Use 2. And then if God doth give this act of faith, this supernatural eye of faith, this supernatural hand of faith to lay hold, eyes to see, this super- natural hand of faith to lay hold, and stomach of faith to digest, then it is not every one that hath it; all have not faith. And therefore if we have faith, if we can go out of ourselves and rely on the promise, thank God for it ; thank God for it more than for any grace or gift in the world. For, beloved, we are stubborn, alike dead, dark, rebellious alike by nature ; and for us that be all of the same condition by nature to be raised to a super- natural condition, to have an eye and hand to see and reach to things above nature, and to make them our own, this is a peculiar gi-ace ; and therefore not unto us, but unto the Spirit of God, be all the glory and praise.
Use 3. And then let ns take heed that ice do not rashly or hastily attempt any suffering or doing, vithout looking to the Spirit of God for a new exercise of faith, that now being to use faith, we may have tlie Spirit to raise vp the habit, which otherwise will be a dormant and sleepy habit ; that as occasion is offered, so we may have fresh strength suitable to the fresh occasions. The same faith we had before will not serve for the present time, especially if there be increase of trouble. And if the actions to be performed be more difficult, according to the increase of trouble and hardness of business we are about, we must beg a greater measure of faith. So that indeed the life of a (Jhristian is nothing but a dependency since the fall, under the covenant of grace. We are under guidance of the Spirit, not only to prop and strengthen us with_habits, as we call them, but likewise on every occasion
2 CORINTniANS CHAP. IV, VER. 12, 13. 443
to raise and stir up our j^races, and to persuade the soul to receive them. It is faith that stirs up all grace, and directs all grace, and holds every grace to its work, and, so long as it continueth, kecpeth all other graces in exercise.
But more particularly, by the spirit of faith ho meaneth the receipt of a powerful faith, because a spirit of faith ; and a constant faith, because it is a spirit of fiiith ; for the spirit is put to things that be strong and constant. And the Spirit is a strong worker, and it is the spirit of faith ; and a free worker, because it is a spirit of faith that works more or less according as it seeth need. It is an holy grace, because it comes from the Holy Spirit ; and therefore it is a grace indeed that makes us holy.
First, It is a spirit of faith, that is, a powerful work of faith. Now a spirit of faith doth overcome our unbelieving natures, a spirit works strongl}', takes away actual resistance. Faith comes not by persuasion, but by a powerful waking strength ; for if it came by persuasion, the devil would persuade to unbelief sooner than the Spirit should persuade to faith. For ho hath more help for unbelief than there is for faith. We have in us more arguments against truth and against goodness than for it. And therefore if it were but a mere persuasion, and the soul not overpowered by the Holy Ghost to believe, it would never believe. So that it is not left indiftcrent to us to believe or not believe when God's Spirit comes. But the Spirit, as wind, is a powerful work[er], and because it takes away all prevailing resistances from the soul, and makes way for itself, bringing an heavenly light into the understanding, and a spiritual kind of reasoning, and an heavenly obedience into the will, bowing it to obedience of divine truths to yield to them, because by Httle and little it consumes corruption, it takes away prevailing corruption, and makes the soul believe, though there be roots of infidelity remaining.
The Spirit takes down the rebellion of nature so far that it shall not pre- vail. They never have the spirit of faith that think they can resist. When the Spirit comes it subjects all to its work. But I will not make a counter- point of it. But, indeed, the spirit of faith takes away all resistances, which is to be observed, not only against divers heresies in this time, or opinions at least that tend that way, for they end in a little better than heresy ; but likewise to think what an excellent grace it is, how much we are beholding to God for it, how to importune God for it, considering it is such a super- natural, holy, and powerful grace of the Spirit. And then it is a constant work. God's children do not only believe now and then, but they have a spirit of faith. Now spirit implieth a constant inclination, in the Scripture phrase, as a spirit of lying, of falsity, of envy, is an inclination that way ; and a spirit of faith is a constant inclination wrought in the spirit to live by faith constantly, to depend upon God for all things, pardon of sins, life everlasting, provision and protection in this world.