Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

602 That we may certainely obtain f irituallgraces,dre. t!oh. 3.t 4. we lZnelb that we aretranflatedfrom death to life, becaufe we loue the brethren.And this affurance offaith the Apoflle Paulhad, vndoubtedly concluding, that acrowne of riQhteourneffewas laid vp for him,whieb the righteous Fudge wouldgiue,not only to him, but alf, to all then that loue bis appearing. Yea wee haue not only Gods promifes to affure vs of thefe eternall ioyes, but alfo a reall pledgeand pawne of them, euen his holy fpi- Eph.t.t3.r4. tit, which is the earneflof our inheritance, andbathfoaledveto vs the truth of theGofpellafter we haue beleened, as the Apo - flle fpeaketh.By which holy fpirit working in our hearts fan - &ifying and fauing graces, we haueeuen in this life,life eter- nall begun in vs ; as when 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 himfelfe fpeaketh ; when it worketh in vs faith, by the affurance whereofwee are en- tred into the poffeffron of life eternall; whenbeing iuflified Rotn.S.r .3. thereby we haue peace with God, being affured of his loue, and our reconciliation ; and by reafon hereof haue peace of confcience,andioy in the holy GhofI : and when in loue and thankfulnelle towards God, who hath fo dearely loued vs, we loue him againe, performing cheerefull and willingobe- dience vnto his commandements, and taking our chicle do- light in doing thofethings whichare pleating vnto him; for Roma 4.t7. fo the Apoflle faith, that the isingdome of God is nor meato and drink, but righteoufneffe,peace,and toy in the holy Ghofl. So that whofoeuer they are that find thefe graces of God dwelling in them, they may certainly be allured, that the kingdome ofGod, and eternall lifeis begun in them : whereof it is that Gal.a.zo. the Apofilefaith, that he Both not line nonr,but Chrif liueth in him;& that n'hilef/ he lined in rhefie(h,he lud by the faith injh fonneof God. And whofoeuer haue this life erernall begun in them, theymay certainely be affured, that it fhallbe perfited and accomplifhedinto 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. nous happineffe eternally, who haue not in this world made an entrance -into ir,by liuing this life offaith and grace. Now unto this certainty let vs adde alfo the facility of obtaining;