The Morning exercise [at] Cri[ppleg]ate, or, Several cases of conscience practically resolved

But I suppose those high degrees of Faith cannot be meant here, because it is said, that they who have not this Faith, must not think to receive any thing, not the least; if so then the highest degrees of Faith should be required for the obtaining the lowest degrees of Mercy; but Scripture promises are made to the Truth, and not to the degrees of Grace. To Faith that is but as a grain of Mustard-seed to remove Mountains, and to Love that is but a spark to be victorious, Matth. 12.20. but I shall rather endeavour to show you how Faith is taken here, then how 'tis taken in other places, therefore, To ask in Faith, may he here spoken in reference to the Person that prays, viz. he that prays must be in the Faith a faithful or Righteous Person. The Scripture is full to this purpose, as Psal. 66.18. If I regard iniquity in mine heart, though my tongue do not plead for it, nay though it speaks against it, though I refrain from it in my Life; for one may love the sin we commit not, and if I do so regard it in mine heart God will not hear my Prayers: if I give it so much as a good look, for so the Hebrew, if I see iniquity in my heart, if I take any pleasure in sin, for David calls it painful iniquity, for so in the Hebrew, No Saint can live without committing sin, but all Saints live without regarding it in their hearts. So also James 5.15. The Prayer of a Righteous man availeth much, how much is not set down, because it cannot be set down how much it avails as much as they please, they may have what they will; but for a wicked man though his Prayers were effectual they avail not much, since their desires are for temporals. The other places are full to this point, viz. that the Prayers of none but Righteous persons are accepted with God, as John 9.31. Ch. 1.15. Prov. 28.9. 1 John 3.15.

But I suppose those high degrees of Faith cannot be meant here, because it is said, that they who have not this Faith, must not think to receive any thing, not the least; if so then the highest degrees of Faith should be required for the obtaining the lowest degrees of Mercy; but Scripture promises are made to the Truth, and not to the degrees of Grace. To Faith that is but as a graine of Mustard-seed to remove Mountains, and to Love that is but a spark to be victorious,