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

3. Faith must needs be acceptable to God because that only of all graces hath a relative fitness to receive Christ and his benefits, Rom. 3.23. and in many other places, Remission of sin, and so the Spirit of promise, and also Justification is still said to be by Faith, not by Love or Zeal, or any other grace, because they are of an active nature, and go out to God, This of a passive nature, and receiveth Christ, so that the Scripture useth a peculiar phrase to express the nature of Faith, making it a supernatural Instrument or organon to receive Christ, as the hand of all parts of the body taketh a Treasure when given, and thereby a man is enriched: It's true it's not for the dignity or merit of Faith that we are justified, Therefore the Learned observe well, that it's never said [Greek or Hebrew] but [Greek or Hebrew], not for Faith as a cause, but by Faith as an Instrument, so that it's not properly Faith in Christ that justifieth, but Christ apprehended by Faith, as it is not the hand but the treasure taken by the hand that enricheth, or as the Scripture excellently describeth it; It was not the bare seeing of the brazen Serpent, or any excellency in the eye, but the brazen Serpent that did heal: Seeing that Faith hath that aptitude of all other graces to apply Christ, and God makes use of it, and appoints it for this end, no wonder if that be so well-pleasing to him.

3. Faith must needs be acceptable to God because that only of all graces hath a relative fitnesse to receive Christ and his benefits, Rom. 3.23. and in many other places, Remission of sinne, and so the Spirit of promise, and also Justification is still said to be by Faith, not by Love or Zeal, or any other grace, because they are of an active nature, and go out to God, This of a passive nature, and receiveth Christ, so that the Scripture useth a peculiar phrase to expresse the nature of Faith, making it a supernatural Instrument or organon to receive Christ, as the hand of all parts of the body taketh a Treasure when given, and thereby a man is enriched: It's true it's not for the dignity or merit of Faith that we are justified, Therefore the Learned observe well, that it's never said 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 but 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, not for Faith as a cause, but by Faith as an Instrument, so that it's not properly Faith in Christ that justifieth, but Christ apprehended by Faith, as it is not the hand but the treasure taken by the hand that enricheth, or as the Scripture excellently describeth it; It was not the bare seeing of the brazen Serpent, or any excellency in the eye, but the brazen Serpent that did heal: Seeing that Faith hath that aptitude of all other graces to apply Christ, and God makes use of it, and appoints it for this end, no wonder if that be so well-pleasing to him.