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2. The feares and distrusts of the elect depriue them not of true faith.
Wee must also vnderstand, that the faith of the elect ceaseth not to bee true faith, al∣though they feele doubts, feares, and distrusts in themselues. For if they take not a plea∣sure in such corruptions, to entertaine and mainetaine them, but are grieued thereat, and seeke to withstand them, with a desire to encrease as much as they can in the assurance of their saluation in Iesus Christ. It is another euident combat betweene the spirit and the flesh, betweene faith and distrust, and betweene the will and the deede (as Saint Paul saith) and where faith hath residents, and is sealed in the hearts of the children of God, although * 1.1 it be assailed, by all those stormes and assaults of sinne, wherewith they are still inueloped. Therefore also, in seeking to surmount such imperfections, while they hope for the diuine * 1.2 promises which they see not, they patiently attend, saith the Apostle, vntill such time as they become conquerers in all things through him that loueth them. If we consider the course of Dauids life. There is no mirror of faith (in all the whole Scriptures) more no∣table, nor more euident to be seene, then in him: and yet neuer any faithfull Christian was more assailed with feares and doubts then hee. What complaints did hee make: say∣ing, Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer? And will hee shew no more fauour? Is his mercy cleane * 1.3 gone for euer? Doth his promise faile for euer more? Hath God forgotten to bee mercifull? Hath hee shut vp his tender mercies in displeasures? And for conclusion, hee vseth speeches like a man in dispaire, saying, And I said this is my death. And yet he was not vtterly voide of faith, otherwise hee would not haue begunne the Psalme thus, My voice came to God when I cried, in the day of my tribulation I sought the Lord, and ceased not in the night, my soule refused comfort, I did thinke vpon God, and was troubled, I praied, and my spirit was full of anguish. Where∣by we learne, that euen then, when the vehemency of his sorrowes and anguishes, and the infirmities of his flesh, constrained him to sigh, mourne, and so bitterly to complaine: faith made him to remember his error, and to correct his fault, in such manner that he derected his praiers to God, and assuredly called him his Lord, in whom hee hoped for succour. Wherein he obserued a good method, opposing his hope in God against his troubles, and by a holy inuocation moderated the greatnesse of his anguishes, which after∣ward hee bewailed. For when the afflictions of our flesh beginne to mooue vs, and that wee cannot easily restraine them, but to the contrarie are by them led out of the bounds of reason, it is conuenient for vs at the first to represse and keepe them downe. So Dauid making Faith a Rampier against murmuring, bridled his senses that they might not exceed measure, in such sort that all the complaints which hee made in that Psalme, are but shewes of this griefe, and dispaire, which assailed the hope hee had in God, and of the combat whcih he sustained against such temptations.
The Apostles also are noted in the Gospel to haue had a weake and obscure faith tou∣ching their vnderstandings, before the resurrection of Iesus Christ, and yet much weaker * 1.4 in heart, when the Lord was apprehended by the Iewes, and they forsooke him, one of them vtterly denying him. Yet wee say not, that they were without faith in that their so great weakenesse, no more then when they were in the Ship in a great tempest, they cried vnto Christ, saying, Saue vs wee perish, and hee called them not Infidels, nor vnfaithfull, but men of little faith, and fearefull: and hearing them granted their desire. As it is writ∣ten, * 1.5 A brused Reade shall he not breake, and the smoaking flaxe shall be not quench. But ra¦ther supporting the weake, hee will giue them grace to encrease the gifts of the spirit: * 1.6 and to waxe stronger and stronger in faith (saith the Apostle) as in the person of his Apostles, hee hath taught vs to pray vnto God, that hee will be pleased to encrease faith in vs. The wisdome of the most perfect Christian is still more and more to profit and en∣crease in knowledge of holinesse and righteousnesse. Knowing that in all spirituall bles∣sings * 1.7 there is but a beginning, and an imperfection in the forwardest and most compleat Christians here in this life. But the perfection whereunto we must aspire, and the accom∣plishing of our vocation cannot be perfect, till wee enter into heauen. In the meane time, to turne vs out of the way, and to shake and weaken our hope, the Diuell casteth his firie darts in our faces, which wee must repulse, and seeke to quench vpon the shield of Faith, * 1.8 (as Saint Paul saith) with the liuing water of the holy Ghost, that they enter not into our hearts. For what assaults and combats soeuer the Diuels maketh against vs, so long as he possesseth not the heart, where faith is seated, he is driuen out, in such manner, that the