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

I confess, that this excludes not the degrees of faith: there is a^g little faith: and there is a Great faith; ^hO woman, great is thy faith. God deals in spiritual proceedings, as in naturall; ad extrema per medium; to extremes by the meane. Non nascimur senes; we are not borne old men: but first an Infant, then a man, then old. We are conceived of immortal seed, borne of the Spirit, so go on to perfection. There is first a seed, then a plant, then a tree. We get not at one jump into Heaven, nor at one stroke kill the enemy. A little faith doth not a little good at some times: as in the beginning of conversion, or in the storm of an afflicted conscience. Peter was strong, Joh. 6.68. When he resolutely protested his in fallible adherence to Christ; Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of Eternal Life. Peter was weak, when he sate by the fire in the High Priests hall, and denied his Master: and when he dissuaded Christ from suffering for us;ⁱ Be it far from the Lord. But where God gives great means, he looks for great measure: according to his portion of grace, he expects our proportion of goodness. It is enough for them that see only a glimmering of the Gospel, to be but dwarfs in bele fe: We have the Sun-shine, and therefore must have growth; and be higher by the head, as Saul; if not than all the children of Israel, yet than all the sons of Rome: whose faith is so hood winked with enforced ignorance, that they cannot see further than their popish Doctors will give them leave. Thus there may be degrees of faith; Adauge nobis fidem; Lord increase our faith.^k Him that is weak in the faith, receive you. Endeavour that your^l faith be increased. Grow from faith to faith; yea, from one measure of faith to another. Yet the least faith, (shield it from weakness of truth, though it have truth of weakness) is as precious to the believers soul; as Peters or Pauls faith was to themselves: for it lays hold upon Christ, and brings eternal salvation. In this similitude of faith, we find three Observations: