VOL. XV. D
50 THE LIFE OF FAITH.
port.' In every verse it is said, By faith, by faith. Some of the effects there spoken of do directly and more formally belong to other graces ; but though the private soldiers do worthily in the high places of the field, yet we say the general won the day ; the honour of the victory is put upon him, because it was achieved under his conduct. So it is here ; all graces have their use in the holy life. Love worketh, hope waiteth, patience endureth, zeal quickeneth to own God's truth and cause, obedience urgeth to duty ; but faith, remembering us of our obligations to Christ, and presenting the hopes of a better life, hath the greatest stroke in all these things. 'Faith worketh by love,' Gal. V. 6 ; ' faith feedeth hope,' Heb. xi. 1 ; ' faith is t'Trocrrao-t? rwv i\7ri^ofi6VQiv, the substance of things hoped for ; ' faith teacheth patience to wait and submit to God's will for the present ; it is but a little time : Heb. x. 38, 'Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him,' So that faith, is like a silken string that runs through a chain of pearl ; or rather, like the spirits that run with the blood through all the veins. If love constraineth, it is faith working by love; if hope be exercised, it is faith that showeth it the riches of the glory of the world to come ; if patience be contented to tarry God's leisure, it is because faith assureth us of the blessing to come.
3. Because whatever is ascribed to faith redoundeth to the honour of Christ. The worth lietli in the object, as the ivy receiveth strength from the oak about which it windeth. Faith doth all, not from any intrinsic worth and force in itself; but all its power is in dependence upon Christ — Fidel mendica manus. We are said to live by faith, as we are said to be fed by the hand ; it is the instrument. It is very not- able what the apostle saith of the miraculous work of faith : James v. 15, ' And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up.' Faith is said to do it, because the Loi-d doeth it ; and faith setteth his power a-work. The like concurrence and use of faith there is in other gracious works : 1 John v. 4, 5, ' This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith ; and who is he that over- cometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God ? ' Christ hath and will overcome the world ; therefore faith, that a{)pre- hendeth this, and encourage th us by it, is said to do it. Christ is the fountain, and faith the pipe and conveyance ; it is the grace that bringeth most honour to him.
4. Because faith removeth obstructions, and openeth the passages of grace, that it may run more freely. Expectation is the opening of the soul : Ps. Ixxxi. 10, ' Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.' He hath power and readiness to give us abundance of all things, if we could come and depend upon him for it. It is the narrowness of our faith which hindereth our felicity ; we are not straitened in God, but in ourselves ; we will not enlarge our expectations to take in and seek as much as God offereth. Unbelief 'ponit ohicem, puts a bar in the way : Mark vi. 5, ' And he could do no mighty work there.' It is like a dam to a river, it hindereth the passage of grace. God's grace is given out to the creature according to its expectation. Unbelief is a kind of re- straint to almightiriess ; he could not because he would not ; for so it is, Mark xiii. b'd>, ' And he did not many mighty works there, because
THE LIFE OF FAITH. 51
of their unbelief.' That power which we distrust is justly hidden from us ; but confidence opens a free passage for grace into our souls.
Thirdly, The observations concerning this life.
Obs. 1, This life must be extended, not only to spiritual duties, and acts of immediate worship, but to all the actions of our natural and temporal life ; "O he vvv ^w iv aapKi. That natural life which we live, and those things which concern that life, tliey are ordered by a virtue drawn from Christ by faith in him. A true believer sleepeth, and eateth and drinketh in faith ; and in the lawful occasions of his call- ing, as well as religion, faith hath an influence to order them to God's glory, and Avith respect to eternal happiness: 1 Cor. x. 31, 'Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God ;' and, Heb. xi. 33, ' Who through faith subdued kingdoms, fought battles.' Take God's directions, and order all things to his glory : Col. iii. 17, ' Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.' Every action must be influenced by religion, looking to the promises : Heb. xi. 13, 'By faith Sarali received strength to conceive seed ; ' by her faith in the promise. Christians are not left to their own nature, neither in things necessary nor in things indifferent in their own nature, neither in words nor deeds ; they are to look to Christ's command, and to be looking for his help, and aiming at his glory, still consulting with God, and seeing God in every little work of his. There is not a gnat, nor pile of grass, but discovers its author. And as there is a providential influence, so a gracious influence ; as when we use such holy fear and heavenly-mindedness that every one may see heavenly-mindedness in all our actions, and so the poorest servant, being under this divine in- fluence, liveth by faith as well as the greatest monarch.