The Breastplate of Faith and Love, Part 1 · Sermon 4 – Half title

The Breastplate of Faith and Love · Part 1 · Sermon 4 – Half title

p. 101OF FAITH. The fourth Sermon.

ROM. 1.17.

For by it the righteousnesse of God is reuealed from Faith to Faith: As it is written, The iust shall liue by Faith.

THe next thing to bee done is this, to draw the will to take the promises; for, though the vnderstanding rightly apprehend all that is deliuered in the Word, yet except the will bee bowed, except we incline, and be willing to embrace these offers, and willingly take Christ vponupon these conditions, the thing is not done; for, I say, iustifying faith is as well in the will as in the vnderstanding: for that which I deliuer p. 102now, is built vponupon that which I deliuered before; and I speake chiefly to those that vnderstand the premises, or else you will not fully vnderstand that we are now about.

But seeing that the will hath a part in faith as well as the vnderstanding, the second thing is to draw the will: But how is that done? This is the worke of God, hee onelyonly hath the soueraignety ouer the will and affections of a man, it is the great prerogatiue of GOD, when a businesse is to be done with the will and affections, GOD must perswade it, as in Noah's speech, God perswade Iapheth to dwell in the Tents of Sem: As if he should say, I may perswade in vaine, except GOD put to his hand to the worke: So it is the property of the Spirit to conuince; as Ioh. 16.Ioh. 16.John 16 The Spirit shall conuince the World of sinne and righteousnesse. That is, he shall shew men their sinnes, and their neede, and withall conuince them, and perswade them to take Christs righteousnes. Thus I say, it is GOD that draweth the will, it is he that puts a strong instinct into the heart of man, it is he that must worke on the heart, as in Ioh. 6.44.Ioh. 6.44.John 6:44 None can come to me except the Father draw him. How shall that be done? If GOD doth once draw a man, hee will hauehave no rest till he hauehave Christ, hee will not bee at quiet till he hauehave gotten him: compare that place, None come to me except the Father draw him, with that Cant. 2.3.Cant. 2.3.Song 2:3 Draw vsus, and we will runne after thee, it is not such drawing as when p. 103a man is drawne by force, but it is a drawing which is done by changing the will and affections, when GOD alters the bent of the mind, when GOD iustifies a man, hee will affect a mans heart so, that hee shall bee so affected with Christ, as that he shall hauehave no rest till he hauehave him; when he doth see his neede of him, he shall not giuegive ouer, till he be assured that he is reconciled to him: Draw vsus, and we will runne after thee: It is such a drawing as is called the teaching of GOD: Ioh. 6.45. Ye shall be taught of God: that is, when GOD comes to teach a thing, he boweth the will and affections to doe it. Wee heeretofore exemplified this by the similitude of the Ant, and the Bee, and other creatures, they are said to be taught of GOD, when GOD puts a strong instinct into them to doe such and such a thing, he teacheth them to doe this and this: So GOD teacheth men to come to Christ, that is, he puts a strong inclination into their hearts, and when that is there once, they can hauehave no rest; as the Iron cannot rest till it come to the Loadstone, and as the stone cannot rest till it come to the center, so the heart of man, when GOD draweth it, when hee hath changed the will, then hee findes such a disposition in him as was in the Spouse, Cant. 2. She fought him whom her soule loued, she sought him by night, and by day, she sought him in the street, and among the Watchmen, and neuer rested vntill shee had found him: So when GOD hath drawne p. 104a mans heart, when hee hath inclined a mans will to embrace Christ, hee is neuer satisfied vntill he hauehave found him.

But, you will say, GOD doth this by meanes, he vseth Arguments to draw the will.

It is true, The Question therefore is, How GOD doth this: we will propound 3. meanes by which GOD doth vsually doe it.

The will drawne by 3. meanes.First, the will is drawne, by being perswaded what the miserable condition of a man is that is not yet come to CHRIST, that hath not yet taken him, that hath not gotten the pardon and forgiuenesse of his sinnes, that hath not got assurance that Christ hath receiued him to mercy.

The second thing is, the good that he shall get by it.

The third thing is, that he shall not lose his labour if he doe attempt it.

1. Meanes.The first thing, I say, that drawes vsus to CHRIST, is to consider how miserable wee are without him, if men were perswaded of this, they would more seeke him. It is true, if a man could liue alone he would not come to him: take Rebels, & Pyrates, if they were able to maintaine themselues abroad, if they could be as happy in rebellion as in receiuing merciemercy, they would neuer come in: So it is in this case, If we be brought to this exigent, that we see wee cannot hold out any longer, we are not stronger then he, as the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 10.1 Cor. 10.1 Cor 10 Are we stronger then he? when p. 105a man is perswaded of that, when a man seeth this necessity is laid vponupon him, or else he perisheth, then he will come in: So take a seruant or a sonne, if he be able to liue from his Father, or Masters house, perhaps he will run at ryot still; but when he seeth he cannot hauehave so much as huskes, hee can hauehave nothing to sustaine him, that is it that will bring him home: So take a Wife, a Spouse, if one come to wooe her, if she be able to liue without him, it may be she will refuse him, but if the case be so that she cannot subsist, but the Creditors will come vponupon her, she must needs hauehave a Husband to protect her, to be a barre and a couering vntounto her, now she seeth a necessity of it: Therefore we say the Law driues men vntounto CHRIST, and the Law doth it by shewing a man his sinne, and the curse due to it, by shewing a man his vilenesse, and if this will not doe it, then it shewes him the curse; when a man sees the misery that the Law brings vponupon him, and pronounceth against him, that he is condemned, that perswades him: Therefore the Law drawes a man, and the sence of his misery, shewing him that hee is out of CHRIST, this drawes him to consider that GOD is his enemy, that all the creatures are his enemies,: for if GOD bee thine enemy, then needes must all the creatures be so, because they turne with him to and fro, as an Armie turnes at the becke of the Generall. Now to hauehave GOD and the creatures to bee a p. 106mans enemy, to hauehave eueryevery thing to worke together for a mans hurt; prosperity slaies him, and aduersity is not a Plaster or Medicine, but a poyson to him, eueryevery thing ioynes for his hurt; the Word, which is the sauour of life to others, is the sauour of death to him; the Sacraments, which are a meanes to conuey grace and assurance to others, it is a meanes to conuey Satan to his heart, it increaseth his condemnation and his iudgement, when the wrath of GOD abides vponupon a man; t…at is, it shall be vponupon him for eternity hereafter: for he that hath not the Sonne, hath not life, Ioh. 3. vlt. when a man seriously considers all this, when he seeth what case he is in, that he cannot liue without CHRIST, this will be one thing that boweth and inclineth the will to come in and take CHRIST: but this is not all.

2. Meanes.But in the second place, a man will know what good he shall hauehave by such a Husband; and indeed, if this were all, hee could neuer marry out of louelove, and if he doe not, it can be no match: Therefore we must finde some good, some excellencie in CHRIST; and this is the second thing that drawes the will, If we take him, we shall hauehave all his wealth, and all his honour, all the ioy and pleasure he can afford, we shall hauehave all his wealth; that is, goe to the whole Vniuerse, and see what there is profitable or comfortable to the sons of men, and all that is ours, whether it be Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or p. 107death, or things present, or things to come, all is yours, you are Christs, and Christ is Gods, all this is yours. As for the things of the world, if we take him once, we hauehave all these: would not a man desire all these, Is not this a strong argument to moue a man to take Christ, that all the Angels in Heauen, all the excellent Ministers on the Earth, (that are next to Angels) they are all his seruants; God hath bestowed these gifts for his sake, they are set aworke for the furthering of his saluation: and the Angels, you know, are ministring Spirits, sent forth for the good of the Elect; for the World, as the Apostle saith, that is, whatsoeuer is in the World, all the good and all the euill in the world, euen that euill doth him seruice, the afflictions, and persecutions, and stormes, driue him to his hauen, aswell as faire gales; eueryevery thing scoures him, doth him some good or other, all in the world is his, both life and death; that is, whatsoeuer belongs to this life or another, all is for his seruice; & not that only, but when death comes, that a man thinks is the greatest enemy; that there is no good in death, yet that doth him good, it heales our sins, it is a meanes of happines; in a word, when the Apostle could say no more, things present, or things to come; for a man should looke to both: as heauen will not content him without the things of this life, so the things of this life will not content him without Heauen; but when there is both, the minde is satisfied.

p. 108Now when a man considers what wealth he hath by Christ, and againe, that he shall hauehave all his honour; now looke what honour Christ hath, the same he hath by matching with him; hauing him wee hauehave all things: If a man could enter into a serious consideration of this, to thinke that he is a King, that he is an heyre of all things, that all the promises doe belong to him; doe but thinke with your selues, if any of you should be raised from a meane ordinary condition, to bee made an earthly Prince, how would you bee affected with it? would it not put other thoughts into you? Why should you not beleeue spirituall priuiledges to be as reall? Why should you not reioyce more in them? they are more durable, they are more excellent, they hauehave all in them the other hauehave: Indeede they are things that are not seene with the eye, they are spirituall, they are things that are enioyed and reserued for afterward, but yet there is much for the present: Learne to consider this, and it would draw and moue you; but because these things are looked on with a generall eye, as matters of fancy and speculation, they are looked on as things that are rather talked of, we see no such thing, we hauehave no feeling of them, therefore wee doe not affect them: but we should labour to beleeue this: The Scripture often mentions and repeates this, Yee are a Royall Priesthood, Heyres with CHRIST. Labour to come to this disjunction, p. 109if these things be not so, why doe you beleeue them at all? if they be so, why doe you not reioyce in them, proportionable to these priuiledges? And so for Joy; at his right hand there are Joyes and pleasures for euermore. And as it is so for eternity, so the neerer wee draw to him in this life, the more pleasure we hauehave; for he is the God of all comfort, the neerer we are to him, the more comfort, all the wayes of wisdome are wayes of pleasure, because they leade neerer to GOD who is the cause of all comfort, So that is the second thing to consider, the good you shall hauehave by CHRIST when once you see how miserable you are without him, and that you shall gaine so much by him.

Now in the third place,3. Meanes. there is one thing remaining, How shall I hauehave him? I may attempt it, and goe without him, I may seeke, and be denyed: and therefore, in the third place, you shall be sure to obtaine; that is a great meanes to encourage vsus to come vntounto him, when you see you shall not faile, there is nothing can hinder on your part, as you hauehave heard of in the precedent condition; there is required but an earnest hunger and thirst after him, he iustifies the vngodly, and therefore nothing can hinder on your parts: and therefore if any thing hinder it, it must be on GODS part. Now what is there on GODS part that hinders? He hath promised, and bound himselfe, and he will not goe from his p. 110Word, he will not deny himselfe: and therefore when there is no hinderance on neither part, then why doe you not beleeue? If you will consider Christ, Arguments to perswade vsus of Christs willingnesse to rec…iue sinners.and see how he describes himselfe in the Word, if you looke vntounto all those arguments that are propounded vntounto vsus therein, to perswade vsus, you will make no question, but if you are willing to come, you are sure to receiue him, you shall hauehave remission of all your sinnes:11By expressions in Scripture. If you consider, first those speeches in E…kiel, I desire not the death of a sinner: and Why will ye dye, O ye house of Israel? such expostulations are very frequent; Oh that my people would returne: and How often would I hauehave gathered you, as the Henne gathereth her Chickens: I say, these are the speeches of GOD, and GOD speakes as he meanes; you shall finde by the manner, and the fashion, and the figure of the speeches, that GOD desires it earnestly: Why will ye dye, O ye house of Israel? by way of interrogations: and, Oh that my people would doe thus and thus: Euen this GOD desires, that a sinner would returne. There is no action that God doth, but he doth it willingly, that he forgiues sinners, that hee receiues those men that will come home vntounto him. You see in the Father of the Prodigall, that doth expresse the disposition of GOD, hee runnes to meete his Sonne, hee was the forwarder of the two, hee fals vponupon him, and kisseth him, hee could not expresse his ioy for his comming home: such is the disposition p. 111of GOD: I take no delight, as I …ue, saith the LORD, in the death of a sinner: but rather that he should liue. And therefore when GOD saith it, wee hauehave a surer Word, you should better thinke of it, vndoubtedly hee will receiue you to merciemercy.

Againe,22By Christs practice when he was on Earth. consider how Christ did in the daies of his flesh, how he behaued himself then, was he not exceeding gentle to all that came vntounto him, exceeding compassionate and pittifull, ready to heale eueryevery one, ready to doe any thing that was requested of him, that he denyed not any that was importunate with him: do you thinke that he hath put off that disposition; is he not the same still? as it is in the Hebrewes, Is he not a mercifull High Priest still? and that the bowels of compassion in him melt ouer a straying sinner, and is ready to receiue him, his bowels yearne within him, and ther…fore doubt not but the Lord will receiue you.

Againe,33Else Christs blood were shed in vaine. of necessity hee must receiue you, or else the blood of CHRIST were in vaine, his Crosse and death were of none effect: What now can make the death of CHRIST to be of none effect, but when it is not regarded, when his blood is trampled vnderunder feere and despised of men, when it doth no good, when it is not improued for the purpose it was shed for? Doe you thinke that GOD sent his onelyonly Sonne from Heauen, to dye a cursed death, and would hee hauehave his blood shed in vaine? Now except hee should p. 112receiue poore sinners when they come, the death of CHRIST should be of none effect: And therefore it cannot be but GOD must be ready to receiue them. So that there is no difficulty in him, all the difficulty is in our selues, we are not willing to come.

44By the example of others pardoned.Againe, if we consider what he hath done for others, how many hee hath receiued to merciemercy, when one sees such Rebels receiued to merciemercy, and considers with himselfe, and thinkes how he gaue pardon to Manasses of his sinnes, which were crying sinnes, and of an extraordinary nature, sinnes that were of long continuance; he forgaue Mary Magdalens sinnes, he forgaue these greater sinners, and why should he not forgiue me? If one should come to a Physician, of whom he hath heard a great fame, and if he should meet with hundreds by the way of his Patients, and all of them should tell him he hath cured them, and healed them, it would encourage a man to go on with confidence. Or if one should come to a Well of which he hath heard much, and should meete with hundreds of people by the way, and all of them should tell him, we hauehave beene at the Well, and it hath cured vsus, and made vsus whole, this would encourage a man to goe with confidence, because of the multitude that hauehave tryed the experience of it: so we should runne to CHRIST; when so many thousands hauehave beene forgiuen, why should not these perswade vsus that he is ready to forgiue p. 113vsus, as Paul saith, he hath shewed mercy to me, that others might beleeue in GOD, I am an example for them to trust in God: therefore when we see he hath forgiuen others so many and so great sins, why should we doubt?

Againe, if CHRIST should not be ready to receiue vsus, no flesh should be saued, nor there is no man that would feare him, or heare him; Psal. 130.3. there the same argument is vsed; If thou, Lord, shouldst marke iniquity, who should stand? but there is mercy with thee that thou maist be feared. That is, if GOD should not be pittifull to mankinde, and ready to receiue them, notwithstanding their manifold failings, and infirmities, and rebellions they are subiect vntounto, no flesh should be saued, but all the world should perish.

Againe,55Else no flesh should be saued. not so onelyonly, but GOD himselfe should not be worshipped, men would not regard him; men would not serue him: Therefore, I say, of necessity GOD must hauehave mercy vponupon men, that they may feare him, and serue him, and that men may be willing to serue.

Take a hard Master, a cruell King, a man that shuts out men, and excludes them that hauehave no hope, there is none that will serue such a man, there is no man that will come in to him; but there is mercy with the Lord that he may be feared and worshipped, and men may come in and worship him: and therefore doubt not but Christ is willing to receiue you.

If all this will not perswade you, yet in Esay p. 11455. there is one thing more,66By the infinitenesse of Gods mercy. if it will not enter into your thoughts; If you thinke your condition be such, if you thinke your sinnes so circumstantiated, as I may say, that they are committed in such a manner, that you thinke, though others hauehave beene forgiuen, yet you cannot, it passeth your thoughts, you know not how to imagine it; yet know, his merciemercy is aboue all: a man must hold that conclusion still.

And if this alone will not perswade me, yet when all this is put together, when I see the misery of a man without CHRIST, when I see I shall be happy with him, when I see it is of necessity, and if I come I shall certainely be receiued, he cannot refuse me, all this will helpe to perswade a man; this you should learne to presse vponupon your own hearts, wee that are the Ministers of CHRIST are bound to doe it: and therefore he hath sent vsus out to compell men to come in, that his House may be full: therefore he commands them to goe vntounto the high-way, and vntounto the hedges, and compell men to come in. (And what is that?) That is, be so importunate with them, promise them, threaten them, command them in the Name of Christ to consent and come in, GOD would faine hauehave his House filled, he hath killed his fatlings, hee would not hauehave his Table ready, and hauehave no guests; he would hauehave his House filled, that his Table might not be prepared in vaine▪ and p. 115that it may not be in vaine, we are to inuite you to this marriage, we are to inuite you to these fatlings, to this Wine and Milke; it is a banquet, and a banquet you know what it is; In a banquet there is as much as will cheere the body, a concourse of all pleasant things; Such things are in Christ, there is spirituall comfort, a concourse, a heape of all spirituall ioy and comfort, of all precious things you can finde; and if you will come and taste, you shall hauehave all his Jewels, all his Graces, to beautifie and to adorne you withall: let this perswade you to come in.

But some may object,Obiect If I come in, I must lose my right eye, or my right hand, I must part with my lusts, which are as deare to me as these members.

I will be briefe for t…is point,Ans. because I will finish the Text at this time, and will answer it euen as CHRIST doth, Matth. 5. It is true, we must doe so, but then remember we shall hauehave heauen for our labour: if Heauen be not worthy losing of a right eye, or a right hand, keepe thine eye still, if thou wilt needs keepe it, but thou shalt be sure to goe to hell: There needs no other answer, doe but seriously consider of this; If I will, I may keepe this lust, this fleshly desire, but certainely that will leade me to hell. Let that answer serue for this.

But it may bee further obiected,2. Obiect. If I doe thus, I must deny my selfe, and this is p. 116a difficult thing for a man to offer violence to himselfe, to crosse himselfe in all his desires, a man is able to doe much, he may be willing to take great paines, and to suffer much, but to crosse himselfe still of his most inward desires that he hath, those that are most rooted in the soule, that sticke neere and close vntounto him, this is difficult.

Ans.I answer, CHRIST is worthy of all these, thou shalt prouide better for thy selfe by doing this,By denying our selues, we enioy our selues better. there is another life in the regenerate part, and it perfects that, though you destroy the flesh, and offer violence vntounto that, yet there is the inward man that is growing vp daily, though the outward man faile: It is true, violence must be offered to the flesh, you must be content to part with pleasures, and the outward man in that sense must suffer somewhat, but remember what you gaine, there is the inward man that so much the more prouides for it selfe; and if you will not then deny your selfe, you deny not your disease that will slay you. If a man hauehave a disease that cries hard to him to hauehave such and such things giuen it, it is wisdome for him to deny it, because he nourisheth that that would destroy him: so herein himselfe is his disease, and to giuegive to that, is his destruction: so that that which you call your selfe is your disease, and when you feed your selfe, you feed your disease: and therfore eueryevery one is to bee ruled by the Physicians aduice, who teacheth to p. 117doe othewise, CHRIST teacheth vsus another way, which is for our health and safety: I cannot stand to presse that.

But I shall endure persecution,Obiect. and losse of friends; nay, perhaps losse of life.

I,Ans. but thou shalt receiue an hundred fold, thou shalt hauehave no losse by that bargaine, thou shalt finde Christ worth all that thou giuest him. More I should adde, but I come to the last point.

The righteousnesse of CHRIST is reuealed from faith to faith.

The first poynt yee hauehave heard; that,

Righteousnesse is reuealed and offered in the Gospell to as many as will take it.Doct. 1. As also,

The second,Doct. 2. That it is by faith by which we are made to partake of this righteousnesse, it is reuealed from faith to faith; that is, it is so reuealed as that it is taken by faith.

The third point, that we are now to handle, is this, that,

Faith admits degrees, Doct. 3.and wee ought eueryevery Christian to grow from degree to degree.Faith admits degrees.

In this proposition faith admits of degrees, and that we ought to grow from one degree to another, I finde two parts:Two parts in the Doctrine.

First, that there are degrees of faith.

Secondly, that we ought to grow from degree to degree.

For the first, that I may run through them as briefely as I can,Faith admits of degrees in 4. respects. There are degrees in faith in these foure respects: as there are p. 118two acts of faith, one whereby we take Christ, and that we call a direct act, by which we truly lay hold on him, & receiue him as our Lord and Sauiour. The second is that act of faith by which we know we hauehave receiued him, the reflect act which is assurance, both these receiue degrees: The first receiues degrees in three respects: the last receiues degrees, I will name but one, and so make vp the fourth.

11In perswasion.The first act by which we receiue and take Christ the Messias offered vntounto vsus, it admits this first degree, there is a great degree of perswasion that Christ is offered, and that hee is ours, that he is giuen by GOD the Father; and though I find this proposed in the Word, that Christ is giuen to vsus, yet there are degrees of the perswasion of the truth of this; and this we need not wonder at; for though it be faith, and though the perswasion be true, and good, and firme, yet notwithstanding it may admit of degrees, else any man might obiect;

ObiectIf a man be fully perswaded, what needes he more? If he be not fully perswaded, it is not faith; if he be fully perswaded, that makes it faith, and how can that admit degrees?

Ans.I answer, it may, because there are degrees in the very perswasion, though the perswasion be good and true, yet there are degrees in it: As for example, there is such a proposition of Truth, which I am perswaded to beleeue by arguments that ouercome me, I must needes yeeld to it, and yet there are more arguments p. 119and reasons that may bee brought, that may worke a greater perswasion, as wee say, that may be more immediate to perswade vsus of that conclusion: as, a man may see a thing by a little glimmering light of a candle, he may see it certainely and firmely, but when there come more Candles or a Torch in, he may see more cleerely, although he saw it certainely before: So the promises of God, we may behold them, and apply them to our selues to be sure and firme, and yet this may admit more degrees, when there is more light, and more arguments, when the Spirit of Adoption speakes more cleerely and fully to vsus, there may be a greater degree of perswasion: and therefore that objection, that either it is not faith if there be doubting, or if it be firme in a man, he needes no more; I say, it is not so, for faith admits degrees, there is a full perswasion, Col. 2. which intimates there is a lesser faith then that: As, you know, a Ship may be carried with a gentle gale of wind as well as with a stronger gale, though it goe not so fast, but it may be moued, it may be put on with a gentle wind as well as with a strong gale.

So a Tree may be rooted, and rooted strongly and firmely, and yet may be more rooted afterward; The phrase of Scripture carries it so: Oh ye of little faith: there is a little faith, and therefore it implyes there is a strong faith, yet the least is accounted faith. So, Lord, I beleeue, p. 120helpe my vnbeliefe: it was vnbeliefe, and yet it was reckoned for beliefe.

So our Sauiour said to Peter, Why doest thou doubt? Certainely Peter beleeued, or else hee could not cast himselfe vhon the water; and yet there was doubting indeede mingled with it: And indeede, if faith were not mixt with doubting, who should hauehave faith? Did not Dauid trust GOD much? and yet his faith was mixed with doubting: saith he, I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul, and yet he had faith: Therefore, I say, there may be faith, though we hauehave not so full a perswasion.

Obiect.But, you will say, how differs it from opinion?

Ans.Opinion is an assent to a truth, with a feare lest the contrary may be true:Wherein faith and opinion differ. it differs from opinion in the object: the object of opinion is something in its owne nature vncertaine, but Faith pitcheth vponupon the Word of GOD, which is in its owne nature infallible, and cannot deceiue.

Againe, opinion is a matter of speculation and no more: faith is a matter of practice, but that is not all.

Opinion goeth no further, but stayes in a doubt, but faith proceedes to full assurance: And therfore it hath the denomination of full assent. As wee say of a Wall that is a little white, it is white, because it tends to full whitenesse: and as we say water is hot, that p. 121is a little hot; so faith that is but in a little degree, yet it may be true, firme and substantiall.

But what is the least degree of faith, the least assent, the least beliefe of the promises, without which it cannot bee said to bee faith?

I answer, the least degree of faith is that which brings vsus to CHRIST, which makes vsus willing to take him. Marke this point, for it will be of much vse to you, when the promises of GOD are preached to you, and made knowne vntounto you, when the arguments that moue you to come to CHRIST are declared and made manifest: Now if a man stands and knowes not whether he were best to take him or no, this is not faith, such a man acteth nothing, hee is such a one as is spoken of in Iam. 1. for that I take to be the meaning of that place; a man that knowes not whether he should come to CHRIST or no, that stands in a doubt, and sometimes hee will goe, and sometimes he will not; hee is off and on, to and fro, such a man hath not faith; such a one CHRIST rejects: but now when there is so much waight as will cast the Ballance the right way, though there be something left in the other end of the Ballance; that is, though there be some doubting, some feare, yet if I so farre beleeue the promises, and the Word of GOD, as that I am willing to take CHRIST for my Husband, I am willing p. 122to rest on him, to pitch on him, to bestow my selfe vponupon him; this is faith, though it come not to the full degree.

As for example, if one be a spokesman for a Suitor, he comes and tels the Spouse to whom he is a Suitor, that such a man is of such parentage, hath such honour, and such wealth, and is thus qualified; now, if she be but so farre perswaded as that she is willing to take him for her husband, that is enough to bring her to make the match, that perswasion will bring her to doe it; afterward shee may come to know the thing more fully, and to be better perswaded, but that addes to the degrees: So, if there be but so much assent, so much firmenesse of perswasion to bring vsus to CHRIST, to make vsus willing to come to take him for our Sauiour and for our LORD, that is the least degree of faith, and though there be doubting left, and though there bee some feares, yet, if there be but so much as will produce that, it is faith. Let mee exemplifie it in some other thing: Take Hester, when she was to come to the King, she knew not what successe she should hauehave, shee was fearefull, as we may see by the manner of going about the businesse, yet, seeing there was so much as drew her to the action, she comes and sayes, If I perish, I perish; as if she had doubted she might hauehave perished, yet she resolued to doe it; this may be said to be an act of faith, that put her on the worke. Take a p. 123Martyr that comes to suffer, hee hath many doubts and feares, and yet if there be but so much perswasion as will produce the act in him, as that hee is moued to doe the thing, hee may properly bee said to doe it out of faith.

And so of all other actions. The three Children, GOD can deliuer vsus, if he will, (say they) if hee doe not, wee will not worship that Image that thou hast set vp. There might be some doubting in them, and yet, because there was so much trust in GOD as to bring them to doe the thing, here was faith enough to make them acceptable in the sight of GOD. So, I say, if there be so much faith as will bring vsus to GOD and to CHRIST, that is the least degree, other degrees there are that may be added afterwards, but this is thy comfort, if thou hauehave but so much as will produce such an effect, thou maist be sure that thou hast faith.

Secondly,22In respect of difficulties. Faith admits degrees in regard of the difficulty and hardnesse of the things that are to be beleeued.

As for example, Martha and Mary both beleeued in CHRIST when hee feasted with them, but when Lazarus was dead, and had beene in the graue foure dayes, that put them to a stand: Now if they had beene able to beleeue this, there had beene a greater degree of faith. And that was it that magnified Abrahams faith so, that when there was so p. 124great difficulty that he must goe and offer his sonne, the sonne in whom GOD had promised that his seede should be blessed, who was called the sonne of the promise: Now here was a great degree of faith, because there was great difficulty.

Moses, we see, when he came to beleeue the promise of God, in Numbers 11.Numb. 11.Num 11 that so many, euen sixe hundred thousand should be fed with flesh, and that they should be so fed a whole monethmonth together, it set Moses at a stand, he knew not what to say; Not one day, (saith he) not tenne dayes, not twenty dayes, but a whole monethmonth together, and sixe hundred thousand people! If all the Flockes and Heards should be killed, and all the Fishes in the Sea should be gathered together, how should this be done? This was a great thing to beleeue: and therefore GOD pittyed Moses, GOD seeth when things are hard to be beleeued, and pitties man; GOD beares with Moses in that case, because the thing was difficult and high; there are some things which are aboue hope, and in such cases GOD is willing that his people should aske him a signe, he knowes their strength, they had neede of something to confirme them. And therefore in such a case, when GOD comes in such manner, if they aske him a signe, GOD is willing to giuegive them a signe: Indeede, when men will aske a signe to tempt GOD: an adulterous generation askes a signe; p. 125that is, for tryall or temptation, not for louelove of CHRIST, and to be perswaded he is fit for them, but an adulterous generation, they did it not out of louelove: but, I say, when eyther the thing is high, or else when the means of perswasion is weake and slender, As, we know, CHRIST said vntounto Nathaniel, Doest thou beleeue this? as if he should say, This shewes thy faith is great, that for so small a thing as this thou beleeuest; I said no more but I saw thee vnderunder the Fig-tree. And this shewed the weaknesse of Thomas his faith, that hee would not beleeue vnlesse hee might put his finger into the print of CHRIST'S wounds, and his hand into his side: so that when a man beleeues by slender meanes, or when he beleeues things of a higher nature, which is more aboue hope, when there is great difficulty, in this sense faith admits degrees.

Thirdly,33In regard of extent. Faith admits degrees in regard of the extent of it, when there is more things reuealed to them; and I take it, this place will carry, that the righteousnesse of GOD is reuealed from faith to faith; that is, the righteousnesse of CHRIST was reuealed in the time of the Law and the Prophets, it was reuealed obscurely, and there was a little saith among them to beleeue, it was enough to saue them, but when the time drew neerer, there were greater reuelations, as we know, in the time of the Prophets, their faith was great, p. 126as there were more reuelations, so there was more faith: So, I say, it admits degrees in regard of the extent of reuelation; as the Apostles, when CHRIST was vponupon the earth, they had a degree of faith, but when Christ ascended, then there was more reuelations, then they grew from faith to faith, because they grew from reuelation to reuelation, then the Spirit of God was sent into their hearts to reueale all things, and to leade them into all truth, you know they had abundance of reuelations afterwards. So in this regard, in regard of the extent, faith receiues degrees, not because the habit is increased, but because the reuelations and objects are more: And therefore that is the comfort of poore Christians, those that are yet ignorant, they may hauehave a true habit, and as true a grace in the heart; and though a man bee more conuersant in Scripture, and knowes more then they, he hath more reuelations, and in that sense, though he hauehave a greater faith then the other, yet the other hath a like precious faith with him, in regard of that grace.

So, wee see how faith receiues degrees in these three respects.

The reflect act of faith admits degrees.Now, last of all, that faith that giues assurance, that pacifieth and comforteth the heart, which is nothing but a reflect act, by which we know and are perswaded that wee hauehave taken CHRIST, and that our sinnes are forgiuen, this admits of degrees of proofe. p. 127And here, as the euidences of sanctification are more, so is the assurance; as the Apostle saith, the Spirit witnesseth to our spirit; he discouers good things to vsus, wee had neede of the light of the Spirit, to iudge aright of the sincerity of the graces that wee hauehave, we shall goe amisse else, we shall not be able, except wee hauehave the Spirit to helpe and assist vsus, and so wee grow from assurance to assurance.

Now for the second part, that wee must grow in all these.

First, as faith admits of degrees, so we must labour to grow in all these degrees.

First labour to grow to a more full and firme assent, by that meanes we shall draw neerer to CHRIST, and receiue him in a greater measure: Marke, this very act of taking CHRIST, that immediately iustifies, but it is fed with assurance in the vnderstanding, it is that which doth increase, and strengthen, and supply this action of the will in taking CHRIST. So that, the more strong assent the minde and vnderstanding of a man giues to those truths which concerne iustification, deliuered in the Scripture, the stronger his will is in taking Christ: As in the Act of marriage, a Woman takes such a one to bee her husband, but yet there are degrees in the will, one may take him with greater greedinesse, with a more full perswasion that it is best for her, with more louelove, and with more resolution: So, the stronger the assent is that we p. 128giuegive to the promises of GOD, wherein he assures vsus of the pardon of our sinnes, wherein CHRIST is offered freely vntounto vsus, the more we take CHRIST, and so the vnion is greater betweene vsus, wee are linkt and knit together, and married, as it were, in a greater degree.

Secondly, in regard of difficulty, which is the second thing wherein faith admits degrees, when we beleeue hard things, or easie things propounded with slender arguments. Labour to grow in this: for this is very profitable for you; I will giuegive you but these two instances.

You know what Moses lost, and what Abraham got; Moses lost Canaan, he lost the honour of carrying in the people, he lost the honour of concluding his worke, when hee had taken so much paines, and all because he did not beleeue when he strooke the Rocke, for want of faith. Abraham now, that beleeued things that were of a high, of a difficult nature, you see what hee got by it; for this cause, saith the LORD, I will doe thus and thus, because thou hast not spared thine onelyonly Sonne, which is repeated, Rom. 4. Abraham being strong in faith, gaue glory to GOD. And therefore, you see, Abraham is set aboue all men, he is the Father of all the faithfull, he is the head, the top of those to whom GOD shewed merciemercy, he shewed merciemercy to all for Abrahams sake: Abraham, Isaac, p. 119and Iacob; Abraham is first, this did Abraham get for euer, because he beleeued in God in so great a matter; this you shall gaine, if you will beleeue, it will bring a great reward, yea it will not onelyonly bring a reward, such as Abraham had, but it will bring increase of the same faith, God will reueale more to you, and giuegive you more of his Spirit, as he did to Nathaniel: Beleeuest thou? for this saith Christ, thou shalt see greater things then these: If we beleeue in difficult cases, GOD will make vsus with facility to beleeue them another time.

Thirdly, for the multitude of reuelations, for the extent of faith, that way we should labour to be filled full of faith, as Barnabas is said to be full of faith; And how is that? By studying the Word much, for therein will GOD reueale this: this is it that Paul magnifies so much in 2 Cor. 12. that which he gloried in, he doth not name it in his owne person, but saith, I knew a man in CHRIST had such a reuelation: he glories not in this, that he had wealth, or honour, but in the multitude of reuelations; that of all other might hauehave exalted Paul, but he was wise, he knew what he did when he was so apt to be exalted, in that it seemes there was some extraordinary excellency in it.

Lastly, labour to get full assurance, the more assurance you hauehave, the more louelove.

Againe, you shall doe the more worke when once we are assured that our labour shall not p. 130be in vaine in the Lord, as 1 Cor. 15. vlt. it will make vsus abound in the workes of the Lord.

Againe, it stablisheth a man in well doing, he shall neuer hold out and be constant till he come to hauehave assurance that he shall not lose his reward. I cannot stand on this point: I will name the Vses, that so I may not leaue the point vnfinished.

Vse 1. To comfort.The first is a Vse of much comfort, if there be such degrees in faith, then let vsus not be discouraged, though we come not to the highest, if we hauehave but a little, yet since there are degrees, this is enough to make vsus partakers of the righteousnesse of CHRIST, and of saluation. The end of this is to comfort those which are apt to be discouraged. A little grain of true Muske is able to sweeten a great deale; So if faith be true, a little true faith will perfume all the heart and soule, it hath influence into eueryevery thing, and it puts a good tincture vponupon all that a man doth, though it be but little, yet the influence is great, Therfore though thou hauehave not a great measure of faith, if thou hauehave a little, comfort thy selfe with that; we know, the best bud drawes sap from the root, as well as the greatest branches, as truely; so they that budde, that are but yet in the beginning of faith, yet they are as truly grafted into CHRIST and receiue life from him, as those that are growne Christians. And therfore be no… discouraged because thou hast not, as yet, a great measure of Faith, say not, because I am p. 131not as strong as such, therfore I am no body, reason not so, if thou hauehave but as much as will bring thee within the doore, within the Couenant, within compasse once; it is true, when a man is within the doore, there are greater degrees, he may goe farther into the house, or a little way in, but all is one when he is in once: So in faith, a little faith is enough to put a man within the Couenant, to put one within the Gate of Heauen, as it were; indeed when they are in, some goe further, and some goe not so farre: but if thou be in at all, comfort thy selfe with that, and thinke not that eueryevery little infirmity shall breake the Couenant when thou art in: No, that which makes a diuorse betwixt GOD and you, will doe it, but eueryevery infirmity doth not that. Take heed therfore of robbing GOD of his glory, and your selues of comfort; you know what a Father he is, he is a tender, and a wife Father: we reckon it wisdome in parents, when they consider the infirmities of their children, GOD is wise, let vsus goe to him, a Father will beare with his sonne and receiue him againe and againe, though he hauehave infirmities: So GOD is thy Father, what though he see many failings in thee, what though he see wee hauehave little grace, or little faith, yet wee are sonnes, GOD will spare vsus; and therefore cast not away your hope, but labour to know that though you be but as smoking Flax, yet there is fire there, as well as if it were all on a flame.

p. 132Now it is Satans end indeed to discourage, and remember but that, that the thing hee labours, is to perswade you that you hauehave no faith, and that a little will not serue the turne, and that because thou art not so strong as the strongest Christians, that therefore thou hast a false heart, and art no body at all; his end is to discourage, labour to resist him. And we that are Ministers of CHRIST, wee are in this case to comfort and encourage you, as Paul saith, we were gentle among you, as a Nurse among her children; wee should bee tender ouer you, and comfort and encourage you, wee are not Lords of your faith. And there…ore in Ezekiel 33. it was the fault of the Shepheards, they ruled all the people with rigour, but we are helpers of your ioy; for what hauehave we to doe, but what our Master hath set vsus about to doe? as he did; how did he behaue himselfe? the smoking Flax, hee did not blow it with a tender breath to kindle it more, he dealt not roughly with it: So the Ministers of GOD should labour to build men vp, to draw them on; Indeede sometimes the Minister must be sharpe, to wake men when they sleepe, to discouer hypocrites, and temporizing professors, to teach those to know themselues, that hauehave a forme of godlinesse, without the power thereof, here the Word preached must be a two-edged sword, that must pierce betweene the marrow and the ioynts; here the Word must be as the p. 133Thunder and Lightning, it must hauehave terrour in it: So Christ comes with his Fanne in his hand, and with his Axe in his hand, he will burne the chaffe with vnquenchable fire, and hew downe the vnfruitfull Trees; but this is to be vnderstood of those that are false-hearted, those that are not sound, that hauehave Christ offered them, but doe not receiue him. Indeede, to those our Ministery is sharpe, but for others it is not so: And therefore in Ezekiel 34. we are to doe as the Shepheards doe there with their Flocks, some Sheepe are weake, and are not able to goe the pace of the rest; some are broken, some are lost, and some are gone astray, and some are great with yong; our businesse is to seeke those that are lost, to driue all according to the pace of the weakest, to binde vp the broken, to carry them in our armes; thus Christ did, and if we faile in this, CHRIST, who is the great Shepheard of the Flocke, he sees it, if we goe astray, he fetches vsus in; if we be broken, and hauehave lost our wooll, and be not in right order, he bindes vsus vp, he feedes vsus, and tenders vsus; thus Christ deales with you: And therefore be not discouraged, though thou be not so strong as the strongest, yet if thou be a Sheepe, if thou be in the fold, if thou hast the least degree of faith, it is able to make thee partaker of this righteousnesse, although thou hauehave not the highest degree, though thou hauehave not that excellencie that others hauehave.

p. 134Vse 2. For exhortation.The second vse is, to exhort you to growe in faith, (and so I end) content not your selues with a little, a small measure of faith, though notwithstanding a little will serue to put you in the state of saluation, yet it should be your wisdome to get a great degree, as the Apostle saith, 2 Pet. 1.13.2 Pet. 1. 13.2 Pet 1:13 Trust perfectly in the grace brought in by the reuelation of CHRIST: (Marke it) for it is an excellent place for this purpose; study it, and thinke well of it, trust perfectly in the grace reuealed; that is to say, doe it not by halues, let no… there be some odde reckonings betweene GOD and thee, stand not in distance from him, but trust vponupon him perfectly, beleeue fully and assuredly that your sinnes are forgiuen you, beleeue fully the grace that is giuen you through CHRIST, doe it perfectly, throughly, trust perfectly in the grace brought in by CHRIST, that is our fault that we doe it not in such a manner; hence it is that our Joy is weake, our grace is weake, trust perfectly, that your Joy may be full, that you may hauehave full communion and fellowship with CHRIST, the benefit is exceeding great when we trust perfectly, and why will you not? why should you limit the holy one of Israel? It was their sinne and transgression to limit him in his power and alsufficiencie, as if he were not able to doe such and such things, and is it not as great a sinne to limit him in his merciemercy and goodnesse? Why cannot p. 135hee forgiue sinnes and transgressions, that in all circumstances are the greatest sinnes, in what nature soeuer? to thinke otherwise, is to limit the holy one of Israel; trust perfectly therefore.Motiues to grow in faith. It is not a little that will serue the turne, as the Apostle saith, 2 Pet. 3. vlt. grow in grace, there is neede of it; you shall finde, that as you wade further in the profession of Christianity, so you shall hauehave neede of more strength, you shall hauehave greater imployment, therefore you hauehave more neede of growth to goe forward, and perseuere.

Againe, you shall meet with greater temptations and assaults, if you bee not more strong then at the first, you are not able to resist.

Againe, If you grow in faith, you shall growe likewise in Joy, and that is a thing which wee hauehave continuall vse of, that is of onelyonly vse to comfort and strengthen vsus, to make vsus abound in the workes of the LORD, that helpes vsus to goe thorow all variety of conditions, that enables vsus to abound and to want, to passe thorow good report and euill report, to suffer and endure persecution, now the more you grow in faith, the more you grow in joy, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 15.13. The God of peace fulfill you with all ioy by beleeuing: So that the more wee beleeue, the more ioy, the more consolation wee hauehave.

p. 136Againe, the more you grow in faith, the more you shall gaine the fauour of GOD, the more you shall winne his louelove; there is nothing in the World doth so much winne the fauour of GOD, as a great degree of faith: and therefore, though thou mayest be saued with a lesse degree, yet that thou mayest be in a greater degree of fauour, seeke more faith; and this, though it be reckoned a small matter to hauehave a great degree of GODS fauour, yet, it is the greatest dignity in the world; Looke vponupon all the difference of men, it is their difference in the fauour of God that makes them so. Why was Moses a man aboue all the rest? saith GOD I will hauehave compassion vponupon whom I will hauehave compassion, and I will shew merciemercy to whom I will shew merciemercy; I hauehave chosen Moses: looke to what difference of men you will: looke into what estate, what condition thou wouldest hauehave, either thy soule or thy body, whatsoeuer it be, it is by the grace and fauour of GOD in CHRIST IEsus, that all thy comfort and consolation increaseth.

What shall make me grow in the fauour of GOD?

I answer, there is nothing that causeth God to set so much by vsus as faith: the woman of Canaan, see what cause Christ had to giuegive her such a great commendation, great is thy faith, and because her faith was great, therefore hee set her at so high a rate. So the Centurion, saith p. 137CHRIST, I hauehave not found so great faith in Israel, and that is the thing that he set so great a price vponupon. So Iacob, when hee got the name of Israel, when he preuailed with GOD, certainely it was the greatest blessing that euer he had: Why was that? Because hee shewed the greatest faith that euer he did, it was a strong faith that preuailed with GOD: And what set him at so high a rate in GODS Booke? It was the faith he had in GOD, therfore he is remembred in the whole Booke of GOD for his faith, Therefore the more faith you hauehave, the more GOD prizeth you, it is it that winnes his louelove. I cannot stand vponupon the arguments why we should grow in faith, they are many; The more faith we hauehave, the more powerfull are our prayers in preuailing with GOD, for faith giues strength to them.

Againe, the more faith you hauehave, the more you bring glory to GOD; if there bee much faith, there will bee much fruite, it is the roote of all grace, as, Iohn 15.8. Herein is my Father glorified, that you bring forth much fruit. Get much faith then if you will hauehave much fruit, that you may bring glory to GOD: as if he should say, If a man hauehave but some faith, he brings forth fruit, yet there shall be something wanting: but when a man is eminent, when he is conspicuous, when he is as a great light that eueryevery man turnes his eye to, when he is as a Tree that brings forth much fruite, which turnes the eyes of the beholders to it, p. 138So it is with Christians, herein, saith Christ, is my Father glorified, &c.

A Christian hath no such motiue as this, he shall glorifie GOD exceedingly, if he hauehave abundance of faith, he shall hauehave abundance of eueryevery Grace, he shall grow rich in good workes; this is that which we should all labour for: I cannot stand to presse it further. So much for this time, and for this Text.

FINIS.

A TREATISE OF EFFECTVALL FAITH: Deliuered in sixe Sermons vponupon 1 Thes. 1.3. By the late faithfull and worthy Minister of IESVS CHRIST, IOHN PRESTON, Dr. in Diuinity, Chaplaine in ordinary to His Maiestie; Master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge; and sometime Preacher of Lincolnes-Inne.

The iust shall line by faith.

Hab. 2.4.

Who through faith subdued Kingdomes, wrought righteousnesse, obtained promises, &c.

Heb. 11.33, 34.

LONDON: Printed for Nicholas Bourne. 1630.