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
should so dishonour God after he had bestowed a Temporal Kingdom upon him 2 Sam. 12.7 Thus saith the Lord God of Israel I anointed thee King over Israel and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul and I gave thee thy Masters house and thy Masters wives into thy bosom and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah and if that had been too little I would moreover have given thee such and such things Wherefore hast thou despised the Commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight As if the Lord should say O David dost thou use me thus Did I ever deserve this at thy hand Is this thy kindness to thy friend And if the Lord took it so unkindly from Davids hands because he had bestowed a Temporal Kingdome upon him how much more unkindely may God take it from your hands whom by the grace of Faith he hath assured of an Eternal Kingdom Deut. 32.6 Do ye thus requite the Lord ah foolish people and unwise Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee c And is it not he that hath bought Heaven it self for thee and wilt thou thus dishonour him by thy sins By Sin a man dishonours the Donor of this great Gift And secondly He wrongs his own Soul for Sin wrongs the Soul he blots the Evidence or Conveyance which God hath given him to assure him of this heavenly Kingdom What sayes Christ Luk. 10.20 Rejoyce that your Names are written in Heaven or in the Book of Life First that you know this that you have this Evidence God hath a threefold Book 1. Of Providence God hath a threefold Book which is Gods Fore-knowledge and Disposing all things in the world Of this David speaks Psal 139.16 Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy book first in the Book of Providence were all my members written 2 A Book of Mens Works and Ways Rev. 20.12 And I saw the dead small and great stand before the Lord and the Books were opened and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their Works The third is the Book of Mens Ends and Rewards which is called The Book of Life Dan. 12.1 At that time thy people shall be saved every one that shall be found written in the Book Now this Book is either in the Original which is Gods Calendar of such as are appointed to Life and Salvation in his own Fore-knowledge and Decree for The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 Or else the Counterpane of it in the Hearts and Consciences of such as do believe 1 Joh 5.10 He that believeth hath the witness in himself Now howsoever it is true He that is once written in Gods Book of Life if we take it for Gods Fore-knowledge and Decree can never be blotted out again The foundation of God stands sure yet if we take it for that Witness that is written in the Heart and Conscience it may be much blotted and blurred and obscured by our wilful sinning against God It is true God will speak peace and pardon to his people but let them not turn again to folly For if they do though they lose not their pardon yet they may lose their peace so far that they shall not be able to reade their Pardon or their Assurance for Heaven Therefore such a man as he dishonours the Giver so he sins against his own Soul Therefore let him declare his Thankfulness by the hating and forsaking all sin And Thankfulness to be shewn by performance of all duties Secondly By the Practice of all holy Duties and good Works If God be so abundant in Reward to assure us by Faith of Eternal Life it calls upon us very strongly to be so much the more abundant in our work It is the Apostles Argument 1 Cor. 15. last having discours'd at large of the glorious condition of Gods People after the Resurrection Therefore my beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. O that we would oft consider there is an Eternity for Reward but a short time for work and when the time of this Life is once past there is not a second opportunity there is no returning back again there is no doing of any thing in the Grave Therefore let us work Joh. 9.4 while we have the light of Life the night of death comes wherein no man can work no man can then believe or repent or bring forth the fruits of repentance There is no repentance in Hell to any purpose and if we repent of any thing in heaven it shall be of this that we did God no more and no better service upon earth And therefore so oft as we cast an eye upon the Eternity of Reward and the short time of our work let us bestir our selves in our places Take the counsel of the Wise man Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do either for God or for the Church of God or for thy own Soul do it with all thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor Wisdom in the grave whither thou art going He that thinks seriously of his Eternal condition after death cannot be an unprofitable Servant in his life And so much for the seventh Particular what Manner of Life the Just lives by Faith All that is worth the Name of Life Natural Spiritual and Eternal Life Faith is the Key that opens to us the Kingdom of Heaven So says Calvin in his third Sermon on Gen. 15 6. THE EIGHTH GENERAL HEAD QUEST VIII What are the Reasons for living by Faith WE come now to the Eighth Particular the Reasons why God will have the Just to live by Faith We have given particular Reasons to the particular Branches before as Why the Just lives by Faith the Life of Justification Sanctification Renovation Fructification Mortification and Vivification c. We shall now give the general Reasons which reach to all in general Why God will have the Just to live by Faith It is true God is not bound to give us a Reason or give us an account of any of his Matters Job 33.13 It is the folly of vain man to call Gods Wisdom to the Bar of his shallow Reason But Rom. 9.20 Who art c. Gods Will may well stand for a Reason And yet God is pleased in this particular to give us a Reason of his Will Wicked men in the Scripture are said to be unreasonable men 2 Thess 3.2 they do a thing because they will do it though they have no good Reason for it But God though he is most Absolute and Independent is pleased in this matter of Faith to give us a Reason of his Will That man might not dispute and wrangle with God and say What Reason have I to live by Faith seeing I have little or nothing in hand
THE USE and PRACTICE OF FAITH OR Faiths Vniversal Vsefulness And Quickning Influence into every Kinde and Degree of the Christian Life Together with the Excellency of a Spiritual Life in difference from all other by way of Prooeme And the excellent WORK and REWARD of Converting others to the Faith commended by way of Close Delivered in the Publick LECTURES at IPSWICH By the late Eminent and Faithful Servant of his Lord Mr. MATTHEW LAWRENCE Preacher to the said Town By it he being dead yet speaketh Heb. 11.4 LONDON Printed by A. Maxey for Willian Weekly Bookseller at Ipswich and are to be sold by John Rothwell at the Fountain and Bear in Goldsmiths-Row Cheapside and by Robert Littleberry at the Unicorn Little-Britain 1657. To the Right Worshipful The BAYLIFFS PORTMEN WITH The Residue of the Incorporation of the Town of Ipswich Worshipful and Beloved WHen this Piece is once come into your hands there needs nothing be spoken further either by way of commendation of the Work or upon the account of its Dedication to you The Author and his Labours having been of that worthy Estimation amongst you and his Memory still so precious as a Commendatory Epistle from us would be less And for the Right of whatever may be call'd His whose Name this bears it undoubtedly resolves on You whose he was both by your free Choyce and his most willing Service Moreover the Subject here presented besides its own uncontroverted Excellency and Necessity which commends it to all comes singularly commended to You upon a double Respect partly as that which was the largest and choycest part of his Labours with you partly as what of all other was the Vote of his last Bed to have made publick for your use Had himself survived to have compleated his own Papers as he had began in his weakness to revise them the whole surely had been more semblant and exact yet as it is it is his own as he left it not lame or torn though here and there undrest especially towards the beginning and such as nevertheless speaks a sufficient worth even without its due dress And now two of your eminent Lights have shone before you Mr. S. Ward and the Author especially in this one Tract and have left behinde them a clear and large Path-way for you of Living by Faith Whos 's Faith and Works of Faith Heb. 13.7 O that you may be found as eminently to follow their combined Light begetting in you the stronger heat Surely God expects of you an exact Hand in this Work whom he hath grac'd with so fair Copies Others in other places have travell'd likewise in this Theme but we dare say None more compactly and lively than the former nor copiously and distinctly than this latter of yours Of which the one may have seem'd to have given the Text the other the Commentary so as the Furniture of both makes you complete in this kinde Possibly the Work comes forth much later than your desire and expectation and truly than ours too not one or two but more years having pass'd since the Authors death But so it hath hapned through some cross and unavoidable occurrences May the Benefit of it at length recompence the Delay which we both hope and pray We shall adde no more by way of Preface but commit this so useful Treatise and your diligent perusal of it to Him 1 Cor. 3.6 7 who alone while Paul plants and Apollo waters gives the increase Your Servants in the Lord JOHN WARD NATHANIEL SMART JOSEPH WAITE AN EPISTLE PREFACE TO THIS TREATISE Christian Reader VVE desire not to know to give flattering Titles to any man Job 32. though dead nor to stretch our selves beyond our measure to any living Yet being called hereunto 2 Cor. 10.14 We presume it our duty to Preface something to this excellent Piece of Practical Divinity as referring to the honour of the precious Author departed so also to the more endearing to thy Soul that precious Grace of Faith and its use here handled The little of the Life of Faith amongst men and of Faith and Truth in Life excites us to become though not Midwives to deliver nor as Nurses to dress yet as standers by and servants to commend this Birth as Legitimate and Lovely 1 Tim. 6.12 Though we take not upon us to put weapons into thy hand for this good fight of Faith that this Tract doth yet if we may but encourage to the use of them like the Drum and Fife and such inferior Officers it sufficeth 2 Cor. 3. We cannot say as the Apostle in these days Need we Epistles of Commendation to you or Letters of Commendation from you Indeed we do need them both for our Persons Office Doctrine all are under the foot of Pride and Ignorance We love not our Food and loath our Physick and at the best give entertainment to the most Sermons and Books which ore heard and read according as they that speak and write them are famed and esteem and approve Doctrines by Persons Tertul. de Praescript Haer. cap. 3. and not Persons by Doctrines as an Ancient hath it That we might therefore by giving a due report to the Name of this worthy Writer raise a Spiritual seed to him a deceased Brother and encourage thee to the Use and Practice of this his pious Piece hear us in a few things as furtherers of thy Faith and Joy For the Composer hereof Reverend Mr. Matthew Lawrence though he be now in Heaven above our Praises yet know he hath by his Doctrine and living this Doctrine of Faith Heb. 11. obtained a good report and was of known integrity a mighty Apollos in the sacred Scriptures so abundant in alleaging apt and cleef Scriptures for Grounds and Enlargements 1 Tim. 4.6 that he might be called as another once was The Ark of the Scripture His Life and Disposition was made up of a meek and quiet Spirit a melting Heart towards God and a healing closing Spirit towards Brethren though in some things dissenting Such low Spirits are fitted to receive the high Revelations of Faith and living by it Such empty Vessels are most capable of the Oil of the Spirit The meek Psal 25. he will teach his way He was indeed a living Paraphrase and Comment upon his Text A Just man living by his Faith For the Treatise it self one of us had the happiness of neer Cohabitation some years to the Reverend Author and lived under the Divine droppings of much of this heavenly Doctrine that distilled from his lips which had he been delivered up unto as it was faithfully delivered unto him he might have been more enriched in the stock of Faith The other of us having perused these Papers though modesty may forbid him to utter Hyperbolical Praises as being happily by Providence united in neerest Relation with a Branch of that dead-living Stock the deceased Author yet accounts it but the just Honour
Hope This Anchor is described Heb. 6. ver 19. to be sure and stedfast such an Anchor as will hold till the storm be over and till we come at Heaven Q. But how does he prove that Ans By two Arguments 1. Because this Anchor is entred within the veil that is Comfortable inferences from Christs being our forerunner into Heaven alluding to the Holy of Holies therefore it hath sure Anchor-hold 2. Because ver 20. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fore-runner is for us entred that is Jesus Christ the great Master-Pilot Where these Particulars may be noted 1. Christ was once in the Ship of the Militant Church tost upon the waves of Temptation as much nay more than any other yet without sin 2. Christ is now gone ashore that is to Heaven where the Ship of the Church desires to land 3. Christ went ashore for us as much as for himself upon our business as much as his own A Forerunner for us is entred And that in two Respects 1. Christ assures our landing 1. To assure our Landing Christs landing is an evidence of ours He is where our Anchor is and so holds all fast by the hand of his Power 2. He facilitates it 2. To facilitate our landing Christs landing makes ours the more easie Christ went to heaven as to prepare a place for us Joh. 14.2 so a passage for us Christ opens the door of heaven Acts 7.56 He draws the ship to the shore As when he ascended the Cross he drew all his to believe in him so being ascended into heaven he draws all believers after him And this Ascension of Christ is a certain assurance of ours He possessing heaven assures That we shall possess it in due time Q. But why do Believers possess life no sooner Why do they live by Faith so many years together Why does not God give them full possession of it in this life It 's an Inheritance reserved 1 Pet. 1.4 2 Tim. 4.8 Col. 1.5 Why is it thus Why believers are without possession so long Ans A Believer lives without present possession of life Eternal in his own person Not for want of Power Love Care in God but out of abundance of love and fatherly care the Lord thus orders it Reas 1 1. To binde his Children to their good behaviour that they may know and acknowledge their beholdingness to God all their days It 's a wise expression of a Parents love to do their children good in such a manner and by such degrees that they may still remain sensible of their dependance and wants They give them not so much at first but they will have something left to give them at another time Fond Parents dote so much on their children that they sometimes put them into too early possession of all which makes them forget their Parents and slight them as if they could do well enough without them Now the Lord knows how apt we are to abuse priviledges and to be dis-ingenuous to God Popery is natural to every man if he hath a little more grace or doth a little more good than others he is ready to think of Merit presently as if he could live without God or as if God were beholding to him And therefore God gives his people imperfect parcels and first-fruits onely to cherish their dependance on him Reas 2 From the present condition of Believers They are in this life like children or heirs under age The greatest heirs have their Estate in Reversion if they had it in full possession it might do them more hurt than good Christians are not capable of their whole possession as Christ saith Joh. 16.12 I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now so God hath much glory to communicate to his children but they cannot bear it now Therefore God drops it into them here as we do water into narrow-mouth'd vessels as they are able to receive and not as he is able to give God keeps them in their Wardship and puts them not into full possession till they come to full age to a perfect man in Christ The heir as long as he is a childe differeth not from a servant Gal. 4.1 It 's spoken to shew the difference between Law and Gospel but may be applied to the difference between Earth and Heaven Reas 3 To put a difference between Earth and Heaven Had believers as much happiness here as there there would be no difference and so no desires would be at work after heaven Christians would not be willing to leave this world and go through the narrow passage of Death unless it were to obtain a better life Therefore God will put a difference in the degrees of their happiness that there might be difference in their affections that their affections may be raised as much above the world as heaven is above the earth that their hearts may be where their treasure is that whilst worldly men minde onely earthly things the conversation and City-trade of Gods people may be in heaven Phil. 3.20 Reas 4 God so orders it to Exercise the Graces of his People Especially 1. Faith Though they have little in hand they will trust God for the more God will try what credit he hath with his servants The Devil objects Gods People will serve him no longer than they have their pay in hand Job 1. But God makes it appear they are willing to wait for the Reward and will therefore trust God Job 13.15 19.25 2. To Exercise Patience Gods Word is called The Word of his Patience Rev. 3.10 because it requires submission to the Cross for the present and reserves the Crown till the Race be done Therefore saith the Apostle ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye may inherit the Promises Heb. 10.36 So Rom. 8.23 24 25. 3. To Exercise Humility and Self-denial in as much as that we are not fit to be trusted In our Creation God gave us our Pay beforehand But what follow'd We soon grew proud and disdainful and so fool'd away that precious Inheritance to satisfie a wanton Eye and an intemperate Appetite Therefore God to keep us humble keeps our estate in his own hand He will not trust us with it any more till we come to that place where there shall be no Devil to Tempt or Flesh to Betray us Reas 5 That Heaven may be Heaven indeed That glory may become exceeding glorious Prov. 13.12 Prov. 13.12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick but when the desire cometh it 's a tree of life If we had our Heaven at first without any preceding Exercise it would be nothing so sweet and precious to us But then Canaan is Canaan indeed when People have gone through a Red-sea and an howling Wilderness Contraries opposed shine the brighter The God of all grace after ye have suffered awhile comfort stablish settle and strengthen you 1 Pet. 5.10 Perfection is most welcome after a
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
Fall for as he was created in a possibility of standing so he was created in a possibility of falling also and fall he did as is manifest to all the world by woful experience Much less then would there be any certainty of this Salvation after the Fall should it depend upon the perfection of his own Righteousness Isa 64.6 for all our Righteousness is as filthy Rags But when nothing else is required of us in point of Justification but the renouncing our own Righteousness and the accepting of that which was performed by Jesus Christ who hath fulfilled all Righteousness to the utmost demand of the Law When once God gives us grace to do this as this is done by the grace of Faith we may be sure the gates of Hell shall never prevail against us Therefore God would have the Just live by Faith that his Salvation might be upon surer grounds General VSES Vse I. Of Information Vse 1 FOr Information If the just lives by Faith First see the happy Condition of Believers Joh. 6.29 Information in 7 things It is comfort against all discomforts What is thy Discomfort What troubles thee The happy condition of believers They have comfort 1. Against self-condemnation Is this thy discomfort when thou lookst into thy Self thou seest nothing but the Sentence of Death and condemnation in regard of thy sinfulness of Nature and Life yet thou maist say though I see nothing but Death it self By Faith I live 1. Doth the Law condemn thee Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them 2. Doth thine own Conscience condemn thee taking part with the Law which is written there Conscience is a Practical Syllogism The Law affords the Major Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them Conscience affords the Minor But I have not continued in all things written in the book of the Law to do them Therefore I am cursed 3. Doth the Devil condemn thee who sails with wind and tide making use of the Law and Conscience As the Devil is called The Accuser of the Brethren 4. Do other Men condemn thee with whom thou hast sinned by counsel consent or incouragement Thou hast been partaker of other mens sins and these come to rise up in Judgement against thee 5. Doth the Gospel it self condemn thee At least for the time that is past Thou hast outstood many thousand sweet proffers of Grace and Mercy therefore thou art afraid that Sentence belongs to thee Prov. 1.24 Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded c. 6. Dost thou fear sometimes condemnation from the Mouth of the Judge who shall judge men according to the things that are written in the Books Rev. 20.12 yet here is thy comfort if thou believest thou art in an estate of Life The Just shall live by Faith Faith unites him to an everlasting Principle of Life And There is no condemnation to them that by faith are implanted into Christ Rom. 8.1 They are freed from condemnation Joh 5.24 1. Of the Law Rom. 7.6 We are delivered from the Law in regard of Exaction Curse and Malediction Rom. 8.2 3. We are not under the Law as a Covenant but onely as a Rule Rom. 10.14 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one who believes 2. Of Conscience Heb. 9 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God This blood is sprinkled by Faith which purifies the heart Act. 15.9 and as it purifies so it pacifies Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have peace with God 3. Of Satan Rev. 12.10 For the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before God day and night His accusations are cast out of the Court like the Accusations of some troublesome Informer or busie Promoter And how are we freed from his Accusations but by Faith 1 Pet. 5.9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith Repel his Accusation of God as if he did not love you because he afflicts you For of such an Accusation he there speaks as appears by the Means which there is fitted to that kinde of resistance Whom resist stedfast in the faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplish'd in your brethren 4. Of Men Rom. 8.33 34. The Apostle challengeth Men and Devils If the Superior Judge will absolve and justifie what hath the Inferior Judge or Witness to say against the party 5. Of the Gospel Indeed if they who believe had stood out to the end the Sentence had belonged to them But because they did by Faith receive the Gospel at the last all their former rejecting of it shall not so much as be mentioned Rev. 3.20 Christ stands at the door and knocks and makes a gracious Promise If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me But alas who hears at the first knock Christ stands there many a day it may be many years before the poor creature opens and believes yet if he opens at last Christ comes in and makes good his Promise 6. Of the Judge for God shall judge the secrets of men according to the Gospel Rom. 2.16 Believers shall hear a Sentence of Absolution Come ye blessed So There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom 8.1 Secondly is this thy Discomfort 2. Comfort against absence from the Lord. Thou art absent from the Lord O when shall I come and appear before God Faith draws God near to the Soul in the Promise and in the Seal of the Promise Thou seest the face of God in a lively picture in a clear glass in the glass of the Word and Sacrament and that 's a great comfort As it is some comfort to have the lively Picture of an absent friend but no picture can draw one friend so near to another as these lively pictures do draw God to the Soul Therefore when we act our Faith we are said to draw near to God Heb. 10.22 3. Against distance of things promised Thirdly is this our Discomfort The distance of the thing promised yet this is our Comfort Faith gives us such Security as if the thing had a present subsistence Heb. 11.1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen 4. Against Temporal and Spiritual wants Fourthly is this thy Discomfort That thy Wants are many in Temporals and Spirituals and thou knowest not how to get them supplied yet this is thy Comfort Christ is a Fountain and the Word a Treasure and as long as there is any thing left in the Word or in Christ in whom all fulness dwells thou canst never want
love and all other Graces on work So Unbelief sets all manner of sin on work and sin when it is finished Jam. 1. bringeth forth death Unbelief is the cause of all sin and misery As the Just lives by his Faith so the wicked man dies by his Unbelief All sins are pardonable to him that believes but Unbelief binds all other sins upon the Soul to condemnation O the miserable condition of all unbelievers and such are we all in our natural condition Let us confess it and bewail it at the Throne of Grace That God may give us this excellent gift of Faith that we may live by Faith upon the living God Inform. 3 Thirdly See the reason why Satan is such an enemy to Faith Reason of Satans enmity against Faith Because by it under God the creature lives Now Satan is an utter enemy to the creatures life and happiness he was a Murtherer from the beginning and therefore an enemy to Faith from the beginning He was an enemy to that Faith that was proper to the first Covenant Gen. 3.1 Now the Serpent was more subtile than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made and he said unto the woman Yea hath God said Ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden His great Temptation was to perswade Eve not to trust God upon his Word Yea hath God said Ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden And he is as great an enemy to that Faith which is proper to the second Covenant whereby a poor sinner casts himself into the arms of Gods Mercy through Christ held out to him in a promise of Free-grace Luke 22.31 32. you may see Satan was an enemy to Peters faith and so to the faith of every believer How do you know this Word saith the Devil to be the Word of God or if it be so how dost thou know it belongeth to thee Dost thou think God will ever make good his Promise to such a vile creature as thou art and a thousand such Objections No marvel Satan is such an enemy to Faith seeing the Just lives by his Faith Faith is that which puts life into our Zeal our Courage our Prayers all our Christian duties The Devil knows if he can but ham-string our Faith we shall halt and go lame all our days and in all our duties As our Faith is weakned our Zeal is cooled our Courage daunted our Prayers infeebled our Graces languishing and our Duties decaying from day to day Therefore as the Devil strikes most of all at our Shield of faith let us be perswaded to hold it so much the faster Eph. 6.16 Above all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one If thou wouldst know how a Christian doth Ask him How his faith does if thou wouldst have him a thriving Christian perswade him to look well to his Faith 1 Thess 3.5 For this cause when I could no longer forbear I sent to know your faith lest by some means the Tempter hath tempted you and our labour be in vain The Tempter fights neither against small nor great but against our Faith If he robs us of that 2 Pet. 1.1 he robs us of our greatest Treasure Saving Faith is precious Faith and it is that which maintains the most precious life Therefore it is no marvel Satan is so great an enemy to our Faith Inform. 4 Fourthly Difference between the life of Christ and ours This informs us of the difference betwixt the life of Christ and ours Christ hath life of himself as the Father hath life of himself Joh. 5.26 He is the Principle of Life to himself he receives it from no other But our life is a derivative life we derive our life from him who is the Fountain of life and the Fountain of light too Psal 36.9 For with thee is the fountain of life and in thy light shall we see light Therefore as this puts us in minde of the glorious Dignity of Jesus Christ who is as the Sea to all living creatures especially such as live the Life of Grace to whom he is the Fountain of light and life So it should reminde us of the Humility which befits creatures in such a condition as we are As we should have high thoughts of Christ so vile and mean thoughts of our Selves For though Christ could live well enough without us as he did before we had any Being yet we cannot live without him he is the main Object of our Faith and therefore the very Principle of our Life for the Just doth live by his Faith Inform. 5 Fifthly This informs us why there are so many dead creatures in the world As Christ saith Why so many dead Mat. 8.22 Let the dead bury the dead let such as are dead in sins and trespasses bury such as are naturally dead How manymen in the world have no life to any thing that is good dead-hearted creatures and yet insensible of their deadness alive unto sin but dead unto all gracious performances The very reason is They want Faith Nevertheless when the Son of Man comes shall he finde Faith upon the earth Luke 18.8 There is little Faith in the world and therefore little Life in the world Nay many of those who have a Name to live are dead Rev. 3.1 because many who make Profession of Faith do want the Faith which they do profess They are not by Faith united to Christ the onely Principle of all Spiritual Life and of all living actions and therefore their most specious good works such as are materially good are no better than dead works and so sinful works because formally evil as not springing from a living Principle to wit from the Spirit of Grace dwelling in the creature and uniting him by Faith to Jesus Christ who is the Fountain of Life I confess a wicked man may perform many excellent works and that by the help of Gods Spirit too and yet have no life in him for all that for There is a twofold help from the Spirit of God the one from the inhabiting Spirit of God dwelling in the heart and changing the nature of the creature the other springing onely from some common work of the Spirit strengthning a man to this or that particular action by the Elevation of his natural parts and the improvement of them in outward Expressions There is a great deal of difference betwixt a creature that is moved by a Spirit that dwells in it and informs it That is forma informans and so acts it from an inward Principle and that which is moved by a Spirit that dwells not in it but doth onely make use of it or assist it pro tempore that is but forma assistens as the Angel that made use of a body in appearing and speaking to Manoah and his Wife Thus it is with men of most eminent parts if they have not Faith though
they may have a Name to live yet in truth they are but dead dead in their persons and dead in their works for without Faith there is no true life either in this man or in any thing that comes from him For the Just lives by his Faith Inform. 6 Sixthly This shews the unsoundness of their opinion who say there may be life in a creature No life until Faith and Christ in a creature before there be Faith in the creature as if Faith did onely give Evidence of that life which was in the Soul before Faith But the Text is plain The just lives by his faith Therefore as Christ and Life so Faith and Life come both together and Faith is an Instrument of applying Christ for the maintaining and acting of Spiritual Life So that Faith is not onely an evidence to shew that we are alive but it is an Instrument under Jesus Christ of Spiritual Life Therefore look as when it is said By faith the walls of Jericho fell down it is not onely meant that by Faith they saw when they were down for they could see that with the eye of sense but the meaning is Faith was the Instrument or Engine laying hold of the Vertue Truth and Power of Christ who stood upon the top of the wall and bid them compass the City six days and blow with Rams-horns and give a shout the seventh day and the walls of Jericho should fall down Now they doing this in Faith and believing God would make good his Promise It is said By faith the walls of Jericho fell down their faith was an Instrument of their falling and not onely an evidence that they were fallen So I say Faith is an Instrument of Spiritual Life and not onely an evidence that the Creature doth live The Just shall live by his Faith Inform. 7 Seventhly This shews us what the Ministers of God are principally bound to preach The Ministers chief work and what people principally should desire to hear and that is the Word of Faith because this is indeed the Word of Life The Just shall live by his Faith and therefore we make bold to be the longer upon this subject It is true indeed we are bound to preach of Good Works also and of Duties to God and Men but these are to be set in their due place and order to be brought in as fruits and effects of Faith and Repentance and not as the causes Simile To speak altogether of Good Works and Good Duties without Faith is all one as if one should make Roof of a House without any Walls or Foundation To speak altogether of Faith without the fruits of it in Good Works is all one as if one should lay a Foundation and build the Walls but never set on the Roof The one of these ought to be done and the other not to be left undone Howsoever the chief of these is Faith In order to the Foundation it lays hold upon Christ He is the onely sure Foundation of all our building and therefore the Word we preach is called the Word of Faith Rom. 10.18 As if Faith should be the principal subject of our Preaching as indeed it should For the end of all Preaching The End of all Preaching is either to beget Spiritual Life or else to maintain it and increase it where it is begotten and this is done in a way of Faith For the Just shall live by his Faith Vse 2 Vse II. Of Reproof Reproof to 3 sorts To Reprove divers sorts of men 1. Such as live by other things in stead of living by Faith 2. Such as profess Faith but live not by it like a man that makes Profession of such a Calling but never works upon his Trade 3. Such as not onely profess Faith but have the habit of it and yet act it not They live not by it like a rich man that hath wealth enough and yet is ready to starve himself for want of making use of that which God hath bestowed upon him First It Reproves such as live upon other things First sort Reproved in stead of living by Faith And the world swarms with such kind of men It is hard to name the several sorts of them every man hath something or other to live upon but few live by Faith For 1. Some live upon their very sins 1. Such as live upon their sins they account that their life which is no better indeed than their Death How many make a living of Theft of Deceit in Bargaining of Oppression or of keeping such Houses of Filthiness as are no better than Lark-Nets to catch the simple fool as Solomon faith The truth is there is no sinner under the power of sin but he loves his sin as his very life he had as lieve part with his life as with his lust O he hugs it and makes much of it he keeps it as a sweet bit under his Tongue Joh. 20.12 Though he hath poisoned himself with the Devils Sweet-meats as he spoke within a verse or two His meat within him is turned into the gall and poison of Asps. Some Poisons do not work in many days or years after they are received and such are the Devils Poison you shall not it may be perceive the deadly operation of them in many years after you have taken them and yet at the last they will certainly prove the bane of your Souls without Repentance O do not live upon that which will certainly prove your Death 2. Some live upon their Pleasures and Recreations 2. Upon pleasures O they account them the very life of their life they spend more time in Hunting and Gaming and Sporting than in the lawful works of their Calling Such a life as this deserves the name of death rather than life They are dead whilst they live who live in pleasures 1 Tim. 5.6 There is nothing more opposite to the Life of Faith which chooseth rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Heb. 11.25 Such as live upon Pleasures Simile are just like foolish Children or Women that are taken with the Green Sickness who feed upon dust and ashes and such like trash in stead of wholesome food till they are again ready to be turned into dust and ashes themselves So do those who feed upon Pleasures Isa 44.20 They do but feed upon ashes because a deceitful heart hath turned them aside How well might they live if they would live by Faith but how poorly do they live who live upon Pleasures They do but live upon ashes they lay out their money for that which is not bread Isa 55. 3. Upon creatures 3. Others live upon the Creatures without them in stead of living upon God by Faith They put those things in their hearts and upon their head which God by Creation and Ordination hath placed under their feet The body of man lives not by
reigning Unbelief when we believe nothing at all when we have not so much as laid hold of any Promise to make peace with God! Partial unbelief deprives us of many Mercies on this side Heaven but total unbelief deprives men of Heaven it self Mark 16.16 He that believeth not shall be damned O the misery of that poor Soul that never yet believed one Promise O that we could even with Soul-bleeding tears bewail our unbelief O that God would give to each of us a heart to get into a corner and to weep in secret over our unbelief each man bemoaning himself as Ephraim did Jer. 31.18 O that I should have such a stiff neck such a base hard unbelieving heart O that I should spend so much time to so little purpose for death hath possest all that part of my life wherein I was an unbeliever The heathen man could say O Friends we have lost a day but many of us may say O Friends we have lost many days and many years wherein we have done God little or no service nay a great deal of disservice by our unbelief O that I should be so foolish and slow of heart to believe all that Lord hath spake by his Prophets and Apostles Luke 24.25 O how justly may God upbraid me for my unbelief Mark 16.14 c. that I should be so backward to believe the God of Truth and so forward to believe the Father of Lies Blessed Saviour lay not this great sin this Mother-sin to my charge which is the Mother of Abominations Thus should we pray Consider not how often I have dishonoured thy Majesty and grieved thy holy Spirit by my unbelief But O thou Mirrour of Patience and Pity who didst sometimes mourn over the People because of the hardness of their hearts Mar. 3.5 I beseech thee let that be the object of thy Pity which might be the object of thy Fury O pity and heal mine unbelieving heart Doubtless if we can but thus bemoan and bewail our selves in our unbelief that God who made good that gracious Promise to him that went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his ways and I will heal him Isa 57.18 will much more make it good to such an one as with all his heart and with all his soul bewails his own frowardness and backwardness to believe I will restore comfort to him and his mourners Vse VI. Of Exhortation Vse 6 Of Exhortation The next Use is for Exhortation 1. For our selves 2. For others For our selves 1. To perswade us to labour to get Faith As Solomon saith of Wisdom with all thy getting get wisdom So with all thy getting get Faith for it is thy life 2. To keep it when we have it Non minor est virtus c. It is no less a piece of Spiritual good husbandry to keep our stock of Faith when we have it than to get it at the first 3. To live by it or use it as well as to keep it It s far better to put our Faith to use than our Money to use The Just makes a living of his Faith whilst he puts it to use 4. So to live by it as not to live barely and poorly but so as to increase the stock of our Faith Faith is such an excellent grace we can never have too much of it he that increaseth his Faith increaseth his livelihood For the just shall live by his Faith First therefore labour to get Faith Branch I. To get faith There are many things that men labour to obtain in the world Some are all for their Profits others for their Pleasures others for their Preferment and so every man as his Principle leads him But when all is done nothing is so worthy of our diligence and best endevours as is the getting of Faith Should a man gain all other things and lose this he makes a hard bargain Mat. 16. â—6 For what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul Should a man lose all the rest and gain this he makes a wise bargain Job 2.4 Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Now Faith is the very life of the Soul For the just shall live by his faith and therefore with all thy getting get Faith it is thy life Should a man hear of such a Medicine as would certainly preserve his life and cure all manner of Diseases whither would he not travel what would he not give to procure such a Medicine And such a Medicine is Faith commended unto us from the hand of our heavenly Physician Be of good comfort saith Christ Luke 7.50 17.19 thy faith hath saved thee and Thy faith hath healed thee Faith is a Remedy against all diseases yea suppose a faithful man dies of his disease yet his Faith is a Remedy against death it self Woe is me saith the natural man there is no friend against death But blessed be God saith the true believer for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain Phil. 1.21 The greatest of evils is turn'd into the greatest good by Faith even death it self is made advantage Who would not labour for such a Grace What should I say to raise the price of Faith in your esteem What do we esteem instead of Faith Certainly the best of men and the best of blessings are but dead things without Faith Faith puts life into a man and into all that a man enjoys Without faith men of high degree are a lie Psal 62.9 and so are all those things which make them so high Honours Profits Pleasures all these promise much O say they we 'll make thee a happy man if thou wilt set thy heart on us But they lie when they say so Jon. 2.8 They that follow after lying vanities forsake their own mercy If thou wouldst not forsake thine own mercies labour for Faith He is merciful to the purpose that is merciful to his own Soul Prov. 11.17 and that man is the most desperate Self-murtherer that is willing to live and die in his unbelief I beseech you I beseech you Friends listen to the voice of your Immortal Souls Me-thinks every man now and then should hear the voice of his precious Soul crying out in this manner Am I not the most excellent piece of Gods Workmanship And did God make me so for nothing Is not my being to continue to everlasting Do I not feel in my self the very spark of Immortality Must I not be either happy or miserable to all Eternity Is there but one means under Heaven to make me happy which is to get Faith and shall I neglect that Is this the great Work that God hath given me in charge that I should believe in him whom he hath sent Joh. 6.29 and shall I do evething else before I do this Is my life but as a day in this world and the night of death coming
men whose bodily presence is weak and their speech contemptible men that shew much passion but little learning or discretion and therefore why should I give any heed to them or believe what they say Cure of Prejudice Now to remove this Impediment and to roll away this Stone Let all be granted though it is a thousand to one the Divel is a lier in most that is suggested yet let all be granted you must not expect a Minister without infirmities What say the Apostles themselves Acts 14.15 We also are men of like passions with you As if they should say Lift us not up too high nor put us not down too low but bless God for us and pray for us for we also are men of like passions with you And for our Preaching God would not have us come in the Excellency of words or of mans Wisdom but in the Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power That our Faith should not stand in the Wisdom of men but in the Power of God 1 Cor. 2.4.5 What though the world account plain preaching foolishness yet it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching 1 Cor. 1 to save them that believe Therefore take heed thou dost not Wit thy self into hell Caution take heed thy sinful prejudice against the plain preaching of the Word cost thee not the life of thy soul O say not as Naaman the Syrian because he was a noble Captain and a brave Courtier when the Prophet directed him for the cure of his Leprosie to wash seven times in the common and plain water of Jordan Are not Abana and Pharphar Rivers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israel may I not wash in them and be clean 2 Kin. 5.1 2 Are not the excellent and elegant expressions of many Moralists and humane Authors better then the Scriptures and the plain preaching of them for the rectifying of my judgment and reforming of my manners O be better advised as Naaman was at the length be sure to wash in the poor despised Fountain of the Scriptures even those holy and healing waters that run from under the Threshold of the Sanctuary Ezek. 47.1 That Christ may say unto thy Soul purified by Faith Now art thou clean through the Word that I have spoken unto thee Joh. 15.3 And this is the First Subordinate cause of the neglect of the Means and the way to remove it The 2. Is Pride Pride I say which is the mother of sinful Shamefastnesse as sometimes t is the Mother of sinful boldness 2. Pride Contems the Means of Faith It may be thou art ignorant of the Scriptures and as ignorant of the state of thine own Soul as little read in the one as in the other And what shouldst thou do in this case but enquire at the Ministers lips which should preserve knowledge Yea but it may be thou art as much asham'd to beg as thou art unable to dig in those heavenly mines asham'd to beg Counsel and Direction Thou art asham'd to say Acts 8 I pray you of whom speaketh the Prophet this or that of himself or of some other man I pray you shew me the meaning of this or that place of Scripture I pray you shew me the state and condition of my Soul that I may know upon what termes I stand with God O this we think will argue ignorance it will bewray our weaknesse What saith the poor creature shall I that have gone for somebody in the world and might have been a teacher of others at least within the compass of my own family Shall I shew what need I have to be taught my self which be the first principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5 Shall I be instructed and Catechized like a child I le never stoop so low to shame my self in this fashion Prov. 15 12. The scorner will not go unto the wise Now then to remove this Impediment and to roll away this Stone Cure It 's good to remember it 's better to shame our selves now before two or three then to shame our selves before men and Angels in the last day and to have our folly proclaimed to all the world when Christ shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance on them that know not God 2 Thes 1.8 Do not say it is a foolish and a childish thing for a man to discover his own weakness in Knowledg or Faith Remember what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3.18 Humility the Cure of Pride If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a fool that he may be wise Remember what our Saviour saith Mat. 18.3 Except ye become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven That is Humble Teacheable and Tractable as children are And this is the second Subordinate cause of the neglect of the Means and the way to remove it 3. Sloth Recoyls from the Means of Faith The 3. Is Sloth and Laziness Though a man be convinc't in his conscience of the Necessity and Excellency of the Means of Grace yet when he considers what a deal of pains it must cost him in Hearing and Praying and Practising and Denying of himself he is even scar'd at the sight of the work and starts back again What saith he Must the Kingdom of Heaven suffer violence and must the violent take it by force Then take it whosoever will for me saith the lazy person I had as live be as I am as take such a deal of pains Just like a Sluggard when he lyeth in bed and seeth a great deal of work before him and the weather is cold and he puts out his hands and by and by puls them in again 't is death to arise to a lazy person And so 't is to a lazy professor when God calls upon him to awake and to arise out of the bed of security and to be diligent in the use of Means as ever he desires Faith and the comfort of it Joh. 6. O this is a hard saying and he cannot bear it if God will save him without his own endeavours well and good but he is resolved to go to his journeys end in a Feather-bed if ever he come there Now then to remove this Impediment Cure and to roll away this Stone Remember the danger of Spiritual sloth and security Prov. 21.25 The desire of the slothful killeth him for his hands refuse to labour If a man did but know the house were on fire over his head it would startle the arrantest Sluggard in a Country Gods Ministers are commanded to cry Fire fire Hell-fire as the portion of all slothful persons Mat. 25.30 Cast ye the slothful and unprofitable servant into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth O think of this before-hand that ye may be awakened Jude 23. And others save with fear pulling them out of the fire O do not talk like a Sluggard Yet a little sleep a little
findes the sweetness of it should desire to communicate this life to others and to endevour that they also may live by it as well as himself If the Life of Faith be such an excellent Life who would not labour to convert others to the Faith Me-thinks I hear God by his Spirit speaking to the Soul of each faithful man Behold thou art converted thy self Hast thou here any besides as the Angel said to Lot Gen. 19 12. Son in law and thy sons and thy daughters that are still in Sodom still in the state of Nature O bring them out of this condition that they may learn to live by Faith also as well as thy self This is indeed the great Work of the Ministers and ought to be the endevour of every private Christian in their private Admonitions and Exhortations to convert others to the Faith Dost thou desire thy Children thy Friends thy Neighbours may live comfortably as well as thy self O labour to convert them to the Faith and labour that they may live by Faith when they are converted There 's no Life under heaven to be compared with this Life But to press home farther and more effectually what I intend in this Point I shall refer most of that I have to say to that notable place in Daniel which I shall adde as an Appendex to this Subject of Faith AN APPENDIX Concerning The Converting of others TO THE FAITH They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever WHere the Prophet Daniel foretelling the greatest troubles that ever befel Gods People from the beginning of the World which some understand of the great Persecution under Antiochus Epïphanes and others of the last and great Persecution under Antichrist and others understand it of both and indeed the first was a Type of the latter I say the Prophet foretelling the greatest troubles that ever befel Gods People he foretels also as was needful for their support at such a time the greatest comforts and encouragements that could be First in the very time of their troubles And secondly in the issue and fruit of their troubles First in the time of their troubles and that is in the glorious appearance and assistance of the great General of the Field the Lord Jesus Christ the Angel of the Covenant pleading the Cause and fighting the Battels of his Servants Here 's the comfort though there be no troubles like their troubles yet there is no Saviour like their Saviour ver 1. And at that time shall Michael stand up the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation Secondly in the issue and fruit of their troubles As no troubles like their troubles so no deliverance like their deliverance Which is set forth 1. In the glorious Resurrection of all the faithful to life Eternal in these words viz. And at that time thy people shall be delivered every one that shall be found written in the Book and many of them that sleep in the dust shall awake some to everlasting life 2. In the special glory that is promised to those that lay forth themselves in a special work viz. in the Conversion of others to the Faith v. 3. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever Explication They that be wise Some reade it that make others wise or cause them to understand So They that turn many unto righteousness i. e. they that turn men to the righteousness of faith as Interpreters do expound it they that are instruments of others Conversion they shall shine as the stars for ever and ever As if the Prophet had said 'T is possible the rage of Antichrist in the night of Persecution may burn hottest of all against the Teachers of the Word and such as draw others to the knowledge of Christ because they stand as it were in the fore-front of the Battel yet let them be no whit discouraged for as the stars shine brightest in the darkest night so shall they shine that are called Stars Rev. 1.20 and all such as labour in Conversion of others they shall shine as the stars for ever and ever You may behold in the words 1. The Description and Commendation of the most excellent Work 2. The Intimation or Proposal of the most excellent Reward and the latter set down as an encouragement to the former 1. The Description of the most excellent Work They that turn many unto righteousness 2. The Intimation or Proposal of the most excellent Reward They shall shine As the Firmament As the Stars for ever and ever Take the result of both in this one Proposition The turning of men unto Righteousness Doctr. or 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 They that be wise c. I. Branch 'T is an excellent Work 1. The turning of men unto Righteousness the Conversion of Souls to God is the most excellent Work It is an excellent Work indeed by Prayer and other means to heal a sick body Jam. 5.15 The prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up Yea but it is a far more excellent Work to heal a sick and sinful Soul ver 19. Brethren if any of you do erre from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the errour of his way shall save a soul from death and shall cover a multitude of sins This is an excellent Work indeed and it is that excellent Work that was so much in Davids eye he was marvellous earnest with God to help him in the work of his own Conversion or in the renewal of his Repentance and why so that he might be the better fitted to convert others to God Psal 51.13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee This was the great and noble design of David the Conversion of Souls He desired though he could not make God amends yet to take a holy Revenge upon Satan by drawing Subjects from him to God And indeed it appears to be a most excellent Work in many respects For Reas 1 First it is a difficult Work and all excellent things are difficult It is a difficult work It s an easie matter to damn a Soul Facilis descensus averni We go down the hill and so down to Hell fast enough but it 's the hardest matter in the world to save a Soul Psal 22.29 'T is too hard for a man to convert himself No man can keep alive or quicken his own Soul 'T is too hard for a man by his own power to convert another 't is too hard for the Parent
penitent Thief upon the Cross had but a little time to turn him in and yet a good part of that little Note he spent in labouring to gain the Soul of his fellow-Thief Luk. 23.40 Dost not thou fear God seeing thou art in the same condemnation Be assured of this that as the gain of Souls is the best of all gains So the blood of Souls of all other blood will lie the heaviest upon the Conscience of such as are guilty of it Vse 3 Vse 3. Of Exhortation Exhortation to convert Souls The third Use may be for Exhortation 1. To all sorts of Christians in general and then 2. In special to those whose Office and Function calls upon them more importunately to labour in the Conversion of Souls Branch 1. In general to all First To all in general for we must not think it is the Ministers work alone For what knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy husband or how knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy wife 1 Cor. 7.16 And what knowest thou O Christian whether thou shalt save thy Neighbor Do what thou canst in a wise way it may be God may second thy endevours thy Reproof or thy Exhortation by his own Spirit The poor Woman of Samaria was an Instrument under God of drawing on her Neighbors to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ Joh. 4. And what dost thou know but God may bless thy endevours with the like success And therefore whilst others spend time in idle discourse for he that is of the earth Joh. 3.31 speaketh of the earth let Christians spend their time in Exhorting and Comforting and Edifying one another as the Apostle speaks 1 Thess 5.11 Branch 2. In particular to Ministers And if all in general then surely Ministers of all others Ministers in a special manner should aim at the Salvation of Souls because the great end of their Commission from God is to take Curam animarum the Care of Souls to turn men from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God Act. 26.18 Note It was an excellent saying of him that was in this place before me and deserved to be so in every respect in his Book of the Loadstone Chap. 8. says he If God would give a Christian his wish especially a Minister of the Gospel and say to him as sometime he said to Solomon when he offered a thousand burnt-offerings at Gibeon Ask what I shall give thee 2 Chron. 1.7 what should he desire either before or more than this viz. than that he might receive a large portion of that Magnetical vertue from God which was bestowed upon Peter and Paul and other Primitive Preachers whereby they drew many thousand Souls to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and the world went after him Therefore let all sorts of Christians in their place and sphere especially Ministers of the Gospel labour in the Conversion of Souls Motive 1 Shall I give you some Motives The Reasons may be Motive enough For of all works it is the most excellent The excellency of Converting Souls and men generally delight to be imployed in excellent works Men will do and dare any thing to become great in the world but this is the onely way to become great in the sight of the Lord. Luk. 1.15 He shall be great in the sight of the Lord says the Angel speaking of John the Baptist And why great Mark ver 16. Many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God Conversion of Souls to God makes men of great account in the sight of the Lord. Motive 2 Secondly consider This is a main end of our Calling The end of the Ministery and of all those Ministerial Gifts we receive from Jesus Christ for the better discharge of our Calling He gave all for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ Eph. 4.12 c. He gave not these Gifts that we might gain profit or applause to our selves but that we might gain Souls to him Motive 3 Thirdly consider The Conversion and Salvation of Souls cost the blood of the dearest Soul that ever was Souls cost the blood of Christ and that is the blood of Jesus Christ Therefore should Ministers take special heed in feeding of their flock and in the Salvation of those Souls which Christ hath purchased with his own blood Act. 20.24 Motive 4 Fourthly If we be negligent herein it will cost us our own blood Else it will cost our blood If we neglect our duty our duty they may die in their iniquity but their blood shall be required at the Ministers hands Ezek. 33.8 9. Motive 5 Fifthly Not onely the Precept but the Example of Jesus Christ Example of Christ doth press us to this duty of Conversion of Souls He was a diligent and constant Preacher himself and it was his very meat and drink to take occasion of converting Souls Joh. 4. He is the good Shepherd that seeks up his lost sheep and when he hath found it he lays it on his shoulders rejoycing and bringeth it home that others also may rejoyce with him Luk. 15. Nay it was the very last work that Christ commended to us by his Example when he took his leave of us and left the world He converted the poor Thief at the last gasp as if Christ had said This work is the very end of my Death that poor sinners might live and be converted And this work I commend upon my death to all my friends if you love me do as I have done in my last farewel Let this be your work to convert Souls to God I have given you an example that you should do as I have done before you Motive 6 Sixthly This is the best and truest Testimony of our unfeigned love to Jesus Christ Best sign of love to Christ Joh. 21.15 16 17. Upon Christs threefold Interrogation Lovest thou me and Peters threefold Profession of his love to Christ you have Christs threefold Injunction Feed my Lambs Feed my Sheep Feed my Sheep As if the feeding of Souls the saving of Souls were the truest testimony of our love to Jesus Christ Motive 7 Seventhly This is also the best testimony of our thankfulness to Jesus Christ for our conversion Testimony of our thankfulness to Christ when we endevour the conversion of others It was that which David promised to God in a grateful acknowledgement of Gods mercy in the pardon of his own sins Psal 51.13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee As if he should say Lord if thou wilt convert me I will endevour also the conversion of others unto thee Motive 8 Eighthly We should labour the conversion of others because we our selves were once in the same condition with those that are yet aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel Remembrance of our own condition
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