FAITH ALONE. 293
types of the guilt of sin, and the sentence of the fierj^ laAV thereon ; for these things happened unto them in types, 1 Cor. x. 11, When any was so stang or bitten, if he betook himself unto any other remedies, he died and perished. Only they that looked unto the brazen serpent that was lifted up were healed, and lived ; for this was the ordinance of God, — this way of healing alone had he ap- pointed. And their healing was a type of the pardon of sin, with everlasting life. So by their looking is the nature of faith expressed, as our Saviour plainly expounds it in this place : " So must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him," — that is, as the Israelites looked unto the serpent in the wilderness, — [" should not perish."] And although this expression of the great mystery of the gospel by Christ himself hath been by some derided, or, as they call it, exposed, yet is it really as instructive of the nature of faith, justifica- tion, and salvation by Christ, as any passage in the Scripture. Now, if faith, whereby we are justified, and in that exercise of it wherein we are so, be a looking unto Christ, under a sense of the guilt of sin and our lost condition thereby, for all, for our only help and relief, for deliverance, righteousness, and hfe, then is it therein exclusive of all other graces and duties whatever ; for by them we neitlier look, nor are they the things which we look after. But so is the nature and exer- cise of faith expressed by the Holy Ghost; and they who do believe understand his mind. For whatever may be pretended of metaphor in the expression, faith is that act of the soul whereby they who are hopeless, helpless, and lost in themselves, do, in a way of expectancy and trust, seek for all help and relief in Christ alone, or there is not truth in it. And this also sufiiciently evinceth the nature of our justification by Christ.
3. It is, in like manner, frequently expressed by coming unto Christ: "Come unto me, all ye that labour," Matt. xi. 28. See John vi. 35, 37, 45, 65, vii. 37. To come unto Christ for life and salvation, is to believe on him unto the justification of life ; but no other grace or duty is a coming unto Christ : and therefore have they no place in justification. He who hath been convinced of sin, who hath been wearied with the burden of it, who hath really designed to fly from the wrath to come, and hath heard the voice of Christ in the gospel inviting him to come unto him for help and relief, will tell you that this coming unto Christ consisteth in a man's going out of himself, in a complete renunciation of all his own duties and righteousness, and betaking himself with all his trust and confidence unto Christ alone, and his righteousness, for pardon of sin, accepta- tion with God, and a right unto the heavenly inheritance. It may be some will say this is not believing, but canting ; be it so: we refer the judgment of it to the church of God.
294 ON JUSTIFICATION.
4. It is expressed by fleeing for refuge: Heb. vi. 18, " Who have fled for refuge, to lay hold on the hope set before us." [See] Prov. xviii. 10. Hence some have defined faith to be " perfugium animse," the flight of the soul unto Christ for deliverance from sin and misery. And much light is given imto the understanding of the thing in- tended thereby. For herein it is supposed that he who believeth is antecedently thereunto convinced of his lost condition, and that if he abide therein he must perish eternally; that he hath nothing of himself whereby he may be delivered from it; that he must betake himself unto somewhat else for rehef ; that unto this end he consi- dereth Christ as set before him, and proposed unto him in the pro- mise of the gospel ; that he judgeth this to be a holy, a safe way, for his deliverance and acceptance with God, as that which hath the characters of all divine excellencies upon it : hereon he fleeth unto it for refuge, that is, with diligence and speed, that he perish not in his present condition; he betakes himself unto it by placing his whole trust and affiance thereon. And the whole nature of our justifica- tion by Christ is better declared hereby, unto the supernatural sense and experience of believers, than by a hundred philosophical dispu- tations about it.
5. The terms and notions by which it is expressed under the Old Testament are, leaning on God, Mic. iii. 11 ; or Christ, Cant. viii. 5 ; — rolling or casting ourselves and our burden on the Lord, Ps. xxii. 8, [margin,] xxxvii. 5 — (the wisdom of the Holy Ghost in which ex- pressions hath by some been profanely derided) ; — resting on God, or in him, 2 Chron. xiv. 11; Ps. xxxvii. 7 ; — clearing unto the Lord, Deut. iv. 4; Acts xi. 23; as also hy trusting, hoping, and waiting, in places innumerable. And it may be observed, that those who acted faith as it is thus expressed, do everywhere declare themselves to be lost, hopeless, helpless, desolate, poor, orphans; whereon they place all their hope and expectation on God alone.