Galatians 2:20-21 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me… In the words we may consider divers things. 1. That there is another manner of life than the ordinary life of nature. 2. That it is a better and more excellent life than that he formerly lived; as if he had said, Now, since I have seen the misery of my former natural estate, and the excellency of a spiritual life by faith in the Son of God, I esteem my former life to have been wretched, not worthy of the name of life, compared with that which I live now, as being founded in a better root than the "first Adam;" 3. The spring of this life is the Son of God. God is life naturally, and we have life no otherwise than from Him who quickeneth all things. 4. The conveyance of this spiritual life is by faith. Water springs not without a conduit to marry and spread it. The sun warms not without beams, and the liver conveys not blood without veins. So faith is that vessel which conveys this spiritual life, that conduit wherein all spiritual graces run, for the framing and working of spiritual life, conveying all, to pitch upon those excellencies of the Son of God. 5. The object and root of this spiritual life is, faith in the Son of God, loving Him, and giving himself for Him. So there is a life besides the natural life, and the root of it is Christ, who is our life. Life is the best thing in the world, most esteemed of us; as the devil said concerning Job (Job 2:4). Life is the foundation of all comforts; life is the vigour proceeding from soul and body. So the spiritual life is nothing else but that excellent vigour, and strong connected strength of the soul ann body renewed, grounded on supernatural reasons, which makes it follow the directions of the Word, over-master the flesh, and so by degrees be transformed into the image of Christ, consisting in holiness-and righteousness. The first point then is, that there is a better life than a natural life, because there is somewhat in a man which aspires and looks to a better estate. That there must be a better life, which is this spiritual life; for this life which we live in the flesh is a thing of nothing. Our little life we live here, wherefore is it? To live a while, to eat and drink and enjoy our pleasures, and then fall down and die like a beast? Oh no, but to make a beginning for a better life. If this life be such a blessing, what is then that most excellent spiritual life we speak of? It holds out beyond all. By this spiritual life, when one is most sick, you shall see him most lively and spiritual. When sense, and spirit, and sight, and all fail, yet by reasons drawn from spiritual life he comforts himself in Christ, the glory to come, and what He hath done for him. When the body is weakest, the spirit is strongest. A Christian furnished with this spiritual life can see Christ and glory, beyond all the things of this life; he can look backwards, make use of all things past, see the vanity of things so admired of others; he can taste things nature doth not relish; he hath strength of reasons beyond all the apprehensions of reason; he is a man of a strong working. Therefore, unless we will be dead creatures, labour we must for a spiritual life, for there is another death which follows the first death. We consider not here of life so high, though this life must be derived from Him principally. It is so naturally. The Son is the fountain of life, because He is God, who is radically, fundamentally, and essentially life. But why is faith the grace to convey life to us? (1) Because we are saved now out of ourselves by another. Therefore that grace which brings us to this great good must lead us out of ourselves. (2) Because faith gives all the glory to the party on whom it relies on and trusts, as Romans 3:26. Paul shows why works were excluded. Faith acknowledgeth nothing to be at home; therefore it goes to another to fetch it, which else it would not do. (3) Because we must be brought back again to God by a contrary way than that we were lost by; for the same way we could never have recovered. So we fell by infidelity, and must return again by faith in the righteousness of another. By this time we are come to the main thing intended, HOW WE LIVE BY THE FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD. 1. We live the life of faith in our effectual calling. The Spirit works it, the Spirit is God's hand. This makes, that our eyes are bent upwards to see a better life, to see a calling, to live holily and righteously in all things, to see what a rich means is provided to reconcile God and man, to satisfy justice, and so to draw us in a new way and course of life, to rely on God, and look unto Him in all our actions. Then the grace of union is given. God's Spirit works our hearts by this faith, to have first union, and then communion with God. 2. We live the life of faith in justification. This is a life of sentence that the soul lives by, peace being spoken unto it by the pardon of sin; for God by His Spirit doth report so much to the soul, giving us assurance that Christ our Surety and Peace-maker is raised up again. This is it to live by faith; every day to sue out our pardon; to look unto our Advocate and Surety, who hath paid our debts, and cancelled that obligation against us, contrary to us, as the apostle speaks, daily to wash in that ever-running fountain. Now let us see how it may be known that we live the life of faith in justification. Trial 1. By trying how it comes in the soul; as Romans 7:4. Trial 2. Where this life of faith is, there is a wonderful high valuing and prizing of Christ, His righteousness, merits, obedience, and wisdom of God in that way of forgiveness of our sins by this God-man, the wonderful mediator; as Philippians 3:8. Trial 3. When we have a zeal against all contrary doctrine, as St. Paul shows to the Galatians, who would have joined works to faith: "Christ is become of none effect unto you: whosoever of you are justified by the law, you are fallen from grace" (Galatians 5:4). Trial 4. There is peace and joy settled in the heart; as Romans 5:1, 2. 3. Hence springs a vigorous life. A life of cheerfulness; when a man hath his pardon sued out, then comes life and joy, strength of holy actions well rooted and grounded. Who should joy, if a triumphant righteous person should not? 4. The life of faith in sanctification. Now being brought by faith to live in justification, we must of necessity also live by faith in sanctification. There be two parts of a holy life: (1) In mortification, dying to sin; (2) In vivification, living to righteousness. Yet further, let us see some trials to discern whether we live this life of faith in sanctification. Trial 1. If it be thus with us, there will be a putting of ourselves upon Christ's government in all duties. Faith will do all that Christ commands, depending upon Him for strength; and who so depends upon Christ for strength in one duty, will depend upon Him for strength in another. There is a harmony betwixt the soul of a Christian and the command of obedience. He hearkens to the precepts of duty, as well as to the promises of forgiveness of sins. Where this universal obedience is not, here is not the life of faith in sanctification; for faith here takes not exception at one duty more than another, but looks for all the strength of performance from Christ, who for this cause is stored with all fulness, that it may drop down upon all His members. Trial 2. Again, there will be a wonderful care not to grieve the Spirit, in such a one. Trial 3. There will be courage to set upon any duty, to encounter and resist any sin; upon this ground, as he should say, have not I a storehouse of strength to go to? Is not He full of grace and goodness? Trial 4. Again, in this case, all is lively in a man. As we see a lively fountain, the water whereof will sparkle and leap, so there will be living joys, speeches, delights, exhortations, sensible of good and evil. Let the use of all be this, Upon this discovery remember to go to Christ for succour, and labour to live plentifully and abundantly in Him this life of faith. Two things are opposite to this life of faith. (1) Despair. (2) Presumption; for this know, that in his own strength shall no man be strong. (R. Sibbes.) Parallel Verses KJV: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. |
    |