Faith as the gift of God is not the Saviour, as our act doth merit
nothing. Faith was not the cause that God gave Christ, neither is it
the cause why God converts men to Christ; but faith is a gift
bestowed upon us by the gracious God, the nature of which is to lay
hold on Christ, whom God before did give for a ransom to redeem
sinners. This faith hath its nourishment and supplies from the same
God who at the first did give it; and is the only instrument through
the Spirit that doth keep the soul in a comfortable frame both to do
and suffer; for Christ helps the soul to receive comfort from him,
when it can get none from itself, bearing up the soul in its
progress heavenward. But that it is the first cause of salvation, I
deny; or that it is the second, I deny. It is only the instrument or
hand that receiveth the benefits that God hath prepared for thee
before thou hadst any faith; so that we do nothing for salvation, as
men. But if we speak properly, it was God's grace that moved him to
give Christ a ransom for sinners, and the same God with the same
grace, that doth give to the soul faith to believe and by believing
to close in with him whom God out of his love and pity did send into
the world to save sinners; so that all the works of the creature are
shut out as to justification and life, and men are saved freely by
grace.