From this particular we may conclude the saith of two sorts of persons to be false:
1. Such as ventured at first upon Christ from that encouragement that God loved them: they thought that God had a love for them, either from his outward providences, he smiled on them in his providences and blessed them, and heard their prayers, or he manifested his love to them by restraining their corruptions, and keeping of them from such evil practices as others are addicted unto or else from some inward comfort that God has given them: God gave them some inward comfort when they were in a sad condition, and from thence they conclude the love of God: and so are bold to venture themselves on Jesus Christ: they have had some inward joy, and that they make the foundation of their Faith: and so they quite prevent Gods order, they get first a faith of assurance that God loves them, and then they have a saith of dependence: but the particular ⟨p. 226⟩love of God is not the foundation of our faith, there is no need of knowing that in order to believing: the love of God is to be cleared up by effectual calling, 2 Pet. 1.10 Gods love to the soul is a secret, till he does believe, Eph. 1.13. after the believed, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise: God may reveal the love he has to a man, unto some other before the man believes, as the love God had to Jacob, was revealed to Rebecca, but not to the man himself: Gods particular love is not the foundation of Faith, but the call of the Gospel.
2. Such as ventured first upon Christ upon that encouragement that they loved God: they found affections to God and Christ, and that made them think that God meant them in the call of the Gospel, that made them think that it was not presumption for them to come to Christ that made them think that God would not reject them: their first encouragement rises from themselves, and then in a secondary way they take encouragement from the Gospel: that adds to their encouragement: but this faith is a rotten faith, it has not a right foundation: such a faith may make men live more comfortable here, but it will deceive them, Rev. 3:17.
3. In the first closure with Christ, there is such a light let into the Soul of the sinner, that he cannot but come to Christ: when he does come there is a necessity upon him to come: it is thus many times, very remarkable afterwards: but eminently so at first:
From this particular we may conclude the saith of two sorts of persons to be false:
1. Such as ventured at first upon Christ from that encouragement that God loved them: they thought that God had a love for them, either from his outward providences, he smiled on them in his providences and blessed them, and heard their prayers, or he manifested his love to them by restraining their corruptions, and keeping of them from such evil practices as others are addicted unto or else from some inward comfort that God has given them: God gave them some inward comfort when they were in a sad condition, and from thence they conclude the love of God: and so are bold to venture themselves on Jesus Christ: they have had some inward joy, and that they make the foundation of their Faith: and so they quite prevent Gods order, they get first a faith of assurance that God loves them, and then they have a saith of dependance: but the particular ⟨p. 226⟩love of God is not the foundation of our faith, there is no need of knowing that in order to believing: the love of God is to be cleared up by effectual calling, 2 Pet. 1.10 Gods love to the soul is a secret, till he does believe, Eph. 1.13. after ye believed, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise: God may reveal the love he has to a man, unto some other before the man believes, as the love God had to Jacoh, was revealed to Rebecca, but not to the man himself: Gods particular love is not the foundation of Faith, but the call of the Gospel.
2. Such as ventured first upon Christ upon that encouragement that they loved God: they found affections to God and Christ, and that made them think that God meant them in the call of the Gospel, that made them think that it was not presumption for them to come to Christ that made them think that God would not reject them: their first encouragement rises from themselves, and then in a secondary way they take encouragement from the Gospel: that adds to their encouragement: but this faith is a rotten faith, it has not a right foundation: such a faith may make men live more comfortable here, but it will deceive them, Rev. 3:17.
3. In the first closure with Christ, there is such a light let into the Soul of the sinner, that he cannot but come to Christ: when he does come there is a necessity upon him to come: it is thus many times, very remarkable afterwards: but eminently so at first:
