The Whole Body of Religion, Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. Concerning faith, hope, and charitie.
DOCTRINE I. That faith is very neceſſarie unto our communion with Chriſt, and ſo that we may be made partakers of ſalvation.
FOr the ingrafting us into Chriſt, and the furthering our communion with him, the holy Spirit indeed uſeth externall meanes and inſtruments, to wit, the word of the Goſpel, and the Sacraments: But yet, unleſſe by the ſame Spirit there be ſtirred up in us faith, whereby we may embrace Chriſt offered unto us with all his treaſures, we muſt confeſſe that thoſe outward meanes and inſtruments are not at all profitable unto us to ſalvation. And therefore we doubt not to ſay that faith is neceſſarie to unite us unto Chriſt, and to make us partakers of his benefits.
DOCT. II. What is underſtood by the name of faith.
BY the name of faith we underſtand, not any humane opinion, or perſwaſion concerning God, and concerning Chriſt,Eph. 1.…. but the gift of divine wiſdome and prudence ſtirred up in our hearts by the holy Spirit upon the hearing of the word: whereby, giving aſſent unto all the word of God revealed in the holy Scripture, and the Goſpel moſt eſpecially which brings us joyfull tidings of our redemption wrought by Chriſt, we do therein truely underſtand God and his will, Chriſt our Mediatour and his benefits; we do certainly know, and moſt lovingly embrace them; we do upon a firme confidence which we conceive of the mercy of God, and his infinite love towards us, call upon him; whereby we are as it were ſet on fire, and inflamed to love him again; and are forced as it were to performe faithfull ſervice unto him, and conſtantly throughout the whole courſe of our life glorifie him by our good works, and deeds of charitie towards our neighbour.
DOCT. III. The confirmation of what hath been ſaid concerning faith.
FOr true faith is not from the wit of man, or naturall ingenie, but it is theaPhil. 1.29. gift of God: neither is it given unto all, but tobTit. 1.1. Act. 13.28. the elect onelyonly: neither is it onelyonly an opinion uncertain and doubtfull butcHeb. 11.1. the ſubſtance of things hoped for firme and ſure; and a moſt certain evidence of things not ſeen: neither cometh it by the hearing of humane reaſon, butdRom. 10.17. by hearing the word of God, and relyes onelyonly on the authoritie of Gods word and promiſe: neither is it an hypocriticall and feigned aſſent, but ſincere ande… Tim. 1.15. out of a pure heart: neither is it a temporarie perſwaſionfMatt. 13.21. during for a while, but conſtant and perpetuall, although it be often weakened by our ſins: neither is it blind and raſh, but the onelyonlygEph. 1.8. wiſdome whereby we know God and Chriſt and heavenly things; and Chriſtian prudence, whereby we are taught not to abuſe that knowlege of God, but to uſe it to a right end: neither is itaIam. 2.20. dead but living andbGal. 5.6. working by love.
DOCT. IV. That faith cometh not all at once, but hath it's increaſe from time to time.
BUt although the faith of the elect never faileth totally and altogether, but ever liveth: yet we never knew it ſo perfect and complete in any, but that every day it ſtands in need of increaſe: for which thecLuk. 17.5. Apoſtles themſelves prayed, and we alſo at all times ought to pray.
DOCT. V. That confeſsion of the truth cannot be ſeparated from true faith.
WE believe alſo that true faith cannot conſiſt without a willingneſſe and readineſſe to confeſſe the truth ingenuouſly, as occaſion is offered.dRom. …0.10. For as the Apoſtle ſaith, With the heart man believeth unto righteouſneſſe, and with the mouth confeſsion is made unto ſalvation. Wherefore we condemne libertines and others of the ſame mold and ſtamp, who think that it is free for them in every place, and in all companie to diſſemble the truth, and to fit themſelves for all religions.
DOCT. VI. That hope ariſeth from faith.
WE believe alſo that hope ariſeth from faith, and that faith is the foundation thereof, according to the Apoſtle,aHeb. 11.1. Faith is the ſubſtance of things hoped for. For therefore do we hope for things to come, and through patience aſſuredly expect them: becauſe we have the promiſe of God which we believe, and whereon we rely.
DOCT. VII. What hope is.
NOw hope is the gift of God, whereby what good things God hath promiſed though yet neither hadbRom. 8.24. nor ſeen, we do through patience waiting on the mercy of God, for the onelyonly merits of Ieſus Chriſt ſo aſſuredly expect as we do certainly believe.
DOCT. VIII. From whence ariſeth the certainty of hope.
FOr the hope of us Chriſtian men ariſeth not from humane promiſes, neither is it nouriſhed by humane merits, nor relyeth it thereupon: but being ſupported and upheld by the onelyonly truth of divine promiſes confirmed unto us many wayes, and ſealed in our hearts; as likewiſe by the almightie power of God which promiſeth, declared in generall towards all believers, but moſt eſpecially manifeſted in Chriſt, at what time he raiſed him up from the dead, and exalted him above all heavens to ſit at his right hand; and again by the obedience of Chriſt alone, on whom we believe, and in whom we truſt, it doth certainly and conſtantly expect the complement or accompliſhment of our ſalvation, to wit, the reſurrection from the dead, the glorious coming of the great God, and our Lord and Saviour Ieſus Chriſt, and a full and plenarie poſſeſſion of an heavenly inheritance.
DOCT. IX. That from faith ariſeth alſo love and charitie.
WE believe alſo that true charitie ariſeth from true faith: for faith worketh by love, and thereby is declared the efficacie of faith. St. Paul teacheth that theaGal. 5.6. faith in Chriſt, which is moſt available is that which worketh by love: and to this purpoſe ſaith St. Iohn,b1 Iohn 4.2. He that loveth not, knoweth not God. Therefore we do not acknowledge them for brethren whoſoever boaſt of theircIam 2.15, 16 faith, and yet have not charitie: Ford26. faith without works is dead.
DOCT. X. That charitie is the gift of God.
WE believe alſo that even charitie it ſelf is the gift of God, whereby we are ſo affected that with all our heart we both love again and alſo glorifie God the Father, and Chriſt our Redeemer; that we are inclined and moved to good will and bounty towards all men in generall, yea even towards our enemies, but eſpecially towards the Saints, and thoſe which are of the houſhold of faith. Therefore we condemne all thoſe, which ſay that a man by his own naturall powers may love God above all things.1 Iohn 4.7. For Love is of God, as ſaith St. Iohn.
DOCT. XI. The ſignes and tokens of charitie.
BUt we do not believe that to be true Chriſtian charitie, which agreeth not with that deſcription ſet down by St. Paul in his firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians, which is after this manner,1 Cor. 13.4. Charitie ſuffereth long, and is kind: Charitie envyeth not: Charitie vaunteth not it ſelf, is not puffed up, 5.6.Doth not behave it ſelf unſeemly, ſeeketh not her own, is not eaſily provoked, 7.thinketh no evill; Rejoyceth not in iniquitie, but rejoyceth in the truth, Bearethall things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things, &c.
DOCT. XII. That our communion with Chriſt and his Church is cheriſhed and maintained by love and Charitie.
WE believe that by true love and charitie our communion with Chriſt and his Church is very much cheriſhed, increaſed, and maintained: Foraſmuch as love joyneth together in one the perſons loving and the perſons loved. For St. Iohn ſaith,a1 Io…. 4 16. He that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.