Perkins - BX9315 P465 1597

/23 a ?Treatife Obiett.8.In refpeuc} ofGod,who is truth it felfe, we are to bcleeue the pro. mile inparticular :yet ifwerefpect ourownevnworthincs and indifpoIti'6, we are to feare and in Come part ro doubt. For the promifc ofrctnifion of . finnes is not abfolute,but depends vponthecondition ofour workes.Ther. foreourcertentieis oncly conieeturall . lnf. I anfwer,firfl that in refpeaof our ownevnworthines,we arenot to doubt of our faluation,butto be out of all doubt,yeatodifpaircbefore the iudgement feat ofGod.For they which are ofthe works ofthe lawe,are vndct thecurie, Gal. 3. i o.andPaul faith ofhis owne worksof grace,bs this Iam not irefirlîed, t.Cor.4.4.AndDauid beeing out ofall doubt ofhis owne deemed damnation in regard of his ownevnw.orthines,faich freely . Enter not Into ittolgernent w,th thyfruAnt,O Lord,fornefle /hPaidbeinfitfedtn theft,;ht. Againc the coníderation of any enworthines in our fdues, Both not hinder a rcfolution concerning Gods mercie inChriti. For truefaithmakes an entrance veto God with boldles,(I fay with boldnes)euen for thofeperfons thatarevnworchie in them felues, Eph.4.t a.And Abrahant(wbofe faith is to be followed ofvs)did not vpon theconfiderarionofhis old decaied bodie,reft him felfewichbare hope vp- on al ikelihood ofthe accomplifhmentofGods promife.but.hebeleestedun- der hopeownaóatxfi: bope.Rotn.4,..a 8. I.aflly I anEwer that the groundof the former obie1ionis erronious,namcly that thepromife offaluation depends on thecondition ofour workes:becaufe the Scripture faith, it is made and accomplifhedon mans part freely. I graunt indeede that to the promifc there is annexed a condition of faith:yet faith here muff not be confidered as a worke,but as an inirumentapprehending Chritl with his benefits:and withall,repentance with the fruits thereof, areonour part required; yet no otherwife,butas theyare neceffarie confequents offaith, and the lignes and documents thereof. Obie5l.6.No manknowes all hisfinnes:no man therefore can certenlie .knowe that all his frnnes are pardoned,and that he is acceptedofGod. Inf Thegrotsnde ofthis argument is falfe:namely that a man cannot be aífured ofthe pardon ofhisfinnes,iffotneofthembevnknowne.And to make this manifefl,I will laydowne amore cercen ground,whichthallbethis.As the cafe is inRepentance,fo.it is alfoin faith: Joist there maybe true & fufficient repecanceofvnknownGanes. God indeed requires aparticular repentance forparticular knowne Cnnes ;but if they be hidden and vnknowne,he ac- cepts a generall repentance.An example whcreofwe haueinDauid, rrho knower,faith he,theerratert ofthickfe?thenpurge mefrom my fecretfrnner..If it were not as !haue faide,neither Dauidnor any man elle could be fatted. For when Dauid repented greatlyofhis murder and adulrerie, yet wefinde .not that he repented particularlyofhis polygamie:which inall hkelihoode, through thefwingeand cutlome of thofe times , was not then reputed to be any finne;fpeciallyin theperfonofa king: and yet becaufe(as we know) he is ccrcenly faued,this very finne is pardoned. Therefore when God par- dons the knowne fronts of men , whercofthey doe inparticular repent, he

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