Ver.4.Feari andTemptations confijient with AJfurance. 2 groaning for deliverance alwayes attend it. To what purpofe do you (peak to a Soul highly fenfible of the refill? power of indwelling{ fn concerning Afurance. Alas, faith he, I am ready to perifh every moment, my hefts are thong, ac` ive, reflkts, yea.outraiOU1 ; they give me no reti, no liberty, and but little fuccefs do I obtain. AJfuranee is for Conquerours ; for them that live at rd and peace. I lie groveling on the ground all my dayes, and muff needs be uncertain what will be the ifTue. But when fuch an one bath done all he can, he will not be able to make more wofull complaints of this matter than Paul hath done before him. Kom. 7. and yet he clofeth the difcourfe of it with as high an expreffion of afurance as any perfon needs to feek after, v. laff, and chap. 8. t. It is not AJJ'urance, but Enjoyment that excludes this fenfe and troúble. But if men will think they can have no Affurance, becaufe they have that, without which it is impollible they fhould have any, it is hard to give them relief. A little CruJè of Salt of the Goipel cart into thefe bitter waters will make them fweet and wholfom. Senfe of the guilt of fin may confiti with faith of its pardon and forgivenefs in the blood of Chrift. Godly farrow may dwell in the fame heart at the. fame time, with Joy in the Holy Ghoti; and groaning after deliverance from the power of fin, with a Gracious perfwafion that fin (hall not have domi- nion over us, becaufe we are not under the Law but Grace. 4. ti- a Doubting., Fears, Temptations, if not ordinarilyprevailing Fears and t are eonfiftent with Gofpel Afurance. Though the Devils power ors Ten pt be limited in reference unto the Saints, yet his hands are not fiftenr with tyed. Though he cannot prevail againti them, yet he can af- Pdfurance, fault them. And although there be not an evil heart ofunbelief in Believers , yet there will Rill be unbelief in their hearts. Such an evidence, convi&ion, and perfwafion of .Acceptance with God as are exclufive of all contrary reafonings, that fuller the Soul to hear nothing of Objetions, that free and quiet it from all affaults are neither mentioned.in the Scripture,nor con- liiftent with that (fate..wherein we walk before God, ;nor poi. fible on the account of Sathans will and ability to tempt, or of our own remainingunbelief. Abram encouragesb us in our Combate, , 7
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=