“All these therefore have great cause to be full of joy, and not to fear death nor everlasting damnation. For death cannot deprive them of Jesus Christ, death cannot take him from us, nor us from him. Death not only cannot harm us, but also shall profit us and join us to God more perfectly. And thereof a christian heart may be surely certified. _It is God_, saith St. _Paul_, _which hath given us an earnest of his Spirit_. As long as we be in the body, we are in a strange country. But we have a desire rather to be at home with God.” _ibid._
He that runneth may read in all these words, the confidence which our church supposes, every particular believer to have, that he himself is reconciled to God.
To proceed, “The only instrument of salvation required on our parts is faith, that is, a sure trust and confidence, that God both hath and will forgive our sins, that he hath accepted us again into his favour, for the merits of Christ’s death and passion.” _Second sermon on the passion._
“But here, we must take heed that we do not halt with God through an unconstant, wavering faith. _Peter_ coming to Christ upon the water, because he fainted in faith was in danger of drowning. So we, if we begin to waver or doubt, it is to be feared lest we should sink as _Peter_ did: not into the water, but into the bottomless pit of hell-fire. Therefore I say unto you, that we must apprehend the merits of Christ’s death by faith, and that with a strong and stedfast faith; nothing doubting, but that Christ by his own oblation hath taken away our sins, and hath restored us again to God’s favour.” _ibid._
5. If it be still said, that the church speaks only of men in general, but not of the confidence of this or that particular person: even this last, poor subterfuge, is utterly cut off by the following words:
“_Thou_, O man, hast received the body of Christ which was once broken, and his blood which was shed for the remission of _thy_ sin. Thou hast received his body to have within _thee_ the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for to endow _thee_ with grace, and to comfort _thee_ with their presence. Thou hast received his body, to endow _thee_ with everlasting righteousness, and _to assure thee_ of everlasting bliss.” _Sermon on the resurrection._
I shall add but one passage more, from the first part of the sermon on the sacrament.
“Have a sure and constant faith, not only that the death of Christ is available for all the world, but that he hath made a full and sufficient sacrifice for _thee_, a perfect cleansing of _thy_ sins, so that thou mayst say with the apostle, _he loved_ thee and gave himself for _thee_. For this is to make Christ _thine own_, and to apply his merits unto _thyself_.”
Let every reasonable man now judge for himself, what is the sense of our church as to the _nature_ of _saving faith_. Does it not abundantly appear, that the church of _England_ supposes every particular believer, to have a sure confidence, that _his_ sins are forgiven, and he _himself_ reconciled to God? Yea, and how can the absolute necessity of this faith, this unwavering confidence, be more strongly or peremptorily asserted, than it is in those words: “If we begin to waver or doubt, it is to be feared, lest we sink as _Peter_ did: Not into the water; but into the bottomless pit of hell-fire?”
6. I would willingly dismiss this writer here. I had said in _the earnest appeal_ (what I am daily more and more confirmed in) that this faith is usually given in a moment. This you greatly dislike. Your argument against it, if put into form, will run thus:
“They who first apprehend the meaning of the words delivered, then gave their assent to them, then had confidence in the promises to which they assented, and lastly, loved God, did not receive faith in a moment.”
But the believers mentioned in _the Acts_, first apprehended the meaning of the words, then gave their assent, then had confidence in the promises, and lastly, loved God: Therefore
“The believers mentioned in _the Acts_, did not receive faith in a moment.”
I deny the major. They might first apprehend, then assent, then confide, then love, and yet receive faith in a moment: In _that_ moment, wherein their general confidence became particular, so that each could say, “_My Lord, and my God_.”
One paragraph more I will be at the pains to transcribe. “You insinuate, that the sacraments are only requisite to the well-being of a visible church: Whereas the church declares, that the due administration of them, is an essential _property thereof_. I suppose you hinted this to gratify your loving disciples the Quakers.”