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
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
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
enough that my nearest or dearest friend applyes these to himself that will not heal me nor feed me nor cover my nakedness Every man lives by his own eating and drinking is covered and kept warm by his own garments so the just lives by his own Faith Reas 2. Because he that hath the most Faith hath none to spare for another man and therefore every man must live by his own Faith They are guilty of pride and folly proud Fools that think they have faith enough and grace enough both for themselves and others 't is the Prerogative Royal of the King of Saints to justifie others by his Righteousness And though they may seem to be humble that would be beholding to another for such a favour yet they are but humble fools Mat. 25.8 the foolish Virgins said to the wise Give us of your oyl of your faith and grace For the wise answered Not so lest there be not enough for us and you They had enough for themseves they had none to spare for others He is a foolish Souldier that being to go into the field with a wise and vigilant Commander thinks to borrow Arms of his fellow-Souldier if his fellow-Souldier would part with them his Commander will never suffer it Every Souldier must appear at the general Muster with his own Arms Every Christian Souldier I am sure must else there is no looking Christ in the face who is the great Lord General of the Field and the Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2. Every Souldier must appear compleatly armed Eph. 6.11 Put on the whole armour of God and ver 13. Take unto you the whole armour of God Mark first every Souldier must have it 2. Put it on 3. He must put on all 4. Above all the shield of Faith ver 16. So that every Christian Souldier must be armed with his own shield of faith he must either stand or fall to his own Master viz as he appears in this posture or otherwise Now shall we come to the Use Rules about living by a mans own faith But before to speak something by way of Caution 1. In the Amplification 2. In the Restriction of this Truth Part. 1 First for Amplification for the right understanding of it here observe these Particulars First Not so a mans faith but still it is Gods he is both the Author and the Finisher of our faith 'T is the faith of the operation of God Col. 2.12 Hence God will have us see our own backwardness both first and last what ado to believe at first what ado to keep it when we have it how oft at such a loss that if the mighty power of God should not revive our dead faith we and our faith should both dye together VVe are kept through faith but it is by the power of God to salvation 1 Pet 1.5 So that if at any time we glorifie God by believing we may say as David 1 Chron. 29.14 Of thine own have we given thee we live indeed by our own faith but so our own that it is Gods more then ours Eph. 2.8 By grace ye are saved through faith and that is the gift of God Part. 2 Secondly A man doth not so live by his own faith but in temporal respects the faith of another man may do him good Masters by their faith obtained healing for their Servants Parents for their Children Mat. 15.28 O woman great is thy faith Mat. 9.2 Jesus seeing their faith healed the sick of the Palsey Gods people for the town or place where they live The innocent i. e. the faithful doer shall deliver the Island Job 22. ver last Gen 18.32 If ten righteoous persons shall be found there I will not destroy it for ten sake Especially in Magistrates Moses Numb 14. Hezekiah Isaiah 37. put up prayers and God saved the people and places they praid for Then Phineas executed judgement appeased God by faith and so the plague was stayed Psal 106.30 Part. 3 Thirdly In spiritual respects also another mans faith may do good in the exercise of it Parents faith may do much for the spiritual good of their children By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come and By faith Jacob blessed both the sons of Joseph Heb. 11.20 21. They plead a kinde of hereditary right by the grand Charter As the Devils Covenant runs much in a blood many times where there is a curse upon a family so Gods Covenant where there is a blessing Gen. 17.7 I will bless thee and thy seed after thee And so Rom 11. They are beloved for the fathers sake i.e. for Gods promise of Free-grace made unto the Fathers and pleaded and sued out by the faithful Parents have God upon the hip to speak with reverence when they wrestle with him in Prayer for their children So you reade of an hereditary faith as of hereditary temporal possessions and 't is a strong hold if the Livery be sued out I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith which is in thee which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice 2 Tim. 1.5 'T is a strong pair of bellows to blow up the grace of God to a great flame So in the Ministery who are spiritual Parents faith may do much good exercised in Preaching and Prayer to beget the like faith in others as one Candle lights another or one Natural Life begets another so one Spiritual Life begets another by the immortal seed of the Word warm'd and inlivened by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 4.15 Though you have ten thousand instructers in Christ yet not many fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel Hence the Apostle writing both to Timothy and Titus useth great boldness of speech 1 Tim. 12. To Timothy my own son in the faith 1 Tit. 4. To Titus my own son after the common faith sayes he That faith which was in Paul did beget the like faith in Timothy and Titus Part. Fourthly A man may have much more comfort and glory also by the faith of other men than otherwise he should have when he under God hath been an instrument of it 1 Thess 3.7 8. Brethren we were comforted over you in all our afflictions and distress by your faith for now we live if you stand fast in the Lord. See the Apostle did even live by their faith i.e. far more comfortably than otherwise he should have done Phil. 4.1 My brethren dearly beloved and longed for my joy and crown so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved The Apostle calls the believing Philippians his joy yea his crown of rejoycing his Crown not onely here but hereafter to all eternity Dan. 12.3 They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever O how should this quicken us to the duty Jam. 5.19 20. Brethren if any of you do erre from the faith and one convert him let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the
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
supporting and chearing the hearts of his People in time of afflictions God comforts his People in this manner that they may comfort others by their own experience Like Birds that having found a heap of Corn never leave their chirping till they have called in their fellows to partake of their Banquet 2 Cor. 1.14 Blessed be God who comforteth us in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them that are in any trouble by the self-same comforts whereby we our selves are comforted of God As if God should say to his afflicted fainting Servants Lo here is a Cordial from Heaven drink of it your selves and when you have done write upon it Probatum est and so commend it to your Christian friends Thou being converted and comforted strengthen thy brethren And these be the Reasons why God will have the just live the Life of Consolation 2. Why Consolations come by Faith 2. But then why are they said to live this Life by Faith There are many weighty Reasons of this also as Because Faith the hand that takes hold of this Cup it takes hold of the right object of Consolation or if you will Reas 1 First of all because Faith is a powerful hand to keep off all such things as are comfortable and so to arm us against all discomforts For that must needs be a great comfort that doth arm the Soul against all discomforts and so doth Faith for it is a supporting hand to our burthened Souls Faith is Omnipotent in the strength of God Nothing is impossible to him that believes Mark 9.23 An establishing hand to the wavering Soul it is a protecting hand to the weak Soul 'T is a Supporting Hand to the overburthened Soul 1. Faith is a supporting hand It is Faith that teacheth a man to cast the burthen of his care upon God Psal 37.5 And what a hearts ease and what a comfort is this They must needs have a light heart that are eased of such burthens Faith is like the Cup of Consolation which the Jews gave to the friends of the deceased that they may drink and forsake sorrow Jer. 16.7 Neither shall men give them the Cup of Consolation for their father Prov. 31.6 Give wine to those of heavy hearts 'T is an Establishing Hand to the wavering Soul 2. Faith is an establishing hand It cures the Soul of the Spiritual Palsie when it quakes and quivers up and down is full of fears and doubts and knows not where to fix or stay it self Fix thy self here saith Faith fix thy self upon God fix thy self upon his Word this will stay the wavering Soul as a Ship at Anchor in the midst of the winds and waves of Temptation Heb. 6.19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the Soul stedfast and sure which entreth into that within the veile I appeal to such as have been tost at Sea to tell you what a comfort it is to have a sure Anchor in a Storm and such is the comfort of a Christian by the Anchor-hold of his Faith Psal 112.6 7. Surely he shall not be moved for ever he shall not be afraid of evil tidings Why His heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. His heart is established he shall not be afraid So Faith is an establishing hand to a wavering Soul 'T is a Protecting Hand to the weak Soul 3. Faith is a protecting hand It is such a Hand as not onely holds a childe but it is a Shield it self to bear off all blows Now is it not a comfort to have such a Shield and such a Shield is Faith Eph. 6.16 It doth not onely bear off all blows from wicked men Psal 56.4 In God have I put my trust there is the Shield What follows I will not fear what flesh can do unto me but it bears off all blows from wicked Spirits Eph. 6.16 Above all taking the shield of faith whereby ye shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one It is a safe guard from all evil Psal 99.9 Because thou hast made the Lord thy refuge even the most High thy habitation there shall no evil befal thee nor any plague come near thy dwelling Yea it bears off all blows from God it hath such a piercing eye it can see a Fathers heart under a seeming Enemies hand Though he kill me yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 And so the shield of Faith is not onely useful all our life but 't is Armour of Proof against the stroke of death And so it is a Protecting Hand to the weak Soul It is every way a powerful hand to arm against all discomforts and so an argument of no small comfort to a true believer Reas 2 The second general Reason why the just lives the Life of Consolation by his Faith Why Consolation comes by Faith is Because Faith is a Powerful Hand to draw into the Soul all necessary Comforts Faith lays hold on the right Object of Consolation it lays hold on that God who is the Fountain of all light and life Psal 36.9 With thee is the fountain of life and in thy light shall we see light 1. Faith lays hold on God the Father 1. Faith lays hold on God the Father who is called the Father of Mercies and the God of all comfort and consolation the Beginning of all Divine Operations As all Rivers come from the Sea so all streams of Comfort come from God the Father 2. Faith lays hold on God the Son 2. Faith lays hold on God the Son as the Conduit-pipe or Channel through whom all comfort is derived from God the Father to the Souls of his People For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell that of his fulness we might receive as grace for grace so comfort for comfort for he was anointed with the oyl of gladness as well as with the oyl of grace above his fellows that he might appoint to them that mourn in Sion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning and the garment of praises for the spirit of heaviness Isa 61.3 And hence it is that Christ is called The Consolation of Israel Luk. 2.25 because all Gods People receive their comfort from him As all Stars borrow their light from the Sun so all the Saints borrow their light from him who is called The Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing under his wings But how do they receive this comfort from Christ it is by Faith for Christ dwells in their hearts by faith Ephes 3.17 As he is a comfortable guest so 't is Faith that receives him and bids him welcome when he is come 3. Faith lays hold on God the Holy Ghost Gal. 3.2 3. Faith lays hold on God the Holy Ghost Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith As if he should say
do them What superlative degree of wickedness is this to make that the object of our joy that should be the object of our greatest sorrow Psal 119.136 Rivers of tears run down mine eyes because men keep not thy law 2. They rejoyce in the comforts of the Creatures not that it is unlawful to rejoyce in the Creature but it is then unlawful when it draws the Creature further from God When men so rejoyce in Corn Psal 4. and Wine and Oil c. that the light of Gods countenance and the consolations of God seems small and of no account to them In this case God will either return and take away these comforts from them or else will give them no other portion in this life which is worst of all Repr 4. To such as refuse comfort upon the Promises It Reproves such as refuse to be comforted by a Promise unless they may have present performance These live not by Faith the Life of Consolation though they have Gods Hand and Seal and Oath for it too All is little to their esteem Is it not a shame that a covetous wretch can take so much comfort in his Bonds and Bills though he have little or no Money in his Coffers because he knows those Bonds and Bills will fetch in the Money it self in due time and yet a Believer that hath so strong a Bond from the God of Truth sealed with the Blood and Spirit of the Lord Jesus should be so dejected and onely because he wants the present possession of that which God hath reserved for a better time and for which he hath given all sufficient Security in the mean time The strong Obligations of God should bring in the Souls of Believers strong Consolation Repr 5. To such as go for comfort to false Prophets Such are to be Reproved who in stead of living by Faith which is ever grounded on the word comfort themselves in false Doctrine and false Prophets Ezek. 13.10 17 18. They have seduced my people saying Peace and there was no peace as affirming That God sees no sin and that there needs no sorrow for sin like them 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die Such smooth words smother mens Souls in a feather-bed of security Vse 3 For Exhortation Exhortation First to live the Life of Spiritual Consolation c. Secondly To make much of Faith because by the exercise of this grace we live this Life 1. 1. To live this life of Comfort For Exhortation to live this life of Spiritual Consolation One would think one should need no perswasions to this But the truth is Some make as much of their sorrow as some do of their joy They think they do well to be sorrowful as Jonah thought he did well to be angry But let such know it is their duty to labour to live the Life of Consolation Shall I give you some Motives to perswade to this Mot. 1 1. It is Gods Command Son be of good comfort thy sins be forgiven thee Mat. 9. â— If a creature lives the Life of Justification he is commanded to live the Life of Consolation Q. Why do we exercise the affection of love or hope or fear c A. Because God commands us By the same reason we should exercise the affection of spiritual joy because of Gods command Rejoyce in the Lord evermore and again I say rejoyce Phil. 4.4 Mot. 2 2 Motive is from the End and Vse of it Spiritual joy is very useful it is like oyl to the wheels in all duties it makes a Christian strong and active in the work of the Lord Nehem. 8.10 The joy of the Lord is our strength Therefore the Apostle puts Rejoyce continually 1 Thess 5.16 17. before Pray continually Mot. 3 The third Motive is drawn from the excellent Properties of this heavenly joy above all natural worldly The joy of a believer excels all natural worldly sinful joy in 10 properties or sinful joy It is more Solid and Substantial more Rational it is more Spiritual it is Greater it is Stronger it lasts Longer it is Pure and it is sure it is Fresher and Wholesomer and therefore more desireable in every respect It is more Solid and Substantial A wicked mans joy is very overly vain and vanishing he sets a good face on it outwardly when he hath a full sorrowful heart Prov. 14.13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful But a godly man sets the worst side outward when his outside is full of afflictions and persecutions and infirmities his inside his heart is full of joy Carnal men are Quasi gaudentes they carry themselves so as if they were the merriest men in the world and yet are truly sorrowful But godly men are Quasi dolentes As sorrowful yet alway rejoycing 2 Cor. 6.10 2. A rational joy A godly mans joy is more Rational A carnal man as he is unreasonable in his rage and persecution 2 Thess 3.2 so he is unreasonable in his joy The mirth of such men as Solomon speaks in his Book of Ecclesiastes is no better than madness Is not he a mad-man that rejoyceth to see his own house on fire and after that to throw fire-brands up and down the Town So it is with every sinner Prov. 26.18 19. As a man-man who casteth fire-brands and arrows and death so is the man that sins against his neighbor and saith Am not I in sport It 's a most irrational and absurd joy But a godly man's joy is a most rational joy his Affection is ruled by his Reason and his Reason is sanctified and therefore regulated by Grace God commands him to rejoyce bids him wâ—lcome to all comforts Temporal Spiritual and Eternal and therefore he hath good reason to rejoyce His joy is Rational 3. A spiritual joy It is most Spiritual The joy of Carnal men must needs be carnal and sensual like themselves they can a little rejoyce in corn Psal 6 7. and wine and oyl in Creature-comforts that affect the senses But a godly man rejoyceth in the light of Gods countenance in the want of all other things which must needs be a more excellent joy as the object is most excellent Spiritual joy is the joy of Angels there 's joy among the Angels in heaven over one sinner that repenteth Luke 15.10 But sensual joy is common with us to the very Beasts they delight in meat drink and sensual pleasures 4. A great joy It 's a Greater joy A Carnal man if he hath any joy at all it is very small it 's like the joy of a man that dreams he is Rich and Honourable and Victorious when indeed he is poor and base and servile which joy as it is a false so 't is a slender joy in comparison of his who is truly rich honourable and victorious God threatens the enemies of his Church Isa 29.8 that it shall be with them as with an hungry
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
on the Lords day You cannot have a more lively resemblance of heaven on this side heaven than is a Sabbath sanctified in an heavenly manner It onely differs in degrees of glory and durance for what is heaven but an Eternal Sabbath and what is a Temporal Sabbath but a short a little Heaven Therefore be careful to sanctifie the Sabbath as thou desirest in a lively manner to live by Faith in regard of Life Eternal The great Cloud of Witnesses in Gods manifold blessings temporal and Spiritual upon such as carefully sanctifie the Sabbath and his many remarkable judgements in both kindes upon those that profane it or contemn it doth proclaim a necessity of keeping this Rest as ever we desire by Faith to enter into that other Rest Heb. 4.9 which yet remaineth for the people of God Our delighting to sanctifie Gods Sabbaths on earth gives full assurance to our Faith grounded upon Gods Promise that we shall enter into Gods eternal Rest in Heaven For so runs the Promise Isa 58. last If thou call the Sabbath a delight c. then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth that is in sure and safe places that 's for earthly blessings and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father that is with a heavenly inheritance For what is the heritage of Jacob but Canaan in the Type and Heaven it self in the Antitype Dost thou desire then to be assured of heaven by Faith if God raise up thy heart to delight in the sanctifying his Sabbath upon right grounds I can assure thee from the mouth of God that heaven is thine Thou shalt certainly be fed with the heritage of Jacob for as it follows in the very next words The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it And so much for Exhortation Vse 5 Vse 5. Of Comfort Comfort from our heavenly life 5. Here is Comfort and Encouragement against the Evils and Temptations of this present Life As our days are few so full of evil and tentation There are tentations on the right hand as well as on the left I mean Temptations of Prosperity as well as of Adversity The best things of this present life prove the worst without Gods special grace preserving the Soul Now living by Faith in respect of Life Eternal is a singular means to preserve the Soul under Temptations of both kindes Against Adversity First under the Tentations of Adversity which lie so sore and heavy upon the poor creature that if its hope were onely in this life it could not but apprehend it self of all creatures most miserable 1 Cor. 15.20 Hear what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 4.11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling-place and labour working with our hands being reviled we intreat being persecuted we suffer we are made as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things unto this day This is the common Lot of Gods people in this world and therefore if their hope were onely in this life they were of all men most miserable Yea but the assured hope of a better life bears up their heads and hearts from sinking in the midst of all these waves For thus he that lives by Faith in regard of Eteral Life will reason What though I hunger and thirst here and am pinch'd with famine yet I shall come to such a place where I shall hunger and thirst no more Rev. 7.16 Though I be ragged and naked here I shall be clothed with Robes of Righteousness there Though I am buffeted here yet those marks of the Lord Jesus those scars I received for his Names sake shall appear like so many Stars of Glory Though I labour here even unto faintness and failing of spirits yet I shall rest from all my labours when I come there And though I have no certain dwelling-place or if I have I know not how soon I shall be turned out of doors by my earthly Landlord or by my heavenly Landlord yet there I have a building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 Though here I be reviled and though I be defamed here yet there God shall wipe away all reproach from my name as well as all tears from mine eyes for Psa 1 49. Such honour have all his Saints Though I be persecuted here afflicted and tormented yet I know my sufferings for Christ have not so much abounded in this life but my consolation in Christ shall much more abound in the life to come If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him 2 Tim. 2.12 Though I be here made the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things yet I know I shall have honour enough there when I shall be glorified in Christ and Christ shall be glorified in me When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe 2 Thess 1.10 Though I am ignorant here and at the best know but in part yet I shall have fulness of knowledge there and shall know as I my self am known Though here I am imperfect in all my graces and in all my duties so that there is more of sin than of grace in every duty yet there I shall never sin against God any more never grieve his Spirit more dishonour his Name more When that which is perfect is come 1 Cor. 13.10 that which is imperfect shall be done away Now what a comfort and encouragement is this in the midst of all our Troubles either of sin or of affliction Here we are sure to drink of a bitter cup Ye shall indeed drink of the cup which I drink of saith Christ but the Meditation and Application of Life Eternal by Faith is a Christians Sugar which is fetcht out of the Canaries of Heaven to sweeten this bitter Cup. Here we are sure of a troublesome Pilgrimage we pass through the valley of Tears but the Meditation and Application of Life Eternal by Faith will be like Elijahâ— Chariot or like Jacobs Ladder in his troublesome journey to Padan-Aram When he slept upon the stone he had a hard Pillow but a sweet Dream whilst God made his Bed he dreamed and behold a Ladder c. And what a refreshing was this to Jacob in his troublesome journey As if the Lord had said to him Jacob thou hast a long journey to go thou must not onely go to the remote parts of the earth but thou must travel as far as heaven how will you ever get thither where will you finde a Ladder long enough and strong enough If all the Ladders in the world were tied together can they reach thither Canst thou rear them up or darest thou venture upon them Shouldst thou joyn together all thy good desires all thy good Prayers and all thy good Works
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
would not believe the comfortable Promise that was brought to him from God by the Prophet Isaiah what saith the Scripture Isa 7.13 Is it a small thing for you to weary or grieve men but ye will weary my God also And with whom was God grieved fourty years in the Wilderness was it not with them that sinned through Vnbelief Heb. 3.17 Suppose a rich man should freely invite all the Poor of such a Town to a feast with Promise of kind and hearty welcome if they will but come c. Upon the Invitation first one and then another should begin to make exceptions against themselves and say Surely he did not intend that I should come c. If I do I 'll be sure to eat nothing I cannot think he should bid me welcome or if he do that he means as he says I am so unworthy I have nothing to pay for my entertainment Would not this grieve the Master of the Feast and displease him Might not his displeasure turn into wrath Luk. 14.21 24. The Master of the house was angry and said None of those men which were bidden shall taste of my Supper Doth God say Whosoever will let him eat of the bread and drink freely of the water of life Isa 55 1. Rev. 22.17 and shall any of us say Though I hunger and thirst also I cannot believe the Promise belongs to me How do we quench and grieve the Spirit of God by our Unbelief Thirdly 3. It pleases the Devil it 's a sin that doth exceedingly please the Devil It was the very first sin he tempted our first Parents to and 't is the main of all his Temptations to this day Let the Word be preach'd never so powerfully yea But is this true saith the Devil The Devil doth what he can to bring God out of credit with his People Luke 8.12 These by the high-way are they that hear then cometh the Devil and taketh the Word out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved Mark the Devil knows that without Faith there is no Salvation therefore he that is an enemy to the Salvation of People is as great an enemy to Faith Thou canst not do a greater pleasure to the Devil than to say I question whether this be true or no or whether God will make this Promise good to me though I should cast my self upon the Word of his Free-grace O Christians think of this think seriously of this how you rejoyce that wicked Spirit The Father of Lies and how you grieve and vex the holy Spirit of God The Spirit of Truth by your Unbelief Fourthly consider the sin of Unbelief 't is a Mother Sin As the Devil is the Father so Unbelief is the Mother of all other sins The brood of Unbelief Unbelief was first the Devils Bastard and then he makes it his Concubine and by his incubation upon an unbelieving heart he begets a world of other sins As 1. Ignorance First of all Wilful and affected Ignorance For if the Devil can but perswade a Soul either that the Word is not of God or that it belongs not to it self in particular then the next Temptation is To what purpose shouldst thou labour for the knowledge of such a Word that concerns thee not And therefore Unbelief and Ignorance are coupled together and both proceeding from the Devil 2 Cor. 4.3 4. But if c. in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them Whereby it comes to pass that so many are ignorant in the midst of so much light 2. Security Secondly another dangerous sin the off-spring of the Devil and of Unbelief is Sinful Security The Devil begets this sin upon an Unbelievers heart and when he hath done he rocks the Cradle When God threatens and the awakened Conscience begins to cry then Peace peace Gen. 3.1 saith the Devil Yea hath God said Ye shall die if ye eat of the forbidden fruit I say Ye shall not die The words of the Prophets are but wind Jer. 5.13 what need ye regard or fear the threatning Indeed God hath said The Drunkard shall be clothed with rags Prov. 33.21 Isa 33.1 The spoiler shall be spoiled and The flying Roll of Gods curse shall enter into the house of the Thief and of him that sweareth falsly by the Name of God Zech. 5.4 But do you not see threatned folk live long saith the Devil Doth not many a Drunkard Oppressor Thief and Swearer live many a fair day And thus the poor Soul is presently rock'd asleep again in its Unbelief and becomes resolute in an evil way Eccl. 8.11 Because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil They are secure in the midst of danger they fall asleep upon the top of the Mast Thirdly 3. Worldliness another dangerous sin springing from Unbelief is Worldly-mindedness for if we believe not what is promised concerning Heaven or what is threatned in regard of Hell why then saith Demas let us embrace this present world Let Noah preach of Judgement to the old World and righteous Lot to the Sodomites so long as their words seem to them as idle tales there 's no care to prevent the imminent Judgement but all their care is how they shall live another day when it may be they have not a day to live They ate they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded they were all for the world even to the very day that those dreadful Waters upon the one and that terrible Fire upon the other came down from the Lord out of Heaven And all this because of their Unbelief Fourthly 4. Hypocrisie another dangerous sin the fruit of such a cursed Parent is Gross Hypocrisie Counterfeit Faith ever springs from real Unbelief for durst a man make shew of Religion to serve his own turn and to serve his own lusts as many men do if he did believe that God was a God searching the heart and the reins and such an one as would smite all painted walls and whited sepulchres he durst as well eat fire as do such a thing O saith many a vile wretch I carried my self like a Saint whilst I was in their company and yet it may be the same man at another time and in another company carries himself more like a Devil incarnate than a Saint And why so from whence springs this gross Hypocrisie but from gross Unbelief For had he but Faith to believe the Omnipresence of God he would labour to be the same at all times and in all companies Fifthly 5. Heresie another dangerous sin the Daughter both of Unbelief and Hypocrisie is Heresie a departing from the Faith in some Points of Religion for a mans own outward advantage For if a
fall off from God and having begun in the Spirit should at the last end in the flesh and do you earnestly desire to be setled stablish'd and confirm'd that the gates of Hell may not prevail against you Labour then to live by Faith for By Faith the Just lives the Life of Conservation Again Doth sorrow possess and oppress your spirits O you are burthened with such and such afflictions or temptations and you would fain live a comfortable life Learn then to get Faith for By Faith the Just lives the Life of Consolation Again are you troubled when you begin to think of Death O how shall I do to walk through the valley of the shadow of Death Psal 23.4 would you fain be armed against the Terror of it O learn then to get Faith for By Faith the Just finds Life in the midst of Death He that lives in Faith shall undoubtedly die in Faith Heb. 11.13 All these died in the faith Again Doth the shortness and uncertainty of this life afflict the Spirit and thou wouldst fain be assured of a better life before thou partest with this present life thou wouldst fain know if thou shalt go to heaven when thou diest O learn then to live by Faith for By Faith the just lives in regard of Eternal Life O let the excellency of the Life of Faith move us to seek the grace of Faith with all diligence The life of a faithful man is as far above the Life of a Rational man as the life of a Rational man is above the life of a Sensual Epicure Some men indeed are meerly led by Sense and ever like Swine rooting in the dunghil of Earthly Profits and Pleasures others mount higher into the Middle Region of Reason and Humane Learning but a Believer soars above them all in the Highest Region of Faith Phil. 3.20 and hath his conversation in heaven from whence he expects the Lord Jesus Certainly all the enemies of our Salvation cannot make that man miserable that hath once obtained this precious grace of Faith Psal 2.12 Blessed are all they that put their trust in him And therefore what Solomon saith of Wisdom Prov. 3.13 14 15. we may say of Faith Happy is the man that findeth Faith for the merchandize thereof is better than the merchandize of silver and the gain thereof is better than gold she is more precious than pearls and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her Obj. But it may be some will be ready to say I am sufficiently perswaded of the excellency of Faith and I would fain get it How to get Faith if I knew how or where to finde it but may we not also say of Faith as Job saith of Wisdom Job 28.12 Where shall it be found and where is the place of it The Depth saith It is not in me and the Sea saith It is not with me neither is it to be found in the Land of the living No creature in Heaven or Earth can bestow Faith upon its fellow-creature O where then is it to be found Ans I answer as Job doth in the the 23 Verse of that Chapter God understandeth the way thereof and he knoweth the place thereof And therefore if we be careful to make use of such means as he doth direct we shall undoubtedly finde out this precious Pearl of Faith Means You will say What are those Means that we may use them Negat 1. First of all as Builders use to do God would have us to remove the Rubbish of all the Hindrances of Faith and then to make use of all those Spiritual Helps and Furtherances that God hath appointed for the begetting of Faith that we may lay a sure Foundation The Lets and Hindrances of Faith are many Le ts and hindrances of Faith which we must take notice of and labour to remove out of the way What 's the reason so much is daily spoken of Faith and we are it may be convinced of the necessity and excellency of it and yet very few in comparison attain to it or improve it to any purpose What 's the reason of this O there are many Hindrances of Faith which were never yet removed O beloved we are naturally dead in sins and trespasses and there is many a heavy stone lieth upon the mouth of the Grave and we may say with those good women Mark 16.3 Who shall rowl us away the stone from the door of the Sepulchre All those several Impediments of Faith are as so many great stones upon the mouth of the Grave which must be removed by the mighty power of the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 before we can believe Have you not heard many a poor Creature complain nay do you not hear those complaints in your own bosom Alas alas I have heard of Faith by the hearing of the ear many a time and often how many days and how many years hath the Word of Faith and the Doctrine of Faith sounded and resounded in mine ears and yet alas to this very day I am not able to believe or at least to act and exercise my Faith as I ought to do O that I could meet with some good Messenger from God one of a thousand that could tell me where the stop lies and how I should remove it that would do for me as Jacob did for Rachel Gen. 29.10 Help me to rowl away the stone from the mouth of the Well that my thirsty Soul might drink of the water of life freely Rev. 22.17 Come we therefore to the Particular Impediments or Hindrances of Faith and the way to remove them 1 Let. Self The first and the greatest Impediment is thy Self Self is the greatest enemy to Self in point of believing the heaviest stone that lieth upon the mouth of the grave is thy stony heart for a stony heart is an unbelieving heart and an unbelieving heart must needs be the greatest enemy to Faith Darkness is not more opposite to light than an unbelieving heart is opposite to Faith and such hearts are in all the Sons and Daughters of Adam by Nature Adam indeed in the state of Innocency had power to believe whatsoever God spake and to live upon the Word of his Promise but after the Fall both he and his Posterity lost this ability Our very birth in this respect is no better than a death we are born in the very grave of unbelief we are all shut up under the power of it Rom. 11.32 O beloved a hard stout proud heart will not endure to lay down Self Self-wisdom Self-righteousness Self-greatness but Faith is nothing else but a laying down of Self-righteousness with an humble submission to accept of the Righteousness of God in Christ Rom. 10.3 O this goeth against the hair to a natural man He cannot endure to strip himself of Himself and to become a poor empty nothing that he may be fill'd with the fulness of God in Christ
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