The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

But now let us touch the third Note, which is this, That with Gods ⟨p. 73⟩Elect in their greatest fear and danger there resteth some small spark of faith, which by one means or other declareth it self, albeit the afflicted person in fear or danger, doth not presently perceive the same. As herein §3Peter is most clear and manifest.¹ For, perceiving himself to sink down, he cried, saying, Lord save me, which words were a declaration of a lively and quick faith, which lay hid within his afflicted and sore perplexed heart, whose nature is (I mean of faith) to hope against hope, that is: against all appearance or likelihood to look for help and deliverance, as the words of Peter witnesseth that he did. He saw nothing but the raging Sea ready to swallow him up. He felt nothing but himself sinking down in body, and sore troubled in heart, and yet he cried: Lord save me. Which words first declare,² that he knew the power of Christ able to deliver him. For foolishness it had been to have called for the help of him whom he had known to be impotent and unable to help.

But now let us touch the third Note, which is this, That with Gods ⟨p. 73⟩Elect in their greatest feare and danger there resteth some small sparke of faith, which by one means or other declareth it selfe, albeit the afflicted person in feare or danger, doth not presently perceive the same. As herein §3Peter is most cleare and manifest.¹ For, perceiving himself to sink down, he cryed, saying, Lord save me, which words were a declaration of a lively and quick faith, which lay hid within his afflicted and sore perplexed heart, whose nature is (I mean of faith) to hope against hope, that is: against all appearance or likelihood to looke for help and deliverance, as the words of Peter witnesseth that he did. He saw nothing but the raging Sea ready to swallow him up. He felt nothing but himself sinking down in body, and sore troubled in heart, and yet he cryed: Lord save me. Which words first delare,