165 / 808
VE
x.15,
Ephefltns,Chap.i.
ceived,as
propoundir
g
Chrift
the
Pimple
object
of
faith
:
The
fecond
phrafe noteth
Chrift
the obje&,together with our adheringto
him
:
The
third,
noteth Chrift the object,
our inhering
in
him, together with the
word propounded,as the
way and
meaneby
which we come beleevingly
to
inhere
in
him
;
for that
diftincìion
which
fome make,following fome
of the
ancient,
is
not by Scripturewarrantable,which
doth
indifferent-
ly appropriate thefe
two phrafestothe
Saints, to beleeve
in
the Lord
Jefus,
&
to beleeve
on
him. Chrift
is
every where made
the thing which
faith embraceth
to
falvation ;
So
God
loved the
world,
that
he
gave
his
Soiene,
whom
he hath
Pet
forth
a
propitiatory
facrifice,
through
faith on
his bloud
:
Through
faith on him we hope
to
be
faved
as
others
;
not
that
Chrift
is
the onely object, about which faith
is
exercifcd
;
but
it
is
the
principali
of
all
others
, and the
foie
objet
about which it
is
occupi-
ed,
that
it
may
obtaine righteoufneffe
and life everlafting
;
otherwife,
as
faith
is
called
juftifying
faith,
not
that to
juflifie
is
the
foie adæquate
or
full act
of
it
;
but
becaufe
to
juftifie
to
life,
is
the molt eminent
ad of
all others:
fo
it
is
Paid
to apprehend
Chrift, not
that Chrift
is
the
ada.-
quate,
the
full
objeét
of
faith,as colour
is
of fight;
but becaufe
it
is
the
moft eminent
of
all
other. In
like
fort, Love
is
called
thelove
of
God,
not that
the fame love wherewith we love
God,
doth not
love men
alto ; the
contrary whereof,
fee,
t
john
4.
12. but becaufe
God
is
the
moft excellent
object,
about which it
is
converfant.
Further
to
open
this point: a.
Things mull be
Chewed
;
firft,what
faith
in
Chrift,
or
on
Chrift,
is
;
fecondly,why
faith
as it
juflifieth and faveth,
is
carried
to
Chrift
onely
:
Faith on
Chrift,
is
not onely
to know,
and
with the
eye
of
the
mind
to
fee
that God
fent his
Sonne,
that
he
was born
and fuf-
fered for mankind
;
butto
reft or flay on
Chrift,
that we may
find
mer-
cy
in
him, to the
forgiveneffe
of
our
fins
;
to
flay on him
;
for faith
is
not only
a
knowledge
in
the mind,but
a
godly
aft
Clion in
the wil,which
doth
goe
to,
embrace
,
reft upon
Chrift
,
or the grace
offred
in
Chrift,
Ergo,
receiving
is
made
an
effe&
of
faith,lohn
x.12 .and
going to
Chrift,
be
that
beleeveth,
he
that
commeth
tome,
John
6.and the nature
of
faith
is
defcrihcd by
words which
lignifie
to roll
our felveson
God,
to
leave
on
him,
as
one would flay
himfelfeupon
a
flaffe; forthe word
of
pro
mire,
not onely containing
truth,but
offering
force
good
thing unto us,
we cannot fully
receive it
with underftanding, but the willalto mutt;
move toward
ir.
Againe,let
me
be
diftrefl'ed
for
a
hundred
pound,or
fo,
if
one promife
me
I (hall
have
it
of
him, I
doe
not onely know
and
think,
and
peri
wade
myfelfe
he faith
true;
but
Itruft
to
him, reftonhim,and
write
as
we
fay,
on
that
he hash fpoken.
Betdes, ifthere
were no particular confi-
dence
in a
Chriftians faith, the reprobate might have
all
that
is
in
his
beleefe.
Now
though
our faith beleeve many
other things,
yet
it
jufti-
fieth and
reconcileth
us
to God,
as
it
doth
fee
and
tell
upon
Chrift
:
As
a
malefactor,
though
his hand will receive innumerable matters,
yet
as it
receiveth
the
Kings
pardon onely, it doth acquit
him and
rellore
him to
liberty;
fo
it
is
with
us
condemned ones,
as
our faith receiveth
Gods
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