A Treatise of Faith, To the reader 1
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
THE leading of a happy Life (the attainement whereof this Treatiſe directeth vntounto) is that which all deſire; but Gods truth only diſcouereth, and Faith only enioyeth. In the firſt Adam our happineſſe was in our owne keeping, but he by turning from God to the creature, made proofe what, and whence he was, a creature raiſed out of nothing, and without the ſupporting power of Him in whom all things conſiſt, ſubiect to fall into a ſtate worſe then nothing againe Hence God out of his infinite power, depth of goodneſſe, intending the glory of his mercy in reſtoring man, would not truſt man with his owne happineſſe; but would hauehave it procured and eſtabliſhed in the perſon of a ſecond Adam, in whom we recouer a ſuter eſtate then we loſt in the firſt: for though Adams ſoule was ioyned to God, yet that knitting was within the contingent and changeahle liberty of his owne will, but now we are brought to God, in an euerlasting couenant of mercy by Faith in Chriſt, who by taking the nature of man into vnitie of His perſon, and not the perſon of any, became a publike perſon, to be Author of eternall ſaluation to all that receiue him; and ſo gathering vsus that were ſcattered from God into one head, bringeth vsus backe againe to God by a contrary way to that whereby we fell, that is, by cleauing to God by faith frō whom we fel by diſtruſt. A fit grace for the ſtate of grace, giuing the whole glory to God, and emptying the ſoule of all ſelfe-ſufficiency, and inlarging it to receiue what is freely wrought and offered by an other: thus wee come to hauehave the comfort, and God the glory of mercy, which ſweete attribute, mooued him to ſet all other attributes on worke to make vsus happy. Out of the bowels of his mercy, as he choſe vsus to eternal ſaluatiō in Chriſt, ſo vouchſafeth he all things neceſſary to life and godlineſſe. And as the ſame louelove in God giueth vsus heauen, and furniſheth vsus withall things needfull in the way, vntill we come thither: So the ſame Faith which layeth hold on the promiſes of neceſſary aſſiſtance, comfort, prouiſion and protection: and this office it performeth in all the ſeuerall ſtations of this life, vntill it hath brought vsus vntounto the enioying of Him in whoſe preſenceis fulnes of ioy and pleaſure for euermore. Wee ſee that ſame louelove in parents which mooueth them to gaue an inheritance to their ſonnes, mooueth them likewiſe to prouide for them, and to traine them vp in experience of their fatherly care. So it pleaſeth our firſt and beſt Father, beſides the maine promiſe of ſaluation, to giuegive vsus many other rich and precious promiſes, that in taste of his goidneſſe and truth in theſe, we may at length yeeld vp our ſoules to him, as to our faith full Creator with the more aſſured comfort; and the longer we liue heere be more rooted in Faith. I know whom I hauehave truſted, 2 Tim. 1. 12.ſaith aged S. Paul. But alas how little is that we know of his waies! becauſe we obſerue him no…, making good his word vntounto vsus. All his waies are mercy and truth, Pſal. 25. 10. 12. 6.and eueryevery word is a tryed word. For the better helpe of Gods people to know there portion in thoſe good things,Pſal. 31. 19. which their Father not only layes vp for them for times to come, but laies out for them heere as his Wiſedome ſeeth fit: this reuerend and holy man of God hath compiled this Treatiſe, wherein he layeth open the veines of promiſes, hidden in the Scriptures, to the view of eueryevery Chriſtian, and digeſteth them in their order, and withall ſheweth their ſeuerall valew and vſe for the beautifying of a holy life, vvhichwhich vvits-leſſe exerciſed of themſelues, would not ſo vvell hauehave diſcerned.
For the benefiting by vvhichwhich Treatiſe, it vvill not bee inconuenient to know theſe foure things. Firſt, that it ſuppoſeth a reader grounded in the knowledge of the nature and properties of God, of Chriſt and his offices, of the couenant of grace and ſuch like; becauſe as in an arch one ſtone ſettles an other, ſo there is ſuch a linking together of points in diuinitie, that one ſtrengtheneth another. For from vvhence, hath Faith that efficacie, but becauſe it is that which is required in the couenant, to lay hold on the free promiſe? And vvhence hauehave the promiſes their ſtrength but from the conſtant nature of Iehoua, who giueth a being to his Word, and is at peace with vsus by the all-fufficient ſacrifice of the Mediatour of the new couenant? Words hauehave their validity from the authoritie of the ſpeaker: were not faith founded on the word of an infinite God ſo throughly appeaſed, the ſoule would ſinke in great temptations, whereas now euen mountaines vaniſh before a beleeuing ſoule. For what is all to Chriſt, and vvho is able to ſubdue all to himſelfe? Hence it is that now we are by Faith ſafer then Adam in Paradiſe,Phil. 3. 21. becauſe we hauehave a promiſe which he wanted. Safer it is to be as low as hell with a promiſe, then as high in Paradiſe without it, becauſe Faith wrought by the power of God, hath what ſtrength God hath on whom it reſteth, and therefore worketh ſuch wonders.
But howſoeuer the knowledge of theſe things ſerueth the argument in hand, yet it muſt not be expected, that hee ſhould bee long in theſe things which are but coincident, and ſhould be foreknowne: which I ſpeake, becauſe ſome of weaker iudgement not conſidering the iuſt bounds of Treatiſes may expect larger handling of ſome things. Whereas he hath laboured eſpecially to furniſh the argument in hand and not to load the diſcourſe. In the ſecond place, it muſt be knowne that the fruit of theſe things belong to ſuch as are in Chriſt, in whom all promiſes are yea and Amen, made and performed. Hee that by the immortall ſeed of the Word and Spirit is borne againe, may claime a title to that he is borne vntounto. For cleering of this there be three degrees of promiſes, one of ſaluation to abſolute and perſonall obedience, but this by reaſon of weakeneſſe of the fleſh driueth vsus to a deſpaire in our ſelues, and ſo to the ſecond promiſe of life by Chriſt: This requireth nothing but receiuing by Faith, which is wrought in thoſe that are giuen to Christ, whilſt grace is offered, the Spirit cloathing the words with a hidden and ſtrong power, and making them operatiue; when they are commanded to beleeue, their hearts are opened to beleeue. To perſons in this ſtate are made a third kinde of promiſes of all that is needfull in this world, vntill all promiſes, end in performance; of both theſe promiſes and the laſt eſpecially this book ſpeaketh of. Thirdly, it muſt be preſſed vponupon thoſe that meane to profit, that they reſolue to come vnderunder Chriſts gouernment, and be willing to be ledde by the Spirit into all reuealed truth. Wiſedome is eaſie to ſuch as are willing, and the victorie is as good as gotten, when the will is brought from thraldome to baſe affections, to reſolue to bee guided; for ſuch a heart lyeth open to Gods gracious working, and the Spirit readily cloſeth with ſuch a ſpirit as putteth not barres of obſtinacy.
Notwithſtanding, We muſt know in the fourth place, that when we are at the beſt, we ſhall yet be in ſuch a conflicting ſtate, as that we ſhall long after that glorious libertie of the ſonnes of God, after we hauehave done the worke God hath giuen vsus to doe. For, God will hauehave a difference betwixt heauen and earth, and ſharpen our deſire of the comming of his kingdome, which nothing doth ſo much, eſpecially in times of outward proſperitie, as thoſe tedious combates of the inner man; and yet let this raiſe vp our ſpirits, that it is ſo farre, that this remainder ſhould preiudice our intereſt in happineſſe, that thereby we are driuen eueryevery day to renew our claime to the promiſe of pardon, and ſo to liue by Faith, vntill this vncleane iſſue be dried vp. Theſe ſowre hearbs helpe vsus to reliſh Chriſt the better. Moreouer, though in this life our endeauours come ſhort of our deſires, and we alwaies allow a greater meaſure then we can attaine vntounto: yet we may by ſtirring vp the graces begun in vsus, and by ſuing God vponupon thoſe promiſes of his Spirit and Grace, whereby he hath made himſelfe a debter vntounto vsus, come to that meaſure whereby wee ſhall make the profeſsion of religion glorious, and louely in the eyes of others, and comfortable to our ſelues: and ſo ſhine farre brighter then others doe. Why then doe we not in the vſe of all ſanctified meanes begge of God, to make good the promiſes wherein he hath cauſed vsus to truſt? Doe we not beſide life of our bodies, deſire health and ſtrength, to diſcharge all the offices of ciuill life! and why ſhould we not much more (if the life of God be in vsus) labour after health and vigor of ſpirit, and for that annointing of the holy Ghoſt, whereby we may doe and ſuffer all things, ſo as we may draw others to a liking of our waies? The truth is, Satan laboureth to keepe vsus vnderunder vnbeleefe of particular promiſes, and from renewing our couenant, in confidence that God will perfect the worke that he hath begun, and not repent him of his earnest. So farre as thus we cheriſh diſtruſt, we lie open to Satan. Strengthen Faith, and ſtrengthen all. Let vsus therefore at once ſet vponupon all duties required, and be in louelove with an holy life, aboue all other liues, and put our ſelues vponupon Gods mercy and truth; and we ſhall be able from experience ſo farre to iuſtifie all Gods waies, as that wee would not bee in another ſtate for all the world. What greater encouragement can we wiſh, then that our corruptions ſhall fall more and more before the Spirit: and we ſhall be able to doe all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthneth vsus.
To make theſe waies of God more plaine vntounto vsus, this paines is taken by this man of God. Not to diſparage the labours of other holy men, (as far as I can iudge) there is nothing in this kinde more fully, indiciouſly, & ſauorily written, with greater euidence of a Spirit, perſwaded of the goodneſſe and truth of what it ſets downe: And (though diſtinct from reſpect to the Author) the Treatiſe deſerueth much reſpect, yet it ſhould gaine the move acceptance, eſpecially of thoſe that are babes and yong men in Christ, that it is written by a Father of long and Reuerend eſteeme in the Church: who hath begunne in all theſe rules to others. As for our bodies, ſo for our ſoules, wee may more ſecurely rely on an olde experienced Phyſition. Hee commendeth it vntounto thee, hauing felt the kindly working of it, vponupon himſelfe. The Lord by his Spirit conuey theſe truths into thy heart, and vppon good felt hereby in thy ſoule, remember to deſire God that he may ſtill bring forth more fruite in his age vntill hee hath finiſhed his courſe with credit to the Goſpell, and an aſsured hope of a bleſſed charge.
Grayes Inne, RICHARD SIBBS.