P, but one blood, by which we can be saved, perand purged for ever1, and, without which, God can 10 pleasure in us. "How can we then escape, if we et so great salvation, and trample under foot the blood of the covenant?" It is a fruitless labour and an endless folly for men to use any other courses (be they in appearance never so specious, probable, rigorous, mortified, pharisaical, nay, angelical) for extricating themselves out of the maze of sin, or exonerating their consciences of the guilt or power thereof without faith. Though a man could scourge out of his own body rivers of blood, and, in a neglect of himself, could out-fast Moses or Elias; though he could wear out his knees with prayer, and had his eyes nailed unto Heaven; though he could build hospitals for all the poor on the earth, and exhaust the mines of India into alms; though he could walk like an angel of light, and with the glittering of an outward holiness dazzle the eyes of all beholders; nay, (if it were possible to be conceived) though he should live for a thousand years in a perfect and perpetual observation of the whole law of God,-his original corruption, or any one, though the least digression and deviation from that law, alone excepted; yet such a man as this could no more appear before the tribunal of God's justice, than stubble before a consuming fire. It is only Christ in the bush that can keep the fire from burning: it is only Christ in the heart that can keep sin from condemning; xwpis éμou, “without me," that is, separated from me, "ye can do nothing" towards the justification of your persons, or salvation of your souls, or sanctification of your lives or natures.-No burden can a man shake off, no obstacle can he break through, no temptation can he overcome, without faith: "Shake off every thing that presseth down, and the sin which hangeth so fast on, and run with patience" (namely, through all oppositions and contradictions) "the race that is set before you," saith the apostle. But how shall we do such unfeasible works? He shews that in the next words, 'Apopwvres, "Looking off from ourselves unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith."-When a man looks inward upon his own strength, he may as justly despair

*

P Heb. x. 14. t Heb. xii. 1, 2.

q Heb. ix. 13, 14.

r Heb. ii. 3.

s John xv. 5.

X

of moving sin from his soul, as of casting down mountains with one of his fingers: but he who is able to give us faith, is by that able to make all things possible unto us. The world tempts with promises, wages, pleasures of sin, with frowns, threats, and persecutions for righteousness. If a man have not faith to see in Christ more precious promises, more sure mercies, more full rewards, more abundant and everlasting pleasures,-to see in the frowns of God more terror, in the wrath of God more bitterness, in the threats of God more certainty, in the law of God more curses, than all the world can load him withal;-impossible it is that he should stand under such assaults: "For this is the victory which overcometh the world, even our faith."" Satan dischargeth his fiery darts upon the soul, darts pointed and poisoned with the venom of serpents, which set the heart on fire from one lust to another. If a man have not put on Christ, do not make use of the shield of faith, to hold up his heart with the promises of victory, to hold out the triumph of Christ over the powers of death and darkness; to see himself under the protection of him, who hath already thrown down the dragon from Heaven, who hath Satan in a chain, and the keys of the bottomless pit in his own command; to say unto him, 'The Lord rebuke thee, Satan, even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee,' impossible it is to quench any of his temptations, or to stand before the rage and fury of so roaring a lion :-" Whom resist," saith Peter, "steadfast in the faith."-Our corruptions set upon us with our own strength, with high imaginations, with strong reasonings, with lustful dalliances, with treacherous solicitations, with plausible pretences, with violent importunities, with deceitful promises, with fearful prejudices, with profound and unsearchable points and trains; on all sides lust stirs and works within us like sparkles in a dried leaf, and sets every faculty against itself. The mind tempts itself unto vanity, the understanding tempts itself unto error and curiosity, the will tempts itself unto frowardness and contumacy, the heart tempts itself unto hardness and security. If a man have not faith, impossible it is either to make any requests to God against himself, or to deny the requests of

u 1 John v. 4.

* Eph. vi. 16.

y 1 Pet. v. 9.

sin which himself maketh. It is faith alone which must purify the heart, and trust his power and fidelity, who is both willing and able to subdue corruptions. In vain it is to strive, except a man strive lawfully: in prayer it is faith which must make us successful: in the word, it is faith which must make us profitable: in obedience, it is faith which must make us cheerful: in afflictions, it is faith which must make us patient: in trials, it is faith which must make us resolute in desertions, it is faith which must make us comfortable: in life", it is faith which must make us fruitful: and in death, it is faith which must make us victorious. So that as he said of water, apioтov pèv wop, so may I of faith, 'It is of all things the most sovereign and precious,' because it is of universal use in the life of man. Therefore the apostle calleth men without faith, 'absurd men,' because it is an unreasonable and sottish thing for a workman to be without his chief instrument, and that which is universally requisite to every one of his works. A husbandman without a plough, or a builder without a rule, a preacher without a Bible, a Christian without faith, are things equally absurd and unreasonable: and yet thus unreasonable are men usually. By faith, Joseph repelled and fled from the solicitations of his adulterous mistress: and have they then faith, that run upon temptations of lust, let their hearts wallow in the speculations, and their bodies in the beds, of uncleanness? Faith made David look to God, when Shimei reviled him: and have they faith that dart out oaths, stabs, and execrations at once against their enemy, and against God? Faith made Noah, when he was warned of God, to fear,-and Josiah to tremble at his word: and have they faith who mock the messengers, and despise the word, and misuse the prophets, and reject the remedies, and slight the times of their peace and visitation which God gives them? Faith made Abraham put a sword to the throat of his beloved son, the son of blessing, and the son of promise: and have they then faith, who will not sacrifice a stinking lust, nor part from a prodigious vanity when God requires it? O what a world of sweetness and closeness is

there in sin to our nature, when men love a lust, a rag, a fashion, an excrement, better than Abraham did his son Isaac! Faith made Moses suffer rather the reproaches of Christ, than the riches of Egypt: and have they faith, who had rather be without Christ, than their profits and pleasures; who subordinate the blood, the spirit, the will, the ways, the glory, of Christ, to their earthly designs and base resolutions? By faith, he feared not the wrath of a king: and have they faith that fear the breath of fools, and would fain be religious, if it did not discredit them, and crush their arts of compliance, plausibility, and ambition? Thus every sin, wilfully committed, is backed and strengthened with infidelity. If men did, by faith, see him that is invisible, an unapproachable light, and a consuming fire; see the sword in his left hand to revenge iniquity, and the crown in his right hand to reward holiness; look upon his judgments as present in his power, and upon his glory as present in his promises; it could not be that they should go on in such outrages against him and his law. "Know ye not," saith the apostle', "that neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God?" Nothing but faith can unbind and unlock these sins from the soul and by faith not only their guilt, but their power and dominion, is removed and subdued.

A second use and inference from this doctrine, is to inflame the heart to seek for faith as for a precious jewel, or a hidden treasure. Men are never satisfied with earthly treasures, though oftentimes they heap them up for the last day : how much more careful should they be to lay up a good foundation for the time to come, that they may obtain eternal life?" Great encouragement we may have hereunto upon these considerations :

:

First, The more faith a man hath, the more comfort he may take in all the good things which he doth enjoy. He may look upon them as the witnesses of God's truth and promises, as the tokens of his love, as the accessions and supernumerary accruements unto his kingdom, as the supplies and daily provisions of a father which careth for us.

11 Cor. vi. 9, 10.

m Jam. v. 3.

n 1 Tim. vi, 19.

• Mat, vi. 32.

Secondly, The more faith a man hath, the more security he hath against all evils; he may undergo them with patience P, with hope, with joy, with triumph, with profit. He may look upon them as needful things, as precious things,' as conformities unto Christ his head, as the seeds of peace, righteousness, and praises; as rain, though it make the way foul, yet it makes the land fruitful.

Thirdly, The more faith a man hath, the more certain and victorious will his conquests be against his enemies; that which by faith we rely upon, and put on, will be impregnable munition, and impenetrable armour to secure us. The love, the blood, the compassions, the temptations of Christ; these, by faith apprehended, have pulled down walls, subdued kingdoms, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, and turned to flight the armies of the aliens.'

Fourthly, The more faith a man hath, the more insight he hath into Christ, and those mysteries of salvation, which the angels" desire to look into. Faith is the eye, and mouth, and ear of the soul, by which we peep through the curtains of mortality, and take a view and foretaste of heavenly things, whereby we have a more secret and intimate communion with God in his covenants, promises, precepts,in his will, guiding us by counsel, and in his face, comforting us with his favour.

Fifthly, The more faith a man hath, the more tranquillity and establishment of heart shall he find in the midst of all spiritual desertions, distractions, and difficulties. When a man's wits are nonplused, his reason posed, his contrivances and counsels disappointed, his heart clouded with sorrow and fear; when he walketh in darkness, and hath no light; O then to have a sanctuary, an altar to fly unto; to have a God to roll himself upon, to lean upon his wisdom, to lay hold upon his covenant, to wait quietly upon the salvation of that

P Rom. v. 3, 4. Jam. i. 2, 3. q Rom. viii. 37, 38. 1 Cor. xv. 55. r1 Pet. i. 9. & i. 7. & iii. 13. Deut. viii. 16. s Heb. xii. 11. t Heb. xii. 32, 33. u 1 Pet. i. 12. * Οσπέρ ἐστιν ὀφθαλμὸς ἐν σώματι, τοῦτο ἄρα πίστις ἐν διανοίᾳ· μᾶλλον δὲ, ὥσπερ ὀφθαλμὸς δεῖται φωτὸς ἐπιδείκνυντος τὰ ὁρατὰ, οὕτω δὴ αὖ καὶ ὁ νοῦς δεῖτα τῆς πίστεως ἐπιδεικνυούσης τὰ θεῖα. Theodor. de Cur. Græc. affect. Serm. 1.--Crede et manducasti. Aug. woTIS STα THs ψυχῆς. Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. 5.