i 16 alhe CófpelIÌyfiery bireFt. though it were but little, as Chrift's words to him thew : "O thou of little faith, wherefore didft thou " doubt ?" Mat. xiv. 29 3cß, 3 t. It is ftrange, if the fiefh and the devil thall never oppofe a true affurance, andaffualtitwith doubtings. A believer may befome- times fo overwhelmed with doubtings, that he may not be able to perceive an affurance in himfelf. He is fo far from knowing his place in heaven already; (as fome fcoffingly objet) that he will fay, that he knowethnot any affurance that hehath of being there, and needeth diligent felf-examination to find it out. Yet, if at thattime he can blame his foul for doubting, " Why art thou cart down, O my foul ? and why " art thou difquieted within me? hope thou in God; " for I thall yet praife him,"' Pfalm xlii. i I. If he can condemn his doubtings, as finful, and fay with himfelf, "This is my infirmity," Pfalm lxxvii. to'. thefe doubtings are of the flefh, and of the devil; if he Rill endeavour to call God, Father, and complain to him, that he doubteth whether he be his Father, and pray, that God will give him the affurance ofhit fatherly love, which he is not fenfible of, and difpel thofe fears and doubtings ; I fay, that fuch an one bath fome true affurance, though he muff ftrive to grow to a higher degree: for, ifhe were not perfuad- ed of the truth of the love of God towards him, he could not rationally condemn his fears and doubts ¡p;! concerning it as finful ; neither could he rationally f; P, pray to God as his father, or that God would affure him of that love that he loth not think to be true. Dobut grant that it is the nature of Paving faith, thus to refìft and ftruggle with ¡lavish fears of wrath, and doubting of our own falvation; and you grants in effect, that there is, and mutt be fomething of af,- furance of our falvation in laving faith, whereby it refifteth doubtings , and you are, in effect, of the fame judgement withme in the affertion, however ftrange my expreffions feem to you. If this that I have laid concerning our imperfalion in affurance,
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