Chape 1.4 about Affurance. 133 in Chrih , fear death Rill as if it had a fling : Only an alfured Chriftian tri- "umphs over it, and faith with Saint Pau!, O death where is thy fling ? I Cor. 1ç. 55 4. Alrurance fills the foul with praife, and thanktulnefs. The real prefcnce of a mercy is not enough : there moll be theappearance ofa mercy , and the fenfe of it before it fill thy heart with joy, and thy mouth with praife : A doubtin Chriflian is like a bird in a mare : the foul bathnot its comfort , nor God his praife : An allured Chritlian is like a bird at libe-ty that flies aloft, and finds chearfully, &c. See Mr. Culverwels White-hone, and Dr. Taylor. Quell. How may it be proved by Scripture that a man may be affured of his fa1vation ? e Infw. Firh, By Rom.8.16. The Spirit of God tefliftes with our fpirits that we are the fans of God. Qiea. But how can Gods Spirit give witneffe, feting now there are no re- velations ? oAnfw. Firh, indeed extraordinary revelations are ceafed: yet Gods Spirit may, anddoth in, andby the Wordreveal fome things to men , whence he is called thefpirit of revelation, eph. ;.ç. Secondly, Gods Spirit gives tellimonyby applying the promifes for the re- million of tuns , and life everlafling by Chrift , particularly to the hearts of man, when its generally propounded in the Minihry of ch.:. Word: and this witnefs of the Spirit , may be difcerned from prefumpti- on by i1. The means : For it's ordinarily wrought by hearing, reading, medita- tion,prayer, &c. but prefumption arifeth in the brain, either without fuch means, or ifby them, yet with want of Godsblelliing voncurring with them. I z. The effe&s and fruits of theSpirit : For it alirs up the heart toprayer, Zack.ia.ro. and that withdghs andgromos,Ron.8.z6. arifing from L the fenfe ofour miferable condition. The fecond tellimony is our fpirit, i. e. .our confcience fan6lified, and renew- II. ed by the Holy Ghoa ; and this is known - 1. By a grief of heart for offending God , called godly Jorrow, 1 Cor. 7. I0. z. By arefolution, and full purpofe, and endeavour to obey God in all things. 13. By favouring the things of theSpirit, Rpm. 8.5. i.e. by doing the works of the Spirit with joy and chearfulneffe of heart , as in the pretence ofGod. Qeh. But what if bath thefe teflimonies are wanting, what maff we do then ? snfw. Have recourfe to the firh beginnings of fanblification, which are there. T. To feel our inwardcorruptions. z. Tobe difpleafed with our felves for them. 3. To begin to hate fin. 4. To grieve fo oft as by fin we offend God. ç. Toavoid the occafionsoffin. 6. To endeavour to do our duty, and to ufe good means diligently. 7. Todelire to fin no more. 8. To pray toGodfor his grace. Secondly, by Pfal. t ç. I, &c. where the queflion is propounded, who of the II. members of the Church (hall have his habitation in heaven ? and the anfwer is, II.
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