Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	rule_n	scripture_n	tradition_n	12,255	5	9.8749	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62378	An exposition vvith notes on the whole fourth chapter to the the Romanes wherein the grand question of justification by faith alone, without works, is controverted, stated, cleared, and fully resolved ... / by William Sclater, Doctor in Divinity, sometimes minister of Gods word at Pitminster, in Summerset ; now published by his son, William Sclater, Batchelar in Divinity, minister at Collompton in Devon.	Sclater, William, 1575-1626.; Sclater, William, 1609-1661.	1650 (1650)	Wing S918; ESTC R37207	141,740	211

life How many incredulous yea opposites to faith hath he by his word brought to the obedience of the faith His hand is not shortned it is ever true of him He can quicken the dead and still by his word give being to things that erst had no subsistence This may serve to direct us in use of these marvellous effects of Gods power for stablishing of faith And of the first member of this Chapter thus far The second followeth from the 18th verse to the 23. VERS 18. Who against hope believed in hope that he might become the father of many nations according to that which was spoken so shall thy seed be IN this verse and the four that follow the Apostle digresseth a little from his principall conclusion to a commendation of Abrahams faith The scope whereof seems this To prescribe us a form of Believing and to direct us a course for the establishing of our faith required of us to justification both which we may learn from the example of Abraham the father and pattern of Believers The specialties commendable in Abrahams faith expressed in this verse are two 1. His courage 2. His prudence in Believing His courage in that against hope he believed in hope Sense Against hope in hope How reconcile we Against hope which naturall course could afford In hope by meditation of Gods power and truth conceived He had promise to be father not of children onely but of whole nations the course of nature contradicted it His body dead and unfit for generation with Sarah besides her wonted barrenness it ceased to be after the manner of women so that in respect of means naturall causes there were many of despairing none of hope yet believed he the promise in the largest extent knowing that Gods power transcends nature Observ From whose example we learn in the midst of despair still to hope where we have Gods promise for our warrant Besides Abrahams example we have like practice in Job a mirrour not of patience onely but of faith Who would rest on him for life whom he feels wounding even to Death Yet Though he kill me saith Job I will trust in him Job 13.15 To their practice let us add the consideration of defects in this kind severely punished in Moses Num. 11.13 20 21 22. The incredulous Prince 2 King 7.1 2 17. Zachary Luke 1.18 20 22. In a word In Believing there are four degrees one more excellent then another 1. That which is exercised in sufficiency of means 2. Where the means are weak and improportionate to the promise 3. In the want of means 4. Where are means strongly opposing the accomplishment of the promise this the highest degree of faith so commendable in Abraham Vse Brethren we all profess our selves the sonnes and daughters of Abraham Gal. 3.29 His children we are if we walk in the steps of his faith Iohn 8.39 and labour therein to resemble Let us be exhorted not onely in believing but in the very measure of faith to hold correspondence above hope yea against hope to believe in hope above sense yea against sense to believe what the Lord hath promised There fall out times with Gods children when if we shall make sense or naturall causes the measure of faith a thousand to one but we are swallowed up of despair The Lord sometimes writes bitter things against us and makes us possess the sinnes of our youth seems to surcharge Conscience with imputation of those sinnes the pardon whereof he commands us to believe What shall a poor soul do in this case to keep it self to the task of faith Surely what thou feelest God to impute believe he will pardon to thy repentance for so runs the promise There are times when we may feel decayes of grace and declinings in obedience yet sith it is his promise to give perseverence without interruption believe thou shalt stand even while thou thinkest thou art falling c. Helps to stablish faith in this kind are these 1. To rest on the naked promise of God 2. Consideration of the transcendency of Gods power able to work without above yea against nature Ephes 3.20 to do as * Paul speaks exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think 3. Observation of the Lords dealing with others or our selves accomplishing his promises beyond all expectation The second commendable specialty in Abrahams faith here mentioned is his prudence in believing according to that which was spoken Observ Whence learn we That the rule and measure of a wise mans faith is the word of God so that all the Lord speaks must be believed onely what he speaks must be believed And in this generall we and Papists accord The rule and object of Christian faith is Veritas prima and the adaequatum objectum of faith is the Word of God But that word say they is of two sorts Scriptum Traditum Written and Traditionary Both these together make us a perfect rule of faith Scripture without Tradition is regula but partialis Bellarm. de verb. Dei non scripto lib. 4. cap. 12. That which is taught for Gods truth in our Church is this That the Scripture contains doctrine and direction all-sufficient for faith and practice necessary to salvation so that there is no more to be believed or done upon pain of damnation then what is contained in the written word of God For explanation the contents of Scripture we conceive to be not only what is here immediately and in express terms taught but all whatsoever may thence be diduced by just and necessary consequence out of generalls causes equalls c. Our arguments are these 2 Tim. 3.14.15 The Scriptures saith Paul to Timothy are able to make thee wise to salvation to make the man of God perfect throughly furnished unto every good work Afford they us wisdome sufficient to salvation Bellarm. lib. 4. cap. 11. ubi supra therefore they contain doctrine sufficient for faith and practice And that there may be no place for that idle evasion of our adversaries limitting the sufficiency of written doctrine to what is necessary for Laiques Both Timothy was a Bishop and him they they were able to make wise to salvation and generally saith the Apostle they completely furnish the man of God that is the Minister to every good work of his calling Our Second argument is this The written rule of practice we are sure is perfect both for that the Lord gives so strait charge to add nothing thereto Deut. 4.2 Prov. 30.6 Rev. 22.18 and because there cannot the duty be named which the Law of God prescribeth not nor the sin thought of which it forbids not May we think to evade this testimony with that Nicety of Bellarmine add not by depraving the sense nay as appears by the Lords own often reproof of doctrins of men in matter of his worship Isai 29.13 and his heavy judgments on those that altered but circumstances of his prescripts Levit. 10. additions as well

by new prescripts as by false glosses are here forbidden May we think the rule of faith is left more at randome and uncertain How then doth Paul so resolutely denounce Anathema to him that shall teach any other thing then what they taught and the people received Gal. 1.8 Perhaps they will say under their doctrine of faith comes chiefly what they delivered in Preaching by word of mouth Irenaeus advers Haeres lib. 3. cap. 1. Answ Hear Iraenaeus Evangelium quidem tunc praeconiaverunt postea vero per dei voluntatem in in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum columnam fidei nostrae futurum yea and for their own rule of preaching it is Pauls protestation It was no other then the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophet Act. 26.22 Lastly If there be and have been ever so necessary use of tradition to direct us in matter of faith and practice I wonder much that our Saviour and his Apostles never in any point of faith aledg tradition but Scripture for evidence It is written in the Prophets Psalmes Moses c. I finde often It is come to us by tradition from Elders I finde never for allegation of Christ or his Apostles To these Reasons Let us add the consent of some Ancients Tertullian advers Hermogen Tertullian Adoro scripturae plenitudinem quae mihi factorem manifestat facta In Evangelio vero amplius Ministrum atque arbitrum rectoris invenio sermonem An autem de aliquâ subjacenti materiâ facta sint omnia nusquam adhuc legi Scriptum esse doceat Hermogenis officina si non est scriptum timeat vae illud adjicientibus aut detrahentibus destinatum Augustinus Austust de Doctr. Christia lib. 2. cap. 9. Contra litem Petilian lib. 3. cap. 6. In his quae aperte in scripturis posita sunt inveniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque vivendi Idem sive de Christo sive de ejus Ecclesia sive de quacunque aliare quae pertinet ad fidem vitamque nostram non dicam si nos nequaquam comparandi ei qui dixit licet si nos sed omnio quod secutus adjecet Si Angelus de caelo vobis annuncianerit paeterquam quod in scripturis legalibus Evangelicis accepistis Anathema sit Heaps of such like testimonies of Fathers are every were occurrent amongst our Divines It were strange that in their own School this doctrine should be taught yet Scotus and those that follow him Scotus Nic. prolegom in sent q. 2. maintain this position That cognitio supernaturalis necessaria viatori tradita est sufficienter in sacra Scriptura Their Reasons Sacra scriptura tradit quid sit finis hominis puta visio fruitio dei determinat quae sunt necessaria ad illum finem consequendum scil Mandata declarat etiam proprietates substantiarum separatarum quantum est utile viatori nosse Igitur Dico illa omnia scripta esse ab Apostolis quae sunt omnibus necessaria Bellarm. de verbo dei non scripto lib. 4. cap. 11. Some chiefe of their arguments shall be propounded If Scriptures be sufficient either the whole Canon of Scriptures joyntly taken or the severall parts but neither the whole because some parts are lost nor the severall books Ergo. Answers are given to the minor that both the whole is sufficient and perfect according to perfection requisite for the whole and the parts also perfect according to perfection of parts That some parts of the Canon are lost they are not able to prove their instances being all either of writings not canonicall as some of Solomons Songs and Proverbs or else parts of Scripture extant though not under the names of those to whom they are assigned as those ascribed to Nathan Ahia Iddo For fuller answer Let us consider that the question is touching Scriptures now extant Whether the Scriptures we have be a sufficient rule of faith and practice How impertinent is it to tell us that part of the ancient Canon is lost which though it were yielded impeacheth nothing of the truth of what we hold concerning full perfection of Scripture now extant for the Church that now is and shall be to the end of the world Our conclusion is this Since the days of Moses there never was wanting to the Church a written Canon completely sufficient for the times of the Church sometimes it was more narrow sometimes more large ever perfect secundum tempus as Lumbard distinguisheth never defective in any necessary point of faith or practice Their Second argument is from induction of particulars necessary to be believed or done which yet are not contained in Scriptures as that there are some books of Divine inspiration that these now bearing that credit are they that they have such Authors as they pretend c. None whereof are taught in Scripture Answ For this last of the certainty of Penmen whose names they carry this that we answer First That many of them give testimony to their Authors Secondly That the ignorance of the Penmen impeacheth nothing of the fulness of necessary knowledg It sufficeth that we know they have God for their Author though his secretary or scribe be to us unknown As for their other particulars That we know not the Scriptures to have proceeded from God Scotus in Prolegom ad Magistum but only by tradition Hear their own Scotus and his followers convincing all that question of the Heavenly Author of them or any part of them by Scriptures themselves His arguments these 1. Propheticall prenunciations all verified by events 2. Perfect concord and consent of scriptures 3. Credit and candor of the penmen 4 The reasonableness of the things therein contained 5. The unreasonableness of errours and heresies in things wherein they oppose the doctrins of scripture 6. The stableness of the Church professing doctrine of Scriptures and punishments of those opposing it 7. Clarity of miracles c. These and the like hath Scotus as arguments in his judgment sufficient to stop the mouthes of any Atheist or Heretique that shall question their inspiration from God And I will boldly say The Scriptures carry as express characters of a divine author as the creatures of the power or wisdome of the Creator The Doctrine so holy so majesticall so divinely powerfull to humble to comfort to convert the soul that it is as absurdly questioned whether God be the inspirer of Scripture as he is the maker of Heaven and Earth There is no creature so high or low but carries this inscription Deus me fecit No Scripture nor sentence of it wherein a man not blind may not read this Title Deus me inspiravit It is vain to object that sundry have questioned this principle For so have many done Gods Creation of the world such quaere's arise out mens blindness to which the clearest things are questionable For other particulars they are either expressely or by implication taught in the

Scripture if necessary or else are such points of faith or practice as in the conclusion are inquireable For that of infants Baptism Scripture prescribes in Generalls Principles equivalent For that of the blessed Maries perpetuall Virginitie post partum a point that we piously believe according to some probabilities of Scripture No matter of such weight as that the doubting or deniall thereof should shut us up under condemnation To leave these men to their vain faith and conversation taught by their fathers traditions from which Christ with his bloud hath ransomed us 1 Pet. 1.18 Let us in matter of faith learn Abrahams prudence believe according to that we know the Lord hath spoken And this rule let us remember it is partiall infidelity to deny credence to any thing delivered in Scriptures Fancy not Faith to believe as Gods truth what he hath not in Scriptures revealed unto us And here I cannot but take notice of the folly of many amongst us Wise it may be in their generation wiser in their own conceit Their profession is this in the point of believing They had rather believe too much then too little and in that sottish resolution how many gross errours drink they in almost to the bane of their souls It cals to mind that fable should I call it or story rather of a woman in the dayes of Popish darkness accused to her Confessour for denying Christs carnall presence in the Sacrament that being charged by the Priest with that point of heresie made answer for her self That she never made question of any such matter And believest thou indeed saith her Confessour that Christ is there present Flesh Bloud and Bone as he was born of the Virgine Not He onely saith the woman but his blessed Mother also O woman replies this Seraphicall Doctour great is thy faith or rather O man great is thy impious folly to approve as points of faith such sottish dreams a just parallel for our men so superfluous and supererogatory in matter of believing But now proceed we in the Text. VERS 19 20 21. And being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadness of Sarahs Wombe He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform THe next commendable property of Abrahams faith is the strength of it set out in an Antithesis and heap of words Not weak but strong and fully assured 2. By removing certain effects of weak faith from Abraham as 1. Consideration and looking down upon things that opposed the promise and might hinder faith 2. Doubting or debating of the promise 3. By the means supporting and strengthening faith the truth and power of the promiser This is the sum these the particulars of this passage Sense For sense of the words Sundry questions offer themselves to be discussed First was Abrahams faith so perfect that in it was no weakness no doubtfulness at all Answ So Origen so Papists often in question touching perfection of righteousness The truth is great things are here given to Abraham in this point of believing Now whether this strength of faith should be conceived comparatively or limited to the particular Article now in hand may be some question This once is evident in the story of Abraham that however firm his faith was touching this particular at some time yet in other things Cajetan ad loc he bewrayed some incredulity and at other times as Cajetane conjectures was not without some doubtfulness of this promise Now what when it is yielded Abrahams faith was at sometime perfect in respect of this particular promised The Law to justification requires an universall perfection of all virtues as well as of faith and in faith perfection not onely in respect of some particulars but of all truths revealed and that not at sometimes onely but perpetually without interruption Gal. 3.10 A second quaere How saith Paul Abraham considered not his body dead c. When as Moses bringeth him laughing at the promise Gen. 17.17 and enquiring as it should seem of the likelihood of it Shall a child be born to him that is an hundred years old and shall Sarah that is ninty years old bear Answ Cajetane answers That the quaeres of Abraham recorded by Moses were made whiles yet the Revelation was not so clear unto him and issued not so much from doubtfulness of the thing as from desire to be informed whether the words bear the sense that their sound purported Pauls speech is to be referred to the time when the Revelation was complete and the sense thereof distinctly understood conferre Gen. 17.17 18. What if we say Pauls meaning is this He considered not these impediments out of doubtfulness of the promise but as admiring the power and great grace of the Promiser intending him a favour that must be accomplished against the course of nature saith Augustine Riserat pater quando ei promissus est Augustin de Civ dei lib. 16. cap. 31. super Gen. qu. 36. admirans in gaudio riserat mater quando iterum promissus est dubitans in gaudio The same Augustine to like purpose enquires Why the Lord reproves Sarahs and not Abrahams laughter and thus answers Quia illius risus admirationis laetitiae fuit Sarae autem dubitationis So much force is there in the grounds of our actions to determine them either to good or evil The third quaere How saith Paul of Abrahams body it was dead that is destitute of generative vigour when as so many years after he had many children by Keturah Gen. 25.1 August qu. 35. super Gen. de Civ Dei lib. 16. c. 28. contra Iulian. Pelag. l. 3. c. 11 2. his second wife after Sarahs death Answ Augustine in many places propounds this doubt and assoyls it The summe of his solution is this First that it was dead in respect of Sarahs body decayed by age not so in respect of a younger woman alledging to that purpose the judgement of Physicians Emortuum corpus non ita intelligendum est ac si omnino nullam vim generandi habere posset si mulier juvenilis aetatis esset sed secundum hoc emortuum ut etiam de provectioris aetatis muliere non posset His second answer this That Abrahams bodie was dead until such time as the Lord was pleased to put new vigour into it as he did for the begetting of Isaac and that the same gift of generation continued after the death of Sarah for begetting of other children of Keturah we have both in summe Abrahams body was dead through age ut ex illius aetatis foeminâ gignere non valeret qui tamen ipse de adolescentula valeret sicut postea de Cethura valuit quamvìs illic dici possit foecunditatis munus in eodem

AN Exposition vvith Notes ON The whole Fourth CHAPTER TO THE ROMANES Wherein the grand Question of Justification by Faith alone without Works is controverted stated cleared and fully resolved to the satisfaction of any judicious conscientious Protestant Together with variety of other solid observations interwoven throughout the Work Vivit post funera virtus By WILLIAM SCLATER Doctor in Divinity sometimes Minister of Gods word at Pitmister in Summerset Now Published by his Son WILLIAM SCLATER Batchelar in Divinity Minister at Collompton in Devon Hab. 2.4 But the just shall live by his Faith Heb. 11.6 But without faith it is unpossible to please God Licensed Entred and Printed according to Order LONDON Printed by J.L. for Christopher Meredith at the sign of the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1650. To the Right VVorshipfull JOHN BAMPFIELD of Poltimore in the County of Devon Esquire a most eximious and exemplary Worthy of the West a full Paradise of Gods Blessings SIR HAving now by the space of full three weeks of years and more though not without various interruptions had a strong dispute with my thoughts whether under so prevailing a deluge of no less Dogmaticall then practicall Athiesme that hath unawares engulfed this latter age I might safely adventure from my private closet as Noah did the a Gen. 8.8 Dove from the windows of his Arke to let this Posthume volume more ponderous perchance in matter then numerous in pages fly abroad to make a discovery of some asswaging of the waters At length I got the conquest over my dubious resolutions as not utterly despairing but that as with some gladsome embleme it may return with an olive branch of good tidings and acceptation in the Church of God And surely I knew not well on what firmer ground to bottome those hopes of mine then on this if it might but first set footing on that tree which groweth upon your Mount find access and allowance at your Poltimore a place by far more fertile in celestiall graces then ever Mount Olivet abounded in b Ecclus 50.10 fruitfull trees or branches And indeed from whence or whom could I have found a more approved Patron of a scholasticall discourse such as this is then so Honoured a Worthy as your self whose awfull power can protect it and whose scientificall wisdome can aright judg of it I apprehend it not totally improbable that the Author of this Book might be sometime known to you by face at least upon report or by his writings but if not by the last you may then possibly by this one single grape guesse at the fuller vintage of his other labours the maturity of which in the proper season hath yielded absit verbo invidia the wholesome liquor of soul-saving doctrine to Gods people As to this particular Exposition I shall not speake * Autorem commendet opus encomiastically a word onely if the great expectation before-hand as some foyl to a diamond abate not of the value surely then in that grand controversie of justification by faith as also of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and authority of the holy Scriptures that Papall Idoll of works and traditions so much adored by Bellarmine a learned Cardinall indeed but a very sophisticall and prevaricating Champion as Dagon of the Philistims before the Arke of God falls c 1 Sam. 5.3 flat to the ground dishivered into dust and ashes And as a meete preparatory thereto the Text it self is so artificially analysed the scope as if discovered by a sun beame cleared the terms distinctly elucidated and then the Doctrinall observations so genuinely deduced thence as if this single Commentary were the only key to unlock the more deep and abstruse mysteries of the great Apostle whose writings are in many things so d 2 Pet. 3.16 hard to be understood Give leave then I beseech you to adorne the frontispiece hereof with the mention of your name by the authority whereof it cannot but pass into the hands and as I hope also the hearts of the most judicious For if after that Apophthegme of Solomon e Prov. 27.8 oyntment and perfume rejoyce the heart then certes the savour of your f Cant. 1.3 name as a good oyntment powred forth more refresheth the age you live in then the costly g Joh. 12.13 spikenard of that penitent in the Gospell did the house filled with the odour thereof yea it being so eximiously beautified and adorned with h Psal 112.6 righteousness it seems mounted on the wings of honour and carried into your country with renown as if it had borrowed the i Psal 68.13 wings of King Davids Dove in the Psalme covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold embellished with the richest fairest and most lasting metalls as assuring posterity of an k Psal 112.6 everlasting remembrance And indeed it were injurious to doubt it for as l Albertus novicamp in scopo Biblico pag. 124 ex Cic. 2. offic Albartus and Novicampianus acquaints us Est compendiaria via ad gloriam ut qualis quisque haberi velit talis sit Integrity being the most compendious way to glory your Christian and holy practise enstates you in it having always followed as m Franc. Guicciard Histor Flor. lib. 1 p. 32. vol. 8. Guicciardine reports of Aloisius the Father of Charles the Eight of France magis res ipsas quam rerum vmbras more things themselves then the shadows of things more the n 2 Tim. 3.5 power of godliness then the form alone without it and that too in an irreprehensible sincerity as o Ignat. Epist ad Trallian Ignatius a contemporary with the Apostle commends the Tralliani 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to make use of for ostension or oftentation but to enjoy as a stable and an p 1 Pet. 1.4 immarcessible possession your hearts and your hands your affections and your actions being sweetly suited to divine lawes to use the expression of the same q Ignat. Epist ad Philadelph Ancient to his Philadelphians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as strings fitted to a well-tuned harp melodiously warbling harmonious accords insomuch that I may say though not to you whom were I a Chrysostome or a Thucydides of a golden mouth or of a silver lip to represent even in a most magnificent style the most virtuous extractions I should but shew a mirrour of what you are already as not scarcely needing to use instructions to what you should be better yet of you I may in this paper monument tell posterity in the same language that r Seneca sua sor 6. Seneca sometimes spake of that sage Cato that he was and so are you solus maximum vivendi Exemplum as it were alone within your station the greatest patterne and example for men to live by And that whether in your Naturalls or in your Morals or in your Theologicalls in relation to all which your defecated and refined soul doth bene habitare dwellaright

Baptismus est The same Augustine Cùm essent omnia communia Sacramenta non communis erat omnibus gratia quae Sacramentorum virtus est speaking of the very elements Inst The same let them be but in signification not in vertue or efficacy Answ They drank of the Rock which was Christ some of them I mean as Augustine expounds in Psalm 77. And if therein they had Communion with Christ how are they not the same in efficacy Will they say the effect was one the efficiency or manner of producing different It is easie to say any thing their proof we want and require Not to be long Scholast ad 4. senten Concerning the Sacrament of Circumcision their own Divines confess many of them that it had the same effect with Baptisme and in the same manner namely the work wrought Why may we not then conclude that their Sacraments were one with ours in Use Ends and Efficacy Forsooth their Sacraments had no absolute promise of grace ours have But before I answer their objections the Reader must be entreated to observe that they change the state of the question For the question is not betwixt them and us Whether their Sacraments conferred justification as ours For we maintain that neither confer justification though both equally confirm it in manner above-shewn But the question is whether theirs had the same efficacy that ours have to the uses and ends whereto they were designed And so we affirm that the same promises for spirituall things were made to both people in both Testaments and confirmed in both Sacraments The same promise that is made to us was made to Abraham yea first to Abraham and first to the seed of his loins walking in the steps of his faith Gen 17. How else reasons the Apostle from the example of Abraham the promise was given Abraham through faith Ergò It s ours through faith and not by the Law c. and again How makes he Abraham the father of believers in both people except that the Covenant was stablished in him as the father for his children of both people But have our Sacraments absolute promise of grace justifying to be conferred by them then what lets infants even of hereticks in baptisme of hereticks to receive justification And if justification may be had in the Conventicles of hereticks why not also salvation We will henceforth be of comfort in the Church of England and we will hope for our infants yet that they may go to heaven 2. Where have we such an absolute promise made to our Sacraments Mar. 16.16 this I read He that believes and is baptized shall be saved Acts 2.39 He that repents and is baptized shall receive remission of sins Never He that is baptized shall have justification or salvation simply because he is baptized To omit all other their objections bewraying too foul ignorance in the matter of the Covenant of grace their last onely I will take notice of It lies thus Our Sacraments are said to save to regenerate to justifie and no such thing is read of theirs in the Scriptures Ergò They are not equal in efficacy Answ Many of the places alledged are to be understood of the Baptisme of the Spirit as that 1. Pet. 3.21 Tit. 3.5 Joh. 3.5 And what is that to the Sacrament 2 If in other places remission of sins be in shew of words ascribed to the Sacrament it must be understood significativè at most but concomitanter Vse Let us now leave a while these toilesome controversies and see what use of this conclusion redounds to us And it shall be the same that Paul once made to the people of Corinth 1 Cor. 10. upon this ground That none of us presume upon Sacraments as if they sealed up impunity to willfull transgressions there is no greater vertue in ours then was in Iewish Sacraments And their Murmurings Idolatry Fornication Tempting of God was severely punished even in those that partook Sacraments the same with ours in signification use and efficacy And why should any of us adventure the displeasure of God upon vain confidence of the work done of Sacraments Consider we that they are not only obsignations of favour but obligations to duty and so bined to dutifull carriage that they seal up pardon of no more sins then are repented and forsaken It is in this respect with Gods pardon as with like indulgence of Princes to Malefactours they binde for ever to good behaviour And I could wish our people thus perswaded of them But thus it fares with most through their ignorance as it is said of the Hart when he is wounded he runs to the herbe dittany known by naturall instinct to be soveraign So our people when they have wounded their souls even to death with the vilest abominations they post to Sacraments for medicine adding to their other sins this of profaning Gods sacred ordinances By the law of God given to the Iewes it was ordained that none that had contracted any legall pollution should on pain of death adventure on their Passeover till such time as his cleansing according to the law was accomplished The statute for the letter bindes not us but the signification thus far serves to instruct us that none of us renewing his sins should adventure on Sacraments without renewing repentance The last thing here observable is this That Sacraments are ordained not to confer justification but to confirm us in perswasion of it As to Abraham circumcision gave not righteousness but as a seal confirmed it unto him for what shall we say as Papists This Sacrament was so to Abraham only as his priviledg not so ours to us Thereto hath already been answered and the case is as plain for Baptisme in Cornelius as this for circumcision in Abraham Kemnit Exam. part 2. de sacram efficac Vsu or shall we say these instances were extraordinary and therefore afford no generall rule First How appears it of either that there was any thing extraordinary Secondly Whence should we fetch the rule to judg of the ordinary use of Sacraments save from their persons that first received them Let it stand therefore for a conclusion that the use of Sacraments is not to confer faith or justification but to confirm it For which cause we shall finde that ordinary faith is required as a pre-disposition necessary in all that are admitted to the Sacraments yea Act. 8. faith of the Messiah and confidence in him for justification between which faith and justification the connexion is inseparable Ob. If any shall say that they cannot have use in infants Answ To omit other answers though in infants while they are infants they have not actually that use yet to 〈◊〉 end they are ministred to infants that when in time to come they shall believe to righteousness their faith may receive confirmation by baptisme in infancy received August de Bapt. contra Donat. lib. 4. cap. 24. To this purpose saith Augustine In Abraham praecessit

pauci post te o domine Iesu ire volunt cum tamen ad te pervenire Nemo sit qui nolit Lord Jesu How few are they that are willing to go after thee when as yet there is no man but desires to come unto thee as knowing that at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Et propterea volunt omnes te frui at non ita imitari conregnare cupiunt sed non compati Hence is it that all men would enjoy thee but they like not so well to resemble thee fain they would raign with thee loath they are to suffer with thee Et mox mortem spiritualium optant sibi etiam carnales quorum tamen vitam abhorrent Brethren like rewards require like labours like favours like duties They fail not of Abrahams blessing that follow Abrahams faith and let them never expect his comforts that refuse to resemble his virtues That for the Generall View we now the Words wherein are two things First The duty it self required of us to the end we may share with Abraham in the blessing of justification believing in God Secondly The object thereof God set out here by a periphrasis who raised up Iesus from the dead Sense Sense Believing in God The words thought not delivered in that form yet import the condition required of us to justification and are therefore well rendred according to the sense by some translatours If we believe or so that we believe Some here conceive the Apostle to deliver us the nature of justifying faith and to resolve us that it is rather an affiance or putting trust in God then an assent or giving credit to the truth of his promise The question hath been largely discussed ad vers 3. Whether I remit the Reader We may better hence collect the necessity of putting trust in God for righteousness to justification then a description of the faith that justifieth And that is it the Apostle directly teacheth that to justification is necessary a relying upon God through Christ and putting confidence in him for justification and withall the infallible sequel of justification upon our confidence placed in God for that blessing As touching the nature of faith justifying the Apostle intends not here to teach us yet shall it not be amiss on this occasion to propound some arguments brought for that conclusion as I heard them lately in conference with a friend reverend for learning and piety Mr. J.D. His judgment was that faith justifying was rather an affiance and resting on Christ for righteousness then a perswasion of Gods love in Christ or an assent to the promises of the Gospel His arguments these First Faith that justifieth be it what it will be must needs go before justification it self so doth affiance so not particular faith For it must first be true that God justifieth me before I can believe it and in order of nature there is truth in the proposition before the assent is given to the truth of it Answ The propositions of the Gospel we may conceive to offer themselves to our minde either in terms of the future tense or sub verbis de praesenti or praeterito As thus God will pardon my sins and accept me to his favour for Christ or thus God hath pardoned my sins and doth accept me as righteous in Christ accordingly the assent thereto is either as to a thing that shall be or as to a thing already done In the first obtaining of justification the assent of faith is to the proposition De futuro and that we are sure had actual truth from everlasting concerning all those that shall be heirs of salvation The assent to the proposition de praesenti or praeterito is in order of nature after justification In time for all that they are simul the proposition de futuro is in nature before it so soon as I believe that God will pardon he pardons Before I believe that he hath pardoned he hath pardoned And that I think may suffice to assoyl that doubt so expertly and acutely contrived Besides this they should attend that the affiance they speak of issues out of the perswasion we have of Gods love to us in Christ for who can relye on God for righteousness and salvation that hath not some perswasion that God is a father to him in Christ So that what argument concludes the precedence of confidence to justification concluds much more a precedence of particular assent out of which as out of a fountain that affiance issueth And howsoever it be true that such assent as is spoken of receives strength from our affiance yet from it no otherwise then from other gifts of sanctification namely as from evidences and signes and as I may term them qualifications of our persons and dispositions as it were to entitle us to the Promises or rather to evidence the title we have according to the Covenant unto the merits and benefits of Christ The second argument was as I conceived it on this manner To faith justifying all men are bound To particular perswasion of Gods will to pardon sins all are not bound For God binds no man to believe an untruth there are some of whom it never was nor shall be true that God will pardon their sins as Reprobates Ergó Answ Zanch. de natura Dei lib. 5. c. 2. That which is ground of his Argument I confess I find amongst our Divines more resolutely determined then distinctly explained Their conclusion is that all men even Reprobates are bound to believe that they are in Christ Elected to Salvation These reasons seem to make against it First for that there are and ever have been many to whom the name of Christ or the benefits in him conveyed unto us were never known And Paul seems to say of such Rom. 2.12 as sin without the Law they shall perish without the Law By proportion we may say They that sin without the Gospel shall perish without the Gospel The not giving credit thereto shall not be imputed to their condemnation in as much as it was never revealed unto them By consequence therefore there was no bond upon their conscience to believe it Moreover particular assent riseth from that particular Testimony of Gods spirit with ours Rom. 8.16 Which who can say to be vouchsafed to Reprobates But yield ex abundanti that Reprobates at least in the Church are bound to believe it What then It follows thence that God binds them to believe an untruth Answ An untruth in the thing No untruth to them except by their own default because that howsoever God hath revealed that there are some Reprobates Yet reveals he to no man in this life his own Reprobation And as the rule of our actions is not Gods secret but revealed will so the rule and measure of Faith is not truth secretted but truth revealed St. August Enchirid ad Laurent Augustine sticks not to say that a man may will what is contrary to