not say As many as believed were ordained unto life eternal but contrariwise As many as were ordained to eternal life believed To intimate That Faith foreseen 1. From Election was not the cause of Election but Election was the cause of Faith and so the same Election is the cause of Perseverance in Faith or else their Life should not be eternal Therefore that strong conclusion of strong Consolation Rom. 8.35 is fetcht as far as from that everlasting VVell-head of Gods Fore knowledge and Predestination ver 29. For whom he did fore-know he did predestinate and whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Therefore the Apostle is bold to make that brave challenge Who shall charge us Who shall condemn us Who shall separate us As if he should have said Neither Sin nor Affliction nor Men nor Devils shall ever be able to break this Golden Chain of Gods Election till it ends in glory Therefore the just perseveres God hath elected him to no meaner a life than that which is Eternal and therefore he shall certainly have it Rom. 11. the Election must needs obtain it 2 Reas From Gods Love from which 2. Gods love this Election springs in order of working Gods love is an Everlasting love As God is from Everlasting to Everlasting so is his Love for whatsoever is in God is God Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee which I conceive is not to be understood à parte post after we are drawn to believe and obey but even before also à parte antè Gods love here is made the cause of our being drawn to believe and obey and not our obedience a cause of his love Obj. But is it not said Joh. 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved by my Father and I will love him and will manifect my self to him therefore our love of God goeth before Gods love to us Resp. There is a love of Benevolence whereby we bear good will to another and a love of Beneficence whereby we testifie our love in doing good to him Gods love of Benevolence is before our loving of him Joh. 4.19 We love him because he first loved us but Gods love of Beneficence at least in part doth follow our love to him and is the reward of it according to his free grace If Gods love therefore be everlasting this must needs be an everlasting fruit of it even the life of Grace and Glory to all eternity 3. The Covenant 3 Reas From the Covenant of God made with his People which is an everlasting Covenant well ordered and sure 2 Sam. 23.12 Jer. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Whereas the poor Soul might say God indeed saith he will never depart from us so long as we do not depart from him but then he might justly depart from us Therefore Gods Covenant is That we shall not depart from him I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me Therefore the just lives not from any stability in himself but from the stability of Gods Covenant 4. Gods Unchangeable nature 4 Reas From the Unchangeable Nature of God Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed You are not consumed not because there is no principle of change in you but because there is none in me As if God should have said When I first entred Covenant with you I saw you polluted in your blood and I foresaw full well how ignorant how impotent how unconstant how untoward you would be afterward but I am resolved as I did not choose you at the first for the good I saw to be in you so I will not reject you for the evil that I see in you but will forgive it and heal it for my gifts and calling are without repentance Rom. 11 29. 5. Reas From the Power of God 5. Power of God If Gods people do not persevere it is either because God will-not preserve them or because he cannot But 1. Not because he will not for it is his own good pleasure moved him to make an everlasting Covenant and his own unchangeable Nature moves him to fulfil it to this day 2. Not because he cannot for nothing limits Gods Power but his Will Psal 135.6 Whatever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and earth c. Therefore if the Lord will preserve his Saints in a state of grace for ever he is able to do it Though we are not able to stand of our selves yet he is able to make us stand Rom. 14. or in case we fall he is able to raise us up again Psal 37.24 Though he fall he shall not be cast off for the Lord putteth under his hand 6 Reas From the Merit of Christ 6. Merit of Christ c. the Prayer of Christ the Spirit of Christ As Christ hath merited Eternal Righteousness and Eternal Salvation Heb. 5.6 So he applies his Merit eternally by his Intercession and the operation of his Spirit Wherefore Heb. 7.25 Intercession of Christ he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Wherefore we must either deny That God the Father hears the Prayers of his Son which is blasphemous to imagine and contrary to Christs confession 1 Joh. 11.42 I know that thou hearest me alwayes or else we must need acknowledge That all such as are once in a state of Grace shall persevere and be saved to the utmost Further they that are Christs And Spirit of Christ have the Spirit of Christ and so long as the Spirit doth not depart from them they shall never depart from God for the Spirit leads into all Truth But the Spirit of God doth never depart from them Isa 59.21 As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth c. Therefore they shall never finally depart from God Thus we have the Reasons Why the just shall persevere 2. Why perseverance through Faith Now see the Reasons Why they live this life by Faith 1. Faith layes hold on the Promise 1. Because Faith lays hold on the Promise of Perseverance 1 Cor. 18. He shall confirm you to the end that you may be blameness in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 He that hath begun the good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ Mat 16.18
the way of believing 3 That Salvation may be on free and sure grounds The general Uses drawn from the Life of Faith 1Vse Information in seven Particulars 1 The happy condition of Believers They have comfort in six respects 2 The misery of unbelievers in six respects 3 The Reason of Satans enmity against Faith 4 The difference 'twixt the Life of Christ and that of a Believer 5 Why so many remain spiritually dead 6 There cannot be any thing of Christ or of Spiritual life in the Creature before Faith As Christ and life so Faith and life come both together 7 What is the choice work of a Minister 2Vse of Reproof to three sorts 1 Such who live upon other things in stead of living by Faith as namely their Sins Pleasures Creatures Riches Friends or upon themselves either sinful Self natural Self artificial Self moral Self religious Self These particulars are inlarge 2 Such who profess Faith but live not by it 3 Such as act not their Whether 1. In Actions 2. Conditions 3. Elections 3Vse of Examination 1 For Trial of persons whether we be just and in a state of spiritual life or no Divers Marks of true Faith from feigned 2 For Trial of all Doctrines and Religions whether they be true or false Where living by Faith is demonstrated to be the Touchstone of them 4Vse of Thankfulness for Faith Five Grounds or Arguments to provoke Believers to Thankfulness for Faith 1 It is Gods gift 2 It s necessary to the very Being of a Christian 3 Such a gift as none else can give where there are five Wonders of Faith spoken unto 4 Faith is a most precious Gift Three things very precious The preciousness of Faith in four particulars 5 The rarity or scarcity of Faith 5Vse Humiliation for Vnbelief The evil of Unbelief is set forth in 7 Particulars 1 It dishonours God 2 It grives the Holy Spirit 3 It pleases the Devil 4 It is the Mother-Sin The Brood of Unbelief 1 Ignorance 2 Security 3 Worldliness 4 Hypocrisie 5 Heresie 6 Apostacy 7 Atheism 5Vnbelief is a Step-mother to Grace 6Vnbelief is the Nurse of Sin 7 Judgements on Vnbelievers 6Vse of Exhortation wherein four Branches 1 Branch Exhort To get Faith where Faith is proved to be the wisest Purchase and Vnbelief the greatest Self-murther The excellencies of Believing which contains 1 Strength 2 Wisdom 3 Riches 4 Beauty 5 Honor. 6 Faith honors God 7 Dead without Faith 8 Faith makes to prosper Q How shall we get Faith Here are Means Negative and Positive prescribed Negative means to get faith or the removal of the Impediments of faith Means Negative is the removal of the Impediments of Faith which are these 1 Self 2 Satan 3 The World 4 Gods hardning where hardness of heart is treated of and Gods Justice justified in hardning some sinners Relief is prescribed to all four 5 General Impediment contains seven mixt Impediments of Faith viz. 1 False Trust 2 Limiting of God 3 Harbouring some Lust 4 Our own Vnworthiness pleaded against the Promise 5 Laying too much stress on the depth of Humiliation 6 Want of feeling 7 Doubt of Election To all these particular Cures are applied 6 General Impediment of Faith viz. Neglect of the Means which should work Faith or beget it Five Causes of the neglect of Means 1 Prejudice quarrels the Means of Faith 2 Pride contemns the Means 3 Sloth recoils from the Means 4 Presumption postdates the use of Means 5 Despodency quits and casts off the use To all which Cures are applied 7 General Impediment of Faith viz. Supposition of having Faith already when it is nothing so Differences 'twixt Presumption and true Faith 1 In the Conception 2 In the Birth 3 In the Growth 4 In the Fruit. The second Branch of false Supposition is That we have not Faith when we have it This hinders the actings ad increasings of Faith Four Corollaries or Conclusions from the difficulty of Believing 1 The Word of God Positive means for obtaining of Faith Every Word of God is an object of Faith especially the Promise How the Spirit convinces of sin The method of converting Grace Six Reasons why Humiliation must go before Faith Humility appears in all the periods of Grace Direction to humbled sinners how to apply Promises 2 Means of begetting Faith is Prayer Question stated Whether a natural man ought ta pray 3 Means Good Society 4 Means Meditation on Gods Name 5 Means Sight of Treasure in Christ 6 Means Diligence in the use of Means which signifie three things 2 Branch of Exhortation To keep Faith Where is shewed The general usefulness of Faith Reasons why we should look well to the keeping of it 1 Reas The Benefit of keeping Faith 2 Reas The Enemies who opposite it 1 Corruption 2 Temptation 3 Troubles 3 Reas It is the glory of a Christian to be found in the Faith at Christs appearing Means of preserving Faith 1 Soundness 2 Trial of it 3 Love of the Truth 4 A good Conscience 5 A right Bottom 6 Commit it to God 7 Prayer for establishment with Gods free Spirit What the free Spirit of God establishes How the free Spirit of God establishes 3 Branch of Exhortation viz. To act Faith and to live by it Six Motives to act and exercise Faith Divers Helps for the acting of Faith 4 Branch of Exhortation viz. To increase the stock of Faith Six Motives to increase in Faith Five Signs of a weak Faith Seven Means for the increasing of Faith Conclusive Sermons on Dan. 12.3 An Appendix concerning the Converting of others to the Faith Doctrine The Conversion of Souls to the Faith as it is the most excellent Work so it shall certainly be crowned with the most excellent Reward Explication twofold 1 It is the most excellent Work Seven Reasons to prove this handled largely 2 It shall have the most excellent Reward USES 1 Information of the Dignity of the Ministry 2 Reproof to four sorts of persons 3 Exhortation to Convert Souls This is directed in general to All but in special to Ministers Eight Motives to quicken converted ones to labour to Convert others Eight Means whereby the Conversion of Souls may be promoted 4 Exhortation to Ministers to preach in a Soul-saving way 5 Exhortation to the People 1 To be willing to be wrought upon 2 To attend upon such Means as are proper 6Vse of Thankfulness 1 If we our selves are Converted 2 If any by our Means be Converted Seven Marks of sound Conversion 7Vse of Comfort to the Promoters of others Conversion in the midst of Opposition and Reproach The EPILOGUE Courteous Reader BE pleased before thou readest this Treatise to correct with thy Pen the following mistakes in printing that the sense of the Author may not be misrepresented ERRATA in the Titles of the Pages Page 230. read Bawkers of Impediments Page 417. r. Life of Faith in the midst of Death Page 429. r. Love of Lust Page 510. r.
influence of faith into Consolation 288 to 292 Consolation what properly 292 Consolation from the touch of faith 292 293 The Word and Sacraments are the Brests of Consolation 393 394 395 Reasons why Consolation comes by faith 298 299 305 306 We must try our Comforts by our Graces and not our Graces by our Comforts See why 300 to 304 It is easier to be deceived in our Comforts than Graces 301 See Joy Papists rob of Comfort while of faith 321 Comfort from sense and sensual delights ends in sorrow 321 To refuse to be comforted by the Promises dishonors God 322 Comfort in false Doctrine and Prophets dangerous 322 Motives to live by faith the life of Comfort 323 Consolation brings activity of Obedience 323 There may be strong faith where little comfort 514 Constancy See Perseverance Gods constancy in his love a motive to perseverance 249 Conversation See Carriage Vnnecessarily imbraced with wicked ones hinders growth in grace 230 Conversion Vnbelievers rarely Convert others if they do they take no joy in it 39 The method of converting grace how it gradually proceeds from conviction of sin to a closing with Christ 521 522 Its not the Word without the Spirit which can convert 529 Conversion of Souls is a most excellent work for seven Reasons from 585 to 600 Such reproved who slight the converting of others 602 603 604 Exhortation to convert souls 606 Eight Motives to convert others from 607 to 610 Means for the conversion of others from 610 to 612 Exhortation to People to be willing to be converted and to attend on such means as are proper for it 612 613 614 615 616 The misery of such who are not converted 613 The happiness of converted ones 614 Objections of Discouragement answered 614 615 Thankfulness for our own and others Conversion 616 Conviction It is an act of the comforting Spirit though not an act of Comfort 272 The Spirit convinces of sin by opening and applying the Law 520 521 Covenant of Grace This is a cause of the Saints perseverance 238 Creature-inconstancy Faith triumphs over it 261 262 Curiosity Vain curiosity concerning heaven condemned 359 D Deadness of Spirit Gods Children subject to it 172 Causes of spiritual deadness which is fourfold 173 Sinful deadness springs from four privative causes and from four positive causes 173 Penal and probational deadness 174 Saints recover by faith out of deadness 174 175 Reasons why faith recovers out of deadness 175 176 Four Arguments or Meditations whereby faith quickens 177 Motives to quicken under deadness 179 180 181 182 183 Means to quicken under deadness 184 185 186 187 Vide Vivification Death Die Faith in death 58 469 Six Reasons why believers die in faith 59 60 No need of faith after death 61 62 Christs death applied by faith a means of Sanctification 126 Greater happiness in the death than life of Believers 318 319 Degrees of Christs Conquest over Death from 368 to 373 Believers conquer Death in rectified opinion of it 370 Reasons why true Believers are loth to die 372 Desertion The just live by faith under desertion 50 Faith triumphs over fear of Divine desertion from 267 to 275 Desertion in appearance only 267 268 269 Desertion in respect of temporals onely 270 Desertion in respect of Spiritual means 271 Desertion in respect of Spiritual comforts 271 272 God deserts his people onely in accessory graces 273 274 Vide Forsaking Despair It is Reproved 358 359 It quits the Vse of the Ordinances 510 Desires Strong desires after Christ are the seeds of faith 533 Diligence It leads to assurance in the use of holy means 95 What it implies and how it breeds faith 541 Discipline Holy discipline and strictness the sphere of Comfort 297 to 300 Discouragement Faiths triumph over five main discouragements 261 Doctrines These are to be judged true or false as they slander or advance the life of faith 448 449 Doubting Frequency of it a sign of weak faith 571 Duration Faith must be acted as long as we live yet love excels it in duration 60 61 Duties Backwardness to holy duties and remissness in them is a sign of a weak faith 572 E Election It is a cause of perseverance 237 Doubting of Election hinders believing 505 Envy It is an Impediment of growth in grace 230 Establishment in Faith Reasons why we should labor to be establisht both in the Doctrine and Grace of faith 544 The benefit of Establishment in the faith ibid. Enemies which oppose the establishment of faith 545 Though faith cannot be lost yet God establishes in the use of means 545 Seven Means of establishing faith 548 to 556 See Keeping of Faith Eternal See Life Examination See Trial. Evidence of grace upon examination brings comfort 300 Examine two things in order to the Sacrament 577 Excellency Faiths excellency in two respects 62 63 The complicated excellencies of a believer 477 Example Examples of crowned Saints a means of perseverance 255 Experiences These called to minde breed assurance 96 They are a firm ground for future faith 409 Reasons for the deduction of faith from experiences 410 They are a means to increase faith 581 F Faith It s definition in eight branches 19 20 What it is to live by faith in five particulars 21 22 Faith Life and Christ come all together yet in order 23 Faith described in seven faculties of spiritual life 23 to 28 Why Saints live by faith rather then any other grace 28 29 30 Why no man can live but by his own faith 33 34 Caution in four particulars amplifying that truth 35 36 37 Restriction of it in four Considerations 38 39 Make much of faith as your life in troubles 64 65 True faith is known by its renewing and fructifying vertue 141 Faith is the root of holiness and fruitfulness 144 Faith resembles the expulsive faculty in the body 150 Faiths triumph over personal weaknesses 263 Its triumph over sinful distempers 264 Faiths triumph over uncertain events 264 265 Its triumph over fear of sinning or suffering 266 267 Its triumph over fear of divine desertion 267 268 See Desertion Faith reflects on Sanctity and Sincerity to comfort 299 Faith produceth comfort as it makes future good things to be as it were present 305 306 Want of acting faith in Gods Word and Works though there be the habit is a great cause of sadness 313 314 Faith is the mother and nurse of spiritual joy 328 Faith to be acted seven wayes for the increase of joy 328 to 334 Faith assures that eternal life is the Believers 341 How faith assures a Believer of heaven 342 to 351 Examination of true faith as it respects eternal life 362 Faith lifts up a man above the troubles of the world 377 382 383 Faiths manly choice or charm against prosperity 385 What are the Reasons why the Just must live by faith 398 to 417 Living by faith a very reasonable duty 399 Faith puts life into the Promises 400 Faith is a Saints security for
IN THE LIFE of FAITH IN SANCTIFICATION VIZ. PERSEVERANCE THe just man lives by Faith in reference to the Conservation of life or Perseverance He draws from Christ confirming vertue and this doth fitly follow the former yea it is that which sets a crown upon all the rest For otherwise should a Christian grow never so rich in grace if it might be said of his Spiritual riches as the Prophet Jeremy speaks of the Temporal riches of the wicked Jer. 17 11. He shall leave them in the midst of his days and at his end shall be a fool what were he the better for all his growth Now this is the very crown of Augmentation and Fructification that as he lives by Faith for the present so his Faith carries him on still to be faithful unto death that he may receive from God a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 And that this is also the meaning of the Text you may see by the words themselves and by the application of them by the Apostle 1. By the words themselves for it is not said The just doth live by his Faith but The just shall live vivet therefore saith Calvin upon the place Futurum tempus vitae perpetuitatem designat The Future Tense points out the perpetuity of this life He begins that life by Faith which shall never have an end 2. This is clear by the Apostles Application and Interpretation of the Text Heb. 10.37 where the Apostle perswading to patient continuance in well-doing he brings this very Scripture for an encouragment The just shall live by faith he shall so live as to go on and persevere in his Christian course And that this is the very sense doth plainly appear by its opposite member But if any man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him Where we see clearly drawing back or falling off is directly opposed to living by Faith So that to live by Faith in the sense of the Text and in the sense of the Apostle who best knew the meaning of the Text it is to live by Faith the Life of Conservatior He draws from Christ conserving vertue and so lives by Faith in reference to Conservation and Perseverance Two things therefore we are to shew Two Propopositions First That the just doth Persevere Secondly That he lives this Life of Perseverance by Faith 1. The just doth Persevere 1. That the just doth so live as that he shall persevere and hold out to the end Solomon tells us That the righteous is an everlasting foundation Prov. 19.25 a foundation that never shall decay Our Saviour Christ compares him Mat. 7.24 to a building founded on a Rock that out-stands all winds and weather David compares him to a Mountain a Mountain that cannot be removed Psal 125 1. The Prophet Isaiah gives him a Name An Everlasting Name that shall not be cut off Isa 56.5 S. Peter compares his beginning to Seed Immortal seed that shall never die 1 Pet. 1.23 The Psalmist compares him to a Tree a Tree planted by the rivers of waters that shall never wither Psal 1.3 Our Saviour himself calls the gift of saving grace The good part or portion that shall never be taken away Luke 10.42 and therefore it is fitly compared to fire to that holy fire which came down from heaven that never went out Levit. 6.12 13. If once that holy fire of grace be kindled in a believers heart it shall never go out Mat. 12.20 He shall not quench the smoking flax till he send forth judgement into victory Poor weak Christian is thy judgement right for God onely thy grace is so weak there is as much smoke of corruption as there is fire of good affection yet let this support thee He shall not quench the smoking flax Obj. But though Christ do not quench it or put it out himself yet something else may blow it out or pluck it from us Corruption and Satan and the World are very strong Ans As Christ will not quench it himself so he will not suffer it to be quenched by any opposite power whatsoever Job 10.28 No man shall pluck them out of my hands The Apostle was confident of this Rom. 8.35 c. Who shall separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ c. Shall tribulation or distress or famine or nakedness The Apostle is not onely assured against these but against all that Life or Death or Angels or Powers c. can do to separate us from the love of Jesus Christ The just then shall persevere 2. Perseverance is by vertue of Faith 2. He perseveres by vertue of his faith He lives by Faith the Life of Conservation 1 Pet. 1.5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation Which words are are set down as an argument of strong consolation to Gods people against that great Temptation of Backsliding by reason of their own weakness and their enemies power For whereas it was said in the former verse there was an incorruptible inheritance reserved for them in Heaven they might object But alas we fear our grace is not incorruptible though the Kingdom of Heaven fades not away yet our grace may fade away and so we may fall short of that Kingdom For their comfort he tells them as the Kingdom is kept for them so they are kept for the Kingdom and how kept through Faith Who are kept by the power of God through faith to Salvation Hence Faith is compared to a Shield not an ordinary one but to such a Shield as enables the Souldier to fight it out to see the last enemy slain to persevere to the end of the Battel Rom. 8. yea to be more than Conquerors even to conquer Principalities and Powers c. therefore saith the Apostle Take unto you the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand in the evil day and having done all to stand Eph. 6.13 Mark that Christian Souldier onely withstands his enemy as he should that in the right use of his Spiritual Armour is able to stand it out unto the last And I pray what is the principal part of this Spiritual Armour Is it not Faith ver 16. Above all taking the Shield of Faith whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one As if he should have said Faith is all in all and without this all the other parts of the Armour as good as nothing By this we withstand all our enemies and having done all are able to stand it out to the last So that a Christians life is conserved by Faith Come we now to the Reason 1. Why the just man perseveres 2. Why by Faith 1. Why the just perseveres Reasons 1. Why the just shall persevere 1 Rat. is drawn from Gods Everlasting Purpose of Election What did God Elect his people unto No less than to Eternal Life Act 13.48 As many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed He doth