The Doubting Believer, Chapter 2
Cap. II. The kinds and diverſities of them.
THe ſecond thing reſpects the ſorts of doubtings, and theſe I muſt alſo touch.
I conjecture that there are 4. Sorts of doubtings.foure ſorts of doubtings.
1. Some are of admiration: in theſe the mind doth not gainſay ſimply, no, it doth beleeve, and is onelyonly ſolicitous about the hidden manner, or way of performance, or accompliſhment. Such a doubting was that of the Virgin, Luke 1. 34. How Luk. 1. 34.ſhall this be, ſeeing I know not a man? Non doubit at eſſe faciendum, ſed quomodo fieri poſſit, inquirit, ſaith S. *Tom. 5. de Mariae interrog.Ambroſe.
2. Others are of confirmation: Where the ſoule beleeves, but deſires ſomething more to ſecure and ſettle it, ſo that it might be put out of all doubt, as was that of Gedeons, Judg. 6. Judg 6. 36, 37.36, 37, 39. Which kindes of doubtings are the cravings of a little more indulgent ſecurity from God in matters of extraordinary concernment; not that we properly queſtion the verity of him, but that (in reſpect of our ſelves) we might work the more confidently upon clearer evidence and warrant.
3. A third ſort are of negation: and this is ſuch a forme of ſcrupling, wherein we plainly ſuſpect God of his good word of truth; and is incident unto evill men in their generall courſe, and to good men in reſpect of ſome particular carriages and …uſineſſes, as is evident in Za…arias, Luke 1. 18. Whereby ſhall Luk. 1. 18.… know this? This queſtion was …queſtion of doubting, and this …oubting, no queſtion, was an …beleeving one: It did not cre… the Angels meſſage; ſo is it …preſſed, ver. 20. Thou ſhalt be …mbe, becauſe thou beleeveſt not …y words.
4. A fourth ſort are of inqui…ation, where the mind is di…erſly carried, and is not come … a reſt, as when a cauſe is not …ome to a ſentence, but hangs … ſuſpence. Now of this ſort of …oubtings wee ſpeak at this …me, which againe may be …ranched,
1. Into Reall, which queſti…ns the principles themſelves, …ther for truth or goodneſſe, …nd ſo they reſpect matters of …aith; or elſe they queſtion acti…ns touching lawfulneſſe or un…awfulneſſe, and ſo they reſpect …atters of fact: In which reſpect they are more ſpecially ſtyled Scruples of conſcience▪ which are nothing elſe but ſome grating and painfull doubts about points As Rom. 14. 23.practicall: O… which ſee the Caſuiſts.
2. Into Perſonall; Where no… the things in themſelves, but i… reſpect of our ſelves, are queſtioned, and onelyonly queſtioned, no… peremptorily denyed or rejected: viz. I know and beleev… that God is a Father, that Chriſ… is a Redeemer, and the Saviou… of ſinners; I now doubt, Not whether there be any truth, o… good in theſe, (for theſe I yeeld but upon view of my great ſin… fulneſſe and many defects, now onelyonly queſtion (and this i… enough) whether my intereſ… be in that truth and goodneſſe What is ſaid here of a caſe reſpecting Spiritualls, the ſam… may be ſaid of that other reſpecting the promiſes for Temporalls, See Luke 12. 28.becauſe that doubting …e extend to both.
3. Again, there are two ſorts perſonall doubtings.
1. Some are privative, which move all preſence of faith: … which ſee 1 Tim. 2. 8. and Jam. …6.
2. Some are contrary, which …e minuere, but not negare; they … impaire, and keep faith low, …t not wholly deny or extin…iſh it, as in our preſent Text.