A Golden Chain

And thus much of weak faith: which must be understood to be in a man not all the days of his life, but while he is a young babe in Christ. For as it is in the state of the body, first we are babes and grow to greater strength as we grow in years; so it is with a christian man. First he is a babe in Christ, having ⟨p. 195⟩weak faith, but after grows from grace to grace, till he come to have a strong faith: example whereof we have in Abraham, who was strong and perfect both in knowledge and apprehension. This strong faith is, when a man is endued with the knowledge of the Gospel and grace to apprehend and apply the righteousness of Christ unto himself for the remission of his own sins: so as he can say distinctly of himself and truly, that he is fully resolved in his own conscience, that he is reconciled unto God in Christ for all his sins, and accepted in him to life everlasting. This degree of faith is proper to him that begins to be a tall man and of ripe years in Christ. And it cometh not at the first calling of a man unto grace. And if any shall think that he can have it at the first, he deceiveth himself. For as it is in nature: first we are babes, & then as we increase in years, so we grow in strength: so it is in the life of a Christian; first ordinarily he hath a weak faith, and after grows from grace to grace, till he come to stronger faith: and at the last he be able to say, he is fully assured in his heart and conscience of the pardon of his sins & of reconciliation to God in Christ. And this assurance ariseth from many experiences of Gods favour and love in the course of his life by manifold preservations and other blessings, which being deeply and duly considered bring a man to be fully persuaded, that God is his God, and God the father, his father, and Jesus Christ his redeemer, and the holy Ghost his sanctifier.

And thus much of weake faith: which must be vnderstood to be in a man not all the daies of his life, but while he is a yong babe in Christ. For as it is in the state of the bodie, first we are babes and grow to greater strength as we grow in yeres; so it is with a christian man. First he is a babe in Christ, hauing ⟨p. 195⟩weake faith, but after growes from grace to grace, till he come to haue a strōg faith: example wher•of we haue in Abraham, who was strong and perfect both in knowledge and apprehension. This strong faith is, when a man is indued with the knowledge of the Gospell and grace to apprehend and apply the righteousnes of Christ vnto himselfe for the remission of his owne sinnes: so as he can say distinctly of himselfe and truely, that he is fully resolued in his owne conscience, that he is reconciled vnto God in Christ for all his sinnes, and accepted in him to life euerlasting. This degree of faith is proper to him that beginnes to be a tall man and of ripe yeares in Christ. And it commeth not at the first calling of a man vnto grace. And if any shall thinke that he can haue it at the first, he deceiueth himself. For as it is in nature: first we are babes, & then as we increase in yeares, so we growe in strength: so it is in the life of a Christian; first ordinarily he hath a weake faith, and after growes from grace to grace, till he come to stronger faith: and at the last he be able to say, he is fully assured in his heart and conscience of the pardon of his sinnes & of reconciliation to God in Christ. And this assurance ariseth from many experiences of Gods fauour and loue in the course of his life by manifold preseruations and other blessings, which beeing deepely and duly considered bring a man to be fully perswaded, that God is his God, and God the father, his father, and Iesus Christ his redeemer, and the holy Ghost his sanctifier.