therefore we yield up the people of Campania the City of Capua our fields Temples and all belonging to us to your jurisdiction or dominion so that whatsoever we suffer for the future we shall suffer as your subjects So if we fear being overcome by the assaults of our spiritual adversaries let us apply our selves to Jesus Christ and go and renew our Covenant with him resigning up our selves souls bodies and all the faculties and members thereof to be kept by his power to salvation that we may be able to claim his aid and challenge his assistance as he hath a special inteâ—est in us John 10.12 cap. 17. 9. and pray as David Psal 119.94 I am thine Lord save me CHAP. VII What our spiritual Adversaries are How our Lusts do tempt us James 1.14 explained The Disadvantage of Believers in their spirituall combate by reason of their own lusts shewed by many similitudes out of Parisiensis The use of Faith in purifying the heart 1 John 3.2 3 cleared IF we consider the forementioned services as part of that homage which we owe to our Creator acknowledging the dependance which we have on him in directing all our prayers and supplications to him the authority which he hath over us as our Lawgiver Jam. 4.12 by sitting down at his feet to receive of his words Deut. 33.3 the obligations that are upon us to him for the great things Christ hath done and suffer'd for us by celebrating the Memorial of his Passion in the Lords Supper Faith quits it self sufficiently in a right performance of these Duties But considering them as means of grace for the getting and encrease thereof so what Faith doth therein is but in order to the overcoming of temptations and bearing afflictions wherein the grace which we get thereby is very much exercised So that in speaking of these things I must necessarily refer to many things spoken of in the foregoing Chapters though I shall not repeat them and in treating of those temptations which faith is of such use to overcome I shall shew you whence they proceed and how we do by faith overcome them Now these Temptations do proceed from the flesh from the world and from the Devil These are ordinarily reckoned our three spiritual adversaries and though they do all of them many times conspire in the same temptation yet I must treat of them distinctly For the First The Apostle tells us that fleshly lusts war against the soul 1 Pet. 2.11 And every man is tempted when he is drawn aside of his own lust and inticed James 1.14 where we have the two wayes whereby lust prevails either the impetus and violence of it whereby it hurrieth a man into sin as the horse his rider into the battle Jer. 8.6 casting reason down from its seat where it should hold the reines of our affections so that neither fear shame admonitioÌ„s of others checks of conscience our own Principles Professions former resolutions will restrain them but they break all bands cast away all cords Ps 2.3 Secondly They entice and allure the will to consent by pretending the great pleasure and satisfaction in fulfilling them the consistency thereof with Salvation purpose of repentance probability of pardon c. by reason hereof we fight with our other adversaries at a great disadvantage as Parisiensis de Tent. resist cap. 2. hath by many apt similitudes excellently shewed as Of a Kingdome divided against it self having a party within it ready to joyn as occasion serves with a forrain adversary Of a Souldier that rides on a restive or unruly horse that runs backwards or runs away with him when he should charge his enemy To a strong man standing to fight on a slippery place where he is not able to hold his feet to put forth his strength To a Souldier in a house or castle that hath many breaches or open places where an enemy may shoot in at him To a Souldier that bares an heavy burthen which loads him and presses him down when he should fight To an house whose lower part is of some combustible dry matter and ready to take fire so our hearts are ready as occasion serves to comply with Satan and betray us into his snares our affections unruly our senses as so many windows or Avenues through which Satan may cast in his darts our corruptions as a burden that keeps us down as the remainders of an evil disease that enfeebles us so as we fail when we should put forth our strength against our spiritual adversaries our hearts as tinder or gun-powder apt to be set on fire by every spark of temptation Now Faith is of great use to us in this respect Purifying the heart from these corrupt lusts Acts 15.9 And this it doth 1. As it unites us to Jesus Christ whereby we are made partakers of the Divine Nature which is continually lusting and striving against our corrupt nature weakening it by degrees The spirit lusts against the flesh as the flesh lusts against the spirit Gal. 5.17 This is in the soul as the expulsive faculty which is subservient to the nutritive faculty expelling such things as are noxious to nature 2. By Faith we receive the spirit of Jesus Christ This may seem to be the same with the former but they differ as the habits of grace from assisting grace or auxilium habituale actuale of which see Alvarez de auxiliis divin grat Disp. 82. N. 10. as the Fable is of Hercules that he cleansed the stable of Augea wherein thousands of oxen had lyen for many years by turning a river through it so this sinke of our hearts is cleansed by the spirit which as a fountain opened for sin and for uncleannesse doth continually flow in a believers soul compare Zach. 13.1 with John 7.38 39. 3. Faith purifieth the heart as it improves those Ordinances which are means for the purifying of it as the Word Psalm 119.9 John 15.3 Prayer Exek 36.26 27 37. Psalm 51.10 c. How Faith improves these I have shewed in the former Chapters 4. Faith doth this morally by improving such Arguments as may perswade us hereto 2 Corinth 7.1 1 John 3.2 3. Faith and Hope run parallel faith believing the promise hope expecting the thing promised and we can hope for nothing but what we believe the Promise of Now whoever hopes to be like Christ hereafter will certainly purifie himself that he may in some measure be like him here that being our state of perfection and there being in every thing a naturall tendency and reaching forth to its perfection and the spirit doth not work in us as physick but there must be a subordinate concurrence of our wills therewith the Apostle on the same ground presseth to mortification Col. 3.4 5. CHAP. VIII What a dangerous temptation the world is What it is to overcome the world The Story of Constantius his Courtiers The Parable of the thorny ground Luke 8.14 opened How Faith overcomes the world Heb. 11.24 c. illustrated Matth. 6.30 c. cleared How Faith overcomes by
looking to the recompence of reward How it discovers the vanity of the world 1 Cor. 7.29 c. THe world in our spiritual conflict is as the Midianitish women which caused the Children of Israel to sin Numb 31.16 according to the wicked counsel of Balaam spoken of Rev. 2.14 the story of which we may read Num. 25. and more fully in Jos de Ant. Jud. l. 4. c. 6. And though the necessaries of this life sometimes prove a temptation to many yet the chief baits of the world are the superfluities of it as riches pleasures honors and preferments Now as the Moralist saith of vices we conflict with them not that we may wholly overcome them but that we may not be overcome by them So if we can maintain our ground so farr against the world that it doth not intangle and overcome us it is a good degree of victory though we be sometimes solicited by the allurements of it And we thus overcome the world 1. When we do not use any unlawfull means for the attainment of the things of it This was it which that good man feared Prov. 30.9 that being pressed with poverty and want he should be tempted for the supply of his necessities to take some sinfull course and so make his Profession of the name of God to become vain 2. When we do not for the things of the world cast off the Profession of Religion like the Courtiers of Constantius whose Story is worth setting down The Christians were sometimes in great esteem with the heathen Emperours because by means of their Prayers they sometimes obtained great victories and had wonderfull successe whereof there is a memorable instance in the Letter of Aurelius which he sent to the Senate of Rome the copy of which is to be read in the Magdeburgenses Cent. 2. cap. 3. so that Constantius had a minde to know whether there were any true Christians in his Court and to that end made a Decree that whosoever would sacrifice to their Idols should be preferred in his Court but those that would not must depart and be thankfull that they might depart without punishment Hereupon many did renounce their profession others resolutely maintained it and would not by any means be prevailed with to worship their false Gods Constantius when he had hereby made tryall who were sincere in their Profession and would rather lose their honors and Preferments than quit it these he highly honoured and advanced but the other he severely reproved and banished them from his Court as being unfit to be trusted by men who would not be faithfull to God Eusebius de vita Constantini Histor Trip. L. 1. c. 7. So the young man Matt. 19.22 left Christ being overcome with the love of riches and those John 12.42 had some convictions that Christ was the Messiah but durst not make confession to Salvation because they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God as many doubtless are ready to say with Balaam Numb 23.10 Let me die the death of the righteous being convinced they are in the right way yet think if they should live their life and betake themselves to a strict course of holiness they should be accounted some silly sneaksbies or dull hypocondriaques men of no port or breeding among the esprits forts or brave gallants of the time and they will lose heaven rather than runne the hazzard of such an imputation But yet there is a 3. way farr more dangerous whereby the world prevails against multitudes and this is intimated in the Parable of the thorny ground Luke 8.14 those do not fall away as they v. 13. but hold on in a Profession of Religion but it comes to nothing at last they bring forth no fruit to perfection being choked with cares and riches and pleasures of the world they deceive themselves by thinking to serve both God and mammon to keep up a Profession of Religion which will consist with their lusts carnal interests Now these things hinder the growth of the Word as thornes hinder the growth of the corne 1. by drawing away the heart of the earth whereby the corne should thrive and grow 2. by overtopping the corne and keeping it down While these should be meditating in the Word of God day and night having their thoughts much exercised therein that so they may be as a tree planted by the rivers of water bringing forth fruit in due season Psal 1.2 3. they have their thoughts wholly taken up with distracting cares about the necessaries of this life what they shall eat and what they shall drink and wherewith they shall be cloathed Matth. 6.31 Or if their abundance set them above this temptation then riches or pleasures ingross their thoughts they are either projecting how for the future to make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it Rom. 13.14 how to compass such a place or purchase where to meet with such company to enjoy their pleasure how to morrow may be as this day and much more abundant Isa 56.12 or else they are acting over their former sinneâ— in their imagination that they may again enjoy the pleasure thereof by rumination pleasing themselves with the remembrance of what they did in the dayes of old Ezek. 23.19 at such a time in such a place in such company which is worse than the first commission of it being in effect a justifying of their former sin and wishing they had an opportunity to commit it again upon second thoughts which should be wiser than former every one knowes best himself how much of his solitary time is thus taken up and such thoughts as these prey upon the vitalls of Christianity as the disease called the wolfe preys upon the body Or else as the thornes overtop the corne these make a profession of Religion and bear Christ fair in hand while they can make his interest and theirs agree but if they have an opportunity for satisfying their lusts Christ must be served as the man Luke 14.8 he must take the lowest room to give place to another and make way for their lusts This was Herod's case who heard John gladly and did many things which he taught but he must enjoy his pleasure whatever John said Mark 6.17 20. This is the ruine of thousands of soules who have a form of godliness but are lovers of pleasures or else lovers of riches and honors more than lovers of God 2 Tim. 3.4 5. Now it is by Faith that we overcome these This is the victory that overcomes the world even our faith 1 John 5.4 a clear proof hereof we have in Moses Hebr. 11.24 in whom God would let us see the victory of Faith as clearly as we did in Solomon the vanity of the world Observe in this place the strength of Moses temptation his absolute conquest and the means whereby he overcame to enforce the Temptation he had on
one hand the offer of being accounted the son of Pharaoh's daughter there was honor ver 24.2 the pleasures of sin verse 25.3 the Treasures of Egypt verse 26. and if upon refusall of these he might have lived quietly and enjoyed a competent estate the temptation had been small in comparison but on the other hand he was presented with reproaches afflictions and the wrath of the King which is as the roaring of a lion Prov. 19.12 yet Moses chose these rather than the former Many make a vertue of necessity and despise those things which they have no hopes or means to attain but in such a case there is no temptation Moses had his choice of these and we see what it was that he preferred to all these offers of the world not the glory which shall hereafter be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 but the reproach of Christ ver 26. And the time when he did this is considerable it was not when he was young and unable to judge of the worth of these things but when he was come to years even when he was forty years old Acts 7.23 neither was he then likely to be perswaded to it by his mother and all this he did by faith ver 24. Now Faith overcomes these temptations 1. As it relies firmly on the Promise and Providence of God This will keep us from anxious cares or the use of unlawfull means for the necessaries of this life There is a known Story of a Good Man who being in a strait for mony told his wife he had a Bond lying by him and now all failed he would go put that in suit and this was the Promise of God that he would never fail him nor forsake him Heb. 13.5 And such a promise is better security to Faith than if we had the best estate in the Land morgaged to us Though a man should say to his soul with him Luke 12.19 Thou hast goods laid up for many years Riches may take to themselves wings and fly as an eagle towards the heavens Prov. 23.5 quite out of sight and never to be recalled but whoever wants he that seeks the Lord shall want no good thing that is nothing that is formally good for him Psal 34.10 It is better to be at Gods finding than to live upon a stock in our own hands One would have thought Elijah had been well provided of water if he had been as sure of meat 1 Kings 17. he sate by a brook but his meat was to be brought him by ravens no very trusty servants but the brook failed when we do non read the ravens failed him he had a supply of water according to the ordinary course of nature his meat in a speciall way of Providence And Faith will likewise rely upon Providence as well as upon a Promise Mat. 6.30 c. we have 1. The sin which Christ reproves that was over solicitous care about the things of the world 2. The cause of these distracting cares that was The weaknesse of their Faith ver 30. 3. The Arguments which he useth for the strengthening of their faith and amongst many others one is taken from Gods generall Providence for all creatures vers 28. another from his speciall providence for his own children ver 32. Secondly Faith overcomes the world as it hath respect to the Recompense of Reward Heb. 11.26 27. For first we thereby see the excellency of spirituall things which doth much abate our esteem of the world and consequently the force of the temptation These things having no glory in comparison of that glory which excells as the Apostle saith in another case 2 Cor. 3.10 so faith disdains the offers of the world in comparison with Christ as a Merchant would the offer of some contemptible thing for an exceeding rich jewell So whatever the Devil can offer the soul in lieu of heaven though he should make the offer which he did to Christ Matth. 4.8 9. The Believer would by faith disdain to hear him or to look to him and be filled with indignation against him as offering him incomparably lesse yea nothing in comparison with that which he would bereave him of Super omnem estimationem cogitationem cogitatum minus quam decens sit nihil prorsus comparatione illius Guâ—l Parisiens de Tentat resist prope finem Away fawning pleasures that would bereave me of those pleasures which are at Gods right hand for evermore begone deceitfull and vanishing honors which would beguile me of that glory of which I can never be divested from which I shall never be degraded Valeat vita pereat pecunia c. Farewell riches farewell life if I cannot enjoy you without the losse of Eternal life of a Kingdome that hath no end an Inheritance that fadeth not away But further Faith having respect to the recompence of reward can by patience wait for it Omne peccatum impatientiae ascribendum Every sin is to be ascribed to impatience saith Tertullian de patientia c. 5. When men like the Prodigal must have their portions presently Luke 15.12 must have their good things in this life Luke 16.25 cannot be content to be guided by Gods counsel here and brought to glory hereafter as Asaph Psalm 37.24 Faith can stay being the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 resting as quietly in expectation thereof in confidence of Gods faithfullness as if they had already a reall subsistence Thirdly Faith overcomes the world as we thereby discover the vanity of it Faith easily sees through the world and so easily contemns it sees the bottome of these things as the Spanish Ambassadour did the bottome of the Venetians coffers when they shewed him their Treasure Sense is blinde and cannot see afarre off 2 Pet. 1.7 But Faith is a perspective which makes things at a distance seem as at hand Parisiensis de Tent. L. 4. tells us a Story of a young man of Burgundy that alwayes carried about with him the skull of a very beautifull woman whom he had known in her life time 't is likely that when at any time he found himself enticed by the beauty of any he might look upon that skull and despise it considering what that will be brought to in a short time which he is now so apt to doat upon and as Gregory Qualis erat mortua caro quae viva concupiscitur Faith needs not such helps but can look upon all the glory of the world and weep over it as Xerxes over his Army of so many hundred thousands Or as Christ on the buildings of the Temple wherewith the Disciples were so much taken Mat. 24.1 thinking how soon we shall despise or lament the ruines of what men now so much admire The Apostle upon this ground 1 Cor. 7.29 bids that those who have wives should be as if they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as if they rejoyced not and they that buy as if they possessed
the thing it self therefore he could not be sure of it And a child may comfort himself in hopes of his Fathers estate though he know not but his Father may disinherit him And if any reply that Adam might be taken up with the happiness of his present condition and so not need to look forward for comfort as Believers are fain to do and that Adam had not so much cause to suspect his condition as a believer hath I add a Merchant rejoyceth much in expectation of his Ship coming home richly laden yet he knowes it is subject to great hazards at sea and I desire this may be diligently heeded Faith of recumbency as it is commonly called is the most proper and most noble act of faith though I am farr from thinking that the conclusion is not de fide where both the premises are not so so that assurance is not faith v. Daille la foi fondee c. partie 1. c. 12. For as Christ said to Thomas Joh. 20.29 Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed blessed are they who though they are not assured either by any mediate or immediate testimony of the Spirit yet dare rely strongly strongly strongly as an eminent dying Saint once said upon the Promise of Jesus Christ that he will in no wise cast out those that come to him for as those are commanded to rejoyce that seek the Lord Psa 105.3 though they have not yet found him because he hath not said to any in vain seek ye my face so may those rejoyce that thus cast themselves upon Jesus Christ though he have not yet said to them I am thy Salvation Psal 35.3 and he takes pleasure in those who so hope in his mercy Psal 147.11 Sixthly By Faith we receive strength from Jesus Christ for bearing of affliction I have shewed before how we have Union and Communion with Jesus Christ and through him we are able to do all things Phil. 4.13 he speaks not there of active obedience only as a learned man hath observed Hales Romains 125. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is as much as vales or possum which is as well to suffer as to do and it is clear from the context that he speaks there chiefly of suffering Colos 1.11 There is a gradation strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience with long-suffering and joyfulness The power of God doth not only strengthen us to patience but to all patience we may have patience in some afflictions not in others those may bear losses perhaps that cannot bear affronts or disgrace and not only to patience but long-suffering this respects the length of our sufferings as the other did the weight of theâ— Some can endure a sharp brunt but tire under a long affliction But he goeth further to joyfulness those may endure an heavy affliction and endure it long too which yet go drooping and heavily under it but by Faith in the power of Christ we may bear long and heavy afflictions with joy Thus we are more than conquerors through him that loved us Rom. 8.37 we conquer afflictions when they do not conquer us but we are more than conquerors when we can rejoyce in them Lastly Faith looks to the recompence of reward as I before shewed the efficacy of it in this respect to overcome temptations so we shall now see how effectual it is to enable us to bear afflictions Though our outward man perish our inward man is renewed day by day saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.16 Afflictions did abound yet they gained spirituall strength to go on more cheerfully instead of fainting or drawing back and the reason hereof was they looked not on the things which were seen but on the things which were not seen vers 18. which is the work of faith Heb. 11.1 As Columbus when he first went to discover America ventured a tedious and long voyage over the main Ocean upon this confidence that he should there discover another part of the world which had formerly been unknown to us when the Spaniards that went with him were ready to mutiny because they had not so much judgment as to be perswaded of any such fruit of their travel Or as Moses had much adoe to get an unbelieving multitude along with him through the wildernesse but they were oft murmuring rebelling turning back in their hearts unto Egypt So have I seen those who have been unequally yoaked and have had some heavy burden of affliction lying on them the one hath born it cheerfully and comfortably the other hath been an hindrance and no help continually murmuring and complaining In such cases the vertue of faith doth most evidently appear and though there are not many amongst us where the Gospel is preached such infidels as to deny the Recompense of reward yet it is only the exercise of a true and lively Faith which can lift up the soul under affliction that being the very substance of the thing hoped for and the evidence of things not seen For a Conclusion of the whole matter let me borrow the words of a learned man Dr. Arrowsmith Tact. Sacr. l. 2. c. 7. s 13. O quanâ—â—â—â— memorem fides virtutum nobilissima c. How shall I make mention of thee O Faith the most noble of all Vertues What shall I say of thee Thou art the Hinge on which the Gate of heaven turns the Bucket by which we draw the water of life the Wedding Ring whereby the Soul is married to Jesus Christ the Receptacle of the Bloud of Christ the only Condition of the New Covenant and the chief part of the New Creature they that by thee attain to a recumbency are safe they that attain to assurance are joyful Thou art the Eye the Hand the Mouth yea the All of our Souls Yea I may add Faith is in Grace as the Philosophers Stone in Nature as a Catholicon or vniversal soveraign remedy for all diseases It is in the Soul as the Lungs in the Body the Instrument of breathing whereby Vitalis spiritus as Fernelius saith tanquam patulo alitur fovetur we are continually thereby taking in and giving out Either receiving from Jesus Christ or laying out for him Wherefore with all our getting as the Wiseman saith of Wisdome Prov. 4.7 let us get Faith and pray that God will fulfil the work of Faith with power in us 2 Thes 1.11 When Christ teaches his Disciples the exercise of Love they pray for the encrease of Faith Luk. 17.5 Whatever we are called to in this World let us pray Lord encrease our Faith hereby we shall be able to perform our Duties to exercise our Graces to overcome our Temptations to bear our Afflictions to hold up in Desertions yea all things are possible to him that believeth Mark 9.23 Search and examine your selves whether you be in the Faith or no 2 Cor. 13.5 No Faith no Life and be diligent in the use of all means for the strengthening
the Law Some suppose the Prophet intends this chiefly of Justification and not of any deliverance from the Chaldeans inserting it as a Digression not properly belonging to the Argument in hand it being the manner of the Prophets upon occasion of particular deliverances more remarkable than ordinary either related or foretold to rise higher and proceed further to that more general deliverance of mankind and spiritual restauration and enlargement of the Church by Jesus Christ see Gataker on Isa 11.1 others think he speaks chiefly of the deliverance of the Jews from the Chaldeans and that till it was accomplished they should support themselves by Faith and than the Apostle might notwithstanding apply it to the business of Justification because these temporal deliverances were types of spiritual and it is the same Faith whereby we trust God both for spiritual and temporal mercies and if faith in God for temporal deliverances be so acceptable to him then also will faith in him for everlasting salvation be as pleasing in his sight So Mestrezat on Heb. 10.38 Others judge that the Prophet speaks in a more large and comprehensive sence understanding thereby whatsoever may be comprehended under life and indeed whatever was the meaning of the Prophet in that place the word may be extended to such a latitude of signification as is evident from the use which the Apostle makes of it in the New Testament for it is plain that the Apostles did not only multiply inferences from particular places of the Old Testament and apply one place to different purposes as we may see 1 Cor. 10.26 28. but they altered places which they cited the former they might do as men endued with reason whose work it is to multiply conclusions from a few Principles the Law of Nature and the whole body of moral Philosophy as some think being hereby made up of a few common Notions The latter they might do as Apostles inspired by the Holy Ghost so that they might not only cite Scripture but make and interpret Scripture wherefore sometimes they give not the words but the sence of the Prophets What the Prophet calls his glory Psal 16.9 the Apostle calls tongue Acts 2.26 What the Prophet calls opening the ear Psal 40.6 the Apostle interprets preparing a body Heb. 10.5 So likewise compare Hab. 2.4 with Heb. 10.38 Sometimes they leave out something which is not to the present purpose compare Deu. 24.1 with Mat. 5.31 and Deut. 25.5 with Mat. 22.24 Sometimes there is an addition of something for illustration compare Deut. 6.13 with Mat. 4.10 Sometimes some small mutations See more of this in Tarnovins on Amos 5.27 In these places Rom. 1.17 and Gal. 3.11 it is evident the Apostle speaks of Justification Gal. 2.20 where he doth not in formal words indeed quote the place but hath clear reference to it he speaks of Sanctification and Heb. 10.38 he speaks of Christians supporting and comforting themselves by faith in trials and afflictions till the time appointed for their deliverance which seems also to be the chief intent of the Prophet Habakkuk and all these are comprehended in the word Life for all men are by nature dead in Law that is bound over to eternal death condemned already Joh. 3.18 some understand the threatning thus Gen. 2.17 Now in Justification this sentence is repealed and man is invested with a new right to everlasting life wherefore it is called Justification to life Rom. 5.18 and we need not distinguish this from everlasting life for the life which a Beleever is restored to is an everlasting life Joh. 3.36 and 5.24 Though the Acts of this life may be for a time obstructed yet it can never be wholly extinguished as Mr. Hales hath determined in his Remains p. 108. whose judgement it may be will be more regarded by some than the judgement of many other learned men who have fully proved it And Sanctification is ordinarily understood by life Ephes 2.1 speaks of initial Sanctification or Regeneration and Eph. 4.18 the Gentiles before faith are said to be alienated from the life of God by this life we are alive to God fitted for communion with him as we are by Reason made capable of converse with men Rom. 6.11 but yet further by life we are not to understand life simply and nakedly in abstracto but an happy comfortable life Vivere non est vita sed valere a sickly life is not worthy the name of life so a disconsolate life is the shadow of death Psal 23.4 Yea Paul by reason of his afflictions saith he was in deaths oft 2 Cor. 11.23 So our Saviour saith Luk. 12.15 A mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth that is they do not make a mans life comfortable So saith the Apostle 1 Thes 3.8 Now we live if you stand fast in the Lord so he might have done if they had not stood fast but he means this would be a reviving or a great comfort to him to see their stedfastness and perseverance as he expresseth himself more fully 1 Thes 2.19 A Beleever may not only make a shift to get to heaven by Faith but may maintain himself comfortably in an evil World So that to live by Faith imports thus much We are by faith not only acquitted from the guilt of sin and entitled to everlasting life but are enabled to hold on chearfully and comfortably in an holy course notwithstanding all temptations and troubles which we meet with in this evil world Neither let any think that hereby too much is ascribed to Faith since Christ is our life Joh. 11.25 Chap. 14.6 Col. 3.4 for though we speak herein somewhat improperly or Metonymically yet it is according to the ordinary manner of speech for when we say A man lives by his labour or by his wits every body understands it of what he gets by these So to live by faith is to live by what we have coming in by faith either morally or by reall communication CHAP. II. Of our Union with Christ what it is not viz. Essential Personal Corporeal a meer Union of affections Joh. 17.21 and Gal. 2.20 vindicated the effects of this Union shewed by divers similitudes how this Union is by Faith of the legal Union betwixt Christ and the Elect before Faith by some asserted the relation betwixt Christ and his Elect as the necessary foundation of his satisfaction IT being so that Christ is the original and fountain of a Beleevers life I must begin the proof of what I have taken in hand to clear with the Union which is betwixt Christ and beleevers this being the foundation of our Communion with him Joh. 14.20 our Saviour tells his Disciples that after his Resurrection when they should receive a more full measure of the Spirit they should know two great mysteries his Union with the Father and his Union with them whereby they did as it were mutually possess each other of this Union we read further Joh. 17.21
pretending to pray for those things which they hate or fear But more properly we may be said to pray in faith when we pray First With a more general perswasion either of the power of God Mat. 9.28 29. 2 Tim. 1.12 I am perswaded he is able to keep that which I have committed to him or of his faithfulness Heb. 11.11 1 Tim. 2.13 If we believe not he is faithful he cannot deny himself which words we are not to understand as if God notwithstanding the unbelief of men would perform to them his mercy promised or as if unbelief could not deprive us of it but whether we believe or no that shall not make the faith of God of none effect Rom. 3.3 Gods Promise shall be made good according to the true tenour and import of it to those that by faith lay hold thereon though we should by our unbelief exclude our selves from the benefit of it Secondly When we pray with a particular perswasion that we shall receive the mercies which we pray for Now the chief question is about this How far we may pray with such a faith And for answer hereof we must consider that our prayers are either for spiritual mercies or for temporal Again spiritual mercies are either such as are necessary to the being of grace or for the well-being of it that which is necessary to the being of Christianity is assisting and persevering Grace and of the receiving of this our assurance is answerable to the assurance which we have of our own sincerity For that of God to the Apostle My grace is sufficient for thee is equivalent to a Promise and is as applicable to every Believer as those words of God to Joshua which the Apostle applies to all Heb. 13.5 and that the Apostle 2 Cor. 12.9 doth not speak of the sufficiency of grace as distinguished from the efficacy of it see Rhetorforti exercitat 428. and that Heb. 13.5 is true as well of spirituals as of temporals that being the chief end why we should desire of God not to fail us nor forsake us that he may encline our hearts to walk in all his waies and keep his Commandments 1 Kings 8.57 58. but for such grace as is necessary only to keep us from particular infirmities or for our comfort or for the liveliness of our graces this is not promised so absolutely but after the manner of temporal mercies for which we cannot ordinarily pray with a particular assurance of being heard all the Faith we can exercise in such cases is only on the power faithfulness and goodness of God in generall and that he will not despise our Prayers Psal 102.17 but accept them graciously and answer them in such kinde manner time and measure as seems good to his grace and wisdome and accordingly are all such Promises to be understood Indeed somtimes God doth make an extraordinary impression of confidence upon the hearts of his people in their prayers for temporal mercies as in Luther when he prayed for his friend Myconius and Edward the sixt for Sr. John Cheek Fullers Hâ—story Lib. 7. Object We are commanded to believe that we shall receive whatsoever things we desire when we pray Mark 11.24 and whatever we ask in prayer believing we shall receive Matth. 21.22 Ans 1. It is evident in both these places by the context that our Saviour speaks of that Faith of miracles which was in the primitive Church and peculiar to those times 2. If this were universally true many would never die nor ever want any thing for though they should not possibly pray thus for themselves yet others might pray thus for them 3. They had not an absolute power of receiving whatsoever they asked in prayer but this Faith was from an extraordinary impress upon the soul which had not any particular Promise for its foundation but only the power of God an immediate perswasion of his willingness God preparing the heart to seek where he had an intent to lend his ear to hear Psal 10.17 Indeed as one boasted that he could make an engine which would remove the whole earth if he had some place else to fix his engine upon so Faith would remove the world if it had a promise to stand firm upon If it be said we should pray for nothing but what we have a promise for I deny it There are as Mr. Hooker Eccles pol. l. 5. Sect. 48. hath rightly observed two uses of Prayer It serves as a means to procure those things which God hath promised to grant when we ask and as a mean also to express our lawfull desires towards that which whether we shall have or no we know not till we see the event Yea I may add further we may therein represent our desires with a submission to the will of God of those things which we know we shall not have It was plainly our Saviours case Matth. 26.39 though he knew it was not possible that the cup should passe from him and that he was come to that hour for this end that he might drink it John 12.27 CHAP. V. The Gospel the Word of Life Of Hearing and Reading the Word The Word is effectuall by Faith How variously Faith acts upon the several parts of the Word Upon the History and Doctrine thereof Hebr. 11.3 illustrated Upon the Commands The Socinians notion of Faith censured 1 Thes 2.13 explained The Acts of Faith on the Promises Rom. 4.17 c. 2 Pet. 1.4 opened How the Promises to Grace and the Promises of Grace conduce to Sanctification How Faith acts on the Threatnings Heb. 11.7 cleared The Use of Threatnings to Believers Rom. 8.13 interpreted How the Word is a means of Faith though it be made effectuall by Faith THe next means of Spiritual Life is Hearing the Word of God This is called the Word of Life Acts 5.20 Phil. 2.15 and Life is promised to the Hearing of the Word Isa 55.3 John 5.25 it is clear he speaks thereof spiritual Life because he saith the time is already come and in the verse before he had been speaking of Everlasting Life which is begun in Regeneration This Word is both the seed whereby we are begotten again 1 Pet. 1.23 and the food whereby we are nourished when we are borne 1 Pet. 2.2 1 Cor. 3.2 the end of the Ministry being to perfect the number of the Saints by conversion and their graces by Edification Ephes 4.11 12. I will not examine whether this word be the instrument of the Spirit or whether they have their different wayes of working the one morally by perswasion the other physically by real influence but this is sure there is a Spirit of life accompanies the dispensation of the Word which quickens dead soules as a spirit of life entered into the Prophet and set him upon his feet when God spake to him Ezek. 2.2 and as there went a divine power along with the word of Christ when he bade Lazarus come out of his grave which raised him
out of it So while Paul preached the heart of Lydia was opened Acts 16.14 And for this cause the ministration of the Gospel is called the ministration of the spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 Not that the spirit doth accompany the Word allwayes so as to make it effectual it did not so when Christ himself preached John 12.37 nor when Paul preached whom Austine desired so much to hear then some believ'd and some believed not Act. 28.24 but it works in subordination to Gods Election bringing home all such as are ordained to eternal life Act. 13.48 Now by Hearing the Word I mean with Dr. Ames Quaelibet praeceptio sermonum Dei sive praedicatione sive electione sive alia quaecunque ratione communicentur receiving the Word by preaching or reading or any other way Such words of sense signifying any way of perceiving a thing wherefore seeing is applyed to sounds Exod. 20.18 Revel 1.12 The Word of God was wont to be read formerly both publiquely and privately Of the publike reading of it we may see Nehem. 8.3 Acts 13.27 chap. 15.21 they read part of it in the Synagogue every Sabbath day and that they read it privately is plain from our Saviour's appealing so oft to their own reading Have you never read c. Mat. 12.3 5. chap. 19.4 21.16.22.31 and from their searching the Scriptures John 5.39 whether we understand that indicatively affirming what they did or imparatively commanding what they should do they were thereby inabled to judge the better of what they heard Act. 17.11 but this was not enough but they must have an Interpreter that they might understand what they read Act. 8.30 They not only read distinctly in the Law but gave the sense and caused the people to understand it Nehem. 8.7 8. yea they applyed it by exhortation c. Acts 13.15 Luke 4.18 And if it be said However this is necessary that the Scripture should be explained and applyed yet Preaching is not now necessary because we have expositions and Sermons now to read in greater plenty than formerly when there were no books but such as men wrote out I answer Would to God men would read them more and that they would but spend their spare hours therein which they spend idly or sinfully but let not this make us less esteem the hearing of the word preached for though reading may conduce more to the information of the judgment yet Preaching with a lively voice doth more excite the affections and further the successe of the Gospel is according as the Lord gives to every man 1 Cor. 3.5 and experience hath told us with what successe God hath blessed the preaching of the Gospel See the Letter of Archb. Grindall to Queen Elizabeth in Fullers History B. 9 p. 124 125. Though I had rather men should be instructed by the Homilies which were formerly read in the Church than by many mens Sermons And I believe God hath blessed them to the good of soules where there hath been want of able and godly Preachers yet God forbid that these should ever thrust out Preaching where such Preachers are not wanting He that desires to be more fully satisfied concerning these things may peruse Master Hooker's Eccl. Polit. l. 5. S. 21 22. and Mr. Hieron's Preachers Plea where these things are solidly and soberly debated I come now to shew how it is by Faith that the Word becomes effectual to our spiritual life The Apostle Heb. 4.2 tells us that the Word preached did not profit the Israelites because it was not mixed with Faith in them that heard it As to make the seed fruitfull in the earth there is required some moisture whereby it may be as it were incorporated with the earth and receive of the vertue and fatness of it for it will not grow if it lie under a dry and hard clod so Faith is necessary for ingrafting the Word into the soul wherefore it is the power of God to the Salvation of every one which believeth Rom. 1.16 And for the clear proof hereof I shall shew you how variously Faith acteth upon the severall parts of the Word of God There are in the Word 1. some things affirmed and that either Doctrinally or Historically these Faith assents to 2. Some things are commanded these Faith submits to 3. These Commands are enforced by Promises these Faith embraces and relies upon 4. These Commands are also enforced by threatnings these Faith stands in awe of First Faith assents to the truth of whatsoever the Word of God affirmes John 3.33 He that believes sets to his seal that God is true And 1. in the Historicall part of the Word particularly concerning the Creation it is said Heb. 11. by Faith we believe that the worlds were created by the Word of God c. If it be objected That this is a thing may be known and demonstrated by reason and therefore is not an object of Faith I answer First it is not to be taken for granted that the same thing cannot be the object both of Faith and Knowledge vide Baronium de fide Art 4.2 Though the Creation should be demonstrated by reason yet that it was made by the Word of God and that it was not made of things that do appear is the object of Faith as appears by the strange conceits which many of the wisest Philosophers had of it So for the Doctrines of the Scripture as of the Trinity and personal Union of the two Natures of Christ imputed righteousness the Resurrection c. Faith believe with reason against reason as it is said to believe the Promise in hope against hope that is though reason be not able to comprehend how these things should be at least some of them yet that they are we have reason enough to believe because God that cannot lie hath said it and though we know not how they should be God doth and this would be greater arrogancy in us to deny than if some rude ignorant fellow should face down a Mathematician that a starr is no bigger than the palme of his hand or the Sun than his cart-wheel or if there be any Antipodes they must needs go with their heads downward Now the Word is of great use to us in respect of these things which Faith believes The Apostle being to shew the great use and vertue of faith begins with this act of it whereby we believe the Creation of the world supposing that nothing will be too hard for a believers faith seeing as Amyrald in his Paraphrase on the place observes although the things that we believe do not yet appear this hinders not but we may have full assurance of their future existence seeing the same power of God which created the world of nothing may give beeing to whatsoever we believe when it seems good to him and we shall observe that frequently in Scripture God doth support the Faith of his people with this consideration of his creating heaven and earth Isa 40.28 and 51.13 and herewith David
Peter cast in his net though he have toiled long in vain he will do it at his command Luk. 5.5 If a Believer should be enjoyned such things as the Prophets were oft enjoyned as Ezek. 4.8 12. unless as some think these things were only represented to them in visions and they were not really to do them see Smith his select discourses of Prophesie he would not stick at them but do all things without murmuring or disputing even such things as are most against interest Heb. 11.8 yea against natural affection Heb. 11.17 Ezek. 24.18 Thirdly Faith doth embrace the Promises that is lay hold on them thankfully accept them Isa 56.6 and relie upon them for the performance of the mercy promised Abraham being strong in the Faith gave glory to God and against humane hope believed in divine hope not regarding any thing which might be objected against the Promise of God Rom. 4.17 c. Let God be true and every man a lyar yea every thing a lyar sense and reason he considered not any thing that they could plead against a Promise How happy might a Christian be if he could live by faith in this particular Trusting God upon his bare word when there is nothing else to vouch him when we have neither sence nor reason to second our Faith But the Promises have a more peculiar influence into our spiritual life by them we are made partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 that is are made godly like to God in holy dispositions and inclinations and the Promises conduce hereto both morally and as I may speak instrumentally There are Promises to Grace these promote it as we are thereby encouraged to the exercise of Grace 1 Cor. 15.58 and to press on to the perfection of Grace 2 Cor. 7.1 For supernatural habits are strengthened and confirmed by exercise and renewed acts though we should say they are not acquired thereby But there are Promises of Grace Whether the Promises of the first Grace be mad to or may be pleaded by any particular persons or whether they may be made only to the Church in general as the Promises in the Old Testament concerning the calling of the Gentiles I shall not take upon me to define But certainly there are Promises of following Grace to be pleaded by particular persons in Prayer as was shewed in the foregoing Chapter and this pleading of Promises in Prayer is as M. Dod would say like putting of bonds in suite Thus the Promises are means or instruments for conveying of Grace to us Fourthly There are Threatnings in the Word of God and these Faith makes the soul stand in awe of Psal 119.161 Certainly Davids heart stood in awe of the Word of God because he believed it as the Ninevites took warning at the preaching of Jonah and proclaimed a fast because they believed God Jonah 3.5 But the clearest proof hereof is Heb. 11.7 by Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Arke to the saving of his house In these words we have the faith of Noah commended from the warning he took at the threatning of God concerning the universal deluge which was to come upon the World he believing this threatning his fear put him upon the use of such means as might prevent the evill which he feared the best use of that passion and most that it is good for and we see the issue of it he saved himself and his house like a prudent man he foresaw the evill and hid himself Prov. 22.3 Now let us see the power of Noahs faith in this and how much reason he had to object against what he did First He was warned of things which did not appear that which was threatned was yet many years to come so that he might very probably die before that time and be past need of an Arke and what he was commanded was such an unlikely thing to be performed that it was enough to discourage his attempt he was to take two of all Creatures but such as lived in the water and seven of such as were clean beasts and food for all these it was seven months after the flood began ere the tops of the Mountains were seen and it is likely long after that before the earth brought forth food fit for them and it must be an huge Vessel to hold so many Creatures and food for them for so long a time And when he had made the Ark how should he get these Creatures together Or how should he rule them when he had them together And he might think that the undertaking of such a work would expose him to the scorn of others and if he let it alone he might escape as well as others yea better perhaps for having warning he might remove his habitation near some high mountain before the flood came but all these objections notwithstanding he went on with his work and we see what was the issue of it Oh how would men tremble at the Word of God if they did certainly believe the threatnings of it And what is it that hardens men in their wickedness but such carnal reasonings as Noah had in store to have brought out against the warning of God Tell men of the judgement to come enough to make an heathen tremble Act. 24.25 when he was a Judge on the Bench and his Preacher a Prisoner at the Bar Tell them of that horrour which will so amaze men at the last day as to make them call for the rocks to cover them or the mountains to fall on them Rev. 6.16 they either say with the Prophets hearers Ezek. 12.27 The Vision is for many daies to come and he prophesies of times afar off He tells us of things to come a long while hence and it will be time enough to prepare for them afterwards or else they say with those Deut. 29.19 they shall have peace though they walk in the imagination of their own heart or they shall escape as well as others or they shall be heard at the last day for their importunity for so shall many seek to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Luk. 13.24 c. or if they should set upon the work of repentance they must leave their old waies and their old company and so expose themselves to their scorns these are such reasonings as Faith in Noah overcame and it might be well for godly men to improve the threatning of the Word more to the restraining of their corrupt lusts and affections How should such places as Rom. 8.13 be as the Sword which the Angel held before Balaam when he followed the wages of unrighteousness Numb 22.23 If any shall to that place object that believers cannot die I am sure that place will prove then that believers cannot live after the flesh and that if we live after the flesh we are no believers it proves the connexion betwixt the means and the end betwixt dying and living after the flesh and let
not and they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away No more effectuall Consideration to moderate our affections to the things of the world and so prevent the abuse thereof than that of the vain appearance of happiness which is in them and their transient nature Neither the comforts which we rejoyce in nor the crosses which we weep for will be of any long continuance Ce n'est qu'une ombre passagere qui s'en va une vaine apparence du bien Amyrald in loc A flitting shadow quickly gon A vain shew or appearance of happinesse Seneca hath a passage Epist 110 which may serve for good gloss upon this place Quid miratis Pompa est ostenduntur istae res non possidentur dum placent transeunt When I behold saith he a brave house a gallant train c. I say with my self Why doest thou wonder c. all these things are meer pageantry a shew which is gone while we please our selves with it He could see thus farr by reason but a Believer may much more clearly discerne these things by the eye of Faith CHAP. IX The power of Satan to tempt by working both upon the mind and affections Ephes 6.16 enlightened how Faith overcomes his temptations 1 Pet. 1.5 opened Luk. 11.21 22. illustrated the general use of Faith in respect of all the pieces of our spiritual Armour Ephes 6. from vers 14. to vers 19. explained SAtan is the chief enemy we have to conflict with and when he desired to have Peter that is to have him in his power as Job 2.6 Christ prayed for him that his faith might not fail Luk. 22.31 32. supposing he might be able to abide the encounter while his Faith held out The influence of Angels both good and bad is certainly as the influence of the heavenly Bodies very strong though we are little sensible thereof The devill is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he works powerfully or effectually in the children of disobedience Ephes 2.2 he can doubtless by the stirring of Phantasms and moving the spirits work much both upon the judgement and affections and these have also a mutual influence upon each other He could put it into the heart of Judas to betray his Master Joh. 13.2 He could fill the heart of Ananias and Saphira to lye to the Holy Ghost Act. 5.3 He can take advantage of a sinners grief and trouble to swallow him up of sorrow 2 Cor. 2.7 11. He can take away the Word out of mens hearts by diverting their minds to some other thing lest it should settle in their hearts and they be thereby perswaded to believe Luk. 8.12 He can represent things to the mind by stirring of Phantasmes when they are not represented to the outward sense and he is so cunning he knows how to apply actives to passives how to fit and suite temptations to mens tempers and inclinations as Judas being a thief Joh. 12.6 that is a covetous wretch he could suggest to him the advantage of betraying his Master and then Satan when Objects are presented either to the senses or imagination can stir the spirits and work upon those humours which may exceedingly encrease those passions which such Objects are proper to and this is as spreading the sails when the ship is carried by wind and tide and hence is that violence of lust which is spoken of formerly Chapter 7. the Proverb being true here that he must needs go whom the devill drives And hence are those dreadful temptations to Despair the devill holding mens minds intent chiefly upon such things as may encrease their fears and thereby diverting them from such things as might give them some hopes and then working upon the melancholick humours of the body which have strange operations on the mind to beget most sad and dismal apprehensions therefore it is no marvel if he can swallow us up of sorrow He that pleases to satisfie himself more fully about these things may consult Voetius de natura operationibus daemonum 960 c. Now Faith quenches all the fiery darts of Satan Ephes 6.16 In which place the Apostle alludes to the custome of those who used impoysoned Arrows or shafts in their fights which Job speaks of Job 6.4 the venome of which doth exceedingly burn and torment the flesh where they stick Whatever the temptations of Satan be they are very troublesome to the soul but Faith doth either as a Shield keep them off or as a soveraign Balsome allay the heat of their poyson it either prevents or cures them Now Faith overcomes these temptations First As we thereby have Union and Communion with Jesus Christ of which I have before spoken we are kept by the power of God through Faith to salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 It is the power of God which keeps us but this it doth by Faiâ—h both as by Faith we derive a divine power to our souls and as the power of God strengthens our Faith Christ by Faith dwels in the heart Ephes 3.17 and then we have one stronger in us than he that is in the World 1 Joh. 4.4 who takes his armour from him and divides the spoyl Luk. 11.21 22. takes from him those things wherewith he fortified himself and serves himself of them as a Conquerour enriches himself with the spoyl and arms himself with the weapons of his enemy Satan sometimes served himself of our Wisdom Reason Thoughts Affections which Christ brings into captivity to his own obedience Rom. 8.7 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Our members which were weapons of sin to uncleanness are made Instruments of righteousness unto holiness Rom. 6.19 Our goods or riches which were fuel to our Lusts are now consecrated to Gods use and by Faith we have recourse to Jesus Christ for dayly supplies of Grace whereby we are enabled to stand out against all the powers of hell and through which we are more than Conquerours Eph. 6.10 Rom. 8.37 Isa 40.30 Secondly By Faith we overcome the temptations of Satan as we set to our Seals that God is true Joh. 3.33 Man fell at first by believing the devill rather than God Gen. 3.3 c. and we must now stand by believing God rather than the devill How effectual would this be against temptations to Atheism Blasphemy Unbelief Despair if we could keep close to the Word of God And when we find in our selves any temptations to unworthy thoughts of God to distrust his Promises or argue against the comforts of his Word let us presently suspect the hand of Satan as David suspected the hand of Joab 2 Sam. 14.19 God is true and cannot lye but the devil is a lyar and the father of it Joh. 8.44 Thirdly it is by Faith that we make use of all our spiritual armour so that some from those words above all Ephes 6.16 do infer the usefulness of Faith for the securing all other parts of our spiritual armour and therefore is to be taken upon them all and not