2s A LETTER CONSO-LA TORIE, WRITTEN TO A FRIEND AFFLICTED IN confcience forfnne. Grace andpeaceinArms Chriff. Y very good and louing friend inthe Lord Iefus,i vnderflandby M.H.who oft trauaileth into there parts, that you requireof me lettersofcomfort for reliefeOf your af$iaed anddiftreffed con- fcience.WhereinI could beglad to performe anydude that is within thecotiipalie of mypoore abilitie. Butyour beltandIoim- deft comfort (as Itake it)heth in thofe that haue themfeluesbeen exercifedWith that trial( : MI6 from the comforts ofChriftthat haueabounded in them,are beft able tocomfort thofe thatare in likefortof leiedby thehand ofGod. Againe,I haue written vn- toyou many time of.this. argumentt ifmyLettersremaine with you, theymay akvayes fpeake forme that which I amable to fay to that poynt. Ifyou require morethan I haue written before this; then were it realmsyou fhould fend. former letters, that I might know_where to begin that which remained,. My leifure is not great,as youknow, and there is nothingavhercinto l enter snore vnwillingly,than into this labour ofwriting. Yet that you mayvnderltanctthat lhaue not altogetherforgotten your old loue towards me, norhaue fuffered some at ehhscae:owards you vtterlytodecay; Iwill endeuour at once as briefly asI may to remeinbonvntoyou,fofarreas I can call tominde,thelìun:ne of all that I hauewrittenvntoyouJtertafore. The queltion (as Itake it) that lied, incon- trouerfiebetweene your confcienceand the eneaste, is of the alfùranceof your faluation. 7óe teftimonie Wherein Iwould baue you flrft to confiderwhat is,'orat any timepail bath beenethe te- st tbeJpirir. 4imonieof-the fpirit of God untoyour fpirit,and then Idoubtnot but either frompre- fei t fenfeof thefame fpirit ofGod,trying inyour heart,Abbafather; or from thereinem- brance ofthe daiesof old,éJhcrein you had a comfortable affurance'ofGods fauour,you (hall beable to repel( the forceof this temptation, confidering that the liolie Gbofttan not lie,thatGod,whom lire loueth,vnto the end lire loueth,andbecaufe hisgifts and cal- ling (as the Apottle faith)are fuck as whereof lice slothnot,nor cannot repent him. Then 7,e wareof confider the nature of faith,which howweake andvnperfitloeueritbe, it cannot bede- fait,. hied euenby Sathan himfelfe, to be faith : according to that which is faid,I balerse,Lard Iilark.9.24. helpe rhos minevvbeleefe. And ifyou Isaacfaithcuenas muchasagraineofmilliard feede, Massh.sr'z' &c.thatfaithapprehendethChrrftlefus, inwhomdiereisallfuficiencieoffàlnatior. ,and Colof z;iu. in whom wee are compleat : fothat whatfoeuer fcruple arifeth from cur lanes, or ism- forced of the enemie fromany inrperfeaion that is in vs, it neede not it all to difinay I.Cor.r.3o, vs, becaufe weefaue not our felues, but are faued by him,who rrmadevntevr fromGel, ocifllame, righeeoufneffe,fanErifivation, and redemption : that who faglorieth Jhoeddglorie him. Andindeede thereis no filterrefuge when the enerniedifIreffeth vs,then renouncing cur
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