Lastly it is manifest by the scripture Col. 2.6 and Iohn 1.12 that beleeuing on Christ is the receiuing of him And what is this receiuing Not only a comprehension of the vnderstanding but an imbracing of the hart and affections laying holde on him as we would on any thing with our hand which is reached vnto vs. And Iohn 6.35 to goe or come to Christ is made all one with beleeuing on Christ which going no doubt is rather a spirituall motion of the hart and affections toward Christ to enioy him and cleaue vnto him then a contemplation of the minde contented to see beholde him 3. By reasons In the third place wee must cleare this matter by reason that to beleeue on Christ is to trust vpon him and that for the grace of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting For the papists say that when we construe to beleeue in Christ to bee to beleeue the pardon of our sinnes in and for Christ that this is a glosse of our owne deuising Wherefore to shew it let this bee the first reason So faith doth receiue and rest on Christ as Christ is set forth to the beleeuer Reason 1. But Christ is set forth vnto vs as our redeemer from sinne and death ergo faith staieth on Christ as our redeemer from sin and death For this wee are alwaies to haue in minde that Christ is the obiect of our faith Not a naked Christ is the obiect of our faith but Christ clothed with his benefits not abstractly and nakedly considered but Christ with his benefits Christ lifted vp as the brazen serpent Christ set forth as a sacrifice propitiatory for our sinnes And thus to receiue Christ and beleeue on him is to beleeue receiue in him ransome from sin and death Reason 2. Secondly I proue this from the disposition of euery beleeuer That which pricketh and spurreth the soule to Christ that the soule first of all â—eacheth at and receiueth in Christ But sinne and death maketh the soule goe forth to Christ Ergo it first layeth hold on pardon of sinne and deliuerance from death These things are euident truths in the experience of euery humbled and beleeuing soule Reason 3. Thirdly it may bee proued by the order of iustification that a iustifying faith is to stay on Christ for the pardon of sinne or to beleeue in him forgiuenesse of sinne The beleeuer that hath got his sinnes couered he hath beleeued the pardon of them But euery beleeuer whom God iustifyeth hath first got his sins couered Ergo he hath before iustification beleeued their pardon It may seeme strange that I say that the sinnes of the beleeuer are couered before his iustification but in nature thus it must bee considered For the Lord cannot pronounce vs as iust till some way hee see vs innocent To absolue the guiltie is abomination with him The order that is obserued in our iustification The order of our iustificatâ—oÌ„ will cleere the matter First there is a sight of our misery to which we are brought by the Law Secondly there is by the Gospell an holding forth of Christ as our Redemption from sinne and death Thirdly there is a working of faith in the heart to rest on Christ as the ransome from sinne and death Now when a man is come hither he is truely and really iust For he hath hold of the ransome from all his sinne Then in the fourth place followeth the Lords voice iustifying this party thus in Christ made righteous Reason 4. Fourthly it may be proued by the effects of faith For that faith which iustifyeth before God which sanctifyeth which bringeth Christ to dwell in our hearts which breedeth peace yea giueth entrance vnto God with confidence and boldnesse that standeth in the trust of mercy and in knowledge onely But all these are made effects of beleeuing on Christ The first part of the reason is euident For if faith be onely the crediting of things to be beleeued then these effâ—cts belong not vnto faith For wicked men in their kinde and the Diuels in their kinde may haue such a perswasion Thus hauing proued sufficiently that to beleeue on Christ is to haue confidence of mercy touching remission of sinne I will now shew what may bee obiected Obiections answered Scriptures that seeme to affirme faith to be onely a right perswasion of Christs person and offices The arguments are either drawne from Scripture or Reason The first ranke proueth that it is true faith to think aright of Christs person office The Scriptures may be recalled to these three heads Mat. 16.16 Thou art the Christ the Son of the liuing God Iohn 1.49 Rabbi saith Nathanael thou art the Sonne of God thou art the King of Israel Iohn 11.26 27. He that beleeueth in mee saith our Sauiour vnto Martha shall not dye Beleeuest thou this Yea Lord saith shee I beleeue that thou art the Christ the Sonne of God that should come into the world So Iohn 20.31 These things are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of God c. See Acts 8.37 and 1. Iohn 5.1 From all these Scriptures it may thus be concluded Ob. To bee perswaded aright touching Christs person and office is no particular assurance of mercie But rightly to hold this is iustifying faith Ergo iustifying faith is no particular affiance but onely to hold truely the doctrine of Christ Answ But it is false that these examples mention no more but the holding of the doctrine in truth For they all include an affiance of mercy Which yet include in affiance of mercy in him which may be thus proued First it is a generall rule that words of knowledge include in the partie the affections also much more words of beliefe Secondly to see the cleere trueth of all these examples wee must consider the disposition of Gods people touching the Messiah As therefore they looked for the Messiah so according to the prophecies they promised to themselues in and by the Messiah all good The woman of Samaria Iohn 4. could say when the Messiah commeth he will teach vs all things And therefore Math. 11.3 the Disciples of Iohn aske Christ Art thou hee that should come or shall wee looke for another Where wee may see that there was not a knowledge onely of Christ to come but an expectation and an hope placed in him as in whom all good promises should bee accomplished vnto them So that if we consider the disposition of this people whose hopes did hang on the Messiah wee may plainely vnderstand how that to beleeue the Messias is not onely to know and giue credence but to haue an affiance in him Thirdly wee must consider these examples by that of Thomas Iohn 20.28 who as he confessed Christ and God so was it with tearmes of affiance saying Thou art my Lord and my God Fourthly this may bee gathered by Marthaes words Iohn 11.26 27. For when Christ asked
time which hee ordained When the holy men of God looked vnto this time with what ioy were they replenished As it is said of Abraham that he saw this day of Christ and reioiced thereat Iohn 8.56 And if the contemplation of it before hand made them to reioyce How much more should wee reioyce in this grace of God and in this day of saluation vnto whom it is risen and who enioy the comfortable and blessed presence of it 3. An exhortaâ—ion to imbrace the present grace offred vs. Thirdly it is a ground of exhortation to vs that wee put not the grace of God from vs. Euery one that beleeueth shall be saued That is no condition no not of the greatest excepted of whom this is not required To beleeue Look to me all â—ee Nations of the earth and be you saued Be men what they will be neuer so rich noble and great they must looke and goe to Christ if they will haue saluation What happinesse is this then that â—hrist is come vnto vs and this grace is offered vs It is iust with God that wee perish if on any worldly confidence we neglect this saluation and do not with both armes embrace and lay hold of it being thus brought vnto vs. Doct. 6. The onely obiect of our faith as it iustifies vs is Christ Now it followeth euery one beleeuing on him This doth teach what is the obiect of our faith that is Iesus Christ whom onely faith doth looke vnto and respect as it doth make vs righteous in the sight of God which other Scriptures plentifully confirme To as many as receiued him hee gaue this priuiledge to bee the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Iohn 1.12 A worthy honour to be made the Sonne of God which faith onely can aduance vs to and that onely as it doth beleeue in Christ and receiue him And so Acts 16.30 31. What saith the Iayler must I doe to bee saued Beleeue doth Paul and Silas answere him But on whom on the Lord Iesus And Acts 26.18 that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctified through faith in mee It is therefore called the faith of Christ because Christ is he whom faith doth apprehend to righteousnesse and life according to that in the twenty sixt Verse of this Chapter Hee that beleeueth on the Sonne of God hath life And righteousnesse is euery vvhere tied vnto faith euen to faith in Christ whom onely it doth and can looke vnto as it iustifieth vs. It is true that a iustifying faith may worke a miracle may beleeue an historie but it doth not iustifie vs as it is occupied this way neither in these things doth it onely eye Iesus Christ For there are those who may beleeue the history of the gospell yea and worke miracles also who were neuer iustified as wee may reade Mat. 7.22.23 But this matter will bee better cleared if we consider what it is to beleeue on Christ The papists say it is to giue credit to the doctrine touching Christ his person offices passion and merits we say it is confidence of mercy in Christ Which faith is a confidence of mercy in Christ touching pardon of sinne and life In handling of this point I will first cleare the truth then answer what may bee obiected against it This then that faith is an affiance of mercy is proued by the nature of the phrase secondly by the interpretation of scripture thirdly by reasons As is manifest by the phrase The phrase to beleeue on Christ notes confidence assurance as may easily be conuinced For so these three phrases Credere de Christo credere Christo et credere in Christum To beleeue concerning Christ to beleeue Christ and to beleeue on Christ must bee distinguished that the former two include a bare knowledge and assent and may be where there is no iustification but the last containeth confidence in it and euer doth iustifie This phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answereth to these Hebrew phrases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or batach in construction with beth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For these referred to God are all one â—sal 18.22 vsed sometime in way of exegesis and exposition the one to the other That these answer to this greek phrase is apparant both by comparing the Syriacke and by the translation of the Septuagint who so translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the 28. of Esay verse 16. as Paul citeth it Rom. 10.11 Looke now how the Scripure expoundeth these phrases 2. By the Scriptures expositioÌ„ In the 50. of Esay 10. you haue one expounded Trust in the Lord the meaning whereof is giuen vs in the next words and rest vpon him So Esay 31.1 the same phrase to trust is expounded by staying euen as a man would stay himselfe on a staffe wherewith he is vnderpropped So also Ier. 17.5 To trust in man is to make man his arme letting the hart go back from God In Psal 62.7 To trust on the Lord is to place our strength in the Lord. And Psal 37.5 To trust in him is for a man to roule himselfe and his actions on him If to beleeue on God were to holde dogmatically this or that reuealed of him then this beleefe were common to other things with him and wee might as well beleeue in creatures as in God For what doth let but that we may without sin holde and assent to those dogmaticall truthes which are taught concerning them Adde to these things the iudgement of Augustine on the 77. Psal * Hoâ— est credere in Deum credendo ad â—aâ—ere ad benè cooperandum bona operant Deo Aug. in psal 77. This saith he is to beleeue in God By beleeuing to cleaue vnto him And more largely on Ioh. 7. tract 29. b Si creditis in eum creditis ei non autem continuâ— qui credit ei credit in eum c. De Apostolis possumus dicere credimus Paulo sed non credimus in Paulum credimus Petro sed non credimus in Petrum c. Quid est ergo credere in eum credendo amare credendo diligere credendo in eum ire eius membris incorporari Augustine in Iohannem cap. 7. tract 29. If ye beleeue in God ye also beleeue God but not forthwith doth he beleeue in God who beleeueth God Againe we may say we beleeue Paul and Peter but not wee beleeue in Paul and Peter What is therefore to beleeue in him it is by beleeuing to affect him by beleeuing to loue him by beleeuing to goe into him and to bee incorporated into his members In which sense words also Lumbard * Credere in Deum est credendo amare credendo in eum ire credendo ei adhaerere et eius membris incorporari Lomb lib. 3. distinct 23. doth expound the same phrase lib. 3. dist 23.
her Doest thou beleeue this that whoso beleeueth on me shall not die euerlastingly She doth answere Yea Lord I beleeue that thou art the Christ that is Since I beleeue this that thou art the Messiah I cannot doubt but that those that cleaue to thee shall haue euerlasting life teaching that these confessions imply an affiance and trust of all good through him The second ranke of places proue that to beleeue the power of God is iustifying faith Scriptures affirming faith to be a beliefe of Gods power Mat. 9.28 c. Christ required no more of the blinde man then to beleeue that hee was able to heale him And Luke the seuenth that faith of the Centurion which Christ commended to be greater then hee had found any in Israel seemeth to bee no more then a perswasion of Christs power to restore his sicke seruant Say the word and my seruant shall be whole verse 7. So Marke 1.4 The Leper seemeth to doubt of Christs will but was well perswaded of his power If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane And how is Abrahams faith otherwise set out vnto vs then by this that hee was fully assured that he which had promist was also able to doe it Rom. 4.21 Hence it is thus argued That faith which Christ requireth and confirmeth by miracle that is a iustifying faith But to bee perswaded touching the power of God is that faith which hee requireth and hath so confirmed Ergo c. I answere to the first part of this reason that it is false For the faith which Christ requireth to iustification is such a faith as doth acquite vs from our sinnes and procure vs righteousnesse but such a faith is not heere required but onely a faith seruing to receiue a temporall blessing Which speake not of iustifying faith but of a faith auailing to temporall blessing to which faith it suffices to bee perswaded of Gods generall goodnesse and power as hee is a Creatour The which faith since it doth giue vnto God the glory of power aboue all his creatures it pleaseth him to reward with temporall benefits as a thing good in it selfe though it doe not iustifie vs in his sight But Abrahams example must bee further examined and explaned from the which they goe about to conclude the same thus Abrahams faith Abrahams faith was a iustifying faith But his faith was not a perswasion of mercy To confirme which they make two maine exceptions at this example First that it was of a temporall promise and ergo the obiect of it was not forgiuenesse of sins in Christ Secondly that it was of Gods power Rom. 4.21 and not of any speciall grace and fauour For the first this promise was as well spirituall was of a spirituall blessing as temporall It was as you may see Gen. 15.5.18 17.5 6 7 8. c. of a seed which God would raise vp out of him and of Canaan which should bee giuen to his seede and in that seede the blessed seede Iesus Christ In Iesus Christ and vnder Canaan as a type heauen was figured and promised Now the obiect of Abrahams faith so farre as it did iustifie him was that blessed seede which is Christ Gal. 4 16. For it was rather the sight of Christ which hee had by faith then the perswasion of a sonne to bee borne to him and Canaan to be giuen his seede that made him to reioyce as Iohn 8.56 Abraham reioiced to see my day and hee saw it and was glad For the second when they say it was a perswasion of the power of God and not of his fauour they are mightily ouershot For the text saith first verse 20. that he did not doubt of the promise of God Now the promise alwaies implyeth Gods good will Looked first to Gods good will in the promise and grace The promise runnes not I can giue thee a seede Abraham and this Canaan to be possessed by thy seede but I will do thus and thus How then doth the Apostle set out Abrahams full beliefe in this that hee was assured that he who had promised was able also to doe it I answere Not because Abrahams saith did iustifie him as it did beleeue the power of God but because his iustifying faith which was fixed on the promise did sustaine it selfe Next to Gods power to sustaine himselfe in temptation by this consideration of Gods power in the time of triall betweene the promise and execution For vsually the Lord puts a time of delay betweene these vvherein faith is exercised Thus it was with Abraham he had a promise touching a seed the execution is deferred Hereupon his faith is assailed thus Thy body is dead Abraham thy wife hopelesse that way These things foiled Sarah Now when Abrahams faith on the promise is likewise set vpon hee holds fast the promise and against these arguments of vnbeliefe faith opposeth the all-sufficient power of God and sustaineth it selfe with this consideration God is able A third ranke of places tendeth to shew that to beleeue Christ dead and risen Scriptures putting faith in a beliefe of Christs death resurrection is true faith As Rom. 10.9 If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saued And 1. Cor. 15.3 4. c. it is made the summe of the Gospell To beleeue the death and resurrection of Christ Hence thus they reason To giue credit that Christ is dead and risen is a iustifying faith but this is no perswasion of mercy Ergo. I answer The Apostles must interpret and construe themselues To beleeue Christ dead and risen as they taught him is true beleefe but they teach these things still with application But these are to be vnderstood with applicatiō as Rom. 4.25 He was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification And Rom. 8.34 Who shall condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe for vs for that is to be vnderstood in euery member of this sentence which is added onely in the last that he maketh request for vs. So also say the Apostles Acts 5.31 that God had raised vp Christ to be a Prince and Sauiour to giue repentance to Israel forgiuenesse of sinnes Now thus to beleeue the death resurrection of Christ as thereby to look for forgiuenesse of sinnes is not bare knowledge but true affiance and assurance And these are the scriptures from the which they would proue this generall faith to be true faith Now follow the reasons Aduerse reasōs answered by which they goe about to shewe that there is not any particular assurance of mercie in faith First then thus they dispute There is no faith where there is no word but there is no word that saieth to any of vs Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Ans We haue a particular word infolded and wrapped