A Cordial for a Fainting Soul, Sermon 8
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 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 …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 …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 onelyonly (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 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 onelyonly 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 'tis 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 ful…y agree and cloſe with ſomething 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, …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; onelyonly 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 frō 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: 'Tis 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 onelyonly conſiders the foreign 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 onelyonly 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 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.