XV. Faith alone

Of faith alone
 

The truth which we plead has two parts:--1. That the righteousness of God
imputed to us, unto the justification of life, is the righteousness of
Christ, by whose obedience we are made righteous. 2. That it is faith
alone which on our part is required to interest us in that righteousness,
or whereby we comply with God's grant and communication of it, or receive
it unto our use and benefit; for although this faith is in itself the
radical principle of all obedience,-- and whatever is not so, which
cannot, which does not, on all occasions, evidence, prove, show, or
manifest itself by works, is not of the same kind with it,--yet, as we
are justified by it, its act and duty is such, or of that nature, as that
no other grace, duty, or work, can be associated with it, or be of any
consideration. And both these are evidently confirmed in that description
which is given us in the Scripture of the nature of faith and believing
unto the justification of life.

   I know that many expressions used in the declaration of the nature and
work of faith herein are metaphorical, at least are generally esteemed so
to be;--but they are such as the Holy Ghost, in his infinite wisdom,
thought meet to make use of for the instruction and edification of the
church. And I cannot but say, that those who understand not how
effectually the light of knowledge is communicated unto the minds of them
that believe by them, and a sense of the things intended unto their
spiritual experience, seem not to have taken a due consideration of them.
Neither, whatever skill we pretend unto, do we know always what
expressions of spiritual things are metaphorical. Those oftentimes may
seem so to be, which are most proper. However, it is most safe for us to
adhere unto the expressions of the Holy Spirit, and not to embrace such
senses of things as are inconsistent with them, and opposite unto them.
Wherefore,--

   1. That faith whereby we are justified is most frequently in the New
Testament expressed by receiving. This notion of faith has been before
spoken unto, in our general inquiry into the use of it in our
justification. It shall not, therefore, be here much again insisted on.
Two things we may observe concerning it:--First, That it is so expressed
with respect unto the whole object of faith, or unto all that does any
way concur unto our justification; for we are said to receive Christ
himself: "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the
sons of God," John 1:12; "As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord,"
Col.2:6. In opposition hereunto unbelief is expressed by not receiving of
him, John 1:11; 3:11; 12:48; 14:17. And it is a receiving of Christ as he
is "The LORD our Righteousness," as of God he is made righteousness unto
us. And as no grace, no duty, can have any cooperation with faith
herein,--this reception of Christ not belonging unto their nature, nor
comprised in their exercise,--so it excludes any other righteousness from
our justification but that of Christ alone; for we are "justified by
faith." Faith alone receives Christ; and what it receives is the cause of
our justification, whereon we become the sons of God. So we "receive the
atonement" made by the blood of Christ, Rom.5:11; for "God has set him
forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood." And this
receiving of the atonement includes the soul's approbation of the way of
salvation by the blood of Christ, and the appropriation of the atonement
made thereby unto our own souls. For thereby also we receive the
forgiveness of sins: "That they may receive forgiveness of sins by faith
that is in me," Acts 26:18. In receiving Christ we receive the atonement;
and in the atonement we receive the forgiveness of sins. But, moreover,
the grace of God, and righteousness itself, as the efficient and material
cause of our justification, are received also; even the "abundance of
grace and the gift of righteousness," Rom.5:17. So that faith, with
respect unto all the causes of justification, is expressed by
"receiving;" for it also receives the promise, the instrumental cause on
the part of God thereof, Acts 2:41; Heb.9:15. Secondly, That the nature
of faith, and its acting with respect unto all the causes of
justification, consisting in receiving, that which is the object of it
must be offered, tendered, and given unto us, as that which is not our
own, but is made our own by that giving and receiving. This is evident in
the general nature of receiving. And herein, as was observed, as no other
grace or duty can concur with it, so the righteousness whereby we are
justified can be none of our own antecedent unto this reception, nor at
any time inherent in us. Hence we argue, that if the work of faith in our
justification be the receiving of what is freely granted, given,
communicated, and imputed unto us,--that is, of Christ, of the atonement,
of the gift of righteousness, of the forgiveness of sins,--then have our
other graces, our obedience, duties, works, no influence into our
justification, nor are any causes or conditions thereof; for they are
neither that which does receive nor that which is received, which alone
concur thereunto.

   2. Faith is expressed by looking: "Look unto me, and be ye saved,"
Isa.45:22; "A man shall look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have
respect unto the Holy One of Israel," chap.17:7; "They shall look upon me
whom they have pierced," Zech.12:10. See Ps.123:2. The nature hereof is
expressed, John 3:14,15, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." For so was he
to be lifted up on the cross in his death, John 8:28, chap.12:32. The
story is recorded Numb.21:8,9. I suppose none doubt but that the stinging
of the people by fiery serpents, and the death that ensued thereon, were
types of the guilt of sin, and the sentence of the fiery law thereon; for
these things happened unto them in types, 1 Cor.10:11. When any was so
stung or bitten, if he retook himself unto any other remedies, he died
and perished. Only they that looked unto the brazen serpent that was
lifted up were healed, and lived; for this was the ordinance of God,--
this way of healing alone had he appointed. And their healing was a type
of the pardon of sin, with everlasting life. So by their looking is the
nature of faith expressed, as our Saviour plainly expounds it in this
place: "So must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in
him,"--that is, as the Israelites looked unto the serpent in the
wilderness,--["should not perish."] And although this expression of the
great mystery of the gospel by Christ himself has been by some derided,
or, as they call it, exposed, yet is it really as instructive of the
nature of faith, justification, and salvation by Christ, as any passage
in the Scripture. Now, if faith, whereby we are justified, and in that
exercise of it wherein we are so, be a looking unto Christ, under a sense
of the guilt of sin and our lost condition thereby, for all, for our only
help and relief, for deliverance, righteousness, and life, then is it
therein exclusive of all other graces and duties whatever; for by them we
neither look, nor are they the things which we look after. But so is the
nature and exercise of faith expressed by the Holy Ghost; and they who do
believe understand his mind. For whatever may be pretended of metaphor in
the expression, faith is that act of the soul whereby they who are
hopeless, helpless, and lost in themselves, do, in a way of expectancy
and trust, seek for all help and relief in Christ alone, or there is not
truth in it. And this also sufficiently evinces the nature of our
justification by Christ.

   3. It is, in like manner, frequently expressed by coming unto Christ:
"Come unto me, all ye that labour," Matt.11:28. See John 6:35,37,45,65;
7:37. To come unto Christ for life and salvation, is to believe on him
unto the justification of life; but no other grace or duty is a coming
unto Christ: and therefore have they no place in justification. He who
has been convinced of sin, who has been wearied with the burden of it,
who has really designed to fly from the wrath to come, and has heard the
voice of Christ in the gospel inviting him to come unto him for help and
relief, will tell you that this coming unto Christ consists in a man's
going out of himself, in a complete renunciation of all his own duties
and righteousness, and retaking himself with all his trust and confidence
unto Christ alone, and his righteousness, for pardon of sin, acceptation
with God, and a right unto the heavenly inheritance. It may be some will
say this is not believing, but canting; be it so: we refer the judgment
of it to the church of God.

   4. It is expressed by fleeing for refuge: Heb.6:18, "Who have fled for
refuge, to lay hold on the hope set before us." See Prov.18:10. Hence
some have defined faith to be "perfugium animae," the flight of the soul
unto Christ for deliverance from sin and misery. And much light is given
unto the understanding of the thing intended thereby. For herein it is
supposed that he who believes is antecedently thereunto convinced of his
lost condition, and that if he abide therein he must perish eternally;
that he has nothing of himself whereby he may be delivered from it; that
he must retake himself unto somewhat else for relief; that unto this end
he considers Christ as set before him, and proposed unto him in the
promise of the gospel; that he judges this to be a holy, a safe way, for
his deliverance and acceptance with God, as that which has the characters
of all divine excellencies upon it: hereon he flees unto it for refuge,
that is, with diligence and speed, that he perish not in his present
condition; he retakes himself unto it by placing his whole trust and
affiance thereon. And the whole nature of our justification by Christ is
better declared hereby, unto the supernatural sense and experience of
believers, than by a hundred philosophical disputations about it.

   5. The terms and notions by which it is expressed under the Old
Testament are, leaning on God, Mic.3:11; or Christ, Cant.8:5;-- rolling
or casting ourselves and our burden on the Lord, Ps.22:8, [margin,] 37:5-
-(the wisdom of the Holy Ghost in which expressions has by some been
profanely derided);--resting on God, or in him, 2 Chron.14:11; Ps.37:7;--
cleaving unto the Lord, Dent.4:4; Acts 11:23; as also by trusting,
hoping, and waiting, in places innumerable. And it may be observed, that
those who acted faith as it is thus expressed, do everywhere declare
themselves to be lost, hopeless, helpless, desolate, poor, orphans;
whereon they place all their hope and expectation on God alone.

   All that I would infer from these things is, that the faith whereby we
believe unto the justification of life, or which is required of us in a
way of duty that we may be justified, is such an act of the whole soul
whereby convinced sinners do wholly go out of themselves to rest upon God
in Christ for mercy, pardon, life, righteousness, and salvation, with an
acquiescence of heart therein; which is the whole of the truth pleaded
for.