A Discourse of Regeneration, Discourse 2 – Title page 2

A Discourse of Regeneration · Discourse 2 – Title page 2

p. 1A DISCOURSE OF FAITH.

ROM. 10. 17.

So then, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

THE Apostle towards the close of the Ninth Chapter speaking of a twofold Righteousness, of Works and of Faith, tells us that the Gentiles did attain to the Righteousness of Faith, but the Iews did not attain to the Righteousness of Works, which they so much trusted in, for they being ignorant of Gods Righteousness, and going about to establish their own, have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God, Rom. 10. 3. Hence p. 2the Apostle takes an occasion to compare the Righteousness of the Law, with that of Faith; calling one our own Righteousness, the other the Righteousness of God, which the Law do's tacitly point to, promising Life to perfect Obedience, this not being found in any mere Man since the Fall, we are directed to seek it in Christ, who is the end of the Law to every one who believes, ver. 4. he brings in Moses, verse the 5th. describing the Righteousness which is of the Law, that the man which doth thsoe things shall live by them. Such doers of the Law we are not, therefore can look for nothing but Death by Law.

Verse 6th. He brings in the Righteousness of Faith by a Prosopopeia, speaking it self to an afrighted dejected sinner, who is also brought in musing upon his wretched Condition, full of sad thoughts, saying over many dismal things to himself in his own Heart about his Eternal State, how shall I get to Heaven, how shall I escape Hell, how shall I dwell with everlasting Burnings which I see no way to avoid by Law, the righteousness of Faith meets this convinced Sinner, in this great distress of Conscience, communes with him, discourses of Christ to him, minds him of p. 3his Resurrection from the dead, and Ascension into Heaven, you seem (says the Righteousness of Faith) to deny both in talking at this rate, your way to Heaven is plain, Christ is ascended, you shall as surely go to Heaven, if you believe as Christ is gone before you, as surely escape Hell and overcome Death, as Christ is risen from the dead, and the only way to get an Interest in Christ is to attend to the word of Faith that is preached, ver. 8. when once that prevails and brings you to confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, you shall be saved ver. 9. this proved out of Isa. 28. 16. Whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed, whether Iew or Gentile, ver. 11, 12. and because Prayer is the principal part of that outward Confession made with the Mouth, and the best indication of Faith in the Heart, he concludes ver. 13. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Whence Observe;

Observ. The chiefest thing we should now pray for, is, that we may have an Interest in Christ and his Righteousness, desiring to be found in him, &c.

p. 4Having spoken so much of the Righteousness of Faith, he does in a certain gradation shew the way and means of attaining it, it is not a Righteousness that is to be done by us, to be wrought out with our own hands, but prepared for us by another, freely promised and given to us, therefore it must be askt, it must be earnestly pray'd for, we must beg hard of God to impute it to us, v. 13. the Law propounds the work of Righteousness to be done by us, the Gospel (Rom. 5. 17.) propounds the Gift of Righteousness to be pray'd for and thankfully received, v. 14. there can be no Prayer without Faith, no Faith without Hearing, no Hearing without a Preacher, no Preachers unless they be sent, from all which he draws this Conclusion, viz. that the next immediate Cause of Faith is Hearing.

There is much Preaching and much Hearing in this City, but what comes on't? Truely if Faith does not come, nothing comes that will turn to any good Account to you: The Apostles in the Primitive times so spake that many believed, Acts 14. 1. with that evidence and power, their words had a special Accent in the Ears and Hearts of those that heard them, God gave a signal testimony to the word of his Grace, than fear came upon every Soul, Acts p. 52. 43. Those who were not savingly wrought upon, were greatly astonished at the Doctrine of the Gospel; 'tis otherwise now, how little of this astonishment does appear in our Assemblies, where is this fear that came upon every Soul, 'twas short of Faith, yet I am perswaded when Faith comes in some open eminent Conversion, that the whole Assembly is usually struck with some present fear, the Word comes like a mighty rushing Wind into the Congregation, shakes all, when 'tis about to Convert one; something like this may be observed in the Acts of the Apostles, and other passages in the New Testament, it is sit that Grace should be solemnly attended when it goes forth to the publick Conversion though but of one Soul: If God intend the coming of Faith into any of your hearts this day, he'l come along with his Work, he will prepare the way, he'l bless your hearing, and speak something inwardly to you from himself, that shall incline your hearts to believe the Gospel, though God speaks by the Ministry of man, yet his voice is distinct from ours, and begins where that ends, carrying the Word from the Ear to the Heart, there leaving it under those mixtures of Faith that make it work effectually. p. 6Hear I beseech you with diligence least you obstruct the coming of Faith by not attending to what shall be spoken to you in the name of the Lord. So then faith cometh by hearing, &c.

Doct. Hearing the Word of God Preached to us, is the ordinary means of begetting faith in us.

First, What are we in a more special manner to understand by Faith here in the Text.

The general Object of Faith is the whole Doctrine of God laid down in the Scriptures; the special object of Saving Faith, is the Free-promise of Grace in Christ Jesus, this supports the former, we must believe the Divine Narrative of the whole Will of God revealed in the Bible, before we can pitch our Faith in any suitable actings upon any part of it, 'tis one thing to assent to the Truth of the Word in General, a further and indeed another thing to apply the Promises; he believes a Promise who do's fiducially rely upon it, this is properly Trusting, we believe something in reference to our selves, living in a comfortable Hope and Expectation of it, respecting not only the Truth of p. 7the thing, but also the Goodness of it in reference to our selves under that possibility, probability or certainty of obtaining it, which our Faith, according to its various Degrees may represent unto us, Faith in the Righteousness of Christ for justification is here principally intended.

Secondly, Why must this Faith come by hearing. Hearing is alwayes antecedent to Faith, though Faith be not always the consequent of Hearing, ver. 16. 18. all Hearers are not believers, though all Believers are first Hearers.

I shall evince the necessity of Hearing in order to Faith, from these following grounds:

I. Hearing is Sensus Discipline, the Sense by which all Knowledge is let into the Soul. There is a two-fold Knowledge belonging to Faith, one leading to it, the other found in it, arising from it, and is the same with Faith it self.

The First, is Litteral or Historical, 'tis rather notitia then cognitio, a notice or particular information given us of the Contents of the Bible, especially of the report which the Gospel makes of the way of Salvation by Christ, we must p. 8know what we are to believe, before we can be supposed to believe any thing; How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard, and how shall they hear without a Preacher. Words are the proper Object of this Sense of Hearing, where nothing is spoken, nothing can be heard, the sound of Words must reach the ear, before the sense of those Words can enter into the Understanding. This Historical Knowledge do's not lye in Learning the Scriptures by roat, without any Rational Knowledge of the Litteral Sense and Meaning of those Propositions of Truth that are contained therein, this would be only Memory without any Understanding: A Natural Man does not dis-believe the Scripture, because he has not a Rational Conception of the common Notion of things spoken of there, but because he has, and finding them so uncouth, so seemingly contrary to Humane Reason, he rejects them as Foolishness.

The Second, Is a Knowledge more than Historical, and is of the Essence of Faith all one with it, it is that which we call a Saving Knowledge; it lies in the Use and Application of Gospel Truths to our own Souls, when we shape our selves to a p. 9real Conformity to the Call of God in every Gospel Truth, acting in a way of Duty what the Word of God commands.

There is no Saving Knowledge of Gospel Truths, but the Knowledge of Faith, and no other Reason for Faith in the highest Misteries of the Gospel, but the bare Word of God.

That Faith is Knowledge, I prove thus, Because in Scripture, 'tis opposed to Folly, Blindness and Ignorance, Acts 17. 23, 30. Ioh. 17. 3. Ier. 31. 34. Isa. 9. 1, 2.

Besides it has all the effects of Knowledge in the Soul, it gives full satisfaction to the Mind of a Man, removes all doubts, establishes the Heart in a full perswasion of the Truth of the Word of God; Humane Knowledge is liable to many Mistakes but a Divine Faith admits of no Falshood, therefore Faith perfects mans Understanding, because it brings in nothing but Truth, no mans Errors do proceed from Faith, he may err in matters of Faith, but 'tis not from his Faith, but his Unbelief, therefore Faith is Knowledge, unerring Knowledge we believe and are sure, we may be so, if we rightly understand our selves in an p. 10act of Believing, no demonstrations of Reason, do give that Evidence of Truth as Faith do's, as mans Understanding is too low, to take in Divine Truths, so Gods Understanding is too high, for man to comprehend, therefore we are called to yield the obedience of faith to his revealed Will, God governs man rather by giving him the knowledge of his Will, then lifting him up into his own Infinite Understanding, that is above our Capacity, our Duty lies not in knowing what God knows, but in doing what God commands, who gives no account of his matters to us, only commands us to believe his Word, and to look upon that as a sufficient ground and reason of our faith, when we hear it preached to us.

II. Because God has appointed hearing the Word, as a necessary means of faith, he will not immediately speak to our hearts by his Spirit, but has appointed his Word to be first spoken to our Ears, and promis'd that way to let it down into our hearts, thus Faith comes by Hearing.

Quest. How should Hearing of things above our Reason contribute any thing to our believing them? One would think p. 11the oftner we hear them, the more absurd we should count them to be, and reject them with greater Indignation, having so often tried them by the Touchstone of our own reason, and pronounced them unintelligible.

Answ. Hearing alone will not let in these Divine Mysteries into our Understandings, Isa. 6. 9, 10. God must inwardly Teach us and reveal them to us by his Spirit, before we can believe them, which brings me to the third head, viz.

III. How faith is wrought by our hearing the Word.

1. By a special Appearance of God to the Soul.

2. By opening the Heart, enlightning the Mind, and perswading the Will to a thorough closure with Christ upon Gospel Terms.

To these two heads may be referred all that falls under our discerning and experience of the work of the Spirit in begetting faith in us.

1. Faith is wrought by a special appearance p. 12of God to the Soul, what this appearance of God is, how it rises out of the Word, in what manner 'tis let into the Soul, I shall endeavour to open to the experience of those who know what it is to hold Communion with God in hearing his Word: there is some co-incidence in the particulars above-mentioned, yet not without some distinction, which I leave to your own observation, the less of Art or Method there is in handling experimental points, the better, they come with most power to the Conscience in their own simplicity, therefore I shall in a joynt Discourse run the matter close together, looking sometimes on one side, and sometimes on t'other, till I have viewed it round, that I may present the whole Truth to you in so great and necessary a point, we can have no saving knowledge of God but in and by his word, we must look through that Glass upon him, and that appearance of God we meet with there, is the beginning of all Religion, the Word never comes with power to our Consciences, till God appear in it.

How that is, I am now to shew. Whilst we are hearing his Word we see God standing forth, in his own words, declaring p. 13himself to be the Author of it, this draws in our attention, adds that weight and authority to the Word, that we cannot but receive it as the Word of God, and set our Seals to the Truth of it, we see sufficient grounds for our Faith in God from this manifestation of himself to our Souls. Thus God wrought faith in Abraham, Gen. 17. 1. by appearing to him several times as God Almighty and Allsufficient, that Abraham might not doubt of any thing that such a God should promise to him, and therefore 'tis said Rom. 4. 3. that Abraham believed God, being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to perform, ver. 21. Thus God appeared to Samuel revealing himself to him by his Word 1 Sam. 3. 21. So Christ appeared to Paul by a voice, and a Light from Heaven, I am Jesus, Acts 9. there are spiritual appearances of God now to our Souls under the Preaching of the Gospel answerable to these Visions of Old. God lets himself down into our Hearts, through the apprehensions of our faith, which frames in our hearts a right image of God answerable to that Character he gives of himself in the Word, he shines through the Word in all his Glory, when he spake of Old to the Patriarchs p. 14by an articulate voice, the unwritten word then was accompanied with such convincing signs of his Presence, that they could not but believe it, and so is the written Word now as capable of representing God to us, when he has a mind to be seen by us, as that was then; the Letter of the Word is but a Creature, but the Truths contained in it are Eternal, and do all center in God himself, who is the Essential Word, thus God rises out of the Word, and looks a man in the Face, tells him, thus saith the Lord, I am that Lord God Almighty who now speaks unto you, he leaves no Objection unanswered, shews what sure grounds of faith, we have in him, shall God say and not do? 'tis impossible for God to lie, it must be so as God saies, it can't be otherwise, Heaven and Earth shall sooner pass away than one Tittle of the Word be broken, thus in God we praise his Word, Psal. 56. 4. 10. Consider the Word out of God: 'twill puzzle Men and Angels to make out the meaning of it, to think the things spoken of possible or likely to come to pass, but all things are possible with God, and to those who believe in God, they stick at nothing, they are sure Omnipotency knows no difficulties, the Counsel of the Lord must p. 15stand, his thoughts shall come to pass: a Soul thus struck with a sense of Gods Presence yields immediately, I believe Lord with all my heart, am ready to do whatever thou requirest of me, so Paul: Oh that God would so manifest himself to every one of your hearts this day, that he would shew himself, come up close to you, look you in the face, and say, I am Jesus, you could not withstand this mighty presence of God in Christ Jesus, O speak Lord, 'tis but thy saying to each of us I am Jesus, and we shall all be made to know the Lord from the least to the greatest, I hope the quickning voice of the Son of God, is now sounding in the Ears of your Faith, while I am speaking to you, and that you do receive the Word, not as the word of Man, but as it is indeed the Word of God, quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged Sword in every one of your hearts.

The knowledge of the Truth as 'tis in Jesus (Eph. 4. 21.) is one thing, and the knowledge of the Truth as 'tis in Ink and Paper is another; they are the same Truths, but as they are in the Scriptures they lie in the dead Letter, as they are in Christ they are seen in their living root p. 16and principle from whence they spring, meer Scriptural Knowledge is but Historical, we look upon the things we read and hear, rather as notions than realities: till God fills up all expressions of Scripture concerning himself, with a Divine Presence answerable thereunto, we believe nothing that is said of him, but such a presence of God in his Word, captivates our hearts to the belief of it, we must believe him to be such a God as the Word declares him to be, before we shall count all his sayings true, we must fetch strength from the name of God, Rev. 2. 13. to support our Faith in all its actings upon any part of his revealed will, and we never deny any Truth plainly revealed but we deny his name, Rev. 3. 8. and question his Attributes; some Truths bare more upon one Attribute, some more upon another, but all are founded in God and in the essential properties of his Nature, from whence they have their verification and accomplishment, so that till God appear and shew himself to the Soul, all that is said to us out of the Scriptures in the name of an unknown God affects us not, because it wants that which is the ground of its Credibility, no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Spirit, 1 Cor. 12. 3. he p. 17cannot say so and think so, he cannot say so and believe what he says, till the Father reveal his Son in him, Paul by the Light of that Revelation of Christ in him, knew all Gospel Mysteries, and without such an inward spiritual manifestation of God to our Souls, giving us a sight of him who is invisible, 'tis impossible we should ever be throughly convinced of the Divinity of the Scriptures, all Divinity springs from God, leads to him, nay it looks him directly in the Face, and can't be considered apart from him, there is but one God and one Faith, God must be in the view of our Faith whensoever we really act it.

Neither can we have that inward testimony of the Spirit convincing us of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures, without this special Appearance of God in the Soul as a witness to the Truth of his Word.

While we are hearing the Word, God has invisible wayes of access to our hearts, he conveys himself through his Truth to our Souls, his Divinity leads the way, without some appearance of this, the contents of the Word would have no place p. 18in our hearts, but coming with so great a presence, in so great a name, and with so strong an impression, God himself writing them upon the heart, we cannot but receive his Testimony, the Word comes into our Hearts suddenly before we are aware, and seises them for God, we cannot but think, speak, act and judge as God does, the sense of the Word is the sense of our Souls, so far as the Word is written in our hearts, we read it without the least variation, the Copy answers the Original: Hence arises that habitual disposition or inclination to believe, God creates this new heart, I say this infused habit or principle of faith, is antecedent to all acts of faith put forth by us, and is in it self the sole act of God upon us in our first Conversion, it is from this supernatural principle thus infused, that the natural powers and faculties of the Soul of Man, viz. the Understanding and the Will, are enabled to take in things purely Spiritual and Divine, Nature never acts above its sphere, those inbred common Notions that are the Standards and Measures of Natural Truths in all their consequences will never lead us to grant, or admit that which is supernatural, when we do this, 'tis always from some p. 19higher Principle; when we see men acting above themselves, we may conclude they are acted by something higher than themselves, which is the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them.

This special Appearance of God, with those inward effects of it upon the Soul which I have been speaking of, may be known to Believers, they discern it in others, Acts 11. 17, 18. and do when they give a true reason of their faith, see it in themselves, that all springs from the Fathers, revealing his Son in them, they can give no other reason why they believe in Jesus, 'tis God that opens the door of Faith and makes it effectual, Acts 14. 27.

We are apt to be taken with any appearance of Man in a Sermon, this we look after, what words of Mans Wisdom, how Man acquits himself in reasoning of this or that Point. 'Tis true there is some skill required in Planting, and Watering, but all the encrease comes from God, your Faith consists not in the Wisdom of Man but in the power of God, if God himself do not appear as a witness to his own Truth, as the great undertaker of all that he has promised, what we say will prevail p. 20little, your faith must terminate in God himself, and in that Ability that is in him to perform his word, this was the ground of Abrahams faith, Paul knew him whom he believed, 2 Tim. 1. 12. and so must you if ever you believe to the saving of your Souls. Did you go out of the Congregation after every Sermon you hear under a sight and sense of this appearance of God in his Word, speaking to you from Heaven and shewing himself to your souls in some spiritual resemblance suited and adapted to that Word you are hearing, how could you reject such a Word, so full of God, so exactly corresponding to what you see in God himself, you must yield and cry out each of you, who am I that I should withstand God?

This is the first way that God takes to work Faith in us, by our hearing the Word Preached to us.

Secondly, Faith is wrought by opening the heart, enlightning the mind, and perswading the will to a through closure with Christ upon Gospel Terms.

I shall now shew you how God thus appearing to us in hearing the Word, does open the heart, enlighten the mind p. 21and throughly perswade the will, to a through closure with Christ upon Gospel Terms.

Naturally our hearts are shut up against the Gospel, our Minds are blinded 2 Cor. 4. 4. till God shines into our hearts, to give the light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, ver. 6. Enlightning the eyes of our Understandings, Eph. 1. 17, 18.

Quest. What is this Light of Faith, and how does it differ from the Light of Reason?

Answ. The Light of Reason lies in the evidence of the thing it self, as it falls under a Humane Understanding, arguing from the cause to the effect, drawing certain conclusions from undeniable premises, granted and acknowledged by all men to be Truths in Nature: Upon such Concessions they build all their acquired Knowledge, and do put the stamp of Truth upon all fair inferences from thence, which they judge agreeable to those first principles and notions of Truth, that pass for currant under that name among credulous men, who do but think they know, p. 22and do rather ghess than judge: so great is the uncertainty of all humane Knowledge, we have little cause to glory in it.

The light of Faith lies in the infallible certainty of Divine Testimony, faith sees not the causes of things in the things themselves, but in God alone, to whom all things are possible, faith excells all other knowledge, in as much as it sees and knows all things in their first Cause, God, and takes hold of them by the very root from whence they first spring, arguing from the Veracity of God, to the Truth of all his sayings, we know that God has spoken thus and thus, as Ioh. 9. 29. we know the Doctrine is of God, Ioh. 7. 17. and that no prophesie of the Scripture is of private Interpretation, 2 Pet. 1. 20, 21. under this conviction we cannot but yield the obedience of faith to every word of God: I do not deny but experience may and does give Believers some Evidence of the things themselves, but this belongs rather to their after Edification, then to the first act of Faith in their Conversion, by which they close in with Christ, upon the credit of a bare word of promise from him who cannot lie.

p. 23Object. Since these sublime supernatural Misteries of the Gospel are so much above, and so seemingly contrary to humane Reason, how comes it to pass that any man should own them for Truths, and be brought under the power of them.

Answ. 'Tis by a Divine Faith, I call it Divine because 'tis the work of God that we believe his Testimony, Ioh. 6. 29.

Quest. Does not this Operation of God upon the Hearts of men in working faith in us, offer violence to mans Nature and force the Will to consent to that which is above the Understanding: Or how can the efficacy of Gods Grace in determining Mans Will to such a Spiritual Act of Faith in Christ Jesus be consistent with the liberty of the Will.

Answ. Many intricate disputes there are about this Point, managed by subtil heads, not without some shew and appearance of Reason, who to secure the liberty of Mans Will, have denied the efficacy of Gods Grace, placing the power of believing in man himself, to avoid the force that otherwise they think must be offered to his Will. But to clear the efficacy of p. 24Gods Grace from this imputation, I need say no more but this, viz.

That the Grace of God enters the Soul of man as a New Nature, and therefore cannot put any force upon him, Nature works kindly in all, by Inclination, not by Violence; as Nature is from Generation, so the new Nature is from Regeneration; one is the birth of the Flesh, the other of the Spirit; as we are born Men by our first birth, so we are born Christians by our second birth. Artificial Christians are all name, without any living Nature answerable to it, being not truly born of God and thereby made partakers of his Divine Nature.

The breathing in of this new Nature into the Soul of man by the Spirit of God, is that new Creation spoken of in the Gospel, 'tis the first Act of God in our Conversion, 'tis solely the Act of God, without any concurrence of ours, we have only a passive obediential power to receive the impression! 'Tis God that makes it, upon this supernatural Principle are grounded all after proceedings in bringing the Soul forward to an actual closure with Christ, all the natural powers and p. 25faculties of the Soul are gathered into this supernatural Principle, do act under it, are moved by it, and directed in all their free motions to a supernatural end, which they could not of themselves tend unto; and let it not seem incredible to us that God should do this, he can do no evil from the perfection of his Nature, and for the same reason all good must needs be in the power of his hand, the greatest good that can be done to fallen Man, is thus to restore him. In this new Nature are wrapped up the seeds of all Grace, which by the efficacy of the Spirit, are drawn out into act, with the free consent of Mans Will: Should God determine the Will of Man to a good act whilst it is in a bad state and under a corrupt nature, this would imply force and violence, but to lead out a man according to his new Nature, is not to put a force upon him. If Sin had that efficacy upon Man in his perfect state, to encline his Will to Evil, why should not Grace have the like efficacy upon Man fallen to encline his Will to good. Though an inclination to Evil in Man standing was possible from the liberty of his Will in which he was created, yet such an actual inclination was inconsistent with his perfect state, and left such an inherent p. 26crookedness in his perverted Nature that nothing but Grace can rectifie and make streight again. What is a principle of Grace, but liberty to Good restored to fallen man, from whence an actual inclination to choose what is good do's follow of course, when God calls and excites him thereunto, here is no force put upon mans Will, it acts freely in the choice of good, and it cannot be otherwise, since Grace enters as a new Nature, ingenerating a powerful Principle of Holiness in the Soul, that do's incline a man freely to comply which the efficacious grace of God exciting him to those acts of Holiness so agreeable to the Nature of the new Creature, as Sin reigns unto Death, so Grace will reign through Righteousness unto Eternal Life, Rom. 5. 21. Shall not he that raises the dead be able to quicken a dead Soul, but we are more sensible of that power that God puts forth upon the bodies of Men, then of that which he puts forth upon their Souls, that you may know that the Son of man hath power to forgive sins, Take up thy bed and walk, Mat. 9. 6. This you all see, but the actings of my saving power upon the souls of men, that power that works within, (Eph. 3. 20.) you see not; let this that you see convince p. 27you of that which you see not, and never dispute my power more to forgive sin, I can heal the diseases of the Soul as well as those of the Body, the power that God has to forgive sin is the great prerogative of God, belonging to the soveraignty of his grace. God walks invisibly thorow the World, doing his mighty works of Grace, he touches some mens hearts, not others; he draws some and not others, by the sweet yet irresistable force of his Grace; we see nothing but man, mans Will, mans Choice, mans Act, and therefore conclude all is by mans own power, because we see not the wheel within the wheel, the Spirit of God setting the whole soul in motion towards Christ: This arcanum Iehovae, this secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, Psal. 25. 14. The way of the Spirit of God in the hearts of men is discerned by few, 'tis a very hard matter to understand how God works in us to will and to do, because we find it to be our own act to believe, repent and turn to God, we ascribe all to our selves as if our own arm had saved us: The truth is, God in all the efficacious operations of his grace upon the hearts of men, loves to conceal himself, he will not be seen by others to p. 28do what he do's in and for his Saints, no noise in the streets, Matth. 12. 19. The kingdom of God comes not with observation, Luke 17. 20, 21. All is done within secretly and silently, non are privy to this heart-work, but they that feel it, this is the hiding of his power from the observation of those whom he never intends to work upon, and for the hardening of their hearts, that they may still retain an opinion of their own ability to do that which they see others so freely and willingly addicting themselves unto: Though this be a cause of stumbling to many, who boast of a supposed power and freedom of will to believe and repent when they please, yet such in whose hearts God has wrought these mighty works of his grace, they see and feel the weight of his Arm revealed upon their souls, they know it is Gods doing, that a divine power has touched their hearts, and carried them out to all these acts of Faith that they put forth, they openly acknowledge this, 1 Cor. 15. 10. Phil. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Gal. 2. 20. Not I but Christ. When they feel themselves most strengthned by Christ, they are then most sensible of their own selfinsufficiency and weakness, I can do all things through Christ, yet not sufficient of p. 29our selves to think a good thought; when I am weak, then am I strong, 2 Cor. 12. 10. They would not say so, if they did not find a power more then humane exerting it self within them, and strengthning them with might in their inward man, I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me, till we can thus distinguish between Nature and Grace, and see God influencing our Wills in all their free motions to that which is good, we shall vainly assume to our selves a power that never yet reduced it self to the least real act of Faith in any man whatever: 'tis easie talking of a power to believe, before we come to believe in good earnest, then our strength fails us if God do not support us, and help our unbelief; I believe, help my unbelief, q. d. I can't hold it, my faith will fail, if God do not put his Everlasting Arms underneath, if we consider what difficulties, what strong Objections unanswerable by Reason, Faith Acts against in keeping up a lively hope of Pardon in the Conscience of a convinced sinner, we must needs say, 'tis the work of God that we believe; we may wonder at our selves as men, when we consider what we believe as Christians.

p. 30I have spoken all this to shew that God is the Author and Finisher of our Faith, 'tis he only can open the heart, and dispose it, to give Credit to the Word of his Grace.

Application.

By way of Discovery, viz.

How we may know when Faith comes by Hearing, even at the time of Hearing, and whether it be yet come into your hearts, by all you have heard hitherto.

Faith is a secret and a sudden work, when it comes it gives some sense of it self to an observing Christian, that quickly convinces us of a change in our selves, a heart truly turned to God, is not the same it was before, not in the same posture, not in the same disposition and frame, there is something new appears in every new Creature, that do's not belong to the Old Man but rises up in opposition to him: this newness do's not lye in some one corner of the heart, but every where, 'tis universal in every faculty; all things are become new, though the old leaven be not totally cast out any where, but p. 31left as an occasional provocation and challenge to the Grace of God to act in more opposition to those motions of sin, that put a force upon the New Creature, are directly contrary to the bent and genius of our renewed Nature; till Faith comes we are never sensible of any such inward Conflicts between the flesh and the Spirit; but then the fight begins, the good fight of Faith: 'Tis Faith strikes the first stroke, makes the first assault upon our reigning sin and corruptions, and will never cease contending with them, till it has got a full Victory over them, and throughly mortified them.

But how shall we know in the very time of hearing, when Faith comes.

When the word Works effectually after hearing, it usually gives some powerful touch upon the heart at the time of hearing; so 1 Cor. 14. 24, 25. he speaks there of the occasional Conversion of an Unbeliever, who came into the Assembly, where there was Prophesying and Preaching, 'tis probable some such are come in hither to day; Oh that God would meet with them, that they might be convinced and fall down upon their Faces, p. 32worshipping God, acknowledging that he is among us of a truth; so Acts 2. 37. their Hearts were prick'd, they cry out in the midst of the Sermon, Men and Brethren what shall we do? We want such publick Conversions, had we more of these New Births in our Congregations; we should have more of these out-cries; which would be very awakening to us all, if God would honour his Ordinances with such visible signs of his presence, as in the Primitive Times the Word was preached with that power, that it wrought a great consternation and astonishment in the whole Assembly, there was a great impression upon their minds, which had various effects; some blasphemed, and some believed, but all were moved and stirred, struck inwardly, though many saw not the hand that struck them; 'tis otherwise now; hearers are more unconcern'd, in a more drowsie frame; we can hardly keep them waking all Sermon time; they say these were extraordinary cases, not applicable to us now: I must tell you, Conversions wrought by ordinary means now, are extraordinary things, have extraordinary effects; the Light into which we are brought, is, and ought to be, as marvellous in our Eyes now, as 'twas in p. 33theirs heretofore; they who find nothing of this, neither in nor after Conversion, would do well to make a stricter inquiry into their state; sometimes we bring down Grace as low as we can for the sake of weak ones, but we must not make nothing of it, to please some who would rest in a silent easie Conversion, and think to go Heaven by the charitable Opinion others have of them; that so great a change as Conversion is, should make so little appearance as it doe's in many pretending to it, is that we should not easily digest, Let every one examine himself.

Should God come upon any of you with a through Conviction of Sin, and give you a real sight of Christ as your only Saviour, you would not be able to contain your selves under this marvellous Light; 'twill be like Fire in your Bones, Ier. 20. 9. you'l immediately spring up as the Goaler did, Acts 16. 29. foreign, he did not consider which soot he should put foremost, but leaped up on a suddain, broke out into a passionate inquiry after the way of Salvation.

Faith especially at its first entrance, when it first comes into our Hearts, is alwaies p. 34accompanied with a through Conviction of our lost undone Estate: I don't speak now of those legal Convictions that in some may be preparatory to Conversion, but of that saving Evangelical Conviction that is of the Essence of saving Faith, alwayes accompanying it, it is the reason of Faiths earnestness in its first actings upon Christ, Master save us, we perish.

In the Acts we have several instances of Faith wrought in the time of hearing, Acts 10. 44. While Peter yet spake, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word: So Acts 14. 1. Acts 18. 8. Acts 28. 24. Paul perceived Faith in the Cripple by his attentive hearing, Acts 14. 9.

When Faith does not make this publick entrance into the Hearts of those who hear the word; as it did in the Primitive times, in the view and face of the whole Congregation, and 'tis much to be lamented that it does not: I fear it portends more than I am willing to tell you; yet I hope Faith may and does come in a more silent manner into your Hearts at the time of hearing; this you may know by a sudden astonishment, and trembling that sezes upon the Soul, Luke 4. 33. Acts 13. 12. Acts 9. 6. When a discovery of the Evil of Sin, and of the Grace of Christ do meet p. 35together in one saving Conviction in the Conscience of an awakened Sinner, we must needs be variously affected with horrour and hope; Grace clothes it self with contrary passions at the same time, as it looks at Sin, and at Christ, loathing the one, and embracing the other; this may be perceived at the first opening of the Heart to believe the Gospel, a present act of Faith is and will be the present sense of the Soul in and about what it believes; there is no putting the word from us, when once we believe it in our Hearts: Men may talk of Gospel-Truths under a formal profession of Faith, and not be affected with them, but the Word works effectually in them that believe. Faith touches the Soul in the most sensible part of it, gathers up the Mind and Thoughts of a Man into a close and serious debate with himself, about those things which he believes in reference to himself; his Heart waxes hot within him; this is the Power and Dominion that Faith has over us, being the highest principle in Man; it overcomes all contradictions from the Flesh, answers all Carnal Objections, throughly perswades a Man, firmly establishes the Heart in the belief of the present Truth, so that we become unmovable p. 36from the hope of the Gospel.

These are the inward Commotions that Faith makes in the Soul at its first entrance, you cannot so slight the impressions of Faith, as not to be greatly concerned about them; 'tis not come to real believing till it comes to this; you are and must be serious in and about that which with your hearts you believe concerning your Eternal State.

Whether you now are, or ever have been in such a frame, God and your own Consciences know best; they are not trifles that you believe, but matters of that moment that you cannot but be concerned in them, and there is nothing required to fire your Hearts with a zealous solitude and thoughtfulness about them, but only your believing them; you can no more step over such an act of Faith, than you can cease to think while you are actually thinking, or cease to move while actually moving: An act of believing is the Soul in actual motion towards Christ, flying for refuge to the hope that is set before him. This is the way of the Spirit in working Faith at the time of hearing; and if you observe such a one whose heart p. 37the Word has reached; he goes home musing upon what he has heard: Suppose one standing in the Spirit of Isaiah at the Meeting-door, as you go forth crying out, Who hath believed our report, to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed this day; how experimentally would such a one say, I have believed, to me hath the Arm of the Lord been revealed; follow him further into his House, into his Chamber or Closet; behold he prayes, as the Word brings down the sense of God into the Soul; so Prayer carries up the sence of the Soul, concerning that word, to God above: Prayer, especially just after Conversion, is but a Holy enlargement of the Heart about those things that God first speaks to us by his Word. I will say 'tis my people, they shall say, the Lord is my God.

In hearing expect no other reason for Faith, but the bare testimony of the Word of God, search the Scriptures whether things are so or no, as Ministers declare, if you find them so, charge them upon your Consciences as most worthy of all acceptation and belief: Religion now a dayes is branched out into so many speculations and subtle questions wrapped up p. 38in such terms of art, under such nice distinctions, that the power and simplicity of the Gospel is almost lost, ordinary Professors know not what to believe while the Pulpit gives such an uncertain sound.

There is not so much Rational Knowledge required to the obedience of Faith as some imagine, leave others to dispute, to produce their Reasons pro and con, do you quote Scripture and believe, begging of God to direct your faith into right apprehensions of his revealed Will, hold fast there and you are safe, the greatest Scholars in the World must come down to the plain mans Faith, if ever they die in peace, in all Gospel Truths, their consonancy, not to our Reason, but to the Scriptures is to be regarded. Mans leaning rather to their own understanding of the thing, than to their faith in the Word, about that thing, hath led them into Error, into false notions of Divine Mysteries. I grant from your faith in one Truth you may fetch Reasons for some other Truth depending upon it, these are Gospel Reasons not your own; we don't believe because we know, but we know because we believe; this is a new way of knowing things, which the p. 39world is not acquainted with, because it cannot receive the spirit of Truth, the spirit of Truth is a spirit of Faith; hearing the Word is of singular use to Believers themselves, 1 Ioh. 5. 13. to confirm and strengthen your Faith, that you may be built up further in it, furnished with further matter to act it upon.

Let none be discouraged though never so ignorant and unlearned, of a low, mean, capacity, yet come to hear with an expectation of Gods working faith in thee, faith will overcome all these difficulties, as weak and simple and ignorant as any may be supposed to be, yet be not discouraged, you may be made to believe more in one moment, than the greatest Scholars in the World can attain to the knowledge of in many years study.

It is written in the prophets (Joh. 6. 45.) and they shall be all taught of God, every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the father cometh unto me; Not that any man hath seen the Father. 'Tis not what men you hear, what Ministers you follow, till God the Father do's speak powerfully to your hearts by the Ministry of man. It matters not who the man is, your faith consists not in the Wisdom of p. 40man, but in the power of God, when you have a proof of Christs speaking in any, 2 Cor. 13. 3. then hearken diligently, till you hear an inward Word from this invisible Teacher, you'l never come to Christ. If all the Ministers in the World should lay their heads together, they could never bring a sinner to Christ, till the Father speaks the word and draw him. We are but Ministers by whom you believe, as the Lord gives to every man; So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase, 1 Cor. 3. 5, 6, 7.

The sum of all is this, We are sent to Preach, that you may Hear; we carry the Letter of the Word to your Ears, the Spirit brings it home in the name of God to your Consciences, convincing you that it is his Word, under this Conviction you see the truth of the Word, in the veracity of God, this word of Truth and your Souls meeting so close, as they alwayes do in an act of Faith, sanctifies you; this sanctification lies in the ready assent of your understanding, and free consent of your Will, the one is founded in light, the other in love, so that when an enlightned Understanding receives the Truth in the love of the Truth, there is a firm p. 41Principle of Holiness fixed in that Soul, flowing from that Union to Christ that Faith gives us, this is the beginning and progress of that Faith, the end of which is the Salvation of your Souls.

The Second Point.

How we are Iustified by Faith.

WE ought to be Doers of the Word and not Hearers only, to maintain good Works for necessary uses, Tit. 3. 14. It behoveth us therefore to know what use we should make of our works and doings in the great business of our Salvation, so as not to entrench upon the Righteousness of Christ, nor to degrade that from being our sole and only justifying Righteousness. Some men are as much mistaken in grounding their salvation upon doing, as others are in grounding it upon bare hearing; and therefore these things must be warily spoken unto, and warily understood. When we urge the necessity of doing the Word of God, Carnal Reason lies at the catch, and is p. 42ready to take every thing in a wrong sense and meaning, and to bring down the Mysteries of the Gospel to a low loyal vulgar Notion more suitable to humane Reason. There are two extreams that men are apt to run into; either they neglect good works, or else, they trust in good works; either they do in a careless formal presumptuous manner, pretend to cast all upon Christ, without any serious inquiries after the Truth of Grace in themselves, or ever proving it by its fruits; conceiving it altogether needless to be any way active in their own salvation. Secondly, If upon search they find any actings of Grace in their Hearts, any fruits of Grace in their Lives, these are their own proper goods they think, Money found in their own Purses; it matters not how they came by it, they have it, and they are resolved to convert it to their own proper use, making it nothing less than a part of their Justifying Righteousness.

Those of this way, with whom I have now to do, do state the matter thus.

They say, that Christ is the meritorious cause of our Justification, having by his Death satisfied the Law, and discharged us from the Curse of it; and so far we agree with them.

p. 43They say further, That Christ to compleat our Justification, hath also purchased for us strength and ability to perform the condition of the new Covenant (this we assent to) the performance of which according to them, is to be taken in as a part of our Justifying Righteousness, and this we deny.

We say the performance of what is required in the New Covenant, is a good Justification of the Cause, whether it be of Faith or of Good Works, or of any particular thing or action, the sincerity and truth of which may be in question. But we deny that it adds any thing to the Justification of the person, and therefore they speak not ad idem, to the same thing, when they deny Christs imputed Righteousness to be the sole Righteousness that justifies the Person, because there is another Righteousness required, upon another account to justifie or clear up the sincerity of our Faith and Holiness; I say to clear up this to our selves and other men, which we deny not. For we do not admit any Faith to be a justifying Faith, but upon good evidence of the Truth of it, neither do we admit any p. 44works to be good works but upon full proof of the goodness of them.

The Sum of all is this; we say, Faith and obedience once proved to be true and genuine, are good evidences of our interest in Christ, whose imputed Righteousness is the sole and only Righteousness by which our Persons are universally justified from all charges and blame whatsoever in the sight of God, and to say otherwise is in effect to say that Christ died to justifie us, that we might be justified without him; or at least not only and solely by him; which is highly derogatory to the death of Christ, neither will their owning Christ to be the meritorious cause of our Justification salve the matter while they do in any sense require another Righteousness distinct from that of Christs, for the justification of our Persons in the sight of God.

And having given you this brief account of the matter in difference, I shall now proceed.

The Point in General which I am to speak to is this. That though good works are highly necessary in a justified person, p. 45yet they not required in any way of causality to the Justification of the Person. Or thus, no part of our inherent Righteousness can be any part of our justifying Righteousness.

This I might prove to you many ways.

First, From the subject of Justification, an ungodly Person; a believing Sinner flying in the sense of Sin unto Jesus Christ for Life and Pardon. Sin is that from which we are Justified, the Righteousness of Christ is that for which or by which we are Justified, Act. 13. 39.

Secondly, Because there must be a change of state in Justification, and by Justification, before we can derive any saving Grace from Christ to enable us to the least good work. I might also

Thirdly, Argue from the weakness and imperfection of all Inherent Holiness which is not able to justifie it self, much less the Person.

And many Arguments may be brought; but my design is to contract this general to a particular point, concerning the foreign p. 46credere, or the act of believing; and I shall shew that that part of our inherent Righteousness that flows from our doing the Word of God, that is, the Work of Faith as done by us in an act of believing, is no part of our justifying Righteousness. This is that which seems to have the fairest claim to, and interest in, our Justification; and if this be disproved, the Argument will hold a fortiori against all the inferiour branches of our inherent Righteousness; they must be forced to quit their claim also.

That which seems to intitle Faith to such an Interest in our Justification as is pleaded for by some, is the phrase and manner of expression which the Scripture uses in speaking of Faith, telling us that Faith is imputed to us for Righteousness, that we are justified by Faith; that he that believes shall be saved, and the like.

The question is, in what sense these Scriptures are to be understood; whither we are to take up our standing partly in the act of Faith, and partly in the object of Faith, making up a Righteousness, partly from our selves, and partly from Christ, or whether we are by Faith p. 47to go out of our selves unto Christ for our whole, sole and only justifying Righteousness; and this is that which I affirm, and shall endeavour to make good, and shew you that the Scriptures alledged do not ascribe our Justification to the Act, but wholly to the Object of Faith; not to our believing, but to Christ believed on, which I prove thus:

First, From those Expressions of Scripture peculiar to Holy Writ, by which the Holy Ghost doth of set purpose limit Faith to its Object, Iohn 6. 47. Rom. 9. 33. Ephes. 1. 13. foreign, to believe in, into, or upon Christ, which plainly points out this, that Faith is alwayes to be taken in relation to its Object; that by Faith is meant Christ apprehended by Faith. Life is promised, not simply to believing, but to believing in; in whom? in Christ, or nothing. Faith is a relative term (as to its whole sense and signification) to the Object Christ. It must be Faith in Christ, or Faith in nothing. Believing is a Scripture Phrase, setting forth our leaning upon Christ. Faith, as our Act adds nothing to Christ, doth not make his Death satisfactory; it was so in its self before, though by an applicatory p. 48act of Faith it is made so to us; that is, we do reap the benefits of his Death and satisfaction; we are not united to Faith, but by Faith we are united to Christ. Faith is the Medium uniens; we do not trust in our Faith, but by Faith we trust in Christ; all that Faith signifies is in relation to Christ; all that it doth, is in the Name of Christ; without Christ it signifies nothing, it doth nothing, it is nothing. When we are said to be justified by the Faith of Christ, or justified by Faith in Christ, Gal 2. 16. pray must the meaning be, that we are justified by Faith, and Christ, as some would have it, giving the priority to Faith, and making Christ but a remote cause of our Justification, and our inherent Righteousness to be the next and immediate cause? Were Men more willing to exalt Christ, and debase themselves, this would be English plain enough: Faith in Christ would then signifie but one Righteousness; it would not be Faith and Christ. Let Men have a care how they speak unadvisedly of Christ to the lessening and diminution of his Honour: God hath said he is our Righteousness without any Limitation, without any restriction: Now for Men to say, ay but not all our Righteousness, not our only Righteousness; p. 49I say, 'tis a bold word thus to distinguish whatever remote inferences they may gather out of Scripture to justifie their meaning; yet since God hath not thought fit to drop any such diminutive expression of Christ in Scripture, I say it is a bold word for Men to speak. You may see how severely speaking against God was punished, Numb. 21. 5, 6. And God complains of it, Ezek. 35. 13. With your mouths ye have boasted against me, and have multiplyed your words against me: I have heard them. We may safely deny any thing of God that implies weakness or imperfection; but to deny that of Christ which tends to the Exaltation of his Name and riches of his Grace; let Men distinguish how they will, it is dangerous meddling here: This is a tender point; that is the first.

Secondly, If the bare act of Faith without any relation to the object, justifies; then any act of Divine Faith will justifie us as well as Faith in Christ; for the Act is specified by the Object: Take away the Object, and all Acts of Faith are alike, equally insignificant. But I proceed.

p. 50Thirdly, To the third Argument that shall be drawn from the Nature of Faith, which consists in receiving. As it is the Act of a Believer, it implies doing; but properly as an Act of believing; it consists in receiving, and that with an empty hand: Now the question is whether by this receiving Act of Faith there do redound to us a Righteousness of our own, distinct from that which we receive from Christ? I say no: We are not justified by a Righteousness that we do, but by a Righteousness that we receive: Now the bare Act of receiving in a common Natural way, is not counted morally meritorious: A Beggars receiving an Alms, argues no merit in the Receiver, but meer Grace in the Donor. We count that he who only receives a benefit, he doth nothing for it, it comes freely: Indeed he doth something naturally in receiving, but nothing morally by way of merit for the thing received. Thus it is among Men, and so we understand it, in all such actings of ours; but when we come to deal with God, how do our proud hearts put a value upon them; then we put a value upon every thing, upon our coming, upon our adhering, upon our relying, upon our asking, upon our receiving; We p. 51grow proud of those very Acts of Grace by which we do express our Poverty and Beggary, our absolute Dependance upon another; as if Christ was beholden to us for our accepting of him: So naturally prone are we to rest upon any thing that looks like our own doing.

Brethren! There are two things to be considered in Faith.

(1.) The Motion of the Soul in receiving, which is an Act naturally necessary to all manner of receiving; it is as reaching forth, and opening the hand.

(2.) You may consider the passive reception it self, wherein the Nature of Faith doth chiefly consist, in admitting, applying, and owning the Gift.

Though the word Believing doth Grammatically imply an Action, yet really and physically we are passive in believing: For these Reasons.

First, The first Reason is this; They who make our Act of believing a part of our Justifying Righteousness, do manifestly make Faith to contradict it self p. 52in and by its own Act: If by an Act of believing we go out of our selves to Christ for all: I do not see how by the same Act we can possibly settle upon any thing in our selves that is not Christ: If by being justified by faith they understand the Object of faith, then we agree with them; then faith and Christ is all one: By faith we mean Christ applyed, and nothing but Christ. But if they understand the bare Act of believing in distinction from Christ the Object; therein we differ from them. And they must so understand it who make our Act of believing a part of our justifying Righteousness distinct from Christs Righteousness; and therein I say, they make faith to contradict it self in and by its own Act: I do not know whether I am understood; I think I understand my self in what I have said: Take it thus, Pray consider what is the sense of a believing Soul under a present Act of faith in Christ? I appeal to you all, I desire you would all be Judges in this matter who have ever been serious, and in good earnest, dealing with God by an act of faith for Salvation. You believe in Christ, what is the English of that? What do you mean by it? Is not this your sense; you desire to cast your self wholly upon Christ, p. 53to be found in Christ not having on your own Righteousness; to be built upon that Foundation, to lay hold on Eternal Life in Christ; to go out of your selves unto Christ for Righteousness and Life; to seek that in another which you have not in your selves; to count all things but loss and dung that you may win Christ; don't you mean this? Pray what an absurdity then is it, what a gross contradiction to say I am justified by something in my self, by virtue of that very act of faith, by which I do purposely go out of my self to Christ for all. If this be Reason and Sense, I have quite lost the use of both, and will never pretend to understand any thing. But how do some Men fight with their own shadows and lose themselves in their own expressions. They cannot speak of Christ, and of the way and manner of applying Christ, but presently they must be Co-workers with Christ in their Justification.

Brethren! We must not be perswaded out of our Christian Names, nay out of Christianity it self by those who would impose their own notions upon us, and indeed preach another Gospel; let them read on and tremble. But I will say this, p. 54that if Paul were alive, and should hear any man upon Earth, or Angel from Heaven compound Faith and Works, Works and Christ in the matter of our Justification, I doubt not but he would curse them in the name of the Lord. Certainly we are not to be Mealy-mouthed, and silently suffer the grand principles of the Gospel to be decryed, as if we doubted whether they were true or no. These are the Pillars of the House, all fall with them, if they be taken away. These are the Ancient Land marks and bounds of our Religion; they must not be removed, for if you suffer that, you will quickly have a dead Child in the room of the living. New Notions, though not contrary to any received foundation, should be warily uttered; but supposing there is the least discrepancy or opposition, it is our duty and wisdom to be silent, and not break the eye of the Needle, by forcing our Camel through. New Notions must yield rather to antient received Truths, they must be governed and overruled by them. It is dangerous to force plain Scripture, and plain principles to make good our own private interpretations.

2. Our act of believing is no part of p. 55our justifying Righteousness, because justification is an act of God; not properly subsequent to our Faith, but simultaneous with it. They are concomitants, so close, so instantaneous, that we cannot say which is first, or last in time; we cannot say the one takes its rise from the other. I explain my self thus; it is one thing for the Scripture to speak Doctrinally of Faith, another thing to speak of a Believer under the actual exercise of Faith. When the Scripture speaks of the Doctrine of Faith in the Abstract, it tells us the consequents of it, that according to Gods order and appointment, Faith is requisite unto Justification, and so Faith is antecedent to Justification, and Justification is spoken of as a thing to come, upon our believing. The Doctrine of Faith shews what shall be to all who obtain it; the actual exercise of Faith shews, what is to them who have it, and do believe it. It is not only he that believes shall be saved and justified, but is justified. It is true, who ever believes shall be saved; the just shall live by faith, this is Doctrinally true. But he that believes hath everlasting Life, Iohn 3. 39. is justified; this is experimentally true. God, if you rightly consider the point, doth justifie us, by working Faith p. 56in us. It is his way of Justifying; it is the way God hath chosen to communicate the Righteousness of God, which is a stupendious Mystery, and cannot be otherwise applied to the soul. He doth not justifie us because of any antecedent act of Faith we have lying by us, and which we could now produce as a price (as it were) and Meritorious Means of our Justification. God justifies us by working Faith in us; God being willing in so great an act of Grace, to speak to our Understandings and Knowledge, he hath appointed Faith as a fit means by which the soul not only doth the thing, but also lets in a sense of what is done upon the soul; and therefore saith the Apostle, it is of faith that it might be of grace: God will be understood in all the acts of his Grace towards us. Now that there might be in us a sense of reception of so great a benefit, God resolves to put it into the hand of Faith, which hath a natural sutableness in it, and fitness to receive what free Grace tenders to it; and so it doth when it is in any strength. Christ and our Souls would never meet were it not for Faith. There is no letting down any thing spiritual and supernatural into the soul, but by Faith; Faith is our modus habendi, it is the way, p. 57the means by which we come to have God and Christ, and an Interest in the things of Heaven. We have what we have from Christ by Faith, and we hold it by Faith. Faith and Repentance as acted by us, and reflected upon, are very good Evidences of our Justifications, for it is in that reflection only that they do give evidence of themselves, and of any thing produced from them. Therefore, I say, as they are reflected upon they have retrospection to our Justification, of which they are very good and evident proofs; but they have no antecedent causality to produce the thing signified, because they signifie it, as a thing already done, past and perfect.

3. And lastly, Justification is frequently set down in Scripture without any relation to these acts of Grace in us, to shew that it wholly flowes from Christ; and that by our believing we add nothing to our Justifying Righteousness, but do only apply it, as wholly derived from Christ alone, 1 Ioh. 5. 12. He that hath the Son, hath life; they that are in Christ there is no Condemnation to them, Rom. 8. 1. Now because we cannot admit sinners to be in Christ but by faith, therefore what flows from Christ, is attributed unto p. 58faith; which is, I say, our modus habendi, but still the real cause of our Justification, that which makes us just in the sight of God, is our being in Christ, and our having the Son. There is no mention made of having any thing else; but faith is our modus habendi; we cannot have the Son but by faith, nor be in Christ but by Believing. Therefore God speaks, to our Understanding, and hath attributed that to the act of faith, which is only derivable from the Object.

I shall now shew you the weakness of those grounds and reasons they go upon, who differ from us in this point.

1. They speak much of a Charge of Infidelity, Impenitency and Unholiness to be drawn up against us at the last day, and therefore it concerns us to muster up all our good works, all our acts of Grace, and every part of our inherent Righteousness, that we may be in a readiness to answer to this Charge and clear our selves.

A specious Argument! enough to amuse the World, and fright men back into the Popish Doctrine of Justification by Works.

p. 59Brethren! I do not deny that unbelieving, impenitent and ungodly Persons shall be charged with infidelity, impenitency and ungodliness, and be condemned; but to talk of a charge of Infidelity against a Believer at the last day, I say, it is a groundless, unscriptural Notion. I do not deny that the faith of the Saints that draws them to Christ, and its efficacy afterwards in all its fruits, will be taken notice of by Christ, when they are admitted into the Kingdom, Mat. 25. 34. Come ye blessed; and when that blessedness is fixed, Christ doth not put them upon the proof of their faith, but helps them himself to understand the former actings of their faith and love to God, which they were ignorant of before. When saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty and gave thee drink? &c. In as much as ye have done it to one of the least of these, ye have done it to me. I see more Grace in you saith Christ, than ever you saw in your selves, so and so appearing in your lives; Come ye blessed.

Brethren, Good Works are good Evidences to us, to make out the Truth of Grace in us; but the All-knowing God needs no such Evidences for his Information; p. 60he knows what is in man, and needs not that any should tell him. He searches the Heart. Though we see Grace only in the Fruit, yet God sees it in the Root and Principle. Besides, I conceive, the last Judgment is not to prove who is, and who is not in a state of Grace; but rather to pronounce the Sentence according to the state that every one shall appear in at the Resurrection. There will be no doubting of any mans state at the Resurrection; the method and manner of the Resurrection will decide it. Christ himself will separate the Sheep from the Goats; and he will do this before the Judgement, Mat. 25. 32, 33. You shall know a Believer then by his Station at the right hand of Christ; by his Company among the Sheep. The Angels are sent forth, Mat. 24. 31. to gather up the Elect from the four Winds, from the one end of Heaven to the other. They will ransack every corner of the World to find out every Saint; not only the Ninety and Nine, but the whole Hundred shall be presented to God; not one missing, we shall all stand together. Now after they are thus ranked by Christ, and the Angels have declared them to be Sheep, to be true Believers, must they come under a p. 61charge of infidelity? Who must draw up this charge, and manage this false Indictment? Either God, or good Angels, or Conscience, or the Devil. God he hath justified them here, sealed them by the Spirit of Adoption to the day of Redemption, and he will never reverse his judgment.

The judgment of God at the last day will be pursuant to the judgment already past by his Word and Spirit in the Hearts and Consciences of Believers here. Good Angels are imployed to gather up the Elect, and consequently they have a true discerning who they are. Our Consciences are sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus, and have an answer in readiness, by the Resurrection of Christ from the dead. And the Devil will have something else to do in that day, when he stands at the head of the wicked to receive his sentence with them, the time of his torment being then come. Though he be now the accuser of the brethren day and night before God, he must then Eternally be cast down. True, he is now our accuser, and we must labour to overcome him by the Blood of the Lamb, as Rev. 12. 10, 11. that is, by Arguments drawn p. 62from the Blood of Jesus; yet I say fear him not after death. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death, saith the Apostle; and must we have an after rancounter with the Devil? Must we be set upon a fresh by him? No, no, after death he hath done with you for ever; he will not dare to look you in the face at the last day: He draw up a charge against you? You shall accuse, judge and condemn him, and all the Devils in Hell, 1 Cor. 6. 3. Never fear, you that dye in the Lord, shall rise up under those denyable evidences of a state of Grace, that neither the Devils nor wicked Men shall dare to gain-say. What, must poor Christians who have lived under doubts, fears, under buffetings and temptations, under accusations and challenges from the Devil and their own Consciences, must they rise so? Is this to be raised in power, with our Spirits made perfect? Surely Paul was out in his triumph, Rom. 8. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? Do you make good your Title to Christ now, and never fear any charges afterwards at that day; it will be a joyful day to Believers. Look up, saith Christ, lift up your heads for your Redemption draweth nigh, Luke 21. 28. p. 63And therefore comfort one another; your Witness is in Heaven, and your Record is on high, as Iob speaks, God, Christ, Angels, Conscience, will all be on your side.

Aye, but if this feigned process be not observed, some mens notions will fall to the ground. Aye, and let them fall; no matter how soon; for they are not grounded upon the Word of God that endureth for ever. Brethren, we must not draw Schemes and Models from our own Brain, and when we have done, impose them upon God, and make his proceedings in every particular exactly to suit the methods of Humane Judicatures: The natural notion of these things is so strong in some mens heads, that it doth carry them out beyond the line of the Gospel. Good works certainly do best furthest off from the judgment seat of God. They are good and comfortable evidences here, but they will make but a sorry Righteousness there for us to plead. Though God may and will take notice of all the fruits of his Grace appearing in our words or works, when he passeth the solemn declaratory Sentence at the last day, which is but a fuller manifestation p. 64of our justification. God will personally and publickly own that which he hath secretly in our Consciences, done by his Word and Spirit in us. God doth now act mediately by his word, then he will act immediately by himself; we shall hear the sentence of our Justification from his own mouth, which now we hear only from the mouths of his Ministers that speak to us in his name.

Secondly, The second ground they go upon is this, they say, that it is a conditional service imposed upon us by God in the new Covenant; and therefore the performance of it must needs be part of our Justifying Righteousness; which is very specious, and very suitable to Humane Reason, as most things are that contradict the Mysteries of the Gospel, but it is of like sound and significancy with the other.

Alas! At how little a hole will self-Righteousness creep in? How apt are we in the pride of our hearts to distinguish our self-Righteousness into our Justification, that we may have somewhat whereof to glory. To prevent mistakes I will premise one thing; that is this, I do not p. 65deny, but that to believe in God, in Christ, is an eminent piece of service, a great act of Divine Worship, the greatest act of Worship we can perform to God on this side Heaven. But I deny that it is a service done in order to the procuring or purchasing those benefits which we receive from Christ as his free gift. Faith receives what Christ hath already procured. Faith doth not come to Christ to desire him to dye for us; but having dyed for us, it comes for the fruit of his death: It comes on no other Errand but to receive what is already prepared. Faith hath no causality or efficiency at all in contriving, compassing, constituting the great act of Grace, wherein the pardon of our sin and our justification is held forth unto us. Our Faith did not move God to promise pardon, but finding all this Grace in Jesus, Faith applyes it, lays hold on it, and God gives us leave, nay commands us to do this. So that Faith is a service we owe to God by way of duty in complyance with his free Grace towards us, but it is not a service done by us in way of procuring that which is freely given. No, no, we owe that to Christ and not to Faith. Brethren! In common acceptation, when we say come to me, p. 66and I will do this and that for you; pray who is the doer, he that comes to have the thing done, or he that doth it. Certainly if coming be a service in this case, it is a service done to a Mans self, and can never be urged as a service done to God.

But they further say, that this is a conditional service: Why? Because God hath commanded us to believe that we may be justified. Commanded us to believe and pray, what is that? I told you before the meaning of an act of Faith, even to renounce our own Righteousness, to come in our nakedness and poverty to Christ, without Money or without Moneys worth, that we may be enriched by him in all things. Is not this the old, honest, plain down-right notion of believing? And is this the Conditional service required? Why don't you do it then? Who is against it? Only let them attend to the sense of Faith, and not be carried away with the meer word and talk of Faith, as their own act, never regarding the inward sense and signification of the thing it self. Hath God required us to believe in Jesus; let us know what that means and do it; no p. 67body is against it. If that be the Conditional service, let them lye low before God, and seem more vile in their own eyes, and cast themselves upon Christ for all. Let them learn to come without Money. This is the proper Obedience of Faith; that Obedience which the Doctrine of the Gospel doth require; and since you will call this a condition, I say, why don't you perform it? Is this the performance of such a condition of believing, according to the sense and meaning of believing, to tell the World that Christ is not our only Justifying Righteousness, that we must seek for something in our selves to joyn with him, if ever we will be saved? Is this the condition? Doth God mean this, when he bids me believe in Jesus? Sirs! Let us not read our Bibles backwards; wresting Scripture to our own destruction: It is strange to me, that Faith which is all along in Scripture opposed to Works in our Justification, and is appointed by God to shut all good works out of Justification, should be thus made an inlet to bring all good works into Justification. Oh! That we were more under the powerful actings of true Justifying Faith, it would then open it self more fully to us, and shew us its p. 68meaning. I wish we could a little better understand the actings of our Faith, understand the reason, the sense of it, the importance, the intent of an act of Faith, what a thing Faith is.

Thirdly, They suppose a double Justification, and a double Justifying Righteousness; the first to justifie us from the accusations of the Law, the other to justifie the sincerity of our Faith and Holiness; and here comes in all our inherent Righteousness. This is specious too: But I would not have men coyn new heads of Divinity to make good their own notions. We know but of one Justification, I say, the second Justification, which they talk of, it is implyed in the first; and therefore needless and unscriptural: For since the Revelation of the Gospel, infidelity and unbelief is a sin against the Moral Law; and Faith in Christ is injoyned as a duty by the Moral Law; by which we take God to be our God, and consequently do bind our selves over to believe whatsoever he had, or hereafter should reveal to be his Will. This we are bound to by the Moral Law; therefore if we are (as they themselves affirm) freed by Justification from the Law p. 69of Works upon the condition of Faith, then we are on our first Justification absolutely freed from infidelity, and our Faith is sufficiently approved to be true, and what then need a second Justification, unless we will suppose an error in the first Judgment; which is impious to suppose; as if God should acquit us from the accusation of the Law of Works upon the condition of Faith; which upon after examination, Christ discovers to be false and unsound. So that these things do not hang together.

Fourthly, They say that Faith and Holiness are conditions and evidences of our title to Christ, and all that comes by him; and therefore part of our Justifying Righteousness.

It is hard to understand the strength of some mens reasoning; but grant all this, it amounts to no more but Christ, and a title to Christ, so far we are agreed, for we desire no more. But how they will make Faith which is our title to Christ, and unto which Christ and all his benefits are by the Gospel granted, promised and made over; how they will make this title never so well evidenced, p. 70to be part of our Justifying. Righteousness, I see not: A title adds nothing to the inheritance, makes it neither more nor less, but conveys it down to us, according to the intrinsick value of the thing, be it more or less. A title to Land is no part of the Land; only we are invested in it as it is, by vertue of our title. Now therefore if the Righteousness of Christ be not of it self sufficient to justifie us, I see not how a good title mends the matter; for if the Estate be never so great, and we have no good title to it, it is worth nothing to us; and if our title be never so good, we can have no more then is, and belongs to the title. So that after all this stir about conditions and evidences of our title to Christ, the result of all is this, we have a title, a good title, are under all the conditions and evidences of a good title; but to what? To an Inheritance that is not sufficient to maintain us, to a Righteousness that is not sufficient of it self alone to justifie us; and where are we now with our conditions and evidences of our title? For ever destitute of a compleat Justifying Righteousness. Is this to Preach Christ? To Preach the glad Tidings of the Gospel? Is this the way to quiet and p. 71settle the Consciences of poor distressed sinners? surely no.

Fifthly, They urge the literal sense of some few Scriptures that seem to speak for them; especially two; and I do not know of more in the whole Bible, as to the literal signification; if there were we should hear enough of it. I know they quote many others, which add no weight at all to the Argument they would ground upon them, Therefore I shall not speak to them. Those two are Mat. 12. 37. By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned; and that in Iames, where it is said, Abraham was justified by works, Iam. 2. 23.

For that in Matthew, Calvin charges the Papists with very great weakness in offering to draw an Argument from that Text for Justification by Works. Maldonate a Learned Jesuite on the other hand is very angry with Calvin for supposing any of the Roman Church to be so weak and injudicious, as to argue so from that Scripture; for, saith he, we very well understand that this Text doth not speak De justificatione, qua justi efficimur, sed de judicis sententia, qua, sumpto ex p. 72verbis nostris argumento, justi declaramur. So saith the Jesuite; we know this Text doth not speak of that which is the cause of our Justification, of the thing for which, and by virtue of which we become just and righteous, only here is the appearance of our Righteousness by our words, and we are declared to be Righteous. So that this doth not touch this cause of Justification; and yet this is the main Text brought for it, the main proof repeated again and again, to prove inherent righteousness to have an influence into our Justification. I say let them take the answer from the Papists or Protestants, which they please, they are both against them in this thing.

As for the other Scripture, They will take it in no other sense but what implyes a contradiction to all other Texts of Scripture in the case. The whole current of Scripture is against Works in Justification, and leads us to a fair construction of that in Iames, that it is to be understood of a justification before men, and not of a justification before God. Protestant Writers have sufficiently cleared up this, to the Conviction of all but such who are resolved not to be Convinced. Certainly they should have a care how they abound too much in their p. 73own sense. The Learned Lord Bacon saith, that a little Phylosophy makes men Atheists, but a great deal will convince them of a Deity. Some mens Logick and School Learning overthrows Reason, which duely improved and well managed, would teach them to argue otherwise: Certainly in our reasoning about Divine things we should be careful not to abound too much in our own sense. It is better for us to leave the Mystery of the Gospel in its Mystery where we found it, than to seek to draw it out, and so to explain it, as to force it into the mould of Humane Reason, shaping it on every side to an exact conformity to the thoughts and conceptions of our weak imperfect Understanding; I say, no Gospel Truth will bear this. After all our Faith and Knowledge and Experience, we know but in part, and there is at the end of every Gospel Truth, a Mystery; something that is passing our Understanding, that calls for silence, for an holy Admiration, for an humble submission in Faith to the Will of God. Therefore I would not have men speak as if they knew all, and draw particular Schemes, and it must be so, and no otherwise; and thus and thus you must p. 74proceed in this and that way and form, therefore things must be so stated.

I have done with the Argumentative part. I will now speak a word or two in a looser way of Discourse.

I say then thus, he may be a true Believer who doth not take his faith for any part of his Justifying Righteousness; I suppose that will be granted: But he cannot be a true Believer who takes not Christ for his Justifying Righteousness. I do not say now for his only Justifying Righteousness, because I would speak in the sense of those I oppose. I say, they cannot be Believers who do not look upon Christ as their Justifying Righteousness; but they may be true Believers who do not look upon faith as a part of their Justifying Righteousness. For the first, suppose it an Error, it is only about the act in our apprehension which doth not alter the nature of the thing at all. The second is an Error in the act, which quite destroys the very nature of faith. Therefore the safer way is rather to press persons to believe, to see they have faith indeed and in Truth, than urge them to such an unscriptural construction of their faith, p. 75putting such a title of Honor upon it to the reproach of Christ and his Righteousness. They honour faith sufficiently who only prefer Christ before it. No doubt God will give faith its due praise and place at the last day; our not knowing or not understanding the reach and truth of our faith in all circumstances of it, will be no prejudice to faith at the last day. I heartily wish, we were more in the Exercise of Faith than in Controversies about it; more in the Practise of Good Works than in Dispute about them; we should then sooner understand both the one and the other. Sirs! the mysterious, sublime Doctrine of Justification was revealed for our comfort, and proposed to our faith to be believed; not to our reason to argue upon in a Quodlibetical manner and to toss to and fro for Argument sake. What if we know no more of Justification then is absolutely necessary for our Justification? This is the case of many plain, sincere hearted Christians; and if it were so with us all, we may have fewer Notions in our Heads, but possibly more Grace in our Hearts. The Lord grant, that we may know the Doctrine of Justification so as they know it who are saved by Christ. But surgunt indocti & rapiunt p. 76Coelum, & nos cum doctrinis nostris sine corde, volutamur in carne & in sanguine. The Learned they dispute and wrangle themselves into Hell; the unlearned they believe, practice and gain Heaven, taking up the truth in simplicity according to the general scope of the Gospel, as it is held forth to the meanest Capacity. Brethren! what Paul said to the Jaylor, Acts 16. 31. that I say to you all, Believe on the Lord Iesus Christ, and thou and thy house shall be saved. Don't you go home now, and tell your Families that they must not understand this Text so as to look upon Christ as their only justifying righteousness, but look out for something in themselves if ever they be saved. No, pray speak Scripture Language, expound Scripture by Scripture, and tell them, that Christ is all in all; tell them plainly that they must not be found in their own righteousness; they must be found in Christ not having on their own righteousness, that they must count all things but loss and dung that they may win Christ; that there is no other foundation but Christ, no other name under Heaven by which they can be saved, but the name of Christ; tell them they must not come for Justification and Life in the name of their Good Works, of any thing that belongs p. 77themselves; but only in the name of Christ, promote this Doctrine in your Families and among your Children and Servants. This is the way to save you and your Household. This is good, wholesome household Divinity, and suited to the ordinary Capacity of all serious Professors. We must not send our Hearers to intricate distinctions, to learn the meaning of the Doctrine of their Justification. The sense of the Gospel is plain enough in this thing, they that run may read it. Come, come, you shall never be charged at the Last Day for giving too much to Christ in the matter of Justification. You are bound to ascribe all to him, and you shall never be charged for giving too much. And certainly if it be possible to err on that hand, I had rather err in giving too much then too little to Christ. Do you think that a true Believer, who doth not look upon the act of Faith or works of Holiness to be any part of his justifying righteousness; but casts himself upon Christ, do you think, I say, that God will reprove such a person at the last day for ascribing too much to Christ, and not pleading his own righteousness? Certainly a Believer cannot plead the righteousness of Christ without Faith; his way of p. 78arguing from Christ will sufficiently evince the truth and reality of his Faith; there needs no other proof and demonstration of it.

I should have made some Application. I will tell you what I intended.

First, To those who ground their Justification upon the sandy Foundation of their inherent Righteousness; I would exhort them to pull down the house presently before it fall upon their heads; and lay a better Foundation, if ever they think to stand before the Son of Man in his Day.

Then I should exhort them, and press them to study other Arguments, (as there are very many) to promote Good Works and practical Holiness among men; and not justle out Christ to make room for self Righteousness in the matter of Justification. What, must we work for Life still? To work for Justification is to work for Life, and why should we thus turn the Gospel into the Law?

I should speak also to those who are built upon the right Foundation, and p. 79have cast themselves upon Christs Righteousness for Justification unto Life. Let such be careful to maintain good Works; let them be Examplary in the practise of them; and bring forth fruit meet for the Kingdom of God. For as the Foundation may be too weak for the Superstructure, so the Superstructure may be too mean for the Foundation. And therefore down with all this Hay, Wood and Stubble, and labour to walk more sutable to that Holy Faith under the Profession of which you live. Brethren! The unsutable and uncircumspect lives of Professors, have been the greatest scandal to the Doctrine of Justification by Faith; it hath opened the Mouths of men against it. Therefore labour to live men into a Conviction of this Truth. Disputes and Words will not do it, till you make it appear, that the Grace of God that hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel, hath taught you to deny all Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts. This is the way to promote the Doctrine of Justification by Faith alone. You that are built upon the right Foundation had need be careful and circumspect. The House is not yet finished, we do all of us lie open more or less to Storms and Tempests here below, though p. 80they cannot throw down the house, yet they may shake the house; the rain may beat into the house, may soak through every room of the house, may foul the house; may greatly incommode us and distress us. Therefore keep your Souls in good repair, keep them as tite as you can against Wind and Weather.

And for your Comfort I would have told you that Heaven will mend all the Errors in the Superstructure, if the Foundation be right. God will then take away and separate all those weaknesses and sinful mixtures that now run along with all our Graces; all Cracks and Flawes, the sinkings, and failings, the bendings and leanings, this way and that way in any part of the building, Heaven will mend all, will set all right and straight; when we are Sanctified throughout, and the Top-stone is laid.

FINIS.

A DISCOURSE OF REPENTANCE: SHEWING The Difference between Legal and Evangelical Repentance, AND The Necessary Connection between Evangelical Repentance and Saving Faith.

By Thomas Cole Minister of the Gospel.

LONDON, Printed for Thomas Cockerill, at the Three Legs over against the Stocks-Market, 1689.