Christian observations and resolutions, or, The daylie practise of the renewed man, turning all occurrents to spirituall uses, and these uses to his vnion with God I. centurie : vvith a resolution for death, &c. / newlie published by Mr William Struther ...

41. Credulitie and Confi∣dence, are weake atten∣dants of a weake Spirit.

CRedulitie, and Confidence are usuallie found together, the one for taking in of reports is an euill porter, the other, a lavish out-giuer: The first admitteth both others reportes and the owne im∣brede suspitions: The second giueth them out boldly as vndoubted truthes: In one instant, their heart is both at the roote of the eare, hearing greedilie, and in the toppe of the tongue, talking looslie: the one tryeth nothing, and the other spareth nothing.

Credulitie putteth no difference be∣tweene mans report & Gods word, their owne apprehension and diuine reuela∣tion: Confidence resteth on them all a∣like, and venteth all with the like assu∣rance: It knoweth no degrees of per∣swasion, but layeth the same degree of trust vpon humane rumours, as vpon the Articles of the Creede.

They are the two wings of Calumnie, without which it cannot flee abroad: When Sathan hath layde in the vncha∣ritable heart, the egges or seedes of Ig∣norance, Malice, Prejudice, Suspition, preposterous Zeale, and such like, Then hee worketh mightilie on them, and hatcheth the monstrous bird of Calum∣nie: But it is winglesse, till it be vented: For this end, hee putteth Confidence and Credulitie to it, that it may flee a∣broad, which was brought foorth in secret. This is a match of Sathans joy∣ning: A babling tongue to speake, and a bibulous eare to drinke in greedilie bad reportes.

It is a weake Soule, that hath two such assistants, who so would perswad them of any thing, haue lesse to doe, than hee who must heare their raw and vnconsiderate reportes. Hee needeth no more, but vent his tales, he is trusted at once by them, but their hearers must either beleeue them, & that in their own degree of perswasion, or else suffer for it:

It is easier to bee their informers, than their hearers or reformers, and that ra∣ther in lies and trifles, than in trueth. They are as hard to take contrare infor∣mation to their former errors, as they were ready at the first to drinke them in.

It is our best, to try reportes, and then giue euery thing its owne due of trust, and euery trust the owne degree of asseveration. It is folie to embrace humane reports with that same degree of perswasion, as wee doe diuine trueth, or to speake them with the same confi∣dence.

A speciall worke of Gods Spirit, is to direct vs in the trueth, and that not onely in the matters of Saluation, but also in our common conuersation, where hee reigneth, hee placeth holy Discretion at the roote of our eares, to keepe vs from racklesse Credulitie: And hee guydeth the heart with wise Cha∣ritie, to stay vndiscreet Confidence, in∣venting of our owne apprehension, or other mens reports. The foolish man will

beleeue euery thing: but the prudent will consider his steppes. Prov. 14. 15.