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788
I
Ephefrans,
Chap.6.
V
E
R.ro,
we rejoyce, with
joy
unfpeakeable and
glorious.
Without
doubting,
Abraham
doubted
not,
Rom.
4.
20. neither did he doubt
of
the
pro-
mife,
&c.
Now
thou haft no fruits,
thou
art
without
feeling
comfort,
full
of
doubting.
anfw.
We
mull examine, whether we have any
fruits
of
faith
up-
on us,
or
noneappearing
:
if
we havefew fruites, it argueth
a weake
faith; not that there
is
no faith,
dead
trees have
not
any fruite at
all
up
on
them.
If
we have none, it mutt be confidercd, whether it
was fo
alwaies
with us, or
by
occafion
of
fame fall;
having before
been
otherwife.
Now, if
in
the
firft
kinde,
it
is plaine,
we never
had
a
true
faith;
if
in
the latter,
it
argueth faith
is
in
a
fwoone,
or
as a
tree
in
the
nipping froft
of
winter. 2.
For
fenfe
of
joy we muff
know,
that it
is
a
fruit
may
be
fevered from
faith:
as
in
Chrift,
whofe
beleefe was
firme,
yet
all
comfort
eclipfed
:
as in
that
fpeech,
cuy
God, my
god,
why
haft than
fortaken
me
!
vind
the
rejoycing
of
faith,
is
ehiefely
dif
en-
fid
in
three
fea
f
ns
:
Either
in
the
firft
breeding
of
a
Chriftian,
that the
joynts
of
him may
be
knit
the
ftronger: or
after
great
temptations
out- wraftled,
that
the brokenbones
may
be comforted
:
or
in
times
of
perfecution
and
martyrdome, that we may be
heartened
in
it,
to
confiant
fuffering.
Witnelfe
our rejoycing
in
Chrift
Jefus
daily.
objeíl.
4
4. The
Devill
will fay,
true
faith
groweth
from faith to faith,Rema
.
17. Grace
is
like a graine
of
muftard feede.
Now
thy
faith bath no
growth,
nay
thou art
now more doubting then
thou
haft
Beene.
4f...
Anfw.Trtie
faith
groweth
:
it
istrne withtheft llmiratiens. Firft,
that
it is
not felt
in
him alwayes, in
whom
it
groweth.
2.
It
doth not grow
in
all
times,
it
may decreafe
in
fome degree
:
the
meaning
thereof
is,
that thegrace which
is in
the end,
(hall
be more then at the beginning,
!hall
have
his
growth.
Now,
if
the Devill
faith
to
any beleever,
Thy
faith never
had, nor
(hall
have any
growth
;The
confcìence may
eafily
anfwere it,
Faith
bath
two(tafons
:
One
of
peace
and building it
health-
fully, the other
of
temptations.
In
the
firft
it groweth,
and
often
is
difcerned
by him,
in
whom
it is.
a.It
is in temptations.
Now
thefe
are
((two forts.
Firft,
fuch
in
which faith
is
exercifed, and maketh refi.
ftance:
as in
outward
croffes.
Secondly,
fcares,
doubting
of
his
par-
don,
gripes
of
confcicnce.
Thirdly,
lawes of evil!,
that
lay
the Lord
of
mif
-rule
in
our members.
Now
thefe (faith caufing
us Aye
toprayer)
feeke
theword
of
promife, renew repentance
:
thefe, I fay, faith
doth
thrive
by:
as
there
are forne
rowing
fickncffes,
in
which the body
fhooteth
out,
and
when
men have beetle awhile exercifed
they per.
ceive
it:
there
are
other temptations
of
fpirituall
(lumber,
whether
the heart be
halfe waking,
or
by
forne grievous
lime
fallen into
a
dead
fleepe.
In
thefe,
faith may be diminifhed
:
as
the
holy
Ghoft
faith
of
objttl.
s.
their love, they had
loft fome
degrees.
g.
The Devil
will
tell
us,
where
there
is
true faith, there the
Word
is
powerful!
and
profitable,
Thef.
s. t3.
TheWord
is
effettuall
in
you
that
beleeve, Heb.
4.3.The
Word
did
not profit, where there
is
no faith to
mingle
it
with.
But
thou
feeft not
the
Words power,and
dolt not
profit by ir.
Anw.