\
Jk*i
LIBRARY
No. Case,
No. Shelf, Sect
No. Book,
PRINCETON, N. J. Dj
11 'J'iic John M, Krelt^ Donation.
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1
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■^i^:
THE
O E C O N O M Y
OF THE
COVENANTS,
BETWEEN
GOD AND MAN.
COMPREHENDING
A Complete Body of Divinity,
By HERMAN ^MTSIUS, D. D.
Late Professor of Divinity in the Universities of Franequer, Utrecht, and Leyden ; and also Regent of the Divinity- College of the States of Holland and West-Fricsland.
TO WHICH IS PREFIXED,
THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.
A New Translation from the Original Latin. IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOLUME IL
N E ir ' YORK :
PxiiNTED BY George Forman, No. 6i, Water- Street^ For Lee & Stokes, No. 25, Maiden-Lane,
17 9 8,
CONTENTS.
BOOK HI.
CHAP. IV.
OPage
F election, 1
V. Of effectual calling, 30
VI. Of regeneration, 49
VII. Of faith, 73
VIII. Of justification, 100
IX. Of spiritual peace, 154-
X. Of adoption, 175
XL Of the Spirit of adoption, 195
XII. Of sanctification, 214
XIII. Of conservation, 294
XIV. Of glorification, 331
BOOK IV.
CHAP. I.
Of the doctrine of salvation in the first age of the
■world, 370
Of the first gospel-prom ise, 371
Of the Man Jehovah, 394
Of Enoch's prophecy, 399
II. Of the doctrine of grace under Noah^ 400
Of Shem and Japheth, 4 10
!v CONTENTS.
Page III. Cf the doctrine of grace from Abraham to
Moses y 4 1 8
Of the appearances made to AbrahaiUy ibid.
Of the covenant with Abraham, 425
Of^Jie doctrine of grace under Jacob, 434
Of Job's Notzer, 440
Of Elihu's commendation of Christ, 441
Of Balaam's prophecy, 445
THE
O E C O N O M Y
OF T H K
DIVINE COVENANTS.
BOOK III.
CHAP IV.
Of Election..
J^^ E T us now first of all treat of those benefits» which belong to the covenant of grace^ considered ab- solutely and in itself, and are therefore common to all those in covenant, under what oeconomy soever , w^hich we enumerate in the following order : 1 . Elec- tion. 2. Effectual calling to the communion of Christ. S. Regeneration. 4. Faith. 5. Justification. 6. Spi- ritual peace. 7. Adoption. 8. Tlie Spirit of adoption. 9. Sanctification. 10. Conservation, or preservation. 1 1. Glorification. The devout meditation of all these things cannot fail to be glorious to Ood, agreeable, profitable, and salutary to ourselves.
II. The beginning and first source of all grace is Election, both of Christ the Saviour, and of those to be saved by Christ. For even Christ vv-as chosen of God, and, by an eternal and immutable decree, given to
Vol. II. A
2 Of Election.
be our Saviour ; and therefore he is said to be foircr- daiiied before the foundation of theicoiid* And they ■u^hom Christ was to save, were given to him by the vsame decree. f They are therefore said to be chosen in Christ. % That is, not only by Christ as. God, and con- gcquently the elector of them ; but also in Christ as Mediator, and on that account the elected, who, by one and the same act, was so given to them to be their Head and Lord, as at the same time they were given to him to be his members and property, to be saved by his merit and power, and to enjoy communion with him. And therefore the book of election is called the hook of life of the Lamb.^ Not only because that life i& to be obtained in virtue of the Lamb slain, but also because the Lamb takes up the first page of that book, is the head of the rest of the other elect, and the ,first- born among many brethren and joint-heirs zvith hi}n.\\ But of this election of Christ the Mediator we treated before, b. ii. chap. ii. § 8. and now we shall speak of the election of those to be saved.
III. We thus describe it : Election is the eternal^ free, and immutable counsel of God, about revealing the glory of his grace, in the eternal salvation of some certain- persons. Most of the parts of this description are in these words of the apostle : According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the ivorkl, that xve should be holy, and icithout blame before him in love : having predestinated us unto the adoption of children, by Jesus Christ to himself, to the praise of the glory of his grace f zvherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved, Eph. i. 4, 5, 6.
IV. We call election the counsel of God, by which term we mean that which is commonly called decree ;
* 1 Pet. i. 20. t John xvli. 6. i Eph. i. i. § Rey. xiiL S, II Rom. viii. 29, 17.
Of Election. S
Paul on this subject calls it prothesis, the purpose or foi'c-appobitmcnt of God. This term appears very- choice to the apostle, which he v^ry freqiiently makei use of, and denotes -a sure, firm, and fixed decree of God, which he can never repent cf, and which de- ])ends on nothing out of himself, b^.t is founded only in his good pleasure. All this is intimated, 2 Tim. i. 9. Who hath saved us, and called us ivith an holy cal- ling, not accoi'ding to our xcorks, but according to his ozcn purpose and grace. To this purpose also he says, Eph. i. 1 1 . We are predestinated according to the pur- pose of him, who zvorketh all things after the counsel of his ozcn xoill. And elsewhere the same apostle a 1:0 speaks of prothesis, the purpose oi election, Rom. viii. 28. zcho are called accorxling to his purpose ; and Rom. ix. 11. the purpose cf God according to election. And thus we distinguish this internal election, and of counsel, from the external a.nd of fact, which signifies the actual separation of believers from unbelievers, by effectual calling. In this sense the Lord said to his apostles, But I have chosen 7/ou out of thezvorld, there- fore the icorld hateth you."^ Now, the eternal and in- ternal decree of God could not be the cause of this ha- tred, but only as it discovered itself by the event, and by the actual separation of the apostles from the world. To this we may also, it seems, apply what the apostle writes. Ye see your calling, brethren, hozc that not ma- ny zcise men, &c. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the zvorld, to confound the zcise,'f' 8>cc. Where lie seems to take calling and election for the same thing. Nor does this internal election and of counsel differ from the external and of fact, but only in this, that the last is the demonstration and execution of the first.
* John XV. 19. t 1 Cor. i. 26, 27.
4 Of Election.
V, It Is likewise clear, that we are not here speaking of an election to any political or ecclesiastical dignity, as I Sam. X. 24. and John ix. 70. nor even to tlie privilege of an external covenant with God ; in the manner that God chose all the people of Israel, Dent. iv. 37. He loved tki) fathers, and chose their seed i compare Deut. vii. 6, 7. But of that election, which is the designa- tion and inrolment of the heirs of eternal salvation ; or, as Paul speaks, by which God Jiatli, from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctif cation of the spi- rit and belief of tJie truth *
VI. For this purpose is the book of life so frequently mentioned in scripture : nor will it be improper, here to inquire what is intended by that appellation. That God has no book properly so called, is self-evident : but as men write down in a book those things, which they want to know and keep in memory ; so the book of God denotes the series of persons and things, which are most perfectly known to God. Moreover, the scripture mentions several books of God. 1. God has a book cf common providence, in which the birth, life, and death of men, and every thing concerning the same, are inserted : In thy book all my members zvere written.-\ 2. There are also books of judgment, in which the actions, good or bad, of every man in particular are written, and according to which they are to be judged : And the dead were judged out of those things xchich zvere written in the books, according to their works. \ These books are mentioned in the plural number, as if each particular person had his own peculiar book as- si^med him, lest the good or had behaviour of one should be put to the score of another, and thence any confusion should arise. By whicli is signified the most
* 2 Thess. ii. 13. f Psal. cxxxi^i. 1(5. * Rev. xx. 12.
Of Electio!?. ^
exact and distinct knowledge of God. And because, in other respects, God knows all things by one intui- tive view of his understanding, this ver\' book is men- tioned in the singular number : A book of remembrance teas zvrUfen be/oi-ehim* 3. T\\qxq \s ^ho the book of life; audit is threefold. (1.) Of ih\s natural life , of which Moses speaks, Exod. xxxii. 32, Where en- treating the face of the Lord, who had said, he would consume Israel in the wilderness, and make Moses himself a great nation, he prays, that God would pre- serve his people, and bring them into the inheritance of the land of Canaan, offering himself, at the same time, instead of the people : Yet noiOy if thou zcilt, for- give their sin : and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy hook xchich thou hast zvritten. As if he had said, " I accept not the condition offered of preserving me among the living, and increasing me greatly after the destruc-^ tion of Israel ; I chuse rather to die by an untimely death, than that Israel should be destroyed in the wil- derness." (2.) Of a federal Rud ecclesiastical life, con- sisting in communion with the people of God. Which is the register, not only ot those internally, but of those externally in covenant, mentioned Ezek. xiii. 9. They shall not be in the assembly of my people, neiilier shall they be icritten in the ivriting (f the house of Israel. And Psal. Ixxxvii. 6. The Tord shall count , xohen hexvriteth np the people, that this man zcas horn there. (3.) Oi life eternal, mentioned Is. iv. 3. Dan. xii. 1. Phil. iv. 3. Lukex. 20. Rev. iii. 5. xiii. 8. xx. 12. & xxi. 27. ; which book signifies the register of those predestinated to lite eternal.
VII. Further, as the book of God does not alwayg denote one and the same thing ; so the writing of per-
.* AJal. iii, IS.
6 Of Election.
sons in any of these is not always the same. Some writing is only imaginari/, consisting in a fallacious judgment concerning ourselves or others, too easily presuming either our own, or the election of others ; such as was that of those who cried out,* The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these : and of the people of Sardis, who were said to live, though they were really dead.f There is ano- ther inscription which is indeed true, but it is only hu- man, in the book of federal life, done either by the man himself, by a profession of the faith, subscribing as xvifli his own hand, I am the Lord's, \ or ^j/ tJie guides of the church, inserting such a person in the list of professors, and acknowledging him for a member of the church, of the visible at least. There is, in fine, a writing of God himself, made by his eternal and im.m.utable de- cree ; of which the apostle says. The Lord knozceth them that are his.^ The observation of these things, throws much light on many places of scripture, and will immediately prove also of use to us.
VIII. This election to gloiy, is not some general de- cree of God about saving the faithful and the godly who persevere in their faith and piety to the end of their life ; but a particular designation of certain indi- vidual persons, whom God has inrolled as heirs of sal- vation. It is not consistent with the perfection of God, to ascribe to him general and indeterminate decrees, which were to receive any determination or certainty from men. We'read indeed|| of the determinate coun- sel of God, but never of a general and indeterminate decree. And then the scripture never describes elec- tion, as the determination of any certain condition, by
* Jer. Tii. 4. f Rev. ill. 1. J Is. xlv. 5. § 2 Tim. U. 19. II Acta ii. 23.
Of Electioit. 7
and without which salvation is, or is not obtained. It is no where said, that faith is chosen by God, or writ- ten down in the book of lite, or any thing like that ; but that men indeed are chosen by God. Let us refer to Rom. viii. 29, 30. For xvhom Jie did fore kjwiv, lie also did predestinate. — Whom he did predestinate, them iie also called, &lc. It is not said in the ti^xt; pej'sotis so quaUfied, that it might be applied to the designation of any condition ; but certain persons are appointed as the objects of the acts there mentioned.
IX. The very term proorizein, to predestinate, which the apostle more frequently uses on this subject, does not obscurely discover this truth. For as hori- z E I N signifies to point out or ordain a certain person (Acts xvii. 31. by that man, tcJiom ho rise, he hatk ordained, and pointed out by name ; and Acts x. 42. HO HORisMENOs, zchich zvos orduined of God to be the judge ; and Rom. i. 4. horisthentos huiou The-
ou, declared to be [determinately marked out US'] the Son of God, who was by name and particularly declar- ed to be so by God, by a public appellation, so proo- rizein, as applied to the heirs of eternal life, must signify to inrol, or write down some certain persons as. heirs, in the eternal testament.
X. This is what Christ said to his disciples, JRejoice, because your names are written in heaven.'^ Where he speaks to them by name, and assures them of their election, and bids them rejoice on that account. Which is certainly of much greater import, than if he had said in general, " Rejoice, because God has esta- blished, by an eternal decree, that he would make all believers happy in heaven, though he has thought no- thing of you by name :" in which manner, according
* Luke X. 20,
f" Of Election.
to the opinion of our adversaries, these words were to be explained.
XI. What the apostle* expressly asserts concerning Clement and his other fellow-labcurers, that their names were in the book of life, ought to be sufficient for determining this inquiry : which impudence itself dares not wrest to a general decree of some condition. For, 1. The name of a person is one thing, the condition of a thing, another. He who only determines in general to inlist none but valiant men for soldiers, does not write down the names of some soldiers in the roll. 2. The condition of salvation is but one j but the scripture al- w'ays speaks in the plural number of the names wTitten in the book of life. Therefore the writing: down of the names is one thing, the determination of some condition another. 3. It is certain, that the apos- tle, and other sacred writers, when they say, that some men, or the names of some, are written in the book of life, do aKvays, by that very thing, distinguish them from others, who are not inserted. But, according to the opinion of our adversaries, the appointment of this condition imports no actual distinction between men. Because, notwithstanding that decree about saving those who believe in and obey Christ, it may be possible, according to their principles, that none should believe, obey, or be saved. 4. All these things will be more cogent, if we attend to the original of this metaphorical expression. The similitude is taken from a. genealogical catalogue or register, especially among the people of God ; in which the names of every parti- cular person belonging to any family, was written ; and according to which catalogue, at the time of the jubi- lee, or other solemnity, when the paternal inheritance was restored to any family, every one was either ad- * Phil. iv. 3.
Of Election. 9
mitted or rejected, according as his name was, or was not found there. We have an example of this, Ezra ii. 61, 62. when after the Babylonish captivity the pos- terity of Habaiah, Koz, and l^razillai, not being able to prove their descent by the genealogical registers, were put from the priesthood. In the same manner, the book of life contains the names of those who be- long to the family of God ; in which he who is not written, whatever he may presume or pretend, will be <lcp;"ived of the inheritance.
XII. To conclude, I would ask our adversaries, •w^hen the apostle says. The Lord knozceth them that ewe his ;* and the Lord Jesus, I knouo ii'hojn I'have cho- sen ;f whether there is nothing ascribed to God or to Christ, in these words, but what the least in the school of Christ knows, that they who believe in and obey Christ, are the peculiar property of God and of Christ ? Has not that language some grander sound, and does it not intimate, that God has the exactest account of all in whom he will be glorified, as his peculiar peo- ple r We yield to what our adversaries declare in Com- pend. Socm. c. 4. § 1. *' Admitting the infallible pre- science of all future things, Calvin's doctrine of the predestination of some bv name to life, of others to death, cannot be refuted." But that prescience of God has as many witnesse , as he has constituted pro- phets. It is a settled point therefore, that election is a designation of some certain persons.
XIII. This designation was made from eternity ; as were all the counsels of God in general : for hw.zo?i unto God are all his icorksfrom the beginning of the ivcrld.X Who zcorkeih all things qtter the counsel of his own ivill.^ And all the foreknowledge of future things is founded
* 'JTim.ii. 19. f John xiii. IS. + Acts xv- IS. §Eph. i. li.
Vol. II. B
10 Of Electioit.
in the decree of God : consequently he determined with himself from eternity, whatever he executes in time. If we are to believe this with respect to all the decrees of God, much more ought this to be held with regard to that distinguishing decree, w^hereby he purposed to display his glory in the eternal state of men. Add what ought in the fullest manner to establish this truth, that we are chosen in Christ Jesus before (he foundation of the world *
Xiy. And hence appears the gangrene of the Soci- nian heresy, which, distinguishing between predestina- tion, which it defines the general decree of God con- cerning the salvation of all those who constantly obey Christ, and between election, which is of particular persons, says indeed, that the former is from eternitr, but the latter made in time, when a person performs the condition contained in* the general decree of predes- tination. And it places the excellence of the Lord Jesus and a part of his divinity in this, that he was fore- known by name from eternity. But as Peter writes,^ that Christ was foreordained before the foundation of the world ; so we have just heard Paul testifjing by the same expression, that ive icere chosen before thefounda- iion of the world. To pervert which to some general decree of saving saints, neither the subject, as we have just shewn, nor the apostle's words, which describe not an election of holiness, as the condition of life, but an election of some certain persons tp holiness, whicli, in virtue of that election, they had already in part ob- tained, and were afterwards in the fullest manner to obtain, will not suffer us.
XV. We are here to explain what our Saviour de>^ clares he will pronounce on the day of the last judg-
* Eph. i. 4. t 1 Pet. i. 20.
Of Election. 11
ment ;* Inherit the Ixingdom prepared for you apo f: a- TABOLES KOSMor, />•(;;?? the foundai'wn of the icorLL He docs not say, before the fa inula f ion (f the icorld, as is said, Eph. i. 4. If by this preparing we understand God's decree itself, we must say with many expositors, that this phrase fmn tliefowidatiou of the reorld, is equivalent to that other, l)efore the foundation of the zvor/d : just cisfro?n the beginning of the zvorld,-\- and be- fore the uor hi, i denote the very same thing. Similar ex- pressions of eternity may be compared, Prov. viii, 23. M i: N c o L A M, from ererlasting ; m e r o s h, fro77i the he- ginn ing ; mikkadmei aretz, or ever the earth zcax. Or if we would rather distinguish these, and explain that expression, from tJie foundation of the icorld, so as to signify, not eternity, but the remotest period of time (as it is taken Luke xi. 50. the blood cf all the prophets xvhich was shedfrovt the foundation of the icorld^ that isj from the remotest antiquity, beginning with the blood of Abel, ver. 51. and Ileb. iv. 3.) we shall say, that by preparing the kingdom is meant the for- mation of heaven, which is the throne of glory ; and that the elect are invited to enter upon the inheritance of that habitation, which was created at the very be- ginning of the world, in order to be their eternal resi- dence. And who can doubt, but what God created in the beginning, in order to be the blessed abode of the elect, was appointed by him from eternity for that pur- pose ?
XVI. And we ought not to pass by that illustrious passage. Rev. xiii. 8. Whose names are not zcritten in ilie book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the zcorld. The last of which words are so placed, that they may stand in a three-fold connection with the pre- ceding. For, Jiist, they may be joined with the im- * MaUh. XXV. 31-. f Acts xv. IS. + 1 Cor. ii. 7..
|f Of Elhction.
mediately-preceding, as to mean, that Christ was thc Lavib slain from the foundation of the ivorld ; that is, either from all eternity, in the decree of God, which importing a certain futurition of events, to use a scho- lastic term, is the reason that things future may be con^ 'sidered as already existing ; or from the remotest anti- quity of the world, not only in the members of his mystical body, but also in the promise ot God, in the type of sacrifices, and of Abel slain by his envious bro- ther j and in fine, in the efficacy of his death, which extended itself to the first men. For, unless the death of Christ, which he was once to undergo in the fulness of time, could have extended its virtue to the first men in the world, Christ must often have suffered since tJie foundation of the zvorld* Many things were done by God, before Christ could die, which could not decent- ly have been done, unless with a view to Christ's death, which was to ensue in its appointed time ; and with re spect to these, he is said to be slain from the founda- tion of the world. Nay, the foundation of the earth it- self vv^as not laid without a view to the death of Christ. For since the manifestation of his glorious grace in man through Christ, was the chief end of God in creating maii ', the foundation of the earth, to be an habitation for the good, must be considered as a mean to that end. Nor would it have been consistent with God, to form the earth for an habitation of sinful man, unless that same earth was one tim.e or other to be purified l>y the blood of Christ, who sanctifies and glorifies his elect. For all these reasons, the slaying of Christ, and the foundadon of the world, are not hnpropcrly connected. Secondly, 'Iliose words, from the foundation of the world, may be referred to what goes before, are icrit- ten s to signify, whose names are not written fropi the *• Ueb. ix. 26.
Of Election. 1*
foundation of the world in the book of life of that I^amb slain. Which appeared more simple to Junius, Pisca- tor, Gomarus, and other divines of the greatest charac- ter. And indeed we observe, Luke iv. 5. an instance of a transposition not unlike this. xVnd John himself is found to have so ranged these very v/ords, as to omit entirely what is here inserted about the I.amb slain. Rev. xvii. 8. If 'hose names rcere not written ia the book of life from the foundation ofthezcorld. And then this phrase would denote the eternity of the divine decree, as we shewed in the foregoing paragraph, it might be explained. Thirdly and lasili/. The words may be so construed, as to point out men who have lived since the foundation of the world, and whose names are not written in the book of life. And then the usual and most common sense of that; phraseology will be retain- ed, so as hy from thefoinvJation cf the :vorld to denote the first times of the world.
XVII. We must also inquire into the genuine sense of that saying in 2 Tim. i. 9. and which is commonly brought as a proof of the eternity of election : He saved us — according to his oicn purpose^ and grace zvhich xvas given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. Two things are here chieHy to be inquired into. 1. What is to be understood by the giving of g7'ace. 2. ^V'hat by before the world began. The saving grace of the new covenant is given to those who are to be saved. 1. In the decree of Gcd. 2. In the promise. 3. In the ac- tual gift of it. Hie decree of God is the original source of grace : the premise is the manifestation of the de- cree : the actual gift is the execution of both. But be- cause it is impossible for the decree of God to fail, or the promise of God to deceive ; the person, to whom God decrees and promises to give some good thingj^ may be so certain that it shall be given, as if he was al-
14 Of IlLECtlON.
ready in the actual possession of it. And, on account of that certainty of the decree and promise of God, the benefit decreed or promised, may be considered as al- ready given. Now, it is plain, that the apostle speaks not here of actual bestowing : therefore it ought to be understood of giving, either in the decree, or in the promise. But which of these explicators is to be pre- ferred, depends on the meaning of the following phrase, pro chronon aionion, before the ivorld began.
XVIII. If there be any, who by chronots ato- Nious, before the world bega?!, understand absolute eternity, such refute themselves. For seeing Paul here relates something done before the world began, something must be imagined more eternal than eterni- ty itself, and that most absurdly. It is better, we there- by understand all that time, which commenced with the creation of the world (when aiones ektisthe- SAN, the worlds xcere framedy Heb. xi. 3.) which then runs on, and will run through all ages, without end and limit. But what is it, before the ivorld began ? Is it what precedes all time, and so is eternal ? So most divines think, who from hence directly conclude the eternity of our election, and interpret this giving of the criving- contained in the decree. But we are to consi- der, whether we are able firmly to maintain that expo- sition against the exceptions of those of the opposite opinion. Indeed the very subtil Twiss himself,* ca- vils, " that it is not necessary directly to believe, that what is said to be before secular time, signifies to have been before all secular times ; but only before many secular times, that is, before many ages." But that very learned person, as frequently on other occasions, so also in this, appears to have given too much scope
* lavindiciis gratia:, lij?. 1. part I. digress. 2. § t. p. 6i.
Of Election'. Ifi
to his wit and fancy. If this exposition of his be re- tained, there is nothing, of which it may not, one time or other, be said, that it was done before the foundation of the xcorld, a regard being had to following ages. Which is, in a remarkable manner, to weaken the force and majesty of the apostle's expression. And I would not willingly make such concessions to our adversaries. Since c h r o n o i a i o n i o i , th^ beginning of the world , commenced at that beginning in which aiones ektis- THESAN, the zcorlds icere framed j what was done pro CHRONON AioNiON, before the foundation of the zcorld, seems altogether to have been done before the crea- tion of the world, and consequently from eternity : un- less there be something to hinder us from interpreting that phrase in a more restricted sense. And none can doubt, but, in its full import, it may signify this. AVhy then may it not be explained in its full emphasis, if there be nothing to hinder it ? But what is here said of giving grace, is no such hindrance : " For because all things are present to God, and, that what God has de- creed to be future, shall certainly come to pass ; there- fore God is said to have done from eternity, what is revealed to us in its appointed time :" as the venerable Beza has well observed on Tit. i. 2. And let this be said for those who understand this giving, of the giving in the decree, and explain that expression, before the foundation of the ivorld, so as to mean the same thing as from eternity.
XIX. Yet other divines explain it of the giving in the promise ; comparing Tit. i. 2. in hope of eternal life ^ which God, that cannot lie, promised pro chronon AiONiON, before the world began. " Flence we see," says a celebrated expositor of our day, " that the pro- mise, which was made merosh ani jehovah, in the beginning ©f ages, Is. xli. 4. before anya^e ha^
16 Of Election.
passed away, and so when there was no secular time, or time of this world, Vv^hen the second a^e was not yet called forth, is said to be given forth before the world began. Here therefore we do not only under- stand a giving by decree, or purpose, but also a giving by promise, that is, by assignation. Which is given unto us ^ that is, the effect of which grace is assigned to us by promise, which is almost coeval with this world." These things are much more plausible than what we just heard from Twiss. Indeed, from that passage in Titus, it seems that we might conclude, that PRO ciiRONONAioNiON, before the world begaj}, nei- ther always, nor necessarily, denotes absolute eternity. For because the apostle there treats of the promise, he does not comprehend all ages, so as to lead us beyond the creation of the world, as Calvin himself has observ- ed : but he points out the beginning of the first age, in which the promise of salvation was made to our first parents immediately upon the fall, which our Dutch commentators have also adopted. Whence it appears, that they are guilty of no absurdity, w^ho so explain this giving, as to include the promise of grace, made before the flux of any age. And then, in the apostle's dis- course there are these three things proposed in order ; first, the purpose of God, which is the spring of all grace ; then the promise made from the remotest anti. quity, which he expresses by the termi, gii'ing ; and lastly, the actual hesfowing and manifestation by the glorious coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Nor would I make much opposition, if any should explain the apostle's expression in this manner.
XX. But whatever way you interpret, there remains a strong argument in the said passage of Paul for the eternity of election. For if you explain the giving, of the decree, and say, that before the tvorld began is
Of Electix)n. 17
equivalent to clerniti/ ; you will conclude directly : and I think both may be defended. For indeed the phrase, before the world began, in its full emphasis, signifies so much. Nor can it be much weakened by Tit. i. 2. For the subject is different : in the one place the apos- tle speaks of the purpose of God, and of giving from his purpose ; in the otiier, of the promise. But the same predicate is often to be differently explained, ac- cording to the diversity of the subjects. For instance, when Peter says,* Knoxicn unto God are all his xvorks, Ap' AioNOSj/rom the beginning of the ivorld ; ap' AioNos doubtless signifies, /ra?7i eternity. For if all his works, certainly also the work of the first creation, prior to which was nothing but eternity. But when .the same apostlef says, IVIiich God Jiath spoken by the moutli of all his holy prophets^ ap' aionos, since the ivorld began ; he means nothing else by these words, but the most ancient times, in which the prophets ex- isted. So also nothing hinders us from explaining pro CHRONON AioNioN ouc way in 2 Tim. i. 9. and ano- ther Tit. i. 2. But let us grant, that the apostle, by the giving of grace before the world began, understands the promise made in the beginning of the first age ; seeing he says, that the purpose of God teas the source of ity certainly that purpose was prior to the promise. But none, I imagine, will say, that it was made, when God created man : it must therefore have been from eternity. According to the eternal purpose, xvJiich he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.% That must cer- tainly be an eternal purpose, since the effect ot it is grace, given before the foundation of the icorld.
XXI. I^et us add also another passage of Paul, which, we think, gives a testimony to the eternity o{'
* Actsxv. 18. f Actsiii. 21. 1 £pli. iii. 11.
Vol. If. C
1$ Of El EOT I on.
election. It is in 2 Thcss. ii. 13. Buf jce art hound fo give thanks ahvays to God fur you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath ap' arches, ./rozw the lye- ginning, chosen you to salvation. Ihe apostle distin- guishes thai election of which he speaks, from the call by the gospel, vcr. 14. And therefore, with great pro- priety, we understand it of the election of counsel and purpose. This, he says, was ap' arches, from the beginning, that is, from eternity. For that phrase may denote this, and frequently does so. What John says in his gospel, chap. i. 1. en arche en, in the be- gijining tvas, in the beginning of his first epistle he says was ap' arcres, frofn the beginning. But to have been already in the beginning, signifies to be from eter- nity. For, what was already bereshith, en arche, m the beginning, \yhen all things were made, must ne- cessarily have been self-existent, and from eternity. But, lest any should cavil, that the new w^orld of grace was here intended, John speaks of the beginning of things made, because he speaks of the existence of him, by whom the world was made, and that very world which knew him not, ver. 10. By comparing the al- ledged passages, it appears, that in the beginning and from tlie beginning, are equivalent terms. We have this sense more clearly, ISFicah v. 2. where the prophet describes at least a twofold going forth of the Messiah ; the one from Bethlehem, which is after the iiesh, and relates to his being born of the virgin Mary : the other, which is after the Spirit, and is expressive of his eternal generation; of which last he says, umotzaothav
M I K K E D E M M I M E I N G O L A M , IvIlOSC goingS forth h aVC
been from of old, from everlasting. Which the Septua- gint translate, kai exodoi autou ap' arches, ex HEMERON AioNos, and his goings forth from the be- ginning, from everlasting. ^Vhat can be more evident^
Of Electiok. li*
than that a p' arches there denotes eternity ? The Son of Sirach also, Ecclus xxiv. 9. can teach us, in what sense the Hellenists were wo!it to use this expression, Avhcn he joins as synonymous, pro tou aionos and AP' ARCHES. Since then the apostle speaks of the election of purpose, in distinction from that of execu- tion, which is made by etiectual calling, and since ap' ARCHES signifies eternity, we very properly infer the eternity of election from thence.
XXII. Here again Twiss comes in our way, who confidently asserts, that there is no place in all the scripture, where this word signifies eternity : nay, he thinks it may be put out of ail controversy, that it never is so used in the sacred writings, or can be so used ac- cording to right reason.* And he explains the elec- tion spoke of here, of some external declaration of in- ternal election, and thinks the apostle alludes to that celebrated promise made to Adam after the fall, of the seed of the woman bruising the serpent's head. For, says he, God himself has pointed out, in that place, a remarkable difference between the elect and the repro- bate : And I ivill put enmity between thee and the rco- man, and l)etzvee?i thy seed and her sted,\ &c. I can- not but wonder at the confidence of this very learned person. It is indeed true, that/ro;;/ the beginning does not always in scripture denote eternity ; as John viii. 44. and 1 John iii. 8. where the signification is to be determined by the subject treated of. But from the places above quoted it is plain, that sometimes it can admit of no other sense. And I hope, the learned per- son did not desire to wrest out of our hands those pas- sages, by which all our divines have so happily defend- ed the eternity of the Logos, or Word, against the So- cinians. I w^ould rather believe, that he did not at- * Loc. cit. p. 60. t P- ^3.
10 Of E'Lection.
tend to the places we have mentioned. Besides, I could wish the very learned gentleman would shew me, where, in the sacred writings, the first promise of grace is called election ; which, I imagine, he will never be able to do. We are not to forge significations. More- over, tfiough in that promise there is some general in- , dication of a difference made between the elect and re- probate ; yet it is not credible, the apostle in this place had that in his mind, who gives thanks to God, not because he chose some men, but most especially, be- cause he chose the Thessalonians. Now, the election of the Thessalonians cannot be inferred from that gene- ral declaration of God, the truth of which might have remained, though none of those who then dwelt at Thessalonica, had been chosen. We therefore con- clude, that the received explication of divines is per- fectly well-grounded.
XXIII. There is another learned person, who says, that this place of Paul is to be understood " of that be- ginning, in which God began to bring the Gentiles to the inheritance of salvation, among whom seeing the Thessalonians were as it were the first, they are said to be chosen, separated from the beginning. Or also the beginning of the gospel may be understood, of which Mark i. 1. Phil. iv. 15. or of the salvation, which was preached by Jesus, Heb. ii. 3. He hath chosen you from the beginning ; that is, from the beginning of preaching the gospel, and of salvation manifested and proclaimed." But even these things are not satisfacto- ry. For, 1 . We have shewn, that Paul treats here of election in intention, and not in execution. 2. It is indeed true, that the term beginning ought to be ex- plained in a w^ay suitable to the subject to which it is attributed ; but I do not think, ihiiifroin the beginning, absolutely taken, does any where signify the beginning
Of Election. 2t
of the gospel preached, much less tlie hoginning of the inheritance of the Gentiles. Nor do the places alledg- cd prove it. 3. Nor dors it agree with history, that the Hiessalonians were the first-fruits of the CJcntiles brought to the inheritance of salvation : for the people of Antioch, both in Syria and Pisidia, and those of Lystra and Derbe, and the Philippians, had already rcceiv^ed the gospel, and the apostles had acquainted the brethren at Jerusalem with the conversion of the Gentiles,* before ever Paul preached the gospel at Thessalonica, as appears from the Acts of the Apostles. Nor do I think, the learned person was unacquainted wdth this ; and therefore he said, the Thessalonians "UTre as ii xcerc the first ; which diminutive particle docs not a little weaken the force of tlie expression from the beginning. 4. Much less can it be said, that the Thessalonians were separated from the beginning of the salvation published by Jesus ; which beginning Paul makes prior to the confirmation of the gospel made by those who liad heard it from the mouth ot Jesus himself, that is, to the preaching of the apos- tles.f For it is plain that the Lord Jesus was the mi- nister of circumcision, and did not preacli the gospel to the Gentiles. Nothing therefore appears more easy and solid, than that explication which we have above given.
XXIV. Having said enough concerning the etcniUij of election, let us now consider its freeness ; which consists in this, that God, as the absolute Lord of all his creatures, has chosen, out of all mankind, wlsoai sind as many as he pleased ; and indeed, in such a manner, as that he foresaw no good in any man, to be the foundation of that choice, as tlie reason, w^hy he
* Acts XV. 3. t Hcb. ii. 3.
22 Of Election.
chose on« ratlier than another. This appears, ] . Be- cause tlie scripture assigns this most free will of God as the supreme reason of election : Even so. Father, for .sv it seemed good in thy sight. * It is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the /a'ngdom.-^ Above all, the apos- tle is full in vindicating this absolute power of God, Rom. ix. where among other things he says, ver. 21. Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor ? 2. At the same time also the scripture refuses the con- sideration of any good foreseen in man, and opposes to It this most free and gracious good pleasure of God : For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of zvorks, but of him that cal- leih,X &c. Not according to our works, but according to his own purpose.^ 3. Neither faith, nor holiness, nor any thing truly good, can be considered in man, un- less bestowed out of divine grace : Unto you it is gi- ven to believe on Christ ;|| Faith not of yourselves, it is the gift ofGod.^ But the bestowing of this favor can proceed from no other cause than the election of grace, and the benevolent good pleasure of his will. And consequently these benefits cannot be laid as the foun- dation of divine election. 4. The scripture expressly teaches, that we are chosen to faith, holiness, and to persevereness in both ; which being the consequents and fruits of election, cannot be the antecedent condi- tions of it : He hath chosen us, that we should be holy andxcithout blame, "** begun on earth, and consummated in heaven ; / have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should bring forth fruit .^'^ I have chosen you from eternity, called and ordained you in the appointed
* Matth. xi. 26. f Luke xii. ?2. % Rom. ix. 1 1 . § 2 Tim. i. 9. II Phil. i. 29. % Eph, ii. S. ** Lpii. i. 4. ft John xv. r6.
Of Election. li
time : God hath from tlie begimiin^ chasm you to salva- tion, fhroucfh sanctificatioji of the Spirit and belirfof the truth * El-'ction is as well to the means, as to the end. All these passages, and many others of a like nature, have been so fuUv and solidly defended by our divines against the objections of the Remonstrants, that I have scarce any thing to add.
XXV. Tliis counsel of God, as it Is free, so it is al- so immutable from eternity. 1 . Immutability belongs to all the decrees of God in general : The Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it Ff My coini- sel shall stand, ajid I will do all my pleifs-ure.\ IVho hath resisted his icill .^§ To say with Creliius, that these things are to be understood of the absolute de- crees of God, not of his conditional, is begging the question. For we deny, that any decrees of God de- pend on a condition. If the thing decreed be suspend- ed on a condition, the condition itself is at the same time decreed. These texts speak nothing of Crellius''i distinction, nor lay any foundation for it : and even reason is against it. For if any decree of God could be changed, it would arise from hence, that God either would not, or could not effect the thing decreed, or that his latter thoughts were wiser and better than his first : all which are injurious to God. You will an- swer, God indeed wills what he has decreed to be done, but on condition the creature also wills it, whose liberty he would nowise infringe. I answer, is God so destitute either of power or of wisdom, that he cannot so concur with the liberty of second causes, which he himself gave and formed, as to do what he wills, with- out prejudice to, and consistently with their liberty ? G.-^d is far more glorious, in our opinion, and more to
* 2 Tlicss. ii. 13. t Is. xiv. 27, % Is. xlv. 10. § Rom. ix. 19.
21 Of Election.
be liacl iii reverence, than for us to believe any sucli thing of his power and wisdom. And hence the very Heathen poets and philosophers themselves, who at times have spoken more devoutly of their gods, may put the heretics to the blush : for thus Jupiter speaks in Homer :
'Ou GAR EMOK PALINAGRETON OUD' APATELON,
Oud' ATELEUTETON KOTE k'en KEPHALE KATANEUSO.
Nec enim mutabitur unquam
Qiiod caji'ite aytnueroy 7Lec falsutn fine carebit,
" Nor is it mine to recal, nor to be false in, nor leave imfinished, whatever I shall have signified by my -avj- ful nod." And Aiaximus Tyrius, who quotes these words of Homer, Dissert. 29. adds of his own in the folLrucing disscrtafion^ " To be changeable, and to re- pent, is unworthy not only of God, but even of an ho- nest man." And he argues m.uch in the same manner as we. 2. More especially the scripture ascribes im- mutability to the divine election : That ilie purpose of God according to election might stand* The founda- iion of God standeth sure, having this seal. The Lord kmncefh them zcho are his.-\ Can a ivoman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb F Yea, they may forget ; yd will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee on the palms of my hands. \ I will not blot out his Jia?ne out of the book of life. ^ And it shall come to pass, ihat he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be cal- led holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem.W Our adversaries have scarce any thing to oppose to such express passages, but their stale musty distinctions, of election peremptory, and not per-
^* Rom. ix. W. -|- 2 Tim. ii. 19. + Is. xlix. 15, 16. § Rev. iii. 5. Ill Is. iv. 3.
Of Election. 2^
emptory, and the like, which are contrary both to the glory of God, and to the simplicity of the scriptures.
XXVI. But we must say something on Psal, Ixix. 28. wliere the Lord Jesus denounceth a curse against the Jews, the obstinate dcspisers of his grace, and his sworn enemies ; Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be zvritten zoith the righteous. Now, it cannot be doubted, but this imprecation oi" ^ jr Lord had its full effect i and hence it is concluded, that some are blotted out of the book of the living. But we have already advanced several things in sect. 6. and 7. of this chapter, which may throw no contemptible light on this passage. For, I. Nothing hinders us from understanding by the book of life here the list of those, who live on earth with respect to this animal life. For the wicked Jews were blotted out of that book, by the tremendous judgment of God, when, in their last wars with the Romans, many myriads of them were slain in a shocking manner ; whose number Lip- sius* has collected to amount to twelve hundred and forty thoiisajid, who were cut off in less than full seven years. 2. By the book of the living may be under- stood, the book of God's covenant-people y out of which the Jews were erased, when they were publicly dis- owned and rejected by God ; and it was said to them Lo-Ruhama and Lo-Ammiy according to the prophecy of Hosea, chap. i. 6. 9. Which was done, whtn the gospel, being rejected by the Jews, was preached to the Gt^ntiles, and eagerly recei\ cd by them ; and the wretched remains of the Jews were dispersed among the nations. 3. If we should understand it of the book of election, it may be said, they were blotted out of
* De Constant, lib. ii. c.21.
Vol. IL D
2d Of Election,
that book, as to that ivriting, by which they presump- tuously wrote themselves down therein, falsely boasting, that they were the dear and beloved children of God and of Abraham ; which boasting that it may be actu- ally found to have been vain, our Lord Jesus justly im- precates these things against them, k If this blotting out is to be absolutely understood of the zoriting of God himself in the book of election, we shall say, that the blotting out is not privative, but negative, and that the latter part of the verse is an explication of the former ; so that the blotting out is a declaration of their not be- ing written down. Kimchi, among the Jewish doc- tors, also observed this, who writes, *' The verse is doubled, the same sense being proposed in different words." And he adds, " let them be blotted out signi- fies, let them not be written in the book of lite." From which it appears, that our adversaries argue false- ly from this passage, against the immutability of the divine election.
XXVII. As this is fixed and settled with Tcspsct to God, so the believer may also attain to a certain assu- rance thereof, and, from infallible marks, know that he is one of the chosen. If it was not so, Peter.had, to no purpose, admonished believers, to make their cal- ling and election sure ;* that is, to endeavour, by evi- dent signs, to be fully persuaded in their own mind. Vain also would have been Paul's gloriation. Knowings brethren beloved, your election ofGod.-f For by what evidence Paul could have known this of the Thessalo- nians, by the same the Thessalonians could have known it with respect to themselves. In fine, it w^as impossible, that they could in faith give thanks to God for their election, unless they could be assured of it in
* 2 Pet. i. 9, 10. t 1 Thess. i. 4.
Of Electioi^. i27
their own mind. And yet tliey do give thanks to God for it.*
XXV^III. But in what manner do believers attain tlie assurance of their election ? Who hath ascended into heaven ? Who liath, with a prying eye, perused the volumes of God's decrees and secrets ? Who hath look- ed into the heart of God r We are here indeed to guard against rash presumption. But what God has, from eternity determined about the salvation of his pfOple, he declares to them in tim.e by signs, that cannot deceive them. He has given them two books, from which they n^ay gather what is sufficient to know, concerning their inrouiient in the book of life ; namely, the hook of scrip- ture, and the book of conscience. In the book of scri[>- ture, the distinguishing marks of election are delineated •with great exactness. In the book of conscience, eve- ry one may read, if he j^ives that proper diligence which is due td a' matter of such importance,' 'Whether these marks are to be foinid with him. The scripture teachies- that the marks of elec'fion are, 1 . Effectual cal- Ihig by the word and Spirit of God.f 2. Faith in God 'and Christ. J S. Hatred and eschewing of evil. § 4. The sincere and constant study of holiness. || This be- ing thoroughly understood and known, what effectual calling is, what faith in God and Christ, what eschew- ing of evil, and what the study of genuine «godliness, the conscience is then to be examined, whether it firids these things in itself; and upon discovering that the case is so, the believing soul may^ from these Undoubt- ed fruits, be assured of its election. And it frequently happens, that God favors his chosen people with the blandishments of his most beneficent love, that, while they are "inebriated with those spiritual and unspeaka-
* JEpU. i. 3, 4. t Rom. riii. 30. + 2 Thess. ii. 13. § 2 Tiiu- ii. 19. I Eph, i. 4. ^ Thess. ii. U.
fH Of Election.
ble delights, which earthly souls neither conceive nor relish, they are no less persuaded of their election, than if they should see their names written by the very hand of God himself. These things make them cry out to their infernal enemies, who in vain resist their faith, Kfiozv that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly fur himself.'^ Especially if, what then is not usually want- ing, the internal witness of the Spirit to their adoption is superadded, of which in Rom. viii. 16. and which is in the place of a seal.f But there will be occasion to speak of this more fully hereafter.
XXIX. And it is the interest of believers to endea- vour earnestly after this assurance of their election. For, 1. It is not possible, they should live joyfully and exulting in the Lord, so long as they are ignorant of this. Nothing hinders them from happily falling asleep in the Ix)rd, and, through death, reaching to eternal life, though they are not assured of their election. For our salvation depends not on ihi^fulL assurance of faith; but on our union and communion with Christ, which may remain safe and secure without that. But it is not the lot of a man, who has his salvation at heart, and makes it the object of his care, as he ought, to live in secure joy, so long as he doubts of his election. 2. Nor does this assurance greatly contribute to our comfort only, but also very much to the glory of God. For then we suitably value the riches of divine love, and are safely swallowed up in the immense ocean of his goodness, when we ascend, in our minds and in our praises to the original fountain of all grace ; and, after the example of Paul, celebrate his free love, by which Ji£ hath chosen us in Christ JesnSy to the praise of the glory of his grace, zvherein he hath made us accepted
* Psal. iv. iii. t Eph. i. 13.
Of Election. 29
in the Beloved,^ 3. Nay, this certainty of the election, which we preach, likewise promotes the caretul study of piety, and kindles a fervent zeal therein. So far is it from opening a wide door to ungodliness and carnal security : which nOne dare assert, but he who is igno- rant of the righteous ways of God, or a malignant per- verter of them.
XXX. This is the meditation of one who is dius ful- ly persuaded, and this is his language to his God. " Dldht thou, O Lord, from eternity, entertain thoughts of glorifying me, a miserable wretch, who am less than nothing ; and shall I not again carry thee always in my eyes, and in my tjosom ? shall I not delight in meditat- ing on thee } shall I not cry out. Hew precious also are thi/ thoughts unto me, O God I hoiv great is the sum of them !'\ Shall I not, with the most sincere repentance, bewail that time, in which so many hours, days, weeks, months, and years, have passed, without one single holy and pleasing thought of thee ? Didst thou, out of mere love, chuse me to salvadon } and shall not I again chuse thee for my Lord, my King, my Hus- band, for the portion of my soul, for my chief, or ra- ther my only delight ? Didst thou chuse me from among so many others, who being left to themselves, have eternal destruction abiding them ? and shall not I exert myself to the utmost, to excel others in love, in thy worship, and in all the duties of holiness ? Didst thou predestinate me to holiness, which is so amiable in itself, and so necessary for me, that, without it, there can be no solvation ; and shall not I walk there- in ? Shall I presume to cavil with thee^, thou brightest Teacher of truth ; that, separating the end from the ■means, I should securely promise myself the end, as
* Eph. i. 6. t P*^^- '^^•'i-'^i^- 17«
30 Of Effectual Calling.
being predestinated thereto, and neglect the means, to which I am no less predestinated ? Is thy purpose con- cerning my salvation fixed and immoveable r and shall I change every hour, at one time giving my service to thee, and another time to Satan ? Shall I not rather cleave to thee with such a firm purpose, as sooner to chuse a thousand deaths rather than perfidiously to re- volt from thee ? Shall I not be sfedfast, hmnavtahlcy akvays aboumUng in the xcork of the Lord, for as much as I knoxv that my labour is not in tain in the Lord f'* Wilt thou, by thy Spirit,' assure me of thy love, which passeth all understanding ? and I not love thee again with all my heart, all my mind, and all my strengtJi ? Wilt thou make me sure of my salvation ? and shall not I, having this hope, purify myself as thou art pure .^"f Who that understands these things, can deny, that the doctrine of election, as we have explained it, affords ample matter to a pious soul for these and such like meditations ? And who also can deny, that in the prac- tice of these meditations the very kernel of piety and Eoliness consists ?
* I Cor. XV. 5S. f 1 John ill. 5.
CHAP. V.
Of Effectual Calling.
JL HE first immediate fruit of eternal election, and the principal act of God, by which appointed salvation is applied to man, is effectual calling. Of which the apostle says,* Whom he did predestinate, them he also called. Now, this calling is that act, by ivhich those * Rom. viii. SO.
Of Effectual -Calling./ SI
tvJio arc dioscn by Got!, and redeemed bij Christ, are sweetlij invited^ and effectiiallij brought from a state of siny to a state of communion zcith Cod in Christ, both externally and internally.
II. The tQxmfrom lohich they are called, is a state of sin and misery, in which all men are involved, ever since the sin of our first parents ; having the understand- ing darkened, being alienated from the life of God, thr() the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their hearts* For we are reduced to such a pass, that being sunk in the deep gulf of misery, and having lost all notion ot true happiness, and wallowing in the mire of the wickedness and vanities of this world without end and without measure, and enslaved to the devil, •%o whom we have stretched out our hands as conquered captives, we are utterly excluded from the saving com- munion of God and Christ. All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. ■\ Now, o\i\. oi ih\s darkness of ignorance, sin, and misery God calleth us unto his viarvellous lighi,\ and delivers us from this present evil zcorld.^ And we are not to forget our former state t Remember, that at a time ye were zvithout Christ, being aliens from the commonxveallh of Israel, and strangers
from the covenant of promise, having no hope and zvithout God in the ziyorld.\\ The meditation of this tends tq humble us the more deeply before God, who calleth us ; the more to prize the riches of his glorious grace, and the more to excite us to walk wortiiy of our cal- ling, and of God, by whom we are called.
III. The term to xchich we are called, is Christ, and communion with him. For thus he calls out, penu ELAi, Look to me, or incline yourselves to me, and be
^e saved, all the ends of the earth.^ In this communion
♦ Eph. IV. 18. t Rom. iii, 23. X 1 Pet. ii. 9. ^ Gal. i. 4-.
J! Eph. ii. 12. «; Is. xlv. 22.
52 Of Effectual Calling.
\\'ith Christ consists that mysticjil and most delightful marriage of the elect soul with Clirist, to which he in- vites him with all the allurements of his gospel, and whose exalted nuptial song Solomon sung : Wisdom hath Indldcd her house. — She hath se/it forth her maidens, she crieth upon the highest places of the city — Turn in hither • — come eat of my bread, and drink of the zvine ivhich I have mingled, Prov. ix. 1, 3, 4, 5.
IV. From this communion results the communica- tion of all the benefits of Christ, both in grace and in gloiy, to which we are likewise called. Hearken dili- gently unto me, and eat ye that xchich is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me : hear, and your said shall live : and I will make an everlasting covenant zvith you, even the sure mercies of David.* Thus he calleth us to his kingdom and glori/'.-\
V. And since Christ cannot be separated from his Father and his Spirit, we are, at the same time, crlled to the communion of the undivided Trinity. That our
fellowship may he xoith the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ ;\ to which Paul joins the communion of the Holy Ghost.^ Now, it is the very top of our happiness, to exult in God as ours, and sing aloud to him. My God, while he himself calls to us. My people. \\
VI. Moreover, as all the elect are partakers of cne and the same grace, they are all likewise called to mu- tual communion with one another : That ye also may havefellozcship with us.^ Believers of the New Testa- ment with those of the Old ; the Gentiles with the Jews, with whom they are of the same body** in Christ, who hath made both one.-\f Nay, those on earth with those in heaven. For all things are gathered together in one in Christ, both zvhich are in heaven, and zvhich are on
* Is. Iv. 2, 3. t 1 Thess. ii. 12. % 1 John i. 3. § 2C(>r.xiii. li. 11 Hes. ii. 23. ^ 1 John i. 3. ** Eph. iii. Q. ft Eph. li. 14.
Of Effectual Calling. S^
earthy even in him ; in ichom also zee have obtained aji inheritance.''^ And this is that blessed state, to which, by the holy and heavenly calling, we are invited ; name- ly, communion with Christ, and, by him, with the un- divided Trinity, and consequently with all the saints, both militant and triumphant, not even excepting the praising assembly of angels, that, with them, we may exult in the most delightful fruition of all the blessings of God. For all who obey this call, arc come unto mount AS'iojiy and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, Iq the general assembly and church of the first-born zchich are 'jvritten in heaven, ajid to God the Judge of all, and. to the spirits of just men viade perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant.^ What grander thing can be spoken ? what more noble and divine can be conceived ?
VII. Now, this calling xs given partly externally, by a persuasive power, called moral suasion ; partly inter- nally, by a real supernatural efficacy, which changes the heart. The external call is in some measure pub- lished by the word of nature, but more fully by that of super?iatural revelation, without Vv'hich every word of nature would be insufficient and inetTectual. The in- ternal proceeds from the power of the Holy Spirit, work- ing inwardly on the heart ; and without this every ex- ternal revealed word, though objectively very sufiici- ent, as it clearly discovers every thing to be known, believed, and done, yet is subjectively ineffectual, and will never bring any person to the communion of Christ.
VIII. Nature itself is not silent, but many v/ays calls on man, that, laying aside an excessive care and pur- suit of earthly things, and of this animal life, he may
* Eph. i. 10, 11. t Heb. xii. 22, 23, 2K
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aspire after better, heavenly, and eternal things. For when, with attentive eyes, he surveys that glittering- canopy on high, and consequently the whole heaven, bespangled with so many constellations, and sparlcling with so many stars, above which, according to the ge- neral belief of mankind, the throne of the Supreme Be- ing is placed, he feels a certain strong desire excited in his breast, that, leaving this earthly dross, he may here- after be allowed to ascend on high, be admitted into the inmost recesses of nature, and received into fellow- ship with God. Then, while in his thoughts he tra- verses the starry tracts, he takes a pleasure to look down with contempt on the pavements of the rich, nay on this whole earth, with all its gold ; not only that which it has already produced and furnished for current coin, but that which still lies concealed for the avarice of posterity. Tlien he learns to despise the most state }y porticoes, cielings inlaid with ivory, woods formed by art, and rivers conveyed home, when he traverses the whole universe, and looking down from on high on this ten^estrial globe, which is confined, and covered in a great measure with the sea, and even where it wide- ly extends greatly uncultivated, and either scorched with heat, or frozen with cold, he thus says to himself: *' Is this that insignificant spot, which so many nations divide among themselves by fire and sword ? When thou hast raised thyself to the contemplation of these things truly great, as often as thou shalt espy armies ad- vancing with banners displayed, and, as if some great project was in agitation, the horse now advancing to gain intelligence, again pouring forth from the flanks, you may well say. The dtadly squadron marches over the plain. This is but the excursion of ants, toiling within a scanty compass. There are vastly extensive regions above, into the possession of which the soul is
Of Effectual Calling, 3S,
a<3mittecl j and thus, it it has carried away nothing from the body, if it has wiped olT its filth, it has sprung up light, disencumbered, and content with Httle. Unless 1 be admitted into these regions, my bh th has been in vain. For why should I rejoice for being numbered among the living ? Take away this inestimable good, life is not of such value, that I should sweat and fatigue myself therein. O ! how contemptible a thing is man, unless he is advanced above what is human !" Thus the book of nature, thus the contemplation of the hea- vens, taught Seneca both to think and speak.*
IX. But seeing the same nature teaches us, that God is far more excellent than those very heavens, which are his throne and the work of his hands, that he is both the Creator and Ruler of the heavens ; the same works invite man to seek after the communion ot God himself above all things. Xox happiness cannot consist in barely dw^elling in heaven, unless one enjoys the fel- lowship and communion of God there. Thus by the voice of nature men are invited lo seek God, if haply ihci) might feel after him and fnd him.f He left not himself without zcitness, in that he did good,^, and that by discovering himself to be the fountain of all good, both the greatest and the best of beings, whose commu- nion alone can render any perfectly blessed. " It is therefore an old saying, handed down from our ances- tors to mankind, that all things were both framed by God and in him consist ; and that no nature can be sufficient for its own safety, which is only entrusted with its own preservation, without God." Thus the author of the book de mundo, extant among Aristotle's works, c. 1 1. and who concludes with these excellent words ; " Whoever would attain to a blessed and hap"
* In prefat. quxsl. natur. f Acts xvij. 27. % Actsxiv. 17.
56 Of Effectual Calling.
pv life, must partake of the Deity from the very begin- ning."
X. Nor does God only invite men by the light of nature to seek him, but he also gives some hope of en- joying him. For why else should he forbear sinners with so much long-suffering, unless he had decreed to take pity on some of them ? Would it be worthy of the most pure Deity, to preserve now for so many ages, the world subjected to vanity by the sins of men, un- less there were some of mankind, to whom he was willing to shew himself glorious in their happiness ? The Lord is long-suffering to tis-zoard, not xcilling that any should perish^ hut that all should come to repentance* And as this consideration of the divine patience and forbearance, shining forth in the whole government of the world, yields some hope of salvation, a?id the long- sulfei'ing of our Lord ought to be accounted sahalion,-f so this goodness of God should lead every one to repen- tance, Rom. ii. 4.
XI. For nature also teaches, that it is not possible, that any one can enjoy converse and familiarity with God, who does not sincerely endeavour after purity and holiness, and, as the Emperor Marc Antonine speaks,J labours " to live a Hfe resembling God." For like de- lights in like, and rejoices to communicate itself there- to. Plato§ says well, " What practice is it that is agreeable to, and an imitation of God ? This, and that ancient one, that like delights in like." Thus man is invited to the practice of the strictest purity, by the voice of nature herself, in order that he may enjoy com- munion with God. I cannot forbear adding^ the «jra- dation of Agapetus, which is really fine and strictly true. Thus he says to the Emperor Justinian : " For
* 2 Pet. ill. 9, t lb. ver. 15. X Lib. 2. § 5.
§ De liegbus, lib. 4.
Of Effectual Calling. 37
he who knows himself, shall know God. He who knows God, shall be made like to God. He shall be like God, who is worthy of God. He shall be worthy of God, who does nothing unworthy of God, but me- ditates on the things of God, and speaks what he thinlcs, and acts what he speaks."
XII. All these things the royal prophet* has exhi- bited in a concise, but very strong manner. TJit Iv^a- vens declare the glory of God : for as they are his throne, curiously framed, so they display his power, majesty, greatness, and holiness, before which the heavens them- selves confess they are not clean : and in the mean time by their exceUence* they invite men, within their circuit to endeavour to the utmost after the enjoyment of communion with the great and good God. ' Awl the Jtrmamcnt shexveth his hand// zcor/,-, proclaiming, that by his word only it was framed together. Daij unto day iillereih speech, and night vnto night shencth linozc- Icdsre. These vicissitudes of lin:ht and darkness mutu- ally corresponding in so exact and constant an order, ar- gue a most wise director. And there is no day nor night but speaks som.ething of God, and declares it to the next, as the scholar of the preceding and the master of the following. There is no speech nor language, zvhere their voice is not heard. If thev were words, the in- struction would cease vvdth their sound ; but now Vv'hat the heavens declare, they do it aKvays, and in the same manner. J't they Vv'ere speeches, and sentences de- duced with m.iich subtilty from their reasons and cau- ses, they would labour under obscurity : if tlicir voice was heard, it would stim us with its excessive noise. But now the heavens instruct both constantly, clearly, and sweetly. For though their voice is not heard, yet
* Psal. :vix. 1, 2, S, 4.
$1 Of Effectual Calling.
tliey liavc a voice, no less strongly adapted to strike the mind, than the sound of a trumpet or of thunder ; see- ing ihQy exhibit to the eyes of all the magnificence of their Creator, so clearly as to escape the observation of none, but the wilfully blind. Or perhaps this is the meaning : There h' no speech nor Language, zchcre their voice is not heard, lliough people diiler from one ano- ther in languages, and the Greek understands not the Barbarian , yet the heavens have a common language adapted to the instruction of all alike : and nothing but a culpable carelessness can hinder the most distant j)eo- plc from improving by the instruction, as it were, of one teacher. Their line is goiteouUhrough all the earth. The instruction of the heavens is like that of school- masters, who teach their diiidrcn their letters, namely, by drawing their strokes before them. Tlius the hea- vens draw lines or strokes with their rays, and as it were letters of the alphabet, from which combined and variously joined together an entire volume of ^^'isdom is formed. Hiis is the signification of k av, as Is. xxviii. 10. line upon iine : from which the Greek ph- TiioNGOs, which the apostle uses, Rom. x. 18. docs not differ much, denoting not only a sound, but also a letter of the alphabet, according to Plutarcli in Fabio, as Scapula has observed in his lexicon. Nor is ii neces- sary Me say, that the text is here corrupted, or that the. Septuagint read kolam, their voice. . And this line is gone out through all the earlli, and their icords to (he end of the tcorld. All mankind, whether in a habitable or desert country, are taught by this master. Iliere is no corner of the world, where the figures ot the lieavens, as so many arguments of tlie divine pertections, arc not to be seen. And this is the reason, that induced me just now to propose the reasonings ot those (if you ex- cept the quotation from Agapetus, a deacon of the
Of Effectual Calling. 33
church of Constantinople) who had no other master but nature.
XIII. But though this Invitation, which nature gives to seek God, be sufficient to render them xvithoiU ex- cuse, who don't comply with it,* yet it is not sufficient, even objectively, for salvation. For it does not affi)rd that lively hope, and which maketh not ashamed, which is only revealed by the gospel ; whence tlie (ycntiles are said to have been xvithout hope in the :corhl.-\ It does not teach the true way to the enjoyment ot God, which is no other than faith in Christ. It does not sufficiently instruct us about the manner, in Avhicli we ought to worship God, and do what is accep- table to him. In short, this call by nature never did, nor is it even possible it ever can, bring any to the sav- ing knowledge of God. The gospel alone is the poicer of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth.%
XIV. Tliey do not obtain our assent, whether they be ancients, a list of whom Casaubon,§ and after him \'ossius|| have drawn up ; or whether they be modems, who maintain, that good men among the Gentiles were brought to salvation by this call of nature, without the knowledge of Christ. And we think, some of our brethren ascribe too much to nature, w^ho are pleased to tell us, " That men, if they had not been wilfully blind, could, by what is known of God, have attained to some knowledjj-e of the divine inercv, by which thev might obtain salvation, in a manner perhaps unknown to us ; tliou^^h that knowledge had been destitute of the distinct knowledge of some mysteries, which they could no way discover of themselves."^ We are per- suaded, there is no salvation without Christ ;* * no coni-
* Rora. i. '20. t Eph. ii. 12. % Rom. i. \Cu § Exercit. i. a<i apparat. aHii^l. Baronii. || flislor. i'elag. lib. S. p. 3. thes. 11.
^j Aiiiirak'us, Sjiccini. aninr.ud in e.xe?:».'. cle gratis, unlv. p. 2. p. 1:5.3. *•* Acliiv. 12.
40 Of Effectual Calling.
munion of adult persons with Christ, but by faith in him ;* no faith in Christ, without the knowledge of him ;t no knowledge, but by the preaching of the gospel ;J no preaching of the gospel in the works of nature. For it is that viysteri/ zvhich zvas kepi secret since the rcorld began.^
XV. To what purpose then you will say, is this call by the light of nature ? Not to speak of being wUhoid excuse i just now mentioned, and which indeed may be the end of him who calls, though not of the call itself; that calling serves to pave the way for a further, a more perfect, and a more explicit call, which is done by tlic gospel, and as a prelude of a fuller instruction. For as grace supposes nature, which it perfects ; so the truths revealed in the gospel, have for their foundation those made known by the light of nature. When a person under that glimmering light has discovered, that there is a God, that happiness consists in communion with him, and in comparison of him all things are no- thinjr, and that he is the rewarder of those who seek him, and that if he is sought in a proper way and man- ner, he is not sought in vain ; he has now a foundation laid, on which to build the gospel, which declares what that God is, in what manner he becomes propi- tious to men in Christ, how he is to be sought, and in what method he will certainly be found. And thus that knowledge which nature teaches, being sanctified by the Spirit, renders the mind more fit to embrace those truths, which, though they surpass, arc yet so far from destroying, that they perfect nature. And it is very expedient for believers, who live under the gospel, to have always the book of nature betore their eyes : which furnishes them with useful instructions, and
•
* Eph. iii. 17. f John xvii. 3. % Rom. x. 14. §.Rom. xvi. 25..
Of Effectual Calling. 41
lashes the conscience with continual reproaches, unless they love, worship, and praise the Deity, who is every where present. Which the Heathens themselves, as Epictetus and others, have represented in their own way.
XVI. We therefore add the other call by the zvord of God supernaturalb^ revealed, either immediately from God's own mouth, as was formerly done to the patriarchs, prophets, apostles and others ; or mediately by the ministers of God, whether they preached it by word of mouth, or consigned it to writing. Thus Paul says, Hozo shall they believe in him ofzvhom they have not heard ? and how shall they hear without a preach" er ?* And here indeed the law has its particular pro- vince assigned : It convinces man of sin,f awakens hint to a sense of his misery, drives the sinner out of him- self, stirs him up to desire deliverance, and dictates this sigh, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death /J Therefore the law ought certainly to be preached in its vigour and force, that hwzoing the terror of the Lord, men may he brought tofaith.^ But yet the principal part is performed by the gospel, which revealing Christ, and the fulness of all grace and salvation in him, allures, by its endearing sweetness, awakened and concerned sinners to commu- nion with God. Nothing more powerfully pierces into the inmost recesses of the heart, than that most allur- ing invitation of Jesus, Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.\\ Lei hurt that is athirst, come : and zchosoever xvill, let him take the zvater of life freely .^ This word is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth** If the law
* Rom. X. 14-. t Rons. iii. 20. % Rom. vii. 2'k § 2 Cor. v. 11. II Matth. xi. 28. «[j Rev. xxii. 17. ** Rom, i. 1«.
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only were preached, it would, by its horrors, harden seuls, driven to despair, into a hatred of God, as a se- vere avenger of sin. Biit by adding the gospel, which makes a bright hope of grace to shine, even on the most abandoned sinner, if, displeased with himself, he heartily desires it, obstinate hearts come to relent, and to be melted down into a love of God, and of his Christ. And therefore nothing ought to be more sweet, no- thing more dear to us, than the most delightful word of the gospel, in which are brooks of honey and butter.* XVII. This word of grace was published in the Vv^orld from the very first sin of man, but variously dis- pensed :-\ but in such a manner, that it was sufficient for instructing the elect to salvation, in all ages, ac- cording to that measure of grace and knowledge, which the providence of God distributed in each period of time. When the revelation was more sparing and ob- scure, God being satisfied with a less accurate mea- sure of knowledge, did, by thti secret power of his Spi- rit, unite the elect to Christ, and kept them united by an almost invisible bond, which yet no force could break asunder. But when he had more brightly dis- covered himself, he required a more explicit knowledge and faith. And as he clearly teaches his people, hozo they ought to Tvalk,and to please God, so he also requires them to aboitnd more and viore.X
XVIII. We do not agree with those, who think, that, by the unwritten word of God, those only were called to salvation through faith in Christ, who were eminent for the spirit of prophecy, but that the rest of the church was brought up so rudely, that they were brought to an unknown Christ, by the help of the law of nature alone, v/ithout the Spirit of faith. For down
a
* Is. lii. 7. Job XX. 17, t Heb. i. 1. X I Thess. iv. 1.
Of Effectual Calling. 4#
from Adam, the church of those that were to be saved had one and the same precious faith with the prophets^ as also a common salvation. God did not «only speak to the prophets, for their private use, but by the pro- phets to the fathers.* The prophets would have acted perfidiously, had they put the candle, that was lighted for them, under a bushel, and indolently wrapt in a napkin the talent entrusted with them. Nor is it con- sistent with the piety of the ancient fathers, not to have inculcated, with care and diligence, upon their chil- dren, what they themselves had learned about the pro- mised seed of the woman. So that we are not to doubt of the revelation of a Saviour made to the elect from the beginning : but we are not to determine any thing rashly as to the manner and measure of knowledge.
XIX. This call by the gospel was never given unir versally to all men, unless perhaps in the beginning of the world just springing from Adam, or rising again from Noah. Though even then God gave warning of tlie seclusion of some from his grace, by the distinction he made between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent ; and by separating Ham from his bre- iliren by a dreadful curse, and by the ancient prophet cy of alluring in after times the posterity of Japheth into the tents of Shem, which insinuated, that the posterity of Japheth should for some time be aliens from the communion of the people of God. Afterwards the greatest part of mankind being left to themselves, God vouchsafed the word of his grace to the posterity of Abraham, yet not to them all. In fine, when he claim- ed Israel to himself for a people, he rejected the other nations, and suffered them ail to walk in their own ways.-j- And though, upon breaking dovv^n the wall of partition, the apostles were enjoined to preach the go3- * H^b. i. 1. t Acts xir. 16.
4# Of Effectual Calling.
pel to every creature, without any distinction ; yet It was never so universally preached, but that there were always very many nations, and still are at this day, to whom no report of the gospel ever reached. They are therefore mistaken who, having feigned an universal re- demption by Christ, and an universal objective grace, as it is called, have at the same time devised, for sup- porting it, an universal call to Christ.
XX. This call contains the command of faith, by which all men without exception, to whom God vouch- safes the same, are enjoined to believe in Christ, in that way and manner which is revealed in the gospel : Look tmto ?7?e, a?id be ye savedy all the ends of the earthJ^ Now, the method of believing is this : ,first, That a person do heartily acknowledge all men without excep- tion, and himself among the rest, to be liable to con- demnation because of sin : and then, that he embrace the principal truths of the gospel ; namely, that there is no salvation but in Christ, nor any communion with Christ, but by a true and lively faith : viorecvej', that he do not neglect so great salvation, but renouncing all earthly enjoyments, and rejecting every false remedy for his sins, he only desire the righteousness of Christ, receive him as his Saviour, give himself up wholly to him, not doubting, but, so doing, he shall find rest to his soul. All and every one in particular therefore, to whom the gospel is preached, are not commanded im- mediately to believe, that Christ died for them. For that is a falsehood. But they are comm^anded to pro- ceed i:. that method whic"h I have now described ; and not to take comfort to themselves from the death of Christ, before, having acknowledged their own misery, and renounced every thing but Jesus, they have com- mi[ted themselves sincerely to him. It cannot thcre-
* Is. xlv. 22.
Of Effectual Calling. 45
fore be concluded from this general call, who tliey.are for whom Christ died : but only this, that there is no other name given under heaven, by which we can be saved ; and that in him, as an all-sufficient Saviour, every believer shall have life.
XXI. But that exta^nol call will bring none to com- inunion with Christ, unless it be accompanied with the internal^ which is accomplished not only by persuasion and command, but by the powerful operation of tliL' Spirit. There is a certain call of God, whereby he makes the things which he calls, to exist, by that very call. By such a call, he calkth those things which be not, as though they were* For when he said, Let there be light, immediately there xvas light.-]- Not unHke this is that internal call of the Spirit, of which the apos- tle writeSjJ God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts. But when he says to the elect, in the hour of their blessed visitation, /irc^/.r thou that steepest, and arise from tlie dead, and Christ shall give thee light, ^ it is not more possible for them to remain any longer in the sleep of death, than it was pos- sible for Lazarus to continue in the grave, after Cluist had said to him, Lazarus, come forth. \\
XXII. Here God exerts his infinite power, by which he converts the soul no less powerfully than sweetly. AVhile the gospel is externally proposed to his chosen people, he gives thon tlie eye: of their understanding to be enlightenedj that they may know zvJiat is tlie hope of their calling, and zvhat tlie riches of the glory of his in^ heritance in the saints *l lie openeth their iicarf, that they may attend unto the things which are spoken ;^ * and causes them to receive the ivord zvith all readiness of
* Rom. iv. 17. t Gen. i. 3. +2 Cor. Iv. G. § Eph. v. H. II John xi. 43. % Eph. i. 18. ** Actsxvi. 1 k
46 Of Effectual Calling.
vwtd.'^ He writes his law on their hcart,-|- puts the reverence of himself there. J And he not only calls them from darkness to his marvellous light, but also, by the call, drmvs them, not to stand still in the path of doubtful deliberation, but to rim afler him.^ Not only does he put them in an equal poise, but tarns fht'm.^ lie not only advises, but persuades, and //^^ is sironger, and prevails. \ Nor does he only solicit, but he transhUeSy** not by an ordinary, but by that mighty power, by which he raised Christ from the dead .ft I^^t man's shifting pride put on what form it will, it must be obliged to confess, that, in this matter, these are so many displays of divine omnipotence, like so many thunder-bolts thrown out to level its pride.
XXIII. Nevertheless, God deals here witli the ra- tional creature in such a manner, that the liberty of the human wdll remains quite unaffected : which he is so far from destroying by the energy of his power, that, on the contrary, he rescues and maintains it. He put^ mdeed, into the heart of Titus the earnest care of goings yet so as to undertake the journey idtroneously and of his oxen accord.W It is a violence indeed, but that of heavenly love, the greater the sweeter. A certain kind of compulsion, but that of the most cliarming friendship ; to the end that the soul, being loosed from the chains of sin and Satan, may rejoice in the most delightful liberty. God does not drag along the un- willing by head and shoulders, but makes them Wrl- Iing,§§ bringing his truths so clearly to their understand- ing, that they cannot but assent ; so effectually gaining upon their will by the charms of his goodness, that they are not able to reject them ; but yield themselves con-
* Actsxvii. 11. t Jer. xxxi. 3.3. + Ezek. xi. '20. § Cantic. i. 4. II Jer. xxxi. 18. ^ Jer. xx. 7. ** Coi. i. \\i. ff K;;i), X. 20. :J.| 2 Cor. viii. 16, 17. §§ Phil. ii. 13.
Of Effectual Calling. 4$^.
qiieved, and that with the highest complacency ; cry- incr with jov, O Lord, thou hast enticed me^ and I was enticed ; thou art stronger than /, ajid hast prevailed.* 1 may well exult in this victor)^ and triumph over the devil, for that I myself am conquered by thee. And who can be so surly, as to complain of any violence done to human liberty, by this winning power (so to speak) of the Deity ?
XXIV. It was truly inconsistent with the power and majesty of God, to attempt any thing, and leave it in suspence, and not bring it to a final issue -, it was like- wise unworthy both of his goodness and wisdom, so to vex and distress a man endowed with reason and will, as, in a matter of the far greatest moment, to act with- out knowledge or against his will, by a certain fatal and blind instinct of his own. He therefore employs the highest force, thereby to conquer the highest cor- ruption of nature ; but a pleasant force, a force under the direction of wisdom, as became an intelligent and rational nature ; which is so willingly overcome, as not only not to resist, because nothing can resist God, when he walls to convert the soul ; but also because, should it resist, it would think itself most unhappv, We are here however to distinguish between the be- ginning and accomplishment of the call ; as also be- tween the object of the call and the end, or that in which it terminates. For at the beginning of the call man necessarily resists, and cannot but resist, because the object is an unbelieving and rebellious sinner, and a child of disobedience : but in the consummation, he necessarily makes no resistance, and cannot now resist, because the end of this call, or that in which it termi- nates, is a believer, who owns himself conquered, and glories in the obedience of faith. This is what the
* Jer. XX. 7.
48 Of Effectual Calling.
Greijk authors emphatically call, peithanagke, ^A<? constraining persuasion of God, who calls.
XXV. Nor do the many admonitions, promises, and threatening-s, by which we are invited, make any thing against this taith j which, as they inform us of our duty, so they are made effectual to conversion by the internal operation of the Spifit. Nor ought the complaints of God and of Christ, of the unwillingness of people to be converted, be objected to it • because the discourse is not there of any inward power that would bring about their conversion, as if they were able to weaken that, but of the external ministry of the word, against which the wicked harden their hearts. Neither are we to urge, what we elsewhere find about saddcfiing and grieving the Spirit of God : because wc are to distinguish between the common operations of the Spirit of God, and the special operations of the Spirit of grace ; between the moral, and the super- natural actions of the Spirit of grace ; between some more feeble impulses to certain exercises of virtue and piety, and that grand attempt of the Spirit intending to convert an elect person. lliey grieve the Spirit of God, because they rather chuse to obey the impulses of the fiesh and of the devil, than his holy admonitions, which are partly proposed externally by the word, partly insinuated into their mind by conscience. Be- lievers themselves also grieve the Spirit of grace, where- by they are sealed, as often as they refuse to comply with his holy admonitions ; but conscience, in which the Spirit has set up his throne, in vain struggling with them, they suffer themselves to be carried away by the flesh and the world : as often also as they do not, with a becoming reverence of soul, receive, cherish, and follow his holy impulses, when he quickens them to duty. Whence nothing can be concluded against the
Of Regeneration. 49
invincible cfHcacy of God, vv^hcn he calls internally, and efFcctually undertakes the conversion of his people.
XXA'I. Thus we ought attentively to consider, care- fully hearken to, and willingly comply with the call of God, both the external by the light of nature and reve- lation, and the internal by the Spirit, so that, being brought to communion with God and Christ, zee may shm- forth the praises of him luho hath called us out of da?'kfiess i/ito his viarvellous ligJU.^
* 1 Pet. ii. 9.
CHAP. vr.
Of Jlegeneratiou>
J3 Y that same word, whereby the elect are called to communion with God and his Christ, they are rege- nerated to a far more excellent life. For thus James sairh. Of his own zvill begat he us zcith the xcord of truth, that zee should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures* It is therefore proper, our discourse lead us from effec- tual callings to meditating on Regeneration.
II. But here all things are deep, and wrapt up in many mysteries. Who can unfold to us the secrets of our own corporal birth ? AVho can distinctly declare, in what manner he was poured out like milk, and crudled like cheese within the bowels of his mother ? The pro- phet himself, as if he was seized with a holy amaze- ment, cried out, I zvill praise thee ; for I am fearfully and zvondeifulli/ made : viarvellous are thy icoi^ks j and that my soul knozveth right zcell. My substance ivas not f- I Pet. i, 18.
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to Of RegejJeration.
hid from thee^ when Iivas made in secret, and airiouslj/ wrought in the loxvest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect .^ But if those things, which regard the origin of our body, and the beginnings of this animal hfe, are invoh^ed in such darkness, as to frustrate the inquiries of the most saga- cious ; how much more invoh^ed are the things, that constitute our spiritual regeneration, which none can doubt to be mystery all over ?
III. Yet this is so necessaiy, that our Saviour has de- clared, that, without it, there is no entering into the kingdom of heaven. f It therefore deserves to be in- quired into ; that, if we have perhaps attained to it, we may celebrate with due praises the glorious perfec- tions of God our Father, which shine so conspicuously in this illustrious work, and properly valuing our happi_ ness, we may frame our whole life in a manner suita- ble to it.
IV. We give this definition of it : Regeneration is that supernatural act of God, whereby a new and divine life is infused into the elect person, spiritually dead, and that from the incorruptible seed of the xvord ofGody made
fruitful by the iiifinite poxver of the Spirit.
V. We are all dead in Adam,\ through the poison of the tempting serpent. This murderer from the begin- ning^ had such success attending his endeavours, that all men who now exist are by nature dead in trespasses a?id sins.\\ That is, 1 . They are separated at the great- est distance from God and his Spirit, who is the soul of our soul, and life of our life ; or, in the language of Paul, alienated from the life 'of God.^ 2. They are spi- ritually insensible as to all spiritual things, and destitute of all true feeling : they don't rightly consider the load
* Psal. cxxxix. 14-, 15, 16. f John iii. 3, 5. % 1 Cor. xv. 22 § Johnviii. 44. || Eph. it. 1. f Eph. iv. 18.
Of Regeneration. 61
of their sins, because they are in them as in their ele- ment : nor have a riglit knowledge of their misery, be- ing past fteling ;* nor have they any relish for divine grace, because it has not yet been conferred upon them ; nor any longing after heavenly things, being ignorant of their worth. S. They are wholly incapable of every act of true life ; for we are not sufficient of ourselves to think anil thing as of ourselves. -f The understanding, overspread with dismal darkness,;|: hath not set God he- fore it ;§ receiveth not the things of the Spirit of Gody neither can it know them.\\ The w^ill has n"> tendency 0 things unknown : and thus all the things of God arc despised by it as mean. And if, at times, it seem to perform any things, that have some appearance of vital actions ; this proceeds not from a principle of life ; but resembles those automatical or artificial motions, by which statues, ingeniously framed, counterfeit living animaJs.
VI. But as a dead carcase sometimes swarms with vermin, arising from putrefaction, in which the briskest life is observed ; though of another order and kind from that life, which was formerly in that body ; so in like manner, there is a kind of life in a man spiritually dead, but it is carnal, hellish, and diabolical, at the greatest distance from true life, and which, the more vigorous it is, gives the more evident signs of the most deplora- ble death. The apostle has elegantly joined tliis death and life. When ye xaere dead in trespasses and sins, ye walked 1)1 theyn, as is the life of this ivorld.\ So Beza translates. In the Greek it runs, kata ton aiona Tou KosMou TOUTOU. Klcgantly Philo. Allcg. lib. i. defines this death : " When the soul is dead as to virtue, it lives the life of vice." Not unlike to what
^ Eph. iv. 19. f 2 Cor. iii. 5. % Eph. iv. IS. § Psal. ixxxvi. U. II 1 C©r. ii. U. «f Eph. ii. 1, 2,
52 Of Regeneration.
MacariLis says, homil. 12. " When Adam began to en- tertain evil thoughts and devices, he perished as to God. Yet we say not, that he perished altogether, was de- stroyed, and quite dead ; but that, though as to God, he was dead, yet he was alive as to his own nature." What Macarius says of Adam has universally place in all : for, in a man spiritually dead, a natural or animal life remains, which, though not active in that which is good, is doubly active in that which is evil. The un- derstanding, not apprehending the wisdom of God, looks upon it as foolishness ;* and yet, when it would find wisdom in the things of God, it so transforms them by its mad presumption, and compels them, even against their nature, to a conformity to the notions of its trifling presumptuous self-wisdom, that while by an impious attempt it presumes to correct the wisdom of God, it transforms it in a dreadful manner into downrijrht fol-
o
ly. The will, not finding any thing in God, where- with it can take delight, seeks it either in the creatures without God, or, which is more abominable, in the very perpetration of wickedness. The affections, shaking off the reins of reason, rush on in full career. The bo- jdy, with all its members, is the throne of mad and fu- rious lusts. And the whole man, being so averse from God, and infatuated with the fond love of himself, sets liimseif up for an idol, makes his own advantage his supreme end, and his own pleasure, his most infallible law. This is the life of the soul, which is dead ichiie living. 'l
VII. And thus it is with the elect before regenera- tion : but by regeneration a new life is put into them, resulting from a gracious union with God and his Spirit. For what the soul is to the body, that God is to the souJ. Mvieover, this spiritual life may be considered, either * 1 Cor. ii. 14. f 1 Tim. v. 6.
Of Regeneration. 5f
by way o^faculli/, and in \\\q first act, as we are wont to speak in the schools ; or by way ot operation, and in the second act. In the former respect, it is that inward constitution of the soul, whereby it is fitted to exert those actions, which are acceptable to God in Christ, by the power of the Spirit uniting it to God : whether such actions immediately flow from tliat principle, or whether they lie concealed for some time, as fruits in their seed. In the latter respect, it is that activity of the living soul, by which it acts agreeably to the com- mand of God, and the example of Christ.
VIII. If we attend to this first principle of life, there is not the least doubt, but regeneration is accomplished in a moment. For the transition from death to lite ad- mits of no delay. No person can be regenerated, so long as he is in the state of spiritual death : but in the instant he begins to live, he is born again. Wherefore no intermediate state between the regenerate and un- regenerate can be imagined so much as in thought, if •we mean regeneration in the first act : for one is either dead or alive ; has either the spirit of tlie flesh and the w^orld, or the Spirit of God actuating him ; is either in the state of grace, or in the state of malediction ; is either the child of God, or of the devil ; is either in tlie way to salvation, or in that to the curse. There nei- ther is, nor can be any medium here, llie holy scrip- ture divides all mankind into two classes, sJiccp and goats* and compares their goings to tzvo ways ; where- of the one, which is broad, leads to destruction j the other, which is narrow, to life jt and there is none found, who does not tread in one or other of tlies^ ways. And what if it should happen, that he, wliom some imagine to be in an intermediate state, should depart this animal life, before he be fully brought to ■" Matth. XXV. 2, 3. f Matth. vii. 13, Ik
54 Of Regeneration.
the spiritual life, would such a one be received into heaven ? but heaven is open only to the actually rege- nerate ;'^ or thrust into hell ? but hell is allotted only tor the goats, and for those who, to the end of their liky have walked in the broad way ; or perhaps such persons will be received into some intermediate place, where, being free from the pains of hell, and deprived of the joys of heaven, they will delight themselves in I know not what natural happiness ; as some Popisli doctors, discoursing in the council of Trent, of infants dying without baptism, pleased themselves with these fond sportings of their imagination ; which the author of the history of that council,! has not dismissed with- out a good deal of acrimony and sharpness. Or you will say, perhaps, it is a case w^hich never happens, that any one should die in that intermediate state. But produce me the vouchers of such an assertion, whereby security is given those in this intermediate class, of spinning out their lives, till they shall have declared, of what class they chuse to be. I don't remember to have read any thing, on that head, in scripture. And if that intermediate state has such an indissoluble con- nection with salvation, it will be no longer intermedi- ate, but a state of grace. For it is grace alone, to which the attainment of glory is infallibly assigned. I own, there are various degrees of regeneration in the second act ; and that the seed of it sometimes lies hid under the clod, or, at most, exerts some slender and initial, and, as it were, infantile operations, difTering very much w^ith respect to perfection, from those ope- rations, which a more advanced spirit of sanctificalion produces : yet seeing tliese former also have their rise from the fountain of the new life, it is plain, that they who exert them, are to be ranked among the regene- * John iii. 3. f Lib. ii. p. 157.
Of Regeneration; 5'5
rale. Tor we must say one of these two things ; either, that these operations ascribed to the intermediate states proceed from the powers of nature and common grace ; and thus there is nothing in them, which may not be found in the reprobate, and those entirely unregenc- rate : or, that they proceed from the indwelling Spirit of grace, and so are effects ot regeneration, to which the beginnings of the new life are owing.
IX. Hence it appears, there are no preparations an- tecedent to the first beginning of regeneration ; be- cause, previous to that, nothing but mere death in the highest degree is to be found in the person to be rege- nerated. When ive xvere dead in sins, he hath quickened us together zvith Christ* And indeed the scripture describes man's conversion by such similitudes, as shew that all preparations are entirely excluded. Sometimes it calls it a ?iezv generation, to which certainly none can contribute any thing of himself : but yet, as natural generation presupposes some dispositions in the matter ; so, that we may not imagine any such thing to be in ourselves, but from God, we have this held forth by the similitude of a resurrection ; in which a body is restored from matter, prepared by no qualifications ; yet because here certainly matter has place, but in the resurrection of the soul there is nothing at all, therefore we have added the figure of a creation,t by which we are taught, that a new creature exists from a spiritual nothing, which is sin : but as there was not something in nothing, to assist and sustain creation ; so there was nothing to oppose and resist : but sin is so far from submitting to the action of God, that it is reluctant thereto, and in a hostile manner at enmity with him ; accordingly, the other images did not fully exhaust and complete the idea and picture of this admirable action, * Eph. ii. 5. t Etal. li. 10. Eph. n. 10.
56 Of RECENERAtior.
till at length it is called the vicforu of God : vlctoiy, I say, over the devil, who maintains his palace,* and efi'ectually worketh in the children of di::obedience.-\ All these operations of God, which Alexander Aioorc has, in an elegant order, ranged one after another, J tend to exclude, as far as possible, all preparations from the beginning of our regeneration.
X. The Semi-pelagians therefore of Marseilles were mistaken, who insisted, that a man comes to the grace, whereby we are regenerated in Christ, by a na- tural faculty ; as by asking, seeking, knocking ; and that, in some at least, before they are born again, there is a kind of repentance going before, together with a sorrow for sin, and a change of life for the better, and a beginning of faith, and an initial love of God, and a desire of grace : it is true, they did not look on tliese endeavours, to be of such importance, as that it could be said, we were thereby rendered worthy of the grace of the Holy Spirit ; as Pelagius and Julian professed : but yet they im.agined, they were an occasion by which God was moved to bestow his grace ; for they said, that the mercy of God is such, that he recompenses this very small beginning of good wath this illustrious reward ; as Vossius§ has refined this their opinion. The Remonstrants are likewise mistaken, || when they write, *' Some work of man therefore goes before his vivification ; namely, to acknowledge and bewail his death ; to will, and desire deliverance from it ; to hun- ger, thirst, and seek after life : all which, and a great deal besides, is required by Christ in those whom he will make alive." But there is Httle accuracy in the reasonings of these men. For, 1. Since our nature is
* Luke xi. 21. f F.ph. li. 2. X De victoria gratize disp. I. thes. 10. § Hist. Pelag. lib. iv. p. 1. thes. I. |! In collatione
Hagltnsi, editionis Brandianae, p. 302,
Of Regeneration. 57
become like an evil tree, after having tasted of the for- bidden tree, it can produce no fruit truly good and ac- ceptable to God, and do nothing, by which it can pre- pare itself for the grace of regeneration ; unless a per- son can be thought to prepare himself for grace by sin. 2. It has been found, that they who in appearance were, in the best manner, disposed for regeneration, were yet at the greatest distance from it ; as the in- stance of that young man, Markx. 21, 22. very plainly shews. He appeared to be full of good intentions, and inflamed with a desire after heaven, and of a blameless life before men, to a degree that Jesus himself behold- ing him loved him ; but, notwithstanding all these dis- positions, he parted with our Lord sorrowful. 3. And on the other hand, they, who had not even the least appearance of any preparation, as the publicans and harlots went into the kingdom of God, before those who were civilly righteous and externally religious ; for these last believed not Jolniy declaring the way of righ' teousness ; but the publicans and the harlots truly be^ lievedJ^ 4. and lastly, God testifies, that, in the first approach of his grace, he is found of them that sought him not, and asked not for him.-\ FulgentiusJ says ex- tremely well : " We have not certainly received grace, because we are willing j but grace is given us, while we are still unwilling."
XI. There have been likewise some among our- selves, who have spoken of preparations to regeneration or conversion ; but in a quite different sense from the favorers of Pelagianism. In persons to be regenerated, they have assigned, 1 . A breaking of the natural ob- stinacy, and a flexibility of the will. 2. A serious con-
* Matth. xxi. 31, 32. f Is Ixv. 1. % Lib, i. de vexitat. praedest. p. Q'^,
Vol. II. H
58 Of Regeneration",
sideration of the law. 3. A consideration of their own sins and offences against God. 4. A legal fear of pu- nishment, and a dread of hell, and consequently a des- pairing of their salvation, with respect to any thing in themselves. For in this order Perkins* reckons up these preparations ; and Ames in the same manner.f And the British divines explained themselves almost to the same purpose in the synod of Dort. J " 1 . There are some external works, ordinarily required of men, before they are brought to a state of regeneration or conversion, which are wont sometimes to be freely done, sometimes freely omitted by them j as going to church, hearing the word preached, and the like. 2. There are some internal effects, previous to conversion or regeneration, excited by the power of the word and Spirit in the hearts of those who are not yet justified ; as the knowledge of the will of God, sense of sin, dread of punishment, anxiety about deliverance, some hope of pardon." But they differ from the favorers of Pela- gianism in this manner. 1 . That they are not for hav- ing these things to proceed from nature, but profess them to be the effects of the Spirit of bondage, prepar- ing a way to himself for their actual regeneration. 2. That they are not for God's bestowing the grace of re- generation from a regard to, and moved by occasion of, these preparations, much less by any merit in them^ j but they imagine, that God, in this manner, levels a way for himself, fills up valleys, depresses mountaiiis and hills, in order the better to smooth the way for his entrance into that soul. Nay, the British divines add,§ *' That even the elect themselves never behave in these acts preceding regeneration, in such a manner, as that, on account of their negligence and resistance, they may
•* Cas.conscient. c. 5. quaest. 1. sect. I. f Cas. conscient. lib, ai. c. 4-. X p. 139 edit. Dordrac. anno 1620, in fol. § Thes. 6.
Of Regenerai ion. 'S9
not justly be abandoned and forsaken by God." Yet they call them rather preparations for grace, than the fruits and cfTects of grace ; because they think, that even the reprobate may go as far as this : and they af- firm, " that these antecedent effects, produced by the power of the word and Spirit in the minds of men, may be, and in many usually are stifled and entirely extin- guished through the fault of the rebellious will"* But we really think, they argue more accurately, who make these and the like things in the elect, to be not prepa- rations for regeneration, but the fruits and effects of the first regeneration ; yet preparations to further and more pertect operations of a more noble.Spirit. For as these things suppose some life of the soul, which spiritually attends to spiritual things, and are operations of the Spirit of God, when going about to sanctify the elect ; we cannot but refer them to the Spirit of grace and re- generation. Nor is it any objection, that the like, or the same may be also said to be in reprobates. For though they are the same materially, yet not formally. Reprobates also have some knowledge of Christ, some taste of the grace of God, and of the powers of the world to come. Yet it does not thence follow, that the knowledge of Christ, as it is in believers, and that re- lish of grace and glory which is given them, is not the gift of the Spirit of grace and of glory. And indeed the things mentioned by Perkins, and the other British divines, are not preparations for regeneration in the re- probate, either from the nature of the thing, or the in- tention of God. Not the former : for however great these things may appear to be, yet they continue within the verge of spiritual death ; and the reprobate arc so far from being dispdied thereby to a spiritu;il life, that, on the contrary, deceived by those actings, which coun- * Ibid. thcs. 5,
60 Of Reg-eneratioh.
terfeit spiritual life, they are the more hardened in i real death, and fondly pleasing themselves, are at a greater distance from inquiring after true life, which they falsely imagine they have obtained. Net the lat- ter : for no intention of God can be rendered void. It is therefore necessary, that all these things be in another manner in the elect than in the reprobate.
XII. If this matter be more closely considered, we shall find, that the orthodox differ more in words, and in the manner of explaining, than in sense and reality. For the term regeneration is of ambiguous signification. Sometimes it is blended with sanctification, and by re- generation is understood that action of God, W'hereby man, who is now become the friend of God, and en- dow^ed with spiritual life, acts in a righteous and holy manner, from infused habits. And then it is certain, there are some effects of the Spirit, by which he usual- ly prepares them for the actings of complete faith and holine^ss ; for a knowledge of divine truths, a sense of misery, sorrow for sin, hope of pardon, &c. go before any one can fiduciaily lay hold on Christ, and apply himself to the practice of true godliness. God does not usually sanctify a man all at once, before ever he has had any thought about himself and God, or any con- cern about his salvation. And this the British divines seem to have intended ; when, in confirmation of the second position, they thus speak : " Divine grace does not usually bring men to a state of justification, in which wc have peace with God, through our Lord Je- sus Christ, by a sudden enthusiasm, but first subdues and prepares them by many previous acts by the mi- nistry of the word." By which words they sufficiently shew, that, by regeneration, they mean the state of passive justification. But sometimes regeneration de- notes the first translation of a man from a state of death
Of Rr.GENERATI(irN. 61
to a state of spiritual life j in which sense wc take it» And in that respect none of the orthodox, if he will speak consistently with his own principles, can suppose preparatory w^orks to the grace of regeneration. For cither he would maintain, that these works proceeded from nature; and so, by the confession of ail the or- thodox, they are nothing but dead works and splendid sins. Now, none in his right mind will aftirm, that any can be disposed for the grace of regeneration, by those things which are sinful. Or he would maintain, that these works proceeded from the Spirit of God .; who if he did not operate in another manner in the elect than in the reprobate, nothing hinders these works, notwithstanding this his operation, from being reckoned among dead works. For all the orthodox hold all the actions of the reprobate to be sinful, let them be ever so much elevated by divine assistance. Thus the British divines,* " An evil tree, which natu- rally brings forth evil fruit, must itself be first changed to a. good tree, before ever it can yield any good fruit. But the w^ill of an unregenerate person is not only an evil, but also a dead tree." I now subsume, the re- probate are never regenerated, and therefore always continue evil trees, and never produce any other than bad fruit. And so there can be no preparation in such ■works for regeneration, for the reason above explained. If you say, that these works, which you call prepara- tory, are different in the elect : I ask, in what docs the difference lie ? No other answer can be given but this, that they proceed from the Spirit of grace and life. Right : but then they are not preparations for the first regeneration, but effects of it 3 for regeneration is the first approach of the Spirit of grace and life, effectually working in the elect.
» I.e. p. 10,
62 Of RegekeratioxN'.
XIII. What then, will you say, are there no prepji- mtvry dispositions to the first regeneration ? I confi- dently answer, there are none : and agree with Fulgen- tius,* " As in the carnal birth the formation of the di- vine work precedes all the will of the person born ; so in the spiritual birth, whereby we begin to put off the old man." I own, indeed, that spiritual death has its degrees, but w^ith a distinction. What is privative therein, namely, the want of the life of God, is equal in all ; and in this respect there are no degrees less or more. But what is positive, or, as it were, positive therein, namely, those evil habits, these indeed are very unequal. In infants there are only those evil ha- bits, which com.e into the world with them : in the adult there are others, acquired and deeply rooted by many vitious acts, and a course of wickedness. These again greatly differ, according as, by the secret dispen- sation of God's providence, the affections of men arc more or less restrained. For tho' every kind of wick- edness, like a certain hydra, lurks in the heart of all ; yet God suffers some to give loose reins to their vices, and to be hurried on as by so many furies ; while he moves others with a sense of shame, and a reverence for the laws, and som.c kind of love to honor and ho- nesty ; who, in that sense, may be said not to be at such a distance irom sanctifying grace, in as far as hor- rid crimes are more opposite thereto, than a civiVand external honesty of life. But yet whatever length any, before regeneration, has advanced in that honesty, he nevertheless remains in the confines of death, in which there is no preparation for life.
XIV''. Nor do we agree with those, who so inconsi- derately assert, that man is no more disposed ior rege- neration than a stone, or an irrational animal. Yo-r * Be incarnjit & gratia Christi, c. 19.
Of Regeneration. fiS
there are naturally such faculties in the soul of man, as render him a fit subject of regeneration, which are not to be found in stones or brutes. Thus a man can be reijenerated, but a brute or a stone cannot. In that sense Augustine* said. The capacihj of havini^ failh and love is of tJie nature of man ; but to have them, of the grace of believers. Vossiusf has proved by proper arguments, that this is to be understood, not of the proximate, but remote capacity, in so far as man has naturally those faculties, in wliich faith and love may- be wrought.
XV. Yet in this business we must not omit, that the elect, before their actual regeneration, are honored by God with various, and those indeed very excellent pri- vileges above the reprobate, which are intended, ac- cording to the purpose of God, to be subservient for promoting their regeneration, in his appointed time. For as God has a love of special benevolence for them., according to the decree of election ; and as they are redeemed by Christ, and in a state of reconciliation with God, and of justification, actively taken ; it thence follows, 1 . That God often preserves them from those base and scandalous crimes» which are repugnant to common humanity, and that by some assistance of light, of divinity, of conscience, and civil honesty, with an accession of;]: some grace operating internally, and la}- ing a restraint on the wickedness of their nature. 2. That all and every one of them, who arc brought to the acknowledgment and the common illumination of tlic truth of the gospel, are kept from the sin against the Holy Ghost. 3. That, by the ministry of the word, and other operations of God's special providence towards them, many evident principles of divine truth,
* De Praedest. sanct. c. 5. f Histor. Pebjr. lib, i. p. 1. p. H"- % This is wh«t is generally called rcsiralnln^ ^-aa.
64 Of I^.egeneratiok.
perceived by the natural mind, are also imprinted on the natural memory, the meditation of which, imme^ diately after they are regenerated, conduces very much to the ccnfimiation of their faith. And thus, without knov/ing it, they have collected very valuable pearls, the excellence and genuine use of which they come not to see, till they are born again. But as these things do not, of their own nature, dispose man for regenera- tion, though by the appointment of God they are so disposed, as that regeneration is certainly to follow, they cannot but very remotely be called preparations, and they will be such more from the intention of God, than from the virtue of the thing.
XVI. Now after a principle of spiritual life is infused into the elect soul by regeneration, divine grace does not always proceed therein in the same method and or- der. It is possible, that for some time the Spirit of the life of Christ may lie, as it were, dormant in some (al- most in the same manner as vegetative life in the seed of a plant, or sensitive life in the seed of an animal, or a poetical genius in one born a poet) so as that no vital operations can yet proceed therefrom, though they be ■savingly united to Christ, the fountain of true life, by the Spirit. This is the case with respect to elect and regenerate infants, whose is the kingdom of God, and who therefore are reckoned among believers and saints, though unqualified through age actually to believe, and practise godliness.
XVII. Moreover, it sometimes happens, that this Spirit of a new' life will even exert itself in its vital ac- tions, as soon as those who have received it in their in- fancy, upon gradually advancing in years, are qualified to raise their thoughts above the objects of sense. Ac- cordingly it has often been observed, that, in children of five or six years of age, some small sparks of piety
Of Regeneration. 6S
and devotion have broke forth, displaying themselves in holy longings, ardent little prayers, and in a certain extraordinary tenderness of conscience, not daring to do any thing with respect to God, themselves, or their neighbour, which they have been taught to be displeas- ing to God : as also in their discourses concerning God and Christ, which have been full of a holy and unfeign- ed love, and breathing something heavenly, which I have not words to express: as God is sometimes pleas- ed, out of the mouth of babes and sucklings to perfect praise, Psal. viii. 2. This has been especially observ- ed in some dying children, to the great astonishment of all bystanders.
XVIII. But when the foundation is laid, divine grace does not always grow up in the same manner. It often happens, that this principle of spiritual life, which had discovered its activity in the most tender childhood, according to, and sometimes above, the age of the person, God by his singular grace prevent^ ing the full maturity of the natural faculties, grows up by degrees with the person, after the example of our Lord, who increased in wisdom and stature, and in fa- vor with God and man ;* and of John the Baptist, who grew and waxed strong in spirit.^ Such persons make continual progress in the way of sanctification, and grow insensibly unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.l We have an illus- trious example of this in Timothy, zvhofrom a child had knozvn the holy scriptures,^ and who, in his tender youth, to Paul's exceeding joy, had given evident «igns of an unfeigned faith, with tears of the most ten- der piety bursting out at times. H
* Luke ii. 52. f Luke i. 80. + Eph. iv. 13. § 2 Tim.
iii. 15. U 2 Tim. 1.4, i. V'OL. II. I
(56 Of Regeneration".
XIX. On the ©ther hand, it sometimes happens, that these sparks of piety, especially which more spa- ringly shone forth in childhood, when in a manner covered with the ashes of I know not what worldly va- nities, and carnal pleasures of youth, will appear to be almost turned into dead coals. The allurements of the deceitful flesh, and the sorceries of a tempting world, assaulting the unadvised unwary heart with its falla- cious pleasures, almost stifle those small beginnings of piety ; and for months, sometimes for years together, so violently overpower them, that all their attempts against them seem to be in vain. Yet there are still, in such persons, remorses of conscience, awakening them at times, languid resolutions and vanishing pur- poses of reforming their lives, till, by the infinite effi- cacy of divine grace, insinuating into the languid and decaying breast, they awake as from a deep sleep, and, wit^ the greatest sorrow for their past life, and utmost seriousness, apply to the careful practice of piety ; the warmth of their zeal then breaks forth, being exceed- ingly desirous to shew, by brighter flames, its having been unwillingly kept smothered under the ashes. Augustine has given us in his own person, a represea-^ tation of this state, in the excellent book of his confes- sions.
XX. But the elect are not all favored with regene- rating grace in their infancy. There are some persons, whom God regenerates when grown up, and at once effectually calls and converts in the second act, from a worldly and hypocritical condition, or even from a state of profligate wickedness. Such are those, who being born and brought up without God's covenant, or even living where this covenant is dispensed, have sold themselves wholly to sin, Satan, and the world. The regeneration of these is usually followed with grcaJt, oou-
Of Regeneration. hi
sternatlon of soul, and sorrow for sin, and a dread of God's fiery indignation, and an incredible desire aftef grace, together with an inexpressible joy upon finding salvation in Jesus, and a wonderful alacrity in the ser- vice of the Lord, which they can scarcely contain. All this may be observed in the jailor, of whom we read. Acts xvi.
XXI. On this depends the solution of that question, whether any person is to be reckoned as born again, but he who can specify the time, manner, and pro- gress of his regeneration. None, indeed, are here tof be flattered, or soothed, so as to think it lawful for them securely to presume on their regeneration : but then the consciences of believers are not to be racked with too severe a scrupulosity. We cannot determine this point without a distinction. We have just shewn, that the progress of regeneration is various. Adult persons, who are brought altogether from a carnal to a spiritual life, mdeed may, and ought exactly to know tfie beginning and manner of so great a change. They who, though regenerated in infancy, have yet been carried away by the intanglemcnts of the world, and for some time have struggled, as it were, with destruction, but afterwards have been roused by the grace of God, made to renounce the world, and give themselves whol- ly to piety, such as we described, § 17. these ma}-, and it is their duty to recollect, not so much the beginning of their very first regeneration, as the process of that ac- tual and thorough conversion. But it would be wrong to require those, who being regenerated in their infan- cy, have grown up all along with the quickening Spi- rit, to declare the time and manner of their passage from death to life. It is sufficient, if they can comfort themselves, and edify others with the sincere fruita of regeneration, and the constant tenor of a pious life.
68 Of Regeneration.
It is, however, the duty of all to recal to rcmembranc(?, not in a careless manner, the operations of the Spirit of grace on their hearts : which is highly useful, both for our glorifying God, and for our own comfoit and ex^ citement to every duty.
XXII. There cannot be the least doubt of God's being the author of our regeneration. For we become his sons by regeneration ; rt^iich were horn of GodJ^ And even in this respect the sons of God by grace bear some resemblance to him, who is the Son of God by na- ture J observing only the difference between the infi- nite excellency of our Lord, and that dark resemblance of it in us. Why is the Lord Jesus called the Son of God? Because begotten of the Father.f Wherein con- sists that generation of the Father ? In this, that as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself % And why are we in commu- nion with Christ, called the sons of God ? Because his Father is our Father.§ How is he our Father ? He hath begotten iis.\ Wherein does that generation consist ? He hath made us partakers of a divine nature.^ Thus we are even transformed into his likeness, and have upon us no contemptible effulgence of his mast glorious lioliness.
XXIII. But there is here a special consideration of Christ ; who as God is, together with the Father and Spirit, the principal, but economically considered, th« meritorious and exemplary cause of our regeneration. For when casting a veil over the majesty of the Son of God, he took upon him a human form, and came in the likeness of sinful flesh ** he thereby merited for all his elect, their advancement to the illustrious dignity of the sons of God ; sons, I say, not only by adoption,
* John i. 12. t Psal. ii. 7. % John v. 26. § John xx. 17. il Jam«s i. 18. 1 John v. 4, 11. ^2 Pet. i. 4. "** Rom. viu. ^.
Of Regeneration. 69
but by a spiritual and heavenly generation. The lioly and glorious life of Christ is also the most perfect pat- tern of our new life, all the excellence of which con- sists in a conformity with the life of Christ, who is the ,first-born among many brethren* And we may add, that Christ, as the second Adam, is become, not only by merit, but also by efficacy, a quickening spirit. ■\ So that the regenerate do not so much live themselves, as feel, acknowledge, and proclaim Christ living in thcm.f XXIV. What o\^r Lord declares of the Spirit, tlie author of regeneration, also deserves our consideration: Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he can- f2ot enter into the la'ngdojn of God.^ Here interpreters inquire, what we are to understand by watery ;;nd what by the Spirit ? There is one who, by water, under- stands the origin of our natural birth ; comparing with this place what we have Is. xlviii. 1 . where the Israelites are said to have come forth out of the xvaters of Judah ; end Psal. Ixviii. 26. from the fountain of Israel ; and then the meaning will be : Besides that birth, whereby we are born men, there is still another requisite, where- by we are born the sons of God : which appears both simple and agreeable to scripture-language. There is another, who understands by water Christ's obedience : we doubt not but that is the meritorious cause of our re- generation J but we question, whether it is ever called water in scripture. For no such thing appears from the scriptures they bring to prove it, such as Heb. x. 22. 1 Johnv. 6, 8. Ezek. xxxvi. 25. By water, in these places, we are more properly to understand the Holy Spirit with his operations. And it is evident, oujr Lord himself explains the passage in Ezekiel in thijs manner, ver. 26. The common explication therefore
* Rom. viii. 29. f 1 Cor. xv. 45.. J Gal. ii. 20. PhU. i. 21. § John iii. S.
10 Of RegeneratioiJ.
is to be preferred, that one and the same thing is meant by xcalej' and the Spirit, as it is by the Spirit and fire, Matth. iii. 11. For nothing is more common in the sacred writings, than to represent the Holy Spirit un- der the emblem of water. Sec among other passages* Is. xliv. 3. 1 xvill pour water upon him that is thirsty y and foods upon the dry ground ; I will pour my Spirit upon ihy seed : where the former figurative expression is ex- plained by the subsequent one, that is plain.
XXV. The seed of regeneration is the word of God. For thus, 1 Pet. i. 23. Born again not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, dia logou zontos The- or, KAi MENONTOs Eis TON AiONA, which may be translated, by the word of God, who liveth and abid- cthfor ever ; or, by the word of God, which liveth and abidethfor ever. But this seed does not operate al- w^ays in the same manner. For as to adult persons, they are born again by the word of God, laying before them the deformity and misery of their natural life, or rather of their living death ; and likewise the excellence o^ that spiritual life, of which Christ is the author, fountain, and pattern ; pressing them also by the most powerful exhortations, that, denying all carnal lusts, they may give themselves up to be new moulded and formed by the Spirit of God. And in this manner, the word is to them a moral instrument of regeneration, by teaching and persuasion. But the case is otherwise with elect infants, as being incapable of teaching and persuasion. If they also ought to be thought to be re- generated of the seed of the word, it is to be under- stood, not of the word externally propounded, which they understand not ; but of the truths contained in the word, the efficacy of which is imprinted by the Holy Spirit upon their minds, which they will come to the actual knowledge of, when they grow up. But tlie
Of Regeneration. fk
v/ord operates effectually in none, unless It be impreg- nated by the efficacy of the Spirit. To the external word must be added the internal, which is no less ef- fectual than that word of God, whereby he command- ed lijrht to shine out of darkness.
XXVI. It is therefore incumbent on every person, who would not profanely despise his salvation, diligent- ly to read, hear, and meditate on the word of God, and constantly attend on the assemblies of the godly and their prayers. For tho\igh, before his regenera- tion, he cannot savingly hear, read, or meditate on the word of God ; yet how does he know, which may be the happy hour of his gracious visitation ; what word of holy scripture, what sermon and by whom, the Lord is to render effectual for his regeneration, by the supernatural efficacy of his Spirit ? Experience teaches this, that men are born again there where the word of God is preached ; a thing which is not the case in those parts of the world, which God favors not with the preaching of the gospel. And though we dare not assure any one, that if he continues in hearing the word, he shall certainly be born again ; yet we justly insist upon this, that there is a brighter hope of the wished-for conversion for those, who, in the best man- ner they can, use the means which God has prescrib- ed, than for such as frowardly neglect them. While Ezekiel was prophesying to the dry bones, behold, a shaking w^as observed among them, and the breath (spirit) camCy and they lived*
XXVII. Let none think it absurd, that we now speak of means for regeneration, when, but a little be- fore, we stiffly rejected all preparations for it. Wc have above sufficiently proved, that none can contri- bute any thing to his own regeneration. Yet God ■* Ezek. xxxvii. 7, 19.
75 Op Regensratioic.
commands every one fo make himself a new hearty and a nexc spirit ;* to awake from sleep, and arise from the dead ;f and to flee from the ivrath to iome.\ What then ? Shall we insignificant mortals pretend to reply to God, as if, by our sophistry, we could catch and entangle the Almighty ? Shall we say, To what purpose are wc enjoined to what none of us can comply with ? Shall we exclaim against the coimsel of God, and cry out, *' Since we can contribute nothing to our regeneration, is it not the best course we can take to put our hands in our bosom, and securely wait, till he himself rege- nerate us ?" What else would this be, but with our vain and carnal reasonings to argue with God, whose foolishness will be ever found wiser than our most ex- alted wisdom ? How much better is it, when one hears these commands of God, and, at the same time, is sen- sible of his own incapacity, that he learn a holy des- pair of himself, and in sorrow, anxiety, and a longing desire of soul, and in the use of the means, patiently wait for the coming of the grace of God ?
XXV^III. Moreover, when a person, touched with an unfeigned sense of his misery, and a sincere desire after his salvation, cries out with the jailor. What must I do to be saved ?§ even then some pious emotions be- gin to arise, which proceed from an inward, but a very tender principle-of new life, and which are solicitously to be cherished. For which purpose it is expedient, ] . That he frequently, and in as affecting a manner as possible, set before his eyes the most wretched condi- tion of all unrcgenerate persons, and how himself also, while he continues in the state of nature, has nothing to expect but eternal destruction, a deprivation of the divine glory, and intolerable torments both of soul and of body ; and all this unavoidable, unless he be born *Eic«k.xviii, 31. fEph.v. 1*. jMatth.iii.T. §AcUxYi.30.
Of Faith. t%
again after the image of God. 2. That, affected by this consideration, he cry, pray to, be earnest with God, and not give over crying, till he has obtained his grace. Let him often represent himself to himself, as now standing on the very brink of the infernal lake, with the devil standing by him, who, should the Su- preme Being permit, would instantly hurry him head- long into hell ; and, in this anguish of his distressed soul, importune God, and, as it were, extort pardon, by the warmest prayers, sighs and tears. 3. Let him, in the mean time, go on to hear, read, and meditate on the word of God, expecting the farther motions of the Spirit, as the diseased waited for the angel to move the waters of Bethesda. 4. Let him join himself in society with the godly, and, in the exercise of piety, endea- vour to catch the flame of devotion from their instruc- tion, example, and prayers.
CHAP. VIL
Of Faith.
T.
HE principal act of spiritual life, which Is Im* planted in the elect by regeneration, and the source of all subsequent vital operation, is true Faith in God through Christ ; the nature of which we now proceed to explain. Now, it is not any one particular act or habit of the soul, nor ought it to be restricted to any one particular faculty thereof; but it is a certain com- plex thing, consisting of various acts, which without confusion pervade, and by a sweet conjunction mutu- ally promote and assist one another : it imports a Vol. 1L K
74 Of Faith.
change of the whole man ; is the spring of the whole spiritual life, and, in fine, the holy energy and activity of the whole soul towards God in Christ. And there- fore its full extent can scarcely be distinctly compre- hended under any one single idea.
II. Nor need any one wonder, that under the name of one Christian virtue so many others are at once com- prehended. For as when any person speaks of life, he signifies by that term something that, diffusing itself through the whole soul, and all its faculties, is also communicated to the body, and extends itself to alt living actions ; so when we speak of faith, which is the most fruitful spring of the whole spiritual life, we understand by that word that which pervades all the faculties, and is well adapted to unite them with Christ ; and so to enliven, sanctify, and render them blessed.
III. Ther<? are several things both in naturals and morals, which are almost by general consent allowed to extend through the whole soul, without being re- stricted to any one faculty. In Jiaturals, free-will,, which as zvill, is referred to the understaiiding ; TLsfree^ rather to the will; so that as Bernard somewhere speaks, " Let man be his own free-man, on account of his will ; his own judge on account of his reason.'^ In morals, the image of God, and original righteous- ness ; which are to be placed neither in the u-nderstand- ing alone, nor in the will alone, but may justly belong to both these faculties.
IV. Would not every difficulty be removed, and the whole of that controversy that has been raised among divines about the subject of faith, be settled, if, as we justly may, we should refuse, that there is any real dis- tinction of understanding and will, as well from the soul as from each other } For what is thfe understand-
Of Faith. 75'
ing, but the soul understanding and knowing ? what else the will, but the soul willing and desiring ? We must on no account conceive of the soul, as of a thing in itself brutish and irrational, which at length be- comes intelligent and rational, when something else is given to it. What some affirm, that the understanding is derived from the soul by a certain kind of emanation, can scarcely be conceived. For if the soul, in its pro- per and formal conception, doe« not include the power of reasoning, it can never produce it ; since you in vain expect from a cause, what it contains neither formally nor eminently. If the soul is of itself endowed with the faculty of reasoning, no necessity requires, that some other faculty be superadded to that, wherewith the soul is of itself endowed. The case of the will is alike, which is not really distinct from the soul, any more than the understanding. But it is the very soul itself, as it is formed by God with a natural aptitude to desire good. As both these faculties are modally (or in our manner of apprehension) distinct from the soul, so they are also from each other. For if the will be so distinct from the understanding, as in itself to be blind, it is not possible to explain, how it can per- ceive, and so rationally desire the object discovered by the understanding, as good. And for what reason, pray, should we make a real difference between these two ? Is it, because the object is different .? Hut the object of both is really the same ; namely, a true goody though the manner of our consideriti^ it differs. For? the unde-rstanding considers the good as true y but the will desires this true thing as it is good. And do not the objects of the speculative and practical understand- ing differ far more among themselves ? which yet, phi- losophers generally agree, are but one and the same power of thorsoul. Is it because their acts are differ^
76 Of Faith.
ent ? But every xlifFerence of acts does not Infer a dif- ference of power. Indeed, simple apprehension differs from judgment and reasoning ; which yet are the acts of the same faculty.
V. Nor ought this to be looked upon as a new asser- tion. Scotius long ago maintained, that the under- standing and will differed neither among themselves, Dor from the soul.* Scaliger, in like manner, whose words we shall not scruple to transcribe. f " Although the understanding and will," says he, " are one thing, yet they are distinguished by the manner in which we conceive them. For tliey are proper and not acciden- tal affections of the soul, and one thing with it. As cne^ gocd, and true are the affections of being ; nay, one and the same thing with being itself But they are distinguished both from it, and among themselves by detuiition, in this manner : because being itself is plac- ed ill the first nature ; which nature does in some mea- sure display itself, and is the cause of that one, iruey and good. Which is a formality different from the first formality. Because the notion of being is one thing, as it is being ; and another, as it is one. For the latter follows and arises from the former ; but not without it ; for it is one thing. TIius soul, understanding, and \'\ ill are one thing. Yet the soul denotes the essence. The understanding is that very essence, as it apprehends : the will is the same with that intelligent essence, tend- ing to enjoy the thing known or understood." Thus far Scaliger. Durandus was of opinion, that, indeed, the faculties differ really from the soul, but not from each other. An opinion, which Vossius is above all pleased with.J Which is sufficient for our present pur- pose. As we are not then to separate these faculties, jio wonder though we place faith in both.
* InS.dist. 15. qu. 1. t Exercih 307. § 15, % De
idololat. iib. iii. c. 42.
Of Faith. 77
' VI. Meanwhile we observe, that, among those acts which we arc about to describe, there is one principal act, in which, we apprehend, the very essence and fomial nature of faith consists, as it unites us with Christ, and justifies us. Tliis is to be carefully taken notice of in the business of justification, lest any one should look upon some acts of love, which, in dilferent ways, are implied in the exercise of taith, as the causes of justification. •
VII, Moreover, we are likewise to maintain, that those things, which we shall, for the greater accuracy, explain distinctly in particular, stand various ways mu- tually connected in the very exercise of faith. A\'hile the whole soul is employed about this work of God, very many actions all at once tend towards God and Christ, without observing any certain method ; which the believer engaged in this work itself, has neither lei- sure, nor inclination to range in their proper order ; nay sometimes it is impossible to do it. Yet it is ex- pedient, that we attend to the natural process of faith^ whereby its entire nature and manner may be the more thoroughly understood by us.
\'III. The first thing, which faith either compre- hends or presupposes, is Ihe knowkdi^e of the things to be believed. This appears in opposition to Popish triflers, 1. From express passages of scripture, which so speak concerning faith, as manifestly to intimate^ that knowledge is included in its very notion and exer- cise.* 2. From the nature of faith itself, which, as it doubtless means an assent given to a truth revealed by God, necessarily presupposes the knowledge of these two things. (1.) That God has' revealed something. (2.) What that is, to which assent is given a^ a thing
* Is. liii. 11. Johnxvii. 3. compared with Hcb. ii. 4. Johnvi. 69. 2 Tim. i. 3.
78 Of Faith.
divinely revealed. For it is absurd to say, th^t a per- son assents to any truth, which he is entirely ignorant of, and concerning which h? knows of no testimony extant, worthy of credit. 3, From the manner in which faith is produced i'n the elect j which is done externally by preaching and hearing of the gospel,* re- vealing that which ought to be believed, with the de- monstration of the truth to every man's conscience,f and iiUernally by the teaching of God the Father. J If therefore faith be generated in the heart by a teaching both external and internal, it must of necessity consist in knowledge : for knowledge is the proper and imme- diate effect of instruction. 4. From the consequence annexed, which is confession and apologia, or giv- ing an^answer.^ But it is impossible, that this should be without knovi'ledge. Flilary saith well, " For none can speak what he knows not j nor believe what he cannot speak."
IX. But indeed it must be confessed, that, in the present dark- state of our minds, even the most illumi- nated are ignorant of a great many things ; and that many things are believed with an implicit faith, espe- cially by young beginners and babes in Christ, so far as they admit, in general, the whole scripture to he the infallible standard of all things to be believed, in which are contained many things, which they do not under- stand, and in as far as they embrace the leading doc- trines of Christianity, in which many other truths con- center, which are thence deduced by evident conse- quence, and which they believe in their foundation ; as John writes concerning believers, that they knexo all things,^ because thdy had learned, by the teaching of the Spirit, that foundation of foundations, to which all
* Rom. X. 17. t 2 Cor. iv. '2. % John vi. 45. § Rom. x. 9, 10. 1 Pet. iii. 15. II 1 John ii. 20. •
Of Faith. 7<^
saving truths are reduced, and from which they arc In- ferred. But I go a step farther. It is possible, that one, to whom God, who distributes his blessings as he pleases, has measured out a small degree of knowledge, may yet be most firmly rooted in the faith, even to ma'- tyrdom. But then it nowise follows, that faith is better described by ignorance than by knowledge ; or that they do well, who cherisli ignorance among the people as the mother of faith and devotion, contrary to Col. iii- 16. for we can by no means believe, what we are quite ignorant of* And all should strive to have their faith as little implicit and as much distinct as possible ; as becometh those who are filled xvilh all kmnvledge.\ For the more distinctly a person sees, in the light ot the Spirit, a truth revealed by God, and the rays of divinity shining therein, the more firmly will he believe that truth. Those very martyrs, who in other respects were rude and ignorant, most clearly and distinctly saw those truths, for which they made no scruple to lay down their lives, to be most certain and divine ; though per- haps they were not able to dispute much for them.
X. Moreover, those things, which are necessary to be known by the person who would believe, are in ge- neral, the divinity of the scriptures, into which faith must be ultimately resolved ; more especially, those things, which regard the obtaining of salvation in Christ ; which may summarily be reduced to these three heads. 1 . To know, that by sin thou art es- tranged from the life of God, and art come short of the f^lory of God y\ and that it is not possible, that either thou thyself, or an angel from heaven, or any creature in the world, nay, or all the creatures in tjie universe, can extricate thee from the abyss of misery, and restore thee to a state of happiness. 2. ThM thou should st * Rom, x. li. f Rom. XV. li. ;Rom. iii.2S.
S© Or Faith.
know Girist the I^ord, full of grace mid truth* who Is that only name given under heaven, whereby we can be savedjf and in the knowledge of whom consists eternal life 4 3. That thou shouldst know, that, if thou wouldst obtain salvation in Christ, it is necessary thou be united to Christ by the Spirit and by faith, and give up thyself to him, not only to be justified, but also to be sanctified, and governed by his will and pleasure, proving ivhat is that goody and acceptable, atid perfect zvill of God.^
XI. To this knowledge must be joined assent, which is the second act of taith, whe.reby a person receives and acknowledges as truths, those things which he knows j receiving the testimony of God, and \h\i^ setting to his seal, tJiat God is true.\\ This assent is principal- ly founded on tl"^ infallible veracity of God, who testi- fies of himself and of his Son.^ On which testimony, jrevealed in scripture, and shedding forth all around the raya of its divinity, the believer relies with no less safe- ty, than if he had been actually present at the revela- tion of all these things. For when the soul, enlighten- ed by the Spirit, discerns those divine truths, and in them a certain excellent tlieoprepy (or beauty worthy of God) and a most wise and inseparable connection of the whole, it cannot but assent to a truth, that for- ces itself upon him with so many arguments j and as securely admit what it thus knows, for certain, as if it had seen it with its own eyes, or handled it with its own hands, or being taken up into the third heavens, had heard it immediately from God's own mouth. Whatever the lust of the flesh may murmur, whatever vain sophists may quibble and object, though perhaps the soul may not be fit to answer or solve all objections,
* John i. 14. t Acts iv. 12. % John xvii. 3. § Rom. xii. 2. li John iii. 33. % 1 John v, 9, 10.
Of Faith. 81
yet it persists in the acknowledgment of this truth, which it saw too olearry, and heard too certainly as it were from the mouth of God, ever to suffer itself to be drawn away from it by any sophistical reasonings what- ever. For I have not followed^ says the believing soul, cunningly '■devised fables i zchen I believed the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but in the Spirit zcas eije-ivitness of his majesty, and heard his voice from hea- ven* And thus taith is accompanied with huposta- sis, substance, and elenchos, evidence,^ and ple- ROPHOKi A, full persuasion, or assu?'ance.'l It will not be unprofitable to consider a little the meaning of these words.
XII. The apostle speaks more than once of pl ero- phoria, /j/c/-(;/>//07;y, or full as suraiice : as Col. ii. 2. PLEROPHORiA suNESEOS, the full assurancc of under- standing i Heb. vi. 11. PLEROPHORIA TES ELPI-
Dos, the full assurance of hope ; Heb. x. 22» plero- PHORiA VIST "EOS, full assurance of faith. According to its etymology, the word plerophory denotes a carry- ing xcith full sail >• a metaphor, as it should seem, ta- ken from ships, w^hen their sails are filled with a pros- perous gale. So that here it signifies the vehement in- clination of the soul, driven forward by the Holy Spirit, towards an assent to the truth it is made sensible of. Hesychius, that most excellent master of the Greek language, explains it by b,ebaioteta, firmness. And in that sense, plerophoria pisteos, plero- phory of faith, is nothing but stereoma tes eis Christon pisteos, the steadfastness of faith in Christ, as tlie apostle varies those phrases, Col. ii. 2. 5. and peplerophoremena pragmata, are things
* 2Pet. i. 16, 18. t Heb. si. I. 1 Rom. Iv. 21.
Vol. II. L
82 0T Faith.
most surely or ,ftrmlij believed, Luke i. 1. So firm therefore must the believer's assent be to divine truth.
XIII. The term h urostasis, /n/pos fasts, substance, is also very emphatical, which the apostle makes use of, when he speaks of faith, Heb. xi. 1 . Nor have tlite Latins any word that can fully express all its force and significancy» 1 . II u p o s t a s i s, hypostasis y denotes the existence, or, as one of the ancients has said, the cxistantia, the standing up of a thing ; in which sense philosophers say, that a thing that really is, has an hu- PGSTAsis, that is, a real existence, and is not the fic- tion of our own mind. And indeed faith makes the thing hoped for, though not actually existing, to have, notwithstandirg, an existence in the believer's mind, who so firmly assent to the promises of God, as if the thing promised was already present with him. Chry- sostom had tliis in his mind, when he thus explained this passage : he anastasis ou paragegonen,
OUDE ESTIN EN HUPOSTASIE, ALL* HE ELPIS HU' PHISTESEN AUTKN EN HEMETERA PSUCHE, " Thc
resurrection docs not yet exist in itself, but hope (let us say faith) presents it to, and makes it extant in our soul." A Greek scholast, cited by Beza, has most happily expressed the same thing : Epeidegarta
EN ELPISIN ANUPOSTATA ESTIN, HOS TEOS ME PARONTA, HE PISTIS OUSIA TIS AUTON KAI HU- PQSTASIS GlNETAI, EINAI AUTA KAI PAREINAI 'FROPON TINA P AR ASKEU AZOUS A, DIA TOU PIS-
TEUEiN EINAI, "As things hopcd for are not yet ex- tant, as not being present, faith becomes a kind of substance and essence of them, making them in some measure extant, and present with us, in that it believes them to be." 2. Hupostasis also signifies a base or foundation, in which sense Diodorus Siculus, quoted by Gomarus, has said, hupostasis tou taphou.
Of Faith. 85
that is, tht foundation of the sepulchre. And Calvin's interpretation looks this way : " Faith," says he, " is hypostasis, that is, a prop or possession, on which we. fix our feet." 3. It also denotes subsistence, or con- stancy, without yielding to any assault of the enemy. Thus Plutarch in Demetrius, oudenos uphistame-
NOU TON ENANTION, ALLA PHEUGONTON, " nonC
of the enemy standing their ground, but all giving , way." And Polybius, in his description of Horatiuff Codes, they feared ouch* houto ten dunamin, Hos TEN HUPOSTAsiN AUTou, " not SO much his strength, as his firmness and resolution," not io give way. And indeed there is something in faith, that can with intrepidity sustain all the assaults of temptations, and not suffer it to be moved from an assent to a truth <mce known. Now, if we join all these things toge- ther, we may assert, that faith is so firm an assent io divine truth, as to set things future before us, as if they were present ; and that it is a prop to the soul, on which it fixes its foot, without yielding to any assault whatever.
XIV. Nor ought it to be omitted, that the apostle calls faith elenchos ou blepomenon, the evidence of things not seen. Now, elenchos denotes tw6 things. 1. A certain demons tratioii. Aristotle ^^ say$, Elenchos de estin, ho men me dfnatos al-
LOS ECHEIN, ALLA HQUTOS lias HEMEIS LECar-
men ; " Demonstration is what cannot possibly be otherwise, but must necessarily be as wc affirm." 2^ Conviction of soul arising from such a demonstration of the truth: as Aristophanes in Pluto, sue' elenxai m' oupo dunasai peri toutou, " You cannot convince me of that." There is therefore in faith, if it be elenchos, a demonstration, a certaiiL conviction ^. . * Rhctotic. c. 14.
84 Of Faith.
of soul, arising from that clear and infallible demon- stration. Now, this demonstration of truth rests on the testimony of Ged, who cannot deceive : fiom which faith argues thus : Whatever God, who is truth itself, reveals, cannot but be most true, and worthy of all acceptation, though perhaps I may not be able to see it with my eyes, or fully conceive it in my miifd.
XV. All this tends to instruct us, that the assent, which is in faith, has a most certain assurance, which no certainty of any mathematical demonstration can exceed. AV^herefore they speak very incautiously, who maintain, there may be falsehood in divine faith ; since the proper object of faith is the testimony of God ; which is necessarily true, and more certain than any demonstration. Nor can any places of scripture be brought, in which any thing that is not true, is pro- posed to man's belief.
XVI. But we are here to remove another difficulty : If faith is such a certain and firm assent, are those then destitute of true faith, who sometimes waver even with respect to fundamental truths : 1 answer, 1 . We des- cribe faith, considered in the idea, as that Christian virtue or grace^ to the perfection of which we all ought to aspire ; and not as it sometimes subsists in the sub- ject. 2. There may at times be waverings, siaggcr- ings, and even inclinations to unbelief, in the best ot believers, especially when they are exposed to some violent temptation ; as h evident frcrm the waverings of Asaph, Jeremiah, and others about the providence of God : but these are certain defects of faith, arising from the weakness of the flesh. 3. Faith continually wrestles with those temptations ; it ne\'er assents to those injections of the devil, or the evil desires of the carnal mind ; nor is it ever at rest, till having entered the sanctuary of God, it is confirmed, by the teaching
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Spirit of tairh, in the contemplation and ackno\vl.j(lL^- ment of those truths, about which it was staggered. There at length, and no where else, it find:-, rc,->l lor the sole of its feet.
XVII. That which follows this assent is the love of the truth, thus known and acknowledged ; and this is the t/u'f'd act of faith, or which the apostle speaks 'J Thess. ii. 10. For since there is a clear manifestation of the glory of God in saving truths, not only as he is true in his testimony, but also as his wisdom, holiness, justice, power, and other perfections shine forth there- in, it is not possible, but the believing soul, viewing these amiable perfections of the Deity in those truths, should break out into a flame of love to them, exult in them, and glorify God. Hence the believer is said io give glory to God,'* and to love hispraise-\ (glory.) Above all, the soul is delighted with the fundamental truth concerning Christ. It loves it as an inesthiiable trea- sure, and as a pearl of great price. It is precious to be- lievers,J that is, 7nost precious. It is indeed true, that love strictly speaking, is distinguished from faith ; yet the acts of both virtues, or graces, are so interwoven with one another, that we can neither explain nor ex- ercise faith without some acts of love interfering ; such as is also that of which we now treat. This also is the observation of some of the greatest divines before me. As, not to mention others at present, Chamierus, Pan- strat. torn. iii. lib. xii. c. 4. No. 16. \Vendelin, I'heol. lib. ii. c. 24. ad thes. 8. And both of them cite Au- gustine in their favor, who asking, " What is it to be- lieve in God r" answers, *' It is by belit . ing to love.'* See also le Blanc, a divine of Sedan, in llies. de fidci justificantis natura, &c. sect. 95. But if any will call this love, according to the gloss of the schools, afi iin- * Rom. iv. 20. t John xii. 43. ^ I Pc*. ii. 7.
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perate, or com^nanded act of faith, he is indeed welcome to do so for us ; if he only maintain that it .is not possi- ble, but the believing soul, while in the exercise of faith, must sincerely love truth, aS it is in Christ, when known and acknowledged, rejoicing that these things are true, and delighting itself in that truth : far other- wise than the devils and wicked men, who, what they know to be true, they could wish to be false.
XVIII. Hence arises a fourth act of faith-, a hunger and thirst after Christ. For the believing soul know- injj, acknowledging, and loving the truths of salvation, cannot but wish, that all those things which are true in Christ, may also be true to him, and that he may be sanctified and blessed by those truths : and he seriously desires, that, having been alienated from the life of God through sin, he may be again sealed unto the glory of God by free justification, and in that by sanctification. This is that hunger and thirst after righteousness, men- tioned Matth. V. 6. And pray what reason can be given, why he wh6 believes and feels himself a most miserable creature, and is fully persuaded, that he can be delivered from his misery by nothing either in hea- ven, or on earth ; who sees, at the same time, the ful- ness of that salvation which is in Christ ; and is assured he can never obtain salvation, unless he be united to Christ j who, from hu very soul, loves that truth that treats of the fulness of salvation which is in Christ alone, and in communion with him ; how is it possible, I say^» that such a person should not seriously and ardently de- sire to have Christ dwelling in him, seek, and pant af- ter this, and ' ideed with such longings, as nothing short of the possession of the thing desired can satisfy ; as hunger and thirst are only allayed by m.eat and drink ?
XIX. This hunger and thirst arc followed by a re- ceiving of Christ the Lord for justification^ sanctihgation?
Of Faith. S7
and so for complete salvation : which is the .fifth, and indeed the formal and principal act of faith. TLlius the heavenly Father freely offers his Son to the sick and weary soul ; and Christ the Lord offers himself with all his benefits, and the fulness of salvation which is in him, saying. Behold me, behold me* And the soul, now conscious of its own misery, observing with joy and hope the fulness of salvation that is in Christ, and earnestly desiring communion v,ith him, cannot but lay hold on, and receive, with the highest complacency of soul, that extraordinary blessing thus offered, and thus, by receiving, appropriate or make it his own. And by this act, at length, Christ becomes the peculiar pro^ perty of the believing soul. Thus it lays claim to what- soever is Christ's, v^^hich is offered at the same time with Christ, and above all, the righteousness of Christ, which is the foundation of salvation. And in this man- ner, by apprehending Christ, he is united to him ; and being united to him, he is judged to have done and sut- fcred, what Christ, as his Surety, did and suffered in his room and stead. And thus it is easy to understand, how we are justified by faith on Christ.
XX. The scripture more than once represents this act of faith in express terms. Remarkable is the pas- sage, John i. 12, As many as received him, which is equivalent to them that believe 07i his name ; and Col. ii. 6. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord J to which may be added, what the Lord has very emphatically said, Is. xxvii. 5. jachadsek be- MANGUDsi, Let him take fast hold of my strength, or ?ny tower; so as rn&'t to let it go. For hachdsik,, to take fast hold of, and shalach, to let go, are op- posed, Piov. iv. 13.
t Is. IXY. 1.
'^ Of Faitit.
XXI. But because the sotil, thus apprehending Clirist for salvation, does at the same time redirie, and stay itself upon him ; therefore this act of faith is ex- plained by this metaphor also J as Psal. Ixxi. 6. By Mtr NGALJECHA N ISM AC HT I //^;^ / bcoi holdeii up (stayed). Is. xlviii. 2. stay themselves upon the God of Israel, pretending to, and feigning a true faith : ni- SHNGAN, he is stayed, is another term used. Is. J. 10. ^tay vpon his God; add Is. x. 20. 2 Chron. xvi. 7, 8. If you would subtilly distinguish this act of the be- lieving soul, thus reclining and thus staying itself upon Ciuist, from the act of receiving Christ, and make it posterior thereto, I shall not oppose it. Let us there- fore call this the sixth act of faith.
XXII. Which, we think, is very significantly ex- pressed by the Hebrew word HiEEMiN, which h^e-
MiN properly signifies, to throw ones self in order to be rarried on the truth and power of another ; as an in- fant throws itself to be carried on the arms of its nurse. For it is derived from am an which properly signifies io carry : hence amon, a carrier, a nursing-father. Numb. xi. 12. Carry them in thy bosom, as haomen, a nursing-fathur beareth the sucking child: and tea- mana signifies /o ^e c^nver/, Is. Ix. 4. Thy daughters shall he nursed (carried) at thy side. Instead of which it is said, Is. Ixvi. 12. ngal tzad tinnaseu. Ye shall be borne upon her sides. And Christ really be- CHEKo ISA, carries believers as nurselings, in his bo- som, Is. xl. 11. for Moses also uses that similitude. The Lord thy God bare thee, as a inan doth bare his son, Deut. i. 31. Underneath are the everlasting arms, Dcut. xxxiii. 27: hjeemin therefore, in virtue of its signification, denotes to give up one's self to be carried bv Christ, and so to cast himself into his bosom and
Of I^aith. 89
arms. By which similitude the activity of the bellev- ing soul towards Christ is most elegantly expressed.
XXIII. Moreover, when the believing soul so re- ceives Christ and leans upon him, it not only considers him as a Saviour^ but also as a Lojd. For he receives a whole Christ, and receiveth him just as he is. Now, he is no less Lord than a Saviour. Yea, he cannot be a Saviour, unless he be likewise a Lord. In this doth our salvation consist, that we neither belong to the de- vil, nor are our own, nor the property of any creature, but of Christ the Lord. Faith therefore receives Christ the Lord* Nor does Christ offer himself as a husband to the soul upon any other condition but this, that he acknowledge him as his Lord.f And when the soul casts himself upon Jesus, he, at the same time, re- nounces his own will, and surrenders himself up to the will of Jesus, to be carried whithersoever he pleaseth. Hence there is also in faith a humble surrender and giving up one's self, whereby the believer, as in duty bound, yields himself,, and all that is his, to Christ, who is freely given him. / am my beloved' Sy and my beloved is mine ;\ gave their oivn selves to the Lord.^ Almost in the same form as Amasai, with his compa- nions, gave themselves up to David, Thine are zve, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse. \\ And this our surrender to Christ, which we account the seventh act of faith, is the continual fountain and spring of all true obedience, which is therefore called HUPAKOi PISTE OS, obedience flowing from faith, the obedience offaith.^
XXIV. After the believing soul has thus received Christ, and given himself up to him, he may and
* Col. ii. 6. f P^al. xlv. 10, 11. + Cant.vi. 3. § 2Cor. viii. ^. II I Chron. xii. 18. f K«m. »• 5.
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so Of Faith.
ought thence to conclude, that Christ with all his sav- ing benefits are his, and that he shall certainly be bles- sed by him ; according to this infallible syllogism, or reasoning of faitJa : " Christ oflcrs himself as a full and complete Saviour to all who are weary^ hungry, thirs- ty, to all who receive him, and are ready to give them- selves up to him ; but I am weary, hungry, &:c. Therefore Christ has offered himself to me, is now be- come mine, and I his, nor shall any thing ever sepa- rate me from his love." This is the eighth, and the reflex act of taith, arising from consciousness or re- flection.*
XXV. Hence, in fine, the soul, now conscious of its union with Christ by faith, obtains trust or conjl- dence, tranquility, joy, peace, and bold defiance to all enemies and dangers whatever, a glorying in the Lord, a glorying in adversity j while the soul leans (stays it- jself) with delight 071 its Beloved ; mithrappjek^th ■with stretched out arms throwing itself, or with its el- bow s^veetly leaning, upon him (merappek signifies, according to the Talmudists, the arm-pit) being assur- ed of mutual communion and mutual love, while it sings, / am my beloved' s^ and his desire is totvards me;-\ it piously exults and delights itself in its Lord, is ine- briated with his love, rejoices with joy unspeakable and full of glory ( glorious )\ and savingly melts at the glow- ing flames of reciprocal love ; in one word, rejoices in the hope of the glory of God.^
XXVI. We shall now briefly compendize, as it were, in One view, what we have so largely explained. Faith comprehends the knowledge of the mystery of God and of Christ in the light of grace, the truth of which mystery the believer acknowledges with full as-
* Gal. ii. '20. 2 Tim. i. 12. Rom. viii. 38. f Song. vii. lOv i I P«t. i. 8. § Row.v. 2.
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sent of mind, on the autliority of the testimony of God : And not only so, but he is also in love with that truth,' exults therein, and glorifies God ; he likewise ardently desires communion with Christ ; that the things which are true in Christ, may be also true to him for salva- tion : wherefore, when Christ is offered to him by the word and Spirit, he receives him with the greatest com- placency of soul, leans and rests upon him, and gives and surrenders himselt to him ; which done, he glories that Christ is now his own, and most sweetly delights in him, reposing himself under the shadow of the tree of life, and satiating himself with its most delicious fruits. This is the faith of Cod's (^lecf* an invaluable gift, the bond of our union with Christ, the scale of paradise, the key of the ark of the covenant, with which its treasures are unlocked, the never-ceasing fountain of a holy, quiet, and blessed life.
XXVII. If any imagines that he speaks more exact- ly, when he distinguishes these acts of faith, so as to think some of them precede faith strictly so called ; as the knowledge of revealed truth, to which some excel- lent divines add a pious affection of the will towards God ; that other acts belong to the very form or essence of faith, as assent, hunger and thirst after righteousness, the receiving of Christ as Lord and Saviour, and the soul's flying to him for refuge ; and that other acts of faith are accidental, which agree only to a confirmed and strengthened faith ; as the assurance that Christ fs now become mine, aud the most delightful reliance up^ on him as mine, joined with exultation and glorv'ing in him : we see no reason why such a person may not en- joy his accuracy, without any displeasure to us : for we only intended to shew, that all these things concur t the full practice of faith.
* Tit. L w
^ Of Faith.
XXVIII. From what has been said, it is evident,. that the faith usually called historical and temporary^ though I question the propriety of that name, very w^ide- ]y differs from saving faith, which we have thus far de- scribed. They call an historical faith a naked assent given to the things contained in the word of God, on the authority of God, by whom they are asserted, but with- out any pious motion of the will. But since this assent may be given not only to the historical parts of the sa- cred writings, but also may extend to the precepts, doctrines, promises, and threatenings, the character of historical given to that faith seems to be too restricted- Unless perhaps it be so called, with respect to the man- ner in which it is conversant about its object. For as he who reads histories of transactions with which he has no concern, barely contemplates them, without be- ing inwardly moved or affected by them ; so they who have that kind of faith, do only, in an idle and careless manner, observe and think of those things, which are taught in the word of God, but do not reduce them to practice : though it is not universally true, that even the most ancient histories, and the things which con- cern another world, are read without any affection, emo- tion, and application. It had therefore been better to call this faith theoretic or a naked as-sent.
XXIX. Our Lord* calls that a temporary faith, which, besides that general assent, exults in the known and acknowledged truth, makes profession thereof, and stirs up many emotions in the heart and actions in the life, which exhibit some appearance of piety ; but for a time only, while everything is prosperous under the gospel ; but falls off, when the storms of persecution assault it. This is wisely called by our Lord p r o s k a i- Ros, temporary, or for azvhile. But as it may, and
* Matth. xiii. 21.
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even does, frequently happen, that, in the prosperous statfe of the church, men may persevere to the end of their life in this profession of faith, and imaginary joy, and in such a course of lite as they suppose to be sufli- cient for piety ; so this being a constant but not saving, is not so properly called temporary faith, tJiat being the title which our Lord only gave to the faith of a[X)states. We might rather perhaps call \iprcesinntiuuavifidt;m>, a presumptuous faith, if the purity of the Latin tongue would admit of it.
XXX. But it is needful for our consolation, that \wq distinctly know, how this may be distinguished from a true, lively, and saving faith, which it boldly, thiMigh falsely resembles. And, first, there is no small ditfer- encc in the acknoivltdgment of re\ ealed truths ; to which, as to truths, this presumptuous faith really as- sents ; but as it is destitute of the true light of the Spi- rit, it sees not the proper form or beauty of these truths, and as they are truths in Christ ; it does not observe the perfections of God shining in them ; does not rightly estimate their value : when it begins first to know them, it is indeed taken with the novelty and rarity of them, but neither burns with an ardent love to them, nor labours much to have them, not only impressed upon the soul, but also expressed in the lite and con- versation : and as often as other things present them- selves to the mind, which flatter it with a great shew of pleasure or profit, it easily suffers the ideas of those truths, which oppose that advantage, to be blotted out ; and is on the point of wishing, these were no truths, which, in spite of itself, it is constrained to ac- knowledge for such. But these things are quite the reverse in true faith, as we shewed, § 17.
XXXL Secondly, There is a great difference in the application of the promises of thf gospel. For presump-
94' Of Faith.
tuous faith docs not proceed in the right method. It raslily imagines, that the sah^ation promised in the gos- pel, belongs to itself, either upon no foundation, or upon a talsc one. For sometimes these persons, with- out any trial or self-examination, which they avoid as too troublesome and inconvenient to their affairs, fool- ishly flattering themselves, proudly lay claim to the grace of our Lord ; and securely slumber in this vain dream, without either inquiring, or being willing to inquire, what is the foundation of this their imagina- tion. Sometimes they lay for a foundation of their con- fidence, either that perverse notion concerning the ge- neral mercy of God, and I know not what easy method of salvation by the gospel-covenant j or an opinion of the sufficiency of their own holiness, because they are somewhat less vitious than the most profligate ; or the external communion of the church and rehgious wor- ship ; or the security of their sleeping conscience, and the pleasing fancies of their own dreams, which they take for the peace of God, and the consolation of tlie Holy Spirit. With these and the like vanities of their own imagination they deceive themselves, as if these things were sufliicient marks of grace. But true be- lievers, from a deep seuvse of their misery, panting after the grace of t'le Lord Jesus, and laying hold of it with a trembling humility, dare not boast of it, as already becofne theirs, till, after a diligent scrutiny, they have found certain and infallible evidences of grace in them- selves. It is with a profound liumility, a kind of sacred dread, and a sincere self-denial, that they approach to lay hold on the grace of Christ. And they do not boast of having laid hold of this, till after an exact examina- tion, first of the marks of grace, and then of their own hearts. But it is otherwise in both these respects with presumptuous persons 5 who rashly lay hold on what is
Of Faith. 95
not offered them in that order (for God does not offer security and joy to sinners, before the soul is affected with sorrow for the guilt of past sins, and a due sc^lici- tude about salvation) and then presumptuously boast of their having laid hold on grace ; but they cannot produce any necessary arguments to make it appear that they are partakei"s of it.
XXXII. The third difference consists in that /7)// which accompanies or follows both sorts of faith ; and that is "twofold: 1. In respect to the we : 2. In res- pect of the efftct of that joy. In presumptuous faith, joy arises partly from the novelty and rarity of the things revealed (for the knowledge of a truth which is more rare and abstruse, gives delight to the under- standing, as the enjoyment of a good does to the will) partly from that vain imagination, that the good things offered in the gospel belong to them ; of which they have, from the common gifts of the Holy Spirit, some kind of taste, but a very superficial one, affecting only the outside of their lips. But in a lively faith, there arises a joy much more noble and solid, from a love ot those precious truths, by the knowldge of which the soul, taught of God, justly esteems itself most happy ; from a hope that is not fallacious, and a sure persuasion of its own spirit, with the superadded testimony of the divine Spirit concerning the present grace ot God and future glory ; and lastly, from a moi»t sweet sense of present grace, and a foretaste of future glory. And as the causes of both these joys are so diverse, no wonder that the effects are very different too. The- first makes the soul full of itself, leaves it empty of the love of God, and by its vain tickling heightens the sleep of carnal security. But the latter strikes believers with an incredible admiration of the unmerited love of God to man, inflames them with a mutual return of lo\ c t?»
96 Of Faith,
the most kind and bountiful Jesus, and inspires them T^ith a solicitous care, lest they commit any thing un- worthy of that infinite favor of God, or grieve and sad- den the Spirit of grace, who hath dealt kindly with them.
XXXIII. Thefoujih difference consists in \ht fruits:. For presumptuous faith either sinks men in the deep sleep of security, so as they snore profoundly in indulg- ing the flesh ; or brings with it some outward change of conduct for the better, and makes them, in a certain measure, to escape the pollutions of the xcorld through the knou ledge of the Lord mid Saviour Jesus Christ ;* or when it operates in the most excellent manner, it ex- cites some slight and vanishing purposes and endea- vours after a stricter piety, but does not purify the heart itself, nor introduce new habits of holiness ; and when- ever either the allurements of the world and the flesh, or some inconveniencies attending gospel-piety, assault them more strongly than usual, they immediately grow weary in that course of goodness they had entered up_ on, and return as stvine that were xvashed, to their waL loxmiig in the mire. By that superficial knowledge of evangelical truth, and of a good so pleasing and useful, as well as honorable, which is held forth by the gospel, and which is not deeply imprinted on their minds, they are indeed stirred up to some amendment of life : but when the matter stands upon the acquisition of some present good, or the avoiding some imminent calamity, the ideas of true and of good, which the gospel had suggested to them, arc so obliterated, that they prefer the obtaining a present pleasure or advantage, or the avoiding a present impending evil, to all the promise» of the gospel, and to all evangelical piety. But a lively faith impresses on the soul, in such deep charac- * 2 Pet. ii. 20.
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fers, the image of what i^ right arid good, that it ac- fcpuntS nothing more lovely, than to endeavour after it to the utniost of its power j it paints in such lively co- lours, the most shining holiness of the Lord Christ, that the soul beholding it with supreme affection, is trans- formed into its image ;* it so pathetically represents the love of a dying Christ, that the believer accounts no- thing dearer, than, in return, both to live and die to him ;f the meditation of the promised happiness is so deeply engraved on his mind, that he is ready, for the iake of it,to try all things, to hear all things ;J and thus it purifies the heart itsclf,§ in order to the practice of a sincere and constant piety ; which, in consequence of a niore lively or more languid faith, is itself either more lively or more languid,
XXXIV, Having considered these things concern- ing the nature of a living faith, and its difference fron> that ^hich is presumptuous, let U3 now further inquire lio w a person men/ be conscious of his ownfaiiL Now, ,lhat it h both possible and usual for believers to ha:ve i <:onscioa5ness of their own faith, Paul not only teacheth us by his own example, I know wJwin I have believed,^ Sut also by that admonition directed to all. Examine yourselves, zvhether ye be in the faith, prove your mcit seii^s.^ 'WTiich admonition Would have been in vain, if it haid been possible for them, by examining and jiroN^irrg tTiertiselvcS, to attain to the knowledge of what they s^arcli after. Yea, that it is possible, he express- fy enotrgh insinuates, by adding, Knmv ye not your own siliels, how ihat Jesits Christ is in you ?
XXXV. Nor h li difficult to understand, how this «Johsoiousness of faith may arise in believers. For first
. * ^C«f. iii. 18. t Gal. ii. 20. f 2 Cor. iv. 16, 17, 18, % Act> jiv. S'. 11 2 Tim, i. 12. 5f 2 Cor. xiii. 5.
9^ Of Faith>
it behov(?s them to be well instructed, from the word of God, abbut the nature of saving faith. Nor is it neces- sary to harass the minds of the weak with a multiphci- ty oi marks. Only let the principal and essential acts of a true faith be explained to them in a simple and clear manner ; let the difference between a strong and weak faith be inculcated ; between a lively and a lan- guid ; between a calm faith and that shaken by many temptations j and let them be put in mind, that not only a weak, a languid, and a shaken faith is neverthe- less true ♦ but also that, in examining themselves, a weak faith is not to be tried by the idea of a strong faith j nor a languid by that of a lively j nor that which is shaken by the idea of a calm and quiet faith -, but that each is to be compared with its own proper idea. This being well understood, let every one examine himself, whether he puts forth acts agreeable to what we have now described. Which no person, who attends to him- self, can be ignorant of. Every one is immediately conscious to himself of what he thinks and wills, for this very reason that he thinks and wills it : for faith is an act of the understanding and will.
XXXVI. Perhaps some body may reply. If it is so very easy to have a consciousness of one's own faith, whence then happens it, that very many believers are tormented with such troublesome waverings about this matter ? There is more than one reason for this : 1 . It often happens, that they have either formed to them- selves, a wrong notion of saving faith, or unadvisedly taken up with what others have as uncautiously drawn up to their' hand. Thus we have learned by experi- ence, that not a few afflicted souls have thought, that the essence of faith consists in the assured persuasion and delightful sense of the love of God, and in the full assurance of their own salyation. And not observing
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these things in themselves, theyhave, by an unfavora- ble sentence, crossed themselves out of the roll of be- lievers. But these very persons being better informed of the nature of faith, and taught that ihe«;c things were rather glorious fruits af an established, than essential acts of a true faith, have gradually returned to a more composed mind. 2. It also sometimes happens, that believers are tossed- with so many storms of temptations, that they do but little, nay, are unable to distinguish the proper acts of their own souls : for while they are in that case, they perform every thing in such a con- fused and inconsistent manner, that, during that disor- der, they cannot clearly discern the state and frame of their own heart ; while the thoughts of their mind and tlie emotions of their will succeed and cross each ether with a surprising variet)^ 3. Son^etimes too if is diffi- cult, especially in an afflicted state of soul, to compare their own acts with the description of true faith,, or, to speak more clearly,, to compare the rule with that which they want to bring to it, especially when or^ has proposed to himself the idea of a lively faith, and hnds in himself only a languid one. In that case, it can scarcely be otherwise, but that, when he sees so littife agreement, nay, the greatest difference between the two, he must form a less favorable judgment of his own faith.
XXXVIl. It is not, indeed, absolutely necessarv to salvation, that one should kaiow that he believes : tW the promise of salvation is annexed to the sincerity of faith,* not to the knowledge one may have of his faith. Yet it is expedient that every one should, by an accu- rate scrutiny, inquire into the sincerity and truth of his faith. 1 . In order to render due thanks to God for this invaluable gift. For if Paul did so often return thanks '* Mark xvi. 16. Johi\ iii. 16.
100 Of Justixigation.
to God for the faith of others,^ how much more incum- bent is it to do so for one's own faith ? But he cannot do this, unless he knows that he does believe. 2. That he may have strong consolation in himself: for the con- sciousness of our faith at the same time gives us assur- ance of salvation. Thus the apostle joins these two to- gether : / knoiv whom I have believed^ and I am per- suaded he is able to keep that zvhick I have committed unto him against that daj/.-f 3. That, with the greater alacrity, he may run the race of piety : for he who is assured that he acts from faith, is also assured, that his lahour shall not be in vain in the Lord ; and this assu- rance makes the believer steadfast, immoveable y ahvays abounding in the work of the l^ord.\
* Eph. i. 15, 16. Phil. i. 3. Col. i. 3, 4. I Thess. i. 2, %. 2The6s. 1. 3. f 2 Tim. i.*2. % 1 Cor. xv. AS..
CHAP. VIII.
Of Justification.
rip
JL HAT- faith of which we treated in the former chapter, as savingy is usually also called justifying in the divinity-schools. And sijice Justification is its first memorable effect, it will by no means be improper to speak of it now ; and that with the greater accuracy, as it so nearly concerns the whole of religion, that we stumble not iu explaining this article. The doctrine of justification spreads itself through the whole system of divinity ; and as the foundation is either solidly or superficially laid, the whole building rises more firm and graceful, or being badly founded threatens an op- probrious fall. The pious Picardiaiis, as they were cal-
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\»d in Bohemia and Moravia, valued this article at its true price, when, in their confession of faiih^ art. (5. speaking oi justification, they thus write : " Tbib sixth article is accounted with us the most principal of all, as being the sum of all Christianity and piety. Where- fore our divines teach and handle it with all diliiience 5ind applicatien, and endeavour to instil it into all." Let us to the utmost of our power imitate them in this, beginning with its name.
II. "1.0 jiLstify, in Hebrew HATZDiK, in Greek di- KAiouN, is very frequently and ordinarily used in a declarative sense, and signifies tq account, declare, prove any one Just. Which is manii^st from those pla- ces of scripture, where it occurs as the act of a judge, as Psal. Ixxxii. 3. hatzdiku, I)o Justice to, (justity) flic afflicted and needy ; and this is especially the crisc, when it is opposed to condemnation, as Deut. xxv. i. Prov. xvii. 15. Is. v. 22, 23.
III. And doubtless this word has such a signiiica- tion, when God is said to be Justified, as V'^\. li. 4> That thou mightst be Just if ed when tlwii sjx^akest ; that is, that thou mightst be declared, pro.vedji acknow- ledged to be just, when thou proi^iou.ncest sentence. In like manner, Matth. xi, 19. Wisdomisjuslified of her children ; that is, they who are tvuly regenerated of God by the gospel, have accounted the wisdoi^i of God, which the Scribes and. Ph^irisees falsely account- ed foolishness, to be, as, it really is, the most consum- mate wisdom, and cleared it from the calumny ot tolly, with which it was branded. \\\ the sa.Uie sense it is said, Luke vii. 29. All the peopk umlLhe publicans J us- tified God.
IV. Nor can this word have ai,iy' other than a forci;i- sic signification, when Christ is aaid, to h^ Justified, 1 Xim. iii, 16. and still, more, fuJU.y JLs, 1. 8. where the
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Lord himself thus spcaketh : He is near that justifieih me, ziiho icill co?ite?id with me ? Let us stand together ; ivlio is tnine adversaiy F Ahiiost in the same manner as the apostle speaks of the elect, Rom. viii. 33, 34. How was Christ justified } 1 . When the Father de- clared, that he was holy and without spot, according to his mind and will, and even such in ivhom he zvas tvdl pleased, Matth, iii. 17. and chap. xvii. 5, 2. "When he pronounced him innocent of all the crimes, with which he was falsely accused, and for which he was unjustly condemned, 3. When he declared, that he had made full satisfaction to his justice, and was no longer under the guilt of those sins, which, as Surety, he took upon himself. The two former acts of justifi- cation respect Christ as man ; the last as Mediator. And 'n this respect he is called the righteous (or just) savant o/Gud, Is. liii. 11. not only as holy and with- out sin in himself, but as one who also fulfilled all that righteousness to which he bound himself by his own voluntary engagement, whereby, though he was the Son, yet he became the servant of God ; and, by his resurrection, was declared to have performed the whole, and so was exalted tq that state, that he might be able to justify many, or procure rigliteousness for many, by virtue of his own righteousness.
V. But we are not to imagine, we have accomplish- ed any great matter, -when we have shewn, that justi- fication is often taken in a forensic sense. For scarce any who love to be called Christians, have such a bold front, or stubborn mind, as to deny it. Certainly the Popish doctors themselves generally oWn it ; Bellarm. de justificat. lib. i. c. 1. Becan. sum. theol. tom. ii., tract, 4. c, 5. Tirin. controvers. -15. No. I. Nor do they deny, that Paul himself sometimes treats of justification in that sense : Estius in comm. ad Rom..
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1}. 13. observes, that to he justified there ^ is the same thing as to be adjudged, declared, acxounted righteoitSi according j says he, to the ?nost usual language of scrip- ture. Which interpretation Ruardus Tapperus also approves, ad art. viii. p. 32. I v*'ill do my * towns- man the honor to quote his words. " As to what was aforesaid," says he, " it is to be considered, that, in scripture, to be justified, not only signifies, to be en- dowed and adorned with righteousness ; but sometimes also to be pronounced, declared, adjudged, allowed, and esteemed just or righteous. According to which interpretation, blessed Augustine explains the apostle Paul's expression. The doers of the law shall be jnstifi-' ed i that is, says he, shall be accounted and esteemed just." In like manner, Cornelius a Lapide on Rom, viii. 3S. It is God that just{fieth, thus comments : " It is God that acquits these elect persons, namely, his faithful people and true Christians, from their sins, and absolves from the charge brought against them by sin and the devil, and pronounces them just or righteous/^ The state of the controversy, therefore, between us and the doctors of the church of Rome, is not, whether justification be son^etimes taken in a forensic sense : for that is confessed on both sides.
VI. What then ? Are we thus to state the question j namely, v/hether the term, to justify, has alzoays in scripture a forensic sense ? But the most eminent Pro- testant divines do not aflirm this, and therefore it would be too harsh and inhuman to charge them with prevari- cation, on that account- Beza on Tit. iii. 7. thus comments,: "I take the term justification in a Iv^rge sense, as comprehending whatever we obtain from Christ, as well by imputation, as by the efficacy of the
* Enchusano meo. For it seems, T.ipptrus was born at Enkhuysen as well as Witsius,-
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spirit in our sanctification, that we may be art io!, that is, perfect and complete in him. Thus also the term, justify, is taken Rom. viii. 30." Much to the Same purpose Thysiiis in Synops. purior. theolog. Ley- den, disput. 23. §3. " Nor yet do we deny, that, oii account of their very great and close connection, justi- fication seems sometimes to comprise sanctification also, as a consequent, Rom. viii. 30. Tit. iii. 7." &c. I v^hall add one testimony more, naniely, Ghamierus, Panstrat. tom. iii. lib. 10. c. 1. No. 6. who spdaks to this purpose : " We af^ not such ridiculous judges of words, as not to know, nor such impertinent soflhis- t^rs, as not to allov^% that the terms, justification and sanctification, are put one for the other : yea, w& know, that they are called saints principally oh this ac- count, that in Christ they kave remission of sin. And we read in the Revelation, Let hBi that is rightedits, be righteous still ; which can only be understood of iht progress of inherent righteousness ; and we deny hof, that th^re may be a promiscuous u5e of the words per- haps irf other places."
'^'TI. And irrdeed this irigenuity of the'se very grca?t men is not to be too much canvassed, who, though th^y have granted so much to their adversaries, have yet in Ih^ maiii question happily triurhphed over th^to. Ne- vertheless ^Me see no sufficient i?eason^ why they should have been so illi4>eral to them. No vioknce would bfe put on the all^<iged passages, if in them the tern» jus- tification should ht taken in the sense, in which Paul commonly takes it : nor doth it appear, that all thing-s would have flowed less agreeably.
VIII; Wh^t should hinder us from explaining Rom. viii. 10- in- thi^ manner ? Whom he did predestinatiy th!at-i«,' ■«'hom, by his most free and immutable decree, lie has chosen to grace and glory, thein he ako calkd;
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tViat Is, by his word and Spirit he sweetly invited, and powerfully drew them from a state of sin and misery, to communion with Christ, and being endowed with faith regenerated them : and zvhom he called^ them he aim Justified ; that is, as soon as they were united to Christ by the Holy Spirit and by faith, he, on the ac- count of the merits of Christ imputed to them, acquit- ted them from the guilt of sin, and adjudged them to have a right to all the good things of Christ, as well in grace as in glory : and zvhom he justified, them he also glorified; that is, he not only gave them a right, but also put them in actual possession of the greatest bles- sings. 1 . By sanctifying them, and transforming more and more to his own image, and making them parta- kers of a divine nature, which doubtless is a great de- gree of glory. 2. By plentifully pouring in upon them the sweetest consolations of his Spirit, which are, as it were, the preludes of joy. 3. and lastly. By makings them perfectly happy, first in soul, and then in soul and body together.
IX. But we think it far more proper to comprize sanctification under glorification, than to refer it to jus- tification. For it is familiar to the Holy Spirit, to deli- neate holiness under the names of beauty, ornament, and glory. Thus Psal. xciii. 5. Holiness becometh thine house. Psal. ex. 3. Tiiy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness. Nay, by the very term, glory, holiness and righteousness are c"xpressed, Psal. xlv. .13. The king's daughter is all glorious xvithin : But what else is meant there by that glory, but the genuine holiness of believers ? or as Peter speaks, \ Pet. iii. 4. The hidden man of the heart, in that zvJiich is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek Q7id quiet spirit ^ which is in the sight of God of great
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price. Add Is. Ixii. 2. And Ike Gentiles shall see tliTf righteousness y and all kings thy glory ; where these two words are used alternately one for the other : and justly ; for the highest pitch of our glory consists in a perfect conformity to God.* But holiness is the image of God ;f so that saints who accurately express, or re- semble, that image, are on that account called the glori/ of Christ.\ Why then should we not account our conformity to God in holiness as no contemptible first- fruits of glory ? Certainly Paul calls the progress made in sanctification> a transformation (or a being changed) from glory to glory. ^
X. It is plain, that, v»ith the same propriety, we may understand by justification^ Tit. iii. 7. absolution, from guilt, and an adjudging to eternal life. For the first work of a man, who is regenerated by the Holy Spirit, is that work of faith, the infallible consequent of which is the remission of sins ; which is either suc- ceeded by, or attended with, the hope of the inheri- tance of eternal life. What probable reason induces us to depart from this sense ? And if we would have sanc- tification contained in any of the words which the apos- tle makes use of, why shall we not rather refer it to regeneration and the renetval of the Holy Ghost f For really sanctification differs no otherwise from the first regeneration and renovation, than the continuance of an act from the beginning of it. And we are sure, that the apostle exhorts the Romans, who had been for some time regenerated, to a progress in sanctification, when he writes, Be ye transformed by the reneidng of your minds ^| and in like manner. Be renetved in the spirit of your mind.^ As the beginning of this renova- tion goes before justification strictly so called, so the
* 1 John iii. 2. t Epl*. iv. 24- J 2 Cor. viii. 23. § 2 Cor, iii. 1«. 11 Rom. xii. 2. ^ Eph. iv. 23.
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progress of it serves to promote the certainty and the sense of justification ; and in both respects it was ex- xellently well said by the apostle, that the elect are re- generated by the Holy Spirit, shed on them abundant- ly ; that being thus justified by his grace, that is, ac- quitted from sin, and conscious to themselves of abso- lution, they might lawfully, yea, in full assurance, hope for the inheritance of eternal life.
XI. As to Rev. xxii. 11. He that is righteous, let him be righteous still ; it does not appear, that any ful- ler sense can be put on these words than if we thus ex- plain them : Whoever is reputed righteous bcfiDre God by faith on Christ, should think it his duty, to verify by his actions, this his justification before men, and to his own conscience ; and so by faith and the exercise of it, and by studying the word of God, he may- have a more and more abounding consolation concerning his righteousness. And by this reasoning too, the forensic use of this term is still retained.
XII. Others also alledgc, 1 Cor. vi. 1 \ . But ye are zvashed, hutyeare sanctijied^ hut ye are justified, in the vame of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. But even this testimony does not prove, that justifica- tion is equivalent to sanctification, but rather the con- trary. For after the apostle had said, that the Corin- thians xi'ere rvashed, that is, delivered from the power of sin, he more particularly shews, wherein tliat wash- ing consisteth. Now, the power of sin over man is twofold. 1. Tliat it compels him to the servile works of wickedness. 2. That it condemns him. The do- minion is destroyed by sanctification ; they^^rt'^r of con- donning, hy justification. Both these are conferred on the elect in the name of the Lord Jesus ; that is, on ac count of his merits, and by his authority and will ; a:^d hy the Spirit of our God, who is the author of sanctifl-
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cation, and sweetly insinuates the sentence of justifica- tion into the minds of believers. Both these benefits are sealed in baptism, to the washing of which there is here an evident allusion. Nor ought it to offend us, that sanctification is here put before justification ; for a diligent inquirer cannot but know, that the scripture does not always