Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.D76 C552 1611 v.2

602 Thatwe maycertainely obtain f irituallgraces,dre. t!oh. 3.t 4. we lZnelb that we aretranflatedfromdeath tolife, becaufewe loue the brethren.And thisaffuranceoffaith theApoflle Paulhad, vndoubtedly concluding, that acrowne of riQhteourneffewas laidvpfor him,whieb therighteous Fudgewouldgiue,not only to him, but alf, toall then that loue bis appearing. Yea wee haue not onlyGods promifes to affure vs of thefe eternall ioyes, but alfo a reall pledgeand pawneofthem, euen his holy fpi- Eph.t.t3.r4. tit, which is theearneflofour inheritance,andbathfoaledveto vs the truth oftheGofpellafter we hauebeleened, as the Apo- flle fpeaketh.Bywhich holy fpirit working inour hearts fan- &ifying and fauing graces, we haueeuen in this life,lifeeter- nall begun invs ; aswhen thereby our minds be enlightened with the true knowledge of God, and our SauiourChriff, Ioh.17.3. whom it is eternall life to know, as himfelfefpeaketh ; when it worketh in vs faith, by the affurancewhereofweeare en- tred into the poffeffronof life eternall; whenbeing iuflified Rotn.S.r .3. thereby we haue peace withGod, being affuredof his loue, and our reconciliation ; andby reafon hereof haue peace of confcience,andioy inthe holy GhofI : and when inloue and thankfulnelle towards God, who hath fo dearely loued vs, we louehim againe, performing cheerefull andwillingobe- dience vntohis commandements, and takingour chicle do- light in doing thofethingswhicharepleating vnto him; for Roma 4.t7. fo the Apoflle faith, that the isingdome ofGod is nor meatoand drink, but righteoufneffe,peace,and toy in theholy Ghofl. So that whofoeuer theyare that find thefe graces ofGod dwelling in them, theymay certainlybe allured, that the kingdome ofGod, and eternall lifeis begun in them : whereof it is that Gal.a.zo. theApofilefaith, that heBoth not linenonr,but Chrif liueth in him;& that n'hilef/ he lined in rhefie(h,he ludby the faithinjh fonneofGod. And whofoeuer haue this life erernall begun in them, theymay certainely beaffured, that it fhallbe perfited andaccomplifhedinto them, and hauing begun it in the life ofgrace, that they (hai finifh it in that euerlafling life ofglo- Rotn.S.3o. ry : whereas`contrariwife,thofe (hall neuer hue in that glo. noushappineffe eternally, whohaue not in this world made anentrance-into ir,by liuing this life offaith and grace. Now unto this certainty let vsadde alfo the facility of obtaining;

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