her Beloved inquire of the watchmen the Ministers of the Gospel where and how to find what he seeketh and followeth Christ by earnest prayer as the woman of Canaan did untill he obtaine his suit and he must not rest satisfied with the beginnings thereof but still labour for increase The Scripture speaks of assurance and full assurance of hope of assurance and sull assurancâ— of faith of the riches of full assurance of understanding and of great boldnesse in the faith to be attained in this life and this the Apostle prayed for for the Ephesians and laboured to beget in the Colossians as appears by the forecited place and this the Scripture exhorts all Christians to labour for and saith That he that doth these things shall never fall but an entrance shall be ministred unto him abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ which one would think were argument enough to perswade any Immortall soul to seek after it Thus of the second rule propounded for the getting of assurance The third is this He that would get assurance of the Love of God must work by the help of the Spirit of God who searcheth all things yea the deep things of God as the Scripture saith And beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God the Word cannot without the Spirit the Spirit will not without the Word assure us oâ— eternall happinesse therefore he that would get assurance must work by the help of the Spirit he must try himself and his graces by the Word through the help of the Spirit In the fourth place He that would get assurance must carefully avoid all the hinderances thereof in the generall he must shun and avoid all sinne more especially these sinnes Ignorance Atheisme Prophannesse and Hypocrisie Vnbelief and Impenitency Erronious Opinions Presumption and Desperation neglect of the meanes of Grace formall Vse of them and Rebellion against them strangnesse with God and Iesus Christ. Fifthly He that would get assurance must labour for all those qualifications and graces which may render him capable â—f it and which God usually imparts this blessing to First he must become a new Bottle I mean a new Creature for assurance is new wine and Christ will not put it into an old Bottle for it would burst the Bottle Labour therefore for grace trush of grace every renewing grace But more especially these graces Knowledg Faith Sincerity Heart-humility Contritition accompanied with Convertion and new Obedience Assurance will not dwell in an Ignorant Vnbelieving Hypocriticall Heart therefore he that would attain it must labour for those graces which are contrary to these vices God dwels as a reviver in the heart of the humble and contrite sinner He revives the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite ones Iesus Christ puts the strongest wine in broken Bottles I do not say into old but into broken Bottles he binds up the broken hearted He therefore that would get assurance must labour for an humble and broken heart A wise father will not assure a prodigall and disobedient Child of his inheritance while he continueth such no more will our Heavenly Father He therefore that would get assurance of inheritance with the Saints in light must come home to his Heavenly Father with a submissive and obedient heart with a heart obedient unto all his Heavenly Fathers Will. It is not every one that hath truth of grace that attains assurance but he that hatâ— truth of grace and strength of grace true faith and strong faith Therefore in the second place labour for strength of grace strength of faith and every other grace It is not every one that hath truth of grace and strength of grace that attains to assurance but he that hath grace and knows that he hath it Therefore if thou wouldest attain assurance labour to know the grace of God in thee In the third place Labour to know that thou haâ—â— grace that thou hast a true justifying faith that thou hast sincerity c. Grace in Gods Children is many times hidden from themselves and that is the reason why they reap so little comfort of it so little evidence by iâ— they do not know that they have received an earnest penny of God they do not know Gods ingagements of himself unto them Therefore if thou wouldest get assurance try and prove all thy graces whether they be true and reall Evangelical and renewing yea or nay especially these graces Faith Lovâ— Repentance Obedience Poverty of Spirit Sincerity c. that thou maist know thou hast truth of saving grace such grace as is crowned with glory and pray to God for sensâ— of grace Fourthly Get Righteousnesse Evangelicall Righteousnesse Righteousnesse of Iustification and Righteousnesse of Sanctification Assurance is an effect of Righteousnesse though not an inseparable concomitant of it The work of Righteousnesse shall be peace and the effect of Rrighteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for ever Labour therefore to get Christs Merit for thy Iustification and Christs Spirit for thy Sanctification Fifthly Labour to beleeve as if there were no law to condemn thee and to live as if there were no Christ to save theâ— Labour to beleeve stedfastly and walk exactly with God and Man When Stephen beheld the glory of God The Text saith He looked up stedfastly into Heaven and it 's certain that though a weak faith may bring a man to Heaven and glory yet it will not bring a man to behold the glory of God whilst he is here below it will not bring him to the riches of full assurance therefore if thou wouldest attain this labour for a strong and stedfast Faith joyned with a holy life These qualifications he must labour for that desires assurance Sixtly he that would get assurance must deny himself in point of finne and in point of righteousnesse First he must deny himself in point of sinne he must not spare a right hand nor a right eye but if it offend cut it off pluck it out as Christ speaks he must deny himself in his darling finne he must not allow himself in any one known finne nor in the omission of any one known duty towards God or towards man want in this is that which Satan usually makes his great battering Ingen to overthrow if it were possible the Faith and Hope of Gods Elect and that whereby he hinders them from getting or keeping this rich jewell of Evidence Allowance of sinne and assurance cannot stand together they are as contrary as fire and water the one will out the other Therefore he that would get assurance must deny himself in point of sinne Secondly He must deny himself in point of righteousnesse he must renounce all his own righteousnesse in point of justification before God and count them all losse and drosse and dung and build upon a sure Foundation viz. the Rock Christ. He
to the Congregation of Alderman-bury And one who for these Thirty years by reason of an affliction lying upon her hath been in a great measure deprived of those publique spirituall helps which others enjoy and also of those private helps which good Christians do or might partake of by the Communion of Saints This makes good that Text of Scripture Out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings thou hast perfected praise And that other That the strength of God is made perfect in weaknesse Church History tels us of a Captive Woman whom God made instrumentall to convert the whole Nation of the Iberians to the Christian Faith And the Book of God tels us of Priscilla who was made able by grace to expound the way of God more perfectly unto Apollo himself an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures And that she and her Husband Aquila were helpers in Christ Iesus unto Saint Paul and that for his life they laid down their necks Much is spoken by the same Apostle in commendation of divers Women I hope no man will contemn this Book because written by a Woman but rather admire the goodnesse love and power of God who is able to do such great things by such weak instruments No man will refuse pearls or precious stones though handed to him by the Female Sex It is her great desire that her Name may be concealed All that I will say of her is That she is a precious Iewell though in a contemptible Box and a very great ornament to the Congregation of which she is a Member If any reap any spirituall advantage by reading of this Book she hath obtained the hight of her ambition onely she craves their Prayers that God would blesse her and hers that the lesse help she hath from men the more she may have from God and the incomes of his holy Spirit that though she wants an outward eare to hear the voice of Gods Ministers speaking to her outward man yet she may have an inward ear to hear God speaking to her soul words of everlasting consolation And this is also the Prayer of Thy Servant in the work of the Ministery Edmund Calamy THE PREFACE Christian Reader ASsurance well-grounded assurance of the Love of God and a mans own salvation is a thing much to be desired and laboured for by all that have immortall souls But a thing industriously sought after by few and attained by fewer The most people in the world trouble their heads little about it and their hearts lesse know not what it is nor how to go to worke to attain it some think it is impossible to attain it others seek not after it some desire it but cannot acquire it others enjoy it but do not impart it hence it comes to passe that few reap the comfort of it I think it not amisse therefore to speake somewhat of it seeing it is a thing without which we can neither live nor diâ— with sound comfort in our souls much lâ—sse trâ—umph over dâ—ath the King of terrours I shall here in the first place premise three thingâ— or lay dowâ— three conclusions and for brevity sake I will only name them the first is this The first That there are some that are chosen to salvation predestinate elect oâ—dained to eternal life beloved with an everlasting love vessels of mercy prepared unto glory before the world began and kept by the mighty power of God unto salvation and all these shall be certainly saved and glorified The Second That it is possible for a Child of God in this life to attain some good assurance and true evidence that he is of this number The third That it is the duty of every Christian to labour for assurance of the Love of God and his own salvation But here the great question will be How shall I do this How shall I go to work to attain this precious jewel of assurance which you speak of This question the ensuing discourse tends to the resolution of therefore I will here only lay down some rules to be followed by every one that desires to attain some good assurance or Evidence for Heaven while he is here First He that would obtain this precious jewel and invaluable treasure of good assurance must ask it he must ask it of him who hath said ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full He that purchased Heaven for us purchased the Evidences of Heaven also but he doth not alwayes commit them to the heirs custody Christ doth not alwayes deliver the Evidence and the â—nowledg of it with the right and title to Heaven Nay he doth many times withhold the Evidence of Heaven from those to whom he gives rigâ—t and title to Heaven for speciall reasons therefore for this Christ must be sought unto injuired of as the Scripture speaks A plain Jacob by much wrestling with God may obtain some good evidence of his favour as well as an eloquent Orator or a learned Clark Therefore if thou wouldest obtain some good Evidence for Heaven and a happy eternity then go to God with the Language of Abraham Gen. 15.8 when God had told Abraham he would give the land of Canaan to his posterity Abraham beleeved God he beleeved Gods promise should be made good yet desires to be further confirmed in this and therefore saith Lord God whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it So say thou to the Lord respecting that land above of which Canaan was a type Lord God whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it Say to God as Tamar said to Judah Give me a pledg of thy promise untill thou performest it say to God as Rahab said to the spies Give me a true token give me the earnest of the Spirit give me some grace that may assurs me of glory and open my eyes to see this grace bestowed on me give me the blessing of Joseph who was able to say I feare God give me the blessing of Paul who was able to say I know whom I have beleeved and put thâ—se promises in suit Isai. 32.17 Joh. 14.20 Secondly He that would get this precious jewel of assurance must seek it he must seek it where it is to be found and as it is to be soughâ— after 1. He must seek it where it is to be found seek it in Iesus Christ and Vnion with him and seek Iesus Christ and the demonstrations of Vnion with him in the Word of God in all the Ordinance of God and duties of a Christian and in the Work of God in and upon himself He that will conclude according to truth about his spirituall and eternall estate must diligently try himself and his graces by the truth to wit the Word of God which is the only true touchstone we have to try our selves by The heart is deceitfull above all things and despeperately wicked Who can know it There is nothing in
action Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes c. How faire is thy Love my Sister my Spouse how much better is thy Love then Wine c. Cant. 4.9 10. I conclude this therefore with the saying of a worthy man A Christians affection is his perfection in this fraile condition The final cause of cordial Obedience is the Glory of God He that cordially obeys the Will of God propoundeth the pleasing of God and the glory of his Name for his direct chief and ultimate end in all that he doth in way of Obedience according to the direction of the Holy Ghost by the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.31 And these two the efficient and the end denominate the action 1. The properties of cordial Obedience are these Cordial Obedience is free and willing Obedience voluntary and not forced To whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are saith the Apostle Rom. 6.16 It is willingnesse in Obedience that is the beauty of Obedience and that which God chiefly looks to in Obedience If you be willing and Obedient or willingly obedient then so and so ye shall eat the good of the Land Isai. 1.19 If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that which a man hath not according to that he hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 If I do this thing willingly I have a reward 1 Cor. 9.17 By all these places it is evident That cordial Obedience is willing Obedience This was that which rendered Abraham's Obedience so lovely in the eye of God he rose early to go about the offering up of Isaac which shews he did it willingly He whose Obedience springs from Love to God hath his heart first warmed with the sense of Gods Love to him and he that aims principally at the glory of God in his Obedience hath his heart humbled when he hath done the best that he can for that he cannot bring more glory to God and hence it comes to pass that he is willing and ready to obey He consents to obey and that without grudging or repining even when he comes short of doing what he desires to do What I would that do I not saith a cordial server of Christ. 2. Cordial Obedience is universal Obedience and that both in respect of the Subject and in respect of the Object it is yielded of the whole man to the whole Will of God the soul according to all the powers and faculties thereof is only and wholly for Christ in its scope and bent the understanding the will and the affections are in their scope and bent only and wholly for Christ therefore saith the Apostle of such as were cordial servers of Christ Ye have obeyed from the heart c. Rom. 6.17 The body and all its members are yielded up wholly and only to Christ to the service of Christ for the magnifying of Christ shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot saith the cordial server of Christ God forbid 1 Cor. 6.15 God requires the whole man soul and body to be wholly yielded up unto him unto his use and service in Obedience Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods saith the Text 1 Cor. 6.20 God requires soul and body to wit the whole man to be wholly yielded up unto him unto his use and service in Obedience in obeying all his revealed will touching beleeving doing and suffering Take diligent heed to do the Commandement and the Law which Moses the Servant of the Lord commanded you to Love the Lord your God and walk in all his wayes and to keep his Commandements and to cleave unto him and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul Josh. 22.5 And again Exo 23. ver 20 and 22. Behold I send an Angel before thee if thou shalt indeed obey his voice in all that I speak then I will be an enemy unto thy enemies c. saith the Lord. Go ye and teach all Nations saith Christ to his Apostles What should they teach them Why teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Mat. 28.19 20. The Apostle useth the like phrase 2 Cor. 2.9 where he cals for Obedience in all things Here is universal Obedience unto the whole Will of God required in the whole man and he that cordially obeys the Will of God obeys according to this Rule of God to wit universally He yeelds up his whole man to the Obedience of the whole Will of the Lord without picking and chusing in the wayes of God without reservation or exception or desire of dispensation However he failes in his Obedience and comes short of what he ought to do and desires to do yet he determines not to reserve any part of himself from Christ nor to stand out against any part of his holy Will but hath his heart and mind ready prest to obey every of his Commandements which he knows as well as any the least as well as the greatest and the greatest as well as the least He thinks not tithing of Mint and Comin too small a precept to make conscience of nor a right hand nor a right eye nor an only Isaac nor Life it self or whatsoever may indeare it unto him too much to sacrifice when Christ shall call for it at his hands He resolves to obey those precepts which cross his corrupt nature most and the sinne of his constitution as well as those which it can better brook He resolves to obey both Law and Gospel in every precept Negative and Positive to his utmost power his Obedience is of as great a latitude as the whole Will of God He hath respect unto all Gods Commandements as the Psalmist speaketh 3. Cordial Obedience is conscionable Obedience He that cordially obeys the Will of God obeys not out of by respects but for conscience sake Conscience of duty leades him to the performance of duty so that he as of sincerity as of God in the sight of God obeys the will of God as the Apostles phrase is 2 Cor. 2.17 He that obeys the Will of God out of love to God and conscience of duty esteems all Gods precepts concerning all things to be right and hates every false way one as well as another even vain thoughts he consents to the whole will of God that it is good and delights in the whole Will of God after the inward man and with the mind serves the Law of God even when the flesh is captivated by the Law of sinne His heart inclineth to perform the Statutes of the Lord alwayes even unto the end and he wisheth that his wayes were so directed that he might keep all the Statutes of his God The Will of his God is deare unto him above all things Above Silver and Gold Above necessary food Above Life and all the
compassion on soul and body when he beheld Ierusalem and thought on her sinne and sufferings he pittied her prayed for her admonished her and wept over her Luke 19.41 42. All which were reall testimonies of his compassionate Spirit and the Texts in the Magin illustrate this 5. Christ was of a holy and Heavenly Spirit He was holy saith the Author to the Hebrews his Spirit is called a holy Spirit Eph. 4.30 Christs Spirit was Heavenly he was all for the things of the other World his thoughts words and works all steered their course thither-wards which evidently declared his Heavenly Spirit 6. Christ was of a publique and industrious Spirit He sought not his own but our good when on Earth he was still doing good to soul or body Mat. 4.23 He minded not himself his own ends or ease but his Fathers businesse and that he followed industriously as appears by Luk. 2.46 49. compared with Ioh. 4.34 which plainly shews he had a publique and industrious Spirit 7. Christ was of a soft and flexible Spirit he had a Spirit pliable to all his Fathers Will a Spirit easie to be intreated a sympathizing Spirit In all their afflictions he was afflicted saith the Prophet Isai. 63.9 he had a broken and a contrite Spirit a Spirit broken with sorrow for our sinnes all which were reall testimonies of his soft and flexible Spirit 8. Christ was of a lively Spirit and of a descerning Spirit he had a Spirit directly opposite to that Spirit spoken of Isai. 29.10 he had a spirit spiritually alive hence it was that he was of quick understanding in the feare of the Lord as the Prophet speaks Isa. 11.3 9. Christ was of a patient Spirit he had a Spirit slow to anger and long suffering he took all patiently from God and Man without repining in heart or tongue He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth saith the Prophet c. Isa. 53.7 When he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not 1 Pet. 2.23 These were reall testimonies of his patient Spirit 10. Christ was of a loving Spirit even towards his very enemies he prayed for his enemies Luk. 23.34 died for his enemies Rom. 5.10 and all this out of love to them which was a reall testimony of his loving Spirit 11. Christ was of a Praying Spirit he spent much time in Prayer as the Evangelists shew with much delight and industry as appears by Mar. 1.35 Mat. 14.23 Luk. 6.12 Ioh. 17. chap. which shews he was of a praying Spirit 12. Christ was of an obeying Spirit of a self-denying Spirit he denied his own Will as man to do his Fathers Will as appears by Luk. 12.14 compared with Ioh. 5.30 The last words Matth. 26.39 Phil. 2.8 By all which it is evident That Christ was of an obeying Spirit 13. Christ was of a thankfull Spirit that which was matter of joy to him he made matter of praise and thanksgiving to his Father as appears by Matth. 11.25 Mar. 6.41 Christ had a Spirit thankfull to God and thankfull to man whatever kindnesse was shewed unto him returned upon the head of the doer with abundant recompence and this lively domonstrates his thankfull Spirit 14. Christ had a Spirit delighted in the exercise of all Gods Ordinances and all holy duties as his frequent exercise therein and exhortation thereunto do fully evince he was still ready to take every opportunity to instruct the people as appears by Mat. 5.1 Mar. 2.2 6.34 Luk. 5.1 3. and he exhorted his Disciples to duty Mat. 9. ult By which it is evident that his Spirit was delighted therewith 15. Christ was of a world contemning Spirit as his Birth Life and Death did fully declare and evince for in all these he shewed his contempt of the World both in the good and evill of it 16. Christ was not of a time-serving but of a God-glorifying Spirit He sought not his own but his Fathers glory in all times and things as his own Language Ioh. 12.28 17.4 shews Christ sought his Fathers glory in all things and above all things which evidently declares he had a God-glorifying Spirit 17. Christ was of a faithfull Spirit he was faithfull to God in all things He was faithfull to him that appointed him saith the Author to the Hebrews Heb. 3.2 He was a faithfull High-Priest He is called Faithfull and true Rev. 19.11 The faithfull and true witnesse Rev. 3.14 By all which is evident that Christ was of a faithfull Spirit 18. Christ had an elivated Spirit his Spirit was raised above the World and the things of the World his Spirit did sore aloft and solace it self in the things of the other world it did solace it self in God in what he did injoy in God before he left the bosome of his Father and what he should injoy with him again when he had finished the work which his Father gave him to do This is evident by the Language of Christ Ioh. 17.5 and by that which is spoken of him Heb. 12.2 19. Christ was of a stable Spirit he did not stagger in Spirit or reel up and down from one opinion to another but his Spirit was stedfast with God and unmoveable in calmes and in storms He was yesterday and to day and the same for ever How variable soever the world was in their opinion of him yet he was still the same as appears Heb. 13.8 Which evidently demonstrates his Spirit was stedfast with God 20. In fine Christ had a Spirit full of all Divine excellency and beauty he had a Spirit of Wisdome and Vnderstanding a Spirit of Counsell and Might a Spirit of Knowledge and of the feare of the Lord a Spirit indued with all Divine excellency as the Prophet shews Isa. 11.2 All these qualifications were in the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ and he that is joyned unto the Lord he that is ingrafted into Christ and made new by him is one Spirit with him He that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit saith this Text. Here note That this Text doth not say that he that is joyned unto the Lord is equal with him but that he that is joyned unto the Lord is one with him He that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit Christ and he that is joyned unto him are one in spirit The particulars fore-mentioned shew what Spirit the Lord Jesus Christ was of and this Text tels us what spirit he that is one with Christ is of what spirit a new Creature is of He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit he is one spirit with the Lord. As face answers face in water so doth the heart of man to man saith Solomon As a Picture answers to the Life so doth the Spirit of a new Creature answer to the Spirit of Christ saith the Text He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit Wouldest thou then know thy self and thy
a grace which keeps a man quiet within when all things are troublous and very unquiet without it is a grace which possesses a man of himself when dispossessed of all earthly comforts it is a speciall work of the Spirit of God in the soul enabling a man not stupidly but quietly to bear whatsoever God lays upon him without feeling murmuring or repining against God or man in heart or in tongue or fainting under his chastising hand When it is thus with a sufferer for Christ then may he be said to suffer according to the will of Christ in this particular to wit patiently 4. Christ requires joy in sufferers for his will Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations Rejoyce and be exceeding glad saith Christ. Rejoyce in that day and leap for joy It is divine joy or the joy of grace that Christ here calls for in sufferers for his will it is that joy which Nehemiah calls The joy of the Lord. And this is a holy passion of the soul issuing out of the apprehension of what Christ hath done for it and will do for it reviving elevating and strengthening the soul and carrying it above it self It is a wing grace which whiles the soul is actually possessed of is thereby carried above it self above the world and above Satan Faith and joy are the two wings of the soul which bear it up both in doing and suffering If either of these be câ—ipt the soul is much hindered thereby and exposed to many dangers Joy as all other graces of the Spirit hath different degrees in different times and subjects and is usually greatest in the greatest sufferers and sufferings for Christ. When a man is spoiled in his estate spoiled in his good name spoiled in his body or any thing respecting the preservation or felicity of this life for his faithfullness to the word and will of Christ and yet with the good Prophet Rejoyces in the Lord and joys in the God of his salvation then may he be said to suffer joyfully then may he be said to suffer according to the will of Christ in this particular 5. Christ in his Word calls for courage in sufferers for his will the will of Christ is that he that suffers for a good cause should not be ashamed of his cause nor of his sufferings If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed Be not thou ashamed of the testimony of the Lord nor of me his prisoner saith Paul to Timothy The will of Christ is That he that suffers for his will should not be afraid If ye suffer for righteousness sake happy are ye and be not afraid of their terrour nor be troubled Fear them not saith Christ thrice in one Chapter Fear noâ— them that kill the body but are not able to kill the soul Phil. 1.28 Christ compares his Church to a company of horses in Pharaohs Chariots which in all probability were the best in Egypt and like to the war-horse which the Lord describes to Iob Job 39. very couragious in the hottest battell Christ by this metaphor hints unto us That his will is that we should be very bold and couragious in whatsoever we do or suffer for his sake and that he expects it at our hands his will is that we should be like a company of horses in Pharaohs Chariots full of spirits and courage in doing and suffering and not like a company of Jades in a Dung-Cart spiritless and unfit to bear any thing for his sake It is Christian-courage that Christ requires in sufferers for his will Christian courage is a grace of the â—pirit whereby a man resolves through the help and assistance of Jesus Christ to cleave close to his word and will and boldly to stand for it mauger all opposition and chuses rather to suffer any thing than omit any thing or commit any thing that should derogate from the honour of Christ. A man doth then declare Christian courage when he is not ashamed nor afraid to own a good cause or appear in it because of suffering when he can suffer for the Gospel or any Ordinance of God and truly say with the Apostle Though I suffer these things neverthelâ—ss I am not ashamed I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ nor of the cause of God And when with the three Children he slights the torment and the tormentor resolving in the strength of Christ to do his duty whatsoever he suffer for it and to cleave close to the word and will of Christ whether deliverance or no deliverance arise here when he is more afraid to displease God than man when he is more afraid of losing things spiritual and eternal than of losing things temporal when he chooses to suffer rather than sinne when he endureth the Cross and despiseth the shame when he refuseth base deliverance and yeeldeth his body rather than his cause his cause being good into a Tyrants hand When a sufferer for a good cause doth thus declare his courage he declares it in a high degree and suffers according to the will of Christ in this particular 6. Christ in his Word requires perseverance unto the end in suffering for his will and it is unto the persevering sufferer that this great reward of reigning with Christ is promised Be thou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee the Crown of life He that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved Christian perseverance is a conftant holding out in the Truth to the last breath in the belief love profession and practice of the Truth And this he may be said to do that doth never totally nor finally apostatize from the Truth once received It is possible for one that perseveres in suffering at some time and in some kind and measure to desist from his former forwardness through strong temptations and humane frailty witness Peter who through fear denied his Master and forsware him and yet did after suffer for him 7. The will of Christ is That he that suffers for his will wrongfully should do it for conscience sake For conscience towards God conscience of his duty should be the principall motive inducing him to suffer I do not say the only but the principall motive A man may then be said to suffer for conscience towards God when conscience of his duty is the thing that puts him upon suffering when he to avoid sinne or performe duty exposes himself to suffering when he out of scruple in conscience of the lawfullness or unlawfullness of a thing commanded or forbidden by Authority refuseth it and chooses rather to suffer in his outward man than to baffle his conscience or displease God by rebelling against lawfull Authority which is Gods Ordinance He that doth thus suffer doth suffer for conscience towards God and according to the will of Christ in this particular 8.