Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133 .D76 C551 1608 v.1

thtwemaybeaffuredofour electonr, z a jÿ throughour Lord Tefius Chrifi. But what peace can wehaue,if wee benot affuredofour eleetion, but haue our mindes di- f}raeled and racked betweenefaith and doubting, hope and defpaire ? Rorn.8.38.the Apoftle profeffeth,that heis perfwa_ Rorn,8.38 ded that nsitherdeath'norlife,nor angels, nor principalities, &c. nor any othercreaturefhouldbe able tofeparatevsfrom the loge ofGodwhich is in Chrtf Iefus our Lord.It is true(wil thetemp, ter fay) that Paulhad thisaffurance ofhiseleciion and falua- tion,but it wasby force fpeciall reuelation,and not ordina- rily;and therefore it followethnot hereofthat cueryparticu- lar Chriflian canhaue this affurance. I aufsvere, that theA- poftle groundeth nothis faith on reuelations in that place, but on a foundation common tohimwith al trueChriffians, namelie on the death ofChrif}, verf..32. onGods free iuffifi- Verfz3.: cation,ver. 3 3.and vpon Chrifis interceflìon,vcr.34.and from 3 hence hee confirmeth his and ourrefolution, that nothing 34 lhould feparate vsfrom the loue ofChrif}, v.3 s.that is,from 3t the loueofGod in him. Whofoeuer therefore with Paul be- leeueth that ChriP died for him, that God freely iuflificth him through Chrift merits, and that our Sauior fitteth at the right handofhis Father tomake interceffion forhim,hemay beeaffured ofGods loue, and confequentlieofhis eleetion, Secondly, Paulfpeaketh thisnot ofhimfelfe alone, 'but alfo ofall the faithfull,and therefore he vfeth theplurali number, Iamperfvadedthat nothing¡hallbeable tofeoaratevs. So Eph. 3.12. the Apoí+le faitli,that wee haue through Chriftboldnes Ephcf,t.rz. andentrancewithconfidenceby faith in him. AndHeb.4.16.he Hcb.4.1 6. exhortethvs togoebeldlyvnto the throne o f riteei that wee may and io.za.. receiuemercte, &c. And chap, i 0.22.' Let vsdraw neere witha true heart inaffuranceoffith,&c. But T would faine know what entrancewith confidence, whatboldnes and affurance offaith, when wee drawneere. vnto God, and prefent our felues beforehis throne ofMaiflie, ifwee romainedoubtfuli ofhis loue and our eleaion ?-SoHeb.6.19. hcefaith that our Hcb.6. /9, hope is alureandgedfati anchor ofthefoule ; but what certain- tie oru}edfaftnes is there in it,ifit wauer and f}aggerthrough doubtfulnes,fooften as wee looke vpon our firmes and vn- worthinelfe. ?_ The Apoi}le. Peter alto. Both tell ysi that the trul}.

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