S u e r. I. TheDoEírine Duty andufefrtlnef! ofAffurance. 23 . more firm, and fo may thefe temptationsbe a foundation of greater joy and boldtiefs. secondly, The 21,PtranceGods people-have of theireflate of grace, is not fo bleb r4 and fullas that it excludy all doubting, for there is nothing Perfei ín us in this life, whether it be Duty orConfo{ation, but as the Flefb lufleth againfi the Spirit in regard of Sanlhficatibn, fo it Both alto in refpea ofConfolation ; We fee Da- vid fubjedtomanyConvulfron- fits, his Pfalms fometimesdifcover Confidence and Affurance, fometin:esagainDejedionandgreat Diffidence, fo that S.ew[on with his Hairgrown, and his Hair cut , doth not more differ from himfelf in ftrength and weaknefs,then David sloth. We do not therefore maintain orplead for fnch anAffurance thatexcludeth all Doubting,all Conflictsand Agonies,fuch as theglorified Saints in Heaven have,but fuch acertainty as is grievoufly affault- ed by Satan the Prince of darknefs, and by the unbeliefof our ownhearts ; and althoughwemake Doubtingas a grievous fin, yet we fay it cannot be avoided, becaufeofthat remainderofcorruption which isflat in us, infomuch that it's a received Maxim in Pradical Divinity , grounded alfo upon Scripture, That he which never Double i verBelieved ; as he that will lay he is never Proud, it is aFinn he was never Humble; nowthe ground ofthis Truth is from that foun- tainof furnethat 1S NI ineveryman ; to thathe can neither do_any Duty, or partakeof anyComfort without. the dregs of conption; there isthe leaven of fins that doth fowrboth. There o is meGall in all. our Honey; and by this means godly Affurance (as is to be thewed) doth differ from all that carnal confidence andprefumption which is inwicked men ; and we may juftly fay to them that which Ifaacdid toYacob, when he brought his counterfeit Venifon, Flow comefi thouby itlefoes ? This LandofClitaas is not fo eafily poffeffed , yea as the eifgyptians didmolloppreffetheIliac/nee whenthey weregettin out of their power fo doth the Devil moil buffet anti of faint thofe whp,haveefca is híTnares : And asthe Trees that aiefulleftAffruit have their bor; s mo bro- kijr othepp!eofGod that cayaboutnurth them the riche Treafüres of Cods Grace, have thegreateflencounters fromSatan. We read theDevil tern- piing Clint} upon thisvery Point, Whether hekyere theSon ofGod. It is no wonder then ifhe do frequently try thy ftrength and comfort. Befldes, the failing inour Duties is aground ofcoming fhort in ourÇomforts: Hence commonlythe mofi alliveChril'lian bath the greateftComfort, and he that walketh looflyand la- zily, is fulleflof Doubts; as thewaters thatrunne_fwiftly breed no vermine, no croaking Frogs, but thole that areTuggifh, gnd are coo-Rig-hated AI Pool. Beforewecome ro the pra/lical Qyeflions about this Affuranceof Grace, we The Adjun i, will confider thefeAdjun/bs of it. a. The Pabilityof it. 2. The ,Excellency of ofAfiùraace. it. 3.. The Difficultyofit. 4. TheNeceftyof it. ' I Firtl, The Pofbility of it isPeen, inthat the people of Godhave enjoyedir. Wheta ty of Poffrbi{l. Daviddoth fooften call God his Godandhis Portion , acknowledging with joy and thankfulneffe that he had forgiven his fins, doth not this fuppofe a Certain- ty ? When thatman laid, OLord, l believe, Did he fpeak he knew not what ? And Paul,bow oftenBoth hemanifefl loch an Affurance ! and left it fhould be thought he had it by fontefpecial Revelation, he dothRom.8. inferre this Affu- r.nçefromthofegrounds, which are common to all the people of God, do not therefore think it impo(lìble, faying, Whowill go up to Heavenand bring a Re- velation for me, that f od is my God ? for thou hall thefamewayes to obtain ir, ss tbe,people ofGodbave had heretofore. Again fecondly, The Pofbility ofit ZS fan in that a man may be afbred of his a, dogmatical Faith. ; That is, a man maybeaffured that hedoth believe fuch Prin- ciples of Religion u pon a divine ground ; and if fo, whynot alto that he loveth God and his children upon true Motives ; asalto that his Repentance bath all true
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