A Cordial for a Fainting Soul, Sermon 12
The Twelfth SERMON.
LUKE 17. v. 5.
Lord, increaſe our faith.
CHAP. XII.
Concerning thoſe weakneſſes that may accompany the highest act of faith, viz. Aſſurance: And how to ſatisfie the ſoule that ſcruples its faith, becauſe it cannot be aſſured at all, or weakly and unconſtantly.
MY ſubject is to diſcover what doubts and weakneſſe may be in relation to the laſt and higheſt act of Faith in a gracious ſoule; for there is nothing more ordinary then to heare ſuch complaints as theſe from a gracious ſoule: Alas! never tell me of faith, I have no opinion at all that ever I ſhall be ſaved; never did poor ſoule live at ſuch incertainties; I pray, I look upward, I deſire, I faint, I groan, I ſwoon, and yet not a drop of cordiall water of perſwaſion that my Chriſt will afford me to revive my dying ſpirit; or if I do ſometimes catch up a perſwaſion in my ſoule, and come to think that I have an intereſt in God, it is but a bare thought, and ſo weake, that it is ſcarce able to …nd a day; ſometimes indeed for a day, or a week, or a month together, I could bleſſe my ſoule in a good condition; but then againe, I am as full of doubts and feares; and is there any certainty in this faith? am I not like a wave of the Sea, toſt about with thouſands of winds? One while I think I am ſure of heaven and glory, and am as it were wrapt up into a third heaven, and the diademe of glory is fitting on to my head, another while I am thrown down to hell, and me thinks every Devill is tracing mee. I will (with the help of my God) endeavavor to ſatisfie thee, and ſhew thee what weakneſſe may conſiſt with this act, and in relation to this act of Faith, in theſe enſuing Concluſions.
Concluſ. 1. Thou wayſt have a true and certaine faith, and ſuch a one as will richly ſave thee, and yet have no aſſurance of thy ſalvation. Indeed, my ſeverall Sermons that I preacht upon this Subject, doe all concurre to the proofe of this truth; for if a Chriſtian may have ſaving Faith, and yet ſo much weakneſſe and doubting conſiſt and be contemporaneous with it in the ſoule, it will neceſſarily follow, that Aſſurance is not the minimum quod ſic, the leaſt degree of ſaving Faith. But now it lying in my way, I ſhall ſpeak ſomething more diſtinctly to it. There are Opinions on the right hand and on the left concerning this ſublime act of our Faith.
1. The Papiſt denies any poſsibility of Aſſurance, and reviles that pretious Doctrine as licentious; and pleads only for a generall faith, to believe the hiſtory of the Word, and the Articles of Faith &c.
2. The Antinomians on the other ſide, deny any Faith to be true Faith that is accmpanied with any kind of doubting; a full aſſurance they will make the minimum quod ſic, the leaſt Faith that can help a man to heaven. Some Reverend Writers living neare the time of the reign of that Popiſh Doctrine, denying anything of perſwaſion to come into the nature of true ſaving Faith, and ſetting themſelves in full oppoſition to it, have not a little (though unwillingly) contributed to the laſt opinion, defining Faith to be a perſwaſion of the pardon of our ſins, and of a pardon paſt and done &c.
I have already ſhewed you, that the eſſence and marrow of juſtifying Faith conſiſts in the ſoules rolling it ſelfe and relying upon God for eternall ſalvation, not in the ſoules aſſurance that God is its God; in the ſoules goings out, not in its commings in; in its direct act, not in its reflect act; And therefore our Divines make a diſtinction betwixt a ſoules application of its ſelf to the promiſe, and a ſoules application of the promiſe to it ſelfe, and grant that there may bee in the ſoule a certainty of Faith in reſpect of the object, though not an aſſurance of Faith in reſpect of the ſubject. Wee will a little enquire how perſwaſion comes into the nature of juſtifying Faith. There is a double diſtinction, which I have noted before, and ſhall here repeat, would be obſerved concerning this perſwaſion.
Firſt there is a difference betwixt a Perſwaſion, and a beleeved Perſwaſion, on a full Perſwaſion.
Secondly there is a great deale of difference betwixt a perſwaſion eying the future, and relating to the preſent; There may be in a gracious ſoule a perſwaſion, though he ſayes he is not perſwaded; There is a great deale of difference betwixt Faith, and the Senſe and feeling of Faith, as I ſhall ſhew you more hereafter.
Secondly there may be in a ſoule a certain perſwaſion, though not a full perſwaſion▪ In all Faith there is a perſwaſion, but in all Faith there is not a full perſwaſion; the word in Scripture tranſlated full perſwaſion is foreign Rom. 4. 21. It is ſaid that Abraham was fully perſwaded, it is put in oppoſition to doubting of unbeliefe, being ſo, ſaith the text, hee ſtaggered not through unbeliefe, and ſo Rom. 14. Let him that eateth be fully perſwaded, that is, ſo perſwaded that hee doth not eate with any ſcruple of mind or doubting of ſpirit; I may be perſwaded of a thing that yet I am not fully perſwaded of, but have ſome doubts of; yet when my reaſons for the affirmative are more then for the negative, my mind begets a perſwaſion, and enters a perſwaſion in my ſoule from the major vote of reaſon; Now I cannot be ſaid to bee fully perſwaded, unleſſe my ſoule runs without a rub… as it is ordinary amongſt us, when wee are informed by credible Witneſſes of ſuch a thing done, wee may bee perſwaded it is true, and really beleeve the truth of it, and yet will not ſweare it, and perhaps ſhall have ſcruples and doubts, unleſſe we ſaw it our ſelves &c. So a Chriſtian may be perſwaded that Gods love is towards him, but till he feeles it as well as thinkes it, he will hardly have foreign a full perſwaſion without any manner of doubts or ſcruples concerning it.
Again, There is a great deale of difference betwixt a perſwaſion for the preſent, and a perſwaſion for the future: I am forced to put it in theſe Termes for want of other; I meane betwixt an aſſurance that my ſinnes are actually pardoned, and a perſwaſion that they are pardonable, and decretally and me…itoriouſly pardoned, and I ſhall feel at laſt the ſeale of Gods love; I muſt ſpeake here according to the manner of men: it is true it may ſound harſhly, that a Chriſtian ſhould beleeve only that God will pardon his ſins, and will juſtify him, I know there be ſome learned and pretious men that hold that the elected ſoule is pardoned, and formally juſtifyed before he beleeves, and ſo would make our juſtification, (as Maſter Burgeſſe ſaith wittily) nothing but the fetching a Coppy out of the Courtr…ll; but I am of his mind in his late Treatiſe of juſtification, p. 17. 8. where hee gives ſeverall Arguments againſt this opinion, As,
Firſt, If it bee ſo, then all the Elect were then made bleſſed and happy, their ſins not being imputed, contrary to Eph. 2. 3.
Secondly, becauſe this Doctrine would make juſtification onelyonly to bee declarative; when the Scriptures tell us that our ſinnes are charged upon us till wee beleeve.
Thirdly, becauſe Chriſt cannot as an head repreſent thoſe that are not his members: now before actuall beleeving we are no members of Chriſt; Indeed meritoriouſly and vertually our ſinnes are pardoned before wee beleeve,See the Arguments againſt this anſwered in Mr▪ Burgeſse his Treatiſe of juſtification p. 180▪ 181. and our ſoules are juſtified before we beleeve: but I (with him) cannot ſee how we are formally and actually juſtified before we beleeve: and to his Arguments give me leave to add a fourth.
Fourthly, Pardon of ſin and justification, it is an acquitting of the guilty ſoule before God for the righteouſneſſe of another; now how the ſoule ſhould be actually acquitted before it be actually and formally guilty, I cannot underſtand: And therefore I ſay, a ſoule may be perſwaded that its ſins are pardonable, and ſhall be pardoned, and accordingly truly rely upon the Lord Ieſus Chriſt for the pardon of them, which is true Faith, though it cannot be fully perſwaded that its ſinns are pardoned. And thus much may briefly ſerve to have noted how far perſwaſion and aſſurance neceſſarily come into the nature of true and ſaving Faith, and how not: And concerning it I ſhall only nominate theſe concluſions to you, as containing the whole truth concerning it.
Firſt, That a Chriſtian may have ſaving Faith, though he cannot be fully perſwaded that God hath actually pardoned and blotted out his ſins, and formally justified him; for a beleeving that my ſins are formally pardoned, is to beleeve I am juſtified: and is the Faith of a juſtified perſon, not juſtifying Faith (properly ſo called.)
Secondly, That a Beleever may have true ſaving Faith, though he could never yet at all be perſwaded that God had actually and formally justified his ſoule by pardoning his ſins. This is ſtill the application of the promiſe to the ſoule, and a reflex act of Faith which conduceth more to the ſoules comfort then its formall juſtification.
Thirdly, That a Chriſtian may have true juſtifying Faith, though he cannot at all times be fully and unqueſtionably perſwaded that God will pardon his ſins; a rationall man in a Feaver may have loſt his actings of reaſon, though while he hath the being of a man, reaſon hath a being in him; the tongue may belye the heart when the actions cleer it; A Chriſtian may be at will God pardon me with his tongue, when his heart really thinks he will, and he manifeſtly ſhewes it by crying, faſting, fearing to ſin, lying groveling at the doore of free grace.
Fourthly, That a Chriſtian cannot have true ſaving juſtifying Faith, unleſſe he doth (I doe not ſay unleſſe hee think he doth or unleſſe he ſayes hee doth, but unleſſe he doth) beleeve, and is perſwaded that God will pardon his ſins: it is eaſily perceived by its reſolving not to leave crying, praying, walking holily and circumſpectly, that it is perſwaded in this particular, that it is beſt both ſimply and in compariſon to draw near to God, and rely upon his grace,Ball upon Faith. 82. p. and ſo in event (ſaith Mr. Ball) is ſure of ſalvation, and yet would give a world to be aſſured of Gods favour, and fully perſwaded that its ſins are pardoned.
Fifthly,Willets Synopſis Papiſmi… p. 974. 975. That it is falſe that the Papists ſay, no particular aſſurance ought to be lookt for, or may be procured, it may be procured, and it ought to be ſought for; this might eaſily be proved:Perkins 3. vol. 220. 2. d. 1. vol. 542▪ 2. b. 143. 1. c. 564. 1. d▪ 543. …. d. but I ſhall not meddle with it, it being not my work, and it being a queſtion would take up a great deale of time: but I ſhall rather refer him that doubts of this to thoſe learned men that have ſufficiently managed this quarrell againſt the Papiſts. Ball upon Faith, 1. Part. ch. 8. p. 79. 80. 81. Downams▪ Warfare, part. 1. l. 2. c▪ 8. p. 102. §. 2. p. 103. col. 1. 30. 104. §. 6. c. 9. p. 106. part. 1. l. 2. c. 11. p. 118.. cap. 13. p. 127. §. 1. cap. 14. c. 11. and many others who have largely diſcuſſed this point,Rutherfords Chriſts dying for ſinners v. codicem. and maintained this truth.
Sixthly and Laſtly, It is as falſe that the Antinomians and Libertines hold, that without this well-grounded full perſwaſion, there is no faith in the Soule; this a learned Writer of▪ our owne in ſeverall parts of his book hath made out againſt them; Thou mayeſt have true ſaving faith, though for the preſent thou canſt not be fully perſwaded that thy ſins are pardoned: yea though thou mayeſt think that they are not pardonable (through ſome accidentall temptation over-powring thee, or ſome corruptions hindring the actings of Faith:) yet thou mayeſt be perſwaded that they are pardonable, and at that time it will appear to all the world that thou art perſwaded they ſhall be pardoned to thy ſoule; by thy fearing to offend God, and thy carefulneſſe to pleaſe him by thy crying, faſting, weeping, lying at the feet of divine grace, and reſolving if thou periſheſt, to periſh at the gate of heaven, and meet with hell there if thou meeteſt with it anywhere; Nay, be not miſtaken, this thy Faith is 1 certaine, and 2 ſtrong as well as ſaving.
Firſt, It is ſaving, That I have already ſhewed you, when I fully ſhewed you that the eſſence and pith of juſtifying Faith was a fiduciall rolling our ſelves and hanging upon the Lord Ieſus Chriſt for pardon. Now as it is ſaving,
Secondly ſo it is strong; That Faith (ſaith a precious Authour) is argued to be ſtrong that hath no light of comfort, but walkes in darkeneſſe upon the margin and borders of an hundred deaths. Davids Faith was a ſtrong Faith, when though all Gods waves were upon him, yet he called upon God daily. Pſa. 88. 7, 8, 9. when the ſoule is ſo far from being perſwaded that it is a lovely one in the Lords eyes, that it conceives it ſelf a damned wretch in the Lords ſight, and onelyonly ſees a ſparkling light in at a crevis of the window, and by a little pinhole, a beam of hope comes in, and it thinks, well, my ſinnes are yet pardonable, yet I dare not ſay there is no hope: yet I know not what to think, my ſins are great Gaole-ſinns, I am perſwaded if my name be in the Charter of grace, it is in the bottom, and it is ſometimes ready to think that the little glimmering of light it ſees, is rather the counterfeiting light of a Glow-worm then the triumphing light of the Sun: yet the ſoule is raviſhed with that particle of light, and goes and kiſſeth the hole that gives it a paſſage, and ſayes, well, here's all my comfort, my ſinnes are yet pardonable, I ſee the ſhip of my ſoule is wrackt; poſſibly this bit of board may ſave my life, I will on to it, if I periſh I periſh; I will not loſe this pin-hole light, I will cry, faſt, weep, and pray; Lord, ſay my ſinnes are pardoned, I am perſwaded thou canſt pardon them, and if thou wilt, thou canſt make me clean; Lord! here will I lie, filthy, bloody, full of ſores at the Poole of Betheſda, I will not ſtirre a ſtep from the Poole, I will lie in the way till thou haſt cured mee. I ſay, this doth argue a ſtrong faith; the perſwaded aſſured ſoule hath cables of comfort, who would fear the breaking of them? God doth not rap his fingers ſo often as this poor ſoule; This Believer hath but a twine thred to hang upon; yet he catcheth hold, and ſayes, this ſtraw ſhall bear my ſouls weight; yea, God raps off his fingers often, his life is full of doubts and feares, yet he holds and will not ſtirre a ſtep; doth it not argue a great a reliance? The woman of Canaan had no aſſurance of Chriſts favour, Matth. 15. 21. ſhe cryed, he anſwered her not a word, v. 23. nay, when ſhe made friends to him, he would neither heare her nor her friends mediation, (though they were Chriſts own Diſciples) ſtill ſhe comes and worſhippeth him, he chides her; (this yet argued no aſſurance) ſhe replyes; he ſayes, Great is thy Faith, v. 28. Mr Ru…therford noteth ſweetly upon that, that the fewer Externals that faith needeth, the ſtronger it is within; little evidence, much adherence ſpeaketh a ſtrong faith. Now though that perſwaſion be an inward work, yet the grounds are externals; for the ſtrength or weakneſſe of perſwaſion is moved by the compaſſe of ſence; the leſſer my grounds are, if my adherence be the ſame, the ſtronger is my faith; if I will truſt my friends little finger as much as his whole hand, doth it not the more argue my confidence in his ſtrength, & my reliance upon him, that he will do what he can to hold me? Oh! it is a ſweet thing to ſee a ſoul hang upon Chriſts little finger, that only apprehendeth a generall promiſe, & is perſwaded that its ſins are pardonable, & ſometimes doubts of this too; yet it cryes, and hangs, and weeps, and relies, & ſcorns to lay its little finger upon any thing elſe, any ſelf ſufficiency, any creature-righteouſneſſe to bear it up; it argues a ſtrong faith: O ſoul, be not deceived! Great is thy faith; nay, and ſuch a faith may be certain too, thou mayeſt live at uncertainties upon a certain faith: The bruiſed reed is not broken, the ſmoaking flax is not quenched, thy faith is doubly certain, though thy life of faith be full of incertainties.
1. It is certaine in reſpect of the Object.
2. It is certaine in reſpect of the Event.
1. In reſpect of the Object: A weak faith doth not argue weakneſſe in Free grace, or weak efficacy in the blood of a pretious Jeſus; the pur-blinde eye doth as certainly ſee the Sunne as he whoſe eyes are beſt, the weak pur-blind-eyed ſoule doth certainly ſee, apprehend, and rely upon Chriſt though not ſo clearly and comfortably.
2 Thy faith is certain in reſpect of the Event: Even as every thing that hangeth upon a pin or a peg, is as ſure as the pin or peg on which it hangeth: So that ſoule that hangs upon the mercy and Free-grace of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt and the rocky promiſes of ſalvation, is as ſure as the promiſe, &c.
And thus I think I have ſufficiently cleared the firſt thing, that a Chriſtian may have a true ſaving Faith; yea and ſuch a one as ſhall be ſtrong and certain, both in reſpect of the object and event, that yet hath not this ſublime act of Faith, which is aſſurance. I haſten to a ſecond concluſion, and all the reſt of my Propoſitions with reſpect to a full perſwaſion that our ſins already are actually and formally pardoned.
2. Concluſ. Thy Aſſurance and perſwaſion that thy ſins are pardoned, may be a true perſwaſion and aſſurance, though but weak; or to ſpeak more properly, you may have this reflex act of faith, and be perſwaded that your ſins are pardoned, and this perſwaſion may be a true reflex act of faith, and yet not conſtant in degrees. Sometimes it may be weaker, ſometimes ſtronger. I call the weakeſt perſwaſion wrought in the ſoul, that its ſins are pardoned, a reflex act of faith; for I doe not think that it is a piece of Faith neceſſary to the juſtification of a ſoule, that it ſhould believe that its ſinnes are really and actually pardoned, though it be a beame of grace that the ſoule ſhould love, and look after more then the world; and it is and ought to bee more pretious to a believing ſoule, then all the rocks of gold, or mountaines of ſilver or beds of ſpices, or ten thouſand rivers of oyle; yet I ſay, I doe not take it to be an act of juſtifying Faith, but of the juſtifyed ſoule. Now this may be true in the ſoule, though it be ſometimes weaker, and ſometimes ſtronger; That ſoule that all times is perſwaded that its ſins are pardoned and actually remitted, is not alwayes a like perſwaded of it. It is a beame of Gods manifeſtative love which admirs of degrees. Now as upon the earth, in the day time there is alwayes ſome light, though through ſome interpoſitions of clouds the light is not alwayes alike; ſo in Chriſtians that the Lord hath brought to this degree that they doe really believe that their ſinnes are pardoned, though through the ſun-ſhines of Gods manifeſtative love upon their ſoules, they for the moſt part think ſo, yet they are not alwayes alike perſwaded of it. I doe verily believe that David generally was in this temper; and who ſo peruſes his pretious book of Pſalmes, will finde that he takes the pardon of ſinnes for granted; yet who ſo againe peruſes the ſeverall Pſalms, will eaſily perceive that Davids perſwaſion was not alwayes alike, as any one may ſee by comparing, Pſal. 6. and Pſal. 41. verſ. 11. you ſhall finde him in ſome Pſalmes altogether ſinging, and prayſing, and triumphing, not a mention of a teare; but in others, declaring perſwaſion, yet wants; expreſſing confidence, yet teares; as in that ſixth Pſalme, verſ. 1. 2, 3, 4. compared with verſ. 9. Sometimes the heavens are ſo cleare to gracious ſoules, that the ſhinings of grace dazzle their ſoules ſo much, that nothing will ſatisfie them but heaven; Now Lord let thy ſervant depart in peace; O that now I might dye and be incorporated into glory! they are ſo wrapt into the third heavens, that they cannot ſpeak their joy; another while it is lower water with their ſoules; the Moones influence is not as it was. David, I am confident, would have beene glad of an errand to have ſent him out of the world to heaven, Pſal. 34. But the good man again in the 39 Pſalm, prayes as heartily for his life, as any poore wretch could have done, that lay under an apprehenſion of a paſt ſentence in hell againſt him, 1 Pet. 1. 8. we read of a rejoycing, with which believers ſhould rejoyce, even with joy unſpeakable, but there was not ſuch a conſtant overflowing and full tide of joy alwayes ſure. It is a ſure note, that manifeſtative love hath its degrees, and it is from a ſtrong influence of Gods manifeſtative love to the ſoule that the ſoule hath ſuch a perſwaſion; now had I leaſure, I might at large here tell you, at what times commonly the ſpring-tide of aſſurance flowes higheſt, and on the contrary, what may make the apprehenſion weaker, and at what times it is ordinarily moſt weak.
1. Commonly juſt upon Gods return after a long deſertion and ſad expectation, the ſouls aſſurance is very great, and its perſwaſion very high: God turns mid-night into mid-day: The ſoule then brings the Lord Jeſus Chriſt into her mothers houſe, into the chambes of her that conceived her: commonly when the husband comes home, after a long abſence and long expectation, more then ordinary tokens of love, and paſſages of love are diſcerned betwixt him and the wife of his boſome; Chriſt comes in then to make amends for his frowns and lowrings, with the ſweeteſt kiſſes and imbraces: Mid-winter is turned into a Mid-ſommer, this you ſhall finde conſtantly in Davids Pſalmes; and ſo on the contrary, when the ſoule is under deſertions, if there bee left yet a perſwaſion, that though God doth hide his face, yet hee doth not hide his heart, yet it is but a weak and juſt living perſwaſion.
2. And commonly at greatest diſtreſſe, God comes in with ſtrongeſt perſwaſions and fulleſt aſſurance, as when the Chriſtian is cal'd to Martyrdom or cal'd to dye, or cal'd to do any great ſervices, that it diſtruſts its own ſtrength, and is ready to feare of faint, that nothing but the moſt reviving quick and hot cordiall water can keep the ſoule cleane, and able to undergoe that great and extraordinary ſervice that God cals for at his hands; ordinarily now at ſuch times, the Lord is pleaſed to come in with a fulneſſe into the ſoul. (It was but yeſterday you heard by my Reverend Brother, that ordinarily God comes in with ſighes which are evidences to ſence, when the ſoule is in greateſt ſtreights;) and we ſhall finde that Gods promiſe made to Abraham was often renewed to him and to Iſaac, and to Iacob; but the diligent Reader ſhall obſerve, that God pickt out that time, or thoſe times when he called his Saints to ſome hard work in doing, of which their hearts might ſink concerning the Lords promiſe. The originall promiſe was in Gen. 12. 7. it was renewed to him, chap. 13. v. 15. when he was to goe out of the land, he ſcarce knew whither, and leave it to others to poſſeſſe; and to Iſaac when he went to Gerar, Gen. 26. 4. and to Iacob going down to Egypt, Gen. 46. 4. At ſuch times the children of God are to doe double work, and had need of double ſtrength, and ſo a double ſubſiſtence; when Eliah was to go in the ſtrength of his meat forty dayes, he had need eat a good meale; the Angel therefore twice admoniſhed him, to ariſe and eat, 1 Kings, ch. 19. 6. 7. The journey was great which he had to go, the frequent Stories of the Martyrs make this good; when the Lord cald them to their great ſervice at the ſtake, he prepared them for their double work with double comforts, raviſhing their ſoules with glory, and ſo often, that God makes many of his deare Saints live upon ſhort commons all their life time, when he brings them to the hard work of dying, he gives them a glimpſe of glory; This is a note of a pretious Divine,Rutherford, Tryal of faith. who gives experiences of it, and it is eſpecially when they die ſtrong torturing deaths; for alwayes it is not ſeen; it may be they have had all comforts before, and may die in conflicts; God will try how they can walk in the ſtrength of what they have had, or if they have had no bread till then, God will hardly call them to die without giving them a cruſt; yet (as he ſweetly ſayeth) God walks in liberty here, and will not have us to limit the breathings of the holy Ghoſt to jump with the hour of our dying; for we may make an idol of a begun heaven, as if it were more excellent then Chriſt. By this you ſee (in ſtead of much might bee ſaid) that aſſurances may bee weaker and ſtronger, yet true; and this will be further made good by my laſt Concluſion, which I will but touch, And that is this:
Concl. 3. Thou mayeſt have had, and againe have a true aſſurance and full perſwaſion, and for the preſent have none at all: I have ſpoken ſo much to this before, that I ſhall need adde very little: It is neceſſary to conſtitute the true direct act of Faith, that it be a continued act; and that ſoule never did truly rely at all, that ever ſince it began to rely ceaſed to rely; but for a reflex act, it may be wanting even in the ſoule that hath had it, and may have it againe if God will pleaſe to turne his face towards it; nay, I will queſtion whither ever that Chriſtian had true aſſurance or no, that hath had it, as he pretends, without any intermiſſion; for ſo long as there remaines a Devill to tempt, or a fleſh to allure to ſin, there will be ſometimes wants of full aſſurance; yea, if there were none of them both, I would make it a great queſtion, whither the wiſe God would ever keep ſuch a deſpenſation of his love in a full Sun-ſhine to any ſoule (though loved never ſo dearely;) I am afraid though we have much talk of Faith of aſſurance now adayes in the world, if the Lord ſhould come to ſift the hearts of his poor creatures, he would ſcarce finde the muſtard-ſeed Faith of adherence. 1. Overpowring temptations. 2. Overgrowing corruptions. 3. Naturall diſtempers of Melancholy. 4. Divine deſertions ſhall hinder aſſurance, and make the act to ceaſe; and judge you then what ſoule it is probable ſhall have it an inceſſant conſtant act. But I have done with this laſt thing, and now I have ſhewed you what doubts and weakneſſes may conſiſt with every act of Faith in a truly gracious ſoule. Now I ſhould ſhew you from what principle theſe doubts ariſe, and how they differ from the doubts of unbelieving deſparing wretches.