A Treatise of Faith and Repentance, Treatise 1
A TREATISE OF FAITH.
FAITH is ſometimes taken for the Doctrine, and ſometimes for the Grace of Faith, viz. the Things to be believed, and the Grace by which we believe.
1. The Doctrine of Faith,
The Faith that we muſt firſt try, Fides quae creditur quam credimus. 1 Tim. 6. 2. 1 John 4. 1. 1 Theſſ. 5. 21.(viz. by the Infallible Rule, the Word of Faith) then cordially embrace, ſincerely obey, zealouſly contend for, Zech. 8. 9. Acts 6. 7. Jude 3. Phil. 1. 27 2 Tim. 4. 7. Heb. 10. 23. 1 Cor. 16. 13. Gal. 6. 10.faithfully keep, conſtantly hold faſt the profeſſion of, and continue in, ſtanding faſt in it, by ſtanding faſt to it.
They that are of the Houſhold of Faith, muſt be Defenders of the Faith.
2. The Grace of Faith,
Conſidered both as to the habit and Fides quâ creditur, quâ credimus. Eph. 3. 12, 17. Gal. 2. 10. Rom 11. 20. 2 Cor. 1. 24. 5. 7. Heb. 11. 6. Epheſ. 2. 8. Rom. 3. 28. Acts 26. 18.exerciſe of it, the Faith by which we believe, by which Chriſt dwells in us, and we in him; by which we have acceſs to God, and communion with him; by which we live, ſtand, and walk; and without which we can neither pleaſe God in this World, nor be ſav'd in the World to come.
This Faith ſtands faſt in all true 1 Pet. 1. 5.Believers; God keeps that, and that keeps them.
1. Faith is neceſſary in order unto our Juſtification.
There was never but two ways to Life, viz. That of the Old Covenant, and this of the New; that by Works, and this by Faith; and both as the Condition, not as the Cauſe of Life.
By the firſt, viz. by the Deeds of Rom. 8. 3.the Law, by reaſon of its weakneſs through the Fleſh, we cannot have Life: for, we muſt keep the Law, before we can have Life from it; and ſatisfy it, before we can be juſtified by it; neither of which are we able to do, for the Obedience muſt be perfect, and the Satisfaction infinite.
By the ſecond, viz. By Faith, we may have Life; not by Works without Faith, nor by Faith without Works; not by Works, leſt any ſhould boaſt, but by Faith, that God may be glorified; by Faith, that it may be by Grace; and by Grace, that it may be Epheſ. 1. 4. Gal. 4. 4.of Glory to God, who choſe Chriſt before Time, and in the fulneſs of Time ſent him into the World, with full Authority and Ability to juſtify the Ungodly (viz. both Jew and Gentile) that were under Sin, and to give Life to them that as dead in Sin, needed Life, and could not give Life to themſelves.
Chriſt came not of himſelf on this Errand, but as ſent by the Father; he Joh. 12. 44, 49.did not ſtep in as a private Perſon, nor of himſelf take this Office upon him, but came as a publick Perſon ſent forth from God, his Righteous Servant, (a Iſa. 53. 11.Son by Nature, a Servant by Office) to juſtify many.
God and Chriſt, the Father and Son, were one in this Work; and therefore as no Sin diſhonours God more than Unbelief, (a Sin that of all he will the leaſt bear with) becauſe it diſhonours the Father, by diſhonouring the Son, not only as he is of one Nature with the Father, but as one ſet apart by the Father for this Work: ſo no Grace honours God more than Faith, nor is there any that he ſo highly eſteems of, in that it gives him the Glory of all thoſe Attributes (viz. the Depth of his Wiſdom, the Omnipotency of his Power, the Exactneſs of his Juſtice, the Beauty of his Holineſs, and Greatneſs of his Love) that ſo eminently appear'd in this Work, and gives Honour to him, by receiving Chriſt as ſent to accompliſh it.
Faith honours God, as it approves of all that he has done in this great Work, and God honours Faith as ſet apart by him to receive the benefit by it, by receiving Chriſt the Author of John 1. 12.it.
Upon this account it is, that Faith is a Grace of ſuch ſingular worth and excellency: as a Quality, it has no more worth in it than any other Grace, (in ſome reſpects leſs) but as deſign'd to ſo Manus mendicans.noble an Office, as that of juſtifying Sinners before God (which no Grace elſe is) it has, and is preferr'd before all, it being as neceſſary to it (neceſſitate medii) as Chriſt himſelf; he as a Mediator, and Faith as a Means of applying him; for, we are not juſtified before we believe, nor by any thing but by believing.
Satisfaction made on Chriſt's part, is nothing without Application made on ours.
Of the Nature of Faith.
Faith
Is not a bare Aſſent, it is more than that;
Is not Aſſurance, it is leſs than that.
It is not a bare Aſſent:
Chriſt appears in his Royalty in the Goſpel, viz. as the only and All-ſufficient Saviour: the Perſons are deſcribed, who are intereſted in him, and the Terms ſpecified upon which they are, viz. not Devils but Men; nor all Men, but Believers only. A knowledg of, and an aſſent to this Declaration as incomparably good, and undoubtedly true, is neceſſary, but not enough; for, as there is no Faith, where there is no Aſſent, ſo there is no Juſtifying Faith, where there is no more: For,
Aſſent
Is a Faith in common with all thoſe kinds of Faith that are not ſaving; it may conſiſt with Deſpair, and neceſſarily attends it, and with the Sin againſt the Holy Ghoſt; for (as it is commonly underſtood) it cannot be committed without it, it may be found in the worſt of Men, it was in the ſtony ground, (in the Parable) and in Simon Luke 8. 13. Acts 8. 13, 23. Jam. 2. 19.Magus, who was in the Gall of Bitterneſs; it may be found in Devils, (for they believe) and in Hell, as well as upon Earth.
Aſſent is neceſſary and antecedent to juſtifying Faith, and is contain'd in it, (as the Vegetive and Senſitive Soul is in the Reaſonable); but it is not that, for, that is but General Faith, but this is Particular, and appropriating: that is in the Underſtanding only, without any quickning Influence on the Will; but this has an Operation there, and is repreſented under the Notion,
Of ſeeking Chriſt;
Which implies diligence Pſal. 27. 8.in the uſe of Means.
Of coming to Chriſt;
Which implies the Mat. 11. 28. Motio eſt actio totius compoſiti.Act of the whole Soul going out to him with Affections and Deſires, (the feet of the Soul) to find that in him, which it has not in it ſelf.
Of running to Chriſt;
Which implies Iſa. 55. 5.the fervor of the Motion.
Of receiving Chriſt;
Whereby it is entitled John 1. 12. Jus ad rem, ſequitur jus ad perſonam.to all the Privileges purchaſed by him.
None can uſe Chriſt to their benefit, unleſs they have him; nor have him, until they by Faith receive him.
It is not Aſſurance:
Faith in time may bring Aſſurance, It does not, Competere omni, ſoli, & ſemper.and often does; and for a time it may not, for it is ſeldom crown'd with Aſſurance, until it is of ſome ſtanding: it many times ends in Aſſurance, but never begins in it; for, it goes in Time and in Nature before it.
1. In Time,
Faith goes firſt, and Aſſurance follows … John 5. 13.after: firſt, believing, and then knowing; that, as the neceſſary Antecedent; this as the Conſequent: for, all muſt believe before they can know they do, as they muſt before they can be juſtified by it.
2. In Nature:
Faith is the Condition required on our part in order unto Life, (believe and be ſav'd) Faith, not Aſſurance: for, if that was required, then our Sins would be forgiven before we believed; Reprobates would be damn'd for 2 Cor. 13. 5.Reprobation may be taken, either in oppoſition to the Eternal Decree of Election, or in oppoſition to Soundneſs; and Reprobates, for ſuch as are either rejected abſolutely, or ſuch (as reprobate Silver) as are caſt off for the preſent. Jer. 6. 30.not believing a Lie, (viz. that they are in a ſtate of Life when they are not) and all would be commanded to believe an Untruth, viz. that they are pardoned Mark 16. 16.before they are.
Aſſurance,
Is properly an Act of Experience, and not an Act of Faith; which is a true Perſwaſion, tho not ever a full one, or an Act of the Mind only; but Faith is an Act of the whole Soul, it is rather God's Act than ours, rather the Eminency than the Eſſence of Faith, and relates more to its well-being, than being: if not, then none belong to the Houſhold of Faith, but ſuch as are aſſur'd; when-as Aſſurance, tho it many times accompanies them, yet it does not conſtitute and make them ſo: That Child which knows neither Father nor Mother, may be as true a Child, and as much of the Family, as thoſe that are come to perfect Knowledg; and they as true Members of the Houſhold of Faith that want Aſſurance, as they that have it: For,
Tho all that believe, are juſtified; yet all that are juſtified, are not ſure they are.
Then Faith and Doubts are inconſiſtent; which ſometimes they are not: for, they are not oppoſite to one another as Life and Death, but only as Cold and Heat in remiſs Degrees, and may conſiſt (as Contraries) in ſome Degree; and do, when thoſe Doubts are accompanied with Shame and Sorrow, attended with earneſt deſires after the Things doubted of, with ſolicitous Enquiries and Endeavours to get them, and with a full purpoſe of Heart to follow hard after God, and cleave cloſe Iſa. 50. 10.to him in a way of truſt and dependance, notwithſtanding thoſe Doubts: nothing but perfect Faith caſts out all Doubts; and where is it to be found?
They that never doubted, never believed.
Then Faith might be loſt; for, Aſſurance may, in that; tho ſome are aſſur'd, but not fully, and ſome fully, yet none immutably.
Then Damnation would be, not for want of Faith, but of Aſſurance, which is neceſſary, not for our Safety, but Comfort only; and Salvation would be by the reflex, and not by the direct Act of Faith, (for, Aſſurance conſiſts in a reflex Act) contrary to the tenure of the Promiſe of Salvation made,
Not to the Act of Aſſurance, but of Faith; and not to the Degree, but Truth of it.
They that make Aſſurance to be Faith, do more than is needful: for,
Aſſurance is but a Fruit of Faith, and Faith may be alive without it, (as a Tree may, though for a time without Fruit) though Aſſurance cannot be without Faith: for,
God never ſets his Seal, where he has not firſt ſet his Hand.
They that make Aſſent to be Faith, do leſs than is needful: For,
Tho Juſtifying Faith cannot be without General Faith, yet General Faith may be without that: for, it is not a ſingle, but complicated Act; not the ſingle Act of the Underſtanding, but of the whole Compoſition; not an Act of the Underſtanding only, to Actus complicatus totius compoſiti.know, and believe a Divine Revelation as true, but of the Will alſo to receive it as good: a Conſent as well as an Aſſent; an Aſſent of the Underſtanding, as it begins there, and a Conſent of the Will, as it ends in it, without which the firſt will avail but little: For,
It is not Chriſt, as dying, but as believ'd on, nor as tender'd by a hand of Love, but as receiv'd by a Hand of Faith, that ſaves.
So that it appears, that Faith is neither an Act of Aſſent only, nor of Aſſurance, but an Act of Affiance alſo; which is more than the firſt, and leſs than the ſecond, viz.
That Grace wrought by the Spirit through the Word, whereby ſenſible Sinners are enabled to receive Chriſt as offered in the Goſpel, truſting to, and relying upon him for Salvation.
I. It is the Work of God's Spirit.
It is not our Work, but God's.
Not our Work: For,
Of our ſelves we are no more able to perform the Articles of the ſecond Covenant, than thoſe of the firſt; nor to believe the Goſpel, than we are to keep the Law.
But God's Work.
It is call'd God's Work, (not only John 6. 29.in regard of Excellency, but Efficiency) it is not the Work of Men, nor of Angels, but of God only, the powerful Work of his Spirit preparing us for it, and enabling us to it; we believe through Grace, and come to Chriſt by Acts 18. 27. 1 Cor. 12. 9.Chriſt:
To him, by Faith from him.
II. It is the Work of the Spirit through the Word.
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by Rom. 10. 17.the Word: the hearing of Faith wrought by the Spirit as the Efficient, and by the Word as the inſtrumental Cauſe of it.
Through the Word, viz. both Law and Goſpel; by one, Occaſionally and Indirectly; by the other, Properly and Directly.
Firſt, By the Law; not properly, but Occaſionally and Indirectly.
1. Not Properly: for, the Law has no Power of its own, either to Convert, or Comfort Sinners.
Not to Convert them;
It ſhows them the ſinfulneſs of their corrupt Nature and Lives, but preſcribes no Cure; and tells them what their Duty is, but gives no ſtrength to the performance of it.
The Law commands Obedience,
The Goſpel enables to it.
Not to Comfort them:
It wounds, but pours no healing Lex graves manus habet.Balm into thoſe Wounds; arraigns and condemns, but allows no Pſalm of Mercy; for, the Voice of the Law is, He that has ſinn'd, ſhall die.
The Law condemns, but the Goſpel acquits and ſaves.
2. But Occaſionally and Indirectly.
(1.) By diſcovering Sin.
Sin is the Burden; and that which Rom. 3. 20. 5. 20. Gal. 3. 19.makes it feel heavy, is the Law; For, by the Law is the knowledg of Sin, viz. a knowledg of Guilt by it.
Where there are no Bounds, there can be no Treſpaſs; nor any Tranſgreſſion, where no Law.
(2.) By diſcovering Wrath due to Sin.
Where there is no Law, there Rom. 2. 8, 9. 4. 15.is no Sin; and where there is no Sin, there is no Curſe; but where Sin is, there a Curſe is due to it; and the knowledg of it is neceſſary, not to merit Mercy, but to diſpoſe to it.
The Law is the Miniſtration of Death.2 Cor. 3 7.
The Goſpel is the Miniſtration of Life.
(3.) By afflicting and wounding, under a ſenſe of Guilt and Wrath due to it.
It is a fiery Law, that has Heat as Deut. 33. 2. Galat. 3. 20.well as Light in it; Light to diſcover Sin, and Heat to afflict and torment for it.
The Law works by Fear,
The Goſpel works by Love.
(4.) By diſcovering an impoſſibility for them to help themſelves, being under a Guilt they cannot expiate, obnoxious to a Wrath they cannot flee from, ſhut up in a Priſon they cannot break, and ſurrounded with a miſery that they cannot redreſs.
The Law ſhows the Wound,
The Goſpel ſhows the Cure.
The Help of Salvation is from God.
Your Deſtruction is of your ſelves.Hoſ. 13. 9.
Thus, as Moſes brought the Iſraelites to the Borders of Canaan, ſo ſomething there is of the Hand of Moſes, viz. ſomething of the Law (though but occaſionally and indirectly) in the Work of Faith.
Secondly, By the Goſpel, viz. Properly and Directly.
The Law ſhews Miſery, as an Indictment ſhews the Offence, and works Fear; the Goſpel, as a Remedy, ſhews the Diſeaſe, and works Faith:
By diſcovering,
1. A remote poſſibility of Mercy.
No abſolute neceſſity they ſhould (tho' Sinners) be damn'd, becauſe Grace is rich and free.
2. A tender of Mercy indefinitely: Iſa. 55. 1. John 3. 10The Voice of the Goſpel is, All that will come, may, none are excluded, but ſuch as wilfully exclude themſelves.
An Indefinite, is equivalent to a Ʋniverſal.
3. A Suitableneſs, Fulneſs, and Willigneſs in Chriſt.
1. A Suitableneſs;
As being Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, 1 Cor. 1. 30.Sanctification, Redemption, Healing, Life, and Salvation, for the relief of blind, guilty, polluted, captiv'd, ſick, dead, loſt, and undone Sinners.
No Fountain like this Jordan to waſh in for Sin and Ʋncleanneſs.Zech. 13. 1.
2. A Fulneſs.
Meat and Drink are a ſuitable Good John 1. 16. Col. 2. 9.to the hungry and thirſty, becauſe Hunger and Thirſt are Appetites determined to thoſe Objects; but a Crum or a Drop is not enough, in that, tho' it is a ſuitable, yet it is not a full Good: but in Chriſt there is a fulneſs of Merit to juſtify, and of Spirit to ſanctify; that which is every way commenſurate to the Deſires and Neceſſities of diſtreſſed Sinners.
If they have him, they are made;
If not, they are undone for ever.
3. A Willingneſs, viz. To give what he has for the relief of Sinners if they come unto him; all that will Mat. 11. 28.come, may; if they are willing, Chriſt is willing; if they to come, he to welcome.
If Chriſt was able to help, and not willing, it would be all one as if he was not able; and tho' willing, yet if not able, all one as if not willing: therefore a diſcovery is made both of his Will and Power (equally alike Duo. principia motionis ad Chriſtum; 1. Cognitio. 2. Appetitus.great) that they may (and without which none ever will) believe in him.
III. It is the Work of the Spirit, whereby ſenſible Sinners are enabled to receive Chriſt as offer'd in the Goſpel, truſting to, and relying upon him for Salvation.
The Parties concern'd, are Chriſt, Heb. 5. …and Sinners; He, as the Author of Salvation, and They as the Subjects of it; He, as a Saviour, and They, as Sinners; He as the Brazen Serpent lift up, and They as ſtung with the fiery Serpent looking up unto him; He as dying to ſave, and They as undone without him.
1. Chriſt as dying to ſave.
The Object of Faith (according to the Schools) is ſomething above Reaſon, not ſeen, yet true, and revealed by God.
Something above Reaſon.Quid ſupra rationem. 1 Cor. 2. 4.
Above it, tho' not contrary to it.
Something not ſeen:Quid non viſum. Heb. 11. 1.
It is no contradiction in terms, to ſay, We may ſee by Faith, what we cannot ſee by Senſe.
Something true, and in its own Nature Quid credibile.credible.
That which is falſe, cannot be the Object of Faith.
Something revealed.Quid Revelatum.
A thing may be credible in its own Nature, yet not ſo to us until reveal'd; but when reveal'd, it is, tho' never ſo ſeemingly, impoſſible.
The Doctrine of the Scripture, the Inititur divinae veritatit anquam Medio. Aquin.Things revealed in it, are the Object of Faith general; which is no more than a bare Aſſent to the things reveal'd there as true.
They that have no more Faith, are no Jam. 2. 19.better than Devils; they that have not ſo much, are worſe.
But the Object of Juſtifying Faith, viz. of that formal Act of Faith by which we ſtand juſtified before God, is It is called the Faith of Chriſt, viz. of which he is the Object as well as the Author.Chriſt only; He who was prefigured in all the Types, foretold in all the Prophecies, and deſign'd in all the Promiſes; He, as conſider'd in his Perſon, God-Man; He, as dying, expiating Sin by his meritorious death, making a ſuitable and ſufficient Satisfaction to Divine Gal. 2. 16, 20.Juſtice, ſuitable as he was Man, and ſufficient as he was God; by one, ſatisfying the Equity; and by the other, the Infiniteneſs of it.
The Promiſes may be a ground of Circumferentia Fidei, Verbum Dei; Centrum Fidei, Verbum Deus. Mat. 11. 28.Faith, but Chriſt only is the Object of it, to whom we are to come, and in whom we are to believe; they are a Warrant of Encouragement to us in our coming, but he only from whom our help comes; if we do in them our encouragement to it, in him alone our ſafety by it.
Nothing could heal the Iſraelites, Numb. 21. 9. John 3. 14, 15. 12. 32.when ſtung in the Wilderneſs by fiery Serpents, but the Brazen Serpent lift up by Moſes on a Pole, nor that, unleſs they look'd up unto it.
None but Chriſt can ſave, (for there is no other Saviour) nor is there any other way to be ſaved by him, but by Faith looking up to him, as lifted up Rom. 4. ult.upon the Croſs; who died to juſtify, and aroſe from death to declare it; to him we are to look, and to him, as dying, we are to look, that we may be juſtified; and by looking up we are, not for it, but by it; not for it, nor yet without it; nor from any intrinſecal Virtue in Faith, but from the Vertue in Chriſt, the Object apprehended by it.
If Faith does but declare Juſtification, What difference is there betwixt Faith and Works?
2. Sinners, as undone without Chriſt.
He as a Saviour, they as Sinners; not ſimply conſider'd, but ſo qualified, viz. ſenſible Sinners: It is to ſuch only that he does look, and none but ſuch will look to him; He is not offer'd to any until they are ſo, nor would they receive him if he was; nor can they have any Benefit by him tho' they are ſo, until they receive him, (for Chriſt, until receiv'd, is but a Tender, and not a Gift) nor receive him aright, unleſs upon Goſpel-Terms; his Terms, and not theirs, viz.
1. Freely.
2. Sincerely.
3. Wholly.
4. Only.
1. Freely.
It is not barely a Conſent; not in caſe of Exigency or Extremity only, but an Act of Choice.
It is not enough that Chriſt is willing, unleſs they are ſo too; for, he will ſave none, invito genio.
2. Sincerely.
They take Chriſt for himſelf, whatever for the preſent they may ſuffer or loſe by it; they do not (with the Scribes) refuſe to believe, unleſs he will come down from the Croſs, nor make haſte (with Joſeph of Arimathea) to take him down and leave the Croſs Mat. 27. 42. 57 58.behind, but take him when on the Croſs, as well as when on the Throne; when ſuffering, as well as when reigning; with the Reed in his Hand, as well as the Scepter; and follow him to Mount Calvary, as well as to Mount Tabor; when to be Crucified, as well as Transfigured; as content to abide with him in the ſhame of his Sufferings, as well as in the Glory of his Triumph.
They are as willing to drink of his Cup, as to eat of his Loaves.
3. Wholly.
Chriſt's Perſon is not ſeparated from his Offices, nor his Offices ſeparated from one another; Is Chriſt divided? No, he is not divided, to one as a Prophet, 2 Cor. 1. 13.to another as a King, and to a third as a Prieſt; but all or none, not a Bone of his Body was broken, nor is any one Office of his ſever'd from another; but as he was anointed to all, ſo he is offer'd in all, viz. as a King to Reign, (to rule where he lives); as a Prophet to teach (to inſtruct where he rules) as well as a Prieſt to ſave; and they take him as ſo offer'd, not only as Jeſus, but as Lord (a Prieſt upon the Throne) as a Zeeh. 6. 12, 13.Sanctifier and Inſtructer, as well as a Saviour; and as ſaving from Sin, as well as from Hell, viz. from the Power of Sin, as well as from the Puniſhment of it.
They that will not take Chriſt as a Lord to rule, to them, inſtead of a Jeſus to ſave, he will be a Judg to condemn.
4. Only and for ever.
Him they chuſe, accept, and receive, and none but him, whole Chriſt with their whole Heart; and not for a time only, but for ever.
The Throne and Bed admit no Rivals; and Chriſt will be all, or nothing, a Lord for ever, or not at all.
(1.) Then they are much miſtaken in Faith, that think it is no more than a bare believing Chriſt to be the Saviour of Sinners, without any conformity of their Lives to him.
To make the Concluſion more than the Premiſes, is Sophiſtry; to put Freedom from Sin into the Premiſes, and Liberty to it into the Concluſion, is the Devil's Logick, (the Premiſes are God's, the Concluſion is the Devil's) Preſumption, and not Faith, to lay claim to Chriſt's Perſon, without being 2 Pet. 1. 4.partaker of his Nature; to cling to his Croſs, and caſt off his Yoke; to challenge a ſhare in the Privileges offer'd, and reject the Duties commanded; to pretend to his Righteouſneſs, and contemn his Grace; to truſt to his Righteouſneſs, and indulge our own Unrighteouſneſs, is to reject Chriſt, and not to receive him, or ſo to receive him, as that we ſhall never receive any benefit by him, viz.
No benefit by the Blood of Propitiation, 1 John 5. 6. Rom. 5. 9.if we caſt away the Water of Purification.
(2.) And as much miſtaken are they, that think it an eaſy thing to believe, it is but believing, they ſay; and that they think they can do when they pleaſe; Let him come down from the Mat. 27. 42.Croſs, ſaid the chief Prieſts and Scribes, and we will believe; but they were much miſtaken: for, it lay neither in their Will nor Power to do it, for they were faſter bound under Unbelief, than Chriſt was nail'd to the Croſs; nor could his coming down from the Croſs have wrought it in them, without a Work of his Spirit upon them. Neither they could, nor any of themſelves can believe; as will appear, if we conſider;
1. The Oppoſition that is made againſt it.
2. The Power that is exerted in the working of it.
1. The Oppoſition made againſt it, viz. By the Devil. and our Selves.
(1.) By the Devil;
Who out of envy to Chriſt, enmity and malice to Us, raiſes all the Force and Power of Hell againſt it: of all our Comforts and Graces, he fights neither againſt ſmall nor great ſo much, as againſt Aſſurance and Faith, as knowing what a hindrance the want of one will be in Duty, and how deſtructive the other will be to it; for, what is not Rom. 14. 23.of Faith, is Sin:
One a Bar to our Peace here, the other to our Safety and Happineſs hereafter.
(2.) By our ſelves;
Not only as to the things that are preparatory to Faith, (viz. Contrition and Humiliation, which are both neceſſary, but things that we are naturally averſe to) but as to the Work it ſelf: For,
We are naturally proud, and would do ſomething to merit Salvation.
To believe, is to abhor our ſelves, and to love another better than our ſelves; and to love him, for that in him (viz. his Holineſs) which is contrary to us; to hope in him that we verily believe is our Enemy upon the account of Sin, and to love him too, when he is diſpleas'd and angry; to truſt to him upon his bare Word, and deny our ſelves for him; to enquire what his Will is, and comply with it, tho' never ſo contrary to ours: to do what he commands, and when done, to look upon all as nothing; to hate our ſelves, and become Enemies to the things we love; to fall out with that which is as dear to us as our Lives, and ſo as to part with it; to be fed at the Coſt, maintain'd at the Charge, ſupported by the Strength, and ſav'd by the Righteouſneſs of another. Hard Terms for proud Nature to yield to, but yet muſt be done, and are, by believing; for, Chriſt's Righteouſneſs alone is the meritorious Cauſe of our Salvation, and will avail us nothing without the denial of ours.
We muſt go out of our righteous, as well as our ſinful Self, when by Faith we go out to Chriſt.
2. If we conſider the Power that is exerted in working Faith, which is no leſs than that which raiſed Chriſt from the Dead.
To raiſe the Dead to Life, is an Act of creating Power; but it was more to raiſe Chriſt, than any other from Death to Life; in that he was not only totally depriv'd of Life for a time, but bound under Guilt, (having by imputation more guilt of Sin on him than any) kept in the Grave, the ſtronghold of Death, with a Stone upon it Mat. 27. 64, 65, 66.ſeal'd, and guarded by Souldiers, (and all the Forces of Hell, as it were, upon the Watch with them) to hinder him from riſing; and was not barely rais'd to Life, but as a Conqueror, overpowering that great Enemy, Death, trampling on it, and triumphing over it. Now this Power, this great Power, this exceeding great Power, the ſupereminent vaſtneſs, and working activity of this exceeding great Power, (and all in the abſtract) that was put forth in raiſing Chriſt from the dead; this, and no leſs than this, is put forth in working Faith in us; For, we believe Eph. 1. 19, 20. foreign.according to the working of God's mighty Power, which he wrought in Chriſt when he raiſed him from the dead.
But yet, tho' difficult in it ſelf, and a Work that we of our ſelves are wholly unable to, God has appointed to work it in us, (for there is a Promiſe John 6. 27. Epheſ. 2. 8.of Faith, as well as a Promiſe made to it) and Chriſt has receiv'd a Commiſſion to enable us to it; and when we ſeek unto him, that which we are commanded to do by the Miniſtry of the Word, we ſhall be enabled to by the efficacy of his Spirit.
That which is now God's Will, ſhall 1 Theſſ. 4. 3.then be our Work.
Of the ſingular Worth and Excellency of Faith.
It is uſual in the Hebrew Language (the Mother-Tongue of the World) for the ſetting forth the Greatneſs and Excellency of a Thing, to add the Name of God to the Word whereby the Gen. 23. 6. 30. 8. foreign 1 Sam. 14. 15. foreignThing is ſignified, viz. great Wreſtlings and Tremblings, the Wreſtlings and Tremblings of God. The Soul's Excellency is ſet forth by this, it is called the Spirit of God; not only in reſpect of its immediate proceeding from him, but of its reſemblance to him; Explaining (as one ſaith) by the plurality of Powers in the Ʋnity of Eſſence, the plurality of Perſons in the Ʋnity of the Deity: And no leſs is it the Excellency of Faith, in that it is call'd God's Work; John 6. 29.not only in regard of Efficiency, but Excellency; in that no Work pleaſes him more than this, nor any without it.
Faith's Excellency appears in its Uſefulneſs, and its Uſefulneſs in the great Benefit and Advantage we receive by it: For by it,
1. We have Union with Chriſt.
2. We have Peace with God.
3. Our Duties are accepted.
4. We have an Intereſt in the Promiſes.
5. We have Victory over our Enemies.
1. We have Union with Chriſt.
What this Union is, is hard to tell, (the word Myſtical implies as much) but that there is a Union, is moſt certain, for it is one of the great Myſteries of Godlineſs. It is not the Eſſential Union of divers Perſons in one Nature, nor the Hypoſtatical Union of two Natures in one Perſon; but more than a Political, Natural, or Moral Union, for it is Myſtical, viz. of divers Natures in one Perſon, and Spiritual; not outward by External Profeſſion only, but inward by Internal Implantation, made by the Spirit on Chriſt's part, and by Faith on ours; by that, Primarily and Efficiently; by this, Secondarily and Inſtrumentally.
There is a Moral Union by Love, and a Myſtical one by Faith; a Union both Real, and Inſeparable.
(1.) Real.
As Real as the Union betwixt God and Chriſt, tho' in a different manner; that is Eſſential and Subſtantial; this, Myſtical only; yet not leſs Real, becauſe Myſtical: and Chriſt and they John 17. 21.who are thus united, are as truly One, as God and Chriſt are; they are one with Chriſt, tho' not the ſame; one Body, tho' not one Perſon.
(2.) Inſeparable.
The Ax may ſever the corporal Union betwixt Root and Branches, and the natural Union betwixt Head and Members; Death, the Conjugal Union betwixt Huſband and Wife; Time, the Artificial Union betwixt the Foundation and Building; diſtance of Place, or an Accidental Difference, the Moral Union betwixt Friend and Friend, Ʋnus uterqut fait alter ego.(who were one in Affection, and in whom there was but one Soul, tho' two Bodies): but neitheir Men nor Devils can break this Union betwixt Chriſt and them, no nor Death it ſelf, Jer. 31. 3. 32. 40. Hoſ. 2. 19 Rom. 8. 38, 39.whether Natural or Violent. The Hypoſtatical Union was not broken by Death (the Viſion was ſuſpended, but the Union was not broken) nor can the Myſtical, (it is then more near and firm); and the Reaſon is, becauſe it depends on God's Will, and not on theirs.
The great Honour conferr'd upon us, is by the Hypoſtatical Union to our John 13. 1. Heb. 7. 25. 2. 16.Nature, and the Myſtical Union to our Perſon, an Honour above any conferr'd upon Angels; for Chriſt took not on him the Nature of Angels, nor has he at any time ſaid unto them, Ye are my Body.
Other Graces make us like to Chriſt,
This makes us one with him.
2. We are reconciled to God.
Adam by Creation was a Son of Luke 3. 38.Love, by Corruption he became a Son of Wrath; his ſtate of Innocency, was a ſtate of Favour, that of his degeneracy, a ſtate of Wrath; in that, God and he were one in Point of Affection, but in this at Variance; Sin ſeparated thoſe Friends, he rebell'd, and God proclaim'd his diſpleaſure againſt him.
Adam being the Natural Head and Repreſentative of all Mankind, the Covenant made with him, concerned them, as well as him; being as naturally in him, as Branches in the Root; ſinning in him, they fell with him, and became Enemies to God, (haters of Rom. 1. 30.him, and hated by him); Enemies, without a Power to flee from him, a Strength to withſtand him, or a Will to be reconciled to him. God, that in Epheſ. 2. 7. 3. 11. 2 Cor. 5. 19. 2 Tim. 1. 9. 1 Pet. 1. 20.the Ages to come, he might ſhew the exceeding Riches of his Grace, in his kindneſs towards us through Chriſt Jeſus, (in whom he was reconciling the World to himſelf) ordain'd him before time, and ſent him in the fulneſs of Time, to make reconciliation for Iniquity, by reconciling him to the World, and the World Gal. 4. 4. Dan. 9. 24.to him, Chriſt the Prince of Peace (as the only Mediator betwixt God and us) was uſher'd into the World by a Quire of Angels, with a Song of Peace, (on Earth peace, and good-will towards Luke 2. 14.Men); while living, he publiſhed it; and when dying, purchaſed it for us.
In the firſt Adam we loſt Peace, in the ſecond Adam (by whom the Enmity is aboliſhed) we may find it, but not unleſs by Faith in him we apply to us, what he by his Death hath purchas'd for us; for, tho' merited for us, without any Qualification in us, it will not be conferr'd upon us, without an Application by us; the Bleſſing of Peace, is the Bleſſing of Faith in Chriſt, who as a Prophet publiſhed it, as a Prieſt purchaſed it, and as a King applies it to none but them (and to all them) that believe in him.
He died to merit it, and ever lives to maintain it; by him they have a right to it, and by Faith in him the poſſeſſion of it.
3. Our Duties are accepted.
In the firſt Covenant, the Perſon was accepted for the Work's ſake: In the Second, the Work is for the Perſon's Epheſ. 1. 6.ſake, viz. accepted in Chriſt.
Until our Perſons are accepted, we are Enemies, Objects of Wrath, and appear before God as an incenſed Judg upon the Seat of Juſtice, we ſtand at a Exod. 24. 1.diſtance, and worſhip (as the Elders of Iſrael) afar off, with Fear; but when they are accepted, we come to him as a reconciled Father, upon a Epheſ. 3. 12. Heb. 10. 22.Throne of Grace, and may come in the full Aſſurance of Faith with boldneſs: by Faith our Perſons are accepted, and by the ſame Faith our Works are; Faith juſtifies our Perſons, Works juſtify our Faith, and Faith ſanctifies our Works; they ſhew our Faith to 1 Pet. …. 2. Splendida peccata, omnis virtus abſ que Chriſto vitium.be good, and Faith makes them ſo, for they are all but ſplendid Sins without it, viz. without Faith looking to the Command as the ground of them, to the Promiſe as the encouragement to them, to God's Glory as the end of them, to the Spirit for aſſiſtance in them, and to Chriſt for the acceptance of them; the Law as a Rule directs, the Promiſe quickens, the End excites, the Spirit aſſiſts, and Chriſt preſents, but not unleſs they are by Faith offer'd up in his Name, in whoſe ſtrength all our Duties are to be perform'd, and for whoſe ſake alone they are accepted.1 Pet. 2. 5.
There is no pleaſing God meritoriouſly without Chriſt, nor inſtrumentally without Faith in him, without whom the beſt Duty and worſt Sin are both alike.
4. We have an Intereſt in the Promiſes.
The Promiſes run for this Life, and that to come, (an Entail that can never be cut off) and are all as ſo many Bonds and Bills under God's Hand, either Explicitly or Implicitly made over to Faith. None are ours until we believe, nor any that are not when we do; for if Chriſt is ours, all are ours.… Co…. 3. 23.
The Rabbins ſuppoſe, that Abraham's …en. 24. 10Servant (when ſent to get a Wife for his Son Iſaac) carried with him Teſſeram hoſpitalem, wherein was written the Promiſe of the Meſſiah, as being that which was Abraham's Riches, and Iſaac's Dowry for Rebekah; and it is the Happineſs of Believers, that all the Promiſes (which are in Chriſt their Head, Yea and Amen, certain and fulfilled) 2 Cor. 1. 20.are theirs; for they are Heirs of the Promiſe, and by Faith inherit Jam. 2. 5.the Promiſe; and by inheriting, are rich in Faith, richer than any without it, for they are all but Heirs of Vanity.
If the Grace of Faith is theirs, the Privileges of Faith are theirs alſo.
5. We have Victory over all our Enemies.
1. Over Sin in the Guilt and Filth of it.
There was an Altar and a Laver under Exod. 30. 28.the Law, the Altar for Sacrificing, the Laver for Waſhing; one for Guilt, the other for Filth; both typifying the double Benefit by the Death of Chriſt, who came by Water and Blood; by Blood, to expiate the Guilt of Sin; by Water, to waſh away the Filth of it; And by Faith in him we have a relief under all our Fears againſt both,
(1.) The Guilt of Sin.
Under all the ſtingings of this fiery Serpent, it brings healing by looking up to Chriſt (the brazen Serpent) in whoſe Sides the Sting was left, under all the guilty Aggravations of it, which cauſe the Soul to ſwoon, it fetches a Vertue from his Blood, (that expiated the Guilt, and appeas'd the Wrath due Epheſ. 1. 7.to it) which as a reviving Cordial brings it to life again: I had fainted, Pſal. 27. 13.unleſs I had believed.
Under all the Accuſations of the Law, it cauſes it to triumph in him, in whoſe Condemnation, its damning Sentence was repeal'd; in whoſe Death, its killing Power was deſtroy'd; by whoſe Blood, the Hand-writing of Ordinances that was againſt us, (more terrible than that upon the Wall of Dan. 5. 5. Col. 2. 14.Belſhazzar's Pallace) was blotted out, ſo as never to be read more; and removes all fear from under its Arreſts, by going to him, the Surety of the New Teſtament; not only as one able to diſcharge the Debt, and paſſing his Word for it, but as one that has made Heb. 7. 22. Rom. 8. 34.full paiment of it.
Who is he that condemneth? It is Chriſt that has died.
(2.) The Filth of Sin.
Our Sanctification is God's Will; 1 Theſſ. 4. 3.part of his Covenant-will, and part of Chriſt's Purchaſe, (for he died to redeem from Sin) and a Fruit of his cleanſing Blood, and by Faith in this Blood we are delivered from the Power of Sin, as well as the Guilt; from the Guilt by the Value of it, and from the Power by the Vertue of it.
There is a healing Vertue in Chriſt's Blood, to dry up the bloody Iſſue of Sin; for it pacifies by the Merit, and purifies by the Efficacy of it.
2. Over the Devil.
The Devil, the ſtrong Man, the Prince and God of this World; an Enemy terrible to afright, and ſtrong to hurt, bloody and cruel, ſeeking to devour, and fighting to deſtroy; an unequal Match for us, an Enemy too ſtrong for us of our ſelves to contend with; was, by Chriſt the Captain of our Salvation fought upon the Croſs, (the higher Ground) and overcome; the God of Heaven caſt down this God of the World, and brought him under his Feet: He has conquer'd this Conqueror, and led this captivating Enemy captive; and by Faith in him, we ſhare in this Conqueſt; and by Faith alone in him it is that we ſtand, and make good our Ground againſt him in our Spiritual Warfare: He was ſlain (viz. in his Power, not in his Perſon) by Chriſt our Head, who fought him in his own Perſon, and got the Day: His Weapons are taken away, Quoad judicialem poteſtatem, non quoad exercitium.his Force enfeebled, and his Power cruſh'd; his Empire broken down, his Authority taken from him, and his Policies defeated, (for he is wounded in the Head); but yet he remains as our Enemy ſtill, he is not troden under our Feet, tho' he is under Chriſt's: he ſhall ſhortly, when all Chriſt's Enemies are made his Footſtool, then he ſhall be under our feet, but not till then; it will not be long before God (as the Apoſtle ſays) will bruiſe Rom. 16. 20.him under our feet, but till then he ſhall bruiſe our Heel, (not the Heart, but Heel, the fartheſt part from the Head and Heart); touch us he may, but not with a deadly touch; to try us, but not ſo as to deſtroy us; he is no Tactu qualitativo. foreign.more the Leo vorans, and Draco terribilis, but yet he has ſome Teeth left, ſome ſtrength to oppoſe, ſome ſtrength as an Enemy, but no great ſtrength, for he is an Enemy in Chains, a captiv'd Enemy; an Enemy, but not ſo cowardly as not to aſſault us, nor yet ſo couragious as not to flee from us, but not Jam. 4. 7.unleſs reſiſted: Without reſiſting there is no conquering, and without Faith there is no reſiſting; this Lion will flee at the ſight of the Fire of Faith, and the force of all his Darts will be repell'd by this Shield, for it is Metal of Proof. The Shield cover'd the Armour, as well as the Body; and the Shield of Faith, is not only our Armour, but the Armour of all our Armour, the Heb. 11. 34.Strength of all our Graces, and the Grace in which our principal ſtrength conſiſts; they waxed valiant in Fight by Faith, and according to the ſtrength or weakneſs of it, we ſhall be more or leſs valiant in Fight, and victorious 2 Cor. 1. 24. 1 Pet. 5. 9.by it.
By Faith we ſtand; and if by Faith we ſtand, the Devil will either flee, or fall before us.
3. Over the World, in the Good and Evil Things of it.
1. The Good Things.
Tho' theſe things in themſelves are not evil, yet they many times prove ſo: they are no Enemies to us, yet through the Corruption within, and the Devil from without, they become Materials of Luſt, and war againſt us; he gets into theſe, and by them into us, (as he did into our firſt Parents) and overcomes us; but by Faith we are antidoted againſt this Poiſon of the Serpent; for through Faith we underſtand by Heb. 11. 3.whom the World was framed, and how, and by Faith we underſtand what the things of the World are, viz.
That they are all Vanity, and as ſuch Eccleſ. 12. 1.not much worth our ſeeking: For,
Things that are vain and empty, cannot make us happy whilst we have them, nor miſerable if we have them not.
That they are but common Bleſſings, Eccleſ. 9. 12.the Gifts of common Bounty to Good and Bad, may be given in Hatred, and with-held in Love.
Since therefore they are no Signs of God's Love, they deſerve but little of ours.
That they will rather hinder than further us in our Chriſtian Race, diſturb us in our way to Heaven, and Mark 10. 23.make the entrance into it difficult:
And therefore better loſt than found.
That they are good in their kind, but not the beſt things; that it will be our happineſs to live above them, and our greateſt delight not to delight in them.
Martha's Work was good, but Mary's was better.
That it is ſometimes neceſſary to want them, and therefore never neceſſary inordinately to love them: For,
In things of which there is no abſolute neceſſity, there is no great reality.
That inordinate Love to them is inconſiſtent 1 John 2. 15.with Love to God, his to us, and ours to him, for they are to be lov'd only in him, and for him.
Him we cannot love too much, nor theſe too little.
That they will be but of little uſe (and that to our Bodies only) while we live, and avail us nothing when we come to die; it will then not ſignify any thing, whether we fall under a great or ſmall title, die rich or poor as to this World, ſo we die rich in Faith.
All theſe died in the Faith.Heb. 11. 13.
That the continuance of them is but Quae diuturna eſſe non poſſunt, habent diuturnum tormentum.ſhort, but the abuſe of them will eternally torment.
Therefore it is better to be without them, than to be made miſerable by them.
That Riches may be found in Poverty, Affatim dives, qui cum Chriſto pauper.and Fulneſs in Wants; enough without them, and more than they have in a Crucified Saviour, who is virtually all.
A poor Believer, is as great a contradiction as a dark Sun.
Thus, Faith brings down the Market of worldly Things, and leſſens them in our eſteem; for as things appear to be, ſo they are eſteemed; it draws a Cloud over this earthly Tabernacle, and eclipſes the Glory of it, or rather ſhews that it has none; condemns the folly of all that think not ſo, and ſhews how much it concerns them that by Faith Gal. 2. 20.are crucified to the World, neither inſatiably to luſt after the things of it, nor inordinately to love them, nor through diſcontent to complain for the want of them.
It is as much our Duty by Faith to moderate our Affections to what we have, as it is to depend upon God for a ſupply of what we want.
2. The Evil Things of it.
The Anchor is of moſt uſe in a Storm, the Shield in a day of Battel, and Faith in a time of Suffering: Peter ſunk in his Faith, before he ſunk in the Waters; but Jonah when under the Waters in the Belly of Hell, was Jonah 2. 3▪ 4.ſupported by it; and the Primitive Chriſtians were at eaſe when tortur'd, at liberty when captiv'd, Conquerors whilſt ſubdu'd, and out of weakneſs were made ſtrong through Faith, bearing Heb. 11. 34.God's Trials with God's Strength; and ſo may all when ſuffering, for by this we know,
That no afflictive Evil comes by chance. God, as the Efficient, orders and diſpoſes them.
That Suffering is part of a Chriſtian's Work, as well as Doing.
They muſt not run to it before they are call'd, nor from it when they are.
That all our Sufferings are nothing to Chriſt's, the Croſs not ſo heavy, nor the Cup ſo bitter; for,
We taſte Love, where he did Wrath.
That our Sufferings (when right, for Cauſe, Manner, and End) are Chriſt's as well as ours, viz. for his ſake, and ſuch as he is ſenſible of.
As God, he knows them, and as Man, is ſenſible of them, and (quantum ſufficit) ſuffers in them.
That in all our Sufferings, Chriſt is with us; when Troubles are nigh, he is nigh, not only as a Sufferer, but as a Comforter.
Iſrael had a greater Light by Night Exod. 13. 21▪than by Day.
That the heavieſt Sufferings are but light, and the longeſt but ſhort; they may lie heavy, but ſhall not lie long; the Rod may fall on us, but ſhall not Pſal. 125. 3.reſt there.
The Viper ſhall be ſhaken off.
That all our Sufferings are attended with a good Iſſue.
The Cup is perfum'd by Chriſt's Lips, who drank it off; and the Croſs ſanctified by him who died upon it, and ſhall ſooner or later work for Rom. 8. 28.good. All that ſuffered for him, had ever a good iſſue in the end.
That Suffering comes within the Reward, as well as Doing: Chriſt's Crown of Thorns, was an Earneſt of his Crown of Glory, and his ſuffering Mountain, was his aſcending Mountain to it; and they that ſuffer with him, are aſſured by the Promiſe (to which Faith has an eye) that they ſhall Rom. 8. 17.reign with him alſo.
The Croſs ſhall be crown'd.
Chriſt overcame the World, it was John 16. 33. 1 John 5. 45.conquer'd by him, and by us in him; for by Faith in him, we have a perfect Victory over it, in the Good and Evil Things, the Smiles and Frowns, Honours and Reproaches, Gains and Loſſes, Joys and Sorrows of it; for by this we are carried above the Hopes, and fortified againſt the Fears of any thing from it.
They that neither hope for any thing Nec ſpe, nec metu.from the World, nor fear any thing, have overcome the World.
4. Over Death, the laſt (but not the leaſt) Enemy. When Adam ſinn'd, Death took hold of him, and of us in him; he could never get free from that Enemy, tho' it was long before he fell by his Hands: Nor can we, for we are all under the Sentence of Death, (appointed Heb. 9. 17.to die) and muſt e're long fall by it, for it is a Sentence not to be reverſt; Death will triumph over our Vita moriens conflixit cum vivente morte, non quem mors fecit, ſed quo mors facta eſt, peccato morimur, non morte peccamus. Aug.Bodies, but by Faith in Chriſt we may triumph over Death, have help at a dead lift from him, who fought this King of Terrors, and by his Death took away the Sting of it, by his Reſurrection the Strength of it, and by his Aſcenſion the Hope of it, ever to conquer Gratias tibi agimus, Chriſte ſalvator, quod tam potentem adverſarium dum occidiris, occidiſti. Hierom.or prevail more; he has weaken'd its fatal Power, reſcued us from its Dominion, and made us Heirs of Life, which by Faith we have a Title to, and by Death a Way made into the poſſeſſion of.
By Chriſt Death's Sting (the Weapon 1 Cor. 15. 56.by which it kills) is pull'd out, and the bitterneſs of Death is paſt.
Thus Faith in a crucified Saviour, is the ſpoil of all our Enemies, (whoſe Arrows have been ſharp in their Hearts) Pſal. 45. 5.and affords a ſtrength againſt them, beyond what all the Angels in Heaven, or Men upon Earth can do.
When the Iſraelites ſaw their Enemies (the Egyptians) dead on the Sea-ſhore, they ſang a Song of Praiſe unto Exod. 14. 30. 15. 1, 6.God, whoſe right Hand became glorious in Power, and daſh'd in pieces their Enemies; and by Faith in Chriſt, all that are terrified by the Law, aſſaulted by the Devil, haunted by Sin, tempted by the World, and through fear of Death ſubject to Bondage, beholding the Conqueſt over theſe Enemies, may triumph, and bid defiance to them all: The Curſe of the Law is aboliſh'd, by Heb. 2. 15. Rom. 8. 3. 6. 6.the Satisfaction made by Chriſt to Divine Juſtice; Sin is condemn'd in the Fleſh by him, the Sacrifice for it, and Crucified with him; the Devil, the Prince of this World, is judg'd and caſt out by him; the World is conquer'd, John 12. 31. 16. 11, 33.and Death vanquiſh'd in his Victory over them.
Let us then triumph in our Victory, and give thanks unto God, who through Chriſt has given us Victory.
The Devil is a captiv'd damned Enemy: his Captives are ranſom'd, redeem'd, reſcued out of his hands, and he himſelf become Captive; rage he may, (for that is part of his torment) but rule he ſhall not, for greater is he that is in 1 John 4. 4. Rom. 12. 10.us, than he that is in the World: he may accuſe, (and he will) but his Charge ſhall be made void, and all his Accuſations anſwered by Chriſt, who ever lives to plead, either our Innocency, or our Pardon.
The Law that was Sin's ſtrength, 1 Cor. 15. 56.(not as encouraging to Sin, but as condemning for it) is now become weak; for its killing damning Power Rom. 8. 1, 3. Gal. 3. 13.is taken away by the Virtue of the Croſs.
Sin, that was once a living, reigning, conquering Enemy, is now ſubdu'd; as a routed Enemy, it may rally again, but ſhall never conquer, (Sin ſhall not have dominion) for, it is a Body of Death, it has receiv'd its death's Wound Rom 6. 14. 7. 24, 25.by the Power of the Croſs, and ſhall e're long give up the Ghoſt.
Death is unſtung, it is ſwallowed up in Victory, the Power of the Grave is weakned; Death, that Deſtroyer, is deſtroy'd; we muſt fall by its hand, but ſhall riſe again; it will end our 1 Cor. 15. 53, 55, 56, 57.Mortality, but not our Life, for this Mortal ſhall put on Immortality.
We muſt be Priſoners in the Grave for a time, but we ſhall not be perpetual Priſoners; Chriſt, who broke the Bars of that Priſon, will redeem us from the Power of Grave, the time of Pſal. 49. 15. Iſa. 16. 19. Ezek. 37. 5, 12.Redemption for our Bodies will come; our dead Bodies ſhall riſe, our dry Bones ſhall live again, the Graves ſhall be opened, the Captives redeem'd, and then Deſtructions ſhall come to a perpetual End, for we ſhall live and never die more.
Awake and ſing, all ye that dwell in the Duſt.
The Devil is captiv'd, the Law is ſilenc'd, Sin is condemn'd, the World is conquer'd, and Death deſtroy'd, Who can hurt us? What need we fear? they are all conquer'd Enemies, and the Conqueror is ours, thanks be to God who has given us Victory through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and always cauſeth us to triumph in him through Rom. 8. 37. foreign. Over-over-comers.whom we are over all theſe more than Conquerors.
The Warfare of Faith ends in Victory, and the Victory muſt be crown'd with Triumph.
Of the Inſeparable Evidences of FAITH.
All have not Faith; ſome have not 2 Theſſ. 3. 2.the Faith of Aſſent, and therefore cannot have the Faith of Adherence; ſome think they have a Faith of Evidence and Aſſurance, who have not attained to a Faith of Adherence and Dependance; and ſome have Faith in the Habit, but little or none in the Act or Exerciſe, (How is it that ye have no Mark 4. 40.Faith!) and by reaſon of it, walk as uncomfortably as if they had none; it concerns us therefore to examine whether we are in the Faith, and the Faith 2 Cor. 13. 5.in us; and what that Faith is, whether a General, or a Particular and an Appropriating Faith; a Temporary and Periſhing, or a Sound and Laſting one; Col. 2. 12.a Faith of the Operation of God, or of the Devil; Holy or Unholy, Feigned or Unfeigned, Dead or Alive, Common and Ordinary, or Special and Saving, the Faith of Reprobates or of God's Elect, that Faith which they, Jude …0. 2 Tim. 1. 5. Jam. 2. 26. Titus 1. 1…and none but they have, and which all of them have, and never can loſe.
The Acts of Faith for a time may ceaſe, but the Habit abides.
Faith,
1. Ariſes from a ſenſe of miſery out of Chriſt.
2. Begets a Superlative Love to Chriſt.
3. Is fruitful in good Works.
4. Is accompanied with Holineſs.
1. It ariſes from a ſenſe of Miſery out of Chriſt.
Spiritual Poverty is the neareſt capacity of believing; for, Faith is the Act of a weary, heavy-laden, diſtreſſed, undone, ſelf-condemned Sinner, going out to Chriſt for Reſt, Life, and Salvation. Humiliation is not Faith, (no more than the preorgination of the Body is the Soul) but a diſpoſition to it; going to Chriſt without it, is building without a Foundation; reſting in it without going to Chriſt, is laying a Foundation without building upon it: a Houſe without a Foundation, will be of little uſe; a Foundation without the ſuperſtructure, will be of no uſe. Without Humiliation, Faith is as a Houſe without a Foundation; and without Chriſt, it will, as a rotten Foundation, break under us; there is nothing to warrant or encourage our going to Chriſt before we are humbled, for we go before we are call'd, nor any thing to aſſure Salvation to us, if we do not go when we are; that, without him, cannot help us; he, without that, will not; for, we muſt be loſt, ſick, and damn'd in our own ſenſe and apprehenſion, before he will ſeek, heal, or ſave us.
A Faith of Education, is a Weed of Infidelis fiducia.Preſumption that grows in common Ground. Saving Faith is a Plant of Renown, growing upon the brink of the Infernal Pit: that (like ſelf-grown Corn) will wither and come Pſ. 92 13, 14. Mat. 15. 13. Jam. 3. 18.to nothing; this will flouriſh: that begins in Preſumption, and ends in Deſpair; this begins in Deſpair, (viz. of our ſelves) and will end in Comfort.
2. It begets Superlative Love to Chriſt.
Chriſt, as conſider'd in the Glory and Comelineſs of his Perſon, the Graces and Perfections of his Nature, and the great Offices he was anointed to, viz. of a King above all Kings, (in Order, Power, and Authority) of a Prieſt above all Prieſts, (in Nature, Compaſſion, Sacrifice & Merit) of a Prophet above all Prophets (in Primacy, Infallibility, and Efficacy) is beyond all compare; there is nothing in him but what is lovely, nor any thing lovely, but is eminently in him; he is fairer than the Children of Men, yea, than all the Angels and Saints in the higheſt Heavens; more full of Beauty than the Sun or Morning-Star, the Brightneſs Heb. 1. 3.of his Father's Glory; his firſt and beſt-beloved; the Joy and Delight of the Saints in Heaven, and on Earth; the Wonder of Angels, and the Center of Excellencies; but not ſo to us until we believe: They that do not know Chriſt, cannot love him, (for as we apprehend, ſo we affect); they that believe not in him, do not know him, (the God of this World has blinded 2 Cor. 4 4.the Eyes of them that believe not); to them therefore he is a diſallowed Stone, 1 Pet. 2. 7.not worth the owning: This Beloved, Iſa. 53. 23.no more than (nor ſo much as) any other Beloved, without Form and Comelineſs, or any thing to attract their Quantum credimus, tantum ditigimus.Love; but to them that believe, he is the Head of the Corner, the chiefeſt of Ten thouſands, altogether lovely; ſo in himſelf, and ſo to them, as loved by them above their Souls and Happineſs; they ſee, not only a need of him, but an excellency in him: Excellency, and nothing but Excellency, a Superlative Excellency, eclipſing the Glory of all created Excellency, (more than the Sun does the Light of the Stars) enough to beget wonder and aſtoniſhment, as one that is as far above their Praiſe as Love, as appears by their ſincere Amor lex ſive ſeveriſſima.Obedience to him, (the effect of Divine Power conſtraining to it) and their unceſſant deſires after him, the ſparks of that Holy Flame that are ever-aſcending Animus eſt, ubi amat.to him. Knowledg precedes Faith, Faith produces Love, Love evidences Faith, (it ſhews it to be true) it is not the cauſe of Faith, but the 2 Cor. 6. 6. 2 Tim. 1. 5.ſign of it, as Breath is of Life, and a full Tide of a full Moon.
Ʋnfeigned Love to Chriſt, ſhews unfeigned Faith in him; for to them that believe, he is precious.1 Pet. 2. 7.
3. It is fruitful in good Works.
By Faith our Perſons are juſtified, Rom. 5. 1.and by Works our Faith is juſtified: by that, our Perſons before God; by theſe, our Faith before Men: by that, our Perſons are acquitted from Sin; by theſe, our Faith is acquitted from Hypocriſy: by that, our Perſons are made Righteous; by theſe, our Faith is made Jam. 2. 22. 2 Cor. 12. 9. 1 John 5. 12. Fides foeta operibus, ubi bona opera non ad extra, fides non ad intra. Faith produces Works. Per modum cauſae efficientis motivi impetrationis, quod lex operum minando imperat, lex fidei credendo impetrat.perfect, (i. e. made manifeſt, as God's ſtrength is ſaid to be made perfect, that is made manifeſt in our weakneſs): by that we are in a ſtate of Life, (he that has the Son, has Life) by theſe, our Faith appears to be alive. Chriſt prov'd his Deity by his Works, and Faith proves her Divine Original (viz. the Faith of God) by Works too: There is no Love, without the labour of Love; nor any Faith, without the Work of Faith. For,
As Works are dead without Faith, ſo Jam. 2. 17.Faith without Works is dead alſo.
4. It is accompanied with Holineſs.
Juſtification and Sanctification are (as one ſaith) always diſtinguiſh'd, but never ſeparated.
Diſtinguiſh'd:
The Righteouſneſs of Juſtification is in Chriſt; the Righteouſneſs of Sanctification flows from him; that is Relative and without, this is Real and within; in that there is a change in our State, in this a change in our NaNature; that is perfect and alike in all, but this is imperfect in all, as to Degrees, though not as to Parts; by that we are acquitted from the Guilt of Sin, by this we are cleanſed from the filth of it; in that we have Peace with God, in this we are made like to him; one by the Merit, the other by the Spirit of Chriſt.
Not Separated:
They that are juſtified by the Grace of God, are ſanctified by the Spirit of God; for the juſtifying Vertue of Chriſt's Blood, is ever accompanied with the purifying Vertue of it; moral Vertues are (as the Philoſopher Indi…iduus virtutum comitatusſays) inſeparably connected, and ſo are Divine Graces too, (the Fruits of the Spirit are of a Cluſter) the Spirit infuſes the Habits, and Faith quickens the Acts; it is as the Sun to the World, and the Soul to the Body, that influences all the radical Grace that maintains the Life of them, the Leader and Commander in chief, (as the Brain is the facultas mandans, as it is the Seat of Senſe, as the Heart is of Life) by whoſe Conduct they are guided, according to whoſe motion (as the Primum Mobile) they all move; and proportionably to the ſtrength or weakneſs of it, they are ſtrong or weak, riſe or fall, as ſome Fiſh (as is ſaid) wax and wane with the Moon. Our Juſtification was merited by Chriſt, is applied by Faith, and by theſe, as concomitant with it, aſſured; without which we can never make out our Title to it; for, as Life (of any kind) is known by the Actions of Life, a Tree by its Acts 15. 9Fruits, and a Fountain by its Streams: ſo a pure Faith is known only by pure Acts; if it has not Virtue to ſanctify, it has none to juſtify; nor can it be Fiducial, unleſs Obediential.
An obediential Faith juſtifies it ſelf. Abraham believ'd and obey'd.