The Dead Saint Speaking to Saints and Sinners Living, Treatise 3 · Part 2
An Act of the whole Soul.
It is ſo an Act of the Will, as the Underſtanding is folded up in it: and ſo an Act of the Underſtanding, as that the Will and Affections are joyned with it.
Hence, by ſome it's call'd (Actus Complicatus) An Act, wherein many Acts are folded up? An Act of the Understanding, An Act of the Will.
And 'its not Abſurd to mee, but very fit to ſay, That That Act whereby the whole Soul is juſtified, pardoned, purified; is an Act of the whole Soul.
As the Apoſtle ſaith. — With the Heart man beleeveth to Righteouſneſs. So that, In Intellectu habet Initium; In Voluntate Complementum: It begins in the Underſtanding; It is compleat in the Will and Affections.
All that I know of moment againſt this, will bee this, That wee ſhall ſeat Faith in diverſe faculties; which is improper.
Now, for the Anſwer, or removing this, wee ſay
1 That Diſtinction of Faculties is a Philoſophical Opinion; and not received by all. So that the Will and the Underſtanding are two distinct Faculties, is an Opinion not received by all. Many there are that make them more Notional than Real: As the Eaſt, Weſt, North and South in the Heavens. Not that there are ſuch things, but that ſuch things are feigned, for our clearer Underſtanding.
It is thought by many of good worth, that Anima intelligit in intellectu: Eligit in Voluntate, &c. That there's no ſuch diſtinction of Faculties: But that the ſame Soul doth Underſtand in the Understanding: VVill in the VVill: Doth Underſtand, VVill, Love, and do all.
And there's Scripture for it, where wee read all theſe Acts attributed to the Soul it ſelf: As namely an Underſtanding Heart, A willing mind, &c. And therefore ſeeing it is a bare Philoſophical Opinion, and not received by All, This will not overthrow, nor ſtrengthen any Divine Truths.
2 Though this were true, That there were diſtinction of Faculties: yet, I ſay, Making of Faith an Act of the whole Soul, of the Understanding, VVill and Affections: There's no Neceſſity will follow thereupon, of planting it in diverſe and diſtinct Faculties.
Why may it not bee Planted and Subjected in the Heart? which is the proper ſeat of Faith, as well as of other Graces.
As others, who have made The Formall Act of Faith, a willing Aſſent, which is both An Act of the VVill and Underſtanding; to avoid the ſeating of the Habit in diverſe Faculties, have placed it in the Mind; which, (ſay they) comprehends the Underſtanding and the VVill:
So wee here; To avoid the like, do ſeat it more properly in the Heart. And therefore that abſurdity of ſeating Faith in diverſe Faculties will not follow on us; Though wee ſay, That this Act of Faith, whereby wee are juſtified, Bee ſuch an Act, wherin many other Acts are folded up: The Underſtanding aſſenting, The VVill truſting, &c.
Object. 4 But to believe, is to bee aſſured. And therefore it is not to truſt.
Anſ. I ſay, That to beleeve, is not to bee aſſured. And to bee aſſured, is not to beleeve. Faith is not Aſſurance; Nor is Aſſurance Faith, as many have held.
I will not trouble you with the Controverſie; only I will infer theſe things.
1 If Aſſurance were the Act of Faith, whereby wee are juſtified: Then where there's no Aſſurance, there's no Faith. This were an hard Conſequent. Nay, then, VVhoever lives and dyes without Aſſurance, cannot bee ſaved. They who live and dye without Faith cannot bee ſaved, And if Faith were Aſſurance: Then, Whoever lived and dyed without Aſſurance could not bee ſaved: Which far bee it from mee to hold.
2 That which is a Conſequent of juſtifying Faith, is not Juſtifying Faith. This is plain.
But Aſſurance is a Conſequent of Juſtifying Faith. It is that, which follows it,
1 Sometimes in order of Time.
2 Alwayes in order of Nature.
1 Sometimes in order of Time, 1 John 5.13. — Theſe things have I written unto you, that beleeve on the Name of the Son of God, that you might know, that you have Eternal life: where you ſee Beleeving goes before, and Knowing or Aſſurance follows after. It is not contemporary with Faith, but follows it.
2 Alwayes in order of Nature. As wee ſay, The Truth of a Propoſition is ever in order of Nature, before the Knowledge of the Truth of it, Things muſt bee in Eſse, before they can bee in Cognoſci: Things muſt Bee, before they can bee known to Bee: So there muſt bee pardon of ſins, before there can bee Aſſurance of pardon. A man muſt bee Juſtified, before hee can bee aſſured hee is Juſtified. Juſtification muſt needs go before the Apprehenſion of Juſtification.
Now, that which apprehends Juſtification, is not Juſtifying Faith, but follows, it: For Apprehenſion follows Juſtification. No man can truly apprehend himſelf to bee Juſtified, till hee bee Juſtified.
But Juſtifying Faith is in nature before Juſtification.
And therefore; unleſs wee ſhould ſay, that That which follows, is That which goes before; wee cannot ſay, that that which apprehends Juſtification, is Juſtification: And by Conſequence, Aſſurance is not that Faith which Juſtifies.
3 Again. If to beleeve were to bee aſſured that wee are Juſtified, and our ſins pardoned: Then it will follow; God commands us to beleeve an untruth.
Why, How will that follow?
Thus, Becauſe God commands every one to beleeve, 1 Joh. 3.23. — This is his Commandement, that wee beleeve on the name of his Son JESUS CHRIST.
Now, If to beleeve were to bee aſſured, wee are Juſtified, and our ſins pardoned: Then God commands to beleeve an untruth: That our ſins are pardoned, before they are pardoned: That wee are Juſtified, before wee are Juſtified.
Nay, Such as are Reprobates, and ſhall never bee pardoned: If to beleeve, were to bee aſſured of pardon; Then, I ſay, God commands them to bee aſſured of pardon: And ſo commands to beleeve a lye, an untruth.
There is
1 The Act of Faith, and
2 The Fruit of Faith.
The Act of Faith is, To caſt our ſelves on CHRIST, to reſt, to trust on him.
The Fruit of Faith, is Juſtification, pardon of ſin, Reconciliation.
Now God commands no man to beleeve the Fruit of Faith, untill hee hath done the Act of Faith. Hee commands no man to beleeve hee hath an intereſt in the Promiſe, till hee hath performed the condition of the Promiſe.
The Promiſe runs upon this condition. Hee that beleeves, ſhall receive remiſſion of ſins, Act. 10.43. Act. 16.31.
To the firſt Act of Faith, All men indeed are tyed under pain of damnation, Mar. 16.16. Joh. 3.18. The World ſhall bee condemned for unbelief. And there's no condemnation, but upon breach of ſome Commandement. And therefore all men are tyed to do the firſt Act.
But now to the latter, none are tyed, but ſuch as have done the former.
The firſt is the condition of the Promiſe: or, The Duty. The ſecond is the Benefit, or Fruit of the Promiſe.
So that wee conclude this: That
Aſſurance is not the Act of Faith whereby wee are juſtified before God: But yet, That whereby wee are juſtified in our ſelves: in the Court of Conſcience.
Wee are ſaid to bee Juſtified in three Courts.
1 In foro Dei: In Gods Court.
2 In foro Conſcientiae: in Court of Conſcience.
3 In foro Communi: In the Court of men.
1 In the Court of God; It is not Aſſurance: But Faith, Affiance, truſt, that doth Juſtifie.
2 In the Court of Conſcience; It is not Faith, but Aſſurance which Juſtifies. Where the foreign, or firſt Propoſition is the undoubted Word of God, — hee that beeleves ſhall bee ſaved. The foreign, or Aſſumption is the Teſtimony of our own ſpirit, with that word. The foreign: is the verdict, and Teſtimony of the SPIRIT of God, teſtifying with our ſpirit, according to the word, whereby wee have Aſſurance.
In the Court of men: It is nor Faith, nor Aſſurance, that Juſtifies; but works.
Object. 5 But you will ſay. If Aſſurance bee not the Act whereby wee are juſtified, Becauſe it is a Fruit of Juſtifying Faith: Much leſs can Truſt bee the Act of it, becauſe it is the Fruit of Aſſurance.
That, which is the Fruit of Aſſurance, cannot bee the Act of Juſtifying Faith.
But this Truſt and Affiance is a fruit of Aſſurance; Aſſurance is the cauſe, and works Affiance as the Effect.
Therefore Truſt or Affiance, cannot bee the Act of Juſtifying Faith.
Anſw. Aſſurance is twofold,
1 Principiorum; of Principles.
2 Concluſionum; of Concluſions.
The firſt; The Aſſurance of Principles is no more but ſuch a grounded, undoubted Aſſurance as Beleeves the main Propoſition of the Goſpel: as, — Hee that beleeves ſhall bee ſaved.
The ſecond; The Aſſurance of Concluſions, is ſuch an Aſſurance as is neceſſarily deduced from the word, by Application, in a practical Syllogiſm; after this manner.
Hee that beleeveth ſhall bee ſaved.
But I beleeve.
Therefore I ſhall bee ſaved.
The firſt is, The Aſſurance of the Object.
The ſecond is, The Aſſurance of the Subject.
The firſt, Of the thing beleeved.
The ſecond, Of the Beleever,
The firſt is, The Aſſurance of the general Propoſition — whoever beleeves ſhall bee ſaved; which is called — (foreign, 2 Col. 2. The full Aſsurance of Underſtanding, or Knowledge, which is the Plerophory of Aſsent to the Truth of the Goſpel, touching CHRIST a Saviour.
The ſecond is, foreign, The Aſsurance of Faith, Heb. 10.22. And that is, when wee are aſsured, CHRIST is OUR SAVIOUR.
The firſt goes before the Act of Truſt.
The ſecond follows the Act of Truſt.
And this Act of truſting and resting upon CHRIST, is the ground of ſuch Aſſurance,
Object. But you will ſay. How ſhall wee rest upon CHRIST for Salvation, unleſs wee bee firſt aſſured of Salvation by him?
Anſw. Indeed, unleſs wee know CHRIST to bee the only Saviour, wee cannot reſt upon him for Salvation. But to ſay, A man cannot reſt upon him for Juſtification and Salvation, except hee know hee is already Juſtified, and ſhall bee ſaved: I ſee little ſenſe for that.
May not a man truſt upon his friend, who hath ingaged himſelf, and promiſed to do ſuch a thing for him, untill hee knows it were already done for him? So here. May not the Soul reſt upon CHRIST, who hath promiſed pardon and forgiveneſs to them that truſt on him, except it firſt knew, that CHRIST had already pardoned, and forgiven him?
The ground of this miſtake, I conceive to ariſe from one of theſe two grounds.
1 That they take TRUST for ASSURANCE; or
2 That they take TRUST for a FRUIT of ASSURANCE: And ſo all one with HOPE.
Now, for the clearing of the firſt, you muſt know, that TRUST doth ſignifie theſe two things.
1 Ipſum Actum Innitendi; the very act of leaning, &c.
2 Conſequens effectum Fidei; the conſequent Effect of Faith.
1 It ſignifies that very act of Leaning, Resting, Rowling on CHRIST; which is properly the act that Juſtifies.
2 Sometimes it ſignifies, the conſequent Effect of Faith; as full aſſurance, and perſwaſion; the lively ſenſe of pardon, and remiſsion of ſins.
But when wee ſpeak of that act of Truſt, which Juſtifies, wee mean not Truſt in this ſecond Acception; For this is not Juſtifying Faith: but Fidei Juſtificantis Filia: the Daughter of Justifying Faith, which comes after much ſweat and pains in the work of God, trial and experience of our ſelves, and truth of our Graces.
But wee ſpeak of Truſt in the firſt Acception; the reſting and rowling of the ſoul upon CHRIST.
The former wee ſay is the act of juſtifying Faith: and propriiſſimus actus Fidei juſtificantis: the moſt proper act of juſtifying Faith.
The latter wee grant is the fruit of the former Truſt, and Aſſurance; both ſet down by the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 1.12. — I Know (ſaith the Apoſtle) whom I have beleeved: foreign: whom I have truſted, or committed my ſoul unto, There is the firſt act of Faith. — And I am perſwaded that hee is able to keep that which I have committed to his truſt, to eternal life, There's the ſecond act of Truſt. Hee will bee all this to mee, which I have Truſted to him for.
1. I know] There was Hyſtorical Faith, Aſſent.
2. Whom I have truſted or committed my ſoul to. There was juſtifying Faith.
3. I am perſwaded.] There was the fruit of it.
To the firſt Act there concurs,
1. A diſcovery of our own emptineſs.
2. A Diſcovery of CHRISTS fulneſs for Juſtification.
3. A caſting of the Soul upon him, for Juſtification and Salvation: Going out of our ſelves, and caſting our ſouls upon Chriſt.
To the ſecond Act, there is required,
1. Not only a Knowledge, that hee is a Saviour.
2. But alſo, a Knowledge that hee is My Saviour, upon whom I truſt, or I am perſwaded of Salvation by.
The ſecond miſtake is, That they take Truſt for a fruit of Aſſurance. And ſo no ore but Hope. Propter Spem Roboratam: for ſtrengthened Hope.
Anſw. That this act of Truſt, which wee make juſtifying Faith, is not an act of Hope, but doth differ from Hope, or that affiance which they make Hope ſtrengthened; In this,
1. That Hope looks to the end, which is Salvation: But this act of Truſt, looks to the Means, which brings to the end, and that is Chriſt.
2. The act of Hope is to expect: But the act of Truſt is to lean, and reſt.
3. The Object of Hope is, Bonum Futurum, a Future Good: But the object of Truſt is, Bonum Preſens, a Preſent Good.
This act of Truſt doth reſt upon Chriſt, Non per modum expectantis; ſed per modum poſsidentis, not by way of Expectation, but by way of Poſſeſsion. As — Hee that beleeves in the Son hath life. It is not ſaid, — Hee ſhall have life; but — Hee hath life: not in Spe, but in Re; not in Hope only, but in Hand; The life of Righteouſneſs, and Juſtification in Hand: The life of Glory and Salvation in Hope.
And thus much ſhall ſerve for the firſt thing, what Faith is. In which, I hope, moſt of the controverſie is over.
2. Wee now come to the ſecond, That Faith is the only requiſite, whereby wee ſhould bee juſtified, and ſaved.
I ſhall not need to ſtand long on it.
1. Union, and Communion with Chriſt is requiſite to Juſtification and Salvation. There was no way whereby wee ſhould bee Juſtified, whereby wee ſhould bee ſaved: But only by vertue of our Union, and Communion with Chriſt.
1. No other way, but by vertue of our Union with Chriſt. In our ſelves wee were dead Branches, and grew upon a dead ſtock; and there was no help, nor hope for us, till wee were cut off from our own ſtocks: the ſtock of Nature; And were ingrafted into Chriſt, who is the Stock of Life. Hence the Apoſtle. — Hee that hath the Son hath Life; and hee that hath not the Son, hath not Life. Hee that is united and ingrafted into Chriſt, hath Life; the Life of Juſtification here; and ſhall have the Life of Glorification hereafter. — But hee that hath not the Son — Hee, who is not united to Chriſt, hath not Life: Nor the Life of Juſtification here: Nor the Life of Glorification hereafter. So that you ſee, there is no Hope of Life, or Juſtification, except wee bee united to Chriſt; who hath all Life in him. There's nothing but death in the World, out of him: And there's no way to have Union with Chriſt, but by Faith, which is one bond of our Union with Chriſt.
It is Faith that unites us to Chriſt, as Members to the Head. And being Members of Chriſt, God pardons us.
If a Malefactor had committed treaſon againſt a King, and were adjudged to loſe his hand, or his eye. If hee could now make his Hand, or his eye which hee were to loſe, to become the Hand, or the eye of the Kings Son: Hee ſhould bee ſpared; hee ſhould not loſe them: They were the hands and the eyes of the Kings Son: And the King would ſpare them for his Sons ſake: So here.
Wee were guilty of Treaſon; were condemned to death. Now this is the dexterity of Faith, to make our ſelves to bee Members of Chriſt: It is Faith that doth ingraft us into Chriſt; whereas before wee grew upon dead ſtocks: now being ingrafted into the ſtock of Chriſt, the ſtock of Life, wee have Life derived to us.
It is Faith that marries us to Christ; and being married to him, hee anſwers all our debts.
It is by Faith wee put on Chriſt, by Faith wee are built on Chriſt, as the Houſe on its Foundation.
And therefore, ſeeing there is no way to bee ſaved, but by our Union with Chriſt. And there is no Union but by Faith. Therefore it follows, Faith is the great requiſite whereby wee muſt be ſaved. That for Union.
2. For our Communion with Chriſt, Faith is neceſſary. There is no way to bee ſaved, but by vertue of communion with the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt.
1 Not by our own; any done by us; or wrought out of our ſelves. This is too ſhort. — A menſtruous ragge. A ragge, and not able to cover us, as a Garment too narrow for us. Wee cannot weave a web of Righteouſneſs of our own, able to cover us; wee ſhall but adde ſin to ſin.
2. Not by Righteouſneſs of Saints, or Angels.
1. Theirs is incommunicable. There's no way, whereby wee ſhould have communion with it. They are not of our Natures, to wit, the Angels. There muſt bee an union of Nature, before there can bee communion. Nay: But were it communicable: yet it were inſufficient. It is but a finite Righteouſneſs, and therefore not able to anſwer an infinite debt.
If the leaſt ſin did lye upon the back of the talleſt Angel in Heaven, it were not enough. All the Righteouſneſs hee hath would not bee enough to ſave him from Hell. And therefore theirs can do us no good.
To make ſhort of it.
There's no way to bee juſtified, and ſaved, but by Communion with the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt; the Righteouſneſs of his active and paſſive obedience: Obedientia Legis, Obedientia Crucis.
1. The one, In Precium.
2. The other, In Praemium.
By the one, anſwering Gods condemning Juſtice.
By the other, anſwering God commanding Juſtice.
By the one, ſatisfying his vindictive Juſtice, whereby he did bear our ſcourges.
By the other, anſwering Gods remunerative Juſtice, whereby hee did perform our ſervices.
Now there was no way to have Communion with this Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, but by Faith.
Faith gives us Union with Chriſt. And by vertue of our Union, wee have Communion with him.
As, by vertue of our Oneneſs with the firſt Adam, His ſin was made ours: So, by vertue of our Oneneſs with the ſecond Adam, His Righteouſneſs is made ours.
Faith makes us Members of Christ. Faith unites us to Chriſt. And, by vertue of our Vnion with him, as the Members with the Head; wee have derived from him Life and Spirit, Senſe and Motion.
Wee have communion with him, In his Wiſdome to direct us; In his Righteouſneſs to juſtifie us; In his Holineſs to ſanctifie us; In his Redemption to glorifie us. — Chriſt is made to us Wiſdome, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification and Redemption.
Faith ingrafts us into Chriſt, as the Branch into the Vine. And by vertue of our ingrafture into him, wee draw forth life, ſtrength, and nouriſhment from him, who is our root.
By Faith wee put on Christ, and ſo have communion with the Robes of his Righteouſneſs, whereby wee ſtand juſtified in Gods ſight.
As Jacob got the bleſſing, by his elder Brothers apparel: So wee by the Robes of Chriſt, which are called foreign: The Righteouſneſs of Saints.
By Faith wee are married to Chriſt; and by vertue of this marriage, wee have communion with all his Riches, as the Wife hath with her Husbands Eſtate: And Chriſt hath communion with all our debts.
So that you ſee; Faith is that Grace, which gives us union with Chriſt. And, by vertue of that union with him, we have communion with all of Chriſt.
It gives us communion with the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt. Hee is — The Lord our Righteouſneſs. And by Faith, it is as truly ours, to ſave us; as his, to glorifie him.
It gives us communion with the Life and Spirit of Chriſt: with the death and ſufferings of Christ; with the merits and victories of Chriſt; with the priviledges and immunities of Chriſt, as Adoption, Son-ſhip, &c.
It gives us communion with his Wiſdome, to direct us, with his Power, to protect us, with his Mercy; to ſave us.
So that, As David ſaid. — God hath ſworn in his Holineſs — He had made a Promiſe to him. And therefore hee ſaith — I will rejoyce. I will divide Shechem, and mete out the Valley of Succoth. Gilead is mine: ſo the ſoul may ſay, God hath ſaid, This Son of mine I have given you, Iſa. 9.6. And therefore Chriſt is mine.
3. Why God ſhould make choice of this Grace for our Juſtification?
Not to ſay any thing of this, which might bee one Reaſon. That the Remedy might anſwer the Fall. The Fall was by unbeleeving. As you ſee, Hee gave credit to the Serpent, and not to God. So God would make our Recovery by Faith. But this wee paſs.
Wee read in Scripture of four grounds, wherefore God made choice of this Grace for the Juſtification of a ſinner.
1. That Juſtification might bee of Grace,
2. That the Promiſe might bee ſure.
3. That it might bee to all the ſeed.
4. That no man might boaſt.
The three former you ſhall read, Rom. 4.16. The laſt, Epheſ. 2.9.
1. For the firſt. God made choice of this, that wee ſhould have Juſtification by way of beleeving. That it might bee by Grace. If it had been by any other way; by reaſon of any thing wrought in us, or by us; If it had been by Deſert, not of Grace; of Wages, not of Mercy; of Debt, not of Favour: If God had promiſed Juſtification upon any work of ours; had told us, wee muſt bring ſo much Humiliation, ſo much Repentance, ſo much brokenneſs of Spirit, ſo much Grace, ſo many Prayers, Almſ-deeds: and then wee ſhould bee juſtified: It had not then been of Grace, not of Free-Mercy.
And therefore God, For the advancement of his Free-Grace and Mercy, that wee might cry out with them in Zach. 4.7. — Grace, Grace. That wee might ſee, admire, adore, the Riches of his Grace, The height, and depth, and breadth and length of his Free-Mercy. Therefore hath God choſe this way for the Juſtification of a ſinner.
2. That the Promiſe might bee ſure. If it had been any other way, the Promiſe could not have been ſure.
That which makes the Promiſe ſure, is this.
1. That it is not founded upon any thing in us. If it were, it could never bee ſure. If there were any thing beſides the breaſt of God to bee a bottom and foundation for the Promiſe; It could never bee ſure.
2. That it is not performed, nor contrived for any thing done by us; but out of his Free-Mercy and Love. If indeed, there had been any thing in us, which ſhould have been the ground of the performance of this Promiſe to us: wee had been loſt long ago.
If God had put us upon the condition of Obedience; and had given us Grace, as hee did Adam: yet the Law is ſtrict, requiring an exact, Perſonal, Univerſal, and conſtant obedience: And every failing would have loſt us, undone us for ever.
But now, When our Righteouſneſs is in Chriſt; A Righteouſneſs not wrought by us, but wrought by Chriſt himſelf; And freely given to us upon the alone condition of Faith. This makes our condition ſure.
3. That the Promiſe might bee to all the ſeed, not to them of the Law only; but to them who were ſtrangers to the Law of God.
God had made a promiſe to bee the Father of Abraham, and of his ſeed.
Now this Promiſe could not have belonged unto us, If God had not provided a way, that wee might bee of his ſeed. Now, according to the fleſh, this was impoſſible: That wee ſhould bee of Abrahams ſeed: and therefore by conſequence, wee could have had no intereſt in this Promiſe.
And therefore God hath made Faith to bee that Grace, which makes us ſpiritually to bee the Seed of Abraham; that ſo the Promiſe might belong to us.
If God had made the Law the condition of the Promiſe: Or, if hee had made the Law and Faith together: yet then wee had never come to bee of Abrahams Seed: Becauſe wee were not under the Law.
But God having made Faith the Grace, which doth make us the Children of Abraham. Hence is the Promiſe to us, as to his ſeed: not to that part which is of the Law; but to that part which is of the Faith of Abraham — who is the Father of all that beleeve.
Though wee are never ſo far from the Law, and the kindred of Abraham in the fleſh, yet God hath provided ſecurity for us, that wee might bee his Children, and bee inheritors in the Promiſe, which is, by Faith.
Therefore God choſe Faith, that the Promiſe might bee to all the Seed, not to the fleſh only; for then wee ſhould not bee of his ſeed; but to the Spirit.
4. The fourth Reaſon is, Epheſ. 2.9. That no man might boaſt; That is, That no man might have cauſe to glory in himſelf, or rejoyce in himſelf.
Now, if it had been by any other way, by any thing done by us; wee ſhould have gloried. And therefore God choſe this way, that wee might glory alone in him, 1 Cor. 1.30, 31. — That no fleſh might glory in his preſence: Christ is made Wiſdome, Righteouſnes, Sanctification and Redemption, that hee that glories, might glory in the Lord, Iſa. 45.24, 25. — In mee you ſhall have Righteouſneſs and ſtrength, and in mee you ſhall glory.
God is exceeding chary of his Glory. As in our Salvation, hee aimed at the manifeſtation of his Glory: So hee hath had care to bring it about in ſuch a way wherein there may bee the Preſervation of his Glory.
Now, if God had pitcht it in any other way, than in the way of Beleeving, his Glory could not have been preſerved: wee would have been ſharers with God; wee ſhould have divided the ſpoils of Glory with him.
And therefore God choſe this, which is
A mean Grace in it ſelf. And ſo his Glory ſhall not bee obſcured, but more perſpicuous, as 1 Cor. 1.
Nay, ſuch a Grace, as doth throw a man out of himſelf: empties a man of himſelf, and caſts him upon another. It is ſuch a Grace, as makes the Soul all in another; nothing in it ſelf: Rich in another, poor in it ſelf; found in another, loſt in it ſelf: Saved by another, damned by it ſelf. — I live (ſaith Paul) yet not I, but Christ in mee. I live by the Faith of the Son of God, or Faith in the Son of God, Gal. 2.20.
It is ſuch a Grace as makes a man ſtand upon anothers bottom: live by anothers life: Rich by anothers riches: cloathed by anothers Apparel: fed by anothers meat. A poor beggarly grace in it ſelf. And therefore God choſe this.
It is ſuch a Grace, as gives God all the Glory: As it was ſaid of Abraham — Hee gave glory to God by beleeving, Rom. 4. Hee gave glory to his Truth, to his Power, to his Wiſdome, to his Mercy: So this Grace in the Juſtification of a ſinner, it gives God all the glory, it robs him not of any peece of Glory, it gives him the glory of his Mercy, of his Truth,— Hee that beleeves, puts to his ſeal, that God is true. It ſets up God, makes him Alpha and Omega, the beginner and finiſher of all. And therefore it being a Grace that honours God above all, therefore God honours it above all other, making it the Inſtrument of Juſtification.
And therefore, my Brethren, if ever you would have pardon from him, give him the glory of his own Free-Grace.
Here is the controverſie between God and man, to this day. God is willing to ſave us, if wee will give him his Glory: But our proud hearts will not yeeld to that, That God ſhould bee all in all.
Every man would willingly bee ſomething in himſelf, ſtand upon his own bottom. God is willing to give us a Righteouſneſs wrought out for us: But wee would have a Righteouſneſs of our own making. Wee love the Spiders motto. — Mihi ſoli debeo. To owe nothing to any, but to our ſelves.
Wee are too like that proud Papiſt, who ſaid, — Hee would not have Heaven Gratis, wee would merit it.
God is willing to give us objective worthineſs, worthineſs in another, in Chriſt. But wee would have ſubjective worthineſs: A worth in our ſelves. But this will not bee allowed. God will have us poor in our ſelves, empty in our ſelves, caſt out of our ſelves, unbottomed of our ſelves. Hee will have us poor, and blind, and naked, before hee will beſtow mercy on us.
God will not have us bring our penny to his purchaſe: One dram to this fulneſs; one ſhred to this garment of Christ. Hee will have it by Faith, that ſo it might bee of Grace; that not wee, but hee might have all the Glory.
This is one Reaſon I am perſwaded of the enlargement of our troubles of ſpirit, and breakings; Becauſe wee will not let God be all in all: wee will not let God have all the Glory. Glad we ſhould bee, to bee ſharers in our own Salvation. Glad, to do ſomething. We would have it of Debt, not of Grace; of Works, not of Faith; of Merit, not of Mercy.
God would forgive us our deb…s, but wee would pay them; wee are loath to bee proclaimed Banckrupts, unable to pay. God would willingly cloathe us, but wee would make a garment of our own.
God would give us Heaven, but wee would deſerve it.
God would give us pardon upon beleeving, that ſo wee might not glory in our ſelves; but in him: But wee would have it by way of working. That all, or at leaſt ſomething, might bee attributed to our ſelves.
But you ſee, God hath aimed at the Magnifying of his own Glory: and therefore hee hath choſen Faith, to bee the Grace whereby wee ſhould bee Juſtified. And if ever you would bee juſtified, if ever you would have Glory, give him Glory.
4. The fourth thing at firſt propounded to bee cleared, was, How Faith juſtifieth.
For the clearer anſwer whereto, wee will lay down theſe two Diſtinctions.
1 Faith may be conſidered,
1. Either formally, as an inherent Grace of God in us.
2 Or inſtrumentally, as that whereby wee receive Chriſt. In the firſt ſenſe it hath nothing to do with Juſtification.
The Papiſt, becauſe wee deny Faith to juſtifie in reſpect of its own worthineſs, ſay that we make it titulum ſine re, as it were a matter of nothing, whereas in reſpect of Juſtification, wee acknowledge it the only inſtrument, and that is much to bee ſaid of it.
2 Faith is conſidered,
1. Either abſolutely as a Habit, or Act of ours.
2. Or Relatively, as it hath relation to Chriſt, and makes us one with him.
In the former ſenſe again it hath nothing to do with Juſtification, but in the ſecond ſenſe as it is related to Chriſt, and brings us over to Chriſt, ſo it is ſaid to juſtifie us, becauſe it brings us to him, by whom wee are juſtified, Act. 13.39. By him (ſpeaking of Chriſt) all that beleeve are juſtified; by him, but not by Faith abſolutely, but only as relating to him.
Indeed wee are ſaid to live by Faith, as well as by Chriſt, Gal. 2.20. to have remiſſion of ſins by Faith, Act. 10.43. as well as by Chriſt, Epheſ. 1.7. to bee juſtified by Faith, Rom. 3.28. as well as by Chriſt, Iſa. 53.11. to have peace with God by Faith, Rom. 5.1. as well as by Chriſt, Col. 1.20. to bee ſanctified by Faith, Act. 15.9. as well as by Chriſt, 1 Cor. 1.30. to overcome the World by Faith, 1 John 5.4, 5. as well as by Chriſt, John 16.33.
To bee the Sons of God by Faith, Gal. 3.26. as well as by Chriſt, Epheſ. 1.5. to have eternal life, and to bee ſaved by Faith, John 5.24. Epheſ. 2.8. as well as by Chriſt, Math. 1.21. John 3.17. 1 John 5.11.
But now you muſt conſider that none of theſe are ſpoken of Faith abſolutely conſidered, as either an Habit or Act of ours, but only relatively, as Faith brings us to Chriſt, and makes us one with him, by whom alone wee are juſtified, adopted, ſanctified, &c. for between Chriſt and Faith there is ſuch a Relation, that as Juſtifying Faith is called the Faith of Chriſt, or Faith in Chriſt, or Faith in his blood, ſo again the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, by which wee are juſtified, is called the Righteouſneſs of Faith.
And ſo wee conclude this point, that Faith doth not juſtifie as abſolutely conſidered in it ſelf, but relatively, as it hath relation to Chriſt the object, and as it brings the ſoul over to him, makes us one with him, by whom wee are juſtified, have remiſſion of ſins, ſalvation, &c.