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they vary in their temper, yet they agree in their nature; though they differ in livelihood, yet not in life. So, though the ftrong and weak faith differ exceedingly in refpect of particular abilities and exercifes, yet there is a true nature of faith in the weakeft as well as in the ftrongeft. There is as true a knowledge of the finful and milerable condition in our felves, and of the bleffed condition in Chrift, in the one as well as in the other. There is as true an affent to the word of grace, the Gospel of falvation, revealed in the one as well as in the other, I fay,as true, though, perhaps not equal and full.There is as true accepting and embracing of Christ,to be Lord and Saviour; the will doth as truly receive Chrift offered, though perhaps there be not such a ftrength of adherence at the firft. There is fo much in the weakelt faith as makes up the match 'twixt Chrift and the foul, nay, there is not any thing in the strongest faith, which is an effectual ingredient to espouse the foul with Chrift, but the fame alfo is in the weakest faith. Doth ftrong faith take Chrift? fo doth the weakest; doth it acknowledge him the only Saviour?fo doth the weak. eft, doth it embrace him as its Lord? fo doth the weskeft; doth it breed union? fo doth the weakeft; doth it make a man a member of Chrift, and heire of promifes?fo doth the weakest. Thus you briefly perceive the habitual unity of all true faith.

2.

SECT. II.

Secondly, now a word of the intenfive diverfities of faith. How faith differs from faith, I do not mean a true faith from a falfe, but a true faith from true faith. As one man truly living may differ from another truly living, notwithstanding they agree in the common nature of man, and life; Or to ufe the Apofties Simile, as one ftar may differ from another star in glory, though all be in the heavens. The rounds in Jacobs Ladder are not all at the top, yet are they every one of them steps to heaven; fo of faith, every faith is not triumphing, yet every faith is mounting up to the Lord of life and King of glory.

The

The feverall and particular habits of faith, though they confent in one truth of nature, yet they differ in many things.

First,in the strength of the parts and acts:As in the eyes of men, though the vifive faculty be equal in all, yet vifion, or the act of feeing, is diverfe, one fees the colours more clearly then another.

So is it in faith, (which is the eye of the foul, ) Though the nature be common, and equall, yet the act of beleeving is diffe

rent.

There are three acts of faith, and in refpect of all of them, there Three acts. may be a diverfity among believers.

1. Knowledge and apprehenfion, this is as it were the ground work of faith; for believing is not rooted in ignorance, but in light. Now every believer hath not fo full and diftinct a knowledge as another. Divine revelations (which are the generall objects of faith) are not clafped alike by all: No, nor yet the promifes, (which are the fpecial objects of faith) they are not fo equally apprehended. There are feverall promifes, and in them feverall parts, and degrees of goodneffe and truth; now, it is poffible for fome believers, not to be acquainted with all their creafuries; they have not been fo long acquainted with the word as to know all the good which doth concerne them; And that special good which they do apprehend, one believer reacheth the large compaffe of it more then another: All (even in Chrift is not equally known by all,who believe in Chrift. Hence it is, that age, and time, and communion, and study, and ́ufe of meanes, and experience do raise the apprehenfion, and knowledge to farre more degrees and ftrength then at the first; and the believing foul, which at first faw things (as the mah Whose eyes were touched by Chrift) dimly, at length rifeth by degrees to a more perfect light of the fame truthes, and to a more full and enlarged apprehenfion of other truths, which he was ignorant of before.

2. Afent, even in this alfo may one beleever differ from another: I confeffe, the ufual and palpable diverfities of faith be moft in things as good, rather then in things as

true.

Nevertheleffe, every believer,as fo, affents to all revelations,
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as

Simile.

2.

as in particular to those of Chrift, as true, yet the affects in be lievers may very much, not only in the circumstances of the af fent, but also in the immediate workings of the affent. The Judgement is not equally captivated in all, or elfe why do fome believers queftion and fcruple more then others? yea, and why elfe needs there a farther evidence and demonftration, to establish fome indoctrinall truths, if all believers were equally grounded, and rooted in the word?

Yea, and why are fome good people more apt to errors then others? no plaufible error can be taught, or fpread with the fpecioufneffe of taking reason, but prefently they are queftioning their old truths, for new opinions, which fhews, that all affents to divine truths are not alike in all believers.

Nay, and this appeares to be fo by the feverall inftances of diabolicall temptations, which in fome are of that great force, as to make them not only question their particular interefts in God and Chrift, (which may befall the highest believer) but also to queftion the first principles of Religion, whether there be a God, and whether the Scriptares are his Word, and whether true or falle.

3. Reception, embracing or confent: though it be hearty and fincere in all, yet one believer cannot fo reft on Chrift as another, nor doth every one take Chrift by the hand alike. Like a child who gives out a trembling hand with fome fhruggings,even to his Father;fo the believer may put forth his hand of faith, even to Chrift, with many feares and fhakings; O that I may have him, that I might receive bim,that he would be mine, that I could lay hold on him; O that God would pardon my finnes, faith one; yet another raiseth up the soul, I will reft on his promife in Chrift to pardon all.

In the measure of degrees: Hence you read of that by Chrift, I have not found fo great faith, no not in Ifrael, and, woman great is thy faith, Abraham frong in faith, Paul perfwaded, &c. and Job I know that my, &c. Ina comparative oppofition to which, you read thofe phrases, O ye of lutle faith. And why didst thou doubt, Othon of little faith, and of the weak in faith.

The degrees of faith are many (viz.) the babitual inclination of the heart toward Chrift, the actual laying held on him, the ftrong

ftrong embracing of him; reflection of the act, that I know I take him, as Lord and Saviour;reflection of the object, I know that he is my Lord and Saviour; then,a fulnese of this reflexive affurance, I doubt it not; then the reafons of this full affurance (which,whe ther it meane the great continuance, or the great abundance of the measure of affurance, is disputable) Againe the longer dura tion of this full and great affurance. Now in all thefe refpects (except the first) faith in one may differ from faith in another: How many hearts are let only towards Chrift; O that I could apprehend him, but I cannot believe: How many fouls do apprehend him yet, O that we were apprehended by him; how many are apprehended by him, (that is ) know him to be theirs, by fome gracious and firme evidence yet by and by with Mary weeping, they have taken away my Lord."

Yer fome others rife high and stay long in reftings, in perfwafions in affirmings, that it is heaven with them many dayes together.

Paul the fa

You may fee one Christian look up to heaven with teares of jey, (as fob, I know that my redeemer liveth.) Another look-Job. ing up with teares of grief, (Lord be mercifull to me a finner) Publican. You may fee one fitting down with thanks,( who gave himselfe Paul. for me.) Another falling down in Prayer (I believe Lord help David. my unbelief.) You may fee one triumphing above all feares and fcruples, (I am perfwaded that nothing shall separate me from the love of God in Chrift) and yet another combating with many feares, (but will the Lord be favourable unto me?) One bleffeth God for affurings, another crier unto God against doubtings: one is like Mary rejoycing in God my Saviour,another like Hefter, in ventring towards the Scepter, and, if I perish I perish. One faith, thou art my rock my fortreffe, my strong tower, my portion for ever, and the borne of my falvation, another fighes and breakes out,Oshal falvation were come out of Sion, O that I could believe, Othat I were once perfwaded. Thus it is with feveral belie vers as with feverall children : one lies in the cradle, another is led by the nurse, another is going by the chaires, and another can run. Or as it is with a flock of sheep, fome are ftrong and bearing, others are young, and must be gently led or carried; Or as with an Orchard, fome trees are able and well limbed, others are tender plants, and are weakly rifing.

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Reasons

Causes of it.
Ages.
Helps external.

Inward afli.

itances.

Services.

Pride.

Former finnings.

Reafon of which diverfity may be either the different ages of faith. In fome it hath had a longer time of ftrengthening, in others it is but feed newly fowen, or elle different externall helps; fome believers are brought up in a more fertill foyle, under powerful miniftries, which are experimen ally acquainted with inward confl&s, and therefore are more fuited to weak confciences to understand and remove their feares and doubts, and to answer objections, either arifing from natural unbelief, or from Satans fobtilties; others live upon a more hard hand, and want thofe directions and counfells.

Or elle different affiftances of Gods Spirit; for as that Spirit breaths where be lifts, fo he blowes where he lifts; fome he is pleafed to affift more in a way of combate, others more in a way of conqueft; though he be the Spirit of life to all that believe, yet he is the Spirit of affurance, to fome of thofe more then to others.

Or elfe the different employments and fervices; all believers meet not with equall conflicts, either within or without, they are not put upon the fame trialls, the fame croffes, the fame difficult duties;Now the Lord is wife as well as good, and therefore proportions different measures of faith, according to the diverse degrees of exigencies: A man can do and fuffer much after a day of gracious affurance, whofe heart perhaps would have trembled,if his doubts and fears had been yet to be answer ed.

Yea, and fome hearts are more apt to Pride and forgetfulness, which are therefore kept shorter,left they should fwell by multitude of revelations.

To all which if we adde, that fometimes former finnings may juftly make the foul to tugge long for affurance, because the Lord will not give eafie and fweet answer before we know that it is an evil and bitter thing to fin against kim.

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