Troubles of the world Faith lifts a man above the troubles of the world If you could suppose a dwelling above the Clouds above the Thundrings and Lightnings and terrible Storms would it not be a peaceable a comfortable habitation Such is the condition of a Christian who lives by Faith in regard of Eternal Life He lives above the clouds of worldly Troubles What if such a Trouble should come as may take away his life Faith will smile in the face of that Trouble Alas poor Trouble says Faith thou thinkest to do me a great deal of mischief when indeed thou dost but set my Soul at liberty to go out of an earthly Prison into a heavenly Palace Job 5.22 A man that lives by Faith for Heaven is above the clouds of the lower Region Heb. 12. Act. 4. he can endure the Cross he can despise the shame he can rejoyce that he is accounted worthy to suffer persecution for the Name of the Lord Jesus He can refuse to accept of life upon base terms that so he may obtain a better Resurrection Heb. 11. He can set an higher esteem upon the very reproach of Christ than upon all the Treasures of Egypt so long as he hath Faith enough to see him who is invisible and thereby to have respect to the Recompence of Reward He lives above the Troubles of the world 2. He lives above the Pleasures Profits and Honours of the world Let the Devil shew him all the Kingdoms of the world Mat. 4. and the glory of them as he did to Christ himself Faith in Christ will teach him to slight the proffer Alas says the believing Soul what is all this to the glory of Heaven Through Gods Mercy I am above all these I look at these as flitting fading empty Nothings gilded Pictures upon a rotten Post I know God hath put all these in subjection under my feet and therefore I will not put them as a Crown upon my Head or place them as a Treasure in my Heart but keep them there where God hath set them and that 's under my feet 'T is wonderful indeed but 't is not so strange as true Rev. 12.1 2. Thus the Church and every true believer is cloathed with the Sun of Righteousness whose powerful beams in the grace of Faith and Love draw up his Soul so far above the world that he tramples the Moon and all sublunary things under his feet He looks at all worldly excellencies of Pleasures Profits and Honours as changeable as the Moon On the other side he looks at the Word of God and Gods love in Christ and the fruits of that love in the glory of Heaven as the onely unchangeable good things and therefore these he wears as a Crown upon his Head but the other he puts as a Footstool under his feet We use to distinguish worldly things into Moveables and not moveables but we must go to heaven to make good one part of the distinction Heb. 12.27 28. Qu. But what means should I use Means to assure Eternal Life that I may live by Faith in regard of Eternal Life my sin hangs on so fast that I may as soon raise up by Body above the clouds as raise up my Soul heaven-ward Mean 1 Ans 1. Lay hold on Christ that is the way thither and the meritorious cause and the Loadstone there to draw thy Soul after him Christ is the great Engineer who hath a Pulley to draw thee to Heaven Joh. 12.32 When I am lift up I will draw all men unto me I have seen an artificial Instrument a device quo trahens trabitur So the more we lay hold on Christ by Faith the more strongly are we drawn to Christ so is fulfill'd the Promise Jam. 4.8 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you Mean 2 2. Act thy Faith upon the Promises of God for thy Spiritual cleansing from the burthen and filth of sin Rev. 21. ult No unclean thing shall enter Therefore 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and Spirit And some Promises God hath made in special for that very work of cleansing the Soul See Ezek. 36.25 c. Like as Jeremy lying in the Dungeon when he took hold on the Cord that was let down he was drawn up by the men that stood aloft So we lying in the Dungeon of Sin and Misery whilst by the hand of Faith we take hold of the Cord of Promise which is let down from Jesus Christ now sitting at the Right hand of God in heaven we are drawn in Soul and Spirit heaven-ward Mean 3 3. Be sure thy Faith be fruitful in good Works if thou wouldst be sure of heaven 2 Pet. 1.5 Adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge c. for so ver 11. An entrance shall be administred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom Not that good Works merit any thing but because God will encourage his people in well-doing by shewing to such the salvation of God Ps 50. last Mean 4 4. As a means of both under Christ Be careful to sanctifie Gods Sabbath which is a sign and a pledge of heaven and the resting of that day a powerful means under Christ to prepare Gods people for eternal rest However we are not tied to the observation of the Jewish Sabbath yet there remains a rest to the people of God Heb. 4 9. As the full rest and Sabbatism does remain and will remain not to be fully possest by them till the general Resurrection so that percursory Rest and Sabbath which is ordained to be a sign and a pledge of the other must needs remain till we come to enjoy that whereof this is a pledge If this Sabbath be a sign and pledge of heaven and of Gods perfect sanctifying of his people in Souls and Bodies Exod. 31.13 then it must be kept till we come there for if we lose the pledge of a Benefit we lose the evidence of that Benefit whereof it is a Pledge Consider further the Sabbath was not onely ordained to be a pledge of Eternal Rest to assure us of it but to be a Means also to fit us for it The Sabbath was made for man for mans benefit and that not onely for his bodily rest but especially for the rest of his Soul that he might cease from the works of sin and learn to do the work of God And experience shews the right sanctifying of the Sabbath is a powerful means under Christ to sanctifie us to increase Faith Love Zeal and all saving graces It takes a man off from the world for such a man thinks not his own thoughts speaks not his own words does not his own works I say it takes a man off from the world and puts him as it were into heaven for the time As Paul was caught up into heaven so such a man as is in the Spirit on the Lords day Rev. 1. as it were in heaven on the Lords day You cannot have a more lively resemblance of heaven on this side heaven than is a Sabbath sanctified in
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
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
upon him Faith gathers ground upon God by such like Arguments as these 1. For himself I know God loved me in times past therefore sutely he loves me still Jer. 31.3 The Lord hath appeared to me of old saying Yea with an everlasting love have I loved thee c. He did good to me in time past therefore he will do good to me again Psal 77.5 I have considered the dayes of old Will the Lord cast off for ever I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High Psal 71.5 6 c. Thou art my hope O Lord from my youth c. 2. For the Church Isa 51.9 Awake awake O arm of the Lord awake as in the ancient dayes in the generations of old c. As if he had said Thy power is everlasting and thy Covenant is everlasting that 's the same for ever Ergo. Thus faith puts life in the soul by laying hold on time past Though times change Mal. 3 6. yet God changeth not 2. For Time Present Thus Faith lives upon God Time Present 1. In asking daily bread and all other necessaries because God promiseth to be the God of his people at all times and in all places for ever Heb. 13.5 Phil. 4.11 2. In being content with the present condition and believing that present dispensations are for our good Thus 1 Cor. 3. Present things are said to be ours Faith tells a man whatsoever is done in the course of Providence in Heaven or Earth it is ours and for our good Whereas unbelievers are never content with the present but alwayes Wishers and Woulders 3. For Time to Come Time Future All that God will ever do and that is much all shall be for our good come what can come Faith sayes My Father sits at the stern and guides all Unbelievers though well for the present are ever distrustfully careful for the morrow next day next year O what shall become of me and mine But the believer lives by his faith Gen. 17. I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee Heb. 13. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Thus he lives by faith in the several parts of Time past present and to come And faith in the one strengthens faith in the other 2 Cor. 1.10 Who hath delivered us and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us Secondly for the Adjuncts of time Prosperity 2. Adjuncts of Time and Adversity good and evil dayes one or other Psal 62.8 Trust in him at all times ye people God is a refuge for us 1. Faith in time of Prosperity 1. For Prosperity And as touching it we shall observe how the just lives by faith 1. In obtaining 2. In using 3. In parting with a prosperous condition 1. In seeking it 1. He lives by faith in obtaining Prosperity For faith both directs a man in the right order of seeking it viz. By seeking the kingdome of God and the righteousness of it in the first place and then expecting all other things to be added Mat. 6. Mat. 6.33 And they are the best riches that are thus got by way of consequence While the unbeliever hastes to be rich O cives cives c. and hath an evil eye Prov. 28.22 and cries Money money before all And faith also directs a right measure and moderation of Spirit in seeking Prov. 30.8 9. Give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me making us willing to be at Gods carving And moreover in the right means as giving understanding out of the Word to hate every false way Psal 119.128 not as the unbeliever who lives by his wits not by his faith First Negatively Faith seeks not Prosperity either by Vsury Prov. â—8 8 or by Cheating 1 Thess 4.6 or by Gaming Prov. 13.11 Which Gaming besides it hath no blessing is also the occasion of many sins as Covetousness Anger Blasphemy c. and believe it such sport will bring down judgement in earnest Secondly Affirmatively Faith directs to seek Prosperity 1. By Diligence in our Calling Prov. 10.4 The hand of the diligent maketh rich 2. By not trusting to our diligence but Gods promise to the diligent Prov. 10 22. The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich Not sacrificing to our own Net but acknowledging with the Psalmist that unless the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it c. Psal 127.1 2. In using it 2. He lives by faith in the using of Prosperity As 1. with an humble diffidence in our selves and the creature lest when we are full of the world full of our selves by pride and security and self-confidence Prov 30 9. we should forget God The Moon at the full is furthest from the Sun and in greatest danger of Eclipse because the earth is then between Wherefore faith applies that Caveat Psal 62.10 When riches increase set not your heart on them 2. With an holy confidence in God when we have most as if still as poor as Job 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge the rich that they trust not in uncertain riches but in the living God c. Faith applies that charge It then crucifies a man to the world when he is full of the world 3. In not serving himself or his lusts but serving God in his good estate So did Job by the Devils own confession when he said Doth Job serve God for nought Job 1.10 To be rich in good works is made the right use of riches 1 Tim. 6. Honour the Lord with thy substance that 's the Command Prov. 3.9 An unbeliever sayes May I not do what I will with my own c He remembers not that what he hath is Gods and himself but a steward therefore he serves himself and makes provision for the flesh Rom. 13. to satisfie the lusts of pride of drunkenness of uncleanness c. When I fed them to the full they were as fed horses Jer. 5.7 A full-fed horse that lifts up his heel against his Master is unworthy of his provender But ordinarily this poor creature is more loving to his Master then men to God according to that complaint Isa 1.2 Lastly in laying his goods out to spiritual advantages so making friends of enemies for ordinarily no greater enemy to our salvation than these things friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness Luke 16 9. So to lay out is to lay up against a time of need not onely in the world to come but in this world Eccles 11.2 Give a portion to seven and also to eight for thou knowest not what evil shall be on the earth Contrary to the reasoning of an unbeliever or churlish Nâ—bal 3. As he lives by faith in obtaining and using 3. In parting wiâ—h it so in being willing to part with a prosperous condition He that in prosperity terminates his desire in the creature lives by sense But he that terminates his desire in God lives by
must dye shamefully at last But the other lives so as not to be questioned again and when he dies he dies with honour and respect Just so an unbeliever lives as a man Repriev'd Joh. 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already A believer lives as a man pardon'd absolv'd by the merit mediation of his friend in the Highest Court of Heaven and though he die his death is honourable 't is but a change for a better life Thus we reade of David pardoned in respect of his temporal life 2 Sam. 12.13 The Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not die 2. In the conservation of life 2. In respect of the Conservation of life in the use of means For however a believer and unbeliever use both of them the same means for the maintaining of life yet not in the same manner They use both the same ayre the same exercise the same bread but the unbeliever useth these means as a beast and rests in the means and never looks higher Luke 12.19 Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry The believer by faith looks above the means he knows man liveth not by bread alone Mat. 4. but by every word that cometh out of the mouth of God he knows except the Lord build the house Psal 127. they labour in vain that build it c. Indeed faith teacheth him to use the means else he should tempt God But faith teacheth him not to relie upon the means for then he should slighâ— God 3. In respect of the Preservation of life from such things as are destructive as sicknesses enemies 3. In the Preservation of life and the like Therefore faith is called a Shield Eph. 6.16 Thus Daniel lives by faith in the Lions den the three Children in the fiery Furnace Hezekiah in his mortal sickness and is recovered to his perfect strength again Paul in his shipwrack Acts 27.25 Obj. But these had particular Promises for their faith to rest on Ans It is true yet we have all that general ground of the Psalmist Psal 31.15 My times are in thine hand deliver me c. But of this before in the sixth Question 4. In respect of the Prolongation of life As a just man prolongs his Parents life so God prolongs his 4. In the Pâ—olongation of life Compare Prov. 15.20 Gen. 27. last Thus a childe dutiful to the natural Father layes hold on the fifth Commandment which is the first with promise and so hath life prolonged Eph 6. Heb. 12. Thus also a childe dutiful to the Father of Spirits layes hold on that promise Prov. 3.16 Length of dayes are in her right hand and in her left riches and honour See before v. 2. Or that Isa 40.30 31. Even the youths shall faint c. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength c. 5. In ordering the Actions of life as eating 5. In the Actions of life and drinking and even recreation labour and rest Eccles 10 16. Wâ—e to thee O Land when thy Princes eat in the morning Happy art thou O Land when thy Princes eat in due season for strength and not for drunkenness And Rom. 14. last Whatsoever is not of faith is sin if it be not a particular for these things yet it is a general Rule 6. He lives by faith 6. In the Blessings of life in respect of the Comforts and Blessings of a natural life In general 1 Pet 3.10 He that will love life and see good dayes let him refrain his tongue from evil c. More particularly in respect of 1. Wealth Prov. 3.16 Wisdom there hath both hands full of blessings if thou hast but a hand of faith to receive them And Prov. 10.22 The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it whereas the riches of an unbeliever will not suffer him to sleep Eccles 5.12 The abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep viz. Through his care of getting or keeping or losing Obj. But many believers are poor Ans Temporal blessings are promised onely so far as needful for our frame of Spirit and present condition See 1 Pet. 1.6 Now if need be ye are in manfold temptations and so if need be ye shall be crowned with many blessings 2. Health Prov. 3.8 Wisdome in which faith is included shall be health to thy navil and marrow to thy bones Davids experience that depended on God by faith Ps 103.3 who healeth all thy diseases and v 5. maketh thee young The love of God strengthneth the Creature Obj. By this rule they should never die who alway live by faith on God for health Ans Temporal promises are made onely pro tempore and to be applyed so long as they shall be meet and expedient for us as was said of the former and no longer Now so long as God by faith raiseth up the heart to lay hold on them it is a sure sign he means to fulfil them But when he means to withdraw them he layes the keyes of Faith and Prayer out of the way 3 Peace The just live by faith for peace 1. By looking at the promise of it Prov. 16.7 When a mans wayes please the Lord he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him 'T is a promise on condition yet of free grace 2 At the Precept as a means to peace Rom. 14.19 Let us follow after the things which make for peace c. We must follow the temper of love described 1 Cor. 13.5 7. Charity doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked c. It beareth all things believeth all thâ—ngs hopeth all things endureth all things viz. unless the actions or Doctrines of men be appâ—rently evil for then the contrary is required 2 Epist Joh. v 10. If there câ—me any unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not inâ—o your house nor bid him God speed Rev. 2 20. The Church there is reproved for suffering the woman Jezebel to teach and seduce Christs servants and commit fornication c So we must not suffer if any teach Antinomianism for Christ sayes expresly Mat. 5 17. I came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it 4. Good success in the improvement of a mans natural life not onely for his own good but for the publick good And this implies many particulars For Faith teacheth a man 1. To improve his Natural life in undertaking some place of imployment in a civil life It will not suffer a man to live without a Calling So 1. Cor. 7.20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called which is meant of a particular Calling and supposes every Christian must have such a Calling for he mentions it as a charge under that general of keeping the Commands of God ver 19. 2. It stirs a man up to look to God for gifts for the
danger to be xalted above measure and the great contention among the Disciples themselves was Who should be the greatest If this was the Condemnation of the Devil and after that the Devils Temptation upon our first Parents that they might fall by Pride as he did I see not why any should secure themselves from this Temptation in the state of grace Therefore you that stand take heed lest you fall though you shall never fall finally by this sin yet you may fall fearfully if you look not well about you And surely this is one good means among the rest to keep us from falling to consider We are justified by the Righteousnesse of another We live as pardoned men we live upon mercy we live upon alms A poor creature who like lame Mephibosheth is fed at the Table of another and clothed with the garments of another and hath nothing that he can call his own hath little cause to be proud this is our condition We live at Gods finding for meat drink and clothing not onely for our Bodies but for our Souls also from day to day As God hath put meat into our mouthes so he puts words of prayers into our mouthes first Hos 14 2. Take unto you words and say unto the Lord Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously And so our blessed Saviour Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses c. Mark ye here are Petitions put into our mouthes every day as well as the first day of our conversion both concerning giving and forgiving though some are so proud now adayes they know not how to say that Prayer Shall Christ teach them how to pray or shall they teach Christ Is there a greater Soloecism than to be proud Beggar A Beggar and yet proud A Beggar and yet one that scorns to beg One whose wants beg and cry aloud and yet his tongue begs not I know no better means to cure this pride than the consideration of this We live not upon our selves but upon God the very life of our Souls the food of our Souls the clothing of our Souls all is from God Vse 2 2 Use Examination Whether we do live this life of Justification Examination Quest How shall we know Mark 1. Ans 1. It 's a Soul-humbling life if we lay hold on Christs Righteousnesse our hands are our own Psal 134.2 In thy sight shall no man living be justified Unjustified persons are proud of their pride Rev. 5. They cast down their Crowns Luke 18.14 The Publican as he was humble so justified Isa 64.6 All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Phil. 3. I count all but dross and dung c. 2. A Soul pacifying life Isa 57.19 Mark 2. I create the fruit of the lips peace peace c. Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God Obj. But I am troubled Ans 1. Yet thou art supported Cant. 2.6 His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me 2. There is the seed of peace and joy in thee Light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart Psal 112. 3. A God-glorifying life Rev. 4.10 Mark 3. The four and twenty Elders fall down before him that sate on the Throne and cast their Crowns before the Throne saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory c. 1 In all holy Actions Rom. 6.15 16 c. 2. In humble Passion or Submission i. e. in all Sufferings He that is justified by God will even justifie God in all that befalls him He will not quarrel and say Lord I am a justified person why dost thou punish me but as David Psal 51.4 that thou maist be justified when thou speakest c. or as Ezra 9.13 Thou our God hast punished us less then our iniquities deserve c. 4. A Christ-magnifying life 1 Pet. 2.7 If we believe Mark 4. Christ is precious Luke 7. Kiss his very feet wash and wipe c. Vse 3 3 Use This should teach us 1. Instruction To acknowledge this life of Justification in others 2. To imitate God our selves and justifie those that sin against us Branch 1 1. Acknowledge this in others Let us justifie those whom God doth justifie when once it appears to us Receive such as God receives though weak in the faith Rom. 14 1 2 3. One that is made a Freeman of your Town a Member of your Corporation you receive into your Society and Communion upon all occasions Now all justified persons are made free ipso facto and admitted into Communion of Saints Eph 2.12 13. It was Simons sin he would not justifie that gracious woman whom Christ himself had justified and he might see it by the fruits too Luke 7. Luke 7.37 Like those Priests Ezek. 13.22 They condemn whom the Lord justifies and justifie whom the Lord condemns Branch 2 2. Imitate God in justifying or forgiving those that sin against us I mean so far as it concerns us Forbearing one another c. Coloss 3.13 Matth. 18.21 28. Forgive thy brother untill seventy times seven times God forgives more than we can Motive This Confirms the Assurance of our own forgiveness Matth. 6.14 15. If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you c. The one the cause of the other Our forgiving others is a natural effect of Gods forgiving us Obj. By this Rule there should be no need of Courts of Justce among men If Offences must be forgiven no man should accuse one another no man witness no man judge and so as the Anabaptists say No Magistrate c. Of forgiving offences Ans Offences and wrongs must be considered in divers relations 1. As they concern our selves alone here we have power to forgive to hide and conceal them Love covers a multitude of faults Jam. 5. 2. As they are of a publike interest There is a threefold interest Reipublicae of State Ecclesiae of Church Dei of God As in Theft Murther Idolatry all have an interest every one of these is wronged Deut. 13.6 these we must not conceal He that is partner with a thief hates his own soul Prov. 29.24 Here the Accusers Witnesses and Judge must do their parts yea and their Justification and Redemption ties them to this Luke 1.74 that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear c. Else they were abominable He that justifieth the wicked and condemneth the just even they both are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 17.15 So a man who hath his person justified by God may for some particular unjust act be condemned by the Magistrate Luke 23.41 And we indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds c. Rom. 13 1 7. Onely have a care to do justly in judgement Observe Malach. 3.5 I will be a just witnesse against those that oppresse the hireling in his wages the widow and the
fatherlesse c. Vse 4 4 Use Bless God for this Life of Justification Thankfulness Psal 103.1 2 3. Blesse the Lord O my soul who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases As the Philosopher who blest God That his Life was Rational That he was a Man Born in such a Countrey and City That he was a Philosopher This is Gods end Ephes 1.6 12. To the praise of the glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved c. Suppose 1. A poor man in Debt and the Creditor cross the Book O happy man Psal 32.1 Blessed is he whose iniquity is forgiven And Psal 51.1 2. according to the multitude of thy mercies blot out my transgressions c. 2. If a poor naked man lying in the mire ready to perish with cold should be clothed with warm and rich Apparel O how thankful would he be Not like the Snake that when the Husbandman brought it to the fire and it was well warmed spit in his face but as Jobs poor Hospital-men Their very loins whom he had clothed did bless him We were such naked polluted creatures Ezek. 16.6 Therefore let us bless his Name so much the more as clothing the Soul is better than the Body c. 3. Suppose an Imprisoned man set at liberty c. 4. Suppose a Condemned man absolved O how thankful would he be Christ hath procured our absolution In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins Col 1.14 Vse 5 5 Use Exhortation to seek after this Life of Justification Exhortation this is not a vain thing as Deut 32.47 Pray for it Isa 43.26 declare that thou maist be justified and say what thou canst But Job 9.14 15. How shall I answer him and choose out words to reason with him Every one would be glad to be accounted just before men How much better is it to be so in the sight of God who out of Christ is a consuming fire Let us not rest in our own or others Righteousness Angels or Saints Obj. We lived this Life from eternity onely now we are to labour for the sense of it Ans 1. Then what is the meaning of those places Luke 15. the last vers It was meet that we should make merry and be glad for this thy brother was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found And Ephes 2.1 3 c. You hath he quickned who were dead in sins and trespasses 1 John 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life c. 2. We could not live before we had a being nor be justified before we were Motives 1. A poor weary and heavy laden Soul can never lye down with rest in the bed of his own Righteousness c. 2. Hereby our persons are pleasing to God This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased Cant. 1.15 16. Thou art all fair my love c. 3. Then duties are accepted Gen. 4. Abel and his offering First the tree good and then the fruit good Our duties cannot be accepted out of Christ because imperfect 4. Hereby we are encouraged and strong to duty Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousness and strength Isa 45.24 The joy of the Lord is your strength Nehem. 8.10 5. Hereby freed from Condemnation Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It 's he that justifieth who shall condemn Whereas all unjustified persons are liable to Condemnation From 1. The Law Gal. 3.10 As many as are under the works of the Law are under the curse 2. Conscience Rom. 2.15 their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts the mean-while accusing or excusing one another Tit. 3.11 He that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself 3. Satan Psal 109.6 Let Satan stand at his right hand 4 Men as they tempt one another so accuse one another as Adam layes the fault on Eve she on the Serpent 5. The Gospel John 3.19 This is the condemnation 6. The mouth of the Judge Matth. 25.19 Then shall he say to them on the left hand Depart from me c. But all believers and justified persons are free from condemnation Rom. 8.1 There 's no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Of 1. The Law Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law c. Acts 13.39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses Rom. 7.6 But now we are delivered from the Law c. 2. Conscience Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God Heb 9.14 3. Satan Rev. 12.10 The accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before God day and night Zech. 3.2 The Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee 4. Men Num. 12.8 Gen 4.6 Luke 7.39 c. 5. The Gospel Rom. 1.16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel 6. The mouth of the Judge Mat. 25.34 Then shall the King say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed c. 6. The Righteous are bold Prov. 28.1 as a Lion fear not enemies Mic. 7.8 9 10 16 17 18. Psal 91.5 6 7. II. THE LIFE of FAITH IN SANCTIFICATION THE second Part of Spiritual Life is the Life of Sanctification 2 Cor. 5.17 Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a New Creature And thus the just lives by Faith also As Faith layes hold upon Christ for Justification so it draws vertue from Christ for Sanctification and that either Renewing and Cleansing or Fructifying Mortifying and Vivifying c. ut supra So then the just live by Faith the life of Sanctification for as Faith works by Love so by Humility Patience and other Christian Graces and so the Apostle applies this very Text Heb. 10. where he perswades them to possess their souls in patience Yea but how shall they get patience Why get Faith and they shall be sure to get Patience and all other needful Graces Ver. 36 38. For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise Now the just shall live by Faith sayes he Branch 1. Renovation And first for the Life of Faith in Sanctification it self or the Renovation of the Soul For the better prosecution of this Point it will not be amiss to give you in brief the Resolution of these Questions Quest 1. Whether there be any such Life of Sanctification in a Christian besides the Sanctification that is in Christ himself Quest 2. If there be so then what it is and wherein it doth consist Quest 3. How and by what means it is wrought in the Soul Quest 4. What 's the reason that such a Life is necessary in all justified persons Quest 1. Whether there be a life of Sanctification in believers 1. For the first it may seem a Question out
of question but that the vanity and petulancy of mens fancies and opinions begins to call all into question in these dayes and so this That which starts the Question is the wresting of certain Scriptures which they pervert as they do many others as 1 Corinth 1.30 He is made to us amongst other things Sanctification Therefore say they there 's no other Heb. 10.14 He hath by one offering for ever perfected those that are sanctified Therefore say they Christ is our Sanctification and it can be no other because it is perfect Before we Answer these Scriptures we shall shew the contrary by the full evidence of other Scriptures which will give us the clearer light in answering those former alleged places Solut. There is therefore a Life of Sanctification inherent in every true Christian besides that which is inherent in the person of Christ himself Which is proved by these Arguments 1. Because there is a Sanctification of the whole person in parts and faculties by the Spirit of Grace 1 Thess 5.23 And I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless c. Every believer is thus sanctified as Water is warmed or the Air enlightened all at once 2. There is a Sanctification of the Conversation 1 Thess 4.3 For this is the will of God your Sanctification 1 Pet 1.15 As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation 3. This is part of the New Covenant Ezek. 36.25 26 27. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon them and they shall be clean c. 4. Argument is drawn from an absurdity If there were no Sanctification in a Christian besides that in Christ then there should be a confusion of these two great Benefits of Justification and Sanctification but the Apostle doth every where distinguish these as in the forementioned place 1 Cor 1.30 Righteousness Sanctification c. So 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justifiâ—d And indeed there is a great deal of difference for 1. Justification is imputed Sanctification is imparted John 16. Of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace 2. Justification is without a man Sanctification is within him 3. Justification absolves a man from all his sins Sanctification does not so Who can say I am clean from my iniquity 4. Justification is perfect and compleat Acts 13.39 Being justified from all things Sanctification is imperfect so saith the Apostle Phil. 3.12 Not as though I were already perfect Christ hath laid hold upon me that I may lay hold upon him to draw still further vertue from him therefore it is not perfect at the first But what then shall we say to that place of Scripture Heb. 10.14 He hath by one offering c. Ans 1. The words import no more but this as appears by the context That what is wanting in our own works and duties and so in our Sanctification Christ hath perfected by the benefit of our Justification or 2. By that offering of his he hath sanctified and set us apart to be his own peculiar people For sometimes to sanctifie signifies no more than to set apart from a common use to some special service So Times Things Persons are said to be sanctified Then whereas it is said 1 Cor. 1.30 He is made to us sanctification c. The meaning is no more but this That he is the Author and Finisher of our Holiness as well as of our Faith as we shall see in the resolution of the third Question In the mean time let us come to the second Question Quest 2. What Sanctification is Sol. 2. What this Sanctification is and wherein it doth consist And it may be thus described It is an inward and powerful change of a person justified whereby the image of God is renewed in him by the work of the spirit It is a change and a powerful change to distinguish it from that work that may be in a civil man whereby his corrupt nature is suppressed and restrained though his corruption be not mortified 2. An inward change to distinguish it from outward reformation such as was in Herod who heard John gladly and reformed many things and yet his heart was not changed but true grace doth ever begin at the fountain it purifies that in the first place and then the streams which flow from thence Mat. 23.25 Psal 51.10 3. It is the change of a justified person to shew that however Justification be not Sanctification nor Sanctification Justification yet Sanctification is a necessary fruit and an inseparable companion of Justification That person that is once justified is also sanctified as in the place before-named 1 Cor. 6.10 4. The form of Sanctification consists in the Renewing of Gods Image in which Image Man was created at the first having not onely a spiritual substance a Soul and spiritual faculties of that Soul Reason and Will but spiritual and divine Properties of those Faculties Light in his Reason to know the Truth a sweet flexibility in his Will to obey the Truth according to the Will of God Now after the Fall though man have the same Soul and the same Faculties yet he hath not the same divine Properties of those Faculties for as he fell by the Devils temptation so he fell into the Devils sin and condemnation The Devil fell by Pride he would needs be above God or as God so he tempted our first Parents to fall by the same kinde of Pride and ever since man in the state of corruption would be some-body in those two main Faculties of his Soul Reason and Will and therefore we are all naturally Papists and Arminians in this Point his Reason he would lift up above the Word of God as they do their Traditions and his VVill above the VVill of God whereby it come to pass that his Pride makes him very wilful in sinning against God Jer. 44.16 or else presuming upon a false supposed liberty of converting himself to God at his own pleasure whereas the Apostle saith flatly It is not in him that willeth c. Rom. 9. But this is the condition of Man in the state of corruption the Image of God is thus fearfully defaced Now when grace comes in the work of Sanctification there is presently a change wrought not in the very substance and faculties of the Soul but onely in the properties of them presently the lofty looks of man are humbled and the haughtiness of men is bowed down and the Lord alone exalted in that day Isa 2.11 There 's no more My Reason but Thy Word Lord shall be my guide then no more My Will but Thy Will be done Let it be done in earth as it is done in heaven then no more I will do this or that by my own strength I will repent when I am old I can convert my self to God when I list No but as poor Ephraim cries out Turn thou me and I
shall be turned convert thou me and I shall be converted for thou art the Lord my God Jer. 31.8 Thus truth of Grace sanctifies Reason and it sanctifies the Will and so it sanctifies the Affections to love God and by consequence to love that which God loves and to hate the contrary it sanctifies the Conscience to accuse and excuse upon just grounds it sanctifies the Memory to retain good things it sanctifies the Tongue to speak good things or at least it is pain and grief to keep silence Psal 39. it sanctifies the ear to hear good things and shut the door against the contrary it sanctifies the hand to do good things it sanctifies the feet the feet of the Soul to walk in good wayes In a word it sanctifies the whole man to the service of that God who hath redeemed him from death And thus the form of Sanctification consists in the renewing of the Image of God in righteousness and holiness Eph. 4.24 which implies also the defacing of the Image of old Adam and of Satan the pulling down of the old structure of sin before there can be a rearing up of the new structure of Grace a putting off the old man before there can be a putting on the new Thus you see the second Question resolved What this Sanctification is which by the way should teach us to examine whether we live this Life or no. Vse Examine whether we are sanctified Motive The just lives by Faith in the Trial of his Sanctification as well as Justification Psal 139.23 Search me O God and know my heart c. Master is it I 2 Cor. 11.2 I am jealous over you c. Is there any more in us then Civility or Morality can produce Is there an inward powerful universal change Quest VVhat difference is there between Morality and Sanctification Aâ—s This is a profitable question because many are deceived in this particular as the young man Mark 10.20 so many at this day rest in Civility c. Obj. Is there any hurt in Civility and Morality why do you Preachers speak so much against it Ans VVe speak not against the things themselves Of Civility but mens trusting to them and resting in them they are good in themselves and lovely dispositions as Christ looked upon the young man and loved him But when men rest in them and cry them up for true Sanctification there 's the danger Though Silver and Gold are the best Metals yet Brass Copper and Tin are good in their kinde but if a man will set the Stamp of good Coyn upon Copper Brass c. and gild it over that he may put it off for Gold c. he deserves to suffer for it So if a man will set the Stamp of true Grace upon Civility or Morality Jer. 6.28 30 Quest VVhat difference Ans A meer Moral mans Obedience is not general As 1. For Extent Difference betwixt Morality and Sanctification The Civil or Moral man his obedience is not general Herod must have his Minion Mark 6.17 Therefore Jam. 2.10 He that offends in one point is guilty of all but a gracious man doth all in purpose of heart Acts 13.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 è contra Saul 1 Sam. 15. will pick and choose 2. For Object The Moral mans obedience is more to the Law than the Gospel because the Law is revealed by nature Rom. 2.14 but the Gospel not so it is a mystery 1 Cor. 2.7 8. therefore he slights Christ Publicans and Harlots shall go into the Kingdom of God sooner than they On the other side Rom. 1.16 the Gospel is powerful to salvation 3. More in duties of the Second Table than the First because these are more known by nature than the first Hence profane ones take Gods Name and Sabbath in vain either in Oaths or ordinary talk as O God! O Lord though Deut 28.58 It is a glorious and fearful Name but Psal 119.228 I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right sayes a Saint 4. For Quality Moral men are onely for the form not the power of godliness they hate that as Vlpian the great Lawyer Galen the great Physician and Porphiry the great Philosopher great enemies to godliness Difficult duties exact walking loving enemies Matth. 5.43 these things they love not to hear of but especially that hard lesson of Self-denial Luke 14.33 as that young man Mark 10.22 5. His obedience is outward not inward so long as he abstains from actual Murther and Adultery Matth. 5.21 But Christ shews there the spiritualness of the Law 2 Cor. 10.5 Casting down imaginations bringing into captivity ever thought c. Rom. 6 17. Ye true believers have obeyed from the heart 6. He makes no bones of small sins as the Scribes and Pharisees Mat 5.19 20. 7. He hates such as are powerfully godly Acts 7 54. as they were out to the heart and gnashed on Steven with their teeth è contra 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren 8. A meer Moral man doth commonly and willingly fail in the Principle End and Manner of Duty 1. Principle He doth all in his own strength but the other in the strength of Christ Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me 2. End His own glory Jehu 2 King 10.16 Come see my zeal c. So he See my gift in prayer Mat. 23.5 to be seen Contrà Psal 115.1 Not to us O Lord not to us c. 3. Manner as well as matter of actions either he rests in the notion Rom. 2.18 And knowest his will approving the things more excellent c. or if he be drawn down to actions yet affection is wanting Heb 9.14 dead works Chearfully Diligently Zealously Rom. 12.11 9. They love not to be touched in their Free-hold they love not discriminating differencing Doctrines according to Jer. 15.19 Separating the precious from the vile c. Luke 4.29 When they heard these things they were filled with wrath and thrust him out of the City But one that hath any grace loves to be tried and that God would send a messenger to search my heart to the bottom Psal 139. Luke 7.23 Blessed is he that is not offended i.e. offended with it or the messenger of it which Christ spake in the same case The poor receive the Gospel men of eminent parts for Civility and Morality are passed by and those men that renounce all these in point of Justification and are poor in spirit these are blessed Thus Faith tries Sanctification 1 Pet. 1.21 And if upon examination we be found guilty take the counsel Rev. 3.17 18. Because thou saist I am rich c. I counsel thee to buy of me gold c. If upon examination we finde we be truly sanctified prize Christ Phil. 3.6 7.8 What things were gain to us we count loss for Christ Be thankful 1 Tim. 1.13 17. who was before a blasphemer c.
unrighteousness 2. We may know it by the End of spiritual actions if it be the glory and honour of Christ and a care to preserve the things of Christ as the Members of the Body have a principal care of adorning and preserving the Head The Arm receives a blow to defend the Head so a living Member of Christ truly united to him as he goes to Christ for strength Phil. 4.13 so he refers all to the honour of Christ in conclusion another adventures himself far for the truth and cause of Christ as Paul Acts 20. Neither is my life dear unto me so I may fulfil the Ministery of Christ c. So in general Faith lives on Christ 2. In particular Or 2. In particular he lives by Faith in the Application Means 1. His Death 1. Of the Death of Christ for though we have benefit by the Birth of Christ Luke 2.10 11. as we shewed this day fortnight yet not so much as by his death and joy in birth onely in relation to his death He is born a Saviour i.e. one that shall die for your sins Rom. 5.10 Heb. 2.14 Through death he destroyed him that had power of death that is the devil Yet there is joy in his Birth as in the approach of a friend that comes to loose as out of Prison if we be in for Debt or Murther We then rejoyce when he comes to the door but onely in reference to paying of the Debt for if he should then turn back it would sad us the more So in this case Must Aarons ear and hand and foot be sanctified it must be done by the application of the Blood of the Covenant Exod 29.20 Thus our hearing thus our words thus our works thus our walking is sanctified in the application of the Blood of Christ Heb. 9 14. the Blood of Christ purge your consciences 'T is all the price of Blood 2 Cor. 5. ult He hath made him to be sin for us c. Faith sanctifies as by laying hold of the Blood and Death of Christ so of the Resurrection and Life of Christ Means 2. His Resurrection As the Resurrection of Christ is a Birth so he is called The first-born from the dead so the assurance of his Resurrection proved by the powerful government of the Church and of the whole World for the Churches sake in his Session at the Right-hand of his Father this begets a lively hope and so a spiritual new birth in us 1 Pet. 1.3 We are begotten again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead Faith or Hope makes use of Christs Resurrection and this New birth of faith begets a New life of Sanctification Coloss 3.1 If ye then be risen with Christ c. The love of Christ dying for us and rising for us and reigning for us acting all our affairs at the Right-hand of God his Father yea the love of Christ begetting of us to this lively hope by his Death and Resurrection all these constrain us to a holy life 2 Cor. 5. Ver. 14. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that 15. He dyed for all that they which live should not live henceforth unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again Therefore 16. We live no more after the flesh i.e. with carnal and sinful affections And 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature a new man a regenerate person and hath a renewed conversation Therefore Wherefore because he seeing the love of Christ by the eye of Faith in dying for him and rising again this raiseth up his heart to newness of life As if he heard Christ perswading of him like as a tender-hearted mother perswades her childe per viscera by her own bowels If thou art my childe if thou dost own me for thy Mother then obey my commandments and follow my advice so saith the Apostle Col. 3. If ye be risen again with Christ if ye be partakers of a New Birth through the pangs of his Death and the power of his Resurrection if ye be his children if ye acknowledge God for your Father set your affections ow things which are above Phil. 3.20 and let your conversation be in heaven And so the just lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification in the application of the Death and Resurrection of Christ 3. He lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification Means 3. His Appearing and Judgment in the application of the Appearing of Christ and the Judgement of Christ 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom Preach the word be instant c. Look as the warning of an Assize or Sessions makes one careful to provide themselves that their cause may be found good that they may be able to stand in Judgement so in this case The same argument see Tit 2.13 Live soberly righteously c. looking for the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ And 1 Cor. 15. last Theâ—efoâ—e my beloved brethren be ye stedfast c. Wherefore for as much as ye know c. i. e knowing by faith or believing your labour one day shall not be in vain in the Lord. A cause of all sins is made not believing the Judgement 2 Pet. 3.3 4. Where is the Promise of his coming c and a cause of holy walking the believing of it ver 11 12. What manner of persons ought ye to be in all hâ—ly conversation and godliness looking for and hasting to the coming c. Therefore it is observable in Scripture where-ever almost there is mention of the last Judgement it speaks of Christs judging men by the fruits of Faith rather then by Faith it self that the believing of the last Judgement may stir us up to a holy life Mat. 25.35 c. 2 Cor. 5.10 Rev. 20.12 there the Books are opened the Book of Gods Decree and yet men judged according to their works Think of this you that have to do in Judgement this day * other Books must one day be opened It may make a Felix tremble it may move all to be holy and righteous in all their actions Means 4. His Word 4. He lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification in the application of the Word of Christ Without Faith the Word profits not neither this nor any other way but being mixed with Faith Heb. 4.2 it is quick and powerful and mighty in operation 2 Cor. 10 4. to the pulling down of strong holds i.e. proud thoughts earthly thoughts unclean thoughts Joh. 15.3 Now are you clean through the word that I have spoken to you Psal 19. The word of the Lord is clean and endures for ever And as it is clean in it self so it is a cleansing word in the effect
As a natural death seizeth on all parts heart and all so true Mortification extends it self to all parts of the old man even to the best beloved sin and that which lies next the heart 3. Then there is no more delight in sin 3 Mark Rom. 6. If sin be dead in us we are dead to sin Bury my dead out of my sight said Abraham of his beloved Sarah when she was once dead Gen. 23.4 4. Further let us see 4 Mark if we have proceeded against sin as the avenger of blood in those eight Particulars above-mentioned viz. Is there 1. A rising of the heart against sin 2. A diligent enquiry after it 3. An accusation of it c. Obj. But my sin revives in me rather than is mortified Ans I answer as before VVhen a beast is struck it struggles Besides as Christ died a lingring death so doth a believers sin that is crucified with him There is a long Combate between the flesh and Spirit as there was between the houses of Saul and David Gal. 5.17 2 Sam. 3. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit c. Obj. Yea but there is a combate in the Conscience of Natural men against sin as there is in the Regenerate of the Spirit against the flesh And I am afraid mine is no more how shall I know it Marks of the combate of flesh against Spirit Ans Know it thus 1. By the Cause What is the Cause of this Combate or Trouble of Conscience Is it onely some gross sin or great judgement That may proceed from the horror of natural Conscience But if thy very corrupt frame of Nature troubles thee and its putting forth in the least sins in sinful thoughts in sinful looks c. This combate proceeds from a Nature renew'd by the Spirit of God Rom. 7.23 24. I see a law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde O wretched man that I am c Second Mark of the difference 'twixt a true and false combate 2. By the Aim The aim of a natural man in his combate or wrestling is onely to give sin a foil or at most a fall and he is willing to let it rise again so it will be quiet and not bring him to shame by giving him a fall in the place of lookers-on But the aim of a spiritual man in his combate is not onely to give sin a fall but to kill it and crucifie it He lives the Life of Mortification he desires that all that natural enmity which is in his heart against God Eph. 2.16 may be utterly slain 3 Mark 3. In the Effects and Issue For 1. the combate of a Natural man drives him to false succours When the evil Spirit troubles Saul he runs now to his Musick now to the Witch of Endor Cain to his building of Cities But a spiritual man runs to Christ Rom. 7.25 Who shall deliver me from the body of death I thank God sayes he through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2. The combate of a Natural man endeth usually either in Despair or Dissoluteness The flesh gets the better hand and at last his troubled conscience comes to be drown'd or sear'd But the combate of Spiritual men ends in Victory his conscience is more tender and smites him for the lap of a garment or any small thing and so he gets more power against sin from day to day Though he halts for it yet he gets the victory Vse 3 Thirdly It Reproves all that live not by Faith the Life of Mortification Conviction Reproof to 7 sort of persons 1. Such as rather make peace with sin than fight against it Though the Lord hath sworn that he will have war with this Amalek from generation to generation Exod. 17.16 What is this but to make a Covenant with Death and to be at an Agreement with Hell Isa 28.15 2. Such as in stead of fighting against sin fight for it See also Jer. 44.16 As the Sodomites for theirs Gen. 19. or the Benjamites in defence of theirs Judg. 20. or the Ephesians for their Diana Acts 19. Such take the Devils part and fight against Christ as the Dragon against Michael Rev. 12.7 3. Such as nourish and cherish their Sin as the countryman did the Snake till it sting them to death What Solomon sayes of one Sin may be said of all Prov. 23.32 At last it biteth like a Serpent and stingeth like an Adder These are such as make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it Rom. 13. last 4. Such as seem Neuters in this Christian Warfare Though none are so indeed for all are either with Christ or against him But some seem Neuters as Laodicea Rev. 3.16 that is neither hot nor cold Double-minded men that are unstable in all their wayes Jam. 1.8 Such as the Lord will spew out of his mouth Why halt ye between two said Elijah 1 Kings 18.21 if Baal be God follow him if God be God follow him 5. Such as will chide and rate their Sins and themselves for their Sins as Saul did before David My Son I have done very foolishly and Pharaoh before Moses 1 Sam. 14.16 Exod 9.27 The Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked and Judas did before the High-Priest I have sinned in betraying the innocent blood and yet for all that they spare the life of them They had rather kill themselves than kill their Sins as Saul did and Judas also 6. Such as will restrain Sin or imprison it or binde it to its good-behavior or cast it so bound into a pit as Joseph was cast by his Brethren that the world may not see their wickedness Gen. 27.21 but they are resolved they will never kill it outright No but they plead for the life of it as Reuben pleaded for the life of his Brother Let us not kill him 2 Sam. 18.5 c. Or as David for Absolom Deal gently with the young man Just so men deal with their Sins they are kinde-hearted to their Sins but cruel to their Souls 7. Such as will whip and scourge their Sins and themselves for their Sins but spare the life of it As Papists do by their Fastings Pilgrimages and Scourgings and then presently give a new Indulgence to Sin As the worshippers of Baal cut themselves with knives and lancers 1 Kings 18. So these mortifie the outward man but the inward man is never pricked at the heart Alas it's easier to endure all outward torments than to mortifie one lust The sinner will endure any pain Job 2. so his sin may live Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Now Sin is the very life of a sinner in his own apprehension dearer than his right hand or his right eye 8. Such as deal with their Sins as those Cutters in the 10 of Luke dealt with the Traveller between Jerusalem and Jericho wound them sore and leave
the Sun harden the Clay and soften the Wax withers the grass upon the house-top and makes the grass in the meadows flourish comforts sound eyes and offends sore eyes 4. Probational 4. There is a Probational deadness which God dispenseth or permitteth for the trial of his Servants graces This was in Peter for a time to let us see what we are when God leaves us to our selves Summer were not so comfortable if we had not a Winter Look as it is in natural life Psal 104.29 30. Thou hidest thy face they are troubled thou takest away their breath they die and return to the dust Thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are created c. So in spiritual life whence there is so much difference betwixt one man and another yea in the same man at one time and at another Propos 2. Saints recover by faith out of deadness But it is better to know how to come out of this estate than how we come into it though both be needful Therefore I come to the second Proposition That at such times as these the just lives by faith and by Faith recovers the quickness and activity of his spiritual life again In the 2 of Tim. 1.6 the Apostle perswades Timothy to stir up the gift of God that was in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to thrive or rekindle it to blow it up as a spark into a flame Now Faith is as the bellows to blow it up The breath of the Lord indeed is the wind that breathes upon dead bones so upon dead Souls But Faith is as the bellows that draws this wind and blows it forth again And therefore if you observe it the Apostles Exhortation to stir up or blow up the gift is grounded upon the former verse viz. I call to minde the unfeigned faith that is in thee which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois c. As if he should have said Thou that hast faith art too blame if thou dost not stir up the gift that is in thee Ministerial gifts especially by the exercise of thy faith This is the Aqua-vitae of a Christian in fainting fits and dead fits when Qualms of sorrow and spiritual sickness come over the heart Psal 42.5 Why art thou cast down O my soul why art thou disquieted within me still trust in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God There was the cure his Faith did revive him and were it not for this we should quite sink away Psal 27.14 I had fainted but that I hoped to see the Lord the Lord in the land of the living So then the just lives by Faith the Life of Vivification And the Reasons of it are Reas 1 1. Because Faith doth assure us in present deadness that a time of quickning shall come I shall yet praise him as before Psal 138.7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble thou wilt revive me and thy right hand shall save me The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me c. Reas 2 2. Because Faith is a Mean of quickning an active grace that works and sets all a work like the Spring in the Watch. If Faith lies dead in a Christian all is dead If you winde up the Spring of Faith if you act your Faith it moves every Wheel it quickens all your Humility your Patience Love Zeal and the stronger Faith the quicker the motion Should we speak for God As strong wine must have a vent so strong Faith This made the Apostles speak so freely Acts 2. when others thought they were fill'd with new wine Thus Elihu Job 32.18 I am full of matter the spirit within me constraineth me Or do much for God Act 6.8 Steven full of faith and power did great wonders and miracles among the people This suffers us not to be slothful Heb. 6.12 Reas 3 3. Because it puts the Soul upon quickning Means As 1. It layes hold on a quickning Word Psal 119 50. Thy word hath quickned me Heb. 4.12 The word of God is quick and powerful c. and Faith layes hold on that Word Especially the quickning Promises Heb. 9.14 12.11 12. Hos 14.5 6 7. Isa 40.3 last verses Jer. 29 10 11 12. Prov. 12.25 Heaviness saith Solomon in the heart of a man maketh it stoop but a good word maketh it glad that is a word of Promise 2. On a quickning Saviour 1 Tim. 6.13 God who quickneth all things How in and by Christ 1 Cor. 15. Iohn 6. The second Adam is a quickning Spirit that hath life in himself and gives it to all others As the root quickneth the branches so Christ Joh. 15.5 The life of the branch in winter is hid in the root so is our life hid with Christ Col. 3.3 And 3. Faith receives a quickning Spirit Joh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickneth Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 and where there is liberty there is activity Psal 119.32 I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart The Spirit is compared to water Joh. 7.38 not to standing water but to running or living water because it is alwayes in motion Psal 45. Cor meum ebullit c. my heart bubleth up as a spring Hence also it is compared to fire Mat. 3. Fire is an active element it 's alwayes mounting upwards and it warms those that come near it Dead and frozen members are made useful and active by the heat of the fire so are dead and benummed Souls by the warmth of the Spirit Reas 4 4. Because Faith puts the Soul upon quickning Meditations or Arguments Whilest I was musing says David the fire kindled Psal 39.3 Whether we meditate on good or evil Meditation will blow up the fire The faithful man is described to be a man full of Meditation Psal 1.2 he meditates day and night and Psal 119.147 148. I prevented the dawning of the morning Mine eyes prevent the night-watches that I might meditate on thy Word Quest But what Meditations or Arguments does Faith put the Soul upon to quicken it Answer Such as are drawn 1. From former Experience Arguments of faith to quicken the soul under deadness that God who once quickned the Soul will quicken it again Psal 77.3 5 6. I remembred God I have considered the dayes of old I call to remembrance my song in the night Will the Lord cast off for ever c Arg. 2 2. From Gods Attributes of Mercy and Faithfulness Psal 77.8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his faithfulness fail for evermore Of his Perfection His works are perfect Deut. 32.4 A perfect God will perfect his works Arg. 3 3. From Gods Glory An active Christian brings him in more glory in one day than another in a thousand Psal 80.18 Quicken us and we will call upon thy Name Psal 119.175 Let my soul live and it shall praise thee c. Arg. 4 4
from an inward principle of life And how is that discerned Ans His actions spring 1. From Faith both in the Precept Psal 119.93 I will never forget thy precepts for by them thou hast quickned me and in the Promise whether of Assistance or Acceptance or Reward as we see in Moses Heb. 11.25 26. 2. From Love 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth me A natural man or hypocrite is not moved by any such Principle Trial. 2 Secondly they differ in their End A true Christian aims at Gods glory Elias is zealous for the Lord of hosts 1 King 19. Whether he eats or drinks he does all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 And others Salvation ver 33 Even as I please all men in all things not seeking mine own profit sayes Paul but the profit of many that they may be saved An Hypocrite though zealous and he sayes 't is for God yet 't is for himself that he may be seen of men Matth. 6.6 So Jehu 2 Kings 10.16 Come see my zeal for the Lord This is his end and this is his Principle For Finis movet agentem That which is last in Execution is first in Intention Hence also his most lively actions spring from envy and sinful emulation they scorn any should go beyond them Some preach Christ of envy sayes Paul Philip. 1.15 But a gracious heart is glad when others are active and exceed Trial. 3 Thirdly in their Manner of working where there is true Vivification 1. It strives against Coldness and meets with opposition swims against the stream An hypocrite may be as active as he will he findes nothing to let him 2. He that is truly active desires to approve himself to God and had rather God should approve him than all the world commend him 1 Cor. 4.3 4. It is a very small thing I should be judg'd of mans judgment but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Nay 2 Cor. 10. last Not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth See Psal 139. Iohn 21.17 Trial. 4 Lastly in their Issue and success The true Life of Vivification increaseth strength and spirits Prov. 24.5 A man of knowledge increaseth strength The counterfeit life of Vivification decreaseth strength and spirit like the blazing Comet that wastes it self or as unnatural predatory heat devours the spirits and strength whereas natural heat increaseth both False zeal is like Nebuchadnezzars Image Dan. 2.32 the head of gold but downward worse and worse BRANCH V. IN THE LIFE of FAITH IN SANCTIFICATION VIZ. AUGMENTATION NOw next the Just lives by Faith the Life of Augmentation he draweth increasing Vertue from Christ Christ is to the Church what the Head is to the Natural Body not onely a principle of life and motion but of increase also Col 2.19 Not holding the head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God Now what are these joynts and bands but the Spirit and Faith uniting each Member to the Head So that by Faith the Soul draws both quickning and increasing Vertue from Christ the Head The just lives the Life of Augmentation in Spiritual Respects however he fares in Temporal to apply it to the occasion of the Text. Whereas it might be objected The Caldeans will so crush the people of God that they will make them even weary of their lives as Jethro said to Moses Exod. 18.18 Thou wilt surely wear away both thou and this people The Text answers Now the just shall live by his Faith though the outward man decays by affliction yet the inward man in all true Believers is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 i.e. Gods people are quickned strengthned and enlarged in their Spiritual Life one day after another And to this increase of Spiritual Life the Prophet alludes in the very Context of this Chapter ver 14. The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Which words howsoever some do refer to the manifestation of Gods glory in the destruction of the Caldeans which is true also yet others extend them further even to the abundant pouring forth of the Spirit of grace as a fruit of their affliction So the very same words are used isa 11.9 where he shews how such men as have been Wolves and Leopards shall be made of a Lamb-like disposition And how so For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord c. So that these words do necessarily refer to the abundant increase of grace and so the just lives by Faith the Life of Augmentation in the Winter of Affliction As the unbeliever swells at first ebullat but vanishes to nothing afterwards So the believer is small at first but increaseth exceedingly What John Baptist said I must decrease but he must increase so may the unbeliever say See ver 5 6 7.8 We are then to insist upon two things 1. That the just lives the Life of Augmention 2. That he lives this Life by Faith Propos 1. Just live the life of Augmentation First the just lives the Life of Augmentation It is his duty property and practice to grow and to increase 2 Pet. 2. last But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thess 4.1 abound more and more ver 10. increase more and more Col. 1.10 increasing in the knowledge of God They that travel heaven ward they go from strength to strength Psal 84.7 Nicodemus was weak in grace at first and so was Joseph of Arimathea for they both came by stealth to Christ at the beginning of their Conversion for fear of the Jews But afterward they grew so strong in grace that though Christ was crucified they came boldly and begg'd his body of the Governor Joh. 19. and committed it to the grave with an honorable Burial Peter was so weak at the first that the breath of the Damsels voice makes him fall back but afterwards he grew so strong that he stands like an unmovable Rock at all the Thunder-claps and terrible threats and stripes of the High-Priests Acts 4. and Rulers of the people Thus it was with the rest of the Disciples and so it is with all Gods people And the Reason is drawn Reasons of spiritual growth 1. First From the nature of true Grace It is of a growing nature Thus it is with the Kingdom of God or Church in general it increaseth from very small beginnings to a great bigness like Gideons Barley-cake or like a Snow-ball it rowls up and down the world and grows bigger and bigger and subdues all before it Therefore 't is compared to a grain of Mustard-seed Mat. 13.31 which being the least of seeds when 't is sown yet the greatest of herbs when 't is grown Besides Mustard-seed you know sows it self after the first year and so 't is in the growth of Gods Kingdom Therefore
must set Though it may be morning yet with some and high-noon with others yet the night of death comes when no man can work The times come on apace when the keepers of the house shall tremble and the strong men shall bow themselves and the grinders cease because they are few and they that look out of their windows be darkned c. Eccles 12. The strongest life in nature must yield to death but this Spiritual life of the Soul is always on the increasing hand and never declines The just lives by Faith the Life of Augmentation to his dying day even till he comes to the state of perfection and in that state he stands for ever How excellent therefore is this life above all other lives yea above all other things in the world All flesh is grass Isa 40 of a withering nature but the word of the Lord and that life which is begotten by that Word endureth for ever it is ever upon the growing hand Some love to give in their Coat of Arms a young Branch or the Moon increasing with this Motto Pluâ—Vltra But alas if they look at Temporal things they do but speak as they would have it not as they shall have it 'T is but a dream not a reality They think their houses shall continue for ever and their dwelling-places to all generations but alas they do but think so for man being in honour abideth not he is like the beasts that perish Psal 49 They shall be sure to perish and their houses too The greatest Persons the greatest Families the greatest Kingdoms have their periods they have their declensions old age and death as well as their youth and manhood Grey hairs are here and there upon Ephraim Hos 7.9 though he know it not But true grace is ever in the Spring there is no fall of the leaf in this Region Psal 1.3 A Christians Arms are indeed like Joseph's A fruitful Bough even a fruitful Bough by a well whose branches run over the wall Gen. 49.22 Some fruitfulness indeed doth hinder the growth of trees but a Christians fruitfulness doth increase his growth though he be fruitful yet his branches run over the wall His life of Fructification doth help forward his life of Augmentation The just lives by Faith the life of Augmentation Inform. 2 A second Point of Information is To let us see the difference betwixt a Believer and Unbeliever or a true Believer and an Hypocrite True Believers are like the Moon in her increase Hypocrites like the Moon in her wane ever less and less till it altogether disappears They are like the grass upon the house top Psal 129. which withereth afore it groweth up to its full height But true Faith is ever upon the growing hand Inform. 3 Thirdly it informs us That there are Degrees in Sanctification because there is a growth in Sanctification and therefore Sanctification is not perfect at the first For where any thing is perfect there can be no addition or diminution But in Sanctification there is a daily addition and augmentation They that are truly gracious grow in grace 2 Pet. 3. and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And therefore it shews the Mistake of those who conceive Sanctification to be perfect at first and so make no difference betwixt Sanctification and Justification whereas the Scripture makes a wide difference for Justification is imputed Sanctification is imparted and inherent Justification is perfect Sanctification is imperfect in this life in the best of Saints even in the Apostle himself Phil. 3.12 I count not my self perfect Therefore there are degrees in Sanctification it is not perfect at the first Though all Saints are justified alike they have an equal measure in that grace yet all are not sanctified alike each hath his measure Eph. 4.7 some have two talents some five c. Mat. 25. Inform. 4 Yet fourthly observe No man should content himself with a small measure of grace He that hath Faith lives the Life of Augmentation So that it is not enough to walk according to the Rule in some things but our endevour must be to walk up to the utmost extent even to the height and breadth of the Rule which is to walk accurately Eph. 5.15 And till we come up to the Rule we must ever be on the increasing hand getting ground of corruption and coveting earnestly the best gifts For this is the man that lives by Faith the Life of Augmentation And if we do not grow and go forward we are sure to go backward as it is with the Mariner that is rowing against the stream if he do but intermit a stroke or two he loses of his course and as it is in our vital heat Vid Ames cas consc l. 2. c. 12. it never stands in one state if it increases not it decays It also serves for Reproof Vse 2 First to those that grow not at all Reproof for want of due growth They are like Trees or Beasts that are hide-bound they stand at a stay they thrive not they come not forward May be they had as much knowledge love to God c. seven years ago as now and so when for the time they ought to be teachers they had need one teach them which be the first principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5.12 Like those silly women spoken of by the Apostle 2 Tim. 3.7 ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Have these the true life of grace Remember the grounds before laid down That 1. Grace is of a growing nature 2. Of a sweet and desireable nature 3. That the End of Christs coming is frustrate in respect of them Again have these any Faith For 1. as Faith increaseth so other graces Where is the Root when there is no growth in the Branches 2. How are such united to the Head that grow not O what a dishonour to their Head as if he had no vertue to communicate to his Members 3. How do such remove the impediments of Spiritual growth How can such as these have any good assurance that they are planted in the Courts of the Lord You would wonder in case you had purchased a piece of ground in a good soil planted a yong Orchard appointed a skilful Gardiner took notice of the height of your Trees if you should come ten or twenty years after and finde them no higher You would say I never saw the like in all my life these Trees were just as high when I planted them as now I could reach the tops of them then and so I can now it 's the strangest thing that ever I saw surely they are dead And yet do but change the name and thou art such a Tree thou wert planted in Godâ— Orchard twenty years ago thou hadst then as much love to God and zeal for God as now it is to be feared thou art dead though thou hast a name to live
Sermon yet they more desire their carnal liberty c. Thirdly it is a good evidence of growth Third sign of growth if thou gettest more strength by thy nourishment When the Gospel comes not in word onely but in power thou gettest more strength Explicated in 3 things 1. To do more 2. To bear more 3. To shake off the yoke of Ceremonies and Indifference with more ease This is an evidence of growth 1. Thou canst do more than formerly 1. Strength to do duties in performance of holy Duties 2. In resisting Temptations 1. In performance of Duties a strong man will do twenty times as much as a childe or a sick man How doth Christ convince the Church of Ephesus that she had lost her first strength of love to God but because she had lost her first works Therefore he saith Rev. 2 5. Remember whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works On the other side how doth he prove the Church of Thyatira to be on the growing hand How doth he prove her grace to be more than formerly but by her works because her works were more Rev. 2.19 I know thy works and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy works and the last to be more than the first If Christians can pray better and hear better and confer better and meditate better and practise better and all this from an inward Principle it argues they are upon the growing hand Therefore they are grown to a strange pass that cast off all care of duties And resist temptations 2. If thou growest thou canst ordinarily do more in resisting Temptations 1 Joh. 2.14 I have written to you young men because ye are strong and have overcome the wicked one How doth he prove they were strong in grace but because they had overcome the evil one On the other side how did it appear that Samsons strength was departed from him but because he could not do as at other times when the Philistines came upon him It argues a Christian is weak and decays in grace when he cannot resist Temptations as formerly Time was when Jerusalem was beautiful and yet could resist Temptations to Spiritual Adultery but when she had once yielded and was overcome by her filthy lovers God saith How weak is thy heart O Jerusalem Ezek. 16.30 He hath most grace who taking to himself the whole armour of God Eph. 6 10. is strongest in the Lord and in the power of his might that he may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil 2. Strength to bear 2. As he is able to do more so to bear more He is the strongest Christian that can bear the heaviest burthen In 3 things 1. Of Afflictions and Persecutions 2. Of Wrongs and Injuries 3. Of his Brethrens Infirmities 1. Afflictions 1. Of Afflictions or Persecutions It argued a great growth of grace in the Apostles that whereas before Christs Passion they could not so much as endure to hear of it with patience O saith Peter Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee Mat. 16.22 Now they themselves can suffer and that not onely with patience but with much rejoycing Acts 5.41 They rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer for his Name 2. He is grown stronger 2. Injuries that can bear a greater burthen of Wrongs and Injuries Time was he could bear no thing but was fire and tow like the two Disciples that would have fire come down from heaven to consume the Samaritans but now he is grown so strong he can pity and pray for those that wrong him most as Steven did It is very observable that when Christ commands his Disciples to forgive those that wrong them seven times a day Luke 17.5 they pray Lord increase our faith as much as to say there must be a great strength of faith to enable to forgive injuries 3. He is grown stronger 3. Infirmities of others that can bear a greater burthen of his brethrens Infirmities When he sees they are weak in knowledge weak in love weak in the government of their passions yet he beareth with them he will not presently cast them off and unbrother them Time was when he was weak in grace himself he was very censorious when he saw the failings of others he would say The man hath no grace in him I will have nothing to do with him but now he is grown stronger he can better bear the infirmities of the weak Rom. 15.1 3. He is stronger 3. Strength to shake off Ceremonies that can shake off the yoke of Ceremonies and things indifferent with more ease not making conscience of them as of things necessary Therefore Rom. 14.7 the Apostle shews they were weak that made a difference of meats and days where God had made none Now they because they would be sure to eat no forbidden meat would live onely upon herbs He that is weak saith he eateth herbs It is the weakness of Christians to be too scrupulous in meats and dayes especially where the Ordinance of man hath onely made the difference This is not their strength but their weakness 4. Though he that hath most grace hath most strength Fourth sign of growth yet he is also on the growing hand that is most sensible of his weakness For the strongest Christian hath much remaining weakness Now it is part of our strength of grace to be sensible of this weakness When I am weak then am I strong 2 Cor. 12.10 A weak Christian is ready to think himself strong as Peter did when he was weak as water Lord saith he though all men should deny thee yet will not I. But a strong Christian is most sensible of his weakness for his sight is clearer to see his sin and his will is more sanctified to hate it therefore if thou saist thou art rich it argues thou art poor Rev. 3.17 Thou saist thou art rich and hast need of nothing and knowest not thou art poor and wretched and miserable and if thou saist thou art poor it argues thou art rich Rev. 2.9 I know thy tribulation and poverty but thou art rich And the reason is because the true sense of our own poverty and weakness doth cause us to run to God and like the Conies to make our burroughs in the everlasting Rock of his Name Here is the strength of a feeble people Prov. 30.26 The Conies are a feeble people yet make their houses in the Rock It argues strength of grace when we are so far gone out of our selves out of our graces duties parts performances that we burrough our selves deep in God Fifth sign of growth 5. The more any aim at Gods glory in what they do the more grace they have received from God The Scribes and Pharisees were men of great parts but they did all for their own glory Mat. 6.2 therefore they were but Hypocrites they had no grace but they that
to discern its growth Mar. 4.27 The seed springs and grows we know not how but in time we shall easily perceive it is grown A. 5. Whereas thou saist Thou dost not grow it may be it is true for the present thou dost not grow at all but art like the parched earth yet if thou canst but lay hold of Gods Covenant by Faith that will make thee grow afresh as the Rain and the Sun makes the grass to revive that was even withered and dead before This was Davids comfort though he was like a branch springing out of a dry ground as it is said of Christ Isa 53.2 yet 2 Sam. 23.3 4 5. he was assured God would make him grow again even as the tender grass out of the earth by clear shining after rain Simile Vse 2. Humiliation for small growth The fourth Use is for Humiliation in that upon trial we finde so little growth amongst us We grow more opinionative from day to day but we grow not more active we deserve not the commendation of the Church of Thyatira Rev. 2.19 Thy last works are more than thy first but rather the reproof of the Church of Ephesus ver 4 5 Thou art faln from thy first love repent and do thy first works Therefore we have cause to be humbled and repent Christ may say to England as to Ephesus I have this against thee that thou art faln from thy first love We are like forgetful and careless Scholars deserving to be put down into a lower Form Whereas it is the property of such as are admitted into the School of heavenly Wisdom to increase in learning Prov. 1 5. A wise man will hear and increase learning and Prov. 9.9 Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser It is true indeed our heads are full of disputes but our hearts are so little grown in the love of the Truth that we are but very dwarfs in practical Religion If we compare our selves with the Worthies of God in former generations as the Spies said of the inhabitants of Canaan they may well seem as Giants in our eyes What a deal of heavenly-heartedness what love what humility what faithfulness was to be found among them If Luthers Courage Calvins Painfulness the Martyrs Zeal hotter than the fire which consumed them might be found in our days I should hope we did then begin to grow and to recover our first love But alas while we are so lukewarm that we can bear them that are evil Rev. 2. and bear evils in our selves where is our growth Do not many question whether the Pope be Antichrist and whether the Church of Rome be a true Mother Others though they cannot deny but that the Church of Rome iâ— the Scarlet Whore the Jezabel spoken of in Scripture yet the zeal of some is grown so cool they could finde in their heart they might have a Toleration even for Jezabel her self contrary to manifest Scripture Rev. 2 20. Thou sufferest the woman Jezabel which calleth her self a Prophetess to teach and seduce my servants Histories tell us That Adrian and Heliogabalus and some other Roman Emperours did command all kinds of Worship in one and the same Temple but it tended to no other purpose than the like device of Julian the Apostate who gave Hereticks freedom amongst right believers not that he cared for one or the other but that by their mutual distractions and dissentions they might destroy both And therefore what those Factors of Satan did invent for the advancing of his Kingdom let it be far from the practice of Saints Let us rather recover our first love to the Truth of God yea let it grow and increase and truly if we grow not how shall we be able to look Christ in the face when he comes to take account of us We are planted in such a soil ordered by such an Husbandman watered by such heavenly showers in the dispensations of Ordinances that we shall be both the wonder and shame of Christians if we grow not Vse 5. Of thankfulness for growth The fifth Use is to stir us up to thankfulness that the just lives by Faith the Life of Augmentation especially in such times as these That grace should thus increase either in the Church in general or in any particular Christians heart considering how great opposition it meets withall When ever doth a man in earnest profess himself a Christian but all the Powers of Darkness in Hell and upon the Earth proclaim open wars against him Besides the clog of his own sinful corruptions which hang heavy upon him for the Flesh is ever lusting against the Spirit and yet he grows In spight of Satan the Prince of the Air Eph. 2. who blows forth many a terrible storm to blast the fruit In spight of the World which sends forth many a sharp frost to nip the fruit in the bud In spight of Corruption which lies as a Worm at the Root to eat out the very heart and power of godliness yet he grows for all this And how comes this to pass Surely you will say here is aliquid Dei the finger of God must needs be in it The preservation of Grace in this case is wonderful If you should see a Rush-candle set without doors in the midst of stormy Winds and Rain and yet continue light you would stand and look upon it with admiration and yet thus is the little Candle of Grace preserved Psal 18.28 The Lord my God will light my candle yea he keeps it light when the Prince of the Air and all his instruments joyn all their forces to blow it out God lighted such a Candle by Luthers Doctrine as could never be blown out to this day All the breathings and threats and bellowings of the Romish Bulls all the thunderings of the Popish Canons could never blow it out This is the Lords doing and it ought to be marvellous in our eyes Marvellous indeed that truth and grace should be preserved under such opposition but much more marvellous that it should be increased thereby that it should be like the Camomile the more it is trodden upon the more it grows like a Tree the more it is lopt and topt the more is flourishes and spreads That the Churches should be edified and multiplied when they had rest through all Judea and Galilee and Samaria it is not so wonderful Acts 9.31 but that they should then grow and increase when there was no rest no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in That the Blood of the Martyrs should be the Seed of the Church That the Church should grow and thrive best under opposition this is the Wonder of Wonders which plainly shews the increase is not of man but of God and therefore he should have all the glory of it The sixth Use is for Exhortation Vse 6. Of Exhortation to growth To labour to live by Faith the Life of Augmentation It is a shame
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
not say As many as believed were ordained unto life eternal but contrariwise As many as were ordained to eternal life believed To intimate That Faith foreseen 1. From Election was not the cause of Election but Election was the cause of Faith and so the same Election is the cause of Perseverance in Faith or else their Life should not be eternal Therefore that strong conclusion of strong Consolation Rom. 8.35 is fetcht as far as from that everlasting VVell-head of Gods Fore knowledge and Predestination ver 29. For whom he did fore-know he did predestinate and whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Therefore the Apostle is bold to make that brave challenge Who shall charge us Who shall condemn us Who shall separate us As if he should have said Neither Sin nor Affliction nor Men nor Devils shall ever be able to break this Golden Chain of Gods Election till it ends in glory Therefore the just perseveres God hath elected him to no meaner a life than that which is Eternal and therefore he shall certainly have it Rom. 11. the Election must needs obtain it 2 Reas From Gods Love from which 2. Gods love this Election springs in order of working Gods love is an Everlasting love As God is from Everlasting to Everlasting so is his Love for whatsoever is in God is God Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee which I conceive is not to be understood à parte post after we are drawn to believe and obey but even before also à parte antè Gods love here is made the cause of our being drawn to believe and obey and not our obedience a cause of his love Obj. But is it not said Joh. 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved by my Father and I will love him and will manifect my self to him therefore our love of God goeth before Gods love to us Resp. There is a love of Benevolence whereby we bear good will to another and a love of Beneficence whereby we testifie our love in doing good to him Gods love of Benevolence is before our loving of him Joh. 4.19 We love him because he first loved us but Gods love of Beneficence at least in part doth follow our love to him and is the reward of it according to his free grace If Gods love therefore be everlasting this must needs be an everlasting fruit of it even the life of Grace and Glory to all eternity 3. The Covenant 3 Reas From the Covenant of God made with his People which is an everlasting Covenant well ordered and sure 2 Sam. 23.12 Jer. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Whereas the poor Soul might say God indeed saith he will never depart from us so long as we do not depart from him but then he might justly depart from us Therefore Gods Covenant is That we shall not depart from him I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me Therefore the just lives not from any stability in himself but from the stability of Gods Covenant 4. Gods Unchangeable nature 4 Reas From the Unchangeable Nature of God Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed You are not consumed not because there is no principle of change in you but because there is none in me As if God should have said When I first entred Covenant with you I saw you polluted in your blood and I foresaw full well how ignorant how impotent how unconstant how untoward you would be afterward but I am resolved as I did not choose you at the first for the good I saw to be in you so I will not reject you for the evil that I see in you but will forgive it and heal it for my gifts and calling are without repentance Rom. 11 29. 5. Reas From the Power of God 5. Power of God If Gods people do not persevere it is either because God will-not preserve them or because he cannot But 1. Not because he will not for it is his own good pleasure moved him to make an everlasting Covenant and his own unchangeable Nature moves him to fulfil it to this day 2. Not because he cannot for nothing limits Gods Power but his Will Psal 135.6 Whatever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and earth c. Therefore if the Lord will preserve his Saints in a state of grace for ever he is able to do it Though we are not able to stand of our selves yet he is able to make us stand Rom. 14. or in case we fall he is able to raise us up again Psal 37.24 Though he fall he shall not be cast off for the Lord putteth under his hand 6 Reas From the Merit of Christ 6. Merit of Christ c. the Prayer of Christ the Spirit of Christ As Christ hath merited Eternal Righteousness and Eternal Salvation Heb. 5.6 So he applies his Merit eternally by his Intercession and the operation of his Spirit Wherefore Heb. 7.25 Intercession of Christ he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Wherefore we must either deny That God the Father hears the Prayers of his Son which is blasphemous to imagine and contrary to Christs confession 1 Joh. 11.42 I know that thou hearest me alwayes or else we must need acknowledge That all such as are once in a state of Grace shall persevere and be saved to the utmost Further they that are Christs And Spirit of Christ have the Spirit of Christ and so long as the Spirit doth not depart from them they shall never depart from God for the Spirit leads into all Truth But the Spirit of God doth never depart from them Isa 59.21 As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth c. Therefore they shall never finally depart from God Thus we have the Reasons Why the just shall persevere 2. Why perseverance through Faith Now see the Reasons Why they live this life by Faith 1. Faith layes hold on the Promise 1. Because Faith lays hold on the Promise of Perseverance 1 Cor. 18. He shall confirm you to the end that you may be blameness in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 He that hath begun the good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ Mat 16.18
all his Mercies All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Isa 94.6 There is so much earthliness in our Spirits so much vanity in our Conversation so much deadness in our Duties that we do enough every day to deserve that God should strip us of his grace and cast us out of his Presence for ever Well be it so there 's the incouragement Faith assures us though we deserve no better yet Christ deserved better he hath deserved that God should continue his love and favour to us to the end This he hath merited and this he prays for That they may be kept for ever in the Name of his heavenly Father as many as are given him Joh. 17.11 And this Christ is able to save to the utmost all those that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Heb. 7.25 5. Uncertainty of future Events 1 Cor. 10. The fifth Discouragement is The uncertainty of future Events True a believer may say There hath hitherto no Temptation taken me but such as is common to man other men have been in as bad a condition as I am in but alas I do not know what may befall me for time to come It may be I may be afflicted and tempted as never man was It may be I may fall into such sins as yet never any of Gods people have faln into and it may be such Judgements may befal me as never yet befel any of Gods people and may I not then forsake God and God forsake me Who can tell what may befâ—l a man for the time to come I can tell what is past but who can tell what is to come Is not this the language of the Scriptures Eccles 11. Eccles 11.2 5. For thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with childe even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit that is what is the way of the wind as some interpret it Joh. 3. Thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth Or as others interpret it Thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit of man that is thou knowest not what are his thoughts what is in his minde God onely is the searcher of the heart the Devil himself cannot know the heart of man but by some external expressions much less then canst thou know the minde of God what God means to do with thee the next year or the next day which is very elegantly set forth by another similitude Thou knowest not how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with childe even so thou knowest not the work of God who maketh all Which is as much as to say If thou dost not know what so nearly concerns thy self thy very natural being and that whereof thou maist be under God either the natural or material cause how much less then canst thou understand that which is more remote and spiritual If thou dost not know what is in the natural womb for that is laid up amongst the Secrets of God Psa 139.15 16. Onely thine eyes saith David did see my substance when I was made in secret How then shalt thou know what is in the Womb of the next year or of the next day for such a phrase you reade of in the Scripture Prov. 27.1 Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Jam. 4.13 Go to now ye that say To day or to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow You know not what shall appear to come forth of the womb of the morning Gods purposes from eternity are the conceptions of all productions of Providences that are as it were the births of several days and years Our purposes oftentimes and that without God are false conceptions they bring forth a lie But Gods purposes are ever true conceptions they never miscarry Prov. 19.21 There are many devices in a mans heart but the counsel of the Lord that shall ever stand But alas how shall I know what is the minde and counsel of God and the way he will go in How shall I know the womb of the morning I little know what birth the next morning may travel with what Sin or what Judgement it may bring forth It may be when I shall say Peace peace then may sudden distress come upon me as travail upon a woman with childe that I shall no way escape True indeed if thou wert an unbeliever it might be so but if thou art a true believer thou hast a Promise for future Events as thou hast Security for what is past and that both in respect of sin and affliction First for Sin Whereas thou saist It 's possible I may fall into such sins as may for ever make a separation between God and my Soul I say No it is impossible let this be spoken to thy comfort 1 Joh. 3.9 Thou shalt never fall into the Unpardonable sin because the seed of God remains in thee thou shalt never sin that sin unto death 1 Joh 3.9 2 Obj. But it may be some sore Affliction may make a separation I know not how it 's possible I should hold out in extremity of Famine or the cruelty of the Sword or some such Persecution as it may be was never yet invented What do I know what is the womb of the morning I answer There is no new thing under the Sun Eccles 1.9 10. What ever falls out thou hast a Promise for thy Security it shall not separate thee from God Rom. 8.35 nay that very Providence is thine and appointed for thy good Things to come are ours as well as present and past 1 Cor. 3.22 Think seriously upon that golden precious Promise more precious than gold that perisheth if thou hast but a hand of Faith to receive it he that can receive it let him receive it Heb. 13.5 I will never fail thee nor forsake thee Come what can come here is a Promise to lean upon Luk. 16.17 Psal 9.10 that will never fail The heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away Those that seek God sincerely shall never be forsaken Our own experience and the experience of Gods people all the world over in all places and in all ages will make good this Promise They trusted in God and were helped Psa 22.4 5. Those called upon God and were delivered yea Gods answers have exceeded their desires and prayers Eph. 3.20 and if God will never forsake us we shall not â—â—rsake him Obj. But you will say How is this true Gods people have complained in all ages Why hast thou forsaken
never forsake his people so far as to suffer them to fall altogether from those necessary graces which tend to the very being of a Christian A man indeed may lose Aptitudinem ad Regnum but not Jus ad Regnum he may lose his fitness for his present entrance into the heavenly Kingdom his Lamp may want some trimming but he can never lose his right to the Kingdom because at the worst he hath some oil in his Lamp Justification and Adoption and the Spirit of Regeneration abide for ever These graces necessary to Salvation shall never be taken away Thus you may see in how many respects God may be said to forsake his people and how not Obj. Love is a necessary grace and yet may be lost Rev. 2.4 Therefore to all these Considerations we shall adde one more that is this All these forsakings we have spoken of are but Ans All forsaking but gradual momenâ—any First Gradual in respect of their Measure Secondly Momentany in respect of their Duration which we ground upon that place Isa 54.7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee In a little wrath I hid my self from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Q. But why is it said God hath forsaken his people in a little wrath and for a moment Ans In a little wrath because he suffers not his whole displeasure to arise he forsakes them not totally therefore in a little comparatively 1. Compared with their deserts Ezra 9.13 Thou hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve It was little in regard of our deserts 2. And secondly little in regard of others Others shall suck out the dregs of that Cup whereof they shall but sip to let them but taste what they have escaped by the sufferings of Christ Secondly For a moment because not finally as not totally so not finally What are the sufferings of Gods people upon earth to the suffering of his enemies in hell Alas they are but momentany if compared with their joys in heaven not worth the speaking of These light afflictions that are but for a moment Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.17 work for us a far more excelling and eternal weight of glory Obj. But why doth God forsake his people so far as we have heard though it be but by trials temporally It may seem to be a great interruption to the Life of their Consolation Ans No it is for the good of his people and not for their hurt Indeed he doth it in much compassion to their Souls Q. But you may say What good is it to their Souls Ans Much every way because it prevents a world of evils 1. For God forsakes us that we may not forsake God Reasons of Gods forsaking As the Mother leaves the childe for a time and hides her self when she is about to go into a Fair or Market 1. 1. For prevention of evil that the childe may cry after her and cleave the faster to her all the day after whereas otherwise she may lose it in a crowd Thus God forsakes his people for a time that they may not forsake him for ever Experience sometimes of Gods withdrawing himself doth teach Gods people That they cannot live without him had they Mountains of Wealth of Honour of Natural Strength to live upon Psal 30.6 I said in my prosperity I shall never be moved Thou Lord by thy favour hast made my Mountain to stand strong What follows Thou didst turn thy face from me and I was troubled And what of that Why then I cried to thee O Lord and unto thee Lord I made my supplication Then he cries after God again and again and cleaves faster to him than ever he did before 2. God forsakes us that he himself may not forsake us he forsakes us one way that he may not forsake us another he forsakes us in lesser matters that he may not forsake us in greater And it is the end that is all in all and that gives denomination in every action Therefore Gods forsaking upon the matter is no forsaking nay all the withdrawings of himself tend to the clearer manifestation of himself Indeed Saul gave Michal his daughter to David that she might be a snare to him But God will not give his servants some things lest they should be a snare to them He denies them their desires and so far he forsakes them he forsakes them in appearance that he may not forsake them indeed he forsakes in Temporal things that he may not forsake them in Spirituals he forsakes them in their Comforts that he may not forsake them in their Graces he forsakes them in their accessory graces that he may not forsake them in necessary graces and to conclude he forsakes them in a little wrath and for a little time that he may not forsake them wholly and for ever Therefore God least of all forsakes his people when he forsakes them 2. For confirmation of good As it prevents evil so it confirms Gods people in that which is good it quickens and strengthens their graces 1. Their Confidence in God and their Diffidence in themselves Christ left Peter for a time to trust to himself but after that Peter had such experience of his own weakness he will never more boast that he loves Christ more than all the world besides It is well if I can say in Gods strength Ioh. 20. Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee 2. Self-abhorrence loving of our selves we are apt to make our selves our own Gods to set our Reason above his Word and our Wills above his Will Therefore there is no way for God to set up himself in us but to pull down our selves in our selves and that 's by his withdrawing 3. Crying after God and longing for his Presence Hos 5. last When God hides himself his people will seek him early In this life one while God hides himself anoother while he manifests himself and his hiding prepares for manifestation Whilst we are in the body we are not fit for constant manifestations of God to our Souls In Heaven there shall be perpetual light and no night but in this life in Spiritual respects there is a mixture of day and night Zech. 14.7 But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord not day nor night neither perfect day nor perfect night that we may long and cry after God 4. A cleaving closer to God When Christ had withdrawn himself and the Spouse had hold on him again she held him faster than ever before Cant. 3.4 I held him and would not let him go 5. A clearing of God Oh says a Soul if God forsake me it is just for I have forsaken him days without number Thus David clears God when he forsook him Psal 51.4 that thou mightest be just when thou speakest and clear when
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-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
your heart upon them Art thou in a troublous condition and dost not pour out thy Soul to God in Prayer O where is thy faith Hast thou not a plain Word Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Art thou cast into Poverty or dost thou fear straights for want of Maintenance O where is thy faith Hast thou not a plain Word for it Mat 6.25 31. Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink c Or if thou saist How if such a Frind should die or such a Bond be lost Where is thy faith Hast thou not a plain Word Heb 13.5 I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Indeed if thou canst say How if Christ should die or the Covenant fail it were something So 3. in point of Elections there is to be Faith in them 3. Elections Heb. 11.25 Art thou to make choice of the place of thy Habitation and thou with Lot choosest to dwell there where thou maist have many advantages for Worldly riches rather than for Heavenly treasure O where is thy faith Hast thou not a plain Word Psal 27.5 One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple And again Psal 84. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the Tents of wickedness Art thou to choose a Servant is thy main enquiry to know what skill or ability he hath to do thy Work and thou never enquirest how well he is fitted to do the Work and Service of God O where is thy faith Hast thou not a plain Word Psal 101.6 7. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land that they may dwell with me he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight Art thou to choose a Friend and thou enquirest how witty how wealthy how pleasant but never how Religious how faithful Where is thy faith in the mean time Hast thou not a plain Word Prov. 25.19 Confidence in an unfaithful man is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joynt Such a friend will fail thee when thou dost most stand in need of him The more thou leanest upon him the more he will vex thee Art thou to choose a Yoke-fellow thou enquirest what Portion and what Proportion how rich how beautiful but not how good how gracious how rich heaven-ward Where is thy faith Hast thou not a plain Word 2 Cor. 6.14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unblievers for what fellowship hath Righteousness with Vnrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness Digression upon Election of the Town-Magistrates To come home to the Work of this Day Art thou to chuse a Magistrate or Inferior officer Dost thou enquire whether such a man be thy Friend or thy Kinsman or thy Customer or one that hath bespoke thy Voice and dost thou never enquire How just he is and faithful to men or how Religious in his carriage to God O where is thy faith Hast thou not a plain Word Exod. 18.21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the People able men such as fear God men of truth and hating covetousness And hast thou not a gracious Promise Isr 1.26 I will restore thy Judges as at first c. afterward thou shalt be called The City of Righteousness The faithful City O that you would live by Faith in this Word of God in the Work of this Day Do not judge Gods Messengers as busie-bodies in other mens matters whilst they give Magistrates their Charge from God and People their Charge also in the Choice of Magistrates for the Text before-cited will bear us out in both I shall not descend to particulars onely in general Be sure to discharge your Oaths and a good Conscience therein both as Freemen of this Town and as Freemen of Jesus Christ keep to your Charter and you shall not do amiss As I take it you have a Double Charter one from the highest Power upon earth the other from Jesus Christ who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth I suppose the first of your Charters will direct you to chuse honest and just Men in regard of Communicative and Distributive Justice I am sure your second Charter by vertue whereof you are the Freemen of Jesus Christ and of that Jerusalem which is above which is the Mother of us all I am sure this Charter doth charge you as near as you can to chuse men fearing God Religious men such as you apprehend to be really so I know we all profess Religion but all do not walk answerably to their Profession I would there were not some publick Contemners of the Means of grace and such as commonly and ordinarily walk contrary to the Rule of the Gospel You know it is a Gospel-Rule given to us Ministers Preach the Word be instant in season out of season and therefore you might well say Woe be to us if we preach not the Gospel accordingly And surely upon the same ground People are bound to hear in season and out of season in case extraordinary occasions take them not off I need not tell you unless it be in way of acknowledgement the great Charges you are and have been at for a long time in maintaining the Publick Ordinance twice in the Week upon your ordinary days I have heard it hath been one of the most Ancient Lectures in the Kingdom But I fear if you well observe one another in this particular though there are many constant and willing Auditors yet there are some that hear me this day upon this Civil occasion whose faces you saw not here of many days before no I am afraid many a week together For my part I do not see how such as are faithful to their Heavenly Charter and have to do in Election of Officers can shew any countenance to such persons as do usually discountenance and slight the Publick Ordinance If they judge the Ordinance not worthy of their Presence me thinks others should judge them not worthy of Publick Trust I confess for my own particular I have not desired in satifying a curious ear to speak to you in the enticing words of mans wisdome yet I hope I may say with the Apostle I have endevoured to approve my self to every mans conscience in the sight of God I desire to speak nothing but the truth of God in the patern of wholesom words and that word of Faith by which every one of you shall be judged in the latter day And in this case whosoever despiseth the weakest Messenger of Jesus Christ he despiseth Christ himself and whosoever despiseth Christ you know his doom
My hearts desire and prayer to God is for the contrary I hope I may say with Job My Record is in heaven that my principal aim is the good of your Souls and next to that the Publick good of this Town which is not likely to be advanced by such as despise and undervalue the Ordinances of Christ Such as render not unto God the things that are Gods are not likely to render unto Men the things that are theirs And therefore I beseech you exercise Faith in matter of your Election not onely of your Chief Magistrates amongst you for I hope there will be no scruple in that but of Inferior Officers Simile A man that would have a good Orchard hath the greatest care of his first Plantation and so I hope will you I must needs say your last years Work and some other passages of Providence do give grounds of hope that God intends yet further good to this Town For the present do that which is your Duty and leave the Success to God I shall forbear to speak further for this time desiring to second that by Prayer that hath been said already The end of this Sermon Vse III. Of Examination Vse 3 Examination Use of Examination and Trial First Of Persons Secondly Of Doctrines and Religions 1. Of Persons whether we are Just 1. For trial of Persons and in a state of Life of Spiritual Life or no for then we have Faith For the Just lives by his Faith There is no other Life there is no other Righteousness to be attained unto but that which is by Faith Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth the Righteousness of Faith without Works Rom. 4 6. Well then that we may know whether we have Life or no or whether we have Righteousness or no the main Quaere will be Whether we have Faith or no And this is worthy the enquiring after and worth the trying The more precious any thing is in the true nature and quality of it the more exact we use to be in the trial of it lest we should be cozened with that which is false and counterfeit in stead of that which is right and good We do not use to be so exact in the trial of things of lesser moment but marvellous exact and accurate in the trial of Gold and Precious Stones and that which makes us so accurate in the trial of them is because they are so precious Now Faith in the Scripture is called precious Faith Now for what is it precious but for the rarity and excellency of it and so the trial of Faith is called Precious Trial whether it be tried by the Word of God or whether it be tried by the Works of God in the Furnace of affliction it is a precious trial 1 Pet 1.7 At this time we shall endevour to try it by the Word of God which is the Touchstone of Faith And this Trial if well applied may be very precious to us and of singular use For in case upon trial we finde through Mercy we have true Faith we shall have great cause to be thankful to rejoyce in the God of our Salvation But in case we finde we have not Faith as we shall have great cause to be humbled so as great cause to seek God in the use of means for this excellent grace of Faith for it is our very Life The Just shall live by his Faith Marks of true Faith from feigned But how shall we know whether we have Faith or no For as there is Faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 so there is feigned and counterfeit Faith also Quest How shall we know the one from the other It loves to be cried Ans 1. First to be sure this is one remarkable note of Distinction That Faith which is true loves to be tried that which is false cannot endure to come to the Trial. In this case it is just as it is betwixt a True man and a Thief The true man if he chance to be suspected he loves to come to the Trial that he may clear himself but the Thief declines it all that he may because he knows himself guilty A man that hath false and counterfeit Faith he loves to take all for granted that he doth believe he cannot endure to put himself to further trouble he doth not like these Uses of Trial and Examination Like a man that is false upon his Accounts he cannot endure his Books should be examined but he that hath true faith he desires nothing more than the through Trial of his faith O he would not for all the world be mistaken in a matter of so great concernment and therefore he likes that Ministery best that is most searching And when the Ministery hath done all it can do such a Soul goes to God by Prayer and saith Lord give me grace impartially to apply the searching Word I have heard this day nay do thou thy self search me O Lord examine me and prove me try my reins and my heart Psal 26.2 And that 's the first Discovery of true Faith and true Grace It loves to be tried But how shall it be tried 2. It is tried both by the Cause and by the Effect 2. It is known by the Cause which are the best means to come to the knowledge of any thing First by the cause Instrumental It is wrought by the Word Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing Though other means may help to Faith The conversation of the Wife 1 Pet. 3.1 And the Samaritans believ'd because of the Woman Joh. 4.42 Yet the Word of God is the onely ground of Faith And this Word works in the whole man 1. It works in the Vnderstanding a clear sight of our Misery by Nature and of the Remedy in Christ dying for sinners 2. It works in the Affection a godly sorrow to Repentance and a longing desire after Christ Act. 2.37 They were pricked in their hearts and said Men and Brethren what shall we do to be saved 3. It works upon the Will a closing with the Promise and Christ in the Promise suppose 1 Pet. 2.6 or Joh. 1.12 c. grounding upon his willingness to receive all such as come to him upon his ability also and faithfulness to make his Word good It receives whole Christ Prophet Priest and King into the whole man Secondly it is tried by the Fruits and Effects And by the Effects which are 1. A high prizing of the Word which is the Instrument of Faith 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby If ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious An Unbeliever doth not so prize the Word he can set a humane Testimony Cheek by Jaw with the Word of God 2. A high prizing of Christ who is the Object of Faith 1 Pet. 2.7 Unto you that believe he is precious especially the Righteousness of Christ is very precious
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
man believe not what he professeth to be true he will be soon ready either to lay down or to take up Opinions as he may best serve the present time for his own interest In this respect an Unbeliever is a Time-server 1 Tim. 4.2 He speaks lies in hypocrisie If any new Doctrine may but swell the man up in his own Name or in his Estate he makes no bones of it to speak lies in hypocrisie 6. Apostacy Sixthly another dangerous sin the fruit of Unbelief and of Heresie is Apostacy or falling off from the Truth For by the same reason that an Unbeliever may fall from one Article of his professed Faith he may come in time to fall from all For if his Religion be no more but a State-Profession then in case the State changeth Religion where he lives his Religion is changed also And such is the Religion of all such People as are either extremely simple or extremely wise I mean worldly wise they know no other Religion than the State owns and that 's as good as no Religion at all because the State owns it it is vain to him For though that be supposed to be true which the State owns yet when a man owns it not because it is true but because the State owns it Isa 29.13 Mat. 15.9 it is vain to him In vain saith God do they worship me whilst their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men 7. Atheism The seventh and the last dangerous sin is down-right Atheism when men grow to that height of Profaneness to deny God and his Word Lo here 's descensus Averni those slippery and dangerous stairs of Unbelief Prov. 5.5 by which men depart from the living God and go down to Hell Heb. 3.12 Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God And thus you see this sin of Unbelief it s a Mother sin it s exceeding prolifical in a dangerous brood of Vipers that without Repentance will sting the sinner to death And further as Unbelief is a fertile Mother to all sin so 't is a cruel Stepmother to all Grace Unbelief a Step-mother to Grace An Unbeliever cannot love God because he cannot cast himself upon the love of God Joh. 5.42 Christ saith to the unbelieving Jews But I know you that ye have not the love of God in you An Unbeliever cannot submit with patience to the afflicting hand of God and therefore Vnbelief and Murmuring against God are ever joined together An Unbeliever cannot pray for what he wants Prayer is the daughter of Faith How shall they call on him on whom they have not believed Rom. 10. An Unbeliever cannot be thankful for any mercy received unless by Faith a man sees his interest in the Giver he can never be thankful for the Gift Psal 118.28 Thou art my God and I will praise thee thou art my God I will exalt thee As if he should have said Lord thou hast bestowed thy self as well as thy Benefits upon me and therefore I have found in my heart to praise thy Name In a word an unbeliever cannot perform any acceptable service to God you must make the tree good before the fruit can be good Mat. 7 18. and we are onely made good trees by Faith For by Faith we are grafted or planted into Christ without whose powerful influence we can bring forth no acceptable fruit to God Joh. 15.3 Abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me We may indeed bring forth wilde grapes and sowre grapes of our selves but the sweet grapes of New Obedience and such as may be pleasant to Gods own palate we can never bring forth till we are planted into Christ by Faith For without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Adde to this in the sixth place 6. Unbelief the Nurse of sin That as unbelief is the Mother of all sins so it is the Nurse that maintains and keeps life in every sin it binds every sin upon the Soul both in the guilt and power of it Where there is no Faith there can be no true evidence of forgiveness of sins for Men receive forgiveness of sins by faith in Christ Acts 26.18 7. Judgments on unbelievers Seventhly and lastly consider the Judgement that hangs over the heads of unbelievers if it be but partial unbelief I mean the distrusting of God in any particular Promise though we have Faith in the main to believe the reconcilement of our persons to God yet even that partial unbelief may deprive us of many sweet mercies on this side heaven Isa 30.15 In quietness and confidence shall be your strength A man of an unquiet and unbelieving Spirit may create much trouble to himself in this present life Moses was a man in the state of Grace yea and in so great favour with God that the Scripture gives this testimony of him Deut. 34.10 There arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face Yet this Moses for a particular passage of unbelief in speaking hastily to the people Num. 20.8 11.12 when he should have spoke to the Rock and in striking the Rock when he should but onely have spoke to it I say for this particular passage of unbelief he was shut out of the Land of Canaan though he was not shut out of Heaven yea though he had a strong desire to enter in and exprest this desire by an earnest Prayer Deut. 3.25 c. I pray thee let me go over and see the good land that is beyond Jordan that goodly Mountain and Lebanon Lo this was his last and great request to God yea but for all that he must not go over for so it followed in the Text But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes and would not hear me and the Lord said unto me Let it suffice thee speak no more unto me of this matter thou shalt not go over this Jordan And Moses may thank his unbelief for all this Numb 20.12 The Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron Because ye believed me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the land which I have given them And thus you see that even partial unbelief may deprive us of many sweet mercies on this side Heaven How many thousands as well as Moses and Aaron were cut short of Canaan for their unbelief and murmuring against God And the Lord forgive the sin of this present Generation in this respect who are even ready to run back into Egypt because God hath brought them into the Wilderness in the present Dispensations of Providence O the danger of unbelief though it be but in some particular Promise O how dangerous then is that total and universally
reigning Unbelief when we believe nothing at all when we have not so much as laid hold of any Promise to make peace with God! Partial unbelief deprives us of many Mercies on this side Heaven but total unbelief deprives men of Heaven it self Mark 16.16 He that believeth not shall be damned O the misery of that poor Soul that never yet believed one Promise O that we could even with Soul-bleeding tears bewail our unbelief O that God would give to each of us a heart to get into a corner and to weep in secret over our unbelief each man bemoaning himself as Ephraim did Jer. 31.18 O that I should have such a stiff neck such a base hard unbelieving heart O that I should spend so much time to so little purpose for death hath possest all that part of my life wherein I was an unbeliever The heathen man could say O Friends we have lost a day but many of us may say O Friends we have lost many days and many years wherein we have done God little or no service nay a great deal of disservice by our unbelief O that I should be so foolish and slow of heart to believe all that Lord hath spake by his Prophets and Apostles Luke 24.25 O how justly may God upbraid me for my unbelief Mark 16.14 c. that I should be so backward to believe the God of Truth and so forward to believe the Father of Lies Blessed Saviour lay not this great sin this Mother-sin to my charge which is the Mother of Abominations Thus should we pray Consider not how often I have dishonoured thy Majesty and grieved thy holy Spirit by my unbelief But O thou Mirrour of Patience and Pity who didst sometimes mourn over the People because of the hardness of their hearts Mar. 3.5 I beseech thee let that be the object of thy Pity which might be the object of thy Fury O pity and heal mine unbelieving heart Doubtless if we can but thus bemoan and bewail our selves in our unbelief that God who made good that gracious Promise to him that went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his ways and I will heal him Isa 57.18 will much more make it good to such an one as with all his heart and with all his soul bewails his own frowardness and backwardness to believe I will restore comfort to him and his mourners Vse VI. Of Exhortation Vse 6 Of Exhortation The next Use is for Exhortation 1. For our selves 2. For others For our selves 1. To perswade us to labour to get Faith As Solomon saith of Wisdom with all thy getting get wisdom So with all thy getting get Faith for it is thy life 2. To keep it when we have it Non minor est virtus c. It is no less a piece of Spiritual good husbandry to keep our stock of Faith when we have it than to get it at the first 3. To live by it or use it as well as to keep it It s far better to put our Faith to use than our Money to use The Just makes a living of his Faith whilst he puts it to use 4. So to live by it as not to live barely and poorly but so as to increase the stock of our Faith Faith is such an excellent grace we can never have too much of it he that increaseth his Faith increaseth his livelihood For the just shall live by his Faith First therefore labour to get Faith Branch I. To get faith There are many things that men labour to obtain in the world Some are all for their Profits others for their Pleasures others for their Preferment and so every man as his Principle leads him But when all is done nothing is so worthy of our diligence and best endevours as is the getting of Faith Should a man gain all other things and lose this he makes a hard bargain Mat. 16. â—6 For what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul Should a man lose all the rest and gain this he makes a wise bargain Job 2.4 Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Now Faith is the very life of the Soul For the just shall live by his faith and therefore with all thy getting get Faith it is thy life Should a man hear of such a Medicine as would certainly preserve his life and cure all manner of Diseases whither would he not travel what would he not give to procure such a Medicine And such a Medicine is Faith commended unto us from the hand of our heavenly Physician Be of good comfort saith Christ Luke 7.50 17.19 thy faith hath saved thee and Thy faith hath healed thee Faith is a Remedy against all diseases yea suppose a faithful man dies of his disease yet his Faith is a Remedy against death it self Woe is me saith the natural man there is no friend against death But blessed be God saith the true believer for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain Phil. 1.21 The greatest of evils is turn'd into the greatest good by Faith even death it self is made advantage Who would not labour for such a Grace What should I say to raise the price of Faith in your esteem What do we esteem instead of Faith Certainly the best of men and the best of blessings are but dead things without Faith Faith puts life into a man and into all that a man enjoys Without faith men of high degree are a lie Psal 62.9 and so are all those things which make them so high Honours Profits Pleasures all these promise much O say they we 'll make thee a happy man if thou wilt set thy heart on us But they lie when they say so Jon. 2.8 They that follow after lying vanities forsake their own mercy If thou wouldst not forsake thine own mercies labour for Faith He is merciful to the purpose that is merciful to his own Soul Prov. 11.17 and that man is the most desperate Self-murtherer that is willing to live and die in his unbelief I beseech you I beseech you Friends listen to the voice of your Immortal Souls Me-thinks every man now and then should hear the voice of his precious Soul crying out in this manner Am I not the most excellent piece of Gods Workmanship And did God make me so for nothing Is not my being to continue to everlasting Do I not feel in my self the very spark of Immortality Must I not be either happy or miserable to all Eternity Is there but one means under Heaven to make me happy which is to get Faith and shall I neglect that Is this the great Work that God hath given me in charge that I should believe in him whom he hath sent Joh. 6.29 and shall I do evething else before I do this Is my life but as a day in this world and the night of death coming
the World How shall this be saith she seeing I know not a man Luk. 1.34 And thus it was with that incredulous Lord when God foretold the plentiful relief of poor besieged Samaria within the compass of a day Behold saith he if the Lord would make windows in heaven might this thing be 2 Kings 7.2 And thus when God promiseth deliverance to his People in their greatest straights when there is no apparent or visible means to be seen when God promiseth the Resurrection of the body from the Grave and many such like things I 'll never believe it saith a natural man Why so It is altogether unlikely it is above the reach of Reason it is above the reach of all created strength And this is the second particular Impediment of Faith Well but how shall we remove it how shall we rowl away this stone Cure I answer By considering the infinite disproportion betwixt God and us What if the thing promised be above the grasp of our wisdom and strength is it therefore above the wisdom and strength of God It is the silliest thing in the world to measure God by our selves Hear what the Lord saith Zech. 8.6 If it be marvellous in your eyes should it be also marvellous in my eyes saith the Lord of Hosts Those things that are impossible with men are possible yea most facile and easie with God Note And therefore it is the proper work of Faith to lay hold upon the Power of God as well as upon the Truth and Mercy of God If God doth but speak a thing Faith doubts not of the Power of God to make his Word good When carnal reason saith How is it possible How can this be Faith gets aloft upon the head of Reason and seeth quite beyond it when Reason can see no further Faith saith It is so it is so and claps the hands as if it had the thing in present possession and so it is an evidence of things not seen by the eye of carnal Reason Heb. 11.1 Rom. 4.19 20 21. Thus Abraham believeth against all common Reason that he should have a Son because God had said it although he and his wife were as good as dead in the course of Nature Thus Joshua believed that the walls of Jericho should fall down at the blast of Rams-horns Heb. 11.30 which was against all reason Judg. 7.19 20 21 22. Gideon against all reason believes that he and his poor three hundred men should overcome the invincible Host of the Midianites with nothing but lamps and earthen pitchers in stead of better weapons These Worthies of God did not measure God by themselves but they considered the faithfulness and power of him that had promised and so should we And so much for the second particular Impediment of Faith and the way to remove it The third is the harboring of some beloved sin 3. Harbouring some Lust which we are loth to part with For Faith when it comes into the heart will come as a purifying Faith or else it will not come at all Now if a man prefers the satisfying of his lust before the satisfying of his Faith there 's the stop and there 's the check in the work of Faith Therefore saith Christ to those that were carried away with the lust of ambition How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God onely Joh. 5.44 Now to remove this Impediment Cure and to rowl away this stone Remember all fleshly lusts though they flatter us and make fair as if they were our intimate friends yet are our deadly enemies and under-hand they fight against us Dearly beloved saith Peter I beseech you as pilgrims and strangers abstain from fleshly lusts 1 Pet. 3.11 which fight against the Soul against the grace of it against the peace of it against the very life of it the spiritual and eternal life of the Soul And therefore suppose the lust be never so dear yet let thy Salvation be dearer Suppose it be an adulterous eye or suppose it be a deceitful hand a hand that bringeth in so much profit by the year and were it not for this thou couldst finde in thine heart to believe and to become a Christian in earnest O remember what this lust must cost thee that justles out thy Faith it will cost thee the precious life of thy immortal Soul and therefore were it as dear to thee as thy right eye or thy right hand away with it and cast it from thee Remember what Christ saith Mat. 5.29 30. It is better for thee that one of thy members should perish than that thy whole body should be cast into hell And so much for the third particular Impediment and the way to remove it 4. Our own unworthiness pleaded against the Promise The 4. Impediment Is the sight and sense of our own unworthiness O saith many a poor creature do you perswade me to believe What me you know not what a vile wretch I am you little think what sins I have committed what precious means and mercies I have abused and were it not high presumption in such a one as I am to offer to believe ot to lay hold of a Promise Thus men are apt to strain courtesie with God and to put a bar in their own way Cure But to remove this Impediment and to roll this Stone out of the way I beseech you to consider Was it presumption in Manasses or in Mary Magdalen to believe out of whom he cast seven Divels Is not the grace of God Free else it were no grace As no man is accepted for his own worthiness so no man is rejected simply for his unworthiness It is no hindrance but a furtherance to thy Faith for the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost Mat. 9. Thou art never like to find him till thou come to be at a losse in thy self And this is the fourth Impediment and the way to remove it 5. Laying much stress on the depth of humiliation The 5. Is this O but I have not been humbled to this very day at least so far as I ought to be humbled It may be I have grieved a little for my sins but not so much as I ought to do or as such sins call for at my hands and therefore why should I believe till I be further humbled To remove this Impediment Cure and to roll away this Stone we must know 1. God makes not a promise of Mercy to such a degree of Godly sorrow but to the truth of it Matth. 5.4 2. God accepts of the Will for the Deed if we would be further humbled and yet cannot And 3. Nothing humbles and breaks the heart more then the laying hold upon Christ in a promise of Free Grace Note It is impossible there should be through humiliation without Faith The Flinty heart of a sinnner
to convert the Childe 't is too hard for a gracious man to infuse grace into another There 's no party within to joyn in the carrying on of that work Rom. 8.7 The carnal minde is enmity against God And there is Satan without opposing and withstanding Act. 13.8 Suppose any Soul to be born again certainly it is born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Joh. 1.13 There is God in the work if ever it be done All the Ministers under heaven cannot convert a Soul without the help of God and therefore it is a difficult work and therefore it is an excellent work also Reas 2 Secondly which follows upon the former it is a Work of great skill and wisdom It is a Work of great skill 1 Cor. 2.4 Col. 4.4 and therefore an excellent Work The most skilful works are accounted the most excellent works But this is a work of the greatest skill and wisdom in the world and therefore it is said They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament And others reade it They that make others wise and it may well be read both ways for they that make others wise are truly wise themselves especially such as are best fitted for the work and therefore Solomon tels you He that winneth souls is wise Prov. 11.30 Or he that catcheth Souls out of the snares of the Devil and its own deceitful heart and fetcheth them within the compass of Gods Net he is a wise fisher of men he is a wise man indeed Every fool can cast away a Soul but he is a wise man that wins a Soul As it was said of Daniel so it may be said of such Excellent wisdom was found in him Dan. 2.12 The world indeed judgeth them fools Note and their preaching foolishness 1 Cor. 4.10 We are fools for Christs sake but the God of wisdom pronounceth them wise and of the two it is far better to be Gods wise man and the worlds fool than to be the worlds wise man and Gods fool For not he whom man but whom the Lord commendeth shall be approved 2 Cor. 10.18 He is wise that winneth Souls and they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament Reas 3 Thirdly it is a Work of the greatest Love and Compassion and therefore an excellent Work 'T is true It is a Work of greatest love the Gift of Miracles and the Gift of Tongues are excellent Gifts but what are these to the Gift of Charity 1 Cor. 13.1 Though I speak with the tongues of Men and Angels and have not Charity I am become as sounding brass and as a tinkling cymbal And of all other Charity that is most excellent that is exercised towards the Souls of poor Creatures 'T is true 't is a good thing to be charitable towards the bodies of the needy to deal out bread to the hungry and to clothe the naked Isa 38.7 But when all is done that 's the most excellent Charity that is bestowed upon the most excellent part the Soul Otherwise a man may give all his goods away to the poor and yet have no Charity for all that 1 Cor. 13.3 And therefore look as God commends his love to us in this that his principal care was for the good of our immortal Souls so should we also in this particular commend our love one to another That 's most certain Soul-friends are the best and truest friends in the world and Soul-compassion is the best compassion that can be shewed Jude ver 22. And of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire It is an act of the greatest compassion that can be imagined to pull a Soul out of Hell-fire whether it be by fair means or by foul Is not such a Soul as a brand snatch'd out of the fire Zech. 3.2 O blessed for ever blessed be that hand that snatches any such brand out of the flames of eternal fire It is a work of the greatest love and compassion and therefore the most excellent Work Reas 4 Fourthly it is the most excellent Work because it aims at the most excellent End and we know it is the End that crowns the Action It aims at the most excellent End But the winning of Souls to God aims at the most excellent End For 't is such a work as brings most glory to God and most good to the Creature and therefore must needs be a most excellent Work 1. It brings most glory to God 1. It brings most glory to God and this is the great end of all ends Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself or for his own glory Now this blessed End is the main issue of this blessed Work 'T is true God will have glory even in the perdition of ungodly men and therefore it 's added in the same place Yea even the wicked for the day of evil The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evil But the Argument is very strong If God have glory even in the destruction of some men how much more hath be glory in the Salvation of others Rom. 9.23 He makes known the riches of his glory in the vessels of mercy O the admirable riches of Free-grace shining forth in this work of God in the Conversion of Souls It glorifies all Gods Attributes and magnifies every part of his Name It glorifies his Love it discovers the bredth and length It glorifies his Love and depth and height of the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Eph. 3.18 19. 2. It glorifies his Power The Psalmist says His Power Who knows the power of thy wrath Psal 90.11 But we may say Who knows the power of thy Grace God puts forth as great power in the Conversion of a Soul as in the Raising of a dead body as raising the body of Jesus Christ Eph. 1.19 20. as great a power as in the making the World and therefore the Work of Regeneration is called a Work of Creation Eph. 10. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works 3. It glorifies his Wisdom His Wisdom the manifold Wisdom of God Though we preach Christ to some a stumbling-block and to others foolishness yet unto all such as are called and converted as Christ becomes the Power of God so also the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 23.24 4. It glorifies the Word of his Grace The Word of his Grace Though the Word of the Lord be reproached whilst people slight both the threatnings and the Promises of it as if God would do neither good nor evil yet it is marvellously glorified in the Conversion of Souls whilst the weapons of our warfare are mighty through God in pulling down strong holds of Satan in the unsanctified wit and will of man In this respect we are to pray that the Word
Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth Not as if the Word had power to sanctifie without the Spirit but the Spirit doth it by the Word the Word is an instrument of cleansing in the hand of the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.22 Ye have purified your souls on obeying i. e. in believing the truth through the spirit As the Spirit makes use of the Word of Precept and Threatning Psal 17.4 By the word of thy lips have I kept me from the paths of the destroyer so of the word of Promise also 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these Promises let us cleanse our selves What hath God promised to be a Father to me as it is in the words before and that I should be a son or a daughter to him this Lord God Almighty upon condition that I will separate my self and touch no unclean thing and shall not I be willing so to do Nay hath God promised to perform the condition for me namely to sprinkle clean water upon me that I might be clean Ezek. 36.25 and to subdue my iniquities and sanctifie me throughout in Soul Body and Spirit and shall not I make use of these his Promises Hath God shewed so much love to me in making the Promise and shall not I shew love to him in obeying his Precept And thus by laying hold upon the Word both of Promise and Precept the just lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification therefore Faith is called Most holy Faith Jude n. 20. namely from the effect because it works holiness in him that hath it Most holy Faith it is not said Most holy Love Joy or Peace but most holy Faith not Subjective sed Effectivê All lean on this building as the Foundation Christ is the foundation of Merit Faith of Order Christ is the Foundation which Faith findes and tries as the Workman c. Faith is like a strong purge that never leaves working so long as there 's any corruption in the body So Faith never leaves working so long as there is any corruption in the Soul and that is as long as we live Onely as Faith grows stronger corruption grows weaker from day to day but it is not wholly purged out till our daying day and therefore there is use of Faith as long as we live but because when we die our corruption shall die with us also there shall be no use of Faith any longer Means 5. Sacraments 5. He lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification in the application of the Sacramental Signs These are means of our Sanctification Eph. 5.26 Christ is said to give himself for his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word And Tit. 3.5 He saved us by the washing of Regeneration But this washing is by Faith Philip said to the Eunuch Act. 8.37 If thou believest with all thine heart thou maaist be baptized Obj. Then Infants are not to be baptized because they cannot believe Ans God looks at Infants in their Parents faith Gen. 17. I will be thy God and the God of thy seed So far as want of faith might hinder circumcision so far it may hinder Baptism For 1. The Covenant is the same Rom 14.11 and the Seals are the same for substance 1 Cor. 10 1 2. 2. The Grace of God is the same yea more abundant Tit. 2. ver 12. The grace of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath shined forth Opposed to the shadows of the Old Testament And did God shine upon Infants in those times and shall we put them under a cloud now VVant of faith did not hinder them then and why now It hindred heathens then and so now No Proselytes were admitted but such as made profession of the Faith of Abraham So c. Means 6. Afflictions 6. He lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification in the right use and application of Afflictions Afflictions sanctified are a means of sanctifying us That may be one reason why they are called a Baptism Mat. 20.23 Christ said to the two Disciples Ye shall indeed be baptiz'd with the baptism that I am baptized with Meaning a portion of his Afflictions If Christ learn obedience by the things which he suffered much more may we Heb. 5.8 Afflictions sanctified work the quiet fruit of righteousness Heb. 12.11 Afflictions are like the Red-sea they drown some but they save and purge others And what is the reason of the difference Some have faith to pass through them but some have none They drown those that have no faith but they purge and preserve those that have Faith Heb. 11.29 By faith they passed through the Red-sea which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned And this was not onely a Baptism of Affliction but of Purgation and Sanctification 1 Cor. 10.2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea Thus the just lives by Faith in time of Adversity not onely as preserved therein which was handled before but as washed and sanctified thereby Revel 7.14 These are they which came out of great Tribulation and have washed their Robes c. Lastly The Prayer of Faith is a mean to sanctifie Means 7. Prayer and the just lives by Faith in the exercise of Prayer carrying the Soul to the Fountain of Life Joh. 4.10 Therefore if God be the Author and Effector of this Life of Sanctification go to God for it Dost thou feel the want of Sanctification of Spiritual Life Dost thou feel thou art dead in sins and trespasses It argues the beginnings of Life but go to God for more Life pray him to sprinkle and apply the Blood of Christ Psal 51.7 pray him to apply the Word to speak to thy heart in that voice behinde thee pray him that is Jehovah Isa 30.21 to give a being to his Promise pray him to make Sacraments effectual and to Baptize thee with the Holy Ghost and with fire Ma◠3. pray him to open thine ear to hear Discipline and seal thy Instruction that when thou art corrected Job 33.16 thou maist be sure to be instructed In a word pray him who is the Author of Sanctification to cause thee to live by Faith through all means the Life of Sanctification Go to God by Prayer by the prayer of faith For the just shall live by Faith in this respect Jam. 1.5 What S. James sayes of one saving grace Wisdom we may say of all If any man lack any grace or all grace let him ask of God c. But let him ask in faith Faith lives the Life of Sanctification in drawing holiness from the Fountain in the Conduit-pipe of Prayer Isa 12.3 With joy draw ye the waters out of the wells of Salvation Lye at the breast of the Promise if thou hast any life at all and draw out of the sincere milk of the word that thou maist grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 which must needs be meant of the Life of Sanctification
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
And thus by Faith laying hold on the Promise the just live the life of Augmentation their life as the VVidows Oil increasing by the Word of the Lord. 8. Labour to take Delight in the ways of God 8 Mean Delight in Gods ways to finde what is promised Job 22.26 Thou shalt have delight in the Almighty VVhat children delight in they prove excellent in that way they grow up to perfection in it If we could delight our selves in the law of the Lord then we should be as Trees planted by the rivers of water that bring forth their fruit in season Psa 1.2 3. 9. Be careful to remove Impediments of growth First root up the Weeds of sinful Corruption 9 Mean Remove all Impediments which choak the good corn Cast out those noisom Humours out of the stomach of the Soul which sowre the good Milk of the VVord and make it unprofitable 1 Pet. 2.1 2. Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evil speaking as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby Secondly Take heed of a conceit of perfection 2 Imp. that we are grown enough already VVhat made the Church of Laodicea so lazy and lukewarm Rev. 3.17 but because she said she was rich and full VVhat made Paul so active for God but because he was very sensible of his imperfection Phil. 3.12 He look'd upon himself as not come up to his full attainments not yet perfect therefore he was still pressing forward Imp. 3 Thirdly Take heed of Envy and Contention 1 Cor. 3.1 2. The Corinthians were but babes in Christ why so they were full of contentions The Body of Christ edifies it self in love Eph. 4.16 Therefore it consumes it self by fretfulness and envy Imp. 4 Fourthly Take heed of Hypocrisie and Vnfruitfulness I put them both together because they are never asunder Those that have nothing but leaves without fruit like the barren Fig-tree are neâ—r unto cursing and blasting Such are so far from growing that they wither away and are good for nothing but the fire becoming trees twice dead and plucked up by the roots Jude 12. Imp. 5 Fifthly Take heed of Despising Ordinances they are given to advance growth Eph. 4 11. He gave some Apostles some Prophets and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the Body of Christ c. Therefore where these are despised there must needs be a decay therefore 1 Thess 5.19 20. Quench not the Spirit and Despise not Prophecying are put together to shew That despising Prophecy is the way to quench the Spirit Imp. 6 Sixthly Take heed of unnecessary Conversation with wicked men This is a hindrance of growth this cools your zeal and gives a check to your speed in your Christian Race therefore David Psal 119.115 Depart from me ye evil doers for I will keep the Commandments of my God As if he could not possibly go on and grow in grace so long as the wicked stood in his way Imp. 7 Spiritual pride and self-confidence Seventhly We must know That Gods withdrawing the influence of his grace from the Soul may cause a stop or a decay for a time which God usually does either to prevent or else to cure Spiritual Pride and Self-confidence When Peter was confident of his own strength Christ tells him Before the Cock crew he should deny him and it was Christs looking back upon Peter that quickned him again therefore I suppose it was not so much the strength of the tentation as Peters weakness in resisting and that weakness proceeding from Gods withdrawing himself that was the cause of Peters fall For his tentation was as strong afterwards when he was threatned by the same Authority yet answered so couragiously Acts 4.19 But now God assisted before he did withdraw Therefore take heed of Spiritual Pride and trusting to the Mountains of Grace received Psal 30.6 for then God turns away his face and we are troubled he withdraws the influence of his grace and then we decay it is fall of the leaf with us as with the Trees in Autumn and we cannot grow again till the Sun of Righteousness make a new spring Vse 7 The seventh Use is for Comfort to those that are apt to be discouraged at the small beginnings of grace Comfort at small beginnings of grace as the old men wept when they saw the Foundation of the second House how far it came short of the Glory of the first Ezr. 3.12 So many when they consider the first fabrick how God made Man after his own Image in perfect Righteousness and Holiness and then look on the second in the work of Regeneration how far it comes short they lament Alas alas are these Bodies and these Souls the Temples of the Holy Ghost To such I would say as Zech. 4.10 Who hath despised the day of small things Though the second Temple at the beginning be far short yet in conclusion it shall exceed the former Hag 2.9 This Temple is made of living stones 1 Pet. 2.5 nay of growing stones Eph 2.21 We wrong a mans work if we judge it before it be finisht so we wrong Gods work and our selves if we judge it before it be finisht The just should live by Faith the Life of Augmentation to encourage him against all discouragements 2 Cor. 4.16 Therefore we faint not while we look not at the things that are seen but at the things that are not seen It was such an encouragement to Elijah when he discerned but a cloud about the bigness of a hand that he could from thence foretel abundance of Rain 1 King 18. So it may be an encouragement to us if we can but discern the least beginnings of grace for then it will certainly increase till it be perfected to the day of Christ Phil. 1.6 Vse 8. Direction of behaviour towards the weak The eighth Use is for Direction how to carry our selves towards the weak not in a way of morosity to despise them or discourage them but in a way of lenity and equanimity to be tender over them and encourage them As Christ is far from breaking a bruised reed or quenching the smoking flax that he strengthens the one and blows up the other so should we do and by this means it may come to pass that many that are last may be first they may out-grow many that went before them VVe do not expect that from new-born babes that we expect from grown men but because they are so little and tender we are very indulgent towards them we nourish and cherish them and so they grow on to maturity Thus they that are grown Christians should carry themselves towards them that yet are but babes in Christ Thus we have seen that the just lives by Faith in reference to the Augmentation or increase of his life with the uses of it BRANCH VI.
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