A Guide to Godliness, Book 3 · Chapter 3
CAP. III.
Of our daily exerciſe in renewing of our faith.
§. Sect. 1 That the daily renewing of our faith is very profitable and neceſſary.
VNtoUnto this daily exerciſe of renevving of our repentance, vvee muſt adde alſo the renewing of our faith, which is no leſſe neceſſary then the other; for as the vertue and vigour of our bodies ſoone fainteth and decayeth, if they be not often and daily nouriſhed with thoſe elements whereof they are made and compoſed; ſo will the ſtrength of faith be weakened and abated, if it bee not daily ſuſtained and refreſhed with thoſe meanes and helpes, by which it was begot and begun in vsus, and therefore if vvhileſt vve hauehave good ſtomacks in our youthfull dayes, vve thinke it not enough to refreſh and nouriſh our bodies one day in a vveeke, nor yet once in a day; but muſt hauehave our dinners and ſuppers, breakefaſts and beuers; let vsus not thinke, that it is enough for the nouriſhment of our ſoules, and ſtrengthening of our faith, to vſe ſpirituall repaſt on the Sabbath onelyonly, vvhichwhich though it may hold life and ſoule together, yet ſhall vve not be thriuing and in good liking in our ſpirituall man, if vvee relieue and cheriſh it not vvith a more liberall hand, and allot ſome part of eueryevery day to this ſpirituall exerciſe. Againe, as faith in it ſelfe will faint and languiſh, if it be not daily refreſhed and renewed, ſo are there alſo outward cauſes which ſhake and weakē it, if it be not duly, & euen daily nouriſhed. For we daily wound and weaken it with our ſins, whilſt our inward guilt abateth our aſſurance of Gods louelove, and confidence in his fauour, by laying to our charge our great vnworthines of his leaſt mercies. And therfore we had need to renew daily our faith, as we daily renew our ſins, by laying hold on the Couenant of grace, which aſſureth vsus that our ſinnes ſhall not ſtop the courſe of Gods mercies, becauſe their current is free; and if the ſtreames bee not dammed vp (as it were) in the fountaine with vnbeliefe, it is not our vnworthineſſe can keepe them from vsus. Finally, the ſpirituall enemies of our ſaluation doe daily and continually aſſault vsus, and the chiefe meanes to repell the firie darts of their tentations, is the ſhield of faith; which in it Eph. 6. 16.ſelfe is not ſo impenetrable and of high proofe, (were it not ſtrengthened and made effectuall to preſerue vsus by Chriſts mediation) but that it is often Luk. 22. 32.much battered and bruiſed in the conflict of tentations. And therefore ſeeing their malice neuer ceaſeth, which maketh this ſhield of faith alwayes neceſſary, and their daily aſſaults doe cauſe it to be of daily vſe; it is our wiſedome to let no day paſſe, without reuiuing and renewing it, that we may by ſuch meanes as God hath appointed, repaire and ſtrengthen it, ſo as it may bee fit to preſerue vsus againſt all aſſaults of tentation. Ioyne we then with the daily exerciſe of renewing our repentance, this alſo of renewing our faith; and the rather, becauſe they mutually further and ſtrengthen one another being conioyned; but being ſeuered, both are weakened and diſmembred, and either cannot at all be exerciſed of vsus, or but lamely and to little purpoſe, in ſemblance and ſhew, not in deed and truth. For faith is the cauſe and very life of repentance, none truely mourning for ſinne, but ſuch as by faith being aſſured of Gods louelove, are grieued in their hearts, that they hauehave grieued ſo louing a God; and without this filiall affection proceeding from faith, our repentance would be but like that of Cain and Iudas, a worldly and deſperate ſorrow that worketh 2. Cor. 7. 10.death. And contrariwiſe, repentance is the very breath of faith, which if it hauehave free paſſage, then faith not onelyonly liueth, but flouriſheth and thriueth; ſo that heereby, as by an infallible ſigne, we may know and diſcerne it from ſecurity and preſumption; but if it faile, then the life of faith alſo faileth, and becommeth a dead carcaſſe, without all vertue and vigour, ſenſe or motion.
§. Sect. 2 What this renewing our faith is, and the meanes wherby we may be inabled to doe it, which conſiſt, firſt, in diuers meditations.
Now this daily renewing of our faith is nothing elſe, but after we hauehave humbled our ſoules in the ſight and ſenſe of our ſinnes by vnfained repentance, to refreſh and ſtrengthen it, and (as it were) to heale the wounds which our ſinnes hauehave made, by applying Chriſt with the ſoueraigne ſalue of his precious blood, and the ſweete promiſes of the Goſpell made in him, aſſuring vsus of the remiſſion and pardon of all our ſinnes. Now the meanes and helpes whereby wee may be inabled to renew our faith, and in the application of theſe benefits, may confirme and ſtrengthen it againſt doubting and incredulity, doe either reſpect meditation or action. We muſt meditate on the eternall and immutable, free and vndeſerued louelove of God, euen before we were created, and after that by ſinne wee had made our ſelues ſtrangers and enemies, which mooued him to giuegive his beſt Beloued to the death for vsus, and from hence conclude for the ſtrengthening of our faith; that he will neuer ceaſe to be gracious vntounto vsus, when as by Chriſt being reconciled, wee adhere and cleaue vntounto him with vnfained louelove and hearty affection. Secondly, on Gods ineſtimable and infinite mercies, which are farre aboue all his workes, and therefore may aſſure vsus, that they will bee much more powerfull and all-ſufficient to ſaue vsus, then our ſinnes, though neuer ſo innumerable and grieuous, can bee to condemne vsus. Thirdly, on Gods truth, which will neuer faile in any of his promiſes, and omnipotent power and wiſedome, whereby he is infinitely able to accompliſh them. Fourthly, on the all-ſufficiency of Chriſts obedience and ſatisfaction, for the diſcharging of all our debts, and ſatisfying of Gods Iuſtice for all our ſinnes, if wee make them our owne by a liuely faith. Fifthly, on the Couenant of grace, which is free, and aſſureth vsus of the pardon of our ſinnes, and ſaluation of our ſoules, vponupon no condition of workes or worthineſſe, but onelyonly of faith, bringing foorth the fruits of vnfained repentance. Sixthly, on the promiſes of the Goſpell, which being generall and indefinite, exclude none, though neuer ſo ſinfull and vnworthy, if they will thankefully receiue them as they are freely offered, and apply them to themſelues by a liuely faith. Seuenthly, wee muſt meditate on the Sacraments and ſeales of the Couenant, whereby God hath giuen vntounto vsus (as it were) into our hands, Chriſt Ieſus and all his benefits; and of his moſt infallible oath, whereby he hath confirmed his promiſes vntounto vsus; as alſo of his Spirit, whereby he hath inwardly ſealed vntounto vsus our redemption and ſaluation. Eighthly, on the manifold examples of his mercy and goodneſſe, extended to all repentant ſinners, and that he being no reſpecter of perſons, is as ready to make vsus partakers of them, if wee doe not reiect them through vnbeliefe. Ninthly, on the manifold experience which we hauehave had of them towards our ſelues, both in temporall and ſpirituall benefits, and that being vnchangeable in his nature and gifts, he is ſtill ready to be alike good and gracious, if by faith we will reſt and rely vponupon him. Neither is it enough that wee know, and habitually beleeue that God hath giuen vntounto vsus many and ſingular priuiledges; as his Sonne to be our Sauiour and Redeemer; his Word, Sacraments, and holy Spirit, by which he hath effectually called vsus to the knowledge and participation of this great worke of our redemption, iuſtification, and remiſſion of all our ſinnes, reconciliation and adoption, whereby we are made not onelyonly children of God, but alſo heires of his Kingdome, aſſurance of continuall preſeruation in this life, and of ſaluation and glorification in the life to come; but we muſt actually exerciſe our faith, by allotting ſome part of the day to thinke and meditate on the excellency of theſe priuiledges; as what a bleſſed thing it is to bee ſaued by Chriſt, and deliuered out of the power of all our ſpirituall enemies, and to liue and die in the ſtate of ſaluation: What a ſingular benefit it is to hauehave all our ſinnes pardoned, and our debts cancelled, ſo that we neede not feare at any time to be called to Iudgement, and to giuegive vp our accounts, ſeeing Chriſt hath ſatisfied for all, and made our reckonings euen for vsus: What a ſweet and comfortable a thing it is to hauehave peace with God, and peace of conſcience, and the beames of his fauour continually ſhining vponupon vsus, and warming our hearts with ioy and gladneſſe? What an ineſtimable priuiledge it is to be the child of God, and heire apparant to the Kingdome of heauen? which conſiderations, if wee ſeriouſly thinke on them, will be ſingular meanes to inflame our hearts with Gods louelove, to rauiſh them with ſpirituall ioy, and to make them cheerefull in Gods ſeruice, throughout the whole day, yea to the very end of the longeſt life.
§. Sect. 3 The ſecond ſort of meanes conſiſt in the performance of diuers actions.
And vntounto theſe meditations, we are for the renewing of our faith to adde diuers actions; as firſt, we muſt daily renew our promiſes vntounto God made in baptiſme, and bewayling our manifold frailties and imperfections, whereby we hauehave often failed heerein, we are to reſolue and promiſe, that if God will accept of vsus, and paſſe by our former infirmities, we will with more intire affection renounce ſinne, Satan and all our ſpirituall enemies, and conſecrate our ſelues wholly to his worſhip & ſeruice, and with greater zeale and deuotion labour in the vſe of all good meanes, whereby we may attaine to more perfection. Secondly, wee muſt labour to finde and feele our hearts more and more inflamed with vnfained louelove towards God, in reſpect of his infinite goodneſſe and abſolute perfection in himſelfe, and graciouſneſſe towards vsus, ſhining in his vnſpeakeable and innumerable bleſſings and benefits beſtowed vponupon vsus, which louelove towards God will ſtrengthen our faith in aſſurance of his louelove towards vsus, ſeeing it is but a drop that diſtilleth from this fountaine, and but a ſparke that ariſeth from this infinite flame. Thirdly, we muſt exerciſe our ſelues in the daily practice of religious duties, as prayer, meditation, holy conferences, and ſuch like, which will increaſe our communion and acquaintance with God, and more and more aſſure vsus of his fauour. And finally, we muſt reſolue to take all good occaſions of doing daily the workes of mercy and Chriſtian charity towards our neighbours for Gods ſake, whereby our faith will get daily new aſſurance, that ſeeing we are willing and deſirous to glorifie God in all things, by cauſing the light of our godly liues to ſhine before men, hee will bee no leſſe willing to glorifie vsus before his Matth. 5. 16. 1. Sam. 2. 30.Saints and holy Angels in his heauenly Kingdome. For theſe duties of piety and righteouſneſſe, are the fruits which ſpring from the roote of faith, the flames and heate which proceed from this fire, the very breath whereby it liueth, and the actions and motions wherein it is exerciſed; and therefore if it bringeth not foorth theſe fruits, it is but a barren tree and dead ſtocke, a vſeleſſe fire, which being couered, giueth no light or heate; a dead carcaſe without breath, an idle habite without vertue or vigour, and for want of exerciſe languiſheth and decayeth daily in ſtrength; whereas contrariwiſe, if the ſtrength thereof were vſed, and ſeaſonably imployed in holy and righteous actions, it would (like the ſtrength of the body) bee confirmed and redoubled by this daily exerciſe.
§. Sect. 4 The manifold benefits which would ariſe from the daily renewing of our faith.
But that we may be the better perſwaded vntounto this daily exerciſe of renewing our faith; let vsus conſider more particularly the manifold and ineſtimable benefits which would thereby accrew vntounto vsus. For firſt, we ſhall liue in couenant with God, hauehave aſſured title and intereſt vntounto all his promiſes, without any interceſſion or intermiſſion of our comfort and hope, ſeeing God requireth of vsus no other condition. Secondly, wee ſhall no longer liue the life of the fleſh and corrupted nature, but the life of faith, Hab 2. 4. Mat. 4. 4.which is principally ſuſtained by God, and holdeth dependancie, not on earthly things, but chiefly on his Word and promiſe, which can neuer faile; and the life of Chriſt, ſubiecting our ſelues in all things to the regiment and gouernment of his holy Spirit; ſo as we may ſay with the Apoſtle, I liue, yet not I, but Christ liueth in me, and the life which I now liue in the Gal. 2. 20.fleſh, I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God, who loued mee, and gaue himſelfe for me; which life of grace certainely aſſureth vsus of the life of glory. Thirdly, heereof it will follow, that all our thoughts, words, and workes, ſhall be voluntarily ſubiected to the good will and pleaſure of God, and being daily in couenant with God, we ſhall, by vertue of his Spirit aſſiſting vsus, keepe all our faculties and functions, ſenſes, and actions, in couenant with Iob 31. 1.vsus, that they ſhall in all things obey him, and doe nothing which is diſpleaſing vntounto him. Fourthly, by renewing our faith daily, we ſhall with it renew all the ſanctifying and ſauing graces which iſſue from it, and depend vponupon it, and by watring the roote, giuegive vertue and vigour vntounto all the branches and fruits which ſpring from it; whereas contrariwiſe wee ſhall ſpend all our labour in vaine, if neglecting faith, we vſe all diligence and indeuour to increaſe in louelove, patience, hope, or any other grace, or to bring foorth plentifull fruits of them in a Chriſtian conuerſation, and the workes of mercy and charity; like thoſe who take much paines in watring the boughes and branches of a tree, and neuer take care to water the roote. More eſpecially, if wee daily renew our faith, wee ſhall heereby confirme our affiance and confidence in God, in all things, and at all times; for when we firmely by faith apply vntounto our vſe the power, wiſedome, goodneſſe, promiſes, and prouidence of God, and with ſtrong imbracements vnite them vntounto vsus, we may eaſily with all ſafety and ſecurity reſt and rely vponupon them. We ſhall heereby alſo ſtrengthen our hope, which is nothing but an expectation of the things beleeued; and according as our faith is ſtrong or weake in apprehenſion of the promiſes, ſo alſo is our hope which waiteth for their fruition. Wee ſhall increaſe by it our louelove towards God: for the more and oftner we apprehend the diuine fire of his louelove towards vsus, the more our cold hearts are thereby inflamed with the heate of it, ſo that we returne vntounto him louelove for louelove: And our zeale of Gods glory, there being no ſtronger argument to make vsus in all things earneſt to glorifie him, then to be fully aſſured that he will glorifie vsus. It will worke in vsus, and daily renew our patience, when as we daily renew our aſſurance, that all our afflictions are the chaſtizements of a louing Father, and not the puniſhments of a ſeuere Iudge; that they are ſtinted and meaſured out vntounto vsus, both in reſpect of their quantity and continuance, by a moſt wiſe prouidence, which will not let them exceed either our ſtrength or neceſſity; that they are inflicted out of meere louelove, and are ſignes, not of our reiection, but adoption and ſaluation; that they ſhall Rom. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17.hauehave a good iſſue, and worke together for the beſt, for the inriching of vsus with ſpirituall grace, and the furthering of our eternall glory. It will increaſe our peace of conſcience, when as our aſſurance is daily renewed of our peace with God, the remiſſion of all our ſinnes, and victory ouer all the enemies of our ſaluation; of our ſafety vnderunder his protection, and that nothing ſhall be able to ſeparate his louelove from vsus. It will daily repleniſh our hearts with renewed ioyes in the holy Ghoſt, and after that they are exhauſted with our infirmities and miſeries, renewed faith will like afreſh Rom. 14. 17. Heb. 12. 11.hand draw new ſupplies from God the fountaine of our ioy, vntill they be repleniſhed and ouerflow. Yea, it will make our ioy, not like that of worldlings, in the fact, and not in the heart, momentany and mutable, like the cracking of thornes vnderunder a pot, whilſt the bruſhie fewell of proſperity feedeth it, but conſtant and permanent, euen in afflictions, and Rom. 5. 3. Iohn 16. 22.nothing ſhall be able to take it from vsus. It will fill our hearts daily with the comforts of the Spirit, when as being daily renewed, it doth afreſh aſſure vsus of our communion with God, and that Chriſt and all his benefits doe belong vntounto vsus, which either reſpect this life, or the life to come.
§. Sect. 5 Of diuers other benefits which follow the daily renewing of our faith.
Fifthly, the daily renewing of our faith, is the moſt effectuall meanes of our vnfained repentance; For what can bee ſo powerfull an argument to make vsus mourne for our ſinnes with bitter griefe, as with the eye of faith to looke vponupon him whom by our ſinnes we hauehave pearced, and through the wound in his ſide, to ſee his heart ſo repleniſhed with diuine louelove, and as it were, ſupplying the place of that blood and water that iſſued out of it? and what can make vsus more hate ſinne, or to reſolue to pleaſe God in all holy and righteous duties, then beleeuing that the Lord being ſo infinitely iuſt, and abhorring ſin with ſuch implacable hatred, that he ſpared not his onelyonly begotten and moſt dearely beloued Sonne, but when he bore our ſinnes, cauſed him to beare alſo our griefes and ſorrowes, wounded him for our tranſgreſſions, and bruized him with the paines of death, and fearefull burthen of his wrath for our iniquities; to beleeue alſo that he is towards vsus, ſo infinitely merciful, that he gaue his Sonne to vsus, and for vsus to ſuffer all theſe torments for a time, that wee might not ſuffer them for euer; that he wounded him for our tranſgreſſions, that we might be healed by his hurts, cleanſed and purified from the guilt, puniſhment and corruption of all our ſinnes with the ſtreames of his blood, acquitted by his condemnation, and reuiued by his death? For who is ſo audaciouſly deſperate, as to dare by voluntarie ſinning prouoke ſuch a Iuſtice? who is ſo hard-harted and vngratefull, as would be inticed with the baites of worldly vanities, to neglect in any thing to pleaſe ſo infinite a goodneſſe? So what can more powerfully moue vsus to flee all ſinne, and to practiſe with all diligence all Chriſtian duties of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, then by faith not only to inioy Gods preſent bleſſings in their owne worth and excellency, but as earneſt pennies and firſt fruits, pledges and pawnes of heauenly and eternall reward, wherewith God of his free grace hath promiſed to crowne all our labours and Illi terrena ſapiunt, qui coeleſtia promiſſa non habent. Illi breui huic vitae ſe totos implicent, qui aeterna neſciunt, &. c. Hieronym. ad Celantiam.holy indeuours? whereas if there were no beliefe and expectation of reward, wee ſhould faint vnderunder the waight of afflictions, languiſh in the performance of Chriſtian duties, which are ſo ill eſteemed and accepted in the world, and be wholy taken vp in the purſuite of earthly vanities, becauſe we hauehave entertained no better hopes. For as one ſaith, They ſauour earthly things, which beleeue not heauenly promiſes; They wholy addict themſelues to things that belong vntounto this tranſitory life, which apprehend not thoſe things which are eternall. They feare not to ſinne, who thinke that it ſhall hauehave no puniſhment; and finally, they become ſlaues to their vices, who expect not the future rewards of vertue, &c. Sixthly, by this daily renewing of our faith, wee ſhall bee ſtrengthened againſt all the tentations of our ſpirituall enemies, ſo as they ſhall not be Ephe. 6. 17.able to hurt and wound vsus, whether theſe darts be caſt againſt vsus from the right hand, or from the left. For faith, as an impenetrable Shield, enableth vsus to ouercome and beate back tentations ariſing from worldly proſperity; whilſt apprehending heauenly and euerlaſting excellencies, it maketh vsus to contemne theſe baſe and momentanie vanities; and the tentations which ariſe from croſſes and afflictions, by perſwading vsus that they are the ſtraight way that leadeth to happineſſe, that they are not worthy Acts 14 22. Rom. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17. 2. Tim. 2. 12.the glory that ſhall be reuealed; that theſe light and moment any afflictions worke for vsus afarre more exceeding and eternall waight of glory; and that if we ſuffer with Chriſt, we ſhall alſo raigne with him. Finally, faith thus dayly renewed, not onelyonly effectually perſwades vsus vntounto an holy reſolution of leading a Chriſtian and godly life, but alſo powerfully enables vsus to performeall the duties thereunto required, with alacrity and cheerefulneſſe, ioy and delight; for it moues vsus to conſecrate our ſelues wholy to the ſeruice of him, who hath graciouſly redeemed vsus out of the hands of all our ſpirituall enemies, and to teſtifie our louelove and thankefulneſſe vntounto him, who hath done all this for vsus, by our new obedience. It vnites vsus vntounto Chriſt, and applieth vntounto vsus the vertue of his death, by which ſin is mortified and crucified in vsus, & we vntounto it, & to the world, ſo that we wil no longer ſerue them in fulfilling worldly and carnall luſts; and the vertue of his reſurrection, whereby we are enabled to riſe from the death of ſinne, to holineſſe and newneſſe of life. It giueth vntounto vsus with ſpirituall life, ſpirituall motion; it cleanſeth and changeth our hearts, and taking away the old, it worketh in vsus a new nature, which is actiue and operatiue in all holy and righteous duties, and diligent and cheerefull in the performance of them. And whereas before we either did them not at all, or but in outward ſhew formally and coldly, and that not without much paines and difficuly; it enableth vsus now to performe them like naturall actions, with much eaſe and delight; ſo as wee can ſay with Dauid, that the Law of God is our Pſal. 119.chiefe delight, better vntounto vsus then thouſands of gold and ſiluer, and ſweeter then the hony or hony-combe; And with our Sauiour, that it is our meate Iohn 4. 34.and drinke to doe the will of our heauenly Father. And as vnnaturall motions are not without outward violence, laſting no longer then it laſteth, but natural are eaſie and permanent, as the Sun ſhineth, and the riuer runneth of their owne accord, freely and without compulſion; ſo by helpe of this new nature which faith worketh in vsus, our actions and motions in the waies of godlineſſe are eaſie and pleaſant, which vntounto corrupt nature were, euen in reſpect of the outward act, harſh and difficult, continuing no longer then ſome outward cauſe of feare or reward doth ſet them on going. And as the heate of a bath continueth alwaies, becauſe it proceedeth from an inward cauſe, which changeth the nature of the water; whereas the waters of a pond cannot be made warme, but with much labour and and difficultie, and continue in their heate no longer then the outward cauſe worketh it in them: ſo when as faith hath warmed our hearts with zeale of Gods glory, and made them actiue and operatiue in performing the duties of his ſeruice, this heate and motion continue with eaſe and cheerefulneſſe, becauſe they are ſpiritually naturall, and proceede from an inward cauſe; whereas if worldly cauſes worke this heate of zeale (as honour and preferment in the heate of Iehu) it being vnnaturall and forced, ſoone returneth to its wonted coldneſſe. Finally, faith thus renewed, will make vsus to ſerue God with cheerefulneſſe and delight, becauſe it incourageth vsus in our labours, by apprehending and putting into our hands, not onelyonly the preſent pay of all Gods temporary bleſſings and benefits, but alſo the euidences and conueighances of our heauenly happineſſe, which God of his free grace hath by his writings in the Word, and his ſeales the Sacraments, made ouer vntounto vsus. And who wouldnot cheerefully and with ioy doe him faithfull ſeruice, who giueth vsus preſent pay aboue the worth of our worke; and for our better encouragement aſſureth vsus, that all this ſhall be but a ſmall earneſt in reſpect of the mayne bargaine, and but the firſt fruits of that full crop and plentifull harueſt of heauenly happineſſe?