un raeU. a3. 1o. 3i ) gain[t which he fights and wreftles, feeking after, and longing for, victory- over them, and with which he ad. mits of no truce, even when they prevail ; as for other fns, they will very readily mar the believer's peace and tranquillity. The Dotirine being thus qualified and guarded on all hands, we (hall now at length proceed to the confirmati- on of it, which is, That, wherever there is a fincere wil- lingnefs to be univerfally honeft in our life and conver- fation, there is good ground for peace sand calmnefs of Confcience,; or it is an evidence of a good Confcience, and a companion of it. It may be confirmed from there grounds ; 1. Either we muff fay that no believer has ever had tranquillity and calmnefs of Confcience, which were abturd ; or we muff fay, that there who had it, did attain to perfe& holi- nefs, and needed no repentance, which the fore -named inffances of moft eminent faints, as of David and Pe- ter, will confute ; or, if we can fay none of thefe two, we muff needs aflert the third, viz. That a believer, on his fincere defign to live honeffly in all things, tho' he come not up the full length he fhould be at, may have peace. z. That which hath quieted many believers be- fore us, may be a ground of calmnefs and quietnels to us : For, as the ground and caufe is common, the effe& muff alto be common ; but on this ground many believers have been quieted before us: Therefore we may likewife on it quiet ourfelves. If we look through the fcriptures, we will find the faints thus quieting and comforting them - felves ; What is the ground that David comforts him felf on, Pfal. i8. 2z, 22, 23 ? Is it not on this, I have keeped the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly depart- ed from my God ? This Pure is not abfolute perfection that he means of, for we know he had many defects and failings, but fincerity ; for, Pays he, Al his judg- ments were before me ; he had honeffly defigned the keep- ing of them all ; I did not put away his flatutes from me ú he balked none of God's ftatutes; J was alfo upright be- fore him, and I keeped myfelf from mine iniquity : The (train of his way was honeft, and his flips and failings were hitherto ('tis like) of infirmity, and therefore he has
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