the Epißie te thegafatianr. Chap.2 prehension, and ftrong apprehenfion. Ifwe trulyapprehend, though not firongly, it fufEiceth. The pallie-hand isable to re- ceiue a gift , though not fo flrontly as an other. The man in the Gofpel Paid ,Lord,1beleeue,hclpe mine vrsbeleefe, Mar.9.24. 5 that is , helpe my faith which by reafon of the frnalnes thereof may rather becalled vnbcleefe,then faith. This is the common faith oftrue bclecucrs. For in this world, we rather hueby hungring and thirfiing, thenby full apprcl>,ending,of Chrifl : and our comfort flands rather in this, that we arc knowne of r o \I God,thcn that we knowGod. The highefl degree of faith is,a full perfwafionof Gods mercie. Thus faith the holyGhofl,that Abrahamwa.s not weake through vrrbeleefe, but ffronvinfaith, Rom. 4. 2o. But wherein was this Rrengtli ? In that hewsfrillyperfrnaded,tbat rod, >hich 15 hadpromifedwould altoperforme it. Thismeafure of faith is not incident toall beleeuers, butto theProphets, Apollles , mar- tyrs ; and filch as baue beene long excrcifed in the fi hoole of Chrifl. And this appeares by the order, whereby we attaine to this degree of faith. Firfl,theremufl be a knowledge ofChri.fl: 20 then foitowes a general! perfw.hon of the poiibilitic caf par- don, and mercie, wherebywe beleeue that our fumes are par- 1i donable. An example whereof we bauein the prodigal! child, I Luk. 14. t S. After this, the H.Ghoft workcth a will and delire to beleeue,and ílirres vp the iseart to makehumble and ferious 25 invocation for pardon. After praier inf lantly made,followes a fetling -andquietingof the confciencc, according to the pro. mif,Math.7.7.Knocke, it fdallbe opened , tickye[hallfinde,a, k ye fall receive. After all this, followes an experience in mani- fold obferuationsof the mercies of God , and lone in Chria 7. 30 and after experience, followesa full perfw .a ion. Abrahamhal not this full perfwafioneti.jl God had fundrie times fpoken to him. Dauad,vponmuch trial! of the mercie,& fauou.rof Cod, growes to refolution , and.ffith , Pfal. 2;r. 6. 'batik/cp. . incinei arldtvercie,lb. llfollow vole alithe dares(fix} life. t This dif1inc`lion ofthe degrees of faith , mull the rather be, obferued; becaufe the Papifts fuppolo that we teach, that cue- ry faith is a full perfwafon , and that euery one among vs hath this pertvafion .Whichisother-wifc.For certentiewe aferibeto, allfaith , but not Vales of certentie. Neither doewe teach,that-' all- menmull haue a fuftperfwafon, at the fri. Y27 -
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