is very busie in such manner of temptations yea even Christ himselfe shall not be without them Mat. 4. 6. he had set Christ upon the pinacle of the Temple and bid him cast himself down for it is written he shall give his Angels charge c. in which words I conceive as the Devill tempted Christ in an unwarrantable way to rest upon the promise so he also tempted him to doubt of the truth of the Scripture As if he should have said If the Scripture be true and you beleeve it try a little throw thy self down thou hast a promise to catch thee Psal 91. 11. Throw thy self down and thou shalt see now how true the Scriptures are c. So the Devill deales with Christians often sets upon them to deny the Scriptures and puts such thoughts into their hearts c. which are but temptations and argue not a nullity of their assent to the Scriptures but an assault made upon their faith by Satan But may a Christian say If I could know this it were something how shall I know whether such thoughts be the spawn of unbeleefe and proceeding from an internall cause my own infidels heart or whether they be as you say meerly the temptations of Satan and assaults upon my faith I shall labour to tell thee briefly First They are ordinarily but Disputations and Queries not determinations Thou oftentimes hast Quaeries in thy soule What should I think are the Scriptures the Word of God or no They have strange things in them one would wonder they should be the Word of Truth thou never commest positively to determine in thy soule Tush they are not the Word of God God gives Satan leave to play the Opponent sometimes to see what a Respondent the Beleever can be but hee alwayes keeps the office of the Moderator to himselfe when they never go beyond a dispute in thy heart that thou dost not determine in thy heart the contrary nor declare with thy lips nor practice with thy life the contrary it is a sign they are but temptations though they argue weaknesse and thou oughtest to bee troubled and humbled for them if they were children of thy owne begetting thou wouldst nourish them better Secondly If they be onely temptations thou findest a striving against them Tell me Christian when thou hast such an Atheisticall thought laid at the doore of thy heart that the Scriptures are not the truth of God what dost thou do with it what dost thou take it and suckle it and rock it and nurse it as thy owne childe Dost thou please thy self with such thoughts and labour to coine arguments to maintaine and hug them This is a note of a base heart Or art thou impatient of it but presently cryest out Ah Lord what a base heart have I And dost thou labour to beat such thoughts out of thy heart and pray against them and never listen to any argument Satan would bring to tempt thee to the beleefe of it I beleeve this is thy tempter and know if it be thou mayest have such thoughts and doubts and yet be a true beleever Thirdly If it be not reall unbeliefe but a meere temptation to unbeliefe thy thoughts will not be long Iames 4. 7. Resist the Devill and he will flee from you The Devill if he be left to stand upon his own legs is as very a coward as lives he will come and tempt a beleever to deny the Scriptures to be the word of truth the beleever findes these filthy thoughts cast into his heart he considers Arguments to resist this temptation cryes and prayes and sayes I beleeve Lord help my unbeleefe Away goes Satan presently will answer never an Argument but yeeld the field and the beleevers heart is fixed presently I mark this in 4. Matth. we read there of three weapons the Devill took up at Christ v. 3. Hee tempteth him to distrust Gods providence Christ resists this v. 4. The Devill hath done with this not a word more to say well he flyes to another v. 5. tempts him to presume unwarrantably upon Gods providence and to deny the truth of the Scriptures Christ resists this v. 7. The Devill durst not reply but leaves this too well he betakes himselfe to another v. 8. Christ resists this v. 10. Satan hath not a word to say but the coward quits the field packs up and gets himselfe away v. 13. Try thy thoughts are they dwelling thoughts or transient if they abide not they are Satans that carries bag and baggage with them when he leaves thee Fourthly Thou mayst know if they be temptations by thy life thou art sometime ready to think that the Scriptures are not the word of truth thou canst not assent to them but at this very time durst thou live contrary to the rule of the Scripture Darest thou now go and be drunk and be unclean for what now should keep thee in awe Darest thou then 't is unbeleefe But at this very time if thou durst not but live according to that Word of Truth which yet thou art in doubt whether it be the Word of truth or no say what thou wilt thou dost assent unto it and Satan would but fool thee of thy faith Thus you have heard how a Christian may doubt or rather be tempted to doubt sometimes whether the Scriptures be the Word of Truth or no and yet have and give a true and firm assent unto it as the Word of Truth and you have heard me giving some notes how a Christian may know whether such thoughts proceed from a principle of unbeleef and dissenting to the Word of Truth or from the temptations of Satan I come to the third Conclusion which is this Thirdly A Christian may be a true beleever and yet not fully assent to some particular truth in the Word of God There are many pieces of Gods Truth in Gods Word The Word is the word of an eternal wisdom and of a depth too deep for us that have but narrow capacities and finite buckets to finde the bottom of it Now I conceive it is not essentiall to a true beleefe and assent that I should assent to every thing in the Word of God nay which of us doe doe it The causes of this may be these 1. Ignorance I shewed you before when I handled that point that there may be a great deal of ignorance consist with true faith ignorance in point of Doctrine and ignorance in circumstantialls ignorance in divers things which are not of absolute necessity to salvation Now I conceive that assent doth alwayes imply knowledge How shall they beleeve on him of whom they have not heard was the Apostles question Now I conceive assenting to a particular truth as the truth of God doth nor consist in a bare negation but hath something positive in it I conceive that I cannot bee said to Assent to all things from which I doe not dissent but if I assent I doe fulâ—y agree and close with something
is but a dark and forced act of his will not a voluntary and clear act of it closing with the truth and embracing of it nor can it be because as I have shewed his assent of his will cannot proceed from a well enlightned understanding without the precedency of which the will is but ravished into an assent The understanding is that which holds the candle to the will in the soul Now the assent and credence which every true beleever gives to the word of truth though it be an act of the will for it is the wills act to delight in and close with and â—eal yet it proceeds from a spiritually and clearly enlightened understanding for it is the understandings office to dictate to the will Now assent in the wicked man is but an act of his will without any clearnesse in the understanding the understanding onely presenting the truth as a notion or tradition or commonly received opinion this is far from an act of Faith but such as the devils have It is like the Athenian devotion Paul coming to Athens Act. 17. 23. found an Altar with this superscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the unknown God Their worshipping argued some assent of the will and the will alwayes following the dictate of the understanding It is certain that there was some knowledge the truth was this Their understanding had gathered up some generall notions of the Deity That there was a God c. and these might be seen by the light of nature or heard from their forefathers and suckt in by tradition And it is plain it was no more for they ingenuously confesse that the God whom they worshipped was unknown to them they knew that there was a God and possibly that this God was a spirit and that this God must be worshipped Naturall eyes discern all this but it was not a clear and distinct knowledge and assent they worshipped they knew not what their Altar was to the unknown God As many name-Christians beleevers at large now a dayes mutter over their common-prayers to their unknown God and come to Church to worship an unknown God onely their fathers or mothers have told â—hem there is a God and a Christ and this â—â—rist came into the world to save sinners and they must be good Church-men and serve God c. But now where this is an assent in the soul to a truth as an act of true Faith it is out of a distinct and clear understanding It conceives a great deal of reason why it should beleeve such a truth close with such a promise assent to such a word and the soul so clearly and brightly sees the truths that it sets its hand and heart unto that it wonders at the blindenesse of carnall men that they should not see it as clear as they do but yet be blinde to the things of God when for their parts they are as clear to their souls as the sun when it shineth at bright noon-day And therefore Faith is called Heb. 11. 1. The evidence of things not seen The word translated evidence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a convincing demonstration it commeth of the Greek verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leigh critica which signifies say criticks so to convince and bring evidence and reason for a thing and prove it by demonstration so clearly that no man can either deny it or object against it or so much as pretend an objection against it Such is Faith to the gracious soul it perswadeth the soul so to assent that the soul is clearly convinced of the thing to be assented to Faith hath so fully perswaded the soul of the word truth promise that it desires its hand and heart to that the soul is fully satisfied in it and is clear in it Though the beleeving soul neither doth see nor expects to see the brightnesse of sublime mysteries by the eye of carnall reason yet it sees by another eye and so clearly every thing that it assents to that it conceives there can be no darknesse in it no reason nor objection pretended against it but frivolous and vain and of no value This is Faiths first act stedfast clear assent Now in this the soul may possibly deceive it self The second Act of Faith which we ordinarily say is the very marrow and essence of justifying Faith is reliance and dependency upon Jesus Christ when the soul having been perswaded of the word of truth and assented to it doth in the next place hang and depend upon it as the word upon which it must live and commits his soul to Christ and hangs upon him as the Christ by which he onely can be saved This I say is that Act which justifieth A learned Author hath noted six words in Scripture Ball in his Treat of Faith by which the Holy-ghost doth expresse to us the nature and work of beleeving First Faith exprest by six words Beleeving put in opposition to fainting Psa 27. 13. I had fainted unlesse I had beleeved Secondly Trusting put in opposition to fearing Psal 78. 22. They trusted not in his salvation they were afraid of the Canaanites Thirdly Betaking to as to a castle Psal 2. 12. Our translation reades it Blessed are all they that trust in him But Mollerus saith it signifies Protectionis causâ aliquò confugere se recipere verbum appositum saith he to fly to some place for protection as to a castle in a time of danger Fourthly By a word that signifieth To lean and relye upon as an old man leaneth on a staff 2 Chron. 16. 7 8. Because thou didst relye upon the Lord he did deliver them into thy hand verbatim say Expositors because thou didst lean upon him as thy staff Fifthly By another word That signifies to stay up the minde as with a prop Esau 48. 2. You stay your selves upon the Lord from fearing despairing from sinking dejections c. A sixth word by which it is exprest is rolling and hanging upon as a drowning man on a boy Psal 37. 5. So that we may say That the very essentiall act in which consists the marrow of justifying Faith is this When the soul being perswaded of the truth of Gods eternall word gives a fâ—ll and fixt assent and credence to it to every curse and threatning as well as to every promise and yet doth not faint nor sink in despair nor drown in sorrow but in this apprehension of its lost and undone condition runs to Iesus Christ as a safe castle and hangs upon him committing the whole burthen of its soul unto him and stayes there leaning upon him and the promises of life made in him to the soul This is now justifying Faith which afterwards creates in the soul a quiet â—esting in God a sweet delighting in God a stedfast hope in him and a patient waiting for him and at last a confident assurance of him But this is certainly Faith so far as is upon pain of damnation necessary
decipere quia quicquid non intelligit plus miratur I would saith he that thou shouldst so preach in the Church not that the people should be provoked to humming but sighing that the tears of thy hearers may be the praise of thy Sermon The Sermon of a Minister saith he should be seasoned sale Scripturarum with the salt of Scripture he doth not salibus with idle querks And he goes â—n I would not have thee like a declamer in the schools or a brawler or one that should have a great deal of expression without the substance of reason but one that should be skild in the Word and Ordinances of God In short saith he It is the trick of dunces to rumble over words and by their meer expressions make people admire him For there is nothing so easie as to deceive a poor unlearned people with a voluble tongue for they by how much the lesse they understand by so much the more they admire Thus he And yet was not this the designe of our old Cathedrall and University Preachers nay is it not yet of many in this City that have not left making use of the Pulpit to tell us what they have of Greek and Latine Fathers in their common place book A generation of the worst of men Ministers of the Gospel I should lye to call them that go about to convert and heal souls as the Devil heals diseases by charms that the Patient understands not Their whole designe is to make people admire them To this end they preach as if the dayes of Pentecost were still continued The men are Galileans and their hearers too yet if Parthians Medes Elamites and the dwellers in Mesopotamia were there they might hear something of their own language and something possibly that neither the Preacher nor the hearers understand They are admired Verily they have their reward Observe how these men court an humme with their jests and spittings how ambitious they are to smooth up their sentences with an esse posse videatur Such Pulpit-monkies that bring the Ordinance of God into contempt and make the Word of God of none effect They may well be stiled opprobrium Evangelii Thus saith the Lord unto the shepheards Ezra 34. 2 3. Should not the shepheards feed the flock wo be to you shepheards that Feed your selves then that â—at the fat of applause and cloth your selves with the wooll of admiration The diseased have yee not strengthened neither have you healed that which was sick neither have you bound up that which was broken neither have you brought again that which was driven away neither have you sought that which was lost You shall one day without repentance for these Sermons hear your reward in plainer English Mat. 25. 41. While these wretches vend themselves the poor hungry soul starves at meat crying out Death is in the Pett These unnaturall Fathers while poor souls cry for Bread cheat them with Stones and while they call for Fish they beguile them with Scorpions My heart bears me witnesse that in these following leaves I have laboured not to smooth but to settle thy soul which must be by putting thee on to trust in the Lord. Isai 50. 10. If thou mislikest these Sermons for their plainnesse know that I had rather displease thy tast and teach thee to rectifie thy pallate then by studying to please thy childish tooth lose the advantage of speaking to many an others heart Read it thou shalt not leave it without learning something if thou gettest no good in relation to the intended end thou shalt learn yet a lesson of the poor creatures nothingnesse and give glory to God by looking to him and trusting in him for thy souls peace If from any thing in these Sermons thy soul by the blessing of God gets any comfort and settlement Let thy and my God have the glory and his soul the benefit of thy tears and prayers who is and shall be for ever The Worthlesse Ambassadour of Iesus Christ for thy souls good and peace IOH COLLINGS From my study in Chappel-field-house in Norwich August 17 1648. A short Table of those severall Cases of Conscience which in the following Treatise are spoken to more fully or Collaterally the Letter of which are noted with an Asteriske Ser. I. 1. VVHether it be necessary that humiliation should in a soule goe before faith Ser. II. 2. Whether I may refuse to beleeve because I thinke I am not enough humbled Comfort and direction for a soul under that affliction Ser. III. 3. Whether I may refuse to beleeve because I know not whether I am elected or no How to satisfie a Christian under that affliction Ser. IV. 4. Whether I may refuse to beleeve because I am a great sinner and as I thinke too unworthy of mercy How to satisfie a Christian under that affliction Ser. V. 5. Whether I may refuse to beleeve upon a conceit that I have sinned the sin against the Holy-Ghost How to ease a spirit under that burthen Ib. * 6. Whether every sin against knowledge every denying of Christ every hating our brethrens goodnesse be this sin or no Ser. VI. 7. Whether a Christian may conclude he doth not beleeve because he cannot act every act of faith Ser. VII 8. Whether true faith may consist with doubting and how in the same soule Ib. 9. Whether a Christian may conclude he hath not true faith because for the present he is ignorant 1. in circumstantiall points 2. in the history of Scripture 3. in some fundamentals yea 4. in the necessary points of salvation so far as that he cannot make the generals out by particulars nor maintaine them upon dispute Ser. VIII 10. Whether a Christian may conclude his faith is not true because he thinks he doth not assent to the whole Word of God * 11. Whether the true beleever can at any time doubt whether the Scripture be the Word of God or no * 12. Whether a Christian may not be tempted to doubt it and yet not doubt it and how to know such a temptation from our owne corruption * 13. Whether a Christian can have true faith and not assent to every particular truth in the word of God nor to the true meaning of this or that portion of Scripture Ser. IX 14. Whether a Christian may truly relye upon Jesus Christ for salvation and yet doubt whether he doth relye or no and not know he relyes but be strongly conceited he doth not * 15. Whether a Christian may truly relye upon Christ and yet find an abatement sometimes of the strength of his relyance and to his owne thoughts relye sometimes more sometimes lesse * 16. Whether a Christian may truly relye upon Christ and the promises and yet not at all times find an equall reliance upon all the promises but that he can at somtimes as he thinks more adhere to some promises then other and in generall better depend upon Gods spirituall promises for grace and heaven then his
lay with his Fathers concubines Amnon had defloured his sister c. Now David looking upon this personall unworthinesse both of his own person and of his children was humbled for it and in sadnesse of heart saith Although my house be not so ordered with God c. Not so ordered as it should be not ordered according to the mercies that I have received from God Yet see how he casts up another eye and views the covenant of God yet saith he The Lord hath made with me an 1. Everlasting covenant 2. Ordered and 3. Sure for this is my salvation c. Christian do thou the like thou porest upon thy self and readest a great deal of personall unworthinesse seest thousands of sins the least of which might damn thee and damn a world seest much mercy bestowed upon thee by God and all mercies abused by thee to the dishonor of God yet comfort thy self by eying Gods covenant and say Although my heart although my life be not so ordered with God although my soul be not so humbled before God yet the Lord hath made with me an everlasting covenant and a sure covenant the covenant of peace and grace with my soul was from eternity and therefore free and without cause in the creature I had neither an hard heart nor a soft heart when God made that covenant with me and it is a sure covenant as God never made a covenant with me for the softnesse and tendernesse of my heart so neither will he cast me off for the hardnesse of my heart and it is a covenant ordered in all things He hath made a covenant with me as to give me salvation so to give me such an heart as he requires of me in order unto my salvation and for this is my salvation I shall not be saved for the worthinesse of my house nor for the worthinesse of my person nor for the tendernesse of my heart but because he hath made a covenant with me Here is the ground-work here is the cause of my salvation Thus Christian eye 1. The eternity of the covenant 2. The surenesse of the covenant 3. The freenesse of the covenant 4. The particularity of the covenant God hath not made his eternall covenant at random with those souls that shall be broken hearted and shall beleeve No saith David he hath made with me a sure well-ordered everlasting covenant the other is Arminian and licentious Doctrine God hath made a covenant with thee and an everlasting covenant with thee and a sure covenant with thee eye this and say Well though my heart be not so humbled before God as it ought to be though my soul be not so broken though my whole man be not so ordered yet God hath made with me in particular an everlasting covenant sure well-ordered and for this is my salvation Secondly Eye the nature of God and Iesus Christ in the dispensations of his grace more The truth of it is the covenant the eternall covenant that God hath made with sinners is but a declaration of his grace but I conceive there may be a difference conceived between Gods declarations of his grace and his dispensations of his grace though that every dispensation of grace be a declaration of his grace yet every declaration of his grace is not a dispensation Declations of Grace may be generall Dispensations of grace are particular God declared his grace and love to mankinde when he made that promise The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head But now he made a dispensation of his grace when he gives a gracious soul power to draw out its part in this promise Now doest thou sit troubled that thy soul is not thus and thus humbled not enough brought low c. eye the dispensations the particular dispensations of Gods grace Consider to whom God hath made dispensations of his grace 1. In what manner God hath dispensed and revealed the dispensations of his Grace Sit down and think of the Saints of God that God hath dealt out his saving grace too and thou shalt finde them the most worthlesse and vile wretches To Paul the persecuter the blasphemer so hard-hearted that he could spill the blood of the tender-hearted Saints of God yet this Paul the Lord humbled and dealt out his grace to To Manasses so hard-hearted that he filled the land with innocent blood that nothing would humble but a gaole and shackles and setters yet this Manasses tasted of the divine dispensations of grace 2. Consider in what manner God hath dispensed his grace and revealed the dispensations of his grace to these poor creatures Indeed I am apt to beleeve that of all those Saints in Scripture not one saw Christ without a weeping eye a mourning heaâ—â— but yet this is certain that God hath not in his word set out to us the like humiliation of Lydia as of Paul and of the Gaoler Though I am of M. Shepheards minde that Lydia was humbled as well as Paul yet I conceive there are two things that we may gather for a souls comfort from the holy Ghosts so variously setting down Gods dealings with those souls whom he hath brought home to himself so fully and deeply expressing the sorrows of some as of Paul and Manasses and the Gaoler and so tacitely concealing the sorrows of others as of Lydia or so moderately revealing of them as concerning those converted at Saint Peters Sermon concerning whose humiliation we have onely this upon record that they were prickt at the heart I say I conceive there are two things that we may gather from it for a souls comfort under this affliction First That Gods dealings in this particular are not alike with every soul that he humbleth some more and deeplyer some lesse for his own end Which I hinted you before Secondly I conceive we may gather this from that various dealing of the holy Ghost in the word of God in expressing Gods way with his people viz. That it is Gods will that souls should not stumble upon this rock and stick here we are not yet enough humbled not thus and thus humbled we ought to look for some but not to stick at the want of the same measure of humiliation which some of the Saints of God have had Consider these things Christian weigh the reason of Gods so various dealing with his converts and various expressions of his dealing with them in his revealed word and let this comfort and direct thee and raise thee up say with thine own heart My soul why should these thoughts hinder thee from going on Gods dealings with all his converts is not alike and God would have in the same even manner surely have revealed the sorrows and humiliations of all his children as of any if he would have had me stumbled at this and made this a block in my way to him Thirdly Eye Gods nature in his promises Mark how the promises run whether absolutely oâ— conditionally and if conditionally whether upon this
not lay my hand upon it c. But Fourthly Christ dying p. 27. saith he Actuall doubtings may be in a soule who hath habituall faith for as he saith they are not opposed as life and death but as cold and heat water may have some cold and some heat in it at the same time Rutherford as life and sicknesse saith Mr. Rutherford sicknesse is neighbour with life Nay fifthly I may say more I thinke Faith and Doubting may be at the same time in the soul though not in the same thing I cannot beleeve this truth and yet doubt the same but I may beleeve this and doubt some otherâ— Yea Sixthly There is no beleever lives but hath had or hath doubtings Abraham Gen. 15. 2 3. David Psal â—16 11. See more p. 17 18 19. ib. The morning dawning of light may be light though there be some darknesse mixed with it Now to prove this position that Faith may consist with Doubtings Christ dying I can say no more then precious Mr. Rutherford hath said p. 27. who proveth it by these five Arguments First because Faith and Doubtings are not contradictories as life and death which mutually deny and expell one another but opposites as sicknesse and health in the same body may be successively Secondly Because Christ when he rebuked doubting yet supposed faith and acknowledged faith though a little faith in his Disciples Mat. 14. 31. Thirdly Because the Disciples prayed Lord increase our faith what needed that they had been at Ela at the highest pitch and note of faith if they had been above all doubtings Fourthly Because Christ prayed for Peter that when Satan winnowed him his faith might not fail it could not faile if every true faith were above all doubtings Fifthly and lastly from the various condition of the Saints of God here sometimes they have a full Moon â—non no Moon-light at all but a dark Eclipse I might adde the constant experience of Gods Saints Who lives and doth not thus sinne against God I appeale to the best experiences of Gods earthly Saints These things I thought good to premise for the right understanding and for the proving of this conclusion Now I will not enter into so large a field as to shew you all the Doubts that Christians may have Mr. Sedgwick hath done a great deale in this work in the Book before quoted but thus much I will doe First I will shew you what doubts and weaknesses and imperâ—ections may consist with true Faith in a gracious soule in relation to the severall acts of it Secondly I will shew you the differences betwixt those Doubts which often arise in and are consistent with Faith in a gracious soul and those which are damning dispairing doubts of Reprobates And first of the first of these CHAP. 8. What Doubtings and weaknesses in respect of knowledge may consist with true Faith in a gracious soule and how to satisfie the soule in this trouble THough some dispute knowledge to be aâ— act of Faith yet we say that it is required to the lowest and meanest act of Faith which is assent rather then an act of Faith of it self yet in regard many Christians that strive and labour after knowledge having wanted those meanes that others have had either in regard of hearing the Word or in regard of education have not attained to what they desire walk yet troubled about their condition in respect of their ignorance and because of this are ready to deny the grace of God in the work of true Faith in their soules Give me leave a little to speak something by way of satisfaction to such poor souls you shall heare them complain in this manner Complaint Alas I beleeve I have not yet stept the first step of a Christian. I have not so much as a knowledge of Gods Word I am a poor ignorant soule I know not halfe the mysterious doctrines of salvation can such an ignorant wretch as I be a beleever Besides for what I know I am ready to deny it sometimes I think this is the word and truth of God sometimes again I think it is not I fully beleeve nothing I know nothing I cannot read nor understand when I heare many things in Scripture I know not and for what I know I know nothing as â—ought to know it Here 's the complaint now satisfaction Now to speak a word or two by way of comfort and stay to the soule that labours under this trouble For thy knowing nothing as thou oughtest to know as thou complainest it is happy for thy soule if thou speakest from thy heart that God hath wrought thy heart into so low an opinion of thy self See what the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 8. 2. And if any man think that hee knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know it But now for thy reall ignorance that thou so much complainest of I shall propound a few considerations which wil shew thee how much ignorance may consist with true faith in the soule and then conclude all with a caution or two For the first First consider Thou mayest be ignorant in many points of Religion which are fundamentall in some sense and yet have faith true faith I think when we speak of fundamentals we ought to distinguish some fundamentalls are absolutely necessary our salvation stands upon them as to beleeve That Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners that he became man a Iesus a full Savior that he dyed for us that we might live that there is no salvation in any other but in him and that in him there is a fulnesse of salvation c. These now are those pillars upon which our salvation stands and the knowledge of which is alwayes supposed to true justifying faith none can be ignorant in these and beleeve For how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard which was the Apostles question but now there are other doctrines which are ordinarily called fundamentalls because they are such as Christians learn even in the beginning of their conversion such as are first taught and laid for a foundation to build other truths upon the doctrine of the imposition of hands resurrection of the dead c. are reckoned up by the Apostle for fundamentalls Heb. 6. 1 2. Now for these it is very possible that a Christian may be ignorant of them and yet have a true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ The Doctrine of the Trinity of the persons viz. That in the Deity there are three distinct manners of being three distinct subsistences distinguished each from other by their severall properties This is without question a fundamentall point of the second sort such as is usually taught Christians as a piece of the foundation of Religion yet I do verily beleeve that a Christian may beleeve and be in the state of grace and yet not be instructed fully but be ignorant in this Suppose a Minister should go preach to Heathens
the Spirit hath not the Spirit of prophesie For those Scriptures which it is necessary in point of salvation every beleever should know every beleever understands the nature of them God hath made the water shallow that the Lambs may wade but for those places through which the beleevers passages do not lie to Heaven in which the Elephants may swim God doth not require that every Lambe should sound those depths Fifthly A Christian may be so farre ignorant in the fundamentalls as that he cannot make them out and yet be a true beleever he may be ignorant in the particulars by which the generals are demonstrated as for example he may know that Christ dyed for him and rest upon the merits of his death for eternall life and so truly beleeve and yet not be able to make this out by reason of his ignorance how Christ being God should be capable of death how the humane and divine Nature were conjoyned hee may know that Christ satisfied by his active obedience for his actuall sinne and yet not perfectly understand how Christ being man should be free from sinne being conceived by the Holy Ghost The boyes Exercise may be true Latin though he cannot pierce every word The Disciples were beleevers yet were ignorant concerning the Resurrection yea concerning Christs union with the Father Luk. 24. 25. Ioh. 14. 4 5 6. The knowledge may bee cleare to them in the generall though through their infirmity and ignorance they be not able to cleare it up in the severall particulars Lastly They may bee so farre ignorant in the substantialls of Religion as that they cannot dispute them The faculty of beleeving and the art of disputing are two things I may know and beleeve that which I cannot maintaine upon dispute It is a knowne speech of that female Martyr I cannot dispute but I can dye for Christ if she had not beleeved she would not have dyed she could maintain her faith with her blood which shee could not maintaine with her tongue As every Scholler so every beleever is not a disputant It is good Logick in Divinity for the Christian to hold the conclusion though he knowes not what to say to the Sophisters premises But lest now some should thinke and say that I have laid Heaven a little too wide open I must limit what I have said with two Cautions To satisfie the poore doubting Christian in point of ignorance I have laid downe the truth in these Conclusions and shewed you how farre it is possible that a man may bee ignorant and yet a true Beleever But First It must bee provided hee bee not content with this ignorance but useth the meanes to increase knowledge searcheth the Scripture and heares the Word that this ignorance proceeds meerly out of infirmity not of wilfulnesse otherwise this knowledge will not bee sufficient It is given as the character of unbeleevers 2 Pet. 3. 5. 2 Pet. 3. That they were willingly ignorant Wee have an High-Priest who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way for as much as hee also was compassed about with infirmity Heb. 5. 2. But for the wilfully ignorant the High-Priest was to offer no Sacrifice Know therefore Christian that thou canst have no comfort that thou beleevest though thou beest ignorant unlesse appealing to thine owne heart thou canst say I have done what I can to dispell these mists of ignorance and learne the whole truth of God Christ Jesus will take the blind man by the hand Mar. 8. 23 24 25. if he beseecheth him to touch him provided hee be willing to receive his sight And as hee did not cast off the blinde man that at first saw men walking like Trees So hee will not cast off the Christian that at his first illumination sees divine truths like Trees not clearely distinctly and fully but as he dealt with that blinde man hee left him not there but hee put his hands againe upon him and made him see every man clearly So if thou belongest to Christ hee will put his hands againe upon thee and make thee see every portion of his divine truth more clearely hee will make thy dawning twilight be growing up to a mid-day of knowledge â— Pet 3. 18. Therefore Saint Peter layes it as his necessary injunction upon Beleevers That they should grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ That 's the first Caution Secondly this gnorance may bee consistent with true Faith in thee provided thou dost not deny the truth that thou dost not know Thou mayest have faith though thou dost not know what the Trinity is or how it is but if thou denyest the Trinity I make a question of thy truth of faith or possibility of salvation Ignorance of some truths is not damnable but the denyall of every truth when reveaâ—ed is damnable want of a cleare knowldge is not damnable but denyall of the truth because thou canst not clearely make it out is damnable Speak not evill of what thou knowest not but wait untill and pray that God would reveale it unto thee 1 Tim. 5. 8. 1 Tim. 5. 8. He hath denyed the Faith and is worse then an infidell There was a great difference betwixt the Disciples that had not yet learnt and the Sadduces that denyed the Resurrection I never yet learnt or read that any of the latter were beleevers the Disciple had not yet known the Father nor yet the son well Ioh. 14. 7 8 9. Io. 14 7 8 9. But the Apostle sayes He is Antichrist that denyeth the Father and the Sonne Ignorance of truth will be borne with but denyall of truth shall not Take heed of denying the truths thou dost not know Thus I have shewed you how true Faith may consist with doubtings concerning the point of knowledge which though it be not properly called an act of faith yet it is supposed in the lowest act and to satisfie you I have shewed you what ignorance may be consistent with true Faith and what not and with what Cauâ—ions a Christian may bee comforted concerning his faith notwithstanding his ignorance in some truths and some things not unnecessary to be known The Eighth SERMON LUKE 17. v. 5. Lord increase our faith CHAP. 9. Concerning those doubts and weaknesses which may consist with true Faith in respect to its act of Assent and how to comfort a soule under such troubles I Shall now go on to shew you what doubts a Christian that truely beleeves may have consistent with his Assent which I laid down as the first act of faith for knowledge is rather supposed to faith then an act of it You may remember I told you Assent is an act of faith whereby the Beleever doth firmly fully and clearly agree to the truth of God revealed in his Word Now sayes the doubting Christian Alas I have no faith I scarce assent to the Word of God at all or if I
as a truth and it hath the attest of my heart Now in this regard a Christian cannot be properly and positively said to assent unto any truth of God which he doth not know though it be contained in the Word of Truth to which hee doth fully and firmly assent As for example it was a truth that the beleeving Romanes were not after Christ was come tyed to dayes and meats it was a truth of Gods Word yet it is cleare â—4 Rom. 4 5 6. c that they did not know and were not convinced of this truth and so consequently did not could not assent unto this particular truth though in Gods Word yet it is clear that they were true beleevers and so consequently did assent unto the whole word of truth conjunctim though not to every particular portion and piece of truth contained in that word divisim Phil. 3. 15. there is a further revelation of truth for beleevers If any saith the Apostle be otherwise minded God shall reveale this to him but till that revelation there cannot be expected a full assent onely thus farre The Christian that is the true beleever doth not dissent from any truth in the Word of God but prayes for the increase of knowledge that so his faith also may increase in the closing with the truth and giving full assent unto the Truth of the Lord Jesus Christ 2. It may be occasioned through weaknesse Possibly something may be taught from the Word of God which is the Truth of God that I heare and cannot altogether and firmly assent unto and close with for truth As put case it be the baptizing of infants without question it is the truth of God and a truth revealed in his Word that infants ought to be baptized and it is a robbing of the child of its right not to bring it to that holy Sacrament yet through weaknesse some that yet do assent to the Word of God and would gladly close with every portion of truth revealed in it dare not assent to this particular portion of Truth but are grieved for their weaknesse in it and desire to walk up to every portion of truth they know in the word shall wee say their faith is not true in any clearely revealed piece of truth because to this they cannot declare a full assent though even froÌ„ this they do not dissent so as to deny this to be a truth but labour after a more cleare manifestation of it God forbid hee that conceales the Truth in unrighteousnesse indeed cannot bee said to beleeve but he that to some particular portion of truth not absolutely necessary to salvation is a debtor through weaknesse I conceive cannot come alwayes within the censure of an infidell 'T is one thing peremptorily to deny any particular portion of truth and another thing not to subscribe to it and by a present assent not to close with it Fourthly A Christian that is a true beleever may possibly not assent to the true meaning of Scripture yea close with a false meaning in this or that particular place Beleevers judgments are not all of a Last and many a one that doth fully and firmly assent to every tittle of Gods Word doth not cannot alwayes subscribe to the judgement of this or that man or to the ordinarily received opinion of godly men concerning such or such a portion of Scripture Scripture is very deep who can finde it out and though the Holy Ghost hath left some shallowes that the meanest Christian may wade through yet there are also some depths which are past finding out places about which the learned in the world have posed themselves VVe see it an ordinary experience even in the dayes wherein we live such or such an Exposition hath been received almost of all former Writers yet when one of us cometh to examine the grounds of such or such a sense and to weigh the context and compare it with other places of Scripture though we assent to the truth if it be one as wrapt up in some other portions of Scripture yet we cannot assent to it as the truth of that place and yet possibly it may be too that theirs is the truth of it and ours is the errour Every misbeleever is not an unbeleever nay yet further A man may misunderstand some places of Scripture and thereupon hold that to be truth which is not so it be not in the points that are necessary and fundamentall to salvation and yet have true faith and yeeld true assent unto the Word of God Every particular imperfection in a righteous mans life will not argue that a man is an unrighteous man in the generall nor every deviation from truth argue a man an heretick nor every mistake of truth argue that a man doth not assent unto the truth of Gods Word The Disciples did verily beleeve that Christ should have a reall Kingdome upon the face of the earth that should break in pieces all other Kingdomes and consume them utterly Acts 1. 6. as is cleare Acts 1. 6. They asked of him Wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel And the mother of Zebedees children was speaking for Courtiers places for her sons which was but a plaine and cleare mistake of that place in the 2 of Daniel 44. yet who durst but say they had true faith 2 Dan. 44. So many in these dayes do clearly beleeve that Christ shall reign personally here upon earth a thousand years with his Saints it is the Millenaries opinion which for my part I do not think it is true and I think that is the opinion of the most and I think it is a cleare mistake of that place Rev. 20. 4. and other places Revel 20. v. 4. yet I would be loth to say that one cannot assent and truly assent to the Word of God that runs upon this mistake surely such an opinion is consistent with true faith indeed if a man doth not fully assent to those truths revealed in Scripture that hold the foundation of faith firm and stedfast then you may suspect the truth of his pretended faith I come to the last Conclusion Fifthly A Christian may truly beleeve and truly and clearly assent unto the truth of God though he cannot in all things give a cleare evidence for his assent This is that which puzleth many a Christian Alas I cannot clearly discern the truth of God in his Word I may think I assent but can I be said to assent to that which I cannot clearly see and comprehend and make out Yes without question there are but very few truths of God which the Christian hath a clear and full sight of and gives a cleare assent unto for a clearnesse of assent must proceed from a clearnesse of knowledge Now a truth may be cleare to a mans soule two wayes 1. To the eye of his Reason 2. To the eye of his Faith There are some truths which are clear even to the naturall man to
the eye of his reason as that there is a God that we are all gone a stray from the wayes of God in which we were first see to these even the carnall man may give a cleare attest for he sees a great deal of reason that demonstrates these and such like truths unto him But now there are some truths which to the eye of Reason are as dark as midnight as Christs assuming the humane nature and the Doctrine of the Trinity and the sublime Doctrine of Christs union with the soule c. Now these also in some manner are cleare to the spirituall mans eye of Faith in regard that he doth beleeve the Word of God and that so plainly holds out these divine truths it is clear to him that they are truths he sees a great deale of reason for him to beleeve contrary to reason but yet when he comes to think how should these things be and so puzle his faith with reason he doth not clearly then see that upon a particular enquiry which in a generall notion seemed very cleare unto him as in particular that truth concerning the essentiall and reall union betwixt Jesus Christ and the soule the true Beleever thinks he sees it very clearly and beleeves it very stedfastly while he onely considers the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it and looks upon it as it is a truth but now when he comes to consider how should this be there that knowledge which seemed cleare before appeares very dark and misty and so concerning assent which followes the knowledge of any truth I remember a passage of a Reverend Divine of our owne There is a manifestation of things by reason and by revelation an evidence direct and not direct and evidence direct and by consequence an evidence of the thing in it selfe and by the effect matters of faith are manifest by revelation but in reason insearchable and incomprehensible The Divinity of the Scripture is in it self evident to the spirituall man so is it that there is a providence other things are evident from this ground Ball upon faith p. 22. thou mayest not judge that thou hast no faith or that thou dost not assent to the truth of God because every truth in the Scripture is not in it self evident unto thee so as thou canst give a cleare and rationall assent unto it it may be a clear assent to the truth in generall though not in the particulars there it may be dark as in that Doctrine of the Trinity I may be perswaded and clearely to my thinking see that there is a Trinity it may be a notion as cleare as the Sunne unto me because I take the witnesse of Gods Word as a sufficient evidence to me but yet if I will go pose my Faith with Reason I shall not be able from an evidence of Reason to give direct assent unto that truth It may be cleare as any thing to my faith That Gods essentiall presence is wholly every where yet when I come now to look to see this with reason how the incomprehensible God should be wholly in this or that roome when I come neer I have a very dark sight and my assent is scarce clear to this truth Some Pictures the further you stand off them the more you see of them it is a clearer sight that you have of the picture at a distance then close by it So it is with some divine truths they seem very cleare to the Christian aloofe off while he onely views them with the eye of his faith and does not come neer them with the feet of his reason but if once he drawes neer with those earthy feet to them they seem very dark And thus I have shewed you what doubts a Christian may meet withall in relation to his assent what weaknesses may be incident to it and consistent with it though arguing imperfection and weaknesse 1. He may doubt whether he doth assent or or no and yet at that time truly assent and close with the Word of Truth 2. He may doubt whether the Scriptures be the Word of God or no or at least may be tempted to doubt and there I have given some marks by which a Christian may distinguish a temptation to doubting from a reall doubting proceeding from unbeleefe 3. Hee may doubt concerning some particular truths in the Word of God and through ignorance or weaknesse not fully assent to them and yet fully close with the Word so farre as is revealed to him 4. He may doubt concerning the meaning of this or that portion of Scripture and dissent from the ordinarily received truth of it and yet truely assent to the Word of God yea he may mistake a Scripture and hold that as a truth from that Scripture upon his mistake which is indeed an errour and yet savingly assent to the Word of Truth so it be not in necessary fundamentals Lastly he may not clearely by an evidence of Reason or a direct and distinct evidence of Faith assent unto severall truths which are in the Word of God and yet truly assent unto the Word Thus you see true Faith may consist with much weaknesse and doubting as with much imperfection and ignorance in respect of the required knowledge so with much imperfection and doubting in relation to the act of assent Make use of this to see Gods goodnesse that wil take such sacrifices at our hands not to presume to hug these imperfections but be alwayes striving against them 1. Caution provided we alwayes strive against them that thou dost not wilfully cherish any of them there are many and may bee many deficiencies in the understanding that God will passe over but if they come to bee the rebellions of the will thou shalt know hee is angry It is said Rom. 4. 19. 20. that Abraham staggered not through unbeleefe Abraham doubted through infirmity though when he lay with Hagar and bid Sara say she was his sister Strive against these weaknesses and let them be thine meerly through weaknesse if they be not of wilfulnesse meerly of infirmity not through unbeleef and the Lord is mercifull and thy faith may be true If thou dost stedfastly assent to all the Truth of God that is the foundation of faith and necessary to salvation and fully and impartially close with the whole Word of God and every particular portion of truth in it when it is once cleare to thee that it is a syllable of that Word of Truth and livest a life answerable to it though for the present thou thinkest thou dost not assent and though thou mayest be tempted sometimes to doubt of the whole Scripture and though thou mayest doubt concerning some particular truths that are taken for truths and are so and concerning this or that portion of Scripture and mayest take up that as a truth which is an errour from it and though thou mayest not for the present by a cleare evidence of reason or a direct and distinct evidence of faith assent
them how p. 253. And in the object how 255. And in their duration how p. 259. They are in them most in the morning p. 258. They may have some such clouds in the day p. 259. Those in the day are fewer and weaker then those in their morning why 259. 260. They differ in the effects five different Effects mentioned in Believers p. 262. 263. 264. 265 E How to satisfie those that think they ought not to believe because they think they are not Elected p. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. The truth concerning Election in five particulars p. 57. Papists and Libertines Errours concerning it p. 58. It is not the object of our faith p. 59. 60. 61. It cannot be known in particular till we believe p. 62. 63. And till we know we believe p. 66. It is a piece of sense p. 66. It is unto the meanes as well as the end p. 65. 66. Nothing but unbeliefe can justly make us think we are not Elected p. 64. Clear Evidence for assent not absolutely necessary to true Faith p. 148. Difference of Evidences p. 150. F Faith may be weak in the best p. 5. 6. Reasons of it p. 3. 5. 6. A direction for the encrease of it p. 9. Notes of a weak Faith p. 10. How it is to be taâ—en in the Question whither Repentance goes before Faith p. 12. That Question truly stated p. 15. Faith in some sence must goe before humiliation p. 19. Faith preached without humiliation how farre dangerous p. 24. It is not the apprehension of particular Election but the application of generall promises p. 59. 60. It s object is revealed promises not hidden Decrees p. 160. True Faith will consist with much weaknesse in its severall acts p. 122. 123. The severall acts of Faith p. 115. 116. 117. Iustifying Faith set out in Scripture by six words p. 116. 155. Satisfaction to such as doubt the work of Faith in their souls p. 108. 109. c. It may be saving and strong without assurance p. 212. 213. How it is certaine without assurance p. 214. 215. Falling in what degree it must be to make up the sin against the Holy Ghost p. 100. Feeling double of strength and peace p. 222. What each is 222. Not Feeling doth not argue not being p. 223. Feeling at the best is but a disputable and deceivable Evidence p. 237. 238. It is in none alwayes alike Reasons of it p. 239. 240. Not Feeling is no just excuse for our not believing p. 242. 243. Causes of not Feeling how to remove them p. â—44 Feeling must be waited for p. 44. Fundamentals what are so properly so calld a difference of Fundamentals p. 127. G Gods wisedome and goodnesse and Charters of Free-Grace how slandred p. 67 God gets great glory by pardoning great sinners p. 84. 85. Going before how to be understood in the Question whither faith goeth before repentance p. 13. Grace enough in God for the greatest sinners p. 72. 73. Free-Grace hath lookt upon as great sinners as wee are p. 80. Infinite Free-Grace never yet did its utmost p. 81. 82. H Hatred of God and Gods people in what degree it must be to make an ingredient into the Sinne against the Holy Ghost p. 99. 100. Heaven and Glory are not so inconsiderable but they are worth ventring for p. 68. 69. Humiliation whither it goes before Faith or no p. 12 13. 14. It doth how proved by Reason Scripture and Experience p. 16. 17. 18. It is a work of speciall grace how Christs works it what followes from that p. 20. it doth not hinder the freenesse of grace it is it selfe a fruit of it p. 22. It was in Paul a case of Conscience concerning it largely handled p. 26. 27. 28. 29. It doth ordinarily goe before faith p. 28. 29. It is cald for in the thing but God hath set no measure p. 29. Nor can be set by man p. 30. It is various in divers p. 30. Three sorts of persons God uses to humble deeply p. 30. His dealings with those are various p. 30. 31. A note to be gathered from the Scriptures sparing relation of Lydia's Humiliation p. 31. Moveable dispositions usually not so deeply humbled p. 32. Various comforts for them that finde not themselves so deeply humbled as others p. 32. 33. Three ends of Humiliation p. 33. 34. 35. 36. If wee finde the Ends of it wrought we need not bee troubled about the measure of the meanes p. 33. 34. 35. 36. It works in the soule a loathing of sinne that 's one end of it p. 33. Five rules of Dr Sibbs to know when it is sufficient p. 34. It makes us in a capacity to receive Christ p. 35. It inhanceth our value of Christ p. 36. The measure of it may be mis judged p. 36. How wee must measure it to judge of it aright p. 36. 37. It must be measured both in length and breadth p. 37. inside 〈◊〉 outside p. 37. The whole work of it is not done when wee begin to believe p. 38. It is not a ground of Faith nor acceptation p. 39. 40. 41. 42. Directions for such Christians as conceive they are not enough humbled p. 43. 44. 45. 46. Humiliation how its nature ought to be considered so as to comfort a troubled soul p. 50. It must be more and more laboured after p. 51. Mr Shephards opinion of it p. 51. Severall directions given by Dr Preston and Mr Shephard and the Author for increasing this work in the soule p. 52. 53. 54. Prayer the surest direction for it p. 54. I Ignorance how farre and in what particulars it is consistent with true Faith p. 127. 128. 129. 130 c. Ignorance 1 in some fundamentals 2 in circumstantials 3 in the History of Scripture 4 in substantialls and fundamentals so farre that we cannot dispute them or make them out in particulars may be consistent with true Faith 127. 128. 129. 130. 131. 132. Provided wee bee not content with but strive against such Ignorance p. 133. Justification is not formally before faith reasons for it p. 209. Justifying Act of Faith what it is and the six words Mr Ball expresseth it by in his Treatise of Faith p. 116. K Knowledge no act of saving Faith p. 125. In what degree and manner it must be in those that can be guilty of the Sinne against the Holy Ghost p. 97. 98. A low opinion of our owne knowledge a good signe p. 126. L Lydiae's conversion without any humiliation cannot bee proved foure answers to the objection drawn from her example against precedent humiliation Mr Shepards opinion of it p. 24. 25. M Melancholy oftentimes is a cause of a Christians doubting p. 164. Misbelief no Vnbeliefe p. 147. Misunderstanding of Scripture not impossible to a Belâ—â—ver p. 147. O 8. Objections answered made against that truth viz. that Humiliation ordinarily precedes Iustifying Faith in the Act p. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. Opposition of truth in what degree and of
unto severall truths which are in the word provided 1. That thou assentest to all truths that are necessarily to be beleeved to salvation and the foundations of Faith 2. Provided thou strivest against other doubtings and labourest to get a sense of Faith and a strength to resist the Devils temptations and to be convinced of every particular truth and of thy errour if it bee one which thou hast taken up from some mistaken portion of Scripture and labourest for a more cleare and distinct knowledge of every truth that so thy assent may be more cleare every day than other The Ninth SERMON LUKE 17. v. 5. Lord increase our faith I Am shewing you what doubts may consist in a gracious soule with true faith I have already shewed what weaknesse may consist with faith in respect of knowledge and what doubts in relation to the meanest and lowest act of faith which is assent It is my task at this time to shew you what doubts and weaknesses may consist with saving faith in a gracious soule in relation to the second act which is indeed the essence and marrow of justifying faith that is the act of adhering the soules rolling relying and wholly depending it selfe upon Jesus Christ for salvation for although the soules assenting to the promise and being perswaded of the promise as a sure and stedfast word of truth be an act of faith yet it is concluded by most or all godly and sober Divines that it is not the act of faith that justifies but as it is concluded against the Antinomians and Libertines on one side that it is not faith of assurance that onely justifies so it is also concluded against the Papists on the other side that it is not an assent to and perswasion of the truth of the Word that justifieth the soule but that true justifying faith though it doth suppose both knowledge and assent yet it doth especially consist in the soules rollings and throwing it selfe upon the Lord Jesus Christ for eternall salvation and adhering to the promises as its portion And therefore it is observed by learned and gracious Mr. Ball 1 Par. p. 24. in his Treatise of Faith that there are six words in Scripture by which the Holy Ghost doth in Scripture expresse to us true and saving faith This I have noted before every one of which doth denote unto us that the very essence and marrow of true and saving faith is a reliâ—nce and dependance of the soule upon Christ The first is Beleeve opposed to fainting Psal 27. 13. it argues a staying of the soule upon something when it was falling swooning fainting c. The second word is Trust his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. A third word is translated trust but signifies to betake to as a Castle Psal 2. 11. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him A fourth word signifies to leane upon as a man leanes himselfe upon a staffe 2 Chron. 16. v. 7 8. A fifth word signifies to stay and rest the minde upon Isa 48. 2. They stay themselves upon the God of Israel A sixth word signifies to roll a mans selfe upon a thing as a man in danger of drowning catcheth hold of a Willow and hang upon it all which words denote to us that the true and proper distinguishing act of true justifying faith is the soules rolling it selfe upon the promises of life and upon Christ for eternall salvation I take true justifying faith so far as it is the soules act by the vertue and strength of the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ infused in relation to this act to be this for a soul wholly and stedfastly and solely and obediently to rest and roll it self upon the Lord Iesus Christ for eternall life Now in this act of true and saving faith there may be a great deale of weaknesse and it may be accompanied with a great deale of doubting CHAP. X. Concerning those weaknesses which may consist with true faith in a gracious soule and how to satiisfie the soule that conceives it doth not truly rely upon Christ because it doth not finde that it can rely so fully and constantly as it desires nor upon all the promises alike ALas sayes a poor soul I cannot think that I do really rest and râ—l my self upon Iesus Christ and the promises for eternall life when I do rest as I think I am ready again to think I doe not and if I be in a frame of heart one day that I think that now I can roll my self upon Christ and trust his promises another day again I can trust nothing if sometimes I do cleave to the word of life as sweet and pretious and imbrace it as true and prize Christ and value his Word above all sensuall delights whatsoever and hunger and thirst after it and after Christ another while again I cleave to a sensuall good more then to a spirituall promise or an heavenly Christ and besides I cannot rely upon God for the fulfilling of every promise there are some of Gods promises that I think I could rest upon God for fulfilling of others again I cannot for my life though I am perswaded that they are equall words of truth with the other trust God for nor can I be fully perswaded that the promises do really and peculiarly belong to me Now to satisfie the soule in this particular I will shew you what doubtings and weaknesses may be in the soule and yet the soule at that time may have received and may rest and rely and roll it self upon the Lord Iesus Christ for the promises of salvation and may at the same time have true saving justifying faith this is my work to which I am to addresse my selfe Know for thy comfort First Thou mayest fully and wholly rely thy soule upon Iesus Christ and yet not beleeve thou dost fully and wholly rest Reliance and dependance is necessary to Faith not full perswasion of such a reliance I meane justifying faith Reliance is a necessary act of Faith full perswasion of such a reliance is a comfortable act of Faith depending and relying is the act of this hand helped by Gods Spirit full perswasion of this reliance is more the shining of Gods face then the act of our soules Labour more to get evidences of the truth of thy act of faith then of the degrees of it Christ may be in the room and yet not seen he may be in the midst of thy heart and saying Peace be to this soule and yet the doores of thy sense be shut Heaven is a thing unseen and he that measureth his faith by his eye may call an Ephah an Omer especially if thou wilt not think that thou hast faith unlesse thou canst see a truth of the very act and refuse to take an evidence for thy sense from the effects of faith The acts of the minde are secret acts of which as I said before we are very ill Judges Resting and relying upon Christ is