The Seventh Lord’s Day

07 The Seventh Lord’s Day
Acts 16:31
And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved and your house.
In this text is contained Paul’s and Silas’ answer to the question proposed by the Jailer concerning the way how to be saved; in which these two things are proposed: 1. An act absolutely necessary to attain salvation, namely, that of Faith; believe, they say. And this act is declared by its proper object, our Lord Jesus Christ. 2. The effect that is certain to follow this act is set down, and that is the salvation of him that believes.
Doctrine 1. All are not saved by Christ, but only those who are united or grafted into Christ by Faith.
It is gathered from this Text, that one who is careful how to be saved, is sent to Christ, to believe in him, and so to have union with him by this belief, that he may be saved.
Reason 1 . Because although there is sufficiency enough in Christ, and in abundance to save all and any man, yet this sufficiency is not reduced to efficiency, or into an act, unless a due application is made, just as neither meat nourishes, nor medicine cures, nor cloth covers, nor silver makes rich, unless they are rightly applied to the party to be nourished, cured, clothed and made rich; so it is in this business.
Reason 2 . As the first Adam neither received, nor lost his righteousness and life for any but those who were in some way virtually in him, and afterwards actually descended from him, or were in union of the same blood with him — so also the second Adam Christ does not restore righteousness and life except to those who are in him, namely, those who are ingrafted by Faith and adhere to him by the union of one and the same spirit.1 This is why that effectual vocation2 by which this application of Christ (or this conjunction with him) is brought to pass, precedes not only our glorification and salvation, but also our justification and all sound consolation that we have concerning salvation.
Use. Of Admonition: that we may chiefly care for and go about this, that we may both be and remain in Christ, and live in him — because without this union with him, we cannot come to be saved. The sign or mark by which we know that this or that man is in Christ, is ordinarily according to the appointed means, which is this: if drawing his virtue from Christ, as a branch draws spiritual sap from the stock, he takes care to bring forth fruits to Christ, and in Christ, John 15:2 to John 4:1
1 Paul writes, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22) All mankind is of the seed of Adam—we are all from his bloodline—so that all mankind died in Adam. How then are all not made alive in Christ? The answer is that not all are of Christ (Romans 8:9). The promise was made to Eve, that her seed would crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). The seed referred to is specifically Christ on the cross; it is not all mankind. And there was a covenant promise made to Abraham, that all the nations of the earth would be blessed “in him” (Genesis 18:18). But that was not every seed of his bloodline—only those who “are of the faith of Abraham” (Romans 4:16). And who is the object of that faith? Paul writes, “Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ.” (Galatians 3:16) And so, if the promise of salvation, made to Abraham, and received by faith, was not made to all mankind as Adam’s seed, or to all who are Abraham’s seed, but only to one Seed who is Christ, then how do we receive the fruit of that promise? How do we gain an interest in his eternal inheritance? Only those who are united to Christ by faith are made one with him—so that the promise made to him, is made to them “in him”, by that union. By faith in Christ, we are made children of God—heirs and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16-17).
2 That is, calling. 
Doctrine 2. Faith is the tie by which we are first united to Christ, and ingrafted into him. This doctrine is couched in the Text, in the word believe. For there are three ties of Union which are needed in our conjuction with God and Christ: the Spirit, Faith, and Love. The Spirit is that tie whereby Christ lays hold on us, and ties us to himself. Faith is the tie whereby we lay hold on Christ, and apply him to ourselves; and it is always the effect of the Spirit in some measure. Love is the band of perfection whereby we wholly give ourselves to Christ, and consecrate ourselves to his will; and it is the effect of both the former. Among these, Faith is the first bond by which we lay hold on Christ. For though it follows the operation of the Spirit as its effect, in that respect it is called the gift of God,2 and the gift of the Spirit of God;3 yet it goes before both Love and Hope, that are saving.
Reason 1 . Because the proper nature of Faith is to be a spiritual hand, whereby we lay hold on and receive that good that is needed for salvation, John 1:12— where to believe is meant to receive, so that the true office and nature of Faith may be set forth.
Reason 2. Because a Faith receiving Christ, also receives life in Christ, and Faith is the principle of our spiritual life, according to these words of the Apostle, The just shall live by Faith.4
Reason 3 . Because Christ is not proposed to us to salvation except in the promise of the Gospel. And the proper and immediate end and fruit of this proposal is to make Faith, or to gain belief. And so the first receiving of the promise, as well as the thing about which the promise is made, is by Faith.
Use. Of Direction: that which upon another occasion the Apostle directed, Ephesians 6:16; Ephesians 6:5 namely that above all things we be careful to acquire, keep, and increase true Faith. 
Doctrine 3 . The adequate object of Faith, as it justifies, is Jesus Christ, as offered in the Gospel for righteousness and life; or the mercy of God in and through Jesus Christ which is thus offered.
This is evident in the Text. The explication is that, although with our understanding we ought to assent to all things that are contained in the word of God — and especially to those things that are contained in the promises of the Gospel — yet the power of justifying us proceeds from no other object, but from Christ alone. And so Faith, though it looks at other objects also, yet it does not justify us, nor absolve us from the guilt of sin and death, except as it looks at Christ alone as offered to us to that end. 
Reason 1. Because Christ alone is our Righteousness and Redemption. But our justification consists in the application of this Righteousness and Redemption. Therefore Faith in that respect justifies as it looks at Christ and applies him.
1 John 15:2-4 “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
2 Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; 
3 Galatians 5:5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 
4 Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11.
5 Ephesians 6:16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
Reason 2 . Because if all other things revealed in Scriptures, and to be believed by us, belonged to our justification as objects of justifying faith, then not only the belief of the creation would justify us, but also the belief of man’s falling into sin, and of being dead in it. And so Faith about sin and death would as well justify us, as Faith in Christ.
Reason 3 . Unless Christ is looked upon by Faith, Faith itself has nothing in it to explain why it should more justify us than any other virtue, or grace and gift of God, such as charity, temperance, and the like.
Use 1 . Of Refutation: against those who attribute justification to Faith, as if it were an act, and part of our obedience, as a condition required by God. For thus the strength and life of justifying Faith is destroyed, and Christ is robbed of his glory, and the consciences of Christians are robbed of their solid comfort and tranquility of mind. 
Use 2. Of Direction: that we may always set the eye of our faith directly on Christ, or on the grace and mercy of God in him, so that we may draw Righteousness and Salvation from him. 
Doctrine 4. Justifying saving faith does not consist properly in any knowledge, but in certain, solid or sound affiance1 or trust.
Justifying Faith is an act and fruit of the experience of Faith; it is not the first affiance and trust that justifies us. Our Doctrine is gathered from this: that the object of Faith in this passage is no intellectual or logical truth as such, but some good, as the object of the practical mind and of pre-election. That is, Faith is the means of salvation, which is a single or incomplex term (as Logicians call it) in these words, on the Lord Jesus Christ; where nothing of or about Christ is the object, but Christ himself. Next, because Faith is said to be busied about this object, as about a prop or stay, so that the heart of a man otherwise destitute of all help and about to run into despair, casts itself upon Christ as a stay, so that it may be sustained and upheld by him. This is intimated by this phrase, believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.
By affiance, we do not mean any assent or act of the understanding about logical truth, nor the affirmation or negation of it. Nor do we properly mean the confident expectation of the will which is assigned to our hope, and the confidence contained in it, or arising from it. Rather, we mean that act of the will or heart, which is properly called election or choice, by which we rely on Christ, repose and rest on him, and adhere to him as a fit and sufficient Mediator, by whom we may be saved. By this affiance we are said everywhere in the Old Testament to be united or joined to God, as in Isaiah 48:2 and Isaiah 50:10.1 And by this affiance properly, we come to Christ, John 6:44; John 6:2 and are said to receive Christ, John 1:12.3 These things cannot be affirmed by any complex knowledge, or assent of the understanding, whether general or special.
1 That is, faith or fidelity – trusting in a pledge that has been made; a solemn engagement.
It is true that such knowledge on behalf of those who belong to Christ is a necessary antecedent, and the cause of this faith and affiance that justifies. And so in that respect, it has the title of this faith in Scriptures, just as it does in common discourse. Yet when Faith is considered precisely as it justifies and saves, then it is understood either as an act or disposition of the will or heart, which follows that knowledge, and which that knowledge serves to produce. From this affiance, if it is lively and vigorous, and joined with fitting knowledge, there follows a certain persuasion of the remission of our sins. And therefore true Faith often used to be described by this persuasion — especially when the controversy is with Papists who oppose this persuasion as a vain presumption. Yet this persuasion is not properly justifying faith, but an act of hope and experience (rather, a fruit) in the one who is already justified. It is also such an act that it may be lacking for some time, where true justifying faith still exists, though infirm, as experience in the godly teaches. And therefore it should not be proposed as part of the essence and definition of justifying Faith — lest the weak consciences of some believers be heavily troubled by this, as if they had no true faith, when they feel they have no such certain persuasion of the remission of their sins. It will appear then, to anyone rightly weighing all things, that justifying Faith as such, is properly the affiance of the heart, not any complex knowledge or judgment of the understanding.
Reason 1 . Because nothing in the whole Gospel is promised to anyone that does not yet have affiance or trust in Christ. Before this affiance therefore, nothing can be known that has the virtue to justify, until it is trusted on; and therefore no knowledge going before this faith of affiance can justify.
Reason 2 . We cannot conceive any knowledge before this affiance, which is not found sometimes in those who are not justified. For example, those with a spirit of illumination and light, but not of regeneration.4 And therefore they fall away afterwards from that glory which inseparably follows justification, thus sinning against the Holy Spirit.
Reason 3 . Because in every part of Religion, and so in Faith also, these two things are distinguished: to know, and to do. To know what is to be believed, and what all ought to believe, and to give assent to truths that are to be believed, is still not doing what believing imports, and what constitutes the proper obedience of Faith itself. For this is the root of all other obedience; and therefore it is to be jointly understood under this, because both come from Faith, Romans 1:5.5 And in very truth, such is the formal reason for obedience in true Faith: that under this name and nature it ought to be referred to the will, properly, because to obey is part of the will, and not the understanding.
1 Isaiah 48:2 For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is his name. Isaiah 50:10 Who is among you that fears the LORD, that obeys the voice of his servant, that walks in darkness, and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God. (KJV)
2 John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 
3 John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name; 
4 In other words, they understand the content of the Gospel, but their heart and life remain unchanged. For example, Simon the Magician “believed” (Acts 8:13), but he remained in the “gall of bitterness” (Acts 8:21-23). 5 Romans 1:5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name; 
Reason 4. Because by this act of the will, we have an inward union with God in Christ, even as among men there is a greater conjunction by a constant inclination and affection of the will, than by the judgment of the intellect.1
Reason 5 . Because the act of faith is such that by it we cast ourselves wholly upon Christ, or upon the mercy of God in Christ. But the act of the understanding, properly and immediately, does not transfer the whole man, but the act of the will alone therefore is properly called the act of the whole man. Nor can it be answered here that Faith is an aggregate thing, consisting partly of knowledge, and partly of affiance. Because single and distinct operations cannot be attributed to such aggregate things, as they are attributed to Faith. For example, the health of the whole body has no distinct operation, but is conceived of as a single thing. It extends itself alike to the soundness of all and of every part, just as holiness — as it is in this or that virtue — has no distinct and single operation. Moreover, no more reason can be given why knowledge and affiance should make up one aggregate thing, than knowledge and hope, or knowledge and love, or knowledge and justice or temperance. Besides all this, however knowledge is aggregated with true Faith, yet because a great part of this knowledge which precedes affiance is also found in the Devils themselves, neither can any knowledge be shown that precedes affiance, which is not also found in some unregenerate persons. Thus reason will not allow this knowledge to be an essential part of Faith and of the spiritual life, because it is found in those who have no part of spiritual life.
Use 1. Of Exhortation: against Papists and others who do not know or acknowledge any other faith but knowledge, and a certain material assent, which may yet be consistent with the greatest doubt, and the most wretched desperation.
Use 2. Of Direction: that we may enquire of the knowledge of the truth which is necessary for us unto Faith and Salvation; and that we be wary that we do not rest on any bare knowledge — rather, we should think we have true Faith only when according to the knowledge of the truth, we rely upon Christ with our whole heart for salvation, to be obtained by him alone.
Use 3 . Of Consolation: to those who with all their heart strive to rest upon Christ, and yet cannot for a time, or shortly and certainly persuade themselves that God is reconciled to them — for such have true Faith, though it is weak. For this certainty of persuasion is the effect of a stronger and more perfect Faith to which, in their own time, such believers shall also be brought.
A Question is here propounded: By what means is such a Faith generated and promoted in our hearts?
Answer . This Faith is properly generated in us by the Holy Spirit, through the Ministry and Preaching of the Gospel — because Faith is above nature while we believe these things that surmount all reason, and are lifted up above ourselves by Faith. As the Apostle says, Abraham hoped above hope, that is, beyond human, natural, and ordinary hope. So also those who truly believe, believe beyond belief, or above belief. It is generated in us by the Gospel, because in the promise of the Gospel, Christ is offered and exhibited to us; and the efficacy or power of the Holy Spirit accompanies the preaching of the holy Gospel. Now from these things it follows that those who do not have true faith, who
1 Ames lays out here what will be Jonathan Edwards’ argument in Freedom of the Will, a hundred years later.
either believe nothing above what is natural (i.e., in a supernatural way), or else do not have their Faith from the Gospel and word of God.
Doctrine 5. Those who truly believe in Christ may and ought to be sure of their salvation.
This is gathered from the connexion between the antecedent and consequent in the Text: believe and you shall be saved. For just as particular men, while remaining in their particular sins, may be assured that for that time they are subject to the curse of God, so may some believers be particularly assured that they are partakers of eternal blessing and salvation. For just as other assurance of the curse comes from the Law towards impenitent sinners, or law-breakers, so this other assurance of the blessing comes to repenting and believing sinners through the promises of the Gospel. The whole order therefore of this consolation whereby we may be certain of salvation is as follows. It consists in such a syllogism (in which both will and understanding have their parts) of which the proposition stands in the assent of the understanding, and makes up a dogmatic Faith. The assumption is not principally in the compounding of the understanding, but in the single apprehension and will, so as to make it true and of sufficient force to infer the certainty of the conclusion. The heart does this by that act of affiance — which is the property of justifying Faith, and thus it exists in the heart.
The conclusion is also principally and ultimately in the single apprehension and will, or in the heart, by the grace of hope. And both it and the experiential reflexion joined with it (which is in the understanding, and the other also, by this reflexion), are the effects of the experiential knowledge and the reflexion of our understanding, in the assumption made upon the true existence of the single apprehension — in the heart or will — which bears the whole burden of the assurance.
Use. Of great Consolation: to believers, of which they are Sacrilegiously1 robbed by Papists and all those who impugn this certainty of salvation. 
1 The act of depriving something of its sacred character.