much more should we esteem of the religious pains of men that bring these waters of life home for every man his particular use, in all the passages and turnings of this life. In which regard, I do not doubt, but the pains of this godly, painful, and learned man will find good entertainment of all children of the promises that hope to inherit them, who hath with great pains, and with good evidence of spiritual understanding, endeavoured to clear most matters concerning faith; and likewise discovered the variety and use of the promises with teaching Christians how to improve their riches in Christ here spread before them, how to use the shield of Faith, and the sword of the Spirit upon all occasions, that so they might not only be believing but skilful Christians, knowing how to manage and make the best advantage of their faith, and the word of faith. Which if they could do, there would another manner of power and beauty shine in their lives then doth. He is a man that hath formerly deserved well ⟨image 3⟩of the Church, but in a more special manner fitted for a Treatise of this nature, as having been put to it, to know by experience what it is to live by faith, having in sight for matters of this life very little whereupon to depend. Those that are driven to exercise their faith, cannot but find God faithful, as never failing those that trust in him, they see more of God then others do. If it be objected that others of late time have digged in the same mine, and laboured in the same field, and to good purpose and success: I answer, it is true, the more this age is bound to God that directs the spirits of men to so useful, so necessary an argument, seeing without faith we have no communion with the fountain of life, nothing in this world that can yield settled comfort to ground the soul upon, seeing without it the fairest carriage is but empty and dead morality, neither finding acceptance with God, nor yielding comfort to us in our greatest extremities, and by it God himself, and Christ with all that he hath done, suffered, conquered, becometh ours and for our use. Besides none that I know have written in our Language so largely of this argument, and such is the extent and spiritualness of this heavenly point, that many men & of the greatest graces & parts may with great benefit to the Church, dive and dig still into this mystery.
much more should we esteeme of the religious paines of men that bring these waters of life home for euery man his particular vse, in all the passages and turnings of this life. In which regard, I doe not doubt, but the paines of this godly, painfull, and learned man will find good entertainment of all children of the promises that hope to inherit them, who hath with great paines, and with good euidence of spirituall vnderstanding, endeauoured to cleare most matters concerning faith; and likewise discouered the varietie and vse of the promises with teaching Christians how to improue their riches in Christ heere spread before them, how to vse the shield of Faith, and the sword of the Spirit vpon all occasions, that so they might not only be belieuing but skilfull Christians, knowing how to mannage and make the best aduantage of their faith, and the word of faith. Which if they could doe, there would another manner of power and beautie shine in their liues then doth. Hee is a man that hath formerly deserued well ⟨image 3⟩of the Church, but in a more speciall manner fitted for a Treatise of this nature, as hauing beene put to it, to know by experience what it is to liue by faith, hauing in sight for matters of this life very little whereupon to depend. Those that are driuen to exercise their faith, cannot but find God faithfull, as neuer failing those that trust in him, they see more of God then others doe. If it be obiected that others of late time haue digged in the same mine, and laboured in the same field, and to good purpose and successe: I answer, it is true, the more this age is bound to God that directs the spirits of men to so vsefull, so necessarie an argument, seeing without faith wee haue no communion with the fountaine of life, nothing in this world that can yeeld setled comfort to ground the soule vpon, seeing without it the fairest carriage is but emptie and dead moralitie, neither finding acceptance with God, nor yeelding comfort to vs in our greatest extremities, and by it God himselfe, and Christ with all that he hath done, suffered, conquered, becommeth ours and for our vse. Besides none that I know haue written in our Language so largely of this argument, and such is the extent and spiritualnesse of this heauenly point, that many men & of the greatest graces & parts may with great benefit to the Church, diue and digge still into this mysterie.
