$;a a T. I. TheDatárine, Dotyandllfefulneßof Afrarance. 31 can endure.the hammer, if underthe hammer above, andthe anvil below , it contintee more obdurate, thenit is true metal: Soit is With true 'Affuranee, it abideth tho:egh billows andwavescome uponit. Sothat troublesWilldifcernthe truth of thy Graces andComforts, looter then any thing elfe. Hence Cameronobferveth, That Mercies are never calledTemptations in the Scripture, but Affli£lions, becaufe it isfodifficult' to be deprived ofthatwe deliire. Fifthly, We mayfinde a palpableDifference in theCompanions or Concomitants of V. it. As In the compa- nions or con- s. It's accompaniedwithholyfearandtrembling, foras Gods Word cloth not eomitanrs of it contradift it felf, when in fome placesit cals uponus to make our Calling Pure, I. and inother places to workout our Salvationwithfear and trembling; So neither may thefe two Graces contradihone another,as they are inthe fubje h. So then, though they rejoyce, yet they rejoyce with trembling. they who are allured, Thofewhoareaffuredtbeyfhal /Hand, yetta e, heed leftthey fa/I.. As a man that looketh downfrom fome placewhere Battlements are, though while he holds on them, he knoweth he cannot fall, yet when he looks to the ground, that is fo deep below him, he cannot but fear he fhould fall ; fothatat the fame time he hath bothan Affuranceofnot falling, and a fear of falling, though not from the fame confiderations. Thus it is with the peopleofGod, whereas carnal pre- fumptionexclndeth all kinde offear, obitruilech all diligence. 2. AfecondCompanionis Humility and lowlineffe ofminde. Forthe greatermer- a. cies God beftoweth upon his people, thelowlier they are in their own eyes, as theVirgin Marywitneffeth in her Song, and Davidin. Gods kindnefs to him, whereas in carnal prefumption, the moreconfidence, themore pride inour felves, and defpifingofothers. How might we prove that a Pharifee hadnot Affurance of Grace in him, but vain-confidence; by this, viz. that hedefpifed othermen as (innersto him ? And this may make us juftly doubt, whethermany that fpeak of immediate Revelations and Affurances theyhave from Gods Spirit, be not in a proud delufion, by contemning others as low, andnot acquainted with the Spirit of God. For ifthere be fucha danger even in godly men, whenlifted up togreat priviledges, as in Paul, Wrapt up into the third Heavens , of becoming proud, that Paul is affaulted with buffetings of Saran, to keep him low, and he repeats it twice 2 Car. ta.7. Left Ilbould be lifted up above mea lure, in the begin- ningof the verfe ; and again, Left I fbonld be liftedup, in theend of the verfe. Hierom compareth this Temptationof Satanexercifng Paul in the midit of his Revelations, to the Boy that was a Monitor, who cried aloud to him that rode in triumph, Memento to effehominem, Rememberthy felfto bea man. If, I fay,there befuchdanger even in godly men, when they have the real works of Gods Spi- rit, wbat caufe is there ofpride in corrupted men, who have only puff-palie de- lufionsof Satan ? When therefore thy perfwafionof Gods loveto thee, raifeth up lofty mountains in thy foul,thou lookett upon thy felf in heaven,while others grovel upon the ground, thou deemeflchy felf tobe as much above other Chri- ftians, as an Angelis above a Worm; thenfear this, comingfrom the devil tranf- forming himfelf into an Angel of light. Laltly, Itdiffereth in the contrary or oppof:te whichwill defiroy it. Affurance be. V I. ingwrought by Gods Spirit, is only interrupted by fin. Grieve not the Spirit of In eefpe& of God, by whichye arefealed. So thatevencorrupt and idle communication, even 1u oppofite: little fins (as the world judgeth) may greatly difturb our certainty : But carnal prefumption is not weaknedthrough finne, only outward troubles or horrours of confcience vanquifh that. As the Cafuifis give a difference between me- lancholy, and trouble ofconfciencefor finne ; Melancholy is removed by bodi- ly remedies, merry company, variety of imploiment; but trouble of confci- ente can onely be takenaway bycomforts out of the Scripture. Though Cain travailed and buddedCities, yet that could not free him from that trembling guilt within him.Thusit is on the contrary, Peace in the holyGholt wrought by Affu-
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