with all believers: "I know whom I have believed, " and I am persuaded, that he is able to keep that “which I have committed unto him against that day We see there St. Paul's assurance was founded on, first, A knowledge of Jesus Christ, the object of his faith secondly, A consciousness of transactions which had passed between him and his Saviour; he had committed something to him, that was, his soul, with all its interests thirdly, A persuasion of his ability, willingness, and faithfulness, to secure and preserve what he had taken charge of. And these are the very same principles which are necessary to the first act of weak faith, only here they exert themselves with their proper power and efficacy. From hence,

III. Assurance is equally open to all believers. It is not the exclusive privilege of great services or sufferings; it is not confined to ministers, martyrs, or apostles; but it is a prize set before all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, being no other than the growth and establishment of that faith which they have already received. The reasons why all who believe are not happy in this assurance of hope, are to be sought, not in the will of God, who has made abundant provision for our comfort, but in the perverseness, ignorance, and misapprehensions of our own hearts, and from inattention to his revealed word. We are not straitened in him, but in ourselves. It is not easy to enumerate the many ways in which our depravity works to keep this good thing from us. A few of the principal are these. 1. Insincerity. Where grace is really implanted by the Holy Spirit, it will surely prevail at length, and subdue the whole soul to the obedience of faith. But

2 Tim. i. 12.

in too many there is for a long time not only great opposition from indwelling corruption, but a secret cleav ing of the will to evil. A double-mindedness*, a kind of halting between two opinions; so that while the desire and prayer of the soul seems expressed against all sin universally, there is still an allowed reserve of something inconsistent with light received. An habitual indulgence of known or suspected evil, or an habitual neglect of any known duty, will certainly prevent the growth of grace and consolation. For the Lord claims (what is his just due) the whole heart, and will not af ford the strengthening light of his countenance, while any idol is deliberately set up in his presence. "Then,” says David (and not till then), "shall I not be ashamed "when I have respect unto all thy commandments.” And our Lord Jesus, when asked, "How wilt thou "manifest thyself unto us?" answered, "If a man love 66 me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love

him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode "with him t." Till the pride and naughtiness of our spirits are conquered, and we are made willing to give up all, to renounce whatever is contrary to his precepts, though pleasing as a right eye, and seemingly necessary as the right hand, it is in vain to expect a full and abiding assurance of his love.

2. Indolence. With respect to this valuable blessing, it may be often said, "Ye receive not, because ye "ask not t." It is too common for those who were earnest in crying for mercy, while they thought themselves under the curse and power of the law, to grow slack and remiss in prayer soon after they obtain some

* James, i. 8.; 1 Kings, xviii. 21. ; Prov. xxiii. 26.; Psal. ix. 1. + Psal. cxix. 6.; John, xiv. 22, 23. ↑ James, iv. 2.

hope of salvation from the Gospel; and particularly they do not " give all diligence to make their calling "and election sure*" in the careful use of every means appointed for their establishment in the truth as it is in Jesus. Therefore that word is fulfilled in them, "The slothful soul desireth and hath nothing t." They go on for months or years in a complaining, unsettled state; and deservedly, because they are not earnest in in seeking, asking, waiting, knocking at the gate of wisdom, and at the throne of grace, for that blessing which the Lord has promised to those who persevere in wrest`ling prayer, and will take no denial.

3. Misapprehensions. These arise from a neglect of examining the Scriptures, and an undue deference to the decisions of men. If assurance is supposed unattainable, it will consequently not be sought after. If it is expected as an instantaneous impression of the Spirit of God upon the mind, independent of his word, or to arise from some sudden powerful application of a parti cular text of Scripture, this persuasion will end in disappointment. For though it must be allowed that the Lord does at times favour his people with peculiar manifestations of his goodness, and, perhaps, seal some promise especially suited to their present circumstances, with a remarkable sweetness and evidence upon their minds; yet these do rarely produce the assurance we are speaking of. These are but visits, seldom vouchsafed, and quickly suspended; and those who depend chiefly upon such impressions, instead of endeavouring to grow in the Scriptural knowledge of Christ, are generally as changeable in their hopes as in their frame. While their affections are thus engaged, "their moun+ Prov. xiii. 4.

* 2 Pet. i. 10.

"tain stands strong, and they think they shall never "be moved*;" but when the cause is withdrawn, the effect ceases, and they presently relapse into their former fears and inquietudes. Not to say, that expectations of this sort have a tendency to great inconveniences, and often open a door to the delusions of enthusiasm and dangerous impositions; for Satan when permitted, knows how to transform himself into an angel of light f. If inherent sanctification, or a considerable increase of it, is considered as the proper ground of assurance, those who are most humble, sincere, and desirous of being conformed to the will of God, will be the most perplexed and discouraged in their search after it. For they of all others will be the least satisfied with themselves, and have the quickest sense of the innumerable defilements and defects, which the Scripture assures us are inseparable from our best tempers and best actions. These mistakes, with others that might be mentioned, prevent many from seeking after assurance at all, and bewilder many more, by putting them upon a wrong pursuit. But what then is assurance? and how is it to be attained? I shall attempt an answer to these questions together in the next proposition.

IV." Assurance is the result of a competent spirit"ual knowledge of the person and work of Christ as re"vealed in the Gospel, and a consciousness of depend"ence on him and his work alone for salvation." What I apprehend necessary to make my meaning plain will occur from a brief explanation of the terms I have made use of in this description.

1. By the term "spiritual knowledge," I would ascribe it to the influence and teaching of the Holy Spirit

* Psal. xxx. 6, 7.

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2 Q

+ 2 Cor. xi. 14.

of God, and distinguish it both from that speculative knowledge of divine things which natural men may acquire from books and human instruction, and likewise from that knowledge which a real believer may attain in the same way, beyond the limits of his present experience. Those who are favoured with great outward advantages, particularly the light of a clear Gospelministry, may very soon arrive to a notional apprehension of the most important truths; but with respect to the spiritual and abiding perception of those truths, there is no effectual teacher but the Spirit of God: and we often find, that what we think we have learned of men, we have occasion to be taught again by the Lord the Spirit; for our acquisitions fail us when we have most need of them, and will not stand the trial of an hour of temptation. But, so far as we have received our views of Jesus, his person, offices, mediation, and promises, from him, we possess them, and should be able to defy an angel, if he was to propose to us any other doctrine than that which we have surely known and believed*.

2. I use the word "competent," because there is not, that I know of, any determinate standard where to fix. When our knowledge is so far increased as to overpower the objections arising from inward corruptions, defects of obedience, unbelieving fears, and the temptations of Satan; when we can cut them short with that question of the apostle, "Who is he that condemneth? it is "Christ that died†," assurance follows of course. For I do not understand assurance in the strictest sense for the highest degree of certainty imaginable. Assurance itself is capable of increase; and will be so continually, † Rom. viii. 34.

* Gal. i. S.