flirea. X. ©f Santification. 359 about earning their falvationbytheir own legalworks. And Satan is ready to fuggeft to them, that this is a finful careleffnefs, and tendeth to l.icentioufnefs. But they that will believe this falle fuggef}ion of Satan, ¡hew plainly, that they donot yet knowwhat it is to ferve God in love, and that they are held in, to all their obedience, by the bit and bridle of flavifh fear, " as the horfe and mule, that have no underfand- ing," Pfaim xxxii. g. Thirdly, Beware of thinking fo highly of this at. fin-mice, as if it were inconfiftent with any doubting in the fame foul. Agreat reafon why many Protef- tants have receded from the doarine of their ancef- tors in this point, is, becaufe they think there can be no true affurance of falvation in any that are troubled with doubtings, as they find many be, whom they cannot but own as true believers, and precious faints of God. True indeed, this affurance muff be contra- ry to doubtings, in the nature of it: and fo, if it were perfect in the higheft degree, it would exclude all doubting out of the foul, and it doth now exclude it in fome degree. But is there not flefh as well as fpirit in the belt faints on earth? Gal. v. i 7. Is there not "a law in their memberswarring againft the law " of their minds ?" Rom. vii. 23. May not one that truly believeth, fay, "Lord, help my unbelief ?" Mark ix. 24. Can anyon earth fay, they have receiv.- ed any grace in the higheft degree, and that they are whollyfree from the contrary corruption? Why then should we think, that affurance cannot be true, ex cept it be perfect, and free the foul from all doubt- ings? The Apoftle accounts it a great blefiing to the Theffalonians, that they had much affurance ; inti mating, that fome true affurance might be in a lefs degree, r Theff. i. 5. Peter had force good afuranct of Chrift's help, hen he walked on the water at Chrift's command; and yet he had force doubtful- nefs in him, as his fear ¡hewed when he faw the wind boitterous. He had ?Coate faith contrary to doubting
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