A Holy Life

AN INTRODUCTION To the following DISCOURSE.

WHen I write of Justification before God, from the dreadful curse of the Law; then I must speak of nothing but Grace, Christ, the Promise and Faith: but when I speak of our Justification before Men, then I must joyn to these, good Works. For Grace, Christ, and Faith are things invisible, and so not to be seen by another, otherwise than through a life that becomes so blessed a Gospel as has declared unto us the remission of our sins for the sake of Jesus Christ. He then that would have Forgiveness of Sins, and so be delivered from the Curse of God, must believe in the Righteousness and Blood of Christ: but he that would shew to his Neighbours that he hath truly received this Mercy of God, must do it by good Works; for all things else to them, is but talk: As for example; A Tree is known to be what it is, to wit, whether of this or that kind, by it's Fruit. A Tree it is without Fruit, but so long as it so abideth, there is ministred occasion to doubt what manner of Tree it is.

A Professor is a Professor though he hath no good Works; but that, [Matth. 7.17, 18. Jam 2.18.] as such, he is truly godly; he is foolish that so concludeth. Not that Works make a Man good; for the Fruit maketh not a good Tree, it is the Principle, to wit, Faith, [Matt. 7.16. Luk. 6.44.] that makes a Man good, and his works that shew him to be so.

What then? why, all Professors that have not good Works flowing from their Faith, are naught; [Heb. 6.8.] are Bramble-bushes; are nigh unto Cursing, whose end is to be burned. For Professors by their fruitlesness declare that they are not of the planting of God; nor the Wheat: [Matt. 13.37, 38.] but Tares and Children of the Wicked one.

Not that Faith needeth good works as an help to Justification before God. For in this matter Faith will be ignorant of all good Works, except those done by the Person of Christ. Here then the good Man worketh not, but believeth: [Rom. 4.3, 4, 5.] for he is not now to carry to God, but to receive at his Hand the matter of his Justification by Faith; nor is the matter of his Justification before God ought else but the good deeds of another Man, to wit, Christ Jesus.

But is there therefore no need at all of good Works, because a Man is justified before God without them? or can that be called a justifying Faith that has not for its Fruit, [Job 22.2, 3. Jam. 2.20, 26.] good Works? Verily good works are necessary, though God need them not, nor is that Faith, as to Justification with God, worth a rush, that abideth alone, or without them.

[A twofold Faith.] There is therefore a twofold Faith of Christ in the World, and as to the notion of Justifying Righteousness, they both concur and agree, but as to the manner of application there they vastly differ.

The one, to wit, the non-saving faith, standeth in speculation and naked knowledg of Christ, and so abideth idle: [Joh. 1.12. Heb. 11.13. Rom. 10.16.] but the other truly seeeth, and receives him, and so becometh Fruitful. And hence the true justifying Faith, is said to receive, to imbrace, to obey the Son of God as tendred in the Gospel: by which expressions is shewed both the nature of Justifying Faith, in its actings in point of Justification, and also the cause of its being full of good Works in the World. A gift is not made mine by my seeing of it, or because I know the nature of the thing so given: but then it is mine if I receive and imbrace it, yea, and as to the point in hand, if I yield my self up to stand and fall by it. Now he that shall, not only see, but receive, not only know, but imbrace the Son of God; to be justified by him, cannot but bring forth good Works, because Christ who is now received and imbraced by Faith, [Acts 15.9. Ch. 26.18, 19. Heb. 11.11,] leavens and seasons the Spirit of this Sinner (through his Faith) to the making of him capable so to be. Faith made Sarah receive Strength to conceive Seed, and we are Sanctified through Faith, which is in Christ. For Faith hath joyned Christ, and the Soul together, and being so joyned, the Soul is one Spirit with him: not essentially but in agreement, and oneness of design. Besides, when Christ is truly received and imbraced to the justifying of the sinner, in that Mans Heart he dwels by his Word and Spirit through the same Faith also. Now Christ by his Spirit and Word must needs season the Soul he thus dwells in: so then the Soul being seasoned, it seasoneth the Body, and Body and Soul, the Life and Conversation.

We know it is not the Seeing, but taking of a potion that maketh it work as it should, nor is the Blood of Christ a Purge to this or that Conscience, except received by Faith.

[Heb. 9.14.] Shall that then be counted right believing in Christ unto justification, that amounts to no more than to an idle speculation, or naked knowledg of him? shall that knowledg of him I say be counted such, as only causes the Soul to behold hold but moveth it not to good Works? No verily. [2 Cor. 3.18.] For the true beholding of Jesus to justification and Life, changes from glory to glory.

Nor can that Man that hath so believed, as that by his Faith he hath received and imbraced Christ for Life before God, be destitute of good works: for, as I said, the Word and Spirit comes also by this Faith, and dwels in the Heart and Conscience: now, shall a Soul where the Word and Spirit of Christ dwels, be a Soul without good Works? Yea, shall a Soul that has received the Love, the Mercy, the Kindness, Grace and Salvation of God through the Sorrows, Tears, Groans, Cross and Cruel Death of Christ, be yet a Fruitless Tree! God forbid. This faith is as the Salt which the Prophet cast into the Spring of bitter Water, [2 King 2.19, 20, 21, 22.] it makes the Soul good and serviceable for ever.