The Saints Sacrifice, Section 67 – Section 68
§. 67. Of that boldneſſe of ſpeech which faith worketh.
II. FAith makes men freely utter their mind. To ſhew that this was not proper to this Prophet onelyonly, but is common to other beleevers alſo, the Apoſtle maketh this inference, a2 Cor. 4, 13.We alſo believe and therefore ſpeake. Well weigh the ardency, the inſtancy, the importunity of the prayers of bGen. 18. 24 &c.Abraham, c—32. 26, &c.Iacob, dExo. 32. 11.Moſes, eIſa. 38. 11.Hezekiah, fDan. 9. 18, 19Daniel, and others, and you will find this verified in them, that they alſo believed and therefore ſpake. The like may be noted of the ſolemne proteſtations of gPſal 119. 106David and h2 Chro 15. 14of the Iewes in Aſas and iNeh. 5. 13.Nehemiahs time: and of the Congratulations of kPſal. 57. 7, &c—136.—148.David, and of lNeh 86.the people in Ezras time.
Faith worketh in man aſſurance of Gods gracious acceptance, and ſo miniſtreth unto his ſoule an holy boldneſſe: according to that of the Apoſtle, mEph. 3. 12.We have boldneſſe and acceſſe with confidence by faith.
Faith is the firſt of the mighty works of Gods Spirit that are wrought in man. The mother of all ſanctifying graces: that which addeth power and efficacy to all the reſt: and therefore muſt needs in it ſelfe be powerfully operative. It is ſo ſpiritually hot as it cannot be ſmothered, much leſſe extinguiſhed; like an hot fiery vapour, the more it is ſuppreſſed, Per Antiperiſtaſin Vide Ariſtot. Meteor. lib. 2. cap. 8. & 9.the more violent it waxeth. Philoſophy teacheth that hot vapours by a repulſion of contraries waxe violent, whence proceedeth the violence of thunder, of winds, of earth-quakes, and ſuch other meteors. And Theologie teacheth, that the fervent graces of Gods Spirit, among which faith is moſt principall, waxe the more ſpiritually violent by oppoſition.
1 Demonſtration of the truth of ſaith. 1 Cor. 13. 7.1 Triall is hereby made of the truth and meaſure of faith. If they that beleeve ſpeake, what may be thought of them that ſpeake not? Will charity (that beleeveth all things, that hopeth all things) ſuffer to believe and hope that …aith is in him, who hath no heart to pray, no boldneſſe to profeſſe the name of God, no ſpirit to praiſe him? He that is altogether ſilent, hath aſſuredly no faith. He that ſpeaketh faintingly and coldly, hath but a fainting and cold faith. This is one of thoſe workes whereof we ought every one to ſay, as we are taught by an Apoſtle, I will ſhew thee my faith by my works.
2 Be perſwaded now to give this evidence of thy faith. 2 Direction How faith is to ſpeake.Speake man, ſpeake if thou believeſt. Be not tongue-tied: oPſal. 81. 10.Open thy mouth wide. God hath promiſed to fill it. Speake to God ſecretly in thy cloſet. Speake of him openly before men. Speake to him and of him in thy family, in aſſemblies of Saints, at all times, in all places. Speake in the poores cauſe. Speake in matters of charity and juſtice. In ſupplication p1 Sam 1. 15.Poure out thy ſoule before the Lord. qPſal 38. 9.Set all thy deſire before him. In profeſſion of his name be r—119. 46.not aſhamed: note for this the Apoſtles inference. ſ2 Tim 1. 12.I am not aſhamed, ſaith he. Why? I know whom I have believed. If thou beeſt aſhamed of Chriſt here, tMar 8 38.he wilbe aſhamed of thee when he commeth in the glory of his Father. In gratulation, uLuk. 17. 15.With a loud voice glorifie God. Herein xPſal. 57. 8.the tongue of that man, who was yAct. 13. 22.a man after Gods owne heart, was his glory. O that Magiſtrates, Subjects, Miniſters, People, Houſhold-governours, Parents, Neighbours, All of all ſorts would do this! That Magiſtrates who believe would boldly ſpeake in the cauſe of God and man! Speake boldly for maintaining truth and purity of religion: ſpeake freely in executing good juſtice and righteous judgement! That Subjects would be bold and free in conſenting to the holy covenants & wholſome ordinances which their pious and good governours make! That Miniſters who believe, would open their mouth Eph. 6. 19.boldly to make knowne the myſtery of the Gospell, and pray and give thankes zealouſly, chearefully! That people would teſtifie their faith by manifeſting a joint conſent, and ſaying, Amen, Amen! That parents and houſholders would command Neh. 8. 6. Gen. 18. 19.their children and houſhold to keepe the way of the Lord! That neighbours would admoniſh, exhort, and (as juſt occaſion by ſinne is offered) reprove, and every way edifie one another! Had men faith, Gods word would be in their heart Ier. 20. 9.2 Cor. 6. 11.as a burning fire ſhut up in their bones: they would be wearie w…h forbearing. Their mouth would be opened: their heart enlarged. Much would Gods glory be advanced: much good would be done to man, if every one of us in our places foreign. Iuſtin. Mart. Expoſ. Fid.could in truth ſay, I beleeved, therefore have I ſpoken. Yea doubts ariſing againſt that which is meet to be uttered, would be ſuppreſſed. Faith would ſoone quell them all. He therefore gave a good advice, that ſaid, when inextricable doubts do trouble thee, let faith be ready to make reſolution, and to give ſatisfaction.
§. 68. Of faiths ſtability in trialls.
I. *§. 66.FAith remaines firme in troubles.
III. No affliction can utterly ſuppreſſe faith. How firme in the uttermoſt triall was their faith that ſaid, aIob. 13. 15.Though he ſlay me yet will I truſt in him. bPſal 23. 4.Though I walke thorow the vally of the ſhadow of death, I will feare none evill. c2 Cor. 4. 8, &c.We are troubled on every ſide, yet not diſtreſſed: we are perplexed, yet not in deſpaire, &c. dRom. 8. 38, 39I am perſwaded that neither life, &c. That theſe inſtances may not bee thought to bee ſo extraordinary as they ſhould not bee exemplary, note the Apoſtles ample extenſion thereof, We having the ſame ſpirit of faith: (he ſaith not in the ſingular number, I, as ſpeaking of himſelfe alone, but in the plurall, we, as ſpeaking of Inexpugnabilem fidem ſup…rar… non potuit ſaviens diu plaga repetita. Cypr. Epiſt. l. 2. …p 6.many, and that indefinitely, as excluding none) We alſo believe and therefore ſpeake. It is noted of the ancient Chriſtians, that many cruell ſtroaks and much affliction long raging could not overcome their impregnable faith.
The true faith of all Saints is rooted in Chriſt, (Col. 2. 7.) who is able to miniſter vertue & vigor, and refreſhing unto it in the moſt bluſtering, blaſting and nipping times that can Ier. 17. 8.be. If a tree that is planted by the waters, and ſpreadeth out her roots by the river, ſhall not ſee when heat commeth, but her leafe ſhalbe greene, and ſhall not be carefull in the yeare of drought, neither ſhall ceaſe from yeelding fruit: how much more ſhall Pſal. 92. 13.they flouriſh who are planted in the houſe of the Lord, and rooted in Chriſt, who wilbe in them a well of water ſpringing Ioh 4. 14.to everlaſting life. It is ſaid of hope the daughter of faith, that it entreth within the veile which is above As hope herin Heb 6. 19.is different from other anchors, which are caſt downward, ſo faith from other trees which grow downwards. Though they therefore that are planted in the moſt fertile ſoiles, and by the beſt rivers may wither, yet will not ſaith ſaile.Luk 22. 32. Inſtruction in the benefit of faith. See The Whole Armour of God Treat 2. Part. 6 § 69, …0.
Admirable is the benefit of faith. It ſheweth it ſelfe in all ſeaſons: it ſerves for all turnes. It cheeres us in proſperity, it revives us in adverſity. It ever keepeth us in a golden meane, ſo as we be not too much puffed up with proſperity, nor too much dejected with adverſitie. In proſperity it moveth us to d1 Chro. 29. 11▪ &c.acknowledge the bounty and magnificence of the Lord. In adverſitie it maketh us e2 Chro. 20. 12roule our eyes up to God, and to f1 Sam. 30. 6.ſuſtaine and comfort our ſelves in him: yea when the clouds of croſſes hide the brightneſſe of his favour from us, it maketh us gOſ…. 6. 1, 2.wait till thoſe clouds be driven away.
Admonition to get, preſerve, increaſe faith.Among, and above other gifts and graces get faith. Having gotten it, keepe it. In keeping it, nouriſh it ſo as it may increaſe. All theſe are implied under this metaphor, hEph. 6. 16.Take the ſhield of faith: whereof having publiſhed a large Treatiſe, it ſhalbe ſufficient here to have pointed at them. See more in The Whole Armour of God. Treat. 2. Part. 6. §. 16. &c.