1e6 :Book II. Chap. 2.Sed. 4. great tranf. aCtion was betwixt God an<! Chri!l:, belonges now to me? and what are the grounds and foundations on which my hopt is ~uilt? I know fome exceedingly abufe this doCtrine; If God had before all worlds appointed me to fa/vation, why then I may live as I lift ; I need not heare, or pray, or conferre , or performe any holy duty, for I am fure I {hall be f•IVed. And thus at once they take away all grounds of hope. It is true Gods decrees are unchangable , but they do not afford any fuch inferences or deductions as thefe : you might as well fay , the Lord hath appointed me to live to fuch a time, and before that time I fhall. not , cannot die , and therefore I need no meat nor drink, nor cloatbs, nor any other thing : Ah filly, foolifh , divellifh ar- .. guing ! Gods decree is for the meanes, as well as for the end; whom God hath decreed to fave , them alfo he hath decreed to call , to juil:ifie, to fanctifie, before he fave : 0 , my foule· . look to the grounds whereon tby hope is built: ifthofe be weak • . thy hope is weak: but ifthofe be ftrong,thy hope will pr<>vc: rnoft firong,and certain,and prudent. In the difquifition ofthefe grounds, fay not in thine heArt, 'Wh!J' 1.§m; l?. 6, foal/ afcend into he~~ven? or 'Whojhall d~fcmdinto the deep? {eek. not :rbove, or below: it is not poffi~le for thee to go bodily into heaven to fee the records of Etermty , and to read thy name: in the book of life, but fearch into thefe fruits and effeCts of thy election. As1 .If thou beeil: within Gods decreesfor falvation, then; foonc:r or later God will caufe the power of his Word to come with au- . thority and conviction upon thy wnfcience: knowing brethrrn , ) Tbef,J.. •h5 be/vved, JOUr eleilion 6JGod" for our qo[pel came n6t unto you in Word onely , but alfo in power. The Apofile fpeakes thus of o-- thers ; he might know · they were the Elected ofGod either by his judgment of charity , ,or by a fpirit ofdif- . cerning which was vouchfafed to fome in the Apoftles times; but how comes he immediately to know. this·truth? hy this glorious effed: , our Gofpel came not in Werd onelj , b1;t alfo ;, power. Oh 'its goo& to c.onGder with what pow-er the Word; preached' falls into thy heart; doth it convince thee? humble the~, mollifie thee , foften thee? · this argues thou belongeil: to . God. The: Word preaclied'will be-more_then the,wer!l ofa man, , ~or.e then a meere_ humane. Qr;~tion ~ or.verbaldedamation . - ·- - -------- -----' ' ~~~r.~~
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