5. A fixed peace in assurance of deliverance from condemnation, and quietness in believing pardon and righteousness in Christ, ought always to be, as touching the state of Justification: for the questioning of this in a believer, if Antinomians will yield to truth, is contrary to faith, and no warrantable assurance. But 2. a fixed peace in David, immediately after blood-shed and adultery, before believing of the remission of these particular sins be,1 in the Lords order, renewed, is security, and not Godly peace. Psal. 32.3. While I kept silence, my bones waxed old, through my roaring all the day. 5. I acknowledged — and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Psal. 51.1, 2, 3, &c. prove this. But it may be said, doth not this holy feeling of, and trouble for ⟨p. 220⟩the particular heinous guiltiness, brangle the fixed peace and the persons faith and confidence that he is in a state of justification? Ans. Not at all:2 for the outcries of the child of God, Rom. 7.24. under, not a finger, or an arm, or a leg, but a body of sin: O wretched man, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? are good, and much feeling of pain argues much life. And such as in this regard say, I thank God, I was plagued and pained, but now nothing ails me, I have peace, I am rich, I have need of nothing, Revel. 3.17. I am all whole, must be in a dangerous case. Indeed the complaining of want of justification and of the righteousness of God in a believer, and a raising of the foundation, as Psal. 31.22. Jonah 2.4. I am cast out of thy sight: are both false and bastard-feelings, and hasty unbelief: for this is a reflection upon, and a reproaching of the Office of the Healer of sinners▪ This is contrary to faith, and the former is a complaining of the body of sin that can hardly be slandered; so a complaining of self, and the feeling of inherent corruption weakens not, but strengthens faith. And complaining thus, and triumphing in a believed▪ justification, do well consort in Paul, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man, &c. v. 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord: and Rom. 8.1. Then every feeling of sin is not contrary to faith, as Mr. Town and other Antinomians teach, some godly tender feeling foments faith.
5. A fixed peace in assurance of deliverance from condemnation, and quietnesse in beleeving pardon and righteousnesse in Christ, ought alwayes to be, as touching the state of Justification: for the questioning of this in a beleever, if Antinomians will yeeld to truth, is contrair to faith, and no warrantable assurance. But 2. a fixed peace in David, immediatly after blood-shed and adultery, before beleeving of the remission of these particular sins be,1 in the Lords order, renewed, is security, and not Godly peace. Psal. 32.3. While I keept silence, my bones waxed old, through my roaring all the day. 5. I acknowledged — and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Psal. 51.1, 2, 3, &c. prove this. But it may be said, doth not this holy feeling of, and trouble for ⟨p. 220⟩the particular hainous guiltinesse, brangle the fixed peace and the persons faith and confidence that he is in a state of justification? Ans. Not at all:2 for the outcries of the child of God, Rom. 7.24. under, not a finger, or an arm, or a leg, but a body of sinne: O wretched man, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? are good, and much feeling of pain argues much life. And such as in this regard say, I thank God, I was plagued and pained, but now nothing ails me, I have peace, I am rich, I have need of nothing, Revel. 3.17. I am all whole, must be in a dangerous case. Indeed the complaining of want of justification and of the righteousnesse of God in a believer, and a raising of the foundation, as Psal. 31.22. Jonah 2.4. I am cast out of thy sight: are both false and bastard-feelings, and hastie unbelief: for this is a reflection upon, and a reproaching of the Office of the Healer of sinners▪ This is contrair to faith, and the former is a complaining of the body of sin that can hardly be sclandered; so a complaining of self, and the feeling of inherent corruption weakens not, but strengthens faith. And complaining thus, and triumphing in a believed▪ justification, do well consort in Paul,
- 1What way a fixed peace is in the children of GOD.
- 2A believer ought not to complain of a state of non justificatiō, but ought to complain of a state of non sanctificationA beleever ought not to cōplain of a state of non justificatiō, but ought to complain of a state of non sanctification
