our) Rejoyce that your Names are written in the Book of Life. But alas, what do we rejoyce in? To be the Son of a rich man, a Gentleman or Noble man? To have Gold and Silver, Lands and Li vings? This makes Men fo Lofty and prodigal that they forget God and a good Confcience, which muft ftand them in great ftead at the end of their Life: But who is he that rejoiceth in thi that he is the Son of God, and that his Name is written in the Book of Life.

Well, Having thus obferved from the Word of God, what is understood by the Book of Life namely, the eternal decree of God's Election: hence arifeth two weighty points to be confide red: First, If it be poffible for a Child of God to know whether his Name be written in the Book of Life, or no. Secondly, if it be poffible then by what means we may attain this know ledge, to be affured that our Names be in Hea ven, that we are in the number of thofe that fhal be faved. And thefe are two most neceffary points to be known of all good Chriftians.

Now concerning the first, if it be poffible fo a Child of God to know whether his Name written in the Book of Life or not? The Churd of Rome holds, that no man can certainly know whether he be a true Child of God, or no. Nay they condemn this as a fault, and bold prefump tion for a man to be certainly perfwaded of this that he is a Child of God, Elected in Chrift Jefes and that his name is written in the Book of Life They fay we are to hope well, &c. But (alas fhall we venture the Salvation of our Souls upo

a

an uncertain hope? No, we must go further, and labour to be affured, and certainly perfwaded of this hope, that our names are written in the Book of Life.

And, that a true Chriftian man or woman, may affuredly be perfwaded, and certainly know that he is a Child of God, it is out of question, if he will believe the Holy Ghoft; elfe why fhould St. Peter exhort us to give all diligence to make our calling and election fure. And why did our Saviour bid his Difciples, Rejoyce that their Names were written in the Book of Life, if they could not know it? Again, every Article of our Chriftian Faith confirms the truth of this doctrin, where we are taught to believe the Catholick Church, and that we are of the number of Gods People: We believe the Pardon of our fins, and that we fhall have Life Everlasting.

By this you fee how little we are beholden to the Church of ROME, who holds that we can not be certainly perfwaded of our Salvation, but muft only hope well. Did not fob know it, Fob 19. 25. Did not Paul before know it? Rom. 8. 16. Then let no man doubt of this, that the Children of God may and do know that they fhall be faved: And therefore let us bélieve this doctrine and embrace it: And withal let us abhor the doctrine of the Church of Rome, which is contrary to the Gospel of Jefus Chrift. For what comfort can any Chriftian have, till he knows that he is a Child of God? How shall we dare to call upon God? How can we be at peace with our fouls? With what comfort can we per

form obedience unto God, except we find this bleffed perfwafion, that our names are in this Book, and that we are the ele& and chofen of God?

Secondly, Now the next question is, How any man or woman may come to this certain know. ledge, that his Name is written in this Book, and how he may confidently be perfwaded, that he is a Child of God, or no? And this is a matter of no fmall moment; but a thing that concerns our Souls very nearly, and therefore let us be very careful to liften unto it, that we be able to prove our felves, whether we are in the Faith or no, whether we be the Sons of God or no; and fo Oh it is a whether we fhall be faved or not. matter of endless comfort toGods Children when they know this that they are the Children of God, and that eternal life belongs unto them, it will ftir them up to obey God with joy and chearfulness all the days of their Life.

By what means we may come unto this knowledge. Now there are two ways to know it: One is by afcending up to heaven into the Privy Coun cil of God, but this is a dangerous way, and not to be attempted by any man, because fecret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and our children and his ways are paft finding out, Deut. 29. 29. And therefore this way no man dares aflay.

Befides this, there is yet another way to know this, and that is by defcending and looking into our felves, and by certain marks and teftimonies in our own hearts to prove that we are of the number

number of Gods Elect. For as Solomon faith, As water fhebeth face to face; even fo the heart fhews man to man: Prov. 23. Even as a Glafs fheweth amans face, fo will a mans heart and confcience fhew what he is in the fight of God. Then if you would know whether your names are written in the Book of Life, that is, whether you be the Elect of God, and heirs of Eternal Life, you muft enter into your own Souls. Prove your felves and you fhall certainly know whether you fhall be faved, yea, or no. For if thou find in thee the true marks and notes of Gods Children,thou needeft not fear but that thy name is in this Book, and thou fhalt certainly be faved; but as for wicked and prophane men and women, that make no confcience of finning, they fhall, upon this examination, utter this doleful tune; I am a finful wretch, I know not what will become of my poor foul at the day of Judgment. And therefore that we may in fome measure try our felves, and judge whether we are in this Book, and fo fhall be faved, let us fearch out of the Holy Scripture fome certain marks of Gods Children.

Marks of Gods children by the Spirit.

The firft mark whereby we may know whether we be elected, or not, is the inward teftimony and witnefs of Gods Spirit: ye have not re ceived the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have,&c. Rom. 8. 15. where St. Paul tells us,that wicked and ungodly finners, which have not the Spirit of God to guide them, but live in fin, have only the Spirit of Bondage, they have no true peace in their Souls: But they that are the D 3 Children

Children of God, have the Spirit of Adoption, which feals unto our hearts the affurance of Adoption and Election, and makes it known unto us, that we are the Sons of the Almighty: For the Spirit it felf doth witness to our Spirits, that we are the Sons of God,Rom.8.16. And that no man may déceive himself, and think he hath the teftimony of the Lords Spirit, when he hath it not, S. Paul gives two most excellent Notes,to know whether we have the teftimony of the Lords Spirit,yea er not; it makes us cry, Abba Father. Where the Spirit of the Lord doth witnefs to any mansSoul,that he is a Child of God, it will make him cry unto God, and even fill Heaven and Earth with crying and tears, with fobs and fighs,for the pardon of his fins as David did, who in the fincerity of his heart humbly confeffed his fins unto the Lord,and left it unto pofterity to be faid and fung in the Church for a teftimony of his unfeigned repentance; and he which hath not this in him,that he cannot cry unto the Lord for the pardon of his fins,this man cannot truly affure himfelf that he is a child of God, and though men say they hope to be faved, yet (alas) they feldom or never pray untoGod for the pardon of their fins,and if they are troubled for them,carelefly pass them over with idle company and paftime; juft like a man that hath burnt his finger, puts it into cold water, which for a time affwages it, but pulling it out again it inflames and burns the worfe. Secondly, If we find by the Teftimony of Gods Holy Spirit, that we are the children of God, it will make us not only to be earnest with God for the pardon of our