228 S E Ít M O N S upon Serm. XXXI. grace of the fecond or third ground ; they receive the word with joy, but know not what tryals may do; they have good fentinents of Religion, but they aremuch choaked and obtlrueted by voluptuous living, or the cares of the world, Luke 8. 14. yea fame inch thing may befall weak believers: They dare not quit their hopes of Heaven for all the world, but cannot a&ually lay claim to it, and fay 'tis theirs. Now probabilities mutt incourage us till we get a greater certainty ; for we muff not defpife the day of fmall things; and 'tis better to be a feeker, than a wanderer. 3. A conditional certainty, which is more than poffible or probable. That is, when we adhere to Gods covenant, and fet our felves in good earneff to perform the conditions required in the promifes of the Gofpel, expelling this way the bleflings offered ; as for inffance, the hope is defcribed by Paul, Aar 24. 15, 16. And have hops towards God, which they themfelves alfa allow, that there (hall be a refurreaion of the dead both of the jut and the unjufl : and herein do I exercife my felf to have always a confcience void of offence towards God and towards men ; there is Inch a dependance upon the promife, as breedeth an hope, and this hope puts upon flri& and exa& walking; fuch a conditional certainty is defcribed in Rom. 2. 7. Who by patient continuance en well doing fee!¿ for glory, honour, immortality and eternal life. I am fure to find falvation and Eternal life, if! felf- denyingly and patiently continue this way, and by the grace of God I am refolved Co to continue. Now there is much of hope in this ; partly,becaufe this is the hope which is the immediate effe& of regeneration; The hope, that is the fruit of experience, and belongeth to the feafoned and tryed Chriflìan, who hath' approved himfelf; hearfay is another thing, Rom. 5.4. and partly, becaufe this fuiteth with Gods covenant,or the conditional offer of Eternal life, according to the terms of the Gofpel, where the benefits are offered to in- vite us to walk in the way of life. Now here is faith believing, hope expelling, and re- folution to take Gods way, even to deny our felves, facrifice our interefls, and heattily to exercife our felves unto godlinefs; and partly; becaufe much of the life of Chriftianity lyeth much in this conditional hope and certainty ; it being abfolutely neceffary to all a &s of grace; and partly, that we may have much comfort by it, for we are making out our claim; I do not doubt, or confiderably doubt, of the reward of godlinefs ex parte Dei; no, I know they are fure and ftedfaft by the promife; but my own qualification is not fo fenfible and clear, that I can pofitively determine my own right, but I have fupport and comfort in this way, t Con 9. 26. run not as one uncertain ; for I have re- ward in my eye. 4. There is aelual certainty of our intereft, as being qualified, which admits of a la. titude; for it may be full or not full, firm or not firm, .Heb. 6. 14. and we delre that every one of you do thew the fame diligence to the full of nrance of hope to the end ; it may be in- terrupted or continued; the full hope removeth all doubts and fears ; that which is not full, hath Tome doubts accompanying it ; but the certainty prevaileth, and is more than the doubting. This is comfortable ; To fail to heaven with full fails, rather than make an hard fhift to get thither by many doubts and fears ; and 'cis a bleffed thing when we can fay, 2 Cor. 5. t. for we know that if our earthly houfe of this Tabernacle were diftalved, we have a building of God, an houfe not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. 2 Tim, 4: 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteoufnefs. In fhort, The more we ad- drefs our felves to our duty, the more we put our felves in the way to receive the pro. mite. S E R.
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