which is laid" already, upon which the prophets and
apostles are builded,--even Christ Jesus. Lord, give the Spirit to
understand these mysteries already revealed; but save us from these new
discoveries and lights. That which we have received is able to make us
perfect to salvation.

Every one pretends a claim and right to this privilege of Christians, to
be pardoned and absolved from condemnation, who doth not put it out of
question, though in the mean time their iniquities testify against them;
and their transgressions say in the heart of a godly man, that "there is
no fear of God before their eyes." Therefore the apostle describes the man
that is in Jesus Christ, to be such an one, that walks "not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit,"--not only to guard against the presumptuous
fancy of those that live in their sins, that pretend to hope for heaven,
but to stir up every justified soul to a new manner of conversation, since
they are in Jesus Christ. We would speak a word of two things from this:
First, That the Scripture gives marks and characters of justified and
reconciled persons, that they may be known by, both to themselves and
others. Next, That, the Christian having escaped condemnation, hath a new
manner of walking, and is a new creature in Christ.

It might seem a strange thing, that this first were questioned in this
generation, (if any the most clear and important truth could pass without
scanning) the very tenor of the Scripture holds out so much of it. I
wonder that any man that reads this chapter, or the epistles of James and
John, should have any more doubt of it. "Hereby we do know that we know
him, if we keep his commandments." Is not this a conclusion of our state
and condition, from the conformity of our walking to the will of God? What
divine truth can we be sure of, if this be uncertain? When the beloved
disciple, who knew how to preach Christ, asserts it in express terms, 1
John v. 13, "These things have I written unto you that believe, that ye
may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of
the Son of God." This very thing was the great scope and purpose of that
evangelic and divine epistle.

I find that Antinomians(161) confound this question, that they may have
the more advantage in their darkness. The question is not concerning the
grounds of a man's believing in Christ, but concerning our assurance, or
knowledge of our believing. There is a great mistake in Chri