A Golden Chain

Against this point of doctrine it may be alleged: that, if desire to believe ⟨p. 1052⟩in our weakness be faith indeed; then some are justified and may be saved wanting a lively apprehension and full persuasion of Gods mercy in Christ. Answer. Justifying faith in regard of his nature is always one and the same, and the essential property thereof is to apprehend Christ with his benefits, and to assure the very conscience thereof. And therefore without some apprehension and assurance there can be no justification or salvation in them that for age are able to believe. Yet there be certain degrees, and measures of true faith. There is a strong faith, which causeth a full apprehension and persuasion of Gods mercy in Christ. This measure of faith the Lord vouchsafed Abraham, David, Paul, the Prophets, and Apostles, and Martyrs of God. It were a blessed thing, if all believers might attain to this height of lively faith, to say with Paul, I am persuaded, that neither life, nor death, nor any thing else, shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ: but all cannot; therefore there is another degree of faith lower then the former, and yet true faith, called a little or weak faith, and it also hath a power to apprehend and apply the promise of salvation, but as yet by reason of weakness, it is infolded (as it were) and wrapped up in the heart, as the leaf and blossom in the bud. For such persons as have this weak faith, can say indeed that they believe their sins to be pardonable, and that they desire to have them pardoned: but as yet they cannot say, that they are without all doubt pardoned. And yet the mercy of God is not wanting unto them• •or in that they do, and can desire, and endeavour to apprehend, they do indeed apprehend; God accepting the desire to do the thing, for the thing done. This which I say, will the better appear if the grounds thereof be considered. Faith doeth not justify in respect of it self, because it is an action, or virtue: or because it is strong, lively, and perfect: but in respect of the object thereof, namely, Christ crucified, whom faith apprehendeth as he is set forth unto us in the word and sacraments. It is Christ that is the author, & matter of our justice, and it is he that applieth the same unto us:

Against this point of doctrine it may bee alleadged: that, if desire to beleeue ⟨p. 1052⟩