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that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.' f. 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 stay upon his Ġod.' Howbeit, there is fome Affurance in juftifying Faith itself: 1 Theff. i. 5. Our gofpel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghoft, and in much assurance.' Heb. x. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full affurance of faith, having our hearts 'fprinkled from an evil confcience, and our bodies washed with pure water.' Fer. iii. 19. But I faid, How fhall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleafant land, a goodly heritage of the hofts of nations? And I faid, Thou fhalt call me, My father, and fhalt not turn away 'from me.' Hof. ii. 23. And I will fay 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.

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fore it was imputed to him for righteousness. '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 'raised up Jefus our Lord from the dead. The Affurance which is in juftifying Faith itself, is that whereby, in believing on Chrift for Salva tion, the Party is perfuaded, in greater or leffer Meafure, of God's Love of Good-will to him, and

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that Chrift will fave him from Sin and Wrath : 1 John iv. 14. And we have seen, and do teftify, 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 iii. 16. 17. " God fo loved 'the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, 'that whofoever believeth in him, fhould not pe" rish, but have everlasting 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 alfo in power, and in the Holy Ghoft, and in much af'furance. Acts xv. II. 'We believe, that, through the grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift, we fhall be faved even as they. James i. 6. 7.

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But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering: for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with ( the wind, and toffed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." The Ground from whence this Affurance is raifed, is, the Word of the Golpel allenarly, demonftrated by the Spirit in the Work of faving Illumination: 1 Cor. ii. 4. 5. " And my speech, and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wifdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power: that your faith should not stand 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 immediately Jefus faid unto Peter, O thou of little faith, wherefore didft 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 un'belief.' 1 Theff. i. 5. Matth. xiv. 31. above cited. 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. f. 1. 10. I John v. 10. 11. forecited.

True Peace of Confcience is the Calm that enfues in the Confcience purged from Guilt by the Blood of Chrift: I. xxxiii. ult. And the inha'bitant shall not fay, I am fick: the people that

dwell therein, fhall be forgiven their iniquity.? Heb. x. 2. The worshippers once purged, fhould have had no more confcience of fins.' Chap. ix.

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'How much more shall 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 Conscience, is Peace with God: Rom. v. 1. Therefore being juftified 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 evil, hateth the light,

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' neither cometh to the light, left his deeds fhould '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, spiritual 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. xiv. 7. 'God, 'thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladnefs above thy fellows. Compared with John 34. 'God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.' The Spring of Joy in the Holy Ghoft is, Sense of Grace received, and Hope of Glory : . lxi. to. 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 righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himfelf with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herfelf 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: I 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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and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the falvation of your fouls.' xv. 55. 56.57. O death, where is thy fting? 6 grave, where is thy victory? The fting of death is fin; and the strength of fin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jefus Chrift.' Compared with Rev. v. 9. 10. And they fung a new song, faying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the feals thereof: for thou waft flain, and haft redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and haft made us unto our God kings and priests and we fhall reign' on the earth.' Philip. iii. 3. We are the circumcifion, which worship God in the fpirit, and rejoice in Chrift Jefus, and have no confidence in the flesh.' Neh. viii. 10. The joy of the Lord is your ftrength.' Compared with Pfal. cxix. 32. ' I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou fhalt enlarge my heart.'

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None can have true Peace of Conscience, nor Joy in the Holy Ghoft, but true Believers: If Ivii. ult. There is no peace, faith my God, to the wicked.' And when they have attained them, they may lofe them again: Pfal. li. 8. Make me to hear joy and gladness: that the bones which thou haft broken, may rejoice.' But the Seed of them, from whence they may be revived, cannot be loft, but abides with Believers in all Cafes: Pfal. xcvii. 11. 'Light is fown for the righteous,

and gladness for the upright in heart.' Compared with 1 John iii. 9. Whofoever is born of God, doth not commit fin; for his feed remaineth in him and he cannot fin, because he is ' born

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