4. Fourthly, The life of faith in sanctification. This springs from these
he found comfort: 'I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said I will confess my transgressions unto thee; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.' So it may be in this case. We come not off with God freely, we do not ransack our sins, we search not all the corners. Sin is a marvellous subtle thing. Again, thereby many times God will humble us for a former sin, and keep off comfort, until we be more humbled, and stand in awe of sin.
3. Thirdly, Hence springs a vigorous life. A life of cheerfulness, when a man hath his pardon sued out, then comes life and joy, strength of holy actions well rooted and grounded. Who should joy, if a triumphant righteous person should not? Who have cause to rejoice more than kings? By justification we are made kings and priests, are lifted above all sins and lusts, world and devil; have a right and title to heaven. Shall a carnal man joy in his titles and privileges, and shall not we much more, being sons of God by adoption, and heirs of all things? So Rom. 5:1: 'Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, and joy in tribulation.' Being once justified, the sting of all troubles is taken away. God is ours. We joy in God. This is all in all.
The blood of Abel, that cries for vengeance; but the Spirit of God in this estate tells me, that the blood of Christ speaks better things, mercy, mercy; in his blood is always comfort, though we be weak and unskilful to apply it. The washing in this blood should make a Christian walk on cheerfully in the comforts of the Holy Ghost. But I hasten to the next, which is, 4. Fourthly, The life of faith in sanctification. This springs from these grounds:
(1.) First, Faith lays hold on Christ, as God offers him. How is this?
See 1 Cor. 1:30: 'But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and
redemption.' God gives Christ, not for justification only, but sanctification also: and thus faith must apprehend him.
(2.) Faith receives him as whole Christ in all his offices; not as a priest to save only, but as a king to rule; as a wife receives her husband, to be governed and ruled by him.
(3.) Again, Christ came not only to take away the guilt of sin, but the dominion of sin. He came, as John speaks, to destroy the whole work of the devil; as it is said, Eph. 5:25, 26, 'He gave himself for his church, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.' Christ doth purge his church, not only from the guilt of sin, but also from the meddling and polluting of itself in the world with filthy things. So Rom. 8:3, the apostle shews, that 'God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.' He came as well by water as by blood. Therefore faith puts him on, not only by justification, but also in sanctification.
To clear this.
[1.] Upon justification of necessity comes sanctification. For what is the stop of God's mercy? His anger for sin committed; in which case he denies his Spirit. But with reconciliation there comes also the Spirit: as Ephes. 1:13, saith the apostle, 'In whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.' Now the Spirit once given, is the seed of all graces. Whosoever is justified, hath the Spirit of Christ: Rom. 8:9, 'And if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.'
[2.] Again, having the Spirit of Christ, faith fetches all strength from Christ. Samson's strength was in his locks; a Christian's strength is in Christ. This the devil knows well, and therefore labours especially to weaken faith, and draw us from our strength. Christ says, 'Without me ye can do nothing,' John 15:5; and St Paul affirms, that he 'can do all things through Christ who strengthened him,' Philip. 4:13. The Spirit gives strength.
[3.] Again, as by Christ and his Spirit we have strength, so by his Spirit we have strong convincing reasons to work with strength from reason. Why doth a Christian carry himself in a holy just carriage answering his profession? Oh, saith he, I have great reason; Christ hath loved me, and given himself for me; and should not I give myself to him, deny my lusts, and live to him? For, indeed, the foundation of all Christian obedience is laid by faith in Christ. So when a man looks to heaven, he hath a reason to abstain from all lets and hindrances of his safe and comfortable passage; to magnify the riches of Christ's love, which hath provided for him such an inheritance, and to live accordingly. So when he looks to the pardon of sins past, he sees reason to hate them more and more, to strive against them in time to come, and to love Christ the more, who hath pardoned them. And when he looks to God's free love in Christ, he sees reason to be inflamed with divine love, to admire the riches of that grace, and to be thankful.
[4.] Again, Christian affections are as the wind, to carry us on in a holy life. Thus strength, and reason, and affections, these make a man work. First, love sets us awork: 'we love him,' saith the apostle,
'because he loved us first,' 1 John 4:19. We have his love first shed abroad in our hearts, inflaming the affections, and kindling the heat of divine love; and then we send back a reflex of love unto him. God cares for nothing but faith which works by love. This love is a most
operative affection stirred up by faith. Indeed, all our Christian graces are set a-work by faith in Christ.
Thus you see faith apprehending Christ, as God offers him; and these things which I have mentioned following, we come to live the life of faith in sanctification: an example whereof see in that woman, who because many sins were forgiven her, loved much. Love is bountiful.
All obedience comes from love. Love is the keeping of the law. This affection is stirred up by faith, yea, by Christ, for by him we have the promise of the Spirit, whence all graces come, and promises of the new covenant, to have fleshly hearts given, and his Spirit put in us.
All promises of justification and sanctification are derived from Christ. They are in him, made for him, and effected for his sake; for he is 'yea and amen,' the centre and ground of all the promises. Now being brought by faith to live in justification, we must of necessity also live by faith in sanctification. There be two parts of a holy life: 1.
In mortification, dying to sin; 2. In vivification, living to righteousness.
For the first, What does it to a man in this case? Why, he looks what brought Christ to suffer so much; my sin. So this affection stirs up the same passion in him, in a sort, which was in Christ, and makes him hate sin with a perfect hatred, as in Zechariah it is said, 'They should look upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first born,' Zech. 12:10. Secondly, It looks on the love of Christ, that made him give himself for us. This makes us to hate sin, and provokes us to live unto him who hath done so much for us. These two things in the death of Christ stir up hatred to sin.
Then again, in vivification, the same Spirit which quickened him doth also quicken us: as Col. 3:1, 'If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God: set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.' So that the same Spirit which is in Christ, being sent into us, quickens us also to have mounting and heavenly thoughts. As the foot and little finger, though distant, live and stir by the same life and spirits diffused through the whole body, so the same Spirit quickens every Christian this way. As also by imparting strength, he imparts reasons from the resurrection of Christ to make us heavenly-minded, so when the soul dies one way, it lives another way. For Christ having by the Spirit discovered a better state, and life to come, of eternity, immortality, tranquillity, and glory; then a Christian dies to all worldly things, and hath the affections taken up that way.
Thus we see every day so to lead our lives, as we not only live the life of faith in justification, but also of sanctification; how out of Christ's fulness to fetch grace for grace. Therefore in all our wants go to him still. He is not only a sacrifice satisfactory for our sins, but he is a storehouse also and treasure of all good things. He is made unto us sanctification, therefore beg we favour from him, and endowments of grace conformable to his grace. And again, when we lack fulness, let us not despair, but fetch the large vessel of faith, and we shall have a share of the large graces which are in Christ, according to the largeness of our faith.
Quest. What is the reason that so few find strength and comfort in Christianity?
Ans. They set upon getting of grace, and killing corruptions by their own strength, and so are ever wanting; but if a man depend upon God, he shall have fulness out of Christ. God hath sanctified his
nature for this purpose, that out of his fulness we might have grace for grace. And so again, every day go to God, and plead for strength against sin, power to lead a holy life, and imputation of Christ's righteousness, to supply the defects of our sanctification. St Paul says, 'I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me,' Philip.
4:13. It is a magnificent speech, and a great matter to have a man ready to suffer all things, and overcome all things. This will make us work wonderfully, if we have this strength supplied. See an instance,
Luke 17:3, 4. Our Saviour tells his disciples, that they must forgive their brother seven times, and seven times, as often as he confesses his fault. They thought this a wonderful hard duty, for nothing is so sweet to a man as revenge, for he would willingly be his own carver in all things, and do things in his own strength. The disciples upon this fall a-praying, 'Lord, increase our faith;' as though they had said,
We had need of faith to believe the pardon of so many sins, and to enable us to forgive so often. And so I say of the subduing of sin, we had need of faith to have so many sins subdued; yet faith will do it.
Now in this great work, 1. Go to God, and beg his Spirit, and repent of all manner of sin; 2. Then beg faith. This will set all other graces awork. It is like the blood and spirits which run all the body over. So in our spiritual life, this faith must run along in all graces, and set them a-working, yea, it sets God and all his attributes a-work. It runs to Christ, and prays, Lord, increase my faith, that can bear nothing as I should, resist nothing, believe nothing, and trust nothing. This indeed must be all our strength, to see nothing in ourselves, but all in Christ.
Since Adam's fall, it was appointed that Christ must keep all our joy, our strength, and ability, yea, to be our life. God will not since that time trust us with it, for we would quickly lose all again. It is Christ's office. He hath these endowments, as man, given him, to furnish us
with all things fitting to a spiritual life. Faith will fetch all from God in Christ, who is made the mediator of the New Testament, to convey all these things unto us. Yet further, let us see some trials to discern whether we live this life of faith in sanctification.
Trial 1. If it be thus with us, There will be a putting of ourselves upon Christ's government in all duties. Faith will do all that Christ commands, depending upon him for strength; and who so depends upon Christ for strength in one duty, will depend upon him for strength in another. There is a harmony betwixt the soul of a Christian and the command of obedience. He hearkens to the precepts of duty, as well as to the promises of forgiveness of sins.
Where this universal obedience is not, here is not the life of faith in sanctification; for faith here takes not exception at one duty more than another, but looks for all the strength of performance from Christ, who for this cause is stored with all fulness, that it may drop down upon all his members.
Trial 2. Again, There will be a wonderful care not to grieve the Spirit, in such a one. As if he should say, I must depend upon the Spirit for help and assistance to do all, to guide me in my whole course, and shall I grieve and leave off the Spirit? Shall I carry myself so as to make him leave me? He must lead, instruct, comfort me, and assure me of my happiness; shall I then quench the Spirit? Therefore, I say, there will be a giving way to it, and a resolution settled, that this guiding in sanctification is the best guidance of all. A believing heart does tremble at any thing which hinders the Spirit's working. It sets not a step forward in anything without direction of the word and Spirit.
Trial 3. There will be courage to set upon any duty, to encounter and resist any sin; upon this ground, as he should say, have not I a
storehouse of strength to go to? Is not he full of grace and goodness?
Are not all his works wrought for us? Have not I exceeding many, great, rich and precious promises of help? Is not he the truth itself?
Is there not then supply enough in Christ to help me out in all things? It were Pharaohlike to set us to work without strength and ability to go through with our work. There is light and heat in the sun to direct and cherish, much more in Christ their Maker. It is grace that leads us through all. We are justified freely through his grace, and by his grace we have continual strength supplied to enable us in all things. It is grace, grace! A sanctified liver by faith will therefore cheerfully set upon every duty.
Trial 4. Again, in this case, all is lively in a man. As we see a lively fountain, the water whereof will sparkle and leap, so there will be living joys, speeches, delights, exhortations, sensible of good and evil. He will trust God, rely on his word and promise, because Christ cannot touch the soul, but we must be lively. As the man who no sooner touched Elisha's bones, but he stood up and revived, 2 Kings
13:21, so a touch of Christ quickens and makes vigorous. As Christ's promise is, John 4:14, 'Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life.'
Let the use of all be this, Upon this discorery remember to go to Christ for succour, and labour to live plentifully and abundantly in him this life of faith.
Obj. But, may some say, how should I go on to finish this great work of grace? It is a mighty thing to attain to, so many sins to overcome, so many temptations to buckle with, so many right hands and eyes to cut off and pull out.
Ans. I answer, Faith teaches us to fetch all from Christ, to beg his Spirit to help us in the course of sanctification, that by his might we may prevail; and so in all mastering sins beg strength of Christ, and then set upon the walls of Jericho, and they shall fall before you.
How shall this be done?
As they did; they believed the promise, that compassing it seven times it should fall to the ground. So we, having so much and so many promises for the subduing of sin in us, let us set upon them, look up unto Christ, believe the promise; and our walls of sin shall fall so far before us, as they shall neither hinder our comfort nor our salvation. Eclipse it they may for a little while, but the sun will shine again, break through and dispel all those clouds and mists.
Let us set upon all Goliahs, therefore, by the word and Spirit, and withal set our will against them, that we heartily desire and endeavour to be rid of such lets and incumbrances, and we shall in the end find a notable victory over them; and so in all troubles and vexations, as Luke 17:3, 4, seq., with the disciples beg of God the increase of faith. This will help us out in all storms and tempests; help faith and help all. This will set heaven and earth a-working for our good. We see, Heb. 11, that all is attributed to faith. Why? Many other things concurred in those excellent actions for doing of them; but all is attributed to faith, because faith is that great wheel which set all the rest a-working, and stirs up all, as, 1 Cor. 13:4, seq., it is said of love, that it does all: for the same reason, because in those things there mentioned it stirs up all the rest. So in any grace which is wanting in us, go to Christ and say, Lord, I lack wisdom, counsel, strength, understanding, prudence in thy holy fear. The fulness of these are in thee; Lord, it is for thy glory to help thy poor servant, and bestow some measure of these upon me to do thy own work
with. Lo! Lord, I lay myself down to thee to work by me. I have an angry spirit, full of tossings and turmoilings, but thou art the Prince of peace, abounding in meekness. Oh bestow on me such a meek and peaceable spirit, as, learning of thee, I may be meek and lowly in heart. I instance but in a few things; enlarge them yourselves. In all things let us, with confession of our wants, have an eye unto his fulness, and then we shall find the more of his abundance, when we set not upon these duties in our own strength only.
Two things are opposite to this life of faith.
(1.) Despair. This cuts the pillars of hope. Against this divers, as Luther for one, have been tempted to despair, but yet setting on the work, have overcome.* So the Israelites were afraid, upon the evil report of the spies of Canaan; but when they went on, they overcame and beat down all their enemies. So we say, Oh, I shall never overcome such a sin, or such a corruption, or do such a duty. This is not true, go on, look to Christ, join his strength with thy endeavour, be out of love with it, resolve thoroughly, set upon it strongly, and down it shall before thee.
(2.) The second is presumption; for this know, that in his own strength shall no man be strong. In St Paul's speech, 'By grace I am that I am,' 1 Cor. 15:10. So again, saith he, 'In him'—to wit, in Christ
—'we live, and move, and have our being,' Acts 17:28. If we do presume, it is just with Christ to forsake us, as he did Peter. Take heed also of spiritual self-sufficiency, lest we rest on ourselves, and go not to Christ. Our moving to all good duty is by him. It is but a word for him to help us, either in things tending to a spiritual or a natural life. Therefore, for conclusion of all, leave him not. In thy emptiness go to his fulness. If thy cistern be dry, turn the cock of thy
faith, and his fountain will fill it again. Take him still along with thee, and thou canst not choose but live this life of faith in sanctification.
THE LIFE OF FAITH
SERMON II
And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.—GAL. 2:20.
WE see here our blessed apostle doth exemplify himself a man living another life than the life of nature, from higher reasons, grounds, and principles: 'I live,' saith he, 'by the faith of the Son of God.' First, he considers of another life than that which is rational, correcting the error of the same; for as reason corrects sense, so faith doth reason.
This makes a man a new creature. The spring of this life is Christ.
The means of conveyance is faith. It is meet now we should fetch all out of* ourselves; for since Adam lost what he had, it is dangerous to trust ourselves with it any more. Therefore Christ keeps it for us, and makes it ours by conveyance of his Spirit, making us all children of grace. Faith is wrought in us by the Spirit of God, and then it works, as Augustine says, acti agimus. Thus by effectual calling being once knit unto Christ, it is consecrated, as that by which we live. Christ is conceived in our souls by faith. As he was conceived in the Virgin's
womb by her yielding to the promise, so we, closing with the promise, faith is wrought, and then Christ comes to live in the heart, as, believing the promise, he came thereafter to live in her womb. In the last sermon we propounded many things touching the life of faith, how it lives in effectual calling, in justification and sanctification, in glorification, and in the several grand passages of this life, one of which remains yet to be unfolded, as, the life of faith in glorification.
Quest. 1. But how? Vision is for glory; what hath faith to do with this, which is of things unseen?
Ans. 1. I answer, we live by faith in glorification thus, because faith lays hold on the promise, and we have the promises of glory set down in the word, and with the promise we have the first-fruits of the Spirit, and having the earnest and first-fruits, God will surely give the harvest. We have the Spirit, and thence faith reasons, God will make good his promise, he will not take back his earnest. Thus faith gathers great matters, believes all, and so lives comfortably in expectation of fruition.
Ans. 2. Again, faith lives by the life of glorification in Christ the head.
There is but one life of Christ and his members, and one Spirit, one with him in union in the first degree of life. His glory is our glory. As in justification our debts are made his, so his glory is made ours, as it is John 17:1, seq., and he is gone to prepare a place for us, to bring us where he is. 'The glory which thou gavest me,' saith Christ, 'I have given unto them;' yea, 'and in him also we sit in heavenly places,'
Eph. 1:3. So in regard of Christ to whom we are knit, we live the life of glory.
Ans. 3. Thirdly, by reason of the nature of faith, as Heb. 11:1, which is to make things absent have a certain being. Now faith being wrought