A treatise of iustification· By George Dovvname, Doctor of Divinity and Bishop of Dery

CAP. IV. Whether justifying faith may be without speciall apprehension of Christ.

§. I.

THe third error of the Papists concerning the na∣ture of justifying faith is, that they hold it may be, as without knowledge, and without charity, so also without any speciall apprehension or ap∣plication of Christ to the beleever. But the Scriptures unto justification require, that wee should beleeve in Christ. For howsoever by that faith, which justifieth wee doe beleeve what∣soever a God hath revealed in his Word: neither hath any man a justi∣fying faith, who denyeth credit to any thing which hee findeth to bee revealed by God: notwithstanding as it justifyeth, it onely respecteth Christ, either directly and expressely, or indirectly and by consequence; Christ himselfe being, as I shall hereafter shew, the proper object of ju∣stifying faith. For the promise of justification and salvation in the Gos∣pell is not made to the beliefe of other things, but onely to true faith in Christ. b For God so loved the world that hee gave his onely begotten Son, that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish, but have ever∣lasting life. And as Moses lifted up the serpent c in the wildernesse, that they who were bitten of the fiery serpents, by looking on the bra∣sen Serpent, which was a figure of Christ, should bee healed: even so the Sonne of man was to be lifted up upon the Crosse, that whosoever being stung by the old serpent the Devill, looketh d upon him with the ei•…•… of a true faith, that is beleeueth in him, should not perish, but have eternall life, which truth is acknowledged by the e Master of the senten∣ces: quem Deus proposuit propitiatorem per fidem in sanguine ipsius, i. per fidem passionis: ut •…•…lim aspicientes in Serpentem aneum in lign•…•… erectū, à mor∣sibus serpentum sanabantur. Si ergo recto fidei intuitu in illum respicimus qui pro nobis pependit in lig•…•…o, à vinculis D•…•…laboli solvimur, i. peccatis. As there∣fore they who were bitten; by the same eyes, wherewith they looked up∣on the brasen serpent, beheld all other things which were subject to their view, but were cured by looking upon the serpent, and not by be∣holding any other thing: so wee by the same eye of the soule, which is faith, doe beleeve all other things, which God hath propounded to bee beleeved; his Word being the objectum ad•…•…quatum of our faith: but we are justifyed and saved by beleeving in Christ, and not by beleeving of

any other thing. In so much that if we should beleeve all other things and did not beleeve in Christ, our faith would not justifie us. And therefore, in the Scriptures, justifying faith is ordinarily called faith in f Christ, and sometimes the faith g of Christ and sometimes his know∣ledge: h whereby is meant, not that Christ is the subject but the proper object of justifying faith, which is a truth so manifest, that no Chri∣stian ought to doubt of it. For all true Christians are so called, because they beleeve in Christ, and, by beleeving in him, doe hope to bee saved by him.

§. II. Now to beleeve in Christ is to receive him, Ioh. 1. 12. and not to receive him, is not to beleeve in him, vers. 11. For to receive Christ being so farre removed from us, is a spirituall action of the soule, that is to say, of the mind and of the heart, whereby we first apprehend, and after apply Christ unto our selves. If therefore it bee asked i qu•…•…∣modo tenebo absentem? quomodo in coel•…•…m manum mittam ut ibi sedentem te∣neam? how should I lay hold upon him that is absent? how should I send up my hand into heaven, to lay hold on him sitting there? Au∣gustine answereth, fidem mitte & tenuisti. Send up thy faith, and thou hast laid hold on him. But first, wee receive Christ in our minde and judgement by assent, which if it bee a bare•…•… and as it were a literall and uneffectuall assent, wee receive him at the most as the Saviour of the World, but not as our Saviour; which is the faith of hypocrites, yea, and of Devils, and is all, that th•…•… Papists require, as necessary, to true faith. But if it bee a spirituall, lively, and effectuall assent, it worketh upon the heart, that is, both the affections and the will, so that hee which in his judgement truely and effectually assenteth to the truth of the Gospell, that Iesus the Sonne of the Blessed Virgin, is the eternall Sonne of God, the Messias and Saviour of all that truely beleeve in him, doth also in his heart embrace him, heartily desiring to bee made par∣taker of him, and in his will unfainedly purposing and resolving to ac∣knowledge him to bee our Lord and Saviour, and to rest upon him alone for salvation. By the former, which is onely a bare assent, we doe after a sort credere Christum, acknowledging him to bee the Saviour of those that beleeve in him: by the latter, which is the lively and effectu∣all assent working upon the heart, we doe credere in Christum, and re∣ceive him to bee our Saviour, whereupon necessarily followeth affiance in Christ, and love of him as our Saviour. Thus then by a true belief we receive and embrace Christ: in our judgements by a lively assent, in our hearts desiring earnestly to be partakers of him, (which desire wee ex∣presse by hearty prayer) and in our will•…•… resolving to acknowledge and professe him to be our only Saviour, and to rest upon him alone for sal∣vation. So that a true lively and effectu•…•…ll faith, is the worke of the whole soule, that is to say, as well of the heart as of the minde: for which cause the Apostle saith, corde creditur adjustitiam with the heart man beleeveth to righteousnesse, Rom. 10. 10. and Saint Luke that the Lord opened the heart of Lydia, to assent to the Gospell, Act. 16. 14. And Philip requireth the Eunuch to beleeve with his whole heart. Act. 8. 37.

The former is common to the wicked, yea to the Devils, the later is pro∣per to the children of God. For those, who so beleeve, are born of God, Ioh. •…•…. 12, 13. 1 Ioh. 5. 1. The former is a literall, a dead, a counterfeit, a not justifying faith; the latter is a lively, true, and justifying faith. This distinction Augustine k maketh betweene Saint Peters faith, and that of the Devils, though their confessions were alike. Thou art the Sonne of the living God. Hoc dicebat Petrus, ut Christum amplecteretur, hoc dice∣bant. Daemones, ut Christus ab eis recederet. This said Peter, that hee might embrace Christ: this spake the Devils that Christ might depart from them. Oecumenius l endeavouring to reconcile the seeming differences betweene the two Apostles Paul and Iames, saith there are two signifi∣cations of the word Faith, the one, as it signifieth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a simple and bare assent, in which sence the Devils are said to beleeve, that there is one God; the other, as it importeth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the accompanying of the disposition or affection with the firme assent. Of the former Saint Iames speaketh, and saith, that the simple and bare assent is a dead faith: but Paul of the latter, which is not desti∣tute of good workes, which after hee calleth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that which is faith indeed.

§. III. Of this faith, whereby wee receive Christ to bee our Savi∣our, there are two degrees: the former, of speciall apprehension, where∣by wee receive and embrace Christ, consisting in a lively and effectuall beleefe, whereby we truly receive Christ: in our judgement by a willing assent; in our affections, by an earnest desire to bee made partakers of him and of his merits, which is the desire of application; in our will, by a setled resolution to acknowledge him to bee our Saviour, and to rest upon him for salvation, which is the unfained purpose and endea∣vour of application. So that in this first degree, though we are not able actually to apply the promise of the Gospell unto our selves; yet that application is both desired, and intended. The other is of actuall and speciall application of the promise to our selves, as having the conditi∣on of the promise. The former is fides principiorum being grounded on the expresse Word of God, whosoever beleeveth in Christ, shall bee saved. The other is fides conclusionum, necessarily deduced from the Word by application, in a practicall syllogisme, after this manner: whosoever beleeveth in Christ shall be saved, which generall is true in every par∣ticular, as the Apostle teacheth, Rom. 10. 9. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 therefore thou doest be∣leeve in Christ, thou shalt bee saved: but I, saith the faithfull man, doe beleeve in Christ; therefore I shall be saved: which conclusion cannot be false, the premisses being true. To the former all men are necessarily tied under paine of damnation, Iohn 3. 18. Mark. 16. 16. to the latter none are tied, but they onely, who have the former. For the former is the condition of the promise, which whosoever hath not, he ought not to apply the promise to himselfe, unlesse hee will perniciously deceive himselfe. By the former wee are justified before God in the court of Heaven, which is properly called justification: by the latter we are ju∣stified in the court of our conscience, which is not properly justifica∣tion,

but the assurance of it. The former goeth before remission of sinne, the latter followes after. The former is the worke of Gods Spi∣rit, as he doth l regenerate us in our first effectuall calling; the latter as hee is the spirit of adoption sealing us after wee m have beleeved. The former is ordinarily wrought by the hearing of the Word, the holy Ghost opening the n heart of the hearer to assent thereto, and not by the ministry of the Sacraments, which being the seales o of that righ∣teousnesse which is by faith, were ordained to this purpose to confirme our faith in the application of the promise in particularunto our selves, and in the particular assurance of our justification and salvation by Christ: that those who have the first degree offaith may proceed to the second. For if thou doest truely beleeve, that Christ is the Saviour: thou art bound to beleeve, that hee is thy Saviour; otherwise thou p makest God a lyar. That therefore thou mayest learne to apply Christ unto thy selfe, God by his minister delivereth to thee in particular the Sacrament as it were a pledge, to assure thee in particular, that as the Minister doth deliver unto thee the outward signe: so the Lord doth communicate unto thee that beleevest according to the first degree of faith, the thing signified, that is to say. Christ with all his merits, to thy justification, sanctification and salvation.

§. IV. This distinction of the degrees of faith, as it is most com∣fortable, for hereby we are taught how to attaine to assurance of salva∣tion, as elsewhere q I have shewed; for having the first degree, which is the condition of the promise, thou maiest apply the promise to thy selfe, and by application attaine to assurance: so it is most true, and most necessary to bee held. And first as touching the former degree, which is the speciall apprehension and embracing of Christ by a lively assent, accompanyed with the desire of the heart and resolution of the will as I have said, that it is that faith, which is the condition of the promise, and by which wee are justified before God, I have proved by plaine testimonies of Scriptures, and other pregnant proofes. The places of Scripture, which I alleaged, were these, Mat. 16. 16. 17. Ioh. 20. 31. Act. 8. 37. 38. Rom. 10. 9. 10. 1 Ioh. 5. 1. 5. Whereunto may bee added. 1 Ioh. 4. 15. Among the manifold proofes, which I pro∣duced, this is one; that if there bee no other justifying faith but the speciall faith, whereby wee are assured of the remission of our sinnes; then two absurdities will follow. The one, that wee must apply the promises to our selves, before wee have the condition thereof, which as wee ought not to doe, lest wee play the hypocrites, so wee cannot doe unlesse wee will perniciously deceive our selves. The promise is whoso∣ever beleeveth in Christ hath remission of sinne, whosoever beleeveth in Christ shall bee saved, &c. This promise is made to none but to those who truely beleeve, and are endued with a justifying faith, which is the condition of the promise. It is evident therefore, that a man must bee endued with justifying faith, before hee can apply the promise, and hee must apply the promise before hee can have any assurance by speciall faith. The second absurdity is, that a man must bee assured that his

sinnes be forgiven before they be forgiven; and so must beleeve a lie, yea that a man must bee assured, that they are forgiven, to the end that they may be forgiven, which is a great absurdity. This therefore is an un∣deniable truth, that before we can either apply the promises, or attaine to assurance of remission of sinne; we must be endued with true justify∣ing faith, which is the condition of the promise, and the meanes to ob∣taine remission. I must beleeve therefore by a justifying faith, before I can have remission of sinnes; I must have remission of sinnes, before I can have any assurance thereof: and I must ascend by many degrees of assurance, before I come to full assurance; which yet in this life is never so full, but that still more may, and ought to be added to it.

§. V. As touching the second, which by some is called speciall faith, not onely in respect of the object, which is Christ, for so the former is al∣so speciall, but in respect of the effect, which is, by actuall application of the Promises to a mans selfe, to assure him in particular of his justifica∣tion and salvation: It is by some both protestant and popish writers called fiducia, that is, affiance. Howbeit the most of our Writers by it meant, assurance. But unproperly howsoever, for neither is faith affi∣ance, nor affiance assurance.

This speciall apprehension & application of Christ, though scorn'd by the Papists, yet is it, of all graces, the most comfortable, most profitable, most necessary. Most comfortable, for the very life of this life is the assu∣rance of a better life. Most necessary, because without this speciall recei∣ving of Christ, first, by apprehension, and then by application, we can have no other saving grace. How can we love God, or our neighbour for Gods sake, how can we hope and trust in him, how can we rejoyce in him, or be thankefull to him, if we be not perswaded of his love and bounty towards us? and so of the rest. Most profitable, because from it all other graces proceed; and according to the measure of it, is the measure of all other graces, as I have elsewhere shewed. For if the love of God bee shed abroad in thy heart by the Holy Ghost, that is, if by faith thou art perswaded of Gods love towards thee: thou wilt be mo∣ved to love the Lord, and thy neighbour for his sake, then wilt thou hope and trust in him, then wilt thou rejoyce in him, and bee thankefull unto him, and so forth. And the greater thy perswasion is of his love and goodnesse towards thee, so much the greater will be thy love, thy hope, thy trust, thy thankefulnesse, thy rejoycing in him, &c. When as therefore the Papists detest and scorne our Doctrine concerning speci∣all faith, they doe plainely bewray themselves to have no saving grace, nor any truth or power of Religion in them.

§. VI. But that this speciall receiving and embracing of Christ by faith is necessary to justification, and that faith doth not justifie with∣out it, it doth evidently appeare by the third and fourth points before handled, in the fourth and fifth Bookes. For if we be justified only by the righteousnesse of Christ which is out of us in him, then are we not justified by faith as it is an habit or quality inherent in us, but as it is the hand and instrument whereby we receive Christ his righteousnesse:

which, as it is imputed to us by God, so we apprehend it by faith. And because faith alone doth receive Christ and all his merits; therefore the same benefits, which we receive from Christ, and are properly to bee ascribed unto him, as the Authour of them, are in the Scriptures at∣tributed also to faith, because by faith we receive Christ. By Christ we live, Ioh. 6. 57. We live by faith, Gal. 2. 20. Hab. 2. 4. By Christ we have remission of sinnes, Eph. 1. 7. Act. 13. 38. By faith wee have re∣mission of sinnes, Act. 8. 39. 26. 18.

By Christ wee are justified, Esai. 53. 11. Wee are justified by faith, Rom. 3. 28. Gal. 3. 24.

By Christ we have peace with God, Col. 1. 20. We have peace with God by faith, Rom. 5. 2.

We have free accesse to God by Christ, Eph. 2. 18. 3. 12. Heb. 10. 19.

We have free accesse to God by Faith, Rom. 5. 2. Eph. 3. 12.

We are sanctified by Christ, 1 Cor. 1. 30. Heb. 10. 14.

We are sanctified by Faith, Act. 15. 9.

We overcome the world by Christ, Ioh. 16. 33.

We overcome the world by Faith, 1 Ioh. 5. 4, 5.

We are the Sons of God by Christ, Ephes. 1. 5.

We are the Sons of God by Faith, Gal. 3. 26.

We have an heavenly inheritance by Christ, Gal. 4. 7.

We have an heavenly inheritance by Faith, Act. 26. 18.

We attaine to Eternall life by Christ, 1 Ioh. 5. 11, 12.

We attaine to Eternall life by Faith, Ioh. 3. 16. & 5. 24. & 6. 47.

We are saved by Christ, Ioh. 3. 17. Matth. 1. 21.

We are saved by Faith, Ephes. 2. 8.

All which benefits are attributed to faith, not absolutely, but rela∣tively, in respect of the object which it doth receive; being no other∣wise caused or procured by faith, but as it is the hand and instrument, whereby we receive Christ, who is our life, Ioh. 14. 6. Col. 3. 6. our righteousnesse, Ier. 23. 6. 1 Corinth. 1. 30. our propitiation, Rom. 3. 25. 1 Ioh. 2. 2. our peace, Ephes. 2. 14. our sanctification, Tit. 2. 14. our victo∣rious conqueror of all the enemies of our salvation, Col. 2. 14, 15. our Redeemer and Saviour, who also is eternall Life, 1 Ioh. 5. 20. whom whosoever hath, he hath eternall life, 1 Ioh. 5. 11, 12.

§. VII. But if we doe not receive and embrace Christ by a lively assent, at the least, working in our hearts an unfained desire to be made partakers of him, and in our wils a settled resolution to acknowledge him to bee our Saviour, and to rest upon him alone for Salvation, without this speciall apprehension and application; at least in desire and intent: Christ and his merits doe not availe them, that are adulti, and come to yeeres of discretion, unlesse it be to their greater condem∣nation: who not caring to lay hold upon Christ and to apprehend and apply his merits unto them, suffer, as much as in them lyeth, his preci∣ous blood to be spilt in vaine, as it is in vaine to them, who doe not ap∣prehend and seeke to apply it to themselves. For though the obedi∣ence of Christ both active and passive bee a robe of righteousnesse and

our very wedding garment to cover our nakednesse and our sinnes: yet it will not cover us, unlesse it bee put on. Though his stripes and suffe∣rings be a soveraigne salve to cure our soules, yet it will not cure them unlesse it be apply•…•…d. Though his Body be meate indeed and his Bloud bee drinke indeed to nourish us unto eternall life; yet they will not yeeld nourishment unto us, unlesse we eate his Body, and drinke his Bloud; all which is done by faith apprehending and applying Christ, whereby we put on him and his righteousnesse, apply the salve of his sufferings, eate his Body and drinke his Bloud. The which, because the Papists want, and wanting reject; they are faine to flee to their out∣ward formalities, wherein their religion consisteth, and to their opus operatum in the Sacraments, as if they without a true and lively faith were able to justifie and to save them; without which notwithstan∣ding our blessed Saviour himselfe doth not availe men to salvation. He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that beleeveth not being adultus, though hee bee baptized and receive all the Sacra∣ments of the Romance Church, hee shall notwithstanding be condem∣ned. Mar. 16. 16. Ioh. 3. 18, 36. It is therefore plaine and evident, that the faith, which doth justifie, must not bee a bare assent, but a lively beleefe or assent, specially apprehending and embracing, and in desire at the least and purpose applying Christ unto us. For actuall applica∣tion cannot bee made untill wee finde our selves to have the conditi∣on of the promise, which is that former degree of faith: which being had, and finding our selves to have it; wee are actually to apply the promise, and by application to gather assurance, which some call spe∣ciall faith.

§. VIII. Now let us see what the Papists can object against this cleare truth. There are two things, or rather names, which they dis∣pute against, viz. fides specialis, and fiducia, speciall faith and affiance: which dispute notwithstanding hindreth not anything which I have spoken of the nature of justifying faith, as it justifieth us before God. For of justification, taken in a large sence, there are two degrees, though of that which properly is called justification before God, there neither are nor can bee any degrees, as I have shewed. The former is the justifi∣cation of a sinner before God in the Court of Heaven, by imputation of Christs righteousnesse apprehended by a lively assent or beleefe. The second is our justification in the Court of our owne Conscience, when wee are perswaded and in some measure assured of our justification, which assurance, of some, is called fides specialis, by which, wee are not first justified before God: but is then wrought in us, when being alrea∣dy justified by faith, the holy Ghost the Spirit of promise shedding abroad r the love of God in our hearts, sealeth us after wee have belee∣ved, Eph. 1. 13. How beit, the former degree of faith is also truely cal∣led speciall, both in respect of the speciall object which is Christ, and in regard of the speciall effect, which is the speciall apprehension or em∣bracing of Christ, not onely in the judgement by a lively assent, but al∣so in the heart that is the will and affections, by a desire to bee made

partaker of him and his merits, and by a setled will and resolution to acknowledge him to bee our Saviour, and to rely upon him alone for salvation. And in this sence that faith by which we are justified before God is a speciall faith. But if that onely be called speciall faith by which we are justified in our owne Consciences, that is, assured of our justifi∣cation, that assurance arising from the actuall application of the pro∣mise to our selves: then I say and avouch, that this speciall faith is not that by which we are justified before God. For we must have a justify∣ing faith, being the condition of the promise, before we can proceed to application, and first wee must bee justified before God, before wee can have any assurance thereof in our owne Consciences: when as there∣fore the Papists dispute against t•…•…is speciall faith, proving that by it we are not •…•…ustified before God, they plead besides the purpose. And yet, for all their proofes, it is truely called a justifying faith, because by it we are justified in the Court of our owne Conscience.

§. IX. The like is to be said of Fiducia or affiance which is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 against which the Papists hotly dispute: proving, that it is not of the essence of justifying faith: when notwithstanding divers of their owne Writers, as well as of ours, have expounded credere by fidere and fides by fiducia. But they should understand, that many of our Writers, by af∣fiance meane assurance, which is the plerophorie of faith: unproperly, I confesse, but that was their meaning▪ As for affiance, though it be not of the proper nature and essence of faith: yet it is an unseparable fruit of speciall faith, in so much that sometimes it seemeth to be implyed in the signification of beleeving in Christ: For hee that doth beleeve in Christ, doth first by a lively assent acknowledge him to bee the Saviour of all that truely beleeve in him: and secondly, so beleeving hee is per∣swaded that he is a Saviour to him; and thirdly, beleeving Christ to be his Saviour, doth therefore repose his affiance and trust in him for salvation. But howsoever so much sometimes is implyed in the phrase of beleeving in Christ, yet in the most ordinary and usuall acception of the Word in the Scriptures of the New Testament, no more is signi∣fied than the lively assent and acknowledging of Christ: yea, some∣times the phrase is used of those who did not so much as give a lively assent, or beleeved with their heart. Howsoever being convicted by the evidence of truth sealed by miracles, they assented to the truth, and acknowledged Christ to be the Messias. Such were those, Ioh. 2. 23. who are said to have beleeved on his name, when they saw the miracles which hee did: to whom notwithstanding our Saviour would give no credit because hee knew what was in them. Such a beleever was Sim•…•… Magus, who being convinced by the evidence of truth confirmed by miracles, assented in his judgement but beleeved not with his heart: for his heart was not right within him, Act. 8. 13. 21. And such a one was Iudas, Ioh. 6. 64. who, though he beleeved, as being a Disciple, yea an Apostle of Christ, yet beleeved not in deed and in truth.

§. X. But that the phrase is used ordinarily of those which received Christ by a true and lively assent, I could prove by multitude of testi∣monies,

divers whereof I have elsewhere mentioned. But I will con∣tent my selfe with two instances of the Samaritanes and of the Eunuch. Of the Samaritanes it is said, Iohn 4. 39. That many of them beleeved in Christ for the saying of the woman, who could beleeve no more, than she had told them; which at the most, was, that hee was Christ. And after, when they professed, that they beleeved because of his owne word; all that they beleeved was this, that he was indeed the Ch•…•…ist, the Saviour of the world, verse 41. 42. The Eunuch, s when Philip told him, that hee might bee baptized, if hee beleeved with his whole heart, maketh this profession of his faith; I beleeve that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God.

§. XI. Now that affiance is not faith, I briefely shew thus. First, because it is a fruit and effect of faith. For by faith wee have affiance, Ephes. 3. 12. Faith therefore is the cause, affiance the effect▪ and the same thing cannot be both the cause and the effect. For whereas some deny this consequence, trusting to an unlike example; for say they, as naturall Philosophy is the science of naturall things, and yet by it wee attaine to the science of naturall things: so, though affiance be faith, and faith affiance; yet by faith wee attaine to affiance: I answere that there is an homonymie in the word science, which in the former part of the example signifieth the art or doctrine, which is a comprehen∣sion of precepts: in the latter, the habit of the knowledge of naturall things, which by the doctrine holpen with the gifts of nature, and confirmed by exercise, we attaine unto. Secondly, because faith is an habit of the minde; affiance, an affection of the heart: and so also dif∣fer in the subject. For faith, being a perswasion, is seated in the minde; though working upon the heart; affiance or trust being an affection, is seated in the heart, though proceeding from the perswasion of the minde. Thirdly, because they differ not onely in the Subject, but also in the Object. The Object of faith is verum, that which is true: the Object of affiance is bonum, that which is good. Yea, but (say some the Promise is good, and therefore the Object of •…•…aith is good. I answer, the th•…•…ng promised is good, and therefore I conceive affiance or hope; which two, in respect of the time to come, differ not. But be the thing promised never so good, yet I beleeve not the promise, unlesse I bee perswaded that it is true. Faith therefore layeth hold on the Promise, as being true; affiance or hope expect the thing promised, as being good. Those therefore who hold, that affiance, properly so called, is faith; or faith affiance, are not to bee defended. Those which by affi∣ance understand assurance, and say, that justifying faith is affiance, doe speake the truth, if they understand by faith, not that by which we are justified before God, but that by which we are justified, that is, assured of our justification in our own conscience. Concerning which there needs not to be any other controversie betweene us and the Papists, than this, whether there bee any such certaintie or assurance to be had. But that is a different question, not pertinent to the poynt in hand, which I have elsewhere t cleared. And so much of the nature of justifying faith.

Notes

• No iustifying faith but that which layeth hold on Christ.
• a

  Heb. 11. 3, &c.
• b

  Ioh. 3. 16, 18. 36. & 6. 29, 40, 47. Act. 8. 37. 16. 30, 31.
• c

  Ioh. 3. 14, 15.
• d

  Ioh. 6. 40.
• e

  Sent. lib. 3. dist. 19. •…•….
• f

  Act. 20 21. 24. 24 & 26. 18. G•…•…l 3. 26.
• g

  Rom. 3. 22. 16. Gol. 2. 16. 20. & 3. 22. Phil. 3 9.
• h

  Es•…•…y. 53. 11.
• To beleeve in Christ is to re ceive him.
• i

  August in Ioan tract. 50.
• k

  In epist. Ioan. tract. •…•…0.
• l

  In Iam. 2.
• The degrees of faith.
• l

  1 Ioh. 5. 1. Ioh. 1. 12, 13.
• m

  Eph. 1. 13.
• n

  Act. 16. 14.
• o

  Rom. 4. 11.
• p

  Ioh. 5. 10.
• The use of this distinction.
• q

  Covenant of grace. cap. 8.
• The former degre•…•….
• The speciall faith.
• The speciall receiving of Christ necessa∣ry to justifica∣tion.
• Without it Christs merits availe us not to justification.
• The Papists objections against speciall faith.
• r

  Rom. 5. 5.
• Their objecti∣ons concer∣ning fiducia.
• By a lively as∣sent men be∣leeve in Christ.
• s

  Act. 8. 37, 38.
• That as•…•…iance is not faith.
• t

  Covenant of grace. cap. 8.