a very unskiful Souldier in this warfare Means of mortification Ans The first Means is to look up to God who teacheth thy hands to war and thy fingers to fight Go out in his Name as David did against Goliah Fall down before him as Joshua before the Captain of the Lord host Josh 5.14 Be much in Prayer and adde Fasting to Prayer Some sins cannot be cast out without this Means 2 Secondly Learn to loath and hate sin A man hates to death what he mortifieth and though he cannot kill it outright 1 Job 3. yet as he that hates his Brother is a manslayer so he that hates his sin as sin is a sin-slayer in Gods account For ye are dead sayes the Apostle Col. 3.3 then follows Mortifie therefore your Members c. ver 5. Means 3 Thirdly Get assurance of the Love of Christ and this will constrain to suffering and doing 2 Cor. 5.14 For the love of Christ constraineth us We love our sins naturally as our right eye and therefore are loath to part with them It must be the sense of a greater love that will make us willing to pluck out our right eye He that was next of kin to the person murthered was to be the Avenger of blood because it was to be supposed he loved him best If we consider what enemies our sins are to Christ our best beloved we shall do that part Love Christ much and you will hate sin much and the way to love Christ much is to be assured of Christs love to us 1 Cor. 15.31 I protest by our rejoycing we have in Christ Jesus I die daily Means 4 Fourthly Apply the Cross of Christ Rom. 6.6 knowing this that our old man is crucified with him The death of Christ is the death of sin First because it is the meriting Cause meriting the Spirit by which our sins are mortified Secondly the serious Consideration of Christs death doth give sin a deadly wound What did Christ die for my sins O let me crucifie them that crucified him Did Christ love me so well as to be willing to lose a precious life Let me love him so well as to part with a sinful life or the life of sin The death of Christ is the slaying of the Enmity not onely betwixt man and man Eph. 1.16 but between God and Man I am crucified with Christ sayes the Apostle Gal 2.20 Means 5 The fifth Means is set down Eph. 6.11 Put on therefore the whole armour of God c. VVhere you see two things 1. God hath provided for a Christian Complete Armour 2. Every Christian that would stand in the day of battel must put it on But what is the Armour God hath provided Ans See there in the verses after they are the Graces of Gods Spirit all Christian Vertues 1. Truth the Souldiers Belt that knits all other graces all other pieces of the Armour fast together Truth of Doctrine opposed to Errour Truth of Graces and Actions opposed to Hypocrisie Hypocrites are fearful true men are valorous One true man beats two or three thieves Prov. 28.1 2. The Breast-plate of Righteousness Righteousness imputed and Righteousness imparted and this is Murus aheneus Though infirmities may be in many yet this saves the Vitals 3. Shoes of Patience like brazen Greaves whereby the Christian Souldier treads upon Scorpions he treads down Satan under his feet in this Spiritual Combate 4. The Shield of Faith above all or over all For this covers all our Armour all our Graces and strengthens them in the Combate 5. The Helmet of Salvation which is Hope 1 Thess 5.8 Then lastly there is the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God of which in the next Means Means 6 Sixthly Hear and apply the Word In Hos 6.5 God hews them by his Prophets and slays them by the Words of his mouth This is a sharp and two-edged sword that pierces to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit Heb. 4.12 And here apply the threatnings as well as the Promises to the mortifying of sin VVhen the Minister reproves such sins as we are guilty of every one should turn the Point to his own breast Suppose it be Lying or Adultery or Idolatry c. out of that place Rev 22.15 If there be an hundred in the Congregation every one should say Surely God meant I should take this to my self Suppose Despising of the VVord out of Prov. 1.25 Suppose partaking of other mens sins out of Psal 50.18 When thou sawest a thief thou consentedst c. VVe should do as Job's friends advised him Job 5.27 Hear it and know it for thy self This was that which prick'd their hearts Acts 2.36 37. when Peter told them they had crucified that same Jesus Means 7 Seventhly Entertain the Spirit for the VVord is but the Sword of the Spirit Rom. 8.11 If ye by the spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Gal. 5.16 Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh This will conquer Corruption For 1. It is of a most contrary nature to it a holy Spirit 2. It is an Almighty Spirit able to cast corruption out 1 Joh. 4.4 Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world Therefore walk in the guidance and strength of the Spirit Look higher than our selves for new supply of strength as we have new Employments new Trials new Temptations Do not onely desire it and pray for it but use it kindely The Spirit is of a tender and delicate nature very free where it is entertained and acts with freedom If thy Soul welcom the Spirit he will soon thrust out those domineering lusts that have disturb'd his quiet and peaceable possession And hereunto look with an eye of faith unto those great Promises of the Spirit Isa 44.2.3 Ezek 36.25 c. Joel 2.28 The Spirit is promised to be poured out largely under the Gospel as Ezekiel's waters chap. 47. 't is observable the further they run the deeper they grew They took the Jews up to the ankles the Primitive Christians to the knees the Middle Times to the loyns c. Means 8 Eighthly Moderate the use of lawful things Satan gets great advantage in these things Corruption is strengthned by immoderate use of lawful things Luk. 17.27 They eat they drank they married and gave in marriage and the flood came and destroyed them all They were first drown'd in their security and unbelief and then the flood drown'd them Means 9 Ninthly Keep corrupt Nature in compass by Vows As they vow'd the death of Paul Acts 23. so do thou of thy sins Vows are against either things absolutely unlawful and these binde ad semper alwayes as the Vow in Baptism against the World Flesh and Devil or things indifferent but in danger to be abused and these it is best to be made onely ad tempus for a time lest afterwards they become a snare Means 10 Lastly Shun Occasions of
would not believe the comfortable Promise that was brought to him from God by the Prophet Isaiah what saith the Scripture Isa 7.13 Is it a small thing for you to weary or grieve men but ye will weary my God also And with whom was God grieved fourty years in the Wilderness was it not with them that sinned through Vnbelief Heb. 3.17 Suppose a rich man should freely invite all the Poor of such a Town to a feast with Promise of kind and hearty welcome if they will but come c. Upon the Invitation first one and then another should begin to make exceptions against themselves and say Surely he did not intend that I should come c. If I do I 'll be sure to eat nothing I cannot think he should bid me welcome or if he do that he means as he says I am so unworthy I have nothing to pay for my entertainment Would not this grieve the Master of the Feast and displease him Might not his displeasure turn into wrath Luk. 14.21 24. The Master of the house was angry and said None of those men which were bidden shall taste of my Supper Doth God say Whosoever will let him eat of the bread and drink freely of the water of life Isa 55 1. Rev. 22.17 and shall any of us say Though I hunger and thirst also I cannot believe the Promise belongs to me How do we quench and grieve the Spirit of God by our Unbelief Thirdly 3. It pleases the Devil it 's a sin that doth exceedingly please the Devil It was the very first sin he tempted our first Parents to and 't is the main of all his Temptations to this day Let the Word be preach'd never so powerfully yea But is this true saith the Devil The Devil doth what he can to bring God out of credit with his People Luke 8.12 These by the high-way are they that hear then cometh the Devil and taketh the Word out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved Mark the Devil knows that without Faith there is no Salvation therefore he that is an enemy to the Salvation of People is as great an enemy to Faith Thou canst not do a greater pleasure to the Devil than to say I question whether this be true or no or whether God will make this Promise good to me though I should cast my self upon the Word of his Free-grace O Christians think of this think seriously of this how you rejoyce that wicked Spirit The Father of Lies and how you grieve and vex the holy Spirit of God The Spirit of Truth by your Unbelief Fourthly consider the sin of Unbelief 't is a Mother Sin As the Devil is the Father so Unbelief is the Mother of all other sins The brood of Unbelief Unbelief was first the Devils Bastard and then he makes it his Concubine and by his incubation upon an unbelieving heart he begets a world of other sins As 1. Ignorance First of all Wilful and affected Ignorance For if the Devil can but perswade a Soul either that the Word is not of God or that it belongs not to it self in particular then the next Temptation is To what purpose shouldst thou labour for the knowledge of such a Word that concerns thee not And therefore Unbelief and Ignorance are coupled together and both proceeding from the Devil 2 Cor. 4.3 4. But if c. in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them Whereby it comes to pass that so many are ignorant in the midst of so much light 2. Security Secondly another dangerous sin the off-spring of the Devil and of Unbelief is Sinful Security The Devil begets this sin upon an Unbelievers heart and when he hath done he rocks the Cradle When God threatens and the awakened Conscience begins to cry then Peace peace Gen. 3.1 saith the Devil Yea hath God said Ye shall die if ye eat of the forbidden fruit I say Ye shall not die The words of the Prophets are but wind Jer. 5.13 what need ye regard or fear the threatning Indeed God hath said The Drunkard shall be clothed with rags Prov. 33.21 Isa 33.1 The spoiler shall be spoiled and The flying Roll of Gods curse shall enter into the house of the Thief and of him that sweareth falsly by the Name of God Zech. 5.4 But do you not see threatned folk live long saith the Devil Doth not many a Drunkard Oppressor Thief and Swearer live many a fair day And thus the poor Soul is presently rock'd asleep again in its Unbelief and becomes resolute in an evil way Eccl. 8.11 Because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil They are secure in the midst of danger they fall asleep upon the top of the Mast Thirdly 3. Worldliness another dangerous sin springing from Unbelief is Worldly-mindedness for if we believe not what is promised concerning Heaven or what is threatned in regard of Hell why then saith Demas let us embrace this present world Let Noah preach of Judgement to the old World and righteous Lot to the Sodomites so long as their words seem to them as idle tales there 's no care to prevent the imminent Judgement but all their care is how they shall live another day when it may be they have not a day to live They ate they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded they were all for the world even to the very day that those dreadful Waters upon the one and that terrible Fire upon the other came down from the Lord out of Heaven And all this because of their Unbelief Fourthly 4. Hypocrisie another dangerous sin the fruit of such a cursed Parent is Gross Hypocrisie Counterfeit Faith ever springs from real Unbelief for durst a man make shew of Religion to serve his own turn and to serve his own lusts as many men do if he did believe that God was a God searching the heart and the reins and such an one as would smite all painted walls and whited sepulchres he durst as well eat fire as do such a thing O saith many a vile wretch I carried my self like a Saint whilst I was in their company and yet it may be the same man at another time and in another company carries himself more like a Devil incarnate than a Saint And why so from whence springs this gross Hypocrisie but from gross Unbelief For had he but Faith to believe the Omnipresence of God he would labour to be the same at all times and in all companies Fifthly 5. Heresie another dangerous sin the Daughter both of Unbelief and Hypocrisie is Heresie a departing from the Faith in some Points of Religion for a mans own outward advantage For if a
perceive it not Trees though they do not grow are fitted for growth in winter 9. Propagation Ninthly If thou art alive know it not only by growth and augmentation but also by a desire of a propagation and conveiance of that life to others The Father delivers the lamp of his life to his son as one candle lights another So 't is in this life of grace it begets the like to it self Examine therefore whether thou art one like Pharaoh that seekest to kill the children of gace in the birth this is to play the tyrant nay the Devill Rev. 12. Or whether thou art like God and godly men that say as the Apostle Gal. 4.19 They desire to see Christ formed in others 10. Delightâ— Tenthly If alive what company delights thee Psal 16.2 my delight is in the Saints and the excellent The living converse with the living and not among Tombes unlesse they be possest as the man in the Gospel Why seek ye the living amongst the dead said the Angel Such are dead company as dead men Vse 4 Fourthly This informs us If the spiritual life be the most excellent life what is the worst murder Information of the worst murder Surely that which takes away the best life And that is the murder of the soul God commands in the sixth commandement Thou shalt do no murder Every man startles at that but many are found guilty of soul-murder See Ezek. 33 8. If the watchman warn not the blood of them that perish in their sins God will require at his hands This made Paul so careful to purge himself Act. 20.26 I am free of the blood of every one of you See also Ezek 13.18 Vse 5 Fifthly Bless God for this life where it is and makes much of it How desirable a thing as Gaius Thankfulness to have our souls prosper 3. Epist Joh 2. And if we find any decay remember the counsel to the Angel of the Church of Sardis Rev. 3.2 Be watchfull and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die for I have not found thy works perfect before God But the Just shall live by his Faith DOCTRINE II. Whatsoever life the just man lives in a more excellent manner then other men he lives that life by vertue of his Faith Doct. 2 THE Apostle confesseth this was his life And what is the life of one faithful man as faithful is the life of all Gal. 2 20. The life that I live I live by the faith of the Son of God c. This is a lesson that is often taught and yet very hardly learned For as the life of a Christian is a hidden life so the means of conveyance of it is in a hidden way hidden and dark to a natural man This water of life runs as it were in a conduit-pipe under the ground A natural man perceives it not But the Just shall live by his Faith For the better unfolding of his mysterious and useful trade of living by faith we shall endeavour by God's assistance who is the Author and Finisher of our faith to shew these things Heb. 12.2 viz. First What Faith is Secondly What it is to live by Faith Thirdly Why living is by Faith rather then love c. Fourthly Who it is that lives by Faith Fifthly Whose Faith he lives by viz. his own Sixthly When and how long Seventhly What life it is he lives by Faith Eighthly The Reasons why Lastly What use we are to make of all QUEST I. What Faith is FOR the first You have the definition at least the description set down by the Holy Ghost Heb. 11.1 It is the subsistence of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen For example tell a natural man of God's favour and the comforts of his Spirit and the future recompence of reward which is more worth then all the comforts of the world he thinks it a mere notion that there is no reality in it but all feigned But a Christian by faith seeth there is truth reality and subsistence in these things and in whatever God promiseth who calleth those things that be not as though they were Rom. 4.17 To whom all things are possible Mark 9.23 And thereby becomes a kind of omnipotent faith By others it is defined thus In general A believing the Gospel In particular Definition of Faith A gracious habit infused into the heart by the Spirit of God whereby the soul rests or rolls it self upon Christ in a way of promise for all things appertaining to life and godliness for Gods glory and it 's own salvation It is not then 1. a bare disposition but an habit 2. An habit not acquired by frequent acts but infused by the spirit called therefore 1 Cor. 4.17 the spirit of faith 3. Infused not into the head only but the heart Rom. 10.10 with the heart man believeth And therefore it stands more in affection than notion Indeed in faith there is both an Assent of the mind to the truth of the message sent to sinners indefinitely 1 Tim. 1.15 and a consent of heart and will to the goodness of it whereby this or that particular sinner receives it to himself Gal. 2.20 Christ Who loved Me. Joh 21. My Lord and my God which differ as a garment in the cloth and on the back Christ is put on by faith Fourthly We say whereby the soul rests or rolls its self or leans For assurance and full perswasion is not of the being of faith but the well-being There 's faith of Evidence and faith of Reliance Or rather there is a double evidence 1. Of sense 2. Of reliance Faith in Scripture is set out in regard of the latter in such terms as we have given Psal 37.5 Isa 50.10 Mark 9.24 Fifthly Vpon Christ Who is the main object of faith and it is not sufficient to believe in God out of Christ Joh 14.1 Ye believe in the Father believe also in me and otherwhere None cometh to the Father but by me Sixthly In way of a promise No promise no Christ Abraham laid hold on a promise in those extraordinary things as an ordinary mean Rom. 4.20 he staggered not at the promise through unbelief See 2 Pet. 1.3 Eph. 2.12 Covenant of promise c. Seventhly For all things c. First for Christ and then all things with him Rom. 8.32 Wherefore the promises in Christ are called Rich and Precious promises Eighthly For God's glory Rom. 4.20 gave glory to God and our own salvation Heb. 10. last that believe to the saving of the soul QUESTION II. What it is to live by Faith To live by Faith Ans TO live by Faith is not only by laying hold on Christ by faith to receive life by Christ 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life Secondly But also in the use and exercise of faith to receive daily from Christ both the preservation and increase of this life Eph. 4.13 Thirdly Enabling a Christian by vertue
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
of God is grieved by the sins of his own people or else that Exhortation were needless Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption And if we grieve the Spirit of God be sure it will grieve our spirits it will make us glad to cry Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation Psal 51.12 And if we rejoyce the Spirit of Ged it will rejoyce ours Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me saith Wisdom so I rejoyce them that rejoyce me and what rejoyces Gods Spirit but purity of heart and life Prov. 11.20 The upright in the way are his delight So God dispenses peace to such Psal 85.8 It is God who will speak peace to his Saints to his sanctified ones 'T is true indeed a man cannot be sanctified before he be justified and so soon as he is justified he hath the ground-work of peace But the Word doth strongly infer That no man is justified but he is also sanctified at the same time And God is pleased to speak peace to none but such as he is pleased to sanctifie at the same instant when he first begins to speak peace unto them Well but what shall we say for after times May they then live as they list when God hath once spoken peace to their Souls No as ever they desire to keep it when they have it as they love their peace let them not again return to folly As much as to say If they be so foolish to turn again to their former sins God will turn again to his former displeasure of which he had spoken in the former verses Not that God will hate them or look at them as his enemies but they shall know for all that though God continues to be their Father yet a Father knows how to frown upon his children and how to come with a Rod in his hand if they once wax wanton under the expression of his love and favour Rev. 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent Well then as ever thou desirest to live the Life of Consolation be sure to live the Life of Sanctification Though God do not dispense comfort for thy Sanctification yet he will never dispense it without Sanctification The water of Consolation must run in a clear channel Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God to their comfort Therefore as Faith purifies the heart Act. 15.9 so it comforts the heart And so the just lives by Faith the Life of Consolation Quest Yea but how shall I know I am sanctified that I may have the comfort of it Ans I answered to this in that precedent Chapter viz. Life of Faith in Sanctification Vid. supra Reas 5 5 Reason why the just lives by Faith the Life of Consolation it is Why Consolation comes by Faith Because by Faith a man reflects upon his own Sanctity and Sincerity he proves it and brings it to the touchstone and when he knows it is right he hath the comfort of it For as Faith purifies the heart and conscience so the conscience thus purified doth the office of a faithful examined Witness and Judge who upon examination gives in this Judgement Thou art sincere saith Conscience to the believing Soul thou art in the Faith Christ is thine and therefore thou hast cause to rejoyce 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundant to you-wards Mark the ground of Paul's rejoycing was the reflect act of Faith in the testimony of his renewed conscience And lest any man should say This was a singular case 't is possible Paul might have ground of rejoycing upon the thorow examination of his own condition but ordinarily Christians cannot have the like Therefore the Apostle makes it a general case to all believers either they do or they ought to do so Gal. 6.4 But let every man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoycing in himself and not in another Mark this is the duty of every man that desires comfort of every man that is in the Faith Wouldst thou have comfort Then make use of thy Faith to the proving of thy self and the proving of thy work It may be thou thinkst thy Joy and Consolation must evidence thy good estate but the Word saith The evidence of thy good estate upon Proof and Trial must bring sound comfort if ever thou hast it upon good grounds Thy comfort must not be thy evidence Note but thy evidence must be thy comfort Now this is the proper act and evidence of Faith And so by Faith the just lives the Life of Consolation As for example the Word saith Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness Even by this we know we are translated from death to life if we love the brethren 1 Joh. 3.4 But saith the conscience renewed by Faith I fear the Lord c. therefore I have cause to rejoyce Obj. Oh but these Marks and Evidences may fail you Ans Heaven and Earth shall pass but not one tittle of the Word shall fall Obj. But you may think you have these when you have them not Ans Therefore they are first to be tried by the Rule for their Principle and Existence Obj. If it be said You may think you have the witness and comfort of the Spirit when you have not Is there not a joy of the stony ground and of an hypocrite as well as the joy of a true Christian And is there not a peace from Satan in the heart as well as the peace of God Luk. 11.21 When the strong man armed keepeth the palace his goods are in peace Ans Oh but he that hath the true peace and joy in the holy Ghost cannot be deceived so he that hath the true fear of God and hunger c. cannot be deceived But of the two Note it is easier to be deceived in our Comforts than in our Graces Therefore the Scripture commands us to try our comforts by our graces but never to try our graces by our comforts as in the place before-alledged Gal. 4.6 And because ye are Sons God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father It is true the first evidence of a Christians Justification in order of nature is a pure simple act of Faith laying hold on Gods free grace in a Promise indefinite made not to righteous persons but to sinners ungodlly persons and to enemies and to such as are simply so For God will strip a man of all conceits of his own Righteousness before he clothe him with the Righteousness of Christ But then the second evidence of Justification in order of nature though it be at the same instant in order of time
slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep lest thy spiritual poverty come as a traveller and thy want as an armed man Pro. 24.33 34. Besides Christ can make difficult things easie Mat. 11.30 My yoke is easie Isa 26.12 Thou hast wrought all our works in us Phil. 2.13 It is God that worketh to will and to do And this is the third Subordinate cause of the neglect of the Means and the way to remove it The 4. Is Presumption 4. Presumption Post dates the use of Means Cure Presuming we may use the Means soon enough many daies or years after They think they may repent and believe when they list But to remove this Impediment and to roll away this Stone It is good to remember that not so much as our natural life is in our own power Eccl. 8 8. Much less that which is Spiritual and Supernaturul it 's possible we may have but a little space of time to live and it may be lesse space of time to repent Rev. 2 21. I gave her a space to repent of her fornicateon and she repented not saith God of Jezabel God giveth a space of time to particular Persons Cities and Nations which is called the Accepted Time and the Day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 and if we come not in the space of this Time the Door may be Shut and we may Knock too late Mat. 25 10. Whilst the foolish Virgins went to buy oil the Bridegroom came and they that were ready went in with him to the Marriage and the door was shut And this is the fourth Subordinate cause of neglect of the Means and the way to remove it 5. Despondency quits the use of Means The 5. Is Despondency of Spirit Through an extreme fear that the time of Grace is past It may be we have us'd the Means of Grace long and we conceive we are never the better and therefore we fear it is to no purpose to attend upon the Means for the time to come Cure Now to remove this Impediment to roll this Stone out of the way Let us remember It is not for us to know the Times and the Seasons which the Father hath placed in his own power Acts 1.7 Let us continue to do our duty in seeking and we may be sure God will be found at the last though he hide himself very long to our apprehension Isa 38.18 Blessed are all they that wait for him Hast thou waited twenty or thirty years for Grace or Comfort resolve to wait still Joh. 5.5 There was an impotent man who had waited thirty eight years for healing and yet by a word of Free Grace from Christ himself he was healed at the last There 's no time past but God may heal thee for all this though thou hast waited many a year And therefore resolve to stand it out to the last man He that continueth to the end shall be saved Mat. 24.13 And thus have we spoken of the sixth grand Impediment which is a sinful neglect of the Means of Grace and also of the way to remove it 7. Supposition of having Faith already The Seventh Impediment Is a vain Supposition that we have Faith when we have it not or else a supposition that we have it not when we have it the one hinders the obtaining of Faith and the other hinders the actings of it and we are apt to swear on both sides Pro. 37.7 There is that maketh himself rich and yet he is poor and there is that maketh himself poor yet hath great riches First There is that maketh himself Rich when he is poor there is a supposition that a man hath Faith when he hath it not Now hear's the mischief of this Conceit He that presumes he hath a thing when he hath it not it takes off all endeavours for the obtaining of it So he that presumes he hath Faith when he hath it not it takes him off from the use of Means for the obtaining of it Now for the removing of this Impediment Cure and for the rolling away of this Stone There 's no better way then to bring our Faith to the Test or Touch-stone that we do not bless our selves in giving entertainment to a bold-fac'd presumption in stead of a true Faith Quest How shall I be able to distinguish between Presumption and true Faith For as the Harlot laid her dead child in the room of the true mothers living child 1 Kin. 3.20 So the Divel pops men off with a dead Faith which is no better then presumption in stead of a true and Living Faith How therefore shall we know the one from the other the dead child from the other I Answer Differences of Presumption and Faith Besides what hath been said already in the use of tryal You may know Presumption from true Faith by its Conception Birth Growth and Issue or fruits 1. By its Conception 1 In the Conception Presumption is nothing but our own Conceit the Brat of our own brain a strong imagination without any real Foundation upon the Word of God whereas true Faith is ever grounded upon the Promise it is Begotten by the incorruptible seed of the Word 1 Pet. 1 23. Only let me add this by way of Caution Caution There may be a false application of a promise as well as a true and saving a promise may be presented to the Soul by Satan as well as by the Holy Spirit of God Quest How shall we know the difference Answ That when ever Satan presents a promise to the Soul he presents it in a Wrested sense or he presents it for a Wrong end as Mat. 4.6 It 's written He shall keep thee c. This promise is presented in a Wrested Sense so as the meaning of it could not stand with that other Scripture Thou shalt not tempt c. God doth promise to protect in such dangers as his providence casts us into in the way of our calling but not in such dangers as our own folly and presumption casts us into when we forsake our way And therefore the Divel cunningly and wickedly leaves out that part of the Word In all thy wayes Psa 91.11 12. 2. It is presented for a Wrong End To separate Justification from Sanctification and so to make us bold to sin against God as here see Jude 4. Turning the grace of God i. e. Gracious promises of Mercy into wantonness But now when the Promise of God is presented and applyed by the Spirit of God it is presented in a true sense such as may well stand with all other parts of holy Scripture for the Spirit doth never contradict it self And it is presented for a Right and Good End Even for the furtherance of our Sanctification as well as of our Justification and so the promise is made a Transforming Promise 2 Cor. 3.18 And a Cleansing Promise so as to make the Soul willing to be purged from every sin Consider seriously of
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-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.
in expelling the enemies of spiritual life And so the just lives by his faith Act 15.9 By faith purifying their hearts Unbelief and other corruptions are deadly enemies to spiritual life Faith expels them and purifies the heart from them As the living fountain if dirt be cast into it never leaves working and working until it hath wrought it self cleer again So a beleeving heart if earthly thoughts from Satan like dirt be cast into it never leaves working till it hath wrought it self pure and fit for God's service 2 Tim. 2.21 If a man purge himself from these c. It overcomes and abandons all within and all without resists Satan 1 Pet 5.8 overcomes the world 1 Joh. 5.4 3. Nutritive faculty of faith Thirdly God makes use of faith in the Nutritive facultie or attractive faculty in drawing such things to it self as whereby is life nourished and maintained And so the just lives by his faith Faith like the first-born of graces though indeed they are all twins delight to be in the arms of God's mercy where it first receives life and there it lyes at the brest of the word at the nipple of the promises drawing virtue and strength and nourishment from them tasting every day how sweet and gracious the Lord is 1 Pet. 2.3 Psal 34.8 O tast and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him q.d. by trusting in God we live upon God and taste how good he is For else we tempt God It were a miracle to live without meat But the more strength the more food 4. Digestive faculty of faith Fourthly God maketh use of faith in the Retentive and Digestive faculty turning the word into wholsome blood And so the just lives by his faith Whereas an unbeliever hearing the word receiving the food of his soul is like a man of a weak bad stomack no sooner is the meat down but it mixeth with some base humor up it comes again it will hold nothing to do it good So it is with an unbeliever not mixing the word with faith but being mixed with some base humour of pride or passion up it comes again with violence though it be in the very face of the Physician Prov. 9.2 He that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot But where the word is mixed with faith it meets with a good stomack and there it turnes into good nourishment the party grows and thrives and comes on in grace and so lives by faith as a man lives by a good stomack See Psal 36.7 8. They that put their trust under the shadow of Gods wings are abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house c. Good meat doth well a good stomack is better Gods blessing upon both is the best of all and so it is in the life of Grace Fifthly God makes use of Faith in the Motive faculty 5. Motive faculty of Faith And so the just lives by his Faith For as bodily exercise profits much for bodily health when the Apostle sayes It profiteth little his meaning is in ordine ad spiritualia 1 Tim. 4. for doubtless as to bodily health it profiteth much it is instar omnium in stead of all Physick and without this the best diet in the world will be defective It is so with the soul Be the diet the means of grace never so good yet without exercise of grace and godliness all comes to nothing Now it is Faith and onely true Faith which puts a man upon profitable exercise Faith will not suffer a man to be idle in his calling It will not onely move his tongue though it will move that too Acts 4.20 We cannot but speak 2 Cor. 4.13 I believed therefore spake For he is a very dead-hearted Christian that hath the dead palsey in his tongue that cannot speak a word for God But it will move his hands also and his whole man to be active for God Jam. 2. Shew me thy faith by thy works Christians full of faith are full of action and so full of life See Acts 6.3 6 8 10 Whereas unbelievers are like sluggards with hand in bosome or like Idols of the Heathen Psal 115. having eyes and yet see not ears and hear not feet and walk not neither speak they through their throat and so prove dead for want of this exercise 6. Breathing faculty of Faith Sixthly God makes use of Faith in the Breathing faculty And so the just lives by his faith Breath is the Chariot of life called therefore The breath of life This breathing is twofold 1. Inspiration 2. Expiration these maintain life And both these in a spiritual sense do spring from Faith 1. Inspiration First for the act of Inspiration For howsoever every first inspiration of the Spirit gives life yet Faith draws more and more of this heavenly air from day to day for the maintaining and increasing of this life A man can no more live a spiritual life without the continual breathing of Gods Spirit into his soul than he can live a natural life without the continual sucking in of fresh air into his body And therefore it is observable Our blessed Saviour chose to convey the Holy Ghost under that similitude Joh. 20.22 He breathed on them and said Receive the Holy Ghost q. d. Ye can no more live the life of grace without my Spirit than you can live the life of nature without the breath of your nosthrils We are all by nature like Ezekiels dried bones Now it is the voice of Faith that cryes out Ezek. 37.9 O Breath breathe upon these slain that they may live And again when a man hath life and begins to exercise himself in the way of Gods Commandments he knows he cannot exercise to purpose unless it be in this fresh air of the Spirit Therefore Davids Faith put him upon this practice I opened my mouth saith he and panted for I longed for thy Commandments Psa 119.131 He took in fresh gales of the Spirit from day to day to uphold the vitals of the New man Secondly 2. Expiration There is another act of the Spirit in spiritual life and that is Expiration an holy breathing out of holy speeches and holy prayers And usually in proportion to our inspiration will be our expiration As in Nature 't is unwholesome to breathe out more then we suck in when the expence of spirits is beyond our receipts so also in grace when our expiration of holy speeches doth exceed our inspiration of the holy Spirit But when these go hand in hand all springs from Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 We having the same Spirit of faith as it is written I believed therefore have I spoken we also believe and therefore speak Faith will put a Christian upon it Faith is as it were the very breath of his nostrils Seventhly God makes use of Faith in the Augmentative or growing faculty And so the just lives by his Faith
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
honour to God Such are more fruitful Heb. 6.11 12. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end that ye be not slothful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises 2 Cor. 5.14 For the love of Christ constraineth us c. 2. Receives more honour from God Rev. 2.17 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna And mark the Promise is made not to the Combatant but the Conqueror To eat of the hidden Manna Obj. But Christ is that Manna Joh. 6. I am the Bread came down from heaven therefore the weakest believer eats of him Ans Yet such a one tastes not at the first so much sweetness Exod. 16.31 The taste of it was like wafers made with honey A pleasant taste but not at first Manna was set within the Holy of Holies Exod. 16.32 before the Testimony they did not taste it so soon as they entred into the Temple 8. A jucundo Luk. 10.20 Rejoyce because your names are written in heaven like Paul are caught up into the third heaven By the least degree of faith a man is in the first heaven by a strong faith in the middle region of a Christian by full assurance in the third heaven This is to be with Christ in the Garden in the Wine-cellar in his Bosom as John Cant. 1. to be kissed with the kisses of his mouth to wear his favour which he gives to his especial favourites Joh. 15.15 All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you to be è secretioribus consiliis a joy that the world knows not of Prov. 14.10 A stranger doth not intermeddle with their joy 9. A periculoso or ab incommodo for 1. Life is uncertain as a vapour and death uncomfortable if it come before we be assured Therefore David Psal 39. ult O spare a little that I may recover strength c. Simeon Lord now not before Say to thy Soul I may be dead before night and in hell before morning therefore it is good to be sure For temporal estate it s a great trouble to think estate is not made sure to Wife and Children it s a great mercy to set our house in order Isa 38.1 but a greater to set our souls in order they are dearer then the dearest and then we shall not fear though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death Psal 23.4 2. If it were certain yet there 's danger in deferring this 1. When God commands to make sure and we do not endeavour after it this is rebellion as the sin of witchcraft 1 Sam. 15. 2. It 's more difficult to obtain in ordinary course of working Mark 9.21 If Satan long possess he is hardly outed 3. The best condition of life is bitter without this Dan. 5.5 6. Belshazzar troubled in his feasting c. è contra this will sweeten the most bitter affliction cause to sing in prison Matthew 9.2 Christ said to the man sick of the Palsey Sonne Be of good cheer 10. A minori ad majus si isti callidi rerum aestimatores c. If men take pains to make sure the World yea Hell let their folly teach us wisdome If any thing be given by Will man rests not till he see his own Name written c. 11. Such have great boldness at the Throne of Grace in Prayer if they know Christ their High-priest Heb. 10.21 22. 2. Means of Assurance 2. In using of the Means by which we may come to Assurance True the Spirit is all in all Rom. 8.16 The Spirit beareth witness with our spirits c. yet this witness comes by means used As General Promises First Applying general Promises to our particular condition Whether they be 1. Such Promises as are made to sinners in general as 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying c. And therefore saith the Soul Though I am a sinner though I am the chief of sinners as he said there yet there are no rails made about the promise to keep me off onely I must know thus much I can no sooner lay hold of the promise but the very first touch will draw vertue from Christ to make me a new man in the frame of my heart Acts 15.9 Purifying their hearts by faith Or 2. Whether such promises were made to sinners so and so qualified not as if these qualifications did spring from themselves for God himself worketh all in all as he pleaseth As for Example Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary c. Now then when I see my self not onely in this condition that I am weary of my sin but willing to obey the Command surely then I have as great cause to apply the Promise as to apply the Commandment I may as well claim the Promise for my Comfort as the Commandment for my Duty If I be willing and obedient in yielding to the Commandment and my heart tells me its holy and just and good why then God tells me from his Word That if my sins were as scarlet they shall be as wooll Isa 1.17 3. Or in laying hold of the Promises tending directly to Assurance it self Isa 60 16. Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles and shalt suck the breasts of Kings and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer c. Isa 57.19 I create the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is afar off and to him that is near saith the Lord and I will heal him 2. In receiving the spirit in the sealing work of it Sealing of the Spirit For there is one work of the Spirit whereby we cast our selves upon a Promise before we get assurance yet this is faith Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord c. that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God And another work of the Spirit after this Faith is begotten that assures us we do indeed believe Eph. 1.13 14. In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise which is the earnest of our inheritance c. And this especially in Scripture is called a Seal wherein Christ is offered particularly as meat and drink 1 Cor. 11.24 Take eat this is my Body c. Exercise of Prayer 3. By stirring us up to exercise the spirit of grace and supplication more abundantly than formerly Psal 35.3 Say unto my soul I am thy salvation Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they have pierced and mourn Then they shall have a clear sight of Christ crucified and they shall mourn Obj. But where is Assurance in this mourning condition Ans Godly sorrow doth nothing hinder godly joy nay they are ever twins of the same womb for as godly sorrow so joy springs from
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
but I obtained mercy so c. Quest 3 Quest How shall we do to live this Life of Sanctification Ans The answer to the third Question will resolve this viz. By what means Sanctification is wrought How and by what means this Sanctification is wrought in the Soul Ans 1 The truth is the main Original Cause is God He is the Author as of the first so of the second Creation Eph. 2.10 For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works God the Father as the Efficient Cause Jude ver 1. To them that are sanctified by God the Father God the Son as the Meritorious Cause Heb. 2.11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all one God the Holy Ghost working this 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God It springs not from our selves nor from our parents no though they be holy it springs not from them Sow the purest Wheat you can get yet it springs up with chaff again when it brings forth another Crop So the best parents bring forth children with the chaff of natural corruption cleaving to them Grace comes not from Nature but from God Joh. 1.13 Which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God God therefore is the Original and principal Cause Vse Go to God for Sanctification for our selves or others 1 Thess 5.23 And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly c. Mat. 8.2 And behold a leper came and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean Psal 51.7 10. Create in me a clean heart c. Ans 2 But now Faith is the Intrumental Cause of the Life of Sanctification in the order of working and so the just lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification Acts 15.9 Faith purifies the heart and ch 26.18 it purifies the life of the whole man that they may receive inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in me Quest And how doth Faith purifie or how doth the just live by Faith the Life of Sanctification Ans 1. Acts of faith in sanctifying 1. Applying Christ either 1. In general As laying hold on Christ the principal object of Faith especially on the blood of Christ the meritorious Cause of cleansing I say in general laying hold upon Christ the principal object of Faith not as if Faith had this life or this power to give life in it self no more can it give the life of Sanctification than of Justification but as by it we are united to Christ our Head and Fountain of Life Faith comes from Christ and returns to Christ again like the Flower call'd The Wonder of the World it grows out from the stem or stalk and turns round to it again So Faith comes from Christ and turns round to him again to draw still more vertue from him As our Communion with Christ in grace flows from our Vnion with him so also all spiritual Operations or living acts of spiritual life Look as in the natural body the life of all the Members is from the Head and that Life conveyed by certain nerves and sinews to every part so the Life of Sanctification in all the Members is derived from Christ the Head and that by the sinews and nerves of Faith conveyed to all the elect in due time by which they live and more and more encrease from day to day Vide Ephes 4.15 16. Coloss 2.19 Quest But how shall I know that my spiritual actions and operations suppose Prayer Preaching the Word practising of that we hear in any particular do spring from my Union with Christ Ans This is a profitable and necessary Question When spiritual actions spring from faith in Christ because a man may do many good things and yet these actions not flow from our Union with Jesus Christ A man may have excellent common graces nay and he may counterfeit saving graces too and yet these not spring from Union with Christ Nay a man may be strengthened by Christ to do work and service for Christ and yet that strength and those services not flow from Union Isa 45.1 c. Concerning Cyrus his doing friendly offices for the Church and this prophecied of him about 200 years before he was born Isa 1O 3 O Assyrian the rod of mine anger c. correcting and afflicting the Church and they had their strength from God a staff in his hand and yet they did not know this nor acknowledge it themselves v. 7. Howbeit he meaneth not so c. A man may have excellent common graces as Judas had and those Matth. 7.22 Lord have we not prophecied in thy Name and in thy Name i e. in thy power cast out devils c. A man may counterfeit saving graces even to the life that he may deceive others Rev. 3.1 Thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead Though God is not mocked Quest The Question then is How shall I know whether my holy actions motions and operations do spring from Union with Christ or no Ans 1. To follow the Metaphor of Head and Members If thy holy actions proceed from inward principles 1 Cor. 6.17 Being made one spirit and not outward principles onely As a living hand or foot is moved from invisible nerves and sinews within but a wooden hand or foot is moved onely by outward ligatures by which it is bound to the body So a man may pray and preach and be onely moved by outward ligatures of profit credit envy c. Philip. 1.15 Some preach Christ of envy and strife and some of good will So Mat. 6.1 2 3 4 5. They gave alms and prayed in the streets to be seen of men but he that doth it by vertue of Union is moved by an inward principle of the Spirit of Christ Obj. But may there not be a common gift of the Spirit to move a wicked man as 2 Chron. Ezra 1.1 The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia c. Ans Yes but then it proceeds not from the inhabiting Spirit of God whereof the Elect are the Temple 1 Cor. 6.19 but onely from a present common and transient work of the Spirit as in Baalam so sometimes good and evil spirits have had power to enter into bodies and carry them up and down but yet not to inform them as the Soul informs the Body nor to dwell there c. So the Spirit of God c. Quest How shall I know my Spiritual actions proceed from the inhabiting Spirit Ans By savouring and minding the things of the Spirit Rom. 8 5. They that are of the flesh do minde the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit Though Gods Spirit spake in and by Baalam yet he had no through relish of what he spake for he still loved the wages of
Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth Not as if the Word had power to sanctifie without the Spirit but the Spirit doth it by the Word the Word is an instrument of cleansing in the hand of the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.22 Ye have purified your souls on obeying i. e. in believing the truth through the spirit As the Spirit makes use of the Word of Precept and Threatning Psal 17.4 By the word of thy lips have I kept me from the paths of the destroyer so of the word of Promise also 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these Promises let us cleanse our selves What hath God promised to be a Father to me as it is in the words before and that I should be a son or a daughter to him this Lord God Almighty upon condition that I will separate my self and touch no unclean thing and shall not I be willing so to do Nay hath God promised to perform the condition for me namely to sprinkle clean water upon me that I might be clean Ezek. 36.25 and to subdue my iniquities and sanctifie me throughout in Soul Body and Spirit and shall not I make use of these his Promises Hath God shewed so much love to me in making the Promise and shall not I shew love to him in obeying his Precept And thus by laying hold upon the Word both of Promise and Precept the just lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification therefore Faith is called Most holy Faith Jude n. 20. namely from the effect because it works holiness in him that hath it Most holy Faith it is not said Most holy Love Joy or Peace but most holy Faith not Subjective sed Effectivê All lean on this building as the Foundation Christ is the foundation of Merit Faith of Order Christ is the Foundation which Faith findes and tries as the Workman c. Faith is like a strong purge that never leaves working so long as there 's any corruption in the body So Faith never leaves working so long as there is any corruption in the Soul and that is as long as we live Onely as Faith grows stronger corruption grows weaker from day to day but it is not wholly purged out till our daying day and therefore there is use of Faith as long as we live but because when we die our corruption shall die with us also there shall be no use of Faith any longer Means 5. Sacraments 5. He lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification in the application of the Sacramental Signs These are means of our Sanctification Eph. 5.26 Christ is said to give himself for his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word And Tit. 3.5 He saved us by the washing of Regeneration But this washing is by Faith Philip said to the Eunuch Act. 8.37 If thou believest with all thine heart thou maaist be baptized Obj. Then Infants are not to be baptized because they cannot believe Ans God looks at Infants in their Parents faith Gen. 17. I will be thy God and the God of thy seed So far as want of faith might hinder circumcision so far it may hinder Baptism For 1. The Covenant is the same Rom 14.11 and the Seals are the same for substance 1 Cor. 10 1 2. 2. The Grace of God is the same yea more abundant Tit. 2. ver 12. The grace of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath shined forth Opposed to the shadows of the Old Testament And did God shine upon Infants in those times and shall we put them under a cloud now VVant of faith did not hinder them then and why now It hindred heathens then and so now No Proselytes were admitted but such as made profession of the Faith of Abraham So c. Means 6. Afflictions 6. He lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification in the right use and application of Afflictions Afflictions sanctified are a means of sanctifying us That may be one reason why they are called a Baptism Mat. 20.23 Christ said to the two Disciples Ye shall indeed be baptiz'd with the baptism that I am baptized with Meaning a portion of his Afflictions If Christ learn obedience by the things which he suffered much more may we Heb. 5.8 Afflictions sanctified work the quiet fruit of righteousness Heb. 12.11 Afflictions are like the Red-sea they drown some but they save and purge others And what is the reason of the difference Some have faith to pass through them but some have none They drown those that have no faith but they purge and preserve those that have Faith Heb. 11.29 By faith they passed through the Red-sea which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned And this was not onely a Baptism of Affliction but of Purgation and Sanctification 1 Cor. 10.2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea Thus the just lives by Faith in time of Adversity not onely as preserved therein which was handled before but as washed and sanctified thereby Revel 7.14 These are they which came out of great Tribulation and have washed their Robes c. Lastly The Prayer of Faith is a mean to sanctifie Means 7. Prayer and the just lives by Faith in the exercise of Prayer carrying the Soul to the Fountain of Life Joh. 4.10 Therefore if God be the Author and Effector of this Life of Sanctification go to God for it Dost thou feel the want of Sanctification of Spiritual Life Dost thou feel thou art dead in sins and trespasses It argues the beginnings of Life but go to God for more Life pray him to sprinkle and apply the Blood of Christ Psal 51.7 pray him to apply the Word to speak to thy heart in that voice behinde thee pray him that is Jehovah Isa 30.21 to give a being to his Promise pray him to make Sacraments effectual and to Baptize thee with the Holy Ghost and with fire Ma◠3. pray him to open thine ear to hear Discipline and seal thy Instruction that when thou art corrected Job 33.16 thou maist be sure to be instructed In a word pray him who is the Author of Sanctification to cause thee to live by Faith through all means the Life of Sanctification Go to God by Prayer by the prayer of faith For the just shall live by Faith in this respect Jam. 1.5 What S. James sayes of one saving grace Wisdom we may say of all If any man lack any grace or all grace let him ask of God c. But let him ask in faith Faith lives the Life of Sanctification in drawing holiness from the Fountain in the Conduit-pipe of Prayer Isa 12.3 With joy draw ye the waters out of the wells of Salvation Lye at the breast of the Promise if thou hast any life at all and draw out of the sincere milk of the word that thou maist grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 which must needs be meant of the Life of Sanctification
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
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
supporting and chearing the hearts of his People in time of afflictions God comforts his People in this manner that they may comfort others by their own experience Like Birds that having found a heap of Corn never leave their chirping till they have called in their fellows to partake of their Banquet 2 Cor. 1.14 Blessed be God who comforteth us in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them that are in any trouble by the self-same comforts whereby we our selves are comforted of God As if God should say to his afflicted fainting Servants Lo here is a Cordial from Heaven drink of it your selves and when you have done write upon it Probatum est and so commend it to your Christian friends Thou being converted and comforted strengthen thy brethren And these be the Reasons why God will have the just live the Life of Consolation 2. Why Consolations come by Faith 2. But then why are they said to live this Life by Faith There are many weighty Reasons of this also as Because Faith the hand that takes hold of this Cup it takes hold of the right object of Consolation or if you will Reas 1 First of all because Faith is a powerful hand to keep off all such things as are comfortable and so to arm us against all discomforts For that must needs be a great comfort that doth arm the Soul against all discomforts and so doth Faith for it is a supporting hand to our burthened Souls Faith is Omnipotent in the strength of God Nothing is impossible to him that believes Mark 9.23 An establishing hand to the wavering Soul it is a protecting hand to the weak Soul 'T is a Supporting Hand to the overburthened Soul 1. Faith is a supporting hand It is Faith that teacheth a man to cast the burthen of his care upon God Psal 37.5 And what a hearts ease and what a comfort is this They must needs have a light heart that are eased of such burthens Faith is like the Cup of Consolation which the Jews gave to the friends of the deceased that they may drink and forsake sorrow Jer. 16.7 Neither shall men give them the Cup of Consolation for their father Prov. 31.6 Give wine to those of heavy hearts 'T is an Establishing Hand to the wavering Soul 2. Faith is an establishing hand It cures the Soul of the Spiritual Palsie when it quakes and quivers up and down is full of fears and doubts and knows not where to fix or stay it self Fix thy self here saith Faith fix thy self upon God fix thy self upon his Word this will stay the wavering Soul as a Ship at Anchor in the midst of the winds and waves of Temptation Heb. 6.19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the Soul stedfast and sure which entreth into that within the veile I appeal to such as have been tost at Sea to tell you what a comfort it is to have a sure Anchor in a Storm and such is the comfort of a Christian by the Anchor-hold of his Faith Psal 112.6 7. Surely he shall not be moved for ever he shall not be afraid of evil tidings Why His heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. His heart is established he shall not be afraid So Faith is an establishing hand to a wavering Soul 'T is a Protecting Hand to the weak Soul 3. Faith is a protecting hand It is such a Hand as not onely holds a childe but it is a Shield it self to bear off all blows Now is it not a comfort to have such a Shield and such a Shield is Faith Eph. 6.16 It doth not onely bear off all blows from wicked men Psal 56.4 In God have I put my trust there is the Shield What follows I will not fear what flesh can do unto me but it bears off all blows from wicked Spirits Eph. 6.16 Above all taking the shield of faith whereby ye shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one It is a safe guard from all evil Psal 99.9 Because thou hast made the Lord thy refuge even the most High thy habitation there shall no evil befal thee nor any plague come near thy dwelling Yea it bears off all blows from God it hath such a piercing eye it can see a Fathers heart under a seeming Enemies hand Though he kill me yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 And so the shield of Faith is not onely useful all our life but 't is Armour of Proof against the stroke of death And so it is a Protecting Hand to the weak Soul It is every way a powerful hand to arm against all discomforts and so an argument of no small comfort to a true believer Reas 2 The second general Reason why the just lives the Life of Consolation by his Faith Why Consolation comes by Faith is Because Faith is a Powerful Hand to draw into the Soul all necessary Comforts Faith lays hold on the right Object of Consolation it lays hold on that God who is the Fountain of all light and life Psal 36.9 With thee is the fountain of life and in thy light shall we see light 1. Faith lays hold on God the Father 1. Faith lays hold on God the Father who is called the Father of Mercies and the God of all comfort and consolation the Beginning of all Divine Operations As all Rivers come from the Sea so all streams of Comfort come from God the Father 2. Faith lays hold on God the Son 2. Faith lays hold on God the Son as the Conduit-pipe or Channel through whom all comfort is derived from God the Father to the Souls of his People For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell that of his fulness we might receive as grace for grace so comfort for comfort for he was anointed with the oyl of gladness as well as with the oyl of grace above his fellows that he might appoint to them that mourn in Sion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning and the garment of praises for the spirit of heaviness Isa 61.3 And hence it is that Christ is called The Consolation of Israel Luk. 2.25 because all Gods People receive their comfort from him As all Stars borrow their light from the Sun so all the Saints borrow their light from him who is called The Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing under his wings But how do they receive this comfort from Christ it is by Faith for Christ dwells in their hearts by faith Ephes 3.17 As he is a comfortable guest so 't is Faith that receives him and bids him welcome when he is come 3. Faith lays hold on God the Holy Ghost Gal. 3.2 3. Faith lays hold on God the Holy Ghost Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith As if he should say
man who dreams he is eating but when he awaketh his soul is empty or as when a thirsty man dreameth and behold he drinketh but when he awaketh he is faint and his appetite is not satisfied So is the joy of all Carnal men it s a faint and unsatisfactory joy But the joy of Gods people is full and satisfying and therefore though it cannot be set out to the full by any outward resemblance yet 't is compared to those things in which men use most of all to rejoyce as to the joy of harvest Isa 9.3 To the joy of a marriage feast Rev. 19. To the joy of a new discovered treasure Mat. 13.44 So 't is a great joy Behold say the Angels we bring you tidings of great joy Luk. 2.10 It a stronger joy i.e. stronger in regard of its effects 5. A strong joy The joy of Carnal men is but weak because it 's not able to hold out in a storm The terrors of God can easily drown the greatest of worldly comforts as we see in Belshazzar Dan. 5. But the terrors of the world cannot drown the comforts of God as we see in the noble Army of Martyrs singing in the Prison triumphing at the Stake So that we may say of True Joy as Solomon says of True Love It 's strong as death the coals thereof are as coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame many waters cannot quench it neither can the floods drown it Cant. 8.6 7. This joy of Gods people is therefore called strong Coonsolation Heb. 6.17 And indeed the word ordinarily used intimates as much Consolatio quasi Consolidatio q. d. a making one strong and solid against all opposite evils which onely the comforts of God can do And therefore they should not seem small to us Job 15.11 For the comforts of God are his peoples strength Job 16.5 It 's a more Durable joy as it 's stronger 6. A durable joy so it lasts longer The joy of Carnal men is like Jonah's gourd it 's born and dies again within the compass of a day or two The joy of an hypocrite is but for a moment Job 20.5 it 's but for a flash like the crackling of thorns under a pot though it makes a great noise it 's soon gone But of all flashes it 's most like a flash of Lightning it continues but a while and it sends after it a Thunder-clap of Judgment and extreme Misery But the joy of Gods people springing from an Immortal seed abides for ever it continues with them all their life long nay it out-lives life and is a comfort in death They that have it shall never lose it Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads Isa 35.10 7. A pure joy It 's a Purer joy The joy of Carnal men is like a Pit of Puddle-water They dig unto themselves broken Cisterns Jer. 2.13 Their comforts are not lasting nor cleer but puddle-water full of many sinful admixtures of gross and unmortified corruptions which make them like a pot of honey full of stings But the joys of Gods people are pure they drink out of the fountain Psa 36.8 There is no mud in the bottom no after-stings of a defiled and accusing Conscience they are sweet serene and pure joys 8. A sure joy It 's a Surer joy A Carnal man hath his joy upon very uncertain Tenure He is not sure of it before-hand and when he hath it he is not sure he shall hold it it depends upon many If 's and And 's If I have my health if such a business succeeds well if such a friend be as good as his word I shall then rejoyce saith a Curnal man therefore his joy rises and falls as outward Providences do ebbe and flow whereas he that lives by Faith upon a word of God hath sure comfort so long as the word holds his joy holds If for the present he have it not he is sure of it afterwards as sure as that Harvest follows Seed-time They that sow in tears shall reap in joy Psal 126.6 And when he hath it he is sure to hold it though there may be some intermissions of the lively feeling of it Your heart shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you saith our Saviour to his Discples John 16.22 It 's a Fresher joy 9. A fresh joy All other joys have but their Honey-Moons and though they do not presently sowre yet they grow flat and dull within a while if they die not altogether yet ever and anon they come to the fall of the leaf But the joys of Gods people are as fresh and flourishing at the last as at the first His leaf also shall not wither Psal 1. The Bed of Jesus Christ is always green Cant. 1.16 The Poets fancy of a Continual Spring in the Golden Age of the World is here a Reality The joys of Gods people are ever springing and budding forth new comforts It 's a more Wholesome and Safe joy 10. A safe joy The joy of Carnal men 't is a destructive joy Destructive to Spiritual good How hardly is that man reclaimed who makes sin the object of his joy And 't is destructive even to Natural good There 's danger in excesses of joy as well as sorrow And what the Apostle saith of worldly sorrow may be said of worldly joy It worketh death How many men have lost their Wits nay their Lives in excessive joys Such heights of joy have set the door of the heart so wide open that the Spirits have run out of a sudden and returned no more This is sometime a fruit of Carnal joy But Spiritual joy is safe and wholesome wholesome for the Soul It 's a good means to concoct our knowledge To love the Truth and rejoyce in what we know while otherwise the sweetest Truths will lie raw and indigested upon the stomach of the Soul And it 's wholesome for the Body A cheerful spirit expels superfluities helps concoction quickens the understanding cheers the countenance and in a word Prov. 17.22 A merry heart doth good like a Medicine And now who would not be perswaded to savour these Spiritual Comforts and to live in them which have such excellent properties that worldly joyes are not worthy to be named the same day with them they are not meeet to be put into the scales with these which are so Solid so Rational so Pure c. as ye have heard Qu. But you will say What Means may we use to possesse more of this Joy of which I have given you but a little tast And yet as little as it is methinks every soul that hath heard me should cry out with the woman of Samaria Joh. 4. Lord evermore give me of this water that I thirst not neither go to the worlds pits to draw any more comfort thence Means of joy Ans I answer Therefore learn the Composition of this best Cordial better then ever the World could make t is not
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
Difference twixt heavenly earthly heirs may be cheated of their Inheritance may have it violently wrested from them as Naboth Ahab was sick for his Vineyard before he had it and as sick of it when he had it Or if none of these happen yet a Father may conceive displeasure against a Son and disinherit him Or there may be so many Sons that all cannot inherit as in Abrahams Family But none of these can befal a Childe of God in respect of his heavenly Inheritance 1. Through Gods free grace he cannot spend it He is kept by the power of God unto salvation 1 Pet. 1. 2. The Devil shall never cheat him of it as he did our first Parents of the first Paradise The gates of Hell shall not prevail 3. It can never be taken from them by force As they are reserved for that so that is reserved for them in the heavens 4. Their Father will never take up such a displeasure as to disinherit them Gods Covenant is as the Waters of Noah for As I have sworn saith the Lord that the waters of Noah should be no more on the earth so I have sworn that I will be wroth with thee no more nor rebuke thee Isa 54.9 5. And God hath blessings enough for all his children Gen. 27.38 He hath more than One. Thus the more we look into the Scriptures still the Argument appears stronger and stronger If Sons then Heirs Quest But how shall we know that we are Sons Rom. 8.14 15 16 c. Explained Ans First the Apostle resolves it ver 14. of Rom. 8. If ye be led by the Spirit then are ye sons The Spirits Manuduction or leading is an Argument of our Manumission or freedom from under the power of our first Master Sin and Satan It 's a Metaphor taken from blinde or weak persons who are glad when one leads them and supports them in their way Thus Gal. 5.18 If ye be led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law and Rom. 6.16 Secondly in the 8 of the Rom. ver 15. Rom. 8.15 But ye have received the Spirit of Adoption c. Spirit of Adoption implies two things Which implies two things 1. The Sons of God have the Nature of children in them As children naturally run to their Parents not to Strangers so do Gods children If you have a Lamb in your arms and seeing a company of Ewes about you would know which is its Dam set it down and you will soon know Nature will teach it to run to its Dam. Dost thou desire to know whether thou art Gods childe or no Observe the Bent of thy Spirit To whom dost thou run on all occasions especially in thy wants Wicked men run to the World consult with Flesh and Blood it may be go to the Devil A childe of God runs to his Father 2. The Sons of God have the Spirit of Prayer Behold he prays Act. 9.11 which is further intimated Rom 8. ver 26 27. Others may have the Gift of Prayer but the Sons of God have the Spirit of Prayer He that hath onely the Gift of Prayer it may be says much but prays nothing such as have the Spirit of Prayer possibly say nothing but pray much as Hannah 1 Sam. 1. Thirdly in the 16 ver The Spirit it self c. Rom. 8.16 The Spirit witnesseth our Sonship by a more immediate work upon our Spirit The Apostle had spoken of the Fruit of the Spirit before in the 15 ver Now he speaks of the Testimony of the Spirit it self which is an inward Testimony of the Spirit it self what secret and unspeakable Work of the Spirit perswading a Believer of Gods special love to him in Christ Even of his love shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 Obj. But I feel not this Witness though I feel the fruits of the Spirit Ans The Lord will give it at one time or other Wait for it knowing Note that God reserves the choicest comforts for the fittest time When Daniel was in the Lions Den the Three Children in the furnace Paul and Silas in the stocks then had they most of this Witness and Comfort And so doubtless when thou art plunged into distress when persecuted by enemies or forsaken by friends when sickness doth arrest and Death draw near and so hast most need of these comforts then thou shalt have them God who hath an appointed time wherein to come will come and will not tarry Now if by these or any of these we are assured that we are Sons then we may conclude our selves Heirs too Thus Faith assures by arguing from our Sonship 5. From the Chain of salvation 5. Faith argues from the Order and Inseperate Method of that Golden Chain Rom. 8.29 30. Whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate c. 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 But saith a Believer I am effectually called and justified therefore I shall be glorified All the men in the world or Devils in hell cannot break or pull asunder the Chain which God hath thus coupled together 6. From Christs being in Heaven 6. Faith argues from the present Possession of Heaven by our Elder Brother Joh. 14.1 2. The elder Brother sometimes takes Possession of the whole Estate in the right of all the Family 1. As our elder Brother though the rest do not come to possess their part a long while after And this Act is an Assurance to them all as if they had their Estate present Thus is a Believer ascertained by Christs possessing heaven So that as we are said to be Risen again with Christ Col. 3.1 So may we be said to be in a manner Ascended with Christ He hath raised us up and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Eph. 2.6 The Apostle speaks as if Believers were in heaven already because Christ hath taken Possession of heaven in their behalf and thereby offers strong assurance That they also shall possess it in due time Hence also is Christ called our Fore-runner Heb. 6. last 2. As our Fore-runner In the 19 ver All true Christians are compared to Sea-faring men and Christ comes first to Haven to take possession for all the rest So that the World is as a Sea An elegant Allegory The Church as a Ship out of which there 's no safety Christ is the Pilot All true Believers are Passengers that have a common Adventure The Land it 's bound for is the Kingdome of Heaven the Card or Compass is the Word of God the Wind that drives it along is the Spirit of God For the Materials The Bottom and Ballast of this Ship is made of Humility the Top of open Simplicity the Sides of Patience the Sails and Banner of Love the Cords of Charity the Rudder of Faith and the Anchor of
loves not where it lives Is our Meditation therefore and Contemplation in Heaven It s sweet indeed to contemplate the visible part of the Heavens Psal 19.1 For The Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy worke But it is far more sweet to a gracious soul to contemplate the Inside For the starry Vault is but the pavement of Gods house and the Clouds are the dust of his Feet And if there be so much glory without what is there within Oh! how sweet is it to a gracious Soul to look into the Holy of Holies to take a turn with Christ every-day in his Banqueting-house For so is heaven call'd Cant. 2.4 And this is the property of a Soul espoused to Christ by Faith Rev. ult The Spirit and the Bride say Come And if Christ come not to her so soon as she desires she will be sure to go to him at least in her serious thoughts and heavenly Meditations She lays out much of her Soul in Meditation the Meditation of Christ and heaven is very sweet Psal 104 34. She says of heaven as David of Gods Law O how do I love it it is my meditation all the day Psal 119. And this is a good sign we live by Faith in regard of eternal Life But if on the other side we are meer strangers to all heavenly Meditations we can think of the world as if we were possest by the Spirit of the world but seldome or never have a serious thought of heaven It may be we have a thousand thoughts of the world for one serious thought of heaven Doth not this proclaim to Men and Angels whatever we say or profess about Heaven and the Resurrection we believe no such matter 3. We may know it by our Speeches I mean 3. Our Speeches by our outward speeches For Meditation is the speech of the heart by it self by our speeches to others Where there is much of heaven in the heart there will be something of heaven in the tongue Several Countrymen have a several dialect or language and you may know what Country a man belongs to by his speech As the damosel said to Peter Even thy speech bewrayeth thee So a mans speech will bewray him and shew whether he belongs to heaven or earth He that is of the earth speaketh of the earth and he that is of heaven speaketh of heaven Joh. 3.31 When God would shew the sound conversion of the Egyptians to the Faith he saith Five cities in the land of Egypt shall speak the language of Canaan Isa 19.18 that is They shall have heavenly hearts for they shall have heavenly tongues 'T is true a man may learn and counterfeit the language of another country where he hath never dwelt and hath nothing to do in the priviledges of it and there are too many such Beggarly Canting Christians And therefore we are to examine not onely what we speak but from what Fountain and principle we speak Psa 45.1 My heart is inditing a good matter and then My tongue is the pen of a ready writer Pro. 16.23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth So then if we do but observe our selves when we speak out of the abundance of our hearts our speech will certainly bewray what country we belong to Never say therefore that thou livest by Faith in respect of heaven so long as thy speeches are earthly sensual or devillish He that believes he hath a great inheritance in another country he loves to be talking of it and so does a Citizen of Heaven 2 Cor. 4.15 We having the same Spirit of faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken we also believe and therefore do we speak And however some may indevour to counterfeit the language of Canaan yet there will be one Shibboleth or other that will discover them At the best they are but like mongrel Jews born of outlandish women who had Jews for their Fathers and Ashdodites for their Mothers and therefore they speak a mongrel Language half in the language of Canaan and half in the language of Ashdod Neh. 13.23 24. And so do these one while their mouth is full of Blessing and holy speeches another while they are full of Cursing and Blasphemy and Ribaldry according as their company suits their humour Obj. If you shall say How is this possible Can the same fountain as S. James speaks send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter or salt and fresh Ans I answer No it cannot And therefore onely one of these kinde of speeches springs from the Fountain of the Heart namely Cursing c. Holy speeches are but counterfeit And therefore God abhors such gross and affected mixture in mens speeches and resolves to turn himself to a people of a pure language Zeph. 3.9 And this is that which discovers a Citizen of Heaven when such a speech doth naturally flow from the heart I mean from a principle of renewed nature and so it 's true which Christ speaks By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Mat. 12.37 4. Our Actions 4. We may know it by our Actions and Conversation Our Meditations our Words may speak much but our Actions speak more He that hath something to shew for Heaven within himself hath something also to shew without himself 'T is not a dark Lanthorn that conveys a man to heaven Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine c. that men may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven So that every one that sees such a man may say God is his Father Heaven is his Country Gods people look at themselves as strangers upon earth and therefore they fashion not themselves according to the world but conform themselves according to the manners of their own Country Examine therefore what hope thou hast of a better life for all true hope Joh. 3. is a purifying hope Dost thou as a stranger abstain from fleshly lusts Is thy conversation in Heaven from whence thou expectest the Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 3.20 That 's a good evidence thou art in the way to heaven But if thou canst live in known and gross sins under the Power and Dominion of them I know the best have their failings which they groan under as their burthen but if thou canst wittingly willingly and constantly live under the Power of any reigning lust and yet for all that thou sayest Thou livest by Faith in respect of eternal Life I say Thy Faith is but a Fancy it 's a strong Presumption and therefore a strong Delusion Thou art grosly deceived if thou thinkest to get Heaven or to inherit the Kingdom of God in such a way I deny not but a Fornicator an Adulterer a Drunkard being humbled and so laying hold upon Christ and in the self-same act repenting and forsaking his sin may finde mercy of God and admittance into heaven of his
to die an Eternal Death where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched Isa the last and the last Consid 2 2. If we have not Eternal Life here we shall never have it He that believes hath everlasting life Joh. 5.24 He doth not say He shall have it hereafter but he hath it already though not in so full a measure Therefore get it now or never For a man to think to go to heaven when he dies that never cared for heaven all his life is a strong presumption Consid 3 3. It is the property of Gods People to look at heaven and happiness by the eye of Faith Heb. 11.13 And Unbelievers are blinde and cannot see afar off they look on present things 2 Pet. 1.9 But a wise man hath eyes in his head Eccl. 2.14 15. He looks as far as to Eternity he sees that which a natural man cannot see 2 Cor. 4. last Whilst we look not at the things which are seen by the eye of sense but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Consid 4 4. This will make a man of a heavenly conversation whilst he is upon earth To live by Faith in regard of Eternal Life this will bring down heaven to the earth If the creature cannot go to heaven yet a lively Faith will bring heaven to the creature and that both the grace of heaven and the joy of heaven 1. The Grace of heaven It will make a man of a heavenly conversation whilst he lives upon earth to consider what the company of heaven and what the work of heaven is 1. The Company of heaven are God and Christ holy Angels and the Spirits of just men made perfect And 2. The Work of heaven is without reluctancy without weariness to praise God for ever and ever The belief of this will bring down much of the grace of heaven into the heart and the creature will reason thus by Faith Shall it be a great part of my happiness in heaven to enjoy perfection of holiness and shall I not then endevour this work upon earth Shall I not endevour to perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 and to do Gods will upon earth Surely if holiness becomes Gods house for ever holiness must needs become his houshold-servants Psal 93.5 so soon as ever they begin to wear his Livery of Christian Profession Do we believe we shall see the face of God without blushing and shall serve him without fainting Seeing we look for such things how diligent should we be that we may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless Yea what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God 2 Pet. 3.11 2 It will bring down much of the joy of Heaven And we might have added this by way of Reason why God will have his Servants live by Faith in regard of Eternal Life viz. That the full assurance of it might be a present Comfort whilst the possession of it is deferred But we will bring it in as a Motive For Christ being willing to cheer up the drooping Spirits of his Servants in the absence of himself and heaven seems to say of Faith as he said of his Spirit or if ye will of the Spirit of Faith Joh. 14. I will not leave you comfortless I will pray to the Father and he shall give you another Comforter What is this Comforter but the Spirit of Faith or the Spirit in the grace of Faith Oh! there is strong consolation in Faith and Hope It is true says Christ I must leave you Joh. 16. I must go to Heaven and whither I go you cannot come as yet but I assure you I go to prepare a place for you and to prepare you for the place and so soon as that is ready for you and you are ready for that Joh. 14. I will come and receive you to my self in due time And in the mean time that I may not leave you comfortless I will give you something of the joy of heaven as a Pawn and a pledge in hand before you come thither And what is that but the Grace of Faith and the Joy of Faith Let not your hearts be troubled says Christ though I go to heaven before you yet you shall be as sure of heaven at the last as if you had it for the present And how assured but by Faith 2 Pet. 1.5 You are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time And what of that why this brings Joy in the mean time For so it follows Wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in great heaviness through manifold temptations And speaking of Christ who is gone to heaven within a verse or two after he hath this expression Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory As if he would have said Though you cannot see Christ with your bodily eye with the eye of sense and so you are apt to be troubled as the People were when Paul said Acts 20. they should see his face no more yet you shall see him and do see him by the eye of Faith and rejoyce in that sight as if that heaven it self were come down into your hearts You rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory For what is joy full of Glory but joy full of heaven Like the Vision upon Mount Tabor where God did bow the heavens and came down in glory And that is the fourth Motive that it will be heaven upon earth to live by Faith in respect of Eternal Life Consid 5 5. That to live by Faith in regard of Heaven and Eternal Life will make the poor creature live above the world If it do not draw him quite into heaven it will draw him a great way above the earth That look as a Bladder or a thin shell that is filled up with the pure Dew that comes down from heaven do but lay it in the Sun and the power of the Sun-beams will draw it up from the earth heaven-wards So it is with the Soul that is filled with this heavenly dew of grace let it but look wistly upon the Sun of Righteousness by an eye of Faith and the powerful beams of his Love will draw it so far above the earth and all earthly respects that it shall live above the world above the pleasures of the world the profits and honours of the world and above all the troubles of the world And is not this an admirable is it not a desireable condition If you would be ambitious lawfully ambitious let this be your ambition to be thus exalted by the Grace of Faith 1. It lifts a man up above the
that receives the gift lest any man should boast For Faith is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 And all this to keep us humble Faith is the Christians Caterer or Purveyor or Petitioner It is like a little poor Boy that is sent out of doors and so goes up and down to beg a living for his old decrepit father who lies bedrid at home I say We like poor creatures can earn nothing of our selves by the merit of our own works towards our living Now Faith like the little Boy it goes a begging to God for a living For Faith sets Prayer a work and Prayer sets God himself a work for our good And so the Just lives by his Faith Now he that lives upon Alms upon his meer dependance upon anothers good will he hath great cause to be humble There is nothing more odious and absurd than a proud Beggar But he that lives by Faith lives meerly upon the good-will and free grace of God in Christ and therefore hath great cause to be humble And that is the third Reason under the first general Head drawn from a Believers Condition in the flesh The fourth Reason under the first general Head 4. End of the Word and Ministery is from the End of Gods giving the Word and the Ministery of it to his People in a state of imperfection viz. For their direction and for their support in all conditions till they come to a state of perfection Eph. 4.11 He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of faith and of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Till we come where there is no need of Temple no need of Temporal and Spiritual light by a Medium as it is Rev. 21.22 23 Well then as long as we live in this life the Word is written for our direction and for our support But how shall we be directed or supported by it if we do not apprehend it by faith Heb. 4.2 The Word profits not not being mixed with faith And indeed the very End why God gives us his written Word is That we might lay hold of it by faith for our comfort in our worst condition Joh. 20. last These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his Name And if this be the main End of the Scriptures writing then there is all the reason in the world we should live by Faith in it Otherwise we do what we can to frustrate the Scriptures end and to make it vain Yea we take Gods Name in vain if we believe not for the Word of God is the greatest part of Gods Name by which he makes himself and his good Will known to us as men are known by their Names Psal 138.2 Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name But he that believes not vilifies this Word he looks at it as a vain word and so he takes Gods Name in vain Obj. But it may be you will say How do you know the Scriptures to be the Word of God If I knew it to be the Word of God indeed I would not onely lâ—ve by Faith in it but I would say and profess as you do There was all the reason in the world that men should believe it and live by Faith in it As it is written Let God be true and every man a liar Rom. 3.4 Ans I will not at this time undertake to handle this subject at large as I hope to do hereafter if God please to continue life and opportunity For I conceive it is one of the most necessary foundations to be laid And for want of setling and ramming down this Truth men become foolish builders they are loose in the whole fabrick of Religion they are loose in their Faith and as loose in their Practice Arguments of four sorts There are four sorts of Arguments besides the witness of the Spirit which is the greatest of all to them that have it to prove the Scriptures to be of God Whereof some are drawn from the Scriptures themselves Some from the Penmen thereof That the Scriptures are the Word of God Some from the Opposites or Enemies of the Scriptures and last of all Some from God himself bearing witness from Heaven to the Word of his Truth I shall onely speak a little of the first 1. Some Arguments from the Scriptures themselves and that The Scriptures excellency Whether we respect the Antiquity of the Scriptures or the excellency of the Matter therein contained it will plainly evince they are of God Had we but time and were it so pertinent to this present subject to run over all the Particulars The excellency of the Matter appears in the Sublimity Majesty Purity Verity and powerful Efficacy of the Scriptures It will be too long to speak of all I will onely pitch upon one and that is The infallible Truth and Verity of the Scriptures Verity which prove them to be of God And this Truth will appear both by the Consent of all parts generally and more particularly by the fulfilling of the Prophecies First by the Consent of all the parts generally Consent of parts For doth not Joshua confirm Moses Do not the Judges confirm Joshua Samuel the Judges And so we might run through all the rest to the end of the Bible Do but consider a little what several Authors have ever writ of the same subject in any humane Art or Science which have not differed in some particular and brought probable Arguments on both sides Whereas the Scriptures though written by several men in several Ages and several Parts of the World do never cross one another or call in question what formerly had been delivered It is true I confess Vnlearned and unstable men throughout all Ages have wrested the Scriptures to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 But where did ever any one holy Penman of God Correct what another of them had written And the reason is Because however several men wrote several parts of the Scriptures yet they being all acted by one and the same Spirit they had all but one and the same Heart and as I may so say one and the same Mouth And I may well say so Because the Scriptures sayes it before me Luke 1.10 As God spake by the mouth of the Prophets which have been since the world began Observe There is Prophets in the Plural Number and Mouth in the Singular All the Prophets had but one Mouth because they all spake one and the same Truth without contradiction of one another Thus there is a Consent of all the parts of Scripture generally which proves them to be of God Secondly This Consent will yet more
reigning Unbelief when we believe nothing at all when we have not so much as laid hold of any Promise to make peace with God! Partial unbelief deprives us of many Mercies on this side Heaven but total unbelief deprives men of Heaven it self Mark 16.16 He that believeth not shall be damned O the misery of that poor Soul that never yet believed one Promise O that we could even with Soul-bleeding tears bewail our unbelief O that God would give to each of us a heart to get into a corner and to weep in secret over our unbelief each man bemoaning himself as Ephraim did Jer. 31.18 O that I should have such a stiff neck such a base hard unbelieving heart O that I should spend so much time to so little purpose for death hath possest all that part of my life wherein I was an unbeliever The heathen man could say O Friends we have lost a day but many of us may say O Friends we have lost many days and many years wherein we have done God little or no service nay a great deal of disservice by our unbelief O that I should be so foolish and slow of heart to believe all that Lord hath spake by his Prophets and Apostles Luke 24.25 O how justly may God upbraid me for my unbelief Mark 16.14 c. that I should be so backward to believe the God of Truth and so forward to believe the Father of Lies Blessed Saviour lay not this great sin this Mother-sin to my charge which is the Mother of Abominations Thus should we pray Consider not how often I have dishonoured thy Majesty and grieved thy holy Spirit by my unbelief But O thou Mirrour of Patience and Pity who didst sometimes mourn over the People because of the hardness of their hearts Mar. 3.5 I beseech thee let that be the object of thy Pity which might be the object of thy Fury O pity and heal mine unbelieving heart Doubtless if we can but thus bemoan and bewail our selves in our unbelief that God who made good that gracious Promise to him that went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his ways and I will heal him Isa 57.18 will much more make it good to such an one as with all his heart and with all his soul bewails his own frowardness and backwardness to believe I will restore comfort to him and his mourners Vse VI. Of Exhortation Vse 6 Of Exhortation The next Use is for Exhortation 1. For our selves 2. For others For our selves 1. To perswade us to labour to get Faith As Solomon saith of Wisdom with all thy getting get wisdom So with all thy getting get Faith for it is thy life 2. To keep it when we have it Non minor est virtus c. It is no less a piece of Spiritual good husbandry to keep our stock of Faith when we have it than to get it at the first 3. To live by it or use it as well as to keep it It s far better to put our Faith to use than our Money to use The Just makes a living of his Faith whilst he puts it to use 4. So to live by it as not to live barely and poorly but so as to increase the stock of our Faith Faith is such an excellent grace we can never have too much of it he that increaseth his Faith increaseth his livelihood For the just shall live by his Faith First therefore labour to get Faith Branch I. To get faith There are many things that men labour to obtain in the world Some are all for their Profits others for their Pleasures others for their Preferment and so every man as his Principle leads him But when all is done nothing is so worthy of our diligence and best endevours as is the getting of Faith Should a man gain all other things and lose this he makes a hard bargain Mat. 16. â—6 For what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul Should a man lose all the rest and gain this he makes a wise bargain Job 2.4 Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Now Faith is the very life of the Soul For the just shall live by his faith and therefore with all thy getting get Faith it is thy life Should a man hear of such a Medicine as would certainly preserve his life and cure all manner of Diseases whither would he not travel what would he not give to procure such a Medicine And such a Medicine is Faith commended unto us from the hand of our heavenly Physician Be of good comfort saith Christ Luke 7.50 17.19 thy faith hath saved thee and Thy faith hath healed thee Faith is a Remedy against all diseases yea suppose a faithful man dies of his disease yet his Faith is a Remedy against death it self Woe is me saith the natural man there is no friend against death But blessed be God saith the true believer for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain Phil. 1.21 The greatest of evils is turn'd into the greatest good by Faith even death it self is made advantage Who would not labour for such a Grace What should I say to raise the price of Faith in your esteem What do we esteem instead of Faith Certainly the best of men and the best of blessings are but dead things without Faith Faith puts life into a man and into all that a man enjoys Without faith men of high degree are a lie Psal 62.9 and so are all those things which make them so high Honours Profits Pleasures all these promise much O say they we 'll make thee a happy man if thou wilt set thy heart on us But they lie when they say so Jon. 2.8 They that follow after lying vanities forsake their own mercy If thou wouldst not forsake thine own mercies labour for Faith He is merciful to the purpose that is merciful to his own Soul Prov. 11.17 and that man is the most desperate Self-murtherer that is willing to live and die in his unbelief I beseech you I beseech you Friends listen to the voice of your Immortal Souls Me-thinks every man now and then should hear the voice of his precious Soul crying out in this manner Am I not the most excellent piece of Gods Workmanship And did God make me so for nothing Is not my being to continue to everlasting Do I not feel in my self the very spark of Immortality Must I not be either happy or miserable to all Eternity Is there but one means under Heaven to make me happy which is to get Faith and shall I neglect that Is this the great Work that God hath given me in charge that I should believe in him whom he hath sent Joh. 6.29 and shall I do evething else before I do this Is my life but as a day in this world and the night of death coming
Matthew Chap. 13. First he sets down Gods blinding their eyes and hardning their hearts in the 14 Verse and then he sets down the peoples wilful shutting of their own eyes and hardning of their own hearts in the 15 Verse as the very cause of the former for saith he This peoples heart is waxed gross and their eyes have they closed c. Because they wilfully closed their own eyes and would not see so much as they might have seen by the improvement of the means therefore God gave them up to further blindness because they wilfully hardned their own hearts against Judgements and Mercies therefore God gave them up to further hardness 'T is true indeed we are all naturally blinde and hard-hearted but when unto this natural blindness and hardness of heart we do adde an affected voluntary wilful blindness of mind and hardness of heart Then at the last after the exercise of a great deal of patience and long-suffering for 't is observable this very Prophet was Preaching to them and proffering mercy upon their Repentance above threescore years together I say at the last after the abuse of so many precious Means Mercies and Motions of his Holy Spirit at last when Gods patience is tired out so that he can bear and forbear no longer I am weary with repenting saith God Jer. 15.6 therefore at the last God gives up to judicial blindness of minde and hardness of heart Their affected voluntary and wilful blindness is at the last after so long a time as the Author to the Hebrews speaks it is punished with judicial blindness and hardness of heart and this is the sorest blindness on this side Hell to be given up to this judicial blindness and unbelief As Jacob said of his Vision Gen. 28.17 This is none other but the House of God and this is the gate of Heaven So may we say on the other side of this Judgement of the Prophets Vision This is none other but the very house of the strong man armed and this is the gate of Hell But you will say How then should we remove this Impediment and who shall be found able to rowl away this stone I confess Hic labor hoc opus est This is a work which all the Angels in Heaven and Men upon Earth are not able to do It is possible judicial hardness and unbelief may come to such a height that there is no remedy as God himself saith 2 Chron. 36.16 But they mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people there was no remedy O who is able to rowl away this stone Note And therefore my advice is rather to prevent this Impediment than to be put to the removing of it for it is far easier to prevent it than to remove it As thou lovest thine own Soul take heed of wilful and obstinate blindness and hardness of heart lest God lay it upon thee so as at the last thy very sin be turned into thy Judgement 4 Relief O take heed of Disputing Quarrelling Cavilling and Mocking when the Word shines bright upon thee For what is this but to shut the door of thine eyes ear and heart lest the light should come in upon thee And in this case God may justly clap a Lock and a Chain and a Bolt upon the Door and say It shall never be opened more Isa 28.22 Be ye not mockers lest your bands be made strong O remember that fiery Thunder-bolt of Gods Threatning and let it be as a Warning-piece to thee Ezek. 24.13 I would have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee So may God say 1 Pet. 3. Time was when once my long-suffering waited for thee as in the days of Noah Time was when I would have gathered thee as a Hen gathers her Chickens under her wings Mat. 23.37 Time was that I would have pacified thy heart and life by Faith but thou wouldst not believe yea thou hast despised the riches of my goodness Rom. 2.4 5. and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance but after thy hardness and impenitent heart that cannot repent thou treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God And therefore I say once again as thou lovest thy own Soul take heed of wilful blindness lest God deliever thee up to judicial blindness and to the power of Unbelief Quest But you will say Is there no remedy is there no hope in Israel concerning this thing Ans I answer Though it is possible for a creature to come to that pass there is no remedy as I said before yet for all that I must tell you there is a lower degree of judicial or probational hardness which God sometimes layeth upon his own deer Children as a just Correction of their former negligence and as a means to heal it also and so this may be removed Quest But you will say How shall it be removed how shall we rowl away this stone Ans I answer It is done by Humiliation and Prayer and laying hold of Gods Covenant of Free-grace afresh Take this for thy comfort though thou art troubled with much remaining hardness of heart yet that hardness of heart which is to thy grief shall never be to thy ruine That which works kindly to thy Humiliation shall never be to thy Condemnation as in the case of Ephraim Jer. 31.18 And therefore plead Covenant plead with God in Prayer as his People do in this very case Isa 63.17 Lord why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy fear If we can but thus pray and thus be humbled there is hope in Israel concerning this thing nay there is certain assurance If we judge our selves we shall not be judged The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it 1 Cor. 11.31 Thus much for the fourth Impediment of Faith and the Means to remove it Obj. But against this that hath been spoken concerning this fourth Impediment it may be objected Why should God punish any with judicial hardness and blindness for that which we cannot help Our hearts are so hard they cannot repent or believe Ans As that Reverend Fenner in his Book of Self-murther It is not so much a wicked mans cannot as his will not that condemns him he will not understand repent believe therefore he is justly condemned Obj. There is a fallacy in that for his will not and cannot are both one There 's impotency in his Will as well as in his Understanding and other Faculties his Will is not free to that which is good he cannot will as he ought to do therefore to what end is it either to perswade natural men to will what is good or blame them if they do not For Ans Divers things though that Rom.
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
a Commission from God as we see in the case of Job so no man can command the Spirit 3. Yea but the Spirit is not onely free in the Nature of it and in the Donation of it But it is also free in the Effects and Operations of it that is to say It makes those free that receive it Joh. 8.36 If the Son shall make you free ye shall be free indeed And how doth he make men free but by his Spirit The Spirit of liberty is opposed to the Spirit of bondage 2 Cor. 3.17 and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty And this Spirit is an establishing Spirit Establish me with thy free Spirit If you shall demand Q. What this Free and ingenuous Spirit is and how it doth Establish Ans It is a Spirit Free First Because it Frees us in some measure What the Free Spirit of God sets Believers Free from from that which might occasion Back-sliding and Apostacy from the Faith Secondly In particular it frees a man 1. From the Bondage and Power of his own Lusts that sin reigns not in him 2. It frees him from Bondage and slavery to the Lusts of other men 1 Cor. 7.23 Ye are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men 3. It frees him from the Bondage and slavery of the World The world gets not the victory over him It is a base Spirit that stoops to the worlds lure as Demas did He is not in Bondage to the pleasures or profits of the world Therefore the Spirit of the world and the Spirit of God are opposed 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the Spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God c. 4. He is free from the Exaction Curse and Malediction of the Law of the Moral Law and free from the burden of the Ceremonial Law 5. He is free from that which is the fruit of that curse a Slavish and a Servile Fear Either of God or man which makes men weary of their lives and yet extremely affraid to dye The Free Spirit of Christ by degrees doth set his servants at liberty from these fears Heb. 2 15. He came to deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage 2 Tim. 1.7 For God hath not given us the Spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind How the Free Spirit of God Establishes Thus you see what this free and ingenious Spirit is and how it doth free us from those things which might occasion apostacy from the Faith and by that means it becomes an establishing spirit to us For in case the Spirit of God do not free men from these fears and burdens the sinful flesh will soon lighten it self it will purchase to it self a carnal liberty by rebellion and apostacy if the Spirit of God do not administer a Spiritual liberty by which the yoke of Christ is made easie and so the poor creature is confirmed in the Faith Therefore pray God to establish thee with his free Spirit We have given many Motives before I shall add but this one and so conclude Motive to pray for the Free Spirit As the right use of Christian liberty is a special means to preserve Faith So Faith also in the right use of it is a special means to preserve Christian Liberty which was purchased by the blood of Christ as one hand helps another and one leg supports another so it is in this case betwixt Faith and Christian liberty Faith Christian Liberty supports each other they do mutually strengthen and support one another There are certain graces that are Custodes libertatis Christianae The Lord give us the thing as well as the name Faith an excellent means to preserve Christian Liberty in many Respects Now Faith is one of these graces and a principal one lose thy Faith and lose thy Liberty keep thy Faith and keep thy Liberty As for Example First Such as believe in Christ are free from the Law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death Some indeed professing the Faith account it their liberty to sin against God and are never troubled for it But they are men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth of Faith 1 Tim. 6.5 For the liberty that Christ hath purchased is not to be free from his service as in other manumissions of servants but free to his service His service is perfect liberty He hath set us at liberty from other service from the service of sin and satan That we might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our daies Luke 1.74 Now I say He that keeps his Faith keeps his Freedom he that loseth his Faith loseth his Charter or at the least the Evidence of his Charter for his Spiritual Freedom Secondly He that is strong in the Faith stands fast in exercise of the liberty wherewith Christ hath made him free Gal. 6.1 But he that is weak in the Faith is also weak in the use of his Christian liberty Rom. 14.1 Him that is weak in the faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations viz. in the use of things indifferent And so we may say of other parts of our Freedome from other bondages As First From the Bondage of Sin The stronger is thy Faith the weaker is thy Lust for Faith purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 And put no difference between us and them purifying their hearts by Faith And Secondly from the bondage of Inordinate Fear The more Faith the less fear and on the other side the lesse Faith the more fear Mat. 8.26 Why are ye fearful O ye of little Faith Keep thy Faith therefore as thou desirest to keep thy Christian Liberty which is the most excellent Freedom in the world And so much for the second Branch of the Use The First was to exhort to get Faith if it be so excellent a grace The second is to keep it when we have it Now the Third is 3 Branch of Exhortation to Act Faith 3. To act it and to live by it as well as to keep it It is far better to put our Faith to use then our Money to use The just makes a living out of his Faith whilest he puts it to use O lay not up this precious treasure in a Napkin for then it will rust for want of using And we may say of our spiritual treasure as the Apostle James speaks of temporal treasure Jam. 5.2 3. Your riches are corrupted and your garments moth-eaten Your gold and silver is cankred and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you O let not our Faith Rust for want of using Object But you will say Is it possible to have Faith and not to use it Ans I answer It is possible at some times and upon some occasions A man
a respect and honour due to all those that labour in the Conversion of Souls as private Christians by their private Admonitions Exhortations Counsels Prayers c. wherein they may be singularly helpful to the Ministers of God But principally this is due to those whose peculiar work and calling it is to convert Souls to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath given unto us his holy Spirit 1 Thess 4 8. Vse 2 Vse 2. of Reproof Reproof of Secondly this Reproves many If the Conversion of Souls be such an excellent Work then it Reproves 1 Them that slight this work First Such as slight this Work and make no account of it as if it were not worth the while to Convert Souls 1 Sort. 1. Such as Cloister up themselves in a solitary Monastical life as a state of greater perfection Though they profess the Faith yet they bring forth little fruits of it they are all for Contemplation little for Action all for themselves little for others in the propagation of the Faith Let others sink or swim all 's one to them So they may save their own Souls they care little what becomes of others Gen. 4. But this is not the voice of Faith to say Am I my Brothers keeper 2 Sort. 2. Such are to blame who though they have many opportunities in regard of their frequent converse with men yet they take not those advantages to win Souls They can compass Sea and Land and take all possible advantages to win Proselytes and to win disciples to themselves to win men to their Opinions but not to win them to the Faith to win wealth and to win friends and to win credit and honour but not to win Souls How many of these whilst they seem to lay siege against a sinner make use onely of such carnal weapons of humane Eloquence and fleshly Wisdom whereby they take onely the out-works of mens fancies to win them to themselves but never use such weapons as strike to the heart and conscience and are mighty through God 2 Cor. 10.2 to the pulling down of strong holds and to the taking of the Castle of their Hearts to win them to Jesus Christ All that labour is but vain that tends not to the Conversion of Souls Secondly 2. Them that strive not to win Souls by such means as God hath appointed it Reproves such as strive not to win others to the Faith by fair means or by such means as God hath appointed Gen. 9.27 but force them to the Faith by fear and terror Indeed they rather force them from the Faith than to the Faith Fides non cogitur Faith cannot be forced when we have done all we can Fire and Faggot are Arguments from Rome and Argumets from Hell rather than from Heaven To devote Hereticks as They call them to destruction because they believe not is an argument of a strange spirit You read Luk. 9.54 because the Samaritans would not receive Jesus Christ presently the Disciples James and John were fire and towe against them nothing will serve their turn but that fire must immediately come down from heaven to consume them But in stead of incouragement they meet with a check from Christ ver 55. But he turned and rebuked them and said Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of for the Son of Man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Certainly they are of strange spirits that would send men quick to Hell because they will not be perswaded to go in their way to heaven But this is the way to destroy Souls and not to save them 3. Them that neglect this duty Thirdly It Reproves such as do utterly neglect this great duty of winning Souls unto God And surely if they are wise that labour to win Souls they must needs be fools that do wittingly and willingly neglect it And yet many such there are in the world such as never speak a word from one end of the year to another to their Neighbors or to their Friends nay hardly to their Children Servants or Yoke-fellows to draw their Souls to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ O cruel Husbands and cruel Fathers may such Wives and such Children say as Zipporah said to Moses A bloody husband hast thou been to me And surely if he that hath power to save a man from temporal death and doth not is no better than a murtherer Then he that for ought be knows might save a man from Spiritual and Eternal death and doth not use the means in the compass of his Calling he is no better than a Soul-murtherer in the sight of God His blood says God will I require at thy hands thy life shall go for his life and thy soul for his soul Ezek. 33.7 8. 4. Them that pervert from the Faith Fourthly and lastly Much more then are they to be Reproved who are so far from converting others to the Faith that they do what they can to pervert them In stead of drawing others to God they drive them from God and if they draw them any ways they draw them farther into sin Such men as they do the very office of the Devil himself Look as those that win Souls to God are fellow-workers with God so those that destroy Souls are no better than fellow-workers with the Devil they are Tempters under him and act the Devils part Prov. 1.11 Come say they let us lay wait for blood let us lurk privily for the innocent without a cause c. Cast in thy lot among us and let us all have one purse Such men as these think it not enough to be Thieves and Drunkards and Adulterers and Blasphemers and Contemners of Gods Ordinances themselves but do what they can to draw others to the same sins and to make them sevenfold more the children of Satan than themselves What are your own sins too light that you do thus cry for more weight not to ease your pain but to increase it for such as are partakers of other mens sins shall certainly be partakers of other mens judgements Rev. 18.4 Oh! that there should be such an itch in this Spiritual Plague-sore to infect others to make them as sinful and as miserable as themselves O hear and fear and tremble thou that makest it thy work to tempt others so sin against God For if they shall not escape that have not furthered the Salvation of others where shalt thou appear that hast furthered the damnation of others and sent them post to Hell I say where shalt thou appear unless thou repent and be deeply humbled for this thy superlative wickedness And surely if ever thou dost repent thou wilt be ready to admonish thy fellow-Drunkard or Adulterer or Blasphemer that they may become partners with thee in thy Repentance that have been partners with thee in thy sin The
and also for the opening of the heart by working upon the affections Vse 5 Vse 5. Exhortation to the People To People twofold 1. To be willing to be wrought upon and to be converted 2. To be willing to attend upon such means as is most proper for the effecting of that great Work 1. To be willing to be wrought upon First To be willing to be wrought upon and to be converted For if it be such an excellent thing to be an Instrument of others Conversion then it must needs be excellent to be converted O remember the vast difference betwixt a man in the state of Nature and in the state of Grace betwixt a man converted and unconverted O remember whilst you are unconverted you are in a state of Darkness Enmity Death But when once converted in a state of Light Peace Life Motives 1. When ye are unconverted ye are in a state of Darkness Eph. 5.8 Once darkness c. 1. Darkness of Ignorance Ephes 4.18 Alas they know nothing 1. Of themselves and their miserable condition by nature Rev 3.17 I counsel thee to buy of me eye-salve c. 2. Of Christ in a Soul-saving way Ephes 2.12 Without Christ c. 2. Darkness of Sorrow at least when unconverted persons lie down in the Grave Isa 50. last They shall lie down in sorrow 2. In a state of Enmity Ephes 2.3 Children of wrath as well as others Joh. 3.36 God is an enemy to unbelievers and to be sure they are enemies to God Rom. 8.6 7. The carnal minde is enmity against God c. O what a dangerous condition this is It were better to have all the world enemies to us than God Remember what God saith Ezek. 22.14 Can thy heart endure or thy hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee 3. In a state of Death Ephes 2.1 Dead in sin and liable to death for sin to a first death and a second death and this of all terribles is the most terrible But secondly when once converted thou art in a state of Light Peace Life Mal. 4.2 1. In a state of Light Ephes 5 8. Ye were once darkness but now are ye light in the Lord. The Sun of righteousness doth arise with healing in his wings Healing the darkness of Ignorance Sorrow True Light and Heat come both together 2. In a state of Peace Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God It is better to have God to be our friend than to have all the world beside 3. In a state of Life Luke 15. last This thy brother was dead and is alive And thus the just lives by his Faith the most excellent life that can be desired Therefore come in and be willing to be wrought upon c. Obj. If you shall say as they in Jeremy There is no hope I am so great a sinner God will never shew mercy to me It were presumption for me to offer to lay hold on the Promise Answ Look to the Pattern of great sinners converted on purpose to incourage others to come in to Christ Did Manasses or Mary Magdalen or Paul presume when they did believe 1 Tim. 1.13 I was a blasphemer a persecutor injurious c. and v. 16. How be it for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe Onely be humbled for thy sins and accept of Christs Righteousness go not about to establish thine own Rom. 10.3 Remember As no man is accepted for his own Righteousness but Christs So no man is rejected for his own unrighteousness but for his final impenitency and unbelief Therefore be perswaded to come in Accept of mercy while God offers mercy Do not draw back when God is drawing of you I hope you have some good thoughts Act. 26. some good desires in your hearts You are almost perswaded O be not onely almost but altogether Perhaps some of you are even upon the very pangs of the New-birth O let not Spiritual difficulties cause you to draw back as Ephraim did Hos 13.13 O strive O pray The Kingdom of heaven suffers violence O be earnest with God and bemoan your backwardness Jer. 31.18 I have surely heard Ephaim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke Turn thou me and I shall be turned c. Pray God to open the everlasting doors c. Psal 24 ult O yield to God when he perswadeth when he beseecheth When Christ and Satan are Suitors and Competitors do not put off Christ and yield to Satan Be not cruel to your own flesh and enemies to your own Souls Remember how you rejoyce Angels The Churches Christ himself Your own Hearts Therefore be perswaded c. Secondly 2. To be willing to attend upon such means as are proper Be willing to attend upon such means as are most proper for the effecting of that great Work To attend upon a Soul-saving Ministery God complains by the Prophet Jeremy that as the false Prophets did Prophecy smooth things and false things so his People did love to have it so Jer. 5 last That same Athenian itch in the people to hear some new strange thing Act. 17. doth too often draw forth an Athenian scratch from the speaker to tell what they so much desire to hear Act. 17.21 But 't is wisdom in both to be conversant in the pattern of wholesom words To give and receive that Spiritual food which may not so much please the palate as nourish the person to Life Eternal Doubtless he preaches best and he hears best that preaches and hears to the Salvation of the Soul Many thousand Souls in heaven shall bless God for ever for the plain and powerful preaching of the Word And many thousand Souls in hell shall complain to all Eternity that their hurt was soon healed and skinned over with silken language and soft words as the Prophet Jeremy speaks Vse 6 Vse 6. Of Thankfulness Of Thankfulness Of Thankfulness in case 1. We our selves are converted 2. If any by us or by our means be converted 1. If we be converted our selves First if the conversion of Souls be such an excellent Work Be thankful if we our selves be converted 1 Tim. 1.13 17. Now unto the King eternal immortal invisible the onely wise God be honour and glory for ever This shout of Praise follows upon the acknowledgement of Pauls Conversion and it were easie to shew how those Attributes have an influence on Conversion Eternity is little enough to praise God for such a Mercy Luk. 10.20 Rejoyce not in this that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce that your Names are written in heaven Psal 33.34 Sing unto him a new song play skilfully with a loud noise for the word of the Lord is right and all his works are done in truth This for
acknowledged the moving of the Spirit upon the waters that God hath drawn out the desire of their souls to the remembrance of his name I have great cause to be confident That where God hath begun this good work of Faith amongst you he will perfect it unto the day of Jesus Christ And therefore grounding upon this good Word of Promise I shall conclude my Preaching of this Subject in that Prayer of the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 5.10 11. Now the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after that ye have suffered awhile make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you To him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen FINIS AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE Of the Principal CONTENTS A Abstinence ABstinence from sin is far from Mortification Page 158 Accusation Satan accuses God of envy and severity to hinder reconciliation 'twixt God and Man p 536 537 Acting Activity Activity of faith is the excellency of it 556 The acting of faith most honours God 557 It brings most comfort and hearts-ease to us ibid. Acting of faith brings advantage and advance 558 559 The not acting of faith foils and shames Christians 559 Gods outward actings for us carry proportion to his inward actings upon us 558 Could we but act faith nothing could make us miserable 559 Helps for the acting of faith 560 See living by faith Adoption See Heirship It proves our right to a heavenly Inheritance 344 Adoption in the Civil Law how taken 344 Adoption used in a threefold case ibid. Double act of free-grace in Adoption 345 Difference 'twixt Divine and Humane Adoption ibid. The Spirit of Adoption implies two things 347 The Spirits testimony of our Adoption what it is ibid Adversity The just live by faith in Adversity 49 In relation to inward and outward troubles 50 51 See Troubles Motives to live by faith in Adversity 65 66 Reproof to such who do not so 66 It argues a threefold evil 67 Affliction Faith makes a right use of Afflictions for growth in Sanctification 131 Antipodes The discovery of Antipodes in the new world from 429 to 434 Apostacy See Backsliding Confutation of the Doctrine of the Saints Apostacy 241 242 243 See Perseverance Examples of Gods Judgements on Apostates 250 251 Apostacy is the fruit of Vnbelief Hypocrisie Heresie 464 Apostates triumph'd over be damned spirits 491 Arraignment The process of faith in the Arraignment of sin 152 153 154 The Arraignment of Vnbelief 467 Ascension Christs Ascension a pledge of believers glorification 348 Assurance of Justification Faith uses 12 means to attain it from 92 to 97 Four Reasons for the trial of the truth of assurance 97 Three Marks of true assurance 97 98 Faith answers all objections which may cloud assurance 99 100 101 The just live by faith in expectation of assurance 101 102 Five Vses of living by faith in order to assurance 103 104 One in a state of grace may be assured of Salvation 247 How faith assures of heaven from 342 to 351 Motives to get assurance of Eternal life 374 to 379 Want of assurance and joy may consist with strong faith 514 Divine Attributes rightly apprehended and applied breed assurance 96 Atheism Atheist Instances of two grand Atheists 356 363 Living upon Self is a high degree of Atheism 432 Atheism is the fruit of Vnbelief 464 Attributes of God They are special means to beget faith 538 539 Rightly apprehended and applied they breed assurance 96 Augmentation See Growth The just by faith draw increasing vertue from Christ 190 191 Reasons of spiritual Augmentation 192 to 195 Augmentation in grace is by faith 195 to 199 See Growth in grace B Backsliding Difference 'twixt a believer and a hypocrite in this 215 It is a great dishonor to backslide 250 See Apostacy Beauty or Compleatness Believers are the most beautiful persons 479 Believers Their description and condition 1 They lead a super-excellent life in seven particulars 8 9 10 11 They only can have comfort against a sixfold condemnation 417 418 419 Christ is the Principle and End of their duties 447 The believing creature is a praying creature 448 The complicated excellencies of a believer from 471 to 481 Benefit How far one mans faith may benefit another 38 Blessings Seven belong to the natural life for which the Saints live by faith 70 71 72 73 Blindness of minde Gods judicial inflicting of it justified 496 497 Book God hath a threefold Book 395 396 C Carefulness In worldly things a sign of weak faith 572 Carriage See Conversation Care of our carriage in this life is a sign of right to heaven 362 Censure The wicked censure Religion to breed Melancholy 319 320 Certainty True grace is certain and durable above all things 247 248 Charter The believers Charter for Eternal Life 341 342 Chastisement Gods is castigatory probatory Purgatory 504 Christ His Merit Intercession and Spirit is a cause of Perseverance 239 Christ was an Example of Perseverance 256 See Perseverance Overlooking the terms on which Christ is to be had viz. the Cross is a cause of unexpected sadness 314 Difference 'twixt the life of Christ and a believers 425 What it is to receive Christ on Gospel-terms 560 To clear up our interest in Christ is a means to act faith ibid. Church Church of Christ compared to a Ship 349 Circumspection It ought to be seen in our affections meditations speeches actions 362 363 364 Civility See Morality It is dangerous to rest in it and trust to it 119 Difference 'twixt Civility and Sanctification ibid. Combat Differences 'twixt a true and false combat with sin 160 Comfort See Consolation Sound comfort flows from proving our own faith 43 The Comforter abides for ever though not the act of Comfort 272 Communion Christian Communion is a means to increase faith 579 Compassion The Just live by faith in point of Compassion and how 54 Condemnation Believers are set free from a sixfold condemnation 111 112 The intailment of Condemnation on Vnbelievers 417 418 419 421 Confession Resolute confession of Christ is a means of assurance 95 Confidence See Pride Self-confidence hinders growth in grace 231 Sinful confidence how manifold and dangerous 6 Carnal confidence in spiritual friends 41 Conscience Renewed by faith it acquits and quiets 299 The testimony of a renewed Conscience is nothing else but a reflex act of faith 301 Conscience purified makes the believer cheerful 308 A good Conscience is a means to keep faith 550 Consolation Vide Comfort Vide Joy The just live by faith the life of Consolation 278 Consolation is the Saints complete Commencement 279 The suburbs of heaven in the consolations of faith 280 281 Christs best reserve in the Wine of Joy 282 Proofs from Scripture that the just live the life of Consolation 282 The just live the life of Consolation by faith 283 Faiths activity the magazine of Comfort 284 Gods design in promoting the Saints Comfort 284 285 286 287 288 The