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This great Instrument of Man's Salvation called Faith, is an easie, gentle and noble thing in it self, but hath been represented difficult and obscure, and great quarrels have been made about it, and little hopes of reconcilia∣tion concerning it, unless second and third thoughts be framed by unbias∣sed
and considering Men, so to undeceive themselves and others. For hitherto the World hath been imposed upon, and amused to conceive, that Faith and other Graces of God are habits infused by God into Mens Souls, quickning their dead Faculties, which neither know nor feel any thing that is done unto them, till they see themselves in a new condition and frame of Spirit, which they call the Work of Grace irresistible, as is the fashioning of a lump of clay into a new mold, or the raising of a Man, that is dead and rotten, or the turning of a wheel by meer strength, and keep∣ing it in motion by the spring and weights that are put upon it.
Hereupon the poor People lye still, and endeavour nothing; but be∣lieve that if they be elected after the Covenant of Grace to the end, they are elected in time to the means, whether they will or no; and that they have no will at all to any Good, not so much as to accept it when offered, but rather an aversion from it, and a proneness to all evil to draw it to them, and hatefully to turn all goodness from them.
This Physical operation which they dream to be upon their Spirits, is the same with earthly bodies, which are moved by natural or artificial causes of force or virtue, the greater strength violently prevailing over the less, as we move logs and stones by the power of horses or Men, or curiously turning of vast bodies by Engines and Wheels of Art.
Whereas in deed and in truth the operations upon the Soul are moral, rather than physical, with no other violence or force, than that which is not properly so, but intellectual and rational, or persuasive and inviting, unless you will call that a physical way of the working of Spirits upon Spirits; but still it is free and fair, without force or battery, but ratio∣nal by information of the judgment and persuasion of the Will. For quic∣quid operatur, operatur ad modum operantis, & quicquid patitur, patitur ad modum patientis: Whatsoever acts, acts according to the quality of the Agent; and whatsoever suffer, suffers according to the condition of the patient.
Here is therefore nothing of a real touch of the Agent upon the Pa∣tient, to create necessarily a real change and alteration of the Patient thereby from what it was before, but a virtual motion of instruction and insinuation upon an understanding and free subject to convince and in∣vite the same faculties, and call them off to new objects freely from their former mistakes.
So the vulgar are made to believe of Gods turning, hardning, softning, opening or shutting of Mens hearts, as Men do of the motion of natural bodies by strength or wit, not considering that these things are spoken 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, after the manner of Men, Metaphorically for our ap∣prehension.
And if wise Men are able by solid reasons to convince Mens judg∣ments, and Eloquent Men are able to incline their wills and affections, how much more is the Alwise God by his Spirit able to clear our under∣standings to a full satisfaction, and to draw our desires to those divine truths, which he hath revealed by Jesus Christ?
What more there is in the work of God's conversion of Men, by his calling, Justification and Sanctification of them, let any Man satisfie me fairly, Et erit mihi magnus Apollo.
If Saving Faith, properly so called, be an entring into Covenant with God, in assenting to the promises of his Last will and Testament, and making reciprocal promises to him again for Justification: And if Holi∣ness
be a keeping of our Covenant, or faithfulness to our promises for San∣ctification. And if expectation of Glory be a hope of that Blessedness, to which we are justified and sanctified: Then where is the infusion of any habit, or physical change insensibly made in the Soul?
But rather as in all Covenants, is there not
All things are free in rational Agents and Patients: A rational free A∣gent thus works upon a rational free Patient:
This is Divine and Humane working and drawing with the cords of Love. So Wisdom enters into the Soule: Not as water out of one vessel into another, while one vessel knows not what another doth, but by illu∣mination of Wisdom, precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, and there a little.
This is our forcing and fashioning anew, our partaking of the Divine Nature, and of the precious promises of God, our regeneration, our new Creation, our Translation from the power of Darkness into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God. This is to be in the state of Grace, to be Elect, to have our Names written in the Book of Life, to be in Covenant and Alliance with God, to be his Children, Heirs, and Co-heirs with Christ.
If Faith comes ordinarily by hearing, or otherwise, where there is no preaching, even by Conversation, Contemplation, observation of Divine Providences, or by other unknown instincts and revelations. All these waies and means are informative and persuasive; and the more because they come from a Divine Spirit and offer a Divine reward, and carry a Di∣vine assistance along with them.
This is a more God like and Man like way, from a free Creator to a free Creature, than an insensible, irresistible, plastick power upon a dead stock or stone.
It would be mockery to a Soul in that senseless and slavish condition to bid it hear that is deaf, or see that is blind, or run that is lame.
Then to what purpose is Reason, Will or Memory, or are they lost by our fall, and where are they, if we can answer without blushing?
God can do all this and more. [Object.]
God can do nothing but wisely and justly. [Answ.] It is not wise to save a Man without or against his Will, or to make him willing whether he will or no. Therefore God cannot do it.
It is not noble to give any thing to one that refuseth, or to continue it to him, that after acceptation and reception, will not use it or im∣prove it.
As for the notion of a New Heart and a New Spirit: It is as when a Man is advanced to any Dignity or Rule. He is a New Man, and hath an∣other Spirit; yet the same individual Soul and Body remains.
How much more when a Man by being in League and Covenant with his God, is advanced to the Dignity of a Son and Heir of Heaven, hath a Man a New Heart and Spirit? yet the same individual Soul and Body
remains, so doth he live above himself and all the World, to what he did before; yet he is the same Person, though altered in his conditions.
And God gives this Spirit to this Faith, which is the Gift of God.
So God is all in all, not essentially by his Substance in our Hearts, work∣ing as in a Shop; but virtually, rationally, liberally, operating and co∣operating by his Spirit with our Spirits, teaching, moving, helping in all our internal and external actions. Amen.
Of Physical Operation.
Operation Moral.
Saving Faith.
Means of Faith.
A New Heart.