without the preaching of the word so whosoeuer shall conscionably attend to it shall certainly be saued which if it were beleeued it could not but make men runne to it with great alacritie and so should they finde much comfort thereby To this purpose bee there so many commendations of the word throughout the scriptures specially in the bookes of the Psalmes and of the Prouerbs It would be too long to cite all yet all are to be referred to this end to breede in vs a greater delight in this word which bringeth such incomparable benefits Of this sort are these Psal 19. 7 c. The Law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule The testimonie of the Lord is sure making wise the simple The statutes of the Lord are right reioycing the heart And so followeth to like effect in the same place The whole Psalme 119 was written to this purpose to set out the excellencie of this word in all respects and specially for the worthy effects and fruits which it bringeth foorth in euery one who truelie embraceth it so that it is obserued by many learned Diuines that omong 176. verses there be scarce foure or fiue at the most wherein there is not some commendation of the word to stirre vp all Gods people better to esteeme it and more diligently to attend to it that they may enioy the fruites of it at all times and in all estates To which end I require euery true Christian to be much exercised in this Psalme that they may be familiarlie acquainted with it and so haue it in readines for their vse in all their necessities I might say as much for the booke of the Prouerbs wherein besides the many and most wise directions for the well ordering of our whole life are contained especially in the first nine chapters admirable commendations of those heauenly instructions which God as a Father by his seruants doth giue vnto his children Prou. 4. 13. A few for many Take fast hold of instruction let her not goe Keepe her for she is thy life Wherin what can bee more contained then this that instruction is our life meaning that thereby wee attaine all things pertaining to the comfort of this life and of that to come This might be set out at large in particulars both in the escaping of manifold euills sinnes and punishments which they fall into who want or will not receiue these instructions as also in the enioying of many blessings bodily and spirituall which others want but I leaue the further consideration of these to euery ones particular meditation who desires to see the truth hereof No doubt Dauid meant no lesse when he said Psal 119. 165. Great peace is and shall be to them that loue thy Law and nothing shal offend them Who would not highly prise that word which brings all manner of wisedome to all sorts learned vnlearned wise and silly olde and young Yet all this doth that one booke of the Prouerbs as is expresly said in the sixe first verses of the first chapter as you may there reade and therefore how much more is this to bee found in the whole Scripture Which Vse me thinkes should put life into any good heart to bee much conuersant in the hearing reading and meditating of the word of God For further quickning herein I will onely quote the places and referre euery one that listeth to heare more of this matter to peruse them and so shall he finde enough to hearten him to this duty Prou. 1. 9. 23. 2. from 1. to 13. 3. 1. to 4. 13. to 24 4 5. to 13. 20. to 22. 6. 20. to 24 7. 1. to 5. 8. the whole chapter In these and many other places of the olde and new Testament Applicatiō the Lord knowing our exceeding backwardnesse in true receiuing and keeping his word which yet is so necessary as that there is no saluation without it doth make so many pretious promises as I know not whether to any thing more That at least by some of them we who bee so full of doubting how wee may attaine to the right vse of the word may be more heartened to a conscionable and constant attendance vnto it that so we may in due season reape the sweete fruit thereof This then must be the care and labour of euery one who feeles the want of this comfortable vse of Gods word and earnestly desires it to bee well acquainted with these promises and out of all to gather some of the chiefe such as seeme to him most speciall and so commit them to memory that whensoeuer he goeth to the word he may meditate vpon these and so be more encouraged to attend vnto Gods word with expectation of Gods blessing vpon his labour The want of this meditation vpon Gods promises when wee goe to the word is one chiefe cause of that great sinne of vnfruitfull hearing and consequently of that little growth in grace which is euery where to be seene among ordinary resorters to the publike ministery as the Apostle reporteth of the Hebrewes that the Word preached did not profite them Heb. 4. 2. being not mingled with faith in them that heard it Out of this which hath beene saide of the word in generall Sacramēts which well may bee referred to all the seuerall exercises therein publike or priuate to euery of which many of these promises doe pertaine we may safely gather comfort in the vse of the Sacraments which be truely called a visible Word because that which is spoken in the word to the eare is in visible signes represented to our eyes sealed to our hearts that wee may bee the more assured of them to bee ours so that if wee had no speciall promises made expresly to them yet wee might out of the former receiue sufficient encouragement to looke for the benefite of them that is to be made partakers of Christ and life in him which is the summe and substance of all that which is promised in the word But seeing the Lord who in all ages of his Church ordained these holy signes and seales of his Testament in which he bequeathed Christ and all his benefits to true beleeuers and their seede knowing our great weakenesse of faith in receiuing these seales hath so laboured to giue vs assurance that if wee thinke there is any truth in him we may bee as sure that Christ and al his merits are ours as the outward signes which we see with oureies and our hands doe handle let vs for our comfort carefully consider hereof Not to meddle with the Sacraments of the olde Testament Circumcision and the Passeouer both which were to the people of God sure seales of the righteousnes of faith Rom. 4. 11. as the Apostle speaketh of Circumcision and doth as truely belong to all the Sacraments of the olde and new Testament this one Scripture might sufficiently assure any that hee truely receiuing the outward seales according to Gods appointment should
A TREATISE OF FAITH Wherein is declared how a man may liue by Faith and finde releefe in all his necessities Applyed especially vnto the vse of the weakest Christians By EZEKEL CVLVERVVELL The Iust shall Liue by Faith EPHES. 6. 16. Aboue all taking the shield of Faith ROM 15. 4. Whatsoeuer things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience coÌ„fort of the Scriptures might haue hope LONDON Printed by I. L. for William Sheffard and are to be sold at his shop at the entring in of Popes head Allie out of Lumbard-streete 1623. TO ALL GODS PEOPLE WHO HAVE ENIOYED any benefit by my Ministerie especially of my Pastorall charge DEARLY Beloued in the Lord although I cannot but be priuie to my selfe of many defects in discharge of my dutie which God required at my hands toward you which I humbly beseech the Lord and you to pardon yet this hath beene is and I hope shall be to the end of my dayes my comfort that I haue not laboured in vaine amongst you What were my labours and successe thereof I must appeale to the consciences of you who are yet liuing for you know that not a few are now at rest with the Lord whose holy liues and happy ends gaue good testimony hereof But to leaue these to the wise consideration of such whom they may concerne and to giue vnto all to whom these presents shall come a iust account of my proceedings herein I doe professe that for many yeares past I haue had my thoughts much exercised about this prime grace of Faith by which alone we receiue all sauing grace and without which none and after that by long experience I found through conference with many of diuers sorts that very few attained to the true knowledge much lesse to the right vse of Faith either in the assurance of their saluation or well ordering of their conuersation For to passe ouer all carnall Protestants who only haue a forme of godlinesse making an outward shew thereof and deny the power of it in walking after their owne lusts I haue obserued very many who haue in truth laboured after saluation yet through want of good direction haue made forsaking of their sinne the ground of their beleeuing and so building such a weightie matter vpon so weake a foundation could neuer come to such certaintie of their saluation or constancie in a holy conuersation as true Faith would haue brought them vnto Some others I haue seene who being deeply affected with the sense of their misery and knowing that there is no meanes of recouery but by Christ haue desired nothing more then to be deliuered and restored by him yet these not knowing the right way how to attaine to Faith by which alone doe receiue Christ and all his benefits haue spent many yeares vnprofitably and vnfruitfuâ—ly Others there be who perswading themselues that they haue Faith and thereby bee quieted from feare of condemnation yet much wanting the life and power of Faith neither so honour God and their profession nor in time of triall finde that sound peace and comfort which a liuely Faith would certainly procure By all which it appeareth how few they be that haue attained to the true knowledge of Faith what it is how it is goâ—ten and increased and how to liue by it The consideration whereof grieuing my soule to see so many mistaken in so weightie a matter and so much labour to be lost hath been the chiefe moouer of me to imploy all my thoughts how this great euill may be redressed Whereupon entering into deeper consideration how this might be attained I well perceiued that seeing Gods truth reuealed vnto vs in his Word is the sole ground of Faith the only way to get and keepe Faith is to bee well acquainted with Gods Word in which I cannot sufficiently admire the wisedome and loue of God in prouiding such store of heauenly comforts to releeue vs in all our necessities so that had wee the knowledge and the right vse of them we should then see what were the Life of Faith and the blessed estate of a beleeuer in this world aboue all other estates though neuer so excellent These thus being I gaue my selfe to the search of the Scriptures to finde out what these heauenly comforts were which God hath so abundantly prouided for our reliefe in all time of neede And to this purpose with no small labour haue gathered out all the promises as well as I could out of both the Testaments which being laide together made a great heape of heauenly treasure such as any of vnderstanding would greatly admire and reioyce in and I may in truth professe I was much affected with the bare reading of them But well considering that the naked laying downe of these promises would not be sufficient to direct euery one to the right vse and fit application of them for the begetting and increasing of Faith I haue laboured to draw these vnto seuerall heads such as in my opinion may containe all our necessities that at leastwise the weakest sort may more fitly apply them to their seuerall vses and so by Faith be comforted when all other helpes faile them If in this my labour I haue not so sufficiently satisfied the desires of the most iudicious I must content my selfe that according to the measure of grace receiued I haue laboured to be helpfull to such as stand in neede hereof and haue carefully auoided whatsoeuer I haue thought might hinder their profiting and specially all controuersies about Faith and haue plainly shewed out of the Scriptures what I haue conceiued to be the truth wherein I may haue this defence of my failing that I haue not had any guide in this labour neither haue I seene any who haue in this way gone before me and therefore I entreate my Reuerend brethren in the Ministerie whose abilities doe farre exceede mine that they would perfect this which is but weakely begun And for my part I will not cease to pray that this may be as profitable to others as painfull to my selfe which the Lord grant for his Christs sake Ezekel Culuerwell TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THE leading of a happy Life the attainement whereof this Treatise directeth vnto is that which all desire but Gods truth only discouereth and Faith only enioyeth In the first Adam our happinesse was in our owne keeping but he by turning from God to the creature made proofe what and whence he was a creature raised out of nothing and without the supporting power of Him in whom all things consist subiect to fall into a state worse then nothing againe Hence God out of his infinite power depth of goodnesse intending the glory of his mercy in restoring man would not trust man with his owne happinesse but would haue it procured and established in the person of a second Adam in whom we recouer a suter estate then we lost in the first for though Adams soule was ioyned to God yet
in all his promises yet nothing is more common then in time of tryall to distrust and feare God will not be as good as his word at least whatsoeuer is said wee feare wee shall perish We need not seeke for proofe hereof which is so recorded in the liues of the most worthy seruants of God who are otherwise highly commended for their faith hee that hath any insight into himselfe may see too much of this in himselfe how ready wee are to call into question Gods truth when God deferreth the helpe we looked for To passe by all others and to see this in the matter we haue in hand from whence is it that so few of those that bee truly humbled in the sight of their miserie who know and desire Christ yea more who haue heard and in generall beleeued the Gospell that it is the glad tydings of saluation that Christ bids al that be heauie laden to come vnto him and hee will ease them what is the cause I say that so few of these doe so laie hold on Gods word as to beleeue and to rest assured of their saluation by Christ I know no better answer then this that when it comes to our selues wee cannot beleeue God will performe his word to vs some thing or other will bee obiected by our vnbeleeuing hearts why we may not beleeue Against all which we haue no other buckler to hold out but Gods truth Psal 31. 5. as Psal 91. 4. His truth shall be thy shield and buckler which is such that hee cannot lie nor deceiue To this end it is that God is called the God of truth Reu. 3. 14. Christ the faithfull and true witnesse Ioh. 14. 17. the holy Ghost the Spirit of truth Ephe. 1. 13. the Gospell the word of truth that when our faithlesse hearts shall stagger and doubt whether that shall bee which God hath spoken we may stay our selues vpon this immoueable rocke God is faithfull 1 Cor. 19. As often it is repeated to strengthen our weake faith This then remaineth for the setling of the heart of the weake in faith That so oft as doubts arise concerning his saluation by Christ whether God so loue him that he hath giuen him his only begotten Sonne that he beleeuing might not perish but haue euerlasting life hee hath no other thing in the world to perswade him but this that God who cannot lie hath said it and therefore he may and ought to beleeue that Christ and all his benefits are his wherein the more to moue him he is to laie before him both what a great sinne it is not to beleeue no lesse then to make God a lyer 1 Iohn 5. 10. as the Apostle John expresly speaketh Ioh. 3. 18. and also what fearefull punishment it procureth euen a certaine and remedilesse condemnation as our Sauiour himselfe denounceth By these and the like considerations is true faith both first begotten and afterwards increased in all those that shall be saued which I haue more fully laid open not only for that it is the most principall matter to bee regarded concerning true sauing faith namely how he that hath it not may attaine to it But also for that it is if not the least knowne and laboured for Many seeke for markes of faith in vaine yet least attained vnto For I haue obserued many very inquisitiue for some markes of faith who neuer so much as knew any thing which might draw them effectually to beleeue And therefore now to end this point concerning the right and orderly way whereby an vnbeleeuer is brought to true and sauing faith my aduise is to all that finde their faith weake and consequently their liues much out of frame that first they take good heed whereupon they build their faith Build faith onely on Gods truth and that only vpon Gods mercy and truth reuealed in the Gospell which neuer changing are a sure foundation and not vpon their owne change which oft is deceitfull and at best variable and indeed is onely an effect and fruit of Faith accordingly shewing the strength and weakenesse of our faith and can by no meanes be made any cause thereof Thus haue we seene both what this faith is whereby the iust doe liue and by what meanes it is attained Now lest any should gather out of the former that any man may by his owne indeuour vsing these meanes attaine to faith I thinke meet to adde this that although it be Gods will and commandement to all to whom hee sendeth his Gospell Faith is not in mans power but wrought by Gods Spirit that they should beleeue receiue Christ offered vnto them and therefore it is the dutie of euery one so to doe and it is their sinne and shall be their condemnation who doe not thus as hath beene said in all respects yet such is the corruption of all man-kinde by Adams fall that not one soule hath either will or power to receiue this grace in Christ offered vnto him Rom. 11. 32. For God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe that he might haue mercy vpon al Act. 13. 48. and so many beleeued as were ordained to eternall life Eph. 2. 8. and Faith is the gift of God Ioh. 6. 44. and none can come to Christ except the Father draw him Which is wisely disposed by God that no man might haue cause to glory in himselfe but that the glory of mans saluation may bee giuen to God From whence it commeth that besides this common fauour of saluation in Christ tendred to all in the Gospell yea besides the common gifts of the Spirit which many receiue who neuer receiued Christ by faith As knowledge both of mans misery the remedy thereof sorrow for the one and desire of the other with such others besides these I say God doth giue his holy Spirit to all that shall be saued who doth inwardly draw and incline their hearts to beleeue Gods free and gracious promises and so thankfully to accept Christ offered vnto them whereby indeed they bee truely made partakers of Christ and all his benefites and thereby bee iustified and sanctified and shall be fully and euerlastingly glorified And thus is a poore sinner by Faith made the childe of God and heire of glorie Now before we proceed to our principall intention to shew how this Iustified man may liue by his faith It shall not be lost labour to shew how this may be knowne of any How it is knowne a man hath this faith that he hath this true faith and how euery true beleeuer may be able to proue that hee doth so this certaine and infallible knowledge in any man that hee hath true faith Riseth ioyntly from the causes effects therof not from either apart as shall bee shewed Vnder the causes I comprehend all that worke of God Causes of faith wherby he worketh faith in any which standeth especially in these three things 1.
holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the purchased possession vnto the praise of his glory So then euery one that will proue that he hath truely beleeued must be able to see and shew that he is thus sealed with the holy Spirit promised to all beleeuers The Spirit is knowne by his working How the Spirit is knowne which though manifold yet in this case may well be contained vnder these two Ioy and Loue as was before said in regard whereof this grace of the Spirit is not vnfitly compared to fire which hath two properties light and heate which though they bee vnseparable so that where fire is both these must needs bee yet they are not both alike sensible for oft the heare of fire may bee felt when no light can be seene so is it with these of Ioy Loue especially in weak beleeuers who though their faith bee so couered vnder their corruptions that they cannot oft times haue such sight thereof as might breed ioy and comfort in their saluation yet their loue to God can neuer bee so quenched that they shal feele no heate in it But if they shall bee well tried what hearts they beare to God it cannot bee hid but they beare a louing affection to him approuing of all that he doth to be well done yea though hee should condemne them being grieued for offending him and very desirous to please him All which and many the like be euident proofes of their true loue to God whereby they may proue that there is in them some perswasion of Gods loue towards them which cannot bee without true faith though faith in it selfe much lesse the ioy therein cannot bee seene And this I iudge to bee the cleerest proofe which a weake beleeuer may haue that he hath any faith which I deâ—iâ—e the more may bee regarded for that in my best experience I haue euer found nothing more auailable to comfort a truely afflicted conscience that is one whose heart is oppressed with sorrow for that seeing his miserie and desiring Christ his only remedie yet cannot beleeue at least cannot see he doth beleeue To returne then to these effects of Gods Spirit whereby it is manifest who hath the Spirit of God dwelling in him Euery one must examine his own heart what sound ioy and comfort hee hath of his saluation by Christ and what true loue he beareth to God for the same which two be as the two maine Armes of the tree of Life from whence doe issue and spring all other branches of a godly life From the former that is the Ioy of Faith doth grow all comfort in God that we shall receiue from him in due time and measure all needfull blessings From loue proceedeth a carefull conscience to yeeld God all cheerefull obedience both in dutie towards God and towards our neighbour in all which whosoeuer hath no part he may thereby know that as yet he hath not receiued Gods Spirit but on the other side if any man doe finde these in him and his heart doe not beguile him hee may haue boldnesse that he is a true liuing member of Christ But for so much as this is to too common that many bee deeply deceiued on both sides some and these the fewer and better sort mistrusting themselues that these are not in truth in them and so fearing they haue not truely receiued the Spirit and therefore are none of Christs when as in deed and in truth they haue both whose case is good though they see it not and so remaine vncomfortable Others the greater and worser sort doe flatter themselues they haue these and such other fruits of the Spirit and so haue true faith in Christ and saluation when indeed they haue none of these in truth but vaine shadowes of them It is a matter exceeding needfull to set downe some plaine and infallible markes of soundnesse whereby euery one may be able to discerne of his estate whether he haue rightly receiued the grace of God or no that hereby the sound hearted though weake and full of doubts may be quieted if not comforted and the proud hypocrites and presumptuous professor may bee discouered and discomforted wherein great care is to be had that the gate bee not made too wide to let in the Libertine and loose liuer or too straight to shut out the poorest and weakest beleeuer 1. One especiall marke of a sound heart I haue obserued chiefly in young Christians and weake beleeuers is a godly iâ—alousie of being deceiued with false faith Markes of soundnesse ioy and loue which maketh them carefull to examine themselues and willing to be tried by others yea they bee earnest with God to trie them to discouer to them the falsehood or weakenesse of their hearts that both may bee reformed Whereas on the other side the vnsound heart will not be tried but as he flatters himselfe all is well so he takes it very ill to be suspected by others 2. Another note that the grace we haue receiued is true and not counterset is this that vpon search finding that we haue some sorrow for our frailties and some desires of being cleansed by Christ and some faith and hope therein with some ioy and loue of God for the same yet we haue withall such a sight of our pouertie in all of these as makes vs often mourne for our wants and to thinke so meanely of our selues that we highly esteeme the graces of God in others and for our owne parts desire and labour for nothing more then to haue all these increased in vs. These and the like bee the humble thoughts and desires of those that haue truely tasted of Gods grace But they who thinke euery little pricke to be deepe wounding or carnall and worldly sorrow to be the true godly sorrow and their vaine wishes to be feruent desires their fantasies to be faith and so for all the rest of Gods gifts bestowed vpon them doe dote vpon them and their happinesse in them and so liue merrily casting away all mourning for their manifold corruptions and be very busie in censuring of others and aduancing themselues and now being full doe take their ease and grow sloathfull in holy exercises especially in priuat these I say and such like are farre from true regeneration and might if they were not blinded see their estate more dangerous then such as neuer saw the light 3. A third marke of a true Israelite such as Nathaniel was in whom was no guile may be this that he is the same inwardly and in deed which he is outwardly and in shew as the Apostle speaketh of the Iewe and of circumcision so may we of a Christian and of Baptisme Rom. 2. 28. That it must not be outward onely and in the flesh but inward of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Whereby appeareth that all such who onely make a
God will surely helpe him this wil make him so to rest contented and comforted as if hee had all present helpe that could be deuised So for spirituall if any should fall into sinne so as he had no hope of pardon and amendment yet then to beleeue so as to rest vpon Gods promise for both and so to be comforted this is to liue by faith The practise of both is plaine in scripture and in the liues of Gods faithfull seruants Notable is that of Abraham whereof Genesis which the Apostle citing Rom. 4. 18. affirmeth that he aboue hope beleeued in hope that hee might become the father of many nations according to that which was spoken so shal thy seed be Wherin it is euident that Abraham seeing no possibility in naturalreasoÌ„ that he being so old his wife not only barren from her youth but now past childe-bearing should haue a sonne yet he as it is said Not weak in faith considered not his owne body now dead when he was about an hundred yeares old neither yet the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe staggered not at the promise of God through vnbeliefe but was strong in faith and gaue glory to God and beeing fully perswaded that what he had promised hee was also able to performe The selfe same is to bee seene in that honorable company of thâ—se worthy seruants of God in all ages from the beginning of the world to that day mentioned Heb. 11. Who all are brought in as a cloude of witnesses testifiing this truth that The iust shall liue by faith In all which may appeare that in whatsoeuer estate or straight they were brought into yet they so liued by faith that nothing could dismaye them much lesse ouerthrow them By â—hose example wee might learne if that we would make the right vse hereof that what condition soeuer should befall vs that we might so rest on Gods word and promise for all helpe needefull that in greatest conflicts wee should bee more then conquerours Rom. 8. 37. as the Apostle speaketh What a blessed estate this were it is not hard to shew whereof wee may see more when wee haue better learned how to attaine hereunto thus to liue by faith which was the second thing in this point propounded How to attaine to liue by faith For the attaining whereof these two things are carefully to be performed First to call to minde Gods promises Secondly to apply them For the former in all time of need that is whensoeuer God shall bring vs into any straight that we see not any way of escaping or meanes for our reliefe in such sort that wee begin to sinke into many feares and vexations of minde then to inquire if there be any good word of the Lord spoken for our comfort that so calling it to minde wee might raise thereout such hope of helpe in due time as may quiet and content vs till wee doe enioy in effect that which before we did expect This doe I take to be the ground of all our faith whereby we liue be maintained and vpheld in all our trials As was before more fully laid out when I shewed the way how any doe at the first attaine to sauing faith which is no other here intended for the daily increase of faith that we may liue thereby but the continuance of the same meanes namely to call to minde and to lay before vs Gods gracious promises made to comfort his people in all their necessities that thereby we might bee comforted and quieted in all the tempests of our vnruly thoughts and distempered affections patiently to waite on God for his helpe which shall not bee wanting in that time sort measure which he seeth most meete This being then the ground of our faith whereby we liue namely Gods promises which are as so many Legacies bequeathed vs by our heauenly Father and by his Sonne Iesus Christ in his last wil and Testamenâ— what can be more behoouefull for vs then to search this wil TestameÌ„t for al such legacies as may coÌ„cerne vs seeing they be many some way or other to get into our mindes and memories at the least the most principall of these that we may haue them in a readines for our vse in all occasions to minister so good comfort as if wee had the best helpe present wee could deuise and desire What will be the gaine of this practise I had rather we found by proofe then heare by report and so I hope we shall doe when wee shall bee more particularly directed to put this instruction in practise But yet before hand for encouragement thus much will I say and no more then shall be found true That he who shall but endeauour in any truth to practise this which here is taught shall finde his whole profession whâ—t euer his condition shall bee of prosperity or aduersitie more easie and more comfortable And therefore to vtter my thoughts more plainely if may be I aduise all that be weake of memory and not so exercised in the scriptures as some are that they can readily vpon euery occasion call to minde such promises of of God How to gather promises as bee then most fit for their vse that such I say if they can write would collect and gather out of the holy Scriptures such special promises as they shal conceiue may most concerne them and be fittest to strengtheÌ„ their faith as need shall require For such as bee not able fitly thus to releeue themselues my next labour shall bee to gather some speciall promises such as I conceiue bee of most vse in our ordinary affaires and course of life and referre them to their places that they may more readily be runne vnto vpon all occasions and likewise I will shew how these may bee applyed to our seuerall necessities for the strengthening of our faith that so we may liue thereby and finde sufficient contentment in God when all other helpes faile All which wee shall hereafter more see in their place But now to proceede with that I haue in hand to shew how this vnualuable benefit of liuing by faith may be attained 1. The first thing required hereunto I haue shewed Psalm 85. 8 is to vse the Prophets words I will heare what God the Lord wil speak for hee will speake peace vnto his people and 〈◊〉 his Saints c. That is to call to minde what comfortable promises God hath made to his children in such case or condition as we be in that thereon wee may build our faith and liue thereby To which end this in the next place is to be performed that we may attaine to this grace to liue by our faith namely How to apply these promises to our selues That we wisely apply these promises both to our persons that wee be the true 〈◊〉 of them 〈◊〉 Secondly to our present condition That it is such as God hath specially made his promise vnto if the promise be speciall For
may haue free accesse into the Kings presence and to whom the King can denie nothing In a word to bee aduanced as Joseph in Pharaoes court or Mordecay in Ahashuerus Court so to bee taken into like fauour with God Yea more of an enemy to be made a sonne and heire yea coheire with Christ this is so high a fauour as more cannot bee conceiued Yet this is that which is here added to the former That we who bee iustified by Faith Rom. 5. 2. by Christ haue accesse through faith vnto this grace wherein wee stand Which I thus vnderstand as I said that wee be not onely fully and freely discharged from all Gods displeasure iustly conceiued for our sinne and so a full peace made betweene God and vs But hereby also wee bee aduanced to that high dignity to be the sonnes of God as it is called Iohn 1. 12. Which is that grace wherein wee now stand Rom 5. 2. By meanes whereof we may boldly crie Abba Father and haue free accesse to come into his presence to aske what wee will with assurance it shall bee done vnto vs as Christ himselfe promiseth Ioh. 16. 23 24. Iohn 15. 7. And from hence doe flowe all other blessings as fruits and effects of this grace and fauour into which we be admitted Among which one principall followes in this Scripture That we reioyce in the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5. 2. That is how contemptible soeuer our state bee in this world which vsually is bad enough yet we haue hope of such a glorious estate to come 3 Ioy of saluation with God in his kingdome as doth make vs not onely inwardly to reioyce but openly to expresse it in word and deed In word when in a heauenly manner wee doe boast as it were of our honours which wee shall haue with God when we shall bee receiued into his kingdome as we reade Paul did oft Rom. 8. 18 38. 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. In deed when we openly shew Phil. 3. 8 9 10. that on the one side wee are content to forgoe these transitorie preferments 2 Cor. 4. 17. which the worldlings so magnifie that they fell heauen for them A worthy patterne whereof was Moses Heb. 11. 24. That hee when hee was come to yeeres 25. refused to be called the sonne of Pharaoes daughter 26. chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enioy the pleasure of sinne for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egipt For he had respect to the recompence of reward And on the other side when wee are willing to doe as our Lord and Master Christ did Who for the ioy that was set before him endured the Crosse and despised the shame and is set downe at the right hand of the throne of God Heb. 12. 2. So when wee shall bee willing to suffer with Christ that we may reigne with him and shall count that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bee compared with the glory that shall be reuealed Rom. 8. 18 then doe we truely glory in the hope of the glory of God and to say the truth as none can doe these but such as haue hope of this glory so he that hath this hope cannot but count all doung for Christ and to bee glorified with him for howsoeuer it bee most true of this glory that it is such as eye hath not seene eare hath not heard neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceiue of the excellencie of this glorie yet God hath giuen to his beloued such a glimpse of it as Peter Math. 17. 1 James and Iohn had in the mount of Christs glory 2 Pet. 1. 17 That they doe conceiue their vilde bodies shall be changed and made like to the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3. 21. Their soules shall be cleansed from all spottes Eph. 5. 27. and clothed with the perfect righteousnesse of Christ and both in soule and body to be like vnto Christ 1 Ioh. 3. 3. and so glorified with him 2 Thess 1. 10. that he shall bee glorified in them and they with him sit in his throne Reu. 3. 21. yea more and aboue all that can be vttered that they shall haue such vnion with Christ as shall bring them to be one with God the Father Ioh. 17. 21. as Christ and his Father are one Which is that for which our Sauiour himselfe praied vnto his Father All which so farre exceeding the short reach of our weake capacitie wee may see cause sufficient why they who are assured by faith they shall certainely and fully enioy this glory when they lay downe this earthly tabernacle As the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 1. expresly affirmeth why they I say doe thus reioyce and glory in this glory of God How great a benefite this is though it cannot be valued yet euery one who hath his sences exercised to discerne both good and euill may easily see that it is such and so great as nothing to bee desired may bee compared with it And therefore there is cause enough to drawe all that knowe it to spare no cost or paines for the attayning to it In the next words Rom. 5. 3 the Apostle yet not satisfied in setting out the singular benefites which are enioyed by this life of faith addeth this as a great enlargement of the former That the beleeuer doth not onely so that is in a holy manner Glory in the hope of Gods glory but we glory also in tribulation knowing that tribulation worketh patience v. 4. and patience experience and experience hope v. 5. hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is giuen to vs wherein he intendeth that such is the power of faith where it is liuing that it so quieteth and comforteth Gods children in their meanest condition that they not onely reioyce in the hope of that glorie to come which is the best part of their estate but which is much more admirable that they finde matter of outward reioycing in the worst part Reioycing in afflictions that is in tribulations and afflictions of what kinde soeuer which is no more then God requires by his Apostle Iames 1. 2. My brethren count it all ioy when you fall into diuers temtations knowing that the triall of your faith worketh patience c. Whereof we haue the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 12. 10. a worthie example who saith of himselfe Therfore I take pleasure in infirmities 2 Cor. 12. 10. in reproches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christ his sake Which if it shall be well considered how vnwelcome these be to the naturall man and nippe the heart of all his comforts and reioycings it will bee counted a singular benefite in all of these to be more then conquerers as the Apostle saith Rom.
intend What benefite it is to liue by faith Which may more manifestly be seene by the Apostles own words in the scripture Rom. 5. 1. where he of purpose vndertakes to set out what is the blessed estate of those that be iustified by faith and so brings in all these singular benefites we haue mentioned Yea and addeth that it is by faith that wee haue accesse into this grace wherein wee stand And to say the truth as hath beene said alreadie neither these nor any other sauing grace or true blessing is obtained but by faith And therefore I may conclude that hee that lookes to finde any comfort in this life and to nourish the hope of a better let him make it his chiefe indeauour thus to liue by faith by which alone these and ail that may be desired are enioyed And thus would I leaue this point to be proued rather by experience then by argument and so come to that I chieflie aime at to bring this doctrine into practise and as I promised to collect some speciall promises and to shew how they are to bee applied particularly to euery person and condition to whom they belong But that I remember there is one other singular vse of Faith whereof though we stand in great need yet it is very weakely attained because it is so little sought after Another benefite of liuing by faith is our Sanctification And this it is how by faith wee might more master our greatest corruptions and better discharge those duties wherein wee most faile Wherein the more to moue all that reade this better to regard it I doe with hearts griefe bewaile to see so many of whom I conceiue good hope that they haue truly receiued the grace of God that yet neither themselues can feele nor others discerne any apparant growth in true sanctification either in the subduing of their chiefest infirmities or such a walking in their places as beseemeth their condition But in generall such a conformitie to the corruptions of the times such deadnesse of spirit in all holy exercises with a grosse and continuall neglect or common abuse of them as priuate reading meditation and prayer Many blemishes in regenerate persons instruction and wise gouernment of their Families holy conference in their brotherly meetings with such care of edifying one another And on the other side such vaine and sinfull merrie-making that there is but small difference betweene them and meere naturall men As for their worldly dealings as eagerly following the world and contending thereabouts as busily following their pleasure with curiositie in houses apparell decking their children and the like and generally such setting their mindes and affections vpon these things here below as men that are not risen with Christ I might say no lesse of their vnmercifulnesse many waies and great impatiencie in euery thing that crosseth them with sundrie the like great and long continued blemishes of their holy profession and iust abaters of their spirituall comforts in such sort that I haue seen heard the deathes of many to haue had little to be reioyced in and no maruell seeing they tooke so little care either to glorifie God in their life or to win others or to make their calling election sure It was most iust with God that their death should want of that glory with others comfort to themselues which others of Gods childreÌ„ do enioy who liuing by faith haue learned better to bridle their vnruly affections more wisely to walke to the honor of God edification of others peace to their owne consciences All which is attained by â—aith notwithout it as hath before bin touched and now shall further be made manifest The Apostle Romanes 7. 14 saith speaking of himselfe beeing now regenerate saith That the Lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder sinne which in many words following hee prooueth and exclaimes saying vers 18. For I know that in mee that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I finde not and more to like effect Whereout this may euidently be gathered that euen in those that haue true faith Strength of sinne in true beleeuers and be effectually regenerated there remaineth such a corrupt nature as keepeth them from many good duties and carrieth them to suâ—dry euill actions yea and that with such strong hand oftentimes that they haue no power to withstand as followes where he compares himselfe to a poore souldiour taken prisoner by the enemy and helde in captiuity till he be rescued by his captaine meaning that Gods children are oft so held captiues to their corruptions that they haue no power to resist much lesse to ouercome till by the power of Christ they be deliuered out of this thraldome as may bee seene in all the particulars before mentioned As for example when a poore Christian shall be so possessed with the loue of this worldly wealth that though he desire and purpose to be more mercifull to Gods needy Saints yet when he comes to it he cannot ouercome himselfe to relieue according to his ability and their necessitie but euen against the light of his conscience either giues not or not so much as he should So much more for lending for conscionable buying and selling and as in all matters of profite so of pleasure hee that is in captiuity to them no purposes prayers no vowes can keepe him backe but he will obey his lust in vaine apparrell in going to playes in cardes dice and other gaming 's The impotency of many in withstanding their lusts shewes in what captiuity they be held likewise in reuenge and vncharitable thoughts of such as haue done them wrong They which be able to discerne their owne corrupt nature may easily see with what difficultie they doe bridle their lusts nay oft how impossible it is to giue to such as offend them a good word or a good countenance By all which and many the like it euidently appeares that many of Gods children be thus held in captiuity that they cannot by all the strength they haue get out so that without they bee deliuered by Christ they shal bequite ouercome which the Apostle himselfe in this very place expresseth where complaining hereof with griefe and admiration at the difficulty of the worke not in any despaire cryeth out Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Wherunto he makes answere himselfe saying I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord meaning that though hee sawe neither in himselfe nor in any creature beside any power to deliuer him from the corruption of nature which brings death where it is not subdued yet hee sawe such helpe in Christ as made him ioye to giue thankes to God for the same Wherein I obserue a worthy practise of this which I chiefly endeauour to drawe beleeuers vnto namely How by faith to
nature and to make him willing to doe Gods will though against his corrupt will this man need not doubt but that he hath the true feare of God which is so certaine a marke of Gods fauour and of euerlasting happinesse And this is the vse Gods children are to make hereof Vse Thus we see how the faithfull may by these two particular fruites of their faith loue and feare bee confirmed in the assurance of their saluation by Christ The same may be shewed in all the rest which the Scripture makes to be so many testimonies of sauing grace and happinesse to those that haue them As Blessed are the poore in spirit Mat. 5. 3. 10. they that mourne the humble meeke such as hunger after righteousnesse mercifull pure in heart peace-makers persecuted for righteousnesse sake All which are in this place gathered together by our Sauiour Christ to crosse the corrupt opinion of the world and to shew that they whom the world account aboue all men most miserable are indeed truly and onely happy The like hee doth in other places Mat. 16 28 19. 29. where hee maketh the denying of our selues Mar. 10. 30. taking vp the Crosse and following him forsaking all for him and for the Gospell to bee sure tokens to bee his who shall haue an hundred-fold in this world Luk. 9. and in the world to come life euerlasting To end this whole matter of assurance of saluation and to passe ouer many other fruites of Faith which doe proue the same as the confession of sinne mortification thereof ouercomming and Perseuerance All which bee oft made certaine proofes of happinesse This is the maine vse which is to bee made of all these Vse as hath oft been said that when as it oft falleth out with Gods children especially such as haue weake faith and tender consciences that they beholding their pronenesse to sinne and deadnesse of spirit to all holy duties doe fall into great feares and doubts of their saluation this may be some staie vnto them that they may see some of these fruites of their faith in them euen when they be at the lowest ebbe of grace by which they may comfort themselues that though they bee very sicke and weake yet they be not starke dead For whose sakes I will adde this obseruation by mine owne experience wherewith I haue quieted the mindes of many much perplexed in this case Markes of faith which is not seene for that they could not see they had any faith that there is a true liuing faith in many who haue no feeling thereof I haue obserued these foure vnfallible proofes 1. Vnquiet for want of faith First where Faith is and not felt the partie in whom it is cannot see that he hath any Faith is grieued for want of Faith and cannot bee quiet for want of it but mourneth as if hee had none which for the most part is the state of those that bee truely afflicted in conscience who faine would beleeue but yet in their owne sense doe not And yet in my experience I neuer knew any such who had any knowledge of the doctrine of Faith but indeed they had some Faith though they saw it not 2. Spare no meanes to get foitfi This will more appeare by the next effect of this insensible faith which is this that they who haue Faith and yet feele it not be very painefull in vse of all good meanes both publike and priuate by themselues and with oothers wherby they might hope to get this pretious gift of Faith which hardly would any doe if hee had not some taste of the sweetnesse of Faith though hee feele it not which so stirres vp his heart to seeke after it and therefore I hold this constant seeking of Faith to be a token of some to be in him alreadie A third and more principall effect of Faith in these 3. Carrie a good heart to God is this that though they see not Gods Fatherly loue to them yet they cannot thinke hardly of God but lay all the fault on themselues why they haue no more grace yea they will commend Gods mercie to others and cannot endure any dishonour to God which great loue of theirs to God doth shew they are loued of him yea that they haue by Faith apprehended it though they see it not and feare they haue it not The fourth proofe of Faith 4. A good conscience where it is not seene may be this that such haue a tender conscience shunning small sinnes which others dare boldly doe and bee carefull to please God in euery thing which many who be not so disquieted be more carelesse of So then if there bee any poore soules who cannot see their faith yet if they can see any of these effects of Faith in themselues let them know for a truth and to their comfort that they haue true Faith shall be saued And thus haue I said what I thinke meet for this first point how we may daily get more assurance that we be now in Gods fauour and shall want no good thing in this life and shall certainly in the end come to life euerlasting Which I againe doe exhort euery one who lookes for any blessing from God either in this life or that to come aboue all to labour for seeing without this assurance that wee be in Gods fauour how can wee looke for any blessing from God earthly or spirituall temporall or eternall whereas being assured hereof we may boldly looke for all other blessings needfull for our present comfort and eternall happinesse Concerning all which seeing the Lord who did well know the frailtie of his owne children All other blessings depend on this how readie they are vpon euery occasion to doubt of his helpe hath so plentifully recorded in the Scriptures both generally what a fatherly care hee hath of their welfare and also more specially what helpe they may look for from him in their particular necessities I doe not doubt but it will bee worth our labour to consider of them both and all little enough to comfort vs in our greatest need And first of the generall which containe vnder them all good things which God hath prepared and promised to all his children Of this sort may that come first which is the ground of all the rest namely that God will bee our God and of our seed after vs as hee said to Abraham the Father of the faithfull Gen. 17. 7. and so belongeth to all beleeuers as the Apostle shewes Rom. 4. 11. 16. which selfe same promise was after repeated to Abrahams posterity in al ages to be a staffe of comfort to them at all times therefore is it oft said That God is the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Iacob Likewise God said to the people of Israel And I will take you to me to bee a people and I will be to you a God And most notable is that
point to quiet the minds of all that be troubled with the doubt how they shall be able to get the mastery ouer their greatest corruptions If any should further require to haue particular promises for particular sinnes hee is to know that howsoeuer the Lord doth sometimes descend to particulars Ezek. 36. 25 26. as that the wil cleanse them frō their Idols and that he will take away the stony heart out of them and such like Yet this is not done in euery sin neither is it needfull for when God speaketh so generally that he will clense vs from all vnrighteousnes and that he will heale al our diseases and the like many as we haue seene in the forenamed places who would require more Let vs then learne to apply these generall promises to our particular occasions I nothing doubt but it will as sufficiently comfort vs as if the Lord had saide in particular hee will kill our pride our vnbeleefe our hypocrisie and the rest Onely let vs be familiarly acquainted with these as need shal require and be oft in meditation vpon these whereof wee shall haue daily vse and hereunto ioyne feruent prayer that the Lord would perswade vs by his Spirit thus to rest vpon his promise for his helpe in our greatest need and then shal we more couragiously set our selues against our greatest sinnes and dayly more and more get the victory ouer them all to the honour of God and of our holy profession to the good ensample and incouragement of our brethren and to the present comfort and saluation of our owne soules c. THE THIRD generall head of liuing by faith is concerning holy duties THus hauing seene how we are to gather out of Gods promises daily more certainety of our saluation both by faith and by the principall fruits thereof and in the second place how wee may bee daily more assured of a full victory ouer all our corruptions that they shall neuer ouercome vs but wee them which must needs bring much comfort to all poore distressed soules who groane vnder the burthen of them till they may be eased Wee are to proceede to the third generall point propounded wherein wee are to haue vse of our faith against those many doubts which arise in our hearts how we who be so full of frailty and so weake in grace may yet be able to performe all those duties which God requireth at our hands both towards his maiesty in the first table of the ten commandements and towards man our selues and others in the second table and that in such manner as may bee pleasing to him For howsoeuer many carnall professours in truth little better then hypocrites imagine it is no such hard matter to leade a godly life and so content themselues with such common duties as may vpholde a name in profession of true Religion as frequenting the publike assemblies saying prayers in their houses and liuing honestly among their neighbours all which must bee done and many come not so farre yet they who haue truely tasted of Gods mercy in their redemption by Christ doe know that God hath deserued better seruice at their hands What holinesse God requires and requires more duty of them 1. Pet. 1. 15 namely That as he who hath called them is holy so they must bee holy in all manner of conuersation and that it must be their chiefe Study to adde to their faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance 2. Pet. 1. 4. 6. and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse 7. brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnes charity And for the manner of their seruice it must bee 1. without feare that is not seruile and constrained but willing and cheerefull 2. vniuersall in holinesse towards God in righteousnes towards mē 3. before him as in his sight sincerely Luk. 1 78. 75. 4. all the dayes of their life constantly in all estates vnto the end and so to please God in all things Col. 1. 10. The faithfull people of God know Gods children vnable thus to liue by themselues that this is the life which God in his word so much requireth at their hands and which they so earnestly desire and endeauour to performe But so are they beset round with sinne Heb. 12. 1. and oft so taken captiue by the power of their corrupt nature That when they would doe good euill is present with them Rom. 7. 21 whereby it comes to passe that all euen the strongest Christians finde it a matter aboue their ability thus to leade their liues and many of the weaker sort bee oft discouraged to see how weakely they performe all Christian duties And no meruaile for seeing the regenerate themselues haue not receiued any such measure of grace whereby they may thus willingly and throughly sincerely and constantly so serue God as to feare him with reuerence and godly feare Heb. 12. 28 witnesse the slips and fals of the most worthy seruants of God but all our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3. 5. 12. 9. and his grace must bee sufficient for vs Ioh. 15. 5. and his power must bee magnified in our weakenesse and without Christ we can doe nothing Out of all this may be gathered what need we haue of faith to enable vs to leade this life wherby we may please God and finde comfort to our soules Which shall further appeare What is necessary to please God if we well consider what is necessarily required of vs sinners that we may please God in any duty we performe which I conceiue be these three 1. First a conscionable indeauour to doe the will of God Mat. 7. 21. in such sort as hee in his word commandeth 2. Secondly Psal 51. 17 a true griefe for our many failings heerein Esa 66. 2. both in the deede Heb. 11. 6. and right manner of doing 3. Thirdly a beliefe that God for Christs sake will assist vs and accept of our weake obedience All which as we see be euident in the scripture and oft required so are they as manifest by reason that seeing Gods will is the rule of all equity therefore whatsoeuer swarueth from it though neuer so little must needes be vnequall and so displeasing to God And on the other side seeing all our righteousnesse is as a stained or defiled cloath such as Gods pure eyes cannot endure of necessity it follows that they who will be acceptable to God must come vnto God in Christ All our sufficiency is in Christ receiued by faith both for strength to do that which God requireth and for fauour that God will bee pleased to accept of the satisfaction made by Christ for the pardon of their defects in their best duties and for the allowing of their obedience to bee well liking in his sight Whereupon it necessarily followes that whosoeuer intends so to leade a godly life that he may be pleasing