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…

When our Saviour was an hungered in the wilderness,¹ the tempter came unto him, and said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Now seeing the burden of afflictions is made more heavy by temptations accompanying, we had need to be well underpropped with a lively faith, that we might withstand and repel the force of the Enemy. Faith only supplieth all our wants in affliction. He that possesseth all earthly things in greatest prosperity and hath not faith, hath nothing in deed; much less the man that liveth in misery: but he that lives by saith wants nothing that is good, when miseries beset him on every side. For the present riches of a Christian are the gracious and faithful promises of God, ⟨p. 327⟩which faith possesseth, not looking to what we have in hand, but what the Lord hath laid up in store; and expecteth to receive from God in fittest season, more assuredly, then if he had it in his own power to use. The Men of this world trust their friends with their stock or money, and make account it i• as ready at hand, as if they had it in their own possession: and sure it is, the true believe hath just and good cause to trust God rather then himself, and to rely upon his word for whatsoever he hath committed unto him. F•i•h in time of danger doth as it were fence and compass us with the promises of God: but without faith we are naked, and lie open to the malice of our Adversaries. Behold, his soul which is lifted up, ²is not upright in him, but the just shall live by his faith. The unjust man puffs up himself, and builds towers of defence to himself: b•t the just man believeth, and that shall be to him in stead of all castles, towers, & bulwarks in the world. For it brings us under the wing, presence,³ and protection of God: it makes him our refuge and safeguard, high rock and tower of defence. Afflictions profit not, if they be not mixed with faith in them that bear them. Bodily physic procureth not health if natural heat be lacking in the patient, which might cause the potion to work to the expelling of the sick humour: faith in respect of afflictions the physic of the soul, is that natural heat, whereby they are made to work kindly to the purging of sin and the increase of grace and comfort: where it is altogether wanting, their can be no kindly work.