scudderpage261

of God's love to them in Christ. But many doubt that they have no faith, or if they have any, it is so little, that it cannot be sufficient to carry them through all oppositions to the end, unto salvation.

If you have any faith, though no more than as a grain of mustard-seed, you should not fear your final estate, nor yet doubt of God's love; for it is not the great quantity and measure of faith that saves; but the excellent property and use of faith, though never so small; Luke xvii. 6. For a man is not saved by the worth of his faith, by which he believes; but by the worth of Christ, the person on whom he believes. Now the least true faith does apprehend Christ entirely, to all the purposes of salvation; even as a little hand may hold a jewel of infinite worth, as well, though not so strongly, as a larger. The least infant is as truly a man, as soon as ever it is endued with a reasonable soul, as afterward, when it is able to show forth the operations of it, though not so strong a man; even so it is in the state of regeneration. Now you should consider, that God has babes in Christ, as well as old men, 1 John ii. 12; feeble-minded as well as strong; sick children as well as healthy, in his family, 1 Thess. v. 14; Rom. xiv. 1, xv. 1. And those that have least strength, and are weakest, of whom the Holy Ghost saith, they have a little strength, in comparison, yet they have so much as, through God, will enable them in the time of greatest trials, to keep God's word, and that they shall not deny Christ's name, Rev. iii. 8. Also know, God, like a tender father, does not cast off such as are little, feeble, and weak, but has given special charge concerning the cherishing, supporting, and comforting of these more than others, 1 Thess. v. 14. And Christ Jesus will confirm and increase, and not quench, the least spark of faith, Matt. xii. 20.

This which I have said in commendation of little faith, is only to keep him that has no more from despair. Let none hereby please or content himself with his little faith, not striving to grow, and to be strong in faith. If he do, it is to be feared that he has none at all; or if he have, yet he must know that he will