§. 89. Answer to Satans suggestion of the difficulty of getting Faith.
pp. 289–2903 passages
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 89. Answer to Satan's suggestion of the difficulty of getting Faith.
§. 89. Answer to Satans suggestion of the difficulty of getting Faith.
2 Suggest. IF it be not impossible to get Faith, yet it is so difficult and hard a matter, that not one of a thousand who seek it, obtain it. Herein Satan prevaileth with idle, slothful persons,b who in all things which they should enterprise, pretend more dangers and difficulties then needs, of purpose to find a pretence to their idleness.
2 Suggest. IF it be not impossible to get Faith, yet it is so difficult and hard a matter, that not one of a thousand who seeke it, obtaine it. Herein Satan preuaileth with idle, slothfull persons,b who in all things which they should enterprise, pretend more dangers and difficulties then needes, of purpose to find a pretence to their idlenesse.
Answer. Though it be hard to the carnal careless man,1 yet (as Solomon saith of knowledge, Pro. 14. 6.) Faith is easy to him that will believe; not that it is simply in mans power, but that Gods Spirit so openeth his understanding in the mysteries of godliness, so worketh on his hard and stony heart, making the one capable, and the other pliable, as thereby the man is brought like softened wax easily to receive the impression of Gods seal. Though man in himself be dead in sin, yet Gods word is as powerful to quicken him, as Christs was to raise Lazarus. Indeed many seek, and find not, ask, and have not: but why?