but such as repent of their sinnes and make conscience of their wayes This learned man therefore should have distinguished betweenâ— the merâ—t of redemption and actuall redemption even as well as between the merit of Salvation and the actuall possession thereof Christ merited our redemption and Salvation long since yea his merit thereof hath ever been in force since the beginning of the world Apoc. 13. 8. but yet none are actually made partakers of redemption but such as to whom it is appyed that is to those that truely believe for they only receive it and to them onely according to the Covenant of grace it was intended Otherwise he might say that all the elect are actually saved for whom Christ purchased eternall life who notwithstanding are not saved so much as in hope untill they do truely believe And if all the elect be actually justified before God because Christ did merit their justification why doth he not say in like manner that all the elect are actually sanctifyed seeing Christ was made unto us of GOD not onely righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. and redemption but also sanctifycation and hath as well merited our sanctification for us as our justification Againe what benefits we obtaine by Christ we receive them by Faith and therefore in the Scriptures the same benefits which we receive from Christ are ascribed to Faith by which Christ and his merits are ours by which also Christ dwelleth in us Eph. 3 17. we live by Christ we live by Faith Gal 2. 20. by Christ we have remission of sinnes by Faith we obtaine remission Act. 10. 43. 26. 18. we are justified by Christ we are justified by Faith Rom. 3. 28. By Christ we are made the sonnes of God by faith we are made the sonnes of GOD Joh. 1. 12. and so in the rest and therefore to imagine that we are justified before GOD without Faith is a dreame Moreover this assertion cannot stand with the perpetuall Doctrine of the Apostle Paul who teacheth that we are justified before GOD by Faith therefore not before nor without Faith By faith saith he without workes that is by the righteousnesse of Christ apprended by Faith and not by inherent righteousnesse Neither doth he in those places speak of justification in the Court of Conscience whereby we are assured of our justification for as before men we are justified Jam. 2. â—4 that is declared and known to be just by good workes so much more by our good workes by which we are to make our election 2 Pet 1. 10. our calling our justification sure we are justified in our own Conscience that is assured of our justification And to conclude this assertion is such a 〈…〉 Protestant nor Papist did ever hold that a man who is come to yeeres is actually justified before GOD before and without faith The fifth erâ—our that Faith is not the mother grace 5. The fifth that faith is not the root nor the mother of other graces and that the soule is not disposed to believe sooner then to love GOD or our neighbour or to produce the act of any other grace But this I have sufficiently disproved in the discourse shewing evidently that as without faith there can be no other grace so not onely from it all other graces do spring but also according to the measure and degree of it is the measure and degree of all other graces We are not disposed to love GOD as we ought untill we be by faith perswaded of GODS love towards us we cannot hope for the performance of Gods promises to us unlesse by faith we are perswaded that they belong unto us we cannot trust in GOD nor rejoyce in him unlesse by faith we are perswaded of his goodnesse and bounty towards us and so â—n the rest and what is more plaine then that love which is the fulfilling in the whole law proceedeth from Faith unfained as being the fruit thereof 1 Tim 1. 5. Chrysostome and Theophilact call faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mother and fountaine of all graces and Calvin Justit l. 3. c. 2. sect 41. sect 42. c. 3. sect 1. sola est fic'es quae in nobis charitatem primum generat it is faith only which first ingendereth charity in us it begetteth also hope and newnesse of life as he saith But to omit other testimonies St. Peter seemeth to acknowledge this truth 2 Pet. 1. 2 3. where he prayeth for them to whom he wâ—iteth that grace and peace be multiplyed unto them by the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the acknowledgement of him that hath called us c. that is by faith The sixt error that Faith is assiance 6. The sixt that faith is assiance and so to be defined and that trusting to the promise is the proper act of faith as it justifieth c. But I have proved that faith is not affiance nor affiance faith But a fruitâ— of faith as well as hope and that by faith we have affiance Eph. 3. 12. whereunto I adde that the trust in GODS promises to be in particular performed to us is not faith but â—ope Yea but promises faith he are both true and good therefore our assent to them is with adherence affiance and trust Answ. The promises are true the things promised are good we believe the promise we hope for the thing promised As contrarywise Gods threatnings are also true and the things threatned evill as therefore he that believeth the threatning to be true feareth if it be applyable to himselfe the thing threatned and yet this feare is not of the nature of faith but a fruit and consequent thereof so he that believeth a promise to be true and can apply it to himself trusteth hopeth for the thing promised which trust in respect of the promise is no more of the nature of faith then feare in respect of the threatning But that affiance is of the essence of justifying faith he will make good by divers reasons first from the phrases of believing Iohn 1. 12. Rom. 10. 1â— â—s Rom 4. 5. Act. 16. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Eph 1. 12. 〈◊〉 that is in or upon which imply affiance A. That as I said in the discourse affiance is such an unseperable fruite of faith that sometimes it is implyed in the phrase of bliâ—ving in Christ. For that phrase may and sometimes doth imply three acts the first of assent that he is the Saviâ—â—r of all that believe in him which ass 〈◊〉 it be lively and effectuall is the proper act of that faith whereby we are justified before God and in this sense the phrase of beliâ—ving in him is ordinarily used in the Scriptures yea sometimes it is attributed to those who have assented onely by a bare historicall and temporary Faith which is the Faith of hypocrites and all
the thing Iohn 2. 14. as Luk. 16. 11. and also in the passive and that also with the accusative of the thing Rom. 3. 2. 1 Cor. 9. 17. Gal. 2. 7. 1 Tim 1. 11. Tit. 1. 3. The seventh error that there is no other justifying faith but that by which we are justified in our conscience 7. The seventh which I take to be the originall of some other of his unsound opinions that he holdeth no other justifying faith but that whereby we are justified in the court of our conscience For before God all the elect as he teacheth stand actually justiâ—ied before and without faith so indeed they doe before this faith and so it is also true that sanctification goeth before this justiâ—ication and remission of sinnes before thiâ— saith for how can a man be assured of that wâ—ich iâ— not The proper act of 〈◊〉 fâ—ith by which we are justified in our Consciâ—nce that is as I understand it assured in some measure of our justification is as he teacheth to trust wholly and perfectly to the promise of forgivenesse of sinne and eternall life for remission and Salvation For by this faith as he teacheth the Lord giveth us assurance of our justification by Christs righteousâ—esse whereupon followeth peace of conscience and that kind of â—iducia Which we call saith he assurance or full perswasion of the pardon of our sins this is a fruit of the other â—iducia or trusting to the promise it selfe wherein standeth the proper act of justifying Faith And it followes not alwayes presently but after sometime haply a long time which he speaketh for the comfort of those who doubt they have no faith because they have not that full assurance Here divers things are to be misliked 1. That he maketh affiance the proper act of justifying faith which I have already disproved 2. That he holdeth that there may be a full affiance whereby a man may wholly and perfectly trust to the promise without the like assurance But this is a manifest errour borrowed from the Papists who hope well of the remission of sinnes but dare not believe it For this full affiance in trusting wholly and perfectly to the promise for the performance of it to a mans selfe is that which the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assurance of hope which ever presupposeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assurance of faith where by the way you may take notice of a threefold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned in the Scriptures the first is 1 Col. 2. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assurance or full perswasion of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of GOD and the Father and of Christ this is the plerophory of assent when a man understanding the mystery of the Gospel giveth full assent thereto that is true and that Jesus the Sonne of the blessed Virgin is the eternall Sonne of GOD and the Saviour of all that truely believe in him The second is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assurance of faith when thou applying the promise to they selfe doest assuredly believe not onely that Christ is the Saviour of all that believe but also that he is thy Saviour The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assurance of hope when thou being fully perswaded that Christ is not onely the Saviour of the faithfull but that he is also thy Saviour doest assuredly trust and hope to be saved by him Every one of these plerophories or assurances are infallible in their kind nec falsum iis subesse potest but this is absolutely to be understood of the first the object whereof is the word of GOD which is principium â—idei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second is not absolutely true as a principle like the former but as a conclusion is necessarily and infallibly true concessis praemissis For if this proposition be true that Christ is the Saviour of all that truly believe which is the undoubted word of GOD and if this assumption be true also but I through GODS mercy doe truly believe which is certainly true in all the faithfull then this conclusion cannot be false therefore Christ is my Saviour whereupon followeth the plerophory of hope that seeing he is my Saviour therefore I do assuredly hope for salvation by him 3 That he maketh the assurance of Faith to be a consequent of that assurance of trust which is nothing else but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assurance of hope the contrary whereof is true for as hope is a consequent and fruit of Faith so from the assurance of faith proceedeth the assurance of affiance and hope and according to the measure and degree of that is the measure and degree of this Neither is it possible that a man should have a full affiance wholly and perfectly to trust to the promise to â—e performed to himselfe who is not first fully assured that the promise doth belong unto himselfe And therefore it is but a cold comfort to be given to a man distressed in Conscience to tell him that if he have affiance to trust wholly and perfectly to the promise for remission of sinne he hath Faith though he have not full assurance But miserable comforters are they who teach as this man doth not that where is not full assurance there is no Faith But if we desire to minister true comfort to the distressed Conscience perplexed with doubtings concerning Faith we must unteach these Doctrines either that justifying Faith is an assurance of remission and much lesse a full assurance or that it is affiance much lesse a full affiance trusting wholly to the promise for the performance of it to a mans selfe which cannot be had unlesse thou hast the like assurance that the promise doth belong to thee For indeed that faith by which we are justified before GOD is neither assurance properly nor affiance for assurance is the second degree of Faith by which we are not justified before GOD but in the Court of our own Conscience and affiance is a fruit and consequent of both Aske then the party distressed this question Doest thou believe that the promise of the Gospell concerning remission and salvation doth belong to thee If thou dost then thou hast assurance that Christ is thy Saviour and that by him thou hast remission and that by him thou shalt be saved If he cannot affirme that he believeth the promise to belong unto him never go about to perswade him that he trusteth to the performance of the promise â—nto himselfe But aske him againe dost thou truly believe that Jesus the sonne of the blessed Virgin is the eternall sonne of GOD and Saviour of all that trâ—â—y believe in him If he say he doth so â—â—ll him then thou hast the condition of the promise therefore thou maist and thou must undoubtedly conclude that he is thy Saviour and that thou shalt be saved by him If hâ— say 〈◊〉 doubteth whether he doth truly believe that Christ is the
Saviour because many say they believe who do not truly believe Aske him again dost thou believe that in thy selfe and by nature thou art no better then a firebrand of hell a vassall oâ— sinne and Sathan subject to â—ternall death and damnation To this no doubt he will say Yes say then it seemeth you believe the sentence of the law concluding you under the curse but do you not also believe the Gospell that notwithstanding 〈◊〉 guilt of your own Conscience accusing and the sentence of the law condemning you you shall be blessed if you believe in Christ This also if he have any grace he will confesse as being the expresse Doctrine of the Gospell aske him then is there any othâ—r meâ—nâ—s whereby you may hope to be saved but by Christ He will say he renounceth all other meanes well then you acknowledge you may say that in your selfe you are a wretched sinner but yet notwithstanding by Christ you shall be happy if you shall believe in him tell me then have not you earnestly desired to come out of that damnable estate wherein you werâ— by nature and to be partaker of that happinesse purchased by CHRIST for all that believe in him He will say he hath and that he hath often expressed this his desire by hearty prayer But you believing may you say and desiring those things have you not also resolved to acknowledge and professe CHRIST to be the onely Saviour and to rest upon him alone for salvation renouncing all other meanes and to acknowledge him to be your Lord and therefore to obey him and serve him making conscience of all your wayes All this have I done will he say and yet I have not assurance But say I if thou hast done all this then thou hast a true justifying Faith for to believe in Christ is to receive him and thoâ— hast received him not onely in thy judgement by a firme and lively assent but also in thy heart and will by an earnest desire and setled purpose of applycation by which thou hast received him to be thy Saviour Hereupon I inferre that thou hast the condition of the promise and therefore that the promise doth belong unto thee and that thou believing truly that Jesus is the Saviour of all that believe in him he is thy Saviour and therefore needest not yea thou oughtest not to doubt of thy salvation for by refusing to apply the promise to thy selfe when thou hast the condition thereof thou makest GOD a lyar 1 John 5. 10. If thou wilt not believe me yet believe the Apostle Paul Rom. 10. 9 10. If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that GOD raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made to Salvation Believe St. Iohn whose first Epistle was written to this very purpose that those who truly believe that Jesus Christ is the Saviour might have assurance that he is their Saviour 1 John 5. 13. For so he writeth in the same Chapter vers 1. Whosoever believeth that Iesus is the Christ is borne of GOD and vers 5. Whatsoever is borne of GOD overcommeth the world and this is the victory that overcommeth the World even our Faith who is he that overcommeth the World but he that beliâ—veth that IESUS is the sonne of GOD Believe our Saviour himself For if being asked with the Apostles what you thinke he is thou shalt answer with St. Peter Thou art the CHRIST the sonne of the living GOD he will pronounce thee blessed Matth. 16. 16. If for all this thou canst not gather assurance know then that the premises being granted thou canst not but have assurance unlesâ—e thou wilt deny the conclusion which cannot possibly be false the premises being true But for thy better assurance tell me what you are to thinke of a man believing truly that Jesus is the Christ yet in respect of his spirituall estate is so poore that he is as it were a meere beggar who having nothing of his owne whereby he might hope to be saved dependdeth wholly upon the mercies of GOD and merits of Christ Even as beggers who having nothing of their owne depend upon the Almes of well-disposed people what thinke you of him who believing that Christ is the Saviour is not yet assured that he is freed from that damnable estate wherein he is by nature but mourneth in the sense and acknowledgement of his wofull condition desiring to be freed from it What thinke you of him who truly believing that Jesus is the Christ but not yet assured of his justification doth therefore hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Whatsoever you thinke of them or whatsoever they be in their own sence they are justified before GOD. And that I prove thus Whosoever are blessed are justified and contrariwise but all believers though they be beggers in Spirit though they mourne though they do but hunger and thirst after righteousnesse are blessed by the testimony of our Saviour himselfe Matth. 5. 3 4. 6. Where directing his speech to them that believe vers 1 2. Compared with Luke 6. 23 21 22. He saith Blessâ—d are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beggers in Spirit blessed are they that mournâ— blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse 2. This assertion cannot stand with the ortâ—odoâ— doctrine of justification by faith For that teacheth the justification of a sinner or as the word signifyeth of an ungodly person before God this justification is neither of an ungodly person but of a man already justified before God and also sanctified neither is it before God but in the court of conscience that justification is an action of God acquitting the sinner and accepting of him as righteous by imputation of Christs righteousnesse in this there is no such matter in that we are taught that by â—aith a sinner doth receive remission of sinnes and that he is to believe to that end that he may obtaine pardon and to the same end is both to repent of his sinne and to sue for pardon by this doctrine are taught that a man hath his sinnes actually forgiven not onely before he believe or repent or sue for pardon but also before he commit them there we are taught that a man is justified before God by faith here that a man is justified 〈…〉 and without Faith there we are taught that faith doth justify not as it is an habit or quality inherent or as a part of inherent righteousnesse but onely as the hand receiving Christ who is our righteousnesse and is therefore said to justify because the object which it receiveth doth justify But according to this new doctrine faith doth neither justify as the hand to receive Christ unto justification not in respect of the object but as a part of the generall habite of grace infused not justifying a sinner before God by apprehension of Christs righteousnesse but
of God performing a worship unto him not of bondslaves who are under the dominion of the Law forced and extorted from them by servile fear but the service of sons yeelding voluntary obedience Not that we are delivered from servile fear altogether and at once in this life but by degrees according to the measure of our faith hope and charity wherwith we being indued in some good measure shall worship the Lord securely or in security not carnall but spirituall and consequently not in fear of damnation but in expectation of everlasting happiness Now this being the principall point in this whole text and the chief thing wherein the happiness promised in Christ the promised seed doth consist in this life viz. to worship the Lord without fear Therefore as I have stood the longer in explaining the words so I will endevour to set down the doctrines and uses which are to be made of this point CHAP. VIII The first doctrine concerning the certainty of salvation THe first doctrine that there is a twofold certainty of salvation of all those that truly believe in Christ. The former is called the certainty of the object in regard whereof the salvation of al that truly believe is sure and certain though they perhaps be not assured thereof For this is the main promise of the Gospel that who soever doth traly believe in Christ shall not perish but have life everlasting Joh. 3. 16. To my sheep saith our Saviour that is to all the faithfull I will give eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any be able to pluck them out of my hands Joh. 10. 28. Saint Peter testifieth I Epist. 5. that the faithfull are kept safe by the power of God through faith unto salvation And the Apostle Paul Rom. 8. I. That there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus And in this place the Lord by oath assureth them that they shall worship him without fear that is without cause of fear at the least all the dâ—yes of their life yea such is the certainty of their salvation who truly believe that the Holy Ghost doubteth not to affirm that theâ— havâ—â—â—ernall life Ioh. 6 47. 54. â— Ioh. 5. 11 12. and thaâ— they are passâ—d from death to life Ioh. 5. 2â— and thâ—t whom the Lord hath justified â—e hath also glorifiâ—d Rom. 8. 30. The latter iâ— the certainty of the subject when a faithfull man soundly applying the promises of the Gospel to himself is perswaded and in some meâ—sure assured of his salvation for he that knoweth himsâ—lf to believe may apply the promise to himself and by appliration be assured of that which is promised This certainâ—y of perswasion or assurance some call special faith special I say first in respect of the object which is Christ and is therefore called sometimes the faith of Iesus Christ Rom. 3. 22. 26. 〈◊〉 2. 16. 2. 3. 22. Phil. 3. 9. sometimes faith in Christ Act. 20. 21. 24. 24. 26. 18. Gal. 3. 26. faith in his blood Râ— 3. 25. For although by that faith which doth justifie we do believe al the Articles of faith and the whole word of God and every part and parcell thereof containing threatnings as well as promises yet the obâ—ect of it â—uatenus justificat is Christ. For it justifieth as it is the instrument to receive Christ who is our righteousnesse Secondly and more especially it is called speciall in regard of the effect which is specially to apply Christ unto our selves And this speciall Faith is a degree oâ— that assurance which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some more in somâ— lesse which some Divines both Protestants and Papists not curious to speak so disâ—inctly and properly as they might have called 〈…〉 this special Faith to be affrance when indeed fiducia is not Faith but a necessary and unseparable fruit thereof So unseparable that sometimes it seemeth to be implyed in the phrase of believing in Christ. For to believe in Christ implieth three things First to believe that Christ is the Saviour of all that believe in him secondly to believe that he is my Saviour which is the special faith and from this followeth the third as a necessary fruit and effect that because I believe he is my Saviour therefore I put my trust and affiance in him for my salvation But though it be an unâ—eparable fruit of faith yet it is not to be confounded with it For faith is the cause affiance the effect For by faith we have affiance Eph. 3. 12. upon which place Bezâ— noâ—eth that they are deceived who confound faith and affiance Faith is a perswasion or assurance of the mind though working upon the heart Affiance is an affection of the heart though proceeding from the assurance of the mind The fear therefore of faith is the mind or intellectuall part of affiance the heart which is the seat of the affections And as itâ— subject they differ so also in the object the object of faith being verum of affiance benum there being little difference betwixt it hope in respect of the time to come which are oft in the Scriptures confounded the same word Batach being translated sometimes to trust and sometimes to hope Notwithstanding in the behalf of some of our Divines it may be said that when they call this special faith fiduciam or fiduciall assent they mean nothing else but a certain perswasion or assurance of that which is believed This speciall faith the Papâ—ts abhor and scorne and yet cannot deny but that true Christians ought to labor for assurance namely the assurance not of faith but of hope They must have a kind of hope that their 〈◊〉 be remitted and that they shal be saved but they may not believe the remission of their sins or eternall life as belonging to themselves Howbeit all their assurance is meerly conjecturall and uncertain Neither can they have any sound assurance of hope unlesse first they had assurance of Faith for Faith is the foundation of hope and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the subsâ—ance of things hoped for Heb. 11. 1. But howsoever the Papists do scorn the speciall Faith yet it is a certain truth that there is 〈◊〉 not any grace either more profitable to the faithfull or more necessary For as all other sâ—ving graces in the faithfull proceed from Faith first apprehending and after applying Christ unto themselves in so much that without it there is no other saving grace so according to the measure of it such is the measure of all other saving graces That peciall Faith which the Holy Ghost worketh in us by shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts that is by perswading our soules of the love of God towards us in Christ produceth the love of God for therefore do we love God because we are by Faith perswaded that God loveth us first and consequently the love of our brother for Gods sake Charity which is the â—nd of the
certainty of salvation W. P. whereat no man is to marvel and much lesse to take offence For so long as our knowledge is but in part it cannot be avoided but there wil be diversity of opinions among the Faithfull who notwithstanding hold the maine substance and foundation of Faith and true Religion The points of difference are eight The first errour Vocation and sanctification confounded 1. The first that he confoundeth our vocation and sanctification alleadging that in our vocation and first conversion the universall or generall habite of grace containing in it all sanctifying graces is infused whereby all the parts and powers of man being renewed together and at once and the image of God in them all renewed by the infusion of the habites of all sanctifying graces together are sanctified throughout Resâ— To omit his acception of the word Grace even where of purpose he doth at large discourse of Grace for one supernaturall quality inherent in us or habite of grace infused into us according to the use of the school-men who thereby have overturned the doctrine of justification and salvation by Gods grace magnifying under the name of grace their own righteousnes inherent which in the question of justification is to be esteemed as dung Phil. 3. 8. and not once mentioning that which is out of us in him which most properly is the grace of God for it is one of his attributes and not according to the scriptures which never speake of grace in that sense but alwayes use the word either properly for the gracious favour of God in Christ by which grace we are elected called justified sanctified and shal be glorified or metonymically for the Speciall gifts of Grace To omit this oversight I answere it hath beene the received opinion and usuall practise of all Orthodox Divines to hold and set downe in this order the degrees of salvation which are wrought in this life viz. Our vocation justification sanctification And that in order of nature vocation wherin justifying faith is begotten goeth before justification and that justification wherein we are made just before GOD by imputation of CHRISTS righteousnesse goeth before sanctification wherein we being already justified from the guilt of sinne and redeemed from the hand of our spirituall enimies and reconciled unto God receive grace to worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him Howbeit we deny not but that in time our justification doth concurre with our effectuall vocation for as soone as a man doth truly believe so soone is he justified before God and that in time the first act of sanctification which is our regeneration doth concurre both with our justification and effectuall vocation Now of our regeneration which is the beginning of our sanctification and of our spirituall life Which we live by faith there seeme to be two acts the one wherein we are begotten unto God of incorruptible seed by the word of God the other wherein the image of God being in some measure renewed in us and our Saviour Christ formed in us we are borne anew The former is our spirituall conception the latter our spirituall or new birth in the former regeneramur we are begotten anew in the latter renascimur we are borne anew And as in naturall generation there is a meane time betweene the conception and the birth in which time that which is begotten is formed in the wombe according to the image of the first Adam so betweene the first act of regeneration and the new birth there intercedeth a time wherein the image of the second Adam is in all parts by degrees renewed untill Christ bâ— formed in us Gal. 4. 19. The former which also is the first act of our conversion is the same with our calling or vocation wherein our Saviour Christ is conceived in our hearts when we doe receive him by the true and lively assent of faith which is the seed the root the fountaine of all other sanctifying graces which whosoever hath 1 Iohn 5. 1 he is begotten of God This act the holy spirit worketh ordinarily by the ministry of the word For faith commeth by the hearing of the word Rom. 10. 17. For how should men believe in him of whom they have not heard and how should they heare without a preacher Rom. 10. 14. In this regard preachers being ministers by whom others believe 1 Cor. 3. 5. are the instruments of the holy Ghost for our spirituall regeneration and are therefore called fathers in the faith who beget men unto God 1 Cor. 4. 15. Phil. 10. 1 Tim. 1. 2. Now in our vocation the worke of the holy Ghost is partly preparative and partly operative The preparation unto faith is 1. the illumination of the minde partly by the ministery of the law revealing unto us our miserable estate in our selves and partly by the ministery of the Gospel revealing unto us the mystery of our salvation by Christ. 2. the molifying of the heart by the finger of the spirit humbling us in the consideration both of our damnable estate in our selves and of the undeserved mercies of God offered in Christ from which being effectuall ariseth a desire both to be freed from that damnable estate and to be made partakers of that happinesse promised in Christ. 3. The invitation of the hearers and the stirring of them up to come out of that wofull estate and to accept of Gods mercies in Christ by the Ministers of the word who being the Embassadours of God in Christs stead doe beseech you as if God himself did intreate you by them that you would be reconciled unto God 1 Cor. 5. 18. 20. The Holy Ghost having thus knocked at the dore of our hearts doth himselfe in his good time open our hearts as he did the heart of Lydia to assent to and to believe the Gospel By which beliefe being lively and effectuall we receive Christ not onely in our judgements by assent but also in our hearts by an â—arnest desire to be made partakers of him and in our wills by an earnest purpose and settled resolution to acknowledge and professe him to be our Lord and Saviour and to rest upon him for salvation The Holy Ghost having wrought this assent and by it this desire and purpose of applying Christ unto our selves and thereby also some beginnings of hope of the hatred of sinne of the love of God and of our neighbour and of other graces by which the Image of God beginneth to be renewed and Christ to be formed in us being yet as it were Embryones in the womb he teacheth every one of us who have through his blessed operation the condition of the promise to apply the promise to our selves and to believe not onely that Christ is the Saviour of all that do believe but also that he is my Saviour that he died for my sins and rose again for my justification so that when the Minister according to the word pronounceth this generall proposition whosoever truly believes in Christ hath