A Treatise of Faith, Part 2 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
The faithfull are bound, and it is behouefull for them, to belieue the threatnings.
GOd is aſwell iuſt as mercifull, faithfull and true as well in his threats, as in his promiſes: and therefore equally to be belieued in both, ſo farre as in his word he hath aſſured vsus of both. He who is certaine of his ſaluation, knoweth aſſuredly he ſhould be damned, if he ſhould goe on in ſinne without repentance, and ſhall taſt of much bitterneſſe, if he grow indulgent to his corruptions. It is as ſure, that God will condemne the wicked and impenitent, as that hee will ſaue the righteous and repentant.1. Cor. 9.27. If Paul beate not downe his body, and bring it into ſubiection, he ſhall bee as droſſe and refuſe. If the righteous forſake his righteouſneſſe and commit wickedneſſe, Ezek. 18.24.26.or be a worker of iniquity, all his former righteouſneſſe ſhall be forgotten. The godly man is not ſlauiſhly to feare falling away, or running into deſtruction, but wiſely to belieue the threatnings, to preuent falling into ſinne, and ſo into condemnation. The ſubiect, who feareth the puniſhment of the law, and keepeth himſelfe innocent, taketh a wiſe cou…ſe for his owne ſecuritie. EueryEvery part of Scripture is Gods word, of certaine and and vndoubted truth, which cannot be gaine-ſaid, written for the benefit and profit of them, who ſhall be heires of ſaluation: But the threatnings are part of the word of God.Rom. 15.4. Whatſoeuer things were written afore-time (euen as well examples of iudgement inflicted vponupon tranſgreſſours, and threatenings denounced againſt them that ſhall offend, as promiſes of merciemercy to allure vntounto obedience) were written for our learning and inſtructon.1. Cor. 10.6. In the ſtate of innocencie there was vſe of threatenings, ſo is there in the ſtate of grace. As a meanes to keep our firſt parents from ſinne,Gen. 2.17. Iob 31.21.23. the Lord denounced death againſt them, if they ſhould eate of the forbidden fruite. Iob profeſſeth, he durſt not lift vp his hand againſt the Fatherleſſe, for deſtruction from God was a terrour vntounto him. So Dauid, My fleſh trembleth for feare of thee: Pſal. 119.120.and I am affraid of thy Iudgements. The righteous man wiſely conſidereth the houſe of the wicked: Pro. 21.12.but God ouerthroweth the wicked for their wickedneſſe. And ſure it is expedient for vsus, that threatenings ſhould be mingled with the promiſes of grace, for (ſo prone are we to flatter, & fauour our ſelues) milder doctrine would grow colde, vnles theſe ſpurrs were added. The tarxtneſſe of the threatening makes vsus beſt taſt the ſweetneſſe of promiſe: Sowre and ſweet make the beſt ſauce; promiſes and threatenings mingled, fit our ſtate, and ſerue to keepe the heart in the beſt temper. Wee grow ouerbold with God if the threatning doe not awe; are ſoone deiected, if the promiſe doe not ſupport. The Lord knoweth both neceſſarie to keepe vsus in awe; and therefore beginneth with promiſes, to the intent we might follow him the more willingly; but to driue forward when wee ſtoppe, or grow remiſſe, he addeth threatenings.Heb. 12.28.29. Wherfore we receiuing a kingdome, which cannot be moued, let vsus hauehave grace, whereby we may ſerue God acceptably, with reuerence and godly feare. For our God is a conſuming fire.
The acts of faith in reſpect of the threatenings be theſe.The acts of faith in reſpect of the Threatnings.
Firſt, It worketh humbleneſſe of mind and heart: for what the law threateneth, the faithfull will freely acknowledge, that they deſerue, and ſo arraigne themſelues as guiltie of all miſerie and death before the throne of grace; whereby the pride and ſtubborneſſe of nature is much abated. Say wee not of him, who hath beene once impleaded before the tribunall of an earthly Iudge, as guiltie of felonie or treaſon, he hath no reaſon to be ſtout? What then will the arraignement of the ſoule worke, when a man ſhal be drawne to acknowledge before God, that he hath deſerued to be caſt into hell for his manifold offences and tranſgreſſions, againſt God?
Secondly, It bringeth forth awefulneſſe, reuerence and feare.Pſal. 52.6. Act. 5.5. Pſal 119.120. Ion. 1.16. 1. Chron. 13.12. Hab. 3.16. The righteous alſo ſhall ſee and feare. As the Childe quaketh, when he heareth that his Father is angry with, or doth correct a ſeruant: ſo the he…rt and body of the faithfull tremble, as oft as they conſider the ſeueritie of Gods wrath againſt the wicked and vng…dly. When I heard, my belly trembled, my lips quiu…red at the voyce: rottenneſſe entred into my bones, and I trembled in my ſelfe, that I might reſt in the day of trouble: That is, when the fame of thy diuine puniſhment and iudgement came to mine ea…es, which thou haſt decreed to inflict vponupon thy people;“Pro. 29 27.30 Pſal 40.8. my belly, that is, my heart and bowels moue… for griefe and feare, Thus Noah hearing of Gods iuſt wrath againſt the ſinfull world, and of his purpoſe to ouerthrow all liuing fleſh by water,Heb. 11.7. was moued with great feare and reuerence at this ſtrange, dreadfull, & mightie work of God and from the view of this his great & iuſt iudgement, his faith made him ariſe to a more earneſt conſideration of the glorious Maieſty of the Alm…ghty. And this is the effect of iudgement executed by men according to the direction of Gods word. And all Iſrael ſhall heare and feare, Deut. 13.11. and 17.13. and 19 26. Ier. 10.7.and ſhall doe no more any ſuch wickedneſſe. True faith then worketh an holy feare and reuerent awe of God in reſpect of his iudgements. Who would not feare thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertaine. Pſal. 76.7.Thou euen thou art to bee feared, and who may ſtand in thy ſight when once thou art angry? The godly mans aſſurance of Gods fauour will ſtand well with reuerence of his Maieſtie, and feare of temporall afflictions, ſpirituall deſertions, and the torments of hell, not as an euil he ſhall fall into, but which he ſhall eſcape by the conſtant ſtudy and practice of holines. For our aſſurance to eſcape damnation through the death of Chriſt,Phil. 2.12. Math. 10.28. Luke 12.4.5. is no greater then our care to auoyd ſin, which leadeth thereunto. Worke out your ſaluation with feare and trembling. Feare not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the ſoule: but rather feare him which is able to deſtroy both ſoule and body in hell.
Thirdly, It ſt…rreth vp continuall watchfulneſſe to ſhunne whatſoeuer might b…eed danger, or procure Gods diſpleaſure. When ſleepineſſe beginneth to come vponupon vsus, faith ioggeth our elbow, and telleth the Lord is at hand with a whip to awaken vsus. The approach of perill apprehended, will rowſe vp the ſluggard to looke about him. Faith alſo teacheth ſo to acknowledge the anger of God, as that it draweth the heart aboue all things to take heed not to prouoke him by careleſneſſe and ſecuritie. Who knoweth the power of thy anger? 2. Cor. 5.10, 11. Pſal. 90.11.Euen according to thy feare, ſo is thy wrath.
Fourthly, The threatnings mingled with faith, cauſe ſorrowfull melting or relenting of heart for ſinne committed. When the King of Nineueh belieued the preaching of Ionah, Ionas 3.6, 7, 8.that within fortie dayes that g…eat Citie ſhould be deſtroyed, hee roſe from his throne, put on ſackcloth, and proclaimed a Faſt vntounto the Lord. And when the Lord teſtified his diſpleaſure againſt the Iſraelites by ſending thunder and lightning in Wheate Harueſt, all the people feared greatly, and ſaid vntounto Samuel,1. Sa. 12.18, 19. Pray for thy ſeruants vntounto the Lord thy God, that we die not; for we hauehave added vntounto all our ſinnes, this euill, to aske vsus a King. Now the threatnings belieued worke the ſame effect,Iudges 2.3, 4. that the iudgements ſeene. When Ioſiah heard what the Lord ſpake againſt Ieruſalem, and againſt the inhabitants of that place, his heart was tender, 2. Kin. 22.18, 19and hee humbled himſelfe before the Lord.
Fiftly, When wee ſee by faith from what miſeries wee are deliuered of the free grace and merciemercy of God, our hearts are enlarged in prayſe and thankſgiuing. In diſtreſſe faith powreth out ſupplications; when the calamitie is ouer-paſt it ſetteth forth the goodneſſe of the Lord, and ſingeth of his glorie. When the Iſraelites were in ſafetie on the ſhoare, looking backe vponupon the danger eſcaped, when they paſſed through the red Sea,Exod. 15.1, 2. they make a ioyfull noiſe to the God of their ſaluation: their ſongs are anſwerable to their fore-conceiued feare. And ſo when the Lord brought backe the captiuitie of Babylon, Pſal. 126.2.their mouthes were filled with laughter, and their tongues with ioy. The due conſideration of our deſerts, manifeſt by the threatnings contained in the Word of God, doth maruellouſly affect the heart with deſire to publiſh and ſpread abroad the louing kindneſſe of the Lord, when by faith in Chriſt wee ſee our ſelues to bee ſet free from the dreadfull curſes of the Law, and mercifully ſaued from the righteous iudgement of our ſinnes. By this which hath beene ſaid, it is manifeſt, that this life of faith is moſt excellent and comfortable, and by good proofe and experience wee ſhould be able to ſay ſo, if wee would be perſwaded, but to take a taſte of the benefit and ſweetneſſe that it bringeth. For by this faith we are directed to ſeeke and follow after Chriſt,Epheſ. 3.17. till wee come to be aſſured, that he dwelleth in vsus as the fountaine of life, and that in him we are deliuered from the gilt and puniſhment of all our ſinnes:2. Cor. 5.19. whereas others, who liue not by it, wauer, are oft diſtracted, and know not where to begin the foundation of that great worke, nor how to build thereon. By this faith we may come to ſound reſt and holy ſecuritie about our ſaluation from time to time, enioying the comfort of it ſtill more and more with incredible ioy: whereas others, euen the beſt, are oft vnſetled and much diſquieted. If the Lord lead vsus into the darke, and exerciſe vsus with manifold afflictions and temptations, by this faith we are enabled to hold him by the hand, to caſt our ſelues vponupon the promiſes of grace, and ſo relying vponupon his power, faithfulneſſe and mercy, to promiſe ſafetie vntounto our ſelues aboue likelihood and appearance; yea, when wee feele the contrarie. The rage of ſinne is weakened, and wee hauehave ſtrength againſt it, though not alwayes to preuaile (which were not expedient) yet at leaſt to be in combate with it, which is euer a good teſtimonie of our ſafetie: for hereby we proue our ſelues to bee liuely members of the Church Militant. Alſo by this we are preſerued againſt fearefull ſinnes, and hauehave grace to walke in newneſſe of life, and all parts of it with ioy and chearefulneſſe. If we liue by faith we hauehave deliuerance from m…ny ſharp & bitter afflictions; & beare thoſe, which we muſt go vnderunder, more meekly & patiently: becauſe it makes vsus depend vponupon Gods promiſes, not ſtinting him to any ſet time, maner of deliuerance, or meaſure of afflictiō. By it we walk in our callings more chearfully, honeſtly, painfully; & with leſſe diſtractiō, toile & vexatiō, but with more profit, then they that flow in with wealth, & hauehave all ſhifts & cunning ſlights to gaine by.Pſal. 127.1, 2. For whiles we ſee God euer going before vsus in al our earthly dealings and actions (as we ſhould more looke to it, that we find it ſo, then to our greateſt profits & weightieſt dealings) this faith ſhall vphold vsus in the quieteſt eſtate and moſt ſweet peace, ſuch as all the carnall wiſedome of man ſhall neuer find nor enioy. This faith teacheth vsus to pray at all times as our neceſſities require, with feruency & cōfidence, euen in the depth of afflictions, when the graue is readie to ſwallow vsus vp, and ſhut her mouth vponupon vsus,Pſal. 69.13, 14, 15, 16. it enableth to look vntounto the Lord, & with ſtrong arguments to implore his aid. O Lord God of my ſaluation, Pſal. 88.1, 2, 3.I hauehave cried day and night before thee for my ſoule is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh vntounto the graue. Out of the depths hauehave I cried vntounto thee, O Lord: Lord heare my voice. Pſal. 130.1, 2.My ſpirit within me is ouer-whelmed, my heart within me is deſolate. I ſtretch forth my hands vntounto thee, Pſal. 143.3, 6.my ſoule thirſteth for thee in a thirſty land. O remember not against vsus former iniquities, let thy tender mercies ſpeedily preuent vsus: Pſal. 79.8.for we are brought very low. If the affliction be very grieuous and of long continuance, faith doth neither quaile, nor ceaſe to ſeek helpe; but looketh vp to the Lord, expecting ſaluation in due time to be reuealed. O God, Pſal. 74.1, 2.why haſt thou caſt vsus off for euer? Why doth thine anger ſmoake againſt the ſheepe of thy paſture? Rem…mber thy Congregation, which thou haſt purchaſed of old, the rod of thine inheritance, Pſal. 69.29. Pſal. 68.35. Verſe 22.which thou haſt redeemed. I am poore and ſorrowfull, let thy ſaluation, O God, ſet me vp on high; for God is the ſtrength of his people, who will br…ng them againe from the depths of the Sea. The life of faith ſhall … in ioy & comfort. He that truſteth in the Lord ſhall r… … in his holy Name. I am a wonder vntounto many, but the … my ſtrong refuge. Pſal. 71.7, 8.Let my mouth be filled with thy praiſe, and with thy honour all the day. Our heart ſhall reioyce in him, Pſal. 33.21.becauſe we hauehave trusted in his holy Name. Loe, this is our God, we hauehave waited for him, and he will ſaue vsus: this is the Lord, Eſay 25.9.we hauehave waited for him, we will be glad, and reioyce in his ſaluation. The expectation of them that hope in the Lord,Pſal. 68.19, & 69.30. ſhall not be fruſtrated, therefore they ſhall reioice in him, and ſound forth his praiſes. He that hath learned to liue by faith,Heb. 11.13. ſhall alſo die in faith. All theſe died in or according to the faith. If we know how to walke with God by faith, as Henoch did, all the daies of our life, amidſt the manifold temptations & changes that we meet withall in this world; we ſhal the better encounter with death, when the agonies therof be vponupon vsus. Death is many waies terrible, and the aſſaults of Satan at that time are vſually moſt ſtrong, as being his laſt: but hee that hath taken out this leſſon, To liue by faith, ſhall eaſily quench the fierie darts of the Deuill, manfully conquer this ſtrong enemie, renew his repentance, and confidence in Gods mercy vponupon the ſight of ſin, & willingly reſigne himſelfe into the hands o… God. This is the ordinary courſe, Liue in faith, & die in faith, Liue holily, and die bleſſedly. Therefore let vsus leaue late repentance to them that think it but a ſport to venture a ſoule, and take that courſe that is ſure to ſpeed. To ſay no more, it is exceeding dangerous to put off repentance from day to day, though ſome few hauehave obtained merciemercy at their latter end: But this is ſure, he that liueth in faith, ſhall die in faith, and liue in glory for euermore. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Ball, A Treatise of Faith (1631)