S8 The Nature and Efe5Is ofGofpel Af/urance. Prat-13o. Combate, it delivereth us not from it. We may have peace with. God,when we have none from the affiults of Sathan. Now unlefs a man do duly confider the tenor of the Cove- nant wherein we walk with God, a:rl the nature of that Go- fpel Obedience which he requires at our hands, with the flare and Condition which is our .,t and portion whiltff we live in this World, the dayly t thefe things, with the trouble that mull be undergone on Aeir account, may keep him in the dark unto himfelf, and :,finder him from that eftabliJhnent in believing which och< = wit;_ tae might attainunto. On this account Come as holyperf it: as any in this World, being wholly taken up with the c: lìdtra ion of thefe home bred perplexi- ties, and not clearly acquainted with the way and tenor of affuring their Souls before 'od according to the Rule of the Covenant of Grace, have paired away their dayes in a bondage frame of fpirit, and unacquaintance with that iir:mg confolation which God is abundantly willing that all the Heirs ofpromife fhould receive. .r, The Na- 5. Evangelical Affurance is not a thing that confifeth in any turn and point, and lc') incapable of variation. It may..be higher or lower, EffeEts of greater or lets, obfcure or attended with more Evidence. It Gofpel Mf- i firanee. s not quite lo/t; when it is not quite at its higheft. God fome- times marvcllouily raifcth the Souls of his Saints with tome clofe and neer approaches unto them ; gives them a fenfe of his Eternal Love ; a tafle of the embraces of his Son, and the inhabitation of the Spirit, without the lead intervening di- jturbance, then this is their Affurance. But this lice is not a feafon to be alwayes taking wages in; our evorkis not yz.t done, we are not alwayes to abide in this Mount ; we muff down again into the battle, fight again, cry again, complain again ; Shall the Soul be thought now to have loft its afitrsnce ? Not at all; it had before afurance with Joy, Triumph, and Exul- tation ; it hath it now, or may have, with wrejtling, cryes, tears, and fupplications. And a mans Aferance may be as Goad, as true, when he lye: on the earth with a fenfe of fin, as when he is carryed up to the third Heaven with a fenfe of Love, and formate of Glory. In brief, this Affurance of Salvation is fuch
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