Lastly, the wavering faith, hath but little force, I mean a faith, that is tossed with so many fancies, and so many doubts, that hath a kind of habit of inconstancy, which may be found in many Christians, that perhaps in the general have a true faith: my meaning is this that when we give liberty to the power of every fancy, or temptation, or doubts, or impediments, or affliction: so as if any thing fall in our way, that in the least measure might seem to cross our desires, we are presently out of all heart, or persuasion, and usually are never settled, but when nothing opposeth us; this kind of wavering and weakness is wonderfully scourged with want of sense and experience of Gods mighty working, or at best it gives but dishonourable entertainment to the greatest means of God. For though perhaps great mercies are greatly affected for the present, yet the sense of them is instantly gone, and every trifling cross turns the heart out of contentment, and so out of persuasion too for all, that is not yet had: mThese are unstable in all their ways.
Lastly, the wavering faith, hath but little force, I meane a faith, that is tossed with so many fancies, and so many doubts, that hath a kinde of habit of inconstancy, which may be found in many Christians, that perhaps in the generall have a true faith: my meaning is this that when we give liberty to the power of every fancy, or temptation, or doubts, or impediments, or affliction: so as if any thing fall in our way, that in the least measure might seeme to crosse our desires, we are presently out of all heart, or perswasion, and usually are never setled, but when nothing opposeth us; this kinde of wavering and weaknesse is wonderfully scourged with want of sense and experience of Gods mighty working, or at best it gives but dishonourable entertainment to the greatest meanes of God. For though perhaps great mercies are greatly affected for the present, yet the sense of them is instantly gone, and every trifling crosse turnes the heart out of contentment, and so out of perswasion too for all, that is not yet had: mThese are unstable in all their wayes.
- mJohn 11.40. Rom. 4.18. Jam. 1.6, 7.Iohn 11.40. Rom. 4.18. Iam. 1.6, 7.
