666 / 772
That
the Lord
bath
as
cer-
tainly
decreed
and
pramifed
ecc
rfanChfica-
tien
as
our
fal-
akation.
2.1101.7.:19.
Ephef.r.4.
Lb.t4.16.17.
Ezcch.i
1.19.
arid 36.26.
Ier.3
r.3334
Iod.7..Z8.7.9.
640
Comforts againft
our
low
progrefein
fanftification.
as
certainelie
decreed and prornifed
the
means
tending
thereunto,
which
are
the
effe
&s
of
his ele
&ion and the fore-
runners
ofor,7
faluation;but one
efpeciall effect
of
his ele&d-
on
is
our
fandification,
and
the
way
to
faluation
is
the path
ofrighteoufrieffe and
holineffe
;
and
therefore
this
is
no
Ieffe
certainelie
affured
vnto
vs,
that
wee
fhaI1
bee
fan&ified,and
enabled
to
walke in this way
of
righteoufieffe
and holi-
neffe,
then that
wee
are ele&ed
and
fha11
be
faued.
Though
then
wee
are
weake
and
vnf
{
able,
yet
the
foundation
of'
God
remaineth euer
fore
;
though
in
regard
of
our
owne
feeble
-
neffe,
and
manifold
irnperfe
&ions,
the
worke
of
fan&ifi
-
cation
feeme
altogether impoflble, yet this
fhould
not
moue
vs
to doubting nor
difcourage
vs
in
our
courfe,
feeing
it
bath
not
any
ground
vpon
our owne
ftretigth, but
vpon
Gods
immutable decree,and neuer failing
promifes.
When
then
our
(mall
progreflc in true
godlineffe, caufed
through
the
violence
ofour
corruptions
and oppofitions
of
our fpi-
rituall enemies difcourageth
vs,
making
this
worke
of
fan
-
¿ification
feeme
impoffible,let
vs
call
to mind
that
the
Lord
hath
as
certainely decreed,
that
we fhould be
his
Saints
here
vpon earth
as
his Saints
in
heauen, that
he
hath
moft
fairh-
fullie promifed,
that
hee
will
dire&
vs
with
his
holie
fpirit,
take
away from
vs
our (tonic hearts and giue
vs
flefhy
hearts,
illuminate our blind vnderfiandings with
true fauing
know-
ledge,
indue
vs
with
a
liuelie
faith, and
wí141
all
other
fan-
¿
ifying
graces, enable
vs
to
performe
in
folne
meafire
ho-
lie obedience
to
his
heauenlie
Sill,
mortyfying our
cor-
ruption ,and
enabling
vs
to
fern
him
in newneffe
oflife;
all which
gracious
promifes wee are
as
vndoubtedly to
be-
leeue,
as
thofe
which concerne either the
remiffion
of
our
finnes,or euerlafting
happineflè.
And therefore
though
our
ovine dulneffe,backwardneffe, and
little profiting
in
fanéi-
fication, fhould
worke
in
vs
true furrow, yet this fhould
not
difcourage
vs,doubting
ofthe
iffue
of
all
our labours,
but
knowing that God
is
alike true in
all
his
promifes, let
vs,
letting
afide all difficulties,
beleeue againft beleefe,
and
vn.
doubtedly
perfwade our
felues
that
the
Lord
will finial
that
good
worke which
hee
hath begun
in
vs,
though
as
yet
it
hati