S s oc T. I. , The Dar,sárine; Duty and ZIfifritneßof A.,lfuraítée. 2g they enjoy. They lookupon their Riches; Children, Honours as fo many Te- ftimonies of Gods Love to them, and Arguments of the Reward of theirObe- diente. Becaufe the Scripture bath many temporal Promifes unto thofe that walk in Gods waies, they finding themfelves bleffed with filch advantages, do thencefrom infer their Piety. But theScripture gives many Antidotes againll this tumor andfwelling, telling us that fuch (land in flippery places , yea that thefe things may become a fnare unto them, entreating both theirfinne and torment. e uandoquedivitie dántur ad peenam, faidAuguftin, as Solomon cbferved, Riches, for the hurt of the owners. Thatplace in Ecclefiafles, Noman knoweth love, or ha- tredby thefe thingsbelow, doth nor,asthe Papills would have it, prove no Alfa- ranee at all, but noAlTucanceby outward mercies and favours, Dives received hisgoodthingsinthu life, andLazartis evil things ; but a genuine Affurance that is molt powerful andoperative in all outward difireffes aid mifiries. You fee it in Davidby fomeof his Pfalms, hotvconfident in God, when all outward things did witnefle thecontrary d Thus He.ek;'ah when under the stroke of death, is fupported with the truth ofGrace in his foul : but all carnal confidence vanifh- eth in time ofdiftrefl'e, they then rage and rave, not knowing what to do ;.See then what it is that beareth up thy heart, that keeps up thy Spirit : Is it thy Wealth, thy Efface ? Alas, how are thefe things bellowed many times upon thofe whom God hates, if thefe go tohappinefs then Chrifl was not happy, who be- came poorthat we might be rich ? It was well obferved by Auguflin, That God givethRichei femetimes to wicked men, that We may not thinkthey are good' in themfelves; andfometimes he giveth them to godly men that We may not think them evil in themfelves. God may pie thee thefe things; and not Chrifl but if he giveth us Chrift, how fhall he not with him give us all things elfe? The thirdDifference is in refjoel? of theManner and Method the Spirit of God III. dothufual/yWorkAffnrance. For although The WindeblowethWhere it lift, and In the manner Godswales are many times divergedunto his people, yet commonly as Face an- andmethod of fwerethface, fo dothe hearts of Gods peopleone another; Infomuch that what Gods working is Communis fenfus fidelium, though it be not like Scripture, yet is of grave Alfnrance. and feriousAuthority, now in thefewayes the people of God cornett. have Af, furance, r. Rya deep andferiotte Humiliationforfin, andfeeling the burden ofit. Bluth. r. a t. fuchonly are promifed tofinde rift in theirfouls; Chrift didnot allure Mary Magdalen Her finswereforgiven, tillIlle Wept muchfor rthem. We do not limit this toanytimeor degreeof Humiliation, but unto the truth of it. Come we then to a man who is confident ofall things, as well with him ; Oh , But what travails bath thy foul had before the joy of fuch a man -childe born unto thee. Rom.8. The Spirit ofGod, is a fpirit ofbondage, before it is a ffririt of Adoption. And this very particular is enoughto (hake the foundations ofmany mens build- ings. What deep digging wasthere in thy heart before this fuperftruction? I knowthis true and fafe praftical Divinity is rejeéledby Come upftart flafhiefpirits, who turn Religion into Notions andOpinions. But Paul Rom. 7. and Chap.8. doth fully defcribe fuch aprogreffeand method upon himfelf; firft, The ditto- veryof fin by the Law;wherebyhe judged himfelf miferable and out ofmeafure finfull, and then theapprehenfion of Chrifts Grace dpon this. This Affurance will not grow upon an heart notploughed up. The Needlemull pierce theheart before this filkcan follow. 2. Another MethodWherebyGodWorketh Affurance, is by confiillsof doubts, and 2, oppofition of unbelief. For Peeing that Affurance is a fruit of Gods Spirit, and doubting a workingof the flefh,it cannot bebut the Apoftfes rule muff be made good, TheAlb lufieth againfi theSpirit, and the Spirit againfi theflel/a. I likenot the Affurance that never doubted ; it is like the temper ofthat man, who faid, Allthefe have Ikeptfrommyyouth. It cannot be thought thatfo great and fpiri -, E 3 tuai
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