I have discoursed elsewhere concerning justifying faith, * and shall now very briefly glance at some things, wherein its nature and purifying virtue consists.

Justification is an act of God as supreme Judge, invested with the relation of a Father, wherein his majesty and mercy are equally illustrious, in pardoning our sins, and conferring upon us a right to eternal life, for the satisfaction and merits of Christ's righteousness imputed to us, and received by faith. Faith is the condition that qualifies us to have pardon applied to us; 1 John 12. and its nature consists in receiving Christ upon the terms of the gospel; that is, our unfeigned accepting him as "our Prince and Saviour," Acts 5. 31. and entire reliance upon him. The general belief of the gospel is not justifying faith; but our regular trust in the pardoning grace of God, necessarily includes our performing the condition of the promise; that is, a reliance on Christ, joined with a sincere resolution to obey him. A particular persuasion that our sins are pardoned, is not justifying faith: we are commanded to believe, that we may be pardoned. Many sincere believers have distracting doubts about their pardon: the matter being of infinite importance, they are fearful in the inquiries of their title to it. And others are deceived with presumption instead of faith in Christ, and security instead of peace with God. And by this we may understand from whence the purifying virtue of faith, as it justifies, proceeds; for it necessarily supposes us to be under the guilt of sin, and in desperate misery; that we are obnoxious to God's tribunal, who is a righteous and holy Judge, angry and incensed for our sins, and will be a revenging Judge to all that continue in their guilty state; and that our pardon and right to eternal life are to be entirely ascribed to the sovereign mercy of God, the original cause, and the blood of Christ, Rom. 3. 25. the méritorious cause of it. "Now faith works by love;" the love of God to us apprehended by faith, and our love to him, which is the reflection of his beams shining in our hearts, and is the powerful principle of obedience to him. The well-grounded belief that God will save us, and bring us to eternal glory, does naturally and necessarily inspire the breast of a christian with a holy fear of sin that provokes him, and a constant care to please him in all things. Besides,

* Sermons on the Forgiveness of Sins.

God in dispensing his pardoning-mercy, requires our perseverance in a holy conversation. What our Saviour said to the man miraculously cured of his inveterate disease, "Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more lest a worse thing befal thee," John 5. 14. is virtually said to every pardoned believer : when God speaks "peace to his people," it is with this caution, "Let them not return any more to folly." I shall under another head speak of faith, as the effectual means of our sanctification; and now will proceed.

3. Faith in the disposal of all things by the infallible providence of God, is one of those universal principles, those prime and great truths, rich in practical consequences, that are powerful to compose and calm our minds and hearts in the midst of the visible disorders and confusion of things in the present world. The heathens measured the divine perfections by the compass of their narrow understandings. They could not conceive, that one God was able to order all things, and formed a vast number of subordinate gods, to whom the care of particular things was committed. They blasphemed him in their imaginations, thinking him to be like mortal kings, insufficient to govern immediately several kingdoms and nations, divers in their customs and languages; who are constrained to manage their affairs by the number, variety and order of officers: viceroys to divide the government, counsellors to advise about occurrences of moment, secretaries to give commissions and make dispatches, judges to dispense the laws, military-officers to prevent tumults.

Others confined his presence and agency to the heavens, and sequestered him from the lower world, the mutable sphere of the elements, and of men and their actions, leaving them under the dominion of fortune. Others thought that he was so content with his own felicity, that all things without him were distant from his thoughts and care, and that to regard and regulate the multitude of emergencies in this lower world, would disturb his felicity. Thus the professors of wisdom, like the foolish Harpaste that Seneca speaks of, who insensible of her own blindness, always complained the sun was down and the house dark, thought all things were left at random, in loose disorder, and confusion here below. Nay some of the clearest spirits, and most virtuous among the heathen, could not reconcile the oppressions and infelicities of good men, and the prosperity of the

wicked, with the rectitude and equity of the divine providence; and expressed their discontents in the style and accent of their passions. Of this we have two eminent instances: Brutus, who with inviolable integrity, had as a senator managed the public affairs, and with undeclining courage endeavoured to recover his country from ignominious bondage; when vanquished by the usurpers, broke out into a tragical complaint, "O virtue, I worship thee as a substantial good, a deity; but thou art an empty name, an idol." The emperor Titus, who was the delight of mankind for his goodness and benignity; surprized with death in his flourishing age, accused heaven that his life was unjustly snatched from him. "The ways and thoughts of God in the government of the world are above the ways and thoughts of men, as the heavens are higher than the earth.” And if his wisdom had not descended from heaven, and discovered itself in the sanctuary, "We should be foolish, and like the beasts that perish." Psal. 73.

But the word of God ussures us, that nothing happens in this tumultuous and tempestuous world, without the knowledge, the will, either approving or permissive, and efficiency of God so far as to dispose the worst evils by his powerful providence subordinately to his main end, that is alway good. Nothing is so high as to be exempted from the dominion, nor so low as to be excluded from the care of his providence.

(1.) We are assured that all things and persons are under the eye and inspection of his providence. No silence, no solitude nor darkness can hide the designs and actions of the wicked, nor the sufferings of his people from his perfect knowledge. How many millions of inhabitants are in the world, how different their conditions and circumstances, ebbing or flowing, but they are all actually and distinctly known to God. Without his universal and infallible knowledge, it were impossible that God should govern the world and judge it. Torquatus Manlius, a noble Roman, though blind through age, was chosen consul and general, to rule the state, and the army. But no arguments, no entrea

O virtus te colui ut rem, sed nomen inane es.

+ Cœlumque 1. ultum conquestus eripi sibi vitam immerenti,

Suet.

‡ Non specie sed ordine placent nam vitiorum, nostrorum non est author deus sed ordinator. Aug.

ties could persuade him to consent to it: he answered, "That it was absolutely absurd, that the lives and estates of others should be committed to his providence and protection, who must manage all things by the eyes of others." The perfection of God's knowledge qualifies him to govern the world, and is the foundation of trust in him. "He tells the number of the stars," that seem innumerable, Psal. 147. 41. And from hence the psalmist encourages the church, that was then dispersed in captivity, that he "could gather the out-casts of Israel," though scattered in strange countries, "and build up Jerusalem." He not only "numbers the stars, but the hairs of our heads;" Luke 12. 7. that are of so small consideration. All creatures are supported in their beings and operations by his power, therefore it is impossible they should be without his knowledge, and that any thing should be done by them, or befal them without his disposing will.

(2.) The providence of God is not merely theoretical, but active, and orders all things. "He rides upon the heavens:" Deut. 26. that is, regulates their motions as easily as a skilful rider manages a horse. The stars, that in the language of scripture are the "armies of heaven," for their number, order, and actions, "he calls by their names:" Psal. 147. 4. that is, absolutely commands them. For his call is always effectual, and exactly accomplished. As in the creation, "He spake, and it was done: he commanded, and it stood fast." So in the conversation and government of the world, his word is as powerful. "Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names, by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power, not one faileth." Isa. 40. 26. He is not only the God of the hills, but of the vallies:" 1 Kings 20. there is nothing so inconsiderable, but is under the immediate disposal of his providence. A sparrow worth but "half a farthing, does not fall to the ground, nor a hair of our heads without his disposal." Matt. 10. All the casualties and contingencies in the world are ordered by him. The arrow shot at a venture was directed by an invisible eye and hand, to smite the king of Israel between

* Impudentem & gubernatorem, & imperatorem esse, qui cum alienis oculis ei omnia agenda sunt, postulat sibi aliorum cupita & vitos committi, Liv.

the joints of his harness, and wound him to death. 1 Kings 22. The most arbitrary and free causes are under his determinate influence. The hearts "of kings are in his hands, and are turned by him as rivers of waters," which a gardener turns into several channels for to make his ground fruitful. Sin that is directly contrary to his law, is not only permitted and restrained, but ordered as a means to illustrate his providence, justice and goodness. Joseph's malicious brethren sold him into Egypt, but God sent him to make provision for the family of Jacob in a time of extreme famine. He permitted the lying spirit to deceive Ahab, by inspiring his false prophets to encourage him to go to Ramoth-gilead, that he might fall in battle. He gives riches and honour to his enemies, who presumptuously break his laws of the greatest consequence, and foresees they will abuse them, and prodigally perish.

It was an incredible conception to the heathen, that one God was able to govern the world: but his "power and understanding are truly infinite ;" and it is more easy to him, than for a man to lift a feather. The accidents in this world are innumerable, but cannot distract an infinite eternal mind, nor cause weariness in the Almighty. Every agent must be united by active power with the objects upon which it immediately works. The power of God is his essence, not a separable quality; he is intimate and present with all things. One sun is sufficient to measure times, distinguish seasons, and to preserve an entire world of living creatures; the meanest worm or herb is cherished by its heat, as if all its influences were confined for their preserving. And is not an infinite God sufficient to support, and dispose all things?

(3.) Divine providence is more special and tender towards God's peculiar people. "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the whole earth, to show himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are perfect towards him." 2 Chron. 16. "His tender inercies," (his extensive attribute) "are over all his works :" but more eminently exercised according to their degrees of goodness, and his propriety in them. Our Saviour infers by the clearest consequence, that the divine providence, that reaches to the falling of a sparrow, is much more concerned for his people; accordingly encourages his disciples, "Fear not, ye are of more value than many sparrows. God is the Saviour of all men, espe