chat tieGaaînot ittdgeoforn elate in the timeoftehtatíon. 167 To this eanfwer,that it cannotbe denicd,but that Gods correctionsdoe corre1and amend hischildren, and that af- flicStions ferue to the increafing of their patience, faithand other graces ; but yet let vs know that Satan playeth the falfe dcceiuer, when he mo-ouethvs to looke for the affuranceof Gods loue , and for our amendment and increafe of Gods grace, in thevery time \A hen the hand of God is uponvs, whileft the confli6c lafteth, and the temptation grieuoufly fhaketh andbattereth vs : as ifhe fhouldcome toa manwho hath endured much and tedious. fckneffe, and fhould fay vnto .him, thoudiddeff imagine thy (elfe a while agoe very beautiful! and exceeding ftrong, but thou waft much decei- tied, for ifthou -lookett in a glafle thou (halt prefently per- ceiue that thou art leane, pale, and deformed, and if thou tnakeft triall of thy ftrength, thou (halt finde that it is fcarce fuflcient to fitftaine thewaight of thine owne body. Now whowould notderide fuch fond reafoning ? Whocould not eafily.anfwere, that iudgement is not to be taken of the beautieand flrength of the bodiein the time officknes, but in the timeof health ? but this is the very likecafe, and thus fottifhly doth Satan conclude, or rather delude Gods chi!-' dren in the time oftemptation ; for he faith thus vnt-o them, thoudiddeff perfwade thy felfe that thou art the childe of God,and in his loue and fauour, that thou art indued with faith,patience,and other graces,anddaily increafeft in them; but now thou art come to the triall it proueth far othcrvvife; for thy-faith is turned into doubting or infidelitie, and thy patience to impatiencie , and therefore there is no likeli- boodethat thou art beloued of God,for then thou wouldeft profitbyafieiions,and increafe ingrace & flrength, whet e- as thou bcwrayelt nothing but thy manifold corruptions. But we are to know that we are not to iudge of our grace and ílrength,in the timeof temptation andof the fpirituáll conflift, when as our foules are g ieuoufly ficke with the fenfeof finne andapprehenfion of Gods hcauie difpleafùre incurred thereby, when as the fireof Gods faint is couered with the afhes ofour corruptions, and the fuires `and graces thereof nipped with thecoide winter and boyttercus blafts M4 of 7bat it isnofit time to iudge ofcur fin)'if ira grace's in the confhtl of temptations.
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