A treatise of faith divided into two parts. The first showing the nature, the…A treatise of faith diuided into two parts. The first shewing the nature, the…

§. 2. This assurance is not such,¹ as whereby a man is made absolutely out of all doubt: but such as many times is assaulted, and shaken with many difficulties, fears and doubts: which notwithstanding a•ise from the the nature of faith, as if it ought to be: but from the frailty and corruption of our evil nature, by reason whereof faith is not such as it ought to be It is not the office of faith to cherish and maintain such fears and doubts, but to resist them, to fight against them, and so much as is possible to expel them, and drone them out. But yet by reason of the strength of our natural corruption, and the weakness of our faith, we attain not to this; and how much the weaker our faith is so much are we the further from it. Again the days of faith are as the seasons of the year, s•me fair, some foul; one while a Sun-shine summer, another while a long and tedious winter, sometimes no more but a storm and away. Our eyes are not always alike intent to the word of God; we do not always alike conceive the promises of God: nay, temptations sometimes hide them out of our sight. The effects of grace do not always appear the same, yea sometimes they seem to be quite overwhelmed which contain effects. And in nature it self there is a voluntary shrinking and relinquishing of the comfort of faith, through the seeds of unbelief that originally are sown in us.

§. 2. This assurance is not such,¹ as whereby a man is made absolutely out of all doubt: but such as many times is assaulted, and shaken with many difficulties, feares and doubts: which notwithstanding a•ise from the the nature of faith, as if it ought to bee: but from the frailtie and corruption of our euill nature, by reason whereof faith is not such as it ought to be It is not the office of faith to cherish and maintaine such feares and doubts, but to resist them, to fight against them, and so much as is possible to expell them, and dr•ne them out. But yet by reason of the strength of our naturall corruption, and the weakenesse of our faith, wee attaine not to this; and how much the weaker our faith is so much are wee the further from it. Againe the dayes of faith are as the seasons of the yeare, sme faire, some foule; one while a Sun-shine summer, another while a long and tedious winter, sometimes no more but a storme and away. Our eyes are not alwayes alike intent to the word of God; we doe not alwayes alike conceiue the promises of God: nay, temptations sometimes hide them out of our sight. The effects of grace doe not alwayes appeare the same, yea sometimes they seeme to bee quite ouerwhelmed which containe effects. And in nature it selfe there is a voluntarie shrinking and relinquishing of the comfort of faith, through the seeds of vnbeliefe that originally are sowen in vs.