XXXVIII. Other instances of approved faith. In Abraham, Gen. xv. 6, compared with John viii. 56. Rom. iv. 18. 20.-The virgin Mary, Luke i. 45.-The woman who washed Christ's feet with tears, Luke vii. 37 to 50.-The disciples, John ii. 22.-The Samaritans, John iv. 39.-The Jews, John viii. 31.-xi. 45.—A man born blind, John ix. 35. 38. The chief rulers, John xii. 11. 42.Those given to Christ, John xvii. 8.-About five thousand, Acts iv. 4. 32.-Many priests, Acts vi. 7.- Stephen, Acts vi. 8.-The eunuch, Acts viii. 37.-They of the circumcision, Acts x. 45.—A great number, Acts xi. 21.-xiv. 1. 23.-Many at Lystra, Greeks and devout women, Acts xvii. 4.-Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, Acts xviii. 8. Ver. 27.-Many in Achaia, Acts xix. 18.-Many thousands of Jews, Acts xxi. 20. Ver. 25.The Gentiles: some among all nations, Rom. i. 5. 16. &c. &c.

INFIDELITY.

XXXIX. Want of faith reproved. Matt. vi. 30. Jesus said, If God so clothe the grass

ix. 12. 17, 18. They restore sight to the blind.

you, O ye of little faith?

Mark xvi. 14. Jesus upbraided the disciples with their unbelief and hardness of heart, be

v. 12. They do great miracles, signs, and wonders. Ch. vi. 8.-xv. 12. 2 Cor. xii. 12. viii. 6. The people gave the more heed to them, and embraced the faith. Ch. v. 14.

XXXVII. Instances of miracles wrought for persons of eminent faith. Matt. viii. S. 10. 13. Luke vii. 9. At the centurion's faith his servant is healed.

ix. 28, 29, 30. Two blind men restored to sight. Mark x. 52.

Mark ii. 5. One sick of the palsy cured. Matt. ix. 2. 6, 7.

v. 34. A woman cured of a bloody issue. ix. 20. 25. A dumb spirit is cast out of a child at the faith of the child's father.

v. 36. At the faith of the ruler of the synagogue, his daughter, who had been dead, is restored to life.

Luke xvii. 19. A leper cleansed.

John iv. 50. At a nobleman's faith his son is healed of a fever.

him after he was risen.-Christ upbraideth the disciples afraid upon the sea, with their want of faith, Matt. viii. 26.-Peter upon the sea, Matt. xiv. 31.-The disciples solicitous about bread, Matt. xvi. 8, 9, 10.-The disciples at their not being able to cast out a devil, Matt. xvii. 17. 19, 20.

Matt. xiii. 58. Jesus did not many miracles there because of their unbelief. Mark vi. 5, 6.

XL. Exhortations against unbelief. John xx. 27. Jesus said to Thomas, Be not faithless, but believing.

Heb. iii. 12. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief.

iv. 11. Let us labour to enter into the rest that remaineth to the people of God, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

XLI. Threatenings against unbelief. Unbelief towards God; threats. Numb. xiv. 11. The Lord said, How long will this people provoke me? How long will it be ere they

among them?-Ver. 12. I will scatter them

xiv. 9. A cripple from the womb healed by Paul.

37, 38. Heb. iii. 17, 18.-iv. 6. Jude 5. Numb. xx. 12. The Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not,

to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of [ Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. Deut. i. 32. Moses said, Ye did not believe the Lord your God.

Ver. 34, 35. And the Lord was wroth, and sware, saying, Surely there shall not one of these men, of this evil generation, see that good land which I sware to give unto your fathers. Heb. iii. 19.-iv. 6.

2 Kings xvii. 14. 18. 20. Because they did not believe, the Lord rejected the seed of Israel. Isa. vii. 9. If ye will not believe, ye shall not be established.

liii. 1. Who hath believed our report? See Ps. lxxviii. 21, 22. 32, 33.-evi. 24. 26. 29.

XLII. Unbelief towards Christ; threats. Matt. xxi. 31. Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, The publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of heaven before you.-Ver. 32. For ye believed not John the Baptist, but the publicans and harlots believed him.

Mark xvi. 16. He that believeth not shall be damned.

Luke xii. 46. The Lord of the wicked servant will appoint him his portion with unbelievers.

John iii. 18. He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. -Ver. 26. He that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. 1 John v. 10.

viii. 24. If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

xii. 48. He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Rom. ix. 31, 32. Israel hath not attained to the law of righteousness; because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law.

xi. 20. Because of unbelief the Jews were broken off.

xiv. 23. He that doubteth is damned, if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith, is sin.

2 Thess. ii. 10-12. They received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. For this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteous

ness.

Tit. i. 15. To them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

Heb. iv. 2. Unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them; but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. Ch. x. 38, 39. The just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. We are not of them that draw back unto perdition; but of them who believe to the saving of the soul.

xi. 31. By faith Rahab perished not with them that believed not.

1 John ii. 23. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father.

Rev. xxi. 8. The fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. See Isa. Ixvi. 24.

XLIII. The following causes of unbelief are assigned in Scripture by Christ and his apostles. Luke viii. 12. The devil taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

John v. 44. How can ye believe which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

Ver. 46, 47. Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? 2 Cor. iii, 14, 15,

viii. 45. Because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

x. 26. Ye believe me not because ye are not of my sheep.

2 Cor. iv. 4. Because the god of this world hath blinded their minds.

1 Tim. iv. 1. Giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.

vi. 10. The love of money.-Ver. 20. 21. Vain babblings, and professing false science. Hence is applied to unbelievers the prophecy of Isa. vi. 9. compared with John xii. 40, 41. Acts xxviii. 26, 27.

LOOKING TO GOD.

XLIV. Look to God. Ps. xxxiv. 5. They looked unto God, and were lightened. Ps. v. 3.—cxxiii. 2.

Isa. xvii. 7. At that day shall a man look to

he hath denied the faith.

Ver. 5. 11, 12. They have begun to wax wanton against Christ. Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.

the holy One of Israel. Ch. viii. 17.

xlv. 22. Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else.

Mic. vii. 7. I will look unto the Lord: I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. See Isa. xxxviii. 14.

REMEMBERING GOD.

XLV. Remembering God. Neh. iv. 14. Remember the Lord, which is great and terrible. Ps. xx. 7.

Job xxi. 6. When I remember him I am afraid.

Ps. xlii. 6. My God, my soul is cast down in me; therefore will I remember thee. Ps. xx. 7.-lxxvii. 10.

lxiii. 5, 6. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night-watches.

Eccl. xii. 1. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth.

Isa. xxvi. 8. The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.

Jonah ii. 7. When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came in unto thee, into thy holy temple. See Zech. x. 9.

Of

Not remembering God. Isa. lvii. 11. whom hast thou been afraid, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? Ch. li. 12, 13. Judg. viii. 34. Ps. lxxviii. 42.

FORGETTING GOD

XLVI. Forgetting God. Ps. cvi. 21. Israel forgat God their Saviour, which had done great things in Egypt.

Jer. ii. 32. My people have forgotten me | days without number. Ch. xiii. 25.-xviii. 15. iii. 21. They have perverted their way, and have forgotten the Lord their God.

Ezek. xxii. 12. Thou hast gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord. Ver. 14. Jer. xxiv. 27.

XLVII. Threatenings against those that forget God. Deut. xxxii. 18. Of the Rock that begat thee, thou art unmindful; and hast forgotten God that formed thee.-Ver. 19. The Lord abhorred them. See to ver. 26.

Judg. iii. 7. The children of Israel forgat the Lord. Ver. 8. Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, &c.

1 Sam. xii. 9. They forgat the Lord their God, and he sold them into the hand of their enemies.

Ps. ix. 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. Job viii. 11, 12, 13.

1. 21, 22. These things thou hast done and I kept silence; but I will reprove thee, saith the Lord. Consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

Isa. xvii. 10. Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, &c.-Ver. 11. But the harvest shall be a heap in the day of desperate sorrow.

Ezek. xxiii. 35. Thou hast forgotten me; therefore bear thy lewdness.

Hos. viii. 14. Israel hath forgotten his Maker. I wilt send a fire upon his cities.

XLVIII. Warnings against forgetting God. Deut. vi. 12. Beware lest thou forget the Lord.

viii. 11-14. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes. Lest when thou hast eaten, and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God. See to ver. 20. Ps. xliv. 17.

All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee.-Ver. 20, 21. If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god, shall not God search out this?

MEDITATION.

XLIX. Meditation upon God and his word. A good man meditates upon God's law day and night. Ps. i. 2.-xlix. 3.-cxix. 97. Josh. i. 8.

Job xxii. 22. Lay up his words in thy heart.

Ps. xvi. 8. I have set the Lord always before me.

xl. 8. O my God, thy law is within my heart. Ps. xxxvii. 31.-cxix. 11.

Ixiii. 5, 6. My soul shall be satisfied-when I meditate on thee in the night-watches. Ps. civ. 34.

lxxvii. 12. I will meditate of all thy works, and talk of thy doings. Ps. cxliii. 5.

exix. 15. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. Ver. 78. Ver. 23. Thy servant did meditate in thy statutes. Ver. 48.

Ver. 99. Thy testimonies are my meditation.-Ver. 148. Mine eyes prevent the nightwatches, that I might meditate in thy word. 1 Tim. iv, 15. Meditate upon these things.

FEARING GOD.

L. Fear due unto God. Exod. xv. 11. Who is like unto thee, O Lord! glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders!

Ps. lxxvi. 7. Thou, even thou art to be feared; and who may stand when thou art angry? Ver. 11.

lxxxix. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints.

in power, and judgment, and in plenty of justice. Men do therefore fear him.

Ps. cxxx. 4. There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared. Rev. xv. 4.

LIV. God is to be feared on account of his words and works. Deut. iv. 10. I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth. 1 Kings viii. 40. 43. 2 Chron. vi.

gods.

Rev. xv. 4. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy.

LI. The excellency of fearing God. Job xxviii. 28. The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding. Ps. cxi. 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Prov. ix. 10.-xv. 33. It is the instruction of wisdom.

Prov. i. 7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Ps. xix. 9. It is clean, enduring for ever.

LII. It is a commanded duty. Deut. vi. 24. The Lord our God commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always.

2 Kings xvii. 36. The Lord, him shall ye fear. Ver. 39.

1 Chron. xvi. 30. Fear before him all the earth. Ps. xcvi. 9.

Ps. xxii. 23. Fear him all the seed of Israel. xxxiii. 8. Let all the earth fear the Lord. Ps. xxxiv. 9.

Prov. xxiii. 17. Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.

xxiv. 21. Fear the Lord and the king. 1 Pet. ii. 17.

Isa. viii. 13. Sanctify the Lord God of hosts, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

Jer. v. 22. Will ye not fear me, saith the Lord? will ye not tremble at my presence Ver. 24.

Mal. i. 6. If I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts.

Matt. x. 28. Fear him that is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Rev. xiv. 7. Fear God, and give glory to him.

that all people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty; that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.

Eccl. iii. 14. What God doth shall be for ever; nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it; and God doth it, that men may fear before him. See Jer. xxxiii. 9. Rev. xiv. 7. Exod. xiv. 31.

Examples. Instances.

1 Sam. xii. 18.

LV. The fear of the Lord is promised and prayed for. Ps. lxxxvi. 11. Unite my heart to fear thy name.

Isa. lix. 19. They shall fear the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. See ch. xxix. 23. Prov. ii. 5. Jer. xxxiii. 9. Hos. iii. 5.

Jer. xxxii. 39. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever; for the good of them and of their children. I will put my fear into their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.

Isa. xi. 2. The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord shall rest upon him.

LVI. The fear of God joined with obedience toward God. Deut. vi. 2, 3. Fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments: that it may be well with thee.-Ver. 13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him.

x. 12. What doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul?—Ver. 20. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.

xiii. 4. Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him and cleave unto him.

Josh. xxiv. 14. Now, therefore, fear the

xxv. 2. Dominion and fear are with him. xxxvii. 23, 24. The Almighty is excellent

1 Sam. xii. 24. Fear the Lord, and serve him with all your heart.

Eccl. xii. 13. Fear God, and keep his com