Serm. i s. Af urance is pa[sible. 297 dmends sis to mare our calling and eletion fare , there- 4 Argument. fore it ispofible; Gods commands are not evidences of our ability, but Ndmmple yet are of the poffibïlity of the duty that he commands ; they do not tell us what we by our own iirengtb can do, but yet they declare what by our diligence and Gods affiftance may be done, z Pet. I. I o. And if we can make our eleCtion lure ( not in it felf, for fo it is , z Tim. 2. 19. but to our felves ) we may be fure of falvation , Rom. 8.3o. whom be did predeJfinate, them he olio called , and whom called, them he allo j>afli fled, and whom he jKflified, them he al(o glori- fied. 5, The Papi flsgrant a certainty of hope,therefore we may hive a certainty S Argument. of faith ; for by Faith we mutt brit apprehend the objea, before we + d'Q .ci can hope for it, and according to the meafure, degrees, and firengch of 6.1 t. our Faith,is our hope ; he that bath but a weak faith , cannot have a tob.0feth, thong hope. If Abraham had ttaggered in his faith, he had not been ,, s ttedfatt in his hope. Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope fill yon with all ,nsTws. joy and peace, is believing that you may abound in hope. So much for the 1-kb. i o. i, . poffibility of this affurance. Now I come to the fecond part cf the quetlion, to fpeak to chafe Second part of that know not,that they luye eternal life, and difccrn not their fpiritual the Cafe. condition,and thofe may be of two forts. I. Some that for want of diligence in the Fife of means , are uncertain what their condition is. z. Such as have made enquiry , and long tamely to be refolved in this great Quettion , whether they be Converted , Changed , and thall be Paved , or no , and yet cannot finde is out. I would fpeak a few things to the firft of thefe , becaufe the greatett part know not their condition , through their own carelefsnefs and negligence, that through the floathfulnefs of their own hearts, or the difficulty of the work, or multiplicity of worldly care and bufnefs, are yet in the dark. That examine their Shop book offner, and more diligently than they do the book of their own hearts; that make oftner enquiry whe- ther they grow rich, than whether they wax good. If I may judge of other mens hearts by mine own, in this point , and not be thought to have too hard, and uncharitable thoughts of them, I would conclude we are all guilty of negligence in this cafe , and therefore walk in the dark, and remain in uncertainties about the falvation of our immortal fouls,whicis fhould be the fir° thing we fhould make fure of, becaufe it is of the greatefl and everlafting concernment. Ah Chrittian ! chide thy own floathful, lazie, negligent heart ; fhame thy fel£ out of this P p z care-
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