The Whole Armor of God, Exegesis · Treatise 2 · Part 6 · Section 5 – Section 7
§. 5. Of the preheminency of Faith aboue other graces.
I.I. Point. The excellency and neceſſity of Faith. THe excellency, yea and neceſſity alſo of Faith is implyed in this tranſlation (aboue all.) Theaforeign. originall phraſe is diuerſly tranſlated, as thusbHieron. in omnibus. ad omnia. in all, as if he had ſaide, in all things whatſoeuer yee doe, vſe the ſhield of Faith: and thus, to all, as if he had ſaid, to all other graces, adde this: and thusdBeza. inſuper, inprimis. moreouer, or eſpecially, or (as we tranſlate it)fEraſ. ſuper omnia. aboue all. All theſe in effect imply one and the ſame thing, onelyonly this latter is ſomewhat more emphaticall, and as proper as any of the reſt. This is ſomewhat like togPro. 4. 23. foreign that Hebrew phraſe, which Solomon vſeth, Keep thine heart aboue all keepings, implying thereby, that the heart of all other parts is moſt narrowly to be watched ouer, moſt carefully and diligently to be looked vntounto, ſo is Faith aboue all to be regarded.
Queſt. Is Faith ſimply more excellent and neceſſary, then other ſauing graces?
Anſwer. All ſauing graces are in their kind very excellent and neceſſary, as hath before bene ſhewed of verity, righteouſneſſe and patience: neither can a Chriſtian wel ſpare, and be without any of them: for they are as ſeuerall linkes of one chaine, whereby a Chriſtian is held out of hell; if but one linke breake, the chaine is broken, and downe falleth he that was held thereby: yet ſome linkes in a chaine may be put to greateſt ſtreſſe, and ſo be of greateſt vſe. Faith ſerues to beare the greateſt brunts, and in that reſpect may be counted moſt excellent, and moſt neceſſary; euen as the ſhield of all other parts of armour is the moſt needfull, as we ſhall after heare.
§. 6. Of preſsing the doctrine of Faith.
THe Apoſtle vſeth this phraſe (aboue all) in the beginning of his exhortation, to ſet an edge vponupon it, and to make it the ſharper, that ſo it may pierce the deeper into vsus: as if a captaine ſhould giuegive diuers directions to his ſouldiers, to inſtruct them to arme, and fence themſelues, and among thoſe ſeuerall directions, ſet ſome ſpeciall item on one of them, and ſay, Aboue all remember this, would not this item make him the more to regard it? As hGal. 6. 10.where the Apoſtle ſaith, Doe good to all, eſpecially to them who are of the houſhold of Faith: doth it not make a Chriſtian ſo much the more to be moued with compaſſion, when hee ſeeth any of the faithfull ſtand in need of his helpe? Hence then I obſerue that,
Among, Obſ. Faith eſpecially to be taught and learned.and aboue other po…nts and principles of Chriſtian Religion, and myſteries of godlineſſe the doctrine of Faith is eſpecially to be opened and vrged by Gods Miniſters, and to bee learned and obſerued by Gods people. What point thorowout the whole Scripture is more vrged? all the rites and types of the Law, ſet forth the doctrine of faith,bRom. 10. 8. Moſes, and thecAct. …0. 43. Prophets preached it, ſo did thedAct. 19. 4. fore-runner of Chriſt,eMar. 1. 15. Chriſt himſelfe, and hisfRom. 10 8. Apoſtles. For ſome eſpeciall inſtances of this point, reade and obſerue gIoh. 3. 14. &c.Chriſts conference with Nicodemus, and Pauls Epiſtles to Rom. and Gal.
No other doctrine more ſetteth forth the glory of God,Reaſons. and more maketh to the good of his Church & children.
§. 7. Of the honour which Faith doth vntounto God.
GOd is then honoured,Faith moſt of all ſetteth forth Gods glory by acknowledging when he is acknowledged to be as he is, namely, moſt holy, wiſe, true, powerfull, mercifull, iuſt, &c. But the beleeuer, and the beleeuer onelyonly ſo acknowledgeth him.
1 For God holineſſe, 1 Gods holineſſe.how approacheth the beleeuer before God? ſurely in an vtter ab…egation of himſelfe, and in the mediation of Chriſt Ieſus: for well he knoweth, that himſelfe is all ouer defiled with ſinne, and that Ieſus Chriſt the Iuſt, is an aduocate with the Father, who by his blood purgeth vsus from our ſinnes, and with his righteouſneſſe couereth vsus. This manner of appearing before God, ſheweth, that the beleeuer acknowledgeth God to be ſo perfectly holy, as he cannot endure the ſight of any vncleane thing.
2 For Gods wiſedome: 2 Gods wiſedome.who are they that ſubiect themſelues to God in all eſtates of proſperity and aduerſity? Beleeuers onelyonly. Why then? their faith perſwadeth them that God is wiſeſt, and beſt knoweth what eſtate is fitteſt for them, and ſo euen againſt their owne ſence and naturall reaſon, faith maketh them wholly reſigne themſelues to Gods wiſe prouidence, and in that reſpect to be thankefull in all things.
3 For Gods truth: 3 Gods truthhe that beleeueth,hIoh. 3. 33. hath ſealed that God is true: for what maketh men beleeue, but that they iudge him who hath promiſed that which they beleeue, to be faithfull and true? Faith then is an acknowledgement, and a confirmation of Gods truth, which is an high honour giuen to God, for God maketh great reckoning and account of his truth.
4 For Gods power: 4 Gods power.many of the promiſes which God maketh to his children, are of things which ſeeme impoſſible: yet faith giueth aſſent thereunto, and thereby teſtifieth that God is Almighty, that nothing is impoſſible to him. ThusiRom. 4. 20, 21. Abram by his faith did magnifie Gods power, and ſo didk2 Chr. 20.12. Iehoſaphat alſo.
5 For Gods mercy: 5 Gods merciemercy.that is the eſpeciall and moſt proper obiect of Faith. If the poore ſinner were not perſwaded that God were rich, yea euen infinitely rich in mercy, he could neuer beleeue the pardon of his ſinnes: faith then is it which aboue all commendeth Gods mercy.
6 For Gods Iuſtice: 6 Gods Iuſtice.what maketh beleeuers ſo ſtrongly truſt vntounto, and wholly rely vponupon the ſacrifice of Chriſt? Becauſe on the one ſide they beleeue God to be ſo perfectly iuſt, that without expiation and ſatisfaction for ſin, there can be no hope of mercy: and on the other ſide, the ſacrifice of Chriſt being of ſuch infinite value, as to make full ſatisfaction to Gods Iuſtice, they beleeue that God will not exact that of them, for which Chriſt hath ſatisfied, but will manifeſt fauour to them, becauſe Chriſt hath purchaſed fauour for them. Theſe are points of Iuſtice, to require ſatisfaction, to remit that for which ſatiſfaction is made, to beſtow that which is merited and purchaſed. But Faith acknowledgeth all theſe, and ſo commendeth Gods Iuſtice; for it hath reſpect to Gods Iuſtice, as well as to his mercy.
Obiect. Sinners (repentant and beleeuing ſinners) vſe to appeale from the barre of Gods Iuſtice, to his mercy-ſeate: what reſpect then hath Faith to Gods Iuſtice?
Anſwer. In regard of themſelues,How faith reſteth on Gods Iuſtice. and their owne manifold pollutions and imperfections, euen in their beſt workes, they dare not ſtand to the tryall of Gods Iuſtice, but cry for mercy and pardon: but yet in confidence of the All-ſufficient ſacrifice of Chriſt Ieſus, they may appeale to Gods Iuſtice: for God is not vniuſt to require a debt that is paid.
In theſe and other like reſpects, it is ſaid oflRom 4. 20. Abrah…, That he was ſtrengthened in the Faith, and gaue glory to God. So doth eueryevery beleeuer in ſome meaſure: the ſtronger faith is, the more glory is giuen to God. But on the contrary, no ſinne is more diſhonourable to God then infidelity: for that which is ſaid of one particular,m1 Iohn 5. 10. He that beleeueth not, maketh God a lyar, may be applyed to the reſt, he maketh God vnwiſe, impotent, mercileſſe, vniuſt, &c.