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…

Of the Effects, Subject and Degrees of Justifying Faith.

Of the Effects, Subiect and Degrees of Iustifying Faith.

§. 1. Many and excellent are the fruits and effects of faith,¹ for which cause it hath been adorned with many singular titles of honour. It is called the gift of gifts, the soul of our soul, the root of an honest life; the character of the sons of God, the key whereby the treasures which are in Christ are opened unto us, the mother of ⟨p. 137⟩sound joy, and nurse of a good conscience: the hand whereby we apprehend Christ, the eye whereby we see the invisible things of God, the mouth whereby we receive the seed of salvation; the pledge of our eternal inheritance, the earnest of our peace with God, the seal of our election, the ladder whereby we certainly and safely ascend up to Heaven; the shield of a faithful soul, the sword whereby we beat and wound our enemies, the token of our union in Christ, our victory, and the band whereby we are united unto the chief good. The fruits of faith are divided into two Heads; Internal and External, which the Schoolmen call Elicit and Imperate▪ But to speak of them orderly as they are set down in Scripture, we find them to be these. By faith we are engrafted into Christ, and made one with him, ²flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, l•uely members of that body, whereof he is the head: and by Christ we are united unto God▪ In Scripture to be in Christ, and to be in Faith are put indifferently. By faith we are married unto Christ,³ and have communion with him in his Death and Resurrection, he and all his benefits are truly and verily made ours; his name is put upon us, we are justified from the guilt and punishment of sin, we are clothed with his righteousness, we are sanctified against the power of sin, having our nature healed and our hearts purified: we draw virtue from him to die to sin, and live to righteousness. By faith we are admitted into the Family of Abraham, become the children of l ght, are adopted to be the Sons of God, are made acceptable nto him as heirs of life, unto whom he willeth eternal blessedness, and do receive the promise of the Spirit. By faith we abide in Christ, and have perpetual communion with him. It is the lodestone that looks ever to Christ, as that doth towards the North: and as that draws iron unto it, so doth faith join our hearts to Christ perpetually. By faith we receive of Christs fullness;