A treatise of faith divided into two parts. The first showing the nature, the…A treatise of faith diuided into two parts. The first shewing the nature, the…

but where shall we find ground, whereupon the guilty person who believeth not to remission of sins may be assured, that his sins not actually pardoned, are yet pardoned and blotted out of Gods remembrance? Faith taketh the pardon presented to it in the word of promise, and travailing with it, bringeth forth actual remission of sin, which upon our faith we receive. Assurance is not before pardon, nor actual remission before faith, unless the effect be before the cause, and the same thing be both cause and effect. To believe in Christ to salvation is to receive him. ¹But to receive Christ as he is offered unto us in the Gospel is not to be assured that our sins are already pardoned in and through Jesus Christ, but to rest ⟨p. 91⟩upon him for pardon. Before the act of justification faith hath for object this proposition concerning the future, To me believing my sins shall be forgiven: but after the promise is received and pardon obtained,² it hath this proposition concerning the present or time past, To me believing in Christ my sins are forg•ued. And thus the horned argument of the Jesuit,³ whereby he would prove, the special mercy of God not to be the object of faith Justifying, and our doctrine in that point to b e gross and absurd, is easily untied, For thus he reasoneth; Justifying faith goeth, before Justification: But faith in the special mercy of God followeth Justification. For he that believeth the pardon of his sins, is either just before or not just; if just before, then faith justifieth not; if unjust; then believing that his sins be pardoned, he believeth a lie. Our answer is, that special faith hath the sundry acts; but to this purpose specially two. The first heartily to desire, earnestly to thirst after,⁴ humbly to entreat for acceptation and confidently to rest upon the promise of free remission: The other comfortably to assure and persuade, that that is granted, which was desired and received in promise. Faith by her first act obtaineth and receiveth pardon, and doth not find us just, when we begin to believe: by her second act, she doth not actually justify but finding the thing done, certifieth and assureth us of it.