Lord hath forsaken me saith another or else I should never be thus bowed down with continual sickness Surely the Lord hath forsaken me saith another or else I should never be so friendless Lovers and friends hast thou put far from me and mine acquaintance into darkness And this was Jobs argument he confesses God was sometimes gracious to him but now he looks at him as an enemy And why so because he was under his afflicting hand he had stript him of outward Mercies Job 13.24 And this was Naomi's argument Ruth 1.20 she said to her Neighbors Call me not Naomi but call me Mara for the Lord hath dealt very bitterly with me I went out full but the Lord hath brought me home again empty But what though she came home empty of temporal blessings so long as she came home full of spiritual grace she had little cause to complain of hard dealing on Gods part But I say Gods people are apt to complain in cause of Temptation if God do but withdraw himself in some particular and temporal respects they are ready to say out God hath wholly and utterly forsaken them in all respects Obj. But will God onely forsake his people in temporal good things and not in spirituals also May not the Ordinances be taken from them or they from the Ordinances as doubtless many of Gods faithful ones were when they were banished into Babylon Ans I answer therefore 3. Gods forsaking in spirituals viz. Means God sometimes forsakes his people in spiritual good things but then it is rather in outward spiritual good things than in those that are inward 'T is true God took his Ordinances from his people when he removed them into Babylon but he did not take away his Spiritual nor his gracious Presence from such as were faithful It is a Promise God makes to such as were banished from the Sanctuary Ezek. 11.16 Although I have cast them far off amongst the heathen and although I have scattered them amongst the countries yet will I be to them a little Sanctuary in the countries where they shall come As if God should have said Though they want the ordinary Sanctuary and the ordinary means of Teaching yet I will be a Sanctuary to them my self and teach them by my Spirit they shall not want inward Spiritual Mercies though they want the outward Means of Grace Obj. But doth God forsake his people in outward Spiritual Mercies 4. Forsaking in spiritual comforts not grace and doth he not forsake them in those that are inward also Why else do they so much complain of their Souls and Spirits Psal 77.3 I complained and my Spirit was overwhelmed Ans Therefore he may also forsake in regard of inward Spiritual Mercies but then it is more in their inward Spiritual Comforts than in Spiritual Graces Some Christians indeed have more Comforts but less Graces as in the day of their first espousals to Jesus Christ for that is a time of love and rejoycing Jer. 2.2 I remember saith God the love of thine espousals But some Christians have more Graces and less Comfort as strong grown Christians Heb. 2. whom the Captain of their Salvation puts upon hard services for the trial of their Christian fortitude Psal 44.17 All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in the Covenant our heart is not turned back neither have our steps turned from thy way though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons and covered us with the shadow of death Indeed the face of Dragons and the face of Death was very terrible but yet the hiding of Gods lovely face was much more terrible ver 24. But yet for all that though God did with-hold their Spiritual Comforts yet he did not with-hold their Spiritual Graces for they had never more strength of grace than when they were able to grapple with Dragons and with Death it self Obj. But doth God forsake his people in respect of Spiritual Comforts Is it not said That such as have the Comforter once he shall abide with them for ever Joh. 14.16 If that be so why then should any believer be dejected Therefore I fear I never had true comfort Simile Answ That 's true the Comforter abides for ever but not in the Act of Comforting John 16.7 8. I will send the Comforter to you saith Christ What then Must they expect nothing but comfort so soon as ever the Spirit is come No there is an act of Conviction from the Spirit in the first place Note When he is come he will convince the world of sin The office of the Spirit is to empty us of our selves to humble us and to convince us as well as comfort us All these are acts of the Comforting Spirit though not acts of Comfort They are all such acts as tend to comfort and are conducible to that end As searching the Wound by the Chirurgeon and stirring the humours by the Physician are conducible to the act of healing though they are troublesome and painful for the present Neither doth God always forsake his people at such times as he doth withdraw their Spiritual comforts Note Did God forsake Christ upon the Cross or doth he forsake Christians in their mourning condition No surely he is most in them oftentimes by the graces of his Spirit when he is least in them by the comforts of it Obj. But doth not God forsake his people in their Graces as well as in their Comforts and do not Gods people complain for want of grace as well as for want of comfort Doth not David pray Psal 51. Take not thy holy Spirit from me as well as Restore to me the joy of thy Salvation The resolving of this doubt is needful for the better clearing of the Life of Perseverance and for the better incouragement against all discouragements of this nature concerning Gods forsaking of us or our forsaking of him Ans I answer therefore 5. Forsaking in graces not absolutely necessary God may withdraw from his people such graces as are called accessory graces but not such graces as are absolutely necessary We call such graces necessary as tend to the very being of a Christian and without which he is no Christian at all as Faith in Jesus Christ and so Justification and the Spirit of Adoption In these God will never forsake his people 1 Joh 3.9 Now accessory graces we call such as are added to these for the well-being of a Christian without which he cannot so well act his part as otherwise he might do As for example Though a Christian have Faith and the Spirit of Adoption in some measure yet he cannot so well discharge his duty unless he be zealous in believing zealous in praying zealous in preaching But now in these sometimes God doth forsake his people when his people for sake him by falling from their first love and from their first degree of zeal Gal. 4.15 But God doth
both the Life of Renovation and the Life of Fructification Now for the Use of both together Vse of all in general FIrst Let us hence Examine the truth of our Faith Vse 1. Example of Faith by its â—enoâ—â—â—ing â—ructifying If it be right then we live by it the Life of Sanctification in Renovation c. as well as of Justification Many say They live by Faith the Life of Justification but we see nothing in them of Sanctification Therefore their Faith is not true True Faith is full of Vertue 2 Pet. 1.5 adde to your faith vertue True Faith is an active grace As it is wrought powerfully Eph. 1.19 according to the working of his mighty power So it works powerfully Col. 2.12 it is called Faith of the operation of God Faith puts a Christian not onely upon all holy speeches Prayer Preaching and Conference are the breathings of Faith as 2 Cor. 4.13 I believed therefore have I spâ—ken Acts 4.20 We cannot but speak the thing which we have seen and heard But also upon all holy actions and duties There is the work of faith twice mentioned 1 Thess 1.3 2 Thess 1.11 An idle Faith is vain Jam. 2. a dead faith and a dead Faith is as good as no Faith at all The Wisdom that is from above is full of good fruits Jam. 3.17 It is as impossible for a Christâ—an to live the Life of Justification without Sanctification as for a man to have life without breath Secondly It Reproves two sorts of people Vse 2. Reproof to Papists and carnal Professors Papists on the one side and carnal Professors on the other side who separate these two precious Lives which God hath inseparably joined together Justification and Sanctification Being Twins or Sisters of the same Womb and ever born and brought forth together in the Christian Soul Other Twins may die at least one of them but these live and die together yea they live and never die As Jacob took hold of the heel of his brother so the Life of Sanctification follows the Life of Justification close at the heels 1 Cor 6 11. But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified As you cannot separate the light of the fire from the heat thereof no more can you separate the light of Faith in Justification from the heat of Faith in Sanctification Mat 3.11 He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire And yet I say Papists on the one side and Carnal Professors on the other side seperate these two precious Lives or at least they would cause one of these Sister-Twins to devour the other The Papists make Sanctification to devour Justification and the Carnal Professor makes Justification to devour Sanctification First the Papists make Sanctification to devour Justification For they say in effect Our Sanctification is our Justification For they say to justifie is onely to make just by inherent Righteousness Again they make Remission of sin not to be the Pardon of sin but the utter deletion or expulsion of sin by infusion of Righteousness as darkness is expell'd by light and cold by heat Thus they make Justification wholly to consist in the parts of Sanctification For whereas Sanctification is partly Privative which we call Mortification and partly Positive which we call Vivification which is either Habitual Vide Down p. 50. Papists make sanctification to devour justification Carnal Professors è contr consisting in the habits of grace or Outward and Actual consisting in the exercise of that grace in the fruit of good works All this and onely this they make the matter of their Justification And so they make Sanctification to devour Justification On the other side Carnal Professors they make Justification to devour Sanctification O say they our Justification is our Sanctification we have no holiness in our selves And thus the Devil drives men to extremes and like a cunning Wrestler he twitches on both sides For the first of these Opinions proceeds from Pride and Presumption The other from false and feigned Humility joyned with Despondency and with a kinde of spiritual sloth and laziness of Spirit O sayes the Papist we have no righteousness in Christ onely Christ hath merited that we should merit And Rank Pride is the root of this Opinion O Rank Pride the root of Pâ—pish sanctity sayes the Carnal Professor we have no righteousness nor holiness in our selves Alas what can we do 't is all one whether we do any thing or nothing we have no Righteousness or Sanctification but in Christ And thus as with a wet finger he shakes off all the duties of godliness and this springs as I said from false or feigned Humility Feigned humility and â—â—ziness of spirit the root of Libertinism and laziness of Spirit This is the sluggards hinge upon which he turns himself about to no purpose As good never a whit saith he as never the better When you press him to duty he holds up this as Ajax his Shield to bear off all blows Tell him of his Omissions and Commissions O sayes he Christ is my Righteousness and Sanctification as if he might sin that grace might abound or that grace had abounded that he might sin But you see this Errour confuted There is a Sanctification in Gods people inherent besides that which is in Christ The just lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification Therefore justly are reprov'd such Christians as bury themselves above ground As Cato said of Idleness it is vivi hominis sepultura Such indeed are dead whilest they live 1 Tim. 5 6. As good be out of the world as do no good in the world meer cumber-grounds Luke 13. Third Use may be a just Apologie for true Christians Vse 3. Protestants apologie against Papists who say we deny the use of good works against the unjust Cavil of Antichristian and Popish Spirits who say That because we teach a man is justified by Faith alone therefore he is justified by such Faith as is alone But there is a great deal of difference betwixt these two Assertions Though they differ not much in words yet they differ much in sense There is difference betwixt Fide Solâ and Fide Solitariâ Faith alone and Faith that is alone To make it plain by Similitude Suppose Esther attended with her Maids goes in to the King to beg the life of her people Esther alone obtains their life but not Esther when she was alone for she was attended by her Maids and they were witnesses of the fact So Faith alone through Christ obtains the life of Justification but not Faith as alone in the person for it is ever attended with good works that are witnesses of that life Or as a man that is guided in his way by the benefit of a Torch he is onely guided by the light of the fire but that is never alone for it is accompanied with heat So a Christian man he is guided in his way to
from Gods Altar they do oft inflame the hearts of the hearers Live under such a Ministery if thou wouldst be quickned A lively Ministery makes a lively people a dead Ministery makes a dead-hearted people And therefore it 's observable Rev. 3.1 that the deadness of the Church of Sardis is charged upon the Angel or Minister of the Church Vnto the Angel of the Church of Sardis write c. Therefore pray for your Ministers that themselves being quickned they may quicken you Another quickning Ordinance is Prayer 2. Prayer Psal 119. How oft doth David pray for quickning grace five or six times in one Psalm He begins many a Prayer with an heavy heart and before he hath done he is full of life Therefore pray much because all life is from God and he quickens whom he will Onely let me adde this Caution Caution before I let this pass Be sure thy understanding and affection go along together in every Ordinance and in every part of the Ordinance as thou wouldst have it a quickning Ordinance Many complain they are dead under Ordinances and no wonder They hear and they pray without understanding or without affection It is a Rule Quicquid agit agit per contactum Whatsoever thing acts effectually upon another it is by some kinde of touch or close When our Souls do not close with the duty in Prayer or Hearing no marvel if it put no life into us When we give way to distractions to wandring thoughts to wandring looks c. we do but take Gods Name in vain and the Ordinance is vain to us There is no life in it therefore no wonder if there be no life from it Therefore keep thy head and thy heart close to the duty if possible from first to last and then it will quicken Thirdly make use of Death to quicken Spiritual Life 3. Meditation of Death Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thine hand findeth to do do it with all thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdome in the grave whither thou goest Think of the shortness of our time of service in comparison of the eternity of the reward Say of service which is most affliction passive service Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Fourthly set before thine eyes 4. Gods Eye the All-piercing Eye of God So was Peter quickned by a look from Christ Rev. 2.18 19. These things saith the Son of God who hath his eyes like a flame of fire I know thy works and charity and service c. and again Chap. 3.1 I know thy work that thou hast a name to live and art dead q. d. I look upon the inside where the life of the action is This would quicken in Prayer Hearing c. Eye-service indeed in relation to men is not good Eph. 6.6 not with eye-service Partly because men cannot alwayes look upon us and partly because the Conscience hath a superiour tye from an heavenly Master at whose command they are bound to do service to their earthly Masters But Eye-service towards God who looks upon his children with an eye of Love as well as an eye of Observance is very commendable This it was made David so watchful Psal 139.1 2. O Lord thou hast searched me and known me thou knowest my down-sitting c. And it was Gods charge to Abraham Gen. 17.1 Walk before me and be thou upright God hath an eye into our brests therefore Faith will make a man take heed how he hears take heed how he prayes take heed what he thinks Psal 16. it will make him keep his heart with all diligence because God searcheth the heart and reins and ponders the spirits Faith setting God at our right hand will keep us from falling 5. Assurance of Gods Love Fifthly get assurance of Gods Love This will make us love him again 1 Joh. 4.19 We love him because he loved us first Love will make us very active Men care not what they do or suffer for those whom they love dearly Jacob served two hard Apprentiships for the love of Rachel he endured the heat of the day and the cold of the night and all was nothing to him Gen 29.20 Love is as strong as death Cant. 8.6 and active as fire Much water cannot quench love There is a constraining power in Love 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth me sayes the Apostle You need not much perswade such a man to be active for God he hath arguments enough in his own bosome That Disciple who lay in Christs bosome how much love doth he express to God and Men Oh how active and passive too was Paul for God! 2 Cor. 11.23 and no marvel for Who shall separate us sayes he from the love of Christ shall tribulation c. Rom. 8 35. 6. Gods Power Lastly look at Gods Almighty power able to quicken the deadest heart Rev. 3.14 Thus saith the Amen the Faithful and True Witness the Beginning of the Works of God Ephes 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works c. Therefore David prayes to God Psal 51.10 Create in me a clean heart renew a right spirit And there is a Promise for Faith Hos 14.7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return they shall revive as the corn after winter and grow as the vine c. Vse of Examination Whether we do live by Faith the Life of Vivification Vse 3. Trial of Faith in vivifying And need we have to Examine lest we be deceived Many seem to be very active and yet they do not live By Faith for all that Therefore say to thy self as Isaac did when he thought Esau had brought him venison Gen. 27.21 Art thou my very son Esau sayes he So Art thou that very Life of Vivification Say to this or that particular Duty Art thou the very true Issue and Childe of such a life The DeVil is cunning to deceive us as he raised up a counterfeit Samuel in stead of the true Samuel 1 Sam 28. So he cozens men with a counterfeit Life of Vivification in stead of a true Quest But how shall I know one from the other Ans This is partly delivered before At present they may be known by Examining them 1. In their Principle 2. In their End 3. In their Manner of working 4. In their issue and Event Trial. 1 First in their Principle True living actions spring from a living and inward Principle Though a Clock moves we do not say it is alive because it is moved by the Weights Though an heavy Milstone moves apace we do not say it is alive because it is moved ab extra by the Wind or Water But if we see a little Fly or Ant move we say there is life because it is moved from an inward Principle So he that lives the Life of Vivification his activity proceeds
slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep lest thy spiritual poverty come as a traveller and thy want as an armed man Pro. 24.33 34. Besides Christ can make difficult things easie Mat. 11.30 My yoke is easie Isa 26.12 Thou hast wrought all our works in us Phil. 2.13 It is God that worketh to will and to do And this is the third Subordinate cause of the neglect of the Means and the way to remove it The 4. Is Presumption 4. Presumption Post dates the use of Means Cure Presuming we may use the Means soon enough many daies or years after They think they may repent and believe when they list But to remove this Impediment and to roll away this Stone It is good to remember that not so much as our natural life is in our own power Eccl. 8 8. Much less that which is Spiritual and Supernaturul it 's possible we may have but a little space of time to live and it may be lesse space of time to repent Rev. 2 21. I gave her a space to repent of her fornicateon and she repented not saith God of Jezabel God giveth a space of time to particular Persons Cities and Nations which is called the Accepted Time and the Day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 and if we come not in the space of this Time the Door may be Shut and we may Knock too late Mat. 25 10. Whilst the foolish Virgins went to buy oil the Bridegroom came and they that were ready went in with him to the Marriage and the door was shut And this is the fourth Subordinate cause of neglect of the Means and the way to remove it 5. Despondency quits the use of Means The 5. Is Despondency of Spirit Through an extreme fear that the time of Grace is past It may be we have us'd the Means of Grace long and we conceive we are never the better and therefore we fear it is to no purpose to attend upon the Means for the time to come Cure Now to remove this Impediment to roll this Stone out of the way Let us remember It is not for us to know the Times and the Seasons which the Father hath placed in his own power Acts 1.7 Let us continue to do our duty in seeking and we may be sure God will be found at the last though he hide himself very long to our apprehension Isa 38.18 Blessed are all they that wait for him Hast thou waited twenty or thirty years for Grace or Comfort resolve to wait still Joh. 5.5 There was an impotent man who had waited thirty eight years for healing and yet by a word of Free Grace from Christ himself he was healed at the last There 's no time past but God may heal thee for all this though thou hast waited many a year And therefore resolve to stand it out to the last man He that continueth to the end shall be saved Mat. 24.13 And thus have we spoken of the sixth grand Impediment which is a sinful neglect of the Means of Grace and also of the way to remove it 7. Supposition of having Faith already The Seventh Impediment Is a vain Supposition that we have Faith when we have it not or else a supposition that we have it not when we have it the one hinders the obtaining of Faith and the other hinders the actings of it and we are apt to swear on both sides Pro. 37.7 There is that maketh himself rich and yet he is poor and there is that maketh himself poor yet hath great riches First There is that maketh himself Rich when he is poor there is a supposition that a man hath Faith when he hath it not Now hear's the mischief of this Conceit He that presumes he hath a thing when he hath it not it takes off all endeavours for the obtaining of it So he that presumes he hath Faith when he hath it not it takes him off from the use of Means for the obtaining of it Now for the removing of this Impediment Cure and for the rolling away of this Stone There 's no better way then to bring our Faith to the Test or Touch-stone that we do not bless our selves in giving entertainment to a bold-fac'd presumption in stead of a true Faith Quest How shall I be able to distinguish between Presumption and true Faith For as the Harlot laid her dead child in the room of the true mothers living child 1 Kin. 3.20 So the Divel pops men off with a dead Faith which is no better then presumption in stead of a true and Living Faith How therefore shall we know the one from the other the dead child from the other I Answer Differences of Presumption and Faith Besides what hath been said already in the use of tryal You may know Presumption from true Faith by its Conception Birth Growth and Issue or fruits 1. By its Conception 1 In the Conception Presumption is nothing but our own Conceit the Brat of our own brain a strong imagination without any real Foundation upon the Word of God whereas true Faith is ever grounded upon the Promise it is Begotten by the incorruptible seed of the Word 1 Pet. 1 23. Only let me add this by way of Caution Caution There may be a false application of a promise as well as a true and saving a promise may be presented to the Soul by Satan as well as by the Holy Spirit of God Quest How shall we know the difference Answ That when ever Satan presents a promise to the Soul he presents it in a Wrested sense or he presents it for a Wrong end as Mat. 4.6 It 's written He shall keep thee c. This promise is presented in a Wrested Sense so as the meaning of it could not stand with that other Scripture Thou shalt not tempt c. God doth promise to protect in such dangers as his providence casts us into in the way of our calling but not in such dangers as our own folly and presumption casts us into when we forsake our way And therefore the Divel cunningly and wickedly leaves out that part of the Word In all thy wayes Psa 91.11 12. 2. It is presented for a Wrong End To separate Justification from Sanctification and so to make us bold to sin against God as here see Jude 4. Turning the grace of God i. e. Gracious promises of Mercy into wantonness But now when the Promise of God is presented and applyed by the Spirit of God it is presented in a true sense such as may well stand with all other parts of holy Scripture for the Spirit doth never contradict it self And it is presented for a Right and Good End Even for the furtherance of our Sanctification as well as of our Justification and so the promise is made a Transforming Promise 2 Cor. 3.18 And a Cleansing Promise so as to make the Soul willing to be purged from every sin Consider seriously of
may have the Habit of Faith and not act it as he ought to do unlesse he be very careful to stir up the grace of God that is in him 2 Tim. 1 Moses had the habit of faith and yet he failed in not acting of it at the waters of Meribah The disciples of Christ had the habit of faith yet they failed in acting of it in the time of danger insomuch that Christ saith Where is your Faith Let us not therefore content our selves that we believe in Christ and we have the habit of faith but let us be sure to reduce this Habit into Act upon all occasions We say all The excellency of an instrument consists in the use That is a good Knife or Spade or Sword or Shield that is good for use So â—t is with the Shield of faith that is the most excellent faith that is good for use Motives to Act Faith Mot. 1 For First It is the most Lively Faith when we Act it so that we live by it As we say an active man is a lively man whereas a sluggard or unactive creature is counted a dead creature one that is all amort So an active Faith is a Lively Faith whereas a fruitlesse and unactive faith is called a dead Faith Jam. 2. and a dead faith is as good as no faith at all We love other things and persons that are Active and Lively O let us love a Lively Faith Mot. 2 Secondly Consider the Acting of our faith when we have it it is that which brings most Honour to God When we trust God with everything we possesse both for the Keeping and the Using of it we take in hand So that we dare do nothing without craving his Advice Blessing This puts a great deal of honour upon God As the natural son honours his natural father by this means So Gods children much more honour their heavenly father when they thus by faith do acknowledge him in all their wayes Prov. 3. Mot. 3 Thirdly This is that which brings no lesse Comfort and Hearts ease to our selves then honour to God therefore faith is called a casting our burden upon the Lord Psal 37.5 Roll thy way upon the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to passe Psal 55.22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved Oh! what an ease what a comfort is this when we have burdens that are ready to break our backs and our hearts too and we go to God by faith and prayer and so find ease and comfort When the perplexed Soul says O how shall I do to subdue such a Corruption to get such a Grace to conquer such an Enemy to dispatch such a business to hold out to the end In this case faith takes off the burthen of fear and care Take no thought says faith but go to God by Prayer Isa 26. for he hath promised to work all thy works for thee and he will be as good as his word And therefore put thy faith to use in these particulars and you shall finde abundance of ease and comfort Take a man that hath but little business in comparison yet if he hath no faith but relie meerly upon his own wit or strength let this man be never so little crost in his designs he is presently at his wits end it breaks his sleep and he can have no quiet Take another man that hath business of the greatest importance in the world yet suppose this man by faith to have committed the work to God he sleeps as quietly and lives as comfortably as if he had nothing at all to trouble him And is not this a most sweet and comfortable life He that acts his faith upon the Promise may have more troubles than another man without but certainly he hath more peace and quiet within He is just like a candle in a close Lanthorn that burns clear and fair in the midst of a Tempest Mot. 4. Fourthly as this acting of faith doth marvellously comfort and support the Spirit in the mean time so it is that which infallibly brings in the greatest advantage in the latter end When all is done we shall finde living by Faith will bring in the best living to the creature at the last This is a sure Rule Gods outward actings for us are usually proportionable to his inward actings upon our Spirits He first sets our Faith on work and then our Faith sets his Hand on work for us You know the usual expression in the Gospel According to your faith be it unto you according to our faith such and such Promises are made good to us As if God should say I am able to do enough if you are able to believe enough Unbelief shuts the door but faith acted and excited is that which turns the key and opens the door of all the good Treasures of God to be drawn out for our seasonable supply Could we but act faith nothing could make us miserable Suppose we be afflicted and persecuted yet afflictions and persecutions are so far from making us miserable that they are a special gift and love-tokens from God when he is pleased to give faith in the first place Phil. 1.29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not onely to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Mot. 5. In a word to conclude This is that for which the Saints of God have been commended and left upon Record with an honourable Remembrance to all Posterity not so much for that they had the habit of faith as that they acted their faith in such and such noble Exploits as are eternized to their everlasting praise in the 11th to the Hebrews By Faith Abel and Enoch Noah and Abraham did thus and thus their faith was very active and operative and so should ours be if we desire to obtain the like good report which they obtained for by it by faith yea by the acting of their faith in the several particulars there mentioned the Elders obtained a good report Hebr. 11.2 What a dishonour is it to a faithful man The not acting of faith foils shames a Christian on the other side when his strength goes from him and he becomes weak like another man He is no more able to perform a duty no more able to resist a temptation than another ordinary man O what a shame is this And yet thus it is with a faithful man if he do not act his faith and keep close to his Covenant Obs He is as Samson was when his hair was cut off he becomes weak like another man Insomuch that carnal men uncircumcised Philistims begin to reproach him and say Lo this is one of our Professors this is the man that lives by faith Lo this is the man that trusted in God that he would deliver him let him deliver him if he will have him c. And thus they reproach and
influence of faith into Consolation 288 to 292 Consolation what properly 292 Consolation from the touch of faith 292 293 The Word and Sacraments are the Brests of Consolation 393 394 395 Reasons why Consolation comes by faith 298 299 305 306 We must try our Comforts by our Graces and not our Graces by our Comforts See why 300 to 304 It is easier to be deceived in our Comforts than Graces 301 See Joy Papists rob of Comfort while of faith 321 Comfort from sense and sensual delights ends in sorrow 321 To refuse to be comforted by the Promises dishonors God 322 Comfort in false Doctrine and Prophets dangerous 322 Motives to live by faith the life of Comfort 323 Consolation brings activity of Obedience 323 There may be strong faith where little comfort 514 Constancy See Perseverance Gods constancy in his love a motive to perseverance 249 Conversation See Carriage Vnnecessarily imbraced with wicked ones hinders growth in grace 230 Conversion Vnbelievers rarely Convert others if they do they take no joy in it 39 The method of converting grace how it gradually proceeds from conviction of sin to a closing with Christ 521 522 Its not the Word without the Spirit which can convert 529 Conversion of Souls is a most excellent work for seven Reasons from 585 to 600 Such reproved who slight the converting of others 602 603 604 Exhortation to convert souls 606 Eight Motives to convert others from 607 to 610 Means for the conversion of others from 610 to 612 Exhortation to People to be willing to be converted and to attend on such means as are proper for it 612 613 614 615 616 The misery of such who are not converted 613 The happiness of converted ones 614 Objections of Discouragement answered 614 615 Thankfulness for our own and others Conversion 616 Conviction It is an act of the comforting Spirit though not an act of Comfort 272 The Spirit convinces of sin by opening and applying the Law 520 521 Covenant of Grace This is a cause of the Saints perseverance 238 Creature-inconstancy Faith triumphs over it 261 262 Curiosity Vain curiosity concerning heaven condemned 359 D Deadness of Spirit Gods Children subject to it 172 Causes of spiritual deadness which is fourfold 173 Sinful deadness springs from four privative causes and from four positive causes 173 Penal and probational deadness 174 Saints recover by faith out of deadness 174 175 Reasons why faith recovers out of deadness 175 176 Four Arguments or Meditations whereby faith quickens 177 Motives to quicken under deadness 179 180 181 182 183 Means to quicken under deadness 184 185 186 187 Vide Vivification Death Die Faith in death 58 469 Six Reasons why believers die in faith 59 60 No need of faith after death 61 62 Christs death applied by faith a means of Sanctification 126 Greater happiness in the death than life of Believers 318 319 Degrees of Christs Conquest over Death from 368 to 373 Believers conquer Death in rectified opinion of it 370 Reasons why true Believers are loth to die 372 Desertion The just live by faith under desertion 50 Faith triumphs over fear of Divine desertion from 267 to 275 Desertion in appearance only 267 268 269 Desertion in respect of temporals onely 270 Desertion in respect of Spiritual means 271 Desertion in respect of Spiritual comforts 271 272 God deserts his people onely in accessory graces 273 274 Vide Forsaking Despair It is Reproved 358 359 It quits the Vse of the Ordinances 510 Desires Strong desires after Christ are the seeds of faith 533 Diligence It leads to assurance in the use of holy means 95 What it implies and how it breeds faith 541 Discipline Holy discipline and strictness the sphere of Comfort 297 to 300 Discouragement Faiths triumph over five main discouragements 261 Doctrines These are to be judged true or false as they slander or advance the life of faith 448 449 Doubting Frequency of it a sign of weak faith 571 Duration Faith must be acted as long as we live yet love excels it in duration 60 61 Duties Backwardness to holy duties and remissness in them is a sign of a weak faith 572 E Election It is a cause of perseverance 237 Doubting of Election hinders believing 505 Envy It is an Impediment of growth in grace 230 Establishment in Faith Reasons why we should labor to be establisht both in the Doctrine and Grace of faith 544 The benefit of Establishment in the faith ibid. Enemies which oppose the establishment of faith 545 Though faith cannot be lost yet God establishes in the use of means 545 Seven Means of establishing faith 548 to 556 See Keeping of Faith Eternal See Life Examination See Trial. Evidence of grace upon examination brings comfort 300 Examine two things in order to the Sacrament 577 Excellency Faiths excellency in two respects 62 63 The complicated excellencies of a believer 477 Example Examples of crowned Saints a means of perseverance 255 Experiences These called to minde breed assurance 96 They are a firm ground for future faith 409 Reasons for the deduction of faith from experiences 410 They are a means to increase faith 581 F Faith It s definition in eight branches 19 20 What it is to live by faith in five particulars 21 22 Faith Life and Christ come all together yet in order 23 Faith described in seven faculties of spiritual life 23 to 28 Why Saints live by faith rather then any other grace 28 29 30 Why no man can live but by his own faith 33 34 Caution in four particulars amplifying that truth 35 36 37 Restriction of it in four Considerations 38 39 Make much of faith as your life in troubles 64 65 True faith is known by its renewing and fructifying vertue 141 Faith is the root of holiness and fruitfulness 144 Faith resembles the expulsive faculty in the body 150 Faiths triumph over personal weaknesses 263 Its triumph over sinful distempers 264 Faiths triumph over uncertain events 264 265 Its triumph over fear of sinning or suffering 266 267 Its triumph over fear of divine desertion 267 268 See Desertion Faith reflects on Sanctity and Sincerity to comfort 299 Faith produceth comfort as it makes future good things to be as it were present 305 306 Want of acting faith in Gods Word and Works though there be the habit is a great cause of sadness 313 314 Faith is the mother and nurse of spiritual joy 328 Faith to be acted seven wayes for the increase of joy 328 to 334 Faith assures that eternal life is the Believers 341 How faith assures a Believer of heaven 342 to 351 Examination of true faith as it respects eternal life 362 Faith lifts up a man above the troubles of the world 377 382 383 Faiths manly choice or charm against prosperity 385 What are the Reasons why the Just must live by faith 398 to 417 Living by faith a very reasonable duty 399 Faith puts life into the Promises 400 Faith is a Saints security for