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…

¹First, it teacheth that many and strong afflictions of great continuance are no more than necessary. A wise Physician will not minister a strong potion, where a lenitive or gentle matter is enough, nor put one dram too much in his prescription: much less will the Lord. We need great afflictions that our corruptions may be subdued within us.² For as the untamedness of some colt is such, that unless he were sore ridden, he would never be broken, so it is with our rebellious nature. Learning tells the Physician, that in healing some bodily diseases the patient must be kept so low, that he must be almost pined with want, before a spring of better blood can be procured.³ Faith instructeth, that God is as it were forced to cast man upon the bed of sorrow, till his days draw towards the burial, and his bones begin to clatter, that he might hide, that is, suppress and remove his pride, and cure the distempers of the soul. Our afflictions are many and divers, because our corruptions are many, and of divers kinds, and such as are not expelled ⟨p. 347⟩with one purgation. If one medicine fit not our sore, will we not seek another. What Father will not use many remedies to help the infirmities of his Child, if one do no good? Our heavenly Father keeps us in a daily course of physic, now with one thing, now with another, because we profit not with any one alone. When afflictions are grown ordinary, and usual, they move the less, because they be familiar; therefore God is pleased to alter and change his medicines, that they might work more kindly. And as it is necessary that afflictions be strong and divers, so also that they be of long continuance: for grown diseases are not hastily removed, not old sores quickly healed. As stains long settled in a cloth, require much scouring and long whiting: so do the evils which have deeply eaten into our soul. In others we may behold what is needful for our selves.⁴ The posterity of Israel endured trial four hundred years. The elder people of God were all led captive seventy years.⁵