A Golden Chain

It is not possible that a general persuasion of the goodness and truth of God, and of his mercy in Christ, should breed confidence and boldness in the heart of a guilty sinner, and no example can be brought thereof. This general faith concerning the articles of our belief, was no doubt in Cain, Saul, Ahithophel, Judas, yea in the devil himself: and yet they despaired and some of them made away themselves: and the devil for all his faith, trembleth before God. Wherefore that faith which is the root of these excellent virtues of boldness and confidence, must needs be a special faith, that is, a large and plentiful persuasion of the pardon of a mans own sins and of life everlasting. Again Heb. 11. 1. faith is called hypostasis, that is, a substance or subsistence of things hoped for: where faith, in the matter of our salvation and other like things, is made to go beyond hope: for hope waits for things to come till they have a being in the person hoping, but faith in present gives a subsisting or being unto them. This can not be that general faith (of Papists termed Catholic) for it comes short of hope, but it must needs be a special faith that makes us undoubtedly believe our own election, adoption, justification and salvation by Christ. And to this purpose have some of the fathers said excellent well. Augustine saith,¹ I demand of thee, O sinner, doest thou believe Christ or no? thou sayest, I believe. What believest thou? that he can freely forgive thee all thy sins. Thou hast that which thou hast believed. Ambrose saith, This is a thing ordained of God, that he which believeth in Christ should be saved without any work, by faith alone freely receiving remission of sins. And with Ambrose I join the testimony of Hesichius upon Leviticus, who saith, God pitying mankind, when he saw it disabled for the fulfilling of the works of the law, willed ⟨p. 875⟩that man should be saved by grace without the works of the law. And grace proceeding of mercy is apprehended by faith alone without works. Whereas in the two last testimonies, faith is opposed generally to all works, and is withal said to apprehend and receive, yea alone to apprehend and receive grace and remission of sins, they can not be understood of a general but of a special applying faith.

It is not possible that a generall perswasion of the goodnes and truth of God, and of his mercie in Christ, should breed confidence and boldnes in the heart of a guiltie sinner, and no example can be brought thereof. This generall faith concerning the articles of our beleefe, was no doubt in Caine, Saul, Achitophel, Iudas, yea in the deuill himselfe: and yet they despaired and some of them made away themselues: and the deuill for all his faith, trembleth before God. Wherefore that faith which is the roote of these excellent vertues of boldnes and confidence, must needes be a speciall faith, that is, a large and plentifull perswasion of the pardon of a mans owne sinnes and of life euerlasting. Againe