The sound believer, or, A treatise of evangelical conversion discovering the work of Christs…The sound beleever, or, A treatise of evangelicall conversion discovering the work of Christs…

If Repentance accompanies Faith,¹ tis no presumption to believe; Many know they sin, and hence believe in Christ, trust to Christ, and there is an end of their faith; but what confession and sorrow for sin, what more love to Christ follows this faith? truly none; nay their faith is the cause why they have none; for they think, ⟨p. 172⟩If I trust to Christ to forgive them, he will do it, and there is an end of the business. Verily this hedge faith, this bramble •aith that catches hold on Christ, and pricks and scratches Christ by more impenitency, more contempt of him, is mere presumption, which shall one day be burnt up, and destroyed by the fire of Gods jealousy. Fie upon that faith that serves only to keep a man from being tormented before his time. Your sins would be your sorrows, but that your faith quiets you. But if faith be accompanied with repentance, mourning for sin, more esteem of Gods grace in Christ, so that nothing breaks thy heart more then the thoughts of Christs unchangeable love to one so vile, and this love makes thee love much, and love him the more; as thy sin increaseth, so thou desirest that thy love may increase, and now the stream of thy thoughts run, how thou mayst live to him that dyed for thee. This was Mary's faith, who sate at Christs feet weeping, washing them with her tears, and loving him much, because much was forgiven; who though she was accounted a presumptuous woman by Simon, and Christ himself suffered in his thoughts, for suffering of her to come so near unto him; yet the Lord himself clears her herein, and justifies her before God and men: many a poor believer thinks, if I should believe, I should ⟨p. 173⟩but presume, and spin a spiders web of Faith out of my own bowels: and hence you shall observe, this not believing stops up the work of repentance, mourning and love, and all cheerful obedience in them; and on the contrary, if they did believe, it would be with them as themselves think many times, if I knew the Lord was mine, and my sins pardoned, oh how should I then bless him, and love him, and wonder at him! how would this break my heart before him! &c. now I say, let all the world judg, if that which thou thinkest would be presumption, be not rebellion, because it makes thee worse; and stops up the Spirit of grace in thee.