The Use and Practice of Faith, Uses · Application 6 (1 of 3)

The Use and Practice of Faith · Uses · Application 6 (1 of 3)

p. 468Ʋſe VI. Of Exhortation.

Ʋſe 6 Of Exhortation.The next Uſe, is for Exhortation:

1. For our ſelves.

2. For others.

For our ſelves:

1. To perſwade us to labour to get Faith: As Solomon ſaith of Wiſdom, with all thy getting, get wiſdom: So with all thy getting, get Faith, for it is thy life.

2. To keep it when we have it, Non minor eſt virtus, &c. It is no leſs a piece of Spiritual good husbandry, to keep our ſtock of Faith when we have it, than to get it at the firſt.

3. To live by it, or uſe it, as well as to keep it. Its far better to put our Faith to uſe, than our Money to uſe. The Juſt makes a living of his Faith, whilſt he puts it to uſe.

4. So to live by it, as not to live barely and poorly, but ſo as to increaſe the ſtock of our Faith. Faith is ſuch an excellent grace, we can never have too much of it; he p. 469that increaſeth his Faith, increaſeth his livelihood: For the juſt ſhall live by his Faith.

Firſt therefore, labour to get Faith.Branch I. To get faith. There are many things that men labour to obtain in the world: Some are all for their Profits, others for their Pleaſures, others for their Preferment; and ſo every man as his Principle leads him. But when all is done, nothing is ſo worthy of our diligence and beſt endevours, as is the getting of Faith. Should a man gain all other things, and loſe this, he makes a hard bargain:Mat. 16.…6.Matt 16:6 For what ſhall it profit a man to gain the whole world, and loſe his own ſoul. Should a man loſe all the reſt, and gain this, he makes a wiſe bargain:Job 2.4.Job 2:4 Skin for skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life. Now Faith is the very life of the Soul; For the juſt ſhall live by his faith: and therefore, with all thy getting, get Faith; it is thy life. Should a man hear of ſuch a Medicine as would certainly preſerve his life, and cure all manner of Diſeaſes, whither would he not travel? what would he not give, to procure ſuch a Medicine? And ſuch a Medicine is Faith, commended unto us from the hand of our heavenly Phyſician; Be of good comfort, ſaith Chriſt,Luke 7.50. & 17.19.Luke 7:50Luke 17:19 thy faith hath ſaved thee; and, Thy faith hath healed thee. Faith is a Remedy againſt all diſeaſes: yea, ſuppoſe a faithful man dies of his diſeaſe, yet his Faith is a Remedy againſt death it ſelf. Woe is me, ſaith the natural man, there is no friend againſt death: But bleſſed be God, ſaith the true believer, for to me to live is Chriſt, and to die is gain. Phil. 1.21.Phil 1:21The greateſt of evils, is turn'd into the greateſt good by Faith; even death it ſelf is made advantage. Who would not labour for ſuch a Grace? What ſhould I ſay, to raiſe the price of Faith in your eſteem: What do we eſteem inſtead of Faith? Certainly the beſt of men, and the beſt of bleſſings, are but dead things without Faith: Faith puts life into a man, and into all that a man enjoys; Without faith, men of high degree are a lie; Pſal. 62.9.Ps 62:9and ſo are all thoſe p. 470things which make them ſo high: Honours, Profits, Pleaſures, all theſe promiſe much; O ſay they, we'll make thee a happy man, if thou wilt ſet thy heart on us: But they lie when they ſay ſo. Jon. 2.8. They that follow after lying vanities, forſake their own mercy. If thou wouldſt not forſake thine own mercies, labour for Faith. He is merciful to the purpoſe, that is merciful to his own Soul, Prov. 11.17. and that man is the moſt deſperate Self-murtherer, that is willing to live and die in his unbelief. I beſeech you, I beſeech you Friends, liſten to the voice of your Immortal Souls: Me-thinks every man now and then ſhould hear the voice of his precious Soul, crying out in this manner, Am I not the moſt excellent piece of Gods Workmanſhip? And did God make me ſo for nothing? Is not my being to continue to everlaſting? Do I not feel in my ſelf the very ſpark of Immortality? Muſt I not be either happy or miſerable to all Eternity? Is there but one means under Heaven to make me happy, which is to get Faith; and ſhall I neglect that? Is this the great Work that God hath given me in charge, that I ſhould believe in him whom he hath ſent, Joh. 6.29. and ſhall I do evething elſe before I do this? Is my life but as a day in this world, and the night of death coming on ſo faſt, wherein no man can work this great Work of God,Joh. 9.4.John 9:4 and ſhall I trifle away my time, and dally with Eternity, and be cruel to my ſelf, where Charity ſhould begin? Shall the blood of this Immortal Soul cry out againſt me to all Eternity, becauſe I would not hear the cry of it in time? And I pray you, what's the cry of the Soul when it is moſt it ſelf? O give me Chriſt, ſaith the enlightned Soul, or elſe I die! Give me Faith to apply him, or I am undone for ever! I beſeech you in this caſe, do not ſtop the mouth of your Souls with Profits and Pleaſures, and ſuch kinde of Traſh, which is not fit meat for an Immortal Soul to feed upon, but labour to get that which thy Soul cries for, that thou maiſt ſay,Pſa. 116.7.Ps 116:7 Return unto thy reſt, O my Soul, for the Lord p. 471hath dealt bountifully with thee. That's without all queſtion, there can be no comfortable life in thy Soul, till there be Faith in the Soul: without Faith thou art but a dead man, and all thy works no better than dead works: for, The juſt ſhall live by his faith.

O conſider it, friends, in time; if you get Faith, you are made for ever; if you live and die without it, you have undone your ſelves to all Eternity. The Heathen wondred to ſee how much one man excell'd another. It's moſt true in regard of Faith; How much doth a Believer excel an Unbeliever! When God weighs men in the Balance, he weighs their Spirits, Prov. 16.2. and when he weighs their Spirits, he ponders how much Faith is in their Spirits: O woman, great is thy faith; great is thy Faith in me, and ſo great is my eſteem of thee, Be it unto thee, even as thou wilt, Mat. 15.28. If you can ſay, Such a man is a Believer in ſincerity, you ſay all that can be ſaid: What is of worth, or what is of true price in all the world,The excellencies of believing. but you may finde it in a true Believer?

To inſtance in ſome Particulars:

1. Do we prize Strength? If you ſpeak of ſtrength, 1. Strength. Job 9.19.Job 9:19he is ſtrong indeed; as Job ſaith, for he is clothed with the ſtrength of God: As a Prince he hath a power with God and with men, to prevail in his undertakings, Gen. 32.28. The actings of Gods Power towards us, are anſwerable to the actings of our Faith towards him:Mat. 9.29.Matt 9:29 According to your faith, be it unto you, ſaith Chriſt, when he was about to open the eyes of the blinde men. Faithful men, are wonder-working men in the world; theſe are the people that do the great exploits (as Daniel ſpeaks.) Look into Heb. 11. there you ſhall ſee a Catalogue of their famous atchievements: By Faith Abel, and Noah, and Abraham, and the reſt of thoſe renowned Worthies, did thus and thus: The greateſt Exploits of the moſt daring Heathens, are but empty vapours to theſe. O beloved, there is a kinde of p. 472Omnipotency in Faith.Mark. 9.23.Mark 9:23 All things are poſſible to him that believeth, becauſe faith in the promiſe beleeving the truth of God, it alſo ſets the power of God on work in way of providence. It engageth God accordinge to his promife to take part with a weake beleeving Creature, and ſo it doth things above created ſtrength in the power of God. As that witty childe ſometimes ſaid he could rule all Athens; for, ſaith he, I can rule my Mother, and my Mother can rule my Father, and my Father can rule Athens: So Faith can go as far as the Promiſes, and the Promiſe can go as far as we can ask or think, and farther too, and that's as much as is any ways needful for the good of the Church, or of any particular Member thereof in any condition they can be caſt into: And what can we deſire more, than to have whatever we deſire, that may be for Gods glory, or our own good. And hence it is that Faith is ſo powerful in Prayers for the obtaining of good, and for the removing of evil, and for the ſubduing of enemies. Men that are ſtrong in the Faith, are mighty in Prayer: The Prayer of Faith draws near with holy boldneſs to the Throne of Grace, Epheſ. 3.12. And it will have no nay; Let me go, ſaith God; I will not let you go, ſaith Faith, except you bleſs me, Gen. 32.26. It is a marvellous large Promiſe, that Chriſt makes to a believing Prayer: Mark 11.24. What things ſoever ye deſire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye ſhall have them. We reade of Ʋzziah, 2 Chron. 26.15. that he made ſtrong Towers, and upon thoſe Towers he planted Engines invented by cunning men, to ſhoot Arrows and great ſtones upon his enemies. And thus the Name of the Lord is a ſtrong Tower, Prov. 18.10. Faith is like a mighty Engine, planted upon the top of this Tower, which laying hold of the Promiſe of God, ſends forth ſuch a volley of ſhot, ſuch a volley of Prayers, that it fires the power of God againſt the enemies, and diſcomfits mighty, Armies. The Devil himſelf cannot ſtand before a Prayer p. 473of Faith; Whom reſiſt, ſtedfaſt in the faith: 1 Pet. 5.9. Jam. 4.7.1 Pet 5:9Jas 4:7Reſiſt the Devil, and he will fly from you. And although we have that within us, that is worſe than the Devil (our own corruptions) for all the Devils in Hell could not hurt us, had they not intelligence from, and compliance with our own corrupt and deceitful hearts within us) yet even thoſe ſtrong corruptions of ours, like the mighty walls of Jericho, ſhall fall down by degrees before the Prayer of Faith. Hebrews 11.30. By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after they were compaſſed about ſeven days. And what if in ſtead of ſo many days, it proves ſo many years, or ſo many weeks of years, yet down they ſhall, as ſure as God hath ſpoken it, if we can but believe it: Mic. 7.19. He will ſubdue our iniquities. Corruption is not ſo ſtrong to reſiſt Faith, but Faith is ſtronger for the ſubduing of Corruption. If you ſpeak of ſtrength, a true Believer is ſtrong indeed, he triumphs over Sin, over Satan, over the World This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith, 1 Joh. 5 4. In a word, Tantum poſſumus, quantum credimus: The Chriſtian can do as much as he can believe upon good grounds;Rom. 8.37.Rom 8:37 He is more than a Conqueror through Faith in Chriſt Jeſus: Whereas an unbeliever is a poor weak creature; Ezek. 16.30. How weak is thy heart? ſaith God to Jeruſalem, in the ſtate of her Apoſtacy and Unbelief. Unbelief cuts the very ſinews of the Soul; it enervates the ſtrongeſt Arm of created ſtrength; nay, it weakens the Arm of Chriſt himſelf. It is a ſtrange paſſage that you reade, Mark 6.5, 6. He could there do no mighty work, becauſe of their unbelief. As unbelief binds our hands from doing ſervice to Chriſt: ſo unbelief binds Chriſts hands from doing good to us, till ſuch time as he is pleaſed to ſet us at liberty to believe. An unbeliever is a poor weak creature; but a believer is ſtrong in the Lord, Eph. 6.10.Eph 6:10and in the power of his might.

Secondly, Do we prize Wiſdom? 2. Wiſdom.If you ſpeak of wiſdom, he is wiſe indeed, who puts his truſt in the Lord, and p. 474lives by Faith in him. Solomon tells us of a wiſe man, who under God, lives by his wiſdom, and preſerves the life of others, Eccleſ. 9.15. And ſo the Juſt lives, &c. And of four deſpicable creatures, that yet are admirable for wiſdom, Prov. 30.23, &c. There be four things (ſaith he) which be little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wiſe; amongſt the reſt, he tells us the Conies (or as ſome reade it) the Mice of the Mountains) are a feeble people, yet they make their houſes in the Rocks; that ſo the ſtrength of the Rock may ſupply the defect of ſtrength in themſelves. And indeed, there is the wiſdom of a true believer, he is a wiſe builder, that builds his houſe upon the Rock, Mat. 7.24. and that Rock is Chriſt, 1 Cor. 10.4. And he that believes in him, builds upon him; and he that builds upon him, ſhall never fall, The gates of Hell ſhall never prevail againſt him, and therefore he is a wiſe builder: Pſal 125. They that truſt in the Lord ſhall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever: whereas he is a fool with a witneſs, who deſpiſing this Rock by his unbelief, builds Caſtles in the Air, truſting to his Wit, or Wealth, or created Strength in time of need. Behold, ſaith the former part of the Verſe, his Soul which is lifted up, in Arce, as in a Tower of created Confidence, his Soul is not right, he is not right in his wits indeed: But the juſt ſhall live by his faith, becauſe he is ſo wiſe to build upon the true Rock; the other is a Fool, he is Chronicled for a Fool, that truſts to his wealth, Luke 12.20. And the wiſe man ſets out the folly of ſuch perſons, who truſts in any thing but the Name of the Lord, which is the onelyonly ſtrong Tower of Safety; and therefore in the very next words he hath this expreſſion, Prov. 18.11. The rich mans wealth is his ſtrong City, and an high wall in his own conceit. Mark thoſe words, in his own conceit: as if he ſhould ſay, What a mad conceit is this, for a man to truſt to his wealth; there's no man would ever do ſo: he is a very conceited fool, that puts his truſt in his wealth; but p. 475he is a wiſe man, that lives by faith, and puts his truſt in the Name of the Lord: This man builds upon the Rock indeed, but the other is a fooliſh builder, for he layeth his foundation in the Sands, in the quickſands of worldly Comforts, that are here to day, and gone to morrow. Do we prize Wiſdom? Then, O let us prize Faith. Remember, the wiſe Virgins were the believing Virgins; the fooliſh Virgins were the unbelieving Virgins: They had Lamps indeed, but they had no Oil; they made Profeſſion of Faith in their lives, but they had no truth of Faith in their hearts. Wicked men indeed account Gods people very fools, becauſe they live all upon Promiſe from God, and refuſe the preſent Profits and Pleaſures of ſin. But let them ſay what they will, you muſt give loſers leave to talk, they ſhall one day befool themſelves. When all is done, the believer will prove the wiſe man in the end: for when he that is ſo wiſe, to make himſelf ready beforehand to go in with the Bridegroom, ſuch as are unprepared ſhall be ſhut out, like fools as they are. No queſtion but Noah was accounted the verieſt fool in all the world all the time the Ark was preparing, 2 Pet. 3.3, 4, 5. But when the Flood came in earneſt and the Scoffers being put to their ſhifts upon the tops of the Mountains and Trees, begin to cry out to Noah, For the Lords ſake receive us into your Ark, might he not juſtly have repl…ed, Who is the fool now? O beloved, when Poverty, and Sickneſs, and Death it ſelf, comes like an armed man upon your jolly Scoffers at Religion, who will prove the fools then? Be wiſe now therefore, O ye Kings; be inſtructed, Pſal. 2. laſt.Ps 2ye Judges of the Earth: Kiſs the Son, leſt he be angry, and ye periſh in the way; when his wrath is kindled but a little, bleſſed are they that put their truſt in him. Doubtleſs, he will prove the wiſeſt man in the concluſion, that lives by Faith in God. This is the man that hath protection from God in dangerous times; This is the man that hath direction from God in dark and obſcure times. And ſurely, he is a p. 476wiſe man, that leans not to his own carnal wiſdom, but truſts in the Lord for guidance and direction: And thus doth every true believer, whilſt unbelievers are wiſe in their own conceit, and conſult with fleſh and blood upon Principles of Profit, Credit, and the like, and ſo the threatning takes hold upon them: Iſa. 5.21. Woe unto them that are wiſe in their own eyes, and prudent in their own ſight; for ſuch ſhall be ſure to fall by their own counſels. On the other ſide, ſuch as live by Faith in God, as they deny themſelves in other things: ſo by Faith they are taught to deny their own wiſdom, and to lay hold upon Jeſus Chriſt for direction in all their ways, and ſo the Promiſe is made good to them: Chriſt is made unto them Wiſdom. As he is made their Righteouſneſs, Strength and Redemption: So he is made their Wiſdom, 1 Cor. 1.3. He is made their Counſellor in all their doubts, that is his Name, Iſa. 9 6. Beloved, as there are certain ſpecial times, wherein God will let us ſee our need of him for other things; he bringeth us ſometimes into ſickneſs, that we may cry to him, who is the God of our health and ſalvation; he brings us into poverty, that we may acknowledge him to be the God of our Plenty; he brings us into thraldome, that we may ſee in how much need we ſtand of him for our liberty; he brings us into great dangers, that we may ſee how much need we ſtand of his Power for our protection and preſervation: So he brings us ſometimes into the dark, or into ſome inextricable wilderneſs, that we may ſee how much we ſtand in need of his Wiſdom for our direction. As God doth many times Non-plus the Power of the creature: So he doth Non-plus the wiſdom of the creature, that it may live by Faith in him for direction and counſel. As the Mother leaveth the childe in the dark, or ſteps aſide at a croſs way, that the childe may cry after her, and acknowledge its beholdingneſs to her for guidance and direction: So deals God with his children in dark and difficult times. And if ever Gods People had need to live p. 477by Faith in him for direction, ſurely in theſe times, wherein many things are very obſcure, and the wiſeſt of men are at a ſtand. How doth it concern us, at ſuch times as theſe to improve our Faith in God by Prayer, grounded upon his Promiſes for our direction? A believer acting his Faith, hath great advantage of an unbeliever; an unbeliever is froward and paſſionate, and heady and haſty, when he is put to plunge, he waits not for the Counſel of God, Pſal. 106.13. He leaps before he looks, before he hath eyes to ſee his way; but a believer is quiet and confident, and ſilent and patient, and prayerful,Pſa. 113.2.Ps 113:2 and ſtanding upon his Watch-tower, to ſee what God will anſwer at ſuch a time. Never did the eye of a ſervant look with more intention to the hand of his Maſter, nor the eyes of a maiden to the hand of her Miſtris, obſerving every little caſt of their eye, every little beck of their finger, than the eyes of the faithful look to the hand and eye of God for their direction in difficult times: They look to the Promiſe of God, for direction from the Word of God.Pſa. 119.105.Ps 119:105 This Word is a lamp unto their feet, and a light unto their paths; and if the Word be dark in any thing, they look to the Promiſe of the Spirit, for the right underſtanding of the word: Iſa. 30 21. Thine ears ſhall hear a word behinde thee, ſaying, This is the way, walk ye in it: when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. Now this Promiſe is made good by Faith;Pſa. 119.98. Ibid. 24.Ps 119:98 ſo that a Believer is made wiſer than his enemies, becauſe Gods Teſtimonies are his Counſellors. He muſt needs be wiſe, who hath the God of all Wiſdom to be his Counſellor. And this is the Portion of a true believer. If you ſpeak of Wiſdom, HE is wiſe.

Thirdly, Do we prize Riches? 3. Riches of Faith.(for I dare not oppoſe a believer to a rich man, as if they were incompatible; though I oppoſe him to ſuch an one as truſts in his riches) If we ſpeak of Riches, HE is rich indeed. As a man lives upon his Riches under God: ſo the Juſt lives by his Faith: Hearken, my beloved brethren, Jam. 2.5. hath not p. 478God choſen the poor of this world rich in faith? A man may be a rich man, though he be a poor man; rich heaven-ward, though poor in reſpect of this world, ſo long as he is rich in Faith; that man can want nothing, that wants not Faith: Faith is the golden Key that openeth the good Treaſury of God to his Children upon all occaſions, they can but ask and have. O the preciouſneſs of Faith, that is able to procure the moſt precious things at the hand of God! Worldly men uſe to ſay, A man well ſtor'd with Money, can want nothing, and Solomon hath ſomething to that purpoſe, Eccleſ. 10.19. Money anſwers all things. A man may have moſt things for money, Meat, Drink, Clothes, Houſe, Land: and what not? But a gracious heart can more truly ſay, A man well ſtor'd with Faith, can want nothing; Faith anſwereth all things: as Adonijah ſaid to Bathſheba, The King cannot ſay thee nay in any thing, 1 King. 2.17. So may I ſay to a faithful man, The King of Heaven cannot ſay thee nay in any thing. It is very obſervable, that Abraham (when he interceded in the behalf of Sodom) did ceaſe to act his Faith in Prayer, before God did ceaſe to gratifie Abraham in the thing praid for. Praying believers, they are or may be the richeſt beggars in the world, As having nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all things, 2 Cor. 6.10. It may ſeem a ſtrange Paradox, and yet 'tis good ſenſe: Extreme Poverty, and ſublime Plenty, may concur: His poverty is but comparative, as having nothing; but his riches are abſolute, without a quaſi, and yet poſſeſſing all things: All things are yours, ſaith the Apoſtle to believers, and you are Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods, 1 Cor. 3.21. A believer is a rich man indeed, he is rich in preſent poſſeſſion, but he is richer in reverſion: All the Promiſes of God are entail'd upon believers; theſe are the Saints Legacies, none can lay claim to them, but ſuch as do believe: for, All the promiſes of God are Yea and Amen in Chriſt, they are onelyonly made good to ſuch as do believe in him, 2 Cor. 1.20. That man p. 479that is a ſtranger to Chriſt, is alſo a ſtranger to the Covenant of Promiſe, Eph. 2.12. and he that hath right in Chriſt, hath right alſo to the Promiſes through him. There are great riches above-ground, but they ſay there are greater under-ground, in the rich Mines of Silver and Gold, that lie ſtill within the bowels of the Earth. So 'tis true, the people of God are rich in what they do already enjoy through Faith, but they are far richer in thoſe ineſtimable Treaſures that are lockt up within the bowels of ſo many precious Promiſes; one Promiſe is more worth than a thouſand worlds: And Faith is ever digging in theſe Mines, and making new diſcoveries of the richeſt Mercies; it is ever putting ſome Promiſe or other in Suit, or God is ever diſcharging ſome Bond or other, for the enriching of his poor creatures.

Fourthly, Do we prize Beauty and Comelineſs? 4. Beauty of Faith.If you ſpeak of Beauty, a true believer is truly Beautiful; all external beauty is but deformity without this: Like as a Jewel in a Swines ſnow…, ſo is a creature externally beautiful without Grace and without Faith; 'tis Faith onelyonly that makes the creature beautiful; 'tis Faith that puts upon the deformed creature the rich and glorious Robes of the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt; 'tis Faith that puts upon the creature the very Image and Likeneſs of Chriſt, and therefore they that do believe in Chriſt, are ſaid to put on Chriſt, Gal. 3.26, 27. And they muſt needs be beautiful and glorious, that are clothed with the Sun of Righteouſneſs:Mal. 4.2.Mal 4:2 Ezek. 16.13, 14. Thou waſt exceeding beautiful, thy beauty was perfect through my comelineſs which I put upon thee, ſaith the Lord. Yea, mark thoſe words, ſaith the Lord, whoſe judgement is always according to Truth. The blind world can no more judge of Beauties, than a blind man can judge of Colours; but a believer is beautiful in his ſight, whoſe eyes are as a flame of fire, and can ſee when the Kings daughter is all glorious within. Pſa. 48.Ps 48This is a beauty that takes the eye, and raviſheth the heart of Chriſt himſelf: p. 480Cant. 4.1, 7. Behold, thou art fair my love, behold thou art fair, thou haſt Doves eyes; there is no spot or blemiſh in thee. The Believer is truly beautiful.

5. Honour.Fifthly, Do we prize Honour? If we ſpeak of Honour, a believer is honourable indeed. We may call believers Right Honourable, Pſa. 149.9. Phil. 3.Ps 149:9Phil 3without flattery, as it is written, Such Honour have all the Saints. The glory of others, many times, proves their ſhame; but that which may ſeem to be the ſhame of a Chriſtian, Faith turns it into glory: Gal. 6.14. God forbid that I ſhould glory, ſave in the croſs of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, whereby the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world: 1 Pet. 4.14. If ye be reproached for the Name of Chriſt, happy are ye; for the Spirit of Glory and of God reſteth upon you. And if there be ſo much glory in the very ſufferings and reproach of a believer, what is the glory then which they ſhall receive after their ſufferings, and in a gracious recompence of their ſufferings: for, If we ſuffer with him, we ſhall alſo be glorified together with him, Rom. 8.17. O the glory of a true believer! Where ever there is Chriſt in a creature, there is glory in a creature: Chriſt in you the hope of glory, Col. 1.27. and not onelyonly the hope, but by the viſion of Faith there is a preſent Transformation from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of our God, 2 Cor. 3.18. Thus a believer is truly honourable. Iſa. 43.4. Since thou waſt precious in my ſight, thou haſt been honourable.

6. Faith honours God.Sixthly, Doſt thou deſire to honour God in thy Place and Calling? (for a gracious heart is not ſo careful of his own glory, as of the glory of God) O that I could but honour God in my Place, ſaith a gracious heart, I ſhould then be the leſs careful in other things! Why this is the onelyonly way to put honour upon God, upon the Truth, upon the Power, upon the All-ſufficiency of God. He that is ſtrong in the faith, gives much glory to God, Rom. 4.18. And this is that which the Saints prefer before their own Salvation:Joh. 12.28.John 12:28 Whatever become of us, they p. 481ſay (as Chriſt ſaid) Father, glorifie thy Name. 'Tis true, Faith is highly to be prized, becauſe it is an inſtrument of our Salvation: Eph. 2.8. Ye are ſaved by faith; but it is much more to be eſteemed, as being ſuch a ſpecial inſtrument of the glory of God. Joh. 11.40. Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldſt believe, thou ſhouldſt ſee the glory of God? They that believe, as they bring more glory to God than other men do; ſo they ſee more of Gods glory than others can ſee. And that's a ſixth Conſideration that ſhould move us to labour for Faith, it brings abundance of glory to God. Many other Conſiderations might be added.

Seventhly, Without this we are but dead men:7. Dead without Faith. Faith and Life come into the Soul both at once. All other Life will ſoon decay; our very natural Life is but a continued drawing on to Death; but our ſpiritual Life, the longer it continues, the ſtronger it grows.

Eighthly,8. Faith makes to proſper. This is the onelyonly way to prosper in all we poſſeſs, and in all we take in hand. 2 Chron. 20.20. Believe in the Lord your God, ſo ſhall ye be eſtabliſhed; believe his Prophets, ſo ſhall ye proſper. 'Tis true, wicked men and unbelievers may proſper after a ſort, they may proſper as fatted Beaſts in the ſtall proſper againſt the day of ſlaughter: The proſperity of fools ſhall ſlay them, Prov. 1.32. They are curſed in their very Bleſſings: But a true believer doth prosper in Soul, Joh. Ep. 3.as well as in his Body or Eſtate, his Proſperity is ſanctified, and all that he poſſeſſeth is pure and clean to him, but to the defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their meat and drink, yea even their minde and conſcience is defiled, Tit. 1.15. If a believer be caſt into ſtraits, Faith is that which brings ſubmiſſion to the Will of God, and a ſweet contentation with the preſent condition. Phil. 4.11. it was the ſpeech of a believer, I have learned in whatſoever ſtate I am therewith to be content. Faith lets the believer ſee the preſent condition is beſt for him; and therefore he is the better content p. 482with it. On the other ſide, where there is want of Faith, there are perpetual diſcontents, every little thing troubleth ſuch a creature. A gall'd back is ſoon hurt. Num. 14.11. How long will it be ere this people believe me, (ſaith God) of the murmuring Iſraelites in the Wilderneſs? An unbelieving heart is evermore an unquiet, & a diſcontented heart. He that doth not enjoy God by Faith, how is it poſſible he ſhould be ſatisfied with Creature-enjoyments, eſpecially in the midſt of Creature-diſcontents? Faith is that which ſweetens our very Natural Life; how much more then that which is Spiritual and Supernatural? Wouldſt thou be aſſured that Chriſt is thine? Faith in due time will give thee this aſſurance: for, Chriſt dwells in the heart by faith, Eph. 3.17. Wouldſt thou be aſſured thou art a Childe of God, and maiſt come in for a Childs Portion? Faith will give thee this aſſurance alſo: Joh. 1.12. To as many as received him, he gave power to be the Sons of God, even to as many as believe on his Name. Wouldſt thou receive more abundance of the Spirit of Chriſt Jeſus? Faith is a Conduit-pipe, in which this heavenly water delights to run: Joh. 7.38. He that believeth on me (ſaith Chriſt) out of his belly ſhall flow rivers of living water: This spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him ſhould receive. Certainly, the Life of Faith is the moſt excellent Life that any Creature can live upon the face of the Earth.

Note.In a word, Remember what you have heard in many Sermons. Do you deſire to be preſented Juſt and Righteous before the Throne of God? you muſt labour to get Faith then; for, by Faith a Creature lives the Life of Juſtification. Do you deſire to be ſanctified throughout in Body, Soul, and Spirit? you muſt learn then to get Faith: without doubt, the more Faith the more Holineſs: for, The Juſt lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification. Do you deſire to be more abundant in Good Works than ever you have been? Learn then to get Faith: for, By Faith the p. 483Juſt lives the Life of Fructification. Do you deſire to have your Corruptions ſubdued, and your ſinful luſts (that fight againſt the Soul) mortified? Learn then to get Faith: for, By Faith the Juſt lives the Life of Mortification. Do you complain of the Dulneſs and Deadneſs of your hearts in holy Duties, and do you deſire above all things to be more quick and lively in the Service of God? Learn then to live by Faith: for, By Faith the Juſt lives the Life of Vivification. The more Faith, the more Life in all holy Duties. Do you bewail your Leanneſs, and Ʋnprofitableneſs, and Unthriving diſpoſition under the plentiful means of Grace, and is it the deſire of your Souls to increaſe and grow up, as the Calves of the ſtall? Mal. 4.2.Mal 4:2Learn then to get Faith: for, By Faith the Juſt lives the Life of Augmentation. Gal. 3.3.Gal 3:3Are you afraid leſt you ſhould fall off from God, and having begun in the Spirit, ſhould at the laſt end in the fleſh, and do you earneſtly deſire to be ſetled, ſtabliſh'd and confirm'd, that the gates of Hell may not prevail againſt you? Labour then to live by Faith? for, By Faith the Juſt lives the Life of Conſervation. Again, Doth ſorrow poſſeſs and oppreſs your ſpirits? O you are burthened with ſuch and ſuch afflictions or temptations, and you would fain live a comfortable life! Learn then to get Faith: for, By Faith the Juſt lives the Life of Conſolation. Again, are you troubled when you begin to think of Death? O how ſhall I do to walk through the valley of the ſhadow of Death! Pſal. 23.4.Ps 23:4would you fain be armed againſt the Terror of it? O learn then to get Faith: for, By Faith the Juſt finds Life in the midſt of Death. He that lives in Faith, ſhall undoubtedly die in Faith; Heb. 11.13. All theſe died in the faith. Again, Doth the ſhortneſs and uncertainty of this life afflict the Spirit, and thou wouldſt fain be aſſured of a better life, before thou parteſt with this preſent life; thou wouldſt fain know if thou ſhalt go to heaven when thou dieſt? O learn then to live by Faith; for, By Faith the juſt lives in p. 484regard of Eternal Life. O let the excellency of the Life of Faith, move us to ſeek the grace of Faith with all diligence. The life of a faithful man is as far above the Life of a Rational man, as the life of a Rational man is above the life of a Senſual Epicure. Some men indeed are meerly led by Senſe, and ever like Swine rooting in the dunghil of Earthly Profits and Pleaſures; others mount higher into the Middle Region of Reaſon and Humane Learning: but a Believer ſoars above them all in the Higheſt Region of Faith,Phil. 3.20.Phil 3:20 and hath his converſation in heaven, from whence he expects the Lord Jeſus Certainly, all the enemies of our Salvation cannot make that man miſerable, that hath once obtained this precious grace of Faith: Pſal. 2.12. Bleſſed are all they that put their truſt in him. And therefore what Solomon ſaith of Wiſdom,Prov. 3.13, 14, 15.Prov 3:13Prov 3:14Prov 3:15 we may ſay of Faith, Happy is the man that findeth Faith, for the merchandize thereof is better than the merchandize of ſilver, and the gain thereof is better than gold: ſhe is more precious than pearls, and all the things thou canſt deſire, are not to be compared unto her.

Obj. But it may be ſome will be ready to ſay, I am ſufficiently perſwaded of the excellency of Faith, and I would fain get it,How to get Faith. if I knew how or where to finde it: but may we not alſo ſay of Faith, as Job ſaith of Wiſdom, Job 28.12. Where ſhall it be found, and where is the place of it? The Depth ſaith, It is not in me; and the Sea ſaith, It is not with me: neither is it to be found in the Land of the living. No creature in Heaven or Earth can beſtow Faith upon its fellow-creature: O where then is it to be found?

Anſ. I anſwer as Job doth in the the 23 Verſe of that Chapter, God underſtandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. And therefore if we be careful to make uſe of ſuch means as he doth direct, we ſhall undoubtedly finde out this precious Pearl of Faith.

Means. You will ſay, What are thoſe Means, that we may uſe them?

p. 485Negat. 1. Firſt of all, as Builders uſe to do, God would have us to remove the Rubbiſh of all the Hindrances of Faith; and then to make uſe of all thoſe Spiritual Helps and Furtherances that God hath appointed for the begetting of Faith, that we may lay a ſure Foundation.

The Lets and Hindrances of Faith, are many,Lets and hindrances of Faith. which we muſt take notice of and labour to remove out of the way. What's the reaſon ſo much is daily ſpoken of Faith, and we are it may be convinced of the neceſſity and excellency of it, and yet very few, in compariſon, attain to it, or improve it to any purpoſe? What's the reaſon of this? O there are many Hindrances of Faith, which were never yet removed! O beloved, we are naturally dead in ſins and treſpaſſes, and there is many a heavy ſtone lieth upon the mouth of the Grave: and we may ſay, with thoſe good women, Mark 16.3. Who ſhall rowl us away the ſtone from the door of the Sepulchre? All thoſe ſeveral Impediments of Faith, are as ſo many great ſtones upon the mouth of the Grave, which muſt be removed by the mighty power of the Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1.Mal 3:1before we can believe. Have you not heard many a poor Creature complain (nay, do you not hear thoſe complaints in your own boſom?) Alas! alas! I have heard of Faith by the hearing of the ear many a time and often; how many days, and how many years hath the Word of Faith, and the Doctrine of Faith ſounded and reſounded in mine ears? and yet alas! to this very day I am not able to believe, or at leaſt to act and exerciſe my Faith as I ought to do. O that I could meet with ſome good Meſſenger from God, one of a thouſand that could tell me where the ſtop lies, and how I ſhould remove it! that would do for me, as Jacob did for Rachel, Gen. 29.10. Help me to rowl away the ſtone from the mouth of the Well, that my thirſty Soul might drink of the water of life freely, Rev. 22.17.

Come we therefore to the Particular Impediments or Hindrances of Faith, and the way to remove them.

p. 4861 Let. Self.The firſt and the greateſt Impediment is thy Self. Self is the greateſt enemy to Self in point of believing; the heavieſt ſtone that lieth upon the mouth of the grave, is thy ſtony heart: for a ſtony heart is an unbelieving heart; and an unbelieving heart muſt needs be the greateſt enemy to Faith. Darkneſs is not more oppoſite to light, than an unbelieving heart is oppoſite to Faith: and ſuch hearts are in all the Sons and Daughters of Adam by Nature. Adam indeed in the ſtate of Innocency, had power to believe whatſoever God ſpake and to live upon the Word of his Promiſe: but after the Fall, both he and his Poſterity loſt this ability. Our very birth, in this reſpect, is no better than a death; we are born in the very grave of unbelief, we are all ſhut up under the power of it, Rom. 11.32. O beloved, a hard, ſtout, proud heart, will not endure to lay down Self, Self-wiſdom, Self-righteouſneſs, Self-greatneſs; but Faith is nothing elſe but a laying down of Self-righteouſneſs, with an humble ſubmiſſion to accept of the Righteouſneſs of God in Chriſt, Rom. 10.3. O this goeth againſt the hair to a natural man! He cannot endure to ſtrip himſelf of Himſelf, and to become a poor empty nothing, that he may be fill'd with the fulneſs of God in Chriſt.

And yet thus it muſt be if ever we believe: He that is wiſe in his own conceit,1 Cor. 3.18.1 Cor 3:18 muſt become a fool, that he may be wiſe; and he that is rich, and increaſed with ſpiritual goods in his own conceit,Rev. 3.17. Mat. 11.5, 6.Rev 3:17Matt 11:5Matt 11:6 he muſt become poor, that he may be made rich. Ʋnto the poor (ſaith Chriſt) the Gospel is preached, and bleſſed is he that ſhall not be offended in me. 2 Cor. 8.9.2 Cor 8:9O this offends a carnal heart, that he muſt become poor for Chriſts ſake, as Chriſt became poor for his ſake! that death is become the way to life, if ever he mean to live, he muſt believe in a poor, deſpiſed, crucified Saviour. Now this a proud, perverſe, unbelieving heart knoweth not how to ſtoop to; and ſuch a heart have all men by nature. And this is the firſt Impediment.

p. 487Well, but who ſhall remove this Impediment? how ſhall we rowl away this ſtone of an unbelieving heart?

I anſwer, If we would remove it,Cure. we muſt labour to finde it out, to confeſs it, to bewail it, and to pray againſt it: And thou, when thou prayeſt, enter into thy Cloſet, Mat. 6. Pſa. 4.Matt 6Ps 4and ſhut the door; Commune with thine own heart, and be ſtill: Make thy complaint to God in private, pour out thy Soul before him, and ſay, O thou bleſſed God of Truth, how have I wrong'd thee by my baſe, falſe and unbelieving heart? What a heart have I, that can relie upon a great man, or a good man, if I have his Word or his Bond, and yet cannot relie upon the great and the good God, who keepeth Mercy and Truth for ever, Pſa. 146.Ps 146with them that are in Covenant with him; and hath bound himſelf by Promiſe, by Oath, by Seal, to be good and faithful to ſuch as put their truſt in him. O that I ſhould have ſuch a baſe heart, to truſt more to the Means, than to that God who hath ordain'd the Means, puts life into the Means! And yet ſuch is the baſeneſs of my heart, that when I ſee any viſible means for the producing of ſuch an effect, I am ſecure and confident: and when the outward means fail (though God be ever the ſame) I am as fearful and diffident, as if I had no hope at all! Is not this to truſt to the Means, and to truſt to the Creature, in ſtead of truſting to God? Now when we have thus found out the unbelief of our hearts, and bewailed it, we ſhould pray to God that he would forgive it, and ſubdue it for us. Juſt as the Parents of the Rebellious Son brought him to the Magiſtrate: ſo ſhould we bring our Rebellions and unbelieving hearts to God, praying him to ſubdue them for us: We ſhould pray him to rowl away this ſtone, even to take away our ſtony hearts, and to give us hearts of fleſh, that we may believe (according to his Promiſe, Ezek. 36.26.) and doubtleſs God will remember his Word, for ſuch as put his Promiſe in ſuit. And ſo much for the firſt Impediment, and the Means to remove it.

p. 4882. Impediment of Faith. Satan.The ſecond Impediment is from Satan: He ſails with the Wind and Tide of an unbelieving heart, and labours, if it be poſſible, to keep us ſtill under the power of unbelief; he knows well enough they are under his power alſo. When once they begin to believe, they are turned from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan to God, Acts 26.18. And therefore no ſooner doth the Soul lay hold of the Promiſe, but Satan is forced to let his hold go: and therefore the Devil fights neither againſt ſmall nor great, 2 Chro. 18.30.2 Chr 18:30but againſt the grace of Faith above all the reſt. If he can but ſtrike the Sheild out of our hands, he'll ſoon hit us, and wound us where he liſt. Nay, if it be poſſible, he'll prevent the very making and forming of this Shield. Either thou ſhalt have no Miniſter to preach of Faith, as 'twas the Policy of the Philiſtims, they might have no Smith in Iſrael to frame their Weapons of War,1 Sam. 13.19.1 Sam 13:19 that they might the better keep them in ſubjection: So 'tis the Policy of Satan, we ſhould have no Spiritual Smiths in Iſrael to help to frame this Weapon of War, this Shield of Faith, Eph. 6.Eph 6that he may the better keep us under his power. Or if thou haſt ſuch Miniſters as preach of Faith, if it be poſſible, he'll raiſe up Prejudice in thy heart againſt them, and againſt the Word which they preach. Therefore, Acts 13.8. Elymas the Sorcerer (who is call'd a childe of the Devil for that very thing) he withſtood the Apoſtles in the Work of their Miniſtery, ſeeking to turn away the Deputy from the faith. Mark ye: why was the Devil ſo great an enemy to the Preaching of the Word? becauſe he was an enemy to the Faith of the Deputy. And this is the ſecond Impediment or Hindrance; The Devil he is an enemy to the Faith of Gods People; he doth what he can to perſwade people to continue in Ignorance and Unbelief.

2 Relief.But well, How ſhould we remove this Impediment? How ſhould we rowl away this ſtone?

Why, Fly to him by Prayer, who by death deſtroyed p. 489him that had power of Death, that is, the Devil, Heb. 2.14. who is able to caſt out the ſtrong man armed, and is willing alſo, becauſe he hath promiſed, to tread down Satan under your feet, Rom. 16.20. Pray God, to rebuke Satan, when he caſts into thy heart thoughts of Blaſphemy, or Unbelief, and ſay, Lord, are not theſe things grievous to thy Spirit, as well as to mine? Doth not Satan aim as much at thy diſhonour, as at my deſtruction? and therefore, if not for thy poor Creatures ſake (who is as a hunted Partridge upon the Mountains) yet for thy Names ſake, and for thy Honours ſake, rebuke him.1 Sam. 26.20.1 Sam 26:20 If thou canſt but lift up thy heart to God in this or the like manner doubtleſs God will anſwer thee in mercy, and he will anſwer Satan in fury, as he doth in the like caſe, Zech. 3.2. And the Lord ſaid unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath choſen Jeruſalem, rebuke thee: Is not this a Brand ſnatcht out of the fire? So will the Lord ſay, Is not this poor Soul that waits upon mine Ordinance, as a Brand ſnatcht out of the fire, out of the fire of Hell, and the flames of an accuſing Conſcience? Have I forewarn'd it by theſe Terrors to fly from the wrath to come, and to make peace with me by Faith,Mat. 3.Matt 3 and art thou ſo cruel and ma…ous to put it into the fire again, by holding it under the power of Unbelief? The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, the Lord rebuke thee; Even he that hath choſen the Soul of the poor creature to Life and Salvation, rebuke thee. And this is the ſecond Impediment of Faith, and the Means to remove it.

The third is from the World. 3. Impediment. The World.The World and Faith are oppoſites; and either Faith muſt overcome the World, or the World will overcome Faith. The World hath profits, pleaſures, preferments, honours, on the one ſide, to allure thee; and reproaches, racks, faggots, fire, on the other ſide, to terrifie thee: The World trieth both fair means and ſoul means, to draw thee, or to drive thee from the Faith. Beſides, if either the Multitude, or the Pomp p. 490and Magnificence of ſuch as reject the Faith, may prevail with thee, the World will be ſure to propound both, as a ſcotch in the Wheel, and a clog to thy Faith: Joh. 7.48. Have any of the Rulers or the Phariſees believed on him? As if they ſhould ſay, Are you ſo mad to believe on him, and to go in a ſingular way? Look about you in the world, and you ſhall ſee there are not many men at leaſt not many great and learned men, that are ſo forward: Me-thinks you ſhould be willing to do as the moſt do, and then you ſhall be ſure the feweſt will blame you. Why ſhould you be ſo fooliſh to expoſe your ſelf to the ſhame and hatred of the multitude? And this is the third Diſcouragement and Hindrance of Faith, the World.

Well, but how ſhould we remove this Impediment, how ſhould we do to rowl away this ſtone?

3 Relief.I anſwer, The beſt way to remove this ſtone, and Rock of Offence, is, To remember that the Church of God is but a little Flock; Mat. 6.Matt 6and that the greateſt number of men run headlong in the broad way that leadeth to deſtruction: The multitude of offenders doth no whit leſſen, but rather aggravate the offence. Remember the ſolemn charge of God, Thou ſhalt not follow a multitude to do evil, Exod. 23.2. He that ſins with the multitude …uſt look to ſuffer with the multitude: He that ſins after the example of great men, ſhall be greatly tormented. Its a ſad thing to go to Hell for company: Its a doleful Welcom, when Hell from beneath is moved for thee; for thee, I ſay, that didſt ſin after the example of the moſt of men, or the greateſt of men. Hell from beneath is moved for thee, to meet thee at thy coming, ſaith the Prophet, Iſa. 14.9. It ſtirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones (or great men) of the earth: All they ſhall ſpeak, and ſay unto thee, Are you alſo become weak as we, are you become like unto us? or as one of us. Mark ye: if there be any triumph among damned Spirits, it is this, Even to inſult over thoſe, that at laſt prove as miſerable as themſelves. You ſhall ſometimes p. 491ſee ſuch a helliſh diſpoſition in wicked men, whilſt they live upon earth: if they can but do their Neighbors a miſchief, they care not to do twice as much to themſelves. O how they triumph, if they can but drink and ſwagger others into the like ſhame with themſelves; and rail and revile others into the ſame paſſion, and play and game others into the ſame poverty! O what is this wicked practice, but even Hell above-ground! For this is the language of Hell, Art thou become like one of us, &c! eſpecially when they can draw a Profeſſor into ſin, and by ſin into judgement. Oh! how they triumph at ſuch a prize, What, art thou become as one of us! Thou that didſt walk like a Saint upon earth; thou that didſt ſhine like Lucifer the bright Morning-Star; thou that wert eminent in the Profeſſion, and it may be in the preaching of the Faith, how art thou fallen from thy heavenly condition? How art thou fallen from thy profeſſed Faith into Unbelief, and by Unbelief into the Bottom of Hell? Lo, this is the triumph of the damned Spirits. Look as there is Joy in Heaven among the bleſſed Angels over one ſinner that r… penteth, more than over ninety and nine juſt perſons, Luke 15.Luke 15which need no amendment of life: So there is triumph in Hell amongſt Apoſtate Angels over one eminent Profeſſor that falleth from the Faith into the condemnation of Unbelievers, more than over ninety and nine wicked perſons, that never made any ſuch hopeful Profeſſion. O remember how Hell it ſelf will laugh thee to ſcorn, if thou ſhalt follow a multitude to do evil! This is the ſhameful welcome thoſe Infernal Spirits ſhall give to their new gueſts, when a poor deluded Soul, following the ſteps of the multitude, goes down into the Chambers of Eternal Death. This is that ſcornful language, Art thou alſo become like one of us? Didſt thou follow us in Sin and Unbelief, and now doſt thou follow us into Torments? If thou wouldſt not be the ſhame of Devils and damned Spirits, let not the example of the World perſwade thee to continue in p. 492Unbelief. And this is the third Impediment of Faith, and the Means to remove it.

4. Impediment of Faith. Gods hardningThe fourth is from God. That's a moſt obſervable paſſage, which you reade, Joh. 12.39, 40. Therefore they could not believe, becauſe Iſaiah had ſaid again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts, that they ſhould not ſee with their eyes, nor underſtand with their hearts, and be converted, and I ſhould heal them. Theſe things ſaid Iſaiah, when he ſaw his glory, and ſpake of him. As if he ſhould ſay, Theſe are ſuch things as did not onelyonly concern the Prophets own time, and the men of his generation, but they are ſuch things as are to be fulfilled under the Goſpel in the Kingdom of Chriſt, for the Prophet foretold them, when he ſaw the glory of Chriſt, and did Prophecy his Kingdom. Now both the Viſion, and the particular Prophecy, you have in the 6. of Iſaiah.

Obj. But you'll ſay, This is wonderful: How can theſe things be? How is it poſſible, that the ſame God which commands all men every where to repent and believe,Acts 17.Acts 17 where the Goſpel comes, ſhould nevertheleſs blinde the eyes, and harden the hearts of ſome, leſt they ſhould repent and believe? Alas! you'll ſay, What can the poor creature do, if God ſhut their eyes, who can open them? if God harden the heart, who can ſoften it?

Anſ. I anſwer, Therefore you are carefully to look to the meaning of the Prophecy, which is nothing elſe but a denunciation of Spiritual Judgement againſt the people, for their former contempt of his Word and Means of grace. As if God ſhould ſay, Are you ſo obſtinate? will nothing work upon you, notwithſtanding ſo many gracious proffers of Mercy? will nothing move you to believe? Then you ſhall not believe. Will nothing move you to repent? Then you ſhall not repent: Will nothing move you to cleanſe your ſelves from all filthineſs of Fleſh and Spirit? Then you ſhall not be cleanſed: He that is filthy, let him be filthy ſtill, Rev. 22. And that this is the p. 493very meaning of the words, you may ſee by the ſame Prophecy, cited by S. Matthew, Chap. 13. Firſt, he ſets down Gods blinding their eyes, and hardning their hearts, in the 14 Verſe; and then he ſets down the peoples wilful ſhutting of their own eyes, and hardning of their own hearts, in the 15 Verſe, as the very cauſe of the former: for, ſaith he, This peoples heart is waxed groſs, and their eyes have they cloſed, &c. Becauſe they wilfully cloſed their own eyes, and would not ſee ſo much as they might have ſeen by the improvement of the means, therefore God gave them up to further blindneſs; becauſe they wilfully hardned their own hearts againſt Judgements and Mercies, therefore God gave them up to further hardneſs. 'Tis true indeed, we are all naturally blinde, and hard-hearted: but when unto this natural blindneſs and hardneſs of heart, we do adde an affected voluntary wilful blindneſs of mind, and hardneſs of heart: Then at the laſt, after the exerciſe of a great deal of patience and long-ſuffering (for 'tis obſervable, this very Prophet was Preaching to them, and proffering mercy upon their Repentance, above threeſcore years together) I ſay, at the laſt, after the abuſe of ſo many precious Means, Mercies, and Motions of his Holy Spirit; at laſt, when Gods patience is tired out, ſo that he can bear and forbear no longer (I am weary with repenting, ſaith God, Jer. 15.6. therefore at the laſt God gives up to judicial blindneſs of minde, and hardneſs of heart. Their affected, voluntary, and wilful blindneſs, is at the laſt (after ſo long a time, as the Author to the Hebrews ſpeaks) it is puniſhed with judicial blindneſs and hardneſs of heart: and this is the ſoreſt blindneſs on this ſide Hell, to be given up to this judicial blindneſs and unbelief. As Jacob ſaid of his Viſion, Gen. 28.17. This is none other but the Houſe of God, and this is the gate of Heaven: So may we ſay on the other ſide, of this Judgement of the Prophets Viſion, This is none other, but the very houſe of the ſtrong man armed, and this is the gate of Hell.

p. 494But you will ſay, How then ſhould we remove this Impediment, and who ſhall be found able to rowl away this ſtone?

I confeſs, Hic labor, hoc opus eſt, This is a work which all the Angels in Heaven, and Men upon Earth, are not able to do. It is poſſible, judicial hardneſs and unbelief may come to ſuch a height, that there is no remedy; as God himſelf ſaith, 2 Chron. 36.16. But they mocked the meſſengers of God, and deſpiſed his words, and miſuſed his Prophets, until the wrath of the Lord aroſe againſt his people, there was no remedy. O who is able to rowl away this ſtone!Note. And therefore my advice is rather to prevent this Impediment, than to be put to the removing of it; for it is far eaſier to prevent it, than to remove it. As thou loveſt thine own Soul, take heed of wilful and obſtinate blindneſs and hardneſs of heart, leſt God lay it upon thee, ſo as at the laſt thy very ſin be turned into thy Judgement.

4 Relief.O take heed of Diſputing, Quarrelling, Cavilling and Mocking, when the Word ſhines bright upon thee: For what is this, but to ſhut the door of thine eyes, ear and heart, leſt the light ſhould come in upon thee? And in this caſe, God may juſtly clap a Lock, and a Chain, and a Bolt upon the Door, and ſay, It ſhall never be opened more. Iſa 28.22. Be ye not mockers, leſt your bands be made ſtrong. O remember that fiery Thunder-bolt of Gods Threatning, and let it be as a Warning-piece to thee, Ezek. 24.13. I would have purged thee, and thou waſt not purged, thou ſhalt not be purged from thy filthineſs any more, till I have cauſed my fury to reſt upon thee: So may God ſay,1 Pet. 3.1 Pet 3 Time was, when once my long-ſuffering waited for thee (as in the days of Noah) Time was, when I would have gathered thee as a Hen gathers her Chickens under her wings; Mat. 23.37.Matt 23:37Time was, that I would have pacified thy heart and life by Faith, but thou wouldſt not believe: yea, thou haſt deſpiſed the riches of my goodneſs, Rom. 2.4, 5.Rom 2:4Rom 2:5and forbearance, p. 495and long-ſuffering, not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth thee to repentance: but after thy hardneſs, and impenitent heart, that cannot repent, thou treaſureſt up unto thy ſelf wrath againſt the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgement of God. And therefore I ſay once again, as thou loveſt thy own Soul, take heed of wilful blindneſs, leſt God deliever thee up to judicial blindneſs, and to the power of Unbelief.

Queſt. But you will ſay, Is there no remedy, is there no hope in Iſrael concerning this thing?

Anſ. I anſwer, Though it is poſſible for a creature to come to that paſs, there is no remedy (as I ſaid before) yet for all that, I muſt tell you, there is a lower degree of judicial or probational hardneſs, which God ſometimes layeth upon his own deer Children, as a juſt Correction of their former negligence, and as a means to heal it alſo: and ſo this may be removed.

Queſt. But you will ſay, How ſhall it be removed? how ſhall we rowl away this ſtone?

Anſ. I anſwer, It is done by Humiliation and Prayer, and laying hold of Gods Covenant of Free-grace afreſh. Take this for thy comfort, though thou art troubled with much remaining hardneſs of heart, yet that hardneſs of heart which is to thy grief, ſhall never be to thy ruine. That which works kindly to thy Humiliation, ſhall never be to thy Condemnation: as in the caſe of Ephraim, Jer. 31.18. And therefore plead Covenant, plead with God in Prayer, as his People do in this very caſe, Iſa. 63.17. Lord, why haſt thou hardned our hearts from thy fear? If we can but thus pray, and thus be humbled, there is hope in Iſrael concerning this thing; nay, there is certain aſſurance. If we judge our ſelves, we ſhall not be judged; The mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it, 1 Cor. 11.31. Thus much for the fourth Impediment of Faith, and the Means to remove it.

Obj. But againſt this that hath been ſpoken concerning p. 496this fourth Impediment, it may be objected. Why ſhould God puniſh any with judicial hardneſs and blindneſs, for that which we cannot help? Our hearts are ſo hard they cannot repent or believe.

Anſ. As that Reverend Fenner in his Book of Self-murther, It is not ſo much a wicked mans cannot, as his will not, that condemns him; he will not underſtand, repent, believe, therefore he is juſtly condemned.

Obj. There is a fallacy in that, for his will not, and cannot, are both one: There's impotency in his Will, as well as in his Underſtanding and other Faculties; his Will is not free to that which is good, he cannot will as he ought to do, therefore to what end is it either to perſwade natural men to will what is good, or blame them if they do not?

For Anſ. Divers things; though that (Rom. 9.18.) might ſatisfie.

1. Gods hardning cleer'd.1. If God had never given us ability, it were ſomething: but he gave ability in Adam to obey him in all his Commandments, to believe him in all his words. Therefore when thou ſayeſt, By Nature our hearts are ſo hard, &c. I anſwer, Not by our firſt Nature (Naturâ integrâ) but corrupt nature: Therefore thank our Selves, our Parents, blame not God.Simile. Suppoſe a Maſter command his Servant to go a Journey of ten miles; he by Drunkenneſs and quarrelling ſpends ſo much of his time and ſtrength, that he cannot finiſh his Journey in ſuch a ſpace; whoſe fault is this? Hath the Maſter loſt his Power to command, becauſe the Servant hath loſt his Power to obey.

Anſ. 2. I ſay, a natural man doth not ſo much as he might do, therefore God may juſtly ſtrike him with judicial blindneſs: If he would do that, great hopes God would help him to do more.Simile. If a Father or a Maſter ſhould ſay to his Servant, Take up all theſe burthens, ſome lighter, and ſome heavier, and when you cannot lift them your ſelf, I will help you; and the Childe or Servant p. 497ſhould ſay, I'll take up none at all, becauſe I am ſure there are ſome I cannot ſtir: Might not the Father or Maſter juſtly puniſh ſuch a ſlothful and wilful Childe or Servant? So God commands all men every where, where the Goſpel comes, to attend upon the Means of Grace, to Repent and Believe. Now though they cannot Repent and Believe, (theſe are beyond their power) yet they may attend upon the Means. Why may they not go to a Sermon as well as to a Tavern, or ſit at home? Why may they not reade the Scriptures, as well as a Play-book or an idle Pamphlet? Why may they not pray as they are able, as well as ſmother the very work of their natural Conſcience? Acts 8.22. Pray God, if perhaps, &c. Indeed, to put natural men to duties, and not to preach Chriſt to them withall, were harſh; but the Apoſtle doth both. As if he ſhould ſay, Simon, thou art in the gall of bitterneſs, and bond of iniquity, do not ſit ſtill and deſpair, but uſe the means for all that, and it may be God will ſhew mercy to thee. What if thou canſt not do ſo much as thou ſhouldſt, yet do as much as thou canſt, and God will help thee to do the reſt: otherwiſe, this deſtruction is of thy ſelf, and who will pity thee?

Anſ. 3. I anſwer, This hardneſs of heart falls not onelyonly upon the Children of Perdition, but upon Gods own People: Therefore when we ſpeak to a promiſcuous multitude, we know not which of them God may be pleaſed to heal and cure; however, the reſt ſhall be left without excuſe.

Anſ. 4. Perſwaſions from the Word to that which is good, to Repent and Believe, are not in vain, becauſe it is the triumphing Chariot in which the Spirit of God delights to ride along conquering and to conquer, 2 Cor. 2.14. Do not ſay, Alas! what do you ſpeak to us to repent and believe, and take heed of hardning our hearts, you had as good ſpeak to a company of dead men. Within the compaſs of theſe walls, are many dead men under p. 498ground, and there poſſibly are many dead men above ground. I anſwer, What do we know but the Spirit of God may joyn with the Word, whilſt we are ſpeaking of it, or ſoon after: Acts 10.44. Whilſt Peter yet ſpake, the Holy Ghoſt fell on all them which heard the Word.

Obj. We have often preached in vain, no Repentance no Faith, &c.

Anſ. Yes, in ſome; poſſibly, in many: And for others, wait, proving if God at any time ſhall give repentance, &c. There is a time, an hour, wherein the Word ſhall be powerful: Joh. 5.25. The dead ſhall hear, &c. Not, as if we could cauſe this;Pſa. 119.32.Ps 119:32 but, When God ſhall enlarge the heart, they ſhall run the ways of his Commandments. What do we know, but this may be the day and hour, and ſo I beſeech you in the Name of Chriſt,Heb. 3.Heb 3 To day if you will hear his voice, harden not, &c? Leſt God give you up to this fourth Impediment of Faith, Judicial blindeneſs of heart.

Fifth general Impediment, contains ſeven mixt Impediments of faith.Fifthly, Thrre are other Impediments which are of a mixt nature, and do ſpring partly from our own corrupt Hearts, and partly from Satan, and partly from the World.

1. Falſe truſt.1. Our truſting to the Mountain of ſome created ſtrength, our living upon our own ſtock, in ſtead of living upon God, whether it be in Temporal things, Health, Wealth, Friends; or in Spirituals, when we truſt to the Grace we have received already. O we think we have ſo much knowledge, and ſo much love to God, and ſo much zeal for his Glory, that we are confident, though all men ſhould deny Chriſt, we'll never deny him, we truſt to grace received, and ſo we live not by Faith on God, but we live upon our own ſtock.

But how ſhall we remove this Impediment? how ſhall we rowl away this ſtone?Cure of falſe Truſt.

I anſwer, 1. By conſidering the greatneſs of the Sin: For Bleſſings received, and Graces received, are but Creatures: p. 499and ſo to truſt to them, what is it, but flat Idolatry? To give that Worſhip and Service to the Creature, which is due to the Creator, who is bleſſed for ever, Rom. 1.25.

2. By conſidering the greatneſs of the Puniſhment, it is that which cauſeth God to hide his face, and to withdraw the manifeſtation of his favour from his deareſt Servants, Pſal. 30.6, 7. And in my proſperity I ſaid, I ſhall never be removed; Lord, by thy favour thou haſt made my Mountain to ſtand ſtrong: But what follows? Thou didſt hide thy face, and I was troubled. O remember, Friends, how by truſting to the Mountain of any created ſtrength, either in Temporal or Spiritual things: we wrong God, we wrong our Selves, we weaken our Faith, and we cauſe God to withdraw his wonted influence.

3. Pray God to deliver thee from truſting in any thing elſe, as God hath directed his People to pray in the like caſe, Hoſ. 14.3. Aſhur ſhall not ſave us, &c.

2. A ſecond particular Impediment of Faith is this;2. Limiting of God. Our meaſuring of God by our ſelves, by our own ſtrength, or by our own Reaſon or Underſtanding. Suppoſe God promiſe this or that, and we preſently conſulting with Fleſh and Blood, cry out, It is impoſſible, or at leaſt improbable, and ſo we'll never believe it. Thus it was with Nicodemus at the firſt, when Chriſt ſpake to him of a ſecond birth, Joh. 3. How can theſe things be? (ſaith he) How can a man be born, when he is old? Can he enter a ſecond time into his Mothers womb, and be born? And it was ſo with Mary the Mother of our Lord, when the Angel told her ſhe ſhould conceive the Saviour of the World, How ſhall this be (ſaith ſhe) ſeeing I know not a man? Luk. 1.34. And thus it was with that incredulous Lord, when God foretold the plentiful relief of poor beſieged Samaria, within the compaſs of a day, Behold (ſaith he) if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? 2 Kings 7.2. And thus when God promiſeth p. 500deliverance to his People in their greateſt ſtraights, when there is no apparent or viſible means to be ſeen, when God promiſeth the Reſurrection of the body from the Grave, and many ſuch like things, I'll never believe it, ſaith a natural man: Why ſo? It is altogether unlikely, it is above the reach of Reaſon, it is above the reach of all created ſtrength. And this is the ſecond particular Impediment of Faith.

Well, but how ſhall we remove it? how ſhall we rowl away this ſtone?

Cure.I anſwer, By conſidering the infinite diſproportion betwixt God and us? What if the thing promiſed be above the graſp of our wiſdom and ſtrength? is it therefore above the wiſdom and ſtrength of God? It is the ſillieſt thing in the world to meaſure God by our ſelves. Hear what the Lord ſaith, Zech. 8.6. If it be marvellous in your eyes, ſhould it be alſo marvellous in my eyes, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts? Thoſe things that are impoſſible with men, are poſſible, yea, moſt facile and eaſie with God.Note. And therefore it is the proper work of Faith, to lay hold upon the Power of God, as well as upon the Truth and Mercy of God. If God doth but ſpeak a thing, Faith doubts not of the Power of God to make his Word good. When carnal reaſon ſaith, How is it poſſible? How can this be? Faith gets aloft upon the head of Reaſon, and ſeeth quite beyond it: when Reaſon can ſee no further, Faith ſaith, It is ſo, it is ſo, and claps the hands, as if it had the thing in preſent poſſeſſion: and ſo it is an evidence of things not ſeen by the eye of carnal Reaſon.Heb. 11.1. Rom. 4.19, 20, 21.Heb 11:1Rom 4:19Rom 4:20Rom 4:21 Thus Abraham believeth againſt all common Reaſon that he ſhould have a Son, becauſe God had ſaid it, although he and his wife were as good as dead in the courſe of Nature. Thus Joſhua believed that the walls of Jericho ſhould fall down at the blaſt of Rams-horns,Heb. 11.30.Heb 11:30 which was againſt all reaſon.Judg. 7.19, 20, 21, 22.Judg 7:19Judg 7:20Judg 7:21Judg 7:22 Gideon, againſt all reaſon, believes that he and his poor three hundred men ſhould overcome the invincible Hoſt of the Midianites with nothing but lamps and earthen pitchers p. 501in ſtead of better weapons. Theſe Worthies of God did not meaſure God by themſelves, but they conſidered the faithfulneſs and power of him that had promiſed, and ſo ſhould we. And ſo much for the ſecond particular Impediment of Faith, and the way to remove it.

The third is the harboring of ſome beloved ſin, 3. Harbouring ſome Luſt.which we are loth to part with. For Faith, when it comes into the heart, will come as a purifying Faith, or elſe it will not come at all. Now if a man prefers the ſatisfying of his luſt, before the ſatisfying of his Faith, there's the ſtop, and there's the check in the work of Faith. Therefore ſaith Chriſt to thoſe that were carried away with the luſt of ambition, How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and ſeek not the honour that cometh from God onelyonly? Joh. 5.44.

Now to remove this Impediment,Cure. and to rowl away this ſtone, Remember, all fleſhly luſts, though they flatter us, and make fair as if they were our intimate friends, yet are our deadly enemies, and under-hand they fight againſt us: Dearly beloved (ſaith Peter) I beſeech you as pilgrims and ſtrangers, abſtain from fleſhly luſts, 1 Pet. 3.11.1 Pet 3:11which fight againſt the Soul; againſt the grace of it, againſt the peace of it, againſt the very life of it, the ſpiritual and eternal life of the Soul. And therefore ſuppoſe the luſt be never ſo dear, yet let thy Salvation be dearer: Suppoſe it be an adulterous eye, or ſuppoſe it be a deceitful hand, a hand that bringeth in ſo much profit by the year, and were it not for this, thou couldſt finde in thine heart to believe, and to become a Chriſtian in earneſt. O remember what this luſt muſt coſt thee, that juſtles out thy Faith; it will coſt thee the precious life of thy immortal Soul: and therefore were it as dear to thee as thy right eye, or thy right hand, away with it, and caſt it from thee. Remember what Chriſt ſaith, Mat. 5.29, 30. It is better for thee that one of thy members ſhould periſh, than that thy whole body ſhould be caſt into hell. And ſo much for the third particular Impediment, and the way to remove it.

p. 5024. Our own unworthineſs pleaded againſt the Promiſe.The 4. Impediment, Is the ſight and ſenſe of our own unworthineſs. O, ſaith many a poor creature! do you perſwade me to believe? What me? you know not what a vile wretch I am; you little think what ſins I have committed, what precious means and mercies I have abuſed; and were it not high preſumption in ſuch a one as I am, to offer to believe, ot to lay hold of a Promiſe? Thus men are apt to ſtrain courteſie with God, and to put a bar in their own way.

Cure.But to remove this Impediment, and to roll this Stone out of the way; I beſeech you to conſider: Was it preſumption in Manaſſes, or in Mary Magdalen to believe, out of whom he caſt ſeven Divels? Is not the grace of God Free? elſe it were no grace. As no man is accepted for his own worthineſs: ſo no man is rejected, ſimply, for his unworthineſs: It is no hindrance, but a furtherance to thy Faith; for the Son of man came to ſeek and to ſave that which was loſt: Mat. 9.Matt 9Thou art never like to find him, till thou come to be at a loſſe in thy ſelf. And this is the fourth Impediment, and the way to remove it.

5. Laying much ſtreſs on the depth of humiliation.The 5. Is this: O but I have not been humbled to this very day, at leaſt ſo far as I ought to be humbled! It may be I have grieved a little for my ſins, but not ſo much as I ought to do, or as ſuch ſins call for at my hands, and therefore, why ſhould I believe, till I be further humbled? To remove this Impediment,Cure. and to roll away this Stone, we muſt know,

1. God makes not a promiſe of Mercy to ſuch a degree of Godly ſorrow, but to the truth of it, Matth. 5.4.

2. God accepts of the Will for the Deed, if we would be further humbled, and yet cannot.

And 3. Nothing humbles and breaks the heart more, then the laying hold upon Chriſt in a promiſe of Free Grace.Note. It is impoſſible there ſhould be through humiliation without Faith. The Flinty heart of a ſinnner is broken p. 503upon the Feather-bed of Gods Mercy. One looke from Chriſt, or one look towards Chriſt by the eye of Faith, melts the heart more then a thouſand ſtrokes of the hammer. Zech. 12.10. I will pour upon the houſe of David and upon the inhabitants of Jeruſalem, the Spirit of Grace and Supplication; and they ſhall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they ſhall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only ſon. Obſerve, nothing melts the heart ſo kindly, as looking upon Chriſt crucified, by the eye of Faith. O ſaith the believing Soul, that Chriſt ſhould deal ſo kindly with me, that have dealt ſo unkindly with him! O that he ſhould overcome my evil with his exceeding goodneſs! O that he ſhould die for me, who once did hate him to the very death! O theſe are melting arguments that come from faith! Remember thou canſt never be throughly humbled, till thou beginneſt to believe. Other Arguments may Batter the heart, but Arguments drawn from Faith do only Break it, and melt it. And therefore let not this conſideration keep thee from believing, to ſay, I have not yet been humbled enough; for by that reaſon we ſhould never believe as long as the world ſtands. For where is the man that can ſay, He is humbled enough? eſpecially before ſuch time as he begins to believe. But ſo much for the fifth particular Impediment, and the way to remove it.

The 6. Is this, They want the ſenſe of Gods love, nay,6. Want of Feeling. they feel the ſenſe of his wrath and diſpleaſure, and therefore why ſhould they believe?

Now to remove this Impediment,Cure. and to roll this Stone out of the way, we muſt know it is impoſſible to have the ſenſe and feeling of Gods love, till we begin to believe: For being juſtified by Faith we have Peace with God, Rom. 5.1.Rom 5:1and not before. God ſometimes carrieth ſtrange to his own children, as Joſeph to his brethren, and Chriſt to the woman of Canaan. Yea, whom the Lord loves he corrects, and ſcourgeth every ſon whom he receiveth, Heb. 12.6. The p. 504father knoweth how to frown, and how to ſtrike with the Rod too, and yet he is a father ſtill. His chaſtiſements are Caſtigatory, Probatory, and Purgatory; they purge out the remainders of ſinful Corruption. And if we have but grace to carry towards him, as Children under the Rod, we may be ſure by that, that God offers himſelf to us as a Father. Therefore be not diſcouraged, though God ſeem to frown, but ſay as Job, If God ſhould kill me, yet will I truſt in him: I am ſure to die if I fly from him; (Whither ſhall I fly from thy preſence? Pſal. 139.Ps 139) and I can but die, if I fly to him: nay, I am ſure I ſhall not die, if I can do ſo, for he hath ſaid it, and he will perform it: Joh. 6.37. He that cometh unto me, I will in no wiſe caſt out. And therefore do not reaſon againſt thy ſelf, and ſay, Oh, God is a terrible and a furious God, he will never be at peace with ſuch an one as I am. True indeed, if thou ſtandeſt out in oppoſition againſt him, he is a furious God; but if thou layeſt down thy weapons of War, and yieldeſt up thy ſtrong-holds of Carnal Reaſon and Self-will into his hands; in this caſe, mark what God ſaith, Iſa. 27.4. Fury is not in me. As if he ſhould ſay, Thou thinkſt I am a furious God, there's no dealing with me; but if thou wilt ſubmit, thou ſhalt finde fury is not in me. Indeed, if thou ſetteſt thy ſelf ſtill in battel againſt me, I will be as a conſuming fire unto thee; but if thou haſt a real deſire to ſubmit, and to make peace, take my Word for it, Thou canſt not be ſo forward to make peace with me, but I am as forward to make peace with thee: And therefore be not afraid, for ſo runs the Promiſe, Fury is not in me; who would ſet the briars and thorns againſt me in battel, I would go through them, I would burn them together: Or let him take hold of my ſtrength, that he may make peace with me, and he ſhall make peace with me. O what a gracious Promiſe is this! How ſhould it overcome all the hard thoughts and jealouſies we are apt to entertain of God!

p. 505O but in the ſeventh place,7. Doubt of Election. I am afraid the Promiſe belongs not unto me, for I fear I am not Elected, and therefore why ſhould I believe? This is another great Impediment and an heavy ſtone upon the mouth of the Sepulchre, and how ſhould this be removed?

Thus: Who tels thee ſo? not God, if any body,Cure. the Divel. Deut. 29.29. Secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but thoſe things which are revealed, belong unto us and to our children for ever. Election of this or that particular perſon, is a ſecret thing, and cannot be known, by any thing à priori that goeth before, but à poſteriori, from the latter it may be known by our Faith and effectual calling, we may know we are Elected, and not before, 2 Theſ. 1.3, 4. But here's the Divels policy to puzzel mens heads and hearts in Election, when they ſhould buſie their heads and hearts about Believing; in thirſting after Jeſus Chriſt, in being willing to make peace with him, and wholly to receive him. And if God hath given thee ſuch a Will, I am ſure the Promiſe belongs to thee: Rev. 22.17. Let him that is a thirſt come, and whoſoever will, let him take the water of Life freely. And ſo much for the ſeventh particular Impediment, and the way to remove it.

The Sixth Hindrance,Sixth General Impediment of Faith; viz. Neglect of Means. Is a wicked and ſinful neglect of the Means which God uſeth for the begetting of Faith. (Of which, by Gods aſſiſtance, we are to ſpeak in due time) If Chriſt, and Heaven, and Faith, will drop into their mouth at unawares, ſo it is; but under pretence that God doth call in the working of Faith, they are reſolved to uſe no means under God, but caſt off all Ordinances as if they were to no purpoſe. Now ſo long as a man neglects the means, he is never like to attain the end. Now of this neglect of the Means, there are divers ſubordinate cauſes, eſpecially theſe five, Prejudice, Pride, Sloth, Five Cauſes of Neglect of Means.Preſumption and Deſpondency of Spirit: We ſhall ſpeak of them particularly, and the way to remember them.

p. 5061. Prejudice Quarrels the Means of FaithThe 1. Is a ſtrong and ſtrange Prejudice againſt the Means of begetting Faith, or againſt the Inſtruments diſpenſing the Means. Tuſh, ſaith one, this Preaching, this fooliſh preaching, tis but a light kind of food (as they ſaid of the Manna) and how ſhould this do me any good? I'le never believe this fooliſh Preaching can be a means to ſave my ſoul. And for theſe preachers, ſaith the poor deluded ſoul, what are they, but a company of infirmous men, whoſe bodily preſence is weak, and their ſpeech contemptible? men that ſhew much paſſion, but little learning or diſcretion, and therefore why ſhould I give any heed to them, or believe what they ſay?