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…

Experience and sense is a stay or prop for our better ease, not the ground upon which our faith leaneth; and though it be shaken faith continueth firm. If therefore at any time our sense and feeling tell us one thing (namely that God hath cast us off forever, and will never look graciously upon us) and the Word of God assure us of another (to wit, that God doth love us, and will never forsake us utterly) we are not to give credit to our own feeling, but to Gods Word. For our sense is oft deceiving, specially in matters of godliness: but the Word of the Lord is sincere and abideth for ever. In bodily diseases of some kind, we trust more to the judgement of a skilful Physician, then to our own conceits: and shall we not think, that God knows our spiritual estate better then we our selves? What can we believe in matters of religion, if we believe not more then we can discern by sense or reason? The being of a thing, and the sensible discerning of the thing to be are divers. Howsoever at sometimes they concur, yet oftentimes they are severed and disjoined. Because the Sun appeareth not to us at Mid-night, shall we conclude, that it never hath, or will shine to us again. Shall a child imagine his Father never did or will truly love him hereafter, because for the present he doth not admit him into his presence, or afford him a favourable and lovely countenance? No less absurd, but more injurious is it to our heavenly Father, to conjecture, that no grace or favour is to be sound with God, seeing now the beams of his love and mercy are hidden from us. The dearest servants of God, who have been endued with most eminent graces, and highly advanced into special favour with him, have yet in their own sense apprehended wrath and indignation,¹ instead of love and favour, displeasure instead of comfort, and trouble instead of peace. Did God tenderly respect them, when he seemed to tear them in pieces, and to break their bones like a roaring Lion: and shall ⟨p. 185⟩we judge of his affection by our present feeling.

Experience and sence is a stay or prop for our better ease, not the ground vpon which our faith leaneth; and though it be shaken faith continueth firme. If therefore at any time our sence and feeling tell vs one thing (namely that God hath cast vs off foreuer, and will neuer looke graciously vpon vs) and the Word of God assure vs of another (to wit, that God doth loue vs, and will neuer forsake vs vtterly) wee are not to giue credit to our owne feeling, but to Gods Word. For our sence is oft deceiuing, specially in matters of godlinesse: but the Word of the Lord is sincere and abideth for euer. In bodily diseases of some kinde, wee trust more to the iudgement of a skilfull Physicion, then to our owne conceits: and shall we not thinke, that God knowes our spirituall estate better then we our selues? What can we belieue in matters of religion, if we belieue not more then we can discerne by sence or reason? The being of a thing, and the sensible discerning of the thing to bee are diuers. Howsoeuer at sometimes they concurre, yet oftentimes they are seuered and disioyned. Because the Sunne appeareth not to vs at Mid-night, shall wee conclude, that it neuer hath, or will shine to vs againe. Shall a childe imagine his Father neuer did or will truly loue him hereafter, because for the present hee doth not admit him into his presence, or afford him a fauourable and louely countenance? No lesse absurd, but more iniurious is it to our heauenly Father, to coniecture, that no grace or fauour is to bee sound with God, seeing now the beames of his loue and mercie are hidden from vs. The dearest seruants of God, who haue beene indued with most eminent graces, and highly aduanced into speciall fauour with him, haue yet in their owne sence apprehended wrath and indignation,