An exposition of the Symbol of the ApostlesAn exposition of the Symbole of the Apostles

Seeing therefore Christ the king himself in the articles of the Christian faith, which contain the sum of the Gospel, offereth that same kingdom of his unto us: and through faith, by the virtue of his spirit doth effectually confederate himself unto us to the end he may reign in us: go to, let us briefly show what faith is. Faith is to assent unto God, his will being ⟨p. 37⟩known, in every word of his, as to the only true & omnipotent God, and so to give glory to God: and not to consider any thing either in our selves or in any other of his creatures, that seemeth to be against him: and in this word, to behold as the special mark the promise of the Gospel, for that the father truly offereth himself unto us in Christ, and through his holy spirit freely justifieth us that are engrafted in Christ, and more and more sanctifieth us, and preserveth us by the same power, through which Christ was raised from the dead, whereby he hath all things subject to himself, that the hope of everlasting life being founded in this truth and power, it may be most certain. This description of faith, first comprehendeth the whole life of man: whose singular actions and moments, must needs lean and rest upon faith. For surely, that which is said to the Hebrews, Without faith it is impossible to please God, is most true, in all and singular matters that are to be taken in hand. Rom. 14. ver 23. Then after that it setteth forth that peculiar grace of justification offered in Christ, and that restoring to everlasting life, as the foundation of all believers. Now this same description of faith is specially taken out of the fourth Chap. to the Romans, from the sixteenth verse, and out of the first Chapter of the Ephesians, from the 17. verse, to the end of both the Chapters. That which is put in the description, of the will of God known, is therefore done, because Satan is oftentimes