Believers Evidences for Eternal Life, Preface
THE PREFACE, Touching the SAINTS Assurance: Succinctly unfolding
1. The Nature of it.
2. The Tryall of it.
3. The way of Attaining it.
4. Inducements to it.
NO State on earth is so sweet and aPsal. 1. 2, &c. 144. 15happy as the State of true grace, bestowed upon Gods Elect; Such bEph. 5. 8.were darknesse, but are light; cLuk. 15. 32.were lost, are found; were dead, are alive again; d1 Pet. 2. 10.had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy; were not a people, but now are the people of the living God. They are New created eEph. 4. 24 Col. 3. 10.according to the image of God; They partake of f2 Pet. 1. 4.the Divine Nature; They live the gEph 4. 18life of God; The Father disdains h2 Cor. 6. 18.not to count them his Sonnes and Daughters; The Son is iHeb. 2. 11not ashamed to call them Brethren, and the Holy Ghost is pleased to make them k1 Cor. 3. 16, 17. 2 Cor. 6. 6his Holy Temples. They are lRom. 8. 29, 30.called effectually, justified freely, sanctified gracionsly, and shall be glorified eternally. They are mJohn 12. 26.servants of God and Christ, to do his work; not only servants, but nJohn 15. 14, 15friends to know his secrets; nor onelyonly friends, but o1 John. 3. 1, 2. Eph. 2. 19Sonnes, adopted into the houshold of God; Nor only Sons, but pRom. 8. 17. Gal. 4. 7Heires of God, to inherit his Kingdome; nor only Heires, but Co-heires with Christ, to reigne together with him for evermore. qPsal. 34. 9, 10No good thing shall be withheld from them. rRom. 8. 1No condemnation shall befall them. Nothing in the world sRom. 8. 35, &c.shall separate them from the love of God in Iesus Christ. All things in the world tRom. 8. 28shall work together for their good. All the surest u1 Tim. 4. 8. 2 …et. 1. 3. 2 Cor. 1. 20Promises are theirs, All the richest Graces are theirs, All the sweetest Comforts are theirs, All the highest Priviledges are theirs, All the noblest Hopes are theirs; what shall I say? Theirs is Christ, and in Christ x1 Cor. 3. 22, 23. Rom. 8. 32all things. yPsal. 144 15.O Happy, happy is that people, that thus have the Lord to be their God!
This sweet and blissefull State of Grace is rendred double sweet unto the faithfull, when once they come to know themselves to be in such a State. Assurance of our State of grace, is grace doubled. But in evill times (such as are come upon us,) when we can promise our selves no certainty of any sublunary enjoyment: pleasures being quickly drowned in zProv. 24 13bitternesse; aPro. 23. 5Riches taking to themselves wings; Honours wheele suddenly turning upside down; Crownes toppling off the Heads, and Scepters dropping out of the hands of Princes; The bIsa. 23. 9Pride of all glory being stained; and the strongest foundations and pillars of Kingdomes being shaken; friends, liberties, life and all we have, exposed to much hazzard and jeopardy: In such seasons when we can be sure of nothing on earth, yet then to be sure of grace and glory, is grace trebled, and in some measure glorified.
To Advance this spirituall happinesse among the Israel of God; in midst of our temporall miseries, this small ensuing Treatise is published; Spirituall certainties being the best antidote against Temporall uncertainties. Though the Platforme of these Evidences be confined to the compasse of this sweet Epistle (as cAugust. Praef. in. 1. Ep. Ioan.Augustine stiles it) of the sweetest Apostle; yet the amplifications and demonstrations of the severall particulars in much variety, are borrowed from other Scriptures, and so farre extended that they do amount to a large Anatomie of the spirituall state of a Christian; as may appeare in the foregoing Table, wherein the Evidences are methodized.
Before the perusall of particulars, be pleased to pause a little to take view of Assurance in the Generall; and herein of, (1.) The nature of it. (2.) The tryall of it. (3.) The way of attaining and retaining of it. And (4.) The Inducements perswading to it.
I. Of the nature of Assurance.
Assurance or Certainty is twofold, viz.
The assurance or Certainty of the object believed; That dDeut. 32 4 Joh. 17. 3God is true, and I.what he hath eRom. 4 21. 2. Tim. 1. 12. 2 Cor. 1. 20.promised shall certainly and faithfully be performed. This is not the Assurance we enquire after; though certainty of the object, be the ground and foundation, whereupon certainty of the subject is primarily bottomed.
The Assurance or Certainty of the subject believing. This is the Assurance II.we are to consider of.
This Assurance hath severall Denominations in Scripture, viz. 1. foreign; fRom. 8. 38.A Perswasion; rendered gEph. 3. 11Confidence. foreign, faith hath its name from Perswading, because thereby the heart is perswaded. 2. foreign, A perspicuous manifestation, viz. when hJoh. 14. 21, 22, 23Christ manifests himselfe to the soul that loves him, as not to the world. 3. foreign, i1 John 3. 2, 14, 19, 24. & 1 Joh 5. 13, 19. & 2. 3, 5.Knowledge, thus its often stiled. 4. foreign, kH…b. 4. 16 Eph. 312.Boldnesse; so its usually translated, importing an undaunted (yet humble and dutifull) looking God in the face, &c. 5. foreign, Full-assurance, when Faith acts strongly, without lRom. 4 19, 20, 21.staggering through unbeliefe. This is called, sometimes mCol. 2. 2.Full assurance of understanding: Sometimes nHeb. 6. 11. 18, 19.Full assurance of Hope: And sometimes oHeb. 10. 2…Full assurance of Faith. For Knowledge, Faith and Hope do all contribute their influence to the making up of Full assurance.
Of this Assurance or certainty of the Subject, there are certain kinds, or rather degrees: principally these three.
1. A certainty of Adherence and Application; when we certainly apply and adhere to the promise, and to Christ therein: peremptorily devolving, and casting our selves upon him for salvation, though perhaps without evident and sensible comforts. This is pJo…. 1. 12receiving of Christ, qAct. 11. 23cleaving to the Lord with full purpose of heart; if we must perish, we will perish beleeving. rJob 13. 15Though he kill me, &c. This is the minimum quod sic, viz. the lowest step of Assurance, and is so of the nature of faith, that faith cannot be without it in the weakest beleever. Every true believer hath this assurance.
2. A Certainty of Evidence or Experience. When by the reflection of conscience and faith upon themselves and their owne acts, or by the Testimony of the Spirit of God, we evidently see we are in a gracious State, experimentally discerning what God hath done for us, and that upon such and such grounds, effects of grace, or other discoveries. As being s2 Cor. 5 17new creatures, t1 Joh. 1. 7.walking in the light, uRom. 8. 1walking after the spirit, not after the flesh, x1 John 3. 14loving the brethren, &c. This some call Assurance of Internall vision. yMenti nostrae fides nostra conspicua est. Aug. Ep. 112. c. 3. Eamfidem tenet certissimâ scientiâ, cla mat que conscientia.Agustine counts this a clear evidence, saying, that our faith is conspicuous to our owne minde, and that a man holds his faith by certaine knowledge, and attestation of conscience. And (saith zQui fidei suae sensum in corde habet, hic scit Christum Jesum in se esse. Ambros. in Ep. 2. ad Corinth. cap. 13. ver. 5.Ambrose) He that hath the sense of faith in his heart, knowes that Christ is in himselfe. This Assurance is usually attended with much comfort, and sweet joy upon the soule that hath it. Yet every Christian reacheth it not, as the former: though all should contend earnestly for it. It seems to pertaine rather to the well-being, then to the meere being of faith and grace.
3. An unstaggering certainty, or a Full assurance; when there's such a full perswasion, that overcomes all doubts, feares, staggerings of unbeliefe, as in aRom. 4. 17, 18, 19, 20Abraham the father of the faithfull. This is the maximum quod sic, viz. The highest Pinacle of Assurance in this life, next unto celestiall enjoyment, and very few attaine unto it.
II. Of the Tryall of Assurance.
The Tryall of the truth of our assurance, is of great importance and necessity. For, 1. Many Christians have some degree of assurance, who think they have none at all. Let such but be convinced of what they have, they are comforted. 2. Many have no true assurance at all, who yet pretend thereto most of all. Carnall men and hypocrites. As bHos. 8. 1, 2, 3Israel, Solomons cProv. 14. 16foole, the dL…k. 18. 11, 12selfejustifying Pharisee; and the eRev. 3 17Laedicean Angel. Such should be convinced of what they want, that they might be humbled and replenished. All graces, and so Assurance, have their countefeits; we had need try them, lest we take shadows for substances, Copper for gold.
Try Assurance, by the, (1) Qualification of the subject assured. (2.) Grounds or Causes of Assurance. (3.) Fruits or effects of Assurance.
I. The subject of Assurance, must be duly qualified, ere he can be capable of Assurance. Persons are previously and preparatorily qualified for Assurance.
1. By kindly humbling of the soule, breaking of the heart, and troubling of the conscience, with feares about their naturall condition. fRom. 8. 15, 16. compared with Matth. 11. 28. Isa. 61. 1, 2.The spirit of bondage to fear, goes before the spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirit our Son-ship. More or lesse thus God deals with all that come by assurance. Where's thy true humbling?
2. By furnishing the humbled broken heart, with saving faith. gEph. …. 13.First we believe, then are after sealed with the Spirit of promise. Where's thy true faith?
3. By giving them the Spirit; they must first have the Spirit of God, ere h1 Cor. 2. 12by the Spirit they can know the things given them of God Hath God truly given thee his Spirit?
II. The Grounds or Causes of assurance, must not be, 1. Ignorance iRom. 7. 9 Rev. 3. 17of our miserable state. 2. Nor carnall confidence upon common things, viz. kHos. 12. 7, 8worldly prosperity, lMatth. 7. 22, 23. Luke 18. 9 to 13 Mat. 19. 20. Phil. 3outward acts of religion: or mHeb. 6. 4, 5common inward gifts of the Spirit. Illumination, Taste of the good Word of God, &c. those and like are the false grounds of hypocrites. But Grounds of true assurance, are either,
1. Divine Testimony by audible voice. Thus Christ assured the nMa…. 9. 2, 5, 6. Luk. 5. 20, 23Palsie-man. and oLuke 7. 47, 48the penitent woman of pardon, and the pLuke 23. 42, 43Convert thiefe of Paradise. But this vocall Testimony was extraordinary. To expect the like now, or else to reject other grounds of assurance, were to tempt God.
2. The lively exercise of faith, reflecting upon its own acts, and …seeing it selfe believing. Faiths acts are, 1. Direct; and these either (1.) Receptive qJoh. 1. 12of Christ; or (2.) Operative rActs 15. 9. Rom. 5. 1. Gal. 5 6from and by Christ received. 2. Reflexive, when faith returnes upon it selfe, looks back upon its own acts, thus receiving Christ, thus working, as Paul s2 Tim. 1. 12knew whom he had believed. Doth thy faith thus act?
3. The Testimony of our owne sanctified tRom. 8. 16. 1 Joh. 3. 19, 20, 21. 2 Cor. 1. 12.spirituall heart or conscience, according to the Word of God, of our good spirituall estate. uProv. 20 27.The spirit of man is as the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly, x1 Cor. 2. 10, 11, 12.knows what's in him. This Testimony of our sanctified conscience is usually obsolved by Ratiocination or discourse in a Practicall experimentall Syllogisme, thus,
The Proposition being taken out of the Word, viz. Some eminent Scripture▪ Signe or Character of grace, (as in 2 Cor. 5. 17. Acts 15. 9. 1 Iohn 1. 7. and 3. 14. He that loves the brethren is passed from death to life) this is dictated by the foreign, viz. The Conservative Treasury of conscience treasu…ing up such Principles.
The Assumption is drawn from our owne …nown state and experience in the things of Christ, &c. As; But I love the brethren. This is made by the foreign, viz. Con…cience, as conscious of a mans state, and frame …f heart.
The Conclusion, containing the hearts sen…ence hereupon, (Therefore I am transla…d from death to life,) is made by the foreign, Iudgment, or judiciary sentence of con…ience upon the Premises. Doth thy con…ience thus assure thee by the Word?
4. The Testimony of the Spirit of God, which y1 Joh. 3. 24. and 4. 13. 1 Cor. 2. 12purposely given us to this end, that we …ay know the things that are given us of …od. Now the Spirit becomes the Author …d ground of our Assurance, 1. As a Seal, …aling us after we believe, by his holy and a Eph. 1. 13heavenly impression. 2. As an bEph. 1. 14 Rom. 8. 23earnest of our eternall inheritance. First-fruits of the true Canaan, or Handsell of heaven. 3. As cRom. 8. 16a joynt witnesse with our spirits and consciences both d1 Cor. 2. 9, 10, 11, 12, 14.clearing up our spirituall evidences to our minds, and e1 John 2. 27.opening our minds to discerne them as a teaching unction, enabling us to know all things. Hast thou such a Testimony from the Spirit of God?
III. The fruits or effects of true assurance, distinguishing it from counterfeit assurance, Presumption, are these and such like;
1. True assurance whereever it be, mightily incites to selfe-purifying, to accurate sanctification in heart and life. Now f1 John 3. 2, 3.we are the Sons of God,—but we know that whe… he shall appeare, we shall be like him.—An… every man that hath this hope in him, purifie… himselfe, even as he is pure. See this selfe-purifying gSee page 175, to 179.hereafter more fully opened. hDeut. 29. 18, 19.Presumption encourageth in sin and impurity.
2. True assurance stirres up fervent d… fires and longings in such hearts after th… Gospel of Jesus Christ, They that once ha… truly tasted the Lords graciousness, [pleasan… ness, goodnes, &c] they i1 Pet. 2. 2, 3.as new-born babes lo… for the sincere milk of the Word that they m… grow thereby. But Presumption or car… confidence, breeds rather kPsal. 50. 16, 17.disaffection, th… true affection to the Word; Such either d… sire it not at all, or not the pure sincere Wor… or not in reference to their growth.
3. True assurance makes the soule incomparable to prize Communion with God and Iesus Christ; lCant. 2. 6, 7, 16, 17 compared with Cant. 3. 1, to 6. and 5. 2, 10 c. 6. 4.when the Church had obtained Christs sweet embracements, and perceived her selfe lodged in the bosome of her dearest Love, and knew that her beloved was hers, and she his: how jealous is she lest any should disturbe him, or drive him from her; so earnest is she to be filled with his fellowship; and upon his withdrawing in any measure from her, how restlesse is she till his returne! David was a man of much heavenly experience and assurance; when his evidences were dimmed by his fall, how pathetically doth he cry! mPsa. 51. 8, 12.Make me to heare joy and gladnesse, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce.—Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit. Presumption knowes not what Communion with Christs meanes.
4. True assurance notably engages those that have it to serve and honour God in their places to the uttermost. God assured Ioshua n…osh. 1. 15.that he will never leave him nor forsake him; and Ioshua resolves (what ever others do) that o…osh. 24. 15.he and his house will serve the Lord. Sense of Christs love p2 Cor. 5. 14, 15.constrained Paul to all zeal in his ministery. David said qPs. 118. 28.Thou art my God, and I will praise thee, thou art my God, and I will exalt thee. Presumption provokes and contemnes God; rJob 21. 14, 15what is the Almighty that we should serve him? &c.
5. True assurance singularly supports and comforts the heart in deepest tribulations. As is remarkably evident in sJob. 19. 25, &c.Iob, and t2 Cor. 1. 12Paul. Carnall confidence in such cases is a miserable Comforter.
6. True assurance uRom. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5fils with joy in hope of glory, after tribulation hath done its worst. They that have no more then carnall confidence, have indeed xEph. 2. 12no hope of another world.
III. Of the way how to attaine and retaine Assurance
Having thus seen the Character of true Assurance; next consider we How to compasse and conserve it. To this end faithfully follow these and such like directions; viz.
1. Be much in selfe-examination, frequen… in selfe-Probation, that you may finde where your evidence clearly lies, y2 Cor. 13. 5Examine you… selves, prove your own selves: know ye no… that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be re… probates? If a mans Title of land be questioned, how will he search and examine hi… evidences, and also take the best counse… upon them? A Merchant that would exactly know his own State, he often examine… and casts up his Bookes. So should Christians be much in casting up and examinin… their spirituall evidences, that would obtai… assurance of their good estate to God.
2. z1 Thes. 5Quench not, aEph. 4. 30grieve not the Spirit of God, by any known corruption, but still entertaine him with all holy acceptablenesse; for the Spirit of God is therefore given us, b1 Cor. 2. 10, 11, 12, &c.that we by him might be assured, and know the things given us of God, and he cRom. 8. 16 Eph. 1. 13, 14. with 1 Joh. 3. 24 and 4. 13.assures us most convincingly, clearly, satisfactorily.
3. Cherish and improve all your graces, (for every grace hath an evidence in it) but peculiarly your speciall Assuring graces, viz. dCol. 2. 2Knowledge, eHeb. 10. 22Faith, and fHeb. 6. 11, 18, 19Hope. By knowledge we discerne our selves: By faith we reallize and appropriate to our selves for present the things as yet not seen; and by hope we patiently wait for full enjoyment. All tend to assurance.
4. Constantly gAct. 23. … … 24. 16exercise your selves herein, to have a conscience void of offence towards God and man, in all the parts of well-doing. hRom. 8. 16. 1 John 3. 18, 19, 20, 21. 2 Cor. 1. 12A good conscience, and iIsai. 32. 17. Prov. 14. 26a gracious upright Conversation, are singular grounds and helps to Assurance; kPsal. 50. 23To him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I shew the salvation of God. And Christ saith, lJohn 14. 21He that hath my Cemmandements, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me, shall be beloved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest my selfe unto him.
5. Remember former experiences of Assurance: the dayes of old, the years of Gods right hand; these will support and perswade our hearts against doubtings. Gods mPs. 7…. 7, 8, 9, 10. and Psal. 143, 5, 6. and 61. 2, 3. and 71. 5, 6, 20.people have taken this course in their wants of assurance.
6. Labour to getout of those conditions which are prejudicial and obstructive to assurance. These are foure, viz. 1. The Infancy of grace. Infants in nature, live, move, grow, &c. long before they actually know it: So Babes in grace have not their spirituall nHeb. 5. 13, 14.senses exercised to discerne their condition. Labour to o1 Cor. 14. 20. 2 Per. 3. …8.be men in growth, both in grace and knowledge. 2. The spirituall slumber or sleep of security. In naturall sleep our senses are so tied up that we discerne not our naturall or civill State: In the spirituall slumber of security, our assurance is suspended, our evidences sleep with us, as in the pCant. 3. 1, 2. and 5. 2, 3, 6.Church in her spirituall security. Awake thy selfe out of security. 3. The spiritual Swoon of Desertions. In a Swoon, when our spirits and sense faile us, we discerne not our naturall life: In qPsal. 22. 1. and 77. and 88.spirituall Desertions, when God withdrawes the light of his countenance and sweet presence, we discerne not our spirituall life. Labour to remove Desertions, the Conflicts of temptations, and other soule-distempers. When the body is in deep distempers, hath been astonished with dangerous falls, &c. it is not comfortably sensible of its corporall condition; no more is the soule in deep Temptations, Afflictions, especially Relapses, apprehensive of its good spiritual condition. As in rPs. 51. 8, 12, &c.David upon his fal. Therefore wrastle out of temptations and relapses.
7. Diligently and skilfully improve those notable. Assuring Ordinances, the Word, Lords Supper, and Prayer, To help on all the former directions in reference to assurance, 1. The Word was therefore written s1 Joh. 5. 13. Joh. 15 11. and 1 Joh. 1. 4.that beleevers might know they have eternall life. tCol. 3. 16Let it therefore dwell in you richly in all wisdome. 2. The Lords Supper, particularly and individually seals up uMat. 26. 27, 28.remission of sinnes, x1 Cor. 10. 16, 17.Communion with Christ, and interest in y1 Cor. 11. 24, 25.the New Testament. Be at the Lords table frequently, but still manage it worthily. And, 3. Prayer not onelyonly spreads open a mans heart to himselfe, but pierceth the heavens, creeps into the bosome of God, and often furnisheth the doubting spirit with zJoh. 16. 24Assurance in the very exercise of it. Therefore labour to be mighty men in prayer; Pray alwayes and faint not. How oft do the servants of God aPsal. 6. 1, &c. 8. 9. & 31. 21, 22. and 13. 1, 2, 5, 6.begin their prayer, doubting and perplexed: but conclude assured and perswaded! David begins, O Lord, rebuke me not in ihine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure, &c. and he ends, The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord hath heard my supplication.
By these and such like meanes, true Assurance may be obtained by the people of Go… when they want it, recovered when they hav… lost it, and retained when they have go… possession of it.
IV. Inducements unto Assurance.
I. Non-Assurance of Gods favour in Christ and of our true state of grace in him, is a ma… nifold misery and prejudice to the dear childre… of God. For,
1. This is a bad Signe.
1. Sometimes of the defectïvenesse an… weaknesse of grace in such, that they are bu… babes, not grown men in Christ, because bHeb. 5. 13, 14thei… spirituall senses are not as yet exercised, so fa… as to discerne c1 Cor. 2. 10, 11, 12the things of God in them… selves, and that they want very much o… the d1 John 2. 27. 1 Cor. 2. 11Anointing of the Spirit, to reveale unt… them the things of the Spirit. Now Chri… stians should strive to get out of their infa… cy and imbecillity of grace, not still remain… ing e1 Cor. 14. 20 Eph. 4. 12 to 17. 2. Pet. 3. 18children and babes in faith and know… ledge, but labouring to become men in Christ growing up unto perfection.
2. Sometimes of the strength and prevai… ing of corruption and temptation; when f2 Samu. 11. with Psa. 15 8, 12D… vid had relapsed, he lost the joy of Gods salv… tion: Great fals aftonish and amaze bot… corporall and spirituall senses. And it muc… concernes all Christians to wrastle again… entangling temptations, and recover the… selves out of Relapses.
3. Sometimes of spirituall desertions, that the Lord hath in some measure forsaken the soule, and withdrawn himselfe, as in the case of gPsa. 22. 1David, hPsal. 88Heman, iPsal. 77.Asaph, and the kCant. 3. 1, 2. and 5. 6, 7, 8Church her selfe. Now spirituall desertions are such overwhelming afflictions to the soule, that hath once truly tasted of the sweetnesse of Christs presence, that the gracious heart is wholly restlesse till it be again reembraced in the dearest armes of love and favour.
2. This is one great cause of Christians dejectednesse and uncomfortablenesse; that though they are in a state of grace, yet they cannot discerne themselves to be in such a gracious State. To be in the true State of grace, is the happiest ground of comfort: but till there be some apprehension and knowledge of that our State, oft-times we have small sense of comfort. As lGen. 21. 16, 19Hagar, (when her bottle of water was spent, and her childe ready to die,) she sate down full of perplexity, and yet there was a Well in the place, the Well did not comfort her, though close by her, till the Lord opened her eyes to see it. How mLuk. 24. 14, 15pensive and sad were the two Disciples going towards Emmaus, about Christs death, though Christ risen from the dead, was in their company and talked with them, whilest their eyes were holden, that they should not know him? How did nJoh. 20. 14, 15.Mary Magdalene stand weeping by Christs Sepulchre, supposing that his dead body was thence stollen away, though Christ revived and risen, stood close by her; and why? Christ was present, but she did not know him. So if we be close by the Well of grace, if Christ be present with us, yea, in us, if yet we know it not, we are still in our discomforts, our teares and sorrows are still flowing. David was told by the Prophet, o1 Sam. 12 13.The Lord hath put away thy sinne; but because David had not the sense and apprehension hereof, he wanted pPsal. 51. 8, 12.the joy of Gods salvation, and groaned still under his broken bones a good while after.
II. God hath often charged his people to contend after the security and assurance of their Spirituall State. q2 Pet. 1. 10Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.— r2 Cor. 13 5Examine your selves whether you be in the faith, &c.— sHeb. 10. 22Let us draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith.— tHeb. 6. 11We desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope unto the end.
III. It is Possible that such as are in a state of grace may (if the fault be not their own) come to know and be assured they are in such a state. For, 1. Many uJoh. 14. 21. Rev. 2. 17. 1 Cor. 2. 9. Rō. 13 1 Joh. 2. 3, 5. and 3. 2, 14, 19. and 4. 13. and 5. 13, 19.Scriptures intimate this. 2. The Nature of saving Knowledge, Faith, and Hope xCol. 2 2 Heb. 10. 22 and 6. 11.tend to this. 3. Many Gracious persons have sometimes attained to this, though at other times not without their doubtings and infirmities. As yJob 19. 25, 26, 27.Iob, zPsal. 22. 1. and 51. 8, 12.David, a2 Kings 20. 3.Hezekiah, bJohn 20. 28.Thomas, cJohn 21. 15, 16, 17.Peter, d2 Tim. 1. 12.Paul, eCant. 2. 16. and 7. 10.the Church her selfe.
Finally, Assurance of our gracious state is richly worth all earnest endeavours after it. They that once attaine to it, (as hereafter is fSee p. 3, 4.manifested) finde a Jewell of great price, and gPro. 14. 10.no stranger shall intermeddle with their joy.