A03064:206
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…
A treatise of faith divided into two parts. The first showing the nature, the second, the life of faith. ... By John Ball.A treatise of faith diuided into two parts. The first shewing the nature, the second, the life of faith. ... By Iohn Ball.
London: printed by William Stansby for Edward Brewster, 1631
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Because not the perfect knowledge of sin is the cause of certainty, but the perfect mercy of God, and the perfect merit of Christ; to which we must look by faith.
Because not the perfect knowledge of sinne is the cause of certaintie, but the perfect mercie of God, and the perfect merite of Christ; to which wee must looke by faith.
§. 9. If the end of the Scripture be that we should believe, 1and believing should know that we have eternal life, then every Believer that knoweth himself to be a Believer may be certain of his salvation. But the former is an undoubted truth. It is here objected, Whatsoever we believe by faith, is as infallible as the Word of God, which assureth us of it: If then the common sort of the faithful, do not believe their salvation to be as infallible as Gods own Word, they are not by faith assured of it. The answer is, that the salvation of a Believer is as infallible in it self, and in event, as is the Word of God, which assureth him of it: but always it is not so in his apprehension and feeling. The principles of faith are ever alike certain, but not apprehended of all with the same degree of certainty. For there are divers degrees of faith, little faith, great faith, full assurance of faith; 2even as a weak eye and a strong eye. And as a weak eye seeth but weakly and imperfectly, and a strong eye seeth strongly, and more fully discerneth the thing seen: so a little faith believeth faintly, though truly; greater faith believeth more steadfastly; full assurance of faith believeth under hope, even against hope. 3The Disciples of Christ said unto him, We believe and know that thou art Christ the Son of the living God: 4which in it self was infallibly true, and yet they did not so infallibly apprehend it, but that this faith was soon shaken; and because they did not infallibly believe it, our Saviour tells them, that therefore he forewarned them of his Death and Resurrection, that when it was come to pass they might believe.