Many great divines, at the first Reformation, did (as the Lutherans generally yet do) thus make the mercy of God in Christ, and thereby the forgiveness of our own sins, to be the proper object of justifying faith, as svich; — whose essence, therefore, they placed in a fiducial trust in the grace of God by Christ declared in the promises, with a certain unwavering application of them unto ourselves. And I say, with some confidence, that those who endeavour not to attain here- unto, either understand not the nature of believing, or are very ne- glective, both of the grace of God and of their own peace.
That which inclined those great and holy persons so to express themselves in this matter, and to place the essence of faith in the liigliest acting of it (wherein yet they always included and supjDOsed its other acts), was the state of the consciences of men with whom they had to do. Their contest in this article with the Roman church, was about the way and means whereby the consciences of convinced, troubled sinners might come to rest and peace with God. For at that time they were no otherwise instructed, but that these things were to be obtained, not only by ivorhs of righteousness which men did themselves, in obedience unto the commands of God, but also by the strict observance of many inventions of what they called the Church; with an ascription of a strange efficacy to the same ends unto missatical sacrifices, sacramentals, absolutions, penances, pil- grimages, and other the like superstitions. Hereby they observed that the consciences of men were kept in perpetual disquietments, perplexities, fears, and bondage, exclusive of that rest, assurance, and peace with God through the blood of Christ, which the gospel pro-
CAUSES AND OBJECT OF FAITH. 85
claims and tenders; and when the leaders of the people in that church had observed this, that indeed the ways and means which they proposed and presented would never bring the souls of men to rest, nor give them the least assurance of the pardon of sins, they made it a part of their doctrine, that the belief of the pardon of our own sins, and assurance of the love of God in Christ, were false and pernicious. For what should they else do, when they knew well enough that in their way, and by theu' propositions, they were not to be attained ? Hence the principal controversy in this matter, which the reformed divines had with those of the church of Rome, was this, — Whether there he, according unto and hy the gospel, a state of rest and assured peace with God to he attained in this life? And hav- ing all advantages imaginable for the proof hereof, from the very nature, use, and end of the gospel, — from the grace, love, and design of God in Christ, — from the efficacy of his mediation in his oblation and intercession, — they assigned these things to be the especial object of justifying faith, and that faith itself to be a fiduciary trust in the especial grace and mercy of God, through the blood of Christ, as proposed in the promises of the gospel; — that is, they directed the souls of men to seek for peace with God, the pardon of sin, and a right unto the heavenly inheritance, by placing their sole trust and confidence in the mercy of God by Christ alone. But yet, withal, I never read any of them (I know not what others have done) who affirmed that every true and sincere believer always had a, full assur- ance of the especial love of God in Christ, or of the pardon of his o\vn sins; — though they plead that this the Scripture requires of them in a way of duty, and that this they ought to aim at the attain- ment of
And these things I shall leave as I find them, unto the use of the church. For I shall not contend with any about the way and man- ner of expressing the truth, where the substance of it is retained. That which in these things is aimed at, is the advancement and glory of the gi'ace of God in Christ, with the conduct of the souls of men unto rest and peace with him. Where this is attained or aimed at, and that in the way of truth for the substance of it, variety of appre- hensions and expressions concerning the same things may tend unto the useful exercise of faith and the edification of the church. Where- fore, neither opposing nor rejecting what hath been delivered by others as their judgments herein, I shall propose my own thoughts concerning it; not without some hopes that they may tend to com- municate light in the knowledge of the thing itself inquired into, and the reconciliation of some differences about it amongst learned and holy men. I say, therefore, that the Lord Jesus Christ himself, as the ordinance of God, in his tuork of mediation for the recovery
86 ON JUSTIFICATION.
and salvation of lost sinners, and as unto that end proposed in the promise of the gospel, is the adequate, proper object of justifying faith, or of saving faith in its work and duty with respect unto our justification.
The reason why I thus state the object of justifying faith is, because it completely answers all that is ascribed unto it in the Scripture, and all that the nature of it doth require. What belongs unto it as faith in general, is here supposed; and what is peculiar unto it as justifying, is fully expressed. And a few things will serve for the V explication of the thesis, Avhich shall afterward be confirmed.