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yet is it a false and sophistical conclusion, suggested from him that is a liar from the beginning, and the father of lying, to say, we feel not faith, therefore there is no faith in us. For in many diseases of the body we have no sense of life, and yet we live. The sun shineth not in the night season, nor when it is obscured with clouds: shall we say therefore that there is no sun, or that it hath utterly no operation? Admit also (which yet may not be admitted) that the Lord had for a time utterly given us over: can we conclude thereof, that he will never again be merciful unto us? Nay, he that found us when we sought him not, will surely return unto the work which he hath begun, though he seemeth for a while to have forsaken it. There is sometime as it were an eclipse of our faith, and of the feeling of the grace of GOD towards us, but let us assure our selves, that as the Sun and Moon do not perish in their eclipses, nor loose their light for ever: soe in this eclipse which happeneth for a time unto our faith, ⟨p. 124⟩and sense of Gods goodness, the same shall not perish or loose his virtue for ever: but shall in good time be restored, or rather quickened in us again, unto our further and more assured comfort. This you have seen in many the dear children of God whose heaviness hath been known unto you, that they have not been forgotten for ever, but that the Lord, who seemed for a while to frown upon them, did in the end cause his most gracious and loving countenance to shine upon them again: you have felt it in your self, that there hath been an interchangeable course of sorrow and comfort, of faith and fear, and that the one hath continually succeeded the other, that the same hand that humbled you, did raise you up again; that he that inflicted the wound into your soul, applied thereunto the most sweet and sovereign remedy of his grace. So ancient and so experienced a soldier as you are in this spiritual battle, should now be valiant and strong unto the combat: our victory wherein, though it be not to be hoped from the weakness of flesh, yet the experience we have had of the goodness of God in our former troubles, ought to assure us of the return of his helping hand in all our necessities.

yet is it a false and sophisticall conclusion, suggested from him that is a lyar from the beginning, and the father of lying, to say, wee feele not faith, therefore there is no faith in vs. For in many diseases of the bodie wee haue no sence of life, and yet we liue. The sunne shineth not in the night season, nor when it is obscured with cloudes: shall wee say therefore that there is no sunne, or that it hath vtterlie no operation? Admitte also (which yet may not bee admitted) that the Lorde had for a time vtterlie giuen vs ouer: can wee conclude thereof, that hee will neuer againe be mercifull vnto vs? Nay, hee that founde vs when we sought him not, will surelie returne vnto the worke which hee hath begunne, though he seemeth for a while to haue forsaken it. There is somtime as it were an ecclips of our faith, and of the feeling of the grace of GOD towardes vs, but let vs assure our selues, that as the Sunne and Moone doe not perish in their ecclipses, nor loose their lighte for euer: soe in this ecclips which happeneth for a time vnto our fayth,