2 There is a general faith, and a particular faith, a general faith assuring us, that God is such a one as his word prescribeth, a particular faith applying things to our selves. This particular faith is either active or passive: active, when we believe, that if we keep the law we are saved; and this faith was in Adam, and is in the devils, and yet neither of them having the justifying faith. For Adam had it, when the passive or justifying faith needed not; the devils have it, who know, that if they could fulfil the law they should be saved: but they do not believe it to be fulfilled of any other for them. The passive faith, which is only of the Gospel, whereby we are stayed in the obedience of Christ imputed unto us, is the true justifying faith, and only proper to God his children. The active faith, is either of the precepts, or of the judgements of God: of the judgements of God, I say, because one may believe the precepts, and yet not believe the other. Eva at the first fall believed the commandment of God to be good, for she could confirm it with a strong reason, but she halted in believing the threatening of God, and extenuated it with a peradventure.1
2 There is a generall faith, and a particular faith, a generall faith assuring vs, that God is such a one as his word prescribeth, a particular faith applying things to our selues. This particular faith is either actiue or passiue: actiue, when we beleeue, that if we keepe the law we are saued; and this faith was in Adam, and is in the diuels, and yet neither of them hauing the iustifying faith. For Adam had it, when the passiue or iustifying faith needed not; the diuels haue it, who know, that if they could fulfill the law they should be saued: but they doe not beleeue it to be fulfilled of any other for them. The passiue faith, which is onely of the Gospell, whereby we are staied in the obedience of Christ imputed vnto vs, is the true iustifying faith, and onely proper to God his children. The actiue faith, is either of the precepts, or of the iudgements of God: of the iudgements of God, I say, because one may beleeue the precepts, and yet not beleeue the other. Eua at the first fall beleeued the commaundement of God to be good, for she could confirme it with a strong reason, but she halted in beleeuing the threatning of God, and extenuated it with a peraduenture.1
- 1Custom. Eye.Custome. Eye.
