o4 The Spirituall-aaings of Faith dily upon the route, and fo a man breaks through Difficul- tics. Againe thirdly, True faving, jurcifying faith, it Jhewcs a mangreater excellencies in Chrift, then all difficulties, and na- tuned Difcouragementscan amount unto on the otherfide. You know how 'tis with a clog the Grey-hound, if hee fees the game a great way off, he gives it over but when he comes neare, he will rufh through the very bufhes for to take the Hare, throw himfelfe uponhis back that he may take it, a na- tural! hope makes him do it : Faith, it raises a mighty hope in the Ionic, prefents the foule with many Excellencies, and mires a mighty hope in the foule for the obtainment of them: it does fread more Excellencies before the foule, then can be loft by the hand of Difficulties :for example: If a man hath beene a Prodigall, and now is returning to Chria ; the world fayes, friends fay, if you take,this courfe, you will lofe all;yoa will lofe all your acquaintance, lofe your liberty, lofe your elate, may be lofe your life : Be it fo (faies faith) though thou lofeil thy friends , thou (halt gaine better : and though thou lofeft thy liberty, thou (halt game better : and though thou lofeft thy life it felfe, thou (halt gaine a better ; 'tis but a while neither (fayes faith) that thou (halt bole thefe things, and thou (halt have them better, in a better Edition. When a mans eyes are open to behold the Excellencies,of Chrift, then they are (hut to outward Difcouragements. When a man bath beheld theSunne in its glory, his eyes dazle to the things that are below : NowFaith opens a mans eyes to fee the Excellencies of Jabs Chrift, and fo the foule is carried through Difficulties and Difcouragements , though they be never fomany. Againe fourthly, True, faving faith, it inahles the joule to leave thefitcceffe and the event of all untoCod himfelfe. No- thing ftrengthens the hands of Difficulties and Difcourage- merits fo much , as folicitude about fuCceffe and event of things : True faving faithhelps a man to leave the fucceffe to Chrift ; it does commit the foule unto God, unto Chrift ; there is a mutualcommitting betweenChrift and a beleever: Chirft
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