The Christian's charter shewing the priviledges of a believer by Thomas Watson.

§. II. That Consent is requisite to faith.

Though Knowledge be a necessary antecedent to Faith, yet it is not [ 2] enough, there must be secondly Consent: Faith is seated as well in the heart and will, as in the under∣standing: as well in the affection, as in the apprehension. With the heart man believes * 1.1. Scepticks in religi∣on, may have a faith in the head, but not in the heart; they are more Notion, then Motion: the soul con∣sents to have Christ, and to have him upon his own terms.

1. As an Head; the head hath a [ 1] double office: it is the fountaine of

spirits, and the seat of government: the head is as it were the Pilot of the body, it rules and steers it in its mo∣tion. The believer consents to have Christ not only as an Head to send forth spirits, that is comfort; but as an head to rule: A sinner would take Christs Promises, but not his Laws: he would be under Christs benediction, but not under his juris∣diction. A believer consents to have whole Christ; non eligit objectum, he doth not pick and choose; but as he expects to sit down with Christ upon the throne, so he makes his heart Christs Throne.

[ 2] 2. The believer consents to have Christ for better for worse, a naked Christ, a persecuted Christ: faith sees a beauty and glory in the re∣proaches of Christ * 1.2, and will have Christ not only in purple but when with Iohn Baptist he is cloathed in Camels haire. Faith can embrace the fire, if Christ be in it. Faith looks

upon the Crosse as Iacobs ladder, to carry him up to Heaven: Faith saith, Blessed be that affliction, welcome that Crosse which carries Christ upon it.

3. The Believer consents to have Christ purely for love; if the [ 3] wife should give her consent only for her husbands riches, she should marry his estate rather then his per∣son; * 1.3 non est amicitia, sed mercatura; it were not properly to make a mar∣riage with him, but rather to make a merchandise of him: the believer consents for love, * 1.4 amat Christum propter Christum, he loves Christ for Christ: Heaven without Christ is not a sufficient dowry for a belie∣ver: there's nothing adulterate in his consent, it is not sinister; there's nothing forced, it is not for feare; that were rather constraint then con∣sent: a consent forced will not hold in Law, it is voluntary. The beauty of Christs person, and the sweetness

of his disposition, draws the will, which as the Primum mobile or ma∣ster-wheel, carries the whole soul with it.

[ 4] 4. The believer consents to have Christ pro termino interminabili, never to part more; he desires an uninterrupted communion with him, he will part with life, but not with Christ: indeed, death when it slips the knot between the soul and the body, it ties it faster between the soul and Christ.

[ 5] 5. The Believer doth so consent to have Christ as he makes a deed of gift * 1.5, resigning up all the inte∣rest in himself to Christ; he is wil∣ling to lose his own Name, and sir∣name himselfe by the Name of Christ: to lose his own will, and be wholly at Christs dispose: Ye are not your own * 1.6; he resigns up his love to Christ. In this sense the Spouse is said to be a spring * 1.7 shut up. She hath love for Relations, but

the best of her love is kept for Christ: The world hath the Milke of her love, but Christ hath the Cream of it: the choisest and pu∣rest of her love is a Spring shut up, it is broached onely for Christ to drink. This is the second Act of faith.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rom. 10 10.
• * 1.2

  1 Pet. 4.14.
• * 1.3

  Seneca.
• * 1.4

  August.
• * 1.5

  Amor non nisi donum amantis. Guil. Paris.
• * 1.6

  1 Cor. 6.19.
• * 1.7

  Cant. 4.12.