The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…

I know I shall meet with abundance of Teachers and people, that will shake the head at this doctrine as dangerous, and cry out of it as favouring unbelief, that any one should have true saving Faith, who doubteth, or is uncertain of the immortality ⟨p. 262⟩of the soul, or the tr•th of the Gospel! But I see so much in hot-brained proud persons, to be pitied, and so much of their work in the Church to be with tears lamented, that I will not by speech or silence favour their brainsick, bold assertions, nor will I fear their phrenetick furious censures. If it be not a mark of a wise and good Minister of Christ, to be utterly ignorant of the state of souls, both his own, and all the peoples, then I will not concur to the advancement of the reputation of such ignorance. It is enough to pardon the great injury which such do to the Church of God, without countenancing it. Though this one instance only now mind me of it, abundance more do second it, and tell us, that there are in the Churches through the world, abundance of Divines, who are first taught by a party which they most esteem, what is to be held and said as orthodox, and then make it their work, to contend for that orthodoxness which they were taught so to honour, even with the most unmanly and unchristian scorns and censures; when as if they had not been dolefully ignorant both of the Scriptures, and themselves, and the souls of men, they would have known, that it is the fool that rageth and is confident, and that it was not their knowing more than others, but their knowing less, which made them so presumptuous; and that they are themselves as far from certainty as others, when they condemn themselves to defend their opinions: Even like our late Perfectionists, who all lived more imperfectly than others; but wrote and railed for sinless perfection, as soon as they did but take up the opinion. As if turning to that opinion had made them perfect. So men may pass the censure of hypocrisy and damnation upon themselves when they please, by damning all as hypocrites, whose faith is thus far imperfect; but they shall never make any wise man believe by it, that their own faith is ever the more certain or perfect.

I know I shall meet with abundance of Teachers and people, that will shake the head at this doctrine as dangerous, and cry out of it as favouring unbelief, that any one should have true saving Faith, who doubteth, or is uncertain of the immortality ⟨p. 262⟩