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essential to the existence of faith, and that many genuine saints do not enjoy this blessing, they console themselves with this belief. Since their state may be safe without assurance, they are quite unconcerned about its attainment.

This is a very unpromising feature of character. They who are partakers of a divine nature, are filled with a holy jealousy of themselves. They esteem their everlasting salvation a matter of too great magnitude, to be able to sit at their ease, while they are uncertain respecting it. Were they to account it a thing of little moment, they might treat it with coldness and indifference. But viewing it, as they do, as the one thing needful,-the principal business of life-that which involves their all for eternity,-they cannot fail to be solicitous to make it sure. therefore, who seldom or never inquire whether they are, or are not, genuine believers in Christ; and who are giving no diligence to make their calling and election sure; have much ground to fear that they are still strangers to the spirit and power of godliness.

Those,

"Assurance is a blessing 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 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 for, 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 We are not straitened in him, but

revealed word.

in ourselves."*

Were believers persuaded of this truth, would it not powerfully stimulate and encourage them in aspiring after this blessing? And were they diligently and perseveringly to employ the means which God has provided for promoting their growth in grace,+ few of them would long have cause to bewail their want of assurance. Instead of being distressed with misgiving apprehensions, and spending so much of their time in unavailing complaints, they would live up to their exalted privileges and glorious prospects, and experience of verity, that "wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are paths of peace."

Animated by these considerations, be encouraged, my reader, though you have not yet reached it, to press onward to the attainment of this high and blissful privilege. It is set before you. It is placed within your reach. It is necessary to your peace and comfort. It is productive of joy unspeakable and full of glory. It will fit you, in a high degree, to glorify your heavenly Father, to live above the allurements and frowns of this world,-to cheer the hearts and to strengthen the hands of your Christian brethren,to allure others to the ways of holiness, and to enjoy much of heaven while on earth. It will sweeten to you every comfort, by enabling you to trace them all to your Father's care and love. It will greatly

* Newton's Works, vol. iv. Ser. 20. + See chap. xi.

alleviate your trials and afflictions, by leading you to view them as the kind chastisements of a Father, and the tokens of your adoption. It will animate you with activity and zeal in the performance of every duty, and dispose you cheerfully to make every required sacrifice. It will increase your relish for his holy word, and make you feel it sweeter to your taste than honey from the honey-comb. How sweet will its promises then be to your soul, assuring you that all things are yours, and that God will withhold from you nothing which he knows to be conducive to your good! What pleasure will you experience in his ordinances, with joy drawing water from these wells of salvation ! What holy boldness and filial confidence will you experience in prayer, when you unbosom your heart to your God and Saviour, cast upon him your cares, and make known to him your wants and sorrows! How will it increase your delight in the exercise of praise, as the cheering foretaste of the song of heaven! How will it fortify you against the fears of death, and enable you to meet it, saying, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff they comfort me!" How will it inspire you with ardent desires after full fruition of that bliss which awaits you in heaven; and cause you daily to look and long for the glorious period, when you shall join all who have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb! These are blessings worthy of your highest ambition, and most laborious pursuit.

In conclusion, if you already possess, or think you possess, assurance of salvation, I would say to you, look well to the ground on which it is built, and the evidence by which it is proved. In these respects you cannot be too cautious, lest, like too many confident and boasting pretenders, you should be found at last self-deceivers. See to it that your faith in Chrst lead you to an unreserved reliance on his all-perfect righteousness. Let your motto be, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.' And while utterly denied to any dependence on your good works; at the same time, look to it that they be not wanting. As well may you pronounce a barren tree fruitful, as conclude on any account that you are a believer in Christ, if you do not run in the way of his commandments. You have not yet believed the gospel, if you are not taught by it, practically to "deny all ungodliness and worldly lust, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world."

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If you have cause to believe that your assurance of salvation is thus founded, and is productive of these results, O study to give glory to him who has so highly distinguished you by his sovereign, rich, and efficacious grace! Let whole life be consecrated to his praise, who has called you from darkness into his marvellous light. Never, never can you do enough to testify a becoming sense of the immeasurably vast obligations under which he has laid you. "You are not your own; you are bought with a

Titus iii. 5.

price; wherefore glorify God with your body and spirit which are his." And as you value your present attainment, guard against losing it by tampering with temptation, trifling with duty, or willingly giving place, even in your thoughts, to the imaginations and emotions of sin. "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God by whom you are sealed to the day of redemption." With humble reliance on his promised assistance, and habitual concern for his honour, be faithful in his service to the death, and he will give you the crown of life.

But though you should not yet have reached this attainment, be not discouraged, if you can say that you cordially desire to cleave to Christ. Many of the true and humble followers of the Lamb dare not affirm that they are assured of their salvation. They feel such a mixture of unbelief opposing their faith, that they are doubtful which has the ascendency. In this respect they resemble that man, of whom we read in the gospel history, who came to Christ supplicating relief to his afflicted son: "Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."* But distressed as that man was with his unbelief, and readily as he confessed it, our Lord approved of him as a true, though a weak and doubting believer; and in proof of this, cured his child. Whatever fears may occasionally disturb your mind, encouraged by this example, cast

* Mark ix, 23, 24.

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