is an assent a yielding in thy soul to the word of God an agreement to the truth of it Exod. 14. 31. Israel beleeved the Lord and his servant Moses viz. gave credence and assent agreed that it was just and good and true that the Lord spake and relied upon the authority of him that spake it So by this act of Faith doth the beleever when he hears the word of God revealed concerning his salvation he closeth with it as suppose that Ioh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever beleeves in him should not perish but have everlasting life Or that of the Apostle There is no other name under heaven whereby a man may be saved but the name of Iesus or that again This a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners Faith now doth not onely know this but closeth with God in these truths And so concerning the promises of salvation when God sayes Though your sins were as scarlet I will make them as snow though they were as crimson yet they shall be white as wooll Faiths work now is to perswade the soul to an assent to and credence of the truth of this good word of God yea and it is not every assent that is an act of Faith neither First It must be a stedfast assent The beleever doth as verily beleeve the promise of God as that he doth live he sayes in his heart and with his whole heart First The word that tells me this is the world of an ever-living and unchangeable God and it is undoubtedly his Word Secondly It is the word of a true and faithfull God The Apostle calls Gods Word The word of truth And it is the word of truth either materially the matter of it is truth or objectively the object of it is truth It hath the God of truth for the Author It is whole truth for the matter And this the beleever gives full and stedfast credit unto Secondly Yea and he gives credit to every truth that the word of God holds out to him as truth Faith quickens the soul to thirst after full discoveries of truth and quickens the soul to receive every beam of the light of truth that shines into it The Hebrews say That there is not the least tittle of the law upon which great mountains do not depend The beleever saith there 's not the least jot in the word of God upon which great mountains of truth do not depend not any leaf but the God of truth is wrapt up in I remember that it was Gods command in the 28. cha of Deut. That when the severall curses were read all the people should say Amen and that not to this or that curse but at the denuntiation of every curse all the people said Amen I do not reade the like command when the blessings were pronounced yet without question their assent was required to them as well as the other But our hearts are ready enough to say Amen to blessings and promises but we would not say Amen to threatnings and curses Now the beleever gives assent and credence to the word of God V. Balls Treat of Faith 1. p. even there where it seemeth most to strike at his own interest and happinesse he beleeves all things that are written in the law and the Prophets Acts 24. 14. Yea and he gives thirdly a clear assent to the word of God and every portion of it He is not like him that saith Amen to any thing he will give his assent to every piece of the word of God and yet not a blinde assent to any piece of it but every truth that he assents unto shines into his soul with a light as clear as the suns at high-noon-day As Christ told the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. 22. You worship you know not what but we know what we worship The discourse had been very high about very great mysteries Christ had told her of a strange gift he would give her Living water v. 10. That should have a strange quality even a quality to quench thirst for ever v. 14. She gave some assent to this the water pleased her tast but it was but a blinde assent for she dreamed of such a water as might satisfie her bodily thirst that she might no more come thither to draw And v. 20. When she made a confession of her Faith to Jesus Christ that it was just of the same length bredth of her fathers not an inch longer nor shorter a Faith of the same last with most now a dayes Christ told her that in the dayes to come there should be a strange kinde of worshipping the Father Neither at Ierusalem nor yet in that mountain Ye worship saith he you know not what but we know what we worship Many assent this day to the word of God They assent to it that there is a Christ come into the world to save sinners c. None will deny this but it is in their brains but as a dark notion or else they have received it as a tradition of their fathers Our forefathers religion is a great plea in these dayes The Samaritans they worshipped they gave a kinde of a blinde credence and assent to some things that were truths in the word But alas they worshipped they knew not what they had no clear distinct knowledge of those truths that they made an orall profession of and with their mouths did pretend assent to So wicked and profane men now a dayes give a kinde of an assent to the word of God and to the Doctrine of Jesus Christ but it is far from the meanest and lowest act of true Faith When they hear or have received it from tradition that Christ was born of a Virgin or that Christ though eternall God yet was also perfect man that he died for sinners c. The wretches will tell you they beleeve these things But alas they assent not to them as clear distinct truths made out evidently and convincingly to their souls they say they professe they worship they know not what They understand not these things The natural man receiveth not the things of God for they are foolishnesse unto him 1 Cor. 2. 14. nor can he know them for they are spiritually discerned He gives his blinde assent and perhaps will set his hand to them but he doth but set his hand to a blank if he does Nor can it be otherwise for the carnall man hath nothing but the bucket of carnall reason to draw with out of the unfadomable depth of the mysteries of salvation and while he hath nothing else thus reason disputes and cannot but dispute in his soul If Christ be God How could he be born or dye reason cannot answer these questions therefore they seem dark to the poor blinde wretch and though he professes he gives credence to the word of God in these particulars Yet his assent
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
sinned against knowledge Thirdly Therefore consider This sin which is the unpardonable sin must be a setled sin of thy own continued in without repentance and will be more then a sin of thy heart That it is first begot in the heart as all other sin is is a truth but it goeth out of it blasphemy is properly committed with the tongue without question the heart and tongue and hand have all a portion in this sin unpardonable but it is not in the thought onely Besides 2. It may be thy blasphemous thoughts which thou hast in thy heart are none of thine own for such thoughts there are oft times in a Christian that are meerly cast in by Sathan into the soul neither bred in nor nursed by the soul nor delighted in but are like the childe that was dead laid by the true mother by another womans side It is a little question whether these thoughts be sins or no if spurned out and rejected by thee whether they shall be put upon thine or upon Sathans score The contrary is determined by most of our divines to answer for It is by all granted that if they be sins they are the least of sins as suppose I should have a thought in my heart that there is no Christ but he whom the Gospel speaks of were an impostor I know not how this thought came there I have a suggestion to beleeve it but my heart rises against it cries avoid Sathan I pray against it humble my self that my base heart should ever have such a guest for my part I make a great question whether these thoughts be a souls sins any more then if a strumpet should come and lay a childe in an open porch or entry of an honest woman it would prove that the honest woman were the mother because the bastard lay in her entry or house unlesse the law so adjudged it in regard the door or entry was open So unlesse you will say that the heart sins by being no better shut then to let such a thought be thrust in questionlesse the very thought as a formall sinfull thought or motion is not the souls but Sathans But however if it be thy sin for which thou hast cause to be humbled Yet it is far from this sin this must be a constant owner and possessor of thy heart and a sin of a far higher nature then ten thousand such thoughts are Fourthly Thou sayest O but I have sinned many times against knowledge against the light of my conscience Consider therefore That though this sin be a sin aginst knowledge yet every sin against knowledge is not this sin Without question Iacob â—inned against knowledge in saying he was his fathers son His very son Esau and David in committing murther and adultery and Peter in denying his Master All these were sins against knowledge and yet none of them sins against the Holy-ghost It must be a sin against the knowledge 1. Of a divine Truth 2. Of some fundamentall truth of the Gospel 3. Distinctly made known to thee This is plain from the sixth of the Heb. 4 5 6. and 10. 26. And from the Pharisees commission of this sin Mat. 12. 31. They were â—onvinced of it as a truth that Jesus Christ was the 〈◊〉 of God and did those miracles he did by the power of the Divine Nature yet sinned in their saying before the people This man casteth out Devils by Beelzebâ—â— the Prince of Devils Sins of knowledge against the law directly are far from this sin also the sin of our first parents it is a sin against the enlightening grace of the spirit of God yea though thou hast denied some truth not fundamentall c. Indeed for all such sins as these are thou hast very great cause to be humbled Christian and to â—it down and mourn bitterly that these wickednesses may be forgiven and doing so thou needst not despair of the pardon of them But alas saith a poor Christian I have in a passion or sicknesse when I knew it was the hand of God blasphemed God or I have at such a time for fear of threats of death denied the work of God and the truth of God c. Fifthly Therefore consider That though the deniall of thy knowledge and the truth of God be a great piece of this sin yet it is not enough to constitute it and besides it must be another manner of deniall then that which thou complainest of It must be a deliberate and advised deniall not rash and sudden It is not enough to constitute this sin for there must be a blasphemy Secondly An opposition to it Secondly It is true that deniall is an ingredient in this unpardonable â—in But it must be 1. A wilfull deniall free not arising from fear Peter so denied his Master and many of the Martyrs denied yea and abjured the Faith But either First Sathan by his temptations Secondly Or the weaknesse of their flesh occasioned it for they at the same time loved Christ and the truth of Christ 2. It must be a deniall on purpose to discredit the truth out of a venome and malice of heart to it I may deny a fundamentall truth in an argument and disputation to see how another can prove it yet I have not sinned the sin against the Holy-ghost I hope 3. It must be a constant deniall If they shall fall away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies falls all in shatters so as an old rotten house not well at first put together Comfort thy self therefore Christian thou hast not sinned the sin against the Holy-ghost though thou hast possibly inadvisedly spake with thy lips yea though through the violence of Sathans temptations and wickednesse or weaknesse of thy heart for fear thou hast denied thy Saviour and his truth onely go out and weep bitterly renew thy love regain thy favour confesse him before men Thus many of the Martyrs did rending their recantations or abjurations and suffring Martyrdom gloriously But yet will some poor Christian say Alas yet I fear I have sinned this sin I have hated such a godly man envied that goodnesse which I saw in him I could hardly endure such a man whom I am confident is the Saint of God c. Consider therefore in the sixth place Sixthly That the hatred and envy of every godly man nor every envy of his goodnesse or every opposition against him for it doth not make thee guilty of this unpardonable sin It is possible thou mayest hate a man that is a godly man for some civill injury he hath done thee or thy friend possibly thou mayeâ—â— do it ignorantly verily thinking he is nought possibly thy envy of him may be an emulation not being sorry that the truth lives in him but angry to see the graces of Gods spirit live in him and not thee these now are far from unpardonable sins nor is every opposition of the truth of Jesus Christ or the professors of the truth an opposition
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
do many truths there are that I cannot assent unto and those which I doe assent to sometimes me thinks I do assent to them and sometimes again no and when I am at the best my assent is so misty and dark that I almost assent to I know not what Now I shall shew thee how much weaknesse and doubting in relation to this act of faith may yet be consistent with true justifying saith in thee I shall shew it for thy direction and establishment in these particulars First of all A Christian that is a true beleever may think that he doth not assent unto the Word of God when indeed he doth It is a known maxime in Divinity That faith may be true without sense of faith True Faith is one thing and sense of faith is another and as it is with the other acts of faith so it is with this also As a man may cheat himselfe that he doth assent and consequently truely beleeve though all the world may see that he doth nothing lesse by his irregular walking contrary to his professed assent So it is as true that a Christian may truly assent unto the truth of God though he conceits he doth not assent wee are ordinarily ill Judges of the acts of our mind because they are secret and occult acts which traffique between the soule and Heaven in an invisible way and therefore the truth or falshood of these acts is ordinarily discerned by the outward acts of our body as if I hear a man professing that his soule doth assent and close with that portion of Gods Word 1 Cor. 6. 9. Neither fornicators nor idolators nor adulterers nor effeminate persons nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor theeves nor covetous persons nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God yet at the same time see he lives in them very sinnes he shall pardon me if I do think that he doth not assent and whatsoever his tongue speaks yet his heart doth not close with it as a truth of Jesus Christ So on the contrary if I heare a true Christian complaining that he cannot get his heart to close with the Word of God and what ever the world thinks hee doth not assent to the truth yet if I see this man fearing to sin against God and trembling at the threatning Word of God and walking as even as he can set his feet according to the directive part of Gods Word that as David he makes the Word of God a light unto his feet and a lanthorn unto his paths Let them think what they will they shall give me leave to think that they doe assent unto and close with the Word of God Take a proof of it Ionas 3. v. 5. Ionas there had preached against Nineveh Ion. 3. v. 4. yet 40 dayes and Nineveh shall be destroyed v. 5. So the people of Nineveh beleeved God that is gave a full assent and â—redence to the Word of God were perswaded that that which Ionah spake to them in the Name of the Lord was true But how shall we know that the Holy Ghost tells us it was evident by the effects they proclaimed a fast and put on sack-cloth from the greatest of them to the least it was manifest by their actions in relation to this Sermon studying and labouring what they could to pacifie the wrath of God before the 40. dayes were come about that they did verily think it was a word of truth that Ionas spake to them and that they were perswaded and from this assertion of the Holy Ghost we may certainly conclude that when we see men living and acting according to the Word of God and squaring their lives by the compasse of it they do beleeve that is assent unto it as a word of truth whether they will confesse so much or no As when we see a man build houses purchase lands give great portions to his children keep a great house we may conclude he is rich though he goes as if he were not worth a groat and though he will tell you he is not worth a groat The heart is the seat of assent and the throne of faith confession is not essentiall nor sense materiall to it Sense of faith is comfortable but truth and sincere reality of faith is that which is necessary Confession of faith with our lips brings glory to God externally but it is the reality of faith in the heart which brings glory to God internally It is he that doth assent that doth the will of God not he alwayes that saith he doth it or thinks he doth it Mat. 21. 28. We have a parable propounded by Christ to his Disciples it was of a man that had two sonnes and hee came to first and said Son go work to day in my Vineyard he answered and said he would not but yet hee repented and went And he came to the second and said likewise and he answered and said I go Sir and went not whether of the twain saith Christ did the will of his Father They said unto him The first To apply it God sayes unto all men Beleeve and close with and be perswaded of my truth One sayes I do beleeve and assent but his irregular life is such that all the world â—ees he gives his tongue the lye Another sayes Lord I doe not assent to and beleeve it yet he dares not swerve a foot from it Which of these do you think does the will of Christ Surely the latter though he will not say nor think that he doth it but suffers his tongue to give his heart the lye indeed sense and perswasion of faith is that which we ought to strive after to be perswaded that we do close with the truth of Christ but yet many a one doth that which he doth not know he doth the Christian is his own worst Judge and doth and will do more a great deale for God then he will speak of But I hasten to the second Secondly A true beleever may sometimes doubt whether the Word of God be the Word of God or no or indeed may be tempted to do it rather then do it this is that which troubles many a gracious Christian Alas they do not beleeve the Word of God they are troubled with many Atheisticall and blasphemous thoughts that they cannot tell what to think whether the Word be the Word of God or onely as Atheists dreame a modell of Scripture drawn by some to keep mens consciences in awe c. and this makes them conclude Tush I cheat my own soule to think I have faith when I question even the principles of Christianity c. and shake the foundation with one shake and yet at the very same time they live close to the rule of it and it hath a strict and severe command over their consciences Now this I say is rather a temptation to doubt of the truth of Gods Word in their soules then a reall and positive doubt The Devill
at this instant in the midst of all your sad doubts walk closely with God according to the rule of his word Canst thou say Though I have been afflicted very much yet have I not departed from thy judgments Bee of good comfort Christian God shall wipe these teares from thy eyes And the God of Peace shall bruise Sathan under your feet shortly Rom. 16. 20. And now I have done with such doubts and scruples as may arise in gracious soules concerning the nature and acts and degrees of Justifying Faith To God only wise be glory through Iesus Christ for ever Amen Rom. 16. 27. FINIS READER The Author desires the charity of thy heart for the whole and of thy Pen for the mending these following Errata's of the Presse IN the Epistle to the Reader read he doth not say salibus c. page 1. read when the Ruler feared p. 56. for promise read premise p. 62. for recreated read revealed p. 68. for Thou saith read Thou sayest mend the same â—ault p. 69. p. 138. for redence read credence p. 142. for this is thy tempter read this is temper p. 189 for as say they read alas say they p. 196. read the promises have such an influence in stead of have made such p. 206. for tracing me read tearing me p. 218. for God comes in with sighes read God comes in with signes p. 235. for thou sayest read thou seest p. 254. for and they read and they say p. 258. for Son read Sun ibid. for perswades his sins read perswades him his sins If there be any more they are such literall mistakes as thine eye will easily correct An Exact Alphabeticall Table of all the principall things in the foregoing SERMONS A ADherence see Reliance Application of the promises to the soule in particular must be the wonderfull work of Gods Spirit pag. 202. Three things necessary to such a particular Application p. 189. 190. 191. 192. Application of hope and of perswasion p. 202. Assent an act of Faith what it is a â—ase of Conscience about it 136. 137. 138. What Assent is What manner of Assent is an act of Faith and what not Three properties of that Assent which is an act of true Faith It is the lowest act It is not the proper act of justifying Faith We may truly Assent when we think we doe not p. 137. 138. Assent true and pretended how to be discerned p. 137. 138. 139. Assent to every particular truth not absolutely necessary to Faith p. 144. Assent to other mens judgements concerning Scripture no act of Faith p. 146. 147. Weaknesses in Assent as an act of Faith p. 136. 137. 138. c. Two Cautions concerning weaknesse of Assent p. 153. 154. Assurance what it is it is not necessary to justifying Faith p. 206. 207. Popish and Antinomians opinion about it both false p. 207. 208. 211. 212. Assurance may bee true yet weak and inconstant in degree p. 215. At what times ordinarily it is strongest p. 217. 218. What Christians ordinarily have Assurance at their death and who want it p. 219 Assurance may be sometimes quite lost though once true and it is againe recoverable p. 219. Assurance how hindred p. 220. Atheisticall and blasphemous thoughts how we may know whithen they bee our own corruptions or the Devils temptations p. 141 142. 143. 144. B Believers will be sensible of their weak faith why p. 5. 6. 7. They will and ought to strive against it for an encrease why p. 7. 8. may bee comforted though their faith bee weak p. 8. 9. They can have nothing in Godâ— Decree can hinder their heaven p. 68. They have misgiving natures p. 163. They have winter and summer times what they are p. 183. At what times they may want a power to apply temporall promises p. 185. In dark dayes they may have true Faith and yet want a power to aâ—ply conditionall promises and absolute too p. 186. 187. They must truly understand their condition if they would apply the promises particularly p. 200. They must Believe for feeling as well as any thing else p. 242. Their doubts how they differ from unbelievers doubts see Doubts They doubt not the truth of the promise p. 252. They doubt in regard of something in themselves p. 255. 257. Five Notes concerning Believers doubts p. 258. 259. 260. 261. Their doubts if past seldome return or if they do not to stay p. 266. They conquer all doubts at last they may doubt p. 124. Their doubts differ from the other doubts of unbelievers in five different Effects p. 263. 264. 265. Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost see Sinne against the Holy Ghost Blasphemous thoughts not the sinne against the Holy Ghost they may possibly not bee our own p. 96. C Charters of free-grace how slandered p. 67. 68. Christ cannot bee made rich with the â—oblers ends of our righteousnesse p. 84. Christ would have married Adam without a portion none since p. 84. He undertakes to his Father for great sinners p. 86. He was tempted to doubt of the truth of the Scriptures c. but he made the Devill run away p. 140. Clearnesse of truths to us severall wayes p. 150. 151. The Covenant of Grace was made with Christ for us p. 195. Reasons to prove it p. 195. The nature of it may comfort wounded Spirits p. 44. It is 1 Everlasting 2 Ordererd 3 Sure 4 Particular p. 44. 45. D Deniall of those truths we for the present are ignorant of dangerous p. 134. 135. What manner of deniall of truth is an ingredient into the sinne against the Holy Ghost p. 98. 99. Desertion makes Believers tremble p. 178. In the time of it Believers go to Christ but how p. 178. Desires to believe and pray how they are Faith and Prayer Mrâ— Rutherf â—pinion p. 237. The Devill proved a coward he durst not re-inforce an assault p. 142. 143 Directions for such at cannot feele God carrying them out so in his strength to duties as they desire p. 244. 245. Dispensations of free-Grace have been made to great sinners p. 46. They are made variously p. 46. 47. Two things may be gathered from the revealed difference of Gods free-Grace to Lydia and Paul in respect of Humiliation preceding Faith p. 47. 48. Doubtings may consist with Faith proved p. 124. 123. They are sinfull p. 123. They are not Faith p. 123. They may consist actually with habituall faith p. 123. Believers may Doubt or bee tempted to Doubt concerning the truth of the Scriptures p. 140. Disputing argues a weaknesse not a totall want of faith p. 160. 161. Doubtings in Believers how they differ from the doubtings of unbelievers p. 248. 249. 250. 251. 252. 253. 254. 255. 256. 257. 258. 259. 260. 261. 262. 263. 264. 265. They differ in their Principle p. 248. How Abraham doubted of infirmity p. 249. 250. That place Rom. 4. 20. concerning Abrahams doubting examined p. 249. 250. 251. Doubtings in Believers differ from doubtings in others in the occasion of