vp in the generall promise How we haue a particular word for the pardon of our sinnes in particularly as it hath a commandement annexed thereto for euery one to apply it to himselfe If a King shall by proclamation exhort his subiects that are risen in armes against him to lay downe their armes and submit themselues vnto him and withall promise that whosoeuer shall so doe shall haue his pardon is it not as good and firme to euery one that cometh in accordingly as if the King had by name said to him Thou and thou shalt haue thy pardon Now doth not God promise pardon mercy to euery one that beleeueth in the name of Christ and doth he not command euery one to beleeue in Christ and to take this promise as made to him in particular What then is this but euen as much as if he did say to euery beleeuer by name Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Secondly they obiect Iustifying faith goeth before iustification but the beleefe that our sinnes are pardoned must follow the pardon of them which they thus proue The beleefe of the pardon of our sinnes doth follow our iustification or else wee beleeue our sinnes pardoned when they are not Faith and pardon of sin go together but this were a false and foolish faith Ergo c. Ans Neither of these is true For neither doth the beleefe of the pardon of our sins follow our iustification nor yet doe wee beleeue our sinnes forgiuen before they bee forgiuen For God hath thus appointed that whensoeuer a sinner beleeueth and repenteth his iniquity shall then be done away They goe together But it will bee asked How faith can beleeue the pardon of sinne before the pardon is really made we cannot see a thing before it be and something is presented to vs that is visible Ans Faith requireth one kinde of obiect sense another the obiect of sense must bee actually existing in the nature of things but it sufficeth that the obiect of faith be in the word of promise Now the pardon of sinne Pardon of sin hath its being in the word of promise before we enioy it hath its being euen before it be beleeued in regard of Gods decree then also of Christs merit and purchase and lastly in the word of promise which doth assure thee that vpon thy beleeuing thy sinnes are pardoned Now faith taketh this pardon presented to it in the word of promise and trauailing with it bringeth forth the actuall remission of our sinne which vpon our faith wee receiue from God Againe they say if this be iustifying faith to haue trust and assurance that our sinnes are pardoned then we cannot say as we are taught to pray Forgiue vs our sinnes Ans That doth not follow for as in other graces so in faith wee must grow and go from faith to faith more more strongly to beleeue the pardon of our sinnes How wee doe pray for the daily pardon of our sinnes which already in part wee beleeue this is it then which vvee craue in that petition which we may well do yea ought to do that for our daily trespasses which wee fall vnto we may by faith apprehend and obtaine the pardon of them and for our former trespasses that the pardon of them may be made good to vs and by a greater measure of faith more firmely apprehended and confirmed to our soules Lastly they obiect Faith is the cause of confidence ergo not confidence it selfe Ans It doth not follow but rather the contrarie it breedeth confidence ergo it hath it for nothing can make another thing hot which hath not heat in it selfe nor could faith ingender confidence in the beleeuer if in its owne nature it did not containe the same Doct. 7. Faith doth iustifie vs not of it selfe but for Christ whom it apprehendeth That we beleeuing on him Before we come to the vses of this point wee may heere fitly obserue another point that hath much affinity with the former that is Whence it is that faith saueth and iustifieth vs it is not for its owne worth but for Christ on whom it resteth GOD gaue his onely begotten Sonne saith Christ that we beleeuing on him might haue life teaching vs that for this obiect that is Iesus Christ the onely begotten of God to whom it is referred whom it apprehendeth wee are iustified and saued Wee are to know then that when we say we are iustâ—fied by faith it is all one with this that wee are iustified through Christ apprehended by faith The Papists say indeed that this is a glosse of our owne making Wherefore we will a little further cleare and confirme the poynt First then the phrase of Scripture if we well mark it will teach vs thus much that it is not the worthiness of faith for which we are iustified for wee read that of faith and by faith and through faith wee are iustified as Rom. 3.30 5.1 but we neuer read for faith we are iustified as if it were ascribed to the worth of faith But not to stand on this the equivalence of the former phrases is the expresse word of the Scripture To be iustified by faith and by Christ apprehended by faith is all one In the third chapter of the Epistle to the Romans and elsewhere oft we meet with this phrase Wee are iustified by faith now in the fift chapter of the said Epistle it is said verse the 17. that we shall raigne in life through Iesus Christ and verse 19. that by his obedience we shall be made righteous What in the first place is called iustification and saluation by faith that in the other is called making righteous and raigning in life through Christ and him beleeued on So also Acts 3.16 First saith Peter his name hath made this man sound through faith in his name and then the faith which is by him hath giuen to him this disposition of his body Is it not plaine here that faith hath healed him is as much as his name or Christ beleeued on hath healed him the one phrase doth expound the other Reason of the point But beside this there are pregnant reasons to manifest this thing First then Faith doth onely so iustifie vs as it apprehends the righteousnesse of God Reason 1. But Christ onely is the righteousnesse of GOD. Christ is Gods righteousneâ—â—e Hee is Iehoua our righteousnesse Ier. 33.16 the Sunne of righteousnesse Mal 4.2 No righteousnesse can suffice to our iustification but such as one as God doth ordaine and allow nay such a righteousnesse as is of and in him who is not onely man but God also for it must counteruaile infinite sinnes and suffice for many thousands that are to be saued Nor can such a righteousnesse doe vs any good vnlesse as it is most sufficient in it selfe so it bee made ours Whom faith onely doth make ours And where is such a righteousnesse to be found but in Christ
time which hee ordained When the holy men of God looked vnto this time with what ioy were they replenished As it is said of Abraham that he saw this day of Christ and reioiced thereat Iohn 8.56 And if the contemplation of it before hand made them to reioyce How much more should wee reioyce in this grace of God and in this day of saluation vnto whom it is risen and who enioy the comfortable and blessed presence of it 3. An exhortaâ—ion to imbrace the present grace offred vs. Thirdly it is a ground of exhortation to vs that wee put not the grace of God from vs. Euery one that beleeueth shall be saued That is no condition no not of the greatest excepted of whom this is not required To beleeue Look to me all â—ee Nations of the earth and be you saued Be men what they will be neuer so rich noble and great they must looke and goe to Christ if they will haue saluation What happinesse is this then that â—hrist is come vnto vs and this grace is offered vs It is iust with God that wee perish if on any worldly confidence we neglect this saluation and do not with both armes embrace and lay hold of it being thus brought vnto vs. Doct. 6. The onely obiect of our faith as it iustifies vs is Christ Now it followeth euery one beleeuing on him This doth teach what is the obiect of our faith that is Iesus Christ whom onely faith doth looke vnto and respect as it doth make vs righteous in the sight of God which other Scriptures plentifully confirme To as many as receiued him hee gaue this priuiledge to bee the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Iohn 1.12 A worthy honour to be made the Sonne of God which faith onely can aduance vs to and that onely as it doth beleeue in Christ and receiue him And so Acts 16.30 31. What saith the Iayler must I doe to bee saued Beleeue doth Paul and Silas answere him But on whom on the Lord Iesus And Acts 26.18 that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctified through faith in mee It is therefore called the faith of Christ because Christ is he whom faith doth apprehend to righteousnesse and life according to that in the twenty sixt Verse of this Chapter Hee that beleeueth on the Sonne of God hath life And righteousnesse is euery vvhere tied vnto faith euen to faith in Christ whom onely it doth and can looke vnto as it iustifieth vs. It is true that a iustifying faith may worke a miracle may beleeue an historie but it doth not iustifie vs as it is occupied this way neither in these things doth it onely eye Iesus Christ For there are those who may beleeue the history of the gospell yea and worke miracles also who were neuer iustified as wee may reade Mat. 7.22.23 But this matter will bee better cleared if we consider what it is to beleeue on Christ The papists say it is to giue credit to the doctrine touching Christ his person offices passion and merits we say it is confidence of mercy in Christ Which faith is a confidence of mercy in Christ touching pardon of sinne and life In handling of this point I will first cleare the truth then answer what may bee obiected against it This then that faith is an affiance of mercy is proued by the nature of the phrase secondly by the interpretation of scripture thirdly by reasons As is manifest by the phrase The phrase to beleeue on Christ notes confidence assurance as may easily be conuinced For so these three phrases Credere de Christo credere Christo et credere in Christum To beleeue concerning Christ to beleeue Christ and to beleeue on Christ must bee distinguished that the former two include a bare knowledge and assent and may be where there is no iustification but the last containeth confidence in it and euer doth iustifie This phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answereth to these Hebrew phrases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or batach in construction with beth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For these referred to God are all one â—sal 18.22 vsed sometime in way of exegesis and exposition the one to the other That these answer to this greek phrase is apparant both by comparing the Syriacke and by the translation of the Septuagint who so translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the 28. of Esay verse 16. as Paul citeth it Rom. 10.11 Looke now how the Scripure expoundeth these phrases 2. By the Scriptures expositioÌ„ In the 50. of Esay 10. you haue one expounded Trust in the Lord the meaning whereof is giuen vs in the next words and rest vpon him So Esay 31.1 the same phrase to trust is expounded by staying euen as a man would stay himselfe on a staffe wherewith he is vnderpropped So also Ier. 17.5 To trust in man is to make man his arme letting the hart go back from God In Psal 62.7 To trust on the Lord is to place our strength in the Lord. And Psal 37.5 To trust in him is for a man to roule himselfe and his actions on him If to beleeue on God were to holde dogmatically this or that reuealed of him then this beleefe were common to other things with him and wee might as well beleeue in creatures as in God For what doth let but that we may without sin holde and assent to those dogmaticall truthes which are taught concerning them Adde to these things the iudgement of Augustine on the 77. Psal * Hoâ— est credere in Deum credendo ad â—aâ—ere ad benè cooperandum bona operant Deo Aug. in psal 77. This saith he is to beleeue in God By beleeuing to cleaue vnto him And more largely on Ioh. 7. tract 29. b Si creditis in eum creditis ei non autem continuâ— qui credit ei credit in eum c. De Apostolis possumus dicere credimus Paulo sed non credimus in Paulum credimus Petro sed non credimus in Petrum c. Quid est ergo credere in eum credendo amare credendo diligere credendo in eum ire eius membris incorporari Augustine in Iohannem cap. 7. tract 29. If ye beleeue in God ye also beleeue God but not forthwith doth he beleeue in God who beleeueth God Againe we may say we beleeue Paul and Peter but not wee beleeue in Paul and Peter What is therefore to beleeue in him it is by beleeuing to affect him by beleeuing to loue him by beleeuing to goe into him and to bee incorporated into his members In which sense words also Lumbard * Credere in Deum est credendo amare credendo in eum ire credendo ei adhaerere et eius membris incorporari Lomb lib. 3. distinct 23. doth expound the same phrase lib. 3. dist 23.
Lastly it is manifest by the scripture Col. 2.6 and Iohn 1.12 that beleeuing on Christ is the receiuing of him And what is this receiuing Not only a comprehension of the vnderstanding but an imbracing of the hart and affections laying holde on him as we would on any thing with our hand which is reached vnto vs. And Iohn 6.35 to goe or come to Christ is made all one with beleeuing on Christ which going no doubt is rather a spirituall motion of the hart and affections toward Christ to enioy him and cleaue vnto him then a contemplation of the minde contented to see beholde him 3. By reasons In the third place wee must cleare this matter by reason that to beleeue on Christ is to trust vpon him and that for the grace of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting For the papists say that when we construe to beleeue in Christ to bee to beleeue the pardon of our sinnes in and for Christ that this is a glosse of our owne deuising Wherefore to shew it let this bee the first reason So faith doth receiue and rest on Christ as Christ is set forth to the beleeuer Reason 1. But Christ is set forth vnto vs as our redeemer from sinne and death ergo faith staieth on Christ as our redeemer from sin and death For this wee are alwaies to haue in minde that Christ is the obiect of our faith Not a naked Christ is the obiect of our faith but Christ clothed with his benefits not abstractly and nakedly considered but Christ with his benefits Christ lifted vp as the brazen serpent Christ set forth as a sacrifice propitiatory for our sinnes And thus to receiue Christ and beleeue on him is to beleeue receiue in him ransome from sin and death Reason 2. Secondly I proue this from the disposition of euery beleeuer That which pricketh and spurreth the soule to Christ that the soule first of all â—eacheth at and receiueth in Christ But sinne and death maketh the soule goe forth to Christ Ergo it first layeth hold on pardon of sinne and deliuerance from death These things are euident truths in the experience of euery humbled and beleeuing soule Reason 3. Thirdly it may bee proued by the order of iustification that a iustifying faith is to stay on Christ for the pardon of sinne or to beleeue in him forgiuenesse of sinne The beleeuer that hath got his sinnes couered he hath beleeued the pardon of them But euery beleeuer whom God iustifyeth hath first got his sins couered Ergo he hath before iustification beleeued their pardon It may seeme strange that I say that the sinnes of the beleeuer are couered before his iustification but in nature thus it must bee considered For the Lord cannot pronounce vs as iust till some way hee see vs innocent To absolue the guiltie is abomination with him The order that is obserued in our iustification The order of our iustificatâ—oÌ„ will cleere the matter First there is a sight of our misery to which we are brought by the Law Secondly there is by the Gospell an holding forth of Christ as our Redemption from sinne and death Thirdly there is a working of faith in the heart to rest on Christ as the ransome from sinne and death Now when a man is come hither he is truely and really iust For he hath hold of the ransome from all his sinne Then in the fourth place followeth the Lords voice iustifying this party thus in Christ made righteous Reason 4. Fourthly it may be proued by the effects of faith For that faith which iustifyeth before God which sanctifyeth which bringeth Christ to dwell in our hearts which breedeth peace yea giueth entrance vnto God with confidence and boldnesse that standeth in the trust of mercy and in knowledge onely But all these are made effects of beleeuing on Christ The first part of the reason is euident For if faith be onely the crediting of things to be beleeued then these effâ—cts belong not vnto faith For wicked men in their kinde and the Diuels in their kinde may haue such a perswasion Thus hauing proued sufficiently that to beleeue on Christ is to haue confidence of mercy touching remission of sinne I will now shew what may bee obiected Obiections answered Scriptures that seeme to affirme faith to be onely a right perswasion of Christs person and offices The arguments are either drawne from Scripture or Reason The first ranke proueth that it is true faith to think aright of Christs person office The Scriptures may be recalled to these three heads Mat. 16.16 Thou art the Christ the Son of the liuing God Iohn 1.49 Rabbi saith Nathanael thou art the Sonne of God thou art the King of Israel Iohn 11.26 27. He that beleeueth in mee saith our Sauiour vnto Martha shall not dye Beleeuest thou this Yea Lord saith shee I beleeue that thou art the Christ the Sonne of God that should come into the world So Iohn 20.31 These things are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of God c. See Acts 8.37 and 1. Iohn 5.1 From all these Scriptures it may thus be concluded Ob. To bee perswaded aright touching Christs person and office is no particular assurance of mercie But rightly to hold this is iustifying faith Ergo iustifying faith is no particular affiance but onely to hold truely the doctrine of Christ Answ But it is false that these examples mention no more but the holding of the doctrine in truth For they all include an affiance of mercy Which yet include in affiance of mercy in him which may be thus proued First it is a generall rule that words of knowledge include in the partie the affections also much more words of beliefe Secondly to see the cleere trueth of all these examples wee must consider the disposition of Gods people touching the Messiah As therefore they looked for the Messiah so according to the prophecies they promised to themselues in and by the Messiah all good The woman of Samaria Iohn 4. could say when the Messiah commeth he will teach vs all things And therefore Math. 11.3 the Disciples of Iohn aske Christ Art thou hee that should come or shall wee looke for another Where wee may see that there was not a knowledge onely of Christ to come but an expectation and an hope placed in him as in whom all good promises should bee accomplished vnto them So that if we consider the disposition of this people whose hopes did hang on the Messiah wee may plainely vnderstand how that to beleeue the Messias is not onely to know and giue credence but to haue an affiance in him Thirdly wee must consider these examples by that of Thomas Iohn 20.28 who as he confessed Christ and God so was it with tearmes of affiance saying Thou art my Lord and my God Fourthly this may bee gathered by Marthaes words Iohn 11.26 27. For when Christ asked
her Doest thou beleeue this that whoso beleeueth on me shall not die euerlastingly She doth answere Yea Lord I beleeue that thou art the Christ that is Since I beleeue this that thou art the Messiah I cannot doubt but that those that cleaue to thee shall haue euerlasting life teaching that these confessions imply an affiance and trust of all good through him The second ranke of places proue that to beleeue the power of God is iustifying faith Scriptures affirming faith to be a beliefe of Gods power Mat. 9.28 c. Christ required no more of the blinde man then to beleeue that hee was able to heale him And Luke the seuenth that faith of the Centurion which Christ commended to be greater then hee had found any in Israel seemeth to bee no more then a perswasion of Christs power to restore his sicke seruant Say the word and my seruant shall be whole verse 7. So Marke 1.4 The Leper seemeth to doubt of Christs will but was well perswaded of his power If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane And how is Abrahams faith otherwise set out vnto vs then by this that hee was fully assured that he which had promist was also able to doe it Rom. 4.21 Hence it is thus argued That faith which Christ requireth and confirmeth by miracle that is a iustifying faith But to bee perswaded touching the power of God is that faith which hee requireth and hath so confirmed Ergo c. I answere to the first part of this reason that it is false For the faith which Christ requireth to iustification is such a faith as doth acquite vs from our sinnes and procure vs righteousnesse but such a faith is not heere required but onely a faith seruing to receiue a temporall blessing Which speake not of iustifying faith but of a faith auailing to temporall blessing to which faith it suffices to bee perswaded of Gods generall goodnesse and power as hee is a Creatour The which faith since it doth giue vnto God the glory of power aboue all his creatures it pleaseth him to reward with temporall benefits as a thing good in it selfe though it doe not iustifie vs in his sight But Abrahams example must bee further examined and explaned from the which they goe about to conclude the same thus Abrahams faith Abrahams faith was a iustifying faith But his faith was not a perswasion of mercy To confirme which they make two maine exceptions at this example First that it was of a temporall promise and ergo the obiect of it was not forgiuenesse of sins in Christ Secondly that it was of Gods power Rom. 4.21 and not of any speciall grace and fauour For the first this promise was as well spirituall was of a spirituall blessing as temporall It was as you may see Gen. 15.5.18 17.5 6 7 8. c. of a seed which God would raise vp out of him and of Canaan which should bee giuen to his seede and in that seede the blessed seede Iesus Christ In Iesus Christ and vnder Canaan as a type heauen was figured and promised Now the obiect of Abrahams faith so farre as it did iustifie him was that blessed seede which is Christ Gal. 4 16. For it was rather the sight of Christ which hee had by faith then the perswasion of a sonne to bee borne to him and Canaan to be giuen his seede that made him to reioyce as Iohn 8.56 Abraham reioiced to see my day and hee saw it and was glad For the second when they say it was a perswasion of the power of God and not of his fauour they are mightily ouershot For the text saith first verse 20. that he did not doubt of the promise of God Now the promise alwaies implyeth Gods good will Looked first to Gods good will in the promise and grace The promise runnes not I can giue thee a seede Abraham and this Canaan to be possessed by thy seede but I will do thus and thus How then doth the Apostle set out Abrahams full beliefe in this that hee was assured that he who had promised was able also to doe it I answere Not because Abrahams saith did iustifie him as it did beleeue the power of God but because his iustifying faith which was fixed on the promise did sustaine it selfe Next to Gods power to sustaine himselfe in temptation by this consideration of Gods power in the time of triall betweene the promise and execution For vsually the Lord puts a time of delay betweene these vvherein faith is exercised Thus it was with Abraham he had a promise touching a seed the execution is deferred Hereupon his faith is assailed thus Thy body is dead Abraham thy wife hopelesse that way These things foiled Sarah Now when Abrahams faith on the promise is likewise set vpon hee holds fast the promise and against these arguments of vnbeliefe faith opposeth the all-sufficient power of God and sustaineth it selfe with this consideration God is able A third ranke of places tendeth to shew that to beleeue Christ dead and risen Scriptures putting faith in a beliefe of Christs death resurrection is true faith As Rom. 10.9 If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saued And 1. Cor. 15.3 4. c. it is made the summe of the Gospell To beleeue the death and resurrection of Christ Hence thus they reason To giue credit that Christ is dead and risen is a iustifying faith but this is no perswasion of mercy Ergo. I answer The Apostles must interpret and construe themselues To beleeue Christ dead and risen as they taught him is true beleefe but they teach these things still with application But these are to be vnderstood with applicatiō as Rom. 4.25 He was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification And Rom. 8.34 Who shall condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe for vs for that is to be vnderstood in euery member of this sentence which is added onely in the last that he maketh request for vs. So also say the Apostles Acts 5.31 that God had raised vp Christ to be a Prince and Sauiour to giue repentance to Israel forgiuenesse of sinnes Now thus to beleeue the death resurrection of Christ as thereby to look for forgiuenesse of sinnes is not bare knowledge but true affiance and assurance And these are the scriptures from the which they would proue this generall faith to be true faith Now follow the reasons Aduerse reasōs answered by which they goe about to shewe that there is not any particular assurance of mercie in faith First then thus they dispute There is no faith where there is no word but there is no word that saieth to any of vs Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Ans We haue a particular word infolded and wrapped
a weake and feeble faith doth as truely and entirely if not more as the strongest Nay let mee say more for the comfort of such as are weake in faith If they haue but a true desire to beleeue He is enioyed euen by a desire to beleeue and cannot yet in an expresse and explicite manner beleeue on Christ they haue Christ and enioy him vnto righteousnesse and the pardon of their sinnes If a man should want hands to receiue his Princes Pardon tendered to him it would suffice to entitle him vnto it and the benefit thereof To shew his will to accept it euen so will God in rich mercy accept in a broken and humbled soule a desire to beleeue for faith it selfe and thereby shall they become possessed of Christ with all his merits to the saluation of their soules Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Math. 5.6 3. It accordeth grace faith in our iustification Lastly this doth shew how grace and faith doe well agree in our iustification Workes cannot stand in this matter with Gods grace as they are vrged to merit any thing toward it For that it is not wholly of grace which in the least degree doth come of merit But faith as it doth iustifie vs doth bring nothing of its owne to present to God and to make the beleeuer righteous it doth chalenge nothing for its owne worth but doth seeke all righteousnesse in Christ alone Since faith doth seeke for all from Gods grace in Christ doth onely take Christ for its righteousnesse as he is ordained and giuen by the grace of God doth onely present him and his obedience and plead Gods grace and mercy promised in him It doth nothing derogate from the Kings grace in giuing a Pardon to his subiect and from hauing the whole praise of his safety that his subiect doth receiue and plead the same for his life nay rather hereby doth the subiect proclaime to all men that he hath no other meanes to scape the gallowes but the gracious pardon of the King Euen so faith doth not any thing obscure Gods grace toward vs but rather aduance it For can a poore sinner giue larger testimonie and more amply set out the glory of Gods grace then when disclaiming himselfe and his best workes as filthy clouts he doth wholly flye vnto and relye vpon Iesus Christ his obedience and Gods gracious pardon of his sinnes by and through him And if the life and safety of a Malefactor saued by the Kings pardon notwithstanding his receiuing of it be wholly ascribed to the grace and mercy of the Prince how much more must our saluation notwithstanding that we beleeue in Christ be the praise glory of Gods rich grace whose grace it is first to prepare and offer Christ vnto vs and saluation in him and then also to giue vs faith which otherwise wee could neuer haue to receiue and beleeue on him It followeth should not perish but haue life euerlasting We are now at length from the meanes come to consider the benefit which doth stand on two parts as hath beene before touched 1. in deliuerance from that miserable state wherein we were should not perish 2. in conferring great good vpon vs but haue euerlasting life The first thing that heere we may obserue is what wee are before and without faith euen lost wretches Doct. 8. We are by nature lost wretcthes It is by faith in Christ that wee are kept from perdition which teacheth plainely that by nature before the Lord hath quickened vs by faith we are all children of perdition But of this more largely and more fitly in another place Doct. 9. Secondly therefore obserue that though wee bee by nature dead yet by faith we are quickened By faith we are quickned and entitled to eternall life and made partakers of life euerlasting So Christ verse 36. of this chapter Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life And chapter 5.24 Verely verely I say vnto you Hee that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent mee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life And Iohn 17.3 This is eternall life to know that is with the knowledge of faith thee to bee the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. For Christ is our life For Christ is our life whom by faith we possesse our life is in him Col. 3.4 And therefore whosoeuer do beleeue in him haue life through and with him As 1 Iohn 5.11.12 From this principle we may see the same conclusion to be gathered God hath giuen vs life and this life is in his Sonne he that hath the Sonne hath life he that hath not the Sonne hath not life But to see this better how by faith we come to haue life euerlasting we must consider that we haue it either in regard of the beginning or of the accomplishment and perfection If once we bee brought to beleeue in Christ life eternall is then begunne in vs 1 Eternall life is by faith begun in vs Iohn 7.38 Hee that beleeueth in mee out of his belly shall there flowe riuers of water of life And the nature of these waters is such that they neuer let the soule thirst againe but they are in the beleeuer a well of water springing to eternall life Neuer to be extinguished Iohn 4.14 Neither let any man except That they shall be so vnlesse a man cast them vp againe for that cannot bee since if they could be cast vp how should they then be a well in a man still springing to euerlasting life By faith we receiue the promised spirit Gal. 3.14 By faith we haue Christ liuing in vs. Eph. 3.17 Who since hee cannot dy as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 6.9 wee must not thinke that this life begunne once in any member can vtterly bee extinguished For this life is a fruit of the spirit the first resurrection a life in substance all one with that blessed and glorious estate which vvee shall enioy It is an eternall life euen for the qualitie and condition of it and not onely by reason of the promise of God the merit and intercession of Iesus Christ Secondly 2. Thereby wee obtaine euen heere the fulnes of it If once we beleeue wee also come to haue the fulnes of life euerlasting and that 2. waies de facto or de iure in regard of the thing it self in very deed or in regard of right vnto it For euery beleeuer hath in very deed the fulnes of life glory thogh not in himselfe yet in his head Christ Iesus Hee may say My head Iesus Christ is glorified In deed in Christ who is glorified for vs. and I in my head sit in heauen Thus the Apostle speaketh Eph. 2.6 God hath raysed vs vp together and made vs sit in heauenly places in Christ Iesus Secondly 2. In right