S a c r. III. Fai/ Signs of Grate. 171 to fay, that abrahambeleeved nomore : I am 'not now toconfute this unfound Tenet ; only take notice, That thereafon why the Scripture fometimes attributeth falvation to the meet beleeving of Jefus Quiff to be God, was becaufe the only que(lion then wasabout theperfonofChrift, not the office of Chrift ; The godly doubted noc whether if he were theChrift he would be a King and Prieft to them, but whether he was the Chrift or no ; andbecaufe is was fo great a matter tobe- leeve him to be the promifed Me!Tah, who was outwardly fò mean and contem- ptible: Therefore dotlt the Scripture fo much magnifie this ad. And 2. though the Scripturegive falvation to lathads, yer it dQth fuppofe,the other, fo that we muff compare other placeswith chefe; and then we (hall fee, that it is not enough to give a are affent to chefe things, but there alto ought tobe a powerful! influ- enceofthis faith incoourconverlation, There things thus explained, let us confi- der why fuch a faith is notenough, that foyou may not deceive your fclves. Com. fort not your (elves meetly in this, I have thecrue religion onmy fide : but rather enquire, whether all the concomitants and effet4s of it alfo be to be found in you. Now thedeficiency of this faith arifethfeverall wales. firft,thefitbjell Wberein The d,G<; :,- itit,7hitreaehethno firther then to theperfEiingoftheunderfiandieg. Whereas full ey ofthis ^:;:t hying faith Rom. to. is fixed in theheart, With the heartman6eleeveth, fo purifying dikave, cd. their hearts by faith,and Chrift dwels inour heartsby faith ; fo that faith extending u no furtherthen to the underftanding,cannot bring that happinefs the Word fpeaks of. Amanola found brain, but corrupt vitals, will quickly go down to the gares of death. Now this is the general! temper of mote Procefkants, They have no furtherwork thenupon their undeeflandìngs,many times their lives are as noifome asdunghils; Men are Proteftanis in doikrines, and recur-ants íu !fives, been:le they, refufe the yokeof Chtift, and will not fubmit to his Law. Hell is filled not only with Pagans andHeathens, but ungodly Chriftians: Truth like Aarans oil mutt not be powred upon thehead only, but run down to the heart and other parts a The Orthodoxwere called Protefîants firft, becaufe at the beginning of reformation theymade a folemnproteftatioa againft thofeArticles ofPopilhReligion, which were tobeettabldbed : but what ifthy tongueproteft for theeeuth,and thy lifepm- tell againft it? Secondly, There is tidefill inittails, foralthough tbitfaith carrieth us out to 6e- 2; leeveit as true,yet not to embrace it atgood; Whereas the Word of God is not on- lyfaithful!, but worthy ofall acceptation : It'sa frigid expofition tofay, that faith it called the fubltance ofthings, becaufe it makes them co fubfift in us by way of underftanding meetly; no, it caufeth thofe things hoped for to dwell in the foul byftrong imbracements, fo thatthe heart of a man is knitted to them, Abraham beleeved my day, and rejoiced; The peopleof God beleeve, and herein their hearts do all burn within them : It's like the burning-glade, which by its beams fees the prepared objed on fire a pray therefore tolove thegoodneffe of ir, as affent to the truth of it. Thirdly, There is dciitt in the efficacy and power ofit ; True lively faith will 3. like fire devour all drolfe, whereas we fee the hiftoricall believer cannot fubdue fin. The Jews though they did believe onChrift, yetthey for fear dared not to confers him, becaufe they loved the praife ofmen more then the gloryof God Theybelie- ved him to be Chrift, but would notbeafflited or perfecuted for his flake; fo Mx 2.23. Manyhelceved, but Jefus would not commit himfelf to them, for he knew What was in man; but lively faith would make a man like Paul, triumph over all difficulties, becaufe theylook upon thethings that are not Peen : If faithbring Chri&, the fountainof grace intoa mans foul; chat mans lifecan be no more con- ffantly wicked, then if a man could carrythe funne in his hand he could walk in darkneije. As therefore the people flood looking upon ?oho as if hewere the Mellias, and yob's delayedhimfelf tobe the Mef las, laying, there is one more no- ble then I,WbofeAve. latches Iam not worthy to unlofe, fo do thou fay,Though there Z2 are
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=