldly lusts : Titus ii. 12, ' Teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts ; ' that is to say, worldly fears, and worldly desires, or, in one word, the sensual inclination called the spirit of the world. These can never be overcome without faith, by which the mind i& soundly persuaded of the truth of salvation by Christ ; nor without love, by which the will is firmly resolved and bent upon it ; nor with- out hope, by which the executive powers are fortified and strengthened in their operations. In short, when the doctrine of Christ concerning things to be believed and done is first propounded to us, it findeth ua wedded to the world, and entangled in the vanities thereof ; but as this doctrine is received and believed, the bent and inclination of our souls is altered ; a new bias is put upon us, and our love to God and heavenly things is more and more increased ; the heart is set to seek after God, and that with the greatest earnestness and diligence. With- out this, the carnal and worldly inclination prevaileth over us. As in the want of faith : Heb. iii. 12, ' Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.' Want of love : 1 John ii. 15, 16, ' Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.' Want of hope : Heb. x. 35, ' Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.' Many are beaten out of their Christianity at last, because they cannot tarry for Christ's recompenses.
3. To fortify us against all evil without. Besides corruptions within, there are temptations without ; manifold aflSictions, which Satan maketh use of to draw us to sin. Now these three graces arm us against them, 2 Tim. i. 7, where he speaketh of enduring the afflictions of the gospel by the power of God : ' God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind.' Faith, hope, and love are intended thereby ; by a spirit of power meaning hope, which breedeth fortitude, notwithstanding dangers and threats of men ; love retaineth its own name ; and by the sound mind is meant faith. All these help us to encounter the difficulties and hardships of our pilgrim- age, and breed in us a tranquillity of mind, and contentedness in every state.
4. Without faith, hope, and love we cannot pray to God, nor enter- tain any sweet communion with him while we dwell in flesh : Jude 20, 21, 'But ye beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.' That clause, ' Praying in the Holy Ghost,' is to be referred in common to them all ; praying to be built up in our most holy faith, praying to be kept in the love of God, praying that we may look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus to eternal life. Prayer is not an exercise only of our natural faculties, but also of the three fundamental graces of the Spirit. There are three agents in prayer, the human spirit, the new nature, and the Spirit of
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God. The human spkit, for by the understanding and memory we work upon the will and affections. The new nature, as prayer is the work of faith, hope, and love. And the Holy Ghost is there mentioned, as also, Kom. viii. 26, 27, ' Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infir- mities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought ; but the Spirit itself maketli intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered : and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit ; because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.' The middle is to our purpose. Now prayer is_a work of faith, as the great mysteries of our most holy faith are therein reduced to practice : Eph. ii. 18, ' For through him we both have an access, by one Spirit, unto the Father.' Love is acted in prayer, as we delight ourselves in conversing with God ; all our desires and groans in prayer are acts of love, expressing our longings after more of God. Hope is acted in prayer, as we express our trust in God, and the merits and intercession of Christ, and plead his gracious promises. Prayer itself is but hope put into language : Ps. Ixii. 8, ' Trust in him at all times, ye people ; pour out your hearts before him.' On the other side, when we omit prayer, or perform it coldly or cursorily, surely there is a defect in their faith, love, or hope. A defect of faith ; they do not believe God's being and providence, and the promises of God's holy covenant : Ps. xiv. 1, ' The fool hath said in his heart. There is no God ; ' and ver. 4, ' They call not upon the Lord.' The practical atheist is one that doth not pray at all times, nor much, nor often call upon God : Mai. iii. 14, ' Ye have said. It is in vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts ? ' Or if they do not soundly believe his covenant : Rom. x. 14, ' How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed ? ' How can they address them- selves to God in Christ if they are not rooted in the faith of the gospel ? Or sometimes a defect in their love to God, because they have no delight in him : Job xxvii. 10, ' Will he delight himself in the Almighty ? will he always call upon God ? ' Isa. xliii. 22, * But thou hast not called upon me, 0 Jacob ; but thou hast been weary of me, 0 Israel.' They are glutted with worldly happiness, and so God is neglected : Jer. ii. 31, 32, ' Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness ? Wherefore say my people, We are lords, we will come no more unto thee ? Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire ? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number.' Or a defect in their hope, they despair either of assistance or acceptance with God. David, when he had lost his peace by some wounding sin, he had not the heart to go to God : Ps. xxxii. 3, ' I kept silence ; ' 1 John iii. 21, * If our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God.' Sin represents God as an angry judge. God is terrible to a guilty conscience. We inherit this as coming from Adam : Gen. iii. 8, ' Adam and his wife hid themselves from the pre- sence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.'