Speculum theologiæ in Christo, or, A view of some divine truths which are either…

First, That Faith whereby we are justified, is not Reason in its own Sphere conversing about God and his Goodness, but it is totally supernatural; supernatural in its Principle; it is the Gift of God: and, as the second Aransican Council tells us, It is per inspirationem Spiritûs sancti, Can. 6. Supernatural in its object, it is fixed in a God in Covenant, and in his Grace. It hangs upon Christ and his Sweet-smelling Sacrifice. It falls in with supernatural promises of Grace and Glory: neither is this Faith a mere naked assent, which may be in wicked Men; nay, and in Devils; but it is that which receives Christ, and feeds upon him, eating his Flesh, and drinking his Blood unto Life Eternal: Vitam à Vitae Font haurimus, & in ipsum quasi totos. nos immergimus, saith Bishop Davenant; ⟨p. 380⟩We draw Life from the Fountain of Life, and wholly drown our selves in him: True Faith takes the Divine objects proposed, not by piece-meal, but in their entireness; it is not merely for God's Grace, that Honey-comb of infinite sweetness; but for his Holiness too, that the Soul may be more and more transformed and assimilated to the Divine Image and likeness. Faith very well knows, That no Man, who by his rebellions strikes at his Holiness, can possibly lean on his Grace: so to do, is not to believe, but to presume and trust in a lye: Faith is for all Christ; not only for a meriting and atoning Christ, but for a teaching and ruling one: it knows that Christ must not be mangled or torn in pieces; the Merit must not be divided from the Spirit; nor the Water from the Blood; these must ever be in conjunction; an half Christ is not the Christ of God, but a Christ of his own fancy, such as cannot profit us; Faith is not merely for Promises, which are cordials, and Pots of Manna, but for Precepts too; it is Meat and Drink to do the Will of God; Promises and Precepts run together in Scripture; Promises are the effluxes of Grace, and Faith takes them into the heart by recumbency; Precepts are effluxes of Holiness, and Faith takes them in by an Obediential Subjection; both are owned by Faith, and must be so as long as there is Grace and Holiness in God; Faith cannot stand without repentance; it trusts in Infinite Mercy: and an impenitent one, who still holds up his Arms of Rebellion, cannot do so; it rests upon the Merits and Righteousness of Christ;

First, That Faith whereby we are justified, is not Reason in its own Sphere conversing about God and his Goodness, but it is totally supernatural; supernatural in its Principle; it is the Gift of God: and, as the second Aransican Councel tells us, It is per inspirationem Spiritûs sancti, Can. 6. Supernatural in its object, it is fixed in a God in Covenant, and in his Grace. It hangs upon Christ and his Sweet-smelling Sacrifice. It falls in with supernatural promises of Grace and Glory: neither is this Faith a meer naked assent, which may be in wicked Men; nay, and in Devils; but it is that which receives Christ, and feeds upon him, eating his Flesh, and drinking his Blood unto Life Eternal: Vitam à Vitae Fonte haurimus, & in ipsum quasi totos. nos immergimus, saith Bishop Davenant;