The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easy draught of the Christian…The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easie draught of the Christian…

Reas. 4 Because by this act of the will, we have an inward union with God in Christ, even as amongst men there is a greater conjunction, by a ⟨p. 53⟩constant inclination, and affection of the will, than by the judgement of the intellect.

Reas. 5. Because the act of faith is such, that by it we cast our selves wholly upon Christ, or upon the mercy of God in Christ. But the act of the understanding properly and immediately doth not transfer the whole man, but the act of the will, which alone therefore properly is called the act of the whole man: Nor can it be here answered that Faith is an aggregate thing. consisting partly of knowledge, and partly of affiance; because unto such aggregate things, single and distinct operations can not be attributed, as are attributed unto Faith. For example, the health of the whole body, hath no distinct operation, but is conceived as a single thing, extends it self alike to soundness of all, and of every part; and as holiness, as it is in this, or that virtue, hath no distinct and single operation. Moreover, no more reason can be given why knowledge & affiance should make up one aggregate thing, than knowledge and hope, or knowledge and love, or than knowledge and justice or temperance. Besides all this, however knowledge be aggregated with true Faith, yet because a great part of this knowledge which goes before affiance, is found also in the Devils themselves, neither yet can any knowledge be shown that goes before affiance, which is not found in some unregenerate persons; no reason admits, that this knowledge should be an essential part of Faith, and of the spiritual life, because it is found in them that have no part of spiritual life.

Reas. 5. Because the act of faith is such, that by it we cast our selves wholly upon Christ, or upon the mercy of God in Christ. But the act of the understanding properly and immediately doth not transfer the whole man, but the act of the will, which alone therefore properly is called the act of the whole man: Nor can it be heer answered that Faith is an aggregate thing. consisting partly of knowledge, and partly of affiance; because unto such aggregate things, single and distinct operations can not be attributed, as are attributed unto Faith. For example, the health of the whole body, hath no distinct operation, but is conceived as a single thing, extends it self alike to soundness of all, and of every part; and as holiness, as it is in this, or that virtue, hath no distinct and single operation. Moreover, no more reason can be given why knowledge & affiance should make up one aggregate thing, than knowledge and hope, or knowledge and love, or than knowledge and justice or temperance. Besides all this, however knowledge be aggregated with true Faith, yet because a great part of this knowledge which goes before affiance, is found also in the Devills themselves, neither yet can any knowledge be shewn that goes before affiance, which is not found in some unregenerate persons; no reason admits, that this knowledge should be an essential part of Faith, and of the spiritual life, because it is found in them that have no part of spiritual life.