336 The alts of faut ire rbis cafe. I. : Pet.' 6. How to live by Faith in timeofAdverfitie, burdens are tryalls offtrength. A,s none fora littleheadach, or for the ranchofa pin will feeke to the bodily Phyfitian or Surgeon : So it is in a manner with the foule, while'1it is troubled with like grievances fpirituall. Little things doe not muchexercife our faith, nor {lirreus up to feeke God ; and fhort afflictions are foone forgotten. Faith in- deed defpifeth not the leaft croffe,but is molt prooved and ftirred up in the greateft. Without queftion there is molt need of faith, when affliftions lie the heavieft ; and themore, becaufe Sathan will be moltbufie at fuch rimes to uaoleft and trouble } he wills to thew his power and malice when we are moll feeble. WhenGod follows a manwithone affliction upon another, and thofe ofgreat continuance,then the Divell will tempt to impatienceand defpaire, as ifGod tooke him for his enemy, and would not thew compaffion any more, When the heart failed], becaufeof the multitude of' evils that compafeus about, and God hideth his face, man is apt to conceive, fùre God hath forf:ken me, and will not arife for my helpe. If God did love me, he would never have abfented him- fefe fo long, now I am brought fo low, in fo grievous di-', (treffe. How Ihould the poor:, foule, weake andfeeble in it felfeitandunder this great weight of fore afflietion,i n- creafed by temptation andcontinuance,ifitbe not upheld bya lively faith ? The as of faith in this cafe, are for fub(}ance the famewith thofe before mentioned ; but for thehelpe of the dillrefhed Chriftian, who maybe unable todire himfelfe, I conceive it not amiffeto repeate the principal!. Firft, It teacheth that many, and ftróng afflictions, of great continuance,arenomore thenneceflary. AwifePhy titian will not minifter a {trong potion, where a lenitive or gentle matter is enough, nor put one dramme too inhis prefcription : much leifewill the Lord. We !. need great affliftions that our corruptions may be fub- dued withinus. For as the untamedneffe cffóme colt is fuch, that unlefle he were fore ridden, he would never be¡
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=