Perkins - BX9315 P465 1597

4cafeof 'con/creme. Chrifi,with the effectual calling, weioiue a fotzdhearing ofthe wordofGod, and thevndertiandingofit, accompanied with great and confiant delight and foie: faith an and a true knowledge of thedeitie, hurnanitie, and officeof Chrifl. Vnto ìutliftcation, wee re"rerre a perfwauion oftheremitlion of our fins byChritl(for by this wee are it:tiified :)and regeneration too, or fan5uifi- cation, and renouation of life, a good confcience, loue not faigned, apure heart and cleaiie, patience in aduerfitie, and boafting in tribulation, all good workes and fruitesofthe fpirite : adde hereunto the crofïe it felfe, which wee be are for the truthofGofpell; wherefore, whofoeuer feelech that bee is ef- fe&uallie called, that bee dooth willinglyheare the word, that hee doothbe- leeuc theGofpell, thathee is lureofthe remiflionofhis firmes, that beeburncth. with true loue tohis neighbour,that hee is bent to euerygoodworke : bee can- notbut muff needs be perfwadedof his eleaion : forGODonly Bothcom- ntunicate there vnto the Elea. Therefore is is plaine, that the ele&are con- firmed in the affurance oftheir Ele&ion, by the of eas of Predefiination: and that there is a threefold way, by whichGOD reuealeth to eueriemanhis Pre- defiination. But ifanie (hall take anoccafon therather ofdoubtino ofhis ele6lion then ' '' ofconfirming himfelfe inir,of that which bath beetle fpoken as concerning The P g nesofonr thefruitesofthefpirit, andtheefr'ecisofpredeflination :andthatperaduenture faithastou- becaufe hecan feele inhimfelfe few andverieweake fruits ofregeneration and thing our cle lion : yet let himnot he difcouraged, neitherlet himdoubt ofhis eleuion: eternall ele- butlet him vnderfet himfelfe with thefè props. Firfi of all, ifeuer bee true- ftton, by ly felt in himfelfe that tetlimonie of the fpirit ( which before I mentio- tnay bo- ned ) namely that hee is the fonne of GOD : lethim know vndoubtedly, held vp. that he is.fuch aone, & therefore cle6ted to eternal' life. For the holieGhoti loh. t 6. r3 neuerbeareth record, or perfwadeth a man ofthat whichis falfe,forheis the Eph.t.1.. fpirit oftruth. And theyarenot the IonsofGod, except they haue binpredefii= nate (as the Apofile faith) to adoption by Chrifi : and none that is the Son of Godand aman eleSted, canbeemade a reprobate, and the child of thediuell.. Therefore,albeit he feele inhimfelfboth few andfeeble effecis ofregeneration, yet lethim not doubt ofhis eleaion : otherwife hee. (hall difgrace the tefii- moniewhichhebath receiuedofthe hohe Ghofi, yea and that too whichas yet hee enioyeth: although peraduenturebyreafon that his mindeis troubled bymill affections, that tetlimonieofthe hohefpirit can fcarfe be heard inhim. Forthe true tetlimonieofour adoption by the holie Ghofi, being, once giuen How am vnto our fpirit,lafiethfor euer : althoughit is otherrbiles heardmoreplatnely, may know ay and at other times is more flenderlie and fcarce perceiued. But howe(laie whether the: you)maie f knowe, whether that teflitnonie doth proceede from the holie teflimonie Ghofi, and therefore whether it bee a true andcertaine tetlimonie. I an- which is fvrcrefief}bytheper!\afion :fecondly,by themanerof theperfwafon:lati- giaencF lie,by theeffeasofthiste tlimonieand perfwafion. Forthefirfi theholieGhofl thehp;rit,be of the fptrkt Bothnot fimplie faie it, but loth perfwade with vs, that wee are the Sonnes or not. drawne

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