awakefaith ,doth as truely 4J74Ye vs ofour ele1iion as a ítronger. 266 Ot ieEronsagaing theofurance o four eleFhost 4frir falleth from affurance and certaineperfwafion ; though itbe fometimes fhadowed,and the fhining light thereofdimmed, yeathough it be for a time hid and couered,yet in it own na- ture it remaineth firme and fiedfaf? ; like the Sunne which al- waies fhineth,thoughoftentimes by reafon ofthe interpolii- tio ofthe clouds or the earth,we cannot difcerne the beanies thereof; or likevnto the firewhichbeinghid vnder the afhes doth retainehis naturalhe.at,althoughwe feele it not:So our faith retaineth in it felfe hiscertaintie &aflùrance, as it were hislight andheate,whenas it is fhadowed with the clouds of doubting,& cc ueredvnder the afhes ofSatans temptations. But it maybe demanded how a weake faithaffaulted with Satans temptations cancontinue certain,feeing thefrrongeft faith cando no morebutcertainly perfwâde? Ianf-vvere, that our certaintie rcfpe6teth not our faith it fcl e, but thecbieói: thereof,namely Gods mercie and ,hrifls merits.; and there- fore feeing a weake faith doth as well applyvnto vs the mer- cies ofGodand merits of Chrifl asa flronger, therefore a!fo it certainly perfwadeth vs as well and truly, though not fo ílrongly and fullyofour e e6tion'and faluation, as a fironger Moth. So that when we haue the leaf} fparke of faith,it loth illuminate our minds, foas wee can truly difcerne the louing countenanceofthe Lord fhiningvponvs thoughfomewhat dimly,and as it werea farre off; cuenas he that is pore-blind loth as certainly fee the Sunne, ashee is who is mollfharpe lighted, though not fo cleerely ; and as heewho is ina darke dungeon doth difcerne the light as fitrely at a little hole, though he becompaffedabout withblacke darkneffe,ashee who is in the open fields; fo when wee areas it were pore- blind,and compaffed about with the darkmill ofignorance, yet by thedimtne fight offaith we certainlydifcerne Gods loue and fauour fhining vpon vs, though themore weeen- creafe inknowledge and faith,themorecleerely we perceiue it,till at Jail hauing attained vnto fulneffe offaith,we feehint neere at hand.and as it were face to face. True it is that our faith which is in it felfeweak and feeble, and compafle.d aboutwith the darkneflè:ofignorance,ismixt a.ndturmoiled with much feare and doubting, by reafon of. our
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