The True Way to the Tree of Life, Part · Section 16
XVI. Direction.
QUestion and examine the self often impartially, touching the truth of thy Faith in Christ for thy Recovery and Salvation, 2 Cor. 13. 5. For, There is a counterfeit and fained Faith, Luk. 8. 13. Act. 8. 13. Iam. 2. 14, 17▪ 20, 26. And there is a Faith unfained, 1 Tim. 1. 5. 2 Tim. 1. 5. 'Tis the Faith unfained that accepts and applies Christ, Ioh. 1. 12, 13. Act. 8. 37. and will afford thee solid comfort.
Now Faith in Christ unfained may be discovered by these and the like Characters, which if thou canst really find in thy self, doubtless thou art a true Believer.
True saving Faith in Jesus Christ, is,
1. A Christ-applying Faith. If Faith be sincere and salvi…ical, it never rests till it bring the soul to Christ, till it possess the soul of Christ. It is the soul's eye, that beholds Christ lifted up, Io…. 3. 15. It's the soul's feet, whereby it comes to Christ, Mat. 11. 28. Ioh. 6. 35▪ 37. It's the soul's hand, whereby it receives Christ; and arms, wherewith itoforeign embraceth Christ,Ioh. 1. 12. He…. 11. 13. It's the soul's mouth, wherewith it eats Christs flesh that bread of life,Saluting, kissing, or embracing the Promises. and drinks Christs blood that water of life, Ioh. 6. 47, 53, 54, 55. By all which acts of Faith the soul comes to have Christ, toMetaphora, ut videtur, … navigantibus, qui portum eminus conspicati, laetis acclamationibus salutant, & contingere gand…t. possess and enjoy him, and life in him, 1 Joh. 5. 12. True Faith in Christ contents not it self only to know Christ, or only to assent to the truth of Gods Record touching Christ, that life is in him; but it further proceeds to receive and apply Christ to the soul,D. Pareus in Comment. ad Heb. 11. 13. to appropriate him and enjoy him actually to the particular Believer.
2. A Christ-retaining Faith. True saving Faith in Christ, not only entertains Christ, but also retains him in the best room of the soul, the heart.— That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith, Eph. 3. 17. The Believer's heart, is Christ's home: And Faith gives Christ the acceptable entertainment: 1. As it cleanseth the heart of every thing that might be offensive to him, Act. 15. 9. 2. As it ascribes all salvation and sufficiency for it, only unto Christ, counting all self-excellencies loss and dung, Phil. 3. 7, 8, 9, 10. So then, if Christ be dwelling in thine heart, Faith is there also.
3. A Christ esteeming Faith. Faith most highly esteems Christ, accounts him most precious.—Unto them which believe he is precious, 1 Pet. 2. 7. So precious; That, he sells all that he hath for him, Mat. 13. 44, 45, 46. That, he denies all that he hath, yea all that he is, for him, Phil. 3. 7, 8, 9, 10. Luk. 9. 23. and 19. 43. That he disesteems, and as it were, hates all dearest Relations, in comparison of Christ, Mat. 10. 37. Luk. 14. 26, &c. Yea, so precious; That, it sets more store by Christ, at his lowest, then by all worldly treasures, at their highest, Heb. 11. 26, 27. If Christ be truly precious to thy soul, Faith is planted in thine heart.
4. An heart purifying Grace. According to that;—Purifying their hearts by Faith, Act. 15. 9. 1 Joh. 3. 3. Faith makes the inside clean; hypocrisie only the outside, Mat. 23. 25, 26. Faith purifies the heart; 1. Formaliter, formally, as it is an holy, inherent principle of Grace and Purity, resisting sin and temptation, Gal. 5. 17. 1 Ioh. 3. 3. Eph. 6 16. To this effect it's stiled, foreign, most holy faith, Jude, verse 20.pQuo titulo nulla ali… vir…us Chris…iana insignitur in sacris literis, quia est fundamentum & causa procreans omnis sanctitatis. Phil. Pareus in Com. ad Jud. 20. 2. Instrumentaliter: Instrumentally it purisieth: the heart, by applying thereunto Christs imputed purity, Phil. 3. 9. Christ's blood, which purgeth the conscience from the guilt and power of dead works, to serve the living God, Heb. 9. 14. with Rom. 3. 25. By applying Christ's imputed purity and righteousness.
5. A soul-purifying, and heart-comforting Grace. It affords peace with God: which produceth two excellent effects: 1. Ioy, in hope of the glory of God. 2. Glorying even in tribulation, Rom. 5. 1, 2, 3.—joy and peace in believing, Rom. 15. 13. Now, the peace of God passeth all understanding, and keeps, as in a Garrison, qforeign It signifies keeping, as a Castle, Town or City, is in time of war kept by a Garrison, and Walls, &c. from the enemy. Metaph. à castris, vallo, & fossis undique munitis, ut null… hostium vi vel astutia expugna…i possint. D. Pareus in Phil. 4 7.the heart and mind in Christ Jesus, viz. safe and secure, Phil. 4. 7.
6. Most dutiful and obediential towards God, and this against all interposing difficulties: against Reason, against Natural Affection, &c. As in Noah, Heb▪ 11. 7. In Abraham; when he obey'd God, to forsake his kindred, and follow God, he knew not whither, Heb. 11. 8. And when he in a sort offered up Isaac for a Burnt-offering, Heb. 11. 17.
7. Most abundant and fruitful in all good works, Jam. 2. 14. to the end. And this God expects, Tit. 3. 8. Faith is a most working Grace: it is the root of all good works of piety, righteousness and sobriety, 1 Tim. 1. 5. Hence that phrase;—The work of Faith, 1 Thes. 1. 3. A workless Faith, is (as Iames intimates to us) a worthless Faith, Iam. 2. 17, 26.
8. A Grace that acts and works by love, Gal. 5. 6. How by love?
More generally: Not by love, as fire works by heat, the formal property of fire; as if love were the form of Faith, as Papists say, contrary to that in 1 Tim 1. 5. But by love, as an external instrument, (external or outward, as to the proper nature of Faith) joyned or annexed unto Faith, for the exerting of its acts, as the soul works by the brain, eye, ear, hand, &c.
More particularly: Faith works by love: 1. As it tends to principle and store the heart with the love of Christ, 1 Pet. 1. 7, 8. Faith is as the Captain-Grace, that leads on all the rest, 2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7. 2▪ As it actuates and incites love with a more ardent flame towards God, Christ, and all goodness. Faith spreads open before the soul Gods love and Christs loveliness, how transcendent, how infinite. So that the soul cannot choose but love them again, Ioh. 3. 16, 17. Rom. 5. 5, 6, 7, &c. Ioh. 15. 13. 1 Ioh. 3. 16, 19.
3. As it exercisethrOderun… peccare mali, formidine paen…. it self in all duties and acts of obedience to God, Christ, &c. not in a way of servile, slavish fear,Oderunt peccare boni, virtutis amore. Horat. but in a sweet way of love; because a man loves God and Christ, loves the wayes of vertue, loves his Commandements, and counts them not grievous, 1 Joh. 5. 3. Faith makes all obedience and duty come off lovingly, sweetly, chearfully, 1 Tim. 1. 5.
9. A growing Grace. It encreaseth more and more.—Your Faith groweth exceedingly, 2 Thes. 1. 3. See also Rev. 2 19. Counterfeit Faith, dead Faith, is like a painted Tree, or painted Flower upon a Wall, seem it never so fair, it grows not at all.
10. Vigorous in resisting, and victorious in conquering, all sorts of Temptations, viz. Of the World, frowning or smiling, 1 Ioh. 5. 4. Ioh. 16. 33. Of the Flesh, Act. 15. 9. 1 Joh. 3. 3. Of the Devil, … Pet. 5. 9. Eph. 6. 16.
11. Fervent, and continuing instant in prayer, even against discouragements; though prayer seem to be neglected, repulsed, denied. As in the Canaanitish woman, Mat. 15. 22. to 29. In Elijah, who prayed seven times, 1 King. 18. 41. to 46. Iam. 5. 17, 18.
12. Valiant in confessing Christ, in professing and owning of his Gospel, Truth and Cause, in dayes of greatest danger and persecution, 2 Tim. 1. 12. Saul converted to the Faith, straightway preached Christ in the Synagogues, that he was the Son of God, though to the hazard of his life, Act. 9. 20, 23. The Angel of Pergamos, held fast Christ's Name, deni'd not his Faith, even there, where Satan's seat was, and even then, when Antipas was his faithful Martyr, Rev. 2. 12, 13. Rev. 13. 10. The Faith and patience of the Saints, is most active and illustrious in midst of Antichristian cruelties and persecutions.
13. Finally, True Faith is constant and persevering. False Faith believes but for a time, in time of persecution falls away, Luk. 8. 13. True Faith holds on unto the end. Draws not back unto perdition, but believes unto the saving of the soul, Heb. 10. 39. The true Believer holds on believing, till he attain the scope and end of his Faith, the salvation of his soul, 1 Pet. 1. 8, 9.