THis text of Scripture is appointe [...] to be read for th [...] Gospel vpon S. Thomas day, because it cōtainet [...] a memorable storie of him, whose blessed memori [...] we keepe vpon that day: to that end that we might be thankful vnto Go [...] for him, and for the excellent gif [...] bestowed vpon him, and the gre [...] good done to the Church by his m [...] nisterie and preaching: and that w [...] might labour to imitate his vertue and to profit by his great infirmitie wherein consisteth the true and rig [...] obseruation of this, and all other su [...] like daies.

And not in the worshipping of him, and praying to him, and setting vp candles before his image, and of­fering to him, as they did in the time of Poperie; when they praied vnto God to be heard at his intercession, and for his merits, and blood shed­ding; as they did vpon other such daies for the rest of the Apostles, and Saints. And they thought that the celebrating of those daies was a great honour and seruice acceptable vnto them, and they kept them to that ende, that they might become their patrons, and fare the better for their sakes before God: and they know no other vse of them vnto this day.

Wherein they offer great indigni­tie vnto Christ, first, in robbing and spoyling him of the honour and of­fice of his mediation and intercessi­on, to whom onely it belongeth: of whom the Apostle thus writeth: it is Christ which is dead, yea or rather [Page 4] which is risen againe: [...]om. 8.24. who is also at the right hand of God, & maketh re­quest also for vs, and therefore who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen? And Christ himsel [...]e thus speaketh of his owne office: Whatsoeuer ye ask in my name,Ioh. 14 13. that wil I doe, that the father may be glo­rified in the sonne.

Secondly, they doe great wrong vnto him, in hallowing any daies to the honour of any, but of God alone. For all things that are sanctified, are sanctified to his honour and worship onely, who only is to be worshipped & serued with diuine worship: there­fore the bread and wine in the Sa­crament of the Lords supper, and the water in Baptisme, are sanctified to the honour of Christ, and of none o­ther: as those that represent vnto v [...] the breaking of his bodie, and th [...] shedding of his most pretious bloo [...] for the forgiuenes of our sinnes. An [...] [Page 5] so are and ought the Churches to be confecrated to the name and honour of God alone (who onely is there to be serued) and not of any Saint, as in time past they haue beene.

And so ought the daies also: As vnder the law all the Sabbaths were consecrated vnto the honour of God the creator of heauen and earth: and vnder the Gospel vnto the honour of Christ the Redeemer of his Church: and all other daies, that are now put a part among vs from the common affaires of the world, they are sanctifi­ed to that ende, that God might be honoured in them, and by them.

And therefore we put a great dif­ference betweene these holy daies, and the Sabbath, or Lords day. First of all in that we know this later to stand vpon a better foundation then they, as hauing his institution from Christ and his Apostles, and so doth binde all nations, and is perpetuall, [Page 6] neuer to be changed. Whereas the former haue their warrant only from men, and so doe not binde all Chur­ches alike, and may be changed, yea taken cleane away: and serue onely for Christian policie, and good order in the Church, that men vpon these daies might come together, and serue God. And therefore it is to be pro­uided, that there should not be too many of them, least thereby men should be hindred from the necessa­rie workes of their callings; which hath mooued the reformed Church­es, as in this Realme, so els-where, to cut off many that were vsed in the time of Poperie, and so to keepe thē ­selues in a mediocritie, neither ha­uing too many, nor putting downe all.

Secondly, there is a difference be­tweene them, in the manner of kee­ping the one, and the other: for on the Christian Sabbath the lawes of [Page 7] our kingdome and Church doe re­straine all men from many things, as from markets, and faires, and keeping of Assises and Sessions for the execu­tion of iustice: which they doe tole­rate and permit vpon other holy­daies. Whereas in the time of blind­nesse they sometimes preferred these daies before the Sabbath; and had more solemne seruice and feasts vp­on them, and counted it a more dead­ly sinne then to worke, then vpon the Sabbath day.

Besides this, they appointing these daies to the honor of men, did there­by greatly dishonour the Saints thē ­selues. For what greater dishonour can there be vnto any man, then to make him a traytor? and to giue vnto him that honour, that is due onely to the Prince? And if any should in simplicitie and good will ascribe so much to the greatest noble man in the Realme, that at the last he should [Page 8] giue him the titles that belong vnto the King, and so bring him into the suspicion of treason against his will, it were no honour, but dishonour vn­to him: So the Papists in extolling the Saints so highly, that they conse­crate daies vnto them, and thereby seeke to honour them, and hope that therefore they will become Patrons vnto them: all which are proper vnto Christ; in so doing they dishonour them: for they make them, as much as lieth in them, to be traytors vnto Christ, in robbing him of that honor that is proper vnto him.

And these Saints if they were now aliue vpon earth, would not onely not take this honor vnto themselues, and thanke them for it, but altogether refuse it, and rebuke them for it: as Paul and Barnabas did vnto the peo­ple at Lystra, when they brought buls with garlands, and would haue sacri­ficed vnto them: They rent their [Page 9] cloathes, and ranne in among them,Act. 14 14 saying, O men, why doe you these things? we are men subiect vnto the like passions, that you be: and preach vnto you, that you should turne from these vaine things vnto the liuing God.

IN this text there are these foure things principally to be obserued: first of all the great infidelitie of S. Thomas the Apostle, who did not be­leeue the resurrection of Christ, re­ported vnto him by all his fellow A­postles, who had seene him, v. 24, 25. Secondly, the great mercie of Christ, who did not cast him off, and leaue him to perish in this vnbeleefe of his, but most louingly in time conueni­ent sought to pull him out of it by all good meanes; euen the very same, which himselfe desired. vers. 26, 27. Thirdly, the increase of faith in Tho­mas by these meanes, appearing by the confession that he made, after that [Page 10] he was thus confirmed, namely, that he did beleeue, not onely that he was risen againe, but for him, and there­fore calleth him, his Lord, and his God. v. 28. Lastly, here Christ vpon this occasion deliuereth a generall doctrine, and so applieth this fact of Thomas vnto the whole church; euen that they should be blessed, who should beleeue in him, though they did not see him, as he had done.

I doe not purpose to intreat of all these, but onely of so much, as doth concerne the vnbeleefe of S. Thomas. But before I come to it, it may seeme somewhat strange, that S. Iohn in his Gospel doth write this of his fellow Apostle, seeing it tendeth so wholly to his discredit. The other Euan­gelists all of them haue left it out, it may seeme in fauour of him; and it might be thought, that it had beene better, if he had passed it ouer with silence also. But this Apostle liuing [Page 11] longer then all the rest, about an hun­dred yeares after Christ, and so see­ing all their writings, doth adde this, as a matter of speciall moment: as in­deede in it there is offered to the Church great instruction and conso­lation.

And this plaine dealing of his is a note of that integritie, that is to be found in all the Scriptures, as beeing penned by the spirit of God. For they came not in old time, as S. Peter saith,2. Pet. 1.2. by the will of man: but holy men of God did speake and write, as they were mooued by the holy Ghost. And therefore they greatly differ frō the writings of men, which sauour of the spirit of men; and so are in many things partiall: as this is a common fault in many Historiographers, that they flatter great men, and speak one­ly of their vertues, which they set out to the full: but their vices either they wholly conceale, or lightly passe thē [Page 12] ouer; especially when they are their friends, and of the same ranke and or­der with them, as S. Thomas was vnto the Apostle S. Iohn. But it is not so in the Scriptures, which proceeding frō the spirit of truth, are no more parti­all, then God himselfe, with whome there is no respect of persons: [...]om. 2.11. in so much that the penners of them doe lay open the greatest sinnes of the greatest men in their time, euen of the Kings and of the Priests.

Sam. 2.8.As of Heli, how he honoured his children aboue God, and caused the sacrifices of the Lord to be despised, and troaden vnder foote: and of Ma­nasseh king of Iudah, how he caused his sonnes to passe through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom,Chr. 33.6 and gaue himselfe to witchcraft, and to char­ming, and to sorcerie: and vsed them that had familiar spirits, and soothsay­ers: and did very much euill in the sight of the Lord, to anger him: yea, [Page 13] the Prophets do not spare them, that were nearest in blood to them, or nearest in any bond of affinitie, or friendship.Num 12. For Moses doth set out the murmuring of Aaron his owne natu­rall brother, and of his sister Miriam, and how God did punish them for it: which he did not to de [...]ame them, or with a minde to be reuenged of them: for the Lord gaue this testimo­nie of him, that he was a very meeke man,vers. 3. aboue all the men that were vp­on the earth.

And the Apostles doe write the truth boldly and sincerely of their fel­low Apostles, though their faults were exceeding great, and not the like almost heard of.Math. 2 [...] As how Iudas did for thirtie pieces of siluer sell and betray his Lord and master Christ in­to the hands of his most deadly ene­mies. And how Peter did not onely denie him once, but the second time did forsweare him,vers. 7 [...] yea did curse and [Page 14] banne himselfe, if that euer he did but know him.

And to conclude this point, their vprightnes in their writings appea­reth so much the more, that they doe not spare thēselues, but publish their owne faults to the praise of God, as his spirit in them did direct them. For Moses declareth at large how slow & backward he was to take vpon him that calling, that God had appointed him vnto, and what excuses and de­laies he made, in so much that the Lord was very angrie with him. [...]xod. 4.14

And Dauid writeth of the adulte­rie and murder, that he had secretly committed against Bath-sheba, and her husband Vriah: and confesseth openly, that he had deserued death for both of them, when he thus pray­eth, [...]sal. 51.14. [...]iddamim. Deliuer me from bloods, O Lord. So likewise the Apostle Paul spareth not himselfe, because it was not he, but the spirit of God that spake in [Page 15] him,Gal. 1.13 in that he had persecuted the Church of God cruelly, and wasted it. This kind of simple dealing is one argument not of the least moment, among many other, to euince that the Scriptures are written by Gods spirit: and are therefore Canonicall, for they are not partiall: but the spirit of truth & simple dealing doth mar­uelously appeare euery where in them.

But it may further be demanded, though such things as these be writ­ten of the Saints, whether they should be read openly in the Church vpon those holy daies, that cary their name: as if, when we keepe the me­morie of a man, all his euill deedes should be reckoned vp, tending to his infamie and discredit. Concer­ning which, as the prouidence of God therein is to be acknowledged, who hath thus disposed of it: so we are to reuerence and highly esteeme [Page 16] the godly wisdome of those holy fa­thers, who did first appoint those daies thus to be kept. For they did it to the honour of God; and therefore would by the reading of these texts of scripture haue all men know, what the Saints were of themselues: and what infirmities, vnbeleefe, and other sinnes they were subiect vnto; euen the same that we are: as Paul and Bar­nabas saide of themselues, [...]ct. 14.14. We are men subiect to the like passions, that you are: and as S. Iames saith of the Prophet Elias, [...]m. 5.17. that he was a man sub­iect to the like passions, as we are. That so if they were any thing, we might know from whence it came, and so as Paul saith of himselfe, I am the least of the Apostles, [...] Cor. 15. [...]0. which am not worthie to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God: but by the grace of God, I am that I am: and his grace which is in me, was not in vaine: but I labou­red [Page 17] more aboundantly then they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which is with me. So we might say of them, beeing put in minde by the Scriptures that are read euen vpon those daies, wherein we keepe the greatest memorie of them, what they were of themselues, and what they were by the grace of God: and so not so much honour them, as praise God for them.

For the purpose of those ancient fathers of the Church, who apointed these daies thus to be kept, was not to set out the Saints themselues, that we might glory in them, and in their merits: but in the merits of Christ, & in the mercie of God shewed to thē for his sake: and so not only to teach vs how rightly to esteem of them, but [...]hat in them, as in a glasse we might see, what we are subiect vnto: and yet [...]ow gratious God is to pore sinners, [...] so might take comfort in the mer­cie [Page 18] of God shewed to them. As here what great vnbeeleefe was in Saint Thomas, and yet Christ did help him of it, and saued him? to shew vs, that we are as full of vnbeleefe, as he, and much more: yet Christ will not refuse vs, if we do not obstinatly remaine in it, but are willing to be holpen of it, and haue a desire to beleeue, by the meanes that he shall bestow vpon vs. And this is the vse that we are to mak of the vnbeleefe of S. Thomas, euen then when we heare it read vpon his day.

The Papists did not so: for besides that they had a great number of coū ­terfeit Saints in their Calēder, whose names were not written in the booke of life; some of them traytors, and o­thers as ill, or worse then they: vpon their festiuall daies, they caused to be read out of Legenda aurea, that is their Legend of lies, a storie of their liues, full of all vertues, and miracles that [Page 19] they wrought, some in their life, some after their death, whereof most were fained, and some of them most ab­surd. And thus they made them to be Gods vpon the earth, not making mention of any fault of theirs at any time, especially so great as these, that we haue heard of in S. Thomas, S. Paul, and the rest.

Whereby it came to passe, partly by the obseruation of those daies, and partly by hearing what was then re­ported of them out of their stories, that the cōmon people were brought into a superstitious admiration of them, and had no hope by imitating their vertues to be like them: but ra­ther did worship them by meanes of the straunge and incredible things, that they heard of them. And so here was no comfort from them for poore sinners, but only for their merits and mediation: for they did not speake of their infirmities and falls. But we see, [Page 20] how the Scriptures set out the true Saints of God after an other manner: not onely in their miracles and ver­tues, but in their greatest corruptions and sinnes: that we knowing what they were of themselues, and what they are by the mercie of God, and the grace of Christ; the poorest sin­ner might be comforted in them­selues by the one, and giue thanks to God for the other. Seeing that there is no sinne in themselues, which they haue not seene pardoned and cured in some of the Saints or other: nor a­ny grace wanting to themselues, which by that experience of Gods goodnes which they haue scene in others, they might not hope for in themselues in some measure.

BVt I come to the principal thing in this text, which is the great infirmitie, and wonderfull vnbeleefe that was in the Apostle S. Thomas, de­clared in these wordes of his owne [Page 21] that when the rest of the Disciples had told him, that they had seene the Lord, he answered them, Except I see in his hands the print of the nayles, and put my finger into the print of the nailes, and put mine hand into his side, I will not beleeue it.

The circumstance of time, and ma­ny occurrants going before this, doe aggrauate the greatnes of his vnbe­leefe. For this was done the eight day after Christs resurrection: then he did shew himselfe vnto Thomas, as it is saide, vers. 26. Eight daies after his Disciples were againe within, and Thomas with them, then came Iesus, when the doores were shut, & stood in the middes, and said, Peace be vnto you: after he said to Thomas, Put thy finger here, and see mine hands: and put forth thine hand, and put it into my side, and be not faithlesse, but faithfull. In the meane season he had [...]ppeared vnto Marie Magdalene at [Page 22] the sepulchre the first day of his re­surrection earely in the morning, and shee knew him: for he called her Marie, and shee answered, Rabboni, that is to say, master, vers. 17. at what time, shee was willed to goe tell the Disciples, that he was risen: and shee did so: and also shewed them, what other words he had spoken vnto her: but none of them did beleeue her: as S. Marke saith.Mark. 16.11. Thus at the first hea­ring of it, Thomas was incredulous, as well as the rest. And the same day toward the euening he appeared vn­to two other as they were in the wa [...] to Emaus, and they returned present­ly, and tould the Disciples of it, bu [...] they did not beleeue them neither.vers. 13.

The same night therefore he ap­peared vnto the eleuen, as they sat [...] together, and cast in their teeth the [...] vnbeleefe, and hardnes of heart, because they beleeued not them, wh [...] had now twise told them, that the [...] [Page 23] had seene him, beeing risen againe, vers. 14. And because their vnbeleefe was so great at that time, to put them out of al doubt for the time to come, he shewed them his hands, and his side that was pierced, and the print of the nayles in the one, & of the speare in the other, and bad them looke on them, that they might know that it was he indeede,Ioh. 20.20. as S. Iohn the Euan­gelist doth report it.

At this time Thomas was not pre­sent among them. The Lord of his infinite wisdome and goodnes thus disposing of it, for the further good both of Thomas, and of all the rest, and of the whole Church: that by this meanes there might be a new confirmation of his resurrection, by a second and more sensible appariti­on: when they should not onely see againe the print of the nailes in his hands, but for Thomas also to put his finger into them. But in the meane [Page 24] while, all the rest tell him, what they had seene, namely, not onely Christ in some forme, but so certenly that he spake vnto them, and shewed them his hands and his feete, and the print of the nayles in them, so that they could not possibly be deceiued in so cleare a matter: yet for all this he not onely not giueth credit vnto some one of them seuerally, but not vnto all of them ioyntly, beeing so many, and so credible witnesses: and further, is so wilfull and obstinate, and so addi­cted to his owne senses and feeling, that he tells them plainly, that vnles he himselfe see the print of the nayles in his hands, and may put his finger into them; and the print of the speare in his side, and may put his hand into that, he will neuer beleeue it.

This is a maruelous thing, & may seeme iustly to be wondred at, that he beeing an Apostle, and one that had beene conuersant with our Sauiour [Page 25] Christ a long time, and had heard his doctrine, and seene his miracles; yea, had preached saluation in his name with the rest: and had heard Christ oftē say, that he must be put to death, and the third day rise againe: that though he did generally beleeue in him, yet he was not perswaded parti­cularly of this article of his resurre­ction. But such is our corruption, and we doe so receiue the Spirit but in measure, that we may be true belee­uers in many particulars: as we see in the Apostle here, who beleeuing Christ to be the sonne of God, and the Sa­uiour of the world, and so held the maine point of saluation, failed in the particular manner, and was not yet perswaded of the truth of his resur­rection. But for all this we are not to account him, as an infidell, but thinke thus with our selues, if such a man as he, was subiect vnto so great doub­tings, [Page 26] no maruell then, if I in many particulars finde my faith to be so full of doubting and wauering. Onely let vs in these doubtings still vse the meanes, and God will at one time or other blesse some of them vnto vs. As Thomas here not beleeuing that Christ was risen, though the rest of the Apostles did tell him of it, did not forsake their companie, but came into their assemblies vpon the Lords day, to serue Christ with them, and then Christ did appeare vnto him, and ridde him of his vnbeleefe. Whereas if he had beene still absent, as he was before, and therefore hee remained longer in his vnbeleefe then they, God might haue depriued him of all meanes, and iustly haue gi­uen him vp to his vnbeleefe.

But this is a greater wonder, and herein his vnbeleefe doth appeare much more: that besides the former things, when the other Apostles, [Page 27] whom he by long experience knew to be very reuerend and credible mē, told him that they had seene the Lord, and after what manner, euen with the prints of the nailes, & of the speare in his body, yet he so distrusted all of them, that he would beleeue none of them. Oftentimes wee be­leeue meaner men and of lesse credite in matters of great vncertentie, and of small moment: therefore not to beleeue so many and of so good cre­dit, and in a thing of great moment, it beeing true also, doth plainly shew, how deeply vnbeleefe was rooted in him. Especially if we consider how he further addeth, that if there were neuer so many more of them, let thē be, what they will be, that should tell him so, he would beleeue none of thē but his owne selfe, and his owne sense and feeling: for v [...]les he could see in his hands the print of the nailes, and put his finger into the print of the [Page 28] nailes, and put his hand into his side, he would not beleeue it.

And it seemeth, that the rest of the Apostles were subiect vnto this vnbe­leefe, though not in the like measure: for when Marie Magdalen at Christs commandement, came vnto them, and finding them weeping & mour­ning, tolde them for their comfort, that Christ was risen; though they heard her say, [...]ar. 16.11 that he was aliue, and had appeared to her, they beleeued it not: nay they were so farre from be­leeuing it, that her wordes seemed vnto them, [...]uk. 24.11. as a fained thing: so that they were not only somwhat doutfull of the matter, but did wholly reiect it as a meere fable. Moreouer, when two of the disciples, the name of the one beeing Cleopas, going to Em­maus, Christ did appeare vnto them in the way, and though they knew him not at the first, yet at the last their eyes were opened, so that they knew [Page 29] him perfectly, and so returning to Ie­rusalem, saide vnto the eleuen, The Lord is risen indeede: and so doe a­uouch it constantly with a note of as­seuerance; and told them also, what was done in the way, and how they knew him at the last:Mar. 16. [...] They beleeued them neither. So that this case was not of Thomas alone, but of all the rest, that we might see that the best seruants of God of all, are greatly pe­stered with these remnants of vnbe­leefe. That as Dauid saith, If thou,Psal. 13 [...] O Lord, straitly markest iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? that is, not the best mā in the world, much lesse such a wretch as I: So we may say, if these holy men were so full of vnbeleefe in this thing, no maruell, if such a poore sinner as I am, stand doubtfull and perplexed in many things: and as Christ did succour them, I hope he will be mercifull vnto me, that desire to beleeue.

And it is very probable, that the rest of the Apostles in this vnbeleefe of theirs, were subiect vnto the same temptations that Thomas was, and had the same thoughts to hinder thē from beleeuing, that he had: and namely, that they spake within them­selues, as he did openly, though for shame they did not vtter it, as often it falleth out, that many are afraid to vtter their temptations, they are so fearefull and so straunge, that they thinke, that none are possessed with them, but themselues. But the Apo­stle telleth the Corinthians, that no tentation had taken hold of them, [...]or. 10.13. but such as appertaineth vnto man; that is, which proceedeth of mans infir­mitie, and which mans nature is sub­iect vnto: that they might not be dis­couraged, or dispaire for that, that he had said vnto them. And therefore he addeth, that God is faithfull, and would not suffer them to be tempted [Page 31] aboue that, that they were able, but would giue an issue with the tempta­tion, that they might be able to beare it: as he did here vnto the rest of the Apostles, and to Thomas himselfe.

And that they had indeede the same thoughts of vnbeleef that Tho­mas had, it appeareth by the fact of Christ. For when he came among them, and they were abashed and a­fraid,Luk. 24.3 supposing that they had seene a spirit, he said vnto them; Why are ye troubled? and wherfore do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold mine hands, and my feete, for it is my selfe; handle me, and see: and when he had thus spoken he shewed them his hands and his feete. So that Christ in shewing them his hands and feete, that so they might be ridde of those thoughts and doubts, that hindred them from beleeuing; did manifest­ly shew, that he knew the thoughts of their hearts to be these, that vnlesse [Page 32] they saw in his hands and feete the print of the nayles, they would not beleeue that it was he. Christ there­fore like a skilfull physitian of their soules did applie his medicine accor­ding to their maladie; and therefore when as at his first apparition he did shew vnto them his hands and his feete, he doing all things in wisdom and to some good purpose, did there­by declare, what thoughts of vnbe­leefe they were troubled with.

If such holy men as these, who had so many meanes to helpe their faith, did not sufficiently profit by them at the first; but were found thus incre­dulous: then we may be assured, that vnbeleefe is more deepely rooted in vs, then we be a ware of: and if after many meanes, and long continuance in the same we finde it in our selues more then we would, we must not too much suspect our selues, as long as we are sorie for it, and doe groane [Page 33] vnder it, as vnder an heauie burden, desiring to be eased of the same. For indeed there is no sinne in the world, that hath more infected mankinde, then that: it came in with our first parents euen in Paradise, and it will continue as long as there is any man vpon earth: it is the first sinne that possesseth all men: and it is the last that we must striue against: in so much that when we haue ouercome all other, then wil our vnbeleefe most of all trouble vs. And especially we shall finde this to be true in all affli­ctions, and in the houre of death: when the temptations of pride, of vo­ [...]uptuousnes, of reuenge, &c. shall [...]eaue vs, as hauing receiued their [...]eadly blow; then will vnbeleefe, and [...]istrust fall vpon vs afresh, as though [...] had neuer beene wounded, or ne­ [...]er so much as incountred with.

For seeing that faith is, as the A­ [...]ostle calleth it,Eph. 6.16. A sheild wherewith [Page 34] we may quench all the fierie darts of the deuill: therefore he laboureth most of all to pull it out of our hands altogether, or so to weaken it in ma­ny things, that his darts may easily pearce through it into our soules to destroy them: that is, his temptation may deceiue vs one way or other. For as long as this sheild of faith is whol, and we be able to hold it out against our spirituall enemie, we shall pre­uaile against him, whether he temp­teth vs vnto any sinne in time to come, or for any sinne of the time past. But if we let fall the sheild of faith, or doe not defend our selues with it; we lie open to all temptati­ons of Satan: that is, if we altogethe [...] giue ouer faith, or fall to doubting o [...] the truth of his word.

Adam and Eue were first ouer come by vnbeleefe, and that was th [...] cause of their ruine: for the deuill b [...] disputing with the woman like a sub­tile [Page 35] Sophister, brought her at the last to cal into question the truth of Gods word, and to say,Gen. 3.3. Of the fruit of the tree, which is in the middes of the garden, God hath said, ye shall not eate of it, neither shall ye touch it, least ye die: whereas the Lord had said in expresse words before,chap. 2 17. In the day, that ye shall eate thereof, ye shall die the death: that is, ye shall assured­ly die: which if they had steadfastly beleeued, they had not beene ouer­come of his temptation. So in all sinne that we commit there is vnbe­leefe, more or lesse; for if we fall by presumption, then we beleeue not his threatnings; if by despaire, then we beleeue not his promises. And iusti­fying faith though it principally loo­keth to the promises of saluation; yet generally it respecteth the whole [...]ord of God. The manifold sinnes then that we see in other, and doe [...]ommit our selues, doe apparently [Page 34] [...] [Page 35] [...] [Page 36] shew, how full of vnbeleefe we and the whole world is: for if we did be­leeue God to be true in his threat­nings, and in his promises, we should be kept from sinne.

Besides, when men are fallen into any sinnes, what is the cause that they doe not speedily repent them of thē, and so leaue them, but onely vnbe­leefe? For if they did rightly beleeue either the promises of God, as, At what time soeuer a sinner shall re­turne from his sinnes, [...]zek. 18.21. and doe that which is lawfull and right, he shall surely liue, and shall not die: all his transgressions, that he hath commit­ted, shall not be remembred, or laide to his charge: they would presently repent, and leaue their sinnes, that they might be forgiuen them. Or if they beleeued his threatnings; as, Kisse the sonne,Psal. 2.12. least he be angrie, and ye perish in the midde way, when his wr [...]th shall suddenly burne, blessed [Page 37] are all that trust in him: they would speedily repent, whiles mercie is of­fered; least God take them away be­fore, or bring some great iudgement vpon them. But contrarie to the truth of Gods word (according to the na­ture of vnb [...]leefe) they imagine some thing of their owne head, wherein they rest; and let all men say to the contrarie, what they will, they will beleeue none but themselues, & their owne conceit.

As that, they shall doe wel enough though they continue in their sinnes: or that they shall haue time enough hereafter to repent them at their lei­sure: and that they may repent them when they list, or some such like: of which there is nothing promised in the word of God, but the cleane con­trary set down often and very plainly. Therefore that men, when they haue fallen into any sinne, do so easily con­tinue in them, and either repent thē [Page 38] not at all, or doe it very slowly, & that doth bewray sufficiently, how full of vnbeleefe they are. Seeing therefore that it is so vniuersally spread ouer all men, no maruell, if the better sort doe complaine so much of it in thēselues, and finde it to be a great deale more, then they would.

Agine, let vs be in trouble, & want meanes to helpe our selues, and see if we be not prone to distrust God? and so not to depend on his prouidence: but rather to vse vnlawfull meanes to helpe our selues: or to be too restles & vnquiet in the vse of those that are lawfull: and so either altogether to forget to seeke vnto God by prayer: or else to doe it very coldly, and with little hope. Though God hath saide, Call vpon me in thy trouble, [...]sal. 50.15. so will I deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorifie me. [...]ebr. 13.6. And be contented with those things, that ye haue, for God hath said, I will not faile thee, nor forsake [Page 39] thee.Heb. 6.31. And first seeke the kingdome of God; and his righteousnesse, and all things necessary shall be ministred vnto you: and a thousand such promi­ses more: which doth shew that vnbe­leefe possesseth men euery manner of way, and there is no man in the world altogether free from it, though it be a great deale more in some, then in other.

And to be short, when we are tēp­ted vnto any sinne, we by lamentable experience finde, that we are too ea­sily ouercome, because we beleeue not Gods threatnings, that he will assuredly punish it. And when we are tempted for any sinne, how soone are we readie to despaire, because we be­leeue not the promises of forgiuenes vnto the repentant? So that this sinne is found in the whole course of our life: in so much that when we haue ouercome many other sinnes in the first and second table; then we shal be [Page 40] either wholly ouercome with vnbe­leefe, or greatly polluted with it.

The Deuill did greatly assault our Sauiour Christ with this, both in the first entrance into his office, and also in the last discharging of it. First of all in the wildernes, when he would by that long time of abstinence & want of corporall foode by the space of fourtie daies, and fourtie nights, haue perswaded him, that God had forsaken him, and had no care of him: for then he would haue prouided for him all this while: and therefore he must now shift for himselfe, and if he could doe any thing, he must shew his power, If he be the sonne of God indeed, [...]ath. 4.3. he must command that those stones he made bread. Secondly, when he was vpon the crosse; for then they that passed by reuiling him, and wagging their heads, [...]ap. 27.39. said, If thou be the sonne of God, come downe from the crosse: and the Priests also moc­king [Page 41] him, saide, He saued others, but he cannot saue himselfe: if he be the king of Israel, let him now come downe from the crosse: so that they concluded against him to the weak­ning of his faith, that God did not care for him, because he did not pre­sently deliuer him.

Thus by tempting him to vnbe­leefe in the beginning, he sought to discourage him from it: and by the same temptation of vnbeleefe in the ending, to cause him to giue it ouer, before he had happily finished it. And after the same manner the deuill set­teth vpon all the members of Christ: in the beginning of their calling, he greatly buffeteth them with vnbe­leefe, and puts into them many feares and doubts, that their sinnes shal not be pardoned; that so they might as men tired in the combate, giue ouer, and returne to their old byas. And before their death he terrifieth them [Page 42] againe with feare, that they shall not goe to heauen, that so in despairing of so great a matter, they might giue ouer seeking it any longer. But Christ did ouercome by the power of his Spirit in those temptations of his, that by the same Spirit he might suc­cour vs in ours. [...]eb. 2.17. And so in all things he was made like his brethren, that he might be mercifull, and a faithfull high Priest to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people: for in that he suffered, and was tempted, he is able to succour them that are temp­ted. As he did here in due season help the vnbeleefe of the Apostles, in shew­ing vnto them his hands, and his feet; but most of all his weake and poore seruant Thomas. For when he had saide, [...]h. 20.25. Except I see in his hands the print of the nailes, and put my finger into the print of the nayles, and put my hand into his side, I will not be­leeue: Then a little after Christ ap­peared [Page 43] vnto him, and said vnto him, Put thy finger here,vers. 27. and see mine hands; and put forth thine hand, and put it into my side; and be not faith­lesse, but faithfull.

BVt to proceede, the first degree of Thomas his vnbeleefe appea­reth in this, that he did heare this of­ten, and of diuers, that were very cre­dible, and yet he did not beleeue it: as first of all of diuers holy and godly women,Luk. 24. [...]. and namely of Marie Mag­dalene, and Ioanna, and Marie the mother of Iames, and other women with them, who earely in the mor­ning returning from the sepulchre, told the eleuen that Christ was risen: and also he heard it againe of Cleo­pas, and an other disciple,vers. 33. who told them, they had seene him, and spoken with him after his resurrection: and now the third time he heard it of all his fellow Apostles, beeing ten in nū ­ber, all of them very credible, who did [Page 44] auouch it vnto him vpon their owne knowledge, and saide, that they had seene him themselues. It was appoin­ted in the equitie of the law, that in the mouth of two witnesses, [...]eut. 19.15 or at the mouth of three witnesses, euery mat­ter should be established. Therefore there was no colour to discredit so many witnesses, especially comming in to testifie the same truth at seuerall times. But herein appeareth the na­ture of infidelitie, which is, to cause vs, though we heare the truth of God witnessed vnto vs by sundrie men, and at diuers times, not to beleeue a­ny one of them in diuers things, but onely our selues. And though they be neuer so graue, and reuerend, and constant in auouching of it, & sound in proouing of it, yet all shall be as we thinke, and say our selues, and not otherwise: and thus they are wiser in their owne conceit, [...]r. 26.16 then seauen men that can render a reason. Whereby it [Page 45] commeth to passe, that they hinder themselues in their saluation: for though God send his seruants vnto them, to tell them his will, they will beleeue nothing, but as they cōceiue themselues.

And this though it be a great sinne, yet it was not proper vnto Tho­mas only, but it was found in the rest of the Apostles at this present. And that we might not wonder at it in thē without any profit, we shall see it as deeply rooted in our selues, & others: for this is but a looking glasse to let vs see our owne vnbeleefe in. For how often haue we heard one & the same truth constantly deliuered vnto vs by the Prophets, Euangelists, and Apostles? & yet we doe not beleeue them: we haue sundry times heard them, and read them, yea they haue bin often preached vnto vs, and that by sundry of the faithfull ministers and seruants of God; and yet we gi [...]e [Page 46] no credit vnto them: and this is too true, whether we looke to Gods fearefull threatnings, or his mercifull promises, both for this life, and the life to come.

How oftentimes, and by how ma­ny men haue we heard, that vnlesse we repent, we shall all perish; and yet very few beleeue it, for they goe on full in their sinne, and thinke that they shall doe well enough. And that euery tree, [...]ath. 3.10 that bringeth not forth good fruit, shal be hewen downe, and cast into the fire: that is, all wicked ones, that will not speedily amend their liues, shall be cast into hell fire: and yet though they liue neuer so wickedly, they thinke to be saued, as well as the rest. And though a sinner doe euill an hundred times, [...]ccles. 8. [...]. and God prolong his daies, yet it shall not goe well with him at the last; yet men thinke the contrarie, that seeing they haue escaped in one sinne vnpunish­ed, [Page 47] and the second, & third time, that therefore it shall goe well with them for euer: and they thinke, as the Pro­phet saith,Psal. 50.2 [...]. that because God holds his tongue, he is like them, and liketh their waies well enough.

Moreouer, how often haue we heard, and by how many, that he that is angrie with his brother vnaduised­ly, is culpable of iudgement:Matth. 5.2 1. Ioh. 3.1 [...] & who­soeuer hateth his brother is a man­slaier: and yet men nourish these euill affections in themselues, as though these sayings were vtterly false. And hath it not often beene sounded in our eares by men of great credit, That neither adulterers,1. Cor. 6. [...] nor fornica­tours, shall inherit the kingdome of God: but yet I would to God, that the wicked liues of too many did not suf­ficiētly bewray the thoughts of their hearts, namly, that they did not only somewhat doubt of the truth of this, but they thinke it to be a meere fable: [Page 48] and let men say what they wil against these sinnes, they will beleeue none but themselues: so wholly are their hearts possessed with infidelitie.

Yea let a man come, and deale with one in any sinne of his, in which he is setled, and denounce the iudge­ments of God against him out of the truth of his word: and let a second & a third man likewise preach the same vnto him at an other time: and he yet is resolute in himselfe, he knoweth as much of that matter, as any man can tell him, he will beleeue none but his owne deceitfull heart, and his owne feeling; vnlesse he feele the smart of it vpon himselfe, he will giue no cre­dit vnto it: like vnto the men of So­dom, who when righteous Lot told them of fire and brimstone, that should come downe from heauen vpon them for their horrible wicked­nes, they iudged him to be an old do­ting foole, [...]n. 19.1 [...]. and would not beleeue it, [Page 49] vntill they saw it, and felt it them­selues burning about their eares, when it was too late.

By this infidelitie, which is in vs naturally, we are enemies to our own saluation, in that we will not beleeue this part of Gods holy word, preach­ed vnto vs often by them, that are worthie of all credit. And this was [...]he estate of all of vs, till God of his great mercie did reforme vs, & purge [...]s of this vnbeleefe, that for the a­mendment of our liues, and repen­ [...]ing vs of our sinnes, that we might [...]e saued, we would beleeue nothing of Gods iudgements, and of hell fire, [...]hough preached by many; but onely [...]uch things, as our blind reason did [...]erswade our false hearts of: and that [...]e did sticke fast vnto, whatsoeuer [...]hen said, and of neuer so many to the [...]ontrarie. And the same vnbeleefe [...]emaineth still in vs in measure in [...]at part, that is vnregenerate.

We must therefore examine our selues, that we may find it out, & pray to God to helpe vs against it, which no doubt he will, if we seeke vnto him, and be desirous to be holpen of it; as he did here his seruant Tho­mas the Apostle. For this storie of his vnbeleefe is written, to comfort all those that are fallen into vnbeleefe, and are desirous to be ridde of it, and to beleeue, as this Apostle was. But if men for want of due examinatio [...] and triall of their owne heart, do [...] presume of that, that is not in them▪ and so imagine that they beleeue when they doe not, or to haue mor [...] faith then they haue; they shall on [...] day finde, that their phantasie hat [...] deceiued them, and they shal be farr [...] from beeing holpen in that, that the [...] want. For many thinke that it is the [...] easiest thing in the world to beleeue when as indeede it is the hardest; an [...] it is more hard to ouercome our re [...] son [Page 51] in beleeuing, then the affections of our heart in doing: and therefore Christ saith, The gate is strait,Math. 7.14. and the way narrow that leadeth vnto life, [...]nd few there be that finde it.

And that which hath bin said of Gods iudgments, it is true also of his [...]romises, that there is as much vn­ [...]eleefe in vs towards the one, as to­ [...]ards the other. For how often haue [...]e read the same sweet and comfor­ [...]able promises of God made for our [...]ood: yea how often haue they bin [...]reached ouer and ouer againe vnto [...]s; and yet we rather not beleeue thē [...]t all, or not as we should. Let vs take [...]ne for example. The Lord saith by [...]is Prophet,Psal. 50.15. Call vpon me in the day [...]f thy trouble, so I will deliuer thee: [...]nd who so euer shall call on the [...]ame of the Lord shall be saued.Ioel 2.22. Yet [...]hen trouble and affliction cōmeth, [...]h how fewe doe beleeue this to be [...]rue? as appeareth by their practise; [Page 52] for how few or none at all almost doe seeke vnto the Lord by earnest and feruent prayer? and they that doe, with how little confidence and hope of beeing heard, doe they practise it? which sheweth howful of vnbeleefe they are.

Few or none can say, as Salomon doth,Prov. 18.10. that the word of the Lord is their strong tower, and that they run to that, as to their sure defence: or as Dauid taught the people to say, Some trust in chariots,Psal. 20.7. and some in horses, but we remember the name of the Lord our God; that this is the first thing that they remember, as that that shall doe them most good. But prayer is either so wholly negle­cted, or men come to it so slowly, as it were drawing their legs after thē, and last of all, as though they did no [...] one whit beleeue the promises thi [...] way made vnto them.

Nay, which is more, if any com [...] [Page 53] to them in their trouble, and tell thē that they haue often found this to be true by experience in themselues: as Dauid doth, The poore man cried,Psal. 34.6. and the Lord heard him, and saued him out of all his troubles: yet we doe not beleeue that we shall finde it to be true in our selues. Especially if God deferre vs any while, we can giue no credit to the truth of his pro­mises, vntill we see them verified in our selues: but we are readie to say, vnlesse we see and feele these things in our selues, we will not beleeue it.

Againe, how often, and by how many haue we heard this truth of God,Rom. 8.28. All things worke together for [...]he best vnto them, that loue God: [...]hat is, God will turne all the afflicti­ons of his people vnto their good in [...]he ende: yet when the least crosse [...]oth befall vs, how are we dismaied, [...]s though this were false, because we [...]oe not beleeue it? And if any shall [Page 54] then say vnto vs, be of good comfort, beare it patiently, the Lord herein seeketh your good, and you shal [...] come out of this affliction better thē you were before; yet we thinke it a matter impossible; yea, a meere fa­ble: and that it is better for vs to be otherwise, and so we will not beleeue him: nor others, though they should come immediately, and tell vs the same vpon good trial, that they found it to be so in themselues, as Daui [...] saith,Psal. 119.71. It is good for me that I hau [...] beene afflicted, that I may learne thy statutes:67. and before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keepe thy word: and as the Apostle Paul als [...] saith vpon his owne experience, and the rest of the faithfull in whos [...] name he speaketh,Rom. 8.28. We know, that al [...] things worke together for the bes [...] vnto them that feare God. Not one­ly I my selfe, but many others also do know this to be true. Which is as if a [Page 55] skilfull Phisitian should say vnto his sicke patient; take this potion, though it be bitter, it is for your health, I haue found the proofe of it by long expe­rience: nay not onely I my selfe, but all we Physitians doe know it to be so: and yet the patient would beleeue none of them, but himselfe. Oh what a great note of infidelitie is within vs? how had we neede to striue a­gainst it?

To be short, how often haue we heard this promise of our Sauiour Christ;Math. 6 33. First seeke the kingdome of God, and his righteousnes; and all outward things shal be ministred vn­to you: and that also of the Apostle Paul vnto Timothie,1. Tim. 4.8. Godlines is pro­fitable vnto all things, which hath the promise of this life, and of that that is to come: yet let vs be in any want, and it is a wonder to see, how hardly or not at all we with cheere­fulnesse depend vpon Gods proui­dence, [Page 56] vntill such time as we can see, how to prouide for our selues. Let o­ther men come, and say what they will, and what they haue found by experience in themselues, and in o­thers concerning the truth of this, we doe not almost regard it, or take any comfort in it: so full of vnbeleefe are we, & so common a thing is it in the matters of God, to giue credit to none but to our selues: as the Apo­stle S. Thomas saith of himselfe here.

Lastly, let vs come to the matter of our saluation:Reuel. 12.10 if Satan the accuse [...] of the brethren, and our owne con­science doe set before our eies the re­membrance of our sinnes, and presse vs somewhat therewith; though we be heartily sory for them, & do weep bitterly,Math. 26 75. as Peter did at the remem­brance of his fall, and do wish a thou­sand times that we had neuer com­mitted them, & thus trauell & groane vnder the heauy burden of them, as [Page 57] that that is able to presse vs down vn­to the bottom of hell, and vnfainedly turne from them vnto God, saying with Dauid, Haue mercie vpon me,Psal. 51.1. O God, according to thy louing kindnesse: according to the multi­tude of thy compassions put away mine iniquites: yet how hard a matter is it then to finde th [...]t in our hearts, which we say with our mouth, I be­leeue the forgiuenes of my sinnes; e­specially in the day of temptation, and in the howre of death: though wee haue oftentimes before heard the blessed saying of the Apostle, This is a true saying,1. Tim. 1. [...] and by all meanes worthy to be receiued, that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners: and that comfortable voice of our Sauiour Christ, Come vnto me all ye that are wearie,Matth. [...] and la­den, and I will ease you.

This then we see is no new thing, for men not to beleeue sundry parts [Page 58] of Gods word brought vnto thē by the ministerie of diuers of his faithful seruants, by reason of the great vnbe­leefe and hardnes of heart that is in them: whereby it commeth to passe that their owne vnderstanding doth more preuaile with them to distrust, then the testimonie of many to be­leeue. How then had we neede to find out this vnbeleefe in our selues: which when we haue done, we are not to iudge too hardly of our selues, seeing that it is so common: but one­ly lament & bewaile it, & seeke vnto Christ to be holpen of it, who is the author and finisher of our faith: [...]. 12.2. and say with the Apostles, [...]. 17.5. Lord increase our faith: and with the man in the Gospel, [...] 9.24. Lord I beleue, helpe my vn­beleefe.

And if there be such great streams of vnbeleefe in Gods children, till they be holpen of it, what a bottom­lesse sea, thinke you, is there of it in [Page 59] the wicked? whereby it commeth to passe, that they are filled with all a­theisme and prophannes; casting the word of God behinde their backs, so that let neuer so many learned and godly men, witnesse the truth vnto them for their amendment, they will beleeue no more, then they haue de­termined before hand with thēselues. Let vs pray to God for them, that they may haue better mindes, euen desirous to beleeue; and then shall they be holpen in time, as the Apo­stle S. Thomas was. And for our selues, let vs labour to haue teachable hearts, that we may reuerence & giue credit vnto them, who in the myste­rie of our saluation know more then we doe: and haue in the matter of faith a great deale more experience then we our selues. That so it may come to passe, of what minde so euer we haue beene before, that when Gods faithfull seruants, whome we [Page 60] should esteeme and trust, they shall tell vs so and so: whether for Gods iudgements, or for his promises, or for the direction of our liues, we may beleeue, and obey them. Then shall we come to faith, and be confirmed in it: [...]. 1 [...].17. for he that regardeth instructi­on, is in the way of life.

And if in other matters we thinke it reasonable, that we should beleeue those, that haue more knowledge thē our selues; yea euen cleane contrarie to that, that we thought before: as for the matter of our health we beleeue many skilfull Physitians for the state of our bodies, and many expert law­yers for the state of our lands and goods; why should we not then in matters of diuinitie, and for the state of our soules, giue more credit to ma­ny skilfull Diuines then to our selues. Especially when as the generall rule holdeth as well in that, as in any o­ther science: that euery skilfull man [Page 61] is to be credited in his owne arte and facultie: our reason is more corrupt in this, then in any other thing, and therefore there is more cause that we should beleeue others, then our selues.

Therefore as in other matters, when we are doubtfull, we conferre with them that haue more skill and knowledge, and giue credit vnto thē contrarie to our owne thoughts, and we are readie to relie vpon them ra­ther then vpon our selues: So let vs doe in matters of faith, and let vs not offer Gods seruants and our selues this great wrong, that we wil beleeue all men in other things, sauing then in this. It is too much, that we haue done it so often alreadie, let vs not continue in it, that we should come to the Church, and heare Gods word preached, and goe away not belee­uing it: and come againe the next day, and then depart away, as full of [Page 62] vnbeleefe, as before: and thus from day to day, & so still be of this mind, that whatsoeuer men say, we will be­leeue none but our selues, thinking that we haue reason as well as they, and therefore vnles we can conceiue it by reason, we will not admit it, whatsoeuer they say.

For faith is aboue reason, therfore we must beleeue the seruants of God in things, whereof we can conceiue no reason: nay reason is against faith, and there is nothing in vs more to hinder vs from beleeuing, then to harken to our owne reason. [...]or. 2.14. For the naturall man (by his best reason) per­ceiueth not the things of the spirit of God: for they are foolishnes vnto him: neither can he know them (by his owne wit) because they are spiri­tually discerned: that is, by a superna­turall inlightning of the sprit of God. So that matters of faith we can not only not by reason comprehend thē, [Page 63] but they seeme foolishnes vnto all thē that will no further giue credit vnto things, then they be demonstrated by reason: which made the Apostles, when the women came from the se­pulchre, & told them that Christ was risen, not onely not to beleeue them, but that their words seemed vnto thē as a fained thing,Luk. 24.11 and a meere fable that had no truth in it: and therefore Christ saith in the Gospel,Math. 16. If any man will follow me, let him forsake him­selfe, that is, his owne reason most of all, that so he may beleeue others contrary vnto it.

And this is that which is so highly commended by the spirit of God in our father Abraham,Rom. 4.1 that he aboue all hope (that reason could affoard him) beleeued vnder hope, that he should be the father of many nati­ons: for he considered not his owne bodie, which was now dead (that is, void of strength, and vnmeete to get [Page 64] children) beeing almost an hundred yeares old: neither the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe: neither did he doubt of the promise of God through vn­beleefe; but was strengthned in faith, and gaue glorie to God, beeing fully assured, that he that had promised it, was able to doe it: where we see, that renouncing his owne reason, which would haue held him in vnbeleefe, he rested vpon the truth and power of God, and so beleeued aboue that by reason could be shewed him, or he a­ble to conceiue: and so must we doe also.

[...]. 11.3.The Apostle saith, that through faith we vnderstand, that the world was ordained by the word of God, and that the things which we see, are not made of things which did ap­peare: that is, that this great & beau­tifull frame of the world was made of nothing, is a matter not to be com­prehended by any reason, but onely [Page 65] by faith: which made not onely the Epicures, but also some of the wisest Philosophers, to hold, that the world was not eternall: for it was vnto them a principle in reason, that of nothing, [...]omes nothing, neither can you so multiplie nothing, that there should come any thing of it. Therefore the Apostle saith, that he that will hold, [...]hat all these things, which we see in [...]eauen and earth were made of no­ [...]hing, he must beleeue it aboue all [...]eason.

And who can by any reason con­ [...]eiue the truth of this article of our [...]aith, The resurrection of the bodie? [...]hat is, that these very bodies of ours, [...]eeing turned into dust and ashes, [...]e same in euery part and member [...]ould be raised vp againe. Some of [...]e wiser sort of the Heathen did ac­ [...]owledge the immortalitie of the [...]ule, and that there was a place of [...]y for them that liued well, and of [Page 66] paine for them that swarued from the rules of right reason, after death. Bu [...] that the same bodies of men should rise againe, they did not so much as once dreame of it, because they could not comprehend it by any reason [...] therefore in that matter we must be­leeue others aboue all reason.

The like is to be saide of almes, which hath a promise of increase: so that by giuing to the poore we shal [...] not loose any thing, but gaine: which is a thing contrarie to reason, that th [...] more a man should giue away from himselfe, the more he should inric [...] himselfe: and therefore few doe beleeue it, which maketh them couetous and hard hearted, and to be wi [...] ling to depart from nothing, lea [...] they should want themselues: and [...] specially to be most hard hearted [...] their poore brethren in the times o [...] scarsitie and want, when they shoul [...] be most liberall, and by that meane [...] [Page 67] best prouide for themselues: which S. Paul was so fully perswaded of, that he doth commend it vnto vs by an excellent comparison, saying,2. Cor. [...]. [...] He which soweth sparingly, shall reape also sparingly: and he that soweth li­berally, shall reape also liberally. Where he compareth almes vnto sowing of seede: the more a man sow­eth, the more he reapeth by Gods blessing: the more a man giueth, the more he receiueth by Gods promise: the one we see by experi­ence, which maketh mē in the times of dearth and scarsitie, to sow most: the other we comprehend by faith, which maketh the beleeuer in the hardest times, to be most liberall. Thus we see, what vnbeleefe is in vs, in that we giue no credit vnto others, any further then we can conceiue a reason of it: which is the same, that was in S. Thomas, and yet he was cu­red of it, and so may we by the same [Page 68] grace of God, if we will learne this lesson; that in the time of temptation we beleeue others aboue our selues: which if we doe not, it is the next way to remain in vnbeleefe for euer: but if we can come vnto this, there is hope of vs in time.

THe 2. degree of Thomas his vnbeleefe, appeares in this; that he wold not only not beleeue this, be­ing thus often told him, diuers times, & by sundrie credible persons, but he will beleeue none but himselfe: for he saith in plaine words, Except I see in his hands, the print of the nayls, I will not beleeue it. Which is, as if he had said; you indeed tel me, that you haue seen Christ risen again, & so do diuers others; I haue heard these things oftē; but I haue not yet seene him my selfe; what others haue seene, that apper­taines not vnto me, vnlesse I see him my selfe, I will not beleeue it. This therefore is further to be considered, [Page 69] because somtime it fals out, that there is good cause, why we should not be­leeue a thing spokē often, & by many.

And if they be of any good cre­dit, though there be no cause in truth to suspect them, yet it may seeme vn­to vs, that there is some: and hereup­on it commeth to passe, that some in their vnbeleefe take exception a­gainst the Preachers, and thinke that they haue some cause, why they should not beleeue thē in the things that they haue preached vnto them, though in truth there be none. But yet to be altogether of this mind, that S. Thomas was here in this matter, that we will beleeue none in the world, but our selues, that seemeth to be such a thing as wanteth all colour of reason. And yet thus vnreasona­ble is vnbeleefe, as we see most clear­ly in this example: for he saith very peremptorily, that vnlesse I my selfe doe see in his hands the print of the [Page 70] nayles, I will not beleeue it. He doth not say, vnles better men then you doe tell me so; or vnles I heare more in number; or vnles I heare better reason for this matter, then I doe yet, I will not beleeue it: but if all men in the world tell me of it neuer so often, vnles I see him mine owne selfe, I will beleeue none of them: which is, as if he had said, In this case I will beleeue my selfe, and no bodie els.

We see then whether vnbeleefe will driue vs, if we giue place to it, e­uen that we shall beleeue none but our selues. And indeede so it is in all sorts, in whome it raigneth, they will beleeue no more from any man, then they can perswade themselues by their owne reason: vnto that they ob­stinatly sticke against all men: and so are not ashamed to say, I will beleeue none of you all; I will beleeue mine owne selfe, and further I will not be lead by any: no man shall draw me to [Page 71] [...]eleeue that, which mine owne rea­son tells me not. And thus they so much abound in their owne sense through vnbeleefe, that they per­swade themselues, that they haue more reason for that they hold, then all other men haue for the contra­rie.

And so let men say neuer so much against that, which they haue concei­ted themselues, they stil imagine, that they haue some thing to say against it, and some reason, why they should not beleeue them. And this is most true, not onely in matters of faith, but for life and conuersation: which is the cause, both that Papists and other heretikes are so obstinately addicted to their errors; and also wicked men so altogether wedded vnto their sinnes; that neither the one, nor the other can be reclaimed from them. And therefore when men haue saide what they can, they will not giue thē [Page 72] ouer, for they haue determined to be­leeue none but themselues: & of this minde will they be, till God ridde them of their vnbeleefe: and then the saying of Christ shal be verified vpon them,Ioh. 20.29. Blessed are they, that haue not seene, and haue beleeued: that is, they shall beleeue others, besides them­selues, and so blessed shall they be: as indeede this is the way to faith, and so to blessednes, to distrust our selues, and to beleeue the seruants of God, speaking vnto vs in his name: of whō Christ hath saide, [...]ath. 20 40. He that receiueth you, and your doctrine, receiueth me.

And that we might come vnto this, we are to remember, that true faith yeildes vnto the bare word o [...] God against our owne reason; and so giueth glory vnto God,Rom. 4.20. as the Apo­stle sayth, acknowledging, and re­uerencing his truth, mercy, and pow­er, where we can see no reason o [...] [Page 73] it, and so praysing him for the same, and resting in it. Which we see to be true in Abrahā not onely in the birth of Isaac, which was beyōd the course of nature, and so aboue all reason: but also in the offering vp of the said I­saac his sonne, whom he loued, and in whom he receiued the promises, euen that with him God would esta­blish his couenant,Gen. 17. [...] and with his seede after him for euer: and therefore take away him, and take away all, and the hope of all: and yet at the comman­dement of God, he was contented to offer him vp for a burnt offering in moūt Moriah: which he did by faith,chap. 22 as the Apostle saith:Hebr. 11. for he considered that God was able to raise him vp euē from the dead: and so he measured the performance of the promises of God, not by his owne reason, though neuer so great, but by the truth and power of God.

The like may be saide of Noah [Page 74] concerning the building of the Arke, of whom it is said; [...]rs. 17. that by faith he beeing warned of God of the things which were not as yet seene, mooued with reuerence, prepared the Arke to the sauing of his houshold. In which matter if he had consulted with flesh & blood, and conferred with his own reason, he should neuer haue vnder­taken so great a matter. For how could he thereby imagine that all the world should be drowned except his family, and that they should be saued, and all the rest perish: when by the space of 120 yeares, he both prepa­ring the Arke, and preaching their destruction, not one man or woman would beleeue it, besides his owne family of eight persons; might not he haue thought that he was deceiued rather then they all. And how could he haue hope that fowre men should gouerne so great a vessell, wherein should be male & female at the least [Page 75] of euery liuing thing vpon the earth [...]nd in the ayre, with sufficient proui­sion for them all by the space of an whole yeare: and that not in the great Ocean sea, but when the whole world was a sea. And where could he thinke [...]o haue meanes to take and bring in all these fowles of the heauen, and beasts of the earth? and how could [...]hey attend vpon them all to feede them, and to doe all things necessarie [...]nto them? And many more things might be put into his head, to cause [...]im to desist from this worke, as a [...]hing impossible: and no doubt he [...]as subiect vnto many of these, and [...]uch like temptations, but the Apo­ [...]tle sheweth vs, how he ouercame thē [...]ll, euen by faith: whose nature and [...]ropertie is, to relie vpon the com­ [...]andement and promise of God a­ [...]oue all reason, and contrarie vnto [...]t.

But on the otherside vnbeleefe, [Page 76] which is contrarie vnto faith, that re­steth wholly and onely vpon reason; in so much that vnlesse they can see some reason, how that may be done, that is saide, and promised, they will not beleeue it, they thinke it impossi­ble, they reiect it as an vnreasonable thing. A most liuely patterne where­of we haue in that great man of Sa­maria, in the daies of Ahab king of Israel: at what time by reason of the fiege of the king of Aram, there was such an extreame famine, that wo­men did eate their owne children. [...]. king. 6.28. Then the prophet Elisha did prophe­sie vnto them great plentie on the sudden, euen the next day following. To whom this great prince, [...]hap. 7.2. on whose hand the king leaned, answered, and said, Though the Lord would make windows in heauen, could this thing come to passe? as though he had said, this is impossible, though the Lord shal raine downe corne from heauen [Page 77] among vs? for he could not conceiue [...]y any reason, how either the siege [...]hould be so suddenly raised; or if it [...]ere, how it should come to passe, [...]hat corne beeing so vnreasonably [...]eare to day, it should be so excee­ [...]ingly cheape to morrow. But God verified his owne word vnto them at [...]he time appointed, and this man saw it with his eyes, but neuer tasted of it, because of his vnbeleefe. For the king appointed him to be gouernor, and to sit in the gate of the citie, to see the corne sold to the people, who so thronged,vers. 20. that they troad vpon him, and there he died.

The whole world is full of this vn­beleefe, that they will beleeue no more then their owne reason per­swades them vnto: and that that go­eth against their reason they are rea­die to crosse it, though it be neuer so true. For how many are there, that haue set downe with themselues, that [Page 78] whatsoeuer the Preachers say, they haue determined a course, which they thinke, they haue good reason for: in that they minde to continue, beyond that they will not goe; they are so setled, that out of it, they will not be remooued; they hope they are not now to learne, they are too old to be taught; they trust that they haue not liued so long for nothing; they haue wit and rea­son as well as other men; and so that that they haue conceiued they will sticke vnto, that course they haue en­tred into, they purpose to continue in, and in that they minde to liue and die; and this course they hold for do­ctrine both of faith and manners, for duties to God and to men; and thus they will beleeue none but thēselues, and their owne reason.

And thus though they come to the Church from day to day, they come not to learne any thing, they [Page 79] haue determined beforehand what they minde to doe. They will learne of no man, they can teach themselues sufficiently. Whereupon it commeth to passe, that though they daily heare their sinnes rebuked, they will amend nothing; and the iudgements of God denounced against them, they will beleeue nothing: they thinke, they haue better reason for their doings, then any man can haue against them. And if they be called vpon to increase in knowledge and godlines, and so to goe on to perfection; they stand still at a stay, and thinke it not necessarie; they like well of their owne doings, and no man shall remooue them frō them, they will beleeue none but themselues: vnlesse I see reason for it mine owne selfe, I will not beleeue you.

Thus through vnbeleefe the word is choaked in the greatest part of the hearers, as our Sauiour Christ shew­eth [Page 80] in the parable of the seede: and it profiteth them not one whit, no more then it did the Iewes, when it was preached vnto them, because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it. [...]ct. 4.2. And so that is the very cause, why in this long time of prea­ching, there hath bin so little good done, euen the great vnbeleefe that raigneth in men euery where. Of which the Prophet Isai had too great experience in his time in them to whom he preached, and doth with great griefe complaine of it, when he crieth out thus pathetically, who will beleeue our report? & to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed? [...]a. 53.1. meaning, that none would beleeue it, but those whose hearts God touched by his holy Sprit. And thus by their doings men doe too apparently shew, that though they doe not vtter it with their mouthes, yet they say it with their hearts, that let men say what [Page 81] they will, because as they thinke they haue some reason against it, they will beleeue none but themselues.

Let vs labour to see this vnbeleefe in our selues in any measure, that we haue it, and be sorie for it, and striue against it: and pray God to for­giue vs, and helpe vs. And that we might this way be holpē, let vs not be too much addicted to our reason, & measure things by it: for our natu­rall reason beeing corrupt, it doth not onely not further vs vnto faith, but doth somtimes hinder vs from it; not onely because faith is of things aboue reason, but contrary vnto it. There­fore in the matter of our saluation we must be so farre from being addicted to our owne will and reason, as that we must vtterly deny it, that we might beleeue: as the Apostle Saint Tho­mas should haue done here: & haue said, though this that you tell me be a matter impossible in mine vnder­standing [Page 82] and reason, and I cannot possibly conceiue how it should be: yet because so many of you beeing of conscience to speake the truth, I be­leeue it.

And thus did Abraham concer­ning the promise, which God had made vnto him: [...]om. 4.20. for it is said, that he did not despise or reason against the promise of God through vnbeleefe: where these two are ioyned together as subordinate, & come helping one the other, namely, reason and vnbe­leefe, and not reason and faith. So that if we hearken to reason, it will cause vs to doubt rather then beleeue: and the next way to beleeue, is not to li­sten or giue credit vnto the disputes & doubts that reason will minister vnto vs. For it is able to obiect many things against that that we should be­leeue: and therefore if we will be Christs disciples, we must denie no [...] onely all our sinnefull affections tha [...] [Page 83] might draw vs from obeying, his do­ctrine, but our reason especially which might disswade frō beleeuing it. That when our reason shall tell vs one thing, as that we may continue in our sinnes a while longer, we may repent at leisure, and be saued well e­nough: and that the way to heauen is not so straight, as men speake of and then we shall heare the contrarie out of Gods word daily, we must beleeue that contrarie to our reason, if we will be saued. For Thomas remai­ning in this vnbeleefe, he might haue perished for euer, but that Christ had mercie on him extraordinarily, and yeilded vnto his vnbeleefe for the good of the Church; that for his sake, he might shew himselfe vnto his A­postles after his resurection another time.

Therefore first of all let vs pray to God to sanctifie our reason, and to in­lighten it by his holy spirit, that we [Page 84] may be capable of the mysteries of word of God:Psal. 119.18. as Dauid doth, Open mine eies, that I may see the wonders of thy law. And secondly when we come to heare, and read the word of God, let vs bring these minds with vs, that what reason soeuer we see­med to haue for our opinions & do­ings before, when we shall heare the contrary auouched by the seruants of God, & prooued out of the scripture, we giue them ouer & credit them a­boue our selues. And let vs renounce that reason of ours, that shall minister vnto vs any thing against that that hath been taught vs out of the Scrip­ture, and not harken vnto it. For if we should hold the Angels of Go [...] accursed, [...]al. 1.8. if they deliuer any thing to vs contrary to the written word of God: then much more should we ac­curse and denie our owne reason, that should suggest any thing vnto vs contrary to the same: and let vs no [...] [Page 85] after so long time of preaching be stil of this minde, that we will beleeue none but our selues.

A Third degree of the vnbeleefe of S. Thomas appeareth in this, that he saith, Except I see in his hands the print of the nailes, and put my finger into the print of the nailes, and put my hand into his side, I will not beleeue it. For, as though it had not bene sufficient that he had sayd, that he would beleeue none of them; nor any other that should tell him as much as they did: he would beleeue none but himselfe: he further addeth, that vnles he might see in his hands and feete the print of the nailes, and put in his finger into them, he would not beleeue it. Which is as if he had saide, if I may not onely see himselfe, as you say you haue done: but may be sure of it, and therefore may also see in his body these markes, that he had on the crosse, and especially if I [Page 86] may come so neere vnto him, that I may feele thē, and put my finger into them, I will beleeue it; otherwise I will not. So that he will no fur­ther beleeue, for all their sayings then his outward senses shall per­swade him; and namely, his sight and feeling: if I may see and feele, I will beleeue, and till then I will not be­leeue.

O wonderfull infidelitie: especi­ally in one that was so neere Christ, and had beene so long time conuer­sant with him. For what if Christ had neuer appeared vnto him, nor vnto any other of the Apostles? was it not sufficient vnto them, that he had of­ten before in their hearing saide; that he should be put to death, [...]atth. 16.31. [...]ap. 17.9. [...]d 26.32. and the third day rise againe: And that they were charged to shew no man that vision which they saw vpon the mountaine, vntill he was risen againe from the dead: and after I am risen [Page 87] againe, I will goe before you into Galile. Should they not haue beene left without excuse in their vnbe­leefe? Seeing they had heard it from his owne mouth so often before his death: and now after his resurrection diuers credible women did tell them that they had seene him risen againe, according as he had often told them.

Besides, if he were of that minde, and thought that he had good reason for it, that he would not beleeue, vnles he did thus see & feele him why may not other be of the same minde too? and so Christ should haue remai­ned vpon the earth vnto this day, and not haue ascended into heauen: or els often since he should haue descended to shew himselfe to those that should beleeue: if none would beleeue fur­ther then they should see and feele. Moreouer after that he had thus seen him and felt him himselfe, would he not haue thought it strange, if others [Page 88] would not haue beleeued him, when he preached vnto thē the resurrecti­on of Christ? why then doth he make such a straight rule to himselfe?

Surely that in him we might see a patterne of that great weaknes that is in vs, and how full of vnbeleefe we be: and a liuely example of the great mercie of Christ in bearing with sinners in the same: and by all meanes putting them out of the same in time, that they might be saued.

And why doth he say thus rather then any thing else, Except I may see and feele, &c. Are these two sen­ses such sure iudges of the truth, that they cannot be deceiued? May not a man thinke, that he seeth and feeleth that, which he doth not? and may he not againe doubt, whether he see­eth and feeleth that, which indeede he doth? How came it to passe that when Elisha had caused water to come miraculously into a vally of the [Page 89] wildernes, for the Kings of Israel, of Iudah, and of Edom, that the Moa­bites when as earely in the morning the sunne rose vpon the water, and they saw the water as redde as blood ouer against them; they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slaine, and one hath smitten an other: but when they came to the host of Israel they found it otherwise. And as the sight of these men deceiued them, so did the feeling of Isaac deceiue him in his old age. For his sonne Iaakob com­ming vnto him in the person and ha­bite of his elder brother Esau to re­ceiue the blessing: when he felt the roughnes of his necke and hands, which Rebekah had couered wi [...]h skinnes, he iudged by his feeling that it was Esau. For he said, Come neere my sonne, that I may feele thee, whe­ther thou be my sonne Esau or no; & when he had felt him he said, The hands are the hands of Esau.

Thus wee see that sight and fee­ling may easily be deceiued: and yet this is the nature of vnbeleefe, to giue credit more vnto these deceiueable senses, then to many other things, that are most sure and certaine. And many men in matters of faith will al­most beleeue nothing, vntill such time, as they see and feele them: and therefore when they are taught what in heauen is prepared for them that serue God; what in hell for them that disobey him: they are readie to say, who hath seen them? giuing vs to vnderstand, that they will not be­leeue them, vntill they either see them, or feele them themselues. Was not this vnbeleefe vniuersally spread ouer the face of the whole world be­fore the flood, when Noah the pr [...] ­cher of righteosnes declared vnto th [...] the iudgment of God, that should come vpon them for their sinnes; & namly, that God would bring a flood [Page 91] of waters vpō the earth to destroy all flesh wherin was the breath of life vn­der the heauen, because all flesh had corrupted his way, and the earth was filled with cruelty; and thus he conti­nued preaching an hūdred & twentie yeares: But none of them beleeued it though they saw him also all this while preparing the Arke for the sa­uing of himselfe and his family. And therefore they continued still in their impenitencie, and in their sinnes, till the flood came and tooke them all a­way. And so they said to Noah, some in their thoghts, some in their words, as Thomas did here in an other case to the Apostles: You say that the world shalbe drowned, but except we see the raine come in such measure, and feele it, we will not beleeue it.

And was not the like infidelity after­wards in all the men of Sodom where iust Lot liued, and was vexed with their vncleanely conuersation: for [Page 92] which he denounced Gods iudgemēt against them: and at the last by speci­all reuelation of the Angels that were sent vnto them, he saide vnto his sonnes in law which had maried his daughters, Arise, go out of this place, for the Lord wil destroy this citie; but he seemed to his sonnes in law as though he had mocked. Thus they would not beleeue it, because they saw it not, nor any likelihood of it, till fire and brimstone came downe from heauen, and fell vpon them, and con­sumed them. And so they being con­demned, and the citie ouerthrowne, they were made an example vnto them that after should liue vngodly, and which would not beleeue the truth of Gods iudgements against sinne in the mouthes of his seruants any further then they shall see and feele themselues.

Thus we see how common this is among all vnbeleeuers, so farre as in­fidelitie [Page 93] preuaileth with them, that they will beleeue nothing that is threatned against sinne any further, then they see and feele it themselues. When in the famin of Samaria there was exceeding great plentie against the next day promised by Elisha the Prophet, did not one of the Princes say; when I see it, I will beleeue it, and not before. Whereupon this answere was giuen vnto him, Be­holde, thou shalt see it with thine eies, but thou shalt not eate thereof. And so vnbeleefe discredits not only the threatnings, but the promises, ex­cept they can see them with their eies, and feele them with their hands: of which we shall speake more after­wards.

Doth not S. Peter say, that there shal come mockers in these last daies, which will walke after their lust, and say, where is the promise of his com­ming? for since the fathers died, all [Page 94] things continue alike frō the begin­ning of the creation. Wherein he sheweth how men through vnbeleef will make a mocke of Christs second comming, & of the end of the world, and of the day of iudgement: because with their eyes they doe not see any such thing likely to come to passe: when they shall see some great alte­ration in heauen & in earth bending that way, they will beleeue it, and no sooner, nor any further.

And we finde by experience the truth of this daily in many, that they will beleeue nothing of this matter any further, then they can see them­selues. And our Sauiour Christ in the Gospel hath foretold, and forewar­ned vs of this, when as he saith: As it was in the dayes of Noah, [...]k. 17.26. so shall it be in the dayes of the sonne of man: they eate, they dranke, they bought, they solde, they married wiues, and gaue in marriage, vnto the [Page 95] day that Noah went into the Arke, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

Likewise also, as it was in the daies of Lot, they eate, they dranke, they planted, they built: but in the day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rai­ned fire and brimstone from heauen, and destroyed them all: after these insamples shall it be, when the sonne of man shall be reuealed: that is, not onely it shall come suddenly and all things shall continue in their ordina­rie course: but men shall then giue themselues to all pleasure and world­lines: and shall neither beleeue it, nor thinke of it, till it come: as the men of the old world did not: of whome the Euangelist S. Matthew saith, that they knew nothing, till the flood came and tooke them all away: so shal also the comming of the sonne of man be. They knew nothing, not that they had not heard of it, for Noah did [Page 96] preach vnto them an 120. yeares be­fore: but they did not beleeue it, nor regard it, because they saw it not: euen so shall it be towards the end of the world: though they haue heard of these things an hundred times, yet they wil know nothing til they see it.

And not onely this sinne raigneth in the wicked, that they will beleeue no more of the promises and threat­nings; of the ioyes of heauen, & pains of hell, then they can see & feele thē ­selues: and so because they do neither of them yet, they will beleeue none of them; let men say what they will, and neuer so long: and so they goe on in their sinnes, and liue thereafter: which is greatly to be lamented. But also if we will examine our selues, & other men, we shall finde, that this was in our selues, and in them, til [...] the Lord had mercie vpon vs. That though we had often heard that God was iust, and would punish sinne, ye [...] [Page 97] we presumed otherwise, and did not beleeue it, because we escaped a while in our sinnes, and did not see and feele the truth of it in our selues: and by that meanes went on, and were hardened in our sinnes. And so that was verified in vs, as well as in others, which the Lord complaineth [...]f by his Prophet;Psal. 50.21. These things hast [...]hou done, and I held my tongue: [...]herefore thou thoughtest that I was [...]ke thee: but I will reprooue thee, [...]nd set them in order before thee.

And thus not only before our cal­ [...]ng, infidelity did wholly beare [...]e sway in vs: but also since that time great remnant of it still remaineth [...] vs: so that in many things we will [...]eleeue no further, then we see, and [...]ele, especially in the time of temp­ [...]ion: for if we be in any great trou­ [...]e,Iob and then if there be a messenger God sent vnto vs, or an interpreter [...]his word, one of a thousand, as E­lihu [Page 98] calleth him: who shal bid vs be of good comfort, and put our trust in God, he will helpe vs and deliuer vs in his good time: and declare vnto vs many promises of his word, to that ende. We then, if wee want meanes to help our selues, we are ready to say, O but I see not how, and which way that should be. So that if we did pre­sently vse the promised helpe that we might feele it, or had means to bring it to passe, that we might see it, we say, we wold beleeue it, or els not. S [...] our faith goeth no further to comfor [...] vs, then our senses of seeing and feeling. And this is too true, in what affliction soeuer we be, either of po­uertie, sickenesse, or any other distresse.

And this vnbeleefe of ours is [...] much the more dangerous and th [...] more deepely rooted in vs, becau [...] though we haue had experience [...] Gods goodnes towards our selues i [...] [Page 99] time past, wherein we may remēber how he hath holpen and deliuered vs beyond all that we could foresee, or haue any hope of: yet at another time we trust him and his worde, no fur­ther then we can see our selues. Thus the people of Israel doubted of the power of God, whether he would giue them flesh in the wildernes ac­cording to their desire, though they [...]ad seene his power before in giuing [...]hē water out of the hard rock: wher­of Dauid speaketh after this manner, They temped God in their hearts,Psal. 78.18. in [...]equiring meate for their lust: they [...]pake against God also, saying, Can God prepare a table in the wildernes? Behold, he smote the rocke, that the [...]ater gushed out, and the streames [...]uerflowed: can he giue bread also? [...]r prepare flesh for his people? Where he aggrauateth their sinne [...]f infidelitie, in that they seeing be­ [...]ore how he beyōd all hope brought [Page 100] water plentifully out of the rocke to supplie their want, they did now doubt that they should haue no flesh, though Moses had promised it vn­to them from God, because they could not see how in the wildernes such aboundance should be prepared for so great a people, that euery one might haue enough.

And we our selues are subiect to the like, not onely in these outward things, and are therein too much mi­slead, because we relie wholly vpon our outward senses: but also in the matter of our saluation, therein our vnbeleefe doth especially shew it selfe, so that we can hardly or not at all beleeue any thing beyonde our sense and feeling. For when we are humbled vnder the weighty hand of God with the sight of our corrup­tion and sinnes, and haue the fee­ling of Gods wrath vpon vs for them in any measure: thē though we heare [Page 101] the cōfortable promises of the gospel made to all that vnfainedly turne frō them:Rom. 8.1. As there is no condemnation to them, that are in Christ Iesus, which walke not after the flesh, but after the spirit.Esa. 1.16. And if you will in­wardly walke and make your selues cleane from them, and take away the euill of your works from before your eies; cease to doe euil, & learne to doe good: though your sinnes were as crimson, they shall be made white as snow: though they were red as scar­ [...]et, they shalbe as white as wooll: that [...]s, if you leaue thē, I am readie to for­giue them, though they be neuer so many: and then we find by the grace of God, that we vtterly detest them, [...]nd are weary of them, as of an im­ [...]ortable burden, & haue cast them [...]way from vs, as a filthie cloath: yet [...]ecause we see not the light of Gods [...]ountenance shining clearly vpon vs, [...]nd haue not the feeling of his loue [Page 102] powred into our hearts, wee cannot beleeue the pardon of them, as wee ought. And vnto all the promises, that are brought for our comfort, we are ready to obiect: alas, we haue no feeling of that, that is said vnto vs. Which is as if we should thus speak; you say thus and thus vnto me, but I can haue no comfort in it: for vnles I see it, and feele it, I will not beleeue it. Which vnbeleefe though it be very great, yet Christ Iesus doth beare with them a while in it, and helpe them of it in due season, as he did his seruant Thomas the Apostle here.

And truly as the Deuill did by Gods permission thus farre preuaile with the Apostle S. Thomas that he was brought to this straight, that without sight and feeling he would not beleeue: So with this one temp­tation of his he hath so mightily preuailed against many of the best [Page 103] seruants of god, that he hath brought them to a very low ebbe, euen almost to their wits ende. For besides that he hath driuen them to this extremitie, which is very great, that they wil be­leeue no more of Gods fauour to­wards them, then they can see and feele in themselues: he hath gained this also at their hāds, which is much more: that because they haue no fee­ling, therefore they say they haue no faith: as though these two were both one, feeling and faith; or as though they were alwaies necessarily ioyned together.

And hereupon haue come the great complaints and outcries, which some of them haue made against thē ­selues, in the time of their trouble: and not onely of those, who haue grosly & apparantly fallen into some sinne, and therefore there was some manifest cause of it: but of those also which haue liued blamelesly, neither [Page 104] haue beene tainted with any great sinne: And yet both of them in the time of their temptation haue vtte­red many bitter words against thē ­selues; as that they are altogether out of the fauour of God; that they are not in the number of them that shall be saued; they haue no part in Christ; they are none of Gods chil­dren, and such like. And why so? for say they, they haue no sight and fee­ling of the fauour of God in them­selues, and therefore they haue no faith, neither can haue: for except they haue some feeling in their hearts, they cannot beleeue.

And this temptation hath lien vp­on the conscience of some more hea­uily, and of others lesse: vpon some longer, vpon others shorter time: euen as it hath pleased the Lord ei­ther in wisdome to trie the one, or in mercie to succour the other. This was that that did so oppresse Dauid, [Page 105] as appeareth in many Psalmes, that he was almost in despaire of himselfe: when he said,Psal. 13.1. How long wilt thou forget me for euer? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? and will the Lord absent himselfe for euer?and 7 [...].7. and will he shew no more fauour? is his mercie cleane gone for euer? and doth his promise faile for euermore? hath God forgotten to be mercifull? and hath he shut vp his tender mercy in displeasure: and, My God, my God,and 22.1 why hast thou forsaken me? and art so farre from my health, and from the voice of my roaring? I crie by day, but thou hearest not: and by night, but haue no audience. And thus he con­tinued, till it pleased God for our in­struction and comfort to giue him victorie; partly by considering the former mercifull dealing of God to­wards himselfe and others; partly by meditating vpon the constant truth of his promises, which made him at [Page 106] the last trust vnto him, and depend vpon him without any present helpe or feeling. And thus he endeth the 38. Psalme, which he made to put himselfe in remembrance of some great affliction of God, that was vpon him, and therefore intitles it a Psalme of remembrance: [...]al. 38. in which are many grieuous complaints both of his sinnes, and of the punishment of them, without any feeling of present helpe and comfort; onely he saith, that he would waite vpon God, [...]s. 15. ho­ping that he would shew himselfe fauourable in time, though he had no present feeling of it. And so must we doe in the like case. But in the meane season we see, that this mea­sure of vnbeleefe, that was in the A­postle S. Thomas, that he would be­leeue no more, then he could see and feele, is and hath beene in others al­so, and that all of vs are subiect vnto it more or lesse.

But that we may arme our selues sufficiently against this grieuous temptation, and comfortably sup­port our selues, when we shall fall in­to it; we must consider that faith and feeling are not onely not all one, nor alwaies ioyned together: but also that they are many times seuered in the childrē of God: so that there is faith, where there is not, nor cā be any pre­sēt feeling: yea, that the greatest faith sometimes is, where there is no fee­ling at all. And to this ende we must remember, what the Apostle saith of the nature of faith, It is the ground of things which are hoped for, and the euidence of things, which are not seene. Where he saith, that faith is of such things, as we see not, and of those things which are but hoped for, and we as yet haue not the pre­sent possession and feeling of them, and yet we beleeue them. And this he prooueth by most excellent ex­amples, [Page 108] when as first of all he addeth, Through faith we vnderstand, [...]ers. 3. that the world was ordained by the word of God: so that the things which we see are not made of things which did appeare: that is, we know by faith, that the whole world was made of nothing, and this verely we be­leeue: but who did, or euer could see this? Therefore we doe, and must be­leeue that which we haue not, nei­ther can see: & so we haue the know­ledge of it by faith, and not by sight.

[...]rs. 7.Secondarily, he thus speaketh there of the faith of Noah: that he beeing warned of God of the things, which were as yet not seene, mooued with reuerence prepared the Arke to the sauing of his houshold. Where two things are noted, that he beleued that which he could not see: 1. that all the world should be drowned for their sinnes: 2. that by repentance and faith himselfe had foūd fauour with god, & should be saued in the waters: & ther­fore [Page 109] he made the Arke according to Gods cōmandement long before he saw the flood, or any tokē of it, that he might be saued in it. And so he belee­ued the iudgement of God to come vpon the wicked, and saluation pro­mised himselfe, though he could not see, nor haue any present feeling of either of thē. And this is that operati­on of faith which it must haue in vs; euen to cause vs to beleeue both the threatnings of gods iudgmēts against impenitēt sinners, & the promises of saluation to thē that walk before him in truth, though we haue no present sight or feeling either of the one, or of the other. For we must consider the constant truth of Gods word, both in his iustice and mercie, which in time shall be verified, though for the present there be no visible signes and tokens thereof to be seene or felt of our selues, or any other.

The third example is of Sarah the mother of vs all: of whome it is said, [Page 110] that through faith shee receiued strength to conceiue seede,vers. 11. and was deliuered of a child, when shee was past age, because shee iudged him faithfull which had promised. When a man child was first promised vnto her, beeing both old and barren; as long as she measured things by sight and feeling, shee beleeued not this, neither could: [...]en. 18.11. For shee saw, that it ceased to be with her after the man­ner of women, therefore shee laugh­ed at it within her selfe, as at a thing impossible: for which shee was re­prooued with these words, Shall any thing be hard to the Lord? But when shee gaue ouer consulting with rea­son, shee beleeued not onely with­out, but cleane contrarie to all sense and feeling: for shee looked onely to this, that he was iust and true, who had promised it vnto her: and by this faith was made fruitfull. So in matters of faith we must not looke [Page 111] what we see and feele in our selues, or in any meanes to effect them; but what God hath promised, and how faithfull he is to performe.

And so did Abraham, of whome it is written,Gen. 15.5. that the Lord brought him forth, and saide, Looke vp now to heauen, and tell the starres, if thou be able to number them: and he said vnto him, So shall thy seede be: and Abraham beleeued the Lord. And the Apostle commendeth this faith in him so much the more, because he considered not his own body,Rom. 4.1 which was now dead; (that is, voide of strength and vigour to get children) beeing almost an hundred yeare old: neither the deadnes of Saras wombe, who was both aged, and barren. Both which if he had looked vnto, he could haue had no sight or feeling of that, that was promised: for they were directly against it. But he gaue this glorie to God,vers. 2 [...]. that he was fully assu­red, [Page 112] that he that had promised it, was able to doe it: and so aboue hope, he beleeued vnder hope, that he should be the father of many nations, accor­ding to that which was spoken vnto him, So shall thy seede be. And so he beleeued that, which he neither had, nor could haue any present sight, or feeling of.

Thus both Abraham and Sarah beleeued that, which they could haue no feeling of in themselues: and so must all the sonnes of Abraham, and daughters of Sarah. And thus to doe is not onely faith, but the greatest faith. For if they could haue seen how this might haue beene done: and haue felt such strēgth in their bodies, that they might perceiue it very like­ly by the course of nature; then it had beene no great matter to beleeue it: nay it had beene great infidelitie not to beleeue it. So for vs to beleeue the promises of God, when we may see [Page 113] and feele, how they may be perfor­med, that is a matter of no moment: but when all things go against them, & we haue no sight or feeling at all in our selues, of that that is said vnto vs: then to beleeue God, and to giue this glory vnto him, that he is able to performe it, is a matter of great faith. And therefore here it is said of Abra­ham, not onely that he beleeued, but that he was not weake in faith:vers. 1 [...]. that is, very strong and constant in faith. So that the Spirit of God commen­deth this in him, as an high degree of faith, that he beleeued without sight or feeling: to shew vs that faith is so many times seuered from fee­ling, that it is thē the strongest, when we constantly beleeue that, which we neither see, nor feele, but waite vpon God for them both.

And this is that, which was in our Sauiour Christ also: who though he did alwaies put his trust in his father, [Page 114] and was sure that he loued him: and his faith this way was as pretious and pure as gold: yet it did most of all shew it selfe in his full strength, when he came to suffer vpon the crosse: when it was so many waies assaulted, that contrary to all sense and feeling he remained constant, and so ouer­came: to succour all those, that shall be oppressed with the temptations of vnbeleefe, because they haue no feeling. For when things did lie so heauie vpon him, he beeing then to beare all our sinnes and corruptions, and in them to appeare before God his father, and to answer for them; yea, to satisfie his wrath by induring the full punishment of them: first of all it is written of him, that he began to waxe sorowfull, [...]ath. 26.37. and grieuously troubled in his minde: and this griefe was so deadly, that he was not able to containe it in himselfe, but did be­wray it with most lamentable words [Page 115] vnto his Disciples, that he might haue comfort from them; saying,vers. 38. My soule is very heauie vnto the death, tarie ye here, and watch with me: and then because his grief was not asswa­ged;39. he fell vpon his face downe to the ground, and praied, saying, O my father, if it be possible, let this cuppe passe from me. And thus he praied the second and third time. And that it might appeare, what vncomforta­ble striuing he had in himselfe all this while, not onely with death; but with the fearefull iudgement of his angrie father; it is further added, that he fell into a great agonie,Luk. 22. [...] and distraction of minde, whereby all his bodie was di­stempered, so that for anguish his sweate was like drops of blood trick­ling downe to the cold ground.

And at the last when he was vpon the crosse, he was further assaulted with temptations from the speeches of men, euen his enemies, which re­uiled [Page 116] him, [...]ath. 27.39. wagging their heads, and casting out many opprobrious spee­ches against him,40. saying, If thou be the sonne of God, come downe from the crosse: he trusted in God, let him deliuer him, if he will haue him: for he saide, I am the sonne of God. Whereby his discomforts and dis­couragements for our sakes, were so increased, that at the last he brast forth into these most lamentable words,46. and as the Euangelist saith, straining as it were all the parts of his bodie, and powers of his spirit, hee cried with a loud voice; My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? All this while what present sight and fee­ling could he haue of Gods fauour? when as not onely all things out­wardly did shew, but his words also did abundantly declare, that inwardly he felt the contrarie.

Therefore his faith was now the greatest, as it was meete it should be, [Page 117] to incounter and ouercome so many and great temptations: when as con­trarie to all these things, which he saw and felt, he not only praied most earnestly vnto his father, and conti­nued therein, praying three times the same words, with such feruencie of spirit, that beeing vpon the cold ground, he sweat water and blood: and he praied in faith;Heb. 5.7. For when he did offer vp those praiers and suppli­cations with strong crying and teares vnto him,Luk. 22.4 that was able to saue him frō death, he was heard in the thing which he feared; and God sent an Angel vnto him from heauen to comfort him. Whereby he came to this resolution of minde, that he qui­etly submitted himselfe in these his sufferings vnto the will of his father; saying, Abba, father,Mark. 14. all things are possible vnto thee: take away this cup from me: neuerthelesse, not that I will, but that thou wilt be done. And [Page 118] beeing now at the point of death, & in the middest of all his sufferings, and in the height of his temptations, that it might appeare that he had o­uercome all, [...]k. 23.46. he cried out with a loud voice, straining himselfe to the vtter­most, when life was almost out of his weake and painfull bodie, Father, in­to thine hands I commend my spirit; and when he thus had saide, he gaue vp the ghost, & quietly died. Which wordes of his beeing vttered with great zeale, did shew the excellencie and perfection of his faith; especially if we consider in what case he was then: and so his faith was the greatest, when he had the least feeling.

And thus no doubt the seruants of God in their seuerall afflictions of body and mind, and otherwise are in measure made like vnto Christ: whē as hauing nothing, that by any sight or feeling, inward or outward, might minister vnto thē any cōfort, [Page 119] and therefore in such cases they are greatly discouraged and cast downe in themselues; yet they holde out constantly in them to the end: then the more like they are vnto Christ in his sufferings, the more like shall they be vnto him in his glory. For then is their faith the greatest, when in this forlone estate of theirs (as it may seeme) they can pray vnto God as Christ did, and seeke for all helpe and comfort from him: and neuer leaue praying till God heare them, as Christ continued in his prayer, till an Angel was sent vnto him. And in the meane time whatsoeuer becomes of them, they with a quiet and meeke spirit resigne vp themselues wholly to his blessed will, being contented whatsoeuer they desire, that not their owne, but Gods will may take place: as Christ did, when he said, Father not mine, but thy will be done.

And if they doe so, that that affli­ction [Page 120] present, of what nature and kind soeuer, shall make an end of thē, they can quietly and peaceably com­mend their soules and bodies, euen themselues wholly liuing and dying into his blessed hands; as Christ did also vpon the crosse, when he was readie to giue vp the ghost: beeing perswaded, that nothing euer peri­shed that was commited vnto his cu­stodie: according as he saith himselfe, Those that thou gauest me, [...]oh. 17.12. haue I kept, and none of them is lost, but the child of perdition; that the Scripture might be fulfilled. If we can thus doe, though all this while we haue no fee­ling of any present comfort, yet it may be truly said vnto vs as it was to the woman of Canaan, who with many discouragements, and without all sight or feeling of any fauour frō him, pursued our Sauiour Christ with her prayers, and would not giue ouer, or take any repulse, O woman, [Page 121] great is thy faith: and, O man,Math. 15.2 [...] great is thy faith, that doest thus, whosoeuer thou art.

And we haue a worthy example of the truth of this in one of the Mar­tyrs, of our owne country, and in the memory of mā, as it is largely set out by M. Foxe in his laborious worke of the Acts and Monuments of the Church. The effect of which storie shortly is this: M. Robert Glouer of Couentry gentl. and Master of Artes in Cambridge, was in the raigne of Q. Mary, with many the seruants of God by the malicious practises of the Papists apprehended, & brought before the Bishop of the Diocesse for his faith and religion, and after exa­mination he was sent to prison: where he receiued great comfort from the Lord from time to time; & as his afflictions did increase, so did the comforts of the Lord abound; till at the last by the permission of God, [Page 122] for his further triall and comfort, the Deuill did greatly assault him in pri­son by the consideration of his vn­worthines to be counted in the num­ber of those, that should suffer for Christs sake: which temptation of the enemie, though he did constant­ly resist at the first; yet after that he was condemned to death by the Bi­shop, and was at the point to be de­liuered out of this world, it so happe­ned, that two or three daies before the time of his burning, his heart be­ing lumpish, and destitute of all spiri­tuall consolation, and feeling of gods fauour, he felt in himselfe no aptnes or willingnes, but rather an heaui­nes and dulnes of spirit, full of much discomfort to beare that bitter crosse of Martyrdome, readie now to be laid vpon him.

Whereupon he fearing himselfe, least the Lord had vtterly withdrawn his woonted fauour from him, made [Page 123] his moane to one M. Austen Bernher a minister, & a familiar friend of his: signifying vnto him, how earnestly he had praied day and night vnto the Lord, and yet could receiue no motion, nor sense of any comfort from him. Vnto whome the said Au­sten answering againe, willed and de­sired him patiently to wait the Lords pleasure, and howsoeuer his present feeling was, yet seeing his cause was iust and true, he exhorted him con­stantly to sticke to the same, and play the man: nothing misdoubting, but the Lord in time would visit him, and satisfie his desire with plentie of consolation. Whereof (he saide) he was right certen and sure, and there­fore desired him, whensoeuer any such feeling of Gods heauenly mer­cies should begin to touch his heart, that then he would shew some signi­fication thereof, whereby he might witnesse with him the same: and so [Page 124] departed from him.

The next day, when the time came of his martyrdome, as he was going to the place, and was now come to the sight of the stake: although all the night before praying earnestly to God for strength and courage, hee could finde none, neither had any sight or taste of the fauour of God in himselfe, sodenly he was so mightily replenished with Gods holy com­fort, & heauenly ioyes, that he could not smother it in himselfe, but cried out clapping his hands to Austen, and saying on this wise, Austen, he is come, he is come, &c. and that with such ioy and alacritie, as one seeming rather to be risen from some deadly daunger, to libertie of life, then one passing out of this world by any pains of death. Here we see that great was his faith, when he was willing to giue his bodie to be burnt for the testimo­nie of Christ, and was now going to [Page 125] the stake to that ende, though he had no feeling of Gods fauour then by any ioyes that he felt in himselfe. He could neuer haue suffered thus for the truth, if he had no faith: if then he had died in this case without the sense of any speciall comfort, he must needs haue died in the faith of Christ for which he did suffer: and so hee should haue had faith, yea very great faith, not onely liuing, but dying without any sense or feeling.

But I will come vnto an other ex­ample, which though it be far more ancient in time, yet is better knowne vnto vs, as being recorded in the ho­ly Scripture. The patience of Iob as it is set downe as a patterne, and cō ­mended to all men to follow, so none can doubt of his faith also, but that it was very great: When he is thus nū ­bred among the faithfullest men that haue liued vpon the face of the earth. Whē the land sinneth against me by [Page 126] committing a trespase,Ezec. 14.13. then will I strech out mine hand vpon it, and though these three men, Noah, Da­niel, and Iob were among them, they should deliuer but their owne soules by their righteousnesse; saith the Lord God. When all that misery came vpō him, that we read of in the Scripture: as that in one day he lost seauen thousand sheepe,Iob 1.3. three thou­sand camels, fiue hundred yoake of oxen, fiue hundred shee asses: and all his sonnes and daughters died a vi­olent death after a strange manner; and in his owne bodie he was smit­ten with sore boiles frō the sole of his foote, vnto the crowne of his head. And he beeing in this pitifull case, all friends did forsake him; yea they tha [...] were younger then he did mocke him,ch. 30 1. and they whose fathers he refu­sed to set with the dogs of his flockes And his men seruants & maids tooke him as a straunger,ch. 10. 16. and though h [...] [Page 127] called them, they would not answer him; though he prayed them with his mouth: & his breath was strange vnto his wife, though he prayed her for the childrens sake of her owne body. And three of his pricipall friends did set themselues against him, & by their reasoning did great­ly discourage him, as though he had beene an hypocrite all the daies of his life, and that his holines of life was but in shew, and not in truth. And he had no rest neither night nor day, for when he laid himselfe down, he saide, When shall I arise:ch. 7.4. and so measuring the euening, he was weary with tossing too & fro, vnto the daw­ning of the day. Neither was he quiet waking nor sleeping: for when he said, my couch shall releeue me,13. and my bed shall bring comfort in my meditation, the lord feared him with dreames, and astonied him with visi­ons.

Now when all these things came vpon him at once, whereby his estate was more miserable, then I haue ex­pressed, or you are able to conceiue, what sense and feeling could he pos­sibly haue of Gods fauour, either in­ward or outward, when all things thus went against him? yet now his faith was at the highest, and did shew it selfe in the greatest measure, when he vttered this most excellent saying, Loe, [...]. 13.15. though he kill me, yet will I trust in him. So that he would not giue o­uer his trust and confidence in Gods goodnes, though he should proceed further against him vnto death. And most of all when he further addeth, I am sure, [...]k 19.25. that my Redeemer liueth, and he shal stand the last on the earth; and though after my skinne wormes destroy this bodie, yet I shall see God in my flesh: whome I my selfe shall see, and mine eyes shall behold, and none other for me, though my raines [Page 129] are consumed within me. So that though he died in that case without all outward comfort, or inward fee­ling, yet hee would put his trust in God: hauing the testimony of a good conscience, and relying vpon the promise of God made concerning the resurrection of his bodie, and life euerlasting in the world to come.

Thus then we ought to be so farre from beeing discouraged in our selues for want of the sight and fee­ling of inward comforts, as though therefore wee had no faith; as that when they shall be altogether taken from vs for a while, though very long, and many yeares: yet if we can then hold out in a godly life, and not giue ouer a good conscience, as Iob did; and if we still call vpon the name of God, and stay vpon his promises [...]n life and death, though we doe not [...]et inioy them: all the world shall [...]hen witnesse for vs, that our faith is [Page 130] exceeding great, though wee our selues be not able to see it, neither can be perswaded of it. For as when the sunne shineth most clearely, and men doe see the brightnes of it, and doe feele the scortching heate of it, then it is an easie matter to beleeue, and to say confidently, there is a sunne in the firmament: euen children and those that are of meane capacitie, are able to say so, and doe beleeue as much, and haue such a full perswasion of it, that if all the world should tell them the contrary, they would not beleeue them, neither could they possibly doubt of it, their sight & feeling did sufficiently instruct them. But when the cloudes shall couer it, or in the night both the light and heat thereo [...] shall be taken away; then to be full [...] perswaded, that the sunne is still i [...] the heauens, and that it hath lost nothing of the light and heate of it; tha [...] is a matter of a deeper conceit, an [...] [Page 131] more experience.

Euen so when the testimonies of Gods fauour and loue are so many & great, and so plentifully vpon vs, both outwardly and inwardly, that they may easily be seene and felt; then to beleeue, that God is gratious vnto vs, and to be perswaded of his fauour towards vs, is that which the weakest in faith may attaine vnto without any difficultie: But when all these shall be taken away, not onely in our owne iudgement, but in the opinion also of others, and the light of Gods coū ­tenance shall be, as it were, darkned with the cloudes of aduersitie, and all things outwardly shall be as vncom­fortable vnto vs, as the darkest night of winter; yet then to beleeue, that God is one and the same towards vs, and that his loue suffereth no eclypse at all, but is the same still to vs, and to all those that are his, because whome be once loueth, he loueth vnto the [Page 132] ende, [...]m. 11.29. and that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance: & that all the paths of the Lord are mercie and truth, [...]l. 25.50. vnto those that keepe his couenant, and his testimonies; that is, that he is not onely mercifull vnto them in the beginning, but also true and constant in his mercies towards all his euen vnto the ending, to finish and make perfect in them that good worke of his, that he hath begunne in them. [...]am. 15.29. For he is not like vnto man that hee should repent him of any thing, that he hath done: and as S. Iames saith, [...]m. 1.19. with him there is no va­riablenes, or shadow of turning. To be, I say, thus perswaded, when these things shall be vpon vs, and so to rest in the truth of Gods promises, and to waite patiently for a comfortable fee­ling of the performance of them in our selues, is a matter of greater faith, and of longer experience.

Againe, as if a man doth come in­to [Page 133] a fruitfull garden or orchyard, well set with many trees in the spring time, when all things are greene and blossome, or in sommer, when the trees are full of fruit; it is the easiest thing in the world then euen at the first sight to be perswaded, that the trees are liuing and growing: and he that hath the weakest senses, & mea­nest wit, and least experience, is able to say so: But to come thether in the depth of winter, when all the fruit shall be gathered, and the leaues fal­len, and see all the bowes, white with the whore frost, and rine hanging vpon euery twigge, so that outward­ly they seeme to be dead and rotten; yet then to be perswaded, that they are liuing, and that the sappe is at the roote, which in time will come into all the branches againe, and shew it self, as before, in putting forth leaues, blossomes, and fruit: this requireth better iudgement, & more experiēce.

So is it in the matter of faith: when all the testimonies of Gods loue doe aboundantly shew themselues, as it were in somer, it is an easie matter to beleeue: but when all these shall be fallen away from vs, as they were frō Iob; and there is a very hard & long winter ful of many stormes come vp­on vs; yet then not to be too much discouraged & cast downe, as though all were cleane lost and gone: but to be perswaded, that the fauour of God is not cleane dried vp, but is at the roote, that is, is the same in Christ to­wards vs, that euer it was; and that, as the Apostle saith, [...]eb. 13.6. Iesus Christ is ye­sterday, and to day, and will be the same for euer: and that the light of Gods countenance is not cleane put out, but darkned, and couered with a vaile for a time: and so with a quiet and meeke spirit to waite vpon God in all well doing, till there be a new spring, and till the sunne breake out [Page 135] of the clouds againe. Thus to doe, is that great faith, that shal vphold vs in all extremities. And as in these cases we would condemne others of want of wisdome, which would beleeue no more then they saw or felt: so must we condemne our selues and others of want of spirituall and heauenly wisdome of the word of God, that in such cases as these of our saluation, we will beleeue no more, then we can see and feele: and we must com­mend the other to be of better iudge­ment, and greater faith, who doe be­leeue more then they could either see or feele.

For the releeuing of our selues therefore in such cases as these, what must wee doe? Wee must doe that, which Thomas the Apostle should haue done: namely, he should haue beleeued those that tolde him, that Christ was risen, and that they had seene him: and he should haue belee­ued [Page 136] the wordes of Christ himselfe, who had foretold him, that he should be put to death, and that within three daies he should rise againe: which wordes of Christ must needes haue beene verified in their time, though none had euer seene him. So must we doe, euen beleeue the word and promises of God, in the mouthes of his faithfull seruants, who are able both to see further into them, and al­so to discerne more testimonies of faith, and of the fauour of God in vs, then we our selues can doe. And though we, whome they doe most of all concerne, doe not see them at all, or as we desire: it is sufficient, that o­thers, whom we ought to credit, doe see them in vs, and do constantly and vpon their credit auouch the same vnto vs.

For it is most certaine and true, though eury man should best knowe himselfe: yet it so often falleth out, [Page 137] that wee are not fit iudges of our selues, and of our own estate, neither of body, nor of soule: and therefore if we will be rightly perswaded of our selues, we must not so much rely vp­on our owne iudgement, as giue cre­dit vnto others; which may and doe see that in vs, which wee our selues doe not, neither can. As when a man is daungerously sicke of some dis­ease, though he haue some generall knowledge of the estate of his body, yet he may take himselfe to be stron­ger or weaker, nearer or further off frō death, then indeed he is: and ther­fore in such case we ask the aduise of some skilfull Physitians, and trust their iudgement better then our owne; in so much that though a man be a very skilfull Physitian, he will hardly or not at all practise vpon him selfe in great extremities, but vseth the helpe of other Physitians, and is contented to be ordered at their dis­cretion: [Page 138] Euen so when a man is dan­gerously sicke in his soule, either of vnbeleefe, or otherwise, he is not to iudge of himself at that time, though he be a very good christian, but he must for his recouerie out of that e­state, vse the helpe of other godly mi­nisters, and hearken vnto their iudge­ment concerning himselfe.

And that we might see the truth of this most clearly in an other case, we must consider, that as when the Deuill preuaileth against vs by pre­sumption, we so fauour our selues, & are so partiall that way, that we ima­gine, both that we haue those vertues and graces of God in vs, and that in great measure, which we haue not, neither can any man see them in vs; and also that we are free from those corruptions and sinnes, which yet do apparantly breake out in vs, and all the world may easily see them: So on the otherside, when he hath gottē [Page 139] the aduantage of vs by diffidence & despaire, he maketh vs to rigorous & hard against our selues; and perswa­deth vs that we want those graces, which doe apparantly shew thēselues to others; and to haue those sinnes & corruptions, and that measure of thē which in truth we haue not, neither is any able to discerne them in vs, though we crie out against our selues for them.

So that in both these estates, where­in we deceiue our selues of our selues, if we wilbe holpen, we must deny our selues, and not measure our selues by our selues, but giue credit to those, who as they are wise to discerne, and faithfull to iudge; so are they also true to report what they thinke of vs, and of our estate. Which if we will not doe, we must needes continue in our vnbeleefe, and other sinnes so much the longer: and it shall be a ve­ry hard thing to recouer vs out of the [Page 140] same. Let vs therefore as we loue our owne good, in such extreame cases as these, when by the temptation of Satan we are brought to a narrowe poynt, hearken vnto those faithfull ministers and godly brethren of ours, who are able, (because they are out of temptation, and the case is not their owne) better to iudge of vs, then we our selues: and then haue we made a good entrance vnto the tur­ning of our soules, though we be not presently restored to perfect health: and though we haue not pre­sent comfort, yet the extremities of our feares shall be greatly staied: and this staying of vs wil minister further hope of full recouerie: and it is none of the least mercies of God to see, that we haue beene deceiued in our selues, and are not able rightly to iudge of our selues. Thus we see, how faith, and great faith, is without fee­ling: and when we be oppressed with [Page 141] this temptation, how we must helpe our selues by beleeuing others more then our selues, yea euen of our owne selues.

Moreouer, to this effect must we be admonished, that as in the natural life there are three ages, the infancie, the childhood or youth, and the riper and perfect age: so in the spirituall life the Scripture maketh mention of three ages; for of those that are in Christ, and truly belong vnto him, some are new borne babes,1. Pet. 2.2. as S. Peter calleth them, but newly begotten of the immortall seede of the word of God: others are little children,Gal. 4.19 that haue more profited in knowledge, and in the mysterie of their saluati­on; and some are in comparison of them, perfect men,Eph. 4. [...] and are comming vnto the measure of their full age in Christ. These latter are able to iudge of themselues, and of others: for by [...]ong custome they haue their witsHeb. 5.14. [Page 142] exercised to discerne both good and euill: the second sort, is lesse able to iudge of themselues, the third not at all. A babe though it be heire appa­rant vnto the crowne of the greatest Monarch in the world, it hath no sense or feeling of it: nay, though it li­ueth, it is not able to iudge of it selfe, whether it hath life or no: but others doe see by the operations of life, that it is a liuing creature, and hath an im­mortal soule: and dying in that estate, yea as soone as it is borne, it shall her­after liue for euer and euer.

So a great many, that are borne a­gaine of water,Ioh. 3 5. and of the Spirit, and thereby are made heires of the king­dome of God, as Christ saith to Ni­codemus; they are neuer but babes, beyond that age they neuer goe, and some of them fal asleepe in the Lord, as soone as they are made partakers of this spirituall birth; as the theefe vpon the crosse died presently after [Page 143] his conuersion: and Christ sheweth vs in the Gospel, that some are called at the eleuenth houre to work in the vineyard, that is,Math. 20.6. in their later part of their life they are called to [...]tate of saluation and grace, and to receiue the reward of their calling, which is eternall life. In which estate of theirs they can haue little or no feeling at all of their spirituall life. But as other children die before they know, that they were aliue; so these die before they did feele any great power of the spirituall life in themselues. But as o­thers did see that it was aliue, because they saw how it desired the milke of their mothers, & how they did thriue by it: so others may see in such spiri­tuall infants, that the life of God is in them by the appetite that they haue vnto the word of God, that they e­steeme it, as their appointed food, as Iob saith of himselfe,Iob 23.1 [...] and that there­by they grow in many graces of the [Page 144] Spirit of God, as in a feare to offend him, and in a desire vnto their owne saluation, though they haue little as­surance, sense, or feeling of it in thē ­selue and so are heires of the king­do [...] [...]f God, though they die be­fore euer they had any great feeling of it in themselues.

And for those that are of riper age in Christ, and haue had some feeling of their saluation, and haue lost it; they are not to be addicted to their owne iudgement, to thinke they ne­uer had it, because it is now lost, or that they shall neuer haue it againe, because it is taken from them for a while; for the life of God may still be in them, though the present feeling of it be taken away: and ther­fore at this time, concerning their owne present state, they must beleeue others, that can see more into them, then themselues. For as in some dis­eases of the bodie a man may haue all [Page 145] his senses taken away from him for a while; or he may be so sore wounded in the head, and his braine so distem­pered, that he can not tell, whether himselfe be aliue or dead: but o [...]rs by their breathing, and some [...] operations of life doe see euidently, that life remaineth in them, and so hope that they may be recouered. So a man may be so spiritually sicke of vnbeleefe, or so sore wounded in his soule with temptations, that he can­not see any token of Gods fauour in himselfe; but yet by the praiers that [...]e maketh vnto God to be holpen [...]ut of these distresses, by the loue [...]hat he beareth vnto God, and to Gods people, and other operations [...]f the spirit of God in him, they that [...]re wise shall be able to discerne that [...]e life of Gods spirit breatheth in [...]em, to whome they must giue cre­ [...]it aboue themselues: and so thinke, [...]at they are in a better estate of sal­uation, [Page 146] then they can see themselues to be.

And it must not seeme straunge vnto vs, that other should see better into our estate, then we our selues can. For oftentimes it falleth out, that some great affection of the minde so blindeth vs, that we imagine that we haue not that, which indeed we haue. He that is blinded with couetousnes of these worldly goods, by the vnsa­tiable desire that is in him, neuer sa­tisfied, though he hath more to liu [...] on then many hundreds, yet still h [...] is complaining of his want, and po­uerty; and saith, that he hath nothing and tel him of this, and of that whic [...] God hath bestowed vpon him, ye [...] because he hath not all that he des [...] reth, he maketh no account of the [...] and all is vnto him, as though he ha [...] nothing. So he that is sicke of a spir [...] tuall couetousnesse, and desireth th [...] feeling of Gods fauour in a gre [...] [Page 147] me [...] sure, and such an assurance of his sal­uation, as might be without al doubt: which because he can not come vn­to, because the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and in it there is nothing but doubting, he imagineth that be­cause there is some want of assurance and feeling, that therefore there is no feeling at all: as the couetous man by reason of some want, saith that he hath nothing: the want of that, which he hath not, so blindeth his eyes, that he can not see that, that he hath: so the want of some assurance so troub­leth them, and they haue so great a desire vnto more, that they can not see that they haue, but for want of some, denie all.

A remedie against which tempta­tion is, not to deceiue our selues any longer with an imagination of such a measure of assurance of saluation ordinarily in the children of God, which should be without all waue­ring [Page 148] or doubting: or such a measure of feeling of the loue of God, and ioy therein, as should abandon all distru­stfulnes and sorow: this is not to be looked for in this world:Psal. 16.11. the fulnesse of ioy is in the presence of God, and at his right hand onely are pleasures for euermore: here we haue them but in measure: there indeede is ioy vn­speakable, and most glorious with­out all interruption; when we shall see God face to face:1. Cor. 13.12. and know him as we are knowne, whome now we behold as through a glasse, and so may sometimes doubt, whether we see him or no. This measure we must be contented with, and so pray as the Psalmist doth,Psal. 106.4, 5. Remember me, O Lord, with the fauour of thy people, that I may see the felicity of thy cho­sen: where he desireth not such ioy & feeling of the fauour of god, which he did imagine himselfe, but which God doth vsually bestow vpon his [Page 149] people, which is that that is ioyned with much doubting, & many feares, euen then sometimes when it is at the best: and so not imagine, that vn­lesse wee haue it according to our owne desire, we haue it not at all, or as Gods people vse to haue it. For vndoubtedly it is thus with the best, at one time or other.

And concerning this desire of fee­ling and assurance, wee must vnder­stand thus much, that none can haue this, but those that beleeue: so that though we should want them both altogether, yet the desire that wee haue vnto them, doth manifestly ar­gue that we haue faith. For who can desire to feele the heate and light of the sunne, but he that hath life in him? a dead carkase cannot doe it. So [...]f there were not the life of the Spi­ [...]it in vs by faith, we could not haue a­ [...]y desire to feele the fauour of God [...]n vs in truth at all. He that is neuer [Page 150] so weake, yet if he still desire strēgth, it appeareth that there is life in him: so when we most earnestly desire to be strengthened in the assurance of our saluation, it is a manifest token, that the life of God is still in vs: there­fore let vs comfort our selues with such desires, and know assuredly, that as they be of God, so he will satisfie them in his good time: for the Lord heareth the desire of the poore,Psal. 10.17. he prepareth their heart, and bendeth his eare vnto them: that is, as he gi­ueth them so earnestly to desire these things, which others neglect, so he will shew by giuing also that which they doe desire, that he hath not giuen them such holy desires in vaine. For the saying of our Sauiou [...] Christ must be verified vpon all men without respect of persons,Matth. 5.6. Blessed are all they that hunger and thirst, no [...] onely after righteousnes, but after any other graces of his Spirit, for the [...] [Page 151] shall be satisfied and filled. And the saying of the virgine Marie shall be verified in them,Luk. 1.53. He hath filled the hungrie with good things, and sent away the rich emptie: that is, as they that haue no such desires, can looke for no such feeling, so they that are vnsatiable in their desires that way, shall be satisfied in time with abun­dance of feeling: and if they waite vp­on God with patience, beleeuing these promises, it shall be vnto them according to their faith.

That I might not say here that, which is yet most true, that while they so vnmeasurably desire it, they haue it in a good measure. For here­in is the saying of S. Augustine most true, that the desire of any grace of God, is in some sort the grace it selfe. He that vnfainedly desireth the forgiuenes of his sinnes, doth with this desire obtaine the remission of them. He that desireth a greater [Page 152] measure of repentance, doth from day to day profit in repentance: he that desireth not to sinne, is no sin­ner before God: he that desireth the fauour of God, hath obtained it alreadie: he that desireth the assurance of his saluation, and the feeling of Gods fauour, he hath both of them in some sort already. When Abraham was willing to offer vp his sonne Izack at Gods commande­mēt,Heb. 11.17. he is said to haue don it by faith: his desire before god, was as though he had done it: so when we offer vp these desires vnto God, it is as well with vs in his account, as though we had the things themselues.

For as the Apostle speaketh o [...] almes, [...]. Cor. 8.12. if there be first a willing min [...] it is accepted according to that a mā hath, and not according to that tha [...] a man hath not: that is, God looketh not so much to his deede, as to his desire: as the poore widow that offe­red [Page 153] but two mites, was more accep­ted of God, and commended by Christ, then they that offered much, because of her great desire. So when in the sacrifice of prayer we offer vp our hearts vnto god with holy desires either for assurance of his fauour, or feeling of our saluation, we are accep­ted of him, as though we had them: and when he giueth vs this desire, he beginneth to worke the grace it selfe: and that desire is the earnest peny & pledge of the thing it selfe.

Christ saith in the Gospel, that whosoeuer looketh on a woman to lust after her,Math. 5.2 hath committed adul­tery with her already in his heart. So that the desire vnto any sin, is the sin it selfe before God: then the desire vnto any vertue, is the vertue and grace it selfe before God. And there­fore he that looketh vp vnto God with an earnest desire of his saluatiō, he hath obtained it alreadie before [Page 154] God, who seeth & aloweth the desire of his heart. He that looketh on his own vnbeleefe and corruptions with a desire to be rid of them, he is there­by discharged of them before God. Thus we see, that to desire feeling is an argument of faith, as to desire meate is an argument of life: yea to desire feeling, is the very beginning of it in our selues: and therefore we must be comforted ouer them.

Concerning which feelings, we must also consider, that in them that haue them in the greatest measure, they are not alwaies alike: but they are going and comming, as the day and the night. And as in the course of nature there is not one tenour of things, but Gods works are subiect to many changes: so is it in the course of Gods grace: that which we haue receiued, doth not alwaies continue alike, neither haue we the same fee­ling of it to day, that we had yester­day: [Page 155] whether we looke to the feruen­cie of prayer, or zeale to Gods word, or loue to his Saints, or assurance of our saluation. Here we must comfort our selues with the remembrance of that that we haue found in our selues in times past, and hope that we may finde the like againe: and say as it is in the Psalme,Psal. 77.1 & 119.5 [...] I haue remembred the times past, and haue beene comfor­ted. For as the woman that is quick­ned with child, and feeleth it stirre in her bodie, though shee doe not al­waies feele it stirre alike; and some­times not at all, and sometimes more weakely then before: yet shee assures her selfe, that the child is liuing, be­cause shee hath felt it stirre before, & so hopeth that shee shall doe againe. So when Christ is formed in vs first of all, as the Apostle speaketh,Gal. 4.1 we haue the feeling of him stirring and moouing in our hearts by his holy Spirit, dwelling in vs: which liuely [Page 156] motions though wee feele not so strongly moouing in vs afterwards, or not at all; yet we doubt not, but that Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith still,Eph. 3.17. and hope to feele it as sen­sibly againe in time, as we haue done: & so much the more, because Christ beeing formed in vs, neuer dieth: and therefore the remembrance of our former Feelings must comfort vs o­uer the want of them for the time present: for they are not alwaies alike in any that haue them: it is sufficient that we haue had them, therefore if we labour after them, they will re­turne vnto vs againe, when it shall please God. And thus much for this, that S. Thomas in this matter of faith addicts himselfe to his owne feeling.

THe fourth and last degree of his vnbeleefe appeareth in this, Except I see in his hands the print of the nayles, and in his side the print of the speare, I will not beleeue it. For [Page 157] why should he desire this? not onely to see him, and to feele him; but to see in his hands the print of the nailes, and to put his finger into them; and to see in his side the print of the speare, and to put his hand into it. Did he not know that these wounds and skarres were proper vnto his bo­die onely while it was subiect vnto infirmitie and weaknes: and that af­ter his resurrection his bodie was glorified? And so he might haue thought, that though it should be graunted vnto him to see him, yet he could not by any reason or groūd frō the Scripture, haue hope to see him thus: & yet he saith, Except I see the print of the nailes, &c. I will not be­leeue it: he doth not say, except I see him: but, except I see him with the print of the nayles, and of the speare, I will not beleeue it.

This is then the nature of vnbe­leefe, that when it will not profit by [Page 158] the ordinarie meanes, that God hath appointed for the confirming of faith; it desireth such things, where­of there is no warrant, either from reason, or from Scripture. As here S. Thomas neglecting what Christ had saide vnto him, that when he should be put to death, within three daies he would rise again: and that also which was tolde him by the Apostles, and diuers others, namely, that he was ri­sen againe, and had appeared vnto such and such: he saith, Except I see him my selfe, with the print of the nayles in his feete, and of the speare in his side, I will not beleeue it. Con­cerning which poynt; though Christ did rise indeede out of the se­pulchre with these markes in his glo­rified body, and did retaine them whiles he taried on the earth, that thereby it might more certainely be knowne, that the same body of his that was crucified, was raised vp a­gaine; [Page 159] yet Thomas had no generall rule to leade him to thinke that it should be so, but rather according to the common condition of the bodies of all the faithfull in the day of resur­rection, so to conceiue of the body of Christ raised vp. For that which is said of the resurrection of all the faithful, the members of Christs mysticall bo­dy, must needes be much more true of him the head: for it belongeth to them onely by vertue of his resurre­ction. Now of them the Apostle wri­teth thus to the Corinthians;1. Cor. 15.42. The bo­dy is sowne in corruption, and raised in incorruption: that is, with nothing tending thereunto as wounds doe: it is sowne in dishonor, hauing no glory nor beauty on it, as Christs body was most of all, when besides that the life was gone out of it, and so it looked pale and wanne; it had also many de­formites by the stripes of his whip­pings, and the crowne of thornes, & [Page 160] the print of the nailes in his hands & feete, and of the speare in side: it is raised in glory; that is, with all perfe­ction & excellencie of beauty with­out any blemish at all: it is sowne in weakenes, it is raised in power: and therefore without marks and tokens of weakenes & infirmitie: for a body sore wounded, euen vnto death, as Christs was, hath lesse power in it, then it had before. Therefore seeing he desired to see Christs body raised vp, he should not haue desired to see it thus, and with these markes.

And for the further confirmation of this, we may remember what the Apostle saith touching the glorious state of our bodies to be raised vp: Our conuersation is in heauen, [...]al. 3.20. from whence also we looke for the Saui­our, euen the Lord Iesus Christ: who shall chaunge our vile bodie, that it may be fashioned like vnto his glori­ous bodie, according to the working, [Page 161] whereby he is able euen to subdue all things vnto himsel [...]e: therefore as we shall be raised vp without skarres and marks of infirmity, which many haue in these daies of their pilgrimage: so he had no reason to thinke, but that Christs bodie should be. Therefore though he would not beleeue, till he sawe him, he could not looke to see him after this manner, that he pre­scribeth.

And though he did at the last ap­peare with these markes in his body both to the eleuen first, and after­wards vnto Thomas: yet it was not because his bodie was properly, and of it owne nature then subiect vnto them, no more then it was to hunger, when he did eate with them:Luk. 24.43. but it was by a speciall extraordinarie di­ [...]pensation; as when Angels that haue [...]o bodies, did appeare in the shape of men. Therefore this could not be [...]ooked for: and it was in respect of [Page 162] the ordinarie course of Gods dealing somewhat vnreasonable, to tie the Lord vnto that for the strengthening of his faith, and to say, Except I see the print of the nayles, and of the speare, I wil not beleeue it: for others had seene him, and not seene him with these;Ioh. 20.15. as Marie Magdalen at the sepulchre, where shee mistooke him to be the gardener, or the keeper of that place, where Christ was buried in a garden:Mark. 16.12. and the two Disciples in their iourney, as they were going to Emmaus. Therefore we must take heede, how we yeild to our vnbeleef [...] for it will make vs looke for and de­sire such things at the hand of God for the confirming of our faith, a [...] haue no ground either from Scripture, or from reason: though it pleaseth God of his infinite goodnes to beare with men sometimes this way and to yeild to them, either to th [...] strengthening of their faith, or to th [...] [Page 163] leauing of them without excuse in their vnbeleefe. So that as the Apo­stle saith of couetousnes,1. Tim. [...]. [...]. They that will be rich fall into tentation and snares, and into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drowne men in perdition and destruction; So we may say of vnbeleefe, that it causeth men to desire many foolish and vnreaso­nable things, and such as often tende to their owne hurt.

Thus in the Gospel our Sauiour Christ in the parable of the rich glut­ton, and in his person noteth out the thoughts and desires of vnbeleeuers here in this world: where he is broght in speaking vnto Abraham after this manner; I pray thee father,Luk. 16.27. that thou wouldest send Lazarus vnto my fa­thers house (for I haue many brethrē) that he may testifie vnto them, least they also come into this place of tor­ment. Thus vnbeleeuers would haue dead men come from heauen, & tell [Page 164] them what is done there, and what in hell: but Christ sheweth what answer Abraham gaue him for our instructi­on;29. They haue Moses, and the Pro­phets, let them heare them: as if he had said, they doe sufficiently declare the truth of these things, of thē they may learne them, and so it is neede­lesse to haue any come from heauen to tell them, there are enough vpon the earth, that doe declare it daily: & so doe the Apostles, and the Euange­lists now much more. But the rich man saide againe,30. Father Abraham, but if one come from the dead, they will amend their liues: which is as if he had said, Though they doe heare daily out of the Scripture, what puni­shment is in hell for the wicked, yet they doe not beleeue it, except some come from the dead, and tell them of it, and then they would.

Thus foolish is vnbeleefe, to neg­lect the certen testimonie of the Pro­phets [Page 165] and Apostles, which is the or­dinarie meanes to reueale his will vnto vs, and to desire that Angels or dead men might come from heauen, or from hell to speake vnto them, and then they would beleeue thē: which in these daies is so extraordinary, that it is not to be looked for. But this is a short and plaine answer for such men set downe there from Abraham, who said thus vnto him,31. If they heare not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be perswaded, though one rise from the dead againe. Where Christ sheweth not only what are the means of knowing these things, euen the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles in which the will of God is perfectly set downe concerning all things, that are needefull for vs to know, and that the other is not to be desired, nor ho­ped for. So if they had them, they would not profit by them, when as they neglect the other: but yet we see [Page 166] by this, that vnbeleefe is full of these foolish desires.

And truly if we could so well see into the hearts of men, as Christ did when he vttered this parable, wee should see, that the greatest part of the world is still of this mind, to neg­lect all the ordinarie meanes, that God hath appointed either to worke faith in them at the first, or to con­firme it in them afterwards; and to desire such meanes, as are impossible and not to be looked for, because they are contrarie to the word of God. For the Apostle saith, [...]ob. 1.1. At sundrie times, and in diuers manners God spake in the olde time to our fathers by the Prophets: but in these last daies he hath spoken vnto vs by his Sonne: that is, in the old time. God did sun­drie waies declare his will vnto men, as sometimes by visions when they were waking, and by dreames when they were sleeping, by Vrim & Thū ­mim [Page 167] in the Priests breast, by Angels from heauen, by the Prophets, &c. but now he hath fully declared his will by his sonne Christ, and hath ap­pointed that we should come to the knowledge of it by that order which Christ hath established: who when he ascended vp into heauen, gaue vn­to his Church, Pastors and teachers,Eph. 4.12. for the repairing of the Saints, for the worke of the ministerie, and for the edification of the bodie of Christ, till we all meete together (in the vnitie of faith, and the acknowledging of the son of God) vnto a perfect man, and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ: therefore as long as we liue, we are to looke for no other meanes then these of Pa­stors and teachers, the other haue ceased long agoe, as beeing appoin­ted for the old world.

But yet vnbeleeuing men refuse these, and with itching eares they [Page 168] linger after the other: and some are ready to say, Oh if I might haue an Angel come and tell me of the de­struction that shall come vpon the wicked for their sinne,Gen. 19.13. as Lot had in Sodom, I would beleeue it: and some are ready to say, if Lazarus might come from the dead, that is, if some of those my freinds and aquaintance that are dead, might rise out of their graues, and come and tell me, what they haue seene and felt in heauen & hell, if I might haue but a litle con­ference with them, I would beleeue them. Or if I could see into the heauens, and there behold Christ standing at the right hand of God, as Stephen the Martyr did:Act 7.56. or if I could heare him speake vnto me from hea­uen, and call me from my sinnes, as Saul did, [...]k 9.4. when he was a persecuter, then I would hearken vnto him, and become a new man. And others thinke, Oh if they might be rapt in­to [Page 169] the third heauens,2. Cor. 12 [...] and be taken vp into paradise, as Paul was, and there heare God speake vnto them, then they would performe great matters, and lead an Angels life: or if beeing here on earth they might see God come downe from heauen vnto thē, & they might haue some sure token, that it was he that spake vnto them, as the Israelites had in the wildernes,Exod. 19 when God spake there vnto them vp­on Mount Sinai, then they would yeeld great obedience, and nothing should draw thē frō that, which they had heard. These and many such foo­lish and impossible things doe men desire, & then they say they would beleeue all things, and vntill thē they neede not, neither will they.

But what saith the Apostle to the Romanes?Rom. 10. [...] The righteousnes which is of faith, speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heauen? (that is, to bring Christ [Page 170] from aboue) or who shall descend in­to the deepe? (that is, to bring Christ from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is neere thee euen in thy mouth, and in thine heart; this is the word of faith which wee preach. Where he sheweth what are the doubtfull and wauering thoughts of vnbeleeuers concerning that saluati­on, that is purchased for vs by Christ, and offered vnto vs in the Gospel: & how those thoughts & imaginations by faith are to be repr [...]ssed. For they which seek righteousnes in thēselues, that by the workes of the law they might be iustified and saued, beeing alwaies vnquiet and doubtfull of their saluation, because they cannot finde perfect righteousnes in them­selues, are ready to say, if I might see any Saint or Angel come from hea­uen to cary me thither, or to assure me that I shall come thither; or any come from the depth of hell to tell [Page 171] me, that I am deliuered from thence, I could beleeue it.

But the righteousnes of faith, that is, true faith whereby we are made righteous in Christ, suppresseth these thoughts of vnbeleefe; and telleth vs according to that, that is preached in the Gospel, that Christ hath fulfilled all things needefull for our saluation; euen that he hath suffered the curse of the law to deliuer vs from hel, and that he hath fulfilled the righteous­nes of the law to bring vs to heauen, and he hath ascended vp thither for vs in our nature, to prepare a place for vs: and he hath praied vnto God for vs, that where he is we may be to behold his glorie. Thus true faith for the certentie of our saluation, bids vs rely vpon that, that Christ hath don for vs, and vpon that, which this way is set downe in the Gospel: and so our consciences shall be quieted, and no man neede to aske these questi­ons, [Page 172] who can ascend vp into heauen, or bring vs from hell? seeing that the Gospel teacheth that both these are done by Christ for all those that im­brace their calling by a true faith.

But vnbeleefe neglecting this, de­sireth that, that is vnreasonable, and saith, Oh, but I see none that hath as­cended vp to heauen, & come downe againe to tell me, what is there done for me. Who shall ascend? who is he that hath, or will doe so much? then I could beleeue it. And I see none, that hath descended into hell, and re­turned, to tell me that I am deliuered from thence. Who shall descend in­to the deepe? where is he that hath, or will doe this for me? then I could beleeue it. And so not onely the vn­beleeuers are wholly possessed and o­uercō with these doubtfull thoughts; but all men, so farre as vnbeleefe pre­uaileth in them, are ready to say thus, at least in their hearts, Oh, if any [Page 173] might come from heauen, to assure me, that I shall come thither, and be saued, then I could beleeue it: or if a­ny might come from hell, to assure me that I am deliuered from thence, then I should be quiet in my minde, and deliuered from these feares, that I am incombred with.

But what saith faith? say not thus in thine heart, &c. that is, haue thou no such doubts in thy mind, but con­sider what Christ hath done for thee, to bring thee to heauen, and to deli­uer thee from hell: and what the go­spel doth this way offer vnto thee, and what thou hast heard preached out of it to this ende, and rest in thē: For if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus,Rom. 10 [...] and shalt be­leeue in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be sa­ued: that is, if thou professe plainely, and sincerely, and openly, that thou takest Iesus onely to be thy Lord and [Page 174] Sauiour; and that it was the very counsell and purpose of God, in the resurrection of his sonne to redeeme vs from death, and hell, as it is prea­ched vnto vs in the Gospel, thou shalt be saued. So faith leadeth vs frō these vain speculations vnto that, that is reuealed vnto vs in the word.

And whereas the best beleeuers are subiect vnto these temptations at one time or other, by reason of the rēnants of vnbeleefe abiding in thē: yet the Apostle giueth vs to vnder­stand, that they come frō vnbeleefe, and not frō faith: but that it is the na­ture of saith to striue against them, & to suppresse them in measure, so farre forth as faith preuaileth, and getteth the victory in them. So that when they begin to haue these doubts in their minds, and to thinke with thē ­selues, how shal I ascend into heauē? how shall I escape hell, I cannot tell what shall become of me? then faith [Page 175] is as a voice speaking behind them, to admonish them of their duty, and as it were pulling them by the elbow bids them hold their peace, Oh say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heauen, &c. Oh haue no such thoughts in thy mind: this were to deny what Christ hath done for thee concerning thy redemption from hell, and thy ascention into heauen: therefore say not so in any case, no not in thine heart: giue ouer reaso­ning with vnbeleefe, and rest in the word of God.

Thus we see how vnbeleefe bin­deth God to vnreasonable courses, & desireth of him for the strengthening of faith things not to be desired: therefore as we see frō whence such do arise, so we must striue against vn­beleefe, that we might ouercome such foolish conceits. And thus the vnbeleuing Iewes did reason against our Sauiour Christ, when he was vp­on [Page 176] the crosse, and thereby did shew what wicked and absurd thoughts their infidelitie did driue them vnto. If thou be the sonne of God,Matth. 27. [...]0. come downe from the crosse: he saued o­thers, but he cannot saue himselfe: if he be the king of Israel,42. let him now come downe from the crosse, and we will beleeue in him:43. he trusted in God, let him deliuer him now, if he will haue him: for he saide, I am the sonne of God. Behold what vnreaso­nable things they doe, as it were, binde Christ vnto, that they might beleeue in him, or els they will not: for they say, let him now come down from the crosse, and now saue him­selfe, or els neuer.

They did not consider how all the prophesies of the Messiah set downe in Scripture were verified in him, e­uen from his first conception, vnto this very houre: how he was concei­ued by the holy Ghost, and borne of [Page 177] a virgin, and of the house of Dauid, and in Bethleem: how the wise men came from the East vnto Ierusalem, and told them that the King of the Iewes was borne, and that they had seene his starre: neither what old fa­ther Simeon, and Anna the prophe­ [...]esse said of him in the temple, when he was circumcised. They regarded not his doctrine ful of authoritie and [...]ower, themselues beeing driuen to confesse, that neuer man before spake [...]ike vnto him: they were not moo­ [...]ed with his miracles, when they [...]aw how by his owne power he hea­ [...]ed them of incurable diseases, made [...]he blind to see, the lame to goe, the [...]eafe to heare: cast out the deuills by [...]he power of his word; raised vp thē [...]hat were dead: and did many more [...]ings els, which were sufficient to [...]onuince them, that he was the true [...]essiah and Sauiour, to whome all [...]e Prophets gaue witnesse: neither [Page 178] did they giue any credit vnto the voice of God himselfe, which they heard from heauen, when he was baptized,Matth. 3.17. This is my beloued sonne, in whome I am well pleased: at what time also the heauens were opened, and the Spirit of God descended like a doue, and lighted vpon him. Much lesse did they giue credit vnto the te­stimonie of Iohn, who saide of him, Behold the lambe of God,Ioh. 1.36. that taketh away the sinnes of the world.

None of all these they regarded they were not sufficient to cause th [...] to beleeue in him, they despised the [...] all, as though they had been nothin [...] worth; but such a foolish thing [...] this they desire, and that should satisfie them: if he would come down [...] from the crosse, and that euen ve [...] now at their appointment, and tar [...] no longer, then they could beleeue [...] him indeede: but if he would not d [...] that at all, or not now presently wi [...] [Page 179] out any delay they will not beleeue in him. Which if he had done, he had forsaken his office of redemption, for he came to suffer and die for vs, that he might by his owne sufferings de­liuer vs from death, and to die vpon the crosse,Gal. 3.13. that he might redeeme vs from the curse of the law, beeing made a curse for vs, as it is written, Cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree. And when he had suffered all things needefull for our saluation, saying vpon the crosse, It is finished,Ioh. 19.30. and so gaue vp the ghost, and after­wards was buried: God raised him vp at the time appointed, euen the third day, and loosed the sorowes of death,Act. 2.2 [...] because it was impossible, that hee should be held of it any longer, as S. Peter saith. But see the foolishnes of vnbeleefe, the Iewes would haue god then to deliuer him before it was time, euen so soone as he was vpon the crosse, and before he had suffered, [Page 180] or els they would not beleeue that he was the sonne of God, or that he had any power to saue himselfe or o­thers.

And after this manner the Deuill teacheth other men also by vnbe­leefe to reason against good men, and against themselues: as if such a man were an vpright man, such an one as he maketh shew of, God would not suffer him to be so and so afflicted, but he would deliuer him frō this crosse, that is vpon him: and so did the three friends of Iob reason against him to the great weakning of his faith: as this was also none of the least temp­tations vnto Dauid, when the wicked saide of him in his miserie,Psal. 42.10. Where is now thy God? as if they had saide, Surely, if God were his God, he would haue deliuered him long be­fore this. And of themselues they are ready to say, if God would now deli­uer me out of this affliction; if hee [Page 181] would now helpe me out of this trou­ble, I would thinke that he had some care of me indeede: and vnlesse they haue some present ease, or releefe, they can not be perswaded of the truth of his promises. But what saith the Scripture?Psal. 50.15. Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble: so will I deliuer thee. So that we must seek vnto God for the performance of his promises: But how? euen as it is saide in an o­ther Psalme,& 5.3. Heare my voice in the morning, O Lord: for in the morning will I direct me vnto thee, and I will waite: that is, after that he had prai­ed vnto God, he would patiently waite vpon him with trust, till God did shew, that he had heard him. E­uen as suiters doe at the court, when they haue put vp their petitions vnto the King, or the Counsell, though they haue not a present answer, they [...]re not discouraged, and therefore giue still attendance, and tarie their [Page 182] leisure, with hope of speeding at the last.

And how long must we thus wait vpon God for his deliuerance? euen vntill it pleaseth him to discharge vs: not prescribing vnto him any time. Euen as it is said in one of the Psalms of degres, [...]c. 130.6. My soule waiteth on the Lord, more then the morning watch watcheth for the morning: that is, euen as they that are set to watch all night, doe not giue ouer their station till the morning come, though the night be neuer so long: so we in affli­ction must not cease waiting vpon God vntill the time appointed. And when is that? euen when he giueth vs our hearts desire, & not before. Euen as the Psalmist speaketh in the name & person of the whole church, shew­ing after what manner, and how long he would seeke vnto God.& 123.2. Behold, as the eies of seruants looke vnto the hand of their masters, and as the eies [Page 183] of a maide vnto the hand of her mi­stris; so our eies wait vpon the Lord our God, vntill he haue mercie vp­on vs. So that he would continually and earnestly wait vpon God for his defence, not doubting of it, vntill such time as he found it by experi­ence: and therefore if he deferre a while, we must tarie the longer, with good hope waiting. As the Prophet Habacuk saith, that after long prayer hee receiued this answer from the Lord concerning the deliuerance of the Church: that it was deferred a long time, therefore he would haue him to waite, for vndoubtedly in time it should come, and not faile, saying,Habak. 2.3. The vision is yet for an ap­pointed time, but at the last it shall speake, and not lie: though it tary, yet wait thou, for it shall surely come, and shall not stay.

But vnbeleefe saith, I could be­ [...]eeue these promises, if I might now [Page 184] inioy them, and vnles I be presently deliuered, I cannot thinke, that God regardeth me: and so it tieth Gods fa­uour to present deliuerance. And though the Scripture hath said, that affliction is like vnto fire, and that our faith and patience is like vnto gold; and therefore as the gold must tarie in the fire vntill all the drosse be consumed, and the gold refined: so God wil haue vs to indure the crosse, vntill our corruption be thoroughly purged, and our faith and patience b [...] prooued to be pure and good; yet we are readie to say, that vnlesse he deli­uer me now, I cannot beleeue, tha [...] he hath any respect vnto me. An [...] vnto all that, which faith saith vnt [...] vs, concerning the tarying of God leisure; vnbeleefe is readie to mak [...] answer, that vnlesse God giue it now I will thinke that I shall neuer haue i [...] And as faith or vnbeleefe preuailet [...] in vs at any time; so are these thogh [...] [Page 185] more or lesse in vs, in the time of any affliction: for the one is of the flesh, and the other of the Spirit, and both these beeing in the regenerate,Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, & the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrarie one to an other: so that ye can not doe the same things that ye would, as Paul sheweth to the Gala­tians.

And this is that, which euery one of vs hath experiēce of in our selues: for how often when we haue beene in trouble, haue we thought, and said in our owne hearts; vnles God giue me such and such meanes, there are none that will doe me good: and vn­lesse these helpe me, I can not looke for helpe from any: and so we are readie to tie Gods helpe to times, and to meanes. Whereas faith saith otherwise out of the word of God, namely, that he hath other times, and meanes in his hands to doe vs good [Page 186] by, and that he is able to helpe vs whē all meanes faile vs. And besides, what if he will not deliuer vs at all? but wil haue vs drinke of that cuppe, that he hath giuen vs, euen vnto death: as Christ himselfe did: his loue is neuer a whit the lesse vnto vs, no more then it was vnto him. Thus we see, how this vnbeleefe raigneth in this world, and yet how Christ of his infinite goodnesse and mercie, beareth with those that are his in it for a while, and cureth them of it at the last, as he did with the Apostle Thomas, and as he hath done with vs very often, and in many things.

And this is that, which the Pro­phet noteth to haue beene very often in the people of Israel, whiles they were in the wildernes, of whome he saith, [...]al. 78.41 They returned, and tempted God, and limited the holy one of Is­rael: that is, according to the straitnes of their owne heart in their vnbe­leefe, [Page 187] so did they imagine of Gods presence and power: and therefore they are said, to limit the holy one of Israel, and as it were to compasse him in certaine bounds, and to indent with him after this manner: if hee would doe so and so for them, they would thinke that he cared for them, and were among thē for their good: & if he would not doe so, they would not beleeue it. And thus they did of­ten, and therefore it is saide, they re­turned and tempted God: for when they had tēpted God thus one way, then they did it an other way. For sometimes they desired water, some­times meate, sometimes daintie flesh, as quailes; and that so importunate­ly, that they said, vnles they had these things according to their owne de­sire, they thought either that God could not doe it, or that he cared not for them: and thus they spake against God, saying,vers. 19. Can God prepare a ta­ble [Page 188] in the wildernes? behold, he smote the rocke that the waters gushed out, and the streames ouerflowed: can he giue bread also, and prepare flesh for his people? And thus did they not onely once, but many times, and for many things: in so much that the Prophet speaketh with admiration, How oft did they prouoke him in the wildernesse, and grieue him in the desert! And thus for their assurāce that God was with them, and that he was willing and able to helpe them, they desired these outward things, & so by the foolishnes of their desires did apparantly shew the vnbeleefe that was in them.

So doe many vnbeleeuers of our time: looke what they earnestly de­sire, if they haue it not, they will not beleeue that God careth for them: & hereupon some of them say, if I might haue such a thing, I would think that God loued me: and others [Page 189] say, if God would bestowe this or that vpon me, I would hope that I were in his fauour. And what things are they then which they desire? one­ly outward, and appertaining to this life: and so according to their present wants through vnbeleefe they limite the loue of God, some to one thing, some to an other, and will not be per­swaded of it, but by the inioying of such things as themselues desire.

And it is thus not onely in the vn­beleeuers: but all Gods children, so farre as the remnants of vnbeleefe do preuaile in them, are subiect vnto these temptatiōs, and to these desires: and are ready to say, if I were rid of this affliction, which hath lien hea­uily vpon me a long time, I could be perswaded of his fauour towards me. By which we are thus to profit, there­by to see, what infidelity is lurking in vs, that so we might be sory for it, & seeke to be holpen of it. And then we [Page 190] shall see the remedie against it to be this: that as the Apostle S. Thomas should not haue tied the certenty of Christs resurrection, to his appariti­on and shewing of himselfe vnto him, saying, Vnles I see him my selfe, I will not beleeue it: for it was true, & to be beleeued of him and others, that Christ was risen againe, though they had neuer seene him: much lesse should he haue tied it vnto this, that he would see him in that forme, that he was in vpon the crosse, with the wounds and marks in his bodie, say­ing, Vnles I see in his hands the print of the nayles, and put my finger into the print of the nayles, and put my hand into his side, I will not beleeue it: for he might haue appeared vnto him in some other forme, as he did vnto others, at diuers times.

Euen so we are not to tie the cer­tentie of Gods fauour to any one thing, and to say, vnles I haue this o [...] [Page 191] that, I can not be perswaded of Gods fauour: much lesse vnto any of these outward things, which appertaine vnto our bodies, and to this life: for God our heauenly father hath many waies and meanes to assure his chil­dren of his loue and fauour towards them; and doth it as our earthly fa­thers doe, not onely to some one way, and to others an other way, but euen vnto the same not alike at all times, and by the same things. But e­specially there are more sure pledges and tokens of his loue, which he be­stoweth vpon his children, then all the outward benefits in the world; which onely for the most part the vnbeleeuers desire, and measure gods fauour by them. For there are the graces & gifts of his holy Spirit pro­per vnto the elect, as a loue of God and of goodnes, an hatred of euill, a desire to please God, a delight in the companie of the godly, and such like: [Page 192] in bestowing of which vpon man, he doth most of all manifest his loue vn­to them. There are also his holy word and Sacraments, whereby he wor­keth the beginning and increase of these and other graces in those that are his: rare and inestimable testimo­nies of his fauour: of which it is said in the Psalme, [...]al. 147.19. He sheweth his word vnto Iaakob, his statutes & his iudge­ments vnto Israel: he hath not dealt so with euery nation, neither haue they known his iudgements. Where he maketh this a note of the loue of God to the people of the Iewes, a­boue all other nations, that they had among them the doctrine of euerla­sting life, which others wanted. And so this is none of the least testimonies of Gods fauour towardes vs, that we liue in these happie daies and blessed times, in which the Gospel is purely and sincerely preached, and that we inioy the ministerie of it.

But the greatest token of all, wher­by God hath manifested his loue vn­ [...]o vs, is the death of his sonne: of which Christ speaketh in the gospel, God so loued the world,Ioh. 1.16. that he gaue [...]is onely begotten sonne, that who­ [...]oeuer beleeueth in him, should not [...]erish, but haue euerlasting life: wher [...]e noteth the excellency of the loue [...]f God, by the excellency of the gift. He so loued the world with an extra­ [...]rdinarie and wonderfull great loue, [...]hat he gaue his onely begottē sonne [...]o saue vs: and this is the fountaine [...]nd cause of all other benefits of his [...]estowed, and to be bestowed vpō vs: [...]s the Apostle saith;Rom. 8.32. God that spared [...]ot his owne sonne, but gaue him [...]r vs all to death, how shall he not [...]ith him giue vs all things also? and [...] him there are purchased and pre­ [...]red for vs euerlasting ioyes in the [...]ngdome of heauen: and though we [...]ant many things in this world, yet [Page 194] God giueth vs patience, and mindes well contented with our estate, as a token that he loueth vs. So that by all these things, or by any one of them, and by many more is Gods loue knowen and to be beleeued. Therefore we must not be so foolish to stin [...] God by vnbeleefe, and say, if I ma [...] haue this or that, I will be perswade of his fauour: for there are othe [...] things besides those which we im [...] gine, whereby he may manifest h [...] fauour vnto vs most clearly: and th [...] also not onely in this world, but [...] the world to come: not onely whi [...] we haue in present possession, b [...] which we inioy through hope.

And therefore this is singula [...] commended in the faith of Iob, th [...] whē he had lost al his worldly goo [...] and in respect of his outward esta [...] he was brought vnto nothing; ye [...] did put his trust in God: beleeu [...] that his fauour was not tied to the [...] [Page 195] nor to any one of them: but that it was the same then, that it was before: and so vttered this cōfortable speach proceeding frō faith in Gods good­nes;Iob 1.21. Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked shall I returne thither: the Lord hath giuen, and the Lord hath taken it, blessed be the name of the Lord. He doth not say, if God would restore all vnto me a­gaine (as he did in time, yea he doub­ [...]ed them) then I would beleeue that [...]e cared for me: but euen whiles he remained in the want of all, he bles­ [...]ed and praised the name of God; which could not be without great [...]aith. Yea he said further, that if he [...]hould die in that estate, yet he would [...]at his trust in God, and beleeue [...]at he cared for him:& 13 15 Loe though he [...]ay me, yet will I trust in him, and [...]e shall be my saluation: in which [...]ords he confesseth, that he was so [...]re, euen in this great extremitie, [Page 194] [...] [Page 195] [...] [Page 196] from despairing of life or saluation, as that in the very power and instant of death he would trust in him; for he had other testimonies of Gods fa­uour, then all his outward prosperity: euen the testimony of a good consci­ence, that he had walked before him in sincerity and truth, and that he had been no hypocrite; as he declareth at large in the Chap. 31.

And he had further, for the vphol­ding of his faith, the constant truth of Gods promises; and those not one­ly for this life, but for the life to come: and therefore he doubted not, but that it should goe well with him, though he died in that estate: for he hoped at the last day to rise againe, & to behold Christ his Sauiour to his euerlasting comfort: when he saith, Oh that my words were now writtē,and 19.23. oh that they were written euen in a booke: and grauen with an iron pen, in lead or in stone for euer; for I am [Page 197] sure that my redemer liueth, and he shall stand the last on the earth: and though after my skinne wormes de­stroy this body, yet shall I see God in my flesh, whom I shall see my selfe, and my eies shall behold, and none other for me, though my reines are consumed within me. Where we see how he saith, that in the midst of all his afflictions he did reioyce and glo­ry in this, euen in the testimony of a good conscience, whereby he did so rest in the promises of God concer­ning his resurrection, and life eternal, which was to come, that this did cō ­firme him in the fauour of God a­gainst all temptations.

Thus true faith bindeth not Gods fauor to any of these outward things, whereby men doe commonly desire to be assured of it: but it looketh vnto better things, whereby his loue is most apparant; and that not onely in this life, but in the life to come most [Page 198] of all: as they be promised and set downe in the word of God. And that is the remedie against the foolish & vaine desires of vnbeleefe. Let vs not therefore tie the assurance of Gods fauour vnto any one thing, but seeing that he hath many waies to declare it, let vs beleeue the promi­ses of his word, and pray him to seale thē vp in our hearts by what meanes it shall please him best: and let vs not be so froward and peruerse, as to thinke it is not constant vnto vs, vn­les it be sealed vp that way, which we our selues doe most of all desire.

Therefore to conclude the summe of all in few words. We see by the weakenes of S. Thomas, not onely what we are subiect vnto, but also how we may helpe our selues and o­thers against the same. He did not beleeue that Christ was risen againe, though it was told him at sundrie times by diuers, that were very cre­dible: [Page 199] we must therefore in the mat­ter of faith giue credit vnto the word of God brought vnto vs, in the mouthes of his faithfull seruants, if they be but two or three. Secōdly, he [...]in this case would beleeue none but himselfe: we must beleeue in the my­sterie of our saluation others rather then our selues, and thinke especially that in the time of temptation others are able better to iudge of our estate, then we our selues can, and so be not [...]oo much addicted to our owne o­ [...]erweening.

Thirdly, he would beleeue nothing [...]f this matter any further then him­selfe was able to see and feele: now [...]ecause these may deceiue vs, we [...]ust beleeue without any sight or [...]eeling: especially seeing that faith is [...]f things that are not seene, & the fa­ [...]our of God is not alwaies sensible [...] his benefits, we must beleeue his [...]ord without: yea contrary to any [Page 200] thing, that we can see or feele. Lastly, he would not beleeue except he saw Christ with his wounds, and so in that forme, which ordinarily was not to be looked for: we therefore must not by vnbeleefe tie the testimonies of Gods fauour for the assurance of our faith vnto such things as are vn­reasonable, and commonly not to be looked for: neither vnto any one par­ticular thing, because he hath many waies to confirme the same vnto vs▪ and pray him to giue vs grace, tha [...] we may profit in faith by any, that h [...] shall bestowe vpon vs.

And seeing it is so hard a thing to beleeue, & there is so much infidelitie hidden in the hearts of the bo [...] seruāts of God; let vs labour to search into the depth of our owne, that fi [...] ding the same in our selues, we ma [...] whiles we haue time vse in feare a [...] those good meanes, that God hat [...] appointed for the beginning and increase [Page 201] of faith in vs, that so by his blessing we daily going on forward from faith to faith, we may at the last come to that measure of it, against which the very gates of hell be not able to preuaile: that so we may both in temptation, and vnder all crosses, and in the howre of death, so carrie our selues, as God may be glorified, we our selues may be comforted, and others may be furthered by our Christian calling, and good exam­ple: which Christ the author and fi­nisher of our faith grant vnto vs, for his owne name sake: to whome with the father and the holy Spirit, one true, immortall, inuisible, and onely wise God, be ascribed as most due all honour, praise, and glory for euer and euer, Amen.