The Use and Practice of Faith, Question 1 – Question 2
QUEST. I. What Faith is.
FOR the firſt; You have the definition, at leaſt the deſcription ſet down by the Holy Ghoſt. Heb. 11.1. It is the ſubſiſtence of things hoped for, the evidence of things not ſeen. For example, tell a natural man of God's favour and the comforts of his Spirit, and the future recompence of reward, which is more worth, then all the comforts of the world, he thinks it a mere notion, that there is no reality in it but all feigned. But a Chriſtian by faith ſeeth there is truth, reality and ſubſiſtence in theſe things, and in whatever God promiſeth, who calleth thoſe things that be not, as though they were Rom. 4.17. To whom all things are poſſible. Mark 9.23. And thereby becomes a kind of omnipotent faith.
By others it is defined thus. In general, A believing the Goſpel. In particular,Definition of Faith. A gracious habit infuſed into the heart by the Spirit of God, whereby the ſoul reſts, or rolls it ſelf upon Chriſt in a way of promiſe, for all things appertaining to life and godlineſs, for Gods glory and it's own ſalvation.
It is not then 1. a bare diſpoſition, but an habit. 2. An habit not acquired by frequent acts, but infuſed by the ſpirit; called therefore, 1 Cor. 4.17. the ſpirit of faith. 3. Infuſed not into the head only, but the heart. Rom. 10.10. with the heart man believeth. And therefore it ſtands more in affection than notion. Indeed in faith there is both an Aſſent of the mind to the truth of the meſſage ſent to ſinners indefinitely. 1 Tim. 1.15. and a conſent of heart and will, to the goodneſs of it, whereby this or that particular ſinner receives it to himſelf. Gal. 2.20.—Chriſt Who loved Me. Joh 21.—My Lord and my God, which differ as a garment in the cloth and on the back. Chriſt is put on by faith.
Fourthly, We ſay,—whereby the ſoul reſts, or rolls its ſelf, or leans. For aſſurance and full perſwaſion is not of the being of faith, but the well-being. There's faith of Evidence, and faith of Reliance; Or rather there is a double evidence, 1. Of ſenſe. 2. Of reliance. Faith in Scripture is ſet out in regard of the latter, in ſuch terms as we have given. Pſal. 37.5. Iſa. 50.10. Mark 9.24.
Fifthly, Ʋpon Chriſt] Who is the main object of faith; and it is not ſufficient to believe in God out of Chriſt. Joh 14.1. Ye believe in the Father, believe alſo in me; and otherwhere, None cometh to the Father but by me.
Sixthly, In way of a promiſe] No promiſe, no Chriſt. Abraham laid hold on a promiſe in thoſe extraordinary things as an ordinary mean. Rom. 4.20. —he ſtaggered not at the promiſe through unbelief. See 2 Pet. 1.3. Eph. 2.12.—Covenant of promiſe, &c.
Seventhly, For all things, &c.] Firſt for Chriſt, and then all things with him. Rom. 8.32. Wherefore the promiſes in Chriſt, are called Rich and Precious promiſes.
Eighthly, For God's glory] Rom. 4.20.—gave glory to God, and our own ſalvation. Heb. 10. laſt—that believe to the ſaving of the ſoul.
QUESTION. II. What it is to live by Faith.
To live by Faith.Anſ. TO live by Faith, is not only by laying hold on Chriſt by faith, to receive life by Chriſt. 1 Joh. 5.12. He that hath the Son hath Life.
Secondly, But alſo in the uſe and exerciſe of faith, to receive daily from Chriſt both the preſervation and increaſe of this life. Eph. 4.13.
Thirdly, Enabling a Chriſtian by vertue of Gods grace to perform all duties of thankfulneſs, 1 Stirring him up to duty, Gal. 5.6. Faith works by love; and Jam. 2. Faith without works is dead. 2. Directing what to do. Pſal. 119.66. Teach me good judgement and knowledge, for I have beleeved thy Commandments. 3. Strengthning to do it. Phil. 4.13. I can do all things through Chriſt ſtrengthning me. 4. Finding acceptance in doing. Heb. 11.4- whereby he received witneſs that he was righteous, God teſtifying of his gifts.
Fourthly, Aſſuring him of all needful encouragement of bleſſing by vertue of God's promiſe, 1. In beleeving the promiſe of reward. Matth. 4.4. Man lives not by bread, alone, but by every Word of God. 2. In ſuing out the promiſe by prayer. Pſal. 119.49. Remember the word to thy ſervant, upon which thou haſt cauſed me to hope. 3. In praiſing God for it, Heb. 13.15.—Let us offer to God the ſacrifice of praiſe continually—giving thanks to his Name.
So that to live by faith is to reſt ſatisfied with God's command, though we ſee no reaſon of it;Heb. 11.8, 9. and with God's promiſe though we have no preſent performance, yea, even then when providences croſſe promiſes; as to beleeve we ſhall come to the Haven in the greateſt ſtorm, in caſe we have a promiſe, as Paul. Act. 27.22, &c. As a wordly man (in his way) lives comfortably, that hath good ſtore of bonds in his coffers, though all his money be out of doors, and in other mens hands; how much more do believers live comfortably, that have bond and ſeal, and oath from the God of truth, though they have nothing in hand for preſent.
Thus the Juſt lives by faith. Caution. Not as if there were any natural or moral worth or efficacy in faith to beget this life, or to make us righteous; But only as an inſtrument of the ſpirit applying Chriſt, our life and righteouſneſs. And indeed it is he begets faith in us, For it is the gift of God. Eph. 2.8. Chriſt is the root, faith is the inſtrument of this life.
Thus living by faith implyes, theſe 4 or 5 things, 1. Right in Chriſt. Gal. 2. 2. A cleering our way in point of duty. Rom. 14. What is not of faith is ſin. 3. a cleering our right to the promiſe. Heb. 11.17.—He that had received the promiſes. 4. a conſtant ſearching of the Scripture for the legacyes bequeathd to us. Joh. 5.39. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life. The heir cannot ſue for his legacyes or inheritance, unleſſe he know what it is.Act. 20.25. Luk. 22.19. 5. A remembring them. Pſal▪ 119.52. And a ſeaſonable applying of them to particular caſes and occaſions. What can a plaiſter do if it be only kept in the pocket, and not laid upon the ſoare?
Which implyes, it is not enough to have the habit of faith to poſſeſſe it, but the act alſo is required that we may comfortably live by it. We muſt put it to uſe. Therfore Act. 13.39, faith is ſet forth by the act of beleeving.—By him, all that beleeve in him are juſtified. For howſoever it is true He that poſſeſſeth the habit of faith, ſhall never totally and finally fall away; yet for want of acting of it, as he ſins againſt God ſo he looſeth the comfort of his life,Luk. 24.25. Matth. 8.26. and in his own apprehenſion is like a dead man, or at leaſt exceeding dull, heartleſſe and fearful. Uſually in proportion to the acting of the life of Juſtification will be the ſtrength of the life of Sanctification▪ for faith works by love, the more faith, the more love. Whence is Paul's exhortation to blow up the gift of God in him As a man lives by exerciſe,2 Tim. 1. and grows diſeaſed for want of it: So it is in ſpirituals.
To ſhew then how a Chriſtian lives by faith, this is the ſumme of what hath been ſpoken; He lives by faith as a mean or inſtrument, not as the efficient cauſe or author of this life. But this is the order or ſeries.
Firſt, God predeſtinates or determines this life to ſuch. Eph. 5.5.—Having predeſtinated us, &c.
Secondly, He gives Chriſt his Son to death for the purchaſing this life; becauſe by nature every man is in a ſtate of death; dead in ſins and treſpaſſes. Col. 3.4. 1 Joh. 5.12.
Thirdly, He makes known and holds forth this life in a promiſe to poor ſinners Rev. 22.17.
Fourthly, He requires faith in the promiſe of all ſuch as would have the benefit of this life; that ſo they may glorifie God's truth and goodneſs and power in beleeving that he will and can make his word good. So he calls men to beleeving in the preaching of the Goſpel Joh. 3.16.
Fifthly, He beſtowes faith upon the ſoul of his free grace (becauſe by nature we are ſhut up under unbeleef. Rom. 11.32.) Eph. 2.8.—it is the gift of God. So he calls men inwardly by his Spirit.
So that faith and life and Chriſt come all together. Only he works this life in a way of believing, and makes us ſenſible of it by the act of faith. So that a Chriſtian hath his life from God in Chriſt: from Chriſt in the promiſe: Col. 3, 3:from the promiſe apprehended by faith: from faith working by love and other graces; which is the exerciſe of this life. All graces are enlivened by faith; faith receives life from the promiſe; the promiſe from Chriſt; Chriſt as mediatour, from God the Father. Joh. 6.57. God in Chriſt is the fountain of ſpiritual life, the promiſes are ſo many Conduit-pipes that convey it, faith is the hand that turns the Cock, or the mouth to receive the water of life.
So that however God in Chriſt is the ſole author and finiſher of ſpiritual life, yet he makes uſe of faith all along from firſt to laſt in the order of working, and that in all parts and faculties of ſpiritual life; viz. in the quickning, expulſive, nutritive, retentive, motive, and breathing faculties.
Firſt, God makes uſe of faith in the Quickning faculty, 1. Quickning faculty of faith.or firſt infuſion of life. So the juſt lives by his faith. Eph 2.5. with 8▪ Even when we were dead in ſins, he hath quickned us together with Chriſt—for by grace ye are ſaved, through faith. The heart is primum vivens in grace, as well as in nature; and the heart is enlivened by Chriſt in a way of faith. Eph. 3.16. That Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by faith. So that whereas there is great diſpute among men, whether Chriſt, or faith, or righteouſneſs of life comes firſt to the ſoul; all is anſwered in one word, They come all together, not any one before or after another. Chriſt brings all along together with himſelf. So ſoon as ever a ſoul is quickned, it doth believe, and ſo ſoon as ever it believes it is quickned. Yet faith is moſt perceptible in the act of Adherence.
2. Expulſive faculty of faith.Secondly, God makes uſe of faith in the Expulſive facultie; in expelling the enemies of ſpiritual life. And ſo the juſt lives by his faith. Act 15.9.—By faith purifying their hearts. Unbelief and other corruptions are deadly enemies to ſpiritual life. Faith expels them and purifies the heart from them. As the living fountain, if dirt be caſt into it, never leaves working and working, until it hath wrought it ſelf cleer again: So a beleeving heart, if earthly thoughts from Satan, like dirt, be caſt into it, never leaves working, till it hath wrought it ſelf pure, and fit for God's ſervice. 2 Tim. 2.21. If a man purge himſelf from theſe, &c. It overcomes and abandons all within, and all without, reſists Satan, 1 Pet 5.8, overcomes the world. 1 Joh. 5.4.
3. Nutritive faculty of faith.Thirdly, God makes uſe of faith in the Nutritive facultie, or attractive faculty, in drawing ſuch things to it ſelf, as whereby is life nouriſhed and maintained. And ſo the juſt lives by his faith. Faith like the firſt-born of graces (though indeed they are all twins) delight to be in the arms of God's mercy (where it firſt receives life,) and there it lyes at the breſt of the word, at the nipple of the promiſes, drawing virtue and ſtrength, and nouriſhment from them; taſting every day how ſweet and gracious the Lord is. 1 Pet. 2.3. Pſal 34.8. O taſt and ſee that the Lord is good; bleſſed is the man that truſteth in him. q.d. by truſting in God we live upon God, and taſte how good he is; For elſe we tempt God. It were a miracle to live without meat. But the more ſtrength, the more food.
4. Digeſtive faculty of faith.Fourthly, God maketh uſe of faith in the Retentive and Digeſtive faculty, turning the word into wholſome blood. And ſo the juſt lives by his faith. Whereas an unbeliever hearing the word, receiving the food of his ſoul, is like a man of a weak & bad ſtomack; no ſooner is the meat down, but it mixeth with ſome baſe humor & up it comes again; it will hold nothing to do it good. So it is with an unbeliever not mixing the word with faith; but being mixed with ſome baſe humour of pride or paſſion, up it comes again with violence, though it be in the very face of the Phyſician. Prov. 9.2. He that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himſelf a blot. But where the word is mixed with faith, it meets with a good ſtomack, and there it turnes into good nouriſhment; the party grows and thrives, and comes on in grace, and ſo lives by faith, as a man lives by a good ſtomack. See Pſal. 36.7, 8. They that put their truſt under the ſhadow of Gods wings, are abundantly ſatisfied with the fatneſs of his houſe, &c. Good meat doth well, a good ſtomack is better; Gods bleſſing upon both is the beſt of all: and ſo it is in the life of Grace.
Fifthly, God makes uſe of Faith in the Motive faculty:5. Motive faculty of Faith. And ſo the juſt lives by his Faith. For as bodily exerciſe profits much for bodily health (when the Apoſtle ſayes, It profiteth little, his meaning is, in ordine ad ſpiritualia; 1 Tim. 4.for doubtleſs, as to bodily health, it profiteth much, it is inſtar omnium, in ſtead of all Phyſick, and without this the beſt diet in the world will be defective) It is ſo with the ſoul. Be the diet, the means of grace never ſo good, yet without exerciſe of grace and godlineſs, all comes to nothing. Now it is Faith, and onelyonly true Faith, which puts a man upon profitable exerciſe. Faith will not ſuffer a man to be idle in his calling It will not onelyonly move his tongue, (though it will move that too; Acts 4.20. We cannot but ſpeak— 2 Cor. 4.13. I believed, therefore spake— For he is a very dead-hearted Chriſtian, that hath the dead palſey in his tongue, that cannot ſpeak a word for God) But it will move his hands alſo, and his whole man to be active for God.Jam. 2. Shew me thy faith by thy works. Chriſtians full of faith, are full of action, and ſo full of life. (See Acts 6.3, 6, 8, 10) Whereas unbelievers are like ſluggards with hand in boſome, or like Idols of the Heathen,Pſal. 115. having eyes, and yet ſee not; ears, and hear not; feet, and walk not; neither speak they through their throat: and ſo prove dead for want of this exerciſe.
6. Breathing faculty of Faith.Sixthly, God makes uſe of Faith in the Breathing faculty: And ſo the juſt lives by his faith. Breath is the Chariot of life; called therefore, The breath of life▪ This breathing is twofold: 1. Inspiration: 2. Expiration; theſe maintain life. And both theſe in a ſpiritual ſenſe do ſpring from Faith.
1. Inſpiration.Firſt, for the act of Inspiration. For howſoever, every firſt inſpiration of the Spirit gives life, yet Faith draws more and more of this heavenly air from day to day, for the maintaining and increaſing of this life. A man can no more live a ſpiritual life, without the continual breathing of Gods Spirit into his ſoul, than he can live a natural life without the continual ſucking in of freſh air into his body. And therefore it is obſervable, Our bleſſed Saviour choſe to convey the Holy Ghoſt under that ſimilitude: Joh. 20.22. He breathed on them, and ſaid, Receive the Holy Ghoſt; q. d. Ye can no more live the life of grace, without my Spirit, than you can live the life of nature, without the breath of your noſthrils. We are all by nature like Ezekiels dried bones. Now it is the voice of Faith that cryes out,Ezek. 37.9. O Breath, breathe upon theſe ſlain, that they may live. And again, when a man hath life, and begins to exerciſe himſelf in the way of Gods Commandments, he knows he cannot exerciſe to purpoſe, unleſs it be in this freſh air of the Spirit. Therefore Davids Faith put him upon this practice, I opened my mouth (ſaith he) and panted; for I longed for thy Commandments, Pſa. 119.131. He took in freſh gales of the Spirit from day to day, to uphold the vitals of the New man.
Secondly,2. Expiration. There is another act of the Spirit in ſpiritual life, and that is Expiration; an holy breathing out of holy speeches, and holy prayers. And uſually in proportion to our inſpiration, will be our expiration. As in Nature, 'tis unwholeſome to breathe out more then we ſuck in, when the expence of ſpirits is beyond our receipts: ſo alſo in grace, when our expiration of holy ſpeeches, doth exceed our inſpiration of the holy Spirit. But when theſe go hand in hand, all ſprings from Faith, 2 Cor. 4.13. We having the ſame Spirit of faith, as it is written, I believed, therefore have I spoken; we alſo believe, and therefore speak. Faith will put a Chriſtian upon it. Faith is as it were the very breath of his noſtrils.
Seventhly, God makes uſe of Faith in the Augmentative or growing faculty: And ſo the juſt lives by his Faith.7. Augmentative faculty of Faith. As Faith grows, (for Rom. 1.17. the righteouſneſs of God is revealed from faith to faith) ſo other graces grow with it. See 2 Theſſ. 1.3. having mentioned the growing of their faith; then follows, And the charity of every one of you aboundeth. So 2 Pet. 1.5. Adde to your faith vertue, and to vertue, &c. all follow Faith. Again, 2 Pet. 3. laſt, Grow in grace: how? —and in the knowledge (or faith) of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. Shew me thy faith by thy works, Jam. 2. Not onelyonly the truth, but the meaſure of our Faith is ſeen by our works. And ſo much for the ſecond general Queſtion, What it is to live by Faith?
OnelyOnly now it were good to examine our ſelves upon all this, Whether we do thus live by Faith, making our particular application of our ſouls to each of the particulars fore-mentioned? But I paſs to the third Queſtion.