Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

CHAP. VI.

Precious Faith considered in the fruits and glorious progresses of it; and here first, of the Divine Sagacities of Faith.

Precious Faith confiuered in the fruits and glorious progresses of it; and here first, of the Divine Sagacities of Faith.

THUS far I have treated of Precious Faith, in its first and lowest measure, as it is the condition of the Gospel, consisting of supernatural illumination, a belief of the Divine Testimony, and a dependant resignation to the terms of the Gospel. Now I come to consider the fruits and glorious progresses of faith. Faith is like Rebecca, the Mother of thousands. That blessing of Abraham, in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thee, falls down upon all the seed of believers; their faith is blessed with a fair progeny of graces and comforts, only these are not born all at once, for though adoption and justification immediately ensue upon faith, comforts and statures of graces do not do so, but come forth into being gradually, in some sooner, in some later, as grace is actuated and as God is pleased to dispense them: wherefore what I shall lay down touching the fruits of faith, I intend not as universally applicable to all believers at the very ⟨p. 170⟩first, and before a progress made in grace, justification and adoption are found in every believer, nay, and some measures of sanctification, but higher degrees of grace and manifestations of Divine Love are not so; neither do I mean critically to time, when each holy fruit buds forth but only to explain the things themselves.

THUS far I have treated of Pretious Faith, in its first and lowest measure, as it is the condition of the Gospel, consisting of supernatural illumination, a belief of the Divine Testimony, and a dependant resignation to the terms of the Gospel. Now I come to consider the fruits and glorious progresses of faith. Faith is like Rebecca, the Mother of thousands. That blessing of Abraham, in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thee, falls down upon all the seed of believers; their faith is blessed with a fair progeny of graces and comforts, only these are not born all at once, for though adoption and justification immediately ensue upon faith, comforts and statures of graces do not do so, but come forth into being gradually, in some sooner, in some later, as grace is actuated and as God is pleased to dispense them: wherefore what I shall lay down touching the fruits of faith, I intend not as universally applicable to all believers at the very