1§. 3. The seat of faith is the heart, but the heart contrite, humbled, bewailing sin, denying it self, and affected with desire of remission of sins. As the stomach is the place in which meat is received; but it is necessary it be desirous of meat: So the heart is the place, where remission of sins is received and felt, but it must be an heart desirous of, and thirsting after pardon. With the heart man believeth. 2If the Mind and will be two distinct faculties of the soul, then justifying faith is resident in both, but principally in the will: because it assenteth to divine revelation as true, and embraceth the promises as much better then any contrary good, the world, the Devil, or flesh can present to prevent our choice of what it prescribeth for our saving health. For the word of promise not only containing truth, but offering good unto us, cannot fully be received with the understanding, but the will also must move towards it. And so faith is not only a knowledge or assent in the Mind but, a godly affection in the will, which doth go to, embrace, rest upon Christ or the grace offered ⟨p. 143⟩in Christ. Therefore the nature of faith is described by words which signify to stay and roll our selves upon God, to l•ane on him as one would lean upon a staff: and by faith we come unto Christ and receive him. It is objected, that one and the same virtue or grace cannot be in distinct powers and faculties of the soul,3 nor faith in distinct subjects. Whereunto several answers are made, First, that one and the same thing in divers respects may be referred to divers subjects, as these subjects are not altogether separated, but conjoined amongst themselves. So friend-ship is one moral virtue, and yet in the Mind and will both. Love and hatred is noth ng but the affection of good or evil will unto a thing known in the understanding. Our Adversaries themselves place hope in the understanding and the will,4 attributing a double certainty unto it, one in respect of the understanding, another in respect of the will. And so faith being one doth properly possess one subject, to-wit, the soul; but considered according to the two faculties thereof, it possesseth the Mind, as it understandeth and assenteth; the will, as it receiveth embraceth the word of promise.
1§. 3. The seate of faith is the heart, but the heart contrite, humbled, bewailing sinne, denying it selfe, and affected with desire of remission of sinnes. As the stomake is the place in which meate is receiued; but it is necessarie it bee desirous of meate: So the heart is the place, where remission of sinnes is receiued and felt, but it must be an heart desirous of, and thirsting after pardon. With the heart man belieueth. 2If the Mind and will bee two distinct faculties of the soule, then iustifying faith is resident in both, but principally in the will: because it assenteth to diuine reuelation as true, and embraceth the promises as much better then any contrarie good, the world, the Diuell, or flesh can present to preuent our choice of what it prescribeth for our sauing health. For the word of promise not onely containing truth, but offering good vnto vs, cannot fully be receiued with the vnderstanding, but the will also must moue towards it. And so faith is not onely a knowledge or assent in the Minde but, a godly affection in the will, which doth goe to, embrace, rest vpon Christ or the grace offered ⟨p. 143⟩in Christ. Therefore the nature of faith is described by words which signifie to stay and rolle our selues vpon God, to l•ane on him as one would leane vpon a staffe: and by faith we come vnto Christ and receiue him. It is obiected, that one and the same vertue or grace cannot be in distinct powers and faculties of the soule,3 nor faith in distinct subiects. Whereunto seuerall answers are made, First, that one and the same thing in diuers respects may be referred to diuers subiects, as these subiects are not altogether seperated, but conioyned amongst themselues. So friend-ship is one morall vertue, and yet in the Minde and will both. Loue and hatred is noth ng but the affection of good or euill will vnto a thing knowne in the vnderstanding. Our Aduersaries themselues place hope in the vnderstanding and the will,4 attributing a double certaintie vnto it, one in respect of the vnderstanding, another in respect of the will. And so faith being one doth properly possesse one subiect, to-wit, the soule; but considered according to the two faculties thereof, it possesseth the Minde, as it vnderstandeth and assenteth; the will, as it receiueth embraceth the word of promise.
- 1§. 3. Faith resideth both in Mind and Will.§. 3. Faith resideth both in Minde and Will.
- 2Rom. 10.10. Act. 8.37. 2. Pet. 1.19. Act. 16.14.
- 3Bellar. de Justif. l 1. cap. 6. Haec. Philosophia.Bellar. de Iustif. l 1. cap. 6. Haec. Philosophia.
- 4Bellar. de Just. lib. 3. cap. 11.Bellar. de Iust. lib. 3. cap. 11.
