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…

§. 3. Faith is not alike in all,¹ in none perfect though it be the work of the Spirit: for the Spirit worketh faith not as a natural agent which putteth forth it power to the uttermost, and always produceth like effects, if it be not hindered: but as a voluntary agent, which putteth not forth his power to the utmost, worketh according to his pleasure in whom he will, & as he will, but not in all alike. The Spirit worketh faith not by moral persuasion only inciting to believe,² and leaving it to our free choice whether we will assent or no: but by his powerful operation and omnipotent hand put forth for such a purpose, he produceth this gracious effect. There are no seeds of faith in our nature, out of which by more outward teaching we may be brought to belief: for then should faith be natural, as all other things are, which our nature can attain to with outward helps. There is no spiritual life in us before the infusion of grace, whereby we should be able to embrace the persuasions of the spirit: for then we should live spiritually of our selves before we are quickened by grace. If the Spirit of God do only move and persuade to believe, then God doth not make the believer to differ from the unbeliever, but the good use of his own free will. It is of grace that man might believe, and so might he that continueth in infidelity, for he received equal aide, and was equally persuaded and incited by the Spirit. But if the question be, why doth the one ⟨p. 10⟩believe and not the other, it is not the Spirit here that makes the difference, but the good use of mans free-will: and so, that man is enabled to believe, it should be of grace, but that he doth believe, and so differ from other men, this should be from himself. The same power that raised Christ from the dead, is said to raise us up to believe.³ If an hand or eye be wanting to a man from his birth, can any power restore them, but the Almighty power of God, by which the body was at first framed and fashioned? By what power then is this hand of faith created, which reacheth to heaven? this eye which doth see the things within the veil, which concern our peace?⁴