32 The Dodïrine, Duty and2lfefulnefd ofAf('urance. S a c T. I. Affurance, is onlyexcluded by finne or lukewarmneffe in holy Duties: but fin- full confidenceabideth the fame, till it be fhaken, orremoved byTome outward troubles. *Itt4z+tttIttltatt4444Mttt SERMON VII. ContainingReemedies again.1 carnal Confidence i ith Vireclions to thegodly that mournsunder the/eof ofgodsfaTour. 2Cort. 13.5. Examineyour [elves, whether ye be in the Faith. T He differences between carnal Prefumption and godly Affurance have been at largedeclared. Let us in the next place confider what are thefit engines to batterdownthofe ftrongholds, That the carnal-confident man runneth into, what way may be takento undeceivefuch a man, and to put him ina way of Salvation. What way may And in the firft place, This may be laiddown as awaft certain truth, That there be taken to car- none more indifpofedfor Chris, none have higher mountains and hile in the way, nalcionthen. then thefalfly perfwadedChriflian. Chrift told the Pharifees, That the Publicans nal confident. and Harlots got toheavenbefore them. Ele morbus vixefffanabilos, qui fanitater.r imitatur, faithone, That difeale is hardly curablethat is like untohealth : and the task mull begreat to remove loch an one from his fledfaftnefs, becaufe two things are to be done ; the former to makeknown his falle righteoufnefs he is perfwaded of , and thelatter the true righteoufnefs he is to be affured of. As the Philofopher whowas to teach one that was infeaed with falle opinions, re- quired a double fee, becaufe his workwasdouble, dedecere, to unteach, and do- cere co teach. This was thegreat labour thePróphets of God were put upon; and Chriulwho had the tongueofthe learned, preachedmanyParables to make the full hungry, and the rich empty in themfelves. What the Heretick is in mat- - terof Doétrine, the fame is a carnal prefumerin matter of praetice and conver- fation. Now as the former is feldom reduced , becaufe there is obftinacy and contumacy in him againfi all admonitions; fo is the latter fcarce ever truly deba- fed andhumbled, becaufe ofthe felt-love that cleaveth tohim. But ifever any thingbe able to overrule and conquer him, their remedies fol- lowing are likely to doit. Remedies a- Fir&, A powerful! andfoul-fearching Miniffry, that willfo pierce into, and dif- gain[t carnal cover the hidden things oftheheart, that thereby he may come to be made known to him- confidence. [elf. The Miniftery oftheWord is like theSunne in the firmament, from whole light nothing is hidden. Thusthe Prophets, the Apoftles,they were lights. And what conviblion might the Jews have hadofall their felf-fulnefs and hypocrifies, if they hadnot Phut their eyes againft the light, z Cor.'to.4,y. The weapons of theMiniftry, though they be not carnal, yet are mighty to the pulling down of ftrong-holds, andevery thing that exalteth ittelf, by this is meant all kinde of op- pofrtion. What thewoman ofSamaria laid concerning Chrift, that hedifcover- ed
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