Of Assurance
Quest. XXXVI. JVHAT are the benefits which flow from namtJfication?
Axs. Assurance of God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to
the end.
The first benefit flowing from sanctification, is assurance of God’s love.
2 Pet. i. 10., “Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.” Sanctificati<»n is the seed, assurance is the flower which grows out of it: assurance is a consequent of sanctification, the saints of old had it, 1 John ii. 3., “We know that we know him,” 2 Tim. i. 12, “I know whom I have believed,” — here was senms fides, — the reflex act of faith; and Gal. ii. 20., “Christ hath loved me,” — here was faith flourishing into assurance, ^colampadias, when he vias sick, pointed to his heart, saying, Uie sat lucis, — ‘Here I have light enough,’ meaning comfort and assurance.
Quest. 1. Have all sanctified persons assurance?
Ans. They have a right to it, and I do incline to believe that all have it in some degree before their last expiring; though their comfin-t may not be so strong, and their vital spirits so weak, that they cannot express what they feel. But I dare not positively aflirm that all have assurance in the first moment of their sanctification; a letter may be written, when it is not sealed, — so grace may be written in the heart, yet the Spirit may not set the seal of assu - ranee to it. God is a free agent, and may give or suspend assurance pro licito as he
pleases. “Where there is the sanc-tif’iiig work of the Spirit, he may withhold the sealing work, partly to keep the soul humble, partly to punish our careless walking; we neglect our spiritual watch, grow remiss in duty, and then walk under a cloud; we quench the graces of the Spirit, and God withholds the comforts: and partly to jMit a difference between earth and heaven. This I the rather speak, to bear up the hearts of God’s people who are dejected because they have no assurance; you may have the water of the Spirit poured on you in sanctification, though not the oil of gladness in assurance; there may be faith of adherence, and not of evidence; thei-e may be life in the root, when there is no fruit in the branches to be seen; so faith in the heart, when no fruit of assurance. Quest. 2. JVhat is assurance? Ans. It is not vocal, any audible voice, or brought to us by the help of an angel [or revelation. Assurance consists of a practical syllogism, where the word of God I makes the major, — conscience the minor, — i the Spirit of God the conclusion. The I word saith, * He that fears and lo es God, is loved of God;’ there is the major propo- 1 sition; then conscience makes the uiin(tr, ’ but I fear and love God;’ then the Sjtirit makes the conclusion, ’ therefore thou art loved of God,’ and this is that which the apostle calls, ‘• The witnessing of the Spirit with our spirits, that we are his children,” Rom. viii. 16.
Quest. 3. Whether hath a sanctified soul such aw assurance as excludes all doubtings f
OF ASSURANCE.
with it for the richest prize, — but his assurance, though it be infallible, it is not perfect. There will be sometimes a trepidation or trembling; he is safe, yet not without fears and doubts: as a ship lies safe at anchor, yet may be a little shaken by the wind. If a Christian had no doubtings, there would be no unbelief in him; had he no doubtings there would be no difference between grace militant and grace triumphant. Had not David his ebbings sometimes as well as flowings? Like the mariner, who sometimes cries out, stellam video, — ‘I see a star:’ sometimes the star is out of sight. Sometimes we hear David say, “Thy loving-kindness is before mine eyes,” Ps. xxvi. 3.; but at another time he was at a loss, Ps. lxxxix. 49., ‘Lord,
Ans. He hath that which bears up Ins forbidden fruit; he knows, though he canheart from sinking, — he hath such an ear- j not sin away his soul, yet he may sin away nest of the Spirit, that he would not part his assurance; but he who hath the ic/nis
fatuus of presumption, doth not fear defiling his garments, he is bold in sin, Jer. iii. 4, 5., “Wilt thou not cry unto me, my Father? Behold, Thou hast done evil things as thou couldst!” Balaam said, My God, yet was a sorcerer. It is a sign he hath no money about him, who fears not to travel all hours in the night; ’tis a sign he hath not the jewel of assurance, who fears not the works of darkness.
A. 3. True assurance is built upon a scripture basis; the word saith, “The effect of righteousness shall be quietness and assurance for ever,” Isa. xxxii. 17. A Christian’s assurance is built upon this scripture; God hath sown the seed of righteousness in his soul, and this seed hath brought forth the harvest of assurance; but presumption is a spurious thing, it hath not scripture to shew for its warrant, — it is like a will without seal and witnesses, which is null and void in law, — presumption wants both the witness of the word, and the seal of the Spirit.
A. 4. Assurance flowing from sanctification always keeps the heart in a lowly posture: ‘Lord,’ saith the soul, ’ what am I, that, passing by so many, the golden beams of thy love should shine upon me ?* St. Paul had assurance: is he proud of this jewel? No, Eph. iii. 8., “To me who am less than the least of all saints.” The more love a Christian receives from God, the more he sees himself a debtor to free grace, and the sense of his debt keeps his heart humble; but presumption is bred of pride. He who presumes, disdains; lie thinks himself better than others, Luke xviii. 11., “God, I thank thee, I am not as other men are, nor as this Publican.” Feathers fly up, but gold descends; he who hath this golden assurance, his heart descends in humility.
Quest. 5. IVIiot is it mat, excite us to huh after assurance?
Ans. To consider how sweet it is, and the noble and excellent effects it produceth: 1. How sweet it is. This is the manna
where are thy former loving-kindnesses?” And there may fall out an eclipse in a Christian’s assurance, to put him upon lonffin after heaven, — then there shall not be the least doubting, — then the banner of God’s love shall be always displayed upon the soul, — then the light of God’s face shall be without clouds, and have no gun-setting, — then the saints shall have an Tm interrupted assurance, and be ever with the Lord.
Quest. 4. What are the differences between true assurance and prcsianption?
Ans.. They differ in the method or manner of working: divine assurance flows from humiliation for sin, I speak not of the measure of humiliation, but the truth. There are in Palermo, reeds growing, in which there is a sugared juice: a soul humbled for sin is the bruised reed, in which grows this sweet assurance. God’s Sj)irit is a spirit of bondage, before it be a spirit of adoption; but presumption ariseth without any humbling word of the Spirit: ‘How earnest thou by the venison so soon.’ The plough goes before the seed be sown; the heart must be plowed up by humiliation and repentance, before (Jod sow the seed of
assurance.
//. 2. He who hath a real assurance, will take heed of that which will weaken and daik.’u his assurance; he is fearful of the
in the golden pot, — the white stone, — the wine of i)aradise which cheers the heart How comfortable is God’s smile! The sun is more refreshing wlicn it shines out, than when it is hid in a cloud, — it is a pruilibation and a foretaste of glory, — it puts a man in heaven before his time; none can know how delicious and ravishing it is, but such as have felt it, as none can know how sweet honey is, but they who have tasted it.
2. The noble and excellent eflfects it produceth: 1. Assurance will make us love God, and praise him: (1.) Love him. Love is the soul of religion, — the fat of the sacrifice, — and who can love God so, as he who Iiatli assurance? The sun reflecting its beams on a burning-glass, makes the glass burn that which is near to it: so assurance (which is the reflection of God’s love upon the soul) makes it burn in love to God. St. Paul was assured of Christ’s love to him. Gal. ii. 20,, “Who loved me:” and how was his heart fired with love? he valued and admired nothing but Christ, Phil. iii. 8. As Christ was fastened to the cross, so he was fastened to Paul’s heart. (2.) Praise him. Praise is the quit-rent we pay. to the crown of heaven. Who but he who hath assurance of his justification, can bless God, and give him the glory of what he hath done for him! Can a man in a swoon or apoplexy, praise God that he is alive? Can a Christian, staggering with fears about his spiritual condition, praise (jlod that he is elected and justified? No: “The living, the living, he shall praise thee,” Isa. xxxviii. 19. Such as are enlivened with assurance, they are the fittest persons to sound forth God’s j)raise.
Effect 2- Assurance would drop sweetness into all our creature-enjoyments; it would be as sugar to wine, an earnest of more; it gives a blessing with the venison; as guilt embitters our comforts, it is like drinking out of a wormwood cup, so assurance would indulcerate and sweeten all health, and the assurances of God’s love are sweet riches, and with the assurance of a kingdom are delectable, nay, a dinner of green herbs, with the assurance of God’s love, is princely fare.
Effect 3. Assurance would make us active and lively in God’s service; it would excite prayer, quicken obedience. As diligence begets assurance, so asRuranci’ begets diligence. Assurance will not (as the Papists say) breed security in the soul, but industry; doul)ting does discourage us in God’s service, but the assurance of his favour breeds joy, “For the joy of the Lord is your strength,” Neh. viii. 10. Assurance makes us m()unt up to heaven, ;is eagles, in holy duties; it is like the Spirit in Ezekiel’s wheels, that moved them, and lifted them up. Faith would make us walk, but assurance would make us run: we should never think we could do enough for God. Assurance would be as wings to the bird, — as weights to the clock, to set all the wheels of obedience a-running.
Effect 4. Assurance would be a golden shield to beat back temptation: assurance triumphs over temptation. There are two sorts of temptations Satan useth: 1. He tempts to draw us to sin; now the being assured of our justification would make this temptation vanish. ‘What, Satan? shall I sin jigainst him who hath loved me, and washed me in his blood! Shall I return to folly after God lialli spoken peace? Shall I weaken my assurance, wound my conscience, grieve my Comforter? Avoid, Satan, tempt no morel’ 2. Satan would make us question our interest in God; he tells us we are hy{M)crites, and God doth not love us. Now there is no such shield against this tenijjtation as assurance. What, Satan? Have I a real work of grace in my heart, and the seal of the Spirit to witness it, and dost thou tell me God doth not love me? Now I know thou art an impostor, who goest about to disprove what I sensibly feel. If faith resists the devil, assurance wt)uld put him to flight.
Effect 5. Assurance would make us contented though we have but a little in the world; he who hath enough is content; he wh<) hath sun-light is content though he want torch-lijxht. A man that hath assurance, hath enough, in nno solvatorc oinnesfforciit grinmcB ad suhifem. He hath the riches of Christ’s merit, — a pledge of his love, — an earnest of his glory; he is filled with the fulness of God, — here is enough, and having enough he is content, Ps. xvi. 5., “The Lord is the j)ortion of my inheritance;”” the lines are fallen to me in
OF ASSURANCE.
pleasant places, and I have a goodly heritage.” Assurance will rock the heart quiet; the reason of discontent, is either because men have no interest in God, or do not know their interest. St. Paul saith, “I know whom I have believed,” 2 Tim. i. 12. There was the assurance of his interest. And, 2 Cor. vi. 10., “As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing,” &c. There was his contentment. Get but assurance, and you will be out of the weekly bill of murmurers, you will be discontented no more. Nothing can come amiss to him that hath assurance? God is his. Hath he lost a friend? his father lives. Hath he lost his only child? God hath given him his only Son. Hath he scarcity of bread? God hath given him the finest of the wheat, the bread of life. Arc his comforts gone? he hath the Comforter. Doth he meet with storms on the sea? he knows where to put in for harbour, — God is his portion, and heaven is his haven. This assurance gives sweet contentment in every condition.
Effect t). Assurance would bear up the heart in sufferings, it would make a Christian endure troubles with patience and cheerfulness. With patience, Heb. x. 36., “Ye have need of patience.” There are some meats (we say) are hard of digestion, and only a good stomach will concoct them; affliction is a meat hard of digestion, but patience (like a good stomach) will be able to digest it; and whence come patience but from assurance? Rom. v. 3., “Tribulation worketh patience,” v. 5., because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts,” with cheerfulness. Assurance is like the mariner’s lantern on the deck, which gives light in a dark night. Assurance gives the light of comfort in affliction, Heb. x. 34., Ye “took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves,” &.c. there was assurance. He that hath assurance, can rejoice in tribulation; he can gather grapes of thorns, and honey out of the lion’s carcase. Latimer said, “When I sit alone, and can have a settled assurance of the state of my soul, and know that God is mine, I can laugh at all troubles, and nothing can daunt me.”
Effect 7. Assurance would pacify a troubled conscience: he who hath a disturbed vexatious conscience, carries an hell about him, Eheu quis intus scorpia! but assurance cures the agony, and allays the fury of conscience; conscience, that before was turned into a serpent, now is like a bee that hath honey in its mouth, — it speaks peace, — trnnquillus Deus, tranquillat omnia, Tertui-When God is pacified toward us, then conscience is pacified. If the heavens are quiet, and there are no winds stirring thence, the sea is quiet and calm; so if there be no anger in God’s heart, — if the tempest of his wrath do not blow, — conscience is quiet and serene.
Effect 8. Assurance would strengthen us against the fears of death. Such as want it, cannot die with comfort; they are in CEquiUihrio, — they hang in a doubtful suspense what should become of them after death, — but he who hath assurance hath an ha])py and joyful passage out of the world, he knows he is passed from death to life, he is carried full sail to lieaA’en! Though he cannot resist death, yet he overcomes it
Quest. 6. What shall they do that want assurance?
Ans lst. Such as want assurance, let them labour to find grace. When the sun denies light to the earth, it may give forth its influence; when God denies the light of his countenance, he may give the influence of his grace.
Quest. How shall we know we have a real work of gracCf and so have a right to assurance?
Ans. If we can resolve two queries, 1. Have we high appreciations of Jesus Christ? 1 Pet. ii. 7., “To you that belicA’e he is» precious.” Christ is all made up of beauties and delights; our praises fall short of his worth, and is like spreading canvas upon cloth of gold. How precious is his blood and incense! The one pacifies our conscience, the other perfumes our ])rayers. Can we say Ave have endearing thoughts of Christ? Do we esteem him our pearl of price, our bright morning-star? Do we count all our earthly enjoyments but as dung in comparison of Christ? Phil. iii. 8. Do we prefer the worst things of Christ, before the best things of the world; the reproaches of Christ before the world’s embraces? Heb. xi. 2G. — Query 2. Have we ijpi indwelling of the Spirit? 2 Tim. i. 14., Tho Holy Ghost wliic’h dwclloth in us.”
Quest. Hoic may we hninr that ice have the indurlfinr, presence of the Spirit?
Ans. Not by liavinj]^ soniotinios good motions stirred up in us by the Spirit, lie may work in us yet not dwell, but by the sanctifying ])ower of the Spirit in our heart; the Spirit infuseth divinum imiohm, — a divine nature, — it stamps its own impress and effigies on the soxil, making llie complexion of it holy. The Spirit ennobles and raiseth the heart above the world. When Nebuchadnezzar had his understanding given him, he grazed no longer among the beasts, but returned to his throne, and minded the affairs of his kingdom: when the Spirit of God dwells in a man, it carries his heart above the visible orbs, it makes him ai/pernaanhelare, — thirst after Christ and glory. If we can find this, then we have grace, and so have a right to assurance
Ans 2d. If you want assurance, wait for it. If the figures are graven on the dial, it is but waiting a while, and the sun shines; when grace is engraven in the heart, it is but waiting a while and we shall have the sunshine of assurance, “He that believeth shall not make haste,” Isa. xxviii. IG. He will stay (jiod’s leisure. Say not, God hath forsaken you, he will never lift up the light of his countenance; but rather say as the church, Isa. viii. 17., ‘’ I will wait uj)on the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob.” — 1. Hath God waited for your conversion and will not you wait for his consolation! How long did he come a wooing to you by his Spirit? He waited till his head was filled with dew: he cried, as Jer. xiii. 27., “Wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?” O! Christian, did God wait for thy love, and canst thou not wait for his? — 2. Assurance is so sweet and pi-ecious, that it is worth waiting for; the price of it is above rubies, it cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir. Assinance of God’s love is a pledge of election, it is the angel’s banquet: what other joy have they! lus Micah said, Judg. xviii. 24., “What have I more;” so, when God assures the soul of his eterTial purposes of love, what hath he more to give? Whom (io< kisseth he crowns. Assurance is the iint fruits of
paradise: one smile of God’s face, one glance of his eye, one crumb of the hidden manna is so sweet and delicious, that it deserves our waiting. — 3. God hatlj given a promise that we should not wait in vain, Isa. xlix. 23., “They shall not be ashamed that wait for me.” Perhujis God reserves this cordial of assurance for a fainting time; he keeps sometimes his best wine till hist. Assurance shall be reserved as an ingredient to sweeten the bitter cup of death.
Quest. 7. How may deserted souls he comforted who ars cast down for want of assurance? 7 hey have the day-star of y race risen in their souls; but as Job complains, “1 went mourning without the sun,” Job xxx. 28. J’hey go mourning for want of the sun-ti<iht (f God s face; their joy is eclipsed, they walk in darkness, and see no light, Isa. 1. 18. How shall we comfort such as lie bleeding in desertion, and are cast down for want of assurance ‘?
Ans. 1. Want of assurance shall not hinder the success of the saint’s prayers. Sin lived in, doth put a bar to our ])rayer; but want of assurance doth not hinder jnayer; we may go to God still in a humble, fiducial manner. A Christian ])erhaps may think, because he doth not see God s smiling face, therefore God will not hear him; this is a mistake, Ps. xxxi. 22., “I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes, nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplicatit»n.” If we pour out sighs to heaven, God hears every groan; though he doth not shew us his face, he may lend us his ear.
A. 2. Faith may be strongest when .assurance is weakest; the woman of Canaan had no assurance but a glorious faith: “O woman, great is thy faith!” Mat. xv. 28. ‘Rachel was more fair, but Leah was more fruitful.’ Assurance is more fair and h)vely to look upon, but a Iruitl’ul faith God seeth it better for us, John xx. 28., ‘* Blessed are they that believe and feel not.”
A. 3. When (iod is out of sight, yet he is not out of covenant, Ps. lxxxix. 28., “My covenant shall stand fast.” Though a wife doth not see her husband’s face in many years, yet the marriage-relation holds, and he will come again to her after a long v«)yage. God may he gone from the soul in desertion, but the covenant stands fast,
OF ASSURANCE.
[sa. liv. 10., “The covenant of my peace shall not be removed.” — Quer. Buttliisproviise was vwde to the Jews, and doth not belong to us, Yes, V. 17., “Tins is the heritage of the servants of the Lord.” This is made to all the servants of God, those who are now living, as well as those who lived in the time of the Jews.
Quest. 8. JV/iat slioidd we do to get assurance?
Ans. 1. Keep a pure conscience; let no guilt lie upon the conscience unrepented of: God seals no pardons before repentance. God will not pour in the wine of assurance into a foul vessel, Heb. x. 22., “Let us di-aw near in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience!” Guilt clips the wings of comfort; he who is conscious to himself of secret sins, cannot draw near to God in full assurance, — he caimot call God father, but judge; keep conscience as clear as your eye, that no dust of sin fall into it.
A 2. If you would have assurance, be much in the actings of grace, 1 Tim. iv. 7., “Excercise thyself rather unto godliness.” Men grow rich by trading; by trading in gi’ace we grow rich in assurance, 2 Pet. i. 10., “Make your election sure.” How? “Add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge.” Keep grace upon the wing, it is the lively faith flourisheth into assurance. No man will set up a great sail into a small boat, but in a large vessel: God sets up the sail of assurance in an heart enlarged with grace.
A. 3. If you would have assurance, cherish the Holy Spirit of God. When David would have assurance, he prays, “take not thy Holy Spirit from me,” Ps. li. 11. He knew that it was the Spirit only that could make him hear the voice of joy: the Spirit is the Comforter, he seals up assurance, 2 Cor. i. 22. Therefore make much of the Spirit, do not grieve it: as Noah opened the ark to receive the dove, so shoidd we open our hearts to receive the Spirit, this is the blessed dove which brings an olive branch of assurance in its mouth.
A. 4. Let us lie at the pool of the ordinances, frequent the word and sacrament, Cant. ii. 2.,” He brought me to the banqueting-house, and his banner over me was
love.” The blessed ordinances are the banqueting-house where God displays the banner of assurance. The sacrament is a sealing ordinance; Christ made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: so, in the holy supper, in the breaking of bread God makes himself known to us, to be our God and portion.
Quest. 9. How shoidd they carry themselves who have assurance?
Ans. 1. If you have assurance of your justification, do not abuse assurance: 1. It is an abusing of assurance, when we grow more remiss in duty; as the musician, having money thrown him, leaves off playing By remissness, or intermitting the exercises of religion, we grieve the Spirit, and that is the way to have an embargo laid upon our spiritual comforts. — 2. We a1>use assurance, when we grow presumptuous and less fearful of sin. What! because a father gives his son an assurance of his love, and tells him he will entail his land upon him, shall the son therefore be wanton and dissolute? This were the way to lose his father’s affection, and make him cut off the entail; it was an aggravation of Solomon’s sin, “his heart was turned away from the Lord, after he had appeared to him twice,” 1 Kings xi. 9. It is bad to sin when one wants assurance, but it is worse to sin when one hath it. Hath the Lord sealed his love with a kiss? Hath he left a pledge of heaven in your hand, and do you thus requite the Lord? AVill you sin with manna in your mouth? Doth God give you the sweet clusters of assurance to feed on, and will you return him wild grapes? It much pleaseth Satan, either to see us want assurance, or abuse it: this is to abuse assurance, when the pulse of our soul beats faster in sin, and slower in duty.
A. 2. If you have assurance, admire this stupendous mercy. You deserved that God should give you gall and vinegar to drink, and hath he made the honey-comb of his love to drop upon you? O fall down and adore his goodness! Say, Lord, how is it that thou shouldest manifest thyself to me, and not to other believers! those whom thou lovest as the apple of thine eye, yet thou boldest them in suspense, and givest [ them no assurance of thy love; though thou hast piven them the now name, yet not the white stone; tlioiiyli they have the seed of grace, yet not tlte oil of” p:la(hi(«s; tlioiifrli they have the Holy Ghost, the sanctifier, yet not the Holy Ghost, the comforter! Lord, whence is it that thou shouldest manifest thyself to me, and make my ffolden heams of assurance shine upon my soul? O admire God! this will be the work of heaven.
A. 3. Let your hearts be endeared in love to God. If God gives his people correction, they must love him; much more when he gives them assurance, Ps. xxxi. 23., “O love the Lord, ye his saints.” Hath God brought you to the borders of Canaan, — given you a bunch of graj)es, — crowned you with loving-kindness, — confirmed your pardon under the broad seal of heaven? How can you be frozen at such a fire? How can you choose but be turned into soraphims burning in divine love! Say as St. Austin, animam. ineom in oHio hnbnem, — ‘I would hate my own soul,’ if I did not find it loving Cod. Give Cod the cream and quintessence of your love, and shew your love by boiuff willing to lose all for his sake.
A. 4. If you have assurance, improve it for God’s glory, several ways:. By encouraging such as are yet unconverted; tell them how sweet this hidden maima is; tell them what a good master you serA’e, what gales you have had: tell them God hath carried you to the hill of myrrh, to the mountains of spices, he hath given you not only a prospect of heaven, but an earnest. O persuade sinners, by all the love and mercy of God, that they would enrol their names in his family, and cast themselves upon him for salvation! Tell them, God hath met with you, and unlocked the soprets of free grace, and assured you of a land flowing with those infinite delights which eve hath not seen. Thus, by telling others what God Imth done for your soul, you mav make them in love with the ways
of (uh, and cause them to turn proseljtes to r(pligion. — 2. Improve assurance, by comiorting such as want it: Be as the good Samaritan, pour wine and oil into their wounds. You who have a.ssuraiice, are gotten, a-s it were to the haven, you are sure of your happiness: but do you not .see others who are struggling with the waves
of temptation ana desertion, and are ready to sink? O now Kym|)athize with them, and do what you can to couifort them when they are in this deep ocean! 2 Cor. i, 6., “Whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation.” The C()mfortable exy)erienLO of one Christian, being communicated to another doth much revive and bear up his fainting heart: “Our comfort,” sailh the apostle, “is for your consolation.” — 3. Improve assurance by walking more heavenly. You should scorn these things below; you who have an earnest of heaven, should not be too earnest for the earth: you have angels’ food, and it becomes not you with the serpent to lick the dust. The wicked are all for corn, wine, and oil, but you have that which is better: God hath lifted up the light of his countenance; will you hanker after the world, when you have been feeding upon the grapes and pomegranates of the holy land? Do you now lust after the garlic and onions of Egypt? When you are clothed with the sun, will you set the moon and stars above you? O! let them scramble for the world, who have nothinor else but husks to feed on, have you assurance of heaven, and is not that enough? Will not a kingdom satisfy you? Such iis are high in assurance, should be in the altitudes, live above the world. — 4. Improve assurance by a cheerful walking. It is for condemned persons to go hanging down their heads: but hast thou thy absolution? Doth thy (iod smile on thee? Cheer up, 2 Sam. xiii. 4., “Why art thou, being the king’s son, lean?” Art thou the king’s son, — hath God assured thee of thy adoption, and art thou sad? Assurance should be an anti(l<»te against all trouble. What though the world hate thee, yet thou art assured that thou art one of God’s favourites. Wljat though there is but little oil in the cruse, and thou art low in the world, yet thou art high in a.ssurance. O then n’joiee! How musical is the bird, — how doth it chirp and sing, that knows not whore to pick up the next cruuib! and shall they be sad and discontented, who have God’s bond to assure them of their daily bread, and his love to assure them of heaven? But certainly those who have sissurance, cannot but be of 51 .sanguine complexion.
OF PEACE.
A. 5. If you have an assurance of salvation, let this make you long after a glorified tstate. He who hath an earnest in his hand, desires the whole sum to he paid; that soul who hath tasted how sweet the Lord is, should long for a fuller enjoyment of him in heaven. Ilath Christ put this ring of assui’ance on thy hand, and so espoused thee to himself; how shouldest thou long for the marriage-supper of the Lamh? Rev. xix. 9. O Christian, think with thyself, if a glimpse of heaven, a smile of God’s face he so sweet, what will it be, to he ever sunning thyself in the light of God’s countenance! Certainly, you who have an assurance of vour title to heaven, cannot but desire possession. Be content to live, but willing to die.
A. 6. If. you have assurance, be careful you do not lose it; keep it, for it is youi life, viz. Bene esse, — the comfort of youi life. Keep assurance, 1st, By prayer, Ps xxxvi. 10., “O continue thy loviug-kindness:” Lord, continue assurance; do not take away this privy seal from me. 2dly, Keep assurance by humility; pride cstrangeth God from the soul; when you are high in assurance, be low in humility. St. Paul had assurance, and he baptizeth himself with this name, “Chief of sinners,” 1 Tim. i. 15. The jewel of assurance is best kept in the cabinet of an humble heart.
OF PEACl’.
1 Pet. i. 2. Grace unto you and peace he multiplied.