A81131:65
The arraignment of unbelief, as the grand cause of our nationall non-establishment
The arraignment of unbelief, as the grand cause of our nationall non-establishment: cleared in a sermon to the Honourable House of Commons in Parliament, at Margarets Westminster, upon the 28th. of May, 1645. being the day of their public fast. / By Joseph Caryl, late preacher to the Honourable Society of Lincolns-Inn, now pastor at Magnus near the bridge, London.The arraignment of unbelief, as the grand cause of our nationall non-establishment: cleared in a sermon to the Honourable House of Commons in Parliament, at Margarets Westminster, upon the 28th. of May, 1645. being the day of their publike fast. / By Joseph Caryl, late preacher to the Honourable Society of Lincolnes-Inne, now pastor at Magnus neer the bridge, London.
London: printed by G. Miller for Giles Calvert, 1645
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Why, what hath unbelief done, or who hath seen it doing this evil? Unbelief is an invisible enemy, and therefore a more dangerous enemy. But though it be invisible in its nature, yet it is not only visible, but palpable in its effects: as holy faith also is. Hence, as faith is called effectual faith, and prayer effectual prayer, because these break forth and operate in glorious effects: so unbelief may be called effectual unbelief, because it breaks forth and operates in lamentable effects. And whatsoever is, or can be looked upon as a cause of our continued troubles and shakings, is without any strain or slander reducible to unbelief, as the cause of those causes, and therefore the cause of those effects.
Why, what hath unbelief done, or who hath seen it doing this evil? Unbelief is an invisible enemy, and therefore a more dangerous enemy. But though it be invisible in its nature, yet it is not only visible, but palpable in its effects: as holy faith also is. Hence, as faith is called effectuall faith, and prayer effectuall prayer, because these break forth and operate in glorious effects: so unbelief may be called effectuall unbelief, because it breaks forth and operates in lamentable effects. And whatsoever is, or can be lookt upon as a cause of our continued troubles and shakings, is without any strain or slander reducible to unbelief, as the cause of those causes, and therefore the cause of those effects.
First, Some say, we are not established, because we are so divided. And are not our divisions the fruit of our unbelief? Hearts not joined in faith to God, cannot join, or not firmly join to one another in love. They that go off from ⟨p. 24⟩God (and every act of unbelief in us, is a step from him) seldom keep close to one another, Faith is the cement and solder of affection.
First, Some say, we are not established, because we are so divided. And are not our divisions the fruit of our unbelief? Hearts not joyned in faith to God, cannot joyn, or not firmely joyn to one another in love. They that go off from ⟨p. 24⟩