present pleasure or advantage, or an escape from a present impending evil, to all the promises of the Gospel, and to all evangelical piety. A true and living faith produces far more excellent and salutary fruits. It impresses the image of what is good upon the soul in so deep characters, that it esteems nothing more noble or delightful than to make every possible exertion to attain it. It imprints the bright and spotless holiness of the Lord Jesus, in so vivid colours, that the soul, beholding it with the greatest affection, is transformed into its image. It so pathetically represents the love of a dying Saviour, that the believer deems nothing more desirable, than, in return, to live and die to him.s It gives so lively a view, and produces so indelible an impression, of the promised bliss, that, for the sake of that bliss, the soul is prepared to face every danger, and to sustain every suffering. Thus it purifies the very heart, and disposes it to the practice of a sincere and stedfast piety; which is always more lively or more languid, in proportion to the vigour or languor of faith.i

XXXIV. Having thus illustrated the nature of a living faith, and the manner in which it is distinguished from that which is presumptuous, we shall now accomplish what remains to be done with the greater brevity and ease. Let us proceed, then, to what we promised to speak of in the second place, viz. What is intended by the appropriation of this faith to every Christian in particular. We do not say, WE BELIEVE, but I BELIEVE. The principal reasons of this, appear to be the three following. 1st, Because the faith of one cannot avail for the salvation of another; but every indi

vidual must be justified by his own faith. We do not deny that the faith of parents is so far profitable to their children, that, on account of it, they are numbered among God's covenant-people, so long as they do not by their conduct give evidence of the contrary. The faith of the parents, however, is not sufficient for the salvation of their children, unless the children themselves be regenerated and united to Christ by the Spirit of grace. To this is usually referred that remarkable passage, Habakkuk ii. 4. which some render, "The just shall live by his (own) faith." But I will not dissemble that the relative "his" may properly be applied to Christ, of whom it is said in the preceding verse," he will surely come, he will not tarry;" so that the meaning may be, by the faith of him, that is, of Christ. This interpretation corresponds with the expression in Isaiah, “By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many,"m where his knowledge" signifies the knowledge of Christ. This, also, appears to be a richer sense, and more glorifying to Christ. It remains, however, a truth, that every man is justified by his own faith. 2dly, Another reason for the singular number is, that this Summary of faith was framed in the primitive church for this purpose, that they who were about to be baptized, when interrogated with regard to their faith, might return an answer, every one for himself. It was usual to examine a person who was going to receive baptism, in this manner; "What do you believe?" To which he replied, “I believe in God the Father," &c. 3dly, This reason also may be added, that we cannot give testimony con

* John iii, 3, 5.

m Ch. liii. 11. gr.

.וצדיק באמונתו יחיה !

cerning the faith of another with the same certainty as concerning our own faith. Augustine has well said, "Faith resides in our innermost parts; nor does any "man see it in another, but every one may see it in "himself. Hence it is possible, that it may be coun"terfeited by artifice, and supposed to be in one who, "in reality, is destitute of it. Every one, therefore,

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sees his own faith in himself."*

XXXV. To proceed now to the third division of the subject; let us inquire in what manner every one may be conscious of his own faith. That it is possible and usual for believers to have in themselves a consciousness of their own faith, Paul teaches us, not only by his example, when he says, "I know whom I have believed," but also by the following exhortation addressed unto all," Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves." This exhortation would be quite nugatory, were it impossible for men, by examining and proving themselves, to attain the knowledge of that which they thus investigate. That this is a possible attainment, he intimates in a manner still more express, by adding, "Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you ?"

XXXVI. Nor is it difficult to understand, how this consciousness of faith may arise in the minds of believers. It is requisite, in the first place, that they be well instructed from the word of God, with respect to the nature of saving faith. Not that it is necessary to burden and perplex the minds of the weak with a multiplicity of marks. Only let the principal and essential acts of a true faith be simply and clearly shown them. Let them be urged to attend to the difference betwixt a * De Trinit. Lib. xiii. cap. 2.

2 Tim. i. 12.

• 2 Cor. xiii. 5.

strong and a weak faith; betwixt a lively and a languid faith; betwixt a faith which is calm and tranquil, and that which is shaken by numerous temptations. Let them be taught, not only that the faith which is weak, languid, and shaken, is, yet true and genuine; but also, that, when they examine themselves, a weak faith is not to be tried by the idea of a strong faith; nor a languid by the idea of a lively faith; nor that which is shaken by the idea of that which is tranquil; but that each is to be compared with its own proper idea. This being well considered, let every one examine himself, and see whether he puts forth such acts of faith as those which we have now described. Of this, no one that attends properly to himself can be ignorant. Every man is immediately conscious to himself of those things which he thinks and wills, for the precise reason that he thinks and wills them. Now, faith is, unquestionably, an exercise of the understanding and will.

XXXVII. Some, perhaps, may object, "If it is represented as so easy for one to possess a consciousness "of his own faith, how does it happen, that a great "number of believers are tormented with harassing "doubts and waverings, with respect to this point?" For this, however, several reasons may be assigned. 1st, It often happens that they have either formed to themselves a wrong idea of saving faith, or rashly adopted a mistaken notion of it, which others have incautiously suggested. Thus we have learned by experience, that a considerable number of afflicted souls, have entertained the opinion, that the essence of faith, consists in a firm persuasion, and delightful sense of the love of God, and a full assurance of their own

* This expression is here used, as synonymous with model, or pattern. T.

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salvation. When, therefore, they could not discover these attainments in themselves, they proceeded, by a rigorous sentence, to expunge their own names from the roll of the faithful. The same persons, however, when better informed about the nature of faith, and when taught that the attainments which we have just mentioned are rather the glorious fruits of an established, than the essential acts of a genuine faith, have gradually returned to greater composure of mind. 2dly, The minds of believers are sometimes agitated by so many storms of temptation, that they do not give, or are even incapable of giving, that attention, which is necessary to distinguish the proper exercises of their own souls. In this condition, they perform every thing in so irregular and desultory a manner, that, so long as the perturbation continues, they cannot clearly discern the state of their own heart, whilst the various thoughts of their mind and emotions of their will, mutually succeed and oppose one another with surprising rapidity. 3dly, Sometimes, also, it is not easy for believers, especially when their souls are in a disconsolate state, to compare their exercises with the description of a genuine faith; or, to speak more clearly, to compare the rule with that which is to be tried by the rule. This is particularly the case, when one has proposed to himself the idea of a lively faith, and finds only a languid faith in his heart. In such circumstances, finding little agreement, or rather, the greatest difference be tween the two, he must almost inevitably form too unfavourable a decision respecting his faith.

XXXVIII. It is not, indeed, absolutely necessary to salvation that every one should know that he is himself a believer; for the promise of salvation is annexed to the sincerity of faith, not to the knowledge which one