2. The effects that concern otlier gracious constitutions: so justify- ing and saving faith hath four efiects : —
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[1.] It humble th and melteth for sin. The passover is to be eaten with sour herbs. A man cannot look upon Christ but with a bitter remembrance of his own guilt : Zech. xii. 10, ' Tliey shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son,' Even our best actions to a believing soul cause grief. Like the ancient Israelites, who had seen the glory of the first house, when they saw how unlike the last was to the former, Ezra iii. 12, ' wept with a loud voice.' So these, when they have such a perfect model before them as Christ's love, and being like to make such weak returns, it humbleth their hearts. As the queen of Sheba, beholding the glory of Solomon, had no spirit left in her, 1 Kings X. 5, thinking her own glory nothing to his, so doth the soul at the contemplation of the excellences of Christ.
[2.] It- purgeth the heart from sin : Acts xv. 9, ' Purifying their hearts by faith.' The apostle speaketh of the Gentiles : if they had not the ceremonial purgings, they have that which is better — their hearts are purified by faith. The blood of Christ cleanses from sin. It doth not only allay the burning of the spirit when it is upon it, but also doth away the defilement. Eaith and lusts are like a poison and a preservative, they cannot lodge quietly in one soul. Apprehensions of grace, even in the Gentiles, are the keenest arguments against sin. A man never learned how to deal with sin to purpose till the appearance of grace. Therefore the apostle saith, Titus ii. 11, 12, ' The grace of God, that bringeth salvation, appeareth to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, right- eously, and godly in the present world.'
[3.] It sets a high price and value upon Christ, so as to part with all for his sake. Love is not to be measured with respect to the intense- ness of the object, but the valuation of it : Mat. xiii. 46, ' He parted with all for the pearl of great price.' See whether you can part with worldly comforts, or with Christ. Let lusts go, and sin go. Our Father's house is the least tiling that we can quit for him : Ps. xlv. 10, ' Forget also thine own people, and thy father's house.' A small contentment. It was Abraham's commendation that he did not with- hold his son, his only son. Gen. xxii. 12. God trieth us sometimes by things that are great in our esteem, to see whether we will hazard the comforts of Christ, or the loss of our own contentments. Alas ! there should be no worldly respect but should be sacrificed upon this account. Many profess Christ, but they do not prize him ; they are apt to be scandalised with the least suffering for his sake : Luke xvi. 26, ' If ye forsake not all, ye cannot be my disciples.'
[4.] It worketh by love : Gal. v. 6, ' For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith, which worketh by love.' It aboundeth in all holy duty out of love. Mercies are such an argument as leaveth a constraint upon the soul: 2 Cor. v. 14, ' The love of Christ constraineth us.' Terrors and fears cannot urge the spirit so as love will. Carnal affections make us lazy, but faith begets in us love, and love maketh us labour. Those that love much, will do much. Now by this you may discern the nature of justifying faith.
Secondly, My next work is to show you how it justifieth. There
440 A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [ISA. LIII. 11,
being mistakes in this matter, I shall endeavour to lay the truth be- fore you.
1. Faitli does not justify as a mutual cause together with works, as if they did co-operate together ; but we must distinguish. There is a first and second justification, the one ascribed to faitii, the other to worlcs. This opinion maketh as if we were behoklen to grace only for some courtesies, where we cannot engage God of ourselves. It is true James saith, ' Not by faith, but by works ; ' but that is only to justify faith. It is a false faith that doth not end in works ; but Avorks have nothing to do in justification. Grod abhorreth such a pro- fane medley ; he would have it wholly of grace. The papists exact an imaginary faith, and so are put upon a necessity of eking it out with works.
2. Not as an act and grace in us. Faith justifieth relative, not effective et formaliter : not as if the act of believing were instead of perfect obedience to the law, and as if it were grace in us, and not an apprehending of Christ's righteousness. But it is in reference to the object that it is said to justify, only because of its necessary concur- rence as an instrument. Christ's righteousness maketh us righteous, only because it cannot apprehend this righteousness but by faith, therefore it is said faith doth it. The hand may be said to feed and nourish the body, but the nutritive virtue is not in the hand, but the meat. There are divers reasons to sway you to believe this: —