SERM. 3. That no metaphorical descriptions of justifying

CCXXVII.

faith are allowable any farther than as they serve to illustrate the plain, and proper, and simple notion of faith. My meaning is, he that would teach men what faith is, he must first acquaint men with the thing, and describe it in as proper and fimple words as can be, and not by figurative and metaphorical phrafes. Indeed after a man hath delivered the fimple notion of a thing in proper words, he may afterwards illustrate it by metaphors: but then these are not to be insisted upon, and strained to the utmost extent of the metaphor, beyond what the true notion of the thing will bear: for if confequences once come to be drawn from metaphors, and doctrines founded, and theories built upon them, instead of illuftrating the thing, they blind and obfcure it, and serve to no other purpose, but to feduce and miflead the understandings of men, and to multiply controverfies without end: and (as I told you before) I do the rather take notice of this abuse of metaphors upon this fubject, because I do not know any other head of divinity which hath fuffered fo much by them, as the doctrine of justifying faith, whereby the plain truth hath been very much darkened, and occafion minifter'd to many endless disputes. But this will best appear by some particular instances. Justifying faith hath usually been described by these metaphors, "resting, " and relying, and leaning upon CHRIST, appre " hending, and laying hold, and applying of CHRIST, " receiving of CHRIST, and coming to him." Now concerning these, I shall briefly speak these three or four things.

(1.) That none of these metaphors, except the two last, " receiving of CHRIST, and coming to him," are any where used in scripture, to describe justifying faith by; and therefore there is no reason why they SERM.

= should be fo much used and insisted on. Let any man thew me where justifying faith is any where in fcripture described by " resting, and relying, and leaning

upon CHRIST, by apprehending and laying hold, -" and applying of him."

(2.) If these metaphors were explained and turned into proper and plain words, they can fignify nothing else, but that faith which I have been all this while defcribing. For what can any man understand by

refting, and relying, and leaning upon CHRIST," but to trust in him as the author of our eternal falvation, under which word all the benefits which CHRIST - hath purchased for us are comprehended? Now ean any man be faid to trust in CHRIST, as the author of his falvation, otherwise than by assenting to the truth of the gospel, and complying with the - terms and conditions of it? and what can any man understand by "apprehending, and laying hold on, " and applying CHRIST," other than this, to make use of him for all those ends and purposes for which God hath appointed him ? and what those are, the fcripture tells us, that "he is made unto us of God,

wisdom, and righteousness, and fanctification, and "redemption."

(3.) As for those scripture metaphors of "receiv"ing CHRIST, and coming to him," the scripture useth them but sparingly, and I dare fay, for once that it useth these metaphors, it doth twenty times describe faith by plain and proper words; and where it does make use of these metaphors, it doth sufficiently explain them. So you find coming to CHRIST is explained by learning of him, Matt. xi. 28, 29. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy "laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke " upon

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CCXXVII. CCXXVII.

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SERM." upon you, and learn of me: for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your "fouls. That is, come to me as scholars and difciples to be taught by me; in order to which it is requisite that we should believe him. Oportet difcentem credere, " he that will learn, must believe him " that teacheth him," and trust his skill. And fo for receiving him, lest the metaphor should seduce 'men, St. John had no sooner used it, but he tells what he means by it, John i. 12. "But as many as " received him, to them gave he power to become "the fons of God, even to them that believe on his " name;" that is, believed him to be the person promised to be the Messias, and SAVIOUR of the world; as appears by the opposition in the verse before, " he came to his own, and his own received " him not;" that is, rejected him, did not own him to be the true Messias. But now if we will strain such a metaphor as this beyond the intention of it, and because believing is called a receiving of CHRIST, and we receive things with the hand, and the hand is an instrument, will from hence infer, that faith is an inftrument of our justification; what may not men make of the fcripture at this rate.

(4.) I will add this concerning scripture metaphors in general, that where the fcripture useth metaphors, which were very familiar in those languages in which the scripture was writ, and well understood by those who spoke that language, but are very obscure and uncouth to us, and not at all used in our language, as most of the scripture metaphors are, the proper work of a minifter is not to infift in such cafes upon scripture metaphors, to darken his discourse by them, but to explain them, and make them intelligible, to tranflate them into english, and instead

CCXXVII,

af instead of them to use such phrases as people are SERM. more familiarly acquainted with, and are used in our own language. For a man may be " a barbarian" that speaks to people in unknown phrases and metaphors, as well as " he that speaks in an unknown

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tongue;" and the very same reason that obligeth us to put the fcripture into a known language, doth oblige men to explain the doctrines contained in it by fuch phrases and metaphors as are known and used in that language.

(5.) That if this plain and simple notion of justifying faith were admitted, it would supercede all those controverfies about justification, which have so much troubled the reformed churches. Those who have * been curious to enquire into these matters, have * reckoned up at least twenty several opinions among the Proteftants concerning justifying faith. I do not defire to acquaint myself with those differences; he that would know what justification, and justifying - faith are, shall fooner come to understand the nature of them, by diligent reading of the scriptures, than by reading over all the controversial writings of divines about them; and if men would but content themselves with those plain and simple descriptions

- which the scripture gives us of faith, there could not be any great difference about it; this would cut off most of those disputes which have been commenced upon metaphors and figurative speeches. And here I had thought to have descended to a particular consideration of the controverfies about justifying faith; but I am weary of the work, and therefore shall only make some brief reflections upon this whole discourse, and then apply it to our own use. But this, GoD willing, the next opportunity.

SER

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SERMON

CCXXVIII.

SERM.

CCXXVIII.

{

The condition of the gospel-covenant, and the merit of CHRIST, consistent.

JOHN xx. 31.

But these are written, that ye might believe that JESUS is the CHRIST, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name.

I

HAVE in my former difcourses on these words treated largely of the nature of christian faith, The fourth particularly as it sanctifies, juftifies, and saves men. All fermon on that I farther propose is, to make some reflections upon this text. this whole discourse, particularly that which relates to

justifying faith, and then apply all to our own use.

I have already taken notice of two objections, to which my difcourse may feem liable; and if yet there remain any prejudice upon any man's fpirit against this doctrine, I would defire such calmly to confider it, and the agreeableness of it not to the opinions of men, but to the word of God, and the fuitableness of it to the great design of chriftian religion, every where expressed in the gospel, which is to bring men to holiness and obedience. And what argument and confideration can be more powerful to take men off from fin, and to excite them to the practice of holiness than this, that repentance and obedience are an indispensable condition of our justification and pardon? And this is the very point in difference, whether the gofspel do not make repentance and obedience conditions of our pardon and juftification, as well as an assent to the truth of the gospel, and a trust in CHRIST as the meritorious cause

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