Perkins - BX9318 P47 1626 v1

How to liue~ndthat n,efl. 479 containesin it the chiefefr certentie ofour a- A. of God that bids vs beleeuein Chrifr: wee doption and faluation that can be had in this mufr bewaile our vnbeliefe : wee mult frriuo Iife,namely,thecertcntie offaith,whence folagain!hhc fame, and pray vnto God to conIowes in a lower degree m the fecond .pla<e, firme and increafe our fai!h, by efrabliihing the ccrtentiethat is byworks: And thus doth our hearts in hislcue. . . , · faith certifie all fuch as truely beleeue, that The fecond part offpirituall life, is Pe4ceof they are thechildren of (;od. confcience; whichis no1hing c!fe but a con!br.t Outofthe former conclufion,orout of the and itable tranquility ofminde,when the conI c.ertainty whkh is by faith, followcs a fulf and fcience doth nor accufe,but excufe; and whtn I huely certenne of the doctnr.e ofthe Gofpsl, neither hdl, death, condemnation , nor any worthy confideration;on this manner. There danger is feared ouerm~:Jch. This peacewas in ·is a three-fold certenty: the lirft is certenty of J)4qid,wben he faid. Pfal 3·5.Jlaidme downe reafon,orofgeneral! faith, when a man by an.dflept androfe againe, in themidflof maniforce ofargument is conuictedofthe certenty fold.dangers: This peace isofgreat excd!en. ofthedocttine of the Bible. This may bee in d~,for it is thtpeace of God.-it isone part ofthe the wicked' and vngodly without faitldn B k,ingdomeofGod,. it paf!eth all vnderflan~ing: Chrift.After this in the elect by a more fpeci· it isia Head ofa gnard tokeepeour heartsand all workeof Gods fpirit, followes a faith in minds in Chri!t. Now this ex<ellent peace Chrift, and the cerrcnticof iuflifying or fpefprings o<Jt offaith , whereby we beleeue our ciall faith exprcffed in the conclufion of the reconciliadonwithGod.Rom.5·1·Beingiiif/;.. formerljllogifme. Thirdly,afterthis ce~tenry fodbyf•itb,>.•e ha~<e peacewithG,od. 2 ChmJ,zo. of fpeciall faith followes another expenmer.. zo.Tru}Jinthe .(,ord,andye {hall befimrt.Yea as tall certentieof thecrmh ofthe Bible, which our faith is.fo is o~rpeae<: liuely faith, Iiuely alfo faith concludes on this manner: peace;confrant fai~f.l, conftant peace; faith in The d.<frine which ajfures vs to hee Gods chit. Iife,peace inlife;fail'b in dcath,peaccin death> drm, i4certenlyofG()d, foaswe may fay with Sj?1}ton,Luk::_2.2g.LordJ ButthedoflrineOfthe Gojpel,beke~edormingnow lerrcft thOJethyferuant l/epart inpeace. • ledwitk 0 urfaith, ajfures vs ta be. Gods The third part offpirituallhfe,isthe ioyofthe chi/Jren :. holyGhoft:& that is,roreioyce i.o God,becauli: Therefore it u ofGad. · lie is our God, and in Chrilt becau(e he is our Themaior is granted ofal:theminoris in effe<'t Chri!t. And this kind ofioy is nottaken from rhecoaclufion of tH~ former fyllogifme, & it c vs,or aoated inafflictios,butrather increafed. is knowneby an experience of that fpirituall Ram.5. ~·Wereioyce in tribulations. And, H.b. comfort which the godly feele in their beam. I 0•34· reunduredthejpayling ofyourgcods witb Theconclufion fets downethecertenty ofthe ioy. Now,our faith in the promifecl life is the Biblevpon a further grouad, then any wit or morlier& brreder ofthis ioy,which ariferh of learning of man can attaine vnto without the that happie and blefled condulio!l that fJith fpirit ofgrace, namely, vpon an inward affuframes in themind;! belieue:rherforethe blef ranceofourreconciliation with God. Ofthis lings ofGod promif<d in the gofpel,aremine. certenty out Sauiour Chrilt fp~akes notably, ThusC1ith S.Pcur, Bc/ee,ingye reioyce wti-hioy loh.7.I7·lf•nymanwi!ldomy Fathmwi/J,that vnjpea~able &glcrio114. Again,the cotinuace & is,beleeueit, and 1l1biecthi{llfelfe to it, hefl1411 increafeofonr faith,is the increafeofthisioy. k!1ow [namely, by that comfort which hdhall The lafl partoffpiriruall life, isnewneffiof · feele vpon his fubietl:ion]o/thedoflrin,whother lift and conuerfation,whercby we arc borne ait beofGod, or wheiher1JPe•k,e ofmy filfe. .And new,and made new creatures:not becaufe the Paul f•ith, I Cor. z.I 5· that theJPirituallman, fubfrance of body aud fuuk is changed, bui thatis,oneregeneratebythefpi~itpfGod,iud becaufe the image of God is reflored. Now geth4Dthings.Hence it followes, that fuch as this change both for the whole and foi'tbe · defire.to be fetled forrheirreligion, & fuch as 0 pam thereof,is by faith. T~mching the whole: defire to bee good and profitable frudents i11 Men as they are new creatures haue their beDiuinitie, mull: lir!l; ofall humble themfe!ues, ginning from the word ofpromifc , or frgm and indeauour in their heatts truly to beleeue Chriflcrucified,who;s propolided in theproin Chri!l. Bc~aufe hence followes the beft mife,andthatasrhefaidword,orChri!l isapexperienceofth~certent\e , andconfequent!y prehended by faith.Afl. I 5. 9·Yo•r hearts bemo ofthe vnfpeakable excellencie ofthe Bible. purifiedbyfatth. 1 John l. 3· Hee which h.rh thi. Th~sthenwe fee, how wee aretoreceiue, hoptpurijierh him[<lfi•., 'Pit·.,, 22· Tonrfo•let hol:l,& inioy our reconciliation with Clod in ~rep1trifiedm-obeymgthe t.rzuh. And againe 1 heChrifl, by no otherthingwithin vs,but by the •wgborne anewof I heimmorra/Jfiedeof the word. meanes ofour faith alone. And therefore we The parts of newnefle of life are fpecially mufrhaue fpeciallcare,thatwe may by thev{e three. True wifcdomc;g<;od aff,Cl:ions,good ofgood meanes attaine to a Iiuely faith. And w?rkes. True w1fedome" ro:dui!C ofgood for ihiscaufe we muftdotwothings; firfr we thmgs, and tovfe good meaues for the execu~ are to labour to be conuilied in confcience of tion thereo£ This wifedome arifcth of our the certenty of the word. This d.;ne,wemufr faith in t!>e word ofGod.Dauidfairh;P[. 11 9 • then fubieli our wils to the commandement 98,99• liew.u wtfer thenhu teachm, and wifcr -'--~ . ~ oS <f ' thell Phil.4.7. R.om.14, 17. . ., 1 Pec. 1, s.

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