54. Would they love more than others? then they should believe more than others
Love puts not off the pursuit of duty, till it attain the possession of glory. There is no rocking this babe to sleep, but in the cradle of the grave. A soul that loves much, will work much. The injunctions of love are not grievous, but precious.
God is not so much displeased at our having, as at our loving sin. He is more pleased at our loving than at our performing his service. None can serve God like a believer, because none can love him as a believer; for the obedience of the heart is the heart of obedience.
5. Would you love more than others? then it is necessary to believe more than others?
If there be life in the body, the pulse will beat; and if there be faith in the heart, it will work. What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, and hath no works? Can faith save him? An idle faith is an evil faith; for the faith which works not, saves not.
Perceiving of Christ, bespeaks our knowledge; but receiving him, bespeaks our faith. To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on his Name. Faith not only looks upon Christ as a fountain, but it also lays pipes to convey the water into its own cistern.
The window only radiates the room as a medium by which the rays of light are let in. As faith can do nothing without Christ, so it will do nothing against Christ. A true affiance resembles the spring in a watch, which moves all the golden wheels, and that only as it is wound up.
The father of the child cried out with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief! Though his tears dropped to the earth, yet his faith reached up to heaven. Divine confidence can swim upon those seas, which feeble reason cannot fathom. Strong diffidence begets weak obedience. The cords of unbelief once tied the hands of Christ, but not so strongly but he could have broken them. Now if they bound this greater than Sampson, what must they do to feeble Israelites?
It is as natural for a believing man to be a working man, as it is for the sun to shine, or the fire to burn. Other graces, like the common people of Israel, stand in the outward court; but faith, like the high-priest, enters within the vail. If Satan can undermine the foundation, the superstructure will soon totter and fall.
The great Bernard said, Increduli timen diabolum quasi lionem; ai qui in fide fortes, despiciunt cum quasi vermiculum; that is, 'Infidels fear the devil as a lion, but those who are strong in the faith despise him as a very little worm.' As there is no grace that glorifies God so much as faith, so there is no grace that he glorifies so much as faith.
Martha and Mary both said, Lord, if thou hadst been here, our brother had not died. What then, could he not have saved him while absent, as well as present? could he not as easily have sent him health, as brought it? But does their unbelief stop here? No: Lord, by this time he stinketh. True, but their unbelief stank more in Christ's nostrils, than Lazarus's body did in theirs.
And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old,—but he was strong in faith, giving glory to God. Skilful swimmers are not afraid to venture beyond their depth; while learners paddle on the bank-side.
As faith receives the righteousness of Christ for justification, so it receives the holiness of Christ for sanctification. It is the hand, the mouth, and the eye, of the child of God. It is the ring by which the soul is united to God the chief good.
He that believeth, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters. When saints would advance to an high degree in other virtues, then they generally pray for an increase of this. Lord, increase our faith, is no uncommon prayer. What the root sucks from the earth, it soon disperses through the branches.
Lusts may struggle like wounded soldiers on their stumps, and rally like broken troops; but they shall never be masters of that field where faith is fighting. As lusts would not let Christ live without us, so Christ will not let them live within us. Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. If faith be a precious pearl, a good conscience is the cabinet that contains it. This heavenly manna must be laid up in a golden pot.
When fear is foiled, and taken prisoner, then faith comes out of the battle a glorious conqueror. It is as able to keep us from falling into temptations, as from fainting under afflictions.
A man in the exercise of faith, is like Joseph; the archers may hit him, but his bow shall abide in strength.