The Measures of Christian Obedience, Book 1 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Of Pardon promised to Faith, Knowledge and being in Christ.
The CONTENTS.
Of Pardon and happiness promised to Faith and Knowledge. Of the nature of Faith in general. Of natural, Jewish, and Christian Faith. Of this last as justifying and saving. Of the fitness of Christian Faith and Knowledge to produce Obedience. Pardon promised to them no further than they are productive of it. Of Pardon promised to being in Christ. Christ sometimes signifies the Christian Religion, sometimes the Christian Church. Being in Christ, is being of Christs Religion, or a member of Christs Church. The fitness of these to effect Obedience. Pardon promised to them no further than they do.
FIRST this condition of our acceptance which is to mete out to us our last doom of Bliss and Mercy, and whereto Life and Pardon are promised at the last day, is sometimes called knowledge, or, what is only a more particular way of knowing, a knowing upon witness or testimony, Faith. By, or upon the account of, his knowledge, or the knowledge of him, shall my Righteous Servant, when he sits to judge them, justifie many, says God of our Judge and Saviour Christ by the Prophet Isaiah, Isa. 53.11. And this is Life Eternal, says our Lord himself, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent, Joh. 17.3. And then as for Faith, which is the particular way of knowledge among us Christians, who owe all that we know in order to Heaven and happiness to the witness and testimony of Jesus Christ, the places which promise Life and Pardon unto it are to be met with in abundance. Whosoever believes on me, says our Saviour, shall not perish, but have Everlasting Life, Joh. 3.15, 16. And again, This is the will of him that sent me, that whosoever believes on me may have Everlasting Life, Joh. 6.40. And when he sends out his Apostles after his Resurrection to proclaim the terms of Mercy and Salvation to all the world, he bids them say, Whosoever believeth and is Baptized shall be saved, Mar. 16.16.
Faith or belief in the general, is a thinking something to be true upon the testimony of those persons who declare it. And herein it differs from other sorts of knowledge, because in them we believe upon the evidence and apparent reason of the things themselves; but in this upon the witness and authority of those persons who reveal them. For then we are said to know, when we assent upon the Authority of things; but then to believe, when we assent upon the Authority of persons; when not the evidence of the things revealed, but the word and testimony of the revealer make us give credit to his Revelation.
This is the nature of Faith in general, it is a giving credit to a thing, or taking it to be true upon the testimony or authority of such persons as declare it. And according to the difference of this testimony, our Faith upon it is differenced and distinguished also. For if we believe any thing upon the bare word of a man, it is an Humane; if upon the bare word and testimony of God, it is a Divine Faith.
Divine Faith then is nothing else, but a belief of Divine Revelations, a taking any thing to be true because God has told us it is so. And therefore we may be said to have Divine Faith of as many things as God has any way attested or revealed to us. And for Gods Revelations, they have been derived to us in several ways, and by several instruments.
For some things God has revealed to us by the light of Nature. That light came from him, and is his Revelation. For the spirit of a Man is the Candle of the Lord, which, as St John saith in another case of our Saviour, enlightens every man that cometh into the world, Joh. 1.9. And in this general sence of Faith, for a natural Faith or a belief of all natural Revelations; all matters of knowledge are likewise matters of Faith, because at last all natural light and evidence of things rests upon Gods Revelation; that very evidence being no otherwise a proof to us that things are true, than we are assured that God is the Author of it, and that it is his Testimony and declaration to them that they are so. And by this way of Revelation, this natural light, God has declared to us two great foundations of all Religion, his own existence, and his Providence; that there is a God, and that he will love and reward all such as serve and worship him. The belief of which Articles so testified, St Paul affirms to be a part of Faith; yea a part so fundamental as is absolutely necessary to our pleasing of God and to all Religion: without Faith, saith he, it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that HE IS, and that he is A REWARDER of them that diligently seek him, Heb. 11.6.
Other things God has revealed, not by the light of nature, seeing they are such things as that alone could never have discovered to us, but either by his own immediate voice or inspiration, or by the mediation and message of inspired men.
By the former he revealed to Noah the Drowning of the old world, Gen. 6.13. the belief whereof is called Noah's Faith, Heb. 11.7. To Abraham his having a numerous Issue by his Wife Sarah, when as yet they had no Child, and in all appearance were too old ever to expect one, Gen. 15.5, 6 and Chap. 17.17, 19. the belief whereof is likewise call'd Abraham's Faith, Heb. 11.17, 18, 19. To Moses his passing over all the houses of the Israelites, where he should see the Blood of the Paschal Lamb sprinkled for a Token, when he would slay all the First-born throughout all the Land of Egypt, Exod. 12.12, 13. the belief of which Revelation is also call'd the Faith of Moses, Heb. 11.28.
By the latter he reveal'd his will more largely to the whole people of Israel by the mouth and aGal. 3.19.mediation of his Servant Moses; and because both God and Man concurr'd in this Testimony, their belief of his message was their Faith, not in God only, but together with him in his Servant Moses too. For because the Law and Religion which they received, though it came originally from God, was yet derived down to them immediately by his Ministry, and they knew no otherwise what God had spoken to them than by his Testimony and upon his Authority: therefore are they said in believing and embracing that Divine Law, which was delivered to them by Moses, to believe, not the Lord alone, but also his Servant Moses, Exod. 14.31. Joh. 5.46. to be Baptized into Moses, 1 Cor. 10.2. to be Moses's Disciples, Joh. 9.28. to trust or place their hope in Moses, Joh. 5.45. to obey or hearken unto Moses, Luk. 16.31.
But the most clear and full Revelation that God ever made of his will to men, was by the message and mediation of his own Son, Jesus Christ. For God who at sundry times, and in divers manners spake in times past to the Jews by Moses and to the Fathers by the Prophets; hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, Heb. 1.1. And the belief of his Gospel, or taking for certain Truths upon his Authority all those things which he has declared to us in Gods Name, is call'd the Christian, as the other was the Mosaick Faith. For he being the great Author and deriver of this last and greatest Revelation of God down to us, and our belief of it being upon his immediate Authority, he being, as St Paul says, the Authour and finisher of our Faith, Heb. 12.2. Our belief of it is called, not only Faith towards God, Heb. 6.1. but also Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, Acts 20.21. And because the knowledge of our whole Religion got into our minds this way, upon our submission to Christs Authority, and our Faith or belief of his Testimony; therefore is our Religion it self most commonly in the Scriptures called our Faith. The Preaching of it is called Preaching the Faith, Gal. 1.23. the hearing of it, hearing of Faith, Gal. 3.2. the profession of it, a profession of Faith, Heb. 10.23. the contending for it, a striving for the Faith, Phil. 1.27. the erring in it, an erring from the Faith, 1 Tim. 6.10. the falling from it, a making shipwrack of the Faith, 1 Tim. 1.19. obedience to it, the obedience of Faith, Rom. 1.5. and the Righteousness required in it, and effected by it, the Righteousness of Faith, Rom. 4.11.13.
So that in like manner as the Mosaick Faith was a belief of the Divinity of the Mosaick Law and Religion, upon the Authority of Moses: the Christian Faith is a belief of the Divine institution of our Christian Religion upon the Authority of Christ. It is a taking upon his word all those things for truths of God, which he has declared to us in Gods Name. A belief begot in us by vertue of his Testimony, that all his Doctrines are Gods Truths; that all his Laws are Gods Precepts; that all his promises are Gods Promises; and that all his threats are Gods threatnings: in sum, that that whole Religion and Gospel which Christ has delivered to us in Gods Name, is the very Religion and Word of God.
The belief of all this upon the Authority of Christ makes our Faith Christian; and the good effects of it upon our hearts and lives make it justifying and saving. For when by vertue of this Faith we truly Repent and sincerely obey, which is the great condition, as we have seen, whereupon at the last day we must all be pardoned and justified Eternally; it is a justifying: as when by vertue of it we are saved and delivered from the dominion and service of our Sins, which as the Angel hath bMatt 1.21.assured us, are those principal evils that Christ came to save us from, it is a saving Faith.
This is the nature of our Christian knowledge, and our Christian Faith. And as for it now, it is the very fundamental cause and natural spring of all our Christian service and obedience. For it is because we believe Jesus to be the Lord, because we know those Laws which he has given us, and give credit to him when he tells us of the insupportable punishments which he will one day inflict for sin, and of the glorious rewards which he will confer upon obedience: It is by means of our knowledge and belief of all these in our minds, I say, that we serve and obey him in our outward actions. It is our knowledge and belief that lets us see the reasonableness of his Precepts, the power of his Assistances, the glory of his Rewards, and the terror of his Punishments; and in all respects convinces us of the beauty and profit of Obedience. And this sight and conviction in our minds cannot well miss of gaining our hearts and resolutions. For the belief of his endless judgments will raise our fears; the belief of his infinite rewards will quicken our hopes; the belief of his inexpressible kindness will kindle our love; and by all these our souls will be led Captive into eager desires, and firm resolutions, and be fully purposed to keep Gods Laws, that so they may avoid that terrible Death which he threatens, and attain those matchless joys which he promises to our Obedience. And when once, by means of this faith and knowledge, Gods Laws have gain'd both our wills and passions, which are the inward springs and causes of them, they cannot fail of being obeyed in our works and actions which are produced by them. But we shall quickly go on to perform what we resolve, and to do what we desire; and so in very deed fulfill and obey them. Upon which account of our Christian Faith having so mighty an influence upon our Christian and obedient practice, our obedience it self, as being the effect of it and produced by it, is call'd the obedience of Faith, Rom. 16.26. The Righteousness which it exacts of us, and cJam. 2.22. foreign.cooperates to work in us, the Righteousness of Faith, Gal 5.5. Our Christian warfar or striving against Sin, is called the good sight of Faith, 1 Tim, 6.12. And because in this contest our great succors which protect us, and keep us from fainting, and at last make us victorious, are some points or promises of our Religious belief: therefore it is stiled a shield, and a breast-plate of Faith, 1 Thess. 5.8. and St John affirms plainly that this is the victory over the world, even our Faith, 1 Joh. 5.4.
And for this reason it is, because our Faith and knowledge are so powerful a cause and principle of our Obedience, that God speaks so great things of them, and has made such valuable promises to them. He never intends to reward the Faith and knowledge of our minds, further than they dforeign; Clem. Rom. Ep. 1. ad Cor. c. 31.effect the obedience of our actions. It is only when they are carryed on to this effect, when they become an obedient knowledge, and a eQuid est …ide liter Christo credere … est fideliter Dei mandata servare. Salvian de Gub. l. 3. p. 67. Ed. Oxon. foreign. Clem. Rom. 1. Ep. ad Cor. c. 10.working Faith, that they confer a right to the promised reward, and are available to our Salvation. For when in the places mentioned, or in any other, God promises that he who knows Christ, or believes in Christ shall live; he speaks metonymically, and means Faith and knowledge with this effect of a working service and obedience.
As for knowledge, 'tis plain that God accepts it no otherwise than as it effects obedience, nor can we any otherwise confide in it. Hereby alone, says St John, we know that we know him, in that sence of knowledge whereto God has promised life and pardon, if we keep his Commandments. But he that saith I know him, and for all that keepeth not his Commandments, he is a lyar, and the truth is not in him, 1 Joh. 2.3, 4.
And then as for Faith, no man is interpreted to have that Faith which is made the condition of our pardon and acceptance, but he who is acted by it, and in his works is obedient to it. The Faith, says St Paul, which in Christ Jesus or the Christian Religion availeth any thing to that Righteousness which all Christians hope for, is that only which worketh by Love, Gal. 5.5, 6. It begins the change within, by purifying of our hearts and desires, Acts 15.9. and thence goes on to perfect it in our outward works and actions. And unless it proceed to this, it will never be able to bear us out, and to justifie us at Gods Bar: for there, as St James tells us, by our fMatt. 25.34, 35, 3…, &c.works we must all be justifyed, and not by a Faith only which works nothing, Jam. 2.24. Such alas! will be wholly useless, and of no consideration in that Court; it will not any way profit, and then certainly it cannot save us. For what doth it profit, my Brethren, though a man be able to say, either here or hereafter, he hath Faith, and hath not works? will that be allow'd a sufficient plea in Gods Judgment? shall that Faith save him? no surely, it never will, Jam. 2.14. This unworking Faith is not that effectual Faith which the Gospel encourages, but its worthless shell and liveless carkass. For wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Even as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also, vers. 20, 26. It is Faith only in an imperfect degree, and a weak unprofitable measure; for it is not arrived to a perfect pitch, to that compleat state whereto the Gospel doth at present promise Life, and Christ will at the last Day award it, till it shows it self in action, and our lives express the power of it. Our Father Abraham, says St James, was justified by works, produced by Faith, when, in an unstagger'd belief that God would make good his promise of a numerous issue by his Son Isaac, though it were by raising him up again from the gHeb. 1.17, 19.dead, he would obey his command which seemed quite to overthrow it, and offered up his Son upon the Altar. Seest thou how his Faith in Gods Power and Promise wrought prevalently over all opposition hforeign, wrought to his works or to make him work., to the production of that his strange work; and by this justifying work upon it was his Faith made perfect? vers. 21, 22.
So that when all is done, we see that there is no Life or Pardon promised to any Faith or knowledge which are separate from Obedience, but to such only as cooperate to them, and imply them. There is no belief wherewith our Judge at the last day will be satisfyed, or wherein we are safe; which either he will accept, or we may trust to, if our dutiful works are wanting. So that this is, and ever will be, as St Paul says, a faithful saying, and such as every good Christian man ought constantly to receive or affirm, that they who have Faith, or have believed in God, be careful to maintain obedience and good works, because it is they which at the last day must do all men good, are good and profitable unto men, Tit. 3.8.
Secondly, This condition of our acceptance, whereto the Gospel promises a happy sentence of Life and Pardon in the last judgment, is sometimes called Being in Christ. There is no condemnation, says St Paul, to them who are in Christ Jesus, Rom. 8.1.
The word Christ we must know, many times in Scripture signifies the Religion of Christ. Thus the Law is said to be a Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, i. e. the imperfect rule of the Mosaick Religion was fitted for the minority of the world, and intended to train men up, as Children are by School Discipline, for the more perfect and manly institution of the Christian, Gal. 3.24. And thus we read of Preaching Christ, that is the Christian Religion, Phil. 1.15. And St Paul tells the Ephesians of their learning Christ and hearing him, i. e. his Gospel and Doctrine. Ye have not so learned Christ, if so be ye have heard him, and been taught by him, or iforeign.in him, Eph. 4.20, 21. Heard him, and been taught by him: i. e. not by his person, for he never went beyond Judea, being sent, as he said, to none but the lost sheep of the house of Israel, Mat. 15.24. and therefore never travelled so far as Ephesus; but by, and in his Doctrine or Religion. And this is a most usual form of speech, to call any institution or profession by the name of its first Author. The Doctrine and Religion which was delivered to the Jews by Moses, is called by his Name. For St Paul speaks of Moses being read, i. e. the Law of Moses, 2 Cor. 3.15. and of the Israelites being baptized into Moses, i. e. the Mosaick Religion, 1 Cor. 10.2. And our Lord himself tells the Jews in the Parable of the Rich Man, that they have Moses and the Prophets, and bids them hear them, Luk. 6.29. where he cannot mean their persons, in regard they were dead long before, and got without the reach of their hearing; but their Writings and Religion.
And as Christ many times signifies the Christian Religion, so is being in Christ the very same with being of his Religion, or being a Christian. Thus St Paul tells us of Andronicus and Junia, who embraced the Christian Doctrine whilst he persecuted and opposed it, that they were in Christ, i. e. in Christs Religion, before him, Rom. 16.7. They who dyed in the profession of the Christian Faith, are said to be fallen asleep in Christ, 1 Cor. 15.18. The veil of Moses is done away in Christ, 2 Cor. 3.14. The veil of Moses, i. e. the types and obscure shadows of the Mosaical Religion, are done away in Christ, i. e. by the plain clearness of the Christian. Thus I knew a man in Christ, is no more than I knew a Christian man, 2 Cor. 12.2. and the Churches of Judea in Christ, are the very same as the Christian Churches among the Jews, Gal. 1.22. So when we read that in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing, nor Vncircumcision; but a new Creature, Gal. 6.15. the meaning is only this, that what price soever the Religion of Moses put upon this outward Rite of Circumsion, and those other Jewish observances whereof it was the federal undertaking: yet the Religion of Christ doth not regard them at all, but that all which can avail us in it is only a new Creature. And to the same sence St Peter speaks of a good conversation in Christ, i. e. in Christs Religion, 1 Pet. 3.16. And to name no more instances in a case so evident, we read not only of men, but likewise of bonds in Christ; i. e. of mens being bound for the Religion and Faith of Christ. My bonds in Christ, says St Paul, are manifest in all the Palace, and in all other places, Phil. 1.13.
But besides this sence of the words, our being in Christ, for our being of the Christian Religion; there is another very near it, which it is pertinent to our present business to observe; and that is our being in the Christian Church. Thus St Paul says that we being many members, are yet one body, or Corporation in Christ, or in the Society and Church of Christians, wherein we are every one members one of another, Rom. 12.5. And Gods gathering together all particular Christians scatter'd over the world into one Catholick Church or Society, is called his gathering together in one all things in Christ, Eph. 1.10. Thus our admission into Christs Church by baptism, is called our being engraffed or implanted into him. We have been planted together, says the Apostle, in the likeness of his death; or in Baptismal immersion, which is a representation of burial after death, Rom. 6.5.
As for our Being in Christ then, which sets us beyond the reach of danger and condemnation, it is the same as our being of the Christian Religion, and members of the Christian Church.
And this Communion and membership of Christs Church, and profession of his Religion, is a most ready and effectual means to make men practise and obey it. For to be in the Church of Christ, is to live under the preaching of his word, the solemn return of Holy Prayers, the Administration of Blessed Sacraments, the counsel and direction of wise Guides, the Authority of good examples, the correction and discipline of Church Governours, and all the other outward means of Grace and Obedience. And then the profession and owning of his Religion, if it be true and undissembled, implies our Faith and belief of it; which is the great and only expedient that Christ could think of for the reformation of a wicked world; and which, as we have already seen, is a most effectual means and sure principle of good life and practice.
And because our being in Christ, i. e. our profession of Christs Religion, and Communion and Society with Christs Church, is so powerful a principle of our obedient service; therefore has God promised to it that Life and Pardon which is the inseparable reward of Obedience it self. He doth not in any wise intend that every man who bears the Name of Christ, and is of his retinue, that will make a bare profession of his service in calling of him Lord, Lord, without any real works and performance, shall have right to these Rewards when he comes to Judgment. Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he only who doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven, Matt. 7.21. Nay in the next verse he goes higher, Many will say unto me in that day, Have we not done more than barely professed thy Name, have we not done thee high and honourable service, viz. prophesied in thy Name, and in thy Name cast out Devils, and in thy Name done many wondrous works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me, you are no such kNe… Christianus esse videtur, qui Christiani nominis opus non agit. Salvian. de Gub. l▪ 4. p. Ed. Ox. 90.Christians as I own, for whatsoever your names and professions be, ye are of their number that in their lives work iniquity, vers. 22, 23. When God assures us by St Paul therefore that there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ, or in Christs Church and Religion; he means to them that are so in them, as thereby to become obedient. He speaks metonymically, and implies our works and actions, as well as that Communion and profession which signifies them, and ought to produce them.
And in this the Scriptures are express, He that KEEPS his Commandments dwells in Christ, and Christ in him, says St John, 1 Ep. 3.24. It is nothing less than our fulfilling of his Laws who is head of that body whereunto we joyn our selves as members; and our being indeed what we pretend, and obeying the rules of that Religion which we profess, that will at the last day be interpreted for our being in him in such sort as qualifies us to be saved by him. Whoso KEEPETH his word, says the same Apostle, in him is the love of God made perfect, and hereby, by this perfection of love in Obedience, we know that we are in him: So that whosoever he be that saith he abideth in him, he ought himself also so to walk even as he walked, 1 Joh. 2.5, 6. The necessity of connexion between these two, viz. being a member of Christs Church, and a good Man; between professing of Christs Religion, and obeying it; was so evident, and so well known and allowed of in the first times of Christianity, that both were understood, when either was mentioned. To put on Christ in the Apostles days, was the same as to make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof, Rom. 13.14. And to learn Christ, was but another phrase for to put off concerning their former CONVERSATION the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts; and to put on the new man, which after the similitude of God is created in righteousness and true holiness, Eph. 4.20, 22, 24. A Christian and a keeper of Gods Laws, were then only two words for the same thing. For they thought nothing could be a greater contradiction, than for a man to profess himself a servant of Christ, and yet to pay him no Obedience; to own the Name of a Christian, and yet to lead the life of a Heathen. The time past of our lives, says St Peter, or that time before we became Christians, must suffice us wherein to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, 1 Pet. 4.3. But when once we have listed our selves in Christs service, and are called upon by his Name, we must renounce all our former ways, and depart from all iniquity, 2 Tim. 2.19.
So that in the language of those first times, and in the meaning of the Scriptures, mens being in Christ is by no means separate from obedience, but implies it. To talk of an interest in him, without fulfilling of his Laws, is but vain Cant and unprofitable speech. It is to talk without Book, and to use a Scripture phrase, but against the Scriptures meaning. For at the last day, when Christ comes to expound his own Gospel, we shall hear him pronounce, what it has already in plain words declared to us, that no man is savingly in Christ who is out with his Laws; but that he only is so in him, as to be secure from all Condemnation, who has kept his Commandments and faithfully obey'd him.