Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 5 · Part 5
Faith more precious than Gold.
1 Pet. 1.7. That the Trial of your Faith being much more precious than Gold that periſheth, tho it be tried with Fire, &c.
THere are divers Acceptations of the Word foreign, Faith.
1. Faith or Fidelity, or Faithfulneſs in keeping Promiſe, whether reſpecting God or Man: Shall the Faith of God be made of none effect?
2. It is taken for the Doctrine of the Goſpel:Acts 6.6. Gal. 1.23. Many were obedient to the Faith.
3. It is taken for the Dictates of Conſcience, allowing of things indifferent in themſelves: Haſt thou Faith? have it to thy ſelf.Rom. 14.22. Acts 26.27.
4. Credence, or the Belief of the Hiſtory of the Scriptures. King Agrippa, Believeſt thou the Prophets? I know thou believeſt. This is called by ſome, Hiſtorical or Dogmatical Faith; by others, the Faith of Credence.
5. A certain and ſtedfaſt Belief of ſome ſtrange and wonderful Effects.Mark 16.17. 1 Cor. 13.2 Theſe Signs ſhall follow them that believe: In my Name they ſhall caſt out Devils, &c. And tho I have all Faith, ſo that I could remove Mountains, and have not Charity, I am nothing. This is called the Faith of Miracles.
6. A naked Knowledg of God, joined with an outward and bare Profeſſion of the Goſpel. Even ſo Faith, if it hath not Works, is dead.Jam. 2.17.
7. It is taken for a ſtrong Belief or Confidence in Prayer.chap. 5.15. The Prayer of Faith ſhall ſave the Sick.
8. It is taken for a holy, firm, and well-grounded Belief, and ſtedfaſt Reliance upon the Merits and Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, for Juſtification and eternal Life; or a going out of our ſelves, fetching all our Hope and Comfort from him, and his glorious Undertakings. This is that moſt noble and precious Grace, that is wrought in the Soul by the Spirit, which is compared to Gold, &c.
Faith is as precious as Gold, nay, more precious; tried Faith is better than tried Gold, than Gold tried or refined in the Fire.
| Metaphor. | Parallel. |
| GOld is precious in ſome Countries upon the conſideration of the Scarcity of it; there is but little of it to be had, and that hard to come by. Things are eſteemed precious upon this account: In thoſe days the Word of the Lord was precious, there was no open Viſion. | TRue Faith is precious upon the account of the Scarcity of it. Tho there is great talk of it every where, it is in all Peoples Mouths, yet the right kind is very precious; few have ſo much as one dram of it in their Hearts; 'tis very hard to obtain. |
| II. Gold is very deſirable. Men that know the worth of it, ſearch diligently for it; they work in Mines, labour hard, undergo much difficulty to obtain it. | II. All underſtanding Men, who are convinced of the Nature and Uſefulneſs of Faith, ſeek for it, as for hid Treaſure; they endeavour to improve all Opportunities for the obtaining of it. |
| III. Gold muſt be tried. Many take that for pure Gold, that is counterfeit Metal, and thereby cheat themſelves, or are deceived by others. | III. So Faith muſt be tried; for there is nothing Men are more miſtaken or deceived in. There is abundance of counterfeit Faith in the World. |
| IV. Gold is tried by a Touchſtone; Men can ſoon diſcern if it be naught, when they prove it that way. | IV. Faith muſt alſo be tried by the true Touch-ſtone, viz. the Word of God. If a Man fear his Faith be not of the right kind, let him bring it thither; i e. Examine the Nature and Quality of it, by the Marks laid down in the holy Scriptures, and he will ſoon diſcover what Faith he hath. |
| V. The beſt Gold is very precious, a moſt rare and choice thing, in reſpect of its own intrinſecal virtue; and from hence it is ſo much prized and coveted by the Children of Men. It is called precious, from the excellent nature and worth of it. It is a moſt Sovereign Cordial. | V. True Faith is a moſt precious Grace in reſpect of its own intrinſecal Vertue, and from hence all true Chriſtians eſteem ſo highly of it. The Price thereof is above Rubies, it is far more precious than Gold that periſheth; which will appear by the Induction of the following Particulars. 1. In reſpect of the Names or Appellations given to it in holy Scripture. (1.) It is called Lively Faith. (2.) It is called Effectual Faith, 1 Theſſ. 1.3. (3.) It is called the Faith of God's Elect, Tit. 1.1. (4.) It is called unfeigned Faith, 1 Tim. 1.5. 2 Tim. 1.5. (5.) It is called Faith that works by Love, Gal. 5.6. (6.) It is called Faith of the Operation of God, Col. 2.12. (7.) It is called precious Faith, 2 Pet. 1.1. (8.) It is called holy Faith. (9.) It is called the Faith of the Son of God. Its excellent Names ſet forth its tranſcendent Nature. 2. Faith is precious in reſpect of the Means of its procurement, or the Price that was laid down for the obtaining of it, viz. the precious Blood of Chriſt; for had not Chriſt died, we ſhould never have had one dram of it; it is given to us as the Fruit and Effect of his glorious Undertaking. 3. Faith is precious in reſpect of the Fountain from whence it proceeds. 4. Faith is precious in reſpect of the Means by which it is wrought in the Soul, viz. by the Word and Spirit of God in a wonderful manner,Eph: 1.19, 20. even like as God wrought in Chriſt, when he raiſed him from the Dead. 5. Faith is precious in reſpect of the Object it takes hold of, or faſteneth upon, viz. God the Father, the Holy Spirit, but more immediatly Chriſt crucified. Ye believe in God, believe alſo in me. 6. Faith is precious in that it joins or unites the Soul to Chriſt, it makes us one with him, (as it were) Fleſh of his Fleſh, Bone of his Bone, a lively Member of that Body whereof he is the Head. 'Tis that which ties the Conjugal Knot between him and every Believer. 7. It is the Eye of rhe Soul; no Man without it can behold Jeſus Chriſt, nor the fulfillings of future Promiſes. Abraham by Faith ſaw the Day of Chriſt. 8. Hereby a Chriſtian is made a Child of God. To as many as received him, Joh. 1.12. Gal. 3.26. to them gave he power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believed on his Name. Ye are all the Children of God, by Faith in Chriſt Jeſus. 9. It is the only way or means God is pleaſed to take, to deliver the Souls of Men from Sin, Wrath, and eternal Death. 10. It is that which intereſts the Soul into all the ſweet and precious Promiſes of the Covenant of Grace. See Light. 11. It is the Inſtrument of Salvation. Believe in the Lord Jeſus, and thou ſhalt be ſaved. 12. Faith is a moſt excellent and precious thing, upon the account of the Fruits of it, viz. Life, Light, Peace, Purging, Boldneſs at the Throne of Grace, Joy in the Holy-Ghoſt, Hope, and good Aſſurance of eternal Life. 13. Faith is precious in reſpect of that glorious Power and Virtue that is in it. 'Tis medicinable, and the moſt Sovereign Antidote and Cordial in the World. (1.) It will expell Poyſon. (2.) 'Twill perfectly (as it applies the Blood of Chriſt) cure a wounded Conſcience. (3.) It will bear up and revive a fainting Spirit;Mat. 8.23. I had fainted unleſs I had believed. (4.) It is good againſt the Feebleneſs of the Knees, and Weakneſs of the hands. (5.) It is a moſt excellent thing againſt Fear, and Tremblings of the Heart. But when he ſaw the Wind boyſterous, he was afraid; and beginning to ſink, Luk. 8.23. Mat. 14.30 he cried, ſaying, Lord, ſave me. And immediatly Jeſus ſtretched forth his hand, and caught him, and ſaid unto him, O thou of little Faith! (6.Ezek. 36.26.) It is a precious Remedy againſt the Stone of a hard Heart; it will diſſolve it, break it in pieces, and cure the Soul perfectly of it. (7.) It cures all manner of inward Deadneſs, it may well be called lively Faith, or Faith of the Operation of God. (8.Col. 2.12.) It is good againſt the Dimneſs of the Eyes, it helps them that cannot ſee afar off. (9.) It is a moſt Sovereign Thing againſt evil Spirits; it will reſiſt the Devil, and make him flie. (10.) It is excellent good to purge and work out all thoſe noxious and evil Humors of the inward Man, cleanſing and purifying the Heart. 11. It is good againſt the Falling-Sickneſs. Believers ſtand by Faith, but if through a Temptation they ſhould fall, Faith will help them up again. David and Peter had not ſo much Faith as to keep them from from falling, yet they had enough to raiſe them up again when they were fallen. It is an univerſal Remedy, it cures all the Diſeaſes of the Soul; ſo that we may ſay with the Woman, (let the Diſtemper be what it will) If I can but touch the Hem of his Garment, I ſhall be healed. 14. Faith is precious, becauſe it ſhields and gloriouſly preſerves the whole Soul from all Dangers; it is that which works with, and tends to the perfecting of all other Graces in us. 15. It was by Faith that Saints, in every Age of the Church,Heb. 11. were enabled to undergo and ſuffer all thoſe hard and bitter Tortures and Torments they met with for Chriſt's ſake. 16. It is that which helps the Godly to overcome the World.1 Joh. 5.4. He that is born of God, overcometh the World; and this is the Victory which overcometh the World, even our Faith. |
| VI. Gold is often tried and refined in the Fire; we read of Gold ſeven times refined: The Refining-Pot is for Silver, Prov. 17.3 and the Furnace for Gold. | VI. Faith is often tried in the Fire or Furnace of Affliction:1 Pet. 3.12 Think it not ſtrange concerning the fiery Trial, which is to try you, &c. He ſhall ſit as a Refiner's Fire, Mal. 3.2, 3 and as a Purifier of Silver, &c. and purge them as Gold and Silver, &c. God this way tried Abraham's Faith, together with the Faith of many others, of whom we read, I will bring the third part through the Fire, and I will try them as Gold is tried. Zech. 13.9 |
| VII. Tried Gold is much better than that which is not tried, nor refined in the Fire. | VII. Faith that is tried is of wonderful value, much more to be prized than that which was never brought under Exerciſe How excellently did Abraham's and Job's Faith ſhine, when tried? The Trial of your Faith is much more precious than Gold, tho it be tried in the Fire, &c. |
| VII. Gold tried in the Fire is of an enriching Nature; if a Man has much of it, it enriches him greatly. We eſteem him a very rich Man, that hath great Store of tried Gold in his own Poſſeſſion. | VIII. So Faith that is tried in the Furnace, is of a Soul-enriching Nature; he that hath much of this Faith is a very rich Man, a rich Saint.James 1 5 God hath choſen the Poor of this World, rich in Faith, and Heirs of the Kingdom. [See more of the Nature of Gold, in the Metaphor Gold, where the Word of God is compared to it. |
| Metaphor. | Diſparity. |
| GOld is naturally an earthy Sort of Metal, 'tis from beneath, and therefore corruptible: Not with corruptible things, as Silver and Gold, which periſh. | FAith is a divine and precious Grace, or a ſupernatural thing; 'tis from above, wrought in the Soul by the Operation of the Spirit of God, and therefore incorruptible; an heavenly Principle or Seed, that ſhall never fail, till we receive the end of our Faith, the Salvation of our Souls. |
| II. Tried Gold may make a Man renowned and great on Earth, and adorn the Body or Habitation where he dwells; but it avails not the Soul any thing; it will not enrich, or make honourable, or beautify that, &c. | II. Faith, true Faith, Faith tried in the Fire, makes Believing Men and Women renowned in Grace and Godlineſs, and adorns the Soul, Church, and People where it is. None ſhine forth in that Beauty and Splendor, as thoſe do, who have much Faith. |
| III. Tried Gold may be utterly loſt; a Man may have much of it to day, and none to morrow; Thieves may rob him of it, &c. | III. True Faith cannot be utterly loſt. A Man may loſe ſomewhat of the Strength of it; he may decay in this Grace, as well as in others; but he can never loſe the Habit, the Seed or Truth of Faith it ſelf. I have prayed for thee, Luk. 22.31, 32. that thy Faith fail not. |
Inferences.
FIrſt, Information. How greatly are ſome miſtaken about this precious and moſt noble Grace? For we may infer from hence,
1. That true Faith is not a ſimple or bare believing there is a God; the Devils have this kind of Faith; they alſo believe, and tremble.
2. That it is not a meer or bare believing the Truth of the holy Scriptures. The Jews believed the Scriptures, and thought by them to have eternal Life, and yet were Enemies to Jeſus Chriſt.
3. That it is not a bare believing Chriſt died for Sinners; moſt ungodly People in England believe that.
4. That cannot be a true Faith, which Swearers, Drunkards, Whoremongers, and all other ungodly and prophane Perſons have.
5. That a Man may leave all groſs Sins, and aſſent to many Truths of the Goſpel, and yet have no true Faith.
6. Nay, that a Man may be baptized, take upon him the Profeſſion of the Goſpel, and ſuffer many things, and yet not have one dram of ſaving Faith; as appears by the fooliſh Virgins, Judas, and Simon the Sorcerer, and many others.
7. Nay, a Man may ſeem to hear the Word with Joy, and yet have no true Faith. A temporary Faith is not the Faith of God's Elect, or that Faith that is more precious than Gold, &c.
Queſt. How may a Man know true Faith from that which is common, and meer counterfeit?
Anſw. 1. There is in that Perſon, who ſavingly believes in Chriſt, a true Knowledg of God, and of Jeſus Chriſt, the true Saviour; it takes hold on the right Object. Doſt thou believe on the Son of God? Joh. 9.24. & 9.35. Rom. 10.14.Who is he, Lord? &c. How ſhall they believe on him of whom they have not heard?
2. There muſt be a true Knowledg of, and a free and full Aſſent and Conſent to the Truth of that which is contained in the Holy Scriptures, concerning God, Chriſt, and Salvation, and all other eſſential Principles of true Religion. It is not enough to believe as the Church believes, as ſome ignorantly teach and affirm.
3. He that hath obtained true Faith, hath had his Underſtanding enlightned, to ſee what his State and Condition was by Nature;Acts 2.37. 2 Cor. 7. he hath been under Humiliation for Sin.
4. He ſeeth alſo, that all his own Righteouſneſs will avail him nothing in point of Juſtification, and Acceptation with God. Without Chriſt, his Prayers, Tears, Reading, Hearing, and Almſ-deeds, will not ſave him. To truſt to any of theſe, he ſees is the way to make Faith void.Rom. 3.8. Rom. 10.2, 3. The Jews built upon this Foundation, and thereby miſſed of Salvation.
5. There is in that Soul where true Faith is wrought, or where the Seed of it is ſowed, a deſire after Chriſt, not ſimply after his Merits, but alſo after Union, and intimate Acquaintance with him. Yea, doubtleſs, I account all things but Loſs, Phil. 3.8.for the Excellency of the Knowledg of Jeſus Chriſt, my Lord; for whom I have ſuffered the Loſs of all things, and do account them but Dung, that I may win Chriſt, &c. A true enlightned Soul looks firſt to Chriſt's Perſon, as being affected with his Beauty, and Sweetneſs of his Love; and then to the Goods and Riches he poſſeſſeth: As a Woman newly married, looks firſt to her Husband, and then to the Inheritance, or elſe is little better than an Harlot.
6. But did I ſay, a Deſire after Chriſt? Be not miſtaken, to think that every Deſire after him is a Sign of true Faith. (1.) It is a fervent Deſire; ſuch deſire him more than all the World. That Soul pants after him, and Union with him,Pſal. 75.25 more than after Heaven and Glory. It greatly endears Chriſt to the Soul. He is the chiefeſt of Ten Thouſand. (2.) 'Tis ſuch a Deſire, as in a hungry Man, nothing will ſatisfy him but Bread; ſo nothing will ſatisfy a true Believer, but Chriſt, the Bread of Life.
7. If a Man hath true Faith, he knoweth the Time when he was without it; he knoweth he was once blind, and without God and Chriſt. I will not ſay, he knows the very Inſtant when God wrought it in his Soul; but he can ſay with the Man whoſe Eyes Chriſt opened, Whereas I was blind, I now ſee.Jon. 9.25.
8. And not only ſo, but he knows the Way and Means by which he obtained it, viz. either by Hearing, or Reading, or Meditating on the Word of God; either in the free Tender of Chriſt to Sinners in general, or to dejected, burthened, and heavyladen Sinners, in particular.
9. Faith is uſually obtained of God in a conſtant and laborious ſeeking and crying to him for it. What Pains hath it coſt you, Sirs? Precious Faith is not eaſily obtained to. What Conflicts have you found within? Satan ever makes ſtrong Reſiſtance, there is nothing he ſtrives to obſtruct or hinder more.
10. What Love to God hath thy Faith wrought in thee? True Faith works by Love. Mary believed, and loved much.
11. Hath thy Faith purified thy Heart? Haſt thou ſeen its horrid Filth and Pollution? and doſt thou long after Purity? not only to have thy Sins pardoned, but alſo purged away, and the Power and Dominion thereof deſtroyed?
12. What Alteration in the Courſe of thy Life hath Faith wrought? Faith made Jordan go back. There is a Turning the whole Man to God, a glorious Change in every Faculty, in Heart, and alſo in Life. Half my Goods, ſaith Zacheus, Luk. 19.8. Act. 19.19I give to the Poor. And in the Acts 'tis ſaid, Thoſe that uſed unlawful Arts, burned their Books. If any Man be in Chriſt, he is a new Creature.
13. Faith leads the Soul to receive Chriſt in all his Offices, not only as a Saviour, but alſo as a Sovereign: not only as a Prieſt, to die, and appeaſe the Wrath of God for us, but alſo as a Prince, to rule and reign in us.
14. What Obedience therefore flows from thy Faith? Doſt thou boldly and viſibly profeſs Jeſus Chriſt, following him whitherſoever he goeth; not cloſing in with one of his Precepts only, but obeying all of them from thy Heart, which thou art convinced of, and knoweſt to be thy Duty. Then ſhall I not be aſhamed, Pſal. 119.6. Rom. 5.1.when I have reſpect to all thy Commandments.
15. What Peace hath Faith brought to thy Soul? Being juſtified by Faith, we have Peace with God, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Secondly; From what hath been noted we may infer, There is an abſolute Neceſſity of Faith.
1. In reſpect of Goſpel-Revelation. Without Faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God.Heb. 11.6.
2. There is no Salvation without it, Rom. 3.26. Thou muſt be beholden to another for a Righteouſneſs, becauſe thou haſt broken the Law, that pronounceth the Curſe againſt thee; thou haſt none of thy own that will be accepted in the ſight of God. He that believeth not, ſhall be damned. Ʋnleſs ye believe that I am He, Joh. 8.22.ye ſhall die in your Sins.
3. There is a Neceſſity of Faith, becauſe all Boaſting is excluded.Rom. 3.27 God's deſign in our Salvation is, wholly to exalt his own Free-Grace. It is of Chriſt's procurement, and thou muſt go unto him for it, or go without it.
Thirdly; If Faith be much more precious than Gold, then labour for it above Gold; be not contented with a little of it, but wiſely provide your ſelves with good Store. Grow in Faith, get a ſtrong Faith.
Queſt. Will not a ſmall or weak Faith ſave us, as well as a ſtrong?
Anſw. Yea, if it be of the right kind, tho never ſo ſmall, the Perſon that hath it is as fully juſtified, as he that hath the greateſt degree nd meaſure of it. Yet it concerns thee to get a ſtrong Faith, for theſe Reaſons following:
1. Becauſe thou mayeſt meet with ſtrong Aſſaults and Temptations from Satan, and thou haſt no way to reſiſt him but by the Shield of Faith, and it may be a little Faith will not be ſufficient to withſtand thoſe Exerciſes and Aſſaults thou mayeſt meet with.
2. Becauſe God expects much Faith of thoſe he hath afforded much Means unto: I looked it ſhould bring forth Grapes. Iſa. 5.4.God looks for Fruit, anſwerable to the Coſt and Charge he hath been at with a People, or a particular Perſon.
3. Becauſe God may bring you into ſuch a condition, that you may have nothing elſe to live upon,Hab. 3.17. The Fig-Tree ſhall not bloſſom, neither Fruit be in the Vines, &c. That is a Time for the Saints to live by Faith; and if their Faith be ſmall, what will they do then?
4. Becauſe as thy Faith is more or leſs, ſo will thy inward Peace and Joy be in Chriſt Jeſus. He that hath but a ſmall degree of Faith, is often at the foot of the Hill, and under doubtings and becloudings in his own Spirit.
5. Becauſe ſuch as have but little Faith, will find the Way to Heaven harder, and more difficult, than they who have much of it, or are ſtrong in Faith. Weak Folks are hard put to it to get up a high Hill.
6. Becauſe it is a ſtrong Faith that glorifies God moſt, as it appears in reſpect of Abraham. Rom. 4.19, 20.He being not weak in Faith, conſidered not his own Body being dead. — He ſtaggered not through Ʋnbelief, but was ſtrong in Faith, giving Glory to God.
Queſt. But what is the Cauſe that ſome Chriſtians are ſo weak in Faith?
Anſw. 1. Some are but juſt brought forth, lately converted, they are like newborn Babes: Can you expect a Child in the Cradle, ſhould be as ſtrong as ſuch as are twenty or thirty Years old?
2. Perhaps ſome have but little Faith, becauſe they want the Means of it, which others have; It may be they have more Law preached to them than Goſpel, more Terror from Sinai, than Joy from Mount Zion.
3. Again, ſome may be weak in Faith, becauſe they pore more upon their own inward Corruptions, than they meditate on Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, more on their own Emptineſs, than on Chriſt's Fulneſs. They ſee their Debts, but have not their Eyes upon their Surety, who hath diſcharged and blotted all out.
4. Others may have little Faith, becauſe they do not improve that which they have, they are not induſtrious Traders, they do not labour after, and cry to God for more Faith. The way to grow rich, is to be diligent. Lord, encreaſe our Faith.
5. Some have no more Faith, becauſe they give way to Temptations, and let their inward Corruptions too much prevail. Weeds will hinder the Growth of precious Flowers: Self-Love, worldly Pleaſure, Pride, and Paſſion, choak and obſtruct its Growth. Faith is a tender Herb.
6. Perhaps Chriſtians have no more, becauſe they mind not thoſe precious Grounds and Encouragements, which God in Mercy hath offered for the encreaſe, ſtrengthning, and growing of Faith.
Queſt. How may I know a weak Faith from a ſtrong?
Anſw. 1. A weak Chriſtian, one weak in Faith, looks more within than without, grounds more on the good Deſires and Heavenlineſſes of his Affection, than the Covenant and Promiſe of God:Joh. 14.19 Now a ſtrong Chriſtian looks to Chriſt. Becauſe I live, ye ſhall live alſo. 'Tis not becauſe my Affections live, my Obedience lives, or I have Life in Obedience, or performance of external Duties, but becauſe Chriſt lives, By whom I live. Gal. 2.20.
2. A weak Chriſtian conſults more the Power of the Enemy, than he doth the Strength of God, Chriſt, and the holy Spirit; and is much acted by Sence, in reſpect of Means, how this or that ſhould be done:Pſal. 78.19 Can God furniſh a Table in the Wilderneſs? But a ſtrong Saint believes in Hope againſt Hope; a ſtrong Faith takes up in the Power, Grace, and Sufficiency of God: The Lord is on my ſide, Pſal. 56.4.I will not fear what Man can do unto me.
3. A weak Faith grows weaker and weaker, and ready to let go its hold at every diſcouragement. If a Corruption or Temptation prevails, all his Hope of Heaven is almoſt gone preſently. Thus it was with Peter, Help Lord, I periſh. But ſtrong Faith is rather ſtrengthned thereby; as appears in the Woman of Canaan. You may judg of a ſtrong Faith by its Power over the Enemy. I have written unto you, 1 Joh. 2.14.young Men, becauſe you are ſtrong, and the Word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome the Wicked One.
4. A weak Faith is much for doing, that ſo he may have Peace and Comfort within: What muſt I do? &c. And as his Obedience to God is kept up,Acts 16.30. ſo is his Comfort; (not but that great Peace is to them that keep the Law, and that are found in the way of Obedience.) But a ſtrong Faith, in all it doth, is kept up by Chriſt's doing, by Chriſt's Obedience; he ſees his Acceptation comes in through the Lord Jeſus's Undertaking for him.
5. A weak Faith is ſubject to reſt too much upon the Means, and outward Ordinances. He performs Duty, and is found in the Appointments of Chriſt, becauſe of the Fat and Sweet of them, or ſome preſent Comforts of the Spirit in the performance of them, rather than becauſe commanded of God, and to manifeſt his Obedience and Subjection unto him; and if he meets not with his expectation, he is ready preſently to faint, and be diſcouraged, and concludes the Ordinances do not belong to him, or he is not a converted Perſon, &c. or elſe thinks wholly to neglect them for time to come.
6. A weak Believer is ready to judg of his Juſtification, by his inward Sanctification. When he finds eminent Power over Sin, then he begins to conclude he may be in a ſaved State; tho I do not ſay, that a Man is actually juſtified, before he is in ſome meaſure or degree made holy; where the one is, the other will follow, as the Effect the Cauſe.
Queſt. How may a weak Faith or Hand be ſtrengthned, and feeble Knees confirmed?
Anſw. 1. Conſider, a weak Faith is precious, a little Gold is Gold, a little Water is Water: Thou art a Believer, though thou art but a weak Believer.
2. A weak Faith, being true, may in time prove ſtrong, and grow to be a great Faith.
3. Tho thou haſt but a weak Faith, it will ſave; doubtleſs ſome weak Eyes beheld the Brazen Serpent, and were healed.
4. Weak Faith, if it be true, ſhall never fail totally, nor be taken away: He that is the Author of it, will likewiſe be the Finiſher.Phil. 1.6. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good Work in you, will perform it to the Day of Jeſus Chriſt.