The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

This doctrine we shall not think strange, if we shall consider how suddenly our spirits are carried away from our God, and from believing his promise, so soon as any great temptation doth apprehend us, then begin we to doubt, If ever we believed Gods promises, if God will fulfil them to us, if we abide in his favour, if he regardeth and looketh upon the violence and injury that is done unto us, and a multitude of such cogitations, which before lurked quietly in our corrupted hearts, burst violently forth when we are oppressed with any desperate calamity. Against the which, this is the remedy, once to apprehend and still to retain, God to be our God, and firmly to believe, that we are his people whom he loveth, and will defend, not only in affliction, but even in the midst of death it self.

This doctrine we shall not think strange, if we shall consider how suddenly our spirits are carryed away from our God, and from believing his promise, so soon as any great temptation doth apprehend us, then begin we to doubt, If ever we beleeved Gods promises, if God will fulfill them to us, if we abide in his favour, if he regardeth and looketh upon the violence and injury that is done unto us, and a multitude of such cogitations, which before lurked quietly in our corrupted hearts, burst violently forth when we are oppressed with any desperate calamity. Against the which, this is the remedy, once to apprehend and still to retain, God to be our God, and firmly to believe, that we are his people whom he loveth, and will defend, not onely in affliction, but even in the midst of death it self.

Secondly, let us observe, That the judgements of our God, never were, nor yet shall be so vehement upon the face of the earth, but that there hath been, and shall be, some secret habitation prepared in the sanctuary of God, for some of his chosen, where they shall be preserved until the indignation pass by, and that God prepareth a time, that they may glorify him again, before the face of the world, that sometimes despised them; And this ought to be unto us no small comfort in these appearing dangers, to wit, that we be surely persuaded, That how vehement soever the tempest shall be, that it yet shall pass over, and some of us shall be preserved to glorify the name of our God, as is aforesaid.