VERSE 13
grace from the head; where there is no derivation, there is decay of grace suitable. Therefore as we will grow in grace and comfort, there is more force in union than is thought of; and if it were serious[ly] thought of, in regard of our own benefit, we should labour to maintain it.
VERSE 13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak.
You have heard before at large how the apostle answers all discouragements, from God's gracious dealing with them.
Now, St Paul goeth forward with the words read to the end of the chapter, in setting down divers encouragements to help him to go on in his Christian course. One is in the verse I have read to you; 'We have the same spirit of faith, as it is written,' &c.
We must go through many afflictions, inward and outward, before we come to heaven. And therefore the apostle multiplies grounds of comfort, whereby he may be carried through all to the end of his race.
The first ground of comfort in these words is from the words, 'We have the same spirit of faith' that David and others had before, 'and therefore we speak;' therefore we are bold in our profession.
In these words we have already considered divers things. Of faith we shall have occasion to speak afterward.
Now whereas he comforts himself from the example of David: 'David believed and spake, and therefore I believe and speak.' We have a sweet pattern how to make use of the Scriptures; in reading of them, read ourselves in the Scriptures. The Scriptures are not only written for us, and written for them that lived in those times; but God, in his infinite wisdom and foresight, knew that whosoever* was in Scripture should be appliable to all times and states of the church: for though it was written at divers times, yet nothing shall fall out to the end of the world, but there is something in Scripture to rule it, else there would need multiplication of Scriptures to the end of the world. And therefore the Scriptures contain necessary truths, both for the times wherein they were written, and for all times to the end of the world. As the apostle argues, 'David believed, and spake,' therefore we may, because the case is alike. The church in regard of prerogatives of salvation, and in regard of many duties and promises, hath the like command and interest from the beginning of the world; as we say of corpus homogeneum, every part of an homogeneal body hath respect to the whole. Every drop of water is water; every spark of fire is fire; but every piece of an arm is not an arm, because it is heterogeneal. I speak of it, because in many prerogatives and promises there is the like reason of every member, and of one member and another; as David speaks and believes, and therefore we speak. 'Abraham believed, and it was imputed for righteousness,'
Rom. 4:22; let us believe, and it shall be imputed for righteousness. I believed, and found mercy: if we believe, we shall have mercy. Peter, after he denied his Master, found mercy; if we do the same, we shall find the same, because there is the same reason for the whole church, and every particular member. And, therefore, when we read the Scripture, we should read to take something out for ourselves. When
we read any promise, this is mine; and any privileges, these belong to me; when we read a good example, this concerns me; as I said before,
'Whatsoever was before written was written for our learning, that through patience and learning of the Scripture we might have hope,'
Rom. 15:4.
There is not anything that befalls a Christian in his life, but there is a rule or pattern for it in Scripture. If we were skilful to bring the places and rules together, we should see a ground in Scripture for everything, both for all duties and all things to be believed. And there be not only rules in Scripture, but also rules quickening by example; for divinity is of practical knowledge, and therefore it is enlivened and interlaced with examples, as here he makes use of the example of David. God doth not write us laws, and leave them barely in our possession as commands; but God quickens and enlivens all the rules and promises with the practice of some of the blessed saints. None can read David's psalms but he shall read himself in them. He cannot undergo a trouble, but he shall find David under the same trouble; he shall not need a comfort, but he shall see David comforted with the same comfort; so that he is a pattern for them. It is a comfortable thing to read the Scriptures, because there we shall find whatsoever is useful for us. They that go into a garden that is beset with flowers, they cannot but receive a sweet spirit and breath from the flowers in the very walks; and so there is such a spirit in Scripture, that we cannot read the Scriptures with reverence but there is a sweet savour that springeth from them, which both delights and strengthens at once. No walk is so comfortable as the walk of Scripture; therefore, take our solace there, and we shall see the promises, and those enlivened with examples and patterns, and the Spirit of God bringing the like sweetness and the like strength into ourselves. Oh that we would be more in love with reading of Scripture. We see the apostle
Paul, as great a man as he was, encourageth himself and strengthens
himself with the pattern of holy David: 'David believes and speaks, and I believe and speak.' So that you see how you may make benefit of the Scripture.
From hence you have a rule of enlargement of the Scripture to you, and a rule likewise of application, that when we read the Scriptures we may enlarge them, and apply them to ourselves in particular. And so much for that point, we have faith, the spirit of faith. 'And the same spirit of faith, according as it is written.'
The next thing observable is this, that after the spirit of faith he names belief; and after belief, he names speaking; whence observe the connection and knitting together of these things by God, the coherence that God hath made betwixt. First, there is the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost. The Spirit is the agent that works all in the church, it being Christ's vicar on earth, and that Spirit works a spirit of grace in us, in particular a spirit of faith. When the Holy Ghost hath framed our hearts to believe, then we believe; and when we believe, then we speak. So that these go together, the Spirit of God, begetting in us a spirit of faith, and an act of believing answerable to the frame proceeding from a spirit of faith; and then, because faith is the spring and foundation of all other graces, 'we believe, therefore we speak.'
First of all, the Spirit of God works a blessed frame in our hearts, here called the 'Spirit of God.'* The Holy Ghost doth not only work by a Christian as an instrument, but works in him as a subject. Our soul is altogether out of frame. The Holy Ghost, therefore, puts us in frame by a spirit of faith, infusing a spirit of knowledge into the understanding, a spirit of obedience into the will. He draweth the will and enlighteneth the understanding, and then we believe. All actions come from a fountain, and spring, and life, and frame within:
the Holy Ghost worketh a holy frame, and then we act. We must not think of believing without a spirit of faith first, for that is to conceive of a river without a spring head, or a beam without a sun, or a branch without a root. And therefore, as faith cannot be without the Holy
Ghost, so belief cannot be without the spirit of faith, which is only for the clear conceiving of the point. We shall make use of it afterwards.
First, a spirit of faith, and then we believe. So that the grace of faith cometh from the Spirit, but the act is ours, and comes immediately from us, which serveth to answer an idle objection against those that be all for grace. If we do all by the help of the Spirit, and we have no liberty, then the Holy Ghost believeth, and the Holy Ghost speaketh, and the Holy Ghost loveth, and not we. The objection is [not] idle against those that be all for free grace.
It is true, the grace is from the Spirit, but when the grace is received, the act is from ourselves, not only from ourselves, but immediately from ourselves. We cannot but confess it so.
For instance, a windy instrument is fit to sound, but it actually soundeth not till it be blown. So other instruments of hand are fit for music, but it makes not music till it be strucken by the hand. So we do not actually believe, but by an act of the Spirit; but yet the act of believing is our own. The wind in one instrument, and the hand on the other instrument, must make the sounds, and yet the instruments sound. And so, though we have the grace of faith, and faith is ours in believing, yet the very act of believing cometh from the Holy Ghost, though not immediately. We speak, but the Spirit opens our mouth; and we believe, but the Holy Ghost inspires a spirit of faith; and we do, but as we are enabled to do; acti agimus, we move, but moti movemus. So that there is an action and passion in all the graces and exercises we do. We are first patients, and then
agents; first the Spirit of God works on us, and then we work; not the Spirit immediately, but we by the Spirit.
So we see how these two are reconciled. We believe, we speak, we do good, and yet the Holy Ghost doth all. How? Thus; the Holy Ghost sets us in a holy frame, and then being in that frame, the Holy Ghost fits us to speak, to do, to work, to suffer, to do all that is to be done.
We are the agents, and yet we do no further than as acted by a superior agent. As with the orbs, the inferior orbs move but as they are moved by an higher, except the highest of all: so all the subordinate agents under God, they are moved by God. For if the will were moved, and were not moved by God, then so many wills, so many gods, for there is nothing independent but God.
But to speak of the positive truth: all the frame of grace comes from the Spirit. We work, but by the Holy Ghost, as Ps. 51:15, 'Open my lips, my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.' Now David saith here,
'We believe, therefore speak;' we speak, but it is God that opens our mouth.
But I rather intend points of practice. For besides that proper act of faith to believe, there is a commanding act of faith, which stirs up the soul to do, for faith stirs up all other graces. The proper act is to believe, but by believing it stirs up and quickens all other graces of the soul. Therefore, Heb. 11, you see that all other graces are attributed to faith. By faith Enoch did walk with God, and by faith
Noah prepared an ark, and by faith Moses was courageous and bold; and so you see all their excellent graces, they have their spring and stirring up from faith. So that having the same Spirit we not only believe but speak.
The next point observable hence is, that a Christian knows he doth believe. 'I believe, therefore I speak.' And a Christian knoweth his
own faith, and by consequence he may know certainly his state in grace. It is not an idle, dormant, sleepy faith; but 'I believe, therefore
I speak.' It makes them fix the eyes of their souls so much on their deserts and guilt, that they look all to that till they be surprised with horror, till God hath humbled them, though there be a striving of soul against despair, and striving for favour and mercy.
In these particular cases there may be faith without the knowledge of the act. But ordinarily the frame of a Christian is such, that he knoweth what he knows, and he doth know that he doth believe when he believeth; and thereupon he knoweth his state in grace.
How else should he be thankful to God? how should he be pitiful? how should he be content and quiet in his condition? how should he be fruitful in his conversation? Beloved, the knowledge that we are in a good condition is a most fruitful knowledge. It is the best frame of the soul, when it hath grace, and knows it hath grace, and never hath a good frame till then. When we are in God's favour, and we know that we are in God's favour, it puts us in a holy disposition to God, to love him, to be thankful to him, and in a gracious disposition to him to be abundant in the work of the Lord. It works a sweet disposition in ourselves, begetting in us much patience, when we know we believe, and believing that we shall be saved, for salvation is the end of faith. Faith never endeth but in salvation.
And therefore it should be our main endeavour to believe, and then labour to know that we do believe, that Satan may not hide our evidences from us, and make us bear false witness against ourselves; and so when he cannot hinder our salvation, he hinders our comforts in the way to heaven, as it is his way, by casting a mist and cloud between our souls and God's favours. 'Therefore give all diligence to make our calling and election sure,' 2 Peter 1:10. The more we grow in assurance that we believe, and by believing our interest in Christ,
the more we grow in grace, and in all comforts whatsoever. They pretend it is a way to bring to security. Indeed, of heavenly security it is. But who fears to displease God most? and who takes most care to please him? Is it not them that have sweet contentment in his favours? that be loath to displease him? And is it not their whole care to please him, and continue sweet communion with God? They speak against the nature of the things, and against experience. But how shall a Christian know that he doth believe? Will he think he doth not believe, when he cannot peremptorily conclude, I do believe? Though he cannot reflect upon himself strongly, yet he may reflect upon himself, especially by conference with them that can discern that he hath desires. There is afterwards in a Christian, Christian mourning, sighing, and groaning, and he will not deny but he desires to have faith, he mourns that he hath it not. Let them reflect on that, and bring the Scripture to that case. The Scripture speaks comfortably of desires, of parts, of the gracious desires; he that desires faith hath a measure of faith, if he desire it truly.
And therefore you say you have no faith. Your desires shew you have.
You can reflect, and know you desire, mourn, hunger, and thirst, and would have grace. Now are the promises made to this desire?
'Blessed are they that hunger and thirst, blessed are they that mourn, blessed are the poor in spirit,' Mat. 5:6, seq.
Then again, there is a combat in them. They that have the main act of faith, they have strife between flesh and Spirit, between unbelief and faith. None will say but he striveth against unbelief, and endeavours against it. That very strife is an argument that there is a spirit of faith, an act of faith; and they may know that act of faith, if they will consider seriously. The very strife is a greater argument of comfort that they have faith, than the confidence of many carnal men that they have faith. For their confidence is a false argument; and then
the others doubting, and striving against doubts and remainders of infidelity, is an argument of their having faith.
Again, they that have the least degree of faith, they look up to God, they never forsake God, they will die at his feet, and they will cast themselves down before his footstool, before his mercy; let him deal with me as he will, they resolve of that. And where this is, it argueth a spiritual act of faith. So that in some cases a man may have an act of faith, and yet not know it. And in some cases there may be a confidence of the presence of faith, when yet they have it not.
How shall I know false confidence? It is a large point, and I will name but two or three things.
(1.) False confidence is groundless, voluntarily taken up of themselves without the Scriptures, because they wish well to themselves; and out of self-love they think they have anything they want. If they go to the grounds of Scripture, they would rather despair, because there be many blasphemous, loose lives secure of goodness. Faith affirms he is not worthy to live that believeth not. If they did believe, they would believe their own damnation. They should believe there is nothing between them and hell, but a little uncertain life: for they live in the curse of God, and live in sin, damned by Scripture. And therefore their faith is not only a barren faith, but a presumptuous faith, and groundless.
(2.) And again, you may know false confidence, because as it is groundless, so it is careless in the use of good means. A confident spirit, out of self-love, will persuade itself all is well, and yet be bold in the use of means. And so it is fearless till trouble comes; and when trouble comes, then they sink. He is confident, before trouble of conscience or outward troubles seize upon him; but when any trouble comes, then they see all was but a spirit of presumption and
carnal confidence; then they see there was never sound peace between God and them, never sound union between Christ and them. For it is the nature of false confidence to be confident before, and to sink into despair in times of trouble.
(3.) And again, false confidence, as it is groundless in the use of means, and spiritless in danger, so it is fruitless. It brings not forth fruit of faith, it is barren. And therefore let people that be careless of the exercise of love and other graces in their conversation boast of faith what they will, it is but a confidence; they think they believe when they do not believe.
(4.) In the next place, faith is an exercising grace wheresoever it is. 'I believe, therefore I speak.' It is a working grace wheresoever it is. He shews his faith by obedience and practice, so that the truth of faith is an active and working grace. And therein it differs from the confidence spoken of before. It works in heaven, it works with God, it layeth hold upon him, wrestles with him for a blessing, and overcometh him; it works on earth, and overcomes all on the right hand and left, all temptations of prosperity, presenting better things than the world can; it overcometh all temptations on the left hand, all fears and threatenings, and presents to the soul worse dangers than anything here. What can be threatened comparable to hell? and what can be promised comparable to a good conscience and heaven hereafter? It works stronger than hell and temptations. And it must needs be so, because it is a grace of union that knits us to Christ. It is the fountain of life. We cannot touch Christ without life, virtue comes from him upon every touch; his grace, his union, and being. So it draweth virtue from Christ. The spirit of faith is a spirit of power, a spirit of vigour. Faith infuseth vigour into the whole soul, silencing all objections that the heart can make; answers all temptations that the devil can make; triumphs over all that can be presented to it, and
draweth it from God. It is powerful with God himself. I will not enter into commonplaces of faith, but only as it comes in my way shew that where belief is it will work, and the particular work of it is to 'speak.'
(5.) As it is a working grace, so it is a bold grace. 'I believe, therefore I speak.' If there be faith in the heart, it will express itself in the tongue. If the heart be a good treasure, it will vent that treasure. 'Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak,' Mat. 12:34. And therefore as there will be encouragement and strength and vigour, so there will be boldness in speaking to God. Faith is a grace that hath liberty with it. Where the Spirit is there is liberty, specially where the spirit of faith is; because faith sets the soul at liberty from fear of guilt and damnation, and persuades the soul of contentment with God in Jesus Christ.
(6.) Where the spirit of faith is, there is boldness to the throne of grace; and therefore because we believe we speak. We speak to God in prayer, because we believe we are reconciled to God in Jesus
Christ. Wheresoever faith is there is prayer. Speaking to God in prayer is the prime expression of faith; as faith is the birth of a Christian, for it knits him to Christ the fountain of life. A child as soon as it is born crieth, and a new-born child as soon as it is born crieth to God. He hath a familiar kind of boldness to go with reverence to God, and say, 'Abba, Father.' As soon as ever Paul was converted, 'behold, he prayeth,' Acts 9:11. He might speak prayers before, but he never prayed till then. A man never prayeth till he believeth; and when he believeth, he prays presently with the spirit of faith. Therefore it is a spirit of supplication; they go always together.
And the reason is, because as soon as ever a Christian is new born, he is sensible of the root and spring whence he hath all his strength and all he hopes for. It is in Christ. And therefore as by faith he is knit to
Christ, so by faith he makes use of Christ. Faith is an emptying grace of itself, and emptying the soul, sendeth forth his ambassador, prayer, to fetch all help from heaven. Prayer is the messenger, the ambassador of faith, the flame of faith. Where faith is kindled within, it flames out in prayer. Prayer, you know, sheweth that there is nothing at home, for then we would not go abroad. Faith is a grace that goeth out of itself. It hath the greatest humility that can be, and is always seated in an humble soul, that despaireth of itself, and is emptied of itself; and therefore the first expression of faith out of itself must be to the fountain of help and fountain of strength and comfort together, and therefore sends forth prayer. Prayer and faith are all one, prayer being nothing but faith digested into words and conceptions. Faith prevails, so prayer prevails; and according to the measure of faith, so are the degrees of the spirit of prayer. And then again, our tongues being our 'glory,' Ps. 16:9, it hath a desire to glorify God, and that is in speaking, praising of God, and praying to God. And therefore those that do not pray, they have no faith. Little faith, little prayer; and great faith, great measure of prayer. And as faith groweth, so the spirit of prayer and supplication groweth. They increase and decrease in a proportion.
And therefore let us examine ourselves, if we believe, to pray; if we believe, to speak. A Christian is no still-born creature. He that is new-born, he is not still-born. He crieth to his Father for strength of grace. There is a spirit of boldness, together with the spirit of faith, whereby we can look God in the face reconciled in Jesus Christ. Now, looking upon God as a Father, we cannot but as to a Father repair to him in all our necessities. So you see the connection of these two, 'I believe, therefore I speak.'
And as it is true of prayer, so of praise, for that is also the language of the Spirit of God. God will have occasion, for our tongue is our glory;
we glorify him in our whole man. The heart giveth him the glory of all his attributes; the speech giveth the glory of it to him. And therefore, Ps. 63:5, 'When I am filled with marrow and fatness,' the inward comforts of grace, 'then shall I praise thee with joyful lips;' that is, then shall he sound forth the praises of God in his speech. He praiseth God not only for what is past, but he praises him for what is to come. 'I believe, therefore I speak.' For if a man by the spirit of faith apprehend the resurrection of the body and glory in the world to come, that Spirit, apprehending the excellency to come, will stir him up to praise God beforehand; as by a spirit of faith we take things in trust, as if present; we see heaven, and glory to come, as if present: 'For faith is the evidence of things not seen,' Heb. 11:1. So it stirs up affections as if present. In heaven we shall praise God for ever, and therefore faith makes heaven and happiness as if present to the soul. It enlargeth the soul with thanks beforehand. Therefore when the apostles speak of the glorious condition to come, presently they break out into praises. As they believe, so they speak, as Peter prayeth, 'By the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that hath begotten us again to an inheritance immortal, undefiled, reserved for us in the heavens,' 1 Pet. 1:3, 4. He believeth heaven is kept for him, and he for heaven, and therefore he praiseth God for it. If we believe the blessed state to come, we will speak the praises of God before hand; and therefore it is the state of God's children in time to come, revealed now, that God may have present praise. Faith sets the soul in heaven in some sort, and as it setteth us in heaven where Christ is our head, so it setteth us into the employment of heaven; and what is that? To have a heart enlarged to praise God.
Likewise if we believe we will speak to men, not only to God in prayer, but of God to men, 'in the great congregation,' as the prophet speaks, Ps. 22:25; we will not be ashamed of God, but speak to him by prayer in all things, and of his truth; and speak for him too when
religion is opposed, and his children disgraced. He that hath not a word to speak of God for the benefit of others by way of edification, that hath not the spirit of prudence to speak a word in season, nor a spirit of courage to speak for God, I will never believe he will speak to God as he should, I will never believe he doth believe. For he that believeth, he will speak to God in prayer, and praises, and of God, and for God. Beloved, in this world God puts his cause and his truth, and the state of God's people, into our hands, and counts himself beholding to us if we will stand for him, and trieth what we will do for him, whether help him in his church and people or no. He crieth,
Who will be on his side, who? as Jehu said, 2 Kings 9:32. Specially in times of opposition and lukewarm times, when there is a clouding of religion, men will be of all sides, and no side to serve their turn.
Therefore 'Curse ye Meroz, for he helped not the Lord,' Judges 5:23.
God thinks himself helped by us when we speak for a good cause, for a good person, for justice, for truth; and if we will not own the cause of God in doubtfuls, God will never own us. Doth God honour us so far as to put his cause into our hands, making himself beholding to us for his word? And shall not we speak a word for his church, his children, but rather join with backbiters, and slanderers, and secret papists? All slander her religion, her faith. What saith our Saviour
Christ? Is not that an idle thing?* 'He that is ashamed of me before men, I will be ashamed of him before my Father which is in heaven,'
Mat. 10:32, 33. They have the name of God in their foreheads. As the antichristian limbs carry his mark, so they that belong to Christ carry his mark; that is, they are bold for the Lord, known of their Master, to speak as to him, so for him, when occasion is offered. 'Wisdom will be justified of her children,' Mat. 11:19, and therefore they that believe will justify wisdom, will justify the cause of religion. And they that do it not do not believe, for he that believeth will speak. Christ is called λόγος, the speech, the word, because as a word expresseth the mind, so Christ expresseth what is in the bosom and heart of God
towards us. And as he hath truly expressed from God to us what is the Father's good pleasure to us, being the word, so every Christian must be the word to express what Christ hath done for him and for the church. And we must do this bodily, sincerely, freely, and roundly, without tergiversation, equivocation, or delusion; we must be bold for a better Master. It is true out of the nature of the thing we cannot but speak. A convinced understanding and sanctified heart cannot but speak when an opportunity is offered. I wonder any should ever think to look the blessed Saviour in the face with comfort, and yet notwithstanding betray his cause, betray religion here. And therefore, I beseech you, consider the connection of these two together, 'I believe, therefore I speak.'
By this therefore I have spoken, you may learn what to judge of your natures. Those that are partial of both sides, and of neither, that count it a policy to conceal themselves, they think whatsoever shall fall out they will be sure to displease no party beforehand, that so they may have friends; and so, to redeem a peace to themselves, they betray religion and the cause of Christ. You may say, "What wisdom is that? It is a wisdom of the flesh, and a plain discovery they have no faith at all, or at the least a very weak faith, no faith at all.
And therefore they are called Nicodemites; that is, such as keep religion to themselves; it is a false means.* For Nicodemus at first indeed[so] came for Christ, but after he defended him against the Scribes and Pharisees. And at his death, when all forsook him, then
Nicodemus and Joseph appeared. So it was a growing faith. And therefore let no man that conceals religion pretend Nicodemus. If they mean to be in that condition they are in, if they will sleep in whole skins, then it argueth they have no faith at all; but if they are ashamed of it, and grow, and by falls learn to stand strongly, and find their weakness sanctified to get more strength, it is a good sign. But
those that are neuters, and for all turns, you may say they have no faith. He is not worthy of a tongue that will not speak for Christ, that will not speak for the giver of speech. He is unworthy to speak that will not speak for him that hath enabled him to speak. You are more like the Samaritans, that would be of no certain religion. They would worship God, and they would worship the gods of their country likewise; they would be of the Jewish religion when the Jews flourished, and against the Jews when the Jews were down. So that they would be of all religions and of no religion. And so you have some that have their religion to choose for all turns; so far as stands with outward conveniences they will appear, and when it doth not, they will betray it; vespertiliones in fide, as he calls them, bats, that will neither be amongst the birds or other creatures, but doubtful creatures, you cannot tell what to make of them (bb). So there will be always some doubtful persons that you cannot tell what to conceive of them in religion; but this you may make out, they do not believe, for if they did believe, they would speak.
And therefore let us be stirred up to speak in the cause of Christ as occasion serveth. There must be a spirit of discretion and wisdom when and how to speak, of which I have spoken at large heretofore out of Rom. 10. Only, I beseech you, if occasion be, be entreated to be as bold for Christ as others against Christ, as bold for religion as others against religion. I am sure we serve a better Master. It is a shame to hear papists, and popish spirits, and half atheists speak dangerously to the destruction of youth, that they may be saved in any religion if we believe in God and keep his commandments; and so run to some few generals, whenas the will in the mean time falls aswelling and breaks the commandments. They bring all to a few heads, and shuffle off all with a generality in any religion; if you live well you may be saved. Therefore let us be as bold and impudent* for Christ as his enemies shall be against him. And because we see that
boldness in the cause of Christ comes from a spirit of faith, as all other graces come from faith, let us be stirred up to labour for faith above all other graces, that that may be planted in our hearts. And that it may be so, do but observe these directions.
First of all, consider who it is that giveth us comfort and giveth us promises; dwell much in the consideration of the loving faithful nature of God, and then consider former experiences, how God hath made good all things to us; consider what pure and glorious pledges and promises we have for time to come. Peace of conscience is pledge of the peace which is heaven; joy in the Holy Ghost, a pledge of the joy in heaven. And then consider the excellency of the things we are to believe. The objects of faith, the promises, are surpassing things, even surpassing admiration. Oh the excellent things laid up in another world! If we cannot express the first fruits, the earnest here, what shall we do with the fulness of happiness that we shall enjoy hereafter? A probability of excellent things will set men more to endeavour than a certainty of petty and base things.
Now that we have offered to us things above admiration, we may stand in wonderment at the love of God, that hath laid up things 'that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive,' 1 Cor. 2:9. And shall not these things stir up the spirit of faith and endeavours suitable, whenas a probability of excellent things, though earthly, will stir up endeavours? Therefore, where there is no endeavour against earthly things, we do not believe a whit. The evil things we be forced from are so terrible, and the good things present to faith so excellent, that if they were but probable conjectures, they would be better than they were. Therefore many are so far from faith, that they have not conjectures there be such things, for infidelity reigneth in their hearts. If faith set up a kingdom in their hearts never so little, it would Stir up boldness; and therefore