The sound believer. A treatise of evangelical conversion. Discovering the work of Christ's spirit,…

2. This is a sandy Bottom and Foundation, which when a Christian rests upon, it shakes under him, when the Soul shall think, tho' Christ hath died for me, yet no more for me, than for Judas, or Thousands of Reprobates now in Hell. Indeed after Faith, a Christian is bound to believe it, as Paul did, Gal. 2.20. 1 Cor. 15.1, 2.

I conceive therefore those holy Men of ours who have described Faith by Assurance, have not so much aimed at a Description of what Faith is in it self, as it possesseth us with Christ; but of what Degree and Extent it may be, and should be in us; they describe it therefore by the most eminent Act of it, in full Assurance: And therefore consult with the Authors of this Description, and enquire of them, Is there no Doubting mixed with Faith? Yes, say they, Man's Doubtings sometimes are even unto a Kind of Despair, but then (say they) it should not be thus. The Papists commend Doubtings, and deny Assurance, place Faith in a general Assent; our Champions that were to wrestle with them, maintained it to be a particular Application, (and not only a general Assent) and that with a full Assurance of Persuasion, which being the most eminent Act of Faith, excludes not other inferior Acts of it, which as they are before it, so may possess the Soul with Christ without it. Although' ⟨p. 122⟩withal, it is certain, that there is no true Faith, but it hath some Assurance, of which afterward.

I conceive therefore those holy Men of ours who have described Faith by Assurance, have not so much aimed at a Description of what Faith is in it self, as it possesseth us with Christ; but of what Degree and Extent it may be, and should be in us; they describe it therefore by the most eminent Act of it, in full Assurance: And therefore consult with the Authors of this Description, and enquire of them, Is there no Doubting mixt with Faith? Yes, say they, Man's Doubtings sometimes are even unto a Kind of Despair, but then (say they) it should not be thus. The Papists commend Doubtings, and deny Assurance, place Faith in a general Assent; our Champions that were to wrestle with them, maintained it to be a particular Application, (and not only a general Assent) and that with a full Assurance of Perswasion, which being the most eminent Act of Faith, excludes not other inferior Acts of it, which as they are before it, so may possess the Soul with Christ without it. Altho'