and Nature of it, declared. i i 3 indeed the ways and means which they propofed and prefen- ted, would never bring the Souls of men to Reft, nor give them the leaff Afflirance of the pardon of fins, they made it a part of their Do&rine, that the belief of the pardon of our own fns, and Affurance of the Love of God in ChrUl, were falte and pernicious. For what fhould they elfe do, when they knew well enough, that in their way, and by their pro - pofitions they were not to be attained ? Hence the principal Controverfie in this matter which the Reformed Divines had . with thole of the Church of Rome was this, whether there be according unto, and by the Gofel, a (late of Refi and affxred Peace with God to be attained in this life. And having all Ad- vantages imaginable for the proof hereof, from the very na- ture, ufe, and end of the Gofpel, from the Grace, Love, and Defign of God in Chrift, from the Efficacy of his Medi- ation in his Oblation and Interceffion, they affigned thefe things to be the elpecialObje& of Juftifying Faith, and that Fa,th it Pelf to be a fiduciary Trufl in the efpecial Grace and Mercy of God, through the blood of Chrift, as propofed in the Promifes of the Gofpel. That is, they dire &ed the Souls of men to feek for peace with God, the pardon of fin, and a Right unto the Heavenly Inheritance, by placing their Cole Trutt and Confidence in the mercy of God by Chrift alone. But yet withall I never read any of them, (I know not what others have done) who affirmed that every true and fincere Believer always had a full Affurance of the E[ ecial Love of God ïn Chrift, or of the pardon of' his own fins ; though they plead that this the Scripture requires of them in a way of Duty, and that this they ought to aim at the Attain- ment of. And thefe things I (hall leave as I find them, unto the ufe of the Church. For I (hall not contend with any about the way and manner of expreffing the Truth, where the jubilance of it is retained. That which in thefe things is aimed at, is the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=