á 1 Confolationsforfuch as doenot feele theirfaith. . 5 37 affli&ions, that we cannot difcerrie them for a time, or but very dimlie: but ifwe (hall inferre hereof that they are quite taken from vs, and that they cafi forth no comfortable influ- enceon vs, our prefent prcferuation from being fwallowed vp into vtter deflruo`fion, and the fpeedie rcturne of woon- ted ioy and confolation, by the apprehenfion ofGods loue and goodneífe towards vs, will euicently Phew that this ar- gument taken from the fenfes, is voidofreafon. Laf}ly,it appeareth by the examples ofGods children from time to time,that though theyhaue ben indued with a great 4hat God tneafure offaith, & in ahigh degree offauour and loue with drareRchàl- almightyGod, yet fometimesin their ovvne fenfe they haue dreg hauenot found in them, in {lead offaith nothingbut doubting, diffi- at all times dence and infidelities and for Gods loue & fauour,theyhaue nnhlbIdd lour, apprehended nothing in their prefent feeling,but the wrath- andthe Braces full anger ofGod,and his grieuous difpleafure. Looke vpon of h:sferal íts the holy man lob, who, by Godsowne teffimonie was the them* iufte%man vpon earth, and highly in Gods loue and fauour, and you fhall find that fometimeshe fheweth in hisgrieuous of li6tions noEgne offaith, by grolfe doubting, and in -out- ward appearancevtter defpaire ofGodsmercy and loue; for he curfeth theday ofhis natiuitie, and wìfheth that hee had neuer beenborne; he complaineth that Godwas his enemy, and had madehim as amarkewhereat he fhot venomed at- rowes;that Gods terrors did fight againft him, and that hee did hide his louing countenance from him. So theProphet Dauid,amanaccordingtoGods own heart,fheweth plainly that fometime he hathno fenfe and feeling of the graces of Gods fpirit inhim; as whenhe defireth the Lord to create in Pial.s t.to.a a hima ele hart,andto renewarightfpirit withinhim, torefore bim to the toy ofhisfaluation,and to (tablrfh him with his freefpi- rit; and fometimes he apprehendeth inhisprefent fenfe and feeling, in (lead ofGods loue and fauour, nothing but his wrathand difpleafure, and therefore complaineth asone re- ieaed and forfakcn of God. So Pfa1,22.1.214y God,my God, Pn.2%. s, arse Why hàfl thou forfaken n:r, andart Lbfarrefrommyhealth, and 77,7 &. gg,s, from the words o fmy roaring. 2.0 try GodIcriebyday but thou hearef ti not,& in the night baue noaudierce. AndPfal.77.7. he
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