The Breastplate of Faith and Love, Part 1 · Sermon 2

The Breastplate of Faith and Love · Part 1 · Sermon 2

p. 37OF FAITH. The second Sermon.

ROM. 1.17.

For by it the righteousnesse of God is reuealed from Faith to Faith: As it is written, The iust shall liue by Faith.

THe next point that these words affoord vsus, is this; that,

Faith is that whereby the righteousnesse of God is made ours to saluation.Doct. 2.

The righteousnesse of GOD (saith the Apostle) is reuealed from faith to faith. That is, it is so reuealed and offered by GOD, that it is made ours by faith, we are made partakers of it by faith: you see it ariseth cleerely from the words.

p. 38Now for the opening of this point to you, you must vnderstand that there are two waies or Couenants,Two Couenants. whereby GOD offereth saluation to men. One is the Couenant of workes, and that was that righteousnesse by which Adam had beene saued if he had stood in his innocencie; for it was that way that GOD appointed for him, Do… this, and liue: But Adam performed not the condition of that Couenant, and therefore now there is another Couenant, that is, the Couenant of Grace, a Board giuen vsus against Ship-wracke. Now this Couenant of Grace is double:

Either absolute and peculiar;

Or conditionall.

1. Absolute.Absolute, and peculiar onelyonly to the Elect; so it is expressed, Ier. 31.Ier. 31.Jer 31 I will put my Lawe into your inward parts, and write it in your hearts, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. So likewise, in Ezek. 36.Ezek. 36.Ezek 36 I will giuegive you a new heart, and put a new spirit within you, and I will take your stonie hearts out of your bodies. Heere the Couenant is expressed absolutely, and this is proper onelyonly to the Elect.

2. Conditionall.But now beside this, there is a conditionall Couenant of Grace, which is common to all; and that is expressed in these termes, Christ hath prouided a righteousnesse and saluation, that is his worke that hee hath done already; Now if you will beleeue, and take him vponupon those termes that he is offered, you shall bee saued: This, I say, belongs to all men, This p. 39you hauehave thus expressed in the Gospell in many places,Mar. 16.Mark 16 If you beleeue, you shall be saued, as it is, Mark. 16. Goe and preach the Gospell to eueryevery creature vnderunder Heauen; hee that will beleeue shall be saued, he that will not beleeue shall bee damned. It is the same with that Rom. 4.5.Rom. 4.5.Rom 4:5 To him which worketh not, but beleeueth in him which iustifieth the vngodly, his faith is accounted righteousnesse, Marke it: To him that beleeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly, that is, there is a certaine iustice or righteousnesse that CHRIST hath prepared or purchased for men, though they be vngodly, he requires nothing of them before-hand, though they be wicked and vngodly, yet this righteousnesse is prepared for them; that which is required of them, is onelyonly that they take it. Now hee that will beleeue GOD that he hath prepared this for him, and will receiue it, it is enough to make him a righteous man in GODS acceptation; so that this is the onelyonly way now by which men shall be saued. The worke is already done on Christs part, there is a righteousnesse that GOD hath prepared, which is therefore called the righteousnesse of GOD; and there is nothing precedently required or looked for on our part, but taking and applying of it.

But,Quest. you will say, Is there nothing else required of vsus? Must GOD doe all, and must we doe nothing but onelyonly take that righteousnesse that is prepared for vsus?

p. 40Ans.I answer, it is true indeede, we must lead a holy life,Though holinesse be required, it is Gods worke. a religious, sober, and righteous life, for, for this end hath the grace of God appeared, saith the Apostle: yet you must know withall, that we cannot worke in our selues this holinesse, this religious and sober conuersation, that must be Gods worke altogether, we are onelyonly to take this righteousnesse, and the other is but a consequent that followeth vponupon it. To illustrate this vntounto you by a similitude; A Wheele or a Bowle runneth,Simile. not that it may be made round, that is the businesse of the workeman, who makes it round, that it may runne: So it is in this case, GOD doth not looke that we should bring holines and piety with vsus, for we hauehave it not to bring: we are at the first onelyonly to beleeue and accept this righteousnesse that is offered vsus; when that is done, it is Gods part to frame vsus, and to fit and fashion vsus for a holy life: such a kinde of speech you hauehave it expressed in, Eph. 2.10.Eph. 2.10.Eph 2:10 We are Gods workmanship, fashioned in Christ Iesus to walke in good workes, which he hath ordained, &c. Marke it: it is not an action of our owne, but GOD is the workeman, we are the materials, as the clay, and the wood, that he takes into his hands; when wee hauehave but taken this righteousnesse that is offered, it is Gods worke to cast vsus into a new Mould, to giuegive vsus a new heart, and to frame a new spirit within vsus, that so we may walke in good workes before him: this is the great mystery p. 41of godlinesse: for we hauehave much adoe to perswade men to beleeue that the righteousnesse prepared by CHRIST should be offered to them, and nothing be required but receiuing of it: this will not sinke into the hearts of men by nature, they thinke they must doe something precedently, or else this righteousnesse is not offered them. But, my beloued, we must learne to belieue this, and know that it is the worke of GOD to sanctifie vsus after hee hath iustified vsus. I confesse, it is not so in other things, there is still some action of our owne required to gaine this or that habit or ability, as you see in naturall things, there are some kinde of habits that we get by some precedent actions of our owne,Habits. as the learning of Arts and Sciences, to learne to write well, &c. here there is some action of our owne required to fit vsus for it, and then we get the ability to doe it.

But besides these, there are other habits, that are planted by nature in vsus, as, an ability to heare, to see, to taste, &c. Now for these, we neede not any action of our owne for the attaining of them, because they are planted in vsus by nature: So it is in these things that belong to saluation: It is true indeede, we may get habits of morall Vertues by labour and paines of our owne, there are actions of our owne required to them; and in that the Philosopher said right, that we learne to be temperate, and sober, and chaste, &c. But now for the p. 42Graces of the Spirit there it is not so, those habits that nature hath planted in vsus, we exercise them naturally, without doing any action of our owne to attaine them; as we doe not by seeing oft learne to see, but it is a faculty naturally planted in vsus: so it is in all the workes that we must doe, which are the way to saluation, GOD workes them in vsus, he infuseth those habits into vsus. Therefore this conclusion is good, that it is faith alone, by which this righteousnesse is made ours to saluation.

This is euident by the Apostle, Gal. 2. vlt. Saith he, it is not by the Law, If righteousnesse had beene by the workes of the Law, then Christ had dyed without a cause. As if he should hauehave said, saluation must needes be by one of these two.

Either by something that we doe our selues, some actions that we our selues hauehave wrought, or else it must be meerely by faith. Now if it had beene attainable by any worke of our owne, CHRIST dyed without a cause: as if he should say, CHRIST could hauehave giuen you ability to doe those workes without his dying; but for this very cause Christ came into the World, and dyed, that he might worke righteousnesse, and make satisfaction to God: so that you hauehave nothing to doe for the first attaining of it, but to receiue it by faith.

Why God will saue men by faith.And if you would know the reason, why GOD, that might hauehave found out many other wayes to leade men to saluation, yet hath chosen p. 43this way aboue all others to saue men, only by faith, receiuing the righteousnesse of CHRIST, which he hath wrought for vsus; you shall finde these foure reasons for it in the Scriptures. Two of them are set downe, Rom. 4.16. Therefore it is by faith, that it might come by grace. 1. Reason.Marke it: This is one reason why GOD will hauehave it by faith, that it might be of grace: For if any thing had beene wrought by vsus, (as hee saith in the beginning of the Chapter) it must hauehave beene giuen as wages, and so it had beene receiued by debt, and not by fauour; but this was Gods end in it to make knowne the exceeding length and breadth of his louelove, and how vnsearchable the riches of Christ are: his end was to hauehave his Grace magnified. Now if there had beene any action of ours required, but meerely the receiuing of it by faith, it had not bin meerely of grace; for faith empties a man, it takes a man quite off his owne bottome; faith commeth as an empty hand, and receiueth all from GOD, and giues all to GOD. Now that it might be acknowledged to be free, and to be altogether of grace; for this cause GOD would hauehave salvation propounded to men, to be receiued by faith onelyonly.

Secondly,2. Reason. as it is by faith, that it might come by grace, so also that it might be sure, that the promise might be sure; if it had been any other way, it had neuer beene sure: Put the case that GOD had put vsus vponupon the condition p. 44of obedience, and had giuen vsus grace and ability, as he did to Adam, yet the Law is strict, and the least fayling would hauehave bred feares and doubts, and would hauehave caused death. But now, when the righteousnesse that saueth vsus is wrought already by GOD, and offered to vsus by him, and offered freely, and that the ground of this offer is the sure Word of GOD, and it is not a conjecturall thing, now we may build infallibly vponupon it: for vnlesse faith hauehave footing on the Word, wee cannot say it is sure, all things else are mutable, and subject to change: therefore when GOD hath once said it, we may firmely rest in it, and it is sure. And this is the second reason why it is onelyonly by faith.

3. ReasonThirdly, it is by faith, that it might bee to all the seede, not onelyonly to those that are of the Law, but also to them which were strangers to the Law. If it had beene by the Law, then saluation had beene shut vp within the compasse of the Iewes; for the Gentiles were strangers to the Law of GOD, they were vncleane men, shut out from the Commonwealth of Israel; but when it is now freely propounded in the Gospell, and nothing is required but onelyonly faith to lay hold vponupon it, when there is no more looked for but beleeuing, and receiuing; hence it comes to be to all the seede: for Abraham himselfe, before he was circumcised, he was as a common man, the vaile was not then set vp; yet, euen then, p. 45his faith was imputed to him for righteousnesse.

The last reason why it is of faith,4. Reason. is that no man might boast, that no flesh might reioyce in it selfe; for if it had beene by any other means, by any thing done in our selues, we had had cause to reioyce in our selues, but, for this cause, saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1.30.1 Cor. 1.30.1 Cor 1:30 Christ is made to vsus wisdome, righteousnesse, sanctification, and redemption, that he that reioyceth might reioyce in the Lord. As if he had said, if GOD had giuen vsus a wisedome of our owne, wee had had cause to hauehave reioyced in our selues; but we are darknesse, Eph. 4.Eph 4.Eph 4 there is nothing but foolishnesse and weaknesse in vsus, to the end that no flesh might reioyce in his presence.

Againe, if we had had grace put into our selues, (though it had beene but little) for which GOD might hauehave accepted vsus, the flesh would hauehave boasted; therefore his righteousnesse is made ours.

But, when this is done, yet, if after iustification, it had beene in our power and ability to hauehave performed the workes of sanctification by any power or strength of our own, we should yet hauehave beene ready to boast thereof, Christ is made sanctification too, so that we are not able to thinke a good thought, we are not able to doe the least good thing without him: It is I (saith the Lord) that doth sanctifie you: It is I that doth act eueryevery Grace; it is I p. 46that doe put your hearts into a good frame: Christ is made sanctification to vsus; so that take a holy man, after he is iustified, it is CHRIST that sanctifieth him, and that carries him thorow his life in a holy and righteous conuersation, and all this is done that no flesh should reioyce in it selfe.

And yet one thing more is added by the Apostle; for if a man could rid himselfe out of misery, if a man could helpe himselfe when he is vnderunder any crosse or trouble, hee would then be ready to boast in himselfe: therefore, saith he Christ is made to vsus redemption also: so that take any euill, though it be but a small euill, a small disease, a little trouble, no man is able to helpe himselfe, in this case, it is Christ that redeemes vsus from the least euils, as well as from hell it selfe: For you must know, that all the miseries that befall vsus in the World, they are but so many degrees, so many descents and steps towards hell; now all the redemption that we hauehave, it is from CHRIST; so that let vsus looke into our liues, and see what euils we hauehave escaped, and see what troubles we hauehave gone thorow, see what afflictions we hauehave beene deliuered from, it is all through CHRIST, who is made redemption for vsus.

It is true indeede, there are some generall workes of GODS prouidence, that all men taste of;Freedome from euill to the Saints, whence it is. but there is no euill that the Saints are freed from, but it is purchased by the Blood of CHRIST; and all this GOD hath done, p. 47that no flesh might reioyce in it selfe: and for this cause, saluation is propounded to be receiued onelyonly by faith, there is no more required at our hands, but the taking of Christ by faith; and when we hauehave taken him, then hee is all this to vsus.

So that now you see the point cleared, and the reasons why it is by faith onelyonly, that the righteousnesse of CHRIST is made ours to saluation.

Now, in the next place, If to this that wee hauehave said, wee adde but one thing more to cleere the point, we shall then hauehave done enough to satisfie you in this point; and that is this, to shew you what this faith is: for, when wee speake so much of faith (as wee doe,) eueryevery man will be inquisitiue to know what this faith is: therefore wee will endeuour to doe that at this time.

First, Faith, if we should take it in the generall, it is nothing else but this: An act of the vnderstanding,Faith what in generall. assenting to something.

But now this assent is of three sorts.Assent of three sorts.

First, there is such an assent to a truth, as 1that a man is in a great feare lest the contrary should be true; and this we call opinion, when we so assent to any proposition, as that that which is contrary, may be true, for ought we know.

There is a second kind of assent, which is 2sure, but it is grounded vponupon reasons and arguments; p. 48and that we call Science or knowledge: that is, when we are sure of the thing we assent to, wee make no doubt of it; but wee are led vntounto it by the force of reason.

3Againe, there is a third kinde of assent, which is a sure assent too, but we are led to it by the authority of him that affirmeth it: and this is that which is properly called Faith: So that a generall definition of Faith is this:

It is (nothing else but) a firme assent giuen to the things contained in the holy Scriptures, for the authority of God that spake them.

This is properly Faith, or beleeuing, if wee take the word in the generall.

Iustifying faith.But if we speake of iustifying Faith, we shall finde that that is not commonly expressed in the word beleeuing only, but beleeuing in Christ, which is another thing; and therefore you shall finde that it differeth in two things from this common and generall faith.How it differs from generall faith.

First, in regard of the object, and indeede that is the maine difference: for whereas the other faith lookes vponupon the whole Booke of GOD,11In the obiect. and beleeues all that GOD hath reuealed, because GOD hath reuealed it; This iustifying Faith pitcheth vponupon CHRIST, and takes him, with his benefits and priuiledges: so that the difference lyeth not in the habit of Faith, but in the object; for with the same faith that we beleeue other things, we beleeue this; as with the same hand that a man takes other Writings with, he takes a Pardon; with p. 49the same eyes that the Israelites see other things, they looked vponupon the brazen Serpent, the difference was not in the faculty, but in the object vponupon which they looked, by which they were healed; so it is in this, betweene this …aith and the other, they differ not in the habit, but in the object.

There is a second difference, which is a maine difference too;22In the act of the will. the other faith doth no more but beleeue the truth that is reuealed, it beleeueth that all is true that is contained in the Scriptures, and the Deuils may hauehave this faith, and wicked men may hauehave it; but iustifying faith goeth further, it takes CHRIST, and receiues him, so that there is an act of the Will added to that faith, as it is expressed, Heb. 11.13.Heb. 11.1….Heb 11:1 They saw the promises afarre off, and embraced them thankfully: Others (it may be) see the promises, and beleeue them, but they take them not, they doe not embrace them. So that if I should define iustifying Faith vntounto you, it may bee thus described:

It is a Grace or a habit infused into the soule by the Holy Ghost, Definition of iustifying faith.whereby we are enabled to beleeue, not onelyonly that the Messias is offered to vsus, but also to take and receiue him as a Lord and Sauiour.

That is, both to be saued by him,How faith taketh Christ. and to obey him (Marke it) I put them together, to take him as a Lord, and as a Sauiour: for you shall find that in the ordinary phrase of Scripture these two are put together, Iesus Christ p. 50our Lord and Sauiour. Therefore we must take heede of disjoyning those that GOD hath joyned together, we must take CHRIST aswell for a Lord as a Sauiour, let a man doe this, and he may be assured that his faith is a iustifying faith. Therefore marke it diligently, if a man will take CHRIST as a Sauiour onelyonly, that will not serue the turne, CHRIST giueth not himselfe to any vponupon that condition, only to saue him, but we must take him as a Lord too, to be subject to him, to obey him, and to square our actions according to his will in eueryevery thing. For he is not onelyonly a Sauiour, but also a Lord, and he will be a Sauiour to none but those to whom he is a Master. His seruants you are to whom you obey, saith the Apostle. If you will obey him, and be subiect vntounto him in all things, if you make him your Lord, that he may hauehave the command ouer you, and that you will be subiect to him in eueryevery thing, if you take him vponupon these conditions, you shall hauehave him as a Sauiour also: For, as hee is a Priest, so you must know that he is a King that sits vponupon the Throne of Dauid, and rules those that are to be saued by him: Therefore, I say, you must not onelyonly take him as a Priest, to intercede for you, to petition for you, but to be your King also; you must suffer him to rule you in all things, you must be content to obey all his Commandements. It is not enough to take CHRIST as a head, onelyonly to receiue influence and comfort from him, but you must p. 51take him also as a head to be ruled by him, as the members are ruled by the head; you must not take one benefit alone of the members, to receiue influence from the head, but you must be content also to bee guided by him in all things, else you take him in vaine.

Againe,We must not only beleeue but receiue Christ. this must be marked, that I say, you must take or receiue him: you must not onelyonly beleeue that he is the Messias, and that he is offered, but there is a taking and receiuing that is necessary to make you partakers of that that is offered: those words Iohn 3.Ioh. 3.John 3 make it plaine; God so loued the World, that he GAVE his onelyonly begotten Sonne, &c. Giuing is but a Relatiue, it implyes that there is a receiuing or taking required: For when CHRIST is giuen, vnlesse he be taken by vsus, he doth vsus no good, he is not made ours. If a man be willing to giuegive another any thing, vnlesse he take it, it is not his. It is true indeede, there is a sufficiency in CHRIST to saue all men, and hee is that great Physician that heales the soules of men, there is righteousnesse enough in him to iustifie all the World: But, my beloued, vnlesse we take him, and apply him to our selues, we can hauehave no part in that righteousnesse: this is plainely expressed in Matth. 22. where it is said, the King sent foorth his seruants to bid men to the Marriage of his Sonne: And so in Eth. 5. the same similitude and comparison is vsed by the Apostle, where he setteth foorth the vnion that is betweene p. 52Christ and the Church, by that vnion there is betweene the Husband and the Wife: put the case that a Husband should offer himselfe to a woman to marry her, and she shou…d beleeue it, yet vnlesse there be a taking of him on her part, the match is not made; and so it is …ere, and in this thing the essence of faith consists, when CHRIST offereth himselfe vntounto you, you must beleeue that there is such a thing, and that God intendeth it really, but it is the taking that consummates the marriage; and when the Wife hath taken the Husband, then all that is his is hers, she hath an interest in all his goods: so also it is here, there must be a beleeuing that Christ is offered, that hee is the Messias and that there is a righteousnes in him to saue vsus; but that is not enough, we must also take him, and when that is done, wee are iustified, then we are at peace with GOD.

But that you may more fully vnderstand what this faith is, I will adde these 4. things more.

Foure things touching faith.First, I will shew you the obiect of this faith.

Secondly, the subject or place where it is.

Thirdly, the manner how it iustifieth vsus.

Fourthly, the actions of it.

11The obiect of it.I say, that you may more fully vnderstand what this faith is, consider first the object of it, and that is CHRIST, (as I told you before) and herein this is to be marked, that a man must first take Christ himselfe, and after, the p. 53priuiledges that come by him. And this point I could wish were more prest by our Diuines, and that our hearers would more intend it. I say, first remember that you must first take CHRIST himselfe, and then other things that we hauehave by him, as the Apostle saith, Rom 8. If God hauehave giuen vsus him, that is Christ, he wil… with him giuegive vsus all things else: but first hauehave CHRIST himselfe, and then all things with him. And so, 2 Cor. 1.2 Cor. 1.2 Cor 1 All the promises IN HIM are Yea and Amen. That is, first we must hauehave CHRIST, and then looke to the promises; this must be still remembred, that we must first take his person, we must hauehave our eyes fixed vponupon that: And so that place before-named, Ioh. 3.Ioh. 3.John 3 God so loued the World, that he gaue his onelyonly begotten Sonne: hee giues his Sonne, as a Father giues his Sonne in marriage; the Father giues the Sonne, and the Sonne himselfe must bee taken: So that we must first take CHRIST, wee must fixe our eyes vponupon him: For faith doth not leape ouer CHRIST, and pitch vponupon the promises of Justification, and Adoption, but it first takes CHRIST. The distinct and cleere vnderstand…ning of this will helpe vsus much in apprehending and vnderstanding aright what iustifying faith is: wee must remember to take CHRIST himselfe; for it is an adulterous affection for a Wife not to thinke of the person of her Husband,True louelove lookes first to Christs person but to thinke onelyonly what commodity she shall hauehave p. 54by him, what honours, what riches, what conueniences, as if that made the match, to be content onelyonly to take those; will this, thinke you, make a match amongst men? Surely no, there must be a fixing of the eyes vponupon the person, that must doe it: Doe you louelove him? are you content to forsake all, that you may enioy him? It is true indeed, you shall hauehave all this into the bargaine, but first you must hauehave the person of your Husband: therefore remember to fixe your eyes vponupon Christ, take him for your Husband, consider his beauty and his excellencies, (which indeede are motiues to vsus) as a Woman that takes a Husband, is encouraged by the benefits that shee shall hauehave by him: but still remember that he himselfe must bee taken. As it is in other things, if you would hauehave light, you must first hauehave the Sunne; if you would hauehave strength, you must first take meate and drinke, before you can hauehave that benefit by it: so you must first hauehave Christ himselfe, before you can partake of those benefits by him: and that I take to be the meaning of that in Mar. 16. Go preach the Gospell to eueryevery creature vnderunder heauen; Mar. 16.Mark 16he that beleeues and is baptized, shall be saued: that is, he that will beleeue that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh, and that hee is offered to mankinde for a Sauiour, and will be baptized, that will giuegive vp himselfe to him,Baptizing, what meant by it in Mat. 16.Matt 16 that will take his marke vponupon him: for in that place, by baptizing, is meant nothing else but the giuing vp p. 55of a mans selfe to CHRIST, and making a publike testimony of it, although there bee somthing more meant generally by baptizing; but heere it is meant, a iustification to all the world, that we hauehave taken CHRIST. Now eueryevery one that will beleeue and be baptized, that is, eueryevery one that will doe this, shall bee saued: so that a man must first take CHRIST himselfe, and then he may doe as the Wife, after she hath her Husband, she may thinke of all the benefits she hath by him, and may take them, and vse them as her owne. This is the first thing.

The second thing that I promised,22The subiect of faith. was to shew you the subiect of faith, and that is the whole heart of man; that is to say, (to name it distinctly) both the minde, and the will: Now to shew you that both these are the subject of faith, you must know that these two things are required:

First,What required in the vnderstanding. on the part of the vnderstanding, it is required that it beleeue; that is, that it conceiue and apprehend what GOD hath reuealed in the Scriptures; and here an act of GOD must come in, putting a light into the vnderstanding: for, my beloued, Faith is but an addition of a new light to reason, that whereas reason is purblinde, faith comes, and giues a new light, and makes vsus see the things reuealed by GOD, which reason cannot doe; by faith we apprehend these great and glorious Mysteries, which otherwise wee could not apprehend, p. 56as we see it expressed in 2 Cor. 4.2 Cor. 4.2 Cor 4 The god of this World hath blinded their eyes, that the light should not shine into their hearts, by which they should beleeue this glorious Gospell. So then there must be a light put into the minde, that a man may be able by that to eleuate and raise his reason to beleeue this: that is, to conceiue and to apprehend the things that are offered and tendered in the Gospell.

What required of the will.But this is not all, there is an act also of the will required, which is to take and receiue Christ: for this taking is an act of the will; therefore there must be a consent as well as an assent. Now it is the act of the vnderstanding to assent to the truth, which is contained in the promises wherein Christ is offered: but that is not all, there is also an act of will requisite to consent vntounto them, that is, to embrace them, to take them, and to lay hold vponupon them, and to apply them to a mans selfe. This I will the rather cleere, because it is a thing controuerted. I say, there is a double act, an act of the mind, and an act of the will: to this purpose consider that in Rom. 5 17.Rom. 5.17.Rom 5:17 For if by the offence of one, death raigned by one, much more they which receiue abundance of grace, and the gift of righteousnesse, shall reigne in life by one, Iesus Christ. Marke it, you may see what faith is in those words; Those that receiue the gift of righteousnesse: righteousnesse is giuen and offered by God, and those that receiue that gift of righteousnesse, shall reigne in life: so that p. 57taking and receiuing being an act of the will, it must needs be that the will must come in to this worke as well as the vnderstanding. Like vntounto this is that 1 Ioh. 12.Ioh. 1.12.John 1:12 To as many as receiued him, &c. That is, to as many as beleeued in his Name: for so the words afterwards expresse; that is, when wee are willing to take Christ, which is nothing else but the consent of the will, when the will is resolued to take him, being so apprehended as he hath beene described, as a Lord, and as a Sauiour, this is faith; this, I say, is an act of the will, because it is an act of receiuing. Io…. 5.44 it is euident, How can y… beleeue which receiue honour one of another &c? If beleeuing in Christ were only an act of the mind, as the Papists affirme, and some others besides; it beleeuing were nothing else but an assenting to the truth of GOD, which is an act of the vnderstanding, how could the praise of men be opposite to beleeuing? But the meaning is, How can you beleeue, & take me for your Husband, and yet seeke praise of men too? for that will come in competition with me, and then you will forsake me. I say, this makes it euident, that iusti…ying faith is not onelyonly an act of the mind, but an act of the will also; because otherwise the seeking praise with men, could be no impediment to the act of beleeuing.

Now this also,This act of the will wrought by God. aswell as the former, must be wrought by God and God puts a new light into the vnderstanding, he raiseth it vp to see and p. 58beleeue these truths; so there is another act which GOD also workes on the will, and vnlesse he worke it, it is not done: for come to any man that is in the state of nature, and aske him, Will you be content to take Christ? that is to say, to receiue him in that manner as he hath beene described? His answer would bee, No. Beloued, the liues of men expresse it, though they speake it not in so many words: Therefore till GOD come and drawe a man, and change his will the worke is not done. If you take a Bough, and offer it to a Swine or a Wolfe, they will refuse it, and trample it vnderunder their feete; but offer it to a Sheepe, and the Sheepe receiues it, and followes it: so when Christ is offered to men vponupon these conditions that we hauehave named, men refuse him, they reject him, and slight him: but when GOD takes away these woluish and swinish hearts of ours, and turne our wils another way, (which is the drawing the Scripture speakes of) then we are willing to take Christ. If you take other metall then Iron, the Loadstone will not stirre it; but turne the metall into Iron, and it will follow the Load-stone: So, let the hearts of men continue in that condition wherein they are by nature, and they will neuer take CHRIST, they will neuer accept him; but when GOD puts into them such a strong and impetuous instigation and disposition as that of the Spouze in the Canticles, that had no rest till she had found her Beloued, p. 59then they will take CHRIST vponupon his owne conditions. So the we see this Faith is an action both of the minde and the will, wrought by GOD, enlightning the mind, and changing the will; which is that which our Sauiour Christ cals drawing; none comes to me vnlesse the Father draw him: that is, except his will be set on worke, vnlesse GOD change him, and put such a disposition and instigation into him, that he can finde no rest till hee come to Christ.

Thirdly,33How faith iustifieth. the thing wee are to speake of, is, How this Faith iustifieth.

Now for this, know that this faith is considered two wayes; eyther

As it workes, or,

As it receiues:

Either as a quality, or as an instrument.

As a quality it workes; and in this sense it hath nothing to doe with Justification.

It iustifieth vsus as it is an instrument,Faith altereth not the nature of sinne. and that not by altering the nature of sinne; that is, by making sinne to be no sinne, but by taking away the efficacy of sinne.Note. As, for example, when a man hath committed sinnes, Faith doth not make his sinnes to be no sinnes; indeede, it scattereth them as a Cloud: You may consider it after this manner: First, it cannot be that that sinne that is once committed, should be made to be no sinne; for what is once done, it cannot be vndone, GOD himselfe p. 60cannot doe that, because it is a thing that cannot be; for when the sinnes are committed, they doe remaine so: and therefore, I say, it cannot be that that which is sinne should be made to be no sinne; we cannot make Adultery to be no adultery, for the nature and essence of the thing must remaine. Well now what doth faith? It doth this, though the sin be the same that it was, yet it takes away the sting and the guilt of sinne, by which it puts vsus into the state of condemnation, and by which it bindes vsus ouer to punishment. As the Lions to which Daniel was cast, they were the same as they were before, they had the same propensenesse, and disposition to deuoure as they had before, they had the ordinary nature of Lions; but at that time, GOD tooke away from them that fiercenesse that was in them, so that they did not deuoure him, though they were there still: so it is with sinne, the nature of sinne is to condemne vsus▪ but now when GOD shall take away this efficacie from it, it doth not condemne: and this is that that faith doth.

Euen as the Viper that was vponupon Pauls hand, though the nature of it was to kill presently, yet when GOD had charmed it, you see it hurt him not: so it is with sinne, though it be in vsus, and though it hang vponupon vsus, yet the venome of it is taken away, it hurts vsus not, it condemnes vsus not: thus faith, by taking away the efficacie and power of sinne, it iustifies p. 61vsus, as an instrument, as a hand that takes the Pardon.

The King, when he pardoneth a Traytor, he doth not make his Treason to be no Treason, for the act of the Treason remaines still; but the taking of the Pardon makes the Traytor not to be vnderunder condemnation: So, my belo…ed, faith is that act that takes the Pardon from GOD, so that though the sinne remaine the same, and of its owne nature is of power to binde vsus ouer to death, yet by this faith taking the Pardon from GOD, it comes to passe that it hurts vsus not, wee are not condemned for it.

You know, debts in a mans booke, the writing remaines still, the lines are not blotted out, yet when they are once crossed, the creditour cannot come and aske his debt any more, because it is crossed: So it is in this, our sinnes are the same after we are iustified, as they were before; but faith is that that crosseth the booke; faith, I say, by apprehending the Pardon, and taking the acquittance at Gods hands that he offers.

I… a man hauehave anacquittance, although the debt remaine the same in the Booke, yet there can no more be required at the hands of him that hath taken the acquittance.

Thus, I say, faith iustifies vsus as an instrument, by accepting, receiuing, and taking the acquittance that GOD hath giuen to vsus through Christ.

p. 6244The acts of faith.Let mee adde one word more of the next thing: which is, What are the acts of this faith?

They are these three:

First, To reconcile, or to iustifie.

Secondly, To pacifie the heart.

Thirdly, To purifie, or sanctifie.

11To reconcile vsus.The first thing that Faith doth, is to reconcile: That is, (as I said before) by faith wee are pitched vponupon CHRIST; wee take him first, and then wee take the priuiledges, they all follow vponupon it, forgiuenesse, and adoption; this is the first act of Faith, to reconcile vsus to CHRIST himselfe; and vponupon this wee hauehave boldnesse to goe to CHRIST for forgiuenesse, to goe to CHRIST to make vsus heyres of all things: For after this manner faith doth it; All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollo, &c. And why? Because you are CHRIST'S. (Marke it,) you must first bee CHRIST'S: that is, euen as the Wife is the Husband's, so you must be knit and vnited to CHRIST, and then all things are yours: so that Faith first makes vsus Christ's, it reconciles vsus to him, and makes vsus one with him, and in him, one with GOD the Father; and then all things are giuen vntounto vsus, and made ours.

22To pacifie the heart.The second act of faith is to quiet and pacifie the heart; to comfort vsus, in assuring vsus p. 63that our sinnes and transgressions are forgiuen; and this is different from the former: There are two acts of faith:

The one is the direct act by which we apprehend and take CHRIST,Direct and reflect act of faith. and the righteousnesse that is offered through him, by which we take forgiuenesse.

And the second is the reflect act by which we know that wee hauehave taken CHRIST, and hauehave taken out our pardon; and this act is very different from the former, we may hauehave the former without this.

Wee commonly thinke that wee are not iustified by CHRIST, vnlesse we hauehave assurance of it; and when we looke for that, and finde it not presently, all our hopes are gone, but it should not be so; It is one act of Faith to take CHRIST, and another act of faith to comfort and pacifie the heart; and that these are two distinct things, consider but this in a word.

The first act is constant,Difference betweene them▪ when a man hath once taken and accepted of CHRIST, hee is alwaies his; after wee once hauehave CHRIST, there is no diuorse: But the other act of assurance, whereby we know that wee hauehave taken him, that is a thing that may faile and deceiue a man.

Againe, the first act admits of no degrees; for when a man is once in CHRIST, hee is alwaies CHRIST'S, when he is once married to him: Marriage, you know, admits of no p. 64degrees; so Justification is equall to eueryevery man, it admits of no degrees, it is alwaies the same; we are not now lesse iustified▪ and then more, but we are alway alike iustified, being once iustified: but the other act of faith, whereby I am assured that I hauehave taken CHRIST, that admits of degrees, a man may hauehave sometimes more comfort, sometimes lesse; and therefore righteousnes is said heere to be reuealed from faith to faith.

Lastly, the first act of faith, whereby we take CHRIST, and those priuiledges by him, as the Wife takes the Husband, that is founded vponupon the sure Word of GOD, GOD hath tendered it to vsus vponupon his Word and promise, and he must performe it, it cannot be altered nor changed; he that builds vponupon it, builds vponupon the corner-stone, that will not faile him: But now the second act, whereby I come to know that I hauehave done this, that is grounded vponupon experience: Indeede, we are helped by the Holy Ghost to know it, but it is chiefly grounded vponupon our owne experience: for it is no more but the act of a mans owne heart, reflecting vponupon what hee hath done, when hee considers, HaueHave I taken CHRIST, or no? as a Lord, and as a Sauiour▪ as a Priest, to saue me; as a King, to liue by his Lawes; this is a looking vponupon an act of mine owne, therefore the vnderstanding and knowing of it must come from experience.

p. 65The last act of faith is to purifie,33To purifie th… heart. and to sanctifie. I cannot stand vponupon it at this time, nor make Vse, and apply this as I desired: therefore I will breake off heere. So much for this time.

FINIS.