Extracts from the Works of Fletcher.
The operative belief of the truth, and the operative belief of a lie, are the two roots that produce all our good and all our bad actions. Our internal and (when we do not play the hypocrite,) our external works are always exactly like our faith: our actions being as much produced by our faith, as our pulses are by the beating of our heart. No plant can grow without its root, and no moral action can spring into existence without its principle. When we do not dissemble, our principle of action is our prevalent persuasion—our predominant belief: a cordial, practical belief of the truth and rejection of a lie, being always the principle of a good action; and a cordial, practical belief of a lie and rejection of the truth, being always the principle of a bad action. That good works can have no origin but the belief of the truth, will appear indubitable, if we trace them back to their source. To fear, love, and obey God, are undoubtedly good works; but can I do them, without believing the truth—i. e. without believing that God is; that he is to be feared, loved, and obeyed; and that it is my duty or privilege so to do? Again, that bad works can have no other origin but the belief of a lie, will also appear evident, if we follow them to their spring. To neglect and disobey God are certainly bad works; but can we do them without believing a lie? Without being more or less persuaded, that, although it may not be our duty, yet upon the whole, in our present circumstances, it will be for our advantage or credit, to neglect God, and to swim with the stream? To convert or pervert a man, you need only change his principle of action; his predominant practical belief of a damnable lie, or of a saving truth. For if the spring is new, so undoubtedly will be the streams. If you have a new tree, you will infallibly have new fruit. If the rudder is truly turned, the ship will certainly take a new course. Truth is the heavenly seed that produces living faith? and living faith is the heavenly root that produces good works. Truth and faith, therefore, are at the bottom of every good work. To suppose them absent from a good work, is to suppose that a good work can be void of sincerity and truth, and, of course, void of goodness. And is not this supposing a glaring absurdity? On the other hand, a lie is the hellish seed that produces unbelief; and unbelief is the hellish root that produces bad works. A lie and unbelief are,103then, at the bottom of every bad work. To suppose them absent from a bad work, is to suppose that a bad work can be wrought in faith and in truth, which is as impossible as to do a good work in malice and wickedness. If every internal good work, (suppose a sincere operative desire to love my enemy for God's sake,) necessarily springs from a good principle, that is, from true faith, it follows, that so long as I consistently continue in the same disposition, my principle of action is good; and I am (so far) a good man, according to the standard of one or another of the gospel dispensations. On the other hand, if any one inward bad work, (suppose a malicious desire to hurt my neighbor,) springs from a bad principle, it follows also, that so long as I continue in that bad disposition, whatever degree of sanctity I may pretend to, my principle of action is bad; I am a wicked man of the pharisaic or of the antinomian order.—To conclude: As our pulses all over the body exactly answer to the beating of our heart, so our inward works, that is, our thoughts, desires, schemes, and tempers, exactly answer to our faith, or principle of action. As by suppressing the beating of the heart, you may stop all the pulses; so, by suppressing the act of faith, you may put a stop to all good works. On the other hand, as by cutting the main arteries, you may put an end to the motion of the heart; so, by suppressing the good motions caused by faith, you may put an end to the life of faith, and destroy the new creature in Christ Jesus.