The whole-armour of GodThe vvhole-armor of God

This extreme the wickeder sort fall into, into the other fall the weaker sort, but the better, yea many the dear Saints of God.^r David seemeth, by his own confession, to have fainted in his mourning: for such is the feebleness of our nature, such our forgetfulness of Gods power and promises, that we oft let go from us⟨p. 184⟩ those stays and props, which the Lord hath afforded unto us, to uphold. The Apostle implieth, that even Gods children, without great watchfulness, and continual observation, are very ready to wax faint. Experience, as of all other times, so of ours also, doth verify as much. For how is it that there should be such slackness in many, who have been heretofore very forward & zealous, and that mens after proceedings should be so unlike to their former good beginnings, but that they faint by reason of that hard way, and those manifold troubles, by which we must pass unto heaven? Great is the danger and damage of this fainting: it makes men weary of well doing, it causeth them to repent of the good which is done, and to turn back into an easier course (as they suppose) and so to lose all the glory of that good which hath been done: yea, it oft causeth fearful doubting, and despair, and so maketh all the help which the Scripture affordeth to be in vain.

THis extreame the wickeder sortfall into, into the other fall the weaker sort, but the better, yea many the deare Saints of God.