[2.] Faith will also mind the soul that God hath yet the fulness and residue of the Spirit, and can pour it out when he pleases, to recover us from this woful state and condition, and to renew us to holy obedience unto himself. There are more promises of God's giving supplies of his Spirit to deliver us from inward decays, than there are for the putting forth the acts of his power to deliver us from our out- ward enemies. And God is as able to do the inward work, — to revive and renew a spirit of faith, love, and holiness, of meekness, humi- lity, self-denial, and readiness for the cross: he is able, with one word and act of his grace, to renew it ; as he is able, by one act of his power, to destroy all his enemies, and make them the footstool of Christ, when he pleases. Live in the faith of this.
The psalmist saith, in Ps. cxlvii. 16, 17, " He scattereth the hoar- frost;" and the issue is, the earth is frozen, — he brings a death upon it. But saith he, in Ps. civ. 30, " Thou sendest forth thy Spirit ; and thou renewest the face of the earth." In like manner there is deadness upon all churches and professors, in some measure, at this time ; — but God, who hath the fulness of the Spirit, can send him forth and renew the face of the soul, — can give professors and profession another face ; not to trim and trick, as now so often is done; not so high and haughty, not so earthly and worldly, as is now so much seen; but humble, meek, holy, broken-hearted, and self-denying. God can send forth his Spirit when he pleases, and give all our churches and professors a new face, in the verdure and flourishing of his grace in them. When God will do this I know not: but I believe God can do this; he is able to do it, — able to renew all his churches, by sending out supplies of the Spirit, whose fulness is with him, to recover them in the due and appointed time. And more; I believe truly, that when God hath accomplished some ends upon us, and hath stained the glory of all flesh, he will renew the power and glory of religion among us again, even in this nation. I believe it truly, but not as I believe
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the other things I have mentioned unto you : for those I believe ab- solutely,— namely, that Christ hath built his church upon a rock, and that nothing shall ever finally prevail against it ; and that God hath the fulness and the residue of the Spirit to renew us again to all the glory of profession and holy obedience. These I propose as truths that are infallible, that will not fail you, and upon which you may venture your souls to eternity. And if your faith in these things will not give you support and comfort, I know not what else will.
[3.] When your souls are perplexed within you about these things, your faith will say unto you, " O my soul, why art thou cast down? Are not all these things foretold thee, — 1 Tim. iv. 1, ' That in the latter times some shall depart from the faith;' 2 Tim. iii. 1-5, ' That in the last days perilous times shall come ; ' because men should have ' a form of godliness, but deny the power?' Hath it not been foretold that churches shall decay, and lose their first faith and love, in examples that have been set before you?" " Why are you-sux- prised?" saith our Saviour, John xvi. 4, " These things have I told you, that, when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them." I was never nearer a surprisal than by this one thing, how it could possibly be, that after so many instructions, — after so many mercies, trials, fears, — after so many years carrying our lives in our hands, and so many glorious deliverances, there should yet be decays found amongst us, and such going backward. It is a great surprisal to one that considers it aright. But seeing it is foretold that so it shall be, " let us live by faith:" God hath some great end to accomplish out of it; and then all will be well. " When I have performed my whole work upon mount Zion," saith God, "then," etc., Isa. x. 12.
[4.] And lastly, faith, if it be in exercise, will put every soul in whom it is upon an especial attendance unto those duties God calls him unto in such a season. This accomplishes and completes our living by faith under such a trial as this is. If faith be in us, and in exercise, it will put us upon all these duties that God requires of us in such a season : —
1st. It will put us upon self-examination, how far we ourselves are engaged in these decays, and have contracted the guilt of them.
Idly. It will put us upon great mourning, by reason of God's with- drawing himself from us.
3dly. It will put us upon ivatchfulness over ourselves, and over one another, that we be not overtaken by the means and causes of these decays.