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SAving Faith is of ab∣solute Necessitie; not such a Thing as is conve∣nient and usefull as a good helpe, yet so as that a man may make shift without, like a Staffe to a Travellor, this is not so; but as Legs and Eyes to a Travellor, without which is no travelling in the way to Heaven possibly.
1. Without this we are destitute of all Friends, we have never a friend to help us, being forsaken of all, of God, of Christ, and
the Creatures, for they take part with the Crea∣tor, and are Friends to none but his Friends.
2. Without this all * 1.1 good works are lost un∣to us, as 1. Hearing Gods Word. The Word preached profited not them, being not mixed with faith. Heb. 4.2. yea, though we goe never so farre, or heare never so often, with great paines, and no lesse cost. 2. The Use of the Sacraments, as the Israelites that did eat the same spirituall meat, and dranke the same spiri∣tuall drinke, sacramentally as we doe, yet With many
of them God was not well pleased. 1 Cor. 10.4, 5. for want of Faith. 3. Even Prayer is but prating and lying without this, Psal. 78.34, 36. and for all other works either of pie∣tie towards God, or Cha∣ritie toward men, they are all but meerly lost unto us, if we have not saving Beliefe within us, as it was with them that took pains in helping to build Noahs Arke, but perished them∣selves at last in the floud: or as they which take paines in digging, setting, & planting seere boughes of Trees, doe but loose
their labour and shew their follie.
3. Nay one cannot pos∣sibly doe a * 1.2 good worke without this, for without faith it is impossible to please God. Heb. 11.6. It being a Christians chiefest instru∣ment, as the work-man can doe no worke, if he want his principall Toole as Axe, or Hammer, &c. or if he doe any thing, it will be but a Botch, that will give no good liking: therefore this we must have, and that of Necessi∣tie whatsoever shift we make for it, whatsoever it cost to get; or else it had
been better for us, if we had never been born.
Which seeing it is of such absolute necessitie, it behoves every one to make as much speed to get it as may be.
Quest. But may not one make too much haste to beleeve?
Ans. Yes, if they over∣run sound Humiliation, they make more haste then good speed, but if one have been soundly humbled as was shewed CHAP. 3. then let him make as much hast as he can to beleeve; for these Reasons:
1. We cannot beleeve too soone, if we beleeve truly; we cannot make too much haste to obey God, who bids such be∣leeve. Matt. 11.28.
2. God doth not stint us to any certaine time of continuance, in the com∣fortlesse condition of Hu∣miliation, so it be sound.
3. Those Act. 2.37. and Lydia, Act. 16. and the Jaylor, Act. 16.34. and the Eunuch, Act. 8.30. and Paul, Act. 9. and many o∣thers beleeved immedi∣ately upon the proffer: yea, God himselfe prea∣ched comfort to Adam
and Eve immediately up∣on their Legall Conster∣nation.
4. One may be in dan∣ger of doing himselfe mischiefe in the Interim, out of horrour before some sparke of Beleeving bring light and comfort to prevent it.
5. As to delay our re∣penting when God bids us is a great sinne, so to deferre our Beleeving, is no lesse, if not a greater sinne.
such on∣ly materi∣alitèr.
viz. For∣malitèr.