The blessedness of the death of these that die in the Lord and more…The blessednesse of the death of these that die in the Lord and more…

But secondly, the grounds that these three flow from do mainly answer and determine the question, for its not a counterfeit willingness, nor a natural boldness or manliness of Spirit, nor a carnally secure peace and quietness flowing from senselessness, but such willingness, boldness, & quietness as come and flow from these 3 pregnant grounds: 1. From peace with God through Jesus Christ, the soul having really fled for refuge to Jesus Christ and committed it self to him; faith says, that is a good, sure, through, and everlasting bargain, & so the man rests on it and hath peace. 2, From a good conscience giving a good testimony, which is an excellent ground to come before Gods Judgment with; the testimony of a good conscience either in respect of an endeavoured blameless life, or if the man have not so a good conscience in that respect, but many failings and so many challenges, yet he hath a good conscience in respect of its being sprinkled with the blood of Jesus, through whom all his failings and transgressions are pardoned, which also takes in a good conscience of sincere endeavour to study holiness. The third ground is, a lively and distinct frame of Spirit, whereby faith hath some present acting on Christ, and on the everlasting Covenant even in death, that the soul is by and by to meet with; we will not say but there is a difference amongst their three; the first of them is simply and absolutely necessary; and the second is necessary also in one of the two forementioned respects; the third may not be ⟨p. 48⟩always necessary (for a believer may die in the rage of a fever, in a fit of high distemper, or in a stupefying palsy) yet it is always to be pursued and sought after, with submission to Gods blessed will, and it conduceth much to the believers confidence and comfort, to have some present actings of faith in a distinct way on Christ and on the Covenant of grace.

But secondlie, the grounds that these three flow from doe mainlie answer and determine the questione, for its not a counterfit willingnesse, nor a natural boldnesse or manlinesse of Spirit, nor a carnallie secure peace and quietnesse flowing from senselessnes, but such willingnesse, boldnesse, & quietnesse as come and flow from these 3 pregnant grounds: 1. From peace with God through Jesus Christ, the soul having reallie fled for refuge to Jesus Christ and committed it selfe to him; faith sayes, that is a good, sure, thorow, and everlasting bargane, & so the man rests on it and hath peace. 2, From a good conscience giving a good testimonie, which is ane excellent ground to come before Gods Judgment with; the testimonie of a good conscience either in respect of ane endeavoured blamelesse life, or if the man have not so a good conscience in that respect, but many failings and so many challenges, yet he hath a good conscience in respect of its being sprinkled with the blood of Jesus, thrugh whom all his failings and transgressions are pardoned, which also takes in a good conscience of sincere endeavour to studie holinesse. The third ground is, a livlie and distinct frame of Spirit, whereby faith hath some present acting on Christ, and on the everlasting Covenant even in death, that the soul is by and by to meet with; we will not say but there is a difference amongst thir three; the first of them is simplie and absolutlie necessarie; and the second is necessarie also in one of the two forementioned respects; the third may not be