there is a fourfold kind of faith Historical Temporary The faith of Miracles Justifying â—reden Deo faith 1. Historical faith is the knowledge and beleef of the truth of divine Revelations upon the testimony of God himself Of this the Apostle speaketh Jam. 2. 19. This faith was in Simon Magus Acts 8. 13. 2. The faith of Miracles is a special gift of bringing to pass some extraordinary work or foretelling some certain event by devine revelation 1 Cor. 13. 2. Mat. 17. 20. 3. Temporary faith is an assent unto the Doctrine of the Scriptures accompanied with the external profession thereof and some kind of joy in the knowledge thereof for a time vide Mat. 13. 20 21. Of this faith the Apostle speaks when he saith that Hymeneus and Philetus have overthrown the faith of some 2 Tim. 2. 18. 4. Justifying and saving faith of which the text speaks the great effect of it doth clearly evince it to be a faith of the best kind for no other faith besides justifying can quench the fiery darts of Satan Now in opening the nature of this grace I shall do two things 1. I shall give you a discription of it 2. I shall shew the several steps or degrees of it 1. For the Discription of it I shall give it thus Saving faith is a supernatural special gift of grace wrought in the heart of an elect person by the spirit of God through the preaching of the word of the Gospel whereby he is enabled to beleeve that Jesus Christ is not onely the Saviour of the World but his Saviour and thereupon cast himself upon him for life and salvation according to the promise I shall open this Discription 1. T is a a gift of grace Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. Acts 18. 27. He helped them much who had beleeved through grace 1. The first preparing of the heart to it 2. The first plantation of it the infusing of the habit 3. The means whereby it is wrought 4. The preservation and continuance of it all these are of grace Faith is a part of the new Creature the great and chief part of it and the new Creature is meerly of garce T is called indeed a mans own faith subjective but effective originaliter t is meerly of grace Col. 2. 12. The faith of the operation of God 2. T is a special supernatural gift This doth distinguish it from all other kinds of faith and all other common gifts which are bestowed promiscuously upon men by the Lord Heb. 6. 4. T is an evtraordinary gift afforded unto none but special favourites 3. T is wrought in the heart of an elect person T is bestowed onely upon the elect Here the Apostle calls it the faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1. 1. Ye beleeve not because ye are not of my Sheep John 10. 26. And then t is wrought in the heart the Scripture makes the herrt or will to be the seat of faith Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man believeth unto righteousness The will rather than the understanding is the subject of faith because faith is an act of Election whereby the soul chuseth Christ Now election is more than an act of the understanding 4. T is wrought by the spirit of God through the preaching of the Gospel This sets out both the efficient cause and the instrumental cause The efficient cause is the Holy Ghost not excluding the Father and the Son for Opera Tunilatis ad extra sunt indivisa but the Holy Ghost is the immediate worker of it the Father and Son work this and all other graces by the Spirit and therefore he is called The spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. And the Spirit works it powerfully not only inciting and stirring up the soul to believe by a moral perswasion only but by an Almighty strength creating such an habit in the heart The Apostle therfore mentions the same power for the working of faith which raised up Jesus Christ from the dead Eph. 1. 19. And then the ministry of the Gospel that 's the instrumental cause Rom 10. 17. called therefore the word of faith Rom. 10. 8. Faith is therefore called the fruit of the lips Isa 57. 19. And we shall do well to take notice of this that the Apostle makes it to be the word preached by a lawful instituted Ministry Rom. 10. 15. It s not the preaching of men that run upon their own account but of such as are lawfully sent to preach the Gospel 5. Whereby he is perswaded that Jusus Christ is not onely the Saviour of the World but his Saviour also Faith must have not only have a general beleef but a particular application also The just shall live by his faith Who loved me and gave himself for me 6. And thereupon casts himself upon Christ for life and salvation according to the promise This shews the very nature of faith T is Recumbency upon Christ T is cleaving to God with full purpose of heart Acts 11. 23. T is the casting of our burden upon Christ T is coming to Christ as to a living Stone Faith is nothing else but the souls venturing it self upon Christ according to the promise This I ad according to the promise to distinguish true faith from false presumption 2. The several steps or degrees of this grace I shall give you that in six particulars 1. Knowledge T is impossible that there should be faith in Christ or in any thing propounded by God till there be the Knowledge of it T is true knowledge is not faith they are two several distinct habits yet it necessarily preceeds faith Faith is the sight of the mind now sight presupposeth a visible object The Apostle makes it impossible to beleeve where knowledge is not Ro. 10. 14. How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard there is a knowledge indeed which followes faith 1 John 4. 16. We have known and beleeved the love that God hath to us Faith is called knowledge Isa 53. 11. Faith is an Cognovenius credendo Calvin advised grace it will not rush headlong into unknown paths when Christ asks the man when he had restored to his sight whether he did beleeve on the Son of God he answered that question with another Who is he Lord that I might beleeve on him John 9. 35 36 37 38. and when he knew the person then he both beleeved and worshiped him 2. Assent After the knowledge of the thing propounded is wrought in the understanding then followeth the Act of the Will giving an assent unto that which is known John 3. 33. This setting to of the seal is nothing else but the firm assent of the soul unto the truth revealed that Gods Testimony is true in every thing to which it gives witness This is that which is recorded of Abraham Gen. 15. 6. He beleeved in the Lord i. e. he did freely yeild his assent to the truth firmness stability of all that which God had delivered to him
the judgement be rotten neither the heart nor the life can be sound We finde therefore in Scripture these two joyned together faith and a good Conscience Ever when men have been corrupted in the head they have been corrupted in their lives 1 Tim. 1. 19. holding faith and a good Conscience c. he that puts away faith must put away a good Conscience whether he will or no he that makes ship-wrack of faith will soon make ship-wrack both of Conscience and Conversation 2. Ex justo Dei judâ—cio It s Gods way to punish the rejection of truth with giving men up to ungodlineâ—s of life Thus God punished the Heathen Rom. 1. 25. 26 27 28 29. where you have both the sin and the just punishment of it So 2 Thes 2. 10. 11 12. Exhortation Let all Christians be careful to keep fast about them this Girdle We have a kinde of Popish Proverb among us ungirt unblessed There is a truth in it in this sense If Satan finde you without your Girdle upon your loyns he will easily prevail with you in the day of temptation Labour therefore to get and to keep this Girdle and if you see it grow weak labour to strengthen it Let me add a few helps by way of direction and I have done 1. Avoid the company and breath of known Seducers They will either quite take away your girdle or else they will much slacken it in a very short time if you have to do with them If any man come to your house and bring not this Doctrine receive him not nor bid him God speed 2 Joh. 9. 10. They have sleight of hand they can cut your purses while they look in your faces from such turn aside 2 Tim. 3. 5. 2. Do not think meanly of such Truths as are of an inferiour Nature and more remote from the Foundation He that cuts off every day a small shred from his girdle will very soon snap it quite asunder Though every Truth be not fundamental yet every Truth is a guard to the Foundation the outer skin of an Apple lies remote from the heart yet if you pluck that off the very heart will be sooner rotten The finger is not a vital part but a Gangrene in the finger will in a short time reach to the very Vitals and corrupt the blood and spirits 3. Be much in prayer to him that keepeth both the hearts and the feet of his Saints that he would keep the Truth in you and you in the Truth Holy Father saith our Saviour keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me Joh. 17. 11. Let us often pray this Prayer of Christ Holy Father keep us through thy Holy Name Tie on this girdle of Truth that it may neither slip off nor be taken off The Apostle Jude puts these two together ver 20. Building up your selves in your most Holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost 4. Take heed as of all sins so especially of the sin of Pride As Heresie is the mother of pride and scornfulness so Pride is the High-way to be Heretical A proud person will soon be an erroneous person If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words c. he is proud knowing nothing c. 1 Tim. 6. 3 4. Pride will make the Heart swell so bigge that the Girdle of Truth about your Loyns wil soon be knapt asunder Humility and Watchfulness are the best Buckles for this Girdle and the way to preserve Truth but Pride and Carelesnesse is the way to lose it 5. Keep a good Conscience in all things towards God and towards Man As the falling off from the Mystery of Faith will corrupt the Conscience so a corrupt Conscience and an ungodly Life will in time destroy the Mystery of Faith There is this Reason for it The Doctrine of godliness reproves the Deeds of ungodliness and therefore whoever goes on in ungodly Practices will at last cast off the Doctrine of godliness that he may not be a Reprover to himself Keep the Grace of Truth that you may preserve the Doctrine of Truth also Thus for the first Interpretation LECT IX Decemb. 5. 1649. Ephes 6. 14. Having your Loynes girt about with Truth c. IT old you the last Lecture that Expositors LECT 9 give a two-sold Interpretation of Truth in this place Some understand it as spoken of the Doctrine of Truth Others expounding it of the Grace of Truth We have gone over the former Interpretation already as it relates to the Truth of Doctrine From which we noted That firmness and stability in the Truth of Doctrine c. We have now to consider it as relating to the Grace of Truth for so it s used in Scripture as I shewed you the last day Psal 51. 6. Josh 24. 14. Joh. 4. 24. and so it is understood in this Text by many yea the most Interpreters that I have had opportunity to inquire into Calv. vocabulo veritatis sincerum animum intelligit Piscator veritatis vocabulo intelligit conscientiae integritatem c. Taking it in this sense the Doctrine is this viz. that Integrity and truth of heart is of special use to Doct. obtain vistory over Satan in the evil day of Temptation Whosoever would overcome the Devil must have his Loyns girded about with Truth in the inward parts He that wants this girdle may struggle for a while with a Temptation and may perhaps overcome a particular temptation but he can never hold against every temptation Sooner or later he wil be brought into bondage by the Temptations of the Devil By the help of this Girdle it was that Holy Job won and kept the field and got the day of Satan in that great Conflict and Dispute he had with him And by this Girdle it was that other of Gods assaulted servants did finally overcome In the handling of this Doctrine I shall do these three things 1. I shall briefly open the Nature of this Grace 2. I shall give you the Reasons of the Doctrine 3. I shall lay down a Caution or two for the understanding of the Doctrine 1. That we may find out what is meant by this Grace of Truth I shall bring several Texts of Scripture which do explain it First Partly by way of Opposition And Secondly Partly by Exposition or Illustration 1. By way of Opposition 1. We find it opposed to Deceitfulness and Fraudulency and False-heartedness So 2 Cor. 6. 8. As Deceivers and yet true He is a man of truth that is a man without deceit Thus our Saviour speakes of Nathanael Jo. 1. 47. Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile An Israelite in truth or a true Israelite is one in whom guile and deceitfulness is not he is one that hath not two faces he will not juggle either with God or men or himself Not as if a man of truth might not sometimes fall into an act of deceitfulness Abraham had truth in the inward parts and yet
Now this assent is 1. General and universal to all the declarations of God 2. T is builded properly and principally upon the Authority of God who hath revealed it 3. Upon this Assent is raised in the soul a strong affection unto and a high esteem of all the Revelation and discovery made by God Appreciation unto you who beleeve he is precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. The soul surveyeth all those things declared in the word with a very judicious eye and judgeth meanly of all other things in comparison of them 4. Upon this prizing of these things followeth a very earnest longing and desire in the soul to be made pertaker of all those precious excellencies Desire of enjoying doth naturally follow affection this desire is unsatiable unquenchable Hence it is set out by hungring and thirsting Isa 55. 1. Hunger and thirst cannot be satisfied without the enjoyment of meat and drink 4. Vpon this Desire followeth Affiance and Confidence The soul is so wrought upon that it can come to Christ as a living Stone and upon him and the promise of grace and pardon made in him is enabled to set down its rest as upon the onely pillar of salvation This is that which the Psalmist calls the fixing of the heart Psal 112. 7 8. It imports a secure and settled resting upon God The Prophet calls it staying a mans self upon God Isa 50. 10. so Isa 26. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee David calls it Rolling our way upon the Lord. Psal 37. 7. t is agreeable to that in Mat. 11. 28. 6. Vpon this followeth the souls Election and choice of that which is held on t in the Divine Revelation The soul doth freely and spontaneously chuse the promises of the Gospel and makes them his own This is one of the highest steps of faith when the soul is not onely willing to accept but to chuse the way of truth and to chuse all the contents of the promise This is that which David professeth of himself Psal 119. 30 31. I have chosen the way of truth thy judgements have I laid before me I have stuck unto thy Testimonies O Lord put me not to shame 2. Wherein lies the comparison between faith and a shield 1. Faith is like a shield for the strength of it Of all the parts of Armour which the Souldier wears the Shield was the strongest Polybius tels Historian li. 6. p. 467. us the manner of it It was made of a double board glewed strongly together it had a double cover one of strong linnen cloth another of raw Neats leather that it might quench the fiery Arrowes of the enemy when they hit upon it about the edges of it above and beneath there went a strong plate of Iron that it might not be cut above with the edge of the enemies sword and that it might not rot below with hanging upon the ground on the outside of it there was a strong bosse of Iron which they called the umbo to preserve it from being battered with stones spears and other violent weapons Faith is the strongest of all the graces it is impenetrable and impregnable You read of the power of faith 2 Thess 1. 11. The faith of miracles is of such strength that it doth pluck up mountaines by the â—oots Mat. 17. 20. Saving faith must needs be much more strong 2. Faith is a shhield for largeness The Roman shield did cover the whole body Polybius tels us that it was two foot and a half broad and above four foot in length so that he that could skilfully Polyb. ut supra handle the shield might be safegarded on every part T is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gate or door because of the largeness of it Faith is a very large grace of a great extent It covers the head and the heart and the feet and the body c. He that can but handle this shield of faith after a right manner may lye safe in the midst of the hottest temptations 3. Why we must take this above all Because this grace is that which Strengthens and Acts all the other The shield hath this excellency in it that it doth protect not onely the body of the souldier more than any other piece of Armour but also that it doth defend all the rest It is Armatura armaturae If any violence be offered to the head the shield is lifted upto defend that piece if the head piece be either cracked or knockt off the shield supplies the place of the head piece if the breast-plate be broken the shield supplies the man of a breast-plate if the girdle be slipt off the shield supplies the place of the girdle if the shooes be rent the shield is instead of shooes it s a lifeguard to every part of the Armour he that hath a shield hath double harness The grace of faith is that which gives strength to all other graces The Doctrine of truth will not hold out one combate if the grace of faith be not implied it is the grace of faith which strengthens the doctrine of faith The breastplate of righteousness wil soon bepierced if it be not secured by the shield of faith faith is the preserver and the strengthner of righteousness the shooes of resolution will soon wear away if they be not soaled with faith its faith that mainteines courage and whets resolution Hope will soon go out if it be not fed with faith if faith faile hope gives up the ghost hope expects what faith beleeves and if faith langish hope withereth hope is the flame of faith and if the fire of faith be put out the flame of hope is exringuished The sword of the spirit the word of God is as a sword without an edge if faith do not sharpen it The word preached did not profit saith the Apostle because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it Heb. 4. 2. Faith is that which puls the sword out of the scabberd The word of God without faith is like a sword lockt up in the scabbard it s like a sword in the hand of a Child but the word in the hand of faith is like a sword in the hand of a Gyant Prayer without faith is ineffectual Jam. 1. 6. It hath no promise of acceptance with God Whatsoever ye ask in prayer beleeve that you have it and you shall receive it Mark 11. 24. Prayer without faith is like dead Physick t is faith that is the soul and life of prayer As all the Stars have the light from the Sun though they have some kind of natural light in themselves so the grace of faith hath an influence upon all the other pieces of the spiritual Armour both for the preservation and their quickning And therefore faith is sometimes put for all the strentgh of a Christian I have prayed for thee that thy faith do not faile Luke 22. 32. If
ariseth 1. from that Naturall Distemper which is in it by reason of sin The Fall of Man did so bruise and crack this golden Vessel that it doth leak ever since and cannot hold that which is put into it The Apostle in Hebr. 2. 1. speakes of this Distemper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The memory is like a Vessel which is rent and full of holes Those golden Hoopes which God in the first Creation did set about this Vessel are either quite broken off or much loosened And then there are secondly also other things which make it so lubrick and crazy as to the retaining of things Spiritual and Divine viz. First it 's over-charged with too many Three Causes of a weak Memory worldly and sinful things the world is so much laid up in this Treasury that there is very little room for Heavenly things to be stowed there Secondly want of Meditation and recollection by this means it comes to pass that many Truths which are recorded in the Memory are as if they had never been set down in regard of use and improvement because by meditation and discourse they are not revived There is an Act of the Memory proper unto man which the Philosopher calls Eustach Phys p. 261. Reminiscentia when a thing which hath been recorded and is forgotten is by the help of Discourse and Reasoning recovered again and made present and without this it is impossible to keep alive the remembrance of many things Now it 's a very general fault not onely amongst wicked men but even amongst the people of God that they neglect this Duty of Discourse and Meditation they do not chew the Cud as they are required and so quite lose many things which they have heard understood and sometimes remembred Isaac went into the fields to meditate Gen. 24. 63. David used to meditate on Gods Statutes as well as to read and hear them Psal 119. 15. Thirdly the Devil he pilfers out many Truths he comes with his false Key and picks the Lock of the Memory and so the soul is bereaved of many a precious Truth vid. Mat. 13. 19. He comes and searcheth the books and whatever he finds there that may be prejudicial to his Kingdom he either quite takes it off the File or else so blurs it with his black Lines that in a very short time the Record becomes altogether useless Therefore for the strengthning of the weak Memory it 's not without need that things of moment and concernment should be inculcated and repeated 3. in regard of the Will and that 1. from the deadness and slowness and untowardness of the Will and Affections to embrace and give entertainment to saving truths at first when offered The heart of man is like hard Marble harder then any Adamant Zech. 7. 12. Impressions are not made upon it with one blow the Iron is not heated through with once putting into the fire there is a reluctancy and contradiction in the Will against the receiving of things of this Nature Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart ye have alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost Act. 7. 51. The Apostle speakes of many Remora's and Obstructions in the heart which hinder the effectual working of the Word 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. Strong holds carnall reasonings things exalting themselves against the knowledge of God and high thoughts c. The soul is full of surmisings prejudices objections and strong opposings the strong man armed keeps the house and by force of Arms contends against divine Truths especially such as are of weightiest concernment And therfore there is need of urging and pressing the same things over and over and that with earnestness that these high Towers may be levelled And then 2. After that the heart hath submitted and yielded it doth in a very short time through the prevalency of indwelling corruption revolt and grow stiffe again and is very backward to practise Truths subjected unto It was the sad complaint of one of the Ancients that of all Trades and Imployments Chrysost that of the Ministry is most difficult as in other respects so in this that he can never finde his work as he leaves it Let a Carpenter or Mason or any other Crafts-man shape and square and polish his work and when he returns he findes it so but the Devil he mars a Ministers work as soone as ever he hath done When he hath digged a well of godly sorrow this Philistine comes and stops it up presently When he hath stubd up the thorns the Devill comes and plants them again or more in their room When he hath cast down the Wall in one week yea in one night he findes it set up again c. Every observing and selfe-searching Christian knowes the truth of this by sad experience When any holy Resolution hath been with much labouring begot in the heart Satan and his own corruption working together do soon cool check the form he brought with him from hearing the word is soon unfashioned again Oh Israel thy goodness is as the Morning dew and as the early Cloud it presently vanisheth away Hos 6. 4. Commands are not easily obeyed therefore there must be precept upon precept The consolations of the Gospel are not easily preserved therefore there must be promise upon promise It s a hard thing to go on in duty constantly the heart will backslide It s a hard thing to keep it light and constant and close c. The Church of Ephesus had left her first love Rev. 2. 4. 5. Ephraim was a back-sliding heyfer Hos 4. 16. they were revolted and gone Thy people saith God to Moses have soon corrupted themselves c. Exod. 32. 7. 8. Paul had faithfully preached the Doctrine of justification by faith to the Galathians when he was personally with them but in a very short time they were apostatized by the fraudulency and craftiness of false Teachers therefore he is forced to write to them the same things again vid. Gal. 1. 6. We see the Disciples of Christ though they were commanded and intreated by their Master to watch with him when he was in his Agony ready to die for them yet as soon as he was departed they fell asleep again and though he came and reproved them yet they fell asleep again vid. Matth. 26. 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45. A man would wonder that when Christ had told them that the pangs of death were upon him yet they should fall asleep c. We have a discovery in them of the hearts Apostacy Vse 2. This should be a Directory for the Ministers of the Gospel That they would not be contented onely once to name necessary truths but to be ever and anon as they observe the slackness and negligence of people in practising pressing and urging the same again and again There are some Doctrines which are as standing Dishes as the Doctrine of faith Repentance c. these are of necessary and daily use and people must be
and therefore they must of necessity yield obedience 7 'T is no wonder to hear of Satans prevailing upon those persons and in those places where the Ordinances are not planted Some of the Heathens they are contented to worship the Devil as their God and many in our own Land in the dark corners of it they are tempted to Sorcery Witchcrafts and to Divinations and such Diabolicall Arts. This is a condition to be much lamented but 't is certainly not much to be admired unless it be that it is no worse for they are destitute of that which is and should be for the defence against such assaults they are unwalled Villages which lie open to the Devil at his pleasure The Ordinances of God are a guard to prevent the incursions and invasions of Satan this guard they want and therefore no wonder if Hell be amongst them Where there is no Vision saith Solomon the People perish Prov. 29. 18. Piscator reades it Nudatur populus the people is naked and the word in Hebrew signifieth as well to uncover and make bare as it doth cessare or rebellis esse or dissipare as others render it The Ordinances of God are a very great part of a peoples defence and if this defence be removed or not erected Satan must needs rage very furiously amongst such a People 8 This let 's us see why Satan is such an enemy both to the grace of God and to the Ordinances of God That he is an enemy to grace will appear from all the endeavour he useth both to hinder the planting of it where it is not and to root it up where it is planted and established Never did the Lord go about to work saving grace and conversion in the heart of any Creature but Satan used all his power and policy to hinder this Conception either by himself immediatly or by some of his Instruments When Paul by the preaching of the Gospel at Paphos began to work some saving effect upon the Deputy Sergius Paulus Elymas the Sorcerer the Devils Instrument labours by all meanes to turn him from the Faith that he might not be converted Act. 13. 8. And when he cannot hinder the effecting of the work he useth all meanes to destroy it as soon as it is wrought The Devil is like unto Pharaoh if he cannot hinder the conception of grace in the heart at first yet he will endeavour that the Manchild may be utterly destroyed as soon as ever it is born He stands vigilantly before the woman which was ready to be delivered for to devour her Child as soo◠〈◊〉 it was born Rev. 12. 4. And if he cannot hinder it from living yet he doth what he can to keep it from thriving by reproach by persecution by quenching the motion of Gods Spirit and all other wayes And he is no less an enemy to the Ordinances of God then he is to the graces of God When Paul and Silas were going to prayer a Spirit of Divination met them to take them off from that Duty Act. 16. 16. When Paul endeavoured to set up the Gospel and the Ordinances at Thessalonica Satan stirs up the unbelieving Jews to raise persecution that the work might be hindred Act. 17. 5 6 7. And when he endeavoured to have come to the Thessalonians afterwards Satan took him off and hindred him once and a second time 1 Thes 2. 18. Nothing doth he desire to overthrow more earnestly then the Ordinances he knowes he can never set up his golden Calves till he hath taken down the golden Candlesticks The reason of his endeavors is this These Graces and Ordinances are the soules Armour by which he is hindred in his Temptations and if he can but destroy this Armour he knowes he shall invade the soul at his pleasure without disturbance When an enemy would be Master of a City we know they take away that which may hinder them they first seize upon the place of Ammunition remove the Guards and Gates and Châ—â—ns out of their places and so bring the Inhabitants into perfect slavery Graces and Ordinances are the Ammunition of the Soul when the Devil hath removed these he hath nothing to oppose him he may then come when he will to rifle and plunder the soul In order to the accomplishment of this it is that he hath such an aching tooth against the Ministry and Ministers that desire to be firm and faithful he knows the Ordinances and they must fall together therefore he endeavours either to corrupt them or if that cannot be utterly to destroy them that so he may rule and bear sway without controll 9. What great Adversaries are those to themselves that have quite cast off the Ordinances of God Amongst many other soul-destroying Opinions which prevail in our licentious times this is one That the fulness of time is not yet come for Ordinances That Ordinances are but fleshly and carnall things and that Christ is crucified in all these things to a Christian c. and hereupon some have quite laid them aside They will neither pray nor hear nor communicate in the Sacraments but are above all these things These men have done the Devills work for him they have disarmed themselves and its just with God to leave them to the Devills cruelty to deal with them as he pleaseth that he should hurry them into Atheisme profanesse and all kinde of ungodly practices here and into Hell hereafter Certainly Satan hath not truer friends to his cause and Crown in all the world then these men are 10. How necessary it is for Christians to use all care for the proving of their graces and for the strengthening of their graces The Scripture calles much upon us to make tryall of the truth of our graces Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith or no c. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Graces are our Arms and if our graces be counterfeit Satan will soon pierce them in the day of temptation To fight with false graces is as dangerous as to fight with painted Armour instead of true Armour never be contented therefore till you come to the certain knowledge of the truth of every grace And as its necessary to prove them so its good to be strengthening them against the day of assault This God calls for as well as the other Add to your faith vertue and to your vertue patience c. 2 Pet. 1. 5. 6 7. 2 Pet. 3. 18. Growe in grace c. Thinne Armour is almost as unserviceable as false Armour a Sword without an edge will not be much better in a day of temptation then a woodden Sword Weak graces will make but weak defence and not strong offence neither especially against such an enemy as we have to do withall 1. Jesus Christ hath received for Christians not onely variety of grace but fulnesse of every grace also Of his fulness we have all received grace for grace John 1. 16. one degree of grace after another Now the strengthening of
Observation from all kind of employments of men that he may be compleatly fitted for this great Work But I come to the Particulars First The girdle of Truth Having your Loyns girt about with Truth In lumbis maxima vis est stantium His malè affectis contrahitur corpus aut certè vacillans vel modicè impulsum corruit Bullinger Therefore the Apostle begins with these which he would have girded with Truth Truth in the Scripture is used to fet out two things there is a two-fold Acception of Truth 1. It is used for the Doctrine of Truth That Doctrine which is held out and revealed to the sons of men in the written Word and thus Truth is opposed unto Errour In this sense it is used in many places as Gal. 3. 1. O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth And 1 Tim. 2. 4. God will have all men saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth And 3. Ep. Joh. 4. I have no greater joy then to hear that my children walk in the truth 2. It is used for the grace of truth And so it 's opposed to Hypocrisie In this sense it 's used Psal 51. 6. Thou desirest truth in the inward parts that is sincerity and integrity of heart so Josh 24. 14. Fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth and so Joh. 4. 24. God is a a spirit and they that worship him must worship him inspirit and in truth Spiritual Worship is there opposed to Ceremonial and Truth of Worship is opposed to Hypocritical Worship Now amongst Interpreters there are some who expound this Text of the grace of truth so doth Calvin and others Others understand it as spoken of the Doctrine of truth Baldwin vera Doctrina Religione Zanchy Constantia in Doctrina veritatis Dickson 1. Both Interpretations are agreeable to the Analogy of Faith 2. Usefull Instructions may be gathered from both 3. There is nothing in the Text which doth necessarily limit and confine it to one and therefore I shall refer it to both for Vbi Scriptura non distinguit non est distinguendum And so I shall lay before you a two-fold Observation from this two-fold Interpretation 1. Understanding it of the Doctrine of Truth as some do we note this Doctrine viz. That firmness and stability in the Doctrine of 1. Doct. Truth is an excellent meanes to be preserved and to overcome Satan and his Instruments in the day of Temptation I say Firmness and Stability because the phrase of being girded about notes constancy and firmness in the Truth When the Loyns are fast tyed and compassed about with this girdle they are in a good way of security from the assaults of Satan when those who forsake and fall from the Truth are snared and overcome then shall those who adhere and stick fast to the Doctrine of Truth be delivered and escape This is promised to the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia upon this very consideration Rev. 3. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth If a Church or Person be stedfast in the Doctrine of Truth God will either keep them from temptation or else he will preserve them in temptation that when others fall they shall stand I shall give you three Reasons of this viz. 1. Truth unites us to God and God to us It is of God and hath a Divine Strength God is truth and so far as a person hath the truth he hath God and so farre as he loseth the Truth he loseth God 'T is true a person may have the Truth of God sticking in his Judgment He may be very stedfast and constant in it so that he may willingly part not onely with his substance but even with his life to maintain it and yet not be savingly united to God by Christ for salvation 'T is not the fides quae creditur but the fides quâ creditur which is the bond of this Union But yet the very holding of the Doctrine of Truth gives a person some kind of union with God by which union he is more able to stand when any storm comes then he that is destitute of the Truth 2. Truth helpes a Christian both to discover a Temptation and to answer Arguments used to set on the Temptation The Truth of God in the Judgment is one of the Eyes of the Soul he that wants this is blind and cannot see afar off Now as a clear Eye is a very great help to the Souldier for the discovering of the Dart or the Bullet before it be upon him so is the clear distinct knowledg of the Truth a very great help to a Christian to discern the temptation before it be upon him He is better able by the power of Truth to see the reach of Satan and what it is that he drives at when he spreads his snare to surprize him then another can be who hath lost the Truth Any fallacy is easily put upon a person that is destitute of the truth of an Art or Science whereas he that hath the knowledge of that Art is able presently to avoid it and to answer it And therefore the Devil when he comes to tempt the woman to sinne first labours to blind her Understanding Ye shall not die but ye shall be as gods knowing good and evill Gen. 3. 4 5. and when he hath stollen that principle of truth out of her judgment We may not eat lest we die He doth without any difficulty perswade her to eat of the fruit 3. Truth doth much help a Christian in the managing of all other parts of his Armour aright He that hath lost the Doctrine of Truth will be unable to use the Bread-Plate of Righteousness For to the using of this after a right manner it is requisite that the Doctrine of the Imputation of Christs Righteousness to a sinner be tâ—roughly understood and firmly believed The Helmet of Hope will soon be knocked off the head of a Christian if he do not well understand the Nature of the Grace Hope The shield of faith will be presently pierced by Satan if he that weares it do not rightly understand the nature of faith and prayer will do but little good if he that makes the prayer be unsound in the truth Prayer is to be made in faith else it doth not prevail it is to be made not only with the grace of faith but also according to the Doct of faith A Doctrinal errour in prayers will nullifie them as well as want of the grace of Faith for this is the confidence we have in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth us 1 John 5. 14. Information We may from this Doctrine 1. Vse gather these three conclusions viz. 1. This shews us how necessary it is for a Christian
work and his desire is that he may make an even furrow that he may draw a strait line and keep himself in Gods way let come on him what will Not as if a Child of God might not warp from Gods way they have their deviations Peter and Barnabas two great Apostles they did not alwayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vid. Gal. 2. 12. 13 14. but then they do not continue in their wandrings they do not justifie their turnings aside they do not compel others to turn aside after them or do say that they have done well in so doing They are not angry with such as reprove them for their deviations Neither Peter nor Barnabas so much as murmured much lesse reviled Paul because he told them of their present deviations but presently reformed 3. It s expounded by Sincerity and godly simplicity So ye have it 1 Cor. 5. 8. Therefore let us keep the feast c. with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth Truth and sincerity are all one and sincerity and simplicity are one and the same thing also 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity c. That which is sincere is simple and unmixed like white wooll never died Mel sincerum is honey unmingled without wax Farina sincera is flower never leavened A heart of truth is a heart uncompounded a heart not double a man of truth hath not a heart and a heart one for God and another for Mammon one for sin and another for righteousness he hath but one tongue and one heart he is single tongued and single minded his tongue and heart go together as Companions And then sincerity notes soundness a sincere heart is a sound heart a heart not putrified with rottenness and hypocrisie Though all men have hypocrisie in them yet all men are not Hypocrites Now take up all these together and they will declare fully what is meant by the grace of truth with which the Apostle would have us to be girded Not false hearted not in pretence and appearance not in word and tongue but a perfect an upright a sincere uncompounded Christian 2. For Caution I shall lay down two Rules 1. Though truth be of such use c. yet may a sincere and true hearted Christian be foiled for a time by some prevailing temptation We are not to judge either our selves or others to be presently hypocrites because we are surprized and overcome by a Temptation Hezekiah was a man of a perfect heart 2 Reg. 20. 3. and yet he was vanquished in battel in the day of temptation 2 Chron. 32. 31. In the buisness of the Embassadors of the Princes of Babylon c. God left him to try him David was a man of an uncorrupt heart God gives him that testimony and yet in the matter of Vriah Satan overcame him As a hypocrite and wicked man may stand out in some temptation so may a single hearted Christian be overtaken and insnared It s true they will recover themselves again out of these snares as Hezekiah and David did but they may be for a time taken prisoners Noah was a perfect man and that in a perverse and crooked Generation Gen. 6. 9. yet Satan surprized him and drew him into the sin of drunkenness Gen. 9. 21. Lot was an upright man in the sink of Sodom and yet he was overcome by temptation and drawn into the foul sins of drunkenness and incest Gen. 19. 32 33 34 35. We may soon take away sincerity from the earth if we make such conclusions 2. Though truth be of such use c. yet no Christian stands in the day of temptation for the merit of his sincerity Though no man have a promise of standing without this grace of truth yet is not any mans truth of heart the meritorious cause of his standing We stand by our sincerity but not for our sincerity As the Apostle concludes concerning faith 1 Pet. 1. 5. so we may conclude concerning uprightness We are kept by the power of God through sincerity Sincerity is the instrumentall cause but the power of God is the efficient This Paul confesseth in his temptation 2 Cor. 12. 9. I will glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me III. The Reasons of the Doctrine how it is that truth of heart is so useful for this warfare 1. Because this is the strength of all other graces and of all Ordinances Some Divines look upon sincerity not as a distinct grace but as that which is the perfection of every grace Truth of love is the perfection of love Truth of faith is the perfection of faith Truth of obedience is the perfection of obedience c. All which is within a man without the grace of truth is but like rotten wood which will soon break and never do any service in the day of Battel All which a man doth without sincerity is to no purpose He can suck out no vertue from any of the Ordinances of God neither prayer word Sacraments c. 2. Sincerity is that which engageth God to take our part in all temptations Where-ever integrity is there God is by his speciall grace to assist and enable the soul He stands far off from the rotten hearted Christian but his countenance doth behold the upright Psal 11. 7. That is an excellent place to this purpose which we have in Gen. 20. 5. 6. In the integrity of my heart c. Yea I know thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart c. therefore suffered I thee not to touch her We cannot say of Abimelech that he was a sincere believer for he was a profane King his integrity or truth of heart was but a meer morrall integrity he would not have taken Sarah had he known her to be the Wife of another man and therefore he professeth what he had done was done in the simplicity of his spirit God bears him witness that he spake the truth and therefore saith God I have kept thee that thou hast not touched her God did so approve of that simplicity of his that he preserved him from falling into that great sin and delivered him from the Devills snare if naturall and morall honesty doth engage God to take part with a man how much more will the grace of sincerity engage him James 4. 7 8. Resist the Devill and he shall fly Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you c. Purifie your hearts ye double minded The Apostle in that place would have Christians to engage God on their part in the day of temptation There will be no prevailing if God be not on our part But how shall we obtain this assistance from God he tells us Purifie your hearts ye double-minded A single-hearted Christian shall not want either the presence or power of God in the day of Battel This is clear also Gen. 15. 1. with 17. 1. Information 1. Do not wonder to
speaks there of Christs coming in this life to avenge and deliver his elect the earth shall be so low and deliverance shall be so improfitable that the report of it will not be beleeved as the people of God in former time had not faith to beleeve their deliverance from Captivity Isa 63. 1. 2. So shall it be saith our Saviour when Christ comes to avenge his afflicted people under the Gospel that cry unto him And if there be so few that can beleeve a temporal deliverance how few are there that can beleeve for the saving of their souls No wonder then if Satan overcome so many 3. How needful it is for the Minister of the Gospell to be often preaching about the Doctrine of faith Those weapons and postures which are of greatest use to the Souldier the Captain ought to be most diligent in instructing the Souldier in them The Ministers of the Gospel are the Captains of the Lords Host they are to train and exercise all the spiritual Souldiers of Christ they are to teach them the use of their Arms and all their postures that they may be deetrous in the day of battel If any Souldier be wounded for want of arms or of skil to use them through their default God wil require it at their hands Now of all the pieces of spirituall Armour the shield of faith is the most necessary and therefore the Doctrine of faith should be most frequently preached 4. This shewes what necessarily lies upon the sons of men to prove and examine the truth of their faith If the shield of faith be rotten or counterfeit the soul is undone in the day of Temptation if the shield of faith be sound and armour of proof the strongest assaults of Satan will be repelled with comfort Prove your selves whether you be in the faith or no 2 Cor. 13. 5. T is necessary to try 1. Because there is not a man in the world which hath heard of Jesus Christ but thinks he beleeves in him To be accounted an Infidell or unbeleever is a matter of such reproach and infamy as that no man is willing to lye under it 2. Because the heart is very deceitful and in nothing more subject to be mistaken than in this case There is a false presumption and foolish fancy which would gladly be called by the name of faith John 2. 23. 24. When Jesus was at Jerusalem many beleeved in his name when they sawthe miracles wch he did but Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men They did presume that they beleeved in Christ but Jesus Christ knew their faith was nothing else but a meer fancy and groundless presumption 3. Because the Devil useth all the skill he can to deceive the sinner and to make him confident that he doth beleive as he endeavours to perswade the true Beleiver that his fruit is rotten so he endeavours to perswade the unbeleiver that his presumption is faith That I may help them in this inquiry I shall do two things 1. Discover some mistaken grounds which men go upon thinking that to be an evidence of saving faith which is not so 2. Lay down some positive evidences of true faith 1. There are two great mistakes about faith by which many are deceived Viz. 1. Some are deceived in regard of knowledge and assent They think they have true justifying faith because they have the doctrine of the Gospel and give as they think a right assent to the same for the removal of this mistake I shall first shew that both these may be without saving faith Secondly I shall shew how the knowledge of an unbeleiver and his assent differ from the knowledge and assent of true faith 1. That Knowledge and Assent is not faith T is granted that there is no faith truely wrought without Knowledge and Assent but that there may be Knowledge and some Assent where saving faith is not appears by these two reasons 1. The most wicked and prophane persons in the world may have and many times do attain unto a more exact knowledge of the Doctrine of the Scriptures than many a true Beleiver And they may also assent unto those truths The Apostle speaks of some by way of supposition that may understand all mysteries and have all knowledge and yet want saving faith 1 Cor. 13. 2. All this is but an historical faith Judas had the knowledge of the Scriptures and gave assent to them he preached the Gospel to others and yet wanted faith John 6. 64. There are some of you that beleive not you know what will be the plea of many in the latter day Math. 7. 22. and yet had not one drachm of saving faith I shall desire you to peruse but that one Scripture well Rom. 2. 18 19 20 21 22 23. and then you will conclude that neither the knowledge of nor the assenting to the doctrine of the Scriptures is saving faith but are ordinarily without it 2. The very Devils themselves are beyond the most intelligent Christians in all matters of knowledge They know the history of the Bible more exactly than we Satan was not ignorant of Scripture when he set upon our Saviour Math. 4. 6. And the Devil also gives assent to the truth of the Scriptures Jam 2. 19. He acknowledged Christ to be the Son of God Math. 8. 29. What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God as full a confession for the matter and substance of it as that which Peter made Thou art Christ the Son of the living God Now that which is fained in the worst of men and in the very Devils can neither be true faith nor an evidence of it 2. If we come to examine that knowledge and assent which is in wicked men with that which is in a true beleiver we shall find a vast difference for 1. concerning their knowledge there are three differences 1. The knowledge of a true Beleiver is an experimentall knowledge but the knowledge of an unbeleiver is meerly notional and speculative A Beleiver hath in his heart a lively sense and feeling of all those truths which he hath the knowledge of in his understanding They are truths in his heart as well as in his head That promise of God Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts is made good to every true Beleiver and to him alone His heart is an Index or Commentary by which through the Spirit of God he can understand divine truths 2 Cor. 3. 3. Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in the fleshy tables of the heart This is the meaning of that of our Saviour John 7. 16 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self 2. The knowledge of faith is
a practical transforming knowledge His knowledge is diffused into every step of his life into every action his life is reformed by his knowledge and conformed to the truths of God whereas the knowledge of an unbeleiver neither changeth his heart nor life except it be from evill to worse his knowledge puffeth him up 1 Cor. 8. 1. it makes him more proud and more sensual It s said of the Heathen that they retained nor God in their knowledge Rom. 1. 28. but became vain in their imaginations the one hath onely the form of knowledge Rom. 2. 20. the other hath not onely the form but the power and the life also 3. The knowledge of faith is a knowledge which raises the heart nearer to God The knowledge of a Beleiver crucifieth the world unto him and him unto the world Gal. 6. 14. vide Phil. 3. 8. 10. whereas the knowledge of an unbeleiver bows down his soul nearer the earth 2. Concerning the assent of an unbeleiver it differs from the assent of true faith thus 1. The assent of faith is a chearful assent It s free But the assent of an unbeleiver is without joy Jam. 2. 19. The devils beleive and tremble so do the unbeleiver at least concerning some truths 2. The assent of faith is universal So is not the assent of an unbeleiver at least his chearful assent There are some truths in the Scripture which threaten ruine and destruction to all in his condition these he cannot assent to at least joyfully There are some truths which call him to the practise of such things which he hath no affection to the crucifying of sin the mortifying of corruptions cutting off the right hand c. he had rather these were not truths than real truths he hath secret wishes that these truths were either raced out or else that they had been propounded with a greater latitude 2. Mistake is about Application He that can truly apply Christ to himself hath true faith in Christ for this is the Ratio formalis the special act of faith Now many an unbeleiver thinks he can apply Christ as well as any other Those in Luk. 13. 25 26 come to Christ with much seeming confidence as if they had been of intimate acquaintance with him Lord Lord open to us and yet never had saving faith in him I shall here shew a threefold difference between the Application of a Beleiver and an unbeleiver 1. The Application of saving faith is from something of Christ wrought savingly within him He finds the Image of Christ in him he hath well grounded hopes of it and therefore applies Christ to him As Thomas in another case sees the print of the nails and then saith My Lord and my God So a true Beleiver sees upon his soul the print of the nails the dyings of the Lord Jesus the Characters of his death burial resurrection and therefore applies him to himself Whereas the application of Christ made by an unbeleiver is meerly from that discovery which is made of Christ in the Scripture and not from any intrinsecal worth which he finds upon his own heart vide Galat. 2 20. there you have Pauls application I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me c. What ground can you shew within you why Christ is yours 2. The Application of saving faith is alwayes agreeable to the tenor of the Promise and Covenant wherein Christ is held forth Vide Ezek. 36. 25 26 27. Faith applies the grace of Christ as well as the merit of Christ applies Christ for sanctification as well as for justification applies the water as well as the bloud the application which an unbeleiver makes is onely or chiefly of the comforts and of the purchase of Christ c. he applies the Merit of Christ not the Spirit of Christ the Promises not the Commands c. whereas true faith applies him universally his Kingly and Prophetical Office as well as his Priestly vide Phil. 3. 9 10. 3. The Application of faith is alwayes accompanied with self-Resignation The true Beleiver doth as chearfully surrender himself to Christ as applies Christ to himself So did the Apostle Phil. 3. 12. he would not onely apprehend but be apprehended And so the Church Cant. 2. 16. My beloved is mine and I am his He doth not onely apply the sin offering but he offers also the burnt Offering The Apostle Rom. 12. 1. would have Christians to yeeld themselves to God c. The unbeleiver he onely applies Christ to himself he doth not voluntarily yeeld himself to Christ he doth not dedicate himself to Christ by holiness and obedience 2. I shall now give some positive evidences of true faith I shall ground them upon several places of Scripture 1. That of the Apostle Acts 15. 9. Purifying your hearts by faith Heart purity is a necessary concomitant and consequence of saving faith Jesus Christ saith the Apostle is made unto us of God wisdom righteousness sanctification c. 1 Cor. 1. 30. If by faith thou hast Christ for thy righteousness he is also thy sanctification He whose heart is unpurified is destitute of the grace of faith Now the purification of the heart may be known by these five evidences 1. A purified heart is a heart that truly bewails all pollutions and impurities The most clean heart hath some pollution unmortified but he hath no defilement unlamented his stains and sores and spots are his greatest burthen his heaviest sorrow Pauls body of death put him to more grief than all the troubles which befel him in his whole life Rom. 7. 23 24. Is it so with thee Dost thou bewail the uncleanness of thy heart cordially sadly secretly Thou wouldest gladly be delivered from it Thou canst neither eat nor drink nor sleep quietly with it The impurity of thy heart turns thy sweetnesses into bitternesse This is certainly an effect of true faith Vide Zech. 12. 10. Looking upon Christ is beleiving in him this beleiving is expressed by sorrowing And if thou wouldest in truth be rid of thy corruptions thou wilt then diligently make use of all meanes be they never so painfull never so costly that may cleanse them away 2. A purified heart will kindly accept of brotherly reproof for his impurity or any advice that may make him clean He will love a person better all his life for any faithful rebuke or counsel Psalm 141. 5. Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness c. David shews the purity of his heart by his accepting the rebukes of Abigail 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. A heart that is purified is best pleased with that Sermon that comes closest to his conscience he would have all his heart discovered to himself Hide nothing from me said Eli to Samuel 1 Sam. 3. 17. Yea he begs that God would search his heart for him Psalm 139. 23 24. Whereas a heart that is unclean cares not to have any spot discovered he either openly flies in the face or else secretly hates
sense of present comfort This is an Objection which ordinarily Beleivers make against themselves to their very great prejudice For the answering of this Argument I shall lay down these two propositions 1. That there may be and ordinarily is true saving faith where there is no assurance There may be the faith of adherence where there never yet was the faith of evidence The sons of Jacob had their money in their sacks mouths a good space before they knew of it the treasure of faith is in the soul often very long before the soul have assurance of it These three Arguments will prove this position 1. From the descriptions that are made of faith in the word of God It s called coming to Christ Math. 11. 28. It s called casting our burden upon the Lord Psalm 37. 5. It s nothing but the souls venturing it self upon Christ faith is but the coming to Christ as Esther did to Ahasuerus If I perish I perish It s called looking upon Christ Mic. 7. 7. None of all these are words of assurance A man may come to another and not be assured that he will not turn from him A man may roll his burthen upon the shoulder of another who is not assured that he will carry it for him A man may look for a person whom he is not assured he shall find c. 2. From the instances given in Scripture of some that have had true faith and wanted assurance The father of that Daemoniack of whom we read Mar. 9. 22. he was not assured that Christ was able to cast out the dumb spirit much less was he assured that Christ was willing If thou canst do any thing have compassion on us and help us This was far from assurance and so that which he saith ver 24. Lord I beleive help thou my unbeleif here was no perfect assurance and yet true faith as the Esay 50. 10 Psalm 38. per totum Heman a true beleiver issue of the story sayes the Devil was cast out of his child 3. There must be faith from the nature of the thing before there can be assurance Therefore there may be faith without assurance Make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. A man may not onely be elected but called and yet not sure of his effectual calling you must have a title to a possession before you can be certainly assured of such an interest Sealing with the holy Spirit of promise comes after beleiving ordinarily Eph. 1. 13. A child as soon as he is born hath reason but he wants a reflected act to know that he hath reason so it is in Regeneration 2. Assurance may be lost for a time in those who have formerly enjoyed it He that hath walked in the light of Gods countenance may come to walk in darkness again Esay 50. 10. There are three cases in which this doth ordinarily fall out 1. In the hour of temptation when God lets Satan loose to buffet the soul assurance may be lost in such a time 2. in the day of spiritual desertion when God hides his face from the soul Jesus Christ was in this condition My God my God c. Math 27. 46. A man in a swound doth not know he lives 3. In the state of relapses when a beleiver hath fallen into some sin God withdraws the assurance of his graces and leaves him to gain his faith and other graces takes away the joy of his faith and leaves him nothing but deadness and horror in his conscience This was the Prophet Davids case Psalm 51. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation Though he had not lost the grace of faith yet he had quite lost the joy of his faith 2. Satan endeavours sometimes to argue Christians out of their faith by comparing it with the faith of other of God Servants which hath been very strong Abraham saith Satan was strong in faith he did not desceptare but was mighty in faith Rom. 4. 20. Job he had a powerful faith Though he kill me c. Job 13. 15. but thy faith is weak c. To help you against this stratagem I shall lay down these four considerations Viz 1. That the strongest of these great Champions have had their staggerings and their faintings Abraham though he was mighty in faith at that time when God promised him a son yet at another time did both stagger and fall Twice he denied his Wife for fear of men once in Egypt Gen. 12. 12. a second time at Gerar Gen. 20. 2. David though he had so much strength of faith at one time that he durst encounter Goliah with his sling when the hearts of all the valiant men of Israel trembled 1 Sam. 17. 32. yet at another time his faith was so faint that he said all men were liars Psalm 116. 11. and for want of faith fled out of the land of Israel into the country of the Philistines 1 Sam. 27. 1. Moses whose faith was so strong that he forsook the pleasures of Pharaohs Court and chose rather to suffer affliction c Heb. 11. 24 25. and yet at another time when he had had many experiences of the power of God was not able to beleive that God could bring water out of the Rock he smote the Rock twice Numb 20. 10 11. God bids him speak to the Rock and he smites it twice out of unbeleif And though he was so strong in faith that at one time he could beleive that the red Sea should be divided Exod. 14. yet at another time he was so weak in faith that he thought God had over-spoken his power when he promised to give the people flesh for a moneth Numb 11. 21. The people amongst whom I am are six hundred thousand footmen and thou hast said I will give them flesh for a whole moneth c. 2. Though these had never staggered yet is the promise made not to degrees of faith but to truth of faith The Devil is not able to shew one word in all the Book of God which requires such a measure of faith for salvation Yea the Promises are made to the weakest acts of faith Look unto me and be saved all ye ends of the earth Esay 45. 22. Looking is but a weak act of faith and yet salvation is promised to it Weak faith unites a person to Jesus Christ as well as strong faith A shaking hand can receive an almes as well as a strong hand He that shoots in a long Bow draws all by the strength of his arm much strength is required to draw the bow but he that shoots in a Cross-bow hath strength enough if he can but let off the string a child may shoot as far as a Gyant because the strength lies in the Bow not in the Arm so is it with faith If the King should pass a grant that every living man in his Kingdom should enjoy such and such priviledges do you think weak men would be excluded They are men
is our Rhetorick to perswade us in tribulation unto patience Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him Psal 37. 7. and Psal 40. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord c. 5. The accomplishment of future good This shews the object of Hope generally that which is good particularly or specially future good Herein it differs from faith The object of faith is not onely good things but evill things also Faith beleeves the threatnings as well as the promises Faith doth beleeve there is an Hell as well as an Heaven but Hope onely looks at good things Evill things are the proper object of fear and hatred not of hope And then this differs in the spiritual object Hope onely looks at good things to come what a man sees why Rom. 8. 24. doth he yet hope for it hope that is seen is not hope That 's the difference between hope and vision But now faith looks not onely at things that are to come but also at things that are past and at things that are present It looks to things past We beleeve that the World was created that Adam fell that the old world was drowned that Christ was born of the Virgin Mary that he suffered that he dyed c. We beleeve also things that are present We beleeve that Christ is at the right hand of God that he makes present intercession And we also beleeve things that are to come We beleeve that Antichrist shall fall that Christ shall come to judge the World that our dead bodies shall be raised c. 6. Which God hath promised Herein faith and hope agree they have both the same Basis or foundation viz. The word of promise The Scripture asserts the promise to be the foundation of hope Tit. 1. 2. There could be no reason of expectation unless the thing expected were bottomed upon a divine promise It s loose fancy not well grounded waiting which is not erected upon a promise 7. And Faith beleeveth This holds out another difference between Faith and Hope They differ in their order Faith goes before Hope followes the stedfastness of hope is from the certainty of faith faith beleeves the truth of the thing and hope waits for the accomplishment of it The Apostle tells us that faith is the substance or ground of things hoped for Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the Mother of hope and hope is the Daughter of faith faith discovers the treasure and hope gathers it and layes it up Faith is the fire of hope and hope is the flame of faith 2. Wherein the Resemblance between Hope and a Helmet Consider that in four things 1. The Helmet doth defend the head from violence offered either by sword pistoll c. The grace of Hope doth safeguard the soul from the violence of Satan 2. The Helmet is the highest of al the Souldieres Armour The grace of Hope is that which looks still upwards t is the highest of the graces it hath its eye fixed upon the things which are in Heaven 3. The Helmet doth make the Souldier of dreadful appearance to his adversary Polybius tels us that the Romane Souldiers had upon their Helmets garlands sticking upon spikes so high that they seemed of a double height and did appear very formidable to the enemy Men of low stature seemed exceeding high by reason of their Helmets and that dress which they wore upon them The Grace of Hope upon the head makes the Christian Souldier very formidable to Satan it doth lift him up even to Heaven Little David with his Helmet of Hope appeared of a greater height then Goliah though he had a Helmet of Brass Hope sets the Soul upon a Rock which is higher then all his Adversaries 4. The Helmet doth give warmth and heat to the head it hath a refreshing as well as a defending virtue in it The Grace of Hope warms and refreshes the Heart III. Wherein this Grace is usefull to a Christian in the time of Temptation 1. The Grace of Hope helps Christian Courage It sharpens the edge of Christian Valour faintness and fearfulness of Spirit gives a very great advantage to the enemy That was a good Martial Law which God gave his people Deut. 20. 8. If the heart once sink through cowardice and pusillanimity the hands grow weak Now the grace of Hope keeps the heart from sinking yea it adds courage to the heart We have a Proverb But for Hope the heart would break I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living Psal 27. 13. Upon this he gives an Exhortation to others to hope in God with a promise of strength v. 14. Wait on the Lord be of good courage c. The exercise of this grace kept the Apostles from sinking 2 Cor. 14. 16 18. For this cause we faint not c. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen c. 2. The Grace of Hope doth strengthen Faith Though Faith breed Hope yet doth Hope strengthen Faith It is as a staff to her aged mother as one well observes Faith is the Evidence of things not seen Faith makes things that are not seen evident and then the grace of Hope helps the Evidence of Faith 3. The Grace of Hope helps the Soul to persevere Victory is promised onely to such as hold out unto the end Be thou faithful unto the death c. Rev. 2. 10. Now without Hope there can be no perseverance He that hath lost his hope will either yield or run or make some unworthy composition but now Hope will carry on the Soul in its opposition There are two things which Hope doth to help us to persevere First It fastens the Eye upon the sight of the Crown it layes that at the foot of the Soul and encourageth it to continue Secondly It fetches in help from heaven it fastens the Eye upon Jesus Christ and lets it see that He is fighting for them while they are fighting for themselves It shewes the Soul Recruits marching from Heaven for its Relief and assistance Information 1. This lets us see the benefit and excellency of the Grace of Hope The Scripture speakes very much in the commendation of it It 's the second of those three choice Graces Faith Hope Charity 1 Cor. 13. 13. It 's that which brings heaven down to the Soul or raises the Soul to heaven even when the Soul is here on earth It 's the Soul's Comforter in all the troubles afflictions and evils which it sustains in this life It 's that by which we overcome Satan in the day of Temptations It 's the Soul's Anchor by which it rides safely in the tempestuous Sea of Temptations Of all the Graces it is that which promises least but there is no Grace that is of more use then this It 's well compared by one to an Egge that hath more in it then is seen An Egge hath nothing to be seen
as well as the strongest God hath made such a Charter that one that hath true faith in him shall enjoy such and such priviledges and the weak beleiver is a beliver as well as the strongest 3. Weak faith hath defacto found very gracious acceptance with God That in Mark 9. 22 23 24. And the promise Mat. 12. 20. He will not break the bruised reed nor qvench the smoaking flax A reed when it is whole hath no great strength in it but when it is bruised it is then weak indeed and yet that hath been and will be averted 4. Though every beleever have not so much faith as Abraham and Paul and David c. yet every beleever hath as much merit as they had The very same Christ the same Righteousness the same Covenant of Grace the same Promises None of all these were justified by their faith as an act or work but by their faith as an instrument apprehending Christ the object of faith Now though every beleever have not the same faith yet he hath the same object of faith and therefore the same acceptance 3. Satan sometimes argues nullity of faith from the non-acceptance of our prayers If you had faith God would hear your prayers but you have prayed a long time for such a mercy and can get no answer from God therefore your faith is not true faith but a groundless presumption For the answering of this objection I shall lay down these three Considerations viz. 1. We are to distinguish between Gods act in answering prayers and mans act in receiving that answer A Beleever may think his prayers not to be answered sometimes because he doth not mind the answer of his prayers I will hearken saith the Psal 55. 8. Psalmist what the Lord God will say for he will speak peace to his servants c. Beleevers are sometimes stupid and cannot hearken sometimes sullen and will not hearken they do not look after their prayers they do not stand upon the watch tower as the Prophet resolves Hab. 2. 1. Gods answer to our prayers are sometimes given in silently and secretly that without very much attention we cannot tell what the answer imports Very often the soul thinks his prayers are cast out when he hath the answer of them in his bosom 2. God hath more wayes of answering Prayers than one God may give a very full answer to our prayers though he do not answer them in that particular way we desire God hath no where promised to answer the prayers of beleevers in Kind though he have promised that he will answer them according to their benefit We have three remarkable instances of this That in Acts 1. 7. Our Saviour refused to answer them according to the matter of their desire It is not for you to know the times and seasons c. But yet he answers them according to their necessity You shall receive power from on high c. That in 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. God refused to answer Pauls prayer in Specie the thorn in flesh whatsoever it was whether a bodily disease as some think or a spiritual distemper as others conceive was not removed and yet his prayer was answered My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness And that of our Saviour Heb. 5. 7. He was heard in that he feared The particular thing he desired was not granted If it be possible let this cup pass from me The cup did not pass away but Christ had assistance and enablement to bear it without sinking and therein his prayer was heard We ask sometimes that which is not good for us at least not so good as some other thing Now if God give us a better thing for a thing which is less good doth he not hear If God deny Moses to go into Canaan and take him into Heaven what loss doth he sustein Deus non audit ad voluntatem ut audiat ad necessitatem There 's denial in mercy as well as hearing in mercy and there is hearing in judgement as well as denial in judgement Psal 78. 30. 3. God many times delayes when he doth not deny 1. We many times ask the present enjoyment of things not so good at that season Rev. 6. 10. 11. How long Lord c. They must yet tarry till the mercy was seasonable Their feet shall slide in due time Deut. 32. 35. 2. We are not so importunate in our suits as we should be our prayers though for things seasonably good may be too faint God in such cases delayes to quicken our zeal Anselme in his meditations speaks excellently to this purpose Gloria mea Deus meus abscondis the saurum tuum ut niciles cupidum recondis margaritam ut augeas quaerentis amorem differs P. 194. dare ut doleas petere dissimulas audire pellutem ut facias preserverantem 3. God is well pleased with our musick therefore he lets us lay begging This is the first branch of the Exhortarion 2. Labour earnestly to repair confirm and strengthen this shield of faith Though weak faith if it be true will carry you to heaven yet will not weak faith carry you through strong Assaults If this shield be crackt and broken you may be sorely foil'd in the day of temptation I shall propound a few Helps for the strengthening of faith 1. Be frequent in acting your faith Habits are weakned by being idle but they are strengthened by dayly exercise Scribendo disces scribere and Credendo disces credere The more frequent a Christian is in putting forth acts of faith the stronger will the Habit of faith be There is this difference between the shield of faith and other shields those by too much use are made weak but this shield is the stronger by every battel it cannot be used too often Vide Rom. 1. 17. 2. Be much in fervent prayer to God that he would strengthen your faith The Apostle made use of this help Luke 17. 5. Faith and Prayer are supporters one of another our faith teacheth us both what to ask and how to ask and our praying helps beleeving If prayer be restrained faith will be weakned but if prayer be continued faith will be confirmed 3. Be frequent in the right use of the Word and Sacrament The Word is the ordinary means for the breeding of faith and the Word and Sacrament are the food whereby faith is nourished and increased The Sacraments are the seals of the righteousness of faith Rom. 4. 11. He that is frequent in the application of these seals is like to be most confirmed in beleeving Christians do very much prejudice their faith by neglecting of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper which is appointed of God for the nourishment of faith 4 Study carefully the promises of the Covenant of grace Gods promises are made of purpose to confirm faith in us The promises are the fewel of faith 5. Study the Attributes of Gods Nature His Power Wisedome Faithfulness Truth
Mercy This was that which strengthned the faith of Moses Heb. 11. 27. These are strong props which will keep faith from sinking when its ready to dye This is the first branch of the Exhortation which concerns Beleevers 2. That which I would say to unbeleevers is this That they would labour for this grace of justifying and saving faith There are many things which may be as motives to press you to it 1. All the promises of grace are to you of none effect They all run upon the condition of beleeving The Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve 2. All the blood and sufferings of Jesus Christ is of none effect to an unbeleever T is faith that gives the soul an interest in Christs blood 3. All their holy duties and religious actions without faith are displeasing unto God Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is impossible to please God Sacrafices without faith is no better than the cutting off a dogs neck Incence without faith is no better than the blessing of an Idol killing of an Oxe is no better than the killing of a Man offering of Oblation is no better than the offering of Swines blood c. Isa 66. 3. But I shall only urge it upon this ground you can never do any good against Satan in the day of temptation if you want this shield As it happened to the accusers of Daniel when they were cast into the Lions den so it wil happen to you in the day of temptation if you want this shield It s said the Lions had the mastery over them and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came to the bottom of the den Dan. 6. 24. So it will be with you the roaring Lion will have the mastery over you and break you into pieces if you want this shield But you will say what course should we take to get this grace 1. Study the mischief of an unbeleeving heart The Apostle calls it an evil heart of unbeleef Heb. 3. 12. 1. It s sinfully evil Hard dark dead impenitent filthy deceitful and false deceiving others and it self also 2. It s penally evil 1. It makes all the Ordinances ineffectual Heb. 4. 2. 2. It binds all a mans sins upon his own back It seals up all our sins because it keeps us from that which is the onely remedy against sin 3. It defiles every thing to a man To the clean all things are clean but to the unbeleevers and them that are defiled is nothing clean but even their Consciences are defiled Tit. 1. 15. 4. It brings certain condemnation As salvation is the end of our faith 1 Pet. 1. 9. So is damnation the end of unbeleef John 3. 36. He that beleeveth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him 2. Study the Insufficiency of Self Look upon the rottenness and nothingness of all Moral Civill righteousness Too high thoughts of Civill righteousness is that which hinders thousands from beleeving Remember that of the Apostle Phil. 3. 4 5 6 7 8 9. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh if any other man thinketh he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh I more Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the Tribe of Benjamine an Hebrew of the Hebrews c. Concerning the righteousness which is in the Law blameless c. But what were gain to me those I counted loss c. Yea doubtless I account all things but loss c. 3. Study thorowly the All-sufficient fulness of Jesus Christ who is the object of faith He is not a broken reed he is not an house of sand but a rock a corner stone upon whom whosoever beleeveth shall never be ashamed The ignorance of Jesus Christ is that which hinders many from beleeving in him Isa 53. init Who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed for he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground he hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him He is despised and rejected of men c. Study him well therefore in Point of Merit in point of grace Study him in all his Offices of King Priest Prophet and then you will say as the Daughters of Jerusalem did Cant. 6. 1. Whether is thy beloved gone O thou fairest c. 4. Study the deep guilt of Adam in the polution of thy own Nature Those that are whole need not the Physitian but they that are sick Conviction of our guilt and misery is a necessary preparative to saving faith Now the Scripture doth clearly affirme that all men have sinned and are come short of the glory of God Rom. 3. 23. And Rom. 5. 12. And then take in this consideration that neither your selves nor any other Creature is able to free you from that guilt that there is no other way of salvation but onely by hanging upon Jesus Christ alone He it is which God hath sanctified and set apart for the satisfying of his own Justice and reconciling the World to himself 5. Consider the willingness of Jesus Christ to ease and save and take of burthens Though the disease be never so desperate and the Physitian never so able yet if his willingness be not known little encouragement will be to any to go to him but Jesus Christ is as willing as able 1. He was sanctified for that work Vide Isa 61. 1. 2. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me for he hath annointed me to preach good tydings to the meek c. The Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost 2. Read and peruse all the solemn invitations which are given unto men to beleeve in him Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me c. Isa 55. 1. 2. And Christ is not in jest but very reall in making these tenders 3. Read and peruse seriously all the Asseverations which are used to assure men that if they will come they shall not be refused Vide John 6. 37. Verily verily I say unto you he that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out Never any was cast out never any will be cast out that comes to him after a right manner 4. Read and consider all the Lamentations and sad Complaints made by Jesus Christ of the backwardness and unwillingness of men to lay hold upon him Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life John 5. 40. And that in Luke 13. 34. of Jerusalem O Jerusalem Jerusalem c. How often would I have gathered thy Children together as an Hen doth her brood c. and ye would not 6. Wait constantly upon the publick Ministry which God hath appointed to be the ordinary means of working faith in the heart He that neglects this means and doth not conscionably attend upon it will