The Use and Practice of Faith, Question 8 – Uses
THE EIGHTH GENERAL HEAD.
QUEST. VIII. What are the Reaſons for living by Faith?
WE come now to the Eighth Particular, the Reaſons why God will have the Juſt to live by Faith. We have given particular Reaſons to the particular Branches before, (as, Why the Juſt lives by Faith the Life of Juſtification, Sanctification, Renovation, Fructification, Mortification, and Vivification, &c.) We ſhall now give the general Reaſons, which reach to all in general; Why God will have the Juſt to live by Faith. It is true, God is not bound to give us a Reaſon, or give us an account of any of his Matters, Job 33.13. It is the folly of vain man, to call Gods Wiſdom to the Bar of his ſhallow Reaſon But Rom. 9.20. Who art, &c. Gods Will may well ſtand for a Reaſon. And yet, God is pleaſed in this particular, to give us a Reaſon of his Will. Wicked men, in the Scripture, are ſaid to be unreaſonable men, 2 Theſſ. 3.2. they do a thing, becauſe they will do it, though they have no good Reaſon for it. But God, though he is moſt Abſolute and Independent, is pleaſed in this matter of Faith to give us a Reaſon of his Will, That man might not diſpute and wrangle with God, and ſay, What Reaſon have I to live by Faith, ſeeing I have little or nothing in hand. Therefore God tells us, There is all the Reaſon in the world, a man ſhould live by Faith. Therefore unreaſonable men are ſaid to be ſuch as have no faith, 2 Theſſ. 3.2. becauſe there is great reaſon a Chriſtian man ſhould live by Faith. So, though Faith be above Reaſon in ſome ſenſe, to wit, above carnal, corrupt Reaſon: yet it is not above inlightned and rectified Reaſon.
There is manifold reaſon,Reaſons for living by faith why a Chriſtian ſhould be willing to live by Faith. All may be reduced to three Heads.
1. From a Believers Condition in the Fleſh.
2. From the Relation between Chriſt and a Believer.Firſt ſort of Reaſons.
3. From the Nature and Ʋſe of Faith.
Firſt, From a Believers Condition in the Fleſh.From our condition in the fleſh. For diſtance of place between the perſon that makes the Promiſe, and the perſon to whom it is made, requires the Evidence of Faith to aſſure of the Performance.
Now firſt, The Believer is abſent from the Lord, 1. Abſence from the Lord.and from the Preſence of Jeſus Chriſt. Though he do enjoy in ſome meaſure the preſence of his Grace, yet ſo long as he lives here below, he cannot enjoy the preſence of his Glory. He that is far diſtant from him that makes a Promiſe, had need have ſome good Evidence and Obligation of his faithfulneſs and ability. 2 Cor. 5.6. Whilſt we are at home in the body, we are abſent from the Lord, from our laſt home. What of that? (therefore ſaith the Apoſtle in the next words) we walk by faith, and not by ſight. As if he ſhould have ſaid, He that hath not the Evidence of Senſe, had need have the Evidence of Faith from a ſure Word of God. But Gods People in this life have not the Evidence of Senſe or Sight in their higheſt degree; therefore they had need have the Evidence of Faith for their Security. Their life is a Life of Faith: for, Faith is the evidence of things not ſeen, Heb. 11.1. And that is the firſt Reaſon.
2. Diſtance of time.The ſecond Reaſon, is drawn from the great diſtance of time betwixt Gods Promiſe, and the Performance of the thing promiſed. Sometimes ſome ſcores, ſome hundreds, ſome thouſands of years; therefore Gods People ſtand in need of ſome Security in the mean time, to aſſure them that God will make good his Word at the laſt. Now this ſecurity is Faith; and therefore obſerve the connexion of the Text, to the former verſe, The juſt lives by his faith: Why ſo? becauſe, ſaith the third verſe, the Viſion is for an appointed time. Gods Promiſe (manifeſted by Viſion to the Prophet) ſhall not preſently be fulfilled, but in its appointed time. Therefore, in the mean time, the juſt man lives by his Faith, he takes Gods bare Word for it, he believes it ſhall be ſo: The Spirit of God working by the Promiſe, aſſures him it ſhall be ſo; and this puts life into the Promiſe, and life into him that apprehends the Promiſe.
Faith is a Chriſtians Security, till God pay in that which he is bound for in the Covenant of Free Grace. It is juſt like the Witneſs and Seal to the Bond; as, He that believes, ſets to his Seal that God is true, Joh. 3.30. So God himſelf, by giving Faith, ſets to his Seal and Witneſs, that he means truly and faithfully to perform his Promiſe: 1 Joh. 5.10. He that believeth, hath the witneſs in himſelf. Now I ſay, This Witneſs and Seal is very needful for the ſupport of poor weak creatures, becauſe there is ſo great a time betwixt the Promiſe and the Performance. It is nothing ſo much to rejoyce in the things promiſed, when we ſee them fulfilled by the eye of Senſe.Luke 2. As old Simeon falls a ſinging, when he ſaw Chriſt with his bodily eyes, and embraced him in his very Arms, he might well ſay, with S. John, That which we have ſeen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the Word of life, even that declare we unto you: and therefore he could not but rejoyce. But it was much more in old Father Abraham, Ioh. 8.when he did ſo much rejoyce to ſee Chriſt and his day, ſo many thouſand years before he came into the world; when he could ſee him no otherways, but by the eye of Faith, and yet he rejoyced, as if he had been in Simeons condition: as if Chriſt had been preſent with him at that very time, becauſe Faith aſſured him it ſhould be ſo. And in this reſpect all Believers ſtand in need of Faith, becauſe uſually there is ſome good diſtance of time betwixt the Promiſe and the Performance, and Faith is their Security in the mean time. And that's the ſecond Reaſon.
The third Reaſon is this,3. Need of Humility. To keep us in a continual frame of Humility. God will have us to live by Faith as long as we live in this life. For the truth is, The beſt of Gods Servants (in regard of remaining corruption) when they poſſeſs much in hand, they are apt to to be puft up with pride and ſelf-confidence, as Hezekiah was.Iſa. 39. Therefore to that end, that no fleſh might glory in his preſence, look as God chooſeth the weak, and baſe, and deſpiſed things of the world, in their firſt converſion; ſo he keeps them in ſuch a manner of condition all their life long, that by Faith they might be fain to go to him for every thing they want in Temporals and in Spirituals. In Temporals they muſt live like Beggars, they muſt beg of him their daily Bread; and ſo in Spirituals alſo,Mat. 6. they muſt go to God for new ſupplies of Grace, and for new ſtrength, upon the performance of every new duty. The moſt eminent Chriſtian hath not grace beforehand in the ſtock for one year, or day, or hour; not enough to perform the next Duty, or to reſiſt the next Tentation from Satan or the World. 2 Cor. 3.5. Not that we are ſufficient of our ſelves to think any thing as of our ſelves, but all our ſufficiency is of God: Phil 4.13. I can do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthneth me: But will Chriſt ſtrengthen thoſe to do any great matter, whom he doth not ſtrengthen to believe? No ſurely, According to thy faith be it unto thee, Mat. 8.13. & 9.29. Therefore a Chriſtian lives by Faith every day, and in every duty. He fetches ſtrength from Chriſt, as well as ſight. (Iſa. 45.24. Surely, &c.) Sight, for the acceptance of my perſon; Strength, for the performance of my duty. God feeds them, and ſupplies them but onelyonly from hand to mouth, leſt they ſhould be exalted above meaſure. 2 Cor. 12.And the hand that receives (to wit, the hand of Faith) is an empty hand too: It brings nothing to God, but it receives all from God; but yet it receives not preſently, but tarries his leiſure. Nay, God gives not onelyonly the Gift it ſelf, but the very hand that receives the gift, leſt any man ſhould boaſt. For, Faith is the gift of God, Eph. 2.8. And all this, to keep us humble.
Faith is the Chriſtians Caterer, or Purveyor, or Petitioner. It is like a little poor Boy, that is ſent out of doors, and ſo goes up and down to beg a living for his old decrepit father, who lies bedrid at home: I ſay, We, like poor creatures, can earn nothing of our ſelves by the merit of our own works, towards our living. Now Faith, like the little Boy, it goes a begging to God for a living: For Faith ſets Prayer a work, and Prayer ſets God himſelf a work for our good: And ſo the Juſt lives by his Faith. Now he that lives upon Alms, upon his meer dependance upon anothers good will, he hath great cauſe to be humble. There is nothing more odious and abſurd, than a proud Beggar: But he that lives by Faith, lives meerly upon the good-will and free grace of God in Chriſt; and therefore hath great cauſe to be humble. And that is the third Reaſon under the firſt general Head, drawn from a Believers Condition in the fleſh.
The fourth Reaſon under the firſt general Head,4. End of the Word and Miniſtery. is from the End of Gods giving the Word and the Miniſtery of it to his People in a ſtate of imperfection; viz. For their direction, and for their ſupport in all conditions, till they come to a ſtate of perfection. Eph. 4.11. He gave ſome Apoſtles, and ſome Prophets, and ſome Evangeliſts, and ſome Paſtors and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Miniſtery, for the edifying of the Body of Chriſt, till we all come in the unity of faith, and of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſs of Chriſt: Till we come where there is no need of Temple, no need of Temporal and Spiritual light by a Medium, as it is Rev. 21.22, 23 Well then, as long as we live in this life, the Word is written for our direction, and for our ſupport. But how ſhall we be directed or ſupported by it, if we do not apprehend it by faith? Heb. 4.2. The Word profits not, not being mixed with faith. And indeed, the very End why God gives us his written Word, is, That we might lay hold of it by faith, for our comfort in our worſt condition. Joh. 20. laſt, Theſe things are written, that ye might believe, that Jeſus is the Chriſt, the Son of God; and that believing, ye might have life through his Name. And if this be the main End of the Scriptures writing, then there is all the reaſon in the world, we ſhould live by Faith in it: Otherwiſe, we do what we can, to fruſtrate the Scriptures end, and to make it vain. Yea, we take Gods Name in vain, if we believe not: for, the Word of God, is the greateſt part of Gods Name, by which he makes himſelf and his good Will known to us, (as men are known by their Names) Pſal. 138.2. Thou haſt magnified thy Word above all thy Name. But he that believes not, vilifies this Word; he looks at it as a vain word, and ſo he takes Gods Name in vain.
Obj. But it may be you will ſay, How do you know the Scriptures to be the Word of God? If I knew it to be the Word of God indeed, I would not onelyonly l…ve by Faith in it, but I would ſay and profeſs (as you do) There was all the reaſon in the world that men ſhould believe it, and live by Faith in it: As it is written, Let God be true, and every man a liar, Rom. 3.4.]
Anſ. I will not at this time undertake to handle this ſubject at large, as I hope to do hereafter, if God pleaſe to continue life and opportunity: For, I conceive, it is one of the moſt neceſſary foundations to be laid. And for want of ſetling and ramming down this Truth, men become fooliſh builders, they are looſe in the whole fabrick of Religion, they are looſe in their Faith, and as looſe in their Practice.
Arguments of four ſorts.There are four ſorts of Arguments, (beſides the witneſs of the Spirit, which is the greateſt of all to them that have it) to prove the Scriptures to be of God: Whereof ſome are drawn from the Scriptures themſelves; Some from the Penmen thereof;That the Scriptures are the Word of God. Some from the Oppoſites or Enemies of the Scriptures; and laſt of all, Some from God himſelf, bearing witneſs from Heaven to the Word of his Truth. I ſhall onelyonly ſpeak a little of the firſt.
1. Some Arguments from the Scriptures themſelves; and that,The Scriptures excellency. Whether we reſpect the Antiquity of the Scriptures, or the excellency of the Matter therein contained, it will plainly evince, they are of God: Had we but time, and were it ſo pertinent to this preſent ſubject, to run over all the Particulars.
The excellency of the Matter appears, in the Sublimity, Majeſty, Purity, Verity, and powerful Efficacy of the Scriptures. It will be too long to ſpeak of all. I will onelyonly pitch upon one; and that is, The infallible Truth and Verity of the Scriptures,Verity. which prove them to be of God: And this Truth will appear, both by the Conſent of all parts generally, and more particularly by the fulfilling of the Prophecies.
Firſt, by the Conſent of all the parts generally.Conſent of parts. For doth not Joſhua confirm Moſes? Do not the Judges confirm Joſhua? Samuel the Judges? And ſo we might run through all the reſt, to the end of the Bible. Do but conſider a little what ſeveral Authors have ever writ of the ſame ſubject in any humane Art or Science, which have not differed in ſome particular, and brought probable Arguments on both ſides? Whereas the Scriptures, though written by ſeveral men, in ſeveral Ages, and ſeveral Parts of the World, do never croſs one another, or call in queſtion what formerly had been delivered.
It is true, I confeſs, Ʋnlearned and unſtable men, throughout all Ages, have wreſted the Scriptures to their own deſtruction, 2 Pet. 3.16. But where did ever any one holy Penman of God, Correct what another of them had written? And the reaſon is, Becauſe however ſeveral men wrote ſeveral parts of the Scriptures, yet they being all acted by one and the ſame Spirit, they had all but one and the ſame Heart; and, as I may ſo ſay, one and the ſame Mouth. And I may well ſay ſo, Becauſe the Scriptures ſayes it before me, Luke 1.10. As God ſpake by the mouth of the Prophets, which have been ſince the world began. Obſerve, There is Prophets in the Plural Number, and Mouth in the Singular. All the Prophets had but one Mouth; becauſe they all ſpake one and the ſame Truth, without contradiction of one another. Thus there is a Conſent of all the parts of Scripture generally, which proves them to be of God.
Secondly, This Conſent will yet more particularly appear, in the fulfilling of each Prophecy therein contained. There hath indeed hardly fallen out any matter of moment from the beginning of the World ſet down in the Scriptures, but hath been foretold before the Accompliſhment; that ſo, when it came to paſs, men might know and believe, that God is the God of Truth, and his Word the Word of Truth. To omit the great Promiſe of the Meſſiah, and thoſe other alſo, concerning the calling in of the Gentiles to be of the Church and People of God, (which was as unlikely and unprobable to Humane Reaſon in thoſe days, as the calling back of the Jews to the acknowledgement of Chriſt in theſe days.) And yet, that God that hath ſo wonderfully and miraculouſly fulfilled the former (and is fulfilling of it to this day, in the Converſion of poor Indians) will ere long as gloriouſly fulfil the other; and, it may be, ſome of you that ſtand here ſhall not taſte of death, till you ſee theſe things fulfilled: Iſa. 66.8. Who hath heard ſuch a thing, who hath ſeen ſuch things? Shall the Earth be made to bring forth in one day, or ſhall a Nation be born at once? This is a wonder indeed, and ſhall be for a wonder! And yet, ſo it was in the firſt Coming of Chriſt; whole Nations of the Gentiles were converted all of a ſudden, and ſo it ſhall be at the ſecond Coming of Chriſt, or a little before, the Nation of the Jews ſhall be reconverted to God, and grafted in again. Rom. 11.And the Lord prepare that woman for the day of her Travel.
But not to inſiſt any longer upon theſe, let us for more particular inſtance, caſt our eyes upon that Remarkable Prophecy, 1 King. 13.2. when Jeroboam had erected an Idolatrous Altar in Bethel, for the worſhip of his golden Calf, God ſends preſently a Prophet to him, with this Meſſage, That there ſhould be a Childe born unto the houſe of David, Joſiah by Name, and that he ſhould ſacrifice or burn upon that very Altar, the bones of his Idolatrous Prieſts; which was fulfilled a matter of three hundred years after, 2 King. 23.15, 16. It is moſt admirable to conſider, that not onelyonly the Judgement it ſelf, but the very Name of the Man ſhould be foretold, by which it was to be put in execution, and that ſo many years before his Birth.
Conſider, in the next place, how punctually the Prophet Iſaiah, Jeremy, and others, do ſpeak of the Babyloniſh Captivity, of the number of the years it ſhould continue, and in the concluſion, of the means of their freedom thence; yea, they ſet down alſo the very Name of the man (Cyrus) whom God had raiſed up accordingly for their deliverance, Iſa. 44.28. & 45.1, 4.
And laſt of all, (to inſtance no further) take but a view of the Prophecy of Daniel, and he may ſerve in ſtead of all: For he foretels what ſhould fall out for the ſpace of Six hundred years, in the four great Monarchies of the World, the Babylonian, the Perſian, the Grecian, and the Roman; and that, ſo punctually and exactly, that he might ſeem rather to have writtten a Hiſtory, than a Prophecy. Therefore the Scriptures are certainly of God.
Obj. Now if any man ſhall object, and ſay, But who knows whether theſe things were ſo foretold before they came to paſs? It may be, when ſuch things fell out, a Prophecy was afterwards fained, and fathered upon them, to gain more credit to their Writings?
Anſ. I anſwer, That's a thing altogether impoſſible. For, firſt of all, That Prophecy of the Man of God againſt the Altar in Bethel, it muſt needs be really extant ſo many years before the birth of Joſiah: For it is moſt manifeſt, (as well by the Cuſtom of the Jews, as of all other Nations in the World) That the Hiſtory of the Kings and Chronicles were written, and ſet down from year to year, the ſelf-ſame time, that, the things therein ſpecified, were acted and performed.
And as for the Prophecy of the Captivity, with their return by the help of Cyrus, it is as impoſſible, it ſhould be feigned after the Event, as the other: And my reaſon is this, Becauſe the People going into Captivity, the Scriptures alſo (the Law and the Prophets) went along with them, and from thence were diſperſed almoſt into all Regions of the World. So that, if any ſuch Prophecy had been thruſt in afterwards, the diſcovery would ſoon have ſhewn the vanity of ſuch a policy.
And ſo the Prophet Daniel's Hiſtory tells us, That he lived under the firſt of theſe Monarchies: And therefore it is not poſſible the Prophecy ſhould be feigned after the things were fulfilled. Yea, and we reade of Alexander the Great, that he read at Jeruſalem in the Book of Daniel, the things which himſelf had atchieved.
And it is without all Controverſie, That when Ptolomy King of Aegypt, (who was ſtyled Ptolomeus Philadelphus) I ſay, when he cauſed the Scripture (and ſo, the Prophecy of Daniel among the reſt) to be Tranſlated into Greek by the Seventy Interpreters, there were then many things in that Prophecy, which were not yet accompliſhed, neither could there be the leaſt ſuſpicion of alteration afterwards, in reſpect of the great accompt was made of it. For howſoever, that Learning loving King had in his Library a matter of Fifty thouſand Books, yet this of the Scriptures, he eſteemed the greateſt Treaſure of all the reſt; ſhewing no leſs care in the Preſervation, than he had before manifeſted both care and coſt in the Tranſlation of it.
All theſe things therefore being laid together, it muſt needs follow, That the Prophecies were revealed and ſet forth by the God of Truth; and ſo the Event confirming the Prediction, it doth plainly declare there was no jugling, no deceipt, no cunning device of man, but that the Original was of God.
If therefore the Scriptures be of God (as appears by the infallible Truth and Verity of them) there is all the reaſon in the world, we ſhould believe them. If the Scripture ſpeaks nothing in vain, Jam. 4.5. we ſhould hear and receive nothing of it in vain, but live by Faith on every word that God ſpeaks in the Scripture. And that is the fourth Reaſon under the firſt general Head.
5. The fifth Reaſon is this, Becauſe Gods People,5. Experiments of paſt things. whilſt they live here below, have had (both they and their Fore fathers) manifold Experiments of Gods goodneſs and faithfulneſs for the time paſt, in fulfilling his Word: I mean, the Word of his Promiſe; not onelyonly in fulfilling the Word of Prophecy in general, (as was proved in the former Reaſon) but alſo in fulfilling the Word of Promiſe, as ſhall be made out in this. And hath God made good his Promiſe to ſo many generations for the time paſt? And have we not then great reaſon to live by Faith in the Promiſe of ſuch a God for the time to come? Remember what Joſhua ſaid to the People, Joſh. 21. laſt, and 23.14. You know in all your hearts, and in all your ſouls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God ſpake concerning you; all are come to paſs unto you, not one thing hath failed thereof. And this he ſpeakes to this end, that he might perſwade them to live by Faith, and to truſt in the ſame God for the time to come. Therefore, Deut. 7.17. To cure the peoples diffidence and diſtruſt, God puts them in minde of former experiences, If thou ſhalt ſay in thine heart, Theſe Nations are more than I, how can I diſpoſſeſs them? Thou ſhalt not be afraid of them, but ſhalt well remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh and all Egypt; So ſhall the Lord thy God do unto all the people, of whom thou art afraid. As if he ſhould ſay, That God who hath made good his promiſe in his peoples deliverance for the time paſt, he will do it for the time to come alſo. This was Davids gracious Logick; both Reaſon rectified, and Grace taught him to argue thus, 1 Sam. 17.37. The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the Lion, and out of the paw of the Bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philiſtim. Paul fetches ſuch another Argument from his deliverance out of the paw or mouth of the Lion: And what of that?2 Tim. 4. Mark his Argument; The Lord ſhall deliver me from every evil work, and will preſerve me to his heavenly Kingdom, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Obſerve: all theſe holy men of God, by their former experience, were built up in future confidence, and ſo ſhould we be.
Obj. If you ſhall ſay, Where lies the ſtrength of this Reaſon? viz. Becauſe God makes good his Word and Promiſe at one time, to ſuch as truſt in him, are we therefore ſure he will make it good at another?
Anſ I anſwer, We may well be aſſured of it, and that upon theſe grounds:
Firſt, from the Nature of Gods Covenant and Promiſe: His Covenant is an everlaſting Covenant, Jer. 32.40. His Promiſe is very comprehenſive, it reacheth to all perſons that are heirs of the Promiſe, it belongs to all Saints, Eph 3.18. To all places where ere thoſe perſons come, 1 Kings 20 28. To all times, Heb. 13.5. Iſa. 40.8 The Word of God ſtandeth for ever. Therefore, whom God once delivers in a way of Covenant-mercy, he will for ever deliver.
Secondly, We may argue from the Nature of God: For, were the Covenant made never ſo ſure (like the Laws of the Medes and Perſians) that it ſhould not be changed, yet if God were of a changeable Nature, all were as good as nothing. As we ſee in the Covenants of vain and changeable men, (they ſnap them aſunder as Samſon did his cords) But God is an Ʋnchangeable God, and this puts life into that unchangeable Covenant, Mal. 3.6. I am the Lord, I change not: therefore you Sons of Jacob are not conſumed. He is unchangeable in all his Attributes, Unchangeable in his Love, Jer. 31.3. In his Truth, Pſal. 117.2. In his Power, Iſa. 59.1, 2. And therefore by the ſame reaſon that we truſt in God once, we have cauſe to truſt in him for ever. Iſa. 26.4. Truſt in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlaſting ſtrength.
Thirdly, The third and the laſt Argument, is drawn from the Nature of the Price paid by Jeſus Chriſt to his Father, for all the good things that he hath promiſed. The price of his own Blood, which Blood of his (in the Merit and Value of it) is ever pleading and ſpeaking better things than that of Abel, Heb. 12.25. By vertue of his blood, Chriſt pleads thus for each believing Soul, Father, beſtow this Mercy on ſuch a man, for I have paid for that Mercy alſo: And, Father, beſtow ſuch a Deliverance upon him, for I have paid the price for that Deliverance alſo; and ſo for a Thouſand Mercies and Deliverances one after another. As when the Price o… Ranſom is paid for one in Priſon, when one or two doors are opened, 'tis an aſſurance to the poor Priſoner, that the reſt will ſoon be opened, becauſe the price is paid for the opening of all: So in this caſe, upon theſe grounds and experiences of Gods goodneſs and faithfulneſs for time paſt, do we and ought we to ſtrengthen Faith for the time to come.
The ſecond ſort of Reaſons, Second ſort of Reaſons for living by faith viz. The relation betwixt Chriſt and a Believer.is drawn from that Relation which is betwixt Chriſt and a Believer.
1. Chriſt is the Fountain, and out of his fulneſs we do all receive grace for grace.
2. Chriſt is our Lord and Maſter, and therefore we are bound to give unto him the honour that is due to his Name.
But we can do neither the one nor the other without Faith; we can neither receive from Chriſt what we want, nor give unto Chriſt what is his due, without Faith.
Chriſt is the Fountain of Grace.1. Chriſt is the Fountain, and out of his fulneſs we all receive grace for grace: but without Faith, we cannot be united to this Fountain, nor draw any thing from him. The Water-Cock is in the houſe, but the Spring-Head is in the field: So the Water-Cock of Grace is in the Soul, but the Spring-Head that feeds this, is in Chriſt I am the life, ſaith Chriſt, Joh. 14.6. Life is radically in Jeſus Chriſt: [Pſal. 36.9. For with thee is the fountain of life.
Now then, there muſt be ſome Conduit-pipe to convey this Water of Life to the Soul, and that is Faith: Joh. 7.38. He that believeth in me, (as the Scripture ha…h ſaid) out of his belly ſhall flow rivers of living water. And thus a believer lives by a Principle out of himſelf, namely, in Jeſus Chriſt. Gal 2.20. I live by the faith of the Son of God, who hath loved me, &c. 1 Joh 5.12. He that hath the Son, hath life: and what is it to have the Son, but to believe in the Son? to be united to him by Faith? As the the Water-Cock is united to the Fountain by the Conduit-pipe. As the Heads of thoſe Rivers that water the Garden of Paradiſe, were out of Paradiſe: So the Head and Spring of thoſe Streams of Grace that water the Soul, are out of the Soul, even in Chriſt the Fountain: All my freſh springs are in thee, Pſal. 87.7. Though ſome underſtand it of the Church of God, it is more eminently true of God himſelf: Therefore a gracious Soul lives by Faith, becauſe by Faith he is united to Chriſt the Fountain of all Grace.
Chriſt is our Lord, and we cannot honour him without Faith.Secondly, As Chriſt is our Lord and Maſter, we are bound to give to him the honour due to his Name. Mal. 1.6. If I be a Lord and Maſter, where is my fear and honour? But we cannot honour him without Faith: Faith brings a great deal of Honour to God and Jeſus Chriſt; therefore he will have the juſt to live by his Faith.
1. Faith honours the grace of God.Firſt, it puts a great deal of Honour upon the free grace of God, as we ſhall hear afterwards: Rom. 4.16. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace. For the act of Faith doth neceſſarily exclude Merit: It is an act of ſelf denial, a holy deſpair of any thing in our ſelves; and a firm reliance onelyonly upon the Merit and Free-grace of Jeſus Chriſt. As a full hand receives nothing, but the hand that is empty is fit to receive any thing: So Faith is an empty hand, laying hold upon Jeſus Chriſt, and of his fulneſs receiving grace for grace, Joh. 1.16. Luk. 1.53. He filleth the hungry with good things.
Secondly, it puts honour upon the faithfulneſs of God.2. Faith honours the faithfulneſs of God. …uppoſe God ſpeaks a word of Promiſe for ſuch or ſuch a thing and we ſee no likelyhood of its performance, in the order of Nature, or ſecond Cauſes, yet ſaith the believing Soul, I'll truſt God upon his word, upon his naked word, though I have nothing in hand; I'll truſt him, though his Providences croſs his Promiſes; I'll truſt him, I am ſure he is faithful, he cannot deny himſelf. 2 Tim. 2.13.This puts a great deal of Honour upon God. Look as it is the greateſt diſhonour can be done to God, when we will not truſt him upon his Word (as it is a diſhonour to a man, when he cannot be truſted) and much more to the Moſt High God, for, He that believes not, 1 Joh. 5.10.makes God a liar:) So on the other ſide, he puts a great deal of Honour upon God, that relies upon the truth and faithfulneſs of God, 1 Theſſ. 5.24. Therefore God is of ſome Credit with his own People: Whereas the wicked will truſt him no further than they ſee him. A Believer puts honour upon the Faithfulneſſe of God.
Thirdly,3. Faith honours the power of God. he puts honour upon the Power and All-ſufficiency of God. Though we are never ſo weak and impotent to procure to our ſelves what God holds out in a Promiſe, yet when by Faith we look at God as a God All-ſufficient, and Omnipotent, to give a Being to his own Word, this puts much honour upon God. And thus did Abraham glorifie God by his Faith, Rom. 4.18, 19, 20, 21. And ſo do all ſuch as tread in the ſteps of faithful Abraham, they glorifie the free grace, and power and faithfulneſs of God: therefore God will have the Juſt live by his Faith. God will put much honour upon that grace, that puts ſo much honour upon God.
Third ſort of Reaſons from the nature and uſe of Faith.The third ſort of Reaſons are drawn from the Nature and Ʋſe of Faith.
1. Tis our livelihood.Firſt therefore, a Believer lives by Faith, becauſe a Believes layes hold upon the Word of Life, (as hath been partly ſhewed already) the Word of Promiſe, the Promiſe of free grace: for, By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, doth man live, Matth. 4.4. (yet not upon the Word of Promiſe, ſeparated from the thing promiſed.) 'Tis true, once God ſaid, Do this, and live: Now he ſaith, Believe this, and live. When God ſaid, Do this, and live, ſuppoſe man had done what God required, yet he had not lived by Merit of his Obedience, Rom. 4.7. (as Calvin well obſerves in his Sermon of Abrahams Faith) But by vertue of Gods gracious Promiſe annex'd to his believing; If thou believe this (ſaith God) which I promiſe, thou ſhalt live: And ſo, by every Word that God ſpeaks,Difference of faith in both Covenants. doth man live. In both Covenants God required Faith, but yet with a great deal of difference, both in reſpect of the Object and Principle of Faith.
Firſt, in reſpect of the Object of Faith. The firſt Covenant required no more but to Believe the Truth of God, which promiſed, Do this, and thou ſhalt live: but in the latter, God requires Faith in Chriſt, and in Chriſt crucified, and in all the Promiſes of free grace, which are Yea and Amen in Chriſt.
Secondly, they differ in reſpect of the Principle of Faith. For the firſt kinde of Faith, man had by the grace of Creation (viz. Power to give credit to God in what he ſpake) But the ſecond kinde of Faith a man hath not, but by the grace of Regeneration. It is the gift of God to believe in a crucified Saviour; and ſo the Covenant ſtill ſavoureth of more grace, becauſe the juſt lives by this latter kinde of Faith, laying hold upon the Word of Life, upon the Promiſe of free grace: For this is the proper act of juſtifying Faith. Now by Promiſe God makes himſelf a Debtor (though he was none before) and Faith puts the Promiſe in Suit; thereupon, God pays his Debts, and this is the creatures livelyhood: And therefore the Juſt muſt needs live by his Faith.
Secondly, God will have his People live by Faith,2. We fell by unbelief. becauſe we firſt fell away, and departed from God by Unbelief and Diſtruſt. Our firſt Parents would not give credit to God, when he ſaid,Gen. 3. In the day thou eateſt of the forbidden fruit, thou ſhalt ſurely die; but gave more credit to the Devil, when he ſaid, Ye ſhall not die: And ſo they fell (I ſay) by Ʋnbelief and Diſtruſt; therefore now God ſo orders the matter, that whoſoever will be ſaved, muſt be ſaved by Faith. God will recover his honour in a way of Faith, as he was firſt diſhonoured in the world by Ʋnbelief.
Thirdly, That their Salvation might be, as upon freer, That ſalvation might be on free and ſure grounds.ſo upon ſurer grounds, Rom. 4.17. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be ſure to the ſeed.
1. Upon freer ground, upon a ground of free grace: for, What is Faith, but a caſting away our own Righteouſneſs, and putting on of the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt? As a poor Beggar is content to caſt away all his filthy Rags, ſo that he may put on a good Sute, that is freely beſtowed upon him: So the Apoſtle, Phil. 3.8, 9. Yea doubtleſs, and I do count all things but loſs, &c. The Righteouſneſs which is of God by Faith, that is the Righteouſneſs which Faith receives, not the Righteouſneſs which is wrought by Faith: For, Faith hath a twofold Property; the one, To act for God; the other, To receive from God. It acts for God, while it purifies the heart, and the life, and worketh by love: but ſo it doth not juſtifie. It receives from God, whilſt it lays hold on the Merits and Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt: and ſo it doth juſtifie. Thus the Juſt lives by his Faith, that his Juſtification and Salvation might be upon the freer grounds.
2. That it be upon ſurer grounds, that it might be ſure to all the ſeed.Rom. 4.16. Mans life and ſalvation depending upon his Obedience, was not ſure before the Fall: for, as he was created in a poſſibility of ſtanding; ſo he was created in a poſſibility of falling alſo: and fall he did, as is manifeſt to all the world by woful experience. Much leſs then would there be any certainty of this Salvation after the Fall, ſhould it depend upon the perfection of his own Righteouſneſs,Iſa. 64.6. for all our Righteouſneſs is as filthy Rags. But when nothing elſe is required of us (in point of Juſtification) but the renouncing our own Righteouſneſs, and the accepting of that, which was performed by Jeſus Chriſt, who hath fulfilled all Righteouſneſs, to the utmoſt demand of the Law. When once God gives us grace to do this, (as this is done by the grace of Faith) we may be ſure the gates of Hell ſhall never prevail againſt us. Therefore God would have the Juſt live by Faith, that his Salvation might be upon ſurer grounds.