A SERMON Preached at Lincolns-Inne, July 15th. 1655.  
At the funeral of FERDINANDO LEIGH Esq; Son to the Right Honourable THE LORD LEIGH, OF STONELEIGH.  
And a MEMBER of that Honourable SOCIETY.  
BY BRUNE RYVES, D. D. and D. of C. Preacher to that Honourable SOCIETY.  
LONDON, Printed by Thomas Roycroft, 1656.   
2 TIM. 4.7. 
Henceforth there is laid up for me, a Crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also, that love his Appearance.  
IN the first and second verses of this CHAPTER, St. Paul lays a strict charge upon Timothy, and that before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, to Preach the Word, to be instant in season, and out of season, to reprove, rebuk, and exhort, with all long suffering and Doctrine: This charge St. Paul doth enforce, from three weighty reasons; whereof, one ushers in the Charge, and that is drawn from the Terror of that Judgement, which he must undergo, and the strict account, which he must give, at the Judgement Seat of Christ, who shall Judge the quick and the dead, at his appearing, and his kingdom, ver. 1.  
The two other Reasons follow the Charge, the first is drawn from the opposition, which Timothy was like to meet withall, in his Ministry; For the time will come, says the Apostle, when they will not endure sound Doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto Fables, ver. 3, 4. which gives the Apostle occasion, to enlarge and double his charge, But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an Evangelist, make full proof of thy Ministry. ver. 5.  
The second Reason is drawn from the destitution of any help, that might be expected from him, long had he fought under Christs Banner, but now, his warfare was drawing towards an end, but so, not to desert his Colours, but to die under them, For I am ready( says he) to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand, ver. 6.  
But not to leave his son Timothy, sadded with the apprehension of his martyrdom, he comforts him against those sad thoughts, and the Arguments of his Consolation, are two, the latter depending upon the former.  
The first is drawn from his holy course of life, constantly continued, and comfortably finished, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, ver. 7.  
The second is drawn from his {αβγδ}, or fullness of assurance, of a blessed and happy life, after death, and this is in my Text, Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness, &c.  
In which words, we have St. Pauls Confidence, first laid down, in relation to himself, and is his certitudo Subjecti; the certainty of the Subject, as the Schools call it, Henceforth there is laid up for me, a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, shall give me at that day. Secondly, we have St. Pauls Confidence enlarged, in relation to others, and this is his Certitudo objecti, the certainty of the Object, And not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.  
Both these confidences are amplified by three Circumstances, as first the Donor, or Bestower of this Crown of Righteousness, and that is, the Lord, the righteous Judge:  
Secondly, The Time of conferring, or the Time of bestowing of the Crown of Righteousness, It is laid up to be given at that day.  
Thirdly, the Qualification of the Persons, that shall receive this Crown, None shall receive this Crown, but those that love the appearance of the Donor, And not to me only, but unto them also, that love his appearing.  
I begin with St. Pauls Confidence, laid down in Relation to himself, the Certitudo subjecti, the certainty of the ●ubject, Henceforth there is laid up for me, a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord, &c.  Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness. 
A strong Confidence this, and a comfortable, but what Evidence hath S. Paul for this confidence? had God by a special revelation assured him that this Crown of Righteousness was laid up for him? or when he was rapt up into the third Heaven, when he saw things not to be utterd, was any such thing  told him, that he concludes thus confidently, Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness? Certainly neither the one, or the other, but reflecting on his former conversation in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and his conscience bearing him witness, That he had fought a good fight, that he had finished his course, that he had kept the Faith; from these premises he warrantably infers this Conclusion, Henceforth there is laid up for me, a Crown of Righteousness.  
Such a thing then there is in this life, as Assurance of a Crown of righteousness, Assurance of salvation, and this not only confessed, but strongly asserted by a considerable part of the Members of the council of Trent: In discussion of which point, they were so divided, some being for the Affirmative, others for the Negative, that it gave occasion to the wisdom of the Legates, to draw up the Decree, concerning the certainty of salvation, so warily, that while the council yet sate, Dominicus Soto, wrote a Book, and entitled it, De natura,& Gratia, wherein, he positively affirms, That a man cannot be certain, that he is for the present in the state of grace, and consequently, not certain of his salvation, Sine Revelatione privelegiatâ, without a special, particular Revelation from God, to settle him in the persuasion: And Ambrosius Catarinus Bishop of Minori, having before defended the contrary, published another Book, wherein he maintains, against Dominicus Soto, that, without the Indulgence of a particular special revelation, a justified righteous man, reflecting on his own soul, may be certain, Certitudine fidei, cvi non potest subesse falsum, by the certainty of faith, not subject to error, that he is in the state of grace, and that persevering he shall undoubtedly arrive at eternal glory; And that which was matter of wonder, and amazement unto the world, in this flat contradiction of Opinions, they both, not only in their Books, appealed to the Decree of the council, in this controversy for Patronage of their contrary Tenets, but afterwards published Apologies, and Antiapologies, complaining to the Synod mutually one of another, for imposing on the council, their respective Opinions, ascribing that Sense to the Decree, which it never meant: and indeed the Decree, accommodating itself, as much as possibly it could, to satisfy contrary Interests and displease none, speaks as Aequivocally, as the Oracle of Delphos, so that what the meaning of it is, is hardly known at this day; for upon the reassuming the debate of the Decree, we find the council divided into four Opinions: First, some sided with Dominicus Soto, others stood neutral, ingeniously confessing, that they understood not the difference, but did acquiesce in the Decree, in that form of words, in which it was published, the Legate Santa Croce, 
Hist. of the council of Trent. pag. 230.  testified for Catarinus, Monte, the other Legate openly professed himself of a fourth Opinion.  
Now the controversy in this point of Assurance of being in the state of grace, as it is at this day disputed, between the Church of Rome and us, is not,  
First, Whether a wicked man remaining a wicked man, may believe the pardon of his sins, whether he may be confident of his interest in God, that he hath his part in the merits, and sufferings of Christ, and consequently, can, on this false ground support his spirit against the terrors, and fortify it against the wrath to come; for the denial of this truth, hath given our Adversaries of the Church of Rome, too great occasion, not only to harden themselves in their own error, but to insult, and triumph over the Reformed Churches.  
I confess, no wicked man, In sensu composito, can believe the pardon of his sins, or hath such a faith to which pardon of sins is promised, yet that he may believe his sins are pardonned, and that as seriously, and firmly, as a true believer, is evident from experience.  
For, as true faith doth afford the soul, a true and well grounded support, and consolation, and enableth us to look unto Eternity, with undaunted courage, so a false ungrounded faith, doth afford a false, ungrounded comfort, which quells, and suppresseth, the horror of the apprehensions of damnation and Judgement to come: for while the Antinomians teach, that justifying faith is nothing else, but a believing, that God doth love us, and that our sins are already pardonned, through Christ, that every man ought to believe this, and no man ought to question his faith, whether it be true or false; How greedily do the giddy, undiscerning vulgar, receive this Doctrine, as the very life, and soul of the Gospel? which Doctrine, imposing no hard task upon flesh, and blood, no mortifying of our earthly members, no self-denial, no resigning up of ourselves to the disposal of Christ, and submitting ourselves to the sceptre of his kingdom,( no more being required by their Doctrine, to make a man happy, but only to believe that he is happy) they find it a far easier task, to Preach up this Doctrine, then we, to Preach it down. This makes many a poor seduced soul, to go on in a full assurance of Heaven, unto the very minute, that he drops into Hell.  
Who doubts of this, when he hears konrah justifying himself, and his fellow Rebells, as the only Godly Party, saying, All the Congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them, Num. 16.3. See! none but Saints, Holy Rebells, even then, when the earth was cleaving asunder, and opening her mouth to swallow them up alive, that so they might go down quick into Hell: Or who can doubt of this, when he hears the Pharisee, stand praying and saying, I thank thee, O Lord, that I am not as other men, St. Luke. 18.11. Nay, so strong are these mens persuasions, that they will dispute the case with Christ himself at the day of Judgement, and pled their eating, and drinking in his presence, their preaching in his Name, and casting out devills, until Christ destroy their confidence, by passing that dreadful Sentence of condemnation against them, Depart from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his Angels, St. Mat. 25.41.  
It is much to be feared, that many have thanked God, for pardon of sins, that never received it, and blessed him, for justification, and assured hope of glory, who are now shut out of the inheritance of the sanctified: So true is that of Solomon, When a wicked man death, his expectation shall perish, and the hope of unjust men perisheth, Prov. 11.7. And, The hope of the righteous shall be gladness, but the expectation of the wicked shal perish, Pro. 10.28. That, cannot perish, that is not, had not the wicked Hope, their Hope could not perish.  
If any man say, that the Assurance of the wicked, doth differ from that of the Godly, I answer, that differ they do, in their Ground, That of the Godly being built upon a rock, that of the wicked being built upon the Sand: And therefore as they differ in their Ground, so they shall differ in their End: The Assurance of the Godly shall end in Glory, that of the wicked shall end in confusion; yet as both these are Assurances, considered barely in the Nature of Assurance, abstracted from their respective Basis, whereon they are built, so considered, they differ not at all.  
Lastly, if any man Object, that the Assurance of the wicked, doth not bring forth fruit, I readily grant it, yet withall affirm, that this bringing forth fruit, is but an extrinsical difference in the effects, and no intrinsical difference in the nature of the Act itself, of Assurance: An Assurance it is, though it be Infidelis fiducia, as Saint Bernard stiles it, an Assurance, having no true faith to support it: for it is possible, for a man to believe a lie, with as much persuasion, and Assurance, as any man believes a Truth.  
Secondly, the Thing Controverted, is not, Whether we are bound, immediately to believe, that we are justified, and in special favour with God: for no man of any competent measure of Knowledge in the Scriptures, will affirm this: for if every man must believe this, then not only most men, but all men at first, must believe a lye, for they are not justified, until they believe, and the bare believing that they are justified, is not that faith, which doth justify them, for to believe unto Justification, is not a matter of mere faith alone, but a Conclusion drawn from Faith and Conscience together: God hath not promised Justification to any man, Immediately, but under a condition, and whether the Condition be performed, every mans own conscience, is the best Judge to resolve him: This is known only by a Reflection, on our Habits, Works, and Actions, from whence do issue those two sovereign Acts of the conscience, either to condemn or to absolve.  
Thirdly, the Question is not, concerning the certainty of Election and Perseverance in grace and the favour of God, for though there be some affinity, and Cognation, between that Question, and this, of Present Assurance, yet they are really distinct, in their own natures, and therefore ought to be of distinct, and several consideration.  
Fourthly, the Question is not, Whether the last resolution of the Assurance of Gods favour, be terminated in the sincerity of our Graces, the condition of our being in Gods favour, or in the belief of the free mercies of God in Jesus Christ, for it is founded, on the mercies of God in Christ as the efficient, meritorious Cause, and on the sincerity of our Graces, as the Condition which God requires on our part.  
Fifthly, the Question is not, Whether this certainty of Salvation and the fear of God be compatible and may consist in the same Subject, for these are not at odds, but meet, and live together in the same soul: Nay, there is no greater preservative of this Assurance, then walking humbly in the fear of God: The fear of God, doth make us to walk closely, and exactly before Him, and this exact, walking before Him, is a main ground, and Basis of our Assurance, and therefore in the Scriptures, we are frequently commanded, to make God, the Object, both of our Trust, and Fear.  
Lastly, the Question is not, as I conceive, of such a Certainty, as excludes all doubting; for Assurance there may be, though not in the highest degree: Some there are, I confess, that think, that no Assurance, can be called Assurance, but that which triumphs over all mixture of doubting, and to this purpose affirm Saint Pauls {αβγδ}, or fullness of Assurance, to be this highest degree of Assurance, and that some Christians, do in this life, attain unto it: But, Saint Paul, calls it full Assurance, in comparison of lower degrees, and not because it is perfect, for if Assurance be perfect, then our Knowledge, our Faith, our Obedience, our Repentance, may be perfect also, and if some graces may be perfect, why not all graces? and so we turn Novatians, Catharists, Perfectionists, whose Tenets in this kind, have been condemned as heretical, by the catholic Church in all Ages.  
But the Question is, whether a Christian, reflecting upon his own soul, and examining the Quality of his graces, and the sincerity of his Obedience, may, without an extraordinary Revelation, attain unto an infallible Knowledge of the sincerity of his graces and his obedience, which are the Condition of the Covenant of Life, and consequently be assured of his Justification here, and his title to Glory hereafter? This they of the Church of Rome deny, and this we affirm, and we affirm it on these grounds:  
First, from the Testimony of Scripture; We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things which are freely given us of God. 1 Cor. 2.12. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the sons of God, Rom. 8.16. Hereby know we, that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit, 1 Joh. 4.13. Faith, is like Light, which renders, itself, as well as other things, manifest.  
Secondly, the Commands of Faith, Repentance, Obedience, Charity, and the like, were given in vain, especially as the Condition of the new Covenant, if it were impossible for a Christian, to know whether he doth perform these Conditions or no. The end of Evangelicall promises given in the gospel, is, That we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before us, Heb. 6.18. now the general faith of the Papists, that he that believes and repents, and obeys the Gospel shall be saved, which is the Certainty of the Object, can bring no Consolation to a particular person, that knows not, that he himself, doth repent, and believe, and obey the gospel, which is the certainty of the Subject: this general Faith of the Object, is so far, from giving any strong Comfort, or Consolation, without the particular certainty of the Subject, that without this, the certanty of the Objest may consist with desperation: Nay, there is no doubt, but the devills themselves, do certainly believe, That he that repents, and believes shall be saved.  
Thirdly, this is evident from those Commands, which the Holy Ghost lays on every member of the Church: Examine yourselves saith Saint Paul, whether you be in the Faith, prove yourselves, know you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be Reprobates? 2 Cor. 13.5. will any man search for that, which he is sure he shall never find? again, Give diligence, saith St. Peter, to make your calling and election sure, 2 Pet. 1.10. To what end are these Commands, if the subject matter of them be impossible, beyond the power of man to obey them? No certainly, the God of mercy, and wisdom, commands nothing, which absolutely transcends the power of man to obey him in what he Commands.  
Lastly, without this Assurance, how can we obey those Commands and Precepts, which require us, to rejoice always? 1 Thes. 5.16. to call God, Father? Luk. 11.2. to live in his praises? Psa. 49.1, 2. to long for Christs coming? Revel. 22.17. and 2 Thes. 1.10. and to comfort ourselves, with the very mention of it? 1 Thes. 4.8. All which are consequents of Assurance, for who can do any of these hearty, that is not in some measure sure, that he is the child of God, and in the state of salvation? Certainly a man that hath not some assurance, that God is reconciled unto him, in Jesus Christ, can no more desire the second coming of Christ, and his appearance in the Clouds, to judge the quick, and the dead, then a Malefactor in chains, whose guilt hath made him, the son of death, doth desire the hastening of the Assizes, or rejoice that the time draws nigh, wherein he shall be called to the bar, and arraigned before the Judge, for the crimes that he hath committed.  
Yet, though a Christian, reflecting on his own soul, and examining his graces, actions, and obedience, may, without a special Revelation, attain unto an infallible knowledge of the sincerity of his graces, and his obedience, which are the conditions of the Covenant of life, and consequently be assured of his Justification here, and his title to glory, hereafter; yet this Assurance, is neither so gotten, nor so kept, as some men have dreamt; what therefore I shall deliver in this point of Assurance, I shall bound in these Propositions.  
First, Impenitency living in any known sin, and this Assurance, are incompatible, and cannot consist together: when thou dost but attempt, to promise thyself Eternity, and to gather assurance unto Life to come, thy sin, will presently look thee in the face, and tell thee, that Heaven, and Salvation, belong not unto thee, every wilful sin that thou livest in, will be to thy comfort, as water, to fire, to extinguish, and put it out: If Heaven, and Hell can meet together, if God can become a lover of sin, then mayst thou have thy confidence in Heaven, and yet nourish thy corruptions on earth, then mayest thou live in sin, and yet be blessed with the tastes of Glory: and this is evident from the Text, for if thou canst not begin with Saint Paul here, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the Faith, ver. 7. Thou canst not go on, and conclude with him in my Text, Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousnese.  
Beloved, Saith Saint John, if our Heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God, 1 Joh. 3.21. He whose conscience condemns him of living in Adultery, Fornication, Pride, Covetousness, Rebellion, Treasons, or any other work of the Fesh, can have no Assurance of Gods Favour, no assurance of Salvation: Every one that hath this hope,( viz. that he is the Son of God) doth purify himself, as he is pure, ver. 3. of the same Chapter: And we know that whosoever is born of God, sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked One toucheth him not, 1 Joh. 5.18.  
What may we then think, of those men, who teach for gospel, that if a man have once the sense, and feeling of Gods favour, afterwards do what he will he cannot loose it? Certainly as in the 23. of Jer. Non misi, God will own, neither the Message, nor them that bring it: The old Divinity was, that Actions did qualify Persons, these men have quiter inverted it, and made Persons to qualify Actions, and moral actions, to differ, not according to their specifical forms, but according to the Subject, from whence they flow, 
Sen. de Tranq. An. cap. 15.  Et crimen honestum quàm turpem Catonem, will rather inrowle 'vice in the Catalogue of virtue, then reckon one of their own Sect and Faction, in the number of sinners: So that as with them, all actions of the Unregenerate, are all Sins, so all Actions of the Regenerate, are, if not virtues, yet no sins, or if sins, yet not so sinful as in others: Else how should this Doctrine, be delivered, and received with applause, that Adultery in David, was but a work of the outward man, he, being as dear to God, in Bathshebah's, arms, as when he was dancing before the ark: Judge, if these men, be not in a faire way, to improve their impure Positions, to the monstrous Blasphemy of the Libertines, and may in time, come to Preach with them, That to lay aside all sense and feeling of conscience his regeneration, 
Bellar. de Amis. Gratia li. 2. c. 1.  To do every thing without scruple or hesitation, is Christian Liberty, To profess that we transgress, and sin in nothing, is Repentance from dead works, and mortification of the Old Adam: And Lastly, to aclowledge no distinction, no difference between good and evil, is to be like our first Parents in their Innocency, and is true Christian perfection: But whatever these filthy Dreamers dream, Certainly David, in that pleight, found other thoughts in his soul: He found, that his Sin had unfenced his conscience, and laid it waste, he found that by his sins, he had grieved the Spirit of God, and put the Holy Ghost to flight, who for his sins of Adultery, and Murder, was departed from him, with all his retinue; all that comfort, and consolation, and joy, and peace, and confidence, which lodged in him before his commission of these sins: So that in the bitterness, and anguish of his soul, he prays for the comfort of that Spirit, of which his sins had deprived him: for hear him pray, Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within me, cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me: O give me the comfort of thy help again, and stablish me with thy free Spirit, Psal. 51.10. &c. Certainly he that reads that psalm of Davids penned upon that Occasion, most, whether he will or no, subscribe to this first Proposition, That Sin, living in any known sin, and this Assurance of Salvation, are incompatible, and cannot consist together.  
Secondly, the second Proposition is this, Though this assurance of Salvation be possible, yet it is extremely difficult to be attained unto, and that in a double respect; First, in respect of the Work itself, which requires much labour, and pains, deep mortification, earnest endeavours to perfect holiness in the fear of God, a long uninterrupted course in Righteousness, not broken off by the commission of any work of the flesh, or pollution of the World: Secondly, in respect of the difficulties and oppositions, that oppose us in the way, and that both from the devil and our own corruption, being subject to many delusions, both from the devil and our own Hearts: Saint Paul therefore, is fain to double his Exhortation to the Corinthians, Prove yourselves whether you be in the faith, examine yourselves, 2 Cor. 13.5. {αβγδ} and {αβγδ} prove, and examine both, ay, and both little enough; Justly therefore may we wonder, at their arrogancy, who being but Novices in Religion, dare prattle of a {αβγδ}, a fullness of assurance of Gods favour, to them in Christ: That, which others of longer standing, and far greater progress in Sanstity, dare not to attribute to themselves, these alleys men, proclaim to have attained: To whom I may say as Isaac did to Jacob, in an other case, Gen. 27.20. How is it, that ye have found it so quickly? for Gods love, is not presently  shed into our hearts, but after many Conflicts with doubtings, combats with corruption, and experiences of Gods Favour, we gather firmeness rather then fullness of Assurance.  
Thirdly, the third Proposition is this, Though assurance may be obtained, yet all that have it, have it not in an equal measure: for as the children of Israel, gathered their Mannah, some more, some less, every man according to his eating, Exod. 16, 17, 18. So the children of God, gather their Assurances, some more, some less, every man according to the measure of his Sanctification. for the assurance of Gods Favour is experiementall onely, and the evidence no other, then what ariseth from Sanctification, so much as we are Sanctified, so much experience, and sense we may have of his Favour, it is proportioned to our Sanctification, and since this is not in an equal measure, and degree in all, so neither is this Assurance.  
Fourthly, the fourth Proposition is this: As all Sanctified men have not an equal measure of Assurance, as one Sanctified man is compared with an other, so there is not the same measure of assurance at all times in a particular Christian, the same man being compared with himself: If we look upon the Saints of God, we shal find some doubting, blended with their purest faith: we are not as pillars of Brass, or as the deaf rocks of the Sea, or as Mount Sion, never to be removed, the faith of a Christian, is sometimes in fight, and conflict, in agony, and passion, in sweeting and bleeding, resisting to blood shall I say? Nay, even unto Hell itself, he knew it well enough who said, Thou bringest down to Hell, and bringest back again: we need no other proof of this, then that experience, which the best of Gods Children, find in their own souls: That prayer of Saint Augustine, may some time, or other, 
Conf. l. 1 c. 5.  be very seasonable, and bear a part in the devotions of the best resolved Christian: Dic ainae meae salus tua ego sum, said dic ut audeam: Say, O Lord, unto my soul, I am thy Salvation, but speak so that I may hear thee: for God may say unto my soul, I am thy Salvation, and yet the noise of Temptations, and the molestations of Satan, may so drown that voice, that I may not hear it: we do not always find an equal presence of Gods Spirit, not an equal measure of those ravishing joys, and unspeakable consolations, which the Holy Ghost breaths into our souls, there may be a time, wherein God may seem to estrange himself from us, so that we may complain of his absence, and with the Church in the Canticles, inquire after him, Quo abijt, quo se vertit dilectus meus? Whither is my beloved gone, whither is my beloved turned aside? that I may seek him, Cant. 6.1. and yet even then, when God seems to absent himself, to have turned his back and not the face as in the day of Calamity, Jer. 18.17. we may conclude with the Church, even then, when we feel not his presence, I am my Beloveds, and my beloved is mine, ver. 3. of the same Chapter.  
One while Davids faith is so strong, that he will not fear though the earth be moved, and though the Hills be carried, into the midst of the Seas, though the waters thereof rage, and swell, and though the Mountaines shake at the tempest of the same, Psal. 46.1, 2, 3. At an other time, he is so amazed, so dejected, with fear, and diffidence, that while others say unto him, he is like to say as much to himself, Where is now thy God? Nay, he will say unto the God of his Strength, why hast thou forgotten me, and why go I thus heavily while the enemy oppresseth me? Psa. 42.11. One while he is so confident, that he resolves he shall never be removed, because God of his goodness hath made his Hill so strong, and yet presently, God did but turn away his face and he was troubled, Psal. 30.6, 7. Troubled? and that so far, that you would judge him to be in desperation, utterly to have lost his hope, for, hear him, pray, shall I say, or murmur? Will the Lord absent himself for ever, and will he be no more entreated? Is his Mercy clean gone for ever, and is his Promise come utterly to an end for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious, and will he shut up his loving kindness in displeasure? Psal. 77.7. &c.  
Origen, was well acquainted with these Accesses and Recesses, these Heavenly fits of favour, and disfavour: Decedit Deus meus, said expecto, iterum venit, said dilabitur, dilapsus redit, said non teneo: My God( says he) forsakes me often, but still I wait for him, again he comes, and again he vanisheth, being vanished he appears again, but I cannot hold him: and in his ebbing, and flowing of this heavenly consolation, De accessu,& recessu Lucraris, as Saint Bernard speaks, Thou art a gainer by his coming, and thou art no loser by his going: for Tibi venit, ay, and, Tibi recedit, as the same Father goes on, For thy sake he comes to thee, and for thy sake he departs from thee: he comes for thy Consolation, and he departs for thy Caution: To conclude with the same Author, Paulisper permittit nos gustare quam suavis sit Deus, &c. God permits us a little to sip of the Cup of Consolation, to taste how gracious the Lord is, and to taste how sweet his Comforts are, and before we can relish them fully, he withdraws himself, and as it were with stretched out Wings, mounts up, purposely to provoke us, to take wing, and soare up after him: And this may be a Reason, why there is not the same measure of Assurance at all times in a particular Christian, the same man being compared with himself.  
Fifthly, The fifth Proposition is this, The particular Assurance of Remission of sins, and reconciliation with God, which just men attain unto upon their Repentance, Obedience and Faith, when it is strongest, never amounts to that firmeness of assent which we have about the common Objects of Faith, to wit, the Articles of Creation, the Trinity, the Incarnation, Passion, Resurrection, and Ascention of Christ, and the like: for 'tis true what Medina observes, Nullus theologicus discursus est tam certus quàm assensio principiorum: There is a fuller assent due to Principles, then to Conclusions inferred from them, for no man can be so certain, that he is the Son of God by Grace, and Adoption, as he is certain that Christ is the Son of God by Nature: And the reason is, because these Articles are totally, and immediately revealed in the Scriptures; But that this or that mans sins in particular are remitted, that mine or thy sins are forgiven, depends upon a practical syllogism, whereof the mayor Proposition only, is the Word of God, the Minor, or Assumption, is a collection, arising from the reflection, and observation of a mans own Qualities, and Actions, and the Conclusion, is more, or less certain, according to the Truth of the Assumption, according to that of Saint Bernard, Quantum crescis in gratiam, 
Ser. 3. in Cant.  tantum dilataris in fiduciam, according to the measure of thy Grace, so is the measure of thy Assurance.  
Sixthly, The sixth Proposition is this, Though a man may be confident of Gods Favour, and his being in the state of Grace for the time present, yet he cannot have any Assurance of any such Assurance for the time to come: I speak not here of falling from Grace, but of Assurance, which is a Result, or fruit springing from our being in the state of Grace, And this, though we may have it for the present, yet, I say, we have no Assurance, of any such Assurance, for the time to come: Not that God will be wanting to us, in supplying us, with all helps, conducing to our subsistence in so comfortable a condition, but, because we may grow secure, and negligent, and be wanting to ourselves, in the use of those means, which may establish us in this Spe Roboratâ confirmed strong hope: when Benhadad King of Siria, boasted much of his power, Ahab King of Israel, returned him this Answer, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off, 1 Kings 20.11. The success of war is doubtful, and therefore he that fights for the victory, most not boast, as if he had already won the day: The like Judgement is every one to make of the warfare of the soul, which while it lives in this mortal body, cannot assure itself for the future, so various, and doubtful is the success of the spiritual Warfare: when Jacob had some contestation with his father Laban about the Idols which Rachel had stolen from him, he tells Laban, Except the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty, Gen. 31.42. Comentators generally, inquire, why Jacob, should not call God, the God of Isaac as well as the God of Abraham, but the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac; and Paulus Burgencis, out of the Opinion of the rabbis answers, That God was seldom called the God of any man while that man was living, because he doth not enjoy a secure and certain condition; and therefore because Abraham was now Comprehensor, dead, and in the state of Bliss, and Isaac wat but Viator living and traveling towards the same Happiness, having not yet finished his course, Jacob stiles God, the God of Abraham, but the fear of Isaac: Terret me Apostolus dicens, Qui se putat stare, 
Erar. in Psal. 41.  videat ne cadat saith Saint Augustine The Apostle affrights me, he startles me, when he says, Let him that standeth take heed least he fall: and if this tall Cedar in Libanus were afraid, how should the Shrub presume? I shall conclude this Proposition, with that admonition of St. Peter, and commend it to your Observation, Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear, 1 Pet. 1.7.  
Seventhly, and lastly, The last Proposition is this, Though we grant that it is possible, though difficult, for a man to attain to this confidence towards God and Assurance of Salvation, yet we deny it to be absolutely necessary: Though every man ought to labour for it, yet it is no Evangelical promise, that every Justified person shall certainly attain unto it. For a Christian, of an humble, contrite Spirit, believing that his sins are remissible, if he earnestly desire remission of sins, by the Passion and Merits of Christ, and joineth with this Faith and Desire, the exercise of all moral and Theological virtues, this man, this woman, do certainly receive forgiveness of sins, although they be vexed, with scruples, and doubts, and want Assurance, and persuasion in themselves, that their sins are remitted: So that when we say, a man may be assured, we confess a possibility, and when we teach that by the study of Piety, and perfecting Holiness in the fear of God, men ought to labour for this Assurance, we aclowledge a duty, yet it doth not from hence follow, that such Assurance is of absolute necessity; Necessary it may be, to the well being of a Son of God, but not necessary to his being, as if no Son of God without it: Necessary, it may be to Solace and cheer us up in the way to the end, but not necessary to the end itself, as if there were no Salvation without it. For, for the guilt of sin, grating upon the conscience, or for some other reason, best known to God( whose ways with the souls of men, are unsearchable, past finding out) a man may be deprived of comfort, even to; and at his death, and for this go mourning to his Grave, and yet at the last day find a joyful Resurrection: So that, though he be more happy, that hath Grace and Peace, yet he may be as holy that hath Grace without Peace.  
How then do they bruise the broken reede, and quench the smoking flax? nay, how do they entangle and ensnare the consciences of poor Christians, who teach, that Justifying faith, is nothing else, but an Assurance, of our present being in the state of Grace here, and future glory hereafter? for what balm of Gilead? what word of Comfort? what Gospel more remaines to be Preached to him, who not finding this Assurance in his own soul, concludes himself to be without faith, and consequently in the state of damnation? Shall we tell such a man, as some do, that desire of Assurance, is in Gods acceptance, as Assurance itself? He will tell us again,( and I profess I know nothing that we can reply,) that by the Covenant of Grace, in Adultis, in those that are of age, actual Faith itself( Questionless) is necessary to Justification, and therefore actual Assurance, if Justifying Faith, be Assurance, which doubtless it is not: I may safety affirm, that this one Doctrine, thus unwarrantably taught, together, with their Marks, Signs, and( as in their Canting Language they call them) Tokens of a child of God, what with Presumption on the one side, and Desperation on the other, hath endangered, if not lost more souls, then any one error, that hath prevailed in the Reformed Church: And therefore, O my soul, come not thou into their secret, unto their Assembly, mine Honour be not thou united.  
Having thus briefly, Asserted Saint Pauls Confidence, and stated the controversy with the Church of Rome in the Point of Assurance of Salvation, and bounded the Affirmative with such Propositions as are necessary to preserve this Truth from abuse by Presumption, or any other way, I shall now in a word or two, make Use and Application of the Point.  
Since then by the practise of Piety, and labouring to perfect holiness in the fear of God, we may attain to some Assurance of Salvation, we may do well, to retire into our own breasts, descend into our own hearts, try our own ways, and see how we stand in the judgement of our own consciences, whether we can say with Saint Paul here, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, and so conclude with him, Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness: If thou live in sin, if that reign in thee, I must confess with anselm in his Meditations, That it is Gravis angustia, a hard streight: If thou dost look into thyself, thou wilt not endure thyself, if not, Thou wilt not know thyself; If thou consider what thou art, thy guilt will affright thee, if not, damnation steals upon thee, To see thyself is horror, not to see thyself is death: Hence some are as much afraid to enter parley with their consciences, as Ahab was with Michaiah: because they never speak good but evil unto them, 1 King. 22. or as Job speaks of God, Because they writ bitter things against them, Job 13.26. and therefore like a troublesone guest, they turn it out of doors: They do not only through want of watchfulness, and advertencie, let it slip, or steal away, but as Saint Paul speaks of Hymeneus and Alexander, and others, as if it would not be gone soon enough, {αβγδ}, 
1 Tim. 1 19.  They drive it away, they expel it: men deal with their consciences, after they have defiled them, 
2 Sam. 13, 15, 16, 17.  as Amnon did with his Sister Tamar eject them, as he did her, Arise, be gone, and if the conscience stay, and pled, as she did, not to be ejected, vain thoughts, or worldly, like Amnons Servants, put out the conscience, ay, and boult the door after it; we may a while thus deceive ourselves,& cast out one devil with another, or as Saint Jerome speaks, vitium vitio, Peccatum peccato mederi, Silence the guilt of one sin by worldly avocasions, from the consideration of the wages of sin, or by the commission of another sin, we may for a while, dance, or drink, or sport away the thoughts of Hell, and the Day of Judgement: the noise of the harp, and the viol may drown the voice of the Conscience, and suspend its operations, but first, or last it will be heard, and the longer we stay, before we give it audience, the more terrible, will her accusations be, when she doth speak.  
What is that which makes men die in despair? strangers to all spiritual Comfort, voided of all consolation, all confidence in God, but the want of often arreigning ourselves at the bar of our own consciences: what makes our account to appear so great, at the day of death, but the not casting it up in our life? How many such disconsolate souls do we meet withall in our pastoral Charges, anxiously crying out, as in the Prophet, Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there to administer a word of Comfort to a wounded Spirit? Alas, we cannot Oleum de Petra, extract oil, out of your Flints, nor sweet Wine, out of your sour Grapes: If you spend your dayes in excess, and riot, in chambering and wantonness, in the profits, or pleasures, or the vanities of this world, and when you come to die, you then seek to us for comfort, what comfort can we give you, what can we say to you in this your distress, but as reuben did to his brethren in their distress, Did we not warn you, saying; sin not? Gen. 42.22. If you, while you have blood in your veins, strength in your sinews, marrow in your bones, milk in your breasts; in a word, If you in the dayes of your youth, before the evil dayes come, 
Ecces. 12.1.  and those yeares draw nigh, when you shall say, I have no pleasure in them, do not by repentance from dead works, and a lively faith in the blood of Christ, get your hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience Heb. 10 22. and purified from dead works, Heb. 9.14. As he answered, to an importunate suitor, when it was not in his power to grant her request, so must we, If the Lord do not help you, whence should we? 2 King. 26.27.  
That therefore you may make the work of the last day comfortable, make every day a preparation to the day of Death; Do with the works of your Conversation, as God did with the works of his Creation, He, not only surveyed at the sixth dayes end, the work of the whole week, but at the evening of every day he made a particular Survey: Every day was closed up with a vidit quod Bonum; He saw that it was good: I expect not that the same Verdict should be given up, yet, do you the like, at the evening of the day, examine the works of every day. believe me, 'tis too unweildly a task, to be adjourned unto the end, and thirst part of our life, to have the work, of a whole life to do, when perhaps you have not an hour to live: it is the work of a whole life, to survey the actions of a whole Life, and therefore not to be posted off, to the weakest part of it: In the midst therefore of all your great and weighty affairs, redeem some time, to be employed in this work, upon which depends your Eternity, when you come to die, and die you must, you will prise one hour, spent in this holy work, more, then, all the rest of your life, 
Gen. 5.27.  though you should live Methusalahs age, and that dedicated to ambition, pleasure, wealth, and honour.  
Seneca tells us of a Romone, that had away to keep his soul as clean, as good Housewives keep their Plate, for every evening, he would wipe it over with this Interrogation, Quod malum hody sanasti? cvi vitio, obstitisti? Quâ parte melior es? Tell me, O my soul, what sin hast thou conquered to day, what 'vice hast thou resisted? how much art thou improved since the morning, how much better