believe whereas some think it as hard a business to believe as to keep the whole Law 2. They 'l say That I make the Gospel but a Covenant of works in a new dress and substitute Evangelical obedience in the room of Legal as the matter of our Justification 3. They may perhaps add that I leave out the great Gospel-mysterie which according to the Apostle is contained in Deut. and that is Christ That which Moses expresseth thus the Commandment which I command thee is not in heaven that thou shouldst say Who shall ascend for us into Heaven bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it The Apostle Paul expresseth thus Who shall ascend for us into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart and leaving out that thou mayest do it he addeth the Word of Faith which we preach that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Here we see the Apostle sinds Christ in all that speech of Moses and it was Faith on him that justified therefore it was not a keeping of the Law according to sincerity instead of unerring obedience which Moses meant and so the exposition given of Moses is useless Now I shall answer first this last objection against the interpretation of Moses his Covenant of Grace and then come to the other two objections and I shall do it in the words of truth as I hope I am sure in the words soberness The last objection first answered 1. I do believe all this which the Apostle adds by way of Paraphrase to agree wel with the words of Moses 2. That yet I cannot believe that any ordinary Saint or any other then some mightily inspired by God like an Apostle could have understood all that in Moses his words when they were first delivered viz. That Christ should descend into the deep and after that be raised from the dead and ascend into Heaven because Moses sayes Say not in thine heart Who shall ascend for us into Heaven and bring the Word from thence that we may hear it and do it Or because Moses sayes Who shall go for us beyond the Seas and bring the Word unto us Neither can I believe that it was their duty in Moses's time to confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus or to believe in their heart that God had raised him from the dead a thing which was not at that time true I say I do not think it was their duty to believe it because to us it is contained in the Word of Faith to wit the Gospel which the Apostle preached Neither do I believe that it was a necessary duty of that time so much as to believe that God would raise Christ from the dead and that for this reason For all the Apostles in the dayes of Christ's Flesh were ignorant of this Mystery yea did not believe it or understand it after Christ had told them of it as is very plein in Luke 18. from 31. to 35. The reciting the words of that Text is plain proof enough without urging them by force of Argument 31. Then he took unto him the twelve and said unto them Behold we go up to Jerusalem and all things that are written by the Prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished Ver. 33. They shall scourge him and put him to death and the third day he shall rise again Now it is said ver 34. that they understood none of these things and this saying was hid from them neither knew they the things that were spoken Therefore certainly these things were not necessary to be known and believed in Moses his time And therefore though there be so much Gospel contained in that Text of Deut. to us now that the Apostle hath discovered it unless we will say they are additional glosses upon that Text of Moses which perhaps may prove no false Divinity I say Permit all that be contained to us in that Text of Deut. which St. Paul hath discovered in it yet by them under the Old-Testament as I think there could be no more understood then this That they were not to lay it upon themselves as absolutely necessary to salvation and so unto Justification to keep the whole Law in the strictness of it but that they were to minde the keeping of it from their heart to turn unto the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their souls and so to keepe his Commandments and his Statutes which are written in this Book of the Law as it is ver 10. immediately preceding those Verses in Deut. 30. where the righteousness of Faith is said to be described and this to do to keep the Law with all their heart sincerely they should find easie and pleasant whenas for a strict Covenant of Works Do this and thou shalt live they would find it an unsupportable yoke and burthen Now I come to answer those other two objections against my interpretation The first answered the first is this That I make Faith too easie athing in comparison of keeping the Law whereas many good men judg it a hard to believe as to keep the whole Law I answer 1. That indeed I do think the way of Faith to be an easier way in it self then keeping the whole Law For I ask any sober man Whether it be not easier to keep the Law in a sincere manner that is to guide my actions onely by the rule of it and honestly to endeavour toconform to it though in some things I fail if this be not easier then the exact keeping the Law to a tittle The question I suppose is answered as soon as made Why then I say I look upon the way of believing to be this Corning to God humbling my self for my sins addicting my self to his service and walking faithfully with him The description 〈…〉 and in this way of well doing seeking for glory honour and â—mmortality In one word It is an Honesty to God upon terms of Grace and I being honest and true to him doubt not of his faithfulness to me for pardoning my sins and providing for me here and saving me here after Erge if this be Faith for proof of which I refer to my interpretation and require a better or fairer in confutation of it I say if this be faith then the way of Faith is easier then keeping the whole Law 2. But yet I have not said that though it be easier yet it is in a mans own power to believe it is not iâ— a man 's own power to move a finger without God and it is equally impossible without God to move a singer and to remove a Mountain yet there is no man in his right
and a man is justified without these nay he cannot be justified if he but pretend to these Therefore the Apostle James must speak of another sort of works which whilest a man doth he yet renounces merit in them and these works a man may be in part justified by without any prejudice to the doctrine of Justification by faith This is fully asserted by Mr Baxter Thesis 76. pag. 292. Neither is there saith he the least appearance of a contradiction betwixt this and Paul's doctrine Rom. 3.28 if men did not through prejudice negligence or wilfulness over-look this that in that and all other the like places the Apostle doth professedly exclude THE WORKS OF THE LAW ONLY from Justification but never at all THE WORKS OF GOSPEL as they are the condition of the New Covenant Works therefore justifie as a less principal part of the condition of the New Covenant I am not shy to speak in Mr Baxter's words since I intend much the same thing they do not justifie from their own merit so only legal works justifie but from divine promise and acceptance For proof of this that it is so that works do justifie in the second place besides the express words of the Apostle James I finde the same thing asserted by the Apostle Paul in three several Scriptures * Dr Hammond Par. All that is required to our justification is faith not all that is called by that name but such as is made perfect by addition of those duties which we owe to God and our brethren Gal. 5â— In Jesus Christ that is in the doctrine of Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing that is unto Justification 〈◊〉 uncircumcision but faith whiâ—â— worketh by Love Here faith indeed is â—aid to justifie but it is a faith which worketh by love a working faith But yet more plainly the same expression is used in two places to our present purpose Gal. 6.15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature that is saith Dr Hammond the renewed regenerate heart and it may be added a new life 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a now creature old things are past away behold all things are become new that is he lives a perfect new life and this new life only availeth unto Justification beyond circumcision or uncircumcision which are meer external Priviledges The third Scripture where the same expression is used is beyond all exception to our present purpose 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing these are of no consideration in the matter of pleasing God and obtaining his favour What then is why the keeping the commandments of God this is beyond all these considerations of bond and free circumcised and uncircumcised But these are the things with which he compares the new creature and good works he doth not set these above all when he compares them with faith in that place where he mentions faith that is set above works and other graces as the cause above the effect the principal agent above the instrument Neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncâ—râ—umbâ—sion but faith which WORKETH BY LOVE But in these Scriptures we see plainly that work have an influence upon our Justification they are of great availe in order unto it If it be objected that the first Justification passeth upon believing before works I answer with many others that there is in the first faith a rooted disposition unto an universal obedience there is the new creature or new man of the heart there and in continued justification there is the new man of the life and conversation Now the reasons why the Lord would have works in the condition of Justification though he doth not justifie for works only or chiefly may be gathered out of the Scripture to be these The first reason is this 1 Reas Why works are in the condition of Gospel justification For that without works faith it self cannot be accounted a perfect saith Now certainly if faith justifie it must be a perfect compleat faith not a maimed imperfect faith That without works faith is imperfect and by works it is perfected are the assertions of the Apostle James Faith without works is dead James 2.20 26 ver 22. Seest thâ—â— how faith wrought with his works and by works was his faith made perfect What an uselets imperfect dead thing is a power or faculty for action without operation What an useless thing would it be for a man to have eyes able to see only the man hath a continual blinde put before his eyes that he never doth see in all his life Why just such a thing were faith withour action of no worth or use What an imperfect faith had Abraham's been if his works and actions had not attended it Suppose we that when God commanded Abraham to offer up Isaac he had refused and said Lord how then shall there arise of him a great Nation his faith had been exceedingly discredited But when he resolves with himself I will offer him up for I know that God that raised him out of Sarah's dead womb can as well raise him from the dead after I have killed him and offered him up here was a noble faith indeed his faith was perfected by this work here that grace shewed what it could carry men unto When any thing attains its end it receives its perfection Here faith attained its end in carrying Abraham to do so great a work and therein was perfected and so obtained the compleat reward of Justification then the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God if works had not accompanied his faith it had proved but an imperfect dead faith the Scripture had not been fulfilled which faith Abraham believed God No artificer will own any thing to be a true and perfect piece of work which will not attain it's end serve the use it is made for so will not God own that to be faith which will not put us upon acts of confidence in himself and obedience to his commands be they never so difficult For though God knows the heart and so can see into the very principle of our actions yet the Lord is pleased to keep that distance of State and Majesty that he will not seem to know what he doth know till the outward man express what is in the inward man God knew before what was in Abraham's heart but yet he will not seem to know that he was so great a believer till he had put him upon this trial of offering up his son Gen 22.12 Now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not with-heâ—â—â—hy son thine only son from me Now I confess what is here said of works in this reason That faith receives it's perfection from them can only properly and immediately be applyed to the works of faith to other works only remotely as faith may have some kinde of influence even upon all good works but however
unerring obedience faith was but a part of our duty which we owed to God under the first Covenant that is relying upon the power goodness and veracity of God and therefore where-ever faith comes to be our righteousness or our chief righteousness it argues that there is a great deficiency in the creature that is so to be justified and accordingly the Apostle often glances upon this that glorying is in this way excluded not by the law of works but by the law of faith Faith therefore cannot justifie by any natural excellency that it hath in it for though all the men in the world being now sinners and obnoxious to punishment by the law of their creation should resolve of their own accord to believe that there is so much goodness in God that he will not destroy the work of his own hands so depending upon his mercy and therefore they will endeavour to do all those things which they think may be pleasing and acceptable to him why all this faith and confidence attended with the most sincere obedience will not extort a Justification from Almighty God except it be in his good pleasure to justifie such believers and such obedient persons because they were all obnoxious to punishment for the breach of his law Faith therefore cannot justifie but by reason of divine ordination and constitution that hath passed upon it such as this The just shall live by faith and That if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.9 and for this reason I suppose it is so often called Gods righteousness Rom. 10.3 because it was a righteousness not in its own nature as works were but a righteousness purely of divine appointment This is Mr John Goodwin's notion of it Pag. 34. of the Banner of Justification displayed God was pleased to decree or make this for a law which the Apostle calleth the law of faith Rom. 3.27 that faith or believing in him through Christ should interesse men in the benefit or blessing of the death and blood shed of Christ that is in that remission of sins which was purchased by his death And in this consideration faith justifieth viz. by virtue of the Soveraign authority of that most gracious Decree or Law of God wherein he hath said or decreed that it shall intitle men unto or inright them in part and fellowship of that benefit of the death of Christ which consisteth in the forgiveness of sins or which comes much to the same as it is a qualification or condition ordained covenanted or appointed by God to bring upon those in whom it shall be found the great blessing of that pardon of sin which Christ hath obtained for men by his blood This is Mr Baxter's opinion too that is That saith justifies as it is made the chief condition of the N. Covenant Page 225 of his Aphorisms Thesis 57. It is the act of faith which justifieth men at age and not the habit yet NOT AS IT IS A GOOD WORK this is directly against Dr Moor's affirmation who faith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is nothing else but to be approved as a good man or a doer of that which is righteous and good and that BECAUSE he doth that which is good and righteous methinks here is a Justification for good works purely and if faith comes in here to justifie it doth it only as it is a good work Mr Baxter is of another minde viz. That faith doth not justifie only under that quaâ—enus or reduplication AS a good work Faith saith Mr Baxter in the Thesis quoted doth not justlfie AS it is a good work or as it hath in it self any excellency above other graces But in the NEAREST SENSE DIRECTLY AND PROPERLY as it is the fulfilling the condition of the New Covenant c. But now though I have affirmed that it doth not justifie purely from its own nature Though faith doth not justisie purely from it's own nature yet it hath a great excellency in it self which might somewhat recommend it to this service but chiefly from the ordination of God and that it could not have justified without this ordination yet I shall adde that it had in its own nature a great fitness to be chosen of God for this eminent service to justifie men by It was the fittest medium that we can imagine when the first natural way of works failed to promote the honour of God and the good of the creature in Justification which consideration commends highly the wisdom of God in setting it apart for this use as the chief condition of our Justification To evince the truth of this let us consider a little the natural excellencyes that there are in faith And first of all faith takes in all spiritual objects 1 Excellency of Faith and represents them to the soul so that all other graces are beholden to faith for their objects Heb. 11.1 Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen hope could not be if faith did not give a real and evident being and subsistence to the things that we hope for as also to all other the invisible and unseen things which a Christian a Saint as such converseth with and lives upon Again ver 6. of that chap. 11. Without faith 't is impossible to please God For he that comes unto God must believe that he is Now it is by faith that we believe and know that God is ver 27. by faith Moses forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible by faith Moses saw him that is invisible I will acknowledge that reason may finde out that there is a God but if a mans wayes please God his reason delivers over this observation to his faith which is an higher thing an higher principle in the soul then reason though it never contradicts true reason yet it is somewhat above meer reason * If any one here will say that faith in such a case as the belief that there is a God is much the same with reason or a rational conviction of the truth of such a Proposition I will not much contend only because here the divine Penman sayes it is by saith we believe there is a God and his assertion must have a truth in it we may distinguish Reason Faith thus That Faith is a more particular faculty or habit of divine principles such as respect God and Religion but Reason is a more general faculty conversant about all objects whatsoever and this consideration must come in That meer Reason only makes one a man but Faith makes a man a Saint and therefore this Faith must have a divine afflatus and spirit in it beyond meer reason It is by faith that we believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of all them that diligently seek him And these two
Propositions thoroughly believed are the foundation of all true Religion By faith we receive the notion of God rootedly in our fouls and then all the discoveries of God in any the effects of his wisdome power and goodness in his Works or in his Word in his Works Heb. 11.3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear Whether faith takes this Proposition That the worlds were made by the word of God out of the Scriptures or meerly by observation from the works themselves it comes all to one as to my present purpose which is this to prove that it is faith that strongly and effectually in us ownes the being of God and the works of God Again it is faith receives all the revelations of God by any messengers that he sends unto us at any time * And indeed this is the most proper notion of faith viz. an asfent to testimony Who hath BELIEVED our report saith Isaias and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Isai 53.1 If the arm of the Lord be not revealed to men in the preaching of the word it is because they do not rightly believe the report The word preached did not profit them not being mixed with saith in the hearing of it Heb. 4.2 3. and hence it is for that faith is the proper instrument of receiving the word of God that the Saints in the New Testament are called as often by the name of BELIEVERS as by any other name Acts 5.14 1 Tim. 4.12 and the word of the Gospel is called the word of Faith Rom. 10.8 Nay faith doth not only in the first place receive God into the soul then all the discoveries of God in his Works and Word but it pitches upon all the particular objects that are there discovered in the Word and brings them particularly into the soul faith doth not only receive the doctrine of the Gospel as true in the general and from God but because Christ is there revealed it receives Christ himself and brings Christ into the soul and so Christ comes to dwell in our hearts by faith Eph. 3.17 which is indeed a figurative expression there is faith in Christ as well as faith in God the Father and there is faith in the blood of Christ c. but of these things I have spoken largely above in the last character I bring them in only here as proofs of the excellency of faith in that it brings all spiritual objects home unto the soul that so the soul may converse with them in the exercise of all its graces and virtues In one word our whole life here at a distance from God must necessarily be a life of faith We walk by faith not by sight 2 Cor. 5.7 for till we come to the beatifical Vision of God we must see him and all his glories and excellencies by faith and our treatings with God the Father and the Son must be by faith I have a long time dearly loved that Scripture 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom speaking of Christ having not seen ye love in whom though now you see him not yet believing ye rejoice with â—oy unspeakable and full of glory Faith must come into set love on work upon an unseen Christ or else none of that glorious and unspeakable joy could arise to a Christian so that by what hath been said in this first particular Faith is the root-grace in this present state of things 2 Excellency of Faith But secondly Faith is not only the first grace in order and a root-grace but it is certainly productive and efficacious in the actuating all other graces and setting them on work when once saith hath brought all these glorious objects into the soul first God and all his glorious Attributes then his Revelations and especially Christ and his Blood and realized them all unto the soul it is almost impossible but all other graces should in their several courses and respects which they have to these objects move and work regularly and intensly Love we know is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 in rational creatures it is the fulfilling of the Law perfectly even in degrees in broken creatures it is the fulfilling of the Law sincerely in its desires and endeavours Now this faith makes its great instrument to work by Faith worketh by love Gal. 5.6 and I shewed above how faith sets hope on work now these three Faith Hope and Charity are the three great graces 1 Cor. 13.13 all other graces are reducible to these three and of these three faith is the root-grace And therefore we finde often in the Scriptures that all Religion is put upon the bare assent of faith Rom. 10.9 If thou confes with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved 1 John 4.2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come into the flesh is of God Not as if a meer confession or profession of Christ were saving for there are many that do profess themseves Christians that shall go to hell But according to that in the Romanes if they did believe with their heart that God had raised Christ from the dead together with the ends of his death resurrection certainly all those other things which accompany salvation or have salvation annexed to them would follow because true saith hearty unseigned faith is a working faith it works by love to the making a man a new creature and to the keeping of all the commandements of God And according to this positioâ— I make no doubt that place in James is to be under stood Jam. 2. where there is a supposition of a superation betwixt Faith and Works that either that place speaks onely of a false and onely pretended faith and then indeed there may be such a Faith without Works a dead and unactive Faith that is the resemblance and appearance of Faith or else â—t speaks of a true Faith and then it is onely by way of supposition that the Apostle there speaks that upon supposition any one's Faith though it were the highest and truest Faith in the World should not be accompanied by Works it would not justifie and it is very true upon that supposition Because Works are as well required as Faith not but that where-ever there is a true and lively Faith there will be Works necessarily attending it and this I believe all will readily acknowledge Mr. Baxter is so much of this opinion that Faith is an operative Grace and puts the soul where it is upon gracious actions towards God that be puts works and obedience into the desinition or description of Faith In his Aphorisms pag. 279 Thesis 70. Faith saith he in the largest sense as it comprehendeth all the condition of the New-Covenant may be thus defined It is when a sinner by the Word and
these words I finde it only this That the sins that are past should be meant of the sins of a man's life past before he comes to believe which is a good honest sense for it is very true That when a man comes to believe in Christ and in his blood all the sins of his past life shall be forgiven him but that this is not meant by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sins that are past seems clear to me from that term of opposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at this time which is certainly meant of the times of the Gospel in opposition to a former time in which those sins past were committed and therefore that former time was the time before the Gospel-dayes which observation is strengthened by that parallel place in the Acts where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed in the very same case to the times of Ignorance and Forbearance which God winked at I have now finished my proof of the second Assertion and so I have done with what I thought necessary to adde by way of Appendix to the former treatise the designe of which was to shew how the great business of Justification came to be transferred from Works to Grace from the Law to Faith in which I must needs say I reckon is contained the most considerable piece of Gospel-mystery in the whole Book of God The Lord give Me thee Reader a spirit of Illumination rightly to understand it and rellish it I come now to the Uses of the whole Discourse fore-going and here I need not be so large as otherwise I might be having inserted applications in several places of the body of the Discourse for that the very Discourse it self is altogether practical but most especially for that the chief end of the Discourse was the discovery of Legality and this I have so done my endeavour unto in the characters and their applications that I shall have nothing at all of that to do in the Uses Yet something I shall adde by way of application And first of all Is it so as I have above evinced that the Law was our natural way of Justification which we were born under 1 Use of Inso mation that we had all made our selves obnoxious to the wrath and curse of it that that had seised of us as Prisoners and Mâ—lefactors and that yet notvvithstanding all this we are all of us now either under the tender of Grace or in the state of Grace Favour vvith God all this in a comly and honourable vvay for the Lavv. Then this gives us matter of Information of or rather Admiration at the several Attributes of Goodness Wisedom and Holiness in God I shall be as brief as I may be in this Use because these things are obvious But here is certainly eminent goodness and grace to mankinde shevvn in this vvonderfull change of Justification from Works to Faith 1 Of the grace and goodness of God in this Gospel-way What that vvhen vve had undone our selves as to the Law had not only weakened our ovvn strengths when we were weak Christ died for the ungodly but weakened the Law it self for the Law was made weak through our Flesh so as it could not justifie us that then the Lord should not only seek out a vvay to support us from falling and sinking but set us into a better a more easie and more glorious vvay of salvation than we vvere in before this is a wonder of Grace and Mercy 1. For the glory of this way When an earthly Adam had betrayed all his trust for his posterity and undone us that then vve should have a second Adam who is the Lord from heaven and vvho is infinitely to be preferred before the first vve have a glorious representation of him in his similitude unto and dissimilitude from the first Adam in Rom. 5. from the 14. ver to the end 2. For the easiness of this way That vvhen we had made not found the Lavv not only difficult but impossible to be kept by us so that the going about to fulfill that novv would be like climbing up to heaven descending dovvn to hell and getting up again nay raising a Saviour thence or like compassing the vvhole world that instead of this novv vve should have a vvay set before us so plain That wayfaring men though fooles shall not erre therein Esay 38.5 so near us that vve need not go out of our selves for it if I may so express it the word is nigh thee even in thine heart and in thy mouth that thou mayest do it even the word of Faith Rom. 10.8 so easie that vve may run in it I will run the way of thy Commandements Psal 119.32 His Commandements are not grievous 1 John 5.3 My yoke is easie and my bur-then is light Math. 11.29 30. This way of salvation is so easie to every honest soul that it is but Ask and have seek and finde knock and it shall be opened Math. 7.7 And Rom. 10.13 Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved though this easiness be not found by wicked men Knowledge is easie TO HIM THAT UNDERST ANDETH and to him only Prov. 14.6 Neither is it easie to us without the assistances of the Spirit but these assistances are at hand to good men and therefore the way of Gospel-Justification and Salvation is wonderfull easie and delightsom and this is a very great argument of the goodness of God If God had proposed the highest difficulties imaginable and made it our duty to overcome them if we would obtain the Crown of Glory proposed to us we should have had no reason to complain but when he hath taken us off from a difficult nay an impossible way though once the true way that we were upon and set us upon an easier way that that is pleasant and delightsom and still proposeth the same or a greater reward this is grace and mercy indeed here are riches of Mercies Mic. 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord REQUIRE of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God What canst thou do less What wouldst thou do else Thy very work is reward enough and yet thou shalt have a reward infinitely more glorious than thy work deserves Besides in this way the holiness of God 2 Of the Holiness of God that is his hatred of and displeasure against sin is made very illustrious in that his Law must be taken off honourably before the way of Grace must enter I am sure this is so for us under the Gospel and if under the Old Testament men were saved another way I should think it very strange but of this above Lastly 3 Of the Wisedom of God not to mention the power of God discovered in this way in the Miracles of Christ his Apostles raising Christ from the dead c. The Wisedom of God is exceedingly manifested
of the Gospel and to mention but one place more Rom. 14.23 Whatsoever is not of faith is sin This notion of faith viz. dogmatical faith where the word faith signifies an act is the most common notion of faith in the New Testament that is as the former part of the verse he that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith carrieth it whatsoever a man doth without a sound perswasion in his minde that it is lawfull to do it he sinneth in that action This is the first notion therefore of faith namely the assent to any Proposition though more accurately the assent to a testimony but yet you see the Scripture-notion of faith is somewhat larger than that of the Schools namely the perswasion of or assent unto the truth of a Proposition First therefore if thou wilt be rich in faith be thou rich in truth in thy assent unto truths that is truths in Religion for though it be faith to believe there is such a place as Rome or Constantinople yet my designe confines me here to truths in Religion Be thou rich therefore in assent to divine truths and that whether they be clear by the light of nature or revelation for assent to truths that are clear even by the light of Nature is called Faith by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews Heb. 11.6 where to believe that God is which certainly is clear by the light of Nature is called Faith as I have shewn above pag. 291. I say be rich in thy assent unto all truths as near as thou canst whether they be clear by the light of Nature or only by Revelation Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisedom Col. 3.16 So Christ shall dwell in your hearts by faith for according to thy light and knowledge and assent unto truths so will be thy heart affections and conversation he that hath a large light may have a large heart whereas those that have but a narrow light and a scanty knowledge can have but a lower and a more limited sphear and compass to act in for God And if it happen as often it doth that they that know little yet do more than many that know a great deal this comes not from any advantage of the honest man's ignorance but from the folly and carelesness of those persons that are knowing and their want of firm assent to the notions of truth which float in their brains I am but a little carefull here of distinguishing betwixt Knowledge Assent being confined with in the narrow limits of an Use Enlarge thy minde with knowledge and thou gettest a larger field of action and service than otherwise thou canst possibly have for thou must first know thy duty before thou canst do it rightly for he that doth the best actions in the world not knowing that they are good pleaseth neither God nor man they are only the actions of the man they are not humane or manly actions as the Schools distinguish Yea though thou dost a good action yet if thou doubtest whether it be good or no thou sinnest in doing this good action because whatsoever is not of faith is sin For this largeness of faith by assent see that last character where I shew how we should endeavour to know much of Christ 2. But then withall take this advice too in thy faith of assent do not only endeavour to get a true light and perswasion of the truth and goodness of things or actions but get it as firmly rooted and as clear as ever thou canst this will be a mighty advantage to thee for if thou hast only a glimmering light a little cloud will soon darken it if thou gettest but a faint perswasion a small objection will quickly turn it into doubting therefore get thy faith firmly built that thou maist be firm and stable in thy faith and perswasion Be not like children tossed to and fro with every winde of doctrine Eph. 4.14 Be not children in understanding in malice be ye children but in understanding be ye men 1 Cor. 14.20 I think we have sufficient experience in these times of of the sore evil of a weak perswasion about matters of Religion by the running up and down of so many from one party to another till at last they have made shipwrack of their faith that is saith doctrinal as well as of their consciences 1 Tim. 1.19 3ly As to this part of faith which lyes in assent as we ought to endeavour that it be large and strong so we must especially be wary that we fail not in our assent and that a firm assent to those truths that are most important Though it were to be wished yet it cannot be expected that all Saints should be so well acquainted with all truths even those of less weight as it may be justly expected their guid◠should be yet all must look to it that they be well establisht in foundation-truths such as the Death of Christ and his Expiation of sins the Resurrection of the body and the last Judgment we must be sure to continue in this faith grounded and settled and not moved away from the hope of the Gospel Col. 1.23 Rooted and built up in him that is Christ and stablished in the faith as we have been taught that is Faith doctrinal especially in that great Foundation of Jesus Christ Col. 2.7 And truly I think there hath been no greater weakening of our faith in foundation-truths than the multiplying of Fundamentals for taking off that weight and stress which we should lay upon those few fundamentals of the Faith of Christ that are really so and laying it upon things non-funnamental must needs make us unsettled from the foundation So much for the first part of Faith which lyes in assent and the directions about it 2ly For that part of Faith which lyes in Affiance I need not quote many Scriptures to evince this notion of Faith I shall give but one or two John 14.1 Let not your heart be troubled yee believe in God believe also in mee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is a credere Deo which is to believe what the Lord sayes to be truth and a credere in Deum which is a resting and relying upon God committing all my cares and concernments to him He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life John 3.36 So that phrase of Scripture to cite no more places of faith in the blood of Christ Rom. 3.25 can be understood of no other than some kinde of affiance such as this that for that blood sake the Lord is ready to be propitious to me if I have the Gospel-conditions of Justification and in this sense namely of affiance I have generally taken faith throughout this Treatise and the reason is this For that this is the end of a dogmatical faith or a faith of assent and cannot be conceived without it as that may without this not that I think there can be
Doctrine then that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Spiritual Wickedness which so much haunteth it especially in the practique of it I mean the Spirit that so violently and this so generally tempteth and importuneth men to take somewhat from the Law for the relief of Christ in his great work of Justification as if in this case also it were true that two are better then one This Spirit I believe was never more narrowly sifted or more closely pursued then here He is detected by certain signs and symptomes lurking in several forms and shapes at the root of the hearts and minds of men yea it is here shewed that there are few or none so purely distinctly and sixedly Evangelical in their notion of Justification but some grudgings at least of Legalism hang upon them as if they durst not entrust themselves or their souls in the hand of the Grace or Promise of God in Christ without some encouragement from Moses But the comfort is that every touch or tincture of this bewitching Spirit is not exclusive from the blessing of Justification a truth well stated in the Discourse before thee The reason or occasion rather why this Epilectical Distemper of falling upon the Law in the high concernment of Justification is so Epidemical amongst the children of men seems to be the most transcendent brightness of the glory of the Grace of God in his terms or way of Justification which exceeding brightness doth so praestringere oculos dazle the weak eye of their Reason and Understanding that they are very hardly able to look stedfastly upon it without some refraction or allay as it is said that the Children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance but were afraid to come nigh him yea Aaron himself was afraid until he had put a covering oâ— Veil upon his face that is I conteive not such a covering which did altogether hide or keep from their sight the lustre or shining of his face but which only did as it were correct the disproportion of it to their sight and reduce it to a temper or degree passable with it and pleasing to it Exod. 34 30.33 c. with 2 Cor. 3 7.13 To bring forth the mind of God concerning justification in respect of the absolute freeness and non-deâ—endency of it upon the Laâ— into a clear convincing and satisfactory light is I conceive the highest service that can lightly be performed to the Christian world He that is well grounded and rooted in the knowledge hereof and also understands in any good measure the weight and worth of a justified estate stands upon ground of the greatest advantage to anticipate his future equality with the holy Angells as well in holiness as in happiness and joy For I believe that the Grace of God in Justification thoroughly apprehended and seriously believed is of too strong an eng agement yea too soveraignly enclining unto holiness to be readily or easily turned into wantonness But I keep thee too long in the Porch for in the House thou wilt find many more pleasant things for in matters of spiritual concernment all profitable things are to be counted pleasant then I have all this while acquainted thee with There are divers choice strains of Spiritual Discourse with several lights set up in many dark places of Scripture which I have not set down in my Inventory For I judge it more honourable to the Author yea and to his friend also that was willing to serve his pen with a few lines of good will that his Treatise be found above his Preface rather then beneath it My desire and design in this my Anteloquium was not so much to raise as to encourage thy expectation To wish thee as much Christian satisfaction and contentment iâ— the perusal of the Treatise as my self received by the Author imparting some of the Contents unto me would be to wish thee liberally The blessing of him that justifieth the ungodly and yet is just in so doing be upon thee and upon all thy Conscientious labours and applications unto him in the use of all means which he hath sealed for the saving of thy soul and when thou shalt be full of comfort and peace forget not him who remembreth thee at the Throne of Grace and resteth Thy Christian Friend that hath but one heart for thee and himself J. G. ERRATA PAg. 3. lin 10. read times p. 5. l. 7. r. Gal. 2.16 p. 8 l. 26. leave out and then the Law must justifie him pag. 9. lin last r. Joh. 8.7 p. 10. l. 26. r. us by p. 11. l. 16. leave our therefore p. 21. l. 27. r. Covenant p. 22. l. 12. r. Rom. 10.5 p. 23. l. 20. r. serveth p. 53. l. 11. r. this ibid. lin 33. r. Ordinances p. 58. l. 1. r. Commentators p. 63. l. 7. r. makes p. 67. l. last r. and thou p. 81. l. 7. r. we are p. 86. l. 8. r. Epaphras ult r. from the 15 to the 19. p. 87. l. 31. r. have thought p. 90. l last r. take p. 92. l. 26. r. no good p. 103. l. 1. r. wonder p. 115. l. 1. r. own p. 124. l. 19. r. Iustice p. 135. l. last r. thou set p 137. 1. 31. leave out they p. 139. l. 20. r. none p. 180. l. last r. spirit for call p. 192. last 5 lines to be left out p. 194. l. 9. r. same time p. 1â—5 l 9. r. hands lin 21. r. honest p. 197. l. 16. 1. cruelties p. 200. l. 26. r. so farr lin lastr self p. 202. l. 9. r. legality p. 210. l. 23. r. how Ahab p. 231. l. 14. 1. and. l. 25 r. discourse l. 31. r. Pharisce 232. l. 15. r. certainly p 258. l. 17. r. neglect to study p. 239. l. 3. r. Christ p. 243. l. last r. terminated p. 244 l 8. r. from p. 310. l. 5. for Christ read sin p. 321. l. 1. r. saith p. 323. marg r inference from it p. 341. l. 15. r. that p. 345. l. 19. r. fundamental p. 349. l. 34. r. thy Of Justification JUstification may be considered as an Act of God upon the Creature The deâ—â—nicion or description of Iustification or as a state of the Creature resulting from that act As God's act it is God's reckoning or reputing a man just and righteous As the Creatures state it is his being reckoned and standing for just and righteous in the sight of God That this is a Scripture-desinition or description may appear from Rom. 2.13 For not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified Where to be just before God and to be justified is all one therefore Justification is a man's being just before God reckoned reputed by God so to be Another place that proves this description you have Gal. 3.11 But that no man is justifyed by the Law in the sight of God is evident for the just shall live by Faith The
covenant of Works for these two reasons 1. For that the ceremonial law neither was nor could be a part of the covenant of Works which the moral law both was and is to all that are under a covenant of works 2dly and consequently I therefore kept off from any consideration of the ceremonial law in my discourses about the law its being given by Moses that so I might have my discourse run clear in the business of the covenant of works and draw a line in it from Adams estate in innocency to the very days of the Gospel which with any mixture of discourse about the ceremonial law would have been broken and disturbed VVhereas now you see the law taken strictly for a covenant of works might have justified Adam but could not justifie the children of Israel and therefore though added to the promise given to Abraham and that in the language of a covenant of works yet was never given with design that they should accept it for such unto Justification which appears from this double demonstration as I may call it a priori a posteriori A priori for that before the law was given there was a covenant of Grace which the law could not come in to disannul and a posteriori for that the very same Moses that brought their law from God out of the Mount did not more truly acquaint them with the nature of a legal righteousness then he did with the righteousness of Faith Rom. 10.6 But the righteousness of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart c. being a text quoted out of the same Moses Deut. 30.11 which make this argument vvherefore should Moses first describe to you a legal righteousness and tell you as appears by clear consequence out of him that ye cannot attain unto that righteousness and then describe unto you the righteousness of faith but for this end that ye might forgo the one cleave to the other And there are infinite places in other Scriptures of the Old-Testament which give their testimony to Christ and the Righteousness of Faith which sufficiently argue that the Old-Testament never went about to establish a way of Justification by the Law And here I think it may be of great use to search into this place of Moses which the Apostle asserts to contain the description of the righteousness which is by faith that so we may find both that it is so and what this righteousness of faith is The place is Deut. 30.11 to 15. quoted and paraphrased by the Apostle Rom. 10.6 7 8 9. An inquiry into the sense of Deut 30 11 12 in Rom. 10.6 But the righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart Who shall ascend into Heaven c. clearly referring to Deut. 30.11 12 as any may see in the Margent of their Bibles Now let us go to that place in Deut. and see what Gospel there is in it and how evident it is that there is Gospel in it The words are these For this commandment which I command thee this day it is not hidden from thee neither is it far off it is not in heaven that thou shouldest say who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say Who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it but the Word is nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it This is the whole Paragraph in which the covenant of Grace or the righteousness of Faith is described according to the Apostle Paul But how is the Gospel or righteousness of Faith described here First of all I must separate that which doth not seem to look like Gospel from that which is pure Gospel in this place And here we may observe That the matter of the Gospel spoken of is the law or commandment which he had delivered to them This Commandment which I command thee this day the same which is spoken of as I think there being no visible difference as to matter in Lev. 18.5 the place asserted by the Apostle to contain a legal righteousness it was for matter the law of Moses This Commandment saith he which I command thee this day Again I think it will appear to be meant of the ten commandments because it is added That Commandment which I command thee is not far from thee but is nigh thee even in thy heart and mouth Now the ceremonial law was not written in their heart neither had all the children of Israel nor the generality of them to whom yet this is spoken been taught the law effectually by the Spirit of God so as that should be the sense of these words This Commandment is in thine heart and indeed that is the promise of the new Covenant not of this by Moses but the effect of the Moral law was in their heart for it was in the heart of Heathens If it be objected as perhaps it may by some that the matter of the Commandment which Moses commanded them that day was not likely to be the ten commandments nor that chiefly nor to be the same with that in Lev. 18. because this is in Deuteâ—â—româ— which very word signifies a second Law or a second Edition and giving of the Law and had more Gospel in it then the Law in the first giving of it had I answer 1. by concession That there were indeed two several Covenants which the Lord is said to have made by Moses with the children of Israel Deut. 29.1 These are the words of the Covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the Land of Moab be ides the Covenant which he made with them in Hoâ—eb which a as a Mountain adjoining to if not a part of Mount Sinat 2. That perhaps in this Deutetonomy or second Covenant by Moses there 〈◊〉 mâ—â—â— promises and more of Gospel then in the first Edition of the Law there was But 3dly This doth not hinder but the commandment mentioned in Deut. â—0 might be chiefly for matter of it the moral Law or ten Commandments 't is true there were promises added to encourage unto the keeping of them and there were also terrible threatnings unto the breaking of them all the twelve tribes being divided into two equal parts the one half placed upon Mount Gerizim to bless the people that were obedient to the Law the other half upon Mount Ebal to curse all that brake it Deut 27.11 12 13 But that commandment for the sake of which these promises and threatnings were added was the Law of the ten words or two tables which were twice given to Moses in Sinai and again repeated in this Covenant in the Land of Moab as we may see in Deut. 5. and the very word Deut. signifies a second Law or a second giving of the Law
and this was the Commandment which that day Moses commanded them Lastly Another thing in this Paragraph that will not seem perhaps to some to look like Gospel is this That all the comfort of this Gospel by Moses lies in Doing This Commandment saith he is not far off but in thy heart and in thy mouth that thou mayest do it and so obtain life and justification by it This seems to look right like that place in Levitious so often mentioned where Moses is said to describe a Legal Righteousness The man that doth them shall live in them And so in all the Chapter after there is blessing if they do the command and cursing if they do not this to some may not look like Gospel But yet here is the Gospel and therefore wherein doth it lie VVherein is the Gospel expressed in this place of Deut. or how will it appear I have shewed wherein it cannot lie or doth not seem to lie I will shew yet wherein it must be expressed and wherein it is visibly expressed and that is in that easiness which Moses doth so much insist upon in this Scripture of doing the Commandment The Commandment for the matter of it was perhaps the same with the Covenant of Works and Doing partly at least brought in the reward of it that is Justification But is this the Language of a Covenant of Works think you to fallen man such as the Israelites were The Commandment is easie there are no such difficulties in keeping it as you may imagine ye shall not need to climb as high as Heaven after it nor to coast all Lands and compass the Ocean for it propose no such vast undertakings to thy self for the accomplishment of it for thou needest not the Word is nigh thee in thy mouth that is near yea but nearer yet in thine heart that thou mayest do it and thou mayest do it with ease and sweetness No I have shewn at large that the Covenant of Works or the Law taken strictly as a way of Justification serves now to sinners onely to terrifie their Consciences with laying home its charge it hath no such comfortable words in it nay I shewed out of the Scripture that it is an utter impossibility that the Law should be done by a sinner so as to justifie him A man might as well climb up to Heaven or compass the vast Ocean yea to add another impossibility which the Apostle adds in his Paraphras upon this Text in Deut. a man might as well descend into the infernal Abyss and make a resurrection as be justified by the Law This therefore cannot be the Language of the Law But now take the keeping the Law in a Gospel-sence as perhaps that Rom. 8.4 is to be understood where the righteousness of the Law is said to be fulfilled in us that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit and then the Gospel in this Scripture is obvious it is easie to keep the Law now even that commandment which Moses commanded them even the Moral Law that is to keep it sincerely not exactly to a tittle but in the substance of it This Word therefore which Moses means when he says The word is nigh thee as the Apostle adds in his Paraphrase must be the word of faith which he preached The Word is nigh thee that is not the Word of the Moral law taken in its utmost exactness to be fulfilled to a tittle this is not nigh thee it is as far as Heaven further then either of the Indies further then Hell it self thou sinner canst never attain unto it to do it But yet the Word of the same Commandment in a moderated sense in the gracious acceptation of God where sincere obedience is accepted for unerring observance of it This Word is nigh thee even in thy heart and in thy month that thou mayest do it and it is saith the Apostle the Word of Faith which we preach this the new creature can undertake with the assistance of God even the keeping the Commandments of God in an Evangelical manner through Faith which works by Love Here thou dost not claim thy wages upon thy doings as if they deserved it or as if they answered the letter of the Law and so thou comest not to the Law for thy Justification but though the great Rule of thine obedience be the Law yet thou goest to the Gospel for thy Justification thou comest by Faith to the Promise and Goodness and Grace of God for thy Justification And indeed there is nothing but Faith will encourage thee in such a keeping of the Law as this is The Law strictly taken will dishearten thee that will thus reason the case with thee VVhat are all thy works what is all thy obedience so long as thoughast broken such and such a Commandment hast omitted such and such a duty What is thy sincerity good for What is thy good meaning and real intention worth I must have a full task performed I must have unerring never-failing obedience or else I must curse thee with all the curses which thou findest written against sinners Now the Soul by Faith thus answereth the Law 'T is true were I to stand to thy award it must be all as thou hast said but I am upon other terms with the Lord for my Justification I am upon terms of Grace and Mercy of which there are no footsteps in thy whole way of Justification and though I was born under thy power yet I have a Saviour that hath freed me from under it by suffering the penalty for my breach of it and now I am assured That if I walk faithfully and deal honestly with God endeavouring in sincerity to walk after the Spirit to do all the Wills of God from the heart my sincere obedience will now be as well accepted as unerring obedience would once have been Thus you see Faith bears off from coming to a legal-Justification and Faith bears up the Soul against all expostulations of the Law with it and against all the accusations of Satan in the Conscienc and yet doth keep the soul intent upon the design of universal obedience to the pure and holy Law of God Faith requires thy obedience to the Law the preaching of Faith doth establish the Law and yet the Law in this moderated sense onely observed requires thee to go or rather takes for granted that thou goest to Grace Mercy and Pardon by Faith for that thou art not an exact Doer of the Law So I have shewn how this place in Deut. seems to speak Law yet must be understood to speak Gospel and what Gospel that is which it speaks Yet I may not expect to go off without opposition in this interpretation and I am sensible that these two or three things will be objected against me 3 Objections against the interpretation of Deut. 30.11 12. 1. That I make Faith too easie a business as if those that could not keep the Law are yet able to
Brtvis differentia inter legem Evangelium est â—mor amâ—â— Aquina August Which things if they were not in consistent the question would need no decision Again take the Exposition last given that perfect love to God casteth out all fear of men it fills us with courage and resolution so that we are afraid of no sufferings whatsoever Yet is it possible that a man should from the extraordinary inflammedness of his love to God be full of boldness and courage in the day of Judgement that is the day of hottest trials and persecutions fear nothing because it is for God whom he loves dearly and that for this very reason that he loved him first upon terms of gratitude and yet that this man should have his Spirit contracted and oppressed at the same time with a tormenting fear of the God for whom he suffers I have argued before that his love to God would not suffer such a tormenting fear of God I argue now that the expansion and enlargedness of heart and soul in his courage and boldness for God is inconsistent with that contraction of spirit which a slavish fear of God at the same time must needs cause A man that hath his spirit broken by the tormenting fear of God can have no courage before men at all Every man that meeteth me will kill me saith Cain when a slavish terror of God had seized upon him The sinners in Sion are afraid fearfulness hath surprized the Hypocrites Isa 33.14 Why what is the matter it follows Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings When men have a sense of the Wrath of God towards them which is the cause of this slavish fear it sills them with fearfulness and terror in all things else they begin to be afraid of their own shadow Therefore this boldness in the day of man's judgement here spoken of must suppose first some boldness in the presence of God and so the sense of the text runs clear There is no fear in Love where a man loves God heartily and especially out of a love of Gratitude because God loved him first that soul hath boldness and courage in all his sufferings The Righteous is bold as a Lyon Prov. 28.1 But the wicked fleeth when none pursueth If God be for us saith the good man who can be against us Who shall separate us saith the Apostle from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword c. In all these things and can there be greater in the day of man's Judgement we are more then Conquerors through him that loved us Rom. 8.35 36. Here is a couragious fearless Love but whence is it spirited but from the sense of the Love of God No soul pressed with a slavish fear of God could have uttered these triumphant expressions * And I think that according to this second Exposition of this place in Iohn's Epistle is that Scripture to be interpreted 2 Tim. 1.7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear timidity or cowardice but of power of love and of a sound mind which is thus paraphrased by a Commentator Surely that God that gave us this Commission and Gifts for the Ministry hath not given thee or me so poor a cowardly spirit as that we should be afraid of the dangers and threats of men against the preaching of the Gospel but couragious hearts to encounter any difficulty a love of God which will actuate this Valour and cast out all fear of danger and withall a tranquility of mind and a full contentedness in whatsoever estate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Spirit of sobriety then it follows fully and clearly in countenance of this Exposition ver 8. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the â—estimony of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God Now whereas I have used these two Scriptures in the Epistle to Tim. and that of Iohn in another sense above then what I conceive is the most genuine yet still in a sense consistent with that which is genuine the reason was not for want of Scriptures to prove what I intended but for that these Scriptures are used by others in the first sence and might well be used so allusively and for that I had no such way to restare them to their true interpretation as first by allowing them the accommodation of that other sense and then shewing that this latter is the more proper But here I must make a twofold distinction of fear viz. in the kinds and in the degrees of it The first distinction of fear 1. In the kinds there is a lawful and acceptable yea necessary fear of God and there is an unlawful or at least unacceptable fear of God The first is that awe we are to have of the Divine Majesty as we are creatures and with which we are commanded to work out our own salvation even with fear and trembling Phil. 2.22 This signifies no mor but the creature keeping its due distance knowing its place and condition of a creature having a due sence of the weighty concernment and importance of that salvation which we are to work out considering the danger we escape and the prize we press forward unto these considerations make us greatly in earnest 't is no trifling business we are about and therefore we do it and are to do it with fear and trembling and greatest circumspection So the Apostle Paul saith he was conversant amongst the Corinthians in fear and great trembling 1 Cor. 2.3 which say Commentators may signifie not onely his fear from persecution but those which did arise from the consideration of the greatness of his Work of saving souls This fear now is lawful and commendable and so far from being contrary to love as it may very well proceed from love love to our selves when we are working out our salvation and love to others when we are helping onward their salvation But then there is a slavish fear of God in the spirits of men which doth not further but extreamly hinder the working out of their salvation This fear we find in the sloathful servant that never set upon improving his Masters Talent but laid it up in a Napkin and when his Master called him to an account for his Talent he tells his Master plainly what was the reason he never so much as endeavoured to improve it For IFEARED thee saith he because thou art an austere man thou takest up that thou laidest not down and reapest that thou didst not sow Lu. 19.21 22. Thus every Legallist hath at the bottom of his heart if not in his mouth as this man in the parable hath strange prejudices and mis-representations of God which beget slavish tormenting fear within him at the thoughts of God and therefore may well be called as it is most appositely
2,4 was much like that of the Hebrews and therefore there is more of that place quoted in the Hobrews than in the Romans or Galatians Therefore if the Apostle would prove Justification by Faith out of this Scripture he must at least allow it as justifying in that case in which it is particularly used in the original place which was resting upon the providence of God in a time of danger therefore resting upon the providence of God in a time of danger is an act of Faith as justifying even in the dayes of the Gospel therefore there are other acts of Justifying-Faith even in the days of the Gospel besides that of resting upon the blood of Christ 2dly Therefore my great Assertion is That all acts of true Faith justifie though there is I believe some special excellency in that act which respects the blood of Christ but if our Faith be but a right New-Testament-Faith every act of it justifies As under the Old-Testament they that had all things that were essential to an Old-Testament Faith were justified over and over by every renewed act of Faith whether in one kind or another in one case or another One man's Faith shews it self in a time of Famine as Habbakkuk's another in imprisonment as Jonah's and Jeremy's a third in leaving his Countrey when God calls him out as Abraham's or in believing he should have a son born when it was very unlikely in believing he should have him again from the dead after he had killed him with his own hand which was more improbable another's Faith in building an Ark as Noah's another in hiding of Spyes c. So now I say as it was then in the acts of an Old Testament-Faith it is in an answerableness in the days of the New-Testament he whosoever hath all the essentials of a New-Testament-Faith is justified over and over a thousand times according to the renewed acts of Faith if he believe as the Centurion did for his servant or as the woman of Canaan did for her daughter Matth. 16.28 or as the blind men did for themselves as the Hebrews were to do in the power and goodness of God for their deliverance or as the Galatians should have done more in the death and blood of Christ for they did evacuate the death of Christ in the way that they went Gal 2.21 I say they that exercise faith in any of these acts their faith is justifying in every of these acts onely provided that the Faith be a true New-Testament-Faith though I may affirm once for all That there is no true faith in God but in the dayes of the New-Testament after sufficient information will prove a Faith in Christ and of a right New-Covenant strain We see this proved by the event in the Apostles days Acts 13.48 And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the Word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed That is saith Dr. Hammond in his Paraphrase all they of the Gentiles that had any care or pursuit of the life to come the Gentile-Proselytes or that were fitly disposed and qualified for the Gospel to take root in received the Doctrine of Christ thus preached to them In his Annotations upon this verse he tells us That this was Mr. Mede's conjecture and that they were already believers So that their conversion was onely this That their Faith which before was a Faith in God now through that disposition and readiness that it had in it to embrace all further discoveries of the Grace of God turned into a Faith in Christ Therefore I may say where-ever there is any act of Faith in God that act is justifying and the reason now why every act of Faith exercised upon one occasion or another doth justifie is this for that it is faith in us that is our Gospel-Righteousness therefore whenever there is an act of this righteousness exerted there must eccho an act of Justification from heaven according to the Law of the New-Covenant which is sealed with the blood of Christ that whosoever believeth on God that justifieth the ungodly or on Christ his Son his Faith is counted to him for righteousness Rom. 4.5 or he shall not be ashamed Rom 10.11 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life John 3.36 As often therefore as thou dost any action that doth demonstrate this Faith in God or Faith in Christ so often are all thy fins pardoned so often art thou highly approved of God for there are these two things in justification We see Abraham was justified twice according to the express words of Scripture and there is a third act of his Faith recorded his going out of his own Countrey to which I doubt not might be accommodated that Scripture which St. James onely accommodates unto a latter act of Faith though it was in the original place spoken upon occasion of a former that then that Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness And as Abraham was justified twice yea thrice and that for several sorts of acts of faith and the other instances given both out of the Old and New-Testaments for their various acts of Faith upon very different occasions yet all because they agreed in the general nature of faith so thou Saint whosoever thou art do but live in the actings of faith and thou art an haypy pardoned approved and juscified person All our life therefore should be a life of faith St. Paul lived no other life The life saith he which I now live in the flesh I live by the saith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 That distinguishing character one or more saith Mr. John Goodwin in his Banner of Justification displayed p. 37. of justifying-saith which we are at present inquiring after respecteth not the object but the intrinsick nature or complexion of it for at to the object it is variously exprest in the Scripture sometimes it is called a believing God Rom. 43. sometimes a believing on God Joh. 12.44 sometimes a believing on Christ or on the Son of God or on the Lord Act. 11.17 Ioh 3.18 1 Ioh. 5.10 So the object is various onely it must be for the intrinsick nature of it a believing in the heart Rom. 10.9 a believing with the heart ver 10. a believing with all the heart Act. 8.37 a faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1 5â— a faith working by love and such a faith justifieth in all the acts of it though exercised upon disferent yet proper objects Now I find one Caution necessary to be given upon what I have delivered which is this That what I have said of faith that it justifies in every act of it to the procuring pardon of sins and Divine Approbation doth not at all confound the acts of Faith as if there were not a distinctness to be kept and observed in the actings of Faith as some may have such a
a thorough dogmatical faith without this of * Faith of affiance is known in the Old Testament by the name of trusting as faith of Assent is known in the New Testament by the name of believing it it also expressed by staying one's self leaning upon confidence in God See Ball of Faith pag 24 25 26. who is large and clear upon it Affiance but yet seeing one may conceive them apart though they are never separated I took the surest course in using the word Faith in this sense namely for the faith of Affiance so including both unavoidably Look well therefore to this part of your faith this makes use of all the truths and promises which you assent unto for true and brings them down to your particular case as now for instance Doest thou assent to this for a truth that God is good to Israel even to such as are of a clean heart Psal 73.1 why then do thou believe for the Israel of God that God will preserve it and do it good notwithstanding all the sufferings that are brought upon it and do thou cleanse thy heart and believe that God will be good to thee The former viz. to believe the Promise true is a faith of Assent this a faith of Affiance so again for any particular trouble that the people of God may be under or that thou maist be under believe and doubt not but God will with this trouble make a way to escape that they and thou maist be able to bear it and that it shall work for good When thou prayest in any case of publick calamity as of Famine or of Pestilence c. thou must pray in faith and then thou hast no other way but to apply general promises which thou believest true by a faith of Assent to the particular case by a faith of Affiance so expecting the accomplishment of them When thou prayest for any sick person or for thy self upon any occasion it is the general promise must give thee incouragement to expect the mercy in the performance of it which expectation certainly must be understood to be affiance or at least some other act than meerly assent to the promise as from God In this part of Faith therefore namely Affiance 1. Endeavour to be rich and abundant 2. Be strong and intense 1. Be abundant extend your faith as far as you can unto all the cases of the Church or any particular persons whose cases you may have occasion to know St Paul had upon him the care of all the Churches 2 Cor. 11.28 but think you he could sustain it without casting this care upon God by faith See an act of faith for his beloved Romans Rom. 16 20. God shall bruise or tread Satan under your feet shortly and we finde how every Church to whom he wrote did partake of his most ardent prayers as we may see in the beginning of every Epistle which without faith would have been utterly ineffectual Nay the Apostle Paul was of so noble a spirit that he did not only interesse himself in the concernments of whole Churches but of every particular person that he could come to know of Who is offended and I burn not could he ease himself of this trouble but by faith Daniel he understood by books the number of the weeks wherein the Jews were to suffer Captivity and the time of their Deliverance and did he not adde prayers to his knowledge and faith to his prayers Dan. 9.2 3. Was it not for his prayers of faith looking towards Jerusalem Dan. 6.10 that he was cast into the Lions Den and did not the same faith that set him a praying and opened his mouth stop the mouthes of the Lions Heb. 11.33 Again for faith for particular persons I have often observed already that the Centurion believed for his Servant the Woman of Canaan for her Daughter the Palsie-man's friends for him Abraham's servant for his Master's Son Gen. 24.14 and it is said The prayer of faith shall save the sick Jam. 5.15 Therefore enlarge your faith and bowels of mercies for as many as you can 2ly Or if you cannot concern your faith so largely or universally as a Daniel or a Paul might do as some men and some Saints are of a more noble spirit and faith than other men then other Saints yet be sure look to it that whatever you do you mixe faith in the doing of it Whether you pray for your selves or others for Churches or particular persons you must pray in faith if you hear the Word you must mixe faith in the hearing of it if thou art under temptations findest great weakness infirmity thou must glory in it by faith that here is an opportunity for the power of Christ to rest upon thee When I am weak saith the Apostle then am I strong which could not be true in the same sense in which he was weak but only thus that when he was weak in himself then he found Christ most ready at at hand to help him as he explains himself in that Scripture 2 Cor. 12.9 10. If any of you lack wisedom let him ask it of God saith the Apostle James Jam. 1.5 But let him ask in faith nothing wavering as it follows in ver 6. But I shall not need to instance in particular cases wherein faith will stead us after so many reckoned together by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews chap. 11.33 34 35 there are cases personal and national in prosperity as victories adversity as imprisonments mockings scourgings death there are cases of Kings Judges Prophets private men and even of women only in the general therefore be sure whatever you do do it in faith let your whole life be a life of faith perhaps you may not have such a large sphear of action as some other more eminent Saints you may not be of such a large soul as some others but for what comes through your hands to do it must be done in faith in this we must all imitate the Apostle Paul Gal. 2.20 The life that I now live in the flesh saith he I live by the faith of the Son of God c. the life that I live the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THAT WHICH I now live in the flesh all this that I live and wherein I may be said to live is by th◠faith of the Son of God Mannage all thihe affairs perform all thy actions in faith whatsoever action thou hast to transact whether it be of a spiritual or a more secular concernment expect wisedom and strength and success from God And endeavour to be strong intense and vigorous in all the actions of thy faith as it is said Abraham was Rom. 4.20 and or a direction herein that your faith may be strong as Abraham's was take the course that he did if there be great difficulties appear in the way that thou art in yet knowing that thou art in Gods way look away from the difficulties that offer