The Life of Faith, Part 3 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. The Practical Directions to live by Faith, a life of Holineſs or Love.
Direct. 1. TAke Jeſus Chriſt as a Teacher ſent from Heaven; the beſt and ſureſt revealer of God and his Will unto mankind.
All the Books of Philoſophers are ſapleſs and empty, in compariſon of the teaching of Jeſus Chriſt; they are but enquiries into the nature of the creatures, and the loweſt things, moſt impertinent to our happineſs or duty: Or if they riſe up to God, it is but with dark and unpractical conjectures, for the moſt part of them: and the reſt do but grope and fumble in obſcurity. And their learning is moſtly but uſeleſs ſpeculations, and ſtriving about words and ſciences falſly ſo called, which little tend to godly edifying. It is Chriſt who is made wiſdom to us, as being himſelf the wiſdom of God. If you knew but where to hear an Angel, you would all prefer him before Ariſtotle or Plato, or Carteſius, or Gaſſendus; how much more the Son himſelf? He is the true Light, to lighten every man that will not ſerve the Prince of darkneſs. Chriſtians were firſt called Chriſts Diſciples ▪ and therefore to learn of him the true knowledge of God, is the work of every true Believer, John 17.…. Acts 3.23. John 8.43, 47. & 10.3, 27. & 12.47. & 14.24. Matth. 17.5.
Direct. 2. Remember that Chriſts way of Teaching is; 1: By his Word, 2. His Miniſters; 3. And his Spirit conjunct, and the place for his Diſciples is in his Church.
1. His Goſpel written is his Book which muſt be taught us. 2. His Miniſters office is to teach it us. 3. His Spirit is inwardly to illuminate us that we may underſtand it. And he that will deſpiſe or neglect either the Scripture, Miniſtry or Spirit, is never like to learn of Chriſt.
Direct. 3. Look on the Lord Jeſus, and the work of mans Redemption by him, as the great deſigned Revelation of the Fathers Love and Goodneſs; even as the fabrick of the world is ſet up to be the Glaſs or Revelation (eminently) of his Greatneſs.
Therefore as you chuſe your Book for the ſake of the Science or ſubject which you would learn; ſo let this be the deſigned, ſtudied, conſtant uſe which you make of Chriſt, to ſee and admire in him the Fathers Love. When you read your Grammar, if one ask you, why? you will ſay it is to learn the language which it teacheth; and he that readeth Law-books, or Philoſophy, or Medicine, it is to learn Law, Philoſophy or Phyſick: ſo whenever you read the Goſpel, meditate on Chriſt, or hear his Word; if you are askt why you do it? be able to ſay, I do it to learn the Love of God, which is no where elſe in the world to be learnt ſo well. No wonder if Hypocrites have learned to mortifie Scripture, Sermons, Prayers, and all other means of grace; yea all the world which ſhould teach them God; and to learn the letters, and not the ſenſe: But it is moſt pittiful that they ſhould thus mortifie Chriſt himſelf to them; and ſhould gaze on the glaſs, and never take much notice of the face even of the Love of God which he is ſet up to declare.
Direct. 4. Therefore congeſt all the great diſcoveries of this Love, and ſet them all together in order; and make them your daily ſtudy, and abhor all doctrines or ſuggeſtions from men or devils, which tend to diſgrace, diminiſh or hide this revealed Love of God in Chriſt.
Think of the grand deſign it ſelf; the reconciling and ſaving of loſt mankind: Think of the gracious nature of Chriſt; of his wonderful condeſcention in his incarnation in his life and doctrine, in his ſufferings and death; in his miracles and gifts: Think of his merciful Covenant and Promiſes; of all his benefits given to his Church; and all the priviledges of his Saints; of pardon and peace, of his Spirit of Holineſs, of preſervation and proviſion, of reſurrection and juſtification, and of the life of glory which we ſhall live for ever. And if the Faith which looketh on all theſe, cannot yet warm your hearts with love, nor engage them in thankful obedience to your Redeemer, certainly it is no true and lively Faith.
But you muſt not think narrowly and ſeldom of theſe mercies; not hearken to the Devil or the doctrine of any miſtaken Teachers, that would repreſent Gods Love as vailed or ecclipſed; or ſhew you nothing but wrath and flames. That which Chriſt principally came to reveal, the Devil principally ſtriveth to conceal, even the Love of God to ſinners; that ſo that which Chriſt principally came to work in us, the Devil might principally labour to deſtroy; and that is, our love to him that hath ſo loved us.
Direct. 5. Take heed of all the Antinomian Doctrines before recited, which, to extol the empty Name and Image of Free Grace, do deſtroy the true principles and motives of holineſs and obedience.
Direct. 6. Exerciſe your Faith upon all the holy Scriptures, Precepts, Promiſes and Threatnings, and not on one of them alone. For when God hath appointed all conjunctly for this work, you are unlike to have his bleſſing, or the effect, if you will lay by moſt of his remedies.
Direct. 7. Take not that for Holineſs and Good Works, which is no ſuch thing; but either mans inventions, or ſome common gifts of God.
It greatly deludeth the world, to take up a wrong deſcription or character of Holineſs in their minds. As 1. The Papiſts take it for Holineſs, to be very obſervant in their adoration of the ſuppoſed tranſubſtantiated Hoſt; to uſe their reliques, pilgrimages, croſſings, prayers to Saints and Angels, anointings, Candles, Images, obſervation of meats and daies, penance, auricular confeſſion, praying by numbers and hours on their beads, &c. They think their idle ceremonies are holineſs, and that their hurtful auſterities, and ſelf-afflictings (by riſing in the night, when they might pray as long before they go to bed) (and by whipping themſelves) to be very meritorious parts of Religion. And their vows of renouncing marriage and propriety, and of abſolute obedience, to be a ſtate of perfection.
2. Others think that Holineſs conſiſteth much in being rebaptized, and in cenſuring the Pariſh-Churches and Miniſters as Null, and in withdrawing from their communion; and in avoiding forms of prayer, &c.
3. And others (or the ſame) think that more of it conſiſteth in the gifts of utterance, in praying, and preaching, than indeed it doth; and that thoſe only are godly, that can pray without book (in their families, or at other times) and that are moſt in private meetings; and none but they.
4. And ſome think that the greateſt parts of Godlineſs, are the ſpirit of bondage to fear; and the ſhedding of tears for ſin; or finding that they were under terrour, before they had any ſpiritual peace and comfort; or being able to tell at what Sermon, or time, or in what order, and by what means they were converted.
It is of exceeding great conſequence, to have a right apprehenſion of the Nature of Holineſs, and to eſcape all falſe conceits thereof. But I ſhall not now ſtand further to deſcribe it, becauſe I have done it in many Books, eſpecially in my Reaſons of the Chriſtian Religion, and in my [A Saint, or a Bruit] and in a Treatiſe only of the ſubject called The character of a ſound Chriſtian.
Direct. 8. Let all Gods Attributes be orderly and deeply printed in your minds; (as I have directed in my book called, The Divine Life.) For it is that which muſt moſt immediately form his Image on you. To know God in Chriſt is life eternal, John 17.3.
Direct. 9. Never ſeparate reward from duty, but in every religious or obedient action, ſtill ſee it as connext with Heaven. The means is no means but for the end; and muſt never be uſed but with ſpecial reſpect unto the end. Remember in reading, hearing, praying, meditating in the duties of your callings and relations, and in all acts of charity and obedience; that All this is for Heaven. It will make you mend your pace, if you think believingly whither you are going, Heb. 11.
Direct. 10. Yet watch moſt carefully againſt all proud ſelf-eſteeming thoughts of proper merit as obliging God; or as if you were better than indeed you are. For Pride is the moſt pernicious vermine that can breed in gifts or in good works. And the better you are indeed, the more humble you will be, and apt to think others better than your ſelf.
Direct. 11. So alſo in every temptation to ſin, let Faith ſee Heaven open, and take the temptation in its proper ſenſe, q. d. [Take this pleaſure inſtead of God: ſell thy part in Heaven for this preferment or commodity: caſt away thy ſoul for this ſenſual delight.] This is the true meaning of every temptation to ſin, and only Faith can underſtand it. The Devil eaſily prevaileth, when Heaven is forgotten and out of ſight; and pleaſure, commodity, credit and preferment, ſeem a great matter, and can do much, till Heaven be ſet in the ballance againſt them; and there they are nothing, and can do nothing, Phil. 3.7, 8, 9. Heb. 12.1, 2, 3. 2 Cor. 4.16, 17.
Direct. 12. Let Faith alſo ſee God alwaies preſent. Men dare do any thing when they think they are behind his back; even truants and eye-ſervants will do well under the Maſters eye: Faith ſeeing him that is inviſible (Heb. 11.) is it that ſanctifieth heart and life. As the Attributes of God are the ſeal which muſt make his Image on us; ſo the apprehenſion of his preſence ſetteth them on, and keepeth our faculties awake.
Direct. 13. Be ſure that Faith make Gods acceptance your full reward, and ſet you above the opinion of man.
Not in ſelf-conceitedneſs, and pride of your ſelf-ſufficiency, to ſet light by the judgment of other men: (That is a heinous ſin of it ſelf, and doubled when it is done upon pretence of living upon God alone.) But that really you live ſo much to God alone, as that all men ſeem as nothing to you, and their opinion of you, as a blaſt of wind, in regard of any felicity of your own, which might be placed in their love or praiſe: Though as a means to Gods ſervice, and their own good, you muſt pleaſe all men to their edification, and become all things to all men, to win them to God, Gal. 1.10, 11. Rom. 15.1, 2. Prov. 11.30. 1 Cor. 9.22. & 10.33. yea and ſtudy to pleaſe your Governours as your duty, Titus 2.9. But as man-pleaſing is the Hypocrites work and wages; ſo muſt the pleaſing of God be ours, though all the world ſhould be diſpleaſed, Matth. 6.1, 2, 3, 5, 6, &c. 2 Tim. 2.4. 1 Cor. 7.32. 1 Theſ. 4.1. 2 Cor. 5.8, 9. 1 Theſ. 2.4. 1 John 3.22.
Direct. 14. Let the conſtant work of Faith be, to take you off the life of ſenſe, by mortifying all the concupiſcence of the fleſh, and over-powering all the objects of ſenſe.
The neerneſs of things ſenſible, and the violence and unreaſonableneſs of the ſenſes and appetite, do neceſſitate Faith to be a conflicting grace. Its uſe is to illuminate, elevate and corroborate Reaſon, and help it to maintain its authority and government. The life of a Believer is but a conquering warfare between Faith and Senſe, and between things unſeen, and the things that are ſeen. Therefore it is ſaid, that they th… are in the fleſh cannot pleaſe God; becauſe the fleſh b…ing the predominant principle in them, they moſt ſavour and mind the things of the fleſh; and therefore they can do more with them, than the things of the Spirit can do, when both are ſet before them, Rom. 8.5, 6, 7, 8.
Direct. 15. Let Faith ſet the example, firſt of Chriſt, and next of his holieſt ſervants, ſtill before you.
He that purpoſely lived among men in fl…ſh, a life of holineſs and patience, and contempt of the world, to be a pattern or example to us, doth expect that it be the daily work of Faith to imitate him; and therefore that we have this Copy ſtill before our eyes. It will help us when we are ſluggiſh, and ſit down in low and common things, to ſee more noble things before us. It will help us when we are in doubt of the way of our duty; and when we are apt to favour our corruptions: It will guide our minds, and quicken our deſires, with a holy ambition and covetouſneſs to be more holy: It will ſerve us to anſwer all that the world or fleſh can ſay, from the contrary examples of ſinning men: If any tell us what great men, or learned men think, or ſay, or do, againſt Religion, and for a ſinful life; it is enough, if Faith do but tell us preſently, what Chriſt, and his Apoſtles, and Saints, and Martyrs, have thought, and ſaid, and done to the contrary, Mat. 11.28, 29. 1 Pet. 2.21. John 13.15. Phil. 3.17. 2 Theſ. 3.9. 1 Tim. 4.12. Epheſ. 5.1. Heb. 6.12. 1 Theſ. 1.6. & 2.14.
Direct. 16. Let your Faith ſet all graces on work in their proper order and proportion; and carry on the work of holineſs and obedience in harmony; and not ſet one part againſt another, nor look at one while you forget or neglect another.
Every grace and duty is to be a help to all the reſt: And the want or neglect of any one, is a hinderance to all: As the want of one wheel or ſmaller particle in a clock or watch, will make all ſtand ſtill, or go out of order. The new creature conſiſteth of all due parts, as the body doth of all its members. The ſoul is as a muſical inſtrument, which muſt neither want one ſtring, nor have one out of tune, nor neglected, without ſpoiling all the melody. A fragment of the moſt excellent work, or one member of the comlieſt body cut off, is not beautiful: The beauty of a holy ſoul and life, is not only in the quality of each grace and duty, but much in the proportion, feature and harmony of all. Therefore every part hath its proper armour, Epheſ. 6.11, 12, 13▪ 14. And the whole armour of God muſt be put on: Becauſe all fulneſs dwelleth in Chriſt; we are compleat in him, as being ſufficient to communicate every grace. Epaphras laboured alwaies fervently in prayers for the Coloſſians, that they might ſtand perfect and compleat in all the Will of God, Col. 4.12. James 1.4. Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. We oft comfort our ſelves, that though we want the perfection of degrees, yet we have the perfection of parts, or of integrity. But many are fain to prove this only by inferring, that he that hath one grace, hath all; but as to the diſcerning and orderly uſe of all, they are yet to ſeek.