Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133 .D76 C551 1608 v.1

. 5 i8 Otsrrvantoffeel:ng,argtsethnot want bffaith. times feernethto becal} as it were into adead fleepe. Now weeare to know that wee cannot fenfiblie difcerne faith,as it is an habituall vertue or facultie ofthe mind, although wee haue it ingreat meafure in vs, but onlie fo farre forth as it manifef}eth it felfe in his aòìions,workes and fruits; and they-* fore it is an vnfound and falle mauer ofreafoning, to inferre, becaufe wee doenot fenfibly feeleand difcerne that wehaue faith,therefore we are def}itute thereofifor the habit offaith, orfaith it felfemaybe in vs,andyet for a time maybe fokin- dred byoutward accidents, that it cannot thew it felfe inhis aelions and fiuites,by which alone it is fénfiblydifcerned. g.Sea.a. But I will make this more cicare and manifef} by fotne Thefirmer familiar fimrlitudes and examples.Weknow that in the fick- anfineremade net es.anddileafcsofthebodie nature is fo infeebled and o- p/axine des by . fimt- uercome, that fometimes the partie affe&ed falleth intoa ltt dead fvvound, wherein hee is depriued for a time, not onlie of the vfe of the vnderflanding,reafon and memorie, but allo ofhis fenfès, motion, and "vital' fun&ions,fo that in refpe6 of fenfeand outwardappearance, hee is quite depri- ued ofall his vitall, fenfitiue and intelleauali faculties; but yet a while after by reafon offorce outward meanes vfed, or by the fecret power of nature working in him, hee is ref}ored to the vfe ofall againc, and liueth, feelethmoo- ueth and vnderflandeth as in former times,becaufe he had not loft thefe faculties, but onelie by Tome grieuous impe- dimentwas h indred of the vfe of them in their aelions and fund}ions : fo that here this manner ofreafoning appeareth abfurd and falfe, thefe faculties of thefoule cannot be fenfi- blie difcerned, and thereforehee is quite deflituteofthetas. And thus alto it is in refpeet ofour faith, and other habituall vertues, oftentimes through the fickneffeofthe foule in finne or theoutward violenceofSatans tentations,it feemeth call into a fwound, and depriuedofall the fpi.rituall faculties and vertues thereof; faith, loue, zeale, hope, patience and the ref} ; but yet foone after by hearing the word, by godlyad- monitions, inf}ru1ions, reprehenfions, and confolations made effe6Iuall by the inward operation ofGods fpirit it is reuiued, andallthe fpirituall graces thereofthew themfelues again

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