414 The recondBooke of Diuinitie, C H A P. 7, is a f}rong and fall hold , as it were , with the whole hand. The fire of there is called d A little Faith, and e Faith AI mach ad a graine of 1MM14.flard Seed. But howweake fo_ euer,the Lord accepteth it, andprotnifeth not to quench fo much as the f fmoking Flax : yea , hee accepteth the verie delire tobeleeue (which is the beginning and lean fie? of Faith) for faith it felfe. And this kind of Faith is to bee fecne in the father g of the child that cryed with teases, lbeleeue, Lord helpe my so:beliefe. Theother by a Metaphore taken from a Ship , that commeth into the Hauen with ful Sayles,is called Fiero- phoria, or a full aífurance, whereof we haue h e/Ibrahans for anExample, Wha was not weake through vnbeliefe, but road ffrengthened in the Faith, andgaueglorie togod, being fully affuredthat what he hadpromrfed,he was able alfa to do.. Our Faith beingweake, is through the gracious ope- ration ofthe fame Spirit that fire wrought it, f}rengthe- ned and fupported by theWord and Sacraments, which are the nourifhingandpreferuing caufes; that fo longas here we Fue, we haue a continual) need ofthe Minií}crie and all other holy meanes. Whereupon Paul bidding the Theffalonians i not to quench the Spirit, immediately addeth, Defpife not Prophecies. Another thingproper vnto Faith is this, that where all other gifts and graces of the Spirit , if they haue not Faith ( which is the Roote) may wither and come to nothing , this neuer can bee loí}, but growcth to the end. Wherefore out of this oneRoote , two branches , as it were, doe fpring. And becaufe they are both worthy of fpeciall confideration, it (hall not be amifí'e dif}in&ly to fpeake ofthem. One, (which is the fecond qualitie of Faith) that hee which once bath this Faith , is lure to haue it Rill. So faith our Sauiour Chrifl, Lakj 22. 3 i. in the perfonof 9e° d Matt.3.16. vAtyóatsot. r Matt. i7. zo. fEfay41.3. g Mçer.g.:4. # Rom.4.2.o,ar: yetconermed by the Word &Sacraments, Prayer; and other holy meanes. ix.Thef: s. 19,zo. it neuer lette th goethe hold
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