Extracts from the Works of Rev. John Preston, D.D., the Breast-Plate of Faith and Love, Part II: Of Effectual Faith — Preston, Breast-Plate, Of Effectual Faith

THE BREAST-PLATE OF FAITH AND LOVE.

PART 2:--Of Effectual Faith.

1 THESS. 1:3. Remembering your effectual faith.

IN the verse foregoing, the apostle writes thus, " We give thanks always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers without ceasing." Here he tells the Thessalonians, that he not only prays for them, but likewise in his prayers gives thanks for them; and that not only once or twice and no more, or now and then by fits, but he continued to do it, he did it constantly; " making mention of you in my prayers," says he, " without ceasing." Then he names the particulars for which he gave thanks, which were these three:

1. For their effectual faith;

2. For their diligent love; and, 3. For their patient hope.

And these three graces he setteth forth three ways. First, from the property which distinguisheth the true faith from false faith, the true love from false love, and the true hope from false hope. As if he had said, I give not thanks for every faith, but for such a faith as is effectual: (that is the property by which the truth of faith is discerned.) Again, not for every love, but for such a love as is laborious: (for so the word signifies.) Thirdly, not for every hope, but for such a hope as makes you patient: (that is the character by which you are to know true hope.) And this is the first way whereby he describeth these graces. Secondly, he describeth them from the object upon which these graces are placed, and that is JESUS CHRIST our Lord. So that he says thus much: I give thanks for the faith you have in CHRIST, for the love you have towards him, for the hope you have of what he will do for you: or, I give thanks for that faith, for that love, for that hope, that has CHRIST for the object of it. Thirdly, he describeth these graces from the sincerity of them: I give thanks for all these graces that you-have in the sight of GOD, not in the sight of man only; as if he should have said, l Iany go for believers in GOD, and for lovers of GOD, and men judge them so to be; but you are really so in the sight of GOD, not only in the sight of men; not only in your own apprehension, but in good earnest, in sincerity.

I need not say more for the opening of the words We will come then to the first thing for which the apostle gives thanks on the Thessalonians' behalf; and that is, effectual faith. I will therefore deliver to you this point, that that faith that saves us, must be effectual. Having said so much of faith, that it is that which saves men; and that there is no more required of you, but to lake the gift of righteousness that you receive CHRIST; that you only accept of that justification which God is ready to give every man, be "he never so unworthy; lest any man should be deceived, in supposing, that if he have but a naked apprehension, and no more, he shall do well enough, I have chosen this text, that you may know what kind of faith it is that is required of us, in order to salvation.

Saint Paul, by using the wordectual in this place, intimates to us, that there is a faith which is not effectual.’We see, throughout the Scriptures, much mention made of a certain faith which men had, which was not a saving faith. We see, " many came and believed on our Savior, but he would not commit himself to them: for he knew what was in their hearts." Here was faith; nay further, it was such as had some effect too, (for it made them come to him,) and yet, for all this, it was not such a faith as God accepts; it was not effectual. So there came many that were " invited to the wedding, so that the house was full;" but yet every man " had not a wed-ding garment." They had a certain faith which brought them to the house, but they had not the wedding garment; that is, they had not such a faith as could bring forth in them a conjugal affection, which is the wedding garment. Seeing then there is a faith that is not effectual, we have the more need to look to our own. As a tradesman, when he hears that there are so many counterfeit wares in the world, will be more careful how he chooses; so we should look the better to our faith, seeing there. is so much false faith in the world. Therefore, to open this point, 1:will, 1: show the cause, why there is so much ineffectual faith. 2: What it is for faith to be effectual. 3: The reasons why God will accept no other faith; or,, why we cannot be saved, unless we have such a faith.

I. The reasons why the faith of many is ineffectual, you will find to be five. First, the taking of CHRIST upon misinformation. Secondly, the taking him out of fear. Thirdly, taking him more for love of his benefits than of his person. Fourthly, want of humiliation. Fifthly, be-cause faith is not grounded aright. To speak of these more particularly:

First, the ineffectualness of faith arises from our taking CHRIST upon misinformation, when we know not who it is that we take. Many do as the young man that came running to CHRIST; he came hastily, and made account to be his follower, till CHRIST let him know what it was to follow him; that if he would " be his servant, he must sell all that he had;" that is, take up his cross, deny himself daily, and part with all, or any thing for his sake: and then he went away sorrowing. Therefore says CHRIST, " Let him that builds a house, set down before what it will cost."' If a man consider not beforehand what CHRIST looks for at his hands, it will go hard with him. For a man can hardly endure to be scoffed at, to have every man'his enemy, to part with all his friends, to live a despised man, to suffer persecution, that the end of one persecution should be the beginning of another, and the end of one suffering the beginning of another. Again, because men consider not beforehand, that they must crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts, when they are urged to this, they revolt; they cannot bear to have their inward lusts and desires so mortified, to be so strait-laced in every thing. Hence many, in good moods, will embrace religion; but we soon see an end of it. When CHRIST came to Jerusalem, how ready were the people to receive him with " Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" But how soon were they gone again So, many young corners are ready to take upon them the profession of CHRIST; but when they see that CHRIST and. the world, CHRIST and pleasures, cannot stand together, then they go back, and their faith proves ineffectual.

A second cause of the ineffectualness of faith is, when men take CHRIST out of fear. Many there are, that, when God affrights them a little with the terrors of the law, when their consciences are troubled, when’they begin to apprehend hell, so long as they are in such a condition, they are willing to take CHRIST; but as soon as there is an end of those terrors, there is an end of their religion, so that their faith proves ineffectual. Pharoah, when he was in the present strait, would do any thing; so many men, while they are under great crosses, afflictions, and disgraces in the world, will be religious; but let them have peace and prosperity again, and they will forget God. When a man comes to apprehend death, what will he not do for salvation at such a time A merchant, though he loves his goods never so well, yet when the ship is ready to sink, will cast them out; he is willing to lose them, rather than to lose his life. So when a man comes to stand in the gate of destruction, when he sees heaven and hell before him, he is very ready to do any thing then, not because he loves CHRIST, but to save himself. He is then very forward to make promises; but as they proceed from fear, they are not lasting.

Thirdly, when men take CHRIST, not out of love to his person, but out of love to those advantages they shall have by him, this makes faith ineffectual. Men do in this case, as those that marry for wealth; if they miss of the money, they care for their wives no longer. So when men look at nothing but heaven, disjoined from CHRIST; or, when they look for great matters by CHRIST in this world, and find it quite otherwise, then they are ready to slip from CHRIST again. These men seek mercy, not grace. If they can be but assured that it will go well with them, this is all they look for; but as for grace to be enabled to obey CHRIST in all things, to repair the image of God in their hearts, they desire it not. They inquire not, what excellency, and what beauty there is in CHRIST; what he is, that they should love him; but, what good shall they get by him P' Whereas, those that take CHRIST in good earnest, look upon the excellencies of CHRIST, as he is considered hi himself. Not that the other is excluded; for we may look at the advantages that we have by him, but not upon them alone.

Fourthly, faith proves ineffectual for want of preparation, and humiliation that should go before it. Moses says, " The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts, and then you shall love him with all your soul, and with all your strength, Deut. 30: 6. As if he had said, it is impossible you should cleave to GOD, and love him with all your hearts, except first your hearts be circumcised; therefore " the Lord your God will circumcise your hearts;" that is, he will humble you, he will break your hearts, he will take away those sinful desires, that abounded in your hearts before; and when that is done, then you shall love the Lord in good earnest. Now, if a man come to take CHRIST before he be thus circumcised, he takes him in vain, he takes him so, as that he cannot hold him. When men come to CHRIST, before the law has been a sufficient schoolmaster to them, they care not for him; they take him negligently, and therefore they hold him not. Before CHRIST came into the world, he would have way made before him. So, before he will come into a man's heart, the mountains must be brought down, the spirit of Elias must make way; that is, there must be a sharp ministry to show men their sins, that they may be throughly humbled and prepared, or else they will never take CHRIST so as to keep close to him. Till a man be soundly humbled, he never accounts sin to be the greatest evil; and till he do that, he never accounts CHRIST to be the greatest good; and if a man do not reckon CHRIST to be the chief good of all., there will be somewhat which will be esteemed before him; and when that comes, he lets go CHRIST. But when there is a sound humiliation, which makes a man prize CHRIST above all things, then faith proves effectual; a man goes through with the work; he cleaves so to CHRIST, that he will not part with him. But for want of this, because way is not made, because the mountains are not brought down, because the ministry is not sharp enough to prepare them, hence it is that their faith is vain, and comes to nothing.

Fifthly and lastly, the faith of men often proves inef fectual, because it is not well grounded; they take to themselves a persuasion of the remission of their sins upon an uncertain foundation; they are not built upon the rock: they take CHRIST, but they are not well bottomed. For there is a certain false persuasion, which is nothing else but a strong fancy, which makes a man think his sins are forgiven; but when it comes to examination, he can give no sound reason for it. When men take CHRIST in this manner, and persuade themselves that their sins are emitted, this persuasion having no good ground continues not. A false persuasion drove them to CHRIST, and a contrary wind will drive them from him again.

II. Having thus shown the causes of the ineffectualness of faith, I am next to declare unto you, what it is that maketh faith effectual. And here we will show you three things:

1. In what sense it is called effectual faith. For the very opening of this Word, which the apostle uses, will open a window to us, to see into the nature of the thing itself.

2. We will show you particularly and distinctly, wherein this effectualness of faith consists.

3. We will show you how this faith is made effectual in us.

1. For the opening of the word effectual, in order to show the nature of effectual faith: you must note, that a thing is said to be effectual, in four respects: first, we say a thing is effectual, when it does its office, when it exercises its proper function; and when it does not that, then we say it is ineffectual. In this sense, faith is said to be effectual, when it does the thing that God expects of it, and that is, to take CHRIST. If faith then take CHRIST, it is effectual. But to show you a little further, what this proper function of faith is it is, when a man is so far persuaded of the truth of the promises, that he is willing to take CHRIST; and though there be some doubtings, yet, if faith come so far as to pitch on CHRIST, to choose him, to take him, it is effectual. Now, if you would know what it is to pitch on CHRIST, and to take him, though there be some doubt, or some fear, you shall know it by this: if a man have so taken him, that he is still growing, his faith is still prevailing, still overcoming those doubts and fears from day to day, though it be not perfect, yet it is saving and effectual faith. It is so far from being true, that faith must needs be without all doubting at first, that we may boldly say, generally it is not faith, except it have doubting, unless there be some fears, unless there be some troubles within, that strive against it. For certainly, there is no man that ordinarily has perfect faith at the first, so as to set his heart fully at peace. Where there is all peace, where there is no questioning, where the heart is not perplexed and troubled, it is a sign the strong man possesseth the house wholly. Therefore mark this point to your comfort, that if there be but so much faith as will produce this work of taking CHRIST, though there be some doubtings mingled with it, yet it is properly effectual faith. Secondly, a thing is said to be effectual, as it is opposed to that which is vain and empty; to that which is but a shadow of it, not the thing indeed. So faith is said to be effectual, when it is true, real, and substantial; when it is opposed to a vain faith, or a mere groundless imagination. Thirdly, a thing is said to be effectual, when it is active. If a pilot in a ship, sit still and do nothing there, we may say, he is an ineffectual pilot. So when faith does not show itself in the fruits of it, this is ineffectual faith; whereas faith should be in the soul as the soul is in the body, still stirring and showing itself by motion. Faith then is said to be effectual, when it is lively, fruitful, and active in the soul of man. Last of all, a thing is said to be effectual, when it goes through with the work that it has in hand; so that faith is said to be effectual, that goes through with the work it under-takes; that sanctifieth the heart throughout in respect of parts, and in regard of time; such a faith as overcomes sin, and perfects the work of our salvation; in these four senses faith is said to be effectual. And this is the first thing.

2. The second thing which we undertook, was to show you wherein the effectualness of faith consists. And that is, 1. In having the preparation sound and full that makes way for it.

2. In having the understanding clear; that is, when a man believeth the promises upon sure grounds, and seeth them distinctly.

3. In a right tatting of CHRIST.

4. In that it turns not only the will but all the affections; and shoots itself into life and practice. But to be more particular:

First, faith is effectual when there is a good way made for it; when there is sound humiliation going before it, such as makes a man fit for the kingdom of God. When a man is not throughly humbled to know what sin is, and what the wrath of God is, he is not fit for the kingdom of God; but if he come to CHRIST, if he begin to believe, he will go back again. This is that which is required. " If there be any worthy, let your peace come upon them." That is, if there be any, when you come to preach the gospel, that are so far broken and humbled, so far convinced of their sins, by the operation of the Holy Ghost, that they prize me so, that they will not let me go for any thing, such a man is worthy of me, and your peace shall come upon him. It shall come effectually upon him, abide with him, and save his soul for ever. So, I say, this preparation is the first thing wherein effectual faith consists. Not that i t is the very *same thing as believing; but yet it is that, without which faith can never be sound and effectual.

Secondly, when there is such a preparation made, yet if a man's understanding see not the truth of the promise so clearly that he can build on it, his faith will not be effectual. Therefore when he has the first ground right, the next thing that a man must do, is to believe the Scriptur;-., to know that they are the sure'Word of God. After that, he must consider the promises, and examine them, and being fully convinced of the truth of them, must appropriate them to himself, so as to be able to say, " I find the Scriptures true; I find these promises in the Scriptures; I believe them; I find CHRIST offered to every creature under heaven; I find that even I have a warrant to take him; I find that he is mine, and I am his." And when men thus believe; when they know CHRIST to be theirs; then may they be truly said to be built, to be grounded in faith. This is that which St. John says, 1 John 1: 19, " We know that we arc of God;" that is, it is not a thing that we arc uncertainly persuaded of; but we know it as certainly as any man knows a thing that is before his eyes. And when the understanding of a mart is thus clear and built upon the Word; this is the second thing wherein the effectualness of faith consists.

Thirdly, the third thing wherein the efficacy of faith consists, is, when we rightly take CHRIST; that is, when the will takes him out of love; not out of fear, not for advantage only, nor out of mistake; when we take him in such a manner as that we arc knit and united to him, as the soul of Jonathan was to David, and are content to leave father and mother, and all that is dear in this world, and to become one spirit with him. Now, I say, when you so take CHRIST, that you bring him into your hearts, as it is expressed Eph. 3: 17, " That CHRIST may dwell in your hearts by faith:" that is, when there is such an union made between CHRIST and us through faith, that he comes into our hearts and lives there, and we are so united to him, that we live in him; then it is an effectual faith.

Fourthly, there is a further act to make faith effectual, and that is the turning of the whole soul, and shooting of it forth in our whole lives and practice; the doing of the things that CHRIST commands. " In CHRIST JESUS neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith that worketh by love," Gal. 5: G. As if the apostle had said, Many will be ready to believe in CHRIST, but will do nothing for him, they will not work. Now working is in doing, or in suffering. For in suffering there is a work as well as in doing, only it is a work of more difficulty. Or, if they will do any thing for CHRIST, it is not out of love, but for other respects: perhaps out of some flash or good mood. To work out of love, is the property of effectual faith. When faith has once taken CHRIST, it must shoot itself into all the affections; and when they are all set on work, endeavor will follow. If the will be set on work, the rest will follow after it. Love will follow, desire after CHRIST will follow, fear to offend him will follow, repentance and turning from SATAN will follow, bringing forth good fruits and obedience will follow. Therefore it is that you find the promises made so promiscuously, sometimes to one thing, sometimes to another: sometimes, he that repenteth shall be saved. Sometimes, he that believeth shall be saved. Sometimes, he that obeyeth shall be saved. Because, when faith is effectual, it has all these with it.

The third and last thing I proposed was, to show how faith is made effectual in us. It is made effectual by the Spirit of God. We are not able to believe of ourselves, nay, we are so far from it, that we strive against it; so that, if God himself put not his hand to the work, no man can believe. You may think, when you see such general propositions as these, that " whosoever believeth shall be saved;" it is easy to bring this home in particular, and to say, " This pardon belongs to me." My brethren, it is easy to say so, but another thing for a man indeed to believe it. For a man to take CHRIST so, as to deny him-self; to take him so, as to mortify his lusts; so, as to take up his cross; so, as to obey CHRIST, to follow him in all things, is more than any one can do, unless God enable him with his almighty power. For the heart of every man by nature, is so shut up against CHRIST, that it will give no entrance to him. He may stand and knock long enough, unless God himself break off the bolts. Unless he burst open these " everlasting doors, that the King of glory may come in," we will not admit him, but keep him out. Every man naturally has an hard heart, that cannot repent, that cannot turn from sin. He will be content perhaps to take him for a Savior; but to take him so as to obey him, to fear him, to love him; this no man will do, or can do, unless th, Holy Ghost enable him.

But you will ask, " How does the Holy Ghost do it P" I answer, by these three acts:

1. By applying the law to a man's conscience.

2. By sheaving the excellency and riches of CHRIST. And, 3. By bearing testimony to our spirits that these riches are ours. 1. The Holy Ghost puts an efficacy into the law, and makes it powerful to work on the heart, to make a man poor in spirit, that so he may be fit to receive the gospel. For the law, though it be fit to humble a man, yet it is no worker of sanctification. If a man were able to do any thing, he were able to see the righteousness the law requires, and how far he is from it, and to discern the curse upon not doing of it, and yet this he is not able to do without the spirit of bondage. The spirit of bondage must make the law effectual, as well as the spirit of adoption does the gospel. That is, except the Lord himself press the law on our hearts, so as to cause it to make sin appear to us, we, that are the ministers of GOD, may discover your sins, we may show you the rectitude required in the law, we may show you your danger, yet all will be to no purpose. If God sharpen sin, and cause it to use its sting, this makes a man fit to receive CHRIST: otherwise, if the sons of thunder should speak to men, if we should come in the spirit and power of Elijah, nay, if God himself should thunder from heaven, all would not move the heart of a man, all would not awaken him to see his sins. We may as well shake the earth, as strike the heart of a sinner without the work of God: for, though the law be a sword, yet unless God take that sword into his hand, and strike therewith himself, it will not be able to wound a sinner. Therefore the first work of the Holy Ghost is to awaken a sinner, to set sin upon him, that he may be fit to receive CHRIST. And when the heart is thus prepared by the Spirit, then the Holy Ghost shows us what we have by CHRIST: he shows the unsearchable riches of CHRIST, " what is the hope of our calling, and the glorious inheritance prepared for the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power in them that believe," Eph. 1: 19.

You will say, perhaps, a man may see these things without the help of the Spirit..1t is true in some manner he may; but not in such a manner as shall affect him. You may read the Scriptures a thousand times over, you may understand them, yet you shall nqt be affected with them, till the Holy Ghost spews them unto you. This is the secret of God; he only revealeth these spiritual things prepared for us in CHRIST, in such a manner as that we shall love and embrace them. God not only shows us the advantages we have by CHRIST, but the excellency of

CHRIST, so as to make us in love with his person, as well as be ready to receive the privileges with him. " We have received the Spirit of GOD," says the apostle, " by which we know the things that are given us of God;" they are revealed to us by the Spirit," 1 Cor. 2: 12. As if he had said, If you saw them no more than other men do, you would be no more affected with them, than they are: but when you have the Spirit of God to show you the things that are given you of GOD, that is the thing that works upon you. Therefore the Lord taketh that as peculiar to himself: " I will write my law in your hearts:" that is, I will make you affected with the things that I shall show you; and this is the teaching of God. Now when the heart is prepared by the law, and when these things are so showed unto us, that we prize them, and long after them, there must be a third thing; that is, to take them to ourselves, to believe that they are ours; and there needeth a work of the Spirit for this too. For, though the promises are never so clear, yet, having no-thing but the promises, you will never be able to apply them to yourselves. But when the Holy Ghost shall say, " CHRIST is thine, and these things belong to thee," when the Spirit shall bear witness with thy spirit, by an immediate work of his own, that God is thy Father, then you shall believe. This is necessarily required, and without this we shall not believe.

Now the Holy Ghost bears testimony to our spirits two ways.

1. By clearing of the promises, and shining into our hearts, with such a light as makes us able to discern and to believe them.

2. By an immediate voice, by which he speaketh immediately to our spirits; so that we can say, as they said, John 16: 29, " Now you speakest plainly, and speakest no parable;" we understand thee fully. Till the Holy Ghost speaks to us, we are in a cloud; God is hid from us, we cannot see him clearly; but when we have this Spirit of adoption, to give us this witness, then we believe plainly indeed. Therefore in Isa. lvii. 19, the Lord says, " I create the fruit of the lips; peace, peace, to him that is far off, and to him that is near:" that is, the minister may speak peace to you, but unless I add a power of mine own to his word; that is, such an almighty power as I used in the creation, it shall never bring peace to you. I create the fruit of the lips; that is, the words of the minister to be peace, otherwise they would be ineffectual. Therefore, I say, there must be a work of the Spirit to persuade a man hi such a case. Let a minister come to them that are in despair; they will not apprehend the promises, though he use never such clear reasons, though he argue with them never so strongly, till God himself open the clouds, and send his Spirit into the heart, to give a secret witness to them; till there be a work of God's Spirit joining with the promises, we find by experience, our labor is lost in pro-posing them. It is true, we ought to do this, and every man is bound to look to the Word, because "faith conieth by hearing;" and to hearken to the ministry, for it is God's ordinance to breed faith in the heart; but yet till there be a work of the Spirit, a man shall never be so persuaded as to have any sure comfort. CHRIST may be offered, yet when a man comes to apply him to himself, he is no more able to do it than a dead man to stir himself. Therefore the same power that raised CHRIST from the dead, is required to work faith in our hearts: it is as great a work to move a man's heart to CHRIST, as to put life into a dead man. We are naturally as unapt and backward to take CHRIST, as a dead man is to receive life. So that when we preach, except there be a secret voice of the Spirit of CHRIST speaking to your, hearts, as we do to your cars, and saying, " Come and take CHRIST," no man will come.

III. You have now been shown what effectual faith is; wherein the efficacy of it consists; and how it is wrought. Now lastly, we are to show you the reason why God accepts no faith but that which is effectual. The reasons may be these four:

1. Because if it be not effectual, it is not faith at all; and if it be not faith, it is no wonder that he does not accept of it. I say, it is no more faith than a dead man is a man. It has only the name and shadow of faith, and therefore God accepts it not.

2. If faith be not effectual, there will be no love, and therefore God cannot accept it. For he will save none unless they love him; for that condition is every where put in. "All things shall work together for good to them that love him." And he has " prepared a crown for them that love him." 3. If faith be not effectual, it will not purify the heart, and enable men to deny all worldly lusts, " and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world;" and therefore God will not accept of it; for unless this be done, the end of CHRIST's coming into the world will be frustrated. For, for this cause was he manifested, " that he might destroy the works of the devil;" and "for this end has the grace of God appeared, that men should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts:" and for this end he gave himself, " to purify to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works." He comes to be a king, as well as a Savior, to rule among his people, to have men obey him. 4. Lastly, if faith be not effectual, it will not be operative and productive of good works. Now, good works are required of necessity, as the way to salvation. "We are God's workmanship, created in JESUS CHRIST unto good works, which he has ordained, that we should walk in them," Eph. 2: 1O. God judges us according to our works, Rom. 2: 6; and at the last day, the reward will be pronounced according to that which men have done. Therefore, God will accept of no faith, but that which is active and fruitful.

We come now to make some use of what has been said:—first, if it be only an effectual faith which God accepteth, then this justifieth our doctrine against the Papists, that say, we teach that only faith justifieth, and require no good works. I say, we teach, that not anaked, but an effectual faith does it. We both agree in this, that works are necessarily required to salvation; " that no man shall see God without pureness of heart," and integrity of life. We say, " Except men mortify the deeds of the body by the Spirit, they shall die." But then here is the difference: They say that faith and works both are required to justify: we say, that nothing is required but faith; but we say, moreover, that it must be an effectual faith, a faith productive of good works.

If it be objected, "that works and love are to faith as the soul is to the body,—(" for as the body without the soul is dead, so faith without works is dead;) there-fore faith justifieth not, but works,"—I answer, You take the comparison amiss; for the scope of it is this,—As a soul-less body is dead, and nothing worth, so is a workless faith. The meaning is not, that works arc as the soul, and faith as the body; but as a man, when he looks upon a carcass and seeth no life in it, no pulse, no motion, no sense, knows such a body is nothing worth; so when we see a faith without motion, that has no pulse, that has no expression of life in it, we know such a faith is of no worth. However, though good works be not required for justification, yet this may be a motive to perform them; God rewards us and afflicts us according to them. He is the Father " that judges every one according to his works," 1 Pet. 1: 17; that is, if our works be good, he is ready to reward us; and if we persevere in well-doing, the greater is our reward; but if we fail, he is ready to chastise us. And not only this, but we require.good works of necessity, as well as the Papists. We say, you must have good works, or else you cannot be finally saved; for except you have repented, except you have

love as well as faith, CHRIST is not in you; "and know we not that CHRIST JESUS is in you, except ye be reprobates" 2 Con 13: 5.

The second use that we should make of what has been said, is this: If nothing be accepted but that faith which is effectual, we should learn hence, that if we will grow in obedience, we must grow in faith; for all efficacy must come from faith. Therefore, when you find any coldness, any weakness, any languishing, get an increase of faith, and all other graces will grow. If you find you cannot pray, that your knees are feeble, and you cannot run the ways of God's commandments,—as when the branches arc weak and withering we use to dung the root; so labor to strengthen your faith, and that will enable you to do all things. This will be of much use to us in many cases. When a sin is committed, we should labor to recover ourselves out of that relapse. But which is the way By laboring to get assurance of the forgiveness of it. Go to God to strengthen thy faith, and that is the way to get out of sin. So if there be a strong lust that you art to grapple with, and can not get the victory over, the way is to get an increase of faith, an increase of assurance. For the more faith is increased, the more love there is; the more the heart is inclined to GOD, the more ability there is to strive against the corruption that is in you. And again, if a man find he wants patience, thankfulness, or any other grace, the way is not to read moral writers, and seek instructions from them, but to go and strengthen his faith, and that will enable him to do wonders, far above all that the most accurate moralist can teach him to do. To do otherwise is but to water the branches, and let the root alone.

The business of us ministers should be, to lay this main foundation, and build up our hearers in this, and the rest will follow. Paul, that great master-builder, in all his epistles, lays down the foundation of faith, and after that he deduced' particulars, and buildeth on it. And your main business is to consider, whether you have faith. And when you have that, then strive against particular vices, and adorn yourselves with particular graces. For want of this foundation it is that we ordinarily find, that when men resolve to give up and guard against all sin, their resolution holds perhaps only for a day or two; it comes to nothing, because they go to work without faith, Therefore, when you have these purposes, take the right course; labor to believe the promises, to be assured that you are translated from death to life, and then your purposes will hold; and till then they are vain.

In the third place, if nothing please God but what comes from effectual faith, then we should learn to judge aright of our works. There be many works that have a fair show in the view of men, and perhaps in your owti opinion; but if there be not faith in those works, God regards them not. When Abraham did that great work in offering his son, (the greatest work that is recorded in the Book of GOD,) yet, says the apostle there, "Do ye not observe how faith wrought with his works" That is to say, if faith had not set him on work to do this—if faith had not been the spring to set this wheel going, God would not have accepted this. So, do whatsoever you will; further than faith works with you in all that you do, God regards it not. Take the most excellent works that can be performed, God sets them at no higher a price than he finds faith in them: he weighs them by that. Therefore, when you go about any thing, labor to see that faith set you to work. Now, to do a thing in faith is to do it out of persuasion of God's love to us, merely for his sake whom we have chosen, to whom we give ourselves. " He is one," says the believer, "that I know loves me; and therefore, though there were no reward for it, I would serve him." This is a work of faith; and this is properly godliness. For what is godliness, but that which is done to God but such things and such qualities as have an eye and respect to him Consider how it is with your-selves, if a man should do any thing for you; yet, if you be persuaded this comes not out of love, nor of true respect to you, whatsoever it be, you regard it not. If it be but a small thing, if it be done mitt of love, you respect it. So it is with God; works that come from faith and love, (for those I reckon to be all one,) those he respects wonderfully. Every natural man thinks that alms-deeds, and doing good to the poor, are good works; but they arc not absolutely so. We may do the greatest works of this nature, and yet they may have no excellency in them at all; and that because they are not done in faith. Again, they exclude common actions of life, as if' they were not good works; whereas even the ordinary works of our calling,. our ordinary services from day to day, if they come from faith,. if they be done as to the Lord, he accepts them, and they are good works indeed. We should therefore learn to judge aright of our works, to help us against the common opinion of men.

Again, fourthly, if faith be such a thing that no works, are accepted without it,. that no branch will grow except it come from. this root, you should learn to judge aright whether your faith be a right faith, or not. And that you, may know by this: Observe, whore there is a true faith, there is a secret persuasion wrought in the heart, whereby God assures you that he is yours, and you are his; as you have it Rev. 2: 17, "To him that overcometh will I give that hidden manna, and a white stone, with, a new name written in it,.. that he only knows that' receives it." Now would you know. whether you have true faith Inquire, Have you ever had any of that hidden manna Have you had a secret persuasion of God's love to you, which has been as sweet as manna to you;: which you have fed on, as the Israelites fed on manna;.: which gives you life, as manna gave life to them Only this is a hidden manna,. it lies not abroad; others see it not, but your hearts secretly feed on it. Again: has God given you the white stone with a new name written in it that is, the' stone of absolution (as the manner was among the Athenians, to give the sentence of absolution by white' stones, as the sentence of condemnation by black. stones.) has he ever opened the clouds has, he ever sheaved: himself to you, and " made your hearts glad with the light of his countenance in his Beloved Have you ever found this work in yourself, that, after trouble and disquiet within, upon a sight of your sins, God has spoken peace to you; that he has said to your soul, " I am thy salvation"—then rest assured you have a right faith:

Observe here, God's general method of dealing with sinners. He sends a wind that rends the rocks, and brings down the mountains, so much as makes the way plain, before he can come in the soft voice. There must go always a work of humiliation before the testimony of the Spirit. But mistake not here; as if turbulent sorrow and violent disquiet of mind must always go before peace; for it is not absolutely required that there should much trouble go before. For although it be true, that God never speaks peace but when some trouble, some convincing of the Spirit has gone before; yet the promise is made to the coming to CHRIST, and not to the preparation thereto. If a man get to his journey's end, it is no matter how he came thither. If a man find that he is in CHRIST, and has a testimony of sonship from his Spirit, though he have not had such a work of humiliation as perhaps he expected, yet let him not doubt of the soundness of his faith. If the mountains are broken down, (after what manner so ever it was,) that is enough. For if there come a soft voice after, whatsoever preparations were before, (which are divers, for God works sometimes after one manner, and sometimes after another,) you have then reason to joy in the God of your salvation, inasmuch as true faith is wrought in your heart.

But, now, what is this soft voice This I shall endeavor to explain. And I take it to consist in two things:

1. One thing is, when there is a clearing of the promise. When we open the promises, if God do not join with us, and clear them to you, by kindling a light within, you will not be able to build upon these promises. For though it be true the Word is near you, and the promises are even in your mouths, yet, except God show them, as clear as they are, you cannot see them. When JESUS stood by Mary Magdalen, he was near enough, but, till her eyes were opened, she saw him not.

So, when we preach these promises, when we Iay then open as near as may be, yet it must be the work of the Spirit to let you see them so as to rest on them. There-fore it is one part of this soft voice to open the gospel unto you.

2. The other is the immediate testimony of the Spirit, spoken of Rom. 8: 16, "The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit," when God wines, and by a secret testimony of the Spirit, worketh a persuasion in the heart that he is a Father, that he is a Friend that is reconciled to us. But, you will say, this may be a delusion. Therefore, I say, you must have both these parts together: they are never disjoined. God never gives the witness of his Spirit, he never works such an immediate testimony, but it has always the testimony of the Word going with it. Consider, then, whether ever God has spoken this to you; whether ever he has wrought this work in you. For faith, you know, is wrought in this manner: the Spirit comes, and shows CHRIST to you; and not only shows you his merits, not only tells you that he will be your Savior, but shows you the beauty and excellency of CHRIST; it shows you what grace is, and makes you love it, aed then it shows you mercy. To this word he adds a second. CHRIST comes and discovers himself to a man, and says to him, I am willing to accept of thee. When this is done on the Holy Ghost's part, and we on our part resolve to take him, this is faith indeed. When this work is done, a man may truly say, "This day is salvation come to me." Now I am sure that all my sins are forgiven; now faith is wrought in my heart!

This is one means to try your faith; but because this may be an ambiguous means, I will show you several effects of saving faith, that so, by taking a view of these, you may judge of the soundness and truth of your own. First, if faith be true, it purifies the heart. has thy faith then so brought CHRIST into thy heart, that he lives in thee, as he did in Paul; that you can say truly, I tit " dead to sin, and alive to righteousness" that you have " mortified the deeds of the body by the Spirit" That you findest another life working in thee For except you find this, if you find not such a life in thyself; if you find thy heart not purified; if there be not a thorough reformation of heart and life; conclude that thy faith is not good: it is a delusion, and not faith. If the whole bent of thy mind is turned from the world, and set upon CHRIST, this is faith indeed. But know that faith in CHRIST and covetousness cannot stand together. When thy mind go a whoring after thy wealth, what host you to do with CHRIST For, to take CHRIST is to turn the mind from all things else to seek him. Again, if you wilt have praise with men, you can not believe; it is impossible. And so, dust you think to follow any plea-sure or lust, to satisfy thy flesh, and to have CHRIST too No, you can not; it is another kind of taking. You must turn in good earnest; turn to God upon sound grounds. Therefore now let us come to the examination of this. Men think that faith is nothing but a persuasion that their sins are forgiven. And thence it is that they are apt to be deceived in it. If we took faith, as it is in truth, to be a marrying of ourselves to CHRIST, with all our hearts and affections, when he has given himself to us, as in marriage, and we are given to him,—in so doing we should never be deceived. Now, if you wouldst know whether thy faith be right, examine it as thou’wouldst another thing. If you find wine flat and dead when you drink it, if it warms you not at the heart, if it revives not your spirits, you will say, it is naught; if it were good wine it would do this. If in the spring you come to look on a plant, and find no fruit nor leaves thereon, you say, This plant is dead. So I say, If you find not in faith this effect upon thy heart, that it works a general change in thee, and fires not thy soul with love to CHRIST and his ways,—know that you art deceived; rest not in thy present faith; cast it away, and get a right faith, such as will not deceive thee. Thus much for the right sign of effectual faith.

Secondly, if you wouldst know whether thy faith be true, or not, consider whether you have the spirit of prayer. For wheresoever there is a spirit of faith, there is also a spirit of prayer. Faith, we know, is wrought in us by the Spirit of adoption. Now the Spirit of adoption is the Spirit that tells us that we are sons. And whensoever the Spirit tells a man he is a son, it teacheth him to pray; and therefore those words were added where by we cry, "Abba, Father." That is, if you have the Spirit, it will make thee able to do two things. 1, It will make thee cry; thy prayers which you makest shall be earnest and fervent; whereas they were cold before.

And 2, not only so, but you shall speak to him as to a Father; that is, you shall go to GOD, and look upon him as one does upon a father; upon one whose love he is sure of, of whose favor he doubts not. It may be you have prayed to God before, but not as to a Father, It is the work of the Spirit to enable thee to do this; and this it does whenever it give* the testimony of sonship. But perhaps you will say, "Every body can pray," My brethren, be not deceived; the prayer I mean is not a work of the memory, or of the’wit. A man that has a good wit, a ready invention, or a voluble tongue, may make an excellent prayer in his own esteem, and in the esteem of others, but this is not truly to pray. True prayer is the work of God's Spirit. There is one prayer which is the voice of our own spirit: there is a second prayer, which is the voice of God's Spirit in us; that is, when the heart comes to speak as it is quickened, as it is actuated and moved by God's Spirit. Now, God "knows the voice of his own Spirit; for that maketh request according to his will." But the prayers which are made by the voice of our own spirit he knows not; that is, he hearkens not to them. Consider then whether thy prayer be such, or whether, as it ought, it be the voice of God's Spirit in thee. But you wilt say, How should I know that You shall know it thus: Dost you come to him as to a Father A man prays to GOD, it may be, All his life, but he comes to him as a stranger. Now, mist you come to God as to a friend as to a father; as to one whose favor you art assured of If you can do this, then it is the voice of God's Spirit in thee, then he regardeth thy prayers. If not, be sure it is no true prayer; and if there be no true prayer, there is no faith.

Thirdly, if you have faith, you have peace: for faith pacifies the heart as well as purifies it.; as the apostle says, Rom. 5: 1, " Being justified by faith, we have peace with God." East you then that peace that passes all understanding

You know, if a man were an hundred:pounds in debt, and ready to be cast into prison, and saw’not how to escape, and one should promise to pay the debt and deliver him; if he believe this friend, he is full.of peace; so, if you believe thy pardon to be good, there will be peace. But you wilt say, "Many a man has’peace who has no faith." True: but I would ask, Is it a peace that comes after war Have you knowledge of that enmity between God and thee Have you had the sense of it; and after this, have you been reconciled again. Is it an unutterable calm that followed after a storm If so, it is a true peace. But,. as I said before, if you have been always easy, certainly this is a false peace. When a man is at peace, not because he has escaped the danger, but because he never saw it, his peace is blind; it is not true peace. Again, consider whether it be such a peace as cast out SATAN; and whether you fiudest him assaulting thy peace again. For, be you assured; if SATAN be cast out, he will not let thee alone; you shall be sure to have thy peace assaulted; he will make many rebellions against thee by the flesh and the world. And therefore, if you find all quiet, if there be no such assaults in thee, be you assured it is counterfeit peace. But still remember this, that if there be faith, there will be peace; that is, the heart will be at rest, it will be quiet in God.

Lastly, the concomitants of faith arc love, joy, and humility. If therefore thy faith be good, it will always have love joined with it. Therefore, if you wouldst know whether you have taken CHRIST indeed, consider whether you loves him or not. Perhaps you wilt say, " O yes, I love CHRIST; I hope there is no question of that." Every man says he loves him, but where shall one find pile that loves him indeed Consider, dost you love him in good earnest If sp, you needest not go far to make the trial of it: you mayst find it in thine heart. For love is the most sensible, the most active affection of all others. If you love the Lord JESUS, you feelest thy affections stirring in thee towards him, thy heart longing after him. You hates sin, as being that which he hateth. You loves the saints, those that are like GOD, that are of such a disposition as he is of. Thou’ art willing to part with any thing for CHRIST's sake, thy wealth, thy credit, thy liberty, thy all. Therefore, consider if faith has begotten such a love in thee; then you can truly say, "Though you Nast not seen him, yet you loves him."

The second concomitant of faith is joy so 1 Pet. 1: 8, "In whom you have believed: whom though you have not seen him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory;" the apostle plainly intimating, that where there is faith there is joy. And it must needs be so; as, you know, be that had the pearl "went away rejoicing;" and, “the kingdom of God consisteth in joy, and peace, and righteousness." Therefore, consider and examine thine own case. Have you this rejoicing in CHRIST This rejoicing in the forgiveness of sins If we should examine men's faith by this, we should find that there is but little in the world. Examine yourselves then, you that now hear me; it may be it has been tedious unto you; it may be, justification and forgiveness of sins are things you take no great pains for; you do not prize them much; but, if you were forgiven indeed, you would prefer it before all other joy; it would comfort you above any thing. A man that has known the bitterness of sin, and has afterwards come to the assurance of forgiveness, (that is) to have faith indeed, will rejoice in it above all things else. All worldly joy will be nothing to it.

But here you must be very wary, for there is a false joy. And therefore, if you would know whether the joy which you have be good or not, consider whether it hold out in tribulation. The apostle says, Rom. 5: 3, " Not only so, but we rejoice also in tribulation:" as if he should say, where there is a false faith, there may be much rejoicing for a while; but we rejoice in tribulations; yea, we not only rejoice in tribulations, but our joy is increased by them; they are as fuel, they add to our joy: as in Acts 5: "The disciples went away rejoicing, because they were accounted worthy to suffer for CHRIST."

The last concomitant of faith is humility. If thy faith be right, it will make thee vile in thine own eyes. For what is true faith, but that which brings CHRIST into the heart, that which causes him to come and dwell with thee Now, wheresoever CHRIST comes to dwell, he shows the creature his vileness, he makes him see what creature he is; whereas another that vainly professeth he has much assurance, his heart is lifted up. You know, when God drew near to Job, then he saw what a sort of person he was, which he saw not before, "and abhorred himself in dust and ashes."

To conclude, if that be the virtue of faith to be effectual, then, if you have faith, use it. This you are able to do. For though. GOD, work in you all the work of faith, yet he does not work in you only, but by you. He makes you instruments; not dead, but living instruments, to move of yourselves. It is true, that before you have faith, you can do nothing. Before a man has life, he is not able to stir; but when he has life, then he is able to move and stir; so likewise, when he has faith. When the lamp is once lighted, you may feed it with oil; and if you put more oil to it, you shall have the greater flame. The difficulty is to light it, and that is God's work. He kindles the first fire, he works faith in the heart. But now, when you have it, learn to use it. Do you think a necessity lies upon us to use other talents, and not the talent of faith According to Scripture, God rewards not men according to the habits they have only, but according to their works. Therefore, think not that you shall be rewarded according to your habits of faith only; for God rewards us according to the use of our faith, according to the works it brings forth, according to the efficacy of it. Set yourselves to work then, and your reward shall be accordingly.

Again, many have faith, and use it not; but if you use it not, you shall have little enough of it: the using of it strengthens it. It is God's usual manner, when he gives faith to a man, to give him exercise to keep his faith breathing. If a man have an estate, what is he better, if he use it not What is a man the better for a friend, if he do not use him Faith makes a man a friend to God; and will you make no use of God Will you have God in vain Shall he be your GOD, and will you not use his power, his wisdom, his ability to hold you up, to help you upon all occasions You should make use of him; and then all that is his is yours, if you make use of it by faith. Again, if faith be used, it is able to do much for us; if it he still, it will do nothing. Look, how much you use your faith, so much you shall be able to do. Therefore CHRIST says, "Be it according to thy faith:" that is, not according to the habit of thy faith, that lies dead, as a talent wrapped up there; but, be it according to the use of thy faith. If you set faith on work, it will be able to do wonders; to overcome the world; to work righteousness; to prevail with God and men; it will be able to go through the greatest matters.

Then use your faith in comforting yourself, for that is one use of it. You should set it to work to fill your heart with joy, out of the assurance of the forgiveness of sin, and of the privileges which you have by CHRIST. Again, if a man would set his faith to work, he would be able to use the world as if he used it not; he would not care for losses and crosses, he would not grieve for them. He might walk with God in the upper region, above the storms. There is much variety of weather here below; now it is fair, and then it is foul; if a man were above these, there would be a continual serenity. So it’ is with a man that has his heart in heaven; he soars aloft as the eagle, and cares no more for things below, than the eagle cares for the chirping of sparrows. If I have GOD, what is the loss of a friend, of any creature If a man suffer wrong in his name, what is it, if he have praise of God Believe, see God in his greatness,—have praise of him, and that will make you contemn the rest. What is poverty, to one that has treasure in heaven, to one that seeth he has all God's treasures opened to him. If a man would set his faith at work in good earnest, he would " be afraid of no evil tidings;" he would say within himself, If there be no ill tidings from heaven, it is no matter what comes on earth: his heart would be filled with joy, and he would go " through ill report and good report, through want and through abundance," without being troubled with either; the one would not puff him up, nor the other deject him.

Further, set faith on work to sanctify you, to mortify your lusts, to revive and strengthen you in the inward man, and to make it quick in every good work. Faith is exceeding effectual to do this. Set faith on work to believe the forgiveness of your sins, to believe the love of God-towards you. This shall turn your heart to God; for there is no way to mortify lusts, and to quicken your heart, but to delight in God. The more you believest that God is thine, the more victory you shall get over thy sins. If you look on God merely as a Judge, it will turn thee away from him; but if you look upon him as upon one that loves thee, this will win thine heart to him, and turn it from sin; and you shall find sin die and wither in thee, and thy heart to grow in grace. Whatsoever sin scents to be weakened by other means, it only engraft a man into CHRIST, or to make him acceptable to God through CHRIST. Nothing will do it, but only faith; and that not an empty, idle faith; but, as he addeth further, such a faith as works by love. So that you have two parts in this text: 1. A negation of that which doth not make us acceptable to God through CHRIST; it is not our being circumcised or uncircumcised, or any thing of that nature. " 2. An affirmation of what it is that makes US sons of God; it is only faith and love; such a faith as is accompanied with love and good works; so that you see, he removes all works of ours; all works, not only of the ceremonial, but also of the moral law, considered as the means of justification, because they are opposite to faith; they exclude faith, and faith excludes them, so that they are as well to be shut out, as the works of the ceremonial law. None of these, says the apostle, will do it. For you must know the way to salvation is contrary to that of damnation. Look how you lost the kingdom of GOD, so you must get it. As it was not our particular breaches of the moral law that lost it; but the. fall of the first Adam: so we must go in again into paradise by the same way that we went out; that is, by being made partakers of the righteousness of the second Adam. Our righteousness is not the way that the Lord has appointed mankind to be saved by; but the receiving of JESUS CHRIST and his righteousness. But you must remember that you must take him so as to love him. And it must be such a love as is fruitful in good works; not an empty, idle love, that is, a love in show only, but it must be a love in deed and in truth.