Part 18

they are therefore directed to you in particular, as well as to others? And how come you to believe that you in particular are under the curse of the broken law? Is it not, that, since the law denounceth its curse against every one that, being under it, breaks it, Gal. 3:10; Rom. 3:19, you do conclude and believe, that it curseth you, forasmuch as you are one of these breakers thereof? Now, you have as sufficient ground to believe that the offer of the gospel is to you in particular; forasmuch as it is made to all, without exception, unto whom the gospel comes, Rev. 22:17; Isa. 55:1. It is ordered to be made to every creature under heaven, Mark 16:15: and how sinful soever you are, you are one of these creatures. Christ's voice is unto men, sons of men: and be what you will, you are one of mankindsinners: and therefore the offer is to you in particular, Prov. 8:4. Accordingly, we are warranted to apply the general offer to every one in particular; and every one is warranted to apply it to himself: Acts 16:31, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."

OBJECTION 3. But alas! I fear I want the qualifications determinative of those to whom the gospel offer is particularly directed. I dread that I have not as yet got a due sense of sin: and our Lord says expressly, "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance," Matth. 9:12, 13. The gospel-offer runs in these terms, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come," Isa. 55:1, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden," Matth. 11:28, "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely," Rev. 22:17. But when I view my own condition, I very much fear I have not as yet reached that thirst after Christ, and that willingness to take him, which these texts speak of; and that I cannot be accounted one truly labouring and heavy laden: how then can I believe that Christ offers himself to me in particular? ANSWER. It is most certain truth, that, unless you have a due sense of sin, unless you thirst after Christ and his righteousness, unless you

be heavy laden with the felt burden of sin, and willing to take Christ on any terms, you will never take him by a true faith. Nevertheless, whatever qualifications you have, or have not; yet if you are a sinner of Adam's race, (and I hope you doubt not that), Christ is offered to you, together with his righteousness, and all his salvation, Prov. 8:4; John 3:16; Mark 16:15. For howbeit there are indeed certain qualifications necessary to move you to take Christ; yet there are none at all to hamper the gospel-offer: but Christ is really offered to you, be in what case you will; so really, that if you do not believe it, and thereupon receive an offered Saviour, you will be damned for not believing, Mark 16:16.

It is undeniable, the less that sinners are sensible of their sins, they are the farther from righteousness; they do the more need Christ, and are the more to be called to repentance. This is evident from the whole tenor of the holy Scripture, and from the very nature of the thing. And therefore it is sinners in the general, and not sensible sinners only, who are meant, Matth. 9:12, 13. Even as it is sick people in general, comprehending even those of them who are so delirious, as to think nothing ails them, that need a physician; and not those sick only, who are sensible of their state and hazard. This is the plain literal sense of that passage, from which there is no necessity to depart: and the departing from it is attended with a manifest inconvenience.

Neither is the thirst mentioned, Isa. 55:1, to be restricted to a gracious thirst, a thirst after Christ and his righteousness. For some at least of the thirsting ones, to whom the offer is there made, are "spending money for that which is not bread, and their labour for that which satisfieth not," vers. 1, 2. But it is evident, that sinners duly sensible, who are thirsting after Christ and his righteousness, are not spending their money and labour at that rate; but, on the

contrary, for that which alone is bread, and satisfieth, namely, Jesus Christ the true bread which came down from heaven. Wherefore the thirst there meant, must needs comprehend, yea, and principally aim at, that thirst after happiness and satisfaction, which being natural, is common to all mankind. Men pained with this thirst do naturally run, for quenching thereof, to the empty creation, and their fulsome lusts: and so they "spend money for that which is not bread, and their labour for that which satisfieth not;" finding nothing there that can satisfy that their appetite or thirst. Now, to men in this wretched case is the gospel-offer of the waters of life made: Christ is offered to them, as bread, fatness, what is good, and will satisfy that their painful thirst, which otherwise will never be quenched, ibid.

And as little is the solemn gospel-offer, Matth. 11:28, restricted to a certain set of men endowed with some laudable qualifications, going under the name of labouring, and being heavy laden; the which do indeed denote the restlessness natural to the sinful soul of man, spending its labour for that which satisfieth not, Isa. 55:2. Our father Adam left his whole family with a conscience full of guilt, and a heart full of unsatisfied desires. Thus we naturally having a restless conscience, and a restless heart, the soul as naturally falls a labouring for rest to them. And it labours in the barren region of the fiery law, for a rest to the conscience; and in the empty creation, for a rest to the heart. But after all, the conscience is still heavy laden with guilt, whether it has any lively feeling thereof, or not; and the heart is still under a load of unsatisfied desires. So neither the one, nor the other, can find rest indeed. This is the natural case of all men. And to souls thus labouring and laden, Jesus Christ calls, that they may come to him, and he will give them rest; namely, a rest for their consciences, under the covert of his blood; and a rest to their hearts, in the enjoyment of God through him. To this interpretation we are led by the style of the Scripture, the phraseology of the Holy Ghost,

both in the Old and New Testament; the which may be viewed in the following texts compared, to wit, Eccl. 10:15; Hab. 2:13; Isa. 55:2, and 1:3, 4; 2 Tim. 3:6, 7.

Finally, as for the willingness which you are afraid you are defective in, surely, in all other cases, he that saith, Whosoever will, let him take such a thing, will, according to the common sense and understanding of such words amongst mankind, be reckoned to offer that thing unto all, and to exclude none from it; however it may bear an intimation, that it is not to be forced on any. Why then should this manuer of speech, Rev. 22:17, be thought to limit the gospel-offer to a certain set of men?

Wherefore we conclude, that Christ lays no bar in the way of any of you: do not ye put bars in your own way, and then complain ye cannot get over them. For, according to the holy Scripture, it is infallible truth, that Christ is offered to you, and every one of you, in particular: believe it, else ye make God a liar, 1 John 5:10.

III. The faith of our right to christ

Furthermore, you must believe that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world, and your Saviour in particular, by his Father's appointment, and his own offer: and that, by the same appointment and offer, his righteousness, the condition of the covenant, and eternal life, the promise of the covenant are yours; yours, I mean not, in possession, but, in right thereto; so far as that you may lawfully and warrantably take possession of the same, and use them as your own to all intents and purposes of salvation, John 4:42, "We know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world." 2 Sam. 22:3; and Luke 1:47, "my Saviour." Do not think this too much for you: it is no more than what is necessary to saying faith in Christ. If you believe only, in the general, that Christ is the Saviour of the world, but believe not that

he is your Saviour in particular; what do you believe more than devils do? They believe him to be Jesus a Saviour, Mark 1:24. If you would go beyond them, you must believe he is your Saviour; and consequently, that his righteousness and salvation are yours, in the sense before opened: for where Christ is given, with him are freely given all things. And pray consider, how can ye take him or receive him as your Saviour, if he is not yours indeed? A man may fraudulently take possession of what he doth not believe to be his by right: but no man can fairly and honestly claim and take possession of what he doth not believe to be his own. Certainly, God must first give Christ us, before we can receive him: for "a man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven," John 3:27. Giving on God's part, and receiving on ours, here, are corelates: and the former is the foundation of the latter. Now, God's gift is sufficient to make a thing ours. Therefore believe firmly, that Christ is your Saviour in particular; that his righteousness is yours, and eternal life yours.

QUESTION. But how can I, a poor sinner, by nature under the curse, believe that Christ is my Saviour, that his righteousness, and eternal life, are mine? ANSWER. You may firmly believe it, because you have the word and testimony of the eternal God upon it, in his holy Gospel. What is the gospel, which the apostles were sent, in the name of God, to testify? The apostle John declares it, 1 John 4:14, "We testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." Is not Jesus Christ then, by office, whatever he is in the event, Saviour of the world? and if he is so, and you are one of that world of mankind, is he not therefore your Saviour? Why then will ye not believe it? God set the sun in the heavens to be a light to the world: and do not you therefore judge, that you have a right to the light of that sun, as well as the rest of mankind; and accordingly use it freely, to work or read by it, as your own by God's free gift? Jesus Christ also is the light of the world, John 8:12; given for a light to the Gentiles,

Is. 49:6: and faith appropriates him, saying, The Lord is my light, and my salvation, Psalm 27:1. Now, you are a member of these societies, to wit, the world, and the Gentiles: therefore he is your light, that is, given for a light to you. Will you take Christ's own word upon it? you have it John 6:32, "My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven." If your neighbour give you bread, you will reckon his gift thereof sufficient to make it yours; and so eat of it freely as your own. If your prince shall give you a house or land, which he hath an unquestionable right to dispose of, you would reckon them truly yours by his gift; and would freely go and dwell in that house, and possess that land, as your own. How is it then, that when the Father gives you his Christ, yet you will not believe that he is yours, nor take possession of him as your own? Why, the truth of the matter lies here: you believe your neighbour, you believe your prince; but you believe not your God, in his holy gospel, but make him a liar, not believing the record that God gave of his Son, 1 John 5:10. But, whether you will believe it or not, it is a truth, that Christ is your Saviour: and if you will not believe it now, to your salvation, you will undoubtedly see your mistake hereafter; when perishing, you will be convinced that you perish, not because you had not a Saviour, but because you neglected to make use of him.

In like manner, the righteousness of Christ is yours, namely, that which he fulfilled as the condition of the covenant. It is yours by Heaven's gift, being given you with himself: and therefore it is called the gift of righteousness, Rom. 5:17. It is a testamentary gift, made over to you in Christ's testament, wherein sinners of mankind, without exception, are the legatees, as hath been already cleared. Eternal life is another such gift or legacy: so it is yours too. And you have the record, testimony or witness, of God himself upon it, that it is given you, 1 John 5:11, "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life: and this life is in his Son." Is not God's own record

a sufficient ground for believing? will you venture to disbelieve it on any pretence whatsoever? Here you have that record, namely, that God hath given to us eternal life. It may be you will imagine that it relates only to actual believers in Christ, or at most to the elect; and use that for a defence of your unbelief. But, I pray you, consider it is the ground and warrant for all to believe on Christ, and to lay hold on eternal life in him; being the witness of God, which he hath testified of his Son, to be received by all to whom the gospel comes, ver. 9: but that God hath given eternal life to a certain select set of men, can never, in reason, be deemed to be a warrant for all men to believe. Moreover, the great sin of unbelief lies in not believing this record: but it doth not lie in not believing that God hath given eternal life to actual believers, or to the elect; for the most desperate unbelievers believe that, insomuch that their belief of it adds to their torment; but it lies in their not believing, that to mankind sinners, and to themselves in particular, God hath given eternal life. This is what flies in the face of the gospel of God, which is the proclaimed deed of the gift and grant of Christ and all his benefits, to sinners of mankind, declaring the grant thereof to be made them, and calling them to take possession of the same as their own, Isa. 9:6, "Unto us a child is born," (the word signifies presented born, as to his relations having a particular interest in him; as Machir's children were presented to Joseph, and laid on his knees, Gen. 50:23, and Ruth's son to Naomi, Ruth. 4:17), "unto us a son is given." John 3:16, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." 1 Cor. 1:30. Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us (namely, by legal destination) wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

And thus you see you have an infallible ground for this act of faith, namely, the testimony of God that cannot lie. Wherefore, as ever you

would be united to Christ, and so instated in the covenant, believe firmly that Christ is yours, and his righteousness yours, and eternal life in him yours.

This is a more close application of faith than the former, and ariseth from it; for thus one believeth the efficacy of the divine appointment, and of the gospel-offer. If God appoints Christ a Saviour to you, with his righteousness and eternal life, and Christ offers himself to you accordingly; surely the effect of that appointment and offer must be, that they are indeed yours, to be used by you, as your own, for your salvation. If you believe that appointment of the Father, and the Son's offer, you must needs believe this: for if they be real, and not ludicrous deeds, they certainly convey to you a right to Christ, his righteousness and salvation: so that, in virtue of them, these must be yours, to be warrantably claimed and used by you as your own, for the purposes of salvation. It is not doubted, but men's deeds of gift, and their offers, real and not ludicrous, do convey such a right to the parties in favour of whom they are made. If a friend of yours, having a sum of money lying in a neighbour's hand, should, especially by a deed in writing under his own hand, appoint and ordain that sum a gift to you, to relieve you out of a certain strait; you would make no question but you might go and claim it, and take it up: if, having the sum in his own hand, he should offer it to you, as a gift, you would make no question but you might take it to you; and, in both cases, use it as your own by your friend's appointment or offer. And shall not the Father's ordinances and appointment, and Christ's offer, be as efficacious? Why then will you not believe this its efficacy? why will ye not believe, that Christ with his righteousness and eternal life are yours?

Truly, the believing hereof is the very next step to the soul's uniting with Christ: and therefore it is proposed to the sinner, as the nearest

means to bring him close unto God in Christ, Hos. 14:1, "Return unto the Lord thy God," he is thy God, thou hast a right to him, return, come even to him, take possession of him as thine own God: Accordingly, the sinner coming unto him by faith, comes on this very ground, Jer. 3:22, "Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God." Ver. 23, "Truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel." As Hagar's eyes were seasonably opened to see she had a well by her, when she had given up her son for dead; so when the sinner lies in his death's wounds from the law, in a work of conviction, the spirit of faith opens his eyes, by means of the glorious gospel, in a work of saving illumination, so that he sees he hath a Saviour, a righteousness, and salvation. And then he presently apprehends or grips the same as his own. Thus the prodigal first believed that he had yet a father, and a father's house, where there is enough and to spare; and then ariseth and goeth to him, Luke 15:17, 18.

OBJECTION 1. If it be true, that Christ is my Saviour, that his righteousness, and eternal life in him, are mine; then I may be easy, I will certainly be saved without any more ado. ANSW. That is but a cavil, best suiting those who, being indifferent about Christ and salvation, think it not worth their pains seriously to consider such things. One truly impressed with the matter, and duly considering, being once brought to believe this, would rather say, "Then, since Christ is really my Saviour, his righteousness and eternal life mine; I will take him to me, I will receive and rest on him as my Saviour, I will rely on his righteousness, and look for eternal life in him: why should I be lost for ever, since I have a full Saviour? why should I go naked, since I have a complete righteousness made over to me by heaven's gift? why should I die, when I have eternal life in Christ?" Put the case, you did see a man at the point of starving for want of bread; and, out of kindness and pity to him, you should appoint and ordain meat for him, out of your own store, for preservation of his

life; and withal should carry it to him, and set it before him, saying, Ha, there is meat I and my father have ordained for you, eat, and welcome. If that man should say, Oh! I may not take it, for it is not mine own; would you not tell him, that your gift, appointment, and offer of it to him, makes it his, so that, with a good conscience, he may freely eat it as his own bread? but should he then reply, and say, Why then, if it is mine, without any more ado I am secured from starring; I need not at all be at pains to take and eat it; would you not reckon him either mad, or but jesting with you, not sensible of his hazard of starring? The application is obvious. It is not meat being one's own, so that he may use it freely as such, that will keep him from starring: he must take and eat it, and so use it as his own, if he would have that benefit by it. Even so it is not Christ being yours, with his righteousness and salvation, that will save you: you must take possession of him, and make use of him as your own, for salvation, if you would be actually saved by him. There is a wide difference betwixt a thing being ours in simple right thereto, and its being ours in possession. It is in the former way only that Christ is yours before uniting with him: and if you do not improve that, by receiving him, and taking possession, you will perish eternally for all it: Heb. 4:1, "Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." Luke 16:12, "If ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?"

OBJECTION 2. But Christ a Saviour, his perfect righteousness, and eternal life, are things so exceeding great and precious, and I am so very sinful and unworthy, that it is mighty hard for me to believe they are mine. ANSW. Yea, here indeed lies a great difficulty of believing; when once a sinner's eyes are opened, to see the transcendent excellency of Christ, the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and his own utter unworthiness: a difficulty not to be surmounted,

but by the effectual operation of the Spirit of faith, causing one to believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Eph. 1:19. But for your help consider they are yours by mere free gift; which is so far from requiring any work in the creature, that it excludes all respect thereto. Christ himself is the Father's gift to you, John 4:10, and 6:32. His righteousness is a gift too, Rom. 5:17. And so is eternal life in him, 1 John 5:11. Now, what is freer than a gift? And then, howbeit they are indeed a gift far beyoud whatever you could have expected, yet they are not too great for an infinite God to give. In making this gift, he acted not according to the dignity of the party in whose favour it was made; but according to himself, his own greatness and majesty. Meanwhile, though the gift is quite above your dignity, yet it is no more than what your need required. If less could have answered your necessity, there is no ground to think, a crucified Christ, the Son of God, would have been prepared for you. If you do but suppose it, you mar that expression of matchless love, John 3:16, "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son." Wherefore, argue with yourself in this manner: "The gift is indeed unspeakable, but no less can serve my need; if Christ be not mine, I must perish: since therefore God hath said it, that he hath given me Christ; and the gift is not above him to give, and no less can serve my turn; I must and will believe that he is mine, with his righteousness and salvation."

IV. The faith of particular trust for salvation

Finally, You must wholly trust on him as your Saviour, and in his righteousness as made over to you; and that for his whole salvation to you in particular, upon the ground of God's faithfulness in his word. And this is that saying faith, or believing on Christ Jesus, by which a sinner is united to him, and personally entered within the covenant of grace unto salvation: Acts 16:31, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Psalm 2:12, "Kiss the Son lest

he be angry, and ye perish:—blessed are all they that put their trust in him." And Psalm 37:40, "He shall save them, because they trust in him." Rom. 15:12, "In him shall the Gentiles trust." Compare Isa. 11:10; Rom. 1:17, "Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith;" or, "Therein is the righteousness of God by faith, revealed unto faith," to wit, to be believed or trusted on. See Philip. 3:9: Gal. 2:16, "We have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified." Acts 15:11, "We believe, that, through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved." 1 Thess. 2:13, "Ye received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God." 1 Cor. 2:5, "That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." This, according to the scripture, is a sinner's receiving and resting upon Christ for salvation, as saving faith is defined in our Catechism: and this is indeed believing, and nothing but believing, according to the scriptural use of that word.

1. I say, this is the scriptural receiving and resting on Christ. It is the receiving of him in sense of the holy Scripture: John 1:12, "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name;" where the receiving of Christ is explained by believing on his name. God hath appointed Christ Saviour of the world, and your Saviour. you hear the same published in the gospel; and you accordingly believe that he is your Saviour by his Father's appointment, and his own offer; hereupon you trust on him, and on him alone, for salvation, and all that you need for your salvation. Is not this a receiving of him for your part in the character of a Saviour, wherein his Father sent him forth to you? Is it not a taking of him to yourself, as offered to you? Our Lord complains of the Jews, John 5:43, that whereas he came in his Father's name, they received him not, to wit, in the character wherein he was sent, namely, as the Messias, the Saviour of the world, and their Saviour, trusting in him that be would save them. This plainly appears to be

the meaning, if one compares herewith the words there immediately following: "If another shall come in his own name, him will ye receive:" q. d. Ye will believe him to be the Messias, and your Saviour, and trust on him accordingly, that he will save you; the which has been often verified in that unbelieving people. Moreover, this is resting on Christ in the scripture-sense of that manner of expression: Isa. 26:3, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." And indeed one cannot devise what way a person can rest on a word, or a soul or spirit can rest upon a person, but by trusting them, or trusting in or on them. It is said, 2 Chron 32:8, "The people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah." What way can one imagine they did so, but by trusting them? Chap. 14:11, "Help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee." How could they do so, but by trusting on him for their help?

2. This is believing, in the scriptural use of that word, which, in our entry on the question under consideration, we established from the scripture itself. For it is a trusting of, or trusting in a person, namely, Jesus Christ, and God in him, the personal object of saving faith, Acts 16:31; a trusting in a thing, namely, the righteousness of Christ, the ultimate real object of faith, Rom. 1:17; and a trusting in a word, namely, the record and testimony of God, the word of the promise of the gospel, the proximate or nearest real object of faith, ibid.; and all this for the great purpose of salvation. And then it is nothing but such believing: for thus faith is not explained away into, but is a thing quite distinct from the nature of a work, as the scripture contradistinguisheth works to faith.

Wherefore we conclude, that this trust is that believing on Christ, by which the soul is united to him, and savingly instated in the

covenant. And for opening of it, we shall take notice of these five things plainly imported in it.

1. This trust imports, not only a willingness, but a sincere and honest desire to be delivered from sin and wrath; a desire to be sanctified, as well as to be justified; to be delivered from the reigning power, pollution, practice, and inbeing of sin, as well as from the guilt of it; according to that of the apostle, Rom. 7:24, 25, "Who shall deliver me from the body of this death; I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." For it is a trusting on Christ, not for the half of his salvation, to wit, salvation from wrath only, which is all the trust of many, being by no means desirous to part with sin; but for the whole of it, namely, salvation from wrath, and salvation from sin too, which is the principal part thereof, Matth. 1:21. Now, a man may indeed fear that from one, which he doth not desire: but no body trusts in one for what he desires not. Faith is a believing with the heart, Rom. 10:10. The whole salvation of Christ is the believer's choice; it is the end he desires to compass: and the trust of faith is exerted as the means to compass that end.

2. A renouncing of all confidence in all that is not Christ, or in Christ, as to the matter of salvation particularly. In this trust is overturned self-confidence, law-confidence, creature-confidence; and the soul builds on a quite new ground: Phil. 3:3, "We rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." Jer. 16:19, "The Gentiles shall come unto thee, and shall say, surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit." For it is a trusting wholly on Christ and his righteousness, a trusting, or a believing with all the heart, Prov. 3:5; Acts 8:37. At this rate the believer is carried off from the works of the law, to the blood of Jesus, for his justification; and carried out of himself too, unto the Spirit of holiness in Christ, for his sanctification: being persuaded, that no

doing nor suffering of his own, can procure him the pardon of, or atone for the least of his guilt; and that he is not able truly to mortify one lust, more so as to purge away the guilt of one sin, Matth. 5:3; Isa. 45:24.

3. A hearty approbation of the plan or device of salvation according to the covenant, manifested in the gospel, as suited to the divine perfections, and to the case of sinners, and their own in particular: 1 Cor. 1:23, "We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;" ver. 24, "But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." Without this, no man knowing what God is, what sin is, and what is the worth of his own soul, will ever venture his salvation upon it; but one's trusting his salvation and his righteousness, speaks him to be well pleased therewith, as what one may safely trust to, even in the sight of a holy God. And this is that rejoicing in Christ Jesus, which makes an illustrious mark in the believer's character, Phil. 3:3.

Withal it bears three things. (1.) An eying of Christ in this matter, as a crucified Saviour, who hath fulfilled all righteousness, according to the stated condition of the covenant, 1 Cor. 2:2. It is not Christ in the eternal glory he had with his Father before the world was, that faith fixeth its view on, while the soul in this case stands trembling before a holy God; but Christ the Son of God made man, come in the flesh, being born holy, leading a life perfectly righteous, and at last dying on the cross, to satisfy the demands which the law had on poor sinners. It looks unto him lifted up on the cross, as those who were bitten by the serpents in the wilderness looked unto the brazen serpent lifted up on the pole, Isa. 45:22; Numb. 21:8; John 3:14, 15. Therefore it is called faith in his blood, Rom. 3:25, his righteousness, whereof the shedding of his blood was the completing part, being the

spring of the believer's hope. (2.) A real persuasion of the sufficiency of Christ's righteousness to save sinners, and us in particular, from sin and wrath; to answer for us before a holy just God, in the eye of his holy law; and to procure for us eternal holiness and happiness. There is no saving faith without this: Christ's ability to save must be believed, and that with application to your own case in particular, Matth. 9:28, "Believe ye that I am able to do this?" And in order hereunto, faith eyes Christ's righteousness as the righteousness of God, and therefore of infinite value and efficacy, Phil. 3:9; 1 John 1:7. The reason why the gospel, and no other doctrine whatsoever, is the power of God unto salvation of sinners, is, because therein is revealed the righteousness of God unto faith, Rom. 1:16, 17, and that is the only righteousness, suited at once to the divine perfections and our case. (3.) An acquiescing in that way of salvation, for ourselves in particular. The believer hath a cordial liking of it, for the way of his salvation, as perfectly safe, being the power of God, and the wisdom of God, 1 Cor. 1:24. His soul pronounceth them safe and happy, that are in it, he desires for his own part to be found in it; and is persuaded he would be saved if he were in it. Thus faith acted in the woman diseased with an issue of blood, Matth. 9:21, "She said within herself, if I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole." And thus it acteth in all believers, determining them to that way, and to that way alone, for their case in particular. And here unbelievers are always unsettled.

4. A betaking one's self unto Christ and his righteousness alone for salvation from sin and wrath. This is done by this trusting. For the sinner believing that Christ is his Saviour, and that his righteousness is made over to him by free gift; and withal, that this his Saviour, with his righteousness, is sufficient to save him from sill and wrath; doth accordingly trust on Christ and his righteousness for his own salvation, and so betake himself thereto: even as a beggar once

having, and withal believing himself to have riches and wealth made over to him by a friend, leaves off to beg, and for his maintenance trusts to that wealth allenarly; and thereupon betakes himself to it. It is true, that wealth being a corporal thing, to which there is a bodily motion, the betaking one's self thereto is not the same thing with the trusting to it; howbeit the former is a native consequent of the latter: but Christ and his righteousness, as revealed unto faith, being things purely spiritual, to which there is no bodily motion requisite, that we may betake ourselves to them; the trusting and betaking one's self thereto, are one and the same. So by this trust, the soul takes possession of Christ and his righteousness; and useth the same as its own, to the purpose of salvation. By it the sinner betakes himself as a condemned man, unto Jesus Christ as the propitiatory mercy-seat through his blood, affording safety to the guilty before a holy God: and by it the sinner betakes himself as a sick man, unto the same Jesus as the physician of souls having the fulness of the Spirit of sanctification in him, to be communicated. Accordingly faith is called a coming to Christ, John 6:35; a fleeing for refuge, as one in hazard of his life by a pursuer, Heb. 6:18; and is often expressed, as Psalm 2:12, by a word which properly signifies, to retire as into a shadow, Judg. 9:15, or as the chickens do under the wings of the hen, Ruth 2:12, "The Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust;" properly to retire. Compare Matth. 23:37, "How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings!"

5. Lastly, This trust of faith imports an affiance, confidence, or trust on Christ and his righteousness, that he will save us from sin and wrath, according to his promise set before us in the gospel; "Whosoever believeth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life." Isa. 25:9, "We have waited for him, and he will save us." Heb. 3:6, "Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence." Isa. 50:10,

"Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God." And that this trust of faith is thus particular, is evident also from the nature of the thing. For whosoever trusts in a person for any thing, hath a persuasion of the same degree of firmness with the trust, that that person will do that thing for him. And for a sure token of this, where the party trusted fails, the party trusting is ashamed and confounded; as being disappointed in that which he trusted he would do for him. Wherefore, since the trust of faith is never disappointed, the scripture doth therefore assure us, that he that believeth on him shall not be confounded, 1 Pet. 2:6. nor ashamed, Rom. 10:11. The which doth sufficiently intimate, that he that believeth on Jesus Christ for salvation, doth trust that he will save him: otherwise there could be no place for his being confounded or ashamed whatever should be the event of his trust. Accordingly the trust of faith doth, in proportion to the firmness thereof, establish and fix the heart, Psalm 112:7, "His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord:" and hereof we have a plain instance in Paul's case, 2 Tim. 1:12, "I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed," marg or trusted. Agreeable hereunto, faith is called in effect a building on Christ, as upon a foundation that will bear our weight, Isa. 28:16, with 1 Pet. 2:6. It is called a leaning upon him, Cant. 8:5; a staying on him, Isa. 26:3; a resting or relying on him, 2 Chron. 14:11, and 16:8. as upon one that will bear us up; a looking unto him, Isa. 45:22, having our eyes upon him, 2 Chron. 20:12, as one from whom we look for life and salvation; and finally, believing on him, 1 Pet. 2:6, as one by whom we shall be saved, Acts 15:11.

The sinner being shaken out of all confidence for life and salvation in other things, stays himself by faith on Jesus Christ and his righteousness; trusting on him, that he shall have life and salvation through his righteousness. It is true, indeed, this particular trust and confidence may be assaulted with many doubts and fears: but these

are things that faith hath to conflict with, as its opposites; and the stronger that faith is, the less they prevail; the weaker it is, they prevail the more: Matt. 14:31, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" It is indeed of very different degrees in different persons, and in one and the same person at different times: but if you remove all trust and confidence in Christ for one's own salvation, from faith, the very nature and essence of it is destroyed. For at that rate, the sinner, whose confidence in the flesh for his salvation is razed, having no confidence for it in Christ neither, is left quite unsettled and wavering, like a wave of the sea, or a reed in the water: and where then is faith's building, leaning, staying, relying and resting the soul on Christ? James 1:6, "Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering: for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind, and tossed." Ver. 7, "For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." But the believing sinner, finding his confidence in the flesh razed, doth, by believing, cast the anchor of his trust and confidence on Christ Jesus and his righteousness, confiding and trusting that he will save him. And however he may indeed waver in that matter; being tossed with doubts and fears about his salvation, weakening the actings of that his confidence; and sometimes prevailing so far, as to cause an intermitting of the exercise thereof: yet, even in that case, under all that tossing, he doth not waver like a wave of the sea, that hath nothing to fix it; but only like a ship at anchor. His confidence is never quite rooted out, as to the habit thereof; but will again exert itself: and in that respect every believer, as a real "partaker of Christ, holds the beginning of his confidence stedfast unto the end," Heb. 3:14. And this trust and confidence is what our reformers called assurance, and described faith by.

OBJECTION 1. Since it is not true of all who hear the gospel, that they shall be saved; there cannot be, in the case of every one of them,

a ground on which this particular trust may be warrantably founded. ANSWER. All and every one of them, notwithstanding that, have a solid ground for it, even for trusting on Christ and his righteousness for their own salvation in particular. And that is the record and testimony of God in his gospel, that "whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life," John 3:16. The true sense of which, as appears from what is said, is, that whosoever shall have this trust and confidence in Christ, shall not be disappointed, but shall certainly be saved. Here then is the faithfulness of God in his word, for the foundation of this faith of particular trust: and true faith is always built on that foundation. It is certain indeed, that, in the event, many to whom the gospel comes will not be saved: but then, it is as certain, that those who will not be saved, will not believe neither; that is, they will not come up to this particular trust and confidence, we have described from the word, Isa. 53:1, "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" Howbeit, at this rate they have a firm ground of particular confidence. If they will not believe for all this, their ruin is of themselves, they will perish without excuse: and their unbelief will be the great ground of their condemnation. Jesus Christ, with his righteousness and salvation, is so far made theirs, by the Father's appointment, and his own offer, that they may lawfully and warrantably trust on him as their Saviour, each one for his own salvation. If they will not believe it, or not trust on him accordingly; they do, by their unbelief and distrust, dishonour the Father and his Son, and most justly perish.

OBJECTION 2. Many trust in Christ as their Saviour, with a particular confidence that he will save them; and yet are grossly ignorant, profane, or formal hypocrites; and therefore not true believers, nor united to Christ. ANSWER. The apostle speaking of faith unfeigned, 1 Tim. 1:5, doth suppose that there is a feigned faith.

And indeed such trusters in Christ have it: but as for this trust which we have described from the word, it is as certain they hare it not, as it is certain that true faith purifies the heart, Acts 15:9, and truly sanctifies, chap. 26:18. As such trusters say, that they receive Christ, and rest on him alone for salvation, embrace, accept, and consent to him in the gospel-offer: even so they say, that they trust on him. But this trust on him they really have not. For, first, They trust not on him for his whole salvation; nay, as for the chief part thereof, to wit, salvation from sin, they are by no means reconciled thereto: wherefore it may well be an object of their fears and aversion; but it cannot be an object of their trust Secondly, They trust not on him alone for the salvation they really desire: they do not trust on him with all their heart; but partly to him, and partly to their own doings and sufferings, betwixt which and the Saviour their heart is divided. This is clear from Matth. 5:3, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Lastly, Their trust is not grounded on the faithfulness of God in the free promise of the gospel; but reared up on some one or other sandy foundation: Isa. 53:1, "Who hath believed our report?" Matth. 7:26, "Every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them not, shall be likened onto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand."

And thus have we shown, what is that faith or believing by which a sinner unites with Jesus Christ, and so enters savingly into the covenant of grace.

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