Seven Treatises, Treatise 2 · Chapter 2
CHAP. 2. That a godly life cannot be without vnfained faith; nor this faith without it: which is the first poynt in the first generall head to be handled.
THus, hauing ſhewed what the ſumme of this treatiſe is, and the order and parts of it, I will now proceede: and firſt, ſeeing I hauehave taken in hand to deſcribe the life of the beleeuer, and what the godly life is, which he muſt leade: I will indeuour my ſelfe to helpe and direct him herein; as God hath inabled me, that as in the former treatiſe he may proue and ſee himſelfe to hauehave faith to be ſaued, ſo he may learne by this, to ioyne with his faith, godlines.
But before I lay forth this godly life at large, in this chapter, I will begin with the firſt point of the firſt generall part of this treatiſe, that is, that ſeeing godlines cannot be without iuſtifying faith, but ſpringeth and ariſeth from it, as the branch from the tree;Iames 2.18. for ſo Saint Iames ſaith, Shew me thy faith by thy workes: therefore where no true iuſtifying faith is, there can be no godly life. And ſo he,Where true faith is not, there is no good life. Epheſ. 2.3. who is no true beleeuer, cannot hauehave any ſparkle of godlines in him; but is vtterlie deſtitute, and voide thereof, euen altogether vngodly, as the Apoſtle writeth: We all had our conuerſation ſometime as other diſobedient men, in the lustes of our fleſh, doing thoſe things which liked vsus: where we ſee, that this was the life of all, euen the beſt, to be ſtrangers to the life of godlines, and the children of wrath, before they beleeued, Epheſ. 2.8. But leaſt any through ignorance might ſay: though we did that which liked the luſts of our hearts, yet we did not onelyonly ſo, nor all that we did, was not ſuch, but ſome good we did amongſt the euill which we committed, (and if it be ſo, they thinke that the one may anſwere for the other:) I further ſay to them, out of the place to Titus 1.15. VntoUnto the pure, are all things pure: but vntounto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing, is nothing pure; but euen their minds and conſciences are defiled: to the Hebrues,Heb. 11.6. that without faith, it is impoſsible to pleaſe God, whatſoeuer things we doe, but all is abhominable, odious, and vile before him. For as is the fountaine, ſo are the riuers which runne from it; and as is the heart, and the cogitations of it, ſo are the actions which proceede from it: but the cogitations of the heart are alwaies, Gen. 6.5. No good thing in the vnbeleeuer that pleaſeth God. Gen. 9.6. Prou. 28.9. Pſalm. 50.16. Gen. 4.4.and onelyonly euill. So that (to returne) in the vnbeleeuer there is no good thing that pleaſeth God: his beſt actions are turned into ſinne: his praiers, almes, reading, hearing, confeſſions, thankeſ-giuings, and whatſoeuer elſe, they are all abominable in him; and God will neuer be pleaſed with his workes and ſeruices, vntill the perſon, namely, euen he himſelfe be accepted of him; and that is not till he beleeue: as it is in the epiſtle to the Hebrues 10.38. The iust ſhall liue by faith, but if any withdraw himſelfe [that is, thorough vnbeliefe] my ſoule ſhall hauehave no pleaſure in him, ſaith the Lord.
And this is the worke which God requireth of him, aboue, and beyond all workes, that he beleeue in his ſonne, that he hath alreadie wrought his happines: and therefore that he ſhall be ſaued by him onelyonly. Now if a man, before he hauehave ſome ſure tokens of Gods louelove, and conſequently ſome meaſure of true faith, cannot ſo much as enter into a godly life, nor hauehave any thing which he doth, approued of God (as we hauehave ſeene, and the Scriptures doe more fully proue): how dangerouſly then doe many thouſands deceiue themſelues? of which number, ſome are verely perſwaded that they louelove, feare, and ſerue God, not knowing what faith is: other thinke they hauehave repented truly, becauſe they hauehave mourned and been ſorrie for their ſinne, by fits at ſome time; yet hauehave no faith, nor any conſtant deſire of it: and others, becauſe they doe many things in their owne nature good, imagine themſelues to liue godly, when yet a man may doe many good actions, and for all that, they ſhall not be good to him, as long as faith the principall is wanting in him, as hath been ſaid.
And if any count this doctrine hard, and ſay, that if this ſhould be true,No new doctrine. it were the next way to driue many to diſcomfort, yea and to deſperation: let ſuch know, that if any deſpaire becauſe their wicked liues are condemned of God, the doctrine is not to bee blamed, but the perſons themſelues, who ſhould rather repent; for the doctrine is the doctrine of the Scriptures:Jt is hard only to the obſtinate 2. Pet. 3.16. and al ſound Diuines both old and new hauehave taught it. And if it be hard, it is hard to the ignorant, vnstable, and obstinate, who indeede can take little comfort by it, but peruert all things to their owne destruction: and although they deſpaire not, yet their caſe will be no better in the end then deſperate, if they ſo abide. But the truth of God may not be buried for mens frowardnes, who can not away with it.
But let this ſuffice to ſhew, that no man can leade a godly and Chriſtian life, before he hath ſome meaſure of true faith, as it hath been ſet downe and deſcribed in the former treatiſe. And as I hauehave ſhewed,None that hauehave faith can liue wickedly. that no man liueth godly which beleeueth not: ſo it is on the contrarie, to be marked, that no man who beleeueth, and nouriſheth and preſerueth his faith, can liue wickedly, nor faſhion himſelf after men of the world, or returne to the offenſiue, and vnſauourie courſe, which he walked after before: but as he is new borne,2. Cor. 5. ſo hee is a new creature, and (as hee doth except at the firſt beginning of his conuerſion, or in vehemencie of temptation) knowing himſelfe to be of the number that ſhall be ſaued, he honoreth him who will ſaue him: for his louelove conſtraineth him ſo to doe. Which although it bee moſt true, and will be granted of the greater part: yet becauſe many content themſelues to affirme it onelyonly, and other in a generall manner doe coldly goe about it, I meane to honour God and ſhew foorth the fruits of faith (which they think they hauehave) as though any little would ſerue, I thinke it very meete to ſet downe ſome ſpeciall proofes of it, that cannot be excepted againſt.
And firſt, by that place to Titus: The grace of God, that hath appeared, Proofes of the former. Tit. 2.12.teacheth vsus to denie vngodlines and worldly luſts: and to liue holily, righteouſly, and ſoberly in this preſent life; he ſaith plainly, if we be once inlightened by that diuine grace and gift of the Goſpell to ſee our ſelues partakers of ſaluation: we are by the ſame knowledge, taught (and ſo learne it) to renounce our old conuerſation. So that euen as a ſcholler plainly taught by his maſter, becommeth skilfull in thoſe points wherein he was inſtructed: ſo is a man taught, to ſee God worthie all honour, and to giuegive it him, by caſting away the workes of darknes, when he ſeeth that he hath brought him out of moſt wofull bondage, into the glorious libertie of Gods children. And is it any meruaile? For what will we not be readie to doe, for ſuch a one as hath but once ſaued our liues from death? How much more doe all they which know that they are diſcharged for euer from fearefull damnation, ſee infinite cauſes why they ſhould chaunge their wicked liues (which ſo much diſpleaſed God) and are alſo readie to doe the ſame? Be not therefore deceiued, God is not mocked by them, who profeſſe they looke to be ſaued, and doe not bring foorth fruiteworthie amendment.
Faith is not content with a wandring deſire of godlines.It is not a bare wandring deſire to pleaſe God, which this pretious faith, and aſſurance of ſaluation worketh: but it frameth alſo the man vntounto it, and teacheth him in ſome true and acceptable meaſure to goe about it. The tidings of this treaſure appeared ſo glorious to Agrippa, being a King, and therefore acquainted with earthly felicitie; and a Heathen, and therefore vnfit to ſee very eaſily into ſpirituall things:2. Cor. 5. yet this appeared ſo glorious tidings to him, when he heard it by Paul, not preaching in the pulpit, but ſtanding a priſoner at the barre,Act. 26.28. that it cauſed him at the firſt to ſay: Thou haſt almoſt perſwaded me to become a Chriſtian. And therefore he, who hath not onelyonly heard a ſound of this heauenly newes with his eares (which yet did weigh equally againſt a Princes kingdome in a Heathen mans iudgement) but hath beleeued it to bee his owne, and that for euer: doe we thinke, that any thing will be thought too deare for him,Goſpell deſpiſed, becauſe it is not knowne. who hath freely giuen it him? And therefore when I ſee one curſed man raile againſt the doctrine of Gods word, and his faithfull ſeruants: another to louelove the Chriſtian life, but from teeth outward, and diuers men diuerſly bewitched; but all of them to louelove darknes more then light, becauſe their deedes are euill, Ioh. 3.19. I meruaile not at it: they do after their nature and kind. As they are not obedient to the will of God, ſo neither indeed can they be; who yet for all this, know not any cauſe why they ſhould accuſe themſelues: but if they might ſee what kindnes God offereth them, euen to bee made happie, and might beleeue the ſame, ye ſhould ſee them changed, as ſenſible as euer was Saul, of a perſecutor to become a preacher; ſo they of oppreſſors, mercifull perſons, and reſtorers of that which was ill gotten; and of prophane, holy: and ſo to bee conuerted, as that wee might ſay of them, compared to the beſt ſeruants of God, the lambe and the lion doe eate together.
Many would be thought beleeuers, vvho liue not a godly life. Hoſ. 7.8.But to let theſe goe, as too groſſe, I would wiſh ſuch to weigh theſe Scriptures aright; who will take no nay but that they belong to Gods election, when yet their goodnes is as the morning dew, ſoone vaniſhing and blowne away; or as a cake halfe baken. Let them ſee how well this becommeth them, to bee ſometime forward, ſometime backward: in ſome things, zealous, and yeelding to the will of God: in otherſome, ſinning againſt their owne knowledge: and when they be ſtraying from dutie, to make no haſte to it againe; neither to ſee that any thing is amiſſe in them: nay to be put in minde, and reproued, though neuer ſo iuſtly, and kindly, they cannot beare it. It muſt in no waies bee denied them, that they beleeue, and are ſure to be ſaued: but where is the ſpirit which S. Paul ſpeaketh of, in thoſe which know themſelues ſaued?Rom. 7.4. which, as an husband, ruleth and beareth ſway, which commaundeth holy and heauenly motions and affections into the heart, not ſuffering poyſoned, and earthly corruptions to defile the ſame? where is that authoritie and gouernment ouer the members of the minde and bodie, as ouer a wife, that they may bee well ordred? where are the traines and companies of all ſorts of good fruites, as their children? and comely ornaments alſo, & beautifull to adorne and ſet out their liues? when a profeſſor of the Goſpell ſhall not be able to denie, that his heart is corrupt, by fretting, raging, and vnquietnes for eueryevery ſmall trifle, and yet not once trembling for it, nor ſaying,Phil. 2.12. Ierem. 8.6. what hauehave I done? or els looſe, vaine, and fooliſh by other occaſions, and all this without repentance. Where is his teſtimonie, that his heart is a good treaſurie, and nurſerie of good things? when his tongue ſhall be walking, not onelyonly vnneceſſarily, and idly, but in vnſauourie and offenſiue ſpeech, in fooliſh ieſting, taunting, railing, mocking, lying, ſwearing, ſlandering, curriſh and churliſh ſpeaking; how are the powers and members of the bodie in ſubiection, as a wife vntounto the power of Chriſt, which ruleth as an husband, in the heart of Gods beloued ones? where is thoſe mens religion, which S.Iam. 1.26. Iames boldly ſaith is none, where the tongue is thus vngouerned, what ſhew ſoeuer be made thereof?
And ſo I might goe forward to conuince many of our countrimen, who hauehave often heard me, and other of Gods Miniſters vrging them after the ſame manner, in our Sermons: and doe know, I tell them the truth, that ſuch things are in them indeed, who yet ſeeme to be religious. I hauehave ſaid it oft, and now ſay it with griefe, that all theſe, who hauehave ſuch things raigning in them, are not onelyonly their owne enemies, but alſo to our preaching of the Goſpell of Chriſt: neither is their reioycing good, who glorie in their faith and hope, when yet they are thus earthly and carnally minded.
They muſt know it (howſoeuer they beleeue) that God hath ioyned with faith, vertue, and godlines, patience, temperance; and that who ſo beleeueth, is thereby turned from his old conuerſation. For mine owne part,Too haſtie repentance ſeldome ſound. I hauehave long miſliked this haſte, and ſudden ſhewes of great repentance in men, who in their firſt acquaintance with the word preached to them, hauehave not only profeſſed that they hauehave repented (when beſides ſome gripes of grief, they hauehave not knowne what repentance meaneth) but they hauehave thought themſelues able almoſt on the ſudden to cenſure, yea to condemne other, and teach them; and ſo although with boldnes enough ioyned with as much ignorance, they hauehave taken in hand to doe. I ſpeake not of ſuch as are humbled in their hearts for their ſinne, who deſire nothing more then to be ſet at libertie from the feare which oppreſſeth them, learning daily to beleeue, and to be grounded therein; who dare no otherwiſe beleeue their ſinnes forgiuen them, then they walke humbly before God and men: but of ſuch as paſſe from ſorrow for ſin without faith, to newnes of life, as they imagine,Note. which was neuer, nor euer ſhall be attained; leauing the learning of faith,Change of life without faith, vaine. and aſſurance of Gods fauour, which is the beginning, and worker of all new life, as a thing ſoone gotten: and therefore it is ſo ſleightly laboured for of them, and ſo to ſeeke with thē, for want of thorough prouing whether they hauehave it or no, that many are driuen againe to ſeeke for it, many yeeres after, they thought they had been ſure of it, yea and (that which is more to be lamented) many of them neuer attaine vntounto it at all. It ſtandeth with no ſound reaſon, that young beginners in learning of any trade, ſhould by and by, become occupiers,A ſimile. and ſetters vp; or that they ſhould rule well, who hauehave neuer learned to obey: ſo it ſtandeth not with religion, that they ſhould count themſelues good Chriſtians, or that they ſhould be ſo indeede, who hauehave not taſted of Chriſt, and the benefit thereof; neither learned him, as the truth is in him, that is, to put off the old man with his affections and lusts, and to put on the new: and who hauehave not felt him ſo good and bountifull to them, that for his ſake they be readie to doe any thing.
This I hauehave ſpoken by occaſion of the matter in hand; namely, that faith bringeth alwaies with it new life; in ſo much, that when it is ouermatched with the fleſhly corruption, yet it raiſeth ſighings and ſtriuings in the heart till it be ſubdued, that I might at leaſt preuaile with ſome of my brethren, that they pleaſe not themſelues in thinking they hauehave faith, when their liues are filled,It is vaine to thinke we hauehave faith without a new life. not only with many offenſiue actions; but alſo with cuſtome and commons in the ſame: whereas he which is honored with the title of Gods ſeruant, muſt be known by the liuerie of vncorrupt life, and proue by his ſauour and ſmell of good conuerſation, that he came from God, and is not of the earth,1. Pet. 3.4. that ſo he may ſhew himſelfe to be a man of God indeed: his rootes muſt be faſtened as the trees of Lebanon:Hoſ. 14.6. he muſt flouriſh as the Lillie, and finde the graces of God as dew to quicken them. For of this be we ſure, that whatſoeuer men alleage, why their liues cannot beare the mould and print of ſound doctrine,Rom. 6.17. and yet they will needes goe for the approoued ſeruants of God; it is a ſtrong deluſion which perſwadeth them ſo.
And therefore ſeeing the Scripture doth (as I hauehave ſaid) ſo fully, and ſo often ſet downe this truth vntounto vsus, that ſuch as hauehave obtained mercy of God, are taught and guided by him: ought not men to ſettle themſelues to another courſe, then in times paſt they walked in, being now deliuered from ſo great bondage?Luk. 1.75. For to that end, as they hauehave heard, they were deliuered. Wherefore,Matth. 11.29. if any be aſſured of ſaluation, let them either willingly be ſubiect to the Lords yoke, I meane his commandements, and commit their whole life to him to be gouerned, and be diligent to doe good workes; or elſe let them hold their peace: for they are nothing leſſe, as in time it ſhall appeare, and hath done already in many ſuch as they are,Tit. 3.8. to their coſt: and be they well aſſured, that God will not be ſlacke to reuenge ſuch boldnes. But I will ſhut vp this matter in one ſentence. Saint Paul to the Epheſians moſt liuely deſcribeth this life, which is to be led of them which are ſure of Gods fauour:Epheſ. 4.22. ſaying, Put off, or lay aſide, as concerning your conuerſation past, that old man, that is, that corrupt nature; and ſo the powers of your mind and bodie, which were infected with deceiueable luſts: and be renued in the ſpirit of your mindes, (euen where the force of reaſon ſhould be greateſt) that ſo you may put on the new man which is to be ſanctified, that the powers of your bodies and mindes may be renued, and changed alſo: ſo ſhall ye be framed, to bring forth righteouſneſſe, and true holineſſe, wherein ye ſhall carrie ſome reſemblance of God.