I add further, that faith is a wonderful grace of God, which may appear: first, in that Paul calleth it othe faith of Gods power, because the power of God is especially seen in the begetting of faith. Secondly, experience showeth it to be a wonderful gift of God: when a man neither seeth, nor feeleth his sins, then to say he believeth in Gods mercy, it is an easy matter; but when a man shall feel his heart pressed down with the weight of his sins, and the anger of God for them; then to apply Gods free mercy to his own soul, it is a most hard matter: for then it is the property of the cursed nature of man, to blaspheme God, and to despair of mercy. Judas who (no doubt) often preached mercy and redemption by Christ in the security of his heart: when Gods hand was upon him, and the Lord made him see the vileness of his treachery; he could not comfort himself in Christ, if one would have given him ten thousand worlds, but in an hellish horror of conscience hanged himself desperately; which showeth what a wonderful hard thing it is at the same instant when a man is touched for his sins, then to apply Gods mercy to himself. ⟨p. 586⟩Yet a true Christian by the power of faith can do this, as it may appear in David,o In the day of my 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: I prayed and my spirit was full of anguish: and he addeth the word Sebah, a note (very likely) of some wonderful thing.p Again, he being almost in the gulfs of hell, even then cried to the Lord for help. Job saith, qIf God should destroy him, yet he would for all that believe in him still. Undoubtedly, strange is the band of faith knitting Christ & his members together, which the anguish of spirit cannot, and the strokes of Gods hand do not unloose.
I adde further, that faith is a wonderfull grace of God, which may appeare: first, in that Paul calleth it othe faith of Gods power, because the power of God is especially seene in the begetting of faith. Secondly, experience sheweth it to be a wonderfull gift of God: when a man neither seeth, nor feeleth his sinnes, then to say hee beleeueth in Gods mercie, it is an easie matter; but when a man shall feele his heart pressed downe with the waight of his sinnes, and the anger of God for them; then to apply Gods free mercie to his own soule, it is a most hard matter: for then it is the propertie of the cursed nature of man, to blaspheme God, and to despaire of mercie. Iudas who (no doubt) often preached mercy and redemption by Christ in the securitie of his heart: when Gods hand was vpon him, and the Lord made him see the vilenesse of his treacherie; he could not comfort himselfe in Christ, if one would haue giuen him ten thousand worlds, but in an hellish horror of conscience hanged himselfe desperately; which sheweth what a wonderfull hard thing it is at the same instant when a man is touched for his sinnes, then to apply Gods mercie to himselfe. ⟨p. 586⟩Yet a true Christian by the power of faith can doe this, as it may appeare in Dauid,o In the day of my trouble (saith he) I sought the Lord: my sore ran and ceased not in the night: my soule refused comfort: I did thinke vpon God and was troubled: I praied and my spirit was full of anguish: and hee addeth the word Sebah, a note (very likelie) of some wonderfull thing.p Againe, he being almost in the gulfes of hell, euen then cried to the Lord for helpe. Iob saith, qIf God should destroy him, yet he would for all that beleeue in him still. Vndoubtedly, strange is the band of faith knitting Christ & his members togither, which the anguish of spirit cannot, and the strokes of Gods hand doe not vnloose.
- oCol. 2. 12.
- oPsal. 77. 2. 3.
- pPsal. 103.1
- qJob. 13.15.Iob. 13.15.
