One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 120
SERMON CXX. A Conſideration of Faith in its Generall Nature as Dogmaticall or Hiſtoricall, carried out to Scripture-Truths, becauſe of Divine Authority.
JOH. 17.21.
That the world may believe thou hast ſent me.
WE are treating on the Conſequent of Unity amongſt the Godly, That the world may beleeve, which belief hath been already conſidered relatively, as a product of Unity: We ſhall now take notice of it abſolutely as it is in its own ſelf; It is believing that the Father hath ſent Chriſt into the world.
We formerly ſpake of believing in its specificall nature, as it juſtifieth by laying hold on Chriſt.
We ſhall here ſpeak of it in its generall Nature, becauſe this believing is common both to the Hypocrite and the ſound Chriſtian; For of that world which doth beleeve, all do not believe in a ſaving manner, So that although none who believe Chriſt ſent into the world, ought to ſtay in that generall, but particularly to improve Chriſt, that he may be ſent for their good, yet becauſe the expreſſion is here general, I ſhall conſider of it as a generall.
For whereas in the former Verſe the Object of Faith was made Chriſt himſelf, Ens incomplexum, Here it is a Propoſition, though that onelyonly is the Objectum quo and not quod, upon which our Faith is ultimately terminated.
Obſ.Obſerv. That the believing of Chriſt being ſent unto the world is the foundation of our converſion unto God. That the Believing of Chriſt being ſent unto the world is the foundation and firſt principle of our Converſion unto God; Though men have never ſo much underſtanding in other Religious Points, as that Scribe ſpoken of, Mark 12. though not farre off, yet they are not in the Kingdome of Heaven, until they believe in Chriſt as ſent by the Father to be our Mediatour; That as the Apoſtle Hebr. 11. makes it a Fundamentall requiſite in every one to believe that God is, no leſſe is required to believe that Chriſt is; Therefore 1 Cor. 3. Jeſus Chriſt is called the Foundation, and by ſome made the adequate object of Divinity, becauſe every thing conſidered there, doth either directly or reductively leade unto Chriſt; So that I ſhall not ſpeak of that peculiar Act of Faith applying Chriſt, but that generall act whereby we know and aſſent firmly and immovably, That there was a Chriſt, God and man, who was ſent by the Father to redeem and ſave ſinners; For though all be thought to believe this, yet the right and powerfull aſſenting to it is the foundation both of all holineſſe and conſolation, but ere we ſpeak of the Nature of it ſome diſtinctions are to be premiſed,
Diſtinct. I As Firſt, That Faith is ſometimes taken for the Object, the Faith quae creditur, The Doctrine beleeved, and ſometimes for the Grace of Faith quâ creditur, whereby we do believe Coloſ. 2.5. To be eſtabliſhed in the Faith, that is, in the Doctrine; So ſome are ſaid to erre, to deny, or depart from the Faith, that is, the Doctrine; But commonly it is uſed for the gracious actings of the Soul towards thoſe Objects, only it's good to obſerve this diſtinction, becauſe ſome places are brought to prove Apoſtacy from inherent faith, which ſpeaks only of the doctrine.
2. Faith is taken ſometimes actively, and ſometimes paſſively, Actively for fidelity and veracity in promiſes, in which ſence it's attributed to God, and to men. Sometimes paſſively for the aſſenting unto Truths becauſe of anothers Teſtimony; And this again is twofold, Either Humane Faith, when we believe any thing meerly beeauſe of humane authority; or divine, when we believe, becauſe of divine authority; (and this is greatly to be obſerved) for when I believe a divine Truth for humane Authority or witneſſe, my Faith all that while is but humane; as thoſe that beleeved Chriſt, for the Samaritan Womans Teſtimony, all the while they had no higher a ground then that, it was but an humane Faith, and then a Papiſt as a Papiſt, and by Popiſh principles can have no more then an humane Faith, for the utmoſt motive in which their Faith is reſolved is the Authority of the Church, which is but humane, and ſo if the Church had propounded Titus Livius, or Aeſops Fables (as ſome grant) to be the Word of God, people were bound to believe it, but there is no divine Faith unleſſe there be a divine Teſtimony, and this doth ſadly diſcover Millions of baptized perſons, yet to have no divine Faith, for all the ground of their Chriſtian Faith is Education and humane Authority, it is not becauſe God hath ſaid it, or he hath revealed it; They cannot ſay with thoſe Samaritans, Now we believe no longer for Education ſake, or the Churches ſake, but becauſe of the Authority and Divine Light which is coruſcant in the Scriptures themſelves; Inſomuch that the Jeſuite Valentia doth confeſſe there are ſuch inward diſcoveries of purity and Majeſty in the Scripture, that they breed ſuch an inward reverence and perſwaſion that no other book can do.
3. There is a diſtinction of great antiquity received in the Church between Credere Deum, to beleeve there is a God, Credere Deo, to beleeve God ſpeaking, and Credere in Deum to beleeve in God by inward Union with him, and loving of him; Now although it be true, that the Scripture makes no ſuch difference, adding the Hebrew Prepoſition Beth, and the Greek foreign, Even where there is but a bare hiſtoricall beleeving there is a God, yet for explication ſake it may be received, and thoſe only ſaid to beleeve in God, who are juſtified and ſanctified, Though the Scripture attribute it ſometimes to others.
Laſtly, Conſider that the Soul hath ſeveral tendencies and motions to divers Objects; Sometimes it aſſents to a thing by help of the ſence, and that is a knowledge by ſence, Sometimes by demonſtrative Reaſons, it knoweth a thing, and then it's called Science ſtrictly, Sometimes by Teſtimony or Authority, and then it's called Faith; Now if the authority be divine that ſaith ſuch a thing, then the Soul cannot be deceived, becauſe God cannot lye, and ſo there ought to be greater certainty and firmer adheſion to thoſe truths then any thing of ſence and Reaſon, yea, in ſome ſence it hath more evidence; For there is a twofold Evidence of the thing it ſelf, and of the credibility of it, of the thing it ſelf; And ſo indeed the matters of ſence and reaſon are more evident in their own Natures to us; Of the credibility of it, and ſo Faith hath great evidence, as the Teſtimonies for ſuch Truths are evident and clear, though the truths themſelves are ſupernatural and highly tranſcending our humane capacity.
Diſtinct. II Theſe things premiſed, Let us come to examine the Nature of Faith as it is dogmatical or hiſtoricall;Of the nature of Faith as it is dogmaticall or hiſtoricall. And
1. It's wrought in us by the Grace of God; It's the power of God that works even this common faith: No man could know and give aſſent to ſuch divine truths, unleſſe inabled by the Spirit of God, and therefore it's ſaid to beleevers, That to them it's given to believe, Phil. 1.29.1. It's wrought by the grace of God. which takes in the whole nature of faith; So ſome are ſaid to believe through the grace of God, No man can ſay, Jeſus is the Lord, but by the Spirit, Acts 18.27. Some have thought that we may by humane ſtrength come to beleeve divine truths, as we may by our induſtry attain to philoſophicall knowledge; but this is to be ignorant of mans weakneſſe and Gods power. It's true, men may in an humane way comprehend the ſenſe and meaning of the Scripture, but to give a divine aſſent to it, that is the gift of God, For every good and perfect gift, whereof this faith is a principal one, cometh from the Father of lights, James 1. Did not many learned Heathens Porphyrius Celſus, Julian, and others, know what was aſſerted in the Scripture, yet they did not believe, but contemn it: And certainly we are bound to acknowledge it a great mercy of God to have dogmatical faith: For why are ſo many Heretiques left to themſelves? Some deny the Natures one, or the other of Chriſt, ſome his Perſon, ſome his Offices, and ſhouldſt not thou doe thus, if left to thy ſelf? Nay, Is not a godly man ſometimes ſadly tempted about his dogmatical faith, that he doubteth of a God, or about the truths of the Scripture? Certainly, it's a ſpeciall mercy thus to be inabled to believe; and it is good to be obſerved, one reaſon why faith muſt needs be of God, which is, becauſe the nature of it lieth more in the firmneſs of the act, then in the certainty of the ſubject: It's not ſo much the object without, as ſomething within, makes a man believe. Gods Spirit doth more work in corroborating the heart, then revealing the object; Hence though the Doctrine be revealed to ſome, yet they do not believe, when at another time, though they have but the ſame meaſure of light, and the ſame argument propounded, they do believe; and why is all this? but becauſe Gods work in the believer is more ex parte ſubjecti, then objecti. Therefore it's horrible debaſing of Gods grace in working faith, to make it no more then the revealing of the object, for then man by his own power doth believe; as when a man brings a candle in the room, then a man ſeeth by his own power, who could not before; for God doth not only propound the object, but enlightens the underſtanding, and boweth the heart to believe.
2. God works faith in us, not abſolutely, or by the creatures, the beholding and ſeeing of them, but by the word. Thus Rom. 10. Preaching,By means of the Word. hearing and believing are chained together; We are then in and by the Word to expect this work of God, not to flie to the creatures, making them equal to Gods word for begetting faith, or to enthuſiaſmes and private revelations, but to the word of God, which gives light to the ſimple, but as the Word is an inſtrument of begetting faith, ſo faith is afterwards an inſtrument of improving the Word, for the Word doth not profit in the increaſe and benefit thereof, unleſſe there be Faith. 3. The heart of man is naturally not only unfit but contrary and oppoſite to the way of beleeving heavenly truths.Thus as the Spirit of God doth at firſt work Faith, and yet by Faith we are made further partakers of Gods Spirit; So the Word doth at firſt produce Faith in us, which when wrought, doth againe improve the Word for further edification and growth in grace.
3. The heart of man is naturally not only unfit, but contrary and oppoſite unto the way of believing of heavenly Truth; And by this it's plain, Faith is the gift of God, becauſe man hath not only an unfitneſſe, but a contrary repugnancy to the things of God; Therefore 1 Cor. 4.14. the natural man is ſaid not to receive the things of God neither can be, both the act and the power is denied to him; Therefore when Peter made that Confeſſion of faith, Thou art the Son of God, Chriſt tels him, Fleſh and bloud had not revealed that to him, Mat. 16.17. Therefore the Phariſees though they heard ſo much of Chriſt, and ſaw all his Miracles, yet they derided and oppoſed Chriſt, They did not hear his Word becauſe they were not of God, as Chriſt told them, Job. 8.47. Know then as in reſpect of groſſe ſinne thou wouldſt be like a Cain, a Judas, if God did not keep thee, ſo alſo in reſpect of doctrine thou wouldſt be the vileſt Atheiſt, or the moſt blaſphemous heretique that ever was, if God did not enlighten and confirm thee.
4. This faith may be without ſanctification of the inward man.4. Though God work faith thus, yet it may be without a Sanctification of the inward man; For ſeeing Faith as it's dogmatical carrying a man only to the Contents of the Scripture as they are true, is ſeated in the underſtanding; no wonder if thereby a man be enlightned only, but not regenerated; Hence we reade of ſome who did beleeve, Joh. 2. yet they loved the praiſe of men more then of God; That light in their minde did not ſerve to produce ſupernatural life and heat in the heart; It was not a faith that did purifie the heart, which is called the Faith of the Elect, Tit. 1.1. becauſe only appropriated to them; The whole Epiſtle of James is on purpoſe to ſhew ſuch a Faith that is not accompanied with holy works, although therefore we ſay a true lively Faith can never be ſeparated from ſanctification, yet men may be enlightned only in their mindes, and perſwaded of the truth in their hearts, without any effectual change upon them; It's not enough to have ſuch a faith as may make a man a true Proteſtant or orthodox, ſo as to be neither Papiſt nor heretique, for all this is but a cure of thy minde, and with illumination may conſiſt grievous pollutions. Yet
5. Where this faith is there will be ſome kinde of pious diſpoſition of heart.5. Where there is but a bare dogmaticall Faith enabled thereunto by the Spirit of God, there must needs be ſome kinde of pious diſpoſition and tractableneſſe of the heart; For ſeeing the nature of faith lyeth in aſſenting to a Teſtimony and that of God, there cannot be but ſome flexibleneſſe of the heart to ſubmit thereunto; If indeed the Chriſtian Religion were like the Arts and Sciences, then there was no ſubmiſſion of the underſtanding required, ſeeing it aſſents upon reaſon, which is a ſutable and connaturall argument to the minde, as food is to the appetite of hunger; But becauſe theſe things are received for authority ſake, and have a ſupereminency to our naturall underſtanding, Therefore it muſt be captivated; Thus the Apoſtle excellently expreſſeth it, 2 Cor. 10.5. the word doth bring into captivity every thought to the Obedience of Chriſt, a man before he believeth hath many proud thoughts, many ſubtle thoughts, many obſtinate thoughts, but Faith brings theſe down, and ſubmits, becauſe God ſaith ſo; Now this cannot be done without ſome yeelding and flexibleneſſe; Hence the Schoolmen do determine that in faith (and they acknowledge none beſides miraculous but dogmaticall) There is a pia affectio, ſome pious and affectionate diſpoſition to him, for whoſe authority we do beleeve; So that this dogmatical faith even in unregenerated perſons is not like that of the devils, for though the Apoſtle James ſaith, They believe and tremble, Jam. 2.19. yet their Faith is not wrought by the Spirit of God, neither is it upon divine motions, but experience, and manifeſt conviction; They feel in part the torments of hell, and therefore it's experimentally evident to them, that there is a God who is alſo juſt and terrible in his vengeance; But the hiſtorical faith in an unſanctified man, as it is the gift of God, ſo it works ſome inclining diſpoſition to God, yea, in the temporary believer, who goeth beyond a meer dogmatiſt, it works, as appeareth, Mat. 3. Some reformation, and ſome joy, ſo that the word makes ſome hopeful ingreſſe into him, though at laſt it paſſe away as our lives even as a tale that is told, having no ſetled continuance.
6. This hiſtorical faith, as it is wrought efficiently by the Spirit of God, 6. The motive of it is divine.ſo the motive of it is Divine Authority and Revelation. That as by the light of the Sun we ſee the Sunne, ſo by God we come to know every thing of God. This divine motive of faith is freely acknowledged to be in the Theſſalonians by the Apoſtle, 1 Theſſ. 2.13. They received the word, not as the word of man, but as the word of God. Hence the Prophets begin with Thus ſaith the Lord; and Paul diſcovers himſelf to be called by God; So that every thing hath but a weak, ineffectual operation, till it hath a maker, a divine ſtamp upon the ſoul: Oh when we once believe a threatning, as it is Gods, when we once believe a promiſe, as it is Gods, it muſt bear down all before thee! What if the world come? What if Satan come? What if thy companions come, telling thee this and this? Oh but ſaith the believing ſoul, God that cannot lie ſaith the contrary! And truly herein is diſcovered, that in Religion we have but an humane faith, yea not ſo much, for an humane faith will make great changes in our life, when yet our divine faith doth not. If a man tels thee of ſuch danger, of ſuch evil in the way, doth it not preſently make thee turn out of that path? But now when Gods word tels thee, there is death and damnation in ſuch paths, that doth not at all move thee.