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| Chapter 18 - Of the Assurance
of Grace and Salvation |
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1. Although temporary believers,
and other unregenerate men, may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes
and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of God and state of salvation,
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.
Job 8:13, 14; Matthew 7:22, 23; 1
John 2:3; 1 John 3:14, 18, 19, 21, 24; 1 John 5:13; Romans 5:2, 5
2. This certainty is not a
bare conjectural and probable persuasion grounded upon a fallible hope,
but an infallible assurance of faith founded on the blood and righteousness
of Christ revealed in the Gospel; and also upon the inward evidence of
those graces of the Spirit unto which promises are made, and on the testimony
of the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirits that we are the
children of God; and, as a fruit thereof, keeping the heart both humble
and holy.
Hebrews 6:11, 19; Hebrews 6:17, 18;
2 Peter 1:4, 5, 10, 11; Romans 8:15, 16; 1 John 3:1-3
3. 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
it; yet being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely
given him of God, he may, without extraordinary revelation, in the right
use of means, attain thereunto: and therefore it is the duty of every one
to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure, that thereby
his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, in love
and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties
of obedience, the proper fruits of this assurance; -so far is it from inclining
men to looseness.
Isaiah 50:10; Psalms 88; Psalms 77:1-12;
1 John 4:13; Hebrews 6:11, 12; Romans 5:1, 2, 5; Romans 14:17; Psalms 119:32;
Romans 6:1,2; Titus 2:11, 12, 14
4. True believers may have
the assurance of their salvation divers ways shaken, diminished, and intermitted;
as by negligence in preserving of it, by falling into some special sin
which woundeth the conscience and grieveth the Spirit; by some sudden or
vehement temptation, by God's withdrawing the light of his countenance,
and suffering even such as fear him to walk in darkness and to have no
light, yet are they never destitute of the 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 the which, in the meantime, they are preserved
from utter despair.
Canticles 5:2, 3, 6; Psalms 51:8,
12, 14; Psalms 116:11; Psalms 77:7, 8; Psalms 31:22; Psalms 30:7; 1 John
3:9; Luke 22:32; Psalms 42:5, 11; Lamentations 3:26-31 |