The Doctrine of Justification, Treatise · Chapter 29
CHAPTER XXIX.
NOW it followeth that we ſpeake of the vſe, and ende, wherefore this ſupernatural gift is given vntounto man: this ſhortlie we may reduce vntounto foure points.
The firſt is, faith is given for knowledge.
Secondly, faith is given for poſſeſſion of the things knowen.
Thirdly, faith is given for keeping, and conſtant retayning, the things poſſeſſed, and that during this life.
Fourthly, faith is given for practiſe.
Wee ſaye, that it is given for theſe vſes, during the time of this life: becauſe, that in the life to come, both knowledge, poſſeſſion, and keeping, are performed in vsus by another meane, that is by ſight: For in this worlde wee walke by faith, and therefore doe neither knowe, poſſeſſe, nor keepe but by faith: but in the world to come, we ſhall walke by ſight, for we ſhall ſee him as he is: and therefore we ſhall both knowe, poſſes, and keepe by ſight.
Now concerning the firſt vſe and end of faith which is knowledge, we are to remember the ſaying of the Apoſtle 1. Corinth. chap. 2. ver 9. the things which God hath prepared for his elect, are ſuch which the eyes of man hath not ſeene, and which the eare hath not heard, & which hath not entred in the hart of man. Whereby the Apoſtle will declare vntounto vsus, that the thinges which God hath ordayned for our glory, are ſuch, as the heart of man can never poſſibly of it ſelfe conceyve: therefore as ſayeth the Apoſtle Iohn▪ God muſt needes give vsus a minde to knowe them, before wee ever can perceyve them, and this minde that God giveth is a beleeving heart: For the heart of man, is able by faith to know thinges, to will, & affect thinges, to enioye, and poſſeſſe things, and to keepe and retayne them, which of it ſelfe by all the power of reaſon, will. &c. it never could, nor poſſibly can, bee able, to knowe, poſſeſſe, &c. Thus we ſaye by faith, that the worlde was made by the word of God: and that thinges that are ſeene▪ were made of thinges which did not appeare, Hebr. chapt. 11. which all the Philoſophers, and Princes of the world, by all the light of nature, could never vnderſtand. For the things of God, are not naturally, but ſpiritually, diſcerned: therefore the naturall man, can not perceyve them. In the ſame ſenſe, Abraham is ſaide to have ſeene the day of Chriſt, and to have reioyced: and by the vertue of our faith it is, that we knowe IESVS to be that Chriſt, and the ſonne of God: and by faith we knowe, that we are elected of God: and by faith we knowe, that in Chriſt alone conſiſteth our adoption, our righteouſnes, fanctification, and redemption: ſo that wee knowe, that it is impoſſible to any man, to be the ſonne of God, or iuſt, or holy, or free from death, but in, and by Chriſt onelyonly: thus take me away faith from the heart, it is impoſſible to all the wiſedome of the wiſeſt hearte, ever to vnderſtande theſe thinges, and to know them for vndoubted verities: therefore it is (as wee hauehave marked before) that Chriſt ſayeth to Peter: Flesh and bloud hath not reveyled that vntounto thee: but my Father that is in heaven, Math. chap. 16. For this cauſe Chriſt ſayth vntounto the Iewes: Except yee beleeve that I am bee: yee shall die in yonr ſinn…. Shewing vsus by that ſpeech, that there is no way to knowe Chriſt to be the ſonne of God, but by beleevinge onelyonly.
Nowe this knowledge that commeth by faith, is not to bee taken in that ſenſe, wherein ſometymes the worde knowledge is put: which is when it ſignrfieth the naked, and bare vnderſtanding of thinges that are reveyled: but it is taken for an infallible ſcience, when as the heart knoweth God, and knoweth him vndoubtedly to be God: and when as it knoweth Chriſt▪ and knoweth him vndoubtedly to bee the ſonne of God: and when it knoweth Gods trueth, and knoweth it vndoubtedly to be the trueth of God: therefore ſaieth Iohn the Baptiſt, Hee that receyveth his teſtimonie, hath ſealed that God is true, Iohn chap. 3. ver. 33 And againe, Iohn 1. Epi. chap. 5. ver. 10. Hee that heleeveth not God, hath made him a liar, becauſe he beleeved not the record that God witneſſed of his ſoune.
Neither is this all which is meant by the knowledge of faith, but a third thing is yet to be added for the full vnderſtandinge thereof: For beſides the ſight, and knowledge, of the thinges which are reveiled by God, and alſo beſides the knowledge of the vndoubted veritie, and trueth of them, it is required, that wee knowe them to bee reveyled by God vntounto vsus, and knowe the vndoubted trueth, and veritie, of them toward vsus in our particular perſon, that is, that whatſoever God reveyle to vsus, he reveyleth it vntounto vsus as a thing which he hath appointed for vsus: and when he giveth vsus the ſight, and knowledge of the vndoubted veritie of the things reveyled: he maketh vsus aſſuredlie to knowe, that they ſhalbe truely & verily accompliſhed in our perſons, conforme to that ground which we have laide downe before concerning faith: that is, that what we beleeve, we muſt beleeve it concerning our ſelves in particular: according as it is ſaid of Abraham, that he beleeved God that he ſhould bee the Father of many Nation…s: And as Iob ſpeaketh of him ſelfe, chap. 19. verſes 25. 26. 27. I am ſure that my Redeemer liveth: and I shall ſee God in my flesh, whom I my ſelfe shall ſee, and my eyes shall beholde, and none other for mee. According to which certaintie, the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaketh alſo of him ſelfe, Rom. chap. 8. and for this maner of knowledge which commeth by faith, the Fathers doe call faith, the eye whereby we ſee the inviſible things of God, as alſo the ingravē forme of the ſonnes of God: and for this ſame cauſe it is called by the Apoſtle Heb. chap. 11. the evidence of things which are not ſeene. where by the word evidence, is vnderſtoode, that faith doeth not onelyonly ſhew them, but by evident demonſtration confirme the vndoubted veritie of them, and that to vsus in particular: ſo that it letteth me not only ſee life eternall in Chriſt, and this eternall life to belong to all that are in Chtiſt, but particularly it letteth me ſee my ſelfe in Chriſt, and this life to belonge to me in him: and that ſo certainlie, as nothing in heaven nor earth, can bee more certaine: and thus much for the firſt vſe of faith.
The ſeconde ende wherefore faith is given is poſſeſſion: and this confirmeth evidently and plainely the former ground touching knowledge, that it is ſo to be vnderſtood, as we have ſpoken: For the knowledge of faith is never without poſſeſſion, according to thar ſaying of Chriſt, Ioh. cha. 14. ver. 17. ſpeaking of the ſpirit, whow the world can not receyve, becauſe it ſeeth him not, neyther knoweth him: but yee knowe him, for hee dwelleth with you, and shalbee in you. According to which ground it is, that Ioh. ſayth: Hee that beleeveth in that ſonne of GOD, hath the witnes in him ſelf, 1. Epiſt. chap. 5. ver. 10. Thus faith maketh vsus to know nothing, but that which it alſo maketh vsus to poſſeſſe: therefore doeth the Apoſtle pray to God for the Epheſians, that Chriſt might dwell in their hearts by faith, chap. 3. verſ. 27.
For as the heart of man, can never know Chriſt by it owne light, but by the ſupernaturall light of faith: ſo it can never apprehend Chriſt, nor any bleſſing in Chriſt, by any natural power that is in the will & affection thereof. Therefore God giveth to his elect the ſupernaturall gift of faith in their hearts, that his elect, whoſe heartes could never by any naturall ſtrength, ever attaine to the poſſeſſion of Chriſt, nor ever deſire to have him, nor yet embrace him with vnfayned love, as their only treaſure, righteouſnes, and life, might choſe him, and count all things but dunge to gaine him, forſaking them ſelves and their owne righteouſnes, and to love him, and embrace him, with ſuch affectiō, that they prefer him to all things, evē to their owne life: ſo that man by faith is not only made to know his redeemer: but alſo to poſſeſſe him, and all bleſſings in him. And for this cauſe is it, that in the ſcriptures we are ſaide, to be the children of God by faith in Chriſt: to be iuſtified by faith in him: to bee ſaved by faith in him: and as ſaith the Apoſtle Peter, beleeving in him, we carrie about with vsus the end of our faith, the ſalvation of our ſoules, 1. Epiſt. 1. 9. And for this working of faith, it is called by the Apoſtle the ſubſiſting of things hoped for. Hebr. 11. 1. becauſe it giveth a certaine being, and ſubſiſting, vntounto things that are yet inviſible, and are yet only expected, and hoped for: and maketh thē to ſubſiſt in our hearts: therfore ſaith Chriſt, he that beleeveth, is alreadie tranſlated from death to life: and hath everlaſting life, Ioh. 5. 24.
Thus we ſee, that faith being taken away, the heart of man ſhould never be able to poſſeſſe, nor apprehend Chriſt, nor righteouſnes, or any other ſpirituall bleſſing in him.
Therefore, becauſe it is the effectuall inſtrument of Gods ſupernaturall power in our heartes, whereby we apprehende and poſſeſſe Chriſt, and all bleſſings in him: The Fathers doe call it the hand of a Chriſtian, as alſo the mouth of a Chriſtian, and likewiſe the bound of a Chriſtian: becauſe by faith, as by a hand, we lay holde on him, and by faith, as by a mouth, wee receyve him into our heartes, and by faith, as by a bande that never can be broken, wee are ſo vnited to him, and hee, with all the benefites that are in him, vntounto vsus: that we never can poſſibly bee ſeperated from him, nor he or his bleſſinges from vsus: for this cauſe is it, that Auguſtine ſayth, Beleeue onelyonly, and thou haſt eaten him.
And for cleering of this grounde, it is that theſe phraſes of ſpeech are vſed, to wit, that Chriſt is the ende of the lawe vntounto righteouſnes, to all that beleeve: that the promiſe is given to them, that faithfully beleeve: That the Goſpell is the power of GOD vntounto ſalvation, to everie one that beleeveth, &c. all to teach vsus, that neither the Goſpell can helpe vsus to ſalvation, neither is the promiſe made ours, nor Chriſtes righteouſnes belongeth vntounto vsus, except we beleeve: becauſe there is no mean to make any thing conteyned in the Goſpell (eſpecially the promiſe, or Chriſt him ſelfe) to be ours: but faith onelyonly. And for this ſame cauſe, our righteouſnes is ſaide to bee the righteouſnes of God, which is by faith: and the righteouſnes which is through the faith of Chriſt, Phil. chap. 3. ver. 9. And Chriſt is ſaide, to bee a reconciliation through faith in his bloud, Rom. chap. 3. ver. 25. All ſerving to teach vsus, that faith is not our righteouſnes it ſelfe: but only the meane by the which we attayne to that which is our righteouſnes, that is Chriſt in his bloud: for in that ſenſe is righteouſnes faid to be through faith, and by faith.
Moreover, it is for this ſame cauſe, that faith is called in the Scriptures the faith of Chriſt, Rom. chap. 3. where righteouſnes is ſaide to be, the righteouſnes of God by the faith of Ieſus. and that becauſe the whole matter, and ſubſtance, which by faith wee eyther knowe, or apprehende vntounto righteouſnes, is onelyonly Chriſt:
Sometimes it is called the faith of his name, Acts cha. 3. ver. 16. as alſo the faith in his name, as Ioh. chap. 1. ver. 12. becauſe all the vertue, ſtrength, and power, whereby we beleeve to bee iuſtiſied, is in Chriſt alone, and in the vertue of his death, and reſurrection: ſo that the vertue is not in faith it ſelfe, but in Ieſus apprehended by faith.
Sometimes againe it is called the faith towardes Chriſt, Act. chap. 20. ver. 21. becauſe faith ſetteth nothing before it as the obiect, but Chriſt alone: for the Goſpell which is the worde of faith, propoundeth not any thing vntounto vsus, but onelyonly Chriſt, as eyther promiſed, or given vntounto vsus of God, to bee the matter eyther of our righteouſnes, ſanctification, or redemption.
Sometimes againe it is called the faith in Chriſt, Gal. chap. 3. ver. 26. and that for two cauſes. Firſt, becauſe that wherein by faith our heartes are faſtened, and in the which our heartes only ſetleth their full confidence of righteouſnes, and remiſſion of ſinnes, is onelyonly Chriſt, in whom onelyonly, our faith is, and we alſo by faith: for thereby we are made to be in him, and hee in vsus: and therfore in the ſcripturs to be in Chriſt, & to be in the faith, are put indifferently, Rom. cha. 8. verſ. 10. compared with 2. Cor. cha. 13. ver. 3. 5. And for this ſame reſpect, the proper effectes of Chriſt him ſelfe, are attributed vntounto faith. The ſecond Reaſon is, becauſe faith neither ſuffereth vsus to reſt vponupon it, nor on our ſelues, nor on anie other thing, nor yet in any thing that is in faith, or in our ſelves, or in any thing except Chriſt onelyonly, and that which is in him, as the ground of our confidence, or as the matter of our righteouſnes or bleſſednes: therefore are we ſaide in him to have redemption, in him to be made righteouſnes, and in him to be circumciſed. For whatſoever we are made by Faith, we are made it in Chriſt: and what ſoever faith maketh to be ours, it is alſo in Chriſt: therefore faith maketh not God our God, but in Chriſt: nor vsus the children of God, but in Chriſt: nor righteous but in Chriſt, &c. For whatſoever faith layeth holde on, it findeth it in Chriſt: ſo that the hart of man, when it beleeveth vntounto righteouſnes, ſendeth out faith, & fixeth it in Chriſt, thereby laying holde vponupon him, and his obedience vntounto righteouſnes: bringing him, and his obedience, with all the vertue both of his death, and life, into our heartes to dwell in them.
Sometimes alſo it is called the faith by Chriſt: becauſe hee is the Author, Fountayne, and occaſion of it, not ſo much becauſe he with the Father, and holy Ghoſt, doeth worke it, as becauſe hee alone is the meane, and occaſion of it: For as the Father redeemeth vsus by Chriſt, and by him maketh vsus his ſons, and righteouſnes, &c. ſo alſo he maketh vsus to beleeue by Chriſt ſo that take mee away Chriſt, all ground and foundation of ſaving faith in God is taken away: for God hath layde the whole foundation of our beleefe in him alone. For which cauſe Pet. 1. Epiſt. chap. 1 ver. 21. ſayeth: That by his meanes wee beleeve in G…d: and in that ſame place it is ſaide. That God hath rayſed him from the dead, and given him glorie, that our faith and hope might bee in God. And to this ſame effect the ſame Apoſtle ſayeth in the ſame chapter, ver. 3. That God hath begotten vsus againe to a lively hope: by the reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt from the dead.
VponUpon which reſpect it is, that the Apoſtle Paul 1. Cor. chap. 15. ver. 17. ſayeth expreſly: If Chriſt bee not rayſed, your faith is vayne. VponUpon which we may eaſilie gather, that faith, is a vaine fooilſh faith, whereby a man is made to beleeve, or hope for any bleſſing from God, which maketh it not firſt to bee performed by God in Chriſt. For our faith of our vniō with God ariſeth vponupon the knowledge of Chriſt his aſſuming in vnitie of perſon, our nature vntounto his: the faith of our being the ſonnes of God, ariſeth vponupon Chriſt the man our brother being the very ſonne of GOD: our faith that God will make vsus righteouſnes, ariſeth vpō this, that God hath made Chriſt ſinne for vsus: and ſo foorth of the reſt, the hope of our reſurrection, is builded vponupon his reſurrection: the hope of our aſſention, vponupon his aſſention: the hope of our glorification, vponupon his glorification: ſo that the Lord worketh in our heartes, neither faith, nor hope in him, of any bleſſing whatſoever, whereof hee doeth not firſt reveyle vntounto vsus, a cleere ground, and evident foūdation in Ieſus Chriſt the ſonne.
And therefore it may appeare how deteſtable a doctrine that is (and execrable be the teachers of it) that affirmeth, that a man may be ſaved without the knowledge of Ieſus Chriſt our Lord.
Thus by all theſe phraſes concerning faith, the Lord would teach vsus, that Chriſt is the matter, and hee is the ground, of all whatſoever wee beleeve: and that there is nothinge in Chriſt, which is not made ours by faith.
And for this ſame purpoſe in Scriptures it is ſometimes called the faith in the bloud of Chriſt, Rom. chap. 3. ver. 25. and that to teach vsus, what is the particular thing in Chriſt, wherein God hath made him our righteouſnes, and whereby the Lord would hauehave vsus to beleeve remiſſion of ſinnes in him: for albeit Chriſt be vno vsus, all, and that in all thinges, and doeth fill vsus all in all thinges: yet (as wee hauehave marked before) there is no benefite which wee apprehende by faith in Chriſt, but it hath the owne particular ground and foundation wherevpon it is builded: and therefore as his faith is but vaine, who expects his reſurrection in Chriſt, if he doe not know Chriſt to bee riſen againe: ſo his faith muſt be vaine, who beleeveth the remiſſion of ſinnes in Chriſt, and yet knoweth not that Chriſt did ſhed his bloud expreſſely for his iniquities. For as God begettes vsus to the hope of life by the reſurrection of Ieſes from the dead: ſo he begetteth vsus to the faith, and aſſurance of the remiſſion of our ſinnes, by making him ſinne for vsus, and woundinge him for our tranſgreſſions.
So to conclude this point, albeit all bleſſing bee in Chriſt, and he be made of God wiſedome, righteouſnes, ſanctification, and redemptiō: yet all this ſhalbe in vaine to vsus, except we beleeve, becauſe there is no meanes in the world, whereby to obtaine & poſſeſſe Chriſt, or any bleſſing in him, except faith only:
For as concerning the Word, and Sacraments, they are not ſo much the meanes of our poſſeſſing Chriſt, as the meanes of our faith whereby we poſſeſſe Chriſt.
The third vſe and end wherefore faith is given, is keeping, & preſerving vsus in the poſſeſſion which it hath brought vntounto vsus: and that both becauſe through faith wee are kept vntounto ſalvation, as ſaieth Pet. 1. Epi. 1. 5. and alſo becauſe by it, wee keepe Chriſt and all his bleſſings in our heart. For which cauſe the ſcriptures place our victorie over Satan, ſinne and the world in our faith, Ioh. 1. Epi. ca. 5. ver. 4. 5. and the Apoſt. Paul placeth the chief ſtrength of a Chriſtlan in his faith, as that whereby we are made able to quench all the fierie dartes of the Divell, Eph. 6. 16. ſo that there is no enemie of our ſalvation ſo great, neither any temptation ſo vehement and fierie, which by faith wee are not made able to overcome. Thus faith wrought in our heartes by God, is of a ſtronger might, and power, then the Divel himſelfe, and all the powers and principalities of darknes, therfore Pet. 1. Ep. 5. willeth vsus to reſiſt the divel, by being ſtedfaſt in the faith, thereby to teach vsus, that in a ſtedfaſt faith, there is ſtrēgth to overcome him. The examples of the great power of God which is …n them that beleeve, ſet downe in Heb 11. doth ſu…iciētly cleer the truth hereof, who only by faith are ſaid to have performed, & ſuffered ſo ſtrange & wonderful things, as no power that ever nature hath given vntounto man, was able either to performe, or ſuffer. This alſo is manifeſt, if we marke, another pointe, which is, the Saintes recouering of them ſelves, when they have appeared, to have bene overthrowen by Sathan in ſinne: who notwithſtanding have by the ſtrength of faith, onelyonly recovered victorie over Sathan and ſinne. So when as in our practiſe, and obedience to God, we fall moſt fearfully: yet by faith we not onelyonly overcome our owne guilthines, but alſo all the feare of Gods iuſt deſerved wrath, for our guilthines: ſo that our verie ſinnes cannot ſeperate our heartes that beleeve, from Chriſt, nor remove the favour of God from vsus. For whatſoever bleſſing wee have once obtayned by faith, by that ſame ſaith wee are made able to holde it faſt to the ende: and the faithfull heart ſayeth, as Iob chap, 27. ver. 6. I will keepe my righteouſnes, and will not forſake it, and my heart shall never cast it away all my dayes. VponUpon this ground it is, that the Apoſtle willeth Timothie, to fight the good fight of faith, 1. Tim. chap. 6. verſ. 12. becauſe indeed our faith hath the greateſt labour, in our ſpiriruall bataile. For when all other grace faileth vsus, yet faith muſt vpholde vsus: otherwiſe we could not poſſibly but periſh: For what ſhould have become of Pieter after his fearefull fall, if faith had not ſuſtained him? This point is yet more cleere, if we marke the ſtrength of faith in other two thinges.
The firſt is, if we ſhall conſider the examples of the children of God, who have drawn from God manifold great bleſſinges by faith: as their vncurable diſeaſes to bee cured: their dead to be rayſed, &c. Of which a lively example wee have in Math. chap. 9. and Luke chap. 8. in the Woman that had an iſhewe of bloud 12. yeares longe: and in the wordes of Chriſt vntounto Iairus, Luke chap. 8. ver. 50. where he ſaith, Feare not, beleeve onelyonly, and shee shalbe ſaved.
The other thing to be conſidered of vsus, is, when God himſelf ſeemeth to ſet him ſelfe againſt his children, and they are compelled to wreſtle with God, as with their owne enimie, yet by faith they overcome & ſay with Iob, 13. 15. Though hee ſlay me, yet will I truſt in him. And this was liuely ſhadowed in the Lord his wreſtling with Iacob, Gen. chap. 32. where it is ſaide, of the Lord, that when he ſawe that he could not prevaile againſt Iacob, he touched the hollowe of his thigh, &c. therefore ſaieth the Prophet Hoſe, cap. 12. ver. 3. 4. By his ſtrength, hee had power with God, and had power over the Angell, and prevayled. And this the Lord ſetteth downe expreſly, to ſhew vsus that the power of God in him that beleeveth, is able ſo to ſtrengthen him, that nothing is able to overthrow him.
To conclude this point, that which Angells by nature could not doe in heaven, and that which Adam could not doe in Paradiſe, a poore fraile wretch beleeving in the Lorde Ieſus, is made able to doe, by the power of God, which dwelleth in his heart by faith: for the verie weaknes of God, is ſtronger then Men, and Angells, and it pleaſeth the Lorde to magnifie his ſtrength, in our weaknes, that the excellencie of this worke, may be knowen to be of him, and not of vsus.
For this cauſe, as the Scripture calleth faith our victorie, and our ſhield, ſo the Fathers likewiſe cal it: and moreover the key whereby the treaſures that are in Chriſt, are opened vntounto vsus, & the ladder by the which we climbe vp from earth to heauen.
Now the laſt vſe, and end, wherefore Faith is given, is practiſe, that is, to make vsus able to doe the will of the Lord, and obey his commandements: for man, whoſe imaginations are nothing but vanitie, and that continually, and is of no ſtrength of him ſelfe to performe any good worke, neyther is, nor can be ſubiect to the lawe of God, having his minde continually ſett on evill workes, & having no goodnes at all dwelling in him, is by this ſupernaturall gift of faith, made able to doe the will of the Lord from the hearte: for thereby not onelyonly is his darkened vnderſtanding illuminate, that he may know what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God: but alſo his rebellious will ſubdued, to will and to doe, the will of the Lord, and his whole affections ſanctified to love the lawe of God, and to delight in it more then in all treaſures, and to eſteeme it more precious, then gold. For by faith he is buried with Chriſt, and alſo hee is rayſed vp with Chriſt by the faith of the effectuall working of God, who rayſed Chriſt from the dead, Coloſ. chap. 2. ver. 13. For which cauſe alſo the Apoſtle Paul to the Ephe. ca. 2. ſhewing what is the exceeding power of God in thē that beleeve, ſaieth: That we that were dead in ſinnes, are through the grace of God by faith quickened, rayſed, and made to ſit together in heaven in Christ Jeſus: therefore alſo ſaith Iohn 1. Epiſt. 5. That the commandements of God, are not greevous to him that is borne of God. And he addeth this reaſon takē from the former ground, which is, becauſe by faith they overcome the world, and all thinges whatſoever within them, or without them, oppoſeth it ſelfe vntounto their obedience.
For this cauſe, the obedience of the Saints is called the obedience of faith, Rom. cha. 1. ver. 5. and obedience to the Goſpel, is called obedience to the faith, Acts cha. 6. ver. 7. And for the ſame reaſon, whatſoever is not of faith, is ſaid to be ſinne, Rom. cha. 14. 23. as alſo That without faith, it is impoſsible to pleaſe God. Heb. chap. 11. 6. which ſentence ſheweth cleerely the trueth of this point, that there can be no ſtrength in mans nature, to performe any thing according to the will of God, of it ſelfe: but that all his ſtrength and abilitie, to doe according to Gods minde, is from IESVS Chriſt dwelling in his hearte by faith. By whoſe helpe ſtrengthening vsus, we are able to doe all things, as ſaith the Apoſtle of him ſelfe, Phil. chap. 4. ver. 13. VponUpon the ſame reſpect it is, that the Apoſtle interpretes his owne ſaying, That Chriſt liueth in him, in this ſpeech, The life that I nowe live in the flesh, I liue it by the faith which is of the ſonne of God, Galat. chap. 2. ver. 20. ſhewing vsus that to hauehave Chriſt living in vsus, and to liue by the faith of Chriſt, is all one thing, albeit in divers conſiderations: for our life is the life of Chriſt properlie, becauſe indeed from him alone floweth al goodnes, and in him is the vertue of our well doing: but our life, is the life of faith not properlie, but becauſe it is the meane, by the which onelyonly Chriſt (who is our life) dwelleth in our heartes, and liveth in vsus.
This thing it is, that maketh one and the ſelfe ſame action, externally performed (according to the cōmandement) by two diverſe perſons, to be acceptable obedience to God in the one, and abhominable wickednes and ſinne in the other: according to the ſpeech of the Apoſtle touching the ſacrifices of Cain and Abel, becauſe the one did offer in faith, the other not.
Now in reſpect of this fruit and efficacie of faith, the Fathers doe call faith, the ſeale of our election, conforme to that of Peter, 2. Epi. chap. 1. who willeth vsus by the vertue that is in our faith, to make our calling and election ſure: as alſo they call it the ſoule of our ſoule, becauſe as our ſoule quickeneth our bodies, ſo doth faith our ſoules: alſo they call it the root of a good life: by which all fruit is good, and without the which all fruit is rotten and corrupted.
Of all theſe things which we have ſpoken of faith, wee may eaſily perceive that faith is neither a parte, nor portiō of any naturall power, or facultie in man: neither the effect, or work of anie power or facultie naturall in man, neither ſerving for any naturall vſe, in any naturall thing vntounto man: but that it is a gift ſupernaturall, given freely by God, and wrought ſupernaturallie above al naturall power in our hearts, vntounto a ſupernaturall end, that we might be able to obtaine, and to performe things which by nature it is impoſſible that we either cā obtain or do.
And this ſupernatural gift is placed in our harts by God, as the effectual inſtrument & mean of his power: whereby ro make vsus able to be capable of heavenly and ſupernatural things, and to performe heauenly and ſupernaturall obedience to God.
Of which it is evident, that faith is the firſt bleſſing in order of all the bleſſings of God, & alſo that no other bleſſing is eyther poſſeſſed by vsus, or preſerued in vsus, but by it alone: ſo that it is not ſo much any parte of the matter of our bleſſednes, as it is the mean & inſtrument of it: ſo that our righteouſnes, life, and glorie, doth not conſiſt in it, but rather ſubſiſteth in vsus by it.
Of theſe things we may collect what faith is, both as God worketh it in vsus, & as our hearts worketh by it: as God worketh it in our harts, it is a ſupernatural gift, wrought by God of his free grace in al the powers of our ſoule, to be the effectual inſtrumēt of his power in vsus, whereby our heartes are made able both to perceyve, & to embrace, and conſtantly to keepe Chriſt and all ſpirituall bleſſings in him, belonging to life & godlines of life, as alſo to be able to walke worthie of our heavenly calling.
As our heart worketh by it, faith is the very motion of all the powers of our hart, wrought by the former working of God in them, whereby our heartes now beleeving, lay holde vponupon the promiſe, and vponupon Chriſt crucified for vsus, and vponupon righteouſnes, and life in him, and whereby all theſe are brought into our heartes, and wee poſſeſſed with them, and whereby the things poſſeſſed, are kept in our heartes, in the middeſt of all temptation, overcomming all our ſpirituall enemies, and whereby our hearts doe ſerve God ſo, as to pleaſe him.
And vponupon this worke of faith, follow theſe effectes in our ſoules: Firſt our heartes reioyce, bo… in the ſight of the ſalvation, and in the hope of the glory of God, Pſalm. 105. 4. 5. Rom. chap. 5. ver. 2. Secondly, our hearts are filled, with a confident boldnes towardes God, that wee dare drawe neare vntounto him confidentlie, and call him Abba Father, Rom. chap. 8. ver, 15. Gal. chap. 5. ver. 6. Ephe. chap. 3. ver. 12. Heb. chapt. 4. ver. 16. and chap. 10. ver 16. Thirdly, our heartes are filled with the peace of God, and a good conſcience, Rom. chapt. 5 ver. 1. Iohn chap. 14 ver. 1. ſo that, in patience we poſſeſſe our ſoules, wayting for that bleſſed hope, and that appearing of the glorie of that mightie God, and of Ieſus Chriſt our Saviour, and this is the firſt gift that God in iuſtifying giveth a ma….