for her Barrenness much more cause had Peter for his then Barrenness of Faith If Rachel wept for her Children because they were not much more cause had Peter to Weep for his Graces because they were not If Agar wept being turned out of her Master's House should not Peter Mourn much more for turning himself out of his Master's House and Denying as it were his Coat If Thamar wept being Defloured of her Virginity hath not Peter cause to weep for being deprived of his Faith and Constancy Many Causes we see may procure Tears but sure to Deny Christ as Peter did is a Cause that should even Dissolve all Eyes into Tears If â—…he Eye be dry at any time it ought â—…n no case to be dry when we should â—…eep for Sin And withal take this â—…y the way No Tears are lost that â—…all from the Eyes of Godly Men â—…or God catcheth them before they can fall to the Ground and he treasuâ—…eth them up in his Bottle Thus you see Strong Believers Eminent Christians Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles have all been more or less Tempted Dejected and Foyl'd by Satan But wherefore is it that I instance the Falls of all these Worthy Men not that any here-from may take Encouragement to Sin but that they look to themselves and be here-by fore warn'd The chief Ends of God's Recording the Falls of his Saints are these two The one is to keep such who fall through Weakness and Infirmity from utter Desparation And the other is That their Falls may be as Land-Marks to warn others that stand to take heed lest they Fall If this Treatise therefore should come into the Hands of those who are not Spiritually Wise and this Paâ—… especially be view'd by them and Satan by the Help of their Ignorance causes them to make that use of Good Mens Failings which neither God or the Author design'd in reckoning them up Let him look upon this which immediatly follows When Satan shall tell thee of other Mens Sins to draw thee to sin do thou think on the same Mens Sufferings Sorrows and Repentance which they have gone thorow for the same to keep thee from Sin Yea say Oh my Soul if thou sinnest with David and Peter thou must suffer with David and Peter CHAP. III. THat God's Children are subject to their Slips and Falls Deâ—…ayings and Declinings we have alâ—…eady prov'd It will not now be unnecessary or â—…mpertinent if we proceed to give â—…ome Reasons of the Point or Reâ—…olve this Question Why doth God permit Satan to â—…oyl Believers and such that are Eâ—…inent The Solution whereof shall â—…atisfactorily be given in these followâ—…ng Reasons SECT I. First To let us know that Strong â—…elievers are as uncapable to wrestle â—…ith Satan as the Weakest if God â—…oth but with-draw That some Christians are so Victorious is not â—…f themselves or from their own Strength but by Vertue of the abundance of Strength that is in Christ their Saviour Should a Believer alwayes Win and never Lose alwayes Conquer and never be put to Flight what would the World think of him Surely he would be Idolized and esteemed as God among us Anâ—… therefore it is that many times Goâ—… suffers his Children even in theiâ—… greatest Strength and highest Valouâ—… to Fall and that foully to be Foil'd and that Remarkably When Paâ—… had the abundance of Revelations then the Messenger of Satan camâ—… to Buffet him and when Peter madâ—… a great Ostentation of his Faith Love and Courage then did Sataâ—… Winnow him and that to some purpose Oh! God is a Wise God! hâ—… would not have Pride to Reign in thâ—… Hearts of his Children therefore he is pleas'd to take this way 〈◊〉 purge it out and indeed it is a raâ—… way in as much as Pride by it 〈◊〉 wholly expelled and no Room foâ—… Boasting there is left God loveâ—… that his Children while they are iâ—… this World should be kept a little 〈◊〉 awe and that he doth by givâ—…g Satan sometimes Commission â—…nd arming him with Strength to â—…t him for the Battle Saints they do â—…ometimes Rejoyce here on Earth â—…ut they must not Triumph â—…ll they â—…ome to Heaven They must have â—…any sharp Conflicts terrible Comâ—…ats and very great Contests beâ—…ore the Victory can be â—…tained â—…torming and Fighting Wrestling â—…nd Contending is the whole Life â—…f a Christian here below There â—…s no Rest for the Sole of his Foot â—…ill he comes to Heaven and there â—…e shall enjoy an Everlasting Uniâ—…ersal and Un-interrupted Rest. Secondly God permits Satan someâ—…mes to foyl Eminent Christians â—…at they may be more Eminent â—…his perhaps may not easily be apâ—…rehended by some that Christians â—…y their Falls should be Lifted-up by their Troubles should be Advaâ—… ced by their Foiles should be Eâ—… alted and by their Temptationâ—… should become more Famous than evâ—… Why this is no more to be Admâ—… red than to be Believ'd The moâ—… Violent Satan's Assaults are the moâ—… Instruction Comfort and Benefit gracious Heart gains thereby Waâ—… thou Renowned O Christian bâ—… fore Satan foyl'd thee for Faith Loâ—… and Holy Courage Why theâ—… shall be made more Conspicuouâ—… than ever before and more Famoâ—… shalt thou be in the same than evâ—… thou wast The burning Fire of Sâ—… tan's Violent Assaults shall Puriâ—… and Refine all these Holy Gracâ—… that God hath Endowed thee witâ—… The Devil's End indeed is thy Dâ—… struction and that he might 〈◊〉 foyl thee as never to let thee Râ—… more His Designe is to make theâ—… who wast so Famous Infamous 〈◊〉 would fain stain thy Glory subveâ—… thy Faith and get the upper-haâ—… of thee But here is thy Comfoâ—… O Believer God's Designe and Sâ—… â—…an 's Designe are Diversa Oppoâ—…ta There is no Harmony between â—…em The one would Ruin thee â—…ut the other will Reforme thee â—…he one would Defame thee but â—…e other will Renown thee by â—…ausing such Graces to Act in thee â—…ther when or after thou art foyl'd â—…s have not perhaps shew'd themâ—…lves for many Years when thou wast â—…pon thy Legs The Instance in Reâ—…entance Perhaps Peter had not wept â—…r a great while till he Denyed his â—…ear Saviour We read indeed of â—…s Eminency in Faith and Love â—…fore his Fall but after his Fall â—…e find Peter as Eminent in True â—…epentance and Godly Sorrow He â—…nt out and Wept bitterly Herein â—…ter was the true Pourtraicture and â—…e lively Anatomy of a Repentant â—…nner So that Peter's Fall was his â—…sing and hereby he became Faâ—…ous in a Grace that the Scripture â—…as silent in as to him And so â—…b before Satan troubl'd him was â—…okt upon as indeed he was as a â—…oly Perfect Just and Upright Man so God reports of him whicâ—… indeed rendred him exceeding Famous and yet we find that thâ—… Holy Ghost by Iob's own Mouthâ—… tells us that notwithstanding hiâ—… Fame before
Wait at the Gates of Wisdom to Read the Bible to Pray to make Conscience of their Wayes by the constant Example of the Holy Humble Diligent Conscionable Growing Christian. These are the Words to them that have Faith in a Great Measure They must not be at a Stand but Grow SECT VI. I shall now direct my Speech to Such that have Faith but it is only in a Little Measure First Be Thankful for what thou hast and that is the way to get more He that is most Thankful shall be most Thriving What though thy Faith is Little yet art thou not in a better Condition than those who have None at all All Men have not Faith It is a Rare Iewel When Christ comes shall he find Faith on the Earth Secondly Be Fervent in your Prayers and Supplications unto God As the Apostles were Luk. 17. 5. Lord increase our Faith Thirdly Get your Weak Faith Strengthened by a Holy and Frequent Application of God's Promises Meditation on God's Fatherly Affection and Unspeakable Goodness Psal. 104. 34. Fourthly By maintaining and keeping-up a Holy Communion with the Saints of God Ioh. 20. 19. 25. Fifthly By leading a Sincere and Sanctified Conversation Psal. 112. 6 7 8. 1 Ioh. 3. 19. Sixthly By a Holy Care to shun all Sin with all Occasions leading there-unto Iam. 1. 27. 1 Thess. 5. 22. Seventhly and Lastly By a Patient Waiting on God Psal. 40. 1 2 3. Quest. But will a Weak Faith Save me Answ. Yes For it Ingrafteth us into Christ maketh us Just in God's Sight gathereth us into the Family of God's Children and giveth us Victory over Sin and Satan Ioh. 15. 1. Ioh. 1. 12. Gal. 3. 7. Isa. 42. 3. Isa. 40. 11. 1. Ioh. 5. 4. A Weak Faith may lay hold on a Strong Christ. If your Faith be not Grown to a Cedar yet if it be a Bruised Reed it is too Good to be Broken Only let not Christians rest in Low Measures of Grace but Aspire after Higher Degrees The Stronger our Faith the Firmer our Union with Christ and the more Sweet Influence we draw from Him A Weak Faith Christ Chides very much SECT VII I now come to speak unto such that have no Faith And there are Three Things that I shall do 1. Lay down some Motives whereby you may be perswaded to get Faith 2. Directions whereby to attain it 3. Signes whereby you may know whether your Faith be True or False CHAP. XV. I Am to Lay down some Considerations or Motives inducing to get Faith which shall be derived from the Misery of such that are Faithless and that in these following Sections SECT I. First You cannot please God Heb. 11. 6. And wherefore are you Made if not to Please God This is the End of your Creation and Beings The Creatour would fain take Complacency and Delight in you but while you are Faithless he cannot Unbelievers are not the Objects of God's Desire because such can give no Credit to the Report in the Gospel Faith Pleases God but Unbelief Displeases him First It puts the Lye upon God It calls in question his Power Mercy Truth 1 Joh. 5. 10. He that Believeth not hath made God a Lyar. Secondly Unbelief hardens the Heart Mark 16 14. He upbraided them with their Unbelief and Hardness of Heart Unbelief and Hardness of Heart are linked together Thirdly Unbelief is the Root of Apostacy Heb. 3. 12. An Evil Heart of Unbelief in departing from the Living God Unbelief Virtually includes all other Sins It is a Big-bellied Sin Finally As Faith is the Chiefest among Graces so Unbelief is the Chiefest among Sins SECT II. Secondly You cannot Resist one Temptation Let Satan shoot his Bullets as fast as he can one after another and for want of True Faith you shall remain still as so many Butts for the same All of the Devil's Temptations shall find Acceptation with thee be they what they will If Satan suggesteth to thee that there is no God thou wilt with the Fool say in thy Heart There is no God Yea where Faith is not the Devil's Temptations in all kind shall be clos'd with His Temptations to Diffidence and Distrust in the Promises will be clos'd with His Temptations to Lust will be clos'd with His Temptations to Avarice will be clos'd with His Temptations to Pride will be clos'd with What is there not but a Faithless Soul the Devil may Allure unto There is not Hereticks never so much yet our â—…ith shall remain Firm. Though he may Shake it yet he shall not Overthrow it Though he may Darken it yet he shall not wholly Eclipse it The Believer all this while shall be Safe and as Mount Sion which cannot be Removed Again Let the Devil raise up a Multitude of Persecutors and though they may Strom us to some purpose by their Threats and Blows yet our Faith being Sheltered under the Wing of Christ supported and held up by the Intercession of Christ it shall never Totally and Finally fail Lastly Let the Devil raise up Schismaticks and by them breed Schism Division Dissension and Discord among the Children of God as not long ago in this Nation he did and indeed I know not any thing that tends more to the Extirpation of True Zeal and Piety than the same But yet notwithstanding all these Things the Faith of God's Elect is whole and entire in its Seed still There are divers Arguments whereby the Saints Perseverance is clearly Evinc'd and Prov'd against the Opposers thereof but I am only confined to make use of one among them and therefore to use any of the rest would be justly deemed a Digression Arg. What-so-ever our Lord Iesus Christ hath Prayed for shall certainly come to pass But he hath Prayed for the Saints Perseverance or that they may not fall away Totally and Finally from Grace Ergo The Saints shall Persevere The Major is proved from Iohn 11. 42. And I know sayes Christ to the Father that thou hearest me alwayes That Christ now doth Pray for Saints Perseverance is evident from my Text. But I have Prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not Now the great Thing that remains in the Agitation of this Blessed Truth though much Controverted is to Illustrate the Potency of our Saviour's Intercession on which depends the Perseverance of our Faith Now the Potency of it appears if we consider these Three Things 1. The Person that Intercedes 2. The Intercession it self 3. The Persons for whom this Intercession is made SECT III. First If we consider the Person that Intercedes being the Lord Iesus Christ himself who is Admirable for his Excellent Qualifications and Great Interest that he hath in Him with whom he Intercedes As to his Qualifications He is an Advocate that is Wise Faithful Just and Tender-hearted and therefore doubtless will Plead for us after a Perfect Exquisite and Infallible Manner As to his Interest in Heaven it is Great For God with whom he Intercedes is his Father
but an Almighty Power There is no Power below that Power which Rais'd Christ from the Dead and Made this World can Raise the Heart of a Man to Believe When God Made the World there was nothing to Oppose He had only then to do with Simple Nothing But when God comes to make the Heart Believe he finds Opposition and Rebellion It is a Miracle for a Man to Believe Nay What is Faith but a Mystery Secondly Faith is very useful to such that have it It s Usefulness appears in these Three Particulars First In Repelling Temptations Without Faith we cannot Resist so much as one Temptation Ephes. 6. 16. By Faith we can Resist Temptations by Faith we Bear Afflictions by Faith we Foil Corruptions by Faith we Endure Persecutions by Faith we Over-come the World and by Faith we Subdue Sin in its Conception and do even make Sinful Thoughts Abortive No Wrestling with the Devil no Entring the Lists with him but by having this Shield of Faith which is so exceeding Useful therein Secondly Faith is Useful in an Art of Spiritual Extraction that it hath Faith can Extract Good out of Evil. An Unbeliever can see nothing in Affliction but a Lump of pining Grief and Sorrow But a Believer knows that there is a Blessing in it The Sharpness of it may let out his Corruption the Suddenness of it may Alarum his Spiritual Watch and the Bitterness of it may Wean him from the Breast of the Creature Faith explains that Paradox Can a Man gather Grapes of Thornes or Figs of Thistles Yea out of Tryals and Persecutions Faith can Extract Ioy and Peace Thirdly Faith is Useful in that it hath a Mighty and Universal Influence upon all our other Graces The Spirit of God indeed doth infuse all the Seeds and Habits of Grace But Faith is the Fountain of all the Acts of Grace It is as the Spring in the Watch that moves the Wheels and sets them all a-going How doth Love work but by Faith and How doth Humility work but by Faith and How doth Patience work but by Faith SECT V. Secondly Cherish Faith This is as I have told you the Cardinal Grace For the Sake of God and for the sake of your Soul Water this Root Now there are Two Ranks and Degrees of Persons that I shall take occasion to speak unto 1. Such who have Faith in a Great Measure 2. Such who have Faith in a Little Measure First Such who have Faith in a Great Measure And that which I have to say unto you is Grow Though you have a great deal of Faith yet you have need of more and it is possible for you to have more For God hath allotted unto every Believer such a Degree of Grace unto which he must attain before he is to be taken up in Glory The more Strong you are the more Formidable you shall be to the Devil Sirs Dream not of a Perfection in this Life Though you have much Faith yet you have need of more and therefore go Forward because not to go Forward is to go Backward Could the Heathen-Painter be so intent and industrious upon his Trade of Painting that he could say Nulla Dies sine lineâ Not a Day without a Line and all that he might Excel in that Art and Shall not Christians be more intent upon in their Attendance to the Work of Grace in their Souls Several Motives I shall lay down that you may thereby be excited to Growth Motive I. First God calls for it And shall we deny it 1 Thes. 4. 1. Further-more Then we beseech you Brethren and Exhort you by the Lord Jesus That as ye have Received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God so you would abound more and more The Winds and Seas Obey God Shall We be Rebels Let us rather give an Answer like the Eccho Lord we will Grow Do thou Bless thy Word and Sacraments to us Purge us Cleanse us Water us Manure us make us Capable of Growth and let us Dayly Grow in every Grace and never give over till our Dying Day Say Lord make us every Day Better and Best of all at last Motive II. Secondly God is Honoured by our Growth A High-grown Faith Glorifies God The Husband-man is Honoured when his Field and Orchard is Fruitful Let God be Honoured by our Fruites of Piety Charity Righteousness Patience and Obedience that Men may say It is a Good God and a Good Gospel that hath wrought on this People Motive III. Thirdly God gives his Word and Ministers and Sacraments for this End All our Preachers call for Growth Let not God say I have given them the Great Things of my Law but they esteemed them as a Vain Thing Let not the Preachers say We have Laboured in vain and have been beating the Air and Plowing upon the Sea-Shore Motive IV. Fourthly If you Grow not you will Perish by the Hands of Satan that is The Devil will get the Advantage of you The Tree that Grows not must be Hewn down and cast into the Fire And is it not better to be Flourishing than Perishing If we take not pains to grow Better we must suffer Pains for being Worser Motive V. Fifthly The Truth of your Faith appears by the Growth of it Faith may be Little but if it be True it will not alwayes be Little Those that are of God's own Planting are Flourishing in their Old Age. If you begin in Hypocrisie you will end in Apostacy A sound Young Convert proves an Old Disciple O let it not be said Ye did Run well You had Good Affections You were once Zealous Let your Soundness appear by your Growth and Perseverance Motive VI. Sixthly A Growing Christian hath most Comfort There is Ioy in Knowledge The more Knowledge the more Comfort Let him that Glorieth Glory in this That he knoweth Me Jer. 9. 23. There is Joy in Believing Rom. 15. 13. The more Faith the more Ioy. The Growing Christian gets the strongest Evidences of God's Favour of God's Spirit working in him His Acts of Growth and Fruites of Obedience are Seeds of Ioy and the Ground-work of Consolation Motive VII Seventhly The Growing Christian wins Others Those which Decline do make as if there were not that Power in God's Ordinances that Sweetness in the Promises as was expected As if a Godly Life had not the Contentments nor God's Rewards were so Sure nor his Wayes so Happy as Men take them to be And therefore they give over But he that Grows Better and Better and holds on notwithstanding Opposing Heresies Schisms Reproaches and Pleasant Baits and Sweet Allurements He proclaims Vanity in the Creature Satisfaction in God Power in his Word Amiableness in Grace He brings Credit on God's Family Honour to the Truth Others see something in him which is Supernatural They desire to be like him They are Almost yea sometimes Altogether perswaded to become Professors They are drawn to Taste of God's Goodness to
biddeth him with the rest of of the Apostles To Watch Luk. 22. 40 and 46. SECT II. Use 4. Of Comfort Fourthly Here is a Use of Comfort to us that are Believers and that have an Interest in Christ's Intercession Here is Comfort under Fears of Barrenness and here is Comfort under Fears of Falling away First Here is Comfort under Fears of Barrenness I am afraid saith the Soul lest my Faith quite Fails and so grow Dead at last proving just like the Barren Fig-Tree in the Gospel which was Cursed But for thy Comfort know Christ prayeth Thaâ—… thy Faith may not fail T' is granted the Devil will Sift thee and Winnow thee and Level all his Temptations against thy Faith Thou art a Branch of that Vine Christ Iesus therefore shalt never cease yielding of Fruit. As long as there is a Fulness in Christ Believers shall never Want This Holy Vine Christ being Replenished with Sap the Branches cannot choose but be Fruitful As long as the Root Lives the Branches shall never Die. Besides Saints should read Promises that are made to them in case of Spiritual Barrenness I am the Lord thy God which Teasheth thee to profit Isa. 48. 17. In the Wilderness shall Waters break out and Streams in the Desert and the Parched Ground shall become a Pool and the Thirsty Land Springs of Water Isa. 35. 6 7. Secondly Here is Comfort under Fears of Falling away I am afraid saith the Christian that I shall be quite out of Breath before I get to Heaven either I shall be blown down by Satan's Temptations or faint under Sufferings But know thou hast Omnipotency to Support thee Thy Faith is Sheltered under the Wing of Christ and Supported by the Intercession of Christ So that it is Secure let the Devil strike never so hard or often at it Adam that Grew upon his own Root of Innocency soon Withered But thou hast Christ for thy Root therefore thy Grace shall Flourish into Perseverance Believers Christ holds you 'T is not your Holding of Christ but Christ's Holding of you that Preserves you He it is that for thee Repels the Force of Temptation Over-powers the Rellicks of Corruption and increaseth the Sparkles of Grace SECT III. Use 5. Of Counsel Fifthly Here is a Use of Counsel which hath a Double Aspect 1. To Believers 2. To Unbelievers First To Believers Doth Christ in Heaven Intercede for you Then first keep you close to your Duty on Earth Christ neglects not Praying for you in Heaven do not you then neglect Praying for your selves on Earth Christ is ready in Heaven to present your Petitions to God upon your presenting your Petitions to him 1. If Christ ceaseth not Praying for you do not you cease then Praying for your self 2. If Christ Prays and Pleads for you in Heaven then do you Plead for him on Earth Believers themselves have oft-times many Accusers viz. The Devil Evil Men and Conscience and when any of these do Accuse them Christ is then ready in Heaven to Plead Seeing then that Christ Intercedes for you and Pleads for you when you are Accused and Dishonoured do you Plead for Him for his Honour and for his Interest when Asperss'd by the World 3. Doth Christ in Heaven Intercede for Believers Then let Believers ascribe Perseverance to him looking upon it as his own Gift Let Christ have what is Due from you Pay I say the Tribute of your Gratulation unto him Secondly To Unbelievers Doth Christ Intercede in Heaven for Believers Then what will become of Unbelievers Hereupon I advise you to Repair to Christ. No Interest in Christ no Interest in his Intercession Therefore instead of Christ's Blood Crying to God for you it shall Cry to God against you He that is an Intercessor for some shall be an Accuser to others Yet now every Unbeliever despiseth Christ's Intercession and treadeth it under Foot Christ's Death Victory Conquest Merits Spirit Graces and Intercession are nothing at all to Persons that are in an Unbelieving State No Interest in any of these Benefits unless you have Union with the Donor of them 'T is Union with Christ that gives us a Title to all the Priviledges of Christ. If thou hast not Christ thou hast none of Christ's How Deplorable therefore is the Case of Christ-less Souls They cannot argue any thing of Comfort from what he has done Christ's Death Merits and Sufferings avails them not Here is no Comfort to be spoken to you till you get into hrist Ah then What do Men and Women do in rejecting the Tenders of Grace and the Offers of Christ in the Gospel To Day therefore if you will Hear his Voice Harden not your Hearts Verily he that now waits and stands at the Door Knocking will ere long give over and Knock at your Hearts no more Possess your Souls therefore with an Holy Impatience until such time you can say Christ is come Christ is come Methinks it should be a Burden for you to Live unless Christ is Formed in you An Interest in him will render your Lives Pleasant and your Death Gainful Be convinced therefore of the Absolute Need of a Saviour by considering that till you are in him you can have no Interest in his Intercession and Satisfaction the Great Effect of his Priestly Office That no Mercy will be a Mercy unto you till then but rather Curses and given in Judgment to you And this is the Exact Pourtraiture of every Christ-less Man and Woman CHAP. XXII Wherein part of the Last Doctrine is handled SECT I. The Fifth and Last Doctrine is this Doctrine Those whom God hath Done much for should be much in Doing for others When thou art Converted streng then thy Brethren I Shall Prosecute this Dostrine in this wise 1. In what Sense we are to understand God's Doing much for a Person 2. What it is that such whom God has Done much for should be in Doing for others 3. Confirm the Doctrine 4. Apply it SECT II. First In what Sense we are to understand God's Doing much for a Person or when it may be said God doth much for a Person Now God may be said to do much for a Person Two wayes 1. To his Body 2. To his Soul 1. To his Body By Body I understand all Things relating thereunto as Life Health Estate Good Name and Negotiations First God has done much for such whose Threads of Lives he has lengthned out Once thou wast Heart-sick Crazy and by no means could hold up thy Head expecting Death every moment and by reason of exceeding Tortures it was a Burden for thee to Live Medicines proved Ineffectual Physitians Despaired Friends gave thee over and a Dead Man thou wast in the Expectation of all Yet lo God Miraculously raises thee up smiles on thee by Renewing thy Life and with Good Hezekias adds Fifteen Years more unto thee Now here God Does much for a Person with Respect to his Life Secondly God has done much
to the most Excellent of Creatures Faith is called Gold 1. Because it hath its Original from the Word which is more Precious than that of Gold 2. It is called Gold because as Gold among the Mettals excels so doth Faith among the Graces 3. It is call'd Gold in regard of its Rarity Again Faith is compared to the Sun in the Firmament in regard 1. Of its Irradiating and Refulgent Beams 2. Of its Communication of Light SECT V. Secondly Satan strikes principally at our Faith because our Faith strikes principally at him The Devil cannot abide our Faith because our Faith cannot abide him This Shield of Faith strikes at the Devil by Discovering his Policies Unmasking his Deceit Frustrating his Designes Diverting his Intentions seeking Confirmation in the Word fetching Strength from Christ. SECT VI. Thirdly Satan strikes principally at our Faith because he knows that if he can but Subvert and Over-throw it all the other Graces will fall with it While Faith is in the Soul Love Hope Patience and Holy Courage and divers other Graces are then present But if Faith be lost were it possible then Love Patience and Holy Courage will also be lost Satan knows That if he could but Disarm us of our Shield of Faith we should return Home Dead It is Faith that Defends the Christian in the Exercise of all his Graces By Faith we stand Rom. 11. 20. As a Souldier under the Protection of his Shield stands his Ground and doth his Duty notwithstanding all the Shot that are made against him to drive him back But if Faith fails then every Grace is put to the Run and Rout. Abraham's Simplicity and Sincerity how was it put to Disorder when he dissembl'd with Abimelech concerning his Wife And why but because his Faith failed him Iob's Patience received a Wound when his Hand grew weary and his Shield of Faith which should have covered him hung down Indeed no Grace is safe if from under the Wing of Faith Therefore to secure Peter from falling from all Graces Christ tells him He had prayed that his Faith should not fail This was the Reserve that Christ took care should be kept to Recover his other Graces when Foiled by the Enemy and to bring him off that Encounter wherein he was so sadly Bruised and Broken It is said That Christ could not Do many Mighty Things in his own Country because of their Unbelief Matth. 13. 58. Neither can Satan do any great Hurt to the Christian so long as Faith is upon the place It is true he aims to Fight Faith above all as that which keeps him from coming at the rest but he is not able long to stand before it Let a Saint be never so Humble Patient Devout Alas Satan will easily pick some Hole or other in these Graces and break-in upon him when he stands in the best Array if Faith be not in the Field to cover these This is the Grace that makes him face about and take him to his Heels 1 Pet. 5. 9. CHAP. XIV IF this be so That the Devil in all his Assaults strikes principally at Faith Then hence I infer 1. The Believers Happiness 2. The Unbelievers Misery SECT I. First The Believers Happiness in that he has a Shield to beat off the Devil's Blows They have Faith which as a Shield they Defend themselves by Faith Resembles a Shield in these Respects First A Shield is a Piece of Armour that is intended for the Defence of the whole Body Other Pieces are only for some particular Part of the Body as the Helmet for the Head Plate for the Breast but the Shield for the Whole It was used therefore to be made very Large For its Broadness called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Gate or Door because so long and large as in a manner to cover the whole Body To which that Place alludes Psal. 5. 12. Thou Lord wilt bless the Righteous with Favour thou wilt compass him as with a Shield And if the Shield were not Large enough at once to cover every Part yet being a Moveable Piece of Armour the skilful Souldiers might turn it this way or that way to catch the Blow or Arrow from lighting on any Part they were directed to And this indeed doth Excellently well set forth the Universal Use that Faith is of to the Christian. It defends the whole Man Every Part of the Christian by it is Preserved Sometimes the Temptation is levell'd at the Head Satan he will be Disputing against this Truth and that to make the Christian if he can call them into question meerly because his Reason and Understanding cannot Comprehend them And he prevails with some upon this very Account to blot the Deity of Christ with other Mysterious Truths of the Gospel quite out of their Creed Now Faith interposeth between the Christian and this Arrow It comes into the Relief of the Christians weak Understanding as seasonably as Zerujah did to David when the Giant Ishlilenob thought to have Slain him I 'le trust the Word of God saith Faith rather than my own Pur-blind Reason Secondly The Shield doth not only Defend the whole Body but is a Defence to the Souldiers Armour also It keeps the Arrow from the Helmet as well as Head from the Breast and Breast-plate also Thus Faith it is Armour upon Armour a Grace that preserves all the other Graces SECT II. Secondly The Unbelievers Misery in that he hath no Shield to bear off Satan's Blows An Unbeliever is an unarmed Man and therefore it is that the Devil takes him Prisoner without any Difficulty and Rules in his Heart freely A Temptation overcomes such an one without little or no Resistance Nay an Unbeliever chooseth rather to be taken Prisoner by the Devil than to dye a Conquerour in the Quarrel of God What then shall I say Lord Who would be in such a Deplorable Condition for want of Faith But such it seems is the Case and Condition of Infidels among whom Lord let not me be found lest the Strong Man Devil should Enter into me and Devour me quite SECT III. Secondly If this be so Then here is a Use of Exhortation which hath a double Aspect 1. To such as have Faith 2. To such as have not Faith SECT IV. First You that have Faith highly prize it and value it at a great Rate This is the Hand that Receives the Pearl of Price Christ Iesus that Inestimable Iewel Take heed of Shallow Conceits of Faith put an equal Estimate upon it Value it I say and that for Two Reasons chiefly 1. Because it is Hard to be gotten 2. Because it is Useful to such that have it First Faith is Hard to be gotten It is not a Common Universal Grace It is not an easie Thing to Believe but to Believe is a Powerful Supernatural Work To Believe saith Saint Paul is Mighty Power of God Ephes. 1. 19. To Believe is not only a Power