perfect libertie on one side at least that is either to eat or not to eat For though he might have reason to doubt whether it was lawful for him to eat such meats yet he is supposed to have none at all to doubt but that it was clearly lawful for him to forbear and therefore by the premised resolution of the first question he ought not to eat with this doubt I shall not insist upon the objection from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the vulgar Latine translates discernit that is maker difference or distinction of meats thinking it not indifferent to eat of that meat this variation of sence was thought fit to be put in the Margent of our English Bibles by the last Translators In which Case it is evident he must needs sin and that presumptuously against his Conscience and so is damned that is condemned by his own Conscience if he eats But from hence there can be no such conclusion made as that he must needs sin if he onely doubts that being not the Apostles meaning by this translation And it is certain that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so used in many Texts of scripture as Act. 15.9 1 Cor. 4.7 Jude 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And of some have compassion making a difference But because the same word doth elsewhere as oft signifie to doubt and is so renderd in this Text by the Syriack and most other Translators I adhere to that Translation and the rather because the following words are most consonant to this sence Seeing he eateth not of faith For though it be true indeed that he that makes difference of meats and eateth that which by such difference he esteemeth to be unlawful cannot cat of Faith because he eats directly contrary to it yet is this a more jeune sence and not so proper as to say he that doubteth eateth not of faith Omitting therefore this Objection from the variety of translation I advance another more considerable that is whether because he that eateth when he doubteth whether it be lawful for him to eat but is at perfect liberty not to eat is damned it will follow that whosoever doth any action wherein he hath no such liberty of forbearance with any doubt be in like manner condemned As for Example He that is commanded by lawful Authority to do an action whereof he doubts whether it be lawful by the law of God or no to do it It is certain this person if he were free ought not to do this action because of his doubt whilst he might forbear it without any doubt But under this command he hath no more libertie to forbear this action than he hath to do it And therefore it will not follow by this instance of the Apostle wherein the case is so different that he must necessarily sin if he do it more than if he do it not But it may be urged that although from the first words of that Text he that doubteth is damned if he eat this Vniversal conclusion cannot be inferred yet from the next words which are added as a reason thereof it may Seeing he eateth not of faith and whatsoever is not of faith is sin For thus it may be urged Whatsoever is not of faith is sin But whatsoever is done doubtingly is not of Faith Ergo whatsoever is done doubtingly is sin The 1. of these Proposit ons is expresly asserted by the Apostle and the second seems to be rightly collected from the connection of those words 〈◊〉 quoniam ac quia He that doubteth is damned if he eat seeing or because he eateth not of faith Which reason would not be true if it were possible notwithstanding the doubt to eat of Faith And if that be not possible in this instance it may seem to be so in all others whence the universal conclusion will be inferred rightly To this Argument a rejoynder may be offer'd to this sence That there is no necessary consequence in the deduction of the universal Proposition from the particular Case admitting the truth of that universal Proposition whatsoever is not of faith is sin without any limitation in the matter and understanding Faith as in that Text it can onely be meant to signifie no more than a perswasion of the lawfulness of the action to him that doth it May it not be said that although in that Case he that doubteth onely whether it is lawful to eat and not at all whether it be lawful to forbear cannot eat of Faith because it is at his free choice to forbear the action that he doubts and to determine himself to that wherein he hath no doubt yet in another Case where the action is doubful both waies it may be possible notwithstanding his doubt to act in Faith For as many things may be lawful to be done whilst they are left free being not forbidden by authoritie which are not lawful when they are forbidden though but by men So may some things be unlawful to be done when they are not commanded that yet may be lawful when they are It may be as great a sin to disobey an unlawful command as to give it if he that disobeys knows no better for his disobedience than he that gave the command did for his giving it Of this kinde are doubtful actions which are not to be done when a man is free for that onely reason because they are doubtful The doubt being a sufficient reason to bar the lawfulness of the action as before hath been said But when a man is not free but under the obligation of Authoritie every doubt is not a sufficient reason to make a thing unlawful So that in such a Case a man may notwithstanding his doubt be perswaded of the lawfulness of-his action unless that doubt be grounded upon reasons more credible than is the judgement of the persons by whom that action is recommended to us as not onely lawful but expedient But further that it may be possible for a man notwithstanding his doubt concerning the lawfulness of an action in it self to have a just perswasion that it is lawful for him in a present Case I offer these grounds of Reason 1. That all manner of doubts do proceed from ignorance 2. That some ignorance may be inculpable as well as culpable and that not onely in matters of meer Faith but also in practical matters For as there are many divine verities contained in the true sence of holy Scripture and the necessary consequences thereof which are not understood by the Learned much less by the Vnlearned and yet that ignorance is inculpable in the Learned and much more in the unlearned So may there be divers practical conclusions inferring the Obligation of just Precepts to them that do or are bound to understand them which persons unlearned may be inculpably ignorant of for want of that understanding of the Original Texts or that faculty of deducing consecuences by
what acceptance it may have with God in such as are invincibly ignorant of the Gospel we are not concerned to inquire But to all them to whom this Gospel is sufficiently revealed the Christian Faith or Faith in Christ is absolutely necessary to render their works pleasing to God And that Faith is undoubtedly the principal◠condition of Justification and Salvation And although other conditions be required to Salvation yet they are subordinate to this Faith as the proper effects and verifications thereof whereby it becomes allowable to God So that the concurrence and efficacie that other Graces and all good Works have unto Salvation is by vertue of Faith from whence they proceed It is Faith in Christ the Saviour that gives us Vnion with him and his Church and that consequently gives the first right to that Salvation which is procured by him and is the onely priviledge of his Church But this Faith must he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Faith unfained which it cannot be unless it be joyned with repentance and worketh by love and so makes a man a new Creature Faith is the prime Article of the New Covenant And in congruity to the design of mans Redemption and Salvation by Christ the principal act of this Faith is to receive him as the Author of this Salvation and to depend upon him and the expiation that he hath made for us by his blood But because he is also propounded to us in the same Gospel as Christ the anoynted of the Lord as well for a Prophet and a King as a Priest and sent by his Father to declare the Minde and Will of God in his Precepts as well as to publish his Grace in the Promises and is invested with all power to rule and govern his people as well as to save them therefore are all Christians that expect to be saved by him equally obliged to receive him as Lord and Christ to observe and keep his Precepts as well as to trust upon his Promises And thus much is included in the notion of their Faith given unto him when they are baptised for his Disciples which is the solemn Rite of ingaging our Faith unto him For that Faith which is professed in our Baptism is undoubtedly the same with that by which we are justified and saved But the Faith which is professed in Baptism is not a bare trust in Christ as a Saviour but a Faith given unto him as our Lord and Master to become his faithful Disciples importing our defire to learn and stipulation to observe his Precepts And therefore as S. Paul saith we are saved by faith Eph. 2.8 So S. Peter saith Baptism doth also save us 1 Pet. 3.21 Interpreting his meaning in the following words Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer or stipulation of a good conscience And to this purpose it is observable that when our Saviour gave commission to his Apostles to go and make Disciples of all Nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost he adds this as the interpretation of their discipleship teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Implying that their Profession to be his Disciples which is the import of their Baptisin doth signifie their ingagement to observe his Precepts and to live like Christians To believe in Christ is to be a Christian that is a Disciple if Christ which was the first Title of Believers Act. 11.26 But that Title of a Disciple of Christ without respect to his Precepts imports contradiction to believe in Christ therefore and not to observe his Commandments is a plain contradiction As therefore all Christians are obliged to an explicit faith in Christ which is the ground of their Title to that name s◠are they to do all manner of good Works upon the groun◠of this Faith with desire and confidence of pleasin◠God through Christ and not expecting any acceptan◠of their works otherwise than by and through Christ Col. 3.17 Whatsoever ye do in word or deed d◠all in the name of the Lord Jesus 1 Pet. 2.5 The Original of the first transgression by which th◠whole Race of Mankinde fell into a state that neede Salvation was unbelief Eve by the temptation of th◠Devil was first induced to quit her Faith in Go◠Word that had said The day thou eatest there of thou shalt surely dye the death This unbelief was that which made way for the sin of disobed◠ence to the Command For had she not doubted th◠truth of Gods Word she could never have been per◠swaded to taste of that forbidden Fruit. Thus w◠unbelief the prime cause of mans ruine and there◠fore the first step and principle of his restauration an◠Salvation is Faith And as unbelief of the threa◠ning by which the first Law was fortified was th◠cause of our destruction so the belief of the promi◠of the Gospel is the principle of our justification B◠believing the Serpent the Abaddon and Apollyo◠the destroyer we were undon by believing in Jesu◠the Saviour we are saved But as that unbelief became destructive by its effects as a practical infidelity producing disobedience to the Commandment So is our Faith effectual to Salvation then onely when it is sincerely practical reducing us to our duty of obedience to our merciful Saviour If that saying of the Father must stand for a Catholick Axiom bona opera sunt via ad regnum non causa regnandi I must have leave to interpret the latter Clause so as may import no contradiction to the first that is that good works are the way to the Kingdom not the Cause that is the principle or meritorious Cause of our raigning for a Cause they must needs be that is a moral Cause if they be the way that is the means of our raigning as that signifies not onely the Term or End of this way but the Reward of our walking in it When therefore S. Paul excludes works from justification I take it his onely scope is to secure the freedom and assert the necessity of Divine Grace purchased by Christ and promised by the New Covenant of the Gospel And when he saith a man is not justified by the works of the Law he sometimes means ceremonial works such as was that of Circumcision and the obedience to that whole Law which a man was made a debtor to keep by his Circumcision Gal. 5.3 otherwhiles by the righteousness of works he seems to understand perfect indefective obedience to the whole Law or Will of God upon which account it is impossible for a sinner as he concludes all men to be now Rom. 3.23 Gal. 3.22 to be justified because his being so imports a contradiction to such Works Besides it is observeable that S. Paul doth never say that a man can be saved without Works but that he is justified without them speaking generally of the first
glory may receive some Service aâ— least no dis-service from them Whatever we speak or think we must therein have a due regard to the glory of God who may be as much glorified or dishonoured by these waies as by deeds The like Extent hath this word do in that other general Rule of our Actions in reference to one another before named Whatsoever yee would that men should do unto you do ye unto them likewise That Rule also is to be understood of Affections as well as Actions and to be observed alike both in thoughts and words as well as deeds and in all these not only with respect to meer Justice but to Charity especially as appears by the Context in our Saviour's application of that Rule Luk. 6 30 31 32. Third Proposition Not only the matter of our doings is to be ordered by this rule but also the manner circumstances and all inferiour ends that is it behoveth Christians to be carefull not only that the matter of their doings be consistent with and subordinate to the Glory of God but also that the manner circumstances motives and all ends of them be likewise governed by the supreme End For in these things especially consists the morality and Regularity of humane Actions which are good or evil particularly in respect of the motives manner circumstances and intendment of them Hence not only indifferent but good actions in themselves and in respect of the matter of them may be so Circumstantiated and intended or designed as God may be much dishonoured by them This Action of eating things Sacrificed to Idols was in it self an indifferent thing as the Apostle declares in the preceding verses but by circumstance of place or company it became unlawful as it was prejudicial to the glory of God by way of Scandal So in common eating and drinking it is not the matter or object of these Actions but the manner ends and circumstances of quantity quality time c. that are to be regulated by this end In good and religious Actions the manner and intention is specially to be regarded that they be ever done in faith and sincerity without negligence or irreverence with pure and holy intention and zeal to the glory of God else they lose their Religion as shall be shewed again hereafter But here a Question may be moved Whether it be possible that all manner of humane Actions can be directed to so high an end as the glory of God For it may seem that this end is too high for some Acts to be designed unto Answer It appears clearly by the instances which the Apostle hath given in the Text of Eating and Drinking which are no other than naturall Actions common to brute beasts that there are no humane actions so minute indifferent or inconsiderable in their kind but may come under this Rule and be subordinated to this general end of Gods glory which as it is the only design of God himself so and therefore ought it to be the design of all reasonable creatures as creatures as you shall hear And that the height of this end doth nothing hinder the direction or subordination of the least actions thereunto may easily appear if we will but consider that all things in the world though never so low and base in their appearance do notwithstanding in their kind and order reach this same end not only Man but the very Beast may and doth glorify God even in its eating and drinking and all creatures else even to the least and lowest do serve this end that is they do declare the Glory of God Not only the Heaven the Sun Moon and Starrs in their magnitude motions lights and special influences do declare the Glory of God Psal 19.1 Psal 72.19.24 1 33.5.104.24.119.64 but the whole Earth and the fulness thereof is full of his Glory in as much as it is full of his goodness mercy riches every substantial Being together with every accident quality figure motion and operation thereof doth signally declare the glory of Gods power wisdom and providence were it perfectly understood Hence the Psalmist calls upon all creatures to praise the Lord Fire and Hail Snow and Vapours stormy Winds which execute his Word Mountains and all Hills fruitful Trees and all Cedars Beasts and all Cattel creeping things and Feathered Fowls Psal 148.7 8. c. And sure it is as easie to understand and believe that the least considerable of humane Actions should be directed to the glory of God as that the least Creature Energy Accident or Motion of a Creature even to the lighting of a Sparrow upon the ground Matth. 10.29 and to the numbering of hairs upon a mans head should be under the particular notice and Government of his Providence as is or ought to be believed by all Christians If the infinite glorious wisdom of God doth extend it self to the taking notice of all that is under him and all that is in or done by any of his Creatures as certainly it doth though no meaner a man than Saint Hierom * Hierom in 1. cap. Habac. v. 13. by a most incredible Mistake doth seem to deny it as much as Epicurus or any of his School much more is he to be thought to have a speciall regard to all the Acts of Man whose Being is the second in honour after his Own And if God takes notice of all our actions they must needs some way or other concern his Glory and ought much more to be noted and observed by our selves But for a more clear and full Satisfaction to this Objection I shall now proceed to the third Question which only remains to be answered for the compleat Explication of the whole Doctrine that is How the glory of God is to be respected in all our actions or How all the actions of men may and ought to be regulated with respect to this end 1. The first Branch of my answer to this question shall be that which I take to be the first intendment and scope of the Apostle in this place which is that Christians in all their actions should have such a constant and heedfull regard to the glory of God as that nothing be done by them to the prejudice or derogation thereof in any degree that is that no dishonour may redound to God by or from any of their actions in respect of the matter manner circumstances or end of them This is the most general sense of the Rule and that which seems primely intended in this place as may appear plainly from the Context wherein the Apostle admonisheth the Corinthians who lived among heathens and were such till some of them had been lately converted to the Faith of Christ not to eat of things offered to Idols for this reason because their so doing would be repugnant to the glory of God which ought alwaies to be respected by Christians in whatsoever they do Now God is dishonoured by the breach of his Law Rom 2 23.
it might have happened in the case of things offered to Idols i. e. that a Christian eating of such flesh without any Recognition of the Idol or respect to the Sacrifice might have been thought by some that might have seen him eat such meat to have thereby acknowledged some respect to the Idol or approved the Sacrifice And if the peril of the scandal depends upon such a mistake that which is sussicient to prevent or remove that mistake or to clear the action from such a misprision if it prove not sufficicient to prevent the Scandal which may be taken thereby by one that will needs do a thing which he accounts to be evil because he believes I did the same notwithstanding my protestation to the contrary yet to clear me from the guilt of that scandal it will be sufficient For if my judgement may be so much valued as to be taken for a Warrant for the doing of a doubtful action my disclaiming or disavowing the action which another thinks me to do ought in all reason to be of greater force to disswade him from the doing of it than his own bare imagination of my practice should be to invite or incourage his 2. A second reason whereby men are incouraged to imitate another man in a thing which is against their conscience and as they think against the Law of God is because they think that it is done by them whom they imitate as much against their consciences and against the known will of God For an act of presumption in one is apt to incourage the like in a nother And as this is the common case in such scandals as are taken by known unquestionable Sins wherein one man is emboldned by another's Example in that which both acknowledg to be evil so may it be in reputed evils or the appearances thereof in indifferent things That is another man may be incouraged to do that which he accounts to be asin by seeing me do the same thing which he presumes I also do know or judg to be a sin and yet will adventure to do it In this case I conceive a sufficient manifestation of my assurance or full perswasion of the lawfulness of that which I do and of my resolution not to do it if I thought it to be a sin will be enough to prevent the scandal so farr at least as it might be imputable to me If the reason why another will dare to do a thing against his conscience be because he thinks I do so too that reason will be sufficiently voided by my declaring that I neither do nor dare so do So that it will not be alwaies necessary for me to forbear that action which to me is lawful where I have opportunity to declare my judgment thereof to prevent the scandal of another For if this declaration of my conscience be believed it cuts off all appearance of presumption in me and consequently all ground of incouragement to the like presumption in another whose conscience agrees not with with mine If it be not believed that cannot be my fault nor any consequence thereof imputable to me But though it be not absolutely necessary to omit an action which by appearance of evil may prove scandalous in such a case where a man hath opportunity to do so much towards the prevention of the scandal as the forementioned protestation may import Yet by the instance of the Apostle in the Context I conceive a Christian is ordinarily bound in charity rather to forbear such actions than to adventure the scandal of them with the Antidote of his bare protestation which as it might easily have been made in the Corinthians case so might it as easily have been advised by the Apostle if he had thought it sufficient in such an ordinary case wherein there was no more necessity of the action Thus much may suffice for the first Proposition shewing how this general rule is to be observed in all our actions by way of caution that is by constant and diligent care that nothing be done by us to the prejudice of Gods glory This from the Context seems to be the prime scope of the Apostle in this Text But because this falls much short of a Christian's duty therefore is it not to be taken for the intire exclusive sense of this general Canon For it is not sufficient that nothing be done to the dishonour of God but just and meet it is also that as much should be done by us as may be to the honour and glory of God that Christians should not content themselves with a negative Religion of not dishonouring God but that they should make it their study design and ambition to honour and glorifie him as much as they can And therefore 2. A second Proposition toward the full answer to the question How the glory of God may and ought to be sought in all our doings is this Gods glory is to be designed by a general and habitual devoting and dedicating of a mans self and all that he hath and doth to this End By such an entire habitual intentional devotion or comecration of a mans self as a Holocaust or whole-Offering to God a man makes the glory of God the end of his being and well being and consequently of whatsoever he doth in order to any inferior ends with respect to himself Thus St. Paul exhorts the Romans to present their bodies a living Sacrifice Rom. 12.1 holy and acceptable to God meaning by their Bodies opposed to the bodies of beasts used in the Levitical Sacrifices their whole Persons else the body could not be a living Sacrifice opposed to the dead Sacrifices of beasts which he would have them present or offer as a Holocaust or a Heave-offering to God holy that is as that word precisely signifies separate and consecrate to the glory of God and therefore acceptable to God this he calls their reasonable service of God both in contradistinction to the oblation of unreasonable and brute Sacrifices and also to signify that this service is eminently Reasonable in it self There being the highest reason in the world that men which are reasonable Creatures and especially Christians should be thus separated from the world to the service and honour of God as I shall shew afterward This Exhortation of the Apostle is excellently practised in that Prayer of the Liturgie after the Communion in these devout words Here we offer and present unto thee ô Lord our Souls and Bodies to be a reasonable holy and lively Sacrifice unto thee As when a man hath projected a main Design and puts himselfe upon the way of acting towards it though he doth not in every act think of this end or explicitely direct every act thereunto yet may he truly be said to be acting towards it When a man is going a journey and hath determined the end of it and the place whither he will go though he doth not think of the place or of the end and design of
are to be found in Scripture pertaining to this end I shall take up with a few of them and principally with three to which all others may be referred and which are the more remarkable because they were purposely designed by our blessed Saviour himself and the two great Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul for a distinct answer to the question we have propounded i. e. What a man should do to be saved I shall begin with the resolution of the same Apostle that directs the admonition in the Text. When the Gaoler sympathising with the quaking Earth with fear and trembling came to him and Silas his fellow-prisoner inquiring What he must do to be saved They said Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16.30 31. The same answer was given by our blessed Saviour himself to the Jews that put the question to him What they should do that they might work the works of God Which question bears the same sense with that of the Gaoler as appears by the occasion of it expressed in the fore-going verse where our Saviour had bidden them Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth to eternal life Hereupon they moved this question What was that work which God had appointed them to do in order to that end which he had prescribed them that is to obtain that mean which endureth to everlasting life which is all one with What they should do to work out their own salvation Jesus answered and said unto them This is the work of God meaning not now the work which God works but which he requires of them to work that ye beleeve on him whom he hath sent John 6.27 28 29. This then appears to be the first and principal work so called by our Saviour to be done by him that designs to work out his own salvation viz. to believe on Jesus Christ the Author of salvation This is the term by which the condition of salvation is most commonly expressed both in the Gospels and Epistles especially of St. Paul who laboureth much to confirm the Doctrine of Justification by faith in Christ And to be justified is to be put into a state of salvation wherefore also he saith By grace ye are saved through faith Eph. 2.8 Jesus Christ being the Author of this salvation the way to attain unto it in reason must needs be to believe in him For nothing can be more reasonable than that they that will attain unto salvation should be obliged to acknowledg the only Author thereof and depend upon him for it especially since he hath purchased it for us at so dear a rate as that of his own blood it was most highly equitable that he should have the honour of it which is given him by faith as that imports an affiance or trust in him for the attainment thereof Faith in Christ therefore is the undoubted foundation of our hope and the prime title to Salvation And that being so proves that every man is as much concern'd to work out his Faith as he is to work out his own Salvation Which that he may do it is at least very requisit that he should understand what this Faith is Although the end of this Faith which is the salvation of the Soul doth not necessarily depend upon the truth of the notion that a man hath of it but upon the truth of the thing it self For it is no lesse possible for a man to have a true Faith that hath a false notion of it than it is for a man to attain unto Salvation and the felicities of Eternal life although he neither hath nor can have any exact notion thereof in this life Or than it is to have a reasonable soul and to act reasonably thereby though a man knows neither what the Soul nor yet what Reason is As the Sadduces that believed not that there were any Spirits at all were nevertheless informed with rational and immortal Spirits Yet in as much as the want of a right understanding of the nature of a true Faith may render a man liable to be deceived as well in the practice as in the notion thereof it is hugely necessary that he be possessed with a right knowledg of this work of God as I may take leave to call it after our Saviour in the forementioned Text Joh. 6.29 And after St. Paul 1 Thes 1. Remembring your work of Faith Which term 2 Thes 1.11 beside that agreement that it hath with my Text is useful towards the resolution of that great Question What Faith it is to which the Scripture doth so often attribute the effect of justification and Salvation For by these Texts and many others hereafter to be quoted we may learn that the true justifying and saving Faith is not 1. A bare notional historical or intellectual Faith consisting altogether in the asseâ— of the minde or understanding to the truth of thâ— holy Scriptures and all the Articles of the Christiâ—â— Creed which in it self or as such differs not froâ— the faith of devils Jam. 2.19 save that it seems neâ— to be so strong and free from all degrees of doubâ— as theirs is for want of that forcible Evidence sense and experience which they have of the truâ— of those things which they have seen and felâ—â— viz. the Miracles of Christ his Death Resurrect on and Ascention c. Nor yet secondly the single act of Affiance reliance trust or rolling mans self upon Christ for Salvation which indeeâ— is an eminent act or effect of Faith and so muâ—â— the more acceptable to God as it excludes all glâ—rying in our own works Rom. 3.27 Much lâ— thirdly that reflex act or consequent of Faith which consists in a full assurance confidence â—â—perswasion of a mans salvation by Christ which Scripture is no-where to my understanding â—â—led Faith And therefore although it were indeâ— the first notion of faith that I was Catechised 〈◊〉 in English and seems to be confirmed by the 〈◊〉 definition in sense found in many of the most 〈◊〉 thentick Catechisms of reformed Churches yeâ— must profess my self least satisfied with it of 〈◊〉 that I have met with Because all the assurance salvation that can ordinarily be had in this 〈◊〉 is nothing but a consequence of Faith ground upon the promise of salvation to him that 〈◊〉 believes And if I have any assurance of my 〈◊〉 vation I must first be assured that I do believe 〈◊〉 then my believing cannot be my assurance of my salvation Because that were to make the same thing the consequent of it self And imports no less absurdity than this that I believe or am assured that I shall be saved because I believe or am assured that I shall be saved For he that saith Faith is Assurance saith also that Assurance is Faith and then if my assurance or confidence that I shall be saved be grounded upon my faith as the condition to which Salvation is promised it must
necessarily be the ground and reason of it self which is so great an absurdity as hath forced most of our English Divines to reject that definition not only as improper but also as dangerous and uncomfortable Dangerous because it is apt to tempt a man to the pernicious self-deceit of presuming or assuming a strong conndence of his own salvation without any just ground upon this supposition that such a a confidence is not only necessary to salvation but gives him an assured right thereunto as being the condition of the promise And a most Uncomfortable notion it is too not to him that pretends to have such an assurance but to the generality of good Christians For if it were true that the only saving faith consisted in an assurance of salvation and that a full one as it is defined whosoever finds himself to want that assurance which very few of the best Christians will pretend to must needs conclude himself to have no true Faith whereas in truth this Assurance is purely accidental to the â—eality of a true Faith which is alwaies before it and most commonly without it But the two forementioned acts of Assent to the truth of the Gospel together with a direct Affiance upon Christ for salvation doe indeed truly and properly belong to the nature of Faith but do noâ— make it compleat perfect or sufficient to salvation For without controversie a true saving Faith doth import such a practical habit of assent to the Gospel of Christ as hath an effectual influence upon the Will and Affections and all the acts of the inward and outward man And thus much is distinctâ— taught not only by that large discourse of St. Jaâ— chap. 2. where he purposely disputes this point and positively declares that Faith is made perfect by works v. 22. And that without them it is dead that is null and void v. 17.26 But also by thâ— Expresse words of St. Paul Gal. 5.6 For in Josâ— Christ neither circumcision availeth anything nor us circumcision * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Faith which wâ—â—â—eth by love In which Text as conceive it matters not much whether the original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common to both senses be render'd actively or passively i.e. acting or working by love 〈◊〉 we translate or actuated and made effectuall as thâ— Syriack understand it and as the same word 〈◊〉 most commonly used in Scripture which way â—eever the word be rendered the sense is the samâ— And it is evident that the meaning of the Apost by the addition of those words is to give 〈◊〉 distinct character or discription of that Faith which justifieth a Christian by way of cauâ— on against any other notion of the word the abstracts from this Energy or efficacy For thâ— words are Exegetical and Limitative As if he haâ— said Not every kind of Faith but the living Eneâ—getical effectual faith which acteth or is actuated 〈◊〉 love is the only thing that availeth for the hope of righteousness that is the Justification and Salvation of a Christian That this is the true meaning of the Apostle appears evidently from two parallel Texts wherein the same sense is thus varied by himself The first is in the next chapter of the same Epistle Gal. 6.15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature The second is in 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandments of God Where it cannot be denied but that Faith working by love is all one with the new creature which is created in Christ Jesus i.e. in the Faith of Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them And with the keeping of the commandements of God love being the fulfilling of the commandements 1 Joh. 5.3 Rom. 13.10 Faith that worketh by love is such a Faith as purifies the heart Act. 15.9 â— Joh. 5.4 and overcomes the world which is therefore by St. Paul called the obedience of Faith Rom. 1.5 16 26. The same thing is signified by that Apostle in his answer to the Goalers questiâ—n before alledged requiring him to believe on â—â—e Lord Jesus Christ Acts 16.31 Which can mean nothing less than that he should acknowledg him for his Lord and Christ as well as his Saâ—our And therefore should hold himself obliged â—y his Faith to obey him as a Lord and to be â—ubject to him as the Christ the Messiah the anâ—ointed King and Prophet of his Church For Faith as it relates to the Person of Christ doth not respect him only as a Saviour but receive him as he is sent by God and offered in the Gospel with all his authority as Lord and King and Prophet Joh. 1.12 This notion of Faith is confirmable from that common rule in Divinity that * Verba scientiae connotant affectus Words of knowledg iâ— Scripture-phrase doe connotate both affections and actions agreeable to the knowledge whereof in this place one special Instance shall suffice Joh. 17 3. This is life eternal thâ— they may know thee the only true God and Jesuâ— Christ whom thou hast sent Where to know God and Christ signifies to believe in him For knowledg of Divine things is Faith and Faith is oft-time called knowledg in Scripture 1. Tim. 2.4 2 Pâ— 1 2 3. 1 Joh. 2.3 Isa 53.11 By his knowâ— shall my righteous servant meaning Christ jusiâ—â— many As to know the true God imports 〈◊〉 the duty which is due to him as such so to know Jesus Christ whom the Father hath sent is to imbrace him in the quality wherein he was sent thaâ— is with full acknowledgment of his commission froâ— the Father and with submission thereunto by receiving and observing all that he hath commaâ—â—ed in his name So runs the Commission that oâ— Saviour gave to his Apostles when he sent theâ— to make Disciples and to baptize all Nations teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I 〈◊〉 commanded Matth. 28.20 This must needs 〈◊〉 the true meaning of those words This is life eternal that they may know thee Because no knowledge that means any thing less than this can 〈◊〉 the sole condition of Eternall life And so certain it is that the knowledg of God in Scripture-phrase doth import obedience to his Commandments that S. John saith Hereby we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him 1 Joh. 2 3 4. And if that be so what truth can be in him that saith he believes in God and keeps not his Commandments For either our knowledg of God is the same thing with our beliefe and then what is true of the one must be equally true of the other Or if Faith be distinguished from knowledg as in a philosophical notion it is then our beliefe supposeth our knowledge that is that we