° againji the wiles ofthe devil. folly refolved, as to dare to own the fame, he frames his Ar- gurnent againff fuch a ones dolingwith Chrift and the promife ; as if it were prefumption to afrume that, (which is the only por- tic3n of the Elea) before we know our lelves of that number. ; Now,Chriftian, keep the Plains and thou art fate. Tis plain, we are not to make-Eledion a ground for our faith, but our faith 001; calling a medium or argument to prove our Elcaion. Ele- &ion indeed is firft in order of divine aging. God choofeth before we beleeve ; yet faith is firft in our aging. We mune- lieVe before we can know we are eleacd, yea , by believing we know it. The Husbandman knowes 'cis Spring by the fprouting of the graffe, though he bath no Affrology to know the Pofition of the Heavens; thou mayefl know thou art Elea, as furely by a work ofgrace in thee, as if thou hadfl flood by Godselbowe when he writ thy name in the book of life. It had been prefum- pt-ion for David to have thought he fhould have been King, till Samuel anointed him, but then none at all ; when thou believeft firft, and clofeft with Chriff, then is the Spirit of God fent to anoint thee to the Kingdom of Heaven : this is that holy oyle which is poiired upon none but heires of and 'cis no prefumption to reade what Gods gracious purpof was towards thee of old, whenhe prints thoie his thoughts, and makes them legible in thy effeaual calling ; here thou doeft not go up to heaven, and pry into Gods fecrets, but heaven comes down to thee, and reveals them. Again, he will ask the Chriftian what was the time of his Converfion ; Art thou a Chriftian (will he fay)and doff thou not know when thou commencedfl? now keep the Plains, &content thy felf with ehis,that thou fceft the fireams ofgrace, though the timeof thy Converfion be like the head of Nyltu, not to be found. God oft comes betimes, before groffe fins have deflowered the foule, and heals into the creatures bo- fome without much noife. In Inch a cafe Satan doth but a- bufe thee when he fends thee on this errand ; you may know the I Sun is up, though you did not obferve when it role. Again, what will become of thee (faith Satan) if God fhould bring thee into fuch an affliction or trialoshen thou muff burn or turn, or when all thy outward eftate flail be rent from thee,no meal in the barrel, no money in the pude ; dareft thou have fo good an opinion ofthy felfe, as to think that thy faith will hold out in S z fuch
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