7. Augmentative faculty of Faith As Faith grows for Rom. 1.17 the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith so other graces grow with it See 2 Thess 1.3 having mentioned the growing of their faith then follows And the charity of every one of you aboundeth So 2 Pet. 1.5 Adde to your faith vertue and to vertue c. all follow Faith Again 2 Pet. 3. last Grow in grace how and in the knowledge or faith of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Shew me thy faith by thy works Jam. 2. Not onely the truth but the measure of our Faith is seen by our works And so much for the second general Question What it is to live by Faith Onely now it were good to examine our selves upon all this Whether we do thus live by Faith making our particular application of our souls to each of the particulars fore-mentioned But I pass to the third Question QUESTION III. Why a Christian is said to live by Faith rather than any other Grace Reas 1 WHy not by Love or Thankefulness or Patience c The reason is in a word for what is said already may give light hereunto First because Faith is not onely the grace which receives Christ Joh. 1. 12. who is our Life but it is also the grace that receives all other grace from Christ Therefore Faith is the first link of all that Chain of Graces 2 Pet. 1.5 c. at least in order to their working Otherwise indeed we know all graces are infused simul semel in respect of their being and existence See Joh. 7.38 He that believeth in me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water The graces of the Spirit run into the Soul and out again in the issues of life and all through the conduit-pipe of Faith Indeed a Christian hath great use of other graces but Faith onely layes hold on Christ for all Sanctified knowledge saith There is an infinite fulness in Christ the fulness of a Fountain Faith saith This is all for me for he is my Husband then Prayer saiâ—h If all this be thine I will go and fetch it for thee and Thankefulness sayes I will return praise to God for it and that 's better than the receiving of mercies Psal 63.5 My soul shall be filled with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips It is plain therefore however spiritual life is much exercised in other graces as well as in Faith as in Prayer and Patience and Love and Thankfulness yet because Faith acts and exercises and puts life into all therefore a Christian is said rather to live by his Faith As may be seen Heb. 11. through the whole Chapter For Prayer is no prayer unless it be a prayer of Faith Jam 5. and Patience is no patience unless joyned with Faith Here is the faith and patience of the Saints Rev. 13. and so of all the rest Reas 2 Secondly Because Faith layes hold upon that Word by which man lives For man lives by the word of God Mat 4.4 Other graces are begotten by the Word but do not lay hold on the Word So as no word no means can profit us without Faith Reas 3 Thirdly Because when other graces and comforts to our sense lie dead and useless even then Faith lives and acts its part It is like the Cork that swims aloft when the Leads and all the Net is under water It is like the Card or Compass when Heaven and Earth fail no sight of Earth or Heaven or comfort from either when 't is a day of darkness and gloominess as that described Zeph. 1.15 or when 't is with us as it was in Pauls voyage Acts 27.13 to 26. neither sun nor star appearing for many dayes or a time as that Isa 50.10 wherein we sit in darkness and see no light yet then saith can trust in the Name of the Lord. It is as an Anchor in a storm so long as the Anchor holds there is hope but if that break there is no more governance of the Ship So Faith is compared Heb. 6.19 It is as the Widows Oyl when all other provision failed she lives upon that because she had a word from God So when all fail Faith shall not totally nor finally fail because there is a word from God which was spoken to Peter in person of all the faithful Luke 22.32 I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Or like the heart in the body though other parts be dead yet so long as the heart lives the man is alive Psa 73.26 My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Thus David lived by Faith when all failed and by it thus speaks himself Psal 42.5 Why art thou disquieted O my soul still trust in God for I shall yet praise him When graces fail performances fail so that we abhor our selves and duties yet Faith sayes We are a holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God 1 Pet. 2.5 by Jesus Christ When Paul cryed out Rom. 7. O wretched man that I am c. yet by Faith he can thank God through Jesus Christ When the Church is under water yet she can speak thus in Faith Mic. 7.8 Rejoyce not over me O mine enemy though I fall I shall rise again When Job considers his body turned to dust and worms Job 19.19 25. yet by Faith he sees my Redeemer lives c. Even when Patience failed in Job yet Faith failed not Though God kill all other graces and comforts and my soul too yet he shall not kill my Faith sayes he If he separate my soul from my body yet not Faith from my Soul If he kill me he shall not kill my Faith And therefore the just lives by Faith rather then other graces because when all is gone yet Faith remains and Faith remains because the Promise remains For ever O Lord thy word is setled in the heavens Psal 119.89 And this is the proper and principal meaning of this place Reas 4 Fourthly Because even then when neither graces nor comforts do fail yet then the just lives principally by his Faith 1. Because there is yet more to be believ'd then we already enjoy for we walk not yet by sight and therefore by faith 2 Cor. 5.7 2. Because Faith is surâ—r then any sense or feeling in the world When the Apostle had spoken of the glorious Vision and their being eye-witnesses 2 Pet. 1.19 yet sayes he We have a more sure word of prophecy c. Now 't is the property of Faith to live upon the word Vse 1 Therefore 1. Esteem of Faith as precious Faith precious above all other graces Vse 2 And learn That Faith serves not onely for manifestation that we are alive but to live by and maintain the life of all other graces QUESTION IV. Who it is that lives by his Faith Quest THe Text sayes The just Ob. But where
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
God commands his People to pity strangers because themselves were sometimes strangers in the Land of Egypt So should we not pity such as are strangers to God because we our selves were sometimes so I have heard of many a Drunkard and loose liver who being once converted would ever after pity those in the same condition admonishing of them and visiting them in their sickness and saying Well what do I know but such an one may belong to God as well as I What do I know but God may change his heart as well as mine This is the Apostles Argument Tit. 3.2 3. Shewing all meekness to all men for we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures c. But afterwards the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards us appeared c. As if he should say Let us therefore be pitiful to the Souls of others as God shewed mercy to us who sometimes were as vile and sinful as any others And these are the Motives Quest But some may say What means should I use for the Conversion of Souls Answ I answer First make sure thy own conversion Means for the conversion of others 1. Being converted a mans self Luk. 22.23 And when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Then the Word comes in a lively manner That that comes from the heart is most likely to go to the heart Every life begets like to it self Propagation of kinde is natural to every Creature and so it is in Spiritual Life They that have this new Life desire to beget others to God I will not deny but an unconverted man may convert another but 't is very rare God usually delights to make use of such as are converted themselves and they have as great a delight to do the work Phil. 2.20 Tim thy who will naturally care for your estate And why so because Timothy was his natural son in the faith Mean 2 Make use of the Word for that 's the power of God to salvation Make use of the Word Rom. 1.16 and the incorruptible seed 1 Pet. 1.23 The sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Eph. 6.17 God delights not to work by other means though men be never so eloquent and therefore say of that as David of the Sword of Golias 1 Sam. 21.9 There 's none like that So may we say of the two-edged Sword of the Word of God that Sword There 's none like that in the cutting down of sin and the stone out of the heart Mean 3 Go out in Gods strength 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God Go in Gods strength to the pulling down of the strong holds of Sin and Satan Therefore be as diligent in Prayer as in Preaching if thou wouldst convert Souls 'T is our duty to labour but when all 's done the success is from God He that planteth is nothing 1 Cor. 3. nor he that watereth but God that giveth the increase Therefore be as earnest for Spiritual children as Rachel was for the children of her Womb Gen. 30. He onely can help Ministers to teach profitably Eph. 6.19 And for me that utterance may be given me that I may speak c. He onely can help People to hear with profit Psal 48.17 I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit Mean 4 Look to thy Life as well as to thy Doctrine if thou wouldst convert Souls Teach by Life 1 Tim. 4.16 Take heed unto thy self and to thy Doctrine for in so doing c. People observe what a mans hand speaks as well as what his tongue speaks Surely say they if this man were in earnest he would do as he speaks Mean 5 Observe the Disposition of those with whom thou dealest and become all things to all men Observe dispositions 1 Cor. 9.22 so far as thou canst with a good conscience that thou maist win some 1 Cor. 9.19 c. As Fishers bait their hook according to the season and kinde of the fish they are to take For Ministers are called Fishers of men and in that respect had need beg wisdom of God that we may so cast forth the hook and the Net of the Word that we catch men Mean 6 If thou wouldst convert men from their sins Convincing of sin labour first to convince them of sin that 's Christs method Joh. 16.8 that they may be wounded for their sins for the whole have no need of the Physician but the sick Mean 7 Hold forth the Promise of Grace and of Christ In the Promise offering Mercy Hold forth Christ in the Promise with all the freeness and openness of heart that may be to all that are willing to receive him wholly and intirely Joh. 1.12 To as many as received him he gave power to be called the children of God c. Rev. 22.17 Let him that will come and take of the water of life freely What dost thou know but whilst thou art speaking to the ear God may speak to the heart by his Spirit Act. 10.44 While Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word Mean 8 Work every part of the Word first upon thy own heart do not onely work it into thy head Work the word on thine own heart but work it into thy heart Ezek. 3.1 Son of Man eat that thou findest eat this roll and go speak c. As Nurses put into their own mouthes first Vse 4. Of Exhortation Vse 4 Exhortation to Ministers to preach in a Soul-saving way Exhortation to Ministers to preach in such a way as is most fit to win Souls to preach in a Soul-saving way not to stroke the ear but to strike the heart O thirst for Salvation of Souls Teach in such a way as is most sutable to the opening and unfolding of heavenly Mysteries Christ findes fault with the Scribes and Pharisees that they shut up the Kingdom of Heaven before men Mat. 23.13 So do they that either preach not at all or preach above the ordinary capacity of ordinary people who have Souls to save as well as other men we shall be no better than Barbarians to them 1 Cor 14. if we preach in a Language they understand not which may be as well in some kinde of English as in Latine or other Language Therefore we should remember the use of Language is just like the use of a Key which is nothing else but aperire quod clausum est to open that which is shut and therefore we do not esteem that the most excellent Key which is made of the most excellent Metal but that which is made of the best and fittest form in reference to the opening of the Lock So we should not esteem that the most excellent preaching that is made up of the finest and bravest stile but that which is fittest for the opening of the understanding by convincing the judgement
of Gods grace to perform all duties of thankfulness 1 Stirring him up to duty Gal. 5.6 Faith works by love and Jam. 2. Faith without works is dead 2. Directing what to do Psal 119.66 Teach me good judgement and knowledge for I have beleeved thy Commandments 3. Strengthning to do it Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ strengthning me 4. Finding acceptance in doing Heb. 11.4 whereby he received witness that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts Fourthly Assuring him of all needful encouragement of blessing by vertue of God's promise 1. In beleeving the promise of reward Matth. 4.4 Man lives not by bread alone but by every Word of God 2. In suing out the promise by prayer Psal 119.49 Remember the word to thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope 3. In praising God for it Heb. 13.15 Let us offer to God the sacrifice of praise continually giving thanks to his Name So that to live by faith is to rest satisfied with God's command though we see no reason of it Heb. 11.8 9. and with God's promise though we have no present performance yea even then when providences crosse promises as to beleeve we shall come to the Haven in the greatest storm in case we have a promise as Paul Act. 27.22 c. As a wordly man in his way lives comfortably that hath good store of bonds in his coffers though all his money be out of doors and in other mens hands how much more do believers live comfortably that have bond and seal and oath from the God of truth though they have nothing in hand for present Thus the Just lives by faith Caution Not as if there were any natural or moral worth or efficacy in faith to beget this life or to make us righteous But only as an instrument of the spirit applying Christ our life and righteousness And indeed it is he begets faith in us For it is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 Christ is the root faith is the instrument of this life Thus living by faith implyes these 4 or 5 things 1. Right in Christ Gal. 2. 2. A cleering our way in point of duty Rom. 14. What is not of faith is sin 3. a cleering our right to the promise Heb. 11.17 He that had received the promises 4. a constant searching of the Scripture for the legacyes bequeathd to us Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life The heir cannot sue for his legacyes or inheritance unlesse he know what it is Act. 20.25 Luk. 22.19 5. A remembring them Psal 119.52 And a seasonable applying of them to particular cases and occasions What can a plaister do if it be only kept in the pocket and not laid upon the soare Which implyes it is not enough to have the habit of faith to possesse it but the act also is required that we may comfortably live by it We must put it to use Therfore Act. 13.39 faith is set forth by the act of beleeving By him all that beleeve in him are justified For howsoever it is true He that possesseth the habit of faith shall never totally and finally fall away yet for want of acting of it as he sins against God so he looseth the comfort of his life Luk. 24.25 Matth. 8.26 and in his own apprehension is like a dead man or at least exceeding dull heartlesse and fearful Usually in proportion to the acting of the life of Justification will be the strength of the life of Sanctification for faith works by love the more faith the more love Whence is Paul's exhortation to blow up the gift of God in him As a man lives by exercise 2 Tim. 1. and grows diseased for want of it So it is in spirituals To shew then how a Christian lives by faith this is the summe of what hath been spoken He lives by faith as a mean or instrument not as the efficient cause or author of this life But this is the order or series First God predestinates or determines this life to such Eph. 5.5 Having predestinated us c. Secondly He gives Christ his Son to death for the purchasing this life because by nature every man is in a state of death dead in sins and trespasses Col. 3.4 1 Joh. 5.12 Thirdly He makes known and holds forth this life in a promise to poor sinners Rev. 22.17 Fourthly He requires faith in the promise of all such as would have the benefit of this life that so they may glorifie God's truth and goodness and power in beleeving that he will and can make his word good So he calls men to beleeving in the preaching of the Gospel Joh. 3.16 Fifthly He bestowes faith upon the soul of his free grace because by nature we are shut up under unbeleef Rom. 11.32 Eph. 2.8 it is the gift of God So he calls men inwardly by his Spirit So that faith and life and Christ come all together Only he works this life in a way of believing and makes us sensible of it by the act of faith So that a Christian hath his life from God in Christ from Christ in the promise Col. 3 3 from the promise apprehended by faith from faith working by love and other graces which is the exercise of this life All graces are enlivened by faith faith receives life from the promise the promise from Christ Christ as mediatour from God the Father Joh. 6.57 God in Christ is the fountain of spiritual life the promises are so many Conduit-pipes that convey it faith is the hand that turns the Cock or the mouth to receive the water of life So that however God in Christ is the sole author and finisher of spiritual life yet he makes use of faith all along from first to last in the order of working and that in all parts and faculties of spiritual life viz. in the quickning expulsive nutritive retentive motive and breathing faculties First God makes use of faith in the Quickning faculty 1. Quickning faculty of faith or first infusion of life So the just lives by his faith Eph 2.5 with 8 Even when we were dead in sins he hath quickned us together with Christ for by grace ye are saved through faith The heart is primum vivens in grace as well as in nature and the heart is enlivened by Christ in a way of faith Eph. 3.16 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith So that whereas there is great dispute among men whether Christ or faith or righteousness of life comes first to the soul all is answered in one word They come all together not any one before or after another Christ brings all along together with himself So soon as ever a soul is quickned it doth believe and so soon as ever it believes it is quickned Yet faith is most perceptible in the act of Adherence 2. Expulsive faculty of faith Secondly God makes use of faith in the Expulsive facultie
Psal 72.16 't is compared to a handful of Corn upon the top of the Mountains a barren place which yet by shaking and so growing afresh fills the whole earth with plenty So did the Law which went out from Mount Zion This is that Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands which grew so fast that at last it filled the whole earth Dan. 2.34 And as it is thus with the Kingdom of God in general with the Kingdom of God without us so it is with the Kingdom of God within us with the Kingdom of grace in every particular Christians heart it grows from small beginnings to a great height from a spark to a flame from break of day to high noon Hence grace in Gods people is compared to the morning light Prov. 4.18 to Ezekiel's waters Chap. 47.3 to Elijah's Cloud 1 Kings 18.44 And the reason hereof is because grace is not perfect at the first and theaefore there must be a growing till we come to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And because this is not till the end of our life therefore we must be growing all our life long We are never at our full height till we be ready to be cut down by death never at the end of our race till at the end of our life The Apostle himself who had outstript all the rest of the Apostles yet he was growing still and running still and he gives the reason Because he was not yet perfect Phil. 3.12 13. Not as though I were already perfect or had obtained c. Every thing you know in nature grows till it comes to its perfection as a childe till he comes to be a man As a man is not born a perfect man in nature for degrees though he be perfect for parts so it is in grace also and a Christian must grow till he comes to perfection We reade 1 Joh 2.12 of little children young men i.e. strong men and old men in Christ onely with this difference In the old age of grace there is no decay of strength of spirits or fruitfulnesss Psal 92.14 They shall bring forth fruit in old age c. We are bound you know to love God with all our hearts even to love him perfectly for degree as well as kinde But so long as we live here as we know but in part 1 Cor. 13. So we love but in part and are gracious but in part and therefore we must ever be upon the growing hand till we come to perfection perfect man in Christ Eph. 4.13 Reas 2 Grace is of a sweet and desirable nature insomuch that he that hath once tasted of the sweetness of it cannot but desire more He that saith he hath enough plainly discovers he never had any at all 1 Pet. 2.2 3. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby If so he ye have tasted c. He that hath once tasted cannot but thirst for more Though the painful thirst of total indigence be quenched and so he shall never thirst Joh. 4.14 yet the thirst of delight and the thirst of desire for further enjoyment is not removed but increased And blessed are they that thus hunger and thirst after more righteousness for they shall be filled Mat. 56. Hence also the Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a Treasure Mat. 13.44 in digging up whereof a man doth every day more and more enrich himself Reas 3 This was the End of Christs Commission which he received from his Father at his Mission and the very end of his coming in execution of that Commission not onely to bestow spiritual life upon his people but to increase it also day by day That was the extent of his Commission Joh. 10.10 I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly As a living spring bubbles and boils forth and empties it self that the channel might be fill'd with water and it as it runs along here it meets with one Spring and there with another it may be it meets with an hundred fresh Springs that it may be fill'd more abundantly till it runs out at last into the Ocean it self So Jesus Christ the Fountain of Living Waters empties himself by the work of his Spirit into the believing Soul He that believeth in me saith Christ out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters Joh. 7.38 And as the believer runs along in his Christian course here he meets with one fresh spring of grace and there with another Psal 84. as they that go through the valley of Baca they dig up fountains still it may be they meet with an hundred fresh springs of grace till at the last those sweet streams of grace are swallowed up in the Ocean of glory and then is fulfilled the saying that is written I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly And this is the third Reason why the just lives the Life of Augmentation The End of Christs coming Reas 4 The fourth is taken from Gods Faithfulness Seeing God daily puts Christians upon higher duties as Fasting and Prayer Mat. 9.15 then shall they â—ast and stronger Temptations not having yet resisted to blood Heb 12.4 and new wine not being fit for old bottles Therefore God is so faithful as to give them more grace And Philosophers define the end of natural Augmentation to be Ad edendas actiones proprias convenientes Magir. Phys p. 465. For exercising the proper Functions God will not be wanting here 2 Cor. 12 9. When Paul had a new temptation sayes God My grace is sufficient for thee and so 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able c. If God command to make more brick he will give more straw yea he will give more strength And so much for the first thing Now follows the second The just lives this Life of Augmentation by his Faith Propos 2. Augmentation is by faith His faith doth increase in it from faith to faith Rom 1.17 As faith increaseth or decreaseth so doth his Lie of grace As Philosophers say of the ebbing and the floving of the Sea The position and disposition of the Moon is the cause of it which is apparent in your Spring iâ—es at the Chance and Full of the Moon as the Moon increaseth the Waters and all moist Bodies do increase and as it decreaseth they decrease again So is iâ— betwixt Faith and other Graces as Faith increaseth Faith under the Sun of Righteousness so they increase Mal. 4. and as Faith decreaseth so they decrease again 2 Thes 1.3 We are bound to give thanks to God for you brethren because that your faith groweth exceedingly and the charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth Mark as their Faith abounded so their Charity abounded and so other Graces abounded also 2 Pet. 1.2 Grace and peace be multiplied
the end shall be saved Mat. 10.22 But the Saints shall continue Psal 138.8 The Lord will perfect that which concerneth us Phil. 1.6 He that hath begun the good work will perform it till the day of Jesus Christ The Apostle was confident of it and so may we for what is the ground of this confidence not any thing in our selves we are apt to fall way but the Promise and Faithfulness and power of God He hath begun the work and he hath said it and he will perform it therefore we may be sure of Salvation Vse 3 3 Use We should from hence be Exhorted to labour for Truth of Faith and Truth of Grace To labour for truth of grace above all other things Why because they are so durable In all other things we love Certainties and cannot abide to be at an uncertainty We do not love to be Tenants at will to be turn'd out at an hours warning yea we rather desire to be Freeholders than Tenants upon the best terms Oh how careful are men to make all sure to them and their heirs for ever c. Surely Si isti callidi rerum aestimatores If the crafty esteemers of things do prize Meadows and Lands above other goods because they are not so subject to hurt and casualty how much more should we prize the truth of grace which gives us interest in eternal life and can neither be snatcht away by force nor stoln away by craft it can neither be lost by fire nor water The best of other possessions in the account of Christ are but other mens goods Luke 16.12 because ere long they must go to another and are like a Foot-ball now one man hath the Ball on his foot by and by another takes it from him within the turning of a hand a third catches it from him and so it goes on from one to another So these worldly things turn and are tost up and down they are not our own but another mans goods as well as ours but grace he calls our own Luke 16.12 because we shall never lose it it is durable riches indeed Prov. 8.18 Let us therefore take our Saviours advice Joh. 6 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for the meat that endures unto eternal life and Mat. 6.19 20. Col. 3.3 Vse 4 This also is for Exhortation to us To endevour to persevere and hold out to the end Labour after Perseverance that it may appear that our grace is indeed true grace and that we live by Faith It is said of the Parthians They begin their Battels with as great valour as any people whatsoever but they faint quickly and continue but a while The like may be said of many in their Spiritual Warfare With the Parthians and with the Galatians they begin well but they cannot say with S. Paul they have fought a good fight they have finished their course because like Hymenaeus and Alexander they have faln away from the Doctrine of the Faith and it may be from the Profession of the Faith also But it is the glory of a Christian to persevere to the end Therefore whatever you part with do not part with your grace as Job 2.3 He held fast his integrity Though he lost Goods and Children and Friends and almost life too yet still he held fast his integrity Let it be our resolution that whatever we lose by Gods help we will never let go our grace Let us say of grace as Jacob to the Angel I will not let thee go till I have got the blessing As a man at Sea is willing to part with all so he may but save his life So let us be willing to part with any thing so we may keep Christ and his grace for this is even the life of our lives Moâ—ives to Perseverance That we may be the more effectually stirr'd up to endevour to persevere 1. Consider that God is constant in his love to us 1. Constancy of God in his love Heb. 13.5 He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee therefore we should be constant to him And indeed our constancy to him is a certain fruit of his unchangeable love towards us The Saints will never utterly forsake God because God doth never utterly forsake them And the consideration of his Faithfulness should as an argument prevail with us to be faithful Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that hath promised As God hath loved us with an everlasting love Jer. 31.3 So let us love him with an everlasting love à parte post though we cannot à parte antè 2. It is the honour of a Christian 2. A Christians honour to persevere against all opposition God himself seems to admire it in Job chap. 2.3 that notwithstanding all his sufferings yet he held fast his integry To hold fast our integrity in trying times is not onely commendable but admirable To continue good while we suffer evil is the very height and crown of Goodness Look as it makes sin out of measure sinful when we hold fast our sins in the midst of Judgements Amos 4.6 c. I have smitten you thus and thus yet you have not returned to me saith the Lord That was the aggravation of their sin So it makes grace out of measure gracious it is the highest commendation and exaltation of grace when we can hold fast our grace in the midst of Tentation and Opposition As God sets a brand of Infamy upon such as trespass more in the day of their distress This is that King Ahaz saith God 2 Chron. 28.22 when his Conscience within was seared as with an hot iron God sets a brand upon his Name without as Malefactors are branded at the Bar that all may know them for Rogues and Thieves So God sets a Mark of Honour and Renown upon such as persevere in evil times This is that Job saith God that holds fast his integrity in the worst of times and therefore deserves to be ranked among the best of men none like him in all the earth Job 1.8 It is the honour of a Christian to hold fast his integrity It is his honour here and it shall be his honour to all Eternity Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful to the death and I will give thee a Crown of Life On the other side Oh what a disgrace it is to fall from grace yea if it be but from some degrees of grace We think it a great shame to be degraded and so devested from Titles of Honour he that falls back and proves Apostate he degrades himself he un-Saint himself Christ hath made us Kings and Priests to God his Father Rev. 1.6 but he that falls back suffers another to take his Crown Rev. 3 11. Hold fast that which thou hast that no man take thy Crown To backslide is a dishonour To backslide a dishonour 1. To the Persons themselves Luk. 14.30
hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you all are come to pass unto you not one thing hath failed thereof And this he speakes to this end that he might perswade them to live by Faith and to trust in the same God for the time to come Therefore Deut. 7.17 To cure the peoples diffidence and distrust God puts them in minde of former experiences If thou shalt say in thine heart These Nations are more than I how can I dispossess them Thou shalt not be afraid of them but shalt well remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh and all Egypt So shall the Lord thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid As if he should say That God who hath made good his promise in his peoples deliverance for the time past he will do it for the time to come also This was Davids gracious Logick both Reason rectified and Grace taught him to argue thus 1 Sam. 17.37 The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the Lion and out of the paw of the Bear he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistim Paul fetches such another Argument from his deliverance out of the paw or mouth of the Lion And what of that 2 Tim. 4. Mark his Argument The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me to his heavenly Kingdom to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Observe all these holy men of God by their former experience were built up in future confidence and so should we be Obj. If you shall say Where lies the strength of this Reason viz. Because God makes good his Word and Promise at one time to such as trust in him are we therefore sure he will make it good at another Ans I answer We may well be assured of it and that upon these grounds First from the Nature of Gods Covenant and Promise His Covenant is an everlasting Covenant Jer. 32.40 His Promise is very comprehensive it reacheth to all persons that are heirs of the Promise it belongs to all Saints Eph 3.18 To all places where ere those persons come 1 Kings 20 28. To all times Heb. 13.5 Isa 40.8 The Word of God standeth for ever Therefore whom God once delivers in a way of Covenant-mercy he will for ever deliver Secondly We may argue from the Nature of God For were the Covenant made never so sure like the Laws of the Medes and Persians that it should not be changed yet if God were of a changeable Nature all were as good as nothing As we see in the Covenants of vain and changeable men they snap them asunder as Samson did his cords But God is an Vnchangeable God and this puts life into that unchangeable Covenant Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore you Sons of Jacob are not consumed He is unchangeable in all his Attributes Unchangeable in his Love Jer. 31.3 In his Truth Psal 117.2 In his Power Isa 59.1 2. And therefore by the same reason that we trust in God once we have cause to trust in him for ever Isa 26.4 Trust in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Thirdly The third and the last Argument is drawn from the Nature of the Price paid by Jesus Christ to his Father for all the good things that he hath promised The price of his own Blood which Blood of his in the Merit and Value of it is ever pleading and speaking better things than that of Abel Heb. 12.25 By vertue of his blood Christ pleads thus for each believing Soul Father bestow this Mercy on such a man for I have paid for that Mercy also And Father bestow such a Deliverance upon him for I have paid the price for that Deliverance also and so for a Thousand Mercies and Deliverances one after another As when the Price oâ— Ransom is paid for one in Prison when one or two doors are opened 't is an assurance to the poor Prisoner that the rest will soon be opened because the price is paid for the opening of all So in this case upon these grounds and experiences of Gods goodness and faithfulness for time past do we and ought we to strengthen Faith for the time to come The second sort of Reasons Second sort of Reasons for living by faith viz. The relation betwixt Christ and a Believer is drawn from that Relation which is betwixt Christ and a Believer 1. Christ is the Fountain and out of his fulness we do all receive grace for grace 2. Christ is our Lord and Master and therefore we are bound to give unto him the honour that is due to his Name But we can do neither the one nor the other without Faith we can neither receive from Christ what we want nor give unto Christ what is his due without Faith Christ is the Fountain of Grace 1. Christ is the Fountain and out of his fulness we all receive grace for grace but without Faith we cannot be united to this Fountain nor draw any thing from him The Water-Cock is in the house but the Spring-Head is in the field So the Water-Cock of Grace is in the Soul but the Spring-Head that feeds this is in Christ I am the life saith Christ Joh. 14.6 Life is radically in Jesus Christ Psal 36.9 For with thee is the fountain of life Now then there must be some Conduit-pipe to convey this Water of Life to the Soul and that is Faith Joh. 7.38 He that believeth in me as the Scripture haâ—h said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water And thus a believer lives by a Principle out of himself namely in Jesus Christ Gal 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God who hath loved me c. 1 Joh 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life and what is it to have the Son but to believe in the Son to be united to him by Faith As the the Water-Cock is united to the Fountain by the Conduit-pipe As the Heads of those Rivers that water the Garden of Paradise were out of Paradise So the Head and Spring of those Streams of Grace that water the Soul are out of the Soul even in Christ the Fountain All my fresh springs are in thee Psal 87.7 Though some understand it of the Church of God it is more eminently true of God himself Therefore a gracious Soul lives by Faith because by Faith he is united to Christ the Fountain of all Grace Christ is our Lord and we cannot honour him without Faith Secondly As Christ is our Lord and Master we are bound to give to him the honour due to his Name Mal. 1.6 If I be a Lord and Master where is my fear and honour But we cannot honour him without Faith Faith brings a great deal of Honour to God and Jesus Christ therefore he will have
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
the Saints The glory of others many times proves their shame but that which may seem to be the shame of a Christian Faith turns it into glory Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you And if there be so much glory in the very sufferings and reproach of a believer what is the glory then which they shall receive after their sufferings and in a gracious recompence of their sufferings for If we suffer with him we shall also be glorified together with him Rom. 8.17 O the glory of a true believer Where ever there is Christ in a creature there is glory in a creature Christ in you the hope of glory Col. 1.27 and not onely the hope but by the vision of Faith there is a present Transformation from glory to glory as by the Spirit of our God 2 Cor. 3.18 Thus a believer is truly honourable Isa 43.4 Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable 6. Faith honours God Sixthly Dost thou desire to honour God in thy Place and Calling for a gracious heart is not so careful of his own glory as of the glory of God O that I could but honour God in my Place saith a gracious heart I should then be the less careful in other things Why this is the onely way to put honour upon God upon the Truth upon the Power upon the All-sufficiency of God He that is strong in the faith gives much glory to God Rom. 4.18 And this is that which the Saints prefer before their own Salvation Joh. 12.28 Whatever become of us they say as Christ said Father glorifie thy Name 'T is true Faith is highly to be prized because it is an instrument of our Salvation Eph. 2.8 Ye are saved by faith but it is much more to be esteemed as being such a special instrument of the glory of God Joh. 11.40 Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldst believe thou shouldst see the glory of God They that believe as they bring more glory to God than other men do so they see more of Gods glory than others can see And that 's a sixth Consideration that should move us to labour for Faith it brings abundance of glory to God Many other Considerations might be added Seventhly Without this we are but dead men 7. Dead without Faith Faith and Life come into the Soul both at once All other Life will soon decay our very natural Life is but a continued drawing on to Death but our spiritual Life the longer it continues the stronger it grows Eighthly 8. Faith makes to prosper This is the onely way to prosper in all we possess and in all we take in hand 2 Chron. 20.20 Believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established believe his Prophets so shall ye prosper 'T is true wicked men and unbelievers may prosper after a sort they may prosper as fatted Beasts in the stall prosper against the day of slaughter The prosperity of fools shall slay them Prov. 1.32 They are cursed in their very Blessings But a true believer doth prosper in Soul Joh. Ep. 3. as well as in his Body or Estate his Prosperity is sanctified and all that he possesseth is pure and clean to him but to the defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their meat and drink yea even their minde and conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 If a believer be cast into straits Faith is that which brings submission to the Will of God and a sweet contentation with the present condition Phil. 4.11 it was the speech of a believer I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content Faith lets the believer see the present condition is best for him and therefore he is the better content with it On the other side where there is want of Faith there are perpetual discontents every little thing troubleth such a creature A gall'd back is soon hurt Num. 14.11 How long will it be ere this people believe me saith God of the murmuring Israelites in the Wilderness An unbelieving heart is evermore an unquiet a discontented heart He that doth not enjoy God by Faith how is it possible he should be satisfied with Creature-enjoyments especially in the midst of Creature-discontents Faith is that which sweetens our very Natural Life how much more then that which is Spiritual and Supernatural Wouldst thou be assured that Christ is thine Faith in due time will give thee this assurance for Christ dwells in the heart by faith Eph. 3.17 Wouldst thou be assured thou art a Childe of God and maist come in for a Childs Portion Faith will give thee this assurance also Joh. 1.12 To as many as received him he gave power to be the Sons of God even to as many as believe on his Name Wouldst thou receive more abundance of the Spirit of Christ Jesus Faith is a Conduit-pipe in which this heavenly water delights to run Joh. 7.38 He that believeth on me saith Christ out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water This spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive Certainly the Life of Faith is the most excellent Life that any Creature can live upon the face of the Earth Note In a word Remember what you have heard in many Sermons Do you desire to be presented Just and Righteous before the Throne of God you must labour to get Faith then for by Faith a Creature lives the Life of Justification Do you desire to be sanctified throughout in Body Soul and Spirit you must learn then to get Faith without doubt the more Faith the more Holiness for The Just lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification Do you desire to be more abundant in Good Works than ever you have been Learn then to get Faith for By Faith the Just lives the Life of Fructification Do you desire to have your Corruptions subdued and your sinful lusts that fight against the Soul mortified Learn then to get Faith for By Faith the Just lives the Life of Mortification Do you complain of the Dulness and Deadness of your hearts in holy Duties and do you desire above all things to be more quick and lively in the Service of God Learn then to live by Faith for By Faith the Just lives the Life of Vivification The more Faith the more Life in all holy Duties Do you bewail your Leanness and Vnprofitableness and Unthriving disposition under the plentiful means of Grace and is it the desire of your Souls to increase and grow up as the Calves of the stall Mal. 4.2 Learn then to get Faith for By Faith the Just lives the Life of Augmentation Gal. 3.3 Are you afraid lest you should
to the humble in the perfection of it which is attained in glory Therefore it is said of the Heavenly Courtiers Rev. 4.10 11. The four and twenty Elders fall down before him that sate on the Throne and worship him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their Crowns before the Throne saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Mark ye as dejection in the bottom of the nethermost Pit cannot strip the devil and wicked men of their Pride for they wil blaspheme the name of God they may be humbled Rev. 16.11 but they will not be truly humble to all Eternity So on the other side exaltation to the highest degree of glory does no ways devest the Saints of God of their former humility Nay the more glorious the more gracious and therefore the more humble Thus God gives grace to the humble in the Inchoation Augmentation Conservation and Perfection Therefore there is no Soul brought home to Christ but must needs be humbled Thus you see Gods manner of working Faith by the Word and why God doth usually humble men more or less and stir up in them strong desires after Christ before they come so fully and clearly to lay hold of the Promise or at least in their very first apprehension and laying hold of it It is impossible to suppose Faith in a Soul that was never humbled Thus I say you see the ground of Gods method and the matter of humiliation as the fore-runner of Peace and Consolation I shall onely adde this before I have done with the first Means of begetting Faith Direction in applying the Promises If thou wouldst believe apply to thy self in particular what Promises God makes in general and indefinitely As for Example in the Scripture when Christ saith Joh. 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Apply this to thy self Therefore if I come to Christ by vertue of this Word I am sure he will not cast me out So when the Scripture saith Joh. 1.12 But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name to as many as receive him he giveth the power or priviledge to become the Sons of God Apply this to thy self Therefore since God hath made me willing to receive him for my King and Saviour I am sure I have this priviledge 2 Cor. 6.18 to be the Son or Daughter of the Lord God Almighty So when the Scripture saith in that notable Proclamation of Christ in the great day of the Feast Joh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Apply this to thy self Therefore since God hath given me grace to hunger and thirst after the Righteousness of Christ I am sure I have as good warrant to take of the water of life as any other in the world Rev. 22.17 And let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Therefore saith the thirsty Soul 'T is as free for me as for any other in the world And thus is Faith begotten in the Soul by a particular application of a general Promise And so much for the first Means of begetting Faith and that is the Word The second is Prayer Second Mean of begetting Faith by prayer Pray that God would bless the Word and all other Means For the Word hath no Power to beget Faith of it self without the powerful concurrence of the Spirit by which the Word was breathed forth at the first Neither have we power in our own will to make the Word effectual Those that talk so much of Free will it is a shame then they believe no more and do no more if they had that freedom they boast of but indeed the very practice of such men is enough to confute their Opinions I 'll never believe a man would be willing to lie in a nasty Dungeon all his life if he had liberty and power to go out at his own pleasure O be much in Prayer to God therefore that he would set thy imprisoned Soul at liberty that thou maist have power to believe Thus did David Psal 142.7 Bring my soul out of prison that I may praise thy name c. As if he should say O Lord I confesse I am a poor prisoner to sin and Satan I would fain be set at liberty to believe thy Word and to do thy will but alas I cannot I find many a door fast shut upon me in this prison and many a lock upon the doors many lets and impediments which I am never able to remove and therefore gracious Lord do that for me which neither I my self nor all the friends I can make are ever able to do for me pay the debts of thy poor prisoner in my blessed surety and set open the prison doors O bring my soul out of prison O Lord that I may praise thy name Thus should we pray for Faith as ever we desire the Word should be made effectual for our good Col. 4.3 1 Cor. 16.9 The Ministers should beg the prayers of the people as Paul did that he may have a door of utterance and the people should beg the prayers of the Minister that they may have a door of entrance that the immortal seed may be made an instrument of spiritual life and the Just may live by Faith If ever we have Faith if ever we be born again the power of the Holy Ghost must overshadow our souls John 3.18 Expounded and put life into the seed of the Word Joh. 1.13 Gods people are born not of bloods nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God First Not of bloods What 's that You know a man that comes of such a parent is said to come of such a blood Now then put all the parents in the world together and you shall find grace runs not in any blood they are not born of Bloods Secondly Not of the Will of the flesh What 's that A fleshly carnal man cannot convert himself he cannot keep alive his own soul Psal 22.29 Thirdly Not of the Will of man What is that Take a Regenerate man the best man in the world yet he hath not power to convert another unlesse God be with him in the work and so the truth is clear Gods people are born not of Bloods nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of man but of God Remember what Christ saith Joh. 6 44. No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him And therefore the Church prayes Cant. 1 4. Draw me we will run after thee Plead thus with God and say Lord thou commandest to believe but I find I am shut up under unbelief O thou that
all oppositions and temptations yea through the iron gate of death it self and then it leaves us Or as the Pillar of the Cloud and fire went along with the Israelites alâ—â—â—e way of the Wilderness and a very comfortable companion it was indeed the very Angel of God's presence But when it once came to Canaan then it left them they saw it no more So Faith is a sweet companion to direct us in a right way in the wilderness of this life till we come to the Celestial Canaan that flows with the milk and honey of Gods Beatifical Presence and then it leaves us because then we shall have in possession what before we did hope for and apprehend by faith Thus see how long we live by faith as the Stars give light till the Sun ariseth so Faith till Christ the Sun of Righteousness shines bright in Heaven A man hath no use of a Ship or Boat any longer than he is at Sea when he once comes to the Haven it will carry him no further if he will have it any further he must carry it it will not carry him So faith carries a man upon the waters of this troublesome world till we come to the haven of Eternal Happiness and then there is no further use of it In the mean-while make much of it and take heed above all things that thou make not shipwrack of faith 1 Tim. 1.19 To conclude Faith is a Christians Companion all along it saith to the Soul as Ruth to her Mother Ruth 1.16 17. Whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge where thou diest will I die and there will I be buried Now for the Use of this sixth Head of the Life of Faith Vse 1 See from hence the Excellency of Faith as it triumphs over death and all other Adversity Discovery of the excellency of Faith 1. It triumphs over Death It is a Conqueror over Conquerors and therefore makes us more then Conquerors through Jesus Christ that hath loved us Rom. 8.37 Faith is sure of victory before-hand Nay though we are overcome in some respect we overcome those that overcome us in other respects Even those that have power to put us to death we may overcome them by dying Rev. 12.11 And they â—vercame him the Dragon by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death 2. Here 's also the Excellency of Faith A Christian lives by it in time of all adversity When all other comforts dye this lives 'T is like the Laurel it flourishes in winter when all other Trees cast their leaves 'T is like Noah's Ark it lifts a man above the floods of many waters when others sink into the gulf of despair And indeed it was not so much the Ark of Noah as the Faith of Noah that bare him above the waters Heb. 11.7 By faith Noah prepared an Ark to the saving of his house c. All other men in the floods of adversity are born up with bladders the windy bladders of some vain confidence in Creature-comforts O they have such a friend such a device c And when these break down they sink But a believer by Faith is born up by the everlasting mercy of God Deut. 33.27 Vnderneath are the everlasting Arms c. And therefore he can never sink so low but faith will raise him up again Psal 32.6 Surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him Faith therefore is an excellent grace A Christians strong water in fainting-fits Psal 27.13 I had fainted but that I hoped to see the goodness of God Yea 't is his life in Death Vse 2 Secondly Hence make Tryal of your Faith Tryal of faith from adversities both for the Being of it and Degree In Luke 8.13 you reade of some that believe for a while but in time of Temptation fall away These had never true faith if they totally and finally fall There may indeed be shakings of faith in adversity as the Disciples in the storm were full of fears Mat. 8.26 But then it argues the less Faith Why are ye fearful O ye of little faith The more faith the less fear and the more fear the less faith You shall have some men in prosperity O they are marvellous confident as Peter was Mat. 26. Though all men shall be offended because of thee sayes he to Christ yet will I never be offended yet in adversity their hearts sink and they are ready to deny Christ as he Prov. 24.10 If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is but small Every bungler can sail fairly in a calm but it proves a skilful Pilot to govern a Ship well in a storm Every common Professor can believe in health in wealth in prosperity But if thou canst believe in sickness in poverty in adversity of all sorts then bless God for his free grace in Christ with Paul Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Vse 3 Thirdly Hence also see the Necessity of Faith and be stirr'd up to labour for it Shewing the necessiâ—y of faiâ—h in adversities O build on the Rock when the rain descends and the floods come and the winds blow We cannot live comfortably without it one day one hour minute Mat. 7.24 Every time is either prosperous or adverse we need faith in both in every thing we do suffer enjoy We hear by faith we pray by faith buy and sell by faith eat and drink by faith therefore we cannot live without it Non aqua igni magis utimur We use not fire and water more no not the air which we suck into our nostrils We cannot be one moment without it Vse 4 Fourthly Exhortation by faith to get patience in adversity Learn patience in adversity There are many impatient ones like Micah robb'd of his gods Judg 18. or like Rachel Jer. 31. weeping and refusing to be comforted or Cain Gen. 4. that complain of their punishment as greater than can be born But 't is for want of faith strangers in this to the Covenant of Grace If we be in the Covenant then know 1. That there 's living in adversity yea possibly better living than without Never less in prison than when in prison Never less overcome of the world than when I lose all the world as a gracious woman said 2. There 's more exercise of faith in adversity If we lose friends we are put upon seeking friendship with God if we lose goods or silver or gold there 's increase to be made of the golden Grace 1 Pet. 1.7 The tryal of your faith much more precious than gold Therefore be patient faint not Prov. 3 11. My son despise not the chastening of the Lord nor be weary of his correction There are two extremes to be avoided under afflictions the not bearing them or their overbearing us Vse 5 Fifthly Labour then
of question but that the vanity and petulancy of mens fancies and opinions begins to call all into question in these dayes and so this That which starts the Question is the wresting of certain Scriptures which they pervert as they do many others as 1 Corinth 1.30 He is made to us amongst other things Sanctification Therefore say they there 's no other Heb. 10.14 He hath by one offering for ever perfected those that are sanctified Therefore say they Christ is our Sanctification and it can be no other because it is perfect Before we Answer these Scriptures we shall shew the contrary by the full evidence of other Scriptures which will give us the clearer light in answering those former alleged places Solut. There is therefore a Life of Sanctification inherent in every true Christian besides that which is inherent in the person of Christ himself Which is proved by these Arguments 1. Because there is a Sanctification of the whole person in parts and faculties by the Spirit of Grace 1 Thess 5.23 And I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless c. Every believer is thus sanctified as Water is warmed or the Air enlightened all at once 2. There is a Sanctification of the Conversation 1 Thess 4.3 For this is the will of God your Sanctification 1 Pet 1.15 As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation 3. This is part of the New Covenant Ezek. 36.25 26 27. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon them and they shall be clean c. 4. Argument is drawn from an absurdity If there were no Sanctification in a Christian besides that in Christ then there should be a confusion of these two great Benefits of Justification and Sanctification but the Apostle doth every where distinguish these as in the forementioned place 1 Cor 1.30 Righteousness Sanctification c. So 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justifiâ—d And indeed there is a great deal of difference for 1. Justification is imputed Sanctification is imparted John 16. Of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace 2. Justification is without a man Sanctification is within him 3. Justification absolves a man from all his sins Sanctification does not so Who can say I am clean from my iniquity 4. Justification is perfect and compleat Acts 13.39 Being justified from all things Sanctification is imperfect so saith the Apostle Phil. 3.12 Not as though I were already perfect Christ hath laid hold upon me that I may lay hold upon him to draw still further vertue from him therefore it is not perfect at the first But what then shall we say to that place of Scripture Heb. 10.14 He hath by one offering c. Ans 1. The words import no more but this as appears by the context That what is wanting in our own works and duties and so in our Sanctification Christ hath perfected by the benefit of our Justification or 2. By that offering of his he hath sanctified and set us apart to be his own peculiar people For sometimes to sanctifie signifies no more than to set apart from a common use to some special service So Times Things Persons are said to be sanctified Then whereas it is said 1 Cor. 1.30 He is made to us sanctification c. The meaning is no more but this That he is the Author and Finisher of our Holiness as well as of our Faith as we shall see in the resolution of the third Question In the mean time let us come to the second Question Quest 2. What Sanctification is Sol. 2. What this Sanctification is and wherein it doth consist And it may be thus described It is an inward and powerful change of a person justified whereby the image of God is renewed in him by the work of the spirit It is a change and a powerful change to distinguish it from that work that may be in a civil man whereby his corrupt nature is suppressed and restrained though his corruption be not mortified 2. An inward change to distinguish it from outward reformation such as was in Herod who heard John gladly and reformed many things and yet his heart was not changed but true grace doth ever begin at the fountain it purifies that in the first place and then the streams which flow from thence Mat. 23.25 Psal 51.10 3. It is the change of a justified person to shew that however Justification be not Sanctification nor Sanctification Justification yet Sanctification is a necessary fruit and an inseparable companion of Justification That person that is once justified is also sanctified as in the place before-named 1 Cor. 6.10 4. The form of Sanctification consists in the Renewing of Gods Image in which Image Man was created at the first having not onely a spiritual substance a Soul and spiritual faculties of that Soul Reason and Will but spiritual and divine Properties of those Faculties Light in his Reason to know the Truth a sweet flexibility in his Will to obey the Truth according to the Will of God Now after the Fall though man have the same Soul and the same Faculties yet he hath not the same divine Properties of those Faculties for as he fell by the Devils temptation so he fell into the Devils sin and condemnation The Devil fell by Pride he would needs be above God or as God so he tempted our first Parents to fall by the same kinde of Pride and ever since man in the state of corruption would be some-body in those two main Faculties of his Soul Reason and Will and therefore we are all naturally Papists and Arminians in this Point his Reason he would lift up above the Word of God as they do their Traditions and his VVill above the VVill of God whereby it come to pass that his Pride makes him very wilful in sinning against God Jer. 44.16 or else presuming upon a false supposed liberty of converting himself to God at his own pleasure whereas the Apostle saith flatly It is not in him that willeth c. Rom. 9. But this is the condition of Man in the state of corruption the Image of God is thus fearfully defaced Now when grace comes in the work of Sanctification there is presently a change wrought not in the very substance and faculties of the Soul but onely in the properties of them presently the lofty looks of man are humbled and the haughtiness of men is bowed down and the Lord alone exalted in that day Isa 2.11 There 's no more My Reason but Thy Word Lord shall be my guide then no more My Will but Thy Will be done Let it be done in earth as it is done in heaven then no more I will do this or that by my own strength I will repent when I am old I can convert my self to God when I list No but as poor Ephraim cries out Turn thou me and I
Promises but thou bringst forth fruit of New Obedience to the glory of God Joh. 15.1 2 c. 2. In telling of us or discovering to us 2. Faith discovers what is good Fruit. what is good Fruit. For the Matter Faith tells us what is Gods revealed Will and it layes hold of the Command of God for direction as well as of the Promise of God for consolation Psal 119.66 I have believed thy Commandments and whatsoever is not thus of faith is sin Rom. 14. ult So Faith laying hold of the Word tells me what is my duty as a Magistrate as a Minister as a Master as a Neighbour as a Fellow-Member c. If I do not live by Faith in all these the fruit I bring forth cannot be good Prov. 19.2 That the soul be without knowledge is not good c. 3. In stirring up the Soul to be fruitful 3. Faith stirs up the Soul to be fruitful How First First By guickning Considerations drawn not onely from our duty but from the Promise of God and the glory of God 1. The Promise of God as Moses Heb. 11.26 27. choosing affliction c for he had an eye to the recompence of reward So saith Faith If thou dost this the Promise is thine 2. Glory of God Faith tells the Soul 2 Thess 1. ult Matth. 5.16 Herein is thy heavenly Father glorified if thou bringest forth much fruit Joh. 15.8 Secondly By drawing strength from Christ the Root John 15.4 5. Abide in me c. Nothing without Christ all through Christ Therefore Faith and Prayer sucks strength from Christ Psal 119.4.5 Thou hast commmanded me to keep thy Precepts O that my wayes were so directed c. 4. In timing and seasoning of the Fruit 4 Faith suits all our scruples to a proper season which is a beautiful thing Eccles 3.1 True indeed our whole time is due to God Luke 1.75 Gods Trees are so full of sap that they must bring forth fruit all the year long Yea but yet there are several fruits for several seasons for several moneths Ezek. 47.12 There are several winds which blow upon the Garden of the Heart and cause several fruits to flow out Cant. 4.16 There are gales of the Spirit and gales of Providence Gales of the Spirit Joh. 3.8 The wind bloweth where it listeth so is the Spirit O set up thy sails when thou hast so fair a wind if thou art bound for the Land of Promise Gales of Providence viz. The north-wind of adversity O now bring forth fruit with patience The south-wind of prosperity O now bring forth fruits with joy and thankfulness Besides there are seasons of grace for thy self and for others For thy self see 2 Cor. 6.2 Now is the accepted time c. when God calls by his Word or by his Rod whilest the waters are troubled John 5. then is the time of healing For others in gaining them to bring forth fruit to God Some are made Fishers of mâ—n It is excellent to know the season and the bait to cast out the Net at Gods word and his time Faith teacheth this It is good fishing in troubled waters that is the season As it is with a man ready to be drown'd you must take him when he riseth up and holds forth his hand and cries for help c. Beloved there is no Ordinance no Providence but calls for some seasonable duty at our hands As every day hath its proper trouble Mat. 6.34 so every day hath its proper task and service Now 't is Faith onely that can instruct us and enable us to know our time and take our time As he that believes makes not haste Isa 28.16 So he will not be too slow Heb. 6.12 not slothful Natural men and unbelievers know not their times nor the seasons of their visitation Luke 19.42 c. So nor of their Fructification Natural men know natural seasons of Sowing Setting Planting Plowing every Almanack can tell this But onely the true Believer the spiritual man is instructed in the spiritual good husbandry to know the right seed-time and harvest of Grace and to know the season of every fruit of Grace Eccles 8.5 6. A wise man knows time and judgement c. 5. The just lives by Faith the Life of Fructification 5. Faith ripens the fruits of new obedience in ripening the fruit Faith is a bright beam of the Sun of Righteousness that ripens the fruit of New Obedience without Faith it is but crude and raw fruit yea dead and withered fruit dead Prayers dead Preaching dead Hearing dead Practice dead Works As Faith without Works is a dead faith Jam. 2.17 So Works without Faith are dead works Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God There are works that are called dead works that have all the outward lineaments of good works onely they want life and we are purged from these by the blood of Christ applied and sprinkled upon the conscience by Faith and so there is life put into them and they are made living works fit to be presented to a living God 6. And so lastly He lives by Faith in Fructification 6. Faith procures acceptation of our fruitfulness through Christ in regard of the Acceptation of this fruit when it is presented to the hands of the great Master of the Vineyard Faith presents it by the hand of a Mediator and so 't is accepted which otherwise would certainly be rejected Look as Whatsoever we ask the Father in Christs Name it is granted so whatsoever we present to God in his Name is accepted Gen 27. Jacob gat the Blessing in the garments of his elder Brother Take the same good works for matter Suppose the one presented by the hands of a faithful man the other by the hands of a proud unbeliever whose heart is lifted up in him and he thinks God is beholding to him for his service the one is accepted the other is rejected The Lord had respect to Abel and his offering but to Cain and his offering had he not respect Gen. 4. And what 's the reason of the difference The difference is not in the Offering but the Offerer The one had Faith the other had none By faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain God testifying of his gifts Heb. 11.4 The diversity of the persons makes a diversity in the Present They are like the two Baskets of Jeremiah's figs Jer. 24. The one had very good figs like the figs that are first ripe the other had very naughty figs that could not be eaten they were so bad True Faith dares invite God to eat of the fruit of his own Planting and of his own ripening Though it be not full ripe in it self 't is mellow'd in Christ Cant. 4. last Let my beloved come into his garden and eat of his pleasant fruit Thus the just man lives by Faith the Life of Fructification
from an inward principle of life And how is that discerned Ans His actions spring 1. From Faith both in the Precept Psal 119.93 I will never forget thy precepts for by them thou hast quickned me and in the Promise whether of Assistance or Acceptance or Reward as we see in Moses Heb. 11.25 26. 2. From Love 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth me A natural man or hypocrite is not moved by any such Principle Trial. 2 Secondly they differ in their End A true Christian aims at Gods glory Elias is zealous for the Lord of hosts 1 King 19. Whether he eats or drinks he does all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 And others Salvation ver 33 Even as I please all men in all things not seeking mine own profit sayes Paul but the profit of many that they may be saved An Hypocrite though zealous and he sayes 't is for God yet 't is for himself that he may be seen of men Matth. 6.6 So Jehu 2 Kings 10.16 Come see my zeal for the Lord This is his end and this is his Principle For Finis movet agentem That which is last in Execution is first in Intention Hence also his most lively actions spring from envy and sinful emulation they scorn any should go beyond them Some preach Christ of envy sayes Paul Philip. 1.15 But a gracious heart is glad when others are active and exceed Trial. 3 Thirdly in their Manner of working where there is true Vivification 1. It strives against Coldness and meets with opposition swims against the stream An hypocrite may be as active as he will he findes nothing to let him 2. He that is truly active desires to approve himself to God and had rather God should approve him than all the world commend him 1 Cor. 4.3 4. It is a very small thing I should be judg'd of mans judgment but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Nay 2 Cor. 10. last Not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth See Psal 139. Iohn 21.17 Trial. 4 Lastly in their Issue and success The true Life of Vivification increaseth strength and spirits Prov. 24.5 A man of knowledge increaseth strength The counterfeit life of Vivification decreaseth strength and spirit like the blazing Comet that wastes it self or as unnatural predatory heat devours the spirits and strength whereas natural heat increaseth both False zeal is like Nebuchadnezzars Image Dan. 2.32 the head of gold but downward worse and worse BRANCH V. IN THE LIFE of FAITH IN SANCTIFICATION VIZ. AUGMENTATION NOw next the Just lives by Faith the Life of Augmentation he draweth increasing Vertue from Christ Christ is to the Church what the Head is to the Natural Body not onely a principle of life and motion but of increase also Col 2.19 Not holding the head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God Now what are these joynts and bands but the Spirit and Faith uniting each Member to the Head So that by Faith the Soul draws both quickning and increasing Vertue from Christ the Head The just lives the Life of Augmentation in Spiritual Respects however he fares in Temporal to apply it to the occasion of the Text. Whereas it might be objected The Caldeans will so crush the people of God that they will make them even weary of their lives as Jethro said to Moses Exod. 18.18 Thou wilt surely wear away both thou and this people The Text answers Now the just shall live by his Faith though the outward man decays by affliction yet the inward man in all true Believers is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 i.e. Gods people are quickned strengthned and enlarged in their Spiritual Life one day after another And to this increase of Spiritual Life the Prophet alludes in the very Context of this Chapter ver 14. The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Which words howsoever some do refer to the manifestation of Gods glory in the destruction of the Caldeans which is true also yet others extend them further even to the abundant pouring forth of the Spirit of grace as a fruit of their affliction So the very same words are used isa 11.9 where he shews how such men as have been Wolves and Leopards shall be made of a Lamb-like disposition And how so For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord c. So that these words do necessarily refer to the abundant increase of grace and so the just lives by Faith the Life of Augmentation in the Winter of Affliction As the unbeliever swells at first ebullat but vanishes to nothing afterwards So the believer is small at first but increaseth exceedingly What John Baptist said I must decrease but he must increase so may the unbeliever say See ver 5 6 7.8 We are then to insist upon two things 1. That the just lives the Life of Augmention 2. That he lives this Life by Faith Propos 1. Just live the life of Augmentation First the just lives the Life of Augmentation It is his duty property and practice to grow and to increase 2 Pet. 2. last But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thess 4.1 abound more and more ver 10. increase more and more Col. 1.10 increasing in the knowledge of God They that travel heaven ward they go from strength to strength Psal 84.7 Nicodemus was weak in grace at first and so was Joseph of Arimathea for they both came by stealth to Christ at the beginning of their Conversion for fear of the Jews But afterward they grew so strong in grace that though Christ was crucified they came boldly and begg'd his body of the Governor Joh. 19. and committed it to the grave with an honorable Burial Peter was so weak at the first that the breath of the Damsels voice makes him fall back but afterwards he grew so strong that he stands like an unmovable Rock at all the Thunder-claps and terrible threats and stripes of the High-Priests Acts 4. and Rulers of the people Thus it was with the rest of the Disciples and so it is with all Gods people And the Reason is drawn Reasons of spiritual growth 1. First From the nature of true Grace It is of a growing nature Thus it is with the Kingdom of God or Church in general it increaseth from very small beginnings to a great bigness like Gideons Barley-cake or like a Snow-ball it rowls up and down the world and grows bigger and bigger and subdues all before it Therefore 't is compared to a grain of Mustard-seed Mat. 13.31 which being the least of seeds when 't is sown yet the greatest of herbs when 't is grown Besides Mustard-seed you know sows it self after the first year and so 't is in the growth of Gods Kingdom Therefore
Sermon yet they more desire their carnal liberty c. Thirdly it is a good evidence of growth Third sign of growth if thou gettest more strength by thy nourishment When the Gospel comes not in word onely but in power thou gettest more strength Explicated in 3 things 1. To do more 2. To bear more 3. To shake off the yoke of Ceremonies and Indifference with more ease This is an evidence of growth 1. Thou canst do more than formerly 1. Strength to do duties in performance of holy Duties 2. In resisting Temptations 1. In performance of Duties a strong man will do twenty times as much as a childe or a sick man How doth Christ convince the Church of Ephesus that she had lost her first strength of love to God but because she had lost her first works Therefore he saith Rev. 2 5. Remember whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works On the other side how doth he prove the Church of Thyatira to be on the growing hand How doth he prove her grace to be more than formerly but by her works because her works were more Rev. 2.19 I know thy works and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy works and the last to be more than the first If Christians can pray better and hear better and confer better and meditate better and practise better and all this from an inward Principle it argues they are upon the growing hand Therefore they are grown to a strange pass that cast off all care of duties And resist temptations 2. If thou growest thou canst ordinarily do more in resisting Temptations 1 Joh. 2.14 I have written to you young men because ye are strong and have overcome the wicked one How doth he prove they were strong in grace but because they had overcome the evil one On the other side how did it appear that Samsons strength was departed from him but because he could not do as at other times when the Philistines came upon him It argues a Christian is weak and decays in grace when he cannot resist Temptations as formerly Time was when Jerusalem was beautiful and yet could resist Temptations to Spiritual Adultery but when she had once yielded and was overcome by her filthy lovers God saith How weak is thy heart O Jerusalem Ezek. 16.30 He hath most grace who taking to himself the whole armour of God Eph. 6 10. is strongest in the Lord and in the power of his might that he may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil 2. Strength to bear 2. As he is able to do more so to bear more He is the strongest Christian that can bear the heaviest burthen In 3 things 1. Of Afflictions and Persecutions 2. Of Wrongs and Injuries 3. Of his Brethrens Infirmities 1. Afflictions 1. Of Afflictions or Persecutions It argued a great growth of grace in the Apostles that whereas before Christs Passion they could not so much as endure to hear of it with patience O saith Peter Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee Mat. 16.22 Now they themselves can suffer and that not onely with patience but with much rejoycing Acts 5.41 They rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer for his Name 2. He is grown stronger 2. Injuries that can bear a greater burthen of Wrongs and Injuries Time was he could bear no thing but was fire and tow like the two Disciples that would have fire come down from heaven to consume the Samaritans but now he is grown so strong he can pity and pray for those that wrong him most as Steven did It is very observable that when Christ commands his Disciples to forgive those that wrong them seven times a day Luke 17.5 they pray Lord increase our faith as much as to say there must be a great strength of faith to enable to forgive injuries 3. He is grown stronger 3. Infirmities of others that can bear a greater burthen of his brethrens Infirmities When he sees they are weak in knowledge weak in love weak in the government of their passions yet he beareth with them he will not presently cast them off and unbrother them Time was when he was weak in grace himself he was very censorious when he saw the failings of others he would say The man hath no grace in him I will have nothing to do with him but now he is grown stronger he can better bear the infirmities of the weak Rom. 15.1 3. He is stronger 3. Strength to shake off Ceremonies that can shake off the yoke of Ceremonies and things indifferent with more ease not making conscience of them as of things necessary Therefore Rom. 14.7 the Apostle shews they were weak that made a difference of meats and days where God had made none Now they because they would be sure to eat no forbidden meat would live onely upon herbs He that is weak saith he eateth herbs It is the weakness of Christians to be too scrupulous in meats and dayes especially where the Ordinance of man hath onely made the difference This is not their strength but their weakness 4. Though he that hath most grace hath most strength Fourth sign of growth yet he is also on the growing hand that is most sensible of his weakness For the strongest Christian hath much remaining weakness Now it is part of our strength of grace to be sensible of this weakness When I am weak then am I strong 2 Cor. 12.10 A weak Christian is ready to think himself strong as Peter did when he was weak as water Lord saith he though all men should deny thee yet will not I. But a strong Christian is most sensible of his weakness for his sight is clearer to see his sin and his will is more sanctified to hate it therefore if thou saist thou art rich it argues thou art poor Rev. 3.17 Thou saist thou art rich and hast need of nothing and knowest not thou art poor and wretched and miserable and if thou saist thou art poor it argues thou art rich Rev. 2.9 I know thy tribulation and poverty but thou art rich And the reason is because the true sense of our own poverty and weakness doth cause us to run to God and like the Conies to make our burroughs in the everlasting Rock of his Name Here is the strength of a feeble people Prov. 30.26 The Conies are a feeble people yet make their houses in the Rock It argues strength of grace when we are so far gone out of our selves out of our graces duties parts performances that we burrough our selves deep in God Fifth sign of growth 5. The more any aim at Gods glory in what they do the more grace they have received from God The Scribes and Pharisees were men of great parts but they did all for their own glory Mat. 6.2 therefore they were but Hypocrites they had no grace but they that
yoke in the world they have found such comfort in it And this I say makes much for the honour of the Master 2 Reason 2. For their own support God will have the just live the Life of Consolation that the comforts of God may Support their Spirits in the midst of many Troubles Afflictions and Temptations they meet withall in their Christian course You know it is a Statute-Law of Heaven We must through tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God Act. 14.22 Therefore God in much Wisdom and Faithfulness proportions the comforts of his Servants to their sufferings lest they should faint in their minds and be weary Psal 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul and so the more suffering for Christ the more comfort in Christ 2 Cor. 1.5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolations also abound by Christ As Christ himself had greatest comfort in his greatest temptation for then it was that Angels came and ministred unto him Mat. 4.11 so Gods People may expect greatest comforts in their greatest sufferings especially if it be in a good cause 1 Pet. 3.14 and 4.13 If ye suffer for righteousness if ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you So that as it was said of him that knew not how to pray Let him go to Sea so we may say of the Christian that knows not how to rejoyce Let him take up the Cross that lie in the way of his calling let him be willing to go to the Prison or to the Stake if God call him thither Etiam hîc eris mecum bone Jesu said the good Martyr Even here Lord Jesus I finde and I feel thou wilt be present with me So he that would meet God and enjoy most of God on this side heaven let him not look for it in Princes Courts but let him look for it in the Dungeon of Adversity There God met with Joseph and there he met with Jeremiah and there he met with Peter and there he met with Paul and Silas Act. 16.25 They were so full of comfort they could not hold they must needs sing at mid-night Their hearts were never more at liberty than when their feet were fast in the stocks Simile Wicked men like other ordinary Birds can sing in a Sun-shine day of Prosperity but Gods People are Nightingals they sing best in the mid-night of adversity And were it not thus Gods People would not be so ready to suffer in the cause of God they would be ready to say Oh! there is a Lion in the way Pro. 22 13. I shall be slain in the streets But when they remember God can bring Honey out of the Carcase of the Lion he can bring Meat out of the Eater as he did Judg. 14.14 he can bring strength and nourishment to the Soul out of sharp destruction and devouring affliction they are not so much afraid of the Cross And that 's the second Reason why God will have his People live the Life of inward Consolation that they may the better live the Life of outward Affliction 3. To cause longing for heaven 3. God will have them live the Life of Spiritual Consolation in some measure upon earth that they may long the more to be in heaven Indeed the best estate of Gods People here below is but a mixt estate in respect of comfort Here is Night as well as Day Winter as well as Summer but there is Day and no Night Summer and no Winter It is true indeed he gives them some light some first-fruits of comfort here but to what end certainly that they may the more earnestly long for the Harvest When Paul was but a little while caught up into the third heaven he was never well till he came there again Phil. 1. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all God gives his People a taste to set the mouth of their Souls on water after heaven Taste of my Hidden Manna saith God and as you like that take more Now when they have once tasted they long to be at the Kings Banquetting-house where is fulness of joy Cant. 2. Psal 16. and pleasures for evermore The Martyrs had but a taste and they were ready to run through fire and water to get to a full draught And were it not thus did not God sometimes give to his People the first-fruits of his Spirit of heavens joys they would be ready either to be deter'd in their journey to Canaan by the perils of the Wilderness or else to be allured back again by the flesh-pots of Egypt or at best to take up their rest with the two Tribes and a half on this side Jordan Therefore God gives his People something of the very comfort of Heaven whilst they are in the way thither like the Bunch of Grapes that was brought out of Canaan before-hand that they may long to be in Heaven and so to enter into that joy there that doth but enter into them here 4. Here 4. To be able to comfort others God will have his People live the Life of Consolation themselves that they may the better minister comfort to others A Scholar that knows the World by Map can give some direction to a Traveller but nothing so exact as he that hath travelled the same way himself A man that never tasted of Honey may discourse of the sweetness of it but nothing so feelingly as he that hath suck'd the Honey-comb So a man that never tasted of the comfort of the Holy Ghost or peace of Conscience may discourse of it at random to others but nothing so effectually as he that feels the powerful working of it effectually in his own brest he will say Come Psal 34. and I will tell you what the Lord hath done for my Soul Whereas a man that never felt that comfort himself but is a meer stranger to the joy of Gods chosen he is very unfit to comfort others One sorrowful man is a miserable comforter to another Like the sad reflections of some doleful Echo that doubles and trebles the complaint and so one woe returns many Or like the answer of an evil Conscience that always prophecies evil and not good to him that inquires of it But such a one as hath felt the comforts of God himself is able to speak more feelingly to others Now that they may do so God reacheth forth the Cup of Salvation and the Cup of Consolation to some of his children that they may commend it to others upon their own experience that they may say O how sweet is the Cup of Gods Consolation will you not pledge me will you not drink of the same cup O taste and see that the Lord is good O how sweet is he in the forgiveness of sins how sweet in the comforts of his Spirit how sweet in
Though an unregenerate man may love Gods People after a sort yet not in a sanctified manner that is to say neither all the People of God nor all their graces at all times First Not all the People of God they hate some as they seem to love others They are guilty of sinful partiality Jam. 2. having the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of persons They seem to love the rich and despise the poor Secondly Not all their graces They may admire their common gifts as Pharaoh admired the wisdom of Joseph and Nebuchadnezzar the wisdom of Daniel but not their saving graces Every one that doth evil hateth the light Joh. 3.20 Even that light of good works Thirdly Not at all times God sometimes indeed over-rules their spirits strongly as he over-ruled the spirits of Lions to preserve Daniel and of the Ravens to feed Elijah but so soon as that over-ruling Providence is over they are as they were before God for a time gave the Israelites favour in the eyes of the Egyptians but before and after they were their utter enemies but he that hath truth of grace he loves 1. All the Saints poor as well as rich Phil. 1.15 and love unto all the Saints 2. All their graces saving as well as common and more than common because the Image of God is most in those 3. At all times because his love springs from an inward principle from likeness of nature and therefore it is unchangeable Now this upon trial is ground of singular comfort and this trial is made by Faith Therefore by Faith the Just lives the Life of Consolation because by Faith a man reflects upon that Sanctity and Sincerity which God hath wrought in the believing Soul Reas 6 6 Reason Because Faith makes a thing absent Why Consola flows in by Faith to be as it were present For joy is properly the delight we take in some present good God who seemed before to be absent is present things promised are present Heaven it self is present He hath made us through faith to sit together in heavenly places Eph. 2 6. As it is said of the destruction of enemies Revel 18.2 Babylon is fallen Now what a comfort is this it is even Heaven opposed to earth What a comfort and content is it to a man when he looks through a Prospective glass and sees a friend coming towards him many Furlongs off It may be he looked before in the glass and either he saw him not at all or else he doubted whether it was his friend or no but the glass draws him so near that it puts all out of doubt he sees the very colour of his clothes of the hair of his face and the proportion of his parts so perfectly as if he were present with him and therefore he smileth to himself and salute him at a distance Oh my dear friend I am glad to see you Faith is such a Prospective glass that looking upon God and Heaven and things promised at a great distance even as far as Heaven is from Earth yet it draws these good things so near and makes them so present so sure to the Soul that it cannot but rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory as Abraham saw Christs day afar off and rejoyced to see it and so the rest of the Patriarchs Heb. 11.18 though they received not the things promised yet having seen them afar off through the glass of Faith they made them so near to their apprehensions Heb. 11.13 that they even fell upon the neck of the Promises and saluted them as dear friends salute and embrace one another at their meeting And in this respect Faith is said to be the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 It puts a man as it were into a possession of good things to come or at least it makes them as sure as if they were present What comfort is this We say It is good to be sure we do not onely rejoyce in the excellency of a thing promised but in the certainty of it Yea but is this true saith the poor Soul Yea saith Faith thou maist be as sure of it as if thou hadst it already in possession for thou hast the Word of God the Promise of God the Oath of God the Seal of God And why so many ties and engagements one upon another but that by these immutable things Heb. 6.18 in which it is impossible for God to lie we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Faith lays hold upon all these ingagements and so the just lives by Faith the Life of Consolation Vses of the Consolation of the Faithful The first Use of Information Vse 1 TO let us see what is the main cause of that sadness and sorrow of heart Information of the cause of sadness which the Prophet Jeremiah called The curse of God Lam. 3.65 Not as if all were cursed that are sad and sorrowful for God knows how to fish in troubled waters but to shew That of it self it is the greatest of all evils for the spirit of a man will sustain his infirmities but a wounded Spirit who can bear Prov. 18.14 Now let us inquire what is the cause of this wound of this sadness and sorrow of heart certainly it is not the greatness of any outward troubles it is not Imprisonment for the Apostles were so merry they fell a singing in the very Dungeon Act. 16 25. It is not Reproach for Job professeth if his adversary should write a Book against him he would take it Job 31. and binde it as a Crown upon his head And if a man rejoyce not in a Crown what should be the object of his joy It is not Poverty for it is said of the faithful They suffered with joy the spoiling of their goods Heb. 10.34 It is not Persecution for it is said Act. 4. the Apostles rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer for the Name of the Lord Jesus It is not simply Sin Psal 49.5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil when the iniquities of my heels compass me about It is not Dis-respect and ill-will from men Heb. 11.27 By faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King Well then if it be not any outward trouble that is the cause of sadness and sorrow of heart what is it then Surely you shall finde upon search it is nothing else but Want of Faith or at least want of acting of Faith in the Promises of God Heb. 11.27 He endured as seeing him who is invisible Had we but Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed and had we skill to act it we should say to Mountains of Sorrow that surrounded us Be ye removed and they should obey For the just lives by Faith the Life of Consolation in the midst of troubles and therefore in case thou art at any
what a glorious sight would it be In Heaven the Saints shall behold the Sun of Righteousness in the highest firmament and the eye of their Soul shall be strengthned to behold his glory to eternity That 's the first Perfection of knowledge 2. Perfect love Faith assures That in Heaven there shall be a Perfection of Love both to God and one another Indeed this follows from the former Perfect knowledge of God begets Perfect Love The Saints then shall love God beyond all measure who is infinitely lovely Here it 's the grief of a gracious heart that it can love God no more there it shall be the joy of a glorious Soul that it shall love God above all yea above it self and both it self and all other things in God And in this respect the Apostle gives Love the preheminence 1 Cor. 13. above Faith and Hope that when Faith shall be turned into Vision and Hope into Comprehension yet Love abideth or endures to eternity Faith assures That in Heaven 3. Perfect obedience Obedience to the will of God shall be perfect and this follows likewise from the former Perfect Obedience springs from perfect Love If ye love me keep my Commandments Joh. 14.15 The Saints knowing God perfectly shall perfectly love him and perfectly loving God shall perfectly keep his Commandments Rev. 22.3 His servants shall serve him ver 4. And they shall see his face Here we see onely the back parts of God In Heaven we shall see him perfectly and serve him perfectly Faith assures 4. Perfect joy That in Heaven there shall be perfect Peace and Joy The Kingdom of Heaven is righteousness peace and joy Rom. 14.17 When our righteousness is perfect then is our Peace too Here indeed imputed Righteousness is perfect but imparted inherent Righteousness is not to be perfected till the life to come and then shall be perfect peace Peace with God with our fellow-Citizens with our own Consciences And perfect joy too At thy right hand is fulness of joy Psal 16. ult A full joy and so a full reward 2 Joh. v. 8. There is a double fulness Of the Object Of the Subject Faith assures the Saints of both First There shall be a fulness of the Subject Fourfold fulness of the subject in glory Every part of Soul and Body shall be filled 1. The Vnderstanding shall be full of light that every question shall then be put out of question 2. The Will so full of subjection to the Will of God that there shall be no reluctancy 3. The Affections so full of harmony there shall be no jarring 4. The Body so full of glory that it shall be made like to the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3. ult Fulness of the Object Secondly there shall be a fulness of the Object The Saints in glory shall have whatever may make them happy whatever they can desire Joh. 14.8 They shall see God and so see the Father as that it shall suffice them They shall have Rest 2 Thess 1.8 And that which hath rest hath obtained its perfection to the full In a word 1. We shall be freed from whatever may annoy us 2. We shall enjoy whatever we can desire Fivefold freedom in heaven We shall be freed c. 1. From all the labours of this life Here we are born to labour Job 5.7 as the sparks to fly upwards There is rest 2. From the Necessities of Nature There is no need of Meat 1 Cor. 15.28 Drink Physick Clothing Lodging God shall be all in all 3. From the filth and power of Sin Here the best cry out Oh wretched c. Rom. 7.24 There we shall never sin more 4. From the company of sinners Here is complaining Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Meshech Ps 120.5 There shall be a perfect separation without any mixture Wheat with Wheat and Tares with Tares like to like to all eternity 5. From all sorrows and pains Rev. 21.4 The life of the best here is an April-day it hath some gleams of comfort but many showers In Heaven shall be constant Sun-shine for evermore Secondly We shall be possess'd of whatever good can be desired There we shall enjoy the sweet society of God Christ Angels Saints and with all these an eternal Sabbath And thus Faith like Moses on the top of Mount Pisgah discovers the promised Land afar off or like the Spies gathers up some Clusters of Canaan and brings them to a Believer here in the Wilderness Thirdly 3. Faith assures That eternal life is the Believers Faith assures a believer of his peculiar interest in this Life Eternal And indeed this is the very life of this life to know our right to this Tree of Life in Jesus Christ For as 't is nothing so comfortable to a man that beholds another mans Temporal Inheritance adorned with Woods Orchards Gardens Rivers and goodly Buildings as to be able to say with good warrant All these are mine I have good Evidence to shew for them So is it nothing so comfortable to be able to discourse of the happiness of Heaven as by the certainty of Faith to say By the grace of God all this is mine I have good Evidence to shew for it Indeed otherwise it 's a punishment nay it 's a part of Hell it 's poena damni to know that there is such a Glory in Heaven while himself hath neither lot nor part in it This is like Balaam's sight of Heaven or Dives his beholding Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham while there was a great gulf between them This I say is part of the Torment of Hell But this is the Life of a Christians knowledge concerning Life Eternal when he can upon good grounds say This is mine The lines are fallen unto me in a pleasant place yea I have a goodly heritage therefore my heart is glad my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope Psal 16.6 9. I know that my Redeemer liveth c. For we know c. 2 Cor. 4.1 Now how is a Christian assured of this his interest in Eternal Life but by Faith For Eternal Life is the End or Ultimate Object of Faith Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your Souls 1 Pet. 1.9 There are indeed many witnesses of it Three in Heaven and three in Earth 1 Joh. 5.7 8 c. And this witness of Faith is one of the Three on Earth The Spirit and Water and Blood The Spirit witnesseth to our Spirits Rom 8.16 By Water is meant the Benefit of our Sanctification By Blood our Justification by Faith in Christ or Expiation by the Blood of Christ applied by Faith and it may here be observed That though Blood alone saves a Christian yet it doth not alone witness his salvation Sanctification goes not into the matter of Salvation as a cause yet it goes into the matter of witness But according to the former Exposition Faith laying
may have the Habit of Faith and not act it as he ought to do unlesse he be very careful to stir up the grace of God that is in him 2 Tim. 1 Moses had the habit of faith and yet he failed in not acting of it at the waters of Meribah The disciples of Christ had the habit of faith yet they failed in acting of it in the time of danger insomuch that Christ saith Where is your Faith Let us not therefore content our selves that we believe in Christ and we have the habit of faith but let us be sure to reduce this Habit into Act upon all occasions We say all The excellency of an instrument consists in the use That is a good Knife or Spade or Sword or Shield that is good for use So â—t is with the Shield of faith that is the most excellent faith that is good for use Motives to Act Faith Mot. 1 For First It is the most Lively Faith when we Act it so that we live by it As we say an active man is a lively man whereas a sluggard or unactive creature is counted a dead creature one that is all amort So an active Faith is a Lively Faith whereas a fruitlesse and unactive faith is called a dead Faith Jam. 2. and a dead faith is as good as no faith at all We love other things and persons that are Active and Lively O let us love a Lively Faith Mot. 2 Secondly Consider the Acting of our faith when we have it it is that which brings most Honour to God When we trust God with everything we possesse both for the Keeping and the Using of it we take in hand So that we dare do nothing without craving his Advice Blessing This puts a great deal of honour upon God As the natural son honours his natural father by this means So Gods children much more honour their heavenly father when they thus by faith do acknowledge him in all their wayes Prov. 3. Mot. 3 Thirdly This is that which brings no lesse Comfort and Hearts ease to our selves then honour to God therefore faith is called a casting our burden upon the Lord Psal 37.5 Roll thy way upon the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to passe Psal 55.22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved Oh! what an ease what a comfort is this when we have burdens that are ready to break our backs and our hearts too and we go to God by faith and prayer and so find ease and comfort When the perplexed Soul says O how shall I do to subdue such a Corruption to get such a Grace to conquer such an Enemy to dispatch such a business to hold out to the end In this case faith takes off the burthen of fear and care Take no thought says faith but go to God by Prayer Isa 26. for he hath promised to work all thy works for thee and he will be as good as his word And therefore put thy faith to use in these particulars and you shall finde abundance of ease and comfort Take a man that hath but little business in comparison yet if he hath no faith but relie meerly upon his own wit or strength let this man be never so little crost in his designs he is presently at his wits end it breaks his sleep and he can have no quiet Take another man that hath business of the greatest importance in the world yet suppose this man by faith to have committed the work to God he sleeps as quietly and lives as comfortably as if he had nothing at all to trouble him And is not this a most sweet and comfortable life He that acts his faith upon the Promise may have more troubles than another man without but certainly he hath more peace and quiet within He is just like a candle in a close Lanthorn that burns clear and fair in the midst of a Tempest Mot. 4. Fourthly as this acting of faith doth marvellously comfort and support the Spirit in the mean time so it is that which infallibly brings in the greatest advantage in the latter end When all is done we shall finde living by Faith will bring in the best living to the creature at the last This is a sure Rule Gods outward actings for us are usually proportionable to his inward actings upon our Spirits He first sets our Faith on work and then our Faith sets his Hand on work for us You know the usual expression in the Gospel According to your faith be it unto you according to our faith such and such Promises are made good to us As if God should say I am able to do enough if you are able to believe enough Unbelief shuts the door but faith acted and excited is that which turns the key and opens the door of all the good Treasures of God to be drawn out for our seasonable supply Could we but act faith nothing could make us miserable Suppose we be afflicted and persecuted yet afflictions and persecutions are so far from making us miserable that they are a special gift and love-tokens from God when he is pleased to give faith in the first place Phil. 1.29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not onely to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Mot. 5. In a word to conclude This is that for which the Saints of God have been commended and left upon Record with an honourable Remembrance to all Posterity not so much for that they had the habit of faith as that they acted their faith in such and such noble Exploits as are eternized to their everlasting praise in the 11th to the Hebrews By Faith Abel and Enoch Noah and Abraham did thus and thus their faith was very active and operative and so should ours be if we desire to obtain the like good report which they obtained for by it by faith yea by the acting of their faith in the several particulars there mentioned the Elders obtained a good report Hebr. 11.2 What a dishonour is it to a faithful man The not acting of faith foils shames a Christian on the other side when his strength goes from him and he becomes weak like another man He is no more able to perform a duty no more able to resist a temptation than another ordinary man O what a shame is this And yet thus it is with a faithful man if he do not act his faith and keep close to his Covenant Obs He is as Samson was when his hair was cut off he becomes weak like another man Insomuch that carnal men uncircumcised Philistims begin to reproach him and say Lo this is one of our Professors this is the man that lives by faith Lo this is the man that trusted in God that he would deliver him let him deliver him if he will have him c. And thus they reproach and
to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul that thou maist live And thus might we instance in other cases and other promises but these may suffice to give light to the rest Let us thus carefully make use of the talent of our faith in trading with God upon all occasions that our one or two talents may gain more Simile God is the first fountain of all grace and comfort the promises are as several spring-heads our acting faith upon the promises is like the conveiance of waters in pipes to the several rooms in a house for the best service of the inhabitants Let us therefore act our faith that we may live comfortably upon the promises those heavenly wells of salvation And if God answer not presently we must act our faith in tarrying the lords leasure if the vision be for an appointed time the just shall live by his faith And that is the last branch of the exhortation respecting our selves if faith be so excellent a grace even the very life of the soul Then First as we should labour to get it and Secondly to keep it when we have it Thirdly to live by it and act it as well as keep it Branch IV. Of Exhortation So fourthly we should labour to increase the stock of our faith Increase of Faith Faith is such an excellent grace we can never have too much of it He that increaseth his faith increaseth his livelyhood For the just shall live by his faith It was the high commendation of those poor Christians Jam. 2.5 That however they were poor in other things yet they were rich in faith The Thessalonians are commended for this that their faith was on the growing hand their faith grew exceedingly 2 Thes 1.3 Paul gives the like commendable testimony of the Corinthians that they abounded in faith 2 Cor. 8.7 What should I say more this is recorded to the everlasting praise of him that is stiled the father of the faithful that he was strong in the faith Rom. 4.20 Let us all labour therefore that profess the same faith to attain as neer as we can to the same growth that we may be strong in the faith giving glory to God as he did And the rather should we be perswaded to grow because Motives to increase in Faith First there are degrees of faith 1. Faith hath degrees and no man attains to the highest degree at the first faith is like a grain of mustard seed before it comes to be a goodly tree and the faithful are first babes in Christ then young men then strong men 1 Joh. 2.12 13 14. The Disciples are oft reproved for their little faith and the good woman is commended for her great faith Mat. 15.28 Jesus answered and said unto her O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt it seems therefore there is little faith and there is great faith there is weak faith and there is strong faith and yet he that is stronger may grow still Paul was a strong and valiant champion in the faith no whit inferiour to the very chief of the Apostles and yet he speaks of himself as if he had little or nothing in comparison of that which he desired and endeavoured after Psal 3.9 in the third to the Philippians he tells us that he counts all things loss and dung that he may know Christ and the power of his Resurrection Why Did he not know him already and believe in him already doubtless he did but in comparison of what was to come and what he aimed at he accounted that which he had already but very little And therefore says he in the very next words Not as though I had already attained or were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus And therefore still he desireth to know more and to believe more he never thought he had faith enough And therefore beloved if such a strong man in the faith as Paul was desires still to be upon the growing hand how much more should such as are new beginners and but weak in the faith desire to grow from strength to strength according to that gracious promise Job 17.9 The righteous shall hold on his way and that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger In other things men desire to grow In things natural no child but desires to grow till it be a man In things artificial no scholar apprentice but desires to grow till he become a perfect artist In the things of the world no man of mean estate but desires to grow till he be rich onely in grace men are content to be poor still Where we should be covetous there we are well contented with a little 1 Cor. 12.31 Covet earnestly the best gifts And where we should be content there we are covetous as in outward things Mot. 2. Growth of faith an evidence of its truth And this puts me in mind of a second Motive to quicken our growth in faith None have truth of faith but onely such as desire to grow in faith and therefore when a professor shall presently grow secure and say So now I believe all is well I have as much faith as will carry me to heaven and what need I care for any more it is a shrewd signe such a man hath no true faith at all a painted child grows not but a living child grows taller and taller from year to year For in case a man had had truly tasted how gratious the Lord is by the mouth of faith he must needs say as they did of that bread and water of life Lord evermore give us of this bread evermore give us of this water A man thinks he can never have enough of it True faith is never content to stand at a stay And the reason is because it springs up of immortal seed if the seed of faith could rot and die then it might cease to grow 1 Pet. 1. but because the seed of it is immortal and incorruptible therefore it must needs be up on the grownig hand It may be nipt a little for a time like winter corn but even then it grows in the root and will grow the faster for it afterwards in the blade also What shall we say then of those that are alwayes standing at a stay that are children in the faith for the space of fourty or fifty years together these are monsters in the life of faith It is confessed every thing must have a beginning both in nature and grace but it is a shame to be alwayes beginning and never carrying on a work to be a beginner from first to last is very strange and inconsistent with the grace of faith Thirdly consider the faster our faith grows Mot. 3. Faith makes all graces grow the faster all other graces do grow and the fruits of those graces also in all manner