Archive for February 3rd, 2011
Wilson:
Tim: Now tell us of the measure of Abraham’s faith, what it was?
Sil: It was not a little and weak faith, but a strong and great faith, such a faith as fully assured him. This word [full assurance] is fetched from ships, which against wind, and waves, are yet with full strong sail carry unto the haven: so Abraham by the strength of his faith, overcame all the waves of doubts beating against his mind.
Tim. What may be observed from hence?
Sil. That in every truth faith, there is an assurance and persuasion of that which it believes, but not a full assurance, for this is proper to a strong faith. Secondly, that weak Christians should not be discouraged, because they be not fully assured, so as they strive towards it: for the measure of true faith is differing, and God looks not to the quantity but to the truth of faith.
Thomas Wilson, A Commentary on the Most Divine Epistle of St. Paul To the Romans, 3rd ed., (London: Printed by E. Cotes in Aldersgate-Steet, 1653), 124. [Some spelling modernized; italics original; square bracketed inserts original; and underlining mine.]