10. it hath this proposition concerning the present or time past To me belieuing in Christ my sinnes are forgâ—ued And thus the horned argument of the Iesuite Bellar. de Iustif lib. 1. cap 10. Sect. ratio secunda Idem de Eccl. lib. 4. cap. 11. §. Sectary nostri whereby he would proue the speciall mercie of God not to be the obiect of faith Iustifying and our doctrine in that point to b e grosse and absurd is easily vntied For thus he reasoneth Iustifying faith goeth before Iustification But faith in the speciall mercie of God followeth Iustification For hee that belieueth the pardon of his sinnes is either iust before or not iust if iust before then faith iustifyeâ—h not if vniust then belieuing that his sinnes bee pardoned he belieueth a lie Our answere is that speciall faith hath the sundrie acts but to this purpose specially two The first heartily to desire earnestly to thirst after D. Field of the Ch lib. 3. cap. 44 Bolton of walking with God pag. 321. 322. To belieue that my sinne is now forgiuen in Christ is rather an act of experience in a Belieuer now iustified then that beliefe which is required to Iustification P. Bayn Helpe to true Happines part 2. qu. 9. humbly to intreate for acceptation and confidently to rest vpon the promise of free remission The other comfortably to assure and perswade that that is granted which was desired and receiued in promise Faith by her first act obtaineth and receiueth pardon and doth not finde vs iust when wee begin to belieue by her second act shee doth not actually iustifie but finding the thing done certifyeth and assureth vs of it So then speciall faith in her first act is before Iustification and procureth obtaineth and receiueth pardon but then shee hath not the perswasion of it as alreadie done in her second act shee presupposeth the thing done and alreadie obtained and so truely perswadeth the belieuer of it but procureth not the doing of it Before Iustification faith seeketh and receiueth the promise of forgiuenesse after Iustification it comfortably assureth of the blessing obtained in both it hath for it obiect the speciall mercie of God in Christ Faith receiueth Christ offered in the Gospell and it perswadeth and assureth of pardon in Christ receiued both these bee the acts of faith sometimes expressed a Iustifiing faith hath some acts as a cause disposing preparing and fittiâ—g vs to the receit of that gracious sauour whereby God doth iustifie vs and other as a susceptiue cause receiuing embracing and enioying the same In the former respect faith consists not in a perswasion that wee are the sons of God but in the latter Feild appendex to the fifth Booke second part in the definition of Iustifying faith but if we speake of faith as it iustifyeth it peculiarly embraceth Christ with his benefits as he is profered in the word and Sacrament For faith which is required to Iustification is not a perswasion or knowledge of things alreadie possessed but a confidâ—nce of things promised and vpon belieuing to bee obtained which in the order of causes not in time doth goe before remission of sinnes Who knoweth not that we must belieue that we might be iustified Iustified I say and not certified of Iustification by the benefite of faith The Scripture is cleare Belieue and thou shalt be saued God iustifieth the circumcision by faith and the vncircumcision through faith Doe not these and many the like passages shew that Iustification and not onely the sense and manifestation of Iustification alreadie obtained doth depend on faith § 4. It may bee said we are iustified before in Gods decree Indeed whom God doth iustifie them he decreed to iustifie from all eternitie but whereas election is manifested by faith as by its effect iustification doth depend vpon faith as its cause and wee are iustified by faith as the instrument thereof For election is an act immanent and eternall §. 3. Act. 16.31 Rom. 3.30 but iustification transient and in time inferring some change in the person iustified not physiciall but morall in respect of state §. 4. whereby it comes to passe that the person is in another condition and account then he was before In briefe the act of faith preswading of the pardon of sinne alreadie obtained by belieuing and glorying in the sense of Gods mercie must bee distinguished from that act of faith which iustifieth and is a leauing or staying vpon Christ to obtaine remission the priuiledge of grace and comfort which comes to the soule by belieuing must be distinguished from the condition of the couenant which is required on our parts before wee can obtaine pardon This is the rather to be noted Fishers answere to certaine articles because the maine cauils of the papists against our doctrine touchâ—ng particular confidence in Gods mercie and certainetie of saluation are grounded vpon this surmise that wee make that faith which is an assured and certaine perswasion of our particular election iustificâ—tion and saluation to be the sole cause to wit on Mans part of Iustification whereas Iustification it selfe must goe before the assurance of it and such persons onely can haue true assurance and certaintie of their Iust fication election and Saluation who doe vnfainedly belieue and know assuredly that they belieue as they ought And it makes much for the comfort of many faithfull people who commit their soules vnto Christ Iesus and depend vpon him and no other for saluation who yet are much perplexed as if they had no faith nor could doe ought pleasing vnto God because they want this certaine assurance of the remission of their sinnes whereas if they had learned what it is to belieue vnto Iustification and trust vnto the promise for pardon they might for the present take comfort in this that notwithstanding their feare they relie vpon Christ â—nd commit their soules vnto God as to their faithfull Redeemer and might with more ease and speed grow vp vnto the desired comfort and assurance when they should distinctly perceiue and discerne the groundâ— of faith and assurance by what steps and degrees they must clime from the one vnto the other CHAP. VIII By faith a true belieuer may bee certaine and infallibly assuredly of the remission of his sinnes and eternall saluation §. 1. How Faith assureth of saluation § 1. IT is a Principle common amongst our Aduersaries that eueâ—y conclusion issuâ—ng from one proposition reuealed expressely in Scripture another clearely and certainely knowne otherwise and by euident and good consequent added vnto it b longs to faith and is belieued by no other habit then of faith As for example All the dead shall rise Peter is dead therefore Peter shall rise The conclusion is Theologicall and belongs to faith though it be not expressely written that Peter is dead or that he shall rise againe So it is in this present matter All that belieue shâ—ll bee saued this proposition is
Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host with very many charets and horsemen yet because thou didst relie vpon the Lord hee deliuered them into thine hand Isay 10.20 And it shall come to passe in that day that the remnant of Israel and such as are escaped of the house of Iacob shall no more againe stay vpon him that smote them but shall stay vpon the Lord the holy one in truth Two of these words are vsed together in diuers places and may serue to expound each other Wherefore thus saith the holy one of Israel Isay 30.12 Because yee despise this word and trust in oppression and peruersenesse and stay thereon Woe to them that goe downe to Egypt for helpe Isay 31.1 and stay on horses and trust in charets because they are many and horsemen because they are very strong but they looke not vnto the holy one of Israel neither seeke the Lord. Who is among you that feareth the Lord Isay 50.10 that obeyeth the voice of his seruant that walketh in darknes and hath no light let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay vpon his God Another word there is almost of the same signification which noteth with all the mind and thought confidently to leane or stay vpon a prop. Isay 48.2 They call themselues of the holy Citie slay themselues vpon the Lord God of Israel the Lord of Hosts is his Name So it is noted of the people of Israel that they rested or leaned vpon the words of King Hezekiah coÌ„forting them against the rage of Senacharib 2. Chron. 32.8 This word is coupled somtimes with one or two others Thou art my hope O Lord God thou art my trust from my youth Psal 71.5 6. By thee haue I beene holden vp or vnderpropped from the wombe He shall not be afraid for euill tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. Psal 112.7 8. His heart is established he shall not be afraid vntill he see his desire vpon his enemies open yee the gates that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in Thou wilt keepe him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Isay 26.2 3 4. Trust yee in the Lord for euer for in the Lord Iehouah is euerlasting strength The sixt word signifies to rolle or cast himselfe vpon the Lord as a man in danger of drowning catcheth fast hold of some willow or other thing that hangeth ouer the water and is at hand or as hee that is pressed with with a grieuous burden aboue his strength easeth himselfe resting it vpon some post or blocke that is able to beare it Psal 22.8 Hee trusted in Lord that he would deliuer him let him deliuer him seeing he rolled himselfe on the Lord. Rolle thy way vpon the Lord trust in him Psal 37.5 Pro. 16.3 Ier. 17.5 Psal 62.6 7. and he shall bring it to passe Rolle thy workes vpon the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established To trust in Man is to make man his arme letting his heart goe back from God and to trust in God is to place our strength in him In the Scriptures confidence is oft put for faith and trust expounded by beliefe c Psal 2.12 34.8 Marke 16.16 Esay 26.3 Rom. 5.1 Psal 22 5. Rom. 10.11 Psal 112.7 8. Heb. 10.38 as where the Old Testament commandeth trust the New Testament requireth faith and in the New Testament the same things are attributed to faith and belieuers which in the Old Testament are attributed to confidence and them that trust in the Lord. In the New d Math. 9.2.22 Luke 5.20 1. Iohn 5.13 14. Acts 27.21 Luke 16.11 Rom. 3.2 4.19 Marke 11.24 Testament Faith and Beliefe are put for trust and affiance and to belieue is not only to assent but to rest vpon and embrace The phrase which the Holy Ghost most commonly vseth to expresse Belieuing in Christ is neither in the Greeke Translation of the Olde Testament nor for ought hath beene yet obserued in any Greeke Authour whatsoeuer except those that did write since and tooke it from the Scripture To belieue in God or in Christ is for substance and sence to trust to God or Christ and this kind of speech is vsuall amongst Greeke Writers To helpe vs in the vnderstanding of this matter the seuentie in their Greeke afford another phrase maruellous significant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 2.12 2. Chron. 16.7 Psal 77.26 111.7 124.1 To belieue on or vpon God This the Holy Ghost vseth often but withall he becomes the Authour of a new e Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 19.4 20 21. 24.24 Math. 9.42 Iohn 1.12 phrase himselfe to make vs the more easily and fully vnderstand what faith hee meaneth in the matter of our Iustification And though the f Iohn 2.23 12.42 phrase bee sometimes vsed when true and liuely confidence is not vnderstood yet it is more then probable that the Holy Ghost by that new manner of speech would propound somewhat more then bare assenting to the truth of what was promised And if we coÌ„sider the passages of Scripture wherein the phrase is vsed it will bee plaine and euident To him that worketh not Rom. 4.5 but belieueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse What is this Belieueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly no more but belieueth those things to be true which he affirmeth who iustifieth the vngodly that is not probable Rom. 9.33 1. Pet. 2.6 Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rocke of offence and whosoeuer belieueth on him shall not bee ashamed How can a man belieue on this rocke vnlesse he leane vpon it or sticke and adhere vnto it Faith looketh at the promises as true and putteth forth it selfe to receiue and embrace them as good which cannot bee done by a bare perswasion of the Minde If the promises were only true but no wayes beneficiall there might be an â—ssured perswasion of them in Mind without any affection or mouing of will towards them But faith adhereth to the word as good to me as well as true in it selfe which cannot be done without a godly affection embracing it To belieue on Christ is to receiue him Iohn 1.12 Col. 2.6 And what is this receiuing Not only a comprehension of the vnderstanding but an embracing of the heart and affection laying hold on him as we take that with the hands which is reached vnto vs. Belieuing on Christ is implied in the phrase of going or comming to Christ which going Iohn 6. â—5 no doubt is rather a spirituall motion of the heart and affections towards Christ then a contemplation of the Mind contented to see and behold him The Holy Ghost speaking of Iustifying faith doth vse the intire phrase f 1. Pet. 1.8.21 Acts 16.31 Rom 9.33 1. Pet. 2.6 Iohn 14.1 3.16 â— 35.36
of faith in God and Christ or on God and Christ which either there or elsewhere is declared by confidence or trust in God and Christ And the same must bee vnderstood when nothing is added g Math. 16 16. Iohn 20.31 Rom. 10.9 1. Cor 15.2 3 4. Acts 8.37 but life or Iustification is attributed to beliefe that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God For it is a generall rule that words of knowledge are words of affection much more words of beliefe As the people of God looked for the Messias so according to the prophesies they promised to themselues all good in and by the Messias The woman of Samaria could say Iohn 4.25 When the Messias commeth he will teach vs all things Where wee may see that there was not only a knowledge of Christ to come but an expectation and hope placed in him as in whom all good things promised should be accomplished So that if we consider the disposition of the people whose hope did hang on the Messias wee may plainly vnderstand that to belieue the Messias is not only to know but to haue an affiance in him If by belieuing that Iesus is Christ no more be meant but bare assenting vnto that truth Marke 1.24 then the Deuils professe as much But that beliefe to which life is ascribed is not a bare action of the vnderstanding but of the heart and will It is such a beliefe as whereby Christ is to our hearts that which we belieue him to be whereby wee come to Christ belieue in him and rest vpon him for saluation whereby we belieue to our owne vse and comfort that which wee belieue It is such a beliefe as desireth seeketh embraceth holdeth ioyeth in that which it belieueth because therein it seeth peace Popish Obiections preuented whereby wee so belieue that Iesus is Christ as that according to that we belieue him to be we put our trust and confidence in hm Rom. 4.19 20. Bellar. de Iustif lib. 1. cap. 6. Rom. 4.18 The faith of Abraham is commended for the firme assent that he gaue to the promise of God but the confidence of his heart resting vpon and cleauing vnto the promise is not obscurely declared For the Apostle saith Abraham belieued aboue hope that is he conceiued firme confidence in heart of the truth and power of God which is manifest by the Antithesis Hee doubted not by g As the vulgar hath it Rom. 4.20 distrust or infidelitie for incredulitie is as well the distrust h Math. 14.31 17.20 Marke 9.24 of heart as the hesitation of minde If Abraham had only acknowledged the truth of that which God promised and not trusted to him for the performance thereof what could that faith haue profited him What can it auaile any man to iustification that he holds Iesus Christ to be the only Sauiour and faith in him the only meanes of saluation if he doe not withall relie vpon him to be saued by his mediation What that the Apostle himselfe applying that particular of Abraham to all belieuers expoundeth that belieuing by confidence in or relying vpon God Rom. 4.24 which belieue on him that raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the euidence of things not seene Heb. 11.1 not only because it makes things speculatiuely to subsist in the Mind Bellar. de Just. lib. 1. cap. 5. but much more because it makes them i Heb. 4.16 10.22.35 fiducially to subsist in the heart as appeareth by the Apostle putting k Heb 3.6.14 2. Cor. 9.4 11.17 Ezek. 19.5 Mich. 5.7 Psal â—8 11. Sept. substance and confidence for the same For the subsistence of things hoped for is trust or confidence whereby wee rest on the promises diuine knowing and being perswaded that God will make good whatsoeuer hee hath spoken And faith is the substance of things hoped for because it is a confident resting vpon God for the accomplishment of what he hath spoken as if it were alreadie fulfilled And so it is the demonstration of things to come not intellectuall only but fiduciall which is a sweet motion of the heart enlarging it selfe and resting in the mercie of God present and to come and making things to come in a sort present to the heart in respect of the promise made by God and the taste and inchoation of the good promised Heb. 11.3 That faith is an assent to diuine reuelation that it is in the vnderstanding and that the act of faith is to vnderstand no man denieth but it is assent conioyned with affiance not a bare but fiduciall assent which is referred to God as hâ—e is faithfull in performing promises as hope is referred to him as he hath power and authoritie to performe whatsoeuer hee hath promised The Apostle saith Ephes 3 12. Bellar. de Iust l. 1. cap. 6. §. 1. Wee haue boldnâ—sse and accesse with confidence by the faith of Christ which passage doth rather proue faith to bee confidence then otherwise for confidence may be ioyned to faith as his proper passion A man is said to worke by reason becauâ—e hee is reasonable so faith to come vnto God with confidence because it is fiduciall Nothing can make another thing hot which hath not heate in it selfe nor could faith in gender confidence in the belieuer if in its owne nature it did not containe the same God is loue essentially and originally and yet he worketh loue in vs 1. Iohn 4.8 another kind of loue which is an Image and effect of his loue Loue in which we obserue the Commandements is the â—ormall effect of loue the effects of loue flow from loue As the effect is so is the cause Can the waters be sweet if the fountaine bee bitter Confidence accompanying faith respecteth all the promises of God and is the store-house of all particular confidence the confidence wrought by faith is the particular application of this generall confidence Confidence considered as it doth embrace Christ with a certaine affiance is the forme of faith as it begetteth in vs quietnesse of conscience and confidence of libertie it is an effect of faith The meaning of the Apostle seemeth to be this Because we are reconciled vnto God by faith in Christ Rom 5.1 2 3. Rom. 8.33 therefore in confidence or confidently we come vnto God neither distrusting nor doubting that wee haue accesse vnto him So that by confidence in Christ we haue confidence in God to obtaine those things that we stand in need of Moreouer confidence is opposed to doubting when the h 1. Cor. 1.14 15 2. Cor. â— 1 2. Cor. 8.22 2. Cor. 10.2 vnderstanding doth cleaue to neither part of the contradiction but doth floate betwixt both and to Distrust when the will doth chuse not to trust to the promiser And if wee expound the words of the Apostle in the passage before cited of confidence as it is opposed to
is of no effect or moment thereunto When the Apostle makes comparison betwixt the body without the spirit and faith without workes Iames 2.26 Rhem. annot in Iames 2 26. Sect. 10. concluding that they are both dead he cannot be thought to make loâ—e the soule of faith For he speakes not of internall charitie which lodgeth in the heart but of externall workes which are outwardly visible and apparent vnto men and cannot be the life but are the fruites and effects of faith For that which is without and externall cannot bee the life or soule of that which is within and internall nay it selfe hath from within all the life that it hath and if it receiue not life from within it is altogether dead Workes therefore being outward and issuing from within if they be true can in no good construction be said to be the life of faith which is within but to be the issues and productions of faith from which they spring Besides the word vsed by the Apostle doth signifie the breath and and so the comparison runneth plaine As the body of a l uing creature if it breathe not is dead so faith if it bring forth no workes is dead For breathing is an effect of a liuing body and working is the proper effect of a liuing faith If we speake of faith as it is outwardly professed to men workes which may bee discerned by the eyes of men not charitie which is the inward affection of the heart are they that giue name and gaine credit to profession Charitie is an hand or instrument whereby faith worketh workes are fruites effects demonstrations of the inward life of faith and that which giues name and being to our externall proffession is a pure blamelesse vpright conuersation fruitefull in good workes If we speake of faith a dead faith may be compared to a dead body altogether void of spirituall quickening but a liuely faith cannot fitly be resembled to liuing body but rather to the life of the body because faith is not that which is quickened by charitie or the the workes of charitie but that which quickeneth Faith is the first wheele in the Clocke that moueth all the rest Faith stirreth vp and directeth all other graces of the soule in their operations whose strength increaseth according to the liuely-hood vigor and increase of faith Iames 2.22 Rhem. annot in Loc. How then saith the Apostle That faith is perfected by workes As we iudge of the cause by the effects and by the proportion of the effects the efficacie and force of the cause may seeme to be increased or diminished euery thing is acknowledged to bee perfect when it worketh and is esteemed so much the more perfect by how much the more it worketh as wee say the goodnesse of a tree is perfect when it hath brought forth some excellent good fruite Thus Phylosophers teach that the forme is not perfect when it is considered as the first act but when it is taken as the second act for by working it putteth forth it force and declareth it selfe And so faith is perfected by workes not that the nature of faith receiueth complement or perfection from workes but because it doth declare and manifest it selfe by loue and good workes and is esteemed by so much the more perfect as the workes produced are the more excellent Yea as the exercise of outward members increaseth internall vigor and strength and refresheth the spirits by which wee moue so doth the exercise of grace and vertue rightly imployed perfect faith not imparting the perfection of workes vnto it but stirring vp exercising and intending it owne vigor and perfection Sense and motion is the effect not the cause of life in the body but yet the body without them is dead and perfected by them Workes are the effects not the life of faith but faith without workes is dead and by workes it is perfected § 3. There is a fained and dead faith §. 3. Iames 2.20 Iames 2.19 Act. 8.21 Luk. 8.14 a faith whereby the Deuils are said to belieue and such whose hearts are not vpright a faith which resteth barely in the vnderstanding or which sleightly affecteth the heart but is not rooted beares not soueraignetie a faith subordinate to vaine-glory or couetous desires which the world destroyeth and this saith as it is ineffectuall to season the affections throughout and incite to the sincere vniforme acts of loue so is it vnauaileable to Iustification There is a faith vnfained welrooted soueraigne 1. Tim. 1.5 Acts 15.9 Gal. 2.20 1 Iohn 5.4 Iustifying faith cannot bee without loue whereby we belieue to righteousnes by which the heart is purified and Christ dwelleth in vs which is the victorie whereby we ouercome the world and this faith worketh by loue and cannot but worke Hee that belieueth in this sort loueth freely and connot but loue not through defect of libertie but through the nature of faith exciting the belieuer to will to loue not to loue if he will Faith and loue considered as habits of the renewed soule and branches of inherent holines haue their originall from the Spirit of regeneration and be distinct graces infused together The deeds of charitie are the proper acts or exercises of the grace of charitie Par. de Iust lib. 1. cap. 14. from which they issue as branches from the flocke and fruite from the tree nor can we properly say that such workes flow from faith as the fruite doth from the roote seeing charitie is no branch of faith but a distinct grace of the renewing Spirit which beareth it proper and distinct fruit But such acts are said to be of faith because the doctrine of faith inioyneth them the vertue of faith inclines the soule vnto them moueth charitie vnto the exercise of them and directeth and quickeneth the acts themselues without which they would be liuelesse and out of square Faith doth beget loue not that one habite doth beget another but that faith doth excite men to the workes of charitie Thus the habits of faith and loue be coupled in infusion the exercise of faith and loue be inseperably conioyned and the acts of loue bee the effects of faith 1. Iohn 5.1 Iohn 1.12 13. 2. Cor. 5.17 2. Pet. 1.4 Euery one that belieueth is borne of God hee that is engrafted into Christ by faith is a new Creature and made pertaker of the diuine nature But he that is borne of God is endued with the grace of loue The liuely members of Christ Iesus which receiue from him the sap of grace cannot be vtterly destitute of true charitie But all true Belieuers are liuing members of Christ Iesus Gal. 2.20 Rom. 11.17 Iohn 15 1 2. 1. Iohn 4.15 Rom. 1.17 Iohn 3.36 6.40 Hee that belieueth abideth in God and God in him But in whom God abideth in him is loue Euery true Belieuer doth liue spiritually and where true faith is there is true life But hee that liues spiritually and is
Peter and the rest of the Apostles for he made answere for them all Math. 16.16 Ioh 6 68. Belar de Iustif l. 1. chap. 8. as the question was propounded to them all was no more in words but of Christs office Thou art Christ and his nature The sonne of the liuing God But shall wee thinke the faith of the Apostles to bâ—e nothing but a bare assent of Minde to that which they professed of Christ Thâ—n shall we make the Deuill himselfe to be as good and true a belieuer as the Apostles for he professed as much O Iesus of Nazaret Mar. 1.24 Luke 4.34 I know who thou art c. Noe doubt the Apostles rested vpon Christ for saluation and belieued in him to bee that to their soules and for their vse and comfort which they belieued him to be The subiect matter of their faith in that point was that Iesus was the Christ the manner of belieuing was with the heart relying vpon him for saluation The faith of Abraham was not a bare assent giuen to the promise of God but a confidenec in the speciall mercie of God for hee rested vpon the pâ—omise not onely in regard of his posteritie but also in regard of Christ according to that which is saide In thy seede shall all nations of the earth be blessed which seede the Apostle teacheth to be Christ Gal. 3.16 and the blessing he interpreteth to bee redemption from the curse of the law and iustification by faith Gal. 3.8 Abraham then belieuing the remission of sinnes in and through Iesus Christ of necessitie it will follow that his faith was directed vnto and exercised about the speciall mercy of God in Iesus Christ How then doth the Apostle set out Abrahams full beliefe in this that he was assured that hee who had promised was able also to doe it Rom. 4.21 Bellarm. vbi supra Rhem. annot in Rom. 4.14 Sect. 10. Not because Abrahams faith did iustifie him as he did belieue the power of God but because his iustifying faith which was fixed vpon the gracious promise did sustaine it selfe by the consideration of Gods power in time of tryall betweene the promise and the execution Abraham had a promise of seed but the execution is deserrod whereupon his faith is assailed thus Abraham thy body is dead thy wife hopelesse that way which things foiled Sarah for a time Now when Abrahams faith on the promises is thus set vpon Rom. 4 2â— against these arguments of vnbeliefe faith opposeth the alsufficient power of God and sustaineth it selfe with this consideration God is able As another time when he was tempted to offer vp his sonne in sacrifice he verily belieued he should receiue him againe Heb. 11.19 because God was able to raise him vp againe Beliefe of Gods power is not the act of iustifying faith as it iustifies but the consideration of Gods power is a prop and stay to faith against manifold temptations And so wee shall finde the Almightie power of God often aledged to confirme the weake and wauering heart As for Sarahs laughing thinking it impossible to haue a childe the Lord saide to Abraham Gen. 8.14 Is any thing hard or impossible to God And againe to Moses obiecting whether all the fish in the sea should bee gathered for food for Israel in the wildernesse The Lord answered Is the Lords hand waxed short Num. 11.23 thou shalt see whether my word shall come to passe or not And to the virgin Mary desiring to bee further conformed touching the promise of God the Angell makes answer Luk. 1.37 with God nothing is impossible As for the faith of the Centurion so much commended by our Sâ—uiour Christ Luk. 7.9 it might bee a steppe or meane by which he wâ—s raised of God to a true faith for iustification by the Messias or it may bee it was some effect of a iustifying faith but in it selfe as he did onely belieue the power of Christ to heale his seruant it did not iustifie Our Aduersaries themselues will not say that naked assent to this truth that Christ by his bare word was of power to cure his seruant absent is sufficient to iustification which yet is the substance of his confessiion If they answer that the profession of his faith is here mentioned according to the present occasion They must withall confesse it followeth not that because none other act of his faith is here expressed therefore there was nothing further in his faith vnto iustification before God Surely if hee be belieued to saluation he belieued somewhat else that made him to belieue what is here noted he belieued some what else that made him to say Luke 7.6 Lord I am not worthy that thou should'st enter vnder my roofe Christ is euery where made the thing which faith embraceth to saluation and whom it doth looke vnto and respect as it doth make vs righteous in the sight of God God so loued the world Iohn 3.16 that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer belieueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Iohn 11.25 I am the resurrection and the life he that belieueth in me though he were dead yet shall he liue And by him all that belieue Act. 13.39 are iustified from all things from which yee could not be iustified by the law of Moses Belieue on the Lord Iesus Christ Act. 16.31 and thou shalt be saued and thy house That they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in mee Act. 26.18 Being iustified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Iesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud for the remission of sinnes that are past through the forbearance of God Rom. 3.25.26 Eph. 1.15 Act. 15.11 Iohn 1.12 Gal. 3.26 It is with vs as with malefactors the kings pardon onely receiued doth acquit them and restore them to libertie and Gods mercie in Christ couering sinne receiued by a liuely faith doth set vs free from feare of damnation It is true that iustifying faith doth giue assent to euery article of faith and cleaue to euery Commandement but it obtaineth remission of sinnes as it receiueth Gods pardon in Christ To him giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his Name Acts 10.43 whosoeuer belieueth in him shall receiue remission of sinnes Righteousnesse is eueâ—y where tied vnto faith euen to faith in Christ whom only it doth and can looke vnâ—o as it iustifieth I count all things but losse Rom. 3.22 10.4 Phil. 3.8 9. for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I haue counted all things losse and doe iudge them to bee dung that I might winne Christ And might bee found in him that is not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the
remission of sinnes by the merits of Christ and resting vpon Chrâ—st alone for saluation assuredly he receiueth forgiuenesse â—lthough he be vexed with scruples and temptations and want the assurance and perswasion in himselfe that his sinnes bee remitted For faith is necessary to saluation but full assurance that I do belieue in that sort is not of lâ—ke necessitie And if a man may belieue vnfainedly who is not fully assured that he doth so belieue then faith may be certain in the euent when it is not certaine to the sence of the Belieuer §. 3. Faith as it iustifieth is a resting vpon Christ to obtaine pardon Zanch. de redempt lib. 1. c. 13. tit de Fiducia col 282. Musc loc com de Remiss Meisner dec 3. pag. 329. Par. in Gal. cap. 2. lect 24. Idem de Iustif l. 1. cap. 10. lect 227. Albizius exercit theol ar 2. 8. ad 3. Hom. Of faith part 1. August conf art 4. art 20. Bohemic conf art 6. § 3. But what faith is necessarie to wit on mans part to Iustification Is it an assured perswasion of our particular election or that our sins be alreadie pardoned and forgiuen No It is one thing to rest on Christ obeying to the cursed death of the Crosse that I may obtaine pardon and life euerlasting from the grace of God which is the act of true beliefe required to Iustification another to belieue that I am one of Gods particular elect people and that my sinnes are pardoned and done away which is a priuiledge of grace granted to him who belieueth is sealed by the Spirit and knoweth assuredly that he belieueth It is not an action of Christian faith preuious or fundamentall to Iustification for a man to belieue himselfe to be one of Gods elect for wee come to know our election by the effects thereof as Faith Iustification Sanctification Wee must first reade the effects of Gods loue in our hearts and see that he hath wrought in vs the sauing graces of faith loue hope feare c. and sealed vs by the spirit of promise before we can come to know his eternall decree and purpose towards vs therefore the beliefe of our particular election is an act of faith following Iustification not precedent to it No man is iustified by belieuing himselfe to be Iust nor pardoned Gallican conf art 20. Belgic confes art 23. Bolton walking with God pag. 320. Pemble plea for Grace pag. 258. 259. 260. Rolloc de Iustificat Heming Syntagm Gradus ad conuersionâ—m 49. Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.15 16. by belieuing that he is pardoned but if his beliefe be true he must be truly Iust before hee can or ought to belieue himselfe to be Iust and actually pardoned before hee can be assured that he is pardoned This is the order of spirituall blessings conferred vpon vs in Christ Faith is the band wherby wee are vnited vnto Christ after Vnion followeth Communion with him Iustification Adoption Sanctification be the benefits and fruits of Communion Being made sonnes by faith God sends forth the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father and this Spirit beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God assurance or certaine perswasion that our sinnes be pardoned followes this witnesse of the Spirit as the fruit and effect thereof In which it is most manifest that faith in Christ is before Iustification in order of nature though not in time and Iustification is precedent to the sense feeling of remission and therefore that belief which is required on our part to IustificatioÌ„ cannot be an assurance that our sins be pardoned already vnles the same thing be before after it selfe a man be pardoned before he belieue or assured that he is pardoned before it bee granted or that act of faith which cannot be but in a person alreadie iustified must go before the pardon of sin Esa 1.16 17 18 Ezek. 18. â—1 Prou. 28.13 Math. 6.14 15. Acts 16.30 31. Iohn 6.29 11.25 Acts 10.43 Acts 16.18 The promise of remission of sinnes is conditionall and becommeth not absolute vntill the condition be fulfilled either actually or in desire and preparation of minde This is the word of grace Belieue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt bee saued when doth this conditionall proposition become absolute when we belieue What that our sinnes are pardoned No but when we belieue in Christ to obtaine pardon which is the thing promised vpon condition of beliefe Assurance that our sinnes bee pardoned is concluded in a practicall Syllogisme thus He that truly belieueth in Christ hath obtained pardon of his sinnes But I belieue Therefore my sinnes are pardoned where assurance of the pardon of sinne is a conclusion drawne from a two-fold ground the one expressed in Scripture the other euident if true by the testimonie of the renewed conscience and presupposeth that hee belieueth and is assured that he doth belieue Now if assurance of remission be concluded from this ground that he belieueth and knoweth certainly that hee belieueth then the beliefe which is required on our parts to Iustification cannot be an assurance that our sins be washed away alreadie For if we take the word belieue for a perswasion that our sinnes are done away then the Syllogisme runneth thus He that is assured of the pardon of his sinnes his sinnes are pardoned But I am assured of the pardon of my sinnes therefore my sinnes are pardoned Faith receiueth the pardon of sinne as it is profered in the word of grace and groundeth it selfe solely and immediately vpon the promise of God in Iesus Christ But the ground whereupon a sinner in himselfe guiltie should build assurance that his sinnes are pardoned without some other act of faith comming betwixt the promise that assurance there is none The Gospell offereth pardon to the thirstie and burdened if hee will receiue it assureth them of pardon who haue embraced the promise but where shall wee finde ground whereupon the guiltie person who belieueth not to remission of sinnes may bee assured that his sinnes not actually pardoned are yet pardoned and blotted out of Gods remembrance Faith taketh the pardon presented to it in the word of promise and trauailing with it bringeth forth actuall remission of sinne which vpon our faith we receiue Assurance is not before pardon nor actuall remission before faith vnlesse the effect be before the cause and the same thing be both cause and effect To beâ—ieue in Christ to saluation is to receiue him Iohn 1.12 Heluet. confess art 15. But to receiue Christ as hee is offered vnto vs in the Gospell is not to be assured that our sinnes are alreadie pardoned in and through Iesus Christ but to rest vpon him for pardon Before the act of iustification faith hath for obiect this proposition concerning the future To mee belieuing my sinnes shall bee forgiuen but after the promise is receiued and pardon obtained Par de Iustific lib. cap.
vnfainedly embraceth Christ and resteth vpon him be euer at vncertainties whether hee doth belieue or no The heart vnregenerate is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things Ier. 17.9 Bellar. de Iustif lib. 3. cap. 8. sect Huius argumenti To bee in the faith is to haue faith in them Rom. 8.1 5.9 Ephes 3.17 1. Iohn 4 16. Rom. 8.8 2. Cor. 13.5.6 Ephes 3.17 the heart regenerate is true and faithfull In respect of the exact measure of grace and strength the regenerate are oft deceiued but of the truth of grace they may bee assured in some particular resolutions they bee ignorant of their owne hearts but of their generall purpose they may firmely and truly be peâ—swaded Paul bids vs to proue and trie our selues whether we haue not that faith by which Christ dwelleth in our hearts which worketh by loue which is the faith of such as are accepted with God are purged from their sinne and are become Temples of the Holy Ghost intimating that by examination it is to bee discerned and knowne whether wee belieue And if wee may know that wee haue faith whereby Christ dwelleth in vs by his Spirit Râ—em annot in 2. Co. 13.5 sect 1 and wee in him then may wee know also that wee haue repented truly of our sinnes for faith and repentance be inseperable companions and who so hath the one hee cannot be destitute of the other It is one thing to repent another to belieue but these two liue and dwell together that if one be wanting there is neither in truth § 7. They obiect further It sufficeth not to belieue vnto saluation §. 7. Bellar. de Iustif lib. 3. cap. 6. Acts 8.37 but a man must belieue with his whole heart which no man say they can certainly affirme Indeed faith sincere vpright and wel-rooted is required on our parts to Iustification 1. Tim. 1.5 but not absolutely perfect in degree without weaknesse or defect And this may be knowne by him that hath it else could not the Eunuch haue answered I belieue nor Dauid haue promised Acts 8.37 38. Psal 86.12 138.1 Psal 119.10.69 I will praise thee O Lord with my whole heart with my whole heart haue I sought thee But in these and such like passages the a Psal 119.2 Deut. 4.29 Ier. 29.13 2. Chron. 15.15 Prou. 3.5 whole heart noteth the integritie b Psal 73.1 57.11 28.6 7 and vprightnesse of the soule not the perfection of grace without any infirmitie or defect as on the contrarie a fraudulent or hypocriticall heart is called c Psal 12.2 an heart deuided and the whole heart is opposed to a fained and hypocriticall heart as the Lord complaineth by his Prophet d Ier. 3.10 Iudah hath not returned vnto me with her whole heart but fainedly And thus wee shut vp this first reason That which the Scripture saith to pertaine to all and singular Belieuers Luke 7.50 Marke 16.16 that euery Belieuer may certainly assure himselfe of by faith But the Scripture sheweth remission of sinnes to pertaine to all and euery Belieuer Againe What we are taught to aske of God in Prayer and haue a promise to obtaine that by faith wee may bee assured to obtaine Marke 11.24 1. Iohn 5.14.15 Psal 145.18 For God that hath commanded vs to pray and directed what to aske according to his will and promised to grant the desires of them that call vpon him in truth according to his Commandement hee will not denie his promise nor goe backe from the thing that he hath spoken But we are commanded to aske the pardon and forgiuenesse of our sinnes and haue a promise to be heard in that which we desire Therefore by faith wee may be assured of the particular remission of our offences Our Aduersaries except that what wee are assured of alreadie Bellar. de Eccl. l. 4. cap. 11. praeterea In what sence forgiuenesse of sinnes is to bee praied for that wee cannot aske of God in prayer and therefore if wee be assured of pardon wee must not pray for pardon What is it lawfull in no sence to pray for that whereof we are assured Dauid prayed to God for the pardon of those sinnes which hee belieued by faith were forgiuen for so was hee assured from the Lord by the Prophet Nathan vnlesse wee shall charge him with infidelitie for not belieuing the Prophet since the speech was so plaine that he could not but vnderstand it I haue sinned against the Lord 2. Sam. 12.12 13. A plaine and true confession The Lord also hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die As plaine and certaine an absolution Will our Aduersaries come in here with their vaine distinction of guilt and punishment of temporall and eternall If they doe it is to no purpose For whatsoeuer the respects were in which Dauid prayed for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes once this is cleare that hee prayed for it and then what remaines but that our aduersaries must condemne him of sinning grieuously in asking God pardon for those sinnes which he belieued by faith were forgiuen him or of infidelity for not belieuing or else graÌ„t it lawful in some regard to craue pardon when it is alreadie granted and belieued to bee so But further it is manifest that both guilt and punishment were remitted because the Prophet precisely mentions both parts The Lord hath taken away thy sinne There is the guilt wipt away Thou shalt not die There is the punishment forgiuen the whole punishment the whole penaltie of the statute concerning sinne And yet nothing is more cleare Psal 32.1 2. Psal 51.1 2. then that Dauid begs pardon both of the guilt and punishment of his offences and that God would make him see and feele this forgiuenesse of his euery day more and more Neither yet doth it follow that then prayer for forgiuenesse is an effect of a weake faith because though our faith were strong yet the feeling of our owne wretchednesse the iust desert of sinne and the wrath of God due vnto vs would wring out such entreatie from vs as wee see the extremitie which our Sauiour Christ was in vpon the Crosse made him cry out so mainly My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Math. 27.46 albeit he was fully assured that God neither had nor would vtterly forsake him Againe one chiefe reason and end of our praying to God for pardon is that wee may alwayes acknowledge that euery sinne committed by vs deserues euerlasting damnation of it selfe and should euerlastingly be punished if that God had not accepted our Sauiour Christs satisfactioÌ„ for vs By which though we are freed if we rest on him by faith yet both it is our duty according to Gods Commandement to sue for pardon for his sake in truth if we do it not we haue no reason to perswade our selues that our sinnes are pardoned For howsoeuer it is true that Christ our Head hath paid the price
the confession of faith vnfained is heartie and sincere ioyned with a true detestation of all sinne as that which hath and would make seperation betwixt God and him if it be not renounced by him and pardoned of God And to them that confesse their sinnes in this manner is the promise made If wee confesse our sinnes God is faithfull 1. Ioh. 1.9 and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnes Pro. 28.19 Hee that couereth his sinnes shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercy Onely acknowledge thine iniquity that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God Ier. 3.13 1. Cor. 11.31 If wee would iudge our selues we should not be iudged I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sin Psal 32.5 Which is most liuely to be seene in the parable of the prodigall before mentioned where the Father resembling God is said to haue met his lost sonne before he came at him Luk 15.20 and to haue embraced and kissed him after hee was resolued in himselfe to acknowledge and confesse his faults As faith teacheth the poore sinner to humble himselfe in vnfaâ—ned confession of his manifould offences so it stirreth anâ— encourageth him to power out his soule in eaâ—nest and heartie prayer vnto God for pardon and forgiuenesse Act. 8.22 through the mediation of Iesus Chrâ—st Thus hee is taught of God Take with you words and turne to the Lord Hos 14 2. say vnto him Take away all iniquity and receiue vs gratiously so will we render the calues of our lips Both these may be seene in the poore Publican who durst not lift vp his eyes to Heauen Luk. 18.13 but smote himselfe vpon the breast saying God bee mercifull to mee a sinner And so the Church prayeth O remember not against vs former iniquities lâ—t thy tender mercies speedily preuent vs. Ioel. 2.17 Psal 79.8 This prayer of faith is not presented before God in assurance that his sins be already pardoned but to obtaine pardon of the rich mercy of God by and through the merits of Iesus Christ And the pâ—omise is to him that prayeth vnfainedly that he shall be forgiuen 2. Chro. 7.14 If my people whâ—ch are called by Name shall humble themselues and pray and seeke my face and turne from their wicked wayes then will I heare from Heauen and will forgiue their sinne Aske and it shall be giuen you Math. 7.7 Ioel. 2.32 Rom. 10.13 seeke and yee shall finde Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be deliuered vizt from sinne and death Fourthly Faith receiueth the promise of mercy made in Christ and embraceth or resteth vpon the speciall fâ—ee mercy of God in Chrâ—st for pardon and hereby we are iustified that is of sinners made Iust and Righteous not by infusion of holinesse but by free condonation and acceptation of grace Christ is euery where made the thing which faith embraceth to saluation and whom it lookeâ—h vnto and respecteth as it makes vs righteous in the sight of God and faith iustifyeth Ioh. 11.25.26 Act. 15.11 Rom. 10.4 Gal. 2 16. Eph. 1.15 Phil. 3.9 not by any vertue or dignitie of it owne but as it receiueth and resteth on Christ our Righteousnes our Sauiour our Redeemer from sinne and death It is the good pleasure of God reuealed in the Gospell to pardon and iustifie them from all their sinnes that belieue in Christ and faith iustifieth as it leaneth vpon him to receiue speciall mercie through him or which is all one to obtaine forgiuenesse of sinners of the meere and rich grace of God through him and this is the most formall act of faith as iustifying Fifthly It doth certifie of pardon granted and sealed vnto vs It doth obtaine receiue and assure of forgiuenesse in particular I know that my Redeemer liueth Iob. 19.25 Psal 32.5 Isay 38.17 Psal 65.3 Gal. 2.20 1. Ioh. 3.14 Thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne Thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy backe As for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away Christ hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me We know that we are passed froÌ„ death vnto life because we loue the brethren These are diuine conclusions of a liuely faith But this perswasion or assurance that our sinnes are already pardoned is not an act of faith iustifying as it iustifyeth but an act of faith following iustification a priuiledge granted of grace to a sinner now set in the state of grace or an act of experience in a sinner now iustified by faith Forgiuenesse of sinnes in and through Christ is offered in the Gospell to euery burdened and wearie soule that will receiue it as the ground of faith vouchsafed to euery one that belieueth but pardon of sinne is apprehended as already granted when wee come to be assured that wee doe belieue Faith in order of nature is precedent to Iustification but Iustification it selfe goeth before the sence thereof As faith obtaineth and receiueth the promise of speciall mercie it doth not finde vs Iust when we begin to belieue but maketh vs Iust by embracing the Righteousnesse of Christ as it certifyeth and assureth of fauour it doth not actiuely Iustifie but findeth the thing dâ—ne already Faith assureth of the pardon of sinne by a double act First it layeth hold vpon the generall promises made to Belieuers such as these Iohn 3.18 Acts 13.39 Iohn 3.36 He that belieueth shall be saued By faith euery one that belieueth is iustified Hee that beliâ—ueth hath euerlasting life Secondly it concludes vndoubtedly from them That hee belieuing is alreadie receiued into fauour and hath obained remission of sinnes Now betwixt these two comes the testimonies of the renewed Conscience 1. Cor. â— 11 working vpon the soule by reflexion whereby the true Belieuer is made priuie to his owne estate and assured that he doth belieue The whole is collected thus He that belieueth in Christ is alreadie Iustified or hath receiued pardon and forgiuenesse This is the voice of faith grounding it selfe vpon the expresse testimonie of God speaking in holy Scripture But I belieue This is the witnesse of the renewed conscience enlightened by the Spirit and directed by the Word whereby the Belieuer comes to know what God hath wrought in him For no man can be said to Belieue that hee doth Belieue but he belieueth the promises by faith and knoweth himselfe to bee a Belieuer by the wâ—tnesse of his Conscience renewed by the Spirit The conclusion of faith grounded vpon the former propositions the one expressed in Scripture the other euident by the witnesse of Conscience is Therefore my sinnes are forgiuen or I shall be saued The order of climbing to this assurance is the rather to bee marked that weake Christians who want the comfortable sence and feeling of this mercy might learne to seeke it in due order as the way is laid
that be necessary but the act and exercise of faith is required § 5. p. 6. 7 CHAP. II. WHat Iustifying faith is § 1. p. 7 God the Father in his Sonne Iesus Christ by the holy Spirit is the authour of faith § 2 p 7. 8 Faith is a gift in a speciall manner most free and profitable ibid. How we are said to receiue the Holy Ghost by Faith ibid. How the Spirit is obtained by prayer p. 9 Faith is imperfect though a worke of the Spirit § 3. p. 9 Faith is a powerfull worke of God ibid. How God produceth faith § 4. p. 10. 11 The increase of faith is of God p. 12 Faith is the gift of God and the act of Man § 5. p. 12 Faith is wrought by the Word § 6. p. 13 Encreased by prayer and vse of the Sacraments p. 14 Why all doe not belieue that heare the Word ibid. Though faith be the gift of God men must vse the meanes to obtaine it p. 14. 15 CHAP. III. FAith presupposeth knowledge Chap. 3. § 1. p. 16 17 It captiuates our vnderstanding vnto the obedience of Christ but is not ignorant of Christ p. 17. 18 This knowledge must be distinct sound certain p. 18. 19 In what respect faith may bee called implicite or vnfolded p. 19 Faith is an assent § 2. p. 19. 20 Beliefe hath reference to some vttered word or reuelation but may be sustained by other motiues and inducements p. 20 Faith is a firme assent yet sometimes accompanied with doubtings p. 21 Faith is an absolute and vnlimited assent and yet through ignorance and infirmitie a Christian may misbelieue many things without the danger of damnation p. 22. 23 Faith is an assent in a sort euident p. 23. 24 Faith also is an assent in some sort discursiue p. 24. 25 Faith is an affiance or confidence § 3. p. 25. 26. c. Confidence as it doth embrace Christ with a certaine affiance is the forme of faith as it begetteth in vs quietnesse of conscience and confidence of libertie it is an effect of faith p. 32 Confidence is opposed both to Doubting and Distrust p. 32 Faith is an obedientiall affiance § 4. p. 32. 33. 34 Faith is opposed not only to doubting and diffidence but to wauering double-mindednesse and disobedience p. 35 Affiance must be wel-rooted § 5. p. 35. 36 It must be sound and permanent p. 36. 37 Faith is an ouer-ruling affiance p. 37. 38 Of all graces faith is the most humble p. 38 Faith is a spirituall taste § 6. p. 38. 39 Faith admits many interruptions p. 39. 40 CHAP. IIII. LOue is not the life or soule of faith § 1. p. 40. 41 c. It is faith and not charitie that giues influence to all other graces euen to charitie it selfe ibid. The goodnesse of God cannot bee the obiect of our charitie but by being first the obiect of our faith ibid. Charitie is an instrument vnto faith for mouing and stirring abroad in the performance of all duties recommended vnto vs but the inward or essentiall forme of faith it is not pag. 42. 43. In what respects charitie doth excell faith and faith charitie § 2. p. 44. 45 How faith is perfected by workes p. 46. 47 Iustifying faith cannot be without loue § 3. p. 47. 48 How the acts of charitie are said to be of faith p. 48 Faith temporarie and iustifying differ in radication soueraignetie and working p. 51 The first and radicall vnion with Christ is made by faith only the secondarie vnion is by meanes of the affections p. 54 They that worke iniquitie haue no faith to belieue assuredly that they shall be saued p. 55 The faith of Deuils comprehends the fulnesse and perfection of that which the Romanists call Catholicke or Christian faith p. 57. 58 Faith alone iustifieth but that faith which iustifieth is not alone p. 59. 60 CHAP. V. What doctrines are called matters of faith § 1. p. 60 Iustifying faith is two wayes considered § 2. p. 61 According to the twofold consideration of iustifying faith the obiect of it is two-fold p. 61 True faith respecteth the whole Word of God p. 62 As the doctrine of Creation § 3. p. 63 Prouidence ibid. Mans misery by sinne ibid. Mysteries of godlinesse p. 64 The promises concerning Sanctification and things of this life § 4. p. 64. 65. 66 Why faith doth put forth it selfe to embrace whatsoeuer the Lord promiseth p. 64 It is very necessary to belieue the promises concerning Sanctification p. 65 It is necessary to belieue the temporall promises p. 66 Faith belieueth the threatnings § 5. p. 67 Beliefe of the threatnings is necessary p. 67. 68 Faith belieueth the Commandements § 6. p. 68. 69. 70 In particular practices the faithfull may faile p. 70. 71 The obedience of faith is vniforme entire and constant § 7. p. 71. 72 The faithfull soule may find it selfe more prone to one sinne then another but if right comparison bee made faith inciteth to hate all sinne one as well as another p. 72. 73 CHAP. VI. THe speciall obiect of iustifying faith are the free promises of mercy and forgiuenesse in Iesus Christ § 1 p. 73. 74 Abraham belieuing the promise of seed did apprehend that blessed seed which from the beginning had beene promised p. 74 Remission of sinnes doth presuppose the mercy of God p. 74 Beliefe of Gods power is not the act of faith iustifying as it iustifieth but the consideration of Gods power is a prop and stay to faith against manifold temptations p. 76 Christ is euery where in Scripture made the thing◠which faith embraceth to saluation p. 77. 78. 79 Faith in Gods speciall mercy frameth his Image in the Heart § 3. p. 81. 82 CHAP. VII IVstifying faith is a particular and certaine confidence § 1. p. 82. 83 The thirstie and burdened soule is inuited to come vnto Christ and commanded to belieue p. 83. 84 Iustifying faith is opposed to despaire so as to expell it it breeds confidence and boldnesse and receiueth Christ for the conueying of his benefits particularly vnto vs p. 84. 85. Faith is certaine in the euent not euer in sence § 2 p. 85. 86 Things are to vs according as wee conceiue them which is not euer answerable to the euidence of the thing in it selfe or to the certaintie in regard of euent p. 86. 87 A Belieuer who hath a sure beliefe doth not alwayes know that he so belieueth p. 87. 88 Faith as it iustifieth is a resting vpon Christ to obtaine pardon not an assured perswasion that our sinnes bee already pardoned and forgiuen § 3. p. 88. 89. 90 Before Iustification faith seeketh and receiueth the promise of forgiuenesse after Iustification it comfortably assureth of the blessing obtained p. 91. 92 Election is manifested by faith as by its effect but wee are iustified by faith as the instrument thereof § 4 p. 92 CHAP. VIII HOw faith assureth of saluation § 1. p. 94. 95 This assurance is such as is shaken
is to liue by faith p. 203. 204 What is to be done that we might liue by faith viz. 1. Aquaint our selues familiarly with the Word of God 2. Exercise faith aright in the Word p. 204. 205 Besides expresse Cmmandements and direct promises there be speciall promises and commandements by consequent which we are to note and make vse of p. 205. 206 The acts of faith about the Word 1. It doth firmely and vniuersally assent to the whole Word of God and set a due price and value vpon it p. 207 2. It ponders the word seriously and treasures it vp safe ibid. 3. It preserues and keeps in the way of the promises ibid. 4. It plyes the throne of grace with earnest and continuall supplications ibid. 5. It looketh vp directly vnto God his wisdome power mercy and faithfulnesse p. 208 6. It resteth quietly vpon God and tryumpheth before the victory p. 208 Meanes to stirre vp our selues to liue by faith scil 1. Find out thy vnbeliefe p. 208. 209. 210. c. 2. See the necessity and pretiousnesse of faith p. 213 3. Meditate on the grounds of faith p. 213. 214 4. Feeling weaknesse of faith looke on Christ p. 214 5. Pray for the Spirit of faith p. 215 CHAP. II. WHat is meant by Gods promises and the diuers kinds therof p. 216 The promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes ibid. This promise is free p. 217 Yet obtained through Christ only ibid. And receiued and possessed by faith and by it alone p. 217 218 This promise is of faith 1. That it might be of free grace ibid. 2. That it might bee stedfast and sure to all the seed ibid. 3. That only is the true manner of Iustification which shuts forth all boasting in the dignity of our workes p. 218. 219 Its necessary to seeke pardon of sinne by faith for 1. In our selues we be sinfull and cursed and remission which is of grace can be obtained by no other meanes but only by faith in Iesus Christ p. 219 2. Faith goeth directly vnto Christ that by him wee might be justified ibid. 3. Faith in the promises of mercy doth commend and maintaine the glory of Gods grace p. 220 The acts of faith touching this promise of forgiuenes be diuers 1. It generally belieueth the promise to bee true and thereby discernes that sinne is pardonable p. 220. 221 2. It stirreth vp earnest desires and longings to bee made partaker of this mercy p. 221. 222 3. It draweth vs forward to seeke mercy of God by vnfained confession and hearty supplication p. 222. 223. 224 4. It embraceth and resteth vpon the speciall and free mercy of God in Christ for pardon p. 224. 225 5. It doth certifie of pardon granted and sealed vnto vs. p. 225 How faith doth assure that our sinnes are already pardoned p. 225. 226 Three prerogatiues accompany confident assurance 1. Peace with God 2. Free accesse vnto the throne of grace 3. Ioy in the Holy Ghost vnspeakable and glorious p. 227. 228 6. By faith we continue in this blessed state in sweet peace and fellowship with God p. 228. 229 A Christian may liue by faith for many dayes or rather all the dayes of his life in sweet peace and communion with God if he will learne to maintaine and take paines to exercise his faith aright p. 230. 231. 232 To what measure of ioy a Christian may attaine p. 232. 233 Two speciall causes there be why many good Christians liue so long in feare and doubt 1. An immoderate aggrauation of their sinne and continuall thought of their vnworthinesse p. 234 These must know it is good to deny themselues but not to doubt of the mercy of the Lord. ibid. The detestation of sinne is greatly to be commended if they remember withall that there is hope in Israel concerning this p. 235 There be sins of ignorance infirmitie forgetfulnesse and sudden passion and there be foule enormous notorious sinnes which wound conscience p. 235. 236 If a man haue often fallen into notorious offences he is not to despaire ibid. A foule offence after grace receiued is not vnpardonable p. 236. 237 Many complaine they cannot belieue when indeed they thinke there is no promise of mercy made vnto them vpon which they should ground their confidence ibid. Such must know 1. that God calleth them in his word to come vnto him as if he did particularly name them 2. They must consider of the free grace of God in promising and his faithfulnesse in making good whatsoeuer he bath promised ibid. The second cause is ignorance of the way how this assurance is to be sought vpon what foundation it is to bee laid in what order they come vnto it p. 238 Two things are specially to be learned for their direction 1. That assoone as euer a man feeles sin as a burden and doth truly thirst to bee eased of it hee hath a calling to come vnto Christ p. 238 2. The barren in grace must come vnto Christ to bee supplyed of his fulnesse p. 239 Directions to the weake how to stirre vp themselues to beleeue when they feele no comfort p. 239 1. They must vnfainedly humble their soules before God in the confession of sinne with earnest prayer for pardon p. 240 2. They must rowse and stirre vp themselues to beleeue with reasons drawne from the promises and couenant of God made in Iesus Christ considerations taken out of the word and experience of his dealing with other his seruants in former times p. 241. 242 3. They must be instant with the Lord to giue them both strength of faith the sight of their belief p. 242. 243 4. They must comfort their hearts in the certainty of Gods word though for the present they feele no comfort p. 243 Thus faith is daily to be preserued and quickened ibid. CHAP. III. OF the promises of Sanctification p. 244 A Christian is allowed to beleeue these promises for 1. In the couenant of grace God hath promised to take away the heart of stone c. p. 245 2. The fountaine of grace is set open vnto the thirsty and he is inuited to come and drinke to the satisfying of his soule p. 245. 246 3. Christ by his bloud hath purchased for his people all spirituall blessings in heauenly things ibid. 4. We are taught to aske of God in Christ increase and strength of grace ibid. 5. The faithfull haue relyed vpon Christ for grace and ability to walke in his wayes ibid. 6. Mans duty is Gods free gift of grace ibid. It is necessary to belieue that God will sanctifie our nature and enable to the duties of holinesse p. 246. 247 For 1. Iustification sanctification be indiuiduall p. 247 2. Otherwise Christians shall very much stagger be off and on coldly set vpon the practice of Christianity ibid. 3. Our owne strength is too weake for the worke of holinesse ibid. 4. Setlednesse in this that God will perfect the worke of holinesse begun causeth men to goe about
protection from all hurtfull euils so much are wee lacking to sound peace and stable tranquillity of Mind and Conscience p. 287. 288 The godly are allowed to belieue their perseuerance For 1. God hath confirmed it by promise and couenant vnto his children p. 288 2. They haue allowance to belieue the obtayning of that which Christ hath prayed for and they aske of God in the Name of Christ according to his will p. 289 3. What one belieued vpon ordinary and common grounds that is the priuiledge of all belieuers ibid. 4. It is a great glory to God that we liue by faith on him concerning our future estate p. 289. 290 The acts of faith concerning perseuerance 1. It makes a man sensible of his owne frailtie p. 290 2. It stirres vp holy iealousie and suspition least wee should coole decay start aside or fall backe ibid. 3. Faith instantly cryeth vnto the Lord for helpe and strength and continuall supply of grace p. 291 4. Faith desireth digesteth and feedeth vpon the wholesome food of life ibid. 5. It putteth forth it selfe to performe all duties of holinesse and loue with life and feruour p. 292. 293 6. It coueteth increase of grace and sanctification p. 293. 294 7. It receiueth new supply of grace continually from Iesus Christ the fountaine of grace ibid. 8. It assureth of perseuerance through the promises of grace p. 294. 295 Meanes to stirre vp our selues to belieue these promises of perseuerance 1. Wee must heartily bewaile our pronenesse to sinne aptnesse to decline inabilitie to withstand any one temptation or set one step forward in the way to Heauen p. 295. 296 2. Wee must stirre vp our selues to rest vpon God through Iesus Christ for establishment and confirmation p. 296. 297 3. Wee must pray instantly that God would vphold vs and make vs to see that hee will establish vs vnto the end p. 297. 298 CHAP. VI. THe seruants of Christ are all souldiers and haue continuall warre not with flesh and bloud but with principalities and powers and spirituall wickednesses p. 299 Encouragements to resist Satan ibid. Promises of victory p. 299. 300 In this state of temptation the godly are allowed to belieue the promises of victory For 1. The God of peace hath promised to tread Satan vnder our feet shortly p. 300 2. Faith doth glorifie God and is most profitable vnto vs our treasure strength and victory ibid. 3. We haue a charge to resist the Deuill strong in the faith p. 301 4. Faith is one of the first things that is formed in a Christian and wherewith God furnisheth him when hee prepareth and calleth him forth to the encounter ibid. 5. The faithfull cannot better prouide for their owne ease and safetie then confidently to hope in the Lord. p. 302 It is necessary a Christian should liue by faith in this condition For 1. True valour cannot be had without faith in Christ p. 302 2. All our strength lyeth in Christ whose Almightie power subdueth all things for vs. p. 302. 303 3. Faith is of force to keepe vs against all assaults of the Deuill ibid. 4. The Deuill will renew his assaults and wee must renew our courage and strength ibid. The acts of faith in respect of these promises of victory in temptation 1. Faith makes sensible that wee cannot resist of our selues but assureth that Satan is chained vp by the power of Almighty God p. 303. 304 2. It discouereth the Methods of Satan and his Ends in tempting p. 304. 305 3. It lifteth vp the heart to cry and complaine vnto God of the cruelty and malice of that Spirituall Aduersary but suffers it not to muse vpon his blasphemous temptations ibid. 4. By faith the poore soule eying the promise betakes it selfe vnto the Lord for succour promised p. 305. 306 5. It stirreth vp courage and resolution to set vpon the practice of godlinesse and the duties of our particular calling as the meanes sanctified of God to procure freedome p. 306. 307 6. It fortifieth the soule against all inuasions ibid. 7. Faith is vigilant and watchfull at all times in all places vpon all occasions p. 307. 308 8. In the most forcible tempests which the enemy rayseth against vs faith tels the heart that a calme is at hand p. 308. 309 9. If Satan renew his assaults faith stands prepared through the power of God to make resistance afresh p. 309 10. Faith assureth that by the ouer-ruling prouidence of God temptations serue for the increase of grace p. 310 The godly are sometimes brought so low that they can discerne no sparke of faith no fruit of grace no marke of Gods loue in themselues For 1. An afflicted spirit tossed with feare and terrour cannot conceiue or giue notice of it true estate p. 310 2. Good men in temptation are pettishly disposed p. 311 The Remedy in this distresse is 1. Grace may appeare vnto others when in temptation a godly man cannot discerne it in himselfe p. 310 2. It is the wisdome of a Christian in this case to obserue the marke that Satan driues at which is to hide from his fight the graces of the Spirit that he might bring him to despaire and so stirre vp himselfe to belieue For 1. When he can see no grace in his soule hee cannot but see himselfe to bee miserable and so called to come vnto Christ ibid. 2. Taking courage to belieue hee disappoints Sathan ibid. 3. Wee haue a commandement to belieue as well as to proue our selues both which must bee compleate together ibid. 4. If thou canst not find in thy selfe what thou seekest after come vnto Iesus Christ and belieue in him that thou mayst receiue what thou seekest p. 312 3. The distressed soule must learne that the grace of God worketh not alwayes alike in his children p. 312 4. The long and manifold temptations of Sathan wherewith hee seekes to throw Christians head-long into despaire is to them a testimony of the inhabitation of the Spirit in their hearts p. 312. 313 Meanes to stirre vp faith in these perplexities and times of grieuous temptations 1. The distressed Christian must vnfainedly humble his soule for former ignorance vanity of mind disesteeme of mercy timorousnes discontent vnbeliefe c. p. 313. 314 2. He must complaine of the malice of Sathan and instantly intreate the Lord to pardon sinne bridle restraine and tread Sathan vnder foot p. 314. 315 3. He must cease to muse on the temptations of Satan and stirre vp himselfe couragiously valiantly to trust in the mercies of the Lord and relye vpon his grace p. 316 317 4. He must exercise himselfe in wel-doing harbour holy and heauenly Meditations nourish the motions of Gods Spirit c. p. 317. 318. 319 If the distressed Christian haue wasted his spirits with violent and continuall sorrow hee must bee admonished not to thinke that presently hee should recouer former liuelinesse and ability p. 319. 320 CHAP. VII AFflictions are not more ordinary then heauy and burdensome to
be borne p. 320 Wee stand in need to bee holpen against discouragements in affliction ibid. God correcteth 1. In great wisdome p. 321 2. Measure ibid. 3. For a moment p. 321. 322 4. In loue and tendernesse ibid. And that 1. to proue 2. To purge 3. To refine 4. To confirme grace p. 322. 323 He will deliuer the righteous out of trouble p. 323 Is tender ouer them in trouble p. 323. 324 And present for their helpe p. 324. 325 It is most necessary that we learne to liue by faith in afflictions p. 326 For 1. Faith is the ground of silent and quiet expectation of saluation ibid. 2. Faith in God is the only stay and support of the heart in trouble and affliction p. 326. 327 3. Faith is the shield of the soule whereby it is defended against all the fiery darts of the Deuill ibid. 4. Faith only supplies all our wants in affliction pag. 326. 327 5. Afflictions profit not if they bee not mixed with faith in them that beare them ibid. The godly are allowed to liue by faith in afflictions For 1. Godlinesse hath the promise of this life and that which is to come p. 327 2. The godly haue had this confidence in former times whose practice is both a token of our priuiledge and patterne of our dutie p. 328 3. God is hereby much glorified that wee relie vpon him as our rocke of defence ibid. 4. The Lord commandeth vs to waite vpon him in times of trouble ibid. 5. Confidence in God doth the more binde him as it were to doe vs good p. 328. 329 The acts of faith in respect of these promises 1. It looketh vnto God and acknowledgeth his hand in all afflictions whosoeuer be the instruments p. 329. 330 2. It teacheth that wee are in such distresses out of which none can help vs but the strong helper of Israel p. 330 This drawes the heart from carnall repose in meanes or friends and expels vexations and distracting cares ibid. 3. It wisely directeth vs to consider that the cause of all misery and sorrow is sinne p. 330. 331 4. Faith meekeneth the heart willingly to submit it selfe to the good pleasure of God and patiently to beare his correction p. 331 Faith comforteth the conscience and curbeth vnbridled passions ibid. The considerations whereby faith perswadeth vnto meeknesse be many strong and irresistible As 1. The desert of sinne which is farre greater then any thing we suffer p. 332 2. The hand that layeth the rod vpon our backe viz. God our most wise iust gracious and louing Father ibid. 3. That this Cup how bitter and wringing soeuer is a medicine to cure not a poyson to destroy ministred in great loue and tender compassion to driue out corruption confirme faith preserue from falling strengthen grace weane from the world and bring neerer vnto God p. 332. 333. 334 4. After serious humiliation faith bringeth tidings that God will looke downe from Heauen in mercy and send helpe in fittest season p. 335 5. Faith doth re-minde vs of our conformity with Christ in afflictions and of his partnership with vs therein p. 335. 336 6. Faith setteth before vs the infinite recompence of reward ibid. The first act of faith It teacheth wisdome to iudge aright of all afflictions p. 335. 336. 337 6. True and vnfained confidence will not keepe silence in the eares of the Lord nor cease to importune his aide c. p. 337. 338 7. It rayseth the heart being conscious of it weakenesse to rest vpon the Lord for strength who makes vs able to doe all things through his strengthening of vs. pag. 338. 339. 340 8. By faith the godly heart is drawne to vse all meanes of helpe that God in his prouidence doth afford but resteth quietly vpon Gods promises and assurance of his presence aboue all likelihoods and appearances p. 340. 341 This manner of dependance on the promises which faith worketh is absolute without limitation of time measure of affliction or manner of deliuerance p. 341. 342 What faith turneth it selfe to meditate vpon for support in this case p. 342. 343 9. Faith belieueth one contrary in another and out of the deepest distresses gathereth assurance of sweetest deliuerances p. 343. 344 10. It reioyceth in tribulations and triumpheth before the victory p. 345 We must liue by faith in the heauiest afflictions and of longest continuance p. 345. 346 The acts of faith in this case 1. It teacheth that many and strong afflictions of long continuance are no more then necessary p. 346. 347 2. Faith in the greatest extremities suggesteth that we are vnder the hand of God who correcteth in measure and for our profit who hath determined the time and weight of our afflictions and by his blessing will turne them to our good p. 347. 348 3. Faith setteth a man about this worke that is seriously to make inquiry into his heart and wayes deeply to humble himselfe before God and feruently to intreat mercy for sinne past wisdome to make vse of present misery and fauour to be set free p. 349. 350 4. Faith raiseth the heart to expect abundance of mercie from God and through prayer and supply of the Spirit to reape profit and taste comfort answerable to the sorrowes it hath felt and endured p. 350. 351 Liuing by faith in times of tryall and visitation doth fit and pâ—epare the heart to thankefulnesse when light shall shine from on high and that so much the more as our afflictions haue beene the sharper p. 351 In affliction faith seemeth to be most weake and corruption most stirring 1. Many doubtfull thoughts ascend in Christians hearts partly because they know not that they are allowed to liue by faith in an afflicted state partly because they iudge amisse of their afflictions p. 351. 352 2. Gods physicke whilst it is driuing out corruption makes vs feele and complaine of it more then euer p. 352 3. In afflictions faith is tryed the sweetnesse of it is not so much felt ibid. 4. It is the office of faith to receiue the potion and further the kindly working of it which cannot be done vnlesse it stirre vp godly sorrow and wrestle painfully to driue out corruption p. 352. 353 Helpes to stirre vp faith in deepe afflictions when all meanes faile 1. Wee must lay open our sorrowes before the Lord and powre out our complaint before him pag. 353. 354 2. Confesse our sinnes with hatred and godly sorrow ibid. 3. Take vp our hearts for halting through vnbeliefe and call vpon them to rest in the promise of diuine aide assistance and deliuerance 354. 355 4. Importune the Lord and direct our supplications before him p. 355. 356 5. Quicken our resolution to trust in the Lord at all times euen when all refuge faileth p. 356 CHAP. VIII GOd hath made many promises of earthly blessings p. 357 In speciall the Lord promiseth length of dayes health strength wealth fauour peace joy good successe safety good Name and all these
not only to the righteous themselues but to their children and posterity pag. 358 359. 360 It is necessary to belieue these promises for 1. Faith in these promises doth kill couetous desires distrustfull and distracting cares p. 360. 361 2. He will neuer renounce carnall supports who makes not God the stay of his soule for outward things ibid. 3. Beliefe in God brings good successe ibid. 4. If we cleaue not to the promises of God made concerning temporall things we shall adhere to the promises of life with lesse assurance p. 361. 362 5. Faith sweetneth and sanctifieth vnto vs the vse of all outward comforts vnder our hands p. 362 The godly are allowed to liue by faith touching these promises For 1. Seâ—ing God hath giuen Christ for vs how shall he not with him also freely giue vs all things p. 362. 363 2. The Lord by couenant hath promised to furnish his people with all needfull blessings pertayning to this life p. 363 3. God is our faithfull Creatour we the worke of his hands He is our Shepheard we the flocke of his pasture He is our Father we his children p. 364. 365 4. The patient expectation of the Saints hath confirmed this that God will not bee wanting to his children in things of this life p. 365. 366 The acts of faith in respect of these promises 1. It preserueth from the vse of all vnlawfull meanes knowing that nothing can prosper which God approueth not p. 366. 367 2. Faith is painfull prouident and frugall p. 367 3. It maketh inquiry into the heart turneth from euill and seeketh the face of the Lord earnestly ibid. 4. It stirreth vp to pray without distrustfull fruitlâ—sse excessiue care c. p. 368 5. It seeth riches in God submitteth to his wisdome resteth in his loue and so maintaineth a Christian in some measure of contentation p. 368. 369 6. In prosperitie it keepeth the heart in an holy temper and disposition in humility and meeknesse tendernesse and compassion p. 369. 370 7. It prayeth as earnestly for the sanctification of prosperity and Gods blessing vpon the meanes as for the meanes themselues if they were wanting p. 370. 371 8. It makes heauenly minded in the vse and possession of a prosperous estate ibid. 9. Faith breeds godly iealousie and suspition lest the heart should be drawne away with the pleasing delights of things transitory p. 371. 372 10. It mindeth vs of our change euen when our mountaine seemeth strongest p. 372. 373 How to liue by faith in the vse of meate and drinke 1. By faith we learne out of the Word of God who hath sonne-like interest and title vnto the creatures what creatures are sanctified vnto our vse and how each man must sanctifie them by a reuerent and holy vse p. 373 2. It receiueth them not as the fruit of our fore-cast labour or desert but as gifts of Gods bounty yea as gifts of the gracious couenant p. 373. 374 3. By faith we are taught that man liueth not by bread only but by the prouidence of God and his blessing vpon his owne ordinance ibid. This perswasion takes the heart off the creature and lifteth it vp vnto the Lord in earnest and pertinent prayer pag. 374. 375 4. It teacheth to bee heauenly-minded labouring to taste Gods goodnesse and feele his gracious presence with our spirits at our sweetest feasts p. 375 5. Faith worketh the heart to sobriety and moderation watchfulnesse and feare lest it should bee ensnared and drawne away with these delights p. 375. 376 6. It lifteth vp the soule in thankesgiuing pag. 376 377 7. Faith is frugall compassionate industrious pag. 377. 378 CHAP. IX THe Lord cals for willing chearefull vniuersall vnfained constant obedience p. 378. 379 Looke what seruice the Lord doth expect and call for that hee will inable his people in couenant to performe p. 379. 380 The obedience of the faithfull is imperfect but pleasing p. 380. 381 This faith is most necessary to the leading of a Christian life scil to rest vpon God for ability to doe what hee requireth c. For 1. The word of grace teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse c. p. 381 2. Want of belieuing the precepts is the cause why many doe still continue in the practice of diuers things inconuenient ibid. 3. Ignorance in this point is the cause why some of the better sort of people are off and on c. ibid. 4. Faith carrieth a man whither soeuer he shall see the Lord to goe before him p. 382 5. Our present faith is commensurable to our fidelitie in Gods Commandements ibid. 6. That act cannot please God which is not animated by faith p. 382. 383 7. When a Christian knowes not whether hee shall haue strength to doe what God requireth or his poore seruice shall find acceptance it must needes occasion many feares and doubts deadnesse and vnchearefulnesse pag. 383. 384 8. Confidence in God to be inabled strengthened and accepted will cut off temptations and discouragements and nourish courage resolution and forwardnesse in wel-doing p. 384 Christians are allowed to belieue that God wil inable them to walke in obedience 1. God hath promised in his couenant to teach them the way that they shall chuse p. 384. 385 2. When he sends forth his seruants vpon any businesse he doth euermore promise to aide and assist them in the execution of it p. 385 3. The seruants of God haue and doe begge grace to bring forth fruits worthy repentance and amendment of life ibid. 4. The faithfull haue bound themselues by couenant and oath to keepe the righteous iudgements of the Lord. p. 386 5. God will perfect the sauing worke which hee hath begun in any of his children ibid. The acts of faith touching obedience required 1. It makes a man wise to discerne what is lawfull good and seasonable ibid. 2. It curbes inordinate passions and ouercomes all impediments temptations difficulties and allurements to the contrary p. 387. 388 3. It purifieth the heart seasoneth euery facultie of soule qualifieth and strengtheneth naturall inclinations altereth the taste of euery appetite and so inableth to obey p. 389 4. Admirable in force and efficacie is the perswasion of faith aboue all the oratory in the world p. 389. 390 5. It disposeth and moueth the heart to absolute vniforme vnpartiall and constant obedience p. 390. 391 6. It fires the heart with vnquenchable loue which in comparison of obedience contemneth the whole world pag. 391. 392 7. Faith makes sensible of our manifold infirmities and that hath bl ssed effects 1. It causeth serious meditation vpon the Word of God that it might sinke deepe into the heart p. 392 2. It worketh the heart often to renew its resolution trusting in Gods grace ibid. 3. It stirres vp earnest and hearty prayer to bee taught vpheld and confirmed ibid. 8. It doth confirme in obedience and pricke forward therein though it be in manifold and bitter persecutions p. 392. 393. 394 Meanes how to quicken our
faith to the chearefull practice of that duty whereunto we find our selues dull and sluggish 1. Wee must acknowledge and bewaile this dulnesse and sloth make it hatefull and shame our selues for it before the Lord. p. 394. 395 2. Call vpon our soules by many powerfull and strong perswasions to awake to the worke of God with liuelinesse p. 396. 397 3. Pray to the Lord that hee would reuiue and quicken vs. p. 397 4. Renew our resolution to walke with God trusting in his grace ibid. CHAP. X. CHristians are allowed to liue by faith in the duties of their vocation for 1. God hath commanded vs to labour in a calling 2. Prescribed the bounds of our calling 3. And promised his blessing to our honest endeuours p. 398. 399 It is necessary we should liue by faith in the duties of our vocation 1. To preuent the euils which beset vs in our ordinary callings as couetousnesse iniustice impatience and distracting care p. 399 2. That worke is not acceptable which is not done in faith p. 400 The acts of faith in respect of the duties of our calling 1. It informeth to make choise of an honest vocation for which wee are fitted and into which wee may enter by good and lawfull meanes p. 400 2. Faith instructeth not to meddle aboue our knowledge but to leane vpon the liuing God not on our skill or cunning p. 401 3. It quickeneth the most skilfull workman to striue with God in prayer that the worke he setteth about might succeed well and prosper ibid. 4. It causeth diligence care vprightnesse and faithfulnesse in all the workes actions and businesse of our calling as knowing that whilest we walke honestly therein we doe seruice to the Lord. p. 401. 402 5. It incourageth to the most difficult painfull and in the worlds esteeme disgracefull workes of our callings p. 403 6. It strengtheneth against manifold troubles disgraces oppositions and discouragements that men meete withall in their places p. 403. 404 7. It directs wisely to order the affaires of our calling and to goe about them in good manner p. 404 8. It teacheth to moderate cares confine desires of earthly things and commit our selues to God for the successe of our worke p. 404. 405 9. It supporteth with strength patiently to beare the calamities that accompany vs in our callings p. 405. 406 10. Faith restraineth distrustfull care concerning the successe of our labours but is not slacke to craue Gods blessing vpon our labours p. 406 11. If we find wished successe it makes vigilant frugall humble mercifull and thankefull p. 406. 407 12. Faith coupleth the labours of our calling with the practice of Christianitie ibid. How we should liue by faith touching the successe of that worke whereunto wee are called which wee finde to bee much aboue our strength or meanes 1. Faith causeth selfe-deniall in respect of iudgement wisdome and power p. 407 408 2. It teacheth submission to Gods direction and dependance vpon his aide helpe and assistance p. 408. 409 The props of this faith are two 1. The exact infinite wisdome of God who knoweth what meanes be fit to be vsed now and what not 2. Gods prouidence which rules in euery thing which fals out euen the least matters ibid. 3. Faith thus vnder-propped bringeth forth industrie and endeauour to obserue God in his prouidence p. 409. 410 4. Faith cannot bee silent Hee that belieueth will pray ibid. 5. It putteth life and hardinesse into vs. ibid. 6. It waiteth vpon God for good successe and triumpheth before the victory p. 410. 411 7. Faith is ready and forward to prayse God for good successe ibid. CHAP. XI THere bee many promises made in Scripture that God will blesse his owne ordinances to his peoples good p. 412. 413 These promises are firme grounds whereupon the faithfull may build this affiance that by the conscionable vse of Gods holy ordinances he shall be made wise vnto saluation c. p. 414 The serious meditation of these things is exceeding profitable to quicken and encourage vnto chearefull and constant attendance vpon God in his ordinances p. 414 It is necessary to liue by faith in the vse of Gods ordinances For 1. It auayleth not to liue vnder the Gospell if it bee not receiued in faith p. 414. 415 2. It is not sufficient to haue faith but it must be exercised to receiue that grace which the Word of God doth reach vs with the seale ibid. The acts of faith in the vse of Gods ordinances 1. It teacheth to worship the true God purely pag. p. 415. 416 2. It delighteth greatly to behold the face of God in his Sanctuary p. 416 3. It seeketh acquaintance with God and the knowledge of his will in Iesus Christ p. 417 4. It glueth the heart close to the Word receiueth possesseth the good things promised and chargeth the disposition of soule into the nature of the Word p. 417. 418 5. It quickeneth to serue God in the vse of all his ordinances with diligence chearefulnesse and best endeuour p. 418 Parents should in faith present their children to God in Baptisme p. 419 The acts of faith in this particular 1. It calleth to remembrance the free and gracious couenant which God hath made with belieuing Parents and their posterity p. 419. 420 2. By faith the belieuing Parents must giue themselues vnto God chusing him to bee their portion and resigning themselues in all things to bee guided by his Word p. 420 3. It prouokes Parents to offer their children vnto God by hearty and vnfained prayer assoone as euer they haue receiued them from him ibid. 4. It considereth what a singular prerogatiue it is to be actually admitted into Couenant with God receiued into his family and to haue his name put vpon vs. p. 420. 421 Feruent effectuall prayer doth accompany these meditations of faith ibid. 5. It stirreth vp hearty reioysing in the Lord that hee hath vouchsafed in tender compassion to looke vpon them and their posteritie and thus to honour and aduance them p. 421 6. It stirreth vp Parents to be diligent and carefull to bring vp their children in information and feare of the Lord. p. 422 By faith we should make right vse of our Baptisme all the dayes of our life p. 422. 423 The vse to be made of Baptisme is twofold 1. It serues to be a pledge and token of Gods fauour for 1. It is a seale of our Regeneration by the holy Spirit p. 423 2. It confirmeth vnto vs the free pardon and forgiuenesse of our sins ibid. 3. Baptisme is a pledge of the vertue of Christs death and of our fellowship therein ibid. 4. It is also a pledge of the vertue of Christs life and of our communion with him therein ibid. 5. Baptisme is a pledge of our adoption in Iesus Christ p. 424 6. Baptisme is a solemne testimony of our communion with all the liuely members of Christ Iesus ibid. 7. It is a seale and pledge to assure that
God will prouide for vs in this life raise vp our bodies vnto life at the last day of Iudgement and bestow vpon vs that euerlasting kingdome and inheritance which he hath prepared p. 424. 425. 426 2. It is a seale of our dutie promised 1. It is a spurre to repentance and mortification p. 426 2. It is a prouocation vnto faith and a pledge thereof p. 426. 427 3. It is an incitement vnto new obedience a pledge thereof p. 427. 428 4. It is a pledge and pawne of loue and vnitie pag. 428 The new exercise of faith is requird in the worthy receiuing of the Lords Supper ibid. The acts of faith in receiuing the Lords Supper 1. By it we discerne the Sacrament to be the holy Ordinance of God instituted for our speciall good and benefit sealing vnto vs the promises which God of his free mercy hath made in Iesus Christ p. 428. 429 2. By it wee see what the Lord doth offer vnto vs therein how excellent and pretious it is with what assurance it is freely tendered and may be receiued p. 429 3. It sharpeneth spirituall appetite and stirreth vp hungring and thirsting after Christ and his benefits ibid. 4. It earnestly contendeth for mercy confessing sin with griefe and hatred c. ibid. 5. By faith we receiue Christ offering himselfe freely to be contracted vnto vs. p. 429. 430 6. By faith we resigne vp our selues vnto Iesus Christ and willingly yeeld soule and body vnto him p. 430 7. Faith feedeth vpon Christ and sucketh vigour from him ibid. 8. Faith assureth of that spirituall contract which hath passed betwixt Christ and the Christian soule and is sealed in the Sacrament p. 430. 431 9. It stirreth vp ioy and thankefulnesse with serious remembrance of the manifold blessings which in Christ Iesus are vouchsafed p. 431. 432 Meanes to stir vp our selues to receiue the Lord Supper in faith 1. We must bewaile our vnbeliefe dulnesse earthly-mindednesse the distemper of our spirituall taste c. ibid. 2. Consider how freely the Lord doth tender Christ to be receiued in his Word and Sacrament ibid. 3. Weigh and consider the blessed state and condition of them who be reconciled vnto God c. p. 433 4. Hauing troth-plighted our selues to Iesus Christ vnfainedly we must awaken and rowse vp our soules to reioyce in him ibid. CHAP. XII THe faithfull are bound and it is behouefull for them to belieue the threatnings p. 434 The godly man is not slauishly to feare falling away or running into destruction but wisely to belieue the threatnings to preuent falling into sinne and so into condemnation ibid. 1. The threatnings are part of the Word of God ibid. 2. In the state of innocencie there was vse of threatnings so is there in the state of grace p. 434. 435 3. Promises and threatnings mingled fit our state and serue to keep the heart in the best temper ibid. The acts of faith in respect of the threatnings 1. It worketh humblenesse of mind and heart p. 435 2. It bringeth forth awfulnesse reuerence and feare p. 436 3. It stirreth vp continuall watchfulnesse to shunne whatsoeuer might breed danger or procure Gods displeasure p. 437 4. The threatnings mingled with faith cause sorrowfull melting or relenting of heart for sinne committed ibid. 5. When we see by faith from what miseries wee are deliuered of the free grace and mercie of God our hearts are enlarged in prayse thanksgiuing p. 437. 438 This life of faith is most excellent and comfortable for 1. By faith we are directed to seeke and follow after Christ till wee come to be assured that he dwelleth in vs as the fountaine of life and that in him we are deliuered from the guilt and punishment of all our sins p. 438 2. By this faith wee may come to sound rest and holy securitie about our saluation from time to time ibid. 3. If God lead vs into the darke by this faith we are enabled to hold him by the hand ibid. 4. Hereby the rage of sin is weakened and we haue grace to walke in newnesse of life and all the parts of it with ioy and chearefulnesse p. 439 5. By it we walke in our callings chearefully honestly painfully c. ibid. 6. This faith teacheth vs to pray at all times as our necessities require ibid. 7. If the affliction be very grieuous and of long continuance faith doth neither quaile nor cease to seeke helpe p. 439. 440 8. The life of faith shall end in ioy and comfort p. 440 9. He that hath learned to liue by faith shall also die in faith ibid. FINIS Errata PAge 3. l. 8. r. profession of faith p. 9. l. 23. more r. mere p. 22. l. 34 eased r. saued p. 44. l. 24. r. grace for p. 61. l. 1. r. distinction p. 67. l. 9. r faith receiueth p. 73. l. 26. l. 27. insert the more sincerely it worketh p. 75. l. 4 dele for p. 76. l. 30. r. confirmed p. 87. l. 36. dele themselues p. 91. l. 17. dele the p 92. l. 26. r. change p. 94. l. 3. r assured p. 96. l. 4 r. arise not l 26. r. with contrary effects p. 97 l 14. r. wauer as p. 104. l 24. r. they may be p. 116. l. 28. verde r. weede p. 118. l. 18. before thinke del I. p. 120. l. 4. liue r. lie p. 128. l. 11. r. faith yeeldeth p. 136. l. 13. r. this resting l. 36. r. possession of p. 143. l. 21. r. and receiueth p. 144 l. 18. r. seate faith p. 156. l. 5. r. liue in l. 7. r. how the Lord p. 174. l 12 r good will p. 175. l. 31. for r. or p 196. l. 31. r. walke heauily p. 201. l. 2 r. enliues it p. 221. r. But when the p 223. l 1. r. with a 1 p. 248. l. 26. 27. r. so long as p. 251. l. 5. r. deriueth p. 253. l. 9 10. r. resisteth p 292 l. 5. but r. we 296. l. 11. r. frowardnesse l. 17. r. are poore p. 302. betwixt l. 34. 35. insert after also of no strength p. 307. l. 23. we r. he p. 309. l 19. r. what might hurt him p. 313. l. 21. r. set open p. 315. l. 2 r. couering sin p. 328. l. 28 r would be 329 l. 4. vp r. vpon p. 344. dele from delight l. 6. to in l. 7. p. 345. l. 2. 3 r. persecuters p. 348. l. 9. r. such miseries p. 374. l 28 r. drinke and not be satisfied p. 393. l. 25. r. the Lord God p. 417. l. 29. r. It giueth p. 423. l. 14 r. the lauer p. 455. l. 10. r. tartnesse Errata in Margine PAge 4. de prae r. in prae p. 5. Acts 6. r. Acts 9. ibid r. preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. r. particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 13. Heb. r. Hab. p. 34. Mat. r. Mal. p. 50 r. § Sanctus Augustinus p. 133. Iohn r. Jonah p. 139. r. 1. Pet. 1.5 p. 144. Iohn 24 r.
Luke 24. ibid. Psal 10. r. Psal 119.11 p. 147. 4.29 r. 4.18.19 p. 157. Mat. 3.17 r. Mal. 3.17 p. 241. Psal 52.2 r. Psal 51.1.2 p. 243. profit r. comfort p. 252. discomfort r. thraldome p. 328. Psal 60. r. Psal 68. p. 358. Prou. 14 r. Prou. 4. ibid. vers 14. r. vers 24. p. 416. Psal 102. r. Psal 105. p. 433. r. Iohn 6.56 A TREATISE OF FAITH The first Part. CHAP. I. Of the diuers acceptations of Faith IT is expedient and necessarie that all Christians should acquaint themselues with the doctrine of Faith §. 1. The necessitie of Faith because the safetie of all Christian Religion doth depend vpon the right vnderstanding of this matte and Satan with his subtleties hath euer endeauoured to obscure this doctrine by the mists of Sophismes or to weaken it some other wayes that he might rob God of his glorie and the Church of the certaintie of her saluation And if the necessitie of a thing knowne and acknowledged stirre vp to enquire into it and labour after it this also may prouoke vs to search and enquire what faith is 1. Faith is of the number of those necessary things which are necessarily required to the obtaining of others and not of those which are wrought by compulsion or by any necessary cause compelling Heb. 11.6 As if a man would see he must open his eyes and yet he is not by externall violence forced thereunto 2. No vnbelieuer can please God for how should hee who is incredulous and diuided from God please him who is most true and faithfull Ioh. 3.16 18 36 Rom. 3.28 1. Cor. 1. â—1 Saluation is in the pleasure and power of God which he dispenseth according to his owne not our will But he accepteth none as righteous to life but them that belieue 3. The qualitie of this present life and our habitation 1. Cor. 5.6 7. in which we are absent from the Lord doth euidence the necessitie of faith As a sonne that liues from the presence of his Father must belieue his letters and messengers sent vnto him 4. The qualitie of things necessary to bee knowne for the obtaining of saluation is such that they cannot bee apprehended or receiued without it As in humane things the qualitie of Arts and Sciences is such that they require vnderstanding Acts 15.9 Rom. â— 28 Ephes 1.13 14. because they cannot bee conceiued without it so in things diuine faith is requisite without which wee can neuer comprehend the mysteries of saluation 5. The gifts which God bestoweth vpon his children the graces which the Holy Ghost doth worke in their hearts doe necessarily require faith by the ordinance and determination of the Lord. §. 2. Diuers acceptations of the word faith Math. 23.23 Rom. 3.3 Gal. 5.22 Titus 2.10 § 2. The word Faith in Scripture is taken diuersly 1. It is put for truth fidelitie or faithfulnesse constancie and iustice in word and action promise or accomplishment 2. By faith sometimes true Christian knowledge and perswasion Rom. 12.3 14.1.22 or the measure thereof is to be vnderstood specially the sound knowledge of Christian libertie in Iesus Christ 3. It noteth a sure testimonie or firme demonstration of a thing to come Acts 17.31 4. It signifieth the doctrine of the Gospell and so Christ the subiect of the Scripture which preacheth saluation to bee no otherwise but by faith in Christ and this is called by Diuines Acts 6.7 13.8 Gal. 1.23 3.2.5 Gal. 3.23 24. faith which is belieued 5. It is taken for beliefe of the Gospell the habite being implyed in the act the gift in the exercise which is the faith whereby wee beleeue And this is expressed by the phrases of Belieuing God Iohn 5.46 47. Iohn 2.22 23. Luke 24.25 Acts 26.27 Belieuing on God Belieuing on Christ Belieuing the Prophets 6. Faith is put for vnfained profession ioyned with feruent desire to further Christian Religion and a godly life Rom. 1.8 Gal. 6.10 Acts 14.22 Math. 9 2. 1. Thess 1.3 § 3. Faith signifying beliefe is vsed to note 1. An ordinarie knowledge and bare assent to the historicall truth of Scripture grounded vpon the authoritie and truth of the Speaker though sometimes holpen by experiments §. 3. Sorts of Faith and other inducements and probabilities of the things and this is called faith Historicall Historicall faith that is a naked Iam. 2.19 24. Acts 26.27 imperfect dead assent without trust or confidence in the mercies of God or adherence to the Commandements Howbeit we must not imagine that faith is reputed vnsound or not saluificall because historicall rather it is oftentimes vnsufficient to saue because it is not so fully historicall as it might be but the name of historicall faith arose hence that some are said to belieue who did neuer embrace Christ as their only Sauiour withall their hearts nor confidently relie vpon the promises of mercie otherwise faith iustifying doth more certainly belieue the truth of the historie of the Gospell and so is more historicall than the faith called historicall 2. It is taken for an affiance of heart embracing the word as good Faith Miraculous which in respect of the obiect may be distinguished into Miraculous or Ordinarie For the obiect of faith is 1. Cor. 13.2 Matth. 21.21 7.22 either some speciall and singular promise for the doing of some extraordinarie effect wherein wee trust by a miraculous actiue faith Marke 9.23 Acts 14.9 Luke 17.19 or it is some speciall promise for the obtayning of some spirituall or bodily good thing after an extraordinarie manner whereon wee trust by a miraculous passiue faith as it is called or else faith doth respect the generall and common promises which are made in the word of life and made good to them that belieue whereon wee rest by faith ordinarie But faith Miraculous and Ordinary are not diuers graces but the same grace exercised about diuers obiects The grounds of faith are different Zanch. de redempt lib. 1. c. 12. de prae 1. Sect. de Fide Thes 2. and so are the effects and adiuncts that flow from thence but the grace it selfe one and the same As the Fathers belieued speciall reuelations and extraordinary promises made to them by the same ordinary faith by which wee belieue the common promises of saluation reuealed in the Word so the singular promises of God made to some Belieuers concerning the working of miracles were embraced by the same faith by which they did adhere to the generall promises of mercy or were raised vp to the doing of acts of loue For that faith which doth receiue the more excellent promises as are they concerning spirituall life and saluation can much more lay hold vpon other promises of an inferiour nature if they be made and certified vnto vs. Faith temporarie That faith which is carried to the generall promises is either a confidence vanishing vncertaine
not-rooted called faith Temporary Mat. 13.20 21. Luke 8.13 14. or an affiance certaine wel-planted constant knowne by the name of Iustifying or sauing faith Iustifying faith so called from the principall effect For to iustifie is not the full effect of this confidence or affiance Luke 8.13 Matth. 13.23 beyond which the efficiencie of it doth not extend but because this is the principall thing wherein the force of true faith is occupied Acts 24.14 Acts 15.9 Psal 119.66 Acts 27.25 Gal. 5.6 it is so called Iustifying faith belieueth the historie purifieth the heart sticketh to the Commandements receiueth the temporall promises worketh by loue but it is called Iustifying from the principall effect as the soule is called reasonable from the power it hath to inuent iudge and discourse not that these are her only faculties In the Scriptures of the New Testament this faith is vnfolded in these and such like phrases To belieue God To belieue in or vpon God Rom. 4.3 Iohn 5.24 Acts 16.34 18.8 Iohn 14.1 Rom. 9.33 Acts 6.42 Acts 16.31 Iohn 2.11 3.16 Io. 1.12 3.33 Marke 1.15 Acts 11.1 2.41 1. Cor. 2.14 To belieue in or vpon Iesus Christ To receiue him To receiue the testimonie of God To belieue the Gospell To receiue the Word of God To belieue God signifies no more but to assent to that which the Lord speaketh but belieuing as it belongs to the vnderstanding is the roote and foundation from which confidence of the heart doth spring and flow such a beliefe in the minde is signified in this and all other phrases as is alwayes necessarily accompanied with trusting in God for that which wee belieue hee can and will bring to passe And the other of trusting to or relying vpon is implied whensoeuer wee find that ascribed to belieuing which cannot bee obtained without faith in Christ And if wee search the Scriptures wee shall find these phrases To belieue a Rom. 4.3 with Rom. 4.5 24. Rom. 10.10 11. Iohn 8.30 31. Act. 19.4 Iohn 1.12 Acts 16.34 with 31. Marke 1.15 Gen. 15.6 with Rom 4.3 God and to belieue in God to import one and the same thing A preposition b Exod. 14.31 and 19.9 Luke 24.25 Iohn 2.23 is added to belieue when nothing but assent of minde is signified and it is put without a c Iohn 9 35.38 Esay 28.16 with Rom 9.33 preposition wheÌ„ trust or confidence is implied Rom. 3.22.26 Acts 3.16 Gal. 2.16 Phil. 3.9 Acts 24.24 Col. 3.5 Gal. 2.26 Ephes 1.15 Bayne in Ephes â— 15 d The Hebrew preposition serueth oftentimes to note the accusatiue case and is vsed or omitted without any difference Deut. 7.6 7. 1. Sam 14.37 Esay 33.15 Iob 24.22 Deut. 28.66 Psal 106.12.24 Esay 43.10 The 70. translate the particle sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jerem 12.6 2. Chron. 20.30 Psal 28.32 ordinarily by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 4.6 22.4 5 25.2 37.3 Psal 11â— 8 9. 146.3 Sometimes they omit it altogether Exod. 14.31 19.9 Ps 106 12. Gen. 15 6. and sometimes they adde the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the Hebrew hath no particle Esay 28.16 In the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are often put interchangeably one for another Marke 1.9 2.1 Math. 2â— 1 Marke 1.15 Luke â—3 42 Rom. 5.21 Gal. 5. â—0 Phil. 3.3 1. Tim. 3.16 Ephes 6.24 And the Heathen Greekes vse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Xenophon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moreouer wee reade sometimes the Faith of Christ and faith which is by Christ sometimes faith on Christ and sometimes faith in Christ which seuerall formes of speech note much the same thing but that as some learned men obserue the first may be conceiued as propounding Christ the simple obiect Doct. 2 of faith The second phrase Christ the obiect together with our adhering to him The third noteth Christ the obiect our adhering in him together with the word propounded as the way and meane by which wee come belieuingly to inhere in him §. 4. Not the habit but the act of faith is required § 4. But euermore when faith is required it is not the facultie whereby wee are apt and furnished to belieue but the act and exercise of that habite whereby we execute the function of belieuing which is to be vnderstood For this is that which God commandeth in the Scriptures not that our soules be adorned with the habit of faith though that be necessarie but that we belieue in him Belieue in the Lord your God Repent yee and belieue the Gospell 2. Chron. 20.20 Marke 1.1 Marke 9.23 Io. â— 12 14.1 If thou canst beleeue all things are possible to him that belieueth But as many as receiued him to them he gaue right to become the sonnes of God euen to them that belieue on his Name Yee belieue in God belieue also in me Iohn 3. â—8 Acts 8.37 He that belieueth on him is not condemned If thou belieuest with all thine heart thou mayest The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation Rom. 1.16 1. Iohn 3.24 to euery one that belieueth This is his Commandement that yee should belieue on the Name of his Sonne Iesus Christ Ephes 1.8 We are saued by faith Acts 16.31 is all one with that Belieue on the Lord Iâ—sus Christ and thou shalt be saued We are iustified by faith Gal. 2.16 Acts 13.39 10.4 is all one with that By him all that beleeue are iustified from all things from which yee could not be iustified by the Law of Moses Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall receiue remission of sinnes Rom. 4.3 Abraham belieued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse And therefore the Israelites are reprehended that they belieued not in the Lord Num. 14.11 Deut. 9.23 Psal 78.21.22 A fire was kindled against Iacob and anger also came vp against Israel Because they belieued not in God and trusted not in his saluation None but those belieuers are praised Blessed is she that belieued Luke 1.45 Iohn 20.29 Rom. 9.33 Because thou hast seene mee thou hast belieued blessed are they which haue not seene and yet haue belieued Whosoeuer belieueth on him shall not be ashamed CHAP. II. Of the Authour and worker of Faith Iustifying § 1. IVstifying faith §. 1. What Iustifying Faith is which not only belieueth God speaking in his Word but mebraceth all diuine truth as containing the chiefe good of Man as being the most perfect doth necessarily require before it faith historicall comprehend all other kinds vnder it It may be defined a liuely and obedientiall affiance or confidence wherby we rest vpon Christ for saluation receiue the promises of grace temporall and spirituall sticke to the Commandements as good both simply and in comparison and feed vpon the word with sauour and delight More largely It is a wonderfull
and supernaturall gift of grace wrought by the Holy Ghost through the Ministerie of the Gospell in the heart of Man a sinner acknowledging and bewayling his offences whereby hee doth not only assent to the whole truth of God and is certainly perswaded that Iesus Christ is appointed of God to be the authour of saluation to them that belieue in him and his Sauiour if hee doe belieue but doth relie cast and repose his soule vpon Christ his Sauiour and by him vpon God as a louing Father in him cleauing inseperably to the Word of truth as good both simply and in comparison and feeding vpon it as the wholsome food of life § 2. God the Father §. 2. God is the authour of faith in his Sonne Iesus Christ our Mediatour by the Holy Ghost is the Authour and worker of Faith Ephes â— 8 Pâ—â—l 1.29 Acts 18.27 Iohn 6.44 Iames 1.17 As saluation so faith is the gift of God It is through grace that men belieue No man can come vnto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Euery good thing comes from the Father of lights but faith is a gift after a speciall manner most free and profitable comming from the grace of the Donor bestowed vpon vs when we are euery way vnworthy It is such a gift as comes not from common bountie such as God made shew of in the creation but from a speciall fauour which he beareth his in Christ Iesus The Scripture is cleare and euident herein and strong reasons may be deduced thence to proue it For of our selues wee haue no power to belieue or to prepare our selues thereunto There is no such soile in our hearts whence such fruit should spring The meanes of grace and the operation of the spirit accompayning it are free and voluntarie No man can belieue vnlesse he be created and formed anew But regeneration is a free worke of Gods grace and mercie Heb. 12.2 Faith is the worke of God the Father in Iesus Christ For as the naturall head doth not only giue sense and motion to all the members now conioyned but doth send forth those bands whereby they come to bee coupled with it so Christ doth not only giue spirituall sense and motion to his members already vnited vnto him by faith but he is the spring whence this sinew of faith doth flow and issue vnto vs. The Spirit of God is the principall worker of faith and hence wee are said to receiue the Spirit of faith that is the holy Ghost in and through this gift of faith which he worketh and continueth in vs. 2. Cor. 4.13 Rom. 15.13 By faith wee receiue the Holy Ghost and faith is the worke of the Holy Ghost the action of the Holy Ghost creating faith in vs How we are said to receiue the holy Ghost by faith is before faith But the beginning of faith is the receiuing of the Holy Ghost and faith being begun the gifts of the spirit are more more increased by it Ephes 1.13 Gal. 3.14 Faith it self is a work of the spirit but an augmentation of the graces of the spirit is obtained by faith the more our faith dilateth it selfe the more plentifully doe the graces of the spirit flow into vs from Christ Iohn 1.16 Of whose fulnesse we receiue grace for grace How the Spirit is obtained by Prayer Faith doth obtaine the Holy Ghost by prayer and prayer is an act of grace and of the Spirit as faith is a worke of the Spirit Luke 11.13 Before we can lift vp our soules vnto God the holy Ghost must descend into vs and lift vs vp for we moue not but as wee are moued The Holy Ghost is giuen to the Elect before they aske but a greater measure of the Spirit is obtained by Prayer § 3. Faith is not alike in all §. 3. Faith is imperfect though a worke of the Spirit in none perfect though it be the worke of the Spirit for the Spirit worketh faith not as a naturall agent which putteth forth it power to the vttermost and alwayes produceth like effects if it be not hindred but as a voluntary agent which putteth not forth his power to the vtmost worketh according to his pleasure in whom he wil as he wil but not in all alike The Spirit worketh faith not by morall perswasion only inciting to belieue Faith is a powerfull worke of God and leauing it to our free choice whether we will assent or no but by his powerfull operation and omnipotent hand put forth for such a purpose hee produceth this gracious effect There are no seedes of faith in our nature out of which by more outward teaching we may be brought to beliefe for then should faith be naturall as all other things are which our nature can attaine to with outward helpes There is no spirituall life in vs before the infusion of grace whereby we should be able to embrace the perswasions of the spirit for then we should liue spiritually of our selues before wee are quickened by grace If the Spirit of God doe only moue and perswade to belieue then God doth not make the belieuer to differ from the vnbelieuer but the good vse of his owne free will It is of grace that man might belieue and so might he that continueth in infidelitie for hee receiued equall aide and was equally perswaded and incited by the Spirit But if the question bee why doth the one belieue and not the other it is not the Spirit here that makes the difference but the good vse of mans free-will and so that man is inabled to belieue it should bee of grace but that he doth belieue and so differ from other men this should be from himselfe The same power that raised Christ from the dead is said to raise vs vp to belieue Ephes 1.19 20. 1. Pet. 1.5 2. Pet. 1.1 2 3. If an hand or eye bee wanting to a man from his birth can any power restore them but the Almightie power of God by which the body was at first framed and fashioned By what power then is this hand of faith created which reacheth to heauen this eye which doth see the things within the vaile which concerne our peace Io. 6.37 Acts 13.48 Phil. 1.29 Matth. 11.26 This further appeareth by the cause that moueth the Lord to bestow faith vpon some which is his free eternall vnchangeable grace and loue whereby hee loued them to be made heires of saluation before the foundation of the earth was laid For so farre as God effectually willeth and intendeth to worke so farre he putteth forth his omnipotent power to accomplish But God doth intend and effectually will to draw some vnto him before other some §. 4. How God produceth Faith § 4. In producing faith first God bestoweth vpon man the gift of vnderstanding and spirituall wisdome opening and illuminating the eyes of his minde to know the promise in Christ and to
iudge and esteeme those things reuealed of God to be the most vndoubted and infallible truth This vnderstanding is requisite to faith for it is impossible for a man to belieue that whereof he hath no knowledge or vnderstanding Out of question faith is a most wise gâ—ft or grace of Gods holy Spirit making those that be endued therewith wise vnto saluation which we shall easily discerne if we consider how great the subtletie of that old Serpent the Deuill is as also the deceitfulnesse of sinne both which are defeated by faith This vnderstanding is the gift of Gods grace for as reasonable vnderstanding is beyond the compasse of that knowledge which the beasts haue by kâ—nd so is this vnderstanding farre beyond the reach of all that wisedome left in corrupted nature It is a worke irresistable for it is wrought according to the purpose of the Lord 2. Cor. 4.6 2. Tim. 1.9 Dan. 11.36 and the counsell of God cannot be frustrated In illumination the minde suffereth not from any naturall power which it hath to conceiue or vnderstand spirituall things but from that state of obedience that the minde standeth in vnto Almightie God whereby it must necessarily see whatsoeuer he will enlighten it to behold and set before it There is no naturall power in an eye now blind to receiue sight but if God will enlighten it must needs see So there is no naturall power in the eye of the mind now become darknesse to receiue the light of sauing knowledge which is euery way a thing both for matter and manner supernaturall vnto it but if he open the eyes of the vnderstanding and shine into the heart it must needes vnderstand Secondly God doth infuse or powre the habit of faith into man whereby he giueth to will to come vnto Christ and to enioy him The first worke of God is signified in Scripture by opening the eyes of the vnderstanding Ephes 1.18 Acts 26.18 Lukâ— 24.45 Iohn 6.44 Esay 50.5 Acts 16.14 Ezek. 11.19 the second by Gods drawing vs both at least figuratiuely by the opening of the eare the opening of the heart the taking away the heart of stone and giuing an heart of flesh This second worke is requisite to faith for as a dead man can do no act of life vntil a liuing soule be breathed into him nor a blinde eye see vnlesse new light be giuen vnto it no more can man dead in trespasses and sinnes moue himselfe to receiue the promises of grace vntill the free and gracious disposition or habit of faith be infused whereby the will is inclined agreeably to the disposition of it to come vnto God As man cannot naturally see or perceiue the things of God no more can hee naturally will or desire them And this is apparant by the hardnesse of mans heart that cannot repent till God mollifie it 1. Cor. 2.14 Isay 65.2 3. Rom. â— 5 and by his stiffeneckednesse and stubbornnesse to resist the holy Spirit speaking in the Ministerie of the word vntill he be renewed and changed by grace This habit of faith is receiued not by any naturall disposition of will in vs to heauenly things for then man should liue spiritually of himselfe before the life of grace be put into him but the heart as it standeth in obedience to Gods Almighty power to take what stampe he shall imprint to follow him wither hee shall draw and to containe what hee powreth into it The increase of faith is of God admitteth this habite And as the beginning so the increase and progresse the consummation and perfection of faith is the gift of God the worke of the Spirit Heb. 12.2 Luke 17.5 Marke 9.24 Phil. 1.6 2. Thes 1.3 11. Of God the increase of faith is to be asked and from him it is receiued As we cannot will to belieue vnlesse God prepare the heart and giue that will no more can we will to perseuere in faith or goe forward therein vnlesse God doe minister strength and sustaine vs by his grace §. 5. Faith is the gift of God and the act of man § 5. Faith then is the gift of God and the act of man a wonderfull and supernaturall gift of God and a liuely motion of the heart renewed by grace and powerfully moued by the Spirit The power to belieue and will to vse that power is of God But the act of the will in resting vpon Christ is mans It is man that belieueth but it is God only and altogether that inableth stirreth vp putteth forward and inclineth the heart to belieue By Gods enlightening man seeth by his teaching he vnderstands and the Lord enclining his will he willeth embraceth possesseth and keepeth Christ with all blessings promised in him So that faith is the motion of mans heart wrought in him by the Spirit of God Euen as a wheele which of it selfe cannot moue yet being moued of another doth moue whose motion though but one is said to be the motion of the mouer and of the thing moued so faith is nothing but the action of God in man but considered in a diuers manner it is both the act of God and man as wrought by God in man it is the worke of the Lord as the motion of man his heart being moued of God it is the act of man For the action of man in belieuing with the heart is nothing but his knowing and acknowledging of things by Gods making him know and acknowledge them his apprehending willing chusing embracing and retayning them by Gods making him to apprehend will chuse embrace and retaine them It is true that we Belieue because we will Belieue but wee will Belieue doth note not the princip ll cause but a cause subordinate working by way of free disposition which diâ—position it receiueth from an higher cause Heb. â— 4 not from naturall strength The Iust is said to liue by his owne faith and faith is called ours or our owne not that we are the Authours cause or workers of it but because we possesse it and are the speciall subiects in which it is wrought by God And also because it concernes our selues in particular and what wee belieue wee belieue it particularly concerning our selues § 6. Not to dispute whether God doth extraordinarily worke faith in the hearts of men §. 6. Faith wrought by the Word without the externall publishing of his word will or pleasure this is sure that ordinarily the Holy Ghost doth worke by the Ministerie of the Word The Word can doe nothing without Gods Spirit and ordinarily the Spirit will doe nothing without the Word Faith is called the fruit of the lips Esay 57. â—9 the Word is both the meane whereby we belieue and the subiect matter of our beliefe A man may see without light or colour heare without eare or sound as possibly as belieue without the Word of God For when faith is an affiance or perswasion touching the good will of God towards vs in
it neither extinguisheth the nature of man nor the light of reason Faith is not a brutish captiuitie which yields vp her eyes to bee put out but the vnderstanding receiuing a more excellent sight by faith yeilds vp the worse and doth not loose her light but exchange it for the better There is a double assent one from reason the other from authoritie both are made with the knowledge of the Minde knowledge is included in both in the one of the cause and properties which is strictly called Science in the other of the authoritie and truth of the reuealer and in that respect of the thing taught which is called Faith Rom. 10.14 17. 1. Cor. 4.14 1. Cor. 13.2 Bellar. vbi supra How shall we belieue in him of whom we haue not heard There is no sight without some visible obiect no faith without the knowledge of God in Christ Though knowledge be not faith but an habit distinct from it yet it concurres to the being of faith in as much as no man can assent to that hee neuer heard of Wisdome is distinguished from knowledge as a thing more excellent which yet it presupposeth so faith is distinguished from knowledge but cannot be without it The knowledge which hath no ingredience into faith is the knowledge of that which is not reuealed for faith not only goeth before such knowledge but vtterly repels it neuer admitting any curious search into Gods secrets But in things reuealed faith knoweth what it belieueth and by belieuing knoweth the more Faith is the cause of more ample knowledge but some knowledge of Gods will and pleasure is antecedent to faith This knowledge must be distinct sound certaine And this knowledge must be distinct sound and certaine For faith diuine is sure and certaine therefore the knowledge whereupon it is grounded must be such as cannot deceiue The assent which faith giues to the Word of God is absolute and vnlimited which can neuer bee yeilded vnlesse being certaine in it selfe we know it certainly as it is 1. Thess 5.19.20 Col. 3.16 1. Iohn 4.1 Acts 17 1â— 12. 1. Reg. 13.20 21 Acts 1â— 1.14 Psal 119.18 34 73.144 Col. 1.5 2. â— Ephes 1.16 17. 2. Cor. 8.7 Hosius contra Brent lib. 3. Bellar. de Iustif. l. 1. c. 7. §. Iudicium Tolet. instr Sacerd l. 4. cap. 2. and bee assured that wee conceiue of it aright The examination of doctrines by the touchstone is commanded of God and wonderfully commended by the Holy Ghost the neglect of examining what wee heare doth bring great perill and danger for such as receiue doctrines vpon the credit of their Teachers are euer vnsetled apt to bee seduced and readie to start backe in time of trouble Certaine knowledge is to bee begged of God both for our selues and others and thankes haue beene and should bee giuen to God for this grace and mercie vouchsafed vnto the Saints The Papists haue much extolled the Colliars faith commended ignorance and disgraced knowledge as if faith were much better defined by ignorance then by knowledge but when they are pressed with euidence of Scripture in this point they grant that knowledge in all fundamentall points of Religion is necessary for lay people and would colour the matter as if they meant the knowledge of reason was not necessarie to faith T. W. in his triple accusation of D. White but of reuelation onely Not to dispute of their meaning in those propositions though their words and practice and matter intreated of sufficiently argue the vanitie of that excuse wee may take them as they say and spare labour to proue that faith cannot be a blinde assent because we haue their confession for it that faith requireth knowledge of reuelation The Implicite faith then of them that know nothing in Religion but belieue as the Church belieueth Rom. 1.17 16 1. Cor. 10.15 11.28 2. Cor. 13.5 2. Pet. 1.5 1. Pet. 3.15 Rom. 12.1 2. not vnderstanding what she belieueth or professeth is most absurd but when we know Christ truly and whatsoeuer is absolutely necessarie to saluation there bee many things wrapped vp from vs which wee ought to belieue in which respect faith may bee called implicite or infolded For being compassed about with mists of ignorance In what respects faith is Implicite wee attaine not the vnderstanding of many things reuealed of which we may note very many examples in the Disciples of Christ hauing not yet obtained full illumination Iohn 20.9 Matth. 16.22 Luke 24.25 Acts 1.6 10.14.11.2 Iohn 4.39 41. Heb. 11.31 and in them who being only stirred vp by the miracles of Christ went no further then to acknowledge him to be the promised Messias So that when a man knowes and vnderstands in generall the substantiall Articles belonging to faith which are contained in the Scriptures and is ignorant only in the particulars whereby the said general Articles are demonstrated and when withall he vses the meanes to encrease in knowledge by searching the Scriptures and hearing the Word preached in this case his faith may bee true though infolded in many particulars Faith also may be implicite in another respect for many that truely belieue cannot certainly affirme they doe belieue which befalleth them that are touched in conscience for sinne who bewaile their offences and desire to be reconciled vnto God Now as in the little tender bud are infolded the leafe the blossome and the fruit so in true sorrow broken-heartednesse and vnfained acknowledgement faith and many graces of Gods Spirit are infolded But this is not properly vnderstood when wee speake of implicite faith neither is faith so much wrapped vp in these graces as the sight of faith and sence of comfort hid from their eyes that be distressed § 2. Faith presupposeth knowledge and yeilds assent to the word of grace §. 2. Faith is an Assent relying vpon the authoritie of God who is true in all his sayings sincere faithfull constant in all promises and can neither deceiue nor bee deceiued Abraham belieued God Gen. 15.6 the word imports he thought the words of God to be sure certaine stable and constant Moses saying Exod. 4.31 Deut. 1.52 Exod. 4.31 14.31 Israel will not belieue me meaneth they would not assent or giue credit to his words And when it is said Israel belieued the Lord and his seruâ—nt Moses thereby is vnderstood that they gaue credit to the word of the Lord spoken by his seruant Moses This is cleere in the exhortation of Iehoshaphat vnto the people saying 2. Chron. 20.20 Belieue in the Lord your God so shall you be established belieue his Prophets so shall yee prosper And that of Dauid Psal 116.10 I belieued therefore haue I spoken Beliefe is alwayes grounded vpon the authoritie and reputation of him for whose word sake wee belieue and must needs haue reference to some vttered word or reuelation as the obiect but it may be sustained and strengthened by other
motiues and inducements experiments and probabilities Many obiects of faith may also bee euident and that which is belieued may also be seene Iohn 20.29 Thomas because thou hast seene me thou hast belieued There is a compossibilitie of faith and euidence in diuers respects whereby they may both stand together in the same man about the same obiect albeit faith rest not vpon that euidence but vpon diuine reuelation Faith and Science are habits that may stand together Faith by authoritie reuealed Knowledge or Science by euident demonstration For albeit faith exceed the dimension of reason yet reason is subordinate to it as sense is to vnderstanding And therefore as it is no inconuenience to say we vnderstand the thing we see no more then is it to say wee belieue that which is euident in diuers respects Many diuine things touching God which are receiued by faith may also bee found out by naturall reason And if things credible by the manifest likelihood of truth which they haue in themselues be made more credible by the knowne condition and qualitie of the vtterer faith relying vpon the authoritie of the reuealer may be strengthened by the probabilitie of the thing Faith is a firme assent 1. Firme as appeareth by the originall of the word and the arguments wherewith it is ioyned I am perswaded of the same thing Acts 13.34 2. Sam. 7.16 Phil. 1.6 2. Tim. 3.14 1. Iohn 3.19 that he which hath begun this good worke in you will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and art assured of For thereby we know that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts I am perswaded that neither life Rom. 8.38 nor death nor Angels nor principalities c. where the grounds of this perswasion shew it to bee firme and infallible And it is further manifested by the definition of faith giuen by the Apostle calling it Heb. 11.1 The euideÌ„ce of things not seen because it doth represent those things to the mind by a certaine assent and to the heart by certaine confidence which cannot bee comprehended by reason Yet somtimes accompanied with doubtings But though faith in it selfe be a firme assent yet by reason of our infirmitie it is somtimes accoÌ„panied with doubtings The things belieued of all are one and the same but the habit qualitie or inward strength by which they belieue is not of like force in all In it owne nature faith is opposite to doubting and wauering O thou of little faith Math. 14.31 21.21 wherefore didst thou doubt If yee haue faith and doubt not Whosoeuer shall say vnto this mountaine Take thy selfe away and cast thy selfe into the Sea and shall not wauer in his heart but shall belieue that those things hee saith shall come to passe Marke 11.23 Luke 12.29 Iames 1.6 Therefore aske not what yee shall eate or what yee shall drinke neither let doubtfull thoughts ascend in your hearts Aske in faith and wauer not But through our weaknesse it is often mixed with doubtings Lord I belieue helpe mine vnbeliefe Marke 9.24 Abraham is commended for his faith and propounded by the Holy Chost as a patterne to all his posteritie yet was he not free from infirmities as the storie sheweth in diuers particulars Rom. 4.16 The Apostle writeth thus of the faith of Abraham And being not weake in faith hee considered not his owne bodie now dead when hee was about an hundred yeares olde Rom. 4.19 20. neither yet the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe He staggered not at the promise of God through vnbeliefe but was strong in faith giuing glorie to God He doubted not through infidelitiâ— but of infirmitie he doubted Gen. 16.2 3 4. Gen. 12.13 when he tooke Hagar and requested Sarah to say she was his sister Much is spoken in Scripture of the faith of Dauid but hee was shaken many times as hee confesseth of himselfe Psal 31.22 I said in mine hast I am cut off from before thine eyes Psal 73.13 16 22. 116. â—1 Verily I haue clensed my heart in vaine and washed mine hands in innocencie I said in my haste All men are lyers And though it bee out of question that wee are to endeuour for the perfection as of all other graces of Gods Spirit so of that faith whereby wee giue assent to what God hath reuealed yet by reason of our weaknesse it comes to passe that doubtings doe many times arise in our hearts 2. Absolute The assent that faith giues to the Word of God is absolute and vnlimited viz. to the whole truth promises threatnings commandements It will not take and leaue at pleasure but if it apprehend in one thing what the Lord saith it will receiue his testimonie if it can apprehend it to be of God in euery thing and that simply because it is the Word of God though it exceed humane capacitie and likelihood Acts 24.14 So worship I the God of my Fathers belieuing all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets It is a sinne for a man not to belieue whatsoeuer God hath made knowne in his Word and in that respect it is damnable not to belieue or to misbelieue any thing But through ignorance and infirmitie a Christian may misbelieue many things without the danger of damnation Faith should be entire in all things must bee entire in all fundamentall points without the knowledge and faith of which a man of age and discretion cannot be eased but all errour and misbeliefe doth not destroy the truth of faith no more then euery imperfection doth the truth of righteousnesse A man may misunderstand diuers places of Scripture and thereupon hold that to be true which is false and yet be saued for all this errour Acts 1.6 2.2 3. The Apostles themselues for a long time euen till after the Ascension of our Sauiour into Heauen and till the comming of the Holy Ghost vpon them looked for the establishment of an earthly Kingdome in this world by their Lord and Master Did they not slip into this errour by misbelieuing the prophesies of the Old Testament Psal 72.17 Dan. 1.14 concerning the Messiahs Kingdome yet were they out of danger of damnation and in the state of grace all that time because they rested on Christ as the spirituall Sauiour of their soules that should take away their sinnes and bring them to euerlasting life in Heauen though they erroneously hoped for a temporall kingdome also And after they had receiued the gifts of the Holy Ghost for a time they were ignorant of the conuersion of the Gentiles Acts 11.2 3. Hee that belieueth the truth in one thing because God hath reuealed it will belieue euery thing that he vnderstandeth to be reuealed of God But he that holdeth the foundation of faith firme and stable may dissent in some things from that which is generally
was not mixed with faith in them that heard it where the doctrine of saluation is compared to wine which profiteth not vnlesse it be drunken that is receiued by faith and to belieue is spiritually to drinke the cup of saluation My soule thirsteth for thee saith Dauid Because thy louing kindnesse is better then life my lips shall prayse thee Psal 63.1 3 5. My soule shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse c. To belieue in Christ Iohn 6 35 50 51 53 54. is to eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and to drinke his bloud Temporarie faith tasteth the word as men doe meate which they spit out againe receiueth it as a raw stomacke doth meate which it vomiteth vp and cannot hold Heb. 6.5 but it neuer feedeth kindly vpon the seuerall parts of the Word of life nor standeth affected towards it as a good stomacke doth to wholsome nourishment which is euident in that the weeds of earthly-mindednesse pride pleasure are not stocked vp by the rootes and where these abide the soule is not rightly tempered to apprehend the worth and qualitie or feed vpon the iuyce of heauenly mysteries But where true and liuely faith hath residence the soule is tempered to symbolize with diuine goodnes and standeth affected to the seuerall branches of the word as a good appetite doth to wholsome food of diuers qualities Faith admits many interruptions This is the nature of Iustifying faith but it admits many interruptions in acts or operations The Minde is sometimes darkened with mists arising from our naturall corruptions sometimes our passions stirre violently that we cannot doe as wee would nor continue our adherence vnto the Word of life as better for the time being then the prosecution of some sensuall good that for the present doth moue our affections and is stolne into them Naturall taste is distempered with sicke humours that abound in the bodie so is the spirituall with temptations from without and spirituall diseases from within Thus it is with the best oftentimes in this life whilest the minde is clouded with earthly thoughts and the heart assailed with carnall lusts which through weaknesse or neglect of watchfulnesse creepe vpon and disturbe them for a time but in their right temper and good plight they are much better they taste and feed vpon the Word of truth and the fauour of God is sweeter to them then all the delights of the sonnes of men We conclude then that Iustifying faith is a firme absolute vnlimited assent and wel-rooted al-seasoning soueraigne affiance whereby we rest vpon Christ for saluation embrace the mercies of God as better then life and feed vpon the Word with sweet refreshing and delight CHAP. IIII. Loue is not the soule of faith yet Iustifying Faith cannot be without Loue. § 1. FRom that which hath beene spoken of the nature of faith § 1. Loue is not the soule of Faith these two things doe plainly follow First That loue is not the life and soule of faith Secondly That Iustifying faith cannot be without loue As light and heate in the Sunne be inseparable so is faith and loue being knit together in a sure band by the Holy Ghost but loue cannot be the forme or soule of faith Liuelihood is the qualification Loue the companion Workes the fruites or effects of that faith that iustifieth but faith receiueth not it vertue life or efficacie from Charitie or any other vertue but from the Spirit of whom it is breathed into vs from whom also it receiueth that it may giue force to all other vertues and good works whereby they are vertues and good workes It is faith and not Charitie that giues influence to all other graces euen to Charitie it selfe as faith increaseth so other graces increase as faith decreaseth so other graces decrease the l fe of faith is our life the strength of faith is our strength if our faith be weâ—ke there is nothing else whereby wee can bee strong It is the essentiall forme or act of faith to accept of the promises of mercie Heb. 11.33 Gal. 3.14 22. Math. 8.13 Rom. 4.16 Rom. 3.27 whereby wee obtaine them also God hauing appointed that as a condition that the promise might be sure to all the seed to exclude boasting and to set forth his free grace and fauour But Charitie cannot serue for that vse because I cannot presume of that that is anothers vpon any conscience of my loue towards him but vpon confidence only of his loue towards me Be it that all things are common amongst friends before we can build the cupon we must haue it resolued vnto vs that God takes vs for his friends which can bee no otherwise but by faith only Faith must first receiue embrace Rom. 3.25 and hold the merit of the bloud of Christ before there can be any assurance of friendship betwixt God and vs. And although being now in friendship with Christ our loue may giue vs encouragement and comfort to make vse to our selues of that that is his yet it is not by our loue that wee take it to make vse thereof For the act of loue is done only by issue and passage from him that loueth to the thing that is loued as from vs to Christ and therefore it must be somewhat else whereby we receiue from Christ to vs. How should the goodnesse of God bee the obiect of our charitie but by being first the obiect of our faith For therefore fore doe we loue the goodnesse of God or loue God for his goodnesse towards vs because first wee belieue the same neither can we so loue but by belieuing For charitie consisting simply in affection apprehends nothing in God of it selfe but receiueth all from faith The forme is the beginning of actions and that that giueth influence and life to another thing must needes haue a prioritie to that that receiueth it But charitie is not the beginning of the actions of faith specially of the act of belieuing the act of loue hath no prioritie to beliefe but followes after it and is quickened by it For by faith we embrace the Word and receiue Christ when as charitie compelleth vs to loue him whom we know embrace and hold by faith Wee first taâ—â—â— our meate and then loue it faith is the spirituall taste of the soule which feedeth vpon the sweet and tender mercies of the Lord before the heart bee enflamed with loue Faith and loue are different gifts and graces and some effects are attributed to faith which agree not to charitie as faith is said to iustifie to purifie the heart to ouercome the world to receiue the promises Charitie may be called an accidentall forme of faith that is it is an instrument vnto it for mouing and stirring abroad in the performance of all duties recommended vnto vs both to God and Man but the life and soule of faith it is not or the inward and essentiall forme whereby it hath life and being
within it selfe and whence proceedeth a motion and working that is proper to it selfe If charitie should bee the forme of faith then faith hath two different formes its proper and the forme of loue then faith should be the only pure matter of loue then should it be obedient to loue and contained of it as the matter is obedient to the forme and contained of it The Bodie is an instrument for the soule to worke by and not the soule an instrument for the bodie to worke by The forme worketh in the matter and not the matter either in or by the forme seeing the matter of euery thing is passiue only and not actiue And so it should bee betwixt faith and loue if faith were as the bodie and loue as the soule But charitie is obedient to faith faith gouerneth charitie for whatsoeuer wee loue vprightly it must be knowne by faith that wee ought to loue it and our loue must be quickened by faith to loue it vniformely and in right order Faith is the measure of loue and the measure of loue is according to the measure of faith the intention of loue according to the degrees of faith and the breadth of loue according to the extension of faith Where there is greater faith in God there is greater loue to God and as faith spreadeth it selfe so doth loue in vniforme manner § 2 §. 2. Popish obiections preuented Gal. 5.6 Faith is not wrought by charitie as the a Bellar. de Iustif l 2. cap. 4. § At ne daretur §. Distinctio Iesuite preuerteth b The Greeke word is not of the passiue but of the miâ—â—le voyce as it is in many other places of Scripture Gal. 5.6 Rom. 7.5 2. Cor. 4 12. In the Interlinear faith which is effectuall Pagnin working by loue And so Bellarm. himselfe de Iustif lib. 1. cap. 15. lib. 2. cap. 8. lib. 1. cap. 20. § Illud vero Rhem. annot in Gal. 5.6 Sect. 3. that text of Saint Paul for then it will follow that loue by which faith is wrought must needs follow that loue by which faith is wrought must needs be before faith whereas all acknowledge that faith hath the first being It is faith which first heareth and belieueth and receiueth the word of God and thereby prescribeth vnto charitie the way that it is to goe and the dutie it is to performe it inciteth to the worke it animateth the act and enlargeth the affection to the seuerall branches of loue without which what is charitie but a vild mishapen wandering affection rising or falling amisse comming short or running ouer what the partiall and maimed fruites of loue but the very carkase of a good worke Faith worketh by loue not as fire maketh hot by heate which is a formal propertie inhereÌ„t in it but as the soule doth this or that by the hand which is an externe instrument conioyned vnto it That by which a thing is constituted as by a beginning and by which it is effectuall that is the forme thereof But loue is a grace without the being of faith though conioyned vnto and faith is effectuall by loue as a primarie meane whereby it doth produce other effects not as by it beginning Christ is the fountaine of the water of life Faith in the heart is as the pipes and leads that receiue in and hold the water Loue in some part is as the câ—cke of the corduit that lets out the water to euery coÌ„mer Faith iustifyeth by receiuing the gift of righteousnes which is by the merit of Iesus Christ and goeth forth by charitie whereby as a working hand it performeth all duties commanded of God to the gloâ—y and honour of God What if loue bee the most excellent of all graces in some respects doth it thence follow 1. Cor 13.13 Bellar. vbi supra Heb. 11.6 that it is the life of faith By the same reason we may argue Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne is of no esteeme or account with God therefore faith is the foâ—â—e of all other graces It followeth not that because the eye is a more excellent member then the soote therefore the eye is the soule and life of the soote In what respects chari ie doth excell faith and faith charitie Noe more doth it that because charitie is a more excellent gift then faith therefore it should bee the life and soule of faith Faith and loue respectiuely haue the preferment each of other In respect of spirituall life faith is the most necessarie vpon which loue hath necessarie dependance but otherwise to loue is more then to belieue because it necessarily includes beliefe as to tast meate â—n respect of life is of more vse then to loue it though absolutely to loue meate be more then to tast it because it presupposeth tast If we respect latitude of vse charitie is more excellent then saith as which is extended euery way to God and Men and by which all the gifts of God which he bestoweth vpon vs are made profitable to other men But if we consider man priuately in himselfe and for his owne vse faith is more excellent then charitie as whereby wee are radically vnited vnto Christ and wherein standeth orginally our fellowship and communion with him Eph. 3.17 Gal. 3.14 by which Christ dwelleth in our hearts and wee receiue the promised spirit into which as a hand God putteth all the riches of his grace of our saluation by which all acts of grace are quickened wee feed vpon Christ for the strengthening and nourishment of the soule and whatsoeuer is in vs is commended vnto God If we respect length of time and continuance charitie is to be preferred before faith For faith is but for a time and when the promise of God which is the matter and subiect of it shal be fully accomplished the vse of it shall cease When faith passeth into an open knowledge and reuealed sight of the thing present it changeth both his nature and kind But loue abideth for euer and shall continue betwixt God and vs an euerlasting bond it shall be greater and more vehement but shall still retaine the same nature and substance albeit some workes which now it exerciseth shall cease The end of our faith is charitie but the foundation and director of loue is faith faith also is the victorie whereby we ouercome the world To saue a man faith is the greater in Man being saued loue is the greater Till faith haue finished our saluation loue must yeeld to faith when faith hath fully saued vs it shall haue an end for knowledge of sight takes away faith but loue shall abide for euer Absolutely loue is greater then faith but when we speake of the meanes of Iustification and attainment of that saluation whereto perfect charitie and righteousnes doth belong then faith must bee preferred as â—he greater more excellent Faith only beareth sway therein and this slender and weake charitie which we haue
And as their faith was such were their workes For it appeareth that they had oyle in their lampes and that their lampes were lighted although by long tarrying of the Bridegroome they were afterwards quenched Our Aduersaries teach that these Virgins had aspired to more then ordinary perfection in the Church and had they gotten this without good workes It is a strange perfection that can bee attained without all good deedes spirituall or corporall But they continued not they will say in their former charitie when yet they presumed strongly on the assurance of their saluation as is apparant by their confident demanding to bee let in for they said Lord Lord open vnto vs. Indeed they neuer had either true faith or loue and therefore could not continue therein For if euer they had beene pertakers of either in truth they would haue perseuered in both vnto the end and where the one is vtterly wanting the other neuer was Their earnest demaunding to be let in shewes rather their desire then their hope and yet how many hope presumptuously without true faith in Christ Faith is grounded vpon the Word of God and the thing which it belieueth is that which the Lord hath said Rom. 20.8 19. Whatsoeuer we conceiue of God besides his Word it is imagination opinion presumption but faith it is not But the Word of God denounceth destruction to the workers of iniquitie to the fruitlesse and barren fig-tree how can it then be said that they that worke iniquitie that bring forth no good fruit haue faith to belieue assuredly that they shall be saued The Apostle makes mention of some who professed that they knew God Titâ—â— 1.16 but were indeed vnbelieuers as the vulgar reads it And we know it is often threatned in the Prophets that the wicked shall cry Prou. 1.2 â— and not be heard call in feare but not in faith for they that in faith call vpon the Name of the Lord shall bee saued Rom. 10.15 But the Apostle Iames as they obiect supposeth plainly that a man may haue faith without good workes that is Iames 2.14 Bellar. vbi supra without charitie saying What shall it profit if a man say he hath faith and hath no workes Can faith saue him Wherein they take for granted what can neuer be proued that the Apostle takes woâ—kes for charitie Doe they thinke that they against whom the Apostle writes would grant that they were without the loue of God The Gnostickes were neuer so absurd But the question was whether a man that professed Iesus Christ to be the Sauiour of the world was not by this saued how lewdly soeuer he demeaned himselfe And it is apparant by the text that the Apostle speakes of an historicall dead faith a saith in profession as much differing from that whereto Paul ascribeth righteousnesse as a liue man doth from a dead or a bodie endued with life and motion from a painted or carued Image Therefore hee compares â—t to the good wordes of him that wisheth well to the poore man but doth nothing at all for him As therefore it is no true charitie which professeth good will to helpe and helpeth not so it is no true faith which is seuered from good workes To this tendeth his question What auaileth it Iam. 2.14 though a man say that hee hath faith and his other demand Iam. 2.18 Shew me thy faith The vttermost he extendeth it to by instance is a meere historicall faith Thou belieuest that there is one God Iam. 2.19 Hiâ— purpose is to shew that faith if it be truly professed hath taken roote within Jam. 2.20 from whence spring by obedience the fruits of all good workes and if it giue not forth it selfe by good workes it is a dead no true and liuing faith The men against whom hee disputes did make profession of Iustifying faith Iam. 2.20 22. but the Apostle brings the true liuely and working faâ—th of Abraham as opposite to that idle dead and breath-lesse faith professed by them and saying Was not Abraham our Father iustified by workes when he offered his Sonne Isaac vpon the Altar hee meaneth no more then if hee had thus spoken If Abraham had said as they did whose emptie faith hee disapproues I haue faith but had not proued his sayings true by his deeds or readinesse to offer vp his only Sonne when God commanded him for actually hee did not offer him hee had not beene iustified before God Why because hee had not belieued in such sort as Paul meant when hee saith Heb. 11.19 By faith Abraham offered vp Isaac when hee was tried which was the act of his faith as the text expresly noteth Yea further to shew the vanitie of them that boasted of Iustifying faith because they professed faith in God he addeth The Deuils belieue also and tremble shewing Iam. 2.19 that the Deuils goe so farre as to belieue the truth of God yea further for they tremble and therefore the faith professed in word by those boasters cannot bee the same with that which the Scripture nameth for a Iustifying faith They cannot shuffle this ouer by telling vs that Christian faith when it is naked and void of good workes Bellar. de Iust lib. 1. cap. 15 §. ad tertium W. B. against Perkins reformed Catholike Whether faith may be without charitie may well be likened vnto the Deuils faith in two points First in both of them there is a perfect knowledge of all things reuealed Secondly W.B. against Perkins reformed Catholike this knowledge shall not steed them any whit But in many things they differ but this one is principall That Christians out of a godly and deuout affection doe willingly submit their vnderstanding to the rules of faith But the Deuill against his will belieues all that God hath reuealed This is but a poore euasion for if they will heare their brethren of Rhemes Rhem. annet in Math. 15. Sect. 1 they tell them plainly that Saint Iames doubted not to call a dead faith without workes the faith not of Christians but of Deuils The Apostle then doth not liken Christian Iustifying faith to the faith of Deuils in some points only but proues the dead faith professed by some not to bee true and sauing faith indeed because the Deuils belieue in that manner The first point wherein the faith of Christians and of Deuils is said to agree comprehendeth the fulnesse and perfection of that which they call Catholike or Christian Faith which consisteth in belieuing all to bee true that God hath reuealed No more is there in Abrahams faith if we consider the act of faith and no lesse in the Deuill and the same in euery Catholike Christian according to their doctrine That which is added to shew the difference betwixt the faith of Christians and the faith of Deuils is little to the purpose For it is not taken from the nature of faith it selfe but from those things
which to faith are meerely accidentall The godly and deuout affection and willing submission to the rules of faith which is in Christians being an act of charitie and not of faith differenceth not true faith in it selfe from the faith of Hypocrites but distinguisheth faith and charitie from faith only And thus our Aduersaries make the Deuill a Catholike against his will Or if they will say that true Christian faith doth alwayes actually and necessarily imply this godly affection and willing submission of vnderstanding to the rules of faith then because this cannot bee without charitie let them say as the truth is that true Christian faith cannot bee separated from loue and good workes It is impertinent to dispute whether the faith of Deuils be naturall coact and dishonest or the faith of wicked men supernaturall voluntarie and Honest as if these things distinguished the faith of vngodly men from the faith of Deuils For if the maiestie of Gods infallible truth command the assent of Deuils to that which they loue not doth not the same cause also preuaile with vngodly men who beare no affection to God or goodnesse And as for the honestie or dishonestie of the act there can no circumstance bee named why it should bee honest in wicked men and dishonest in the Deuils for it is fearefully abused in both And if it be granted that faith without workes or grace is in men the gift of God but the faith of Deuils not so this argues a difference only in the cause not in the essence nature or qualitie And though it bee his gift yet being without grace and charitie and without these of necessitie as vnfruitfull as the faith of Deuils both which our Aduersaries grant it is no more auaileable to make a Christian then the faith of Deuils is It is further obiected if faith cannot be without charitie then faith alone doth not iustifie This followeth not Bellar. de Iustis lib. 1. cap. 15. §. At si §. postremâ— for it is one thing to say faith alone doth not iustifie another that faith which iustifieth is not alone This latter wee yield vnto the first wee denie Faith alone doth iustifie that is priuatiuely considered without hope or charitie as causes concurring therewith in iustification but this faith cannot really be seperated from or negatiuely considered without hope and charitie For though it be true that the total cause of any thing being in act the effect must needs follow yet from the totall cause we cannot separate those things together with which it hath in nature it existence and beeing and without which it cannot be in act for the producing of the effect though they conâ—erre nothing thereto because that is to denie the being of it and to destroy the cause The eye alone seeth the eare alone heareth but it must be a liuing eye and hearing eare not separated from the head or broken off from the rest of the bodie Faith alone iustifies without other graces not in regard of their presence but in regard of their co-working with faith to this effect of our Iustification It is one thing to say the eye is in the head without other senses and another thing to say the eye doth see alone no other sense seeing with it Liuelihood is the qualification of that faith that iustifieth and workes at least a preparation and promptitude of heart to good workes is an effect of faith as immediate as Iustification So then faith cannot bee withot loue and yet wee apprehend not the promises of eternall life by workes but by faith alone although truly they cannot be apprehended by parties destitute of workes at least of sincere resolution to walke in obedience Nor doth faith alone apprehend the truth or deriue the benefit of diuine promises to our selues but by it alone though accompanied with all other sanctifying graces and attended with the whole traine of good workes wee expect and pray the promises may be fulfilled not for our sakes or for any righteousnesse wee haue in vs or can hope for in this Life but only for the merit of Christ by his sole mediation and intercession In briefe the faith which iustifieth is operatiue attended with good workes of all sorts accompanied with all graces of the the Spirit but we liue by it as it vnites vs to the Lord of life yea by it alone not by it and other parts of grace in as much as by it wee trust in Gods mercies offered in Christ wholly relying on them not partly on them and partly on our workes or righteousnesse CHAP. V. Of the generall obiect or matter of Faith Iustifying §. 1. What doctrines are called matters of Faith § 1. MAtter 's of faith strictly and properly those are called which pertaine to the nature and essence of faith first and by themselues as are the points of faith contained in the Gospell the ignorance whereof is damnable and the deniall hereticall But in a more large acceptation all truth reuealed by God in his holy Word is a matter of faith and to bee belieued as God hath reuealed it Hence is that rule of Diuines There are many integrall parts in the Word of God which are said to bee of the word of faith but not propeâ—ly a matter of faith For there are many historicall domesticall and particular matters set downe for example not properly for faith which wee belieue not because they pertaine to sauing faith but for that they appertaine to the Word written by the Spirit of God And not much vnlike hereunto is that distinion that some things are necessarie to bee belieued to saluation by themselues and the authoritie of the Scriptures as the substantiall points of faith and manners others for the authoritie of the Scripture only as those which are not so necessarie and some neither by themselues nor the authoritie of the Scripture as are things in themselues indifferent so long as by circumstance they bee not repugnant to faith truâ—th loue and edification § 2. Iustifying faith is considered §. 2. Iustifying faith is two wayes considered either according to it most eminent effect which is to iustifie or according to it full and adequate act For that faith which iustifieth doth imbrace the Commandements belieue the threatnings looke to all the promises of God made in Iesus Christ concerning this life or the life to come and receiue the good things promised it sustaineth in aduersities worketh by loue as an instrument conioyned with it guideth all our actions and giueth firme assent vnto euery article of faith and euery part of diuine truth but as it iustifieth it is conuersant about Christ obeying to death that we may find righteousnesse and forgiâ—enesse of sinnes to life in him or it cleaueth vnâ—o Gods mercies manifested in that eteâ—nall sacrifice alwayes breathing out life to men renouncing all trust and confidence euen in such graces as we haue receiued from God The trueth mercie fidelitie and power of God
righteousnesse which is of God through faith For looke as nothing in a poore man can make him rich further then it doth get riches into his possession so nothing in vs sinners can make vs righteous to life further then it doth lay hold on such a righteousnesse which can take away sinne and make vâ— righteous to the receiuing of life eternall Faiâ—h is câ—lled the faith of Christ Gal. 2.16 because Christ is he whom faith doth apprehend and receiue to righteousnesse and life according to that of the Euangelist Iohn â— 36 1. John 3.12 13 He that belieueth on the Sonne of God hath life euerlasting That is the principall obiect of faith for which embraced and receiued by faith eternall life is giuen from grace Ioh. 6 47. 17.3 But eternall life is giuen of grace for Christ embraced or rested vpon by Faith a Ro. 10.10 11. Rom. â— 9 1. Cor. 15.3 To belieue Christ dead and risen as the Apostles taught him is true beliefe but that is not barely to belieue the historie of his Death and Resurrection but the fruits and benefits thereof and that wiâ—h the affiance It is so to belieue the Death and Resurrrection of Christ as thereby to looke for forgiuenesse of sinnes which is to put our trust in the speciall mercie of God through Iesus Christ This is plaine by the words of Martha for when Christ asked her Iohn 11.26 27. Doest thou belieue this that whosoeuer belieueth on me shall not die euerlastingly She answereth yea Lord I belieue that thou art Christ that is I cannot doubt but that those that cleaue to thee shall haue life euerlasting teaching that these confessions imply an affiance and trust of all good through him The Euâ—uch his profession was Acts 8.38 I belieue that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God but the faith of this Eunuch waâ— a particular confidence of heart whereby he embraced Christ his Sauiour and belieued on him for his particular benefit and comfort Nathanael professed of Christ Iohn 1.49 50. that hee was the King of Israel that he was the sonne of God and so much in generall the Deuilâ— belieue and know Marke 5.7 Luke 8.28 was Nathanaels faith nothing but a bare perswasion that Christ was the Sonne of God yet it was a perswasion ioyned with affiance for he rested vpon him and so belieueâ— the promise of mercie in him God hath raised vp Christ to bee a Prince and Sauiour to giue repentance to Israel Acts â— 21 Rom. 8.34 and forgiuenesse of sinnes and to belieue Christ a Prince and Sâ—uiour raised from the dead and set at the right hand of the Father doth imply trust and affiance in him for forgiuenesse of sinnes and life euerlasting through the grace of God § 2. It is obiected §. 2. that to belieue the power of God is Iustâ—fying faith for our Sauiour required no more of the blinde man Math. 9.27 28. then to belieue that hee was able to heale him And the Leper seemeth to doubt of his will Marke 1.40 Bellar. de Iustif lib. 1. cap. 8. but waâ— well perswaded of his power But it is one thing to looke vnto Christ for bodily health or to receiue a temporall blessing another to belieue in him to Iustification For the faith which Christ requires to Iustification is such a faith as doth acquite vs from our sinnes and doth procure vs righteousnesse But many were healed by our Sauiour that for ought can be proued were not acquited from their sinnes And if these blinâ—e men had only belieued that he was able to â—ure the malady of their eies notwithstanding this their faith their soules had beene vncured their sinnes vncouered Many that were cured of their bodily infirmities were also healed of their spirituall diseases not because they belieued his power to helpe them but because they relied vpon him as their only Sauiour And the testimonie it selfe sheweth that the blinde men belieued Christ to be the Messias in times past promised of the Father and now exhibited so that they might belieue to iustification Heb. 11.33 34 35. but their beliefe of his omnipotencie did not iustifie them The writer to the Hebrewes sheweth in diuers examples that by Iustifying faith some subdued Kingdomes other some stopt the mouthes of Lions certaine quenched the force of fire others escaped the edge of the sword c. All which things though temporall were atchieued by Iustifying faith which is the hand of the people of God to receiue good by but faith iustified not as it was occupied about or looked vnto these things but as it was carried to an higher obiect The healing of corporall diseases was a seale vnto vs Isay 53.4 Math. 8.17 that Christ is our deliuerer from sinne and death as the Scriptures testifie and our Aduersaries confesse and therefore in belieuing the mercie of God towardes them in healing of their diseases they might forthwith conceiue that of his free grace hee would be pleased to forgiue their sinnes which are the true causes of all our maladies Bellar. de Iustif lib. 1. cap. 9. It is againe obiected that in the Creed is contained the whole obiect of Iustifying faith But in it there is no mention of the speciall mercie of God In this obiection there is a two-fold mistaking for in the Creed is contained the obiect of faith which is belieued that is the summe of doctrine to be belieued to saluation is there explained But here we speake of the obiect of Iustifying faith by which we belieue The doctrine of faith is one thing the priuate act of the heart relying vpon the promises of mercie another Now when we enquire what is the obiect of Iustifying faith the question is not what is the summe of faith or of the articles to be belieued but what the faith of the heart in all these articles which it belieueth doth first and principally looke vnto rest vpon and receiue to saluation For when all Christians professe and historically belieue all the Articles of the Christian faith yet many are not iustified or saued because they belieue not as they ought whence it is euident that bâ—re assent to the Articles of Religion is not that faith which iustifie or sâ—ues but another of farre different nature is required if wee would bee pertakeâ—s of these blessings Againe verball mention of Gods speciall mercie there is not any in the Creed but really it is inâ—luded For to belieue in God is to depend vpon his mercie reaching to the pardon of our offences Ier. 31.33 Esay 25.9 33.22 To belieue in Christ is to relie vpon him as the authour of redemption reconciliation and peace with God which doth necessarily imply the speciall mercie of God And in the Creed we belieue the remission of sinnes which article cannot bee explained according to the doctrine of the Gospell without beliefe in the speciall mercie of God and confidence thereon
The conclusion is The Word of God is the generall obiect of Iustifying f ith the speciall promises of mercie and forgiuenesse in Christ Iesus is the speciall obiect of faith as it iustifieth § 3. This beliefe in the rich mercie of God frameth the Image of God in our hearts §. 3. Faith in Gods special mercy frameth his Image in the Heart and imprinteth the vertues of Christs death vpon the soule as by application the seale doth set it stampe vpon the waxe A man cannot walke in the Sunne but he must beare it hue no more can he belieue in the grace and mercie of God to the pardon of his offences but he must beare the Image of Gods mercie vpon his soule And so faith in Christ doth incite to the vniforme studious practice of pietie towards God who of his gracious free vndeserued loue and mercie is pleased to repute Belieuers as his Sonnes by adoption and compasse them with his fauours and of mercie kindnesse long-suffering forbearance forgiuenesse towards men looking to God for it patterne whom it must and ought to follow The Belieuer cannot put on Christ as a Iustifier but he must put on the bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of minde meeknesse long-suffering forbearance c. and the closer he putteth on Christ vnto righteousnesse the moâ—e quicke and operatiue bee these graces of thâ— Spirit more liuely the operations theÌ„selues that issue from theÌ„ as quickned animated by that faith CHAP. VII Iustifying faith is a particular and certaine confidence resting vpon the mercie of God in Christ for pardon and forgiuenesse not an assured perswasion that our sinnes be alreadie pardon d and forgiuen §. 1. Iustifyi g f i th is a particular and certaine confidence § 1 IVst fying faith doth not onely belieue the promise of mercie in generall as that there is foâ—giuenes for them that lay hold vpon it but it relieth vpon the promise for our owne particular and dâ—pends wholly thereupon looking after no other helpe For trust or confidence importeth the application of some good to him that trusteth and so he that casteth himselfe vpon the promises of mercie drawes neere vnto Christ throwes himselfe into his armes and graspes about him with all his might Looke how the poore Infant affrighted with the apprehension of some danger clinges close to the parent for succour and defence or a man in danger of drowning layes hold vpon some willow that growes vpon the bank and hangs thereon for safetie so doth the soule pursued by the terrours of the Law and affrighted with the vgly sight of sinne flie with speed vnto Iesus Christ as hee is held forth in the Gospell hang vpon him and to die for it will neuer loose his hold For in him it apprehends plentifull redemption and out of him it knowes no succour is to be â—ound In this sence faith applyeth the promise of grace to a mans selfe in particular that is it particularly relieth vpon the grace of God in Iesus Chrâ—st to obtaine pardon and forgiuenesse Numb 21.9 Iohn 3.14 15. Euen as they that were stung with the fierie Serpents did come and looke to the brazen Serpent belieuing to find the healing of those deadly stings that were fastened in them Thus a soule stung with sin and feare of damnation commeth by faith to Christ relying on him trusting to finde in and through him cure of those deadly euils wherewith it is wounded If a Prince should offer a generall pardon to Rebels causing it to be proclaimed that if they would lay downe armes submit themselues and flie to his mercie they should be receiued to fauour and wee should see many heereupon cast downe their weapons and sue for mercy would wee not presently know that they belieued the promise that they should bee pardoned So when Christ saith to sinners come vnto mee or belieue on mee and I will ease you what faith thinke we haue sinners who resort vnto him Is it not a beliefe that he will according to his word deliuer them from sinne and death and restore them to life eternall If there bee a particular word or that which is equiualent then there is a particular faith But there is a particular word or that which is equiualent For the thirstie and barren soule that is stung with the terrours of the Law they that labour are heauie laden Math. 11.28 Esay 55.1 2. 1. Iohn 3.24 Iohn 3.16.36 Acts 10.43 13.39 Rom. 10.9 10. are inuited to come vnto Ch ist and exhorted intreated perswaded commanded to belieue the promise is Whosoeuer belieueth in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life which is as much as Thomas thou art burdened and doest labour thou art wearie and thirstie come thou vnto mee behold I inuite belieue thou for vnto thee doe I reach forth the promise of mercie receiue it and thou shalt â—iue Foâ— the particulars are euer in their generals How can we proue Gal. 3.10 that Iohn or Iames are by nature vnder wrath and the curse otherwise it cannot be proued then thus Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things that are wâ—itten in the booke of the Law to doe them How can we proue that Thomas or Peter are bound to loue the Lord and to abstaine from murther fornication theft but because it is said to all men Thou shalt loue the Lord Thou shalt not steale Deut 6.5 Iohn 7.37 c. And thus it is said to all Let euery one that is a thirst come vnto me and drinke Belieue in the Lord Iesus Acts 16 31. and thou shalt be saued whence euery thirstie and burdened soule may conclude I ought to bâ—lieue God calleth and commandeth me to belieue he hath giuen me his promise and offers mercie and belieuing I shall be saued The faith of true Belieuers goeth further then the faith of Deuils can doe But thâ—y may and doe belieue or know that Christ died in generall for sinners and that they shall be saued who belieue in him If Iustifying faith haue not in it some particular confidence then it is not opposed to despaire so as to expell it For things that will not endure the one the other most haue contrarietie as fire and water if the one doe not fight and driue forth the other then may they dwell together But true faith and vtter desperation cannot stand together Iames 1.6 Math. 6.30 1â— 31 Rom. 4.20 Heb. 10 2â— but doe expell each other Moreouer true faith in Christ doth breed confidence and boldnesse according to that Let vs enter with confidence and boldnesse through faith on him True faith therefore hath in it particular confidence in the grace of God For as nothing can make hot which hâ—th not heate in it selfe â—o can nothing make confident which after some manner hath not confidence in it To a Math. 1.20 2.20 John 17.8 receiue is to take in particular to a mans selfe or
42.3 Math. 12 2â— There is a state wherein faith is a smoaking weeke desiring that it could belieue rather then getting vp to feele it selfe belieue discouering it selfe by earnest sighes and groanes for mercie and hanging vpon Christ though the Belieuer can scarce tell whether hee rest vpon him or no This faith is certaine in euent but the Belieuer in this state is farre from particular assurance of his saluation Againe though faith bee not troubled but doe quietly stay on Christ and taste God good in letting them find peace with him yet such is the infancie of spirituall vnderstanding in Christians specially now first conuerted that they doe not returne into themselues and iudge of that they doe and of the great consequence of that they doe Hence it is that they will tell you they find God good to them and goe on chearefully in duties for the present but they come not to behold the stabilitie of their saluation The child liues before hee knowes that he doth liue and knowes he doth liue before he knowes the cause of life or the inheritance whereunto he is borne and so it may be and is with a Belieuer Psal 31.22 77.3 8 9 10. There is a state in which faith is exercised with temptations from vnbeliefe or otherwise by which opposition the soule is kept from obtaining this certaintie being encountred with doubtfull appearances which it cannot well answere and cleare for the present There is a state wherein faith is now growne vp and hath either out-wrestled or otherwise is exempted from knowing such temptations in which condition the faithfull doe perswade themselues Phil. 1.19 20. 2 Tim 4.18 that Gods mercie and truth and power shall carrie them through vnto saluation But when now our consciences shall come to testifie through faith and experience this happy estate we are subiect by neglecting meanes laying downe our watch giuing the reines to our lusts or by secret desertions ere-while to loose for a time this comfortable perswasion the Spirit not speaking in vs by his light as heretofore and our consciences and faith so hurt and wounded that the actions of them are troubled depraued as we see the like befalleth the naturall senses and reason Wee see through Melancholie what reason comes to imagine how that some should seeke to kill vs who neuer thought vs hurt How the eye thinkes it seeth things yellow and red when they are nothing so the taste things bitter when they are sweet So the sight of faith and conscience when nothing but sinne guilt wrath angry desertion ouer-lay it it seemeth to see euery thing for the time of like colour to those things wherewith it is possessed Thus sometimes the strong faith is shaken greatly and strongly assaulted so that he that vnspeakably reioyced in the saluation of the Lord by hastie cogitations is brought to say I am cast out of the sight of thine eyes Psal 31.22 And if faith escape these rockes may not yet a more serious examination of our wayes and through fight of our nakednesse imperfections and manifold transgressions the strength of our lusts the disorder of our passions our daily failings and that great weaknesse which in trials wee shall finde in our selues may not those things I say raise feare in the heart of a sound Belieuer as not altogether without the reach of possible danger without repentance and greater constancie in performing all Christian duties then hitherto he hath made proofe of specially if the apprehension of the multitude and hainousnesse of sinnes bee quickened by afflictions or the liuely cogitations of the terrors of the day of Iudgement Neuerthelesse as a childe affrighted runneth to the Father looking for defence and helpe of him euen so in the middest of all feares temptations difficulties and distresses faith is still running vnto God still importuning him calling vpon him expostulating with him casting it selfe still vpon him depending vpon his aide and expecting of him that things become otherwise then presently they are § 5. Thus faith of adherencie is stronger then faith of §. 5. euidence Faith of adherence stronger and more necessary then faith of euidence and beliefe in Christ for remission then assurance of pardon and forgiuenesse And as faith in Christ is stronger then particular certaintie of our saluation so it is it more necessary For beliefe in Christ is absolutely necessarie to remission of sinnes in all them that bee of age and discretion but assurance comes not at first when we belieue but by little and little as God seeth it requisite according to the triall he hath appointed to make of vs. Without faith in Christ as the onely authour of saluation and sole end of faith with whom our soules seeke perfect vnion it is impossible to please God no action though in it selfe neuer so good or holy is truly acceptable vnlesse it be quickened and enliued by this faith But many poore soules that want assurance of Gods speciall fauour are tenderly beloued of him as heires of saluation their good works accepted in Iesus Christ A Christian of an humble and broken spirit denying himselfe and renouncing the World belieuing that his sinnes are pardonable and earnestly desiring remission of sinnes by the merits of Christ resting vpon Christ alone for saluation and ioyning with this desire and affiance the sincere vnpartiall practice of obedience to all Gods Commandements according to that measure of grace which hee hath receiued without question he shall receiue the inheritance of eternall glorie although he may be scrupulous in himselfe wanting this perswasion and assurance that his sinnes are pardoned And yet because God hath commanded vs to labour for the perfection of all graces we are sure this must bee intreated for and haue a promise that it shall be granted as God seeth meete both for the time and measure of it §. 6. Infallible assurance of saluation may bee obtained § 6. That not only some vncertaine hope and dimme sight of Gods fauour but euen assurance is to be sought and may be obtained is thus manifest Faith may receiue what the Word doth testifie for the Word of God is the obiect of faith But there is a word testifying thus much that my particular person beholding the Sonne and belieuing on him shall haue eternall life and be raised vp at the last day that there is no condemnation to me being in Christ Acts 10.43 1 Thes 5.10 Luke 2 10 11. Esay 9.6 1. Iohn 3.15 Iohn 6.35 1. Iohn 5.10 13 Neither could Iohn with the faithfull belieue Gods loue towards them in particular if some word did not shew it For the Papists themselues will not say that all oâ— them were priuiledged with singular reuelation Our Aduersaâ—ies reply that there is no Word of God saying Cornelius belieue thou that thou shalt bee saued and where there is no word there is no faith for these two are relatiues This cauill is easily remoued for that cannot be
and laboureth therein he resembles his Father the Deuil whose chiefe delight is in doing mischiefe Which is further confirmed by that of our Sauiour Christ to the Iewes Iohn 8.34 Verily whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne and the seruant abideth not in the house for euer but the Sonne abideth foreuer If the Sonne therefore shall make you free yee shall be free indeed He that committeth sinne with delight wilfull indulgence to transgressions and vnrelenting opposition to the cleare truth he is the seruant of sinne but they that are made free by the Sonne are free from the raigne of sinne 1. Iohn 5.18 not from euery act of sinne He that is borne of God keepes himselfe that the wicked one cannot come within him to endanger him the gates of hell can haue no preuailing power oâ—er him hee sinneth not as the world doth which lieth in iniquitie but altogether free from sinne hee is not nor euer shall be so long as hee carrieth about with him this bodie of death To sinne habitually wilfully indulgently with full consent and greedinesse is not compatible with the hope and profession of a Christian This spot is not the spot of Gods children Deut. 32.5 but they haue their blemishes they sinne of infirmitie though not of wilfulnesse Sinne in it owne nature is opposite to grace but all sinnes are not altogether incompatible with grace that is they hinder not the gracefull operation of faith hope and loue The remainders of Originall corruption vnder which the regenerate must labour so long as they liue sinnes of simple ignorance and of vnauoidable infirmitie which through weaknesse the faithfull runne into euery day these doe not stop the liuely worke of faith in receiuing the promises of mercie but euen at the very instant when these haue abode in the soule faith can and doth make faithfull plea for mercie or otherwise none could plead for mercie before the throne of Grace For in many things we sinne all Iames 3.2 Sinnes of forgetfulnesse inconsideration and passion whereunto there is not aduised consent these are as moates in the eye which doe somewhat trouble the cleare sight of faith but notwithstanding them the heart principally adheareth vnto God and though now and then through infirmitie a Christian bee ouertaken with them yet may hee vpon good grounds be assured of Gods loue Anger pettishnesse impatience inordinate feare are sinnes which the godly ought and doe watch against and for which they ought and must iudge themselues but if through infirmitie they be ouer-taken to speake an hastie or vnaduised word they must not therefore cast off their confidence notwithstanding such slips they may cry in faith and be heard in their supplications If any man sinne 1. Iohn 2.1 2. to wit of infirmitie as they doe who walke in the light and addict themselues to the serious studie of holinesse wee haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes What answere the Lord gaue to Paul touching his temptations My grace is sufficient for thee 2. Cor. 12.7 8. that may be said of the infirmities of the Saints such sinnes as be meere and absolute infirmities God of his Grace reuealed in the couenant of grace is pleased to grant vnto them a pardon of course Such sinnes as in regâ—rd of their matter are not repugnant to the maine offices prescribed by the Commandements of God being oâ— frâ—iltie committed through vnaduisednesse or sudden passion these doe not denominate a man a Law-breaker nor so weaken the power of faith as that it should not be able to receiue the promise of forgiuenesse nor suspenâ— the actuall claime of eternall life These frailties may be â—n the godly without any notable defect of faith they debarre not the soule from cleauing vnto God Gen. 1â— 13 Abraham said of Sarah She is my sister this was an infirmitie but did not extinguish faith Sarah laughed at the promise Gen. 18.10 11. and then denied it through feare Iacob beguiled his Father saying I am thy Sonne Esau Gen. 27.19 Exod. 4.10.14 Iob 40 5. Math. 16.22 2 Chron. 35.22 2. Chron. 30.18 19. and many such like infirmities of the Saints are recorded which argue their faith to bee weake not to bee deposed from it soueraignetie The reason heâ—eof is not to be taken from the matter or outward act wherein they offended but from their heart and affection which was more inclined to good then to euill and did sticke fast vnto God euen when through weaknesse they transgressed By faith Rahab receiued the spies with peace Heb. 11.31 when through infirmitie shee offended in the meanes of their safetie The Prophet Dauid was regenerate without question and had sure hope that his prayers for mercie should be heard when he vttered this complaint of himselfe Psal 19.12 13. Who can vnderstand his errours Cleanse thou me from secret faults Kâ—epe backe thy seruant also from presumptuous sinnes let them not haue dominion ouer me then shall I be vpright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression So that a faithfull man stepping aside thâ—ough infirmity in the forenamed offeÌ„ces I say through infirmitie and not oâ— habit custome grosse carelesnesse or delight doth retaine his integritie and faith though somwhat shaken doth keep it standing and continue liuely to beg embrace pardon But he that sinneth of meere frailty doth humble himself for his daily offences labour to represse and mortifie his inbred lusts seeketh forgiuenesse by vnfained confession and heartie prayer renueth his purpose and resolution to be more circumspect and setteth vp his watch to shunne and auoid the like sins for the time to come And if he be ouertaken at vnawares he is warned by that slip to looke more heedfully to his wayes beging pardon and seeking helpe from aboue that hee may bee able to stand fast so that the slip which did seeme somwhat to loose him is an occasion of his sticking faster and closer vnto God § 12. But if a godly man fall into a foule and enormous crime wasting conscience §. 12. What sinnes hinder assurance Psa 51.10 14. 1. Reg. 11.4 for the time hee loseth some degree of newnes of Spirit cleannesse of heart comfort of the holy Ghost integritie in a sort and peace of conscience Hee plungeth himselfe into the sence of Gods wrath and displeasure and by his grieuous transgression the power of faith is so weakened that he can neither belieue the pardon of any one sinne formerly pardoned nor lay actuall claime to any priuiledge of grace formerly enioyed The fauour of God towards his children is vnchangeable the sentence of pardon granted shall neuer bee reuersed euen after some grieuous fall Psal 37.24 Ioh. 10.28.29.30 Iohn 8.35 1. â—ohn 3.9 the seeds of grace abide in them and they remaine in the state of Iustification but whilest they continue in such an estate of sinne
orderly as they are set downe in Scripture we find them to be these By faith wee are engrafted into Christ and made one with him Rom. â—1 17 Iohn 15.1 Ephes 5.30 flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone lâ—uely members of that bodie whereof he is the head and by Christ wee are vnited vnto God In Scripture to bee in Christ and to be in Faith are put indifferently By faith wee are married vnto Christ Rom. 8.10 2. Cor. 13.3 5. Hos 2.18 20. Acts 10 43. Rom. 3.25 28. Acts 13 3â— Rom. 9.32 â— 17 5.1 Acts 15.9 Col. 2.12 Gal. 3.7.9 Iohn 1â— 36 Gal. 3.20 Iohn â— 1â— Heb. 11.6 Iohn 7.38 39 Ephâ—s 1.13 17. Gal. 3.14 Iohn 15.3 5. Iohn 1.16 15.6 and haue communion with him in his Death and Resurrection hee and all his benefits are truly and verily made ours his name is put vpon vs wee are iustified from the guilt and punishment of sinne wee are clothed with his righteousnesse wee are sanctified against the power of sinne hauing our nature healed and our hearts purified we draw vertue from him to die to sinne and liue to righteousnesse By faith wee are admitted into the Family of Abraham become the children of l ght are adopâ—ed to be the Sonnes of God are made acceptable â—nto him as heires of life vnto whom hee willeth eternall blessednesse and doe receiue the promise of the Spirit By faith we abide in Christ and haue perpetuall communion with him It is the loadstone that lookes euer to Christ as that doth towards the North and as that drawes iron vnto it so doth faith ioyne our hearts to Christ perpetually By faith wee receiue of Christs fulnesse haue profession of him doe liue in him and are so refreshed by him that we shall neuer wither or feele scarcitie Gal. 2.20 Iohn 4.14 Water in a ditch may bee dried vp so cannot the pond which is fed with continuall springs Eph. 3.17 Eph. 3.12 Heb. 10.22 and 4.14 Tit. 1.15 1. Pet. 1.5 1. Ioh. 5.4 By faith Christ dwelleth and ruleth in our hearts wee haue accesse to the throne of grace the temporall gifts of God are sanctified vnto vs all spirituall blessings are continued and augmented in vs and we are kept to the saluation to be reuealed Faith ouercommeth the world the manifold ill examples of the multitude which like a raging streame beares downe all before it and the alluring sweete baites of the deceitfull inchanting world which are most strong and dangerous euen whatsoeuer within vs or without vs would draw from the law of God Eph. 6.16 Pet. â— 8 Math. 8.13 1. Ioh. 5.14 Gen. 32.26 Heb. 4.2 Rom. 1.16 Mark 16.16 Rom. 5.5 and 10.11 1. Pet. 2.6 Psal 25.3 and 22.5.6 Ioh. â— 68.69 Gal. 5 6. Luke 7.47 1. Pet. 1.8 Rom. 8.26 Gal. 4.6 Rom 8.15 Gal. 6.14 Eph. 5.11 Heb. 11.8.23 it quencheth the fierie darts of the Diuell putteth Satan to flight and kepeth vs safe from the mightie aduersarie of our soules and saluation Faith obtaineth of God what we aske agreeable to his will preuaileth with him maketh the ordinances of God sweete and comfortable receiueth what is profered in the word and Sacraments and maketh that we shall neuer be ashamed nor confounded Faith encreaseth knowledge enflameth the heart with loue stronger then death hotter then coales of Iuniper which cannot be quenched with much water stirreth vp earnest sighes and groanes enlargeth the heart in thankefulnes and holy admiration bloweth quickeneth zeale renounceth Satan and all his workes crucifieth the flesh with the affections and lusts contemneth the world scorneth the base and transitorie pleasures or profits whereby it doth allure to with-draw from God and dispiseth the frownes threats and vtmost wrongs that it can doe in respect of the loue of God and Christ Iesus or hazarding his part in the eternall happinesse It armeth with patience and inuincible constancie breedeth peace of conscience and ioy vnspeakeable Rom. 5.1 1. Pet. 1.7 2. Cor 1 9. Phil. 1.25 maketh valiant in the combate striuing against sinne couragious in difficulties confident in desperate dangers is accompanied with holy securitie concerning the grace Rom 14.7 1. Pet. 1.8 Iohn 8.56 2 Tim. 1.12 Heb. 11.34.35 2. Chro 14.11 and 20.12 1. Iohn 3.21 Luk 7.50 Eph. 2.8 Rom. 8.28 Gal. 5.5 Heb. 6.12 Heb. 11.1 Iohn 8.56 Heb. 11.11.17 â—9 Psal 27.1.2.13 Esay 28.16 protection and loue of God ioyned with a certaine expectation of eternall saluation and assurance that all things shall worke together for best It seasoneth prosperitie receiueth earthly blessings as pledges of Gods speciall and Fatherly loue and lifteh them vp to spirituall vse it sweetens afflictions supporteth vnder them teacheth to profit by them beareth them meekly expecteth deliuerance and triumpheth before the victorie It seeth things inuisible assureth aboue likelihood sence or reason allayeth perplexing thoughts and feares and breaketh off temptations It stayeth vpon the word of promise and is confident of things to reason incredible in nature impossible ro sence direct contrarie because God hath said them It preserueth from ill meanes laboureth conscionably in the duties of our callings yet without couetousnesse or distracting care swalloweth the painfulnesse of honest labour and obtaineth many temporall blessings and deliuerances Dan. 6. â—3 Ier. 39.18 Rom. 11.20 Rom. 10.10 2. Cor. 4.13 1. Tim. 3.13 Rom. 1.12 Psal 16.3 Luk. 22.32.33 Iam. 5.15 Heb. 10.38.39 and 11 4.6.7.8.33.34 Colos 2.7 2. Thess 2.13 Rom. 11.20 and 5.1.2 Psalm 1.3 Isay 40.30.31 Phil. 4.11 1. Pet. 15. Eph. 2.8 Rom. 4.13.14 yea and spirituall priuiledges for our selues for our prosterie and for others Faith preserueth from falling raiseth vs againe being fallen maketh couragious and hardie in the profession of the Gospell euen to the losse of goods libertie and death it selfe it sweeteneth the communion of Saints linketh the heart in loue to them that feare God laboureth the conuersion of them that goe astray and the building forward of them that be called and the comfort of them that be distressed in soule or body maketh profitably to those that be without worketh righteousnes obtaineth a good report wholy resigneth it selfe to the will of God And to conclude by faith we are certified of our election are made wise vnto saluation doe stand in grace are assured of prosperous successe in what wee goe about doe learne how to want and how to abound and possesse all things whâ—n for the present we haue nothing in hand are enriched with many spirituall graces are kept to our Heauenly inheritance and shall bâ—e glorified in the life to come These be the sound comfortable enduring fruits of faith in which respect who can but say that faith is an excellent grace a rich iewell a pearle of price the Christian mans treasure Faith is a principall thing the merchandise thereof is better then siluer and the fruites thereof then fine gold Without faith there is no plentie to man on earth with
faith there can bee no want of any thing that is good For how can hee lacke any good thing who hath God for his Father Christ his Sauiour the holy Ghost his sealer and Comforter the Angels to guard him Heauen his inheritance who hath Gods faithfull promise confirmed by oath and seale to secure him of all things needfull grace comfort and earthly blessings and is kept by the power of God vnto saluation But here it must be obserued that faith doth not effect and performe these things by any excellencie force or efficacie of it owne aboue other graces but in respect of the office wherunto it is assigned in the Couenant of grace It is a cause onely Instrumentall and that is atributed vnto it which the principall cause worketh Faith iustifies not as an act or qualitie but as it receiueth Christ faith purifieth not the heart of it selfe but as it is the instrument whereby the Spirit worketh Whatsoeuer wee are made by faith wee are made it in Christ and whatsoeuer faith makes to bee ours it is also in Christ Therefore faith maketh not God to be our God but in Christ nor vs the children of God but in Christ And whatsoeuer grace is wrought in the heart of any man it is the gift of God the worke of the holy Ghost but faith is the Instrument whereby the Spirit doth more renue and purifie our hearts § 2. Of all creatures onely Man is capable of sauing or iustifying faith §. 2. Of all creatures Man only is capable of Iustifying faith 2. Pet. â— 4 not the blessed Angels who neuer sinned nor the euill Angels who are shut vp in prison and reserued in chaines of darkenes against the day of iudgement The Saints in glory doe inioy immediate fellowship and communion with God by sight and know most perfectly and most clearely But the light of Iustifying faith which doth include and suppose imperfection pertaineth to this life in which we are in the way mouing to perfection not yet attained vnto perfect vision So that faith is proper vnto Man in this life in his iourney towards his perfect home and eternall habitation but all men are not enriched with this precious gift of mercie and rare iewell of grace All men haue not faith 2. Thes 3. â— Isay 53.1 Math. 11.25 and 13.11 Rom. 9.18 Many are not so much as outwardly called the sound of the Gospell hath not reached vnto them many that heare vnderstand not bee not affected with the truth and in some that be affected the word takes not kind rooting is not well planted Those to whom faith is giuen are described to be the elect of God the sheepe of Christ Tit. 1 1. Act. 13.48 Rom. 11.5 Ioh. 10.11.15.26 Ioh. 6.37.39 and 20.39 and 17.2.6 Math. 1.21 and 18.11 and to bee giuen of the Father vnto Christ The subiect of Iustifying faith is man a sinnner called according to the purpose of God acknowledging his offences and hungring and thiâ—sting after mercie For none but a sinner can acknowledge Christ for his Sauiour for he is the Sauiour of sinners Faith in Christ for remission of sinnes is necessarie for them onely who haue offended but euery sinner cannot belieue euery one is not fit to receiue the promise of mercy The enimies of the Gospell of Christ worldings hypocriâ—es and all in whom sinne raigneth can haue no true faith in Christ Math. 11.28 Mark 1.15 hee onely is fit to embrace mercy who knoweth that hee is lost in himselfe and vnsatiably desires to be eased of the heauie burden of his sinnes Faith is not a worke naturall but supernaturall not of nature but of grace not of the power of our free-will but of the efficacie of Gods Spirit whereby we answere to the effectuall call of God and come vnto him that we might be pertakers of life eternall 1. Iohn 5.1 Iohn 1.12.13 Ioh 6 44. The infusion of faith is necessarily precedent to the act of faith and grace to belieue is giuen before we lay hold vpon Christ And if sauing-effectuall calling bee precedent to faith the subiect of liuing faith is man sauingly called according to the purpose of Gods will We can teach no faith to saluation but according to the rule of Christ Repent and belieue the Gospell Mar. â— 15. Luk. 24.47 Act. 2.37.38 no remission of sins but according to the like rule But faith seeketh and receiueth pardon as it is profered in the word of grace Repentance is necessarie to the pardon of sinne as a condition without which it cannot bee obtained Luk. 13.3 1. Ioh. 1.9 Act. 11.18 not as a cause why it is giuen If mercie should bee vouchsafed to all indifferently the grace of God should be a boulster to Mans sinne there should bee no difference betwixt the iust and vniust the penâ—tent and obstinate Faith comes to Christ as an humble penitent petitioner suing to the throne of grace for what is promised in the Gospell and it receiueth according to the promise of mercie §. 3. Faith resideth both in Minde and Will § 3. The seate of faith is the heart but the heart contrite humbled bewailing sinne denying it selfe and affected with desire of remission of sinnes As the stomake is the place in which meate is receiued but it is necessarie it bee desirous of meate So the heart is the place where remission of sinnes is receiued and felt but it must be an heart desirous of and thirsting after pardon With the heart man belieueth Rom. 10.10 Act. 8.37 2. Pet. 1.19 Act. 16.14 If the Mind and will bee two distinct faculties of the soule then iustifying faith is resident in both but principally in the will because it assenteth to diuine reuelation as true and embraceth the promises as much better then any contrarie good the world the Diuell or flesh can present to preuent our choice of what it prescribeth for our sauing health For the word of promise not onely containing truth but offering good vnto vs cannot fully be receiued with the vnderstanding but the will also must moue towards it And so faith is not onely a knowledge or assent in the Minde but a godly affection in the will which doth goe to embrace rest vpon Christ or the grace offered in Christ Therefore the nature of faith is described by words which signifie to stay and rolle our selues vpon God to lâ—ane on him as one would leane vpon a staffe and by faith we come vnto Christ and receiue him It is obiected that one and the same vertue or grace cannot be in distinct powers and faculties of the soule Bellar. de Iustif l 1. cap. 6. Haec Philosophia nor faith in distinct subiects Whereunto seuerall answers are made First that one and the same thing in diuers respects may be referred to diuers subiects as these subiects are not altogether seperated but conioyned amongst themselues So friend-ship is one morall vertue and yet in the Minde and
will both Loue and hatred is noth ng but the affection of good or euill will vnto a thing knowne in the vnderstanding Our Aduersaries themselues place hope in the vnderstanding and the will Bellar. de Iust lib. 3. cap. 11. attributing a double certaintie vnto it one in respect of the vnderstanding another in respect of the will And so faith being one doth properly possesse one subiect to-wit the soule but considered according to the two faculties thereof it possesseth the Minde as it vnderstandeth and assenteth the will as it receiueth embraceth the word of promise Secondly it is answered that sauing faith doth presuppose knowledge and assent as the roote and foundation but formally it is an affection towards the promise of grace and seated in the heart As the reasonable soule doth giue life sence and motion as inferior operations so iustifying faith doth knowe and assent but as iustifying it doth trust and relie vpon the mercie of God in Iesus Christ Thirdly Iustifying faith or faith as it iustifyeth is not one vertue not any vertue but iustifyeth onely as it makes vs partakers of the righteousnes of Christ which it doth not by any dignitie or excellencie of it owne but in respect of the place and office which our mercifull God hath freely and liberally granted vnto it Now nothing hindreth why God should not giue the name of faith both to assent in the vnderstanding and to affyance in the will and require both to Iustification And that it is not a vertue as it iustifyeth is manifest hereby that wee are iustified by the act of faith not by the habite of faith as Diuines popish and protestant confesse But if Minde and will be indeed but two names or titles of one and the same intellectuall nature as truth and goodnesse in matters morall differ only in degrees of apprehension then there is no roome for this obiection 1. Reg. 3.9 2. Cor. 3.15 Act. 7.39 and 11.23 1 Cor. 7.37 Math. 6.21 Rom. 1.24 Ioh. 14.1 Luk. 1.66 and 21.14 Math. 12.35 Math. 13.14.15 Ioh. 24.25 and 4.11 Psal 10. Pro. 3.5 20. 1. Ioh. 5.1 Rom. 10.8 1. Ioh. 5.4.5.20 vers 1. Iohn 2.4 Psal 78 22. Psal 137.4.5 Neh. 6.14 and 13.14.29 Iohn 17.3 Heb. 4.2.3 Eccl. 12.1 Not to dispute this point any further this is manifest that in Scripture the heart is taken for the whole soule with all its powers and operations as of vnderstanding willing and choosing remembring or retaining in Minde and affecting that the Scripture doth simply attribute to the heart knowledge confidence and affection and that the Scripture hath no peculiar words whereby that philosophicall distinction of Minde and will may be confirmed and therefore according to the sentence of Scripture wee may seale faith in the heart or reasonable soule and not trouble our selues about the distinction of the faculties If the Scripture mention this as an act of faith To belieue that Christ is the sonne of God which is seated in the Minde it must bee remembred that words of knowledge doe together by connotation imply affection much more words of beliefe and therefore where wee finde to belieue that Christ is the sonne of God we must conceiue this beliefe to containe confidence in the Sonne Words of knowledge most vsually import not idle knowledge in the Minde but true and vnfained affections in the heart which accompanie that knowledge Knowledge is the ground of confidence and so it is put for confidence which it doth bring forth The whole intellectuall nature is the seate of faith and that faith which iustifyeth is well-rooted and taketh kindly in the soule otherwise it could not season the whole lumpe disperse it vertue into euery affection commaunde euery passion and bring into subiection whatsoeuer doth make head against the power of godlinesse Faith that is not well planted can neither soundly receiue nor firmely hold Christ but by the allurements of the world the lusts of the flesh and assaults of Sathan it is easily ouer-turned The stonie ground receiued the seed but wanting good root it withered and brought forth no fruit to ripenesse Whilest faith possesseth the castle of the soule it can as easily ouercome the assaults of the Flesh the World and the Deuill as honest subiects which hold the heart of the Kingdome can vanquish and bring vnder the scattered forces of an enemie that makes inrodes vpon the borders But if the heart be taken vp with wordly delights or vaine lusts be suffered to build their castle therein then shall wee bee made a prey to Satan The cares of the world and pleasures of this life choake the seed of life receiued that it brings forth no fruit vnto perfection § 4. This faith wel-rooted is common to all §. 4. Faith is peculiar to them who be called according to the purpose of God Ephes 4.5 2. Cor. 4.13 Math. 9.2 2 Pet. 1.1 1. Pet. 1.7 Rom. 1.17 Gal 2. â—0 1. Iohn 3.23 Hab 2.4 Iohn 20.27 Acts 16.31 19. â— Marke 11.22 John 14.1 1 Pet. 1.7 Heb. â—1 6 7 8 9 10. c. Gal. 3.26 Acts 8.37 and proper to them only who be called according to the purpose of God All that be sauingly-effectually called and they only are partakers of the same faith in subiect obiect kind but not in number and degree Euerie Belieuer hath a proper singular sincere indiuiduall faith in kinde the same but in number differing from the faith of others as the faith of Peter was distinct from the faith of the other Disciples The iust doth liue by his owne faith A speciall and particular faith is required in euery one that shall be saued This particular faith is commended by the holy Ghost in particular faithfull men and women And when the faithfull of age and discretion were admitted to Baptisme they professed particularly their faith in Christ Health of bodie and such like outward blessings may bee conferred by God vpon one for the faith of another And the children of Christian parents are within the couenant for their parents faith as the promise is made to the faithfull and to their seed and they receiue it for themselues and their posteritie And generally the faith of one may helpe to obtaine for another Iames 5.14 15. Phil 1.19 Ephes 6.18 2. Thes 3â— so farre as it moueth to pray for others But remâ—ssion of sinnes and saluation is not obtained without a proper and speciall faith in them that bee of ripe yea es and haue the vse of reason God takes no pleasure in them who withdraw themselues by vnbeliefe Heb. 10.38 §. 5. All haue not like measure of faith Rom. 12 3. Math. 8.10 15.28 Math. 6.30 8.26 14.31 16.8 Marke 9.24 Rom. 4.20 Rom. 14.1 15.1 § 5. The fâ—ith which is belieued is one and the same the grace whereby we belieue supernaturally infused the seate of faith an humbled and contriâ—e heart but the measure of faith is not equall or
the world and whatsoeuer naturall contentment hee might promise himselfe in the things of this world The meaning is not that rich men must forgoe their wealth and betake themselues to voluntarie pouertie for riches well vsed be great instruments of doing good But they must cast the world out of their affections and make ouer their interest in whatsoeuer is most deare vnto them they must preferre the kingdome of Heauen before the whole world and therefore renounce both themselues and all the desires of the flesh that nothing may hinder the enioying of so rich a treasure Christ doth make loue vnto vs and by many faire sweet and precious promises doth allure and intice vs to embrace him but will bee receiued by way of Matrimoniall couenant wee must forsake all base and carnall delights cast out of the heart whatsoeuer we formerly accounted pretious in the world cleaue vnto him only and bee contented with those spirituall good things which he promiseth vnto vs. Christ hath neuer due esteem with vs vnles for his sake we withdraw our hearts from all the riches delights honours and profits of the world and denie our selues that in all things we might be conformable vnto his wil pleasure What are we better then harlots so long as the woâ—ld or the delights thereof lusts or passioÌ„s possâ—sse the heart diuide it from Christ Roots though of trees can go no deeper then the rock or stone nor can the Word of life siâ—ke deeper into the heart then vn o the roots of his naturall desires or affections which vnrenounced hinder the right taking and kindly spreading of it Luke 8.14 The cares of this world and voluptuous liuing choake the seed of the word after it hath taken some rooting that it brings forth no fruit vnto ripenesse Therfore that the word of the kingdome may take kindly and fructifie in vs wee must cast vp our accounts before hand what we can be content to forgo for Christs sake and renounce the pleasures delights of the World giuing vp our selues intirely to Iesus Christ in all things to be directed guided by him inuring our selues quietly to beare reproach disgrace contempt for his sake and watching heedfully in prosperitie that the world creep not into our affection priuily steale away our hearts from him And this we shal do the more freely if we attentiuely consider what excellent incoÌ„parable treasures of delight ioy comfort are to be found in Iesus Christ ouer and aboue all the world can promise or afford Should a good husband be offered some goodly royaltiâ— vpon condition he would forsake his base tenement or hard rented lease when once hee perceiued the profit of the exchange you need not vse arguments to perswade him Should some great Noble-man make suite of loue to a meane personage vpon condition shee would forsake her base drudgerie for the honours and delights of a pallace the motion would bee accepted And if wee seriously weigh that the Lord Iesus calleth vs to forsake the flesh-pots of Egypt and alienatâ— our interest in the world and the flesh with all their appurtenances that wee might be enriched with heauenly euer-enduring pleasures in comparison wherof all earthly contentments are but dung and dogs-meate Phil. 3.8 that hee inuites vs to cast away our harlotrie delights that he might marrie vs vnto himselfe and intitle vs vnto his euerlasting kingdome it will not be grieuous to make this exchange But here it must be remembred that it is not the possession of earthly things or delight in them that is forbidden but that possession and delight in them which with-holdeth vs from resigning our selues vnto Christ and seeking after the promised land withall the heart and all the soule It is not the actuall abandoning of riches honour or other contentments of this life which our Sauiour requires but the dispossessing of the heart of such base delights that the whole heart may bee set vpon heauenly things and not with-drawne by secret reseruation of speciall desires for other purposes And being thus disposed we receiue Christ with wel-rooted affiance and cleaue to the mercie of God as much better then life it selfe § 3. Faith kindly planted must be regarded seriously and carefully confirmed §. 3. Faith once obtained is seriously to be regarded Luke 22.31 For Sathan vseth all meanes to weaken faith yea quite to subuert and ouerthrow it If an house begin to shrinke or reele of one side will wee not put vnder some shore to prop it vp Or if any man question the Title of Land we haue purchased will wee not search Records and vse meanes to strengthen it The malice of Satan in seeking by all meanes to batter downe our faith is sufficient to shew the excellencie thereof and to awaken vs to a continuall carefull regard to preserue and encrease it In this life wee are subiect to many trials that require strength of faith to vndergoe them Acts 14.22 1. Thes 3.2 3 4. The world by reason of our continuall imployment in it is apt to creepe into the heart and insensibly to steale the affections from the eager pursuite of heauenly things which calleth vpon vs for more then ordinarie care to increase our desires of grace and moderate them in transitorie things Hee who will haue a plant to thriue in a ground drie barren and vnkindly for it must striue much because his soyle will not doe further then it is forced so he that will make fire burne in greene moist wood must follow it with blowing thus to get faith to thriue in our natures which are as apt to the weedes of diffidence and vice as auerse from faith and euery true vertue wee must striue with them and offer violence vnto them He who doth rowe against the streame must plie his oare or hee will goe downe apace so it is here wee goe against the streame of corrupt nature so farre as wee goe in faith or grace Our daily and continuall weaknesse of faith which wee finde in assenting vnto and receiuing most obiects of faith and promises of God when it is encountred with temptations Our ordinarie failings in the practice of holy duties and due ordering of our affections which cannot bee without a precedent defect of that faith which onely can firmely vnite vs vnto Christ doth sufficiently manifest how feeble our beliefe is in the speciall mercies of God towards vs in Iesus Christ which being the highest obiect is the hardest to bee apprehended and can neuer bee seperated from firme assent vnto euery precept of God as much better then any incompatible good And if men take food and physicke to strengthen their bodies because they are fraile must wee not labour to confirme our weake and feeble faith The labour bestowed about this most gainfull and beautifll grace is so farre from tedious toile that it is the solace of a Christian heart and the pleasure thereof more sweet then any pleasure that
of his people but from such extraordinary examples wee may conclude that God will bee with vs in the fire and in the water to deliuer or comfort vs Psal 91.15 Esay 43.2 2. Cor. 4.8 7. to succour or support vs that wee shall not be forsaken much lesse ouercome Also in the practice of the seruants of God we may learne our dutie for whatsoeuer they did vpon common grounds and reasons pertaining to vs no lesse then vnto them that dutie belongeth vnto vs as wel as vnto them and their example is for our imitation Phil. 3.17 Pro. 2 20. Speciall Commandements by priuiledge giuen to some peculiar persons belong not vnto them who haue receiued no such warrant but if the immediate ground be common the dutie it selfe reacheth vnto vs. Beiâ—g acquainted with the Word if wee would liue by faâ—th we mâ—st exercise it aright therein and that conâ—isteth in diuerâ— acts First Faith doth firmely and vniuersally assent to the whole Word of God The acts of Faith Acts 24.14 and set a due price and value vpon it as that which containes the chiefe good of Man The Gospell is that pearle of price in comparison whereof the merchâ—ndise of siluer and gold are of no worth Secondly It ponders the Word seriously and treasures it vp safe Earthly men keepe the conueyances and assurances of their Lands very circumspectly Math. 13.45 46 lay vp their bils and bands write vpon them know when they expire and what to challenge by them The promises of God vnto the faithfull soule are insteed of all assurances Psal 119.11 bils and bands for his liuelihood maintenance protection assistance deliuerance comfort and euerlasting happinesse therefore hee is carefull to view them often lay them vp sure meditate vpon their stablenesse and certaintie and cast with himselfe what profit comfort they will bring in fittest season Thirdly It preserueth and keepeth in the way of the promises it perswadeth inciteth and strengthens therein All the promises of God are free his fauours of meere grace but this free fauour is in speciall bequeathed vnto the penitent meeke humble vpright that walke in the vndefiled way and doe none iniquitie and faith in these promises expecting the Lords helpe al-sufficient in due season carrieth a man forward in the path Pro. 19.16 Psal 119.1 2 3. wherein hee shall find rest and peace and will not bee turned out of the right way then which it acknowledgeth none safe or pleasant Fourthly It plies the throne of grace with earnest and continuall supplications intreating helpe and succour according vnto promise Faith hearkeneth what the Lord speaketh and speaketh backe againe in feruent groâ—nes and desires It hath the promise of God 2. Sam 7 27. and therefore is bold to pray and will not keepe silence Fiftly It looketh vp directly vnto God his wisdome power mercie and faithfulnesse If meâ—nes bee present faith beholdeth Gods hand in them if meaneâ— bee wanting the eye is lifted vp vnto the Lord who can prouide meanes or worke without meanes and against meanes and most certainly will performe what he hath promised when it shall be for our good Psal 5.3 My voice shalt thou heare in the morning O Lord in the morning will I orderly addresse vnto thee and will looke out Sixtly It resteth quietly obseruing the effects of Gods promises and triumpheth before the victorie Psal 13.5 I haue trusted in thy mercy my heart shall reioyce in thy saluation But of these more at large in the particulars following Meanes to stir vp our selues to liue by faith Now for the better stirring vp of our selues to liue by faith First Wee must find and ferret out the Infidelitie that lurketh in our bosomes condemne it and make it odious Ah how is my heart fallen by vnbeliefe Find out thy vnbeliefe What a masse of infidelitie harboureth in my breast O Lord I am grossely ignorant of thy wayes doubtfull of thy truth distrustfull of thy power and goodnes disobedient to thy Commandement Thou hast giuen rare and excellent promises in thy holy Word but I enquire not after them reioyce not in them cleaue not vnto them in truth and stedfastnes settle not mine heart vpon theÌ„ make them not mine own keepe them not safe that I may know what to challenge by them prize them not according to the worth and value of the good promised Because by a ciuill faith men belieue men therefore they seeke to get their securitie and if they haue a man of credit his word for what was desperate they are glad If they haue bonds or specialties they boxe them vp they know when they expire what to challenge by vertue of them they will doe nothing that may be preiudiciall to themselues therein But as for the promises of life made in thy Word I seeke them not build not vpon them hide them not carefully in my heart cast not seriously with my selfe what good I may assâ—redly looke for by vertue of them keepe them not continuâ—lly in thought to cut off all carnâ—ll reasonings and dâ—stractions am not wary to preuent what may bring preiudice to my soule and state Thou threatnest in thy Word but I doe not feare am not carefull to decline sin Who is so hardie as to thrust his finger into the fire But I haue suffered my selfe often to bee carried aside with lusts through vnbeliefe How many wicked motions haue I entertained what sinfull passions haue I nourished how vainly rashly wickedly haue I spoken though I haue bin warned by thy Word of threatning to the contrarie True and righteous are thy precepts according to which thou hast commanded me to walke But I haue followed the customes examples and traditions of men the suggestions of Satan and allurements of the World Lust and pâ—ssion haue oft come betwixt my heart and thy holy precepts whereby I am turned aside from the straite way of peace I can find small rellish and sauour in the Word of life I digest it not feed not vpon it hunger not after it am not changed into the nature of it I receiue not the truth or it abides not in me for substâ—ntiall nourishment I belieue no further then I see feare no more then I feele start aside in temptation The Symptomes of vnbeliefe are euident Symptomes of vnbeliefe From this root springeth that vnmeasurable deadnesse that presseth downe If a man of authority threaten with racke or gibbet I quake and feare but when I heare the Iudgements of God denounced against my sinnes I am scarce moued at all From this ariseth impatience murmuring discontent vnquietnesse when outward things are wanting Psal 78.19 21 22. Numb 14.27 For did the heart cleaue fast vnto God it would rest quiet in his promise if all other things were lacking Selfe-confidence resting in meanes and leaning vpon them as lands riches Rom 10.3 Ier. 17.5 Psal 40.4 52.7 Phil. 3.3 Ier. 9.13 fâ—iends c. are effects
and sealed to euery belieuer in particular by the pledges of the Spirit not vpon those sanctified graces which are giuen vnto him that he might be qualified and fitted to plead for grace and mercy The acts of faith about promises of pardon The acts of Faith concerning this promise of forgiuenes be diuers First it generally belieueth the promise true and thereby disceâ—nes that sinne is pardonable through grace Psal 130.4 Luk. 15 18. The knowledge of this that our sinnes may bee pardoned or that there is mercy with the Lord to couer sin is a worke of faith For whatsoeuer cannot be conceiued or found out by sence or reason that is manifested by reuelation and assented vnto or iudged true and certaine by faith or else it remaines as a mysterie vnknowne When the Apostle defines Heb. 11.1 faith to bee the euidence of things not seene doth hee not intimate that things vnseene to sense or naturall reason are discouered and made euident only by faith But that God will pardon iniquitie transgression and sinne is a truth that can neuer bee comprehended by the light of nature flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it vnto vs. Supernaturall truthes which exceed all humane capacitie cannot be discerned or receiued by any power of nature 1. Pet. 1.12 Rom. 16.25.26 Eph. 1.8 9. Isay 40.13 14 But that God will be mercifull to our sinnes is a truth supernaturall hidden from the Angels themselues vntill it was reuealed in the Gospell Who hath knowne the Minde of God or beene acquainted with the mysteries of his wisedome In the dayes of securitie whilest men sleepe in sinne without all sence of euill or knowledge of Gods iustice it is an easie matter to say God is mercifull Christ died for sinners But whence the conscience is awakened with the terrors of Gods wrath and the fearefull sight of sin Gen. 1.13 Math. 27.5 Psal 77.3.7 8. the experience both of wicked men and of the Saints of God can testifie that it is a difficult thing to looke beyond the cloud of iustice and contrarie to the naturall sentence of conscience comninations of the Law and present feeling to belieue that there is forgiuenesse with God Secondly faith stirreth vp earnest desires and longings to be made pertakers of this mercie of God and to bee refreshed with his gracious and free fauour All holy and feruent desires are both kindled nourished by it As our assent to the Diuine and heauenly promises is more or lesse firme certainea bsolute euident so are our desires more or lesse fierie constant vnsatiâ—ble yea in respect of heauenly things vnquenchable As faith languisheth these faint as faith encreaseth these gather strength And no maruell for appetite followeth knowledge Ioh. 4.10 and desire is answereble to that certaine cleare iudgement that we haue of the necessitie and worth value and digniâ—y of the obiect apprehended Now faith discouereth both the necessity and excellencie of the good certainely contained in the word of promise which act of faith is signified by the opening or piercing of the eare and seriously meditateth vpon the singular benefits offered therein so raiseth the heart vncessantly to hunger and thirst after them And these desâ—res will be the greater and more constante the more faith is exercised in the meditation of the goodnesse freenes and certaintie of these promises Many things are neglected which are most pretious only because the value of them lyeth hid or is not apparant or the preiudice of sensible but deceiuable experience doth ouersway No marueile then if the pardon of sinne be neglected though the benefite be probably knowne when it is but sleightly thought vpon superficially looked into custome hauing iniured the Minde by long practice to the pursuite of earthly delights or profits wherewith it is besotted But with the true belieuer it fareth much better for he seeth how happy it should be with him if his sinnes were couered and his soule eased of the burden of them how euer it fare with him in matters of this world and withall he pondereth the truth and faithfulnesse of the promise made of meere grace whereby the heart is stirred vp to desire and long after this blessing aboue all good that can be imagined And yet such is our corruptioÌ„ we must oft breathe our selues in the meditation of these things or else we shall find our esteeme of pardon to decay and our desire to grow cold and dull Thirdly It draweth vs forward to seeke mercy of God Math. 13.45.46 The wise Merchant first discouers the pearle of price and then seeketh to get possession of it The desire of a belieuer is not a dead or sluggish wish Oh that my sinnes were pardoned when hee neuer stirreth vp himselfe to receiue the promise But it is a deliberate desire of a benefite knowne possible to be attained attended with much comfort and freely promised by him that cannot lie which is euer accompanied with proportionable care to get and possesse the blessing desired Faith will not suffer a man to smoother or conceale his desires nor desires themselues to die but it perserueth and kindleth desires constraineth with an holy violence to lay them open before the Lord. Thus by faith a man commeth freely to renounce his title and interest in the world and to part with any thing that might hinder mercy The wise Merchant hauing found the pearle of price Math. 13.44 for ioy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath not as if he could merit pardon but that he might be capable of pardon and make a faithfull plea for mercy To this end also he humbleth himselfe before the throne of grace in true and vnfained confession of his sinnes freely iudging and condemning himselfe before God which a broken and contrite heart I will declare mine iniquitie I will bee sorie for my sinne Psal 38.18 So the prodigall sonne comming home to his Father doth bewaile his former lewdnesse saying I haue sinned against Heauen and before thee Pharaoh and Saul being euidently conuinced of sinne Luk. 15.18 Psal 32.5 may be constrained in conscience to make some confession to men I haue sinned this time and the Lord is righteous I haue played the foole and erred exceedingly Exod. 9.27 1. Sam. 26.21 1. Reg. 21.29 Ahab humbleth himselfe before God putteth on sackecloth in hope to preuent the temporall euill denounced against him and his house But the confession of true and vnfained faith is free and voluntarie in hope of free pardon and forgiuenesse Temporarie belieuers may make confession of there sinnes with some griefe and sorrow but as they confesse their sinnes so they belieue their confession is maimed and their faith superficiall they renounce not their interest in the world which inferres the willing choice of some inferiour good before the fauour and loue of God and their beliefe of the promises is shallow and subordiâ—ate to their base earthly passions But
downe before them in the Word and not deiect themselues without cause as though they were vtterly destitute of faith in Christ because they want the sence of this assurance and so could doe nothing acceptable because it is not done in faith nor tire themselues in a preposterous course not knowâ—ng where to lay the foundation or beginne their worke Three prerogatiues doe euer accompany this confident assurance of our Reconciliation with God Three prerogatiues that accompany coâ—fident assurance First Peace with God or stable tranquillitie and sweet calmnesse of Minde Sinne had broken off our friendship and peace with God but being iustified by faith wee haue remission of sinnes and so the cause of enmitie being taken away peace is restored Esay 59.2 Phil 4.7 Euen that peace of God which passeth vnderstanding and is in stead of a guard to keepe our hearts and minds in Christ that golden Legacie which Christ bequeathed vnto his Disciples when hee left the World Iohn 14 27. Ephes 2.16 17. Rom. 5.1 Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you Being iustified by faith we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ And from this peace begins liuely consolation against the temptations of sinne Satan and the World from the sence hereof the faithfull soule may triumph with Dauid The Lord is with mee Psal 56.4 Rom 8.33.34 I will not feare what man can doe vnto me and with the Apostle Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that iustifieth who is he that condemneth Secondly Free accesse vnto the throne of grace with boldnesse and confidence Christ as it were leading vs by the hand into the presence of God that we might enioy his grace in presence When wee were enemies wee fled from the throne of God but being reconciled by his grace we haue free accesse to come into his presence to aske what we will with assurance it shall be done vnto vs. Rom. 5.2 Ephes 2.8 By whom sc Christ also wee haue accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand Thirdly Ioy in the Holy Ghost vnspeakable and glorious 1. Pet. 1.8 which doth so lift the faithfull aboue the Heauens that being cheared with the Essence of Gods fauour and contented with Christ alone they despise the world and the base things therein Rom. 5.2 3. We reioyce in hope of the glory of God And not only so but we glory in tribulations also Thus Dauid prayed Psal 51.8 12. Make mee to heare ioy and gladnesse Restore vnto me the ioy of thy saluation All these rare and pretious priuiledges spring from faith for without faâ—th no man can please God Heb. 11.8 by faith wee haue peace with God by faith we come vnto him by faith we reioyce in him Rom. 15.13 Phil. 1.25 The God of Hope fill you with all ioy and peace in belieuing In whom wee haue boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of him But this faith which highly aduâ—nceth the Belieuer to boast in God all the day long lifteth not vp it selfe waxeth not proud towards the Lord. Free remission sweet peace assurance of Gods fauour familiar and heauenly communion with him and whatsoeuer rich token of speciall and intire good will God bestoweth these cannot puffe vp but abase the Belieuer in himselfe the higher hee is exalted by the free mercy of God the lower hee humbleth himselfe before God Ezek. 16.62 63 36.31 32. I will establish my couenant with thee and thou shalt know that I am the Lord That thou mayest remember and be confounded and neuer open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord God Sixtly By faith we continue in this blessed state in sweet peace and fellowship with God We can neuer take the eye from Christ but immediately the remembrance of former sinnes doth trouble and vexe the conscience and daily weaknesses and infirmities will breed no small disturbance if we doe not sue forth a daily pardon Therefore as we belieue to Iustification so must we continue in belieuing for the actuall pardon of our daily trespasses The Apostle saith Rom. 4.5 God iustifieth the vngodly but by vngodly in that sentence of Paul he is meant who doth not bring his workes or merits nor looke to his graces qualities acts or vertues in the matter of Iustification but doth bewaile his impietie and flie to the throne of grace for pardon being conuinced of guiltinesse Thus Abraham was all his time comprehended in this Catalogue and is made by the Apostle as a perpetuall so a principall instance of that finall resolution Rom. 3.28 Therefore wee conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law For if belieuing in him that iustifieâ—h the vngodly was imputed for righteousnesse vnto Abraham afâ—er hee had beene for a long time more righteous then the ordinary sort of Gods Saâ—nts or chosen Abraham all this while vnfainâ—dly belieued himselfe to be a sinner no way iustified in himselfe but seeking to be iustified by him who if hee shew not mercy to sinners whilest they bee sinners all mankind should perish vtterly The drift and scope of Paul in the third and fourth to the Romanes is only this That although men may bee truly iust and holy in respect of others and rich in all manner of workes as Abraham was thus farre knowne and approued not by men only but by God yet when they appeare before Gods Tribunall who best knowes as well the imperfection as the truth of their integritie they still acknowledge themselues to bee vnprofitable seruants alwayes praying Lord forgiue vs our sinnes and be mercifull to our offences So that all men euen the most holy are sinners in themselues and in the sight of God in the Apostles sence and are iustified by grace not of debt after the infusion of supernaturall holinesse The sincere and vpright man in whose spirit there is no guile Psal 32.1 2. Rom. 4.4 5 6. is iustified not because of his sinceritie but because the Lord imputeth not that sinne vnto him which he still vnfainedly acknowledgeth to be in him continually praying Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant alwayes confessing Lord in thy sight no flesh liuing can be iustified Psal 143.2 to wit otherwise then by not entring into iudgement or by non-imputation of his sinnes And faith that layeth hold vpon the promise of mercie offered in Christ causeth a man euery day to humble himselfe for sinne and to seeke pardon by earnest prayer euery day it receiueth and feedeth vpon the promises made in Christ and so assureth that his sinnes are done away as a mist And thus a Christian may liue by faith for many dayes or rather all the dayeâ— of his life in sweet peace and communâ—on with God if hee will leaâ—ne to maintaine and tâ—ke paines to
the knowledge of God 1. Thes 5.23 And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly But what wee are taught and commanded to begge in prayer wee are allowed to belieue that we shall obtaine it of free grace The faithfull haue relied vpon God for grace and abilitie to walke in his wayes and to finish the worke wherevnâ—o they were ordained Ph. 1.20 2. Tim. 4.18 Ph. 4.13 But all the faithfull as faithfull be partners in the same promises and priuiledges and liue by the same faith Wee are commanded to cast off the old man which is corrupt Ephes 4.21 22 23 24. with the affections and lusts and to put on the New man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse But in the couenant of Grace God giueth what he requireth Mans dutie is his free gift of grace It is necessarie to belieue God will sanctifie our nature and enable to holinesse It is necessary a Christian should belieue that God will sanctifie his nature and inable him to those duties of holinesse and righteousnesse that he requires For Iustification and Sanctification bee indiuiduall whom God doth acquit from the guilt of sinne and accept as righteous vnto life through Iesus Christ Rom. 8.1 2. 1. Cor. 1.30 them he doth sanctifie by his Spirit to walke before him in newnesse of life Christ himselfe cannot be diuided nor the participation of his benefits If by communion in his death we be deliuered from the curse and malediction of the Law by the power of his Resurrection we are raised vp to liue vnto God If Christians be not perswaded that God will mortifie their corrupt affections and build them forward in holinesse they shall very much stagger coldly set vpon the practice of Christianitie be off an on vnstayed often fainting at the difficultie of the worke dismayed at their manifold slips strong corruptions and little preuailings against them Our owne strength is too weake for the worke of holinesse as to defeat the policies of Satan to represse and vanquish the lusts of our rebellious hearts allurements of the world much more to change and cleanse our hearts which are by nature and custome in sinne so deeply polluted If wee haue not faith to belieue that God will aide assist and blesse vs in our endeuours yea and doe the whole worke for vs what courage can we haue to goe about it What successe are we like to find in it What shamefull foyles and repulses shall we sustaine But setlednesse in this that God will perfect his worke begun causeth men to goe about the practice of mortification with much readinesse chearefulnesse ease stayednesse and happie speed Hee will fight maâ—fully against his lusts and continue in the combate against them who is assured of victorie from God in the end It is a great heartning to resist euill or to doe any good dutie when we belieue God will bee with vs in the one and in the other to giue vs helpe against our enemies and to inable vs vnto the worke and that worke must needs prosper that God will forward and succeed well that hee will bring to perfâ—ction The promises of God concerning spirituall blessings are so lâ—nked together that whosoeuer belieueth not euery one aright hee cannot belieue any one stedfastly as hee ought He shall many times be in doubt of the remission of his sinnes and in feare of falling away who hath not learned to rest vpon God for the grace of sanctification no lesse then for the pardon of his offences for the certaintie of both these is like if it be well considered The acts of faith about the promises of sanctification The acts of Faith concerning these promises bee these and such like First It acquaints a man with his emptinesse of grace the strength of his inbred corruptions how deepe they haue eaten how fast they sticke how vnable he is to crucifie his inordinate affections or to repaire the decayed Image of God in him and that be is in wofull case vnlesse the Lord put to his helping hand Faith in this act doth not properly worke vpon the promise but prepares the heart thereunto And sure it is a worthy lesson for the serious thought of this matter is exceeding forcible to abase and humble him in his owne eyes and so wholly to driue him out of himselfe For hee perceiueth hee is as strongly bound by the tyrannie of sinne to perpetuall slauerie as by the guilt of sinne to the danger of condemnation Could he get pardon for sinne what would this profit so as hee lieth still vnder the power and dominion of sinne from which hee hath no abilitie to deliuer his soule If a man labour of some painfull loathsome incurable disease though in many things hee bee aduanced this will pull downe conceits of greatnesse and when a Christian comes to see how many dangerous noysome spirituall diseases he laboureth vnder he is not lightly affected with it no he abhorreth himselfe and crieth out Rom 7 24. O miserable wretch that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death how shall I bee cured of these maladies Hereby also he is drawne in all his purposes and râ—solutions to denie himselfe and to relie vpon the power of the Lord who only remaynes victorious Hee purposeth but through the might of God which causeth earnest and heartie prayer to bee strengthened vnto and established in that which is good I will keepe thy statutes Psal 119.8 O forsake mee not vtterly I haue stucke vnto thy Testimonies O Lord put me not to shame Psal 119.32 33. I will runne the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt enlarge my heart Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keepe it vnto the end Verse 34. Giue mee vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy Law yea I will obserue it with my whole heart Make me to goe in the path of thy Commandements for therein doe I delight Incline my heart to thy testimonies Verse 35. Psal 17.5 and not to couetousnesse Hold vp my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not Purposes thus grounded bring forth holy performances but when they are taken vp without consideration of our frailtie and we relie not vpon Christ for his grace and assistance they quickly vanish and come to nothing In the time of sicknesse danger disgrace we make faire promises to amend what is amisse and reforme things out of order but when the rod is remoued shortly all is cleane forgotten What may be the reason We stand vpon our owne feet presume to goe alone of our selues by our owne strength and then no maruell if we fall and catch many a knocke Secondly It sheweth where the strength is to bee had which we want and stirres vp to a conscionable diligent and constant vse of the meanes of grace that God hath ordained but lookes vp to him for a blessing and resteth not in the meanes Faith
is euer hungry Cant. 5.6 7 8. sensible of want and emptinesse and therefore attends vpon the Lord in the vse of all such meanes whereby he is pleased to conueigh Christ vnto vs for our spirituall filling The labourious Bee is early abroad to gather when there is an hony fall and faith is early awake to waite vpon the Lord in his ordinances when hee showres his blessings vpon his people But it knoweth to distinguish betwixt the ordinances in and by which grace is obtained and the Author and Giuer of it And thiâ— vrgeâ—h the Belieuer earnestly to beg the blessing of God vpon his owne ordinances without which they cannot auaile vs. Thirdly It inciteth to an holy improuement of what graces he hath reâ—eiued alreadie as the readie way to haue them encreased God bestoweth his gifts of grace in most plentifull measure vpon them that are most carefull to put them forth to aduantage Luke 19.26 Math. 13.12 To him that hath that is that vseth well what he hath receiued shall be giuen and hee shall haue in abundance Grace is giuen freely not deserued by workes but by the appointment of God he that would increase therein must religiously imploy what he possesseth Men increase their substance by labour and paines their learning by diligence and hee that best improueth graces receiued shall most abound therein Fourthly It fighteth couragiously against sin crieth instantly to the Lord for helpe Faith wil not yeeld to corruption be the combate neuer so hote and fierie because it apprehends victorie neither will it giue the Lord rest because it is sensible of want and wearie of sinne Create in mee a cleane heart Psal 51.10 O God and renew a right spirit within me Fiftly It submitteth willingly to what course the Lord is pleased to take for the crucifying of sinne and healing of our nature Looke as the patient yeeldeth himselfe vnto the Physician to be dieted purged or lanced for the curing of his maladies and recouery of health so doth the soule resigne it selfe by faith into the hands of God the spirituall Physician of the soule who only is able to heale all diseases to be dieted purged exercised as seemeth best vnto his heauenly wisdome only it desires that spirituall maladies may be remoued and health recouered Sixtly Faith is the band or sinew whereby we are tied vnto Christ the fountaine of grace and the pipe whereby grace is conueyed from him into the soule Acts 15.9 Looke what 〈◊〉 full treasure of all sorts of graces Christ hath stored vp in him faith draweth and driueth them out of his fulnes to the vse of each seuerall Christian euen grace for grace Iohn 1.16 Iohn 15.1 5 6. It fetcheth sap from the root Christ which maketh euery tree bring forth fruit in it kind euery Christian in his owne calling As water brought by pipes from the fountaine to the cocke doth come faster or slower as the pipes be wider or narrower open or stopped so grace doth flow from Christ into our hearts more or lesse as our faith is weaker or stronger in degree and measure Faith openeth as it were the passages of grace that it may distill more plentifully vpon vs. And thus by fetching supernaturall efficacie from the death and life of Christ it changeth the heart creates and infuseth new principles of action begetteth a plyable willingnesse vnto euery thing that is good and conueigheth both will and ability thereunto as the medicine curing the vitious stomacke and restoring it to health makes it long for wholsome meate as before for coales and ashes By the precious promises which wee haue from God when they are ours by faith 2. Pet. 1.4 we are made partakers of the diuine nature or the graces of the Holy Ghost The pâ—eposterous care and trauell of many wel-affected is to bee pittied who studie the practice of this or that vertue The true cause why men labour in vaine to practice some particular vertue neglecting this cardinall and radicall vertue as if men should water all the branches of a Tree and not the root Faine would they abound and shine in patience meeknesse zeale yet establish and root not themselues in fâ—ith that should maintaine all the rest If water come not to the cocke wee vse to open or amend the pipes or leades that conueigh it from the spring Christ is the wel-spring of grace if wee would haue our wants supplied we must labour stedfastly to belieue All defects in sanctification must admonish vs to looke to our faith Thirst driues men to the Spâ—ings of water colâ— forceth them to the fire weaknesse or want of grace should moue vs to come vnto Christ by a liuely faith Esay 55.1 Oh euery one that thirsteth come yee to the waters To giue way to doubting because the graces of Gods Spirit bee weake and feeble in vs is as if a man should refuse to eate because he is faint for want of sustenance Seuenthly True faith stirreth vp to thankfulnesse for the beginning of sanctification Rom. 7.25 I thank God through Iesus Christ our Lord. So then with the minde I my selfe serue the Law of God The least measure of sanctifying grace is in it selfe an vnspeakable benefit considering the poyson of our corrupt nature and also a pledge of future fauours to be receiued till the worke be perfected God in great wisdome powreth the graces of his Spirit vpon vs by degrees and doth not perfectly sanctifie vs at once least we should forget what great things hee doth for vs in forgiuing our daily trespasses and curing the grieuous and loathsome diseases of our polluted soules 1. Cor. 1.9 1. Thes 5.24 Rom. 11.29 Phil. 1 6. but the beginning of sanctification is an earnest of further grace to be vouchsafed till the worke bee finished to the praise of his grace which doth appeare the more in that the gifts of grace are communicated by degrees The meanes to stirre vp to belieue that God will sanctifie when we see nothing but discomfort The way or meanes whereby a Christian may stirre vp his faith to belieue that God will sanctifie him when hee seeth nothing but thraldome and sinne preuailing and feeleth nothing but deadnesse of heart is this First he must bewaile his spirituall nakednesse thraldome and vassalage vnder sinne acknowledging his inabilitie to free and deliuer him selfe Into what miserie and bondage haue I brought my selfe Thou Lord madest me holy pure and vpright But by sinne I sold my selfe vnto the seruice of sinne from which to this day I cannot get deliuerance Euery facultie of soule is deeply infected with that contagious leprosie the Mind is blinde vaine foolish the will peruerse and rebellious all the affections out of order there is nothing whole or sound within me Night and day I am pestered with sinfull motions The desires of my sinfull heart bee so strong and preuailing that I am carried head-long to that which is euill The
Iohn 2.25 My sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow me And I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish In the Gospell wee find eternall life promised vpon condition of faith in Christ Belieue on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and what God promiseth of free grace that faith doth certainly receiue Life is promised vpon condition of faith and by faith wee are quickened entitled vnto and made pertakers of life euerlasting Iohn 3.36 Hee that belieueth on the Sonne hath euerlasting life Hee that heareth my Word and belieueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life Iohn 5.24 and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life This is the record 1 Iohn 5.11 12 13. that God hath giuâ—n to vs eternall life and this life is in his Sonne He that hath the Sonne hath life and he that not the Sonne hath not life If once we be bâ—ought to belieue in Christ life etâ—rnall is then begun in vs. This is life eternall Iohn 17.3 to know that is with the knowledge of faith thee to be the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Col. 3.4 Ephes 3.17 For Christ is our life who dwels in our hearts by faith and therefore whosoeuer belieue in him haue life through and with him And this life is not another but one in substance with that blessed and glorious estate which the Saints enioy in Heauen though different in degree Againe when first we belieue then wee are intituled to life euerlasting and so haue the accomplishment of glorie in respect of right and proprietie 1. Pet. 1.3.4 Blessed bee the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus from the dead To an inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled and that fadeth not away That being iustified by his grace wee should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God Titus 3.7 by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled wee shall be saued by his life They which receiue abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse Rom. 5.10 Verse 17. shall raigne in life by one Iesus Christ To an earthly inheritance title followeth vpon the birth to the spirituall vpon our Adoption But when wee belieue in Christ wee are then made the Sonnes of God by Adoption yea sonnes accepted To as many as receiued him Ephes 1.6 John 1.12 to them gaue he priuiledge to become the Sonnes of God euen to them that belieue on his Name Behold what manner of loue the Father hath bestowed vpon vs that wee should bee called the Sonnes of God Beloued 1. Iohn 3.1 2. now are wee the Sonnes of God Gal. 3.26 29. and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus c. And if yee be Christs then are yee Abrahams seed and heiâ—es according to the promise Gal. 4.4 5. When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman made vnder the Law to redeeme them that are vnder the Law Verse 7. that wee might receiue the adoption of Sonnes Wherefore thou art no more a seruant but a sonne Rom 8 14. and if a sonne then an heire of God through Christ. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God Verse 17. Heb. 12.23 Therefore wee must belieue it c. And if children then heires heires of God and ioynt heires with Christ And for this cause the faithfulâ— are called the Church of the first begotten whose names are writt n in Heauen Now if eternall life be promised in the Gospell purchased by Christ and in right and title belong vnto the faithfull wee may conclude it is our part and dutie to belieue in God through Iesus Christ as well for the obtaining of eternall life to be giuen of grace as the forgiuenesse of our sinnes It is very necessary to belieue it And this is is necessarie that we might with the more quietnesse of Minde beare the afflictions and worldly losses the troubles and persecutions which befall vs in this world Heb. 10.35 36. Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompence of reward for yee haue need of patience that after yee haue done the will of God yee might receiue the promise Abraham is commended in Scripture that he left his friends his natiue Countrie and all earthly hopes there whiâ—h were not small and came to dwell in a strange Land as a Pilgrime where he suffered many iniuries Heb. 11.8 9 10. anâ— was exercised with many troubles of sundry kinds all which he endured with inuincible patience by the hope and desire of eternall life and that heauenly Countrie whereunto hee was called The hope of Heauen is the firme and sure anchor of the soule to sustaine and stablish it that it bee not tossed vp and downe and ouer-whelmed with reproaches and indignities Heb. 6 19. offered with the worldly losses miseries of this life It serues also to establish our hearts against sundry worldly cares and feares affectation of earthly greatnesse and carking for earthly necessaries For why should we admire the glory of this life when most excellent glory riches and happinesse ioyned with it is prepared and giuen vs through faith in Christ Why should we doubt of earthly necessaries when God hath bequeathed vnto vs an heauenly kingdome Faith in Christ to receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory will moderate desires of earthly things that wee shall neither admire nor aspire after great things below nor basely dist ust the Lord for supply of what he knowes meete and conuenient for vs. Feare not little flocke Luk. 12.32 for it is your Fathers good pleasure to giue you the Kingdome If wee keepe Heauen in our eye and looke to the high price of our calling wee shall fight couragiously and runne with paâ—ience notwithâ—tanding all opposition What can daunt him in the wayes of godlinesse or make him slaâ—ke his pace who runnes to obtaine not a corruptible but an incorruptible crowne 1. Cor. 9.25 By faith some were tortured not accepting deliuerance Heb. 11.35 that they might obtaine a better resurrection Let vs runne with patience vnto the race that is set before vs Looking vnto Iesus Heb. 12.1.2 the Author and finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse despising the shame and is set downe at the right hand of the throne of God The acts of faith concerning these promises be these The acts of faith concerning these promises First As an humble petitioner it receiueth and layeth hold vpon saluation it selfe promised which wee haue of Gods
might wauer a promise is annexed Whatsoeuer yee shall aske the Father in my Name hee will giue it you But without question they haue allowance to belieue the obtaining of that which Christ hath prayed for 1. John 5.14 and the faithfull aske of God in the Name of Chrâ—st according to his will The seruants of Christ who liued by the like pretious faith with vs grounâ—ed vpon the same promises and subiect to the same temptations Rom 8.38.39 belieued their perseuerance I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to seperate froÌ„ the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Phil. 1.20 According to mine earnest expectation my hope that in nothing I shal be ashamed but that with all boldnes as alwayes so now also Christ shal be magnified in my body whether it bee by life or by death And the Lord shall deliuer me from euery euill worke and will preserue me vnto his heauenly kingdome 2. Tim. 3.18 to whom be glory for euer and euer Amen But what one belieued vpon common and ordinarie grounds that is the priuiledge of all belieuers which they are allowed to receiue It is a great glory to God that wee liue by faith on him concerning our future estate and relie vpon his grace that shall encounters wee shall bee more then Conquerours through him that loued vs. For this is to take God to bee our God not only to put our confidence in him in prosperitie and aduersitie when wee haue meanes or meanes be wanting for our soules and bodies but also to relic vpon him that he will make vs walke in his Commandements and put his feare in our hearts that wee shall not depart from him that hee will perfect his worke begun in vs finish our fai h and preserue vs vnto his euerlasting kingdome This faith doth giue vnto God the praisent all grace which he is pleased to bestow and of all workes of grace which he effecteth by vs. Hee that relieth vpon the good vse of his free-will must necessarily ascribe the praise of his perseuerance in part if not principally vnto himselfe but he that resteth vpon the Lord for establishment against all spirituall enemies and abilitie vnto euery good worke hee must necessarily ascribe the whole praise vnto the glory of Gods grace vpon which hee doth depend The acts of faith concerning perseuerance The acts of saith concerning perseuerance bee these and such like First It makes a man sensible of his owne frailtie and infirmitie how weake and feeble he is apt not only to fall but euen to fall away if he were not vpholden by the grace and power of God 2. Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God Naturally we trust in our selues and are pâ—esumptuous of our strength but when by faith we goe forth of our selues vnto God for helpe we can see nothing in our selues but weaknesse and frailtie Secondly It stirres vp holy iealousie and suspition lest we should coole decay start-aside or fall backe Faith is bold and timorous confident and suspicious confident in God suspitious of our selues I was afraid saith Iob of all my workes Iob 9.28 Gatak Spirituall Watch pag. 84. knowing that if I did wickedly thou wouldst not acquite me And this suspition doth beget care to shunne occasions of sinne and watchfulnesse to preuent spirituall distempers A man iealous of his health is warie in his diet and he that hath his soule in suspition will euer be questioning with it and watching ouer it least he should offend This iealosie is euer waking apt to cast the worst that may fall out but to counsell the best that is to keepe farr from the occasions of sinne abstaine from all appearance of euill and take heede of the snare in lawfull businesses of this life And surely in this kinde considering our great frailty it is more behoouefull for a man to be somewhat too hee die and cautelous then to be a little too secure and selfe confident to be suspitious of his weaknesse that hee may be enabled by God and become strong in him then while he is fool-hardie strong in his owne conceit to run into danger and proue weak in triall Thirdly Psal 17.5 Faith instantly crieth vnto the Lord for help strength and continuall supply of grace Hold vp my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not Psal 119.8 I will keepe thy statutes O forsake me not vtterly Looke thou vpon me and be mercifull vnto me as thou vsest to doe vnto those that loue thy Name Order my steps in thy word Psal 119.32 33. Cant. 1.4 and let not any iniquitie haue dominion ouer me Draw me we will runne after thee Shew me thy wayes O Lord teach me thy pathes Lead mee in thy truth Psal 25.4 5. and teach me for thou art the God of my saluation on thee doe I waite all the day long When men be conscious to themselues of their owne wants they are wont to resort vnto others by whom their wants may be supplied The Belieuer is emptie in himselfe and sensible of his owne weaknesse desirous of supply and confident of helpe in God 2. Tim. 4.17 2. Cor. 12.9 10. 2. Cor. 4.7 who alone is able to confirme and strengthen him yea so to inable him notwithstanding his infirmitie that his power and might shall appeare in him amidst his feeblenesse his very infirmity shall make much for his glory and therefore hee will not cease day after day to repaire vnto him for continuall supply and strength of grace Fourthly Faith desireth digesteth and feedeth vpon the wholesome food of life 2. Pet. 2.2 As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that yee may grow thereby If the bodie be healthfull and in case to grow in strength there will be an appetite to wholesome food and good digestion by the stomacke euery liuing thing hath a facultie to draw nourishment vnto it selfe and the faith which neuer faileth doth not only couet but kindly digest the Word of life and sucke nourishment from it whereby it is made able and strong to euery good word and worke If the stomacke decay or the appetite be inordinate after things hurtfull and vnwholsome food or the digestion ill that meate taken in passeth away not altered by the stomacke the naturall life is in danger so the life of grace languisheth when our appetite to the word decayeth wee affect earthly things immoderately delight in a frothy windie vaine sound of words which pleaseth the eaâ—e but edifieth not the conscience or if we heare sleightly but take not paines to feed substantially vpon the Word I denie not but a liuely neuer-fading faith is subiect to these and more grieuous
good courage feare not nor be afraid of them for the Lord thy God he it is that doth goe with thee hee will not faile thee nor forsake thee Of our selues we haue no strength to preuaile against the strong one in the world all our victories must come of God 1. Pet. 1.5 Gen. 3.15 Rom. 16.20 his power doth all our workes for vs. Wee are kept by the power of God vnto saluation he bruiseth the Serpents head he dissolueth the workes of the Deuill he treadeth Satan vnder feete The chiefest strength of souldiers lyeth in their Captaine who yet must fight for themselues and him by their owne power and skill but all our strength lyeth in Christ the Captaine that leadeth vs to saluation from whom wee receiue all power and abilitie to doe what is good whose Almightie power subdueth all things for vs. Wee our selues before our conuersion are of no strength Rom. 5.6 2. Cor. 3.5 Act. 3.16 not sufficient to thinke a good thought all our sufficience is of God But we cannot be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. 6.10 vnlesse we belieue and leane vpon it Gods strength is the matter apprehended Exod. 14.13 faith the hand whereby we apprehend it This is our strength stand still feare not behold the saluation of the Lord. If wee had the strength of our first parents and were left to our selues wee should come short of happinesse this is all our securitie Psal 108.13 that it is Gods strength being trusted vnto by faith that must helpe vs to saluation Through God wee shall doe valiantly hee is our shield tower 1. Ioh. 5.4 Math. 16.18 rocke strength and glory Faith is of force to keepe vs against all assaults of the Deuill This is our victorie which ouercommeth the world this is so mightie that the powers of Hell cannot preuaile against it Faith doth latch the fierie darts of the Deuill Eph. 6.16 that they fall off without piercing vs or if they enter it doth quench and allay their burning heate that they shall not kill vs. Peter had the dart stucke in him a while but faith did renew repentance and healed him making the poyson of sinne a Treacle Paul was buffeted with inward suggestions and had troubles as thicke as haile-stones following him yet all these preuailed not against him 1. Tim. 14.7 because hee kept the faith The Deuill will renew his assaults against vs and we must renew our courage and strength against him which cannot be done vnlesse wee liue by faith Hee that hath no trust in himselfe but leaneth on the power of God will though he fall often still haue hope and bee courageous to set vpon his enimies with fresh assaults after some foyle receiued For he that knowes hee hath no strength cannot wonder if when God leaueth him he doe fall and he that maketh Gods strength his stay The acts of faith in respect of these temptations though he be neuer so farre from a thing yet will not cast away hope in time to obtaine The acts of faith in respect of temptation be these or such like First Faith makes sensible that we cannot resist of our selues By Satans force the mightie Cedars haue beene ouerthrowne and with more case we might be ouerturned But yet when hee rageth with greatest fury it assureth that hee is chained vp by the power of Almightie God and can goe no further then he will giue him leaue Well may the Deuill barke and roare like a band-dogge or Lion safely chained or shut vp but hee cannot stirre further then God is pleased to let him lose Hee cannot tempt whom hee will nor when hee will nor how hee would not by what meanes nor in what measure hee would nor with what temptations nor for what continuance in all these he is confined by the prouidâ—nce of God who hath promised that he will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape 1. Cor. 10.12 Marke 5.12 that we may be able to beare it A legion of Deuils could not enter into a Gadarene Hogge till Christ had giuen them leaue Satan cannot touch one Bleate pertaining to Iob till he haue obtained libertie Iob 1.12 2.6 nor then lay a finger vpon his bodie till his libertie be renewed The Deuill is the sinfull Authour of Temptations whereby he seekes to molest and ouerthrow the Saints but God in his infinite wisdome and mercie doth limit them both in respect of time place person and temptation it selfe and direct them to such an end as Satan neuer intended Faith speaketh on this wise Satan desires to fift me as wheate but it is the Lord who hath made choice of this temptation wherewith I am exercised rather then another and hath set bounds to the spirituall enemies of my soule what time they shall continue to assaile how farre they shall proceed and no further and will direct the temptation to a good end aboue all I can conceiue therefore I will not feare the enemy but waite vpon the Lord. Secondly It discouereth the Methods of Satan and his Ends in tempting 1. Cor. 2.11 The Deuils aimes are not euer one and the same Alwayes hee labours the destruction of the Saints but his wayes whereby he endeuours to effect it are contrarie Sometimes he purposeth to entice vnto sin by his allurements sometimes to vexe trouble and driue into despaire at least to make the life of a Christian vncoÌ„fortable with his manifold and hellish assaults This is wisely discerned by faith whereby the stratagems of our Aduersary are more easily disappointed For as an Enemy who intends by policie to get the victorie is more then halfe ouercome when his plot is disclosed so it is here Satan is soone discomfited when his intents and proiects are manifested and made knowne Thirdly It lifteth vp the heart to crie and complaine vnto God of the crueltie and malice of that spirituall Aduersary but suffers it not to muse vpon his blasphemous temptations or to conferre with them If Rabshakeh reuile the liuing God Esay 36.21 the people of Iudah will hold their peace and not answere him a word least being inraged he should blaspheme the more Direct opposition in such cases stirreth vp the outragious blasphemer to grow more furious When the Deuill requires of our Sauiour to fall downe and worship him hee reasons not the case but repelleth him with detestation Auoid Satan Math. 4.20 Giuing vs to vnderstand that the blasphemous may not be reasoned with if they should it would make them but burst forth into greater outrage against the peerelesse wisdome of God Wherefore if Satan buffet vs with suggestions of this nature it is our wisdome to turne from him and to make our complaint vnto the Lord. So Hezekiah spred the blasphemous letter of Sennacherib Esay 37.14 before the Lord And when the enemies
will the Lord waite that he may be gracious vnto you and therefore will he be exâ—lted that he may haue mercy vpon you The Lord hath commanded vs to waite vpon him in the dayes of calamitie and sorrow Hab. 2.4 The Iust shalâ— liue by faith It is the ve y scope of this text to teach this one po nt of doctrâ—ne to the Iewes when they would be oppressed by the Babilonions viz that in greatest dâ—ngers the onely way is to stay our selues and establish our hearts by faith on Gods promises Confidence in God doth the more bind and oblige him Psal 37.40 as it were to doe vs good The Lord shall helpe the righteous and deliuer them hee shall deliuer them from the wicked and saue them because they trust in him Esay 26.3 Thou wilt keepe him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee because hee hath trusted in thee I will surâ—ly deliuer thee Ier. 39.18 and thou shalt not fall by the word but thy life shall bee for a prey vnto thee because thou hast put thy trust in me saith the Lord. If a friend â— lie and builde vp our faithfull promise we take our sâ—ues boâ—nâ— not to frâ—strate his exp ctation in a â—ead lift Psal 141.8 the Lord will neuer leaâ—e the soule destitute which trusts in him The faithfull haue promised themselues helpe and confidently begged aide because they trusted in the Lord Be mercifull vnto me O God Psal 57.1 be mercâ—full vnto me for my soule trusteth in thee yea in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge vntill these calamities bee ouer past Cause me to heare thy louing kindnesse in the Morning for in thee doe I trust Psal 143.8.9 cause me to know the way wherein I should walke for I lift vp my soule vnto thee Deliuer mee O Lord from mine enemies for I flie vnto thee to hide me And to hope in God and to haâ—e God for our helpe are linked together in Scripture so that his helpe is reâ—die for all them who rest vpon him in truth Happy is he that hath Psal 146.5 the God of Iacob for his helpe whose hope is in the Lord his God Acts of faith in respect of these promises The acts of faith in respect of these promises be these First It looketh vnto God and acknowledgeth his hand in all afflictions whosoeâ—er bee the instruments Shall there be euill in a Citie Esay 45.7 Amos 3.6 Iob. 1 21. and they Lord hath not done it The Lord gaue and the Lord hath taken away I know O Lord that thy iudgments are right and that thou in faithfulnesse hast afflicted mee Psal 119.75 If yee endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sonnes Heb. 12.7 for what sonn is he whom the Father chasteneth not And this is one speciall ground of humilation patience and comfort Come and let vs returne vnto the Lord Hos 6.1 for he â—ath torne and he will heale vs. My sonne despise not thou the chastening of the Lâ—rd neither be wearie of his â—rrection For whom the Lord loueth he correcteth Pro 3.11.12 euen 〈◊〉 a father the sonne in whom he delighteth Let him curse for the Lord hath bidden him It may be that the Lord will looke on mine affliction and that the Lord will requite good for his cursing this day But of these more particularly hereafter Secondly It teacheth that wee are in such distresses out of which none cane helpe vs but the strong helper of Israel Faith speaketh on this manner We haue no might against this great companie 2 Chro. 20.21 that commeth against vs neither know we what to doe but our eyes are vpon thee And great is the benefit of this instruction for it drawes the heart from carnall repose in meanes or friends it expells vexations and distracting cares and estranges from the vse of vnlawfull meanes of deliuerance whatsoeuer Pro. 21.31 Psal 33.16.17 The horse is prepared against the day of battell but safety is of the Lord. An horse is but a vaine thing to saue a man neither is any man deliuered by his great strength And the same may be said of wisedome swiftnesse wealth or the force of any meanes whatsoeuer Eccl. 9.2 Psal 127.1 Esay 30.7 and 31.3 though neuer so lawfull or likely But as for vnlawfull meanes no good successe can be hoped from them The Egyptians shall helpe in vaine and to no purpose therfore haue I cryed concerning this their strength is to sit still Thirdly It wisely directeth vs to consider that the cause of all miserie and sorrow is sinne and thereupon driues to examine our wayes humble our selues before God for mercy renew our hope in his grace and set vpon reformation of what is out of order Faith is a good Physition Hos 5.15 that seeketh to cure the disease by taking away the cause thereof when God takes tryall of vs that wee might know our selues faith maketh search into the heart 1. Cor. 11.31 Lam. 3.40 when hee iudgeth by his chastisements faith maketh vs to iudge our selues and when God striketh for sinne faith striketh at the head of sinne Let vs search and try our wayes and turne againe to the Lord. I thought on my wayes Psal 119.59 and turned my feete vnto thy testimonies When Manasses was in affliction 2. Chro. 33.12 Iob 34.31.32 hee besought the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his Fathers Surely it is meete to be said vnto God I haue borne chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach me if I haue done iniquitie I will doe no more Fourthly Faith meekeneth the heart willingly to submit it selfe to the good pleasure of God Psal 37.7 Psal 62.1.5 Lam. 3.16 Esay 30.15 and patiently to beare his correctioÌ„ Rest in the Lord waite patiently for him fret not thy selfe because of him who prospereth in his way Yet vnto God my soule keepe thou silence for from him is my expectation By faith the seruants of God haue beene enabled to say The word of the Lord is good Esay 39.8 Mic. 7.9 I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntill he plead my cause 2. Sam. 15.26 and execute iudgement for mee If he say thus I haue no delight in thee behold here am I Psal 131.2 let him doe to me as seemeth good vnto him Surely I haue behaued and quieted my selfe as a child that is weaned of his Mother my soule is euen as a weaned child I was as a man that heareth not Psal 38.14.15 and in whose mouth are no reproofes For in thee O Lord doe I hope Guiltinesse of Conscience which is euer fearefull and vntamed passions make vnquietnes when the rod of God is vpon our backes both which are corrected by faith The conscience is comforted by faith resting vpon the gracious promises
For if good things be wanting to the body specially we are apt to aske and seeke after them But should the Lord let vs alone till wee find out the diseases of the soule and be desirous of or willing to receiue his medicinable potions our sores would grow incurable Iob 2.10 we should perish in our sinnes Therefore as the belieuer doth receiue good things from God with ioy so doth he euill with meeknesse The childe will take from the mothers hand as well sowre as sweet because he is perswaded of her tender loue and affection so doth faith entertaine afflictions from God knowing them to be fruits of his grace and fatherly compassion Fourthly After serious humiliation and vnfained abasing of the soule Deut. 4.29 31 32. 30.3 4. Leu. 26.41 42. Esay 54.6 7 8. faith brings tydings that God will looke downe from Heauen in mercie and send helpe in fittest season If their vncircumcised hearts be humbled and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity Then will I remember my couenant with Iacob and also my couenant with Isaake and also my couenant with Abraham will I remember And this doth maruellously quiet and still the heart Should a man bee very sicke whilest the Physicke doth worke he would not be dismayed so long as he knew the fit should last but a season and then ease should returne with health Esay 39.8 And so it fareth with the faithfull in their afflictions Hezekiah said to Isaiah Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken he said moreouer for there shall be peace and truth in my dayes Reioyce not saith the Church against mee O mine enemy When I fall I shall arise Mich. 7 8 9. when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light vnto me I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntill he plead my cause and execute iudgement for me he will bring me forth to light and I shall behold his righteousnesse Fiftly Moreouer Heb. 12.2 3. faith doth re-minde vs of our conformitie with Christ in afflictions and of his partnership with vs therein If hee that was the first-borne the only begotten and intirely beloued Sonne of God if he that was without sinne yet was not without stripes should we hope to goe free or looke to be cockered continually All the Sonnes of God by Adoption are predestinated to be made like their elder-brother as in holinesse and glory so in afflictions Should we thinke much to sip or taste of that cup which hee hath drunke off for our sake The first lesson we take out in the schoole of Christ is Math. 16.24 Deny thy selfe take vp the crosse and follow the Lord Iesus And the sorrowes which we beare Esay 63.9 are not so much ours as Christs In all our troubles hee is troubled with vs what burthen soeuer lies vpon vs hee â—eeles the weight of it Acts 9.5 Col. 1.24 1. Pet. 4.13 Apoc. 11.8 When Stephen is stoned he is persecuted the wrong done to the Saints is offered to him And he can no more bee vnmindfull of his people then forgetfull of himselfe Lastly Faith setteth before vs the infinite recompence of reward not only renowne in this world which yet by faith the patience of Iob and all holy Martyrs hath obtained but that farre most excellent weight of glory which Paul eying counted his afflictions which to vs would haue beene intollerable light and momentanie 2. Cor. 4.17 not worthy to be named in comparison which made him not onely not weepe and howle but sing in the Dungeon and reckon it a speciall fauour and honour to be counted not only a belieuer but a sufferer for Christ And euen as waters fall downe into vallies not able to abide in grounds that lie high so the sense of these afflictions goeth away from mindes that are lifted vp in such contemplation By these and such like perswasions faith allures the heart willingly freely constantly to resigne it selfe to the good pleasure of God in all things The fift Act of faith Psal 94 12. Verse 13. The fift act of faith It teacheth wisdome to iudge aright of all afflictions Blessed is the man whom thou instructest and teachest him out of thy law scil wisely to consider of afflictions of their nature end vse and issue to them that feare God Hee shall rest or be quiet in the dayes of aduersity Did wee not through false glasses see things otherwise then they are they would not cast vs downe so much as they doe Want of heauenly wisdome what voices doth it draw from vs Euen such as these Were it any thing but this I could hope to receiue good from it Whereas through the spectacles of faith we come to discerne that the things we suffer are most fit to doe vs good For fa th seeth not according to sense or outward appearance but as the truth is in Iesus Christ alwayes magnifying the wisdome and courses of God as best and most for our profit Esay 11.2 The Spirit of wisdome and vnderstanding of iudgement and counsell was powred vpon Christ of which Spirit we partake by faith and so are made wise to perceiue the things of God and to iudge aright of his dealings towards vs. And from this proceeds willingnesse to giue our neckes to the yoke when God is pleased to put it on Feare of hurt is that which makes vs shunne the crosse or goe heartlesse vnder it when once by faith the scales falling from our eyes wee come to see it vsefull beneficiall healthfull we straine courtesie no longer but take it downe Sixtly True and vnfained confidence will not keepe silence in the cares of the Lord nor cease to importune his aide to intreate his fauour Aâ—ise cry out in the night Lam. 2.19 in the beginning of the watches poure out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord lift vp thy hands towards him Be mercifull vnto me O God be merciful vnto me Psal 57.1 2. 2. Chron. 14.11 for my soule trusteth in thee yea in the shadow of thy wings wil I make my refuge vntill these calamities be ouer-past I wil cry vnto God most high vnto God that performeth all things for me Trust in him at all times Psal 62.8 Esay 26.16 Psal 142.1 2. Iob 5.8 11.13 ye people powre out your hearts before him Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them The counsell which Elephaz and Zophar gaue to Iob faith doth apply and put in practice which was to seeke vnto God and commit the cause vnto him to prepare the heart and stretch out the hands towards him Hauing no wisdome of our selues to make vse of chastisements nor power to deliuer our soules faith vrgeth to seeke vnto God that hee would leade vs by his grace in the way that wee should goe Esay 48.17 teach vs to
him when the Kings and Princes of Iudah had no assurance of so much possession in the promised Land as to inherit the Sepulchres of their Fathers the Lord expels not his suspensiue rather then diffident admiration with signes and wonders as hee did Gideons doubt Ier. 32 24 25. c. or his stiffe-necked Fore-fathers distrust By what meanes then By the present calamities which had seized vpon the Cities of Iudah and that very place wherein his late purchased possession lay This is the very scale of Ieremiahs assurance Ier. 32.42 43. from the Lords owne mouth Thus saith the Lord like as I haue brought all this great plague vpon this people so will I bring vpon them all the good that I haue promised them And the fields shall be possessed in this land whereof ye say It is desolate without man or beast c. The depth of miserie is vsually made an argument to moue the Lord with speed to heare and send helpe and this is grounded vpon the pâ—omise of God to giue audience to his children Psal 10.1 Deut. 30.1 2 3. Nehem. 1.7 8. Psal 44.23.24 when in their distresses they remember themselues and seeke his face Awake why steepest thou O Lord arise cast vs not off for euer Wherefore hidest thou thy face and forgetteth our affliction and oppression Attend vnto my cry Psal 142.6 for I am brought very low deliuer mee from my persecutions for they are stronger then I. What that as wee feele God to be true in his threates so we may be assured he will not faile of his promises Lastly it reioyceth in tribulations 10. Act. and tryumpheth before the victorie The patient is glad when he feeles his physicke to worke though it make sicke for the time because he hopes it will procure health Iam. 1.2.3 Rom. 5.3.4.5 Heb. 12.11 We reioyce in afflictions not that they are ioyous for the present but because they shall worke for our good As faith reioyceth so it tryumpheth in assurance of good successe for it seeth not according to outward appearance but when all meanes faile it keepeth God in sight and beholdeth him present for our succour As for me I will come into Psal 5.7 thy house in the multitude of thy mercy and in thy feare will I worship towards thy holy Temple Psal 13 5. and 16.8.9 Psal 142 7. I haue trusted in thy mercie my heart shall reioyce in thy saluation The righteous shall compasse me about for thou shalt deale bountifully with me We must liue by faith in the heauiest and longest afflictions Thus are we to liue by faith when God is pleased to exercise vs with afflictions of what sort soeuer though heauy to be borne of long continuance Great troubles of long durance are the exercises of faith as weighty burden are tryalls of strength As none for a little headach or for the ranch of a pin will seeke to the bodily Physitian or Surgeon So it is in a maner with the soule whilest it is troubled with like grieuances spirituall Little things doe not much exercise our faith nor stirre vs vp to seeke God and short afflictions are soone forgotten Faith indeede despiseth not the least crosse but is most prooued and stirred vp in the greatest Without question there is most need of faith when afflictions lie the heauiest and the more because Satan will be most busie at such times to molest and trouble he wills to shew his power and malice when wee are most feeble When God followes a man with one affliction vpon another and those of great continuance then the Deuill will tempt to impatience and dispaire as if God tooke him for his enemie and would not shew compassion any more When the heart faileth because of the multitude of euils that compasse vs about and God hideth his face man is apt to conceiue sure God hath forsaken me and will not arise for my helpe If God did loue me hee would neuer haue absented himselfe so long now I am brought so low in so greiuous distresse How should the poore soule weake and feeble in it selfe stand vnder this great weight of sore affliction increased by temptation and continuance if it be not vpheld by a liuely faith The acts of faith in this case The acts of faith in this case are for substance the same with those before mentioned but for the helpe of the distressed Christian who may be vnable to direct himselfe I conceiue it not amisse to repeate the principall 1. Pet. 1.6 First it teacheth that many and strong afflictions of great continuance are no more theÌ„ necessarie A wise Physition will not minister a strong potion where a lenitiue or gentle matter is enough nor put one dramme too much in his prescription much lesse will the Lord. Wee neede great afflictions that our corruptions may be subdued within vs. Iob. 11.12 For as the vntamednesse of some colt is such that vnlesse he were sore ridden hee would neuer be broken so it is with our rebellious nature Learning tels the Physitian that in healing some bodily diseases the patient must be kept so low that hee must be almost pined with want before a spring of better blood can be procured Iob. 33.17.22 Psal 107.12.17.18 Faith instructeth that God is as it were forced to cast man vpon the bed of sorrow till his dayes draw towards the buriall and his bones begin to clatter that he might hide that is suppresse and remoue his pride and cure the distempers of the soule Our afflictions are many and diuers because our corruptions are many and of diuers kinds and such as are not expelled with one purgation If one medicine fit not our sore will wee not seeke another What Father will not vse many remidies to helpe the infirmities of his Child if one doe no good Our heauenly Father keepes vs in a dayly course of physicke now with one thing now with another because we profit not with any one alone When afflictions are growne ordinarie and vsuall they moue the lesse because they be familiar therefore God is pleased to alter and change his medicines that they might worke more kindly And as it is necessary that afflictions be strong and diuers so also that they be of long continuance for growen deseases are not hastily remoued not old sores quickly healed As staines long setled in a cloth require much scowring and long whiting so doe the euils which haue deepely eaten into our soule In others wee may behold what is needfull for our selues Gen. 15.13 The posteritie of Israel endured tryall foure hundred yeeres The elder people of God were all led captiue seuentie yeares Dan. 9.2 By woefull experience euery Godly man may finde that being newly taken out of the furnace hee standeth in neede to be refined againe Be our afflictions of neuer so long continuance in this life wee are well assured they shall not presse vs longer
all Verse 14. And I will satiâ—te the soule of the priests with fatnesse and my people shall be satisfied with goodnesse saith the Lord. Ezek 34 25 26. 27. I will make with thâ—m a couenant of peace and will cause the euill beast to cease out of the Lâ—nd and thâ—y shall dwell saf ly in the wildernesse and sleepâ— in the woods And I will mâ—ke them and the places round about my hill a blessing and I will cause the showre to come downe in his season there shall be showres of blessing And the tree of the field shall yeeld her fruite and the earth shall yeelâ— her increase and they shalâ— be safe in their land and shall know that I am the Lord I will call for corne and encrease it Ezek. 36.29 30 and 34 29. and lay no famine vpon you And I will â—ultiply the fruite of the tree and the incrâ—ase of the field that y e shall no more â—eceiue reproch of famine among the hâ—athen I will eu n â— t oth thee vnto me in faithfulnesse Hos 2.20 21 22. and thou shalt know the Lord. And it shall come to passe in that day I will â—eare saith the Lord I will heare the heauens and â—â—ey shall hearâ— the earth and the earth shall heare the â—â—rne and the wine the oyle Now seeing the Lord hath by promise and couenant againe and againe repeated for our confirmation assuâ—ed vs of all needfull blessings it is our duty by faith to make these ptomises our owne and rest quietly vpon his word to finde reliefe at such time and in such measure as he knowes to be expedient and may be for our good Thirdly And this wee may the rather be incouraged vnto considering the relation which is betwixt God and vs for he is our faithfull creatour wee the worke of his hands hee is our Sheepheard wee the flocke of his pasture he is our Father wee his children Let them that suffer according to the will of God 1. Pet. 4.19 commit the keeping of their soules to him in well-doing as vnto a faithfull Creatour 1. Pet. 5.7 Psal 23.1 Cast all your care vpon him for he he careth for you The Lord is my sheepheard I shall not want As a sheepheard seeketh out his flocke in the day that he is among his sheepe that are scattered Ezek. 34.12 13. so will I seeke out my sheepe and will deliuer them out of all places where they haue beene scattared in the cloudy and darke day And I will bring them out from the people and gather them from the countries Verse 14. and will bring them to their owne land and feede them vpon the mountaines of Israel by the riuers and in all the inhabited places of the country I will feede them in a good pasture and vpon the high mountaines of Israel shall their fold be there shall they lye in a good fold and in a fat pasture shall the feed vpon the mountaines of Israel Mat. 6.31.32 Take no thought saying What shall we eate or what shall we drinke or wherewith shall we be clothed for your heauenly Father knoweth that yee haue need of all these things God is the great Father of the family who prouideth all things necessarie for them that bee vnder his gouernment Psal 104 27. Psal 145.15 16 The eyes of all waite vpon thee and thou giuest them their meate in due season Thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of euery liuing thing Psal 146.9 Iob 38.41 Mat. 6.26 Hee giueth to the beast his food and to the young rauens which crie It is his propertie who is the cheife good to communicate his blessings vnto his creatures much more to compasse them with mercie that depend vpon him Hee hath put this naturall affection into Parents nay into bruite beasts to tender their young ones and shall not hee much more prouide for them that crie vnto him day and night for reliefe and succour The Lords portion is his people Deut. 32.9 Ier. 10.16 51.19 Iacob is the lot of his inheritance and God is the portion of his people Hee hath chosen them and they haue giuen themselues to him they relie vpon him and he hath vndertaken to make plentifull prouision for them Lam. 3.24 The Lord is my portion saith my soule therefore will I hope in him The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou maintainest my lot Psal 16.5 6. The lines are fallen vnto me in a pleasant places yea I haue a goodly heritage The Lord by his speciall prouidence will make that prosperous vnto the righteous which they possesse be it little or much There is nothing better for a man then Eccles 2.24 that he should eate and drinke and that hee should make his soule enioy good in his labour This also I saw and it was from the hand of God And this gift the Lord freely giues to the man whom he doth approue Verse 26. To the man that is good in his sight God giueth wisdome and knowledge and Ioy to wit together vse earthly blessings with delight comfort The reuenues of the righteous are small many times but their state is comfortable Psal 37.16 for the little that the righteous man hath is better then much riches of many and mightie wicked ones who flow in wealth and excell in power Prou. 15.16 17 17.1 Better is a litle with the feare of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith Better is a dinner of herbs where loue is then a stalled Oxe and hatred therewith God giueth his beloued sleepe Psal 127.2 Prou. 10.22 And it is the blessing of God which maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it Fourthly The patient expâ—ctation of the Saints hath confirmed this that God will not bee wanting to his children in things of this life so farre as may bee for their spirituall welfare Psal 37.25 26. I haue beene young and now am old yet haue I not seene the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread Hee is euer mercifull and lendeth and his seed is blessed The children of the needie shall bee succoured in due season for God who knoweth their wants is faithfull to pe forme promise The acts of faith in respect of these promises The acts of faith in respect of these promises and blessings are First it preserueth from the vse of all vnlawfull means knowing that nothing can prosper which God approues not Esay 30.7 The Egyptians shall helpe in vaine and to no purpose therefore haue I cryed concerning this Their strength is to sit still Hosea 5.13 14. When Ephraim saw his sicknesse and Iudah saw his wound then went Ephraim to the Assyrian and sent to King Ioreb yet could he not heale you noâ— cure you of your wound If a man be soundly perswaded that the blessing of God is all in all hee will ply that fare
take the stonie heart out of their flesh and will giue them an heart of flesh I will saue them out of their dwelling places Ezek. 37.23.24 whâ—rein they haue sinned and will cleanse them so shall they bee my people and I will be their God And Dauid my seruant shall be king ouer them and they shall all haue one sheepheard they shall also walke in my iudgements and obâ—erue my statutes and doe them In that day sing yee vnto her A vineyard of red wine I the Lord doe keepe it and will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keepe it night and day Isay 27.2.3 Surely shall one say In the Lord haue I righteousnes and strength Isay 45.24 Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God They shall still bring forth fruite in old age Psal 92.13.14 Rom. 6.14 they shall bee fat and flâ—urishing Sinne shall not haue dominion oueâ— you Now we are dâ—liu red fro the law that being dead wherein we were held Rom. 7.6 that we should serue in newnâ—s of Spirit and not in oldnes of the letter I can doe all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Phil. 4 13. The Christians obedience is imperfect but pleasing Pro. 12.22 Psâ—l 147.11 Psal 149.4 The obedience of the faithfull which through the power of grace they performe is weake imperfect but pleasing acceptable vnto God The Lord taketh pleasure in them that feare him in those that hope in his mercy The Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will beautifie the meeke with saluation In euery nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him The Lord by Moses did often times tell his people that they offering vp their sacrifices Act. 10.35 such as he commanded they should be accepted which is often repeated by the pâ—ophets Leu. 1.3.4 and 22.21 and 23.11 Thou shalt makâ— a plate of pure gold and graue vpon it like the engrauings of a sâ—gnet Holines to the Lord and it shall be vpon Aarons forehead that Aaron may beare the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel shal hallow in all their holy gifts Exod. 28.36.38 and it shall be alwayes vpon his forehead that they may bee accepted before the Lord. Esay 60.7 All the flockes of Kedar shall be gathered together the Rams of Nebaioth shall minister vnto thee they shal come vp with acceptance on mine altar The Priest shall make you burnt offerings vpon the alter and your peace offerings Ezek. 43.27 20 40 41. and I will accept you saith thâ— Lord God Then shall the offerings of Iudah and Ierusaleâ— be pleasant vnto the Lord as in the dayes of old and as in former yeares Mal. 3.4 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousnes with burnt offering and whole burnt offering Psal 51.19 Hereunto may be referred the prayer of the prophet Let the words of my mouth and the meditation oâ— my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength Psal 19.14 and my râ—deemer Accept I beseech thee the freewill offerings of my mouth O Lord and teach mee thy Iudgemâ—ntâ— Psal 119.108 Deut. 33.11 There bee many other testimonies to the same purpose I b seech you therefore brethren by the mercies of Goâ— that yee present your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God Rom. 12.1 Phil. 4.18 I am full hauing receiued of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you an odour of a sweete smell a sacrifice acceptable wel-pleasing to God But to doe good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased Yee also Heb. 13.16 1. Pet. 2.5 as liuely stones are built vp a spirituall house an holy Preisthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Iesus Christ Children obey your parents in all things Col. 8.20 Heb. 11.5 for this is well pleasing Before his translation Enoch had receiued this testimonie that he pleased God And this faith is most necessarie to the leading of a Christian life Faith is necessary to the leading of a Christian life scil to adhere and sticke fast vnto the commandements rest vpon God for abilitie to do what he requireth and that he will accept what sincere and vnfained seruice though weake and imperfect is tendered vnto his Highnesse For the word of grace which commandeth to belieue the free mercie of the Lord to the pardoning of sinne Tit. 2.11.12 teacheth vs to denie vngodlinesse and worldly lust and to liue godly iustly and soberly in this present euil world Such as giue vp their names to Christ must not looke to bee lawlesse but they come to take a yoâ—ke vpon them Math. 11.28.29 Ioh. 13.34 and stand obliged to fulfill the law of Christ called the new Commaundement Want of belieuing the precepts is the cause why many doe still continue in the practise of diuers things inconuenient and suffer inordinate passions to hold them vnder Ignorance or carelesnesse in this point is the cause why some of the better sort of people are off and on now forward then backward scarce setled or stayed at any time not knowing how to set vpon the practice of repentance how to begin or to proceed therein Whereas this faith much auaileth to the furthering of the deare Children of God in a godly course the shâ—ning of euill and the practice of holinesse True faith is an obsequious confidence which carrieth a man whither soeuer he shâ—ll see the Lord to gâ—e before him Heb. 11.5.7.8.9.10 c. By faith Hâ—noch walked with God Noah builded an Arke Abraham offered vp his sâ—nne Isaac Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter Our present faith or trust in God is but commensurable to our fideliâ—ie in his Commaâ—ndements ere we can make a faithfull plea for mercie Gods will neglected must bee executed either in act if the obâ—ect be present and may be prosecuted or in sincere and constant resolution if abilities and opportunities required to execution of what we resolue vpon be altogether wanting or our endeauours vpon ineuitable occasions hindred Gal. 5.6 Faith worketh by loue which constraineth men to doe the will of God and submit themselues to his holy Commandements The strength of faith to it seuerall obiects is vniforme that assurance of forgiuenesse cannot be greater then care of obedience The very consciousnesse of any one sin wherevnto we haue beene indulgent will be of like force to withdraw our assent from Gods mercy as the delight or pleasure of that sensuall obiect was to cause vs to transgresse any part of his wil reuealed The same strength beautie had to allure vnto adulterie will that foule sinne vnrepented of haue to diuorce our soules from Christ Nor can wee faile in practice of this or other Commandement without a precedent defect of that faith which onely
to keep the righteous iudgements of the Lord. Psal 119.106 Nehem. 10.29 2. Kings 23.3 Psal 119.8 Verse 36. I haue sworne and I wilâ— pâ—rforme it that I will keep thy righteous iudgements But they came not to this couenant oath as trusting in their own strength but in assurance of diuine assistance as the Prophet prayeth I will keâ—pe thy statutâ—s O forsake mee not vtterly Incline my heart vnto thy testimonies and not to couetousnesse Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquitie haue dominion ouer me Verse 133. Verse 135. Make thy face to shine vpon thy seruant and teach me thy statutes God will perfect the sauing worke which he hath begunne in any of his children for the gifts that flow from his eternall and free grace are without repentance God who calleth vs according to his purpose is faithfull who will also confirme vs vnâ—o the end 1. Cor. 1.8 9. Phil. â— 6 1 Thes 5.24 Gal 2.20 Phil. 4 13. that we may be blamelesse in the day of the Lord Iesus Châ—ist Paul saith he liued by faith in the Sonne of God by whom he was strengthened with abilitie to performe whatsoeuer was required of him Notwithstanding all the hope of helpe that hee had yet hee complaineth of the rebellion of his flesh Rom. 7.19 which did mâ—ghtily resist the Spirit in him But still he was confident in the promise of God that he should be deliuered from euery euil work 2. Tim. 4.18 preserued vnto the heauenly kingdome Now in all this Paul had no peculiar prerogatiue aboue other Christians but what he expected from God they mâ—y all hope fâ—r Acts of faith touching obedience requiquirâ—d The acts of faiâ—h touching that obedience which we owe vnto God in Christ are these or the like First Iâ— makâ—s a man wise to discerne what is lawfull good and seasonable both in respect of the worke the meanes and circumstances of it Dauid saith hee was wiser then his Enemies Psal 119.97 9 99. then his Teachers then the Ancient he â—â—nderâ— the cause thereof from the work of his faith Psal 119.24 for thy testimonies are euer with me they are my meditation the men of my counsel with whom I adâ—ise Secondly It câ—rbes and bridles inordinate passions and ouercomes â—ll impediments temptations difficulties and allurements to the contrarie 1. Iohn 5.4 This is the victorie whereby we ouercome the world euen our faith For faith beâ—ng wel-rooted possessing the heart and hauing its force vnited by close reposall therein commanâ—s euery delight affection or pleasure of our soules and breakes the violence of euery inclination contrarie to such motion as it suggests seeing no hopes can be equall to the reward which it proposeth to the constant and resolute no feares comparâ—ble to the terrors which it represents to the neglâ—gent or slothfull followers of such courses as it presâ—râ—bes What Phil. 3.8 that faith sets an inestimable price vpon the pearle of the Gospell accounting all other things as drosse anâ— dung in comparison which causeth a free and aduised renouncing of all interest in the world the flesh Math. 13.44 â—nd all their appurtenances for assurance of it with as great willingnesse as good husbands forsâ—ke base tenements and hard-rented leases to compasse some goodly royalty and large possessions offered them more then halfe for nothing Againe faith fighteth against temptations and intiâ—ements vnto sinne by the power of Christ which cannot be vanquished Satan and the world are too strong for vs standing in our owne might but by the grace of God leâ—ning vpon his power wee remaine inuincible The strength of nature is corrupt feeble and defiled through sinne and therefore the truth which it taketh hold off it hath not effectually But faith hath ioyned with it the inspiration of God and the power of the holy Ghost and therefore it taketh hold of the truth effâ—ctually Wherefore this difference is not in the truth it â—elfe but in the meane and instrument whereby wee embrace it Hereof it commeth thâ—t by fâ—ith we are changâ—d but in the other case we remaine the selfe-same that wee were before A cleare testimonie of this wee h ue in thâ— Gospell Chrâ—st set forth to the young-man what he should doe to obtâ—ine saluation but when hee heard hee was not pâ—rswadâ—d to obey but went away sorrowfuâ—l Math. 19.22 Contrariwise Matthew Math. 9.9 so soone as he was called embraced the same with so great faith that hâ—e left his money and Customer-ship and stâ—aight-way followed Christ Luke 19.8 And Zacheus when hee had heard of the Lord that hee would turne in vnto him hee not only receiued him into his house with a glad heart but also offered immediately to distribute halfe his goods to the poore and to restore foure-fold if he had defrauded any man Indeed pâ—ssions are not so bridled nor corruptions so killed that they doe not stirre and resist the worke of faith But the force and power of them is so farre subdued that they shall not raigne or hale vs ordinarily to that which is euill Whatsoeuer inordinâ—tenesse faith can espie it doth presently condemne before the throne of grace and endeauour the killing of it by the power and efficacie of Christs death which it doth happily effâ—ct in measure and by degrees Hast thou then beene long kept vnder of some violent passion strong corruption or customarie vice against which thou hast resolued and resolued but not preuailed or gotten victorie Get thee to Christ and by faith thou shalt draw vertue from him to cure thy infirmities Die to thy selfe renounce the broken reed of thine owne free-will which hath so often deceiued thee and put all thy trust in the grace of Christ and it will crucifie the old man and giue him his deaths wound Bee weake in thy selfe and strong in the Lord and through faith thou shalt be more then conquerour Digge vp the fallow ground of thy heart that the word of the Kingdome may take deeper root in it raise thy soule to an holy admiration of the promises of life stirre vp thy selfe to cleaue and adhere firmely to the grace of God as faith increaseth the power of corruption will languish and decrease Admirable is the efficacie of faith well planted in the heart it casteth downe strong holds and brings euery imagination into sâ—biection Thirdly It inableth to obey for it purifieth the heart seasoneth euery facultie of soule reasonable and sensuall qualifieth and stâ—engtheneth our naturall inclinations to good and altereth the taste of euery appetite 2. Pet. 1.4 Ephes 3.17 1. Iohn 4.4 By faith wee are partakers of the diuine nature by faith Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith we receiue the Spirit of promise who is greater then he that is in the world No maruell then if that bee sweet and delightfull to the belieuing heart which is tedious and irkesome to the vnregenerate How came Dauid
to that high delight in Gods seruice that he loued the Commandements of God more then thousands of gold and siluer the honey and the honey combe That hee rose at mid-night to meditate in them was it not by faith The grace of Christ the power of the Spirit and the Word of life doe change the disposition of the soule so farre as they enter and be receiued into it But by faith their vertue is diffused into the whole masse Fourthly Admirable in force and efficacie is the perswasion of faith aboue all the Oratorie in the world All the common inducements taken from profit pleasure honour what poore and weake engines are they to the irresistible arguments of faith by which it moueth the heart to yeeld willing and chearefull obedience Thus it goeth to worke with vs Hath Christ giuen himselfe for thee forgiuen thee so many debts conferred fauours of all kinds vpon thee and what hast thou to retribute If thou giue all thy goods to the poore thy bodie to the fire â—hy soule to his seruice were not all short of recompence Louest thou louest thou this Sauiour of thine and â—arest thou aduenture vpon any thing displeasing vnto him Is there any thing too hard to be done for his sake too deâ—re or good for him Whom hast thou in heauen or eâ—â—th worthy to be affected in comparison of thy Sauiour What is to be dreaded but his displeasure Is there any recompenâ—e to the ioyes of Heauen any danger to the torments of Hell any pleasure to the sense of his fauour O my soule why doest thou not resigne thy selfe to the pleasure of his will in euery thing runne when he calleâ—h and doe what he requireth at thy hands Whâ—t dost thou feare Wherewith art thou intangled God is thy souereigne thy Fâ—ther thy Sauiour to him thou owest thy selfe and all that thou hast thy honour wealth life or if any thing be more pretious then these Thou canst not loue thy selfe as is meete if thou â—enie not thy selfe to follow the Lord in all things For in keeping his Commandements there is great reward Can or did any Belieuer euer giue the nay to these mâ—lting commands or commanding intreaties of faith Will it take the repulsâ— Doth it not constraine or extort more then all rackes and strapadoes allure more then all wages and prizes When thou wouldst bee sure to speed and obtaine any thing of thine owne vntoward heart set faith on worke to make the motion thou shalt preuaile For the motiues of faith are certaine euident and such as cause firme assent whereby the heart is drawne to follow after the thing proposed Fiftly It disposeth and moueth the heart to absolute vniforme vnpartiall and constant obedience to euery commandement and that in one estate aswell as another In Scripture to belieue in Christ and to keepe the Commandements mutually inferre one another either capable of others properties Faith includes the compleate and practicall knowledge of good and euill inclining the faculties of our soule to auoid all commerce with the one and embrace euery branch of the other It frameth the Image of God or Christ in our minds and proposeth him as a patterne for our imitation in all our workes thoughts and resolutions Deut. 30.20 11.22 2. Kings 18.6 Iosh 23.8 Acts 11.23 Psal 119.31 Heb. 11 5.33 It acknowledgeth his soueraignetie assenteth faithfully to his will and pleasure embraceth soundly euery part of the holy truth of God and sticketh so fast that nothing can come betwixt the heart and it from whence issueth vniuersall respect to all and euery precept Faith doth not admit one part of the Word and exclude another nor receiue it barely into the Head and shut it forth of the heart but entertaineth it wholly diffuseth the â—ertue of it into euery power of the soule changeth the natural disposition into the quality of the truth And thus by faith the soule is kindly disposed to follow the Lord whithersoeuer hee goeth before vs. If the heart bee dull and vntoward the best course to redresse what is out of order is by quickening our assent to the good pleasure of his command and our confidence in his mercie Sixtly It fires the heart with such an indefatigable and vnquenchable loue Cant 8.7 8. that in comparison of obedience it contemneth the whole world For it acquainteth with the incomprehensible mercie and fauour of God towards vs in giuing his Sonne pardoning and forgiuing manifold offences lading vs with his daily blessings It representeth the inestimable ioy that is prepared for them that walke before God in holinesse and righteousnesse and this enflameth the heart to follow hard after the Lord. Psal 63.8 When by faith we discerne what loue the Lord beareth vnto vs we cannot but returne loue for loue Luke 7.47 Many sinnes are forgiuen her therefore shee loueth much And fâ—om all these acts it followeth That what a temporarie belieuer doth by the halues â—â—perficially or with an halting diuided heart that the true and vnfained belieuer takes in hand with an intire sound vpright affection What in the one is a liuelesse action the out-side or carcasse of a good worke that in the other is a good worke indeed springing from an holy wel-planted confidence in the mercie of God and resolute adherence to his Commandements which as the animall facultie impels to that exercise The selfe-same duties may be done by the ciuill man and by the belieuer for the out-side and deed done both may goe to Church heare a Sermon reade a Chapter giue an Almes make a Prayer but the one goeth as a Beare to the stake in comparison of the other who is moued by faith or let the ciuill mans delight be as it may his acts are liuelesse because they issue not from an obedientiall confidence in the Lords mercie Seuenthly Faith makes sensible of our manifold defects infirmities and failings faintings and coolings It shewes how weake wee are of our selues how farre wee come short how apt we are to decline and start aside And this consideraâ—ion of faith hath blessed effects First It causeth serious and attentiue meditation vpon the Word of God that it may sinke deepe and abide firme in the heart Acts 16.14 Psal 119.15 Psal 119.11 I haue hid or treasured vp thy Commandements in my heart that I might not sinne against thee And to this purpose a belieuer will not bee negligent to watch all opportunities when his soule is throughly affected with vnexpected matter of sorrow Luke 1.65 66. 2.51 ioy griefe feare admiration or the like and forthwith to apply such passages of Scripture as sute best to the present affections Secondly It worketh the heart often and deliberately to renew its resolution not trusting in our owne strength but in the grace of God Psal 119.106 Iohn 15.6 I haue sworne and will performe it trusting vpon thy diuine grace without which we can doe nothing that I will keepe thy
is necessarie wee should liue by faith It s necessary to liue by faith in the duties of our vocation to preuent the the euills which beset vs in our ordinarie callings couetousnesse iniustice impatience and distracting care Naturally men are apt to incumber themselues with superfluous businesse and trouble themselues about the euent and successe they content not themselues with their lot and condition but desire to heape vp riches and encrease their substance aboue measure they forecast many things in their heads long before and know no end of their cares The trouble men meet with in the world begets loue of the world and whether they be crossed or prosper the more they be exercised about the things of this life the more they follow after them with greedinesse vexation discontent plotting and deuising how to compasse their designes whether by right or wrong frâ—ud or oppression The soueraigne remedie against those and other the like misâ—heifes which we are prone to runne into is a liuely fâ—ith which lifteth vp the heart to better things then ought is to be found vnder the moone quietly submitteth vnto the good pleasure of God commendeth the successe and euent of all honâ—st endeauours vnto his Highnesse and resteth vpon his grace for present helpe â—nd future supply in the vse of such meanes as he hath ordained Without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 God is the Authour of euery honest vocation and by his appointment men ought to labour in some particular state or condition of life but that worke is not acceptable which is not done in faith If faith doe not quicken season and guide the workes of our calling they are dead and carnall as they come from vs neitheir begun vpon sound ground nor done in vniforme and right manner nor directed to a right end That which should put life into the action is absent if faith be lacking Experience is of great vse in a godly life both to confirme faith strengthen hope preserue loue ouercome temptations and direct in difficulties But the readie meanes to get grounded experience is to liue by faith in the workes of our vocation and obserue how the Lord dealeth with vs therein according to his word The acts of faith in respect of the duties of our calling Pro. 16.20 The acts of faith in this particular be these First It informeth to make choise of an honest vocation for which we are fitted and into which we may enter by direct good and lawfull meanes He that vnderstandeth a matter shall finde good saith Solomon wherein hee teacheth that what businesse any man taketh in hand he must know it well and accurately if hee looke to finish it honestly and with good successe This therefore is the rule by which we are directed in our vocation that what art any man knoweth he should exercise himselfe in it This as it must be obserued in all arts sciences professions in the familie Common-wealth Church so as euery art or profession is of greater moment in any societie publike or priuate sacred or prophaine it is with greater diligence more studiously to be looked vnto As our calling must bee honest that is seruiceable to the Church Common-wealth or priuate familie and as we must be gifted for it so must we enter by lawfull and direct meanes appointed of God that wee may be assured our calling is of God and that hee will accept of our seruice in that estate and condition of life Secondly Faith instructeth not to meddle aboue our knowledge but to leane vpon the liuing Lord not on our skill or cunning Pro. 16.20 Pro. 3.5.6 Who so trusteth in the Lord happy is hee Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and leane not vnto thine owne vnderstanding In all thy wayes acknowledge him and he shall direct thy pathes It is hard for a man very skilfull so to with-draw his heart and thought from his skill as that he doe not wholy rest in it but faith looking further then sence or reason is able dispossesseth the heart of this carnall confidence and fixeth it vpon the Lord alone For it acknowledgeth him onely to be the fountaine of all good and perswadeth the soule that vnlesse it relie vpon his grace wisedome and strength he shall bring nothing to passe by his own wisedome wit cunning Psal 127.1.2 Hag. 1.6.9 Eccl. 9.11 For either he shall not effect what he endeauours to doe by the helpe and benefit of his skill or if he bring it to passe it shall not succeed or auaile him to those honest vses which he intended The race is not to to the swift nor the battell to the strong neither yet bread to the wise nor yet riches to men of vnderstanding nor yet fauour to men of skill Thirdly It quickeneth the most skilfull workeman to striue with God in prayer that the worke he setteth vpon might succeed well and prosper that is that his skill might be readie and at hand whereby he might finish the thing that he goeth about and that it might be of vse to them for whom it is appointed For being sensible of his owne weakenes expecting helpe and supply from heauen he will not cease to craue the aide and blessing of God It is the property of faith to pray coÌ„tinually looking vnto the most High for help hauing aliuely sence of present want which stirreth vp a serious affectioÌ„ of praying Fourthly It causeth diligence care vprightnesse and faithfulnesse in all the workes actions and businesse of our calling Psal 128.2 Ephe. 6.5 6.2 as knowing that whilest wee walke honestly therein wee doe seruice to the Lord Iesus It is noted of the vertuous wise faithfull and godly woman that shee seeketh wooll Pro. 31.13.15 and flaxe and worketh willingly with her hands She riseth also while it is yet night and giueth meate to her houshold Faith awakeneth the sluggard rowseth the laisie maketh the idle lay his bones to worke and him that was a purloyner to deale truely iustly and honestly It is the best cocke to call vp the drowsie for it ringeth in his eare when wilt thou arise loe the Lord calleth thee to thy taske why tariest thou so long stirrest so slowly The Sunne reioyceth as a Gyant to runne his race why sharpenest not thou thy selfe to the worke which God hath laid vpon thee It it the willingest messenger to bee sent vpon any businesse the trustiest ouerseer of any labour the most free vndergoer of any toyle or paines â— Chron. 34.12 you neede not call him to reckoning who accounts with faith nor hast him forward who moueth by faith nor chaine him to his worke who by faith vndertaketh it Eph. 6.8 For he is assured he doth it vnto God who calleth vpon him and from whom hee must expect recompence if hee walke chearefully and in singlenesse of heart When a man is perswaded that his calling is approued of God and profitable to
sincere milke of the Word that yee may grow thereby This is confirmed by the comparisons which are vsed to set forth the vse and profit of the word as it is resembled to the light raine deaw liuing water wine and milke By the titles which are giuen vnto it as it is called the word of this life the word of this saluation and by the passages of Scripture which testifie that the word is able to saue our soules And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you vp and to giue you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified For after that in the wisdome of God 1. Cor. 1.21 1. Tim. 4.16 the world by wisdome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that belieue Take heed vnto thy selfe and vnto the doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both saue thy selfe and them that heare thee Iames 1.21 Wherefore lay apart all filthinesse and superfluitie of naughtinesse and receiue with meeknesse the engrafted word which is able to saue your soules This also is manifest of the Sacraments And Sacraments which be truly called a visible word because that which is spoken in the word to the eare is in visible signes represented to our eyes and sealed to our hearts that wee may bee the more assured of them to bee ours And were purposely ordained of God to helpe our weake faith that hauing his word and seale wee might be put out of doubt that wee shall as certainly bee made partakers of Christ himselfe and all his benefits as we are of the outward signes of his couenant What the Apostle saith of Circumcision that is true of Sacraments in generall Rom. 4.11 They are seales of the righteousnesse of faith or of the couenant of grace And for the better assurance of the belieuer that receiuing the outward signe as he ought hee shall be partaker of the thing signified very oft that which properly belongs to the thing sealed is giuen to the outward signe as that Baptisme saueth 1 Pet. 3.21 Acts 22.16 Col. 2.12 Rom. 6.3 that our sinnes are washed away in Baptisme and that wee are buried with Christ by Baptisme And the like of the Lords Supper when our Lord Iesus did ordaine it he speaking of the Bread said This is my Bodie Math. 26.26 28 and of the Wine This is my Bloud of the New Testament These promises are firme grounds whereupon the faithfull soule may build this affiance that by the sincere and conscionable vse of Gods holy Ordinances the Word and Sacraments he shall be made wise vnto saluation confirmed in faith strengthened in grace refreshed with ioy and comfort and perfected vnto euerlasting happinesse And the serious meditation and remembrance of these things is exceeding profitable to quicken and encourage vnto chearefull and constant attendance vpon God in his ordinances that so wee may in due season reape the sweet fruit thereof Prou. 8.34.35 Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting daily at the posts of my doores For who so findeth me findeth life and shall obtaine fauour of the Lord. Did Christians oft and earnestly breathe themselues in meditation on those great things that God offereth in the Gospell and his truth and faithfulnesse to make good whatsoeuer he hath spoken Did they set before them both the mercie of God in ordaining the Sacraments for the strengthening of their faith and his grace and faithfulnesse in bestowing vpon them freely that which hee offereth and sealeth vnto them in these outward seales Did they consider what he graciously promiseth in both and expect to be made partakers of them in the vse of those ordinances it would maruellously comfort and quicken to the diligent vse of all holy meanes ordained of God for our present comfort quickening and strengthening and for our euerlasting saluation It s necessarie to liue by faith in the vse of Gods Ordinances This faith is necessary for it auaileth not to liue vnder the Gospell and to be present at the administration of the Sacraments if they be not vsed in faith The word profiteth not Heb. 4.2 vnlesse it bee mingled with faith in them that heare it And the same may bee said of receiuing the Sacraments Faith is the eye the hand the mouth the stomacke of the soule by it wee see receiue feed vpon Christ Looke as at a feast though the Table be neuer so richly furnished yet if a man haue neither hand mouth nor stomacke he is not fed thereby so is it here Nor is it sufficient to haue faith but it must be exercised to receiue that grace which the word of God doth reach vs with the seale It is not the hauing but the new exercise of faith which maketh vs profitable hearers of the word worthy receiuers of the Sacrament Looke as a man may haue a hand and yet if when a thing is reached forth to him he doe not put it out nothing is receiued so we may haue the grace of faith and yet if when God reacheth vs the body and bloud of his Christ we doe not then awaken it to lay hold on the grace God offereth we shall goe away without receiuing it Or looke as at a feast though wee haue a mouth and there be plentifull prouision if we will not open it and take downe the sustenance before vs we shall rise emptie so though wee haue the mouth of faith yet if we doe not open it to God now offering to feed vs we shall not get a crume of grace The Acts of faith be these or the like The Acts of faith in the vse of Gods Ordinances First It teacheth to worship the true God purely to esteeme approue and exercise that worship and that alone which hee prescribeth for faith looketh to the reuealed will of God as the rule of all acceptable seruice and to the promises as the grounds of comfort and good successe It tenders vnto God what he requireth Esay 8.20 and looketh vnto God to receiue what he is pleased hath promised to giue But God will not accept that worship Deut. 12.32 Esay 29.13 Math. 15.9 Ier. 7.31 which he hath not appointed nor worke effectually by the diuices of men No pietie comfort or true deuotion is or can be stirred vp by humâ—ne traditions for as they are destitute of commandement for their rule so are they of promise that God will kindle or quicken by them any sparkle of knowledge faith inuocation thankfulnesse or other sauing motions of heart Secondly It delighteth greatly to behold the face of God â—n his sanctuarie Psal 102.4 1. Chron. 16.11 Psal 27.8 Psal 42.2 Psal 63.1.2 When thou saidest Seeke yee my face my heart said vnto thee Thy face Lord will I seeke When shall I come and appeare before God O God thou art my God early will
there of better hopes well instructed in the principles of religion diligent frequenters of Gods Ordinances and carefull to beautifie their profession with an holy conuersation who did neuer distinctly and in good earnest consider of this matter when yet they must needs acknowledge that it cannot be well done as it ought if it be not done in faith The acts of faith in this particular be these The acts of faith in this particular and such like First It calleth to remembrance the free and gratious couenant which God hath made with the belieuing parents and their posteritie I am thy God Gen. 17.7.9 Act. 2.39 and the God of thy seed For the promise is made vnto you and to your children and to al that are a farre off euen as many as the Lord our God shal call which couenant as it is made with the parents and their seed so doth the faith of the parent apprehend the promise of the couenâ—nt for himselfe and for his seed And this is the ground of that tender which a Christian mâ—kes of his Child vnto holy Baptisme For by naturall generation the Children of belieuing parents are defiled with sinne and so vnder wrath but the are holy by couenant and free acceptation the belieuing parent embracing the mercifull promise of God for himselâ—e and for his posteritie Infants are not borne Christians by naturall birth but made Christians by vertue of the couenant God promising to accept them vpon offer made vnto him by the parents Secondly By faith the belieuing parents must giue themselues vnto God chusing him to bee their portion and resigning themselues in all things to be guided by his word in all estates and conditions Hee that would giue his childe vnto God must giue himselfe first Is it probable that Father can truly desire and long after the preferment of his childe in the Kingdome of grace here and of glory heâ—eafter who will not enter himselfe nor submit his will to the commandement of grace The promise is made to the faithfull and that faith only which drawes a man to yeeld vp soule and body as a liuing sacrifice vnto God pleasing and acceptable vnto his Maiestie doth quicken a parent truly sincerely freely and as he ought to make tender of his childe vnto God Thirdly It prouoketh parents to offer their children vnto God by heartie and vnfained prayer assoone as euer they haue receiued them from him Gods promise to accept our children calleth for prayer and supplication on our part that he would be pleased to make good his mercifull and free promise Thus Dauid reasoneth Thou O Lord 2. Sam. 7.27 of hosts God of Israel hast reuealed to thy seruant saying I will build thee an house therefore hath thy seruant found in his heart to pray this prayer vnto thee And so should euery Father O Lord thou hast couenanted to bee my God and the God of my posteritie therefore am I bold to intreat thy fatherly acceptance of my poore Infant Fourthly It considereth what a singular prerogatiue it is to be actually admitted into couenant with God receiued into his family and to haue his name put vpon vs to be partaker of the seale of regeneration remission of sinnes adoption and euerlasting inheritance solemnely to be made free of the societie of Saints and weare the Lords badge and liuerie And what an high and incomprehensible mercie it is that God hath promised and doth vouchsafe these great and inestimable blessings not only to himselfe a miserable and wretched sinner but also to his posteritie who by naturall generation are enemies to his Highnesse dead in trespasses and in bondage vnto the curse of the law With these or the like meditations of faith belieuing parents must present their children vnto Baptisme that they might receiue the seale of regeration remission of sinnes and spirituall libertie that the Name of God might bee set vpon them and their names registred amongst the free Denisons of the heauenly Ierusalem And feruent effectuall prayer doth accompany this admission that God would bee pleased to accept the partie baptized for his childe by grace and adoption release him of his sins and make him partaker of his euerlasting kingdome Faith belieueth what God promiseth as hee promiseth it and beggeth feruently what hee giueth freely Fiftly It stirreth vp heartie reioycing in the Lord that hee hath vouchsafed in tender compassion to looke vpon them and their posteritie and thus to honour and aduance them for the truest Nobilitie is to bee made a Christian and to liue in fauour with God A worldly Father would much reioyce if his childe should bee preferred to some chiefe Office in the Princes Court assoone as it was borne A Christian Father hath much greater cause of ioy that he is admitted not as a seruant but as a sonne and heire into the Court of the great King of Heauen and Earth If parents can compasse but a Lease of some Farme for â—hemselues and theirs they are glad and shall they not reioyce that God hath by couenant and seale passed the grant of the Kingdome of Heauen to them and theirs Sixtly It stirreth vp parents to be diligent and carefull to bring vp their children in information and feare of the Lord being instant with God to blesse their endeauours for the good of their children and the glorie of his name For thus faith perswadeth Thy childe is not thine but the Lords thou hast dedicated him vnto the seruice of his Maiestâ—e and he fâ—om whom thou receiuedst him at first hath committed him to thy charge to bee trained vp in his feare It is a great honour to bee trusted with such a châ—rge and it is a fearefull sinne to neglect so great a trust Wilt thou consecrate thy childe to God this day and leaue him to the Deuill for euer after Wilt thou teach him a trade that hee might liue as a Man and not teach him the way of godlinesse that he might liue as a Christian Didst thou not vndertake for his education in the true Religion and wilt thou neglect the peâ—formance of that solemne oath Mar. 10.25 16. Christ commanded the children of Christian parents to be brought vnto him and wilt thou present them vntaught and ignorant of the Christian faith The same conscience which moued parents to offer their children to Baptisme will quicken them to endeauour their education in the true faith and seruice of God By faith wee should make right vse of our Baptisme Baptisme is a seale of the couenant betwixt God vs of Gods promise to vs that he will be our God and of our promise to him that we will be his people repent of our sins belieue in Christ walk before him in sincere obedience For signification force vse fruit it continueth not for a moment of time but for the whole course of a mans life It doth respect not only the time past and present but that which is to
of man in the houre of death II. Vse The second vse of Baptisme it is a seale of our dutie promised and so a spurre and prouocation to repentance faith new-obedience brotherly loue and vnitie First It is a spurre to repentance and mortification for Baptisme doth seale remission of sinnes to them only that repent Marke 1.4 and by Godly sorrow come home vnto God And as we expect the blessing we must looke that we faile not in the condition If wee bee buried with Christ in Baptisme it is our dutie to mortifie the flesh wâ—th the affections and lusts that it may liue no longer to bring forth fruits vnto death For a dead man cannot liue By solemne oath wee are bound to crucifie vnruly lusts which fight against the soule and shall we falsifie so great a promise Against whom should we fight if not against Satan or what will hee bee willing to spare for the Lords sake who will not part with his sinnes Why should wee feare the strength of Satan the power of sinne the rage of persecutors the losse of earthly things or despaire because of the wrath of God iustly kindled against sinne If we turne vnto God by vnfained repentance wee haue his faithfull promise confirmed by seale that he will bee mercifull vnto our sinnes enable vs to ouercome our corruptions fortifie vs against the powers of Hell support vs vnder or deliuer vs out of all trials and gratiously prouide whatsoeuer shall be needfull for vs. Secondly It is a prouocation vnto faith and a pledge thereof We haue the promise of God v der his hand and seale that he will wash vs fâ—om our iniâ—ities receiue vâ— for his children remember our necessities bestow vpon vs the Kingdome of Heauen wee shall doe great wrong and dishonour to God if wee doubt or make question whether hee will performe promise freely made and confirmed by couenant and seale Wee are bound by commandement to belieue in Iesus Christ and to commit our selues wholly vnto him as vnto a faithfull Sauiour And we haue bound our selues by promise couenant and seale that wee will belieue and cleaue vnto him as our only Sauiour shall wee then goe backe grow remisse or giue way to doubting If doubtings arise through the sight of sinne or want of sense and feeling comfort or the world begin to creepe into the heart and diuide it from Christ let vs then remember wee haue troth-plighted our selues to Iesus Christ and by faithfull promise neuer â—o bee called backe giuen our selues wholly to rest and sticke close vnto him and therefore must admit no thought whereby we should be drawne aside or diuided â—rom him Thirdly It is an incitement vnto new obedience and a pledge thereof Rom. 6.4 We are buried with him by Baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the Father Euen so wee also should walke in newnesse of life in which Chapter the Apostle disputeth of our actions that wee should abstaine from euill and follow those that are good Wee haue solemnely sworne to fight against the Deuill the World and the Flesh and hauing taken the presse-money of Iesus Christ it were an immortall disgrace to accept of truce with Satan Wee carrie the badge and liuerie of Iesus Christ and shall we forsake our colours and fight for the Deuill It is strange that children should leaue their parents and take part with their enemies Wee haue giuen our selues vnto God and were once dedicated vnto his seruice shall we now turne backe and offer our selues vnto Satan Honour is due vnto parents If God bee our Father wee must freely submit our selues to his will and pleasure God will strengthen vs to obey and accept of weake if sincere obedience and that shuts forth all place of excuse If wee bee engrafted into the similitude of Christs resurrection wee must expresse by our actions the power and likenesse of Christs resurrection which is done when we walke in all-pleasing before God and set our affections vpon things aboue And this as it is commanded on Gods part so it is sealed on our part in Baptisme Fourthly It is a pledge or pawne of loue and vnitie Wee must keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace for we are all baptized into one bodie We must not iarre for we are brethren Wee must not quarrell nor contend for we are members of the same bodie and haue beene sealed into the same bodie The new exercise of faith required in the worthy receiuing the Lords Supper It goeth ill with the naturall bodie when the ioynts are dissolued it is vnnaturall that the members of the bodie mysticall should bee diuided It is not the hauing faith but the new exercise of faith which maketh vs worthy receiuers of the Lords Supper The Corinthians had faith yet receiued not the grace of the Sacrament because they receiued not in faith The acts of faith in this ordinance The acts of faith in receiuing the Lords Supper are many First By it wee discerne the Sacrament to bee the holy Ordinance of God instituted for our speciall good and benefit sealing vnto vs the promises which God of his free mercie hath made vnto vs in Iesus Christ By faith wee vnderstand what promises God hath made for what cause in whom he hath made them what hee requireth and how hee hath sealed his free promises in the Sacrament And the certaine distinct cleare effectuall knowledge of this point is a matter of singular and great importance For if worldly men make good account of a sufficient mans securitie for some great summe of money in what esteeme will a Christian haue this pledge of Gods fauour when hee certainly vnderstands what it doth signifie and assure Secondly By it we see what the Lord doth offer vnto vs therein how excellent and precious it is with what assurance it is freely tendered and may be receiued The outward signes in the Sacrament are visible to the bodily eye but the inward grace signified and sealed thereby which must seriously be considered and minded of vs is not manifest but to the vnderstanding enlightened by the Spirit and seasoned by faith which only can iudge distinctly of it worth and excellencie Thirdly It sharpeneth spirituall appetite and stirreth vp hungring and thirsting after Christ and his benefits By faith we see our want by faith we taste how good the Lord is how sweet and pleasant the dainties he hath prepared which raiseth an appetite of desire and complacencie O God thou art my God early will I seeke thee Psal 63.1 my soule thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a great and spirituall feast whereunto the faithfull are inuited and faith whetteth the spirituall appetite to long after and rellish the fatnesse and marrow which is there prouided Fourthly It earnestly contendeth for mercie confessing sinne with griefe and hatred iudging and
and rowse vp our selues to reioyce in him What can I desire more God the Father hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne to be my Sauiouâ— and I haue receiued and am betrothed vnto him a firme peace is concluded an euerlasting inherâ—tance is assured vnto mee I haue a good legacie bequeathed vnto me in the promises whereunto I sticke sealed vnto me in the SacrameÌ„t which I may produce as an euidence to stop the mouth of Satan if he shall contend and seeke to robbe mee of my priuiledges bestowed of grace If I bee hunger-starued in my selfe the bodie of Christ is true meate nourishing me to life eternall If thirstie and destitute of the sappe of grace the bloud of Christ is true drinke nourishing mee to life eternall Iohn 6.65 and eating his flesh and drinking his bloud he dwelleth in me and I in him Thus we must quicken our hearts to reioyce in beliefe of the promises made and sealed waiting vpon God till he be pleased to giue the sence and comfort of it CHAP. XII The faithfull are bound and it is behouefull for them to belieue the threatnings GOd is aswell iust as mercifull faithfull and true as well in his threats as in his promises and therefore equally to be belieued in both so farre as in his word he hath assured vs of both He who is certaine of his saluation knoweth assuredly he should be damned if he should goe on in sinne without repentance and shall tast of much bitternesse if he grow indulgent to his corruptions It is as sure that God will condemne the wicked and impenitent as that hee will saue the righteous and repentant 1. Cor. 9.27 If Paul beate not downe his body and bring it into subiection he shall bee as drosse and refuse If the righteous forsake his righteousnesse and commit wickednesse Ezek. 18.24.26 or be a worker of iniquity all his former righteousnesse shall be forgotten The godly man is not slauishly to feare falling away or running into destruction but wisely to belieue the threatnings to preuent falling into sinne and so into condemnation The subiect who feareth the punishment of the law and keepeth himselfe innocent taketh a wise couâ—se for his owne securitie Euery part of Scripture is Gods word of certaine and and vndoubted truth which cannot be gaine-said written for the benefit and profit of them who shall be heires of saluation But the threatnings are part of the word of God Rom. 15.4 Whatsoeuer things were written afore-time euen as well examples of iudgement inflicted vpon transgressours and threatenings denounced against them that shall offend as promises of mercie to allure vnto obedience were written for our learning and instructon 1. Cor. 10.6 In the state of innocencie there was vse of threatenings so is there in the state of grace As a meanes to keep our first parents from sinne Gen. 2.17 Iob 31.21.23 the Lord denounced death against them if they should eate of the forbidden fruite Iob professeth he durst not lift vp his hand against the Fatherlesse for destruction from God was a terrour vnto him So Dauid My flesh trembleth for feare of thee Psal 119.120 and I am affraid of thy Iudgements The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked Pro. 21.12 but God ouerthroweth the wicked for their wickednesse And sure it is expedient for vs that threatenings should be mingled with the promises of grace for so prone are we to flatter fauour our selues milder doctrine would grow colde vnles these spurrs were added The tarxtnesse of the threatening makes vs best tast the sweetnesse of promise Sowre and sweet make the best sauce promises and threatenings mingled fit our state and serue to keepe the heart in the best temper Wee grow ouerbold with God if the threatning doe not awe are soone deiected if the promise doe not support The Lord knoweth both necessarie to keepe vs in awe and therefore beginneth with promises to the intent we might follow him the more willingly but to driue forward when wee stoppe or grow remisse he addeth threatenings Heb. 12.28.29 Wherfore we receiuing a kingdome which cannot be moued let vs haue grace whereby we may serue God acceptably with reuerence and godly feare For our God is a consuming fire The acts of faith in respect of the threatenings be these The acts of faith in respect of the Threatnings First It worketh humblenesse of mind and heart for what the law threateneth the faithfull will freely acknowledge that they deserue and so arraigne themselues as guiltie of all miserie and death before the throne of grace whereby the pride and stubbornesse of nature is much abated Say wee not of him who hath beene once impleaded before the tribunall of an earthly Iudge as guiltie of felonie or treason he hath no reason to be stout What then will the arraignement of the soule worke when a man shal be drawne to acknowledge before God that he hath deserued to be cast into hell for his manifold offences and transgressions against God Secondly It bringeth forth awefulnesse reuerence and feare Psal 52.6 Act. 5.5 Psal 119.120 Ion. 1.16 1. Chron. 13.12 Hab. 3.16 The righteous also shall see and feare As the Childe quaketh when he heareth that his Father is angry with or doth correct a seruant so the heâ—rt and body of the faithfull tremble as oft as they consider the seueritie of Gods wrath against the wicked and vngâ—dly When I heard my belly trembled my lips quiuâ—red at the voyce rottennesse entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe that I might rest in the day of trouble That is when the fame of thy diuine punishment and iudgement came to mine eaâ—es which thou hast decreed to inflict vpon thy people “ Pro. 29 27.30 Psal 40.8 my belly that is my heart and bowels moueâ— for griefe and feare Thus Noah hearing of Gods iust wrath against the sinfull world and of his purpose to ouerthrow all liuing flesh by water Heb. 11.7 was moued with great feare and reuerence at this strange dreadfull mightie work of God and from the view of this his great iust iudgement his faith made him arise to a more earnest consideration of the glorious Maiesty of the Almâ—ghty And this is the effect of iudgement executed by men according to the direction of Gods word And all Israel shall heare and feare Deut. 13.11 and 17.13 and 19 26. Ier. 10.7 and shall doe no more any such wickednesse True faith then worketh an holy feare and reuerent awe of God in respect of his iudgements Who would not feare thee O King of nations for to thee doth it appertaine Psal 76.7 Thou euen thou art to bee feared and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry The godly mans assurance of Gods fauour will stand well with reuerence of his Maiestie and feare of temporall afflictions spirituall desertions and the torments of hell not
A TREATISE OF FAITH Diuided into two Parts The first shewing the NATVRE The second The life of FAITH Both tending to direct the weake Christian how he may possesse the whole Word of God as his owne ouercome temptations better his obedience and liue comfortably in all estates BY IOHN BALL HAB. 2.4 The Iust shall liue by his faith LONDON Printed for Edward Brewster and are to be sold at the signe of the Bible at the North doore of Pauls 1631. THE PREFACE TO THE READER GLorious thinges are spoken of the grace of graces Faith in the Scriptures God setting himselfe to honour that grace that yeelds vp all the honour vnto him in Christ who indeed is the life of our life and the soule of our soule Faith only as the bond of vnion bringeth Christ and the soule together and is as an arterie that conueyes the spirit from him as the heart and as the sinnewes which conuey the spirit to mooue to all dutie from him as head whence Saint Paul maketh Christs liuing in vs and our liuing by faith all one Gal. 2.20 Now that which giueth boldnesse and libertie to faith is not only Gods assignement of this office to it in the couenant of grace to come vnto Christ and vnto him in Christ to receiue grace but likewise the gracious promises whereby the great God hath ingaged himselfe as a debtour to his poore creature for all things needfull to life and godlinesse vntill that blessed time when we shall be put into full possession of all things wee haue now only in promise when faith shall end in fruition and promises in performance Faith first lookes â—o this word of promise and in the promise to Christ in whom and for whom they are yea and Amen both made and performed And in Christ it eyeth God in whom it last resteth is its proper center and foundation otherwise how should wee weake sinfull creatures dare to haue any intercourse with God that dwelleth in that light that none can attaine vnto if hee had not come forth and discouered his good pleasure in Christ the substantiall Word and in the word inspired by the Holy Ghost for the good of those whom God meant for to make heires of saluation Now these promises whereon all our present comfort and future hope dependeth lie hid in the Scriptures as veines of gold and siluer in the bowels of the earth and had need bee laid open that Gods people may know what vpon good grounds to lay claime vnto Those therefore that search these mynes to bring to light these treasures deserue well of Gods Church We commend and not without cause the wittie industrie of those that from Springs remote bring Riuers to Cities and by Pipes from those Riuers deriue water to euery mans house for all domesticall seruices much more should we esteeme of the religious paines of men that bring these waters of life home for euery man his particular vse in all the passages and turnings of this life In which regard I doe not doubt but the paines of this godly painfull and learned man will find good entertainment of all children of the promises that hope to inherit them who hath with great paines and with good euidence of spirituall vnderstanding endeauoured to cleare most matters concerning faith and likewise discouered the varietie and vse of the promises with teaching Christians how to improue their riches in Christ heere spread before them how to vse the shield of Faith and the sword of the Spirit vpon all occasions that so they might not only be belieuing but skilfull Christians knowing how to mannage and make the best aduantage of their faith and the word of faith Which if they could doe there would another manner of power and beautie shine in their liues then doth Hee is a man that hath formerly deserued well of the Church but in a more speciall manner fitted for a Treatise of this nature as hauing beene put to it to know by experience what it is to liue by faith hauing in sight for matters of this life very little whereupon to depend Those that are driuen to exercise their faith cannot but find God faithfull as neuer failing those that trust in him they see more of God then others doe If it be obiected that others of late time haue digged in the same mine and laboured in the same field and to good purpose and successe I answer it is true the more this age is bound to God that directs the spirits of men to so vsefull so necessarie an argument seeing without faith wee haue no communion with the fountaine of life nothing in this world that can yeeld setled comfort to ground the soule vpon seeing without it the fairest carriage is but emptie and dead moralitie neither finding acceptance with God nor yeelding comfort to vs in our greatest extremities and by it God himselfe and Christ with all that he hath done suffered conquered becommeth ours and for our vse Besides none that I know haue written in our Language so largely of this argument and such is the extent and spiritualnesse of this heauenly point that many men of the greatest graces parts may with great benefit to the Church diue and digge still into this mysterie Neither let any except against the multitude of quotations of Scriptures they are brought vnder their proper head and set in their proper place and the matter it selfe is cut out into varietie of parts Store as wee vse to speake is no sore we count it a delight to take out of a full heape the more light the conuiction is the stronger what sutes not at one time will sute our spirits and occasions at another and what taketh not with one may take with another But the full and well handling of matters in this Treatise carries such satisfaction with it that it frees mee from necessitie of further discourse and mine owne present weaknesse of bodie taketh mee off Only I was willing to yeeld that testimonie to the fruitfull paines of a faithfull labourer in Gods Vineyard that I iudge it deseruedly Receiue it therefore Christian Reader with thankes to God that stirreth vp such helpers of that faith by which wee liue stand conquer and in which we must die if we looke to receiue the end of our faith the saluation of our soules Richard Sibbes A Table of the principall matters contained in this first Part. CHAP. I. HOw and in what respects faith is necessary Sect. 1 pag. 1 Diuers acceptatioÌ„s of the word faith Sect. 2. p. 2. 3 Of the diuers kinds of Faith Sect. 3. pag. 3 Why some kind of Faith is called Historicall ibid. The difference betwixt Faith Miraculous and Ordinary ibid. p. 4 Why true Faith is called Iustifying or sauing Faith ibid. In what phrases this Faith is vnfolded in the New Testament pag. 5 To belieue God and to belieue in God doe in Scripture import one and the same thing p. 5 Not the habit though
can firmely vnite vs vnto Christ whereby likewisâ— were it firme it selfe wee should assent vnto euery precept of God as much better then any incompatible good That act cannot please God which is not animated by faith for it is but the naked carkese of a good worke without life or soule if that be wanting It is faith which impelleth to worke righteousnesse and putteth life and vigour into the worke wrought so that the best workes of the regenerate bee dull and liuelesse if faith be dormant and put not forth it selfe for a time And when a Christian knowes not whether he shall haue strength to doe what God requireth nor whether God hath giuen him any promise that his burden shall be made light and that Christ will beare the greatest part of it for him it must needs bee very tedious and troublesome it will occasion many feares and doubts deadnesse and vnchearefulnesse This killeth the heart of right good Christians when they are ignorant or not throughly informed that God will make them able and fit for so great a worke as the leading of a godly life But if they haue this faith as a foundation to vphold them they shall sooner wade through their doubts and grow out of their feares as knowing that God will be euer with them for their assistance Who doth not know that when some certaintie of saluation is obtained yet for all that in asmuch as it is but weake they haue many heart-griefes for this that they see they haue a wearisome pilgrimage to goe thorow and little knowledge and perswasion of any great guiding of them through all the feares and difficulties of it A Christian that hath this confidence that God will strengthen him to euery good worke he shall goe about it with heart and cherefulnesse he shall be encouraged to pray as his necessitie shall giue cause he shall be kept from fainting and dismaidnes when his strength is not very great and rise vp againe when he is fallen But if he be not wel grounded in belieuing that God will build him vp more strongly from day to day perfect the good worke in him which is begunne hee shall very much stagger and goe backe If a chiefe and maine post in a building be wanting will not the whole house be soone shâ—ken so if a Christian who must reforme his life goe about it not resting vpon the grace of God in Christ to be made able hee may be sure he shall want a maine hâ—lpe hereto euen that which may shake all that is set vp Sundry true-hearted Christians very Conscionable in their conuersation be yet much discouraged by reason of the infirmities of their best duties and haue little comfort in any thing they doe because they question what accepâ—ance their poore seruice hath with God And though they desire to please him willing in all things to liue honestly Heb. 13.18 yet still looking vpon their frailties they hardly admit any comfort because they come so farre short of what is required Whereas if they were well instructed and assured of this that although by reason of their corâ—uption dwelling in them they can neuer offer vp any sacrifice to God without blemish and spot for which God might reiect all which they offer vnto him yet offering thâ—m vp in the Name of Christ they shall be accepted and rewarded this would put life and courage into them and make them performe all holy duties with more chearefulnesse and constancie to the glory of God the comfort of their soules and the good encouragement of others Confidence in God to be accepted what tedious disputes would it remoue What temptations would it cut off What discouragements would it trample vnder feet What strength vigour resolution and forwardnesse in wel-doing would it nourish and conserue The sharpest spurre to incite vnto and encourage to goe forward in the workes of holinesse is affiance of fauourable acceptation Christians are allowed to belieue that God will enable to obedience Ier. 32.39 40. Euery Christian is allowed to belieue that God will strengthen him by his grace to walke in obedience and make him able through the hearing of the Scriptuâ—es to cast off his old conuersation For God hath promised in Couenant that he will teach them the way that they shall chuse guide them with his eye and put his feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from his Commandements The Spirit of grace is promised and giuen to all true and vnfained Belieuers to lead them into all truth anâ— holinesse As many as be the children of God Rom. 8.14 they are led by the Spirit of God and the law of the Spirit of life in Iesus Christ Verse 2. hath freed them from the law of sinne anâ— death The Lord when he sendeth forth his seruants vpon any message or businesse doth euermore promise to be with them to aide and assist them in the execution of it Thus the Lord promised to Moses Goe Exod. 4.12 Math. 28.19 20 and I will be witâ— thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say Thus our Sauiour to his Disciples Loe I am with you alwayes euen to the end of the world 1. Chron. 28.20 Ier. 1.7 8. Iosh 1.9 And thus Dauid encouraged his Sonne Salomon Bee strong and of good courage and doe it feare not nor be dismayed for the Lord God euen my God will be with thee hee will not faile thee nor forsake thee vntill thou hast finished all the worke for the seruice of the house of the Lord. And the same promise belongeth to them that yeeld obedience to his Commandements for the worke is his and he will not faile nor forsake them that set their hearts and soules to seeke him and doe the thing that is good in his fight Whatsoeuer the Saints haue and may begge in prayer according to the will and pleasure of God they are allowed to belieue that they shall obtaine it and bee answered in their requests with fauourable acceptation so farre as shall be for their good and the glorie of God But the seruants of God haue and doe begge grace to bring forth fruits worthy repentance and amendement of life Psal 119.32 33 I will runne the race of thy Commandements when thou shalt inlarge mine heart Teach me the way of thy statutes O Lord and I shall keepe it vnto the end Make me to goe in the paths of thy Commandements Verse 35. for therein doe I delight Teach me thy way O Lord Psal 86.11 I will walke in thy truth vnite my heart to feare thy Name Lead mee in thy truth and teach mee Psal 25.5 Psal 17.5 for thou art the God of my saluation on theâ— doe I waite all the day Hold vp my goings in thy paths that my footstâ—ps slip not Psal 27.11 Teach â—e thy way O Lord and lead me in a plaine path because of mine enemies The faithfull haue bound themselues by couenant oath