For a man to rely upon another for any good thing, and at last to fail in his expectation, this must needs shame him in the disappointment of his hopes; but when the hopes of a man are grounded upon the unsearchable riches, and the unfaileable promise, and the immutable truth, power, and goodness of God; impossible it is that the faith of such a man should shame or deceive him. When a man is secure and certain of any good thing, he is contented to wait the season of it; David by Gods promise, and unction was certain of the kingdom, and therefore he would not take away the life of Saul when it was in his power, but waited till the time of his death by God appointed should come, 1. Sam. 26. 9, 10, 11. but when a man is unconsident of a thing, he is ready to snatch at every probability, to make use of every occasion that happens to further his desires. If I should see two men going towards the Court in competition for some office or preferment, and should observe the one to ride night and day in full speed, to deny himself the comforts of the way, and to express much impatience and indignation at every stoppage that met him; the other to take time and leisure, to rely upon the former promises of the prince, or the prevalence of some honourable friends, and to laugh at the greediness of his competitor, I should easily conclude that the hopes of that man were greater, whose hast as less: for when a man hath a thing already in promise, and that from the hands of a man of whose power and fidelity he hath infallible assurance, he ⟨p. 485⟩is not over vehement for performance, but willingly attends the times and good pleasure of his friend. Now1 this is the business of faith to give a being to the things we hope for, and though in themselves they be a far of, and out of sight, yet to make them subsistent and at hand in the promise, even within the reach and embracement of Faith, Heb. 11. 1, 13. So that Faith doth therefore keep a man from greediness and precipitancy in his pursuit, and from confusion and shame in his hopes of good, because it sees them as safe, & certain in the power and promises of Christ, as if they were already made good unto him. So then to conclude this point, Faith being the only Grace wherein is magnified the fullness and freeness of Gods favour, and wherein is secured his promise to all the seed;
For a man to rely upon another for any good thing, and at last to faile in his expectation, this must needes shame him in the disappointment of his hopes; but when the hopes of a man are grounded upon the unsearchable riches, and the unfaileable promise, and the immutable truth, power, and goodnesse of God; impossible it is that the faith of such a man should shame or deceive him. When a man is secure and certaine of any good thing, he is contented to waite the season of it; David by Gods promise, and unction was certaine of the kingdome, and therefore he would not take away the life of Saul when it was in his power, but waited till the time of his death by God appointed should come, 1. Sam. 26. 9, 10, 11. but when a man is unconsident of a thing, hee is ready to snatch at every probabilitie, to make use of every occasion that happens to further his desires. If I should see two men going towards the Court in competition for some office or preferment, and should observe the one to ride night and day in full speede, to deny himselfe the comforts of the way, and to expresse much impatiencie and indignation at every stoppage that met him; the other to take time and leisure, to rely upon the former promises of the prince, or the prevalencie of some honourable friends, and to laugh at the gredinesse of his competitor, I should easily conclude that the hopes of that man were greater, whose hast as lesse: for when a man hath a thing already in promise, and that from the hands of a man of whose power and fidelitie he hath infallible assurance, he ⟨p. 485⟩is not over vehement for performance, but willingly attends the times and good pleasure of his friend. Now1 this is the businesse of faith to give a being to the things we hope for, and though in themselves they bee a farre of, and out of sight, yet to make them subsistent and at hand in the promise, even within the reach and embracement of Faith, Heb. 11. 1, 13. So that Faith doth therefore keep a man from greedinesse and precipitancie in his pursuite, and from confusion and shame in his hopes of good, because it sees them as safe, & certain in the power and promises of Christ, as if they were already made good unto him. So then to conclude this point, Faith being the onely Grace wherein is magnified the fulnesse and freenesse of Gods favour, and wherein is secured his promise to all the seede;
- 1Habet •ides oculos su•s quibus quodammodo videt verum esse quod nondum videt. Aug. Ep. 222. [Greek or Hebrew]. Clem. Alex. strom. lib. 2. Anticipatio & praecomprehensio Ibid. [Greek or Hebrew]. Ibid lib. 5.Habet •ides oculos su•s quibus quodammodo videt verum esse quod nondum videt. Aug. Ep. 222. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Clem. Alex. strom. lib. 2. Anticipatio & praecomprehensio Ibid. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Ibid lib. 5.
