Perkins - BX9318 P47 1626 v1

564 . d T'reatife ofConfcience• . and cu!lomeofthofc times, v;as not tbert re- A vnfallible & fpeciall certainty off_aith, which~ pur:d to be any. fin; fpeetally 111 the perfon of the Prote!lant,S hold &maintain.Anf.Though a ktng:and yetbecaufe(as we know)he IS cerwe bmld no_tthe dollnne ofonr religionvpon talllly faued ,thts very fin ts pardoned. Therethe mdgcmets ofmen,yet we refufe not inthis fore when God pardonstheknowne finnes of and other points, to bee tried by the Fathers mcn,whereofthey doe in particular repent:,he \vhofewritings well vndcrfiood n 1 ake mor~ cloth withal! pardon the refr that are vnfor vs then for the Popifh religio~. And their 1 knowne. And by this it appear~:sJ that the ig~ teftimonies commonly alleadged to confine norance offeme hidden finnnes, after a man · the certainty of fpeciall faith, are much abuwith diligence bath fearched himfelfe, cannot fed.I.Many ofthem ferne to proue that a man preiudice an vnfalllble a!furance of t~e parcannot iudge and difcerne ofeuery particular donofthem all,and of his owne faluation. motion and graceofhis heart, ofthe increafe ObieEf. ro. We pray fm the pardon ofour ofthefe graces:& the contrary difeafe offpeowne fianesJ and therforc we are vncertainof~~ ciall vices and wants: many whereof~re hidpardon: the man which knowcs that he bath den from the vnder!landing. Theodoret in his pardon, neede not pray for it : I anfwer firfi:, B comment, I .cur.4.l ~iNnot~ faith he, free mj when we are taught by Chri!l to prar fo~ the lftlfr from jinne,but waie theftntmctofGctl.forit forgmenc£fe ofour debts, we arc put Inmmde oftenf~tlJ QHt,thrJt mmftnneofig11or4ne~, & thin~ not to feeke the pardon ofall our fins, whethatto6eequa/l•ndiufl,whichth<Gctlofalfteuo therpallor prefent;butfpe<Iallyofourprefent be cihcrwift.Auguf/in<de verbis Dei,ferm. 2 3 • and datly offences, whereby wee make our PerfldHentNrerhoNjintleftnothingin thycOftienct: felues day by day guiltie, till fuch time as wee buth<fintlsfomerhmg thRtftethbmer.And vpon humble our feints, and repent ofthem. SeP.(a1.4I·Ikt!•wthMth<iufliceofmyGcdj1 1 aD•- cond1y,by this petiti~n we aretaught,roaske buk.bue whethrrminejhal orno,/k?;rownor.forthe themcreafe ofonr afiurance; becaufe, though }aymgoftheApof/leeerrifierh~m,Hewhichthink! God bellow endle!fc mcrcie on vs, yet we are ~eflands,let h>m t•kt heede left hefall. Here bee skant in receiuing of it : our hearts being like fpeakesofhis inward rJghtcoufnes, and that anarrow necked vdfdl,which being call euen as it is confiderod in it felfe, without the afsi: into the Ocean fea, receiueth in w.ater oncly !lance ofGod. For he addes afterward Therdrop by drop. orebecoHfo there;. nofl•btlitieinme for,;,[elft D_~teEf.r I. Noman can beleeuehis owne {alhereopon tnyftule if troHbletlfor"'Jftlfe. Chry(o: uauo,as he belecues the amcles offatth;ther- C jlome,homll. 87. on John./""'grimed,leftper_ fore no man can beleeue thepardonofhis fins, adNmumfoppofint. myftlfe to L!ue, I doenot louc and his faluation, by an infallible certainty. I '"before.-wben Jfoemedcenfl••t &cou"gi:Jmvn. anfwer,fir!l,that <uery onethat lookes for falto myftlfe,Iw.ufount!bHt 11 tlirfl4rd. Thefe and uation by Chri!l,is.bound in conf~ience asccr· a thoufand like teflimonies prooue nothing. tamly to bclccuc hts owne faluat10n, & adopFor thongh a man cannot fully difcerne his tion by Cbri!l , as he bcleeues the articles of heart,eitherinrcfpedofeuery one ofhisown faith. Becaufe to the promife of life there is fins,otin refpe<'t ofeuery grace; yetthishin· annexed acommandemenrto belecne & apply ders not , but that l1e may haue an vnfallible it. Secondly,this faith whereby we are to becertaimy ofhis faluarion, and alfo afuflicient leeue onrownc falnarion,ifwe refpeCI thetrue giftto difcernehis owne faith and repentance. & proper nature thereof, is as Certaine as that II.Other places mu!l be VRder!lood of proud faith whereby we bclceue the articles offaith. prefumptio,& ofa kindoffecuritie, in which Thirdly , as there be diners ages in the life of 'l'en dteame ofeafe aud libertie,without trou-· man, fo there be diuersdegtccs and meafures ble ortemptation. Augufl,decorrept.& grat. oftrue faith. There is lit!\ of alia beginning cap I 3· Whcofa/1 thtcomp•")•fthefaithfoO,"' or rudiment offaith, likethefmol(!ngfl•xeand D l•ng"'he liues m this mortallcoditwn, can pre/iie, bruifed rctd, which Cbrifl: will ncuer quench th<t heis ofthe number ofthe predeflinatt? And, nor bruife. Againe,there is we.ktfaith,which de bona pcrfeuer.cap•22· 'li(Jmancan beft<Hre bcleeueth thq>romifc rruely, but yet itis perto~~ehing eternaO/ife,tiOehi< liftbeendetl.&mard plexed with many doubtings. I.a!lly, thereis epifl:.r07. Ha,.ing now re«iuedthek?;rowkdge of j/rongfaith, which bath oucrcome all doubbitnftlfe inp•rt, hemayrei~·ctiM bope:b•tnot ill tings,and isnot only for nature certain(as the fecuriepuytt .Hieron. DaD·4Let no manbolt!IJ former is) but alfo alarge and plentifull perpromij< toanother the partbn if fmnes.III. Some fivafion ofGods mercie in Chrifr. Ex•mples places auouch, that a man cannot befute of ofthis we haue in 4braham, 'lJa•id, the Marprefeuerancetotheend,withoutfallesanddetyrs,& fuch like worthy men. Now by the fecaies in gracemUwhich we grauot.AHgJljl. de cond faith, men doas certain() beleeuetheir ciuir.Dei,lib.J r.cap.tz..AithoHghtheSa£nrsb~ adoprion asthe articles, but not fojirmt!J and (a)certaineofthcrewardtJ.f.theirp~tftNerAnce~et :~ Marke fully. But by the lafr,rcmifsion of fi1mes IS not they llreboHndtobevncertam if'diesrptrfeNerance it well. onely ase<rtainely, bot alfo as fully bdeeued, itftlft:forwhat man c•n k?Jow th-. hefo•Operftas a11 article offaith. uere inthepr11flift .-ndincreifeofr~;ghteoltfoes vn!' Obieel. u. Ancientf:1thcrs, the lights of to ehe end, except he beaf!imtlofit byfomereueGods Church, haue alwaies condemned this /.,ion! l V. Some places mull be vnderflood ofi

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