THE NECESSITY OF FAITH; OR, NOTHING MORE necessary FOR A Christian, than a true saving faith. Mat. 9.22. {αβγδ}: Fides tua seruavit te. Hoc vnum necessarium. Rom. 14.23. whatsoever is not of faith, is sin. Preached before the Prince his Highnesse at S. james, the five and twentieth of january, 1623. By ROBERT johnson, bachelor of divinity, and one of his Majesties Chaplains in ordinary. LONDON, Printed by H.L. for matthew Lownes, and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard, at the sign of the Bishops head. 1624. TO THE PRINCE HIS HIGHNESSE. TO testify, among others, my hearty thankfulness unto Almighty God for your Highnesse preservation, and safe return into this Land, may pled an excuse for my presumption in dedicating this Sermon to your Highnesse. For, though this whole Land haue made show of the joy of their hearts, and how their hearts within them danced for joy, for your Highnesse happy return, both by public movings to God, ringing of bells, Bonfires, and such like; yet( me thinks) the press might haue been more set a-work than it hath been, to press out some lines on this subject, of your Highnesse blessed& happy Return, and our thankfulness to God for the same. And first, for your Grace, who chiefly hath found this grace and favour of God, he ever give you grace to bless and praise him for the same. Gratitude is a rich and royal virtue, best beseeming the best Princes, who haue the best means to express their thankfulness to GOD, and the most cause to excite others to this duty by their example: which virtue cannot be wanting in your princely heart, the same being adorned with so many other rare princely virtues and transcendent qualities. Horace. Hîc ames dici Pater atque Princeps. For, thankfulness to God, is the prime and sum of all virtues and duties. But yet there is another motive which makes me bold to presume to offer this my poor mite into your Graces Treasury: for, the very Title of the Sermon pleads pardon and acceptance; namely, THE NECESSITY OF FAITH. For, as in this Chapter wee may read, that the Fathers did great and wondrous works by the secret power of faith; Heb. 11. as, By faith, Enoch was translated; By faith, Abraham received the promise; By faith, the Israelites passed thorough the read sea: So by faith, by your true trust and confidence in God, and by his onely grace& favour, your Grace hath been translated hither again into this great and glorious monarchy, this united and truly happy Ile. By faith, you haue received the promise,& tasted of the sweet mercy and goodness of God: and by your faith and confidence in God, you escaped also, and passed thorough the many and great dangers of the Sea. What is now your& our duty for this great mercy and favour of God, but to sing with david( that sweet Singer of Israel) Canticum novum, Canticum laudis,& Canticum gratiarum actionis; a new Song, a Song of praise, and a song of thanksgiving unto God? And since now, your Highnesse is the royal Plant of Gods right hand, and descended of the Race royal, from THE DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, to whom should this tract of faith bee more rightly entitled, than to the heir apparent to THE DEFENDER OF THE FAITH? Therefore as I was commanded to preach this Sermon before your Highnesse: and as it pleased your Highnesse, of your wonted gracious disposition, to vouchsafe a gracious ear at the preaching thereof, with approbation: so it might also now please your Highnesse to vouchsafe your gracious patronage hereunto. And let my devotion to your Highnesse, dispense with my presumption therein: for, I hold it my duty, to haue more regard of my own service, than of the censure of others. And so, heartily beseeching almighty God, that as he hath made you a conspicuous and eminent star, so you may long shine in wisdom and Religion to this and other Nations, to the glory of GOD, the comfort of this Church and commonweal, the consolation of your own soul, and to the joy of all our hearts; I will ever( according to my bound duty) humbly commend your Highnesse, in my prayers, to the true Protector of Princes. Your Highnesse most humbly devoted in all duty and service, ROBERT johnson. The Necessity of FAITH; OR, Nothing more necessary for a Christian, than a true saving faith. Heb. 11.6. But, without faith, it is unpossible to please God. THE words are a Thesis or Position, {αβγδ}. Gal. 3.7 showing how every Christian ought to serve and please GOD. And wee are all born to serve God; and so to serve him, as by our service wee may please him. Now, they who by their service desire to please GOD, this Text sheweth them the right way; Text. it must be by faith: for, sine fide impossibile est: without faith it is unpossible to please God. Ille apud Deum plus habebit loci, Aug. de verb. Dan. qui plus attulit, non argenti, said fidei, saith Saint Augustine: He shall haue most esteem with God, that brings, not most money, but most faith. For, in the gospel we read not, Aurum tuum saluum te fecit, said fides tua saluum te fecit; Not thy gold or goods, but thy faith hath saved thee: Idem vpon Luk. for, as the same Father hath in his Book de verbis Domini, Fides thesaurus praestantissunus. Nullae maiores divitiae, nulli thesauri, nulli honores, nulla huius mundi maior est substantia, quàm fides catholica: there are no greater riches, no greater treasures, no greater honors, there is no greater or better substance in the world, than a true catholic faith; the effects whereof there follow: Quae peccatores homines saluat, caecos illuminat, infirmos curat, martyres coronat,& in haereditate aeternâ cum sanctis angels collocat: Which saveth sinners, without which they could not bee saved; gives light to the blind, without which they sit still in darkness; cures the sick, without which they remain mortally sick both in soul and body; Intemerata fides. crownes the Martyrs, and placeth them in the everlasting inheritance in the heauens, to which place without faith they could never come. Therefore heer in this Chapter is a faithful Cloud of Witnesses, who all give testimony of the admirable and wonderful virtue and power of faith: by which, the Fathers in that Chapter, receive their lumen, lustre, and commendations from GOD and his blessed Spirit. Ante Iouem generata decus, diuûmque, Silius. hominúmque: Quâ sine, non tellus pacem, non aequora nôrunt; justitiae censors, tacitúmque in pectore numen. If the Heathen could say so much of their civil faith, as Seneca also hath, Epistle 89, Seneca ep. 89. Fides sanctissimum humani pectoris bonum est; Faith is the most sanctified jewel of the mind: how much more may it be said of a true, Christian, justifying and saving faith; Spes O fidelissima Teucrûm. without which, none can come into the favour of God! for, without faith, Text. it is unpossible to please God. It is remarkable, and worth our observing, which the Glosser vpon Damascene hath noted in his Epistle Dedicatory, vpon his Book de orthodoxa fide: where he saith, Nihil certius aut firmius animis nostris esse debere, Damascen. in Epist. dedic. quàm fidei catholicae documenta, regulas,& articulos: Nothing ought to inhere in our mindes more firmly and certainly, than the doctrine, rules and articles of a true catholic, Christian faith; without which, as the Text saith, it is unpossible to please GOD. For, as we cannot serve nor please GOD without faith; so neither can we bee saved without faith: for, as Athanasius teacheth us in his Creed, whosoever will bee saved, before all things, it is necessary, that he hold the catholic faith: which faith except he keep, undoubtedly he cannot be saved. So that as before ye heard, there is no favour of God to be looked for without faith: so also there is no salvation without the same. And the Apostle plainly confirmeth this doctrine: {αβγδ}. Eph. 2.8 By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. So that without faith we can neither attain salvation, nor the favour of GOD: for, it is his pleasure, that if we be saved, or sanctified, or justified, or come into his favour, it must be by faith. For, without faith, Text. Amb. de virg. it is unpossible to please God. O thesauris omnibus opulentior fides! O virtutibus omnibus corporeis, fides fortior! as Ambrose hath in his book de virginitate. The treasure of faith is beyond all the treasure of the world: and the strength of faith is stronger than all the world: For, this is the victory that overcomes the world, even your faith. There is then a fourfold state of mankind; The state of creation, 4 fold state. the state of propagation, the state of regeneration, and the state of glorification. The first is the state of creation, which our parents had of and from God himself in Paradise, when-as he made them in his own image, that is, not as the anthropomorphites haue thought& taught, secundum similitudinem humani corporis: for, Deus spiritus est, God is a spirit;& as he is a spirit vncreate, Imago Dei in creatione quid. so made man, that is, the spirit of man, the soul of man, in his Image: which the Apostle doth plainly expound to be iustitia& sanctitas, righteousness and holinesse. Put on the new man, which, after God, is created in righteousness and true holinesse. Eph. 4.24 In iustitia& sanctitate veritatis. This is the first state, the state of innocency, wherein man was first made at the time of his creation, by infusion of those created qualities of righteousness and holinesse into his soul, which were in God transcendently, and uncreated before all worlds. In which high and holy estate being placed, and left to his own will and counsel, he abusing the same, fell from it: and his Fall was great, because he built his projects vpon Satans subtleties, and his own sandy counsels. And now he is, as we say, a man clean changed, quantum mutatus ab illo, Virg. Encad. as if he had never been the man, or partaker of such high gifts and graces: for, now he is thrown down from all heavenly disposition of mind, and quiter changed both in body and soul. Status naturae. The second is the state of propagation, which wee haue by nature of our parents: and this is status corruptionis, the state of corruption, wherein now all the sons of Adam are born: Nisi renati estis, &c. joh. 3. out of which state unless we be delivered by a new birth, by regeneration and newness of life, we cannot enter into the kingdom of God. The third, then, is status gratiae, Status gratiae. the state of grace, by regeneration through faith; whereby we are born again, and made the sons of God by adoption and grace: into the which state unless we be brought, it is unpossible that we should either bee saved, or come into the favour of God. For, Text. without faith, it is unpossible to please God. For, there are but two ways for a man to be saved; either per justitiam Legis, Iustitia per fidem, non per legem. by the righteousness of the Law, or per justitiam fidei, by the righteousness of faith. By the first wee cannot: for, it is unpossible, because the Law is so strict, that it justifieth none but the perfect performers thereof. Ambros. Therefore qui fidem destruit,& Legem obijcit, iniustus est: nam justus ex fide, non ex Lege, vivet. Hab. 2. The disability of the Law to justify a man, the Apostle apparently shows, Rom. 8.3. Salus non ex lege. Rom. 8.3. That which was impossible to the Law, inasmuch as it was weak because of the flesh, God sent his Son in the similitude of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh. Where wee see the insufficiency of the Law to justify us: Salus per Christum solum. yet the Law is not to be blamed; but our corrupt nature, which hath made the same insufficient, that it cannot justify us as long as we are in the flesh. And the Law's weakness to justify us, is seen in two things. First, because it craves that which our corrupt nature cannot give, to wit, perfect obedience. Secondly, because it gives not that which we stand in need of, Lex non remittit peccata. namely, remission of sins: for, the Law justifieth none, but the perfect fulfillers thereof. It commands and requires obedience thereunto, and binds a curse vpon the transgressors of the same. Therefore there is no remission of sins to bee expected by the Law; but by faith, whereby wee are said to please God, and without which it is unpossible to please him. Text. This is Religionis nostrae basis& organon, the ground and foundation of our religion. This is that which purifieth our hearts. Acts 15.9 This is that which worketh by love, Gal. 5.6 and bringeth forth good works, to the glory of God, the consolation of our souls, and comfort of our brethren. This is that whereby wee are freely justified, Rom. 4.3 and without which there is no justification or remission to be expected. This is that whereby wee are at peace with God, and without which there is no peace to bee looked for, either with God or our own consciences. To be short, this is that whereby wee are saved, Fide salvi sumus Eph. 2.8 and without which there is no salvation to bee looked for: for, no salvation without pleasing God, and no pleasing God without faith: For, without faith, Text. it is unpossible to please God. The words are a Proposition, division. or a general Canon or Rule of divinity without exception, Text. that without faith it is unpossible to please God. Which Proposition consider we first diuisim: wherein we may observe how many kinds of faith there are, and how that a true faith is the most necessary virtue for a Christian, of all others, and the basis and foundation of all other virtues whatsoever. And then coniunctim, as the words are red; showing, that neither man, nor any thing that is in man, can bring him into God's favour, if faith be absent. For, Text. without faith, it is unpossible to please God. And thus much for the Analysis of the Text. I will now proceed plainly and briefly in the future handling thereof. Three kindes of faith. AS touching faith, I do find, that the divines do generally divide faith into these three kindes: 1 Into an historical or dead faith. 2 Into a miraculous or peculiar faith. 3 Into a true, justifying, and saving faith. Fìdes historica. The historical faith, so called, because he hath it by Story of Scripture, or dead faith, because it worketh not, is onely a bare acknowledging of the Word, Defin. Tantùm cognitio in intellectu. and an assent of the heart unto the truth thereof; but yet works not by love, either towards God, or his neighbour, to glorify the one, or do good unto the other. And this bare knowledge onely, without love, is unsufficient for a mans salvation: for, this kind of faith is common, not onely to the reprobates, but even to the divels themselves: Damones credunt,& contremiscunt. james 2.19 for so Saint james saith; Thou dost beleeue there is a God: thou dost well. The divels do beleeue, and tremble. The wicked men and divels themselves do credere illi, and illum esse, but not in illum. They do beleeue there is a God, a true God; but not with love to obey him, or to haue confidence in his mercy. For, this distinction hath Saint Augustine of faith, Aug. in his ser. de tempore, 181. in his Sermon de tempore: where he saith, Aliud est, credere illi: aliud est, credere illum esse: aliud est, credere in illum: It is one thing, to beleeue God, or that there is a God; and another thing, truly to beleeue in God, with love and obedience to his Commandements, which is the effect of a true faith. Credere illi, Idem. est credere, verum esse quod loquitur in scriptures: To beleeue God, is to beleeue, that he speaketh truth in Scriptures: and credere illum esse, is but credere esse Deum, to beleeue that God is: both which the divels themselves do aclowledge. But, Credere in illum, Credere sine charitate, inanis fides est. est credere in illum cum dilectione, quia sine dilectione inanis fides est: To beleeue in God, is to beleeue in him with love, because, without love to him, faith is vain towards him. Aug. de verb. Dom. secundum Lucam, ser. 61 To this purpose alludeth Augustine in his book de verbis Domini vpon Luke: where he saith, Multùm interest, vtrùm quis credat ipsum esse Christum,& vtrùm quis credat in Christum. Ipsum esse Christum, daemons crediderunt; daemons credunt Christo,& Christum esse. nec tamen in Christum daemons crediderunt: There is a great difference between him that doth but aclowledge Christ, and between him that doth truly beleeue in Christ: for, the divels did aclowledge Christ in the gospel ( We know who thou art, Iesu, thou son of the living God: art thou come hither to torment us before the time?), but yet they did not, they could not beleeue in Christ with love, Poram inimicitiam inter, &c. Gen. 3. because there is an enmity put between the seed of the woman, and the serpent: though he bruise his heel, he shall break the serpents head, that old leviathan, in pieces, and shal and hath spoiled his principalities and powers, and made show thereof openly, by triumphing over them in his cross. Solùm scire, non prodest. Aug. ibid. So that onely to know Christ, and not to beleeue in Christ, is a dead faith. Ille enim verè credit in Christum, qui& sperat in Christum,& diligit ipsum: He truly believeth in Christ, which hopeth in his mercy, and sheweth his love towards him, by works to glorify him; neither of which the divels can perform. And this was one of Origens errors; Aug. de ciu. Dei. l. 21. c. 17. which, Augustine, in his Book De civitate Dei, hath noted: Diabolum ipsum atque Angelos eius, post grauiora pro meritis supplicia, ex cruciatibus eruendos, atque sociandos sanctis angels credidit; that there should bee a restauration of the damned spirits, after a long time of punishment, into their pristine state. Which error is most apparent by the words of our saviour, Depart from me, Discedite à me, maledicti. Mat. 25.41. ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the divell and his angels. By which words we see, that there is no limitation or determination of the divels punishment, but the same to bee without any limit, bound or end at all. And therefore to return this faith onely, Credere illi, and illum esse, to beleeue onely that there is a God, is an unfruitful faith, a temporary faith, which endures for a time, a dissembling faith, a dead faith, and( to use the words of Saint Augustine) Daemonum fides, non Christianorum, the faith of divels, and not of Christians. And this kind of faith, Posi. 1. Fides ficta, vana, falsa, hypocrita. a dead faith, is vain and unprofitable for a mans salvation: which, S. james proves by express words in this Chap. Verse 17. What auails it, my Brethren, though a man say he hath faith? can faith save him? that is, Fides sine operibus mortua est. james 2.17 can a dead faith save a man? For, how can that which is dead in itself, give life to another? But a dead faith is dead in itself, ibid. verse 17: Therefore it can never give life to another, nor any way profit him that hath it. So that as Saint james saith in the last verse of this chapter, As the body, without the spirits, and life, and motion, is dead: even so faith without works is dead also. In which regard, it behoveth all men to try and examine their faith, whether it bee a good faith, or a bad, a lively or dead faith. To which purpose, I exhort you with the Apostle, Examinatio fidei. Try yourselves, Brethren: examine yourselves: know you not, that Iesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? So say I concerning your faith, Examine your faith Brethren, whether it bee a lively or a dead faith you haue. Fides mortua non saluum facit. james 2.17 know you not, that a dead faith cannot save a man? It behoveth then every Christian to examine the state of his salvation, by his faith, and to stand fast in that liberty wherein Christ hath made us free. If our temporal states were questioned, we would soon repair to counsel, for the repairing and amending thereof: should we not much rather take care to look into the state of our salvation, to know how we stand by faith? For, as without faith it is unpossible to please God: so every faith will not please him, nor bring a man into the favour of God: for, Fides mortua inanis est. a dead faith is vain and unprofitable for a mans salvation. What faith is it then that brings a man into the favour of God? A miraculous faith. Can a miraculous faith do it? which is a confidence of the mind, Defin. Fides miraculosa wrought by the holy Ghost in the hearts and mindes of some of God's selected people, whereby they were persuaded, that God would use them as instruments for the performance of some miracle, as might bee for the glory of God, and confirmation of the truth of the gospel of Christ Iesus. So by the hands of the Apostles, were many signs and miracles wrought. Acts 3. Peter& John healed the Cripple by this miraculous faith. Fides auro praestantior. Aurum& argentum non habeo: silver and gold haue I none; but such as I haue, I give unto thee: In the Name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. By this faith also, 3 Kings. Elias restored the Shunamites child to life: but this kind of faith is a peculiar faith to some of the Prophets and Apostles, and was for the confirmation of their office, and truth of their doctrine; and hath ceased long since, being not now in use: for, wee must not look to be saved by doing miracles, but by a true, Christian, justifying faith, which worketh by love: for, though wee had faith, that we could remove mountains out of their places, Fides sine charitate inanis est. 1 Cor. 13. and had not charity, it profiteth nothing. We must look after such a faith that works by love, to bring forth fruits of obedience and newness of life, not for or after a miraculous faith, as the Prophets and Apostles had, and which ceased with them. And therefore most absurd and abominable is the practise of the Romish impostors, The Iesuites would make good their religion by miracles. the Iesuites I mean, who when they perceive their Popish Religion questioned, which is against Scriptures, councils, and Fathers, they go about to delude them by feigned stories and lying miracles, and to confirm the truth of their doctrine by them which are no other miracles but the wil●ss of Antichrist, {αβγδ}. 2 Thes. 2.9 whose coming is by the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders. Of which kind of men I may say, as sometimes Tacitus did of the Roman augurs, Tacitus. Dira furiarum c●… ors. Hoc genus hominum semper vetabitur, semper tamen in civitate retinebitur: This kind of men are always forbidden our city, and yet stil swarm in the streets thereof, In rabiem mens acta est. as may both bee daily seen,& may appear by the proselytes which they daily make, like themselves, the children of Satan. But, They can do no miracles, except it had been by Gun-powder. leaving these to themselves and their miracles( from both which God bless this Land), let us proceed to the third kind of faith, which is now to bee considered, namely, a true, lively, justifying, and saving faith. In which ye may first consider the definitum; and then, the definition. Definitum. Fides, saith one, is a word of two syllables; Prima à facto, secunda à dicto. Fides, Fides, quasi fac quod dicis. quasi fac quod dicis. Faith is a word of two syllables, implying both confession and action, and also a confidence; as, Fides, Fides, quasi fido quod est. quasi fido quod est, believing confidently that which shall come to pass hereafter. Hence the Greeks call it {αβγδ}, à {αβγδ}, persuadere; Quintilian. vocat fidem persuasionem to be persuaded confidently of those things to come to pass hereafter, which God hath promised. Hence the Apostle doth define it from it's effects and qualities, to be {αβγδ}, Heb. 11.1 Fides est substantia rerum sperandarum. the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Sometimes this word {αβγδ} is taken for one of the three Persons in the Trinity: and so the councils haue decreed, unam in Trinitate esse {αβγδ}, How this word {αβγδ} is taken. & trees {αβγδ}; one essence or divine nature, and three Persons. So, Deus est vnus& trinus. Unitas ad {αβγδ} refertur; Trinitas, ad {αβγδ}. So Deus est Iehoua Elohim, vna essentia trium personarum: GOD is one essence in three persons. The unity hath reference to the essence; the Trinity, to the persons. But heer the word {αβγδ} is taken for a substance of things hoped for, that is, for a personal& individual or instrumental substance; so that faith is {αβγδ}, a substance, id est, substantia instrumentalis: jun. in sacrorum parallelorum libro on these words. for, as Iunius hath well noted on these words, Nemo potest Deo placere, quin hoc instrumento animum instructum habeat, eóque res speratas prehendat: No man can please God, unless his mind bee instructed by faith, the instrumental means whereby we expect things hoped for to come to pass, as if we had them in possession. Aquin. on these words. Heb. 11.1 Aquinas therefore, on these words Fides est substantia, hath this distinction: Substantia consideratur, vel causaliter, vel praesentaliter, vel essentialiter: This substance of faith is to be considered either causally, or presentally, or essentially. First, causaliter, id est, faciens in nobis substare res sperandas, making those things that are hoped for, to subsist in us by faith. Secondly, praesentaliter, per suam proprietatem, giuing a man a kind of possession of those things we hope for, as if we had them really in possession already: for, The rare and secret property of faith. faith so representeth life everlasting to the eye of the soul, by it's secret, divine quality and property, as if he saw it with his corporal eyes. So did Abraham see the day of Christ: he saw it, and reioyced. Thirdly, essentialiter: jun. idem in parallelorum libro. faith is a substance essentially, id est, essentia rerum sperandarum, the essence or being( in part) or things that are hoped for. Essentia enim beatitudinis nihil aliud est, quàm visio Dei, John 17. The essence of beatitude is nothing else than the sight of God. When-as now wee see him as in glass, Cor. 13 by faith, afar off, we shall behold him hereafter in his glory, not with other; but with the same eyes. Haec est vita aeterna, John 17 vt cognoscant te esse verum Deum,& quem misisti, jesum Christum: This is life everlasting, to know thee the true God, and him whom thou hast sent, Iesus Christ. Aquin. paral. idem. Qui ergo habent principia huius scientiae et cognitionis, habent etiam substantiam eius: They that haue the beginnings and principles of this knowledge, haue also( in part) the substance thereof. Aquin. on Heb. 11.1 Therefore heer wee must learn by faith to draw near to God, and he will draw near to us, Iam. 4. But none can approach to God, but by faith, quia fides est lumen intellectus nostri, because faith is the light of our understanding, whereby wee behold God by faith. Damas. orthod. fid. l. 4. Therefore Damascene, in his fourth Book orthodoxae fidei, vpon these words, Fides est substantia, hath well noted, Indubitabilis spes, tam eorum quae à Deo nobis promissa sunt, quàm assecutionis nostrarum petitionum: Faith is a most undoubted and vniudged-of hope, both of those things which God hath promised unto us, as also of the obtaining of our requests wee make unto God by faith. So then, Fides non solùm est invisibilis, Aug. de verb. Dom. said etiam inuisibilium: Faith is the intellectual and invisible substance of invisible things; and so visible by faith, Aug. retract. as if we saw them with our corporal eyes. Nam inuisibilia intellecta, quae fide conspiciuntur, multò certiora sunt, quàm ea quae corporis sensus cernunt: Those invisible and intellectual things are as certain, as those that we behold now with our eyes. And therefore doth the Apostle in the ensuing words call faith, The evidence of things not seen. Heb. 11.1 Faith is the evidence of things not seen The school of God and nature are of two contrary qualities. In nature's school, wee first see, and then beleeue: Thomas, John thou believest, because thou hast seen: but blessed are they that see not, and yet beleeue. In Christ's school, wee first beleeue, and then see; or by believing we see intellectually, John 8. which afterward we shall behold really. Heb. 11.13 Faith sees afar off. So Abraham by faith saw the day of Christ: and the Fathers saw things afar off, and believed them, and received them thankfully, and confessed, that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. We see then heer the secret and rare property and quality of faith, to bee the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. And this word, evidence, is most proper also to illustrate the power of faith. For, Simile. If a mans state be questioned, he must show evidence. as he that layeth claim to a house or piece of land, if the state or title thereof be questioned, must show his evidence, by what tenor or right he holds the same: so he that will lay claim to heaven and his heavenly inheritance, Faith and the Earnest of the Spirit is our evidence for salvation. hath no other evidence to show for it, but this evidence of faith, and the Earnest of the Spirit of God, which begetteth this confidence in the hart and soul of man, whereby he may assure himself of the favour of God, and bring himself into the favour of God by faith. Text. For, without faith, it is unpossible to please God. Now therefore having shewed the properties of faith, let us grow up in this grace, and learn from the words of the Text, this position also, Posi. No man can please God without faith, with any thing that is in him. That no man, nor any thing that is in man, can bring him into the favour of God, if faith be absent. For proof hereof, let us look into man, into the whole man, into his soul and body. As it was said of jerusalem, Look thorough jerusalem: look thorough the streets thereof: see if there be any that fears God: Look thorough mans soul and body. so look thorough man: look into his soul, and the streams and faculties thereof: see if there bee any thing there worth the beholding: The natural man discerneth naturally. look into his understanding and reason, his will and affection, and you shall see the miserable estate& condition of man. For, is not mans understanding, in the Fall of Adam, 1 cor. 2.14 {αβγδ}. so darkened, that The natural man perceiveth not the things that bee of God? for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned, as the Apostle plainly sheweth in the first to the Corinths, A reason hereof the second Chapter, and the fourteenth Verse. For, the whole man, in Adam's Fall, was thrown down from all heavenly disposition of mind: and so he remaines, Eph. 2.8 until he bee illuminated by grace through faith. For, by nature, is not the will of man flat against the will and righteousness of God? Can man, by nature, either understand, will or desire any thing that is holy or good, The old Philosophers, by all their wisdom, could not please God. unless it bee by the illumination of grace? Ask the Philosophers in Saint Pauls time, if they could, by all their understanding and natural knowledge, bring themselves into the favour of God; and they will all return a verdict vpon this case heer handled in my Text, that, Without faith, Text. 1 cor. 3.19 Comprehendam sapientes in astutia eorum. it is unpossible to please God. For, it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and cast away the understanding of the prudent. {αβγδ} {αβγδ}? Where is the Scribe? 1 Cor. 1.20 Where is the wise? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made the wisdom of this world, foolishness? Is there any thing in the mind of man, whereby he can please God? Can a man's wit please God? The wit of man, without faith, can do nothing. Wit is an excellent jewel of nature, if it be well used: but if it be abused, as the Israelites abused their jewels by making of them a melted Calf, then it becomes odious and abominable. Ask Ahitophel, if his active head and crafty wit could bring himself into the favour of God, and he will return an Answer, that without faith it is unpossible to please God. Text. No feature of nature, or riches, can bring a man into Gods favour. Can a man's or woman's beauty or feature bring them into the favour of God? Ask Absalon, if his golden locks; or jezabel, if her painted face; or Nabal, with his flocks of sheep; or the rich Glutton, with his delicate diet and rich array; if these, or any of these could bring them into the favour of God; and they will all give this verdict, for the truth of my Text, that without faith it is unpossible to please God. Text. By what then shall a man seek to please God? There are many gifts and graces in man, Nothing but faith, or that which springs from faith, can please God. whereby Almighty God is said to be well pleased with him; as, with charity, good works, humility, patience, and such like: but even all these also spring from faith. For, whatsoever is without faith, is sin. Rom. 14 For, faith is the root of all virtues that are in a man: they are all said to spring from faith. All our charity springs from faith. Quantùm credimus, tantùm diligimus: Greg. hom. 22 on Ezek. look how much faith wee haue, so much love and charity wee haue. No faith, no love: for, as Augustine saith, ubi fides non est, Aug. cont. Dona. non potest esse charitas: Where there is no faith, there can bee no love nor charity at all in a man. Hence it is, that the Apostle exhorts, vt fides vestra fundata sit in charitate, that your faith be rooted in love, that ye may be thereby able to comprehend, with all Saints, what is the breadth and depth of the wisdom and love of God: for, without these, faith and love, we can do nothing, and we ourselves are nothing. All our iustice springs from faith. tully, the Heathen orator, Cicero. could say& call fidem, fundamentum justitiae; faith, the foundation and ground of iustice. And Ambrose saith, Ambr. de vocatione Gentium. fidem genetricem esse bonae voluntatis& justae actionis, faith to be the cause and means of all good affections& actions. Yea, all our good works spring from faith. As the branches and fruit of a three spring all from the root: S●… e. so all our works spring from faith, which is the root of them all. Therefore Chrysostome saith, Chrys ser. de fide& Spir s●n●io. veram fidem plenam esse bonis operibus, that a true faith is ever full of good works,& always ready to show itself, either in intention or action. Therfore are works necessary to salvation; tho not simpliciter, yet secundum quid. They are necessary, ●… emni. in exam. de operibus. as one hath well noted, triplici respectu; ratione mandati, ratione nostri, ratione proximi: works are necessary in a threefold respect; in respect of God's Commandement, in respect of our own souls and consciences, in respect of our neighbours wants. 1 In respect of Gods commandement, good works are requisite and necessary to salvation: for, what more necessary, than God's Commandement? For, GOD hath commanded us to bring forth fruits worthy of amendment of life: and every three that brings not forth good fruit, Mat. 3. is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Therefore saith our saviour, By their fruits ye shall know them: by their works ye shall discern their faith. For we are his workmanship, saith the Apostle, created, Eph. 2. in Christ Iesus, unto good works, which God hath ordained, that we should walk in them. So that good works are God's Ordinance& Commandement; than which, nothing is more necessary. Therefore works are necessary to salvation, in respect of the Commandement. 2 They are necessary in respect of ourselves, vt testentur de fide nostra, Works, necessary for ourselves. as they bear witness to ourselves, that our faith is good, because we see an inclination and desire in ourselves to good works: for, how can we satisfy ourselves, that our faith is good, when our works be vile& nought? Therfore no good works, no good faith; no good fruits, no good three. 3 Works are necessary in respect of our neighbours wants, to feed the hungry, matthew 25 The works of mercy. to cloth the naked, to visit the sick, to comfort the afflicted, and to do to others that are in distress and misery, as we would ourselves be done unto, if we were in such case. In all which three respects, are works necessary to salvation. Christians are the trees of the Lords garden. And therefore we that are the trees of the Lord's orchard, and of his own planting, must answer his expectation to be fruitful. He plants no Sicamor-tree, no unfruitful three in his garden, but such as bear fruit: therefore, if we bee fruitless, he will cut us down, that we cumber not the ground. Wee, that are the choicest vines of the Lord God of hostes, must bring forth grapes as may be pleasant to his taste; not the sour grapes of our corrupt nature, Esay 1. but good and pleasant grapes, to the glory of him that planted us, and to the comfort of ourselves and our brethren. Exhortation. Therefore now let us show our faith by our works, by our charity to God and man. To this purpose the Apostle Saint james exhorts, james 2. show me thy faith by thy works. show me the three by his fruits. show me the fire by his heat. Similitude. show me the man by his moving. If the three bear no fruit, it is either dead or nought. If the fire give no heat, it is out, or near thereunto. If the body move not, it is lame, sick, or near to death: so if a Christian bee not fruitful in good works, he is in the sight of God as a dead three. If he give not warmth and heat of his charity to others, he is as a painted fire, which warms not a man. If he move not in all charitable affections and actions towards his neighbour, he is as a paralytic man, or taken with some spiritual apoplexy or deadly disease in his soul. matthew 7 Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them, was our Sauior's Rule. And it is an infallible Rule, Where there are no good fruits, there is no good three: where there are no good works, A saving faith is fruitful. there is no good faith. We say with Saint Paul, Faith justifieth without works: sola fides justificat, onely faith doth justify a man: but it is a true, lively, justifying and saving faith, which doth accompany good works; A dead faith is vain and unprofitable. not a dead faith, which is vain, idle, and unprofitable for a man's salvation: for, such a faith cannot save or help a man at all. james 2.14. Can faith save a man, saith S. james? that is, can a dead faith save a man? No surely: for, that which is dead in itself, how can it give life to another? But the Apostle saith plainly, that faith without works is dead in itself. james 2.17 So that as formerly wee haue learned, Without faith it is unpossible to please God: so now wee learn, Without such a faith as hath works, it is unpossible to please God. Let us then show our faith by our works: let us, like good trees, bring forth good fruit to the glory of God, comfort of ourselves and brethren. Lucius, Lucius dialog. in his Dialogues, reports of the heathen gods, that they choose every one of them a three according to his liking; jupiter, the Oak for his strength; Neptune, the Cedar for his tallness; Venus, the poplar for whiteness. But our God, the God of gods, and Lord of lords, hath chosen us unto himself, Ephes. 2 a people zealous of all good works. We are his workmanship in Christ Iesus, created unto to good works, saith the Apostle; {αβγδ}, recreated unto good works: for, so doth the word in the original imply. We are Gods workmanship in Adam and in Christ. Wee are his workmanship in Adam and in Christ; in Adam, vt simus; in Christo, vt justi& sancti simus: in Adam, to bee men; but in the second Adam, Christ Iesus, to bee just men, good men, righteous men, sanctified men, holy men, holy ones of God, to do his will, to bring forth fruits, to seek his glory. Lux vestra ergo sic luceat: matthew 5 Therefore let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. God, in the creation, did separate light from darkness: wee may not, in the state of regeneration, join the works of darkness( as, envying, strife, and disobedience) with the light of faith. Christ saith to his, as the Lord of the Vineyard said to his seruants, Quìd statis otiosi? Why stand ye idle? why seek ye not to please God by faith, and by such a faith as hath works? In the creation, Genesis 1. every three brought forth fruit after it's kind. Faith is the three: good works are the fruit. As then, if it bee a good three, it will bring forth good fruit: so if it be a good faith that we haue, it will bring forth good fruit, good works to the glory of God, and comfort one of another. And thus haue I shewed you the way to serve and please God, that it must bee by faith, and by such a faith as must bring forth good works. For, without faith, that is, Text. a justifying faith, which doth accompany good works, it is unpossible to please God. That therefore wee may all become the seruants of God, not in outward profession onely, but in Christian conversation, let us labour daily for the increase of our faith. Let us say to Christ, as the disciples did, O Lord increase our faith. If they had need then to pray for the increase of faith, surely we now in these daies haue much more need to say, to pray, and to cry to God, O Lord increase our faith. And let us, finally, if we desire to please God by faith, and without which it is unpossible to please him, show also our faith by our works, to the glory of his holy Name, and furtherance of our salvation in Iesus Christ; that, when he cometh, he may say unto us, Euge, Mat. 25.21 bone serve: Well done, faithful seruant: enter thou into thy Master's joy. To which unspeakable ioy, where is all true ioy, and pleasure on his right hand for evermore, he bring us all, for his Son's sake, Christ Iesus, our Lord and onely saviour: To whom, with the Father and the holy Spirit, &c. FINIS.