The Breastplate of Faith and Love, Part 2 · Sermon 4
OF EFFECTVALL FAITH. The fourth Sermon.
1. THESS. 1.3.
Remembring your effectuall Faith, &c.
THE third Character of Faith,The third marke of faith, it brings peace. which I named in the morning, but did not fully finish, is this; If we hauehave justifying faith, then we hauehave peace. In this we should take heede. As it is a great mercy to hauehave a true and sound peace; so to hauehave a peace not well bottomed is the greatest judgement in the world; when GOD giues vp a man, that he shall be secure and at rest, that he shall not hauehave his minde occupied about sinne, or about matters of saluation; I say, it is a signe that such a one God hates: if it continue so with him, it is a signe God will destroy him. But yet peace of conscience, vponupon a good ground, is a signe of faith; as I shewed in Moses, Hannah, Dauid, and the rest. So farre wee went in the morning.
Now you must know, that all those instances that we brought you, that where there is faith, there is peace and quiet; they were not onelyonly for resemblance, to shew you, that as it is in those other things wherein wee beleeue, so it is in the maine; (as you doe not beleeue any particular promise, except you hauehave some quiet in your minde after it;) but likewise to shew you whether that peace bee good or no, whether that faith be sure or no. For if you beleeue the maine, certainely you will beleeue the lesse. Therefore consider with your selues, (wee will inlarge this signe so farre) If thou wouldest know whether thy faith be good or no, whether thou hauehave peace indeede concerning the maine; Consider with thy selfe, whether thou art able to beleeue those promises which concerne those particular things which thou hast daily vse of. For there are many promises which thou hast vse of continually in thy course: thou hast eueryevery day some occasion or other of trusting GOD: See in these how thou doest beleeue, whether thou hast peace, and know, that if thou hauehave not peace in these, it is a signe thou hast not peace in the maine. I will name but one place for it: Looke in Phil. 4.6.Phil. 4.6. opened. In nothing be carefull, but in all things let your requests be made vntounto God: And then, saith he, The peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding, shall preserue your hearts and mindes in Christ Iesus. Marke the opposition; saith he, In nothing be carefull, when matters of trouble come, when crosses come, when great businesses come, wherein thou knowest not which way to turne thee, (saith hee) in such a case be not thou carefull; doe the thing, thou must hauehave so much care as to set thy head aworke, as to deuise what to doe, and to set thy hand aworke to act it; but let there be no sollicitude to disturbe and disquiet thy affections within. Let thy request be made knowne to GOD; then, the peace of GOD which passeth all vnderstanding, shall keepe thy heart and minde in Christ Iesus. As if hee should say, if thou be not able to doe this, it is an interruption of that peace, it is a contradiction to that peace, which passeth all vnderstanding, that keepes thy heart in communion with CHRIST: if thou be not able to cast thy care on him for other things, that peace belongs not to thee. Where there is a secret intimation, not but that men may hauehave this peace, and be inordinately carefull, but ordinarily it is not so. He speakes not of such infirmities as the Saints are subject vntounto by distemper, but of an ordinary course.
Consider now, what thou dost for the things of this life: Saith CHRIST, Math. 6.Mat. 6. Oh you of little saith! Why so? What was the signe of a little faith? Saith CHRIST, Doest thou thinke that hee will cloathe the grasse of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the Ouen? Doest thou thinke that he will prouide for the yong Rauens that call vponupon him, and wilt thou not beleeue that he will doe so for thee? If thou doe not beleeue this, thy faith is nothing. If thou beleeue little, thy faith is little. Consider that, consider how you carry your selues for the things of this life: doe you thinke that GOD will doe the maine, and will not doe the lesse? Doe you thinke that he will giuegive you Christ, and will he not giuegive you other things? The same faith, that takes hold of the maine promise, is it not ready to take hold of the lesse, and to depend vponupon it? GOD is able to doe the greatest, and is hee not able to doe the lesse? Therefore, I say, in such a case, as CHRIST saith, Ioh. 3.12.Ioh. 3.12. to Nichodemus, … (saith hee) I come and tell you of earthly things, and you beleeue me not, how would you beleeue, if I should tell you of heauenly things? So I say, if you will not beleeue GOD concerning earthly things, when hee promiseth these, how will you beleeue him for the greatest matters of saluation? How will you beleeue in him for the giuing of CHRIST? How will you beleeue in him for the raising of you vp at the last day? Therefore, consider whether you be able to doe this or no: and know, that if there be faith, if you hauehave faith for the maine, you will hauehave faith in particular cases.
As for exmple, to giuegive you some instance, Gen. 24.7.Gen. 24.7. when Abraham had a particular occasion to send his seruant to get a Wife for Isaac; saith the seruant, Suppose the woman will not come with me: See now what Abrahams answer was: That God which tooke me from my Fathers House, and hath made me many promises before, (that is; GOD, that hath done the greatest matters for me, that hath promised me the blessed seed, in which all the Nations of the World shall be blessed; doest thou thinke hee will not helpe mee in such a particular?) hee will send his Angell before thee, and will certainely giuegive thee good successe.
Consider what you doe in such cases as these: these are things which you hauehave continuall vse of; you are put many times to such exigents, that you shall hauehave somewhat to trust GOD for, and you will be tryed in it.
So likewise Peter, that trusted GOD for the maine, when it comes to the particular case, that hee is bid to lanch out into the deepe, when hee is commanded to draw out the Ship and to goe a fishing; although he had no hope to doe it, hee trusted in those particulars, that CHRIST would not faile him: when he bade him goe vponupon the water, he trusted that he would support him. Take Dauid, see how he trusted in GOD, how many occasions had he to trust on him? As it is true for the maine; so for the particulars. So Paul, did not he trust GOD for his maintenance? See in his Epistles, how carelesse he was that way. So it is with all the Saints. Consider what you doe in these things: See whether your hearts bee at peace in these things; whether you trust in GOD, or no, so that your hearts are at rest, that you can sit still, and commit your care to GOD; if so, it is a good argument that you rest in him for the maine. So much for that.
4. Signe of effectual faith, To hold out in cleauing to Christ. To hold out implyeth 3. things.The fourth signe or Character of faith, is, To hold out: and that you shall see in these three branches.
First, when it shall cleaue to CHRIST constantly.
Secondly, when it will take no denyall.
1To cleaue constantly to Christ. which no…e can doe, that take Christ,Thirdly, when it is content to waite in prayer, and not be weary and giuegive ouer.
I say, if you would know whether your faith be effectuall, you shall know it by your holding out, whether it cleaue constantly to Christ. If thy faith be ineffectuall, (as you hauehave heard the last day) it comes either from mis-informaton, (you know not what Christ is, nor what it is to take him; you looke for other things from him: when you see what it is, if your faith be not effectuall, you will goe backe:) or else you take him out of feare, or out of louelove to his, and not to him; or else out of false and slender grounds. Now if you would know whether your faith bee such a faith or no, consider if it hold out, if it cleaue to him.
If thy faith come of mis-information,1Out of mis-information. when thou hast experience of CHRIST, when thou seest what hee requires at thy hands, when thou considerest and vnderstandest what he puts thee to, there is an end, thou giuest ouer.
If thy faith come of feare;2Out of feare as soone as the storme is ouer, as soone as those troubles in minde, those disquiets in conscience are past, there is an end, thy faith cleaues to CHRIST no longer.
If faith come out of louelove to his,3Out of louelove to his, and not to him. of louelove to a Kingdome, nothing but Hell and Heauen and some present commodities that moue thee; when better things are offered, that are more present commodities, there is an end of it.
Againe,4Out of slender and slight grounds. if it be out of false, slender, and slight grounds; when stronger reasons and objections come, that faith ceaseth likewise. But now then, when thou findest that thy faith holds out, when all these are past, when all these are taken away, when the feare is gone, when such an offer is made, when all the objections are made that can be, this argues that faith is sound and good. Consider therefore, whether thy faith cleaue fast, and constantly to CHRIST, or no; whether it hold out, when those flashes and good moodes will not; whether it ouercome, when it is assaulted by the Gates of Hell comming against it. That is, when a mans faith is good, it is built vponupon the Rocke, vponupon such a Rocke, that if the Deuill himselfe, and principalities and powers come, with all their strength, and all their wit, with all their temptations, and deuises, if faith be sound, it will hold out, the Gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it. The Woman of Canaan, she had a shrewd tryall, when CHRIST tels her she was a Dog, in plaine termes, and when it came from Christ himselfe; and yet when her faith was good indeed, she could not chuse but she must cleaue to him, she would not giuegive ouer, there was a strong faith, that did knit her heart secretly vntounto CHRIST, there was the ground that she held out, notwithstanding all objections; although, it may be, she knew not how to answer them, yet she let not goe, and that was a signe her faith was good: So, consider whether thy faith hold out when thou art put to such tryals as these.
2To take no denyall.gaine, consider whether thou wilt receiue no denyall when thou commest and seekest to him; when thou commest to seeke fauour at GODS hands, when thou commest to seeke forgiuenesse of sinnes, consider whether thou art able to hold out, though hee deferre long before hee grant it. There is no grace that GOD giues, but hee hath tryals for it afterward: Hee giues thee the grace of Patience, he will put thee to it, thou shalt hauehave some crosse, some affliction or other.
If hee giuegive thee LoueLove, hee will doe as hee did with Dauid, hee will see whether thou wilt forsake him, or no; hee will make thee an offer of preferment, an offer of wealth, of praise, of somewhat or other, to see if thou wilt part with that for his sake, or no.
If he giues vsus Faith, he often tryes vsus in this case, he denyes vsus long, hee wrestleth with vsus, as he did with Iacob, he makes many shewes of going away. Thus, we know, he dealt with Daniel, as soone as hee beganne to pray, the answer comes, that his request was granted; but GOD would not let him know so much; hee lets him goe thorow with the worke, hee lets him seeke earnestly, and then he reueales and makes it knowne vntounto him. So, perhaps GOD intends thee good, but he will put thee to the tryall, consider therefore if thy faith hold out in such a case.
Againe,3To be content to waite. when thou hast gotten an answer, perhaps, after thou hast gotten thine answers, thou must waite long before the thing it selfe be giuen thee: Therefore consider if thou be content to waite for it: for that is the property of faith, to be willing to waite, as Dauid often repeates it, I waited vponupon the Lord. You know, Abraham, how GOD tryed him that way, when hee made him a promise of a seede, of a Sonne, you know how long he waited for the performance. So Isaac, he waited long, before hee had those two sonnes, Iacob and Esau. So GOD will put thee to it to waite, it may be, for matter of justification; that is, he will not shew himselfe, he will not speake peace vntounto thee, he will not giuegive thee a good looke; but yet he giues thee a secret strength that thou shalt waite, thou shalt not giuegive ouer, thou shalt stay till hee speake pe…ce; that is, till … comfortable assurance, till thou hauehave the full testimony of the Spirit, as thou hast a secret testimony at the first working of faith. And so for matter of sanctification; It may be, GOD will suffer some strong lust to wrestle with thee, to contend with thee, as hee suffered in Paul, he will put thee to waite, before he will giuegive thee victory ouer it. If thy faith bee good now, thou wilt consider that hee hath sworne, hee hath made an absolute promise, that he will giuegive the Holy Ghost to those that are in Christ, that no sinne shall ouercome them, or hauehave dominion ouer them. If once thou come vnderunder grace, if thou hauehave faith, thou wilt neuer giuegive ouer, but wilt be content to waite, and to continue still striuing and wrestling with it, thou wilt neuer lay downe the wasters, as a man that is ouercome, as a man that is discouraged, as a man that is wearie of the fight.
And so for matter of deliuerance, perhaps GOD will let a crosse lye longer vponupon thee: if thou hauehave faith, thou wilt not make haste, thou wilt be content to waite: Habac. 2.Hab. 2. The vision is for an appointed time, it will not lye: Therefore, saith he, waite, it will come, it will not stay. That is, there is a certaine time that GOD hath appointed for thy deliuerance, before he will giuegive thee such a particular mercy; consider whether thou be able to wait in such a case: for, if there be faith, (marke it) a man will be sure to waite, and not to giuegive ouer: as in Iam. 1.Iam. 1. it is giuen there as a signe that faith is vnsound; they had so much faith as to come to Christ; but that was a signe that their faith was faulty, and vnsound faith, that it was not able to waite to the end, but gaue ouer.
If a man were sure now, that such a man were in the house, that he must speake withall, hee will waite till he come out, if hee be sure he be there. If thou be sure of GOD, if thy faith be sound, though he doe not answer thee presently, in many particulars, yet thou wilt be content to waite vponupon him. Therefore this will shew that many a mans faith is vnsound, slight, and vneffectuall, that they hauehave so soone done, that they are ready to doe much in flashes, in some good moodes, on a Sacrament day, it may be, or in the time of sicknesse, or when they are affected with some Sermon, or vponupon such an occasion; but, if thy faith were right, it would hold out, it would cleaue to CHRIST, it would goe thorow with all tryals, thou wouldest receiue no denyall, it would continue waiting vponupon him. This is the fourth signe.
5. Signe of effectuall faith, the concomitants of it, which are 4.Last of all, you shall know faith by the concomitants of it; and they are foure; LoueLove, Hope, Joy, and Humility. If there bee Faith, if thy Faith be good, it will alwaies hauehave LoueLove joyned with it;1LoueLove. as the Apostle Peter saith,2 Pet. 1.8. in 1 Pet. 1.8. Whom though you have not seene, yet you louelove him. And you know the place in Galath. 5.Gal. 5. Faith which worketh by louelove. That is, Faith which begets LoueLove, and such a LoueLove as sets a man on worke. But it is a thing that needeth no prouing: you cannot deny it: you know how they are joyned together in the first to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 13.chap. 13. Faith, Hope, and LoueLove. And it must needes be so, that, if thy faith be good, it will hauehave LoueLove joyned with it. For, if thy faith bee right, thou lookest on GOD as vponupon a friend, as vponupon a Father; now thou lookest vponupon CHRIST as on one that is married to thee; thou lookest on him as vponupon one that loues thee, and hath giuen himselfe for thee. Now if thou see this, and art perswaded of this indeede, if thou thinke and art perswaded indeede that he loues thee, louelove will beget louelove, as fire begets fire. Therefore, if thou wouldst know whether thou hast taken Christ indeede, consider whether thou louelove him or no.
But you will say you louelove CHRIST.Obiect. I hope there is no great question of that.
Salomon saith,Ans. EueryEvery man will make shew for fashions sake, of goodnesse, but where can you finde a faithfull man? So may I say of LoueLove: EueryEvery man saith, hee loues, but where shall one finde one that doth louelove indeede? Therefore consider, doest thou louelove in good earnest.
You will say,Quest. How shall I know it?
It is not a place now to stand to giuegive notes of LoueLove:Ans. we will only shew now, that LoueLove is a sure companion of Faith, and that Faith is not good, if LoueLove be not there, But yet I say, if thou louelove him,Tryals of louelove. thou shalt find that in thine owne heart, thou needest not goe far for a tryall of that.
LoueLove is the most sensible, the most quicke, and most active affection of all others. Consider, if thou louelove any creature, or any thing, any man or woman, doest thou not feele thy affection stirring in thee? doest thou not find thy heart thus longing after them whom thou affectest? thou delightest to be in their company, in their presence, thou desireth to be with them. So that, if a strangenesse growe between you at any time, thy heart is not at ease till all be right againe betweene you: So, doest thou louelove the Lord Iesus? Doest thou keepe his Commandements? Doth a man professe to louelove GOD, and cares not to vexe him, and anger him?
Againe, Doest thou hate sinne? Doest thou thinke to louelove GOD, and not to hate that, which he hateth? If a man louelove GOD, he is holy and pure, and there is no man that loues the one contrary, but he must needes hate the other. There is no man that loues light, but he must hate darknesse. If thou louelove GOD, in his person, in his purity, in his holinesse, thou must hate sinne; and this hatred is generall; thou wilt hate all sinne, if thou hate any, and hatred will breede the destruction of a thing.
Againe, Doest thou louelove GOD? art thou willing to doe any thing for his sake? Doest thou reckon matters of greatest difficulty easie to doe; as Iacob did make it a matter of ease because of louelove?
Againe, Doest thou louelove the Saints, those that are like him, those that are of such a disposition as God is of? Shall a man say hee loues the purity and the holinesse of GOD, which hee hath not seene, which is hidden from his eyes, when he doth not louelove the holinesse and the purity that hee sees in his Saints? For there it is taught in a visible manner in the creature, where you may see it more proportionable to you. It is a hundred times more easie to louelove godlinesse in the Saints, then in GOD himselfe, because hee is remote farre from vsus, and they are amongst vsus, and are visibly seene. Therefore, except thou louelove the Saints, which thou seest holinesse in; except thou seest thy heart inwardly, to louelove them with a naturall affection, as it were, that thou louest them whether thou wilt or no, thou doest but pretend.
Againe, Doest thou louelove CHRIST? Art thou willing to part with any thing for his sake? LoueLove is bountifull: Thou sayest thou louest GOD: What if he will hauehave some of thy wealth? What if he will hauehave thy credit? What if he will hauehave thy liberty for his sake? If thou louelove him, thou wilt be content to doe it. Therefore, consider if faith hauehave begotten such a louelove in thee, so that thou canst truly say, though thou hast not seene him, yet thou louest him.
The second concomitant of Faith, is Hope:2Hope. If thou hast Faith, thou hast Hope. And this distinguisheth a Christians faith from the faith of Reprobates, from the faith of Deuils, from the temporary faith that others are capable of: you know, the Deuils beleeue and tremble: He saith not, The Deuils beleeue and hope; for that they doe not, Hope is a property of Faith, where there is Faith there is Hope. Now you must know, that a man hath neuer faith to beleeue, but hee hath hope, which makes him expect what he beleeues. If a man hauehave a promise of so much money which he needes, he hopes for the performance of it, and quiets himselfe, when he casts his thoughts vponupon it, hee is at rest: when a man beleeues it, hee hopes for it. Take an Heyre that hath such possessions, which is yet a Ward, and is yong, he hath not the Land in possession; but (marke) what hope he hath, it is not a vaine hope, but such a hope as puts other conceits in him then other men hauehave, puts another fashion vponupon his actions, it makes him neglect many good things he would doe; he will not be of such a calling, he will not be diligent: for hee hopes, he makes account of it: See how such things worke vponupon a man, which he is not to hauehave in 7 or 8 yeeres after, perhaps. So thou hopest for Heauen, it is not a vaine hope, but it is a hope that will ma…e thee carry thy selfe after another fashion, it will make thee so minded, that thou wilt hauehave an eye to it, and eueryevery man that lookes on …hee, may see that thou hast an eye to it: So that faith is accompanied by Hope. But now you must not say, that if a man hope, therefore there is no feare mingled with it: for you must know, that a man may hauehave Hope that is true and good, and yet may hauehave feare mingled with it. For this you must know, that if there be nothing but hope, it is a signe that that Hope is not good. And therefore thou hast so little reason to be discouraged, because thou hast some feare mingled with thy hope, that thou hast the more cause to hope, and to thinke that thy hope is good, because there is feare mingled with it: for know, that there is a certaine sort of men, that hauehave neither faith, hope, nor feare; as Atheists, that hauehave some hope, but no feare; as Deuils and desperate men, that hauehave some feare, but no hope; as presumptuous men, which hauehave but a shaddow of faith: But those that hauehave hope, and feare mingled with it; that is, those may rather hope, that that hope which they hauehave, they may be so much the more confirmed in it, because they hauehave some feare mingled with it.
Therefore consider, whether thou hauehave hope or no: Consider in what manner it is joyned with faith. When thou beleeuest that CHRIST is thine, that Heauen is thine, that thy sinnes are forgiuen, and that thou art a sonne of GOD, but these things thou hast not yet, thou art as any other man, there is no difference betweene thee and them, thou hast no more in possession then other men, that walke with thee; now comes in Hope, and that expecteth that which is to come, that holds vp thy head, as it were, that, though you hauehave nothing at all for the present, yet that Hope will comfort you, that though you hauehave troubles, and crosses, and a thousand things more, to obscure and blot your faith, and the waues goe ouer your head, that you are ready to be drowned, this hope holds you aboue the water, and makes you expect with comfort that which is to come: and not so onelyonly, but, I say, it is a liuely hope, a hope that sets a man aworke, a hope that purgeth him. For, you know, that that a man hopes for, he will endeuour to bring it to passe, it is such a hope as will not faile you, but will continue as well as Faith it selfe.
3Ioy.Thirdly, the third concomitant of Faith is Joy: Romanes 15.13.Rom. 15.13. The GOD of hope fill you with joy, through beleeuing. If you hauehave beleeued, you hauehave Joy. So in the first of Peter, 1 Pet. 1.8.chap. 1. vers. 8. In whom you hauehave beleeued: (saith hee) Whom, though you hauehave not seene, yet you beleeue in him, and ioy with ioy vnspeakable and glorious. (As if hee should say) If you beleeue in him, you shall know it by this, Whether doe you reioyce in him, or no? Consider that, where there is Faith, there is Joy. And it must needes be so: As, you know, he that had the Pearle went away reioycing; and the Kingdome of GOD consisteth in Joy, and Peace, and Righteousnesse. And therefore, where there is Faith, there certainely is Joy. And therefore consider, and examine thine owne case: Hast thou this reioycing in CHRIST? this reioycing in the Doctrine of Justification, and forgiuenesse of sins. If we should examine mens faith by this, we should finde that there is but a little Faith in the World. Examine your selues, you that now heare mee, that heare this Doctrine of Faith; it may bee it hath been burthensome vntounto you; it may be it is a thing you care not for; To heare of Iustification, and forgiuenesse of sinnes, they are things at the least, that, it may be, you take no great paines for; you doe not study them, you doe not prize them much: but, if you were forgiuen indeed, you would prefer it before all other ioy, it would comfort you aboue any thing. If you would say, what you would heare aboue all things else, you would heare of matter of forgiuenesse. A man now that hath knowne the bitternesse of sinne, and afterwards comes to the assurance of forgiuenesse, (that is) to hauehave Faith indeed, I say, he will reioyce in it aboue all things else: all worldly ioy would be nothing to it. Therefore consider whether thou hauehave such a Faith or no; if thou hauehave not, certainely thou hast not Faith; and it is a sure signe that will not deceiue you; There is no man that hath it, that hath not Faith; and wheresoeuer there is Faith indeede, there is extraordinary great reioycing in CHRIST.
But,Obiect. you will say, Many a man may hauehave Ioy; the second ground receiued the Word with ioy: and those that followed Iohn the Baptist, reioyced in his light: and in Heb. 6.Heb. 6. the Apostle saith, they hauehave tasted of the good Word of God; they hauehave tasted with sweetnesse; that is, they hauehave had ioy in it.
Ans.It is true, we confesse there is a false ioy: and therefore, if thou wouldst know whether the ioy which thou hast be good or no,Tryals of ioy. consider these three things.
First, consider whether thy faith hold out in tribulation or no. Therefore the Apostle addes, Rom. 5.3.Rom. 5.3. not only so, but we reioyce also in tribulation. As if he should say, those that are hypocrites, those that hauehave a false faith, there may be much reioycing in them for a while, but we reioyce in tribulations; yea, we not onelyonly reioyce in tribulation, but our ioy is increased by them, they are as fuell, they adde to our ioy: as in Act. 5. the Disciples went away reioycing, because they were accounted worthy to suffer for Christ. Wheras the second ground, when persecution comes, there is an end of their ioy. Therefore consider whether thy ioy will hold out or no.
Againe, consider the greatnesse thereof: you know those words are added, 1 Pet. 1.8.1 Pet. 1.8. reioycing with Ioy vnspeakable and glorious. If it bee right Joy, it will bee such a great Joy, it will exceede all other, it will be like to that ioy in Haruest, as Isay speakes, it will be a Joy vnspeakeable for the greatnesse of it; such a Joy, that at the least is so great, that whatsoeuer comes, yet it exceedes it. the other temporary Christian may hauehave joy, but it is not so great, but some other joy will come, and ouercome it, and drowne it, and put it out.
Therefore, in the second ground, as their humiliation was slight, so was their Faith, they had a little humiliation for their sinnes, and they tooke CHRIST in a more remisse manner. And as their Faith was, so was their joy, all slight. But now, when Faith is sound and good, that Joy is accordingly great; it is a great Joy, that, at the least, ouercomes all other; that, take what joy you will, if a man could hauehave an earthly Kingdome heere, if a man could hauehave as great pleasure here as mans nature is capable of, if he had neuer so much praise, and glory of men, (these things wee naturally rejoyce in) a right Christian, that hath Faith indeed, will not so rejoyce in these, but that he will rejoyce in CHRIST aboue them. If thy Joy therefore be so great, that it ouercome and exceede all other, be sure that Joy is good. But yet we must hauehave one thing more in Joy. In whom, though you hauehave not seene, yet you joy with Joy vnspeakable and glorious. That is, if it be such a Joy as is right indeed, which is a testimony of faith, that it is a signe thou beleeuest, it is a Joy that is glorious, it is a Joy that is glorious and spirituall. Now an hypocrite may rejoyce, he may rejoyce in Christ, he may rejoyce in the Kingdome of GOD, and the assurance he hath of it, and he may reioyce in the hope that he hath that his sins are forgiuen; but all this while, he reioyceth after a carnall manner: as, you know, a man may reioyce in spirituall things after a carnall manner, as a man may reioyce in a carnall thing after a spirituall manner. Therefore the ioy of Hypocrites, when it is at the best, it is but a carnall ioy; there is something there that his flesh is able to reioyce in, it may be he had some feare and terrour in his conscience, and after this comes a perswasion perhaps that his sinnes are forgiuen him, and that he is in a good estate, that same fleshly feare and griefe before, that worldly feare and griefe will hauehave a Joy answerable to it, a naturall ioy, and yet it may be great, it may be a great flash of ioy, that may be as a Land-flood,Simile. make a great shew, which because it hath no spring, is soone dryed vp, but it makes a great flash: and therefore in that, Heb. 6.Heb. 6. opened. they tasted of the good Word of God, and of the powers of the world to come. I take this to be the meaning of it, (not as it is commonly interpreted, That an Hypocrite may taste of the good Word of God, and of spirituall priuiledges, he may taste of them, but not drinke deepe of them, but this is certainely the meaning of the place,) They tasted some things in the good Word of God, which was sweet to them. Now, in such men there is nothing but flesh. (Marke) If a temporary Christian beleeues for a time, he hath ineffectuall faith, in such a man there is nothing but flesh. That conclusion must be set downe: and if there be nothing but flesh, there is nothing can taste but flesh; for there is nothing else to doe it, and the flesh tastes nothing but objects that sute with it selfe. What shall we say then? There is somewhat in him that pickes out, that in these spirituall comforts, in these spirituall blessings, in this good Word of GOD, he pickes out that which sutes with his flesh: That is, such a carnall man may be able to reioyce in the Word. Doe you not thinke that such a good Word of GOD may make carnall men reioyce in it? May he not taste such sweetnesse, as to take vponupon him the profession of Religion, and to bring forth fruit, and to hold out long? No doubt there is. Are there not such things in that which wee propound in the Gospell? To tell men of a Kingdome of saluation, of the louelove of GOD, of the precious promises, of an inheritance, of escaping of Hell; may not a fleshly man, a man vnregenerate, may he not see, and reioyce in these? He may; and hath such a taste as is there expressed.
Consider now therefore if thy Joy be right; If it be a signe of faith, if it be good and sound, if it be a Joy that is spirituall and vnspeakable; that is, if it be a Joy that is so great as that it exceedes all other joyes; if this Joy doe but hold out in tribulation, it is a certaine signe thy faith is good.
4Humility.Now, last of all, the last concomitant of Faith is Humility. If thy Faith be right, it will bring that with it, to make thee humble and vile in thine owne eyes: For what is true faith? It is that which brings CHRIST into the heart, as you hauehave heard oftentimes; that which knits Christ and the soule together, it is that which causeth him to come and dwell with thee. Now wheresoeuer Christ comes to dwell, he comes with a light, hee shewes the creature his vilenesse, he makes a man see his sinne, he makes him see what creature he is; whereas another that hath great hope, and professeth that he hath much assurance, his heart is lifted vp, and not cast downe. Such are not men which thinke themselues vile, and naked, and miserable, but they thinke themselues better then other men, they are forwarder then others in any thing, they thinke other men are not like them. And therefore they are ready to be more bold and venterous in any thing, they are ready to take vp opinions, they are ready to strike out this way or that way. But now a true Christian is humbled with it, because when Christ comes into the heart, he makes a man to see his vilenesse. As, you know, when GOD drew neere to Iob, when he came neere him indeed, then he abhorred himselfe in dust and ashes, then hee saw what a one he was, he saw not before, he thought the contrary, but when GOD drew neere indeed, that made him manifest.
So it was with Isay, when he saw GOD vponupon his Throne, and the Angels about him, when he saw his holinesse,Isay. 6. then, Woe is me, I am vndone, because I am a man of polluted lips: He was so before, but when he drew neere to GOD, he saw it.
So Peter said, depart from me, I am a sinfull man, when he saw Christ, when Christ came neere him, when he manifested himselfe in his Diuinity, that he saw GOD in him; for so he did by that Miracle that amazed Peter, and cast him downe, and made him see what hee was. So Dauid, when GOD drew neere to him, and promised to build him an House, to giuegive him a House that should be eternall, to giuegive him the Messiah, whose Kingdome should neuer end, (for that is included in the giuing him a Kingdome for euer, and a House that should hauehave no end:) when God vouchsafed him so great a fauour, we see, Dauid was neuer so cast downe as then in the sight of his owne vilenes, he was neuer so little in his own eyes, he neuer said so much as he said then. Now, (saith he) what is Dauid? What am I, or what is my Fathers house, that thou shouldst regard me thus, that thou shouldst bring me hitherto? This is Gods manner, when he comes into a mans heart, when he speakes peace indeed, when Faith is a right Faith, that brings CHRIST to dwell there; I say, it makes a man exceeding humble. Therfore the spirit of Christians is a meeke spirit, they are humble, and gentle, they are little in their owne eyes. Consider whether thou hast such a disposition bred in thee, or no: it is a signe thy faith is good, if there be; if there be not, it is a signe thy faith is not true. So much for the signes of faith. I make haste, because I hauehave one Vse more to adde.Vse.
To act and exercise Faith, or to set it on Worke.If nothing be regarded of GOD but effectuall faith; that is, if that be the vertue of faith to be effectuall, or else it is nothing worth, then we should learne hence, not to let that be wanting to our faith which is the excellencie of it, which is the vertue of it, which is the proper quality of it. As, if it be the vertue of a Horse to goe well; If it be the vertue of a Knife to cut well; If it be the vertue of a Souldier to fight well; or whatsoeuer you will instance in, whatsoeuer vertue it be, or whatsoeuer thing, you labour to find that in it, whatsoeuer be wanting; (for eueryevery thing hath some proper excellency, some speciall vertue wherein the thing consists.) Now, to be effectuall, to be working, to be operatiue, If this be the vertue of Faith, (as it were) if this be the character and excellency of faith; Let not this therefore be wanting in faith. What is that then thou shouldst doe? Vse thy faith, set faith aworke, liue by it.
Obiect.You will say, This is more then I can doe; this is Gods action, he must set faith aworke, and worke this in me.
Ans.I say, thou art able to doe this of thy selfe, when thou hast faith once. I speake to those that hauehave it, and this exhortation is to you. If you hauehave faith, vse it: many hauehave it, that doe not vse it. This is a thing that you are able to doe: For though God worke in you all the worke of faith, as it is receiued; yet know, he doth not worke in you onelyonly, but by you; he makes you instruments: you are not as dead instruments, but as liuing instrumēts, to moue of your selues. It is true, that before you hauehave faith you are able to doe nothing; but when you hauehave it once, then you are able to vse it. Before a man hath life,Simile. he is not able to stir, but when he hath life once, then he is able to moue and stir himselfe, for there is life there. when the Lampe is once lighted,Simile. you know you may feede it with Oyle, and if you put more Oyle to it, you shall hauehave the greater flame: There is light, and you may increase it; indeed the difficulty is to light it; and that is Gods worke; he kindles the first fire, hee workes faith in the heart: But now, when thou hast it, learne to vse it. Dost thou thinke a necessity lyes vponupon vsus to vse other Talents that GOD hath put into our hands, and will he not require that thou shouldst vse the Talent of Faith? Wilt thou wrap that in a Napkin, and let it lye dead by thee? Will not he call thee to an accompt for it? What folly is it, (my brethren) you hauehave faith, which is so excellent a Grace, able to doe so great things as it is, and yet you will not vse it. There are many Christians that hauehave Faith indeed, and yet will not set it on worke. How great things would it doe, what a reward would it bring? As Aristotle saith of habits, That if a man hauehave no more but a habit, and vse it not, there is no difference betweene the wisest man and a foole; for what are habits for, but for action? what is the Tree for, but for fruit? The habit serues but for the act; and this is according to the iudgement of Scripture, in Rom. 2.Rom. 2. God rewards not men according to the habits they hauehave, but according to their workes. Therefore thinke not that thou shalt be rewarded according to thy habits of Faith which thou hast, though it be true that that sanctifies thee, but GOD doth reward vsus according to the vse of our faith, according to the workes that our Faith doth bring forth, according to the efficacie of our faith. It is true, the taking of Christ is one worke of Faith, thou shouldst set it aworke to doe that; and besides that, all the workes of sanctification are all workes of Faith; all thy life long, eueryevery houre thou hast somewhat for Faith to doe. Set thy faith aworke, and thy reward shall be accordingly.
And againe, if thou vse not Faith, thou shalt hauehave little enough of it; the vsing of it is that which strengthens Faith. It is Gods vsuall manner, when he giues Faith to a man, to giuegive him exercise, to keepe his Faith breathing, as it were; hee will be sure to hauehave somewhat wherein hee will put him to it, some tribulation, he will put fire to it, to clense it, And therefore we should learne to make vse of our Faith, to set it on worke.
It is a generall Rule in all things, and as true in this, If a man hauehave an estate, what is he the better to hauehave it, if he doe not vse it? To hauehave a friend, what is a man the better if he doe not vse him? Shall a man be a Fauourite of a Prince, and get nothing by it? Faith makes a man a Fauourite of GOD, a friend to GOD; and will you make no vse of GOD? It is that which he expects at your hands; will you hauehave GOD in vaine? Shall hee be your GOD, and will you make no vse of his power, of his wisdome, of his ability to hold you vp, to helpe you vponupon all occasions? You should make vse of him; all that is his, is yours, if you make vse of it by faith.
Againe, shall men hauehave such priuiledges as we hauehave by faith, and shall not wee comfort our selues by them? What is it for a man to hauehave great estates, great Titles of Honor, and Houses, and Lands, if a man doe not thinke vponupon them, that these considerations may cheere him? We should doe so with faith, this is the vse of faith.
Againe, if faith be vsed, it is able to doe much for vsus, if it lye still, it will doe nothing. You know what they did, Heb. 11.Heb. 11. They hauing faith, it made them doe that, it was but the vse of their faith: So it is with vsus; Looke how much thou vsest thy faith, so much thou shalt be able to doe. Therefore Christ saith, Be it according to thy faith: that is, not according to the habit of thy faith, that lyes dead, as a Talent wrapped vp there; but, be it vntounto thee according to the vse of thy faith. If thou set faith on worke, it will be able to doe great things, it will be able to doe wonders, it will be able to ouercome the world, it is able to worke righteousnesse, it is able to preuaile with GOD and men, it is able to goe thorow the greatest matters.
Quest.But, you will say, How shall I vse it?
Ans.That is the thing indeed which I purposed now to hauehave shewed, how faith must be vsed,How to vse Faith. how we must liue by faith: I should hauehave shewed how you should vse it.
1In comforting our seluesFirst, in comforting of our selues; for that is one vse of Faith, thou shouldst set it aworke to fill thy heart with ioy, out of the assurance of the forgiuenesse of sinne, and of the priuiledges which thou hast by CHRIST. When a man hath faith, and finds his heart no more affected then other mens, he findes no reioycing there more then ordinary; Now set faith on work, learn to beleeue, and that throughly.
First set faith on worke to beleeue, to trust perfectly, as the Apostle speakes, Gal. 3.Gal. 3. opened. In the grace reuealed by Iesus Christ: trust perfectly; that is, thou shouldst beleeue the full forgiuenesse of thy sinnes, thou must not beleeue it by halues, so that there should be a distance, as it were, betweene GOD and thee, some odde scores vnacquitted, vncrost; but thou shouldest beleeue so,Ioh. 16. that thy joy may be full, thou shouldest beleeue throughly, that thy sinnes are forgiuen, that all are acquitted, thou must not limit God in his merciemercy at all, as thou shouldest not limit him in his power. Thus a man should set faith on worke, that he may be able to say, My Beloued is mine, and I am his. I know there is a Match made betweene vsus. For vnlesse you lay this ground, a man shall not reioyce. This is all, therfore now vse thy faith. If Satan now come, and tell thee of some sinnes, and of some circumstances of those sinnes, and of some wants in thy repentance and humiliation, what serues faith for now? What serues all this for that you hauehave learned heere concerning the Doctrine of Faith, but to teach you that these should be no scruples, you should beleeue, and that perfectly? When this is done, that you see there is a Match, a Couenant made betweene GOD and you, now you must know, that all that Christ hath is yours; whatsoeuer hee hath by Nature, you hauehave it by Grace. If hee be a Sonne, ye are sonnes; If he be an Heire, yee are heires; and when ye hauehave done this, then consider all the particulars of the wealth of a Christian, that all is yours, whether it be Paul or Apollos, or the world, &c. These things wee hauehave often spoken of, you should runne through and consider of them: If a man will consider that he is a King, that the world is his, that whatsoeuer is in CHRIST belongs to him, and oweth him a good turne, and will doe it at one time or other; when he considers all the precious promises.Simile. A man reckons his wealth not onelyonly by his money which he hath lying in his Coffers, that he hath present, but by Bils, and Bonds, and Leases, &c. So, how many promises thou hast, there is not a promise in the Booke of GOD, but it is thine; set thy faith on worke to consider this, and to reioyce in it; set faith on worke so to see them that thou maiest reioyce in them, and weyne thee from the things of this world, not to regard them; for they are small things of no hold. Shall a King regard Cottages and trifles? No, if thou thinke in good earnest that thou art such a man, why doest thou regard trifles? Thou shouldst doe this; when other men reckon their Lands, and their Houses, and their friends, a Christian reckons he hath GOD, hee hath many good workes in store, hee hath so many precious promises laid vp in the Land of the Liuing. Set thy faith on worke thus, not onelyonly to reioyce, but to bring in a holy magnanimitie, answerable to such a condition; and let not Faith giuegive ouer till it hauehave brought thee to this. Certainely, a man that beleeues he is a King, he will hauehave another spirit: for there is no other reason wherefore it is said Saul had another spirit, but that when he came to be a King, he had a spirit answerable. When thou beleeuest these priuiledges, when thou settest thy Faith on worke to beleeue indeed, to beleeue them to be reall things, and not fancies, and notions, there will be bred a disposition answerable, a carriage and spirit suteable; thou wilt not admit of things that are vnfit for such a person, thou canst not doe it; but as one that is a Prince, that hath those hopes actually, he cannot admit of thoughts that other men hauehave; no more can a Christian, when he is borne from aboue by the immortall seede, there is such a disposition wrought in him, that, if he will set his faith on worke to beleeue these things, he shall not be able to admit of those base things which hee did before, and which others doe.
Againe, if a man set his Faith aworke to beleeue these things, he would be able to vse the World as if he vsed it not, he would not care for losses & crosses, he would not grieue for them, as one that is not able to beare them. Thus we should learne to set faith on worke, in beleeuing these priuiledges, that we may be able to walke with God, as Henoch did, and as Paul, and Moses did; to walke with him in the vpper Region, aboue the stormes: There is much variety of weather when a man is below here, now it is faire, and then it is foule; if a man were aboue these, there is a continuall serenity; So a man that hath his heart in Heauen, a man that walkes with GOD, that hath his heart raised aboue others; if you would doe this, if you would vse Faith, if thou wouldest consider this, it would set thee aloft, aboue these things; thou wouldest soare aloft as the Eagle, thou wouldest care no more for these things, then the Eagle cares for the chirping of Sparrowes: they are trifles, thou wouldest ouerlooke them all. If we did consider this seriously, how would it alter our course? It would worke another disposition, another affection in vsus. A man would consider, that if GOD be sure, what matter is it if a friend die? If I hauehave GOD, what is the losse of any creature? And so, if a man suffer wrong in his name, what is it, if he hauehave praise of GOD? If thou beleeue, and see GOD in his greatnes, to hauehave praise of such a one as he, will make thee to contemne the rest. And so for wealth: What is pouerty? What account did Paul make of it? It is nothing to one that hath Treasure in Heauen, to one that beleeues indeede, to one that seeth hee hath all GODS Treasures opened to him. Thou shouldest learne to doe this in good earnest. If a man would set this Faith aworke to beleeue it, his heart would be fixed, hee would bee afraid of no euill tydings, hee would say with himselfe, if there bee no ill tydings from heauen, it is no matter from whence they come on earth. If a man would build, through faith, vponupon the promise, and consider it really. This is the vse of Faith: thus a mans heart should be filled with ioy, a man would be able to goe through ill report and good report, through want and through abundance, without being much troubled with either; the one would not much puffe him vp, nor the other would not deject him, but he would goe as a Gyant, and march thorow the variety of conditions; he would passe through them, that neither the one hand nor the other, the good successe nor the ill successe should worke vponupon him much. This is a strong man: and this Faith will make thee able to doe, if thou vse Faith, and set it aworke. But I am sorry the time hath cut me off: this is but an entrance, I giuegive you but a little taste: There are many things wherein Faith stands vsus in much stead, wherin if wee did vse Faith, how much seruice would it doe vsus? But for that which remains in this Doctrine of Faith, I had thought to hauehave shut it vp at this time, to shew you how to vse it, how to make it effectuall, how to set it aworke, how to walke by it, how to husband and improue this Talent for Gods aduantage and your owne. But I cannot stand on it. So much for this time.
FINIS.