Secondly, This Covenant is exhibited but to a few,1 the House of Israel, Gods faithful people; whereas all mankind was partaker of the former Covenant: for in Adam all were made righteous: Wherefore Faith is the only means and instrument, whereby God in this life giveth his Son, or Christ giveth himself unto us, and is made ours by spiritual Regeneration; as the Apostle witnesseth, qEvery one that believeth that Jesus is that Christ, is borne of God. And again, rAs many as received him, he gave unto them this dignity, to become the sons of God, even to those that believe in his name, who are not borne of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. sAll ye, saith the Apostle to the Galatians, are the sons of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. This alone putteth us in possession of Christ, and of all the good things we have from him: for the dwelleth in our hearts by faith: and there is uno way to feed upon him, but by believing in him: no way to life, but by feeding on him. Otherwise we cannot have his Spirit, which xwe receive by faith only, nor yhave our sins forgiven us, or Christs righteousness imputed to us, which is every where called, zThe righteousness of faith, aThe righteousness by faith, bThe righteousness of God by faith, cFaith imputed for righteousness. And Faith said to be that, whereby we dare righteous, whereby we eare justified, (not for any inherent quality that is in Faith, more than in Love, Hope, or other virtues; but because it apprehendeth Christ, and maketh him ours, who is our only righteousness) our ⟨p. 421⟩hearts cannot else be purified, for fthat Faith doth alone: Else can we not be partakers of the promised blessedness gwhich is given to the faithful only. So wonderful is the work of Faith.
Secondly, This Couenant is exhibited but to a few,1 the House of Israel, Gods faithfull people; whereas all mankind was partaker of the former Couenant: for in Adam all were made righteous: Wherefore Faith is the onely meanes and instrument, whereby God in this life giueth his Sonne, or Christ giueth himselfe vnto vs, and is made ours by spirituall Regeneration; as the Apostle witnesseth, qEuerie one that beleeueth that Iesus is that Christ, is borne of God. And againe, rAs many as receyued him, he gaue vnto them this dignitie, to become the sonnes of God, euen to those that beleeue in his name, who are not borne of bloud, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. sAll yee, saith the Apostle to the Galatians, are the sonnes of God, through faith in Christ Iesus. This alone putteth vs in possession of Christ, and of all the good things we haue from him: for the dwelleth in our hearts by faith: and there is uno way to feed vpon him, but by beleeuing in him: no way to life, but by feeding on him. Otherwise wee cannot haue his Spirit, which xwee receiue by faith onely, nor yhaue our sinnes forgiuen vs, or Christs righteousnesse imputed to vs, which is euery where called, zThe righteousnesse of faith, aThe righteousnesse by faith, bThe righteousnesse of God by faith, cFaith imputed for righteousnesse. And Faith said to be that, whereby we dare righteous, whereby we
- 1of the true Church, Jer. 31. 33.of the true Church, Ier. 31. 33.
- q1. Joh. 5. 1.1. Ioh. 5. 1.
- rJoh. 1. 12.Ioh. 1. 12.
- sGal. 3. 26.
- tEph. 3. 17.
- uJoh. 6. 35.Ioh. 6. 35.
- xGal. 3. 14.
- yAct. 26. 18.
- zRom. 4. 11, 13.
- aRom. 9. 13. & 10. 6.
- bRom. 3. 22.
- c
