A Treatise of Faith, Part 1 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Of the Authour and worker of Faith Iuſtifying.
§. 1. IVſtifying faith,§. 1. What Iuſtifying Faith is. which not only belieueth God ſpeaking in his Word, but mebraceth all diuine truth as containing the chiefe good of Man, as being the moſt perfect, doth neceſſarily require before it faith hiſtoricall, & comprehend all other kinds vnderunder it. It may be defined, a liuely and obedientiall affiance or confidence, wherby we reſt vponupon Chriſt for ſaluation, receiue the promiſes of grace temporall and ſpirituall, ſticke to the Commandements as good both ſimply and in compariſon, and feed vponupon the word with ſauour and delight. More largely, It is a wonderfull and ſupernaturall gift of grace, wrought by the Holy Ghoſt through the Miniſterie of the Goſpell in the heart of Man a ſinner, acknowledging and bewayling his offences, whereby hee doth not only aſſent to the whole truth of God, and is certainly perſwaded that Ieſus Chriſt is appointed of God to be the authour of ſaluation to them that belieue in him, and his Sauiour if hee doe belieue: but doth relie, caſt and repoſe his ſoule vponupon Chriſt his Sauiour, and by him vponupon God as a louing Father in him, cleauing inſeperably to the Word of truth as good both ſimply and in compariſon, and feeding vponupon it as the wholſome food of life.
§. 2. God the Father,§. 2. God is the authour of faith. in his Sonne Ieſus Chriſt our Mediatour by the Holy Ghoſt, is the Authour and worker of Faith.Epheſ. ….8. P…l. 1.29. Acts 18.27. Iohn 6.44. Iames 1.17. As ſaluation, ſo faith is the gift of God. It is through grace that men belieue. No man can come vntounto me, except the Father which hath ſent me, draw him. EueryEvery good thing comes from the Father of lights: but faith is a gift after a ſpeciall manner, moſt free and profitable, comming from the grace of the Donor, beſtowed vponupon vsus, when we are eueryevery way vnworthy. It is ſuch a gift as comes not from common bountie, ſuch as God made ſhew of in the creation: but from a ſpeciall fauour, which he beareth his in Chriſt Ieſus. The Scripture is cleare and euident herein, and ſtrong reaſons may be deduced thence to proue it. For of our ſelues wee hauehave no power to belieue, or to prepare our ſelues thereunto. There is no ſuch ſoile in our hearts, whence ſuch fruit ſhould ſpring. The meanes of grace, and the operation of the ſpirit accompayning it, are free and voluntarie. No man can belieue, vnleſſe he be created and formed anew: But regeneration is a free worke of Gods grace and merciemercy.Heb. 12.2. Faith is the worke of God the Father in Ieſus Chriſt. For as the naturall head doth not only giuegive ſenſe and motion to all the members now conioyned, but doth ſend forth thoſe bands, whereby they come to bee coupled with it: ſo Chriſt doth not only giuegive ſpirituall ſenſe and motion to his members already vnited vntounto him by faith, but he is the ſpring whence this ſinew of faith doth flow and iſſue vntounto vsus. The Spirit of God is the principall worker of faith: and hence wee are ſaid to receiue the Spirit of faith, that is, the holy Ghoſt, in and through this gift of faith, which he worketh and continueth in vsus.2. Cor. 4.13. Rom. 15.13. By faith wee receiue the Holy Ghoſt: and faith is the worke of the Holy Ghoſt: the action of the Holy Ghoſt creating faith in vsus,How we are ſaid to receiue the holy Ghoſt by faith. is before faith: But the beginning of faith, is the receiuing of the Holy Ghoſt, and faith being begun, the gifts of the ſpirit are more & more increaſed by it.Epheſ. 1.13. Gal. 3.14. Faith it ſelf is a work of the ſpirit: but an augmentation of the graces of the ſpirit is obtained by faith; & the more our faith dilateth it ſelfe, the more plentifully doe the graces of the ſpirit flow into vsus from Chriſt;Iohn 1.16. Of whoſe fulneſſe we receiue grace for grace. How the Spirit is obtained by Prayer.Faith doth obtaine the Holy Ghoſt by prayer: and prayer: is an act of grace and of the Spirit, as faith is a worke of the Spirit.Luke 11.13. Before we can lift vp our ſoules vntounto God, the holy Ghoſt muſt deſcend into vsus, and lift vsus vp: for we moue not, but as wee are moued. The Holy Ghoſt is giuen to the Elect before they aske: but a greater meaſure of the Spirit is obtained by Prayer.
§. 3. Faith is not alike in all,§. 3. Faith is imperfect, though a worke of the Spirit. in none perfect though it be the worke of the Spirit: for the Spirit worketh faith not as a naturall agent which putteth forth it power to the vttermoſt, and alwayes produceth like effects, if it be not hindred: but as a voluntary agent, which putteth not forth his power to the vtmoſt, worketh according to his pleaſure in whom he wil, & as he wil, but not in all alike. The Spirit worketh faith not by morall perſwaſion only inciting to belieue,Faith is a powerfull worke of God. and leauing it to our free choice whether we will aſſent or no: but by his powerfull operation and omnipotent hand put forth for ſuch a purpoſe, hee produceth this gracious effect. There are no ſeedes of faith in our nature, out of which by more outward teaching we may be brought to beliefe: for then ſhould faith be naturall, as all other things are, which our nature can attaine to with outward helpes. There is no ſpirituall life in vsus before the infuſion of grace, whereby we ſhould be able to embrace the perſwaſions of the ſpirit: for then we ſhould liue ſpiritually of our ſelues before wee are quickened by grace. If the Spirit of God doe only moue and perſwade to belieue, then God doth not make the belieuer to differ from the vnbelieuer, but the good vſe of his owne free will. It is of grace that man might belieue, and ſo might he that continueth in infidelitie, for hee receiued equall aide, and was equally perſwaded and incited by the Spirit. But if the queſtion bee, why doth the one belieue and not the other, it is not the Spirit here that makes the difference, but the good vſe of mans free-will: and ſo, that man is inabled to belieue, it ſhould bee of grace, but that he doth belieue, and ſo differ from other men, this ſhould be from himſelfe. The ſame power that raiſed Chriſt from the dead, is ſaid to raiſe vsus vp to belieue.Epheſ. 1.19, 20. 1. Pet. 1.5. 2. Pet. 1.1, 2, 3. If an hand or eye bee wanting to a man from his birth, can any power reſtore them, but the Almightie power of God, by which the body was at firſt framed and faſhioned? By what power then is this hand of faith created, which reacheth to heauen? this eye which doth ſee the things within the vaile, which concerne our peace?Io. 6.37. Acts 13.48. Phil. 1.29. Matth. 11.26. This further appeareth by the cauſe that moueth the Lord to beſtow faith vponupon ſome, which is his free, eternall, vnchangeable grace and louelove whereby hee loued them to be made heires of ſaluation, before the foundation of the earth was laid. For ſo farre as God effectually willeth and intendeth to worke, ſo farre he putteth forth his omnipotent power to accompliſh. But God doth intend and effectually will to draw ſome vntounto him before other ſome.
§. 4. How God produceth Faith.§. 4. In producing faith, firſt God beſtoweth vponupon man the gift of vnderſtanding and ſpirituall wiſdome, opening and illuminating the eyes of his minde, to know the promiſe in Chriſt, and to iudge and eſteeme thoſe things reuealed of God to be the moſt vndoubted and infallible truth. This vnderſtanding is requiſite to faith: for it is impoſſible for a man to belieue that whereof he hath no knowledge or vnderſtanding. Out of queſtion, faith is a moſt wiſe g…ft or grace of Gods holy Spirit, making thoſe that be endued therewith wiſe vntounto ſaluation: which we ſhall eaſily diſcerne, if we conſider how great the ſubtletie of that old Serpent the Deuill is, as alſo the deceitfulneſſe of ſinne, both which are defeated by faith. This vnderſtanding is the gift of Gods grace: for as reaſonable vnderſtanding is beyond the compaſſe of that knowledge which the beaſts hauehave by k…nd: ſo is this vnderſtanding farre beyond the reach of all that wiſedome left in corrupted nature. It is a worke irreſiſtable, for it is wrought according to the purpoſe of the Lord,2. Cor. 4.6. 2. Tim. 1.9. Dan. 11.36. and the counſell of God cannot be fruſtrated. In illumination the minde ſuffereth not from any naturall power which it hath to conceiue or vnderſtand ſpirituall things, but from that ſtate of obedience that the minde ſtandeth in vntounto Almightie God, whereby it muſt neceſſarily ſee whatſoeuer he will enlighten it to behold, and ſet before it. There is no naturall power in an eye now blind to receiue ſight: but if God will enlighten it muſt needs ſee: So there is no naturall power in the eye of the mind now become darkneſſe, to receiue the light of ſauing knowledge, which is eueryevery way a thing both for matter and manner ſupernaturall vntounto it: but if he open the eyes of the vnderſtanding, and ſhine into the heart, it muſt needes vnderſtand. Secondly, God doth infuſe or powre the habit of faith into man, whereby he giueth to will to come vntounto Chriſt, and to enioy him. The firſt worke of God is ſignified in Scripture, by opening the eyes of the vnderſtanding: Epheſ. 1.18. Acts 26.18. Luk… 24.45. Iohn 6.44. Eſay 50.5. Acts 16.14. Ezek. 11.19.the ſecond by Gods drawing vsus: both at leaſt figuratiuely by the opening of the eare, the opening of the heart, the taking away the heart of ſtone, and giuing an heart of fleſh. This ſecond worke is requiſite to faith, for as a dead man can do no act of life vntil a liuing ſoule be breathed into him: nor a blinde eye ſee vnleſſe new light be giuen vntounto it: no more can man dead in treſpaſſes and ſinnes, moue himſelfe to receiue the promiſes of grace, vntill the free and gracious diſpoſition or habit of faith be infuſed, whereby the will is inclined agreeably to the diſpoſition of it, to come vntounto God. As man cannot naturally ſee or perceiue the things of God; no more can hee naturally will or deſire them. And this is apparant by the hardneſſe of mans heart that cannot repent, till God mollifie it:1. Cor. 2.14. Iſay 65.2, 3. Rom. ….5. and by his ſtiffeneckedneſſe and ſtubbornneſſe to reſiſt the holy Spirit ſpeaking in the Miniſterie of the word, vntill he be renewed and changed by grace. This habit of faith is receiued, not by any naturall diſpoſition of will in vsus to heauenly things, for then man ſhould liue ſpiritually of himſelfe, before the life of grace be put into him: but the heart, as it ſtandeth in obedience to Gods Almighty power, to take what ſtampe he ſhall imprint, to follow him wither hee ſhall draw, and to containe what hee powreth into it,The increaſe of faith is of God. admitteth this habite. And as the beginning, ſo the increaſe and progreſſe, the conſummation and perfection of faith is the gift of God, the worke of the Spirit.Heb. 12.2. Luke 17.5. Marke 9.24. Phil. 1.6. 2. Theſ. 1.3, 11. Of God the increaſe of faith is to be asked, and from him it is receiued. As we cannot will to belieue, vnleſſe God prepare the heart, and giuegive that will; no more can we will to perſeuere in faith, or goe forward therein, vnleſſe God doe miniſter ſtrength, and ſuſtaine vsus by his grace.
§. 5. Faith is the gift of God, and the act of man.§. 5. Faith then is the gift of God, and the act of man: a wonderfull and ſupernaturall gift of God, and a liuely motion of the heart renewed by grace, and powerfully moued by the Spirit. The power to belieue, and will to vſe that power, is of God: But the act of the will in reſting vponupon Chriſt is mans. It is man that belieueth, but it is God only and altogether that inableth, ſtirreth vp, putteth forward and inclineth the heart to belieue. By Gods enlightening man ſeeth, by his teaching he vnderſtands: and the Lord enclining his will, he willeth, embraceth, poſſeſſeth and keepeth Chriſt with all bleſſings promiſed in him. So that faith is the motion of mans heart wrought in him by the Spirit of God. Euen as a wheele which of it ſelfe cannot moue, yet being moued of another, doth moue; whoſe motion though but one, is ſaid to be the motion of the mouer, and of the thing moued: ſo faith is nothing but the action of God in man, but conſidered in a diuers manner it is both the act of God and man; as wrought by God in man, it is the worke of the Lord; as the motion of man his heart being moued of God, it is the act of man. For the action of man in belieuing with the heart, is nothing but his knowing and acknowledging of things, by Gods making him know and acknowledge them; his apprehending, willing, chuſing, embracing, and retayning them, by Gods making him to apprehend, will, chuſe, embrace and retaine them. It is true, that we Belieue, becauſe we will Belieue: but, wee will Belieue, doth note not the princip ll cauſe, but a cauſe ſubordinate working by way of free diſpoſition, which di…poſition it receiueth from an higher cauſe,Heb. ….4. not from naturall ſtrength. The Iuſt is ſaid to liue by his owne faith, and faith is called ours, or our owne: not that we are the Authours, cauſe or workers of it: but becauſe we poſſeſſe it, and are the ſpeciall ſubiects in which it is wrought by God. And alſo becauſe it concernes our ſelues in particular, and what wee belieue wee belieue it particularly concerning our ſelues.
§. 6. Not to diſpute whether God doth extraordinarily worke faith in the hearts of men,§. 6. Faith wrought by the Word. without the externall publiſhing of his word, will or pleaſure: this is ſure, that ordinarily the Holy Ghoſt doth worke by the Miniſterie of the Word. The Word can doe nothing without Gods Spirit: and ordinarily the Spirit will doe nothing without the Word. Faith is called the fruit of the lips: Eſay 57.…9.the Word is both the meane whereby we belieue, and the ſubiect matter of our beliefe. A man may ſee without light or colour, heare without eare or ſound, as poſſibly as belieue without the Word of God. For when faith is an affiance or perſwaſion, touching the good will of God towards vsus in Ieſus Chriſt, how can we be perſwaded touching his gracious pleaſure, till we be acquainted with his word, whereby he hath declared it. How can I belieue or certainly know that a friend will doe me this or that good turne, vnleſſe I hauehave his word or promiſe to that effect? no more could we euer know or bee perſwaded that God would forgiue our ſinnes, or ſhew merciemercy vponupon vsus, ſhould hee not by his Word ſignifie and make knowne the ſame.Rom. 10.8. Iohn 12, 6. Marke 1.15. Rom. 1.16. Iſay 53.1. The Word is the Word of faith, propounding things to bee belieued, and commanding vsus to belieue. The Goſpell is the word of the kingdome, the power of God to ſaluation, the arme of God.
Faith is the mother of Prayer:Encreaſed by Prayer and the vſe of the Sacraments. Prayer a meanes of the increaſe and conſeruation of faith. The Sacraments doe confirme, conſerue and increaſe faith begunne: but the Word only is the inſtrument to beget faith. Two things are here to be looked vntounto: Firſt, that we ſeuer not what God hath ioyned together. Secondly, that we attribute not to the inſtrument what is proper to the Authour. For the Word by the Ordinance of God is appointed to repreſent to our mindes what it is ordained to ſignifie, and by it as an inſtrument it pleaſeth God to worke: but the whole force, efficacie and power doth flow from God, and he that created man at the firſt,Marke 16.20. 1. Cor. 12.6. is his reſtorer to life eternall.
If it be demanded, why doe not all belieue that heare the Word:Why all doe not belieue that heare the Word. The anſwere is, Mans wilfulneſſe is the fundamentall, radicall, prime cauſe of obſtinate vnbeliefe; and he belieueth not becauſe he will not belieue; which diſpoſition the will hath of it ſelfe by nature. But the reaſon why one belieueth and not another, is, becauſe the Holy Ghoſt doth not inwardly teach all men, but whom he will, and ioyne his efficacie to the Wo…d preached and heard in whom he will. The cauſe of this his will, we are not bound to render, we cannot render, but muſt reſt in the good pleaſure of God.
Though faith be the gift of God, men muſt vſe the meanes to obtaine it.And though no man doe belieue by the externall hearing of the Word, vnleſſe the inward operation of the Holy Ghoſt regenerating and giuing faith doe accompany it, yet muſt all men giuegive attendance to the hearing of the Word preached and diligent reading, becauſe it is the meanes that God hath ordained for the begetting of faith, and by precept diuine they are thereunto obliged. Neither ſhall it excuſe any man to ſay, hee could not belieue, and if he ſhould make triall his endeauour would be in vaine. Such friuolous pretences ſhall nothing auaile before God. The leſſe able wee are to belieue of our ſelues, the more carefull ſhould wee bee to vſe the meanes that God hath ordained, that we might obtaine it. Marriage was neuer held ſuperfluous or vnneceſſary for the propagation of mankind, becauſe the reaſonable ſoule is not generated by our parents, but immediately created and infuſed of God. That faith is the ſole gift of God, wholly infuſed, not partly acquired by vsus, ſhould rather incite, then any way abate our endeuours for attaining it. For faith is not giuen, but in the vſe of the meanes: and though he giuegive not faith vntounto all men, he violently withholds faith from no man that ſeeketh it, but denieth it iuſtly to them that willingly preferre the pleaſures of ſin before the pearle of the Goſpell. And as Chriſt infuſed not humane life into trees, ſtockes and ſtones, but into bodies paſſiuely organized and figured for the fit habitation of the humane ſoule: ſo neither doth hee ordinarily beſtow ſupernaturall grace on eueryevery one that hath a reaſonable ſoule, but on ſuch onelyonly as are by him paſſiuely prepared for it.
The concluſion is, that wee muſt waite daily at the poſts of Wiſdomes gate, meditate ſeriouſly vponupon the Word of life, and nouriſh the motions of Gods Spirit, as the meanes whereby faith is begunne and increaſed in vsus.