The Scripture Gospel defended, and Christ, grace, and free justification vindicated against the libertines…

4. Also the name of Faith is used without a due and true explication of their meaning. One by ⟨image 12⟩Faith meaneth not Faith, but Christs Righteousness. Another calls it an Instrument, and yet denieth it to be the [Greek or Hebrew] credere that is, the Act of Faith indeed, as if any thing else was that instrument. Another saith it is but one Physical act, and not like contracting, a Moral complication of many Physical Acts: One saith it is but one Act, and all other Acts of Faith he that looketh to be Justified by denieth the Doctrine of Grace or true Justification, and so leave men to despair because they can never tell which that single is, and how to escape the damning Doctrine of Justification by works. One saith it is the Understandings assent: Another that it is the Wills recumbency, or trust: One saith it is only Faith in Christ that Justifieth, and not in God the Father or the Holy Ghost: One saith it is only Faith in Christs Priestly Office, and not in Christ as Prophet or King; some say it is not Faith in his whole Priestly Office, either his Intercession or Heavenly Priesthood, but only in his Sacrifice and Obedience. Another that it is only the trusting on his Imputed Righteousness: Another that it is none of all these, but only the belief that we are already Justified by Christ. One saith we are Justified only at once by the first numerical Act of Faith, and never by any after Act: Another that an Act of the same Species continueth our Justification. And this confusion is from the vain fantasy of men, that will divide and mince and yet will not sufficiently distinguish: and know not that by Faith is meant our becoming Christians and continuing such.

4. Also the name of Faith is used without a due and true explication of their meaning. One by ⟨image 12⟩Faith meaneth not Faith, but Christs Righteousness. Another calls it an Instrument, and yet denieth it to be the 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 credere that is, the Act of Faith indeed, as if any thing else was that instrument. Another saith it is but one Physical act, and not like contracting, a Moral complication of many Physical Acts: One saith it is but one Act, and all other Acts of Faith he that looketh to be Justified by denieth the Doctrine of Grace or true Justification, and so leave men to despair because they can never tell which that single is, and how to escape the damning Doctrine of Justification by works. One saith it is the Understandings assent: Another that it is the Wills recumbency, or trust: One saith it is only Faith in Christ that Justifieth, and not in God the Father or the Holy Ghost: One saith it is only Faith in Christs Priestly Office, and not in Christ as Prophet or King; some say it is not Faith in his whole Priestly Office, either his Intercession or Heavenly Priesthood, but only in his Sacrifice and Obedience. Another that it is only the trusting on his Imputed Righteousness: Another that it is none of all these, but only the belief that we are already Justified by Christ. One saith we are Justified only at once by the first numerical Act of Faith, and never by any after Act: Another that an Act of the same Species continueth our Justification. And this confusion is from the vain fantasy of men, that will divide and mince and yet will not sufficiently distinguish: and know not that by Faith is meant our becoming Christians and continuing such.