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

And others think that they have not that Faith and Repentance which are the condition of the promise of pardon and salvation: And in some of these the thing it self may be so obscure, as to be indeed the matter of rational doubtfulness. And in others of them, the cause may be either a mistake about the true nature and signs of Faith and Repentance; or else a timorous melancholy causeless suspicion of themselves But which of all these soever be the cause, it is something different from proper unbelief or distrust of God. For he that mistaketh the extent of the Promise, and thinketh that it belongeth not to such as he, would believe and trust it, if he understood it, that it extends to him as well as others. And he that doubteth of his own Repentance and Faith, may yet be confident of the truth of Gods Promise to all true penitent Believers.

And others think that they have not that Faith and Repentance which are the condition of the promise of pardon and salvation: And in some of these the thing it self may be so obscure, as to be indeed the matter of rational doubtfulness. And in others of them, the cause may be either a mistake about the true nature and signs of Faith and Repentance; or else a timerous melancholy causeless suspition of themselves But which of all these soever be the cause, it is something different from proper unbelief or distrust of God. For he that mistaketh the extent of the Promise, and thinketh that it belongeth not to such as he, would believe and trust it, if he understood it, that it extends to him as well as others. And he that doubteth of his own Repentance and Faith, may yet be confident of the truth of Gods Promise to all true penitent Believers.

I mention this for the cure of two mischiefs: The first is that of the presumptuous Opinionist, who goeth to Hell presuming that he hath true saving faith, because he confidently believeth, that he himself is pardoned, and shall be saved. The second is that of the perplexed fearful Christian, who thinks that all his uncertainty of his own sincerity, and so of his salvation, is properly unbelief, and so concludeth that he cannot believe, and shall not be saved. Because he knoweth not that faith is such a belief and trust in Christ, as will bring us absolutely and unreservedly to venture our all upon him alone.