Ver 38139 the 8th Chapter ta the R 014 ANS. 3 S i final life; Friends, Enemies, Ordinances, Providences, all conditions; Life, Death. 1l you refolve firmly to obey Chrift, and adhere to him, you need not fear any thing, Now upon there grounds a Chriftian may conclude, that nothing (hall feparate him front the love of God which is in Chrift Jelus our Lord. 4. That we ought firmly to be perfwaded of this; here I (hall drew you how this perfwafion is bred in us. r. By the word of the Gofpel, difcovering to us the whole myflery of our Redemp. tion by Chrift, with all the confequent benefits. There all Gods merciful deligns for the juftifying, fanaifying, and glorifying the creature, are manifefted to us, as matter of our faith, Aas r 9. 8. And perfwading the things concerning the kingdom of God. The Doarine and end of his Miniftry, was to perfwade men of the neceffity of coming out of their lapfed ellate, and the power of the'Devil, and to put themfelves under the government of the King, whom God hath let upon his holy hill of Sion; that he may defend them againft the Devil, the World, and the Flefh, and at length bring them to everlafling happinefs. Again, Fats 28. 23. 'And he expounded, and teffifred the kingdom of God, perfwading them concerning Jefus, &c. Affuring them of his fufficiency to fave them. Now this they did, partly, by (hewing .the danger of the contrary, 2 Cor.5. r 1. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we perfwade men; and partly, by (hewing the grace and readinefs of God to own them in all troubles, Ads t3.43. Perfwading them to continue in the grace of God. And if men do quarrel at this dilpenfation, they will not be edified by any other, be it never fo extraordinary, Luke 16. 31. Neither will they be perfwaded, though one fhould rift from the dead. There is more realm! to perfwade, the Scriptures are true, than if a meffage were brought to us by a vifion or apparition ; which would not induce us to quit our finful habits and cultoms. Now this is the means, when we receiveit,,and are perfwaded of it. 2. By the Spirit, r Cor. 2. 12. Now we have not received the fpirit of the world, but the fpirit which is of God, that we may know the things that are freely given us of God. The fpirit of God is neceffary, that we may believe the Doarine of the Gofpel, and cure our worldly and fenfual inclinations ; for who elfe will be brought to forfake the things which he feeth and loveth, for a God and a Glory which he never law> 3. By faith; which is a perfwafion of the truth of fuch things as God hath revealed, becaufe God hath revealed them, 1 John 4. 16. And we have known, and believed, the love which God bath to us. 'Tis matter of faith to believe the love and care of God over his people. 4. Experience. The perfwafior,with application, increafeth our confidence. His-love to us in particular is known by what he bath wrought in us, and for us; and this in- creafeth our perfwafion, and breedeth in us a holy confidence, 2 Cor. t. io. Who bath delivered us fromfo great a death, and doth deliver; in whom we troff that he will yet de- liver us. 2 Tim. 4.17, 18. Notwithffanding the Lord flood with me, and ffrengthned me, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lyon, and the Lord (hall deliver me from every evil work. la this perfwafion, confirmed, feafoned, experiencgd Chriftians do continue g who have not only a true faith in Chrift, and a fettled love to him, but fuch as maketh up an evidence in their confcience of their fincerity, and giveth an undoubted perfwa- lion of his love to them. r. They are fuch as are rooted and grounded in faith, The full comfort of Chrifti- anity is refereed for fuch as are defcribed by the Apoltle, Col. 1. 23. If ye continue in the faith, grounded, and fettled, and be not moved away from the hope of the Gofpel. There is an initial faith which may wither: as the grace of the fecond and third ground; and there is a rooted faith, which will be fupported and maintained in the good and . boneft heart. Therefore 'cis not fufficient once, to affent to the truth of the Gofpel in our underftandings, or imbrace the good things offered to us by our will and affritions; but we molt be rooted and grounded in the faith. Fluauating opinion, without a well- grounded perfwafion, will not ferve the turn. Some flight delires and affeaions to bleffeduefs to come, will not maintain us again( the feveral blatts of fo many temp- tations as we meet with ; but we muff get a faith that will make us indifferent to all worldly things ; heighth or depth, life or death. The found world conquering faith,will only give us fafety; and I am fare, will mill give us comfort, t John 5. 4. For whofo- ever is born of God, overcometh the world : and this is the villory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Such a lotïnd belief of bleffednefs to come, maketh us dead to the 2. Such prefent world.
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