A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 130. Of preventing and redressing unbelief.

FOr keeping out, or casting out unbelief, these Directions following will be use∣full.

• 1. Use all means to get, prove, preserve and exercise Faith: (Hereof, See The whole Armour of God, Treat. 2. Part. 6. on Ephes. 6. 16. Of Faith, §. 17, &c.) as life keepeth out, or driveth out death, and light darknesse; and heat cold, and other like contraries one another: So faith, unbelief: if not wholly (For faith and unbelief may stand together in remisse degrees. See The whole Armour of God. Of Faith, §. 39.) yet so as unbelief shall not bear sway in the heart.
• 2. Set God alwayes before thee, and frequently, and seriously meditate on Gods Presence, Providence, Power, Truth, Mercy, and other like Excellencies. Due me∣ditation on these is a singular antidote against unbelief.
• 3. Give good entertainment to the holy Spirit of God: Stir up and cherish the good motions thereof. Hereby thy spirit will be quickned and revived, as Ia∣cobs was, Gen. 45. 27. and it will not continue under the dumpishnesse of un∣belief.
• 4. Do not wilfully and obstinately stand against any good councell given, or du∣ty required, or direction prescribed: as the Egyptians did, Exod. 9. 21. Unbelief useth to be joyned with obstinacy, as in Pharaoh, who said, Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice? Exod. 5. 2. and in the Israelites, who one while through diffi∣dence return to Egypt, and another while presume to go against the enemy, with∣out, yea against the minde of the Lord, Numb. 14. 4, 40, &c, and in that Prince, who said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? 2 King. 7. 2. Yea and in Thomas too, who said, I will not believe, except I shall see, &c. Ioh. 20. 25. As wilfulness and obstinacy are joyned with unbelief, so they do increase and aggravate it.
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• 5. When thou findest thy heart dull, heavy, doubting, distrustfull, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 judgement and understanding: thereby reason, and discourse with thy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 will, and say (as David did, Psal. 42. •…•…, 11. Why art thou cast down, O 〈◊〉〈◊〉 &c. Why art thou so stubborn, O my will? Why dost thou not believe? 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God said this and that? Is he not true and faithfull? Is he not able to make goo•…•…▪ Word?

Of a mans reasoning with himself, See The Saints Sacrifice on Psal. 116. •…•… §. 47, 48.