569 / 772
Of
the
meaves
whereby
our
faith
may
bet
rengthened,
54t
of
our
faith,
the
other
feruing
to
preférue
vs
from
doubting
creaje
jaith,ir
hear
and defperation. The
meanes
to flrengthen
and increafe
our
the
dàligdiligent
ing
of
faith
are
diuers,
the
firf+
is
the
frequent
and
attentive hea-
óods
vvord.
ring ofGods word,for
as
this
is
the
ordinary
meanes,where-
by
faith
is
begotten
and
begun
in
vs,
fo
is
it
a
chicle
meanes
to
flrengthen and
confirme
it
;
as
it
is
that
liuely fecde from
which faith doth fpring,
fo
is
it that
heauenlie dew
whereby
it
is
watered
and
increafed
from
a
little
plant to
a
great
tree:
and therefore
as
it
is
not
fufficient
for
a
fruitfull
harueíl,
that
the blade or branch
íhould
fprout
vp,
vnleffe
it
bee
watred
continuallie
with
fweete
dew and fhowers
from
heauen,and
fopreferued
from
dying
and
withering;
fo
ifeuer
we
meane
to
reape
the
ripe
fruits
of
faith
to our
euerlafling
comfort,we
mull bee
carefull
that not
onelie
it
take
rooting,
and
bring
forth
a
blade
ofan
outward
profeffion,
but
alto
that it
may
bee
watered
with
this
heauenlie dew
ofGods
word,other-
wife when
the
funne
ofafi
&ion and perfecution arifeth
it
.
will
die and
wither.
The
fecond meanes
to
flrengthen our
faith,
is
diligentlie
Thetecond
to
reade
and
tneditatetin
Gods
word,
efpeciallie
the Gofpell,
rreanes,medi-
wherein
is
:
contained thofe
fweete
and
gracious
promifes
tvavtioortd.:
n Gods
which
are
made indefinitly
vnto
all
who repent
of
their
fins,
and belceue
in Iefus
Chriti,
relying
and relying vpon
him a-
lone
for
their
faluation .And
to this
purpofe our Sauiour
wil-
leth the
Iewcs
tofearch
the
Scriptures,
becaufe they
are
they
Iohn
g.
;
y.
which teflifie
ofhim
:Iohn
5.7
9,And hereby
Magid
faith,
that
Pralina19.1o.
he
was
comforted
in
his
troubles and
euen
quickned when
he.:
was dead,
Praia
i9.5
o.
The third
me
is
holy conference
with
our
godly"brê=
The
third
thren;
for hereby thofe which
are
falling
are
confirmed,and
meanes,holie
the
wearie hands
and.
weake knees flrengthenedp
as
Eliphas
confer
ace.
fpeaketh,Iob.43.4..
And thofe
who
are
weake
in
faith
are
kb
4'34.
comforted and cftablifhed with the
godlie inflruélions, pro-
fitable exhortations,and fweet
confolations
ofthofe
who
are
more
flrong
;
and therefore
the
Apoftle `Paulexhorts thofe
who
had attained vnto
a
great
meafure
offaith,that
they
ad-
mit
fuch
as
were
\'eake
into their companie to
be made par-
takers
of
their Chriflian
conferences,
to
the
end
that
hereby
they.