Diref X. Of Sand acatión. 167 oration by Chrift, will be abfolutely fulfilled to us. TheApofflefames exprefslyrequireth that we Mould afk good things of God in faith, nothing doubting ; which includeth affurance manifeftly; and he tells us plainly, that without it a man ought not to think that he {hall receive any thing of the Lord. There- fore we may firmlyconclude, that without it we íhali not receive the falvation of Chrift, Jam. i. 6. 7. And that which the Apofile James requireth us not to doubt of, is the obtaining the things that we ark; as we may learn from an inftru lion to the fame pur- pofe given to us by Chrift himfelf, " What things " {Dever ye defire, when ye pray, believe that ye re- " ceive them, and ye fhall have them," Mark xi. 24 More places of Scripture might be alledged to the Game purpofe: 'but thefe are fufficient to evince, that we are bound to affure ourfelves of our falvation in faith itfelf, or elfe we are never likely to enjoy it; and that it is not humility, but rather proud difobem dience, to live ina flute of mere fufpence and doubt. fulnefs concerningour falvation; and that this affur. ance mull. be in the dire& aaof faith wherebywe are juí`lified and faved. For, as for that which is called the reflex aEt of faith, it is a certain truth, and gene. rally owned, that it is not abfolutely neceffary to fal- vation to any; and that it is finful and pernicious to many to believe, that they are already entered into a Elate of grace and falvation. thirdly, God giveth us fufficient ground in fcrip. ture to come to Chrift with confident faith at the ve. ry firfl.; trufting affuredly, that Chrift and his falva- tion !hall be given to us without any failing and de- lay, however vile and finful our condition bath been hitherto. The fcripture fpeaketh to thevileft finners in fuch a mariner as if it were framed on purpofe to beget of urance of falvation in them immediately, Aas ii. Jg. iii. 26 This promife is univerfal, that whofoever believeth on Chrift, fhall not be alhamed, without making a difference betweenJew andGreek,
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