55. Have you not another objection nearly allied to this, namely, that we preach perfection? True; but what perfection? The term you cannot object to; because it is scriptural. All the difficulty is, to fix the meaning of it, according to the word of God. And this we have done again and again, declaring to all the world, that Christian perfection does not imply an exemption, from ignorance, or mistake, or infirmities, or temptations: but that it does imply, the being so crucified with Christ, as to be able to testify, _I live not, but Christ liveth in me_, (Galatians ii. 23.) and _hath purified my heart by faith_, (Acts xv. 9.) It does imply, _the casting down every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ_. It does imply, _the being holy, as he that hath called us is holy, in all manner of conversation_, (2 Corinthians x. 5. 1 Peter i. 15.) And, in a word, _the loving the Lord our God with all our heart, and serving him with all our strength_.
56. Now, is it possible for any who believe the scripture, to deny one tittle of this? You cannot. You dare not. You would not for the world. You know it is the pure word of God. And this is the whole of what we preach; this is the height and depth of what we (with St. _Paul_) call perfection: a state of soul devoutly to be wished, by all who have tasted of the love of God. O pray for it without ceasing. It is the one thing you want. Come with boldness to the throne of grace, and be assured that when you ask this of God, you shall have the petition you ask of him. We know indeed that to man, to the natural man, this is impossible. But we know also, that as _no word is impossible with God_, so _all things are possible to him that believeth_.
57. For _we are saved by faith_. But have you not heard this urged as another objection against us, that we preach salvation by faith alone! And does not St. _Paul_ do the same thing? _By grace_, saith he, _ye are saved through faith_. Can any words be more express? And elsewhere, _Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved_, Acts xvi. 31.
What we mean by this (if it has not been sufficiently explained already) is, that we are saved from our sins, only by a confidence in the love of God. As soon as we _behold what manner of love it is which the Father hath bestowed upon us, we love him_, (as the apostle observes) _because he first loved us_. And then is that commandment written in our heart, _that he who loveth God love his brother also_: from which love of God and man, meekness, humbleness of mind, and all holy tempers, spring. Now these are the very essence of salvation, of Christian salvation, salvation from sin. And from these, outward salvation flows, that is, holiness of life and conversation. Well, and are not these things so? If you know in whom you have believed, you need no further witnesses.
58. But perhaps you doubt, whether that faith whereby we are thus saved, implies such a trust and confidence in God as we describe. “You cannot think faith implies assurance: an assurance of the love of God to our souls, of his being now reconciled to us, and having forgiven all our sins.” And this we freely confess, that if number of voices is to decide the question, we must give it up at once; for you have on your side, not only some who desire to be Christians indeed, but all nominal Christians in every place, and the _Romish_ church, one and all. Nay, these last are so vehement in your defence, that in the famed council of _Trent_, they have decreed, “If any man hold (_fiduicam_) trust, confidence, ♦or assurance of pardon to be essential to faith, let him be accursed.”
♦ word missed in typeset “or”
59. Thus does that council anathematize the church of _England_. For she is convicted hereof, by her own confession. The very words in the Homily on Salvation are, “Even the devils believe, that Christ was born of a virgin; that he wrought all kind of miracles, declaring himself very God; that for our sakes he suffered a most painful death, to redeem us from death everlasting. These articles of our faith the devils believe; and so they believe all that is written in the Old and New Testament. And yet for all this faith, they be but devils. They remain still in their damnable estate, lacking the very true, Christian faith.”
“The right and true Christian faith is, not only to believe the holy scriptures, and the articles of our faith, are true; but also to have a sure trust and confidence, to be saved from everlasting damnation through Christ.” Or, (as it is exprest a little after.) “A sure _trust and confidence which a man hath in God, that by the merits of Christ his sins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the favour of God_.”