I able than many, — may I not say, than most, — do apprehend or believe ; ' for if a gracious man will but argue rationally from Scripture, he shall be forced to conclude that he has grace, and that he has an interest in Christ, and that he shall be saved, unless he be resolved beforehand boldly to deny Scripture truths. Sirs ! look in what way the spirit of bondage doth ordinarily work fear, terror, and horror in the hearts of unconverted persons, in the same way the Spirit of adoption doth ordi- narily work hope and assurance in the hearts of the saints, Rom. viii. 15 ; John xvi. 8. Now, the spirit of bondage commonly awakens secure -inners, and fills the heart and consciences of poor sinners with fear, ' irror, and amazement, by setting home upon their souls such practical syllogisms as these :
' Every liar shall have his portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone,' Rev. xxi. 8. But I am a liar ;
Therefore I shall have my portion in that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. Or thus :
' He that believeth not is condemned already/ John iii. 1 8. I believe not ;
Therefore I am condemned already. Or thus :
' He that hateth his brother is a murderer, and hath not eternal life abiding in him,' 1 John iii. 15. I hate my brother ;
Therefore I am a murderer, and have not eternal life abiding in me. Or thus :
' Christ shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, to take ven- geance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of his Son,' 2 Thes. i. 7, 8.
I know not God, I obey not the gospel of his Son ; Therefore Christ shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, to take vengeance on me. Or thus :
' The wicked shall be turned into hell,' Ps. ix. 17. 1 am wicked ;
Therefore I shall be turned into hell.
Now in like manner the Spirit of adoption brings the ' heirs of the promise,' Heb. vi. 17, to the assurance of hope, by setting home such practical syllogisms as these ; —
[1.] First, Whosoever truly and heartily receives the Lord Jesus Christ, are truly and justly reputed to be the sons of God, John i. 12. But I have received Christ all the ways that the word there can im- port ; I am heartily willing to receive the Lord Jesus Christ in all his offices, viz., as a king to rule me, a prophet to teach and instruct me, and a priest to ofl"er and intercede for me ; I am willing to receive him as a sanctifier, as well as a Saviour, and to receive him as my Lord, as well as to receive him as my Redeemer, and to receive him upon his own terms, viz., of taking up his cross, denying myself and following of him ; therefore I may safely, boldly, plainly and warrantably conclude that I am a son of God, and that I have an interest in God, according to the
266 A CABINET OF JEWELS. [ChAP. I.
scripture last cited ; which scripture cannot be broken, nor cannot fail, nor cannot be unbound or loosed, as the Greek word in that John x. 35 imports, &c.*
[2.] Secondly, A gracious soul may argue thus : AH the great and precious promises concerning everlasting happiness and blessedness, are made over to faith and repentance, as the Scriptures do abundantly evidence. Now, he that really finds faith and repentance wi'ought in his soul, so that he is able to say I am a repenting and a believing sinner, he may truly and safely conclude that he shall be saved ; for all the promises of eternal happiness and blessedness do run out with a full stream to faith and repentance. I readily gi-ant that a stroug hope results from the clear evidence it hath of both these. We read in Scrip- ture of a threefold assurance : as, first, an assurance of understanding, Col. ii. 2 ; secondly, an assurance of faith, Heb. x. 22 ; thirdly, an as- surance of hope, Heb. vi. 11. And it is a very choice note that acute D. A.^ hath upon it, viz., ' that these three make up one practical syllogism, wherein knowledge forms the proportion,^ faith makes the assumption, and hope draws the conclusion.' I do, saith the Christian, assuredly know from the word thiit cannot deceive me, that the believing and repenting sinner shall be saved ; my conscience also tells me that I do unfeignedly believe and repent, therefore I do firmly hope that I shall, however vile and unworthy other-\vise, be saved. Now mark, answerable' to the evidence that a man hath in his own soul, that faith and repentance is wrought in him, so will his hope and assurance be weaker or strono^er, more or less. If a man's evidence for the truth of his faith and repentance be dark, and weak, and low, and uncertam, his hope and assurance, tliat is bom of these parents, as I may say, must needs partake of its parent's weakness and infirmities, and be itself weak, and dark, and low, and wavering, and uncertain, as they are from which it results. Hope and assurance ebbs and flows, as the evidence of a man's faith and repentance ebbs and flows.
Assurance cannot be ordinarily had without a serious examination of our hearts ; for assurance is the certain knowledge of the conclusion drawn from the premises, one out of scripture, the other by a reflect act of the understanding or conscience, thus : He that believes and re- pents shall certainly be saved, that is the voice of the word of God ; then by the search of a man's own heart, he must be able to say, But I be- lieve and repent ; and from these two doth result this assurance, that he may safely conclude. Therefore I shall be saved. And oh that all Christians were so wise, as seriously to ponder upon these things !
[3.] TJdrdly, A godly man may argue thus : He that hath respect unto all God's commands shall never be ashamed. Ps. cxix. 6, ' Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy command- ments.'* He that is so honest and faithful with God, as to do his best, shall find that God will be so gracious as to pardon his worst. And this gospel indulgence David does more than hint at in those words
^ 'Elov<riav signifies authority. Such as receive the Lord Jesus, have authority to h' called the sons of God. Others may call God Father, and themselves sons, but they liave not that right and authority to do it as believers have, Mark xvi. 16 ; John iii. 16, 18, 86 ; Mat. iii. 2, 8 ; Luke xxiv. 47 ; Acts v. 31, iii. 19 ; Luke xiii. 3.
2 Qu. ' Dr Ames ' ?— G. ^ Qu. ' proposition '?— Ed.
* Shame is both the temporal and eternal fruit of sin, Kom. vi. 21 ; Dan. xii. 2.
Chap. I.] a cabinet of jewels. 267