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FAITH is sometimes taken for the Doctrine, and sometimes for the Grace of Faith, viz. the Things to be believed, and the Grace by which we believe.
1. The Doctrine of Faith,
The Faith that we must first try, * 1.1 (viz. by the Infallible Rule, the Word of Faith) then cordially embrace, sin∣cerely
obey, zealously contend for, * 1.2 faithfully keep, constantly hold fast the profession of, and continue in, stand∣ing fast in it, by standing fast to it.
They that are of the Houshold of Faith, must be Defenders of the Faith.
2. The Grace of Faith,
Considered both as to the habit and * 1.3 exercise of it, the Faith by which we believe, by which Christ dwells in us, and we in him; by which we have ac∣cess to God, and communion with him; by which we live, stand, and walk; and without which we can neither please God in this World, nor be sav'd in the World to come.
This Faith stands fast in all true * 1.4 Believers; God keeps that, and that keeps them.
1. Faith is necessary in order unto our Justification.
There was never but two ways to Life, viz. That of the Old Covenant,
and this of the New; that by Works, and this by Faith; and both as the Con∣dition, not as the Cause of Life.
By the first, viz. by the Deeds of * 1.5 the Law, by reason of its weakness through the Flesh, we cannot have Life: for, we must keep the Law, be∣fore we can have Life from it; and sa∣tisfy it, before we can be justified by it; neither of which are we able to do, for the Obedience must be perfect, and the Satisfaction infinite.
By the second, viz. By Faith, we may have Life; not by Works with∣out Faith, nor by Faith without Works; not by Works, lest any should boast, but by Faith, that God may be glorified; by Faith, that it may be by Grace; and by Grace, that it may be * 1.6 of Glory to God, who chose Christ before Time, and in the fulness of Time sent him into the World, with full Authority and Ability to justify the Ungodly (viz. both Jew and Gentile) that were under Sin, and to give Life to them that as dead in Sin, needed Life, and could not give Life to themselves.
Christ came not of himself on this Errand, but as sent by the Father; he * 1.7 did not step in as a private Person, nor of himself take this Office upon him, but came as a publick Person sent forth from God, his Righteous Servant, (a * 1.8 Son by Nature, a Servant by Office) to justify many.
God and Christ, the Father and Son, were one in this Work; and therefore as no Sin dishonours God more than Unbelief, (a Sin that of all he will the least bear with) because it dishonours the Father, by dishonouring the Son, not only as he is of one Nature with the Father, but as one set apart by the Father for this Work: so no Grace ho∣nours God more than Faith, nor is there any that he so highly esteems of, in that it gives him the Glory of all those At∣tributes (viz. the Depth of his Wis∣dom, the Omnipotency of his Power, the Exactness of his Justice, the Beauty of his Holiness, and Greatness of his Love) that so eminently appear'd in this Work, and gives Honour to him, by receiving Christ as sent to accom∣plish it.
Faith honours God, as it approves of all that he has done in this great Work, and God honours Faith as set apart by him to receive the benefit by it, by receiving Christ the Author of * 1.9 it.
Upon this account it is, that Faith is a Grace of such singular worth and ex∣cellency: as a Quality, it has no more worth in it than any other Grace, (in some respects less) but as design'd to so * 1.10 noble an Office, as that of justifying Sin∣ners before God (which no Grace else is) it has, and is preferr'd before all, it being as necessary to it (necessitate me∣dii) as Christ himself; he as a Media∣tor, and Faith as a Means of applying him; for, we are not justified before we believe, nor by any thing but by believing.
Satisfaction made on Christ's part, is nothing without Application made on ours.
Faith
It is not a bare Assent:
Christ appears in his Royalty in the Gospel, viz. as the only and All-suffi∣cient Saviour: the Persons are descri∣bed, who are interested in him, and the Terms specified upon which they are, viz. not Devils but Men; nor all Men, but Believers only. A know∣ledg of, and an assent to this Declara∣tion as incomparably good, and un∣doubtedly true, is necessary, but not enough; for, as there is no Faith, where there is no Assent, so there is no Justifying Faith, where there is no more: For,
Assent
Is a Faith in common with all those kinds of Faith that are not saving; it may consist with Despair, and necessa∣rily attends it, and with the Sin against the Holy Ghost; for (as it is commonly
understood) it cannot be committed without it, it may be found in the worst of Men, it was in the stony ground, (in the Parable) and in Si∣mon * 1.11 Magus, who was in the Gall of Bitterness; it may be found in Devils, (for they believe) and in Hell, as well as upon Earth.
Assent is necessary and antecedent to justifying Faith, and is contain'd in it, (as the Vegetive and Sensitive Soul is in the Reasonable); but it is not that, for, that is but General Faith, but this is Particular, and appropriating: that is in the Understanding only, without any quickning Influence on the Will; but this has an Operation there, and is represented under the Notion,
None can use Christ to their benefit, unless they have him; nor have him, until they by Faith receive him.
It is not Assurance:
Faith in time may bring Assurance, * 1.16 and often does; and for a time it may not, for it is seldom crown'd with Assu∣rance, until it is of some standing: it many times ends in Assurance, but ne∣ver begins in it; for, it goes in Time and in Nature before it.
1. In Time,
Faith goes first, and Assurance fol∣lows * 1.17 after: first, believing, and then knowing; that, as the necessary Ante∣cedent; this as the Consequent: for, all must believe before they can know they do, as they must before they can be justified by it.
2. In Nature:
Faith is the Condition required on our part in order unto Life, (believe and be sav'd) Faith, not Assurance: for, if that was required, then our Sins would be forgiven before we be∣lieved; Reprobates would be damn'd for * 1.18 * 1.19 not believing a Lie, (viz. that they are in a state of Life when they are not) and all would be com∣manded to believe an Untruth, viz. that they are pardoned * 1.20 before they are.
Assurance,
Is properly an Act of Experience, and not an Act of Faith; which is a true Perswasion, tho not ever a full one, or an Act of the Mind only; but Faith is an Act of the whole Soul, it is rather God's Act than ours, rather the Eminency than the Essence of Faith, and relates more to its well-being, than being: if not, then none belong to the Houshold of Faith, but such as are assur'd; when-as Assurance, tho it many times accompanies them, yet it
does not constitute and make them so: That Child which knows neither Father nor Mother, may be as true a Child, and as much of the Family, as those that are come to perfect Knowledg; and they as true Members of the Hous∣hold of Faith that want Assurance, as they that have it: For,
Tho all that believe, are justified; yet all that are justified, are not sure they are.
Then Faith and Doubts are inconsi∣stent; which sometimes they are not: for, they are not opposite to one ano∣ther as Life and Death, but only as Cold and Heat in remiss Degrees, and may consist (as Contraries) in some Degree; and do, when those Doubts are accompanied with Shame and Sor∣row, attended with earnest desires after the Things doubted of, with solicitous Enquiries and Endeavours to get them, and with a full purpose of Heart to fol∣low hard after God, and cleave close * 1.21 to him in a way of trust and depen∣dance, notwithstanding those Doubts: nothing but perfect Faith casts out
all Doubts; and where is it to be found?
They that never doubted, never be∣lieved.
Then Faith might be lost; for, Assu∣rance may, in that; tho some are assur'd, but not fully, and some fully, yet none immutably.
Then Damnation would be, not for want of Faith, but of Assurance, which is necessary, not for our Safety, but Comfort only; and Salvation would be by the reflex, and not by the direct Act of Faith, (for, Assurance consists in a reflex Act) contrary to the tenure of the Promise of Salvation made,
Not to the Act of Assurance, but of Faith; and not to the Degree, but Truth of it.
They that make Assurance to be Faith, do more than is needful: for,
Assurance is but a Fruit of Faith, and Faith may be alive without it, (as a Tree may, though for a time without Fruit)
though Assurance cannot be without Faith: for,
God never sets his Seal, where he has not first set his Hand.
They that make Assent to be Faith, do less than is needful: For,
Tho Justifying Faith cannot be with∣out General Faith, yet General Faith may be without that: for, it is not a single, but complicated Act; not the single Act of the Understanding, but of the whole Composition; not an Act of the Understanding only, to * 1.22 know, and believe a Divine Revelati∣on as true, but of the Will also to re∣ceive it as good: a Consent as well as an Assent; an Assent of the Under∣standing, as it begins there, and a Con∣sent of the Will, as it ends in it, with∣out which the first will avail but little: For,
It is not Christ, as dying, but as be∣liev'd on, nor as tender'd by a hand of Love, but as receiv'd by a Hand of Faith, that saves.
So that it appears, that Faith is nei∣ther an Act of Assent only, nor of As∣surance, but an Act of Affiance also; which is more than the first, and less than the second, viz.
That Grace wrought by the Spirit through the Word, whereby sensible Sinners are enabled to receive Christ as offered in the Gospel, trusting to, and relying upon him for Salvation.
I. It is the Work of God's Spirit.
It is not our Work, but God's.
Not our Work: For,
Of our selves we are no more able to perform the Articles of the second Co∣venant, than those of the first; nor to believe the Gospel, than we are to keep the Law.
But God's Work.
It is call'd God's Work, (not only * 1.23 in regard of Excellency, but Efficiency) it is not the Work of Men, nor of An∣gels, but of God only, the powerful Work of his Spirit preparing us for it, and enabling us to it; we believe through Grace, and come to Christ by * 1.24 Christ:
To him, by Faith from him.
II. It is the Work of the Spirit through the Word.
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by * 1.25 the Word: the hearing of Faith wrought by the Spirit as the Efficient, and by the Word as the instrumental Cause of it.
Through the Word, viz. both Law and Gospel; by one, Occasionally and Indirectly; by the other, Properly and Directly.
First, By the Law; not properly, but Occasionally and Indirectly.
1. Not Properly: for, the Law has no Power of its own, either to Con∣vert, or Comfort Sinners.
Not to Convert them;
It shows them the sinfulness of their corrupt Nature and Lives, but pre∣scribes no Cure; and tells them what their Duty is, but gives no strength to the performance of it.
Not to Comfort them:
It wounds, but pours no healing * 1.26 Balm into those Wounds; arraigns and condemns, but allows no Psalm of Mercy; for, the Voice of the Law is, He that has sinn'd, shall die.
The Law condemns, but the Gospel ac∣quits and saves.
2. But Occasionally and Indirectly.
(1.) By discovering Sin.
Sin is the Burden; and that which * 1.27 makes it feel heavy, is the Law; For, by the Law is the knowledg of Sin, viz. a knowledg of Guilt by it.
Where there are no Bounds, there can be no Trespass; nor any Transgres∣sion, where no Law.
(2.) By discovering Wrath due to Sin.
Where there is no Law, there * 1.28 is no Sin; and where there is no Sin, there is no Curse; but where Sin is, there a Curse is due to it; and the knowledg of it is necessa∣ry,
not to merit Mercy, but to dispose to it.
(3.) By afflicting and wounding, un∣der a sense of Guilt and Wrath due to it.
It is a fiery Law, that has Heat as * 1.30 well as Light in it; Light to discover Sin, and Heat to afflict and torment for it.
(4.) By discovering an impossibility for them to help themselves, being un∣der a Guilt they cannot expiate, ob∣noxious to a Wrath they cannot flee from, shut up in a Prison they cannot break, and surrounded with a misery that they cannot redress.
Thus, as Moses brought the Israelites to the Borders of Canaan, so something there is of the Hand of Moses, viz. something of the Law (though but occasionally and indirectly) in the Work of Faith.
Secondly, By the Gospel, viz. Pro∣perly and Directly.
The Law shews Misery, as an In∣dictment shews the Offence, and works Fear; the Gospel, as a Remedy, shews the Disease, and works Faith:
By discovering,
1. A remote possibility of Mercy.
No absolute necessity they should (tho' Sinners) be damn'd, because Grace is rich and free.
2. A tender of Mercy indefinitely: * 1.32 The Voice of the Gospel is, All that will come, may, none are excluded, but such as wilfully exclude themselves.
An Indefinite, is equivalent to a Ʋni∣versal.
3. A Suitableness, Fulness, and Wil∣ligness in Christ.
1. A Suitableness;
As being Wisdom, Righteousness, * 1.33 Sanctification, Redemption, Healing, Life, and Salvation, for the relief of blind, guilty, polluted, captiv'd, sick, dead, lost, and undone Sinners.
No Fountain like this Jordan to wash in for Sin and Ʋncleanness. * 1.34
2. A Fulness.
Meat and Drink are a suitable Good * 1.35 to the hungry and thirsty, because Hun∣ger and Thirst are Appetites determined to those Objects; but a Crum or a Drop is not enough, in that, tho' it is a suitable, yet it is not a full Good: but in Christ there is a fulness of Merit to justify, and of Spirit to sanctify; that which is every way commensurate to the Desires and Necessities of di∣stressed Sinners.
3. A Willingness, viz. To give what he has for the relief of Sinners if they come unto him; all that will * 1.36 come, may; if they are willing, Christ is willing; if they to come, he to wel∣come.
If Christ was able to help, and not willing, it would be all one as if he was not able; and tho' willing, yet if not able, all one as if not willing: therefore a discovery is made both of his Will and Power (equally alike * 1.37 great) that they may (and without which none ever will) believe in him.
III. It is the Work of the Spirit, whereby sensible Sinners are enabled to receive Christ as offer'd in the Go∣spel, trusting to, and relying upon him for Salvation.
The Parties concern'd, are Christ, * 1.38 and Sinners; He, as the Author of Sal∣vation, and They as the Subjects of it; He, as a Saviour, and They, as Sinners; He as the Brazen Serpent lift up, and They as stung with the fiery Serpent looking up unto him; He as dying to save, and They as undone without him.
1. Christ as dying to save.
The Object of Faith (according to the Schools) is something above Rea∣son, not seen, yet true, and revealed by God.
Something above Reason. * 1.39
Above it, tho' not contrary to it.
Something not seen: * 1.40
It is no contradiction in terms, to say, We may see by Faith, what we cannot see by Sense.
Something true, and in its own Nature * 1.41 credible.
That which is false, cannot be the Object of Faith.
Something revealed. * 1.42
A thing may be credible in its own Nature, yet not so to us until re∣veal'd; but when reveal'd, it is, tho' never so seemingly, impossible.
The Doctrine of the Scripture, the * 1.43 Things revealed in it, are the Object of Faith general; which is no more
than a bare Assent to the things re∣veal'd there as true.
They that have no more Faith, are no * 1.44 better than Devils; they that have not so much, are worse.
But the Object of Justifying Faith, viz. of that formal Act of Faith by which we stand justified before God, is * 1.45 Christ only; He who was prefigured in all the Types, foretold in all the Prophecies, and design'd in all the Pro∣mises; He, as consider'd in his Person, God-Man; He, as dying, expiating Sin by his meritorious death, making a sui∣table and sufficient Satisfaction to Di∣vine * 1.46 Justice, suitable as he was Man, and sufficient as he was God; by one, satisfying the Equity; and by the other, the Infiniteness of it.
The Promises may be a ground of * 1.47 Faith, but Christ only is the Object of it, to whom we are to come, and in whom we are to believe; they are a Warrant of Encouragement to us in our coming, but he only from whom our help comes; if we do in them our
encouragement to it, in him alone our safety by it.
Nothing could heal the Israelites, * 1.48 when stung in the Wilderness by fiery Serpents, but the Brazen Serpent lift up by Moses on a Pole, nor that, unless they look'd up unto it.
None but Christ can save, (for there is no other Saviour) nor is there any other way to be saved by him, but by Faith looking up to him, as lifted up * 1.49 upon the Cross; who died to justify, and arose from death to declare it; to him we are to look, and to him, as dying, we are to look, that we may be justifi∣ed; and by looking up we are, not for it, but by it; not for it, nor yet with∣out it; nor from any intrinsecal Virtue in Faith, but from the Vertue in Christ, the Object apprehended by it.
If Faith does but declare Justification, What difference is there betwixt Faith and Works?
2. Sinners, as undone without Christ.
He as a Saviour, they as Sinners; not simply consider'd, but so qualified, viz. sensible Sinners: It is to such only that
he does look, and none but such will look to him; He is not offer'd to any until they are so, nor would they re∣ceive him if he was; nor can they have any Benefit by him tho' they are so, un∣til they receive him, (for Christ, until receiv'd, is but a Tender, and not a Gift) nor receive him aright, unless upon Gospel-Terms; his Terms, and not theirs, viz.
1. Freely.
It is not barely a Consent; not in case of Exigency or Extremity only, but an Act of Choice.
It is not enough that Christ is willing, unless they are so too; for, he will save none, invito genio.
2. Sincerely.
They take Christ for himself, what∣ever for the present they may suffer or lose by it; they do not (with the
Scribes) refuse to believe, unless he will come down from the Cross, nor make haste (with Joseph of Arimathea) to take him down and leave the Cross * 1.50 behind, but take him when on the Cross, as well as when on the Throne; when suffering, as well as when reign∣ing; with the Reed in his Hand, as well as the Scepter; and follow him to Mount Calvary, as well as to Mount Tabor; when to be Crucified, as well as Transfigured; as content to abide with him in the shame of his Sufferings, as well as in the Glory of his Tri∣umph.
They are as willing to drink of his Cup, as to eat of his Loaves.
3. Wholly.
Christ's Person is not separated from his Offices, nor his Offices separated from one another; Is Christ divided? No, he is not divided, to one as a Prophet, * 1.51 to another as a King, and to a third as a Priest; but all or none, not a Bone of his Body was broken, nor is any one Office of his sever'd from another; but as he was anointed to all, so he is offer'd
in all, viz. as a King to Reign, (to rule where he lives); as a Prophet to teach (to instruct where he rules) as well as a Priest to save; and they take him as so offer'd, not only as Jesus, but as Lord (a Priest upon the Throne) as a * 1.52 Sanctifier and Instructer, as well as a Saviour; and as saving from Sin, as well as from Hell, viz. from the Power of Sin, as well as from the Punishment of it.
They that will not take Christ as a Lord to rule, to them, instead of a Jesus to save, he will be a Judg to condemn.
4. Only and for ever.
Him they chuse, accept, and receive, and none but him, whole Christ with their whole Heart; and not for a time only, but for ever.
The Throne and Bed admit no Rivals; and Christ will be all, or nothing, a Lord for ever, or not at all.
(1.) Then they are much mistaken in Faith, that think it is no more than
a bare believing Christ to be the Savi∣our of Sinners, without any conformi∣ty of their Lives to him.
To make the Conclusion more than the Premises, is Sophistry; to put Free∣dom from Sin into the Premises, and Liberty to it into the Conclusion, is the Devil's Logick, (the Premises are God's, the Conclusion is the Devil's) Presumption, and not Faith, to lay claim to Christ's Person, without being * 1.53 partaker of his Nature; to cling to his Cross, and cast off his Yoke; to chal∣lenge a share in the Privileges offer'd, and reject the Duties commanded; to pretend to his Righteousness, and con∣temn his Grace; to trust to his Righ∣teousness, and indulge our own Un∣righteousness, is to reject Christ, and not to receive him, or so to receive him, as that we shall never receive any benefit by him, viz.
No benefit by the Blood of Propitiation, * 1.54 if we cast away the Water of Puri∣fication.
(2.) And as much mistaken are they, that think it an easy thing to believe,
it is but believing, they say; and that they think they can do when they please; Let him come down from the * 1.55 Cross, said the chief Priests and Scribes, and we will believe; but they were much mistaken: for, it lay neither in their Will nor Power to do it, for they were faster bound under Unbelief, than Christ was nail'd to the Cross; nor could his coming down from the Cross have wrought it in them, without a Work of his Spirit upon them. Nei∣ther they could, nor any of themselves can believe; as will appear, if we con∣sider;
1. The Opposition made against it, viz. By the Devil. and our Selves.
(1.) By the Devil;
Who out of envy to Christ, enmity and malice to Us, raises all the Force and Power of Hell against it: of all our Comforts and Graces, he fights nei∣ther against small nor great so much, as
against Assurance and Faith, as know∣ing what a hindrance the want of one will be in Duty, and how destructive the other will be to it; for, what is not * 1.56 of Faith, is Sin:
One a Bar to our Peace here, the other to our Safety and Happiness here∣after.
(2.) By our selves;
Not only as to the things that are preparatory to Faith, (viz. Contrition and Humiliation, which are both neces∣sary, but things that we are naturally averse to) but as to the Work it self: For,
We are naturally proud, and would do something to merit Salvation.
To believe, is to abhor our selves, and to love another better than our selves; and to love him, for that in him (viz. his Holiness) which is con∣trary to us; to hope in him that we verily believe is our Enemy upon the account of Sin, and to love him too, when he is displeas'd and angry; to
trust to him upon his bare Word, and deny our selves for him; to enquire what his Will is, and comply with it, tho' never so contrary to ours: to do what he commands, and when done, to look upon all as nothing; to hate our selves, and become Enemies to the things we love; to fall out with that which is as dear to us as our Lives, and so as to part with it; to be fed at the Cost, maintain'd at the Charge, supported by the Strength, and sav'd by the Righteousness of another. Hard Terms for proud Nature to yield to, but yet must be done, and are, by be∣lieving; for, Christ's Righteousness alone is the meritorious Cause of our Salvation, and will avail us nothing without the denial of ours.
We must go out of our righteous, as well as our sinful Self, when by Faith we go out to Christ.
2. If we consider the Power that is exerted in working Faith, which is no less than that which raised Christ from the Dead.
To raise the Dead to Life, is an Act of creating Power; but it was more to raise Christ, than any other from Death to Life; in that he was not only totally depriv'd of Life for a time, but bound under Guilt, (having by impu∣tation more guilt of Sin on him than any) kept in the Grave, the strong∣hold of Death, with a Stone upon it * 1.57 seal'd, and guarded by Souldiers, (and all the Forces of Hell, as it were, upon the Watch with them) to hinder him from rising; and was not barely rais'd to Life, but as a Conqueror, over∣powering that great Enemy, Death, trampling on it, and triumphing over it. Now this Power, this great Power, this exceeding great Power, the super∣eminent vastness, and working activity of this exceeding great Power, (and all in the abstract) that was put forth in raising Christ from the dead; this, and no less than this, is put forth in working Faith in us; For, we believe * 1.58 according to the working of God's mighty Power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead.
But yet, tho' difficult in it self, and a Work that we of our selves are
wholly unable to, God has appointed to work it in us, (for there is a Promise * 1.59 of Faith, as well as a Promise made to it) and Christ has receiv'd a Commissi∣on to enable us to it; and when we seek unto him, that which we are com∣manded to do by the Ministry of the Word, we shall be enabled to by the efficacy of his Spirit.
That which is now God's Will, shall * 1.60 then be our Work.
It is usual in the Hebrew Language (the Mother-Tongue of the World) for the setting forth the Greatness and Excellency of a Thing, to add the Name of God to the Word whereby the * 1.61 Thing is signified, viz. great Wrest∣lings and Tremblings, the Wrestlings and Tremblings of God. The Soul's Excellency is set forth by this, it is cal∣led the Spirit of God; not only in re∣spect of its immediate proceeding from him, but of its resemblance to him;
Explaining (as one saith) by the plura∣lity of Powers in the Ʋnity of Essence, the plurality of Persons in the Ʋnity of the Deity: And no less is it the Excellency of Faith, in that it is call'd God's Work; * 1.62 not only in regard of Efficiency, but Excellency; in that no Work pleases him more than this, nor any with∣out it.
Faith's Excellency appears in its Use∣fulness, and its Usefulness in the great Benefit and Advantage we receive by it: For by it,
1. We have Union with Christ.
What this Union is, is hard to tell, (the word Mystical implies as much) but that there is a Union, is most cer∣tain, for it is one of the great Myste∣ries of Godliness. It is not the Essen∣tial
Union of divers Persons in one Nature, nor the Hypostatical Union of two Natures in one Person; but more than a Political, Natural, or Moral Union, for it is Mystical, viz. of di∣vers Natures in one Person, and Spiri∣tual; not outward by External Profes∣sion only, but inward by Internal Im∣plantation, made by the Spirit on Christ's part, and by Faith on ours; by that, Primarily and Efficiently; by this, Secondarily and Instrumentally.
There is a Moral Union by Love, and a Mystical one by Faith; a Union both Real, and Inseparable.
(1.) Real.
As Real as the Union betwixt God and Christ, tho' in a different manner; that is Essential and Substantial; this, Mystical only; yet not less Real, be∣cause Mystical: and Christ and they * 1.63 who are thus united, are as truly One, as God and Christ are; they are one with Christ, tho' not the same; one Body, tho' not one Person.
(2.) Inseparable.
The Ax may sever the corporal Union betwixt Root and Branches, and the natural Union betwixt Head and
Members; Death, the Conjugal Uni∣on betwixt Husband and Wife; Time, the Artificial Union betwixt the Foun∣dation and Building; distance of Place, or an Accidental Difference, the Mo∣ral Union betwixt Friend and Friend, * 1.64 (who were one in Affection, and in whom there was but one Soul, tho' two Bodies): but neitheir Men nor De∣vils can break this Union betwixt Christ and them, no nor Death it self, * 1.65 whether Natural or Violent. The Hypo∣statical Union was not broken by Death (the Vision was suspended, but the Union was not broken) nor can the Mystical, (it is then more near and firm); and the Reason is, because it depends on God's Will, and not on theirs.
The great Honour conferr'd upon us, is by the Hypostatical Union to our * 1.66 Nature, and the Mystical Union to our Person, an Honour above any con∣ferr'd upon Angels; for Christ took not on him the Nature of Angels, nor has he at any time said unto them, Ye are my Body.
2. We are reconciled to God.
Adam by Creation was a Son of * 1.67 Love, by Corruption he became a Son of Wrath; his state of Innocency, was a state of Favour, that of his degene∣racy, a state of Wrath; in that, God and he were one in Point of Affection, but in this at Variance; Sin separated those Friends, he rebell'd, and God proclaim'd his displeasure against him.
Adam being the Natural Head and Representative of all Mankind, the Covenant made with him, concerned them, as well as him; being as natu∣rally in him, as Branches in the Root; sinning in him, they fell with him, and became Enemies to God, (haters of * 1.68 him, and hated by him); Enemies, without a Power to flee from him, a Strength to withstand him, or a Will to be reconciled to him. God, that in * 1.69 the Ages to come, he might shew the ex∣ceeding Riches of his Grace, in his kind∣ness towards us through Christ Jesus, (in whom he was reconciling the World to himself) ordain'd him before time, and sent him in the fulness of Time, to make reconciliation for Iniquity, by reconci∣ling
him to the World, and the World * 1.70 to him, Christ the Prince of Peace (as the only Mediator betwixt God and us) was usher'd into the World by a Quire of Angels, with a Song of Peace, (on Earth peace, and good-will towards * 1.71 Men); while living, he published it; and when dying, purchased it for us.
In the first Adam we lost Peace, in the second Adam (by whom the En∣mity is abolished) we may find it, but not unless by Faith in him we apply to us, what he by his Death hath purchas'd for us; for, tho' merited for us, with∣out any Qualification in us, it will not be conferr'd upon us, without an Ap∣plication by us; the Blessing of Peace, is the Blessing of Faith in Christ, who as a Prophet published it, as a Priest purchased it, and as a King applies it to none but them (and to all them) that believe in him.
He died to merit it, and ever lives to maintain it; by him they have a right to it, and by Faith in him the possession of it.
3. Our Duties are accepted.
In the first Covenant, the Person was accepted for the Work's sake: In the Second, the Work is for the Per∣son's * 1.72 sake, viz. accepted in Christ.
Until our Persons are accepted, we are Enemies, Objects of Wrath, and appear before God as an incensed Judg upon the Seat of Justice, we stand at a * 1.73 distance, and worship (as the Elders of Israel) afar off, with Fear; but when they are accepted, we come to him as a reconciled Father, upon a * 1.74 Throne of Grace, and may come in the full Assurance of Faith with bold∣ness: by Faith our Persons are accep∣ted, and by the same Faith our Works are; Faith justifies our Persons, Works justify our Faith, and Faith sanctifies our Works; they shew our Faith to * 1.75 be good, and Faith makes them so, for they are all but splendid Sins without it, viz. without Faith looking to the Command as the ground of them, to the Promise as the encouragement to them, to God's Glory as the end of them, to the Spirit for assistance in them, and to Christ for the acceptance of them; the Law as a Rule directs,
the Promise quickens, the End excites, the Spirit assists, and Christ presents, but not unless they are by Faith offer'd up in his Name, in whose strength all our Duties are to be perform'd, and for whose sake alone they are accep∣ted. * 1.76
There is no pleasing God meritoriously without Christ, nor instrumentally without Faith in him, without whom the best Duty and worst Sin are both alike.
4. We have an Interest in the Pro∣mises.
The Promises run for this Life, and that to come, (an Entail that can ne∣ver be cut off) and are all as so many Bonds and Bills under God's Hand, ei∣ther Explicitly or Implicitly made over to Faith. None are ours until we be∣lieve, nor any that are not when we do; for if Christ is ours, all are ours. * 1.77
The Rabbins suppose, that Abraham's * 1.78 Servant (when sent to get a Wife for his Son Isaac) carried with him Tesseram hospitalem, wherein was written the Promise of the Messiah, as being that
which was Abraham's Riches, and Isaac's Dowry for Rebekah; and it is the Hap∣piness of Believers, that all the Pro∣mises (which are in Christ their Head, Yea and Amen, certain and fulfilled) * 1.79 are theirs; for they are Heirs of the Promise, and by Faith inherit * 1.80 the Promise; and by inheriting, are rich in Faith, richer than any without it, for they are all but Heirs of Va∣nity.
If the Grace of Faith is theirs, the Privileges of Faith are theirs also.
5. We have Victory over all our Enemies.
1. Over Sin in the Guilt and Filth of it.
There was an Altar and a Laver un∣der * 1.81 the Law, the Altar for Sacrificing, the Laver for Washing; one for Guilt, the other for Filth; both typifying the double Benefit by the Death of Christ, who came by Water and Blood; by Blood, to expiate the Guilt of Sin; by Water, to wash away the Filth of it; And by Faith in him we have a relief under all our Fears against both,
(1.) The Guilt of Sin.
Under all the stingings of this fiery Serpent, it brings healing by looking up to Christ (the brazen Serpent) in whose Sides the Sting was left, under all the guilty Aggravations of it, which cause the Soul to swoon, it fetches a Vertue from his Blood, (that expiated the Guilt, and appeas'd the Wrath due * 1.82 to it) which as a reviving Cordial brings it to life again: I had fainted, * 1.83 unless I had believed.
Under all the Accusations of the Law, it causes it to triumph in him, in whose Condemnation, its damning Sentence was repeal'd; in whose Death, its killing Power was destroy'd; by whose Blood, the Hand-writing of Or∣dinances that was against us, (more terrible than that upon the Wall of * 1.84 Belshazzar's Pallace) was blotted out, so as never to be read more; and re∣moves all fear from under its Arrests, by going to him, the Surety of the New Testament; not only as one able to discharge the Debt, and passing his Word for it, but as one that has made * 1.85 full paiment of it.
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that has died.
(2.) The Filth of Sin.
Our Sanctification is God's Will; * 1.86 part of his Covenant-will, and part of Christ's Purchase, (for he died to re∣deem from Sin) and a Fruit of his cleansing Blood, and by Faith in this Blood we are delivered from the Power of Sin, as well as the Guilt; from the Guilt by the Value of it, and from the Power by the Vertue of it.
There is a healing Vertue in Christ's Blood, to dry up the bloody Issue of Sin; for it pacifies by the Merit, and purifies by the Efficacy of it.
2. Over the Devil.
The Devil, the strong Man, the Prince and God of this World; an Enemy terrible to afright, and strong to hurt, bloody and cruel, seeking to devour, and fighting to destroy; an unequal Match for us, an Enemy too strong for us of our selves to contend with; was, by Christ the Captain of
our Salvation fought upon the Cross, (the higher Ground) and overcome; the God of Heaven cast down this God of the World, and brought him under his Feet: He has conquer'd this Conqueror, and led this captivating Enemy captive; and by Faith in him, we share in this Conquest; and by Faith alone in him it is that we stand, and make good our Ground against him in our Spiritual Warfare: He was slain (viz. in his Power, not in his Person) by Christ our Head, who fought him in his own Person, and got the Day: His Weapons are taken a∣way, * 1.87 his Force enfeebled, and his Power crush'd; his Empire broken down, his Authority taken from him, and his Policies defeated, (for he is wounded in the Head); but yet he remains as our Enemy still, he is not tro∣den under our Feet, tho' he is under Christ's: he shall shortly, when all Christ's Enemies are made his Footstool, then he shall be under our feet, but not till then; it will not be long before God (as the Apostle says) will bruise * 1.88 him under our feet, but till then he shall bruise our Heel, (not the Heart,
but Heel, the farthest part from the Head and Heart); touch us he may, but not with a deadly touch; to try us, but not so as to destroy us; he is no * 1.89 more the Leo vorans, and Draco terri∣bilis, but yet he has some Teeth left, some strength to oppose, some strength as an Enemy, but no great strength, for he is an Enemy in Chains, a captiv'd Enemy; an Enemy, but not so cow∣ardly as not to assault us, nor yet so couragious as not to flee from us, but not * 1.90 unless resisted: Without resisting there is no conquering, and without Faith there is no resisting; this Lion will flee at the sight of the Fire of Faith, and the force of all his Darts will be re∣pell'd by this Shield, for it is Metal of Proof. The Shield cover'd the Armour, as well as the Body; and the Shield of Faith, is not only our Armour, but the Armour of all our Armour, the * 1.91 Strength of all our Graces, and the Grace in which our principal strength consists; they waxed valiant in Fight by Faith, and according to the strength or weakness of it, we shall be more or less valiant in Fight, and victorious * 1.92 by it.
By Faith we stand; and if by Faith we stand, the Devil will either flee, or fall before us.
3. Over the World, in the Good and Evil Things of it.
1. The Good Things.
Tho' these things in themselves are not evil, yet they many times prove so: they are no Enemies to us, yet through the Corruption within, and the Devil from without, they become Materials of Lust, and war against us; he gets into these, and by them into us, (as he did into our first Parents) and over∣comes us; but by Faith we are antido∣ted against this Poison of the Serpent; for through Faith we understand by * 1.93 whom the World was framed, and how, and by Faith we understand what the things of the World are, viz.
That they are all Vanity, and as such * 1.94 not much worth our seeking: For,
Things that are vain and empty, can∣not make us happy whilst we have
them, nor miserable if we have them not.
That they are but common Blessings, * 1.95 the Gifts of common Bounty to Good and Bad, may be given in Hatred, and with-held in Love.
Since therefore they are no Signs of God's Love, they deserve but little of ours.
That they will rather hinder than further us in our Christian Race, di∣sturb us in our way to Heaven, and * 1.96 make the entrance into it difficult:
And therefore better lost than found.
That they are good in their kind, but not the best things; that it will be our happiness to live above them, and our greatest delight not to delight in them.
Martha's Work was good, but Mary's was better.
That it is sometimes necessary to want them, and therefore never neces∣sary inordinately to love them: For,
In things of which there is no absolute necessity, there is no great reality.
That inordinate Love to them is in∣consistent * 1.97 with Love to God, his to us, and ours to him, for they are to be lov'd only in him, and for him.
Him we cannot love too much, nor these too little.
That they will be but of little use (and that to our Bodies only) while we live, and avail us nothing when we come to die; it will then not signify any thing, whether we fall under a great or small title, die rich or poor as to this World, so we die rich in Faith.
All these died in the Faith. * 1.98
That the continuance of them is but * 1.99 short, but the abuse of them will eter∣nally torment.
Therefore it is better to be without them, than to be made miserable by them.
That Riches may be found in Pover∣ty, * 1.100 and Fulness in Wants; enough without them, and more than they have in a Crucified Saviour, who is virtually all.
A poor Believer, is as great a contra∣diction as a dark Sun.
Thus, Faith brings down the Market of worldly Things, and lessens them in our esteem; for as things appear to be, so they are esteemed; it draws a Cloud over this earthly Tabernacle, and eclip∣ses the Glory of it, or rather shews that it has none; condemns the folly of all that think not so, and shews how much it concerns them that by Faith * 1.101 are crucified to the World, neither in∣satiably to lust after the things of it, nor inordinately to love them, nor through discontent to complain for the want of them.
It is as much our Duty by Faith to mo∣derate
our Affections to what we have, as it is to depend upon God for a supply of what we want.
2. The Evil Things of it.
The Anchor is of most use in a Storm, the Shield in a day of Battel, and Faith in a time of Suffering: Pe∣ter sunk in his Faith, before he sunk in the Waters; but Jonah when under the Waters in the Belly of Hell, was * 1.102 supported by it; and the Primitive Christians were at ease when tortur'd, at liberty when captiv'd, Conquerors whilst subdu'd, and out of weakness were made strong through Faith, bear∣ing * 1.103 God's Trials with God's Strength; and so may all when suffering, for by this we know,
That no afflictive Evil comes by chance. God, as the Efficient, orders and dispo∣ses them.
That Suffering is part of a Christian's Work, as well as Doing.
They must not run to it before they are call'd, nor from it when they are.
That all our Sufferings are nothing to Christ's, the Cross not so heavy, nor the Cup so bitter; for,
We taste Love, where he did Wrath.
That our Sufferings (when right, for Cause, Manner, and End) are Christ's as well as ours, viz. for his sake, and such as he is sensible of.
As God, he knows them, and as Man, is sensible of them, and (quantum sufficit) suffers in them.
That in all our Sufferings, Christ is with us; when Troubles are nigh, he is nigh, not only as a Sufferer, but as a Comforter.
Israel had a greater Light by Night * 1.104 than by Day.
That the heaviest Sufferings are but light, and the longest but short; they may lie heavy, but shall not lie long; the Rod may fall on us, but shall not * 1.105 rest there.
The Viper shall be shaken off.
That all our Sufferings are attended with a good Issue.
The Cup is perfum'd by Christ's Lips, who drank it off; and the Cross sanctified by him who died upon it, and shall sooner or later work for * 1.106 good. All that suffered for him, had ever a good issue in the end.
That Suffering comes within the Re∣ward, as well as Doing: Christ's Crown of Thorns, was an Earnest of his Crown of Glory, and his suffering Mountain, was his ascending Moun∣tain to it; and they that suffer with him, are assured by the Promise (to which Faith has an eye) that they shall * 1.107 reign with him also.
The Cross shall be crown'd.
Christ overcame the World, it was * 1.108 conquer'd by him, and by us in him; for by Faith in him, we have a perfect Victory over it, in the Good and Evil Things, the Smiles and Frowns, Ho∣nours and Reproaches, Gains and Losses, Joys and Sorrows of it; for by this we are carried above the Hopes,
and fortified against the Fears of any thing from it.
They that neither hope for any thing * 1.109 from the World, nor fear any thing, have overcome the World.
4. Over Death, the last (but not the least) Enemy. When Adam sinn'd, Death took hold of him, and of us in him; he could never get free from that Enemy, tho' it was long before he fell by his Hands: Nor can we, for we are all under the Sentence of Death, (ap∣pointed * 1.110 to die) and must e're long fall by it, for it is a Sentence not to be re∣verst; Death will triumph over our * 1.111 Bodies, but by Faith in Christ we may triumph over Death, have help at a dead lift from him, who fought this King of Terrors, and by his Death took away the Sting of it, by his Resurrecti∣on the Strength of it, and by his As∣cension the Hope of it, ever to con∣quer * 1.112 or prevail more; he has weaken'd its fatal Power, rescued us from its Do∣minion, and made us Heirs of Life, which by Faith we have a Title to,
and by Death a Way made into the pos∣session of.
By Christ Death's Sting (the Weapon * 1.113 by which it kills) is pull'd out, and the bitterness of Death is past.
Thus Faith in a crucified Saviour, is the spoil of all our Enemies, (whose Arrows have been sharp in their Hearts) * 1.114 and affords a strength against them, be∣yond what all the Angels in Heaven, or Men upon Earth can do.
When the Israelites saw their Ene∣mies (the Egyptians) dead on the Sea-shore, they sang a Song of Praise unto * 1.115 God, whose right Hand became glori∣ous in Power, and dash'd in pieces their Enemies; and by Faith in Christ, all that are terrified by the Law, assaulted by the Devil, haunted by Sin, tempted by the World, and through fear of Death subject to Bondage, beholding the Conquest over these Enemies, may triumph, and bid defiance to them all: The Curse of the Law is abolish'd, by * 1.116 the Satisfaction made by Christ to Di∣vine Justice; Sin is condemn'd in the
Flesh by him, the Sacrifice for it, and Crucified with him; the Devil, the Prince of this World, is judg'd and cast out by him; the World is conquer'd, * 1.117 and Death vanquish'd in his Victory over them.
Let us then triumph in our Victory, and give thanks unto God, who through Christ has given us Victory.
The Devil is a captiv'd damned Ene∣my: his Captives are ransom'd, redeem'd, rescued out of his hands, and he himself become Captive; rage he may, (for that is part of his torment) but rule he shall not, for greater is he that is in * 1.118 us, than he that is in the World: he may accuse, (and he will) but his Charge shall be made void, and all his Accusations answered by Christ, who ever lives to plead, either our Innocen∣cy, or our Pardon.
The Law that was Sin's strength, * 1.119 (not as encouraging to Sin, but as condemning for it) is now become weak; for its killing damning Power * 1.120 is taken away by the Virtue of the Cross.
Sin, that was once a living, reigning, conquering Enemy, is now subdu'd; as a routed Enemy, it may rally again, but shall never conquer, (Sin shall not have dominion) for, it is a Body of Death, it has receiv'd its death's Wound * 1.121 by the Power of the Cross, and shall e're long give up the Ghost.
Death is unstung, it is swallowed up in Victory, the Power of the Grave is weakned; Death, that Destroyer, is destroy'd; we must fall by its hand, but shall rise again; it will end our * 1.122 Mortality, but not our Life, for this Mortal shall put on Immortality.
We must be Prisoners in the Grave for a time, but we shall not be perpe∣tual Prisoners; Christ, who broke the Bars of that Prison, will redeem us from the Power of Grave, the time of * 1.123 Redemption for our Bodies will come; our dead Bodies shall rise, our dry Bones shall live again, the Graves shall be opened, the Captives redeem'd, and then Destructions shall come to a per∣petual
End, for we shall live and never die more.
Awake and sing, all ye that dwell in the Dust.
The Devil is captiv'd, the Law is si∣lenc'd, Sin is condemn'd, the World is conquer'd, and Death destroy'd, Who can hurt us? What need we fear? they are all conquer'd Enemies, and the Conqueror is ours, thanks be to God who has given us Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, and always causeth us to triumph in him through * 1.124 whom we are over all these more than Conquerors.
The Warfare of Faith ends in Victory, and the Victory must be crown'd with Triumph.
All have not Faith; some have not * 1.125 the Faith of Assent, and therefore cannot have the Faith of Adherence; some think they have a Faith of Evi∣dence and Assurance, who have not attained to a Faith of Adherence and Dependance; and some have Faith in the Habit, but little or none in the Act or Exercise, (How is it that ye have no * 1.126 Faith!) and by reason of it, walk as uncomfortably as if they had none; it concerns us therefore to examine whe∣ther we are in the Faith, and the Faith * 1.127 in us; and what that Faith is, whether a General, or a Particular and an Ap∣propriating Faith; a Temporary and Perishing, or a Sound and Lasting one; * 1.128 a Faith of the Operation of God, or of the Devil; Holy or Unholy, Feigned or Unfeigned, Dead or Alive, Com∣mon and Ordinary, or Special and Sa∣ving, the Faith of Reprobates or of God's Elect, that Faith which they, * 1.129 and none but they have, and which
all of them have, and never can lose.
The Acts of Faith for a time may cease, but the Habit abides.
Faith,
1. It arises from a sense of Misery out of Christ.
Spiritual Poverty is the nearest capa∣city of believing; for, Faith is the Act of a weary, heavy-laden, distressed, undone, self-condemned Sinner, going out to Christ for Rest, Life, and Sal∣vation. Humiliation is not Faith, (no more than the preorgination of the Body is the Soul) but a disposition to it; going to Christ without it, is build∣ing without a Foundation; resting in it without going to Christ, is laying a Foundation without building upon it: a House without a Foundation, will be of little use; a Foundation without
the superstructure, will be of no use. Without Humiliation, Faith is as a House without a Foundation; and without Christ, it will, as a rotten Foundation, break under us; there is nothing to warrant or encourage our going to Christ before we are humbled, for we go before we are call'd, nor any thing to assure Salvation to us, if we do not go when we are; that, without him, cannot help us; he, with∣out that, will not; for, we must be lost, sick, and damn'd in our own sense and apprehension, before he will seek, heal, or save us.
A Faith of Education, is a Weed of * 1.130 Presumption that grows in common Ground. Saving Faith is a Plant of Renown, growing upon the brink of the Infernal Pit: that (like self-grown Corn) will wither and come * 1.131 to nothing; this will flourish: that begins in Presumption, and ends in Despair; this begins in Despair, (viz. of our selves) and will end in Comfort.
2. It begets Superlative Love to Christ.
Christ, as consider'd in the Glory and Comeliness of his Person, the Gra∣ces and Perfections of his Nature, and the great Offices he was anointed to, viz. of a King above all Kings, (in Order, Power, and Authority) of a Priest above all Priests, (in Nature, Compassion, Sacrifice & Merit) of a Pro∣phet above all Prophets (in Primacy, Infallibility, and Efficacy) is beyond all compare; there is nothing in him but what is lovely, nor any thing lovely, but is eminently in him; he is fairer than the Children of Men, yea, than all the Angels and Saints in the highest Heavens; more full of Beauty than the Sun or Morning-Star, the Bright∣ness * 1.132 of his Father's Glory; his first and best-beloved; the Joy and Delight of the Saints in Heaven, and on Earth; the Wonder of Angels, and the Cen∣ter of Excellencies; but not so to us until we believe: They that do not know Christ, cannot love him, (for as we apprehend, so we affect); they that believe not in him, do not know him, (the God of this World has blinded * 1.133 the Eyes of them that believe not); to them therefore he is a disallowed Stone, * 1.134
not worth the owning: This Beloved, * 1.135 no more than (nor so much as) any other Beloved, without Form and Comeliness, or any thing to attract their * 1.136 Love; but to them that believe, he is the Head of the Corner, the chiefest of Ten thousands, altogether lovely; so in himself, and so to them, as loved by them above their Souls and Happi∣ness; they see, not only a need of him, but an excellency in him: Excellency, and nothing but Excellency, a Super∣lative Excellency, eclipsing the Glory of all created Excellency, (more than the Sun does the Light of the Stars) enough to beget wonder and astonish∣ment, as one that is as far above their Praise as Love, as appears by their sin∣cere * 1.137 Obedience to him, (the effect of Divine Power constraining to it) and their uncessant desires after him, the sparks of that Holy Flame that are ever-ascending * 1.138 to him. Knowledg precedes Faith, Faith produces Love, Love evi∣dences Faith, (it shews it to be true) it is not the cause of Faith, but the * 1.139 sign of it, as Breath is of Life, and a full Tide of a full Moon.
Ʋnfeigned Love to Christ, shews un∣feigned Faith in him; for to them that believe, he is precious. * 1.140
3. It is fruitful in good Works.
By Faith our Persons are justified, * 1.141 and by Works our Faith is justified: by that, our Persons before God; by these, our Faith before Men: by that, our Persons are acquitted from Sin; by these, our Faith is acquitted from Hy∣pocrisy: by that, our Persons are made Righteous; by these, our Faith is made * 1.142 perfect, (i. e. made manifest, as God's strength is said to be made perfect, that is made manifest in our weakness): by that we are in a state of Life, (he that has the Son, has Life) by these, our Faith appears to be alive. Christ prov'd his Deity by his Works, and Faith proves her Divine Original (viz. the Faith of God) by Works too: There is no Love, without the labour of Love; nor any Faith, without the Work of Faith. For,
As Works are dead without Faith, so * 1.143 Faith without Works is dead also.
4. It is accompanied with Holiness.
Justification and Sanctification are (as one saith) always distinguish'd, but never separated.
Distinguish'd:
The Righteousness of Justification is in Christ; the Righteousness of San∣ctification flows from him; that is Re∣lative and without, this is Real and within; in that there is a change in our State, in this a change in our Na∣Nature; that is perfect and alike in all, but this is imperfect in all, as to De∣grees, though not as to Parts; by that we are acquitted from the Guilt of Sin, by this we are cleansed from the filth of it; in that we have Peace with God, in this we are made like to him; one by the Merit, the other by the Spirit of Christ.
Not Separated:
They that are justified by the Grace of God, are sanctified by the Spirit of God; for the justifying Vertue of Christ's Blood, is ever accompanied with the purifying Vertue of it; mo∣ral Vertues are (as the Philosopher * 1.144 says) inseparably connected, and so are Divine Graces too, (the Fruits of
the Spirit are of a Cluster) the Spirit infuses the Habits, and Faith quickens the Acts; it is as the Sun to the World, and the Soul to the Body, that influ∣ences all the radical Grace that main∣tains the Life of them, the Leader and Commander in chief, (as the Brain is the facultas mandans, as it is the Seat of Sense, as the Heart is of Life) by whose Conduct they are guided, ac∣cording to whose motion (as the Pri∣mum Mobile) they all move; and pro∣portionably to the strength or weakness of it, they are strong or weak, rise or fall, as some Fish (as is said) wax and wane with the Moon. Our Justification was merited by Christ, is applied by Faith, and by these, as concomitant with it, assured; without which we can never make out our Title to it; for, as Life (of any kind) is known by the Actions of Life, a Tree by its * 1.145 Fruits, and a Fountain by its Streams: so a pure Faith is known only by pure Acts; if it has not Virtue to sanctify, it has none to justify; nor can it be Fi∣ducial, unless Obediential.
An obediential Faith justifies it self. Abraham believ'd and obey'd.
Fides quae cre∣ditur quam cre∣dimus. 1 Tim. 6. 2. 1 John 4. 1. 1 Thess. 5. 21.
Zech. 8. 9. Acts 6. 7. Jude 3. Phil. 1. 27 2 Tim. 4. 7. Heb. 10. 23. 1 Cor. 16. 13. Gal. 6. 10.
Fides quâ cre∣ditur, quâ cre∣dimus. Eph. 3. 12, 17. Gal. 2. 10. Rom 11. 20. 2 Cor. 1. 24. 5. 7. Heb. 11. 6. Ephes. 2. 8. Rom. 3. 28. Acts 26. 18.
1 Pet. 1. 5.
Rom. 8. 3.
Ephes. 1. 4. Gal. 4. 4.
Joh. 12. 44, 49.
Isa. 53. 11.
John 1. 12.
Manus mendi∣cans.
Luke 8. 13. Acts 8. 13, 23. Jam. 2. 19.
Psal. 27. 8.
Mat. 11. 28. Motio est actio totius compositi.
Isa. 55. 5.
John 1. 12. Jus ad rem, se∣quitur jus ad personam.
It does not, Competere omni, soli, & semper.
•• John 5. 13.
2 Cor. 13. 5.
Reprobation may be ta∣ken, either in opposition to the Eternal Decree of Election, or in opposi∣tion to Soundness; and Reprobates, for such as are either rejected abso∣lutely, or such (as re∣probate Silver) as are cast off for the present.* 1.19.1
Jer. 6. 30.
Mark 16. 16.
Isa. 50. 10.
Actus compli∣catus totius compositi.
John 6. 29.
Acts 18. 27. 1 Cor. 12. 9.
Rom. 10. 17.
Lex graves manus habet.
Rom. 3. 20. 5. 20. Gal. 3. 19.
Rom. 2. 8, 9. 4. 15.
2 Cor. 3 7.
Deut. 33. 2. Galat. 3. 20.
Hos. 13. 9.
Isa. 55. 1. John 3. 10
1 Cor. 1. 30.
Zech. 13. 1.
John 1. 16. Col. 2. 9.
Mat. 11. 28.
Duo. principia motionis ad Christum; 1. Cognitio. 2. Appetitus.
Heb. 5. •…•…
Quid supra ra∣tionem. 1 Cor. 2. 4.
Quid non visum. Heb. 11. 1.
Quid credibile.
Quid Revela∣tum.
Inititur divinae veritatit anquam Medio. Aquin.
Jam. 2. 19.
It is called the Faith of Christ, viz. of which he is the Ob∣ject as well as the Author.
Gal. 2. 16, 20.
Circumferentia Fidei, Verbum Dei; Centrum Fidei, Verbum Deus. Mat. 11. 28.
Numb. 21. 9. John 3. 14, 15. 12. 32.
Rom. 4. ult.
Mat. 27. 42. 57 58.
2 Cor. 1. 13.
Zeeh. 6. 12, 13.
2 Pet. 1. 4.
1 John 5. 6. Rom. 5. 9.
Mat. 27. 42.
Rom. 14. 23.
Mat. 27. 64, 65, 66.
Eph. 1. 19, 20. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
John 6. 27. Ephes. 2. 8.
1 Thess. 4. 3.
Gen. 23. 6. 30. 8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 1 Sam. 14. 15. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
John 6. 29.
John 17. 21.
Ʋnus uterqut fait alter ego.
Jer. 31. 3. 32. 40. Hos. 2. 19 Rom. 8. 38, 39.
John 13. 1. Heb. 7. 25. 2. 16.
Luke 3. 38.
Rom. 1. 30.
Ephes. 2. 7. 3. 11. 2 Cor. 5. 19. 2 Tim. 1. 9. 1 Pet. 1. 20.
Gal. 4. 4. Dan. 9. 24.
Luke 2. 14.
Ephes. 1. 6.
Exod. 24. 1.
Ephes. 3. 12. Heb. 10. 22.
1 Pet. ••. 2. Splendida pec∣cata, omnis vir∣tus abs{que} Chri∣sto vitium.
1 Pet. 2. 5.
•• Co••. 3. 23.
••en. 24. 10
2 Cor. 1. 20.
Jam. 2. 5.
Exod. 30. 28.
Ephes. 1. 7.
Psal. 27. 13.
Dan. 5. 5. Col. 2. 14.
Heb. 7. 22. Rom. 8. 34.
1 Thess. 4. 3.
Quoad judicia∣lem potestatem, non quoad exer∣citium.
Rom. 16. 20.
Tactu qualita∣tivo. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
Jam. 4. 7.
Heb. 11. 34.
2 Cor. 1. 24. 1 Pet. 5. 9.
Heb. 11. 3.
Eccles. 12. 1.
Eccles. 9. 12.
Mark 10. 23.
1 John 2. 15.
Heb. 11. 13.
Quae diuturna esse non possunt, habent diutur∣num tormentum.
Affatim dives, qui cum Christo pauper.
Gal. 2. 20.
Jonah 2. 3▪ 4.
Heb. 11. 34.
Exod. 13. 21▪
Psal. 125. 3.
Rom. 8. 28.
Rom. 8. 17.
John 16. 33. 1 John 5. 45.
Nec spe, nec metu.
Heb. 9. 17.
Vita moriens conflixit cum vi∣vente morte, non quem mors fecit, sed quo mors fa∣cta est, peccato morimur, non morte peccamus. Aug.
Gratias tibi a∣gimus, Christe salvator, quod tam potentem adversarium dum occidiris, occidisti. Hierom.
1 Cor. 15. 56.
Psal. 45. 5.
Exod. 14. 30. 15. 1, 6.
Heb. 2. 15. Rom. 8. 3. 6. 6.
John 12. 31. 16. 11, 33.
1 John 4. 4. Rom. 12. 10.
1 Cor. 15. 56.
Rom. 8. 1, 3. Gal. 3. 13.
Rom 6. 14. 7. 24, 25.
1 Cor. 15. 53, 55, 56, 57.
Psal. 49. 15. Isa. 16. 19. Ezek. 37. 5, 12.
Rom. 8. 37. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Over-over-comers.
2 Thess. 3. 2.
Mark 4. 40.
2 Cor. 13. 5.
Col. 2. 12.
Jude ••0. 2 Tim. 1. 5. Jam. 2. 26. Titus 1. 1••
Infidelis fiducia.
Ps. 92 13, 14. Mat. 15. 13. Jam. 3. 18.
Heb. 1. 3.
2 Cor. 4 4.
1 Pet. 2. 7.
Isa. 53. 23.
Quantum credi∣mus, tantum di∣tigimus.
Amor lex sive severissima.
Animus est, ubi amat.
2 Cor. 6. 6. 2 Tim. 1. 5.
1 Pet. 2. 7.
Rom. 5. 1.
Jam. 2. 22. 2 Cor. 12. 9. 1 John 5. 12. Fides foeta o∣peribus, ubi bo∣na opera non ad extra, fides non ad intra. Faith produ∣ces Works. Per modum cau∣sae efficientis mo∣tivi impetratio∣nis, quod lex o∣perum minando imperat, lex fi∣dei credendo im∣petrat.
Jam. 2. 17.
Indi••iduus vir∣tutum comitatus
Acts 15. 9