A Golden Chain

Christ did not utter any speech of distrust, but only make his moan and complaint, by reason of the greatness of his punishment: and yet still relied himself on the assistance of his father. Hence we learn first that religion doth not stand in feeling but in faith: which faith we must have in Christ, though we have no feeling at all: for God oftentimes doth withdraw his grace and favour from his children, that he may teach them to believe in his mercy in Christ then, when they feel nothing less than his mercy. And faith and feeling cannot always stand together; because faith is a subsisting of things which are not seen, & the ground of this hoped for, and we must live by faith, and not by feeling. Though feeling of Gods mercy be a good thing, yet God doth not always vouchsafe to give it unto his children: and therefore in the extremity of afflictions and temptations, we must always trust and rely on god by faith in Christ; as Christ himself doth when he is as it were plunged into the sea of the wrath of God. Secondly, here we may see how God dealeth with his children: for Christ in the sense and feeling of his humane nature was forsaken, yet had he sure trust and confidence in God, that caused him to say, My God, my God. God will oftentimes cast his deer children into huge gulfs of woe and misery, where they shall see neither bank nor bottom, nor any way to get out: yet men in this case must not despair, but remember still that that which befell Christ the head, doth also befall his members. Though Christ him-self at his death did bear the wrath of God in such measure, as that in the sense and feeling of his humane nature he was forsaken: yet for all this he was the son of God, and had the spirit of his father, crying, My God, my God. And therefore though we be wonderfully afflicted either in body or in mind, so as we have no sense or feeling of Gods mercy at all, yet must we not despair and think that we are cast-aways, but ⟨p. 340⟩still labour to trust and rely on God in Christ, and build upon this that we are his children, though we feel nothing but his wrath upon us; against mercy cleaving to his mercy. This was Davids practise: In the day of trouble (saith he) I sought the Lord: my sore ran and ceased not in the night: my soul refused comfort. I did think upon God and was troubled: my soul was full of anguish:

Christ did not vtter any speech of distrust, but onely make his mone and complaint, by reason of the greatnes of his punishment: and yet still relied himselfe on the assistance of his father. Hence wee learne first that religion doth not stand in feeling but in faith: which faith wee must haue in Christ, though we haue no feeling at all: for God oftentimes doth withdrawe his grace and fauour from his children, that hee may teach them to beleeue in his mercy in Christ then, when they feele nothing lesse thē his mercie. And faith and feeling cannot alwaies stand togither; because faith is a subsisting of things which are not seene, & the ground of this hoped for, and we must liue by faith, and not by feeling. Though feeling of Gods mercy be a good thing, yet God doth not alwaies vouchsafe to giue it vnto his children: and therefore in the extremitie of afflictions and temptations, wee must alwaies trust and rely on god by faith in Christ; as Christ himselfe doth when he is as it were plunged into the sea of the wrath of God. Secondly, here wee may see how God dealeth with his children: for Christ in the sense and feeling of his humane nature was forsaken, yet had he sure trust and confidence in God, that caused him to say, My God, my God. God will oftentimes cast his deere children into huge gulfes of woe and miserie, where they shall see neither banke nor bottome, nor any way to get out: yet men in this case must not despaire, but remember still that that which befell Christ the head, doth also befall his members. Though Christ him-selfe at his death did beare the wrath of God in such measure, as that in the sense and feeling of his humane nature he was forsaken: yet for all this he was the sonne of God, and had the spirit of his father, crying, My God, my God. And therefore though we be wonderfully afflicted either in bodie or in minde, so as we haue no sense or feeling of Gods mercy at all, yet must we not despaire and thinke that we are cast-awaies, but