Like Precious Faith Obtained through the Righteousness of our God, Sermon
Mr. Foxcroft's SERMON, ON Like precious Faith, &c.
Like precious FAITH obtained, through the Righteouſneſs of our GOD and Saviour, by all the true Servants of Chriſt.
A SERMON, Preached (in Sum) at the Old-Church-Lecture in Boſton, Thurſday, March 25th. 1756.
By THOMAS FOXCROFT, A. M. One of the Paſtors of the ſaid Church.
Luk. xvii. 5.
And the Apoſtles ſaid unto the LORD, Increaſe our Faith.
Joh. ix. 35,—38.
Jeſus ſaid unto him, Doſt thou believe on the Son of God? He anſwered and ſaid,—LORD, I believe. And he worſhipped Him.
BOSTON; NEW-ENGLAND, Printed and Sold by Green & Ruſſell, at their Printing-Office near the Cuſtom-Houſe, and next to the Writing-School in Queen-Street. M,DCC,LVI.
Like precious FAITH obtained, by all the true Servants of Chriſt, &c.
2 PET. I. 1.
Simon Peter, a Servant and an Apoſtle of Jeſus Chriſt, to them which have obtained like precious Faith with us, through the Righteouſneſs of God and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.
IN theſe Words, which contain the Inſcription of this Epiſtle, we have—
1. The Writer's Name and Stile. "Simon Peter, a Servant and an Apoſtle of Jeſus Chriſt."—It is not, like ſome other of the ſacred Epiſtles, anonymous: but in the Face of it carries the Penman's Name; as well the additional one his Divine Maſter had put upon him, as that which his Parents had originally given him.—Alſo to contribute Authority and Weight to his Letter, and gain Attention to it, he ſuperadds a notable Appellative, ſignifying his being an inſpired Miniſter of Chriſt, and ſuggeſting that he wrote as he was moved by the Holy Ghoſt.—But while he claims the Honour of being an Apoſtle, he does it in ſuch a Manner as at the ſame Time diſcovers his deep Humility. For he affects not to diſtinguiſh himſelf by any pompous Characteriſms; as, the Chief of the Apoſtles; —the Firſt Apoſtle,—or, the Apoſtle of the Circumciſion (much leſs by thoſe vain-glorious Titles, which his pretended Succeſſor at Rome arrogates to himſelf; ſuch as, the univerſal Biſhop, Vicar of Chriſt, ſupreme Head of the Church on Earth, or the like) but only calls himſelf in ſimple Terms, an Apoſtle of Jeſus Chriſt, in common with others dignify'd with the ſame reverend Appellation. And even this he qualifies, by joining with it that moſt diminutive Title, a Servant. Though the Lord had ſaid to his Apoſtles, "Henceforth I call you not Servants, but Friends"; yet Peter modeſtly declines the latter, and aſſumes to himſelf the former Denomination. Truly he glories in being Chriſt's Servant; notwithſtanding he was an Apoſtle, and more than a Prophet, yea, greater in the Kingdom of God than John the Baptiſt himſelf, though among them that are born of Women there had not before riſen one greater than he.—Even Apoſtles, with all the Honours of their immediate Divine Miſſion, Inſpiration and extraordinary Gifts, had but a Miniſterial Power in the Church: they were not Lords over God's Heritage. They own themſelves Servants of Chriſt; and even Servants of the Church for Jeſus ſake.—'Tis a humble, yet truly honourable Title, this, a Servant of Chriſt. And indeed it belongs to Chriſtians in common; who have all one Maſter, and are all Brethren in Chriſt: the Miniſters of the Word being only a Sort of upper Servants in their Lord's Family, who have ſome ſpecial Truſts committed to them, as Stewards and Overſeers, to feed the Houſehold, to inſpect and regulate it, and to enlarge it, by drawing in others to become the Servants of Chriſt.
Let us all then bear in Mind the Title we ſuſtain, the Profeſſion we make; and ſtudy to adorn it by ſhewing all good Fidelity, as becometh Servants, in our Lord's Buſineſs. What will it profit us, my Brethren, to wear an empty Title! To ſtile ourſelves Servants of Chriſt, and yet not do our Maſter's Will; but do the Will of Man, or the Will of the Fleſh, and ſerve divers Luſts and Pleaſures!—Or can we imagine, that Chriſt will be pleaſed with our giving him an empty Title; complimenting him with the Name of Maſter and Lord, while yet in Works we deny him, or at leaſt regard Iniquity in our Hearts, but diſregard his Honour and Intereſt! "If I be a Maſter (ſays the Lord) where is my Fear?" And if we be his Servants, where is our Duty? where is the Homage and Obedience we owe him?— "But wilt thou know, O vain Man, that Faith without Works is dead!" That the meer Title of Servant, and idle Profeſſions of Service, will avail us nothing; nay, will rather turn to our vaſt Diſadvantage in the End, and dreadfully aggravate our future Condemnation, in proportion as it enhances our preſent Guilt!
What ſaith the Scripture? "That Servant which knew his Lord's Will, and prepared not himſelf, neither did according to his Lord's Will, ſhall be beaten with many Stripes." A Conſideration, that ſhould awaken our moſt ſerious Concern and Dread, leſt, while we call ourſelves Servants of Chriſt, we incur the Reproach and Doom of ſlothful and unprofitable Servants; as having been negligent of our Duty to him, practically independent of him, and only ſerving other Lords, who have no Right of Dominion over us. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield your ſelves Servants to obey, his Servants ye are whom ye obey?"—The Caſe is peremptorily decided by an infallible Judge. "No Man can ſerve two Maſters: ye cannot ſerve God and Mammon."—So neither can we ſerve Chriſt and Belial; or Chriſt and Sin. Vain therefore are our Pretenſions to be Chriſt's Servants, ſo long as Sin reigns in our mortal Bodies, and we obey it in the Luſts thereof. And is not that univerſally the Courſe of this World?—What the Apoſtle Paul charges on the Roman Chriſtians, "Ye were the Servants of Sin," ſuch by Nature, and ſuch by Practice, is it not applicable to all in every Age? And while we are the Servants of Sin, the ſame inſpired Writer aſſures us, we are "free from Righteouſneſs," Now ſurely "they that are ſuch, ſerve not our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.—But if by a regenerating Change, if by Faith purifying our Hearts, we are "made free from Sin, and become the Servants of Righteouſneſs, having our Fruit unto Holineſs," then are we indeed Servants of Chriſt; ſuch as are now accepted of him, and whom he will in the Day of Judgment diſtinguiſh by that gracious Euge, "Well done, thou good, and faithful Servant! Enter into the Joy of thy Lord."—O that all who are making their Boaſt of God, and ſaying to Chriſt, LORD, LORD, would allow themſelves to recollect their paſt Experiences, to review God's Dealings with their Souls, and enter into a ſolemn Self-Debate, whether they have ever yet paſſed from Death unto Life, in the New-Birth, that moſt important Change. For, as our Lord has given us the expreſs Aſſurance, Verily, verily, except a Man be born again (born of the Spirit) he cannot ſee the Kingdom of God.—Nor are any in Truth the Servants of Chriſt, but ſuch as are the Children of God by Faith in Chriſt,— obedient Children. Hereby do we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments.
And our Text inſtructs me to remind myſelf, and my Brethren, who are the Servants of Chriſt in a peculiar Senſe, as Miniſters of his Word, of the ſolemn Charge and Vows of God upon us, to take Heed to ourſelves, that we be indeed ſanctify'd and meet for the Maſter's Uſe, prepared unto every good Work; that we ſtudy to ſhew ourſelves approved unto God, Workmen who need not to be aſhamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth: and to take Heed to our Miniſtry, which we have received in the Lord, that we fulfil it, in all the various Parts and Labours of it; watching for Souls, as they that muſt give Account.—So, when the Maſter of the Houſe cometh, tho' ever ſo ſoon or ſuddenly, to require of us an Account of our Stewardſhip, we ſhall give it with Joy, and not with Grief; and be Partakers of the Glory, that ſhall be revealed, even the Grace that is to be bro't unto us at the Revelation of Jeſus Chriſt, that great Shepherd of the Sheep, the chief Biſhop of Souls, and the Lord of all. To Him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Thus much for the firſt Thing in the Text. I paſs now to what I had principally in View. We have here,
2. A Deſcription of thoſe to whom Peter writes this Epiſtle: namely, To them which have obtained like precious Faith with us, through the Righteouſneſs of God and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.
It is called an Epiſtle general,—not as being written by one that claim'd to be Head of the Church catholic, or univerſal Biſhop, but as being of common Concernment and Uſe; and directed, not to any particular Perſon or Society, but to the Saints indefinitely. Accordingly, the Character of true Saints or Servants of Jeſus Chriſt, contain'd in the Superſcription, being applicable to all ſuch in every Age, indifferently, the preſent as well as primitive, I propoſe now to conſider this in its excellent and various Contents, whether expreſs'd, or imply'd: and ſhall then conclude with ſome ſuitable Application of the Subject, as the Time will allow.
Let it be obſerv'd diſtinctly,
I. Here is the Faith of the Saints: which is a primary and moſt eſſential Article in the Character of good and acceptable Servants of Chriſt.
Now, Faith is ſometimes ſpoken of in it's objective Notion; as meaning the Doctrine of Chriſt, "the Faith of the Goſpel,—"the Faith once delivered to the Saints. But in our Text, as in many other places, it is thought, Faith is to be underſtood in the ſubjective Notion; as meaning the Grace, or evangelical Principle in the Heart, that goes under that Name. The Word ſeems moſt frequently uſed in the practical and experimental Senſe: As, where we read of "the Shield of Faith,—of "the Joy of Faith,—of "living by Faith,—of "ſhewing our Faith by our Works, &c. Undoubtedly in all ſuch places it refers to an inward vital Principle, whereby "with the Heart Man believeth unto Righteouſneſs."— This being a radical and primary Grace, fundamental to the other Graces of the chriſtian Life, always ſubſiſting in Union with them, and influential to the Exerciſe of them, they are thought to be ſometimes all collected and ſummed up in this one comprehenſive Word, Faith.—But at other times it is to be conſider'd in a more limited Senſe, in its ſimpler Notion, as a particular Grace, tho' a cardinal and leading one. For Inſtance, the Apoſtle in our Context exhorts Chriſtians to "add unto their Faith Virtue.—So elſewhere it is ſaid, "Faith worketh by Love. — And of Abraham we are told "how Faith wrought with his Works, and by Works was Faith made perfect.
The Word, Faith, ſeems indeed ſometimes apply'd only by way of Alluſion, or Accommodation to Men's Pretences and Profeſſions: as, where we read, "What doth it profit, though a Man ſay he hath Faith, and have not Works? Can Faith ſave him?" i. e. Can a meer worldy Oſtentation of Faith, or "a Man's ſaying he has Faith," profit him to ſalvation?—So, where it is ſaid, "Faith without Works, is dead," this means only a verbal Profeſſion of Faith, excluſive of its genuine Effects. It does not imply, that there is any ſuch Thing in Fact, properly ſpeaking in the Senſe of the Goſpel, as a Faith that is dead; a really exiſtent true Faith, ſeparate from Works. For the Faith thus deſcribed, whatever it may poſſibly have of real Exiſtence, yet is but feigned Faith, if it be conſidered in a relative View, and under the Notion of its being that which the Goſpel-Precept requires of us, by the Name of Faith, in Order to Salvation. Becauſe the Faith of the Goſpel, or that unfeigned Faith which the Goſpel-Requiſition refers to, is ever a living practical Principle; of an operative and an imperative Nature; attended with a prevalent moral Efficacy and Command over us; always diſpoſing and enabling us to follow Holineſs; and producing an habitual Obedience in Heart and Life to all the Divine Commandments, as believing them to be holy, juſt, and good. Hence we read of "the Obedience of Faith,— "the Work of Faith, &c.—But often there is the Profeſſion and ſome Shew of this Faith, and Men imagine themſelves Subjects of the true Goſpel-Grace, altho' it appears not in all its genuine Actings and Effects. Now ſuch a wordy Profeſſion and airy Shew is but analogically and equivocally ſtiled Faith.—I look upon it only as Irony or Sarcaſm, when it is ſaid in the Epiſtle of James, "Shew me thy Faith without thy Works." It is a Propoſal founded on an abſurd Hypotheſis; on the Suppoſition of an impoſſible Caſe, or a Thing never exiſtent in Fact; Activity and Efficiency being inſeparable Properties of a lively (i. e. unfeigned) Faith.—There may be a ſort of Philoſophical or meer moral Faith, which has ſomething of Reality in it, and may produce ſome real Fruits: yet if it claim to be the evangelical and ſaving Grace, it is in Scripture-Account but Faith falſely ſo called.—However, ſometimes by Way of Alluſion or Accommodation to human Pretenſions and ſome viſible Appearances, … has put upon it the Title of Faith, which yet is little or nothing better than the Faith of Devils, who are ſaid to believe and tremble. Such a Belief ſurely is ineffectual to the proper End of Faith, the Salvation of the Soul. At beſt, it is comparatively but an impotent frigid Opinion, a lifeleſs Notion ſwimming in the Brain, and never deſcending to the Heart, nor powerfully influencing the Life. Or, whatever Reſemblance there may be of Faith, in its Effects and Operations, if it be not a Principle inlaid in the Heart, it is but a Counterfeit; and far from being that Faith which is intended in the Goſpel-Demand. Undoubtedly a Profeſſion of Faith, how ſpecious ſoever, that is without Works, internal, as well as external, correſponding to it, is but Faith which is dead; dead in it ſelf, as well as dead to the proper Ends and Uſes of Faith: and no more deſerves the Name of Faith, than an inanimate breathleſs Corpſe does that of a Man. In ſuch a Caſe, the Scripture intimates, that a Man does but ſay he has Faith: and boaſts of a falſe Gift, like the Man that pretends to Charity, tho' he ſhews it only in good Wiſhes and Profeſſions of Benevolence, while he neglects the proper Offices of Love and Kindneſs.
Faith, in its moſt ſimple primary Idea, and ſtricteſt Acceptation, I grant, is Aſſent,—Aſſent upon Teſtimony.—Divine Faith is an Aſſent upon Divine Teſtimony. The Subject-Matter of this Belief is, in general, the Revelation God has made of his Mind and Will in his holy Word; though, more eſpecially and eminently the Record he has given of his Son, and the Promiſe of Life which is in Chriſt Jeſus. Goſpel-Faith, whether in its doctrinal or practical Notion, does not terminate in the Mediator, as ſuch: but aſcends to the ſupreme Being, the God of Truth and God of all Grace. Therefore it is ſometimes called Faith towards God. Yet the ſame is alſo called Faith towards our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. It commonly has this latter Denomination, not only with a View to diſtinguiſh it from that Faith of Jews and others, which is defective either in its Nature, Matter, or Grounds of Belief, but likewiſe to ſignify Chriſt's being its proximate and ſpecial Object. Goſpel-Faith more immediately reſpects the Saviour, and is eminently a Belief of the Peculiars of the Chriſtian Revelation,—of the Truth as it is in Jeſus. Nor indeed (as I ſaid) an idle Notional Belief, a cold and unaffecting Aſſent: but a warm and vital, impreſſive Perſwaſion, rooted in the Heart, and producing all correſpondent Biaſſes … the Will, all agreable Appetites and Paſſions. In the Scheme of Salvation, and in Experience, Sanctification and Belief are connected; and the latter inſtrumental to the former. We are therefore ſaid to be ſanctified thro' Faith.— View'd particularly in this light, as the ſanctifying Principle, and regarded in its Connections and Reſults, Belief or Faith admits of a complex Notion: and hence the Word ſeems uſed ſometimes in Scripture with a Latitude, or in an extenſive Senſe, taking in concomitant Graces and conſequent Effects, the genuine Evidences of its Sincerity; ſuch as Love to God, Sorrow for Sin, Reſolutions and Endeavours of Obedience, &c.—"Faith indeed comprehends in it ſelf the Seeds of all other Graces; which will ſpring up in due Time, and in their proper Orders.—"No ſooner is any Meaſure of Belief entred, than accordingly it influences the Soul to ſuitable Actings; and ſome of them are ſo immediate and inſeparable, that they ſeem rather to be the ſame Thing with that Belief wrought by the Spirit, than any conſequential Actings of it.
Belief, or Faith, conſider'd according to the Goſpel-Uſe of the Word, does in its eſſential Notion imply Heart-Conſent to the Method of Grace in ſaying us by a Mediator, cordial Approbation of the appointed Redeemer, intire Submiſſion to, and Truſt in him.—Faith, view'd in its Reference to Juſtification before God, nextly and eſpecially regards Chriſt, as the End of the Law for Righteouſneſs to them which believe; or as made Sin for them, and made Righteouſneſs to them; and ſignally operates by way of Recumbence or Dependence on him for Juſtification of Life. This is judg'd to be emphatically the leading uniting Act of Faith.—Hence thoſe peculiar Phraſes in Scripture, of believing in (or into) Chriſt, —Faith in his Blood,—Faith in the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt; as in our Text, according to the Reading which ſome prefer.—Faith, though it knows Chriſt is not divided, yet viewing him in his diſtinct Capacities, primarily and very eminently regards him in his Office of a Prieſt; as having once offered himſelf a Sacrifice for Sin, and entred with his own Blood into the holy Place: and accordingly receives, approves, and makes Uſe of him in that Capacity; truſting in him as the only Mediator both of Atonement and Interceſſion, the Procurer of Pardon and Peace, Righteouſneſs and Life.—Yet Faith extends its Views and Applications to him in his other Capacities. It eyes Chriſt in his Office of a Prophet; conſiders him as the Apoſtle, as well as High-Prieſt of our Profeſſion: and accordingly repairs to him for Inſtruction, by his Word and Spirit, in Divine Things, and truſts in him as the Light of the World. It alſo eyes him in his Office of a King, bows to his Sceptre, and confides in him as the Prince of Life, the grand Truſtee of Divine Power, and ſupreme Adminiſtrator of Divine Government and Judgment, the ſacred Repoſitory and immediate Source of Divine Bleſſings, for all that Grace and Comfort we need; realizing the Exhibition of all Good to us in the Goſpel-Promiſe, relying on his Faithfulneſs and Ability to fulfil his Word, and looking for the Mercy of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt unto eternal Life.
In Sum, to believe in Chriſt imports, not meerly that with the Mouth we make Confeſſion of him, in the united Characters of Prince and Saviour, the Meſſiah promiſed to the Fathers, but that we believe in him with all our Heart; that under a Conviction of our Sin and Miſery, of the Excellency and Greatneſs of his Salvation, and of his Sufficiency and Willingneſs to ſave to the uttermoſt them which come unto God by him, we do accordingly receive him for our Saviour; ſincerely entertaining and employing him in all the Offices of his Mediation; applying and leaning to him, or reſting in him alone, for all the Benefits of his Redemption, as exhibited to us in the Goſpel, and freely granted to all that are ſincerely willing to accept the ſame, and do commit themſelves to him to be ſaved by him.—So that Faith imply's a Perſwaſion (not indeed, that Chriſt and all his Benefits are actually ours before our Believing, or that we are in a pardoned and juſtify'd State already, but) that Chriſt and his Benefits are in the Goſpel-Promiſe held forth to us, in ſuch a Manner, as to warrant our ſeeking them, and to give Liberty for our accepting them, according to the Tenor of the Word of Reconciliation. "In this Senſe (ſays a judicious Divine) all theſe Things belong ſo to us, as that we may without any Let or Hindrance apply them unto ourſelves, for all thoſe Ends and Uſes for which they are appointed"; or in other Words "may in Faith of the Goſpel-Exhibition apply them to ourſelves in God's Way,—in the Way and Manner preſcribed in the Promiſe,—where the Matter (ſays he) is ſo contrived, not that every one may ſay poſitively, Chriſt and his Benefits belong to me [i. e. in ſpecial] but none can ſay, They do not," i. e. in common with others under the Goſpel-Call.
And this ſeems the more neceſſary to be obſerved, not only as it points out one eminent Difference between the Faith of Men and that of Devils, founded in the Difference of their relative Circumſtances, reſpecting a Saviour and the Promiſe in him; but alſo "as it is very common for a poor humbled broken Soul to put theſe Things away from himſelf, upon the Pretence, that they belong not to him. To which Objection it may juſtly be anſwered, They do belong to him," in the Senſe abovementioned: and therefore ſuch may ſafely conclude, ſince they have this Ground of Faith, it is no Preſumption in them (as they too readily ſurmiſe) to flee for Refuge, and lay Hold upon the Hope ſet before them, in the Goſpel of the Grace of God,—while the fallen Angels at the ſame Time are left in a State of abſolute and final Deſpair, without all Remedy.
Such, in my View of the Thing, is that Faith by which the Juſt do live. Such is that Faith, by which the Elders obtained a good Report; even God's Teſtimony that they were righteous before him. Such is that Faith, by which Chriſt dwells in our Hearts: Such that Faith, without which it is impoſſible to pleaſe God.—This I conſider as the Faith of God's Elect: ſo termed, becauſe it ſprings from electing Love; is the univerſal Characteriſtic of the Election; and peculiar to thoſe who being from the Beginning choſen to Salvation, are in Time called into the Fellowſhip of the Son of God, and made Partakers of the Benefit.
Which leads us to another Remark on the Deſcription of thoſe this Epiſtle is directed to.
II. The Faith attributed to them is here ſpoken of as a Thing they had obtained.—"To them (ſays the Apoſtle) which have obtained like precious Faith with us.— According to the Notation of the Greek Word, which is very emphatical, the Meaning is,—Which have had the Grace of Faith Divinely allotted and diſpenſed to them,—have ſhared in this precious Benefit, or been made Partakers of it, through the ſpecial Interpoſition and immediate Agency of Heaven, as it were by the ſacred Lot. *The Word is foreign; Sortitis. i. e. Iis qui quaſi Sorte adepti ſunt.—A Derivative from it is Lacheſis, the Name of one of the three Deſtinies, or fabulous Deities, in Pagan Story: which, ſay they, draws out the Thread of human Life, i. e. prolongs it, and governs Events to that End.—The ſame Word is uſed where we read of Zacharias, "His Lot was to burn Incenſe.—And where the Soldiers that crucify'd Jeſus, ſay among themſelves of his ſeamleſs Coat, "Let us caſt Lots for it, whoſe it ſhall be."—I find the Word uſed once more, in another Caſe, and tranſlated as in our Text. "He was numbred with us, and had obtained Part of this Miniſtry.—It is evidently an Alluſion to Men's coming to the Poſſeſſion of ſome valuable Good (as the Iſraelites had their Inheritance in Canaan divided to them) by a Lot; which, how caſual ſoever to Men, undoubtedly God is the wiſe Director and ſovereign Determiner of, in Excluſion to an imaginary Fortune. Thus ſaith the true Proverb, "The Lot is caſt into the Lap, but the whole Diſpoſing thereof is of the LORD.—As for Men, Time and Chance happen to them all: but with God there is no ſuch Thing as Time or Chance. For his Underſtanding is infinite, and at one View are ſeen and known to him all his Works, from the Beginning, to the End of the World; his Works of Grace, in particular. He always infallibly knows, who already have obtained an Inheritance in Chriſt, and who hereafter ſhall have their Lot of Inheritance in him: they being predeſtinated according to the Purpoſe of him, who worketh all Things after the Counſel of his own Will, that they ſhould be to the Praiſe of his Glory, as truſting in Chriſt. He always knows who do, and who will believe; ſince of Him it is given Men to believe, according as he hath choſen them in Chriſt before the Foundation of the World. He is moſt certainly ever conſcious to the eternal Purpoſe, which he purpoſed in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord; and to his own Donations in Time, purſuant thereto, wherever and when-ever it is given any to believe.—But ſtill the Gift is a Caſualty to us; like the Lot, which though under the wiſe Direction and providential Diſpoſition of him who ruleth over all, is to Men a Thing quite adventitious or contingent: and they are alike paſſive in one Caſe, as the other; having no more Hand in planting in themſelves the Principle of Faith, than in procuring to themſelves a Prize in a Lottery. It is the Gift of God, and comes at firſt, as it were by Surpriſe, or by Accident, to human Apprehenſion; unexpected, unmerited, uninfluenced. Zaccbeus, the Publican, when climbing the Tree out of Curioſity to ſee Jeſus, little thought of having Salvation come to his Soul, by Faith's being wrought in him. And Saul, the Phariſee, when furiouſly purſuing his bloody Errand to Damaſcus, as little thought of being apprehended as he was of Chriſt Jeſus. The happy Event that befel the one and the other, was unſought, unlook'd for, and to them quite a Caſualty. In the Experience of Believers, in common, firſt Faith is a like Contingence and Surpriſe. It happens to them according to that Word of God, "I am found of them that ſought me not.—Seeking is unqueſtionably a Duty, of univerſal Obligation: but both right Seeking, and Finding, are wholly owing to the Interpoſition and Efficacy of ſpecial Grace; inſomuch that unleſs the Lord pleaſes firſt to ſeek us, and effectually call us by his Spirit, we ſhall never ſeek him aright, nor find in our Hearts truly to believe in him. However, there is a general Invitation to adventure in the ſpiritual Lottery, to attend the Means of Grace, and caſt ourſelves at the Foot of Divine Mercy, requeſting to be made Partakers of the Benefit: and while we thus are applying to the Throne of Grace for the Gift of God, there is Room to hope, and equal Encouragement to all to wait for it; though there is no Probability that all will obtain it, nor is there an abſolute Promiſe of it to any one in particular. Hence, before Sinners attain firſt to believe, it is an utter Uncertainty to themſelves and others, whether they ever will, there is but a Peradventure in the Caſe: and when it happens they do, this is an Event as fortuitous or precarious, as unpromiſed, unforeſeen and ſurpriſeing to them, even as a Benefit accruing by the Lot; which they could have no Foreknowledge of, and have no Promiſe of, nor might pretend any Claim to in point of Juſtice, and therefore muſt impute their Succeſs to the meer Goodneſs of God, who with a ſovereign Hand has ſo diſpoſed the Event in their Favour. In like Manner, he gives or denies the ſpiritual Bleſſing after his own Pleaſure: neither they that are Partakers of it, may aſcribe it to any Merit of theirs; nor can they that miſs of it, complain of Wrong done them, any more than he may who draws a Blank in a Lottery.—This ſeems plainly deducible from the proper Import and cuſtomary Application of the original Word, here render'd, obtained: which alludes to the getting a Prize in a Lottery, purely by the Hand of God, without any interpoſing Skill and determining Will or Influence of Man in the Caſe; ſo that it ſignify's as much as obtained gratis, by Divine free Favour.
But I ſhall more diſtinctly note the following Particulars, as imply'd in the Phraſe, "Them that have obtained like precious Faith.— As,
1. That Faith is no innate Principle, nor an hereditary Privilege:—even as that which we receive by a Lot, is far from being either the Reſult of Nature, or the Prerogative of Birth and Parentage.
No Man is born a Believer; either ſuch in Fact, or of Right.—Faith does not ſpring up of itſelf, from ſome latent Seeds in our degenerate Nature: but is altogether of a foreign Extract, and ſupernatural Riſe.
Alas, if we give any Credit to the holy Scriptures, or conſult our own Experience and Obſervation, we muſt confeſs, this holy Faith in a Thing no Man brings into the World with him: but we are born with an evil Heart of Unbelief in us. We are all in the Number of the Many, who by one Man's Diſobedience were made Sinners: and there is an inbred Principle of Infidelity (a ſecret Root of Bitterneſs) in the corrupt Nature we derive from apoſtate Adam. Fooliſhneſs is bound up in the Heart of a Child: and nothing can drive it out, but the Rod of his Strength, who makes his People willing in the Day of his Power. The carnal Mind is Enmity againſt God, and not ſubject to his Law,—is Enmity againſt Chriſt, and not ſubject to his Goſpel,—neither indeed can be, without a transforming Change wrought upon us. So ſelf-conceited, ſo ſenſual, and ſtupid is the Mind of Man (vain Man, born like the wild Aſs's Colt) that while it remains under the uncontrouled Power of this native Enmity, it neither feels the Need of a Saviour, nor ſees the amiable Excellency and Grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: nay, tho' reduced by Convictions to ſome Senſe of Guilt and Danger, and put in Fear, yet ſtill its habitual Tendency is to riſe up in Oppoſition to Jeſus Chriſt the righteous. It labours of perverſe Prejudices againſt his Divine Perſon and Perfections, his Medittorial Character and Offices, his Doctrine and Precepts, his Atonement and Merits, and the Way of Salvation by Grace thro' Faith in his Blood. Theſe Things, which the Angels of Light aſpire to look into, and in which they diſcover the manifold wiſdom of God, are nevertheleſs very Fooliſhneſs to the unenlighten'd Mind of Man. It relucts againſt thoſe Self-denying Duties of Chriſtianity, Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. It knows not how to come broken-hearted and empty-handed, to God and our Saviour, for the free Pardon of Sins, Redreſs of Miſeries, and Supply of Wants. In its natural Operation, at beſt, it puts Men upon going about to eſtabliſh their own Righteouſneſs; and, as of it ſelf, is unreconcilable to the whole Method of Goſpel-Grace, as well both in juſtifying us thro' Faith, and in ſanctifying us through Faith. The haughty Spirit of the vain natural Man, till ſubdued by the Power of the Holy Ghoſt, cannot tell how to brook, either the Waſhing of Regeneration, or Sprinkling of the Blood of Jeſus. The unhappy Temper of the Self-righteous and Self-ſufficient Phariſee is habitually prevalent in the Carnally-minded.—If they think at all about the Salvation of their Souls, they are for being ſaved in their own Way; either in their Sins, or elſe by Works of Righteouſneſs, which they do themſelves. By the Principles of Nature, unrenewed Men are Enemies in their Minds, as well to the Grace of God and the Merits of Chriſt, in the Scripture-Notion of them, as to his Holineſs and moral Government. If ever they be ſaved, they deſire but to ſave themſelves, and care not to be beholden to another.—Or, if by any Means, under Parental or Miniſterial Inſtructions, they have had beaten into their Heads ſome Notion of the Scripture-Doctrine concerning Chriſt's Satisfaction, and the Righteouſneſs which is of Faith, they uſually either take up a falſe Notion of this Faith, or elſe reſting in ſome ſimilar, but imperfect Exerciſes of Mind, they deceive themſelves with a falſe Appearance of Faith; while yet really they have a ſecret Diſplicence and Reluctance againſt the Thing in Truth. Nay, even under a Work of Conviction, when in ſome notable Degree illuminated and aſſiſted by common Grace to ſee themſelves under the Curſe, and in Hazard of periſhing for ever, without an Intereſt in Chriſt, and a Change of their ſpiritual State, yet how does an Attachment to the Law, uſually reſtrain them, and the Spirit of the Phariſee operate and prevail in them? Inſomuch that altho' they have ſome Sort of Deſire towards a Saviour, and in a Manner ſeek to be juſtify'd by Chriſt, they however are for tempering and compounding Matters, mingling Law and Goſpel, or going a middle Way between them. They aim (it ſeems) at "waſhing away their Sins by the Tears of Repentance, joined with Faith in the Blood of Chriſt," as they have ſometimes expreſs'd themſelves: or elſe they hope to make a Righteouſneſs (as it were) of their Reformations, Prayers, and Duties, though as yet deſtitute of Faith; thinking, by ſuch Things, to recommend themſelves to the Grace of God, to win Chriſt, and get intitled to his Benefits. At beſt, the Pride of their unbroken Hearts will not let them come to Chriſt as Sinners, naked and bluſhing at their Shame, wretched and trembling under the Apprehenſion of their Miſery and Danger; worthleſs and helpleſs in themſelves, depending on him to make them righteous, & to work in them both to will and to do.
Upon the whole it appears, we are by Nature, not only Strangers, but Enemies to holy and unfeigned Faith; ſo far is this from being a connate Principle in us.
Nor is it a Thing hereditary, or as a Family-Privilege entail'd upon us. Indeed there has ſometimes been a beautiful Series of Examples of Faith, in the ſame Family; an uninterrupted Succeſſion, from Parent to Child, for a Number of Generations. An Inſtance the Apoſtle mentions in his ſecond Epiſtle to Timothy: where ſpeaking of unfeigned faith, he ſays to him, "Which dwelt firſt in thy Grandmother Lois, and in thy Mother Eunice, and I am perſuaded that in Thee alſo." Here was Faith exemplify'd in the ſame Family for three Generations ſucceſſively. So, Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob afford a like Example: and there have been many ſuch. Yet the Caſe is comparatively rare.—Nor in ſuch Inſtances is this Faith tranſmitted to Poſterity in the Manner of an hereditary Privilege. None are born the lawful Inheritors of it. We do not ſucceed to it as the Inheritance of Fathers. We do not come by it in Right of our Anceſtors, in Conſequence of our viſibie Covenant-Relation to God, or by Virtue of our pious Parentage, though we had even Abraham to our Father. On whatever Account the Faith of a Parent may benefit his Infant-Seed, yet the Adult muſt every one have a Faith of his own: nor does this belong to the ſpiritual Patrimony we enjoy as the natural Deſcendents of believing Progenitors. They that now have unfeigned Faith dwelling in them, were not by Birth the rightful Heirs (any more than actual Poſſeſſors) of the Grace of Life: but have ſince obtained it, without any previous Title or Claim to it.
I go on to obſerve,
2. Neither is this Faith a Thing of their own Procurement and Acquiſition; the natural Effect or proper Produce of human Endeavours.—As it is not a Principle born with us, or rooted in the Nature We bring into the World, nor an Heritage derived from our Parents by Succeſſion; ſo neither is it an acquired Habit, which we work up ourſelves to, or procure to ourſelves, in Virtue of our own moral Improvements on natural Reaſon and Conſcience, or any ſuch Remains of the Image of God in fallen Man.
There is indeed in our lapſed Nature that which ſome call a paſſive Receptivity of this and every other holy Principle, or gracious Habit; but no Power of active Production, or Efficiency. I mean, although the Spirit of Man ſtill retains natural Faculties ſuitable to be wrought on, nor is any Violence done them by the Power exerted upon us, in bringing as to believe; and ſo has what is by ſome termed an objective Capacity of believing: yet nevertheleſs it has not properly a ſubjective Capacity, or a ſufficient Ability in itſelf to accompliſh the bleſſed Effect by its own ſolitary Endeavours.—It is granted, that the Effect is to be ſought after, as by Prayer, ſo in a diligent Uſe of the Means of Grace; eſpecially God's Word, which is called the Word of Faith, perhaps partly becauſe Faith comes by Hearing.—And it is granted, that Efforts or Trials are to be made by us, if peradventure it may be given us to believe. So, the happy Event may be, that while we are feebly eſſaying, as it were, to ſtretch forth the withered Arm at the Lord's Bidding, we may experience the powerful Influence of an inviſible Agent, effectually enabling us (impotent as we are in ourſelves) to ſtretch out the Hand of Faith.— But if left to ourſelves, though accommodated with the moſt deſirable Creature-Helps and ſubſervient Means, all our Attempts to believe in Chriſt will leave us ſhort of that Faith which is unto Salvation. For it is always to be remembred, this is not the meer Reſult of our own Endeavours; not the ſole Product of Means and Inſtruments, in natural Conſequence of our Attendance on them, however ſedulous and conſtant: but whoever obtain this holy Principle of Faith, derive it from an extrinſecal Cauſe, in a way of ſupernatural Influence; and are made Partakers of it by a ſecret Power, beyond or out of themſelves, and above the Reach of meer human Agency, as much as is that which has the Diſpoſing of a Lot.—This I ſuppoſe to be connoted in the ſignificant Phraſe, obtained Faith.—But to proceed, this implies,
3. That it is a Gift received from GOD; that Men have this Faith wrought in them by a Divine Energy, in the Way of free Grace.
All Succeſs of Means depends intirely on the Divine Preſence and Bleſſing, and is intirely gratuitous. "Who is Paul, and who Apollos, but Miniſters by whom ye believed, even as the LORD gave to every Man.
"To them (ſays the Apoſtle in our Text) which have obtained like precious Faith with us; and doubtleſs obtained it in like Manner, from the like Cauſe. Now whence did Peter and his Brethren obtain, or how get their Faith? Did they challenge to themſelves the Honour of acquiring it by any Power of their own, or by any Merit of theirs? No, but they give God all the Glory. In like Manner they teach us to own a Divine Author and Finiſher of our Faith. They repreſent it as "given us to believe. They ſpeak of Saints in Chriſt Jeſus as thoſe "which had believed through Grace,— "which in Time paſt had not obtained Mercy, but now have obtained Mercy; and are called to Glory and Virtue, or (as ſome read it) by Glory and Virtue, i. e. by God's glorious Power, or by the Power of his Grace, which is ſometimes ſtiled Glory.
Faith is of the Operation of God, by a myſterious Diſplay of his Power and Grace.—So much ſeems evidently imported in the Language of our Text,—obtained like precious Faith: A Phraſe alluding to God's overruling the Lot, to bring out a Benefit for us, by an admirable, but ſecret Operation of his kind and all-governing Hand; from whence it comes to us as a meer Gratuity of Providence.
I come now to obſerve,
4. That where Faith is given to any, it is given for a Poſſeſſion, ſecure and abiding, never to be taken away from them.—This is a Truth that may be ſuggeſted in the Phraſe, obtained Faith; as it alludes to a Lot, which gives one a certain and ſtable Property in what accrues to him hereby. Even ſo in the preſent Caſe, when by a Divine Allotment Faith comes into our Hearts, it is deſign'd for Perpetuity, and it is ours for ever; a ſure and laſting (everlaſting) Poſſeſſion; which, however it may be forfeited, yet ſhall never be loſt. In the Name of all true Believers the Apoſtle ſays, "We are of them which believe to the ſaving of the Soul," i. e. effectually and finally, ſo as not to fail of the Grace of God at the laſt.—Faith is of that Nature, that it will not decay and waſte away by Exerciſe.—It is of ſuch Account with the Believer, that he will never voluntarily alienate or part with his happy ſpiritual Poſſeſſion.—Neither ſhall the Adverſary of Souls ever be able by Force or Fraud to rob him thereof.—And beſure the Believer's Friend & Father, the original Donor of this Benefit, will never in Wrath deprive him of it. It belongs to the good Part, which the Scripture of Truth aſſures us ſhall not be taken away. Unfeigned Faith, wherever it is, is ſaid to dwell in its Subject, becauſe it is not a tranſient, but fix'd, permament Principle. It is the Faith of God's Elect: and electing Love, the Source of it, will ſecure its Perſeverance to the End. It is the Fruit of the Spirit, who, wherever he has begun a good Work, will perform it to the Day of Jeſus Chriſt. Its Stability or Duration is owing to the Supply of the Spirit, procured by the Interceſſion of Chriſt. Hence that Saying of his to Peter, "I have prayed for thee, that thy Faith fail not." Agreably Believers are ſaid to be "preſerved in Chriſt Jeſus.—In Virtue of his Interceſſion, the Habit of Faith (at leaſt) is never-failing: though (as in Peter's Caſe) its Actings may be ſadly interrupted and ſuſpended for a Seaſon, and in the End the Form of its Exerciſe may be changed, when the preſent Scene of Action is cloſed.
But a hint or two further ſhall conclude this Head.— It is imply'd in our Text,
5. That Faith is a ſpecial Property; not a Gift common to all, but a diſtinguiſhing Favour. The Phraſe, "Them which have obtained Faith," denotes this to be the Privilege of a happy ſelect Number, in Diſtinction from others. As in a Lottery it is not every one's Caſe to have a Prize fall to his Share, ſo in the Diſpenſation of Grace the Divine Gift of Faith does not fall to every one's Lot. "All Men have not Faith." Even in the profeſſing World, and among thoſe of the beſt Morals too, it is not every Man has Faith. No; but they are in Scripture-Account a peculiar People, that have unfeigned Faith dwelling in them. This is an Attainment appropriate to a choſen Generation, the ſame that our Apoſtle in his firſt Letter deſcribes as "Elect according to the Foreknowledge of God the Father.—But ſtill to every one of them it muſt be ſaid, "Who maketh thee to differ? This Faith, the Fruit of the Spirit, is produced by Him, where he will, in a way of diſcriminating Grace; yet without the leaſt Partiality, ſince it is not an Act of Juſtice, but of Grace, and done in Quality of a Benefactor. In giving of Faith, God exerciſes a ſovereign Beneficence, without Reſpect of Perſons; preferring none for any national Conſiderations, for their civil Diſtinctions, for their Parental or Eccleſiaſtical Connections, for their worldly Circumſtances, for their intellectual, or even moral Endowments. "Ye ſee your calling, Brethren," how God ſo orders the Caſe, in his unſpotted Sovereignty, that "no Fleſh ſhall glory in his Preſence. Truly, "they are not all Iſrael, which are of Iſrael: neither becauſe they are the Seed of Abraham, are they all Children of the Promiſe, as was Iſaac.
In a word, the Deſcription in our Text, "Them which have obtained Faith," gives the true Character of Saints in Chriſt Jeſus, excluſively of all others; and ſpeaks their peculiar Dignity, their ſuper-eminent Excellency above all others. It was intended by the Apoſtle for a commendatory, as well as a diſtinctive Character. And truly it is a very ſhining Character, full of Glory and Praiſe.
But this brings me to obſerve, under another general Head.
III. Their Faith is here denominated precious Faith, like precious with that of Peter and others that firſt truſted in Chriſt.
The Apoſtles, who were our Lord's earlieſt Diſciples, and ſpecial Favourites, are eminently the Standard or Pattern of Faith under the new Teſtament, as Abraham had been under the Old. Indeed the Faith of Abraham and of Peter, the Faith of the Patriarchs and Apoſtles, that of primitive Jews and Chriſtian Gentiles, were ſpecifically all one and the ſame, however gradually and circumſtantially varying. "Know ye therefore, that they which are of Faith, the ſame are the Children of Abraham,—are the Children of the Prophets and Apoſtles. Hence Peter directs his Epiſtle in this Form, "To them which have obtained like precious Faith with us.
It will not, I hope, be unprofitable, to make the following Remarks here diſtinctly.
1. We will ſuppoſe it inſinuated in this Expreſſion, that there may be a Sort of Faith, which is of a different Complexion and Character from that of the Apoſtles and firſt Followers of Chriſt:—a Faith, which ſo far as it hath any Reality, is of an inferior and baſer Kind than theirs; or, if it claims Affinity with that, and pretends to be like precious Faith, is but falſely ſo called.
Not to ſpeak now of the conſtrained Faith of Devils, who ſay of the holy Jeſus, "What have we to do with Thee!—nor of the Faith of Pagan Moraliſts, that never heard of Chriſt;—nor of the like natural Faith of Deiſts, who explode all reveal'd Religion, and renounce the Hope of the Goſpel;—nor of the Mahometan Faith, which, though it honours Chriſt as a great Prophet, yet advances a vile Impoſtor above him;—to ſay nothing more particularly of theſe,—there is the once authentic, but now counterfeit Faith of the Jews; who, tho' they profeſs to believe the Scriptures of Moſes and the Prophets, that wrote of the Meſſiah, yet miſunderſtanding both "What, and what Manner of Time the Spirit of Chriſt which was in them, did ſignify," do refuſe JESUS of Nazareth, as a Deceiver. They pretend to believe the Goſpel as it was preached before unto Abraham and the Fathers, and adhere to the Law and the Prophets, yet ſtill expect the future Coming of the promiſed Meſſiah. But their Faith is vain, and far from being like, in Nature and Effects, to theirs who believe in Chriſt as already come in the Fleſh.—Indeed before his Coming, while the Jews walked in the Steps of that Faith of their Father Abraham, which he had when he ſaw Chriſt's Day and rejoiced in Hope, they were ſound in the Faith, and acceptable Believers. Such were Simeon and Anna, and others. But the pretended Followers of their Faith, the Jews of the preſent Age and of every Age ſince the Chriſtian Diſpenſation has been eſtabliſh'd, have not obtained like Faith with them. No; it is but a groundleſs, worthleſs, corrupt, rotten, and dead Faith, at beſt, which ſuch have to boaſt of.
There is alſo the like worthleſs, adulterate and falſe Faith of Hereticks, who name the Name of Chriſt, yet abide not in the Doctrine of Chriſt, but turn aſide to another Goſpel: We may well then ſuppoſe ſuch to have alſo another Faith. For, however involuntary leſſer Miſtakes in the Doctrine of Faith may conſiſt with the Being of the Grace of Faith, yet ſurely damnable Hereſies, that ſubvert the former, can by no Means ſtand with the latter.
In fine, there is the like worthleſs and feigned Faith of Hypocrites, or meer Formaliſts in Religion, who perhaps in Theory hold a Creed ſufficiently Orthodox; but ſtill they have little better than a meer Head-Knowledge. Though they profeſs Belief of the Truth, it is done in Pretence, not ſincerely, but to deceive others: or, at leaſt, they make a Profeſſion without any true Engagedneſs of Heart, and reſt in a ſpiritleſs dead Faith, deceiving themſelves with the Workings of ſome falſe Affections and ſeeming Graces. A Faith therefore not of the Apoſtolic Kind, not of the ſame Species, not of the ſame Quality with that which thoſe primitive Servants of Chriſt were Teachers and Examples of; and which implies our ſincerely receiving of Chriſt, giving him our Hearts, and committing our Souls into his Hands, to be waſhed with his Blood, ſanctify'd by his Spirit, juſtify'd in his Name, and preſerved to his heavenly Kingdom. The Scripture diſtinguiſhes this by the Name of Faith unfeigned, in Oppoſition to the feigned or counterfeit Faith of meer nominal Chriſtians.—It is a Faith, that tranſcends the higheſt Attainments of unregenerate Nature. It is ſaid indeed of the very Devils, that they believe and tremble. But ſurely they do not believe in the ſame Senſe, and to the ſame Purpoſes, as ſuch do who are ſaid to believe unto everlaſting Life. Neither did Simon the Sorcerer believe with the ſame Faith, as Simon the Apoſtle.
I come then to ſay,
2. The Faith of the Saints in common is of the ſame Kind, with that of the Apoſtles themſelves.—This is imply'd in the Phraſe, "Them which have obtained like precious Faith with US.
Indeed the Apoſtles had a particular Faith, of the prophetic Kind, and for miraculous Effects. But the Text has no Reference to this: nor in Truth does the Epithet, precious, belong to this, in Compariſon with that Faith which worketh by Love, without which a Man is Nothing. The Apoſtle undoubtedly had his Eye to the Grace of Faith: and this is exiſtent in every Period of the Church, common to the Saints of every Age. The meaneſt real Saint has Faith (in Kind) like that of the ancient Fathers, and very chief of the Apoſtles, or rather the ſame with theirs, in all eſſential Reſpects. It is the ſame with theirs in its general Nature, Properties, Actings, and Effects. It has the ſame Object, the ſame Seat, the ſame Original, the ſame Deſign and Iſſue; the ſame Operations, the ſame Influences attending it, the ſame Privileges annexed to it, and the ſame Bleſſings conſequent upon it.—All are alike juſtify'd thro' Faith, alike ſanctify'd thro' Faith, and alike finally ſaved by Grace thro' Faith.—But I go on to obſerve,
3. Faith is precious,—alike precious, in every Inſtance. Says our Text, "Them that have obtained like precious Faith with with us.—It is one compound Word in the Orignal. †foreign—Ex foreign, par, aequalis, ſimilis, idem; et foreign, honor, decus, dignitas, jus, pretium.Some read it co-equal: and it is ſo in regard of its general Properties, Objects, Ends, Uſes, and final Reſult; though not always ſo in the Degree of its Vigour, Operation, and Influence.—Others read it equally excellent: and ſo it always is in the Kind; whatever Diſparity there may be in the particular Exerciſes and Effects of it.—But our engliſh Verſion well enough renders it like precious. So that although it implies the Faith to be of the like Nature, or of the ſame Species; the Faith of one correſponding to that of another: yet, I confeſs, the direct Meaning is, that it is alike precious. The Faith of the leaſt of all Saints is of ſimilar Excellency,—of the ſame Preciouſneſs, in Proportion,—as that of the very chiefeſt of the Apoſtles.
Faith is precious, wherever it is found; in one Subject, or another, and in whatever Degree.—And it may be ſo called for its Rarity: which is a Circumſtance that uſually advances the Rate of Things in human Eſtimation. Among Men, we know, as Propriety gives an additional Luſtre to the Excellency of any valuable Enjoyment, ſo when that Good is ſcarce, and falls to the Share of Few, this is a Circumſtance that heightens the Worth of it in the Poſſeſſor's Account, and draws others, through a Principle of Curioſity or Emulation, the more to covet it, and be willing to give the greater Price for it. Diamonds, chiefly for that Reaſon, are called precious Stones. So, Faith may be termed precious, it being the moſt uncommon Jewel.
This Epithet points alſo to its valuable Nature, and admirable Utility. Faith certainly is moſt excellent in a comparative View; as it excells all other Graces on ſome Accounts; and as the Faith of Chriſtians excels the Faith of all others. —But conſidering Faith in an abſolute Light, it appears a Thing moſt worthy and beneficial; deſerving the Name of Gold tried in the Fire, even the moſt refined Gold, as uſeful as it is ornamental. The Value of the Object derives an anſwerable Preciouſneſs to the Faith employ'd upon it.—So the Price, which procured this Bleſſing for us, this ſtamps an Excellency on Faith, and ſpeaks it preferable to Thouſands of Gold and Silver.—Likewiſe its Original, which is eminently divine and heavenly, it being the Firſt-fruit of the Spirit, this puts a further Dignity on Faith, and argues its ſuperlative Excellency.—It's Seat is in the inward Man, the nobleſt Conſtituent of human Nature.—In fine, this Faith is of a moſt excellent Tendency, and admirably ſubſervient to the moſt excellent Deſigns in the Kingdom of Grace. Love, as excellent as it is, is founded in Faith, and ſprings from it: Yea, Faith is the Root and Life of every chriſtian Grace and Duty: and in the Nature of Means, by Virtue of a Divine Inſtitution, and in Subordination to Chriſt, it is the prime Source of all ſpiritual Good and Comfort. It is the ſpecial uniting, applying, participating, and appropriating Principle.
Faith has this high Office peculiar to it, to juſtify us in the Sight of God, as we thereby receive Chriſt, and thus make his Righteouſneſs our own, for that bleſſed Purpoſe. And ſubordinately to Chriſt, Faith is the Foundation of new and excellent Privileges; the Baſis of new and excellent Relations; the Spring of a new and excellent Life in this World, and Preparative to a better in the next; the Preſervative from Hell, and the Pledge of Heaven.
Faith inveſts us with a Title to great and precious Promiſes, nor does it fail of obtaining the Promiſes, ſooner or later. "Whoſoever believeth on Him, ſhall not be aſhamed.—"The Trial of Faith worketh Patience: and "the tried Faith, being much more precious than refined Gold, ſhall be found unto Praiſe and Honour and Glory at the Appearing of Jeſus Chriſt,—in that Day when he will "bind up his Jewels.
Well then may the Faith of the Saints have this Diſtinction put upon it, to be call'd precious Faith. It is admirably excellent and precious in itſelf, moſt neceſſary for us, and more gainful to us, than, if the whole World were given us.—And this Faith appears, by the whole Tenor of Scripture-Repreſentation, very precious & amiable in the Sight of GOD. It is ſo likewiſe in the Eyes of holy Angels, who rejoice over one Sinner brought to repent and believe.—And in the Eyes of the Juſt themſelves, that live by Faith, certainly it is of great Account.
Let it now be added, The Faith of Saints, in common, is alike precious in every Caſe. Being a rich ſpiritual Bleſſing, purchaſed by the ſame infinite Price, the Blood of Chriſt; and beſtowed by the ſame Divine Power and Grace; having always the ſame Object, the ſame Seat, the ſame Nature and Qualities, the ſame Actings, the ſame Reſults, and the ſame final Iſſue, in general; it muſt, of Conſequence, be alike precious in all Saints.
The bleſſed God bears the like Benevolence to all true Believers, without Reſpect of Perſons. All are alike the Children of God, Heirs of God, and Joint-Heirs with Chriſt Jeſus. They are all one in Chriſt; are in one ſpiritual State, of one heavenly Nature, of one Heart, and bound for one End: and in general, God deals with them all alike, in one Way; by one Covenant, by one Mediator, and by one Comforter, appointing them to one common Salvation. Which argues the Faith of all to have one and the ſame Pretioſity in his Sight: only allowing for a gradual Difference in the various Caſes of a weak and a ſtrong, or a little and a great Faith; according as it more or leſs gives Glory to the God of all Grace, and to the Son of his Love; in whom he is ever well-pleaſed, and for his ſake is well-pleaſed with Believers, putting no Difference for their outward Circumſtances.—"Hearken, my beloved Brethren, hath not God choſen the Poor of this World, rich in Faith, and Heirs of the Kingdom?
I paſs now to the laſt Thing in the Text.
IV. After that Part of the Deſcription, "Which have obtained like precious Faith with us," it follows, "Thro' the Righteouſneſs of GOD and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt," or, of our God and Saviour, according to ſtrict grammatical Conctruction.
Indeed it is the Title of LORD, that is moſt commonly given Chriſt in this Epiſtle; and ſometimes the Stile is, "Our LORD and Saviour: But in the Text it is, "our GOD and Saviour. And no Wonder, ſince thoſe Names are of equal Dignity and Importance; and are accordingly applied in this Epiſtle indifferently, as of equivalent Meaning.—The Day of the LORD and the Day of GOD, are Phraſes here conveying one Idea. It concludes with aſcribing Glory to Chriſt under the united Characters of "our LORD and Saviour": And is it at all ſtrange, that it ſhould begin with doing Honour to the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt under the like Characters, of "our GOD and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt,
We elſewhere read of "Grace reigning thro' Righteouſneſs unto eternal Life by Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. (Rom. 5.21.) It means a Righteouſneſs that is a Gift to us; it is called "the Righteouſneſs of One;— and is the ſame Thing with "the Obedience of One; by which, it is there ſaid "Many ſhall be made righteous.—A Myſtery this, that any ſhould be conſtituted righteous by the Obedience of Another! Much more, that Many ſhould be made ſo by the Obedience of One! That one Righteouſneſs ſhould ſuffice for as many as believingly accept the Gift, unto Juſtification of Life!—I think, this is to be accounted for only by the Conſideration, that it is the Righteouſneſs of our GOD and Saviour: not a meer humane, but a Divine, not a meer perſonal, but a mediatorial Righteouſneſs; wrought out for his People's Uſe and Benefit, by One who by Nature is GOD, as well as Man, and who by Office is Mediator between God and Men.
Chriſt's being here ſtiled our Saviour, points out the ſpecial Capacity, in which he wrought out this Righteouſneſs;— and the End in View, namely, Salvation, no otherwiſe to be effected;—as alſo the Party whoſe Benefit was reſpected, not the ſinning Angels, but fallen Mankind, even as many as receive him in his Character of Saviour. In the way of Grace and Faith, this Righteouſneſs becomes ours, to the Salvation of the Soul.— In the Counſel of God, it was ours by original Intention: and upon believing, it becomes ours by actual Application. It is ours with reſpect to its being accepted for us, and reckoned to us, or placed to our Account, as wrought in our Stead. It is ours, to all the Purpoſes for which we needed a Saviour's Righteouſneſs. It is ſo ours, upon our receiving the Gift, that we may plead it with God, in Anſwer to the Challenges of offended Juſtice, and as a Ground of Claim to Pardon and Favour. Having this Righteouſneſs for ours, we may have Confidence toward God, in Life and Death; and ſhall have Boldneſs even in the Day of Judgment. It is a Righteouſneſs admirably glorious in itſelf, infinitely amiable and dear to God, infinitely important and beneficial to us.
And no Wonder, ſince it is the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, our GOD and Saviour.—I think, ſome have queſtion'd whether there is any expreſs Mention ia Scripture of "the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt," in ſo many Words. But it ſeems they had forgot our Text, which preſents us with an Inſtance; and where the Phraſe is uſed in a Manner extreamly advantageous to that Cauſe which they are no Advocates for. "The Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, our God and Saviour.—It means the ſame that is often called "the Righteouſneſs of GOD.—And it is ſo called, not only for its tranſcendent Excellency, or for its being of God's Contrivance and Appointment, or becauſe approved and accepted by him, or becauſe it is God's Gift to thoſe he juſtifies: but rather becauſe Chriſt, its Efficient, is GOD, as well as Man. The Text points out this Conſtruction of the Phraſe, as our Lord is here expreſly named, and it is called "the Righteouſneſs of our GOD and Saviour, Jeſus Chriſt.—The Operator and immediate Subject of it is the ſame who is elſewhere characteriſed "The LORD of Glory,—"GOD manifeſt in the Fleſh,—"GOD bleſſed for evermore.—Its being the Righteouſneſs of a Divine Perſon, incarnate in our Nature, this ſpeaks its abſolute Perfection, entire Fitneſs to its Deſign, and univerſal Suitableneſs to our Caſe.—It is that everlaſting Righteouſneſs, the Meſſiah was to bring in.— Well might the Apoſtle Paul glory in this, and comparatively deſpiſe his own. And well might he impute it to the Jews Ignorance, that they went about to eſtabliſh their own Righteouſneſs, and ſubmitted not themſelves to the Righteouſneſs of GOD.
The ſame is often call'd "The Righteouſneſs which is of God by Faith:—denoting Faith to be the Medium of its Reception, the Means of its becoming actually ours. Some read the Text accordingly,—not through, but with the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt: ſignifying, that this accompanies Faith, and is made ours in the way of believing. Hence we are ſaid to "believe unto Righteouſneſs.—
Others (as the Greek Prepoſition is 'EN) render it, in the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt; as ſpecifying the Object of Faith. Agreably we read of "Faith in his Blood.— But then Evangelical Faith reſpects the Blood of Chriſt, not as its Object only, but it's Price, or meritorious Cauſe, and in the View of Divine Grace, the ſole Reaſon of its being given. So we read, "Unto you it is given in the behalf of Chriſt (that is, for the ſake of his Righteouſneſs, and in Conſequence of his Merits) to believe on him.—Accordingly many tranſlate the Greek Particle (EN, per) by or through; our Engliſh Bible …ds the Text, Through the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt.—And thus render'd, ſome have turn'd it, through the Mercy of Chriſt: and certainly "the Grace of our Lord is exceeding abundant, with Faith.—But others prefer the uſual Senſe of the Word, Righteouſneſs: and keeping to this, ſome think the Text may intend, that Faith is precious through Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, or in Virtue of its Relation to this, as both its Object and its Price. But rather the Word obtained ſeems to be the Antecedent; and in this Connection, the Text means, that the Grace of Faith owes its Exiſtence (as well as Value) to Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, as its procuring Cauſe, and the Reaſon or Ground of its being obtained by any.
Chriſt, by his Obedience, purchaſed for his People this precious Gift of Faith; and by his Interceſſion, in Virtue of his Merits, procures the actual Beſtowment of it: and the Spirit comes in his Name, to call them into the Fellowſhip of the Son of God, by perſuading and enabling them to believe on him.—Indeed the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, preſented to the Eye of the awaken'd Mind in a true and powerful Light, has an objective Force, an attractive Efficacy and moral Power (in the Manner of a Medium or Argument) to excite the Principle of Faith, where the Spirit has implanted it, to its genuine Exerciſes, in a way of active receiving Chriſt, ſubmitting to his Righteouſneſs, and depending on his Mediation.— In all theſe Regards, Faith is obtained through (or in Virtue and by Means of) the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt.
I will only add, that many have thought there is ſome Act of Divine Sovereignty referrible to the Head of Juſtification (view'd as Conſtitutive, in Diſtinction from Declarative) which co-incides or falls in with the Inſtant of Regeneration or paſſive Converſion, and is previous even to the very firſt Exerciſe of Faith: Which Act of God, they ſuppoſe, is what the Scriptures call his "bringing near his Righteouſneſs.—But I may not tarry to ſay any Thing for the Illuſtration of this Point.—
The APPLICATION remains. And here,
1. Is Chriſt our GOD and Saviour? Then we ſhould believe on him, and confeſs him, in both theſe his Characters; as well in what he is by Nature, as what he is by Office.
By Office he is our Saviour, and in this Capacity he has all the Authority of a Prophet, Prieſt, and King; has all the excellent Qualifications, and does all the important Works, belonging to theſe mediatorial Characters. Accordingly he expects and demands, that we own him as the Author of eternal Salvation to all that obey him; and that we take him to be our Saviour, put our Truſt in him, and pay him all the Honour and Homage due to him as Mediator.
Yet we muſt remember, this is not his higheſt Capacity. For in this he ſuſtains "the Form of a Servant. With reſpect to his created Nature, and his mediatorial Office, "Chriſt is God's," is "of God,—derivative from him, dependent on him, ſubordinate and accountable to him. And therefore all the Honours we pay to him in this inferior Capacity, ſhould be ultimately refer'd to the Deity, and terminate in the ſupreme Being. Carrying up our Views beyond the Mediator, as ſuch, we muſt "by him come to GOD.—And indeed in coming to Chriſt, we muſt not finally terminate our Views in his Humanity and delegated Office, but riſe to his ſuperior Capacity, and take in the Conſideration of his Divine Nature, and Unity with the Father and Holy Ghoſt: always remembring, "There are Three that bear Record in Heaven, which Three are One;" the ſame in whoſe Name the chriſtian Baptiſm is adminiſtred, and the Bleſſing pronounced.
Truly, we may with full Aſſurance of Faith avouch Jeſus Chriſt to be our GOD, as well as our Saviour; ſince inſpired Apoſtles have ſat us an Example, and ſince, the holy Scriptures inſtruct us to "follow their Faith.—Certainly none but ſo extraordinary a Perſon, the God-Man, was capable of ſuſtaining & executing the arduous & high Office of Mediator between God & Men. For he muſt be "One mighty to ſave,—able to ſave unto the uttermoſt, —able to deſtroy the Works of the Devil,—to make an End of Sin, and bring in everlaſting Righteouſneſs,—and to bring many Sons to Glory.—But, Who is ſufficient for theſe Things? Only He was equal to the vaſt Undertaking, to whom our Text applies the exalted Names of our God and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. The ſame who is elſewhere characteriſed "the great GOD and our Saviour,—"the true GOD: and eternal Life.—Indeed he could not be the latter, without being alſo the former. He who claims to be our Saviour, and ſo eternal Life to us, muſt be One having "all Fulneſs,—even "the Fulneſs of the Godhead, dwelling in him:—and of Conſeſequence, one who muſt be held "by Nature GOD; not one who is meerly a Deify'd Creature, a God by Office only, and ſo a meer titular God.—Such a God as this, how dignify'd and exalted ſoever, is at moſt only a ſubordinate, dependent God; and in Compariſon of the living JEHOVAH, a poor petty Deity; a comparatively ignorant, impotent, deficient, worthleſs God. But ſuch a God we can never conſiſtently imagine our bleſſed Saviour to be. An inferior God, having but an inferior Nature, but created Perfections and Powers, and only a ſubdivine Authority, methinks, muſt make but an incompetent Saviour, and have at beſt but a defective Salvation for them that truſt in him.—Indeed the Scripture tells us, "A God that cannot ſave, is no GOD." And one who has the Name, but in Truth is no God or Saviour, how unfit is he to be the Object of our holy Worſhip? how unworthy of our ſupreme Affection, Submiſſion, and Affiance?—To ſuppoſe our dear Lord JESUS to be but ſuch a Saviour-God as this, exceedingly derogates from the Riches of his redeeming Grace, as well as from the Dignity of his Perſon; and by Conſequence, from the Glory of the Father's Wiſdom and Love, in his Miſſion: manifeſtly ſubverts the Scripture-Doctrine of Atonement and Juſtification; and tends to overturn the whole revealed Scheme of Redemption. On ſuch a Suppoſition, no wonder if Men deride the Notion of an imputed Righteouſneſs; explain away, by perverſe Comments, the bleſſed Doctrine of our being ſaved by Grace through Faith; make light of the Spirit of Chriſt, in his Perſon and Operations; deny the Perſeverance of Believers, &c.
As a very worthy Divine (the late Dr. Calamy) obſerves, The denying Chriſt's proper Deity [i. e. his eſſential eternal Divinity] is juſt like opening a Sluce, to let in Floods of Errors, to the endangering a common Deluge. If Chriſt once paſſes with us for a ſubordinate and metaphorical God, we ſhall ſoon count him a metaphorical Prieſt, and his Death a metaphorical Sacrifice. —Then, of Courſe, he will paſs for a metaphorical Saviour, and it is to be fear'd, we muſt content ourſelves at laſt with a metaphotical Salvation. In ſhort, a meer nominal God will make but a nominal Saviour: And "a God without infinite Perfections, is only a nominal God." And to ſuppoſe a meer nominal God to be endow'd with infinite Perfections, is to ſuppoſe a created true God, or an infinite Creature: which carries in it more of Abſurdity, than the greateſt Difficulty, that the Doctrine of the Trinity has attending it, can be charged with,—with any Colour of Reaſon.
Let us then take Heed to ourſelves, that we fall not from our own Stedfaſtneſs, in this important Point of Chriſt's Divinity. Together with ſolemn Prayer for Divine Light and Help, we muſt be ſearching the Scriptures.—One of the beſt Methods for our Eſtabliſhment in the Truth, is, to review and conſider our Wants, Miſeries, and Dangers, our Guilts, Pollutions, and Demerits, that we may ſee what Kind of a Saviour will ſuit our Caſe; and then to compare herewith the Scripture-Repreſentations of Jeſus Chriſt, in the Conſtitution and Excellencies of his Perſon, the Nature and Deſigns of his Mediatorial Office, the Perfection of his Obedience, and the Greatneſs of that Salvation, which, in Virtue of this, he is become the Author of;— and likewiſe at the ſame Time to maintain in our Minds a ſolemn Concern, that we may make ſure of an Intereſt in Chriſt, and his Redemption, thro' Faith in his Blood.—A ſettled Aſſurance of Chriſt's being ours, in point of ſpecial Propriety and actual Poſſeſſion, will make us readily avouch him to be our GOD, as well as Saviour. We ſhall then have the Witneſs in ourſelves, that He and the Father are One. As there is all the ſame Evidence from God's Word & Works, of the Deity of the Son, as of the Father, ſo we ſhall have the ſame Teſtimony of it within ourſelves from our Experience of the Power and Grace of our Lord and Saviour.—We ſhall not then be ſoon ſhaken in Mind, by any Suggeſtions of Gainſayers, as if becauſe Chriſt is Mediator, therefore he is a meer ſubordinate God; or, as if becauſe there is only one God, therefore Chriſt is God in a figurative Senſe only, that is, no God in the proper Senſe. Nay, but we ſhall deteſt all ſuch Notions of him as unſcriptural and abſurd and moſt pernicious; and ſhall cleave to the LORD with Purpoſe of Heart, in his whole Character of our GOD and Saviour.—But to proceed—
2. Is Faith ſo precious, as has been repreſented? It ſhould then be of high Account with us.—We ſhould value the Principle, the Profeſſion, the Life of Faith. It ſhould be precious to us, for it's excellent Nature and Effects: and ſo ſhould all Things in Connection with it, or related to it; the Objects the efficient and procuring Cauſes, the Means, the Subjects of Faith, &c.—But on the contrary, how baſe is Unbelief? Vile in God's Sight, and ſhould be ſo in ours. This is eminently "the Evil; to be mourn'd and abhor'd and deprecated by us.
3. Is Faith like precious in all? We ſhould then have the like Eſteem for it in all, without Partiality. "My Brethren, have not the Faith of our Lord Jeſus, the Lord of Glory, with Reſpect of Perſons.
4. Is this Faith obtained through the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, while yet we receive this Righteouſneſs through Faith? Here is the Wiſdom of God in a Myſtery, that ſhould be glorious in our Eyes; and will be ſo, if truly enlighten'd by the Spirit of Chriſt. Nor ſhall we then vainly imagine the Doctrine of imputed Righteouſneſs to be a Doctrine of Licentiouſneſs, but truly according to Godlineſs. For, Faith is the Principle of godly living.
5. Let ſuch of you as have obtained this precious Faith, give Glory to our God, and be thankful. It is a high and happy and peculiar Attainment; for which you are indebted to Chriſt and Grace. You ſhould ponder the vaſt Value of this ſpiritual Bleſſing; its Divine Riſe; the Riches of Mercy, in the Purchaſe and Application of it; the Diſtinction put upon you, by this precious Gift of ſovereign Grace; and give God our Saviour the Praiſe, while you take the Comfort. And you ſhould be concern'd, that your Faith may grow exceedingly, and produce all its proper Fruits, to the Glory of God, as well as your own joyful Account at laſt.
6. Let ſuch as are ſtill in Unbelief, be concerned that they may obtain the important Gift of Faith.—Be convinced of your Unbelief.— Cry to God for the Spirit of Faith, that you may obtain like precious Faith with the Saints in Chriſt Jeſus. Reſt in nothing ſhort of this. This Faith is a precious Thing, worth your ſeeking; and of abſolute Neceſſity, you muſt periſh without it.—It has been obtained by Thouſands of others: which Examples may encourage you to ſeek & hope to find.—It is obtainable, even by the chief of Sinners, through the Righteouſneſs of our GOD and Saviour, which is of ſufficient Virtue to procure the richeſt Gift for the vileſt Sinner.—Seek this precious Faith as a Gift, in Conſequence of Chriſt's Purchaſe; ſenſible of your own Unworthineſs, of your Inſufficiency to procure it for yourſelves, as well as Incapacity to produce it in your own Hearts.—Seek with unweary'd Conſtancy, in the Uſe of appointed Goſpel-Means, with earneſt Prayer: and who knows but ere you are aware, you may obtain the Bleſſing?
7. Let what has been ſaid, excite us to, and direct us in the grand Inquiry, whether we have this Faith.
The Preciouſneſs of Faith, its Excellency and Rarity, are Motives to induce us to a careful and impartial Self-Examination. And the Text ſuggeſts to us ſome Rules, or Marks, for our Direction therein. Thus, if we have true Faith, then it will be precious in our Eſteem —Then we have obtained it; were not born with it, nor have work'd up ourſelves to it, but received it from God.—Then it has been obtained by us through the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, and we ſhall conſider this as the Price, as well as the immediate Object of it.—Then it is like precious Faith with that of Apoſtles & primitive Believers. Reviewing the Scripture-Account of their Faith, its Properties and Effects, and comparing ours with theirs, we may thus come to know whether our Faith be genuine. Well, have we been pricked in our Heart, and become dead to the Law, as they were?—Is Chriſt truly precious to us, as he was to them? Does our Faith, like theirs, work by Love?—Purify our Hearts?—Overcome the World?—Shield us againſt the fiery Darts of the Wicked?—Shew itſelf by good Works?—Do we live by the Faith of the Son of God, the Lord our Righteouſneſs and Strength, our God and Saviour?—And hope to die in Faith, counting all Things but Loſs, that we may win Chriſt, and be found in him?—We are thus to examine ourſelves, whether we be in the Faith.—And we ſhould do this prayerfully; begging the Spirit of God to witneſs with our Spirits.—O let us conſider the Hazard of deceiving ourſelves with a ſpurious Faith;—the Poſſibility, by divine Help, of attaining Aſſurance; and the Advantages of this.—Let ſuch Reflections engage us to make ſure of unfeigned Faith.—In fine, Exerciſe will, under the Spirit's Influence, increaſe our Faith: and by its Growth we may come to know its Truth. As our Faith improves, the proper Effects will abound more and more: and its genuine Efficacy will ſerve to evidence its Reality.—Then in this Way be ſeeking Aſſurance.
Agreable is that Exhortation in our Context, 2 PET l. 5.—11 [which the Reader is deſir'd to turn to.]
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Foxcroft, Like Precious Faith Obtained through the Righteousness of our God (1756)