A28622:121
The guard of the tree of life, or, A sacramental discourse showing a Christians…The guard of the tree of life, or, A sacramental discourse shewing a Christians…
The guard of the tree of life, or, A sacramental discourse showing a Christians privilege in approaching to God in ordinances, duty in his sacramental approaches, danger if he do not sanctify God in them / by Samuel Bolton ...The guard of the tree of life, or, A sacramental discourse shewing a Christians priviledge in approaching to God in ordinances, duty in his sacramentall approaches, danger if hee do not sanctifie God in them / by Samuel Bolton ...
London: printed by M. Simmons for A. Kembe, 1644
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Faith must here be exercised for the further assurance of our justification. §1God hath cast down the soul by the ministry of the Word, he hath discovered and revealed the promise, brought the soul over to the promise, upon which it rests, and is justified, and hither we come to be further assured of it. This was one end why the Sacrament was set up. We know the strongest are but weak in faith: 1there is no such assurance in the world as to expel all doubts & fears, though to overcome them; but though they may be suspended in their actings for a time, and well subdued and ⟨p. 57⟩conquered, yet they are not altogether expelled; if they were, then were there no need of the Sacrament for this end, to confirm and strengthen faith, 2and so one of the ends wherefore God set up this Ordinance, were in vain to that man. But I say there is no man so sure, but may be surer: there are degrees of assurance as well as faith, and so may we grow up in assurance as well as faith. And now for the further assurance of our justification, God to the covenant of grace and mercy, wherein he promised the free pardon of sin, hath annexed the Seal of the covenant, whereby we may be more assured.
Faith must here be exercised for the further assurance of our justification. §1God hath cast down the soule by the ministery of the Word, hee hath discovered and revealed the promise, brought the soule over to the promise, upon which it rests, and is justified, and hither we come to be further assured of it. This was one end why the Sacrament was set up. We know the strongest are but weake in faith: 1there is no such assurance in the world as to expell all doubts & fears, though to overcome them; but though they may be suspended in their actings for a time, and well subdued and ⟨p. 57⟩conquered, yet they are not altogether expelled; if they were, then were there no need of the Sacrament for this end, to confirme and strengthen faith,