CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

Answ. 2 But 2. This Doctrine of special and particular Faith doth not encourage to presumption, because it calls not upon sinners abiding and wickedly persevering so, to rest on him, but mourning over and abhorring their sins, Therefore no man is commanded to believe this first, that Christ died for him, but to believe the word of God threatening and discovering the horrid pollution that is upon us, as also the general contagion in every part, the insufficiency and inability to help himself, the necessity of hungering, thirsting, and seeking out after a Saviour, So that in this order and method he must by Faith lay hold on Christ,

Answ. 2 But 2. This Doctrine of special and particular Faith doth not encourage to presumption, because it cals not upon sinn•rs abiding and wickedly persevering so, to rest on him, but mourning over and abhorring their sins, Therefore no man is commanded to believe this first, that Christ died for him, but to believe the word of God threatning and discovering the horrid pollution that is upon us, as also the generall contagion in every part, the insufficiency and inability to help himself, the necessity of hungring, thirsting, and seeking out after a Saviour, So that in this order and method he must by Faith lay hold on Christ,

Answ. 3 3. This special Faith cannot be presumption, or encourage thereunto, because the object of it is whole Christ, a Lord and Sovereign as well as a Saviour; The presumer he divides Christ, looketh upon him as a Saviour, not as a Lord and Law-giver, and therefore takes Christ but upon his own terms, not in the Scripture-way, and so indeed he takes not Christ but an Idol of his own making; and by this it is discovered that he doth not truly believe but presume: It's true, Christ as the Object of our justifying faith is to be considered as our Surety and Mediator, as a Gift of the Father to us, yet he cannot truly be received as a Saviour, but as a Lord and King also, So that God having inseparably joined these two together, Faith dare not, Faith will not divide, So that this will prove Jealousy-water to the Hypocrite, he professeth a belief on Christ, but it is Christ divided, or a part of Christ, he looks upon the Atonement he made as a Saviour, but not on the Obedience he owes to Christ as a King, Christ doth not only promise but command, he doth not only offer precious Gifts, but enjoineth strict and exact duties, and faith taketh in all these.