CON. 3. The assurance of our saluation is many times accompanied with feares doubts which doe perplex the soule of the most righteous EXPLA. The true worke of Faith is to assure vs of Gods loue and to enioy that comfort without let to cherish the same and resist the contrary but the weaknesse of our faith and strength of corruption is such that we doe not alwayes attaine these but as in the practice of good actions we sometime reioyce and finding great infirmity in sinning wee mourne for them such change by turnes are in the most regenerate so in faith wherein we receiue a Testimony of Gods loue there is a change because we apprehend not this assurance immediatly as a principle but by collection or conclusiō so the alteration is in apprehēding of the premises wherupon the cōclusiō arose for Gods promises and effects of grace appeare not alwayes the same yea sometimes contrarie CON. 4. The seedes of vnbeliefe are naturally sowne in vs which euer casteth vp obiections EXPLA. Our heart by nature is full of mire dirt which trouble the springs of the water of life and therefore the dayes of faith are like the dayes of the yeere some faire some foule some times in hell as it were sometimes mounted to heauen some times triumphing sometimes striuing euer counting what it hath felt striuing to the same again euer in feares running vnto God expecting better seeing a glimpse of light in darknesse of hope in despaire of comfort in distresse of life in death of heauen in hell and if they lose the sight hereof yet recouered it soone againe CON. 5. Often God leaues vs to our selues that wee may take the faster hold when we returne againe EXPLA. The taste of loue is the sweeter and the ioy the larger when we come to it out of the flouds of tentations For afflictions brings forth patience and patience experiēce and experience hope while by this meanes the loue of God is spred abroad in our hearts by the holy Spirit which is giuen vs the more trees on the tops of hils are blasted the deeper roote they take CON. 6. True faith euer giueth assurance which is the greater by how much our faith is the greater and weakenesse of our assurance argueth the weakenesse of faith EXPLA. Euen in the true faith there is degrees for there is variety of gifts which how little soeuer it be yet is able to saue vs that thou mayst learne what it is whereunto thou art to striue reioycing in that thou hast atttained to already and to pray for that which is behinde that God would increase thy faith feeling of imperfections is the common frailety of all Gods children and faith that it may bee strong must haue time to grow and haply seemeth weake to thee when it is strong to God For the ioy of the faithfull is as a garden enclosed CON. 7. As faith is by hearing so it is ordinarily increased by preaching whereunto the weake beleeuer must attend EXPLA. Preachers are Proclamators which teach euery beleeuer their interrest in the matters of saluation which apprehend the promises vpon conscience of their owne repentance and faith for where the seede shall grow there it shall bring forth the fruite of faith and it shall bring forth eternall life for this assurance is giuen by the mouth of the Minister by the word of Christ which the faith of the hearer apprehendeth the man warmeth the bed the bed warmeth him euery man hath not accesse to the priuy seale but by the imprint there of in waxe he knoweth it to be the priuy Seale CON. 8. It is the Lord that giueth a heart to heare the voyce of Christ deliuered by the minister out of the Gospell EXPLA. My owne heart could neuer minister comfort vnto mee which is deceitfull aboue all things and is rather cast downe with acknowledgement of misery and therefore wee must dicerne betwixt the true assurance of the heart from carnall presumption floating fancies swimming in the head for true assurance is accompanied with the Spirit of grace and prayer by which the heart is conformed to the voyce of God with ioyfull acceptance and affectionate desire of that which is vttered thereby which is the fruite of the spirit of adoption which beareth witnesse vnto our spirit that wee are the sonnes of God and beareth record that God hath giuen vs eternall life for he is God that doth neitherly nor change whose foundation is sure for hee knoweth them that are his CON. 9. Thou mayst be assured of the perpetuity of thy faith for God will not forsake the worke which hee hath begunne EXPLA. The reason is because that he who beleeues in Christ shall neuer be confounded and his sheepe shall neuer perish but he will giue them eternall life and although the godly oft times fall yet God is faithfull in his promise to them I will put my feare in their hearts and they shall not depart frō me resting in this that they not onely apprehend Christ but much more that they are apprehended of Christ and not that they know God onely but that they are knowne of him for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance so that whether they liue or die they are the Lords for nothing can separate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus and therefore doe they boldly say thy louing kindnesse and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life and I shall dwell in the house of God for euer CON. 10 Faith taketh hold of the particular apprehension as to beleeue that God is my God my life peace strength deliuerance and my saluation EXPLA. We must not beleeue only that he is these things in himselfe but that hee is indeed the same to vs for because God is ours whatsoeuer is his is ours for vs and for our vse his mercy his power his prouidence to watch ouer vs both in life and death for by couenant hee bound himselfe to the heires of promise I will bee their God and they shall be my people and againe Loe this is our God and wee haue wayted for him and hee will heare vs we will reioyce and be ioyfull in his saluation for that Christ hath already done for thee is a greater matter then that he promised so thou beleeue not onely that thy sin may forgiuen thee by his mercy which is a beginning or foundation of Christ but also that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee CON. 11. Faith is the fountaine of our loue towards God for while wee beleeue he is so mercifull vnto vs it swalloweth vp our affections and draweth our loue to him EXPLA. The loue arising of faith so much felt in vs assureth vs that wee are beloued of God who loued vs first and therefore place we the confidence of our saluation in him onely to whom wee are vnited and
righteousnesse And all this is because wee should rest in full assurance of safety without feare or doubt because hee promised to preuent all occasions whence any feare should arise And so he deliuered them out of the hands of their enemies without feare and Christ died that he might deliuer them who for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage and now wee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare any more but the spirit of adoption to cry abba Father for God hath not giuen vs the spirit of feare but of power and of loue and of a sound minde for there is no greater bondage then that feare when we are vncertaine what shall become of vs but he said Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you the Kingdome Now that other commendable feare doth not shake assurance of saluation but the faithfull finding that in him doth gather the greater assurance to himselfe For the punishment of God is fearefull vnto him that dreades Gods iudgements abhorreth wicked courses laboureth in righteousnesse is strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and doe work their saluation with feare and trembling with humility and acknowledgement of their own frailety and neuer to commit themselues to themselues but to him who hath wrought all our workes for vs for by his owne might shall no man be strong Now there is difference betwixt absolute doubting weake assenting and interruption in assent with some feare for the seeds of all impiety land in the corruption of the heart whereby we are assaulted with doubt of the principall poynts of our beleefe the wisedome power iustice mercy of God yet do not wholly relinquish the assent thereof CON. 27. In application of our generall faith to particular occasions wee many times goe halting and lame and stagger somewhat at that whereof our faith should giue vs full assurance by the will of God EXPLA. Thus did Sarah cast doubt of Gods promise touching the hauing of a child who yet is said through faith to haue receiued strength to conceiue when she was past age because she iudged him faithfull that had promised Thus did Moses call in question the power of God as touching prouiding flesh for the people of Israel when God promised so to do So Dauid and Habacuck staggered as touching the prouidence of God and his care of the iust and righteous men So did the Disciples murmure concerning the Godhead of Christ and the hope of redemption by him which before they had imbraced surely when we look vnto our selues in our greatest perfections we are subiect to that amazed distraction as to say Who shall ascend into heauen as if Christ were not ascended to make way for vs and Who shall descend into the deepe as if Christ had not died to deliuer vs from thence we can neuer satisfie our selues how either to escape the one or to attaine the other CON. 28. They are not faithlesse which are weake in assenting to the truth EXPLA. As many as hold the foundation which is precious thogh they hold it but weakly and as it were with a slender thread although they frame many base and vnsutable things vpon it things that cannot abide the triall of fire yet shall they passe the fiery triall and be saued which indeed haue builded themselues vpon the Rocke which is the foundation of the Church CON. 29. The foundation of faith is not onely the generall ground whereupon we rest when wee beleeue the writings of the Prophets and Apostles but also it is the principall thing which is beleeued that is Christ. EXPLA. There is a foundation of our faith God manifested in the flesh iustified in the Spirit and this Thou art the Sonne of the liuing God thou art the King of Israel and that of the inhabitants of Samaria This is Christ the Sauiour of the world Which who directly doth deny doth vtterly rase the very foundation of faith for Christ in the worke of mans saluation is all without our workes for hee is that seede in whom all the Nations of the world shall be blessed and among men there is giuen no other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued other foundation can no man lay CON. 29. The holy Spirit in the very moment when first he is giuen of God bringeth with him infused vertues proper and peculiar to the Saincts of God EXPLA. There bee two kindes of christian righteousnesse the one without vs which wee haue by imputation the other in vs which consisteth of Faith Hope and Charity as Abraham had not onely the one because the things beleeued was imputed to him for righteousnesse but also the other because he offered vp his son They are both Gods gifts and the first by accepting vs for righteous in Christ and the second by working christian righteousnesse in vs by the spirit of adoption which we haue receiued into our hearts which maketh two kindes of sanctifying righteousnesse habituall and actuall CON. 30. The wicked haue not such faith as that wherewith a Christian man is iustified EXPLA. It is the Spirit of God which worketh faith in the Elect the things which they beleeue are not apprehended onely as true but also as good and that to vs as good they are not apprehended by the wicked as true they are The Christian the more hee increaseth in faith the more his ioy and comfort aboundeth but they the more sure they are of the truth the more they quake and tremble at it for the wicked doe rather wish that they might then thinke that they shall ceasse when they ceasse to liue because they hold it better that death should consume them into nothing then God reuiue them vnto punishment On the contrary to the Elect there is no grief nor torment greater then to feele their perswasion weake in things whereof when they are perswaded they reape such comfort and ioy of the Spirit CON. 31. Faith giueth vs the comfort of saluation because it beleeueth that which the word of God hath deliuered concerning them in whom the signes marks of our Election are found EXPLA. Faith giueth assurance of saluation by the Word of God not only by apprehending the promise of life and saluation but also obseruing such marks and tokens as the Word of God setteth down to discerne them vnto whom this saluation doth appertaine and therefore it doth not onely looke to that which Christ saith that whosoeuer beleeueth shall haue euerlasting life but because Christ also saith hee that is of God heareth Gods word therefore the faithful man delighteth in the word of God beleeueth concerning himselfe that he is of God because the Apostle saith Euery one that calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saued and this also doth the faithfull man vnfaignedly calling on the name of
the Son though it be for a moment hee ceaseth for that moment to haue life but the life of theÌ„ which haue the Sonne of God is euerlasting in the world to come and because as Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more power ouer him So the iustified man being allyed to God in Christ Iesus our Lord doth as necessarily from that time forward alwaies liue as Christ by whoÌ„ he hath life liueth alwayes for as long as that abideth in vs which animates quickneth and giueth life so long wee liue wee know that the cause of our faith abideth in vs for euer If Christ the fountaine of life may flit and leaue his inhabitation where once hee dwelled what shall become of his promise I am with you to the worlds end If the seede of God which containeth Christ may be first conceiued then cast out how doth hee terme it immortall How doth he affirme it abideth if the spirit which is giuen to cherish and preserue the seed of life may be giuen and taken away How is hee the earnest of our inheritance vntill redemption How doth he continue with vs for euer CON. 38. Wee are apt prone and ready to forsake God but God is not as ready to forsake vs. EXPLA. Our mindes are changeable so is not Gods For whoÌ„ God hath iustisied Christ hath assured it is his fathers will to giue them a Kingdome Notwithstanding it shall not be other wise giuen them then if they continue grounded and stablished in the faith and bee not mooued away from the hope of the Gospell if they abide in loue and holinesse Our Sauiour therefore when hee spake of the sheep effectually called and truely gathered into his fold I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hands in promising to saue them he promiseth no doubt to preserue them in that without which there can be no saluation as also from that whereby it is irreuokeably lost Euery error indeed in things appertaining to God is repugnant to faith euery fearefull cogitation vnto hope vnto loue euery stragling inordinate desire vnto holinesse euery blemish wherby either the inward thoghts of our mindes or outward actions of our liues are stained which by earnest repentance mercy doth restore to life againe in them whom sin had made the children of death But infidelity extreame despaire hatred of God and all goodnesse obduration in sin c. doth not stand where there is the least sparke of faith hope loue and sanctity euen as cold in the coldest degree cannot be where heate in the highest degree is found It is true no man liueth that sinnes not Yet the man that is borne of God hath a promise that the seed in him shal abide which seede is a sure preseruatiue against obstinate heresie and pining discouragement of the heart for greater and cleerer assurance we cannot haue of any thing then this that from such sins foresaid God shall preserue the righteous as the apple of his eye for euer for if the iustified erre as hee may and neuer come to vnderstand his errour God doth saue him through generall repeÌ„tance but if he fall into herisie hee calleth him at one time or other by actuall repentance but from infidelity which is an inward direct deniall of the foundation hee preserueth him by speciall prouidence for euer CON. 39. We must put a difference betwixt them that erre of ignorance retaining neuerthelesse a minde desirous to bee instructed in truth and them which after the truth is laid open persist in the stubborne defence of their blindnesse EXPLA. Heriticall defenders froward and stiste-necked teachers of circumcision the Apostle calleth dogs silly men who were seduced to thinke they thought the truth he pittied hee tooke vp in his armes hee louingly embraceth hee kisseth and with more then Fatherly tendernesse doth so temper and qualisie his speech he vseth toward theÌ„ that a man cannot easily discerne whether did most abound the loue which hee bare to their godly affection or the griefe which the danger of their opinion bred him Their opinion was dangerous Was not theirs also who thought the Kingdome of Christ was earthly Was not theirs who thought the Gospell only should bee preached vnto the Iewes What more opposite to prophetical doctrine coÌ„cerning the coÌ„ming of Christ theÌ„ the one concerning the catholike church then the other Yet beeing admonished found the mercy of God effectuall in conuerting them from their error So was there difference betwixt Pharisies And the Pharisies which beleeued Of the Galathians which were yet weak he saith You know God or rather are knowne of God how turne you againe to impotent rudâ—ments The Law engendreth seruants they which are gotten by the Gospell are free we are not children of the seruant but of the free woman and will ye bee vnder the Law Yet he saith if yee be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing as many as are iustified by the Law are fallen from grace and why Because they know that in grace and in Christ their saluation dothly and so their hearts shall tremble and quake within them he knoweth mans imbecillity he hath a feeling of our blindnesse and weakenesse how great it is CON. 40 Our saluation is not vpon vncertainty if wee doe thus or thus but God â—ramed vs to bee and to doe whatsoeuer belongeth to the attainement thereof EXPLA. The Spirit as he is the reuealer of the mystery of our election vnto vs so is he the earnest of the effect of Gods predestination by the gift whereof God giueth vnto vs the certaine assurance of all the rest that remaineth to be giuen for he is the pledge of the inheritance promised as a hand-writing or bond of assurance of euerlasting saluatioÌ„ making vs the temple and house of God being the worker of holinesse in vs that hee may bring our bodies to eternity and so the immortality of the Resurrection whilest in himselfe he accustomes them to bee tempered with heauenly vertue to bee accompanied with the diuine eternity of the holy Ghost And this earnest God neuer taketh backe againe because it is so the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the possession as that it is an earnest also that in the meane time God stablishes vs in Christ and that he hath created vs for this namely to clothe vs with immortality and eternall life for God giuing earnest for the assurance of the end doth thereby vndertake against all lets and impediments that should hinder the atchieuing of that that is earnested thereby and therefore the things present which thou hast attained already doe assure vnto thee those things that are yet to come CON. 41. If man depend vpon himselfe he hath iust cause to feare and doubt his own perseuerance EXPLA. The faithfull doe say with the
shined in the world yet to see his dayes as it were at an end and his enterprizes broken his carefull thoughts to bee so deepe grauen in his breast that they changed euen the day into night vnto him and al light that approched into darkenesse When his excellency was such aboue all creatures that the world was not worthy to giue him breath yet hee to bee made a worme and not a man a shame of men and contempt of the people all that saw him to haue him in derision and to shut vp his life in shame and reproches so vnworthy a reward of so precious a seruant He was righteous aboue measure yet was he accouÌ„ted among the wicked and briefly hee was called a glutton but had his appetites bridled with all holy moderation his behauiour without all reproofe yet slandered as a friend of Publicans hee loued the Law of his Father that he would not suffer one iot or title vnaccomplished yet accused as enemy to Moses he loued his Father with all his heart and was obedient vnto him to the death euen the death of the Crosse yet they said he blasphemed He was an enemy to Sathan euen to death and by death ouercame him that brought death into the world he hated him with so perfect hatred and held stedfast the enmity that was betweene them vntill hee had spoyled his principalities and powers and trampled ouer them in an euerlasting victory yet they said he had a deuill such a loathsome sinke was couered in the heart of man and now the thoughts of many hearts made open And if Moses Ieremiah Isaiah and Paule had sorrow for the Iewes of their time how did Christs great loue boyle in sorrowes of heart to see their destructions ouer whom before hee had wept but prayed still Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Behold therefore his person here and know his loue it was griefe to see all vertue troden vnder feete by them and yet it was more infinite to behold Satan to preuaile against man to his euerlasting condemnation and which is more the sin that he hateth bee must take it vpon his owne body and beare the wrath of his Father that was powred out against it the anger of his Father burned in him euen vnto the bottome of hell O! who can stand before his wrath or who can abide the fiercenesse of his wrath his wrath is powred out like fire and the Rockes are broken before him Yea maketh the forlorne wildernesse to tremble For thus the Sun is darkened the Moone doth not shew her light the Stars of heauen doth fall away and the powers of heauen are shaken Heere then is the picture of perfect loue being full of goodnesse is rewarded of euill full of obedience is punished as wicked full of faith yet had the reward of a sinner Lord of all yet nothing to doe him duty the God of glory yet compassed with shame the Author of life yet wrapped in the chaines of death the onely begotten and best beloued of the Father yet cast off as a stranger the beauty of the highest heauens yet throwne down into hell well might he say The snares of death compassed me and the paines of hell tooke hold vppon me I haue found trouble and sorrow he did say My God my God why hast thou forsaken me CON. 78. We know then best how we loue the Lord when we feele by experience what we will suffer for hts sake EXPLA. It is an easie thing to bee valiant before the combate to dreame of a good courage before the heart bee tried but indeed to be vnshaken in the middest of the tempest to stand vpright when the ground trembleth vnder thee this is to know assuredly thou art strong indeede The heauen earth elements were Christs enemies his Father in whom he trusted shewed him an angâ—y countenance yet said he still Thy will be done O Father We must account it for an exceeding ioy when we salâ— into sundry troubles for what can be more ioyfull to the heart oppressed then to giue this in experience that neither height nor depth shall remooue him from the Lord This was Abrahams glory that hee would forsake his Countrey and kinred and fathers house at the commandement of God to goe whither hee would shew him Iob his patience was not thorowly knowne till all his goods were spoyled and wee must haue witnesse that our election is sure when wee may speake by experience that neither life nor death can remooue vs from the loue of God Thus the good ground is knowne what it is when the heate cannot scorch it nor briers and thornes turne the good corne into weedes but through all stormes it will giue nourishment vnto the seede till it giue greater encrease to Gods honor and glory This is a profitable experience for before it come vnto vs we know not how great the rebellion of the flesh will be The Apostles bragged they would neuer forsake their Master he alone had the words of eternall life and they would not change him for another they beleeued him that they knew him to be the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God and there was no other Sauiour but wheÌ„ they saw the Crosse at hand their courage fell downe they forsooke him all Peter said he would dye for him drew his sword that he had almost slaine one but this boldnesse was but a blast of words he swore hee knew him not So experience is the greatest warrant to know what our selues can beare The Lord and our duty requireth that wee shold approue our selues the witnesses of the Gospell in patience in afflictions in honour in dishonour in shame in life in death but how violently the flesh will fight against vs wee cannot well declare till wee haue made the triall And therefore in griefe of body learne to say with patience I haue held my peace O Lord because thou hast done it If thy minde bee full of sorrow say I will waite patiently vpon the Lords leasure he will heare my prayer CON. 79. We should not be discouraged vnder the Crosse since Christ is the patterne whose similitude we beare EXPLA. Those whom God hath fore-knowne hee hath also predestinated to be made like vnto the image of his Sonne Death once reigned through sinne and hee hath found a way to rise from it again into greater glory This victory because it was too great for Sainct or Angell to obtaine he had appointed it to be the worke of his onely begotten Sonne hee tooke vpon him our nature to make and in his owne person hee filled it with the fulnesse of miseries with all sorrowes of flesh with all anguish of minde with persecutioÌ„ with death with sinne with hell with condemnation and from all these by the mighty power of his Godhead hee is risen againe in our flesh ascended vp into glory and sitteth on the right hand of Maiesty being a mighty Sauiour vnto