/Chap. 14 about Jfurance.. 135 think tomend our fclves by running out ofGods bleflìng into the worlds warm Sun ? as Demos did. O call me not Naomi(may fuck fay) but call me cítilarah: forI went out full,but come home empty : For indeed to do revolted Chriai- ans , when theycome from the aCt of finning : when they have been feekino their fweec-hearts : they went with their harts full of peace , and hands full of plenty , and meetin with a bargain of 'inning, they thought to Peek Out their happineffe, and make it fuller (as Solomon did ) but they come home empty : empty of comforts, but ladenwith croaks ; they have loci their evi- dences, are excommunicated from the power ofOrdinances ; are under the ter rour of wounded fpirits , are buffette( by Satan : are out of hope of ever reco- vering the radiancy of their graces; have their back-burden of their afflifti. ons, fo that they are enforced to confefs it to b.: the greate(t niadneflè in the world tobuy the tweetett, and proficableft fin at fo dear a rate. So David found it, and theSulamite, Cant.5.1,z. Quell. Wherein Elands the difference betweene affurance and prefum- ption ? A f.v. Firft, affurance is built upon the righteoufnefs ofChrift, the grace of God , the Word ofGod, and the true knowledge of fn , and of our felves : what the are bynature, andwhat by grace, This was one p: inciple of Tanis af- furance, i Cor. 15. io. By thegrace of C]od I am that ï a,ra ; But prefumption is built, I. Upon felf-ignorance : menknow not what themfelves are, nor what fin is : Hence they think themfelves righteous whenthey arc great finners,Rom.7.9, L,tk, 15.9,&c.fo Rev,3.17. z. Upon felt-love: which is that falleglafs that molt look themfelves in, i which makes ali ;eeme good that they are, have, or do. Hence, Prov. 16. z. and 3o. I2. 3. Upon felf- righteoufnefs, which flows from the two former. 4. Upon ignorance and miaakes about the nature of grace, or upon falle principles : fuchas thefe, (a, That (hews are fubltance : orthat to feem religious is tobe fo. So Matz3.e8. z. That common gifts are fpecial grace: that Parts are Piety : or that a I( civil and moral converfauon is a re enerate condition. This will be difcovered to be the prefumption of many at the lall day,Mar. 7. zz, z3. 1 3. That profeflion is pra&ice : that trimming ofLamps is having of oyle. So cAlareh. 25. 6,7. and that the forme of godlinefs is the power thereof: andoutwards performances the fubltance of Piety , whereas, z Tim. 3. 5. 4. That reftraint of finne is mortification , or puttingoff the old man : or that cutting off the branches of finne, is plucking it up by the Iroot: That outward cleanfing is inward purifying. So vilarh. z. 25. 15. That mens hearts may be good, thou;h their tongues, hands and lives t be bad. 5.I,'s fometimes built upon outward profperity : They hope Gode loves them, and will fave them, becaufe he bath ,even them fo many good thin s, all thefe botcomes are like the houle built upon the (ands, Mar. 7. 27. Secondly, theydiffer in the means by which they are obcained,and maintain- ed. For affurance is obtained by, /. Godly forrow for fin. ForChrift gives reft to fuch , Mark. I I . a 8. fo Luke 7. 36, 48. z. Soul- 1. II.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=