First, Therefore I shall show you what they may do as to faith. I shall show what the grace is, and how far they may go along with it. The scripture speaketh so much of faith, that we need to know what it is. Faith in its peculiar respect works towards Christ and heaven ; but take it in its general latitude, it is a firm and cordial assent to all such things that are revealed by God, as revealed by him. Let us explain this. Hero is the object, things revealed by God as revealed by hini ; then the act, it is an assent ; the adjuncts, it is a firm and cordial assent. For the object in this description, I consider it materially and formally, all things revealed by God whatsoever. All things necessary to salvation, faith apprehends them distinctly, other things implicitly, that is, knows them in their general principle. Few Christians know all the doctrines contained in the Christian religion, but they believe them in the general. But now things necessary to salvation, I must distinctly know them, as those that are called articles of the Creed, the Lord's prayer, the ten commandments. Faith is an assent to, and built upon a divine testimony, without any other reason, whether as to things past, present, or to come. Things past, as the creation of the world : Heb. xi. 3, ' By faith we under- stand the worlds were created by the word of God.' If a man should hold the creation of the world upon some other reason that seemeth cogent unto him, and not upon the discovery of it in the word, cer- tainly it is not faith, whatever it be, for faith assents to whatsoever is revealed by God. So for things present, that God sitteth in heaven, and Christ at his right hand. Stephen saw it by vision and ecstasy, but every believer seeth it by faith, which is the evidence of things not seen, as if with bodily eyes. So for things to come, as Christ's coming to judgment, John saw it in the light of prophecy : Rev. xx. 12, ' I saw the dead, both small and great, stand before God ; ' and they see it in the light of scripture and the promise. So that you see the objects of faith are things revealed by God, because revealed by him. If a man should believe the Christian religion upon tradition, or the current opinion where he liveth, it is not faith, but human credulity. Now the act of faith it is au assent, not knowledge but acknow- ledgment : the understanding hath a double act, apprehension or dijudication ; it judgeth of the truth of things apprehended, or appre- hendeth the tenor of things, and then judgeth of the truth of them. They are not enlightened in a way of faith that are only able to talk of heavenly things, but such as are persuaded of the truth of them. And then mark the adjuncts, it is a firm and cordial assent.
1. It is a firm assent, and that excludeth many things from faith, as light credulity: Prov. xiv. 15, ' The simple believeth every word.' He that believeth everything without search and serious advertency, believeth nothing. And it excludeth bare non-contradiction. Many are thought to believe the religion they live under, because they do not question it. These can no more be said to believe than children are said to believe the questions and answers of the Catechism they have learned by rote. True faith knoweth the certainty of those things wherein they have been instructed, Luke i. 4. And then it excludeth conjecture to be faith, which is a lighter inclination of the mind to a thing as probable ; it may be so, yet there is a suspicion to
326 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SeR. I.
the contrary. Nay, it excludeth opinion, which goeth higher than conjecture, but cometh short of faith.
Well, now, thus far many go ; there may be an owning of the true orthodox religion, only out of custom, chance of birth, education, tradition of ancestors ; they may talk much, as parrots repeat men's words by rote only. There may be convictions and opinions about them, they may be persuaded those things are true that are in the word of God, and yet no firm assent.
2. But to come nearer yet, the next adjunct it is a cordial and hearty assent, such as engageth the heart to Christ. We read in scripture of ' believing with the heart,' Rom. x. 9, and ' believing with all the heart,' Acts viii. 37. Truths are propounded to us in the scripture not only as true, but good things, of great weight and moment ; as well as certain. Believing is a hearty business ; now this cordial and hearty assent excludeth historical faith, and tempo- rary faith.
[1.] Historical faith, which rests on a naked speculation, or a simple and naked assent to such things as are propounded in the word of God. This consisteth in a mere speculation of the mind, without any change of the bent of the will and affections. True faith ever over- comes all contrary inclinations and motions, so that God's interest may prevail above them : Heb. xi. 13, ' Being persuaded of them, they embraced them.' Those who have a mere historical faith are not excited to holy living ; are rendered more knowing, not better : this is a real faith in its kind. Simon Magus did really believe by the preaching of Philip, Acts viii. 13. It was not counterfeit, for it is said he wondered. And those in John ii. 24, that believed in the name of Christ, but Christ ' would not commit himself to them, for he knew all men.' And no question the devils do really believe, James ii., not only natural truths, but gospel truths : ' I know thou art the holy one of God.' What a confession is this out of the devil's mouth ! Therefore it is wrong to say that unregene- rate men do not believe. Because this being the main business in hand, I will tell you why it is called historical faith. Not from the object of it, as if they only believed the histories of the scripture. No ; they believe promises, threatenings, doctrines, precepts, mys- teries. But it is called historical faith from the manner wherewith it is conversant about its object. As we read histories in which we are no way concerned, only for contemplation and knowledge' sake, not to make a party in their broils, or interpose in their quarrels ; so they rest in idle speculations, which betters not the practice. Well, now, this speculative assent they may have ; this faith doth not only believe those things that are true, but doth heartily and truly believe them.