Chapter 12: The Causes of Bestowing Faith on the Elect

The way and causes of bestowing faith on them, who are under the condition before described, is the next thing to be enquired after.

What are the thoughts of God from eternity concerning those for whom Christ was to die, with the state they are left in, in relation to those thoughts; as also what is the will of God towards them, immediately upon the consideration of the death of Christ, with the right which to them accrews thereby, being considered, it remaineth (I say) that we declare the way and method whereby they obtain faith through the righteousness of God.

And here we must lay down certain POSITIONS. As;

1, Notwithstanding the right granted them for whom Christ died, upon his death, to a better state and condition in due time, (that is in the season, suiting the infinitely wise sovereignty of God) yet as to their present condition in point of enjoyment, they are not actually differenced from others: their prayers are an abomination to the Lord (Proverbs 28:9), all things are to them unclean (Titus 1:15), they are under the power of Satan (Ephesians 2:2), in bondage to death (Hebrews 2:14), obnoxious to the curse, and condemning power of the law in the conscience (Galatians 3:13), having sin reigning in them (Romans 6:17), &c.

2, Whatever spiritual blessings soever are bestowed on any soul (I mean peculiarly distinguishing mercies and graces) they are all bestowed and collated for Christ's sake: that is, they are purchased by his merit, and procured by his intercession thereupon.

That supernatural graces cannot be traduced from any natural faculty, or attained by the utmost endeavour of nature, however affected with outward advantages, I now take for granted. These things I looked upon as the free gifts of love: so the Scripture (John 15:5; 2 Corinthians 3:5; Ephesians 2:8; 1 Corinthians 4:7; Ephesians 2:10; Matthew 11:25, 26; Acts 16:14), &c.

Now the dispensation of all these, as it is through Christ, so they are for Christ. On whomever they are bestowed it is for Christ's sake: for instance,

Peter and Judas are unbelievers. Faith is given (for faith is given) to Peter, not to Judas. From where is this difference? Presupposing God's sovereign discriminating purpose, the immediate procuring cause of faith for Peter, is the merit of Christ. To us it is given on the behalf of Christ to believe on him (Philippians 1:20). We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in him (Ephesians 1:3). Whatever is in the promise of the Covenant is certainly of his procurement; for therefore he is the Surety (Hebrews 7:22). And his blood, (the ransome he paid) is the blood of the Covenant (Matthew 26:28), whereby all the promises thereof, become in him Yea, and in him Amen (2 Corinthians 1:20). And whether faith be of the blessings of the Covenant, and conclude in the promise thereof or no; let the Scripture be judge (Jeremiah 31:31, 32; Ezekiel 36:26; Hebrews 8:9, 10, 11).

Furthermore, what we have through him, we have so him. All these things, being made out on this condition, that he should make his soul an offering for sin (Isaiah 53:10).

3, That all the procurements of the death of Christ in the behalf of his, are to be made out by virtue of a stipulation sub termino: or in respect of their actual collation and bestowing, they are to be made out in the season limited and appointed by the will of the Father. Of this before.

4, No blessing can be given us for Christ's sake, unless in order of nature, CHRIST be first reckoned to us.

Here I must do two things;

- 1 Declare what I mean by reckoning Christ to us: And then, - 2 Prove the assertion as laid down.

God's reckoning Christ, in our present sense, is the imputing of Christ to ungodly unbelieving sinners for whom he died, so far, as to account him theirs, to bestow faith and grace upon them for his sake.

This then I say, at the accomplishment of the appointed time, the Lord reckons and accounts and makes out his Son Christ, to such and such sinners, and for his sake, gives them faith, &c. Exercising of love actually in the bestowing of grace upon any particular soul, in a distinguishing manner, for Christ's sake, does suppose this accounting of Christ to be his, and from there he is so indeed: which is the present thesis, and may be proved.

1; Why does the Lord bestow faith on Peter, not on Judas? Because Christ dying for Peter, and purchasing for him the grace of the Covenant, he had a right to it, and God according to his promise bestowed it: with Judas, it was not so.

But then, why does the Lord bestow faith on Peter at the 40th year of his age, and not before, or after? Because then the term is expired, which upon the purchase, was by the counsel of God's will prefixed to the giving in, the beginning of the thing purchased to him.

What then does the Lord do, when he thus bestows faith on him? For Christ's sake (his death procuring the gift, not moving the will of the giver) he creates faith in him, by the way and means suited to such a work (Ephesians 1:18, 19; chapter 2:1, &c.).

If then this be done for Christ's sake, then is Christ made ours, before we believe. Else, why is faith given him at this instant for Christ's sake, and not to another, for whom also he died? That it is done then, is, because the appointed time is come; that it is done then for Christ, is because Christ is first given to him.

I cannot conceive how any thing should be made out to me for Christ, and Christ himself not be given to me; he being made to us of God, righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30).

2 The Apostle holds out this very method of the dispensation of grace (Romans 8:32): He that spared not his Son, but delivered him up to death for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things?

First Christ is given for us, then to us, then with him (he having the preeminence in all things) all things: and this being, also, for him (Philippians 1:29), he is certainly in the order of nature given in the first place. He being made ours, we receive the atonement by him (Romans 5:11).

How Christ is said to be received by faith, if he be ours before believing, is easily resolved. Christ is ours before and after believing in a different sense. He who is made ours, in an act of God's love, that for him we may have faith, may be found and made ours in a promise of reconciliation by believing.

I offer also, whether absolution from the guilt of sin, and obligation to death, though not as terminated in the conscience for complete justification, do not proceed our actual believing. For, what is that love of God which through Christ is effectual to bestow faith upon the unbelieving? And how can so great love in the actual exercise of it producing the most distinguishing mercies, consist with any such act of God's will, as at the same instant should bind that person under the guilt of sin?

Perhaps also this may be the justification of the ungodly mentioned (Romans 4): God's absolving a sinner in heaven, by accounting Christ to him, and then bestowing him, upon him, and for his sake enduing him with faith to believe.

That we should be blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ, and yet Christ not ours in a peculiar manner before the bestowing of those blessings on us, is somewhat strange. Yes, he must be our Christ, before it is given to us for him to believe: why else is it not given to all others so to do. I speak not of the supreme distinguishing cause (Matthew 11:25, 26), but of the proximate procuring cause, which is the blood of Christ.

Neither yet do I hence assert complete justification to be before believing.

Absolution in heaven, and justification differ as part and whole.

Again, absolution may be considered, either as a pure act of the will of God in itself, or as it is received, believed, apprehended, in, and by the soul of the guilty. For absolution in the first sense, it is evident it must proceed believing: as a discharge from the effects of anger, naturally proceeds all collation of any fruits of love, such as is faith.

*Object.* But if God account Christ to, and bestow him upon a sinner before believing, and upon that account, absolve him from the obligation to death and hell which for sin he lies under, what wants this of complete justification?

*Answ.* Much every way.

- 1 It wants that act of pardoning mercy (on the part of God) which is to be terminated and completed in the conscience of the sinner; this lies in the promise. - 2 It wants the heart's persuasion concerning the truth and goodness, of the promise, and the mercy held out in the promise.

- 3 It wants the soul's rolling itself upon Christ, and receiving of Christ, as the author and finisher of that mercy, an all-sufficient Savior to them that believe.

So that by faith alone we obtain and receive the forgiveness of sin: for notwithstanding any antecedent act of God concerning us, in and for Christ, we do not actually receive a complete soul-freeing discharge until we believe.

And thus the Lord Christ has the preeminence in all things. He is the author and finisher of our faith.

This then is that which here we assign to the Lord. Upon the accomplishment of the appointed season, for the making out the fruits of the death of Christ to them for whom he died, he loves them freely, says to them, Live, gives them his Son, with, and for him, all things, bringing forth the choicest issue of his being reconciled in the blood of Jesus, while we are enemies, and totally alienated from him.

It will not be requisite at all, (as to our purpose in hand) to make particular inquiry into the state and condition of them towards whom such are the actings of God as we before described. What it is that gives them the first real alteration of condition and distinguishment from others, I have now no occasion to handle.

So far as advantage has been offered, I have laboured to distinguish aright those things, whose confusion and mis-apprehension lies at the bottom of very many dangerous mistakes: how the foregoing discourse may be accommodated and improved for the removal of those mistakes, I shall leave to the consideration of others.