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Of the Victory of Grace over Nature.

hide those things that are worthy of admiration and praise, and from everything to seek profitable fruit, and the praise and honour of God.

She will not have herself publicly praised, but desireth that God should be blessed in His gifts, because that of mere love He bestoweth all things.

8. This grace is a supernatural light, and a certain special gift of God, and the proper mark of the elect, and a pledge of everlasting salvation.

It raiseth up a man from earthly things to love the things of heaven, and from being carnal maketh him a spiritual man.

The more therefore nature is depressed and subdued, so much the more is grace infused, and every day by new visitations the inward man is reformed anew according to the likeness of God.


CHAPTER LV.

OF THE CORRUPTION OF NATURE AND THE EFFICACY OF DIVINE GRACE.

O LORD my God, Who hast created me after Thine own likeness, grant me this grace, which Thou hast shewed to be so great and so necessary to salvation; that I may overcome my most evil nature, which draweth me to sin and to perdition.

For I feel in my flesh the law of sin contradicting the law of my mind, and leading me captive to the obeying of sensuality in many things; neither can I