A Treatise of Faith, Part 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Of the Speciall obiect of Iuſtifying. Faith.
§. 1. FAith ſeeketh not life and ſaluation in the threatnings,§. 1. The Speciall obiect of Iuſtifying faith. prohibitions or commaundements, though it worke by louelove, and earneſtly contend againſt corruption: but acknowledging its imperfection in working,2. Cor. 5.19. Rom. 15.25.26. Rom. 10.8 and 1 17. and renouncing all confidence in workes or in our ſelues, it reſteth vponupon the promiſes of merciemercy in Ieſus Chriſt, or word of reconciliation, which is called the word of faith. The more firme and liuely our faith is, the more ſincerely it worketh the better wee diſcerne and vnfainedly acknowledge our imperfections, and diſclaime all affyance in our owne righteouſneſſe and the more faithfully we renounce all confidence in our workes, the more earneſtly wee ſeeke for ſaluation only by Chriſt. Faith reſteth vponupon Chriſt as Mediatour or as God and Man obeying to the curſed of of the croſſe, that from the grace o God we… might obtaine pardon of ſinne, and be accepted as righteous vntounto life. For this wee are alway s …o hauehave in Minde, that Chriſt is the obiect of fai h not abſtractly and nakedly conſidered, but Chriſt with his benefits, Chriſt lifted vp as the braſon ſerpent, Chriſt ſet forth as a propitiatorie ſacrifice for our ſinnes, Chriſt as our redeemer from ſinne and death, Chriſt as he is ſet forth to the belieuer: and thus to receiue Chriſt and belieue on him, is to belieue and receiue in him ranſome from ſinne and death.Mark. 1.15. Act. 20.24. Luk. 24.47. 1. Pet. 1.21. 2. Cor 5.19.20. Pſal. 32 5. and 51.1.2. and 103.3. Dan. 9 17. Hoſ. 14.3. and 2.19.20. Luk. 1.71. and 18.19. Act. 15.11. Chriſt and his Apoſtles teſtifie that this is ſpecially to bee pre…hed, viz remiſſion of ſinnes in and through Ieſus Chriſt: This the faith of all the Sain…s, [through it hauehave reſpected eueryevery part of the word] hath in ſpeciall manner reſpected, craued, embraced. But that which is ſpecially to be preached and belieued, that which the faith of all the Saints hath alwayes in ſpeciall manner reſpected, deſired, craued, and obtained, that is the ſpeciall obiect of Iuſtifying faith. If at any time wee read,aGen. 15.6. that the beliefe of a temporarie promiſe was accounted for righteouſneſſe, it is, becauſe it doth in belieuing the thing temporall, apprehend himbGal. 3.8.16. in whom all the promiſes are yea and Amen: who is at leaſt the remoued obiect of iuſtifying faith in eueryevery thing it apprehendeth. Thus Abraham belieuing the promiſe of ſeed, did apprehend that bleſſed ſeed which had from the beginning beene promiſed,Iohn 8.56. and ſaw his day. Neither did he looke at the power of God, but to ſuſtaine his beliefe of a ſeed before promiſed, againſt the temptations wherewith he w s exerciſed. Expreſſe mention of the ſpeciall mercy of God we finde not in the ſermons of the Apoſtles: but it doth euidently follow of thoſe things which are preached by them. For remiſſiondPſ. 103.3.13. and 130.3.4. Mic. 7.19. Titus 3 5. of ſinnes doth preſuppoſe the merciemercy of God, and the ſpeciall ſubiect of their preahingeAct. 2.38. and 4.1…. and 10.43 and 1…. 39. and 8.37. is remiſſion of ſinnes by and for the death and reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt. That which firſt pricketh and ſpurreth the ſoule to Chriſt, that giueth vsus to vnderſtand what the ſoule principally reacheth at, and receiueth in Chriſt. But ſinne and death vrge the ſoule for mercy and life to bee obtained pricke and ſpurre the ſoule to goe forth of it ſelfe and receiue Chriſt and reſt vponupon him, as he is offered in the Goſpell:Popiſh obiections anſwered. Therefore it principally layeth hold on the free promiſe of merciemercy couering ſinne and deliuering from death. The confeſſion of Peter and the reſt of the Apoſtles [for he made anſwere for them all,Math. 16.16. Ioh 6 68. Belar. de Iuſtif. l. 1. chap. 8. as the queſtion was propounded to them all] was no more in words, but of Chriſts office, Thou art Chriſt; and his nature, The ſonne of the liuing God. But ſhall wee thinke the faith of the Apoſtles, to b…e nothing but a bare aſſent of Minde to that which they profeſſed of Chriſt? Th…n ſhall we make the Deuill himſelfe to be as good and true a belieuer as the Apoſtles; for he profeſſed as much, O Ieſus of Nazaret, Mar. 1.24. Luke 4.34.I know who thou art, &c. Noe doubt the Apoſtles reſted vponupon Chriſt for ſaluation, and belieued in him to bee that to their ſoules, and for their vſe and comfort, which they belieued him to be. The ſubiect matter of their faith in that point was, that Ieſus was the Chriſt: the manner of belieuing was with the heart relying vponupon him for ſaluation. The faith of Abraham, was not a bare aſſent giuen to the promiſe of God, but a confidenec in the ſpeciall merciemercy of God: for hee reſted vponupon the p…omiſe, not onelyonly in regard of his poſteritie, but alſo in regard of Chriſt, according to that which is ſaide: In thy ſeede ſhall all nations of the earth be bleſſed: which ſeede the Apoſtle teacheth to be Chriſt,Gal. 3.16. and the bleſſing he interpreteth to bee redemption from the curſe of the law, and iuſtification by faith.Gal. 3.8. Abraham then belieuing the remiſſion of ſinnes in and through Ieſus Chriſt of neceſſitie it will follow, that his faith was directed vntounto and exerciſed about the ſpeciall mercy of God in Ieſus Chriſt. How then doth the Apoſtle ſet out Abrahams full beliefe in this, that he was aſſured that hee who had promiſed was able alſo to doe it? Rom. 4.21. Bellarm. vbi ſupra. Rhem. annot in Rom. 4.14. Sect. 10.Not becauſe Abrahams faith did iuſtifie him as he did belieue the power of God; but becauſe his iuſtifying faith which was fixed vponupon the gracious promiſe, did ſuſtaine it ſelfe by the conſideration of Gods power in time of tryall betweene the promiſe and the execution. Abraham had a promiſe of ſeed; but the execution is deſerrod, whereupon his faith is aſſailed thus: Abraham thy body is dead, thy wife hopeleſſe that way which things foiled Sarah for a time. Now when Abrahams faith on the promiſes is thus ſet vponupon,Rom. 4.2…. againſt theſe arguments of vnbeliefe, faith oppoſeth the alſufficient power of God, and ſuſtaineth it ſelfe with this conſideration, God is able. As another time, when he was tempted to offer vp his ſonne in ſacrifice, he verily belieued he ſhould receiue him againe,Heb. 11.19. becauſe God was able to raiſe him vp againe. Beliefe of Gods power is not the act of iuſtifying faith, as it iuſtifies, but the conſideration of Gods power is a prop and ſtay to faith againſt manifold temptations. And ſo wee ſhall finde, the Almightie power of God often aledged to confirme the weake and wauering heart. As for Sarahs laughing, thinking it impoſſible to hauehave a childe, the Lord ſaide to Abraham,Gen. 8.14. Is any thing hard or impoſſible to God. And againe to Moſes obiecting, whether all the fiſh in the ſea ſhould bee gathered for food for Iſrael in the wilderneſſe; The Lord anſwered, Is the Lords hand waxed ſhort, Num. 11.23.thou ſhalt ſee whether my word ſhall come to paſſe or not. And to the virgin Mary deſiring to bee further conformed touching the promiſe of God, the Angell makes anſwer,Luk. 1.37. with God nothing is impoſsible. As for the faith of the Centurion ſo much commended by our S…uiour Chriſt,Luk. 7.9. it might bee a ſteppe or meane by which he w…s raiſed of God to a true faith for iuſtification by the Meſſias; or it may bee, it was ſome effect of a iuſtifying faith: but in it ſelfe, as he did onelyonly belieue the power of Chriſt to heale his ſeruant, it did not iuſtifie. Our Aduerſaries themſelues will not ſay that naked aſſent to this truth, that Chriſt by his bare word was of power to cure his ſeruant abſent, is ſufficient to iuſtification, which yet is the ſubſtance of his confeſſiion. If they anſwer that the profeſſion of his faith is here mentioned according to the preſent occaſion: They muſt withall confeſſe it followeth not, that becauſe none other act of his faith is here expreſſed, therefore there was nothing further in his faith vntounto iuſtification before God. Surely if hee be belieued to ſaluation, he belieued ſomewhat elſe that made him to belieue what is here noted: he belieued ſome what elſe, that made him to ſay,Luke. 7.6. Lord I am not worthy that thou ſhould'ſt enter vnderunder my roofe. Chriſt is eueryevery where made the thing which faith embraceth to ſaluation, and whom it doth looke vntounto and reſpect, as it doth make vsus righteous in the ſight of God. God ſo loued the world, Iohn 3.16.that he gaue his onelyonly begotten ſonne, that whoſoeuer belieueth in him ſhould not periſh, but hauehave euerlaſting life. Iohn 11.25.I am the reſurrection and the life he that belieueth in me, though he were dead yet ſhall he liue. And by him all that belieue, Act. 13.39.are iuſtified from all things, from which yee could not be iuſtified by the law of Moſes. Belieue on the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, Act. 16.31.and thou ſhalt be ſaued, and thy houſe. That they may receiue forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, and inheritance among them which are ſanctified by faith that is in mee. Act. 26.18.Being iuſtified freely by his grace, through the redemption which is in Ieſus Chriſt: whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud for the remiſsion of ſinnes that are paſt, through the forbearance of God. Rom. 3.25.26. Eph. 1.15. Act. 15.11. Iohn 1.12. Gal. 3.26.It is with vsus as with malefactors; the kings pardon onelyonly receiued doth acquit them, and reſtore them to libertie: and Gods merciemercy in Chriſt couering ſinne receiued by a liuely faith, doth ſet vsus free from feare of damnation. It is true, that iuſtifying faith doth giuegive aſſent to eueryevery article of faith and cleaue to eueryevery Commandement: but it obtaineth remiſſion of ſinnes, as it receiueth Gods pardon in Chriſt. To him giuegive all the Prophets witneſſe, that through his Name, Acts 10.43.whoſoeuer belieueth in him, ſhall receiue remiſſion of ſinnes. Righteouſneſſe is eue…y where tied vntounto faith, euen to faith in Chriſt, whom only it doth and can looke vn…o as it iuſtifieth. I count all things but loſſe, Rom. 3.22. & 10.4. Phil. 3.8, 9.for the excellent knowledge ſake of Christ Ieſus my Lord, for whom I hauehave counted all things loſſe, and doe iudge them to bee dung that I might winne Chriſt. And might bee found in him, that is, not hauing mine owne righteouſneſſe, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteouſneſſe which is of God through faith. For looke as nothing in a poore man can make him rich, further then it doth get riches into his poſſeſſion; ſo nothing in vsus ſinners can make vsus righteous to life, further then it doth lay hold on ſuch a righteouſneſſe, which can take away ſinne, and make v… righteous to the receiuing of life eternall. Fai…h is c…lled the faith of Chriſt, Gal. 2.16.becauſe Chriſt is he whom faith doth apprehend and receiue to righteouſneſſe and life, according to that of the Euangeliſt;Iohn ….36. 1. John 3.12, 13 He that belieueth on the Sonne of God hath life euerlaſting. That is the principall obiect of faith, for which embraced and receiued by faith, eternall life is giuen from grace.Ioh. 6, 47. & 17.3. But eternall life is giuen of grace for Chriſt embraced or reſted vponupon by Faith.aRo. 10.10, 11. Rom. ….9. 1. Cor. 15.3. To belieue Chriſt dead and riſen, as the Apoſtles taught him, is true beliefe: but that is not barely to belieue the hiſtorie of his Death and Reſurrection, but the fruits and benefits thereof, and that wi…h the affiance. It is ſo to belieue the Death and Reſurrrection of Chriſt, as thereby to looke for forgiueneſſe of ſinnes: which is to put our truſt in the ſpeciall merciemercy of God through Ieſus Chriſt. This is plaine by the words of Martha; for when Chriſt aſked her,Iohn 11.26, 27. Doeſt thou belieue this, that whoſoeuer belieueth on me ſhall not die euerlaſtingly; She anſwereth, yea Lord, I belieue that thou art Chriſt: that is, I cannot doubt, but that thoſe that cleaue to thee ſhall hauehave life euerlaſting, teaching that theſe confeſſions imply an affiance and truſt of all good through him. The Eu…uch his profeſſion was,Acts 8.38. I belieue that Ieſus Chriſt is the Sonne of God: but the faith of this Eunuch wa… a particular confidence of heart, whereby he embraced Chriſt his Sauiour; and belieued on him for his particular benefit and comfort. Nathanael profeſſed of Chriſt,Iohn 1.49 50. that hee was the King of Iſrael, that he was the ſonne of God, and ſo much in generall the Deuil… belieue and know:Marke 5.7. Luke 8.28. was Nathanaels faith nothing but a bare perſwaſion that Chriſt was the Sonne of God? yet it was a perſwaſion ioyned with affiance, for he reſted vponupon him, and ſo belieue… the promiſe of merciemercy in him. God hath raiſed vp Chriſt to bee a Prince and Sauiour, to giuegive repentance to Iſrael, Acts ….21. Rom. 8.34.and forgiueneſſe of ſinnes: and to belieue Chriſt a Prince and S…uiour raiſed from the dead, and ſet at the right hand of the Father, doth imply truſt and affiance in him for forgiueneſſe of ſinnes and life euerlaſting through the grace of God.
§. 2. It is obiected,§. 2. that to belieue the power of God is Iuſt…fying faith: for our Sauiour required no more of the blinde man,Math. 9.27, 28. then to belieue that hee was able to heale him. And the Leper ſeemeth to doubt of his will,Marke 1.40. Bellar. de Iuſtif. lib. 1. cap. 8. but wa… well perſwaded of his power. But it is one thing to looke vntounto Chriſt for bodily health, or to receiue a temporall bleſſing: another to belieue in him to Iuſtification. For the faith which Chriſt requires to Iuſtification, is ſuch a faith as doth acquite vsus from our ſinnes, and doth procure vsus righteouſneſſe: But many were healed by our Sauiour, that (for ought can be proued) were not acquited from their ſinnes. And if theſe blin…e men had only belieued that he was able to …ure the malady of their eies, notwithſtanding this their faith, their ſoules had beene vncured, their ſinnes vncouered. Many that were cured of their bodily infirmities, were alſo healed of their ſpirituall diſeaſes: not becauſe they belieued his power to helpe them, but becauſe they relied vponupon him as their only Sauiour.
And the teſtimonie it ſelfe ſheweth, that the blinde men belieued Chriſt to be the Meſſias in times paſt promiſed of the Father, and now exhibited: ſo that they might belieue to iuſtification,Heb. 11.33, 34, 35. but their beliefe of his omnipotencie did not iuſtifie them. The writer to the Hebrewes ſheweth in diuers examples, that by Iuſtifying faith ſome ſubdued Kingdomes, other ſome ſtopt the mouthes of Lions, certaine quenched the force of fire, others eſcaped the edge of the ſword, &c. All which things, (though temporall) were atchieued by Iuſtifying faith: which is the hand of the people of God to receiue good by: but faith iuſtified not, as it was occupied about, or looked vntounto theſe things, but as it was carried to an higher obiect. The healing of corporall diſeaſes was a ſeale vntounto vsus,Iſay 53.4. Math. 8.17. that Chriſt is our deliuerer from ſinne and death, (as the Scriptures teſtifie, and our Aduerſaries confeſſe) and therefore in belieuing the merciemercy of God towardes them in healing of their diſeaſes, they might forthwith conceiue, that of his free grace hee would be pleaſed to forgiue their ſinnes, which are the true cauſes of all our maladies.
Bellar. de Iuſtif. lib. 1. cap. 9.It is againe obiected, that in the Creed is contained the whole obiect of Iuſtifying faith: But in it there is no mention of the ſpeciall merciemercy of God. In this obiection there is a two-fold miſtaking; for in the Creed is contained the obiect of faith which is belieued, that is, the ſumme of doctrine to be belieued to ſaluation is there explained: But here we ſpeake of the obiect of Iuſtifying faith, by which we belieue. The doctrine of faith is one thing, the priuate act of the heart relying vponupon the promiſes of merciemercy another. Now when we enquire, what is the obiect of Iuſtifying faith, the queſtion is not what is the ſumme of faith, or of the articles to be belieued, but what the faith of the heart in all theſe articles which it belieueth, doth firſt and principally looke vntounto, reſt vponupon, and receiue to ſaluation. For when all Chriſtians profeſſe and hiſtorically belieue all the Articles of the Chriſtian faith; yet many are not iuſtified or ſaued, becauſe they belieue not as they ought: whence it is euident, that b…re aſſent to the Articles of Religion, is not that faith which iuſtifie, or ſ…ues, but another of farre different nature is required, if wee would bee pertake…s of theſe bleſſings. Againe, verball mention of Gods ſpeciall merciemercy there is not any in the Creed, but really it is in…luded. For to belieue in God, is to depend vponupon his merciemercy reaching to the pardon of our offences.Ier. 31.33. Eſay 25.9. & 33.22. To belieue in Chriſt is to relie vponupon him as the authour of redemption, reconciliation, and peace with God: which doth neceſſarily imply the ſpeciall merciemercy of God. And in the Creed we belieue the remiſſion of ſinnes, which article cannot bee explained according to the doctrine of the Goſpell, without beliefe in the ſpeciall merciemercy of God, and confidence thereon. The concluſion is, The Word of God is the generall obiect of Iuſtifying f ith, the ſpeciall promiſes of merciemercy and forgiueneſſe in Chriſt Ieſus, is the ſpeciall obiect of faith as it iuſtifieth.
§. 3. This beliefe in the rich merciemercy of God, frameth the Image of God in our hearts,§. 3. Faith in Gods ſpecial mercy, frameth his Image in the Heart. and imprinteth the vertues of Chriſts death vponupon the ſoule, as by application the ſeale doth ſet it ſtampe vponupon the waxe. A man cannot walke in the Sunne, but he muſt beare it hue: no more can he belieue in the grace and merciemercy of God to the pardon of his offences, but he muſt beare the Image of Gods merciemercy vponupon his ſoule. And ſo faith in Chriſt, doth incite to the vniforme ſtudious practice of pietie towards God, who of his gracious, free, vndeſerued louelove and merciemercy is pleaſed to repute Belieuers as his Sonnes by adoption, and compaſſe them with his fauours; and of merciemercy, kindneſſe, long-ſuffering, forbearance; forgiueneſſe towards men, looking to God for it patterne, whom it muſt and ought to follow. The Belieuer cannot put on Chriſt as a Iuſtifier, but he muſt put on the bowels of mercies, kindneſſe, humbleneſſe of minde, meekneſſe, long-ſuffering, forbearance, &c. and the cloſer he putteth on Chriſt vntounto righteouſneſſe, the mo…e quicke and operatiue bee theſe graces of th… Spirit, & more liuely the operations thēſelues that iſſue from thē, as quickned & animated by that faith.