batter donme our Faith, andhowhemaybe refilled. 177 And what if a man fenfibly feele the heavieburthenof tt.Theyfeelethe. Gods wrath , and plainely dilcerne his frowning and an- heavie burthe of gry countenance ? Though fenfe of Gods love faile , faith GoRen;"á may continue thong. For faith is not grounded upon fenfe and feeling : but upon Gods graciouspromiCes, immutable goodnefiè,and infallible truth.Yea,when a fenfe and feeling bH t .' 5. ceafe, then faith which is b theevidence ofthings notfeene, Faithmay be beginneth it chicle worke : and the moll: excellent faith haye noJinja me fheweth it Idle moll cleerely when wee have no fenfe or fee/log fray feeling, orwhenwe feele the cleanecontrary.Faith looketh to the promife, mercy, power, and truth ofGod, and to the manner ofhisworking : and feeing his mercy is'incompre- henfible,his power infinite, his mannerofworkingby con- traries, his truth firme and immoveable ; therefore in the greatefl terrours it beleeveth peace ; whenGod fheweth himfelfeanenemie, it apprehendeth him loving andmer- cifull , and out of thedeepefl humiliation, above fenfeor reafon gathereth the fiveetefl confolation. If ever wee have tafted of Gods love andmercy, lively faithconclu- deth that wee are Pcillinhis love and favour, whatfoever James Al. we apprehend inour prefent fenfe and feeling : for whom John 13. z.:> he loveth , to the end hee loveth them. Yea, faith goeth before experience or fenfe ofmercy , and waiteth for fal- vation in Chrifl, in the depth of miferie, grounding it fenfe meerely upon the Word of truth which cannot lie. Wee beleeveto tafle the goodneffe oftheLord, nor be- caufe we have felt already how kind the Lord is though wemay make ufe offeelings pall , to fuflaineus inprefent agonies. Experience and fenfe is a flay or prop for our better cafe, not the ground upon which our faith leaneth ; and though it be fhaken , faith continueth firme. If therefore at any timeour fenfe and feeling tell us one thing ( namely, that God hath call us off for ever , and will never looke gracioufly upon us) and the Word of God affure us of Í. another, to wit , that Goddoth love us, and will never forfake us utterly ; wee arenot togive credit toour owne N feeling.1
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