Quest. But at what time specially ?
Arts. 1. First, Especially when a man hath yielded the act of faith, and cast himself upon God, and a long time lived by faith, then God will seal this beheving with the spirit of adoption. When we believe specially against a temptation of distrust, then we usually have the sealing of the Spirit.
Then again, when we have striven with any corruption a long time, God, as a reward of our holding out, will crown our faith and our obedience with a sweet sense of his love. After that Job had strove a long time, at length concluding, ' Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him,' God mani- fested himself in mercy unto him. The woman of Canaan, after she had striven and wrestled with Christ, at last gets a gracious answer ; so when we can subdue our corruptions, and perform holy duties in some strength of gi'ace, in reward of our diligence and care, we have some comfortable revelation of the Spirit, and taste of the life to come more than ordinary, God crowning our diligence with the sweet sense of his love.
And also, when he hath some great employment for us, to encourage us the more, he will give us the more evidence and manifestation of his love, more ravishment ; as the disciples which were with Christ in the mount, they did see his glory there, because they were to see him abased after- wards. Those that God means to honour and use in any great employment, oftentimes before he gives them the full assurance of his love.
Again, sometimes in the midst of sufferings, to reward our faithfulness, as Paul in the dungeon was so filled with joy as to sing at midnight ; to encourage us, that whatsoever our threatenings and torments shall be in our sufferings for the name of Christ, yet if we yield obedience to God, our comfort shall be more than our discomfort, as St Paul had the spirit of gloiy, which raised him above his abasement. Thus we see when they are severed, and when God pleases for to vouchsafe the manifestation together with the act.
Now I come to the fourth and last point, indeed the chief of all, that this particular faith in obedience to Christ, xdth (insurance of his particular love, is that n-hich carries tis along all our life of faith unto the clay of death. ' I live,' saith he, ' this life of faith in the Son of God.' Why, what makes him to do so ? Oh I have good cause to love Christ and to depend upon him. WTiy ? * He hath loved me, and given himself for me ;' and I feel so much to my soul's comfort, therefore I will wholly depend upon him, in life, in death, and for ever. And indeed particular special faith, if it be joined with some assurance, it is the ground of living by faith. No man can live a holy life by faith, but first he must know that God loves him and Christ loves him. Holy actions spring from love, and are directed by love to the right end, which only love moveth us to intend. How can any spirit aim at his glory whom he loves not first ? Can any soul, not knowing whether Christ loves it or not, intend Christ's glory as it should do ?
Quest. I beseech you, if we speak of doing or suffering, thankfulness or cheerfulness, especially at the hour of death, whence come all these ?
898 SALVATION APPLIED.
Ans. Come they not from some taste of God's love ? When do we love, but when many sins are forgiven ? And wlicn are we willing to suffer any- thing for Christ's sake, but when wo know that he hath sulfcred so great things for us ? We count it a glory to sufl'or anything for Christ, when wo know he hath loved us and given himself for us.
Quest. Again, for thankfulness, how can a man be thankful for that ho Lath no knowledge of? What makes a man thankful for the great work of redemption in Christ, but a particular faith ?
Ans. This made St Paul and the rest of the apostles so often to break out, ' Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.' He breaks out into thanksgiving that he, together with other Christians, had the Spirit, which doth persuade them of God and Christ's particular love. Then again, for thankfulness for ordinary blessings, how can a man thank God for any ordinary blessing, if he be not assured that it comes from the love of God in Christ ? When he is persuaded of this, then he can give thanks, both for the principal and other lesser favours,
Obj. He may think else, What is all this to me ? I am but fatted against the day of slaughter. It is good for me to take my pleasure whilst I may enjoy these things, to think I am but as a traitor, who hath the liberty of the prison. This smothers our thankfulness.
Ans. It is the believing soul that is thankful for mercies, and also cheer- ful in duties. Whence come Christians to be a voluntary people, zealous of good works ? as Tit. ii. 11, the apostle sets zeal betwixt faith and works, looking both ways, saying, ' The grace of God, which bringeth salvation unto all men, hath appeared,' by the first coming of Christ, and giving him to death, ' teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts.' Here faith looks backwards. Then, looking forward, says he, ' Looking for, and waiting for the appearance of the blessed God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, ^vho hath redeemed us, that we might be a peculiar people, zealous of good works.'