[1] “Historical Faith – is when people hearing the Word preached or read, they assent to the truth of it all. And they do not question, but that Christ came to the world; that he was God and man in one person; that he died and rose the third day, and ascended to heaven; that they that believe on him shall be saved, etc., and taking the word to be God’s Word, they may give to it a higher ascent than they give to any man’s word, because God is worthy of more credit than any man, yea than all men, and angels too.”
“There are many, who if they believe Christ to be God and man, and the Word to be true, think it enough; yet James, having to do with such, tells them that the devils believe as much as that, and more thoroughly than many that have historical faith. He knows God to be true, and one that cannot lie, and he finds it to his cost, and as the devil has this faith, so there are many in hell that have it too.”
“Historical faith is the first step of faith; but it may be in hell, and so in many in whom saving faith is not. It is really a wonder that folks that are called Christians should own this to be saving faith, and think they are welcome to, when they are only come the devils length in believing. Yea, there are many that never come this length, else they would tremble more.”
[2] “The Faith of Miracles – There was an active faith to work miracles, and a passive faith to receive the particular effect the miracle did produce. Some had the faith of miracles to heal, and others to be healed. This is an extraordinary thing, and folks may go to heaven without it, and go to hell with it, though they cannot go to heaven without historical faith (Matthew 7:22-23, 1Corinthians 13:2). This faith of miracles avails not alone to salvation, because it acts not on Christ held out in the promises, as a Savior from sin; but on Christ, as having power and ability to produce such an effect, which may be, where there is no quitting of man’s own righteousness, and if there be not grace in the person who has it, it is an occasion of pride. We call you then to historical faith, as necessary, though not sufficient; but not to the faith of miracles, it being neither necessary nor sufficient.”
[3] “Temporary Faith – spoken of in Matthew 13, and set out under the parable of the seed sown on the stony ground which soon springs up, but withers. Some hearers of the gospel receive the Word with joy, and are affected with it, but endure not. The difference between this and historical faith, is that historical faith, as such, consists in the judgment, and reaches not the affections; at best it reaches not the affection of joy, for the devils tremble, yet they are never glad. Temporary faith reaches the affections, and will make a man as to tremble at the threatening, as Felix did, so some way to delight himself in the promises of the gospel, and to smack them, as it were, from the apprehension of the sweet taste and relish he finds in them. It is even here (as it were) told a whole man, that a physician is come to town, he is neither up nor down with it; but tell it to a sick man, and he is glad, from an apprehended possibility of the cure. Yet the apprehended possibility of the cure never sends him to the Physician, not puts him to apply the cure.”
[4] “Saving Faith – which goes beyond all the rest, and brings the sick man to the Physician to make use of the cure. There may be some measure of true saving faith, where there is not much temporary faith or moving of the affections; and there may be a considerable measure of temporary faith, where there is no saving faith at all. Even as a fallen star may seem to glance more than a fixed one that is overclouded, yet it has no solid light. Know then, that faith is called for; but take not every sort of faith for saving faith. It would make tender hearts bleed, to see so many mistaken in the matter of their faith; there are some who say, they had faith all their days. O that you were convinced of the lamentable deceit and delusion that you are under, and that you could distinguish between faith and presumption, between historical and temporary faith, and true saving faith. Though the two former be not delusions; but insofar as you rest on the same, and take them for saving faith, you are deluded; for saving faith puts you out of yourselves, to rest on Jesus Christ.”
Durham, James. Christ Crucified: The Marrow of the Gospel in 72 Sermons on Isaiah 53, Dallas: Naphtali Press, 2007, p90-92
