nant according to the externall administration, wherein Christ is offered as a sufficient and efficient Mediatour, so that pardon of sin, adoption and eternall happinesse shall redound to all and every one by his death, if they doe believe: and as a Mediatour by merit and saving efficacy to reconcile them actually unto God that be in Covenant effectually.
The word of truth is the foundation of faith, in nature before it, true as it is promised, not made true by faith: but that faith cannot be given to the promise, unlesse the thing promised be truly existent, and made good before faith, is strange in Divinity. One thing is true, because it is promised: another, because it is fore-told, another, because it is simply declared. Those things which are true as related, those things have been whether we believe them or not: and those things which are fore-told as true, those in like manner shall come to passe, whether we believe, or believe not. But those things which are true as promised, it is not necessary that they be, unlesse we believe.Arm. priv. disp.
thes. 43. For the narration and prediction is absolute, but the promise conditionall, requiring faith in the hearer. There is this mutuall respect betwixt the promise and stipulation, that the promise is as an argument which God useth, that he might obtaine of man what he requireth, and the performance of the thing required is a condition without which man cannot obtaine the promise of God. But leaving further dispute of this matter, faith in Christ and the commandment to believe in him hath a subject word true in it selfe, not made true by faith, whereupon it is builded, as true, firme and certaine, as any ground of faith in Christ can be desired or conceived. There is one act of faith, whereby we believe that sins are pardonable: this is builded upon this ground, that Christ is an all-sufficient and efficient Saviour, in whose name Salvation is freely offered, by faith to be received. There is another act of faith, whereby we rest upon Christ for salvation: this is grounded upon these and such like promises, Come unto meMat. 11.28. all ye that labour, and be heavie laden, and I will refresh you. Hoe,Isa. 55.1. every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters. Let him that is a thirst, come unto me and drinke. There is a third, whereby we believe that our sins are already pardoned: and this is grounded upon these and such like. He that believeth shall be saved.
It is objected, if Christ died not for all men, then a man maydoubt,
