ii. 7.

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pared with John ii. 22. When therefore he was rifen from the dead, his difciples remembered that he had faid this unto them and they believed 'the fcripture, and the word which Jefus had faid.' And I Cor. ii. 12. above cited. True Afsurance diftinguishes itself from Prefumption, by its humbling the Soul, making the Confcience tender, and the Heart heavenly: Gal. ii. 20. I am crucified with Chrift: Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, ' who loved me, and gave himself for me.' Cant. 'I charge you, Oye daughters of Jerufalem, " by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye ftir not up nor awake my love, till he pleafe." Gal. vi. 14. God forbid that I fhould glory fave in the crofs of our Lord Jefus Chrift, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. And it is a neceffary Duty to feek true Affurance: 2 Pet. i. 10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election fure.' The Excellency of it in the Chriftian Life, is, That it fits Men to live most usefully for God, and moft comfortably for themfelves: Pfal. cxix. 32. I will run the way of thy com"mandments, when thou fhalt enlarge my heart." And iv. 6. 7. There be many that fay, Who will fhew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light ' of thy countenance upon us. Thou haft put glad'nefs in my heart, more than in the time that their " corn and their wine increased.' But there may be true Faith, Juftification, Adoption, and Sanctification, without this Affurance: 1 John v. 13. Thefe things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know

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'that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe ¿ on the name of the Son of God.' I. 1. 10. 'Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that · obeyeth the voice of his fervant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and ftay upon his God.' Howbeit, there is fome Affurance in juftifying Faith itfelf: 1 Theff. i. 5. Our gofpel came not unto you in word only, but alfo in power, and in the Holy Ghoft, and in much affurance. Heb. x. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full affurance of faith, having our hearts • sprinkled from an evil confcience, and our bodies wafhed with pure water. Jer. iii. 19. But I faid, How fhall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hofts of nations? And I faid, Thou shalt call me, My father, and fhalt not turn away • from me.' Hof. ii. 23. And I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they fhall fay, Thou art my God.' Rom. iv. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was ftrong in faith, giving glory to God: and being fully perfuaded, that what he had promifed, he was able alfo to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteoufnefs. Now it was not written for his fake alone, that "it was imputed to him; but for us alfo, to whom it fhall be imputed, if we believe on him that raifed up Jefus our Lord from the dead. The Affurance which is in juftifying Faith itself, is, that whereby, in believing on Chrift for Salvation, the Party is perfuaded, in greater or leffer Measure, of God's Love of Good-will to him, and

that

that Chrift will fave him from Sin and Wrath: 1 John iv. 14. ' And we have seen, and do tefti

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fy, that the Father fent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.' verf. 16. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. Chap. v. 10. 11. He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God, hath made him a lyar, 'because he believeth not the record that God < gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son.' John ïïi. 16. Î7. ' God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever believeth in him, fhould not perish, but. have everlafting life. For God fent not his Son into the world to condemn the 'world; but that the world through him might 'be faved. Compared with 1 Theff. i. 5. Our gofpel came not unto you in word only, but also ' in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much affurance.' Acts xv. 11. We believe, that, through the grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift, we shall be faved even as they.' James i. 6. 7. 'But let 'him afk in faith, nothing wavering: for he that 'wavereth is like a wave of the fea, driven with

the wind, and toffed. For let not that man think that he fhall receive any thing of the Lord." The Ground from whence this Affurance is raised, is, the Word of the Golpel allenarly, demonftrated by the Spirit in the Work of faving Illumination 1 Cor. ii. 4. 5. And my fpeech, and my preaching was not with enticing words of 'man's wisdom, but in demonftration of the Spirit, and of power: that your faith should not 'ftand in the wisdom of men, but in the power

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of God.' There may be doubting of God's Good-will and of Salvation, where this Affurance of them hath place: Matth. xiv. 31. And im'mediately Jefus faid unto Peter, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?' And that may be, inasmuch as they are Contraries capable of various Degrees, the one weakened as the other gathers Strength: Mark ix. 24. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and faid ' with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.' Theff. i. 5. Matth. xiv. 31. above čited. But where Doubts are reigning, to the barring of any Affurance of these Things at all, true Faith is barred too, James i. 6. 7. I. 1. 10: I John v. 10. 11. forecited.

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True Peace of Confcience is the Calm that enfues in the Confcience purged from Guilt by the Blood of Chrift: 1. xxxiii. ult. And the inha⚫bitant fhall not fay, I am fick the people that dwell therein, fhall be forgiven their iniquity.' Heb. x. 2. The worshippers once purged, should ' have had no more confcience of fins. Chap. ix. Í 4. 'How much more fhall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himfelf without fpot to God, purge your confcience 'from dead works to ferve the living God?" The Ground of true Peace of Confcience, is Peace with God: Rom. v. 1. Therefore being juflified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. Compared with Col. iii. 15. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts.' It is difcerned from falfe Peace, in that it is ftrengthened by the Light of the Word, and not maintained without warring against Sin: John iii. 20. 21. Every one that doth eyil, hateth the light,

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neither cometh to the light, left his deeds should ❝ be reproved. But he that doth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifeft, "that they are wrought in God.' Pfal. cxix. 165. "Great peace have they which love thy law and "nothing fhall offend them.' Compared with Gal. v. 17. The flesh lufteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other; fo that ye cannot 'do the things that ye would.'

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By Joy in the Holy Ghoft is meant, fpiritual Joy, whereof the Holy Ghoft is the Author: Rom. xiv. 17. The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteoufnefs, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoft.' Compared with Gal. v. 22. The fruit of the Spirit is joy.' Pfal. xlv. 7. ' God, " thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladnefs above thy fellows. Compared with John iii. 34. God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.' The Spring of Joy in the Holy Ghoft is, Senfe of Grace received, and Hope of Glory : 7. Ixi. 10. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my foul fhall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of falvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteoufness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.' Rom. v. 2. We rejoice in hope of the 'glory of God.' It is difcerned from the delufive Joy of Hypocrites, in that Victory over Sin, felt and hoped for, is a chief Spring of it, Spirituality and Vigour in Duties of Obedience are the Effects of it: 1 Pet. i. 8. 9. Whom having not feen, ye love; in whom though now ye fee him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unfpeakable,

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