Believers Evidences for Eternal Life, Title page – Dedication
BELIEVERS Evidences FOR ETERNALL LIFE; Collected Out of the First Epistle of JOHN which is Catholique: Explained and confirmed By very many Subservient Signes, or Under-Notes Grounded upon Scriptures, and Illustrated by Testimonies both of Ancient Fathers, and Modern Writers. Whereby Persons truly Regenerate may divers wayes Discover their present State of Grace, and Title unto glory.
By FRANCIS ROBERTS, A. M. Pas…or of the Church at Augustines, LONDON.
The second Impression.
Brethren, Give Diligence to make your Calling and Election sure,
2 Pet. 1. 10.
Examine your selves, whether ye be in the Faith: Prove your owne selves. KNOW ye not your owne selves, How that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be repro…ates?
2 Cor. 13. 5.
London, Printed by T. R. and E. M. for George Calvert, and are to be sold at his shop at the Sign of the Half-Moon in Pauls Church-yard neer the little North-door. 1655.
To the RIGHT HONOURABLE, HENRY Earle of KENT, And to his Right Noble Consort Amabella Countess of Ken…; All Confluence of Blessings both for the life that now is, and for that which is to come; from the Father of Mercies, and God of all Consolations.
Right Honourable,
OF all people in the world, that's the only aPs. 144. 15.happy people whose God is the LORD; the Lord being that, suprem bMat. 19. 16, 17.good, in whom alone are concentred all beatificall cGen. 17. 1 Mat. 5. 48.Perfections. No people can enjoy the Lord as their God, but by Covenant in Christ Iesus, that only dJoh 14. 6.way unto the Father. Covenant-Interest in Christ cannot actually be pleaded by any person, but only such a… are actually seized of a gracious eJer. 31. 3. 4.Covenant-State; th… Grace of the Covenant i… us, being the surest Pledg… of Gods entring into the Co… venant of Grace with us. S… that to be in a Graciou… State is true happinesse: B… to know our selves to be such a State, is true happinesse double upon us.
Hereupon, that I might lend some help to true believers, for reading and discerning their own spirituall Evidences of their State of Grace, I have been perswaded to publish this bundle of Beleevers Evidences for Eternall Life in the ensuing Treatise. Whereunto I have been the more inclinable, that my lines might be of use,
1. To f1 Thos. 5. 14support the weak, and comfort the feebleminded, who gPs. 22. 1. and P…. 77. and Ps. 88.walk heavily and disconsolately in the paths of grace, through want of Assurance; That they hereby comming in some measure h1 Cor. 2. 12.to know the things that are freely given to them of God, may iHeb. 12. 12.lift up the hands that hang downe, and the feeble knees, and kPs. 119. 32.run with enlarged hearts the way of Gods Commandements.
2. To confute really the Enthusiasticall fancies, the ignorant Anti-Scripturall opinions of some, who cry up (I know not what) imaginary Raptures, Revelations, and other Dreames of their own, as the only Characters of Election and Justification: decrying, as carnall, all discoveries of beleevers spirituall estates by markes and Signes of Sanctification. For this lIn ipsa epistola satis dulci omnibus, quibus sanum est palatum cordis, ubi sapiat panis Dei, & satis memorabili in sancta Ecclesia Dei, maxime charitas commendatur. Aug. Praefat. in 1. Epist. Ioan.sweet Epistle of John the mJoh. 13. 23. and 19. 26. and 20. 2. and 21. 7, 20.beloved Disciple is full of such markes; as in this book is evident. Christ hath taught us to judge of nMat. 7. 16, 17, 18.the tree by the fruits. And Reason directs us to discover the Cause by the effect.
3. To divert the distempered minds of men a little (if it be possible) from jejune, empty, o1 Tim. 6. 5.perverse disputes, p1 Tim. 1. 6.vain janglings, brain-sick notions and speculations, (the calamity of these crazy times,) to exercise themselves upon that wholesome necessary practicall businesse of q2 Pet. 1. 10.making their calling and Election sure. We have laid out farre too much rIsa. 55. 2for that which is not bread, for that which satisfieth not.
4. And finally, to rouze up my selfe, and all sorts of Christians in this Kingdom, in these slippery days, (wherein both Lives, Liberties, Health, Friends, Wealth, Pleasures, Honours, Crowns, Scepters, and all sublunaries are in such extremity of extraordinary uncertainties,) to s1 Tim. 6. 12, 19.lay hold and make sure of eternall life; that in the midst of all terrestriall Concussions and Revolutions, we may have a celestiall unshaken foundation of true spirituall Peace and Consolation.
Your Honours noble respects, and undeserved favours heretofore manifested unto me, have commanded me to Dedicate and Present unto you this small Testimoniall of my unfeigned gratitude. And wherein can I be more truly serviceable to your Honours, then in such sincere endeavours to promote your Assurance of eternall salvation? Now the t1 Pet. 5. 10.God of all Grace, fill your hearts with all the uGal. 5. 22, 23.fruits of his Spirit, xCol. 2. 2.unto all riches of the full assurance of understandding, and yHeb. 10. 22.faith, and zHeb. 6. 11, 18, 19.hope in this life: And at last crown you both, with ineffable glory in the life to come, in the full enjoyment of himselfe, who is the Heaven of heaven, and Glory of glory. So prayeth
Augustines, London. Octob. 9. 1648. Your Honours humble and faithfull servant in the Lord, FRAN. ROBERTS.