Prophets, Evangelists, and Apostles? and yet we do not believe them: we have sundry times heard them, and read them, yea they have been often preached unto us, and that by sundry of the faithful ministers and servants of God; and yet we give no credit unto them: and this is too true, whether we look to God's fearful threatenings, or his merciful promises, both for this life, and the life to come.

How oftentimes, and by how many men have we heard, that unless we repent, we shall all perish; and yet very few believe it, for they go on still in their sin, and think that they shall do well enough. And that every tree, that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire (Mat. c. 3, v. 10): that is, alt wicked ones, that will not speedily amend their lives, shall be cast into hell fire: and yet though they live never so wickedly, they think to be saved, as well as the rest. And though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and God prolong his days, yet it shall not go well with him at the last (Eccles. c. 8, v. 12); yet men think the contrary, that seeing they have escaped in one sin unpunished, and the second and third time, that therefore it shall go well

with them for ever: and they think, as the Prophet saith (Psal. 50, v. 21), that because God holds his tongue, he is like them, and liketh their ways well enough.

Moreover, how often have we heard, and by how many, that he that is angry with his brother unadvisedly, is culpable of judgment (Mat. c. 5, v. 22): and whosoever hateth his brother is a manslayer (1 John, c. 3, v. 19): and yet men nourish these evil affections in themselves, as though these sayings were utterly false. And hath it not often been sounded in our ears by men of great credit, That neither adulterers, nor fornicators shall inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. c. 6, v. 9): but yet I would to God that the wicked lives of too many did not sufficiently bewray the thoughts of their hearts, namely, that they did not only somewhat doubt of the truth of this, but they think it to be a mere fable and let men say what they will against these sins, they will believe none but themselves: so wholly are their hearts possessed with infidelity.

Yea let a man come, and deal with one in any sin of his, in which he is settled, and denounce the judgments of God against him out of the truth of his word: and let a

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second and a third man likewise preach the same unto him at another time: and he yet is resolute in himself, he knoweth as much of that matter as any man can tell him, he will believe none but his own deceitful heart, and his own feeling; unless he feels the smart of it upon himself, he will give no credit unto it: like unto the men of Sodom, who when righteous Lot told them of fire and brimstone that should come down from heaven upon them for their horrible wickedness, they judged him to be an old doting fool (Genesis c. 19, v. 14), and would not believe it until they saw it, and felt it themselves burning about their ears, when it was too late.

By this infidelity, which is in us naturally, we are enemies to our own salvation, in that we will not believe this part of God's holy word, preached unto us often by them that are worthy of all credit. And this was the state of all of us, till God of his great mercy did reform us, and purge us of this unbelief, that for the amendment of our lives, and repenting us of our sins, that we might be saved, we would believe nothing of God's judgments, and of hell fire, though preached by many; but only such things as our blind reason did persuade

our false hearts of: and that we did stick fast unto, whatsoever men said, and of never so many, to the contrary. And the same unbelief remaineth still in us in measure in that part that is unregenerate.

We must therefore examine ourselves, that we may find it out, and pray to God to help us against it, which no doubt he will, if we seek unto him and be desirous to be holpen of it; as he did here his servant Thomas the Apostle. For this story of his unbelief is written to comfort all those that are fallen into unbelief, and are desirous to be rid of it and to believe, as this Apostle was. But if men for want of due examination and trial of their own heart, do presume of that which is not in them, and so imagine that they believe when they do not, or to have more faith than they have; they shall one day find that their phantasy hath deceived them, and they shall be far from being holpen in that which they want. For many think that it is the easiest thing in the world to believe, when as indeed it is the hardest; and it is more hard to overcome our reason in believing, than the affections of our heart in doing and therefore Christ saith (Mat. c. 7, v. 14), The gate is strait, and the

way narrow that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

And that which hath been said of God's judgments, it is true also of his promises, that there is as much unbelief in us towards the one, as towards the other. For how often have we read the same sweet and comfortable promises of God made for our good: yea how often have they been preached over and over again unto us; and yet we either not believe them at all, or not as we should. Let us take one for example. The Lord saith by his Prophet (Psal. 50, v. 15), Call upon me in the day of thy trouble, so I will deliver thee: and whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved (Joel c. 2, v. 22). Yet when trouble and affliction cometh, oh how few do believe this to be true! as appeareth by their practice; for how few, or none at all almost, do seek unto the Lord by earnest and fervent prayer! and they that do, with how little confidence and hope of being heard do they practise it! which sheweth how full of unbelief they are.

Few or none can say, as Solomon doth (Prov. c. 18, v. 10), that the word of the Lord is their strong tower, and that they run to that, as to their sure defence: or as