1. That the Faith of a true Believer is something real, and not a Fancy. By the Faith of a Saint I understand only that lively, and effectual Faith which is the Instrument, or Means (call it as you please) not only of a Saints Justificationa, but Sanctificationb, that which is called precious Faith, 2 Pet. 1.1. the Faith of Gods Elect, Tit. 1:1. as being peculiar to them, and the effect of their Electionc, that Faith, in a word, which is an apprehending Christ as the author of eternal Salvationd, a believing the record God hath given of his Son, that eternal life is in him, 1 Joh. 5.11. This Faith imports in it a respect to Christ as the Author of all other spiritual benefits antecedent to eternal Life; Justification, whereby a Believer is entitled to it, Sanctification whereby he is prepared for it, Consolation by which he is encouraged in seeking it, and supported under the opposition, and difficulties he meets with in the way to it. But here I speak of Faith especially as respecting Eternal Salvation, which is one principal act of it, and which includes or supposes the other; and the rather because the belief and expectation of Life, and Immortality after Death, is that which the unbelieving World looks upon as most strange and unreasonable, and takes all a Believer can say of his expecting future things in another World to be but strong fancies of great Nothings. There is no act of Faith against which the Objections of carnal Reason are more usually levelled than against this, and if the reality of a Christians Faith appears in this, it can scarce be denied in others. Now that this belief of Eternal Life ⟨p. 36⟩is something real in a Saints Heart, and not merely a Fancy in his Brains, might appear more than probable in that it hath been, and still is to be found in those who are least fanciful, men as serious, as judicious, as rational as any in the World; though not many wise men after the flesh are callede, yet some are: And it cannot reasonably be imagined, that they who are confessedly Grave, and Prudent, and Discreet, and free from Conceits and Fancies in all other things, should dote in those only which are of the greatest Concernment to them;
1. That the Faith of a true Believer is something reall, and not a Fancy. By the Faith of a Saint I understand only that lively, and effectual Faith which is the Instrument, or Means (call it as you please) not only of a Saints Justificationa, but Sanctificationb, that which is called precious Faith, 2 Pet. 1.1. the Faith of Gods Elect, Tit. 1:1. as being peculiar to them, and the effect of their Electionc, that Faith, in a word, which is an apprehending Christ as the author of eternal Salvationd, a believing the record God hath given of his Son, that eternal life is in him, 1 Joh. 5.11. This Faith imports in it a respect to Christ as the Author of all other spiritual benefits antecedent to eternal Life; Justification, whereby a Believer is entitled to it, Sanctification whereby he is prepared for it, Consolation by which he is encouraged in seeking it, and supported under the opposition, and difficulties he meets with in the way to it. But here I speak of Faith especially as respecting Eternal Salvation, which is one principal act of it, and which includes or supposes the other; and the rather because the belief and expectation of Life, and Immortality after Death, is that which the unbelieving World looks upon as most strange and unreasonable, and takes all a Believer can say of his expecting future things in another World to be but strong fancies of great Nothings. There is no act of Faith against which the Objections of carnal Reason are more usually levelled than against this, and if the reality of a Christians Faith appears in this, it can scarce be denyed in others. Now that this belief of Eternal Life ⟨p. 36⟩is something real in a Saints Heart, and not meerly a Fancy in his Brains, might appear more than probable in that it hath been, and still is to be found in those who are least fancyfull, men as serious, as judicious, as rational as any in the World; though not many wise men after the flesh are callede, yet some are: And it cannot reasonably be imagined, that they who are confessedly Grave, and Prudent, and Discreet, and free from Conceits and Fancies in all other things, should dote in those only which are of the greatest Concernment to them;
- aRom. 5.1.
- bAct. 15.9.
- cAct. 13.48.
- dHeb. 5.9.
- e1 Cor. 1.26.
