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A49463
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The life of faith Wherein is shewed the general use of faith in all the passages of a Christians life. Together with a discourse of right judgment on Joh.7.24. By H. Lukin.
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Lukin, H. (Henry), 1628-1719.
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1660
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Wing L3477; ESTC R213826
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80,145
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275
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out of it So while Paul preached the heart of Lydia was opened Acts 16.14 And for this cause the ministration of the Gospel is called the ministration of the spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 Not that the spirit doth accompany the Word allwayes so as to make it effectual it did not so when Christ himself preached John 12.37 nor when Paul preached whom Austine desired so much to hear then some believ'd and some believed not Act. 28.24 but it works in subordination to Gods Election bringing home all such as are ordained to eternal life Act. 13.48 Now by Hearing the Word I mean with Dr. Ames Quaelibet praeceptio sermonum Dei sive praedicatione sive electione sive alia quaecunque ratione communicentur receiving the Word by preaching or reading or any other way Such words of sense signifying any way of perceiving a thing wherefore seeing is applyed to sounds Exod. 20.18 Revel 1.12 The Word of God was wont to be read formerly both publiquely and privately Of the publike reading of it we may see Nehem. 8.3 Acts 13.27 chap. 15.21 they read part of it in the Synagogue every Sabbath day and that they read it privately is plain from our Saviour's appealing so oft to their own reading Have you never read c. Mat. 12.3 5. chap. 19.4 21.16.22.31 and from their searching the Scriptures John 5.39 whether we understand that indicatively affirming what they did or imparatively commanding what they should do they were thereby inabled to judge the better of what they heard Act. 17.11 but this was not enough but they must have an Interpreter that they might understand what they read Act. 8.30 They not only read distinctly in the Law but gave the sense and caused the people to understand it Nehem. 8.7 8. yea they applyed it by exhortation c. Acts 13.15 Luke 4.18 And if it be said However this is necessary that the Scripture should be explained and applyed yet Preaching is not now necessary because we have expositions and Sermons now to read in greater plenty than formerly when there were no books but such as men wrote out I answer Would to God men would read them more and that they would but spend their spare hours therein which they spend idly or sinfully but let not this make us less esteem the hearing of the word preached for though reading may conduce more to the information of the judgment yet Preaching with a lively voice doth more excite the affections and further the successe of the Gospel is according as the Lord gives to every man 1 Cor. 3.5 and experience hath told us with what successe God hath blessed the preaching of the Gospel See the Letter of Archb. Grindall to Queen Elizabeth in Fullers History B. 9 p. 124 125. Though I had rather men should be instructed by the Homilies which were formerly read in the Church than by many mens Sermons And I believe God hath blessed them to the good of soules where there hath been want of able and godly Preachers yet God forbid that these should ever thrust out Preaching where such Preachers are not wanting He that desires to be more fully satisfied concerning these things may peruse Master Hooker's Eccl. Polit. l. 5. S. 21 22. and Mr. Hieron's Preachers Plea where these things are solidly and soberly debated I come now to shew how it is by Faith that the Word becomes effectual to our spiritual life The Apostle Heb. 4.2 tells us that the Word preached did not profit the Israelites because it was not mixed with Faith in them that heard it As to make the seed fruitfull in the earth there is required some moisture whereby it may be as it were incorporated with the earth and receive of the vertue and fatness of it for it will not grow if it lie under a dry and hard clod so Faith is necessary for ingrafting the Word into the soul wherefore it is the power of God to the Salvation of every one which believeth Rom. 1.16 And for the clear proof hereof I shall shew you how variously Faith acteth upon the severall parts of the Word of God There are in the Word 1. some things affirmed and that either Doctrinally or Historically these Faith assents to 2. Some things are commanded these Faith submits to 3. These Commands are enforced by Promises these Faith embraces and relies upon 4. These Commands are also enforced by threatnings these Faith stands in awe of First Faith assents to the truth of whatsoever the Word of God affirmes John 3.33 He that believes sets to his seal that God is true And 1. in the Historicall part of the Word particularly concerning the Creation it is said Heb. 11. by Faith we believe that the worlds were created by the Word of God c. If it be objected That this is a thing may be known and demonstrated by reason and therefore is not an object of Faith I answer First it is not to be taken for granted that the same thing cannot be the object both of Faith and Knowledge vide Baronium de fide Art 4.2 Though the Creation should be demonstrated by reason yet that it was made by the Word of God and that it was not made of things that do appear is the object of Faith as appears by the strange conceits which many of the wisest Philosophers had of it So for the Doctrines of the Scripture as of the Trinity and personal Union of the two Natures of Christ imputed righteousness the Resurrection c. Faith believe with reason against reason as it is said to believe the Promise in hope against hope that is though reason be not able to comprehend how these things should be at least some of them yet that they are we have reason enough to believe because God that cannot lie hath said it and though we know not how they should be God doth and this would be greater arrogancy in us to deny than if some rude ignorant fellow should face down a Mathematician that a starr is no bigger than the palme of his hand or the Sun than his cart-wheel or if there be any Antipodes they must needs go with their heads downward Now the Word is of great use to us in respect of these things which Faith believes The Apostle being to shew the great use and vertue of faith begins with this act of it whereby we believe the Creation of the world supposing that nothing will be too hard for a believers faith seeing as Amyrald in his Paraphrase on the place observes although the things that we believe do not yet appear this hinders not but we may have full assurance of their future existence seeing the same power of God which created the world of nothing may give beeing to whatsoever we believe when it seems good to him and we shall observe that frequently in Scripture God doth support the Faith of his people with this consideration of his creating heaven and earth Isa 40.28 and 51.13 and herewith David
4 6. Yea let me adde farther as Austin saith of Books de Trinit l. 1. cap. 3. It is expedient that divers men write of the same thing in different styles that so what they cannot understand in one they may apprehend in another that so the truth may come to all to one after this manner to another after that the common Apology for multiplying Books on the same subject so I may say of the Promises God hath promised the same things under several notions and expressed them by several similitudes whereby he conveys them to the soul as cordial powders are conveyed in some waters to the stomach and when a soul cannot receive comfort by one Promise it doth by another though they are Promises of the same thing but under different notions and expressions or to the same persons whose condition is expressed by several Metaphors Some may perhaps receive comfort from Mat. 5.6 which dare not apply Psal 51.19 though it would be easie to shew that whoever hungers and thirsts after righteousness hath a broken and contrite heart Mat. 11.28 is as full a Promise as Joh. 6.37 and Isa 55.1 c. as full as either of them Yet it may be some souls may take more comfort from Joh. 6.37 because that Promise that Christ will in no wise cast out such as come to him answers directly to their scruple and just meets with that doubt which runs most in their minds that Christ would surely reject them if they should come as if God had intended that Promise purposely for them But further these Promises are precious in respect of their firmness and certainty which God hath given us assurance of by all those waies which are in use among men for the confirmation of any Grant Covenant Promise being as a Testament confirmed by the death of the Testator Heb. 9.17 2 Cor. 1.20 A Covenant sealed Rom. 4.11 A Promise confirmed by an Oath which is the utmost assurance that any man can give or require Heb. 6.16 c. This God doth not that his counsel may be immutable but that he may declare it to be so to us by that which is the most solemn way of confirmation amongst men O beatos nos quorum causâ Deus jurat O miserrimos si nec juranti Domino credimus Tert. de Poenit. cap. 4. How happy are we that God should swear for our sakes And what wretches are we if we believe him not upon his oath Fourthly Let us labour to clear our own interest in the Promise that we may with the more boldness put in our claim crying Abba Father Rom. 8.15 coming with as much confidence to God as a child to a Father though we may pray indeed without assurance hereof if we come not to God as knowing that he is our Father we may come to him that he may be our Father The Promise indeed is not universal but the call or invitation is universal and the Promise becomes absolute upon our accepting of Gods invitation Isa 55.1 Mat. 11.28 If any shall say the invitation is not to all but only to such as are thirsty and weary I answer these are no limitations of Gods grace but it would be in vain to invite any others and those are not moral qualifications to make Christ willing to accept of us but natural qualifications to make us willing to accept of him But that you may see what Faith it is which is required in Prayer I will make a short Digression to consider more distinctly what it is to pray in Faith and this may be taken either improperly or properly we may be said to pray in faith more improperly First When we pray with this confidence that our Prayer is according to the will of God viz. that it is according to the will of God that we should so pray though not that our Prayer should be granted it may be our duty to pray for that which it is not the pleasure of God to bestow Rom. 14.23 it is evident by the Context that the Apostle speaks of what a man doth without a perswasion of the lawfulness of it for the Will of God must be both the Rule of our duty and the Reason of our obedience so that whatsoever we do without this perswasion though it may be materially good it is formally evill because it is not in obedience to Gods Will. Secondly When we pray in truth and sincerity so Faith is taken Rom. 3.3 and Jam. 1.6 the Apostle seems to speak of such a Faith as doth effectually determine the Will to the free choice and constant prosecution of that which is good and that you may not think this a singular notion see the sence of several very judicious and godly men Dr. Jackson of Faith pag. 108. Dr. Preston on the Attributes of God pag. 11 12. Dr. Reynolds on Psal 110. p. 317. Mr. Capel of Tentations part 4. p. 46. The double-minded man saith he is not he who is in the right vvay and labours under some doubting but he that hangs betvvixt tvvo vvaies and knovvs not which to chuse whether God or Baal There are many which pray from their memories uttering such expressions as they have heard or read or from their fancies and inventions for therein Mr Saltmarsh is right that all extemporary prayers are not from the Spirit as some mistake Others go further and pray from conscience for such things as they are convinced they ought to pray for yet these pray not sincerely from the heart and affections and so they do not as David saith Psal 27.4 Seek after that which they desire of the Lord they pray but are afraid to be heard loath that God should take them at their word or say Amen to their prayers This was Austine case Confess L. 8. cap. 7. he prayed Da mihi castitatem continentiam sed noli modo Timebam enim ne me cito exaudines Lord give me chastity and continency but not yet I was afraid saith he lest thou shouldst hear me presently and cure that disease of lust which I had rather should be fulfilled than mortified So doubtless there are many which pray for that humility which would spoil their pride and gallantry for that fear of God self-denial heavenly-mindedness which would interrupt their sensual pleasures or hinder their thriving in the world by unlawful means and it is to be feared would be loath to part with those sins which an answer of such prayers would force them to part with How many pray that Gods name may be hallowed and are most ready to blaspheme his name That his Kingdom may come and oppose his Kingdom That his will may be done that will neither do it themselves nor suffer those to live quietly that desire to do it That God would not lead them into temptation and yet daily run upon temptations and would account it a punishment to be kept from them Thus do men compass God about with lies and deceit Hos 11.12