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…

Fourthly, Faith meekeneth the heart willingly to submit it self to the good pleasure of God,¹ and patiently to bear his correction. Rest in the Lord, & wait patiently for him: fret not thy self because of him who prospereth in his way. Yet unto God my soul keep thou silence: for from him is my expectation. By faith the servants of God have been enabled to say, The word of the Lord is good, ²I will bear the indignation of the Lord: because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, ³and execute judgement for me, If he say thus, I have no delight in thee, behold here am I, ⁴let him do to me as seemeth good unto him, Surely I have behaved and quieted my self as a child that is weaned of his Mother; my soul is even as a weaned child. I was as a man that heareth not, ⁵and in whose mouth are no reproofs. For in thee, O Lord, do I hope. Guiltiness of Conscience (which is ever fearful) and untamed passions make unquietness, when the rod of God is upon our backs; both which are corrected by faith. The conscience is comforted by faith, resting upon the gracious promises of pardon, and giving assurance that sin is pardoned: Passions are curbed and bridled by the sovereignty, of faith, as having the affections under command, which it doth season and move according to the direction of the word: and by strong, potent, irresistible persuasions, whereby it worketh the soul to this sweet and heavenly submission. And as a plaster,⁶ which upon sore flesh causeth much smart, upon sound flesh stirreth no pain: so troubles lighting upon a soul healed by grace, and seasoned by faith, are nothing so grievous. The considerations of faith, whereby it persuades unto ⟨p. 332⟩meekness, be such like. §1The fi•st ken from the desert of sin, which is far greater hen any thing we suffer, or can conceive.