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88

The

f

ate

of

the

queffion,a out the cent iintie

of

eleE1ion.

the

remifíion

ofour

owne

finne

and euerlafling

life in

par_

.titular.

And

becaufe

they cannot

but

confeffe,

that doubting

and

beleeuing,

in themfelues are oppofed one againfl another;

they teach,

that

their faith

is

affured

of

Gods

mercie

and

Chrias

merits,

as

in

themfelues

infinite and fufficient;

but

it

doubteth)

in

refpe&

of

our

vnworthineffe

and manifold

im-

perfe&ions)

to

applie

them

particularli.e

unto

our

felues

:

fo

that

when

we

looke

vpon

God

and Chriíl,

there

is caufe

of

firme affurance,

but

when

we

looke

vpon our

felues,there

is

nothing_but matter

of

doubting.

There

is

indeed

fome place

left to their flaggering hope,

but

none

to

affurance

offaith

as

thoughaour

faith

were

grounded

on our owne worthines,

and not

vpon

Gods

free

mercie and

Chrif+s

merits; and

as

.

though

refli

ng vpon thefe

alone,

it

could

not

haue

certaine

affurance

ofour

el

e&ion and faluation,

notwithfianding

our

vnworthineffe and corruptions. But let

vs

arme

our

felues

a-

,gainfl

this

their

do&rive,

which containeth nothing

els

but

principles whereupon

Satan may

ground

his

temptations,

whereby

he

perfwadeth

vs

firfl

to doubting,

and afterwards

to

defpairing

ofour

elelion

and

faluation; for when

the

troubled

confcience

hath no other

affurance

of

Gods

loue

and

his

owne

ele

&ion,

but that

which

is

gathered from his

owne worth

ineffe

and

works, he

flill

doubteth whether yet

he be

worthie,or

haue

fulfilled

the

meafure

ofworkes

requi-

red;and then

further examining

himfelfe

to

cleare

his

doubt,

and

finding

his

bell

works exceeding

imperfea,and

that

his

fins

and corruptions

are

innumerable, then

is

his

confcience

fet vpon the racke,and

his foule

plunged into

deepe defpaire,

hauing no other

flay

but

the broken

!Jaffe

of

his owne

nigh_

teoufheffe,which

moll

deceiueth him

when

he

moil trufleth

to

it.

4.Se3.3.

And that

wee may bee confirmed

againfi

Satans

tempta-

Tbepeintsto

tions,

and.

the fubtilifophiflrie

of

thefe his

Do&ors,I

will

be

cenfidcred

handle this

point

at

large, and

will plainelie

proue,

fira,that

of

in

this

con-

the child

ofGod

being

conuerted,

iuflified

and fanaified,

treuerf¡iie.

may be certainelie affured

ofhis

particular

ele&ion,and that

without

any

fpeciall

reuelation after

an ordinarie

m

annly.