The Use and Practice of Faith, Title page – To the reader
THE USE and PRACTICE OF FAITH: OR, Faiths Ʋniverſal Ʋſefulneſs, And Quickning Influence into every Kinde and Degree of the Chriſtian Life.
Together with the Excellency of a Spiritual Life (in difference from all other) by way of Prooeme.
And the excellent WORK and REWARD of Converting others to the Faith, commended by way of Cloſe.
Delivered in the Publick LECTURES at IPSWICH.
By the late Eminent and Faithful Servant of his Lord, Mr. MATTHEW LAWRENCE, Preacher to the ſaid Town.
—By it he being dead, yet speaketh, Heb. 11.4.
LONDON: Printed by A. Maxey for Willian Weekly Bookſeller at Ipſwich, and are to be ſold by John Rothwell at the Fountain and Bear in Goldſmiths-Row, Cheapſide; and by Robert Littleberry at the Unicorn, Little-Britain. 1657.
To the Right Worſhipful, The BAYLIFFS & PORTMEN WITH The Reſidue of the Incorporation of the Town of Ipſwich.
Worſhipful, and Beloved!
WHen this Piece is once come into your hands, there needs nothing be ſpoken further, either by way of commendation of the Work, or upon the account of its Dedication to you. The Author and his Labours having been of that worthy Eſtimation amongst you, and his Memory ſtill ſo precious, as a Commendatory Epiſtle from us would be leſs. And for the Right of whatever may be call'd His, whoſe Name this bears, it undoubtedly reſolves on You, whoſe he was, both by your free Choyce, and his moſt willing Service. Moreover, the Subject here preſented, beſides its own uncontroverted Excellency and Neceſsity, which commends it to all, comes ſingularly commended to You upon a double Reſpect; partly, as that which was the largeſt and choyceſt part of his Labours with you; partly, as what of all other was the Vote of his laſt Bed to have made publick for your uſe. Had himſelf ſurvived to have compleated his own Papers, as he had began in his weakneſs to reviſe them, the whole ſurely had been more ſemblant and exact: yet as it is, it is his own as he left it; not lame, or torn, though here and there undreſt (eſpecially towards the beginning) and ſuch as nevertheleſs ſpeaks a ſufficient worth, even without its due dreſs.
And now two of your eminent Lights have ſhone before you,Mr. S. Ward and the Author. eſpecially in this one Tract; and have left behinde them a clear and large Pathway for you, of Living by Faith. Whoſe Faith, and Works of Faith, Heb. 13.7.O that you may be found as eminently to follow! their combined Light begetting in you the ſtronger heat. Surely, God expects of you an exact Hand in this Work, whom he hath grac'd with ſo fair Copies. Others in other places have travell'd likewiſe in this Theme, but we dare ſay, None more compactly and lively than the former, nor copiouſly and diſtinctly than this latter of yours; Of which the one may have ſeem'd to have given the Text, the other the Commentary; ſo as the Furniture of both makes you complete in this kinde.
Poſsibly the Work comes forth much later than your deſire and expectation; and truly, than ours too: not one or two, but more years having paſs'd ſince the Authors death. But ſo it hath hapned through ſome croſs and unavoidable occurrences. May the Benefit of it at length recompence the Delay, which we both hope and pray. We ſhall adde no more by way of Preface, but commit this ſo uſeful Treatiſe, and your diligent peruſal of it, to Him,1 Cor. 3.6, 7 who alone, while Paul plants, and Apollo waters, gives the increaſe.
Your Servants in the Lord,
JOHN WARD.
NATHANIEL SMART.
JOSEPH WAITE.
AN EPISTLE & PREFACE TO THIS TREATISE.
Chriſtian Reader,
VVE deſire not to know to give flattering Titles to any man,Job 32. though dead; nor to ſtretch our ſelves beyond our meaſure to any living: Yet being called hereunto,2 Cor. 10.14. We preſume it our duty to Preface ſomething to this excellent Piece of Practical Divinity, as referring to the honour of the precious Author, departed: ſo alſo to the more endearing to thy Soul that precious Grace of Faith, and its uſe here handled.
The little of the Life of Faith amongſt men, and of Faith and Truth in Life, excites us to become, though not Midwives to deliver, nor as Nurſes to dreſs, yet as ſtanders by and ſervants to commend this Birth as Legitimate and Lovely.
1 Tim. 6.12.Though we take not upon us to put weapons into thy hand for this good fight of Faith, (that this Tract doth) yet if we may but encourage to the uſe of them, like the Drum and Fife, and ſuch inferior Officers, it ſufficeth.
2 Cor. 3.We cannot ſay (as the Apoſtle) in theſe days, Need we Epiſtles of Commendation to you, or Letters of Commendation from you? Indeed we do need them both: for our Perſons, Office, Doctrine, all are under the foot of Pride and Ignorance. We love not our Food, and loath our Phyſick, and (at the beſt) give entertainment to the moſt Sermons and Books which ore heard and read, according as they that ſpeak and write them are famed; and eſteem and approve Doctrines by Perſons,Tertul. de Praeſcript. Haer. cap. 3. and not Perſons by Doctrines, as an Ancient hath it.
That we might therefore by giving a due report to the Name of this worthy Writer, raiſe a Spiritual ſeed to him (a deceaſed Brother) and encourage thee to the Uſe and Practice of this his pious Piece, hear us in a few things, as furtherers of thy Faith and Joy.
For the Compoſer hereof, Reverend Mr. Matthew Lawrence (though he be now in Heaven above our Praiſes) yet know, he hath by his Doctrine, and living this Doctrine of Faith,Heb. 11. obtained a good report, and was of known integrity, a mighty Apollos in the ſacred Scriptures; ſo abundant in alleaging apt and cleef Scriptures for Grounds and Enlargements,1 Tim. 4.6. that he might be called, as another once was, The Ark of the Scripture.
His Life and Diſpoſition was made up of a meek and quiet Spirit; a melting Heart towards God, and a healing cloſing Spirit towards Brethren, though in ſome things diſſenting. Such low Spirits are fitted to receive the high Revelations of Faith, and living by it.
Such empty Veſſels, are moſt capable of the Oil of the Spirit. The meek,Pſal. 25. he will teach his way. He was indeed a living Paraphraſe and Comment upon his Text; A Juſt man living by his Faith.
For the Treatiſe it ſelf, one of us had the happineſs of neer Cohabitation ſome years to the Reverend Author, and lived under the Divine droppings of much of this heavenly Doctrine that diſtilled from his lips; which had he been delivered up unto, as it was faithfully delivered unto him, he might have been more enriched in the ſtock of Faith. The other of us, having peruſed theſe Papers, (though modeſty may forbid him to utter Hyperbolical Praiſes, as being happily, by Providence, united in neereſt Relation with a Branch of that dead-living Stock, the deceaſed Author) yet accounts it but the juſt Honour and Duty he owes him, to judge this Tract, through Gods bleſſing upon a ſerious reading and digeſting it, much conducing to make an able Chriſtian and Divine. Indeed, it holds forth to us the way that we ſhould walk,Jer. 42.3. and the thing that we ſhould do to attain Heaven and Salvation.
Many Miniſters and others did deſire the publiſhing of this Treatiſe by the Author in his Life: but his modeſty, and other conſtant labours, hindred. Now it is come forth, we wiſh it may not finde the like entertainment that the Frier wittily and ſharply ſaid his Auditors gave to his Sermons, they dealing with them, as with his Holy-Water, ſprinkled on them; they called for it eagerly, but when he caſt it on them, they preſently wiped it off again. Make this Book now publiſhed, more publick, by holding forth the Life and Practiſe of Faith in thy Life and Station. Do not onelyonly once reade it,Verba vivenda and caſt it aſide, but carry it in thy heart, as the Carpenter his Rule in his hand, to ſquare all thy actions by it.
We ſhall onelyonly adde ſome Motives to excite thy Practiſe, and then commit all to the Bleſsing of God.
1. Conſider, this Life of Faith is a high Myſtery: Chriſt believed on in the world, is a like Myſtery with God manifeſted in the fleſh, and received up into glory. Faith in the habit or root, is not a Plant of Natures Garden: The very nouriſhing of it, and cauſing it to bring forth in our hearts, is much more difficult than that of Plants in a ſtrange Country. Grace, in exerciſe is difficult. Indeed its in us, as fire under dead aſhes, or in a Flint: Exciting, quickning, cooperating Grace with us, muſt be added to that within us. Grace in us, lies like ſome Phyſick of dead Drugs, which works not untill ſtronger Phyſick be given. Without me ye can do nothing, Joh. 15.5.ſaith Chriſt of his Diſciples.
But eſpecially, the living daily, in all conditions and actions by the exerciſe of Faith, is much more hard. To believe is above Nature; but to act Faith in each act of Life, is above our very Grace.
Conſider farther the difficulty of this Life, and ſo make uſe the rather of this Help.
Other ways of life, viz. Trades,Multi vident cruces, qui non vident unctiones. Bernard. are called Myſteries; but this above all is a Myſtery of Myſteries. We wonder how ſome men live, who have a ſecret way of Trading: but this is not onelyonly a ſupernatural Secret, but directly oppoſite to fleſh and blood.
The Carnal and Profane ſcoff at it, as a Fancy, Paradox, and golden Dream of Melancholy Spirits. They count all perſons who admire diſcourſe of, and practiſe this Life of Faith, but ſilly Abrahams in the world, as Want-wits for managing or getting an Eſtate. Yet who doth or can without this ſo much deſpiſed Faith,Eſay 53.1. believe our report of theſe things.
It grieves our Souls to obſerve how many profeſſing Chriſtians look upon the Uſe of Faith, as the ſtaff of their Old Age onelyonly; or as a ſtrong Cordial onelyonly in fainting Fits; or at beſt, to be worn, as our Holiday-clothes, when we attend on the Word, Prayer, Sacraments: (then put it on.) But this is not to live as becomes Saints, (in all things, and at all times) by our Faith; as that devout Scotch Divine, whom M. Trap relates to have eat, drank, and ſlept Eternal Life.
Doſt thou finde it hard to live by thy Labour, by thy Lands, Learning, Friends, Wits? yet all theſe ways are far beneath this high Myſtery of believing and living by it.
Bleſs God then, as for Other, ſo for This Maſter of the Aſſemblies, who deſigns in this Work to teach thee this Myſtery and Trade, how to pick a living livelihood out of this (Now) dead Commodity, viZ. Faith.
2. Conſider what may farther ſtir thee up to the exerciſe of this Grace; as alſo, to the Reading and Meditating on this heavenly Directory to the Life of Faith.
We ſhall not foreſtall thoſe things which thou maiſt finde in the Author; nor diſpute how far ſome Branches of this Tree of Life, viz. Faith, may ſpring out even in Heaven it ſelf: Yet take this as Solomons Argument, that Wiſdom excells, becauſe it gives life to him that hath it, Eccleſ. 7.12.
Vita optimus modus Entis.Life, is the beſt and higheſt manner of Being. A living Worm excels the Sun in glory. Rational Life exceeds the life of Plants and Beaſts: So doth Faith Reaſon, as the higheſt Life man is capable of on earth.
Seneca and others may write of a bleſſed Life, but Faith onelyonly finds it. This Life muſt come from Heaven, which is ſo far above the Earth, and ſo rare to be found in it.
He who hath all his Proviſions about him of his own, muſt needs keep the beſt houſe, and have all (as we ſay) at the beſt hand: So is it by Faith; we have all within our ſelves, from God in Chriſt. The good man is ſatisfied from himſelf.
Antiſthenes gained this by Study and Learning, that he could walk with himſelf, as not needing to go abroad, and be beholding to others for Exerciſe or Delight.O theſauris omnibus opulentior fides! O virtutibus corporis omnibus fides fortior! O medicis omnibus ſalutarior! Ambroſ. This is much more true of Faith: Faith walks with Chriſt and God on the Mount of glorious Diſcoveries every day, and takes all as out of his hands. What Grace more admired by Chriſt! Paul ſpends a whole Chapter, Hebr. 11. as a Chronicle of Faiths Victories and Trophies. Its Worthies are there mentioned, as Davids elſwhere.
This very Text, on which this Tract is built, is cited no leſs than four times:Rom. 1. Gal. 3. Heb. 10. Thrice in the New Teſtament, which may convince us of the excellency of it, being worthy of a double, treble Medita…on, as the ſummary of our Chriſtian Faith, both Doctrinal and Practical,Tarnovius inter opuſcula. as a learned man hints on the place.
3. Conſider the ſeaſonableneſs of this Counſel, about living by Faith in theſe days.
1. As they are ſickly dying evil Times, in reſpect of Sufferings.
2. As the latter Times, and ſo evil in reſpect of Sinning.
Quis inter haec trepidus & maeſtus, niſi cui ſpes et fides deeſt; jus eſt enim mortem timere, qui ad Chriſtum nolit ire. Ejus eſt ad Chriſtum nolle ire, qui ſe non credit cum Chriſto incipere regna…e. Scrip…um eſt enim juſtum fide vivere Cyprian de Mort.Cyprian wrote his Book of Mortality in a time of Mortality. And this Cordial of Life is now given out in ſeaſon, to teach us how to live, and fit us to die.
A Miniſter, as hath been related, being ſick, and meeting by Providence with Mr. Ball his excellent Book of Faith, (which then came newly out) he took it as a Guide by the hand, to lead him through that dark Valley, and fit him for Heaven.
We wiſh this Book may be ſo entertained by thee and all others who meet it, as a Pillar and Cloud in this Wilderneſs, as the Rock and Manna to refreſh thee, as thy Viaticum to Eternal Life and Glory.
Secondly, as theſe are evil Times in reſpect of Sin,… Tim. 4. Apoſtacy, falling from the Faith, both Doctrinal and Practical; and alſo the latter days of the World, wherein Faith ſhall fail, Luk. 18.8.
Yea, theſe are the days wherein this S… of Faith by many of the mighty harh been vilely caſt away.2 Sam. 1.18, 25, 27. Faith in Doctrine and Life is forſaken, and caſt off by many formerly famous for Profeſſion.
Now to teach the uſe of this Shield, and how to uncover and anoint it, is a word in ſeaſon.
Credis in Chriſtum? fac Chriſti opera; ut vivat fides tua fidem …uam dilectio animet, actio prohet. Bernard.And ſure, did men retain the Doctrine of Faith more in their Minds, they would better practiſe Faith in Life: And did we live more by it, we ſhould know more of it, Joh. 7.17.
Queſt. But have not many Divines already written of this Subject? how then can this be ſo ſeaſon…ble a Treatiſe?
Anſ. We may ſay (its truth) the world abounds with Books; and as the waters cover the Sea, knowledge aboundeth: but never leſs practiſe of Faith, eſpecially if we conſider the means and time of enjoyment.
Many Captains and Phyſicians, we ſay, may loſe the City, and ſpoil the Patient; but not when they agree in judgment and practiſe. Divines harmoniouſly handling the ſame Subject, do more clear and beat out the Truth.
Who would be offended with any who ſhould invent a neerer way to the Indies, or, at ſome Deſign to advance Trading, or an Engine that would draw up Pearls, and the Riches out of the Sea, that all men might be made more rich, and more ſuddenly ſo, than ever? Thus it is here. This Servant of the Lord, entring on this Subject, was deſired by ſome of his Auditors to enlarge it; which he, coming after many other, by the largeneſs of his own heart, and eſpecially by the ſupply of the Spirit, hath done, and brought out of his treaſure riches enough, and more than the whole world can expend.
And as concerning this Branch of the Life and Practiſe of Faith, we know none hath gone beyond this Treatiſe. So as we may ſay of it, as Solomon of the vertuous Wife, Thou excelleſt them all. Prov. 31.29.(With reſpect we mention it to other learned and painful Labours) Eſpecially, as to the methodical Contexture, and copiouſneſs of the matter, for which it is highly commendable (as the Orators Oration, the longeſt was his beſt) and who can think that can be too much ſpoken,Nunquam ſatis dicitur, quod nunquam ſatis diſo…tur. which is for our Life here, and Eternity hereafter. That is never taught too much, which is never ſufficiently learnt.
We ſhall adde no more, but a few Directions for the Reading of this Book, leſt we cloy thy appetite, which we deſire to ſharpen.
1. Then, to help thee how to read to thy profit: Come not with prejudice againſt the Doctrine it ſelf, the Preacher, or his manner of handling it. A great Scholar, and learned in the School of the the Remonſtrants, reading a piece in Dr. Preſtons Works, could finde no excellency of it: And ſo Mr. R. Bolton, before his Converſion, in his firſt hearing worthy Mr. Perkins, had ſuch-like thoughts of him: And ſo Nathaneel, in Joh. 1.46. was prejudiced againſt the place where Chriſt was educa…ed in, and it had well-nigh hindred him of the benefit of his Doctrine. Expect not here a Garden of gawdy Tulips to pleaſe thy fancy, or Jewels of …igh Notions to hang on thy ear, but wholeſome Herbs, and Spiritual Simples, for the health and recovery of thy ſick-dead Soul, and Cordials to comfort thy Heart.
2. Be ſure to get the grace and habit of a true …nd lively Faith of Gods Elect, ere thou go about to live by it: firſt be poſſeſſed of this Shield, then …earn to handle it, uncover it, anoint it. Have the Bowe, then learn the uſe of it; ſeek the Stock, and then improve it.Eſay 38. By theſe things men live.
3. Crucifie in the ſtrength of Chriſt, Senſe and Carnal Reaſon, which will obſtruct thee in this way, and rob thee of thy comfort in this living by Faith. We walk by faith, not by ſight.
4. Hold up this Shield againſt all the fiery darts of Satan, who ſhoots eſpecially againſt the ſtandard-bearer. Faith, Luk. 22. Reſolve as they of old, to return with, or die upon this Shield of thy Faith, in all thy contendings with the Devil.
Remember, Faith muſt be had,Ʋnde haec incredula cogitatio? quid fàcit in domo fidei perfidum pectus? quid, qui in Chriſto omnino non credit appellatur & dicitur Chriſtianus? Cyprian. Ambula perfidem ut pervenias ad spem, spes non aedificabit in patria quem fides non conſolatur in via. Auguſt. if ever thou be ſaved; and the Life of it maintained, if ever thou have comfort in Life and Death.
5. Pray much to Jeſus Chriſt, the Author and Finiſher of thy Faith, and to and for the Spirit of Faith, to direct, enlighten,Heb. 12. and ſtrengthen thee in the reading, underſtanding, believing and obeying what thou readeſt. Go not out in thine own ſtrength.
To conclude: Our Prayers are and ſhall be (through grace) continued, That this Univerſally Uſeful Subject may be crowned with Divine Bleſſing, to the higheſt improvements of Faith in every Chriſtian Reader; Eſpecially in the hearts of our much Honoured and Right Worthy Friends; the Magiſtrates and Inhabitants of Ipſwich, which the Lord hath long made famous and happy, as a Valley of Goſpel-Viſion. Our due and deep reſpects of Affection are much knit and drawn out to our Chriſtian Friends in that Town, ſo long eminent for Profeſſion of Godlineſs. Our hearty deſires are, that they may never want able Helpers of their Faith and Joy, that their Faith may flouriſh exceedingly, according to all the high diſpenſations of the Lord towards them; that ſo living and dying in the Faith, they together with us, may receive the end of our Faith, the Salvation of our Souls, through Him, in whom, and for whom we rejoyce to remain,
Your Soul-Servants,
John Fuller.
Samuel Smith.
London, Aug. 26. 1657.