And is not this matter of great consolation to all those who feel themselves utterly unable to believe? you think the Lord would give peace and pardon, life and mercy, if I could believe; oh consider the Lord hath undertaken in the Covenant of Grace to work in all his the condition of the Covenant, as well as to convey the good of it. Jer. 31.31, 32, 33, 34. He hath done this for others by an irresistible power, Heb. 12.1, 2. Look up to Jesus the author and finisher of your faith, he came out of his Fathers bosom not only to give life by his death, but to enable his to eat and close with him by Faith, that they might never dye, John 6.50. so that the Lord may work it in thee; it is true also, he may not, yet it is unspeakable comfort to consider, that if the Lord had put it over unto thee to believe, it is certain, thou shouldst never have believed, but now the work is put into the hand of Christ; that which is impossible to thee, is possible, nay easy, with him; he can comprehend thee, when thou canst not apprehend him: this is exceeding sweet when thy body is sick▪ and soul is deserted, incredible things ⟨p. 167⟩to be believed are propounded, an impossible work to thy weakness urged, upon pain of Gods sorest and most unappeasable wrath; to consider it is not in me, but in the Lords own hand, and it is his office, his glory to work faith, and as the Apostle speaks, to show mercy unto them that are shut up, not only under sin, but also unbelief; Rom. 11.32. But why hath the Lord made thee feel thy inability to believe? truly the end of our wants is not to make us sin and shift for our selves, but to ask and seek for supply, and the end of the continuance of those wants is, that we should continue to ask and seek. And dost thou think thou shalt seek to the Lord by his own hand to create faith and fetch thee in, and will not the Lord take his time to work it? He that believes, saith the Apostle, Rom. 10.11. shall not be ashamed; why so? because the Lord, saith he, who is over all, is rich unto all that call upon him, verse 12. If thou hast not a heart shut up from asking of it; the Lord who hath power, hath not a heart shut up towards thee from working it.
And is not this matter of great consolation to all those who feele themselves utterly unable to beleeve? you think the Lord would give peace and pardon, life and mercy, if I could beleeve; oh consider the Lord hath undertaken in the Covenant of Grace to worke in all his the condition of the Covenant, as well as to convey the good of it. Ier. 31.31, 32, 33, 34. He hath done this for others by an irresistible power, Heb. 12.1, 2. Look up to Jesus the author and finisher of your faith, he came out of his Fathers bosome not onely to give life by his death, but to enable his to eat and close with him by Faith, that they might never dye, Iohn 6.50. so that the Lord may work it in thee; it is true also, he may not, yet it is unspeakable comfort to consider, that if the Lord had put it over unto thee to beleeve, it is certaine, thou shouldst never have beleeved, but now the work is put into the hand of Christ; that which is impossible to thee, is possible, nay easie, with him; hee can comprehend thee, when thou canst not apprehend him: this is exceeding sweet when thy body is sick▪ and soule is deserted, incredible things ⟨p. 167⟩to be beleeved are propounded, an impossible work to thy weaknesse urged, upon paine of Gods sorest and most unappeasable wrath; to consider it is not in me, but in the Lords owne hand, and it is his office, his glory to work faith, and as the Apostle speakes, to shew mercy unto them that are shut up, not onely under sinne, but also unbeleefe; Rom. 11.32. But why hath the Lord made thee feele thy inability to beleeve? truly the end of our wants is not to make us sin and shift for our selves, but to aske and seek for supply, and the end of the continuance of those wants is, that we should continue to aske and seek. And dost thou thinke thou shalt seek to the Lord by his owne hand to create faith and fetch thee in, and will not the Lord take his time to work it? He that beleeves, saith the Apostle, Rom. 10.11. shall not bee ashamed; why so? because the Lord, saith he, who is over all, is rich unto all that call upon him, verse 12. If thou hast not a heart shut up from asking of it; the Lord who hath power, hath not a heart shut up towards thee from working it.
