Iustifying faith, or The faith by which the just do liue A treatise, containing a description of the nature, properties and conditions of Christian faith. With a discouerie of misperswasions, breeding presumption or hypocrisie, and meanes how faith may be planted in vnbeleeuers. By Thomas Iackson B. of Diuinitie and fellow of Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford.

To the right Honourable S^IR ROBERT SPENCER KNIGHT, Baron Spencer of Wormleighton; the blessings of this life, and of that other to come bee multiplyed.

Right Honourable

THe imputations, which from ex∣perience of more learned writers late mishaps, I see now readie to befall mee, will be especially two: The one, my pre∣suming to augment the superaboundant number of bookes written in this age: The other, my not writing more exactly. I must request your Lordship to stand betwixt mee and the later, that I may deale the better with the former; whose force, if it come but single, I can easily put off, thus: Did I not see such men as holde all additions to the number of bookes formerly extant altogether needlesse and superfluous, con∣tinually

ouerlading themselues with heapes of superfluities harme∣full to themselues and others; I should gladly entertaine this their dislike of these, or former labours, as a good oportunity to ease my selfe of future paines, and to aduise my fellow Ministers hereafter to spare their pens. But whiles these censurers, after the example of most now liuing, daily manifest their incredulity to our sauiours approbation of Mary, by solicitous imitation of Martha: a ne∣cessitie is laid vpon vs that be his messengers, and a woe will be∣fall vs, if we doe not, as well by writing as speaking, by all meanes possible, disswade this erroneous and sinister choice. I may, in this regard, safely affirme, that the argument or drift of this present Treatise, cannot (iustly) seeme either idle or impertinent; because it teacheth (as the Reader in the issue will perceiue) the extirpati∣on of those impertinencies, or superfluities, wherewith most in our daies wilfully intangle themselues, to be altogether necessary to the sure rooting, right taking, or iust growth of that faith which onely brings forth the fruites of life. And this aduantage these present Comments, otherwise weak, haue of more accurate labours directed to the same end they are: These, as they discouer the dan∣ger of many incumbrances which vsually beset the waie of life, to be much greater then it is ordinarily thought; so they giue inti∣mations withall of meanes more immediate and effectuall for their auoidance; in as much as they deriue, as well our alacritie in all good performances, as all preseruatiues against wicked practises, more directly and more necessarily then commonly a man shall find their deriuance, from the essence or internall constitution of such faith as they describe. That I handle not these points so accurate∣ly, as I my selfe could wish, much lesse so exactly as a iudicious Reader would require: The best Apologie I can make must be bor∣rowed

from that I haue already made for the vnripenes of my first fruits, published, vpon the same occasion these are, before their time. Others, besides my selfe, haue taken notice of your Honourable fauours, and kindnesse towards mee: and secret consciousnesse how slow I am in priuate testifica∣tions of my dutie, either by my pen, or presence, hastened the conception of this more publicke and durable pledge. Which notwithstanding (as if haste had maymed speede by ouerrunning it in the starting) hath beene now twise as long in bringing foorth, or rather in comming to publique light, as it was in comming to the birth. So long it hath been out of my sight, that the blindnesse of such affection as Parents vsually beare to their owne broode newely brought foorth, is quite abated. To say it were ill fauoured, or mishapen, is more then anie Parent will conceiue of his owne off-spring. Of such defects, or blemishes, as the accu∣rate spectator will discrie in it verie manie, diuerse, I must confesse, it naturally takes from the Father; but manie withall from ill hap not to haue a Mid-wife neerer to set it sooner, or at such time as he that gaue it such shape and forme as it first had, might haue looked on. But these are faults which I must seeke to amend when God shall blesse it with more brethren. This, as it is, I must humbly intreate your Lordship to accept, as an vndoubted pledge of my in∣deuours to make my selfe, and others, such indeed, as wee are in Name, altogether Christians; of my sincere and hear∣tie desire to shew my selfe thankefull to your good Lordship as to an Honourable fauourer, and chiefe furtherer of my studies. Being now to leaue it, I would onely impart this

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language to it, alwaies to pray for a Prophets reward vn∣to your acceptance of it in the name of a Prophets childe.

From my studie in Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford. Aprill 20. 1615.

Your Lordships in all dutie and seruice, THOMAS IACKSON.