a Seal of the same 2. Let him examine his Mouth and his Stomack Joh. 6 53. Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood ye have no life in you The best meat in the world can do no good where the creature hath neither Mouth nor stomack to feed upon it Now what is this Mouth but Faiths believing in Christ and feeding upon Christ are both one as he oft explains himself in the same Chapter Therefore let a man examine his Mouth and his Stomack as well as his Meat 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves Not that this excludes the Minister who is bound to know the state of his Flock If this be good at all times surely it is best of all at the Sacrament where the Apostle calls for examination in a special manner Let him examine his Mouth as well as his Meat We do not use to put meat into a dead mans mouth The Councel of Carthage condemned it as an abuse of the Sacrament to give it to a dead Body Sacrament not to be given to dead-hearted unbelievers because Christ saith Take and Eat but a dead Body can neither take nor eat The same reason reacheth to an Unbeliever if we could as easily discern the one as the other who is yet dead in sins and trespasses and therefore hath neither the Mouth of Faith nor a Spiritual Stomack to feed upon Christ but where God of his mercy hath given both this brest of the Church is of singular use to nutse up her children 2 Pet. 3.18 and to make them grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ For God hath appointed no Ordinance in vain The greater surely is the want of this Brest in these days and the cause of so much leanness amongst Gods own Children in most places Complaint of the interruption of the Sacrament and the corruption of it as the cause I know not whether I should complain more of the Nurses or of the Children or whether it were not better to turn our Complaints into Compassions and both complaints and compassions into Prayers that God would direct both Ministers and People to seek him in due order and to restore that Ordinance in a better manner than formerly that he may not make any farther breach upon us that children may not fast so long till they lose their stomacks for want of sucking and Nurses may not disuse and withhold the Brest so long till it be dried quite up for want of drawing And this is the third Means which God hath appointed for the increase of Faith The Sacrament 4. Prayer The fourth is Prayer for this puts the Promises in suit and sanctifies both the Word and the Seal of the Word for the increase of Faith The Scriptures tell us That God is both the Author and the Finisher of our Faith Heb. 12.2 If he be the Author we are bound to pray to him for the beginnings of Faith as in any poor measure we are able but if he be the Finisher of our Faith we are much more bound to pray for the increasing of it afterwards because our incouragements and abilities are far greater For 't is impossible a man should pray in Faith for the obtaining of Faith before he hath it but he may pray in faith for the increasing of faith when once he hath received a beginning of it If therefore a Natural man be bound to pray for Faith before he hath it though he be very unable to pray as he ought to pray how much more is a Spiritual man bound to pray for increase of Faith when he hath already tasted how gracious the Lord is 1 Pet. 2.3 in bestowing that grace upon him and hath in some measure received the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication whereby he is inabled to go to God for the supply of all his wants The man that to his own apprehension had but a little Faith and much Unbelief cries out with tears Lord I believe help mine unbelief Mar. 9.24 Yea the Disciples themselves had not so much Faith but still finding the want of more they put up this great Request to the Lord Increase our faith Luk. 17.5 and if such as they had need much more have we to pray to God for the increase of Faith The fifth Mean 5. Christian communion is Christian Communion of Gods people one with another This is a singular Mean to strengthen Faith the very sight of the Brethren doth embolden and encourage in the Faith Act. 28.15 How much more the mutual Instruction and Exhortation one of another Job 4.3 4. Eliphaz says thus to Job Behold thou hast instructed many and thou hast strengthned the weak hands Thy words have upholden him that was falling and thou hast strengthned the feeble knees You see Christian Communion is a Mean to strengthen in the Faith God in his Wisdom communicates special strength diversly to divers Members of the Body of Christ to some more to some less to that end that the strong may support the weak and comfort the feeble-minded 1 Thess 5.14 1 Cor. 14.26 It is the Rule of the Apostle Let all things be done to edification that is to the building up of one another in the Faith And this is to be aimed at not onely in publick Ordinances but in private converse of Christians one with another 1 Thess 5.11 Wherefore comfort your selves together and exhort one another and edifie one another even as also ye do Stones of the same building do uphold and strengthen one another and so should living and Spiritual stones in the holy Temple of the Church This is a special and powerful means to strengthen in the Faith In this respect Aquila and Priscilla are called fellow-helpers of the Apostle Rom. 16.3 because they confirmed the Faith in those in whom the Apostle had formerly planted it by the preaching of the Gospel Rom. 16.3 And thus all of us should be helpers one of anothers faith and one of anothers joy And indeed it is the main end why God doth convert us at the first and why he doth help us up again when we are fallen that we may convert others and strengthen them also in the Faith when they are converted Luke 22.32 Thou being converted saith Christ to Peter strengthen thy brethren And this is the fifth Means of growth 6. Love to God The sixth Means is to prove our Love to God for this will prove his Love to us 1 Joh. 4.19 We love him because he first loved us and the assurance of Gods love towards us will marvellously strengthen our faith towards God Therefore our faith in him and the manifestation of his love to us are coupled together Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God which hath loved me and given himself for me Now what better way is there to manifest Gods
and Duty he owes him to judge this Tract through Gods blessing upon a serious reading and digesting it much conducing to make an able Christian and Divine Indeed it holds forth to us the way that we should walk Jer. 42.3 and the thing that we should do to attain Heaven and Salvation Many Ministers and others did desire the publishing of this Treatise by the Author in his Life but his modesty and other constant labours hindred Now it is come forth we wish it may not finde the like entertainment that the Frier wittily and sharply said his Auditors gave to his Sermons they dealing with them as with his Holy-Water sprinkled on them they called for it eagerly but when he cast it on them they presently wiped it off again Make this Book now published more publick by holding forth the Life and Practise of Faith in thy Life and Station Do not onely once reade it Verba vivenda and cast it aside but carry it in thy heart as the Carpenter his Rule in his hand to square all thy actions by it We shall onely adde some Motives to excite thy Practise and then commit all to the Blessing of God 1. Consider this Life of Faith is a high Mystery Christ believed on in the world is a like Mystery with God manifested in the flesh and received up into glory Faith in the habit or root is not a Plant of Natures Garden The very nourishing of it and causing it to bring forth in our hearts is much more difficult than that of Plants in a strange Country Grace in exercise is difficult Indeed it s in us as fire under dead ashes or in a Flint Exciting quickning cooperating Grace with us must be added to that within us Grace in us lies like some Physick of dead Drugs which works not untill stronger Physick be given Without me ye can do nothing Joh. 15.5 saith Christ of his Disciples But especially the living daily in all conditions and actions by the exercise of Faith is much more hard To believe is above Nature but to act Faith in each act of Life is above our very Grace Consider farther the difficulty of this Life and so make use the rather of this Help Other ways of life viz. Trades Multi vident cruces qui non vident unctiones Bernard are called Mysteries but this above all is a Mystery of Mysteries We wonder how some men live who have a secret way of Trading but this is not onely a supernatural Secret but directly opposite to flesh and blood The Carnal and Profane scoff at it as a Fancy Paradox and golden Dream of Melancholy Spirits They count all persons who admire discourse of and practise this Life of Faith but silly Abrahams in the world as Want-wits for managing or getting an Estate Yet who doth or can without this so much despised Faith Esay 53.1 believe our report of these things It grieves our Souls to observe how many professing Christians look upon the Use of Faith as the staff of their Old Age onely or as a strong Cordial onely in fainting Fits or at best to be worn as our Holiday-clothes when we attend on the Word Prayer Sacraments then put it on But this is not to live as becomes Saints in all things and at all times by our Faith as that devout Scotch Divine whom M. Trap relates to have eat drank and slept Eternal Life Dost thou finde it hard to live by thy Labour by thy Lands Learning Friends Wits yet all these ways are far beneath this high Mystery of believing and living by it Bless God then as for Other so for This Master of the Assemblies who designs in this Work to teach thee this Mystery and Trade how to pick a living livelihood out of this Now dead Commodity viZ. Faith 2. Consider what may farther stir thee up to the exercise of this Grace as also to the Reading and Meditating on this heavenly Directory to the Life of Faith We shall not forestall those things which thou maist finde in the Author nor dispute how far some Branches of this Tree of Life viz. Faith may spring out even in Heaven it self Yet take this as Solomons Argument that Wisdom excells because it gives life to him that hath it Eccles 7.12 Vita optimus modus Entis Life is the best and highest manner of Being A living Worm excels the Sun in glory Rational Life exceeds the life of Plants and Beasts So doth Faith Reason as the highest Life man is capable of on earth Seneca and others may write of a blessed Life but Faith onely finds it This Life must come from Heaven which is so far above the Earth and so rare to be found in it He who hath all his Provisions about him of his own must needs keep the best house and have all as we say at the best hand So is it by Faith we have all within our selves from God in Christ The good man is satisfied from himself Antisthenes gained this by Study and Learning that he could walk with himself as not needing to go abroad and be beholding to others for Exercise or Delight O thesauris omnibus opulentior fides O virtutibus corporis omnibus fides fortior O medicis omnibus salutarior Ambros This is much more true of Faith Faith walks with Christ and God on the Mount of glorious Discoveries every day and takes all as out of his hands What Grace more admired by Christ Paul spends a whole Chapter Hebr. 11. as a Chronicle of Faiths Victories and Trophies Its Worthies are there mentioned as Davids elswhere This very Text on which this Tract is built is cited no less than four times Rom. 1. Gal. 3. Heb. 10. Thrice in the New Testament which may convince us of the excellency of it being worthy of a double treble Meditaâ—â—on as the summary of our Christian Faith both Doctrinal and Practical Tarnovius inter opuscula as a learned man hints on the place 3. Consider the seasonableness of this Counsel about living by Faith in these days 1. As they are sickly dying evil Times in respect of Sufferings 2. As the latter Times and so evil in respect of Sinning Quis inter haec trepidus maestus nisi cui spes et fides deest jus est enim mortem timere qui ad Christum nolit ire Ejus est ad Christum nolle ire qui se non credit cum Christo incipere regnaâ—e Scripâ—um est enim justum fide vivere Cyprian de Mort. Cyprian wrote his Book of Mortality in a time of Mortality And this Cordial of Life is now given out in season to teach us how to live and fit us to die A Minister as hath been related being sick and meeting by Providence with Mr. Ball his excellent Book of Faith which then came newly out he took it as a Guide by the hand to lead him through that dark Valley and fit him
in expelling the enemies of spiritual life And so the just lives by his faith Act 15.9 By faith purifying their hearts Unbelief and other corruptions are deadly enemies to spiritual life Faith expels them and purifies the heart from them As the living fountain if dirt be cast into it never leaves working and working until it hath wrought it self cleer again So a beleeving heart if earthly thoughts from Satan like dirt be cast into it never leaves working till it hath wrought it self pure and fit for God's service 2 Tim. 2.21 If a man purge himself from these c. It overcomes and abandons all within and all without resists Satan 1 Pet 5.8 overcomes the world 1 Joh. 5.4 3. Nutritive faculty of faith Thirdly God makes use of faith in the Nutritive facultie or attractive faculty in drawing such things to it self as whereby is life nourished and maintained And so the just lives by his faith Faith like the first-born of graces though indeed they are all twins delight to be in the arms of God's mercy where it first receives life and there it lyes at the brest of the word at the nipple of the promises drawing virtue and strength and nourishment from them tasting every day how sweet and gracious the Lord is 1 Pet. 2.3 Psal 34.8 O tast and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him q.d. by trusting in God we live upon God and taste how good he is For else we tempt God It were a miracle to live without meat But the more strength the more food 4. Digestive faculty of faith Fourthly God maketh use of faith in the Retentive and Digestive faculty turning the word into wholsome blood And so the just lives by his faith Whereas an unbeliever hearing the word receiving the food of his soul is like a man of a weak bad stomack no sooner is the meat down but it mixeth with some base humor up it comes again it will hold nothing to do it good So it is with an unbeliever not mixing the word with faith but being mixed with some base humour of pride or passion up it comes again with violence though it be in the very face of the Physician Prov. 9.2 He that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot But where the word is mixed with faith it meets with a good stomack and there it turnes into good nourishment the party grows and thrives and comes on in grace and so lives by faith as a man lives by a good stomack See Psal 36.7 8. They that put their trust under the shadow of Gods wings are abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house c. Good meat doth well a good stomack is better Gods blessing upon both is the best of all and so it is in the life of Grace Fifthly God makes use of Faith in the Motive faculty 5. Motive faculty of Faith And so the just lives by his Faith For as bodily exercise profits much for bodily health when the Apostle sayes It profiteth little his meaning is in ordine ad spiritualia 1 Tim. 4. for doubtless as to bodily health it profiteth much it is instar omnium in stead of all Physick and without this the best diet in the world will be defective It is so with the soul Be the diet the means of grace never so good yet without exercise of grace and godliness all comes to nothing Now it is Faith and onely true Faith which puts a man upon profitable exercise Faith will not suffer a man to be idle in his calling It will not onely move his tongue though it will move that too Acts 4.20 We cannot but speak 2 Cor. 4.13 I believed therefore spake For he is a very dead-hearted Christian that hath the dead palsey in his tongue that cannot speak a word for God But it will move his hands also and his whole man to be active for God Jam. 2. Shew me thy faith by thy works Christians full of faith are full of action and so full of life See Acts 6.3 6 8 10 Whereas unbelievers are like sluggards with hand in bosome or like Idols of the Heathen Psal 115. having eyes and yet see not ears and hear not feet and walk not neither speak they through their throat and so prove dead for want of this exercise 6. Breathing faculty of Faith Sixthly God makes use of Faith in the Breathing faculty And so the just lives by his faith Breath is the Chariot of life called therefore The breath of life This breathing is twofold 1. Inspiration 2. Expiration these maintain life And both these in a spiritual sense do spring from Faith 1. Inspiration First for the act of Inspiration For howsoever every first inspiration of the Spirit gives life yet Faith draws more and more of this heavenly air from day to day for the maintaining and increasing of this life A man can no more live a spiritual life without the continual breathing of Gods Spirit into his soul than he can live a natural life without the continual sucking in of fresh air into his body And therefore it is observable Our blessed Saviour chose to convey the Holy Ghost under that similitude Joh. 20.22 He breathed on them and said Receive the Holy Ghost q. d. Ye can no more live the life of grace without my Spirit than you can live the life of nature without the breath of your nosthrils We are all by nature like Ezekiels dried bones Now it is the voice of Faith that cryes out Ezek. 37.9 O Breath breathe upon these slain that they may live And again when a man hath life and begins to exercise himself in the way of Gods Commandments he knows he cannot exercise to purpose unless it be in this fresh air of the Spirit Therefore Davids Faith put him upon this practice I opened my mouth saith he and panted for I longed for thy Commandments Psa 119.131 He took in fresh gales of the Spirit from day to day to uphold the vitals of the New man Secondly 2. Expiration There is another act of the Spirit in spiritual life and that is Expiration an holy breathing out of holy speeches and holy prayers And usually in proportion to our inspiration will be our expiration As in Nature 't is unwholesome to breathe out more then we suck in when the expence of spirits is beyond our receipts so also in grace when our expiration of holy speeches doth exceed our inspiration of the holy Spirit But when these go hand in hand all springs from Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 We having the same Spirit of faith as it is written I believed therefore have I spoken we also believe and therefore speak Faith will put a Christian upon it Faith is as it were the very breath of his nostrils Seventhly God makes use of Faith in the Augmentative or growing faculty And so the just lives by his Faith
hold on the Blood of Christ witnesseth to a Christian his salvation So it 's explained further 1 Joh. 5. ver 10. He that believâ—th on the Son of God hath the Witness in himself The Witness of what Of Eternal life ver 10 11. This is the record that God hath given to us Eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and be that hath not the Son hath not life And what is it to Have or Receive the Son But to believe on him Joh. 1.12 To as many as received him c. Even to as many as believe in his Name To Receive Christ and to Believe in his Name are both one And those who believe on Christ are Sons He gave them power to become the Sons of God and so Heirs of Eternal life through Christ So that Faith assures a Believer of his interest in life Eternal How Faith works assurance of heaven Q. How doth Faith assure a Believer of his particular interest in life Eternal Ans 1. By laying hold on the Promise of the faithful and unchangeable God 1. From the Promise In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie hath promised Tit. 1.2 So Joh. 10.18 And I give to them Eternal life Aye may a Christian say If I were one of Christs sheep I might be assured The 26 ver answers Ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep Such as believe then are sheep and to them Christ gives Eternal life 2. By arguing from the effect to the cause 2. From the effects Faith is an infallible effect of Gods ordaining a person to life Eternal Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to Eternal life believed But I believe saith a gracious Soul therefore I know I am ordained to life Obj. But it 's impossible for a man to know that he believes Ans Not so for then 1. The Apostle would not have said I know whom I have believed c. 2 Tim. 1.12 2. The Apostle would not exhort men to try whether they were in the faith 2 Cor. 13.5 3. By arguing from the first-fruits to the Harvest 3. From the earnest from the beginning to the perfection from the seal and earnest to the full possession 1. Faith assures Gods people That they have the first-fruits of heaven upon earth Rom 8.23 We our selves which have the first-fruits of the Spirit wait for the Adoption By the first-fruits Deut. 26.1 the whole crop was sanctified and assured Believers then having the first-fruits by Christ Faith tells them That they shall have the harvest Dost thou remember what admirable joy thou hast found in Prayer Hearing Conference in a Promise at a Sacrament so that thy heart did burn That was a glimpse of Heaven and an assurance of it 2. Faith assures a believer That he hath the beginnings of life Eternal Joh. 5.24 and Joh. 6 54. He that eats the flesh and drinks the blood of Christ hath Eternal life This eating and drinking is believing Now this beginning doth assure a Christian by Faith of Perfection 1 Cor. 1.8 9. Deut. 32.4 His work is perfect Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this that he that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ Obj. May not God repent and change his minde Ans No The gifts and callings of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 3. Faith assures a Believer That having the Seal and Earnest 2 Cor. 1.22 Eph. 1.13 he shall have the full possession Ephes 1.13 14. And Faith assures this upon a double ground 1. Because the beginnings of saving grace are special Love-tokens and the love of God is unchangeable Jer. 31.3 2. God is able and willing to make good what he hath thus sealed Faithful is he that hath called you who also will do it 1 Thess 5.24 Obj. This were indeed good assurance if I had saving grace but how shall I know that Ans We may know whether Grace be saving 1. By the Root of it JESVS CHRIST Gal. 2.20 2. By the Extent of it the New man 3. By its Manner of working True grace works love to all that is good because pleasing to God and batred of all evil because displeasing to God Psal 119.6 4. From Sonship 4. Faith assures a Believer of his interest in Life by an argument drawn from the Filiation of all Believers They who have the first-fruits Seal and Earnest of Heaven as before are made the children of God Rom. 8.24 And what of that If children then heirs v. Right of Sonship proves the Right of Inheritance By nature we are not the children of God but of Wrath Eph 2.3 But Believers are the children of God by Adoption v 15.16 Adoption as it 's used in the Civil Law is the free and voluntary act of a man Adoption in the Civil Law how taken whereby he doth chuse any one that was a stranger before to stand up in the place of a Son Used in a threefold case This Adoption was wont to be 1. In case of Barenness 2. Of Death of Children 3. Of Degeneration and Wickedness of Children And in this last case we being all degenerate by the fall of our first Parents and so fallen from God God chuseth some of his free grace to be his children in Christ Jer. 3.19 Obj. But God chuseth as bad as those that are fallen from him yea the very same Ans It 's most true But yet he leaves them not in the same condition he found them in Double act of free grace in Adoption for there 's a double Act of Gods free grace in Adoption 1. The one is Acceptation in Christ whereby he is pleased to call those his Chosen People which were not his Chosen and those Beloved which were not beloved 2. And the other is Regeneration whereby they are born of God and so not onely called Children but made the Children of God partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 And herein lies the great difference between Gods adopting a Childe and Man's Difference twixt divine and humane Adoption One man adopting another mans childe may accept him for his own give him the priviledge of a Son in his Inheritance and so in all Outward respects but when all this is done he cannot give him the priviledges of a natural Son in Inward respects that is he cannot communicate his own Qualities and Nature to him But God addes both in Adoption God gives the inheritance the nature of children he both gives the Inheritance of Children and the Nature of Children he fits them for their Inheritance as he fits the Inheritance for them Thanks be to God who hath made us meet to be partakers of the Inheritance c. Col. 1.12 The Argument therefore is strong If Sons then Heirs There is no power in Heaven that will hinder it none in Earth or Hell that can hinder it Other Heirs may spend all
perceive it not Trees though they do not grow are fitted for growth in winter 9. Propagation Ninthly If thou art alive know it not only by growth and augmentation but also by a desire of a propagation and conveiance of that life to others The Father delivers the lamp of his life to his son as one candle lights another So 't is in this life of grace it begets the like to it self Examine therefore whether thou art one like Pharaoh that seekest to kill the children of gace in the birth this is to play the tyrant nay the Devill Rev. 12. Or whether thou art like God and godly men that say as the Apostle Gal. 4.19 They desire to see Christ formed in others 10. Delightâ— Tenthly If alive what company delights thee Psal 16.2 my delight is in the Saints and the excellent The living converse with the living and not among Tombes unlesse they be possest as the man in the Gospel Why seek ye the living amongst the dead said the Angel Such are dead company as dead men Vse 4 Fourthly This informs us If the spiritual life be the most excellent life what is the worst murder Information of the worst murder Surely that which takes away the best life And that is the murder of the soul God commands in the sixth commandement Thou shalt do no murder Every man startles at that but many are found guilty of soul-murder See Ezek. 33 8. If the watchman warn not the blood of them that perish in their sins God will require at his hands This made Paul so careful to purge himself Act. 20.26 I am free of the blood of every one of you See also Ezek 13.18 Vse 5 Fifthly Bless God for this life where it is and makes much of it How desirable a thing as Gaius Thankfulness to have our souls prosper 3. Epist Joh 2. And if we find any decay remember the counsel to the Angel of the Church of Sardis Rev. 3.2 Be watchfull and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die for I have not found thy works perfect before God But the Just shall live by his Faith DOCTRINE II. Whatsoever life the just man lives in a more excellent manner then other men he lives that life by vertue of his Faith Doct. 2 THE Apostle confesseth this was his life And what is the life of one faithful man as faithful is the life of all Gal. 2 20. The life that I live I live by the faith of the Son of God c. This is a lesson that is often taught and yet very hardly learned For as the life of a Christian is a hidden life so the means of conveyance of it is in a hidden way hidden and dark to a natural man This water of life runs as it were in a conduit-pipe under the ground A natural man perceives it not But the Just shall live by his Faith For the better unfolding of his mysterious and useful trade of living by faith we shall endeavour by God's assistance who is the Author and Finisher of our faith to shew these things Heb. 12.2 viz. First What Faith is Secondly What it is to live by Faith Thirdly Why living is by Faith rather then love c. Fourthly Who it is that lives by Faith Fifthly Whose Faith he lives by viz. his own Sixthly When and how long Seventhly What life it is he lives by Faith Eighthly The Reasons why Lastly What use we are to make of all QUEST I. What Faith is FOR the first You have the definition at least the description set down by the Holy Ghost Heb. 11.1 It is the subsistence of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen For example tell a natural man of God's favour and the comforts of his Spirit and the future recompence of reward which is more worth then all the comforts of the world he thinks it a mere notion that there is no reality in it but all feigned But a Christian by faith seeth there is truth reality and subsistence in these things and in whatever God promiseth who calleth those things that be not as though they were Rom. 4.17 To whom all things are possible Mark 9.23 And thereby becomes a kind of omnipotent faith By others it is defined thus In general A believing the Gospel In particular Definition of Faith A gracious habit infused into the heart by the Spirit of God whereby the soul rests or rolls it self upon Christ in a way of promise for all things appertaining to life and godliness for Gods glory and it 's own salvation It is not then 1. a bare disposition but an habit 2. An habit not acquired by frequent acts but infused by the spirit called therefore 1 Cor. 4.17 the spirit of faith 3. Infused not into the head only but the heart Rom. 10.10 with the heart man believeth And therefore it stands more in affection than notion Indeed in faith there is both an Assent of the mind to the truth of the message sent to sinners indefinitely 1 Tim. 1.15 and a consent of heart and will to the goodness of it whereby this or that particular sinner receives it to himself Gal. 2.20 Christ Who loved Me. Joh 21. My Lord and my God which differ as a garment in the cloth and on the back Christ is put on by faith Fourthly We say whereby the soul rests or rolls its self or leans For assurance and full perswasion is not of the being of faith but the well-being There 's faith of Evidence and faith of Reliance Or rather there is a double evidence 1. Of sense 2. Of reliance Faith in Scripture is set out in regard of the latter in such terms as we have given Psal 37.5 Isa 50.10 Mark 9.24 Fifthly Vpon Christ Who is the main object of faith and it is not sufficient to believe in God out of Christ Joh 14.1 Ye believe in the Father believe also in me and otherwhere None cometh to the Father but by me Sixthly In way of a promise No promise no Christ Abraham laid hold on a promise in those extraordinary things as an ordinary mean Rom. 4.20 he staggered not at the promise through unbelief See 2 Pet. 1.3 Eph. 2.12 Covenant of promise c. Seventhly For all things c. First for Christ and then all things with him Rom. 8.32 Wherefore the promises in Christ are called Rich and Precious promises Eighthly For God's glory Rom. 4.20 gave glory to God and our own salvation Heb. 10. last that believe to the saving of the soul QUESTION II. What it is to live by Faith To live by Faith Ans TO live by Faith is not only by laying hold on Christ by faith to receive life by Christ 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life Secondly But also in the use and exercise of faith to receive daily from Christ both the preservation and increase of this life Eph. 4.13 Thirdly Enabling a Christian by vertue
all oppositions and temptations yea through the iron gate of death it self and then it leaves us Or as the Pillar of the Cloud and fire went along with the Israelites alâ—â—â—e way of the Wilderness and a very comfortable companion it was indeed the very Angel of God's presence But when it once came to Canaan then it left them they saw it no more So Faith is a sweet companion to direct us in a right way in the wilderness of this life till we come to the Celestial Canaan that flows with the milk and honey of Gods Beatifical Presence and then it leaves us because then we shall have in possession what before we did hope for and apprehend by faith Thus see how long we live by faith as the Stars give light till the Sun ariseth so Faith till Christ the Sun of Righteousness shines bright in Heaven A man hath no use of a Ship or Boat any longer than he is at Sea when he once comes to the Haven it will carry him no further if he will have it any further he must carry it it will not carry him So faith carries a man upon the waters of this troublesome world till we come to the haven of Eternal Happiness and then there is no further use of it In the mean-while make much of it and take heed above all things that thou make not shipwrack of faith 1 Tim. 1.19 To conclude Faith is a Christians Companion all along it saith to the Soul as Ruth to her Mother Ruth 1.16 17. Whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge where thou diest will I die and there will I be buried Now for the Use of this sixth Head of the Life of Faith Vse 1 See from hence the Excellency of Faith as it triumphs over death and all other Adversity Discovery of the excellency of Faith 1. It triumphs over Death It is a Conqueror over Conquerors and therefore makes us more then Conquerors through Jesus Christ that hath loved us Rom. 8.37 Faith is sure of victory before-hand Nay though we are overcome in some respect we overcome those that overcome us in other respects Even those that have power to put us to death we may overcome them by dying Rev. 12.11 And they â—vercame him the Dragon by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death 2. Here 's also the Excellency of Faith A Christian lives by it in time of all adversity When all other comforts dye this lives 'T is like the Laurel it flourishes in winter when all other Trees cast their leaves 'T is like Noah's Ark it lifts a man above the floods of many waters when others sink into the gulf of despair And indeed it was not so much the Ark of Noah as the Faith of Noah that bare him above the waters Heb. 11.7 By faith Noah prepared an Ark to the saving of his house c. All other men in the floods of adversity are born up with bladders the windy bladders of some vain confidence in Creature-comforts O they have such a friend such a device c And when these break down they sink But a believer by Faith is born up by the everlasting mercy of God Deut. 33.27 Vnderneath are the everlasting Arms c. And therefore he can never sink so low but faith will raise him up again Psal 32.6 Surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him Faith therefore is an excellent grace A Christians strong water in fainting-fits Psal 27.13 I had fainted but that I hoped to see the goodness of God Yea 't is his life in Death Vse 2 Secondly Hence make Tryal of your Faith Tryal of faith from adversities both for the Being of it and Degree In Luke 8.13 you reade of some that believe for a while but in time of Temptation fall away These had never true faith if they totally and finally fall There may indeed be shakings of faith in adversity as the Disciples in the storm were full of fears Mat. 8.26 But then it argues the less Faith Why are ye fearful O ye of little faith The more faith the less fear and the more fear the less faith You shall have some men in prosperity O they are marvellous confident as Peter was Mat. 26. Though all men shall be offended because of thee sayes he to Christ yet will I never be offended yet in adversity their hearts sink and they are ready to deny Christ as he Prov. 24.10 If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is but small Every bungler can sail fairly in a calm but it proves a skilful Pilot to govern a Ship well in a storm Every common Professor can believe in health in wealth in prosperity But if thou canst believe in sickness in poverty in adversity of all sorts then bless God for his free grace in Christ with Paul Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Vse 3 Thirdly Hence also see the Necessity of Faith and be stirr'd up to labour for it Shewing the necessiâ—y of faiâ—h in adversities O build on the Rock when the rain descends and the floods come and the winds blow We cannot live comfortably without it one day one hour minute Mat. 7.24 Every time is either prosperous or adverse we need faith in both in every thing we do suffer enjoy We hear by faith we pray by faith buy and sell by faith eat and drink by faith therefore we cannot live without it Non aqua igni magis utimur We use not fire and water more no not the air which we suck into our nostrils We cannot be one moment without it Vse 4 Fourthly Exhortation by faith to get patience in adversity Learn patience in adversity There are many impatient ones like Micah robb'd of his gods Judg 18. or like Rachel Jer. 31. weeping and refusing to be comforted or Cain Gen. 4. that complain of their punishment as greater than can be born But 't is for want of faith strangers in this to the Covenant of Grace If we be in the Covenant then know 1. That there 's living in adversity yea possibly better living than without Never less in prison than when in prison Never less overcome of the world than when I lose all the world as a gracious woman said 2. There 's more exercise of faith in adversity If we lose friends we are put upon seeking friendship with God if we lose goods or silver or gold there 's increase to be made of the golden Grace 1 Pet. 1.7 The tryal of your faith much more precious than gold Therefore be patient faint not Prov. 3 11. My son despise not the chastening of the Lord nor be weary of his correction There are two extremes to be avoided under afflictions the not bearing them or their overbearing us Vse 5 Fifthly Labour then
fatherlesse c. Vse 4 4 Use Bless God for this Life of Justification Thankfulness Psal 103.1 2 3. Blesse the Lord O my soul who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases As the Philosopher who blest God That his Life was Rational That he was a Man Born in such a Countrey and City That he was a Philosopher This is Gods end Ephes 1.6 12. To the praise of the glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved c. Suppose 1. A poor man in Debt and the Creditor cross the Book O happy man Psal 32.1 Blessed is he whose iniquity is forgiven And Psal 51.1 2. according to the multitude of thy mercies blot out my transgressions c. 2. If a poor naked man lying in the mire ready to perish with cold should be clothed with warm and rich Apparel O how thankful would he be Not like the Snake that when the Husbandman brought it to the fire and it was well warmed spit in his face but as Jobs poor Hospital-men Their very loins whom he had clothed did bless him We were such naked polluted creatures Ezek. 16.6 Therefore let us bless his Name so much the more as clothing the Soul is better than the Body c. 3. Suppose an Imprisoned man set at liberty c. 4. Suppose a Condemned man absolved O how thankful would he be Christ hath procured our absolution In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins Col 1.14 Vse 5 5 Use Exhortation to seek after this Life of Justification Exhortation this is not a vain thing as Deut 32.47 Pray for it Isa 43.26 declare that thou maist be justified and say what thou canst But Job 9.14 15. How shall I answer him and choose out words to reason with him Every one would be glad to be accounted just before men How much better is it to be so in the sight of God who out of Christ is a consuming fire Let us not rest in our own or others Righteousness Angels or Saints Obj. We lived this Life from eternity onely now we are to labour for the sense of it Ans 1. Then what is the meaning of those places Luke 15. the last vers It was meet that we should make merry and be glad for this thy brother was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found And Ephes 2.1 3 c. You hath he quickned who were dead in sins and trespasses 1 John 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life c. 2. We could not live before we had a being nor be justified before we were Motives 1. A poor weary and heavy laden Soul can never lye down with rest in the bed of his own Righteousness c. 2. Hereby our persons are pleasing to God This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased Cant. 1.15 16. Thou art all fair my love c. 3. Then duties are accepted Gen. 4. Abel and his offering First the tree good and then the fruit good Our duties cannot be accepted out of Christ because imperfect 4. Hereby we are encouraged and strong to duty Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousness and strength Isa 45.24 The joy of the Lord is your strength Nehem. 8.10 5. Hereby freed from Condemnation Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It 's he that justifieth who shall condemn Whereas all unjustified persons are liable to Condemnation From 1. The Law Gal. 3.10 As many as are under the works of the Law are under the curse 2. Conscience Rom. 2.15 their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts the mean-while accusing or excusing one another Tit. 3.11 He that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself 3. Satan Psal 109.6 Let Satan stand at his right hand 4 Men as they tempt one another so accuse one another as Adam layes the fault on Eve she on the Serpent 5. The Gospel John 3.19 This is the condemnation 6. The mouth of the Judge Matth. 25.19 Then shall he say to them on the left hand Depart from me c. But all believers and justified persons are free from condemnation Rom. 8.1 There 's no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Of 1. The Law Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law c. Acts 13.39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses Rom. 7.6 But now we are delivered from the Law c. 2. Conscience Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God Heb 9.14 3. Satan Rev. 12.10 The accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before God day and night Zech. 3.2 The Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee 4. Men Num. 12.8 Gen 4.6 Luke 7.39 c. 5. The Gospel Rom. 1.16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel 6. The mouth of the Judge Mat. 25.34 Then shall the King say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed c. 6. The Righteous are bold Prov. 28.1 as a Lion fear not enemies Mic. 7.8 9 10 16 17 18. Psal 91.5 6 7. II. THE LIFE of FAITH IN SANCTIFICATION THE second Part of Spiritual Life is the Life of Sanctification 2 Cor. 5.17 Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a New Creature And thus the just lives by Faith also As Faith layes hold upon Christ for Justification so it draws vertue from Christ for Sanctification and that either Renewing and Cleansing or Fructifying Mortifying and Vivifying c. ut supra So then the just live by Faith the life of Sanctification for as Faith works by Love so by Humility Patience and other Christian Graces and so the Apostle applies this very Text Heb. 10. where he perswades them to possess their souls in patience Yea but how shall they get patience Why get Faith and they shall be sure to get Patience and all other needful Graces Ver. 36 38. For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise Now the just shall live by Faith sayes he Branch 1. Renovation And first for the Life of Faith in Sanctification it self or the Renovation of the Soul For the better prosecution of this Point it will not be amiss to give you in brief the Resolution of these Questions Quest 1. Whether there be any such Life of Sanctification in a Christian besides the Sanctification that is in Christ himself Quest 2. If there be so then what it is and wherein it doth consist Quest 3. How and by what means it is wrought in the Soul Quest 4. What 's the reason that such a Life is necessary in all justified persons Quest 1. Whether there be a life of Sanctification in believers 1. For the first it may seem a Question out
but I obtained mercy so c. Quest 3 Quest How shall we do to live this Life of Sanctification Ans The answer to the third Question will resolve this viz. By what means Sanctification is wrought How and by what means this Sanctification is wrought in the Soul Ans 1 The truth is the main Original Cause is God He is the Author as of the first so of the second Creation Eph. 2.10 For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works God the Father as the Efficient Cause Jude ver 1. To them that are sanctified by God the Father God the Son as the Meritorious Cause Heb. 2.11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all one God the Holy Ghost working this 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God It springs not from our selves nor from our parents no though they be holy it springs not from them Sow the purest Wheat you can get yet it springs up with chaff again when it brings forth another Crop So the best parents bring forth children with the chaff of natural corruption cleaving to them Grace comes not from Nature but from God Joh. 1.13 Which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God God therefore is the Original and principal Cause Vse Go to God for Sanctification for our selves or others 1 Thess 5.23 And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly c. Mat. 8.2 And behold a leper came and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean Psal 51.7 10. Create in me a clean heart c. Ans 2 But now Faith is the Intrumental Cause of the Life of Sanctification in the order of working and so the just lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification Acts 15.9 Faith purifies the heart and ch 26.18 it purifies the life of the whole man that they may receive inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in me Quest And how doth Faith purifie or how doth the just live by Faith the Life of Sanctification Ans 1. Acts of faith in sanctifying 1. Applying Christ either 1. In general As laying hold on Christ the principal object of Faith especially on the blood of Christ the meritorious Cause of cleansing I say in general laying hold upon Christ the principal object of Faith not as if Faith had this life or this power to give life in it self no more can it give the life of Sanctification than of Justification but as by it we are united to Christ our Head and Fountain of Life Faith comes from Christ and returns to Christ again like the Flower call'd The Wonder of the World it grows out from the stem or stalk and turns round to it again So Faith comes from Christ and turns round to him again to draw still more vertue from him As our Communion with Christ in grace flows from our Vnion with him so also all spiritual Operations or living acts of spiritual life Look as in the natural body the life of all the Members is from the Head and that Life conveyed by certain nerves and sinews to every part so the Life of Sanctification in all the Members is derived from Christ the Head and that by the sinews and nerves of Faith conveyed to all the elect in due time by which they live and more and more encrease from day to day Vide Ephes 4.15 16. Coloss 2.19 Quest But how shall I know that my spiritual actions and operations suppose Prayer Preaching the Word practising of that we hear in any particular do spring from my Union with Christ Ans This is a profitable and necessary Question When spiritual actions spring from faith in Christ because a man may do many good things and yet these actions not flow from our Union with Jesus Christ A man may have excellent common graces nay and he may counterfeit saving graces too and yet these not spring from Union with Christ Nay a man may be strengthened by Christ to do work and service for Christ and yet that strength and those services not flow from Union Isa 45.1 c. Concerning Cyrus his doing friendly offices for the Church and this prophecied of him about 200 years before he was born Isa 1O 3 O Assyrian the rod of mine anger c. correcting and afflicting the Church and they had their strength from God a staff in his hand and yet they did not know this nor acknowledge it themselves v. 7. Howbeit he meaneth not so c. A man may have excellent common graces as Judas had and those Matth. 7.22 Lord have we not prophecied in thy Name and in thy Name i e. in thy power cast out devils c. A man may counterfeit saving graces even to the life that he may deceive others Rev. 3.1 Thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead Though God is not mocked Quest The Question then is How shall I know whether my holy actions motions and operations do spring from Union with Christ or no Ans 1. To follow the Metaphor of Head and Members If thy holy actions proceed from inward principles 1 Cor. 6.17 Being made one spirit and not outward principles onely As a living hand or foot is moved from invisible nerves and sinews within but a wooden hand or foot is moved onely by outward ligatures by which it is bound to the body So a man may pray and preach and be onely moved by outward ligatures of profit credit envy c. Philip. 1.15 Some preach Christ of envy and strife and some of good will So Mat. 6.1 2 3 4 5. They gave alms and prayed in the streets to be seen of men but he that doth it by vertue of Union is moved by an inward principle of the Spirit of Christ Obj. But may there not be a common gift of the Spirit to move a wicked man as 2 Chron. Ezra 1.1 The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia c. Ans Yes but then it proceeds not from the inhabiting Spirit of God whereof the Elect are the Temple 1 Cor. 6.19 but onely from a present common and transient work of the Spirit as in Baalam so sometimes good and evil spirits have had power to enter into bodies and carry them up and down but yet not to inform them as the Soul informs the Body nor to dwell there c. So the Spirit of God c. Quest How shall I know my Spiritual actions proceed from the inhabiting Spirit Ans By savouring and minding the things of the Spirit Rom. 8 5. They that are of the flesh do minde the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit Though Gods Spirit spake in and by Baalam yet he had no through relish of what he spake for he still loved the wages of
unrighteousness 2. We may know it by the End of spiritual actions if it be the glory and honour of Christ and a care to preserve the things of Christ as the Members of the Body have a principal care of adorning and preserving the Head The Arm receives a blow to defend the Head so a living Member of Christ truly united to him as he goes to Christ for strength Phil. 4.13 so he refers all to the honour of Christ in conclusion another adventures himself far for the truth and cause of Christ as Paul Acts 20. Neither is my life dear unto me so I may fulfil the Ministery of Christ c. So in general Faith lives on Christ 2. In particular Or 2. In particular he lives by Faith in the Application Means 1. His Death 1. Of the Death of Christ for though we have benefit by the Birth of Christ Luke 2.10 11. as we shewed this day fortnight yet not so much as by his death and joy in birth onely in relation to his death He is born a Saviour i.e. one that shall die for your sins Rom. 5.10 Heb. 2.14 Through death he destroyed him that had power of death that is the devil Yet there is joy in his Birth as in the approach of a friend that comes to loose as out of Prison if we be in for Debt or Murther We then rejoyce when he comes to the door but onely in reference to paying of the Debt for if he should then turn back it would sad us the more So in this case Must Aarons ear and hand and foot be sanctified it must be done by the application of the Blood of the Covenant Exod 29.20 Thus our hearing thus our words thus our works thus our walking is sanctified in the application of the Blood of Christ Heb. 9 14. the Blood of Christ purge your consciences 'T is all the price of Blood 2 Cor. 5. ult He hath made him to be sin for us c. Faith sanctifies as by laying hold of the Blood and Death of Christ so of the Resurrection and Life of Christ Means 2. His Resurrection As the Resurrection of Christ is a Birth so he is called The first-born from the dead so the assurance of his Resurrection proved by the powerful government of the Church and of the whole World for the Churches sake in his Session at the Right-hand of his Father this begets a lively hope and so a spiritual new birth in us 1 Pet. 1.3 We are begotten again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead Faith or Hope makes use of Christs Resurrection and this New birth of faith begets a New life of Sanctification Coloss 3.1 If ye then be risen with Christ c. The love of Christ dying for us and rising for us and reigning for us acting all our affairs at the Right-hand of God his Father yea the love of Christ begetting of us to this lively hope by his Death and Resurrection all these constrain us to a holy life 2 Cor. 5. Ver. 14. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that 15. He dyed for all that they which live should not live henceforth unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again Therefore 16. We live no more after the flesh i.e. with carnal and sinful affections And 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature a new man a regenerate person and hath a renewed conversation Therefore Wherefore because he seeing the love of Christ by the eye of Faith in dying for him and rising again this raiseth up his heart to newness of life As if he heard Christ perswading of him like as a tender-hearted mother perswades her childe per viscera by her own bowels If thou art my childe if thou dost own me for thy Mother then obey my commandments and follow my advice so saith the Apostle Col. 3. If ye be risen again with Christ if ye be partakers of a New Birth through the pangs of his Death and the power of his Resurrection if ye be his children if ye acknowledge God for your Father set your affections ow things which are above Phil. 3.20 and let your conversation be in heaven And so the just lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification in the application of the Death and Resurrection of Christ 3. He lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification Means 3. His Appearing and Judgment in the application of the Appearing of Christ and the Judgement of Christ 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom Preach the word be instant c. Look as the warning of an Assize or Sessions makes one careful to provide themselves that their cause may be found good that they may be able to stand in Judgement so in this case The same argument see Tit 2.13 Live soberly righteously c. looking for the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ And 1 Cor. 15. last Theâ—efoâ—e my beloved brethren be ye stedfast c. Wherefore for as much as ye know c. i. e knowing by faith or believing your labour one day shall not be in vain in the Lord. A cause of all sins is made not believing the Judgement 2 Pet. 3.3 4. Where is the Promise of his coming c and a cause of holy walking the believing of it ver 11 12. What manner of persons ought ye to be in all hâ—ly conversation and godliness looking for and hasting to the coming c. Therefore it is observable in Scripture where-ever almost there is mention of the last Judgement it speaks of Christs judging men by the fruits of Faith rather then by Faith it self that the believing of the last Judgement may stir us up to a holy life Mat. 25.35 c. 2 Cor. 5.10 Rev. 20.12 there the Books are opened the Book of Gods Decree and yet men judged according to their works Think of this you that have to do in Judgement this day * other Books must one day be opened It may make a Felix tremble it may move all to be holy and righteous in all their actions Means 4. His Word 4. He lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification in the application of the Word of Christ Without Faith the Word profits not neither this nor any other way but being mixed with Faith Heb. 4.2 it is quick and powerful and mighty in operation 2 Cor. 10 4. to the pulling down of strong holds i.e. proud thoughts earthly thoughts unclean thoughts Joh. 15.3 Now are you clean through the word that I have spoken to you Psal 19. The word of the Lord is clean and endures for ever And as it is clean in it self so it is a cleansing word in the effect
Promises but thou bringst forth fruit of New Obedience to the glory of God Joh. 15.1 2 c. 2. In telling of us or discovering to us 2. Faith discovers what is good Fruit. what is good Fruit. For the Matter Faith tells us what is Gods revealed Will and it layes hold of the Command of God for direction as well as of the Promise of God for consolation Psal 119.66 I have believed thy Commandments and whatsoever is not thus of faith is sin Rom. 14. ult So Faith laying hold of the Word tells me what is my duty as a Magistrate as a Minister as a Master as a Neighbour as a Fellow-Member c. If I do not live by Faith in all these the fruit I bring forth cannot be good Prov. 19.2 That the soul be without knowledge is not good c. 3. In stirring up the Soul to be fruitful 3. Faith stirs up the Soul to be fruitful How First First By guickning Considerations drawn not onely from our duty but from the Promise of God and the glory of God 1. The Promise of God as Moses Heb. 11.26 27. choosing affliction c for he had an eye to the recompence of reward So saith Faith If thou dost this the Promise is thine 2. Glory of God Faith tells the Soul 2 Thess 1. ult Matth. 5.16 Herein is thy heavenly Father glorified if thou bringest forth much fruit Joh. 15.8 Secondly By drawing strength from Christ the Root John 15.4 5. Abide in me c. Nothing without Christ all through Christ Therefore Faith and Prayer sucks strength from Christ Psal 119.4.5 Thou hast commmanded me to keep thy Precepts O that my wayes were so directed c. 4. In timing and seasoning of the Fruit 4 Faith suits all our scruples to a proper season which is a beautiful thing Eccles 3.1 True indeed our whole time is due to God Luke 1.75 Gods Trees are so full of sap that they must bring forth fruit all the year long Yea but yet there are several fruits for several seasons for several moneths Ezek. 47.12 There are several winds which blow upon the Garden of the Heart and cause several fruits to flow out Cant. 4.16 There are gales of the Spirit and gales of Providence Gales of the Spirit Joh. 3.8 The wind bloweth where it listeth so is the Spirit O set up thy sails when thou hast so fair a wind if thou art bound for the Land of Promise Gales of Providence viz. The north-wind of adversity O now bring forth fruit with patience The south-wind of prosperity O now bring forth fruits with joy and thankfulness Besides there are seasons of grace for thy self and for others For thy self see 2 Cor. 6.2 Now is the accepted time c. when God calls by his Word or by his Rod whilest the waters are troubled John 5. then is the time of healing For others in gaining them to bring forth fruit to God Some are made Fishers of mâ—n It is excellent to know the season and the bait to cast out the Net at Gods word and his time Faith teacheth this It is good fishing in troubled waters that is the season As it is with a man ready to be drown'd you must take him when he riseth up and holds forth his hand and cries for help c. Beloved there is no Ordinance no Providence but calls for some seasonable duty at our hands As every day hath its proper trouble Mat. 6.34 so every day hath its proper task and service Now 't is Faith onely that can instruct us and enable us to know our time and take our time As he that believes makes not haste Isa 28.16 So he will not be too slow Heb. 6.12 not slothful Natural men and unbelievers know not their times nor the seasons of their visitation Luke 19.42 c. So nor of their Fructification Natural men know natural seasons of Sowing Setting Planting Plowing every Almanack can tell this But onely the true Believer the spiritual man is instructed in the spiritual good husbandry to know the right seed-time and harvest of Grace and to know the season of every fruit of Grace Eccles 8.5 6. A wise man knows time and judgement c. 5. The just lives by Faith the Life of Fructification 5. Faith ripens the fruits of new obedience in ripening the fruit Faith is a bright beam of the Sun of Righteousness that ripens the fruit of New Obedience without Faith it is but crude and raw fruit yea dead and withered fruit dead Prayers dead Preaching dead Hearing dead Practice dead Works As Faith without Works is a dead faith Jam. 2.17 So Works without Faith are dead works Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God There are works that are called dead works that have all the outward lineaments of good works onely they want life and we are purged from these by the blood of Christ applied and sprinkled upon the conscience by Faith and so there is life put into them and they are made living works fit to be presented to a living God 6. And so lastly He lives by Faith in Fructification 6. Faith procures acceptation of our fruitfulness through Christ in regard of the Acceptation of this fruit when it is presented to the hands of the great Master of the Vineyard Faith presents it by the hand of a Mediator and so 't is accepted which otherwise would certainly be rejected Look as Whatsoever we ask the Father in Christs Name it is granted so whatsoever we present to God in his Name is accepted Gen 27. Jacob gat the Blessing in the garments of his elder Brother Take the same good works for matter Suppose the one presented by the hands of a faithful man the other by the hands of a proud unbeliever whose heart is lifted up in him and he thinks God is beholding to him for his service the one is accepted the other is rejected The Lord had respect to Abel and his offering but to Cain and his offering had he not respect Gen. 4. And what 's the reason of the difference The difference is not in the Offering but the Offerer The one had Faith the other had none By faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain God testifying of his gifts Heb. 11.4 The diversity of the persons makes a diversity in the Present They are like the two Baskets of Jeremiah's figs Jer. 24. The one had very good figs like the figs that are first ripe the other had very naughty figs that could not be eaten they were so bad True Faith dares invite God to eat of the fruit of his own Planting and of his own ripening Though it be not full ripe in it self 't is mellow'd in Christ Cant. 4. last Let my beloved come into his garden and eat of his pleasant fruit Thus the just man lives by Faith the Life of Fructification
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
As a natural death seizeth on all parts heart and all so true Mortification extends it self to all parts of the old man even to the best beloved sin and that which lies next the heart 3. Then there is no more delight in sin 3 Mark Rom. 6. If sin be dead in us we are dead to sin Bury my dead out of my sight said Abraham of his beloved Sarah when she was once dead Gen. 23.4 4. Further let us see 4 Mark if we have proceeded against sin as the avenger of blood in those eight Particulars above-mentioned viz. Is there 1. A rising of the heart against sin 2. A diligent enquiry after it 3. An accusation of it c. Obj. But my sin revives in me rather than is mortified Ans I answer as before VVhen a beast is struck it struggles Besides as Christ died a lingring death so doth a believers sin that is crucified with him There is a long Combate between the flesh and Spirit as there was between the houses of Saul and David Gal. 5.17 2 Sam. 3. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit c. Obj. Yea but there is a combate in the Conscience of Natural men against sin as there is in the Regenerate of the Spirit against the flesh And I am afraid mine is no more how shall I know it Marks of the combate of flesh against Spirit Ans Know it thus 1. By the Cause What is the Cause of this Combate or Trouble of Conscience Is it onely some gross sin or great judgement That may proceed from the horror of natural Conscience But if thy very corrupt frame of Nature troubles thee and its putting forth in the least sins in sinful thoughts in sinful looks c. This combate proceeds from a Nature renew'd by the Spirit of God Rom. 7.23 24. I see a law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde O wretched man that I am c Second Mark of the difference 'twixt a true and false combate 2. By the Aim The aim of a natural man in his combate or wrestling is onely to give sin a foil or at most a fall and he is willing to let it rise again so it will be quiet and not bring him to shame by giving him a fall in the place of lookers-on But the aim of a spiritual man in his combate is not onely to give sin a fall but to kill it and crucifie it He lives the Life of Mortification he desires that all that natural enmity which is in his heart against God Eph. 2.16 may be utterly slain 3 Mark 3. In the Effects and Issue For 1. the combate of a Natural man drives him to false succours When the evil Spirit troubles Saul he runs now to his Musick now to the Witch of Endor Cain to his building of Cities But a spiritual man runs to Christ Rom. 7.25 Who shall deliver me from the body of death I thank God sayes he through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2. The combate of a Natural man endeth usually either in Despair or Dissoluteness The flesh gets the better hand and at last his troubled conscience comes to be drown'd or sear'd But the combate of Spiritual men ends in Victory his conscience is more tender and smites him for the lap of a garment or any small thing and so he gets more power against sin from day to day Though he halts for it yet he gets the victory Vse 3 Thirdly It Reproves all that live not by Faith the Life of Mortification Conviction Reproof to 7 sort of persons 1. Such as rather make peace with sin than fight against it Though the Lord hath sworn that he will have war with this Amalek from generation to generation Exod. 17.16 What is this but to make a Covenant with Death and to be at an Agreement with Hell Isa 28.15 2. Such as in stead of fighting against sin fight for it See also Jer. 44.16 As the Sodomites for theirs Gen. 19. or the Benjamites in defence of theirs Judg. 20. or the Ephesians for their Diana Acts 19. Such take the Devils part and fight against Christ as the Dragon against Michael Rev. 12.7 3. Such as nourish and cherish their Sin as the countryman did the Snake till it sting them to death What Solomon sayes of one Sin may be said of all Prov. 23.32 At last it biteth like a Serpent and stingeth like an Adder These are such as make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it Rom. 13. last 4. Such as seem Neuters in this Christian Warfare Though none are so indeed for all are either with Christ or against him But some seem Neuters as Laodicea Rev. 3.16 that is neither hot nor cold Double-minded men that are unstable in all their wayes Jam. 1.8 Such as the Lord will spew out of his mouth Why halt ye between two said Elijah 1 Kings 18.21 if Baal be God follow him if God be God follow him 5. Such as will chide and rate their Sins and themselves for their Sins as Saul did before David My Son I have done very foolishly and Pharaoh before Moses 1 Sam. 14.16 Exod 9.27 The Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked and Judas did before the High-Priest I have sinned in betraying the innocent blood and yet for all that they spare the life of them They had rather kill themselves than kill their Sins as Saul did and Judas also 6. Such as will restrain Sin or imprison it or binde it to its good-behavior or cast it so bound into a pit as Joseph was cast by his Brethren that the world may not see their wickedness Gen. 27.21 but they are resolved they will never kill it outright No but they plead for the life of it as Reuben pleaded for the life of his Brother Let us not kill him 2 Sam. 18.5 c. Or as David for Absolom Deal gently with the young man Just so men deal with their Sins they are kinde-hearted to their Sins but cruel to their Souls 7. Such as will whip and scourge their Sins and themselves for their Sins but spare the life of it As Papists do by their Fastings Pilgrimages and Scourgings and then presently give a new Indulgence to Sin As the worshippers of Baal cut themselves with knives and lancers 1 Kings 18. So these mortifie the outward man but the inward man is never pricked at the heart Alas it's easier to endure all outward torments than to mortifie one lust The sinner will endure any pain Job 2. so his sin may live Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Now Sin is the very life of a sinner in his own apprehension dearer than his right hand or his right eye 8. Such as deal with their Sins as those Cutters in the 10 of Luke dealt with the Traveller between Jerusalem and Jericho wound them sore and leave
them half dead He that was drunk over night smites upon his breast in the morning as if he and his sin would die together But alas worldly sorrow doth but leave it half dead and therefore no sooner is it carried to a common Inn but presently it recovers life again 9. Such as would be willing to kill some Sins but not all They seem to kill many of these spiritual Amalekites but they spare Agag 2 Sam. 15. and the best of the spoil some fat profitable Sin of Bribery or Oppression or Lying or Over-reaching in Bargains c. this they are resolved to spare But as good never a whit as never the better True Mortification strikes at all Sins Jam. 2.10 He that offendeth in one is guilty of all kill all or we kill none He that onely lops and tops his Sin and never strikes at the root he does but make it grow the thicker and the faster By true Faith are pull'd up vitiorum fibrae the sprigs of wickedness lest any root of bitterness should spring up to the destruction of the Soul Heb 12.15 Vse 4 Fourth Use Let us make use of Faith for this end Exhortation to mortifie sin to mortifie our Sins Not onely as a shield a weapon defensive to defend us from our enemies but as a sword a weapon offensive to kill and destroy our enemies especially our Sins our worst enemies The life of a Christian is a Souldiers life The life of man upon earth is a warfare sayes Job Our first Sacrament is a military Sacrament we take Christs Prest-money to fight manfully against the Flesh the World and the Devil and he that conquers the Flesh will easily conquer the other two And therefore I say with the Apostle 1 Cor 16.13 Behave your selves like Souldiers watch ye stand fast in the faith quit your selves like men be strong in this war Let nothing satisfie but the life of your adversary Lo here is a lawful Murther such an one as is both commanded and commended to mortifie our earthly members And let no man say I have done this already and therefore what need I do any more for this is a work we must be doing to our dying day Natural Corruption is that monstrous Hydra as some Heads are cut off others are still springing up in their room and therefore we must follow our first blow as long as we live We must not be negligent in following the victory Jer. 48 10. Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently and cursed be he that keepeth back his hand from blood And if he be cursed that spareth the life of Sinners when God calls him to their slaughter much more he that spares the life of Sin Therefore that Gods Trumpets may put some life into you in this Spiritual warfare let me adde some quickning Alarms to stir you up to live this Life of Faith in Mortification The Ministers of God were to sound the Alarm before the battel Num 10.8 9. And then some Means or Martial Discipline by which you may know your postures Motives to Mortification First The first Alarm or Motive is Gods Command above all Motives The great General of the Field he gives the Word and therefore we must fall on God speaks as Absolom to his Servants 2 Sam. 13.28 When I say unto you Smite Amnon then kill him fear not have not I commanded you Be couragious and be valiant Motive 2 Secondly Consider the Danger of violating Gods Command 'T is present death in a souldier not to obey the Word of his Commander As it is a great sin to kill where God hath said Thou shalt not kill so 't is as great a sin not to kill where God hath said Thou shalt kill Remember what God said to Ahab 1 Kings 20.42 Because thou hast let go out of thine hands a man whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life If we kill not sin sin will kill us In Col. 3.4 5 6. it is observable that Mortification of sin is set between Life Eternal and Death Eternal As if God should say When I command you to mortifie your sins I set before you Life and Death Life if your sins die and Death if your sins live Motive 3 Thirdly Sin is Gods Enemy as well as ours Suppose sin were our dear friend yet if Gods deadly Enemy we must not spare it Who is on the Lords side said Moses Ex. 32.26 slay every man his brother c. If we be of Christs spiritual kindred we will avenge his blood on sin Sin crucified the Lord of Life Acts 3. Psal 105. this was the iron that entred into his soul God indeed hath appointed a City of Refuge for sinners even for those that murthered the Lord of Life they may hide themselves in the wounds themselves have made but no City of Refuge for sin Therefore follow it to the death Motive 4 Fourthly God will help us in our warfare VVhat encouraged Joshua and Israel to be strong and of a good courage Because God had said I will not fail thee Josh 1. nor forsake thee Take heed you bring not an evil report upon the Lords Battels Num. 13. as the Spies did on the Land of Canaan Our Corruptions are so strong we shall never master them c. But remember it is the Lord your God that fighteth for you therefore be strong and couragious 2 Cor. 10.4 Motive 5 Fifthly VVe are sure of the victory before-hand and so more than Conquerors Rom. 8. This should make us fight with courage 1 Cor. 15.57 Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. As Jehosaphat encouraged the people 2 Chron. 20.17 Ye shall not need fight in this battel set your selves see the salvation of the Lord or as Jonathan himself and his Armour-bearer 1 Sam. 14. So should we though there be the greatest unlikeliness because of the Lords Promise Motive 6 Sixthly It is the Property of all true Christians all that are espoused to Christ thus to do The Soul cannot be married unto Christ unless the first husband be dead viz. The Law and Sin Rom. 7.1 2. Motive 7 Lastly If we die with Christ we shall live with Christ If our old man die with him our new man shall live with him For ye are dead Rom. 6. and your life is hid with Christ in God c. Now who would not be willing to have sin die that Christ may live in their Souls and they in him to all eternity Otherwise if sin live to eternity we must die to eternity If sin be not kill'd here it will never be kill'd In Isa 66. last 't is said of the damned Their worm shall never die Therefore now learn to live by Faith this Life of Mortification Quest It may be thou wilt say I am willing to kill my sins if I knew how what means therefore should I use for I am
labour to grow by the Means that God may continue them to us and that we may leave them as a Legacy to our Posterity after us Q. But what are those Means in the use whereof we be enabled to grow Râ—sp For understanding whereof however it is true we can do as little by any power of our own for the increasing of our spiritual stature as for the increasing of our natural Mat. 6.27 Which of you by taking care can adde one cubit to his stature Yet as we must not neglect eating and drinking and exercise under pretence that we cannot adde a cubit to our stature so we must not neglect the use of spiritual Means under pretence that we can adde nothing to our spiritual stature Q. What are these means then Means of spiritual growth R. If thou wouldst grow plant thy self in a good soil not onely in Christ but under Christ in the society of the faithful Psal 92.13 They that be plaâ—ted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God With the holy thou wilt still be more holy but with the froward thou wilt learn more frowardness The Tree grows not that is planted in the barren heath but that which is planted in a fruitful orchard 2. Mean Much Prayer 2. Be much in Prayer That God would make thee increase and abound in love 1 Thess 3.12 Paul may plant and Apollo water but God gives the increase 1 Cor. 3.6 7. Pray for wholesome showers fair winds and seasonable Sun-shine that thou maist grow 1. Pray for wholsome showers Isa 5. First for wholesome Showers When God would not bless but blast his Vineyard he commands his clouds that they should rain no more rain upon it What are these clouds but the Ministers of his Word Deut. 32.2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain my speech shall descend as the dew as the small rain upon the tender herb and as the showers upon the grass What the Minister draws and exhales out of the deep Fountain of Gods Word is distilled down again by the heat of the Spirit into the hearts of the people and so they grow Secondly pray for fair Winds a good and a wholesome air makes much for growth 2. For fair winds What are those fair Winds but the sweet gales of the Spirit going along with the Word The rain rides along upon the wings of the wind and if the wind of the Spirit do not bring the rain we will never grow so as to be fruitful in Christs Garden Therefore pray with the Church Cant. 4.16 Awake O North wind come thou South and blow upon my Garden that the spices thereof may flow out Thirdly pray for seasonable Sun-shine It is the Sun 3. For seasonable Sun-shine with the rain that makes fruitful 2 Sam. 23.4 The tender grass springs out of the earth by clear Sun-shine after rain The calidum and humidum in a sweet mixture is the life of every creature What is this Sun-shine but the sense of Gods love in Christ warming our hearts Mal. 4.2 The healing wings of the Sun of Righteousness 3. We must Exercise grace much 3 Mean Much exercise as well as pray much or else we tempt God in prayer Bodily exercise is a special Means of natural growth else the best diet does no good So is Spiritual exercise a Means of Spiritual growth Therefore Paul directs Timothy 1 Tim. 4.7 13 14 15. Exercise thy self unto godliness give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Neglect not the gift that is in thee Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all 4. Let the use of all Means be mixed with Faith 4 Mean Use all means in faith The just lives by faith Therefore pray as Luk. 17.5 Lord increase our faith without it no Word nor Sacraments nor Prayer nor any Ordinance can be profitable for increase Heb. 4.2 But the Word did not profit them being not mixt with faith in them that heard it As some meats mixt with some ingredients nourish much so do the Ordinances when mixt with faith As Daniels Pulfe mixt with faith made him look better and grow fatter than those that fed on dainty fare So men living under ordinary Means may thrive better mixing the Word with Faith than those that live under higher enjoyments continuing in unbelief 5 Mean A good stomach 5. Get a good Stomach to thy Spiritual diet if thou wouldst grow Though men have never so good meat yet they thrive not if they have no appetite to it So it is also in Spiritual respects Luk 1.53 He filleth the hungry with good things but the rich he sendeth empty away Mat. 5.6 Blessed are they which hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied 6 Mean Draw influence from Christ 6. If thou wouldst grow thou must be daily applying thy self to Christ thy Head for constant and renewed influence from him As all life so all increase is from the Head Christ is the Head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increases with the increase of God Col. 2.19 7 Mean Applying the Promises of growth and pleading them 7. Lay hold of the Promise of growth and plead it if thou wouldst grow to purpose That is the best growth when there is a growth to a ripe harvest and that is the best harvest that is both ripened and reaped by laying hold of the Promise as the root of all growth Gen. 8. ult Seed-time and harvest shall not fail says God and so he hath said concerning Spiritual seed-time and harvest Psal 126.5 6. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy he that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtlâ—ss come again with rejoycing bringing his sheaves with him Plead this Promise of God when thou perceivest the seed of grace is sown in thy heart but thou mournest for want of growth Lord thou hast promised Seed time and harvest shall not fail c. make this good to my Soul Job 8.7 Thou hast said Though the beginnings of thy people be small yet the latter end shall greatly increase Thou hast said Such as are planted in thy house shall be fat and flourishing Psal 92.13 Thou hast said I will be as the dew unto Israel and he shall grow as the Lilly Hos 14.5 6 7. Thus lay hold upon God and binde him fast in the words of his own Promise and say Gen. 3 2. I will not let thee go except thou bless me with this blessing of growth and then thou shalt certainly finde vertue flowing from Christ in the Conduit-pipe of the Promise By these things do men live Isa 38.16 Mat. 4. 1 Kin. 17.16 even by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God As life comes at the first in a way of Promise so life is increast also thereby from day to day
bringing down Heavenly Notions into Holy Affections and Righteous Actions then you will finde them sweet in the taste and swallow It 's not the looking upon Divine Truths by a meer notional act of the Understanding but the chewing and digesting them by Faith and Love that makes them truly comfortable Thy words were found and I did eat them And thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart Jer. 15.16 Most persons look upon Divine Truths as people in a Market do on Commodities they pass by them or taste a little and cheapen them they onely have the true comfort of them who buy and eat and are satisfied And such are they who digest their knowledge into practice to such it 's the joy and rejoycing of their heart Joh. 13.17 If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Knowledge to a wicked man is as the morning light to a Thief Job 24.17 it 's as terrible as the shadow of death But to a godly man it 's like the morning light to an honest Traveller or Watchman it 's most desired beforehand and its most welcome when it comes And therefore the saving knowledge of God is compared to such a light Psal 130.3 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than the watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning Act Faith therefore to the digesting of knowledge into love and the practice of it Study Affections more than Expressions or Notions 6. In true prizing heavenly joy 6. Act Faith to the true prizing of heavenly joy Such as truly prize the joy of the Spirit shall have plenty of it Now it 's onely Faith sets a true estimate upon the joy of Gods people Heb. 11.25 26. The Spirit of God is a Tender and delicate Guest it loves to make its abode and stay longest where 't is most freely welcome But if we check damp resist quench and grieve that Spirit how can we hope that it should rejoyce our spirits But prize it make it heartily welcome and thou shalt have more of its sweet company and communion The truth is we should prize one comfort from the Spirit more than all the world and then we should finde more than a world of Comforts in that single Comforter who is therefore called The Comforter by way of eminency Thou maist have comfort indeed in a Friend a Brother a Childe a Yoke-fellow but what are all these to the comforts of the Spirit The Spirit is able to comfort without these but these are not able to comfort without the Spirit Prize the comforts of the Spirit and be thankful for them and more shall be given The Primitive Saints prized the comforts of the Spirits so high that they would rather chuse to endure any Tortures from men than part with those comforts from God They were stoned Heb. 11.37 were sawn asunder c. Therefore God made them to rejoyce the more even with Joy unspeakable and full of glory which is not the ordinary lot of all Christians but of suffering Christians They were filled with Heaven when they seemed to sense to be in Hell as if Hell and Heaven were met together in the same persons An Hell of Torments from Satan and his Instruments an Heaven of Joys from God even glorious joys as if the God of this World and the God of the World to come did strive whether Torments or Comforts should get the Victory in the Saints But in conclusion Comforts triumph over Torments Love and Joy is stronger than Death while they die they overcome and are more than Conquerors through Christ that hath loved them They overcame by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives unto death Rev. 12.11 Prize the joys of God in life and thou shalt finde such joy as will drown the sorrows of Death That 's the fifth Means 7. Act Faith to make right use of our Joy 7. In right using joy when had Isa 2.11 Luk. 8.15 when we have it Take heed of too much sail and too little ballast lest you overturn all Rejoyce with reverence And bring forth the fruit of joy with patience lest unfruitful joy be nipt in the bud or turned into sorrow God comforts not his servants for nothing Neb. 8.10 but that the Joy of the Lord may strengthen them and encourage them to service and that they may comfort others 2 Cor. 1.4 with the same comfort wherewith they have been comforted of God And if we use it not to these ends we may soon suffer an eclipse in our comforts Why does God cause the Sun to shine upon the Moon but that the Moon may bestow that borrowed light on this Inferiour World Why does the Sun of Righteousness shine with beams of comfort upon any Souls but that they may communicate the same comforts to others Are ye then who were once darkness made light in the Lord Eph. 5.8 walk as children of light lest God eclipse your comforts Amos 8.9 and make your Sun to set at noon So long as the Cock runs the Fountain freely empties it self into the pipes We are but the Conduit-pipes of Comfort God is the Fountain The more we empty our selves into others comforting others the more will God empty himself into us comforting us The liberal person shall have plenty and he that scattereth shall have rain Prov. 11.25 'T is true of spiritual as well as corporal Alms both are comfortable And he that comforts others shall have the more himself And that 's the seventh and last Means of acting of Faith so as to live the Life of Consolation Thus the just man lives by Faith in regard of Spiritual Life Now thirdlly He lives by Faith in regard of Eternal Life Hab. 2.5 6. The Chaldean lays hold upon this present world ver 5 6. He is all for the body and sins against his Soul ver 10. Hab. 2.10 But Gods people lay hold on that knowledge which shall fill them with glory ver 14. Even the knowledge of the Righteousness of God to Life Eternal For so the Apostle applies this Text to that very degree of Faith Rom. 1.16 17. Not that there is any need of Faith in Heaven or the Means of Faith for these shall cease 1 Cor. 13.8 But because in this life by Faith we lay hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6.12 we have the seal and assurance of it A carnal man says Seeing is Believing but a spiritual man saith Believing is Seeing Heb. 11.1 The work of faith about eternal life Now Faith grounded on the Word of God assures us of Three things about eternal life 1. That there is an eternal life of the Saints after this is ended 2. What the Happiness of this life is and wherein it consists 3. It assures a Believer of his peculiar interest in this life 1. Then Faith assures a Believer That there is
what a glorious sight would it be In Heaven the Saints shall behold the Sun of Righteousness in the highest firmament and the eye of their Soul shall be strengthned to behold his glory to eternity That 's the first Perfection of knowledge 2. Perfect love Faith assures That in Heaven there shall be a Perfection of Love both to God and one another Indeed this follows from the former Perfect knowledge of God begets Perfect Love The Saints then shall love God beyond all measure who is infinitely lovely Here it 's the grief of a gracious heart that it can love God no more there it shall be the joy of a glorious Soul that it shall love God above all yea above it self and both it self and all other things in God And in this respect the Apostle gives Love the preheminence 1 Cor. 13. above Faith and Hope that when Faith shall be turned into Vision and Hope into Comprehension yet Love abideth or endures to eternity Faith assures That in Heaven 3. Perfect obedience Obedience to the will of God shall be perfect and this follows likewise from the former Perfect Obedience springs from perfect Love If ye love me keep my Commandments Joh. 14.15 The Saints knowing God perfectly shall perfectly love him and perfectly loving God shall perfectly keep his Commandments Rev. 22.3 His servants shall serve him ver 4. And they shall see his face Here we see onely the back parts of God In Heaven we shall see him perfectly and serve him perfectly Faith assures 4. Perfect joy That in Heaven there shall be perfect Peace and Joy The Kingdom of Heaven is righteousness peace and joy Rom. 14.17 When our righteousness is perfect then is our Peace too Here indeed imputed Righteousness is perfect but imparted inherent Righteousness is not to be perfected till the life to come and then shall be perfect peace Peace with God with our fellow-Citizens with our own Consciences And perfect joy too At thy right hand is fulness of joy Psal 16. ult A full joy and so a full reward 2 Joh. v. 8. There is a double fulness Of the Object Of the Subject Faith assures the Saints of both First There shall be a fulness of the Subject Fourfold fulness of the subject in glory Every part of Soul and Body shall be filled 1. The Vnderstanding shall be full of light that every question shall then be put out of question 2. The Will so full of subjection to the Will of God that there shall be no reluctancy 3. The Affections so full of harmony there shall be no jarring 4. The Body so full of glory that it shall be made like to the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3. ult Fulness of the Object Secondly there shall be a fulness of the Object The Saints in glory shall have whatever may make them happy whatever they can desire Joh. 14.8 They shall see God and so see the Father as that it shall suffice them They shall have Rest 2 Thess 1.8 And that which hath rest hath obtained its perfection to the full In a word 1. We shall be freed from whatever may annoy us 2. We shall enjoy whatever we can desire Fivefold freedom in heaven We shall be freed c. 1. From all the labours of this life Here we are born to labour Job 5.7 as the sparks to fly upwards There is rest 2. From the Necessities of Nature There is no need of Meat 1 Cor. 15.28 Drink Physick Clothing Lodging God shall be all in all 3. From the filth and power of Sin Here the best cry out Oh wretched c. Rom. 7.24 There we shall never sin more 4. From the company of sinners Here is complaining Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Meshech Ps 120.5 There shall be a perfect separation without any mixture Wheat with Wheat and Tares with Tares like to like to all eternity 5. From all sorrows and pains Rev. 21.4 The life of the best here is an April-day it hath some gleams of comfort but many showers In Heaven shall be constant Sun-shine for evermore Secondly We shall be possess'd of whatever good can be desired There we shall enjoy the sweet society of God Christ Angels Saints and with all these an eternal Sabbath And thus Faith like Moses on the top of Mount Pisgah discovers the promised Land afar off or like the Spies gathers up some Clusters of Canaan and brings them to a Believer here in the Wilderness Thirdly 3. Faith assures That eternal life is the Believers Faith assures a believer of his peculiar interest in this Life Eternal And indeed this is the very life of this life to know our right to this Tree of Life in Jesus Christ For as 't is nothing so comfortable to a man that beholds another mans Temporal Inheritance adorned with Woods Orchards Gardens Rivers and goodly Buildings as to be able to say with good warrant All these are mine I have good Evidence to shew for them So is it nothing so comfortable to be able to discourse of the happiness of Heaven as by the certainty of Faith to say By the grace of God all this is mine I have good Evidence to shew for it Indeed otherwise it 's a punishment nay it 's a part of Hell it 's poena damni to know that there is such a Glory in Heaven while himself hath neither lot nor part in it This is like Balaam's sight of Heaven or Dives his beholding Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham while there was a great gulf between them This I say is part of the Torment of Hell But this is the Life of a Christians knowledge concerning Life Eternal when he can upon good grounds say This is mine The lines are fallen unto me in a pleasant place yea I have a goodly heritage therefore my heart is glad my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope Psal 16.6 9. I know that my Redeemer liveth c. For we know c. 2 Cor. 4.1 Now how is a Christian assured of this his interest in Eternal Life but by Faith For Eternal Life is the End or Ultimate Object of Faith Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your Souls 1 Pet. 1.9 There are indeed many witnesses of it Three in Heaven and three in Earth 1 Joh. 5.7 8 c. And this witness of Faith is one of the Three on Earth The Spirit and Water and Blood The Spirit witnesseth to our Spirits Rom 8.16 By Water is meant the Benefit of our Sanctification By Blood our Justification by Faith in Christ or Expiation by the Blood of Christ applied by Faith and it may here be observed That though Blood alone saves a Christian yet it doth not alone witness his salvation Sanctification goes not into the matter of Salvation as a cause yet it goes into the matter of witness But according to the former Exposition Faith laying
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
persons who in a distemper of melancholly do think they can live without meat and indeed as well may the body live its natural life without meat as the Soul live its Spiritual and Supernatural life without the Word Job 23.12 I have desired the words of his mouth moâ—e than my appointed food the Word of God is the food of the Soul Faith is both begotten and encreased by the Word by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God doth man live Mat. 4.4 The Word of God is like blood in the natural Body Vehiculum Spiritûs The Word The Word the ordinary mean of Faith is the power of God to Salvation to every one that believeth Rom. 1.16 This is the main end of that great Ordinance of the Ministery which was given for the begetting and for the encreasing faith till we all come in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the fulness of Christ Eph. 4.13 And therefore I say attend upon this Ordinance as ever thou desirest Faith make use of these despicable Rams-horns as ever thou desirest the mighty walls of Jericho should fall down for the weapons of the Ministery are mighty through God to the pulling down of all the strong holds of sin and Satan all the Opposites and Impediments of Faith Wait at the Pool of Bethesda Joh. 5.2 5. as ever thou desirest to be cured of thy Spiritual Maladies A Miracle yea a Million of Miracles will not beget faith in thee if that Word do not beget it which was at the first confirmed by Miracles If ordinary and living Preachers do thee no good neither wouldst thou believe if an extraordinary and miraculous Messengers should arise from the dead and preach to thee Luke 16.31 Therefore such as look for faith by Revelation without and beyond the Word certainly this perswasion cometh not of him that calleth Gal. 5.8 Such a perswasion and such a revelation is of Satan and not from God For God saith To the Word and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 Therefore as ever thou desirest true Light and true Faith attend upon the ministry of the Word Object But you will say What part of the Word should we attend upon that we may attain this Promise of Grace Every Word an Object of Faith Answ I Answer in general Every part of the Word of God both Precept and Promise where ever God hath a tongue to speak we should be sure to have an ear to hear Especially the Promise Gal. 3.24 Especially we are bound to attend upon the Promise of the Gospel As for the Ceremonial Law it is abolished it was our School-master unto Christ but no longer As for the Moral Law though it be abolished as a Covenant Do this and thou shalt live Rom. 10.5 if thou do it not thou shalt die so it is abolisht Yet the Apostle tels us in Romans 7. there is still even under the Gospel this use of the Law To convince us of sin and so to shew us our need of Christ Object If it be Objected The Spirit of Christ doth this John 16.8 and therefore what need of the Law How the Spirit Convinceth of sin Ans I Answer The Spirit doth it indeed but by opening and applying the Rule of the Law for so saith the Apostle who himself was guided by the Spirit when he uttered those words Rom. 7.7 I had not known sin but by the Law for I had not known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not Covet Thus the Spirit convinceth by the Law and that so powerfully and effectually when God is pleased to set it home upon any particular soul that he apprehends the Minister speaks so as if he knew his very heart or so as if the Minister spoke to none but him in all the Congregation Now the word thus apprehended doth usually work some measure of humiliation with fear and terrour in some more in some lesse for we prescribe not a certain measure to any Now this though it be but a common work in it self yet where God is pleased to sanctifie it and to set it home it is a means to drive the Soul nearer to Jesus Christ and that by reasoning in this manner O that I should be such a vile wretch to transgress a law so Holy so Just so Good I confesse if God should look upon me in the first Covenant he might justly set open all the Flood-gates of his wrath he might even rain down Hell out of Heaven upon such a vile wretch as I am But What Is there no remedy sayes the perplexed Soul Is there no Balm in Gilead Jer. 8.22 Is there no Physician there that is able to cure a sick and a sinful Soul O yes sayes Christ I am that Physician of greatest value The whole need not the Physitian but the sick Mat. 19.2 for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance The Spirit of God is upon me Luk. 4.18 because he hath anointed me on purpose to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to binde up the broken hearted c. and therefore fear not poor soul I am sent to thee in a special manner my errand is to thee and therefore do not thou run from me but come to me Mat. 11.28 O come to me thou that art weary and heavy laden and I will give rest unto thee What to me sayes the poor dejected soul Is it possible God should intend any mercy to such a dead dog as I am Yes even to thee sayes Christ do but come to me and thou shalt be welcome I have paid all thy debt pacified Gods wrath for all that are willing to receive me and believer in me whateve their sins have been O this now melts the heart of a sinner and now he can mourn for sin as it is sin that ever he should offend such a gracious God Hereupon he comes to be meekly content to use any means that God shall prescribe for his Souls good To wait in hope To hunger and thirst after Christ To sell all that he hath though his all is worth nothing at all yet highly prized by him but this he is well content to part withall even with all his lusts and darlings yea all his best works and self-righteousness Phil. 3.7 8 so he may win Christ and be found in him he is willing to part with all and to count it as dross and dung Now when God of his Free Grace hath brought the Soul to this passe then after that he is pleased to reveal himself in a gracious manner Gen. 45.3 as Joseph revealed himself to his brethren I am Joseph your brother So sayes God Jer. 31.3 I am thy God and Father Lo I have loved thee with
and be in health even as thy soul prospereth Or so as thou wouldst keep the Apple of thine Eye from the least mote or mite of offence Or so as thou wouldst keep thy very life for Faith under God is the very life of the Soul Solomon tells us Prov. 13.3 that he that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life we may as truly say He that keepeth his Faith keepeth his life for The just shall live by his faith Other things a man may be careful to keep and it may be they will prove of very little use when all is done The time will certainly come when thy best friends cannot help thee thy Meat and Drink cannot nourish thee Physicians cannot cure thee thy large Possessions cannot comfort thee yet even at such a time as this if thou canst but lay hold of a Promise thou maist live upon the Word which God hath spoken when thou canst not live upon thy Revenues nor live upon thy Calling nor live upon thy Friends nor live upon the Creatures of Meat and Drink yet even then maist thou live upon thy Faith when the just man can live upon nothing else he can still live upon his Faith Keep Faith therefore for it is thy life Now skin for skin Job 2.4 and all that a man hath will he give for his life If one should deliver a very precious thing into the hand of a Friend with this or the like charge Be sure to keep this about you wheresoever you come and nothing shall be able to hurt you no ill savour or pestilential air shall be able to infect you O how careful would a man be to keep such a Receipt he would keep it as his very life And such a Receipt Faith a spiritual Charm such a Spiritual Charm is Faith he gives this solemn charge Keep your Faith as you would keep your life keep your Faith and nothing shall be able to hurt you Luk. 10.19 Behold I give you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you As this was true of the Faith of Miracles in those days so it is as true of saving Faith in a sound and saving sense at this day Such as keep their Faith in safety shall keep themselves in safety and shall tread down Satan that old Serpent under their feet and nothing shall be able to offend them And therefore where the Holy Ghost makes mention of the greatest troubles that befel the Church he makes mention also of their guard Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints Rev. 13.10 and 14.12 Keep thy Faith therefore and thy Patience as ever thou desirest to be kept in the great hour of Temptation Rev. 3.10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I will also keep thee from the hour of Temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth O remember this will be the comfort It is the glory of a Christian to be found in the faith and the glory of a Christian to be found in the Faith when Christ comes to make a scrutiny either of death or at the general Judgement 1 Pet. 1.7 That the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ It is nothing to say Such a man had Faith or Such a man once made a glorious Profession of the Faith but this is the glory of Christians to be found in the Faith when Christ comes to Judgement This was the height of Pauls ambition to be found in Christ when he came to give up his account Phil. 3.8 9. That I may win Christ and be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the law but the righteousness of God by faith Now he that keeps the Faith and endures stedfast to the end is sure to be found in him and none else Quest But you will say What should I do that I may keep Faith safely and be found in the Faith in the most dangerous times Means of preserving faith 1. Soundness I answer First if thou wouldst be found in the faith be sure to be sound in the faith for unsound things do not use to last long An Apple that is rotten at the Core will soon be gone Apostacy is the usual Catastrophe of Hypocrisie He that would deceive in his Profession is justly deceived of his Salvation That 's the reason the Apostle so often perswades them to be sound in the faith Tit. 1.13 and 2 2. Let us build our Faith upon good ground upon Gods Word and so let us build our hearts upon Faith and not build Faith upon our own deceitful hearts Prov. 28.26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool but whoso walketh wisely he shall be delivered That is the first Rule Be sound in the Faith 2. Trial of it Secondly if thou wouldst keep thy Faith and be sound in it be sure to bring it to the Testimony and examine it to the bottom How do we know things to be sound or unsound but upon their trial Therefore be sure to try thy Faith if thou wouldst have it lasting Faith Some take it for granted their Faith is good and sound whereas if they should but feel the Pulse of it they would finde it very sick and weak It is said of Joseph and Mary Luke 1.41 they went a days journey supposing Jesus Christ to have been in their company but when they came to a through scrutiny they perceived they had lost him and were fain to go back again to seek him It is to be feared many a professed Christian plods on many a days and many a years journey supposing Faith and Christ by Faith to be in their company when if they would make a diligent search they should finde themselves at a loss and such as had need go back again and begin all their work afresh and indeed a man had better begin twenty times than be once mistaken in a matter of that moment Therefore be sure to examine thy Faith at the first as thou desirest to keep thy credit with God or Man A wise Merchant that would keep his credit and keep his estate is often casting up his Books of Accompts but he is like to keep neither of the former that is careless in the latter Be thou therefore this wise Merchant if thou wouldst keep thy Faith to the last be sure to make trial of it at the first How it ought to be tried I shall not now stand to shew you but refer you to that which was said in the particular Use to that purpose Thirdly he that would be kept sound in the Faith 3. Love of the Truth must be sure to love the Truth and to hate every false doctrine for Corruption in
Souls of poor sinners may well be accounted and called Blessed 2. There 's a blessing also from Man If the children of natural Parents how much more shall the children of Spiritual Parents rise up and call them blessed Prov. 31.28 O blessed be God says a poor Soul that ever I heard such a man preach and dispense the Word of Life I was before in the very gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity but blessed be God for such an Instrument that under Jesus Christ was a means to work upon my heart and to draw me out of that wretched condition And thus the blessing of him that was ready to perish comes upon the Spiritual Parent as Job speaks and therefore it is great ground of joy Job 29.13 Secondly 2. The Church of God This is that which doth exceedingly rejoyce the Church of God in general for whoever be the particular Father under God of any mans Conversion that 's most certain the Church of God is the true Mother Zion is daily travailing in pain for the bringing forth of Gods elected ones And never had any Mother in the world more joy in the birth of a childe than the Church of God Jerusalem which is above and is free and is the Mother of us all Gal. 4.26 hath joy in the happy birth of new converted Souls Oh! how she hugs them in her arms and dandles them upon her knees suckles them at her brests as the Lord speaks Isa 66.11 12. Then shall ye suck and be satisfied with the brests of her Consolation ye shall suck ye shall be born upon her sides and be dandled upon her knees As one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem 'T is a comfort to the children 't is a comfort to the Mother no doubt 't is a great joy to both 3. The particuâ—ar Society 3. 'T is joy to the particular Society and place where they live if they understand themselves the Family the Town the City the Kingdom where they live fares the better for such 'T is most true impenitent sinners are very evil Instruments in any Society whereever they come They are the Jonas's the Achan's the Ahab's the troublers of Israel whereever they live they bring plagues and judgements upon others as well as upon themselves One sinner destroys much good Eccl. 9.18 But it is as true on the other side an humble gracious converted Soul brings a blessing with him whereever he comes Laban is blest for Jacobs sake Potiphar is blest for Josephs sake and Zoar is spared for Lots sake and Sodom had been spared too for ten righteous persons if they had been found there The poor godly wise man delivers the City Eccl. 9.15 The innocent deliver the island and it is delivered by the pureness of his hands Job 22.30 and therefore 't is joy to the particular society and place where they live 4. The Angels 4. 'T is joy to the blessed Angels of Heaven As 't is joy to the Terrestrial Angels the Ministers of the Churches so 't is joy to the Coelestial Angels those blessed ministring Spirits who are sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs of Salvation Heb. 1. last Those glorious creatures as they delight to pry into the Mystery of Christ and to preach the Gospel for the first Sermon that was ever preached after the birth of Christ was preach'd by an Angel Luk. 20.10 So they do no less delight in the conversion of Souls by that Ordinance Luk. 15.7 So likewise I say unto you there is joy in heaven in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth Wouldst thou rejoyce Heaven and Earth at once Oh be converted thy self and travail in the Conversion of others Look as those damned Spirits the Angels of Darkness rejoyce in the destruction of Souls Your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet 5.8 O how Hell it self is moved and enlargeth her self at the approach of such new-comers as these Isa 5.14 14.9 So those blessed Angels of Light do no less rejoyce in the Conversion of Souls 5. Nay Fifthly 5. Inferiour Creatures 't is that which after a sort doth rejoyce the very inferiour Creatures they do far more readily and cheerfully serve the godly than the wicked For however they do indeed serve the lusts of wicked men yet it is but a kinde of ravishment and forced service They are made subject to vanity in it Rom. 8.20 because impropriated from their first institution in the state of Integrity For they were appointed at first to serve the Sons of God by Creation Note and therefore in this kinde they do rejoyce to serve the Sons of God by Regeneration yea they do even groan to be made partakers of that liberty that being delivered out of the former bondage of serving the lusts of sinful men they might serve no other but the Sons of God Rom. 8.19 And thus we see it is a most excellent Work because it aims at the most excellent End Reas 5 Fifthly 'T is the most excellent Work because it is a Work that is most pleasing to Jesus Christ and surely It is most pleasing to Jesus Christ that is the most excellent Work that is most excellent in the account of Jesus Christ And I pray why was Christ content to be born in a Stable among the Beasts and to live as a servant and a slave and to die amongst the most notorious Malefactors Nay why did he rise again from the Grave and ascend on High but that he might give gifts unto men for the work of the Ministery for the Conversion of Souls for the perfecting of the Saints Ephes 4.12 And when Christ once sees this Work going forward it does him good at the very heart O now says Christ I have enough now that I see of my Spiritual seed now that I see of the travail of my Soul I am satisfied Isa 53.11 O now I judge all my pains and cost well bestowed I do not repent me of one drop of my Blood that was shed for the Redemption of my dearest People For why did Christ neglect his own Body and Soul but to save the Bodies and Souls of others Simile Writers report of the Pellican that she sprinkles of her own blood upon her young ones when they are dead whereby they revive and recover their former life Whether this be true or no I know not But this I am sure of He that compares himself to the Pellican Psal 102.6 he doth so he revives his people by his own blood by the blood of sprinkling and when they are thus revived O this life of theirs is as it were the life of Christ himself Now I live saith Christ if ye live if ye stand fast in the Life of Faith Reas 6 Sixthly 'T is the most excellent Work because it is the most
a respect and honour due to all those that labour in the Conversion of Souls as private Christians by their private Admonitions Exhortations Counsels Prayers c. wherein they may be singularly helpful to the Ministers of God But principally this is due to those whose peculiar work and calling it is to convert Souls to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath given unto us his holy Spirit 1 Thess 4 8. Vse 2 Vse 2. of Reproof Reproof of Secondly this Reproves many If the Conversion of Souls be such an excellent Work then it Reproves 1 Them that slight this work First Such as slight this Work and make no account of it as if it were not worth the while to Convert Souls 1 Sort. 1. Such as Cloister up themselves in a solitary Monastical life as a state of greater perfection Though they profess the Faith yet they bring forth little fruits of it they are all for Contemplation little for Action all for themselves little for others in the propagation of the Faith Let others sink or swim all 's one to them So they may save their own Souls they care little what becomes of others Gen. 4. But this is not the voice of Faith to say Am I my Brothers keeper 2 Sort. 2. Such are to blame who though they have many opportunities in regard of their frequent converse with men yet they take not those advantages to win Souls They can compass Sea and Land and take all possible advantages to win Proselytes and to win disciples to themselves to win men to their Opinions but not to win them to the Faith to win wealth and to win friends and to win credit and honour but not to win Souls How many of these whilst they seem to lay siege against a sinner make use onely of such carnal weapons of humane Eloquence and fleshly Wisdom whereby they take onely the out-works of mens fancies to win them to themselves but never use such weapons as strike to the heart and conscience and are mighty through God 2 Cor. 10.2 to the pulling down of strong holds and to the taking of the Castle of their Hearts to win them to Jesus Christ All that labour is but vain that tends not to the Conversion of Souls Secondly 2. Them that strive not to win Souls by such means as God hath appointed it Reproves such as strive not to win others to the Faith by fair means or by such means as God hath appointed Gen. 9.27 but force them to the Faith by fear and terror Indeed they rather force them from the Faith than to the Faith Fides non cogitur Faith cannot be forced when we have done all we can Fire and Faggot are Arguments from Rome and Argumets from Hell rather than from Heaven To devote Hereticks as They call them to destruction because they believe not is an argument of a strange spirit You read Luk. 9.54 because the Samaritans would not receive Jesus Christ presently the Disciples James and John were fire and towe against them nothing will serve their turn but that fire must immediately come down from heaven to consume them But in stead of incouragement they meet with a check from Christ ver 55. But he turned and rebuked them and said Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of for the Son of Man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Certainly they are of strange spirits that would send men quick to Hell because they will not be perswaded to go in their way to heaven But this is the way to destroy Souls and not to save them 3. Them that neglect this duty Thirdly It Reproves such as do utterly neglect this great duty of winning Souls unto God And surely if they are wise that labour to win Souls they must needs be fools that do wittingly and willingly neglect it And yet many such there are in the world such as never speak a word from one end of the year to another to their Neighbors or to their Friends nay hardly to their Children Servants or Yoke-fellows to draw their Souls to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ O cruel Husbands and cruel Fathers may such Wives and such Children say as Zipporah said to Moses A bloody husband hast thou been to me And surely if he that hath power to save a man from temporal death and doth not is no better than a murtherer Then he that for ought be knows might save a man from Spiritual and Eternal death and doth not use the means in the compass of his Calling he is no better than a Soul-murtherer in the sight of God His blood says God will I require at thy hands thy life shall go for his life and thy soul for his soul Ezek. 33.7 8. 4. Them that pervert from the Faith Fourthly and lastly Much more then are they to be Reproved who are so far from converting others to the Faith that they do what they can to pervert them In stead of drawing others to God they drive them from God and if they draw them any ways they draw them farther into sin Such men as they do the very office of the Devil himself Look as those that win Souls to God are fellow-workers with God so those that destroy Souls are no better than fellow-workers with the Devil they are Tempters under him and act the Devils part Prov. 1.11 Come say they let us lay wait for blood let us lurk privily for the innocent without a cause c. Cast in thy lot among us and let us all have one purse Such men as these think it not enough to be Thieves and Drunkards and Adulterers and Blasphemers and Contemners of Gods Ordinances themselves but do what they can to draw others to the same sins and to make them sevenfold more the children of Satan than themselves What are your own sins too light that you do thus cry for more weight not to ease your pain but to increase it for such as are partakers of other mens sins shall certainly be partakers of other mens judgements Rev. 18.4 Oh! that there should be such an itch in this Spiritual Plague-sore to infect others to make them as sinful and as miserable as themselves O hear and fear and tremble thou that makest it thy work to tempt others so sin against God For if they shall not escape that have not furthered the Salvation of others where shalt thou appear that hast furthered the damnation of others and sent them post to Hell I say where shalt thou appear unless thou repent and be deeply humbled for this thy superlative wickedness And surely if ever thou dost repent thou wilt be ready to admonish thy fellow-Drunkard or Adulterer or Blasphemer that they may become partners with thee in thy Repentance that have been partners with thee in thy sin The
Abraham Gen. 22. And the woman of Canaan Matth. 15.28 Both were patterns of strong faith in two very eminent tryals By these therefore and the like rules we may examine our faith whether it be upon the growing or decaying hand Quest But some will say Suppose my faith be weak and feeble what means should I use that I may increase it Means for the increase of Faith Answ The first is by an assiduous and diligent attendance upon the Word of God which in general is called the word of Faith 1. Attendance on the Word not onely because it begets faith at first but because it doth nourish it afterwards till a believer comes to his full growth Ex eisdem nutrimur ex quibus constamus We are nourished by the same means by which we are begotten at the first The Word is the immortal seed to beget our faith 1 Pet. 1.23 Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever And the Word is the heavenly Milk to nourish it 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby It is observed Thomas was but once absent and he lost much of the confirmation of his faith Joh. 20.24 25. Remember the charge 2 Tim. 4.2 Preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine And the Promise Prov. 8.34 35. Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors For who so findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. Therefore the Apostle professeth what great desire he had to see the Thessalonians and to preach to them to that end that he might perfect that which was lacking in their faith 1 Thess 3.10 And it was his last farewel to the Ephesians when he told them they should see his face no more Acts 20.32 And now brethren saith he I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified As if he had said Look as by the preaching of the Word of God I laid the first foundation of Faith amongst you so now I commend you in my prayers to the same God and to the guidance of the same Word which God and which Word or which God by his Word is able to build you up in the Faith till you come to your journeys end even till you come to enter upon the possession of your heavenly inheritance among all them that are sanctified And this is the first Means The second is the Promise 2. Promises of the increase of faith an especial part of the Word for Faith lives by the Promise as the just man lives by Faith Obj. Some say Where have you any Promise that Gods People shall believe Or if they do believe where is any Promise that they shall grow and increase in the Faith Ans To satisfie these men they may look upon both in one Promise Rom. 1.17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written The just shall live by his faith The Apostle in these words affirms two things 1. That Gods People are made righteousness in the sight of God not by any inherent righteousness of their own but by the righteousness of God supernaturally revealed by the Word and Spirit of God and applied by Faith 2. He affirms That this Faith is ever upon the growing hand And so God will shew himself righteous in making good his Promise for the increase of faith The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith that is in causing Gods People to grow from one degree of faith to another The like phrase is used Psal 84.7 They all go from strength to strength that is from one degree of strength to another So 2 Cor. 3.18 We are changed into the same image from glory to glory that is from one degree of glory to another Note God is righteous in causing his People to grow in faith according to his Promise It is true that by faith we are first grafted and planted into Christ as the Gospel speaks And it is as true that the Psalmist speaks They that are once planted in the house of the Lord shall grow and flourish in the Courts of our God Psal 92.13 14. And why so what is the Reason of this growth in Faith and Grace It follows in the very next words ver 15. To shew that the Lord is upright and that there is no unrighteousness in him The very same in effect with that expression of Paul The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 and therefore the next way to increase faith is to act faith in these and the like Promises which God hath purposely made for the increase thereof 3. The Sacrament The third Means is the Sacrament especially the Sacrament of the Lords Supper This is the Sacrament of Confirmation for the Word begets Faith and the Sacrament is the Seal of the Word and the Seal of the Covenant or the visible Word Rom. 4.11 and so it confirms Faith Men do not use to set a Seal to a Writing or to a Covenant before the Parties be agreed or to make them agree but to stand as a sure Testimony of their former agreement or stipulation each to other and that they may the better trust one another for the real performance of the Covenant on both sides So God doth not ordain this Seal to be set to a blank before there be any Covenant made for what is that but to mock God and to tell a real lie to seal to a Covenant when there is no such matter betwixt God and the Soul but God ordained it to confirm our Faith in the Covenant already made And we may say of Gods Seal what the Scriptures speak of Gods Oath it is for Confirmation Heb. 6.18 19. Wouldst thou have thy Faith confirmed and strengthned O come in faith If God ordain Rams-horns for the pulling down the Walls of Jericho Josh 6.5 Lamps for the overthrow of the Midianites Judg. 7.20 Jordan for the curing of Naamans Leprosie 2 King 5.10 Pulse for the nourishing of the three young men Dan. 1.12 These means shall be effectual and so shall the Sacrament Onely let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. Examine you 'll say What should he examine Examine two things in order to the Sacrament Let him examine his Meat and let him examine his Mouth and his Stomack 1. Let him examine his Meat whether he can see and discern the Lords body under those Elements or no for he that doth not so 1 Cor. 11. stands guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ in profaning that holy Ordinance which is