Mans Active Obedience, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
The different vſes they put their perſwaſion vntounto.
AS the truly faithfull lay hold of Chriſt, ſo doth the hypocrite: as they are comfortably perſwaded to be ſaued by him, theſe ſeeme alſo to bee eueryevery day as confident therein as they, and doe as boldly preſume and reckon thereupon, but as there is truth in that which is done by the one, and much guile and falſehood in that which is done by the other: as the one hauehave warrant for their ſo doing, the other hauehave none; ſo doe they in like manner differ in the vſe they put this their aſſurance andDifference in the effects of aſſurance. perſwaſion vntounto, as they differed in the ground that either of them had for their being ſo perſwaded.
The one by meanes thereof feare God the more, becauſePſal. 130. 4. they know merciemercy to be with him: the other feare him the leſſe; yea not at all.
Misbeleeuers and carnall Goſpellers vponupon this idle conceit that they are ſure they ſhall be ſaued, lay aſide all feare of God and care of goodneſſe, they ſing ſuch a requiem to their ſoules, as they now ſing cocke on whoope, (as wee vſe to ſay) and ſing all care and feare away▪ yeaIob 6. 14. they are as thoſe of whom Iob ſpeaketh, that hauehave forſaken the feare of the Almightie. That grace of God, whichIude 4. they ſay, they hope to be ſaued by, they turne into want onneſſe: they hauing gotten this by the end, that the iuſt ſhall liue by his faith, euen by faith alone, and not by works, they hereupon lay away all care of good workes, which GodEpheſ. 2. 10. hath ordained that true beleeuers ſhould walke in, and they hold thēſelues to their idle and their ſingle ſold faith, and they runne away counter with this in their minde, and this in their mouth, the iuſt ſhall liue by his faith: as though they had now found out ſuch a way to heauen, as doe what they will in all their life time, they can neuer come ſhort of the place that they ſeeme ſo to hunt for. But they and their faith are like to periſh together, and their aſſurance is as ſure to truſt to, as is a reede or broken ſtaffe, which will be ſure to leaue them in the ditch, when they truſting vntounto it moſt, doe reckon and looke to leape ouer thereby.
True beleeuers who know of Gods louelove and fauour towards them indeed, and apprehend th…ſe euerlaſting ſweete mercies of God in Chriſt Ieſus, which hauehave eternall life and ſaluation accompanying them, whereof they hauehave good aſſurance giuen them, and wrought vp in their hearts by their ſo beleeuing, their ſoules being now ſatiſfied as with marrow and fatneſſe, which makes them praiſe God with ioyfull lips; they doe not receiue this grace of God in vaine, but becauſe they finde ſuch merciemercy from God, they feare him the more with a child-like feare, which makes them awfully to ſerue him, and willingly to performe eueryevery good dutie vntounto him. Yea, the louelove of God in Chriſt Ieſus conſtraines them to doe theirPſal. 18. 1. dutie, and to profeſſe with Dauid, that of force they muſt louelove God. Now are not his commandements grieuous vntounto them, but their delight is in the law of God, which they hauehave learned Iob, to preferre before their appointed food. The more aſſurance they hauehave of Gods louelove towards them, whereby they know God to bee their God, and hauehave boldneſſe to crie abba father vntounto him, the more ſurely hath the Lord their hearts ioyned vntounto him in true louelove againe, they being tyed faſt with the cords of his owne louelove wherewith firſt hee loued them, which cauſeth them reciprocally to louelove him backe againe. And becauſe he hath giuen them the Spirit of adoption, whereby they know him to be their father, the more may hee reckon vponupon the naturalnes of their louelove and child-like dutie vntounto him, becauſe hee now knoweth them (as being ſo made by him) to be his owne true children indeed, whom he hath made partakers of his owne diuine nature, ſetting2. Pet. 1. 4. his owne image vponupon them, and giuing them a heart and diſpoſition to be like minded to himſelfe, to louelove that he loueth, and hate that hee hateth: euen to louelove righteouſneſſe as their life, and hate all manner of wickedneſſe which God doth moſt hate. He may now reckon vponupon them as vponupon his peculiar ones, to hauehave ſeruice done at their hands, though others will doe none, that they will ſtirre, when others ſit ſtill: and though others doe grumble and ſnuffe when they are ſpoken vntounto, yet for them to be found willing, chearefull and vnwearied in their well doing.