A Treatise of Faith, Part 1 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Of the diuers acceptations of Faith.
IT is expedient and neceſſarie that all Chriſtians ſhould acquaint themſelues with the doctrine of Faith:§. 1. The neceſſitie of Faith. becauſe the ſafetie of all Chriſtian Religion doth depend vponupon the right vnderſtanding of this matte: and Satan with his ſubtleties hath euer endeauoured to obſcure this doctrine by the miſts of Sophiſmes, or to weaken it ſome other wayes, that he might rob God of his glorie, and the Church of the certaintie of her ſaluation. And if the neceſſitie of a thing knowne and acknowledged ſtirre vp to enquire into it, and labour after it, this alſo may prouoke vsus to ſearch and enquire what faith is. 1. Faith is of the number of thoſe neceſſary things, which are neceſſarily required to the obtaining of others; and not of thoſe which are wrought by compulſion, or by any neceſſary cauſe compelling.Heb. 11.6. As if a man would ſee, he muſt open his eyes, and yet he is not by externall violence forced thereunto. 2. No vnbelieuer can pleaſe God: for how ſhould hee, who is incredulous and diuided from God, pleaſe him who is moſt true and faithfull?Ioh. 3.16, 18, 36 Rom. 3.28. 1. Cor. 1.…1. Saluation is in the pleaſure and power of God, which he diſpenſeth according to his owne, not our will. But he accepteth none as righteous to life, but them that belieue. 3. The qualitie of this preſent life and our habitation,1. Cor. 5.6, 7. in which we are abſent from the Lord, doth euidence the neceſſitie of faith: As a ſonne that liues from the preſence of his Father muſt belieue his letters and meſſengers ſent vntounto him. 4. The qualitie of things neceſſary to bee knowne for the obtaining of ſaluation is ſuch, that they cannot bee apprehended or receiued without it: As in humane things the qualitie, of Arts and Sciences is ſuch, that they require vnderſtanding,Acts 15.9. Rom. ….28. Epheſ. 1.13, 14. becauſe they cannot bee conceiued without it: ſo in things diuine faith is requiſite, without which wee can neuer comprehend the myſteries of ſaluation. 5. The gifts which God beſtoweth vponupon his children, the graces which the Holy Ghoſt doth worke in their hearts, doe neceſſarily require faith by the ordinance and determination of the Lord.
§. 2. Diuers acceptations of the word faith.Math. 23.23. Rom. 3.3. Gal. 5.22. Titus 2.10.§. 2. The word Faith in Scripture is taken diuerſly 1. It is put for truth, fidelitie or faithfulneſſe, conſtancie and iuſtice in word and action, promiſe or accompliſhment 2. By faith ſometimes true Chriſtian knowledge and perſwaſion,Rom. 12.3. & 14.1.22. or the meaſure thereof is to be vnderſtood, ſpecially the ſound knowledge of Chriſtian libertie in Ieſus Chriſt. 3. It noteth a ſure teſtimonie, or firme demonſtration of a thing to come.Acts 17.31. 4. It ſignifieth the doctrine of the Goſpell, and ſo Chriſt the ſubiect of the Scripture, which preacheth ſaluation to bee no otherwiſe but by faith in Chriſt: and this is called by Diuines,Acts 6.7. & 13.8. Gal. 1.23. & 3.2.5. Gal. 3.23, 24. faith which is belieued. 5. It is taken for beliefe of the Goſpell, the habite being implyed in the act, the gift in the exerciſe: which is the faith whereby wee beleeue. And this is expreſſed by the phraſes of Belieuing God, Iohn 5.46, 47. Iohn 2.22, 23. Luke 24.25. Acts 26.27.Belieuing on God, Belieuing on Chriſt, Belieuing the Prophets. 6. Faith is put for vnfained profeſſion ioyned with feruent deſire, to further Chriſtian Religion, and a godly life.Rom. 1.8. Gal. 6.10. Acts 14.22. Math. 9 2. 1. Theſſ. 1.3.
§. 3. Faith ſignifying beliefe is vſed to note. 1. An ordinarie knowledge and bare aſſent to the hiſtoricall truth of Scripture, grounded vponupon the authoritie and truth of the Speaker, though ſometimes holpen by experiments,§. 3. Sorts of Faith. and other inducements, and probabilities of the things: and this is called faith Hiſtoricall,Hiſtoricall faith. that is, a naked,Iam. 2.19, 24. Acts 26.27. imperfect, dead aſſent, without truſt or confidence in the mercies of God, or adherence to the Commandements. Howbeit we muſt not imagine, that faith is reputed vnſound, or not ſaluificall, becauſe hiſtoricall (rather it is oftentimes vnſufficient to ſaue, becauſe it is not ſo fully hiſtoricall as it might be) but the name of hiſtoricall faith aroſe hence, that ſome are ſaid to belieue, who did neuer embrace Chriſt as their only Sauiour withall their hearts, nor confidently relie vponupon the promiſes of merciemercy: otherwiſe faith iuſtifying doth more certainly belieue the truth of the hiſtorie of the Goſpell, and ſo is more hiſtoricall than the faith called hiſtoricall. 2. It is taken for an affiance of heart embracing the word as good;Faith Miraculous. which in reſpect of the obiect may be diſtinguiſhed into Miraculous or Ordinarie. For the obiect of faith is,1. Cor. 13.2. Matth. 21.21. & 7.22. either ſome ſpeciall and ſingular promiſe, for the doing of ſome extraordinarie effect, wherein wee truſt by a miraculous actiue faith:Marke 9.23. Acts 14.9. Luke 17.19. or it is ſome ſpeciall promiſe for the obtayning of ſome ſpirituall or bodily good thing after an extraordinarie manner, whereon wee truſt by a miraculous paſſiue faith, as it is called: or elſe faith doth reſpect the generall and common promiſes, which are made in the word of life, and made good to them that belieue, whereon wee reſt by faith ordinarie. But faith Miraculous and Ordinary are not diuers graces, but the ſame grace exerciſed about diuers obiects. The grounds of faith are different,Zanch. de redempt. lib. 1. c. 12. de prae. 1. Sect. de Fide Theſ. 2. and ſo are the effects and adiuncts that flow from thence: but the grace it ſelfe one and the ſame. As the Fathers belieued ſpeciall reuelations and extraordinary promiſes made to them, by the ſame ordinary faith, by which wee belieue the common promiſes of ſaluation reuealed in the Word: ſo the ſingular promiſes of God made to ſome Belieuers concerning the working of miracles, were embraced by the ſame faith, by which they did adhere to the generall promiſes of mercy, or were raiſed vp to the doing of acts of louelove. For that faith which doth receiue the more excellent promiſes (as are they concerning ſpirituall life and ſaluation) can much more lay hold vponupon other promiſes of an inferiour nature, if they be made and certified vntounto vsus.Faith temporarie. That faith which is carried to the generall promiſes, is either a confidence vaniſhing, vncertaine not-rooted, called faith Temporary:Mat. 13.20, 21. Luke 8.13, 14. or an affiance certaine, wel-planted, conſtant, knowne by the name of Iuſtifying or ſauing faith,Iuſtifying faith ſo called from the principall effect. For to iuſtifie is not the full effect of this confidence or affiance,Luke 8.13. Matth. 13.23. beyond which the efficiencie of it doth not extend: but becauſe this is the principall thing wherein the force of true faith is occupied,Acts 24.14. Acts 15.9. Pſal. 119.66. Acts 27.25. Gal. 5.6. it is ſo called. Iuſtifying faith belieueth the hiſtorie, purifieth the heart, ſticketh to the Commandements, receiueth the temporall promiſes, worketh by louelove: but it is called Iuſtifying from the principall effect; as the ſoule is called reaſonable from the power it hath to inuent, iudge and diſcourſe, not that theſe are her only faculties. In the Scriptures of the New Teſtament this faith is vnfolded in theſe and ſuch like phraſes: To belieue God; To belieue in or vponupon God: Rom. 4.3. Iohn 5.24. Acts 16.34. & 18.8. Iohn 14.1. Rom. 9.33. Acts 6.42. Acts 16.31. Iohn 2.11. & 3.16. Io. 1.12. & 3.33 Marke 1.15. Acts 11.1. & 2.41. 1. Cor. 2.14.To belieue in or vponupon Ieſus Chriſt, To receiue him, To receiue the teſtimonie of God; To belieue the Goſpell, To receiue the Word of God. To belieue God ſignifies no more but to aſſent to that which the Lord ſpeaketh: but belieuing, as it belongs to the vnderſtanding is the roote and foundation from which confidence of the heart doth ſpring and flow: ſuch a beliefe in the minde is ſignified in this and all other phraſes, as is alwayes neceſſarily accompanied with truſting in God, for that which wee belieue hee can and will bring to paſſe. And the other of truſting to or relying vponupon is implied, whenſoeuer wee find that aſcribed to belieuing, which cannot bee obtained without faith in Chriſt. And if wee ſearch the Scriptures, wee ſhall find theſe phraſes, To belieueaRom. 4.3. with Rom. 4.5, 24. Rom. 10.10, 11. Iohn 8.30, 31. Act. 19.4. Iohn 1.12. Acts 16.34. with 31. Marke 1.15. Gen. 15.6. with Rom 4.3. God, and to belieue in God, to import one and the ſame thing. A prepoſitionbExod. 14.31. and 19.9. Luke 24.25. Iohn 2.23 is added to belieue, when nothing but aſſent of minde is ſignified: and it is put without acIohn 9 35.38. Eſay 28.16. with Rom 9.33. prepoſition whē truſt or confidence is implied.Rom. 3.22.26. Acts 3.16. Gal. 2.16. Phil. 3.9. Acts 24.24. Col. 3.5. Gal. 2.26. Epheſ. 1.15. Bayne in Epheſ. ….15. dThe Hebrew prepoſition] ſerueth oftentimes to note the accuſatiue caſe, and is vſed or omitted without any difference, Deut. 7.6, 7. 1. Sam 14.37. Eſay 33.15. Iob 24.22. Deut. 28.66. Pſal. 106.12.24. Eſay 43.10. The 70. tranſlate the particle] ſometimes by foreign, Jerem. 12.6. 2. Chron. 20.30. Pſal. 28.32. ordinarily by foreign. Pſal 4.6. & 22.4, 5 & 25.2. & 37.3. Pſal. 11….8, 9. & 146.3. Sometimes they omit it altogether. Exod. 14.31. & 19.9. Pſ. 106 12. Gen. 15 6. and ſometimes they adde the prepoſition foreign, where the Hebrew hath no particle, Eſay 28.16. In the New Teſtament, foreign and foreign are often put interchangeably one for another. Marke 1.9. & 2.1. Math. 2….1. Marke 1.15. Luke …3.42. Rom. 5.21. Gal. 5.…0. Phil. 3.3. 1. Tim. 3.16. Epheſ. 6.24. And the Heathen Greekes vſe foreign for foreign, as Xenophon foreign.Moreouer, wee reade ſometimes the Faith of Chriſt, and faith which is by Chriſt: ſometimes faith on Chriſt, and ſometimes faith in Christ; which ſeuerall formes of ſpeech note much the ſame thing, but that (as ſome learned men obſerue) the firſt may be conceiued as propounding Chriſt the ſimple obiect Doct. 2 of faith: The ſecond phraſe Chriſt the obiect together with our adhering to him: The third noteth Chriſt the obiect, our adhering in him, together with the word propounded as the way and meane, by which wee come belieuingly to inhere in him.
§. 4. Not the habit, but the act of faith is required.§. 4. But euermore when faith is required, it is not the facultie, whereby wee are apt, and furniſhed to belieue, but the act and exerciſe of that habite, whereby we execute the function of belieuing, which is to be vnderſtood. For this is that which God commandeth in the Scriptures, not that our ſoules be adorned with the habit of faith though that be neceſſarie, but that we belieue in him. Belieue in the Lord your God. Repent yee and belieue the Goſpell. 2. Chron. 20.20. Marke 1.1. Marke 9.23. Io. ….12. & 14.1If thou canſt beleeue, all things are poſſible to him that belieueth. But as many as receiued him, to them he gaue right to become the ſonnes of God; euen to them that belieue on his Name. Yee belieue in God, belieue alſo in me. Iohn 3.…8. Acts 8.37.He that belieueth on him is not condemned. If thou belieueſt with all thine heart, thou mayeſt. The Goſpell is the power of God vntounto ſaluation, Rom. 1.16. 1. Iohn 3.24.to eueryevery one that belieueth. This is his Commandement, that yee ſhould belieue on the Name of his Sonne Ieſus Chriſt. Epheſ. 1.8.We are ſaued by faith, Acts 16.31.is all one with that, Belieue on the Lord I…ſus Chriſt, and thou ſhalt be ſaued. We are iuſtified by faith, Gal. 2.16. Acts 13.39. & 10.4.is all one with that, By him all that beleeue are iuſtified from all things, from which yee could not be iuſtified by the Law of Moſes. Whoſoeuer beleeueth in him ſhall receiue remiſsion of ſinnes. Rom. 4.3.Abraham belieued God, and it was imputed to him for righteouſneſſe. And therefore the Iſraelites are reprehended, that they belieued not in the Lord:Num. 14.11. Deut. 9.23. Pſal. 78.21.22. A fire was kindled against Iacob, and anger alſo came vp against Iſrael. Becauſe they belieued not in God, and trusted not in his ſaluation. None but thoſe belieuers are praiſed; Bleſſed is ſhe that belieued, Luke 1.45. Iohn 20.29. Rom. 9.33.Becauſe thou haſt ſeene mee, thou hast belieued; bleſſed are they which hauehave not ſeene, and yet hauehave belieued. Whoſoeuer belieueth on him, ſhall not be aſhamed.