both thefe. We read in Scripture of a threefold allurance : As firil, an affurance of underflanding, Col. 2. 2. Second- ly an affurance of faith, Heb. 10. za. Thirdly, an affu- rance of hope, Heb. 6. II. And 'tis a very choice note, that acute D. A. bath Upon it, viz.. That thefe three make up one praaical Svilogifm wherein knowledge forms the pro- portion , faith makes the affumption, and hope draws the conclafion. I do (faith the Chriflian) afluredly knoW from the Word that can't deceive me, That the believing and re- , penting firmer, (hall be faved, my confcience alto tells me, that I do unfeignedly believe and repent , therefore I do firmly hope, that I 1E141 (how ever vile andunworthy(other- wife) be faved. Now mark, anfwerable to the evidencethat a man bath in his own foul, that faith and repentance is wrote in him ; fo will his hope and affurance be weaker or firong- er, more or lets. If a mans evidence for the truth of his faith and repentance be dark, and weak, and low, and uncer- tain, his hope and affu.rance that is born of thefe parents (a3 I may fay) mull needs- partake of its parents weaknefs and infinnities, and be it felf weak, and dark, and lox, and wavering, and uncertain, as they are from which it refults; lope and affurance ebbs and flows, as the evidence of a mans faith and repentance ebbs and flows. Affurance can't be ordinarily had without a ferious exa- mination of our own hearts, for affurance is the certain knowledge of the concluflon drawn f':om the premifes; one out of Scripturtii the other by a repel a& of the underfland- ing or confcience, thus : He that believes and -cpeuts shall certainly be. faved, that is the voice of the of God then by the fearch of a mans own heart, he rad be able to fay, but I believe and repent, and from thefe tvo doth ro- fult this affurance, that he niayfafely thzr, fore I, fhall be faved. And, 0 that all Chriflians were fo wife, as ferionfly to ponder upon thefe-things. Thirdly, a godly man may argue thus. He that bath -re- fpeol unto all Gods commands, .all never be afhamed,P.Pda 1119. 6. Then fhall I not be albaneed, when I have ref:pea' onto E 2 ill
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