brabam (at the 21. verse) Being fully perswaded, that what God had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore (at the 22.) it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for bis fake alone, that it was imputed to him: but for us also to whom it shall be imputed, if we beleeve on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead- Abraham was justified by faith, it was imputed to him for righteousnesse: and faies the Apostle here, it was not written for his fake, but for us alfo. We are justified as Abraham was, by the same faith, what faith is that? is it the faith of Afsurance? Yes! he was Affured indeed, but I pray of what? He was Assured that God was able to perform: He being fully perswaded, that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. Abraham beleeved that God was able, and so relied upon God, and hereby he was justified. So it shall be with men and women now: if they be Affured, and Perswaded, that God is able, and so relie upon God; this is the faith that juftifies. When therefore this temptation comes, Answer unto Satan: Satan, thou saieft I have no Affurance, because Thave no faith; but I have this Affurance that Abrabam had, whereby he was justified, I belaeve God is able to help me, and so I relie upon God, and therefore (Satan) I am now julified, and stand righteous through Jesus Chrift

in the fight of God.

Secondly, As he does labour to weaken the faith of Affurance, By telling the Saints that they have no faith: So alfo, by telling them, That they have no Obedience, that they don't profit under the means, that they are not fruitful: where ever there is true faith, there will be Obedience, and men will profit under the means, and be fruitful, but you are Unfruitful, and you are barren, and where's your Obedience? here's no Obedience, therefore no faith: So no Affurance, your Afsurance is wrong.

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Well, But how may we ward, and keep off this blow in the time Quest. of temptation, that our faith of Assurance may not fail?

Traly, this blow is not to be warded off, if this be true; Anfw.

That

That ye never were Obedient, never Fruitful, never profited by the means of grace; this blow fals dead upon the foul, this blow is not to be warded off, this is no temptation. But now, if ye have ever been fruitful, if ye have ever been obedient, if ye have ever profited by the means of grace; though for the present ye may seem dead: yet remember what Job faies, There is hope of a tree, though it be cut down, that by the scent of waters it will flourish again. And so, there is hope of thy foul, that by the scent of the Gospel-waters thou maieft flourish again. But though there be no obedience in your own eye, though ye don't profit under the means in your own eye; yet your obedience may be in the eye of others: and in time of temptation, another mans eye is a better judg than your own.

But suppose there seem to be no obedience, neither in your own, nor anothers eye; yet the root of the matter may be in you. Ye know how it is with the fish, that are in the water, in a windy and a stormy day: ye put many fish into a pond; and in a fair, fun thiney day, ye see them playing upon the water, upon the uppermost part of the water; but in a rainy, and stormy day, ye see none of them there, but yet you say they are all there, they are in the water, they are at the bottom, though you fee them not. And so, it may be, in this stormy time of temptation, your obedience, and profiting is not seen, but it may be there as heretofore. Satan does never more presse a child of God, to try himself by figns of grace drawn from his own conversation, than in the time of temptation. There is indeed a good use of figns drawn from our own conversation, but this is agreed upon by all, That there's no use of them in the time of temptation. And therefore saies Luther: In the time of temptation, I am as if there were no Law, nor no works, but only the righteousness of Cbrift in the world, and so I do rejt spon bim. Does Satan come forth therefore with this temptation, That you have no obedience, that you don't profit, that you are unfruitful? Answer it thus: True Satan, I confess I am very Unprofitable, and therefore I will learn to profit more; I confesse I am very unfruitful, and therefore i will labour to be more fruitful: But (Satan) I will not now at this time determine about my condition; for it may be a time of tempttation: hereafter, at another time, I will come and determine about my condition, and I will look after signes, but now at this time, it may be a time of temptation, and therefore I will forbear to winde, and draw up a conclusion, but leane my self upon God, and rest upon God at this time.

Thirdly, Sometimes Satan does labour to weaken the Afsurance of Gods people, the faith of Assurance, to make that to fail, By telling of them, that they have no faith at all, because they have no particular faith, no particular promise; for, faies Satan thus: faith and Wavering, faith and Doubting do not agree; He that beleeveth doubteth not: but now, you pray and doubt, you beleeve and waver, ye have no particular word for what you beleeve, therefore ye have no particular faith, so no faith at all, and therefore your Affurance is naught

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How should we ward off this blow ?

Quest.

In this case now, let a poor beleever say Two or Three Anfw. things unto his own foul.

Firft, Tell thy foul this: Though it pleases God fometimes to give out a particular word unto his people, a particular promise, in the time of Affliction, or Desertion (especially) or temptation; yet the Lord does not therefore give out a particular promise, that a man may measure his condition thereby; (there's a mistake) but the Lord does therefore give out a particular word or promise, to uphold the foul in the condition: not to measure out his condition by it, but to uphold him ; and therefore, though I have not a particular word, or promise, I will not conclude against my faith for this.

Again, Tell thine owne soul, That though it pleases the Lord to give out a particular word or promise sometimes; yet alwaies he does not. Hezekiah had a particular word for his recovery; but the three children had not a particular

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lar word, that they should be delivered out of the fiery furnace, yet they beleeved; and whether God deliver, or does not deliver, (fay they) we will not bow our selves to this Idolatry. So that, though God is pleased sometimes, to give out a particular word or promise, yet al waies he does not, and therefore my faith may be right (Satan) though I have not a particular word now for this businessfe.

Againe, Tell thy foul this: That though God is pleased thus to indulge, and sometimes to give out a particular promise unto his people, and they have a particular faith concerning this or that businesse; yet there is alwaies a Waiting-faith that we readeof in Scripture. There is a faith of recumbency, whereby a foule leans upon God, and commits his cause unto God: And there is a Waiting faith. Now therefore (Satan) though I have not a parti cular word, and a particular faith for this business; yet notwithstanding I have a waiting faith, I can wait upon the Lord my God, and I can rest upon Jesus Chrift: and therefore (Satan) I do yet beleeve, and my faith is right. Tell your own foul thus; so shall you be able to stand to your faith, and shall not fall off in the time of your temptation.

Thirdly, For the faith of Acknowledgment. Sometimes Satan does labour to weaken the faith of the Saints Acknowledgment. He does labour either that they should deny the Truth, or not own it: either that they should deny Christ, or that they should not own him. So he laboured to make Peters faith to fail, by denying Christ. And therefore, he comes unto a poor foul and faies, If you will go on in this way, it shall cost you a prison; can you lie, and rot, and die in a prison? he rattles chains in the ears of a poor beleever, and so labours to scare him away from his confcience, and from his faith, and from the Truth and Cause of God, and the good waies of Chrift:

How should we ward off this blow ?

First, Before the temptation comes, labour to poffefs your heart much, with the Mercy, and priviledg of fuffe

ring for the Cause, Truth, Name, and way of Christ. Top you it is given, not only to beleeve, but to fuffer; 'cis a great Gift: Aa fuffering opportunity, and a fuffering heart, is a great Gift from God. Is it not a great mercy to be conformable to Jesus Christ our head? For this Cause (faics Christ) came I into the world, that I might bear witness unto the Truth, Is it not a great mercy, to be confeffed at the last day before all the world, Angels, and men? He that confesses me before men, (laies Christ) Him will I confeß before my Father, &c. Is it not a great mercy, to live and raign with Chrift a thousand yeers? ye know that Scripture; I shall not speak of the meaning of it now, but certainly, there is a great deal of glory promised there, living and reigning with Christ a thousand years: and the Promise is made unto those that do acknowledg, and own the Cause, and Truth of God and Jesus Chrift. Poffefse your heart much, with the priviledg, and mercy of bearing witness to the Truth, the Cause, and the good way of Chrift before your temptation comes.

Secondly, If you would bear off the blow of this temptation; Befure that you look upon both fides of your fuffering, or bearing witness to the Truth, Cause, or Way of Chrift: the Dark fide, and the Light fide; let them not be fundered. When the Lord cals for any of his people to suffer at any time for him, he does give them more strength than before. and he does give them more Comfort and Confolation than they had before. Now Satan, comes and holds forth the suffering, he makes mention of the fuffering; but he hides the Strength, and the Confolation. Either Satan holds fotth the fuffering alone; or else, if he do mention any strength, or comfort that a gracious foul shall have in the suffering, 'cis but the same strength that he hath now, he don't speak of the strength he shall have then, and the great consolation that he shall have then when the fuffering comes: and so these being pårted, the Suffering and the Confolation being parted, now our faith fails. When ever therefore this temptation does

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