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…

How the eye thinks it seeth things yellow and red, when they are nothing so; the taste things bitter, when they are sweet: So the sight of faith and conscience, when nothing but sin, guilt, wrath, angry desertion over-lay it, it seemeth to see every thing for the time, of like colour to those things wherewith it is possessed. Thus sometimes the strong faith is shaken greatly and strongly assaulted, so that he that unspeakably rejoiced in the salvation of the Lord, by hasty cogitations is brought to say, I am cast out of the sight of thine eyes. ¹And if faith escape these rocks, may not yet a more serious examination of our ways, and through fight of our nakedness, imperfections, and manifold transgressions; the strength of our lusts, the disorder of our passions, our daily failings, and that great weakness which in trials we shall find in our selves: may not those things, I say, raise fear in the heart of a sound Believer, as not altogether without the reach of possible danger, without repentance and greater constancy in performing all Christian duties then hitherto he hath made proof of, specially if the apprehension of the multitude and heinousness of sins be quickened by afflictions, or the lively cogitations of the terrors of the day of Judgement? Nevertheless, as a child affrighted runneth to the Father, looking for defence and help of him, even so in the middest of all fears, temptations, difficulties, and distresses, faith is still running unto God, still importuning him, calling upon him, expostulating with him, casting it self still upon him, depending upon his aide, and expecting of him that things become otherwise then presently they are.

How the eye thinkes it seeth things yellow and red, when they are nothing so; the taste things bitter, when they are sweet: So the sight of faith and conscience, when nothing but sinne, guilt, wrath, angry desertion ouer-lay it, it seemeth to see euery thing for the time, of like colour to those things wherewith it is possessed. Thus sometimes the strong faith is shaken greatly and strongly assaulted, so that he that vnspeakably reioyced in the saluation of the Lord, by hastie cogitations is brought to say, I am cast out of the sight of thine eyes. ¹And if faith escape these rockes, may not yet a more serious examination of our wayes, and through fight of our nakednesse, imperfections, and manifold transgressions; the strength of our lusts, the disorder of our passions, our daily failings, and that great weaknesse which in trials wee shall finde in our selues: may not those things, I say, raise feare in the heart of a sound Belieuer, as not altogether without the reach of possible danger, without repentance and greater constancie in performing all Christian duties then hitherto he hath made proofe of, specially if the apprehension of the multitude and hainousnesse of sinnes bee quickened by afflictions, or the liuely cogitations of the terrors of the day of Iudgement? Neuerthelesse, as a childe affrighted runneth to the Father, looking for defence and helpe of him, euen so in the middest of all feares, temptations, difficulties, and distresses, faith is still running vnto God, still importuning him, calling vpon him, expostulating with him, casting it selfe still vpon him, depending vpon his aide, and expecting of him that things become otherwise then presently they are.