SECTION IV.

The Holy Nature of Faith more directly shown.

THE holiness of saving faith may not only be inferred from its Author, its source, and its concomitants; but likewise from a careful consideration of its peculiar nature.

The apostle exhorts Christians to "build up themselves in their most holy faith." Jude 20. Should it be urged, that he meant the doctrine of faith, and not faith itself; we inquire, how a most holy doctrine can be received in a right manner by a fuith not at all holy? We read of those who "held" (or imprisoned) "the truth in unrighteousness;"- -" because they liked not to retain God in their knowledge:" Rom. i. 18-28. and if this were the effect of man's carnal enmity against God, in respect of those truths which are discoverable by reason; what must be the opposition of the same principle to the offensive message of the gospel?-When the assent of the understanding is compelled, by invincible evidence to the real doctrine of the cross, the most determined resistance is excited: but in general men contrive to cast a shade over that part of truth which most offends them and by an abuse of the other parts, they stifle their convictions, and quiet themselves in a worldly course of life. This is especially effected by partial and unscriptural views of the gospel; and thus may evangelical professors "hold the truth in unrighteousness, in the most awful sense imaginable.

Christianity, as stated in the Scriptures, displays the glorious justice and noliness of God, in connexion with the odiousness and desert of sin, and the sinner's tremendous danger of everlasting misery, more clearly than any other discovery ever made of the divine perfections and government; though in harmony with the most endearing and encouraging displays of love and mercy to the vilest of sinners. But if every thing be kept out of sight, or very slightly noticed, except the displays of infinite and everlasting love and mercy; unregenerate men may embrace this mutilated gospel with an unholy faith, and so encourage themselves in sin by the confident expectation of impunity. It will, however, still be undeniable, that the most holy doctrine of primitive Christianity can never be cordially embraced, except by a holy faith. St. James carefully distinguishes a cordial consent to the true gospel from a dead faith; for saving faith is living and operative; and by it we receive the truths of revelation with cordial satisfaction and correspondent affections, as relating to our own situation, character, and everlasting interests. "Be-. ing warned of God," and " believing the truth," we are moved with fear;" we perceive ourselves in danger of the wrath to come, and allow that we deserve it; we submit to the righteousness of God, reverence his authority, and implore his mercy we discover the appointed refuge and flee to it; we perceive the suitableness of his salvation to honour his justice and law, as well as to glorify his grace; and this very circumstance which offends the proud and carnal mind, renders it doubly precious to all those who have "received the love of the truth, that they may be saved."

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The apostle Paul speaks of the "faith of God's elect;" and Peter addresses those "who had obtained like precious faith." Tit. i. 1, 2. 2 Pet. i. 1. And thus he gives to faith the same epithet, which he annexes to the promises of God, and even to Christ himself:-precious faith ;-precious promises ;—a precious Saviour: surely then it must be a holy faith, which embraces, and seeks the performance of holy promises, and cordially welcomes a holy Saviour.

Let us, however, more closely examine that peculiar act or exercise of faith, by which we become interested in Christ and his salvation; and in

quire whether it be carnal or spiritual in its specific nature.-"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit:" there is no middle term between them. Whatsoever is born of the flesh is carnal and the apostle declares that "the carnal mind is enmity against God;" and that they who are in the flesh cannot please God." Hence we before inferred that the faith of an unregenerate man cannot please God: and here let it be carefully noted, that there is no alternative; but saving faith is either holy or unholy, and not something of a middle nature, which is neither holy nor unholy.

True faith simply credits the divine testimony in those points which most offend and oppose the pride and lusts of the human heart: and thus "he that believeth hath set to his seal that God is true;" while unbelief makes God a liar. Faith owns the Son of God as the Lord from heaven, as God manifested in the flesh, that Jesus, whom unbelieving Jews crucified, and whom all unbelievers crucify afresh; and views him as now risen from the dead, reigning in glory, the Ruler and Judge of the whole world, Omnipotent to save and destroy. Faith embraces the doctrine of the cross with cordial approbation, as the wisdom and power of God unto salvation, while it is foolishness to those that perish. Faith submits to God's righteousness, allows that every sinner deserves the threatened curse of the law, and renounces expressly all other pleas or confidences, except free mercy through the righteousness, atonement, and mediation of Emmanuel.-Faith unreservedly disavows all attempts to compensate for past sins, to establish a righteousness by any personal obedience or efforts whatever, or to save the soul from deserved and final destruction. Faith gives the Lord credit for his wisdom, justice, and goodness, even where they are not discerned; and by it the selfcondemned sinner ventures on bis mercy and truth in the grand concerns of eternity; entrusting the soul into his hands in full credence, confidence, and affiance, as both willing and able to keep that which is thus committed to him; and this in the clearest view of the importance of the case, and the difficulties that lie in the way of salvation. Faith"counts all things but lost," in comparison of Christ and his salvation; it discovers the treasure hid in the field, the Pearl of great price; and convinced that its value is inestimable, with joy sells all, to secure the advantageous purchase. Faith dreads nothing so much as falling short of that salvation, which unbelievers despise, and to which they prefer the most trifling interest or most worthless indulgence. Faith comes at the Lord's call, uses his appointed means, waits in his way, stays his time, and says under every delay or discouragement, "Lord, to whom shall I go? thou hast the words of eternal life." These things are essential to faith, be it weaker or stronger, as must be evident to every one who makes the word of God the standard of his judgment. Even in its feeblest form, its first trembling application to Christ, while the distressed sinner cries with tears, "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief;" it has this nature, and virtually implies all these things: and do not these denote some degree of a right spirit, of a holy state of the heart and affections? The word of God no where mentions two sorts of true faith; but if the first actings of a sinner's faith in Christ were entirely devoid of holiness, and the subsequent exercises of faith were holy; some distinction of this kind would certainly have been intimated. If it could be proved that saving faith preceded regeneration, and every degree of evangelical repentance: surely no man would suppose that all the subsequent exercises of faith, till it be swallowed up in vision, result from merely natural principles, or such influences of the Spirit as are entirely distinct from sanctification; and that they are detached from repentance and all other holy dispositions and affections! And will any experienced Christian deliberately maintain, that the established believer's daily exercise of faith in Christ, for pardon, peace, wisdom, strength, and sanctifying grace, essentially differs from his first coming to him for salvation? We acquire indeed, as we go forward, more distinct acquaintance with our own wants, and with that fulness from which they are

supplied; and at some times the testimony of our consciences, aided by that of the Spirit of adoption, inspires peculiar confidence in pleading the Lord's promises. But there are times also, when we feel such darkness, sinfulness, and perplexity, that we can only come on the ground of a general invitation; and when the whole of our first experience must be again passed through, as the best, or the only way of finding rest to our souls. Nor are those humiliating seasons uncommon to most of us; when, "God be merciful to me a sinner," is of all other prayers most suited to our feelings; and when we come, to our own apprehension, as "poor, and miserable, and wretched, and blind, and naked," as when we first fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us." The degree and order of these experiences, desires, and affections vary; but the nature of them is precisely the same, whether that be holy or unholy. It is all along, an ignorant helpless child, a criminal, a diseased perishing wretch, applying to an all-merciful and all-powerful Saviour, to be taught, pardoned, cleansed, assisted, protected, relieved, enriched, and completely rescued and blessed, by free unmerited grace, through the redemption of his blood, the gift of his righteousness, the prevalence of his intercession, and the supply of his Spirit. The more simply and humbly this is done, the stronger is the faith exercised; and likewise the greater is the measure of a holy disposition which is manifested, though the person himself may not be conscious of it. The sinner, thus exercising faith in Christ, and applying to him continually for the supply of all his numerous wants, deliverance from merited destruction, and the free gift of eternal life, judges and feels concerning himself, his past conduct, his present duties, and his own heart, as he ought to judge and feel. He thinks soberly of himself, and as he ought to think; and in proportion, the state of his judgment and affections, respecting the perfections, law, and government of God; respecting sin and holiness, this world and the next, Christ and his gospel, and almost every other subject, is rectified, and rendered what it ought to be. This is implied in the very idea of living by faith in the Son of God, and is inseparable from it, from the first feeble trembling cry, "Lord save me, I perish," till the believer, in full assurance of hope, breathes his last, saying, “Lord Jesus receive my spirit."

If some of those who maintain that there is no holiness in saving faith, (at least when first exercised by the convinced sinner,) should be called to converse with a man, whom they had intimately known when a stout-hearted self-confident Pharisee, and should find him deploring the wickedness of his past life, the hypocrisy of his proud duties, the worthlessness of his present endeavours to repent and seek mercy, and the exceeding deceitfulness of his own heart; should they hear him own that God might justly leave him to perish, and express many trembling apprehensions, lest the Saviour whom he had so long rejected should now reject him, and disregard his feeble defiled prayers: should they, I say, witness this scene, would they not be convinced that an alteration for the better had taken place in his mind, and that, in proportion as he had more lowly thoughts concerning himself? Would they not be ready to say, "What hath God wrought?" And could they deny that the change was from a wrong to a right state of the heart and affections or in other words, from unholiness to holiness? They would feel, that they ought not to inquire what the man thought of himself; but in what light that God, "whose judgment is according to truth," viewed his former and his present disposition; and what the Scripture has determined concerning it.

The sacred Scriptures distinguish between a living faith, and a dead faith ; but not between à legal and an evangelical faith, as many persons now do : and on this ground alone, we may fairly conclude that this unscriptural distinction was devised to support an unscriptural system. Dead faith credits the doctrines of the gospel, as readily as other parts of revealed truth; and living faith as simply believes the testimony of God concerning the demands and curse of the law, a future judgment, and the wrath to come, as it does

the doctrines and promises of the gospel. But, as it hath before been observed, dead faith is merely an assent to certain opinions as true, without a cordial approbation of them as holy, just, good, suitable, and valuable, with reference to a man's own character, conduct, and situation. It is therefore either wholly inefficacious, (for being destitute of spiritual life it has no efficacy to excite spiritual affections, much less to produce them; and can only work by natural principles,) or it gives rise to slavish terrors connected with enmity, and sometimes terminating in blasphemous despair; (as "the devils also believe and tremble:") or it abuses divine truth by presumptuous confidence, and excites selfish affections without repentance, love, and holy obedience, like those of the Israelites when they saw the Egyptians dead on the sea-shore, as they are described by the Psalmist: "Then believed they his word and sang his praise. They soon forgat his works, and would not abide his counsel; but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.' Ps. cvi. 12-14. According to our Lord's word's, converts of this description "have no root in themselves, but for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away." And he teaches us how to address unproved professors of the gospel, by his own example as recorded by the Evangelist : As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John viii. 30-32.

But living faith is an active principle in a soul alive to God: it receives the truth in love, and is permanently and spiritually operative upon the understanding, will, and affections. A dead corpse may have every limb, organ, and vessel, in exact order and proportion; while a living man may want an eye, a leg, or a hand, or be otherwise mutilated, defective, or ill proportioned. True faith, therefore, cannot be known by the doctrines believed, as the distinction between legal and evangelical faith seems to suppose, but by the manner in which they are believed. Many who, in a certain way, credit the whole gospel, are hypocrites, and dead in sin; while others, whose creed is very defective, disproportioned, and in some respects erroneous, are sincere Christians, and partakers of divine life. Perhaps they are out of the way of systematical, or even solid instruction; or they are not yet freed from prejudices, through which they cannot receive some parts of divine truth; or they are babes in Christ, who feed on milk, and being unskilful in the word of righteousness cannot digest strong meat; yet their faith is living, and effectually influences their conduct; their imperfect views of truth are humbling, sanctifying, and transforming; and they are gradually, by searching the Scriptures and praying for divine illumination, " growing in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

When the apostle had said, "Without faith it is impossible to please God;" he added, "for he that cometh unto God, must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that dilligently seek him." Heb. xi. 6. I apprehend, the reason he assigned for his universal proposition, is not very satisfactory to many persons, who very steadily maintain the proposition itself: but it accords well to the views given in this publication. A general belief concerning the existence and perfections of the one living and true God, and his merciful readiness to accept, and even "reward, those that diligently seek him," notwithstanding past offences and present sinfulness, has been and is essentially necessary, under every dispensation, and in all possible circumstances, to encourage and incline men to come unto God; and it forms the lowest degree and exercise of faith that can be conceived. But many, we may warrantably conclude, have pleased God, in seeking him as just and merciful, on the ground of revelation, written or handed to them by oral tradition, without explicit faith in Christ, or a clear knowledge of the plan of sal

vation.

Faith, even in that indistinct and incipient exercise which has been described, receives with cordial approbation many of those truths, against which

the proud and carnal heart rises with disgust and indignation, or which it perverts to the vilest purposes. It consents to them on the ground of divine revelation, though they are contrary to man's vain imaginations and proud reasonings; and it practically uses them in various instances which run counter to worldly interest, reputation, indulgence, and natural inclination.Even this must require a state of the heart far above the propensities of fallen man, and contrary to his alienation from God, and whatever bears the stamp of his holiness. But when further illumination has led the believer to a more explicit knowledge of Christ, and to receive him for all the purposes of salvation; his faith is an exercise of the soul peculiarly humble, submissive, obedient, and expressive of unreserved reconciliation to God; and it contains almost as much genuine holiness in its nature, as any thing we are capable of in this state of imperfection.

It is generally and justly agreed, that all the graces of the Spirit have a near agreement, and intimate co-existence, a mutual subserviency, and an inseparable connexion: like the several colours of the sun-beams, which, though seen distinct in the prism and rainbow, yet so coalesce and blend together, as to form a pure and beautiful whiteness. Thus the love of God cannot subsist in that heart which is totally destitute of faith; or faith in the heart, which is at enmity with God.-True repentance is believing repentance; true faith is penitent faith; reverential fear cannot exist without love; holy love of God implies reverence, and fear of dishonouring and offending him and an earnest desire that the Lord should be reconciled to us, and receive us into his favour according to the gospel, implies an incipient disposition to be reconciled to him, to his character, government, commandments, and service. And hence it is, that the approved character is described in Scripture, sometimes by one and sometimes by another of these holy dispositions; but we must not on that ground conclude that they exist separately, but, on the contrary, that where one is, there all are found.

It has before been observed, that by faith in Christ is not here meant, "a confidence that Christ and his salvation belong to me in particular, without any regard to the state of my heart, or my real character at present in the sight of God." Such a confidence may indeed be altogether unholy; and it is generally the selfish presumption of an unhumbled carnal heart, aided by an unfeeling or erroneous conscience, and acquired by the belief of an unscriptural representation of the gospel.

Divine faith must be grounded on the word of God; but no man's name is inserted in Scripture, as names are in grants and wills; to which the engagements and promises of the new covenant are sometimes compared. In order therefore to be assured that I am the person to whom the promised blessings belong, I must inquire whether my case and character accord with those described in the promises. Now these are not made to sinners as such, but to saints, to those that fear the Lord, and tremble at his word; to the contrite, the broken-hearted, the mourners; to those who trust in the Lord, call upon him, follow after righteousness, know the Lord, love God, do his will, and hearken to the voice of his servants; to the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, those that hunger and thirst after righteousness, and such as are persecuted for righteousness sake. In short, the promises are made to those who truly believe; for faith is the radical principle of all holy dispositions. As far, therefore, as we are conscious that our experience, desires, pursuits, habitual aim and character correspond to these dispositions and affections, we may be sure that the covenanted blessings belong to us: yet in exactness of language this is not faith, but hope; the full assurance of hope. This should be sought after and preserved by holy diligence: and as the humble believer, however diligent, will commonly be unable of himself to obtain full satisfaction in this matter, it is one part of the office of the Holy Spirit to shine on his own work, to show us the sacred impression, by "which he hath sealed us to the day of redemption," and thus" to witness with our spirits, that we are the children and heirs of God." The least degree indeed of these holy dispositions,