Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending…

ANSWER.

1. Mr. Blake will require the profession of a Dogmatical faith, and an engagement to believe savingly, as strictly (I hope) as I will require the profession of saving faith, and an engagement to actual obedience. And if a Dogmatical faith and such an engagement must be profest, then it must be known by him the professeth it, as necessarily as the other. And I would fain know of him how mere Dogmatical believers are sure that they have a Dogmatical faith. 1. Many of them know not what that faith is, nor what the essentials of Christianity are; nor know not those essentials themselves, as I before said from sad experience. They might therefore be sure that they have not a true Dogmatical faith, but not that they have it; and yet they are as confident they have it as other men. 2. Many that believe the same truths as others, believe them but side humanâ, and not divinâ: and therefore have no true Dogmatical faith. 3. Many do but half believe them, and think they may be true & they may be false, and cannot tell whether they may believe them or not, but indeed do not; their unbelief being more predominant, and therefore from it must be denominated. 4. Many true saving ⟨p. 192⟩believers are sorely tempted about the Truth of the Gospel, and troubled with doubts, and their Dogmatical or Historical faith is but weak, and mixed with much unbelief: so that they cannot tell whether their belief or unbelief be predominant, and consequently whether they believe or not. And for my part I see no reason but that it should be as hard to a true Christian to know whether he truly believe the Dogmata Christiana, the Articles of Faith, the truth of the Gospel, as to know whether he truly rest upon Christ, or love God above all. And I know many learned, wise, and godly men (to all appearance) that are in doubt, and long have been, of the truth of their assent to the Gospel, and are troubled with no other doubtings of their sincerity (in any great measure) but only as the doubts of this doth cause them. Some of the ablest men that ever I knew have groaned out many a complaint: O, I am afraid I am an Infidel! I cannot believe the Word of God! I know not whether I believe it or not!] A Turk may have some thoughts or motions that it may be true; but if he be more persuaded of the falseness than of the Truth, he is not to be denominated a believer. Now if Mr.