The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

Answ. No: for Faith is wrought in men by degrees, and so some have a weak Faith, and some a strong Faith: Faith is ¹formed in the soul, as the body is in the womb; for in framing the body in the womb, there is first the brains and heart, and then the veins, sinews arteries, and bones, and then afterwards all is covered, and filled with flesh unto a just proportion: So is it in the soul, for first, there is wrought a small degree of saving knowledge, and spiritual desire after God in Christ, and then flows from thence the veins and sinews that take hold of the promises of grace; and lastly, by degrees, as our knowledge and experience increaseth, the whole body of Faith grows after a complete manner formed in us, when our hearts are filled with increase of sound and solid knowledges: but because this point toucheth the spiritual free-hold of many godly Christians, I would therefore beat it out more distinctly: And so four things are to be considered: 1. How it may be known that Faith is weak. 2. How weak Faith, may be known to be a right Faith. 3. How the believer may be comforted, that finds he hath but a weak Faith. 4. Admonition to him that is weak in the Faith, not to rest in that condition, for divers reasons.

Answ. No: for Faith is wrought in men by degrees, and so some haue a weake Faith, and some a strong Faith: Faith is ¹formed in the soule, as the body is in the wombe; for in framing the body in the wombe, there is first the braines and heart, and then the veines, sinewes arteries, and bones, and then afterwards all is couered, and filled with flesh vnto a iust proportion: So is it in the soule, for first, there is wrought a small degree of sauing knowledge, and spirituall desire after God in Christ, and then flowes from thence the veines and sinewes that take hold of the promises of grace; and lastly, by degrees, as our knowledge and experience increaseth, the whole body of Faith growes after a compleate manner formed in vs, when our hearts are filled with increase of sound and solid knowledges: but because this point toucheth the spirituall free-hold of many godly Christians, I would therefore beate it out more distinctly: And so foure things are to be considered: 1. How it may be knowne that Faith is weake. 2. How weake Faith, may be knowne to be a right Faith. 3. How the beleeuer may be comforted, that findes hee hath but a weake Faith. 4. Admonition to him that is weake in the Faith, not to rest in that condition, for diuers reasons.