Ver. 6. Fifth Chap. 2d Ep. to the C O R I N T H. 4, r. The Nature I. What is this Confidence, s. The Oppofttet ;. The EffetZs 4. The Properties fir. I. The nature.'Tis a Well grounded perfwaGon of our Eternal Happine1. But I mutt diftinguifh again as before.There is a twofold Confidence; one which is proper to faith; ano- ther which may be called alfurance, or a fenfeof our own interefl. I. There is a Confidence included in the very nature ofFaith, ufually called Affiance. We have often confidered Faith as it implyeth a firm affent, and again as it lmplyeth a thank- fulacceptanccofChrilt. Now as it lmplyeth Affiance or a relting, relying; and repofing our hearts with quietnefs and peace upon Gods Promifes; and fo Confidence is Nothing but a Finn and comfortable dependance upon God through lefus Chrifl for thegift of Eternal life, while we patiently Continue in well - doing. Affent to the truth of the promife breed - eth this Confidence, but 'tis not it, for faith is not a bare Atlent, but a fiducial Altent,or a truftanddependanceupon the Lord in the Appointed way of obtaining the Effe&s of the promife. Faith is often defcribed by the All of Trull, both in the Old Teftament and in theNew. That there can be no doubt of this, no notion is more frequently infifted on in the Old Teftament, Pfal. i i z. 7. He/hall not be afraid ofevil Tidings,his Heart is fixed, traliing in the Lord. His adherence to God and dependance upon him is the great pm- fervative again(' worldly fears, and apprehenftons of danger and Mifery : So that he is for - tifyed not only for a patient, but cheerful entertainment of all that Ihall come, or may come.SoIfa. a6.3.Thou keepefl him in perfeFlpeace whole mindisfrayed on ihee,becaufe he trufl% eth in thee. A man fecurely refts upon the promife of God, that all will end well, while he keepetla to his duty. The New Teftament allo ufeth the fame ñocion, z'Cor. i3. 4. Such troll we have through Chrill to Godward. Confidence, t Tim. 4 i o. For therefore -roe both labour, andfuffer reproach, becaufe we troll in the livingGod. So Eph. i. sx, i g.' Who trufledfirff in Chr: In wham alfo ye trufed. When we areConfident that God will fave his faithful Servants, and are incouraged thereby to go on with our duty. Our mifearriages, fainting, and Apoftacy, and difcomforts, are made to arife from the want of this Confidence. The mifcarriages of the people in theWildernefs, a figure of our eftate in the World, came from hence, 'Plat 78. az. They believed not in God, and trufied not in his Salvation. Theywere not Confident of his conduét, that he would bring them into theland of relt. A man that doth not truft God cannot be long true to him ; they who do not depend upon God for Salvation, and for whatever is neceffary to them for Salvation, and to bring them out of everyftreight in away moft conducing to their welfare and his own Honour, have not that true believing, or found faith, which God requireth of them. Well then, this truft or Confidence mull be in all, and this is more than Alfent, or a bare perfwaGon of the , mind, that the promifes are true ; this noteth the repofe of the Heart, or the motion of the will, towards them as good and Satisfactory. 2. There is a confidence of our own good ellate, for the prefent; and fo by confequence of our future Bleffednefs, Phil. r. 6. Being confident of this very thing, that he that bath begun a good work inyou, will erfell it to the day of Cbrifl. When we make no doubt but that God who hath wrought faith and other Chriftian graces in us, will allo confummate all ineverlafting Glory. This dependeth upon a fight of our Qualification. This Confi- dence is Comfortable, the otherabfolutely neceffary ; this Confidence is mainly built upon the Earneft ofthe Spirit, in our hearts, the other upon the promife of the Gofpel; by the one there is a Crown of Righteoufnefs for the Faithful, by the other'tis laid up for them. The Spirit and life of Faith lyeth more in the former, but the joy of Faith, and our Comfort dependeth upon this. A Chriftian that is Confident that God will be as good as his word is mightily incouraged to wait upon God till that word beaccomplifhed, and that, breedethCourage and Refolution, and Boldnefs. But aChriftian that knoweth his otn intereft, is more cheered and pleafed with it. By this latter Confidence a Chriftian hath a double ground ofrejoycing: T he certainty of Godspromifet And the evidence of his own Sincerity,or the truth ofgrace in his own heart, iloh. j. i 9 Hereby we know that we are of the truth,andfhall affureour hearts before him. AChriftian is Paid to be beforeGod three ways; either in his Ordinary converfation, Gen, i7. So our hearts are affured before him when we walk in Holy peace Sc Security. a dly. We come beforehim in Prayer and oth. erVuties: Now a Chriftian may allure his heart before him ; our legal fears are revived by the pre - :once of God, but a Chriftian can look God in the face. idly. We come before him at the day
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