7. Augmentative faculty of Faith As Faith grows for Rom. 1.17 the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith so other graces grow with it See 2 Thess 1.3 having mentioned the growing of their faith then follows And the charity of every one of you aboundeth So 2 Pet. 1.5 Adde to your faith vertue and to vertue c. all follow Faith Again 2 Pet. 3. last Grow in grace how and in the knowledge or faith of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Shew me thy faith by thy works Jam. 2. Not onely the truth but the measure of our Faith is seen by our works And so much for the second general Question What it is to live by Faith Onely now it were good to examine our selves upon all this Whether we do thus live by Faith making our particular application of our souls to each of the particulars fore-mentioned But I pass to the third Question QUESTION III. Why a Christian is said to live by Faith rather than any other Grace Reas 1 WHy not by Love or Thankefulness or Patience c The reason is in a word for what is said already may give light hereunto First because Faith is not onely the grace which receives Christ Joh. 1. 12. who is our Life but it is also the grace that receives all other grace from Christ Therefore Faith is the first link of all that Chain of Graces 2 Pet. 1.5 c. at least in order to their working Otherwise indeed we know all graces are infused simul semel in respect of their being and existence See Joh. 7.38 He that believeth in me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water The graces of the Spirit run into the Soul and out again in the issues of life and all through the conduit-pipe of Faith Indeed a Christian hath great use of other graces but Faith onely layes hold on Christ for all Sanctified knowledge saith There is an infinite fulness in Christ the fulness of a Fountain Faith saith This is all for me for he is my Husband then Prayer saiâ—h If all this be thine I will go and fetch it for thee and Thankefulness sayes I will return praise to God for it and that 's better than the receiving of mercies Psal 63.5 My soul shall be filled with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips It is plain therefore however spiritual life is much exercised in other graces as well as in Faith as in Prayer and Patience and Love and Thankfulness yet because Faith acts and exercises and puts life into all therefore a Christian is said rather to live by his Faith As may be seen Heb. 11. through the whole Chapter For Prayer is no prayer unless it be a prayer of Faith Jam 5. and Patience is no patience unless joyned with Faith Here is the faith and patience of the Saints Rev. 13. and so of all the rest Reas 2 Secondly Because Faith layes hold upon that Word by which man lives For man lives by the word of God Mat 4.4 Other graces are begotten by the Word but do not lay hold on the Word So as no word no means can profit us without Faith Reas 3 Thirdly Because when other graces and comforts to our sense lie dead and useless even then Faith lives and acts its part It is like the Cork that swims aloft when the Leads and all the Net is under water It is like the Card or Compass when Heaven and Earth fail no sight of Earth or Heaven or comfort from either when 't is a day of darkness and gloominess as that described Zeph. 1.15 or when 't is with us as it was in Pauls voyage Acts 27.13 to 26. neither sun nor star appearing for many dayes or a time as that Isa 50.10 wherein we sit in darkness and see no light yet then saith can trust in the Name of the Lord. It is as an Anchor in a storm so long as the Anchor holds there is hope but if that break there is no more governance of the Ship So Faith is compared Heb. 6.19 It is as the Widows Oyl when all other provision failed she lives upon that because she had a word from God So when all fail Faith shall not totally nor finally fail because there is a word from God which was spoken to Peter in person of all the faithful Luke 22.32 I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Or like the heart in the body though other parts be dead yet so long as the heart lives the man is alive Psa 73.26 My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Thus David lived by Faith when all failed and by it thus speaks himself Psal 42.5 Why art thou disquieted O my soul still trust in God for I shall yet praise him When graces fail performances fail so that we abhor our selves and duties yet Faith sayes We are a holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God 1 Pet. 2.5 by Jesus Christ When Paul cryed out Rom. 7. O wretched man that I am c. yet by Faith he can thank God through Jesus Christ When the Church is under water yet she can speak thus in Faith Mic. 7.8 Rejoyce not over me O mine enemy though I fall I shall rise again When Job considers his body turned to dust and worms Job 19.19 25. yet by Faith he sees my Redeemer lives c. Even when Patience failed in Job yet Faith failed not Though God kill all other graces and comforts and my soul too yet he shall not kill my Faith sayes he If he separate my soul from my body yet not Faith from my Soul If he kill me he shall not kill my Faith And therefore the just lives by Faith rather then other graces because when all is gone yet Faith remains and Faith remains because the Promise remains For ever O Lord thy word is setled in the heavens Psal 119.89 And this is the proper and principal meaning of this place Reas 4 Fourthly Because even then when neither graces nor comforts do fail yet then the just lives principally by his Faith 1. Because there is yet more to be believ'd then we already enjoy for we walk not yet by sight and therefore by faith 2 Cor. 5.7 2. Because Faith is surâ—r then any sense or feeling in the world When the Apostle had spoken of the glorious Vision and their being eye-witnesses 2 Pet. 1.19 yet sayes he We have a more sure word of prophecy c. Now 't is the property of Faith to live upon the word Vse 1 Therefore 1. Esteem of Faith as precious Faith precious above all other graces Vse 2 And learn That Faith serves not onely for manifestation that we are alive but to live by and maintain the life of all other graces QUESTION IV. Who it is that lives by his Faith Quest THe Text sayes The just Ob. But where
Psal 72.16 't is compared to a handful of Corn upon the top of the Mountains a barren place which yet by shaking and so growing afresh fills the whole earth with plenty So did the Law which went out from Mount Zion This is that Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands which grew so fast that at last it filled the whole earth Dan. 2.34 And as it is thus with the Kingdom of God in general with the Kingdom of God without us so it is with the Kingdom of God within us with the Kingdom of grace in every particular Christians heart it grows from small beginnings to a great height from a spark to a flame from break of day to high noon Hence grace in Gods people is compared to the morning light Prov. 4.18 to Ezekiel's waters Chap. 47.3 to Elijah's Cloud 1 Kings 18.44 And the reason hereof is because grace is not perfect at the first and theaefore there must be a growing till we come to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And because this is not till the end of our life therefore we must be growing all our life long We are never at our full height till we be ready to be cut down by death never at the end of our race till at the end of our life The Apostle himself who had outstript all the rest of the Apostles yet he was growing still and running still and he gives the reason Because he was not yet perfect Phil. 3.12 13. Not as though I were already perfect or had obtained c. Every thing you know in nature grows till it comes to its perfection as a childe till he comes to be a man As a man is not born a perfect man in nature for degrees though he be perfect for parts so it is in grace also and a Christian must grow till he comes to perfection We reade 1 Joh 2.12 of little children young men i.e. strong men and old men in Christ onely with this difference In the old age of grace there is no decay of strength of spirits or fruitfulnesss Psal 92.14 They shall bring forth fruit in old age c. We are bound you know to love God with all our hearts even to love him perfectly for degree as well as kinde But so long as we live here as we know but in part 1 Cor. 13. So we love but in part and are gracious but in part and therefore we must ever be upon the growing hand till we come to perfection perfect man in Christ Eph. 4.13 Reas 2 Grace is of a sweet and desirable nature insomuch that he that hath once tasted of the sweetness of it cannot but desire more He that saith he hath enough plainly discovers he never had any at all 1 Pet. 2.2 3. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby If so he ye have tasted c. He that hath once tasted cannot but thirst for more Though the painful thirst of total indigence be quenched and so he shall never thirst Joh. 4.14 yet the thirst of delight and the thirst of desire for further enjoyment is not removed but increased And blessed are they that thus hunger and thirst after more righteousness for they shall be filled Mat. 56. Hence also the Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a Treasure Mat. 13.44 in digging up whereof a man doth every day more and more enrich himself Reas 3 This was the End of Christs Commission which he received from his Father at his Mission and the very end of his coming in execution of that Commission not onely to bestow spiritual life upon his people but to increase it also day by day That was the extent of his Commission Joh. 10.10 I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly As a living spring bubbles and boils forth and empties it self that the channel might be fill'd with water and it as it runs along here it meets with one Spring and there with another it may be it meets with an hundred fresh Springs that it may be fill'd more abundantly till it runs out at last into the Ocean it self So Jesus Christ the Fountain of Living Waters empties himself by the work of his Spirit into the believing Soul He that believeth in me saith Christ out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters Joh. 7.38 And as the believer runs along in his Christian course here he meets with one fresh spring of grace and there with another Psal 84. as they that go through the valley of Baca they dig up fountains still it may be they meet with an hundred fresh springs of grace till at the last those sweet streams of grace are swallowed up in the Ocean of glory and then is fulfilled the saying that is written I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly And this is the third Reason why the just lives the Life of Augmentation The End of Christs coming Reas 4 The fourth is taken from Gods Faithfulness Seeing God daily puts Christians upon higher duties as Fasting and Prayer Mat. 9.15 then shall they â—ast and stronger Temptations not having yet resisted to blood Heb 12.4 and new wine not being fit for old bottles Therefore God is so faithful as to give them more grace And Philosophers define the end of natural Augmentation to be Ad edendas actiones proprias convenientes Magir. Phys p. 465. For exercising the proper Functions God will not be wanting here 2 Cor. 12 9. When Paul had a new temptation sayes God My grace is sufficient for thee and so 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able c. If God command to make more brick he will give more straw yea he will give more strength And so much for the first thing Now follows the second The just lives this Life of Augmentation by his Faith Propos 2. Augmentation is by faith His faith doth increase in it from faith to faith Rom 1.17 As faith increaseth or decreaseth so doth his Lie of grace As Philosophers say of the ebbing and the floving of the Sea The position and disposition of the Moon is the cause of it which is apparent in your Spring iâ—es at the Chance and Full of the Moon as the Moon increaseth the Waters and all moist Bodies do increase and as it decreaseth they decrease again So is iâ— betwixt Faith and other Graces as Faith increaseth Faith under the Sun of Righteousness so they increase Mal. 4. and as Faith decreaseth so they decrease again 2 Thes 1.3 We are bound to give thanks to God for you brethren because that your faith groweth exceedingly and the charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth Mark as their Faith abounded so their Charity abounded and so other Graces abounded also 2 Pet. 1.2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. See
From the Danger of Spiritual drowziness First from the Judgement threatned Revel 2.5 Repent and do thy first works or I will remove thy Candlestick Amos 8.10 11 Such as sleep by candle-light are in danger of burning the house over their heads or of their Masters removing the candlestick Secondly from the Judgement felt Psal 32. David was in a dead condition of Soul he made no confession of his sins but God quickned him by his afflicting Rod ver 3 4. Thy hand was heavy upon me c. And as Faith will feel the Rod so it is that Heavenly Wisdome will teach us to hear the Rod and who hath appointed it Micah 6.9 An unbeliever is not stirr'd Jer. 2.30 5.3 Vse of all in general Use of the Life of Vivification 1 Reproof FIrst this then Reproves the want of living by Faith this Life of Vivification Simile Divers men though they are dead and dull and can sometimes complain of it in Prayer in Hearing in Practice O weary of themselves yet labour not to blow up the fire to stir up the gift Gen. 49.14 but like Issachar bow under their burthens They are like such as are troubled with the Green-sickness or some such lazy disease Though motion be the onely way of cure they had as lieve die as stir they will not act their Faith O say they God must do all I can do nothing and under this pretence they give themselves up to Spiritual sloth That look as some turn the grace of God into wantonness who under pretence that Christ died for sinners take occasion to run into all excess of riot So others turn the grace of God into slothfulness who under pretence that God must do all wil do nothing at all themselves But the Scriptures reason the contrary way God our heavenly Master works all the works of his poor Servants Phil. 2. in them and for them therefore we should be encouraged to work As when the Master is willing to hold and guide the hand of the Scholar he should be encouraged to write That is the Argument Phil. 2.12 13. Work out your own salvation for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure Thus as the Father said Agimus acti when God helps us in the action we should be willing to act the grace receiv'd and employ the talent bestow'd The slothful Servant and the wicked Servant are put both together Mat. 25.26 Therefore they are justly Reproved who live not by Faith this Life of Vivification but give themselves up to spiritual sloth and laziness Such are in danger of a sudden blow from God if they smite not on their own hearts to quicken themselves The warning that Christ gives to the Church of Sardis is proper to such Rev. 3.1 2 3. Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die c. Else he threatens to come as a Thief upon such drowzy Souls A Thief comes suddenly and terribly and so will Christ Though he may save their Souls at last yet it may cost them a scouring in the mean-while Obj. But what can I do Ans 1. Thou maist come to the place of hearing 2. Thou maist frequent good Company 3. Thou maist complain of thy deadness to God This I do but I am not quickned I confess my deadness is a burthen to me O that I might meet a Messenger one of a thousand Job 33. to deliver my Soul out of this pit of deadness In answer to this therefore We shall propound a Second Use viz. Of Exhortation To perswade us to live by Faith the Life of Vivification Vse 2. Exhortation In prosecution whereof I shall first propound some Motives to make willing and secondly some Means to make thee more able Motive 1. We should be active stirring lively Christians because as God is a pure Act so he is active for us 1. Motives to Vivification Joh. 5 17. My Father worketh hitherto and I work says Christ and therefore of him 't is said Acts 10.38 He went about doing good and healing all for God was with him Wherefore we should be alwayes working for him 1 Cor. 15. Alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord. Mot. 2 God loves active and lively Servants as he is a living God And as the God of Spirits he loves to be served in the Spirit not onely as 't is opposed to falseness and dissimulation but as 't is opposed to sloth and negligence God would not have an Ass to be offered up in Sacrifice Exod. 13.13 because that was a dull and slow creature He maketh his Angels his Messengers because they are all Spirit And God would have us as Angels not onely in our Intellectuals but in our Practicals that his Will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven and that is with life and vigour However in Scripture Christians are compared to Stones 't is not for their coldness or deadness but onely for their firmness and then they are called too Living stones 1 Pet. 2.5 Therefore as their faith is a living faith * Joh. 11.26 their hope a living hope †1 Pet. 1.4 so their prayers should be lively and fervent prayers ascending up as Incense their works living works The first Lesson the very A B C of a Christian is Repentance from dead works Heb. 6.1 In a word himself should be a living Sacrifice if acceptable to God Rom. 12.1 In the 3 of Rev. 20. after Christ had reproved them for lukewarmness and exhorted to be zealous he then invites them to Supper where we may observe a lukewarm temper to be the worst temper and a zealous temper the best temper the first is a Dish for the Devil but the latter is a Dish fit for Christs own palate Now where there is zeal there is heat and where there is heat there is activity as fire mounts Heaven-ward Therefore God would never have the fire go out upon his Altar to signifie there should be heat in all our spiritual Sacrifices of Prayer of Preaching of Hearing of Meditation Wisd 4.13 and Practice In all these we must live by Faith the Life of Spiritual Fervor Mot. 3 An active Christian lives long in a little time as others live but a little in a long time For we live no longer to any purpose than we fulfil the end of our life which is to do God service Ioh. 20.4 Herein active Christians do like that Disciple that out-ran Peter and came first to the Sepulcher And indeed they are fittest for the Sepulcher in another sense that are swiftest in their Christian race It is the highest commendation of a Christian on earth and will be their Crown in Heaven through Free-grace to have been active for God Their Commendation on Earth The honorable salutation of active Christians stands upon Record that all that are gracious may call them Blessed Rom. 16.12 Salute Triphena and Triphosa
for a Christian not to grow A Christian should out-grow others as much as the Palm-tree exceeds ordinary Plants Psal 92.12 13.14 15. therefore labour to grow 1. In * Prov. 2.7 10.14 15.7 Isa 11.9 Col. 1.10 Pro. 2.3 18 2.1 5 8 9. Phil. 1.9.10 Knowledge Let the word of Christ dwell plentifully in you Col. 3.16 2. In Faith to be rich in faith though poor in the world Jam. 2 5. Col. 2.7 3. In Charity and in good Works Phil. 1.9 The poor Macedonians were rich in their liberality 2 Cor. 8.2 The abundance of their joy and deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality It is the best riches of rich men to be rich in good work◠1 Tim. 6.18 Let not rich men give poorly while poor men give richly let not a poor Widow cast in more than all the rich men into Gods Treasury However we grow in wealth let us labour to grow in Grace 1 Motive to incite us to it may be à decoro Motives from the comeliness of it It is the sweetest sight that can be 1. Comeliness to see a Christian flourishing as the Palm-tree and growing like the Cedar in Lebanon as Psal 92.12 Such are indeed the excellent of the earth as Psal 16.2 We say of tall persons they are proper persons Oh what comely persons should we be if we were tall in grace without this the best of natural perfections are but as so many Jewels in a Swines snout Prov. 11.22 Let us therefore labour to grow in grace as we desire to be comely in the eyes of Jesus Christ Cant. 7.6 7. Christ saith of his Church How fair and how pleasant art thou O love for delights thy stature is like a Palm-tree O let us not be as low shrubs but as tall Palm-trees if we desire to be comely in his eyes Simile 2. Pleasantness 2. A jucundo from the pleasantness of it Prov. 3.17 Her ways are ways of pleasure and all her paths peace So that the further you go the more pleasure still you meet with the deeper you drink in this cup the sweeter still the more you grow in grace in ordinary course of dispensation the more you grow in comfort Rom. 14 17. The Kingdom of God is righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost The more righteousness the more you increase your peace and joy till you come to enter into the joy of your Lord such as grow in grace get nearer heaven from day to day For grace and glory do onely differ in degrees Therefore as that sweet Bird of the morning the Lark sings and mounts upward raising her Body and her Note both together rising still higher and higher nearer heaven and further from earth So a Christian raised up upon the wing of heavenly Affections Meditations Prayers holy Actions whilst he thus grows in grace through the strength of Christ he gets nearer heaven and further off from the earth Col. 3. Phil. 3. He sets his affections on things above and not on things on the earth His conversation and City and Trade is in heaven and thus he riseth higher and higher and is translated from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of our God and is not this a pleasant life and what is it but to begin heaven upon earth even to sit with Christ in heavenly places 3. Ab utili from the profit of it 3. Profit Though we could earn nothing but damnation by all our obedience as of our selves yet God is so merciful that he rewards every man according to his works Psa 62.12 Also to thee O Lord belongeth mercy for thou renderest to every man according to his works So that if we yield our praise and increase to God the earth shall yield her increase to us Psal 67.6 Then shall the earth yield her increase and God even our God shall bless us when the people praise him But if we withdraw our service from God the creatures shall withdraw their service from us Hos 2.9 I will take away my corn in the time thereof c. But if we yield our increase to God then heaven and earth and all creatures yield their increase to us ver 21. I will hear the heavens saith the Lord and they shall hear the earth c. Some are of opinion that we shall not onely have more blessing upon earth but more glory in heaven conceiving that there shall be degrees of glory according to our degrees of grace There are Arguments on both sides Some conceiving glory shall be equal because the Merit of Christ is equal Therefore in the Parable of the Vineyard he that laboured most received no more than he that laboured the shortest time every man receives his penny Mat. 20. But the Parable cannot be meant of eternal life for there are no murmurers in heaven such as you finde in the Parable that murmured because they had no more But that other Parable in the 19 of Luke doth rather set forth the state of glory upon the return of the Nobleman where he that gained most received most reward he that gained ten talents was made ruler over ten Cities and he that gained five was made ruler over five Yet this doth not infer merit of Works neither but a gracious disposition in God to encourage his servants in a way of well-doing It is the Apostles argument to quicken up Christians to be upon the growing hand 1 Cor. 15. ult Therefore my beloved brethren be ye stedfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord for your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. However suppose it were in vain in respect of our glory yet we are sure it is not in vain in respect of Gods glory You know what Christ saith Joh. 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that you bear much fruit Now we should prefer Gods glory before our own Salvation therefore we should be upon the growing hand 4. Equity 4. Ab aequo from the justice and equity of it for God affords us as great means for our increase in these Gospel-times as ever he did he puts us into fat pastures and well watered Psal 23. therefore it is a shame for Gods people not to grow not to bring forth twins as Cant. 6.6 They should grow twice as fast bring forth twice as many Lambs twice as much Wooll twice as much Milk as those that go upon bare Commons All the world may cry shame on such a man that is high fed and often fed with fat and sweet Ordinances if he be still like Pharaohs lean Kine as lean and ill-favoured as ever he was before Certainly fat Ordinances and lean Souls do not well agree We are to look upon it as the greatest of Judgements to have as Psal 106.15 leanness sent into our souls while we are fed with Manna We look on it as an affliction to have an over-lean Body but it 's a far sadder condition
to have a lean Soul Of the two it were much better to have a well-thriving Soul and a lean Body than a well-thriving Body and a lean Soul it is a great mercy when both prosper 3 Joh. 2. I wish above all things that thou maist prosper and be in health as thy soul prospereth Oh it is a sweet thing especially to have a prospering Soul and still upon the growing hand and God expects it should be so where he affords good diet great means of grace as Dan. 1.10 The Prince of the Eunuchs said to Daniel I fear my Lord the King who hath appointed your meat and your drink if you should look ill who fare so well I should be sure to bear the blame it were as much as my head is worth So certainly where God affords precious food for precious Souls if these Souls be lean under fat Ordinances either those that are fed or those that feed them either the Stewards or the household either Minister or people or both are sure to bear the blame It is but equal and just that such should grow We do not wonder to see lean Sheep upon bare Commons but when we see Sheep continue lean in fat Pastures we think their meat is ill bestowed on them and therefore let us strive to be on the growing hand Obj. But it may be you will say Whatever means we enjoy what can we do without the Spirit which worketh all in all Resp. Therefore as a further Motive or incentive of this Motive thou hast in this respect great advantage from the Time For these are the times wherein God hath promised to pour out his Spirit more abundantly Joel 2.28 I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh The Spirit was not given before in comparison but now God hath promised it shall be poured forth therefore sue out the Promise and you shall grow Luk. 11.13 If ye being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him In this respect it was prophecied that Christians should be stronger and better grown in the latter age of the world We have every way greater advantage we do not onely stand upon the shoulders of our Forefathers Examples and Experiences but we have or may have more Spirit within us also Indeed in regard of bodily stature the first age brought forth Giants and the last Dwarfs But in regard of Spiritual growth it was prophecied the last ages should bring forth the Giants in comparison of the former Zech. 12.8 He that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David and the house of David shall be as God as the Angel of the Lord before them Under the first Covenant the Church was like a little childe in her minority under Tutors and Governors because she was weak but now under the second being adult and of riper years it is expected she should be taller and stronger in grace Therefore as there is growth in the Church in general so there should be growth in every particular Christian also the plenty of means and the pouring out of the Spirit in these dayes calls for it at our hands 5. Safety 5. A tuto from the safety of this growth A man indeed may grow too great in other things but there is no danger of exceeding in this growth And yet it is strange to see how little Christians affect this better kinde of growth They will say They have Knowledge enough and Grace enough but one shall hear few say I am rich enough and strong enough and honourable enough Men love growth in their bodies in their estates in their children yea growth in their cattel and trees Oh how do they rejoyce to see them grow well and come forwards and why should we not much more love growth in our Souls For a man may grow too great in other things but there is no danger of exceeding in this growth A man may grow too exceeding tall he may become a Monster he may grow too fat he may grow to be a burthen to himself he may grow too rich as well as too poor Therefore sayes Agur Give me neither poverty nor riches but feed me with food convenient Prov. 308. Yea one may grow too rich though in the place of a King Deut 17.17 He shall not greatly multiply to himself gold and silver i.e. immoderately addict himself to get riches and the reason is given Deut. 8.13 14. Because excess in these things lifts up the heart and makes it forgetful of God therefore a man may grow too rich there is danger in that but a man can never be too gracious too zealous too holy there is no danger in that for it is written 1 Pet. 1. Mat. 5. Be ye holy for I am holy Be ye perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect There is safety in this growth 6. A necessario from the necessity of growth 6. Necessity 1. In regard of the Precept for God commands us to grow in grace as well as to have any grace at all 2 Pet. 3. ult Grow in grace 2. In regard of the End 1. That God may be glorified by our growth Such as grow not dishonor God discredit Gods Ordinances as if there were no strengthning vertue in them they discredit his Promise as if there were no truth in them therefore Psal 92.14 15. They shall be fat and flourishing to shew that the Lord is upright as those that grow apace declare Gods righteousness that he is faithful upon his word so those that grow not as much as in them lies would fasten unfaithfulness and unrighteousness upon God 2. As we our selves desire to attain that happy end of appearing before God in Sion we must go from strength to strength Psal 84.7 On the other side there is woful danger in standing at a stay not increasing but hiding our talent in a Napkin Mat. 25.28 30. Take therefore the talent from him and cast ye the unprofitable servant into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth The Word of God is a precious talent but how many by their slothfulness and unprofitableness have deprived themselves of that precious treasure What admirable Prerogatives had the Jews once above all the world To them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 9.4 But because they did not grow in grace but received it in vain therefore was the Bread of Life taken from them and they now suffer that miserable famine spoken of Amos 8.11 a famine of hearing the Word of God Not much better is the condition of the Greek Churches which being planted by the Apostles themselves enjoyed the light of the Word as we do but because they did not walk answerably to the light and grow in grace therefore the sad night of Turkish Darkness and Tyranny hath overspread them That the like judgement may not befall us Let us
Discourse or a bare speculation of Heaven which will bring a man thither no more then the Reading of the History of such a Countrey or the Beholding of it in a Map which will transport a man to the place it self But there must be a sound and full Conveyance of it to the Soul And so the just must live by Faith in regard of Eternal Life 4. Reproof of not improving Eternal Life 4. It Reproves such who though they have somewhat to shew for their Inheritance Because they are Believers yet they live besides their Means because they do not act their Faith at least so much as they should in respect of Life eternal We say of many a worldly man because he doth not enjoy or improve his estate He lives besides his Means It 's one of the vanities that Solomon discovered under the Sun Eccl. 6.1 2. A man to whom God hath given riches wealth and honour so that he wanteth nothing of all that he desireth yet God giveth him not power to eat hereof This is vanity saith he and an evil disease And is it not a greater vanity when God hath given a man heavenly riches and honour and yet he lives not by Faith upon it improves it not to the best advantage Such an one lives beside his means How is it that Gods people are so cast down in Troubles Wants weaknesses in Reproaches in Persecutions Did they but act their Faith to believe that they shall one day as surely possess heaven as they possess the very house they dwell in upon earth how would the Apprehension of future joys drown and swallow up the sense of present miseries Why should the Kings Son be so lean from day to day Who hath such an Inheritance at the last and such a Father to provide for him in the mean time Luk. 12.32 Fear not little flock for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom 5. This Reproves such as are Earthly-minded 5. Reproof of Earthly-mindedness for such live not by Faith in respect of Heaven or Eternal Life They live as if they were Terrae filii Sons of the earth as if that curse of God were fallen upon them Jer. 17.13 All that forsake thee shall be written in the dust The Church of the first-born are said to be written in heaven Hebrews 12.23 But these men as if they had nothing to shew but onely for the earth are said to be written in the earth as if God should say Go thy way thou art an Earth-worm and therefore Earth shall be all thy Portion It may be thou hast many writings to shew for a piece of the earth but nothing for heaven and therefore says God write him down An Earthly-minded man and An Earthly-portion'd man Psal 17.14 They are called Men of this world which have their portion in this life Give them but a fat portion in this life on this side Jordan take Canaan take Heaven who will for them The Devil casts so much dust in their eyes they cannot see to live by Faith in respect of Heaven Obj. But it may be these men will say We are too uncharitable for they are profess'd Christians and they well remember the two last Articles of their Creed Resurrection of the Body and Life Everlasting Answer shall be made to this in a third Use Vse 3 Vse 3. Of Examination Examination of Faith in respect of life Eternal 3. This is of use for Examination to examine whether we believe as we profess when we say We believe the Resurrection of the Body and Life Everlasting And we may know this 1. By our carriage in Life 2. By the respect we bear to Death By our carriage in Life 1. By our Carriage in life and that in respect of our 1. Affections 2. Meditations 3. Speeches And 4. Conversation 1. Our Affections 1. By our Affections A man that is far distant from his Native Country and dear friends he mingles many a Meal with his tears when he thinks of the distance of the place But how doth he rejoyce when he is once upon his return Especially when he comes within sight of land his very heart leaps within him and he cannot hold from saluting the place Oh my dear Country Blessed be God that I have lived once again to see thee and am so near to enjoy my surest friends within thee Just thus is it with a man that is bound for heaven that lives by Faith in regard of Life Eternal When he well remembers his great distance from God and Christ the Saints departed for whilst we are here at home in the body we are absent from the Lord I say when he remembers this it fetcheth many a sigh and tear and groan from his heart Psal 137.1 By the waters of Babylon we sate down and wept when we remembred thee O Sion See how they hang their heads and they hang their harps by the water-side as if they neither took delight in themselves nor any thing else whilst they are so far from their Native Country So 't is with a creature that is Heaven-born and Heaven-bound he cries and sighs and groans while he is so far from home 2 Cor. 5.4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burthened c. And how glad are such when they come near their journeys end See how Paul skips in his desires like the Iron to the Load-stone I desire saith he to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 8. which is best of all And old Simeon falls a singing as if his Deaths-day were his Birth-day Lord now littest thou thy servant depart in peace c. Therefore Examine thy self well what are thy chief Sorrows and what are thy chief Joys Dost thou sorrow most of all for thy distance from Christ and thy heavenly Country Dost thou rejoyce when thou thinkest of drawing near thy journeys end This is a good evidence that thou hast something to shew for Heaven But on the other side if all thy delight is in the World in the flesh-pots of Egypt and the remembrance of thy latter end is bitter to thee and thou art ready to say as an Atheist once I know what I have here Grand Atheist but I know not what I shall have hereafter That 's a shrewd sign thou hast onely thy portion in this life and no faith at all for the Life to come 2. Our Meditations 2 We may know by our Meditations For if we would flatter up our selves that we have heavenly Affections and yet want heavenly Meditations we do but deceive our own hearts and bring our selves into a Fools-Paradise for that 's most certain look where our Affections are there will our Meditations also be we cannot keep our thoughts off from what we love and prize dearly Where our treasure is Mat. 6. there will our heart be also there will our minde be Vbi amat non ubi animat where it
should so dishonour God after he had bestowed a Temporal Kingdom upon him 2 Sam. 12.7 Thus saith the Lord God of Israel I anointed thee King over Israel and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul and I gave thee thy Masters house and thy Masters wives into thy bosom and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah and if that had been too little I would moreover have given thee such and such things Wherefore hast thou despised the Commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight As if the Lord should say O David dost thou use me thus Did I ever deserve this at thy hand Is this thy kindness to thy friend And if the Lord took it so unkindly from Davids hands because he had bestowed a Temporal Kingdome upon him how much more unkindely may God take it from your hands whom by the grace of Faith he hath assured of an Eternal Kingdom Deut. 32.6 Do ye thus requite the Lord ah foolish people and unwise Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee c And is it not he that hath bought Heaven it self for thee and wilt thou thus dishonour him by thy sins By Sin a man dishonours the Donor of this great Gift And secondly He wrongs his own Soul for Sin wrongs the Soul he blots the Evidence or Conveyance which God hath given him to assure him of this heavenly Kingdom What sayes Christ Luk. 10.20 Rejoyce that your Names are written in Heaven or in the Book of Life First that you know this that you have this Evidence God hath a threefold Book 1. Of Providence God hath a threefold Book which is Gods Fore-knowledge and Disposing all things in the world Of this David speaks Psal 139.16 Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy book first in the Book of Providence were all my members written 2 A Book of Mens Works and Ways Rev. 20.12 And I saw the dead small and great stand before the Lord and the Books were opened and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their Works The third is the Book of Mens Ends and Rewards which is called The Book of Life Dan. 12.1 At that time thy people shall be saved every one that shall be found written in the Book Now this Book is either in the Original which is Gods Calendar of such as are appointed to Life and Salvation in his own Fore-knowledge and Decree for The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 Or else the Counterpane of it in the Hearts and Consciences of such as do believe 1 Joh 5.10 He that believeth hath the witness in himself Now howsoever it is true He that is once written in Gods Book of Life if we take it for Gods Fore-knowledge and Decree can never be blotted out again The foundation of God stands sure yet if we take it for that Witness that is written in the Heart and Conscience it may be much blotted and blurred and obscured by our wilful sinning against God It is true God will speak peace and pardon to his people but let them not turn again to folly For if they do though they lose not their pardon yet they may lose their peace so far that they shall not be able to reade their Pardon or their Assurance for Heaven Therefore such a man as he dishonours the Giver so he sins against his own Soul Therefore let him declare his Thankfulness by the hating and forsaking all sin And Thankfulness to be shewn by performance of all duties Secondly By the Practice of all holy Duties and good Works If God be so abundant in Reward to assure us by Faith of Eternal Life it calls upon us very strongly to be so much the more abundant in our work It is the Apostles Argument 1 Cor. 15. last having discours'd at large of the glorious condition of Gods People after the Resurrection Therefore my beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. O that we would oft consider there is an Eternity for Reward but a short time for work and when the time of this Life is once past there is not a second opportunity there is no returning back again there is no doing of any thing in the Grave Therefore let us work Joh. 9.4 while we have the light of Life the night of death comes wherein no man can work no man can then believe or repent or bring forth the fruits of repentance There is no repentance in Hell to any purpose and if we repent of any thing in heaven it shall be of this that we did God no more and no better service upon earth And therefore so oft as we cast an eye upon the Eternity of Reward and the short time of our work let us bestir our selves in our places Take the counsel of the Wise man Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do either for God or for the Church of God or for thy own Soul do it with all thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor Wisdom in the grave whither thou art going He that thinks seriously of his Eternal condition after death cannot be an unprofitable Servant in his life And so much for the seventh Particular what Manner of Life the Just lives by Faith All that is worth the Name of Life Natural Spiritual and Eternal Life Faith is the Key that opens to us the Kingdom of Heaven So says Calvin in his third Sermon on Gen. 15 6. THE EIGHTH GENERAL HEAD QUEST VIII What are the Reasons for living by Faith WE come now to the Eighth Particular the Reasons why God will have the Just to live by Faith We have given particular Reasons to the particular Branches before as Why the Just lives by Faith the Life of Justification Sanctification Renovation Fructification Mortification and Vivification c. We shall now give the general Reasons which reach to all in general Why God will have the Just to live by Faith It is true God is not bound to give us a Reason or give us an account of any of his Matters Job 33.13 It is the folly of vain man to call Gods Wisdom to the Bar of his shallow Reason But Rom. 9.20 Who art c. Gods Will may well stand for a Reason And yet God is pleased in this particular to give us a Reason of his Will Wicked men in the Scripture are said to be unreasonable men 2 Thess 3.2 they do a thing because they will do it though they have no good Reason for it But God though he is most Absolute and Independent is pleased in this matter of Faith to give us a Reason of his Will That man might not dispute and wrangle with God and say What Reason have I to live by Faith seeing I have little or nothing in hand
doing good to us till such time as he is pleased to set us at liberty to believe An unbeliever is a poor weak creature but a believer is strong in the Lord Eph. 6.10 and in the power of his might Secondly Do we prize Wisdom 2. Wisdom If you speak of wisdom he is wise indeed who puts his trust in the Lord and lives by Faith in him Solomon tells us of a wise man who under God lives by his wisdom and preserves the life of others Eccles 9.15 And so the Just lives c. And of four despicable creatures that yet are admirable for wisdom Prov. 30.23 c. There be four things saith he which be little upon the earth but they are exceeding wise amongst the rest he tells us the Conies or as some reade it the Mice of the Mountains are a feeble people yet they make their houses in the Rocks that so the strength of the Rock may supply the defect of strength in themselves And indeed there is the wisdom of a true believer he is a wise builder that builds his house upon the Rock Mat. 7.24 and that Rock is Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 And he that believes in him builds upon him and he that builds upon him shall never fall The gates of Hell shall never prevail against him and therefore he is a wise builder Psal 125. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever whereas he is a fool with a witness who despising this Rock by his unbelief builds Castles in the Air trusting to his Wit or Wealth or created Strength in time of need Behold saith the former part of the Verse his Soul which is lifted up in Arce as in a Tower of created Confidence his Soul is not right he is not right in his wits indeed But the just shall live by his faith because he is so wise to build upon the true Rock the other is a Fool he is Chronicled for a Fool that trusts to his wealth Luke 12.20 And the wise man sets out the folly of such persons who trusts in any thing but the Name of the Lord which is the onely strong Tower of Safety and therefore in the very next words he hath this expression Prov. 18.11 The rich mans wealth is his strong City and an high wall in his own conceit Mark those words in his own conceit as if he should say What a mad conceit is this for a man to trust to his wealth there 's no man would ever do so he is a very conceited fool that puts his trust in his wealth but he is a wise man that lives by faith and puts his trust in the Name of the Lord This man builds upon the Rock indeed but the other is a foolish builder for he layeth his foundation in the Sands in the quicksands of worldly Comforts that are here to day and gone to morrow Do we prize Wisdom Then O let us prize Faith Remember the wise Virgins were the believing Virgins the foolish Virgins were the unbelieving Virgins They had Lamps indeed but they had no Oil they made Profession of Faith in their lives but they had no truth of Faith in their hearts Wicked men indeed account Gods people very fools because they live all upon Promise from God and refuse the present Profits and Pleasures of sin But let them say what they will you must give losers leave to talk they shall one day befool themselves When all is done the believer will prove the wise man in the end for when he that is so wise to make himself ready beforehand to go in with the Bridegroom such as are unprepared shall be shut out like fools as they are No question but Noah was accounted the veriest fool in all the world all the time the Ark was preparing 2 Pet. 3.3 4 5. But when the Flood came in earnest and the Scoffers being put to their shifts upon the tops of the Mountains and Trees begin to cry out to Noah For the Lords sake receive us into your Ark might he not justly have replâ—ed Who is the fool now O beloved when Poverty and Sickness and Death it self comes like an armed man upon your jolly Scoffers at Religion who will prove the fools then Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed Psal 2. last ye Judges of the Earth Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are they that put their trust in him Doubtless he will prove the wisest man in the conclusion that lives by Faith in God This is the man that hath protection from God in dangerous times This is the man that hath direction from God in dark and obscure times And surely he is a wise man that leans not to his own carnal wisdom but trusts in the Lord for guidance and direction And thus doth every true believer whilst unbelievers are wise in their own conceit and consult with flesh and blood upon Principles of Profit Credit and the like and so the threatning takes hold upon them Isa 5.21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight for such shall be sure to fall by their own counsels On the other side such as live by Faith in God as they deny themselves in other things so by Faith they are taught to deny their own wisdom and to lay hold upon Jesus Christ for direction in all their ways and so the Promise is made good to them Christ is made unto them Wisdom As he is made their Righteousness Strength and Redemption So he is made their Wisdom 1 Cor. 1.3 He is made their Counsellor in all their doubts that is his Name Isa 9 6. Beloved as there are certain special times wherein God will let us see our need of him for other things he bringeth us sometimes into sickness that we may cry to him who is the God of our health and salvation he brings us into poverty that we may acknowledge him to be the God of our Plenty he brings us into thraldome that we may see in how much need we stand of him for our liberty he brings us into great dangers that we may see how much need we stand of his Power for our protection and preservation So he brings us sometimes into the dark or into some inextricable wilderness that we may see how much we stand in need of his Wisdom for our direction As God doth many times Non-plus the Power of the creature So he doth Non-plus the wisdom of the creature that it may live by Faith in him for direction and counsel As the Mother leaveth the childe in the dark or steps aside at a cross way that the childe may cry after her and acknowledge its beholdingness to her for guidance and direction So deals God with his children in dark and difficult times And if ever Gods People had need
here the Apostle prayes for the multiplication of grace but how should it be multipled he tells you through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord What is meant by the knowledge of Jesus our Lord but Faith in Jesus our Lord as Joh. 17 3. This is eternal life to know thee i.e. to believe in thee and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ So that then all grace is multiplied in the increase and multiplication of Faith Reas 1 The Reason is Because Faith is a Radical grace it 's like the Root of a Tree in relation to the Branches They which had no depth of root in the Parable of the Seed Luk. 8.13 are such as had no depth of faith Col. 2.7 we are said to be rooted and stablished in Christ by faith Now then you know as the root grows so the branches grow as the root decayes so the branches decay if the root once rot within the ground though you see not that yet you shall soon see the branches rot above ground So however you cannot easily see how a mans faith decayes because that is as the root yet you shall soon perceive a decay in the exercise of other graces because they are as he branches And on the other side as the root of faith prospers so other graces thrive and bring forth fruit in the branches 2 Pet. 1.5 Adde therefore unto your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge c. See here how Faith is made the root of all Vertue and Knowledge and Temperance and Patience c. all grow upon Faith as upon â—heir root As the increase of the root increaseth the branches so the increase of faith increaseth other graces Caution Yet we aâ—â— to understand this warily We must not so take it as if faith were a Root exclusivè excluding Christ himself for Christ is the Master-root and Faith but a spurn or a sucker from him Therefore in the place fore named Col. 2.7 we are said to be rooted in him when we are established in the faith And this mindes us of a second Reason why the just lives by faith the Life of Augmentation Reas 2 Because Faith is an uniting Grace It unites the Soul to Christ as the Cien is united to the Stock as the Members in the body are united to the Head not originally or as the principal Efficient for that is the work of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 but instrumentally as Sinews and Nerves unite the Members to the Head and so are the instrumental cause of the growth of them not that they can give any nourishment of themselves but onely as they convey it from the Head as Organical means So Faith doth nourish other graces not of it self but as it sucks and draws and so conveys nourishment from Christ who is the Head of the Church to every Member as appears from Ephes 4.15 16. compared with vers 13. Reas 3 The third Reason why a Christian lives by Faith the Life of Augmentation is Because he liveth by Faith the Life of Fructification and Vivification For that which doth act grace and put it to the use doth necessarily increase grace also Not onely in a rational way in a way of sound Reason in that frequent acts do strengthen each habit with Gods ordinary concurrence as a Scholar that is diligent in his way by often hearing and reading and writing and speaking and disputation and meditation and studying becomes rich in learning that his very lips feed many hungry Souls But also in a way of grace or in a way of Covenant-mercy by vertue of Gods Promise which he hath made to the diligent hand The diligent hand saith God maketh rich Prov. 10.4 As rich to the world so rich Heaven-ward Use grace and have grace saith God Mat. 25.24 For unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have more abundantly but from every one that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath To every one that hath What 's that that hath made good use of Talents formerly receiv'd as appears by the context that man shall increase he shall have more abundantly This is that honest and honorable Vsury by which we may lawfully put out not Money but the Grace of God to Use till we grow rich towards God in all utterance and in all knowledge as it was said of the Corinthians so that we come behinde in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Being like those fruitful Trees planted in the Courts of the Lord they are not onely fruitful Psal 92. but they increase in fruitfulness Whereas on the other side men of excellent parts for want of Faith to exercise their grace they are blasted and wither away and come to nothing they are as trees without fruit twice dead and plucked up by the roots Jude v. 12. Reas 4 The fourth and last Reason Because faith removes or at least helps us against the hindrances of Spiritual growth it is Causa removens as well as promovens As 1. The Commonness of the ground when 't is like the High-way without hedge or wall a very road for the Devil to pass up and down in and spoil all But now Faith sets a fence about the heart and guards it against such temptations as might render it unfruitful 1 Pet. 5.8 whom resist stedfast in the faith 2. The Stonyness of the ground that hindred the growth of the Seed in the Parable for which Faith layes hold on that Promise Ezek. 36.26 I will take away the heart of Stone and I will give you an heart of Flesh 2. The Thornyness of the ground which also hinders growth And these thorns are expounded by the Maker of the Parable to be the Cares of the world and deceitfulness of riches But faith removes this hindrance 1. Joh. 5.4 This is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith Faith will tell us All things are but loss and dross in comparison of Christ 4. The Worm of sinful corruption this at the root hinders growth But the just lives by Faith the Life of Mortification and therefore of Augmentation 5. Evil Winds that blast the fruit hinder growth These winds are Errors and false Doctrines but Faith removes this hindrance They that are well stored with Faith will not be like children tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive Eph. 4.13 14. Hence then we may receive Information in divers Particulars Vse 1 First see the Difference between this life and all other lives Other lives as they have their increase Information about spiritual growth so they have their decrease also Like the Sun when it once comes to the high Noon it declines again and at last goes down and leaves the world in darkness There must come a time when the Sun of our life