274 DIRECTIONS r0R' GETrInO AND KEEPING of Christ. 5. Yet that we may and must raise our assurance and comforts from our own graces and duties, shall appear in these clear reasons following, which show also the grounds on which we may do it. L Pardon, justification, and adoption, and salvation, are all given tous in the gospel only conditionally, (if we believe) and the con- dition is an act, or rather several acts of our own.. Now, till the condition be performed, no man can have any certainty that. the benefit shall be his, nor can he by any other means (ordinarily) be certain of the benefit, but by that which ascertains him thav he bath performed the condition. Gcd saith, "He that believeth shall be saved." Noman can know, then, that he shall be saved, till he first know that he believeth. Else he should know either contrary to that which is written, or more than that which is writ- ten ; and justification and adoption should be given some other way than by thegospel promise, for that promise giveth them onlycon- ditionally, and so suspendeth" the actual right, upon the perform- ance of the condition. But if any can show any other way, by which God maketh over pardon and adoption, besides the gospel promise, let them do it ; but I will not promise suddenly to believe them, for it was never yet showed, as I know of. Also, if men must not look at their own performance of the condition, to prove their right to the benefit, then either all or none must believe that they have that right; for the promise saith, "He that believ- eth shall be saved." And this is a promise oflife conditionally to all. If all must believe that they shall be saved, then .most of the world must believe a lie. If the true believer may not therefore conclude that he shall be saved, because he performethThe condi- tion of the promise, then no man may believe it. And for that absolute promise of the new heart, no man can, or may believe that it is his, till he have that new heart which it promiseth; that is, till it be fulfillèd. For there is no mark by which a man can know whether that promise belong to him, or no beforehand, and if all should- believe that it belongs to them, most would find it false. 2. God hath not redeemed us by his Son to be lawless. To be without law is tobe without government. We are without the law ; that is, of works or of Moses, but not without law ; Jesus Christ is our ruler, and he bath made us a law of grace; an easy yoke, and commands that are not grievous. This law hath pre- cepts, promises and threats ; it must needs be either obeyed or dis- obeyed ; and so the penalty must be due or not due ; and the reward due or not due. He that performs the condition, and so to whom the reward is dúe, and not the penalty, is righteous, in the sense of this law. As when we are accused to be sinners against the law of works, and' so to deserve the penalty of that law,
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