William Lyford on salvation by the cross

[Reformed Covenanter]

It never entered into the heart of man to think of Salvation by the Cross; of an imputed Righteousness by a Mediator, of God manifest in the Flesh, made under the Law, &c. and many other such like points of the Gospel: none of these things ever entered into the heart of man to conceive; the knowledge and belief of these things comes only by hearing, and by the Revelation of Jesus Christ in the Gospel:

All that ever studied Righteousness, I mean the best and wisest of Heathen Philosophers, never sought it in a way of Faith, but in a way of Works, of moral correctives of Vice, and rules of common Justice, and human Prudence. But did ever any one of them so much as dream of a Mediator? or of Justification by Faith. …

The reason hereof is, because true Faith, whereby man is justified, is purely supernatural, it is above Nature to teach it, or to work it. It is purely supernatural, first, in respect of the Object, which is Christ crucified for our Sins; The things to be believed are above the reach of man’s natural reason; Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven: This our Saviour spake of Peter’s Faith, Mat. 16:17.

For the reference, see William Lyford on salvation by the cross.

 

[VilnaGaon]

It never entered into the heart of man to think of Salvation by the Cross; of an imputed Righteousness by a Mediator, of God manifest in the Flesh, made under the Law, &c. and many other such like points of the Gospel: none of these things ever entered into the heart of man to conceive; the knowledge and belief of these things comes only by hearing, and by the Revelation of Jesus Christ in the Gospel:

All that ever studied Righteousness, I mean the best and wisest of Heathen Philosophers, never sought it in a way of Faith, but in a way of Works, of moral correctives of Vice, and rules of common Justice, and human Prudence. But did ever any one of them so much as dream of a Mediator? or of Justification by Faith. …

The reason hereof is, because true Faith, whereby man is justified, is purely supernatural, it is above Nature to teach it, or to work it. It is purely supernatural, first, in respect of the Object, which is Christ crucified for our Sins; The things to be believed are above the reach of man’s natural reason; Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven: This our Saviour spake of Peter’s Faith, Mat. 16:17.

For the reference, see William Lyford on salvation by the cross.

Beautiful. I never thought of Matt 16:17 as a proof text for Faith being a gift of GOD.