402. The pond Booke ofDiuinitie, C 11 A p.7. Now to open more largely the parts of this defcrip- Lion, there bee eight mayne points lie °buious before our eyes : Firf+, The Mature of Faith. Secondly,Theperfons to whom it is appropriate. Thirdly, Thecaufcs efficient both primarie and ie_ cóndarie,principall and inf+rutnentall,the begettingand the preferuing caufes. Fourthly, The prerogatiueoldie faithful. Fifthly, The qualities or adioynts of Faith. Sixthly,Of Sight, the full perfe6lion of it. Seuenthly,Ofl-lope,the fifier and companion : And cightiy,The fruits oreflee6 s. The nature of Faith is to know Chrif+, to layhold vponhim, and with confidence and affurance to apply him to ones felfe. Wherein we are to confider, both the Obie&ofFaith, and Che Aetions. The Obiedl ofFaith is Chrif[ : for albeit Faith (orne_ times take hold of a particular promife, as the 9 blind men did forthe openingof -their eyes, yet it reileth not in that particular good but thorow it looked) at the ge- nerall good,which is Chrif+, But Chrif+ is the Obiccct of Faith, not as bee is in himfelfe -and prefent, but abfent in his Word. Whereupon it is called r The Faith of Troth, or that which imbraceth & layeth hold vpon the Word and Truth ofGod, that is to fay , the Do&rine cf Iefiis Chrif?, and Chrifl himfelfe in and by the fame. And this Word is the Word of the Couenant , the.Word of Re-. conciliation, publifhed and preached, and Pealedvp by the Sacraments:in regard whereof, it is allo called f The Faithof the Golpe1. So that to fpeake properly Faith feeth not fo much Chrif+ himfcl_fe,as a certaine image and Piaure ofChrif} in his gord and Sacraments, .wherein wee behold him, but as it were in a Looking-glaffe. So Paid telleth the galatiafs,Gal. 3. x. that by the Cofpel which flee prea- died 9 Matt. 15.2.9. r i,Tbeff t, 13. 'Pbit,i 27.
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