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"ought to seek the comfortable assurance of the love of God. Therefore make your calling sure, and by that your election; for that being done, this follows of itself. We are not to pry immediately into the decree, but to read it in the performance. Though the mariner sees not the pole-star, yet the needle of the compass which points to it, tells him which way he sails: thus the heart that is touched with the loadstone of divine love, trembling with godly fear, and yet still looking towards God by fixed believing, points at the love of election, and tells the soul that its course is heavenward, towards the haven of eternal rest. He that loves may be sure he was loved first; and he that chooses God for his delight and portion, may conclude confidently, that God hath chosen him to be one of those that shall enjoy him, and be happy in him for ever; for our love and electing of him, is but the return and repercussion of the beams of his love shining upon Find thou but within thee sanctification by the Spirit, and this argues necessarily both justification by the Son, and the election of God the Father. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. Where this sanctifying Spirit is not, there can be no persuasion of this eternal love of God. They that are children of disobedience can conclude no otherwise of themselves but that they are the children of wrath. Although from present unsanctification, a man cannot infer that he is not elected, for the decree may for part of a man's life run, as it were, underground; yet this is sure, that that estate leads to death, and, unless it be broken, will prove the black line of reprobation. A man hath no portion amongst the children of God, nor can read one word of comfort in all the promises that belong to them, while he remains unholy. Men may please themselves in profane scoffing at the Holy Spirit of grace, but let them withal know this, that that Holy Spirit whom they mock and despise, is that Spirit who seals men to the day of redemption.

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If any pretend that they have the Spirit, and so turn away from the straight rule of the holy scriptures, they have a spirit indeed, but it is a fanatical spirit, the spirit of delusion and giddiness: but the Spirit of God, that

leads his children in the way of truth, and is for that purpose sent them from heaven to guide them thither, squares their thoughts and ways to that rule whereof it is Author and that word which was inspired by it, and sanctifies them to obedience. He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Now this Spirit which sanctifieth, and sanctifieth to obedience, is within us the evidence of our election, and the earnest of our salvation. And whoso are not sanctified and led by this Spirit, the apostle tells us what is their condition. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Let us not delude ourselves. This is a truth, if there be any in religion they who are not made saints in the state of grace, shall never be saints in glory. The stones which are appointed for that glorious temple above, are hewn, and polished, and prepared for it here; as the stones were wrought and prepared in the mountains, for building the temple at Jerusalem. This is God's order; Psal. lxxxiv, 12. He gives grace and glory. Moralists can tell us, that the way to the temple of honor, is through the temple of virtue. They that think they are bound for heaven in the ways of sin, have either found a new way untrodden by all that are gone thither, or will find themselves deceived in the end. We need not then that poor shift for the pressing of holiness and obedience upon men, to represent it to them as the meriting cause of salvation. This is not at all to the purpose, seeing that without it the necessity of holiness to salvation is pressing enough; for holiness is no less necessary to salvation, than if it were the meriting cause of it it is as inseparably tied to it in the purpose of God; and in the order of performance, godliness is as certainly before salvation, as if salvation did wholly and altogether depend upon it, and were in point of justice deserved by it. Seeing then there is no other way to happiness but by holiness, no assurance of the love of God without it, take the apostle's advice; study it, seek it, follow earnestly after holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

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Grace unto you and peace be multiplied. It hath al

ways been a civil custom amongst men, to season their intercourse with good wishes one for another; this the apostles use in their epistles in a spiritual divine way, suitable to their holy writings. It well becomes the messengers of grace and peace to wish both, and to make their salutation conform to the main scope and subject of their discourse. The Hebrew word of salutation we have here, Peace; and that which is the spring both of this and all good things, in the other word of salutation used by the Greeks, Grace. All right rejoicing, and prosperity, and happiness, flow from this source, and from this alone, and are sought elsewhere in vain.

In general, this is the character of a Christian spirit, to have a heart filled with blessing, with this sweet goodwill and good-wishing to all, especially to those who are their brethren in the same profession of religion. This manifests men to be the sons of blessing, and of the everblessed God, the Father of all blessing, when in his name they bless one another: yea our Saviour's rule goes higher, to bless those that curse them, and he urges it by that relation to God as their Father, that in this they may resemble him; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.

But in a more eminent way, it is the duty of pastors to bless their people, not only by their public and solemn benediction, but by daily and instant prayers for them in secret. And the great Father who seeth in secret, will reward them openly.

Let us consider, 1. the matter of the apostle's desire for them, grace and peace; 2. the measure of it, that it may be multiplied.

1. The matter of the apostle's desire, grace. We need >not make a noise with the many school-distinctions of grace, and describe in what sense it is here to be taken; for no doubt it is all saving grace to those dispersed brethren, so that in the largest notion which it can have, we may safely here take it.

What are preventing grace, assisting grace, working and co-working grace, but divers names of the same effectual saving grace, in relation to our different estate, as the 'same sea receives different names from the different parts

of the shore it beats upon? First, it prevents and works ; then it assists and prosecutes what it hath wrought; He worketh in us to will and to do. But the whole sense of saving grace, I conceive, is comprehended in these twograce in the fountain, that is, the peculiar love and favor of God-grace in the streams, the fruits of this love, all the graces and spiritual blessings of God bestowed upon them whom he hath freely chosen. The love of God in itself can neither diminish nor increase, but it is multiplied or abounds in the manifestation and effects of it. So then to desire grace to be multiplied to them is to wish to them the living spring of it, that love which cannot be exhausted, but is ever flowing forth, and, instead of abating, makes each day richer than the preceding.

And this is that which should be the top and sum of Christian desires-to have or want auy other thing indifferently, but to be resolved and resolute in this, to seek a share in this grace, the free love of God, and the sure evidences of it within you, the fruit of holiness and the graces of his Spirit. But most of us are otherwise taken up. We will not be convinced how basely and foolishly we are busied, though in the best and most respected employments of the world, so long as we neglect our noblest trade of growing rich in grace, and the comforta ́ble enjoyment of the love of God. Our Saviour tells us of one thing needful, importing that all other things are comparatively unnecessary, bye-works, and mere impertinencies; and yet in these we lavish out our short and uncertain time; we let the other stand by till we find leisure. Men who are altogether profane, think not on it at all. Some others possibly deceive themselves thus, and say, When I have done with such a business in which I am engaged, then I will sit down seriously to this, and bestow more time and pains on these things, which are undeniably greater and better, and more worthy of itbut this is a slight that is in danger to undo us. What if we attain not to the end of that business, but end ourselves before it? Or if we do not, yet some other business may step in after that. O then, say we, that must be despatched also. Thus by such delays we may lose the present opportunity, and, in the end, our own souls.

O be persuaded it deserves your diligence, and that without delay, to seek somewhat that may be constant enough to abide with you, and strong enough to uphold you in all conditions! and that is alone this free grace and love of God. While many say, Who will show us any good? set you in with David in his choice, Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me. This is that light which can break into the darkest dungeons, from which all other lights and comforts are shut out; and without this, all other enjoyments are, what the world would be without the sun, nothing but darkness. Happy they who have this light of divine favor and grace shining into their souls, for by it they shall be led to that city, where the sun and moon are needless; for the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

The blessing which the apostle here joins with grace, was with the Jews of so large a sense, as to comprehend all that they could desire; when they wished Peace, they meant all kind of good, all welfare and prosperity. And thus we may take it here for all kind of peace; yea, and for all other blessings, but especially that spiritual peace, which is the proper fruit of grace, and doth so intrinsically flow from it.

We may and ought to wish to the church of God outward blessings, and particularly outward peace, as one of the greatest, and one of the most valuable favors of God: thus prayed the psalmist, Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.

That Wisdom which doth what he will, by what means he will, and works one contrariety out of another, brings light out of darkness, good out of evil, he can and doth turn tears and troubles to the advantage of his church; but certainly, in itself, peace is more suitable to its increase, and, if not abused, it proves so too. Thus in the apostolic times, it is said, Acts ix, 51, Then had the churches rest and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplied.

We ought also to wish for ecclesiastical peace to the Church, that she may be free from dissensions and divisions. There is not one thing that doth on all hands

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