[3.] Precepts. That is another part of the word to be propounded not only to our obedience, but to our faith ; and first to our faith, and then to our obedience: Ps. cxix. 6G, 'Teach me good judg- ment and knowledge, for I have believed thy commandments.* It is not enough to grant them rational or wise directions, or good rules for the regulating of human nature, but we must see them as God's laws, as injunctions from the glorious and power- ful sovereign of the world, which we cannot neglect with-
THE LIFE OF FAITH. 157
out the greatest hazard; that is to believe the commandments. Many will catch at promises, but do not regard precepts; they smile upon the promise, but frown when the command puts them in mind of their duty. Faith owneth our obligation to God, and maketh us see the necessity of obedience, as well as it representeth the comfort of the promises, and to perform our duty, how contrary soever it be to our interest and carnal affections. But otherwise, without faith, when the commandments are crossing to our corrupt humours, they are ques- tioned, slighted, and shifts studied by defiled consciences to divert the thoughts of duty. Therefore we need expressly to see that this is the will of God.
[4.] Promises ; these are only received by faith : Heb. xi. 1, ' Faith is the substance of things hoped for ; ' so the promissory part of the word is there in brief described. These are a principal object of faith : 2 Peter i. 4, ' To us are given exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be made partakers of the divine nature.' The Lord worketh saving grace at first by these promises, enabling the guilty, graceless, and cursed sinner to believe, and apply the pardon, grace, and blessedness freely offered in them ; and as soon as he gets grace to believe and apply these promises, God beginneth to apply and make out upon his heart the things promised, stamping his own image upon him, that the sinner beginneth to look like God his Father for holiness, wisdom, and purity. These promises have a fitness to purify the heart as well as pacify the conscience, and must be used to both ends. If we respect promises, we must respect all promises ; the honour of God is as deeply engaged to perform one promise as another. God's failing in any one promise would be the breaking of the whole covenant ; as on our part the breach of one point maketh us guilty of the breach of the whole law . James ii. 10, ' Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.' Promises for pardon, and promises for sanctification, you must regard both, and put both in suit ; promises for this life, and of a better. Many live by their wits in the world, and yet pretend to live by faith for heaven. You must trust God for all things, your names and estates as well as for your souls ; only you must not be a stranger to the main promises, for herein lieth the life and heart of religion.
[5.] There are threatenings in the word of God, and these are part of the object of faith ; for God is faithful and true in his threats as well as his promises, and therefore equally to be believed in both. The threatenings should work with us as. if already accomplished. Josiah rent his clothes when he heard the words of the law : 2 Chron. xxxiv. 19, ' And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.' We are not like affected when the judgment is threatened, as when it is come upon us — ' But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word,' Isa. Ixvi. 2. So Noah prepared for a flood many years before it came : Heb. xi. 7, ' By faith Noah, moved with fear, prepared an ark, to the saving of his house.' Tell many of the wrath of God, and they look upon it as a vain scarecrow ; tell them of judgment to come, which is enough to make a heathen tremble. Acts xxiv. 25, but they are no more moved at it than with a dream or a vain fable. All is for want of faith ; but they that will not believe, shall feel.
158 THE LIFE OF FAITH.
Thus you see the whole word is the object of faith : faith in the histories, for our warning and caution; faith in the doctrines, to increase our reverence and admiration ; faith in the threatenings, for our humiliation ; faith in the precepts, for our subjection ; and faith in the promises, for our consolation. They all have their use : the histories to make us wary and cautious ; the* doctrines to enlighten us with a true sense of God's nature and will ; the precepts to direct us, and to try and regulate our obedience ; the j^romises to cheer and comfort us ; the threatenings to terrify us, to run anew to Christ, to bless God for our escape, and to add spurs to our duty. Tluis faith maketh use of the word of God, and all things contained therein.