The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb. 11, 1, formerly preached before His Majesty, and published by his command, with another added for the fuller application : the second is instructions for confirming believers in the Christian faith : the third is directions how to live by faith, or how to exercise it upon all occasions / by Richard Baxter.

CHAP. IV. Directions how to exercise Faith upon Gods Commandments, for Duty.

IT being presupposed that your Faith is settled about the truth of the Scriptures in general (by the means here be∣fore and elsewhere more at large described) you are next to learn how to exercise the Life of Faith about the Precepts of God in particular; and herein take these helps.

Direct. 1. Observe well how suitable Gods Commands are to reason, and humanity, and natural revelation it self; and so how Nature and Scripture do fully agree, in all the precepts for primitive holiness.

This is the cause why Divines have thought it so useful to read Heathen Moralists themselves, that in a Cicero, a Plutarch, a Seneca, an Antonius, an Epictetus, &c. they might see what testimony nature it self yieldeth, against all ungodliness and un∣righteousness of men. See Rom. 19, 20, &c. But of this I have been larger in my Reasons of the Christian Religion.

Direct. 2. Observe well how suitable all Gods Commandments are to your own good, and how necessary to your own feli∣city.

All that God commandeth you, is, 1. To be active, and use the faculties of your souls, in opposition to Idleness: 2. To use them rightly, and on the highest objects, and not to debase them by preferring vanity and sordid things, nor to pervert them by ill doing. And are not both these suitable to your natural perfection, and necessary to your good?

1. If there were one Law made, that men should lie or stand still all the day, with their eyes shut, and their ears stopped, and their mouths closed, and that they should not stir, nor see, nor hear, nor taste; and another Law that man should use

their eyes, and ears, and limbs, &c. which of these were more suitable to humanity, and more easie for a ••ound man to obey (though the first might best suit with the lame, and blind, and sick) and why should not the goodness of Gods Law be dis∣cerned, which requireth men to use the higher faculties, the Reason, and Elective, and Executive Powers, which God hath given them? If men should make a Law, that no one should use his Reason to get Learning, or for his Trade or business in the world, you would think that it were an institution of a Kingdom of Bedlams, or a herd of beasts: And should not you then be required to use your Reason faithfully and dili∣gently in greater things?

2. And if one Law were made, that every man that tra∣veleth shall stumble and wallow in the dirt, and wander up and down out of his way; and that every man that eateth and drinketh, should feed on dirt, and ditch-water, or poyson, &c. And another Law, that all men should keep their right way, and live soberly, and feed healthfully; which of these would fit a wise man best, and be easiest to obey? or if one Law were made, that all Scholars shall learn nothing but lies and errours; and another, that they shall learn nothing but truth and wisdom, which of them would be more easie and suitable to humanity? (Though the first might be more pleasing to some fools.) Why then should not the goodness of Gods Laws be confessed, who doth but forbid men learning the most pernicious errours, and wandering in the maze of folly, and wallowing in the dirt of sensuality, and feeding on the dung and poyson of sin? Is the love of a harlot, or of glut∣tony, drunkennenss▪ rioting, or gaming, more suitable to hu∣manity, than the Love of God, and Heaven, and Holiness, of Wis∣dom, Temperance, and doing good? To a Swine or a Bedlam it may be more suitable; but not to one that liveth like a man. What did God ever forbid you, that was not hurtful to you? And what did he ever command you, which was not for your benefit? either for your present delight, or for your future happiness; for the healing of your diseases, or the pre∣venting them?

And if Reason can discern the goodness of Gods Laws to us, Faith can acknowledge it with more advantage. For we can

see by Faith, the goodness of their Author, and the goodness of the reward and end, more fully than by reason only: And a Be∣liever hath found by sad experience, how bad and bitter the waies of sin are; and by sweet experience, how good and pleasant the waies of God are. He hath found that it is the way to peace, and hope, and joy, to deny his lusts, and obey his Maker and Redeemer: And it is the way to terrour and a troubled soul, and a broken heart, to sin and to gratifie his sen∣suality, Prov. 3.17. All her waies are pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. Psal. 119.165. Great peace have they which love thy Law, and nothing can offend them. Psal. 37 37. Mark the upright man, and behold the just, for the end of that man is peace. Rom. 14.17. Righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, are the Kingdom of God. Grace, Mercy and Peace are Gods entertainment of the faithful soul, Titus 1.4. 1 Tim. 1.2. & 2 Tim. 1.2. 1 Cor. 1.3, &c. But there is no peace to the wicked, saith my God, Isa. 57.21. & 48.22. For the way of peace they have not known. They have made them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 paths; whosoever goeth therein, shall not know peace, Isa. 54.8.

Direct. 3. Mark well how those Commands of God, which seem not necessary for your selves, are plainly necessary for the good of others, and for the publick welfare, which God must provide for as well as yours.

He is not your God only, but the God of all the world. And the welfare of many, especially of Kingdoms and Societies, is more to be regarded than the welfare (much more than the humouring or pleasing) of any one. You may think that if you had leave to be fornicators, and adulterers, to be riotous, and examples of evil, to be covetous, and to deceive, and steal, and lye, that it would do you no harm: But suppose it were so, yet a little wit may serve to shew you, how pernicious it would be to others, and to societies. And Faith can tell a true Believer, what is like to be the end: And that sin is a reproach to any people, Prov. 14.34.

You may think perhaps that if you were excused from ma∣ny duties of Charity and Justice, in Ministry, Magistracy, or a more private state, it would be no harm to your selves. But suppose it were so, must not others be regarded? If God should regard but one, why should it fall to your lot rather than

to anothers? And why should any others be bound to use Ju∣stice or Charity to you any more than you to them? There is no member of the body politick or ecclesiastick, which will not receive more good to it self, by the Laws of Communion, if truly practised, than it can do to others. For you are but one who are bound to be charitable and do good to others, and that but according to your own ability: But it may be hundreds or thousands who may be all bound to do good to you. You have the vital influences, and assistances of all the parts: you have the prayers of all the Christians in the world.

Suppose that the Laws were made to secure your selves of your estate and lives; but to leave the estates and lives of your children to the will of any one that hath a will to wrong them; would you be content with such kind of Laws as these? And why should not others good be secured, as well as your posterities? 1 Cor. 12.12, 14, 20, &c. Rom. 12.4 5 & 16.2. 1 Cor. 10.17, 33. Ephes. 4.3, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16.

Di••ect. 4. The chief work of Faith is to make the obedience of Gods Commands to be sweet and pleasant to us, by seeing still that intrinsecal goodness, and the extrinsecal motives, and the eter∣nal rewards, which may cause the soul to imbrace them with the dearest love.

They are much mistaken, who know no use for Faith but to comfort them, and save them from Hell; the great work of Faith is to bring up the soul to Obedience, Thankfulness and Love. Therefore i•• hath to do with the Precepts, as well as with the Promises; and with the Promises to sweeten the Pre∣cepts to us. Believers are not called to the obedience of slaves; nor to be acted only by the fear of pain; but to the obedience of redeemed ones and Sons; that Faith may cause them to obey in Love; and the essential act of Love is complacency: Therefore it is the work of Faith, to cause us to obey God with pleasure and delight. Forced motives endure not long: They are accompanied with unwillingness and weariness, which at last will sit down, when the fears do by distance, delay or dulness, abate. Love is our Nature; but Fear is only a ser∣vant to watch for us while we do the work of Love. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the Sons of God (and there∣fore

will obey as Sons.) For we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but we have received the Spirit of Adop∣tion▪ whereby we cry Abba Father, Rom. 8.14, 15. Christ suf∣f••red death to overcome the Devil that had the power of death, and to deliver us from the fears of it, which was the bondage of our lives, Heb. 2.14, 15. That we might serve God without f••ar, in holiness and righteousness, all the daies of our lives, Luke 1.74. There is no fear in love; but perfect love cast∣eth out fear, because fear hath torment, 1 John 4.18. The meaning is, not only that the Love of God casteth out the fear of men, and persecution; but also that it maketh the fear of tormenting punishment, to become unnecessary to drive us to obedience, so far as the Love of God and of obedience doth prevail: He that loveth more to feast, than to fare hardly, to be rich, than to be poor, (and so to be obedient and holy, than to be unholy) need not (so far) any fear of punishment to drive him to it. Even as the Love of the world, as adverse to the Love of God, is overcome by Faith, 1 John 2.15. and yet the Love of the world as Gods creature, and as representing him, and sanctified to his service, is but subordinate to the Love of the Father; so also Fear as adverse to Love, or as disjunct from it, is cast out by it: But as it subserveth it in watching against the enemies of Love, and is truly filial, it is a fruit of Faith, and the beginning of wisdom.

Employ Faith therefore day by day, in looking into the Love of God in Christ, and the Kingdom of Glory, the reward of obedience, and the beauties of holiness, and the merciful con∣ditions of filial obedience (when we have a pardon of our infirmities, and are accepted in Christ) that so we may feel that Christs yoak is easie, and his burden light, and his Command∣ments are not grievous, Mat. 11.28, 29. 1 John 5.3. And when Faith hath taught you to hunger and thirst after righte∣ousness, and to delight to do the will of God, Love which is the end of Faith will satisfie you, Mat. 5.6. Psal. 40.8.

Direct. 5. Take special notice how suitable a holy Law is to the nature of a most holy God; and how much he is honoured in that demonstration of his holiness; and how odious a thing it would be to wish, that the most holy one would have made for us an unholy Law.

Would you draw the picture of your friend like an Ape or a Monkey, or a Monster? Or would you have the King pictured like a fool? Or would you have his Laws written like the words of a Bedlam, or the Laws of Barbarians or Can∣nibals? How much more intollerable were it to wish, that an unholy or unrighteous Law, should be the product and impress of the most great, most wise and holy God? This thought should make every Believer exceedingly in love with the Holiness of Gods Commands, because they are the Ap∣pearance or Image of his Holiness, and necessary to his honour, as he is the Governour of the world, Rom. 7.6, 7, 12. When Paul confesseth that he could no more perfectly keep the Law without sin, than a fettered prisoner can walk at liberty (for that is the sense of the text) yet doth he give the Law this honour, that it is holy, just and good, and therefore he loveth it, and fain would perfectly obey it, if he could. See Psal. 19.7, 12. &c. 119.72. & 37.31. & 1.2. Isa. 5.24, &c.

Direct. 6. Remember that both Promises, and Threatnings, and Gods Mercies, and his Judgements, are appointed means to bring us to obey the Precepts; and therefore obedience, which is their end, is highly to be esteemed.

It seemeth a great difficulty whether the Precept be for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Promise, or the Promise for the Precept; which is the End, and which is the Means; whether obedience be a means to attain the reward, or the reward be a means to procure obedience: And the answer is as pleasant to our consideration, viz. that as the works of the Trinity of persons, and of Gods Power, and Wis∣dom, and Goodness ad extra are undivided; so are the effects of the one in Gods Laws, the effects also of the other; and they are harmoniously and inseparably conjunct: so that we must obey the Command, that we may attain the blessing of the Pro∣mise, and be assured of it: And we must believe the Promise, and the Reward, that we may be moved to obey the Precept: And when all is done, we find that all comes to one; and in the end, the duty and the reward will be the same, when duty cometh to perfection: And that the reward which is promised is our perfection in that Holiness, and Love, and Conformity to the Will of God, in which God doth take that complacency which is our ultimate end.

But if you look at the matter of obedience rather than the form, it sometime consisteth in troublesome things, as suffer∣ing persecution, &c. which is less desirable than the promised reward, which is but pleasing God, and obeying him, in a more desirable and grateful matter, even in perfect Love for ever: And therefore the more desirable must be considered to draw us to the less desirable; and that consideration of the re∣ward, (and not the possessing of it) is the means to our obedience, not for the sake of the ungrateful matter, but of the form and end, Mat. 5.10, 11, 12, & 6.1, 4. & 10.41, 42. 1 Cor. 9.17, 18. 1 Tim. 5.18. Heb. 11.6. & 10.35. & 11.26. Col. 3.24.

Direct. 7. Remember how much Christ himself hath conde∣scended, to be made a Means or Mediatour to procure our obedience to God.

And surely that must be an excellent end, which Christ himself became a means to! He came to save his people from their sins, Mat. 1.21. And to call sinners to repentance, Luke 5.32. Mat. 9.13. Is Christ the Minister of sin? God forbid, Gal. 2.17. For this end was he revealed, that he might destroy the works of the Devil, 1 John 3.8. And he died to redeem and purifie to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Titus 2.14. Christ came as much to kill sin, as to pardon it: Judge therefore of the worth of obedience by the nobleness and dignity of the means.

Direct. 8. Remember still that the same Law which governeth us, must judge us: Let Faith see the sure and close connexion between obedience and judgement.

If Faith do but speak aloud to a sluggish soul [Thou must be judged by the same word which commandeth thee to watch and pray, and to walk in holiness with God] it will much awaken the soul to duty: And if Faith do but say aloud to a tempted sinner [The Judge is at the door, and thou must hear of this again, and review sin when it will have another countenance] it will do much to kill the force of the tempta∣tion, Rom. 14.12. Phil. 4.17. Heb. 13.17. Mat. 12.36. 2 Pet. 3.11, 12.

Direct. 9. Be sure that your heart-subjection to God be fixed, that you may live under the sense of his Authority.

For as Gods Veracity is the formal object of all Faith; so

Gods Authority is the formal object of all obedience. And there∣fore the deep ••enewed apprehensions of his Majesty, his Wis∣dom, and absolute Authority, will make us perceive that all things and persons must give place to him, and he to none; and will be a constant spring within us, to move the will to a rea∣dy obedience in particular cases, Mal. 1.6. Matth. 23.8, 10. Jer. 5.22.

Direct. 10. Keep in memory some plain texts of Scripture for every particular duty, and against every particular sin; which I would willingly here write down, but that the book swelleth too big, and it is so plentifully done already in most Cate∣chisms, where they confirm all such commands with the texts of Scripture cited to that use: As you may see in the As∣semblies Catechism, with the proofs, and more briefly in Mr. Tobias Ellis his English School, where a text or more for every Article of Faith, and every duty, is recited for the use of children. Gods Word which is the object and Rule of Faith, should be before 〈◊〉〈◊〉 eye of Faith in this great work of causing our obedience.

Direct. 11. Vnderstand well the different nature and use of Scripture examples; how some of them have the nature of a di∣vine Revelation and a Law; and others are only motives to obe∣dience and others of them are evils to be avoided by us.

1. To Moses and the Apostles of Christ, a special Commission was granted, to one to settle the Tabernacle and its worship, and to the other, to settle the orders of the Gospel Church. Christ sent them to teach all things, whatsoever he commanded, Mat. 28.20. And he promised to be with them, and to send them the Spirit to lead them into all truth, and to bring all things to their remembrance. Accordingly they did obey this Commis∣sion, and settled the Gospel Churches according to the will of Christ; and this many years before any of the New Testa∣ment was written. Therefore these acts of theirs have the na∣ture and use of a divine Revelation and a Law. For if they were fallible in this, Christ must break the foresaid Pro∣mise.

2. But all the Acts of the Apostles which were either about indifferent things, or which were about forecommanded duties, and not in the execution of the foresaid Commission, for which

they had the promise of infallibility, have no such force or in∣terpretation. For 1. Their holy actions of obedience to for∣mer Laws, are not properly Laws to us, but motives to obey Gods Laws: And this is the common use of all other good examples of the Saints in Scripture: Their examples are to be tryed by the Law, and followed as secondary copies or motives, and not as the Law it self, 1 Cor. 11.1. Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Heb. 6.12. Be followers of them, who through faith and patience do inherit the promise. 1 Cor. 4.16. Phil. 3.17. 1 Thes. 1.6. & 2.16. & 3.7, 9. Heb. 13.7.

2. And the evil examples even of Apostles are to be avoided, as all other evil examples recorded in the Scriptures are; such as Peters denial of his Lord, and the Disciples all forsaking him, and Peters sinful separation and dissimulation, and Bar∣nabas's with him, Gal. ••. And the falling out of Paul and Bar∣nabas, &c.

3. And the history of indifferent actions, or those which were the performance but of a temporary duty, are instructing to us, but not examples which we must imitate. It is no di∣vine Faith which forgeth an object or rule to it self. What∣soever example we will prove to be obligatory to us to imi∣tate, we must either prove, 1. That it was an execution of Gods own commission, which had a promise of infallible guid∣ance: Or 2, That it was done according to some former Law of God, which is common to them and us. (As the first must be the revealing of some duty extended to this age, as well as that.)

Direct. 12. Faith must make great use of Scripture examples, both for motive and comfort, when we find their case to be the same with ours.

We cannot conclude that we must imitate them in extra∣ordinary circumstances; nor can we conclude that God will give every extraordinary mercy to us, which he gave to them (as that he will make all Kings as he did David, or all Apostles, or raise all as he did L••zarus now, &c.) nor that every Be∣liever shall have the same outward things, or shall have just the same degrees of grace, &c. But we may conclude that we shall have all Gods promises fulfilled to us, as they had to them; and shall have all that is suitable to our condition. As

David was pardoned upon repentance, so may others: I con∣fessed, and thou forgavest: For this shall every one that is godly pray to thee— Psal. 32.5, 6. Hath God pardoned a Ma∣nasseh, a Peter, a Paul, &c. upon repentance? so is he ready to do to us. Hath he helped the distressed? hath he heard and pittied, even the weak in faith? so we may hope he will do by us, Isa. 38.10, 11. Psal. 116.3. Acts 27.20. Jonah 2.4. We have the same God, the same Christ, the same Promise, if we have the same Faith, and pray with the same Spirit, Rom. 8.26. Heb. 4 15. Though we may not have just the same case, or the same manner of deliverance. Therefore it is a mercy that the Scripture is written historically: And there∣fore we should remember such particular examples as suit our own case.