RULE V.—Distinction between unbelief and jealousy
(2.) In that part of our lives which, upon the call of God, we have given up unto him, there are two sorts of sins that do effectually impeach our future peace and comfort; which ought therefore to be frequently reviewed and issued in the blood of Christ:—First, Such as, by reason of any aggravating circumstances, have been accompanied with some especial unkindness towards God. Such are sins after warnings, communications of a sense of love, after particular engagements against them, relapses, omissions of great opportunities and advantages for the furtherance of the glory of God in the world. These kinds of sins have much unkindness attending them, and will be searched out if we cover them. Secondly, Sins attended with scandal towards fewer or more, or any one single person who is or may be concerned in us. The aggravations of these kinds of sins are commonly known.
(3.) The various outward states and conditions which we have passed through, as of prosperity and afflictions, should in like manner fall under this search and consideration. It is but seldom that we fill up our duty or answer the mind of God in any dispensation of providence, and if our neglect herein be not managed aright, they will undoubtedly hinder and interrupt our peace.
——— RULE V The fifth rule—Distinction between unbelief and jealousy.
Learn to distinguish between unbelief and jealousy.
There is a twofold unbelief:—1. That which is universal and privative, such as is in all unregenerate persons; they have no faith at all,—that is, they are dead men, and have no principles of spiritual life. This I
speak not of; it is easily distinguished from any grace, being the utter enemy and privation as it were of them all. 2. There is an unbelief partial and negative, consisting in a staggering at or questioning of the promises. This is displeasing to God, a sin which is attended with unknown aggravations, though men usually indulge it in themselves.
It is well expressed, Ps. 78:19, 20. God had promised his presence to the people in the wilderness to feed, sustain, and preserve them.
How did they entertain these promises of God? "Can he," say they, "give bread? can he provide flesh for his people?" verse 20. What great sin, crime, or offence is in this inquiry? Why, verse 19, this is called speaking against God: "They spake against God; they said, Can he furnish a table in the wilderness?" Unbelief in question of the promises is a "speaking against God;" a "limiting of the Holy One of Israel," as it is called, verse 41; an assigning of bounds to his goodness, power, kindness, and grace, according to what we find in ourselves, which he abhors. By this unbelief we make God like ourselves; that is, our limiting of him, expecting no more from him than either we can do, or see how it may be done. This, you will say, was a great sin in the Israelites, because they had no reason to doubt or question the promises of God. It is well we think so now; but when they were so many thousand families, that had not one bit of bread nor drop of water aforehand for themselves and their little ones, there is no doubt but they thought themselves to have as good reason to question the promises as any one of you can think that you have.
We are ready to suppose that we have all the reasons in the world: every one supposeth he hath those that are more cogent than any other hath to question the promises of grace, pardon, and forgiveness; and therefore the questioning of them is not their sin, but their duty. But pretend what we will, this is speaking against God, limiting of him; and that which is our keeping off from steadfastness and comfort.
But now there may be a jealousy in a gracious heart concerning the love of Christ, which is acceptable unto him, at least which he is tender towards, that may be mistaken for this questioning of the promises by unbelief, and so help to keep the soul in darkness and disconsolation. This the spouse expresseth in herself: Cant. 8:6,
"Love is strong as death; jealousy is hard as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame." Love is the foundation, the root; but yet it bears that fruit which is bitter, although it be wholesome,—that which fills the soul with great perplexities, and makes it cry out for a nearer and more secure admission into the presence of Christ. "Set me," saith the spouse, "as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for jealousy is cruel as the grave;"—"I cannot bear this distance from thee, these fears of my being disregarded by thee. 'Set me as a seal upon thine heart.' "
Now, this spiritual jealousy is the solicitousness of the mind of a believer, who hath a sincere love for Christ, about the heart, affection, and good-will of Christ towards it, arising from a consciousness of its own unworthiness to be beloved by him or accepted with him. All causeless jealousy ariseth from a secret sense and conviction of unworthiness in the person in whom it is, and a high esteem of him that is the object of it, or concerning whose love and affection any one is jealous. So it is with this spiritual jealousy.
The root of it is love, sincere love, that cannot be "quenched by waters" nor "drowned by floods," verse 7,—which nothing can utterly prevail against or overcome. This gives the soul high thoughts of the glorious excellencies of Christ, fills it with admiration of him; these are mixed with a due sense of its own baseness, vileness, and unworthiness to be owned by him or accepted with him. Now, if these thoughts, on the one hand and on the other, be not directed, guided, and managed aright by faith,—which alone can show the soul how the glory of Christ consisteth principally in this, that he, being
so excellent and glorious, is pleased to love us with love inexpressible who are vile and sinful,—questionings about the love of Christ, and those attended with much anxiety and trouble of mind, will arise.
Now, this frame may sometimes be taken for a questioning of the promises of God, and that to be a defect in faith which is an excess of love, or at most such an irregular acting of it as the Lord Christ will be very tender towards, and which is consistent with peace and a due sense of the forgiveness of sins. Mistake not, then, these one for another, lest much causeless unquietness ensue in the judgment which you are to make of yourselves.
But you will say, "How shall we distinguish between these two, so as not causelessly to be disquieted and perplexed?" I answer briefly,—
1. Unbelief, working in and by the questioning of the promises of God, is a weakening, disheartening, dispiriting thing. It takes off the edge of the soul from spiritual duties, and weakens it both as unto delight and strength. The more any one questions the promises of God, the less life, power, joy, and delight in obedience he hath; for faith is the spring and root of all other graces, and according as that thriveth or goeth backwards so do they all. Men think sometimes that their uncertainty of the love of God, and of acceptance with him by the forgiveness of sin, doth put them upon the performance of many duties; and they can have no rest or peace in the omission of them. It may be it is so; yea, this is the state and condition with many. But what are these duties? and how are they performed? and what is their acceptance with God? The duties themselves are legal; which denomination ariseth not from the nature, substance, or matter of them, for they may be the same that are required and enjoined in the gospel, but from the principle from whence they proceed and the end to which they are used. Now these in this case are both legal; their principle is legal fear, and their end is legal
righteousness,—the whole attendance unto them a "seeking of righteousness as it were by the works of the law." And how are they performed? Plainly, with a bondage-frame of spirit, without love, joy, liberty, or delight. To quiet conscience, to pacify God, are the things in them aimed at, all in opposition to the blood and righteousness of Christ. And are they accepted with God? Let them be multiplied never so much, he everywhere testifieth that they are abhorred by him. This, then, unbelief mixed with convictions will do. It is the proper way of venting and exercising itself where the soul is brought under the power of conviction. But as unto gospel obedience, in all the duties of it, to be carried on in communion with God by Christ and delight in him, all questioning of the promises weakens and discourageth the soul, and makes them all wearisome and burdensome unto it.
But the jealousy that is exercised about the person and love of Christ unto the soul is quite of another nature, and produceth other effects.
It cheers, enlivens, and enlargeth the soul, stirs up to activity, earnestness, and industry in its inquiries and desires after Christ.
"Jealousy," saith the spouse, " 'is hard as the grave;' therefore, 'set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a, seal upon thine arm.' " It makes the soul restlessly pant after nearer, more sensible, and more assured communion with Christ; it stirs up vigorous and active spirits in all duties. Every doubt and fear that it ingenerates concerning the love of Christ stirs up the soul unto more earnestness after him, delight in him, and sedulous watching against every thing that may keep it at a distance from him, or occasion him to hide, withdraw, or absent himself from it.
2. Unbelief, that works by questioning of the promises, is universally selfish; it begins and ends in self. Self-love, in desires after freedom from guilt, danger, and punishment, is the life and soul of it. May