72 The.11eciall objeaa ofjuflifyingfaith. Pepiß, ebleifietu anfivered, Matth.t6.76. Joh.6.68. 'Seller. de Ital.. lió.t.cap.8. Mark.tz} Luk.4.3f Ga1.3116. Gu!,3Pó li0l:.,!.7t 1 That which firm pricketh and fpnrreth the foule toChril}, that givethus tounderftand what the fouleprincipally rea- chethat, and receiveth in Chrif}. But fin and death urge the foule for mercie and life tobe obtained, prick and fpur thefoule togotforth of it felfe, and receive Chri&, and ref} upon him,as he isoffered intheGofpel: Thereforeit prin- cipally layeth hold on the free promifeof mercie covering fin and delivering fromdeath. Theconfeflìonof Teterand the ref}of theApof}les (for bee made anfwerforthemall, as thequef}ion was propoun- ded tothem all) was nomore in words, but of Chrif }s of- fice, Thouart Chris`s ; andhis nature, The Son of theli- ving God. But fhall we thinke the faithofthe Apof}les to be nothing but abare silent of mind to that which they profeffed ofChrif} ? Then (hall wee make the Devils him- felfe tobeas good and true a beleever as theApof}les, for he profeffed as much, O Aefua ofNazareth, ¡know who thouart, &c. No doubt the Apof}les relied upon Chrif} for falvation, and beleeved in himtobe that totheir foules, and for their ufeand comfort, which they beleeved him to be. Thefubje&matter of their faith in that point was, that Jefuswas the Chrif} : the manner ofbeleeving was with theheart, relying upon him for falvation. The faithof e/Ibrahamwas not a bare silent given to thepromifeofGod, but a confidence in the fpeciall mercie ofGod : for hee relied upon thepromife, not onely in re- gard of his pofleritie, but alto in regard of Chrifl, accor- ding to that which is faid , In thyfeed (hall all nations of the earthbe bleffed: which feed the Apoffle teacheth tobe Chrif, and thehleffing hee interpreteth tobee redemption from the curie oftheLaw,and julificationby faith. Abra- ham thenbeleeving the remifïionof finnes in and through Jefus Chrif}, ofnecefsitie it will follow, that his faithwas dire&ed unto an exercifed about the fpeciall mercie of God in Jefus Chrif}. How then Both the Apof}le let out Abrahams full beleefein this,thathew.," affured, that be, who had promifed, was able alfo to doe it? Not becaufe Abrahams
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