3. “But is this the _faith of assurance_, or _faith of adherence_?” The scripture mentions no such distinction. The apostle says, _There is one faith, and one hope of our calling_, one Christian, saving faith, as _there is one Lord_, in whom we believe, and _one God and Father of us all_. And it is certain, this faith necessarily implies an _assurance_ (which is here only another word for _evidence_, it being hard to tell the difference between them) that _Christ loved_ me, _and gave himself for_ me. For _he that believeth_, with the true, living faith, _hath the witness in himself. The Spirit witnesseth with his spirit, that he is a child of God. Because_ he is a _Son, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into his heart, crying Abba, Father_: giving him an assurance that he is so, and a child-like confidence in him. But let it be observed, that, in the very nature of the thing, the assurance goes before the confidence. For a man cannot have a child-like confidence in God, till he knows, he is a child of God. Therefore confidence, trust, reliance, adherence, or whatever else it be called, is not the first, as some have supposed, but the second branch or act of faith.
4. It is by this faith we _are saved_, justified and sanctified, taking that word in its highest sense. But how are we justified and sanctified by faith? This is our third head of enquiry. And this being the main point in question, and a point of no ordinary importance, it will not be improper, to give it a more distinct and particular consideration.
III. 1. And first, how are we justified by faith? In what sense is this to be understood? I answer, faith is the condition, and the only condition of justification. It is the condition: none is justified but he that believes; without faith no man is justified. And it is the only condition; this alone is sufficient for justification. Every one that believes is justified, whatever else he has or has not. In other words: no man is justified, ’till he believes: every man when he believes is justified.
2. “But does not God command us to _repent_ also? Yea, and to _bring forth fruits meet for repentance_? To _cease_, for instance, _from doing evil_, and _learn to do well_? And is not both the one and the other of the utmost necessity? Insomuch, that if we willingly neglect either, we cannot reasonably expect to be justified at all? But if this be so, how can it be said, that faith is the only condition of justification?”
God does undoubtedly command us, both to repent, and to bring forth fruits meet for repentance: which if we willingly neglect, we cannot reasonably expect to be justified at all: therefore both repentance, and fruits meet for repentance, are in some sense necessary to justification. But they are not necessary in the _same sense_ with faith, nor in the _same degree_. Not in the _same degree_; for those fruits are only necessary _conditionally_; if there be time and opportunity for them. Otherwise a man may be justified without them, as was the _thief_ upon the _cross_: (if we may call him so; for a late writer has discovered, that he was no _thief_, but a very honest and respectable person!) But he cannot be justified without faith: this is impossible. Likewise let a man have ever so much repentance, or ever so many of the fruits meet for repentance, yet all this does not at all avail: he is not justified ’till he believes. But the moment he believes, with or without those fruits, yea, with more or less repentance, he is justified. Not in the _same sense_; for repentance and its fruits are only _remotely_ necessary, necessary in order to faith: whereas faith is _immediately_ and _directly_ necessary to justification. It remains, that faith is the only condition, which is _immediately_ and _proximately_ necessary to justification.
3. “But do you believe, we are sanctified by faith? We know you believe, that we are justified by faith: but do not you believe, and accordingly teach, that we are sanctified by our works?”
So it has been roundly and vehemently affirmed, for these five and twenty years. But I have constantly declared just the contrary: and that in all manner of ways. I have continually testified in private and in public, that we are sanctified, as well as justified, by faith. And indeed the one of those great truths does exceedingly illustrate the other. Exactly as we are justified by faith, so are we sanctified by faith. Faith is the condition, and the only condition of sanctification, exactly as it is of justification. It is the condition; none is sanctified but he that believes; without faith no man is sanctified. And it is the only condition: this alone is sufficient for sanctification. Every one that believes is sanctified, whatever else he has, ♦or has not. In other words: no man is sanctified till he believes: every man when he believes is sanctified.