Touching the first, faith apprehends and receives reconciliation on this manner. First of all the spirit of God works in men a general faith of the law and the threatenings thereof,1 and it is called the spirit of bondage to fear. Because it causeth in us a sight of our sins, an apprehension of Gods anger, fear of due and deserved condemnation, despair of our selves in respect of our selves. This being done, the same spirit worketh in us an other faith called saving or justifying faith, and it apprehendeth or receiveth ⟨p. 23⟩Christ with his benefits, by certain steppes and degrees, and they are specially three. For first of all upon a thorough touch and lively sense of our misery, there ariseth in the mind an earnest and serious meditation of the promise of mercy and the benefits therein offered: and it is called the opening or piercing of the ear. 2Then in the second place there follows a purpose, will, desire, and endeavour to believe upon consideration of the commandment of God that bids us to believe and apply the promise to our selves.3 And further this will and desire shows it self by instant and serious invocation, which is nothing else but ⟨p. 24⟩a flying from the condemning sentence of the law to the throne of grace for mercy.4 Thirdly after this, there follows in process of time, a settling and quieting of the mind touching Christ and his benefits upon some assurance thereof, wrought and conceived in the mind by the spirit of God.5 And this third degree is called a stablished thought. On this manner come we by degrees to receive Christ for our full reconciliation with God. For, when upon the commandment to believe, we do in any measure believe Christ to be our Christ, he is our Christ indeed according to the tenor of the Evangelical covenant. Thus faith apprehending ⟨p. 25⟩Christ for our reconciliation with God, becomes a victorious conqueror & prevails against the Law, Satan, hell, death, condemnation,6 and all our spiritual enemies: and thus every believer is above the Law, sin, hell, death, even in this life.
Touching the first, faith apprehends and receiues reconciliation on this manner. First of all the spirit of God works in men a gēnerall faith of the law and the threatnings thereof,1 and it is called the spirit of bondage to feare. Because it causeth in vs a sight of our sinnes, an apprehension of Gods anger, feare of due and deserued condemnation, despaire of our selues in respect of our selues. This beeing done, the same spirit worketh in vs an other faith called sauing or iustifying faith, and it apprehendeth or receiueth ⟨p. 23⟩Christ with his benefites, by certaine steppes and degrees, and they are specially three. For first of all vpon a thorough touch and liuely sense of our miserie, there ariseth in the minde an earnest and serious meditatiō of the promise of mercie and the benefites therein offered: and it is called the opening or pearcing of the eare. 2Then in the second place there followes a purpose, will, desire, and indeauour to beleeue vpon consideration of the commaundement of God that biddes vs to beleeue and apply the promise to our selues.3 And further this will and desire shewes it selfe by instant and serious inuocation, which is nothing else but ⟨p. 24⟩a flying from the condemning sentence of the lawe to the throne of grace for mercie.4 Thirdly after this, there followes in processe of time, a setling and quieting of the minde touching Christ and his benefits vpon some assurance thereof, wrought and conceiued in the minde by the spirit of God.5 And this third degree is called a stablished thought. On this manner come we by degrees to receiue Christ for our full reconciliation with God. For, when vpon the commandement to beleeue, we doe in any measure beleeue Christ to be our Christ, he is our Christ indeede according to the tenour of the Euangelicall couenant. Thus faith apprehending ⟨p. 25⟩Christ for our reconciliation with God, becomes a victorious conquerour & preuailes against the Law, Satan, hell, death, condemnation,6
- 1[…]. •.15.〈…〉. •.15.
- 2Psal. ••.•.
- 31. Joh. 3.23.1. Ioh. 3.23.
- 4Heb. 4.16.
- 5Isa. 26.3.
- 61. Joh. 5.4.1. Ioh. 5.4.
