A Cordial for a Fainting Soul, Sermon 9
The Ninth SERMON.
LUKE 17. v. 5.
Lord, increaſe our faith.
I Am ſhewing you what doubts may conſiſt in a gracious ſoule with true faith: I have already ſhewed what weakneſſe may conſiſt with faith in reſpect of knowledge, and what doubts in relation to the meaneſt and loweſt act of faith, which is aſſent: It is my task at this time to ſhew you what doubts and weakneſſes may conſiſt with ſaving faith in a gracious ſoule in relation to the ſecond act, which is indeed the eſſence and marrow of juſtifying faith, that is the act of adhering, the ſoules rolling, relying, and wholly depending it ſelfe upon Jeſus Chriſt for ſalvation; for although the ſoules aſſenting to the promiſe and being perſwaded of the promiſe as a ſure and ſtedfaſt word of truth be an act of faith, yet it is concluded by moſt, or all godly and ſober Divines that it is not the act of faith that juſtifies; but as it is concluded againſt the Antinomians and Libertines on one ſide, that it is not faith of aſſurance that onelyonly juſtifies, ſo it is alſo concluded againſt the Papiſts on the other ſide▪ that it is not an aſſent to, and perſwaſion of the truth of the Word that juſtifieth the ſoule; but that true juſtifying faith, though it doth ſuppoſe both knowledge and aſſent, yet it doth eſpecially conſiſt in the ſoules rollings, and throwing it ſelfe upon the Lord Jeſus Chriſt for eternall ſalvation, and adhering to the promiſes as its portion: And therefore it is obſerved by learned and gracious Mr. Ball, 1 Par. p. 24.in his Treatiſe of Faith, that there are ſix words in Scripture by which the Holy Ghoſt doth in Scripture expreſſe to us true and ſaving faith,This I have noted before. every one of which doth denote unto us, that the very eſſence and marrow of true and ſaving faith is a reli…nce and dependance of the ſoule upon Chriſt.
The firſt is Beleeve, oppoſed to fainting, Pſal. 27. 13. it argues a ſtaying of the ſoule upon ſomething, when it was falling, ſwooning, fainting, &c.
The ſecond word is Truſt, his heart is fixed truſting in the Lord.
A third word is tranſlated truſt, but ſignifies to betake to as a Caſtle, Pſal. 2. 11. Bleſſed are all they that put their truſt in him.
A fourth word ſignifies to leane upon, as a man leanes himſelfe upon a ſtaffe, 2 Chron. 16. v. 7, 8.
A fifth word ſignifies to ſtay and reſt the minde upon, Iſa. 48. 2. They ſtay themſelves upon the God of Iſrael.
A ſixth word ſignifies to roll a mans ſelfe upon a thing; as a man in danger of drowning, catcheth hold of a Willow, and hang upon it, all which words denote to us, that the true and proper diſtinguiſhing act of true juſtifying faith is the ſoules rolling it ſelfe upon the promiſes of life, and upon Chriſt for eternall ſalvation; I take true juſtifying faith, ſo far as it is the ſoules act by the vertue and ſtrength of the Grace of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt infuſed, in relation to this act, to be this, for a ſoul wholly, and ſtedfaſtly, and ſolely, and obediently to reſt and roll it ſelf upon the Lord Ieſus Chriſt for eternall life. Now in this act of true and ſaving faith there may be a great deale of weakneſſe, and it may be accompanied with a great deale of doubting.
CHAP. X.
Concerning thoſe weakneſſes which may conſiſt with true faith in a gracious ſoule, and how to ſatiisfie the ſoule that conceives it doth not truly rely upon Chriſt becauſe it doth not finde that it can rely ſo fully and constantly as it deſires, nor upon all the promiſes alike.
ALas! (ſayes a poor ſoul) I cannot think that I do really reſt and r…l my ſelf upon Ieſus Chriſt and the promiſes for eternall life; when I do reſt, as I think, I am ready again to think I doe not, and if I be in a frame of heart one day, that I think that now I can roll my ſelf upon Chriſt and truſt his promiſes; another day again I can truſt nothing; if ſometimes I do cleave to the word of life as ſweet and pretious and imbrace it as true, and prize Chriſt, and value his Word above all ſenſuall delights whatſoever, and hunger and thirſt after it and after Chriſt; another while again I cleave to a ſenſuall good more then to a ſpirituall promiſe, or an heavenly Chriſt; and beſides I cannot rely upon God for the fulfilling of every promiſe; there are ſome of Gods promiſes that I think I could reſt upon God for fulfilling of; others again I cannot for my life (though I am perſwaded that they are equall words of truth with the other) truſt God for, nor can I be fully perſwaded that the promiſes do really and peculiarly belong to me. Now to ſatisfie the ſoule in this particular, I will ſhew you what doubtings and weakneſſes may be in the ſoule, and yet the ſoule at that time may have received, and may reſt, and rely, and roll it ſelf upon the Lord Ieſus Chriſt for the promiſes of ſalvation, and may at the ſame time have true ſaving juſtifying faith; this is my work to which I am to addreſſe my ſelfe.
Know for thy comfort.
Firſt, Thou mayeſt fully and wholly rely thy ſoule upon Ieſus Chriſt, and yet not beleeve thou dost fully and wholly reſt: Reliance and dependance is neceſſary to Faith, not full perſwaſion of ſuch a reliance, I meane juſtifying faith; Reliance is a neceſſary act of Faith, full perſwaſion of ſuch a reliance is a comfortable act of Faith; depending and relying is the act of this hand (helped by Gods Spirit;) full perſwaſion of this reliance is more the ſhining of Gods face then the act of our ſoules; Labour more to get evidences of the truth of thy act of faith then of the degrees of it; Chriſt may be in the room, and yet not ſeen, he may be in the midſt of thy heart, and ſaying, Peace be to this ſoule, and yet the doores of thy ſenſe be ſhut: Heaven is a thing unſeen, and he that meaſureth his faith by his eye, may call an Ephah an Omer, eſpecially if thou wilt not think that thou haſt faith, unleſse thou canſt ſee a truth of the very act, and refuſe to take an evidence for thy ſenſe from the effects of faith: The acts of the minde are ſecret acts, of which (as I ſaid before) we are very ill Judges; Reſting and relying upon Chriſt is an act of the minde, and is an hidden and myſticall act which we cannot weigh in any ſcales to try whether it be full weight yea or no; here's the trouble of many Chriſtians; ask them whether they reſt and rely upon Jeſus Chriſt for ſalvation yea or no, they will tell you, they cannot think they do; yet they will confeſſe, that if they do not rely upon him, they rely upon nothing; their ſinnes and duties, their morality and civility they have utterly diſclaimed, and will cry out of theſe as menſtruous clothes and filthy rags, yea and confeſſe that they would not, they durſt not ſin againſt God for a world; yet they cannot think they reſt truly upon Chriſt for ſalvation, though they will confeſſe they deſire it, and hope they do it, and they make the Law of Chriſt the rule of their lives, and they have a ſecret ſoule-enflaming love to Chriſt; but becauſe they cannot underſtand the ſecret myſtery of the internal act, therefore they will not, they cannot flatter their ſouls into a faith and apprehenſion that they do truly beleeve, when indeed there is no act of the mind, the nature of which, and truth of which, we can diſcover from the knowledge of it clearly in it ſelfe, but muſt be forced to examine the truth and falſhood of it by the effects; and it muſt be the infinite and rare work of God to perſwade our ſenſe of the truth of our faith; may it not be poſſible, think you, to finde one that is beautifull, very beautifull, and yet all her friends ſhall not perſwade her that ſhe hath any beauty at all? we may have that which we will be not known of: The woman hath ſeen her face in a falſe glaſſe, or doth not know what beauty is, and therefore will not be perſwaded by other mens eyes to rectifie her owne judgement: So it is with Beleevers, they may have a beautifull face of faith, and yet not thinke ſo.
Secondly, A Chriſtian may have a true faith, and truly rely upon Chriſt, and really think he doth not at all truſt and rely upon Ieſus Chriſt. Senſe in a Chriſtian may not onelyonly have a miſt caſt before its eyes, but have its eyes clearly put out. Suppoſe a man had put up a Petition to the King for ſome place of honour and truſt, this Petition lyes unanſwered a great while, at laſt the King anſwers this Petition, and grants that place or dignity to him; the Subject being at a diſtance from the Prince may have this place or honour conferred, and yet not know of any ſuch matter, but verily beleeve his Petition lies like a caſt paper, hath he not his dignity becauſe he knows it not? Chriſtians are misjudging creatures, and too ready to ſuſpect their owne happineſſe, they may call their reſting and beleeving, preſumption; their faith, boldneſſe: The Hypocrite calls his droſſe Gold, his Alchymie Silver, and the ſelf-ſuſpecting Chriſtian is as ready on the other hand, to call his Gold Braſſe, and his Silver Lead: It is a rare thing to finde a Chriſtian that will look his gracious face in a true Glaſſe, the modeſt creature is afraid he ſhould be proud, if hee ſhould look upon his beauty: Heaven may bee hid under the dark and cloudy apprehenſions of a terrible, diſmall hell: Chriſt may be ſaying in Heaven, Thou art ſaved, Thou art ſaved, while thou art ſaying upon earth, O I am damned, I am damned! The Angels may be keeping holy-day for thee there, while thou art keeping Fridayes here: There may be joy in heaven for the ſame cauſe, and at the ſame time for which and in which there may be ſorrow on earth; thou mayeſt have more friends in Heaven then thou knoweſt of; Chriſt at that very time may be pleading hard at Heavens Barre for thee, while thou art thinking he is reading an Enditement againſt thee; thou mayeſt at that time have Chriſt in thy armes, when thou thinkeſt he is as far from thy ſoule as Heaven from Hell: F…om hence will follow:
Thirdly, Thou mayeſt question and doubt whether thou doeſt truly reſt or no, and yet truly reſt; Diſputing argues weakneſſe of the act, and want of ſenſe, but not a totall want of the act. This is leſſe then the other, but I have mentioned it, becauſe I have found this to be the temper of many Chriſtians: pinch upon that piont, ask them whether they wholly reſt and rely upon Chriſt for ſalvation; they dare not tell you they think they do not, nor they think they doe; but they cannot tell what to think, they k…ow not whether they do or no; though they dare not conclude the falſhood and nullity, yet they dare not aſſert the reality and verity of any act of Faith in their ſoules, they live at great incertainties, and this makes them think they do not beleeve. They are ſure diſputing is no beleeving.
To this I anſwer in this concluſion;
That thou mayeſt make a queſtion whether thou beleeveſt or no, and yet truly beleeve. It is true, diſputing is no beleeving; but though they be not things of the ſame nature, yet they are not ſo ill neighbours but they may dwell under the ſame roof of the ſoule.
Firſt, Thou mayeſt doubt whether thou beleeveſt or no, and yet beleeve; this is not a queſtion about the object of faith in which thou mayeſt for all this remaine unſhaken, but meerly about thy act of faith; thus diſputing, thou doſt not diſpute whether the promiſe be true or no, but whether thou art (as thou ſhouldeſt be) perſwaded of the truth of it, and doſt (as thou oughtſt) reſt upon it for a word of truth; and yet ſome diſputes and doubtings about the object are not inconſiſtent with faith, as I have ſhewed before. It is a ſoule-deſtroying opinion which ſome Libertines have hatched in theſe dayes, that a Chriſtian ought not to queſtion the truth of his Faith: Such an unbeleefe ſhuts not men out of Heaven, nor argues a nullity of Faith: Paul was wrapt up into the third Heaven, whether in the body he could not tell, or whether out of the body he could not tell, yet without queſtion Paul was wrapt up in the body, if wrapt up at all: The Beleever may be in the like doubt concerning his Faith that S. Paul was concerning his rapture, and yet have reall true Faith; though we ought not to content our ſelvs with it, yet we may know for our comfort, that we may go diſputing our faith to Heaven, and many a one hath ſuch an hot diſpute with his own ſoule, that his death is forced to prove the Moderator when he receives his end of his Faith, even the ſalvation of his ſoule. And thus I have ſhewed you in three particulars, how the Chriſtian may doubt concerning his reſting and relying upon Chriſt, and yet truly rely.
1. He may queſtion whether he truly relies or not.
2. He may not be able to affirm nor think that hee doth truly relie; yea further, he may through a misjudging himſelfe think he doth not rely, and notwithſtanding all this truly and really rely and reſt. Now theſe kinds of miſgivings may ariſe from ſeverall cauſes: God may pleaſe for his ends to keep the ſoule in darkneſſe, to keep it humble, and to keep it in a ſtrict way of adherence, &c. But I ſhall rather meddle with the ſubordinate and inſtrumentall cauſes, and aſſigne three or foure cauſes:
The firſt may be blindneſſe and ignorance, there may be, yea is a great deale of darkneſſe in the ſoule; there was a thick darkneſſe ſurprized Adams underſtanding when he fell, and this ſtill clouds all the children of Adam; we are not able to diſcerne or judge of the nature of the internall acts of the minde; we cannot come to a certaine knowledge of them as they are in themſelves, but as I ſaid before, muſt judge them by the effects; the ſoule doth not underſtand what affiance is, and this makes her queſtion whether ſhe doth rely or no, and not think ſhe doth, being never ready to think well of her ſelfe.
A ſecond cauſe may be the Devils temptations; ſuch winds will make ſtrong houſes ſhake ſometimes: It is Satans great deſigne to keep the ſoule from beleeving, and if he cannot keep the edifice of Faith from being built in the ſoule, yet he will keep it (if poſſible) from ſtanding ſure. Luke 22. 31. Simon, Simon, (ſaith Chriſt) Satan hath deſired to winnow thee like wheat; the word ſignifies to ſhake up and downe as in a fan wheat is uſed, the kernells ſcarce ever lie ſtill: Satan is almoſt alwayes ſhaking the Chriſtian by the ſhoulders, he deſires to winnow them, and as with Iob, becauſe he had no power over his life, he executed his power to the utmoſt upon the comforts of his life: So he deals with the ſoule, becauſe he hath no power over the life of Faith, therefore he will execute his power to the utmoſt over the ſoul, that it may never come to have the comfortable ſenſe of Faith; and no wonder if when he brings his rammes to batter, the poor mud wall of a Chriſtian ſhakes, eſpecially conſidering how ſmooth an Orator he is to perſwade, and how ſubtill a Sophiſter he is to prove: Even as it is as eaſie with a good Logician to make a poor ſimple creature beleeve, ſo as he cannot deny that the Sun doth not ſhine; ſo it is an eaſie thing with the Devill to perſwade the ſoule, that it doth not reſt and rely, when indeed it doth; eſpecially if we conſider,
Thirdly, What a miſgiving nature and ſuſpicious frame there is ordinarily in the hearts of Beleevers. They are alwayes fearing and ſuſpecting, leſt they ſhould not doe their duty, they know that in many things all ſinne, and they are afraid leſt they ſhould cozen and deceive themſelves; now when Satan takes a flint and a ſteele, and falls a ſtriking, and he meets with ſuch a box of ready dry'd tinder, no wonder if hee quickly ſtrikes fire; Beſides,
A fourth cauſe may be melancholy, cloudy vapours, that for the preſent the ſoule is darkned with, and can ſee nothing with a cleare ſight, but is like a man in a phrenzie.
And a fifth cauſe may be, a Christians wilfulneſſe, when the Christian will take no evidence of his faith by the effects of it: The beſt evidence that we either have, or can have of the truth of our faith, and of our juſtification is the effects of Faith; now if it comes to this, that the ſoule will not take any evidence of the truth of the act of Faith, but onelyonly under the Broad Seale of Heaven, the apprehenſion and aſſurance, and full perſwaſion of it, the ſoule may live without comfort a great while, if with Thomas it muſt ſee the wounds and holes; Now here's many a good ſoules condition; he queſtions the truth of his Faith; we come to him and tell him, could there be ſuch an hungring and thirſting after the Word, that thy eare is unſatisfied with hearing, unleſſe thou didſt beleeve this was the word of God, and reſt upon it as the Word of truth? Could there be ſuch a care to pleaſe Chriſt, and a feare of offending him to be found in thy whole life and converſation, if thou didſt not rely upon him for ſalvation? Could there be ſuch a willingneſſe to part with all thy eſtate for Chriſt, and rather then thou wouldſt deny him or not enjoy him in his Ordinances, if thou didſt not rely upon God as thy portion? No, the ſoule will not look upon this as a ſufficient evidence, but cryes out, All this an Hypocrite may doe, ſanctification is imperfect, mine is hypocriſie; No, would God ſeale it to me, then I would beleeve it. Now where this is found, the ſoule may for a long time ſit in darkneſſe, and ſee no light; yea, it may be, go down to the grave in its owne thoughts, like Eraſmus hanging betwixt Heaven and Hell. But I proceed.
Fourthly, Thou mayſt not at all times truſt with alike confidence, and yet at all times truly truſt. The truth of truſt and affiance is one thing, the degrees of it another; the truth of Faith never grows more or leſſe, the degrees of Faith do; as the leaſt drop of water is water, ſo the leaſt dram of faith is faith as much as the higheſt degree of it: This the experience of every Chriſtian will tell you; ſometimes they will ſay, I think if the Devill had hold of me I could truſt God for Heaven. Though hee kills me (ſaith Iob) yet I will trust in him; that was not Iobs temper alwayes, and yet without queſtion Iob did alwayes beleeve. Paul was not in the ſame temper Rom. 7. that he was Rom. 8. 38. Peters crying Master ſave me, or elſe I periſh, did argue his faith was under water more then his head. Davids temper, Pſal. 27. 1, 2, 3. was not the ſame with his temper, 1 Sam. 27. 1. In the firſt he would not bee afraid of an Hoſt encamping round about, no though the Hoſt conſiſted of ten thouſand, Pſal. 3. 6. But in that place, 1 Sam. 27. 1. tells us hee was afraid of one Saul, and that after many experiences. So a poor Chriſtian is ready to think, O I do not truly truſt and rely upon God, &c. Sometimes I think if I had not a bit of bread, nor a drop of water, yet I would not feare, my faith ſhould be like that Hab. 3. 17. Another time my heart is ſo farre from it, that though I have for the preſent enough, yet my baſe heart can hardly keep from covetouſneſſe; ſometimes I think that if God would take me away in a maſſacre, I ſhould not yeeld my blood with a repining word; another time I ſo doubt of my intereſt in Chriſt, that I ſhould not know how to dye upon my bed, but am crying, Lord take me not away with the wicked. Chriſtian, thus thou mayeſt be. David, Pſal. 3. would not be afraid of his ſoules going out of his body if ten thouſand ſwords were ready to cut out a paſſage for his ſoule out of his body. Another time hee cryes O ſpare a little, give me ſpace, that I may recover strength before I go from hence, and be no more; and again, Take me not away with the wicked. One while David is troubled to ſee the wicked flouriſh like a green Bay tree; and himſelfe like a withered tree without a leafe; another time hee is not troubled at it, but can as well truſt God when he ſends to Nabal for almes, as when he ſits at his Kingly Table and; yet his faith was alwayes true. Faith may be interrupted, that the pulſe of it cannot alwayes beat alike, and yet while there is life the pulſe of Faith beates, though by reaſon of ſome ſickneſſe in the ſoule the pulſe may beat more faintly and deadly then at other times; Corruptions, though they are never wholly the Chriſtians Maſters, yet they may be their Maſters ſometimes more then others; the minde may be more clouded with earthly thoughts; the tide of paſſions may bee higher, and the ſtream of Luſts greater; the body may be ſometimes ſick and leſſe active, and yet living: So the ſoule may be ſick, and Faith act more weakly then at other times, yet Faith may be alive.
Fifthly, Thou mayest not ſo fully and equally rely upon ſome promiſes as upon other, and yet truly rely upon all. It is a truth, that the true beleever cloſeth with every promiſe; but it is alſo true, that the beſt Beleever findes a great deal of difficulty more for his ſoule to cloſe with and rely upon ſome particular promiſes then upon others; and a beleever ſhall finde, if he be put to it, that it is harder to rely upon God for his promiſes for this life, then for his promiſes for eternall life; God hath made promiſes for this life, Earth is made over by Indenture to the Saints as well as Heaven, Mat. 6. 32. God hath made promiſes of protection in times of danger, of ſufficiencie in time of peuury; now a Chriſtian will finde it harder, if he be put to it for want of bread, to rely upon Gods feeding promiſes, then upon his promiſes for eternall life; O it is hard for a poor creature to truſt God for bread and water. Hence comes diſtruſting and diſtracting care, hence covetouſneſſe and earthlymindedneſſe in Gods own people. And if a Chriſtian be ſurrounded with ſwords, and be in the midſt of dangers, it is a hard thing now confidently and without feare to rely upon Gods ſhield and buckler, and truſt himſelfe within the Caſtle of his providence. I am confident when David manifeſted ſuch an evident diſtruſt of Gods promiſe for protection of him, 1 Sam. 27. 1. he did not at all diſtruſt God for ſaving of him; we read not a word of ſuch a diſtruſt: Now I conceive the reaſon of it may be two-fold:
Firſt, Becauſe here the fleſh is ſenſible and concerned in it. Dangers are obvious to ſenſe; The eye ſees ſwords and trembles, it ſees preſent dangers; but it ſees not that ſpeedy reliefe which the promiſes hold out; it muſt be the ſpiritually enlightned eye of the ſoul muſt ſee that: Eliſha's man could ſee the mountain about Eliſha full of charrets and horſes; but it was onelyonly Eliſha himſelfe that could ſee the power of God aſſiſting and defending; Eliſha was faine to pray before his man could have the ſcales fall from his eyes to ſee that; Now for beleeving thoſe promiſes where fleſh and ſenſe have a ſhare, and a preſent ſhare, the ſoule will finde it hard; for though the fleſh will never help the ſoule in relying and reſting upon any promiſe, yet it will hinder the ſoul very much, and very often; I appeal to any of you, whether you have not found it an eaſier thing to rely upon a promiſe for ſalvation and ſtrengthning and quickning grace which meerely concerns the ſoule, then when you have been in ſome bodily ſtraights, you have found it to rely upon the promiſes for ſuccour, and ſupport, and deliverance: As take a married man, that hath a minde to the warres, poſſibly the man is a very valiant and couragious man, and values his life at as cheap a rate as any, but his wife cryes, and keeps a ſtirre; that if hee were ſingle, though the deſigne were the ſame, and the danger the ſame, yet hee findes it ten times more hard, then if hee were to goe a ſingle man: So the ſoule married to the body, is ten times more troubled to cloſe with a promiſe, and venture into thickets of a danger, by the bawlings and fearings of the fleſh, then it would be if it were to act ſingle in ſtatu ſeparato, or then it doth when it acts clearly for it ſelf.
There is alſo a ſecond reaſon may be given of this, viz. Becauſe wo may have more cauſe to feare Gods fulfilling his promiſes for this life, and for temporall mercies in this life, then it hath, or can have, to feare his promiſes for ſpirituall mercies, and for eternall life. The ſoule that findes an heart changed, and walkes with God, can give no reaſon why it ſhould not beleeve Gods ſpirituall promiſes; I meane the promiſes for ſpirituall mercies, and his promiſes for eternall life. What reaſon canſt thou give, why thou ſhouldeſt not beleeve Gods promiſes for pardon of ſinnes? What? becauſe thou art a backſlider? The promiſe is made to ſuch, Hoſ. 14. 4. Is it becauſe thou haſt an hard heart? the promiſe is made to ſuch, Ezek. 11. 19, 20. But now come and ask the ſoule when dangers are at hand, and the ſoul is ready to miſtruſt Gods protecting promiſes; here the ſoule will tell you, Alas! I have been a backſliding creature, and though the ſins and backſlidings of Gods people be no ſufficient reaſon to warrant the ſoules diſtruſt for ſalvation, yet there is a great pretence of reaſon that the ſoul hath from hence why it ſhould a little fear Gods wonted diſpenſations of temporall mercies to it; for this is a ſure rule, that although when God hath elected and juſtified any, he hath made a ſure promiſe they ſhall never again be caſt out of his eternall favour and love, yet for their ſins he will let them know his anger by withdrawing his temporal diſpenſations of love and mercy, in relation to which are the promiſes of protection and temporall mercies given to chaſten them with the rods of men, and with the ſtripes of the children of men, 1 Sam. 7. 14, 15. See an experience of this in in David, when he had backſliden ſo far as to commit thoſe two great ſins of Murder and Adultery, 2 Sam. 12. David teſtified his repentance, and Nathan ſaid to him, the Lord hath put away thy ſinne, thou ſhalt not dye, v. 13. but the ſword ſhould never depart from his houſe, v. 10. his wives ſhould be given to be defloured by his Neighbour, v. 11. The childe ſhould die, v. 15. Now though that David could not reaſonably, becauſe of this backſliding, diſtruſt Gods promiſe for the pardon of his backſliding, yet he could not reaſonably rely upon his promiſes for the bleſſing of his houſe with temporall mercies ſo as before. And thence it is cleare, that a Chriſtian may truly reſt upon the promiſes for ſalvation, and pardon of his ſinnes, though he doth not ſo eaſily reſt, nor ſo conſtantly, nor fully rely upon him for ſome particular promiſes of temporall mercies.
The ſixt is this, Thou mayſt hang tremblingly upon the promiſes, and yet hang upon them truly. And there is a ſeventh, Thou mayſt truly rely, and dwell upon the promiſes, and yet not truly appropriate and peculiarize them, and dwell on them as thy own portion, to thy apprehenſion; but of theſe afterwards.