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…

Secondly, It stirs up holy jealousy and suspicion, lest we should cool, decay, start-aside or fall back. Faith is bold and timorous, confident and suspicious: confident in God, suspicious of our selves. I was afraid (saith Job) of all my works; ¹knowing, that if I did wickedly, thou wouldst not acquit me. And this suspicion doth beget care to shun occasions of sin, and watchfulness to prevent spiritual distempers. A man jealous of his health is wary in his diet: and he that hath his soul in suspicion will ever be questioning with it and watching over it least he should offend. This jealousy is ever waking, apt to cast the worst that may fall out, but to counsel the best, that is, to keep far from the occasions of sin, abstain from all appearance of evil, and take heed of the snare in lawful businesses of this life. And surely, in this kind considering our great frailty, it is more behoovefull for a man to be somewhat too he die and cautelous, then to be a little too secure and self confident: to be suspicious of his weakness that he may be enabled by God and become strong in him, then while he is fool-hardy & strong in his ⟨p. 291⟩own conceit, to run into danger, and prove weak in trial.

Secondly, It stirres vp holy iealousie and suspition, lest we should coole, decay, start-aside or fall backe. Faith is bold and timorous, confident and suspicious: confident in God, suspitious of our selues. I was afraid (saith Iob) of all my workes; ¹knowing, that if I did wickedly, thou wouldst not acquite me. And this suspition doth beget care to shunne occasions of sinne, and watchfulnesse to preuent spirituall distempers. A man iealous of his health is warie in his diet: and he that hath his soule in suspition will euer be questioning with it and watching ouer it least he should offend. This iealosie is euer waking, apt to cast the worst that may fall out, but to counsell the best, that is, to keepe farr from the occasions of sinne, abstaine from all appearance of euill, and take heede of the snare in lawfull businesses of this life. And surely, in this kinde considering our great frailty, it is more behoouefull for a man to be somewhat too hee die and cautelous, then to be a little too secure and selfe confident: to be suspitious of his weaknesse that hee may be enabled by God and become strong in him, then while he is fool-hardie & strong in his