1)
What is the form of justifying faith?
Trust in the mercy of God through Christ, or hupo_sa_?1 a firm confidence, and pl____ia a full persuasion of the grace of God the father towards us, whereby any man does as it were with fil concourse, strive toward the mark. William Bucanus, Institutions of Christian Religion, Framed Our of God’s Word, and the Writings of the Best Divines, Methodically Handled by Questions and Answers, Fit For All Such as Desirous to Know, or Practice the Will of God, trans., by Robert Hill (Printed in London by George Snowden, 1606), 300.2
2)
How prove you that certainty belongs unto faith?
1. John 3:2, The faithful know themselves to be the sons of God, but being rather confirmed in the persuasion of the truth of God by the Holy Ghost, then taught by any demonstration of reason.
2. By the consideration of the truth of the promises and power of God. For Psal. 18:21: “The word of the Lord is a tried shield to all that trust in him.” And Rom. 4:20: “Abraham did not doubt the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in the faith, and gave glory to God, bring fully assured that he which had promised also able to do it.
3. Pl_____ia3 is always attributed to faith in the Scriptures, which sets before us the goodness of God most manifestly without all manner of doubting [Rom 4:21.] so also is parresian and pepoithesei Ephes. 3:12, “By faith we have parresian boldness or freedom, and entrace en pepoithesei with confidence by faith in him.”
In brief, there is no man faithful, but he who being persuaded that God is favorable unto him, is so assured of his salvation as that he does boldly insult over the devil and death, after the example of Paul, Rom. 8:38: “I am persuaded,” says he, “that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come can separate us from the love of God.” And verse 16: “The Spirit of God witnesses with our spirits that we are the sons of God. . William Bucanus, Institutions of Christian Religion, Framed Our of God’s Word, and the Writings of the Best Divines, Methodically Handled by Questions and Answers, Fit For All Such as Desirous to Know, or Practice the Will of God, trans., by Robert Hill (Printed in London by George Snowden, 1606), 300-301.
3)
What is the third adjunct of faith?
That it is lively and effectual in the elect.
When is it that it is called lively and effectual?
First from the affections, and secondly from the actions which it produces in the believers. The affections are those which are stirred up in the heart of believers by the apprending of Christ with his benefits by faith.
1. A lively and assured feeling of God’s love towards us, diffused in our hearts [Rom. 5:5.].
2. An assured hope and expectation of life eternal [Ibid.].
3. A filial love and fear or reverence, whereby the faithful do endeavor to please God, and do very carefully fear beware to offend him, also a love of Christ, and a delight in him. For the love of God is not of the essence and nature of faith, but a necessary effect of the same, for seeing faith is a certain taste, perceiving, and supping down as it were of that sweetness which is in God (1 Peter 2:3: “If so be that you have tasted how bountiful the Lord is”), it follows that the love of God is an affect which proceeds of that sweet apprehension, and as it were taste, of the goodness of God.
4. Comfort, peace of conscience, in regard of the remission of sins, gladness and spiritual joy proceeding from the same taste of the favor of God. 1 Peter 1:8, “Believing in Christ you rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious” [____4, and Rom. 14:15.].
5. The sighs of the Spirit not to be expressed. Rom. 8:26, and that confidence that cries Abba, Father, Gal. 4:6.
6. Patience in adversity, yea more a rejoicing in afflictions [Rom. 8:35 and 38.].
7. Contempt of the world.
8. A spiritual assurance of the grace and friendship of God.
9. An affection to our neighbor and that God’s sake, as namely charity and love of our neighbor, courtesy, bounty, gentleness, and delight in the saints, Psal. 16:3: “To the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent all my delights is in him.”
The actions that proceed from faith, are those which break forth out of those inward affections, as godliness, justice, thanks-giving, prayer [Rom. 8:15.], confession, that is to say, a sincere and open profession of Christ [Rom. 10:4.], which is made with the mind, tongue, and life, peace and concord with all men in the Lord, a well-doing towards all, even our enemies, and so a new obedience: for a good tree bears good fruit [Matt. 7:17.]. Lastly, a good conscience, a holy care faithfulness, and diligence in our vocation and calling, and a mind [Rom 12: 7-8; Phil. 4:11; Rom. 11:24; Gal. 2:2o; and Eph 1:17.5], contented with the own portion. . William Bucanus, Institutions of Christian Religion, Framed Our of God’s Word, and the Writings of the Best Divines, Methodically Handled by Questions and Answers, Fit For All Such as Desirous to Know, or Practice the Will of God, trans., by Robert Hill (Printed in London by George Snowden, 1606), 303-304.
{Muller: Served as professor of theology at Lausanne from 1591 to 1603. He was called to teach at the new academy at Samur in 1603 but died before he could accept the post. His major dogmatic work is the Institutiones theologicae su locorum communium christianae religionis (1602):- Source, Richard Muller, Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatcs (first edition).]
______________________
1Unreadable Greek words in the copy I have.
2Pagination for this reference and others irregular so that manual numbering is also unhelpful. Page numbers here are cited as they appear on the page.
3Greek word unclear.
4Unreadable marginal reference due to dog-earing of the page.
5This last reference in the margin uncertain.