The Return of Prayers

Use 3. The doctrine of assurance (if not abused) and of Gods speaking peace to men is no dangerous doctrine to make men secure and presumptuous ⟨p. 318⟩in sinning: when peace is preached in any mans heart, this use naturally flows from that Doctrine, return no more to folly. The very scope of the whole Epistle of S John is to help all believers to assurance, as appears by the 1. John 1. 4, 5. and the 5. Chap. 13. These things I write to you, that ye might have communion with God, and that your joy might be full. But this will open a way to all licentiousness. No says S. John, Chap. 2. 1. These things I write unto you that ye sin not; nothing guards the heart more against tentations, then the peace of God: it is said to guard the heart, Phil. 4. 2. Yea ⟨p. 319⟩and if you do sin, the assurance of Gods love is the speediest way to recover you; so it follows: If any one doth sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, &c. And he that hath this hope in him, that is, to live with Christ, and knows what manner of love the Father bears us, purifies himself as he is pure, 1. John 3. 1, 2, 3. If there were no more but self-love in a man, it were then no wonder if he doth abuse it. For self-love, where the love of God is wanting, is unthankful and ungrateful, willing to take all the love and kindness which is afforded, and abuse it, and work ⟨p. 320⟩upon it for its own advantage; and it is true also that because we have too much of this principle unmortified in us, therefore God trusteth so few with much assurance, because they would abuse it. But where true love to God is seated, and much of it implanted, there the love of God & the peace of God doth as kindly and naturally enkindle and inflame and set it awork, even as arguments suitable to self-love do work upon, and stir that principle. For grace is more for GOD then for our selves, it being the image of Gods holiness, whose holiness consists in this, ⟨p. 321⟩