2. Another cause that we hardly know our Graces, is, because they are weak and small; and therefore in the midst of so much corruption are oft-times hardly discerned from none. A little faith even as a grain of mustard seed, may save us: A little Love to God that is sincere, will be accepted; and weak Desires may be fulfilled: But they are frequently undiscerned, or their sincerity questioned by those that have them; and therefore bring but little ⟨p. 342⟩comfort. Peters Little faith did keep him from drowning, but not from doubting and fearing he should be drowned, nor from beginning to sink, Mat. 14.29, 30, 31. He walked on the water to go to Jesus; but when he saw the wind boisterous he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried saying, Lord save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt!] So the Little faith of the Disciples kept them from perishing, but not from their fear of perishing, Mat. 8.24, 25, 26. When a great tempest arose, so that the ship was covered with waves, they cry, Lord save us, we perish: and he saith to them, Why are ye afraid, O ye of little faith? The little faith of the same Disciples entitled them to the Fatherly protection and provision of God: but it kept them not from sinful cares and fears, about what they should eat or drink, or wherewith they should be clothed, as is intimated in Mat. 6.25, 28, 30. Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or drink, or for your body what you shall put on — Why take ye thought for raiment? — If God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not ⟨p. 343⟩much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? So in Mat. 16.7, 8. The seed that Christ likeneth his kingdom to, Mat. 13.31. hath life while it is buried in the earth, and is visible while a little seed; but is not so observed as when it cometh to be as a tree. Though God despise not the day of little things, Zech. 4.10. and though he will not break the bruised reed, or quench the smoking flax, Isa. 42.3. yet our selves or others cannot discern and value these obscure beginnings, as God doth. But because we cannot easily find a little faith and a little Love when we are looking for it, we take the non-appearance for a non-existence, and call it none.
2. Another cause that we hardly know our Graces, is, because they are weak and small; and therefore in the midst of so much corruption are oft-times hardly discerned from none. A little faith even as a grain of mustard seed, may save us: A little Love to God that is sincere, will be accepted; and weak Desires may be fulfilled: But they are frequently undiscerned, or their sincerity questioned by those that have them; and therefore bring but little ⟨p. 342⟩comfort. Peters Little faith did keep him from drowning, but not from doubting and fearing he should be drowned, nor from beginning to sink, Mat. 14.29, 30, 31. He walked on the water to go to Jesus; but when he saw the wind boisterous he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cryed saying, Lord save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt!] So the Little faith of the Disciples kept them from perishing, but not from their fear of perishing, Mat. 8.24, 25, 26. When a great tempest arose, so that the ship was covered with waves, they cry, Lord save us, we perish: and he saith to them, Why are ye afraid, O ye of little faith? The little faith of the same Disciples entitled them to the Fatherly protection and provision of God: but it kept them not from sinfull cares and fears, about what they should eat or drink, or wherewith they should be cloathed, as is intimated in Mat. 6.25, 28, 30. Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or drink, or for your body what you shall put on — Why take ye thought for rayment? — If God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not ⟨p. 343⟩much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? So in Mat. 16.7, 8. The seed that Christ likeneth his kingdom to, Mat. 13.31. hath life while it is buried in the earth, and is visible while a little seed; but is not so observed as when it cometh to be as a tree. Though God despise not the day of little things, Zech. 4.10. and though he will not break the bruised reed, or quench the smoaking flax,
