shall live by faith The great scope of the eleven first Chapters is to prove Justification by faith in Christ against those that did hold Justification by works of the Law he layeth down his position in this cause and bringeth in this The just shall live by faith And hee doth oppose Justification by Faith to Justification by the Law Gal. 3.11 But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident For the just shall live by faith 2. As it relates to a Christians Sanctification Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in mee and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved mee and gave himself for mee Though the main argument here is Justification yet this living by faith is in respect of Sanctification chiefly at least which I think the scope of the place yeelds for Paul having vers 19. laid down this as an argument why a beleever cannot be justified by the Law because hee is dead to it that hee might give a reason of this likewise why a beleever is dead to the Law or must needs be so he glides off from the main argument of Justification into this of Sanctification as by the by that I might live to God What is that Why perform obedience now to God or bring forth fruit to God as Rom. 7. v. 4 5 6. Wherefore my Brethren yee also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ that yee should bee married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that wee should bring forth fruit unto God Which argument being now digressed into hee prosecutes in the next verse wherein as is clear hee goes on to speak of Sanctification for hee speaks of Christs living in him which is not our Justification that is by Christ without us and so his living by faith is to bee understood in respect of that viz. Sanctification which in the former verse and beginning of this hee was speaking of 3 As it relates to a Christians Expectation or waiting So Habak 2.4 For the Vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speake and not lye Though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry Behold his soule which is lifted up is not upright in him But the just shall live by his faith Speaking of the Vision delayed hee saith The just shall live by faith i.e. expect the coming thereof and wait for it in a way of beleeving 4 As it relates to a Christians perseverance So Heb. 10.38 Now the just shall live by faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him Which words if you compare them with the foregoing verse seem to bee of the same sense with them in Habakkuk to bee spoken of a life of expectation vers 37. For yet a little while and hee that shall come will come and will not tarry Now the just shall live by Faith But compared with the following words in this and the next verse they concern perseverance because in this verse drawing back is set in opposition to living by faith and again vers 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that beleeve to the saving of the soul Beleeving is set in opposition to drawing back In these places we have a four-fold life 1 Of Justification 2 Of Sanctification 3 Expectation 4 Perseverance In every of which we are to live by faith or we are to live by faith for these four things in an especial manner viz. Justification Sanctification Expectation and Perseverance Quest 2. How doth faith act or what is it that faith doth in those persons which live by faith as touching either of these things Answ In order to which I shall premise this word That I shall not go about to prescribe any one way or order that the Spirit of God while it enables a soul to live by faith in either of these walks in or works in so as to tye up all Saints to that way or manner of working which experience teacheth to be dangerous and to administer matter of stumbling to poore souls for as the Wisdome of God in his VVord is manifold so the workings of the Spirit of God in the hearts of the faithful through which they are enabled to live by faith are manifold and various though in the substance all agreeing As in our Justification so in all the rest one is enabled to live by faith herein from such a principle another from such a principle yea the same person looking upon himself at sundry times shall finde that one while his faith springs from one principle or consideration another while from another As for example perhaps to day I beleeve my Justification and go on beleeving it for a week or a moneth together from such a consideration as this viz. God hath made a Covenant with me in his Son and this is unchangeable as not made upon condition of my obedience so noâ— broken by my disobedience and hence I beleeve I am justified Another while perhaps this principle is not so lively and vigorous as to keep up my faith but then another doth it as this God justifies the ungodly now saith the soul though I cannot say I am a Saint yet this I can say I am an ungodly one well God justifies the ungodly this is a precious truth I own it I cleave to it I am an ungodly one a Sinner I beleeve God justifies me VVhen this hath kept up faith a while then it may be the life and vigour of this goes off the heart too and then come another as this The righteousness of Jesus Christ by which poor sinners are justified is a perfect compleat righteousness this righteousness is given to those that beleeve to such he becomes the Lord their righteousness I am a poore Sinner of my own I have no righteousness this I do I cleave to his righteousness which is persect and able fully to justifie my poor soul and I do in some measure beleeve that I have a share in this righteousness it is mine and that I am thereby justified in the sight of God These Principles with many others though diverse in themselves yet do they sweetly agree in the maine all leading the soul to something without for justification And truly this premisal is very necessary and material for how ordinary is it with poor souls if so be their faith hath been carried out from such a principle and they hear another in relating his experience hath been carried out from another to question the truth of their own at least to have some jealousies about it yea some poor souls are sometimes ready to stagger when they look upon themselves and consider the last moneth or the last year I had much strength and ability to beleeve from such a
to have called Covetousness by its own name Covetousness but to shew the height and transcendency of this wickedness of theirs hee calls it Iniquity of covetousness But 2. Though then evill were great yet it may bee they were ready to bee reformed upon the least appearance of Gods displeasure against such wayes and practices No I was wroth smote them saith God and what followed hee went on frowardly was so far from being made better that like a froward stubborne childe grew the worse for Gods correcting of him Aye but 3 Though hee did thus a while yet it may bee in the end hee saw his evill and did turn to God No saith God I have seen his wayes as to say Poor creature hee sees not his misery hee takes no notice of his wayes but runs on frowardly and foolishly well saith God I have seen his wayes I see of what a crooked disposition he is how froward and stubborne hee will not so much as once bend or bow under all my corrections but bears himself up in wayes of opposition against mee well saith God I will notwithstanding all this heal him c. Object But it seems there was some qualification in him by vers 18 for God saith Hee will restore comfort to his mourners Answ No for here is nothing at all spoken of his mourning but of others mourning for him hee mourns not at all but goes on frowardly in the way of his heart but others seeing him and loving him better than hee doth himself and seeing whither his wayes and courses tend which hee takes no notice of mourn for him As when a gracious Father hath a childe that will swagger and swear and there is no reclaiming of him hee viz. the son goes merrily and jollity on in his way and will bee drunk and roar and what not hee sees not the evill or danger of the way hee is in neither doth hee mourn for it but his gracious Father loving him better than hee doth himself and knowing the evill of the way hee mourns and sheds many a tear and gives many a groan because of him Now when God comes to reclaim such a sinner he doth not only comfort him but such as have mourned for him In the carrying this on I shall shew First The truth of it that it is so Secondly Some reasons why it must needs be so Thirdly Answer an Objection or two Fourthly Apply it 1 Concerning the first that it is so take only a parallel place or two with this of the Text as Isaiah 43.12 23 24 25. compared together But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel vers 23. Thou hast not brought me the small cattel of thy burnt offerings neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices I have not caused thee to serve with an offering nor wearied thee with incense vers 24. Thou hast bought mee no sweet cane with mony neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities vers 25. I even I am hee that blotteth out thy tranâ—gressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins Here God considers his people in as sinful a condition both for sins of omission and commission as a people could bee in and yet thus considered hee makes a free precious promise of grace of the richest grace viz. forgiveness of sins the great New Covenant promise unto them So Psal 25.8 Good and upright is the Lord therefore will hee teach Sinners in the way The promise of teaching another New Covenant promise is made to Sinners Object But in the next verse it is said Hee will teach the meek so that it seems meekness is the condition of this promise of teaching Answ There is a twofold teaching of the wayes of God a first or beginning teaching and a further teaching or a teaching as to conversion and a teaching as to building up Now the first is promised to sinners and persons under that notion and meekness is not the condition but the fruit of it a soul is first taught aright to know God and thereby made meek The latter meekness may bee the condition of in some sense for the more meek and humble any man is the more is hee taught of God but when I call it a condition it is not a condition to bee wrought by my self but such a condition as is freely given to the soul in its imbracing of the free promise for by laying hold of that word which promiseth teaching to men as sinners I am made meek and humble this qualification being now wrought in me God to the soul thus qualified now promiseth more and further teaching 2 Why it must needs be so Reason 1. Because the Covenant of Grace it self in the first making of it in the continual promulgation of it and in the application thereof hath all along respect to persons as sinners and therefore surely all the promises thereof must bee made to persons under that notion When Jesus Christ first struck hands with the Father and entred into Covenant for man man was then considered as a sinner one that had broken Covenant with God and was now liable to the censure of Justice or else what need had there been of a Sureties entring Bond in mans behalf Look upon the Promulgation of this Covenant all along and it is to man under the notion of being a sinner In the very first Promulgation thereof to Adam what was there in him Antecedent or preparatory save only his Sin Gen. 3. In the first clear preaching thereof by Christ and his Apostles to the Nation of the Jews was it not preached to them as Sinners Read Christs Commission to the Seventy Luk. 10.5 First say peace that this peace is Gospel peace is clear because they which reject it reject the Kingdome of God ver 11. the persons to whom this is to be preached they are the unworthy as well as the worthy for they were to preach this to all where they came ver 5. yea they are called Wolves which marks them out to be Sinners of the worst sort of all as vers 3. Behold I send you forth as Lambs among Wolves The order of the delivery of this is in the first place Out of all which I observe that the preaching or promulgation of the Gospel or Covenant of Grace is to persons as sinners for if so be the persons the Seventy were sent out amongst were sinners and if so bee the first thing they were to preach to them were Gospel peace then must it of necessity be to them as sinners without we should conceive that wheresoever the Gospel comes the Spirit of God goes before and works upon mens hearts making them of Sinners no sinners and that before ever a word is spoken to them which granted wee have no need of the Word you may throw away your Bibles the
vers 37. Hee that shall come will come and will not tarry So in Chap. 9. vers 28. To them that look for him he shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation What a looking waiting and expectation for Christs second coming in the Spirit Rev. the last Chap. v. 17. The Spirit and the Bride saith come here is coming waiting longing the Spirit cries come and the Bride cryes come the Spirit in the hearts of the people of God cryes come waiting for Christs coming yea this is made a character of a Christian and a great work of the Gospel to wait for Christs coming 1 Thess 1.9 10. They themselves shew of us what manner of entring in we had unto you And to wait for his Son from heaven It is the character given of the Thessalonians a waiting for the coming of Jesus Christ and a great Gospel-work to wait for Christs coming Thus what it is that Christians wait and expect for Secondly How the life of faith acts or how faith is helpful to a soul in this business of a Christians Expectation and waiting First Faith or the life of faith it ever seeks out some promise upon which it may ground an Expectation of that mercy that it waits for I say the life of faith it ever looks out some Promise upon which it may ground an expectation of that mercy it waits for Faith it must have its word and therefore the soul that doth by faith expect and wait for any mercy it ever looks out for a word and promise goes ever to the word to see what ground it hath to stand upon and to wait for such a mercy the life of faith does turn over the Bible and looks out the promise findes out the promise of that mercy never rests till it have a promise and then it pitches its standard upon the promise and there it stands and looks up to heaven waiting for the accomplishment of that promise When Daniel did expect the Deliverance of the people of Israel out of the Babylonish Captivity he did ground it upon a promise The Prophet Jeremy had foretold it should continue seventy years now Daniel goes to the promise and when they were expired prayes unto God for the deliverance and upon this word of promise seeks God and beleeves it indeed and expects it from the promise Secondly As Faith doth cause a soul to seek out a promise so having found the promise does not limit God to any time or way for the fulfilling of this promise Another soul that doth not live by faith if so bee that hee doth wait upon God at all yet hee will limit God and tye up God to his own time and way Israel limited the holy One Psal 78.41 and hee that expects much in the way of faith that soul will not limit God to his time and way if I have it not to day I can wait no longer no that soul will wait upon God Gods time as David sayes Psal 31.15 My times are in thy hand So sayes a soul Times and seasons of mercy are in thy hands if I should have it now to day I should bee glad and rejoyce and bless the Lord for it if thou dost withhold it My times are in thy hands yet I desire to wait no reason that I should speak against the Lord and entertain hard thoughts of God if thou withhold the mercy yet I will wait for it Take thy own time O Lord. Then it doth not limit God to any way of performance A soul that expects mercy in way of faith it doth not limit God to any way so far as concerns Expectation it is not the way of faith to limit God to any way An ungodly man will many times tye God to wayes But a soul that doth by faith expect a mercy that soul leaves God to his own way We read of Moses once or twice tying God up to his own way When the people were in great streights Exod. 14 at the red Sea 14 15. vers The Lord shall sight for you and yet shall hold your peace And the Lord said unto Moses Wherefore cryest thou unto mee Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward Moses at the 13. verse goes and layes out a way and that was to stand still and God would destroy their enemies and that was not Gods way hee goes to God and cryes unto him that hee would come with some immediate hand and destroy them from heaven this was Moses way and now Gods way was that they should go forward and pass through the Sea at the 16 vers But lift up thy rod and stretch out thine hand over the Sea and divide it and the Children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the Sea Now Moses bid them to stand still but God bids them to go for ward and so they did did not ty up God to his own way And so at another time wee finde Moses limiting of God Numb 11. for want of flesh the Children of Israel murmured well sayes the Lord Therefore the Lord will give you flesh and yee shall eat yee shall not eat one day nor two dayes nor five dayes neither ten dayes nor twenty dayes but even a whole month 18 19 20 vers And Moses said at the 21. vers The people amongst whom I am are six hundred thousand footmen and thou hast said I will give them flesh that they may eat an whole month shall the flicks and herds be slain for them to suffice them or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them to suffice them Moses thought of no way unless their flocks were killed or the fish of the sea to bee gathered together and Moses thought this the way and so prescribes God a way So a soul so far as it is waiting upon God and not in faith it will prescribe God a way but a soul that doth expect in faith for a mercy it will not bee prescribing God a way So Abraham hee leaves God to his own way God bids him offer up his Son hee doth not say Why my Son why how will thy promise bee accomplished and made good art not thou faithfull Abraham leaves God to his own way and beleeved that God could finde a way for the fulfilling of the promise and did not limit God to any way a soul that lives by faith waits upon God for the fulfilling of the promise and doth not limit the Lord to any time or way of his own Thirdly The life of faith in our Expectation as it doth cause the soul to look out to the promise and having the promise doth not tye or limit the Lord to his own time or way for the accomplishment of it so it doth perswade the soul though it know not the time when yet a time there is wherein the promise shall be fulfilled and that mercy I wait for shal be given in It doth perswade the soul that there is a
them that curse thee and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed this promise I say was the great promise made to Abraham when hee was in his own Country now he was but seventy and five years old vers 4. how old was hee when the promise was fulfilled Chap. 21.5 And Abraham was an hundred years old when his Son Isaac was born unto him and he beleeved all that time and hast thou beleeved and waited twenty and five years for the mercy Abraham waited twenty and five years and yet beleeved all that time and have you waited long it may be not a year not three years not ten years and is that a great while Abraham waited as long and longer and yet had the mercy at the end so though you have been waiting a long while yet wait beleeving wait still there have been those that have waited as long as you and have had the mercy Consider further that there is a set time for the mercy wait for it Quest But when is the set time then I could wait for it if I knew but that Ans That is only known to God but sometimes some hints there are that wee may come to guesse when the set time of the mercy is come It shall he then when thy extremity is great and thou canst live no longer and wait no longer that is the set time Isa 33.10 Now will I arise faith the Lord now will I be exalted now will I lift up my self now when they were brought to great extremity utmost extremity vers 9. you have been waiting it may be you have not been in utmost extremity and it may be you can bear more and art not in such great extremities and darkness as God will give it in when the extremity is great then is Gods time Secondly again then is Gods time when God shall be mostly exalted in giving in the mercy Isa 33.10 Now will I be exalted then is the time wherein God wil be exalted in giving the mercy that is the time when God wil give the mercy and so in that place now will I arise and now will I be 〈…〉 that is the time when the soul shall exalt God and so poor soul for answer know the time of this extremity and when God should be most exalted is the time of the expected mercy Quest But how shall I come to wait upon God in way of faith Ans First Labour to work the promise much upon thy heart What ever mercy it is that you wait upon God for there is a promise for it in the word of God a promise Now labour to work the promise much upon thy heart Hast thou a hard heart and dost thou wait for a broken heart the Lord hath promised to give a broken and soft heart now labour that promise much upon your heart and beleeve it and this is that that will inable you to wait upon God and so is your sin great and you say I have been a great sinner and a notorious sinner why the Lord hath promised to pardon sin and that our iniquities hee will remember no more and so art thou blinde and ignorant of the truth of God why the promise is that Christ is a light to the Gentiles to open blinde eyes and hee promises to send the Comforter to teach and to guide you into all truth and they shall bee all taught of God Labour to get the Promise upon thy heart And art thou unfruitful Dost thou bring forth little or no fruit And would you bring forth fruit and bee fruitful Get the promise of fruitfulness Isa 41.18 I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land springs of water I will plant in the Wilderness the Cedar the Shittah tree and the Mirtle◠and the Oyl tree So in Chap. 35.6 7. For in the Wilderness shall waters break out and streams in the Desart and the parched ground shall become a Pool and the thirsty land springs of water In the habitation of Dragons where each lay shall be grass with reeds and rushes Labour to work the promise home upon your heart Dost thou want strength to perform duty There is a promise that the Lords strength is made perfect in weakness Labour to work this promise home upon thy heart And hast thou lost strength in departing from God and art weakned and is strength gone There is a promise of renewing strength Isa 40.31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not bee weary they shall walk and not faint Now labour to work this upon thy heart They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength and so go out in the promise and wait upon God and so what ever mercy it is there 's no mercy that thou canst wait for and expect but there 's a promise for it in the Word of God Secondly Do not advise too much with your own reason If you would wait upon God do not advise too much with your own reason Reason will beat you off from waiting upon God What you waiting upon God and hast so many sins and will God regard such as you So long you have waited and no mercy come and dost thou ever think to have any thing Thus Carnal reason will beat us off from waiting do not hearken therefore unto reason If you will wait upon God then beg the Spirit spiritual work must bee done by the Spirit and wee cannot wait upon God without die Spirit Wee through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith Gal. 5.5 6. Go and beg this Spirit of God that is the great Gospel-promise Now hath God promised the Spirit and cannot you wait upon God and live by faith without the Spirit Go home and say Lord Lord I Give mee thy Spirit and spirituallize this thy poor creature Have I been a stranger to the Spirit no wonder then that I cannot wait upon God no more therefore would you wait upon God in faith Beg his Spirit A Postscript REader Thou art desired to take notice That whereas here is wanting The life of Faith in Perseverance And The Excellency of the life of Faith That neither the Notes of the Author nor any person can yet bee found though much pains hath been taken herein that hath taken the remainder from his mouth to perfect this Subject Yet because the matters handled are so Excellent and Usefull wee were unwilling the World should bee without them The Saints Anchor Rightly cast OR The Saints sure Anchor-hold Heb. 6.19 Which hope we have as an Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the vail IN the twelfth Verse of this Chapter the Apostle exhorts Beleevers to bee followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the Promises This exhortation the Apostle inforceth in the 13 14 and 15 Verses from the example of Abraham to whom God having
call him Father yet I will come to him as a Sinner who may in time call him Father Object 11. But thou hast made many vows and promises and resolutions and broken them all Ans This O Satan is true yet but a sinner and promises are made to sinners Object 12. But thou hast had many motions from the Spirit of God to forsake thy sins and come to God which thou hast sleighted Ans Yet but a sinner and promises are made to such Object 13. But thou hast been an open opposer of the wayes and people of God thou hast been a and jâ—erer a scoffeâ— at goodness Ans Yet I am but a sinner though my opposings were never so great for which I ever desire to bee humbled and to lye low before God that I should be such a wretch yet can they made me but a sinner and the promises are made to such Object 14. But thou hast sinned presumptuously Ans Yet but a sinner still and the promises are made to sinners Indeed were I to come to God as the least of Saints I should not dare to come but however I can come to God as a sinner and though as the greatest yet but a sinner still Object 15. But thou hast been a great neglecter of good as well as a committer of evil Ans Yet but a sinner and promises are made to sinners Object 16. But thou art an Hypocrite Ans This Satan is worst of all if true yet however I am but a sinner for an hypocrite is but a sinner and the promises are made to such I will therefore come to the promise that now I may be sincere Thus by holding this principle thou shalt more easily speedily effectually anâ—wer Satan than any other way The Life of Faith 2 Cor. 5.7 For wee walk by Faith not by Sight THe Text although included in a Parenthesis yet hath it relation to the foregoing verse being a reason of the latter part thereof Knowing this c. As if the Apostle should say This is the reason why we beleeve that whilst we are here at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord because the present life that now wee live is a life of Faith Now this wee know and are sure of that were wee present with the Lord wee should live by sight see him as hee is in the beauty and perfection of his glory but this being wanted here we conclude That whilst we are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord. The words are a brief description of a Christians life here and hereafter here by Faith hereafter by Sight WE WALK the terme of walking in this Text is of equal extent with that of living Rom. 1.17 The just shall live by faith Gal. 2.20 And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God I grant indeed in strict propriety of speech it is of larger extent because a man may live which doth not walk walking denotes not onely life but life in exercise but when these termes are applied to Faith as walking by faith living by faith they are of equal extent because the life of faith consists in exercise which is a mans walking by faith If a man do not walk by faith i.e. carry faith along with him throughout all that hee does or suffers doing and suffering by faith hee doth not live by faith for thus to do is properly to live by faith and take this away you take away the life of faith though a man may have the habit of faith in him yet doth hee not live by faith unless faith be active carrying him out either in doing or suffering for God which when it doth as he lives so likewise he walks by faith Doct. 1. The life of Faith is the proper life of Saints in this world 2 The proper life of Saints in the world to come is a life of Sight Of the first viz. Doctr. That the life of faith is the proper life of Saints in this world It was even in the times of the Old Testament Abraham lived by Faith See that notable place Rom. 4.17 to 22. who against hope beleeved in hope that hee might become the Father of many Nations vers 19. And being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now dead when hee was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadness of Sarahs womb vers 20. Hee staggered not at the promise of God through unbeleef but was strong in faith giving glory to God vers 21. And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform Here the Holy Ghost makes a Divine Comment upon the famous story of Abrahams beleeving and sets forth that life of faith which was in that holy man who against hope when nothing was left for Abraham to build hope upon in a way of sense but all things were at that pass that they made against his hope and endeavoured to destroy it yet then Abraham beleeved God comes to Abraham when that he was now about a hundred years old and his Wife Sarah near as many and promiseth him a Son by his wife Sarah and that in his seed should all Nations be blessed well might Abraham now say God hath promised me a Son and that in my seed shall all Nations be blessed How shall this word ever be I am now a hundred years old my body is dead to the begetting of Children my wife Sarah near as many her wombe is dead to the conceiving of Children how shall this promise be brought about But saith the Text Abraham considered not these things here was the life of faith hee did not suffer his minde to run on these things hee did not ponder them in a way of reason and sense but against hope beleeved in hope kept up his hope in a way of pure beleeving when all things to sense seemed to destroy his hope and so was strong in faith giving glory to God Hebr. 11. the Apostle reckons up throughout the Chapter many of the Worthies of the Old Testament Abel Enoch Noah c. recording their good Works and attributing all to their faith by faith they did thus and thus Abel offered Enoch was translated c. the Old Testament mentions only the bare work in many of these the Spirit of God in the New looks further into the nature of them not only the matter done but the manner of doing it records they were Gospel work and done from faith though wrought in Old Testament times so that the Saints of the Old Testament did live by faith yea Habbakkuk Chap. 2.4 saith expresly that the life of Saints or justified persons it is a life of faith so that this was the proper life of Saints in Old Testament times Come to the New we shall see still it is if in the Old when the Covenant of Grace by which this life of faith is begotten cherished was more dark and lay wrapped
manifestations of the love goodness power of God c. So long as these remain they adhere to the promise but so soon as these are a little decayed or the sense of them withdrawn they are off the hinges and cannot adhere to the Promise any longer so that it is but now and then rarely when and whilst affections are up that these rest on the Promise they are five times more off than on they live ten days in unbelief for one of faith Some others will adhere it may bee though they finde none of these to the Promise for a little moment and then they look that the thing for which they cleave to this promise should instantly bee theirs but finding the contrary they faint and give over adhering both these are hereby distinguished from living by faith 2 Quietly i. e. It rests upon the Promises without murmuring or repining though the thing promised be delayed and every day it is looking for and desiring the coming thereof O when will it come yet it is quiet it doth not speak evil of God nor of the Promise though it thinks long every day to have the Promise fulfilled yet doth it not think it too long though the fulfilling thereof bee delayed for a good time but contents it self herewith I have a promise though when or how I shall have it fulfilled I know not when God will give this do this or how I know not only here I have a promise this I adhere to Yea sometimes the soul may say Whither God will give this to me I do not certainly know only here is a promise and I have no reason to think the contrary and therefore I will wait upon him let him do what seemeth him good Lament 3.26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. This Habakkuks Vision teacheth us chap. 2.4 Behold his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him hut the just shall live by his faith He whose heart is lifted up swolne with pride and impatience cannot bear Gods delay but the life of faith teacheth quietness under this Now this distinguisheth living by faith from that impatient waiting of many souls accompanied with murmuring and repining if the promise be delayed which was the fault of that wicked King 2 King 6 33. And he said behold this evil is of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer Of Rachel though a godly woman Gen. 30.1 When Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no Children Rachel envied her sister and said unto Jacob Give me children or else I dye And of Israel for forty years together whilst they were in the Wilderness if they wanted any thing Bread Flesh Water presently they murmured which murmuring of theirs is described wherein it lay Psal 78. vers 17. to 23. They tempted God in their hearts by asking meat for their lust yea they spake against God they said can God furnish a table in the Wilderness vers 21. therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth vers 22. Because they beleeved not in God and trusted not in his Salvation And we are bid beware of it 1 Cor. 10. vers 1 2 c. 3. Orderly it rests and relies on Gods Promise in Gods way using means those means which he hath appointed it should wait in the use of as Hearing Reading Prayer Meditation Christian Society c. Isaac had a promise he should have seed and yet seeks God for his wife wait but wait orderly The Spouse in Canticles Chapters third and fifth when her Beloved twice had with-drawn himself and was gone she waits for him but in an orderly way she doth not lye still sleeping and slugging upon her bed and say Well my beloved is gone for the present but he will come again but up she gets her and about the streets she goes and enquires of every one she meets with Saw you him whom my soul loveth shee runs to the Watch-men O! saw you him whom my soul loveth from them to the Daughters of Jerusalem O! saw you him whom my soul loveth thus she waits yet is active using means Now this distinguisheth living by faith 1 From a careless waiting and resting upon the promise as to say Well God hath promised such a thing it matters not what I do God will fulfill his own promise and so neglects and throws away all means and Ordinances this is not living by faith but a carnal presumptuous and secure frame of spirit 2 From a disorderly waiting a waiting upon God for a mercy but a going out of Gods way to obtain it by following some way of my own or anothers invention which is not Gods Saul was twice in this and it cost him dear once when he offered a Burnt-offering 1 Sam. 13. and when he went to the Witch of Endor 1 Sam. 28. As in living by faith I must rest on the promise so in Gods way or my resting is nothing 2 The second thing in living by faith is the ground of faith A man stands as hee hath his footing so faith I shall here shew in order to the other 1 VVhat is not the ground of faith 2 VVhat is Q. What is not the ground of faith A. 1. Not duties Some beleeve that God loves them because of such and such things done by them this is not the ground of faith in living by faith 2 Not affections Some others though they will not ground faith upon a bare duty done yet if they have had affections therein they will ground their faith upon those or these and the duty put together Many a poor soul thinks this duty is accepted this prayer shall be answered ask the reason they can give no other but their hearts have been warmed affections up therein they wept much c. and sure such a duty cannot but speed and hence poor souls when they finde as mostly it proves so their great expectations of this duty come to just nothing they are ready to cast off not only their hope but duty and every thing else the reason of all being this they go upon a false and mutable ground and therefore are so mutable in their opinions of themselves and what they do This is not the ground the soul which lives by faith goes upon nay a soul will never live by faith but beleeve one day and call in question the next till he is got off this ground 3 Not Graces Some do not make duties the ground of their faith and knowing the deceitfulness of affections are shie of them also who yet upon sight or discerning of the graces of the Spirit in themselves will beleeve If they finde in themselves a sweet heavenly frame of Spirit an humble frame of heart hearts full of love to the brethren c. they will then beleeve and make these things a ground of their faith but whilst they do thus sure enough they never live by faith for how ordinary a thing is it
to see these to day or in one duty and to have them out of sight to morrow or in another It may bee to day I have a sweet heavenly spiritual frame of heart but if I ground my faith upon this perhaps to morrow I shall bee as cold and carnal as now I am spiritual and where then will my faith bee to day my heart is humble to morrow as proud as now humble to day I can love my brother let him do what hee will with me or against me I can forget all and pass by all to morrow I cannot do thus but my heart will be full of wrath grudging and revenge against him if I ground my faith on these things where will it be when these are wanting yea when instead of finding them I finde the contrary These things may encourage faith whilst it is acting but I must make none of these neither Duties Affections or Graces nor any thing within me or done by mee the ground thereof Quest What is the ground of faith in living by faith Answ Two things are laid down in Scripture as the ground of our faith viz. The promise of God and Gods power to perform the same both which together make up a full and compleat ground for the faith of the beleeving soul 1 The promise of God the word of promise is the word of faith or that which our faith first pitcheth upon in living by faith Faith must have a word or it is not able to keep up Now the word or promise that faith pitcheth upon in inabling of the soul to live by faith is 1 The naked or bare promise or to speak better the Promise nakedly considered without any thing of ours joyned with it If I would live by faith I must do thus whensoever I would act faith set by all my duties affections graces and go to the naked Promise as though I had never performed duty in my life had not any affection to any thing good nor one dram of grace in mee As Abraham as Luther saith when he went up the Mount left the Servants and Asses at the foot and carried onely Isaac the Son of the Promise with him So when any would go up to God by faith we must leave all our righteousness beneath and carry onely the promise up with us for whilst I joyn any thing of my own with the promise making the promise as it hath this of my own joyned with it the ground of my faith so soon as ever I find a want of these things and have them not to carry I faulter in beleeving Therefore in living by faith it ought to bee the special care of every Christian to keep to the bare and naked promise looking to it that hee do not joyn any thing with the promise which to do as it is a great evill in it self so hath it this evill attending of it it throws down faith and hinders the soul from living by faith 2 The free or unconditional promise There are in the Book of God two sorts of Promises 1 Some Absolute and without condition made to the worst of sinners as such 2 Some Conditional made to the Saints duties and the graces of the Spirit in them Now in living by faith I am not to make these latter sort of promises the ground of faith because the conditions required in them being in mee but weak and imperfect and at sometimes only discernable faith cannot take hold of them at all times as it ought to do to the end I might live thereby The former sort of promises then viz. those which are Absolute and without condition such as are all the promises of the New Covenant to us are the promises which I must make the ground of faith in living by faith I mean those promises which are made to sinners as such these are they I must ground my faith upon for these faith may alwayes take hold of but of the other but sometimes only because onely sometimes the conditions and qualifications required in them are discernable in the soul though there be alwayes sufficient ground for my faith in the promise made to sinners yet not in that which is made to Saints I can see and acknowledge my selfe a sinner alwayes and under that notion come to the promise but so I cannot a Saint 2 The power of God to perform the same is another part of the ground of faith If any ask why I joyn this viz. The power or ability of God together with the promise in the ground of faith I answer 1 Because the Saints in former ages in acting faith and living by it have alwayes had a special eye unto and been much upheld by the power of God Wee have two notable acts of Abrahams faith mentioned by the Holy Ghost in the New Testament the first is that wee spake of before Rom. 4. which was an act of faith Abraham put forth in reference to a Son which God had promised him hee should have by his wife Sarah in his and Sarahs old age when now in reason they were past hope of having any his own body being dead and Sarahs womb dead and this was before or about the time of the conception of Isaac Gen. 17.15 16 17. The other was an act of faith Abraham put sorth in reference to Gods fulfilling of this his promise in Isaac at that time when the promise seemed to bee dying God commanding Abraham to offer up Isaac the Son of the promise which wee have recorded Gen. 22. and repeaâ—ed Heb. 11.17 18 19. Now in either of these wee finde Abrahams faith did ground not onely on the promise but power of God also Rom. 4.21 And being fully perswâ—ded that what he had promised hee was able also to perform Heb. 11.19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead So Paul 2 Tim. 1.12 I am perswaded that hee is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day And the three Children Dan. 3.17 Our God whom wee serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace 2 Because I finde not onely Saints grounding their faith on the power of God but the Holy Ghost oftentimes laying down the power of God as a great ground of the faith and comfort of Gods people as Eph. 3.20 when the Apostle had put up many spiritual petitions in the behalf of the Ephesians he concludes Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us Pitching their faith for the obtaining of these things on the ability of God So Heb. 7.25 Hee is able to save the ability of Christ to save is laid down as a ground for our faith in coming to him the last words of the verse Hee ever liveth to make intercession are but the reason of the ability Jude v. 24. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling Saints are comforted against
justification 2 The constant holding our Justification in our sight maketh the soul take all the dealings of God in good part put a good construction upon all Gods dealings whereas another who is dark in justification he can take no dealing in good part at the hand of God A soul that beholdeth his justification can as long as that is clear behold the love of God in Christ towards it it can put a good construction upon all Let God give a mercy he will say that it is out of love let God take away a mercy he will say that is out of love Let God smile he seeth his love let God frown through his frown he beleeveth his love Let God put him into a prosperous condition he seeth love let him put him into an afflicted adverse condition he can beleeve God is his God But take a poor soul that is dark in that let him give a mercy he saith O I am affraid it is in Judgement let him take away a mercy this is in judgement I have abused it Let God smile he is affraid to own it lest hee be deceived let God put him into prosperity he thinks that will ruine him into affliction he thinketh that is to destroy him 3 The constant beholding our Justification doth carry out a soul with a sweet Son-like frame of Spirit in all its actings towards God Take a soul that is dark in its justification there will not bee childe-like actings but slavish actings a spirit of bondage servile actings But take a soul that hath his justification in his eye and there will bee sweet Son-like actings when hee goeth to duty hee goeth with the spirit of a Son I see Hell is gone Heaven is given and doth not perform duty to avoid the one or procure the other but doth all as to a Father because God hath taken Hell away and given Heaven and is my Father therefore I go about the work of God When it mourneth for sin it doth not mourn for fear it should bee Damned but because it hath sinned against a Father I do not say it is so with a Saint at all times but when a soul beholdeth its justification so it is 4 This constant beholding our justification doth dis-inamour and wean the heart from worldly things our hearts are never so weaned from the Creature as when wee see through justification our interest in the Creator When the poor soul cometh to see the great God of Heaven and Earth is my Father and I have a glorious inheritance provided above in Heaven for me then it saith Why should I dote upon Creatures As a Princes Son is estranged from the company of other Children why I am the Princes Son they are companions below me this maketh him leave other Boys and not play with them so a Princes Son wil not go and hoard up Counters why I am a Princes Son so a poor soul when it beholdeth its justification is estranged from the world upon this consideration I am a Son of God a Childe of God have an interest in Heaven a glorious inheritance there and this weaneth the heart from the world The beholding our actual justification begets such actuall considerations as these 5 It armeth us against all Satans temptations it puts the soul into such a condition as it can grapple with Satan when he cometh to assault it with his fiery darts let the Devil shoot never so many fiery darts yet so he hath his justification in his eye it will keep off all and therefore it is called a Shield They used a Shield to repel Arrows from the party Faith is our shield to repel the darts of Satan and beat them back again so this is another advantage 3 That soul that liveth by faith in justification is delivered from the great evil other souls run into of adding to or detracting from his justification it is a great evil incident to the Saints they look upon themselves as more or less justified accordingly as they are more or less holy and their works more or less spiritual I do not say but that we should endeavour after holiness and spirituality to the utmost but not to make our justification less or more as these things are lesse or more 1 Because it puts our justification as a stock into our own hands that by our care and diligence wee might augment or by carelesness and negligence might diminish it whereas our justification is a stock the Saints have but it is in the hands of their Suerty which though they are and ought to use all Christian care and diligence yet by all their care and diligence there is not one dram added to their justification Though they are to take heed of all carelesness and remisness and avoyd them yet though they should fail there is not one whit not one dram taken away from their justification by all Justification is as the Childes Portion in the Executors hands the Childe hath some spending-money but his Portion is in the hands of the Executor So is our justification that is a stock in the hands of our Executor the Saints have something in themselves and they spend much of that but they would spend their justification too if the stock were in their own hand but it is in the hands of their Suerty Executor and they cannot spend that he will not let them have that so that that cannot be spent Now when we look upon our justification as that which may be added to or detracted from we do not look upon it as in the hands of our Suerty but in our own hands and that is a great evil 2 It is a great evil because it maketh our Justification like our Sanctification in part for that which is perfect can have nothing added to it or taken from it if any thing could be added to it then it was not perfect before perfection doth neither admit of addition or diminution Now our Justification is perfect by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 them the Father hath set apart he hath perfected for ever Now if I should be more justified at one time than at another then Justification were not perfect 3 It maketh justifying grace to depend upon Creature actings for if I am more justified when I do more and less when I do less then my actings have influence into my justification and so justification depends upon Creature actings and so if of works then it is no more of grace 4 It is a great evil because it doth much dishonour Christ it speaketh the righteousness of Christ insufficient for our justification if the righteousness of Christ be sufficient to justification then all I can do cannot help it forward If it need any thing of ours then it is not sufficient of it self I speak this to shew the great evil of adding to or detracting from justification which how usual it is to look upon our selves more justified at one time
the Resurrection of Christ it did revive and hath quickning already Saith the soul though I am dead my graces lye as though dead affections dead heart in duty dead yet I have quickning in Christ I have a stock of life in Jesus Christ Coloss 3.3 Yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God though it do not for the present appear it is hid with Christ 3 Faith in this business of vivification sheweth the soul that there is a streame of vertue and efficacy comes from the resurrection of Jesus Christ quickning of it and this is that Paul presseth after That I may know him and the power of his Resurrection Phil. 3.10 That I may have the power of his Resurrection raising and quickning of mee The Resurrection of Christ though but one act yet hath a continual stream of vertue flowing from it for the quickning of souls 4 Faith taketh hold of any word of promise in the book of God that may bee any ground of encouragement to beleeve his quickning it as that word of Christ Joh. 10.10 I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly See saith Faith Jesus Christ is come that I might have life And because I live yee shall live also Joh. 14.19 because there is life in Christ shall I live then I will go to him for life Quest 3. Why is a Christian to live by faith for Sanctification Answ 1. Because our sanctification is altogether of grace therefore the Spirit by which wee are sanctified is said to bee given of God and the blood of Jesus Christ which hath such an influence into Sanctification that is of Grace It was of Grace that Christ shed his blood of more grace that this blood of Christ should bee applied to thy soul for the washing away of thy sin So Faith which is a help in our Sanctification that is of Grace therefore Faith is said to bee the gift of God Eph. 2.8 And to you it is given to beleeve Now if Sanctification bee of Grace wee are to live by faith for it 2 Because our Sanctification as well as our Justification is primarily in the Lord Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is made Sanctification to us 1 Cor. 1.30 and so wee are to live by faith for it for whatsoever is in the Lord Christ I am to partake of it by faith 3 Because wee have promises of Sanctification What I have a promise for I am to live by faith for because the promise is the ground of faith but wee have promises of Sanctification of MORTIFICATION Sin shall not have dominion over yon Rom. 6.14 of VIVIFICATION because I live yee shall live also Joh. 14.19 therefore wee are to live by faith in it 4 Because we are to pray for Sanctification and therefore we are to beleeve for it What is my duty to pray for I am to beleeve for because Prayer must bee in faith Every Petition I put up to God in Prayer it is my duty whether I do it or no to act faith in the thing desired If I am to pray for it I am to beleeve for it But I am to pray for it Jesus Christ teacheth us to pray for it when hee himself prayed for our Sanctification Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth and Jesus Christ teaches it in that Prayer we call the Lords Prayer the three first Petitions respecting in a great part our Sanctification Hallowed be thy Name It is as much as that God would help us to honour and Sanctifie his great Name Thy Kingdome come It is as much as to pray that God would set up his Spiritual Kingdom in our hearts that we might bee ruled and guided by his Spirit having all corruption mortified and grace quickned Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven This is as much as to pray that wee poor creatures here on earth might do the will of God so freely fully and cheerfully as the Saints in Heaven So that wee are to pray for Sanctification and then wee are to beleeve for it because our Prayer must bee in faith Quest 4. What is the difference between that Sanctification which ariseth from an enlightned conscience and that Sanctification which ariseth from faith or beleeving There is a Sanctification which ariseth from the meer dictates of the Law of Nature and that Sanctification the Heathen Moralists attained to a great deal of And there is a Jewish Sanctification or Legal and that is such a Sanctification as is begotten by the terrors of the Law But there is another Sanctification and that is a Gospel-Sanctification that is such a Sanctification as is wrought in the soul from the beholding the love of God in Jesus Christ such a Sanctification as is wrought from beleeving his Justification Now there is a great difference between this Sanctification and the other which arises onely from an enlightned conscience for both arise from an enlightned conscience the one from conscience being enlightned by Natures law the other from the written Law but there is a great difference Answ 1. That which ariseth from natural conscience is something of the more gross part of Sanctification but a piece and doth not take in any thing of the finer part of Sanctification A forsaking some sins that are outward and gross his conscience cannot but flye in his face so that hee shall not rest quietly night nor day such as Drunkenness Adultery and the like It is in respect of those duties that are more apparent such as Prayer hearing the word such if a man should let alone hee should have no quiet nor peace in conscience But that Sanctification that cometh from faith that is in respect of the inward more secret evils of the soul the secret rising of pride unbeleef and passion and so for more inward duties that Sanctification teacheth a man to deny himself to submit himself to Gods will to be content with Gods disposal 2. That Sanctification which cometh from an inlightned conscience onely raiseth a man to bee more self conceited but that Sanctification that cometh from faith and beleeving throweth a man down in respect of all self-conceit it maketh a man more mean and low in his own eyes As the Scribes and Pharisees and Jews in our Saviours time they had a great deal of this outward holiness and Sanctification but see how it puffed them up how they stand upon tip-toes and crow over poor Harlots and Publicans as not fit to come in the company of such as they were But that which cometh from faith maketh the soul more humble What abundance of Sanctification Paul had hee did press after perfection did walk more like one in heaven than on earth yet hee could look upon himself as the least of Saints concerning acting for God labouring in the work of God hee preached the Gospel from Jerusalem to Illiricum laboured more abundantly than they all yet how humble Yet not I but
my brother injures me speaks evil of me I cannot forbear him I do so to him and he cannot forbear mee were there but that forbearance should bee in any one it would heal the difference of either side O Saints would you love forbear one another forbear one another Obj. But such a one hath injured me and I have given him no cause Ans Why then forbear him thou wilt have the more comfort and peace in so doing Again now thou art like a Christian in forbearing him a man may from natural light forbear another who hath injured him if he himself gave the other cause to do so but now if thou canst forbear another who hath injured thee when thou hast not given cause this is to act like a Christian Thus did Christ he gave no cause to any to revile him or Crucifie him yet when they did it he forbare them when he was reviled he reviled not again 1 Pet. 2.23 Isa 53.7 innocent as a Lambe yet led to the slaughter and opened not his mouth Obj. But if it were once I could bear it but it is often Ans The oftner it is the more noble spirit shalt thou be of to forbear him a Childe can forbear a thing a while but a man can longer Again hath not God forborne thee often when he might have poured his wrath upon thee and when thou hast dealt as injuriously with him as thy brother hath with thee and wilt not thou forbear thy brother often Say with thy self O how long has God forborne me Obj. But wert it a small injury I could forbear but it is a very great one Ans Let me ask thee one question Is it greater than ever thou didst commit against God if so then indeed it were much to forbear him but if otherwise wilt not thou forbear him as God thee Again the greater injury the more grace exercised in forbearing and the more comfort in it Obj. But I were not a man if I should bear every thing and put up all tread on a worm and he 'l turn again Ans Thus flesh and bloud will reason and thus Centiles reason but it must not bee so amongst us Hear the Exhortation of Paul Rom. 12.19 20 21. Dearly beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good 9 Consider all are but men Thou seest something in thy Brother which possibly might provoke thee to with draw thy love from him he sees something in thee which might provoke him to the same now let each consider of my brother why my brother is but a man and therefore he hath his failings as other men have indeed were he an Angel I might expect other actions and other carriage but he is but a man and I must look upon him as a man subject to failings as I my self am Yonder I see weaknesses but they are the weaknesses of man a poor man 10 Acquaint your selves with one anothers spirits more Strangers have not that affection the one to the other that intimate friends have so whilst Saints are strangers one to another there will not be that love and communion amongst them that there should be and were they more acquainted with one anothers spirits would Whilst the Disciples were unacquainted with Pauls spirit they were affraid to own him into their company though he assayed to joyn with them but when by Barnabas his relation they understood something of his spirit and the work of God thereupon Paul and they sweetly closed so afterwards a long time the Apostles at Jerusalem were affraid to own Paul as an Apostle through some suspicion or doubt they had of him but afterwards when through Conference and communion one with another they perceived the grace that was given Paul they then owned him and gave him the right hand of Fellowship acknowledging him an Apostle as well as themselves so that we see what comes by acquainting our selves with one anothers spirits Christians which before stand aloof off the one from the other and will not speak to each other may come when they know one anothers spirits sweetly to close and embrace one another yea many a Saint upon this instead of falling foul upon his brother as before hee did now falls foul upon himself What a filthy wretch was I my cursed heart would not close with my brother but I was ever full of suspicions jealousies surmisings thinking and speaking the worst and now I see blessed bee God I see it at last that my brother is a true Childe of God and there is more grace in him for ought I know than in my self O Saints let us get acquaintance with one anothers spirits I may know Master such a one and Mistris such a one well for outward acquaintance yet a stranger to his or her spirit and assure your selves of this that there is nothing in the world will more beget and maintaine love amongst you than this as I shall by being acquainted with my brothers spirit see the grace of God in him which will much draw my heart ten times more than any gifts or parts which I behold outwardly can do so likewise by near familiarity with him and acquaintance with his spirit there will bee twenty things which through my mis-interpretation of outward actings or some such thing did hinder love and beget dis-affection in me to my brother prevented as for instance Suppose I see my brother occasionally walking and dis-coursing now and then with a prophane man presently whilst I look barely upon the outward action my heart is ready to boyl with strange jealousies Now that we may get acquaintance with one anothers spirits 1 Bee much in communicating experiences and the dealings of God with you one to another 2 Be much in finding out and knowing the reasons of thy brothers outward actings this will bring to much acquaintance with thy brothers spirit and how and in what manner it usually works 11 Improve one anothers gifts and graces more as get acquaintance with one anothers spirit so improve them Hath God given thy brother a spirit of prayer improve it get him much to pray for thee hath God given thy brother more faith then thou hast improve it desire him in thy wants and streights to beleeve for thee now in so doing love will be abundantly increased thy brothers love will work more towards thee whilst he is improving of his grace for thee and thine to thy brother whilst thou seest that such and such mercies thou hast through thy brothers faith and prayer This is a certaine rule the more I do good to any in a spiritual way the more I shall love him the more any receive good will hee love mee And I take it this