The Breastplate of Faith and Love

Secondly,^II when this is done, this is not all, when there is such a preparation made, that a man is willing to take CHRIST upon any conditions, yet now, if he shall not be ⟨p. 34⟩well built, if he see not just ground to take him, if his understanding shall not see the truth of the promise so clearly, that he can build on it, that he can rest on it, that all the arguments in the World cannot draw him from it again, his faith will not be effectual. Therefore the second thing wherein the effectualness of faith consists, is to have it well built in the mind and understanding of a man, when he clearly seeth the truth of the promise, that he can build upon it infallibly. For your better understanding of this,² you must know that then a man is said to be well built, to be rooted and grounded in faith, when he hath the first ground right, that so he proceeds from one to another, that it is not a confused superficial knowledge, to assent to the truth, and promises that are delivered in the Word, but when he hath a sure ground, the first ground, and the next, and so he proceeds along.¹ As, for example, the first thing that a man must do, is to believe the Scriptures, to know that they are true and infallible, that they are the sure Word of GOD, when a man can say, this I know,² and this I build upon. And besides that, then we look upon the promises which the Scriptures contain, wherein CHRIST, and forgiveness of sins is offered. Now if the first ground fail you, that is the bottom upon which the promises stands; therefore have that sure: when that ⟨p. 35⟩is sure, you must have the promises sure, that is, you must consider the promises, and examine them, and see if this be the sense of the Scriptures; If there be so much light in you, as to say, I find it so, I find the Scriptures true, I believe them, I find these promises in the Scriptures,⁵