Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

Thirdly, This resignation is made to the word. Ask a believer how he knows himself to be where he would be, in the dominions of God and Christ, his answer will be, I know it by the command in the word, and in the command his faith eyes two things, the truth of the command and the sovereignty; his faith eyes the truth of it, the command is true, as coming from God himself, and being the very counterpane of the holiness in his heart; This is the will of God even your sanctification, saith St. Paul, 1 Thess. 4.3. Gods will is in himself, but the command is the counterpane of it, thy word is true from the beginning, saith the Psalmist, Psal. 109.160. or as the Original is, the head of thy word is truth, the body of the command in Scripture answers to the head of it in the holy will of God. Faith looks on the command as issuing out of the very heart of God, and exactly agreeing thereunto, and upon this account resign to it, as to the good and acceptable will of God. Again, his faith eyes the sovereignty of it; naturally we would be Gods to our selves, and set up our wills as supreme, and therefore we make war upon God and his Law: But when faith comes, God is God, and the Law a royal Law, and all the commands in Power and Majesty, by them (saith David) is thy servant warned, or as it is in the Hebrew, illustrated, Psal. 19.11. the command to the believer is, as if a light shone from heaven, and a voice came from the excellent glory, saying, Do this or that. Gods will rides in triumph, and mans falls to the earth, as not able to stand before the Lord: ⟨p. 113⟩The voice of a superior, if perceived, puts an awe upon the inferior nature, so doth the voice of man upon beasts, so doth the voice of Angels upon men, and (which is the greatest awe because from the highest nature) so doth the voice of God upon the believer. After this manner doth faith yield up the soul to the command, and in it to God and Christ.

Thirdly, This resignation is made to the word. Ask a believer how he knows himself to be where he would be, in the dominions of God and Christ, his answer will be, I know it by the command in the word, and in the command his faith eyes two things, the truth of the command and the soveraignty; his faith eyes the truth of it, the command is true, as coming from God himself, and being the very counterpane of the holiness in his heart; This is the will of God even your sanctification, saith St. Paul,