I I O C,/I f fuYance offalvationmay bQobtained. Alío theWord ofGod once fpoken and often reiterated is ofequall certainty in it felfe : but tohelp our weakneffe, the Lordgoethover one and the fame thing againe and a- gaine. Things beleeved are in themfelves more certaine than things fèene , but not apprehended by us with fuch afhurance. Of thefe whodoubteth ? ofthe otherwho doub- teth not at force times ? The Prophets, our SaviourChriu and his Apoíles, doe labour oft toconfirme untous mat- ters offaith by reafons, fimilitudes,lignes,examples,incur- ring into the fen(s, notonely tobetter our underl}anding, but to confirme our faith : which is an argument, that to us things fenfible are oft morecertaine than thingsbelee- ved,though in themfelvesmore uncertaine. Moreover, conclufions theological) are in themfelves as certaine, as are the principles upon whichthey are groun- ded , but alwaies they are not fo infallible toour under- Banding and confcience : becaufe the inference isnot fo well, readily and plainelyperceived, as bathbeene (hew- ed before. And fo though the falvationofthebeleever bee as certaine as the word ofpromife, uponwhich his faith is furely builded , yet it is not fo infallibly knowne to the beleever hirr;felfe,° it being farce more eafie to conceive that a beleever fhall be Paved, than toafl'ùre theconfcience, that hee is atruebeleever. What theLord bath immedi- ately revealed, that faith receiveth with the greater cer- taintie: but what isconcluded out ofthe Wordfrom one propofition immediately divine, and another certainly knowneby Tome other light , that may bee beleevedwith infallible aflurance. And fo hee that isjurified and bath obtained remiffion offinnes , may affuredly know or beleeve that he bath re- ceived mercy of the Lord : otherwife bee can never truly be thankful) to God for thatineflimablebenefit. For hee that knoweth not whether he bathreceived it or not , nor canafirehimfelfeofit without intolerable and inexcufa- ble prefUmption, how fhould heefrom theheart giveGod thankes for this unfpeakeable favour ? But to thinke, that mortali
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