7 156 7'he Gof)el= Q1'Í fflery area. VIII; you may be lure not to be deceived in your judge= pent concerning it. And though it be true,as I have noted, that doubts concerning your faith will breed doubtings concerning the fincerity of other qualifi- cations that are fruits thereof; yet poffruly you may get fuch clear evidences of your fincerity, as may overcome and expel all your doubts. And here you are not only to enquire, whether your inclinations; purpofes, affeCtions and actions, be materially good and holy ; but alfo, by what principles they are bred and influenced ? whether it be by flavifh fears of hel'ffi and `mercenary hopes of getting heaven by your works, which are legal and.carnal principles that can never ;,breed true holinefs : or by gofpel-principles as by love to God, becaufe God hash loved you firfl, and to Chriff:, becaufe he hath died ; and by-the hope cf eternal life, as the free gift of God through him, and dependance on God, to fanaify you by his Spirit ac- cording to his promifes i Remember, that the New Teflament is the minifiration of the Spirit, 2 Cor. iii. 6. and the Spirit will fanClify us, not by legali but bygofpel principles Take notice farther, that you need not trouble yourfelf, to find out a multi- tude of marks and figns of true grace, if you can find a few good ones. Particularly, you may know, that " you are paired from death to life, if you love the brethren," John iii. 14. i. e. If you love all whom you can in charity judge to be true believers;, and that becaufe they are true believers, and for the truth's fake, that dwel eth in -them. As Solomon difcerned the true mother of the child, by her affec- tion towards her child; fo the mother grace of faith may be difcerned by the love that it breeds in us to- ward all true believers. To conclude this point, hap- py are you if you can find fo much evidence of the fruits of your faith, as may enable you to exprefs your fincerity in thefe moderate terms, " Pray for " us: for we truft we have a good confcience, in ail things willing; to live hç: eftly," k-eb. xiii. t84
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