54a Ofthe meaniswhereby ourfaithmay be f rengthened. ncí%,fo Iwill with.all my power refill Satan whenhefeeketh to loademe with.this loade ofdclperation,as being far more innol7ler,able;heretofore I haue difhonouredGodby my fins, but now I wil give him glory inbeleeuing andacknowledg- inghis infinit mercie,goodneíl"e,iufliceand truth in his pro mjfes;and feeing by my fins,I haue crucified the Lordoflife, hv<<àll not ad hereunto this outragions wvickednes,to tram ple, his pretious bloodvnder my filthy feet, as a thing vnholy and ofnoworth, neither will I throughmyvnbeleefe,make it tobe fpilt invaine-; but nowwith all care andconfcience I will gather it vp as a aloft preciousbalme, and with thehand- of-faith applie it to thofe griellie gafhes and dupewounds which finne hathmade inmy fouleand confcience, andwith this fpirituall lauer I will wafh mypolluted foute, till it bee throughly purged from all vncleannef c. And feeing I hane depriuedmy fouleofthat inherent righteoufnes,,wherewith- it was indued bycreation,now I will applie thereunto afarre more excellent righteoufneffe by the hand offaith, euen the righteoufneffeofIefus Chrift Godandman, wherewith be- in adorned, Imayboldlie offer myfelfe into the prefence ofmy heauenly father,and receiue the bleffing ofeuerlafting, happineffe. .Se51. 6. Laftlie, weare to confider;that as defperation is a finne That defpera- it own nature moil grieuous,fo alto it is vnto our feluesaloft ríon is a; rixe pernicious: -for whereas other Pinnes makevs worthie of the .y, íooft perni- torments ofhell andeternal' condemnation, this as it abouti, x, all the reft intitieth vs unto the right ofthis helii% inheri- tance,fo alto it entreth vs into the moll certaine andprefent poffeffion thereofeuenwhilefl wee liue vpon theearth. For what are the torments of a defpairing confcience, but the flafhings ofhell fire ? and what are their blafphemies which they vtter againft God, and their impatient curlings oftheir accurfed felues, but theyelling cries ofdamned foules ? And therefore ifwee would not caf+ our felues into the iawes of hell,ifwe would not whileft wee liuebeginne todie an euer- Iafling death,letvsin no cafe fullerour felues tobe plunged with theviolence ofSatans tentations into thisbottomlee ofvtter defperation. Yea,
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