4ithly. It is not a way of seeking relief unto a convinced sinner, whose mouth is stopped, in that he is become guilty before God. Such alone are capable subjects of justification, and do or can seek after it in a due manner. A mere assent unto divine revelation is not peculiarly suited to give such persons relief : for it is that which brings them into that condition from whence they are to be relieved; for the knowledge of sin is by the law. But faith is a peculiar act- ing of the soul for deliverance.
btldy. It is no more than what the devils tJtemselves may have, and have, as the apostle James affirms. For that instance of their believing one God, proves that they believe also whatever this one God, who is the first essential ti-uth, doth reveal to be true. And it may consist with all manner of wickedness, and without any obedi- ence; and so make God a liar, 1 John v. 10. And it is no wonder if men deny us to be justified by faith, who know no other faith but this.
Gthly. It no way answers the descriptions that are given of justi- fying faitli in the Scripture. Particularly, it is by faith as it is justi- fying that we are said to "receive" Christ, John i. 12; Col. ii. 6; — to " receive" the promise, the word, the grace of God, the atonement, James i. 21 ; John iii. 33 ; Acts ii. 41, xi. 1 ; Kom. v. 11 ; Heb. xi. 1 7;
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—to " cleave unto God," Deut. iv. 4; Acts xi. 23. And so, in tlie Old Testament it is generally expressed by trust and hope. Now, none of these things are contained in a mere assent unto the truth ; but they require other actings of the soul than what are peculiar imto the understanding only.
Stilly. It answers not the experience of them that truly believe. This all our inquiries and arguments in this matter must have respect unto. For the sum of what Vv^e aim at is, only to discover what they do who really believe unto the justification of life. It is not what notions men may have hereof, nor how they express their concep- tions, how defensible they are against objections by accuracy of ex- pressions and subtile distinctions; but only what we ourselves do, if we truly believe, that we inquire after. And although our differences about it do argue the great imperfection of that state wherein we are, so as that those who truly believe cannot agree what they do in their so doing, — which should give us a mutual tenderness and for- l^earance towards each other ; — yet if men would attend unto their own experience in the application of their souls unto God for the pardon of sin and righteousness to life, more than unto the notions which, on various occasions, their minds are influenced by, or prepos- sessed withal, many differences and unnecessary disputations about the nature of justifying faith would be prevented or prescinded. I -deny, therefore, that this general assent unto the truth, how firm soever it be, or what effects in the way of duty or obedience soever it may produce, doth answer the experience of any one true believer, as con- taining the entire actings of liis soul towards God for pardon of sin and justification.
dithly. That faith alone is justifying which hath justification actually accompanying of it. For thence alone it hath that denomination. To suppose a man to have justifying faith, and not to be justified, is to suppose a contradiction. Nor do we inquire after the nature of any other faith but that whereby a believer is actually justified. But it is not so with all them in whom this assent is found ; nor will those that plead for it allow that upon it alone any are immediately justified. Wherefore it is sufficiently evident that there is some- what more required unto justifying faith than a real assent unto all divine revelations, although we do give that assent by the faith Avhereby we are justified.
But, on the other side, it is supposed that, by some, the object of justifying faith is so much restrained, and the nature of it thereby determined imto such a peculiar acting of the mind, as compriseth not the whole of wliat is in the Scripture ascribed unto it. So some have said that it is the pardon of our sins, in particular, that is the object of justifying faith; — faith, therefore, they make to be a full
81 ON JUSTIFICATIOX.
persuasion of the forgiveness of our sins tlirough the mediation of Christ ; or, that what Christ did and suffered as our mediator, he did it for us in particular : and a particular application of especial mercy unto our own souls and consciences is hereby made the essence of faith ; or, to believe that our own sins are forgiven seems hereby to be the first and most proper act of justifying faith. Hence it would follow, that whosoever doth not believe, or hath not a firm per- suasion of the forgiveness of his own sins in particular, hath no saving faith, — is no true believer; which is by no means to be admitted. And if any have been or are of this opinion, I fear that they were, in the asserting of it, neglective of their own experience; or, it may be, rather, that they knew not how, in their experience, all the other actings of faith, wherein its essence doth consist, were included in this persuasion, which in an especial manner they aimed at : whereof we shall speak afterward. And there is no doubt unto me, but that this which they propose, faith is suited unto, aimeth at, and doth ordinarily effect in true believers, who improve it, and grow in its exercise in a due manner.