2 How theChriffian beingfoiledmay be railed. the flcíh and themeffenger ofSatan, which did buf et him ;- but the Lord returned hire this anfwere, Mygrace is fuffci ent for thee, for mypower is madeperfe&l through weake- neffe; after which anfwere receiued, theApofile quieteth himfelfe,notwithílanding his infirmities , nay glorieth in them,rather than in his reuelati.ons, as bee profeffeth failing, Verygladly therefore will I reioyce rather in mineinfiirmi-- ties,that the power ofChriflmay dwell inale. 2"hat.theLord Though then our infirmities begreat and our fállesmany;. fuferetb vs to yetare we nortobealtogether difcouraged thereby, feeing ml i tatato the o ma- it is the will ofGod that wee fhould thus bewray our infir bsanapó mities and corruptions, to the end his power, mercie and wer,mercyand goodneffe, maybee made themore manifefl, and that both goedneffe,and vnto our felues, and vnto others. .For fuch is our fpirituall' fOrokrbuni, blindnes and fecret ,pride, that ifwee fhouldaiwaies alike withfland the temptations ofSatan,without receiuing any foile, andneuerfall intoany fitne,wee,wouldbe readie to thinke thatwee flood by our owneflren :h, and fo afcribe the praifeofvielorieto ourfelues, thereby robbingGod of the honour due vntohim : and allofor thetime to come,wee would relie vpon our felues rather than on the Lords afE- fiance ; than thewhich nothing could bee moredifhonoura- ble vnto God, nor pernicious vnto our owne foules. But- when as in thefpirituall combate oftemptations,wee fome- times Rand and foanetimesfall,fometimes refill tholeaffaults which are firong and violent,and another time faint and yeeld in the Iightefl trials : this maketh it apparent that it is not our owne power, which in it felfc is not much vnlike: at all times; but the power ofGod, which fuflaineth vs Tome- times, thatwe may not bee whollydifcouraged ; and fome- times withdraweth itfclfe, that wee mayby receiuing foiles learne to know our infirmities,andwholly to relie our felues on the LordsaÇiflance, returningall the praifeofvielorie to the Lord, whoonely bath fuflained vs. As therefore our in- firmities in refpe& ofour felues, fhould férue to abate our pridej and toworke in vs truehumiliation and vtterdefpaire inour ownflrength :fo in refpe&that they{hewvnto vs the d tads( power fupportingys, they-fhould the rather incou- rage ,r
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