JAMES 2. 26.
HOwsoever the Apostle his scope in this Chapter be much controverted, yet vers. 14. doth manifestly evidence his purpose, which is to take off Titular Believers, who glory in the Name and Profession of Faith from all their confident boasting, if their Faith be not accompanied with an holy and godly life. Some think this dangerous mistake grew from a misunderstanding of many places in Pauls Epistles, where he seemeth only to set up Faith, and makes no matter of Sanctification. Whereupon the reconciliation of Paul and James, these two great Apostles, hath to all seemed very difficult; to others impossible, who therefore have expunged this Epistle out of the Canon.
I will not trouble you with the several waies of Reconciliation endeavoured by the learned; That which I shall pitch upon is this, That Paul speaks of Faith in it’s relation to Justification, considering it only in that act, shewing that Faith onely, and no other grace justifieth. James demonstrateth what kinde of Faith this is, viz. an actual operative one, which puts a man upon all holy duties. Paul proveth that Faith alone justifieth, and James, that this Faith which doth only justifie, is not alone, but accompanied with other graces. Paul argueth against a Pharisee that sets up his own works against Faith, James argueth against a carnal Gospeller or Publican, that thinketh a bare profession will save. Nor is it any wonder that such an errour spread, That a man by his Faith only should inherit heaven, seeing even in Augustines time it was a general opinion, which that Father did with much fear and modesty gain-say, That every Christian, in that he was a Christian, though a drunkard, whoremonger, &c. would be saved?
The Apostle useth several weighty arguments to overthrow such a vain confidence, in all which he doth not derogate from Faith, but discover Presumption.
For in the first place, to shew the weaknesse of such a profession of Faith, he compareth it with a profession of Charity, vers. 15, 16. If one give good words to a brother in need, bid him, Depart in peace, be warmed and filled, but give him nothing, would not this be ridiculous? So thou believest there is a God, a hell, a day of judgement, but livest in prophanenesse and impiety, Is not this thy Faith a mockery?
Secondly, He compareth this Faith with that of the Devils, and sheweth the Devils go further then such loose Christians; they believe a God and tremble, but so do not many dissolute believers: how Devils believe, and whether an hypocrites faith goeth further then theirs, are noble Questions, but not at this time to be discussed?
Thirdly, He proveth the insufficiency of such a Faith from Abrahams faith, the pattern of all: Abrahams faith that justified him, was a working faith, it made him offer up his onely Sonne, when God commanded him. That very place which Paul brings to prove Abraham was justified by faith, James brings to prove, that this faith was not alone, but working eminently.
Lastly, In my Text, The Apostle argueth à simili, from a similitude, as the Body without the Spirit is dead, so is Faith without Works. By Spirit, some understand breath, and so they think, that as without breath the body is discovered to be dead, so without holy works faith is declared to be dead; and this they doe, lest it should be thought, that as the soul is the form of the body, so a godly life should be the form of faith: Whereas indeed by other places, Faith is the form or efficient rather of holinesse; and therefore Faith is much rather to be compared to the soul, for it’s that which animateth all our actions, and makes them acceptable to God. But we may retain the word Spirit, understanding it of the Soul, for the Apostle doth not consider a man here ad intra, in respect of God and Justification, but ad extra, in respect of others, and the declaration of his Justification. And so the sense, as the body is known to be dead, if we perceive no vital or animal actions flowing from the soul, we perceive it not breathe, stir, or move; so is a mans faith dead, if we see it not demonstrated by effectual operations in the way of grace. Thus as it was in Christ, his Divine Nature, which was hidden, became manifest by those miraculous operations he wrought, that none else could do; so faith is latent in a man, and breaks out in the discovery of it self by an holy life; and in this sense Faith is said to be made perfect by works, viz. declaratively, and by manifestation.
Observ. That a divine Faith, or perswasion of the truths in Religion, is not evidence sure enough of our being in the state of grace.
Orthodoxy is not enough for Heaven. To be a good sound Protestant and no more, will not carry us out of the wildernesse into Canaan. To have a sound judgement, but an ungodly life, is to be like the Toad, which they say hath a Pearl in her head, but her body is full of poyson. It is not enough to say, You thank God you are none of the Hereticks or Sectaries, unlesse also you can say, You are none of the swearers, proud, prophane men. We may by experience observe what a strong support this is to many men, when they die, that they die in the true faith, they die no Papists, no Arminians, &c. Now although when errors creep in, as the Frogs once did into Aegypt, getting into every house and chamber almost, it be a great mercy to be preserved in the truth, and that also by truth we come to grace; yet because there are too many Solifidians, as the Papists calumniate the Protestants Doctrine, men who relie onely upon this, that they are of the Reformed Religion, but yet are not of a Reformed Conversation, it is necessary to drive this Point home to the very heart.
For the opening of it, consider these particulars:
First, That although the word Faith be of a very vast signification in the Scripture,1 yet this distinction is necessary to be observed; Faith is either taken for the Object which we do believe, or the true Doctrine; in which sense the Apostle cals it one Faith, and Jude exhorts to contend for the Faith. Though Junius very improbably would interpret that of the act of Faith, expresly rejecting that Exposition of the Doctrine of Faith. This was afterwards called Dogmaticall and Catholick Faith, or Fides quae creditur; or secondly, it is taken for that act of the soul, whereby we give assent unto truths revealed in Gods word, and this is in the heart, not Catholick, but Personal and particular; and in this sense the word is most commonly taken, and this is Fides qua creditur.
Secondly, This Faith thus in the minde and heart of men, is by the Orthodox2 divided into an Historical Faith, not called so because they believe the Scripture for the Authority of the History-writer, nor because it believeth the History of the Scripture onely, for it believeth the threatnings and Promises also, but because the historical part is the greater part in quantity of the object believed. 2. A miraculous faith. 3. A temporary, 4 A justifying: by which division the learned do not distribute an univocal genus into its distinct species, but onely grossely lay down this difference, for in a justified person its the same habit of faith that believeth the History, and particularly applieth the promises of Justification, the one being a general act, the other specifical. The Papists scorn at this distinction. To the Protestants, saith Maldonate, Tot sunt sides. quet in Lyra, jesting upon the word Faith: The Protestants have as many faiths, as there be Fiddle strings upon a Fiddle; but the Scripture compels us to make such a distinction; for we read of many who are said to believe in the Scripture, who yet had not a true lively work of grace upon them.
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To Faith or believing, there are three acts required, Knowledge, Assent3 and fiducial Application; Hence its usual with the Scripture to describe faith by one of these acts, not excluding but supposing the other, as, This is eternal life, to know thee, &c. Joh. 17. 3. by knowledge is meant the powerfull receiving of Christ into our hearts, and herein doth this historical faith come short, because its not so fiducial, and so receptive of Christ, the fountain of life, as it should be; and in this act its said to justifie, compared therefore by Divines to the hand, to the eye, to the glasse-window in the house that only lets in light; to the navel by which the childe in the mothers belly liveth and obtaineth all its nourishment; but we at this time speak of faith in the second act as it is assensitive, and giveth credence to the truths of God.
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Our assent and perswasion of the truth in matters of Religion, may be either4 humane meerly, because of custome, education, and the Authority of the Church: or divine, being enclined and moved thereunto, because of Divine Authority. This distinction is much to be observed, because its to be feared, that most Protestants have no more then a humane faith. They believe our Religion upon no more divine ground then Papists theirs, or Turks theirs. It is the Religion of their Fathers, and of the State and Commonwealth wherein they live. Thus you see how in King Edwards daies the generality of the Kingdome turned Protestants, and in Queen Maries Papists, why so? but because their Religion was placed as the Heathens did Fortune upon a round Globe, which quickly moved this way, and the other. But Divine Faith hath this ground, The Lord hath said it. And as a man seeth the Sunne by the light of the Sunne; so they believe the truths in Scripture, because of that Divine Authority shining therein, I do not therefore speak of an humane faith in matters of Religion, but a divine faith, whereby men are inabled upon supernatural grounds to believe the truths of God revealed; for faith is the gift of God, and that in all the acts of it, Knowledge, Assent and fiducial Application, and the Spirit of God doth so enlighten the minds of many unregenerate men, that they believe the word of God, as Gods word, and yet for all that, are not in a soul-saving way united to Christ. It may indeed be well doubted, and some Divines incline that way, that no unregenerate man hath so much as an historicall faith, as infused by God in them, and acting upon divine motives: only they say, they have an humane assent, as we spake of. But because the current of learned men go otherwise, and we see the Scripture expresly saying, that many did beleeve in him, who yet did not mortifie vain-glory, and sinfull fear of men, therefore we shall take it for granted, that they have a divine faith, though not justifying.
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This historicall faith, though it be not enough to Justification and salvation,5 yet it’s absolutely necessary, and is to be laid down as the foundation. The ground why men living under the Ministry are damned, is because they have not so much as historicall faith. Who hath beleeved our report? They do not firmly beleeve that there is a God, that there is an hell, that the threatnings of God are true; for if so, what fear, what great alterations would this make upon them! We see what humane faith will do, if a man beleeveth that he is in such danger, that such enemies lie in wait to kill him, that he is condemned by the Law to death, how restlesse and troubled is his soul? how much more would the heart of a sinner quake within him, if he did beleeve That Word of God which doth thus threaten and damn my sins is infallibly true, it will be made good, do I what I can: heaven and earth will sooner fall to pieces then one iota or tittle of it: Whether shall I fly from it? how shall I escape it? These vehement workings of faith would be like fire in his bowels, burning and consuming him, till he be cooled by the bloud of Christ. Therefore though this faith be not enough, yet here is no building without this foundation.
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This historicall faith though in some respects it be like that of the devils, especially because of the barrennesse and unfruitfullnesse of it: yet it is in other respects6 farre different: for this faith is an habit infused into the beleever, and so wrought by God, but in the devils it’s from evident experience, so that it’s not a voluntary but a necessary faith, for they being already in torments, and finding part of their torments already inflicted upon them, they are forced to believe there is a God. Now although this be so, yet we may with the Apostle make a comparison of both of them together, and thus farre argue, that if the meer acknowledging and beleeving of the matters of religion were enough, then the devils might be saved as well as such beleevers.
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Although faith hath knowledge (for a man cannot beleeve that which he hath not either evidentiam rei, or evidentiam testimonij at least. The Trinity though7 it hath not evidence of the thing, yet it hath evidence of the testimony plainly in Scripture) yet that knowledge is not by demonstration, which Philosophers call scientia strictly, and therefore is obtained not so much by disputation as resignation, bringing the understanding into captivity, saith the Apostle: and this should be thought on by these sceptique times, who are busied in knowing but not in assenting, which makes them so fickle and unconstant: Austin said, that not intelligendi vivacitas, but credendi simplicitas tutam facit turbam; but how many like those Valentinians Irenaeus speaks of are puft up with arrogancy and pride in knowledge, as if they could number the hair of a mans head, and tell the stars in the heavens, or the sand on the sea shore!
Lastly, It cannot be denied but that the Scripture doth attribute salvation in some places even to this historicall faith, Mat. 9, 28. Christ required only of that8 blinde man, a faith that he was able to help him; so Luke 7. 9. Mat. 8. 10. The faith of the Centurion so much commended, seemeth only to be of the historicall truth of Christs Divinity and omnipotency. Peters faith which Christ so praised, was only, Thou art the Son of the living God: so Martha’s faith, Joh. 11. 26. and that is remarkable, 1 John 5. 1. Every one that beleeveth that Jesus is Christ, is born of God. These and the like places make Papists conclude that all the justifying faith that is, is to beleeve these truths only: yea Arminius, and I wish not too many of late, hold this to be saving and justifying faith, when we beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Mediatour, and will save all those that beleeve in him, and they are not a| to say, that Abraham beleeved no more: I am not now to confute this unsound Tenet; only take notice, That the reason why the Scripture sometimes attributeth salvation to the meer beleeving of Jesus Christ to be God, was because the only question then was about the person of Christ, not the office of Christ; The godly doubted not whether if he were the Christ he would be a King and Priest to them, but whether he was the Christ or no; and because it was so great a matter to beleeve him to be the promised Messiah, who was outwardly […]o mean and contemptible: Therefore doth the Scripture so much magnifie this act. And 2. though the Scripture give salvation to such acts, yet it doth suppose the other, so that we must compare other places with these, and then we shall see, that it is not enough to give a bare assent to these things, but there also ought to be a powerfull […]ence of this faith into our conversation, These things thus explained, let us consider why such a faith is not enough, that so you may not deceive your selves. Comfort not your selves meerly in this, I have the true religion on my side: but rather enquire, whether all the concomitants and effects of it also be to be found in you.
Now the deficiency of this faith ariseth severall waies. First, The subject wherein9 it is, This reacheth no further then to the perfecting of the understanding. Whereas full saving faith Rom. 10. is fixed in the heart, with the heart man beleeveth, so purifying their hearts by faith, and Christ dwels in our hearts by faith; so that faith extending no further then to the understanding, cannot bring that happiness the Word speaks of. A man of a sound brain, but corrupt vitals, will quickly go down to the gates of death. Now this is the generall temper of most Protestants, They have no further work then upon their understandings, many times their lives are as noisome as dunghils; Men are Protestants in doctrines, and recusants in lives, because they refuse the yoke of Christ, and will not submit to his Law. Hell is filled not only with Pagans and Heathens, but ungodly Christians: Truth like Aarons oil must not be powred upon the head only, but run down to the heart and other parts: The Orthodox were called Protestants first, because at the beginning of reformation they made a solemn protestation against those Articles of Popish Religion, which were to be established: but what if thy tongue protest for the truth, and thy life protest against it?
Secondly, There is a defect in its acts, for although this faith carrieth us out to beleeve10 it as true, yet not to embrace it as good; Whereas the Word of God is not only faithfull, but worthy of all acceptation: It’s a frigid exposition to say, that faith it called the substance of things, because it makes them to subsist in us by way of understanding meerly; no, it causeth those things hoped for to dwell in the soul by strong imbracements, so that the heart of a man is knitted to them, Abraham beleeved my day, and rejoyced; The people of God beleeve, and herein their hearts do all burn within them: It’s like the burning-glasse, which by its beams sets the prepared object on fire: pray therefore to love the goodnesse of it, as assent to the truth of it.
Thirdly, There is a defect in the efficacy and power of it; True lively faith will11 like fire devour all drosse, whereas we see the historicall believer cannot subdue sin. The Jews though they did believe on Christ, yet they for fear dared not to confess him, because they loved the praise of men more then the glory of God; They believed him to be Christ, but would not be afflicted or persecuted for his sake; so John 2. 23. Many beleeved, but Jesus would not commit himself to them, for he knew what was in man; but lively faith would make a man like Paul, triumph over all difficulties, because they look upon the things that are not seen: If faith bring Christ, the fountain of grace into a mans soul, that mans life can be no more constantly wicked, then if a man could carry the sunne in his hand he could walk in darknesse. As therefore the people stood looking upon John as if he were the Messias, and John denyed himself to be the Messias, saying, there is one more noble then I, whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unlose, so do thou say, Though there are these acts of faith, to know, to assent to Gods truths; yet there are such further noble acts, as that these deserve not the name of faith comparatively, such are, to purifie the heart, to justifie, to sanctifie, to keep from all sin, and to bring Christ to dwell in our hearts.
Fourthly, It is defective in its Concomitants; This Historicall faith is not necessarily conjoyned with other graces, whereas a true and lively faith can no more be12 separated from other graces, then light and heat can be divided in the Sun-beams, for true faith is that branch which sucks of the Olive fatnesse, it uniteth us as members to Christ, and when we are so, it’s impossible but that power and life should be communicated to us; Hence all those eminent acts of holinesse spoken of Heb. 11. are given to faith, and Gol 5. faith is said to work by love; but Simon Magus had HIstoricall faith, and it was alone, there were no graces to accompany it. Hence we distinguish between faith alone in the subject, and faith alone in the act of Justification. The hand alone receiveth that which is offered to it, but the hand could not do this if it were alone, separated from other parts. Hence it is that Believers and Saints are used promisenously one for another, because true lively Believers can no more be without holinesse, then the Sun dark, or the fire cold: Yet for all this, This historicall faith is a true faith, and it’s the gift of God, even as other common gifts of Gods Spirit are: As copper is a true mettall though it be not gold. By this means it cometh about that a lively faith is proper to the Elect only. Hence it’s called the faith of the Elect; and as many beleeved as were ordained to eternall life. Oh therefore consider your selves, you who boast of your faith, you who glory in this, that you change not your faith as others do, make diligent search whether it be not a Simon Magus his faith that leaveth thee still in a state of gall and bitternesse, I am (thou saist) for the doctrine of the Church of England, and art thou also for the life required in Gods Word?
Fifthly, The deficiency of it is seen comparatively, with other graces; If a man make a beast of such a grace in his heart, and demonstrate no reall effects13 thereof, is it not hypocrisie and delusion? The Apostle maketh a parallell in charity, which gives good words, fair promises, but exhibits no reall comfort: Even such a t[…]ular beleever is a man that assenteth to the true doctrine of Christ, but neglecteth reall godlinesse: faith is called the acknowledging of the truth after godlinesse; when a mans heart comes to be heated with burning love, as well as inlightned with shining light, this is of sure consequence. All the graces of God have their reall effects, they are not barely notionall, but as fire doth really burn, gall doth really imbitter, so doth grace produce its sensible, and powerfull effects, Shew me thy faith by thy works, saith the Apostle: Shew thou beleevest there is a God by fearing of him, by obeying of him: Shew thou beleevest a day of judgement by preparing to give an account at that time. All grace is for operation as its perfection, therefore the commands of God are for the acts, not the habits, and we may as well carry fire in our bosomes, and not feel it burn us, as carry true lively faith, and it not cleanse our life.
- Historicall faith if not growing into a saving, lively way, is but a kinde of hypocrisie and mocking of God; for to professe that we beleeve him to be omniscient,14 omnipotent, that all those terrible threatnings belong to us, and yet we live in those sinnes that will bring those judgements; what is this but to delude God as much as lyeth in us? But be not deceived, God is not mocked: nay we delude, and mock our own souls; for so saith James, If any man seem to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, he doth […], deceive his own soul: put a fallacy upon himself, he argueth a non causâ, procausâ. He thinks this outward profession, this solemn, externall acknowledgement is enough, and a good cause of comfort: Whereas it is none at all: God complains of this of old, that men draw nigh to him with their lips, but their hearts are far from him. Consider this, you who are apt to judge the people of God that endeavour faithfully to secure him, though subject to many infirmities, hypocrites and deceitfull persons; know you are the grossest and most notorious hypocrites that ever were; You professe you beleeve in God, you love him; you proclaim to the world, that you think there is an hell and heaven, but is not thy life a flat contradiction of all this? only to all this which hath been said, we must adde this caution, that while we make historicall faith thus separated from a godly life, possible in many men, and that it is in effect a dead faith, because it’s not available for those necessary priviledges of justification and salvation: yet we lay not any ground for that popish distinction of a faith informis and formata: an informed faith they call a belief of the truths of religion, without any love to them, or of God: a formed faith they call that which is inabled by love, and animated by that to do that which is holy. Thus they make faith of it self a meer speculative apprehension, which is to be moulded into obedience only by love. But this is false, for it’s true and lively faith that puts us upon loving and doing all for God, therefore called faith that works by love, and I beleeved therefore I spake. Thus Heb. 11. By faith Noah, Abraham, and all those eminent Saints and those glorious acts of holinesse. Therefore faith is rather a form assistant of love and other graces, then they of it: Historicall faith when it’s formed into obedience, is thereunto inabled not by love but by justifying faith.
Use. Use of instruction concerning the necessity of discovering this false sign. There is nothing more common then to build all our hopes upon this, that we are for the truth. That as the Jews boasted, the law was given to them, and not to other Nations: and therefore thought, though they lived in all wickednesse, that would save them; thus do Christians about Christianity: Oh, they beleeve as well as any; They will live and die good Protestants, not attending to what iniquity may be seen in their lives: but what are thy oaths, thy lusts, thy opposings of godlinesse? are these signs of a good protestant also? There was one Eunomius a wretched heretique in the Church, and he taught, that whosoever would be of his sect, a disciple unto him, his very faith would be enough to save, though he should commit the most flagitious crimes that ever were; and do not we thus about the true religion? The Antinomian he makes that a dead and dangerous faith, when we doe not beleeve that God seeth no sinne in us, and that we are as perfectly righteous as Christ, and therefore chargeth all the godly Ministery and people of England with no more then a dead faith: but we see that is a dead faith in Scripture sense, which doth not inable to all mortification, and godlinesse: Therefore the Antinomian faith is a dead faith in the Apostles argument: Well then, let none run to this altar, He is a good Protestant, if ungodly in life, for it will fall out to him as to Joab, though at the horns of the Altar, he will be dragged away, and adjudged to eternall death. Many complain the Creed is banished out of the Church, and they consider not they have long agone banished it out of their lives; for what doth not thy prophanesse, thy impiety, say there is no God, there is no resurrection, there is no day of judgement? How can ye beleeve (said Christ) when ye seek the glory of one another; Alas that seemeth a small matter, how can ye beleeve, when you oppose and scoff at godlinesse, prophane Gods Sabbaths, neglect all Family duties? Consider you are not only called out of Popery to have a better religion, but out of the world to live better lives.