A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

4 But now alas, saith the humbled soul; my godliness is so small, that I even despair of assurance. Be comfortest; strive against thy corruptions, and by the spirit of Jesus Christ, thou shalt overcome Paul was sanctified man; yet he complains, Rom. 7.15. What I would, that do I not: but what I hate, that I do. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Albeit he groaned under the weight of his infirmities, and felt the buffets of Satan; yet he knew that nothing could separate him from the love of God in Christ, Rom. 8.39. Thou canst veil bonum, will that which is good; then hear God speak comfort, 2 Cor. 8.12. If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. Indeed where there is want of grace, content in that want, love of that content, indulgence to all these; there is neither ornament nor sanctification, nor argument of salvation. But doest thou feel thy wants; hath that feeling bred sorrow? that sorrow desire? that desire prayer? that prayer increased faith? faith shall bring down mercy. In thee there is the sense of infirmity, in the other is the infirmity of sense. The feeling of sin doth not annihilate the assurance of salvation. We feel the ache of a finger more sensibly than the health of the whole body; yet is the health of the whole body far more than the ache of a finger. Sanctification is it self, though joined with some imperfection. He that ⟨p. 213⟩desired help for his unbelief, was accepted for his faith. Thus Ahijah answered Jeroboam's wife concerning her sick son. 1 King. 14.13. He only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord. Some good thing, some grace, though it be no great measure, shall be accepted. God regards not so much the Quantity, as the quality: not how much, but how true. Though our Saviour did chide his Apostles for their little faith, yet he never rejected them that had any at all. Indeed if a man be not best at last, h• was never truly good: therefore increase the oil in thy lamp, and then be sure to enter into the Bride chamber of Jesus Christ.