.144 Thew:,'er ofthe canteJ asyet,they fcele not in themfclties,efpeciall motions ofGodsfpirit. Thus much concerning the way which Godvfeth in begetting, of faith. Therearcbetide this,twonotabledegrees offaith .The one is,the lowefi,and, asI may fpeake,the pofidue degree : theother is,the higheíi,orfuperlatiue. The lowefl degreeof faith, is called;agaaac-,a,alittle or weake faith, like a graineofinu$ard feede,orfinoking flaxe,whichcanneither glueout beate nor flame,but onlyfmoake.Mattb.8.z5. His Difciplesawa'redhim,faying,Saue, tesafiter,weperifh, z6. i4ndhefaidunto them,Whyareyefairefull,Oyeoflittle faith.Matth.7.ao.Ifye hauefaith as much asagraineofmtiftardfeede,ye (hall fay untothemeuntaine,Moue,and it(hallremoue.Efay42.3.Thefmoki,ngfiaxe /liallhenotquench. Faith is thenfaid to bee weakeand feeble, when as,ofchofe fluedegrees a- bouementioned,either the firfi,which is knowledge,orthe fifc,which is appbca.. tion of the promifes, is very feeble , the retl remaining thong. Rom.i 4.2, One beleeuctb that he mayease al things, andanother which isweake, eateth hearts. 3. Let not himthat eateth, dci ifehim that eatethnot : andlet not him whicheatethnot,iudge himwhicheateth:forGodhath receiuedhim.The Apo- filesalthough theybeleeued,that Chriflwasthat Sonneofthe liningGod: yet theywere ignorant ofhisdeathandhis refurre&ion. Matth. t 6.i 6. Ioh.6.69. Matth.. i y.2z. Luk.9.49. Theyvnderftoodnot that word :for it was hidfrom them,fo thattheycouldnotperciue it.A&. i.6.Tbey askedhiriofaying,Lord,wilt thourefloreat this time thek ngdome ofIfrael? Forthe better knowledge ofthiskindeoffaith, wee muff obferuethefe two rules, I. A ferious defire to beleeue, and anendeuourto obtaineGods fauour,is the headof faith. Mat.5.6. Blefledare they which hungerandthirff afterri?h- reoufneffe,for they(hallbefatisled.Reu.2 i .6. Iwilltri,ie to him that ita thirft, of a hewefafthewateroflfefreely.Pfal.r45.:9. ¡fewillfulfiflthedeftreofth. t hat Parehint : healtowill hearetheircrie,andwillfaciethcrn.Forinluchasbe. in tobeteenle and to beerenued,the minde will lienot idte,but beingmooned by the holyGhofi, firiue withdoubtfulnefl'e and difiroil, and endeuour toput their affent to the fwecte promifes made in theGofpell, and firmelyto applie the fameto themfelues, and in the fenfe of their weakeneffe, delreafsifiance froma'boue.and thus faith is beftowed. .1 g. God doth notdefpife the leafs fparke offaith,iffo be,it,by little & little, ;doeencrcare, and menvfe the meanes to increafe the fame. Luk.i 7.5. The 4peflesfsid onto the Lord,encreafe ourfaith. 6. And theLordfaid, Ifye had faith as witchasagram eofmartard feede, andfhould fay veto this mssf6errie tree,Pluckethylikeopby therootes,andplantthyfelfeinthefea,itfhoxldteen obeyyou. Man rnuai therefore flirre vphisfaith, by meditation ofGods word, ferious pravers,and otherexercifèsbelonging vntofaith. The hi`het/ degreeoff .ith, is n1,,a000eia, aful/affurarce, which is not onely certaine and true, but aifo afull perfwafionof theheart, wherebyaChrifiian much
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