Hence it is, that of almost all the actions that a Christian hath to do, faith is still said to be the worker.  If a man pray as he should, it is “the prayer of faith.”  If a man obey as he should, it is the obedience of faith.  If a man war in the Church militant, it is “the fight of faith.”  If a man live as a Christian and holy man, he “liveth by faith.”  Nay, shall I say yet more, if he died as he ought, “he dieth by faith.”  “These all died in faith.”  What is that?  The power of faith that directed and ordered them in the cause of their death, furnished them with grounds and principles of assurance of the love of God, made them carry themselves patiently in death.  I can say no more, but with the apostle, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith.”  Why doth not the apostle say, Examine whether faith be in you, but “whether ye be in the faith”?  His meaning is, that as a man is said to be in drink, or to be in love, or to be in passion, that is, under the command of drink, or love, or passion; so the whole man must be under the command of faith (as you shall see more afterward).  If he prays, faith must indite his prayer; if he obey, faith must work; if he live, it is faith that must quicken him; and if he die, it is faith that must order him in death.  And wheresoever faith is, it will do wonders in the soul of that man where it is; it can not be idle; it will have footsteps, it sets the whole man on work; it moveth feet, and hands, and eyes, and all parts of the body.  Mark how the apostle disputeth:  “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken, we also believe, and therefore speak.”  The faith of the apostle, which he had in his heart, set his tongue agoing.  If a man have faith within, it will break forth at his mouth.  This shall suffice for the proof of the point; I thought to have prest it further, but if I should, I see the time would prevent me.

The use, therefore, in a word, is this:  if this be so, then it falleth foul, and is a heavy bill of indictment against many that live in the bosom of the Church.  Go thy ways home, and read but this text, and consider seriously but this one thing in it:  That whosoever is the son of Abraham, hath faith, and whosoever hath faith is a walker, is a marker; by the footsteps of faith you may see where faith hath been.  Will not this, then, I say, fall marvelous heavy upon many souls that live in the bosom of the Church, who are confident, and put it out of all question, that they are true believers, and make no doubt but what they have faith?  But look to it, wheresoever faith is, it is fruitful.  If thou art fruitless, say what thou wilt, thou hast no faith at all.  Alas, these idle drones, these idle Christians, the Church is too full of them; Men are continually hearing, and yet remain fruitless and unprofitable; whereas if there were more faith in the world, we should have more work done in the world; faith would set feet, and hands, and eyes, and all on work.  Men go under the name of professors, but alas! they are but pictures; they stir not a whit; mark, where you found them in the beginning of the year, there you shall find them in the end of the year, as profane, as worldly, as loose in their conversations, as formal in duty as ever.  And is this faith?  Oh! faith would work other matters, and provoke a soul to other passages than these.