of God, according to our vocations, and if wee pray vnto God to giue vs grace so to doe: let vs certainely beleeue, that all those good desires and affections, which cannot pro∣ceede but from the holy Ghost, are as many testimonies and assurances vnto vs, that hee dwelleth in vs, and by consequent, that we are children of God, as Saint Paul teacheth vs, where he maketh a comparison betweene those that liue according to the spirit of God, and those that liue after the lusts of the flesh. For as we are the posterity of Adam, and so natural∣ly enclined to all vices and corruptions, it followeth, that it is a signe and token in vs of re∣generation, and so to be of the family of Christ, when we dislike of our own infirmities, and striuing as much as we can against them, seeke to please God. We know that he commaun∣deth vs to loue him withall our hearts, withall our soules, and withall our strengths, but as we cannot know him here in this world, but in a part, and obscurely, so we loue him in part and that very little, the perfection thereof is reserued to bee performed in heauen: that whereunto we can attaine here on earth, is that as well in truth as in humility; we acknow∣ledge how imperfect we are in the duties of holines and charity which God requireth at our hands, to whom it pleaseth him, so to accomplish his mercy in pardoning vs, his power in sustaining and vpholding vs, and his promise in sauing vs. The holinesse, loue towards God, and the obedience which wee owe vnto him, are oftentimes signified in the holy Scriptures, by the feare of his name, which Dauid calleth the beginning of wise∣dome, Therefore whosoeuer feeleth such loue and reuerence in himselfe towards God, that he feareth to offend him, is one of the number of his children. And we haue this feare in vs, when we are carefull to fly the occasions and inticements which mooue vs vnto sinne, when we take a pleasure in the commandements of God, and that hauing offended him by ignorance, vnawares, or by any other humane infirmity, we feele a displeasure & disliking of the same in our hearts, with a resolution by Gods grace to sin no more. There¦fore Saint Iohn saith, whosoeuer is borne of God, sinneth not, that is to say, that although they haue certaine vices and imperfections in them, neuerthelesse, sinne raigneth not in them, neither doe they willingly addict their mindes to doe euill, but to the contrary, feele that combate in their soules, which Saitn Paul representeth vnto vs in his owne person, disallowing and disliking that which they doe, because it is not that which they would doe, wherein neuerthelesse, they haue no occasion to excuse themselues, but rather to sigh, and cry out, on the one side with the same Apostle and to say, Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death? and on the other side, to feele the comfort which he addeth thereunto saying, I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord, and for what? because saith he, that although in my flesh, in that inferiour part of my nature, and in the re∣liques of corruption, I serue the law of sinne, there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus, which in their mindes, that is, in that part thereof which is regenerated, serue the law of God, and so walke not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Let vs therefore know, that when we feele any doubt in our selues of our adoption, for want of yeelding that obedience vnto God, which he requireth at our hands. The Diuell is hard by vs, to shake and make vs wauer in faith, perswading vs, that we must be saued by our workes, or at the least partly, and thereby make our selues companions of the immacu∣late lambe, which taketh away the sinnes of the world. To which temptation let vs make answer and say, that we know well, that there is nothing of our owne well doing, that can subsist, to iustifie vs before God, that our good deedes extend not vnto him, and that wee are most great and grieuous sinners. But on the other side, that the Gospell teacheth vs, That Christ came into the world to saue sinners, & that there is no saluation but in him, & that seeing we feele the affections of the spirit in our selues, we are of the spirit, and absol¦ued from the day of wrath, which the reprobate shal feele, that taking pleasure in our spirits or in the inward man, in the obedience of God, he accepteth vs in his Sonne Iesus Christ to be holy and righteous, receiuing of vs that desire to walke in his wayes, for a seruice agree¦able and pleasing vnto him: and to be short, that he accepteth his workes in vs, and pardo∣neth ours. If we perseuere in this manner, to oppose and with stand the temptations of the Diuel, and to meditate vpon so many notable doctrines of the holy Scriptures, therin for∣tifying ourselues by ardent and zealous praier vnto God, they are so many certaine testi∣monies to assure vs that we are the children of God. It is true, that many of the elect, often∣times finde themselues, not to be onely luke warme, but also cold as ice, in the effects and fruits of their regeneration. And that there is none so holy and well aduised, which doth not slide, stumble and goe astray, and sometimes takes a great fall: but such defaults and falles,