§. 128. Of unbelief the cause of an evil heart.
THe cause of the foresaid evil heart is here hinted to be unbelief. Our 〈◊〉〈◊〉 doth fitly and fully answer the a 1.1 Greek, which is a privative compound, and directly contrary to belief, or faith. Unbelief and faith are set in opposition 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to the other, as Rom. 4. 20. & 11. 20. So the Adjective believing and unbelieving or not believing, Ioh. 20. 27. And believers and unbelievers, or such as believe not, as 1 Cor. 14. 22. 2 Cor. 6. 15. So also the Verb, to believe, and not to believe, Mark 16. 16. Act. 28. 24. Answerably these contraries have their contrary ope∣rations, By faith the heart is purified, Act. 15. 9. By unbelief the heart is made evil, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 here: and the minde, and conscience is defiled, Tit. 1. 15.
Unbelief was the door by which sinne first entered into mans heart. For whe•…•…* 1.2 the Devil had said (contrary to Gods express word about eating of the tree 〈◊〉〈◊〉 knowledge, Gen. 2. 17.) Ye shall not surely die; Gods word was not believed, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thereupon the first sin was committed, Gen. 3. 4, 5, 6.
Unbelief makes void all the means which God affordeth to keep evil out of the* 1.3 heart, as are Directions, Instructions, Perswasions, Distwasions, Promises, •…•…∣nings, Blessings, Judgements. None of these, nor any other means like these, will any whit at all prevail with an unbelieving heart. The word preached did not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it, Heb. 4. 2. There is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 grace for which the Word doth not afford sufficient encouragement to labour 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it. There is no sin against which the Word doth not afford sufficient ground to see∣sake it. Yet neither the one nor the other are any whit at all available with an 〈◊〉〈◊〉 believer.
Of the hainousness of unbelief, See The whole Armour of God. Treat. 2. Part 6. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Eph. 6. 16. Of Faith, ibid. §. 133, 134.
We are advised to look diligently, lest any root of bitternesse springing up, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Heb. 12. 15. Among other roots we are especially to take heed lest unbelief 〈◊〉〈◊〉 up. This is a root of much bitterness. Therefore carefully to be rooted out. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 inward corruptions it is one of the greatest breeders.
Faith is the mother of all graces (See The whole Armour of God, Treat. 2. Part▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Of Faith. §. 8.) and unbelief is the mother of all vices. The unbeliever regards neither promises nor threatnings, nor any other part of Gods word, so as the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of God cannot possesse his heart: and if no fear of God, then no conscience 〈◊〉〈◊〉 any sinne. Abraham said, Because I thought surely the fear of God is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 place, they will slay me, &c. Gen. 20. 11. When the Apostle reckons up a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of grosse sins, he concludes all with this, There is no fear of God before their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Rom. 3. 18. Hereupon Christ having said, That the Spirit will reprove, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the world of sinne, addeth, because they believe not on me, Joh. 16. 9. whereby 〈◊〉〈◊〉 giveth us to understand, That unbelief is the cause of all sinne. For the •…•…∣liever hath no right to Christ: and in him that is out of Christ, nothing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 can be found.
Of the hainousnesse of unbelief, See ver. 18. §. 171.