'TheejlateofaChrijlian. handsperfivading himfelf, that byGods blef.. linghe both can and will helpe him: after this he comes tohis former health againe. On the fame manner, euery manis wounded withthe A. thisvnfained faith, according asthere be di· ueudegrees of Chriflians: fome(f)are yet in r the wombe, and hauetheir mother the Church ,a... u, traueling if them: fome (g) arenew burnebabes <ial4,t9. feeding •nthemt1k$of the word: fome are(h) 'I Cor, perfeEt menin Chrij/, come 11 the m<Pjilre .j'tht P· 4g< .j'thefu/nejfo ofChrij/, 1 Eph.;. XVII. I· · deadlywoundoffinneattheveryheart: and he that would be faued and cfcape damnati– on, mull: foe his finwe,be forrowfull for it,and l'tterly defpaircofhis ownllrength toattaine faluation thereby : furthermore, he mull fee himfelfe to llandin neede ofChri£1:, the good Phyfitian ofhis foule, and long after him, and crie vnto him with deepe fighes and groancs formercie:after this,Chrill Iefuswilltemper him aplailler ofhis owne heart blood;which bejng applied, bee!hall find himfelfreuiued, and !hall come to aliucly affurance ofthefor– giuenesofall his finnes. So it was in Dluid, when he repented of his adultcrie and mur– ther.Firll,God made him li:ehis finnes:for he The leaf\ meafure offaith that 'lnY Chrilliam Tholeafi canhaue, is compared to the ( i)graineofmH- meaCtte ftar<feed,rhe l~a~ofall feedes:andto flaxe (\) of faith. that bath fire rn lt,but foweake that itcan ne 1 • 'Marth. ther giue heat nor Ii~ht, but ondy maketh a 11 ·'o. fmokf , and is calledby the name of a (I) litle :~r.,fl. faith: and it may be thus defcribed. When a 1Mmb, B manofan.lmmble hearrdothnotyetfederhe s,,,., ' Uorance oftlte forgiuenes ofhis own finnes, , ;.nd yet he is perfwaded that they arepard.lia. , bit , dcfiring that they might be pardoned : , and therefore prayeth to God that he would , pardon tHem, aad giuehim frrength to leaue , them. •Pfa p . faith,( A )I ku.,. mineiniqRitm,&my[ms areener l· bif17'e me, Secondly, he felt LoOJs ~•·16« for & Ver( f. his.'ins, (b)Mai(r me( faith he) t• heare ioyand gladnejfo, that the bones which th•• haft broktn may rtioy«.Thirdly,hevtrerlydefpll.<d ofhis < Verf.u own fhengrh,in that hefaid,' Stabiifh•ewith thyfee Spirit; fignifieth thereby, vnlelfethe Lord would fray himwithhisglorious power, he fhould runne headlong to hisowne crinfu– fion. Fourthly,he comes to fcehimfdfe lland 'VerC r. in great needeofGods.fauour: (d)one mercie ~vi! not content him:he prayeth f?r the·whole Innumerablemu/modeof humercus to beeQe- C fl:owcd on him, to doe away his iniquities. Fifthly, bis defire andhisprayerforthe.for– giueneffe of his finne , are fet downe ln !he whole Pfalme.And in his prayer hs gathereth f0me comfort and affurance of Gods mercie towards himfelfe,in that he faith,TheJ"""ifim c Vcrr. 17 1/Godaret.c~ntrite /}irit:,(t)tttmtritucndabro. k!inheart 0 Godtlnuwilt not dejfift.Agaioe.;the like appeareth in Dauid, Pfal. ;>+ Whe?' 1 heldmy tongue,my bonetc•nfitmedinmyr.rmga/ thed..y. 4· ForihyhandwHJhea•ievponmet/ay andnight :mymoijlnrew~ turnedJntoth~drought of fummer,Se/4, 5. Iconfcjfodmy[SAn<I vnto t.hu, neitherhidI mineiniquities: {foirl( wiBctmf<Jfe, againj/ myfelfe my wick!_dnejfo '"""tht L.rel,and thouforgaucjlrheiniqui<ieofmyfl""'· · D To rhi• purpofe is the example ofR. Glo– uer, Martyr, who beeing fomewhat troubled athisentranoe into prifo" , teftifieth thu~. of himfelf<. S• (faith he) 'f remainedwi<b.ut any further confertn<< of anymanlry the !fate•feight. d..ies,andtitthe bijhoptcommi,ng: in whichtime]. , ., gaue myfe!fo cogtinUA/Iy to prayerandmed#Nwn_ ofthemerciful/promiftsofG•dmAM toa/wseboHt exception offerfons thAt_ca/J ypon_the nAmesf~u dearefonrte te[H<Chrijl, Jfoundmmyfe/fed..•iy ttmrndmw if health•fbodie, incrtafe ifp<~~<<of conjiience, ~nrJ~n,~~ny confol<tf.ionsfonl GoJ,byt~e htlpeofhujpirit:4ndfom<time a; itwereataj/and· glimmcrmgofthe life tocome:a/forhu •nc/yfo.l!fle. I<[H<Ch<ij/sfo~. - ' XVI. . . Degrees There.are diuers degre(s and meafures o( offiuth. , XVIII. A title faith may more plaincly be knowne by confideringofthefe fourepoints: fidl:,that Jt is onely in his heart, who is humbled for hisfin: (m) Forth< LmiJweRethwithhimthai mEr~ U 1/ Acoittritl awd hHmhle:ffii.rit, tor~uiue the 17 ., 1• JPirit •fthe humble, 4ndtogiHe lift to them tb.t 4rl ~attmtritt htart.Secondiy,it is in il man e-... fpeciaUy atthetimeofhis conuerfion,andcal– lingro.Cbri£1:, afterwhichheistogrowfrom faith to faith. Thirdly,thisfaith thoughitbein the h<4rt, yet itis ootfo Jllucbfelt in the hearr: thiswasin Eltuid at'fometimes.(n)My God, n P{al.u. my<j•d,whyhajlthouforfol:!,nme,(aithbel The ,, lirll word$, My <jod, my <jod, are fpeecbes of faith: yet the latter, why haft th.J<forfok[nme? !hew rl)ar then hee had no feeling of Gods mercy.A.lirle faith then is.in theheart ofman, as in the'fpring rime the fruit is in the budde, 1 , AP"· which yet appearerh not, but onely bath his fivafion nature and fubllancein the budde. Lallly, the that Gn is beginnings and feedes ofthis faith, or at rhe &"dona– leall,lignes.and eJfe~s thereof,are three. , ~~ ....•· The firllisa pcrfwafio11, that a mansowne 1 finncs are pardonable:this pcrfwafio11 though /is dl· it be notfaith, yet it is agood preparation to fi"ofrt· faith: for the wicked cutte themfelues offquite ;i~~,~~·· from Gods mercie,inthatwith Cain( d )they God in lay,thdr finnesaregreater, then that they cart Cbrififor bee forgiuen. Thefecond,isadcfireofthofa- Gnae, nourandmercieofGodinChrifl, andofthe '::"th meanesto attaine tothat fauour. (p)This det;k·•·!l· fire isafpeciall grace ofGod, and it bath the Pfal,r 4 ,. promifeofbleffednes; and itmull bee'diftin- ••· gui~ed- from that dcfire which wickedm<n ;~~ ',~. Jiaue: w.ho theugh they delire life eternall, 9 as Balaam did: yet tl)ey cannot lincerely Nu"'·'l· deCirethemeancs, a.sfaith, repentancc,mor• to. tification, reconciliation, &c. The third, 3 •Pr.1yer is prayer for nothing ·in. this world, ·Gut for par– oncly for the forg1ueneffe of the!t finnes, don with great lighes and groanes, from tile bot- . 'I' tome of the heart, which they ·are ltot able to I
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