40 TheellateafaG Oaf an all other, his.fins,,enen as though ithad not been true,thattheywere forgiuen, as Nathan tolde. him : The reafon is : howfoeuer they were remitted before God,yet Dauid at his finsi repentingof them felt none afíurance tri his heart of the forgiueneffe ofthem, onely hee had aperfwafion, that they might bee pardoned. And therefore he vehemently defired and prayed to the Lord,to re- mit them,and to fanáifie him anew. This then being the leaft meafureof faith,it mull be remembred, that hewho bath not attained to it, bath as yet no facing faith atall. XX. The gyea- The greatcf+ meafureoffaith is afull per f raií'onofthemercieofgod. For tat mea , it is the Li rength andripenes offaith,Rom:q..verra0.2 t ..Abrahamnot weake fineoffaith in faith, but being flrengthened in thefaith,cvasfullyperfraded, that he whó hadpromifid was able to doe it : This full aflurance is when a man can fay i Rom.8.38 with Paul, I i amperfiraded that neither lfenor deátb,norofngels,nor prin- cipalities,nor powers, nor things prefent,nor things to come , nor height , nor depth,nor anyother creature 'hall bee able tofeparate vsfrom the logeofGod, which is in ChrifSt fefus our Lord. And leaf+any fhould thinke, this laying is *,i.Tim.r. peculiar toPaul,he teflifiethofhimfelfe thatfor this caufe hewas receiued to 16. mercie,that hee might bee anexample to themwhich after fhouldbelecue in Chrif+ to life eternall : and the whole Church, in theCantic,vfeth the fame in kCant.. effe6 : laying, k Loueèasflrang its death, ieloo f e is as cruee7as thegrate, the 6.7. colesthereofarefierie coles,anda vehementflame. ?Much water cannotquench loue, neither can the flouds drowneit: fa in fhouldgiue all thef,bi anceof his houfefor loue,they wouldcontemne it. XXI. NoChrifdian attaineth to this full aflúrance at the firfl, but in fomecond- . nuanceof time after that fora long fpace he bath kept agood confcience be- , fore G:_d,andbefore:men : and bath had dicers experiences ofGods loueand i Rom.5.45 , faùour towards him in Chrifr.This Paul declareth to theRomanes :1 inaflii c- tionsGodfbedsabroadhis loue in theirhearts,by theholy Gbofl, which isgiuen to them: but how?by degrees : for from affliOions arifeth patience, from pa- tiencecommeth experience,from experièce hope, and hope neuerinaketh afha- med,or difappoyntethhimofeternall life. This is euident in Dauids pra hfe : m,?faÍ.23.6 m Doubtles,fäithhe,kindnes &mercielhal follow me althe dollies ofmy life,dt fhallliuea longfeafn in thepoufs ofthe Lord.Markthishisrefolute perfwafiô: and confiderhow he came veto it : namely,byexperience ofGods fauour at fundry times,& after fundry manners. Forbefore hefet downe thisrefolution, n La3.2. beenumbred vp diners benefites receiued ofthe Lord :that n heefedhim its 34. greetaepalures,andled him by the refrefhirg watersofGodsword : that he re- horethhimand leadeth himin the pathsofrighteoufnes : that he f+rengtheneth hint ingreat daungers, euenofdeath, and preferueth him : that in defpight of hisenemiies,he enriched himwithmanybenefits. Bymeanes ofall thefe mer Gies ofGodbellowedon him, hecame tobee perfwadedofthe continually ofthe fauour of God towards him. Alpine Dauid fa'ydbefore King Sat11, n Let
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