righteous Iudgements Thirdly It stirres vp earnest constant and heartie prayers to be taught in the law vpheld established and confirmed Faith leaneth vpon the Lord and cryeth vnto him for helpe knowing that we haue no strength of our selues Psal 119.18 Verse 5. Open thou mine eyes that I may behold the wondrous things out of thy law O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy statutes Verse 10. With my whole heart haue I sought thee Verse 28. Psal 17.5 1. Chron. 29.18 19. O let me not wander from thy Commandements My soule melteth for heauinesse strengthen thou me according to thy word Hold vp my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not Eightly It doth confirme in obedience and pricke forward therein though it be in manifold and bitter persecutions It puts into vs both courage and constancie to sight against the strongest lusts and set vpon the practice of the most difficult duties notwithstanding all opposition from the World or the Deuill yea though we haue beene foiled or taken the repulse Hee will not feare the subduing of the most head-strong passion who resteth vpon God for power and abilitie nor be dismayed because once hee hath receiued a foile who depends vpon God for strength to recouer nor dread the might of his greatest aduersary who knoweth that God will bee at his right hand to sustaine and strengthen him nor start aside in the most difficult dutie whose heart is fast linked vnto the Lord and relieth vpon his grace to be inabled vnto whatsoeuer hee is pleased to call him Heb. 11.9 10 11 12 13 15. By faith Abraham soiourned in the land of promise and minded not to returne to his natiuâ— Countrie though he had opportunitie By faith Verse 17 18. being tried of God hee offered vp Isaac and hee that had receiued the promises offered vp his only begotten Son By faith some were tortured not accepting deliuerance some stoned some slaine with the sword Verse 35 36. Faith encourageth to constancie in wel-doing by assuring of Gods all-seeing presence powerfull protection continuall assistance gracious acceptance good successe and euerlasting recompence Bee strong in the Lord Ephes 6.10 and in the power of his might Wait on the Lord bee of good courage Psal 27.14 31.24 Esay 50 7. and hee shall strengthen thine heart For the God will helpe mee therefore shall I not bee confounded therefore haue I set my face like flint and I know that I shall not be confounded Heb. 13.13 14. Let vs goe forth therefore vnto him without the Campe bearing his reproach For here wee haue no continuing Citie but wee seeke one to come By faith Moses did chuse rather to suffer affliction with the people of God Heb. 11.25 26. then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt for hee had râ—spect vnto the recompence of reward But faith that continually driues forward to doe good workes doth euer force the belieuer to denie himselfe and acknowledge it to be the mercie of the Lord in Christ that hee is not confounded Though a man bee plentifully laden with good woâ—kes yet faith doth euer present him before the throne of grace as poore and miserable desiring of meere mercie to bee receiued and accepted It confesseth the manifold imperfections of our best workes acknowledgeth euery grace and good worke to bee of God and neuer looketh to workes further then as they bee signes of grace effects of faith and qualifications of that subiect which makes faithfull plea to the Kingdome of Heauen through the free mercie of God in Iesus Christ Meanes to quicken our selues to the practice of obedience But how should a Christian quicken faith to the chearfull practice of that dutie whereunto hee finds himselfe dull and sluggish First Hee must acknowledge and bewaile his dulnesse and sloath make it hatefull and shame himselfe for it before God O Lord I cannot I desire not to hide from thee mine indisposition and vnfitnesse to any holy dutie how dull remisse sleightie I am in the practice of true pietie and godlinesse I find more life diligence chearefulnesse in any worldly businesse then in the woâ—kes of holinesse which thou requirest Ier 48. â—0 Mal. 1.14 Cursed is the man that doth the worke of the Lord negligently who hath a male in his flocke and offereth the halt or lame vnto the Lord. What is my portion if I should bee dealt with in iustice who haue neglected my dutie and sacrificed that which is torne and sicke vnto the great King and Lord of hosts whose name is dreadfull among the Heathen It is hatefull in a seruant to doe his worke by the halues specially if he owe himselfe vnto his Master for vndeserued kindnesses Whatsoeuer I am I haue receiued it of the Lord all possible dutie that can bee performed of a reasonable creature I owe vnto him he hath obliged mee vnto his highnesse by many great vndeserued incomprehensible mercies that I am neuer able to repay or sufficiently to acknowledge and in mee it is most abhominable that I haâ—e beene halting and deceitfull in what hee commandeth Can any man deserue that dutie from another that thou O Lord hast and dost deserue of me Can hee bee in such dependance vnto another as I am vnto thy Maiestie in whom I liue moue haue my being by whom I am preserued redeemed and called vnto life If the idle vntrustie deceitfull seruant merit stripes my sleightinesse and double dealing in the exercises of Godlinesse is worthy shame and confusion of face for euermore No maruell if I finde small comfort in life feele no power and sweetnesse in the ordinances of grace when I deale partially heare perfunctorily pray coldly labour not to feed vpon the word and sucke vigour out of it The duties of courtesie lose their worth and esteeme with men when wrung from vs by importunacie or followed with a slacke hand Lord thou louest a chearefull giuer delightest in willing and free-hearted offerings with what face then can I present vnto thy Maiestie or how shouldest thou take pleasure in that maimed corrupt vnchearefull superficiall dead seruice which I performe In former times I haue serued sinne and Satan with more willingnesse alacritie and paines I haue beene readie to run whither the Deuill droue me I am still forward to gratifie vnruly desires with this or that they stand vnto and are bent vpon What am I but a spirituall adulteresse in that I haue yeelded the members of my bodie as weapons of vnrighteousnesse to doe the will of Satan and listened to the motions of the flesh with more readinesse to leane vnto them then hitherto I could giue my selfe vnto God in all things to bee ruled and directed by him O Lord I am vile it is of thy vnspeakable mercie that thou art pleased to looke downe vpon mee or to accept of any seruice
doubting the sense runneth plainly By faith wee haue so free and full accesse that wee doe not doubt but we shall obtaine what we aske § 4. Faith is a liuely obsequious affiance §. 4. Faith is an obedientiall affiance ioyned with an affection of pietie for as it makes plea for mercie so it thrusteth forward in obedience as it vniteth the heart to the promise so it glueth fast to the Commandements Psal 119.66 as Dauid saith Psal 119.66 Teach mee good iudgement and knowledge for I haue belieued thy Commandements By faith Noah moued with reuerence prepared the Arke for the sauing of his houshold Heb. 11.7 Gen. 12.1 Heb. 11.8 9. Gen 13.8 14.19 By faith Abraham left his Countrie and Kindred and forsooke all strange Religions and Idols to follow God By faith he contentedly abode in the land of Canaan as in a strange land c walking from place to place remained in tents and in euery place shewed his godly deuotion in making an Altar and calling vpon the Name of the Lord He kindly yeelded to his Nephew Lot for auoyding of contention charitably rescued him when he was taken prisoner Gen. 24.1 Gen. 1â— 23 20.27 carefully prouided a wife for his sonne Isaac feruently intreated for the Citie of Sodome and meekly prayed for him that had taken his wife He is honourably commended by God himselfe for his good instruction to his household children and posteritie Gen. 18.19 that they might walke in the wayes of the Lord But aboue all other hee approued his faith in this that vpon Gods Commandement he so readily offered vp his Sonne Isaac being after Ismaels expulsion his onely Sonne his beloued sonne and concerning whom hee had receiued the promise of life and saluation Heb. 11.17 and the establâ—shment of the Couenant Moses consent in this doctrine may be found where God pronounceth the Law of the ten Commandements teaching all duties of good workes to God and Man saying I am the Lord thy God Exod. 20.1 2. Rainol Apol. Thes Sect. 4. Zanch. de Redempt lib. 1. cap 12. de praecept he thereupon inferreth all their obedience to those Commandements For what is I am the Lord thy God but the couenant of faith to bee their God in the promise of Christ vpon this he requiring obedience in a godly life doth insinuate a Tilen Syntag. part 1. cap. 36. §. 18 19 28 29. Perkins golden Chaine cap. 20 Vrsin explic catech c. Deut. 6.12 that they which belieue God to bee their God must declare the same by obedience to his Commandements And therefore hee saith in another place Beware thou forget not the Lord thy God not keeping his Commandements which sheweth plainly that where disobedience is there is no faith for how can hee haue faith that forgetteth him in whom hee should belieue And this doth Moses ayme at when he saith Deut. 26.17 Thou hast auouched the Lord this day to be thy God and to walke in his wayes and to keepe his Statutes and his Commandements and his Iudgements and to hearken vnto his voice Whereby it appeares that vnto faith in couenanting with God this is an inseperable consequent that if wee embrace God by faith wee must and ought to follow his Commandements by our deeds and hee that doth not this latter bewrayeth that he hath not with a true heart and faith receiued the former To belieue is not only to giue credence to what the Scripture saith but to embrace what is said with an entire adherence of soule and to cleaue vnto it 2. Chron. 6.8 9 He that leaneth vpon the Lord his heart is vpright before him and he whose spirit cleaueth not stedfastly vnto the Lord is incredulous Therefore the Prophets which expound the Law Psal 78.9 in the person of God say thus A Sonne honoureth his Father and a Seruant his Master Mat. â— 6 If then I be a Father where is my honour and if I be a Master where is my feare Now we know that we are Sonnes no way but by faith Therefore this Prophet intendeth Gal. 3.26 that wee are not ioynâ—d to the Lord by faith either as his people children or seruants or that he is our God Father and Lord except our faith be vnfained and operatiue in honour and feare And another Prophet saith Psal 116.10 I belieued therefore I spake making it a most assured thing that a liuely faith will shew it selfe by outward deeds and namely profession Mercie and obedience are linked Christ is both a Lord and Sauiour and that faith which maketh a plea for mercie doth embrace the Commandements that which receiueth Christ as a Sauiour submitteth vnto him as a Soueraigne The strength of faith is equall to the promises of life and to the offices of pietie and loue or if there be any difference it is weakest to lay hold vpon the promises because they are most spirituall and furthest remoued from sence Confidence and relying vpon the mercie of God in Christ for saluation may bee lesse then care and abilitie to walke in obedience greater it cannot bee The word that in the Old Testament signifieth to seeke is by the seuentie translated Hope Isay 11.10 Rom. 15.12 which interpretation the Apostle alloweth whence it followeth that true confidence the mother of hope doth lift vp the heart to seeke the Lord in the way of his Commandements Moreouer saith is opposed not only to doubting diffidence and fainting but to wauering double-mindednesse halting disobedience stubburnnesse by reason of the necessarie connexion of those parts in both opposites Aske in faith and wauer not Jam. 1.6 A double-minded man is vnstable in all his wayes Through vnbeliefe thou art broken off Rom. 11.20 Heb. 3.12 and thou standest by faith Take heed brethren lest at any time there bee in you an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God They professe that they know God but by workes they denie him and are abhominable and disobedient or vnfaithfull Tit. 1.16 Iohn 3.36 Hee that belieueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life but hee that belieueth or obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Now if incredulitie be not without diffidence disobedience true faith in God is not without confidence affection of obedience Hereunto may bee added that the manifold rebellions of Israel in the Wildernes are called vnbeliefe They belieued not in God Psal 78.22 32. and trusted not in his saluation For all this they sinned still and belieued not for his wondrous workes I will therefore put you in remembrance though yee once knew this how that the Lord hauing saued the people out of the land of Egypt Iude 5. afterward destroyed them that belieued not And beliefe in Christ inferreth the keeping of Gods Commandements whereunto the soule is inclined by faith And this is his Commandement 1. Iohn 3.23
men by helping to maintaine the state of the Church or common-wealth and that it is that in which God will be serued of him then he takes it in hand not like a drudge or droile who doth his woâ—k for feare of the whip nor like an hireling who workes onely for wages nor like eye-seruants who leaue their businesse when the masters eye is turned aside but with good will diligence and singlenesse of heart he addresseth himselfe to his worke being assured of Gods assistance and furtherance therein whom hee serues in his vocation This perswasion that we serue the Lord in our callings who is a bountifull pay-master and hath promised a large blessing vnto vs forceth to goe willingly about that worke which otherwise would seeme toylesome and vnpleasant Fifthly It incourageth to the most difficult painfull and in the worlds esteeme disgracefull workes of our callings Distrust breeds nicenesse feare and sluggishnes Esay 7.4 Ios 7.5 Pro. 31.17 faith produceth hardines valour and actiuitie for it assures of diuine protection and good successe Pride makes men ashamed of many things which in the world be matters of disgrace but faith witnesseth that the truest honour is to be Gods seruant 2. Tim. 1.7.8.9 Heb. 11.7 and the greatest glory to do whatsoeuer the Lord requireth at our hands By faith Noah prepareth the Arke let the men of the old world mocke their fill By faith Iudah goeth vp to fight the Lords battels Iudg. 1.4 Heb. 11.9.10 whatsoeuer danger appeare in the voyage Faith bringeth Abraham from his natiue countrey and his fathers house to soiourne in a strange land when he is called of the Lord. Mark 6.18 Faith maketh Iohn the Baptist bold to tell Herod plainely that it is not lawfull for him to haue his brothers wife let him take it as he please Corruption will suggest such a thing beseemeth not a man of my place breeding bringing vp it would be taken ill might procure displeasure trouble disgrace danger but faith looketh to the word of God and if it bee a dutie required encourageth to set about it with speede referring the issue and euent to him that hath commaunded it and esteemeth it the greatest credit to doe the will and pleasure of the Lord. Sixtly It strengtheneth against manifold troubles disgraces oppositions discouragements that men meete withall in their places and inableth to goe through-stitch with our businesse in ill report and good report in honour and disgrace Distrust bringeth forth wearinesse and fainting faith persisteth in the worke notwithstanding all difficulties which may arise either from the dayly continuance of the labour or other impediments Fâ—ith either neglecteth or remoueth or breaketh through all lets and obstacles Worldlings and hypoâ—rites are disheartened in their businesse because no man respects their paines is well-pleased with their doings let them doe what thay can they shall not haue a good word But the sound beleiuer is aboundantly satisfied with Gods approbation and reward and goeth on chearfully Heb. 11.35.36.37 though men shew him no countenance allow noe recompence yea though he bee molested persecuted imprisoned killed for well-doing If God be pleased to vouchsafe other encouragements to take paines faith makes vse of them with thankfulnesse but if they bee wanting it will not giue place to negligence or remissenesse 1. Cor 4.3 With me it is a very small thing that I should be iudged of you or of mans iudgement Nor of men sought we glorie 1. Thess 2.6.9 neither of you nor yet of others when we might haue beene burdensome as the Apostles of Christ Phil. 3 7.8 But what things were gaine to mee those I counted losse for Christ Yea doubtlesse and I count all things but losse for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I haue suffered the losse of all things and doe count them but dung that I may winne Christ Seuenthly It directeth wisely to order the affaires of our calling and to goe about them in good manner that is Eccl. 2.26 in obedience to right ends and with an heauenly Minde exercising the graces that God hath bestowed vpon vs whereby it comes to passe that they are furtherances and not hinderances in the duties of pietie Thus Dauid behaued himselfe wisely in all his wayes 1. Sam. 18.14 and being called of God to the gouernment of the kingdome hee promiseth to execute his office in vprightnesse and innocencie to the praise of God I will sing of mercy and iudgement Psal 101.8 to thee O Lord will I sing Eightly As faith quickeneth to labour and doe what pertaineth to our calling so it teacheth to moderate cares confine desires of earthly things and commit our selues to God for the successe of our worke Labour is mans dutie good successe is the blessing of God Men commonly take vpon them a double care one to doe the workes of their place the other to take thought about the blessing and successe of their labours But faith in Gods Word where it raignes applieth the hearts of men to the performance of their duties and leaueth the blessing of their endeuours to the good will and pleasure of God Thus wee are exhorted to doe Psal 55.22 Cast thy burthen vpon the Lord and hee shall sustaine thee hee shall neuer suffer the righteous to bee moued A Christian is to consider the difficultie of all things pertaining to him and what danger is in them Hee is diligently to set his hand to the worke and through negligence to omit nothing that is of moment to effect and bring it to passe But hauing taken counsell and laboured painfully hee must lay aside care of the euent and roll his burthen vpon the Lord who hath promised that all things shall be well regarded And this faith hath an infallible ground namely that God best knowes our wants and will giue vs all things which in his heauenly wisdome hee knoweth to be necessarie Math. 6.32 1. Pet. 5.7 Your heauenly Father knowes that yee haue need of these things that is food and raiment Cast your care on God for hee careth for you Nothing shall bee wanting vnto them that feare God And thus faith building vpon these promises obtaineth a greater blessing of God with lesse care toile and vexation Psal 127.2 Prou. 16.3 then worldlings can by all their cunning shifts sleights and deuices Commit thy workes vnto the Lord and thy thoughts shall bee established Faith also restraineth the desires of transitory things Math. 6.33 as it lifteth vp the heart to better and more durable riches seeketh the Kingdome of Heauen hungers and thirsteth after righteousnesse Psal 42.1 Psal 16.5 feedeth vpon the mercie of God in Christ and resteth satisfied in the Lord as its onâ—y portion Ninthly It supporteth with strength patiently to beare the miseries and calamities that accompany vs in our calâ—ings Euer since the fall of Adam labour and affliction attend euery state