Of Faith — Sermon 2

(ROM. 1:17)For by it the righteousnesse of God is revealed from Faith to Faith: As it is written, The just shall live by Faith.

The next point that these words affoord us, is this; that,

Faith is that by which the righteousnesse of God is made ours to salvation.

The righteousnesse of GOD (says the Apostle) is revealed from faith to faith. That is, it is so revealed and offered by GOD, that it is made ours by faith, we are made partakers of it by faith: you see it ariseth cleerely from the words.

Now for the opening of this point to you, you must understand that there are two waies or Couenants, by which GOD offereth salvation to men. One is the Couenant of workes, and that was that righteousnesse by which Adam had beene saved if he had stood in his innocencie; for it was that way that GOD appointed for him, Do[•] this, and live: But Adam performed not the condition of that Couenant, and therefore now there is another Couenant, that is, the Couenant of Grace, a Board given us against Ship-wracke. Now this Couenant of Grace is double:

Either absolute and peculiar;

Or conditionall.

Absolute, and peculiar onely to the Elect; so it is expressed, Ier. 31.I will put my Lawe into your inward parts, and write it in your hearts, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. So likewise, in Ezek. 36.I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit within you, and I will take your stonie hearts out of your bodies. Heere the Couenant is expressed absolutely, and this is proper onely to the Elect.

But now beside this, there is a conditionall Couenant of Grace, which is common to all; and that is expressed in these termes, Christ has prouided a righteousnesse and salvation, that is his worke that he has done already; Now if you will believe, and take him upon those termes that he is offered, you shall bee saved: This, I say, belongs to all men, This you have thus expressed in the Gospel in many places,If you believe, you shall be saved, as it is, Mark. 16. Goe and preach the Gospel to every creature under Heaven; he that will believe shall be saved, he that will not believe shall bee damned. It is the same with that Rom. 4:5.To him which works not, but beleeueth in him which iustifieth the ungodly, his faith is accounted righteousnesse, Marke it: To him that beleeueth on him that iustifieth the ungodly, that is, there is a certaine iustice or righteousnesse that CHRIST has prepared or purchased for men, though they be ungodly, he requires nothing of them before-hand, though they be wicked and ungodly, yet this righteousnesse is prepared for them; that which is required of them, is onely that they take it. Now he that will believe GOD that he has prepared this for him, and will receive it, it is enough to make him a righteous man in GODS acceptation; so that this is the onely way now by which men shall be saved. The worke is already done on Christs part, there is a righteousnesse that GOD has prepared, which is therefore called the righteousnesse of GOD; and there is nothing precedently required or looked for on our part, but taking and applying of it.

But, you will say, Is there nothing else required of us? Must GOD doe all, and must we doe nothing but onely take that righteousnesse that is prepared for us?

I answer, it is true indeed, we must lead a holy life, a religious, sober, and righteous life, for, for this end has the grace of God appeared, says the Apostle: yet you must know withall, that we cannot worke in our selues this holinesse, this religious and sober conuersation, that must be Gods worke altogether, we are onely to take this righteousnesse, and the other is but a consequent that followeth upon it. To illustrate this to you by a similitude; A Wheele or a Bowle runneth, not that it may be made round, that is the businesse of the workeman, who makes it round, that it may runne: So it is in this case, GOD does not looke that we should bring holines and piety with us, for we have it not to bring: we are at the first onely to believe and accept this righteousnesse that is offered us; when that is done, it is Gods part to frame us, and to fit and fashion us for a holy life: such a kinde of speech you have it expressed in, Eph. 2:10.We are Gods workmanship, fashioned in Christ Jesus to walke in good workes, which he has ordained, &c. Marke it: it is not an action of our own, but GOD is the workeman, we are the materials, as the clay, and the wood, that he takes into his hands; when we have but taken this righteousnesse that is offered, it is Gods worke to cast us into a new Mould, to give us a new heart, and to frame a new spirit within us, that so we may walke in good workes before him: this is the great mystery of godlinesse: for we have much adoe to persuade men to believe that the righteousnesse prepared by CHRIST should be offered to them, and nothing be required but receiving of it: this will not sinke into the hearts of men by nature, they think they must doe something precedently, or else this righteousnesse is not offered them. But, my beloved, we must learne to belieue this, and know that it is the worke of GOD to sanctifie us after he has justified us. I confesse, it is not so in other things, there is still some action of our own required to gaine this or that habit or ability, as you see in naturall things, there are some kinde of habits that we get by some precedent actions of our own, as the learning of Arts and Sciences, to learne to write well, &c. here there is some action of our own required to fit us for it, and then we get the ability to doe it.

But besides these, there are other habits, that are planted by nature in us, as, an ability to hear, to see, to taste, &c. Now for these, we neede not any action of our own for the attaining of them, because they are planted in us by nature: So it is in these things that belong to salvation: It is true indeed, we may get habits of morall Vertues by labour and paines of our own, there are actions of our own required to them; and in that the Philosopher said right, that we learne to be temperate, and sober, and chaste, &c. But now for the Graces of the Spirit there it is not so, those habits that nature has planted in us, we exercise them naturally, without doing any action of our own to attaine them; as we doe not by seeing oft learne to see, but it is a faculty naturally planted in us: so it is in all the workes that we must doe, which are the way to salvation, GOD workes them in us, he infuseth those habits into us. Therefore this conclusion is good, that it is faith alone, by which this righteousnesse is made ours to salvation.

This is euident by the Apostle, Gal. 2. vlt. Says he, it is not by the Law, If righteousnesse had beene by the workes of the Law, then Christ had dyed without a cause. As if he should have said, salvation must needes be by one of these two.

Either by something that we doe our selues, some actions that we our selues have wrought, or else it must be meerely by faith. Now if it had beene attainable by any worke of our own, CHRIST dyed without a cause: as if he should say, CHRIST could have given you ability to doe those workes without his dying; but for this very cause Christ came into the World, and dyed, that he might worke righteousnesse, and make satisfaction to God: so that you have nothing to doe for the first attaining of it, but to receive it by faith.

And if you would know the reason, why GOD, that might have found out many other wayes to leade men to salvation, yet has chosen this way above all others to save men, only by faith, receiving the righteousnesse of CHRIST, which he has wrought for us; you shall finde these foure reasons for it in the Scriptures. Two of them are set downe, Rom. 4:16. Therefore it is by faith, that it might come by grace. Marke it: This is one reason why GOD will have it by faith, that it might be of grace: For if any thing had beene wrought by us, (as he says in the beginning of the Chapter) it must have beene given as wages, and so it had beene received by debt, and not by fauour; but this was Gods end in it to make known the exceeding length and breadth of his love, and how unsearchable the riches of Christ are: his end was to have his Grace magnified. Now if there had beene any action of ours required, but meerely the receiving of it by faith, it had not bin meerely of grace; for faith empties a man, it takes a man quite off his own bottome; faith comes as an empty hand, and receiueth all from GOD, and gives all to GOD. Now that it might be acknowledged to be free, and to be altogether of grace; for this cause GOD would have salvation propounded to men, to be received by faith onely.

Secondly, as it is by faith, that it might come by grace, so also that it might be sure, that the promise might be sure; if it had been any other way, it had neuer beene sure: Put the case that GOD had put us upon the condition of obedience, and had given us grace and ability, as he did to Adam, yet the Law is strict, and the least fayling would have bred fears and doubts, and would have caused death. But now, when the righteousnesse that saueth us is wrought already by GOD, and offered to us by him, and offered freely, and that the ground of this offer is the sure Word of GOD, and it is not a conjecturall thing, now we may build infallibly upon it: for vnlesse faith have footing on the Word, we cannot say it is sure, all things else are mutable, and subject to change: therefore when GOD has once said it, we may firmely rest in it, and it is sure. And this is the second reason why it is onely by faith.

Thirdly, it is by faith, that it might bee to all the seede, not onely to those that are of the Law, but also to them which were strangers to the Law. If it had beene by the Law, then salvation had beene shut vp within the compasse of the Iewes; for the Gentiles were strangers to the Law of GOD, they were unclean men, shut out from the Commonwealth of Israel; but when it is now freely propounded in the Gospel, and nothing is required but onely faith to lay hold upon it, when there is no more looked for but believing, and receiving; hence it comes to be to all the seede: for Abraham himself, before he was circumcised, he was as a common man, the vaile was not then set vp; yet, even then, his faith was imputed to him for righteousnesse.

The last reason why it is of faith, is that no man might boast, that no flesh might rejoice in it selfe; for if it had beene by any other means, by any thing done in our selues, we had had cause to rejoice in our selues, but, for this cause, says the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1:30.Christ is made to us wisdome, righteousnesse, sanctification, and redemption, that he that rejoices might rejoice in the Lord. As if he had said, if GOD had given us a wisdom of our own, we had had cause to have reioyced in our selues; but we are darknesse, Eph. 4. there is nothing but foolishnesse and weaknesse in us, to the end that no flesh might rejoice in his presence.

Againe, if we had had grace put into our selues, (though it had beene but little) for which GOD might have accepted us, the flesh would have boasted; therefore his righteousnesse is made ours.

But, when this is done, yet, if after justification, it had beene in our power and ability to have performed the workes of sanctification by any power or strength of our own, we should yet have beene ready to boast thereof, Christ is made sanctification too, so that we are not able to think a good thought, we are not able to doe the least good thing without him: It is I (says the Lord) that does sanctifie you: It is I that does act every Grace; it is I that doe put your hearts into a good frame: Christ is made sanctification to us; so that take a holy man, after he is justified, it is CHRIST that sanctifieth him, and that carries him thorow his life in a holy and righteous conuersation, and all this is done that no flesh should rejoice in it selfe.

And yet one thing more is added by the Apostle; for if a man could rid himself out of misery, if a man could helpe himself when he is under any crosse or trouble, he would then be ready to boast in himself: therefore, says he Christ is made to us redemption also: so that take any evil, though it be but a small evil, a small disease, a little trouble, no man is able to helpe himself, in this case, it is Christ that redeemes us from the least euils, as well as from hell it selfe: For you must know, that all the miseries that befall us in the World, they are but so many degrees, so many descents and steps towards hell; now all the redemption that we have, it is from CHRIST; so that let us looke into our lives, and see what euils we have escaped, and see what troubles we have gone thorow, see what afflictions we have beene delivered from, it is all through CHRIST, who is made redemption for us.

It is true indeed, there are some generall workes of GODS prouidence, that all men taste of; but there is no evil that the Saints are freed from, but it is purchased by the Blood of CHRIST; and all this GOD has done, that no flesh might rejoice in it selfe: and for this cause, salvation is propounded to be received onely by faith, there is no more required at our hands, but the taking of Christ by faith; and when we have taken him, then he is all this to us.

So that now you see the point cleared, and the reasons why it is by faith onely, that the righteousnesse of CHRIST is made ours to salvation.

Now, in the next place, If to this that we have said, we adde but one thing more to cleere the point, we shall then have done enough to satisfie you in this point; and that is this, to show you what this faith is: for, when we speake so much of faith (as we doe,) every man will be inquisitiue to know what this faith is: therefore we will endeuour to doe that at this time.

First, Faith, if we should take it in the generall, it is nothing else but this: An act of the understanding, assenting to something.

But now this assent is of three sorts.

First, there is such an assent to a truth, as that a man is in a great fear lest the contrary should be true; and this we call opinion, when we so assent to any proposition, as that that which is contrary, may be true, for ought we know.

There is a second kind of assent, which is sure, but it is grounded upon reasons and arguments; and that we call Science or knowledge: that is, when we are sure of the thing we assent to, we make no doubt of it; but we are led to it by the force of reason.

Againe, there is a third kinde of assent, which is a sure assent too, but we are led to it by the authority of him that affirmeth it: and this is that which is properly called Faith: So that a generall definition of Faith is this:

It is (nothing else but) a firme assent given to the things contained in the holy Scriptures, for the authority of God that spoke them.

This is properly Faith, or believing, if we take the word in the generall.

But if we speake of iustifying Faith, we shall finde that that is not commonly expressed in the word believing only, but believing in Christ, which is another thing; and therefore you shall finde that it differeth in two things from this common and generall faith.

First, in regard of the object, and indeed that is the maine difference: for whereas the other faith lookes upon the whole Booke of GOD, and beleeues all that GOD has revealed, because GOD has revealed it; This iustifying Faith pitcheth upon CHRIST, and takes him, with his benefits and priuiledges: so that the difference lyeth not in the habit of Faith, but in the object; for with the same faith that we believe other things, we believe this; as with the same hand that a man takes other Writings with, he takes a Pardon; with the same eyes that the Israelites see other things, they looked upon the brazen Serpent, the difference was not in the faculty, but in the object upon which they looked, by which they were healed; so it is in this, betweene this [•]aith and the other, they differ not in the habit, but in the object.

There is a second difference, which is a maine difference too; the other faith does no more but believe the truth that is revealed, it beleeueth that all is true that is contained in the Scriptures, and the Deuils may have this faith, and wicked men may have it; but iustifying faith goes further, it takes CHRIST, and receives him, so that there is an act of the Will added to that faith, as it is expressed, Heb. 11:13.They saw the promises afarre off, and embraced them thankfully: Others (it may be) see the promises, and believe them, but they take them not, they doe not embrace them. So that if I should define iustifying Faith to you, it may bee thus described:

It is a Grace or a habit infused into the soul by the Holy Ghost,by which we are enabled to believe, not onely that the Messias is offered to us, but also to take and receive him as a Lord and Sauiour.

That is, both to be saved by him, and to obey him (Marke it) I put them together, to take him as a Lord, and as a Sauiour: for you shall find that in the ordinary phrase of Scripture these two are put together, Jesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour. Therefore we must take heede of disjoyning those that GOD has joyned together, we must take CHRIST aswell for a Lord as a Sauiour, let a man doe this, and he may be assured that his faith is a iustifying faith. Therefore marke it diligently, if a man will take CHRIST as a Sauiour onely, that will not serve the turne, CHRIST giueth not himself to any upon that condition, only to save him, but we must take him as a Lord too, to be subject to him, to obey him, and to square our actions according to his will in every thing. For he is not onely a Sauiour, but also a Lord, and he will be a Sauiour to none but those to whom he is a Master. His servants you are to whom you obey, says the Apostle. If you will obey him, and be subject to him in all things, if you make him your Lord, that he may have the command ouer you, and that you will be subject to him in every thing, if you take him upon these conditions, you shall have him as a Sauiour also: For, as he is a Priest, so you must know that he is a King that sits upon the Throne of Dauid, and rules those that are to be saved by him: Therefore, I say, you must not onely take him as a Priest, to intercede for you, to petition for you, but to be your King also; you must suffer him to rule you in all things, you must be content to obey all his Commandements. It is not enough to take CHRIST as a head, onely to receive influence and comfort from him, but you must take him also as a head to be ruled by him, as the members are ruled by the head; you must not take one benefit alone of the members, to receive influence from the head, but you must be content also to bee guided by him in all things, else you take him in vaine.

Againe, this must be marked, that I say, you must take or receive him: you must not onely believe that he is the Messias, and that he is offered, but there is a taking and receiving that is necessary to make you partakers of that that is offered: those words John 3. make it plaine; God so loved the World, that he GAVE his onely begotten Sonne, &c. Giving is but a Relatiue, it implyes that there is a receiving or taking required: For when CHRIST is given, vnlesse he be taken by us, he does us no good, he is not made ours. If a man be willing to give another any thing, vnlesse he take it, it is not his. It is true indeed, there is a sufficiency in CHRIST to save all men, and he is that great Physician that heales the souls of men, there is righteousnesse enough in him to justify all the World: But, my beloved, vnlesse we take him, and apply him to our selues, we can have no part in that righteousnesse: this is plainely expressed in Matth. 22. where it is said, the King sent foorth his servants to bid men to the Marriage of his Sonne: And so in Eth. 5. the same similitude and comparison is vsed by the Apostle, where he setteth foorth the vnion that is betweene Christ and the Church, by that vnion there is betweene the Husband and the Wife: put the case that a Husband should offer himself to a woman to marry her, and she shou[•]d believe it, yet vnlesse there be a taking of him on her part, the match is not made; and so it is [•]ere, and in this thing the essence of faith consists, when CHRIST offereth himself to you, you must believe that there is such a thing, and that God intendeth it really, but it is the taking that consummates the marriage; and when the Wife has taken the Husband, then all that is his is hers, she has an interest in all his goods: so also it is here, there must be a believing that Christ is offered, that he is the Messias and that there is a righteousnes in him to save us; but that is not enough, we must also take him, and when that is done, we are justified, then we are at peace with GOD.

But that you may more fully understand what this faith is, I will adde these 4. things more.

First, I will show you the obiect of this faith. Secondly, the subject or place where it is. Thirdly, the manner how it iustifieth us. Fourthly, the actions of it.

I say, that you may more fully understand what this faith is, consider first the object of it, and that is CHRIST, (as I told you before) and herein this is to be marked, that a man must first take Christ himself, and after, the priuiledges that come by him. And this point I could wish were more prest by our Divines, and that our hearers would more intend it. I say, first remember that you must first take CHRIST himself, and then other things that we have by him, as the Apostle says, Rom 8. If God have given us him, that is Christ, he wil[•] with him give us all things else: but first have CHRIST himself, and then all things with him. And so, 2 Cor. 1.All the promises IN HIM are Indeed and Amen. That is, first we must have CHRIST, and then looke to the promises; this must be still remembred, that we must first take his person, we must have our eyes fixed upon that: And so that place before-named, Ioh. 3.God so loved the World, that he gave his onely begotten Sonne: he gives his Sonne, as a Father gives his Sonne in marriage; the Father gives the Sonne, and the Sonne himself must bee taken: So that we must first take CHRIST, we must fixe our eyes upon him: For faith does not leape ouer CHRIST, and pitch upon the promises of Justification, and Adoption, but it first takes CHRIST. The distinct and cleere understand[•]ning of this will helpe us much in apprehending and understanding aright what iustifying faith is: we must remember to take CHRIST himself; for it is an adulterous affection for a Wife not to think of the person of her Husband, but to think onely what commodity she shall have by him, what honours, what riches, what conueniences, as if that made the match, to be content onely to take those; will this, think you, make a match among men? Surely no, there must be a fixing of the eyes upon the person, that must doe it: Doe you love him? are you content to forsake all, that you may enjoy him? It is true indeed, you shall have all this into the bargaine, but first you must have the person of your Husband: therefore remember to fixe your eyes upon Christ, take him for your Husband, consider his beauty and his excellencies, (which indeed are motiues to us) as a Woman that takes a Husband, is encouraged by the benefits that she shall have by him: but still remember that he himself must bee taken. As it is in other things, if you would have light, you must first have the Sunne; if you would have strength, you must first take meate and drinke, before you can have that benefit by it: so you must first have Christ himself, before you can partake of those benefits by him: and that I take to be the meaning of that in Mar. 16. Go preach the Gospel to every creature under heaven;he that beleeues and is baptized, shall be saved: that is, he that will believe that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, and that he is offered to mankinde for a Sauiour, and will be baptized, that will give vp himself to him, that will take his marke upon him: for in that place, by baptizing, is meant nothing else but the giving vp of a mans selfe to CHRIST, and making a public testimony of it, although there bee somthing more meant generally by baptizing; but heere it is meant, a justification to all the world, that we have taken CHRIST. Now every one that will believe and be baptized, that is, every one that will doe this, shall bee saved: so that a man must first take CHRIST himself, and then he may doe as the Wife, after she has her Husband, she may think of all the benefits she has by him, and may take them, and vse them as her own. This is the first thing.

The second thing that I promised, was to show you the subject of faith, and that is the whole heart of man; that is to say, (to name it distinctly) both the minde, and the will: Now to show you that both these are the subject of faith, you must know that these two things are required:

First, on the part of the understanding, it is required that it believe; that is, that it conceiue and apprehend what GOD has revealed in the Scriptures; and here an act of GOD must come in, putting a light into the understanding: for, my beloved, Faith is but an addition of a new light to reason, that whereas reason is purblinde, faith comes, and gives a new light, and makes us see the things revealed by GOD, which reason cannot doe; by faith we apprehend these great and glorious Mysteries, which otherwise we could not apprehend, as we see it expressed in 2 Cor. 4.The god of this World has blinded their eyes, that the light should not shine into their hearts, by which they should believe this glorious Gospel. So then there must be a light put into the minde, that a man may be able by that to eleuate and raise his reason to believe this: that is, to conceiue and to apprehend the things that are offered and tendered in the Gospel.

But this is not all, there is an act also of the will required, which is to take and receive Christ: for this taking is an act of the will; therefore there must be a consent as well as an assent. Now it is the act of the understanding to assent to the truth, which is contained in the promises in which Christ is offered: but that is not all, there is also an act of will requisite to consent to them, that is, to embrace them, to take them, and to lay hold upon them, and to apply them to a mans selfe. This I will the rather cleere, because it is a thing controuerted. I say, there is a double act, an act of the mind, and an act of the will: to this purpose consider that in Rom. 5 17.For if by the offense of one, death reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace, and the gift of righteousnesse, shall reigne in life by one, Jesus Christ. Marke it, you may see what faith is in those words; Those that receive the gift of righteousnesse: righteousnesse is given and offered by God, and those that receive that gift of righteousnesse, shall reigne in life: so that taking and receiving being an act of the will, it must needs be that the will must come in to this worke as well as the understanding. Like to this is that 1 Ioh. 12.To as many as received him, &c. That is, to as many as beleeued in his Name: for so the words afterwards express; that is, when we are willing to take Christ, which is nothing else but the consent of the will, when the will is resolued to take him, being so apprehended as he has beene described, as a Lord, and as a Sauiour, this is faith; this, I say, is an act of the will, because it is an act of receiving. Io[•]. 5:44 it is euident, How can y[•] believe which receive honor one of another &c? If believing in Christ were only an act of the mind, as the Papists affirme, and some others besides; it believing were nothing else but an assenting to the truth of GOD, which is an act of the understanding, how could the praise of men be opposite to believing? But the meaning is, How can you believe, & take me for your Husband, and yet seek praise of men too? for that will come in competition with me, and then you will forsake me. I say, this makes it euident, that iusti[•]ying faith is not onely an act of the mind, but an act of the will also; because otherwise the seeking praise with men, could be no impediment to the act of believing.

Now this also, aswell as the former, must be wrought by God and God puts a new light into the understanding, he raiseth it vp to see and believe these truths; so there is another act which GOD also workes on the will, and vnlesse he worke it, it is not done: for come to any man that is in the state of nature, and aske him, Will you be content to take Christ? that is to say, to receive him in that manner as he has beene described? His answer would bee, No. Beloved, the lives of men express it, though they speake it not in so many words: Therefore till GOD come and drawe a man, and change his will the worke is not done. If you take a Bough, and offer it to a Swine or a Wolfe, they will refuse it, and trample it under their feete; but offer it to a Sheepe, and the Sheepe receives it, and followes it: so when Christ is offered to men upon these conditions that we have named, men refuse him, they reject him, and slight him: but when GOD takes away these woluish and swinish hearts of ours, and turne our wils another way, (which is the drawing the Scripture speakes of) then we are willing to take Christ. If you take other metall then Iron, the Loadstone will not stirre it; but turne the metall into Iron, and it will follow the Load-stone: So, let the hearts of men continue in that condition in which they are by nature, and they will neuer take CHRIST, they will neuer accept him; but when GOD puts into them such a strong and impetuous instigation and disposition as that of the Spouze in the Canticles, that had no rest till she had found her Beloved, then they will take CHRIST upon his own conditions. So the we see this Faith is an action both of the minde and the will, wrought by GOD, enlightning the mind, and changing the will; which is that which our Sauiour Christ cals drawing; none comes to me vnlesse the Father draw him: that is, except his will be set on worke, vnlesse GOD change him, and put such a disposition and instigation into him, that he can finde no rest till he come to Christ.

Thirdly, the thing we are to speake of, is, How this Faith iustifieth.

Now for this, know that this faith is considered two wayes; eyther As it workes, or, As it receives:

Either as a quality, or as an instrument.

As a quality it workes; and in this sense it has nothing to doe with Justification.

It iustifieth us as it is an instrument, and that not by altering the nature of sinne; that is, by making sinne to be no sinne, but by taking away the efficacy of sinne. As, for example, when a man has committed sinnes, Faith does not make his sinnes to be no sinnes; indeed, it scattereth them as a Cloud: You may consider it after this manner: First, it cannot be that that sinne that is once committed, should be made to be no sinne; for what is once done, it cannot be vndone, GOD himself cannot doe that, because it is a thing that cannot be; for when the sinnes are committed, they doe remaine so: and therefore, I say, it cannot be that that which is sinne should be made to be no sinne; we cannot make Adultery to be no adultery, for the nature and essence of the thing must remaine. Well now what does faith? It does this, though the sin be the same that it was, yet it takes away the sting and the guilt of sinne, by which it puts us into the state of condemnation, and by which it bindes us ouer to punishment. As the Lions to which Daniel was cast, they were the same as they were before, they had the same propensenesse, and disposition to deuoure as they had before, they had the ordinary nature of Lions; but at that time, GOD tooke away from them that fiercenesse that was in them, so that they did not deuoure him, though they were there still: so it is with sinne, the nature of sinne is to condemne us▪ but now when GOD shall take away this efficacie from it, it does not condemne: and this is that that faith does.

Even as the Viper that was upon Pauls hand, though the nature of it was to kill presently, yet when GOD had charmed it, you see it hurt him not: so it is with sinne, though it be in us, and though it hang upon us, yet the venome of it is taken away, it hurts us not, it condemnes us not: thus faith, by taking away the efficacie and power of sinne, it iustifies us, as an instrument, as a hand that takes the Pardon.

The King, when he pardoneth a Traytor, he does not make his Treason to be no Treason, for the act of the Treason remaines still; but the taking of the Pardon makes the Traytor not to be under condemnation: So, my belo[•]ed, faith is that act that takes the Pardon from GOD, so that though the sinne remaine the same, and of its own nature is of power to binde us ouer to death, yet by this faith taking the Pardon from GOD, it comes to passe that it hurts us not, we are not condemned for it.

You know, debts in a mans booke, the writing remaines still, the lines are not blotted out, yet when they are once crossed, the creditour cannot come and aske his debt any more, because it is crossed: So it is in this, our sinnes are the same after we are justified, as they were before; but faith is that that crosseth the booke; faith, I say, by apprehending the Pardon, and taking the acquittance at Gods hands that he offers.

I[•] a man have anacquittance, although the debt remaine the same in the Booke, yet there can no more be required at the hands of him that has taken the acquittance.

Thus, I say, faith iustifies us as an instrument, by accepting, receiving, and taking the acquittance that GOD has given to us through Christ.

Let me adde one word more of the next thing: which is, What are the acts of this faith?

They are these three: First, To reconcile, or to justify. Secondly, To pacifie the heart. Thirdly, To purifie, or sanctifie.

The first thing that Faith does, is to reconcile: That is, (as I said before) by faith we are pitched upon CHRIST; we take him first, and then we take the priuiledges, they all follow upon it, forgiuenesse, and adoption; this is the first act of Faith, to reconcile us to CHRIST himself; and upon this we have boldnesse to goe to CHRIST for forgiuenesse, to goe to CHRIST to make us heyres of all things: For after this manner faith does it; All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollo, &c. And why? Because you are CHRIST'S. (Marke it,) you must first bee CHRIST'S: that is, even as the Wife is the Husband's, so you must be knit and vnited to CHRIST, and then all things are yours: so that Faith first makes us Christ's, it reconciles us to him, and makes us one with him, and in him, one with GOD the Father; and then all things are given to us, and made ours.

The second act of faith is to quiet and pacifie the heart; to comfort us, in assuring us that our sinnes and transgressions are forgiuen; and this is different from the former: There are two acts of faith:

The one is the direct act by which we apprehend and take CHRIST, and the righteousnesse that is offered through him, by which we take forgiuenesse.

And the second is the reflect act by which we know that we have taken CHRIST, and have taken out our pardon; and this act is very different from the former, we may have the former without this.

We commonly think that we are not justified by CHRIST, vnlesse we have assurance of it; and when we looke for that, and finde it not presently, all our hopes are gone, but it should not be so; It is one act of Faith to take CHRIST, and another act of faith to comfort and pacifie the heart; and that these are two distinct things, consider but this in a word.

The first act is constant, when a man has once taken and accepted of CHRIST, he is alwaies his; after we once have CHRIST, there is no diuorse: But the other act of assurance, by which we know that we have taken him, that is a thing that may faile and deceiue a man.

Againe, the first act admits of no degrees; for when a man is once in CHRIST, he is alwaies CHRIST'S, when he is once married to him: Marriage, you know, admits of no degrees; so Justification is equall to every man, it admits of no degrees, it is alwaies the same; we are not now lesse justified▪ and then more, but we are alway alike justified, being once justified: but the other act of faith, by which I am assured that I have taken CHRIST, that admits of degrees, a man may have sometimes more comfort, sometimes lesse; and therefore righteousnes is said heere to be revealed from faith to faith.

Lastly, the first act of faith, by which we take CHRIST, and those priuiledges by him, as the Wife takes the Husband, that is founded upon the sure Word of GOD, GOD has tendered it to us upon his Word and promise, and he must performe it, it cannot be altered nor changed; he that builds upon it, builds upon the corner-stone, that will not faile him: But now the second act, by which I come to know that I have done this, that is grounded upon experience: Indeed, we are helped by the Holy Ghost to know it, but it is chiefly grounded upon our own experience: for it is no more but the act of a mans own heart, reflecting upon what he has done, when he considers, Have I taken CHRIST, or no? as a Lord, and as a Sauiour▪ as a Priest, to save me; as a King, to live by his Lawes; this is a looking upon an act of mine own, therefore the understanding and knowing of it must come from experience.

The last act of faith is to purifie, and to sanctifie. I cannot stand upon it at this time, nor make Vse, and apply this as I desired: therefore I will breake off heere. So much for this time.

FINIS.