30 TheDottrine, Dutyand iffefrelneßof iifurance. S e c T. I. tuai a mercy fhouldbe brought intothy foul, and thyheart not be inmanycotn- motions.Apprehenfionsof Grace in us,accompaniedwith fenfeand feeling ofour ituperfeEtions arealwaiesgood fymptoms, as in that man, Lord, Ibelieve (there *as his Affuranceof Gracein him) help no unbelief, There was a perceiving of his defeets. As David hathfometimes the.Sunfhine ofGods favour,and it's clear withhim;fo at other times he is in thedark, and muchwavering. 3 3. GodWorkethflffurance met of the vehement and fiery affaults of Satan. As Chrift himfelf efcaped not his Arrows ; fo neither dohis members. Wo to that man whole peace the Devildoth not difquiet. The firongone who is the Devil kept all things in quiet, till Chrift the firongercome. As theBafilisk hateth the very pifture of a man ; fodoth theDevil oppofe the refemblanceof Chrift. Think therefore that vain Prefumptiod; andnot godlyAffurance,which is notoppofed by hell itfelt. It is an Egyptian, not an Ifraelite, if Pharaoh do not oppretle him. IIII. A fourth realDifference is In theErefis ofgodly Affurance, Whereby it doth as Ín the effeas much outffripPrefumptionas light doth darkneffe. of godly ARù- t. Thisgodly Affurance is diligent in the fife ofthe means, careful! to performall rance. Duties, and in the negleft ofthef it eitherpertfheth, or is much weakned, Give I' alldilgence (faith the Apofile) to makeyourcalling and elettionfure ,zPet.c.ro. So that where Diligence, and all Diligence is notufed, there is no Affurance. This is the Oil which keepsthe Lamp burning ; in earnefiPrayer, holy ufe of Sacra- ments, walking univerfally in all Godswages, is this godly certainty maintain- ed ; whereascarnal confidence is big, and fwelling even inthe negleft, yea pro- phane contempt ofthemeans. Aman that doth not pray, that polluteth himfelf with daily fins, yet he is throughly perfwadedofhis happinefs. As therefore in theordinary paffages of GodsProvidence, he is rightly judgeda prefumer who will perfwade himfelfoflife, whenyet hewill neither eat or drink, be alluredof wealth and riches,when yet he willufe no Diligence:fuch an arrogant fottifhnefs is ina fpiritual prefumer. 2. 2. Godly Affurance the more it is, the more doth it inflame the heart with love to God. It is like the burning Glalfethat by the refleetion of the Sun.beams loth caufe a fire tobe kindledwithin, as we toldyouof David and Paul; and none do fo highlybleffe God and praife him, as thofe that have this Affurance: but carnalprefumption worketh into a loveofthe creature, or comforts he enjoyes, and careth the lefl'e for God. Asthe Adultereffe the more confident fhe is of her husbands love, the more boldand impudent the is,to abufe it. The Spirit of Adoptiongiving a filial Difpofition, and Affurance of a Fathers love doth much melt a filial frameof heart; but iflove be (hewed to a fervile [lavith fpirit,it makes morehaughty and lofty. Confider thereforehow thy Affurance worketh in thee, cloth itput out all love to finand the world? Doth it kill inordinate affeélions to things below, and raife up thy heart to God, delighting and rejoycing in him? This isacomfortable demonlirationof good Affurance. 3. 3. Godly .flffurance is potentandable to keep up the heartunder all difcouragements anddefolations. Thus Davidin that fad exigence, Encouragedhimfelf in the Lord hrù God. This Certainty of ourPropriety and Interefi in God,is anArk to thefoul in the midfi ofmany waters whereas take any carnalconfident man, his heart becomes likea (tone within dim, whenall carnal hopes fail. And this is a preci- ous lymptome, fee in themidltofthefeconfufionsthou liveft in, whenHeaven and Earth feem tobe mingled together, What makes thee rejoyceand to lift up thy headwithgladnefs ? Is it thatKnowledge thouhaft ofGod tobe thy God? Is it thofe pledges and pawns inthy foul of his eternal love and goodnefs unto thee? This is fomething. But alas, as the hypocritesjoy, fo his confidence will quickly perifh. It is not aStar fixed in theOrb made of quinteflential matter, but a blazingStar compofedof (limymaterials, whichwill quickly confume and vanifhaway. True Adamant (faith Origen ) is tried by this, if it can
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