“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.”