608 Cro2vnof7<ighteouin.efs. This que(tion, I confefs, is folid, yet fuch, as wanteth not its intricacies : The Roman Catholicks in this controverfie are wont to refolve thus, that indeed for fo great a Saint, as S. Paul was, thisaffurance might be poffible, yea, was attainedto by Revelation extraordinary, by means of his fidesprivilegiata, his fpecial and privi- d Aft. 9. is. ledged faith, whichas an Apoftle, and a d chofenveffel ofhonour, hewas endowed and adorned withal from Heaven ; for that God had a great e fervice for him to do, who was fete&ed, as it were, to take up the Gauntlet in the quarrel of theGof- pel, againitthe manifold, fierce, and potent fAdverfaries of the fame; fo that (as I Paid in the beginning ) to reelhis refolution with the greatercourage,he was for., tified before-hand, and armedwith an extraordinary affurance of a glorous reward, after his work and warfaring therein was over : But now, whether this affurance! be pollible for an ordinary Chriftian, by the ufe of ordinary lawful means to at-I tain, is the next difquifition ? To which the refolution is affirmative, the thing is poflible, though confefledly very difficult : and thispoflibility is both Certitudine Objelfi, andalfo Certitudine subjefli; both, as it is lure in itsfelf, as it is determin'd by God; and likewife, in the particular evident, and fpecial experience of thefame in thefoul ofa true believer : and this is proved,partly from thofe Scriptures,which exhort unto a diligent endeavour after it, z Per. s. so. z Cor. 13.5. Now, thena- tare ofEvangelicalprecepts, and exhortations, in a contradiftin ion to thole of the Law, is, that they carry a fpirir, a fecret energy, vertue, and power with them, gJob. 6.6;. inabling, through grace, unto obfervation, therefore the Gofpel is called g life and fjiirit, z (or. 3. 6. and 1 can do all things through Chrefl that f rengthens me, Phil. 4.13. partly allo, this is proved from one principalend of the fpir;ts Donation, his being given us, namely, That we may know the things that arefreely given unto us ofGod, and to co-witnefswith our Spirits, that we are his Sons and Daughters, 1 Cor. 2. 12. Rom. 8. 16. r Job. ç. r3. Thirdly, from the duties required of us, upon this account, as, 7ban'efnlnefs, Ephei 1.3. Col, 1. ¡z, 13. W hat wife man will give thanks for that, which he bath no certainty that hedothenjoy ? this were for a man to boaftofa b falfe gift,ss ofa i cloud without water : fo likewife ofLove,we love God, becaufe be firfi lovedus, 1 John4. 19. in fo freely giving his Son tous, John 3.16. and together with him allthings that do accompany falvation, 7(.,onr. 8. 3z. even to be the Author oflife andfalvation untoall that obey him, Heb. 5.9. And how come we to know ofall this love, but by that experimental proof thereof,that is used abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghoft, which is given unto ns7 Rom. 5.5. And laftly, by the examples of Saints that have had this affurance in themfelves, as Job 19. 25. Abraham, Rom. 4.21. and here,in my Text,Saint Taul,whicheminent Saints were not fetforth in HolyWrit, as Wonders, meetly to begazedat, but as Patterns of imitation ; and though ordinary Chrifliansand Saints cannot reach to the fame fteps, yet theymaywalk in thefame path, andmay poflibly attain, though not tothe fame meafures, yet to the famefoundnefs of perfwafion ; and indeed, as a reverend te IYivine obfervesits firmnefs, rather than fulnefs ofaflurance, (namely, in refpe&ofadherence, or ofrecumbency) that the Saints in this life arrive unto, but to this firmnefs theymaycomeby theufe oftheordinary,and ofthe right means, as here St. Paul did, by fighting thegood fight, byfinifhing his eourfe, and by keep. ing thefaith; hereby, as by theordinary means, he concluded ( therein likewife (hewing us an example) that from henceforth there wow a Crown of Ryghteoufnefs laidup in Heavenforhim, yea,and for all others with himfelf,who loved the appear- ingofPthe LordJefus. 'But, though it be (cautionatelyunderftood) thuspoiBble; notwithftanding it is very difficult, and hard to be attained, and thatfor manyweighty, and important reafons. As, Firft in regardof thedifficulty to put a diftin&ion between feemingVertues, and real Graces, which arethe figns,and fruits ofEle&ion, and which give the heft e. vidence of glory ; fo that there needs muchdifcuflïon, and an exaet Spirit of 1 Dif- cerning,to put aDifference,andto difcriminate the one from the other; yea,wearel to take notice, that thereare manyVices neerof* kin tomany Vertues,and carry in femblance, a near affinity, as it were, with them; There is, faith devout Bernard, a mtntumi e s Tite. 4.17' f Coi.16.9. Anfw. h NOV. 25.1+ i Jud v.12. k B. I(ing, Icft. ;8. On lean. r Phil. 1. 9,io. Fallit. elan, vitium prod- mimic; boni.
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