Tiro obieEtionsQgain/? theaffurance ofelenionanfireYed. ïg¡ faith isfinne. Rom.14.2 3 . Andwithoutfaith iris inmpofble to Heb.it.d, pleat good, Heb.i 1.6. Iftherefore we cannot beaffured that wehaue faith,we can haue noaffurance that ourbeft aáìions, our calling vponGods name, our hearingofhis word, and all other duties ofpietie and iuflice, are `any better than finnes, and odious inGodsfight : whereofit mull needs fol- low that thefe aélions,how good foeuer in themfelues, will bee done ofvs in doubting, becaufe wee knownot whether they be done in faith ; and beingdone doubtinglie theybe- come finnes indeede, and therefore difpleafing in Gods fight. Lafily,ifI can know whether Ibeleeue aman upon his word,and,whether! trutl and relie my fenfeupon hispromife or no ; why may I not much more knowwhether I beleeue Gods gracious promifes made vnto all repentant fanners, and amongft the refsuntomy fell, namelie, that for the obe- dience and merits of Chrift, I íhall haue remiflion of my Ewes and .eu.erla.fling'life-?'teeing this faith is not out ofour felues, 'buta gift of God wrought -in vs byhis holie fpirit, which is not idle in vs, forit purifieth the heartjandworketh by loue; it moouethvs tohateand flie from thofe finneswe haue loued,and to imbrace and loue that holineffe and righ- tcoufheffe oflife,which heretofore hath binloathfomevnto vs. As therefore the fire is knowne byhisheate,-the funne by thelight, the good tree byhis fruites, -fo when our cold hearts areinflamedwith the loueofGod,andaferuent ueale ofhis glorie, whenour-blind vnderfiandingsare inlightned with the - knowledgeofGod, and ofthe truereligion, when weebring forth the fruites of our profeflion in agodlie and Chriftianlife,thenmaywee certainelieknow that wearein- duedwith a true andliuely fnith. But here the tempter will take occafion to perfwade the 4.Sec7.7. weake Chriflianand the troubledconfcience,that-he hath no temptation faith, feting he dothnot certainelyknow thathebath it,nor g> wadedvpoz difcerneth thefe - frgnes and fruites offaith in himfelfe. To fa e. this fuggcihon-weeare to anfwere, that we doe not fay that fevered, the wcake Chriflianmaybeaffured at all times, that hehath faith byhis prefent fenfe; forfiat when we are newly con- verted, and the feedesoffaith are,fownein our hearts, we do 0 2 r10í
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