THE NATURE OF JUSTIFYING FAITH, 93
is the cause; the pardon of sin, which is the effect; and the promises of the gospel, which are the means, of communicating the Lord Christ, and the benefits of his mediation unto us.
The reader may be pleased to take notice, that I do in this place not only neglect, but despise, the late attempt of some to wrest all things of this nature, spoken of the person and mediation of Christ, unto the doctrine of the gospel, exclusively unto them ; and that not only as what is noisome and impious in itself, but as that also which hath not yet been endeavoured to be proved, with any appearance of learning, argument, or sobriety.
CHAPTER 11.
The nature of justifying faith.
That which we shall now inquire into, is the nature^ of justifying faith; or of faith in that act and exercise of it whereby we are jus- tified, or whereon justification, according unto God's ordination and promise, doth ensue. And the reader is desired to take along Avitli him a supposition of those things which we have already ascribed unto it, as it is sincere faith in general; as also, of what is required previously thereunto, as unto its especial nature, work, and duty in our justification. For we do deny that ordinarily, and according unto the method of God's proceeding with us declared in the Scnp- ture, wherein the rule of our duty is prescribed, any one doth, or can, tridy believe Avith faith unto justification, in whom the work of conviction, before described, hath not been wrought. All descrip- tions or definitions of faith that have not a respect thereunto are but vain speculations. And hence some do give us such definitions of faith as it is hard to conceive that they ever asked of themselves what they do in their believing on Jesus Christ for life and salvation.
The nature of justifying faith, with respect unto that exercise of it whereby we are justified, consisteth in the heart's approbation of the tvay of justification and salvation of sinners hi/ Jesus Christ jiro- 2)osed in the gospel, as proceeding from the grace, wisdom, and love of God, tvith its acquiescency therein as unto its oivn concernment and condition.
There needs no more for the explanation of this declaration of the
1 This chapter is obviously the fourth division on the suT)ject of faith, as the author proposes to discuss it ou page 74. It is not so marked, liowever, in the original edition ; and j)erluips tlie omission was designed to leave the chapter less complicated with divisions. We content ourselves witlj simply calling uttentiou to the circumstance, and do not venture to make any change. — Ed.
94 ON JUSTIFICATION.
nature of faith than what we have before proved concerning its ob- ject; and what may seem wanting thereunto will be fully supplied in the ensuing confirmation of it. The Lord Christ, and his media- tion, as the ordinance of God for the recovery, life, and salvation of sinners, is supposed as the object of this faith. And they are all considered as an effect of the wisdom, grace, authority, and love of God, with all their actings in and towards the Lord Christ himself, in his susception and discharge of his office. Hereunto he constantly refers all that he did and suffered, with all the benefits redounding unto the church thereby. Hence, as we observed before, sometimes the grace, or love, or especial mercy of God, sometimes his actings in or toAvards the Lord Christ himself, in sending him, giving him up unto death, and raising him from the dead, are proposed as the object of our faith unto justification. But they are so, alwa5^s with respect unto his obedience and the atonement that he made for sin. Neither are they so altogether absolutely considered, but as proposed in the promises of the gospel. Hence, a sincere assent unto the divine vera- city in those promises is -included in this approbation.
What belongs unto the confirmation of this description of faith shall be reduced unto these four heads: — 1. The declaration of its contrary, or the nature oi privative unbelief mpon the proposal of the gospel. For these things do mutually illustrate one another. 2. The declaration of the design and end of God in and by the gospel. 3. The nature of faith's compliance with that design, or its actings with respect thereunto. 4. The order, method, and way of believing, as declared in the Scriptm-e: —
1. The gospel is the revelation or declaration of that way of justi- fication and salvation for sinners by Jesus Christ, which God, in infinite wisdom, love, and grace, hath prepared. And upon a suppo- sition of the reception thereof, it is accompanied with precepts of obedience and promises of rewards. " Therein is the righteousness of God," — that which he requires, accepts, and approves unto salvation, — "revealed from faith unto faith," Rom. i. 17. This is the record of God therein, " That he hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son," 1 John v. 11. So John iii. 14-1 7. " The words of this life," Acts v. 20 ; " All the counsel of God," Acts xx. 27. Wherefore, in the dispensation or preaching of the gospel, this way of salvation is proposed unto sinners, as the great effect of divine wisdom and gTace. Unbelief is the rejection, neglect, non-admission, or disapprobation of it, on the terms whereon, and for the ends for which, it is so proposed. The unbelief of the Pliarisees, upon the preparatory preaching of John the Baptist, is called the " rejecting of the counsel of God against themselves;" that is, unto their own ruin, Luke \ii. 80. " They would none of my counsel," is an expression to the same pur- pose, Prov. i. 30; so is the "neglecting this great salvation," Heb.