(1.) Historical faith, which is a simple and naked assent to such things as are propounded in the word of God, and maketli men more knowing but not better, not more holy and heavenly ; they are not excited thereby to pursue that happiness which the gospel offereth in the way of holy living or patient continuance in well-doing. So Simon Magus believed the preaching of Philip, Acts viii. 13, yet hjs heart was not right with God, but he still remained in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity. And so many believed in the name of Christ, to whom Christ 'committed not himself, because he knew all men,' John ii. 23, 24 ; and this faith even the devils may have : James ii. 19, ' Thou believest that there is a God, thou doest well ; the devils also believe, and tremble ; ' and that not only in truths evident by natural light, such as that is there mentioned, that there is a God, but in gospel truths, as that Jesus is the Son of God : Mark i. 24, ' The devil cried out, saying, Let us alone ; what have we to do with thee, thou
VOL. svu. H
114 SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIAXS I. 3.
Jesus of Nazareth ? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.' Now this kind of faith is called historical faith, not from the object of it, as if it did only believe the histories of scripture. No ; they that have it roay believe the promises, the doctrines, the precepts as well as the histories ; but from the manner in Avhich it is conversant about its object, namely, thus : as we read histories in which we are no way concerned ; we nakedly read them for knowledge' sake, not to make a party in their broils and interests, but only to loiow what was done ; f^o they that have only this kind of faith, read the scriptures as persons unconcerned, and rest in idle speculation, without referring those notable truths to choice and practice. I cannot say that this cannot be called faith, because they that have it do believe those things which are true, and do truly believe them ; but yet lively saving faith it is not, for he who hath that, findeth his heart engaged to Christ, and doth so believe the })romises of the gospel concerning pardon of sins and life eternal that he seeketh after them as his happiness, and doth so believe the mysteries of our redemption by Christ as that all his hope and peace and confidence is drawn from thence, and doth so believe the commandments of God and ChrLst as that he determineth to frame his heai't and life to the observance of them, and doth so believe the threatenings, whether of temporal plagues or eternal damna- tion, as that, in comparison of them, all the frightful things of the world are as nothing : Luke xii. 24, ' Be not afraid of them that can kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.' Destruction from God is a terror to them, beyond all the evil that man can threaten ; as he said to the emperor, Thou threatenest a prison, but Christ threateneth hell.
(2.) It is distinguished from temporary faith, which is an assent to scriptural or gospel truth, accompanied with a shght and insufficient touch upon the heart, called ' a taste of the heavenly gift, and of the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,' Heb. vi. 4-6. By this kind of faith, the mind is not only enlightened, but the heart affected with some joy, and the life in some measure reformed, at least from grosser sins, called, 'escaping the pollutions of the world/ 2 Peter ii. 20 ; but the impression is not deep enough, nor is the joy and delight rooted enough to encounter all temptations to the contrary. Therefore this sense of religion may be choked, or worn off, either by the cares of this world, or voluptuous living, or great and bitter per- secutions and troubles for righteousness' sake. It is a common deceit; many are persuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the only Son of God, and so are moved to embrace his person, and in some measure to obey his precepts, and to depend upon his promises, and fear his threatenings, and so by consequence to have their hearts loosened from the world in part, and seem to prefer Christ and their duty to him above worldly things, as long as no temptations do assault their resolutions, or sensual objects stand not up in any considerable strength to entice them ; but at length, when they find his laws so strict and spiritual, and contrary either to the bent of their affections or worldly interests, they fall off, and lose all their taste and relish of the hopes of the gospel, and so declare plainly that they were not rooted and grounded in the faith and hope thereof. This is true faith generally considered, which
SERMONS UPON 2 THESSA LONIANS I. 3. 115
foundation being laid, it will be easy to show tlie nature of special faith, which now followeth to be discussed.
Secondly, The special objects of faith are God's transactions about man's salvation by Christ; therefore, besides the general faith, there is a special faith, whereby we receive Christ, and rest upon him. Saving faith is called a receiving of Christ : John i. 12, ' To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name ; ' and Col. ii. 6, ' As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.' We take him as God offereth him, and to the ends for which God offereth him ; to do that for us and to be that to us which God hath appointed him to do for and to be unto poor sinners. The general work of Christ as mediator is to bring us to God : 1 Peter iii. 18, ' For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.' And the great use that we make of him, is to come to God by him. There is implied in faith an intention of God as our chiefest good, for otherwise Christ is of no use to us ; and a consent to Christ's undertaking, that he may bring us to God, or a thankful acceptance of him for those ends. All tbey are rejected that will have none of him: Ps. Ixxxi. 11, 12, 'But my people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me ; so I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust, and they walked in their own counsels ; ' that * will not come to him that they may have life,' John vi. 40 ; that ' will not have him to reign over them,' Luke xix. 27. But they who consent to receive him as their lord and saviour are accepted with him ; only let us see how this consent is qualified.