3d The office of faith is to increase our confidence and enlarge our expectations, according to the extent of the promises ; for the more we expect from Chiist, the moi-e we receive from him : Ps. Ixxxi.
10, ' Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.' The larger thouglits we have of Christ's fulness and excellency, the more do we experience it in ourselves; if \ve would increase in love, and Z'^al, and patience, we must increase in faith. It is a preposterous care in many to seek the growth of other graces when they do not seek the growth of faith ; this is as if we did water the branches of the tree, and not the root.
2, I come now to speak of sanctification more particularly ; namely, the two parts of it— mortification and vivification. Faith hath a notable influence upon both these.
[1.] As to mortification — the mortifying of fleshly lusts. The flesh is our great enemy ; so the apostle telleth us. 1 Peter ii. 11, 'Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.' And therefore, unless, we mean to run the hazai'd of the loss of our souls, the flesh must be subdued, which is our great clog and hindrance in our way to heaven. But how doth the flesh prevail against us ? Ann. The flesh prevaileth
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two ways ; botli are specified, James i. 14, ' Every man is tempted, wlien he is drawn away of liis own lust, and enticed.' Tiiere are two words, e^eXKOfievo's koI Se\€a^6/j,evo'i, sonjetiiues we are drawn away by our own lusts : at other times we are enticed.
(1.) Sometimes we are drawn away by the flesh ; it hurries men into sin by its violent motions : Jer. viii. 6, 'Every one turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battle : ' like a headstrong horse, hearing the noise of the trumpet, his rider hath no command of him ; so fleshly lusts put reason out of the throne, that his affections cannot be governed ; checks of conscience, restraints of the word, profession, resolutions, ail bonds and cords are too w^ak to hold us to our duty; the flesh moves, and then we are carried away to fulfil the lust thereof
(2.) It euticeth us by the pleasure and satisfaction that we expect in gratifj ing carnal nature, or by hope of mercy and repentance after it is committed ; or by some other means it deceiveth the sinner into rebellion against God. Now faith is of great use to purge us from these Justs; for it is said. Acts xv. 9, 'Purifying their hearts by faith.' What doth faith do to purify our hearts and weaken our fleshly lu.^^ts?
Ist. It applieth the blood of Christ: 1 John i. 7, ' The b.ooduf Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.' Christs blood cleanseth us, but so as faith ap})lieth it to us. Look, as water cleanseth and soap cleanseth, but both are applied by the hand of the laundress that washeth, so the blood of Christ cleanseth as it is applied by faith. We may look upon the blood of Christ as the price by which the Spirit was purchased to cleanse us from sin : 1 Peter i. 2, ' Through sancti- flcation of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.' The blood of Christ is applied and received by faith, and so the heart is cleansed.
2d. Faith purifies the heart, as it excites the new nature to break the force of fleshly lusts, and puts a rub in our way : ' The s])irit lusteth against the flesh,' Gal. v. 17. It stirs up the new" natiu'e to- draw the mind another way : 1 John iii. 9, ' Whosoever is born of God dotli not commit sin ; for his seed remaineth in him, and he caimot sin, because he is born of God.' There are dislikes and counter-bufls aris- ing from the new nature, that sin shall not carry it so freely. But how doth faith excite the new nature? Partly as it presents the threaten- ings of the word, when lusts are sturdy and will not be broken : Rom. viii. 13, ' If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ; ' and Gal. vi. 8, ' He that sows to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption.' Now the.se things being represented and realised by faith, it stops the career of sin. And partly by lepresenting the promises : 1 Peter ii. 1, ' I beseech yon as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts.' AVe are for another country, and shall we trouble and pester our.selves with any- thing ihat should hinder us in our journey heavenward ? We expect a room among the angels, and shall we live as slaves in the world ? Thou art in tiie way to Canaan, and why art thou in love with the flesh-pots of Egypt ? 2 Cor. vii. 1, ' Having these promises, let ns cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holi- ness in the fear of God ; ' and 1 John iii. 3, 'He that hath this hope in him, ])urifieth himself as God is pure.' Faith excites the new nature by fear and hope, by terrors and j)romises. And then partly as it sets love a-work : Gal. v. 6, ' Faith worketh by love,' and so begets an