this sore giving us peace with God and so enables to bear the outward burthen the inward burthen being removed As for this it casts all the burthen of its cares fears and sorrows upon God and so is quiet And thus much for the Life of Faith in those Adversities which happen in the course of our Life Now see how he lives the Life of Faith in Death II Branch Of Adversity viz. Faith in death A believer lives by faith in Death Faith is a godly mans life at the time of his death as it appears by the living speeches of dying men David Psal 23. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil Simeon Luke 2. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace The Cloud of Witnesses Heb. 11. All these died in faith v 13. Reasons 1. 1. They died in faith because they believed the accomplishment of promises to be fulfilled after death as in the same place Heb. 11.13 not having received the promises but seeing them afar off and perswaded of them Believers dye in faith 1. For their Posterity as in the examples of Isaac and Jacob Heb. 11.20 21. who because God had promised to be the God of their seed when they were dying applied it to their posterity and blessed them concerning things to come 2. For the Church believing that God will make it a praise in the earth Isa 67.2 3. For Themselves when they go down to the waves of hell and the grave they see land afar off Stephen ready to be stoned Behold sayes he I see heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God Acts 7.56 Stephen sees heaven opened to receive him And Job chap. 19.25 I know my Redeemer lives and though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh I shall sâ—e God Moses likewise in the hazarding of himself in Egypt had respect to the resurrection of his name and body and the recompence of reward Heb. 11.26 The Saints like Moses upon the top of Mount Nebo Deut. 34.1 take a view of Canaan by faith and then they are willing to dye See Paul for further instance 2 Cor. 5. from v. 1. to 9. 2. Believers dye in faith because they see it a Conquer'd enemy Death saith the Apostle is swallowed up in victory by Christ Hos 13.13 O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction 'T is part of Christs victory to conquer Death 1. By conquering the devil that had the power of death 2. Our fear of death See Heb. 2.14 15. 3. They see the sting of death pull'd out so conquered as disarmed 1 Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting The sting of death is sin But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 4. They see it not onely a conquered and disarmed enemy but made their servant All things are yours saith the Apostle to believers 1 Cor. 3.21 22. as Paul or Apollo or Cephas are yours so death is yours sayes he As you are under God that is under you 5. Nay they see it as a Friend 1. In freeing them from the miseries of this life 2. In being their Porter or Usher into eternal life There are five Concomitants of this life which make it troublesome and Death befriends the Saints in them all by taking them away from them There is 1. The sinfulness of their Natures which makes them cry out with Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliver c 2. There is the vanity of the Creature a sore evil For here Omnia vanitas All is vanity 3. The Wickedness of the World that constrains the Saints many times to complain with David Psal 120.5 Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech c. 4. There are also Gods judgements upon the world In which respect death makes the godly happy for as 't is Isa 57.1 2. they are taken away from the evil to come they rest in their beds c. 5. The last evil Concomitant is the believers distance from Christ 2 Cor. 5.6 while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord therefore we desire sayes he to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. 6. Death is not onely chang'd to a believer but faith in death is seen also by altering our judgements concerning death The natural face of death is terrible to Nature and fear'd but faith sees it with desire Paul and Simeon can say I desire to be dissolv'd Christ hath not onely conquered death for his but the fear of death as was said before Heb. 2.14 And this resolves the second part of the Question How long a believer is to live by his faith and that is All his life long till death and then in death Therefore 't is said Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee the crown of life And Gal. 2.20 I live saith Paul all the while I live by the faith of the Son of God c. Hence the word of the Text is put in the Future tense The just shall live by his faith to signifie the perpetuity of this life of faith As long as we live we must live by faith But no longer And therefore though Faith is excellent in some respect yet Love is more excellent in another viz. in regard of durance 1 Cor. 13.8 to the end 't is said there Love never faileth But knowledge and means of knowledge shall cease and faith shall cease but Charity never And therefore though Faith is * above before Charity in the first apprehension of Christ yet Charity is above Faith in the everlasting enjoyment of Christ and the society of true Christians However Faith is of excellent use all ouâ— life long till we come to a perfect vision we live by faith 2 Cor. 5.7 But no longer for we need it no longer As a man that sends home a friend wiâ—h a candle and lanthorn in a dark night commands the messenger to light him to his own door and then to return again for 't is supposed he hath more light in his own house than the lathorn could afford Such a charge God gives to his Word and to faith the lanthorn-bearer Psal 119.105 Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my paths Go give such a man light until he come to Heaven and leave him there Or as God gave Commission to the Angel Acts 12. to awaken Peter and to shake off his chain to clothe him with garments to open the gates to lead him through the first and second Ward and when he had done so forthwith the Angel departed from him Just so Faith is like this Angel it awakens us out of the the sleep of sin shakes off the chains of Satan clothes us with the righteousness of Christ opens the door of the ear and heart leads us through the first and second Ward of
free grace But if a man thinks himself already in Christ and in the high-way to Heaven and yet remains under the power and Dominion of these reigning lusts he is grosly deceived They are the very words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators c. And thus we may know how whether we live by Faith in respect of Eternal Life By our Carriage in Life Mark 2. By the thoughts of Death We may know it by our Respect we bear to Death viz. as a passage to a better life For a faithful man looks at Death as a conquered Enemy Isa 25.8 it 's said He will swallow up Death in victory Now there are Four Degrees of this Victory of Jesus Christ over Death Degrees of Christs victory over Death The first is past and gone the two next are present and the fourth is yet to come 1. In his own death 1. The first was performed by Christ proprio Marte in his own single combat with Death and Hell Christ taking upon him the sins of Gods people all the world over Death sets upon him most furiously and seems at the first Bout to get the better it kills him and lays him in the grave But behold the glorious Victory of Jesus Christ as Samson when he was shut up in the City of Gaza Judg. 16. He arose in the night anâ carried away the gates of the City and bars and all So Christ our Spiritual Samson was shut up in the Grave with a great stone upon the Grave and brake open the brazen gates and iron bars and hath carried them away to the top of the Mountain of Mount Sion that they shall never hurt his people more Acts 2.24 He was raised up by the power of his God-head having loosed the pains of Death because it was not possible he should be holden of it Loosed the pains of Death It 's a word used in the birth of Children as if the Grave were pained as a woman in child-birth till it was delivered of him who was the first-begotton from the dead and so had the prerogative of the first-born to be a Conqueror even a Conqueror over Death Therefore it is said Rev. 1.18 I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and have the Keys of Hell and Death The Keys What 's that By the Keys is certainly meant the Conquest as when a Town or City is subdued the Keys are presently delivered to the Conqueror as acknowledgments and Ensigns of his Victory So the Keys of Hell and Death are delivered up into the hands of Christ to signifie that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more Death hath no more dominion over him but he for ever hath dominion over Death So that the first and chief part of the victory belongs to Christ in his own person as he was mightily declared to be the Son of God by his Resurrection from the Grave Rom. 1.4 the other three belong to us The second Degree of Victory over Death is 2. In our Death The altering its nature to all Gods people For no sooner had Death struck Christ like a furious Wasp but it presently lost its Sting For the sting of Death sticks in Sin and therefore Christ having taken upon him the sins of his people Death strikes in her sting so deep that she is forced to leave it behinde her So that now the case is altered to Gods people however they die as well as others yet to them the sting of Death is taken out and so the nature of Death is quite and clean altered as if it were not the same Before it was a passage into prison where the Spirits are now in prison Now it 's made a passage out of Prison Having a desire to be dissolved Phil 1.23 Before it was a curse now a Blessing Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord Rev. 14.13 Before it was an Enemy a wicked man might say Hast thou found me 1 Kings 21.20 O mine enemy but now it 's a Friend and does many friendly offices Before it was loss a man lost his friends he lost his possessions he lost his very hopes Eccles 9.4 but now it 's gain Phil. 1.21 To die is gain He gains much access of glory for the present in his Soul in regard of its communion with God and he hath hopes of more when his body shall be raised again from the grave Prov. 14.22 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness but the righteous hath hope in his death And this is the second part of Christs Victory over Death 3. 3. In our judgements of death The third which most concerns the matter in hand is in Altering our Affections Judgements and Apprehensions concerning Death A most excellent Conquest 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Casting down imaginations Prov. 16.32 For suppose the Nature of Death should be altered so that of an enemy it should be made a friend yet if our judgements should not be altered but we should look at it still under the notion of an enemy we could have little comfort in the approach of it And therefore here is both the Mercy and Power of Christ seen in altering the judgement of his people concerning Death that now they can in some measure look at â—t as a Friend and as a Messenger sent from their heavenly Captain the Lord Jesus to take them off from their hard service How glad is the poor Souldier that hath stood Centinel a long cold night when the morning Watch comes Or one that hath been fighting against his Enemies as long as he can well strike or stand how glad is such a one when his Captain sends Relief to take him off and bids him Welcome home with a large Reward for all his dangerous and difficult service Now such and no other is the office of this Messenger Death and therefore Gods people looking upon it under this Notion love the appearing of it and rejoyce in it as the Apostle did 2 Tim. 4 6 7 8. For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finish'd my course c. Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but to them also that love his appearing Mark it 's the property of a graâ—ious â—oul which Christ comes to it either in the particular or general Judgement to love his Appearing And this is the third Degree of Christs Victory over Death As it 's altered in it self so it s altered in his peoples Apprehensions of it And this is a double Mercy 4. In the general Resurrection The fourth and last Degreee which I shall but name is in the last and general Resurrection Look as when
befel the world in the world from Adam to this day is laid to the charge of sin Faith sayes As where no transgression no curse Rom. 3. so wheresoever there is curse there is transgression Whatever sad stories are reported of 70 years Captivity of Sword of Pestilence and Famine c. yea sayes Faith you may thank sin for all this Was Cain a runnagate Pharaoh drown'd in the Sea Josephs brethren in sad perplexity c Surely they may say We are verily guilty Gen. 42.21 c. Yea Gods people may thank sin for all their affliction Isa 27.9 This is all the fruit to purge away your sin Sin is like a stubborn Tenant or a Thief that will not out unless the house be fired over his head 2. Inward Witness which is the Conscience in stead of a thousand witnesses Rom. 2.15 Their own consciences bearing them witness c. What saist thou Conscience did not sin do thus and thus and is the cause of all this misery c Art 5 Fifthly Faith empannels the Jury of Saints or Believers not as unbelievers that compare themselves with themselves 2 Cor. 10.12 For what part hath he that believeth with an infidel 2 Cor. 6.15 and calls in the Judge For sin must be judged by God and the Bench See Psal 50.5 6. and not by the Countrey of Carnal men For though the Conscience of Carnal men can bear evidence against sin yet they are partial Jury-men they would fain have sin live Let loose Barabbas and crucifie Christ But the Bench of godly men sitting with Christ upon his Throne as they shall judge the world 1 Cor. 6. so they judge sin They finde sin guilty and worthy of death and cry out for Justice Justice my Lord upon sin These are the cloud of Witnesses and Jury-men that account sin as the greatest burthen in the world Heb. 12.1 Therefore sayes Faith if asked to which of the Saints wilt thou turn Job 5.1 I will be judged by all the godly in the World And this Jury ground their Verdict upon Evidence Note Works outwardly Conscience inwardly have brought in this witness against sin 1. 'T is a deadly enemy to God and his Grace Rom. 8.6 't is enmity against God Nothing is contrary to God but sin 2. It gives Laws against God Rom. 8.2 the law of sin and death God sayes This must be done Sin sayes the flat contrary 3. It forceth its Obedience 't is a Tyrant over Gods people makes them cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me Rom. 7.24 Luke 19.14 Indeed wicked men are voluntary slaves 4. It is guilty of all the slain that lie in the pit If it be said Who slew all these we may say Sin 2 Kin. 10.9 Though the Devil be a Murtherer John 8. yet he cannot slay one Soul without the assistance of Sin The Soul than sinneth shall die Ezek. 18.5 'T is guilty of Christs blood Sin thou hast crucified the Lord the Life Our sins were the nails in his hands and spear in his side and is not he worthy to die that put Christ to death Art 6 Sixthly Faith calls in the Judge as the importunate widow Luk. 18.3 Avenge me of mine adversary Faith makes God in his VVord to be the Judge viz. the Doctrine of the Twelve Apostles Both Whether sin be thus guilty or no Jam. 1.13 Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God c. Sin would lay the fault upon God but God layes the fault upon sin And secondly What punishment sin is worthy of No less than death saith God Therefore thou must die saith Faith to Sin 1 Cor. 11.31 For this cause many sleep i.e. die Art 7 Seventhly He therefore lives by Faith for the condemnation of Sin God hath condemned sin to die Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you Therefore sayes Faith I have Gad on my side Sin must not reign nay Sin must not live As the soul that sins must die so the Soul than is freed from death is freed from sin both in the guilt and power Art 8 Eighthly He lives by Faith in the Execution of the Sentence upon Sin Heb. 11.17 Offers up the dearly beloved sin And that in respect 1. Of the time presently whilest it is called to day There is no truce no reprival no sparing of sin Life must go for life Sin is never the better for kinde usage Some sinners are won that way but not sin it self God cannot reconcile sin to himself though he reconcile sinners to himself 2. For the Means where there is 1. Arming our selves Eph. 6. Take to you the whole armour of God especially the shield of faith 2. Disarming sin The strength of sin lies either in the Law of God 1 Cor. 15.56 The strength of sin is the law Or in the power and policy of Satan Ephes 2.2 that worketh in the children of disobedience Now Faith disarms Sin 1. It cuts the sinews of the Law Rom. 6.14 We are not under the law but under grace 2. It cuts the sinews of Satan 1 John 3.8 For this cause the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil Therefore that Soul that is willing Christ should live in it shall be sure to have sin die in it Lastly Taking sin captive leading this Captivity captive Eph. 4.8 Psal 149.6 and putting it to death by the two-edged sword of the Word in its hand and so executing the judgement written Heb. 4.12 So much for the first Quaere Quest II. Secondly What are the Reasons why Faith will have sin to be mortified Answ Many 1. Reasons of the mortification of sin Because sin is most contrary to the nature of Faith Faith is a most holy Faith Jude v. 20. It is that which purifies the heart Acts 15.9 And sin is loathsome and impure For it defiles 1. The Person Tit. 1.15 To the unbelieving even their minde and conscience is defiled 2. The Actions Hag. 2.12 13. every work of their hands and that which they â—ffer is unclean 3. The Name as Jacob said to Simeon and Levi Gen. 34.30 Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land 4. It defiles others as that incestuous Person 's sin 1 Cor. 5.6 as leaven spreads over the whole lump 5. The Land it self Gen 6 11. The earth also was corrupt before God and the earth was filled with violence So the Lord sayes Num 35.33 The land is polluted and defiled with blood Therefore Faith and Sin are contraries and contraries hate one another to the death Mutuò se expellunt they cannot live together Reas 2 Because they have most contrary Ends and Designes The design of Faith is to bring life to the Soul The just shall live by Faith The design of Sin is to bring death to the Soul Ezek. 18. The soul that sins shall die the death and
man who dreams he is eating but when he awaketh his soul is empty or as when a thirsty man dreameth and behold he drinketh but when he awaketh he is faint and his appetite is not satisfied So is the joy of all Carnal men it s a faint and unsatisfactory joy But the joy of Gods people is full and satisfying and therefore though it cannot be set out to the full by any outward resemblance yet 't is compared to those things in which men use most of all to rejoyce as to the joy of harvest Isa 9.3 To the joy of a marriage feast Rev. 19. To the joy of a new discovered treasure Mat. 13.44 So 't is a great joy Behold say the Angels we bring you tidings of great joy Luk. 2.10 It a stronger joy i.e. stronger in regard of its effects 5. A strong joy The joy of Carnal men is but weak because it 's not able to hold out in a storm The terrors of God can easily drown the greatest of worldly comforts as we see in Belshazzar Dan. 5. But the terrors of the world cannot drown the comforts of God as we see in the noble Army of Martyrs singing in the Prison triumphing at the Stake So that we may say of True Joy as Solomon says of True Love It 's strong as death the coals thereof are as coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame many waters cannot quench it neither can the floods drown it Cant. 8.6 7. This joy of Gods people is therefore called strong Coonsolation Heb. 6.17 And indeed the word ordinarily used intimates as much Consolatio quasi Consolidatio q. d. a making one strong and solid against all opposite evils which onely the comforts of God can do And therefore they should not seem small to us Job 15.11 For the comforts of God are his peoples strength Job 16.5 It 's a more Durable joy as it 's stronger 6. A durable joy so it lasts longer The joy of Carnal men is like Jonah's gourd it 's born and dies again within the compass of a day or two The joy of an hypocrite is but for a moment Job 20.5 it 's but for a flash like the crackling of thorns under a pot though it makes a great noise it 's soon gone But of all flashes it 's most like a flash of Lightning it continues but a while and it sends after it a Thunder-clap of Judgment and extreme Misery But the joy of Gods people springing from an Immortal seed abides for ever it continues with them all their life long nay it out-lives life and is a comfort in death They that have it shall never lose it Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads Isa 35.10 7. A pure joy It 's a Purer joy The joy of Carnal men is like a Pit of Puddle-water They dig unto themselves broken Cisterns Jer. 2.13 Their comforts are not lasting nor cleer but puddle-water full of many sinful admixtures of gross and unmortified corruptions which make them like a pot of honey full of stings But the joys of Gods people are pure they drink out of the fountain Psa 36.8 There is no mud in the bottom no after-stings of a defiled and accusing Conscience they are sweet serene and pure joys 8. A sure joy It 's a Surer joy A Carnal man hath his joy upon very uncertain Tenure He is not sure of it before-hand and when he hath it he is not sure he shall hold it it depends upon many If 's and And 's If I have my health if such a business succeeds well if such a friend be as good as his word I shall then rejoyce saith a Curnal man therefore his joy rises and falls as outward Providences do ebbe and flow whereas he that lives by Faith upon a word of God hath sure comfort so long as the word holds his joy holds If for the present he have it not he is sure of it afterwards as sure as that Harvest follows Seed-time They that sow in tears shall reap in joy Psal 126.6 And when he hath it he is sure to hold it though there may be some intermissions of the lively feeling of it Your heart shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you saith our Saviour to his Discples John 16.22 It 's a Fresher joy 9. A fresh joy All other joys have but their Honey-Moons and though they do not presently sowre yet they grow flat and dull within a while if they die not altogether yet ever and anon they come to the fall of the leaf But the joys of Gods people are as fresh and flourishing at the last as at the first His leaf also shall not wither Psal 1. The Bed of Jesus Christ is always green Cant. 1.16 The Poets fancy of a Continual Spring in the Golden Age of the World is here a Reality The joys of Gods people are ever springing and budding forth new comforts It 's a more Wholesome and Safe joy 10. A safe joy The joy of Carnal men 't is a destructive joy Destructive to Spiritual good How hardly is that man reclaimed who makes sin the object of his joy And 't is destructive even to Natural good There 's danger in excesses of joy as well as sorrow And what the Apostle saith of worldly sorrow may be said of worldly joy It worketh death How many men have lost their Wits nay their Lives in excessive joys Such heights of joy have set the door of the heart so wide open that the Spirits have run out of a sudden and returned no more This is sometime a fruit of Carnal joy But Spiritual joy is safe and wholesome wholesome for the Soul It 's a good means to concoct our knowledge To love the Truth and rejoyce in what we know while otherwise the sweetest Truths will lie raw and indigested upon the stomach of the Soul And it 's wholesome for the Body A cheerful spirit expels superfluities helps concoction quickens the understanding cheers the countenance and in a word Prov. 17.22 A merry heart doth good like a Medicine And now who would not be perswaded to savour these Spiritual Comforts and to live in them which have such excellent properties that worldly joyes are not worthy to be named the same day with them they are not meeet to be put into the scales with these which are so Solid so Rational so Pure c. as ye have heard Qu. But you will say What Means may we use to possesse more of this Joy of which I have given you but a little tast And yet as little as it is methinks every soul that hath heard me should cry out with the woman of Samaria Joh. 4. Lord evermore give me of this water that I thirst not neither go to the worlds pits to draw any more comfort thence Means of joy Ans I answer Therefore learn the Composition of this best Cordial better then ever the World could make t is not
overtaken with self-confidence to relie upon the Mountain of his created strength or created Grace he is never well till he hath deeply humbled himself for it as David did Psal 30.6 And therefore I say a Believer so far as he is himself does all he doth in the strength of God If he be to preach if he be to pray whatever he be to do he dares venture upon nothing in his own strength lest God should blast his endevours in stead of blessing them 2 Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God Phil. 4.13 I can do all things saith the Apostle through Christ that strengthneth me yea bear all things in the strength of Christ but nothing in his own strength This is an infallible symptome of the Life of Faith Psal 84.5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee 3. The third and last Evidence hath respect to both 3. In point of both for whether a Believer be to resist that which is evil or to perform that which is good as he goes out in Gods strength so he goes to God by Prayer in both respects for prayer is a calling in of the strength of God and a believing creature is ever a praying creature unless under Tentation and therefore true Prayer is called the Prayer of Faith and indeed Prayer is one of the first evidences of Faith I do not mean the Gift of Prayer whereby we can express our selves in good words But the Spirit of Prayer and Supplications whereby we express our selves in good and child-like affections No sooner hath a man Faith but together with his Faith he receives the Spirit of Adoption whereby he cries Abba Father Rom. 8.15 therefore as the same Apostle saith Rom. 10.14 How shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved they are but poor formal Prayers without Faith So we may say on the other side How shall they not call on him on whom they have believed 2 Cor. 4 13. We having the same Spirit of faith according as it is written I believe therefore have I spoken we also believe and therefore we speak none of Gods children are born tongue-ty'd I am sure not so hard tyed but there will be inward sighs and groans and wrestlings with God when there are no outward expressions at all The Spirit of Faith is ever attended with a Spirit of Prayer and Supplication And this is the last Evidence by which we may judge of unfeigned Faith from that which is feigned and counterfeit Branch II. Of Examination Living by faith is the touchstone to try all Doctrines and Religions whether they be true or false And as this serves for the Trial of Persons so also of Doctrines and Religions That Religion which teacheth us to live by Faith and to lay hold on the Righteousness of Christ who was made sin for us that we through him might be made the righteousness of God to life Eternal that is undoubtedly the true Religion But that Religion which slanders the Life of Faith as if it were absurd to be justified by the Righteousness of another That which teacheth we have no Original Sin remaining in us but that all is wash'd away in Baptism contrary to that of the Apostle Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death That which teacheth inherent Righteousness necessary to Justification and that it is possible also a man may so fulfil the Law of God as to Merit at Gods hand yea that he is able not onely to do what the Law requires but to over-do even to do so much as to spare of his oyl for others This is a Doctrine and Religion savouring of horrible Pride and Presumption and therefore false But that which teacheth us to go out of our selves and to give the Glory of Salvation to Free-grace and so to live by Faith this is true and there is no unrighteousness in it Now in case we finde upon search That we do believe we have infinite cause to be thankful In case we finde we believe not we have as great cause to be humbled and to seek out for Faith Vse IV. Of Thankfulness Vse 4 The fourth Use is of Thankfulness for them that have obtained Faith and know how to live by it Thankfulness for Faith Thankfulness for our selves for our Friends Yoke-fellows and Children as the Apostle is thankful Ephes 1.15 Phil. 1.3 Col. 1.3 4. What hath God given them Faith he hath given them an excellent livelihood We rejoyce when great Lands and Livings fall to us or our friends but what is all this to Faith which is the very life of our lives our living to Eternity All the blessings of Natural Spiritual and Eternal Life are wrapt up in Faith Indeed there are many quickning Considerations should stir us up to be thankful to God with all our Souls Grounds of our Thankfulness That we should say as David Psal 103.1 2. Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless c. First For first of all 1. 'T is Gods gift Faith as the Scripture saith is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 If we could obtain Heaven by our own Workmanship or Faith it self as a particular work of our own to fit us for Heaven we might have some cause to boast and so the less cause to be thankful But neither the works which the Law requires in general nor this work which the Gospel requires in particular is of our own working or springs out of the liberty of our own Will but it is the gift of God Look as Christ fulfilled for us all that Righteousness which the Law requires So he bestows upon us that very Faith which the Gospel requires also And Faith is like an empty hand or an empty Beggars Dish and such a Dish as is given together with the Alms it self that all the glory may be given to God and none at all to the Creature And as we are bound to be Thankful to God for the very first Faith he worketh in us So also for all the degrees and increases of our Faith Luke 17.7 The Apostles pray Lord increase our Faith to intimate That all the growth and increase of Faith is from God as well as the first seed of Faith For The Righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written The just shall live by his faith Rom. 1.17 As God is the first Author so he is the carrier on and Finisher of our Faith Phil. 2.6 Heb. 12.2 And when he begins he will also make an end therefore be thankful for Faith from first to last It is his Gift it is his free Gift without the least desert on our part therefore let him have the praise of it 2. 'T is a gift necessary to our being 1 Thess 5.8 Secondly It is such a Gift as is absolutely
unrighteousness 2. We may know it by the End of spiritual actions if it be the glory and honour of Christ and a care to preserve the things of Christ as the Members of the Body have a principal care of adorning and preserving the Head The Arm receives a blow to defend the Head so a living Member of Christ truly united to him as he goes to Christ for strength Phil. 4.13 so he refers all to the honour of Christ in conclusion another adventures himself far for the truth and cause of Christ as Paul Acts 20. Neither is my life dear unto me so I may fulfil the Ministery of Christ c. So in general Faith lives on Christ 2. In particular Or 2. In particular he lives by Faith in the Application Means 1. His Death 1. Of the Death of Christ for though we have benefit by the Birth of Christ Luke 2.10 11. as we shewed this day fortnight yet not so much as by his death and joy in birth onely in relation to his death He is born a Saviour i.e. one that shall die for your sins Rom. 5.10 Heb. 2.14 Through death he destroyed him that had power of death that is the devil Yet there is joy in his Birth as in the approach of a friend that comes to loose as out of Prison if we be in for Debt or Murther We then rejoyce when he comes to the door but onely in reference to paying of the Debt for if he should then turn back it would sad us the more So in this case Must Aarons ear and hand and foot be sanctified it must be done by the application of the Blood of the Covenant Exod 29.20 Thus our hearing thus our words thus our works thus our walking is sanctified in the application of the Blood of Christ Heb. 9 14. the Blood of Christ purge your consciences 'T is all the price of Blood 2 Cor. 5. ult He hath made him to be sin for us c. Faith sanctifies as by laying hold of the Blood and Death of Christ so of the Resurrection and Life of Christ Means 2. His Resurrection As the Resurrection of Christ is a Birth so he is called The first-born from the dead so the assurance of his Resurrection proved by the powerful government of the Church and of the whole World for the Churches sake in his Session at the Right-hand of his Father this begets a lively hope and so a spiritual new birth in us 1 Pet. 1.3 We are begotten again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead Faith or Hope makes use of Christs Resurrection and this New birth of faith begets a New life of Sanctification Coloss 3.1 If ye then be risen with Christ c. The love of Christ dying for us and rising for us and reigning for us acting all our affairs at the Right-hand of God his Father yea the love of Christ begetting of us to this lively hope by his Death and Resurrection all these constrain us to a holy life 2 Cor. 5. Ver. 14. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that 15. He dyed for all that they which live should not live henceforth unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again Therefore 16. We live no more after the flesh i.e. with carnal and sinful affections And 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature a new man a regenerate person and hath a renewed conversation Therefore Wherefore because he seeing the love of Christ by the eye of Faith in dying for him and rising again this raiseth up his heart to newness of life As if he heard Christ perswading of him like as a tender-hearted mother perswades her childe per viscera by her own bowels If thou art my childe if thou dost own me for thy Mother then obey my commandments and follow my advice so saith the Apostle Col. 3. If ye be risen again with Christ if ye be partakers of a New Birth through the pangs of his Death and the power of his Resurrection if ye be his children if ye acknowledge God for your Father set your affections ow things which are above Phil. 3.20 and let your conversation be in heaven And so the just lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification in the application of the Death and Resurrection of Christ 3. He lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification Means 3. His Appearing and Judgment in the application of the Appearing of Christ and the Judgement of Christ 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom Preach the word be instant c. Look as the warning of an Assize or Sessions makes one careful to provide themselves that their cause may be found good that they may be able to stand in Judgement so in this case The same argument see Tit 2.13 Live soberly righteously c. looking for the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ And 1 Cor. 15. last Theâ—efoâ—e my beloved brethren be ye stedfast c. Wherefore for as much as ye know c. i. e knowing by faith or believing your labour one day shall not be in vain in the Lord. A cause of all sins is made not believing the Judgement 2 Pet. 3.3 4. Where is the Promise of his coming c and a cause of holy walking the believing of it ver 11 12. What manner of persons ought ye to be in all hâ—ly conversation and godliness looking for and hasting to the coming c. Therefore it is observable in Scripture where-ever almost there is mention of the last Judgement it speaks of Christs judging men by the fruits of Faith rather then by Faith it self that the believing of the last Judgement may stir us up to a holy life Mat. 25.35 c. 2 Cor. 5.10 Rev. 20.12 there the Books are opened the Book of Gods Decree and yet men judged according to their works Think of this you that have to do in Judgement this day * other Books must one day be opened It may make a Felix tremble it may move all to be holy and righteous in all their actions Means 4. His Word 4. He lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification in the application of the Word of Christ Without Faith the Word profits not neither this nor any other way but being mixed with Faith Heb. 4.2 it is quick and powerful and mighty in operation 2 Cor. 10 4. to the pulling down of strong holds i.e. proud thoughts earthly thoughts unclean thoughts Joh. 15.3 Now are you clean through the word that I have spoken to you Psal 19. The word of the Lord is clean and endures for ever And as it is clean in it self so it is a cleansing word in the effect
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
Christ arose personally from the Grave he then obtained perfect Victory over Death for himself he died no more Death had no more dominion over him So when Christ Mystical when we that are believers shall arise from the Grave we shall obtain a perfect Victory over Death we shall die no more c. Then even then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written When once this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass that saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15.54 And this is the fourth and last Degree of Christs Victory and Triumph over Death after which there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor pain Rev. 21.4 Well then to bring all home to the present Use Wouldst thou know whether thou livest by Faith in regard of Life Eternal Do but tell me in earnest or rather tell thine own Soul what respect thou bearest to Death Dost thou indeed look at it as a conquered Enemy or rather such an one as of an enemy is now become a friend Is thy judgement altered concerning Death as the nature of Death it self is altered Then well and good For thus 't is with all Gods people in some measure Death and they are made friends they look at Death as a sweet passage to this Everlasting Life that we are speaking of and therefore they bid it welcome What Heir would not be willing to come to his Inheritance and therefore as willing to welcome the Messenger that had Power and Commission to put him into present possession This was the Apostles practice His whole life was a Meditation of Death and a Preparation for Death I profess saith he by our rejoycing which I have in Christ Jesus I die daily that is I am every day prepared for death 1 Cor. 15.31 Therefore you may see his judgement was altered concerning the nature of death he looked at it as an enemy before conversion but now he looks at it as a friend He that is reconciled to God and God to him he is reconciled to death and death also to him for death is but the Servant of Jesus Christ and if Christ be yours death is yours also 1 Cor. 3.21 22. Obj. But may not Gods own people be afraid of death and unfit to die About the fear of Death Ans 1. They may be afraid because every Christian man is a double man consisting of Flesh and Spirit and therefore though the Spirit is willing yet the Flesh is weak Mat. 21.46 Therefore so far as he is natural he is afraid and yet so far as he is spiritual he overcomes that fear So that here is the difference between the fear of a wicked man and a godly man A wicked man when God opens his eyes is swallowed up of fear a godly man though he may have many conflicts and combats with the fear of death yet at last he overcomes his fear by the exercise of his Faith so that he is not in bondage to his fear as the other is Heb 2.15 Christ came to deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage 2. A godly man is not at all times alike fit to die though he be willing in the main It may be he hath some work to do for God or for his Church that yet is not done It may be he hath weakned himself by some present distemper and hath not strength of Faith sufficient for such a solemn and serious Work as is his passage to Eternity And that was the cause of Davids Prayer Psal 39. last O spare a little that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more In such like cases as these a godly man may be somewhat unfit and therefore somewhat unwilling to die otherwise I say in the main he looks at death as his friend because God in Christ is his friend and therefore the more he loves God the less he fears death If love were perfect it would cast out all fear In the mean time as the love of God increaseth the fear of death decreaseth from day to day And that is a good evidence the creature lives by Faith in regard of Life Eternal But now if we look at Death as the greatest of Evils of all terrible things the most terrible as if it were the Annihilation of the Creature or the reducing of it into a far worse condition than it was in before So that when a Man dies his Hope dies with him too Job 11. vers the last It is most evident That such a man lives not by Faith in regard of Life Eternal for if he did he would surely welcome that Death which is no other than a passage to that Life Vse 4 Vse 4. Of Exhortation Exhortations Exhortation to live by Faith in respect of life Eternal To live by Faith in regard of Life Eternal This is the most excellent Object of them Therefore as one sayes of Prayer Thou when thou prayest pray for great matters pray not for Riches for these are Snares pray not for Honour 't is but a vain Breath of Fame pray not for Life Temporal 't is but a Bubble But thou when thou prayest pray for great matters pray for Pardon of sin pray for Christ Grace Heaven pray for Eternal Life These things are worth the praying for So say I of Faith Thou when thou believest exercise thy Faith about great matters though 't is not unlawful to believe in God for a seasonable supply of Temporal blessings Yet above all exercise thy faith about Heaven and Eternity be sure to lay hold on Eternal Life for the best of Temporal Blessings at last will give thee the slip And what should be the reason that God mixeth temporal comforts with so many discomforts but to knock off our fingers from laying too fast hold on them As if God should say to his People Arise this is not your rest Get you up to the top of the Mount and by the eye of Faith take a view of your Spiritual Canaan as ever you desire to enter into that Promised Land of your Eternal Rest And if all the Crosses we meet withall in our Christian Pilgrimage are little enough to take off our hearts from the world how should we love it and cleave to it should we meet with no Crosses at all Motives Shall I give you some further Motives why we should by Faith lay hold on Eternal Life Consider Consid 1 1. Without the assurance of this Life we had better never have enjoyed Natural life For if we have a part in natural life onely better it were to live the life of Vermine and Toads than the life of Men For those poor creatures when they die there is an end of them and their Misery for ever But when a Man dies if he hath not laid hold on Eternal Life he is sure
Thou maist go to the Spring-head upon all occasions Psa 23.1 The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want 5. Against Spiritual pride Fifthly is this thy Discomfort Thou art afraid thou shalt be exalted above measure yea but here is thy Comfort Faith will keep thee humble Faith tells thee Thou livest upon Alms upon a Principle without thy self 6. Against fear of not honouring God Sixthly is this thy Discomfort Thou art afraid thou shalt not honour God as thou art bound yet this is thy Comfort Faith will help thee to honour his Free-grace Faithfulness and All-sufficiency As Abraham by believing gave glory to God Rom. 4 20. Inform. 2 2 Information See the Misery of all Unbelievers they are no better then dead men Misery of Unbelievers in fix respects or condemned men Joh. 3. last He that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him The wrath of a King is as the roaring of a Lion as the messengers of death Prov. 16.14 19.12 O what is the wrath of the King of kings Who is able to stand under the burthen of it Who among us is able to dwell with everlasting burnings Isa 33. O remember the dangerous condition of all Unbelievers who are 1. Not purified Tit. 1.15 Vnto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled 2. Unbelievers are not pacified Isa 57.19 20.21 I create the fruit of the lips Peace peace to him that is afar off and to him that is near saith the Lord and I will heal him But the wicked are like the troubled Sea they cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt There is no peace saith my God to the wicked They are no better than condemned men Respect 1. First they are condemned by the first Covenant viz. by the Law of Works Gal 3.10 And the Gospel helps none against the first Covenant but such as receive the Gospel by Faith Resp 2. Secondly they are condemned by their own Conscience not being purged by Faith An Unbeliever commonly hath either a dead Conscience or a raging furious Conscience that like Zimri slays his own Master and yet hath never the more peace after it An Unbelievers Conscience is his own Accuser Witness Judge Condemner and Executioner it is that that puts a man into Hell upon Earth Resp. 3. Thirdly he is condemned by Satan the great Accuser first a Tempter then a Tormentor yea he is under the power of this Jaylor who as he binds Luk. 13.16 Act. 26.18 so blinds the minds of them that believe not 2 Cor. 4.4 As the poor Prisoner is blindfold a little before his Execution Psal 109.6 7. Resp. 4. Fourthly he is condemned by men not onely good men shall rise up in Judgement against him such as repented and believed at the Preaching of the Prophets but even wicked men shall rise up in Judgement one against another Though they were never such good-fellows in sin together yet when once God calls them to account as the man laid the blame upon the woman and the woman upon the Serpent though they were all in fault So shall one sinner accuse and condemn another and say Woe worth the time that ever I saw thy face if it had not been for thee I had never committed such a sin if thou hadst not made the motion I had never yielded And the other shall say If thou hadst not yielded the motion had never been put in execution Indeed where there is Faith the Accusation is easily answered we can send the Accuser to our Surety but the Unbeliever sinks under the weight of the Accusation and must bear it off by head and shoulders both his own and his other mens sins Resp 5. Fifthly he is a dead man by the Sentence of the Gospel for though the Gospel be the Power of God unto salvation yet it is onely to the Salvation of them that believe Rom. 1.16 The Gospel condemns the unbeliever as much as the Law and more too Joh. 3.18 19. He that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the Name of the onely begotten Son of God Joh. 3. and This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds swere evil There is no condemnation like this This is the condemnation by way of eminency As the sharpest Vinegar is made of the sweetest Wine So the sharpest Judgements spring from the abuse of the sweetest Mercies And who are they that abuse sweet Gospel-mercies but Unbelievers Resp 6. Sixthly he shall be condemned from the mouth of the Judge himself for if the Gospel do condemn him Mercy himself cannot save him for God is onely merciful in a Gospel-way if the Gospel do condemn him the Judge must needs condemn him for As many as have sinned under the Gospel shall be judged by the Gospel as those that have sinned under the Law shall be judged by the Law Rom. 2.12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law Therefore all unbelievers shall hear the Sentence of Condemnation Go ye cursed c. This is the Gospel Rule the standing Rule of the everlasting Gospel He that believeth shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 As the Just lives by Faith so the Unbeliever dies by his Unbelief He is subject to the first death in the most terrible manner the sting was never yet pulled out by such a man and he is subject to the second death viz. Death of the Body and Soul to all eternity where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched O who would continue in such a condition Why do we not cry out of our unbelief to God! Why do we not mourn and weep under the burthen of it We can weep over our dying friends O that we could weep over our own and friends dead Hearts and Souls For he that hath no Faith hath no Christ he that hath no Christ hath no Life The Unbeliever is in a dead condition he dies by his Unbelief as the Just lives by his Faith Secondly see the misery of all Unbelievers 2. Their dead condition they are in a dead condition If the Just lives by Faith they must needs be dead who have no Faith and that because they want that which should unite them to him who is the Principle of Life 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life Alas poor creature he is dead while he seems to live he is dead in sins and trespasses Eph. 2.1 He is active indeed to that which is evil and that is his misery but he is dead to all that is good As Faith works by love and so sets