Christ inviting sinners to come to him for rest

Answ. I will give you this Ground, When the soul comes to Christ, and casts it self upon Christ, it doth it not at a mere venture, and knows not whether he shall have mercy or no. It is true, I come to Christ, and there is no other help, but I know not whether I shall have mercy or no, or whether there be any mercy or no for me, this is not the work of faith, this way is near to faith indeed, when the soul can say thus, It is true, in the way I have been there is no mercy to me, and I know not whether there be mercy for me, but I will try it, it hath not the reflect act of faith, but some secret persuasion of the soul, whereby it doth cast it self upon God, though not by a reflect act, it can certainly say, God intends ⟨p. 128⟩mercy for me, but though it be very weak, yet some intimation the soul hath that there is mercy from God towards it, because Faith is not a bare venture, but Faith hath some kind of certainty though very weak, for to say, I will cast my soul upon God, but I may perish, I have no ground to think why God should save me, this is unbelief; the work of Faith, according to the degree of it, hath some kind of certainty in it, though the soul for the present, be not able to discern it.

Answ. I will give you this Ground, When the soul comes to Christ, and casts it self upon Christ, it doth it not at a meer venture, and knows not whether he shall have mercy or no. It is true, I come to Christ, and there is no other help, but I know not whether I shall have mercy or no, or whether there be any mercy or no for me, this is not the work of faith, this way is neer to faith indeed, when the soul can say thus, It is true, in the way I have been there is no mercy to me, and I know not whether there be mercy for me, but I wil try it, it hath not the reflect act of faith, but some secret perswasion of the soul, whereby it doth cast it self upon God, though not by a reflect act, it can certainly say, God intends ⟨p. 128⟩mercy for me, but though it be very weak, yet some intimation the soul hath that there is mercy from God towards it, because Faith is not a bare venture, but Faith hath some kind of certainty though very weak, for to say, I will cast my soul upon God, but I may perish, I have no ground to think why God should save me, this is unbelief; the work of Faith, according to the degree of it, hath some kind of certainty in it, though the soul for the present, be not able to discern it.