sured

adalis elre

estate of salvation a; which hope of theirs shall perish;
yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him
in sincerity, endeavouring to walk in all good conscience
before him, may in this life be certainly assured that they
are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope
of the glory of God; which hope shall never make them
ashamed .

II. This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable end persuasion, grounded upon a fallible hope“; but an infallible

ation

assurance

Lord, that we should not be con keep his commandments. 1 Joha
demned with the world.

iii. 14. We know that we have
I. a Job viii. 13. So are the paths passed from death unto life, because
of all that forget God; and the we love the brethren: he that loveth
hypocrite's hope shall perish: V. 14. not his brother, abideth in death,
Whose hope shall be cut off, and Ver. 18. My little children, let us
whose trust shall be a spider's web. not love in word, neither in tongue,
Micah iïi. 11. The heads thereof but in deed, and in truth. Ver, 19,
judge for reward, and the priests And hereby we know that we are
thereof teach for hire, and the pro-

of the truth, and shall assure our phets thereof divite for money:

hearts before him. Ver. 21. Beloved, yet will they lean upon the Lord, if our heart condema us not, then and say, Is not the Lord among us? have we confidence towards God. bone evil can come upon us. Deut. Ver. 24. And he that keepeth his xxix. 19. And it come to pass, when commardnients dwelleth in him, and he heareth the words of this curse,

he in him: and hereby we know that he bless himself in his heart, that he abideth in us, by the Spirit şaying, I shall have peace, though that he hath given us. 1 John v. 13. I walk in the imagination of mine These things have I written unto heart, to add drunkenness to thirst. you

that believe on the name of the
John viii, 41. Ye do the deeds of Son of God; that ye may know that
your father. Then said they to ye have eternal life, and that ye may
hin, We be not born of fornica believe on the name of the Son of .
tion; we have one Father, even

God.
God.

d Roni. v. 2. . By włom also we
Mat. vii. 22. Many shall say to

have access by faith into this grace
nie in that day, Lord, Lord, have wherein we stand, and rejoice in
we not prophesied in thy name? hope of the glory of God. Ver. 5.
and in thy name have cast-out devils ? And hope maketh not ashamed, be-
and in thy name done many wonder. cause the love of God is shed abroad
fal works? Ver. 23. And then will in our hearts by the Holy Ghost,
I profess unto them, I never knew which is given unto us.
you: depart from me, ye that work II. e Heb. vi. 11. And we desire
iniquity.

that every one of you do shew the
Ci John ii. 3. And hereby we same diligence, to the full assurance
do know that we know him, if we of hope unto the end, Ver. 19.

Which

assurance of faith, founded upon the divine truth of the promises of salvation', the inward evidence of those graces unto which these promises are made", the testimony of the Spirit of adoption witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God": wlrich Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance, whereby we are sealed to the day of redemptioni,

III. This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith, but that a true believer

may wait long, and conflict with many difficulties, before he be partaker of itk:

yet,

Which hope we have as an anchor life, because we love the brethren : of the soul, both sure and stedfast, he that loveth not his brother, abideth and which entereth into that within in death.

2 Cor. i. 12. For our the vail.

rejuicing is this, the testimony of our fHeb. vi. 17. Wherein God, will conscience, that in simplicity and ing more abundantly to shéw unto godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisthe heirs of promise the immutability dom, but by the grace of God, we of his counsel, confirmed it by an have had our conversation in the oath: Ver. 18. That by two im world, and more abundantly to you. mutable things, in which it was im ward. possible for God to lie, we might

h Rom. viii. 15. For ye have not have a strong consolation, who have received the spirit of bondage again fed for refuge to lay hold upon the

to fear : but ye have received the hope set before us.

Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, 8 2 Pet. i. 4. Whereby are given Abba, Father. Ver. 16. The Spirit unto us exceeding great and precious itself beareth witness with our spirit

, promises; that by these ye might be

that we are the children of God. partakers of the divine nature, hav i Eph. i. 13. In whom ye also ing escaped the corruption that is in trusted, after that ye heard the word the world through lust. Ver. 5. And besides this, giving diligence,

of truth, the gospel of your salvation;

in whom also, after that ye believed, add to your faith, virtue; and to

ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit virtue, knowledge. Ver. 10. Where.

of promise, Ver. 14. Which is the fore the rather, brethren, give dili

earnest of our inheritance, until the gence to make your calling and elec- redemption of the purchased possestion sure : for if ye do these things, sion, unto the praise of his glory ye shall never fall : Ver. 11. Kor. 80

Eph. iv. 30. And grieve not the Holy an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting

Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed

unto the day of redemption. 2 Cor. kingdom of our Lord and Saviour

i. 21. Now he which stablisheth us Jesus Christ. 1 John ii. 3. And hereby we do know that we know

with you in Christ, and hath anointed hin, if we keep his commandments.

us, is God; Ver. 22. Who hath also

sealed us, and given the earnest of 1 John iii. 14. We know that we have. passed from death unto.

the Spirit in our

hearts. III. k ] John v. 19. These things

have

of the yet, being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which grat

are freely given him of God, he may, without extraordinary po revelation, in the right use of ordinary means, attain therewal unto! And therefore it is the duty of every one to give :ols all diligence to make his calling and election sure"; that redes thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the

Holy Ghost, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience", the proper

fruits

never fall.

have ) written unto you that believe depth, and height ;- Ver. 19. Aná to on the name of the Son of God, that know the love of Christ, which ye nay know that ye have eternal passeth knowledge, that ye might be life, and that ye may

believe on the filled with all the fulness of God. name of the Son of God. Isa. I, 10. m 2 Pet. i. 10. Wherefore the Who is among you that feareth the rather, brethren, give diligence to Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his make your calling and election sure : servant, that walketh in darkness, for if ye do these things ye shall and hath no light ? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon n Rom, v. 1. Therefore being his God. Mark ix. 24. And straight- justified by faith, we have peace way the father of the child cried with God, through our Lord Jesus out, and said with tears, Lord, I be Christ : Ver. 2. By whon also we lieve; help thou mine unbelief. (See have access by faith into this grace Psal . Ixxxviii

. throughout. Psal. lxxvii. wherein we stand, and rejoice in to the 12th Verse]

hope of the glory of God. Ver. 5. 11 Cor. ï. 12, Now we have re And hope maketh not ashamed; ceived, not the spirit of the world, because the love of God is shed but the Spirit which is of God; that abroad in our hearts by the Holy we might kżow the things that are Ghost, which is given unto us. Roni. freely given to us of God.

I John

xiv. 17. For the kingdom of God is vi

. 13. Hereby know we that we not meat and drink ; but righteousdwell in him, and he in us, because ness,

and peace, and joy in the Holy he hath given us of his Spirit. Heb. Ghost. Rom. xv. 13. Now, the vi. 11. And we desire that every God of hope fill you with all joy one of you do shew the same dili

and
peace

in believing, that ye may gence, to the full assurance of hope abound in hope, through che

power unto the end : Ver. 12. That ye

be of the Holy Ghost. Eph, i. 3. Blessed not slothful, but followers of them be the God and Father of our Lord who, through faith and patience, Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us inherit the promises. Eph. iii

. 17. with all spiritual blessings in heavenly, That Christ

may

dwell in your hearts places in Christ : Ver. 4. According' by faith; that ye, being rooted and as he hath chosen us in hin before grounded in love, Ver. 18. May be the foundation of the world, that we able to comprehend with all saints, should be holy, and without blanie what is the breadth, and length, and before him in love, Psal. iv. 6.

E 6

There

fruits of this assurance: so far is it froin inclining men to looseness o

IV. True believers may have the assurance of their salvation divers ways shaken, diminished, and intermitted; as, by negligence in preserving of it; by fallinginto some special sin, which woundeth the conscience, and grieveth the Spirit; by some suddenor vehement temptation; by God's withidrawing the light of his countenance, and suffering even such as fear him to walk in darkness, and to have no light P: yet are they

never

There be many that say, Who will flesh and spirit, perfecting boliness shew us any good ? Lord, lift thou up in the fear of God. Rom. viii. 1. rhe light of thy countenance upon us.

There is therefore now no condemVer. 7. Thou hast put gladness in

nation to them which are in Christ my heart, more than in the time Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, that their corn and their wine in.

but after the Spirit. Ver. 12. Therecreased. Psal. cxix. 32. I will run fore brethren, we are debtors, pot the way of thy commandments, when

to the flesh, to live after the flesh. thou shalt enlarge my heart.

1 John iii. 2. Beloved, row are we ° 1 John ii. 1. My little children,

the sons of God, and it doth not these things write I unto you, that

yet appear what we shall be: but ye sin not. And if any man sin, we

we know, that when he shall appear, have an advocate with the Father,

we shall be like him; for we shall Jesus Christ the righteous. Ver. 2.

see him as he is. Ver. 3. And eyery And he is the propitiation for our

man that hath this hope in hini pusins: and not for ours only, but also rifieth himself, even as he is pure. for the sins of the whole world.

Psal. cxxx. 4. But there is forgiveRom. vi. 1. What shall we say then ?

ness with thee, that thou mayest shall we continue in sin, that grace

be feared. 1 John i. 6. If we say may abound? Ver. 2. God forbid :

that we have fellowship with him, how shall we that are dead to sin

and walk in darkness, we lie, and do live any longer therein ? Tit. ii. 11.

not the truth: Ver. 7. But if we For the grace of God that bringeth walk in the light, as he is in the salvation hath appeared to all men;

light, we have fellowship one with Ver. 12. Teaching us, that, denying another; and the blood of Jesus ungodliness ar.d worldly lusts, we

Christ his Son cleanseth us from all shonld live soberiy, righteously, and sin. godly, in this present world. Ver. 14. IV. P Cant. v. 2. I sleep, but niy Who gave himself for us, that he

heart waketh: it is the voice of my might redeem us from all iniquity, beloved that knocketh, saying, Open and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

to me, my sister, my love, ny dove, 2 Cor. vii. 1. Having therefore these

my undefiled: for my head is filled promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse drops of the night. Ver. 3, I have

with dew, and my locks with the ourselves from all filthiness of the

put off my coat; how shall I put

never utterly destitute of that seed of God, and life of faith,
that love of Christ and the brethren, that sincerity of heart
and conscience of duty, out of which, by the operation of
the Spirit, this assurance may in due time be revived", and

by