shall live by faith The great scope of the eleven first Chapters is to prove Justification by faith in Christ against those that did hold Justification by works of the Law he layeth down his position in this cause and bringeth in this The just shall live by faith And hee doth oppose Justification by Faith to Justification by the Law Gal. 3.11 But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident For the just shall live by faith 2. As it relates to a Christians Sanctification Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in mee and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved mee and gave himself for mee Though the main argument here is Justification yet this living by faith is in respect of Sanctification chiefly at least which I think the scope of the place yeelds for Paul having vers 19. laid down this as an argument why a beleever cannot be justified by the Law because hee is dead to it that hee might give a reason of this likewise why a beleever is dead to the Law or must needs be so he glides off from the main argument of Justification into this of Sanctification as by the by that I might live to God What is that Why perform obedience now to God or bring forth fruit to God as Rom. 7. v. 4 5 6. Wherefore my Brethren yee also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ that yee should bee married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that wee should bring forth fruit unto God Which argument being now digressed into hee prosecutes in the next verse wherein as is clear hee goes on to speak of Sanctification for hee speaks of Christs living in him which is not our Justification that is by Christ without us and so his living by faith is to bee understood in respect of that viz. Sanctification which in the former verse and beginning of this hee was speaking of 3 As it relates to a Christians Expectation or waiting So Habak 2.4 For the Vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speake and not lye Though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry Behold his soule which is lifted up is not upright in him But the just shall live by his faith Speaking of the Vision delayed hee saith The just shall live by faith i.e. expect the coming thereof and wait for it in a way of beleeving 4 As it relates to a Christians perseverance So Heb. 10.38 Now the just shall live by faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him Which words if you compare them with the foregoing verse seem to bee of the same sense with them in Habakkuk to bee spoken of a life of expectation vers 37. For yet a little while and hee that shall come will come and will not tarry Now the just shall live by Faith But compared with the following words in this and the next verse they concern perseverance because in this verse drawing back is set in opposition to living by faith and again vers 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that beleeve to the saving of the soul Beleeving is set in opposition to drawing back In these places we have a four-fold life 1 Of Justification 2 Of Sanctification 3 Expectation 4 Perseverance In every of which we are to live by faith or we are to live by faith for these four things in an especial manner viz. Justification Sanctification Expectation and Perseverance Quest 2. How doth faith act or what is it that faith doth in those persons which live by faith as touching either of these things Answ In order to which I shall premise this word That I shall not go about to prescribe any one way or order that the Spirit of God while it enables a soul to live by faith in either of these walks in or works in so as to tye up all Saints to that way or manner of working which experience teacheth to be dangerous and to administer matter of stumbling to poore souls for as the Wisdome of God in his VVord is manifold so the workings of the Spirit of God in the hearts of the faithful through which they are enabled to live by faith are manifold and various though in the substance all agreeing As in our Justification so in all the rest one is enabled to live by faith herein from such a principle another from such a principle yea the same person looking upon himself at sundry times shall finde that one while his faith springs from one principle or consideration another while from another As for example perhaps to day I beleeve my Justification and go on beleeving it for a week or a moneth together from such a consideration as this viz. God hath made a Covenant with me in his Son and this is unchangeable as not made upon condition of my obedience so noâ— broken by my disobedience and hence I beleeve I am justified Another while perhaps this principle is not so lively and vigorous as to keep up my faith but then another doth it as this God justifies the ungodly now saith the soul though I cannot say I am a Saint yet this I can say I am an ungodly one well God justifies the ungodly this is a precious truth I own it I cleave to it I am an ungodly one a Sinner I beleeve God justifies me VVhen this hath kept up faith a while then it may be the life and vigour of this goes off the heart too and then come another as this The righteousness of Jesus Christ by which poor sinners are justified is a perfect compleat righteousness this righteousness is given to those that beleeve to such he becomes the Lord their righteousness I am a poore Sinner of my own I have no righteousness this I do I cleave to his righteousness which is persect and able fully to justifie my poor soul and I do in some measure beleeve that I have a share in this righteousness it is mine and that I am thereby justified in the sight of God These Principles with many others though diverse in themselves yet do they sweetly agree in the maine all leading the soul to something without for justification And truly this premisal is very necessary and material for how ordinary is it with poor souls if so be their faith hath been carried out from such a principle and they hear another in relating his experience hath been carried out from another to question the truth of their own at least to have some jealousies about it yea some poor souls are sometimes ready to stagger when they look upon themselves and consider the last moneth or the last year I had much strength and ability to beleeve from such a
the Resurrection of Christ it did revive and hath quickning already Saith the soul though I am dead my graces lye as though dead affections dead heart in duty dead yet I have quickning in Christ I have a stock of life in Jesus Christ Coloss 3.3 Yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God though it do not for the present appear it is hid with Christ 3 Faith in this business of vivification sheweth the soul that there is a streame of vertue and efficacy comes from the resurrection of Jesus Christ quickning of it and this is that Paul presseth after That I may know him and the power of his Resurrection Phil. 3.10 That I may have the power of his Resurrection raising and quickning of mee The Resurrection of Christ though but one act yet hath a continual stream of vertue flowing from it for the quickning of souls 4 Faith taketh hold of any word of promise in the book of God that may bee any ground of encouragement to beleeve his quickning it as that word of Christ Joh. 10.10 I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly See saith Faith Jesus Christ is come that I might have life And because I live yee shall live also Joh. 14.19 because there is life in Christ shall I live then I will go to him for life Quest 3. Why is a Christian to live by faith for Sanctification Answ 1. Because our sanctification is altogether of grace therefore the Spirit by which wee are sanctified is said to bee given of God and the blood of Jesus Christ which hath such an influence into Sanctification that is of Grace It was of Grace that Christ shed his blood of more grace that this blood of Christ should bee applied to thy soul for the washing away of thy sin So Faith which is a help in our Sanctification that is of Grace therefore Faith is said to bee the gift of God Eph. 2.8 And to you it is given to beleeve Now if Sanctification bee of Grace wee are to live by faith for it 2 Because our Sanctification as well as our Justification is primarily in the Lord Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is made Sanctification to us 1 Cor. 1.30 and so wee are to live by faith for it for whatsoever is in the Lord Christ I am to partake of it by faith 3 Because wee have promises of Sanctification What I have a promise for I am to live by faith for because the promise is the ground of faith but wee have promises of Sanctification of MORTIFICATION Sin shall not have dominion over yon Rom. 6.14 of VIVIFICATION because I live yee shall live also Joh. 14.19 therefore wee are to live by faith in it 4 Because we are to pray for Sanctification and therefore we are to beleeve for it What is my duty to pray for I am to beleeve for because Prayer must bee in faith Every Petition I put up to God in Prayer it is my duty whether I do it or no to act faith in the thing desired If I am to pray for it I am to beleeve for it But I am to pray for it Jesus Christ teacheth us to pray for it when hee himself prayed for our Sanctification Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth and Jesus Christ teaches it in that Prayer we call the Lords Prayer the three first Petitions respecting in a great part our Sanctification Hallowed be thy Name It is as much as that God would help us to honour and Sanctifie his great Name Thy Kingdome come It is as much as to pray that God would set up his Spiritual Kingdom in our hearts that we might bee ruled and guided by his Spirit having all corruption mortified and grace quickned Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven This is as much as to pray that wee poor creatures here on earth might do the will of God so freely fully and cheerfully as the Saints in Heaven So that wee are to pray for Sanctification and then wee are to beleeve for it because our Prayer must bee in faith Quest 4. What is the difference between that Sanctification which ariseth from an enlightned conscience and that Sanctification which ariseth from faith or beleeving There is a Sanctification which ariseth from the meer dictates of the Law of Nature and that Sanctification the Heathen Moralists attained to a great deal of And there is a Jewish Sanctification or Legal and that is such a Sanctification as is begotten by the terrors of the Law But there is another Sanctification and that is a Gospel-Sanctification that is such a Sanctification as is wrought in the soul from the beholding the love of God in Jesus Christ such a Sanctification as is wrought from beleeving his Justification Now there is a great difference between this Sanctification and the other which arises onely from an enlightned conscience for both arise from an enlightned conscience the one from conscience being enlightned by Natures law the other from the written Law but there is a great difference Answ 1. That which ariseth from natural conscience is something of the more gross part of Sanctification but a piece and doth not take in any thing of the finer part of Sanctification A forsaking some sins that are outward and gross his conscience cannot but flye in his face so that hee shall not rest quietly night nor day such as Drunkenness Adultery and the like It is in respect of those duties that are more apparent such as Prayer hearing the word such if a man should let alone hee should have no quiet nor peace in conscience But that Sanctification that cometh from faith that is in respect of the inward more secret evils of the soul the secret rising of pride unbeleef and passion and so for more inward duties that Sanctification teacheth a man to deny himself to submit himself to Gods will to be content with Gods disposal 2. That Sanctification which cometh from an inlightned conscience onely raiseth a man to bee more self conceited but that Sanctification that cometh from faith and beleeving throweth a man down in respect of all self-conceit it maketh a man more mean and low in his own eyes As the Scribes and Pharisees and Jews in our Saviours time they had a great deal of this outward holiness and Sanctification but see how it puffed them up how they stand upon tip-toes and crow over poor Harlots and Publicans as not fit to come in the company of such as they were But that which cometh from faith maketh the soul more humble What abundance of Sanctification Paul had hee did press after perfection did walk more like one in heaven than on earth yet hee could look upon himself as the least of Saints concerning acting for God labouring in the work of God hee preached the Gospel from Jerusalem to Illiricum laboured more abundantly than they all yet how humble Yet not I but
knowing well by good experience the worth of him did till she had found him shee runs about the streets seeking of him shee meets one and asks him Can you tell mee of my Beloved No away shee goes and runs to another Can you tell mee of my Beloved No So you should have men and women now do if they did but apprehend what a promise were worth you should have them go home and the man would not be at quiet to eat his dinner or go to bed at night but hee would run to such an honest man his neighbour and say O good neighbour I was told to day what unspeakable worth the promises are of and how that all these are to bee had in Christ Can you tell mee how I may come to have this Christ mine that so all these may bee mine and if hee could not answer him satisfactorily hee would run to the next honest man his neighbour and ask him after the same manner Ah were the worth of Promises known you should have many a poor man here that hath a godly wife or a godly childe that knows Christ though it may bee hee hath little cared for them now go home and the husband would say Ah wife I heard the worth of promises and that all these are in Christ couldest thou tell mee somewhat of Christ now And the father or mother would say Ah son ah daughter indeed I have not loved thee as I should but childe I heard the worth of Promises and that all these are in Christ couldest thou tell mee somewhat of Christ now And if poor sinners would do thus how many godly wives hearts would leap to hear this coming from their carnal husbands and godly children to hear this from their carnal parents Sinners O close with Christ then all the Promises shall bee yours Some of you are Marriners and going out to Sea and now suppose as such things have befallen others your ship should sink under you or bee cast away by stress of weather as soon as you are in the Ocean what would a promise then a pardon of sin of God being your God be worth Some of you are Souldiers and though you are here yet you do not know how soon you may bee called out to meet your enemies in the field and suppose there thou that now drinkest and art merry shouldest bee shot thorow or run thorow and lye wallowing in thy blood and gasping for breath what then would a promise of the forgiveness of thy sins of heaven everlasting life be worth O come to Christ Object 1. My sins are so great I dare not come Answ 1. Greatness of sin should not keep thee from Christ who came to save the greatest sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief 2 Thy greatest sin is not to come to Christ Unbeleef is the greatest sin under the Gospel Mark 16. v. 14. Afterward hee appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat and upbraided them with their unbeleef and hardness of heart because they beleeved not them which had seen him after he was risen Luke 24. v. 25. Then hee said unto them O fools and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have spoken Rom. 11. v. 20. Well because of unbeleef they were broken off If it were under the Law then much more under the Gospel but so it was Psal 78. v. 18. to 23. And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust yea they spake against God they said Can God furnish a table in the wilderness v. 20. Behold hee smote the rock that the waters gushed out and the streams overflowed Can hee give bread also Can hee provide flesh for his people v. 21. Therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth so a fire was kindled against Jacob and anger also came up against Israel v. 22. Because they beleeved not in God and trusted not in his salvation Heb. 3.19 They could not enter in because of unbeleef The sentence of damnation in the Gospel is pronounced against sinners not as sinners but unbeleevers Mark 16. v. 16. He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved hee that beleeveth not shall bee damned Joh. 3.18 Hee that beleeveth not is condemned already because he hath not beleeved in the name of the onely begotten Son of God vers 19. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light vers 36. Hee that beleeveth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him 2 Thess 2.12 That they all might bee damned who beleeved not the truth 3 Saints of former ages have made this a ground of incouragement not of discouragement Psal 25.11 For thy names sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great 4 All manner of sin the greatest is pardonable Mark 3. v. 28. Verily I say unto you All sins shall bee forgiven unto the sons of men and blasphemies wherewithsoever they shall blaspheme but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness 5 Gods design in the last age is to declare the exceeding riches of Grace Eph. 2.7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Jesus Christ This is shewn in pardoning great sinners Object 2. But had I a broken heart I could come mine is as a flint I dare not Answ Either it is in thy power to get this or out of thy power the former none will grant if the latter then come to Christ for it The way to have thy heart broken is to come to Christ Goats blood dissolveth the Adamant which the hammer cannot break so the blood of Christ dissolveth the Adamantine heart Zach. 12.10 They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his onely son Ezek. 16. last That thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord God Object 3. But I shall presume in coming to Christ. Answ 1. Not so long as thou expectest all not for thy merit but his mercies sake 2 Not so long as thou hast no resolution to have Christ and hold any sin Object 4. But I have been an enemy to him an opposer scoffer at his wayes and people Answ It is sad to oppose but consider 1 That all that ever have been reconciled have had enmity in their natures to Christ and his wayes which hath not hindred their reconciliation Eph. 2. v. 1 2 3 4. Col. 1.21 And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minde by wicked works yet now hath hee reconciled 2 That there are many soules now in heaven who have acted forth their enmity in as high a way
unto thee and though I am still as vile a Sinner as any man in the world yet am I as just before thee as any Saint in heaven though I have nothing of my own to boast of before thee except it bee my shame and nakedness yet have I that of anothers wherein I boast and glory and herein will I glory though of my self I will not glory but of mine infirmities This righteousness of Jesus Christ which is neither the righteousness of works nor our inherent righteousness but another distinct from and above all these a forreign righteousness â—or a righteousness without us is that alone which the soul which lives by faith for Justification bears all upon in this business It counts not it self one whit the more righteous or justified because it hath done much for God nor one whit the less because it hath done little but it bears all its Justification upon this that it is righteous in the righteousness of Jesus Christ it lays the whole weight of this great business upon the shoulders of Christ It sees and knows that God the Father hath laid the whole stress of the business there that he hath not appointed any other righteousness neither of men or Angels to the work and therefore saith the soul though I had all the righteousness of all the Saints on earth and Angels in Heaven to bring to God for my Justification yet would all this never justfie me because the Father hath not appointed that either the righteousness of men or Angels should do it and yet though I have in a manner nothing of these as little creature active righteousness as any yet do I in some measure beleeve that I am justified because I have another and better righteousness which through Grace I have been enabled by faith to lay hold of even that righteousness of God or that righteousness of Jesus Christ which God the Father hath ordained and appointed to bee my everlasting Righteousness and Justification The more you and I live by faith the more shall we daily come up to this to lay the whole strength of our Justification upon this righteousness without us not reckoning our selves to bee one whit the more righteous when we have done a great deal of good nor one whit the lesse when we have fallen into sin though my heart hath been more carried out for God in this duty then I was in a hundred before yet now to go to God and say for all this I am not one jot the more righteous as to my Justification that is wholly by another righteousness which this comes not at all into it meddles not with but is a stander by and when I have fallen foulely into sin then to go to God and say Lord I am as vile a sinner as any in the world I have walked as like a wretch as ever creature did and yet for all this I am not one jot less righteous as to my Justification that is still by another righteousness which my good reacheth not my evil hinders not This we may see in Paul 1 Cor. 4.4 I know nothing by my self yet am I not thereby justified As to say O yee Corinthians I have preached the Gospel among you and I have whatsoever you judge or think of me the testimony of my Conscience that I have laboured to do it in all simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by manifestation of the truth making it my design to approve my self to every mans Conscience in the sight of God yet for all this though I have endeavoured and obtained mercy of the Lord in my work to bee faithful am I not thereby justified I do not put this upon the account of my Justification So Rom. 7. when the Apostle had at large discoursed as of the good so also of the great mass of iniquity that was in him whereby he was captivated and made to serve sin yet he presently triumphs Chap. 8.1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ as if he should say Though I finde an unregenerate part as lively and powerful in me as any other doth or I think can do yet am I not hereby condemned this doth not at all hinder my Justification no I thank God for Jesus Christ that is all in him the business of that lies upon his righteousness though I had ten times more sin then I have to contend with to mourn and be humbled for yet could it not prejudice my Justification that is only by the righteousness of Christ and blessed bee God Christ is mine his righteousness mine there is therefore now no condemnation 3 Faith leads the soul out unto and constantly keeps it to the word of promise where the righteousness of Christ is held forth to poore Sinners for the obta ning and holding of it Faith ever loves to have its hold-fast in its hand because it knows that the better the thing is which it holds if once it lets go its hold-fast the more eager and watchful the Devil is to snatch it from it Now this thing of the righteousness of Christ it is Faiths Jewel the promise as by it it first gets hold of this precious Jewel so is it its hold-fast by which it keeps this Jewel from being plucked away by Satan therefore doth faith lead the soul out unto Christ keep him close to the word of promise continually saith Faith as you love the comfort of your Justification through the righteousness of Christ so hold to the Promise keep to the Promise let go the Promise but a moment your adversary will snatch your Jewel out of your sight Faith it takes a poor soul by the hand and carries him out to the Promise saith â—olt behold here is a promise see what is in it why an everlasting righteousness for my Justification here an eternal Salvation hereafter take hold of it therefore O my soul take hold of it is there not a blessing in it yea is there not that in it which will make thee blessed for ever keep hold of it therefore O my soul keep hold of it Rom. 10. vers 6 7 8 9 10. The Apostle speaking of the righteousness of Christ which faith hath hold of saith thus Say not in thy heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead but what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thine heart that is the word of faith which we preach i.e. do not think you must go up to heaven to fetch it that there is no getting it except you climbe thither neither say Who shall descend i. e. that it is in the Grave I must go thither for it go hang or drown my self if I will have it but what saith it The Word is nigh thee What word why of Faith and the Promise i. e. the promise of faith