Of Effectual Faith — Sermon 1

_1. THESS. 1:3._Remembring your effectuall Faith, &c.

IN the former Verses, the Apostle setteth down this generall, We give thankes alwaies for you, making mention of you in our prayers, without ceasing. First, he tells them that he prayes for them; and then he tells them more particularly, that his prayer was a thanksgiuing. And this giving of thanks for them, he expresseth by the continuance of it, he did it constantly, without ceasing, (not by fits) making mention of you in my prayers. Then he names the particulars for which he gives thankes, namely these three: For theirEffectuall Faith, Diligent Love, Patient hope.

Now these three Graces he describeth and setteth forth three wayes:

First, from a certaine property or character which distinguisheth the true faith from the false faith, the true love from the false love, the true hope from false hope. I give not thankes for every faith, but for such a faith as is effectuall, (that is the property or character by which the truth of faith is discerned.) Againe, not for every love, but for such a love as is laborious, (for so the word signifies.) Thirdly, not for every hope, but for such a hope as makes you patient; that is the character by which to know hope. And this is the first way by which he describeth these Graces.

Secondly, he describeth them from the object upon which these Graces are pitched, and that is Jesus Christ our Lord, that is to say, I give thankes for the faith you have in Christ, for the love you have towards him, for the hope you have of what he will doe for you: I give thankes for that faith, for that love, for that hope, that has Christ for the object of it.

Thirdly, he describeth these graces from the sincerity of them: I give thankes for all these graces that you have in the sight of God; that is to say, not in the sight of man onely; as if he should have said, many make a profession of faith, and goe for believers in GOD, and for louers of GOD, and men judge them so: but you have it in the sight of God: that is, not only in the sight of men, not only in your own fancie, apprehension, and opinion, but indeed, in good earnest, in sincerity.

Lastly, In the sight of God our Father: he describes GOD by this property, he is a Father. I need not say more for the opening of the words. We will come to that point for which we have chosen them, which is the first thing for which he gives thankes.

Remembering your effectuall Faith.

This point we will deliver to you out of them, that The Faith that saues us must be effectuall.

This Doctrine we have neede to adde to that which we formerly delivered: for hauing said so much of faith, that faith is that that saueth men, and that there is no more required of you, but to take the gift of righteousnesse, onely that you receive CHRIST, onely that you believe in God that iustifieth the ungodly; that is, that you onely accept o[•] that justification that God is ready to give to every man, be he neuer so ungodly. Now (when we hear so much of faith, and that there is nothing at all required of us, but a meere taking, left any man should bee deceiued, and run away with a false opinion, that if he have but a naked apprehension, and no more, he shall doe well enough,) I have chosen this Text, that you may know what kinde of faith it is that is required of us, namely eff[•]ctuall faith. The faith that saues us must be effectuall.

Now Saint Paul adding this word to it, (remembering your effectuall faith,) he gives us this intimation, that there is a faith which is not effectuall; there is a faith in the world, that goes for true faith, which, if it be examined, is not a faith that saues. We see, through the Scriptures, much mention made of a certaine faith which men had, which yet was not a saving faith: we see, many came and beleeued in our Sauiour,but he would not commit himself to them: for he knew what was in their hearts. Here was a faith to believe in him: in fact further, it was such a faith as had some effect too, (for it made them come to him) and yet, for all this, it was not such a faith as God accepts, it was not an effectuall faith.

So when John Baptist came, before Christ, there were many hundreds that came to him, and reioyced in his light, but it was not effectuall, but a counterfeit faith that they had, notwithstanding all that.

So there came many that were invited to the Wedding,so that the house was full; but yet every man had not a Wedding garment. There was a certaine faith which brought them to the House, but they had not true faith, they had not the Wedding garment; that is, they had not such a faith as could produce and bring forth in them a conjugall affection, which is the Wedding garment. So two of the foure grounds had faith, they brought foorth some fruite, that faith strengthned and enabled them to doe so much as they did; but yet it was not true faith, it was not the faith which the fourth ground had.

And not onely in the New Testament, but in the Old Testament also, there is often mention made of such a faith, and of such a trust in GOD, as enabled men to doe much, but it was not an vnfained trust, it was not effectuall, but as it is Ieremie 3:10.Treacherous Iudah has not turned to me with her whole heart, but feignedly, says the LORD. Therefore certainely, says the LORD, their turne of evil and misery shall come: they trusted in GOD, but not with their whole heart.

So likewise,Deut. 5:25 the people there desire Moses to goe and receive the Commandements from God for them, and whatsoeuer God should say to them, that they would doe: here was a faire profession; it is likely themselves thought it to bee sound and good, yet Moses tells them they were deceiued in it: Oh (says he) that this people had a heart to doe this indeed. So, we see, there is a faith that is not effectuall, and therefore we have the more need to looke to it, because there is so much false faith in the World. As, when you that are Tradesmen, doe hear that there are so many counterfeit Drugges, or so many counterfeit Colours, or whatsoeuer you deale in, you will looke the more to it; so we should looke the better to our faith in this regard. Therefore to open this point a little, we will doe these three things: First, I will show the cause why there is so much vneffectuall faith, why there is so much faith that is not sound and substantiall. Secondly, I will show in which the efficacy of faith consists, what it is for faith to be effectuall. Thirdly, I will show the reasons, why God will accept no other faith at our hands, why we cannot bee saved, vnlesse we have such a faith.

For the first, namely the causes of vneffectuall faith, the reasons why the faith of many is vneffectuall, that it workes not powerfully, that it is not substantiall, you shall finde them to be these fiue.

First, the vanity or vneffectualnesse of faith ariseth upon our taking of CHRIST upon mis-information, when we know not who it is that we take, when there is an errour in the person we take, when we understand not aright what we doe. Many doe as the yong man that came running to CHRIST, he came hastily, he made account to bee his follower, but CHRIST tells him that he might mistake him, and therefore he lets him know what it was to follow him, what a Master he had betaken himself to: says he,if you wilt be my servant, goe sell all that you have. As if he should have said; Mistake me not, if you wilt be mine, you must be mine altogether, you must take vp your Crosse, you must part with any thing. Now, if the yong man had gone away with this mistake, that he had not understood CHRIST, he had become a Disciple of CHRIST, as well as others, but it had beene upon a mistake.

And so likewise that Scribe, to whom CHRIST said, The Sonne of Man has not on which to lay his head. As if he should have said, It may be you lookest for ease, for Bed and Boord with me, you lookest for a pleasant life, but it will not be so; I leade not a pleasant life my selfe, I have not on which to lay my head; I am not in so good a condition as many Fowles are, as many Beasts are, I have not a nest, I have not a denne; that is, I have not that which should bee in steade of these to me, and therefore know what you doest before you betake your selfe to my service. Now men, not considering this, they put themselves upon Christ, they take upon them the profession of his Name, before they enter into a serious consideration, and this is it that causes faith to be vneffectuall: as one speaking of false fortitude, names this for one among the rest; Many (says he) are valiant for want of experience: that is, they know not what the wars are, they know not what hardnesse they must endure, and therefore when they come to feele it, when they come to see what paines they must take, and what they must endure, they shrinke: so it is in this; many men enter upon the profession of Christianity, upon that warfare, (for so our profession is called) I say, many enter upon it out of mistake; they understand not what it is, they have not experience of it, they know not how many will come against them, they know not that the force of their enemies is so great, they know not that they have so many thousands to meet them; therefore they vndertake the businesse, they goe about the enterprize, and it comes to naught, because they considered not what they did. Therefore, says Christ, let him that builds a House, set downe before what it will cost. That is to say, if a man consider not what CHRIST lookes for at his hands, if he consider not before-hand, that, if he will be Christs, he must cr[•]cifie the flesh, with the affections thereof, that he must denie himself in those things that are dearest to him, he must be content to be hated of all men, this is a thing that will goe hard. This is that, that a man can hardly indure to be scoffed at, to have euerie man his enemie, to part with all his friends, to live a despised man, to suffer persecution, that the end of one persecution shou[•]d be the beginning of another, and the end of one suffering the beginning of another.

Againe, for a man to have his inward lusts and desires so mortified, and so crucified, and so restrained, to bee so strait-laced in every thing, I say, because men consider not this, what it is to take this profession on them, when the time comes, what doe they? They goe backe againe. Hence it is, that many, out of flashes, and in good moodes, will be ready to embrace Religion; but we see by experience, how soone there is an end of it. As the people, when Christ came to Ierusalem, how ready were they to receive him, with blessed is he that comes in the Name of the Lord, and Hosanna, &c? but how soone were they gone againe? so many yong commers on, in this Citie, and many, even of our profession, in the beginning of their time, are ready to take upon them the profession of Christ; but afterwards, when they come to see what must be done, whē they see that Christ and the world cannot stand together, that Christ & pleasures cannot stand, but they must be content to go another course, then they go back, and their faith proues vneffectuall: this, I say, is the first cause, when men are not throughly informed what they doe.

A second cause of the vneffectualnesse of faith is, when men take Christ out of fear, when they are in some present distresse, and would have ease, and upon this they take Christ, not because of any true love to him, but because they would be delivered out of that present exigent which they are in; and this is as vsuall as the other. How many are there, that, when God affrights them a little with the terrors of the Law, when their consciences are troubled, when then begin to apprehend Hell▪ so long as they are in such a condition, they are willing to take Christ: but as soone as these stormes are ouer, and their hearts are at peace againe, when their consciences returne to some quiet, and when there is an end of those terrors, then there is an end of their religion, and of their faith, so that their faith proues ineffectuall. So, many men, when they are in some great calamity; as, you know, Pharoah, when he was in the present strait, then he would doe any thing: so many men under great crosses, afflictions, aud disgraces in the World, then they will bee religious, but let them have peace and prosperity, let them abound in all things againe, and they will forget GOD. Such Isay complaines of, Isay 58.they hang downe their heads for a day: That is, when the storme is on them, when they have some affliction, for such a time, they will doe any thing; there is nothing more vsuall then this. When men come to have sicknesse, and to apprehend death, what will not a man doe for his salvation at such a time? and therefore you finde by experience, that few of those that make such promises in their sicknesses, when they apprehend death, doe keepe them afterward: for they come from fear, and therefore they last not.

Take any man, the most ambitious man in the world, when he comes to dye, the praise of men is then nothing to him, then he will part with any thing. Take a couetous man, to save his life, what will not he doe? A Merchant that loues his goods neuer so well, yet when the Ship is ready to sinke, he will cast them out, he is willing to lose them, rather then to lose his life: So when a man comes to such an exigent, when he comes to stand in the gate of destruction, as it were, when he sees Heaven and Hell before him, he is ready to doe any thing then, not because indeed he loues Christ, or is willing to take him, but to save himself; as the foolish Virgins, when the Gate was shut, then they cry, Lord, Lord, open to us: They would faine have had Christ then, not out of love to Christ; for then they would have taken him before: It was not out of any love to the Bridegroome, but out of fear, and fence of their own misery that they had when they were shut out, and that made them cry, Lord, Lord, open to us. And this is the second cause that makes the faith of men to be vneffectuall, when they take Christ out of fear.

The third cause is, when men take Christ, not out of love to his person, but out of love to those commodities and aduantages they shall have by him, when they looke not upon him, when they fix not their eyes upon his person, and the beauty that is in him: but they looke upon the Kingdom, they looke upon the wealth they shall have, they looke to what they shall get by him. This faith proues vneffectuall; because when other commodities are presented, that are present, and sensible, and in their apprehension greater then these, then they let Christ goe againe. Men doe in this case, as those that marry for wealth; if that be their end, when they have gotten the wealth that they would have, when they have that which they desire, they care for their Wiues no longer: so in this case; when men looke at nothing but simply at heaven, disjoyned from Christ; or, when they looke at some other aduantages, when they looke at an earthly Kingdom, (as many of the Disciples did) when they looke for great matters by Christ in this world, when they finde it quite otherwise, when they lose in the world, and all that they have is in hope, it is in things spirituall, that are not seene with the eye, things that are not sensible, then they are ready to slip from Christ againe. So it is vsually among us, many take Christ for aduantages, as Christ tells them plainely, Ioh. 6. (says he) you seek me, not for the Miracles which I did, but for the loaues: That is to say, not out of love to the worke, not because you judge aright of the things of the spirit, not because you love grace, but because you love some aduantage that you have by religion, some profit that it brings you for the present, and because you would be freed from Hell for the future; such things as carnall men may see, and be affected with: but this will not hold out.

The manner of these men is to seek mercie and not grace. If they can be but assured that it shall goe well with them, that they shall be freed from the fears they might have of Hell, that they may have some hope of being in a better condition, this is that they looke for: but as for grace, for repayring the Image of GOD in their hearts, to be enabled to obey Christ in all things, this is a thing that they desire not, this is a thing they long not for: therefore the secret inquisition of their heart is, What good shall we get by it? They enquire not, what excellencie, and what beauty there is in CHRIST, what manner of one he is, that they may love him; but what good shall we get by him? what aduantage will it bee to us? Contrarie to that in Cant. 5:12. when the Spouse is there asked what the reason was that she followed her Beloved so much? and that she magnified him so much? She does not tell them, because I shall have such things by him, or he is thus wealthie, or I shall have this honor by matching with him; but marke her answer; My beloved is white and ruddy, the chief among tenne thousand, his head is as the most fine Gold, his lookes are blacke as a Rauen, his eyes are as the eyes of Doues by the riuers of waters, washed with milke and fitly set: and so she goes along in a holy delectaction; This is my beloved, oh you Daughters of Ierusalem. I say, so it is with those that take CHRIST in good earnest, that looke upon the excellencies of CHRIST, as he is considered in himself: not that the other is excluded: for we may looke at the aduantages, and commodities that we have by him, but not upon that alone; but, marke, in her answer she describeth what a one he was, and therefore she loved him. My Beloved is white and ruddy, the fairest of tenne thousand, such a one is my Beloved, therefore, Chap. 1. Vers. 2. she describes him to be such a one as he is; and (says she) therefore the Virgins love you: as if she had said, there is a Harlots love, that lookes only what they shall have by him: but none but Virgins, that is, those that have chaste and good affections, those that have holy and right affections, indeed the Virgins love you; but the others doe not: for they have adulterous and Harlot-like affections, (as we may call them, when a man lookes not to GOD himself, but to his own aduantage and profit.) And this is the third cause that makes faith prooue vneffectuall.

Fourthly, faith proues ineffectuall for want of preparation, and humiliation that should goe before it; because the heart is not circumcised, the heart is not broken yet, it is not emptyed of those things that it must be emptyed of before a man can take CHRIST, and therefore in Deut. 30:6. says Moses, The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts, and then you shall love him with all your soul, and with all your strength. As if he should have said, It is impossible you should cleaue to GOD, to love him indeed, to take him in good earnest, vnfeignedly, with all your hearts, except first your hearts be circumcised; therefore the Lord your God will circumcise your hearts; that is, he will humble you, he will breake your hearts, that your lusts shall be mortified in you; he will take away those strong, violent, those carnall and sinfull desires, that abounded in your hearts before, and when that is done, then you shall love the Lord in good earnest, not feignedly, but with all your hearts: Now, if a man come to take Christ before he be thus circumcised, he takes him in vaine, he takes him so, as that he cannot hold him, nor continue with him.

Now this circumcision is done by a certaine worke of preparation or humiliation, by which these strong lusts are broken in us: therefore, when men come to Christ, before the Law has beene a sufficient Schoolmaster to them, before it has indited them, before it have put them in prison, and told them that they must pay every farthing, (when a man comes to this, he sees that he cannot doe it, then he goes to Christ, and beseecheth him to pay his debt,) before the Lawe have done this, men care not for Christ, they take him negligently, and therefore they hold him not. And for this it was, that before Christ came into the World, he would make way before him: so, before he will come into a mans heart, the Mountaines must bee brought downe, the spirit of Elias must make way; that is, there must be a sharpe ministry to show men their sinnes, that they may bee throughly humbled, and prepared, or else they will neuer take Christ so as to keepe close to him.

A man must be brought to have a present apprehension of death, and of the wrath of GOD, and damnation, or else he will not lay hold on the Hornes of the Altar; as Ioab, when he saw that Salomon would slay him indeed, and take away his life, then he layes hold on the Hornes of the Altar, and would not let goe; so when a man sees present death, he will keepe close to Christ, and till this bee wrought, a man may take Christ, but his faith will be vneffectuall, because indeed, till a man be soundly humbled, he neuer accounts and reckons sinne to be the greatest evil; and till he doe that, he neuer accounts CHRIST to bee the greatest good, and if a man doe not reckon CHRIST to bee the chief good of all other, there will be somewhat propounded, which will bee esteemed before him, and when that comes, he lets goe CHRIST. But when there is a sound humiliation, which makes a man prize CHRIST above all other things, then faith proues effectuall; that is, a man holds out, he goes thorow with the worke, he cleaues so to Christ, as that he will not part with him: but for want of this, because mens hearts are not circumcised, because way is not made, because the Mountaines are not brought downe, because the Ministrie is not sharpe enough to prepare them, hence it is that their faith is vaine, and comes to nothing.

Fiftly and lastly, the faith of men proues ineffectuall, because it is not well grounded, they take to themselves a persuasion of the remission of their sinnes, upon an vncertaine ground; they are not built upon the Rock, they take CHRIST, but they are not well bottomed: for there is a certaine false persuasion, which is nothing else but a strong fancie, which makes a man to think that his sinnes are forgiuen, and that he is in a good estate: but when it comes to examination, he can give no sound reason for it. When men take CHRIST on this manner, when they are persuaded their sinnes are remitted, and yet have no good ground for this persuasion and peace, it holds not out, it continues not. Therefore to such as these Saint Paul speakes, Eph. 4:10.Bee not children (says he) in understanding, to bee carried about with every wind of doctrine. As if he had said, Indeed you are such as have embraced CHRIST, but you must not doe as children doe, that beeing not able to vse their own judgement, they see what other men doe, and they hear what they say: but, says he, you must learne to be men, that you may vse your own understanding, that you may see with your own eyes, or else you will bee like a Ship tossed and carried about with every wind. That is to say, it was a false persuasion that draue you to CHRIST, and another wind will driue you from him: therefore bee not children in understanding. So, I say, when you have a persuasion of the remission of your sinnes, of believing in Christ, be not children in understanding, see that it bee soundly grounded. That is a condition required by the Apostle, Colos. 1:23.CHRIST has reconciled us to GOD the Father, to be blamelesse, and without fault. But (says he) I must put in this condition, If you continue grounded, and stablished in the faith, that you bee not moved from the hope of the Gospel. As if he should have said, There is a certaine faith, by which you may take Christ, and so you may bee persuaded of reconciliation; but, says he, that will not doe, vnlesse you bee grounded and stablished in the faith. The word in the Originall signifies, Except you bee so built as a house is built upon a sure foundation, as a Tree that is soundly rooted, when you are so pitched upon Christ, that when new objects come, new temptations come, things that you neuer thought on, yet nothing can move you from the hope of the Gospel: If you be not grounded, you may take a hope to your selues of reconciliation, and of being without fault in the sight of GOD, but it will neuer hold out, vnlesse it be soundly grounded. Hence you see therefore, that if a man bee not well rooted, if he be not built upon the Rock, if this persuasion of the remission of his sinnes bee not well bottomed, that causes him not to hold out, but to fall off againe. Whereas it is required of us, that we keepe so close to God, in such a case our faith should be built on so sure a ground, that nothing in the World should move us, no not the most probable arguments that may bee brought in: as we see, Deut. 13. says Moses, If a Prophet, or a dreamer of dreames come, and give you signes and wonders, and the thing that he foretold come to passe, that you could not answer any thing, you can see no reason but that he should be a true Prophet, says he, God will put you to such trials, to prove you to see if you be soundly grounded. All that are saved, he will have them so fixed, he will have them take their salvation upon so good a ground, upon such infallibility, that whatsoeuer shall bee brought against them, they shall keepe them close to GOD. This is that that we should labour for, and for want of this, when men have a confused persuasion that their sinnes are forgiuen, and think it enough, if their hearts bee quiet, if they have rest in their consciences, that they be not troubled, and neuer examine what the grounds are: I say, for want of this it is, that in temptation they fall away; when other men come and preach other doctrines, then they are plucked away with the errour of the wicked, as Peter says, 2 Pet. 3:17.Bee not plucked away with the errour of the wicked, but grow in knowledge. As if he should have said, If you have but some persuasion, but some good opinion that Christ is yours, and that it is best for you to cleaue to him, this will not hold, you will bee plucked away with those errours that other men are plucked away with. This is the first thing which we have done with, to show the causes of the ineffectualnesse of faith.

In the next place, I am to declare to you what it is that makes faith effectuall, in which the effectualnesse of faith consists. In this we will show you 3. things.

First, in what sence it is called effectuall faith: for the very opening of this word which the Apostle vseth, will open a Window to us, it will open a creuice of light, to see into the nature of the thing it selfe.

Secondly; we will show you particularly and distinctly, in which this effectualnesse of faith consists.

Thirdly, we will show you how it is wrought, how this faith is made effectuall in us; and when we have done these three, you will fully understand what effectuall faith is.

First, for the opening of this very appellation, this name effectuall faith: you shall finde that a thing is said to bee effectuall in 4. respects.

First, we say a thing is effectuall, when it does its office, when it exerciseth that proper function that belongs to that quality, or that grace, or that gift, or that creature whatsoeuer it is; and when it does not that, then we say it is ineffectuall, when it does not the thing that we looke for from it. In this sence, faith is said to be effectuall, when it does the thing for which faith is, when it does the thing that God expects of faith, that is the proper function of faith: and what that is, you heard before; namely to take Christ: If faith take Christ, it is effectuall faith.

Now, for the opening of this a little further to you, to show you what this proper function of faith is. It is, when a man is so far peswaded of the truth of the Scriptures, of the truth of the promises, and does so far appropriate them to himself, that he is willing to take Christ, though there be some doubtings and wauerings in him, yet if there be so much faith as to doe the thing, this is properly effectuall faith, though it be not perfect faith: For you must know, that there is a doubting mingled with the best faith: Therefore when we say effectuall faith, we doe not meane that it is such a faith as is without doubtings, and without fears mingled with it: but, if it bee such a faith as does the thing it selfe, for which faith is appointed, it is properly said to be effectuall faith. It is a point necessary for you to understand; and if you compare this that we have said (concerning this description, of this first explication of effectuall faith) with that in Iam. 1:7, 8. we shall see what the meaning is. He speakes there of doubting, and tells you, that those that doubt, they are like a waue of the Sea, tossed to and fro, and in the end they vanish away. Says the Apostle, Let not such a man think to obtaine any thing at Gods hands: for he is a double-minded man, and is vnstable in all his wayes. The meaning is, that there is such a faith that makes a man doubt, when he knows not what he should doe, but is vnstable; as a waue of the Sea, that is tossed to and fro: he is sometimes going towards GOD, sometimes from him againe, and in the end he goes quite away. (Says he) such a man shall not receive any thing. Why? Because he is a double-minded man. Now, by a double-minded man, is not meant a man that has one thing in his face, and another in his heart, one that pretends one thing, and intends another, (though the word be somtimes so taken, yet in that place it is not so to be understood) but by a double-minded man this is meant, when the mind is diuided, between two objects, that it knowes not which to choose, but stands as one in Biuio, that has two wayes before him, and knowes not whether to goe this way, or that way; a man that is distracted in his own minde, he knowes not what to resolue on. Now when a mans faith comes to this, that he knowes not whether to take CHRIST, or the World; he doubts whether he should choose, GOD, or the World, there is an vncertainety in his minde, that it is diuided: sometimes he thinkes it is best, and sometimes he thinkes it not best, aliud stans, aliud sedens, when he thus wauers, this is not effectuall faith. But now, if a man goe beyond this, and pitch upon CHRIST resolutely, when he goes so farre, as that he resolues to take him, although he have many pluck-backs, although there bee many things that may disswade him from it, though there be some reluctancie in his mind, some fear whether it be the best way or no, yet if he pitch on CHRIST, he chooseth him rather then the World, though he have some inclination to the World still, though there be somewhat offensiue in his his heart, though, as I said, there bee some doubts, some fears whether it be the best way or no, yet if faith come so farre as to pitch on Christ, to choose him, to take him, this is properly effectuall faith. Indeed, it is farre from perfect faith, but it is effectuall faith, and such as shall save you. Therefore you shall finde this rule among the Schoole-men, (I name them, because they were Papists, and their doctrine of faith is contrarie to this) they say, it is not faith, except it be a full persuasion; they speake not there of resting on CHRIST, that is not the thing, but of the full persuasion of the truth of the thing to bee beleeued; yet notwithstanding, you shall finde this rule among some of the Schoolemen,Fides non excludit omnem dubitationem: faith does not exclude all doubting, but that doubting that ouercommeth, that doubting that casteth the ballance the contrary way: if it bee such a doubting as does not ouercome, it may stand with true and sound faith. So, I say, if you would know now, what it is to pitch on Christ, and so to take him, though there be some reluctancie, some doubt, some fear, you shall know it by this: if a man have so taken him, that still he is growing, still his faith is preuailing, still his faith is ouercomming those doubts and fears from day to day, he is better and better resolued; I say, though his faith be not perfect at the first, yet if it bee still thus on the growing hand, it is saving and effectuall faith. Whereas another man, that is not soundly rooted, that is diuided thus, he takes Christ, but it is not upon any good ground, but as the Weather-cocke stands such a way, while the wind blowes that way, not because the Weather-cocke is fixed, (for for when the wind turnes, the Weather-cocke turneth too:) so, such men cleaue to Christ, not because they have any good ground, but because they want temptations to a contrary way: let temptations from the World come, let there come reasons that they knew not before, let there come new objects, new allurements, which they knew not of before, they will forsake Christ againe, but when the heart is fixed, when there is an Anchor that holdes the soul though the ship wauer, when there is an anchor, to hold it fast though it be much tossed to and fro, though there be much doubting, you maist be sure it is true and effectuall faith.

This point you must marke; when I say it is effectuall it is no more but when it thus pitcheth on CHRIST, though there bee some doubting: It is so farre from being true that faith must bee without all doubting, that we may boldly say, it is not faith, except it have much doubting, vnlesse there bee some fears, vnlesse there bee some troubles within, that resist this faith, and striue against it; otherwise it is no faith: for certainely, there is no man that has perfect faith, especially at the first, or afterward eyther, so as to set his heart fully at peace, and then if it bee not perfect faith, if there be no doubting, there must be perfect flesh, that is, there is nothing but flesh, and if there be some faith which is imperfect, alway in the beginning there must needes be doubting, because there is some flesh, and some spirit, there is fire and water, and therefore there must needes be striuing. We may say of doubting, in this case, as we say of Thistles; they are ill weeds, but the ground is fat and good where they grow: so doubting is a thing that resists faith, it is bad, but it is a signe the heart is good where it is. So that, where there is all peace, where there is no questioning, where the heart is not perplexed and troubled, and complaines not, it is a signe that the strong man possesseth the House wholly; it is a signe there is nothing but flesh there. Therefore marke this point to your comfort, that if there be but so much faith as will produce this worke of taking CHRIST, though there bee some doubtings mingled with it, yet it is properly effectuall faith, because it does the thing, though not perfectly. That is the first acception of the word effectuall, a thing is said to bee effectuall, when it does the proper function of it, though it doe it not perfectly, and throughly, yet, if it doe it, it is said to bee effectuall: so faith, if it pitch upon CHRIST, though not so perfectly as afterwards it may, it is effectuall.

Secondly, a thing is said to bee effectuall, as it is opposed to that which is vaine and empty, to that which is but a name, a shaddow of it, but is not such a thing indeed. So faith is said to be effectuall, when it is true, reall, and substantiall, you know, there bee emptie clowds, we see the heavens many times full of clouds, but there is no rayne folloues, they are driuen away with the winds, they are emptie clouds, they are not clouds indeed: so there is a great show of faith sometimes, that makes a man show like these clouds, and yet it is vaine and empty, no raine followes. A counterfeit Piece, although it show to be good money, yet, when we find it counterfeit, when we finde it clipt, we cast it away: so true faith is said to bee effectuall, when it is opposed to vaine faith: in Iam. 2 the later end of the Chapter, the Apostle speakes to that purpose, to show the difference betweene true faith, and dead faith, which is but the name of faith, but is not faith indeed.

Thirdly, a thing is said to bee effectuall, when it lyeth not idle and still, but is doing something: As a Pylot in a Ship, he sitteth not still there, if he doe sit still and doe nothing, we may say he is an vneffectuall Pylot, he were as good not be there: so when faith lyes still in the heart, and is not stirred and moved, nor shows it selfe in the fruites of it, this we say is ineffectuall faith; whereas faith should be in the soul, as the soul is in the body, which is neuer there in vaine, but still it is stirring, and showing it selfe by motion, by action, by doing somewhat or other. And in this sence faith is said to be effectuall, when it is a stirring faith, when it is a liuely and fruitfull faith, that is doing somewhat in the soul of a man.

Last of all, a thing is said to bee effectuall, when it goes thorow with the worke that it has in hand: this differeth from that which I named first, therefore the Greeke word, that is rendred effectualnesse, signifies perfectnesse, to bring a thing to an end; so that faith is said to be effectuall, that goes thorow with the worke it vndertakes; that is, when it sanctifieth the heart throughout, in respect of parts, and throughout in regard of time, when it brings a man to the end of his salvation, when it carries a man through all impediments, when it leaps ouer all difficulties; so that a growing, preuailing, ouercomming faith, that is said to be an effectuall faith, such a faith as leaues not the worke halfe done; such a faith as leaues not the building in the beginning, in the rudiments, but sets it vp, and puts the roofe upon it; such a faith, which, though it may sinke, as a Corke, for a time, yet it riseth againe: such a faith as ouercomes, and perfects the worke of our salvation: in this sense faith must be effectuall, and this differs from the other three: so that in these foure sences faith is said to be effectuall. And this is the first thing.

The second thing which we vndertooke, was to show you in which the effectualnesse of faith consists. It consists in these foure things. That which we said before to you, when we showed you the causes of the ineffectualnesse of faith, will make good way to this.

The first thing in which the effectualnesse of it is seene, is in being well built; that is, when the preparation is sound, and full, that makes way for it.

The second is, when the understanding is cleare, and a man beleeueth the promise of GOD upon sure and infallible grounds, when he sees them perspicuously and distinctly.

The third is, when the will takes Christ, and takes him out of love, not out of fear, not out of love to the aduantage onely by him, not out of mistake:

The fourth is, when it turnes not onely the will, but all the affections, when it turnes the whole man, when it shoots it selfe into life, and practice.

First, I say, faith is effectuall, when there is a good way made for it, when the rubbish and false earth is taken away where it should be built; that is, when the humiliation is sound and good, when the preparation is perfect, when it is such as makes a man fit for the Kingdom of GOD: For I finde that phrase vsed,He that puts his hand to the Plow, and lookes backe, is vnfit for the Kingdom of GOD: As if he had said, there are certaine men, which come to the profession of Christianity, as many come to husbandrie, which is a hard employment; some there are which doe this, and goe backe againe. Why? because they are not fit for the Kingdom of God, that is, they are not throughly prepared for it: that is to say, when a man is not throughly humbled to know what sin is, and what the wrath of God is, he is not fit for the Kingdom of God; but if he do come to Christ, if he doe begin to believe, he will goe backe againe. So a man is properly said not to bee fit for the Kingdom of GOD, till he bee throughly humbled, till he have tasted the bitternesse of sin, till he have felt what the Deuils yoake is. As it was with the Israelites, put the case they had beene carried out of Egypt before the time that they were, indeed they had not been fit for the Land of Canaan, because they would have beene ready to have turned backe in their hearts into Egypt, and though the LORD laid load on them, though their yoake were hard, though he caused them to wander vp and downe long, yet all was little enough, still they were lingering after Egypt, and if they had been taken out of Egypt, before the tale of Brick was required of them, without giving them straw, before the taskemasters had dealt hardly with them, what would they have done? Might it not truely bee said of them, they would not have beene fit for Canaan? So in this case, if a man will take CHRIST, it is a laborious worke, as laborious as husbandrie, as laborious as putting the hand to the Plow, as taking the yoake. Now before a man have felt how hard the yoake is that he has already, (for there bee many that weare the yoake of Satan, and see no hardnesse in it, but goe in a faire course, their consciences are not wounded with the sense of their sinnes, they neuer had afflictions in which they tasted the wrath of GOD) alas, such men may come to put their hand to the Plow, but when they come to see what worke they have in hand, they goe backe, they are not fit for the Kingdom of Heaven. Till a man bee weary, and heauie laden, with the burthen of Satan, till he see Satans yoake to bee intolerable, he will neuer continue under the yoake of CHRIST: therefore let us consider whether we be fitted or no: this fitnesse is first required.

So againe, we may take example from the Prodigall sonne, he was in his Fathers house, but he would not continue there, when he was there at the first, and lived as the other sonne did, because he had not beene abroad in the World, to finde the misery of being away from his Father, he was neuer pinched with affliction, with want of meate, till he was from his Father, he neuer knew what it was to be at his Fathers finding, till he had his stocke in his own hand; he was not fit, and, we see, he continued not there: So, take a man that is brought vp in his Fathers House, as it were, that has tasted nothing but the sweetnesse of the promises, and all is well with him, he has drunke in the truth of the Gospel with his education, you shall finde that this will not vsually hold out: because he has not found what misery it is to bee out of his Fathers House, therefore he prizeth it not, such a one is not fit to continue, he is vnfit for the Kingdom of GOD. Therefore the first thing that is required to make faith effectuall, in which the effectualnesse of faith consists, by way of preparation, to make way for it, is, when a man is soundly humbled and prepared, when it is such as will make them continue: you have a phrase vsed, Reu. 2:25. Hold fast till I come that which you have already. As if he should say, Many have hold of the Truth, they have hold of CHRIST, they have hold of the promises, but they hold them not fast, they hold them a while, but they hold them not fast till I come: To him that ouercometh, &c. and, him that continueth to the end, will I make ruler ouer the Nations, &c. So, I say, till a man be thus made fit, he may take hold for a while, but he shall not hold fast till CHRIST come, but he will let goe his hold, because he is not prepared with humility. This is that which is required in that place I formerly named, Matth. 10:6.If there be any worthy, (says he) let your peace come upon them. That is, if there bee any, when you come to preach the Gospel, that are so farre broken and humbled, if there be any that are so farre conuinced of their sinnes that they prize me indeed, so that they hold me, and will not let me goe for any thing, but they are content to let all goe, rather then me, such a man is worthie of me, such a man prizeth and esteemeth me, and your peace shall come upon him: That is, it shall come effectually upon him, it shall abide with him, and save his soul for euer. So, I say, when there is so much humiliation wrought in the heart, when the Spirit so farre convinceth a man of sinne, that he comes thus to prize CHRIST, this is the first thing in which effectuall faith consists: for though it bee not the very thing in which believing consists, yet it is that preparation, without which faith can neuer be found sound and effectuall.

Secondly, when this is done, this is not all, when there is such a preparation made, that a man is willing to take CHRIST upon any conditions, yet now, if he shall not bee well built, if he see not just ground to take him, if his understanding shall not see the truth of the promise so clearely, that he can build on it, that he can rest on it, that all the arguments in the World cannot draw him from it againe, his faith will not be effectuall. Therefore the second thing in which the effectualnesse of faith consists, is to have it well built in the minde and understanding of a man, when he cleerely sees the truth of the promise, that he can build upon it infallibly. For your better understanding of this, you must know that then a man is said to bee well built, to bee rooted and grounded in faith, when he has the first ground right, that so he proceeds from one to another, that it is not a confused superficiall knowledge, to assent to the truth, and promises that are delivered in the Word, but when he has a sure ground, the first ground, and the next, and so he proceeds along. As, for example, the first thing that a man must doe, is to believe the Scriptures, to know that they are true and infallible, that they are the sure Word of GOD, when a man can say, this I know, and this I build upon. And besides that, then we looke upon the promises which the Scriptures containe, in which CHRIST, and forgiuenesse of sinnes is offered. Now if the first ground faile you, that is the bottome upon which the promises stands; therefore have that sure: when that is sure, you must have the promises sure, that is, you must consider the promises, and examine them, and see if this be the sense of the Scriptures; If there be so much light in you, as to say, I finde it so, I finde the Scriptures true, I believe them, I finde these promises in the Scriptures, I finde CHRIST offered to every creature under heaven, I finde that I have a warrant to take him; when a man, out of himself, out of an inward principle, out of his own proper judgment sees this, and is conuinced of the truth of this, that the promises are so, and that they belong to him, that he may justly, upon good ground, appropriate them to himself; so that when he lookes round about him, and considers all the objections that may be made, yet he can answer all arguments; when he fals downe, and is fully conuinced, and perfectly persuaded in his own mind, when a man thus apprehends the promises, when his understanding is rooted and grounded in the faith; that is the second thing in which the effectualnesse of faith consists: And we see that described Ephes. 2. Says the Apostle there, You are no longer strangers and forraigners, but Saints, of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone. Marke, (says he) you are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets; that is, you that are Saints, must consider what ground you have to take that name to your selues: Says he, you are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets; that is, you are not built upon the foundation, upon the word of a man, you are not built upon this Doctrine that I teach, meerely because I teach it, but you are built upon the foundation of the Prophets, and Apostles: that is, you see the Prophets and Apostles deliver this Doctrine. I, but one may seek a further ground then that: What foundation have the Prophets and Apostles? Says he, Christ is the chief corner stone on which they are built. So that when you have this tract of consequence, I see the promise is sure, Why? Because it is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, they have affirmed it. But how shall I know that they are sure? Because Christ himself has spoken by them, he is the chief corner stone, when faith is thus grounded, then we are truely said to bee built, and rooted, and grounded in faith. Therefore, as the Samaritanes said, Ioh. 4 44.We believe, not because you told[•]st us, not for your words, but we have heard him our selues, and we know that he is the Messias, and Sauiour of the World. Now, if those Samaritanes had onely beleeued because the Woman brought that relation, their faith might have fayled them, but when they heard CHRIST themselves, vvhen they saw him vvith their own eyes, when they could say, in good earnest, out of their own knowledge: we know, that this is CHRIST, the Sauiour of the World, that is such a faith as will hold out. So, when a man does onely take a persuasion out of the generall preaching of the Word, without a certaine ground, it prooues ineffectuall faith; but when men believe, because themselves have seene, and out of that knowledge can say, they know CHRIST to bee the Messias, when they know CHRIST to bee theirs, when they know CHRIST to bee the Sauiour of the World; and so, by consequence, of them which are a part of the World, then they may be truely said to bee built, to bee rooted and grounded in faith. This is that that Saint John says, 1 Ioh. 1:19.We know that we are of GOD, and that all the World lyeth in wickednesse. We know that we are of GOD; that is, it is not a thing that we are vncertainely persuaded of, but it is a thing that we know as certainely as any man knowes a thing that is before his eyes, as a man knowes a thing of which he doubts not; we know that although all the World be against us, though all the World runne another way, though all the World condemne us for vaine men, idle men, for trusting in CHRIST crucified, yet we know that we are of GOD, and that all the World lyeth in wickednesse. I say, when a man holds out thus, when he is put to the tryall, when a man knowes in his own knowledge, that it is so, as Peter says to CHRIST, Ioh. 6:68. many had taken CHRIST, that went away againe. Says CHRIST to his Disciples, Will you also goe away? Marke the answer that Peter gives: No: says he, Whither should we goe? you have the words of eternall life. I know and believe that you are Christ, the Sonne of the living GOD. As if he should say, It is impossible that I should goe away, for I know and believe; that is, I know upon good ground, I have another manner of ground then they had: If I had no more ground then the rest, I should goe away as well as they, but I know and believe that you are CHRIST, the Sonne of the living GOD, therefore it is impossible that I should euer forsake you, although all should forsake you. This is to bee rooted and grounded in faith, in this second sense, when we see an infallible ground, a sure Rock, upon which our faith is built, and we are willing to aduenture our selues upon it, to aduenture our goods, our name, our life, our liberty, that if a man bee brought to Martyrdome, he can aduenture himself, and put all that he has upon it. This ground will hold out, I say, when the understanding of a man is thus built upon the Word, when a man is examined every way, when he is able to answere all arguments, and all objections that may be brought against it. This is the second thing in which the effectualnesse of faith consists. I should adde more, but I must deferre them till the afternoone.

FINIS.