received the holy Ghost for that he received after the preaching of Ananias ver 17. To conclude Let all men as God shall assist lift up their hearts to God in Prayer that they may have grace to believe the Gospel for who knows but that the Spirit of Supplication and Faith may be poured upon them both together Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and of Supplications c. Luke 19.3 9. Zacheus his strong desires after Christ were answered with grace If they have strong desires it argues there are the seeds of Faith and therefore such are encouraged to pray Mat. 5.6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled Therefore pray that thou maist believe and believe that thou maist pray 4. If thou canst not pray thy self yet beg the prayers of others in thy behalf as Simon Magus begg'd the prayers of the Apostles apprehending their prayers to be more prevalent than his own It is possible God may hear the prayers of Job for his friends Job 42.8 9. when he will not hear them for themselves However pray thy self and be sure to beg the prayers of others that the new creature in thy Soul may be as Samuel which signifies 1 Sam. 1.20 One that is begg'd of God That the prayers of thy faithful friends may be as the Spiritual Midwives of thy new Birth How did Paul travel in the Spiritual birth of others sometimes by Preaching and sometimes by Prayers sometimes by one means and sometimes by another Gal. 4.19 My little children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you The Jaylors Conversion Act. 16.25 is set down as the consequent of the Apostles prayers not onely their deliverance out of his Prison but his deliverance out of the Devils Prison is set down as a fruit of their Prayers Pray therefore thy self and beg the Prayers of others that the heavy grave stones and all those other Impediments we have spoken of may be rolled out of the way that thou maist have power to believe and so power to become the Son of God by Faith And so much for the second Means which is Prayer The third is Society Third mean of begetting faith Good Society and frequent converse with faithful men Remember what Solomon saith Prov. 13.20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise but a companion of fools shall be destroyed There is much power in Company to make a man either very bad or very good But beside the Moral Efficacy of Vices and Vertues held out by way of Example for we are apt to conceive as Labans sheep according to the patterns that lie before us I say besides the Moral Efficacy there is much more power in the threatning taking hold upon a wicked Company-keeper If God say a wicked company shall be destroyed it were desperate presumption to expect Salvation in such a way And there is much power in the Promise on the other side If God say a Companion of wise and faithful men shall be made wise and faithful himself we may well expect a blessing in that way when God once gives us a heart to desire and to delight in the company of such persons As for vain Companions you must never look to get good by them the more they warm you with their outward comforts the colder will your hearts be to Jesus Christ as it was with Peter in the High-Priests Hall their Reproaches their Mocks their rotten and corrupt Communication is like cold water cast upon smoakâ—ng flax But now in the company of gracious persons there is some good to be gotten they are like Lanthorns they disperse their light round about it is good walking by such a light whilst we are in the dark our selves They are like Precious Stones they do in a very lively manner hold forth the vertues of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 If thou beest much in their company thou shalt see much of Christ and hear much of Christ and it may be at the last their discourse will warm thy heart Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the Scriptures Luk 24.32 Agrippa was almost perswaded to be a Christian whilst he was talking with Paul and the Eunuch in the 8 of the Acts was not onely almost but altogether perswaded whilst he was talking with Philip. If thou dost frequently and conscionably converse with such as these thou shalt hear them discoursing one while of mans misery by Nature another while of the excellency of Jesus Christ another while of the manner and means of theâ—r own Conversion another while of Gods dealing with them since they were converted in removing their fears in answering their prayers in satisfying their desires and the like O come say they Psa 34. and we will tell you what the Lord hath done for our souls And thus like the good and faithful Spies they tell such good news of the Land of Canaan and present such goodly Clusters of the first-fruits to the view of others that their mouthes also fall a watering and their Souls fall a longing to be in the same condition That was the fruit of the gracious discourse that passed between the Spouse and the Daughters of Jerasalem Cant. 6 1. Whither is thy beloved gone O thou fairest among Women whither is thy beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee And thus is many a poor ignorant Soul stirred up to enquire after God by conversing with godly persons O friend saith such a one I perceive you are in love with Jesus Christ and have received precious Love-tokens from him you have Truth of Faith and Truth of Grace but alas I am a stranger to Jesus Christ I pray then tell me how and where I should finde him and what is the readiest way to believe in him that my Soul also may seek him with yours And thus is the poor creature drawn after Jesus Christ As the Devil hath his Coy-birds Black-Birds of Hell to draw others into his Net to their destruction So God hath his Coy-Birds also Birds of Paradice to draw others into his Net to their Salvation God makes his Ministers both Fowlers and Fishers of men and private Christians in their places must endevour to draw and allure others to come within the compass of the Net to prove if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil who are taken captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2. the two last verses And thus of the third Means and Furtherance of Faith namely Society and frequent converse with faithful men Fourth mean of begetting Faith Meditation of Gods Name The fourth is the consideration of Gods
but a solid Christian says I had rather be rich in faith than to be accounted so for in case thy faith grow not as fast as thy Profession of it thou wilt be just like a Ship that hath more Sails than Ballast like a Bird that flies out of her nest before she hath wings to carry her Like that foolish King who going to make war with ten thousand Luke 14. provokes him that comes against him with twenty thousand For the very Profession of the faith may provoke an Adversary as well as if we had really as much as we do profess And how shall such a man endure the stroke that provokes much and can resist or bear nothing Or he is like an Apprentice that buyes out his time before he hath either sufficiency of Stock to set up withall or sufficiency of Skill to manage his Stock So it is with men that set up the Trade of godliness with as great shew upon the Stall as most men do and yet have but little stock of Faith within doors to bear it out they soon either prove Bankrupts or take a sore fall either into some foul errour in judgement or into some foul sin in their practice All these Considerations should perswade us to increase and grow strong in the faith Quest But how should I know whether I do increase or decrease whether my faith be strong or weak Answ It appears to be weak Signs of a weak faith by the frequency of doubtings and fears therefore little faith 1. Frequency of doubtings and much fear or doubting are usually joyned together in Scripture as S. John saith of Love 1 Joh. 3.18 Perfect love casteth out fear he that feareth is not made perfect in love So we may say of Faith Perfect faith casteth out fear he that feareth is not perfect in faith It is true there is none so perfect upon earth but he may fear sometimes But yet this holds true The more faith the less fear and the more fear the less faith Secondly 2. Unsetledness in Gods truth a weak faith is soon discovered by a mans inconstancy and unsetledness in the Truths of God You know a strong man in regard of bodily strength is not easily turned about and staggered at every twitch but a childe is weak you may turn him this way and that way at your pleasure with one of your fingers So it is in grace a strong man in the faith is not easily moved by every new upstart and ungrounded Opinion but a Novice in the faith as he is soon lifted up by pride so he is as soon cast down by the wind of Errour therefore saith the Apostle Eph. 4.14 Let us be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive 3. Carefulness in worldly things Thirdly weak faith is discovered by a mans extraordinary care about worldly things He that hath strong faith will trust God for the things of this life as well as of that which is to come Heb. 13.5 his conversation is without covetousness and he is well content with such things as he hath because God hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee So that he can boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not fear what flesh can do unto me Heb. 13.5 But a man of a weak faith as his heart is more full of worldly fears and cares so his mouth is more full of distrustful or at least doubtful expressions What shall we eat Mat. 6. what shall we drink and what shall we put on all which do spring either from want of faith or at least from the weakness of it As Christ says Mat. 6.30 Wherefore if God so clothe the grass of the field which to day is and to morrow is cast into the oven shall he not much more clothe you O ye of little faith Plainly intimating the reason why they had so much worldliness in their hearts was Because they had so little faith there Faith and the World are Combatants 1 Joh. 5.4 This is the victory that overcomes the world even our faith Therefore when Faith gets above the World it argues Faith is strong but when the World gets above Faith it argues Faith is weak 4. Backwardness to holy duties and remissness in them Fourthly a weak faith is discovered by a mans backwardness to holy duties beforehand and by his remissness in them afterwards The Watch stands still when the Spring is down and it moves but slowly when the Spring is weak Now faith is as it were the Spring of the Soul it sets all a work in Prayer in Hearing in Practice Therefore where the Spring of faith is weak the Soul moves weakly and slowly toward and in those holy duties but where the Spring grows stronger and stronger it moves more strongly and vigorously from day to day I believed and therefore have I spoken saith David We having the same Spirit of faith we also believe and therefore we have spoken saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.13 Strong Faith is like strong wine it must have a vent in gracious speeches and holy actions Job 32.18 For I am full of matter the Spirit within me constraineth me Behold my belly is as wine which hath no vent it is ready to burst like new bottles I will speak that I may be refreshed I will open my lips and answer Look as strength of love to Jesus Christ constrains to holy duties 2 Cor. 5.14 For faith works by love Gal. 5.6 So the more faith the more work the creature doth for God the less faith the less work Only take it with this Caution that the work springs from a principle of Love to Jesus Christ Otherwise he that hath lesse faith or no faith at all may yet do more work seemingly for God more external work springing from a principle of self-Self-love and Self-seeking in praise or profit But such a man carries not his work before him he doth it but to the halves he serves God with bodily exercise but he serves him not in Spirit and truth Fifthly 5. Sign Yielding to Temptations A weak Faith is discovered by a mans easie yeelding to the temptations of sin A weak souldier is soon overcome but a valiant champion stands it out stoutly and bears many a blow before he yields Therefore a weak faith is soon overcome by any little temptation of profit or pleasure and the like whereas a strong faith stands out manfully as Moses did who by Faith refused to enjoy the pleasures of sin Chusing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God Heb. 11.25 So also by yielding under temptations of tryal Joh. 6.6 And this he said to prove him viz. Philip in the miracle of multiplying the loaves for he himself knew what he would do As also the rest of the Disciples in the tempest at sea Consider
the way of believing 3 That Salvation may be on free and sure grounds The general Uses drawn from the Life of Faith 1Vse Information in seven Particulars 1 The happy condition of Believers They have comfort in six respects 2 The misery of unbelievers in six respects 3 The Reason of Satans enmity against Faith 4 The difference 'twixt the Life of Christ and that of a Believer 5 Why so many remain spiritually dead 6 There cannot be any thing of Christ or of Spiritual life in the Creature before Faith As Christ and life so Faith and life come both together 7 What is the choice work of a Minister 2Vse of Reproof to three sorts 1 Such who live upon other things in stead of living by Faith as namely their Sins Pleasures Creatures Riches Friends or upon themselves either sinful Self natural Self artificial Self moral Self religious Self These particulars are inlarge 2 Such who profess Faith but live not by it 3 Such as act not their Whether 1. In Actions 2. Conditions 3. Elections 3Vse of Examination 1 For Trial of persons whether we be just and in a state of spiritual life or no Divers Marks of true Faith from feigned 2 For Trial of all Doctrines and Religions whether they be true or false Where living by Faith is demonstrated to be the Touchstone of them 4Vse of Thankfulness for Faith Five Grounds or Arguments to provoke Believers to Thankfulness for Faith 1 It is Gods gift 2 It s necessary to the very Being of a Christian 3 Such a gift as none else can give where there are five Wonders of Faith spoken unto 4 Faith is a most precious Gift Three things very precious The preciousness of Faith in four particulars 5 The rarity or scarcity of Faith 5Vse Humiliation for Vnbelief The evil of Unbelief is set forth in 7 Particulars 1 It dishonours God 2 It grives the Holy Spirit 3 It pleases the Devil 4 It is the Mother-Sin The Brood of Unbelief 1 Ignorance 2 Security 3 Worldliness 4 Hypocrisie 5 Heresie 6 Apostacy 7 Atheism 5Vnbelief is a Step-mother to Grace 6Vnbelief is the Nurse of Sin 7 Judgements on Vnbelievers 6Vse of Exhortation wherein four Branches 1 Branch Exhort To get Faith where Faith is proved to be the wisest Purchase and Vnbelief the greatest Self-murther The excellencies of Believing which contains 1 Strength 2 Wisdom 3 Riches 4 Beauty 5 Honor. 6 Faith honors God 7 Dead without Faith 8 Faith makes to prosper Q How shall we get Faith Here are Means Negative and Positive prescribed Negative means to get faith or the removal of the Impediments of faith Means Negative is the removal of the Impediments of Faith which are these 1 Self 2 Satan 3 The World 4 Gods hardning where hardness of heart is treated of and Gods Justice justified in hardning some sinners Relief is prescribed to all four 5 General Impediment contains seven mixt Impediments of Faith viz. 1 False Trust 2 Limiting of God 3 Harbouring some Lust 4 Our own Vnworthiness pleaded against the Promise 5 Laying too much stress on the depth of Humiliation 6 Want of feeling 7 Doubt of Election To all these particular Cures are applied 6 General Impediment of Faith viz. Neglect of the Means which should work Faith or beget it Five Causes of the neglect of Means 1 Prejudice quarrels the Means of Faith 2 Pride contemns the Means 3 Sloth recoils from the Means 4 Presumption postdates the use of Means 5 Despodency quits and casts off the use To all which Cures are applied 7 General Impediment of Faith viz. Supposition of having Faith already when it is nothing so Differences 'twixt Presumption and true Faith 1 In the Conception 2 In the Birth 3 In the Growth 4 In the Fruit. The second Branch of false Supposition is That we have not Faith when we have it This hinders the actings ad increasings of Faith Four Corollaries or Conclusions from the difficulty of Believing 1 The Word of God Positive means for obtaining of Faith Every Word of God is an object of Faith especially the Promise How the Spirit convinces of sin The method of converting Grace Six Reasons why Humiliation must go before Faith Humility appears in all the periods of Grace Direction to humbled sinners how to apply Promises 2 Means of begetting Faith is Prayer Question stated Whether a natural man ought ta pray 3 Means Good Society 4 Means Meditation on Gods Name 5 Means Sight of Treasure in Christ 6 Means Diligence in the use of Means which signifie three things 2 Branch of Exhortation To keep Faith Where is shewed The general usefulness of Faith Reasons why we should look well to the keeping of it 1 Reas The Benefit of keeping Faith 2 Reas The Enemies who opposite it 1 Corruption 2 Temptation 3 Troubles 3 Reas It is the glory of a Christian to be found in the Faith at Christs appearing Means of preserving Faith 1 Soundness 2 Trial of it 3 Love of the Truth 4 A good Conscience 5 A right Bottom 6 Commit it to God 7 Prayer for establishment with Gods free Spirit What the free Spirit of God establishes How the free Spirit of God establishes 3 Branch of Exhortation viz. To act Faith and to live by it Six Motives to act and exercise Faith Divers Helps for the acting of Faith 4 Branch of Exhortation viz. To increase the stock of Faith Six Motives to increase in Faith Five Signs of a weak Faith Seven Means for the increasing of Faith Conclusive Sermons on Dan. 12.3 An Appendix concerning the Converting of others to the Faith Doctrine The Conversion of Souls to the Faith as it is the most excellent Work so it shall certainly be crowned with the most excellent Reward Explication twofold 1 It is the most excellent Work Seven Reasons to prove this handled largely 2 It shall have the most excellent Reward USES 1 Information of the Dignity of the Ministry 2 Reproof to four sorts of persons 3 Exhortation to Convert Souls This is directed in general to All but in special to Ministers Eight Motives to quicken converted ones to labour to Convert others Eight Means whereby the Conversion of Souls may be promoted 4 Exhortation to Ministers to preach in a Soul-saving way 5 Exhortation to the People 1 To be willing to be wrought upon 2 To attend upon such Means as are proper 6Vse of Thankfulness 1 If we our selves are Converted 2 If any by our Means be Converted Seven Marks of sound Conversion 7Vse of Comfort to the Promoters of others Conversion in the midst of Opposition and Reproach The EPILOGUE Courteous Reader BE pleased before thou readest this Treatise to correct with thy Pen the following mistakes in printing that the sense of the Author may not be misrepresented ERRATA in the Titles of the Pages Page 230. read Bawkers of Impediments Page 417. r. Life of Faith in the midst of Death Page 429. r. Love of Lust Page 510. r.
of Gods grace to perform all duties of thankfulness 1 Stirring him up to duty Gal. 5.6 Faith works by love and Jam. 2. Faith without works is dead 2. Directing what to do Psal 119.66 Teach me good judgement and knowledge for I have beleeved thy Commandments 3. Strengthning to do it Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ strengthning me 4. Finding acceptance in doing Heb. 11.4 whereby he received witness that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts Fourthly Assuring him of all needful encouragement of blessing by vertue of God's promise 1. In beleeving the promise of reward Matth. 4.4 Man lives not by bread alone but by every Word of God 2. In suing out the promise by prayer Psal 119.49 Remember the word to thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope 3. In praising God for it Heb. 13.15 Let us offer to God the sacrifice of praise continually giving thanks to his Name So that to live by faith is to rest satisfied with God's command though we see no reason of it Heb. 11.8 9. and with God's promise though we have no present performance yea even then when providences crosse promises as to beleeve we shall come to the Haven in the greatest storm in case we have a promise as Paul Act. 27.22 c. As a wordly man in his way lives comfortably that hath good store of bonds in his coffers though all his money be out of doors and in other mens hands how much more do believers live comfortably that have bond and seal and oath from the God of truth though they have nothing in hand for present Thus the Just lives by faith Caution Not as if there were any natural or moral worth or efficacy in faith to beget this life or to make us righteous But only as an instrument of the spirit applying Christ our life and righteousness And indeed it is he begets faith in us For it is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 Christ is the root faith is the instrument of this life Thus living by faith implyes these 4 or 5 things 1. Right in Christ Gal. 2. 2. A cleering our way in point of duty Rom. 14. What is not of faith is sin 3. a cleering our right to the promise Heb. 11.17 He that had received the promises 4. a constant searching of the Scripture for the legacyes bequeathd to us Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life The heir cannot sue for his legacyes or inheritance unlesse he know what it is Act. 20.25 Luk. 22.19 5. A remembring them Psal 119.52 And a seasonable applying of them to particular cases and occasions What can a plaister do if it be only kept in the pocket and not laid upon the soare Which implyes it is not enough to have the habit of faith to possesse it but the act also is required that we may comfortably live by it We must put it to use Therfore Act. 13.39 faith is set forth by the act of beleeving By him all that beleeve in him are justified For howsoever it is true He that possesseth the habit of faith shall never totally and finally fall away yet for want of acting of it as he sins against God so he looseth the comfort of his life Luk. 24.25 Matth. 8.26 and in his own apprehension is like a dead man or at least exceeding dull heartlesse and fearful Usually in proportion to the acting of the life of Justification will be the strength of the life of Sanctification for faith works by love the more faith the more love Whence is Paul's exhortation to blow up the gift of God in him As a man lives by exercise 2 Tim. 1. and grows diseased for want of it So it is in spirituals To shew then how a Christian lives by faith this is the summe of what hath been spoken He lives by faith as a mean or instrument not as the efficient cause or author of this life But this is the order or series First God predestinates or determines this life to such Eph. 5.5 Having predestinated us c. Secondly He gives Christ his Son to death for the purchasing this life because by nature every man is in a state of death dead in sins and trespasses Col. 3.4 1 Joh. 5.12 Thirdly He makes known and holds forth this life in a promise to poor sinners Rev. 22.17 Fourthly He requires faith in the promise of all such as would have the benefit of this life that so they may glorifie God's truth and goodness and power in beleeving that he will and can make his word good So he calls men to beleeving in the preaching of the Gospel Joh. 3.16 Fifthly He bestowes faith upon the soul of his free grace because by nature we are shut up under unbeleef Rom. 11.32 Eph. 2.8 it is the gift of God So he calls men inwardly by his Spirit So that faith and life and Christ come all together Only he works this life in a way of believing and makes us sensible of it by the act of faith So that a Christian hath his life from God in Christ from Christ in the promise Col. 3 3 from the promise apprehended by faith from faith working by love and other graces which is the exercise of this life All graces are enlivened by faith faith receives life from the promise the promise from Christ Christ as mediatour from God the Father Joh. 6.57 God in Christ is the fountain of spiritual life the promises are so many Conduit-pipes that convey it faith is the hand that turns the Cock or the mouth to receive the water of life So that however God in Christ is the sole author and finisher of spiritual life yet he makes use of faith all along from first to last in the order of working and that in all parts and faculties of spiritual life viz. in the quickning expulsive nutritive retentive motive and breathing faculties First God makes use of faith in the Quickning faculty 1. Quickning faculty of faith or first infusion of life So the just lives by his faith Eph 2.5 with 8 Even when we were dead in sins he hath quickned us together with Christ for by grace ye are saved through faith The heart is primum vivens in grace as well as in nature and the heart is enlivened by Christ in a way of faith Eph. 3.16 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith So that whereas there is great dispute among men whether Christ or faith or righteousness of life comes first to the soul all is answered in one word They come all together not any one before or after another Christ brings all along together with himself So soon as ever a soul is quickned it doth believe and so soon as ever it believes it is quickned Yet faith is most perceptible in the act of Adherence 2. Expulsive faculty of faith Secondly God makes use of faith in the Expulsive facultie
Prayer John 16.24 Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full Dan. 9.23 the 10 11 19 verses Faith puts the soul upon prayer the more faithful the more prayerful I have believed therefore have I spoken therefore Prayer is called The Prayer of faith Jam. 5.14 è contra Rom. 10. How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed Hearing of Prayers 4. By stirring us up to observe how God hears our Prayers for this assures us both of Gods love to us and of our loves back again to him Psal 116.1 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voyce and my supplication Judg. 13.23 If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have received a burnt-offering and a meat-offering at our hands neither would he have shewed us all these things c. 5. By receiving the Spirit in the sanctifying work of it 2 Pet. 1. from ver 5. to 12. 1 John 3.19 Hereby we know we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him Psal 50.23 To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God John 14.21 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him Cant. 6.4 But let every man prove his own work and then he shall have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another 6. By making a bold and resolute Confession of Christ Christ useth to confess such and acknowledge and own them Matth. 16.16 17 18. after Peter had confessed Christ Christ confesseth him calls him by name tells him his privilege and that which flesh and blood had not revealed to him Rev 3.8 9. Thou hast not denied my name behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee There 's a new Name legible to him that overcomes 7. By getting and using an humble Spirit the proud God beholds afar off but comes near to the humble to them will he look to revive them Isa 66 2. 57.15 See 1. Pet. 5.5 Mary Magdalen the woman of Canaan calls her self a dog and so hath a special expression of love from him 8. By attending diligently upon the use of all Means for the further knowledge of God in Christ private and publike hearing asking Questions c. Cant. 3.1 2 3 4. It may be thou hast used some but not all and therefore wantest assurance 9. By labouring to be eminent in the filial reverential fear of the Lord such God more and more assures of his love Mat 4.2 To you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise c. Acts 9.31 The fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost are coupled together Psal 25.14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Prov. 14.26 In the fear of the Lord is strength and confidence Parents do not use to shew much countetenance to such children as they know will grow wanton under the expression of their favours So he but for such as grow more awful and regardful of their commandments the more kindeness they receive they care not how much love they shew to such c. And Faith begets fear Heb 11. Noah moved with fear c. 10. By calling to minde experiences Psal 77.3 7. c. there 's great reason to do this for his love is everlasting 11. When all is done or when all fail in renouncing all in thy self and relye on the free grace of God in Christ it may be the reason why thou art not assured thou leanest too much on thy own Graces Duties or Works as the meritorious cause of Assurance not as meerly instrumental as being the effects of free grace Oh! thou despairest because thou art a great sinner if less there were hope But relye onely on Christ for 1. God loves freely 2. Invites such as have no worth Isa 55.1 3. There is Mercy promised to him that cannot work but believe Rom. 4.5 Caution If true Assurance then presently it will change the heart 12. By a right apprehension of God in his Nature and Attributes very Truth Tit. 1.2 God that cannot lye Power Rom. 4.20 21. what he promiseth he is able to perform 3. Tryal of Assurance 3. He lives by Faith in the Tryal of his Assurance for bold presumption is most blinde and yet most confident Hos 8.1 2 3. Israel cryes My God we know thee yet set thy trumpet to thy mouth he shall come as an Eagle c. Some love not to be tryed Joh. 3.20 21. For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved But true men love to be put upon their tryal Jacob Genes 31.32 With whomsoever thou findest thy goods let him not live before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me A fool is confident and he rageth if you question his tenure as a man in a fine dream rageth if awaked O I was in the finest dream I dreamt heaven was mine and Christ was mine that I was supping with him and feeding upon him but as Isa 29.8 he is empty still so c. Be not deceived with such dreams Jer. 29 8. Let not the prophets and diviners that be in the midst of you deceive you c. I had rather awaken you now than that the last Trump should awake you But as true Faith saith to God Lord prove me and search my heart Psal 26.2 139.23 So to men Mal. 2.7 The priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the law at his mouth c. as men go to Lawyers to ask counsel in their Conveyances and Assurances c. So to its own Soul 2 Cor. 13.5 Prove your selves whether you be in the faith 1. There 's great reason to try Assurance Reason of Tryal All is not gold that glisters 1. One may have a great name in the world to live and yet be dead as Sardis Rev. 3.1 2. Men may be confident and bold yet blinde Bayards Hos 8.1 2. 3. There 's an assurance and peace in the Soul from Satan Luke 11.21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace his goods are in peace 4. An inheritance may be hastily gotten at the beginning but the end thereof shall not be blessed Prov. 20.21 So c. Quest How shall we know true Assurance from false Ans By the inward witness of the Spirit It 's true those that have received this cannot be deceived but because those that have not received it may be deceived and think they have it Ergo Try as Doctrines so Assurances 1 John 4.1 Beloved believe not every spirit c. Quest But how shall we know true Assurance Ans From the Cause instrumental the Word Tryal it self The Spirit works by the Word Isa 57. ult I create the
Lord hath forsaken me saith another or else I should never be thus bowed down with continual sickness Surely the Lord hath forsaken me saith another or else I should never be so friendless Lovers and friends hast thou put far from me and mine acquaintance into darkness And this was Jobs argument he confesses God was sometimes gracious to him but now he looks at him as an enemy And why so because he was under his afflicting hand he had stript him of outward Mercies Job 13.24 And this was Naomi's argument Ruth 1.20 she said to her Neighbors Call me not Naomi but call me Mara for the Lord hath dealt very bitterly with me I went out full but the Lord hath brought me home again empty But what though she came home empty of temporal blessings so long as she came home full of spiritual grace she had little cause to complain of hard dealing on Gods part But I say Gods people are apt to complain in cause of Temptation if God do but withdraw himself in some particular and temporal respects they are ready to say out God hath wholly and utterly forsaken them in all respects Obj. But will God onely forsake his people in temporal good things and not in spirituals also May not the Ordinances be taken from them or they from the Ordinances as doubtless many of Gods faithful ones were when they were banished into Babylon Ans I answer therefore 3. Gods forsaking in spirituals viz. Means God sometimes forsakes his people in spiritual good things but then it is rather in outward spiritual good things than in those that are inward 'T is true God took his Ordinances from his people when he removed them into Babylon but he did not take away his Spiritual nor his gracious Presence from such as were faithful It is a Promise God makes to such as were banished from the Sanctuary Ezek. 11.16 Although I have cast them far off amongst the heathen and although I have scattered them amongst the countries yet will I be to them a little Sanctuary in the countries where they shall come As if God should have said Though they want the ordinary Sanctuary and the ordinary means of Teaching yet I will be a Sanctuary to them my self and teach them by my Spirit they shall not want inward Spiritual Mercies though they want the outward Means of Grace Obj. But doth God forsake his people in outward Spiritual Mercies 4. Forsaking in spiritual comforts not grace and doth he not forsake them in those that are inward also Why else do they so much complain of their Souls and Spirits Psal 77.3 I complained and my Spirit was overwhelmed Ans Therefore he may also forsake in regard of inward Spiritual Mercies but then it is more in their inward Spiritual Comforts than in Spiritual Graces Some Christians indeed have more Comforts but less Graces as in the day of their first espousals to Jesus Christ for that is a time of love and rejoycing Jer. 2.2 I remember saith God the love of thine espousals But some Christians have more Graces and less Comfort as strong grown Christians Heb. 2. whom the Captain of their Salvation puts upon hard services for the trial of their Christian fortitude Psal 44.17 All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in the Covenant our heart is not turned back neither have our steps turned from thy way though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons and covered us with the shadow of death Indeed the face of Dragons and the face of Death was very terrible but yet the hiding of Gods lovely face was much more terrible ver 24. But yet for all that though God did with-hold their Spiritual Comforts yet he did not with-hold their Spiritual Graces for they had never more strength of grace than when they were able to grapple with Dragons and with Death it self Obj. But doth God forsake his people in respect of Spiritual Comforts Is it not said That such as have the Comforter once he shall abide with them for ever Joh. 14.16 If that be so why then should any believer be dejected Therefore I fear I never had true comfort Simile Answ That 's true the Comforter abides for ever but not in the Act of Comforting John 16.7 8. I will send the Comforter to you saith Christ What then Must they expect nothing but comfort so soon as ever the Spirit is come No there is an act of Conviction from the Spirit in the first place Note When he is come he will convince the world of sin The office of the Spirit is to empty us of our selves to humble us and to convince us as well as comfort us All these are acts of the Comforting Spirit though not acts of Comfort They are all such acts as tend to comfort and are conducible to that end As searching the Wound by the Chirurgeon and stirring the humours by the Physician are conducible to the act of healing though they are troublesome and painful for the present Neither doth God always forsake his people at such times as he doth withdraw their Spiritual comforts Note Did God forsake Christ upon the Cross or doth he forsake Christians in their mourning condition No surely he is most in them oftentimes by the graces of his Spirit when he is least in them by the comforts of it Obj. But doth not God forsake his people in their Graces as well as in their Comforts and do not Gods people complain for want of grace as well as for want of comfort Doth not David pray Psal 51. Take not thy holy Spirit from me as well as Restore to me the joy of thy Salvation The resolving of this doubt is needful for the better clearing of the Life of Perseverance and for the better incouragement against all discouragements of this nature concerning Gods forsaking of us or our forsaking of him Ans I answer therefore 5. Forsaking in graces not absolutely necessary God may withdraw from his people such graces as are called accessory graces but not such graces as are absolutely necessary We call such graces necessary as tend to the very being of a Christian and without which he is no Christian at all as Faith in Jesus Christ and so Justification and the Spirit of Adoption In these God will never forsake his people 1 Joh 3.9 Now accessory graces we call such as are added to these for the well-being of a Christian without which he cannot so well act his part as otherwise he might do As for example Though a Christian have Faith and the Spirit of Adoption in some measure yet he cannot so well discharge his duty unless he be zealous in believing zealous in praying zealous in preaching But now in these sometimes God doth forsake his people when his people for sake him by falling from their first love and from their first degree of zeal Gal. 4.15 But God doth
Surely by the hearing of the Word mixed with Faith Faith receives the Spirit of God which is called The Comforter because it is the special office of the Spirit to comfort the hearts of Gods people and to witness to their Spirits that God is now their reconciled Father in Jesus Christ and so it is called a Seal and this comes after Faith Eph. 1.13 In whom after ye believed ye were sealed by that Holy Spirit of Promise And this must needs be matter of unspeakable joy for the love of God is better than the love of all Creatures nay it brings along with it the love of all good Creatures and by this love the hatred of evil Creatures shall do us no hurt The love of God Job 5.23 is the life of the Soul as the Soul is the life of the Body nay 't is better than life Psal 63.3 Thy loving kindness is better than life Note Now Faith lays hold on the God of Love and on the love of this God and therefore must needs afford matter of strong Consolation Consolation what properly For what is Consolation to speak properly but a certain Reasoning of the Soul whereby we oppose some certain good to some oppressing evil whereby we mitigate our sorrow and bear the evil with more ease Now the greater and sorer the evil is the greater and surer good is required to weigh against it Now then forasmuch as a Christian seeks comfort against the greatest of all evils which is sin and eternal damnation for sin therefore it is not every good nor indeed any good but onely the Summum Bonum the chiefest good which is God that can be a sufficient remedy and cordial against this the greatest of all evils So then 1. How Faith comforts Faith lays hold upon this God reconciled to us in Jesus Christ forgiving all our sins because of his sufferings and Forgiving them Freely Frankly Fully Affectionately Most Advantagiously and In respect of us For it viz. Faith instrumentally redeems from Sin as a Debt then from the Prison of Hell then from the Jaylor Satan and re-instates in all the good forfeited by sin Believers shall have all things work for their good in this life and of Heaven at last And this is a Plaister broad enough to cover all our sores If God speak peace who can make trouble Job 34.29 Here is an object of unspeakable comfort God reconciled in Christ and this Reconciliation witnessed by the Spirit of Truth Again 2. Second way wherein Faith comforts Faith lays hold on the Ordinances which are as Conduit-pipes from the Brest of Jesus Christ as Christ is a Conduit-pipe from the Father And Faith as the mouth of the Soul lies sucking at this Brest and so draws in abundance of Spiritual strength and comfort Christ hath intrusted his Spouse the Church with these Brests for the nourishing up of all his children Oh how sweet it is to â—ie in the Lap of such a Nurse Isa 60.10 11. Rejoyce with Jerusalem and be glad with her all ye that love her rejoyce for joy with her all ye that mourn for her that ye may suck and be satisfied with the brests of her consolation that ye may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory For thus saith the Lord I will extend peace to her like a river and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream Then shall ye suck and be born upon her sides and be dandled upon her knees As one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem Lo here are the sweet brests of the Church Now the Word is one of these Brests the Seal of the Word is the other First the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 1. The Word is one of Christs Brests As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby if ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious There is much sweetness in this Brest Psal 19.10 The statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart more to be desired are they than gold sweeter are they than the honey and the honey-comb Oh this is a sweet Brest especially the Word of Promise for that is as it were the very Head and Nipple of this Brest Put this into the mouth of the most distressed Soul and it will still it when it cries out by reason of affliction Psa 119.49 50. Remember thy Word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope And that must needs be the Word of Promise For what follows This is my comfort in my affliction for thy Word hath quickned me But how doth this Brest quicken and comfort the children of God Surely not unless they draw and suck out this Milk of Consolation by the mouth of Faith Heb. 4.2 The Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it The most comfortable Promise in all the Word if it be not applied by Faith it hath no manner of sweetness in it But if thou canst receive it and apply it to thy self in believing Jer. 15.16 it will be the very joy and rejoycing of thy heart Second Brest of Consolation The second Brest of Consolation is the Seal of the Word the Sacrament Oh there is much sweetness in this there is much sweetness indeed in the Word of Promise as you have heard Yea but is this true says the Soul that begins to believe but is weak in Faith Or does all this belong to me Will God give Christ to me and the Spirit to me and Heaven to me Will God indeed love such a vile wretch as I am I am half afraid it is too good to be true O that I had some further assurance of it O that God would set to his Seal that this is true that I might set to my Seal that God is true O that he would set me as a Seal upon his heart that I might set him as a Seal upon my heart I can and will says God to the believing and yet weakly believing Soul Art thou so desirous of assurance I 'll give thee a Seal in the Sacrament Lo that 's a Seal of my love and all the fruits of it As sure as thou receivest the outward elements so sure shalt thou receive what is signified and sealed thereby my Christ my Spirit my Comforter And therefore this must needs be a sweet Brest where God does so sensibly put comfort into the mouth of the Soul Note A great neglect of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper And if so surely we have the greatest cause to lay it to heart and to cry to our heavenly Father That one of our Mothers Brests is in a manner dried up or that some of his children do frowardly wean themselves from this Brest and therefore God may justly take away the other also And doubtless we finde the less comfort in the Word
necessary to our very being in the state of Grace If it were a Gift of less consequence we ought to be thankful for it because a Gift In all things give thanks saith the Apostle But this is such a Gift as is all in all It is absolutely necessary to the very being of a Christian others are necessary to their well-being but this to their very being Therefore we have the more cause to be thankful What saith the Scripture Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God and so Without faith it is impossible to be saved Eph. 2.8 Ye are saved by faith Mark 16.16 He that believes shall be saved he that believes not shall be damned So that Faith in grown persons is absolutely necessary to Salvation you cannot be saved without it you may be Rich and you may be Beautiful and you may be Strong and you may be Nobly descended and you may be Learned without Faith but without Faith you can never be saved Obj. You will say So without Hope and Love and Zeal for Gods Glory we cannot be saved Ans That is true yet there is something more in Faith than in all the rest in tendency to Salvation For Faith in order of working is the very Root of all other Graces Our Hope and Love and Zeal and all the rest do spring from our Faith Rom. 12.3 So far as we believe we hope so far as we believe we love so far as we believe we are zealous for God and so of the rest Therefore Faith is in a special manner necessary to Salvation being the onely instrument of laying hold upon Christ And therefore in a special manner are we bound to be thankful for it Thirdly It is such a Gift 3. Such a gift as none else can give as is impossible for any other to give but God alone Therefore it is called The faith of the operation of God Col 2.12 as if God alone could work it If an Angel from Heaven should perswade you to believe this or that yet if God do not perswade you by his Spirit you cannot believe You reade Luk. 1.20 the Angel tells Zacharias he should be struck dumb because he believed not the words of the Angel If all the Angels in Heaven should preach to us if God himself doth not preach to us by his Spirit we cannot believe And if all the Angels upon Earth I mean all the Ministers for they are called the Angels of the Churches if all these one after another should preach to one particular Soul yet that Soul would not believe unless God open the heart of it as he did the heart of Lydia to believe Obj. You will say But Experience shews such and such have been Converted by such and such Ministers Ans It is granted but it was not the man without God but God in the man that did it else why is one man converted rather than another Why the same man at one time rather than at another and by means more improbable but to shew it is God in the man That as the Apostle saith the faith of Gods people might not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God 1 Cor. 2.5 that so he might have all the praise and glory Therefore the Apostle in this respect makes nothing of the Minâ—ster that God may be all in all in all his Ministers 1 Cor. 3.5 6 7. Who then is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believe And as none can help as to Faith but God alone So we cannot help our selves we cannot work up our own hearts to believe we are not onely like sick men naturally but as dead men in the grave shut up under the grave-stone of Unbelief Rom. 11.32 He hath shut up all in unbelief that he may have mercy upon all That is that Gods mercy might be the more magnified in bestowing Faith upon them that were as unable to believe of themselves as a dead man is unable by his own power to arise out of his grave The wonders of Faith All the steps of Faith are wondrous difficult to a poor Creature yet know all things are possible with God As for Example 1. To see and believe what God requires of us in the first Covenant For till we know this we think our selves in a good condition and alive without the Law Rom. 7.9 And we cannot see and believe this till God himself open our eyes 1 Cor. 2.14 2. To see and believe how far we come short of the Law naturally how sinful we are and cursed by sin For we are like the young man that said All these have I kept from my youth upward But till wee see our selves sinners and feel the weight of sin we shall never look out after a Saviour The whole need not a Physician but the sick Mat. 9.12 3. To see and believe that not onely our gross sins but our best Righteousnesses do leave us in a miserable condition without a Saviour This is wondrous difficult for no sooner do we attain to some parts and the performance of some Duties but we are ready to say with the Church of Laodicea I am rich and increased with goods and stand in need of nothing and perceive not that we are wretched and miserable and poor and blinde and naked and it is nothing but Eye salve from Jesus Christ that can make us perceive this Rev. 3.17 18. that can make us believe and confess that All our Righteousnesses are as filthy polluted rags Isa 64.6 This is wondrous hard Naturally we are full of self-Self-love and Self-admiration but a Soul that comes to Christ is full of Self-loathing and Self-detestation Job 42.6 I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes 4. To see and believe the perfect Righteousness and surpassing Excellency of Jesus Christ For a Natural eye seeth no beauty in him Isa 53.2 and yet before we can desire him we must see the beauty that is in him 5. To see and believe the Necessity and the Duty of the poor Souls coming to Christ Psal 2 12. Leaning upon him for Righteousness and Salvation and that so doing it shall never be cast out For naturally we are ready to think and to say There is no need of coming to Christ or not need of us and our coming Though God will be merciful to others I am afraid he will not be merciful to me Though he do not cast out others who came to him I am afraid he will cast out me Therefore it is the wonderful Work of the Spirit of Christ to perswade the sin-repenting Soul to come to Christ Joh. 6.44 and when it is come to perswade it that Christ will not cast it out again And so the Spirit fastens the Promise upon the Soul Joh. 6.36 It is the wonderful Work of the Spirit to perswade enemies to become friends to perswade strangers to draw nigh and be acquainted with Christ This is such a difficult Work
that it is the Work of a God and not of a Creature All the Ministers in the World cannot do it without the Spirit and therefore it is said Gen. 9.27 God inlarge or God perswade Japhet to dwell in the Tents of Shem. The Jews came of Shem and were the first Church of Japhet came the Gentiles and they were strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel Now it must be the Work of an Almighty God to perswade them to believe and so to dwell in the Tents of Shem. We are all naturally so imprisoned and lockt up under Unbelief that in case our hearts are once set at liberty to imbrace the Promise and Christ in the Promise we may well say as Peter said when he came to himself and found that he was delivered out of Prison Acts 12.11 Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his Angel and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod c. So may a Believer say who is awakened out of his dead sleep as Peter was Now I know of a surety that God hath sent his Spirit and hath deliverd me out of the hand of the spiritual Herod out of the hand of Satan It is he that hath delivered me out of the prison of Sin It is he that hath caused the Iron-gates of my unbelieving heart to fly open of its own accord It is he that by the Power of his Spirit hath loosed and shaken off all the Chains and Bolts of natural Corruptions and sinful Customs what was impossible to me God hath made feasible and easie and therefore to Him be all the praise and glory who hath fulfilled the work of faith with power 2 Thess 1.11 Thus it was with David who naturally being the servant of Sin and perceiving himself redeemed and manu-mitted by the Power of Gods Grace he doth freely in a way of Thankfulness offer up himself to the Service of God as if it were his perfect freedom Psal 116.16 O Lord truly I am thy servant I am thy servant and the son of thine handmaid thou hast loosed my bonds What follows I will offer to thee the sacrifice of Thanksgiving And this is the third Consideration that should move us to be thankful Fourthly It is such a Gift as is very precious 4. Faith is a most precious gift and therefore we should be very thankful for it It is true indeed Christ is very precious he is so in himself whether we believe or no But he is not so to us unless we imbrace him by faith 1 Pet. 2.7 This sets a price upon him to the purpose Therefore we should account that faith precious that makes Christ himself so precious to our Souls Men use to be thankful for precious gifts Now there are three things in Scripture accounted precious Three things very precious First The Pearl it self Secondly The Cabinet that holds it Thirdly The skilful Hand that hath Right and Power to open the Cabinet and lay hold upon it 1. The Pearl it self viz Jesus Christ he is 〈◊〉 precious Mat. 13.45 46. so precious that the Merchant-man is content to sell all that he hath so he may but compass this Pearl Farewel Profits farewel Pleasures farewel Honours farewel Sin so I may but injoy Christ I am willing to part with all 2. The Cabinet that holds the Pearl is precious 2 Pet. 1.4 There are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises whereby we are made partakers of the Divine Nature One Promise is more worth than all the world How should we know where to finde the Pearl if God had not laid it up in such a precious Cabinet Therefore the Cabinet also is precious 3. The skilful Hand which hath Right and Power to open the Cabinet and lay hold upon the Pearl that is 〈◊〉 precious hand Were the Cabinet and the Pearl never so precious yet if we had no hand to open the Cabinet or lay hold on the Pearl what were we the better But Faith hath skill and power from God to open the Cabinet and to lay hold upon the Pearl and to say This is mine and therefore this Faith must needs be precious Faith The preciousness of Faith in 4 respects 2 Pet. 1.1 It is a precious hand in four respects 1. Because it lays hold upon precious things Precious Christ Precious Promises Precious Righteousness and Precious Holiness For we are justified by Faith and sanctified by Faith as we have already proved at large 2. Because in case it lays hold on things not precious it makes them precious As it makes difficult things easie all things are possible to him that believeth so it makes vile things become precious Rom. 8.28 And this we know saith the Apostle that all things work together for good to them that love God 'T is all one as if he had said To them that believe in God For Faith worketh by love it turneth Iron-fetters into Golden chains There is much talk of the Philosphers Stone what great wonders it would do if it could be found out But this is true of Faith It turneth all that it toucheth into that which is most precious It was fabled of Midas That it was his desire whatever he touch'd might be turned into Gold he had his desire and yet he repented himself when he had done say they Because his very meat was turned into gold that should have preserved his life But whatever a Believer touches by Faith if it be not turned into Gold it is turned into that which is more precious than Gold Suppose he meet with Poverty or with Bonds and Imprisonment I know saith the Apostle that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.19 And thus Faith is precious for it maketh even vile things become precious 3. Because it lays hold on precious things for it self The Master of a Ship may carry abundance of Treasure for another man But whatever precious things Faith lays hold on it makes them it s own My God and my Lord saith Thomas I live by the faith of the Son of God saith Paul who hath loved me and given himself for me My beloved is mine and I am his My Christ My Promise My Heaven All is mine saith Faith All things are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3.23 4. Because it lays fast hold it lays hold for ever on those precious things If a Believer should lay hold and let go again his Faith were not so precious Nay the more happy a man esteems himself in the enjoyment of a good thing the more miserable he apprehends himself to be in the loss of it But Faith lays hold upon Christ for ever Once thine and for ever thine for The Just lives by Faith the Life of Conservation or Perseverance It may be thou art afraid thou shouldst let thy hold go of Christ But to be sure Christ will never let his hold go
these Scriptures 1 Joh. 3.2 3. Perfect Vision perfect Transformation In the mean time so much as we see of God so much we shall desire to be like him Joh. 15.3 Now are ye clean c. 2 Cor. 7.1 Having such Promises Let us cleanse c. 2 In the Birth 2. In the Birth The Birth of Presumption is very easie and speedy Presumptuous persons think it is the easiest matter in the world to Believe they meet with no opposition either from their own hearts or from Satan A sign 't is no good Faith when the Divel is so good a friend to it But the Birth of true Faith is very difficult it meets with many Pangs of unbelief from Satan and from the flesh for even in this as well as in other graces The flesh lusteth against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 I confesse He is an unwise child that staies long in the place of bringing forth children Hos 13.13 Yet some pain there is in Self-denial Thirdly they may be differenced by their Growth 3. In the growth Presumption is a Monster it is born as big and as tall as ever it will be like Jonah's Gourd it springs up in a night and it withers as soon as the Sun of affliction and persecution beats hot upon it But true Faith grows up by degrees like the grain of Mustard-seed the new Creature is a Babe in faith before he becomes a strong man The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 Some say they are as much assured at the first as ever they shall be their faith is as strong as ever it will be but let them take heed in the mean time they do not presume in stead of believing for true faith is of a growing nature Fourthly 4. In the fruit They may be differenced by their Issue and Fruits It may be said of the Presumptuous as Deut. 32.32 Their vine is the vine of Sodom their clusters are bitter The fruit of Presumption is carelesness in the use of the means of Grace Tush saith the Presumptuous person what need we hear so much and reade so much and pray so much away with Duties The fruit of true Faith is carefulness herein I believed 2 Cor. 4.13 therefore have I spoken therefore have I heard therefore have I read therefore have I prayed c. The fruit of Presumption is Licentious liberty to sin against God Tush saith the Presumptuous person Christ died for sinners what need we care let us sin that grace may abound Rom. 6.1 Ver. 18. The fruit of true faith is a holy liberty to serve God and a holy fear to sin against God Be not deceived saith Faith neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor effeminate c. shall inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.10 And thus you see there is that maketh himself rich in faith when he is poor and this is a great Impediment to the obtaining of faith and therefore we must labour to remove it Impediments of faith in the second branch of false supposition And secondly There is that maketh himself poor when he is rich There may be a supposition that we have not faith when we have it and this will hinder both the actings and increasings of our faith Some are afraid they have no faith at all because they have not the highest degree of faith which is full Assurance or because they want the comfort which others attain to 1 Pet. 1.8 even joy unspeakable and full of glory Cure But for the removing of this Impediment and for the rolling of this stone out of the way we must remember there are several degrees of faith as we have already proved therefore 't is possible thou maist have faith though thou hast not the highest degree of faith and so joy of the Spirit that 's rather a fruit of faith than faith it self It is indeed Note to speak properly rather a living by sense than a living by faith when we are cheered up with continual Cordials Such a life is more like heaven than earth where faith shall cease A stronger faith is required to live upon God without comfort than when God shines in upon our Spirits with abundance of joy It s nothing for the Childe to believe the Mother loveth it whilst she sets it upon the knee kisseth it and feeds it with sweet meats but to see the Mother love through the twigs of the Rod and through all the clouds of her frownings and hidings this argues no small strength of love and of natural affection in the Childe I know your thoughts out-run me in the Application so that there may be strong faith where there is little comfort Therefore let every man prove his faith that he may not be to seek in the acting of it And so much for the several Impediments of Faith and the way to remove them From whence we may deduce these Corollaries or Conclusions Corollaries First there is no Faith without a great deal of opposition Opposition from Self opposition from Satan opposition from World opposition from professed Enemies opposition from Friends A mans enemies shall be those of his own house these shall oppose him these shall judge him not onely for his outward actions of Faith but for the very intentions of his heart in the exercise of Faith as Davids brethren said unto him I know the pride of thy heart this is nothing but a spice of vain glory and ostentation Paul was opposed in the preaching of Faith and in the practice of Faith and no way in the world left to apologize for himself but to appeal to the Searcher of hearts 1 Cor 4.3 With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of mans judgement c. But thus true faith meets with opposition both from those without and from those within the Church True faith in the saving knowledge of the Son of God is as the very door and entrance into Gods Kingdom but you must look to meet with opposition at the very threshold Mat. 23.13 Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye shut up c. The Lord grant none of us may be found amongst the number of opposers making sad the hearts of those God would not have made sad but rather be found helpers of one anothers faith For all is little enough in regard of the opposition we shall meet withall from without Secondly it is no easie matter to believe all things are easie to him that believeth but it is no easie matter to believe Thirdly The exceeding greatness of Gods power is seen in all them that do believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places Eph. 1.19 20. No wonder so few believe 't is a Miracle of Mercy that there are so many Fourthly He that
stress on the depth of humiliation is a great hindrance of Believing 502 503 Reasons why humiliation must Precede faith 522 523 524 Humility in all the periods or degrees of grace 525 Hypocrisy It is an impediment of spiritual growth 230 How far an Hypocrite may go 257 Wherein an Hypocrite comes short 258 An hypocrite cannot rejoyce in the whole word of God 302 303 Hypocrisy springs from unbelief 463 I Ignorance Vnbelief is the root and parent of it 462 Increase There is a divine and diabolical increase 213 How the increase of the natural man in moral vertues differs from the increase of God in saving graces 213 214 See growth See strength Injoyment Believers have the firmest tenure and sweetest injoyment of earthly blessings 77 78 Interest Interest in Christ clears up interest in the covenant of grace and this an interest to all the promises of which sons in Christ are heirs 560 Joy see Consolation How to discern the joy of a hypocrite from that of a Saint 302 303 The joy of a Believer excells all natural worldly sinful Joy in 10. Properties from 323 to 328 Means to breed Spiritual Joy 328 to 344 Judgment Faith applies the last judgment as a means of sanctification 127 128 Judgments on unbelievers 466 Examples of Gods judgments on apostates 250 251 Just Who are such and why said to live by faith not by their justice 31 None are just or justified till thy believe 32 Justification The life of Faith in justification 80 The definition of it which contains the act object and application of both and its fourfold causality 81 to 85 Faith puts forth a fourfold act upon the conscience heart of a sinner to fit him for pardon 86 87 Faith how it acts in the continuance of justification 88 Faith how it fetches in assurance of justification Faith moves a man to desire more faith in order to assurance of his justification and uses 11 Motives 89 to 92 Vses of the Doctrine of faith in justification 105 Justification by free grace breeds humiliation 105 106 Four Marks of true justification 107 We must not justifie sinners or condemn Saints 108 Motives to seek for the five-fold benefit of justification 110 111 Justification and sanctification are inseparable twins 141 142 The first and second evidence of justification what 301 K Keep See Establish Exhortation to keep faith 543 Reasons why we should look to the keeping of our faith 544 Seven Means whereby to keep faith 548 to 552 See Free Spirit See Perseverance L Libertinisme The root of it is feigned humility and laziness 143 Liberty Faith and Christian Liberty support each other 554 Many account it their liberty to sin 555 See Free Spirit Life Spiritual Gods People are in a state of life by way of eminency 8 The excellency of the Saints Life in seven particulars 8 9 10 11 Saints Life is a hidden life and why 12 Spiritual life proved to be existent in believers 12 Spiritual life very desirable 13 Signes of Spiritual life 14 15 16 Life Natural Five evil and troublesome concomitants of it 60 Believers injoy it by faith upon different grounds from unbelievers 67 68 Saints live a natural life by faith in seven respects 68 to 76 Life Spiritual Is twofold either the life of Justification or Sanctification the just life by faith in both 79 80 Four differences twixt true living Spiritual actions and false 187 188 Spiritual life is alway increasing 199 200 The comliness and pleasantness profit equity safety and necessity of such a life as it increaseth 200 to 226 Vide growth Life Eternal See heaven The work of faith about eternal life 334 It assures that there is an eternal life from scripture and reason with the degrees of it 335 336 What the happiness of eternal life is 336 337 Wherein it consists from 337 to 341 Confutation of those who deny eternal life 353 354 Motives to get assurance of eternal life from 374 to 379 Means to get this assurance The believers homage-penny for eternal life 386 The excellency of eternal life from 388 to 391 Life of unbelievers They live on their lusts pleasures upon Creatures and upon a fivefold undoing self 429 to 434 Limiting of God It is a great impediment of faith how cured 499 500 Logick Faiths holy logick 348 349 Love of God It is a reason why the Saints persevere 237 238 The want of feeling it should not hinder believing 503 Love to God is a means to increase faith 580 Love to the Saints Difference 'twixt that which is true and false 304 305 Lust Love of lust is the life of a sinner 429 Lusts haboured oppose faith with considerations how to abandon them 501 M Marriage How Saints live by faith in it and in single estate 73 Meanes In the conservation of the natural life must be used in faith 68 69 Meditation It is the fruit of holy affection 364 Meditation on Gods Attributes especially mercy is a good means to beget faith 536 Melancholy It is a scandal to Christian profession 319 320 Mercy Gods mercy becomes a suiter to mans misery 537 Ministry See Preaching What the chief work of a Minister is 427 428 The dignity of the Ministry 601 Exhortation to Ministers to preach in a soul-saving way 611 612 God usually blesses a setled proper Ministry 42 Merry Merry madnesse 311 Morality Difference 'twixt morality and Sanctification in nine respects 119 120 121 Mortification The influence of faith into the life of mortification 149 The art of faith in mortifying of lusts 151 to 154 Reasons why faith will have sin to be mortified 155 156 Error of such who refuse to believe till sin he mortified 158 Marks of true mortification 159 160 Enemies unto and juglers in mortification reproved 161 Alarm to Mortification 163 Motives to Mortification 164 165 Means of Mortification 166 167 168 169 Murther Soul Murther is the worst kind 17 470 N Natural men They are distingusht into two ranks 532 Necessity Of faith in Adversity 64 New Obedience See Fructification Nourishment Strong desires after Spiritual nourishment are a signe of Growth is Grace with three Cautions in this particular 206 207 208 209 Nursery Spiritual Faith lays hold on Christ in the Ordinances as breasts of Consolation and thence draws strength 293 294 295 O Opposition There is no true faith without Opposition 514 515 He that would believe must break thorow opposition 515 516 Gods Spirit delights to grapple with the greatest opposers of his word and wayes that he may convert them 516 Ordinances See Word Despising of them is an impediment of Spiritual growth 230 Neglect of the ordinances hinders believing 505 Five causes why men neglect the ordinances 505 to 511 Though it be not in the Power of the ordinances to beget or increase faith yet they are to be used 516 517 They who live above that is without ordinances are absurd 518 519 P Papists and carnal Professors These make Sanctification justification
comfort yet a necessary qualification evidencing our right to comfort 297 298 Satan Satans rage should be a motive to perseverance 252 Satan is a great enemy to the comfort of the Saints 315 Reasons why Satan is such an enemy to faith 424 488 489 Satan presents and applies the Promises in a wrested sense and for licentious ends 511 512 Scriptures They are a staff to believing Pilgrims 403 Arguments to prove their Divine Authority 404 405 Accomplishment of Scripture-Prophecies is a whâ—tstone to sharpen our assent to their Divine Authority 406 407 There is all the reason in the world why we should believe the Scriptures 408 409 Sealing of the Spirit It is a consequent priviledge of believing 93 Security It is the off-spring of the Devil and Vnbelief 462 Security twofold Spiritual and Carnal 246 247 The Saints Security for a sevenfold treasure 243. 244 The best security for the best purchase 380 Seducers Their sleights to beguile unstable Souls 254 Seducers are the Devils Factors 604 Self Shifting self is shiftless folly 433 Self a great Impediment of faith 486 Its Cure 487 self-Self-love The blessing of it is a sign of growth in grace 205 206 There is a fivefold self contrary to the life of faith 431 432 433 Sense Living by Sense is a great impediment of faith 503 514 Sin It dishonours God and wrongs the Soul forsake it as the highest demonstration of ingratitude 393 395 Sins great defilement in five respects 155 Believers have sin remaining to be mortified 157 Life of sin lies in the will ergo subdue desires 158 Sin may revive where it is mortified 159 Comfort against the vigour and rigour of sin 169 170 Scandalous sins cause great sadness 312 Inordinate aggravation of sin sinks into sadness 312 313 Sincerity The excellency of sincere grace in that 't is durable 247 248 Sloth It recoils from the means of faith It s Cure 508 509 Society Good society is a means of begetting faith 533 534 535 Soul Eternal life of the Soul proved 356 357 See Life Eternal Speech Our speeches either condemn or justifie us 365 Spirit of God What its testimony and witness is 347 The Spirits testimony may be separated from its fruits 347 348 Difference 'twixt the Spirits in dwelling in Believers and common assistance in hypocrites 426 427 The Spirits perswasion out-weighs and quickens all means motives in drawing to Christ 454 455 We must pray for Gods free establishing Spirit 552 What Gods free Spirit is from what he sets believers free and how he establishes 552 553 554 555 See Free Spirit See Establishment Strength A believers strength 471 472 473 Strength to do duties and resist temptations a sign of growth 209 210 Strength to bear afflictions and injuries a sign of growth 210 211 Strength to bear others infirmities as also to shake off Ceremonies a signe of growth 211 Its part of our strength to be sensible of weakness 212 Success This in the improvement of natural life is fetcht in by faith and that in six respects 71 72 Sufficiency All sufficiency Self sufficiency Sole sufficiency in Christ 540 T Temptation The just live by faith in temptation 50 Satan tempts sinners to conceit God to be either all Mercy or all Justice 536 Yielding to temptations is a sign of weak faith 573 Such who tempt others to sin are Satans factors and shall have deep condemnation 604 605 Thankfulness Be thankful for the life of Justification 109 110 The Saints thankfulness for the blossomings of Eternal life 391 392 393 How that thankfulness is exprest 393 to 397 Thankfulness for faith with the grounds of it 449 Time The Just live by faith in respect of all the parts of Time 44 45. Tradition Traditional faith is unsound 40 41 Trial. True faith is tried by undergoing adversity 63 We must try our comforts by our graces and not our graces by our comforts 300 to 304 Triumph The triumph of damned Spirits over unbelievers 491 Troubles These are various yet the Saints live by faith in them 51 Manner of living by faith in troubles nine ways 55 56 Means of living by faith in troubles five ways 57 58 Trust Such reproved who say they trust God with their souls and yet cannot trust him for temporals 75 76 False trust on Creatures or Grace received hinders faith together with its Cure 498 499 V Valuation See Precious A Believer neither over nor under-values his natural life 74 Vision Vision of God fourfold 337 Perfect Vision causes perfect transformation ibid Vivification The liveliness of faith in the cure of spiritual deadness 171 What meant by Vivification 172 Reasons why the Just live by faith the life of Vivification 175 176 Four Arguments or Meditations whereby faith quickens 177 Reproof of such who act not faith for Vivification 178 179 Motives to Vivification 179 180 Means to live the life of Vivification 184 185 186 187 Trial of true faith by its vivifying power 187 188 189 Vide Deadness Unbelief Unbelievers Unbelief is a piece of pride 3 It makes the heart and condition not right 4 5 Unbelievers lead a sordid life 8 Unbelief is the spring of sadness 307 308 309 Unbelief was the root of mans first Apostacy 415 Their dead condition 423 Humiliation for Unbelief 459 Unbelief is the Goliah-sin 460 Unbelief grieves the Spirit but pleases the Devil 461 The monstrous brood of Unbelief 462 The Unbeliever is the greatest Time-server 464 Unbelief is a Stepmother to grace 465 Unbelief is the Nurse that maintains life in every sin and which binds it on the Soul 465 466 Unbelief is a merciless Sequestrator 466 The Arraignment of Unbelief 467 Unbelief is the greatest Self-murther 470 The contrariety of presumption and despair unite in the Unbelievers ruine 510 Naturally we have hard unbelieving thoughts of God 536 Unbelief is a going out from God into our selves 539 Unchangeable Gods unchangeable nature is the cause of the Saints perseverance 239 Union Signs of spiritual actions flowing from Union with Christ 124 125 Union with God is unchangeable 50 Unregenerate Their Soul is no fit soil for comfort 309 310 See Regeneration Unsetledness In Gods truth its a sign of weak faith 571 W Watching Watching over one another is a means of perseverance 255 Wealth How the Just shall live by faith for it 70 Wisdom The believer is the onely wise builder 474 The believer is never at a stand because Christ is his Wisdom 475 476 477 Word See Ordinances Faith applies the Word of Christ for Sanctification 128 129 The Word mixt with faith is a means of growth 227 228 The Word is one of Christs Brests 293 How the Word works faith 443 Cavilling and mocking at the Word is the Seal of Vnbelief 494 The Word is the life of faith 517 The Word and Spirit go hand in hand 518 The Word both the object and instrument of faith 518 Living above the Word is living by a deluded fancy and not by faith such are neerer Hell 518 The Word is appointed to work faith not miracles 519 Every divine Word is an object of faith especially the Promise 520 Attendance on the Word a means to increase faith 574 Worldly World Worldly-mindedness reproved 361 362 Worldly-mindedness springs from unbelief 464 The VVorld tries fair means and foul to hinder faith 489 Wordly examples of the multitude not to be follow'd 490 FINIS
these are the things which the just lives by faith in concerning adversity Quaer 3 Thirdly We come to enquire in what manner he lives by faith in troubles or in what particular passages of Providence And here are these things observable Ans Manner of living by faith in troubles 1. That he does it 1. In preventing the storm So 2 Kings 19.6 upon Hezekiahs prayer of faith the storm of Sennacheribs invasion was driven back And Jon. 3. the Ninevites believing God drave back that storm threatned by Jonah Nor Devils nor Witches have any power over a man if he believes therefore Christ to Peter Luk. 22.32 Simon Simon Satan hath desired to have you that he may winnow you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not as if he had said So long as Faith holds out Satan hath no power whom therefore resist stedfast in the faith 1 Pet. 5. 2. In looking at God Ordaining all troubles sc 1. That every man must look for some Rom 8.29 where speaking of sufferings he sayes We were predestinate to be conformable to the image of his Son 2. What and how many every man shall have Faith sees the Cup in a Fathers hand Thou couldst have no power unless it were givon thee from above said Christ to Pilate 3. In looking at God Ordering and Disposing all things in middest of Confusion Joseph his selling imprisoning and exalting again all was by Gods disposing though the instruments knew it not Phil. 1.12 Paul tells them that the things which happened to him seemingly as a stoppage in truth made for a furtherance of the Gospel And Rom. 8.28 We know that all things work together for good to them that love God 4. In seeing God Bounding and Limiting troubles as in Jobs case Chap. 2. When affliction breaks in as the sea Faith hears God say Huc usque Hitherto and no further shall thy proud waves come Isa 10 22. The consumption determined shall overflow in righteousness And so again Isa 27.7 8. In measure thou wilt debate with it He will stay his rough wind in the day of the east wind 5. In seeing Gods Protection that however the storm comes to fall upon us yet he is so merciful as to hold his holy hand of protection over us Yea Psal 91.4 He shall cover thee with his feathers and under his wings shalt thou trust his truth shall be thy shield and buckler 6. In Supporting or seeing Gods Support that however the storm comes and falls upon us without any shelter yet God is merciful in giving sufficient strength to bear it 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but will with the temptation make a way to escape that you may be able to bear It is many times a wonder nay a Miracle to see how God supports his people when they cannot get off the trouble yet making them hear My grace is sufficient for thee viz. my grace applied by faith 7. In Sanctifying troubles Rev. 7.17 There they that came out of great tribulations washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. There is a malignity in all afflictions but faith in Christ crucified takes away that malignity and venomous sting Isa 27 9. This is all the fruit of those troubles To purge away their sin 8. In Saving and Delivering or fitting the soul for deliverance that howsoever troubles lie on a great while the Lord will send help in due time Therefore God is styled A present help in time of trouble Psal 46. And although many be the troubles of the righteous yet the Lord delivers them out of all as it is Psal 34.19 Wherefore it is noted that it was by faith that Israel was delivered out of Egypt when they passed through the Red sea Heb. 11.29 9. In Sanctifying Deliverance Luke 1.74 75. Who hath delivered us out of the hands of our enemies that we might serve him in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our lives Quaer 4 Now further By what means does the just live by faith in the troubles of this life Ans Means of living by faith in troubles Ans First in weighing spiritual mercies against temporal evils 1 Sam. 30.6 David ready to be stoned comforted himself in the Lord his God The Lord himself propounds a spiritual mercy against a temporal evil to sustain his people under it Isa 30.20 Though the Lord give you the bread of affliction and the water of affliction yet shall not thy Teachers be removed into a corner The Apostle make use of such a support 2 Cor. 4.16 17. For this cause we faint not for though our outward man perish our inward man is renewed day by day 2. In making the soul to rest upon the naked Word of God though it be against ordinary reason So Abraham Rom. 4.17 Believed in hope against hope according to what was spoken so shall thy seed be In hope of Faith against hope of Reason Thus by faith we believe the Creation of the World by the bare Word of God without precedent matter Heb. 11.3 Faith looks up to the promise Isa 43.1 2. When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt c. 3. In enabling the soul to relye on Gods Attributes which make good his Word and Promise As 1. His Power Gen. 17.1 I am God Almighty walk before me and be thou perfect 2. His Truth and this binds him as Power enables him to help Psal 31.5 Into thy hands I commit my Spirit O Lord God of Truth Heb. 11.11 Sarah believed him faithful who had promised 3. His Love to help and even to prevent as the Prodigal's father ran to meet his son afar off Isa 65.24 Yea before they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will hear See Psal 32.5 4 His Vnchangeableness Jam. 1.17 with whom there is no shadow of change 4. In making the absent good to be present Faith looks beyond the clouds and skies and seek all clear above Moses Heb. 11.25 c. looks through the affliction and reproach of Christ and sees the recompence of reward We rejoyce now saith the Apostle in hope of glory Rom. 5.2 So faith sees the after-good of the Church as present Revel 18.2 Babylon as good as fallen above a thousand years before 5. In strengthning Patience Therefore Faith and Patience are joyned together So Heb. 10.35 36 37. Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward For you have need of patience that when you have done the will of God you may inherit the promise Now by patience we possess our souls through it all is calm within while storms are without A wounded conscience within is worse then the outward burthen like a sore back to the horse But faith heals
have most grace do most seek Gods glory Isa 25.3 The strong people shall glorifie thy Name and the more Job saw of God the more he debased himself Job 42.5 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now my eye sees thee therefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Thus we are to examine whether we do increase or no. And 2. Is that increase the increase of God Exam. 2. What is the increase of God 1. For the Author 2. For the Matter 3. For the Manner 4. For the Measure 1. There is an increase which is but the increase of the Creature a natural increase which a natural man may attain to in the exercise of Moral Vertues the habit whereof is strengthned by frequent acts for Rom. 2.14 They do by nature the things contained in the Law This onely makes the increase of the natural man 2. There is a Diabolical increase when a man is puft up with knowledge with a superstitious observation of a voluntary Humility in meats and drinks and days Col. 2.16 17 18 19. and worshipping of Saints and Angels It is an easie matter to increase in this kinde of devotion the Devil will be a mans Tutor in this School this is but a Diabolical increase It may be truly said of such persons Non crescunt sed turgent They do not grow but swell like some excrescence like a Byle or Wen upon the Body it hath no kindely growth from the Head but unnatural Tumour from some vicious humour Hab. 2.4 His soul which is lifted up or which is swoln is not upright in him But 3. there is an increase which is cald the encrease of God Col. 2.19 First as God is the Author of it not any Creature 1. Author of Divine increase As God begins this life so he carries it on Joh. 1.13 They that believe are born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh but of the will of God And he increaseth it Phil. 1.6 He begins the good work and he will perform or finish it to the day of Christ Secondly for the Matter of it True Humility 2. Matter Self-denial saving Faith which are Graces incommunicable to natural men and hypocrites These are graces which do accompany Salvation as the Apostle speaks Heb. 6.9 And they are God's for the matter of them under a more special consideration Thirdly for the Manner 3. Manner The increase of God is uniform and proportionable such a man increaseth in all parts alike Head Heart Hands Feet and all he increaseth in the knowledge of the Truth and the love of the Truth proportionably But now the increase of the Hypocrite is very uneven and unequal a monstrous increase like the increase of some Monster Simile that hath a great Head and a little narrow Brest without Hands and Feet such is the increase of an hypocrite he may have a great Head a great deal of superficial knowledge but a narrow Brest no love to the Truth no Hands to practice that which is good no Feet to walk with God This is a monstrous increase 4. Measure Fourthly for the Measure The increase of God is a great increase as in Scripture Trees of God signifie great Trees and Mountains of God great Mountains so the increase of God is a great increase Though the beginnings of such as have the truth of grace be small yet their latter end doth greatly increase Job 8.7 Every gracious person goes beyond an hypocrite he grows beyond the sphere of his activity beyond the sphere of nature or art and so he increaseth not with the increase of a Creature but with the increase of God 2 Coloss 19. Q. But will some say If we must thus judge of our growth then I fear I have no Faith no Grace because I cannot perceive that I grow unless it be downward methinks I grow worse and worse therefore I fear I have no Grace What to judge in sense of want of growth Ans 1. Possibly thou hast none indeed therefore examine whether ever thou wert soundly humbled or no so as to be effectually driven home to Christ and hast received him for thy King and Prophet as well as Priest A. 2. If so yet know it 's possible for a gracious person for want of watchfulness in the use of Means to stand at a stay or to decline and fall back Q. But you will say What then is the difference between the falling back of an Hypocrite and a true Believer Ans 1. The Believer is humbled when he loseth ground Difference of drawing back therefore he cries out as David Psal 119. ult I have gone astray like a lost sheep Lord seek thy servant but so doth not the Hypocrite A. 2. A Believer recovers himself again ere it be long and gets strength by his fall as Peter did but an Hypocrite doth not so but still goes down the stream and will never take the pains to row up again A. 3. Whereas thou saist Thou dost not grow it may be it is with thy Soul as with Trees in Winter though they do not grow above-ground yet they grow under-ground though they do not grow in the branches yet they grow in the root and the growth of the root in the Winter will further the growth of the branches when Summer comes And this is Gods method with his people he makes them first grow in the root before they grow in the branches Isa 37.31 The remnant of the house of Judah shall take root downward and then they shall bring forth fruit upward Now it may be thou dost not grow so much upward for the present which is the grief of thy Soul yet for thy comfort if thou growest more downward in Humility and Self-denial and Self-abhorrency thy condition is good and the Spring of Grace will come upon thy Soul ere long when thou shalt hear that comfortable voice of Jesus Christ Cant. 2.10 11 13. Rise up my love and come away for lo the winter is past the rain is over and gone the flowers appear on the earth the time of the singing of birds is come c. So that even your complaining of your want of growth may be a sign of your growing in the root I had rather hear an humble Soul say Alas I am wretched and miserable and poor and blinde and naked then to hear a proud Pharisaical Laodicean say God I thank thee I am not as other men I am rich and increast with goods and have need of nothing A. 4. I answer Whereas thou saist thou dost not grow it is not an easie matter to perceive growth very suddenly If a man stands and looks on a Tree never so long he cannot perceive it to grow but if he take the height of it and come again five or six years after he shall easily perceive it is grown And so it is in grace it is not easie for the present
to discern its growth Mar. 4.27 The seed springs and grows we know not how but in time we shall easily perceive it is grown A. 5. Whereas thou saist Thou dost not grow it may be it is true for the present thou dost not grow at all but art like the parched earth yet if thou canst but lay hold of Gods Covenant by Faith that will make thee grow afresh as the Rain and the Sun makes the grass to revive that was even withered and dead before This was Davids comfort though he was like a branch springing out of a dry ground as it is said of Christ Isa 53.2 yet 2 Sam. 23.3 4 5. he was assured God would make him grow again even as the tender grass out of the earth by clear shining after rain Simile Vse 2. Humiliation for small growth The fourth Use is for Humiliation in that upon trial we finde so little growth amongst us We grow more opinionative from day to day but we grow not more active we deserve not the commendation of the Church of Thyatira Rev. 2.19 Thy last works are more than thy first but rather the reproof of the Church of Ephesus ver 4 5 Thou art faln from thy first love repent and do thy first works Therefore we have cause to be humbled and repent Christ may say to England as to Ephesus I have this against thee that thou art faln from thy first love We are like forgetful and careless Scholars deserving to be put down into a lower Form Whereas it is the property of such as are admitted into the School of heavenly Wisdom to increase in learning Prov. 1 5. A wise man will hear and increase learning and Prov. 9.9 Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser It is true indeed our heads are full of disputes but our hearts are so little grown in the love of the Truth that we are but very dwarfs in practical Religion If we compare our selves with the Worthies of God in former generations as the Spies said of the inhabitants of Canaan they may well seem as Giants in our eyes What a deal of heavenly-heartedness what love what humility what faithfulness was to be found among them If Luthers Courage Calvins Painfulness the Martyrs Zeal hotter than the fire which consumed them might be found in our days I should hope we did then begin to grow and to recover our first love But alas while we are so lukewarm that we can bear them that are evil Rev. 2. and bear evils in our selves where is our growth Do not many question whether the Pope be Antichrist and whether the Church of Rome be a true Mother Others though they cannot deny but that the Church of Rome iâ— the Scarlet Whore the Jezabel spoken of in Scripture yet the zeal of some is grown so cool they could finde in their heart they might have a Toleration even for Jezabel her self contrary to manifest Scripture Rev. 2 20. Thou sufferest the woman Jezabel which calleth her self a Prophetess to teach and seduce my servants Histories tell us That Adrian and Heliogabalus and some other Roman Emperours did command all kinds of Worship in one and the same Temple but it tended to no other purpose than the like device of Julian the Apostate who gave Hereticks freedom amongst right believers not that he cared for one or the other but that by their mutual distractions and dissentions they might destroy both And therefore what those Factors of Satan did invent for the advancing of his Kingdom let it be far from the practice of Saints Let us rather recover our first love to the Truth of God yea let it grow and increase and truly if we grow not how shall we be able to look Christ in the face when he comes to take account of us We are planted in such a soil ordered by such an Husbandman watered by such heavenly showers in the dispensations of Ordinances that we shall be both the wonder and shame of Christians if we grow not Vse 5. Of thankfulness for growth The fifth Use is to stir us up to thankfulness that the just lives by Faith the Life of Augmentation especially in such times as these That grace should thus increase either in the Church in general or in any particular Christians heart considering how great opposition it meets withall When ever doth a man in earnest profess himself a Christian but all the Powers of Darkness in Hell and upon the Earth proclaim open wars against him Besides the clog of his own sinful corruptions which hang heavy upon him for the Flesh is ever lusting against the Spirit and yet he grows In spight of Satan the Prince of the Air Eph. 2. who blows forth many a terrible storm to blast the fruit In spight of the World which sends forth many a sharp frost to nip the fruit in the bud In spight of Corruption which lies as a Worm at the Root to eat out the very heart and power of godliness yet he grows for all this And how comes this to pass Surely you will say here is aliquid Dei the finger of God must needs be in it The preservation of Grace in this case is wonderful If you should see a Rush-candle set without doors in the midst of stormy Winds and Rain and yet continue light you would stand and look upon it with admiration and yet thus is the little Candle of Grace preserved Psal 18.28 The Lord my God will light my candle yea he keeps it light when the Prince of the Air and all his instruments joyn all their forces to blow it out God lighted such a Candle by Luthers Doctrine as could never be blown out to this day All the breathings and threats and bellowings of the Romish Bulls all the thunderings of the Popish Canons could never blow it out This is the Lords doing and it ought to be marvellous in our eyes Marvellous indeed that truth and grace should be preserved under such opposition but much more marvellous that it should be increased thereby that it should be like the Camomile the more it is trodden upon the more it grows like a Tree the more it is lopt and topt the more is flourishes and spreads That the Churches should be edified and multiplied when they had rest through all Judea and Galilee and Samaria it is not so wonderful Acts 9.31 but that they should then grow and increase when there was no rest no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in That the Blood of the Martyrs should be the Seed of the Church That the Church should grow and thrive best under opposition this is the Wonder of Wonders which plainly shews the increase is not of man but of God and therefore he should have all the glory of it The sixth Use is for Exhortation Vse 6. Of Exhortation to growth To labour to live by Faith the Life of Augmentation It is a shame
not say As many as believed were ordained unto life eternal but contrariwise As many as were ordained to eternal life believed To intimate That Faith foreseen 1. From Election was not the cause of Election but Election was the cause of Faith and so the same Election is the cause of Perseverance in Faith or else their Life should not be eternal Therefore that strong conclusion of strong Consolation Rom. 8.35 is fetcht as far as from that everlasting VVell-head of Gods Fore knowledge and Predestination ver 29. For whom he did fore-know he did predestinate and whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Therefore the Apostle is bold to make that brave challenge Who shall charge us Who shall condemn us Who shall separate us As if he should have said Neither Sin nor Affliction nor Men nor Devils shall ever be able to break this Golden Chain of Gods Election till it ends in glory Therefore the just perseveres God hath elected him to no meaner a life than that which is Eternal and therefore he shall certainly have it Rom. 11. the Election must needs obtain it 2 Reas From Gods Love from which 2. Gods love this Election springs in order of working Gods love is an Everlasting love As God is from Everlasting to Everlasting so is his Love for whatsoever is in God is God Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee which I conceive is not to be understood à parte post after we are drawn to believe and obey but even before also à parte antè Gods love here is made the cause of our being drawn to believe and obey and not our obedience a cause of his love Obj. But is it not said Joh. 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved by my Father and I will love him and will manifect my self to him therefore our love of God goeth before Gods love to us Resp. There is a love of Benevolence whereby we bear good will to another and a love of Beneficence whereby we testifie our love in doing good to him Gods love of Benevolence is before our loving of him Joh. 4.19 We love him because he first loved us but Gods love of Beneficence at least in part doth follow our love to him and is the reward of it according to his free grace If Gods love therefore be everlasting this must needs be an everlasting fruit of it even the life of Grace and Glory to all eternity 3. The Covenant 3 Reas From the Covenant of God made with his People which is an everlasting Covenant well ordered and sure 2 Sam. 23.12 Jer. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Whereas the poor Soul might say God indeed saith he will never depart from us so long as we do not depart from him but then he might justly depart from us Therefore Gods Covenant is That we shall not depart from him I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me Therefore the just lives not from any stability in himself but from the stability of Gods Covenant 4. Gods Unchangeable nature 4 Reas From the Unchangeable Nature of God Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed You are not consumed not because there is no principle of change in you but because there is none in me As if God should have said When I first entred Covenant with you I saw you polluted in your blood and I foresaw full well how ignorant how impotent how unconstant how untoward you would be afterward but I am resolved as I did not choose you at the first for the good I saw to be in you so I will not reject you for the evil that I see in you but will forgive it and heal it for my gifts and calling are without repentance Rom. 11 29. 5. Reas From the Power of God 5. Power of God If Gods people do not persevere it is either because God will-not preserve them or because he cannot But 1. Not because he will not for it is his own good pleasure moved him to make an everlasting Covenant and his own unchangeable Nature moves him to fulfil it to this day 2. Not because he cannot for nothing limits Gods Power but his Will Psal 135.6 Whatever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and earth c. Therefore if the Lord will preserve his Saints in a state of grace for ever he is able to do it Though we are not able to stand of our selves yet he is able to make us stand Rom. 14. or in case we fall he is able to raise us up again Psal 37.24 Though he fall he shall not be cast off for the Lord putteth under his hand 6 Reas From the Merit of Christ 6. Merit of Christ c. the Prayer of Christ the Spirit of Christ As Christ hath merited Eternal Righteousness and Eternal Salvation Heb. 5.6 So he applies his Merit eternally by his Intercession and the operation of his Spirit Wherefore Heb. 7.25 Intercession of Christ he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Wherefore we must either deny That God the Father hears the Prayers of his Son which is blasphemous to imagine and contrary to Christs confession 1 Joh. 11.42 I know that thou hearest me alwayes or else we must need acknowledge That all such as are once in a state of Grace shall persevere and be saved to the utmost Further they that are Christs And Spirit of Christ have the Spirit of Christ and so long as the Spirit doth not depart from them they shall never depart from God for the Spirit leads into all Truth But the Spirit of God doth never depart from them Isa 59.21 As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth c. Therefore they shall never finally depart from God Thus we have the Reasons Why the just shall persevere 2. Why perseverance through Faith Now see the Reasons Why they live this life by Faith 1. Faith layes hold on the Promise 1. Because Faith lays hold on the Promise of Perseverance 1 Cor. 18. He shall confirm you to the end that you may be blameness in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 He that hath begun the good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ Mat 16.18
bringing down Heavenly Notions into Holy Affections and Righteous Actions then you will finde them sweet in the taste and swallow It 's not the looking upon Divine Truths by a meer notional act of the Understanding but the chewing and digesting them by Faith and Love that makes them truly comfortable Thy words were found and I did eat them And thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart Jer. 15.16 Most persons look upon Divine Truths as people in a Market do on Commodities they pass by them or taste a little and cheapen them they onely have the true comfort of them who buy and eat and are satisfied And such are they who digest their knowledge into practice to such it 's the joy and rejoycing of their heart Joh. 13.17 If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Knowledge to a wicked man is as the morning light to a Thief Job 24.17 it 's as terrible as the shadow of death But to a godly man it 's like the morning light to an honest Traveller or Watchman it 's most desired beforehand and its most welcome when it comes And therefore the saving knowledge of God is compared to such a light Psal 130.3 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than the watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning Act Faith therefore to the digesting of knowledge into love and the practice of it Study Affections more than Expressions or Notions 6. In true prizing heavenly joy 6. Act Faith to the true prizing of heavenly joy Such as truly prize the joy of the Spirit shall have plenty of it Now it 's onely Faith sets a true estimate upon the joy of Gods people Heb. 11.25 26. The Spirit of God is a Tender and delicate Guest it loves to make its abode and stay longest where 't is most freely welcome But if we check damp resist quench and grieve that Spirit how can we hope that it should rejoyce our spirits But prize it make it heartily welcome and thou shalt have more of its sweet company and communion The truth is we should prize one comfort from the Spirit more than all the world and then we should finde more than a world of Comforts in that single Comforter who is therefore called The Comforter by way of eminency Thou maist have comfort indeed in a Friend a Brother a Childe a Yoke-fellow but what are all these to the comforts of the Spirit The Spirit is able to comfort without these but these are not able to comfort without the Spirit Prize the comforts of the Spirit and be thankful for them and more shall be given The Primitive Saints prized the comforts of the Spirits so high that they would rather chuse to endure any Tortures from men than part with those comforts from God They were stoned Heb. 11.37 were sawn asunder c. Therefore God made them to rejoyce the more even with Joy unspeakable and full of glory which is not the ordinary lot of all Christians but of suffering Christians They were filled with Heaven when they seemed to sense to be in Hell as if Hell and Heaven were met together in the same persons An Hell of Torments from Satan and his Instruments an Heaven of Joys from God even glorious joys as if the God of this World and the God of the World to come did strive whether Torments or Comforts should get the Victory in the Saints But in conclusion Comforts triumph over Torments Love and Joy is stronger than Death while they die they overcome and are more than Conquerors through Christ that hath loved them They overcame by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives unto death Rev. 12.11 Prize the joys of God in life and thou shalt finde such joy as will drown the sorrows of Death That 's the fifth Means 7. Act Faith to make right use of our Joy 7. In right using joy when had Isa 2.11 Luk. 8.15 when we have it Take heed of too much sail and too little ballast lest you overturn all Rejoyce with reverence And bring forth the fruit of joy with patience lest unfruitful joy be nipt in the bud or turned into sorrow God comforts not his servants for nothing Neb. 8.10 but that the Joy of the Lord may strengthen them and encourage them to service and that they may comfort others 2 Cor. 1.4 with the same comfort wherewith they have been comforted of God And if we use it not to these ends we may soon suffer an eclipse in our comforts Why does God cause the Sun to shine upon the Moon but that the Moon may bestow that borrowed light on this Inferiour World Why does the Sun of Righteousness shine with beams of comfort upon any Souls but that they may communicate the same comforts to others Are ye then who were once darkness made light in the Lord Eph. 5.8 walk as children of light lest God eclipse your comforts Amos 8.9 and make your Sun to set at noon So long as the Cock runs the Fountain freely empties it self into the pipes We are but the Conduit-pipes of Comfort God is the Fountain The more we empty our selves into others comforting others the more will God empty himself into us comforting us The liberal person shall have plenty and he that scattereth shall have rain Prov. 11.25 'T is true of spiritual as well as corporal Alms both are comfortable And he that comforts others shall have the more himself And that 's the seventh and last Means of acting of Faith so as to live the Life of Consolation Thus the just man lives by Faith in regard of Spiritual Life Now thirdlly He lives by Faith in regard of Eternal Life Hab. 2.5 6. The Chaldean lays hold upon this present world ver 5 6. He is all for the body and sins against his Soul ver 10. Hab. 2.10 But Gods people lay hold on that knowledge which shall fill them with glory ver 14. Even the knowledge of the Righteousness of God to Life Eternal For so the Apostle applies this Text to that very degree of Faith Rom. 1.16 17. Not that there is any need of Faith in Heaven or the Means of Faith for these shall cease 1 Cor. 13.8 But because in this life by Faith we lay hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6.12 we have the seal and assurance of it A carnal man says Seeing is Believing but a spiritual man saith Believing is Seeing Heb. 11.1 The work of faith about eternal life Now Faith grounded on the Word of God assures us of Three things about eternal life 1. That there is an eternal life of the Saints after this is ended 2. What the Happiness of this life is and wherein it consists 3. It assures a Believer of his peculiar interest in this life 1. Then Faith assures a Believer That there is
hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you all are come to pass unto you not one thing hath failed thereof And this he speakes to this end that he might perswade them to live by Faith and to trust in the same God for the time to come Therefore Deut. 7.17 To cure the peoples diffidence and distrust God puts them in minde of former experiences If thou shalt say in thine heart These Nations are more than I how can I dispossess them Thou shalt not be afraid of them but shalt well remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh and all Egypt So shall the Lord thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid As if he should say That God who hath made good his promise in his peoples deliverance for the time past he will do it for the time to come also This was Davids gracious Logick both Reason rectified and Grace taught him to argue thus 1 Sam. 17.37 The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the Lion and out of the paw of the Bear he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistim Paul fetches such another Argument from his deliverance out of the paw or mouth of the Lion And what of that 2 Tim. 4. Mark his Argument The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me to his heavenly Kingdom to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Observe all these holy men of God by their former experience were built up in future confidence and so should we be Obj. If you shall say Where lies the strength of this Reason viz. Because God makes good his Word and Promise at one time to such as trust in him are we therefore sure he will make it good at another Ans I answer We may well be assured of it and that upon these grounds First from the Nature of Gods Covenant and Promise His Covenant is an everlasting Covenant Jer. 32.40 His Promise is very comprehensive it reacheth to all persons that are heirs of the Promise it belongs to all Saints Eph 3.18 To all places where ere those persons come 1 Kings 20 28. To all times Heb. 13.5 Isa 40.8 The Word of God standeth for ever Therefore whom God once delivers in a way of Covenant-mercy he will for ever deliver Secondly We may argue from the Nature of God For were the Covenant made never so sure like the Laws of the Medes and Persians that it should not be changed yet if God were of a changeable Nature all were as good as nothing As we see in the Covenants of vain and changeable men they snap them asunder as Samson did his cords But God is an Vnchangeable God and this puts life into that unchangeable Covenant Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore you Sons of Jacob are not consumed He is unchangeable in all his Attributes Unchangeable in his Love Jer. 31.3 In his Truth Psal 117.2 In his Power Isa 59.1 2. And therefore by the same reason that we trust in God once we have cause to trust in him for ever Isa 26.4 Trust in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Thirdly The third and the last Argument is drawn from the Nature of the Price paid by Jesus Christ to his Father for all the good things that he hath promised The price of his own Blood which Blood of his in the Merit and Value of it is ever pleading and speaking better things than that of Abel Heb. 12.25 By vertue of his blood Christ pleads thus for each believing Soul Father bestow this Mercy on such a man for I have paid for that Mercy also And Father bestow such a Deliverance upon him for I have paid the price for that Deliverance also and so for a Thousand Mercies and Deliverances one after another As when the Price oâ— Ransom is paid for one in Prison when one or two doors are opened 't is an assurance to the poor Prisoner that the rest will soon be opened because the price is paid for the opening of all So in this case upon these grounds and experiences of Gods goodness and faithfulness for time past do we and ought we to strengthen Faith for the time to come The second sort of Reasons Second sort of Reasons for living by faith viz. The relation betwixt Christ and a Believer is drawn from that Relation which is betwixt Christ and a Believer 1. Christ is the Fountain and out of his fulness we do all receive grace for grace 2. Christ is our Lord and Master and therefore we are bound to give unto him the honour that is due to his Name But we can do neither the one nor the other without Faith we can neither receive from Christ what we want nor give unto Christ what is his due without Faith Christ is the Fountain of Grace 1. Christ is the Fountain and out of his fulness we all receive grace for grace but without Faith we cannot be united to this Fountain nor draw any thing from him The Water-Cock is in the house but the Spring-Head is in the field So the Water-Cock of Grace is in the Soul but the Spring-Head that feeds this is in Christ I am the life saith Christ Joh. 14.6 Life is radically in Jesus Christ Psal 36.9 For with thee is the fountain of life Now then there must be some Conduit-pipe to convey this Water of Life to the Soul and that is Faith Joh. 7.38 He that believeth in me as the Scripture haâ—h said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water And thus a believer lives by a Principle out of himself namely in Jesus Christ Gal 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God who hath loved me c. 1 Joh 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life and what is it to have the Son but to believe in the Son to be united to him by Faith As the the Water-Cock is united to the Fountain by the Conduit-pipe As the Heads of those Rivers that water the Garden of Paradise were out of Paradise So the Head and Spring of those Streams of Grace that water the Soul are out of the Soul even in Christ the Fountain All my fresh springs are in thee Psal 87.7 Though some understand it of the Church of God it is more eminently true of God himself Therefore a gracious Soul lives by Faith because by Faith he is united to Christ the Fountain of all Grace Christ is our Lord and we cannot honour him without Faith Secondly As Christ is our Lord and Master we are bound to give to him the honour due to his Name Mal. 1.6 If I be a Lord and Master where is my fear and honour But we cannot honour him without Faith Faith brings a great deal of Honour to God and Jesus Christ therefore he will have
All other things Persons and Performances are vile in comparison Phil. 3.8 An Unbeliever cannot thus prize Christ but says We see no form or comeliness in him that we should desire him Isa 53.2 Effect 3. 3. A high prizing of the Image and likeness of Christ the inseparable Concomitant of Faith The Vision of Christ by Faith works a strong desire of Transformation into the likeness of Christ It is the height of such a Souls ambition to have the Image of the Lord Jesus stampt upon it both in inward impressions of Grace upon the heart to be humble and meek as he was and in outward expressions of Holiness and Righteousness in their conversation Psal 17. last When I awake saith David I shall be satisfied with thy likeness We are now indeed the Sons of God saith S. John but it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 As if they should say We esteem this our very Heaven and Happiness to be made like to Christ A formal Professor may desire to be saved by Christ but he doth not seriously desire to be made like to Christ So a real Believer loves Gods Image in others 1 Joh. 5.1 4. Other effects and fruits of Faith You have in the fruits of the Spirit set down Gal. 5.22 Gal. 5.22 The fruit of the Spirit is love with peace long-suffering c. And though Faith it self be a fruit of the Spirit yet those other Graces coupled with it are also fruits of Faith in order of working As for Example 1. When a Soul is once Reconciled to God by Faith it cannot chuse but love him Faith worketh by Love So far as we have any saving light from the Spirit we do also receive heat from the Spirit He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire Why so because the Holy Ghost is like fire comes with heat as well as with light Nay of the two the heat of our love to God is more sensible than the light of our Reconcilement Many a Soul that is much in the dark concerning Justification yet cannot but confess they love God yea should God hide his face from them yet they cannot chuse but love him for his Holiness Truth Goodness Justice and such other Perfections And indeed the soundest way to comfort a weak Believer is First to convince them of their love to God For upon the manifestation of love in due time follows Joy That 's the second fruit of the Spirit and of Faith 2. Joy for the proof of our love to God doth most infallibly prove his love to us 1 Joh. 4.9 We love him because he first loved us And so far as Gods love is cleared to us we must needs rejoyce Luk. 1.47 My Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour So that our Joy in God is weaker or stronger not as Gods love to us is weaker or stronger but as the Manifestation of it is weaker or stronger And what we say of Joy we may also say of Peace which is the third fruit of the Spirit and of Faith 3. Peace for being justified by Faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5.1 But this Joy and Peace doth not always immediately follow upon believing but as the Sun rising follows the dawning of the day some good distance after However so soon as ever we believe we have the ground-work and seed of Peace Psal 97.11 Light is sown for the righteous and joyful gladness for the upright in heart 4. A fourth fruit is long-suffering not onely in regard of Men but in respect of God himself when God carries himself as if he were an enemy to us yet we will be friends with him we will make the best constructions of Gods Corrections Isa 8.17 and we will wait for the manifestation of his love who hideth his face from the house of Jacob. As Jacob himself waited many a year and endured much hardship for the love which he did bear to Rachel So will a believing Soul be content to wait with long-suffering for the love he bears to Jesus Christ whereas an unbeliever flings away in a chafe and says What should I wait for the Lord any longer seeing this evil is of the Lord 2 King 6.33 More Evidences of true Faith Many other evidences there are to distinguish true faith from that which is counterfeit I will name but three The first is in regard of evil Actions The second in regard of good Actions The third in respect of both 1. In point of sins 1. For evil and sinful Actions Though it is possible a Believer may fall into such through the violence of Temptation yet this is the property of true Faith it never gives quiet possession to sin long together This is part of the good fight of Faith 1 Tim. 6.12 though it may be foiled by the flesh yet it is never so overcome but there is a rising again and a lusting of the Spirit against the flesh Gal 5.17 David and Peter and other of Gods Saints were miserably foiled for the present but yet they rose again by a renewed act of Repentance and Faith and soon after recovered their former strength Whereas an Unbeliever though he may sometimes have some strivings and struglings in his natural Conscience yet at last he gives quiet possession to Sin and Satan being resolved to put himself to no further trouble Luk. 11.21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace his goods are in peace An unbelievers peace is his rest in sin Prov. 4.16 But a believers peace is his rest in Christ Psal 116.11 and not in sin Psal 77.4 19 last Job 8.34 Rom. 6.20 He never gives quiet possession long together he will not do the least evil that good may come of it nor omit the least good for fear evil should come of it 2. In point of good actions 2. For good Actions A believer so far as he is himself he does all he doth in the strength of Christ Therefore the very first act of Faith is called a laying hold on Gods strength Isa 27.5 Let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me An Unbeliever while he sins against God lifts up his strength against God and like a siâ—ly Briar and Thorn he fights against a consuming fire Or if he chance to perform some good Duties yet he doth all in his own strength as he doth all to his own ends All is done in the strength of his own parts and preparation for he perceives not that he is weak and poor and blinde and miserable and naked But a Believer as he lives upon God so he does all he does in the strength of God I say so far as he is himself he does so And if at any time or in any duty he be
is broken upon the Feather-bed of Gods Mercy One looke from Christ or one look towards Christ by the eye of Faith melts the heart more then a thousand strokes of the hammer Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and Supplication and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son Observe nothing melts the heart so kindly as looking upon Christ crucified by the eye of Faith O saith the believing Soul that Christ should deal so kindly with me that have dealt so unkindly with him O that he should overcome my evil with his exceeding goodness O that he should die for me who once did hate him to the very death O these are melting arguments that come from faith Remember thou canst never be throughly humbled till thou beginnest to believe Other Arguments may Batter the heart but Arguments drawn from Faith do only Break it and melt it And therefore let not this consideration keep thee from believing to say I have not yet been humbled enough for by that reason we should never believe as long as the world stands For where is the man that can say He is humbled enough especially before such time as he begins to believe But so much for the fifth particular Impediment and the way to remove it The 6. Is this They want the sense of Gods love nay 6. Want of Feeling they feel the sense of his wrath and displeasure and therefore why should they believe Now to remove this Impediment Cure and to roll this Stone out of the way we must know it is impossible to have the sense and feeling of Gods love till we begin to believe For being justified by Faith we have Peace with God Rom. 5.1 and not before God sometimes carrieth strange to his own children as Joseph to his brethren and Christ to the woman of Canaan Yea whom the Lord loves he corrects and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth Heb. 12.6 The father knoweth how to frown and how to strike with the Rod too and yet he is a father still His chastisements are Castigatory Probatory and Purgatory they purge out the remainders of sinful Corruption And if we have but grace to carry towards him as Children under the Rod we may be sure by that that God offers himself to us as a Father Therefore be not discouraged though God seem to frown but say as Job If God should kill me yet will I trust in him I am sure to die if I fly from him Whither shall I fly from thy presence Psal 139. and I can but die if I fly to him nay I am sure I shall not die if I can do so for he hath said it and he will perform it Joh. 6.37 He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out And therefore do not reason against thy self and say Oh God is a terrible and a furious God he will never be at peace with such an one as I am True indeed if thou standest out in opposition against him he is a furious God but if thou layest down thy weapons of War and yieldest up thy strong-holds of Carnal Reason and Self-will into his hands in this case mark what God saith Isa 27.4 Fury is not in me As if he should say Thou thinkst I am a furious God there 's no dealing with me but if thou wilt submit thou shalt finde fury is not in me Indeed if thou settest thy self still in battel against me I will be as a consuming fire unto thee but if thou hast a real desire to submit and to make peace take my Word for it Thou canst not be so forward to make peace with me but I am as forward to make peace with thee And therefore be not afraid for so runs the Promise Fury is not in me who would set the briars and thorns against me in battel I would go through them I would burn them together Or let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me O what a gracious Promise is this How should it overcome all the hard thoughts and jealousies we are apt to entertain of God! O but in the seventh place 7. Doubt of Election I am afraid the Promise belongs not unto me for I fear I am not Elected and therefore why should I believe This is another great Impediment and an heavy stone upon the mouth of the Sepulchre and how should this be removed Thus Who tels thee so not God if any body Cure the Divel Deut. 29.29 Secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever Election of this or that particular person is a secret thing and cannot be known by any thing à priori that goeth before but à posteriori from the latter it may be known by our Faith and effectual calling we may know we are Elected and not before 2 Thes 1.3 4. But here 's the Divels policy to puzzel mens heads and hearts in Election when they should busie their heads and hearts about Believing in thirsting after Jesus Christ in being willing to make peace with him and wholly to receive him And if God hath given thee such a Will I am sure the Promise belongs to thee Rev. 22.17 Let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of Life freely And so much for the seventh particular Impediment and the way to remove it The Sixth Hindrance Sixth General Impediment of Faith viz. Neglect of Means Is a wicked and sinful neglect of the Means which God useth for the begetting of Faith Of which by Gods assistance we are to speak in due time If Christ and Heaven and Faith will drop into their mouth at unawares so it is but under pretence that God doth call in the working of Faith they are resolved to use no means under God but cast off all Ordinances as if they were to no purpose Now so long as a man neglects the means he is never like to attain the end Now of this neglect of the Means there are divers subordinate causes especially these five Prejudice Pride Sloth Five Causes of Neglect of Means Presumption and Despondency of Spirit We shall speak of them particularly and the way to remember them 1. Prejudice Quarrels the Means of Faith The 1. Is a strong and strange Prejudice against the Means of begetting Faith or against the Instruments dispensing the Means Tush saith one this Preaching this foolish preaching t is but a light kind of food as they said of the Manna and how should this do me any good I 'le never believe this foolish Preaching can be a means to save my soul And for these preachers saith the poor deluded soul what are they but a company of infirmous
and be in health even as thy soul prospereth Or so as thou wouldst keep the Apple of thine Eye from the least mote or mite of offence Or so as thou wouldst keep thy very life for Faith under God is the very life of the Soul Solomon tells us Prov. 13.3 that he that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life we may as truly say He that keepeth his Faith keepeth his life for The just shall live by his faith Other things a man may be careful to keep and it may be they will prove of very little use when all is done The time will certainly come when thy best friends cannot help thee thy Meat and Drink cannot nourish thee Physicians cannot cure thee thy large Possessions cannot comfort thee yet even at such a time as this if thou canst but lay hold of a Promise thou maist live upon the Word which God hath spoken when thou canst not live upon thy Revenues nor live upon thy Calling nor live upon thy Friends nor live upon the Creatures of Meat and Drink yet even then maist thou live upon thy Faith when the just man can live upon nothing else he can still live upon his Faith Keep Faith therefore for it is thy life Now skin for skin Job 2.4 and all that a man hath will he give for his life If one should deliver a very precious thing into the hand of a Friend with this or the like charge Be sure to keep this about you wheresoever you come and nothing shall be able to hurt you no ill savour or pestilential air shall be able to infect you O how careful would a man be to keep such a Receipt he would keep it as his very life And such a Receipt Faith a spiritual Charm such a Spiritual Charm is Faith he gives this solemn charge Keep your Faith as you would keep your life keep your Faith and nothing shall be able to hurt you Luk. 10.19 Behold I give you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you As this was true of the Faith of Miracles in those days so it is as true of saving Faith in a sound and saving sense at this day Such as keep their Faith in safety shall keep themselves in safety and shall tread down Satan that old Serpent under their feet and nothing shall be able to offend them And therefore where the Holy Ghost makes mention of the greatest troubles that befel the Church he makes mention also of their guard Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints Rev. 13.10 and 14.12 Keep thy Faith therefore and thy Patience as ever thou desirest to be kept in the great hour of Temptation Rev. 3.10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I will also keep thee from the hour of Temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth O remember this will be the comfort It is the glory of a Christian to be found in the faith and the glory of a Christian to be found in the Faith when Christ comes to make a scrutiny either of death or at the general Judgement 1 Pet. 1.7 That the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ It is nothing to say Such a man had Faith or Such a man once made a glorious Profession of the Faith but this is the glory of Christians to be found in the Faith when Christ comes to Judgement This was the height of Pauls ambition to be found in Christ when he came to give up his account Phil. 3.8 9. That I may win Christ and be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the law but the righteousness of God by faith Now he that keeps the Faith and endures stedfast to the end is sure to be found in him and none else Quest But you will say What should I do that I may keep Faith safely and be found in the Faith in the most dangerous times Means of preserving faith 1. Soundness I answer First if thou wouldst be found in the faith be sure to be sound in the faith for unsound things do not use to last long An Apple that is rotten at the Core will soon be gone Apostacy is the usual Catastrophe of Hypocrisie He that would deceive in his Profession is justly deceived of his Salvation That 's the reason the Apostle so often perswades them to be sound in the faith Tit. 1.13 and 2 2. Let us build our Faith upon good ground upon Gods Word and so let us build our hearts upon Faith and not build Faith upon our own deceitful hearts Prov. 28.26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool but whoso walketh wisely he shall be delivered That is the first Rule Be sound in the Faith 2. Trial of it Secondly if thou wouldst keep thy Faith and be sound in it be sure to bring it to the Testimony and examine it to the bottom How do we know things to be sound or unsound but upon their trial Therefore be sure to try thy Faith if thou wouldst have it lasting Faith Some take it for granted their Faith is good and sound whereas if they should but feel the Pulse of it they would finde it very sick and weak It is said of Joseph and Mary Luke 1.41 they went a days journey supposing Jesus Christ to have been in their company but when they came to a through scrutiny they perceived they had lost him and were fain to go back again to seek him It is to be feared many a professed Christian plods on many a days and many a years journey supposing Faith and Christ by Faith to be in their company when if they would make a diligent search they should finde themselves at a loss and such as had need go back again and begin all their work afresh and indeed a man had better begin twenty times than be once mistaken in a matter of that moment Therefore be sure to examine thy Faith at the first as thou desirest to keep thy credit with God or Man A wise Merchant that would keep his credit and keep his estate is often casting up his Books of Accompts but he is like to keep neither of the former that is careless in the latter Be thou therefore this wise Merchant if thou wouldst keep thy Faith to the last be sure to make trial of it at the first How it ought to be tried I shall not now stand to shew you but refer you to that which was said in the particular Use to that purpose Thirdly he that would be kept sound in the Faith 3. Love of the Truth must be sure to love the Truth and to hate every false doctrine for Corruption in
judgement will soon weaken our faith 2 Pet. 3.17 Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness An unconstant man that halts between two Opinions will soon prove an unstedfast man Jam. 1.8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways 1 Tim 4.1 Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and Doctrines of Devils 4. A good conscience Fourthly he that would keep his Faith must keep a good Conscience in all things and he keeps a good Conscience that walks up to his light Faith loves to dwell in a sweet lodging 1 Tim. 3.9 Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience The Mystery of Faith is kept in a pure conscience if once the chamber of Conscience be sluttish and nasty farewel Faith To be sure Faith and a good Conscience come and go both together He that makes shipwrack of the one cannot long preserve the other from sinking 1 Tim. 1.19 Holding faith and a good conscience which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwrack A good conscience as we told you is available to the holding both the Doctrine of Faith and the Grace of Faith And though these words are primarily meant of the Doctrine of Faith as we shewed you when we spake of living by Faith the Life of Preservation or Conservation in answer to the Arguments of the Papists from this place yet the Argument is good by necessary consequence à fortiori from this Scripture If a good conscience be so available for the keeping of the Doctrine of Faith then much more for keeping the Grace of Faith forasmuch as an evil conscience is more inconsistent with the Grace of Faith than with the Doctrine of Faith For howsoever an evil conscience is a very ready way to bribe and corrupt a mans judgement yet many for a time have taught sound Doctrine who have been very unsound in their practice Mat. 23.3 All therefore that they bid you observe that observe and do but do not ye after their works for they say and do not But an habitual corruption of conscience and conversation cannot stand with the soundness of the grace of Faith Joh. 1.6 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth And 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him Therefore 1 Tim. 1.5 he couples the grace of Faith and a good Conscience together Now the end of the Commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned Be sure therefore to keep a good conscience as thou wouldst keep thy faith Fifthly if thou wouldst keep thy Faith 5. Right bottom build it not upon false Promises that is when thou makest a Promise to thy self over and above that Promise which God hath made in his Word Many a man when he first begins to make Profession of the Faith he promiseth to himself a great deal of ease and riches and credit in the world whereas he should expect the contrary a great deal of trouble and Persecution and Poverty and Disgrace c. Now when such a mans End fails him his Faith also will fail him and he is ashamed of the very Profession of it Such low and carnal ends are just like the weights that hang upon a Clock so long as the weights move the Clock moves but when the weights are once at ground the Clock stands still So 't is with such men so long as their carnal ends move them in Religious ways they are moved but when once their ends fail they stand stark still and will move no further Therefore beware of false ends in the Profession of the Faith Promise to thy self no more than God hath promised lest failing of thy expectation thy faith fail thee also He is a wise and sure builder that sits down and counts the cost at the first but he is a fool and his building like to come to nothing that after he hath laid the foundation repents him of his work and saith I never thought it would have cost me half so much Luk. 14.28 Sixthly if thou wouldst keep thy Faith 6. Commit it to God commit it to Gods keeping whatsoever we commit to his trust is put into a safe hand 2 Tim. 1.12 For the which cause I also suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day Therefore be sure not onely to commit other things to God by faith but even thy faith it self commit that to his keeping pray him to keep it for thee You know what Christ said to Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Luke 22.32 Now Christs Prayer is as good as a Promise Joh. 11. for we know that his Father heard him always Therefore ground thy Prayer upon his Prayer and say Lord hear me in that Prayer which I have taken out of my Saviours own mouth O let not my Faith fail That which thou hast committed to my trust Lord I desire to re-commit to thy trust for I dare not trust my self Therefore as David saith of his mouth Psal 141.3 Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keep thou the door of my lips So should every true Believer pray in relation to his heart Set a watch O Lord before my heart and keep thou the door of my Faith That as the Lord is the keeper of thy person Psal 121.5 The Lord is thy keeper So he may be the Lord-Keeper of thy faith also And that is the sixth Means Look unto him by Prayer who is the Author and Finisher of thy faith Heb. 12.2 7. The free Spirit Seventhly if thou wouldst be establish'd in faith pray God to give thee his Free Spirit for that is an establishing Spirit Psal 51.12 Establish me with thy free Spirit With thy free Spirit what is that 1. The Spirit of God is not onely a free Spirit in it self for we may say of the Spirit of God as the Apostle speaks of the Word of God 2 Tim. 2.4 It is not bound 2. Yea and it is free in the Donation of it it is most freely bestowed where God giveth it Joh. 3.8 The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh nor whether it goeth So is every one that is born of the Spirit God is as free in the work of the Spirit as in the work of the Minde All the men in the world cannot command the Wind no nor the Devil himself though he be called Eph. 2. The Prince of the Air he cannot command the Wind without