Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

and withal asserts, That if they erred only in this, it were a just eause for us to separate from such an Infidel-Church. Learned Pareus stiles it, Desperationis ossicina, the shop of desperation. Adding moreover, That it is Antichrists proper work to weaken the Faith and Hope of Christians. Indeed this Doctrine doth dispirit and emasculate Religion, turn Faith and Hope into mere Meteors, and set the Consciences ⟨p. 390⟩of Men a-fluctuating in perpetual doubts and labyrinths. But let us see what they say for it, first distinguishing between the certainty of Faith, and the certainty of Hope; they allow the latter to Believers: And what manner of Hope is this? Is it a fallible conjectural Hope only? such a Spiders web may be found in an Hypocrite, who hath no lot or part in this matter: Or is it a true Divine Hope suitable to a real Believer? This even the School-man Durandus will confess to be such, That non potest non evenire, it cannot but come to pass, this will not make ashamed, Rom. 5.5. by disappointing the Soul where it lodgeth. It is the Believers anchor, pure and steadfast, Heb. 6.19. Such as will never leave him to the courtesy of a wave or rock, for it enters in within the Veil, and is fastened in Heaven. Faith and Hope, which they here vainly distinguish, are coupled so together in a Believer, that Hope cannot fluctuate unless Faith do so; neither is Faith certain without an Hope congruous thereunto. Faith is the Hypostasis or Subsistence of things hoped for, saith the Apostle, Heb 11.1. And Hope (as an Ancient hath it) is [Greek or Hebrew], The very Blood of Faith. They say indeed, That the Promises are sure and infallible; but withal, they put such an uncertainty upon our Dispositions, as to evacuate the very drift and scope of the Promises; which is, That Believers might have strong consolation, Heb. 6.18. Streaming out from those two immutable Things, The Word and Oath of God ⟨p. 391⟩who cannot lie. But if the Believer must still be in doubt whether he have true Faith and Repentance; O how weak must his Comforts be, and how cold the Promises! He doth as it were but Tantalize at the pure fountain of Joy and Consolation. It's true, the Promises are Conditional; But are not those Conditions found in true Believers? May they not know that they turn unto God with all their heart, that is, seriously and sincerely?