A treatise of faith divided into two parts. The first showing the nature, the…A treatise of faith diuided into two parts. The first shewing the nature, the…

CHAP. V. God hath made many promises of perseverance. p. 279 280 The love which God beareth to his people is an everlasting love, and the covenant which he hath made with them effectually, and shall be kept assuredly, is an everlasting covenant. p. 280. 281 The condition of the covenant is promised in the covenant it self. p. 281. 282 All the faithful are built upon the rock, not upon the rock now, and anon upon the sand. p. 282 ⟨image 15⟩The sheep of Christ shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of his hand. p. 282. 283 They are fenced against the treachery of their own hearts remaining in them. p. 283 The holy Spirit is sent into their hearts to dwell and remain with them, as an earnest of their inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession. p. 283. 284 The life which they live by faith in Christ, is an everlasting life. p. 284 Christ hath prayed for his people, that their faith should not fail. p. 284 We are assured from God, that he will perfect the work of grace which he hath begun. ibid. By serious meditation on these promises we must settle our selves in believing our perseverance: which is very necessary. For, 1. Had it not been a point of great weight, the Lord would not have mentioned it so often. p. 285 2. We are weak and feeble to withstand, our spiritual enemies potent and vigilant to assail. ibid. 3. Our weakness is not greater then our backwardness to believe the promises of perseverance, when we stand in most need. ibid. 4. Whilst Christians distrustfully question their perseverance, all present favours seem the less all other promises be held the more weakly. ibid. 5. Confidence in the promises of perseverance doth encourage and quicken in a Christian course. p. 286 He that hath faith indeed will not; nay, he cannot take courage to go on in sin upon this pretence, that faith once had, cannot utterly be lost. ibid. 6. Look how much we come short in believing the faithful promises of God, concerning our future protection from all hurtful evils, so much are we lacking to sound peace and stable tranquillity of Mind and Conscience. p. 287. 288 ⟨image 15⟩The godly are allowed to believe their perseverance. For 1. God hath confirmed it by promise and covenant unto his children. p. 288 2.

CHAP. V. GOd hath made many promises of perseuerance. p. 279 280 The loue which God beareth to his people is an euerlasting loue, and the couenant which hee hath made with them effectually, and shall bee kept assuredly, is an euerlasting couenant. p. 280. 281 The condition of the couenant is promised in the couenant it selfe. p. 281. 282 All the faithfull are built vpon the rocke, not vpon the rocke now, and anone vpon the sand. p. 282