Thus praying that thou maist be turned to the true Shepheard and Bishop of thy Soule 1. Pet. 2.25 thy Sauiour haue that hope which is sure and stedfast Heb. 3.6 and neuer makes ashamed Rom. 5.5 I rest Thine in any Christian duty to be commanded EDVV DALTON The Contents POpish Doctors of all haue least reason to interpret the Text of a Coniecturall perswasion page 9. The Doctrine is To be assured of euery grace simply necessary to saluation is common to euery Saint not Pauls peculiar page 10. And it is first proued from the Text not withstanding Pauls Speciall Reuelation pa. 13. Gift of discerning page 15. Secondly Context from the manner of the Apostles arguing page 26. Marke whereat he aimeth i. the Saints comfort page 28. Grounds of those comforts hee here laies downe p. 31. Thirdly from the confession of the Aduersaries where 1. The Gospell aswell as the Law is particularly to be applyed p. 32. 2. To apply generall propositions particularly is the practise of the Spirit p. 34. the Aduersaries thēselues p. 36. 3. The truth of Conuersion may be knowne p. 38. 4. What heart it is which is deceiued p. 39. 5. Wherein Peter was deceiued wherein he was not p. 43. 6. It is absurd to alledge Pauls rageings against the Church to proue a Saint may be deceiued p. 43. 7. According to the measure of faith is the measure of the Saints assurance p. 44. And it is secondly applied therefore 1. They are reproued who would haue all the Saints of God and members of Christ to doubt and that out of duty of their Saluation of which to doubt Papists haue of all men least cause seeing if we will beleeue themselues they onely are true beleeuers and are able to keepe the Law p. 45. 2. To hold doubting necessary is dangerous making Prayer fruitlesse p. 46. 3. It is no presumption to labour for assurance p. 48. 4. The meanes to obtaine assurance p. 50. 5. Signes of true assurance p. 50. 6. Outward conditions should not puffe vp or exalt any Saint aboue his inferiour brethren p. 51. 7. The meanest childe of God may in what estate soeuer he be by reason of his interest in this assurance be comforted p. 52. 8. How to be comforted in sinnes and sufferings by this assurance p. 52. DOVBTINGS DOVNFAL ROMANS 8. vers 38. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come 39. Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ALL the predictions of our blessed Sauiour are infallible for their truth and for their accomplishments haue their periods one among the rest seemes to be verified in our daies Luk. 21.26 which is That men should be at their wits end or their hearts should faile them for feare and for looking after those things which are comming on the earth Not that Christ would haue thē so but that men would be so carryed away with longing for certainties in things rather of this then a better life whereas if a man in the testimonie of a good Conscience be once perswaded that in Christ Gods present loue without interruption reflecteth on him and future ioyes without intermission doe expect him Ps 146.2 Though the earth be remoued and though the Mountaines be caried into the midst of the Sea yet he because his heart is wholly taken vp with the Lords Almightie power possessed with the Almighties mercifull protection and fully perswaded that the worst crosse Luk. 21.18 euen the loosing of his head shall not produce the perishing of an haire Ro. 8.28 but all things shall turne to his good though some through needlesse feares make Shipwracke of Faith and a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 other vpon earthly hopes embrace this present World he I say remaineth as constantly faithfull in his outward profession as he is holily resolued through an inward persuasion But now the Apostle partly seeing in the Romanes in his time partly foreseeing in all Saints in succeeding ages that their holy persuasion should be opposed and their heauenly profession hindered vpon the sound of that Alarum which both present experience and future expectation caused to be made entereth in this Chapter the lists and begins a combate with his enemies of all sorts sinne and sufferings not ending many times till death hath put an end vnto them nay death it selfe of all afflictions the worst which man can endure and that only which he cannot resist from the 1. verse to the 31. and least any Saint should shrinke from his holy faith or any other be deterred from touching the very hemmes of that Religion which is so accompanied with afflictions and encountred with oppositions he presents the soule victoriously triumphing from the 31. verse to the end of the Chapter against all doubt-causing streights and heart-daunting strength because it cannot possibly be destitute of any thing that is helpefull for how shall not he that spared not his owne Sonne but deliuered him vp for vs all with him also freely giue vs all things verse 32. nor too much molested with any enemies that are hurtfull whether seuered or vnited in their forces Are they seuered It insults first ouer the malice of such as are spirituall whether sinne or Satan and a guilty conscience through sinne one or all either accusing verse 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that iustifieth or condemning verse 34. Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is euen at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for vs. Secondly ouer the mischiefe of such as are corporall verse 35 36 37. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword as it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter nay in all these things we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs. Are they vnited They shall preuaile no otherwise speed no better for the Apostles conscience told him that Gods loue to his Saints is inseparable and so inseparable that Neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able endeuour what it will attempt what it can to seperate vs either him or them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our his and their Lord. A proposition it is of comfort propounded by our Apostle in such a manner we see as manifests his assured and infallible persuasion not only of his owne but of th Saints then in Rome and consequently of all Saints that either then were or after should be vpon the earth their inseparability from the loue
experionce of these graces in themselues which he testified and testifying persuaded them they had otherwise hee would neuer haue gone about to persuade them to whom he wished saluation that the want of personall knowledge of these graces in them and priuiledges belonging to them was a signe of their reprobation 2 Cor. 13.5 But lest we be thought altogether to roue in another field and range among a strange people though indeed and truth the condition of all the Saints in regard of the substance and matter of all speciall and spirituall graces be alike let vs see if we can aime so right and keepe home so well as to cleare this truth by any passage besides this Text betweene the Apostle and these Romanes concerning whom he was here so well persuaded Surely there is one among others that addes strength to this assertion that notwithstanding both speciall reuelation and the gift of discerning euery Regenerate Romane might be assured of that grace in himselfe and of that priuiledge belonging to him whereof the Apostle was assuredly persuaded in respect of him and it is this The Apostle giues God thankes that they to wit which Rom. 6.17 among the Romanes or elsewhere were effectually called Rom. 1.6 for till then not any other are truly capable of any grace simply necessary to saluation were that is 22. some times not now the seruants of sinne that they were free from sinne and become the seruants of God 16. and so free from death 23. and interested in eternall life With what face could he haue come before the Lord though with praise in his mouth who is the Iudge of all who knowes the very hearts and reines and whom hell and destruction are before Pro. 15.11 and therefore much more the hearts of the children of men as Salomon truly argueth if either he had doubted or had not been vpon good grounds persuaded of aswell their freedome from death as the end of their holinesse eternall life yet euen in that sixt Chapter he is euer and anon calling vpon the Romanes the best among them in that maner and with such a Phrase Tone and Accent as not only imply a desire he had to excite and stirre them vp to a cleare and distinct knowledge of these things which were in them and did belong vnto them but also a sharpe accusation for their ignorance of them in themselues and not discerning their good estates in which he knew they were and for which he powred forth the sacrifice of thanksgiuing to the Lord for in the 3. v. of the 6. Chapter his words are these Know yee not that so many of vs including them with himselfe as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death In the 16. v. these Know ye not that to whō you yeeld your selues scruants to obey his seruants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnesse The best we can make of his thus Catechizing them and the least we can gather from these cutting questions is an earnest calling vpon them to haue in themselues experience of the benefits of Christs death and resurrection which through the whole Chapter are to die vnto sin and to liue vnto righteousnesse and the end of all eternall life which he knew did belong vnto them so as of whatsoeuer grace the Apostle is assured to be in or to appertaine vnto another of the same may that other be assuredly persuaded is in or appertaines vnto himselfe For whether they be Saints at Corinth or Rome or wheresoeuer concerning whom the Apostle is well persuaded hee grounds that his good persuasion alwaies not vpon either speciall Reuelation or his gift of discerning but vpon such signes as they themselues might see and vpon such tokens as they themselues might know and well perceiue in themselues for how knew hee that the Romanes were before time not then when he writ vnto them the seruants of sin that is had yeelded themselues once wholly to the commanding power of sin but now had cast off his yoke He himself can best acquaint vs with the meanes whereby he attained to that knowledge concerning them let vs aske him our question shall not be so ready as his resolution for in the very next words he discouereth them Ro. 6. vers 17. to be their obeying of the truth yee haue saith he obeyed from the very heart that forme of doctrine which was deliuered vnto you as if hee had said would you vnderstand what moued mee to giue thankes to God for your present estate and how I know you are free-men in respect of sins bondage I will tell you thus it is I saw and see and reioyce at it that you with al the powers of your soules haue yeelded obedience to that truth which hath beene taught you How knew he that the fruit they should reape was the fruit of holinesse vers 22. and that the end they should attaine to was eternall life Then himselfe none is better able to reueale vpon what grounds he was moued to hope so well for their future happinesse and before wee demand he answeres there were certaine markes Gods good tokens vpon them which they might as well if not better then he perceiue in themselues and they were these that they were made free from sinne vers 22 the yoke and burden whereof any Saint too much feeles after hee by his corruption is subiected to it and to his hearts ioy well discernes when by the Lords mercy in his Sauiours merits hee is eased of it and then vers 22. that they were become the seruants of God that is with all submissiue reuerence and renerent diligence did resigne themselues ouer vnto God in minde and soule and spirit and the whole man to doe his will of which change no childe of God can bee lesse ignorant then vsually is a seruant of his owne remouing from a tedious painefull and no way contenting to a ioyfull easie and euery way peace-bringing seruice seeing the seruing of sin and Satan is bondage and the seruice of the Lord is perfect freedom As for the Corinthian Saints 1 Cor. 3.16 He did in a mannet chide them because they tooke no better notice that they were the Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelt in them and had he any reason for it God and his Spirit are inuisible how then can mortall eies discouer their habitation Though we doe not see the King yet we can tell where the Court is by the Writs that proceede from him and the Retinue that belong vnto him They could not but feele the impression of the Spirit sealing vpon their hearts the eternall peace of their consciences the neuer expiring patents of Celestiall promises in Christ neither could they be ignorant of God and his Spirits presence within them seeing he could discerne that a spirituall sanctitie godly graces did without adorne them 17. Againe
Iob. 13.4 16.2 2.12 13. for as they cast dust vpon their heads and sate by him seauen daies and seauen nights together sorrowfull yet at last failed in applying comfort So hee hauing animated a fainting soule refreshed a wearied spirit and suppled a wounded heart with sundry spirituall Cordials against the rigour of the law the frailtie of the flesh the greatnesse and grieuousnesse of afflictions a long time should leaue that soule so languishing that spirit so weary that heart so wounded in danger of the last enemie and in doubt of none of the least mercies for not one but euery faithfull soule perceiuing it must though it haue foiled many aduersaries faile in the end wholly and faint vnder the burden of one or other opposition not obtain the end of its hope and expectation the loue of God in Christ is plunged deep in the gulfe of desperation and so would Paul become the sauour of life to none the sauour of death to all euen those which are coheires with him in Christ which must not so much as once into our thoughts bee admitted or in our minds conceited much lesse with our mouthes be vttered seeing the holy Ghost affirms 2 Cor. 2.15 16. that he was the effectuall sauour of life to the Fathers chosen and to the Sonnes redeemed For the 3. 3. The ground of his cōforts thing considered in the Context the Ground of Pauls arguing of his comforts here laid down are of two sorts the one working Gods loue mercy Christs merits efficacie the other witnessing Gods spirit our spirit or a renued conscience Now all euery of these cannot but be affirmed must necessarily be confessed to be cōmon to all not only proper to any of the faithful for to deny these one or any of them to one or any belieuer is to deny him to be elected which proceedes from Gods loue to bee redeemed which is of Christs merit to be sanctified which is the work of the spirit seeing therfore the groūd of this his inseparability frō Gods loue in Christ of the other priuiledges is cōmō I conclude that To be persuaded of assured in these is also cōmō with the Apostle to euery truly regenerated Christian Thus the Text and Context cleare our conclusion Aduersaries confession but that wherein we may iustly triumph and which is not of the least force both to confound the persons confute their opinions is their owne Confession For say they if there were either a word Bellar. l. 3. de Iustof c. 8. saying to euery particular person as our Sauiour to the sicke of the palsie Sonne thy sins be forgiuen thee Math. 9.2 or we could certainely know the truth of our conuersion we might freely conclude concluding assure our selues that we should neuer be separated from the loue of God in Christ but which is all one be saued that our sins are pardoned we are iustified and shall be glorified But there is say the aduersaries of this truth no such particular promise reuealed now by name or in that maner to any particular Saint in or by the word nor any such assurance of our conuersion can be apprehended therefore we cannot be assured either our sinnes are pardoned or wee neuer shall be seuered from the loue of God in Christ or at last shall be saued The first is friuolous Generall propositions particularly to be applyed the second false The first is friuolous for let them tell me is not the Gospel the same for comfort that the Law is for terror to the soule must the soule apprehend and apprehending apply in particuler to it selfe the generall precepts prohibitions and threatnings of the Law and may it not in like maner apprehend and apply The Gospel aswell as the 〈…〉 in particuler to it selfe the generall promises and priuiledges of the Gospell how is the Lords mercy ouer all his workes is his hand of fauour shorter then his hand of fury Psal 77.7 c. Hath the Lord forgotten to be mercifull and doth he thus shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure Is his Mercy thus smothered by Iustice and hath his Iustice got the start so far of Mercy Must I swallow the poyson may I not taste the Antidote must I lay to my sore the Corafiue only may I in no case apply the Plaister Shall an heire into whose hands the entaile of his Ancestors inheritance commeth reading the euidence knowing there is none other to debar him of it though he cannot finde his owne name in particuler his dead Ancestors being so tong-tied that they cannot speake not conclude I am of the same linage and therefore this inheritance doth belong vnto me and may not euery Saint and member of Christ in particuler knowing himself to be a spiritual heire of Abrahā Acts 3.25 26. reading the Letters Patents of the King of Heauen seeing the Kings Seale hauing all committed to his own vse conclude that the benefit of this blelongs vnto him seeing his father could not cancell it his Soueraigne would not neither can any pretend title to his preiudice for though there be many yet his interest is as good though perhaps not so great why should not he then apprehend it as his own right in particular Be the words neuer so generall he may safely inferre the particuler for this is the practice of the holy Ghost nay and the aduersaries themselues make the like conclusion It is the practise of the blessed spirit somtime to apply a particular to a general vse To apply particularly generall propofitions is the practise of the Spirit sometime casting that couer which will serue a multitude vpon a few and again healing the wounded heart of one with those plaisters which had bin applyed vnto many The Apostle applieth challengeth to himselfe others the same which the Prophet Dauid alledgeth of himselfe Seeing thē saith he that we haue the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeued Ps 116.10 2 Cor. 4.13 Ios 1.3 4 5 6. therefore haue I spoken wee also beleeue therefore speake by the same reason whereby the Lord encouraged Iosuah in particular against all enemies euery member of Christ aswell one as another all as any one in his iudgement must be moued in all their wants to eschew couetousnesse Heb. 13.5 and be content with such things as they haue because he that is the Lord hath said it I wil in no case faile thee neither forsake thee Ps 56.4 11.13 Heb. 13 6. seeing that kingly Prophet vpon the persuasion that the Lord was his helper did not feare what man might do vnto him both he and other may not only account the Lord as their helper also but vpon that hope take heart against the feare of all wrongs And is it not cleare in that great question how a man stands righteous in the sight of God that