A55752:446
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithful Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithfull Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...
London: printed by J.T., 1658
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.
But what are Bellarmines reasons against assurance?
First, Saith he because of our unworthiness.1
- 1Object. Answs
But to this I answer, to what purpose should the Apostle speak that which he doth here if our own unworthiness or sins could condemn? But if they stand upon unworthiness we will say as much of our selves as they can possible. But seeing Christ hath undertook, as our surety, in our stead, and God through his grace gives power to believe, he takes away our unworthiness and gives us Christs righteousness to go out and in as he hath done, and so we make all our challenge in Christs name, not in our selves, and so our unworthiness obliges us more strongly to rest our selves upon Christ. In which case we resemble the vine that goes up & lays hold on that which is stronger then it self, so we in our selves weak, close with Christ, in whom God looks on us, not as we are in our selves, but in him in whom he is well pleased. So we stand not upon, nor look unto our righteousness but to God in Christ, by whom our sins are washed away in his blood, and our persons covered with his righteousness.
But to this I answer, to what purpose should the Apostle speak that which he doth here if our own unworthiness or sins could condemn? But if they stand upon unworthiness we will say as much of our selves as they can possible. But seeing Christ hath undertook, as our surety, in our stead, and God through his grace gives power to believe, he takes away our unworthiness and gives us Christs righteousness to go out and in as he hath done, and so we make all our challenge in Christs name, not in our selves, and so our unworthiness obliges us more strongly to rest our selves upon Christ. In which case we resemble the vine that goes up & layes hold on that which is stronger then it self, so we in our selves weak, close with Christ, in whom God looks on us, not as we are in our selves, but in him in whom he is well pleased. So we stand not upon, nor look unto our righteousness but to God in Christ, by whom our sins are washed away in his bloud, and our persons covered with his righteousness.