to move the Lord God to do them good Hence it is that Samuel saith to Israel (r) 1 Sam. 12.22 the Lord will not forsake his people and the reason he gives is this because it hath pleased him to make you his people Thus it is with God upon the account of any mercy he bestoweth upon the Creature of any nature whatsoever David declareth the same (i) Psal 44.3 for they got not the land in possession by their own sword neither did their own arm save them but thy right hand and thine arm and the light of thy countenance because thou hadst a favour unto them Thus we read in the Gospel when the Lord Jesus worked a Cure of any bodily or spiritual Disease he made it wholly depend upon his will as in the Miracle upon the Leper he said (k) Matth. 8.3 I will be thou clean and in the case of working Faith (l) chap 11.27 neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him So (m) Joh 5.21 the Son quickneth whom he will Thus as of our Election so of our Regeneration and Conversion there is no other cause but the will of God for (n) Jam. 1.18 of his own will begat he us with the word of truth In few words the whole work of Salvation is an effect of his free-grace (o) Ephes 2 â— ad vers 8. When we were dead in sin he hath quickned us the reason he giveth there is this by grace ye are saved in both verses for he repeats it three verses lower by grace ye are saved through faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God We further say there was no foresight or consideration of any work faith or merit in us why God should Elect us (p) Ezck. 16.6 And when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live What sign of Faith or comeliness in that condition was there in us what ornaments in us there have been since they are the work of God in us whether repentance faith holiness or any other grace For after God said to us live he washed and anointed us clothed and decked us c. as may be seen in the following verses vers 8 9 10 11 12 13. We add that sin is the only cause of damnation as in St. Matthews (q) Matth 25.42 43. Gospel by me quoted already (r) Rom. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil In another place of Scripture he says positively (s) Rom. 6.23 the wages of sin is death But here by the by this I must take notice of how though Damnation be the reward for Sin it doth not follow that Salvation should be the reward of Faith or good Works the just reward of Sin is Death it is its due but the Apostle doth not say that Eternal Life is the wages of Faith or Righteousness as Death is of Sin (a) Ver. 23. but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. There is a great disparity between the rules and means of Justice and of Mercy as hereafter we shall have occasion to shew as also why God leaves and Elects one and not the other as in the ease of Esau and Jacob. (b) Malach. 1.2 3. I have loved you saith the Lord yet ye say wherein hast thou loved us Was not Esau Jacob's Brother yet I loved Jacob and I hated Esau of which no account but God's pleasure for St. Paul makes to the same purpose use of the place in Rom. 9. as already quoted But now we must come to the proof of our 3d. Article namely that the Elect do constantly obey God's call when the time is come when (c) Cant. 1.4 God draweth they follow nay they run draw me we will run after thee and (d) Lament 5.21 turn thou us unto thee and we shall be turned The Elect obey the call When St. Paul heard the voice from Heaven he said (e) Acts 9.6 Lord what wilt thou have me to do This inward call for St. Paul's was such as well as outward makes a great change in Man how willing how ready to obey (f) Gal. 1.16 he confered not with flesh and blood but submitted So did the Jailour he said to Paul and Silas (g) Act. 16 30. Sirs what must I do to be saved The new Converts willing to be directed said unto Peter and other Apostles * Acts. 2.37 men and brethren wha shall we do though at first all know not what to do ye are prepared to obey and desirous to be instructed when the Lord said unto Paul arise and go into the City and it shall be told thee what thou must do he complied and went So Samuel assoon as (h) 1 Sam. 3.4 6 8 10. the Lord called Samuel he answered Here I am and though he at first did not well know the nature of the voice nor whose it was yet he ran to the place whence he thought the voice came disposed to obey and when heat last was better informed then he said Speak Lord for thy servant heareth For though may be at first God's people do not distinctly understand the call yet God never gives over calling till we are come to him God makes known unto us the mystery of his will to this end saith St. Paul (i) Ephes 1.10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him But God is never disappointed of his ends he worketh effectually and unresistibly Ver. 19. wherefore this is called the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power Observe the Emphasis This dealing of God in and towards Believers is in one and the same verse called the working of Gods power yea his Mighty Power and in the beginning of the verse not only his Power but the greatness and the exceeding greatness of his Power The effectual preaching of the Gospel to People or Persons is an effect of their Election as the Cause is known by the effect so a posteriori Election is by a powerful preaching of the Gospel (k) 1 Thes 1.4 5. Knowing beloved your election of God saith St. Paul for our Gospel came not you unto in word only but also in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance c. to the Elect ever it comes so in the due time and by its coming so they may judge themselves to be Elect for he saith also in much assurance We add further that the Elect neither do nor can finally and totally resist the inward powerful and effectually calling of God's spirit in the very
all this they make two Objections first 't is against the Justice of God to reprobate Men who have done no evil though Scripture saith clearly it is so to father injustice upon God is certainly a great impity God is most just in every thing he doth though we cannot fathom into the particular causes yet his justice is a general one the consideration whereof ought to stop the mouth of every Creature What shall we say to the case of the Flood which was a great judgment whereby the whole World eight persons excepted perished in the Waters 'T is true the wickedness of Men was raised to an utmost degree but withall it must be owned that there were many Infants new born Babes yea several quick in the Womb who had committed no actual sins yet were involved in that general destruction Death saith Rom. 5.14 Paul reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression Adam's sin was an actual sin eating the fruit of the Forbiden-tree it could not be Original for he was created in Innocency but seeing (a) Chap. 6.23 death is the wages of sin and that those Infants who had committed no actual sin dyed in the Flood we must find another sin not after the similitude of Adam's transgression and that is original-Original-sin Now I say that as original-Original-sin was a just cause of the natural Death of those Babes so the same sin when it pleases God to leave them in it is a just cause of Eternal Death in those whom he punisheth with it for Eternal Death as well as Natural is the wages of Original as of actual-Actual-sin And though sin be not the cause to move to pass sentence upon any yet that sentence is passed upon none but what are sinners Hence I conclude that as God was just in inflicting by the Flood Natural Death upon those Children that were unborn or newly born before they had done any evil so this holds for Election as for Reprobation in relation to Faith as to Unbelief according to that famous place of Romans about Jacob and Esau It is to be observed how St. Peter calls (b) Pet. 2.5 the world of the ungodly that world which the Flood drowned without any exception at all of Infants or others What hath been said of the Flood may be spoken to the same purpose of that terrible judgment upon Sodom and Gomorah and the Cities about them where no doubt were also Infants new born Babes and some quick in the Womb which as (c) Jud. 7. St. Jude saith suffered the vengeance of eternal fire and are set forth for an example Yet in all those things no exception against God's justice for he is most just in all his ways For if we must believe David the Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works Psal 15.17 What shall we say as to the case of Achan his sin was personal he alone had committed it yet that same sin his Sons and Daughters nay the very Beasts as his Oxen Asses Sheep as well as he were by God's immediate command stonned to death and burned with fire Though in the eyes of Men they seemed innocent yet were guilty in the Lords eyes Josh 7.24 25. So in the particular case I before quoted of the Man that was blind from his birth our Saviour saith that neither the Man had sinned nor his Parents but that the works of God should be made manifest in him This was a sufficient answer to the disciples they put no more questions about it But Arminians will impeach God's justice for denying sight to one who had not actually sinned Do not they do so in calling the equity of God's Decrees touching Men into question Can any thing in Scripture be plainer than this (a) Rom. 9.18 22 23. Ephes 1.11 that God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth that he hath appointed some to be vessels of mercy to the praise of the glory of his grace and some to be vessels of wrath to make his power to be known and that he maketh all things after the counsel of his own willâ— Yet what more usual than to dispute how this can agree with justice And with what reason God may punish that sin which by vertue of a Decree is unavoidable 'T is strange yet too true how peremptory sawcy and blasphemous speeches some in their Cups and others sometimes upon other occasions break into upon this subject and would reduce God to such terms of reason as they fancied to themselves After such declarations about these things which God hath given in his word were it not better to give him Glory and with David say O Lord thou art just when thou speakest and pure when thou judgest And if they cannot conceive how this should stand with equity rather than to call to question God's justice were it not better to own their weakness And with David say this is my infirmity For wo unto him that striveth with his Maker according to Solomon (b) Eccles 8.4 't is prudence not to controll an earthly King's actions who may say unto him what dost thou And O man who art thou that repliest against God and if in reference to Politicks of Government and Mysteries of State the same (c) Prov. 25.2 Solomon saith the heart of a King is unsearchable there is some secret reasons which many cannot dive into In God's matters as his Decrees and wise dispensation of his Providence much more we must think it to be so for in the same Chapter the wise Man saith it is the glory of God to conceal a thing The second Objection they make and which we already have given a hint to is this if I be reprobate and 't is God's pleasure I should go to Hell it is not in my power to help it so their Damnation they father upon God's pleasure This is too much like our first Parents to lay the fault upon others to excuse themselves Gen. 3.12.13 The woman whom thou givest to be with me she gave me of the tree and I did eat He throws it on the Woman and she upon the Serpent the serpent begiuiled me If God had not given him the Woman then he would not have sinned nor the Woman if God had not created a Serpent so if God had not reprobated us say some we had not been damned But this is no more able to excuse them then the fig-leaves were to cover their nakedness though never so cunningly sewed together The Apostle lays open the case how God directeth and turneth all for his glory even the worst of things For our unrighteousness doth commend the righteousness of God and thorough our lie the truth of God hath more abounded unto his glory Rom. 3.5 6 7. Yet for all this though these evil things are turned to the greatest good that is the glory of God we are nevertheless
a Convocatio of a Synod at last it began in 1618 to be held at Dort Where did meet Divines not only within the Dominions of Holland and the Seven Provinces but also out of England and from most if not all other Reformed Churches T is true the French did not send in any solemn deputation for they dared not do it without leave of that Popish Court and they chose rather not to ask than to do it and be denyed however the sense of that Church was by the French Churches gathered in those Provinces and then by Peter Du-Moulin in his Letters and Book of Anatomy of Arminianism sufficiently made known to that Synod and afterwards a French (a) Held at Aleâ—zon Octob. 6. 1620. National Synod approved of and inserted amongst their one resolutions the Acts of the Synod of Dort where the Arminian Errors were unanimously condemned This the Arminians from the beginning thought would be the conclusion of such a Solemn Assembly wherefore like Popes Papists and Hereticks they were afraid to have things discussed in a free Council where the word of God is the only Rule and therefore they used their utmost endeavours to stop it as long as they could As to Arminius his Opinions they are part from Pelagius and part from Papists Against the first God raised Austin who by force of Scripture did beat the Heretick in all his Errors yet after his Death (a) Faustus and Cassianus those of his Sectators that remained thinking it not fit for them to own things to the height as Pelagius had done abated something of it and made alterations and got the name of Semipelagians whom also Austin and his Followers did write against with the same success he before had obtained against their Founder In the Eighth Century Semipelagians caused a great deal of trouble as we see in the Cause of Gottescalk whereof Worthy and Famous Primate Vsher hath given so true and so good an account About the Year 1590 Molina a Jesuit renewed the old Errors but was opposed at Rome by Alvarez a Dominican Fryar who followed the Principles of Thomas Aquinas hence to this very day continues the dispute about these matters between Jesuits and Dominicans Lessius another Jesuit at Lovain in the Spanish Netherlands became a Second to Molina and under the favour of the Neighbourhood those Errors passed into Holland where Arminius entertained them Let those who have a mind to a fuller account of Pelagius his Errors read what (a) Joh. Ger. hardi Vossii Hist Pelag. one hath written upon that Subject for I mention it only by the by and as it leads me to the Arminians who here durst not appear during King James's Life but in his Sons Reign under Archbishop Laud's Favour and Protection in they came with a full Sail and then indeed but not before begins our Arminian Church but with this difference from those in Holland that they incline more to Socinianism and ours more to Popery hence it is that at last some of them as Barret Montague c. turned Papists Now 't is true and to be observed how concerning the controverted points we hold the same as did the ancient Fathers who did write against Pelagius and Arminians assert some of the same things if not all which Pelagius did so that 't is the same Cause and as by the grace of God we shall see anon Pelagians did cast on their Adversaries the same aspersions as Arminians do upon us But first we must set down what are their Opinions contained in several Articles which they themselves at the Hague-Conference and at the Synod of Dort reduced to five the Chief though there be more Here I will in substance set them down but to help the Reader I must first write the Orthodox Doctrine in opposition to every Article of theirs as an Antidote and Preservative against the Poyson Afterwards I shall endeavour out of Scripture to prove it and so confute their Notions and this as shortly as I can and as far as I am able accommodating things with the capacity of the unlearned Reader which being done then by the grace of God I shall go on and as far as God will be pleased to enable me enlarge somewhat in the School way upon every point First Orthedox I. We say that from all Eternity God hath by his unchangeable Decree and Purpose predestinated unto life not all Men nor any undetermined but a certain select number of particular Men commonly called the Elect which number can neither be encreased nor diminished Others he hath passed by and predestinated to eternal Death They say Arminian I. there is no absolute or unrevocable but only a conditional and mutable Decree of Predestination both to Life and Death and that not of any particular persons but indefinitely of all Believers and Unbelievers and that the number of the Elect and Reprobate is not so certain but that it may be either increased or lessened We say that the only moving and esficient cause of Predestination or Election unto Life Orth. II. is the meer good Pleasure Love Free-grace and Mercy of God not the foresight of faith perseverance good works good will or any other quality whatsoever in the persons elected And that though sin be the only cause of Damnation yet the sole and primary cause of non-Election or Reprobation or why God doth not Elect those that Perish is the meer Free-will and Pleasure of God not the foresight of any actual sin unbelief or final impenitency in the person rejected They say Arm. II. the foreknowledge of Faith Perseverance Good-works and the right use of Grace received are the pre-required Conditions and the efficient causes of Election unto Life not God's free-grace and mercy only without respect to these as to a cause and that the original and moving cause of reprobation that is of the Decree not of its Execution is only the foresight of sin unbelief or final impenitency in the persons rejected not the meer free-will and pleasure of God We say that the Elect do always obey Orth. III. when the time appointed for their Conversion is come neither do or can they finally or totally resist the inward powerful and effectual call or working of God's spirit in their Hearts in the very act of their Conversion neither is it in their own power to Convert or not Convert themselves at that very time when they are converted They say it is in the will and power of men Arm. III. either finally or totally to resist the inward call the effectual working of God's Spirit in their Hearts in the very act of Conversion so that they may at that very instant and all times else either withstand or embrace their Conversion as they please We say that true justifing saving faith Orth. IV. is proper and peculiar to the Elect alone who after they are once truly regenerated and by faith ingrafted in Christ do always and constantly
God doth intervene without which no Man should be reprobate for sin for notwithstanding sin God without doing his justice wrong could have decreed Salvation to all for by means of his Son he could fully have satisfied his justice This as to the first question The second is why God hath decreed for sin to damn these or such and such Men rather than others no other cause can be assigned but the good-will and pleasure of God Sin cannot be the cause for all Men considered in themselves are all equally sinners the following example will illustrate the thing Let there be many guilty Men convicted of Rebellion the Prince commands some to suffer and others he gives a pardon to if the question be put why out of many only some are punished The reason is good because they are Rebels for the Prince being just he puts none to Death without a just cause but if again the question be put why out of many these rather than those do suffer Rebellion cannot be said to be the cause for they all are equally guilty Some Schoolemen in matters of Reprobation do distinguish between the negative act called Preterition or passing by or the will not to give eternal life and the positive or affirmative or the will of damning The first say they is Absolute The second not so but Relative to sin as a necessary antecedent But every act may in a different respect be called Absolute and not Absolute if the question be made Absolute or Comparative The Matter or Object of Reprobation are they whose names are not written in the Book of life of the Lamb Rev. 13.8 c. they be the greatest part of sinful Men in the sight of God considered as fallen and corrupted with sin wherefore they are called (a) Rom. 9.22 Vessels of wrath fitted for destruction Now God is angry against none but sinners and appointed to destruction none but the guilty Out of Scripture 't is clear that the greatest part of Men are Reprobate for (b) Matth. 20.16 few are chosen which doth exclude the rest therefore Reprobates are more in number and greater is the number of those that are damned than of those that be saved (c) Matth. 7.13 14. Some say against this a just Judge doth Decree equal things for those that are equal wherefore since God is a just Judge having elected some sinners he hath not reprobated others which are not worse but this rule is meant only of a Judge who by Law is bound equally to distribute rewards and pains but if there be no such obligation without acting contrary to justice he is free to make an unequal distribution to those that are equal Now God is not bound by any Law and hath a most just cause of his Decrees and (d) Matth. 20.15 with his own may do what he pleases Secondly It is argued if the number of Reprobates be greater than of the Elect then the justice of God will be greater than his mercy which seemeth to be contrary to that place of Scripture (e) Psal 145.9 His mercies are over all his works The answer is the Mercy and Justice of God are considered either in themselves and as they are in God or in relation to their Effects and Objects upon the first account they are equal upon the last it may be said that the universal Mercy of God upon all men is greater than his Justice but in relation to his special Mercy about Salvation 't is lesser or of a less extent than his Justice The end of Reprobation is that the Justice of God may be made known in the punishment of sin according to Scripture God said to Pharaoh (a) Rom. â— 17 Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth Ver. 22 And in a verse lower God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction God doth not appoint or destinate them to sin for he found them in it but to the pains of sin 'T is a slander in our Adversaries to say we attribute to God a decree of Reprobation without any relation at all to sin As we said of the Decree of Election that Eternity and Unchangableness are inseparably joyned to it the same we must say of Reprobation there is the same reason for the Eternity of Reprobation as for that of Election for if God from Eternity elected some he also from Eternity hath passed by others for there can be no Election without Reprobation Besides what I said before more than once nothing is done in Time but what from Eternity hath been decreed to be done Hence God is said to act (b) Rom. 9 1â— according to his purpose as may be seen in several places of Scripture As to the Immutability of Reprobation 't is proved out of God's Unchangeableness for as he is Unchangeable so are all his Decrees (c) Isai 46.10 My counsel shall stand and I will do all pleasure If it be thus will some say then 't is in vain for Reprobates to repent for they cannot change their doom yet Scripture promiseth forgiveness of sins to penitent sinners I answer in reprobates there is no such thing as true Repentance as we see in the case of Judas who repented not (d) 2 Cor. 7.9 10. of that repentance to salvation not to be repented of as St. Peter's was but of Repentance to Death for he went and out of despair hanged himself he saw his crime which appeared horrid to his mind but no change in the heart Yet if reprobates could truly and sincerely repent they would not be damned hereupon our Adversaries lay at a catch and will say then the Decree of Reprobation is changeable and can be reversed but not so because reprobates neither do nor can truly repent but saith one they are commanded to repent 't is true but this Precept shews their duty what they ought not what they can do Frecepts and Threatnings do sometimes make reprobates to abstain from some certain sins and though they cannot avoid eternal death yet they have this advantage that their condition (a) Matth. 11.24 shall be more tolerable than of those that give themselves to all manner of wickedness for as there are degrees of guilt so there will be of pains besides that this abstaining from some certain sins or having an outward shew of repentance of them puts off for a time those judgments which they are afraid of as befell wicked Ahab who sold himself to work wickedness for that heavy judgment which the Prophet Elijah by God's special command threatned him with and his house upon his outward shew of repentance (b) Kings 21. from 17. to 29. was put off till his Sons days Of Reprobation there are two Effects and Consequences First A desertion or God's
Province which Articles are a sentence past against Arminianism as the fit and proper remedy for the Disease the Antidote was specifical and composed against the Poyson which because they are few short and altogether to our purpose I shall here set down in English as they were in Latin I. God from Eternity hath predestinated certain men unto life certain men he hath reprobated to death II. The moving or sufficient cause of predestination unto life is not the fore-sight of Faith or of Perseverance or of Good works or of any thing that is in the persons predestinated but only the good will and pleasure of God III. There is a predetermined and certain number of the predestinate which can never be augmented nor diminished IV. Those who are not predestinated to Salvation shall necessarily be damned for their sins V. A true living and justifying Faith and the spirit of God justifying is not extinguished it falleth not away or vanisheth not away in the Elect either finally or totally VI. A Man truly faithful that is such a one who is endued with a justifying Faith is certain of the full assurance of Faith of the remission of his sins and of his everlasting Salvation by Christ VII Saving grace is not given is not communicated is not granted to all men by which they may be saved if they will VIII No Man can come unto Christ unless it shall be given him and unless the Father shall draw him And all Men are not drawn by the Father that they may come to the Son IX It is not in the will or power of any Man to be saved These Articles upon serious debate and mature deliberation having been agreed on by the persons before named very Eminent and Considerable Men were afterwards sent to the University of Cambridge by their Deputies where they were received with the unanimous approbation of the whole University with such success that of the two Arminians Baroe not long after left the University and went away and Barret was forced solemnly to recant which recantation was Registred Thus a full stop was put to those Innovations and since that time till Laud's Faction got the upper-hand this and no other contrary Doctrine was taught there as being the true Orthodox according to Scriptures and the Church of England's but since that time the Party have done what they could to suppress and discredit it Yet though sometimes truth be driven into corners we doubt not but at last it will prevail notwithstanding the opposition of Men and Devils as it happened in the case of Arrianism An Heresie against the person of Christ as Arminianism is against his grace though to our great grief we see Arrianism revived in Socinianism as Pelagianism is in Arminianism But we must go on in our design In these 9 Articles we see the true Sence and Doctrine of the Church explained by those that by their office and learning are the fittest Interpreters thereof so we may conclude that to be at that time the Doctrine of the Church which we have asserted But we have farther proofs which to bring in I must skip over some passages but with an intent to make use of them in due place the reason I have to do so is because what I am going upon carries along with it the stamp of Publick Authority and Influence I mean the confession of Faith and Articles of the general Convocation of Ireland held in Dublin 1605 That is 20 years after the Articles of Lambeth By the grace of God I shall here set down those Articles of that Convocation which are to our present purpose and so shall begin with the Eleventh XI God from all eternity did by his unchangaeble Counsel ordain whatsoever in time should come to pass yet so as no violence is offered to the wills of the reasonable Creatures and neither the liberty nor the contingency of the second causes is taken away but rather established XII By the same eternal Counsel God hath predestinated some unto life and reprobated some unto death of both which there is a certain number known only to God which can neither be increased nor diminished XIII Predestination unto life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the Foundations of the World were laid he hath constantly decreed in his secret Council to deliver from Curse and Condemnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind and to bring them by Christ unto everlasting Salvation as vessels made to honour XIV The cause moving God to predestinate unto life is not the fore-seeing of Faith or Perseverance or of good works or of any thing which is in the person predestinated but only the good pleasure of God himself for all things being ordained for the manifestation of his glory and his glory being to appear both in the works of his Mercy and his Justice It seemed good to his heavenly wisdom to chuse out a certain number towards whom he would extend his undeserved mercy leaving the rest to be spectacles of his Justice XV. Such as are predestinated unto life he called according unto God's purpose his spirit working in due season and through grace they obey the calling they be justified freely they be made Sons of God by adoption they be made like the image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ they walk religiously in good works and at length by God's mercy they attain to everlasting felicity But such as are not predestinated to Salvation shall finally be condemned for their sins XXV The condition of Man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works to faith and calling upon God wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable unto God without the grace of God preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will XXXII None can come unto Christ unless it be given unto him and unless the Father draw him and all men are not so drawn by the Father that they may come to the Son Neither is there such a sufficient measure of grace vouchsafed unto every Man whereby he is enabled to come to everlasting life XXXIII All God's Elect are in their time inseparably united unto Christ by the effectual and vital influence of the holy Ghost derived from him as from the head unto every true member of his mystical Body and being thus made one with Christ they are regenerated and made partakers of him and of all his benefits XXXVII By justfying Faith we understand not only the common belief of the Articles of Christian Religion and a persuasion of the truth of God's word in general But also a particular application of the promises of the Gospel to the comfort of our own souls whereby we lay hold on Christ with all his benefits having an earnest trust and confidence in God that he will be merciful to us for his Sons