Lord hath forsaken me saith another or else I should never be thus bowed down with continual sickness Surely the Lord hath forsaken me saith another or else I should never be so friendless Lovers and friends hast thou put far from me and mine acquaintance into darkness And this was Jobs argument he confesses God was sometimes gracious to him but now he looks at him as an enemy And why so because he was under his afflicting hand he had stript him of outward Mercies Job 13.24 And this was Naomi's argument Ruth 1.20 she said to her Neighbors Call me not Naomi but call me Mara for the Lord hath dealt very bitterly with me I went out full but the Lord hath brought me home again empty But what though she came home empty of temporal blessings so long as she came home full of spiritual grace she had little cause to complain of hard dealing on Gods part But I say Gods people are apt to complain in cause of Temptation if God do but withdraw himself in some particular and temporal respects they are ready to say out God hath wholly and utterly forsaken them in all respects Obj. But will God onely forsake his people in temporal good things and not in spirituals also May not the Ordinances be taken from them or they from the Ordinances as doubtless many of Gods faithful ones were when they were banished into Babylon Ans I answer therefore 3. Gods forsaking in spirituals viz. Means God sometimes forsakes his people in spiritual good things but then it is rather in outward spiritual good things than in those that are inward 'T is true God took his Ordinances from his people when he removed them into Babylon but he did not take away his Spiritual nor his gracious Presence from such as were faithful It is a Promise God makes to such as were banished from the Sanctuary Ezek. 11.16 Although I have cast them far off amongst the heathen and although I have scattered them amongst the countries yet will I be to them a little Sanctuary in the countries where they shall come As if God should have said Though they want the ordinary Sanctuary and the ordinary means of Teaching yet I will be a Sanctuary to them my self and teach them by my Spirit they shall not want inward Spiritual Mercies though they want the outward Means of Grace Obj. But doth God forsake his people in outward Spiritual Mercies 4. Forsaking in spiritual comforts not grace and doth he not forsake them in those that are inward also Why else do they so much complain of their Souls and Spirits Psal 77.3 I complained and my Spirit was overwhelmed Ans Therefore he may also forsake in regard of inward Spiritual Mercies but then it is more in their inward Spiritual Comforts than in Spiritual Graces Some Christians indeed have more Comforts but less Graces as in the day of their first espousals to Jesus Christ for that is a time of love and rejoycing Jer. 2.2 I remember saith God the love of thine espousals But some Christians have more Graces and less Comfort as strong grown Christians Heb. 2. whom the Captain of their Salvation puts upon hard services for the trial of their Christian fortitude Psal 44.17 All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in the Covenant our heart is not turned back neither have our steps turned from thy way though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons and covered us with the shadow of death Indeed the face of Dragons and the face of Death was very terrible but yet the hiding of Gods lovely face was much more terrible ver 24. But yet for all that though God did with-hold their Spiritual Comforts yet he did not with-hold their Spiritual Graces for they had never more strength of grace than when they were able to grapple with Dragons and with Death it self Obj. But doth God forsake his people in respect of Spiritual Comforts Is it not said That such as have the Comforter once he shall abide with them for ever Joh. 14.16 If that be so why then should any believer be dejected Therefore I fear I never had true comfort Simile Answ That 's true the Comforter abides for ever but not in the Act of Comforting John 16.7 8. I will send the Comforter to you saith Christ What then Must they expect nothing but comfort so soon as ever the Spirit is come No there is an act of Conviction from the Spirit in the first place Note When he is come he will convince the world of sin The office of the Spirit is to empty us of our selves to humble us and to convince us as well as comfort us All these are acts of the Comforting Spirit though not acts of Comfort They are all such acts as tend to comfort and are conducible to that end As searching the Wound by the Chirurgeon and stirring the humours by the Physician are conducible to the act of healing though they are troublesome and painful for the present Neither doth God always forsake his people at such times as he doth withdraw their Spiritual comforts Note Did God forsake Christ upon the Cross or doth he forsake Christians in their mourning condition No surely he is most in them oftentimes by the graces of his Spirit when he is least in them by the comforts of it Obj. But doth not God forsake his people in their Graces as well as in their Comforts and do not Gods people complain for want of grace as well as for want of comfort Doth not David pray Psal 51. Take not thy holy Spirit from me as well as Restore to me the joy of thy Salvation The resolving of this doubt is needful for the better clearing of the Life of Perseverance and for the better incouragement against all discouragements of this nature concerning Gods forsaking of us or our forsaking of him Ans I answer therefore 5. Forsaking in graces not absolutely necessary God may withdraw from his people such graces as are called accessory graces but not such graces as are absolutely necessary We call such graces necessary as tend to the very being of a Christian and without which he is no Christian at all as Faith in Jesus Christ and so Justification and the Spirit of Adoption In these God will never forsake his people 1 Joh 3.9 Now accessory graces we call such as are added to these for the well-being of a Christian without which he cannot so well act his part as otherwise he might do As for example Though a Christian have Faith and the Spirit of Adoption in some measure yet he cannot so well discharge his duty unless he be zealous in believing zealous in praying zealous in preaching But now in these sometimes God doth forsake his people when his people for sake him by falling from their first love and from their first degree of zeal Gal. 4.15 But God doth
for Heaven We wish this Book may be so entertained by thee and all others who meet it as a Pillar and Cloud in this Wilderness as the Rock and Manna to refresh thee as thy Viaticum to Eternal Life and Glory Secondly as these are evil Times in respect of Sin â— Tim. 4. Apostacy falling from the Faith both Doctrinal and Practical and also the latter days of the World wherein Faith shall fail Luk. 18.8 Yea these are the days wherein this Sâ—â—â—â— of Faith by many of the mighty harh been vilely cast away 2 Sam. 1.18 25 27. Faith in Doctrine and Life is forsaken and cast off by many formerly famous for Profession Now to teach the use of this Shield and how to uncover and anoint it is a word in season Credis in Christum fac Christi opera ut vivat fides tua fidem â—uam dilectio animet actio prohet Bernard And sure did men retain the Doctrine of Faith more in their Minds they would better practise Faith in Life And did we live more by it we should know more of it Joh. 7.17 Quest But have not many Divines already written of this Subject how then can this be so seasonâ—ble a Treatise Ans We may say its truth the world abounds with Books and as the waters cover the Sea knowledge aboundeth but never less practise of Faith especially if we consider the means and time of enjoyment Many Captains and Physicians we say may lose the City and spoil the Patient but not when they agree in judgment and practise Divines harmoniously handling the same Subject do more clear and beat out the Truth Who would be offended with any who should invent a neerer way to the Indies or at some Design to advance Trading or an Engine that would draw up Pearls and the Riches out of the Sea that all men might be made more rich and more suddenly so than ever Thus it is here This Servant of the Lord entring on this Subject was desired by some of his Auditors to enlarge it which he coming after many other by the largeness of his own heart and especially by the supply of the Spirit hath done and brought out of his treasure riches enough and more than the whole world can expend And as concerning this Branch of the Life and Practise of Faith we know none hath gone beyond this Treatise So as we may say of it as Solomon of the vertuous Wife Thou excellest them all Prov. 31.29 With respect we mention it to other learned and painful Labours Especially as to the methodical Contexture and copiousness of the matter for which it is highly commendable as the Orators Oration the longest was his best and who can think that can be too much spoken Nunquam satis dicitur quod nunquam satis disoâ—tur which is for our Life here and Eternity hereafter That is never taught too much which is never sufficiently learnt We shall adde no more but a few Directions for the Reading of this Book lest we cloy thy appetite which we desire to sharpen 1. Then to help thee how to read to thy profit Come not with prejudice against the Doctrine it self the Preacher or his manner of handling it A great Scholar and learned in the School of the the Remonstrants reading a piece in Dr. Prestons Works could finde no excellency of it And so Mr. R. Bolton before his Conversion in his first hearing worthy Mr. Perkins had such-like thoughts of him And so Nathaneel in Joh. 1.46 was prejudiced against the place where Christ was educaâ—ed in and it had well-nigh hindred him of the benefit of his Doctrine Expect not here a Garden of gawdy Tulips to please thy fancy or Jewels of â—igh Notions to hang on thy ear but wholesome Herbs and Spiritual Simples for the health and recovery of thy sick-dead Soul and Cordials to comfort thy Heart 2. Be sure to get the grace and habit of a true â—nd lively Faith of Gods Elect ere thou go about to live by it first be possessed of this Shield then â—earn to handle it uncover it anoint it Have the Bowe then learn the use of it seek the Stock and then improve it Esay 38. By these things men live 3. Crucifie in the strength of Christ Sense and Carnal Reason which will obstruct thee in this way and rob thee of thy comfort in this living by Faith We walk by faith not by sight 4. Hold up this Shield against all the fiery darts of Satan who shoots especially against the standard-bearer Faith Luk. 22. Resolve as they of old to return with or die upon this Shield of thy Faith in all thy contendings with the Devil Remember Faith must be had Vnde haec incredula cogitatio quid fà cit in domo fidei perfidum pectus quid qui in Christo omnino non credit appellatur dicitur Christianus Cyprian Ambula perfidem ut pervenias ad spem spes non aedificabit in patria quem fides non consolatur in via August if ever thou be saved and the Life of it maintained if ever thou have comfort in Life and Death 5. Pray much to Jesus Christ the Author and Finisher of thy Faith and to and for the Spirit of Faith to direct enlighten Heb. 12. and strengthen thee in the reading understanding believing and obeying what thou readest Go not out in thine own strength To conclude Our Prayers are and shall be through grace continued That this Universally Useful Subject may be crowned with Divine Blessing to the highest improvements of Faith in every Christian Reader Especially in the hearts of our much Honoured and Right Worthy Friends the Magistrates and Inhabitants of Ipswich which the Lord hath long made famous and happy as a Valley of Gospel-Vision Our due and deep respects of Affection are much knit and drawn out to our Christian Friends in that Town so long eminent for Profession of Godliness Our hearty desires are that they may never want able Helpers of their Faith and Joy that their Faith may flourish exceedingly according to all the high dispensations of the Lord towards them that so living and dying in the Faith they together with us may receive the end of our Faith the Salvation of our Souls through Him in whom and for whom we rejoyce to remain Your Soul-Servants John Fuller Samuel Smith London Aug. 26. 1657. THE GENERAL CONTENTS Of the whole TREATISE Yet referring more fully to the Alphabetical Table at the close of the Book wherein are the Special Contents The TEXT HAB. 2.4 Behold his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but the just shall live by his faith CHAP. I. Contains a Prooeme to the main Treatise setting down a clear opposition 'twixt Believers and Unbelievers as to their Description and Condition The Exposition of the Text with its various Readings Two general Observations both spoken unto and applied briefly Two special Doctrines 1 Gods
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
but I obtained mercy so c. Quest 3 Quest How shall we do to live this Life of Sanctification Ans The answer to the third Question will resolve this viz. By what means Sanctification is wrought How and by what means this Sanctification is wrought in the Soul Ans 1 The truth is the main Original Cause is God He is the Author as of the first so of the second Creation Eph. 2.10 For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works God the Father as the Efficient Cause Jude ver 1. To them that are sanctified by God the Father God the Son as the Meritorious Cause Heb. 2.11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all one God the Holy Ghost working this 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God It springs not from our selves nor from our parents no though they be holy it springs not from them Sow the purest Wheat you can get yet it springs up with chaff again when it brings forth another Crop So the best parents bring forth children with the chaff of natural corruption cleaving to them Grace comes not from Nature but from God Joh. 1.13 Which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God God therefore is the Original and principal Cause Vse Go to God for Sanctification for our selves or others 1 Thess 5.23 And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly c. Mat. 8.2 And behold a leper came and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean Psal 51.7 10. Create in me a clean heart c. Ans 2 But now Faith is the Intrumental Cause of the Life of Sanctification in the order of working and so the just lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification Acts 15.9 Faith purifies the heart and ch 26.18 it purifies the life of the whole man that they may receive inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in me Quest And how doth Faith purifie or how doth the just live by Faith the Life of Sanctification Ans 1. Acts of faith in sanctifying 1. Applying Christ either 1. In general As laying hold on Christ the principal object of Faith especially on the blood of Christ the meritorious Cause of cleansing I say in general laying hold upon Christ the principal object of Faith not as if Faith had this life or this power to give life in it self no more can it give the life of Sanctification than of Justification but as by it we are united to Christ our Head and Fountain of Life Faith comes from Christ and returns to Christ again like the Flower call'd The Wonder of the World it grows out from the stem or stalk and turns round to it again So Faith comes from Christ and turns round to him again to draw still more vertue from him As our Communion with Christ in grace flows from our Vnion with him so also all spiritual Operations or living acts of spiritual life Look as in the natural body the life of all the Members is from the Head and that Life conveyed by certain nerves and sinews to every part so the Life of Sanctification in all the Members is derived from Christ the Head and that by the sinews and nerves of Faith conveyed to all the elect in due time by which they live and more and more encrease from day to day Vide Ephes 4.15 16. Coloss 2.19 Quest But how shall I know that my spiritual actions and operations suppose Prayer Preaching the Word practising of that we hear in any particular do spring from my Union with Christ Ans This is a profitable and necessary Question When spiritual actions spring from faith in Christ because a man may do many good things and yet these actions not flow from our Union with Jesus Christ A man may have excellent common graces nay and he may counterfeit saving graces too and yet these not spring from Union with Christ Nay a man may be strengthened by Christ to do work and service for Christ and yet that strength and those services not flow from Union Isa 45.1 c. Concerning Cyrus his doing friendly offices for the Church and this prophecied of him about 200 years before he was born Isa 1O 3 O Assyrian the rod of mine anger c. correcting and afflicting the Church and they had their strength from God a staff in his hand and yet they did not know this nor acknowledge it themselves v. 7. Howbeit he meaneth not so c. A man may have excellent common graces as Judas had and those Matth. 7.22 Lord have we not prophecied in thy Name and in thy Name i e. in thy power cast out devils c. A man may counterfeit saving graces even to the life that he may deceive others Rev. 3.1 Thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead Though God is not mocked Quest The Question then is How shall I know whether my holy actions motions and operations do spring from Union with Christ or no Ans 1. To follow the Metaphor of Head and Members If thy holy actions proceed from inward principles 1 Cor. 6.17 Being made one spirit and not outward principles onely As a living hand or foot is moved from invisible nerves and sinews within but a wooden hand or foot is moved onely by outward ligatures by which it is bound to the body So a man may pray and preach and be onely moved by outward ligatures of profit credit envy c. Philip. 1.15 Some preach Christ of envy and strife and some of good will So Mat. 6.1 2 3 4 5. They gave alms and prayed in the streets to be seen of men but he that doth it by vertue of Union is moved by an inward principle of the Spirit of Christ Obj. But may there not be a common gift of the Spirit to move a wicked man as 2 Chron. Ezra 1.1 The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia c. Ans Yes but then it proceeds not from the inhabiting Spirit of God whereof the Elect are the Temple 1 Cor. 6.19 but onely from a present common and transient work of the Spirit as in Baalam so sometimes good and evil spirits have had power to enter into bodies and carry them up and down but yet not to inform them as the Soul informs the Body nor to dwell there c. So the Spirit of God c. Quest How shall I know my Spiritual actions proceed from the inhabiting Spirit Ans By savouring and minding the things of the Spirit Rom. 8 5. They that are of the flesh do minde the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit Though Gods Spirit spake in and by Baalam yet he had no through relish of what he spake for he still loved the wages of
a very unskiful Souldier in this warfare Means of mortification Ans The first Means is to look up to God who teacheth thy hands to war and thy fingers to fight Go out in his Name as David did against Goliah Fall down before him as Joshua before the Captain of the Lord host Josh 5.14 Be much in Prayer and adde Fasting to Prayer Some sins cannot be cast out without this Means 2 Secondly Learn to loath and hate sin A man hates to death what he mortifieth and though he cannot kill it outright 1 Job 3. yet as he that hates his Brother is a manslayer so he that hates his sin as sin is a sin-slayer in Gods account For ye are dead sayes the Apostle Col. 3.3 then follows Mortifie therefore your Members c. ver 5. Means 3 Thirdly Get assurance of the Love of Christ and this will constrain to suffering and doing 2 Cor. 5.14 For the love of Christ constraineth us We love our sins naturally as our right eye and therefore are loath to part with them It must be the sense of a greater love that will make us willing to pluck out our right eye He that was next of kin to the person murthered was to be the Avenger of blood because it was to be supposed he loved him best If we consider what enemies our sins are to Christ our best beloved we shall do that part Love Christ much and you will hate sin much and the way to love Christ much is to be assured of Christs love to us 1 Cor. 15.31 I protest by our rejoycing we have in Christ Jesus I die daily Means 4 Fourthly Apply the Cross of Christ Rom. 6.6 knowing this that our old man is crucified with him The death of Christ is the death of sin First because it is the meriting Cause meriting the Spirit by which our sins are mortified Secondly the serious Consideration of Christs death doth give sin a deadly wound What did Christ die for my sins O let me crucifie them that crucified him Did Christ love me so well as to be willing to lose a precious life Let me love him so well as to part with a sinful life or the life of sin The death of Christ is the slaying of the Enmity not onely betwixt man and man Eph. 1.16 but between God and Man I am crucified with Christ sayes the Apostle Gal 2.20 Means 5 The fifth Means is set down Eph. 6.11 Put on therefore the whole armour of God c. VVhere you see two things 1. God hath provided for a Christian Complete Armour 2. Every Christian that would stand in the day of battel must put it on But what is the Armour God hath provided Ans See there in the verses after they are the Graces of Gods Spirit all Christian Vertues 1. Truth the Souldiers Belt that knits all other graces all other pieces of the Armour fast together Truth of Doctrine opposed to Errour Truth of Graces and Actions opposed to Hypocrisie Hypocrites are fearful true men are valorous One true man beats two or three thieves Prov. 28.1 2. The Breast-plate of Righteousness Righteousness imputed and Righteousness imparted and this is Murus aheneus Though infirmities may be in many yet this saves the Vitals 3. Shoes of Patience like brazen Greaves whereby the Christian Souldier treads upon Scorpions he treads down Satan under his feet in this Spiritual Combate 4. The Shield of Faith above all or over all For this covers all our Armour all our Graces and strengthens them in the Combate 5. The Helmet of Salvation which is Hope 1 Thess 5.8 Then lastly there is the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God of which in the next Means Means 6 Sixthly Hear and apply the Word In Hos 6.5 God hews them by his Prophets and slays them by the Words of his mouth This is a sharp and two-edged sword that pierces to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit Heb. 4.12 And here apply the threatnings as well as the Promises to the mortifying of sin VVhen the Minister reproves such sins as we are guilty of every one should turn the Point to his own breast Suppose it be Lying or Adultery or Idolatry c. out of that place Rev 22.15 If there be an hundred in the Congregation every one should say Surely God meant I should take this to my self Suppose Despising of the VVord out of Prov. 1.25 Suppose partaking of other mens sins out of Psal 50.18 When thou sawest a thief thou consentedst c. VVe should do as Job's friends advised him Job 5.27 Hear it and know it for thy self This was that which prick'd their hearts Acts 2.36 37. when Peter told them they had crucified that same Jesus Means 7 Seventhly Entertain the Spirit for the VVord is but the Sword of the Spirit Rom. 8.11 If ye by the spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Gal. 5.16 Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh This will conquer Corruption For 1. It is of a most contrary nature to it a holy Spirit 2. It is an Almighty Spirit able to cast corruption out 1 Joh. 4.4 Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world Therefore walk in the guidance and strength of the Spirit Look higher than our selves for new supply of strength as we have new Employments new Trials new Temptations Do not onely desire it and pray for it but use it kindely The Spirit is of a tender and delicate nature very free where it is entertained and acts with freedom If thy Soul welcom the Spirit he will soon thrust out those domineering lusts that have disturb'd his quiet and peaceable possession And hereunto look with an eye of faith unto those great Promises of the Spirit Isa 44.2.3 Ezek 36.25 c. Joel 2.28 The Spirit is promised to be poured out largely under the Gospel as Ezekiel's waters chap. 47. 't is observable the further they run the deeper they grew They took the Jews up to the ankles the Primitive Christians to the knees the Middle Times to the loyns c. Means 8 Eighthly Moderate the use of lawful things Satan gets great advantage in these things Corruption is strengthned by immoderate use of lawful things Luk. 17.27 They eat they drank they married and gave in marriage and the flood came and destroyed them all They were first drown'd in their security and unbelief and then the flood drown'd them Means 9 Ninthly Keep corrupt Nature in compass by Vows As they vow'd the death of Paul Acts 23. so do thou of thy sins Vows are against either things absolutely unlawful and these binde ad semper alwayes as the Vow in Baptism against the World Flesh and Devil or things indifferent but in danger to be abused and these it is best to be made onely ad tempus for a time lest afterwards they become a snare Means 10 Lastly Shun Occasions of
who laboured in the Lord Salute the beloved Perfis who laboured much in the Lord. And their Crown in heaven Mat. 25.21 'T is said to him that had receiv'd and gain'd five Talents Well done thou good and faithful Servant I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. They shall have the comfort of it to all eternity that have been active stirring for God in their little time upon earth There is a blessing upon him that loves the Lord with all his strength Ier. 48.10 and a curse upon him that doth the work of the Lord negligently that puts not forth that strength which God hath given him but quencheth the Spirit Such a man loyters and loses his time whereas the other redeems time and we had all need redeem the time considering how much we have lost already Ioh. 9. and how little there is behind The Sun is going down and the night is coming when no man can work Mot. 4 Satan hath great advantage of a dead-hearted Christian for he is like a man half asleep in a secure condition he may soon be deceiv'd as Samson was Judg. 16.19 It was the field of the sluggard not of the watchful and active man that was all overgrown with thorns and nettles Prov. 24.30 What are those thorns and nettles but those extravagant wayes of sin which though they seem to be smooth and pleasing at the first springing up as thorns and nettles are yet at the last they prove more dangerous and prick like a thorn and sting like a nettle And therefore that we may not be overcome of these Spiritual Philistines we should like Samson rowse up our selves with all our might to live by Faith this Life of Vivification Mot. 5 Rev. 12.12 Times call for Activeness They are laborious times and dangerous times with the Church Satan was never more active because his time is short His instruments never more active compassing Sea and Land to gain one Proselyte The Churche never more distressed and standing in need of our help Germany Ireland Scotland England all stretch out their hands for help As in Harvest time every one is with his sickle in his hand See Rev. 14.15 And in Building-time like as in Nehemiah's dayes Neh 4.17 every one with one of his hands wrought in the work and with the other held a weapon It was a shame for the Disciples to sleep when Christ was in the midst of his Agony and a shame for Christians to be dead-hearted when the Church is in her Agony When Zion cries For the Lords sake and the Lord cries for Zions sake You that are the Lords remembrancers give him no rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth Isa 62.1 7. The times therefore call for activeness which springs from this Life of Vivification Mot. 6 'T is the nature of true Grace to be more and more active if it be supernaturally natural All natural motion is in fine velocior swiftest near the end whereas things moved by violence are slower We throw a stone up with difficulty but it drops down of it self The true Christians they go from strength to strength Psal 84.7 As it is said of Time Senescit non Tardescit So may it be said of a gracious person Though he grows more old yet not more slow but brings forth more fruit in old age Psal 92. Mot. 7 Note It is so if we yield to deadness Dead-hearted service is a vain service and so a taking of Gods Name in vain against the Third Commandment That is vain which is not accepted and so attains not it's end Isa 29.13 this people draw near me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but have removed their heart far from me c. which our Saviour interprets Mat. 15.9 In vain do they worship me Religion is a part of Gods Name and must be used with zeal Rev. 3.15 I would thou wert hot or cold We are commanded to serve God with all our might Mot. 8 The coldness of the Times should make us active as men in cold seasons are most active to get themselves into heat These are cold times for the Soul as well as for the Body The Charity of many waxeth cold as Christ foretold and so do other Graces Men are hot for the Disputes of Faith and very cold in the Life of Faith Therefore we should be the more active to keep our heat It was cold weather it seems when Peter warm'd himself among the Servants at the fire in the High-Priests hall But he went to the wrong fire and to the wrong company he should have gone to Gods fire and indeed Gods people use to do so in cold times Others coldness makes them the hotter and others deadness makes them the quicker as contraries quicken one another by an Antiperistasis It is time for thee to arise sayes David Psal 119.126 because they have made void thy law Then addes in the next verse Therefore I love thy Commandments above gold Therefore the coldness of the times should make us active not cool and lazy Fenner These are the Motives We come now to the Means of Quickning The first and chiefest of all Means of Quickning 1. Influence of Christ is to get into the Sun-shine of Jesus Christ You know poor Bees and other Flies if they can creep into the Sun it quickens them and puts a new life into them So the Chickens that hang the wing get under the warmth of the Hen. The nearer we press to Jesus Christ by Faith the more spiritual life and heat He is the Sun of Righteousness that arises with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 The beams of his grace revive the drooping Soul as she said Joh. 11. If thou hadst been here my brother had not died but I know thou art able to raise him up again So may a Christian say If thou hadst been here my Soul had not died not been in this dead and sad condition but thou canst quicken it again Faith draws quickning vertue from Jesus Christ as we heard before in the Reason 2. Ordinances The second Means are quickning Ordinances which are as beams from the Sun One of these Ordinances is a quickning Ministery this puts life into the Soul The Word of God is compared to fire 1. Word and therefore John Baptist is said to be a burning and shining light Joh. 5.35 A shining light so he taught the people A burning light so he quickned Did not our hearts burn within us said the two Disciples going to Emmaus Luke 24.32 while he talked with us and opened to us the Scriptures The Ministers lips are as fire Peoples hearts as tinder Elisha liv'd in a dead time and therefore he praid for a double measure of the Spirit of Elijah which was an active powerful Spirit that he might quicken the people If the Ministers lips be touched with a Coal
from Gods Altar they do oft inflame the hearts of the hearers Live under such a Ministery if thou wouldst be quickned A lively Ministery makes a lively people a dead Ministery makes a dead-hearted people And therefore it 's observable Rev. 3.1 that the deadness of the Church of Sardis is charged upon the Angel or Minister of the Church Vnto the Angel of the Church of Sardis write c. Therefore pray for your Ministers that themselves being quickned they may quicken you Another quickning Ordinance is Prayer 2. Prayer Psal 119. How oft doth David pray for quickning grace five or six times in one Psalm He begins many a Prayer with an heavy heart and before he hath done he is full of life Therefore pray much because all life is from God and he quickens whom he will Onely let me adde this Caution Caution before I let this pass Be sure thy understanding and affection go along together in every Ordinance and in every part of the Ordinance as thou wouldst have it a quickning Ordinance Many complain they are dead under Ordinances and no wonder They hear and they pray without understanding or without affection It is a Rule Quicquid agit agit per contactum Whatsoever thing acts effectually upon another it is by some kinde of touch or close When our Souls do not close with the duty in Prayer or Hearing no marvel if it put no life into us When we give way to distractions to wandring thoughts to wandring looks c. we do but take Gods Name in vain and the Ordinance is vain to us There is no life in it therefore no wonder if there be no life from it Therefore keep thy head and thy heart close to the duty if possible from first to last and then it will quicken Thirdly make use of Death to quicken Spiritual Life 3. Meditation of Death Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thine hand findeth to do do it with all thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdome in the grave whither thou goest Think of the shortness of our time of service in comparison of the eternity of the reward Say of service which is most affliction passive service Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Fourthly set before thine eyes 4. Gods Eye the All-piercing Eye of God So was Peter quickned by a look from Christ Rev. 2.18 19. These things saith the Son of God who hath his eyes like a flame of fire I know thy works and charity and service c. and again Chap. 3.1 I know thy work that thou hast a name to live and art dead q. d. I look upon the inside where the life of the action is This would quicken in Prayer Hearing c. Eye-service indeed in relation to men is not good Eph. 6.6 not with eye-service Partly because men cannot alwayes look upon us and partly because the Conscience hath a superiour tye from an heavenly Master at whose command they are bound to do service to their earthly Masters But Eye-service towards God who looks upon his children with an eye of Love as well as an eye of Observance is very commendable This it was made David so watchful Psal 139.1 2. O Lord thou hast searched me and known me thou knowest my down-sitting c. And it was Gods charge to Abraham Gen. 17.1 Walk before me and be thou upright God hath an eye into our brests therefore Faith will make a man take heed how he hears take heed how he prayes take heed what he thinks Psal 16. it will make him keep his heart with all diligence because God searcheth the heart and reins and ponders the spirits Faith setting God at our right hand will keep us from falling 5. Assurance of Gods Love Fifthly get assurance of Gods Love This will make us love him again 1 Joh. 4.19 We love him because he loved us first Love will make us very active Men care not what they do or suffer for those whom they love dearly Jacob served two hard Apprentiships for the love of Rachel he endured the heat of the day and the cold of the night and all was nothing to him Gen 29.20 Love is as strong as death Cant. 8.6 and active as fire Much water cannot quench love There is a constraining power in Love 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth me sayes the Apostle You need not much perswade such a man to be active for God he hath arguments enough in his own bosome That Disciple who lay in Christs bosome how much love doth he express to God and Men Oh how active and passive too was Paul for God! 2 Cor. 11.23 and no marvel for Who shall separate us sayes he from the love of Christ shall tribulation c. Rom. 8 35. 6. Gods Power Lastly look at Gods Almighty power able to quicken the deadest heart Rev. 3.14 Thus saith the Amen the Faithful and True Witness the Beginning of the Works of God Ephes 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works c. Therefore David prayes to God Psal 51.10 Create in me a clean heart renew a right spirit And there is a Promise for Faith Hos 14.7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return they shall revive as the corn after winter and grow as the vine c. Vse of Examination Whether we do live by Faith the Life of Vivification Vse 3. Trial of Faith in vivifying And need we have to Examine lest we be deceived Many seem to be very active and yet they do not live By Faith for all that Therefore say to thy self as Isaac did when he thought Esau had brought him venison Gen. 27.21 Art thou my very son Esau sayes he So Art thou that very Life of Vivification Say to this or that particular Duty Art thou the very true Issue and Childe of such a life The DeVil is cunning to deceive us as he raised up a counterfeit Samuel in stead of the true Samuel 1 Sam 28. So he cozens men with a counterfeit Life of Vivification in stead of a true Quest But how shall I know one from the other Ans This is partly delivered before At present they may be known by Examining them 1. In their Principle 2. In their End 3. In their Manner of working 4. In their issue and Event Trial. 1 First in their Principle True living actions spring from a living and inward Principle Though a Clock moves we do not say it is alive because it is moved by the Weights Though an heavy Milstone moves apace we do not say it is alive because it is moved ab extra by the Wind or Water But if we see a little Fly or Ant move we say there is life because it is moved from an inward Principle So he that lives the Life of Vivification his activity proceeds
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
Difference twixt heavenly earthly heirs may be cheated of their Inheritance may have it violently wrested from them as Naboth Ahab was sick for his Vineyard before he had it and as sick of it when he had it Or if none of these happen yet a Father may conceive displeasure against a Son and disinherit him Or there may be so many Sons that all cannot inherit as in Abrahams Family But none of these can befal a Childe of God in respect of his heavenly Inheritance 1. Through Gods free grace he cannot spend it He is kept by the power of God unto salvation 1 Pet. 1. 2. The Devil shall never cheat him of it as he did our first Parents of the first Paradise The gates of Hell shall not prevail 3. It can never be taken from them by force As they are reserved for that so that is reserved for them in the heavens 4. Their Father will never take up such a displeasure as to disinherit them Gods Covenant is as the Waters of Noah for As I have sworn saith the Lord that the waters of Noah should be no more on the earth so I have sworn that I will be wroth with thee no more nor rebuke thee Isa 54.9 5. And God hath blessings enough for all his children Gen. 27.38 He hath more than One. Thus the more we look into the Scriptures still the Argument appears stronger and stronger If Sons then Heirs Quest But how shall we know that we are Sons Rom. 8.14 15 16 c. Explained Ans First the Apostle resolves it ver 14. of Rom. 8. If ye be led by the Spirit then are ye sons The Spirits Manuduction or leading is an Argument of our Manumission or freedom from under the power of our first Master Sin and Satan It 's a Metaphor taken from blinde or weak persons who are glad when one leads them and supports them in their way Thus Gal. 5.18 If ye be led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law and Rom. 6.16 Secondly in the 8 of the Rom. ver 15. Rom. 8.15 But ye have received the Spirit of Adoption c. Spirit of Adoption implies two things Which implies two things 1. The Sons of God have the Nature of children in them As children naturally run to their Parents not to Strangers so do Gods children If you have a Lamb in your arms and seeing a company of Ewes about you would know which is its Dam set it down and you will soon know Nature will teach it to run to its Dam. Dost thou desire to know whether thou art Gods childe or no Observe the Bent of thy Spirit To whom dost thou run on all occasions especially in thy wants Wicked men run to the World consult with Flesh and Blood it may be go to the Devil A childe of God runs to his Father 2. The Sons of God have the Spirit of Prayer Behold he prays Act. 9.11 which is further intimated Rom 8. ver 26 27. Others may have the Gift of Prayer but the Sons of God have the Spirit of Prayer He that hath onely the Gift of Prayer it may be says much but prays nothing such as have the Spirit of Prayer possibly say nothing but pray much as Hannah 1 Sam. 1. Thirdly in the 16 ver The Spirit it self c. Rom. 8.16 The Spirit witnesseth our Sonship by a more immediate work upon our Spirit The Apostle had spoken of the Fruit of the Spirit before in the 15 ver Now he speaks of the Testimony of the Spirit it self which is an inward Testimony of the Spirit it self what secret and unspeakable Work of the Spirit perswading a Believer of Gods special love to him in Christ Even of his love shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 Obj. But I feel not this Witness though I feel the fruits of the Spirit Ans The Lord will give it at one time or other Wait for it knowing Note that God reserves the choicest comforts for the fittest time When Daniel was in the Lions Den the Three Children in the furnace Paul and Silas in the stocks then had they most of this Witness and Comfort And so doubtless when thou art plunged into distress when persecuted by enemies or forsaken by friends when sickness doth arrest and Death draw near and so hast most need of these comforts then thou shalt have them God who hath an appointed time wherein to come will come and will not tarry Now if by these or any of these we are assured that we are Sons then we may conclude our selves Heirs too Thus Faith assures by arguing from our Sonship 5. From the Chain of salvation 5. Faith argues from the Order and Inseperate Method of that Golden Chain Rom. 8.29 30. Whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate c. 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 But saith a Believer I am effectually called and justified therefore I shall be glorified All the men in the world or Devils in hell cannot break or pull asunder the Chain which God hath thus coupled together 6. From Christs being in Heaven 6. Faith argues from the present Possession of Heaven by our Elder Brother Joh. 14.1 2. The elder Brother sometimes takes Possession of the whole Estate in the right of all the Family 1. As our elder Brother though the rest do not come to possess their part a long while after And this Act is an Assurance to them all as if they had their Estate present Thus is a Believer ascertained by Christs possessing heaven So that as we are said to be Risen again with Christ Col. 3.1 So may we be said to be in a manner Ascended with Christ He hath raised us up and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Eph. 2.6 The Apostle speaks as if Believers were in heaven already because Christ hath taken Possession of heaven in their behalf and thereby offers strong assurance That they also shall possess it in due time Hence also is Christ called our Fore-runner Heb. 6. last 2. As our Fore-runner In the 19 ver All true Christians are compared to Sea-faring men and Christ comes first to Haven to take possession for all the rest So that the World is as a Sea An elegant Allegory The Church as a Ship out of which there 's no safety Christ is the Pilot All true Believers are Passengers that have a common Adventure The Land it 's bound for is the Kingdome of Heaven the Card or Compass is the Word of God the Wind that drives it along is the Spirit of God For the Materials The Bottom and Ballast of this Ship is made of Humility the Top of open Simplicity the Sides of Patience the Sails and Banner of Love the Cords of Charity the Rudder of Faith and the Anchor of
to die an Eternal Death where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched Isa the last and the last Consid 2 2. If we have not Eternal Life here we shall never have it He that believes hath everlasting life Joh. 5.24 He doth not say He shall have it hereafter but he hath it already though not in so full a measure Therefore get it now or never For a man to think to go to heaven when he dies that never cared for heaven all his life is a strong presumption Consid 3 3. It is the property of Gods People to look at heaven and happiness by the eye of Faith Heb. 11.13 And Unbelievers are blinde and cannot see afar off they look on present things 2 Pet. 1.9 But a wise man hath eyes in his head Eccl. 2.14 15. He looks as far as to Eternity he sees that which a natural man cannot see 2 Cor. 4. last Whilst we look not at the things which are seen by the eye of sense but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Consid 4 4. This will make a man of a heavenly conversation whilst he is upon earth To live by Faith in regard of Eternal Life this will bring down heaven to the earth If the creature cannot go to heaven yet a lively Faith will bring heaven to the creature and that both the grace of heaven and the joy of heaven 1. The Grace of heaven It will make a man of a heavenly conversation whilst he lives upon earth to consider what the company of heaven and what the work of heaven is 1. The Company of heaven are God and Christ holy Angels and the Spirits of just men made perfect And 2. The Work of heaven is without reluctancy without weariness to praise God for ever and ever The belief of this will bring down much of the grace of heaven into the heart and the creature will reason thus by Faith Shall it be a great part of my happiness in heaven to enjoy perfection of holiness and shall I not then endevour this work upon earth Shall I not endevour to perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 and to do Gods will upon earth Surely if holiness becomes Gods house for ever holiness must needs become his houshold-servants Psal 93.5 so soon as ever they begin to wear his Livery of Christian Profession Do we believe we shall see the face of God without blushing and shall serve him without fainting Seeing we look for such things how diligent should we be that we may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless Yea what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God 2 Pet. 3.11 2 It will bring down much of the joy of Heaven And we might have added this by way of Reason why God will have his Servants live by Faith in regard of Eternal Life viz. That the full assurance of it might be a present Comfort whilst the possession of it is deferred But we will bring it in as a Motive For Christ being willing to cheer up the drooping Spirits of his Servants in the absence of himself and heaven seems to say of Faith as he said of his Spirit or if ye will of the Spirit of Faith Joh. 14. I will not leave you comfortless I will pray to the Father and he shall give you another Comforter What is this Comforter but the Spirit of Faith or the Spirit in the grace of Faith Oh! there is strong consolation in Faith and Hope It is true says Christ I must leave you Joh. 16. I must go to Heaven and whither I go you cannot come as yet but I assure you I go to prepare a place for you and to prepare you for the place and so soon as that is ready for you and you are ready for that Joh. 14. I will come and receive you to my self in due time And in the mean time that I may not leave you comfortless I will give you something of the joy of heaven as a Pawn and a pledge in hand before you come thither And what is that but the Grace of Faith and the Joy of Faith Let not your hearts be troubled says Christ though I go to heaven before you yet you shall be as sure of heaven at the last as if you had it for the present And how assured but by Faith 2 Pet. 1.5 You are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time And what of that why this brings Joy in the mean time For so it follows Wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in great heaviness through manifold temptations And speaking of Christ who is gone to heaven within a verse or two after he hath this expression Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory As if he would have said Though you cannot see Christ with your bodily eye with the eye of sense and so you are apt to be troubled as the People were when Paul said Acts 20. they should see his face no more yet you shall see him and do see him by the eye of Faith and rejoyce in that sight as if that heaven it self were come down into your hearts You rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory For what is joy full of Glory but joy full of heaven Like the Vision upon Mount Tabor where God did bow the heavens and came down in glory And that is the fourth Motive that it will be heaven upon earth to live by Faith in respect of Eternal Life Consid 5 5. That to live by Faith in regard of Heaven and Eternal Life will make the poor creature live above the world If it do not draw him quite into heaven it will draw him a great way above the earth That look as a Bladder or a thin shell that is filled up with the pure Dew that comes down from heaven do but lay it in the Sun and the power of the Sun-beams will draw it up from the earth heaven-wards So it is with the Soul that is filled with this heavenly dew of grace let it but look wistly upon the Sun of Righteousness by an eye of Faith and the powerful beams of his Love will draw it so far above the earth and all earthly respects that it shall live above the world above the pleasures of the world the profits and honours of the world and above all the troubles of the world And is not this an admirable is it not a desireable condition If you would be ambitious lawfully ambitious let this be your ambition to be thus exalted by the Grace of Faith 1. It lifts a man up above the
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
And yet thus it must be if ever we believe He that is wise in his own conceit 1 Cor. 3.18 must become a fool that he may be wise and he that is rich and increased with spiritual goods in his own conceit Rev. 3.17 Mat. 11.5 6. he must become poor that he may be made rich Vnto the poor saith Christ the Gospel is preached and blessed is he that shall not be offended in me 2 Cor. 8.9 O this offends a carnal heart that he must become poor for Christs sake as Christ became poor for his sake that death is become the way to life if ever he mean to live he must believe in a poor despised crucified Saviour Now this a proud perverse unbelieving heart knoweth not how to stoop to and such a heart have all men by nature And this is the first Impediment Well but who shall remove this Impediment how shall we rowl away this stone of an unbelieving heart I answer If we would remove it Cure we must labour to finde it out to confess it to bewail it and to pray against it And thou when thou prayest enter into thy Closet Mat. 6. Psa 4. and shut the door Commune with thine own heart and be still Make thy complaint to God in private pour out thy Soul before him and say O thou blessed God of Truth how have I wrong'd thee by my base false and unbelieving heart What a heart have I that can relie upon a great man or a good man if I have his Word or his Bond and yet cannot relie upon the great and the good God who keepeth Mercy and Truth for ever Psa 146. with them that are in Covenant with him and hath bound himself by Promise by Oath by Seal to be good and faithful to such as put their trust in him O that I should have such a base heart to trust more to the Means than to that God who hath ordain'd the Means puts life into the Means And yet such is the baseness of my heart that when I see any visible means for the producing of such an effect I am secure and confident and when the outward means fail though God be ever the same I am as fearful and diffident as if I had no hope at all Is not this to trust to the Means and to trust to the Creature in stead of trusting to God Now when we have thus found out the unbelief of our hearts and bewailed it we should pray to God that he would forgive it and subdue it for us Just as the Parents of the Rebellious Son brought him to the Magistrate so should we bring our Rebellions and unbelieving hearts to God praying him to subdue them for us We should pray him to rowl away this stone even to take away our stony hearts and to give us hearts of flesh that we may believe according to his Promise Ezek. 36.26 and doubtless God will remember his Word for such as put his Promise in suit And so much for the first Impediment and the Means to remove it 2. Impediment of Faith Satan The second Impediment is from Satan He sails with the Wind and Tide of an unbelieving heart and labours if it be possible to keep us still under the power of unbelief he knows well enough they are under his power also When once they begin to believe they are turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God Acts 26.18 And therefore no sooner doth the Soul lay hold of the Promise but Satan is forced to let his hold go and therefore the Devil fights neither against small nor great 2 Chro. 18.30 but against the grace of Faith above all the rest If he can but strike the Sheild out of our hands he 'll soon hit us and wound us where he list Nay if it be possible he 'll prevent the very making and forming of this Shield Either thou shalt have no Minister to preach of Faith as 't was the Policy of the Philistims they might have no Smith in Israel to frame their Weapons of War 1 Sam. 13.19 that they might the better keep them in subjection So 't is the Policy of Satan we should have no Spiritual Smiths in Israel to help to frame this Weapon of War this Shield of Faith Eph. 6. that he may the better keep us under his power Or if thou hast such Ministers as preach of Faith if it be possible he 'll raise up Prejudice in thy heart against them and against the Word which they preach Therefore Acts 13.8 Elymas the Sorcerer who is call'd a childe of the Devil for that very thing he withstood the Apostles in the Work of their Ministery seeking to turn away the Deputy from the faith Mark ye why was the Devil so great an enemy to the Preaching of the Word because he was an enemy to the Faith of the Deputy And this is the second Impediment or Hindrance The Devil he is an enemy to the Faith of Gods People he doth what he can to perswade people to continue in Ignorance and Unbelief 2 Relief But well How should we remove this Impediment How should we rowl away this stone Why Fly to him by Prayer who by death destroyed him that had power of Death that is the Devil Heb. 2.14 who is able to cast out the strong man armed and is willing also because he hath promised to tread down Satan under your feet Rom. 16.20 Pray God to rebuke Satan when he casts into thy heart thoughts of Blasphemy or Unbelief and say Lord are not these things grievous to thy Spirit as well as to mine Doth not Satan aim as much at thy dishonour as at my destruction and therefore if not for thy poor Creatures sake who is as a hunted Partridge upon the Mountains yet for thy Names sake and for thy Honours sake rebuke him 1 Sam. 26.20 If thou canst but lift up thy heart to God in this or the like manner doubtless God will answer thee in mercy and he will answer Satan in fury as he doth in the like case Zech. 3.2 And the Lord said unto Satan The Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee Is not this a Brand snatcht out of the fire So will the Lord say Is not this poor Soul that waits upon mine Ordinance as a Brand snatcht out of the fire out of the fire of Hell and the flames of an accusing Conscience Have I forewarn'd it by these Terrors to fly from the wrath to come and to make peace with me by Faith Mat. 3. and art thou so cruel and maâ—â—â—ous to put it into the fire again by holding it under the power of Unbelief The Lord rebuke thee O Satan the Lord rebuke thee Even he that hath chosen the Soul of the poor creature to Life and Salvation rebuke thee And this is the second Impediment of Faith and the
men whose bodily presence is weak and their speech contemptible men that shew much passion but little learning or discretion and therefore why should I give any heed to them or believe what they say Cure of Prejudice Now to remove this Impediment and to roll away this Stone Let all be granted though it is a thousand to one the Divel is a lier in most that is suggested yet let all be granted you must not expect a Minister without infirmities What say the Apostles themselves Acts 14.15 We also are men of like passions with you As if they should say Lift us not up too high nor put us not down too low but bless God for us and pray for us for we also are men of like passions with you And for our Preaching God would not have us come in the Excellency of words or of mans Wisdom but in the Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power That our Faith should not stand in the Wisdom of men but in the Power of God 1 Cor. 2.4.5 What though the world account plain preaching foolishness yet it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching 1 Cor. 1 to save them that believe Therefore take heed thou dost not Wit thy self into hell Caution take heed thy sinful prejudice against the plain preaching of the Word cost thee not the life of thy soul O say not as Naaman the Syrian because he was a noble Captain and a brave Courtier when the Prophet directed him for the cure of his Leprosie to wash seven times in the common and plain water of Jordan Are not Abana and Pharphar Rivers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israel may I not wash in them and be clean 2 Kin. 5.1 2 Are not the excellent and elegant expressions of many Moralists and humane Authors better then the Scriptures and the plain preaching of them for the rectifying of my judgment and reforming of my manners O be better advised as Naaman was at the length be sure to wash in the poor despised Fountain of the Scriptures even those holy and healing waters that run from under the Threshold of the Sanctuary Ezek. 47.1 That Christ may say unto thy Soul purified by Faith Now art thou clean through the Word that I have spoken unto thee Joh. 15.3 And this is the First Subordinate cause of the neglect of the Means and the way to remove it The 2. Is Pride Pride I say which is the mother of sinful Shamefastnesse as sometimes t is the Mother of sinful boldness 2. Pride Contems the Means of Faith It may be thou art ignorant of the Scriptures and as ignorant of the state of thine own Soul as little read in the one as in the other And what shouldst thou do in this case but enquire at the Ministers lips which should preserve knowledge Yea but it may be thou art as much asham'd to beg as thou art unable to dig in those heavenly mines asham'd to beg Counsel and Direction Thou art asham'd to say Acts 8 I pray you of whom speaketh the Prophet this or that of himself or of some other man I pray you shew me the meaning of this or that place of Scripture I pray you shew me the state and condition of my Soul that I may know upon what termes I stand with God O this we think will argue ignorance it will bewray our weaknesse What saith the poor creature shall I that have gone for somebody in the world and might have been a teacher of others at least within the compass of my own family Shall I shew what need I have to be taught my self which be the first principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5 Shall I be instructed and Catechized like a child I le never stoop so low to shame my self in this fashion Prov. 15 12. The scorner will not go unto the wise Now then to remove this Impediment and to roll away this Stone Cure It 's good to remember it 's better to shame our selves now before two or three then to shame our selves before men and Angels in the last day and to have our folly proclaimed to all the world when Christ shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance on them that know not God 2 Thes 1.8 Do not say it is a foolish and a childish thing for a man to discover his own weakness in Knowledg or Faith Remember what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3.18 Humility the Cure of Pride If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a fool that he may be wise Remember what our Saviour saith Mat. 18.3 Except ye become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven That is Humble Teacheable and Tractable as children are And this is the second Subordinate cause of the neglect of the Means and the way to remove it 3. Sloth Recoyls from the Means of Faith The 3. Is Sloth and Laziness Though a man be convinc't in his conscience of the Necessity and Excellency of the Means of Grace yet when he considers what a deal of pains it must cost him in Hearing and Praying and Practising and Denying of himself he is even scar'd at the sight of the work and starts back again What saith he Must the Kingdom of Heaven suffer violence and must the violent take it by force Then take it whosoever will for me saith the lazy person I had as live be as I am as take such a deal of pains Just like a Sluggard when he lyeth in bed and seeth a great deal of work before him and the weather is cold and he puts out his hands and by and by puls them in again 't is death to arise to a lazy person And so 't is to a lazy professor when God calls upon him to awake and to arise out of the bed of security and to be diligent in the use of Means as ever he desires Faith and the comfort of it Joh. 6. O this is a hard saying and he cannot bear it if God will save him without his own endeavours well and good but he is resolved to go to his journeys end in a Feather-bed if ever he come there Now then to remove this Impediment Cure and to roll away this Stone Remember the danger of Spiritual sloth and security Prov. 21.25 The desire of the slothful killeth him for his hands refuse to labour If a man did but know the house were on fire over his head it would startle the arrantest Sluggard in a Country Gods Ministers are commanded to cry Fire fire Hell-fire as the portion of all slothful persons Mat. 25.30 Cast ye the slothful and unprofitable servant into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth O think of this before-hand that ye may be awakened Jude 23. And others save with fear pulling them out of the fire O do not talk like a Sluggard Yet a little sleep a little
to the humble in the perfection of it which is attained in glory Therefore it is said of the Heavenly Courtiers Rev. 4.10 11. The four and twenty Elders fall down before him that sate on the Throne and worship him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their Crowns before the Throne saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Mark ye as dejection in the bottom of the nethermost Pit cannot strip the devil and wicked men of their Pride for they wil blaspheme the name of God they may be humbled Rev. 16.11 but they will not be truly humble to all Eternity So on the other side exaltation to the highest degree of glory does no ways devest the Saints of God of their former humility Nay the more glorious the more gracious and therefore the more humble Thus God gives grace to the humble in the Inchoation Augmentation Conservation and Perfection Therefore there is no Soul brought home to Christ but must needs be humbled Thus you see Gods manner of working Faith by the Word and why God doth usually humble men more or less and stir up in them strong desires after Christ before they come so fully and clearly to lay hold of the Promise or at least in their very first apprehension and laying hold of it It is impossible to suppose Faith in a Soul that was never humbled Thus I say you see the ground of Gods method and the matter of humiliation as the fore-runner of Peace and Consolation I shall onely adde this before I have done with the first Means of begetting Faith Direction in applying the Promises If thou wouldst believe apply to thy self in particular what Promises God makes in general and indefinitely As for Example in the Scripture when Christ saith Joh. 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Apply this to thy self Therefore if I come to Christ by vertue of this Word I am sure he will not cast me out So when the Scripture saith Joh. 1.12 But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name to as many as receive him he giveth the power or priviledge to become the Sons of God Apply this to thy self Therefore since God hath made me willing to receive him for my King and Saviour I am sure I have this priviledge 2 Cor. 6.18 to be the Son or Daughter of the Lord God Almighty So when the Scripture saith in that notable Proclamation of Christ in the great day of the Feast Joh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Apply this to thy self Therefore since God hath given me grace to hunger and thirst after the Righteousness of Christ I am sure I have as good warrant to take of the water of life as any other in the world Rev. 22.17 And let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Therefore saith the thirsty Soul 'T is as free for me as for any other in the world And thus is Faith begotten in the Soul by a particular application of a general Promise And so much for the first Means of begetting Faith and that is the Word The second is Prayer Second Mean of begetting Faith by prayer Pray that God would bless the Word and all other Means For the Word hath no Power to beget Faith of it self without the powerful concurrence of the Spirit by which the Word was breathed forth at the first Neither have we power in our own will to make the Word effectual Those that talk so much of Free will it is a shame then they believe no more and do no more if they had that freedom they boast of but indeed the very practice of such men is enough to confute their Opinions I 'll never believe a man would be willing to lie in a nasty Dungeon all his life if he had liberty and power to go out at his own pleasure O be much in Prayer to God therefore that he would set thy imprisoned Soul at liberty that thou maist have power to believe Thus did David Psal 142.7 Bring my soul out of prison that I may praise thy name c. As if he should say O Lord I confesse I am a poor prisoner to sin and Satan I would fain be set at liberty to believe thy Word and to do thy will but alas I cannot I find many a door fast shut upon me in this prison and many a lock upon the doors many lets and impediments which I am never able to remove and therefore gracious Lord do that for me which neither I my self nor all the friends I can make are ever able to do for me pay the debts of thy poor prisoner in my blessed surety and set open the prison doors O bring my soul out of prison O Lord that I may praise thy name Thus should we pray for Faith as ever we desire the Word should be made effectual for our good Col. 4.3 1 Cor. 16.9 The Ministers should beg the prayers of the people as Paul did that he may have a door of utterance and the people should beg the prayers of the Minister that they may have a door of entrance that the immortal seed may be made an instrument of spiritual life and the Just may live by Faith If ever we have Faith if ever we be born again the power of the Holy Ghost must overshadow our souls John 3.18 Expounded and put life into the seed of the Word Joh. 1.13 Gods people are born not of bloods nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God First Not of bloods What 's that You know a man that comes of such a parent is said to come of such a blood Now then put all the parents in the world together and you shall find grace runs not in any blood they are not born of Bloods Secondly Not of the Will of the flesh What 's that A fleshly carnal man cannot convert himself he cannot keep alive his own soul Psal 22.29 Thirdly Not of the Will of man What is that Take a Regenerate man the best man in the world yet he hath not power to convert another unlesse God be with him in the work and so the truth is clear Gods people are born not of Bloods nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of man but of God Remember what Christ saith Joh. 6 44. No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him And therefore the Church prayes Cant. 1 4. Draw me we will run after thee Plead thus with God and say Lord thou commandest to believe but I find I am shut up under unbelief O thou that
lettest me see my own weaknesse and inabâ—lity to believe let me also see thy power in creating this grace of Faith in my heart And this is that other powerful means for the begetting of Faiâ—h Remember Preaching is the First Prayer is the Second Let not Preaching justle out Prayer nor let Prayer justle out Preaching as some would have the Ordinances quarrel one with another whereas all lend their hands and their natural help to give a lift at Faith It is not the Word without the Spirit can do it Therefore do thou pray the Spirit may speak to thy heart while the Minister Preacheth to the ear That is a remarkable passage Act. 11 21. And the hand of the Lord was with them with the Preachers and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord. Mark that The hand of the Lord was with them We may preach long enough before we convert one soul if the hand of the Lord be not with us till the bellows be burnt Jer. 6.29 Therefore as Ministers should spend time before-hand in praying as well as in studying So should people also in praying for the Minister as well as in hearing of him Before thou goest to the Congregation lift up thy heart to God in this or the like manner Lord let thy powerful hand go along with the Minister this day O let thy hand go along with his tongue that I may have grace to believe what he speaks to my Soul in thy Name whilst he knocks at the door of my heart let thy Spirit unlock it for me as the heart of Lydia was unlocked Act. 16.14 Whose heart the Lord opened whilst Paul was preaching to her To conclude Eph. 2.2 Remember Faith is the gift of God and therefore good reason that we should pray God to give us Faith Prayer of a Natural man It is Objected We cannot pray without Faith and therefore how can we pray for Faith before we have it This is to put a natural man upon duty before he be come to Christ and what fruit can we expect from this I Answer 1 God hath no where freed a natural man from his duty though he hath lost his power to perfom it 2. As we tell natural men their duty so we are to let them know from whom they may have power to perform it namely from Christ if they be willing to close with him 3. It is evident natural men are called upon to perform some duties before they do believe As for hearing the case is plain Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing therefore we must hear before we can believe and so for Prayer Act. 8.22 23. Peter cals upon Simon Magus to pray though he was in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity Object But may not such prayer justly be abominable to God whilst we are strangers to God and Christ If I were a friend indeed then I might hope to speed according to that expression of Christ Joh. 15.15 Henceforth I call you not servants but friends c. And therefore in the next verse he saith Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name he shall give it you Friends may look to speed but strangers may ask and go without Ans I answer It is true the prayers of such as are strangers to Jesus Christ may justly be abominable But yet if we observe it God gives some incouragement a loof off that such as are strangers may not utterly be discouraged to cry to God for the bread of Life for the Scripture tels us an importunate suiter may be heard though not as a friend yet for his Importunity sake Luke 11.8 Object But where do you find that God hath heard the prayer of a natural man or unconverted Ans I answer 1. The Scripture saith nothing in vain Jam 4 5. But Act. 8.22 Such a one is exhorted to pray to God 2. Though God threatneth wicked men that are resolved to go on in their sins that he will stop his ears to their prayers yet sometimes when they are deeply humbled though not wholly converted God hath heard their prayers that this his goodness might lead them to through repentance He heard the prayer of Abimilech Gen. 20.4 and of the heathenish Mariners Jonah 1.5 14. Of Ahab when he humbled himself 1 Kin. 21. last And of Jehoahaz 2 Kin. 13.3 4. And Jehoahaz besought the Lord and the Lord hearkned unto him c. Yet this is observable Caution that the prayers of the righteous man availeth much more Jam. 5.16 The incouragement of Simon Magus was but if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee Acts 8.22 And God threatens such as afflict any widow or fatherless child Exod. 22.22 23. If thou afflict them in any wise as if he should say Take heed thou dost not Why If they cry at all unto me I will surely hear their cry Object But these prayers are for temporal mercies and not spiritual Answ If God will hear the prayers of such for temporal mercies then much more for spiritual mercies because those prayers are more agreeable to Gods will to seek the things of his Kingdom When Solomon asked wisdom 1 King 3 6 c. 10. And the speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing Jam. 1.5 If any of you lack Wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him Object But a natural man cannot discern nor yet desire the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 Rom 8 7. Answ We must distinguish of natural men 1. Some left wholly to themselves 2. Some are stirred up and enlightned in a great measure though not wholly converted Of such Christ speaks they are not far from the Kingdom of God Mar. 12.34 Though all natural men be infinitely distant by Nature yet God brings some neerer and neerer by degrees till they enter in Although others may be neer and never enter of such also speaks the Author to the Hebrews 6.4 For it is impossible for those who were once inlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance Now though some such fall away yet others in the use of Means come at last to be fully converted and Prayer is one Means among the rest Look upon Manasses 2 Chro 33.12 c. When he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers and prayed unto him and he was intreated of him and heard his supplication Look upon Paul Act. 9.11 behold he prayeth Yet his Conversion was not wholly perfected though his conscience was stirred and he was much humbled for as yet he was not instructed by Ananias he had not received his sight a pledge of the cure of his Spiritual blindness he had not
judgement will soon weaken our faith 2 Pet. 3.17 Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness An unconstant man that halts between two Opinions will soon prove an unstedfast man Jam. 1.8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways 1 Tim 4.1 Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and Doctrines of Devils 4. A good conscience Fourthly he that would keep his Faith must keep a good Conscience in all things and he keeps a good Conscience that walks up to his light Faith loves to dwell in a sweet lodging 1 Tim. 3.9 Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience The Mystery of Faith is kept in a pure conscience if once the chamber of Conscience be sluttish and nasty farewel Faith To be sure Faith and a good Conscience come and go both together He that makes shipwrack of the one cannot long preserve the other from sinking 1 Tim. 1.19 Holding faith and a good conscience which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwrack A good conscience as we told you is available to the holding both the Doctrine of Faith and the Grace of Faith And though these words are primarily meant of the Doctrine of Faith as we shewed you when we spake of living by Faith the Life of Preservation or Conservation in answer to the Arguments of the Papists from this place yet the Argument is good by necessary consequence à fortiori from this Scripture If a good conscience be so available for the keeping of the Doctrine of Faith then much more for keeping the Grace of Faith forasmuch as an evil conscience is more inconsistent with the Grace of Faith than with the Doctrine of Faith For howsoever an evil conscience is a very ready way to bribe and corrupt a mans judgement yet many for a time have taught sound Doctrine who have been very unsound in their practice Mat. 23.3 All therefore that they bid you observe that observe and do but do not ye after their works for they say and do not But an habitual corruption of conscience and conversation cannot stand with the soundness of the grace of Faith Joh. 1.6 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth And 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him Therefore 1 Tim. 1.5 he couples the grace of Faith and a good Conscience together Now the end of the Commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned Be sure therefore to keep a good conscience as thou wouldst keep thy faith Fifthly if thou wouldst keep thy Faith 5. Right bottom build it not upon false Promises that is when thou makest a Promise to thy self over and above that Promise which God hath made in his Word Many a man when he first begins to make Profession of the Faith he promiseth to himself a great deal of ease and riches and credit in the world whereas he should expect the contrary a great deal of trouble and Persecution and Poverty and Disgrace c. Now when such a mans End fails him his Faith also will fail him and he is ashamed of the very Profession of it Such low and carnal ends are just like the weights that hang upon a Clock so long as the weights move the Clock moves but when the weights are once at ground the Clock stands still So 't is with such men so long as their carnal ends move them in Religious ways they are moved but when once their ends fail they stand stark still and will move no further Therefore beware of false ends in the Profession of the Faith Promise to thy self no more than God hath promised lest failing of thy expectation thy faith fail thee also He is a wise and sure builder that sits down and counts the cost at the first but he is a fool and his building like to come to nothing that after he hath laid the foundation repents him of his work and saith I never thought it would have cost me half so much Luk. 14.28 Sixthly if thou wouldst keep thy Faith 6. Commit it to God commit it to Gods keeping whatsoever we commit to his trust is put into a safe hand 2 Tim. 1.12 For the which cause I also suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day Therefore be sure not onely to commit other things to God by faith but even thy faith it self commit that to his keeping pray him to keep it for thee You know what Christ said to Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Luke 22.32 Now Christs Prayer is as good as a Promise Joh. 11. for we know that his Father heard him always Therefore ground thy Prayer upon his Prayer and say Lord hear me in that Prayer which I have taken out of my Saviours own mouth O let not my Faith fail That which thou hast committed to my trust Lord I desire to re-commit to thy trust for I dare not trust my self Therefore as David saith of his mouth Psal 141.3 Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keep thou the door of my lips So should every true Believer pray in relation to his heart Set a watch O Lord before my heart and keep thou the door of my Faith That as the Lord is the keeper of thy person Psal 121.5 The Lord is thy keeper So he may be the Lord-Keeper of thy faith also And that is the sixth Means Look unto him by Prayer who is the Author and Finisher of thy faith Heb. 12.2 7. The free Spirit Seventhly if thou wouldst be establish'd in faith pray God to give thee his Free Spirit for that is an establishing Spirit Psal 51.12 Establish me with thy free Spirit With thy free Spirit what is that 1. The Spirit of God is not onely a free Spirit in it self for we may say of the Spirit of God as the Apostle speaks of the Word of God 2 Tim. 2.4 It is not bound 2. Yea and it is free in the Donation of it it is most freely bestowed where God giveth it Joh. 3.8 The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh nor whether it goeth So is every one that is born of the Spirit God is as free in the work of the Spirit as in the work of the Minde All the men in the world cannot command the Wind no nor the Devil himself though he be called Eph. 2. The Prince of the Air he cannot command the Wind without
a Commission from God as we see in the case of Job so no man can command the Spirit 3. Yea but the Spirit is not onely free in the Nature of it and in the Donation of it But it is also free in the Effects and Operations of it that is to say It makes those free that receive it Joh. 8.36 If the Son shall make you free ye shall be free indeed And how doth he make men free but by his Spirit The Spirit of liberty is opposed to the Spirit of bondage 2 Cor. 3.17 and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty And this Spirit is an establishing Spirit Establish me with thy free Spirit If you shall demand Q. What this Free and ingenuous Spirit is and how it doth Establish Ans It is a Spirit Free First Because it Frees us in some measure What the Free Spirit of God sets Believers Free from from that which might occasion Back-sliding and Apostacy from the Faith Secondly In particular it frees a man 1. From the Bondage and Power of his own Lusts that sin reigns not in him 2. It frees him from Bondage and slavery to the Lusts of other men 1 Cor. 7.23 Ye are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men 3. It frees him from the Bondage and slavery of the World The world gets not the victory over him It is a base Spirit that stoops to the worlds lure as Demas did He is not in Bondage to the pleasures or profits of the world Therefore the Spirit of the world and the Spirit of God are opposed 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the Spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God c. 4. He is free from the Exaction Curse and Malediction of the Law of the Moral Law and free from the burden of the Ceremonial Law 5. He is free from that which is the fruit of that curse a Slavish and a Servile Fear Either of God or man which makes men weary of their lives and yet extremely affraid to dye The Free Spirit of Christ by degrees doth set his servants at liberty from these fears Heb. 2 15. He came to deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage 2 Tim. 1.7 For God hath not given us the Spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind How the Free Spirit of God Establishes Thus you see what this free and ingenious Spirit is and how it doth free us from those things which might occasion apostacy from the Faith and by that means it becomes an establishing spirit to us For in case the Spirit of God do not free men from these fears and burdens the sinful flesh will soon lighten it self it will purchase to it self a carnal liberty by rebellion and apostacy if the Spirit of God do not administer a Spiritual liberty by which the yoke of Christ is made easie and so the poor creature is confirmed in the Faith Therefore pray God to establish thee with his free Spirit We have given many Motives before I shall add but this one and so conclude Motive to pray for the Free Spirit As the right use of Christian liberty is a special means to preserve Faith So Faith also in the right use of it is a special means to preserve Christian Liberty which was purchased by the blood of Christ as one hand helps another and one leg supports another so it is in this case betwixt Faith and Christian liberty Faith Christian Liberty supports each other they do mutually strengthen and support one another There are certain graces that are Custodes libertatis Christianae The Lord give us the thing as well as the name Faith an excellent means to preserve Christian Liberty in many Respects Now Faith is one of these graces and a principal one lose thy Faith and lose thy Liberty keep thy Faith and keep thy Liberty As for Example First Such as believe in Christ are free from the Law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death Some indeed professing the Faith account it their liberty to sin against God and are never troubled for it But they are men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth of Faith 1 Tim. 6.5 For the liberty that Christ hath purchased is not to be free from his service as in other manumissions of servants but free to his service His service is perfect liberty He hath set us at liberty from other service from the service of sin and satan That we might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our daies Luke 1.74 Now I say He that keeps his Faith keeps his Freedom he that loseth his Faith loseth his Charter or at the least the Evidence of his Charter for his Spiritual Freedom Secondly He that is strong in the Faith stands fast in exercise of the liberty wherewith Christ hath made him free Gal. 6.1 But he that is weak in the Faith is also weak in the use of his Christian liberty Rom. 14.1 Him that is weak in the faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations viz. in the use of things indifferent And so we may say of other parts of our Freedome from other bondages As First From the Bondage of Sin The stronger is thy Faith the weaker is thy Lust for Faith purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 And put no difference between us and them purifying their hearts by Faith And Secondly from the bondage of Inordinate Fear The more Faith the less fear and on the other side the lesse Faith the more fear Mat. 8.26 Why are ye fearful O ye of little Faith Keep thy Faith therefore as thou desirest to keep thy Christian Liberty which is the most excellent Freedom in the world And so much for the second Branch of the Use The First was to exhort to get Faith if it be so excellent a grace The second is to keep it when we have it Now the Third is 3 Branch of Exhortation to Act Faith 3. To act it and to live by it as well as to keep it It is far better to put our Faith to use then our Money to use The just makes a living out of his Faith whilest he puts it to use O lay not up this precious treasure in a Napkin for then it will rust for want of using And we may say of our spiritual treasure as the Apostle James speaks of temporal treasure Jam. 5.2 3. Your riches are corrupted and your garments moth-eaten Your gold and silver is cankred and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you O let not our Faith Rust for want of using Object But you will say Is it possible to have Faith and not to use it Ans I answer It is possible at some times and upon some occasions A man
a Seal of the same 2. Let him examine his Mouth and his Stomack Joh. 6 53. Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood ye have no life in you The best meat in the world can do no good where the creature hath neither Mouth nor stomack to feed upon it Now what is this Mouth but Faiths believing in Christ and feeding upon Christ are both one as he oft explains himself in the same Chapter Therefore let a man examine his Mouth and his Stomack as well as his Meat 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves Not that this excludes the Minister who is bound to know the state of his Flock If this be good at all times surely it is best of all at the Sacrament where the Apostle calls for examination in a special manner Let him examine his Mouth as well as his Meat We do not use to put meat into a dead mans mouth The Councel of Carthage condemned it as an abuse of the Sacrament to give it to a dead Body Sacrament not to be given to dead-hearted unbelievers because Christ saith Take and Eat but a dead Body can neither take nor eat The same reason reacheth to an Unbeliever if we could as easily discern the one as the other who is yet dead in sins and trespasses and therefore hath neither the Mouth of Faith nor a Spiritual Stomack to feed upon Christ but where God of his mercy hath given both this brest of the Church is of singular use to nutse up her children 2 Pet. 3.18 and to make them grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ For God hath appointed no Ordinance in vain The greater surely is the want of this Brest in these days and the cause of so much leanness amongst Gods own Children in most places Complaint of the interruption of the Sacrament and the corruption of it as the cause I know not whether I should complain more of the Nurses or of the Children or whether it were not better to turn our Complaints into Compassions and both complaints and compassions into Prayers that God would direct both Ministers and People to seek him in due order and to restore that Ordinance in a better manner than formerly that he may not make any farther breach upon us that children may not fast so long till they lose their stomacks for want of sucking and Nurses may not disuse and withhold the Brest so long till it be dried quite up for want of drawing And this is the third Means which God hath appointed for the increase of Faith The Sacrament 4. Prayer The fourth is Prayer for this puts the Promises in suit and sanctifies both the Word and the Seal of the Word for the increase of Faith The Scriptures tell us That God is both the Author and the Finisher of our Faith Heb. 12.2 If he be the Author we are bound to pray to him for the beginnings of Faith as in any poor measure we are able but if he be the Finisher of our Faith we are much more bound to pray for the increasing of it afterwards because our incouragements and abilities are far greater For 't is impossible a man should pray in Faith for the obtaining of Faith before he hath it but he may pray in faith for the increasing of faith when once he hath received a beginning of it If therefore a Natural man be bound to pray for Faith before he hath it though he be very unable to pray as he ought to pray how much more is a Spiritual man bound to pray for increase of Faith when he hath already tasted how gracious the Lord is 1 Pet. 2.3 in bestowing that grace upon him and hath in some measure received the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication whereby he is inabled to go to God for the supply of all his wants The man that to his own apprehension had but a little Faith and much Unbelief cries out with tears Lord I believe help mine unbelief Mar. 9.24 Yea the Disciples themselves had not so much Faith but still finding the want of more they put up this great Request to the Lord Increase our faith Luk. 17.5 and if such as they had need much more have we to pray to God for the increase of Faith The fifth Mean 5. Christian communion is Christian Communion of Gods people one with another This is a singular Mean to strengthen Faith the very sight of the Brethren doth embolden and encourage in the Faith Act. 28.15 How much more the mutual Instruction and Exhortation one of another Job 4.3 4. Eliphaz says thus to Job Behold thou hast instructed many and thou hast strengthned the weak hands Thy words have upholden him that was falling and thou hast strengthned the feeble knees You see Christian Communion is a Mean to strengthen in the Faith God in his Wisdom communicates special strength diversly to divers Members of the Body of Christ to some more to some less to that end that the strong may support the weak and comfort the feeble-minded 1 Thess 5.14 1 Cor. 14.26 It is the Rule of the Apostle Let all things be done to edification that is to the building up of one another in the Faith And this is to be aimed at not onely in publick Ordinances but in private converse of Christians one with another 1 Thess 5.11 Wherefore comfort your selves together and exhort one another and edifie one another even as also ye do Stones of the same building do uphold and strengthen one another and so should living and Spiritual stones in the holy Temple of the Church This is a special and powerful means to strengthen in the Faith In this respect Aquila and Priscilla are called fellow-helpers of the Apostle Rom. 16.3 because they confirmed the Faith in those in whom the Apostle had formerly planted it by the preaching of the Gospel Rom. 16.3 And thus all of us should be helpers one of anothers faith and one of anothers joy And indeed it is the main end why God doth convert us at the first and why he doth help us up again when we are fallen that we may convert others and strengthen them also in the Faith when they are converted Luke 22.32 Thou being converted saith Christ to Peter strengthen thy brethren And this is the fifth Means of growth 6. Love to God The sixth Means is to prove our Love to God for this will prove his Love to us 1 Joh. 4.19 We love him because he first loved us and the assurance of Gods love towards us will marvellously strengthen our faith towards God Therefore our faith in him and the manifestation of his love to us are coupled together Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God which hath loved me and given himself for me Now what better way is there to manifest Gods
comfort yet a necessary qualification evidencing our right to comfort 297 298 Satan Satans rage should be a motive to perseverance 252 Satan is a great enemy to the comfort of the Saints 315 Reasons why Satan is such an enemy to faith 424 488 489 Satan presents and applies the Promises in a wrested sense and for licentious ends 511 512 Scriptures They are a staff to believing Pilgrims 403 Arguments to prove their Divine Authority 404 405 Accomplishment of Scripture-Prophecies is a whâ—tstone to sharpen our assent to their Divine Authority 406 407 There is all the reason in the world why we should believe the Scriptures 408 409 Sealing of the Spirit It is a consequent priviledge of believing 93 Security It is the off-spring of the Devil and Vnbelief 462 Security twofold Spiritual and Carnal 246 247 The Saints Security for a sevenfold treasure 243. 244 The best security for the best purchase 380 Seducers Their sleights to beguile unstable Souls 254 Seducers are the Devils Factors 604 Self Shifting self is shiftless folly 433 Self a great Impediment of faith 486 Its Cure 487 Self-love The blessing of it is a sign of growth in grace 205 206 There is a fivefold self contrary to the life of faith 431 432 433 Sense Living by Sense is a great impediment of faith 503 514 Sin It dishonours God and wrongs the Soul forsake it as the highest demonstration of ingratitude 393 395 Sins great defilement in five respects 155 Believers have sin remaining to be mortified 157 Life of sin lies in the will ergo subdue desires 158 Sin may revive where it is mortified 159 Comfort against the vigour and rigour of sin 169 170 Scandalous sins cause great sadness 312 Inordinate aggravation of sin sinks into sadness 312 313 Sincerity The excellency of sincere grace in that 't is durable 247 248 Sloth It recoils from the means of faith It s Cure 508 509 Society Good society is a means of begetting faith 533 534 535 Soul Eternal life of the Soul proved 356 357 See Life Eternal Speech Our speeches either condemn or justifie us 365 Spirit of God What its testimony and witness is 347 The Spirits testimony may be separated from its fruits 347 348 Difference 'twixt the Spirits in dwelling in Believers and common assistance in hypocrites 426 427 The Spirits perswasion out-weighs and quickens all means motives in drawing to Christ 454 455 We must pray for Gods free establishing Spirit 552 What Gods free Spirit is from what he sets believers free and how he establishes 552 553 554 555 See Free Spirit See Establishment Strength A believers strength 471 472 473 Strength to do duties and resist temptations a sign of growth 209 210 Strength to bear afflictions and injuries a sign of growth 210 211 Strength to bear others infirmities as also to shake off Ceremonies a signe of growth 211 Its part of our strength to be sensible of weakness 212 Success This in the improvement of natural life is fetcht in by faith and that in six respects 71 72 Sufficiency All sufficiency Self sufficiency Sole sufficiency in Christ 540 T Temptation The just live by faith in temptation 50 Satan tempts sinners to conceit God to be either all Mercy or all Justice 536 Yielding to temptations is a sign of weak faith 573 Such who tempt others to sin are Satans factors and shall have deep condemnation 604 605 Thankfulness Be thankful for the life of Justification 109 110 The Saints thankfulness for the blossomings of Eternal life 391 392 393 How that thankfulness is exprest 393 to 397 Thankfulness for faith with the grounds of it 449 Time The Just live by faith in respect of all the parts of Time 44 45. Tradition Traditional faith is unsound 40 41 Trial. True faith is tried by undergoing adversity 63 We must try our comforts by our graces and not our graces by our comforts 300 to 304 Triumph The triumph of damned Spirits over unbelievers 491 Troubles These are various yet the Saints live by faith in them 51 Manner of living by faith in troubles nine ways 55 56 Means of living by faith in troubles five ways 57 58 Trust Such reproved who say they trust God with their souls and yet cannot trust him for temporals 75 76 False trust on Creatures or Grace received hinders faith together with its Cure 498 499 V Valuation See Precious A Believer neither over nor under-values his natural life 74 Vision Vision of God fourfold 337 Perfect Vision causes perfect transformation ibid Vivification The liveliness of faith in the cure of spiritual deadness 171 What meant by Vivification 172 Reasons why the Just live by faith the life of Vivification 175 176 Four Arguments or Meditations whereby faith quickens 177 Reproof of such who act not faith for Vivification 178 179 Motives to Vivification 179 180 Means to live the life of Vivification 184 185 186 187 Trial of true faith by its vivifying power 187 188 189 Vide Deadness Unbelief Unbelievers Unbelief is a piece of pride 3 It makes the heart and condition not right 4 5 Unbelievers lead a sordid life 8 Unbelief is the spring of sadness 307 308 309 Unbelief was the root of mans first Apostacy 415 Their dead condition 423 Humiliation for Unbelief 459 Unbelief is the Goliah-sin 460 Unbelief grieves the Spirit but pleases the Devil 461 The monstrous brood of Unbelief 462 The Unbeliever is the greatest Time-server 464 Unbelief is a Stepmother to grace 465 Unbelief is the Nurse that maintains life in every sin and which binds it on the Soul 465 466 Unbelief is a merciless Sequestrator 466 The Arraignment of Unbelief 467 Unbelief is the greatest Self-murther 470 The contrariety of presumption and despair unite in the Unbelievers ruine 510 Naturally we have hard unbelieving thoughts of God 536 Unbelief is a going out from God into our selves 539 Unchangeable Gods unchangeable nature is the cause of the Saints perseverance 239 Union Signs of spiritual actions flowing from Union with Christ 124 125 Union with God is unchangeable 50 Unregenerate Their Soul is no fit soil for comfort 309 310 See Regeneration Unsetledness In Gods truth its a sign of weak faith 571 W Watching Watching over one another is a means of perseverance 255 Wealth How the Just shall live by faith for it 70 Wisdom The believer is the onely wise builder 474 The believer is never at a stand because Christ is his Wisdom 475 476 477 Word See Ordinances Faith applies the Word of Christ for Sanctification 128 129 The Word mixt with faith is a means of growth 227 228 The Word is one of Christs Brests 293 How the Word works faith 443 Cavilling and mocking at the Word is the Seal of Vnbelief 494 The Word is the life of faith 517 The Word and Spirit go hand in hand 518 The Word both the object and instrument of faith 518 Living above the Word is living by a deluded fancy and not by faith such are neerer Hell 518 The Word is appointed to work faith not miracles 519 Every divine Word is an object of faith especially the Promise 520 Attendance on the Word a means to increase faith 574 Worldly World Worldly-mindedness reproved 361 362 Worldly-mindedness springs from unbelief 464 The VVorld tries fair means and foul to hinder faith 489 Wordly examples of the multitude not to be follow'd 490 FINIS