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…

For if God call and encourage us to trust and rely upon him, and we standing in need thereof, would most gladly embrace his promises made in Christ Jesus, who is he that should hinder us? The Scripture, speaking of the malice of Satan in tempting and assailing Christians, biddeth them, Be strong and of good courage, ¹resist strong in the faith: Satan tempteth them to overthrow their faith, and by giving place to fears and doubts they advantage the enemy against their souls: but let them take occasion by the temptation to draw nigh unto God, and rouse up themselves more confidently to rest and wait upon the Lord, so shall they please God, and put Satan to flight. Neither let them after this be still objecting, ⟨p. 192⟩that they feel small strength of faith and hope: for thereby the enemy may take encouragement to their disadvantage, when fear setteth open the heart to his malicious temptations, and binds the hands of the distressed that he cannot resist: but let them stir up their courage and resolution to wait upon the Lord, not listening any more to their strong, but deceitful fear. And what though they feel not that sweetness, wh ch sometimes they felt, will they therefore judge their state to be naught? What sweetness can the soul taste, when it is over-whelmed with fears, perplexed with temptations, troubled with doubts? Physic is unpleasant and bitter to the taste: Temptation should not be temptation, if it did not affect. If the soul be now sick, and tasteth not the sweet meats of consolation, which it was wont, as the body which is in a course of Physic; will they judge themselves to be stark dead, or in a condition irrecoverable? We have experience how divers times the disease prevaileth over the sick person, that actions fail, and faculties seem quite to be spent; neither hand nor foot is able to do their duty; the eye is dim, the hearing dull, the taste altered, and the tongue distasteth all things, even of most pleasant relish; and the weak and feeble patient seemeth to attend the time of dissolution: when yet notwithstanding there remaineth a secret power of nature, and a forcible spark of life that over-cometh all these infirmities, and consumeth them like dross, and rendereth to the body a greater purity and firmness of health then before the sickness it did enjoy.

For if God call and incourage vs to trust and relie vpon him, and we standing in need thereof, would most gladly embrace his promises made in Christ Iesus, who is hee that should hinder vs? The Scripture, speaking of the malice of Satan in tempting and assailing Christians, biddeth them, Bee strong and of good courage,