III. The counterfeits of this trust are these: 1. When indeed we trust in our wit, or power, or shifts, or friends, or in some means or creatures only, or in co-ordination with God; but pretend and think that we do it but in subordination to him, and that our primary trust is in him alone. The detection of this is by trying how we can trust God alone, when he giveth us a promise and no probable means. 2. Pretending to trust God alone in the neglect of those means which he hath appointed us to use, and in the neglect of those duties which he hath made the condition of his promises; and this trust is but a self-deceiving cover for sin and sloth. 3. Pretending to trust God in the use of self-devised, sinful means; when he hath promised a blessing to no such means, but threatened them with a curse. 4. Thinking we trust God, when it is some false revelation of the devil, or some delusion of deceivers, or some dream, or fancy, or brain-sick, proud conceit of our own, which indeed we believe, and ground our trust upon: as those do that are deluded by false prophets and false teachers, and fantastical fancies of their corrupted imaginations. 6. When men in presumption and carnal security will rashly venture their souls in the darkness of uncertainty, (as well as in the neglect of a holy life,) and cast away all the sense of their miserable state; and all the necessary fear and care that tended to their recovery; and persuade themselves that they are in no great danger, or that their care will do no good, and call all this a trusting God with their salvation. 7. A pretending to trust God for that which is contrary to his nature: as to love the wicked with complacency, or to take them into heaven. 8. A pretending to trust God for that which is contrary to his word: as to save the unregenerate and unholy; and so "not believing him" itself, is taken for a believing in him, or trusting him. 9. Pretending to believe and trust him for that which neither his nature or his word did ever declare to be his will, in matters which he hath kept secret, or never gave us any revelation of; such is that which some call a particular faith: as to believe in prayer that some particular never promised shall be granted, because we ask it, or because we feel a strong persuasion that it will be so.
[Sidenote: Of particular faith.]
_Quest._ But is not such a particular faith and trust divine and solid?--_Answ._ To expect any particular mercy which God's nature, or word, or works do tell us that he will give, is sound and warrantable: and to expect any particular thing which by inspiration, prophecy, or true extraordinary revelation shall be made known to us; for this is a word of God: but all other belief and expectation is but self-promising and self-deceiving. And wise men will not easily take themselves for prophets, nor take any thing for an inspiration, or divine, extraordinary revelation, which bringeth not the testimony of cogent evidence.
IV. There are three great uses and benefits of this trust in God, which highly commend it to us, and make it necessary. 1. It is necessary to our acknowledgment and honouring of God. It is a cordial, practical confession of his power, and wisdom, and goodness, and truth: for where any one of these is wanting, there is no ground of rational trust. And the greater the danger or assault against us is, the more God is acknowledged and honoured by our trust; for then we declare, that no creature or impediment can disappoint his will: but that his power is above all power, and his wisdom above all wisdom, and his goodness and fidelity constant and invincible. Whereas distrust is a denying of God in some of his attributes, or a suspecting of him. 2. It is necessary to ourselves, for the quiet, and peace, and comfort of our minds, which else will be left unavoidably to continual disquietness and pain, by vexatious fears, and griefs, and cares, unless stupidity or deceit should ease them. 3. It is necessary to prevent the errors and sinful miscarriage of our lives. For if we trust not in God, we shall spend all our thoughts and labours in the use of sinful means; we shall be trusting idolatrously to the creature, and we shall be shifting for ourselves by lies or any unlawful means, and lose ourselves by saving ourselves, as from God, or without God.