'`` Our want o f feelina,grgueth not want offaith. 527 CHAP. XLIII: Satans tentations rounded vpon our ìvvit o f fenfè and fee link offaith, anfwered. Ndthefe are the fignes by which euery belee- g.See7.t. uermay beaffured that he bath a true andhue- Satans tenta- 1p faith : which howfoeuer they bee to be ob- ton,hereby ferucd in euerie faithfull man, yet not at all 1i'l'e'f"'a- detb vs that times,foroftentimes it comrnetn topafle, that ve I;aueno thebeleeuing Chriflian doth neither feele his faith nor the faith becat+fe fruites thereof, efpeciallie in the infancie offaith,and in the we/tele it not. cumbateof te7cations, which giueth occafion vnto Satan of fuggefling into his mind a dangerous tentation. Thou braggeft much (will he fay) ofthy faith,and thou confirme{l this thy perfArafion,that thou art indued therewith with ma- ny figncs and fruits which haue accompanied it; but ifnow thou examinethy felfe aright, thoufhalt find in thee -no fuch matter ; andnot to {land vpon other argument -s, I appeale vnto the teftimonie of thine ovine .confcience, whether at this prefent thou hall. any fenfe or liuelie feeling of faith,or cant} .difcerne thofe . fruits thereof which -before thou hall, fpokenof; ifnot, then doenot flatter thy Idle invaine:with a fond perfwafion,for.though thou wilt not beleeuemee,yet! at lean belecuethine ovine fenfe and feeling, whichplainelie telleththee,that either thou neuer haddeft any true faith in- deed,orifthou haddeft, yet that now it is quite left and pe- rifhed. For the anfwering ofv.hich tentation wee mull diffin--Thean!z,:.;ere- guilh betweene the habit offaith, and the a&of faith ;orbe- 16 fomer` tweene faith it felfand thework and funelion thercef,which ,tentaù,ts isto apprehend and apply Chrifts merits and Gods mercie- and louing fauour,with all the gratious promi;ës oftheGof , pell; asit is anhabitual' facultie ofthe mind, it alwaics con-- tin ueth 8&: abidethin Gods children,after it is once wrought in them by the fpirit -ofGod -; but in refpe&of the fun&ion: b.rvvorke thereofit bathmany intermiflions, and .often-, -- titxut.
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