A30241:2653
CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…
CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John, or, Christs prayer before his passion explicated, and both practically and polemically improved by Anthony Burgess ...
London: printed by Abraham Miller for Thomas Underhill, 1656
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1Lastly, There is this Justifying or saving Faith, which hath for it's proper object Christ crucified, and so by resting upon him brings reconciliation with God, and peace in the conscience. It's true, some distinguish between justifying faith, and saving, as if all that faith, which did justify, did not also save, but that is built upon that dangerous foundation, as if there might be Apostasy from the true faith.
1Lastly, There is this Justifying or saving Faith, which hath for it's proper object Christ crucified, and so by resting upon him brings reconciliation with God, and peace in the conscience. It's true, some distinguish between justifying faith, and saving, as if all that faith, which did justifie, did not also save, but that is built upon that dangerous foundation, as if there might be Apostasie from the true faith.
- 1The object of faith.
Now whether this distinction be exact, and in what sense it is to be made good, I shall not here dispute, but take it for a necessary truth.
Secondly, When we say, That faith justifieth as it resteth on Christ, and receiveth ⟨p. 543⟩him, we do not deny or exclude assent to all other divine truth, revealed in Gods word. Justifying faith doth necessarily suppose historical or dogmatical faith. So that although they be two distinct kinds of faith, yet in a justified person all those acts of faith proceed from the same root and habit, that principle of faith whereby I am enabled to rest on Christ, makes me also firmly to assent to every truth of Gods word, yea this dogmatical faith is the foundation of justifying, and did men exercise stronger acts of historical faith, it would much conduce to our justifying faith and strengthen that, did we believe more firmly that Christ came to be a Mediator, then this would quicken up to peculiar confidence in him. Therefore the devil hath temptations against both, sometimes he assaulteth us in the matter to be believed, and sometimes about our application of what we do believe: Therefore we are not to oppose these special acts of faith against the general.