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

2. Where gross Ignorance is, if there cannot be historical Faith about Christ, much less can there be saving and justifying Faith, a fiducial relying and resting of the soul upon him as the Mediator appointed by God: The Scripture doth often speak that we are justified by faith, Rom. 5.1. that we have remission of sins through Faith in Christs blood, Rom. 3.25. So that Justification and Faith are inseparably joined together, but where ignorance of Christ is, there cannot be any of this saving faith, for can any man trust in that which he doth not know of; yea, though such ignorant men say they trust in Christ, yet because they know not Christ, these are but traditional and customary words; They speak falsely and say they do not know what; Philosophers say there is actio hominis, and actio humana, an humane action is that which comes expressly or impliedly from reason, but actio hominis is that which is done by a man, but not as a man, as the moving of the foot or lifting up a straw which came from the imagination merely, So truly we may say, there is actio Christiani, and actio Christiani, a Christian action is that which comes from knowledge and faith, either directly or indirectly, but that is an action of one that is a Christian in name and profession only, that doth such actions as others do, but not from any knowledge or faith within, only from custom and mere tradition; if then knowledge be in all the historical and justifying acts of Faith, where shall the stupid and ignorant man appear?

2. Where grosse Ignorance is, if there cannot be historical Faith about Christ, much lesse can there be saving and justifying Faith, a fiducial relying and resting of the soul upon him as the Mediatour appointed by God: The Scripture doth often speak that we are justified by faith, Rom. 5.1. that we have remission of sinnes through Faith in Christs bloud, Rom. 3.25. So that Justification and Faith are inseparably joyned together, but where ignorance of Christ is, there cannot be any of this saving faith, for can any man trust in that which he doth not know of; yea, though such ignorant men say they trust in Christ, yet because they know not Christ, these are but traditional and customary words; They speak falsly and say they do not know what; Philosophers say there is actio hominis, and actio humana, an humane action is that which comes expresly or impliedly from reason, but actio hominis is that which is done by a man, but not as a man, as the moving of the foot or lifting up a straw which came from the imagination meerly, So truly we may say, there is actio Christiani, and actio Christiani, a Christian action is that which comes from knowledge and faith, either directly or indirectly, but that is an action of one that is a Christian in name and profession only, that doth such actions as others doe, but not from any knowledge or faith within, only from custome and meer tradition; if then knowledge be in all the historicall and justifying acts of Faith, where shall the stupid and ignorant man appear?