74 What are no Signs PART II. Ways Which is a Pure Evidence of their Delufion *. And here I can't but obferve, that there are certainDo1rines often preach'd to the People, which need to be deliver'd with more Caution and Explanation than they frequently are ; for as they are by many underftood, they tend greatly to eftablifh this Delufion and falfe Con- fidence of Hypocrites. The Do&rines I fpeak of are thofe of Chrif- tians living by Faith, not by light ; their giving Glory to God, by &u/l- ing him in the Dark; living upon Chr, and not upon Experiences ; not making their good Frames the Foundation oftheir Faith : Which are ex- cellent and important Doctrines indeed, rightly underftood, but cor- rupt and deftruaive,as many underftand them. TheScripture fpeaks of living or walking by Faith, and not by Sight, in no other Way than thefe, viz. a being govern'd by a Refpe& to eternal Things, that are the Objects of Faith, and are not feen, and not by a Refpe& to temporal Things, which are feen ; and believing Things revealed that we never law with bodily Eyes ; and allo living by Faith in the Pro- mile of future Things without yet feeing or enjoying the Things promifed, or knowing the Way how they can be fulfilled. This will be eafily evident to any one that looks over the Scriptures which fpeak- of Faith in Oppofition to Sight ; as 2 Cor. ¢. 18. and 5. 7. Heb. Y i. I, 8, 13, 17, 27, 29. Rom. 8. 24. '2/obi 20._29. ButthisDoetrine,. as it is underftood by many, is that Chriffians ought firmly to believe and truft in Chrift, without fpiritual Sight or Light, and altho' they are in a dark dead Frame, and, for the prefent, have no fpiritual Ex- periences or Difcoveries. And it is truly the Duty of thofe who are thus in Darknefs, to come out of Darknefs into Light, and believe. But that they fhould confidently believe,and truft, while they yet re- main without fpiritual Light or Sight, is an antifcriptural and abfurd Doarine. The Scripture is ignorant of any fuch Faith in Chrift of * Mr. Shepard fpeaks of it, as a prefumptuous Peace, that is not in- terrupted and broke by evil Works. And fays, that the Spirit will figh, and notling in that Bofem, whence corrupt Difpofitions and Pagions break out. And that the Men in fuch Frames may feem to maintain the Confolation of the Spirit, and not fufpe their Hypo- crify, under Pretence of tru/ling the Lord's Mercy ; yet they can't avoid the Condemnation of the Word. Parable of the ten Virgins, Part I. p. 139. Dr. 'Imes fpeaks of it as a Thing, by which the Peace of a wicked Man may be diftinguifhed from the Peace of a godly Man, " that the Peace of a wicked Man continues, whether he per- " forms theDuties of Piety andRighteoufnefs, or no ; provided " thofe Crimes are avoided that appear horrid toNature itfelf ". Cafes of Confcience, Lib. III. Chap. 7. the
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