of Gods grace to perform all duties of thankfulness 1 Stirring him up to duty Gal. 5.6 Faith works by love and Jam. 2. Faith without works is dead 2. Directing what to do Psal 119.66 Teach me good judgement and knowledge for I have beleeved thy Commandments 3. Strengthning to do it Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ strengthning me 4. Finding acceptance in doing Heb. 11.4 whereby he received witness that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts Fourthly Assuring him of all needful encouragement of blessing by vertue of God's promise 1. In beleeving the promise of reward Matth. 4.4 Man lives not by bread alone but by every Word of God 2. In suing out the promise by prayer Psal 119.49 Remember the word to thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope 3. In praising God for it Heb. 13.15 Let us offer to God the sacrifice of praise continually giving thanks to his Name So that to live by faith is to rest satisfied with God's command though we see no reason of it Heb. 11.8 9. and with God's promise though we have no present performance yea even then when providences crosse promises as to beleeve we shall come to the Haven in the greatest storm in case we have a promise as Paul Act. 27.22 c. As a wordly man in his way lives comfortably that hath good store of bonds in his coffers though all his money be out of doors and in other mens hands how much more do believers live comfortably that have bond and seal and oath from the God of truth though they have nothing in hand for present Thus the Just lives by faith Caution Not as if there were any natural or moral worth or efficacy in faith to beget this life or to make us righteous But only as an instrument of the spirit applying Christ our life and righteousness And indeed it is he begets faith in us For it is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 Christ is the root faith is the instrument of this life Thus living by faith implyes these 4 or 5 things 1. Right in Christ Gal. 2. 2. A cleering our way in point of duty Rom. 14. What is not of faith is sin 3. a cleering our right to the promise Heb. 11.17 He that had received the promises 4. a constant searching of the Scripture for the legacyes bequeathd to us Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life The heir cannot sue for his legacyes or inheritance unlesse he know what it is Act. 20.25 Luk. 22.19 5. A remembring them Psal 119.52 And a seasonable applying of them to particular cases and occasions What can a plaister do if it be only kept in the pocket and not laid upon the soare Which implyes it is not enough to have the habit of faith to possesse it but the act also is required that we may comfortably live by it We must put it to use Therfore Act. 13.39 faith is set forth by the act of beleeving By him all that beleeve in him are justified For howsoever it is true He that possesseth the habit of faith shall never totally and finally fall away yet for want of acting of it as he sins against God so he looseth the comfort of his life Luk. 24.25 Matth. 8.26 and in his own apprehension is like a dead man or at least exceeding dull heartlesse and fearful Usually in proportion to the acting of the life of Justification will be the strength of the life of Sanctification for faith works by love the more faith the more love Whence is Paul's exhortation to blow up the gift of God in him As a man lives by exercise 2 Tim. 1. and grows diseased for want of it So it is in spirituals To shew then how a Christian lives by faith this is the summe of what hath been spoken He lives by faith as a mean or instrument not as the efficient cause or author of this life But this is the order or series First God predestinates or determines this life to such Eph. 5.5 Having predestinated us c. Secondly He gives Christ his Son to death for the purchasing this life because by nature every man is in a state of death dead in sins and trespasses Col. 3.4 1 Joh. 5.12 Thirdly He makes known and holds forth this life in a promise to poor sinners Rev. 22.17 Fourthly He requires faith in the promise of all such as would have the benefit of this life that so they may glorifie God's truth and goodness and power in beleeving that he will and can make his word good So he calls men to beleeving in the preaching of the Gospel Joh. 3.16 Fifthly He bestowes faith upon the soul of his free grace because by nature we are shut up under unbeleef Rom. 11.32 Eph. 2.8 it is the gift of God So he calls men inwardly by his Spirit So that faith and life and Christ come all together Only he works this life in a way of believing and makes us sensible of it by the act of faith So that a Christian hath his life from God in Christ from Christ in the promise Col. 3 3 from the promise apprehended by faith from faith working by love and other graces which is the exercise of this life All graces are enlivened by faith faith receives life from the promise the promise from Christ Christ as mediatour from God the Father Joh. 6.57 God in Christ is the fountain of spiritual life the promises are so many Conduit-pipes that convey it faith is the hand that turns the Cock or the mouth to receive the water of life So that however God in Christ is the sole author and finisher of spiritual life yet he makes use of faith all along from first to last in the order of working and that in all parts and faculties of spiritual life viz. in the quickning expulsive nutritive retentive motive and breathing faculties First God makes use of faith in the Quickning faculty 1. Quickning faculty of faith or first infusion of life So the just lives by his faith Eph 2.5 with 8 Even when we were dead in sins he hath quickned us together with Christ for by grace ye are saved through faith The heart is primum vivens in grace as well as in nature and the heart is enlivened by Christ in a way of faith Eph. 3.16 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith So that whereas there is great dispute among men whether Christ or faith or righteousness of life comes first to the soul all is answered in one word They come all together not any one before or after another Christ brings all along together with himself So soon as ever a soul is quickned it doth believe and so soon as ever it believes it is quickned Yet faith is most perceptible in the act of Adherence 2. Expulsive faculty of faith Secondly God makes use of faith in the Expulsive facultie
up from his dead condition c. Verse the last 2. It puts his Soul into a mourning confessing frame v. 18. I will arise and go to my Father and say unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee 3. It subdues his heart to lay down all Opposition and to take any course for his living v. 19. make me as one of thy hired servants Observe he uttered not so much as he intended his Father prevented him with his mercy as Psal 32.5 I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin 4. It fixeth his heart upon his Fathers mercy not upon his own merit Faith tells him Though thou hast forgotten the duty of a Son thy Father hath not forgot the bowels of a Father The word Father runs much in his minde I will go to my Father c. Here now a Spirit of Adoption begins to work whereby he cryes Abba Father O dear Father Father I have sinned against heaven c. But yet thou art my Father This is the last act of justifying Faith by which the Soul is put into a child-like condition and fit to receive a childes portion of God All is of his free grace Jer. 3.19 And I said How shall I put thee among the children Thou shalt call me My Father c. Thus the just lives by Faith in the work of Justification Vid. Cotton p. 14. D. Downame ☜ Faith in the Renewing of justification in the Conscience of the sinner 2. For the Continuance and Renewing of Justification ☞ The just lives by Faith daily as well as at the first day that he believed So Abraham Rom. 4.3 4. He believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness which is cited out of Gen. 15.6 and so it appears to be after such time as he was in Covenant with God and in the state of Grace Yet still his Justification is continued by a renewed act of Faith and so David sues out his Justification by a renewed act of Faith and Prayer Psal 51. though he were justified before And therefore Christians are much to blame who after they have once believed in God for Justification do not labour to renew this act from day to day and thence comes flatness in Spirit and deadness in Duties when we see not a daily need of going out of our selves into Christ And surely if Christ applies his own sacrifice daily to us by intercession with his Father Heb. 7.25 He ever liveth to make intercession for us Why should not we apply it daily by Faith and Prayer that God for Christs sake may forgive us our daily trespasses as we are taught to pray And this is to live by faith in a continued act of Justification Therefore it is put not in the Present Tense but in the Future it is not here doth but he shall live by his Faith that is as long as he lives Take heed the blood of Christ run not cold in the veins of Faith that you trust not more to grace received than to the fountain of grace and pardon in Christ The truth is our best duties stand in need of pardon and our best graces of quickning and nothing will quicken us more than the assurance of our Justification And therefore though a mans spirit be without guile and he knows nothing by himself he allows himself in no known evil yet even at such a time 1 Cor. 4. he is not thereby justified but then he must fly to Christ for Justification and say Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven c. Psal 32.1 2. Faith in the assurance of being justified 3. For the Assurance of the Act the just lives by Faith 1. In moving a man to desire more Faith 2. In using and embracing such Means by which we come to Assurance 3. In the Tryal of Assurance 4. In Anâ—wering all such Objections and Doubts which do cloud and darken this Assurance 5. In Expectation of Assurance First In moving a man to desire more Faith In Motives to Assurance The reason is 1. Because true Faith if but as a grain of Mustard-seed moves man to desire more Faith Luke 17.5 Lord encrease our faith Mark 9.24 Lord help my unbelief And never rests rising higher and higher till it comes to full Assurance Therefore lazy faith is false faith that saith I cast my self on God and there 's an end I never desire more so I can but rub out c. This is a sign it is not true The just lives by Faith for the encrease till assured and true Faith suggests Motives to perswade us to seeke after full Assurance Quest What are those Motives Ans 1. 1 Motive Gods Commandment which Faith looks at as to believe 1 John 3.23 And this is the Commandment We should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ So to be assured 2 Pet. 1.10 Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure Both 1 John 5.13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of God 2. Because it 's the End why the Scriptures were written yea the end of the Seals 1. Publike the Sacraments 2. Privy the Spirit witnessing Therefore saith Faith Receive not the grace of God in vain There are many deceived Micah 3.7 Then shall the Seers be ashamed and the Diviners confounded yea they shall all cover their lips for there is no answer of God Mat. 7. 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God 3. A difficili that which would discourage another doth encourage a faithâ—ul man the more because many objections and temptations therefore strive Tu ne cede malis The kingdom of heaven suffers violence c. 4. A possibili Both are objects of Christian fortitude Example Job 19.25 For I know that my Redeemer lives c. Paul Rom 8. For I am perswaded neither death nor life nor angels c. Steven saw heaven opened Acts 6. 5. A necessario not ad esse but bene esse as health and vigour to the well-being of natural life 3 Joh. 2. I wish thou mayest prosper and be in health as thy soul prospereth Health comprehends life aliquid amplius so Assurance Faith and the joy of Faith Faith may be without Assurance but no true Assurance without Faith 6. Ab utili strong Faith is able to do that which weak Faith cannot as a strong man can work under a burthen though both receive Christ Nothing shall be impossible to you Mat. 15.28 O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Luther said Domine fiat voluntas mea Lord let my will be done Neh. 8.10 The joy of the Lord is your strength 7. A decoro or ab honorifico for 1. This brings more
stress on the depth of humiliation is a great hindrance of Believing 502 503 Reasons why humiliation must Precede faith 522 523 524 Humility in all the periods or degrees of grace 525 Hypocrisy It is an impediment of spiritual growth 230 How far an Hypocrite may go 257 Wherein an Hypocrite comes short 258 An hypocrite cannot rejoyce in the whole word of God 302 303 Hypocrisy springs from unbelief 463 I Ignorance Vnbelief is the root and parent of it 462 Increase There is a divine and diabolical increase 213 How the increase of the natural man in moral vertues differs from the increase of God in saving graces 213 214 See growth See strength Injoyment Believers have the firmest tenure and sweetest injoyment of earthly blessings 77 78 Interest Interest in Christ clears up interest in the covenant of grace and this an interest to all the promises of which sons in Christ are heirs 560 Joy see Consolation How to discern the joy of a hypocrite from that of a Saint 302 303 The joy of a Believer excells all natural worldly sinful Joy in 10. Properties from 323 to 328 Means to breed Spiritual Joy 328 to 344 Judgment Faith applies the last judgment as a means of sanctification 127 128 Judgments on unbelievers 466 Examples of Gods judgments on apostates 250 251 Just Who are such and why said to live by faith not by their justice 31 None are just or justified till thy believe 32 Justification The life of Faith in justification 80 The definition of it which contains the act object and application of both and its fourfold causality 81 to 85 Faith puts forth a fourfold act upon the conscience heart of a sinner to fit him for pardon 86 87 Faith how it acts in the continuance of justification 88 Faith how it fetches in assurance of justification Faith moves a man to desire more faith in order to assurance of his justification and uses 11 Motives 89 to 92 Vses of the Doctrine of faith in justification 105 Justification by free grace breeds humiliation 105 106 Four Marks of true justification 107 We must not justifie sinners or condemn Saints 108 Motives to seek for the five-fold benefit of justification 110 111 Justification and sanctification are inseparable twins 141 142 The first and second evidence of justification what 301 K Keep See Establish Exhortation to keep faith 543 Reasons why we should look to the keeping of our faith 544 Seven Means whereby to keep faith 548 to 552 See Free Spirit See Perseverance L Libertinisme The root of it is feigned humility and laziness 143 Liberty Faith and Christian Liberty support each other 554 Many account it their liberty to sin 555 See Free Spirit Life Spiritual Gods People are in a state of life by way of eminency 8 The excellency of the Saints Life in seven particulars 8 9 10 11 Saints Life is a hidden life and why 12 Spiritual life proved to be existent in believers 12 Spiritual life very desirable 13 Signes of Spiritual life 14 15 16 Life Natural Five evil and troublesome concomitants of it 60 Believers injoy it by faith upon different grounds from unbelievers 67 68 Saints live a natural life by faith in seven respects 68 to 76 Life Spiritual Is twofold either the life of Justification or Sanctification the just life by faith in both 79 80 Four differences twixt true living Spiritual actions and false 187 188 Spiritual life is alway increasing 199 200 The comliness and pleasantness profit equity safety and necessity of such a life as it increaseth 200 to 226 Vide growth Life Eternal See heaven The work of faith about eternal life 334 It assures that there is an eternal life from scripture and reason with the degrees of it 335 336 What the happiness of eternal life is 336 337 Wherein it consists from 337 to 341 Confutation of those who deny eternal life 353 354 Motives to get assurance of eternal life from 374 to 379 Means to get this assurance The believers homage-penny for eternal life 386 The excellency of eternal life from 388 to 391 Life of unbelievers They live on their lusts pleasures upon Creatures and upon a fivefold undoing self 429 to 434 Limiting of God It is a great impediment of faith how cured 499 500 Logick Faiths holy logick 348 349 Love of God It is a reason why the Saints persevere 237 238 The want of feeling it should not hinder believing 503 Love to God is a means to increase faith 580 Love to the Saints Difference 'twixt that which is true and false 304 305 Lust Love of lust is the life of a sinner 429 Lusts haboured oppose faith with considerations how to abandon them 501 M Marriage How Saints live by faith in it and in single estate 73 Meanes In the conservation of the natural life must be used in faith 68 69 Meditation It is the fruit of holy affection 364 Meditation on Gods Attributes especially mercy is a good means to beget faith 536 Melancholy It is a scandal to Christian profession 319 320 Mercy Gods mercy becomes a suiter to mans misery 537 Ministry See Preaching What the chief work of a Minister is 427 428 The dignity of the Ministry 601 Exhortation to Ministers to preach in a soul-saving way 611 612 God usually blesses a setled proper Ministry 42 Merry Merry madnesse 311 Morality Difference 'twixt morality and Sanctification in nine respects 119 120 121 Mortification The influence of faith into the life of mortification 149 The art of faith in mortifying of lusts 151 to 154 Reasons why faith will have sin to be mortified 155 156 Error of such who refuse to believe till sin he mortified 158 Marks of true mortification 159 160 Enemies unto and juglers in mortification reproved 161 Alarm to Mortification 163 Motives to Mortification 164 165 Means of Mortification 166 167 168 169 Murther Soul Murther is the worst kind 17 470 N Natural men They are distingusht into two ranks 532 Necessity Of faith in Adversity 64 New Obedience See Fructification Nourishment Strong desires after Spiritual nourishment are a signe of Growth is Grace with three Cautions in this particular 206 207 208 209 Nursery Spiritual Faith lays hold on Christ in the Ordinances as breasts of Consolation and thence draws strength 293 294 295 O Opposition There is no true faith without Opposition 514 515 He that would believe must break thorow opposition 515 516 Gods Spirit delights to grapple with the greatest opposers of his word and wayes that he may convert them 516 Ordinances See Word Despising of them is an impediment of Spiritual growth 230 Neglect of the ordinances hinders believing 505 Five causes why men neglect the ordinances 505 to 511 Though it be not in the Power of the ordinances to beget or increase faith yet they are to be used 516 517 They who live above that is without ordinances are absurd 518 519 P Papists and carnal Professors These make Sanctification justification
and Duty he owes him to judge this Tract through Gods blessing upon a serious reading and digesting it much conducing to make an able Christian and Divine Indeed it holds forth to us the way that we should walk Jer. 42.3 and the thing that we should do to attain Heaven and Salvation Many Ministers and others did desire the publishing of this Treatise by the Author in his Life but his modesty and other constant labours hindred Now it is come forth we wish it may not finde the like entertainment that the Frier wittily and sharply said his Auditors gave to his Sermons they dealing with them as with his Holy-Water sprinkled on them they called for it eagerly but when he cast it on them they presently wiped it off again Make this Book now published more publick by holding forth the Life and Practise of Faith in thy Life and Station Do not onely once reade it Verba vivenda and cast it aside but carry it in thy heart as the Carpenter his Rule in his hand to square all thy actions by it We shall onely adde some Motives to excite thy Practise and then commit all to the Blessing of God 1. Consider this Life of Faith is a high Mystery Christ believed on in the world is a like Mystery with God manifested in the flesh and received up into glory Faith in the habit or root is not a Plant of Natures Garden The very nourishing of it and causing it to bring forth in our hearts is much more difficult than that of Plants in a strange Country Grace in exercise is difficult Indeed it s in us as fire under dead ashes or in a Flint Exciting quickning cooperating Grace with us must be added to that within us Grace in us lies like some Physick of dead Drugs which works not untill stronger Physick be given Without me ye can do nothing Joh. 15.5 saith Christ of his Disciples But especially the living daily in all conditions and actions by the exercise of Faith is much more hard To believe is above Nature but to act Faith in each act of Life is above our very Grace Consider farther the difficulty of this Life and so make use the rather of this Help Other ways of life viz. Trades Multi vident cruces qui non vident unctiones Bernard are called Mysteries but this above all is a Mystery of Mysteries We wonder how some men live who have a secret way of Trading but this is not onely a supernatural Secret but directly opposite to flesh and blood The Carnal and Profane scoff at it as a Fancy Paradox and golden Dream of Melancholy Spirits They count all persons who admire discourse of and practise this Life of Faith but silly Abrahams in the world as Want-wits for managing or getting an Estate Yet who doth or can without this so much despised Faith Esay 53.1 believe our report of these things It grieves our Souls to observe how many professing Christians look upon the Use of Faith as the staff of their Old Age onely or as a strong Cordial onely in fainting Fits or at best to be worn as our Holiday-clothes when we attend on the Word Prayer Sacraments then put it on But this is not to live as becomes Saints in all things and at all times by our Faith as that devout Scotch Divine whom M. Trap relates to have eat drank and slept Eternal Life Dost thou finde it hard to live by thy Labour by thy Lands Learning Friends Wits yet all these ways are far beneath this high Mystery of believing and living by it Bless God then as for Other so for This Master of the Assemblies who designs in this Work to teach thee this Mystery and Trade how to pick a living livelihood out of this Now dead Commodity viZ. Faith 2. Consider what may farther stir thee up to the exercise of this Grace as also to the Reading and Meditating on this heavenly Directory to the Life of Faith We shall not forestall those things which thou maist finde in the Author nor dispute how far some Branches of this Tree of Life viz. Faith may spring out even in Heaven it self Yet take this as Solomons Argument that Wisdom excells because it gives life to him that hath it Eccles 7.12 Vita optimus modus Entis Life is the best and highest manner of Being A living Worm excels the Sun in glory Rational Life exceeds the life of Plants and Beasts So doth Faith Reason as the highest Life man is capable of on earth Seneca and others may write of a blessed Life but Faith onely finds it This Life must come from Heaven which is so far above the Earth and so rare to be found in it He who hath all his Provisions about him of his own must needs keep the best house and have all as we say at the best hand So is it by Faith we have all within our selves from God in Christ The good man is satisfied from himself Antisthenes gained this by Study and Learning that he could walk with himself as not needing to go abroad and be beholding to others for Exercise or Delight O thesauris omnibus opulentior fides O virtutibus corporis omnibus fides fortior O medicis omnibus salutarior Ambros This is much more true of Faith Faith walks with Christ and God on the Mount of glorious Discoveries every day and takes all as out of his hands What Grace more admired by Christ Paul spends a whole Chapter Hebr. 11. as a Chronicle of Faiths Victories and Trophies Its Worthies are there mentioned as Davids elswhere This very Text on which this Tract is built is cited no less than four times Rom. 1. Gal. 3. Heb. 10. Thrice in the New Testament which may convince us of the excellency of it being worthy of a double treble Meditaâ—â—on as the summary of our Christian Faith both Doctrinal and Practical Tarnovius inter opuscula as a learned man hints on the place 3. Consider the seasonableness of this Counsel about living by Faith in these days 1. As they are sickly dying evil Times in respect of Sufferings 2. As the latter Times and so evil in respect of Sinning Quis inter haec trepidus maestus nisi cui spes et fides deest jus est enim mortem timere qui ad Christum nolit ire Ejus est ad Christum nolle ire qui se non credit cum Christo incipere regnaâ—e Scripâ—um est enim justum fide vivere Cyprian de Mort. Cyprian wrote his Book of Mortality in a time of Mortality And this Cordial of Life is now given out in season to teach us how to live and fit us to die A Minister as hath been related being sick and meeting by Providence with Mr. Ball his excellent Book of Faith which then came newly out he took it as a Guide by the hand to lead him through that dark Valley and fit him
Where you have these four particulars 1 That it is so 2 In what things living by faith then consists 3 In what manner he doth so live 4 By what Means Then follows Application Next to the Conquering of those Adversities which happen to Believers in the course of their life That they live the Life of Faith in Death comes now to be treated of The Life of Faith in Death Wherein you have these particulars handled 1 That Faith is a godly mans life at the time of his death as appears by the living speeches of dying men 2 Six Reasons why Believers do all of them die in faith Heb. 11.13 3 Seven Vses drawn from the perpetual usefulness of faith in all estates especially that the just live by it in Adversity and Death Quest VII What Life is that which the Just lives by his Faith Answ All kind of Life which may truly be called Life First Natural Life a Saint lives this by Faith 1 In the very act of living where is shewed the different grounds upon which believers and unbelievers injoy this Natural Life 2 In the Conservation of Life They use not the same means in the same manner for maintaining of Natural Life 3 In the Preservation of Life from such things as are destructive 4 In the Prolongation of Life the Just live by Faith 5 In ordering aright all the natural and civil actions of life 6 In respect of the Comforts and Blessings of a Natural Life Instances of particulars for the obtaining of which and in the managing of which a Saint lives by Faith 1 Wealth 2 Health 3 Peace 4 Good success 5 Good Name 6 Posterity 7 Single Estate and Marriage 7 In the valuation of Natural Life Faith teaches Neither to under-value Life Faith teaches Nor to over-value Life USES 1 Reproof to those who say they trust God for Eternal Life and yet cannot trust in him for this Temporal Life and the things of it 2Vse of Exhortation to live by faith in respect of this Life Natural seeing believers hold these things not onely by common Providence but by Promise also from God so far as is needful for them This is twofold Spiritual Life lived by Faith Either the Life of Justification Or the Life of Sanctification Life of Faith in Justification Wherein these Particulars are opened 1 Wherein the Nature of Justification consists 2 How doth the Just live by Faith the Life of Justification This is declared in three respects 1 They live by Faith for the first act of God in justifying a sinner or which is all one for their being put into a justified state which flows from their immediate union with Christ Four ways Faith disposes the Soul for this state 2 How Faith acts for the continuance of Justification and renewing of pardon 3 The Just lives by faith for the assurance of being justified Faith is acted five ways in order to such an assurance 1 In moving a man to desire more faith 2 In using and embracing such means which may assure 3 In the trial of assurance it self whether sound or false 4 In answering all Objections and Doubts which cloud assurance 5 In expectation that assurance shall be given upon the diligent and humble sincere use of means All these Particulars are largely insisted on together with divers Uses drawn from this Life of Faith in Justification especially Examination whether we be in a justified state Signs thereof As also Motives to labour for this blessed estate and the assurance of it Means how to get assurance that we are justified and how we may live by Faith till we obtain such assurance The Life of Faith in Sanctification or Renovation Resolution of four Quaeres 1 Whether there be any such life in a Christian distinct from the Sanctification which is in Christ himself asserted 2 What it is and wherein it consists Difference 'twixt Morality and Sanctification 3 How and by what means it is wrought in the Soul Acts of faith in it When Spiritual actions flow from Faith in Christ 4 Why Sanctification is necessary in all justified persons Means which Faith Vses to promote Sanctification The Life of Faith in Fructification How faith hath influence into Fructification six ways The Uses of Faiths influence into Renovation and Fructification 1 Examination of the Truth of Faith 2 Reproof of Carnal Professors 3 Apologie against Papists 4 Exhortation to Faith as the root of Sanctity and fruitfulness Motives to live by Faith the Life of Sanctification Motives to act Faith for fruitfulness in season The Life of Faith in Mortification 1 How Faith proceeds in the Mortification of Sin 2 Why Faith will have Sin to be mortified 1Vse of Information in three Particulars 2 Marks of true Mortification Some Objections answered and a Case stated 3Vse of Conviction and Reproof to seven sorts 4Vse of Exhortation to mortifie Sin Motives and Means 5Vse of Comfort against the vigour and rigour of Sin The Life of Faith in Vivification Wherein two things demonstrated by way of Explication 1 Gods Children are subject to deadness What are the Causes Kinds and Degrees of it 2 Saints recover by Faith out of deadness Four Reasons of it and how Faith acts in such recovery Four Arguments of Faith to quicken under deadness Use of the Life of Vivification 1 of Reproof 2 of Exhortation Eight Motives to Vivification Six Means of Quickning 3 Trial of true Faith in Vivifying Four Signs of inlivening living Acts. The Life of Faith in Augmentation Two Propositions 1 The Just live the Life of Augmentation Four Reasons of Spiritual growth 2 Augmentation is by Faith Four Reasons why Faith hath an influence into it USES 1 Information about spiritual growth in four respects 2 Reproof of five sorts of men 3 Examination Five signs of spiritual growth What is the increase of God Col. 2.18 19. â—ig four things Cases of Conscience stated about growth 4 Humiliation for small growth 5 Thankfulness for growth 6 Exhortation to growth Six Motives to growth Nine Means of growth Seven Impediments of growth 7 Comfort at small beginnings in Grace 8 Direction how strong grown Christians should behave themselves towards the weak The Life of Faith in Perseverance Two Proposositions 1 The Just doth persevere 2 Perseverance is by vertue of Faith Six Reasons why the Just shall persevere Three Reasons why Perseverance is by Faith USES 1 Confutation of the Doctrine of falling from Grace Five respects in which there may be falling away Seven things from which the Elect can never fall Seven Objections against Perseverance answered 2 Vse Information about assurance of Salvation 3 Vse Labour for persevere 4 Vse Labour for Perseverance Six Motives to Perseverance Seven Means of Perseverance 5 Vse Examination of the Truth of Faith by its persevering How far a hypocrite may go in six respects Six Particulars wherein hypocrites come short 6 Vse of Thankfulness for Perseverance 7 Vse of Encouragement to persevere amidst all discouragements Five main
perceive it not Trees though they do not grow are fitted for growth in winter 9. Propagation Ninthly If thou art alive know it not only by growth and augmentation but also by a desire of a propagation and conveiance of that life to others The Father delivers the lamp of his life to his son as one candle lights another So 't is in this life of grace it begets the like to it self Examine therefore whether thou art one like Pharaoh that seekest to kill the children of gace in the birth this is to play the tyrant nay the Devill Rev. 12. Or whether thou art like God and godly men that say as the Apostle Gal. 4.19 They desire to see Christ formed in others 10. Delightâ— Tenthly If alive what company delights thee Psal 16.2 my delight is in the Saints and the excellent The living converse with the living and not among Tombes unlesse they be possest as the man in the Gospel Why seek ye the living amongst the dead said the Angel Such are dead company as dead men Vse 4 Fourthly This informs us If the spiritual life be the most excellent life what is the worst murder Information of the worst murder Surely that which takes away the best life And that is the murder of the soul God commands in the sixth commandement Thou shalt do no murder Every man startles at that but many are found guilty of soul-murder See Ezek. 33 8. If the watchman warn not the blood of them that perish in their sins God will require at his hands This made Paul so careful to purge himself Act. 20.26 I am free of the blood of every one of you See also Ezek 13.18 Vse 5 Fifthly Bless God for this life where it is and makes much of it How desirable a thing as Gaius Thankfulness to have our souls prosper 3. Epist Joh 2. And if we find any decay remember the counsel to the Angel of the Church of Sardis Rev. 3.2 Be watchfull and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die for I have not found thy works perfect before God But the Just shall live by his Faith DOCTRINE II. Whatsoever life the just man lives in a more excellent manner then other men he lives that life by vertue of his Faith Doct. 2 THE Apostle confesseth this was his life And what is the life of one faithful man as faithful is the life of all Gal. 2 20. The life that I live I live by the faith of the Son of God c. This is a lesson that is often taught and yet very hardly learned For as the life of a Christian is a hidden life so the means of conveyance of it is in a hidden way hidden and dark to a natural man This water of life runs as it were in a conduit-pipe under the ground A natural man perceives it not But the Just shall live by his Faith For the better unfolding of his mysterious and useful trade of living by faith we shall endeavour by God's assistance who is the Author and Finisher of our faith to shew these things Heb. 12.2 viz. First What Faith is Secondly What it is to live by Faith Thirdly Why living is by Faith rather then love c. Fourthly Who it is that lives by Faith Fifthly Whose Faith he lives by viz. his own Sixthly When and how long Seventhly What life it is he lives by Faith Eighthly The Reasons why Lastly What use we are to make of all QUEST I. What Faith is FOR the first You have the definition at least the description set down by the Holy Ghost Heb. 11.1 It is the subsistence of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen For example tell a natural man of God's favour and the comforts of his Spirit and the future recompence of reward which is more worth then all the comforts of the world he thinks it a mere notion that there is no reality in it but all feigned But a Christian by faith seeth there is truth reality and subsistence in these things and in whatever God promiseth who calleth those things that be not as though they were Rom. 4.17 To whom all things are possible Mark 9.23 And thereby becomes a kind of omnipotent faith By others it is defined thus In general A believing the Gospel In particular Definition of Faith A gracious habit infused into the heart by the Spirit of God whereby the soul rests or rolls it self upon Christ in a way of promise for all things appertaining to life and godliness for Gods glory and it 's own salvation It is not then 1. a bare disposition but an habit 2. An habit not acquired by frequent acts but infused by the spirit called therefore 1 Cor. 4.17 the spirit of faith 3. Infused not into the head only but the heart Rom. 10.10 with the heart man believeth And therefore it stands more in affection than notion Indeed in faith there is both an Assent of the mind to the truth of the message sent to sinners indefinitely 1 Tim. 1.15 and a consent of heart and will to the goodness of it whereby this or that particular sinner receives it to himself Gal. 2.20 Christ Who loved Me. Joh 21. My Lord and my God which differ as a garment in the cloth and on the back Christ is put on by faith Fourthly We say whereby the soul rests or rolls its self or leans For assurance and full perswasion is not of the being of faith but the well-being There 's faith of Evidence and faith of Reliance Or rather there is a double evidence 1. Of sense 2. Of reliance Faith in Scripture is set out in regard of the latter in such terms as we have given Psal 37.5 Isa 50.10 Mark 9.24 Fifthly Vpon Christ Who is the main object of faith and it is not sufficient to believe in God out of Christ Joh 14.1 Ye believe in the Father believe also in me and otherwhere None cometh to the Father but by me Sixthly In way of a promise No promise no Christ Abraham laid hold on a promise in those extraordinary things as an ordinary mean Rom. 4.20 he staggered not at the promise through unbelief See 2 Pet. 1.3 Eph. 2.12 Covenant of promise c. Seventhly For all things c. First for Christ and then all things with him Rom. 8.32 Wherefore the promises in Christ are called Rich and Precious promises Eighthly For God's glory Rom. 4.20 gave glory to God and our own salvation Heb. 10. last that believe to the saving of the soul QUESTION II. What it is to live by Faith To live by Faith Ans TO live by Faith is not only by laying hold on Christ by faith to receive life by Christ 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life Secondly But also in the use and exercise of faith to receive daily from Christ both the preservation and increase of this life Eph. 4.13 Thirdly Enabling a Christian by vertue
for so the Apostle applies this Text very frequently to prove that the just man lives a Spiritual life by Faith Obj. Obj. But the Apostle may seem to wrest the words because the Prophet speaks here of a temporal deliverance from the Chaldeans Ans Ans 1. Their deliverance from temporal Babylon was a Type of their Deliverance from Spiritual Babylon 2. However the secondary objects of Faith be divers some Temporal some Spiritual some Eternal yet the prime and principal object of faith is still one and the same and that is Jesus Christ and Gods favour in Christ and before I can embrace the other I must first embrace this Therefore the same faith in Christ that enables me to live in temporal things enables me to live in spirituals also and so the Apostles argument from one to the other holds good Well then the just lives by Faith in respect of Spiritual life which is far more excellent then the other as grace is above nature And this is either the Life of I. Justification whereby the Soul layes hold upon Christ or II. Sanctification whereby the Soul draws vertue from Christ And that is either Renewing and Cleansing vertue the Life of Renovation or Fructifying the Life of Fructification or Mortifying Vertue the Life of Mortification or Vivifying the Life of Quickning and Vivification Confirming Vertue the Life of Conservation that God will not forsake his people Augmenting whereby life is encreased and Comforting Vertue the life of Consolation In the first our spiritual life is purified in the second beautified and in all these the just live by faith THE LIFE of FAITH IN JUSTIFICATION 1. HE lives by faith the Life of Justification and so the Apostle applies this very Text Rom. 1.16 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written And so again Gal. 3.11 where he doth oppose justifying by faith to justification by works of the law But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God it is evident for the just c. The just doth not live by his own justice but by faith that is by the application of the justice and righteousness of another That we may the better understand the excellency of this Life of Justification it will not be amiss to adde the definition of it according to the Scriptures seeing whatsoever is truly known is known by the causes thereof Justification therefore is thus defined It is a most gracious and righteous action of God whereby he imputing the righteousness of Christ to a believing sinner absolveth him from his sins and accepteth of him as righteous in Christ and as an heir of eternal life to the praise and glory of his own Mercy and Justice For Explication consider 1. The Act to justifie 2. The Object a sinner and yet a believing sinner and so made righteous 3. The Application of the Act to the Object and that 's onely by Faith 1. The Act to justifie Now to justifie signifieth properly to make just as to magnifie to make great though sometimes onely to declare great Now God makes just either By Imputation or Infusion of Righteousness The first is the life of Justification the second of Sanctification the first perfect the latter imperfect 2. The Object is a sinner God doth not justifie those that were just before but such as were unjust 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ hath once offered for sin the just for the unjust There was a time then when we were unjust a time when we were sinners when we were ungodly Rom. 5.6 Christ dyed for the ungodly and While we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more then being justified we shall be saved from wrath through him So that as to heal signifies of a sick man to make sound so to justifie is of a sinner to make righteous and if it were not so where were the excellency of Gods free grace to make us righteous if we never were in a state of sin He that in no consideration looks at himself as a sinner fallen in the first Adam cannot possibly look at himself as a righteous person recovered in the second Adam How can God be said to shew mercy to that man that was never in misery to redeem that man that was never lost Lost I say and that really and not onely in his own conceit and apprehension 3. The Application of the Act to the Object and that is by Faith as here in the Text. Though a sinner be justified yet it is onely a believing sinner and so of a sinner is made just Rom. 5.1 being justified by faith c. By Faith how not as the meritorious but onely as the instrumental cause of our justification For the clearer understanding of this we must know according to the former definition there are several causes of our Justification viz. Efficient Material Formal and Final The Efficient cause is either 1. Principal or 2. Instrumental Principal is either 1. Working or 2. Moving to the Work Causes of Justification 1. Principal The 1. Principal working Cause is God himself It 's an action of God Rom. 8.38 it is God that justifieth Isa 43.25 I even I am he c. Vide Rom. 9.16 All other causes are nothing to this though man believeth and man wills and runs on chearfully in the wayes of God yet from whence comes all this but from God that justifieth a poor sinner So that it is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth c. but of God of God the Father as the Primary Cause the Son as the Meritorious the Holy Ghost as Applicatory It is God that justifieth who shall condemn c. He that is the Law-giver he justifies from the offences committed against the Law The 2. Principal Cause Moving or promoting to the Work is either 1. Internal Gods Mercy Justice It 's a gracious and a righteous action of God nothing without him the first Mover 2. External 1. Mans Misery moving to pity the Samaritan c. the Infant Ezek. 16. 2. Christs Merit moving to forgive Col. 1.14 In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins 2. Instrumental Cause 2. Instrumental and that 1. On Gods part the Word Manus offerentis 2 Cor. 5.18 He hath given to us the Ministery of Reconciliation Dan. 12.3 Rom. 4.11 2. On our part Faith Manus accipientis Rom. 4.5 But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is accounted for righteousness Rom. 10.5 c. Therefore faith doth not justifie by merit and dignity of the work for then we should be justified by works though by faith but onely by the Instrumentary application of Christs Righteousness 2. The Material Cause Christs Righteousness Material cause as Jacob gat his blessing in Esau's garment therefore called The Righteousness of God Rom. 1.17 the Righteousness of that Person who is God Now there is a twofold
Righteousness in Christ 1. Active 2. Passive For in that we owed a double debt to the Law the one being perfect obedience for the present the other most deserved punishment for our fâ—rmer disobedience It was requisite that Christ beâ—ng our surety should pay whatsoever we owed unto God and that was the double debt of Doing and Suffering whatsoever the Law of God required at our hands 1. Active fulfilling all Righteousness and that for us as he became a Creature and not for himself Matth. 3.15 2. Passive Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Vse Thirst after this Righteousness Mat. 5.6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness c. Philip. 3.7 8. and that I may be found in him not having my wn righteousness c. Formal Cause 3. The Formal Cause Imputation of Christs righteousness As by imputation of Adams sin we are guilty so by imputation of Christs righteousness we are righteous Rom. 5.19 For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Rom 4.5 6. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness Reas His righteousnesse is onely perfect Heb. 7.26 For such an High-Priest became us who is holy harmless and undefiled separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens Jer. 23.6 He is the Lord our righteousness Onely his righteousnesse is infinite and everlasting Dan. 9.24 to bring in everlasting righteousness c. The righteousnesse of Angels and Saints is finite as well as tattered and torn the poor weary and heavy laden naked Soul can never lie down with rest in his bed Isa 28 20. for the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on 't c. but Christs righteousnesse is so long and so large that it gives a man rest on his sick-bed Psal 41.3 The Lord will strengthen him upon his bed of languishing What is his comfort then but a clear sight of Christs righteousnesse Job 33.23 24. If there be a messenger with him to shew unto man his righteousness c. Rest on the death-bed and afterward in the grave Isa 57.2 They shall lie down in their beds and peace shall be with them c. Rev. 6.11 And white robes were given unto every one of them and it was said unto them that they should rest So that as God saith Psal 134.14 This is my rest for ever so may the Soul Final Cause 4. Final Cause 1. Supreme 1. The Supreme Gods glory Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself c. This is the end of all especially this work Rev. 5.9 The glory either of 1. Mercy and Love God so loved the world c. Joh. 3.16 Well saith God rather than Souls shall perish I will pour out the blood of my own Son Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Rom. 8.32 He spared not his Son c. Or 2. Justice not forgive without satisfaction Psal 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy or merciful in all his works 2. Subordinate 1. Sanctification 2. Subordinate 2. Salvation Rom. 6.22 But now being made free from sin and become servants to God you have your fruits unto holiness and the end everlasting life All or most of these causes are set down by the Apostle Rom. 3.20 to 29. 1. The Efficient primary moving Cause internal free grace v. 24. 2. External moving Cause Mans Misery v. 23. Christs Merit v. 24. 3. Instrumental 1. The Word v. 21. 2. Faith v. 22. 4. Final 1. The glory of Gods 1. Severest Justice v. 26. 2 Richest Mercy v. 24. 2. Glorification of Man in Gods Justification and Salvation of Man v. 23 c. Quest How doth the just live by Faith the life of Justification Ans The answer shall extend to the several parts and degrees of Justifications Manifestation For though it be a perfect act of God yet it is a continued act and there are degrees of the manifestation of it To speak therefore 1. Of the Act it self 2. Of the Continuing and Renewing of the Act 3. Of the Assurance of the Act. See how the just lives by Faith in all these 1. For the first Act and work of Justification Faith in the act of justifying First Faith Convinceth a man of sin in a saving manner and so of his need of Christ and of his own impotency to obtain Justification and Salvation without Christ Mat. 5.3 Blessed are the poor in spirit as Gal. 5.6 Faith worketh by love so by poverty of spirit Secondly Faith puts persons into a Mourning confessing prayerful frame Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn but no blessedness if not springing from faith Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon them the Spirit of grace and supplication c. Jer. 31.9 They shall come with weepings and with supplications will I lead them Acts 2.37 They were pricked at their hearts c. This is the work of Faith though not alwayes so easily discerned to be of Faith by the party himself Thirdly Faith subdues the heart to lay down all Oppositions against God and to be willing to take any course God directs for Justification and Salvation Matth. 5.5 Blessed are the meek c. Acts 9.5 6. Paul speaks reverently Lord what wilt thou have me to do Jer. 31.18 Surely I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God c. He submits obediently they are tame as a lamb Isa 11.6 Fourthly Faith fixeth the heart upon Christ alone and his Righteousness held out in the Promises with renunciation of our own even with indignation in point of Justification The Soul is hungry after Christs Righteousness as most excellent and loaths its own as dung and draught Phil. 3.6 7 8 c. What things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ yea doubtless I count all things loss that I may win Christ and be found in him not having my own righteousness c. See these or most of these Luke 15. in that gracious Convert mentioned Luk. 15. set out as a patern as a picture and as a lively inviter for a poor sinner to look to that desires to partake of the like mercy 1. Faith Convinceth him to be in a perishing condition without his Fathers love ver 17. And when he came to himself he said How many hired servants of my Father have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger I say it was Faith that wrought this same conviction for it was not before he came to himself that is before he raised him
hold on the Blood of Christ witnesseth to a Christian his salvation So it 's explained further 1 Joh. 5. ver 10. He that believâ—th on the Son of God hath the Witness in himself The Witness of what Of Eternal life ver 10 11. This is the record that God hath given to us Eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and be that hath not the Son hath not life And what is it to Have or Receive the Son But to believe on him Joh. 1.12 To as many as received him c. Even to as many as believe in his Name To Receive Christ and to Believe in his Name are both one And those who believe on Christ are Sons He gave them power to become the Sons of God and so Heirs of Eternal life through Christ So that Faith assures a Believer of his interest in life Eternal How Faith works assurance of heaven Q. How doth Faith assure a Believer of his particular interest in life Eternal Ans 1. By laying hold on the Promise of the faithful and unchangeable God 1. From the Promise In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie hath promised Tit. 1.2 So Joh. 10.18 And I give to them Eternal life Aye may a Christian say If I were one of Christs sheep I might be assured The 26 ver answers Ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep Such as believe then are sheep and to them Christ gives Eternal life 2. By arguing from the effect to the cause 2. From the effects Faith is an infallible effect of Gods ordaining a person to life Eternal Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to Eternal life believed But I believe saith a gracious Soul therefore I know I am ordained to life Obj. But it 's impossible for a man to know that he believes Ans Not so for then 1. The Apostle would not have said I know whom I have believed c. 2 Tim. 1.12 2. The Apostle would not exhort men to try whether they were in the faith 2 Cor. 13.5 3. By arguing from the first-fruits to the Harvest 3. From the earnest from the beginning to the perfection from the seal and earnest to the full possession 1. Faith assures Gods people That they have the first-fruits of heaven upon earth Rom 8.23 We our selves which have the first-fruits of the Spirit wait for the Adoption By the first-fruits Deut. 26.1 the whole crop was sanctified and assured Believers then having the first-fruits by Christ Faith tells them That they shall have the harvest Dost thou remember what admirable joy thou hast found in Prayer Hearing Conference in a Promise at a Sacrament so that thy heart did burn That was a glimpse of Heaven and an assurance of it 2. Faith assures a believer That he hath the beginnings of life Eternal Joh. 5.24 and Joh. 6 54. He that eats the flesh and drinks the blood of Christ hath Eternal life This eating and drinking is believing Now this beginning doth assure a Christian by Faith of Perfection 1 Cor. 1.8 9. Deut. 32.4 His work is perfect Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this that he that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ Obj. May not God repent and change his minde Ans No The gifts and callings of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 3. Faith assures a Believer That having the Seal and Earnest 2 Cor. 1.22 Eph. 1.13 he shall have the full possession Ephes 1.13 14. And Faith assures this upon a double ground 1. Because the beginnings of saving grace are special Love-tokens and the love of God is unchangeable Jer. 31.3 2. God is able and willing to make good what he hath thus sealed Faithful is he that hath called you who also will do it 1 Thess 5.24 Obj. This were indeed good assurance if I had saving grace but how shall I know that Ans We may know whether Grace be saving 1. By the Root of it JESVS CHRIST Gal. 2.20 2. By the Extent of it the New man 3. By its Manner of working True grace works love to all that is good because pleasing to God and batred of all evil because displeasing to God Psal 119.6 4. From Sonship 4. Faith assures a Believer of his interest in Life by an argument drawn from the Filiation of all Believers They who have the first-fruits Seal and Earnest of Heaven as before are made the children of God Rom. 8.24 And what of that If children then heirs v. Right of Sonship proves the Right of Inheritance By nature we are not the children of God but of Wrath Eph 2.3 But Believers are the children of God by Adoption v 15.16 Adoption as it 's used in the Civil Law is the free and voluntary act of a man Adoption in the Civil Law how taken whereby he doth chuse any one that was a stranger before to stand up in the place of a Son Used in a threefold case This Adoption was wont to be 1. In case of Barenness 2. Of Death of Children 3. Of Degeneration and Wickedness of Children And in this last case we being all degenerate by the fall of our first Parents and so fallen from God God chuseth some of his free grace to be his children in Christ Jer. 3.19 Obj. But God chuseth as bad as those that are fallen from him yea the very same Ans It 's most true But yet he leaves them not in the same condition he found them in Double act of free grace in Adoption for there 's a double Act of Gods free grace in Adoption 1. The one is Acceptation in Christ whereby he is pleased to call those his Chosen People which were not his Chosen and those Beloved which were not beloved 2. And the other is Regeneration whereby they are born of God and so not onely called Children but made the Children of God partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 And herein lies the great difference between Gods adopting a Childe and Man's Difference twixt divine and humane Adoption One man adopting another mans childe may accept him for his own give him the priviledge of a Son in his Inheritance and so in all Outward respects but when all this is done he cannot give him the priviledges of a natural Son in Inward respects that is he cannot communicate his own Qualities and Nature to him But God addes both in Adoption God gives the inheritance the nature of children he both gives the Inheritance of Children and the Nature of Children he fits them for their Inheritance as he fits the Inheritance for them Thanks be to God who hath made us meet to be partakers of the Inheritance c. Col. 1.12 The Argument therefore is strong If Sons then Heirs There is no power in Heaven that will hinder it none in Earth or Hell that can hinder it Other Heirs may spend all
the just to live by his Faith 1. Faith honours the grace of God First it puts a great deal of Honour upon the free grace of God as we shall hear afterwards Rom. 4.16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace For the act of Faith doth necessarily exclude Merit It is an act of self denial a holy despair of any thing in our selves and a firm reliance onely upon the Merit and Free-grace of Jesus Christ As a full hand receives nothing but the hand that is empty is fit to receive any thing So Faith is an empty hand laying hold upon Jesus Christ and of his fulness receiving grace for grace Joh. 1.16 Luk. 1.53 He filleth the hungry with good things Secondly it puts honour upon the faithfulness of God 2. Faith honours the faithfulness of God â—uppose God speaks a word of Promise for such or such a thing and we see no likelyhood of its performance in the order of Nature or second Causes yet saith the believing Soul I 'll trust God upon his word upon his naked word though I have nothing in hand I 'll trust him though his Providences cross his Promises I 'll trust him I am sure he is faithful he cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2.13 This puts a great deal of Honour upon God Look as it is the greatest dishonour can be done to God when we will not trust him upon his Word as it is a dishonour to a man when he cannot be trusted and much more to the Most High God for He that believes not 1 Joh. 5.10 makes God a liar So on the other side he puts a great deal of Honour upon God that relies upon the truth and faithfulness of God 1 Thess 5.24 Therefore God is of some Credit with his own People Whereas the wicked will trust him no further than they see him A Believer puts honour upon the Faithfulnesse of God Thirdly 3. Faith honours the power of God he puts honour upon the Power and All-sufficiency of God Though we are never so weak and impotent to procure to our selves what God holds out in a Promise yet when by Faith we look at God as a God All-sufficient and Omnipotent to give a Being to his own Word this puts much honour upon God And thus did Abraham glorifie God by his Faith Rom. 4.18 19 20 21. And so do all such as tread in the steps of faithful Abraham they glorifie the free grace and power and faithfulness of God therefore God will have the Just live by his Faith God will put much honour upon that grace that puts so much honour upon God Third sort of Reasons from the nature and use of Faith The third sort of Reasons are drawn from the Nature and Vse of Faith 1. T is our livelihood First therefore a Believer lives by Faith because a Believes layes hold upon the Word of Life as hath been partly shewed already the Word of Promise the Promise of free grace for By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God doth man live Matth. 4.4 yet not upon the Word of Promise separated from the thing promised 'T is true once God said Do this and live Now he saith Believe this and live When God said Do this and live suppose man had done what God required yet he had not lived by Merit of his Obedience Rom. 4.7 as Calvin well observes in his Sermon of Abrahams Faith But by vertue of Gods gracious Promise annex'd to his believing If thou believe this saith God which I promise thou shalt live And so by every Word that God speaks Difference of faith in both Covenants doth man live In both Covenants God required Faith but yet with a great deal of difference both in respect of the Object and Principle of Faith First in respect of the Object of Faith The first Covenant required no more but to Believe the Truth of God which promised Do this and thou shalt live but in the latter God requires Faith in Christ and in Christ crucified and in all the Promises of free grace which are Yea and Amen in Christ Secondly they differ in respect of the Principle of Faith For the first kinde of Faith man had by the grace of Creation viz. Power to give credit to God in what he spake But the second kinde of Faith a man hath not but by the grace of Regeneration It is the gift of God to believe in a crucified Saviour and so the Covenant still savoureth of more grace because the just lives by this latter kinde of Faith laying hold upon the Word of Life upon the Promise of free grace For this is the proper act of justifying Faith Now by Promise God makes himself a Debtor though he was none before and Faith puts the Promise in Suit thereupon God pays his Debts and this is the creatures livelyhood And therefore the Just must needs live by his Faith Secondly God will have his People live by Faith 2. We fell by unbelief because we first fell away and departed from God by Unbelief and Distrust Our first Parents would not give credit to God when he said Gen. 3. In the day thou eatest of the forbidden fruit thou shalt surely die but gave more credit to the Devil when he said Ye shall not die And so they fell I say by Vnbelief and Distrust therefore now God so orders the matter that whosoever will be saved must be saved by Faith God will recover his honour in a way of Faith as he was first dishonoured in the world by Vnbelief Thirdly That their Salvation might be as upon freer That salvation might be on free and sure grounds so upon surer grounds Rom. 4.17 Therefore it is of faith that it might be sure to the seed 1. Upon freer ground upon a ground of free grace for What is Faith but a casting away our own Righteousness and putting on of the Righteousness of Christ As a poor Beggar is content to cast away all his filthy Rags so that he may put on a good Sute that is freely bestowed upon him So the Apostle Phil. 3.8 9. Yea doubtless and I do count all things but loss c. The Righteousness which is of God by Faith that is the Righteousness which Faith receives not the Righteousness which is wrought by Faith For Faith hath a twofold Property the one To act for God the other To receive from God It acts for God while it purifies the heart and the life and worketh by love but so it doth not justifie It receives from God whilst it lays hold on the Merits and Righteousness of Jesus Christ and so it doth justifie Thus the Just lives by his Faith that his Justification and Salvation might be upon the freer grounds 2. That it be upon surer grounds that it might be sure to all the seed Rom. 4.16 Mans life and salvation depending upon his Obedience was not sure before the
these Scriptures 1 Joh. 3.2 3. Perfect Vision perfect Transformation In the mean time so much as we see of God so much we shall desire to be like him Joh. 15.3 Now are ye clean c. 2 Cor. 7.1 Having such Promises Let us cleanse c. 2 In the Birth 2. In the Birth The Birth of Presumption is very easie and speedy Presumptuous persons think it is the easiest matter in the world to Believe they meet with no opposition either from their own hearts or from Satan A sign 't is no good Faith when the Divel is so good a friend to it But the Birth of true Faith is very difficult it meets with many Pangs of unbelief from Satan and from the flesh for even in this as well as in other graces The flesh lusteth against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 I confesse He is an unwise child that staies long in the place of bringing forth children Hos 13.13 Yet some pain there is in Self-denial Thirdly they may be differenced by their Growth 3. In the growth Presumption is a Monster it is born as big and as tall as ever it will be like Jonah's Gourd it springs up in a night and it withers as soon as the Sun of affliction and persecution beats hot upon it But true Faith grows up by degrees like the grain of Mustard-seed the new Creature is a Babe in faith before he becomes a strong man The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 Some say they are as much assured at the first as ever they shall be their faith is as strong as ever it will be but let them take heed in the mean time they do not presume in stead of believing for true faith is of a growing nature Fourthly 4. In the fruit They may be differenced by their Issue and Fruits It may be said of the Presumptuous as Deut. 32.32 Their vine is the vine of Sodom their clusters are bitter The fruit of Presumption is carelesness in the use of the means of Grace Tush saith the Presumptuous person what need we hear so much and reade so much and pray so much away with Duties The fruit of true Faith is carefulness herein I believed 2 Cor. 4.13 therefore have I spoken therefore have I heard therefore have I read therefore have I prayed c. The fruit of Presumption is Licentious liberty to sin against God Tush saith the Presumptuous person Christ died for sinners what need we care let us sin that grace may abound Rom. 6.1 Ver. 18. The fruit of true faith is a holy liberty to serve God and a holy fear to sin against God Be not deceived saith Faith neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor effeminate c. shall inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.10 And thus you see there is that maketh himself rich in faith when he is poor and this is a great Impediment to the obtaining of faith and therefore we must labour to remove it Impediments of faith in the second branch of false supposition And secondly There is that maketh himself poor when he is rich There may be a supposition that we have not faith when we have it and this will hinder both the actings and increasings of our faith Some are afraid they have no faith at all because they have not the highest degree of faith which is full Assurance or because they want the comfort which others attain to 1 Pet. 1.8 even joy unspeakable and full of glory Cure But for the removing of this Impediment and for the rolling of this stone out of the way we must remember there are several degrees of faith as we have already proved therefore 't is possible thou maist have faith though thou hast not the highest degree of faith and so joy of the Spirit that 's rather a fruit of faith than faith it self It is indeed Note to speak properly rather a living by sense than a living by faith when we are cheered up with continual Cordials Such a life is more like heaven than earth where faith shall cease A stronger faith is required to live upon God without comfort than when God shines in upon our Spirits with abundance of joy It s nothing for the Childe to believe the Mother loveth it whilst she sets it upon the knee kisseth it and feeds it with sweet meats but to see the Mother love through the twigs of the Rod and through all the clouds of her frownings and hidings this argues no small strength of love and of natural affection in the Childe I know your thoughts out-run me in the Application so that there may be strong faith where there is little comfort Therefore let every man prove his faith that he may not be to seek in the acting of it And so much for the several Impediments of Faith and the way to remove them From whence we may deduce these Corollaries or Conclusions Corollaries First there is no Faith without a great deal of opposition Opposition from Self opposition from Satan opposition from World opposition from professed Enemies opposition from Friends A mans enemies shall be those of his own house these shall oppose him these shall judge him not onely for his outward actions of Faith but for the very intentions of his heart in the exercise of Faith as Davids brethren said unto him I know the pride of thy heart this is nothing but a spice of vain glory and ostentation Paul was opposed in the preaching of Faith and in the practice of Faith and no way in the world left to apologize for himself but to appeal to the Searcher of hearts 1 Cor 4.3 With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of mans judgement c. But thus true faith meets with opposition both from those without and from those within the Church True faith in the saving knowledge of the Son of God is as the very door and entrance into Gods Kingdom but you must look to meet with opposition at the very threshold Mat. 23.13 Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye shut up c. The Lord grant none of us may be found amongst the number of opposers making sad the hearts of those God would not have made sad but rather be found helpers of one anothers faith For all is little enough in regard of the opposition we shall meet withall from without Secondly it is no easie matter to believe all things are easie to him that believeth but it is no easie matter to believe Thirdly The exceeding greatness of Gods power is seen in all them that do believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places Eph. 1.19 20. No wonder so few believe 't is a Miracle of Mercy that there are so many Fourthly He that
may have the Habit of Faith and not act it as he ought to do unlesse he be very careful to stir up the grace of God that is in him 2 Tim. 1 Moses had the habit of faith and yet he failed in not acting of it at the waters of Meribah The disciples of Christ had the habit of faith yet they failed in acting of it in the time of danger insomuch that Christ saith Where is your Faith Let us not therefore content our selves that we believe in Christ and we have the habit of faith but let us be sure to reduce this Habit into Act upon all occasions We say all The excellency of an instrument consists in the use That is a good Knife or Spade or Sword or Shield that is good for use So â—t is with the Shield of faith that is the most excellent faith that is good for use Motives to Act Faith Mot. 1 For First It is the most Lively Faith when we Act it so that we live by it As we say an active man is a lively man whereas a sluggard or unactive creature is counted a dead creature one that is all amort So an active Faith is a Lively Faith whereas a fruitlesse and unactive faith is called a dead Faith Jam. 2. and a dead faith is as good as no faith at all We love other things and persons that are Active and Lively O let us love a Lively Faith Mot. 2 Secondly Consider the Acting of our faith when we have it it is that which brings most Honour to God When we trust God with everything we possesse both for the Keeping and the Using of it we take in hand So that we dare do nothing without craving his Advice Blessing This puts a great deal of honour upon God As the natural son honours his natural father by this means So Gods children much more honour their heavenly father when they thus by faith do acknowledge him in all their wayes Prov. 3. Mot. 3 Thirdly This is that which brings no lesse Comfort and Hearts ease to our selves then honour to God therefore faith is called a casting our burden upon the Lord Psal 37.5 Roll thy way upon the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to passe Psal 55.22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved Oh! what an ease what a comfort is this when we have burdens that are ready to break our backs and our hearts too and we go to God by faith and prayer and so find ease and comfort When the perplexed Soul says O how shall I do to subdue such a Corruption to get such a Grace to conquer such an Enemy to dispatch such a business to hold out to the end In this case faith takes off the burthen of fear and care Take no thought says faith but go to God by Prayer Isa 26. for he hath promised to work all thy works for thee and he will be as good as his word And therefore put thy faith to use in these particulars and you shall finde abundance of ease and comfort Take a man that hath but little business in comparison yet if he hath no faith but relie meerly upon his own wit or strength let this man be never so little crost in his designs he is presently at his wits end it breaks his sleep and he can have no quiet Take another man that hath business of the greatest importance in the world yet suppose this man by faith to have committed the work to God he sleeps as quietly and lives as comfortably as if he had nothing at all to trouble him And is not this a most sweet and comfortable life He that acts his faith upon the Promise may have more troubles than another man without but certainly he hath more peace and quiet within He is just like a candle in a close Lanthorn that burns clear and fair in the midst of a Tempest Mot. 4. Fourthly as this acting of faith doth marvellously comfort and support the Spirit in the mean time so it is that which infallibly brings in the greatest advantage in the latter end When all is done we shall finde living by Faith will bring in the best living to the creature at the last This is a sure Rule Gods outward actings for us are usually proportionable to his inward actings upon our Spirits He first sets our Faith on work and then our Faith sets his Hand on work for us You know the usual expression in the Gospel According to your faith be it unto you according to our faith such and such Promises are made good to us As if God should say I am able to do enough if you are able to believe enough Unbelief shuts the door but faith acted and excited is that which turns the key and opens the door of all the good Treasures of God to be drawn out for our seasonable supply Could we but act faith nothing could make us miserable Suppose we be afflicted and persecuted yet afflictions and persecutions are so far from making us miserable that they are a special gift and love-tokens from God when he is pleased to give faith in the first place Phil. 1.29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not onely to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Mot. 5. In a word to conclude This is that for which the Saints of God have been commended and left upon Record with an honourable Remembrance to all Posterity not so much for that they had the habit of faith as that they acted their faith in such and such noble Exploits as are eternized to their everlasting praise in the 11th to the Hebrews By Faith Abel and Enoch Noah and Abraham did thus and thus their faith was very active and operative and so should ours be if we desire to obtain the like good report which they obtained for by it by faith yea by the acting of their faith in the several particulars there mentioned the Elders obtained a good report Hebr. 11.2 What a dishonour is it to a faithful man The not acting of faith foils shames a Christian on the other side when his strength goes from him and he becomes weak like another man He is no more able to perform a duty no more able to resist a temptation than another ordinary man O what a shame is this And yet thus it is with a faithful man if he do not act his faith and keep close to his Covenant Obs He is as Samson was when his hair was cut off he becomes weak like another man Insomuch that carnal men uncircumcised Philistims begin to reproach him and say Lo this is one of our Professors this is the man that lives by faith Lo this is the man that trusted in God that he would deliver him let him deliver him if he will have him c. And thus they reproach and
an eternal life Three degrees of it That there is an eternal life There are divers degrees of this Life The first degree is here below in this world Joh. 5.24 Eternal life is begun here 2. The second degree of it is in the end of this life when the body of a Saint rests in the Bed of the Grave and the soul is with God in Paradise Luk. 23.43 3. The third degree of it is After the day of general Judgement when body and soul being reunited the whole person shall be wholly glorified to all eternity 2 Thess 1.10 Now that there is such a life Faith makes good 1. By plain Testimonies of Scripture 2. By necessary Consequence and deduction from Scripture 1. By evident Testimony of Scripture Scripture In the Old Testament Psal 16.11 At thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Dan. 12.2 Many of them that sleep shall awake some to Everlasting life In the New Testament Mat. 25. ult And the righteous into life eternal Joh. 3.16 That whoever believeth should not perish but have Everlasting life 2. By necessary Consequence from the Scriptures As Reas 1 1. From the act and End of mans Creation and Redemption Man was made after Gods Image Gen. 1.26 27. And renewed after it Eph. 4.24 that he might have perpetual Communion with God 1 Joh. 1.3 As God therefore lives for ever so shall those who are redeemed by Christ live ever too Joh. 14.19 Reas 2 2. From the Kingdom and Headship of Christ which are both eternal Of his Kingdom there shall be no end Luk. 1.33 If Christ be a King for ever he must have Subjects throughout that Eternity If Christ be an Head for ever his Members must needs live for ever otherwise Christ must be a King without Subjects an Head without Members both which are Vnreasonable and Dishonorable to Christ Reas 3 3. From Christs Prayer That all his may be with him for ever to behold his glory Joh. 17.24 Now the Father hears the Son alway Joh. 11.42 Reas 4 4. From the Nature of the Soul It 's immortal Mat. 10.28 yea it hath in it sparks and desires of Immortality Now Natura nihil dedit frustra which have appeared not onely in the life but at the death of Saints in which God hath been pleased to give his people a sight of Heaven and glorious apprehensions of the life to come Steven sees the heavens opened Act. 7.56 59. To which may be added the Devils design to gather Souls in Reversion as in the stories of Witches Reas 5 5. Ab absurdo If there were no life after this Christians would be of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15.19 Here wicked men many times fare best and Gods people are chastened every morning and have sorest Temptations on their Death-beds So that it would be exceedingly derogatory from the Wisdom Holiness and Justice of God if there were not another life wherein every man shall rejoyce according to his ways Luk. 16.25 2 Thess 1.6.7 Thus Faith gathers Arguments from the Word That there is an eternal Life 2. What the happiness of eternal life is 2. Faith informs a believer much of the Happiness of this life and wherein it consists in the main For however it be true that none of the Saints departed which are gone to heaven as Enoch Elias c. have Commission to come down and tell us what the joys of heaven are yet we have Moses and the Prophets Luk. 17. ult Nay though there were a man once caught up into heaven and let down again to the earth yet it was not lawful for him to utter what he had heard and seen 2 Cor. 12. yet for all that Faith looks into heaven per transennam through the lattice Cant. 2.9 and findes so much comfort therein that from thence it makes a strong Collection That certainly the Happiness of the Creature must needs consist in the perfect Vision of God which is to be had in heaven Vision of God fourfold and not before for there 's a fourfold Vision of God 1. Natural in things created For the invisible things of God are cleerly seen from the Creation c. Rom. 1.20 2. Specular or Symbolical In the Word and in the Signs of Gods love we see God For these were appointed to be lively remembrances and representations of Christ to the Soul Gal. 3.1 3. There 's the Vision of Faith which looking through the Word and Sacraments as through a Perspective-glass draws God neerer to the Soul 4. But fourthly There 's the Vision of Glory in the World to come Here we see God darkly as in a glass 2 Cor. 3. but there face to face Now Faith doth further assure us Perfect Vision of God causes perfect transformation That this perfect Vision of God shall perfectly transform us into the likeness of God so far as Creatures can be like God For Faith argues thus If the Specular Vision of God works some measure of this gracious Transformation as it 's said 2 Cor. 3. ult How much more shall the Perfect Vision of God in glory work a perfect change of a believer into the likeness of God And so indeed saith the Apostle We shall be like him For we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 And this was Davids comfort in his saddest hours When I awake that is out of the bed of the grave I shall be satisfied with thy likeness Psal 17. last Perfect Vision of God shall work perfect Transformation and this perfect Transformation shall work perfect Satisfaction Q. But wherein doth this perfect Transformation consist A. Doubtless in the Perfection of all graces So Faith assures that 1. Perfect knowledge There shall be a Perfection of the Knowledge of God Here the best Scholar that learns most from Books Sermons Conference Observation or from the Spirit it self yet knows but in part But when that which is perfect is come then shall that which is imperfect be done away 1 Cor. 13.12 Then shall nothing be hid from us which we can desire to know Now we know God in the knowledge of other things Then we shall know other things in the knowledge of God and therefore we shall know one another Mat. 17.4 Here we know things either by Sense or by Reason and Argumentation or by Faith In Heaven there will be no need of these there the clearness of the object shall put All past all dispute Here things seen or known are far distant the Medium dim the Organ weak But then God shall be present and open-faced as it were and the eye of the Soul shall be fortified to behold the King in his glory Isa 33.17 Eccl. 11.7 Solomon tells us that the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is to behold the Sun And yet as pleasant as it is sometime the eye is offended by looking on the Sun Could the eye look stedfastly and strongly on the Sun without offence to it
to die an Eternal Death where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched Isa the last and the last Consid 2 2. If we have not Eternal Life here we shall never have it He that believes hath everlasting life Joh. 5.24 He doth not say He shall have it hereafter but he hath it already though not in so full a measure Therefore get it now or never For a man to think to go to heaven when he dies that never cared for heaven all his life is a strong presumption Consid 3 3. It is the property of Gods People to look at heaven and happiness by the eye of Faith Heb. 11.13 And Unbelievers are blinde and cannot see afar off they look on present things 2 Pet. 1.9 But a wise man hath eyes in his head Eccl. 2.14 15. He looks as far as to Eternity he sees that which a natural man cannot see 2 Cor. 4. last Whilst we look not at the things which are seen by the eye of sense but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Consid 4 4. This will make a man of a heavenly conversation whilst he is upon earth To live by Faith in regard of Eternal Life this will bring down heaven to the earth If the creature cannot go to heaven yet a lively Faith will bring heaven to the creature and that both the grace of heaven and the joy of heaven 1. The Grace of heaven It will make a man of a heavenly conversation whilst he lives upon earth to consider what the company of heaven and what the work of heaven is 1. The Company of heaven are God and Christ holy Angels and the Spirits of just men made perfect And 2. The Work of heaven is without reluctancy without weariness to praise God for ever and ever The belief of this will bring down much of the grace of heaven into the heart and the creature will reason thus by Faith Shall it be a great part of my happiness in heaven to enjoy perfection of holiness and shall I not then endevour this work upon earth Shall I not endevour to perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 and to do Gods will upon earth Surely if holiness becomes Gods house for ever holiness must needs become his houshold-servants Psal 93.5 so soon as ever they begin to wear his Livery of Christian Profession Do we believe we shall see the face of God without blushing and shall serve him without fainting Seeing we look for such things how diligent should we be that we may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless Yea what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God 2 Pet. 3.11 2 It will bring down much of the joy of Heaven And we might have added this by way of Reason why God will have his Servants live by Faith in regard of Eternal Life viz. That the full assurance of it might be a present Comfort whilst the possession of it is deferred But we will bring it in as a Motive For Christ being willing to cheer up the drooping Spirits of his Servants in the absence of himself and heaven seems to say of Faith as he said of his Spirit or if ye will of the Spirit of Faith Joh. 14. I will not leave you comfortless I will pray to the Father and he shall give you another Comforter What is this Comforter but the Spirit of Faith or the Spirit in the grace of Faith Oh! there is strong consolation in Faith and Hope It is true says Christ I must leave you Joh. 16. I must go to Heaven and whither I go you cannot come as yet but I assure you I go to prepare a place for you and to prepare you for the place and so soon as that is ready for you and you are ready for that Joh. 14. I will come and receive you to my self in due time And in the mean time that I may not leave you comfortless I will give you something of the joy of heaven as a Pawn and a pledge in hand before you come thither And what is that but the Grace of Faith and the Joy of Faith Let not your hearts be troubled says Christ though I go to heaven before you yet you shall be as sure of heaven at the last as if you had it for the present And how assured but by Faith 2 Pet. 1.5 You are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time And what of that why this brings Joy in the mean time For so it follows Wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in great heaviness through manifold temptations And speaking of Christ who is gone to heaven within a verse or two after he hath this expression Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory As if he would have said Though you cannot see Christ with your bodily eye with the eye of sense and so you are apt to be troubled as the People were when Paul said Acts 20. they should see his face no more yet you shall see him and do see him by the eye of Faith and rejoyce in that sight as if that heaven it self were come down into your hearts You rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory For what is joy full of Glory but joy full of heaven Like the Vision upon Mount Tabor where God did bow the heavens and came down in glory And that is the fourth Motive that it will be heaven upon earth to live by Faith in respect of Eternal Life Consid 5 5. That to live by Faith in regard of Heaven and Eternal Life will make the poor creature live above the world If it do not draw him quite into heaven it will draw him a great way above the earth That look as a Bladder or a thin shell that is filled up with the pure Dew that comes down from heaven do but lay it in the Sun and the power of the Sun-beams will draw it up from the earth heaven-wards So it is with the Soul that is filled with this heavenly dew of grace let it but look wistly upon the Sun of Righteousness by an eye of Faith and the powerful beams of his Love will draw it so far above the earth and all earthly respects that it shall live above the world above the pleasures of the world the profits and honours of the world and above all the troubles of the world And is not this an admirable is it not a desireable condition If you would be ambitious lawfully ambitious let this be your ambition to be thus exalted by the Grace of Faith 1. It lifts a man up above the
Means to remove it The third is from the World 3. Impediment The World The World and Faith are opposites and either Faith must overcome the World or the World will overcome Faith The World hath profits pleasures preferments honours on the one side to allure thee and reproaches racks faggots fire on the other side to terrifie thee The World trieth both fair means and soul means to draw thee or to drive thee from the Faith Besides if either the Multitude or the Pomp and Magnificence of such as reject the Faith may prevail with thee the World will be sure to propound both as a scotch in the Wheel and a clog to thy Faith Joh. 7.48 Have any of the Rulers or the Pharisees believed on him As if they should say Are you so mad to believe on him and to go in a singular way Look about you in the world and you shall see there are not many men at least not many great and learned men that are so forward Me-thinks you should be willing to do as the most do and then you shall be sure the fewest will blame you Why should you be so foolish to expose your self to the shame and hatred of the multitude And this is the third Discouragement and Hindrance of Faith the World Well but how should we remove this Impediment how should we do to rowl away this stone 3 Relief I answer The best way to remove this stone and Rock of Offence is To remember that the Church of God is but a little Flock Mat. 6. and that the greatest number of men run headlong in the broad way that leadeth to destruction The multitude of offenders doth no whit lessen but rather aggravate the offence Remember the solemn charge of God Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil Exod. 23.2 He that sins with the multitude â—ust look to suffer with the multitude He that sins after the example of great men shall be greatly tormented It s a sad thing to go to Hell for company It s a doleful Welcom when Hell from beneath is moved for thee for thee I say that didst sin after the example of the most of men or the greatest of men Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming saith the Prophet Isa 14.9 It stirreth up the dead for thee even all the chief ones or great men of the earth All they shall speak and say unto thee Are you also become weak as we are you become like unto us or as one of us Mark ye if there be any triumph among damned Spirits it is this Even to insult over those that at last prove as miserable as themselves You shall sometimes see such a hellish disposition in wicked men whilst they live upon earth if they can but do their Neighbors a mischief they care not to do twice as much to themselves O how they triumph if they can but drink and swagger others into the like shame with themselves and rail and revile others into the same passion and play and game others into the same poverty O what is this wicked practice but even Hell above-ground For this is the language of Hell Art thou become like one of us c especially when they can draw a Professor into sin and by sin into judgement Oh! how they triumph at such a prize What art thou become as one of us Thou that didst walk like a Saint upon earth thou that didst shine like Lucifer the bright Morning-Star thou that wert eminent in the Profession and it may be in the preaching of the Faith how art thou fallen from thy heavenly condition How art thou fallen from thy professed Faith into Unbelief and by Unbelief into the Bottom of Hell Lo this is the triumph of the damned Spirits Look as there is Joy in Heaven among the blessed Angels over one sinner that râ—penteth more than over ninety and nine just persons Luke 15. which need no amendment of life So there is triumph in Hell amongst Apostate Angels over one eminent Professor that falleth from the Faith into the condemnation of Unbelievers more than over ninety and nine wicked persons that never made any such hopeful Profession O remember how Hell it self will laugh thee to scorn if thou shalt follow a multitude to do evil This is the shameful welcome those Infernal Spirits shall give to their new guests when a poor deluded Soul following the steps of the multitude goes down into the Chambers of Eternal Death This is that scornful language Art thou also become like one of us Didst thou follow us in Sin and Unbelief and now dost thou follow us into Torments If thou wouldst not be the shame of Devils and damned Spirits let not the example of the World perswade thee to continue in Unbelief And this is the third Impediment of Faith and the Means to remove it 4. Impediment of Faith Gods hardning The fourth is from God That 's a most observable passage which you reade Joh. 12.39 40. Therefore they could not believe because Isaiah had said again He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts and be converted and I should heal them These things said Isaiah when he saw his glory and spake of him As if he should say These are such things as did not onely concern the Prophets own time and the men of his generation but they are such things as are to be fulfilled under the Gospel in the Kingdom of Christ for the Prophet foretold them when he saw the glory of Christ and did Prophecy his Kingdom Now both the Vision and the particular Prophecy you have in the 6. of Isaiah Obj. But you 'll say This is wonderful How can these things be How is it possible that the same God which commands all men every where to repent and believe Acts 17. where the Gospel comes should nevertheless blinde the eyes and harden the hearts of some lest they should repent and believe Alas you 'll say What can the poor creature do if God shut their eyes who can open them if God harden the heart who can soften it Ans I answer Therefore you are carefully to look to the meaning of the Prophecy which is nothing else but a denunciation of Spiritual Judgement against the people for their former contempt of his Word and Means of grace As if God should say Are you so obstinate will nothing work upon you notwithstanding so many gracious proffers of Mercy will nothing move you to believe Then you shall not believe Will nothing move you to repent Then you shall not repent Will nothing move you to cleanse your selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit Then you shall not be cleansed He that is filthy let him be filthy still Rev. 22. And that this is the very meaning of the words you may see by the same Prophecy cited by S.