Issas. II Ofthemawswhereby our f aithmlybeftréngthened. 539 maybe dearelybelouedofGod,and yet fora time apprehend nothing but his wrath and difpleafure; that hee may haue faith and affiance in God, yet at the fame time bee deprived ofall fenfe and feeling of his loue and fauour. And therefore whenwee are exercifed in the combate oftentations, it not Satan perfwade vs that wee are vtterly depriued ofthe loue and. favour ofGod, becaufe through theviolence ofhis ten- tations and grieuoufüefíe ofour affli&ions we donet appre- hend it;nor that we aredeflitute offaith,andall other fpiritu- all graces,becaufe wee doe not fenfiblydifcerne them in our feeding;for this path been the Elate of the deare children of God from the beginningofthe world andflail be to the end thereof. eilMesisommei CHAP. XLV. Ofthe t meanerwhereby ourfaith may be frengthenedand in creafed. ;Nd famuch concerning thofereafons whereby wemay prcuethatwe haue faith, and altoan- fwere Satans tentations, whereby hee labour reth to perfwade vs that we aredeíiitute there- of. The fecond meanes wherebywee may arme our felucsagainfi 'Satan and hisfuggeflions, is, that we moll carnally iiideuour after we haue found that wee haue foinefaith to incrcafe therein, and growvp fromfaith to faith vntill wee come to that fulneffe ofperfwafion which will bring fuck peaceofconfcienceas Satan, andall his ten- tations íhall notbe able to dif+urbe. Otherwife we fl:all bee continuallyfubiec to feares anddoubtings,and exceedingly fhaken with Satans tentations: and in truth not without caufe,ifwee +and iüll at a flay; for howfoeuer Satan and all thepower ofhell cannot ptcuaile againfl the leaf+ meafure oftrue faith toquench and vtterly todefiroy it, yet this will bringno found comfort to thole' which refscôtented with this littlequantitie, and neuer labour after increafesbccaufe this is a íhreudprefuanption,that theirfaith is falfe and coim- terfaita 4.Sea. I. That all u ht.? are ittduec# vvitb true fairP,vfe the meanca where- by it may bee increafed,
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