A discourse concerning old-age tending to the instruction, caution and comfort of aged persons…

SECT. II.

Another work of Old-age is, obtaining ¹Assurance of Salvation. I mean hereby, not only a General Certainty, that some good people shall be saved; for the Devils believe this, and rage at ⟨p. 252⟩it, which, I think, is the same with Objective Certainty; nor that Assurance which may come by special and extraordinary Revelation, sith we find few or no examples in Scripture of such a thing; but rather that the Apostle Paul himself grounds his Assurance of the Crown, upon the righteousness of God, which he extends to all them, that love Christs appearing, 2 Tim. 4. 8. Neither do I mean a Conjectural Hope of Salvation, which admits both of anxiety and of slavish fear; sith the Scripture represents it by Faith, and full assurance, and produceth Earnests and Seals for confirmation. Nor lastly, is this Assurance confined to Grace at present, but extends to final Salvation. Thus the Apostle, 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed; there is Assurance of his present State, but was he certain of his Perseverance? Yes, that follows, and I am persuaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

ANother work of Old-age is, obtaining ¹Assurance of Salvation. I mean hereby, not only a General Certainty, that some good people shall be saved; for the Devils believe this, and rage at ⟨p. 252⟩it, which, I think, is the same with Objective Certainty; nor that Assurance which may come by special and extraordinary Revelation, sith we find few or no examples in Scripture of such a thing; but rather that the Apostle Paul himself grounds his Assurance of the Crown, upon the righteousness of God, which he extends to all them, that love Christs appearing,