VeR. 6.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. Ill
I might answer generally, that the least degree of true faith begin- neth in contrition, and endeth in a care of obedience. But because there may be in the wicked some occasional doubtings, such as arise by starts out of the trouble of an evil conscience and some smooth mora- lities, that may look like gospel reformation, we must go more particularly to work. I do again return the question, What is the lowest degree of true saving faith ? ' By way of answer —
1. I shall show that the question is necessary to be determined, partly for the comfort of troubled consciences. God's children are many times persuaded they have not faith, when indeed they have. It would be a great settlement if we could clear up the work of Christ : Mat. xvii. 20, ' If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed,' &c. Though you have mountains of guilt, it is a great peevishness not to acknow- ledge the crumbs ; we think we are dogs, but we have crumbs. To deny that you are Christ's is not self-denial, but grace-denial, to belie God's bounty: Cant. i. 5, 'I am black, but comely;' and ver. 2, 'I sleep, but my heart waketh ; ' Mark ix. 24, ' Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief* And it is a ground of unthankfulness : Zech. iv. 10, ' Who hath despised the day of small things ? ' God will be acknowledged in the low beginnings of grace. Partly as it is a ground of hope ; Phil, i. 6, ' Being confident of this very thing, that he, which hath begun a good work in you, will also perform it until the day of Jesus Christ ; ' it is the bud of glor}', a seed of everlasting life. The Spirit never for- saketh us, something is to be done till the clay of judgment ; the soul is exactly purified at death, and the body will be raised at the great day. It is an advantage to be able to urge deliverance from the lion and bear ; the great Philistine shall also be overcome, only we must not rest in those beginnings. Initial grace is but counterfeit, unless it receive growth and access ; things that are nipped in the bud show that the plant is not right.
2. It is possible to find out the least and lowest degree of faith. Scriptures show that there is a beginning, upon which we may con- clude an interest in Christ: Heb. iii. 14, 'For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold rrjv ap')(riv Ti)<i uTToo-racrew?, the beginning of our confidence, stedfast unto the end," if we retain the first principles and encouragements to believe ; if we can hold it out, we are safe. There are some grains and initials of faith ; and the scripture discovereth what they are, for it layeth down the essentials of faith, we are not left in the dark.
Having premised these things, let me come now to .show what it is, because faith is a capacious word, and involveth the whole progress of the soul to Christ. It is hard to state this matter in one word, .unless it were as ambiguous as the question itself ; therefore I shall take liberty to dilate and enlarge myself, by showing you what is most necessary, and what are the lowest and most infant workings of faith.
[1.] There must be out of a deep conviction a removing of our own righteousness. Affiance beginneth in self-diffidence. Faith implieth that we are touched in conscience, and that the heart is elevated above self, utterly abhorring our own merits : Ps. cxlvii. 3, ' He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. Faith is a, seed of heaven, not found in unploughed or fallow ground — a sound conviction
112 SERMOKS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XXVIII.
of self-nothingness, especially if joined with addresses to grace, is a good evidence of it. The soul looketh upon all that it hath or can do, like a ship without a bottom, to be a hindrance, not a gain ; and un- less Christ help they are utterly and eternally lost : Phil. iii. 7-9 ; ' What things were gain to me, those I counted lost for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ. And be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteous- ness which is of God through faith.' The soul in this condition is between life and death ; it is a twilight in the soul, neither perfect day nor perfect night, like a child in the place of breaking forth of children ; if we be not still-born we are in a fair way of faith ; if we run to mercy, there is hope. ' The publican, that smote his hand upon his breast, saving, God, be merciful to me a sinner, went down to his house justi- fied rather than the other,' Luke xviii. 13, 14. The parable is spoken against those that trusted in themselves, that they were righteous. Discovering of an ill condition may be sometimes in the wicked, but the soul is not purged from carnal confidence and set to work upon the mere warrant of God's grace.