4. That which you do, let it be some self-denying act for God and his people. I join both together, because if a man love the one he will love the other, and the Lord's interest is only upheld by his people here in the world ; his interest liveth and dietli with his people. And therefore, when we are willing to deny ourselves that we may own God's people, and join with them in all their sincere endeavours to advance the kingdom of Christ, then we shall know we believe in God, and that we have this true faith God requireth of us.
A TREATISE
THE LIFE OF FAITH.
A TREATISE OF THE LIFE OF FAITH.
And the life ivJiich I now live in t]te flesh, I live hy the faith of the Son of God. — Gal. ii. 20.
There are two parts of a christian's duty — dying to sin and living to God. They are both in the text ; the first part, dying to sin, in that mysterious expression, ' I am crucified with Clirist ; ' the second branch, Hving to God, in the following clauses, in which a spiritual and holy riddle is propounded, and then solved and opened : ' I am crucified, yet I live/ and though I live, yet I live not, ' for Christ liveth in me ; ' and then he openeth the whole riddle and mystery in the latter part — And the life ivhich I live in the flesh, I live hy the faith of the Son of God.
Many things might be observed —
1. They that are crucified with Christ nevertheless live. They that partake with Christ in one act partake with him in all ; if they are mortified with Christ, they are also quickened by him.
2. In the spiritual life of a christian, Christ hath the greatest hand and stroke — ' Not I, but Christ liveth in me.'
3. Believers live in the flesh after they are called to grace, but they do not live after the flesh.
4. That besides the animal life, there is a spiritual life, and these two are distinct. The animal life is the life of the rational soul void of grace, accommodating itself to the interests of the body : Jude 19, ' Sensual, having not the spirit ; ' and to the power and pomp of the world, highness of rank and place, riches, pleasures, honours ; it con- sists in the exercise of the senses. The spiritual life is a principle that enableth us to live unto God, to act and move towards God as our last and utmost end, to serve his glory as our great scope, and enjoy his favour as our chief good. Both these two lives are governed by a distinct guide and ruler — the animal life by sense, the spiritual life by faith ; so that man's reason is either brutified and debased by sense, or refined, sublimated, and raised by faith. If a man be debased by sense, he walloweth in all manner of brutish sensuality, he liveth in pleasure, and maketh the profits and pleasures of the world his onl}' scope and aim ; if refined and elevated by faith, his soul worketh after God, and is carried out to the concernments of the world to come.
48 THE LIFE OF FAITH.
But quitting all these, here is a life within a life, and a life overruled by a life, and that overruling life is called the life of faith.
Doct Those only live spiritually that live by faith; or, the great means on our part whereby we receive the influences of the spiritual life is faith in Christ.
Living by faith is a point of large and universal concernment, therefore I shall in a few discourses insist upon it. And I shall treat of it—
1. In the general.
2. In particular, in all duties, acts and conditions of this life. I. In the general. Here I shall inquire —
1. What faith is.
2. Why and how we are said to receive life from it.
3. Give you some observations concerning this life.
First, What is this faith by which the just shall live ? Faith is a grace by which we believe God's word in the general, and in a special manner do receive Christ, and rest upon him for grace here and glory hereafter. This may serve for a short definition or description of faith. Here is assent, consent, and affiance.
1. There is assent, by which we believe God's word in the general : Acts xxiv^ 14, ' Believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets.' There is the first work of faith, which is to assent to the scriptures and all things contained therein. The general faith goeth before the particular ; there is no building without a foundation.
2. There is consent. Faith doth in a special manner receive Christ ; that is, the faith that saveth : John i. 12, ' To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.' When I take him as God offereth him, and to the ends for which he offereth him, that he may do that for me, and be that to me, that God hath appointed him to do and be in the gospel.