Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

Now come we to consider the means which God hath appointed to work this faith, and increase it in our selves, which be indeed abundant; but the main means of all ⟨p. 172⟩is the lifting up the standard, The preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; And therefore we are diligently to attend at wisdoms posts to hear Gods word, Rom. 10. 14. It is that which opens the heart and so lets in Christ, who by his spirit doth enable us from an inward light and power to say, Lord I believe, and therefore am assured of my salvation. This faith leaves not a man with his sins about him to go on in the course of this world, still doubting, for he can tell how he came by his faith, and it is not a common but a true substantial faith, that will never fail when he comes to stand most in need of it; and is no conceit or bare imagination gotten by contemplation, but a settled persuasion arising from Gods word, even the root of all good works, that can possibly be accepted in Gods sight.

Now come we to consider the means which God hath appointed to work this faith, and encrease it in our selves, which be indeed abundant; but the main means of all ⟨p. 172⟩is the lifting up the standard, The preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; And therefore we are diligently to attend at wisdoms posts to hear Gods word, Rom. 10. 14. It is that which opens the heart and so lets in Christ, who by his spirit doth inable us from an inward light and power to say, Lord I believe, and therefore am assured of my salvation. This faith leaves not a man with his sins about him to go on in the course of this world, still doubting, for he can tell how he came by his faith, and it is not a common but a true substantial faith, that will never fail when hee comes to stand most in need of it; and is no conceit or bare imagination gotten by contemplation, but a settled perswasion arising from Gods word, even the root of all good works, that can possibly be accepted in Gods sight.