Y4° An Expofition upon corrupt opinion will prove unfound by there reasons : Firft,bectaufe all hope and confidence is accurfed, which doth not refs upon God, Ier.17. so. and our good workes are not God, therefore no hope is to Le put in them. Secondly, fuch as are newly converted unto Chrift from fame wicked life and grievous fins; they have hope then, but they have no merit of workes going before; therefore their hope cannot cell upon their merits which be not: but as for thole who have good workes, and live well, they have more caufe to hope well, becaufe good workes area good figne of good hope, and fome prop they are to helpe hope ; but they may not be hoped in, or taken as acaufe why we muff hope. If any fay,that patience is a good works and Paul faith, hope fpringeth of pati- ence, therefore hope fpringeth out of workes: I anfwer, Hope commeth of patience, but not as from a caufe of it no more then of liaions bee coule of pati- ence. Furthermore, from hence we are admonifhed,that fuch as alwayes doubt of their falvation, can have no Chrilti- an hope, therefore they mull flrive a- gainii doubting. Laftly, there is great ufe for them which feele themfelves in- dued with Chrinian hope ; for whatfo- ever their aftli &ions, or enemies, or fins be, yet they cannot be confounded, but at fait mull bee happy, for we are faved by hope,Rom.8. Tr m. Now come to the fecund part of this text,und tell at how many wajea is the love of God taken in Scripture?. S s L. Two wayes,either paflively for that love wherewith God is loved of us, e Iohn 4.2z. or aaively, for the love wherewith God doth love us in his Sonne; this is meant here. T r m. How may it appears that it it put here, for that love wherewith God loveth and embracetb us? Si L. Fielt, by the reafon ufed in the next verfe ( for Chrift dyed for us) which proveth Gods love to us. Se- condly, by the 8.verfe following, where it is written, God commendeth his love to us.) Thirdly, we have not our hope certaine and unfhaken, becaufe we love Chap. 5, God, but becaufe God ( who decei- veth not ) lcveth us. Tr M. In what meaning is Gcdt leve faid to hefted abroad in cur hearts. S I L. It is thus much : that the fence and feeling of his love, is fhcd and pou- red into the hearts of his children. Tr M. `.D id not God leve the elcfl from ezerlafling befere they were borne? S I L. It is ti ue,hcwbeit that was on- ly in purpofe and decree, and fo it was fecretly knowne to himfelfe. But Paul fpeaketh of the manifeflation cf this love unto the elea,after they are borne anew:for when the cleft are regenerate, then God doth xpreffe his love unto them; & they do by faith lay hold of the love of God, beleeving that they are lavedof Ccd,& have their harts affe&ed with ajoyous feeling of irfor as the.box of softly & precious ointment which the woman powred uponChrifls head,Mat. 26.7 gave no favor while it was (hut up in the box,but being fled & powred out, did yeeld a moil Tweet (cent and favor unto all which were in the room: even fo the love of God is pent & fhut up ( as it were)in Gods decree,before regenera- tion and faith, fo as it is not felt of the ele& ; but at their new birth,when they have faith to beleeve the promife of fal- vation by Chrift, then this love is an ointment powred out, and doth excee- dingly & plentifully refre(h the harts of the elea,with the fenfe and feeling of it. TIM. What then it the doffrine wee learns here S I L. That the moll loving God is content not onely to love his children, but withal doth affure them of his love, fo as they certainly know that they are loved, and are cheered in their hearts by the perfwafion of his love. For,as it is nothing to a blind man to know,that the Sunne is a glorious bright creature, when himfelf cannot fee it;or to a poore man to know, where much treafrtreis, whilefl himfelfe cannot come at it : fo it is nothing to heare and know,that there is much love hid in God, except our (elves feel it,and become partakers of ir. Examples we have of the Apoflles, and many other beleevers,Ats 5.42. Rom. 8.38..
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