Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

Thus much touching the first thing, That Assurance is attainable: I now proceed to the other, viz. The ways in which it is attained. All which are as so many further Arguments to prove it attainable. Were it not so, the All-wise God would not set down ways for the attaining thereof. Impossibles are not to be sought after. Assurance, however difficult, is not impossible: The Scripture hath chalked out a Method how to arrive at it; which I shall endeavour to open in the ensuing Discourse.

THus much touching the first thing, That Assurance is attainable: I now proceed to the other, viz. The ways in which it is attained. All which are as so many further Arguments to prove it attainable. Were it not so, the All-wise God would not set down ways for the attaining thereof. Impossibles are not to be sought after. Assurance, however difficult, is not impossible: The Scripture hath chalked out a Method how to arrive at it; which I shall endeavour to open in the ensuing Discourse.

In the first place: He who would attain Assurance, must give Grace and Christ their due. All spiritual Blessings grow upon Grace as an eternal Root, and hang upon Christ as the Tree of Life. In particular, Assurance is a Blessing proper to the Covenant of Grace. In the Covenant of Works there was no Assurance or Perseverance, because the whole managery was left to Mans Will: But in the Covenant of Grace these are to be found in Believers, because God undertakes the work. This is the rather to be marked, because man under the Covenant of Works was in a state of Innocency ⟨p. 425⟩and perfect Holiness, and under the Covenant of Grace is in a state of Weakness and Imperfection; and yet there through Faith he arrives at Assurance and Perseverance, which were never reached under the First Covenant. Saint Paul, in the 10th Chapter to the Romans, notably distinguishes between the Righteousness of the Law and the Righteousness of Faith: The Righteousness of the Law, is, That the man which doth those things shall live in them; No Life or Peace, but upon perfect Obedience, which is impossible, and beyond the line of man lapsed, nay, of man regenerate in this life. Hence the Conscience of those, who would enter into Peace at this Door, must needs be dubious, and full of trembling anxieties. But the Righteousness of Faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into Heaven? Doubt not, whether thou shalt have a part there; this is to bring Christ down from above: He is gone to Heaven, and hath carried his Merits thither to prepare a place for thee there. Such a doubt denies his Ascension, and so, as it were, brings him down again: Neither say in thine heart, Who shall descend into the deep? Doubt not, as if thou shouldst be turned into Hell; this is to bring up Christ again from the dead: He is already risen, and hath triumphed over Death and Hell. Such a doubt denies his Death and Resurrection; and doth as it were bring him again from the dead. But what saith the Righteousness of Faith? The Word, the Promise