A treatise of delighting in God from Psal. xxxvij. 4. Delight thy self also…

Nor doth it in order hereto work by way of Enthusiastical impulsion, without any reference to the external Revelation, that is, rationally and aptly suitable to the working of the effect. For then, that should no way have the place so much as of means. But there being sufficient inducement to persuade that this external Revelation is divine (so as to procure a rational assent to the things revealed, with any man, that, having that revelation, with the account of its first confirmations, shall but use his understanding ⟨p. 34⟩in reference thereto, and is not besotted to a party of sworn enemies to the Christian name). This inward revelation then falling in, captivates his heart to an entire unitive closure, with the great things contained in the outward one; and principally with the Son of God himself, unto which union, that whole revelation is most directly subservient. Therefore it was, that when divers others (of whom it is said, and particularly of Judas, ¹that they believed not) forsook Christ, Peter and the other Apostles stuck so resolutely to him, because, we believe (say they) and are sure that thou art Christ the son of the living God; which assurance we may then conclude was much of another sort than that of Judas; though we canno• suppose him to have wanted a rational •••••ty of the same truth, sufficient to have overcome objections in his judgment: but not sufficient to overcome the contrary corrupt inclinations of his wicked heart. Therefore as the inward revelation uses not to do its work without the outward, (for I suppose we have not heard of many Christians where the Gospel hath not been), so nor is the outward revelation able, alone to beget that which, in the more eminent sense, goes in Scripture under the name of Faith. It may beget that merely intellectual certainty which may prevail against all doubts and objections in a mans mind to the contrary; but not the contrary inclinations of his corrupt will. Most mens faith is but opinionative, and many mens never ⟨p. 35⟩reaches so high as to a rational opinion; that proceeds upon having balanced considerations on both sides, and inclines to that part on which seems to be the most weighty; whereas the Faith (as they call it) of too many is no other thing than a merely blind and sequacious humour, grounded upon nothing but a willingness to be in the fashion;