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2.

First, Generally.

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For the generall nature of believing, obferve thefe propofiti

Fift, that believing is an affent to such matters as are known,orly by revelation from another ; there are in the foul of man three qualities by which we came to finde out or perceive things.

First, one quality is Scientia, or knowledge, which is a firme affent unto a thing which may be evidenced to the understanding by folid demonftration of infallible principles, or else by the undeniable evidence of fenfe, and experience: as thus,that every natural body hath power to move, or that the Moon will fuffer an Eclipfe, or that the fire is naturally apt to afcend,and the water to moiften, &c.

Thele things have both a naturall certainty and truth in themfelves, and there is an undoubted evidence and certainty in the minde of the perfon, truly knowing them; and fo certaine and full is the perfwafion of the minde, about them, that there is no fcruple of doubt remaining to difcufs, as any uncertainty whether the things be fo or no.

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Another is opinion, which is an inevident evident affent, if may fo phrafe it:My meaning is, the understanding doth fo affent, and yield to the things, as that yet it fees fome contrary reafon to fufpect and question whether the thing be fo or no for as much as (in opinion) the grounds are not fully evident to the minde, bus they are only probable, and therefore the affent by opinion, is but conjectural. As, take a man in a case of a fcrupulous confcience, there is to that man fome evidence of argument which doth feem to warrant h's action or attempt, and yet that argument is not fo entirely convincing of his judgment, but on the other fide, there ftarts up a medium or argument, which renders the practice probably finful; whereupon, if you come to demand of him; May you do fuch a thing? be anfwers, I do not certainly know (that is) I am not entirely and abfolutely refolved of it, yet I think I may, I think it is lawful; and this thinking (which is opinion) is alwayes accompanied with fome fear and fufpition; fo that the minde is like a paire of Scales tottering and tilting to either fide. Things are partly cleare, and partly obfcure, partly, evident, and partly inevident,

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and therefore the affent of opinion is alwayes doubtful.

Another is beliefe, which is an affent unto things not from any evidence of the things themselves, but only from the relation, or teftimony of another.

If I feel the fire to burne my hand, I do not call this a believing, but a fenfitive knowing, if Abimaaz comes and tells David, that his Son Abfolom is hanged and flaine, though this be knowledg in him who faw it, yet it is belief in David, who did heare and credit the tidings; fo that (to be brief) belief differs from knowledge in this, that knowledge depends on the evidence of things themselves; but belief, though the things be certainly true to which it doth affent, yet it affents unto them for the teftimony or authority of him who relates and reports them. Though this be moft true, That Jesus Christ was borne of the Virgin Mary, and that he is the Messias and Saviour, yet I beleeve it to be true because God bath given teftimony or report thereof in his Word un

to me.

Again, Belief differs from opinion in this, that opinion is an indifferent, probable, hazarding, and difficultly inclinable afsent, bus in believing the affent is firme, certaine and fixed efpecially where teftimony and authority is fufficient.

Believing as it is reftrained to a theological and divine confideration, that is (in the generall) an affent of the foul to the truth, and goodne fe, of all divine revelations upon divine teftimony.. Here much might be faid, as for inftance.

First, that all divine revelations are the object of belief, as Supernaturally inspired.

Secondly, that the ground of believing them is Gods own: teftimony. Faith hath fufficient reafon to believe all things there to be true, in their relation; because of his truch and authority who doth fay fo (viz.) God himself.

Thirdly, of the generall nature of believing, which is an affent unto all spoken by God as most true and credible.

Secondly, particularly, of justifying Faith,

Faith (as you well know) hath a double afpe&t, one is to the whole revealed Word of God, another is to God in Chritor to Jefus Chrift..

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3.

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I am not now to speak of it, as an eye which may fee all colours, but as an eye fixing it felf on fome fingular and fpecial object (viz.) on Jefus Chrift, in refpect of whom it is called juftifying fatch: The believing on whom may be thus defcribed.

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Faith in Chrift, what defcribed.

Tis a fingular Grace of God, whereby the heart and will of a fenfible finner, doth take and embrace Jefus Chrift in his perfon and offices, and dotb wholly or only rest on him for pardon of fin, and eternal life.

There are many things to be opened in this description,forasmuch as all the force of true faith, cannot at once in a few short words be clearly expref

fed.

Caufa

SECT. 1.

Onfider therefore, the spring or fountaine of this faith is at heaven: Gods eternall decree, is the radicall cause of it: fo Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed. And the instrumental cause of it is the Word of God, Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. And the immediate and fingular caufe of it is the Spirit of God, Gal. 5. 22. there it is an expreffe fruit. So Job. 1, 12. fpeaking particularly of believing on the Name of Chrift, he addeth verfe 13. men come to this not being borne of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

That

That the will or heart of man fhould be brought off from it felf, and to abhor its own condition and fufficiency, and to take Chrift as God propounds him, to be the only rock upon which I must built my falvation, to be the only Lord to whole Law and Will I must refigne up my whole foul, and to cleave unto him in a conjugall union and affection; This I fay ariseth,not from naturall principles, nor from the wildome of a mans free will, nor from any endeavour or action which can find footing in man himself.

It is obferved that there are two forts of habits.

Two forts o

1. Some which are acquired by the induftry of the person, Habits. and through a right ufe of a fegacious and understanding mind, and fuch may be purchased by practise, and use; as the Scholar by writing, gets the habit of writing, and the Apprentife by his wife and honeft obfervation, and industry,gets into the skill of his trade and calling; Now faith is no fuch quality, we can fend forth no fuch fingular acts or operations, which are able in time to ripen or beget fo excellent a Grace in the foul.

2. Others are plainly and entirely infufed. Faith is not water in the Earth, which a man may pump out, but it is even in the fulnesse or littleneffe of it, in the allneffe of it,as the drops or fhowers of raine, which come from heaven: Though the fubject of it be below, yet the cause of it is above, it is man who doth believe, but it is Gods Spirit alone who gives him that faith to believe; it is the will of man which doth take and receive Chrift; but it is Gods Spirit who doth bellow that grace of faith, by which he doth take and receive.

That a man hath a will,none can deny, who know that they are men; Nay, and that the will is able to fend out its own actions,it is willingly confeffed; but infinite is the difference 'cwixt the naturall actions of the will, and the fupernatural qualities and operation of Gods Spirit in the will: It is true,a dead carcafe is able of it felf to fend forth a stinking fmell, but it is not able to quicken and enliven it felf. That the will can, will I grant, but that the will can (of it felf) enliven it felf, to that great part of life, I meane believing, it is not only a vehement injury and dishonour to the fountaine and freeneffe of grace, but allo a moft foolish, and fenfeleffe error; the will of man being F

naturally

naturally fo oppofite to believing, and believing being an act fo every way unfutable, and difproportionable to the inclination and ability of the will. No verily, faith in God comes from God, and fo faith in Chrift, from Chrift; none ever could fee Chrift in a juftifying and faving way, who had not that eye of faith put into him by the Spirit of Chrift: No grace comes from any, but the God of Grace. Unto you it is given to believe, Phil.

1. 29.

2.

Subjectum.

SECT. II.

He fubject of this faith, is a fenfible finner; I do not as yet fpeak of the immediate fubject of inhefion, which refpects thofe parts of the foul, wherein this grace is feated; of this I fhall fpeak anon. Eut of the subject of denomination, and this fubject is a fenfible finner.

Two forts of There are two forts of finners.

inners,

1. Some generally corrupted both in their natures, and in their lives, and they are as unfenfible as they ere finfall. They do not know in any powerfull degree of true reflection and feeling their own vileneffe, accurfedneffe and miferableneffe of perfons being fo,and remaining fo in an unfenfible condition of finfulneffe, I dare confidently affirme, that though they may have moft able and ftrong pre'umptions, yet they have not (as yet) the leaft degree of juftifying and faving faith. How can any man by Faith lock upon Jefus Christ as his Phyfitian, who is whole in his own opinion. The unfenfible finner, as he cannot clofe with Chrift, fo he will not care for Chrift; for what thould now move fuch an heart, is it this holineffe of Chrifts perfon! Good Lord! How ridiculous is that motive to a profane and graceeffe heart, or is it the futableneffe of Chrifts Office; Why what is Salvation to him by another, who as yet fees no ground or reafon of condemnation in himfelf?

2. Others fenfibly experienced, who know thus much, that they in particular are finful, and there is no Salvation, no hope of it from themfelves, but it is to be found onely in Jefus Chrift.

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