A. That Justification and Sanctification are joint benefits flowing from Effectual Vocation, ⟨p. 114⟩hath been already observed: Hence that which gives evidence to our calling, will do so to all the fruits that derive from it; for Christ and his benefits go together, and in our calling the Covenant is made between him and us, and we are united to him, and he becometh ours; and so Justification, Adoption, &c are ours Now one way to know our calling, is by the things that accompany Salvation, Heb. 6 9. i. e. By the fruits in us that infallibly follow upon true Conversion: and those fruits that are evidential are specially to be sought for in Sanctification. For, though Justification and Adoption are benefits bestowed immediately upon Vocation, yet, being Relative they are not self evidential, but must be prove• by something that is inherent in us. It is true in Justification we are at Peace with God, Rom. 5.• And thence flows peace in our own Consciences▪ but there is a false peace that some please themselves withal; and we must therefore seek for that which will witness ours to be true, for which we must look further. And in our Adoption we Receive the Spirit of Adoption, enabling us to call God Father, Rom. 8.15. But yet there are those who pretend to this, and are indeed of their Father the Devil, Joh. 8.43, 44. We must therefore enquire whether it be indeed the Spirit of God that beareth witness in us; and for this also we must find something in us to evidence it; and where should we seek for this but in our Sanctification? For as for our Glorification, that is a resultancy from the three former, and we must by them be established ⟨p. 115⟩in a firm belief and comfortable expectation of it; and if the proof of the two former must be by our Sanctification, the clearing up of this must be so too, Heb. 12 14. Holiness without which no man shall see God. As therefore the best way to make it appear to the charitable persuasion of others, that we are in a good and safe state, is by an Holy Conversation, and without Guile; so the Apostle argues, 1 Thes 1 4, 5. 2 Thes. 1.3. So it is a necessary Medium by which we may know our selves to be so, to be able to find in our selves such things as evidence that we are really such as we seem to be. The Evidence then of our Pardoned State from our being without Guile, ariseth from the inseparable connection there is between these two:
A. That Justification and Sanctification are joynt benefits flowing from Effectual Vocation, ⟨p. 114⟩hath been already observed: Hence that which gives evidence to our calling, will do so to all the fruits that derive from it; for Christ and his benefits go together, and in our calling the Covenant is made between him and us, and we are united to him, and he becometh ours; and so Justification, Adoption, &c are ours Now one way to know our calling, is by the things that accompany Salvation, Heb. 6 9. i. e. By the fruits in us that infallibly follow upon true Conversion: and those fruits that are evidential are specially to be sought for in Sanctification. For, though Justification and Adoption are benefits bestowed immediately upon Vocation, yet, being Relative they are not self evidential, but must be prove• by something that is inherent in us. It is true in Justification we are at Peace with God, Rom. 5.• And thence flows peace in our own Consciences▪ but there is a false peace that some please themselves withal; and we must therefore seek for that which will witness ours to be true, for which we must look further. And in our Adoption we Receive the Spirit of Adoption, enabling us to call God Father, Rom. 8.15. But yet there are those who pretend to this, and are indeed of their Father the Devil, Joh. 8.43, 44. We must therefore enquire whether it be indeed the Spirit of God that beareth witness in us; and for this also we must find something in us to evidence it; and where should we seek for this but in our Sanctification? For as for our Glorification, that is a resultancy from the three former, and we must by them be established ⟨p. 115⟩in a firm belief and comfortable expectation of it; and if the proof of the two former must be by our Sanctification, the clearing up of this must be so too, Heb. 12 14. Holiness without which no man shall see God. As therefore the best way to make it appear to the charitable perswasion of others, that we are in a good and safe state, is by an Holy Conversation, and without Guile; so the Apostle argues, 1 Thes 1 4, 5.