basest ranke mistaking the manner of this Service falling from that Spirituall service which by the lawes of Creation was onely required to a thousand carnall outward Ceremonies and observations of their foolish devising some ridiculous and senselesse some strange cruell and horrible against all good nature and humanity some furious madde and drunken some obscene and beastly all superstitious and divellish mistaking lastly the time of this service in appointing a number of Festivalls but neglecting utterly the Sabbath the knowledge whereof was quite worne out among the Gentiles Which particulars are all manifest by records of old and experience of latter times in those places where the Gospell hath not beene yet preached A reason of this generall corruption in the whole frame of Gods worship we may conceive to be this The worship of God that man was to performe in his innocency was wholly Spirituall not consisting in outward Ceremonies Ordinances and Observations according as the same shall againe bee performed by us in Heaven hereafter Such was the perfection of Adams nature that he being fully replenished with the love of his Creator did alwaies more cheerfully delight himselfe in the contemplation of his excellency and obedience to his commands without such externall helpes True it is that to Adam in his innocency was prescribed the observation of the Sabbath and two Sacraments of the Tree of Life and Knowledge of good and evill But for these Sacraments the latter was rather of Abstinence than Action a triall rather than a helpe of his obedience the former was a pledge of his happinesse if hee stood but no meanes of his upholding and so both of them mainely differing from all Sacraments afterwards given unto the Church for the support of our infirmities Likewise the Sabbath was then to bee spent in exercises meerely Spirituall not in any such outward bodily observations as since the Fall have beene instituted by God in regard of our weaknesse And though God alwaies required to bee worshipped in spirit and truth yet since the Fall there have beene certaine externall rites added thereunto which were not needefull in time of innocency Now then this whole frame of the outward and instituted worship of God man once corrupted could not so much as ghesse at God therefore revealed it from time to time in the Old and New Testament and that with many straight prohibitions of adding or altering any things out of our owne invention for who can or could tell with what outward things God would be pleased but he himselfe So that the Heathen being destitute of this light it was no marvell if they became vaine in their imaginations and in this point sought out unto themselves many strange inventions They found by experience how needfull it was by some outward services to give testimony that they beleeved and worship ped a God whom else they might seeme to deny in regard of their monstrous impieties but in what manner to doe this they knew not Onely this you are to observe that the whole world almost retained the custome of sacrificing unto their gods which you must not thinke was a thing learned from the light of Nature for what ground in reason had they to imagine that the wrath of God against a man for sinne should bee appeased with the slaying of a beast but it was a practice received by tradition from the beginning of the world this custome of Sacrificing being the most eminent and principall outward service of God commanded first to Adam and by his precept and practice delivered to posterity Who retaining the outward worke and ceremony as mans corrupt nature is ceremonious enough but forgetting the mystery and signification did quickely pervert that sacred institution in all abominable Idolatry and esteemed the Numen or Deity offended to bee directly pacified by that which in its Originall was onely a figure of that propitiatory sacrifice of Iesus Christ. 2. Let us in the next place enquire of the meere Naturall mans practice as it concerneth man in all Morall duties of the second Table wherein hee will goe much further than in the former So that there is scarce any sin therein forbidden which the Heathen have not condemned or duety commanded which some of them have not praised and practised Instances might be shewed in those many excellent patternes of vertue whose lives have been left registred unto us by the Ancients and hardly is there any man so bad in whom wee shall not finde some one or other eminent part of goodnesse But in this point touching the Vicious or Vertuous practices of the Heathen you are to observe two things wherein the Naturall man will alwaies discover his ignorance and error 1. In determining the right cause and Originall of sinne whence all this disorder which is evidently perceived in mans nature had its beginning and how it came into the world Here the Naturall man is at a stand and cannot possibly ascend so high as to finde out the fall of Adam in his Sin Gods Curse thereupon to discover the fountaine of all our uncleannesse and wretchednesse So that every Naturall man would upon examination of this matter easily fall into that opinion of some that there were Duo principia the one summum Malum the cause of all Evill the other summum Bonum the cause of all Good Wee not much wonder that the remembrance of so memorable an accident as Adams fall should quite bee lost in his posterity seeing that Adam himselfe having that Fact of his in horror and detestation whereby he made himselfe and all the world miserable was not willing to publish his owne shame but rather conceale it from his children as hee would have done from God and as for the most part of his posterity they little heeded to know that whereof they cared not to repent 2. In judging aright of the Nature of sin either in regard of the Punishment of it or in regard of the Evill of it For the Punishment of it though the Heathen had a grosse apprehension of Gods wrath against wicked persons in this life and some kind of punishments they should feele afterwards in Hell yet they never could come so far as to see that all men were in one condition under the Curse of God subject to everlasting damnation in body soule without speciall grace shewed from God And for this cause that knowledge of the Law which the Gentiles had could not worke in them that effect as in the Iewes and Christians it doth These it drives unto Christ to seek after a Saviour from the curse and punishment which the Law threatens them withall but in the Gentiles who apprehend not this Curse it cannot take any such effect Againe for the Evill and Vitiousnesse of sinne they never conceived of it according to the full extent of it They knewit to be bad but not so bad as to deserve such horrible punishment as the Scriptures tell us to be due unto it
the Morall Law 110 Faith Legall and Euangelicall the same in substance and differ only in the vse and obiect 111 The excellencie of Faith 158 What Faith or beleefe is in generall 159 How it agrees with and differs from knowledge opinion 160. c. Three grounds of the certaintie of assent in Faith 164. 206 The first 206 The second 220 The third 222 Faith a degree beyond beleefe being an assent with confidence and reliance 170 Faith taken in a speciall sence as it is Christian Faith described 171 Diuers acceptions of it ibid. 172 The obiect of Faith described 172. c. The subiect euerie reasonable creature 197. 198 Faith is in the whole heart euen in the will as well as in the vnderstanding 199. 230 Faith which Papists call iustifying is the faith of diuels and reprobates 237 Faith foolishly distinguished by Papists into formed and vnformed 237 Faith without works differs in nature from Faith with workes 238 Particular assent in Faith and the root and cause of it 241 The obiect of it two-fold 244 Faith of the Elect wherein it differs from Faith of Hypocrites 247 Faith vnfained 253. 254 Faith of Hypocrites doth not assent to all Diuine truth at all times 147. 148. c. Faith implicit of Papists confuted 194 Faith in the particular promise of grace defined 257 The iustifying act therof propounded proued 258 How it is wrought 259 The comfort of it 260 Faith of the Elect by what degrees of assent and essentiall differences it is distinguished from other Faith 226 Temporarie Faith 227 The causes of it 228. 229 G GOD as Creator how far he may be knowne to naturall men 65 Goodnesse of the naturall man not generall 80 It respâ—cts others more then himselfe 79 Grace what the habit of it is 7 It is infused all at once 10. 11 The actions of it appeare sooner or later stronger or weaker in some 9 It is so firmely wrought in the Elect that it shall neuer be blotted out 34 Grace preuenting assisting inciting helping 13 By what meanes Grace may be quenched 37 Grace sufficient for conuersion not giuen to the Gentiles while they are out of the Church 55. 56. 57 Nor to all Christians in the visible Church 88. 89. c. Grace of conuersion friuolously distinguished into sufficient and effectuall 89 Grace sufficient to conuersion is alwayes effectuall and effectuall Grace onely is sufficient 91 Grace giuen to those who are within the Church set forth in the diuers kinds thereof 94 Grace doth not rectifie inferiour faculties first 127 Grace sufficient to beleeue and turne to God is no other but the Grace of regeneration 92. 93 It is not giuen to all 93 Grace preparatiue to conuersion how it may be resisted 140. 141. c. H HOly Spirit giuen two wayes 26 I IGnorance of the very time of our conuersion no iust cause of doubting fear that we are not conuerted and why 44 Illumination both naturall and spirituall described 94 95 When it is not sufficient for sanctification of the heart 101. c. Common Illumination not giuen to all hearers of the Word 100 Image of God wherein Adam was made 4 Implicit faith of Papists confuted 194. c. Infants dying without Baptisme may be saued 45 Infants are charitably supposed to be regenerate in Baptisme 45 Why they may not receiue the Lords Supper 49. 50 Infusion of grace hath no concurrence of mans naturall abilities but onely requires in him a passiue capacity to receiue 32 K KNowledge of Christian Religion must be alwayes increasing and fruitfull Preface 14 Knowledge meere naturall of the Morall Law brings little practise 70 Knowledge more certaine then beleefe in things of the same kind 166 Perfect Knowledge takes away all beleefe 167 Knowledge by sight so far as sight goes takes away faith 191 Knowledge distinct and explicit of Diuine things necessarie to the being of faith 192 L LAw morall how far it may be knowne to a naturall man 66. 68 Learned men vnsanctified fit to make hereticks pr. 19. 20 Loue of God reacheth to the Elect before they be regenerate 17 Considered in it selfe it differs from the manifestation of it to vs 18 Gods Loue to our persons and actions 19 Light of nature well vsed by the Heathen doth not bind God in Iustice to giue them supernaturall light 84 MEanes of common faith 229 Meditation of what things will stir vs vp to praise Gods rich grace and mercy in our conuersion 38 Ministers dutie in preaching the Word 113 Miraculous faith ground on immediat reuelations 173 Motions naturall and spirituall which are wrought by the Word described 95. 96 NAturall man cannot by the most industrious vse of all helpes naturall attaine to the least knowledge of God as he is mans Redeemer in Christ 64 His knowledge of God confined within two limits 65 How far his knowledge of God as Creator reacheth 65 He neuer goeth so far in practise as he might and as he knowes he ought to doe 71 He neither knowes the cause nor can iudge aright of the nature of sin 74. 75 His vertue and goodnesse how far it goes and is approued of God 76 He cannot possibly desire grace and mercy and why 84 Necessitie doth well stand together with libertie in the will regenerate 156 OBedience of regenerate men how it is made irregular 152 Obscuritie in the obiect of faith as it is held by the Papists confuted 187. 188. c. Obseruation of Gods mercies iudgments on our selus or other a speciall meanes to increase faith 223. P PAssions and affections naturall not subiect to reason 124 Plainnesse of speech and matter to be vsed in preaching of Gods Word Pref. 22. 23 Priesthood of Christ and how Christ and Aaron agree and differ Pref. 23 Promises the obiect of faith 170 QValities in the reasonable soule differ three wayes according to the threefold state of man 4. 5 REgeneration improperly ascribed to the Word 97 Regenerat man hath in him two contrarie qualies grace and corruption as he is spirituall he neuer resists the worke of grace 148 Resistance of grace in Regenerat men whence it flowes 151 How the preuailing act of it is taken away 152 VVhy it preuailes many times 153 Religion breeds ciuility knowledg of all arts 68. 69 Righteousnesse of the naturall man not acceptable to God 81 Rather negatiue then positiue 79 More outward then inward 76. 77 SAnctification how it goes before iustification 21 It is infused into Infants 43 VVrought in a maner meerely supernaturall 29 Sanctification how it hath mans free-will concurring to it two waies 31 Man not a moral agent in it 33. 34 Schollars how made complete Pref. 20. 21. c. Scriptures freed from Popish imputations of obscurity 177. 178. c. How they are certainly knowne to be Gods VVord 208. 209 By themselues 213 and by the Spirit 214. 215 Sin what a snare it hath layd to intrap wicked men 139 Spirit how far
that is not Before but a part of our sanctification nor yet a solitaty Habite infused alone by it selfe but together with the Actus primi or Habits of all supernaturall graces whatsoever T is true in some sense that before faith there is no life nor sanctity in the soule because faith is a part of our life of grace and of sanctity But there are other parts too Hope Charity c. and of these it may be said as well as of faith there 's no grace in the soule till hope charity be wrought in it All are parts of our spirituall life wrought together For as the corporall so the spirituall life is not one distinct but omnes actus primi of every faculty whereby it can worke regularly And though in the body some part may live alone and others bee dead yet in our spirituall life t is farre otherwise all powers are quickned and live together where the habit of one grace is there are all and as soone all as one every Faculty being rectified as well as any and all the operations of each faculty tending to all its objects renued as well as any one operation directed to some one object Wherefore I see not under correction of quicke eyes how Faith can bee accounted the roote whence spring all other fruits of righteousnesse the efficient cause of our sanctification the onely pipe through which the waters of life flow into the soule that first-borne grace in our spirituall regeneration so much that before its actuall operation there is no jot of spirituall life and sanctity in our hearts Many divine Elogies are given to faith in the Scriptures but none such as to cause us to make it the fountaine of all graces That the heart is regenerate before the act of beleeving and other graces wrought therein together with the habit of faith may appear by these reasons 1. It is the true and generall doctrine of all Divines that actuall faith is never wrought in the soule till besides the supernaturall illumination of the understanding the will bee also changed and freed in part from its naturall perversnesse For till this bee done t is utterly impossible it should ever embrace the promise Now the doing away of this ignorance and rebellion what is it but an effect of the grace of sanctification implanted in the soule by which it is sweetly and freely inclined to all heavenly things 2. To beleeve is an action of a man living by grace not dead in sinne The soule therefore is first endued with the life of grace before it can performe this living action 3. There can be no reason given why in our regeneration it should bee necessary first to have faith before we can have any other grace of sanctification no more than that it should be needfull to have some other grace before we can have faith or why we are more fit being unconverted to receive the grace of faith rather than any other grace as of repentance c. A man unregenerate having no preparations at all to any grace is alike disposed to receive every one and so there is no difference on mans part If any say that the Spirit which must worke other graces is not received till wee doe actually beleeve in so saying he confutes himselfe it being most apparant that the Spirit is given to men incredulous to the end to make them beleevers and no man should ever bee converted were not the holy Ghost given to him whilst he is unconverted to worke his conversion Now God that for Christs sake gives faith unto us when we had none without any predisposition in us to receive it can and doth for the same Christs sake give us all other graces as well at the same time 4. It cannot well bee shewne how faith produceth all other vertues in us seeing that all habites of grace are infused not acquired and one habite cannot produce another nor doth one habite bring forth the operations of another T is true that faith lends a hand to helpe forward all gracious actions and does much in their guidance and direction but t is like as the understanding guides the actions of the will and inferiour faculties or as prudence moderates the actions of all other morall vertues which actions notwithstanding come from their proper faculties and habites as their immediate principia and fountaines But of this point more at large when we come to shew the dependance that obedience hath upon faith Against this may be objected That we live by faith Gal. 2. 20. that by faith Christ dwells in our hearts Eph. 3. 17. that through faith we are risen with Christ Col. 2. 12. that by faith we receive the holy Ghost Ioh. 7. 38 39. Eph. 1. 13. So that we have no life till we be in Christ no being in him til we have faith to beleeve on him no sap from the vine no vertue from the body till we be united as branches as members which union is by faith onely no Spirit of grace to give us life till wee have faith to receive it In briefe thus Christ by his Spirit is the author of all our spirituall life sanctification But till we beleeve wee have no participation nor fellowship with Christ and his Spirit Therefore till wee beleeve wee have in us no life at all consequently by faith we are made partakers of all life and grace To which I answer We must carefully distinguish betweene a twofold Vnion and Communion we have with Christ. 1. By the Spirit on his part for Christ as by his Death he is the meritorious cause of life and grace unto the elect so by his Spirit he is the onely efficient of life and grace in the regenerate To whom whilst they are yet dead in sin and destitute of all grace so as they neyther doe nor possibly can beleeve Christ sends his Spirit which breathes life into them changes and purifies their nature by working all holy and rectified abilities in every part Now this first worke of the Spirit creating of grace in the soule doth most apparantly precede not onely the act of beleeving but the habite also for the habite it selfe is infused by this worke And therefore it is also manifest that before all faith we have and must have some participation with Christ even to this end that wee may have faith But this union with him is wrought meerely by the holy Spirit which is that band whereby Christ knits himselfe to us communicating all gracious and quickning vertue from himselfe to us and thereby making us living members of his body 2. By our faith on our parts when being quickned by infused grace wee actually apply our selves to embrace the promise and to relye upon Christ onely And here wee knit our selves to Christ resting upon him alone for all comfort By which uniting of our selves to Christ wee receive a greater increase and larger measure of grace from
admiration to themselves for being the only oracles of Religion that so they may beare rule over the peoples faith Or else the god of this world hath blinded these Leaders eies and they not willing to goe to hell alone put out also the eyes of the people to the end they may not know more than themselves or all that themselves doe and so their knavery be discovered For us let us detest a doctrine so contrary to the profession of Christianity that takes away all care and study after godly knowledge and makes way for the entrance of Heresies Profanenesse and Irreligion nor rest we in our seach after divine things till wee bee able to say with the Apostle I know whom I have beleeved 2. Tim. 1. 12. and with the true worshippers of God Wee worship that which wee know Ioh. 4. 22. Hitherto of the First Part proposed to bee handled in the Definition of Faith generally taken namely the Obiect of it which are all Reuelations of what kind soeuer made by God vnto the Creature We come vnto the Second point namely the Subiect in which this Quality of Faith is inherent which in the Definition was expressed to be the Reasonable Creature Within which Latitude wee comprise all created vnderstanding whether of men or of Angels Of liuing men there is no Question not of the best of men that euer were Adam in his innocency and Christ. That Adam had Faith it cannot be doubted by any who knowes that the cause of his fall was his not perseuering in a firme beliefe of that threatning In the day that thou eatest thou shalt die When his ascent to the truth of this reuelation once tottered Satan presently closes in vpon him and so plyes him vpon the aduantage that he leaues him not till he had laid the Happinesse and Honour of that glorious creature in the dust For the Humanity of Christ what was in innocent Adam was also in him as is apparant by those Prayers and Supplications which in the dayes of his flesh he offered vp with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death Heb. 5. 7. and that complaint vpon the Crosse in his greatest agony My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Mat. 27. 46. Those prayers were made in Faith and so Hee was heard in that which hee feared nor was his complaint though very pitiful and fetcht from the lowest depth of Misery without much strength of Faith whilst yet he cals him his God whom for the present hee found his enemy Moreouer though Christ as the Son of man was ignorant of the time of the end of the world yet no question but he did perfectly belieue the Article of the last iudgement Touching Angels wee haue S. Iames testimony of the euill Spirits Iam. 2. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They belieue that those chaines of darknesse in which they are now imprisoned shall bee euerlasting and that they shall bee made much heauier vpon them by a multiplication of their torments in the iudgement of that great Day as Iude speaketh Iude 6. This they belieue with such horror besides a world of other particulars which by reuelation of Scripture they know will fall out For there is no doubt but the diuels though they tempt men to vnbeliefe yet doe themselues belieue the truth of the Scriptures which they know well enough to bee of God Their rage and malice against them proues it euidently For the blessed Angels we cannot deny vnto them nothing what wee grant vnto the accursed but as their knowledge of many things is more cleare and exact then it is in the Diuels so is their faith vnto others much more firme and resolued Whence though they know not the day and houre of the end of the world Mar. 13. 32. yet they belieue it with ioy expecting the augmentation of their owne happinesse by accesse of the Churches accomplished glory Nor doe the Spirits of iust men who liued by Faith in this life vtterly cease to liue by Faith after their translation into heauen for euen when they are there they yet still belieue many things both past and to come as the resurrection of their bodies euerlasting life c. And that prayer which the Saints in heauen make for auengment of their bloud-shed vpon the Earth How long Lord Holy and true doest thou not iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth Reu. 6. 10. is certainely a prayer made in Faith Wherefore you see that euery part of the world hath faith in it Faith on earth Faith in heauen and Faith in Hell too Whereas there is Created Reason there also there is Faith The reason is this because Perfect Vision only takes away all Faith and where all things that may be knowne are euidently seene and looked vpon being comprehended in their proper nature there is no faith at all But now there is no Created Intellectuall Nature but it may vnderstand more by reuelation then it can comprehend Intuitiuè by beholding the thing it selfe And therefore all Future things which doe nor naturally depend vpon necessary causes cannot be knowne vnto the Angels themselues but onely by reuelation from God Whence the Apostle Peter speaking of the mystery of mans redemption by Christ 1 Peter 1. 11. affirmeth that euen the Angels were greatly desirous to behold that wonderfull mystery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stoâ—pe downe and looke into it as wee doe into darke and obscure places For such was the mystery of the Gospell euen secret and hidden from the knowledge of Angels till God by reuealing it vnto the Church made it knowne also vnto them as the Apostle shewes Eph. 3. 10. In like sort for matters of Fact long agoe past euen the Saints in heauen haue no euident knowledge by Uision but onely by reuelation they must still belieue the stories of the Bible know them they cannot by sight vnlesse we should belieue that vaine opinion De Speculo Trinitatiâ— that the Saints beholding the face of God doe as in a glasse behold in Sin all things present to their view which is iustly reiected by the learned as an impossible thing Wee dare not be curious in these things pressing too farre into those matters which wee haue not seene thus much wee may with reason affirme that God alone is without all beliefe whatsoeuer because hee onely is Perfect in knowledge most distinctly comprehending at once all things past present and to come calling the things that are not as if they were in whose sight all things are manifest yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 4. 13. stripped starke naked and presented to his view in their proper shapes Only such an absolute infinite knowledge takes away all Faith in any kinde whatsoeuer As for the creature it knowes but in part and therefore it mâ—st in part bee alwaies bound to belieue whatsoeuer the creator shall reueale vnto it Thus in the generall you see that
Atheisticall to denie his truth or strangely subtle to shift it off from it selfe when t is pressed with it in particular But when the spirit of Grace hath overshadowed the soule sanctifying all the powers thereof throughout t is admirable to see how it stoopes to the command of the Word There is then a singular harmony betweene the holinesse of the Will and of the Word this food of spirituall life relisheth as sweet and savoury unto the soule as milke to Infants or strong meat to able and healthy men Regeneration hath restored health unto the soule whereby it hath recovered a true taste of the Lords bounty and goodnesse whence followes a constant appetite thereunto asmuch as unto corporall nourishment as the Apostle argues 1 Pet. 2. 1. 2. 3. Hence the soule begins to conceive a high esteeme of the dignity of the Word it sees now nothing so reasonable excellent as the wisedome thereof it beholds nothing â—o terrible as Gods threats nothing so lovely as his favour it sees no ornament of the soule comparable to Grace no pleasure like unto the peace of Conscience it comprehends an end of all other perfection but the further it lookes into Gods law the deeper wonders it discernes it lookes upon the world and reades Vanity in all the things thereof and strange folly in mens desires of them and now it counts no preferment any whit comparable to the hope of heaven it hath now Reall apprehensions of Divine things and conceives of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as of a Worke to be done not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a businesse to bee discours'd and talked of it judges now that there is an absolute necessity of obeying God though all the world bee displeased and that the regard of saving a mans soule must thrust out of the way all importunate pleasures and profits that would presse in upon us Being thus illightened and inwardly touched by the finger of God the soule presently puts it wholly upon the certainty and excellency of Gods truth revealed it stretcheth forth the armes of her strongest confidence affiance unto every branch of the Scriptures embracing absolutely and without all limitation the truth goodnesse power and wisedome of God shining therein it beleeves what it knowes and as it can where t is ignorant it prayes for knowledge where weake it sues for strength and increase of faith where stubborne it offers it selfe unto God to bee bowed or broken if he please counting it now a happy thing to be crossed in sinne to bee met with at every by-turning with some reproofe or chastisement let him chide or strike it falls downe at his feet and without quarrelling disputing and arguing the case takes all with a Benedictus Dominus c. Blessed be the Lord and blessed bee his Ministers and blessed be their counsell who have kept me from committing this sinne against the Lord. When thus the heart is softened and sanctified then and not before is wrought that habituall Grace and blessed disposition of the will which we call true Faith whereby the Creature is willing to resigne up its understanding desires affections thoughts words workes and all to the disposing of his Creator in such a sort as by his revealed Will hee hath or shall make known beleeving certainly that in every thing t is best to follow his counsell This for cause of true Faith next followes 2. The Object of this particular Faith which is twofold 1. The whole Will of God revealed unto us in his Word containing all Histories Doctrines Commands Threatnings Promises of what kind soever 2. The particular Promise of Remission of sinnes and Everlasting Life by the death of Christ which in one word we call the Gospell It is needfull thus to distinguish of the object of Faith because although it be but one and the same infused grace of true Faith which respects both forasmuch as by the same sacred Habite of the soule we are inclined to beleeve both the whole and each part of Gods will be it in it selfe more or lesse excellent or more or lesse needfull to us neverthelesse Faith as it hath reference to these Objects The whole Will of God and The particular Promise of the Gospell admitteth of divers considerations names and uses Faith as it assents to the whole Will of God in what kind soever I call Legall because it is such a Vertue as is immediately required by the Morall Law in the same manner as other duties of the Morall Law are Forasmuch as all men are bound by the Law of their creation to give full assent and affiance to all things whatsoever God shall reveale unto them And as all other Morall dueties are required of us in their degrees as parts of our outward obedience and inward sanctity necessary to salvation so is this of Faith commanded as 〈◊〉 principall grace of the soule and a prime part of our obedience to the first Commandement And so Faith in this respect may bee called Saving namely as all other Graces are because required in their measure as needfull to Salvation Faith as it assents unto the speciall promise of grace I call Evangelicall because it is such an Act as is expressely commanded in the Gospell the object thereof being not revealed by the Morall Law It is called also properly Saving and Iustifying in regard of the use it now hath through Gods gracious appointment to be the onely instrument of our Iustification and Salvation by Christ. In which distinction between Legal Evangelicall Faith we must not conceive of two distinct Habits of Faith it is but one gracious quality of the soule disposing it to the beliefe of all divine truth which for the substance of it was the same in innocent Adam with that which is in regenerate men The difference stands onely herein 1. In the Degrees Adams Faith was perfect because his understanding was fully inlightened and his affections absolutely conformable to all holinesse Wee know but little and by reason of our inward weaknesse beleeve but weakly what we doe know 2. In the Originall in Adam it was naturall by creation in us t is supernaturall from the holy Ghosts infusion 3. In the particular Object Adam beleeved God without reference to Christ the Mediatour wee beleeve chiefly the promise of Grace in Christ and all other things with some relation to him Here then is no new Faith but a New object of Faith not revealed unto Adam whereto our Faith is now directed and here 's also a singular priviledge newly granted unto Faith that God accepteth it to our Iustification in his sight Otherwise if wee looke unto the grace it selfe as it was in Adam a part of Gods Image given him by creation and is in us a part of the same Image restored by regeneration so there 's no difference at all and therefore in that question whether Iustifying Faith bee commanded in the Morall Law there needs no great dispute t is manifest that
Gods frowning countenance fly with speed into the bosome of Christ hang upon him and most importunately sues to be taken into his protection Now one favourable looke from him is worth a thousand worlds and if he will but say unto it I am thy salvation it will not exchange the comfort of that word for all the kingdomes of the earth Wherefore the soule now thinkes of nothing but Christ to live or die Christ is all in all with it him it followes with all strong cries and teares for mercie and comfort in him it apprehends plentifull redemption and all sufficiency of salvation and therefore having once laide hand fast upon him to die for it no force shall make him loose his hold This worke of Faith as it doth greatly glorifie God by ascribing the whole honour of our Salvation unto his only free Grace in Iesus Christ so God againe is pleased highly to honour it above all its fellow Graces by making it the blessed instrument of all the comfort we enjoy in this present world thereby giving us assurance of our Iustification in his sight by Christs righteousnesse Whereupon followes in their times a double comfort unto the soule 1. Peace of Conscience resting it selfe secure upon the stability of Gods promise It hath now what to oppose against the severity of Gods justice and the accusations of the Law even an All-sufficient Righteousnesse in Christ able to satisfie them both to the full whereupon it s quieted and injoyes abundance of sweetest peace being freed from those terrors which before compassed it about on every side 2. That kinde of Fiducia which wee call assurance and full perswasion of the pardon of our sins This is a fruit of that other Fiducia or Trusting unto the promise it selfe wherein stands the proper act of justifying faith And it followes it not alwayes presently but after some time haply a long time after much paines taken in the exercise of Faith and other graces For how many faithfull soules are there who stedfastly beleeve and rest themselves only upon Christ for their salvation who yet would give a world to be assured of Gods favour and fully perswaded that their sinnes are pardoned yet aske them in their sorrowes and feares can you beleeve in Christ committing your soules unto him depending only upon him and no other They will answer yea I cast my selfe upon him let him doe with me as he pleaseth while I live I le trust in him But now this although it should yet will not satisfie them they want joy in the Holy Ghost there 's no testimony of the Spirit in them they have no peace no sense and inward feeling of Gods love and therefore they cannot be assured that their sinnes are pardoned and that they be in Gods favour Whereupon they 'le be ready to fall backe and tell you they doe not nor can beleeve in Christ at all A great mistake and that which casteth many a Conscience upon the racke tormenting it with unsufferable feares where there is no cause They have no justifying faith Why Because they want full assurance of the pardon of sinnes A false argument Iustifying Faith is not to be assured of pardon But to trust wholly upon the promise for pardon Which point duly considered would helpe us to a singular remedy for the consolation of consciences distressed about point of their salvation who whilst they eagerly labour and I cannot blame them for an experimentall and sensible assurance of Gods favour doe too too much neglect that comfort which their faith would afford them in that notwithstanding their feare they are able still to commit their soules unto God as to their faithfull Creator and Redeemer These men should doe with their soules as David did with his in the like temptations Why art thou cast downe my soule why art thou disquieted within me Here was little peace and joy doubts still arising which causeth him to aske the question once againe and a third time But see how he still answers Wait on God wait on God and againe wait on God for I will yet give him thankes who is my present helpe and my God Psal. 42. 5. 11. and 43. 5. See when hee hath no comfort here 's his comfort even his faith that he can still depend upon God for comfort The further explication of this point depends upon the resolution of that practicall Syllogisme whereby certainty of Salvation is concluded which is this Whosoever beleeveth His sinnes are pardoned and hee shall be saved But I beleeve Ergo My sinnes are pardoned and I shall bee saved The Major here is of Faith The Minor of Sense and Experience The Conclusion is of both but chiefly of Faith as it followes on the premisses by infallible argumentation and partly of sense as it is founded on the inward experience of Gods grace working upon our soules Wee may take comfort in this conclusion as we are assured of it by faith even when experience and sense it selfe failes But of this more when we shall speake of the fruits and consequents of Faith FINIS Zach. 6. 13. Hist l. 6. c. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Heb. 6. 7 8. AElian Vat. hist. l. 1. c. 17. * shew much love nâ—rans * Whereof yet many as left unto us as the Cananites among the Israelites Acâ—â— 27. 〈◊〉 A clean heart a right spirit * Therefore it is our body of death which yet hath many earthly members The new man is created a perfect man though but an infant * As infidelity of our corruption Gal. 5. 22. As the Will renued is at once disposed to love our neighbour as well as to love God c. * So Tilenus with others generally makes Faith to be the instrument of Instification and Sanctification with this difference Fides Iustificationem percipit Sanctificationem etiam efficit In the one faith is an instrument only in the other an efficient cause also Tylen Syntag. part 2. disp 45. thes 41. Ob. * As who should say a dead man must first see speak and goe before he have life in him Sol. Eph. 1. 22. 4. 15. Gal. 2. 20. 1. Cor. 6. 17. None can call Christ Lord but by the holy Ghost Rom. 10. 20. Christ is made unto us life righteousnesse c. Vnlesse we will maintaine the Popish Limbus He hath loued vs and chosen vs c. Deut. 7. 7. 8. 10. 15. 1. Ioh. 4. 19. 1. Pet. 1. 3. Tit. 3. 5. 7. Eph. 1. 4. 9. 2. Tim. 1. 9. Rom. 11. 5. 9. 11. God so loved the world c. Col. 1. 13. Ioh. 6. 29. and 1 Cor. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 102. 2 23 1 Pet 1. 28. The loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Col. 2. 9. Act. 10. 38. 1 Cor. 3. Ioh 9. 25. Anat. Armin. For in him we liue and move c. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Psal. 115. 8. Psal. 116. * Iphicrates Arist Rhet. l. 1. cap. 9. * Rom.