5. Again, through this faith they are saved from the power of sin, as well as from the guilt of it. So the apostle declares, _Ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins, and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not._ (chap. iii. 5, &c.) Again, _Little children, let no man deceive you.――He that committeth sin is of the devil.――Whosoever believeth is born of God. And whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God._ Once more, _We know that whatsoever is born of God sinneth not: but he that is begotten of God, keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not_, chap. v. 18.
6. He that is by faith born of God, sinneth not, 1. By any habitual sin: for all habitual sin, is sin reigning. But sin cannot reign in any that believeth. Nor, 2. By any wilful sin, for his will, while he abideth in the faith, is utterly set against all sin, and abhorreth it as deadly poison. Nor, 3. By any sinful desire; for he continually desireth the holy and perfect will of God; and any unholy desire, he by the grace of God stifleth in the birth. Nor, 4. Doth he sin by infirmities, whether in act, word or thought. For his infirmities have no concurrence of his will; and without this they are not properly sins. Thus, _He that is born of God doth not commit sin_. And tho’ he cannot say, _He hath not sinned_, yet now, _he sinneth not_.
7. This then is the salvation which is through faith, even in the present world: a salvation from sin, and the consequences of sin, both often expressed in the word _Justification_; which, taken in the largest sense, implies, a deliverance from guilt and punishment, by the atonement of Christ actually applied to the soul of the sinner now believing on him, and a deliverance from the power of sin through Christ _formed in his heart_. So that he who is thus justified or saved by faith, is indeed _born again_. He is _born again of the Spirit_ unto a new _life, which is hid with Christ in God_. And as a _new-born babe he gladly receives the sincere milk of the word, and grows thereby: going on in the might of the Lord his God, from faith to faith, from grace to grace, until at length he come unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ_.
III. The first usual objection to this is,
♦1. That “to preach salvation or justification by faith only, is to preach against holiness and good works.” To which a short answer might be given: it would be so, if we spake, as some do, of a faith which was separate from these. But we speak of a faith which is not so, but productive of all good works and all holiness.
2. But it may be of use to consider it more at large: especially since it is no new objection, but as old as St. _Paul’s_ time; for even then it was asked, _Do we not make void the law through faith?_ We answer, first, all who preach not faith, do manifestly make void the law; either directly and grosly by limitations and comments, that eat out all the spirit of the text: or indirectly, by not pointing out the only means whereby it is possible to perform it. Whereas, secondly, _We establish the law_; both by shewing its full extent, and spiritual meaning: and by calling all to that living way, whereby _the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in them_. These, while they trust in the blood of Christ alone, use all the ordinances which he hath appointed, do all the _good works which he had before prepared that they should walk therein_, and enjoy and manifest all holy and heavenly tempers, even the same _mind that was in Christ Jesus_.